The Legend of Swing Sword and Execution of Demons

"Speaking of this Nutao Canyon, those of you who come from the south or who are often away from home for work are probably familiar with it."

Egg's statement was met with nods of agreement from many audience members.

Mei Huaijin immediately chimed in, "That's right, esteemed guests certainly have exceptional insight."

Egg continued, "My partner next to me always calls himself a poet, but I haven't heard him compose even ten decent poems in the past ten years. I wonder how much ink he has in his belly?"

Mei Huaijin chuckled, closed his folding fan, poked the corner of the egg with the fan rib, and said seriously, "We're telling a story here, why are you making personal attacks?"

The audience members present were not very familiar with these two clowns, and most of them just smiled and remained silent.

Egg laughed and took a half step back, bowing apologetically, then asked, "Then let me test you. What's the poem in the southeastern part of Zhongzhou that describes the raging torrent canyon?"

Mei Huaijin accepted the greeting with composure, reopened his folding fan, and said confidently, "This is no challenge for me. As the saying goes: 'The raging waves stretch for three hundred miles, I leave the mountain gate in the morning and arrive at the river at night.'"

Egg affirmed, “That’s right. This poem originates from an ancient legend. The legend is long, but let’s keep it brief: It is said that in the deep mountains of Zhejiang, there was a young scholar who had sought medical treatment for his seriously ill mother for many years without success. One day, he learned that there was a divine doctor on the banks of the Yangtze River who specialized in this disease. However, his mother was old and could not withstand excessive travel. Moreover, due to the change of seasons, her illness flared up, and she had almost no chance of surviving seven days. Fortunately, the scholar’s ​​filial piety moved heaven and earth. The Yangtze River, with its raging waves, came and transformed the journey that would normally take two or three months by foot into a single river. By boating northward, one could arrive in just one day and one night.”

Mei Huaijin sighed, "Legends are just legends. They praise children for being filial, but the fact that the Yangtze River could carve out a three-hundred-mile waterway is indeed a bit of an exaggeration."

Egg said, "We can't really get to the bottom of this. We can't see that three hundred miles of waterway now. There is indeed such a canyon, which starts from Zhejiang, runs diagonally through Jiangxi, and goes straight into Anhui."

Mei Huaijin said, "Of course it's this Angry Wave Canyon."

The egg asked, "I wonder if Brother Poet has ever traveled through that raging canyon?"

Mei Huaijin hesitated and asked, "Passing by, does that count as passing by?"

Egg shook his head slightly and said, "There's an old saying that goes, 'Once you get on a pirate ship, it's easy to get on but hard to get off.' This Raging Wave Canyon can't be called a pirate ship, but once you enter the canyon, you either have to walk from one end to the other, or from the other end to the other, or you can only walk back and forth a short distance inside before you can say you've passed through it."

Mei Huaijin asked in confusion, "So, you mean there's no exit from this canyon, and you can only go all the way to the end?"

Egg said, "It's not that there's no way out. As long as you have good rock climbing skills, you can cross the mountains on the east and west sides that are less than half a hundred feet high. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of exits."

Mei Huaijin asked, "It's less than half a hundred feet high, so how steep is it? Is it easy to climb?"

Egg said, "Naturally, there are steep and gentle parts, easy and difficult parts to climb. To put it bluntly, this Raging Waves Canyon is nothing more than a relatively wide path that God accidentally carved out in a group of mountains. The mountains on both sides are nothing special. Just climb up the mountain as you normally would, without any path."

Mei Huaijin flicked his fan and said with disdain, "Tsk! Isn't that just making things difficult for people? If we're going to travel and enjoy the scenery, we should only choose the best mountains and rivers to climb. Since we're heading there, we should focus on getting on the road. Climbing mountains? There's no need for that!"

Egg agreed, "Hey, you're right. This canyon is comparable to an official road, with excellent traffic flow. Although the government hasn't spent a lot of money to repair it, it has been mainly used by the government for a long time."

Mei Huaijin blinked, covered his mouth with his fan, looking eager to know what would happen next but not daring to speak loudly. He lowered his voice but made sure all the guests could hear him clearly, and asked, "What's the story behind this?"

