Chapter 12: The Innkeeper, The Sharp-Tongued Queen
At another courtyard residence within the Taiping Inn, a crowd had gathered to watch the commotion, pointing and murmuring among themselves.
Two burly traveling merchants, both sporting thick beards, were furiously berating a young man whose face was bruised and bloodied.
Nearby, a group of goats was tied to a post. Several of them had tears in their eyes, as if pleading for mercy. But all they could do was bleat helplessly.
Zhang San was being lifted off the ground by one of the towering merchants, gripped by the neck like a chick in an eagle’s claw. His lips were split, fresh blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.
The innkeeper stood nearby, her willow-like brows furrowed in fury as she shouted, “Over something this small, and you beat him up like this? Let him go right now!”
One of the merchants remained silent, his eyes cold and gloomy. The other, the one who had done the beating, had a fiery temper and clearly couldn’t be restrained, not even by his companion.
“You damned woman, that mutt dared touch my goats. I didn’t beat him to death, so he should count himself lucky. You best shut your mouth!” the hot-tempered merchant cursed.
But the innkeeper was no weak woman. She fired back without hesitation, “So what if he touched a few goats? You lash them daily without any care. Who’s to say you didn’t steal them to begin with? And now you put on this act like you actually care!”
Her words immediately infuriated the hot-headed, thick-bearded merchant.
“Bitch, you’ve got a death wish!” he snarled and swung a palm toward her.
The innkeeper froze. She hadn’t expected the brute to strike her so suddenly!
The onlookers winced, unable to bear watching. If such a delicate and charming beauty were struck by that palm as broad as a fan and hard as iron, wouldn’t her face be ruined?
However, the slap never landed. The tall, bearded traveling merchant's rough, calloused hand with large knuckles was suddenly seized by a fair, slender hand.
“Daoist Master Yanchu!” the innkeeper cried out. Her eyes lit up with joy, and a sudden sense of confidence rising in her chest.
Li Yanchu smiled faintly, then turned to coldly regard the bearded giant. In a calm, low voice, he asked, “Don’t you think you’ve gone too far?”
The towering merchant tried to yank his hand free, only to find it completely stuck. It felt as though his wrist were caught in an iron vice, and he found it unmovable.
“Who the hell are you? Why are you butting in?” the bearded man snapped.
Li Yanchu let go of the merchant’s wrist, his gaze cold as he stared down the hot-tempered, burly man.
“You don’t even recognize Daoist Master Yanchu of Qingyun Temple, and you still dare to act so arrogantly here?”
“Blind fool! Who gave you the nerve to cause trouble in this place?”
“How brazen! How dare you lay your hands on this young lad? Send them to the authorities!”
With Li Yanchu’s arrival, the bystanders suddenly felt emboldened, and some of them mustered up the courage to speak out.
Li Yanchu didn’t spare the bearded merchant another glance. Instead, he shifted his cold gaze to the merchant holding Zhang San by the neck.
The man’s eyes immediately stung under the intensity of Li Yanchu’s stare, and he found himself unable to meet it directly. Almost involuntarily, he let go of Zhang San.
Just then, Zhang San staggered and winced from the pain, but he managed to remain standing.
“You alright?” Li Yanchu asked, completely ignoring the bearded brute beside him.
“Y-yes… I’m alright. Thank you, Daoist Master Yanchu,” Zhang San said gratefully, as another servant quickly stepped up to support him away.
Seeing the rising hostility from the crowd, and sensing that Li Yanchu might be more than he seemed, the gloomy-eyed merchant stepped forward and tried to pull his bearded companion away.
But a flash of killing intent flickered in the eyes of the thick-bearded merchant. He locked his gaze onto Li Yanchu.
“You think you can beat someone and just walk away? Not on my watch!” the innkeeper barked, hands on her hips, fury in her voice.
“You heard her,” Li Yanchu said calmly.
The innkeeper immediately lifted her delicate chin with pride, looking quite pleased with herself.
