In this day and age, conflicts in the Jianghu are constant, making it difficult to support a family, and even more difficult to travel long distances to conduct business. Individual merchants like Zhen Shibei, who deal in large-scale shipments of goods, are particularly rare. For the transport of large quantities of goods, the long, mountainous roads are destined to encounter significant environmental resistance. The team transporting the goods must not only be experienced and well-versed in the road conditions of various places, capable of observing weather changes to arrange and adjust their journey, but they must also possess a certain level of combat ability. After all, holding a valuable treasure is a crime, and it is very easy to be robbed.
Even for many Escort Agencies attached to Jianghu sects, the situation is the same when it comes to escorting goods. They are full of concerns when a large business comes knocking, fearing that if the escort fails and the goods are lost, they will not only have to pay compensation, but the loss of manpower will be even more of a net loss. Therefore, current Escort Agencies are more willing to accept small shipments. If they really have to take a large escort, they break it down into smaller parts, turning it into individual escorts, small team escorts, or even secret escorts. The targets are small and scattered, so the risk can be reduced, and the manpower used is not much different, only the time cost increases slightly, so the remuneration received will not shrink too much.
Unexpectedly, Zhen Shibei is a stubborn person. When he encounters a large order, he always thinks about doing it once and for all, finishing it in one trip, and insists on going into battle himself, pulling a large group of people to transport the goods. Of course, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on him. It is not that he does not want to find an Escort Agency to escort the goods, but that there is simply no Escort Agency willing to take on this thankless job. It is not that he is reluctant to spend money to hire some Jianghu experts with good skills, but the unpredictability of transporting large escorts is too great, and the risk is far greater than the return. It is hard to guarantee that one will not lose their little life. Weighing the pros and cons, everyone is obviously more willing to run small escorts.
In a place like Pinghai Commandery, where various powers collide frequently and can even be called the "main battlefield" of the Jianghu, only a merchant like Zhen Shibei, who is blinded by greed, would bite the bullet and transport a large batch of goods in Pinghai Commandery. At that time, he also spent a lot of money to hire four Jianghu experts to escort and protect him. Who would have thought that the Red Robe Cult, a great evil god, would kill their way out on the Official Road? The team of dozens of people was killed in a chaotic and disorganized manner. Fortunately, the old heaven blessed them, and it just so happened that members of the Righteousness Alliance were nearby. Hearing the sound, they rushed to rescue them. The loss of personnel was not great, but they failed to save any of the goods.
The second time he received a large order in Pinghai, Zhen Shibei still did not believe in evil. He just specially avoided the main road, not hesitating to trek through mountains and rivers, walking on remote mountain paths and sheep-gut trails. Seeing that there was only one day left to the destination, he encountered a thunderstorm and a flash flood, which washed away both the goods and the people. After the event, when counting, more than half of the goods were destroyed. Even in Jiangning Commandery, thinking that with the Chrysanthemum Garden here, it would be enough to intimidate all parties, he only took his own employees on the road. Who would have thought that even this could go wrong? It is really unlucky!!!
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（Thousand Peach Forest）
After parting ways with Murong Jing that day, Jiang Yichen traveled east and north all the way, and finally arrived at the Chrysanthemum Garden.
Seeing the scene of peach blossoms in full bloom again, he could not help but think of the strange encounter in the Peach Valley Secluded Forest, and the strange dialogue with the old man with a peach-like face under the Peach Immortal Tree. Jiang Yichen felt emotional. In just over ten days since leaving the island, there had been so many fresh things, which were no less than the unbelievable things he had seen and heard in over ten years on the island. No wonder the Jianghu makes so many people yearn for it.
In comparison, the Little Brown Horse seemed a bit anxious and uneasy, because it actually saw that there were wolves in the Thousand Peach Forest, and the number was not small. What made it feel most excessive was that these wolf cubs were wandering around in the peach forest in broad daylight, which was too terrifying for a horse!
The encounter in the Peach Valley Secluded Forest, yes, for the master, it could be considered a strange encounter, but for it, it was an encounter that almost cost it its little life. To this day, it still has lingering fears. Now these wolves are wandering around in front of it without any scruples. Although it is not necessarily that they have the intention to eat it, it still makes it uneasy, and it is afraid of falling into a pit while walking on the road.
Jiang Yichen discovered the abnormality of the Little Brown Horse and understood. He could only keep patting its neck to comfort it.
After the ten-mile peach forest is the Chrysanthemum Garden. Finally, I am going to see the old man.
The old man. Jiang Yichen took a deep breath. He did not know why, but when he thought of these two words, he felt a trace of nervousness. That feeling, perhaps, probably is like a girl who has not yet left her mother's home waiting to see her future husband, cough cough, not quite right, but it should be about the same.
In fact, from childhood to the present, he has only seen the old man three times. The first time was after his family encountered an unexpected event and he was rescued and brought to the old man. The second time was when he was brought to West Mountain Island by the old man with a group of children, or orphans, to choose someone to adopt them. The last time was last year when the old man specially came to find Yin Niang to tell her that her great revenge had been avenged.
The first two times, Jiang Yichen was still young, and his memory had long been blurred. This last time, the impression the old man gave him was kindness mixed with dignity.
Jiang Yichen gave a self-mocking smile. To this day, he still does not know the old man's name. He only knows that everyone respects him very much, and everyone calls him the old man. He also remembers hearing Yin Niang say this about the old man when he was on the island.