The egg said, "The road is too long, there is no water, no boats, the rocks are grotesque, and tigers roam the road, making it difficult for carriages and horses to move. Unless in a hurry, one should not travel this road."

Upon hearing this, Mei Huaijin couldn't help but ask with doubt, "If it's so difficult to travel, why not invest heavily in building a road?"

Egg said, “Firstly, there are already enough roads in the surrounding area for normal use, so it is not a necessary route. Secondly, the canyon area is prone to flooding due to rain all year round, so road construction is not a one-time solution and the maintenance cost is too high. Therefore, since ancient times, the government has believed that it is not necessary to invest heavily here, but only to take advantage of this terrain for military training.”

“I see, but…” Mei Huaijin lowered his voice again and asked, “But it seems we haven’t heard much about what’s going on there these past few years?”

Mei Huaijin's words about the commotion were naturally about the imperial court training troops. Egg explained, "This inevitably leads to the fact that after the invaders penetrated deep into the eastern part of Zhongzhou, they discovered the convenience of this route and began to use it extensively, resulting in many battles taking place here. Later, whenever it was late at night or on a day of continuous rain, the local people and travelers often said that they could hear the clear sound of waves crashing against the shore and the incessant shouts of battle, hence the name 'Raging Waves Canyon'."

At this point, Egg made a point of bowing repeatedly to the audience: "Dear viewers, please don't mind my rambling; we'll get right to the point soon."

Mei Huaijin followed up with a forced smile, saying, "It's just a bit of groundwork, haha."

Egg waved his hand and said, "We said before that the Japanese pirates, under the encirclement and interception of General Liang Feixiong, had no choice but to flee into the Nutao Gorge in order to escape from the Central Plains by waterway up the Yangtze River."

Mei Huaijin continued, "Ah! Just as the art of war says, when besieging a city, leave a gap, leave one-third open, so that those bastards can escape and avoid being caught in a desperate situation and fighting to the death, only to be wiped out in one fell swoop!"

Egg said, "Absolutely! I must also mention two important strategists who have been active in the martial arts world. Their thoughts, ideas, plans, and schemes coincided with General Liang's, which ensured that the righteous warriors of the martial arts world and the imperial army could work closely together to completely annihilate this wave of pirates!"

Mei Huaijin interrupted with his fan, saying, "Twenty years ago, during the war against the foreign invaders, a large number of righteous heroes sacrificed their lives for justice. Twenty years later, the foreign invaders have returned. Fortunately, our Central Plains Jianghu still has no shortage of chivalrous heroes who are active on the front lines of various battles. I guess these two important strategists are, one is the old man who was respected by the world for his righteousness decades ago, the leader of the Daoyi Alliance, and the other is the young talent who has become famous in the Jianghu in the last ten years, the young master Luo Piaoling, who co-founded Tingyu Pavilion with Meng Chaoge, the adopted daughter of General Shi Xin!"

"Indeed! Having been neighbors for so many years, and coveting each other's land year after year, the Japanese pirates have become increasingly cunning. After their failed invasion twenty years ago, they understand the principle of having multiple escape routes. In this invasion, the Raging Waves Gorge was originally ranked last or second to last in the Japanese strategic plan, a backup plan for their retreat. It was only because General Liang withstood the pressure head-on and then pressed his advantage to cut off five of the Japanese pirates' escape routes, and because the old man and Young Master Luo each cut off two of the Japanese pirates' escape routes, that they were forced to resort to a desperate measure."

"Oh, as I just mentioned, the Angry Wave Canyon is indeed a long journey with many rocks, which is not conducive to the rapid travel of carriages and horses. From another perspective, the canyon is also not conducive to setting up ambushes and pursuits. As the saying goes, in times of emergency, one should act expediently. As long as the Japanese pirates are willing to go to great lengths, they can travel north into the river day and night. Once they reach the waterway, whether it is the government army or the heroes of the Jianghu, they will have lost absolute control. It is not difficult for five or six out of ten Japanese pirates to escape. Why do I say that it is a bad strategy?"

"The way out and the way back are the way to survive. The way to survive also depends on three major factors: timing, location, and people. Let's take a look at what the timing was like at that time."

"It's early December. Snow is falling in the north, and there's occasional rain in the southeastern part of the Central Plains. It seems that Anhui is unfortunately experiencing winter rain?"

