The musicians at the Yanfeng Tower were somewhat puzzled as to why the sword dance had stopped. As they repeated the previous piece of music, Ling Shuang paid no attention and continued dancing.

 

After a sword dance, the Crimson Frost Lady, dressed in red, glanced back at Muyun Qin before departing.

 

"I want to meet Ling Shuang," Muyun Qin turned to the maid beside him and said. The maid smiled and replied, "Young Master Qin, it costs twenty taels of silver to see Miss Ling Shuang. No touching, and the meeting can only last for half an hour. If Young Master Qin agrees, I will go and deliver the message, checking if Miss Ling Shuang is willing and if there are other guests waiting in line."

 

"Go quickly," Tian Bo urged, "Remember to say it's Young Master Qin who wants to meet her."

 

"Very well, I'll go now," the maid said and left to deliver the message.

 

Muyun Qin silently waited.

 

A meeting for twenty taels of silver would allow for a chat, while the esteemed Clear Autumn Fairy required a hundred taels of silver. This clearly showed the difference in status.

 

"Ling Shuang's sword dance is truly remarkable. I have seen many skilled swordsmen, and while they may be more powerful than Ling Shuang, they lack the charm of her sword dance. Her dance pierces my heart."

 

"Her pipa playing is also impressive. She excels in both the pipa and the sword dance. I have always believed she could easily make it into the top ten of this year's courtesans."

 

"Even at Yanfeng Tower, she is only considered second-rate. In the fierce competition among the famous courtesans of Guangling County, it is nearly impossible to make it into the top ten."

 

The surrounding guests chattered casually.

 

Muyun Qin continued to wait.

 

Soon, the maid returned with a light and cheerful step. Approaching Muyun Qin, she whispered, "Young Master Qin, Miss Ling Shuang is willing to see you."

 

"Good, lead the way," Muyun Qin took a deep breath and gave the order.

 

"Young Master Qin, please follow me," the maid led the way ahead.

 

The main building was vast, with winding corridors. Upon leaving the main building, they followed a hallway that led directly to the East Tower.

 

The four towers of Yanfeng Tower—East, West, South, and North—were off-limits to ordinary guests. However, the threshold for entering the East and South Towers was relatively lower, requiring some silver to gain entry. But for Muyun Qin to enter the East Tower and meet "Miss Ling Shuang," it would cost twenty taels of silver, which was quite daunting considering that a typical residence in the Tiancheng County would cost around a hundred taels of silver.

 

"Squeak!" The maid pushed open a wooden door and announced in a crisp voice, "Miss Ling Shuang, Young Master Qin has arrived."

 

"Please, Young Master Qin," the maid smiled and said.

 

Muyun Qin entered the room and immediately noticed a middle-aged woman standing by the side.

 

"Aunt Xue?" Muyun Qin was surprised.

 

"Young Master Qin," the middle-aged woman also smiled.

 

At that moment, a graceful figure couldn't help but push aside the door curtain from inside and walked out, her eyes teary as she looked at Muyun Qin.

 

Muyun Qin trembled and felt a deep sense of guilt. Why hadn't he returned earlier?

 

"Xiaoshuang," Muyun Qin spoke.

 

"Brother Muyun!" Ling Shuang rushed over and threw herself into Muyun Qin's arms.

 

Muyun Qin embraced Ling Shuang and whispered, "I came back late."

 

"I was so afraid, afraid that Brother Muyun wouldn't come back. It's been six years, and finally, Brother Muyun, you're back," Ling Shuang released Muyun Qin, her teary eyes gazing at him. "Today is the happiest day since my brother's departure."

 

"I only returned yesterday and just learned about Xie Lei's situation from Tian Bo today," Muyun Qin sighed, "Having the protection of the government within the county is somewhat reassuring, but outside the city, be it rivers, lakes, or deep mountains, who knows where demons lurk. Escorting caravans is truly a life-risking endeavor."

 

"It's just that the escort agency has been passed down through generations in my Xie family. My brother is determined to restore the reputation of the agency," said Miss Ling Shuang.

 

Muyun Qin nodded silently.

 

Xie Madman...

 

With his temperament, how could he be afraid of death? A person as arrogant as him naturally wanted to make the escort agency even greater, becoming the number one agency in Yingtian County, or even one of the top agencies in the entire Yangzhou. That was his pursuit. However, he died too early.

 

"Get out!" A shout of anger came from outside.

 

"Hmm?" Muyun Qin frowned as he heard a commotion outside.

 

...

 

In the corridor outside.

 

A rich and fat man with an arrogant expression, followed by two guards, barged in.

 

"Master Liu, there are already guests inside," the maid said anxiously.

 

"Guests? In Yingtian County, anyone who dares to make me, Liu Qi, wait is few and far between. This so-called Mister Qin, making me wait? He's not qualified!" The fat man shouted loudly. On the other side of the corridor, a female manager hurriedly ran over, shouting loudly from a distance, "Master Liu, Master Liu, don't be angry. Why get so angry? It's the incompetence of the people below. Let me go and tell that Mister Qin to leave first."

