Chapter 74

Xiao Feng saw the disciples of the Beggar Sect bustling about, supporting each other as they headed towards Shaoshi Mountain. He knew that today was the day when the imperial court and Shaolin Temple would meet to decide on major martial arts affairs. However, thinking about the past days of drinking and feasting with his Beggar Sect brothers, now turned into enemies, left him with a complex and indescribable feeling.

At that moment, a delicate hand grasped his rough palm. A Zhu leaned against him and softly asked, "What are you thinking about, Master Xiao?"

Xiao Feng tightly held her hand and laughed heartily, "I am thinking that from now on, I am no longer a solitary, despised and looked down upon barbarian. There is at least one person... one person..." He looked into A Zhu's star-like eyes, momentarily at a loss for words.

"One person who respects you, admires you, is grateful to you, and is willing to stay by your side forever and ever, to share in your hardships and humiliations, and to face the dangers and difficulties together."

A Zhu's eyes were fixed on him, her words filled with a deep emotion that could not be dissolved. A surge of indescribable feelings welled up in Xiao Feng's heart. He felt that with her by his side, even if the path ahead was filled with knives and fire, he would face it with joy.

"There's a tea pavilion ahead. We're not far from Shaoshi Mountain. Let's take a rest there." Xiao Feng saw the pavilion ahead and smiled at A Zhu. The two of them walked into the tea pavilion, and the waiter hurriedly came up, saying, "Are you two heading to Shaolin?"

"Yes, we are on our way to Shaolin," Xiao Feng smiled. He never held himself in high regard, treating everyone, from vendors to waiters, with utmost respect.

The waiter, hearing this, beamed and handed him a piece of paper, saying, "Then this must be for you."

Xiao Feng opened the paper and saw the first line read, "Mr. Zhuo..." He quickly closed it, thinking to himself: This isn't for me; the waiter must have made a mistake. I mustn't read any further. He handed the paper back to the waiter, saying, "This isn't for me. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

The waiter immediately looked worried, scratching his head in distress, "The guest left the note and left, saying it was for a hero who looked extraordinary at first glance. I've been waiting here for three days, and you're the only one who fits the description. What if it's not you?"

A Zhu, hearing the phrase "extraordinary," squinted her eyes. While a girl might not be overly happy when praised herself, she felt as if she had eaten honey when someone praised her lover. She said kindly, "Which guest left the note? Perhaps you could tell us more, young waiter."

The waiter, finding someone willing to listen to his troubles, served them tea and pointed to a nearby road, saying, "A few days ago, two groups of people, all carrying knives and swords, came to my tea pavilion. There have been many such people lately, but I didn't mind since the authorities were nearby, and they wouldn't dare to act rashly. Then I heard a guest call out, and I went out to help him tie his horse. When I looked up, I saw a guest with a beard, fierce eyes, and a tiger-like gaze, very imposing."

Xiao Feng thought to himself: This must be the person who left the note. The waiter waited for three days without finding a suitable hero, and he was so surprised by this person, indicating that he must be an extraordinary hero. He said joyfully, "Did he give his name?"

"No," the waiter frowned, "The guest saw the two groups of people in the shop and laughed, saying, 'A swarm of bees on the Yellow Flower Hill, I've found you.'"

"A swarm of bees on the Yellow Flower Hill!" Xiao Feng frowned deeply. This group was notorious in the martial arts world, a band of bandits that everyone wanted to eliminate. They never stayed in one place for long, and wherever they went, they left a trail of destruction. Because they moved around and had high martial arts skills and a large number of people, no one could catch them. Xiao Feng had once wanted to eliminate them, but their unpredictable movements and the many affairs of the Beggar Sect made it impossible, leaving him with a deep regret.

"That lone hero is in danger!" Xiao Feng knew that the "swarm of bees" was skilled in cooperative attacks, and even a top expert would struggle to defeat them. He couldn't help but worry.

The waiter continued, "The guest was very powerful. He used the chopsticks on my table to pin down three people, each through the right eye. He didn't attack this side where I was sitting but led the group outside."

"Ah!" A Zhu exclaimed. She was holding a chopstick, a light bamboo stick that would be easily blown away by the wind. The fact that he could use such a thing to pin down three "bees" was truly terrifying.