"Regardless of the weather, it is equally advantageous or disadvantageous for both the fleeing and the pursuing. If they run fast, we can catch up fast too. If they can only run slowly, we can only catch up slowly for safety reasons."

"So, in other words, the timing and circumstances are even?"

"You could say it's even, let's take advantage of the terrain and see what happens next."

"The pirates run through the canyons, and we chase them through the canyons. What's the difference?"

"There's not much difference in the canyon, but it's a completely different story on the river. After all, the pirates have prepared their ships well in advance. Once they enter the water, and if the weather is good, as you said, it's not impossible for more than half of them to escape."

"Does preparing the boats include the personnel involved?"

"Of course." "And what about our 'human resources'?"

"No rush, let's talk about the 'human resources' of the Japanese pirates first, that is, where they got these ships from."

"It is rather strange. Where did the Japanese pirates find these ships?"

"I'm sure everyone still remembers the Red-Clothed Cult that was destroyed two years ago. It was a force that the Japanese pirates had painstakingly built up over generations."

"We will never forget that the remnants of the Red-Clothed Cult are not yet exterminated."

"It can only be said that the Red-Clothed Sect has accumulated enough resources over the decades. Wang Shuo, the former head of the Ji Hall, who has long since been beheaded, went deep into the southwest region in the past. He not only made sufficient arrangements in the southwest waterways and Yunze territory to help Luo Yue and Du Zhu wreak havoc on our country, but also took the opportunity to station many ships on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which can be put to use at this critical moment!"

"Good heavens! I have to admit that the Japanese pirates have really gone to great lengths to take advantage of us; they're incredibly cunning!"

"Returning to the topic of terrain, it was precisely because we firmly controlled several other important waterway hubs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River that the Japanese pirates had no choice but to choose a small ferry crossing as their escape route. The crossing was shallow and convenient for ships to temporarily dock. No matter how many boats the Japanese pirates had prepared in advance, they were limited by the terrain and could only choose short, agile, and light boats to transport people. This might have improved their escape speed and transport efficiency, but in that kind of winter rainy weather, it undoubtedly increased their risk of encountering danger in the river."

"In other words, the timing of events increased their risks, the location limited their performance, and the prior preparations for 'human resources' only slightly improved their chances of escape. So, where should we focus our efforts on 'human resources'?"

“You say it’s difficult to set up an ambush in the canyon, then why not set up an ambush outside the canyon, at the mouth of the river?”

"If I remember correctly, that small ferry crossing can be packed with a hundred people. To prepare for the transfer of tens of thousands of people from land to water, the combat force should be at least a hundred people, preferably some reliable veterans. That's quite a fighting force. Could it be that the government or the heroes of the martial arts world took action in advance and captured them?"

“You’re right. To wipe out the Japanese pirates in the Angry Wave Canyon, we can’t wait until they board the ships. We need to be very precise about how far ahead we go. If we go too early and destroy their hideout too soon, their spies will be able to spread the word early. They’ll either give up trying to escape through the canyon or fight to the death in it, which is neither of our wishes. If we go too late and 30 or 40 percent of the pirates have already boarded the ships, we can’t guarantee that some won’t escape.”

"Ha, it sounds like fishing. It's just casting a net, but in reality, it depends on the weather, the current, and the technique. It's a delicate job after all!"

"That's right, so the moment when Young Master Luo Piaoling wants the experts from Tingyu Pavilion and Zui Hongyan Restaurant to make their move is just when the pirates have traveled a long way to the ferry and are about to board their ships!"

"Hey, is there any particular significance to this?"

"Think about it, you've been quenching your thirst by looking at plums for most of the day, and now you've finally reached the plum tree. You can reach out and grab a plum, and just one bite will quench your thirst and soothe your throat. Regardless of whether there are pursuers behind you, you still have to stay very alert. But the moment you open your mouth, has your guard already relaxed a little?"

Mei Huaijin's eyes flashed, and he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, stroking his fan: "Brilliant! This is the moment when the Japanese pirates are most relaxed after days of being on edge!"

“That’s right!” Egg jumped for joy, spitting everywhere.

