Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

The caravan had been traveling south along the official road for three days.

The wheels rolled over the stone slabs, the sound of which was monotonous and drawn-out.

The scenery along the way was largely the same: withered trees, barren fields, and the occasional crow flying by, making the official road seem even more desolate.

Su Derong sat on the left side of the carriage shaft, unusually keeping his folding fan folded away.

He glanced at Chen Jianghe beside him, who always stood with his back straight and whose gaze occasionally swept across both sides of the road, and suddenly smiled.

"Jiang He, why are you so tense? Relax, it's only the third day."

Chen Jianghe, sitting on the right, turned his gaze away from observing his surroundings upon hearing this and replied, "Senior brother, is this how it always is when we're escorting goods...?"

Su Derong shook his head and gently tapped his knee with the rib of his fan: "Just stay calm. The skill in escorting goods lies not only in 'seeing,' but even more so in 'following the rules.'"

He paused, then said with a hint of mockery, "Do you really think the sword fights and intrigues described by storytellers are commonplace? That's just for entertainment. The real skill of a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) lies 70% in the 'rules'."

Chen Jianghe turned his face: "Senior brother, I would like to hear the details."

Su Derong held up three fingers: "First, the route. The 'South Third Route' we're taking is the longest-operated, fixed route by the Su Family Escort Agency. Every rest stop along the way, every section of terrain prone to ambushes, even the exact time to speed through, is a predetermined strategy tested with lives. No unauthorized detours, no shortcuts—that's an ironclad rule."

He raised his fan and pointed to Zhao Tieshan, who was riding a horse about ten feet ahead: "See Old Zhao? His set of scouting gestures and the positions of his sentries are all well-organized. When crossing a forest, he walks in the middle; when encountering a canyon, he first sends out scouts; when resting, he chooses an open, sheltered place... These may seem trivial, but they are all experiences gained by our predecessors with their blood."

Chen Jianghe pondered: "So these past few days, seemingly calm, have actually been conducted within the bounds of propriety at every turn?"

"That's right." Su Derong patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction. "The second point is people. At teahouses, inns, and supply villages along the way, only use old relationships that you know well. Don't stay in newly opened shops, don't drink water from unfamiliar faces, and don't get too close to caravans that strike up conversations on the road—you can't let your guard down for a moment."

He lowered his voice: "Did you know that last year, the 'New City Escort Agency' stayed at a newly opened inn because they were looking for a cheap place, but it turned out to be a trap set by bandits. The whole team was wiped out inside, and they lost their goods too?"

Chen Jianghe felt a chill run down his spine.

"The third, and most important, rule," Su Derong said solemnly, "Don't cause trouble, but don't be afraid of trouble either. If you encounter soldiers checking your goods, bribe them; if you encounter thugs extorting you, give them some loose change. But if anyone actually tries to steal your goods—"

He snapped his fan shut and tapped it lightly against his palm: "Then there's nothing more to say. Let's see who's the best. But there are rules for taking action: if you don't act, you don't act at all; but if you do, you must act decisively and leave no loose ends. In this world, soft-hearted people can't make a living as镖师 (bodyguards/escorts)."

Chen Jianghe kept it in mind.

Su Derong glanced at the sky, estimated the distance, and called out, "Sun's Tea House is three miles ahead. We'll rest for a quarter of an hour! People and horses can drink, but the carts won't be unloaded!"

"Yes, sir!"

The convoy slowly came to a stop in front of a simple tea stall by the roadside.

This tea stall was nothing more than a thatched shed with three or four crooked wooden tables. An old man was squatting in front of an earthen stove boiling water, with an iron kettle on the stove bubbling and steaming.

Zhao Tieshan dismounted first, went into the shed, said a few words to the old man, took out a few copper coins and put them on the table, and then waved to the caravan.

Su Derong led Chen Jianghe to sit down at a table further inside.

Zhou Yong and Wang Gui then entered, while the porters scattered outside the shed under the shade of the trees, munching on dry rations and keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"Brother Chen," Zhou Yong said suddenly after gulping down a large bowl of tea and wiping his mouth, "you've been riding in the lead car with the young master this time, have you figured out anything about it?"

The question was asked casually, but Chen Jianghe could detect a subtle barb in it.

He looked up at Zhou Yong.

The lean man was looking at him with a half-smile, twirling a rough earthenware teacup in his hand.

Everyone turned their attention to Chen Jianghe.

Chen Jianghe calmly replied, "I can see a thing or two. For example, when we passed through that grove of trees just now, Master Zhao deliberately avoided the edge of the grove and took the main road. But because the grove is dense and easy to hide in, and the wind blows from inside the grove, if there were an ambush, the smell of smoke wouldn't be easy to detect?"

