Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

The next day, early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking.

In the backyard of Zhenshan Escort Agency, Fang Cunxin had been sitting in front of the bronze mirror for a full quarter of an hour.

A female bodyguard in her thirties walked in, looking puzzled, and asked, "Junior sister, didn't you get up a while ago? Why isn't your hair combed yet?"

Fang Cunxin turned her head to look at the female bodyguard and said leisurely, "Senior sister, do you think I'm too rough and a bit dark-skinned? Am I not very pretty?"

The female bodyguard looked on in surprise. She walked up to Fang Cunxin, reached out and touched her forehead, and asked in astonishment, "What's wrong? You don't have a fever. Why are you talking nonsense so early in the morning?"

"Oh, Senior Sister," Fang Cunxin pushed away the female bodyguard's hand and said, "I'm serious, do you think I should learn to use rouge and powder too?"

"Oh no, it's not a fever," the female bodyguard said, spreading her hands. "So, Junior Sister's just fallen for someone! Tell me, which young talent has managed to make our strong, ox-like Junior Sister act like such a girl?"

"Senior sister, what nonsense are you talking about!" Fang Cunxin quickly turned her face away. "I'm not talking to you anymore. Go out now, I need to comb my hair!"

The female bodyguard chuckled, "Oh, I came in to tell you that a young master Gu is looking for you outside the courtyard. He said he's arranged to go out with you today. Shall I go and see him off?"

"No, I'll go right away!"

Fang Cunxin immediately tied her hair up, then stood up, grabbed the spear leaning against the wall, and ran outside in a few quick steps. After running a couple of steps, she turned back, glanced quickly at the bronze mirror, and then strode out.

quickly,

Fang Cunxin arrived at the front yard and saw Gu Guanqi chatting with a chess player.

Gu Guanqi turned around when he heard the noise.

Today he changed into a black outfit, with the Autumn Water Sword hanging at his waist, its tassel swaying gently in the morning breeze. He also had a jade flute he had just bought yesterday clipped to his side, the bamboo patterns on the flute faintly visible in the light. He carried a blue cloth bundle on his back, and he looked very clean and neat.

Fang Cunxin's eyes lit up, her heart pounded instantly, but then she was secretly annoyed:

"What are you thinking, Fang Cunxin? This is your cousin's blind date. Who knows, he might become her husband in the future."

Fang Cunxin quickly suppressed the pounding in her heart, composed herself, stepped forward, and bowed with her gun in hand, saying, "Master Gu, you've arrived. Have you eaten?"

"I've already eaten," Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand. "Am I late?"

"It's still early," Fang Cunxin said. "We haven't eaten yet. How about this, I'll take you to choose a horse first. Does Master Gu prefer a gentler one or a more agile one...?"

quickly,

Fang Cunxin chose a jet-black horse for Gu Guanqi, while she herself led a glossy chestnut horse.

Not long after, the caravan began to eat.

After finishing their meal, they began to assemble.

The escort team was not large. Including Fang Cunxin, there were six bodyguards, eight porters, and Gu Guanqi, making a total of fifteen people.

The goods loaded on the five large carts were wrapped tightly in tarpaulins and stacked neatly.

After the assembly is complete,

The caravan immediately set off.

……

For the next few days, the group traveled north along the official road, traveling by day and resting at night, enduring wind and rain.

For the first two days, Fang Cunxin was a little reserved when facing Gu Guanqi. She would occasionally consider her words when speaking and dared not linger her gaze on Gu Guanqi for too long.

But by the third day, she could no longer hide her straightforwardness. Once she started talking, she couldn't stop. She talked about everything from martial arts stories to interesting anecdotes about escorting goods, from the martial arts styles of various schools to the local customs and traditions.

Gu Guanqi learned a lot of martial arts experience and tricks from Fang Cunxin.

The two became acquainted.

Not only Fang Cunxin, Gu Guanqi became familiar with everyone in the escort team.

……

On the evening of the sixth day, the group entered a territory called Tong'an County.

This place is on the edge of Qingyang County, and some areas border Lishan County. The mountains rise gradually, and the trees on both sides of the official road are lush. In the twilight, the distant mountains are like dark silhouettes, layer upon layer, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Fang Cunxin, riding on her horse, looked up at the sky and frowned slightly.

In the western sky, large swaths of dark clouds were gathering at a visible speed, making the already dim twilight even darker.

"It's going to rain." Fang Cunxin reined in the horses and turned to the caravan behind her, saying, "Hurry up, there's an open space ahead, let's go set up camp!"

