Chapter 7: Knight-errant in Troubled Times

"What is happening?"

Liu Dahao was startled.

"Guest, guest, hurry and hide!"

Before Liu Zheng could even ask, the tavern owner had already closed the tavern door with practiced ease, and even casually placed a bag of white rice at the entrance; the customers who had been eating in the shop just a moment ago simply moved to another spot and continued to clink glasses.

Liu Zheng was stunned by this scene.

"Heh heh, is the guest from out of town?"

The owner brought a pot of wine over to the two of them.

Liu Zheng listened to the sound of horses galloping and the cries of slaughter outside, yet inside the shop, people were drinking heartily and chatting merrily; he suddenly felt that something was completely wrong.

"This owner, what is happening outside..."

Liu Zheng asked.

The owner laughed: "Guest, the Bandits are entering the city today to burn, kill, and loot as they always do; you had better not go out for the time being!"

Liu Zheng was even more puzzled: "Bandits? Outlaws? Why is the owner so calm?"

The owner explained patiently: "The Bandits come every month. The Yangzhou County Marquis is not up to the task and offers no resistance; he even issued a public notice to the whole city that if we do not want to be looted by the Bandits, every household must prepare two shi of millet each month and place it outside their door. The Bandits take it and leave, and will not trouble us further. If we do not prepare it, or if we resist, the government will not intervene at all, and will even hold us accountable for violating the order."

Hearing this, Liu Zheng felt his worldview collapsing.

How could such an absurd thing exist?

Liu Zheng said angrily: "What is the use of such an incompetent government? Do they still have the face to collect taxes?"

The owner was startled: "Guest, do not speak recklessly, you will bring disaster upon yourself..."

Unexpectedly, at this moment, a man wearing a cloak in the corner of the tavern slammed the table hard and shouted: "Well said! Such an incompetent government, and they still have the face to collect taxes? As officials for the people, yet they ignore the common folk—they deserve to be executed!"

The owner was so scared he nearly wet himself, and said with a bitter face: "Sir, sir, please don't cause trouble for me!"

The other customers were also so frightened that they scrambled to hide, pretending not to hear anything.

Liu Zheng looked over at the sound and saw that the man was in his early thirties, handsome, burly, with a firm gaze, and a long blade resting on the left side of his table.

Sensing Liu Zheng's gaze, the man raised his wine cup, toasted Liu Zheng from afar, and laughed heartily: "Looking at the whole Yangzhou City, only this little brother is to my liking. Come, let's have a drink!"

Liu Zheng smiled and toasted him with a cup of wine.

There were many such Knights-errant these days; many were highly skilled in martial arts and upheld justice, and it seemed this man was also a Knight-errant. Although he did not know if this man was truly highly skilled, his values were upright, and Liu Zheng appreciated that.

Just at this moment, while the "orderly" looting was taking place outside, a woman's scream suddenly rang out.

"No!"

"Don't touch me!"

Following that, the lewd laughter of several men erupted, shouting that they would abduct this woman and take her back to be their bandit bride.

The owner's expression changed slightly as he heard this: "That is the daughter of the tailor across the street. She is only fourteen this year! What a sin, what a sin!"

Liu Zheng was also filled with towering rage as he heard this. He did not know how the Bandits had spotted this woman, but the Bandits had evil intentions and were going to abduct her. Everyone in the tavern, listening to the woman's shrill cries for help echoing through the entire street, yet not a single person dared to stand up.

"A bunch of cowards!"

Liu Zheng finally could not hold back, and with a 'swoosh', he stood up.

This action was purely driven by his values, an instinctive reaction. In his eyes, a fourteen-year-old girl was still a child, yet she was about to suffer such humiliation; regardless of whether he had the strength to truss a chicken, he could not watch this happen!

"Owner, give me a kitchen knife!"

Liu Zheng shouted angrily.

The man from before saw Liu Zheng like this and also stood up, walking over with a smile: "Little brother has courage! Seeing your slender build, you are not a martial artist. Let me, Qin Zhangfeng, deal with these Bandits!"

As he spoke, ignoring the owner's attempt to stop him, he opened the door, drew his long blade, and shouted loudly: "You Bandits, do you dare to fight me, Qin Zhangfeng?"

