Chapter 29 Datong Teahouse Challenge Part 2

Chapter 29: A Challenge Issued at Datong Teahouse.

An Jing sneered, then asked, “You’re taking the Imperial Examination to redeem a courtesan?”

Others took it for promotion, wealth, a great future, or for fame throughout the land, but Zhou Xianming was actually taking the Imperial Examination for a courtesan?

“What’s wrong with that?”

Zhou Xianming had a hint of hope in his eyes. “You simply don’t understand Miss Li Yue’s pure heart. The other day when I went to the pleasure boat, she even told me not to come next time. It must be because my daily patronage made her feel uneasy and ashamed.”

“That’s because she thinks you’re a pauper.”

An Jing said bluntly, “She can’t get any oil from you, and you’re bothering her every day like a fly.”

“Husband, how can you say such a thing?”

Zhao Qingmei held An Jing’s arm.

“You are just a vulgar person.”

Zhou Xianming looked at An Jing with disdain, then turned to Zhao Qingmei and said with a fawning smile, “This time, I, Zhou, am determined to take the Imperial Examination and will definitely win the Imperial Examination’s top honors. Madam An, I wonder if you could lend me some money? When the time comes, I, Zhou, will repay it tenfold, a hundredfold.”

An Jing was a cunning, hateful scoundrel, but the gentle, virtuous, and kind Madam An in front of him was much easier to talk to.

“Mr. Zhou is set on the Imperial Examination, and I naturally support it.”

Zhao Qingmei took out her purse and handed it to Zhou Xianming, “Here are ten taels of silver. If it’s not enough, you can ask me for more.”

Ten taels of silver!

When Zhou Xianming saw the silver, his eyes gleamed, and he couldn’t help but exclaim in his heart.

“Madam, that’s ten taels of silver!”

An Jing licked his lips. He had almost forgotten that his wife used to come from a scholarly family and seemed to be even richer than himself.

“It’s fine; just consider it a great act of charity.”

Zhao Qingmei smiled.

“Thank you, Madam An. I, Zhou, will never forget this great kindness and virtue in my life. In the future, I will surely repay this kindness today.” Zhou Xianming excitedly took the silver.

“Old Zhou, my wife and I are one and the same. Repaying me is the same.”

An Jing patted Zhou Xianming’s shoulder and smiled.

Zhou Xianming glanced at An Jing, subtly removed his hand, then flicked the dust from his shoulder, showing obvious disdain.

“Clatter!”

“Clatter!”

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

“Who is it! Don’t you know…?”

Someone looked in the direction of the sound and immediately fell silent upon seeing the newcomers.

Dozens of men in hemp clothes walked in, each one burly and fierce-looking. Leading them was an old man in a green shirt.

Only members of the Cao Gang wore hemp clothes, and those Cao Gang experts who didn’t wear hemp clothes had even more terrifying status.

The old man’s expression was calm and serene, his skin was rosy, and his eyes were bright and spirited.

This old man was none other than Tie Yunshan.

An expert!

An Jing’s face remained impassive as he saw the newcomers, but he thought to himself.

This person’s Aura was grand and imposing. If one felt it carefully, it gave a feeling of a mountain collapsing, clearly indicating that his Internal Energy had reached the Upper Third Realm.

Zhao Qingmei also frowned slightly, subtly pulling An Jing’s arm, ready to protect him behind her if any danger arose.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

An Jing thought Zhao Qingmei was a little scared, so he patted her small hand to comfort her.

“My Lord…”

The shopkeeper quickly ran down and bowed to Tie Yunshan.

“Are you the shopkeeper?”

A Cao Gang expert next to Tie Yunshan stepped forward and demanded.

This person was named Zhu Hou, the new Branch Head of Yu Prefecture City.

“This old man is, indeed.” The shopkeeper said with a fawning smile.

“Where’s the storyteller? A teahouse can’t not have a storyteller, can it?”

“He’s right there, but Zhou Xianming isn’t telling stories today.”

“Not telling stories?”

Zhu Hou’s mouth curled into a cold sneer as he scanned the surroundings, as if looking for the storyteller named ‘Zhou Xianming.’

“I’ll tell it, I’ll tell it.”