Upon hearing this, everyone quickened their pace. The mules were driven to trot, and the caravan bounced violently on the dirt road.

Soon, they arrived at the open space.

The group quickly set up tents, first to store the goods, then to provide shelter for the horses and mules from the rain, and finally to set up tents for the people.

However, due to the short time constraints, the rain started to fall just as one tent was set up.

At first, a few large raindrops pounded down, making a crisp crackling sound, but in an instant they connected and poured down in a torrent.

With no other choice, everyone had to hide inside the tent.

Fortunately, everyone was experienced, so they set up a large tent first, which prevented it from being too crowded. In fact, the space was quite spacious.

The rainwater quickly formed small puddles on the ground, but they had dug drainage ditches around the tent beforehand, so no water got into it.

Fortunately, although it is already autumn, it is not cold, so there is no need to light a fire for warmth. Otherwise, it would be difficult to make a fire in this tent.

The bodyguards and porters sat around chatting and bragging.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside, accompanied by the sounds of rain and wind, growing louder as they approached.

Fang Cunxin's hand instantly pressed onto the gun barrel, her sharp gaze fixed on the doorway.

The bodyguards also became alert; some gripped the hilts of their swords, while others stood up and placed their hands on their weapons.

The footsteps stopped at the tent entrance.

Immediately afterward, a man's voice came from outside the door, tinged with anxiety and pleading: "Everyone inside? Could you please do us a favor? My wife and I are passing by with our child, but the child has a high fever and can't walk any further. Could you please let us in to take shelter from the rain?"

The voice was very urgent.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw three people standing at the door.

Walking in front was a man in his thirties, wearing a gray cloth shirt, soaked to the bone, with rainwater dripping down the hem. He was holding a child in his arms, wrapped in a tattered cloth, which covered most of the child's face, making it impossible to see the child's features. However, the child occasionally let out a weak whimper or two, which sounded like the child was indeed sick.

Behind the man stood a young woman, also soaked to the bone, her hair plastered to her face, pale and anxious. She carried a bundle in her hand, standing behind the man, timidly peering into the tent, her eyes full of expectation.

The three people were shivering in the rain and looked truly pitiful.

Everyone looked at Fang Cunxin.

Fang Cunxin's face remained expressionless. She stood up, gripping her spear in her hand with the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. Her gaze swept over the three people before she said in a deep voice, "I'm sorry, it's not convenient for us to add any more people here."

The man was stunned for a moment, then pleaded repeatedly, "My lady, please! My child has a high fever, and it's raining so hard outside. If he gets soaked any longer, he'll die! We'll stay in the corner and won't bother you at all, please!"

The woman behind him also knelt down, kowtowing and pleading, "Please, let my child in, he's dying..."

Fang Cunxin's tone remained cold and hard: "The three of you are not allowed in. I can have someone bring you two raincoats and straw hats; find somewhere to shelter from the rain yourselves!"

The man grew anxious, his voice rising several decibels: "My dear lady, please have mercy! The child is so sick; if he stays out in the rain any longer, he'll die!"

Fang Cunxin's eyes were cold as she said in a deep voice, "There's no room for discussion. If you want the straw hats and raincoats, I'll give you two. If not, you can leave on your own."

The woman burst into tears, kneeling in the rain while holding her child, and cried out, "Heroine, please have mercy! We are just ordinary people. Our child is sick and we just want to find a place to take shelter from the rain. We promise we won't bother you..."

The man stood up and walked inside, saying, "Just for a little while, just for a little while. We'll leave when the rain stops, we..."

He lifted his foot to walk inside.

Fang Cunxin thrust out her spear, the tip plunging into the ground three inches in front of the man's feet, the spear vibrating and humming.

"roll."

There was only one word, neither too light nor too heavy, yet it was like a stone thrown into water, exploding amidst the sound of rain.

The man stopped abruptly, his face turning deathly pale. He stared at the spear embedded in the ground, then at Fang Cunxin's cold, stern face. His lips trembled, but he dared not utter another word.

The woman behind him was still crying, but her voice was much softer, as if she had been frightened.

The man gritted his teeth, bent down, picked up the child, and turned to leave. The woman quickly followed, and the two of them staggered and disappeared into the rain, soon swallowed up by the mist and never seen again.

Fang Cunxin stood there, looking in the direction the three had left. The coldness on her face did not dissipate; instead, it became even more solemn.

She drew her spear, turned to the people in the tent, and said, "Everyone, stay alert! Tonight might not be peaceful. The bodyguards will take turns on night watch; weapons must not be out of their hands, and no one is allowed to fall asleep!"