Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1001 People on board
Mid-autumn.

Wang Bing personally led his troops to conquer Xinchang and then attacked Taizhou. Zhe Kecun's troops successively sent out cavalry to communicate between the north and the south, informing them that their troops had occupied Tiantai.

Xin Xingzong and Wang Bing were overjoyed when they received the news. The former tried his best to keep Chen Kutong and Lu Shinang near Xianju, making it impossible for them to escape. The latter hurriedly met up with Zhe Kecun and headed south to Xianju.

At the beginning of autumn, Lü Shinang was ambushed by Wang Bing and Zhe Kecun, and his general Tan Gao was captured alive by Wu Jie. He refused to surrender and was killed. Lü Shinang had no choice but to lead the remaining troops back to Linhai.

When Chen Kutong in the city saw the battle between Lu Shinang and others in the distance, he hurriedly organized his troops to march out of the city. However, he was intercepted halfway by Xin Xingzong's troops. After a fierce battle, he barely managed to withstand the attack from the opposite side, but was cut into two by a cavalry charge led by Yao Pingzhong. Countless people died in the chaos, and Chen Kutong himself disappeared in the chaos.

Wang Bing immediately sent cavalry to Bianliang to report the victory, and at the same time sent a message to the troops of nearby military states to come and join him. With a large army in hand, he should be able to win the battle in one go. He didn't want to stay in this sad place in the southeast anymore.

When the news reached Mingzhou, it was already autumn. Some people were angry, some were afraid, but more were silently sharpening their weapons.

I would rather turn into Suiyang teeth than Lin'an bones. I would rather my body break into falling stars and shatter into the Nine Palaces to form the Dragon-Shaking Map.

In Cixi City, Lou Minzhong, Zu Shiyuan, Qiu Daoren and other generals gathered together and discussed the matter for several days. Finally, Lou Minzhong took the expressionless Shi Bao, Li Tianrun and Pang Wanchun, together with Wang Yin and Bai Yanshou, who were equally bored, and their families and guards to Dinghai.

The ships from the north arrived in the first half of this month, a little later than usual, but no one cared at this time.

The cool sea breeze blew across the simple dock. Figures lined up and walked towards the strange-looking sea eel boat. From time to time, the roars of the leading officers could be heard.

"Get on board, quick!"

"What are you dawdling about over there? Move the food and fodder up!"

"Be careful... You little bastard, you can spill half of the stuff while moving a box. I've never seen anyone as stupid as you."

Various southeastern dialects drifted in the sea breeze, the salty and fishy smell rolled up the flags, and slowly sailed away from the shore with shouts of "Set sail!" The turbulent waves were smashed by the wooden hull, breaking into pieces of white foam that were stirring in the sea.

"I'm sorry to bother General Ruan this time."

At the bow, Lou Minzhong, who was dressed warmly, looked a little haggard. Even though he had decided to take his men to join the State of Qi, he still helped to deal with a lot of paperwork before leaving, as if this would make him feel better.

Among those who were heading north to Qi this time, apart from Lou Minzhong who was determined, Shi Bao and Li Tianrun were also willing to hang out with their sworn brothers.

However, Qiu Daoren and Fang Qifo, who were talking that day, refused to leave no matter what. They were determined to fight to the death with the Western Army. As for Zu Shiyuan and others, they had their own considerations and ultimately did not go. Instead, Wang Yin and Pang Wanchun, brother and sister, were willing to go together and eventually came to his house, which led to their setting sail together this time.

Ruan Xiaoqi smiled, "It's just something that happens along the way, Prime Minister Lou..."

"It's better not to address him like that." Lou Minzhong shook his hands repeatedly and laughed at himself: "The Yongle Dynasty is long gone, and the Holy Lord also died in Bianliang last year. How can there be any prime minister or general?"

"...Brother Lou." Ruan Xiaoqi thought for a moment and followed his lead, "What happened to my two brothers? When they saw me, they ran to the cabin without saying a word. The other brothers from your place did the same."

The warship turned its head, and a shout of "Raise the sail--" rang out on the deck. Then with a "whoosh", the sail opened and the speed of the ship increased significantly.

"What else can I say..." Stroking his beard that was blown by the sea breeze, Lou Minzhong also felt bitter: "This battle was a tragic defeat. In just one or two months, a pair of people were killed in the three states. Even if I have a good mentality, I am afraid I can't stand such a blow."

The sailors on the deck below slowed down their movements. The ship no longer needed to be adjusted all the time when it was sailing, and it was not out to sea yet, so the sea line was relatively stable. Two figures walked out of the cabin, looked upwards, and then walked over here together.

