Chapter 74: Show Your Respect

Around noon, Nangong Jin, the head of Changtian Hall, came to see Nangong Tian.

“I heard you met the leader of the Shangjiao Merchant Guild. Has the date for the journey been set?”

Nangong Jin, being Nangong Tian’s cousin, usually spoke informally with him in private.

“Yes, we will depart in four days.”

“And you?”

“It’s a family matter, so I plan to join. Is that alright?”

Despite this, Nangong Tian still asked for Nangong Jin’s opinion because he was the head of Changtian Hall.

“Let’s do it that way. By the way, how do you think we should handle the Green Forest bandits during the journey?”

Nangong Jin looked at Nangong Tian with an ambiguous expression.

The people of the Five Great Families considered it a given to kill Green Forest bandits on sight. However, since this was the Changtian Hall of the Nangong Family, he couldn’t help but ask.

“If we are the Nangong Family’s Changtian Hall, we have no reason to compromise with the Green Forest. However, during our time as the Shangjiao Merchant Guild’s escort, it would be best to maintain good relations with them. We don’t want the guild to suffer any harm later.”

“I agree. I’ll convey your thoughts to the Changtian Hall.”

Nangong Jin treated Nangong Tian, his younger cousin, with the respect due to a young master.

“Thank you, Brother.”

“No need for thanks. Oh, by the way, are you taking Lian along?”

“No, I plan to leave her behind. We might receive news from Father.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Your uncle will surely come to see you.”

Nangong Tian nodded silently.

To the Nangong Family, Nangong Bi was more than just the family head. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Nangong Bi was the Nangong Family itself. Nangong Bi was a high-level expert cultivated with all the resources of the Nangong Family.

***

May.

Pingzheng Mountain, Henan Province.

Around noon, a group of over seventy people cautiously entered the foothills of Pingzheng Mountain. This was the Shangjiao Merchant Guild’s caravan traveling from Luoyang to Nanjing.

The head of the caravan, Sun Xue, a man in his fifties, approached Nangong Jin, the head of Changtian Hall.

“Sir, this is the territory of the Red Wind Manor.”

“I know.”

Sun Xue couldn’t say anything more after Nangong Jin’s response.

In fact, this was a trivial matter to the Nangong Family’s experts. No one knew the Green Forest better than they did.

Feeling a bit awkward, Sun Xue shifted his gaze to the flags hanging on the cargo wagons.

The flags of the Shangjiao Merchant Guild and the Nangong Family were hung side by side.

He suddenly wondered:

Would the Green Forest dare to show themselves even after seeing the Nangong Family’s flag?

The caravan’s escort consisted of twenty-one warriors.

Considering the fifty or so merchants and laborers, this number wasn’t large. The usual number of escorts was only twenty to thirty, but it had increased due to the Nangong Family’s involvement.

Time passed in tension.

The caravan had passed more than half of Pingzheng Mountain, but the Red Wind Manor didn’t appear.

There were occasional sounds from the forest, but that was all.

Finally, the caravan left Pingzheng Mountain.

Sun Xue, who had been anxiously waiting, casually spoke to Nangong Jin.

“Indeed, it’s the Nangong Family. Yan Lao, the head of the Red Wind Manor, is known for his greed, yet he didn’t even show his face.”

“...”

Nangong Jin maintained a calm expression, looking straight ahead.

He found it amusing to see the head of the caravan so relieved over such a small matter but didn’t show it.

After that, a few elderly merchants came to bow in gratitude.

The day passed without incident.

The next evening.

The caravan narrowly entered Xiagacun.

Nangong Jin and Nangong Tian immediately went to the restaurant after unpacking at the inn Sun Xue had arranged.

It was dinner time, so the restaurant was bustling with guests.

However, the two managed to quickly secure a vacant seat by the window.

As soon as they sat down, carp soup, stir-fried vegetables, and pork were served. Since it was a restaurant for inn guests, there was no need to order separately.