"Great!" Xiao Feng laughed heartily, "What a hero! If I meet him, I will drink three large bowls with him. His bravery is enough to go with the wine." The waiter clapped his hands and brought out a jar of local sorghum wine, pouring a bowl for Xiao Feng.

The wine was quite rough, but Xiao Feng didn't mind, drinking it in one gulp.

"Great hero, I've seen many martial artists come and go, but only you and that guest treated us with respect," the waiter said excitedly, pouring another bowl for Xiao Feng.

"Those bees are very despicable. Some used fishing nets and iron chains to entangle them, and others threw weapons from a distance. I was hiding behind, watching them work together. I was worried. No matter how many people went up, the guest, even with three heads and six arms, couldn't handle them all!"

Xiao Feng laughed, "Hearing your story, I'm less worried. Since you say so, that hero must have fought brilliantly, making the bees run in fear." His words were crude, but the waiter found them very touching.

"Indeed, they ran in fear! The guest grabbed the nets and chains with both hands, lifted them up, and the people holding the chains flew up, blocking the weapons." The waiter was excited, "He lifted up four or five people, showing immense strength."

"Such a hero, such great martial arts, it's a pity I couldn't see it!" Xiao Feng sighed, drinking another bowl.

"The leader of the bees, a scar-faced villain, saw me hiding and grabbed me, holding me in front of him, saying, 'If you don't care about his life, come on.' I thought, 'I'm done for, I'm going to die.'"

"Master, if you were in that situation, would you care about a waiter like me?"

Xiao Feng laughed heartily, "If it's an innocent person, I would rather die myself than let others suffer."

"That's why I knew you were a great hero. The guest, like you, didn't attack me or throw weapons back. He just defended himself, knocking down a few people." The waiter was moved, "Unfortunately, those people were even more despicable."

Xiao Feng slapped the table, frowning, "Did they use you to threaten the hero?"

"Yes, the scar-faced leader hid behind me and said, 'Stop, or I'll kill him.' The guest replied, 'No, if I stop, I'll be your victim, and the young brother might not escape either. You will harm more people. I'll kill you all. If the young brother is unfortunate, I'll bury him and commit suicide at his grave to repay him.'"

Xiao Feng, moved, drank three bowls in one go, "If I were in that situation, I would do the same. I can't let the villains escape to harm more people. I can avenge you, but I can't repay you with my life."

The waiter said, "I didn't think like that. I just wanted to shout, 'Hero, avenge me, saving one person is enough to repay me.' But my mouth was covered, and I couldn't speak. The scar-faced villain, hearing this, got cold feet and pretended to be fierce, saying, 'Tie your hands, and I'll let him go.'"

A Zhu looked at the waiter anxiously, thinking, "How can you tie your hands in front of these villains? It's like signing your own death warrant." Xiao Feng, however, remained calm, listening intently.

"The guest, seeing the villains' determination to fight to the death, calmly picked up the iron chain and wrapped it around his hands three times. The scar-faced villain, seeing the advantage, demanded he wrap it three more times. Feeling he had the upper hand, he said, 'Tie your hands and legs.'"

Xiao Feng sighed, "The hero must have done it. If he didn't, the villains would continue to have the upper hand and use your life as leverage. Only when they felt they had the upper hand would they let their guard down."

The waiter said, "That's right. I saw the guest tie himself up, and I was puzzled. Later, I realized that the villains, seeing him tied up, felt they had no threat and would likely kill him. If the guest didn't tie himself up, the villains would feel they would die, and I had a 50% chance of being killed. It was a no-win situation."

"The villains wrapped the iron chain thickly around him, so even a fierce warrior couldn't break free. I thought, 'The villains are adding more and more, like a gambling game, and in the end, the guest and I would lose everything. The scar-faced villain must have thought the same, and he let go of my neck, laughing triumphantly. At that moment, it was a moment I will never forget...'

Xiao Feng and A Zhu looked at him. The waiter's face turned red, and he grabbed the wine jar, drinking from it. Xiao Feng laughed heartily, clinking his bowl with the waiter. The two of them felt like friends, and Xiao Feng said, "Drinking with a hero is one of life's greatest pleasures!"

PS: The protagonist hasn't appeared for a while. These chapters are all side stories. I wonder if you find them suitable.

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