Chapter 102 The Bodyguard

"Mother Wei wants you to escort a shipment."

Upon hearing the words "escort," Lin Zhennan instinctively straightened his back. Having run an escort agency for decades, this was an instinct ingrained in his bones.

Madam Wang frowned slightly: "Mama Wei, Qunyu Courtyard? What kind of escort services are available at brothels?"

Mrs. Wei smiled slightly, said nothing more, and simply raised her hand to beckon gently.

In the distance, a blue-curtained carriage slowly approached, with a female coachman sitting on the shaft. With a flick of the reins, the carriage came to a steady stop in front of everyone.

A corner of the carriage curtain was lifted, revealing an absolutely stunning face. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting, and her languid beauty carried a breathtaking allure.

The girl in the blood-red dress was the same Sunflower Girl that Shi Potian had saved at Qunyu Courtyard last night.

Qu Feiyan's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "Sister Sunflower!"

Shi Potian was also taken aback, and stepped forward: "Miss Sunflower, are your internal injuries feeling better?"

Although Shi Potian had met the sunflower girl many times, they hadn't exchanged more than a few words.

Sunflower Girl leaned against the carriage, her face bare of makeup, unlike when she was embroidering with heavy makeup and powder, yet she was even more beautiful than before.

Sunflower Girl regained her air of a top-tier martial arts master, but a slight smile curved her lips: "I won't die. If it weren't for you last night, I would already be dead."

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Shi Potian's handsome face, and in her eyes, besides gratitude, there was also a strange, inexplicable feeling.

Lin Zhennan and Madam Wang exchanged a glance, secretly alarmed. Recalling the incident at Qunyu Courtyard that Shi Potian had told them, this girl was a peerless martial artist, and the mysterious man who tried to kill him last night was an even more unparalleled master. Could this escort mission be about this girl? They couldn't accept it.

Mother Wei stepped forward and bowed to Shi Potian, saying:

"Young Master, you know everything that happened last night. Miss Sunflower is of noble status, and her skills have not yet recovered. She is not safe with me. After much thought, I believe that only you, Young Master, can ensure her safety."

As she spoke, she took out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and presented them with both hands:

"This is a deposit of fifty thousand taels. We will pay another fifty thousand upon arrival at our destination. Mama knows that the young master escort is not short of money, but this escort mission is no small matter. Please be sure to accept this deposit."

Shi Potian looked at the stack of silver notes without saying a word.

The young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) was renowned throughout the land, but this was his first time accepting a镖 (escort/escort) mission. He remained silent because he didn't know what to say, and turned to look at Lin Zhennan and his wife.

Lin Zhennan stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Mother Wei, thank you for thinking so highly of my son. But Fuwei Escort Agency cannot accept this escort mission."

Madam Wei's smile remained unchanged: "Chief镖头 (镖头 is a nickname for a镖头, meaning镖头 is a person who is very powerful and influential) thinks the镖资 (镖资 is a nickname for a镖头) payment is too low. The镖资 is no problem, Madam Wei has plenty of money..."

Madam Wang stepped forward and interrupted, "Mama Wei, it's not that we think the money is too little, it's just that we need to go to Kaifeng to seek medical treatment and medicine, and we really can't leave."

Qu Feiyan also said, "Yes, yes, I need to take my little brother to Kaifeng for treatment; he doesn't have time to do escort missions."

The girl in red was so mysterious; her embroidery captivated all the guests. Qu Feiyan had also witnessed the mysterious and skilled man from last night, yet she couldn't find out anything about him. She didn't want Shi Potian to get involved.

Madam Wei raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "Is the young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) ill?"

His tone carried a hint of curiosity. Could this young镖头 (bodyguard/escort) Lin, with his astonishing martial arts skills and numerous methods, possibly be ill?

Sunflower Girl said, "Rumor has it that Lin Pingzhi, the young head of the Fuwei Escort Agency, has contracted a form of amnesia and no longer recognizes his parents. Could it be that your trip to Kaifeng is to treat this illness?"