"In addition, since last year, General Shi and General Li have fought against the generals of the Western Army and have lost more than they have won. This time, they lost Tiantai City for unknown reasons, which is why they are so depressed." Lou Minzhong's words drifted into the ears of the people around him with the wind: "As for Generals Pang and Wang, they probably think the same way. General Bai lost several of his capable brothers on the battlefield, and he couldn't help but feel sad. In short..."

He sighed, "We lost."

"He's going to die too..." The voice continued as the figure came up. Lou Minzhong turned his head and looked over, bowing: "Coach Liu, Coach Xie."

"Mr. Lou."

Liu Yun and Xie Ning returned the greetings. The thin scholar opposite smiled bitterly and refused again. Ruan Xiaoqi looked at them and said with a smile: "Why are you speaking so bluntly? You were defeated so quickly. The soldiers you two trained are not good enough."

Lou Minzhong smiled bitterly.

"Go to hell! I have served under Fang La for as long as I have served under Your Majesty. It is not a big deal to be frank. Everyone in the army knows about this." Liu Yun patted Ruan Xiaoqi on the shoulder, scolded him with a smile, and then sighed: "It is rare that we have not retreated to Mingzhou until now."

The scholar over there smiled even more bitterly.

"You're the only one who talks too much." Ruan Xiaoqi pushed his hand away and curled her lips.

In the past year, he often traveled between Qi and Song, and became closer to the two people who stayed in Mingzhou to help train the troops. None of the three of them were angry at the moment. The living devil raised his head and touched him with his chin: "What's going on?"

"It's easy to say." Xie Ning leaned on the wooden railing and said quietly, "Which army is only trained? When he goes to the battlefield, he will encounter the elite of the Western Army. They have better weapons and armor, and they are used to fighting for life and death on the battlefield. Even if we don't take it seriously, for these new recruits, a conflict is enough to kill them. After a few times, an entire army is often destroyed."

"And the replenishment was not timely." Liu Yun looked at Lou Minzhong and smiled bitterly: "Many soldiers are conscripted men. Even if you tell them how to save their lives on the battlefield, it will go in one ear and out the other. They are more difficult to teach than 13 or 14-year-old boys."

Lou Minzhong was embarrassed as he listened, but it was not their fault. Although there were people willing to join the army, as Xie Ning said, they were the first to die in battle. Some of the troops that were formed later were outlaws, and some were able-bodied men captured from the villages. With good and bad people mixed together, it was bound to cause trouble for everyone.

"You didn't tell me before." Seeing the two of them complaining, Ruan Xiaoqi couldn't help but say something.

"What's the use? It won't change the situation."

"I'm telling you, Xiao Qi, do you have a way to help the two of us train or something?"

Liu Yun and Xie Ning rolled their eyes. Ruan Xiaoqi shrugged and said, "Well, I didn't say anything."

He walked towards the bottom of the mahjong room and said, "I'm going to go see my brother and give him some advice. What can I do if it's always like this?"

Lou Minzhong thought for a moment and said, "I'll go find the others. We can't all stay stuck in the cabin all day."

"Brother Lou, please do as you please."

Liu Yun and Xie Ning naturally did not object, and they bowed to him. They did not go down, but found a place to lean on, chatting while looking at the sea scenery. Even though they were in Song territory, every time Ruan Xiaoqi came, he would bring them the latest military information, so they knew a little about the current situation, and they were not completely unaware.

The sea water was surging, and the five Haiqiu ships started their outer wheels, and amidst the huge noise, they accelerated northward.

……

Golden leaves hang on the treetops, and the Central Plains begins to get colder as the golden autumn season arrives.

The wind blew across the wilderness, and pedestrians coming and going pushed carts and walked hurriedly carrying bags. The huge city of Bianliang was still as bustling as usual.

There were few people on the river and at the dock. The dock had long been covered with red woolen felt, and the street behind had been paved with loess and was clean.

The soldiers of the imperial guards, wearing brand new armor, stood with their chests puffed out and their heads raised as they looked forward. Some civil officials, wearing court robes and cloaks, sat under umbrellas and glanced at the soldiers standing here from time to time to see if anyone was moving. The moment the ship with a large flag bearing the word "Song" appeared, many people breathed a sigh of relief.

Although it was not the coldest time of the year, just standing here in the wind was unbearable. But Shangguan didn't care about anyone's life or death. He cleared the place out an hour ago, leaving them standing here like wooden stakes. If they moved, they would be scolded and whipped.

