The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 11 Paying Homage to Master Zhao and Practicing Swordsmanship Morning and Evening

Qi Yuan didn't tell Ji Mi the details. He only said that Zhao Shouxin, the patriarch of the Zhao family, had never met Qi Yuan before, but had only heard that his men, who were chasing after him, had been held up by Qi Yuan and had failed to catch up with Liu Changqing's carriage.

As dawn broke, Ji Mi arrived at the gate of the Zhao residence. After informing the gatekeeper, she learned that Liu Changqing's friend, Qi Yuan, had come to pay his respects to Master Zhao, Zhao Shouxin.

When Zhao Shouxin, the patriarch of the Zhao family, got up in the morning, he was annoyed when he heard from his servants that someone was requesting an audience. He was even more displeased when he heard that the person was a friend of Liu Changqing, but he did not know who this Qi Yuan was.

"Master, this is the man who blocked our path when we were chasing after Miss's carriage. After he left, we couldn't find any trace of Miss. If it weren't for Miss's letter after she was settled, we probably would have lost all contact with her." The servant reminded him from the side.

"Let him in. Meet me in the study in the backyard." After instructing his servants, Master Zhao Shouxin went to the study in the backyard.

Ji Mi arrived at the study of Zhao Shouxin, the patriarch of the Zhao family, in the backyard of the Zhao residence. He bowed at the door and said, "My name is Qi Yuan. I have come to pay my respects at the request of Liu Changqing. I brought a letter from my daughter back home with me."

"Come in and sit down."

Ji Mi handed over the letter.

Zhao Shouxin, the patriarch of the Zhao family, took the letter and read it over and over again. He was certain that it was his daughter's handwriting. He just couldn't understand why his daughter, who was with Liu Changqing outside and not coming back, would ask him to help this friend of Liu Changqing.

After a long silence, Zhao Shouxin, the patriarch of the Zhao family, spoke up, "This letter says it will give you some manpower. How many do you need, and what do you need them to do?"

"We need six people, four men and two women, preferably martial artists of the first rank or above. They need to travel with us eastward and southward. Along the way, they'll help deal with some of the enemies I've made over the years," Ji Mi said calmly. The letter was genuine, of course. Last night, when Qi Yuan handed him the letter, he said that Master Zhao Shouxin would definitely help him. This letter could have been sent directly from Eastern Wu to Southern Han, but instead, it was delivered by Ji Mi to Master Zhao Shouxin through the Red-Clothed Cult in Qi, all to stage this charade of delivering a letter along the way.

"I've heard that you've offended quite a few wealthy and noble families over the years. If I give you people, aren't I sending them to their deaths?" Before Ji Mi arrived at the study, someone had already placed Qi Yuan's file on the desk of Zhao Shouxin, the head of the Zhao family.

"I naturally won't provoke them along the way; I'm just trying to make the journey smoother," Ji Mi said, without giving a direct answer.

……

"Is Master Zhao really willing to lend people?" Qingwei asked Qi Yuan, puzzled, as he sat in the carriage.

"Master Zhao is actually an upright man, and he loves his youngest daughter the most," Qi Yuan patiently explained. "Back then, besides Liu Changqing proposing marriage, there was also a nobleman who wanted to take a concubine. Master Zhao didn't look down on merchants, but he couldn't afford to offend that nobleman. He actually tacitly approved of Liu Changqing eloping with Zhao Ling'er. Did he think he couldn't get his daughter back once they left Southern Han? He just didn't want to."

"Then, why didn't that noble family go to see Miss Zhao?" Luo Yifei asked, puzzled.

"Of course I went, but I couldn't go in a big way, so I could only search in secret. Later, that young master took a fancy to another girl, so he didn't go looking for Zhao Ling'er anymore."

"Why can't we go openly? Qiao Zhi said these wealthy and powerful families are the most domineering, aren't they?" Luo Yifei was eager to understand everything about this world. Only by understanding this world could he know which forces could help him find Shen Lixi and the others.

"It's just the Southern Han emperor's foreign policy. No matter which powerful or noble family you are, you have to behave yourself outside of Southern Han. Anyone who causes trouble outside of Southern Han will be severely punished."

Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Luo Yifei thought to himself that the Southern Han emperor was indeed a master of cultivating his strength and stamina. To repel external threats, one must first secure internal stability; the Southern Han should have a chance to unify the world.

The carriage traveled southeast, traversing deserted, desolate mountain roads. They deliberately avoided crowds, replenishing their food supplies in towns and villages, avoiding county towns altogether, and never setting foot in the provincial capital.

Luo Yangfei would always ask Qi Yuan for guidance on internal energy cultivation techniques in the morning, and then have a sparring match with Bi Li in the evening. Unfortunately, his swordsmanship hadn't progressed much, though his speed was increasing day by day.

……

After Shi Hao's death, his grandfather, Shi Qingfeng, led the Eastern Wu army to gradually encroach on the northwestern territory of Qi. They also continuously transferred troops from the former territory of Yan, disregarding the fact that the State of Chu was between Eastern Wu and Qi, and the occupied lands could only be exclaves.

After the Northern Liao invaded the capital of Wei, the Liang Kingdom was sent to the north to support Wei, leaving them unable to attend to the south.

The Later Tang army, armed with Tang-style firearms, had already occupied the southwestern territory of Qi. The Chu state had also advanced westward into the eastern part of Qi.

The royal family of Qi had retreated to Mocheng in the western part of Qi, which was named after its proximity to the desert.

As if by prior agreement, the three kingdoms ceased their advance. It was unclear whether this western region of Qi was intended as a retreat route for the Qi royal family or for Western Shu.

The Western Shu region, located near the western part of the Qi state, was only seen constructing plank roads, but showed no signs of preparing for an attack.