The gloomy-eyed merchant pulled his companion back and said, “It’s our fault. We’ll pay compensation, alright?”
Li Yanchu glanced at Zhang San, who had clearly taken a serious beating. Though resentment burned in the young man’s eyes, as a mere servant, swallowing his grievances wasn’t weakness; it was survival. Gritting his teeth, Zhang San gave a small nod.
Li Yanchu sighed inwardly. Everyone has their own hardships to deal with.
Now that the danger had passed, the innkeeper wasn’t holding back at all. Her mouth was sharp and ruthless, berating the two merchants until they were utterly humiliated.
Veins bulged on the forehead of the thick-bearded man as his eyes burned with killing intent, and his breathing turned heavy. But his companion clung tightly to him, refusing to let him act out. Just a single glance from Li Yanchu earlier had made him feel an instinctive fear, so he dared not provoke further. Though the man was young, he was definitely no ordinary opponent. He didn’t want any more trouble.
The innkeeper stood with her arms on her hips while scolding the two merchants mercilessly. And yet, in Li Yanchu’s eyes, there was something captivating in her fierce, commanding presence.
That narrow waist… With her hands on her hips, it somehow made her figure stand out even more...
Li Yanchu silently cursed himself, How can I be thinking of something like that at a time like this?
Suddenly, a flicker of spirit perception stirred within him. Ever since he’d learned the method in The Yellow Court Classic, his senses had grown exceptionally sharp. He then cast a glance at the goats tied to the post. In his mind, a story about people transforming into beasts from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio came to him.
Can’t drink water...
Li Yanchu quietly observed the goats. At first glance, they looked no different from ordinary ones, but there was something in their eyes. They had a sorrowful, oddly human-like expression.
His instincts stirred, and he activated Qi Sight. This orthodox Daoist technique allowed one to see the qi of all things.
The moment he looked, he was stunned. His expression didn’t change, but he quietly stepped in front of the foul-mouthed, sharp-tongued innkeeper to shield her.
The merchant with a gloomy gaze tried to restrain his anger and said, “About this matter…“
But before he could finish, the usually calm and easygoing Li Yanchu suddenly stepped forward with force. Crack! The limestone bricks beneath his feet cracked.
Seeing this, the merchant froze, eyes widening in shock. It was the Heart-Snatcher Fist from the Thirty-Six Divine Astral Hands!
Li Yanchu’s strength was now enough to effortlessly lift a six- or seven-hundred-jin boulder, and his qi and blood surged like a river. With a single punch, he struck the hot-tempered merchant square in the chest, sending him flying like a kite with a broken string while blood spewed from his mouth.
But before the man could even hit the ground, Li Yanchu suddenly yanked him back by the arm.
“Stirring Rivers and Turning Seas[1]!”
Both fists struck: one to the chin, the other to the mandible. The muscles and veins in his arms bulged terrifyingly, like writhing earthworms.
Before the man even knew what was happening, his eyes rolled back and he fell unconscious on the spot.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” the thick-bearded merchant roared.
His five fingers curled like claws and sliced through the air with fierce wind, aiming straight for Li Yanchu’s throat. His technique was sharp and vicious, clearly the mark of someone trained in real combat.
Judging by his ferocity, this man likely had more than one life on his hands. He was nothing like the silent brute from earlier. It was clear now that when he beat Zhang San earlier, he had held back due to some caution or hesitation. But now, he was striking with full killing intent.
Li Yanchu sidestepped the attack, and the man’s clawed hand slammed into a thick wooden post instead.
Boom!
The post, as thick as a man’s thigh, exploded into flying splinters, leaving a deep gouge where it had stood.
Gasp! Everyone around gasped in shock.
First, they were stunned by the sheer decisiveness of Daoist Master Yanchu’s counterattack. Then, a cold chill ran through them at the terrifying strength he displayed. What kind of monster had been hiding in plain sight all along!?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The clash between the two erupted with deafening impact—so fast the eye could barely follow.