He couldn't help but glance at his own general, and saw him running to the civil officials, speaking with a bow and waist. Those who were sitting ignored him and just waved their hands. The general retreated, and then the figures in red and green stood up and walked to the dock.

The man walked over and looked majestically at the imperial guards standing upright, and shouted, "Grandmaster, come back to court. When you play the instruments, play them as hard as you can. If anyone misses a note, you'll be sent back to the flagpole!"

damn thing!
The imperial guards clenched their fists, but the situation was stronger than them and no one dared to go against their superior. After all, this guy was inhumane and was capable of hanging people on flagpoles.

The ship broke through the waves and slowly stopped at the dock. The moment the gangplank was lowered, the imperial guards in the front row took out various musical instruments. The majestic military music sounded with the conductor's arm. The officials in front of them smiled as they watched the figure coming down from the ship. The moment Tong Chuan appeared in court dress, they all bowed and said, "We respectfully welcome the Grand Tutor back to the court."

"Thank you for your hard work in welcoming me." Tong Guan came down from the boat with a smile on his face. The wind blew up the hem of his court robe. The eunuch wiped his short beard that shouldn't have grown on his face, and said with a beaming face: "It's so windy and you're still waiting here. It's all my fault. The boat is moving a little slowly. I've kept you waiting for so long."

How could these people really respond to his words? They all said, "Taifu has worked hard for the court, so it would be fine if we wait a while."

After a brief greeting, the eunuch got on the warhorse with a smug look on his face. Without even looking at the imperial guards, he marched away in a mighty procession with his entourage of guards.

In the team, Dong Yun looked back at the courtiers who followed him, listened to the music played by the imperial guards, and approached Tong Guan's mount: "Master, it seems that the emperor is waiting for you very anxiously."

The music was clear and pleasing to the ears. Tong Guan turned his head and glanced at his staff. He cheered up and said, "After all, it's a good time to take over Yanyun. But it seems that we will have to wait until next year to go on the expedition."

"Good things take time, so I would like to congratulate the boss in advance for being crowned king."

“Can talk, hahahaha——”

Majestic laughter rang out amid the music, and the marching team entered the palace soon.

……

Pong bang——

The porcelain shattered into pieces and splashed far away on the white marble floor. The chicken soup with yellow fat spread out. The tall Lu Bu looked up and saw his daughter looking at the fragments on the ground with a pursed mouth, trembling slightly.

"But where are you hurt?"

The tall and burly figure nimbly flashed out from behind the table, and with a pair of long legs, he took two steps at a time and walked to his daughter and squatted down.

"No, just some ginseng chicken soup for daddy..."

"Just do it again."

Lu Bu held his daughter's hand and turned it over and over to see if she was indeed not injured. He then touched her head and picked her up: "Why are you here at this time?"

He carried her to the table and looked outside: "Are you alone? Why don't you find someone to accompany you?"

"I've grown up."

The female voice with a hint of babyishness made Lu Bu's expression even softer. He laughed, "Hehe——" and was about to speak when he heard footsteps coming quickly from outside. A figure trotted in and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty..."

Just after saying a few words, he suddenly felt something wrong where he was kneeling. He glanced down and saw a puddle of water just below his knees. He smelled the scent of chicken soup, his cheeks twitched, and he continued in a voice three notes lower: "General Xiao sent a good news. Juehua Island in the southwest was taken by General Li Bao and General Mi Xian together."

"Good..." Lu Bu slapped the table: "Xiao Haili finally gave me good news."

Looking at Tang Erhu who was kneeling on one knee below, he immediately smiled and said, "Alright, you are still impatient. Get up and go change clothes with others later."

The sturdy man below scratched his head, stood up with a chuckle, and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."

"You bastard..." Lü Bu reached out and nodded at him. He put his daughter on the ground and stood up. "Finally, we can have a prosperous year this year."

Tang Erhu scratched his head and tried to flatter him, but he didn't know many words. After a long time, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "...Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune, and we can also benefit from it."

Lu Bu glanced at him and said, "Stop flattering me."

Seeing Lv Wen standing obediently beside the desk, he smiled and asked his military veteran, "When will Xiao Haili and the others come back?"

"When I returned, Xingcheng had just been taken down. General Xiao and General Yuan Lang were in Haibin City. I think they should be ready to head north by now."

Lu Bu thought about it and nodded: "Then it should be next month."

I walked to the temple gate and looked at the yellowing leaves outside: "Time flies..."

(End of this chapter)