"In the eyes of the Jianghu people, the old man is not only a Buddha but also a living Yama. He is not very tall, but many people who have seen him feel that he is the tallest person they have ever seen in their lives. He likes to make friends very much. Few of his friends are unwilling to risk their lives for him. As long as he promises you, he will never let you down, and you do not need to give him any reward. Everyone's love and respect for him has become the title 'old man'."
The image of the old man in Jiang Yichen's mind had already been established as tall enough. This had to be attributed to the oral accounts of everyone on West Mountain Island, and the awe that the adults felt from the inside out whenever the word "old man" was mentioned. Jiang Yichen also took it to heart.
Accompanied by the sunset glow, Jiang Yichen, like a wanderer returning home, finally arrived at the gate of the Chrysanthemum Garden.
This was Jiang Yichen's second time coming to the Chrysanthemum Garden. When he was a child, he was a passing traveler and had no memory of the Chrysanthemum Garden at all, but now he did not know why he really had a feeling of going home.
The entrance gate of the Chrysanthemum Garden was not large, just an ordinary moon gate. That is to say, the door plaque with yellow characters on a black background on the door wall, which read "Chrysanthemum Garden", was telling the world that this was indeed the heart of the Righteousness Alliance, which punishes evil and promotes good, upholds Justice, and looks down on the world in the Jianghu.
There were no guards at the entrance of the Chrysanthemum Garden, but at this time, more than ten people were waiting respectfully outside the gate, not daring to have the slightest neglect.
Jiang Yichen guessed that these people were here to ask to see the old man for something. To show respect, they stood in a line outside, not blocking the gate, and only let the guards report on their behalf.
Jiang Yichen had already arrived in front of them. Seeing others doing this, how could he dare to be negligent? He led the Little Brown Horse and followed to the other side of the gate, planning to trouble them to report when someone came out of the garden.
Out of curiosity but also for fear of being rude, Jiang Yichen only secretly glanced at the opponent.
A group of thirteen people, most of whom were young people, with only two being older, but they were no more than thirty years old. Their faces were all written with the fatigue and haggardness after a long journey.
The person leading the way was an older man with a handsome and majestic appearance. He seemed to be from a military background, but his temples were gray, perhaps due to excessive worry.
Behind him were a young man and woman. The man had a romantic and elegant appearance, but his overly pale complexion showed that he had just recovered from a serious injury.
The woman who was stubbornly supporting him at his side, ignoring his refusal, was about the age of peach blossoms, with a beautiful face and outstanding demeanor. At this moment, her eyebrows were tightly furrowed, as if she was extremely worried about the man's physical condition.
From the standing room of the other party, it was not difficult to see that the identities and Status of the three leading people should be relatively special. The man who ranked behind was broad-shouldered and strong-backed, and he was not young, or perhaps his face was full of wind and frost, and his dark skin made him look old.
Before Jiang Yichen could observe them one by one, someone had already appeared at the moon gate.
"Steward Xiao Shi, the old man invites you. Everyone, please enter the garden together." The person who arrived was a middle-aged man, slightly plump, with a smiling face, polite in his actions, and upon closer inspection, he was actually somewhat similar to Zhen Shibei.
"Thank you for your trouble." The leading man, who was called Steward Xiao Shi, said with a bow, then turned around, and together with the young woman, carefully supported the pale-faced man and walked slowly into the garden, signaling the others behind to follow.
The group of people followed the middle-aged man into the garden in an orderly manner. Jiang Yichen saw that he could not find a chance to speak to the slightly plump middle-aged man, and was extremely anxious. After hesitating again and again, he finally had to follow the group into the garden.
The Chrysanthemum Garden was not as magnificent as imagined. The first impression it gave was that it was spacious and plain. There were Flowers and Grass everywhere. If someone who was not informed saw this scene, they would probably only think that this was just a large garden with a master.
There were corridors crisscrossing the garden, pavilions, rockeries, and lakes, making people feel calm and relaxed, easing the nervous tension brought about by the confrontation and disputes in the Jianghu.
Although the garden was large, with someone leading the way, the group did not spend too much time and went straight to the Taoran Pavilion in the north.
Jiang Yichen followed closely behind, but felt that he had followed in without being reported, so he did not dare to disturb their discussion and stopped in front of the pavilion door, staying outside alone.
Looking inside, except for the group of thirteen people and the middle-aged man who led them into the garden, there were only two people inside.
One of them was naturally the old man, in plain white robes, standing and waiting.
The other person stood at the side of the old man, in black clothes, with long hair draped over his shoulders, with natural dignity.
Jiang Yichen recognized this person. He was one of the old man's right-hand men, the most capable general, Nangong Yan.
In just one year, the old man had aged a lot, but the dignity between his brows remained. It must be that the Jianghu situation, which had taken a sudden turn for the worse over the past year, had caused him a lot of worry.
When he looked at Nangong Yan again, Nangong Yan happened to look at Jiang Yichen, who was left alone outside the pavilion. Their eyes met, and Jiang Yichen shivered, quickly lowering his head and cupping his hands to express his apology for his rude offense.
"Chen'er?" Nangong Yan knew about Jiang Yichen leaving the island and had met him once a year ago, but he was not sure, so he asked the old man in a light sound.
"Since you have arrived, come in." The old man also glanced outside, nodded with a smile, and specially greeted Jiang Yichen.
"Yes." Jiang Yichen felt very apologetic, walked into the pavilion quickly with his head slightly lowered, and stood silently in a corner.
Seeing this, the old man and Nangong Yan both knew that the youth was naturally shy, so they did not say anything more and moved their gazes back to the hall, looking at the crowd who had come from afar.
The prototype of the old man is based on Sun Yubo from the Meteor Butterfly Sword by the great Gu Long.
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