Each strike and kick carried immense force!
The crowd instinctively backed away, startled by the sheer ferocity of the confrontation.
Boom!
Li Yanchu struck a vicious counter-blow to the bearded man’s neck, sending him crashing to the ground.
“Thirty-Six Divine Astral Hands: Overlord Breaks the Reins[2]!”
The thick-bearded merchant never got up again. His neck joints were dislocated, and his body was limp and paralyzed. He had been completely crippled by Li Yanchu!
The onlookers were stunned speechless. No one had expected that Daoist Master Yanchu, who usually carried himself with calm restraint, could be so explosively fierce. He went all out the moment he made his first strike.
The innkeeper, on the other hand, felt deeply satisfied; she was thrilled, even. There was something incredibly stirring about such raw masculine strength.
Drawing swords at the slightest provocation; fury unleashed, all for the sake of a woman!
At the thought of this, her cheeks flushed red. She lightly spat and muttered to herself, What am I even thinking?
But as always, someone in the crowd couldn’t help meddling.
A young man dressed like a scholar frowned and said, “Yes, they were in the wrong, but Daoist Master Yanchu’s response was far too excessive.”
Li Yanchu, after all, had a respected reputation as a Daoist. Yet such fierce action made him seem more like a wandering ruffian of the jianghu. Thus, the young man felt compelled to speak out.
“That’s right, he nearly killed the man. Daoist Master Yanchu is a man of the Dao, how can he stoop to brawling like some back-alley thug?”
“That strike was too brutal, it defies the natural order. The imperial court has laws, why not report it to the authorities?”
Such was the way of the world: no matter what one did, there would always be someone ready to criticize.
There were those who spoke without any sense of responsibility. They would think, I've got a mouth of my own. What, I'm not allowed to speak my mind now?
Several of the inn's young servants looked on angrily. Just moments ago, when Zhang San was being beaten by two ferocious merchants, the bystanders had only murmured quietly, keeping their heads down. Not a single person had spoken up. And when the innkeeper was nearly struck, no one had stepped forward to defend her.
But now that Daoist Master Yanchu had fought back and merely injured someone, suddenly a chorus of judgment arose. The innkeeper felt a wave of frustration swell in her chest.
“You all...!” She wanted to retort, but Li Yanchu gently stopped her, placing a hand on her arm and giving a slight shake of his head.
He knew this kind of situation all too well; people always assumed their perspective was correct. Plus, he wouldn’t let a woman stand up for him. Of course, that didn’t mean he was the kind of man to endure slander quietly, swallowing humiliation for the sake of appearances. That just wasn’t who Li Yanchu was!
Li Yanchu walked straight up to the scholar who had been shouting the loudest and said flatly, “When those two were using their martial skills to bully others, why didn’t I see you step in to stop them?”
He had been called over by the servant Feng Gui, and aside from the innkeeper, a lone woman, none of the bystanders had dared say a word. They’d all just watched, doing nothing.
The scholar’s expression faltered. “I… I’m a scholar. How could I argue with brutes like that?”
Li Yanchu was so amused he laughed in anger. With a cold smirk, he said, “Oh? So, just because I'm a Daoist and seemed easygoing, you thought that gave you the right to point fingers at me?”
The scholar was immediately cowed by the sharp look in Li Yanchu’s eyes, his face turning a little pale. Only now did he remember Li Yanchu’s brutal and domineering strikes just moments ago.
This refined, handsome Daoist… might just be the most dangerous man here.
Subconsciously, the scholar backed away a few steps. Only then did the suffocating pressure ease a little.
Li Yanchu sneered, “If you had the courage to stand by your words, I might have even respected you for having a shred of integrity as a scholar.”
He swept his gaze across the crowd. Those who had been shouting the loudest just moments before instantly fell silent.
You’re not playing by the rules! they thought. We just wanted to argue a bit, enjoy the thrill of the moral high ground, and show off a little. Why are you suddenly walking over here like you're about to start a fight?!
