https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-555-Shen-Bijun-by-the-Daming-Lake/12536866/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-557-Killing-the-Young-Brings-Forth-the-Old/12536868/
Chapter 556: Next Stop - Jiayuguan Pass
Chapter 556: Next Stop - Jiayuguan Pass
On the grand ship stood Yang Kaitai, his square face and mouth giving him an honest appearance. He wore a light blue satin robe, over which he had donned a well-worn dark blue cloth shirt. One would never guess that he was the young master of the [Source] Money House, a business empire that spanned the land, nor that his wealth could rival that of a nation.
He was also the only secular disciple of Iron Mountain, the supervisor monk of the Shaolin Temple, and his Shaolin Divine Fist was said to be ninety percent complete. In the martial arts world, those who could defeat him could be counted on one hand.
In terms of wealth and background, Yang Kaitai was undoubtedly the foremost among the Six Gentlemen of the martial arts world.
Seeing Yang Kaitai, Lian Chengbi couldn't help but smile.
With Shaolin Temple as his backing, it's no wonder that the [Source] Money House has branches all over the world.
And with the [Source] Money House's presence in various places, the Shaolin disciples would never want for money wherever they went.
A truly symbiotic relationship!
And as the link between the two, Yang Kaitai was indeed an upright and honest gentleman, with the only drawback being his reluctance to spend money.
His nickname was the Iron Gentleman, but behind his back, people called him the Iron Rooster.
So...
Lian Chengbi glanced at the large ship where Yang Kaitai stood, along with the scattered guests, and knew that this gathering was certainly not at Yang Kaitai's expense.
Therefore, he didn't plan to go aboard, but merely waved at Yang Kaitai and called out, "Greetings, Brother Yang!"
However, just because Lian Chengbi didn't go up didn't mean that Yang Kaitai wouldn't come down.
With a single leap, Yang Kaitai flew over to the small boat, his feet touching down gently, causing barely a ripple on the boat.
"Brother Lian, didn't you just get married? What brings you here?" Yang Kaitai asked.
"Yes, I just got married, so I'm escorting my wife back to her family," Lian Chengbi replied with a smile.
Seeing the happy smile on Shen Bijun's face, Yang Kaitai, who was no fool, easily guessed the reason for their presence.
"A wise couple, your love is admirable!" Yang Kaitai bowed politely, then invited, "I heard Brother Lian mention the fragrance of wine earlier. We have Shu's Shaochun and Guan's Liulin wine on board. Brother Lian, if you're interested, please come aboard."
Lian Chengbi waved his hand. "The host of this gathering isn't you, so I won't go up."
Yang Kaitai asked curiously, "How do you know it's not me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Lian Chengbi smiled.
Yang Kaitai blinked and changed the subject. "The host of this gathering is not a merchant, but a senior from the martial arts world. If he hears your name, he will surely invite you aboard."
"Who is it?"
"It's the Lotus Swordmaster, Senior Liu."
Upon hearing this, Lian Chengbi was taken aback. "How did Senior Liu end up at Daming Lake?"
The Lotus Swordmaster, Liu Sanyue, was a background character in the original story. His eldest son, the Jade-Faced Swordmaster, Liu Yongnan, served under the Heaven Sect and participated in the young master's plot to kidnap Shen Bijun. However, he ultimately lost his life due to his lust for her.
But if Lian Chengbi recalled correctly, Liu Sanyue was from a prominent family in Hebei, and the Liu family mostly operated in the northern parts of Ji and Dong provinces. Thus, Shen Bijun had never met Liu Yongnan.
"A few days ago, a batch of goods from the Liu family had some trouble in Shandong. Senior Liu personally intervened and destroyed the White Peak Fortress. He then made his way south to Daming Lake to host this gathering," Yang Kaitai explained. "The Liu family has business dealings with the Li Yuan Money House, so I came as well."
Just then, a handsome young master appeared and said, "Hero Yang, my father said that if the guest is a friend, please invite him aboard to join us for a drink."