Nangong Jin and Nangong Tian started eating the prepared food without much conversation.

After filling their stomachs to some extent, they leisurely drank tea. The restaurant became quiet as the guests, who had flooded in like a tide, gradually left. This was a characteristic of inn restaurants.

Suddenly, Nangong Tian asked:

“Have you heard of the Ten Heroes of Wufeng Mountain?”

“Yes. I heard that one of them has exceptional martial skills, even rivaling the Three Respected Ones of the Green Forest. But with martial artists, it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s exaggerated.”

“Still, the fact that their names are mentioned alongside the Heavenly Merchant suggests that it’s not just a rumor.”

“Until we hear it from the Heavenly Merchant himself, we won’t know. That’s the nature of rumors.”

Nangong Jin seemed somewhat uneasy.

“We’ll know tomorrow. If they act like the Red Wind Manor, it’s probably exaggerated...”

“There’s also the possibility of overstatement.”

“I doubt it. I’ve never seen the Green Forest overstate in front of the Nangong Family.”

“That’s true, but people’s intentions are hard to fathom. There’s no guarantee that such a person won’t appear.”

“Do you plan to verify the Ten Heroes of Wufeng Mountain’s skills?”

Despite being cousins, Nangong Tian, who was ten years younger, was cautious around Nangong Jin.

After a moment’s thought, Nangong Jin nodded lightly.

“Someone has to do it, right? We can’t just bow our heads based on rumors.”

“I understand, but...”

Nangong Tian seemed hesitant, trailing off.

Rumors can be exaggerated, but they can also be the opposite!

Nangong Jin said with a slightly serious expression:

“Sooner or later, the rumor that the Nangong Family is escorting the caravan will spread. If we act like any other escort, people will mock us behind our backs. I don’t want that to happen.”

“Don’t go too far. Think about when we might stop this job.”

“I won’t.”

Nangong Jin had no intention of engaging in a life-or-death battle.

If this were a suppression mission or a martial journey for the Nangong Family, it might be different. But he didn’t want to push himself too hard for a temporary escort job.

The next day.

As soon as it was light, the caravan left Xiagacun.

Upon entering the foothills of Wufeng Mountain, Sun Xue, the head of the caravan, looked around and said:

“It seems we’ll pass through Wufeng Mountain quietly. The Red Wind Manor and Wufeng Mountain Manor are like two sides of the same coin. If we pass through here without incident, we’ll save over two hundred taels of silver, which would be great.”

Nangong Tian asked Sun Xue:

“Have you ever seen the Ten Heroes of Wufeng Mountain?”

“Me? No, I haven’t. Few people have actually seen them. There’s even a rumor that the Ten Heroes have stepped back since last year.”

“Stepped back?”

“Yes. While most manor heads just watch from the sidelines, the Ten Heroes are said to have collectively stepped back. Few people have actually seen the faces of the Ten Heroes. With ten of them, it’s hard to remember, and their active period was short.”

“So now, merchants just pay the toll on their own?”

“Yes.”

“Wow! They do that just based on the rumors of the Ten Heroes?”

“That’s how rumors work. When they seem to have died down, someone will test the waters. Recently, the Huayang Merchant Guild tried to challenge the Wufeng Mountain Manor with the help of some martial artists from Luoyang. They were completely defeated. For the next few years, they’ll likely pay the toll without a word.”

“Did they really lose to the Ten Heroes?”

“Yes. They only confirmed that the Ten Heroes have exceptional martial skills.”

“One of them is said to be particularly outstanding. Have you heard any rumors about him?”

“He’s young but has terrifying martial skills. He wields a saber, and no one has ever withstood his first move.”

“Wow! No one has withstood his first move?”

“Ha ha, take it with a grain of salt. The level of the caravan’s escort is not that high.”

Nangong Jin chuckled at Sun Xue’s words.

He was glad that Sun Xue had said what he was about to say.