Madam Wang said, "That's right. So we can't accept this human dart, young lady."

Madam Wei said, "Isn't this a coincidence? My daughter is also heading north and happens to be passing through Kaifeng. She can take on escort missions and treat illnesses at the same time."

Lady Wang was speechless for a moment.

Qu Feiyan said, "Sister Sunflower's martial arts are astonishing, but her origins are mysterious, so we dare not inquire. However, Sister Sunflower's adversary, the mysterious man from last night, is also a peerless master, yet no one at today's handwashing ceremony knows his origins."

"This martial arts world seems to hide an unfamiliar realm."

Madam Wang said, "Feifei is right. We don't know if this expert will come again, or if Sunflower Girl will have other powerful enemies on the escort route. None of them can be easily dealt with by Fuwei Escort Agency."

Although my Lin family has just avenged our great enemy, we have also suffered heavy losses and dare not get involved in such conflicts in the martial world again.

Lin Zhennan nodded and said, "That's right. Madam is right. Madam Wei, the problem with this shipment isn't the money, it's that Fuwei Escort Agency has limited capacity and can't handle this shipment. You should find someone more capable."

Mother Wei sighed and looked at Sunflower Girl.

Sunflower Girl leaned against the carriage, her expression calm, as if she had expected this outcome. She chuckled softly:

"Mother Wei, there's no need to make things difficult for them. Chief镖师 Lin is right; a single镖局 (镖局 is a type of security escort agency) is simply not capable of handling such a heavy responsibility."

She looked at Shi Potian, her gaze gentle and tender: "Young Master Lin, I will remember your life-saving grace last night. If we are destined to meet again in the future, I will share a drink with you."

Having said that, she waved her hand and said to the driver, "Let's go."

The female driver was about to crack the whip—

"etc."

Shi Potian suddenly spoke.

Everyone looked at him.

Shi Potian looked at Lin Zhennan and his wife and said seriously, "Miss Sunflower's martial arts have not yet recovered. If another expert of that caliber attacks, it will be very dangerous. If I don't take on this mission, I'm afraid it will be difficult for anyone else to take it on."

"Father, Mother, I'll take this delivery mission."

When Shi Potian uttered these words, he exuded an air of self-assurance, which made Sunflower Girl's eyes light up, and a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.

Hearing him say this, Qu Feiyan was also captivated and stopped trying to persuade him.

Mother Wei exclaimed, "Without the young hero, what can be done about the sunflower?"

Xiao Bao also sincerely admired him: "Young镖头 is truly a great hero and a great man."

Lady Wang exclaimed urgently, "Ping'er, you mustn't!"

Lin Zhennan also said in a deep voice, "Ping'er, this is not a joke!"

Shi Potian said, "Father, Mother, I know you're worried about me. Don't worry, I can handle this escort mission. The mysterious man couldn't do anything to me yesterday, and he won't be able to in the future."

Sunflower Girl couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Escort, let me be clear: my adversary is no ordinary person. Besides the man from yesterday, there may be other experts along the way. Are you sure you still want to take on this escort mission?"

Shi Potian laughed and said, "I've been wanting to see the great masters here."

Sunflower Girl was stunned. This young man seemed to have no fear of these great masters at all; on the contrary, he was very interested. Could he really be a martial arts fanatic?

Seeing his confidence, Madam Wang didn't know how to persuade him, so she turned to Lin Zhennan.

Lin Zhennan sighed, "Ping'er, this isn't a matter of helping out. Those kinds of experts are probably not simple people, and our small Fuwei Escort Agency probably can't afford to take on such a person."

Shi Potian thought for a moment and said, "My mother told me that we must never let bad people bully good people. Isn't that the responsibility of a bodyguard?"

He paused, his gaze hardening, and smiled:

"I want to be the best bodyguard."