Zhou Xianming’s legs went soft when he saw this, and he quickly said.

Tie Yunshan nodded slightly, scanned the surroundings, then slowly walked in front of An Jing and Zhao Qingmei.

“You witless fool! Aren’t you going to move aside!?”

Zhu Hou frowned and coldly shouted in a low voice.

“Husband, let’s go.”

Zhao Qingmei glanced at Zhu Hou, then pulled An Jing’s hand and walked to the side.

An Jing didn’t speak, but he memorized Zhu Hou’s face.

“The little girl is quite pretty.” Tie Yunshan sat down and murmured as he watched Zhao Qingmei’s retreating figure.

“Elder, then…?”

Zhu Hou’s mouth curved, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

The Cao Gang was a Jianghu Gang. They had legitimate businesses, but usury and human trafficking were commonplace behind the scenes, and forcibly taking women from common families was naturally no big deal.

Tie Yunshan leaned on his staff with one hand and said indifferently, “I want to hear a story. Tell me a section of the Nine Kingdoms History.”

“Did you hear that? Nine Kingdoms History.”

Zhu Hou shouted to Zhou Xianming, who was not far away.

“Yes, yes, yes.”

Zhou Xianming swallowed, walked to the high platform, organized his thoughts, and began to speak.

“After the collapse of the Zhou Dynasty, the Nine Kingdoms fell into chaos…”

The so-called Nine Kingdoms History refers to the era before the Yan State. After the Great Zhou disintegrated, the entire world was occupied by nine powerful vassal states. The Yan State was one of them, and at that time, the Zhao State also experienced extremely severe internal strife and turmoil, failing to send troops to unify the land.

The world was in chaos, heroes rose, and various factions fought endlessly. Corpses piled up like mountains, and rivers of blood flowed everywhere. The people suffered terribly. This was a chaotic and terrifying period of history.

The Great Yan Country’s founding emperor emerged from these Nine Kingdoms, eventually establishing the unified Yan Dynasty, which has been passed down to this day.

Many Jianghu people liked this Nine Kingdoms History. The Jianghu at that time was even more chaotic and dangerous than it is now, and it was easier to gain fame.

Riding horses and wielding halberds, they traversed the world.

Tie Yunshan’s eyes were slightly closed, as if he were asleep, as if his thoughts had already entered the chaotic Nine Kingdoms.

Zhou Xianming’s voice trembled slightly, and he was very timid.

No one present dared to leave without Tie Yunshan’s permission.

An Jing, however, found the Nine Kingdoms History quite interesting and unwittingly became engrossed in it.

Zhao Qingmei glanced at the motionless An Jing, her heart growing colder and colder. What a Cao Gang, what a grand display, it has scared my husband foolish.

After an unknown amount of time, Tie Yunshan slowly opened his eyes. “Let’s stop here for today.”

Hearing Tie Yunshan speak, both the shopkeeper and Zhou Xianming breathed heavy sighs of relief.

Tie Yunshan paused, leaning on his staff. “I’ve heard that this Datong Teahouse is the fastest place for news to spread in the entire Yu Prefecture City. You can help me spread a message: Tell the Swordsman who rescued Jiang Sanjia that I, Tie Yunshan, am stationed at the Yuzhou Main Branch and await his visit.”

“I want to see whose sword is faster, his or my saber.”

With that, Tie Yunshan slowly walked out of the teahouse.

Whoosh!

A single stone stirred up a thousand waves!

Everyone present looked at each other in dismay. It turned out that Tie Yunshan had come to the teahouse to issue a challenge to that Peerless Swordsman.

Soon, Tie Yunshan’s challenge to the Peerless Swordsman spread throughout Yu Prefecture City, and even further into Jiangnan Province.

Everyone was discussing whether this Peerless Swordsman would accept the challenge and who would win this battle of saber and sword.

“That Tie Yunshan’s provocation is too childish.”

“That Swordsman might not be Tie Yunshan’s opponent. After all, Tie Yunshan has outstanding military achievements and countless victories, while that Swordsman only split open a dungeon.”

“The key is the Yuzhou Main Branch. Who dares to go there?”

“With thousands of Gang members gathered, even an Upper Third Realm expert would find it difficult to retreat unscathed.”