This shout was overbearing, and the entire street could hear it.

Looking out from the doorway, the street was already in a mess. It was just dusk, and the street was completely empty, left for these Bandits to do as they pleased; it was truly ironic.

At this time, four Bandits were pulling at the delicate woman from the tailor shop across the street. Her father had already been beaten until his head was bleeding and he lay paralyzed on the ground. Now, the four of them were startled by Qin Zhangfeng's shout and looked over, murderous intent in their eyes.

Four Bandits, four bandit blades.

"Who are you?"

"You dare to ruin our good time?"

"Die!"

The four men let go of the woman and charged at Qin Zhangfeng simultaneously, moving extremely fast and striking with extreme cruelty.

Unexpectedly, Qin Zhangfeng smiled slightly, completely unafraid. When the four reached him, he suddenly let out a shout, flicked his long blade, and moved like a startled rabbit; his body trembled in a way that was hard to see, barely dodging the four men's attacks.

Clang!

The long blade met one of the Bandits' blades first. The force was heavy and deep; the Bandit's expression changed drastically, but it was too late. He only felt a pain as if the web between his thumb and index finger had been shattered, and his bandit blade fell to the ground.

Before the other three could react, Qin Zhangfeng had already performed a Returning Horse Spear.

Where the long blade passed, the arms of all four were severed at once!

Four streams of fresh blood splashed out simultaneously.

"Ah!"

"Run!"

Knowing they were outmatched, the men ignored their severe injuries and fled the scene one after another.

Liu Zheng was dumbfounded as he watched.

A master!

As a modern person, Liu Zheng had never seen such style.

The young woman wiped her teary eyes: "Thank you, hero, for saving me!"

The old man who had been beaten to the ground by the Bandits earlier also stood up and said: "Hero, leave quickly, I fear it will be too late; these Bandits, they..."

Qin Zhangfeng smiled faintly: "Mere Bandits, what is there to fear? Old man, do not be afraid. With me, Qin Zhangfeng, here, I will ensure your safety today!"

As expected.

A moment later, a dozen or so Bandits came galloping over, filled with murderous intent.

"Big Brother, it's this guy!"

"Big Brother, you must avenge us!"

The four injured men pointed angrily at Qin Zhangfeng.

The one-eyed bandit, who was the leader of this group of Bandits, said coldly, "Who are you, sir? How dare you bully my brothers?"

"The man who will kill you!"

Qin Zhangfeng did not waste words.

The group of Bandits flew into a rage and charged over with loud shouts.

On this side, Liu Zheng and his people watched in terror. No matter how strong this Qin Zhangfeng was, how could he withstand these dozen or so men?

The Bandits wanted to use the momentum of their galloping horses to catch this Knight-errant off guard.

Who would have thought that Qin Zhangfeng would not dodge at all; as a man and horse swept past him and swung a blade to strike him, he was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, grabbing the man's wrist and pulling him down with force. This entire sequence of movements was done in one go, and he vaulted onto the horse, pulled the reins, and turned to charge at the Bandits who had not yet reacted.

With the horse, Qin Zhangfeng was like someone entering an empty land, his combat prowess extraordinary.

In a few moments, that gang of Bandits had been slaughtered by him until not a single piece of armor remained, and they fled in a panic.

"This..."

Liu Zheng watched and swallowed hard.

This Knight-errant was truly remarkable!

A thought suddenly stirred in his heart: if such a person could be brought under his wing, wouldn't he have an ultra-strong bodyguard while traveling in this unfamiliar dynasty?

Even if that were not possible, he should still build a good relationship with him so they could meet again in the future!

Thinking of this, he also ran out frantically and shouted, "Brave warrior, you should not stay long, leave quickly!"

Qin Zhangfeng laughed heartily: "Little brother, the Bandits have already been driven off by me, they are nothing to worry about!"

Liu Zheng grew anxious.

He feared the trouble to follow would not be the Bandits, but the government.

Before he could even persuade him, the government men had already arrived.

"Bold villain, committing violence in the street, do you know your crime?"

More than thirty Garrison soldiers carrying blades, led by a fat man, surrounded Qin Zhangfeng, their murderous intent chilling!