The young master's eyes immediately fell on Lian Chengbi and Shen Bijun, and he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Yang Kaitai introduced him, "This is Senior Liu's eldest son, the Jade-Faced Swordmaster, Liu Yongnan."
"Brother Lian, Cousin?" Shen Wenyu exclaimed with a delighted smile upon seeing the pair. "What a coincidence! Are you also here for a boat ride today?"
Shen Bijun looked up and asked, "Why is Cousin also on this boat?"
"I traveled through the Hebei martial arts world and have met Lord Liu on a few occasions," Shen Wenyu explained.
With Shen Wenyu present, Lian Chengbi couldn't very well refuse, especially since he was the master of the Pure Heart Villa. It was only proper to maintain appearances.
So, Lian Chengbi paid the boatman and then, hand in hand with Shen Bijun, leaped onto the large ship.
There were quite a few people on board—at least two or three dozen, both on the deck and in the cabins.
However, Lian Chengbi didn't recognize most of them, and Shen Bijun only knew a handful.
The two greeted Lord Liu briefly before joining Yang Kaitai and Shen Wenyu on one side.
"Lord Liu has learned his lesson and now knows he needs to maintain good relations with the Shandong martial arts world," Shen Wenyu teased in a low voice.
"The name of the Hibiscus Swordmaster still carries some weight in the martial arts world," Lian Chengbi chuckled.
Yang Kaitai shook his head. "It's only because Lord Liu hosted this banquet early. If it had been a few days later, I wouldn't be in Shandong anymore."
"As the young master of the [Source] Money House, you're always traveling far and wide. You're never idle," Lian Chengbi laughed.
"This time, I'm not going to an ordinary place," Yang Kaitai sighed.
"With your martial arts skills, Brother Yang, there's nowhere you can't go. What could possibly trouble you so?" Shen Wenyu asked curiously.
"It's not some dangerous place, just a bit far," Yang Kaitai replied. "The Tongyuan Money House in the northwest has run into some trouble, so I need to go out to take a look."
"Your [Source] Money House sure has a wide reach. Have you expanded all the way to the frontier?" Lian Chengbi asked.
Yang Kaitai nodded. "There are quite a few caravans coming from the Western Regions, and many Central Plains merchants go to the frontier to get a head start. They need to exchange silver, so we've opened a branch out there."
Yang Kaitai sighed. "Jiayuguan, Yumenguan, the furthest branch is in Dunhuang, and I've heard they're planning to go to Hami. It's just too far."
Shen Wenyu wore an expression of helplessness, her jealousy rendering her speechless.
The Shen family was considered one of the major clans in Shandong, and they had never lacked for money. But compared to the [Source] Money House, which had branches all the way to Jiayuguan, they were like a novice facing a master.
In the strictest sense, there were several frontiers beyond the Central Plains.
There was Shanhai Pass to the east, Yanmen Pass to the north, and Jiayuguan to the west.
Without a doubt, Jiayuguan was the furthest.
The desert winds, the flying snow of the Gobi, the ancient poems that evoked such vivid imagery, all lured countless martial artists to the northwest, where they broadened their horizons and beheld majestic sights.
Hearing the mention of Jiayuguan, Shen Bijun couldn't help but think of her parents.
Although their faces had gradually faded from her memory, in the depths of the night, she could still feel her father's smile—stern yet filled with love—and her mother's warm embrace.
A hint of loss flashed in Shen Bijun's eyes.
"Do you want to go see Jiayuguan?" Lian Chengbi asked suddenly.
"I do," Shen Bijun replied instinctively, before suddenly realizing what she had said.
"Don't worry, I..."
"It's fine. I also want to see the place where my parents fell," Lian Chengbi said with a smile. "But first, we need to make a trip back to the Jiangnan region."
Shen Bijun looked at Lian Chengbi, her eyes brimming with love, and nodded firmly.
(End of Chapter)
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