Meanwhile, the caravan continued moving, eventually entering deep into the mountain.

Sun Xue pointed to a spot ahead.

“Usually, the Green Forest’s flag would be around there...”

Before he could finish, a spear flew and landed in the middle of the road.

Thud.

A piece of green cloth tied to the spear shaft fluttered and then settled.

Sun Xue’s mouth dropped open as he looked back and forth between Nangong Jin and Nangong Tian.

The Green Forest was blocking their path even after seeing the Nangong Family’s flag!

Even if the Nangong Family had declined, they were still not to be underestimated by the Green Forest.

If that were the case, the greedy Red Wind Manor wouldn’t have just watched.

'This means the Ten Heroes of Wufeng Mountain don’t take the Nangong Family seriously.'

If the Nangong Family didn’t show proper respect, things could get out of hand.

The thought made his heart race.

A short while later, about twenty bandits blocked the mountain path.

Huang Yaoming, a wandering martial artist known as the Mind-Reading Rogue, shouted loudly:

“Stop! You can’t cross the mountain without the permission of the Wufeng Mountain Manor!”

Sun Xue, hesitating, quietly stepped back.

He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and get on the bad side of either the Nangong Family or the Green Forest.

Nangong Jin slowly stepped forward.

“I am Nangong Jin, the head of the Nangong Family’s Changtian Hall. Who are you?”

Huang Yaoming, a mere Xian-level expert, was startled as he looked at Nangong Jin and the warriors lined up behind him.

He didn’t know the emblem of the Nangong Family, as he had no reason to be involved with them.

Despite the sudden chill in his heart, Huang Yaoming didn’t back down.

With many experts in the Wufeng Mountain Manor, he couldn’t afford to show weakness here!

“I am known as the Mind-Reading Rogue in the martial world. Are you really from the Nangong Family?”

Nangong Jin chuckled and replied:

“Yes. Who would dare to impersonate the Nangong Family’s name unless they were desperate? How are you related to the Ten Heroes of Wufeng Mountain?”

“I am fortunate to serve the Ten Heroes. If you don’t intend to disrespect the Wufeng Mountain Manor by relying on the Nangong Family’s name, show your respect.”

Despite the situation, Huang Yaoming couldn’t hide his tension.

Nangong Jin, looking intently at his opponent, asked:

“I have no intention of disrespecting the Wufeng Mountain Manor. However, I personally want to witness the skills of the Ten Heroes. Are any of them here?”

“The Ten Heroes are training at the manor. If you want to meet them, you’ll have to come with us. The caravan will have to wait here. Is that acceptable?”

Nangong Jin glanced back.

When their eyes met, Sun Xue shook his head.

It would waste a whole day to go up and down the mountain, and it wouldn’t be good if Nangong Jin got injured.

Nangong Tian, seeing Nangong Jin’s hesitant face, suggested:

“Brother, why don’t we just pass through today and visit on our way back to Luoyang?”

Sun Xue nodded in agreement.

“That’s a good idea. We have a long journey ahead, and we can’t afford to lose strength here.”

Seeing everyone’s objections, Nangong Jin reluctantly said:

“You’re the Mind-Reading Rogue? Tell the Ten Heroes that Nangong Jin will visit on the way back.”

“Understood. What about the toll?”

The toll referred to the passage fee.

Nangong Jin muttered with a serious face:

“What else? We’ll pay the usual fee.”

Nangong Tian, quick to catch on, stepped forward with a smile:

“I hear it’s one tael of silver per merchant. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“With twenty merchants, that’s twenty taels, right?”

“Yes.”

Huang Yaoming didn’t even count the number of merchants, not wanting to provoke the Nangong Family.

After a moment, Sun Xue paid the twenty taels, and the bandits of the Wufeng Mountain Manor quietly returned to the forest.

Nangong Jin stared blankly at the forest.

Seeing the bandits collect the toll from the Nangong Family felt surreal.