 

"Oh, then you quickly make him leave," the fat man said, giving some face to Yanfeng Tower.

 

The female manager rushed in, saying, "Mister Qin, I'm sorry, you heard it outside—"

 

"Get lost," Muyun Qin said calmly.

 

The female manager froze.

 

The fat man standing in the corridor heard it and sneered, walking directly inside. "I'm giving you some face, but you won't leave. It seems I have to take action. Go, throw this arrogant fellow off the building for me."

 

"Yes." One of the strong guards immediately stepped forward.

 

"Master Liu, don't be angry," Miss Ling Shuang apologized, while whispering to Muyun Qin, "This Master Liu is from the Liu family, one of the three major families in Yingtian County. He shouldn't be provoked."

 

The Liu family was indeed a top noble family in Yingtian County. According to Miss Ling Shuang's knowledge, even the Silver Badge Catcher 'Qin Gang' couldn't match up to the Liu family.

 

"You heard that? Even Miss Ling Shuang knows her place. I'm giving face to Miss Ling Shuang. Now, get lost quickly," the fat man shouted.

 

"Liu family? Even if the person in charge of the Liu family were here, they wouldn't dare to shout at me, let alone a young member of the Liu family like you," Muyun Qin glanced at him and said, "You better jump down from the building by yourself, and we'll call it a day. Otherwise, I'll personally throw you down, and it won't be a light punishment."

 

The fat man was shocked.

 

Could it be that there was someone formidable who had appeared? But he was just a local bully. How come he hadn't heard of him?

 

"Who are you?" the fat man asked.

 

"Get lost immediately," Muyun Qin furrowed his brow.

 

"Are you trying to scare our young master Liu?" the fat man widened his eyes, "Both of you, go and test his abilities, see what he's capable of. Stop boasting here."

 

"Yes."

 

These two guards, one at the seventh level of Qi Refining and the other at the eighth level, were both top-notch experts. This showed the strength of the Liu family's influence!

 

Bang! Bang!

 

As soon as the two guards charged out with ferocity, before they could even see clearly, they were sent flying like shadows, flying out of the doorway, crossing over the railing, and falling downstairs.

 

"Oh no." The fat man turned pale with fright. He didn't dare to speak arrogantly anymore, turned around, and ran.

 

"Go."

 

Muyun Qin stepped forward and kicked the fat man's buttocks, giving him a good kick.

 

"Ah!" The fat man let out a piercing scream as he flew over the railing. The two guards below, as experts at the seventh and eighth levels of Qi Refining, couldn't stand up in a strange manner. They could only watch their young master fall to the ground, his face covered in blood and his face bruised.

 

The fat man, in pain, stood up and shouted, "Didn't you two know how to catch me?"

 

"Master, our bodies are weak, and we can barely stand up now," the two guards struggled to get up.

 

"Hahaha..."

 

"Liu Qi from the Liu family."

 

"What a disgrace."

 

"Who dares throw him off the building?"

 

Many guests at Yanfeng Tower leaned against the railing, looking down. Theywere shocked to see the fat man, who had come with arrogance, now covered in blood and humiliation. The reputation of the Liu family was undoubtedly damaged.

 

Muyun Qin calmly walked back into the private room, while Miss Ling Shuang and the female manager from Yanfeng Tower looked at him with astonishment.

 

"Mister Qin, you..." Miss Ling Shuang couldn't help but ask.

 

Muyun Qin interrupted her, "It's nothing. Let's continue our discussion."

 

Miss Ling Shuang blinked, not pursuing the matter any further. She understood that it might be inappropriate to inquire about Muyun Qin's identity at this moment.

 

Inside the private room, Muyun Qin and Miss Ling Shuang resumed their conversation about the escort agency. They discussed the challenges they faced, the potential improvements they could make, and the strategies to attract more customers.

 

Despite the interruption, they managed to have a productive discussion. Muyun Qin shared his insights and suggestions, drawing from his knowledge of business management and his understanding of the changing market dynamics.

 

As the meeting concluded, Miss Ling Shuang expressed her gratitude. "Mister Qin, thank you for your valuable advice. With your guidance, I'm confident that we can revitalize the Xie family's escort agency."

 

Muyun Qin nodded with a faint smile. "Miss Ling Shuang, it was my pleasure to assist you. I believe that with your determination and the potential I see in the Xie family's escort agency, you can achieve great success."

 

With their conversation coming to an end, Muyun Qin bid farewell to Miss Ling Shuang and left Yanfeng Tower. Outside, the commotion caused by the incident with the fat man from the Liu family had subsided. People were still discussing the unexpected turn of events, but Muyun Qin paid no attention to the gossip and headed towards his next destination.

 

As he walked through the bustling streets of Yingtian County, Muyun Qin couldn't help but reflect on his encounter at Yanfeng Tower. Despite his desire to lead a low-profile life, circumstances often pushed him into unexpected situations. His abilities and reputation seemed to attract trouble, but he remained undeterred, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

 

The story of Muyun Qin, the mysterious expert with a hidden past, continued to unfold as he ventured further into the world, leaving his mark and influencing the lives of those he encountered along the way.