No one continued to criticize Li Yanchu. After all, here they were all face-to-face. If you’re being genuine, then so be it.
A few of the older, steadier townsfolk finally spoke up with fairness.
“Though Daoist Master Yanchu’s actions were harsh, those two merchants were truly vicious. They were completely lawless.”
“Indeed. People like that deserve to be punished. Daoist Master Yanchu did the right thing.”
As soon as the respected elders voiced their support, the rest of the crowd quickly followed suit.
Li Yanchu was the kind of person who would fire back without hesitation at mockery or provocation, but he didn’t care much for flattery or praise either. He always had his own reasoning behind everything he did.
The merchant he had knocked unconscious was actually no pushover. It was just that Li Yanchu moved too fast, and struck too hard, too accurately. Now the man lay on the ground, appearing utterly harmless.
But what Li Yanchu hated most were those clichéd drama scenes where the villain suddenly unleashed one last burst of energy before dying, or launched a sneak attack from behind. Then, the heroine, or some supporting female character, would leap in to take the hit for the protagonist. It was just a cheap emotional twist, tugging at heartstrings for no good reason.
So, Li Yanchu walked over and accidentally stepped on the unconscious merchant's limbs, shattering them.
“Ahhh!” The merchant let out a wretched scream before passing out again, his arms and legs twisted at unnatural angles.
Gasp! Another collective gasp rippled through the crowd, eyes filled with shock.
“My bad,” Li Yanchu said casually with a smile, his face showing a trace of polite apology. “He was lying in the wrong place.”
“...”
Hearing this, everyone was rendered speechless. Wasn’t it you who knocked him out and left him lying there?! He didn’t move at all, alright?! And you’re calling that “accidental“ when you shattered the greyish-blue limestone floor beneath him?!
Even though Li Yanchu had clearly acted in the spirit of justice and standing up for what was right, his ruthlessly violent methods still left some people feeling uneasy. Of course, that didn’t include the alluring and graceful innkeeper. Her gaze sparkled with a mix of emotion, and there was a clear look of admiration in her eyes.
Suddenly, she found herself thinking… If I offered to marry this man, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing?
Li Yanchu turned and said to the servant Feng Gui, “Go fetch several large bowls of cold water, then bring them here and give it to the goats to drink.”
Hearing this, Feng Gui froze in confusion for a moment, but soon he obediently ran off to fetch the water. The onlookers were puzzled as well, unable to make sense of what was happening.
Feng Gui was quick. Before long, he returned with a large bucket of cold water and several big bowls. Following Li Yanchu’s instructions, he and a few other servants began carefully feeding the water to the large goats.
The crowd thought this was Li Yanchu’s way of standing up for Zhang San. Thus, they were deeply moved. What a true hero!
This was the power of perspective. The servants, who were on the same side as Zhang San, felt a shared sense of injustice. So in their eyes, everything Li Yanchu did was heroic and admirable.
In truth, those few who appeared fair and impartial were actually just making sarcastic remarks, picking on the weak and fearing the strong.
If they themselves had been beaten by those two traveling merchants, or worse, if it had been their parents or sisters who were attacked, they likely wouldn’t be so calm about it.
Truth is, until the knife cuts into your own flesh, you’ll never know how much it hurts.
Just as the crowd watched the servants pouring cold water into bowls and feeding it to the goats, something strange suddenly happened. The goats began thrashing wildly on the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.
In the blink of an eye, they transformed into several stunning, radiant young women!
1. The move "翻江倒海" (Stirring Rivers and Turning Seas) is one of the fundamental techniques among the 32 single movements of traditional Tai Chi; it is considered the most basic of the basics. ☜
2. "霸王折缰" (Bàwáng Zhé Jiāng), or "Overlord Breaks the Reins," is a dynamic and forceful technique in Bajiquan, a Chinese martial art renowned for its explosive close-range power. ☜
Comments
Top