"This is also the moment when the masters have the highest success rate in making their moves!"
"At that moment, a dark figure emerged from the shadows, like a tiger descending the mountain!"
"The great hero Dongqing of Tingyu Pavilion used his two daggers with both hands, like tiger claws crossing each other, and captured two pirate commanders in charge of ferry operations!"
"Then three more figures appeared: the heroine Lian Die, the heroine Xi, and the young hero Gui Jianchou. Taking advantage of the clear weather during winter to draw away most of the enemy's attention, they quickly moved between the ships and took the lives of the pirate boatmen responsible for ferrying the enemy!

"At this moment, the Yingkou slowly came to their senses from their daze. If they didn't draw their knives soon, things would get bad!"

"However, the owner of the Drunken Beauty Restaurant, Li Shi, personally led nine of the restaurant's top experts—Mo Bo, Lin Sufeng, Ye Fengshan, Ye Chaoya, Wei Yuchou, Wu Hou, Mu Siyu, and Wu Mei—in a formation with their swords drawn."

Even if the ferrymen, who number less than a hundred, could be quickly replenished, they would still have no choice but to fight back in a fit of rage against the Drunken Beauty Restaurant, which was capable of causing a ruckus.

"At the same time, our main force, which had been maintaining its pursuit speed, arrived at the same time, and the battle in the canyon was ignited!"

As the sound of the egg being dropped grew louder and clearer, the guests in the hall ate and drank more heartily, occasionally cheering and applauding excitedly.

Mei Huaijin interrupted at this moment, saying, "Wait a minute, according to you, there are only thirteen martial arts heroes in total responsible for the sneak attack?"

Egg tilted its head and asked doubtfully, "Yes, it's these thirteen people, not one more, not one less."

Mei Huaijin said, "These thirteen people are hardly a lot, are they? They not only have to deal with the hundred or so pirates at the ferry, but also the tens of thousands who will arrive with them!"

Egg shook its head repeatedly in denial, then twirled like a hawk and leaped onto the table beside it, stroking like a tiger and reaching out with its claws, putting on a show.

"You should know that the great hero Dong Qing was once a top-ranking assassin in the renowned assassin organization of the martial arts world, known as the Golden Soul Assassin. He was decisive, skilled, and never failed. Not to mention that taking the lives of his enemies in secret was a piece of cake for him, his mastery of the Jade Toad Skill alone allowed him to set up a poison array and take the enemy's head with ease!"

After saying this, the egg used its hands and feet as swords and danced lightly on the table.

"Furthermore, the Butterfly Heroine, the Cherished Heroine, and the Ghost-Scaring Young Hero, although they are all still young, are all skilled in lightness skills and can come and go without a trace. They often take on the bold and meticulous task of infiltrating and gathering intelligence, similar to battlefield scouts. In situations that test patience and a stable mindset, they are also the ones who will take the lead."

Before the dance had even stopped, Egg raised his hand and snatched an empty wine jar from the front table. He then leaned back, pretending to drink heartily, before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and smacking his lips.

Finally, there's the depth and generosity of us restaurant business people!
"Li Shi, the great hero, and his nine companions run a restaurant. They only like the more people the better, and they are never intimidated by the large number of people."

"As soon as the martial arts master Wu appeared, he raised his hand to join the seven or eight people on the east side at a table to warm up with them."

"The heroine Mu Siyu was not to be outdone and insisted on having fun with the ten people from the west."

"Upon seeing this, the two great heroes, Ye Fengshan and Ye Chaoya, were even more eager to take on the task, deciding to buy thirty of them."

"Tell me, even if there are a hundred people at the ferry crossing, it's not enough for the nine heroes of the Drunken Beauty Restaurant to share."

"So what if the enemy has more of them? The more the merrier!"

Mei Huaijin waved his fan, gesturing for the egg to return to the platform, and laughed, "Hey, are we fighting enemies or drinking to beat the game?"

Egg landed back beside Mei Huaijin and continued, "Aren't they all the same? You don't often recite, 'If an enemy comes from afar, though far away, he shall be punished!'"

"Go away, go away..." Mei Huaijin gave an awkward laugh, nudging Egg's back with his buttocks, and changed the subject, "Then what about the main battlefield?" (End of this chapter)