Zhou Yong was taken aback.

Zhao Tieshan's eyes lit up, and he nodded, saying, "Brother Chen has a sharp eye. That forest is called 'Ghost's Sorrow.' It has many forks in the road and a complex terrain. In the old days, bandits often hid there and shot arrows from the shadows. If we go straight through the middle, far from both sides, even if there are ambushes, it will take them time to rush over, and we'll have enough time to react."

Chen Jianghe continued, "There are also times to rest. We set off at Chenshi (7-9 AM), and rested for the first time at Sishi (9:45 AM), which is when everyone and the horses are exhausted. Resting for two quarters of an hour is just enough to recover without delaying the journey too much. Is this based on years of experience?"

Even Wang Gui raised his head this time, a look of surprise on his honest face.

Su Derong laughed and unfurled his fan: "Not bad, Jiang He! Only three days and you've already figured out the rules quite well."

Chen Jianghe turned to Zhao Tieshan and asked, "Master Zhao, I just saw you dismount to check the road surface. Were you identifying the tire tracks?"

Zhao Tieshan became interested and pulled up a stool to sit down: "That's right! Brother Chen is very thoughtful. There are many vehicles coming and going on this official road, and the ruts are layered upon each other. But there is a big difference between new and old ruts. New ruts have clear edges and the soil is moist; old ruts have blurry edges and the soil is dry and white. If there is only a going rut and no returning rut, or if the rut suddenly breaks off, then we have to be careful—it may be that something happened ahead, or someone deliberately erased the traces."

Chen Jianghe listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

Wang Gui interjected, "Old Zhao's skills have saved us several times. Last year when we were crossing the 'One Line Sky,' it was Old Zhao who noticed freshly fallen rocks on the cliff and insisted on stopping the caravan from passing. As a result, half an hour later, that section of the cliff really collapsed, burying three passing caravans."

Zhao Tieshan waved his hand: "These are all experiences gained at the cost of our lives, not worth mentioning."

Just as Chen Jianghe was about to reply, he heard Zhou Yong suddenly chuckle from not far away. He stood up, dusted off his trousers, and slowly walked over.

"Brother Chen is indeed meticulous. However, just being able to observe isn't enough for escorting goods; when trouble comes, you have to resort to force."

These words weren't harsh, but everyone could hear the barb in them.

Su Derong waved his fan, glanced at Zhou Yong with a half-smile, and said nothing.

Chen Jianghe raised his head, his expression calm: "Brother Zhou is right. I am new here and do not know many of the rules, so I should observe and learn more."

"You do need to learn," Zhou Yong said, arms crossed, looking down at him. "But some things can't be learned just by watching. Take this escort mission, for example. If something really happens, it'll be bloody. I wonder if Brother Chen's boxing style, which he practiced at the martial arts school, can withstand real combat?"

The atmosphere froze for a moment, a subtle tension.

Zhao Tieshan frowned, about to speak up to smooth things over, but Su Derong pressed his fan down lightly, signaling him to calm down.

Chen Jianghe slowly stood up, smiling as he looked at Zhou Yong: "What? Brother Zhou, would you like to give it a try?"

"Let's give it a try!" Zhou Yong's eyes lit up, clearly having waited a long time for this suggestion. "But this isn't the right place. Tonight we'll stay at 'Old Yang's Inn,' an old friend of the Su family. The courtyard is spacious. We can stretch our legs and keep everyone entertained, how about that?"

Wang Gui rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "This is good! It's so boring on the escort mission. Practicing some martial arts will help improve my blood circulation, and it won't break any rules."

Chen Jianghe looked at Su Derong. Su Derong waved his fan and smiled, "It's an old tradition of the escort agency to spar privately when we rest, stopping when we've made a point, so as not to hurt anyone's feelings. Jianghe, just consider it as gaining practical experience."

"Alright." Chen Jianghe nodded. "Then I'll ask Brother Zhou and Brother Wang for their guidance tonight."

He turned and walked out, and as he passed Chen Jianghe, he lowered his voice and said, "Kid, a silver tongue is useless; you need a strong fist."

Chen Jianghe smiled but remained silent.

Zhao Tieshan walked over, patted Chen Jianghe on the shoulder, and said in a low voice, "Brother Chen, Zhou Yong is just like that. He's been in the escort agency for a long time and thinks he's an old man. Don't take it to heart, let's see who's the real deal."

Chen Jianghe smiled and said, "Don't worry, Master Zhao, I understand."

Two quarters of an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Su Derong stood up: "I'm leaving."

After everyone had finished packing, the convoy set off again.