Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The cold wind blew snow particles against the city wall, and the moss covered with ice in the cracks between the blue bricks trembled.

At the West Market Entrance of Dading Prefecture, a peddler pushing a wheelbarrow was struggling with the wind and snow with his back hunched, the wheels leaving snake-like tracks on the snow-covered stone slabs. An old woman wrapped in a grey fur coat tightly grasped her grandson's wrist, the white mist coming through her coarse linen scarf condensed into frost as soon as it touched her eyelashes.

The crowd in front of the grain shop stamped their feet and lined up in a long snake. The man at the front slapped the copper coins on the table, and his cracked knuckles oozed dark red. The charcoal in the brazier under the shopkeeper in the house was burning red, and occasionally dimmed when the wind and snow were light, but immediately burned red again.

Across the street, the butcher's shop's oilcloth was holding the fallen snow. The butcher was swinging his hand axe and chopping bones with the sound of "hey-hey-hey". Then he wrapped the bones and meat in lotus leaves and handed them to the customers who were stamping their feet outside, and greeted the next one enthusiastically.

A clerk from some cloth shop was jogging with indigo cloth on his shoulder, shouting "Make way!" and "Hard objects can hurt people, don't bump into them!" as he moved quickly across the street.

The aroma of roasted lamb leaked out from the open wooden windows on the second floor of the tavern. A little girl dressed in red and white was holding a steaming porcelain cup and drinking the drink in it. At the window edge, the rising hot air turned into icicles and hung down, dripping water due to the steam.

"Ha - it's really delicious. Daddy shouldn't have brought me here earlier. In the palace... no, the taste of drinking at home is not as good as this."

The girl put the porcelain cup down, revealing a little face that was Lu Wen. She was so happy to have eaten the delicious food that her legs kept kicking and she was so happy that she almost jumped up.

On the other side, Lu Bu had a somewhat helpless look on his face. He looked at Lu Wen's smiling face with a sense of relief, and at the same time he was silently wondering if he had become more docile in the past two years. Why did he leave the palace?

He didn't know if it was because the older he got, the less likely he was to say no to his children's requests, but facing his eldest daughter in this life, he couldn't even say "no". So when his daughter ran to the martial arts arena earlier today and asked him to go out for a walk, he just hesitated and said, "Dad, the palace is too boring. Can you take me out to play?" before giving in.

On the other side, Su Yi, who was sitting with her, reached out and put the roasted golden mutton into her bowl. When he was on Liangshan, he often went to visit Wu Qing and others with his second sister. Maybe it was because he was young, and the younger Lu Wen liked to pester him to play, which made it a lot easier for Wu Qing, who was taking care of the child.

Su Yi watched her eat happily with a sly smile on his face: "You are so greedy, what's the matter? Is your mother not cooking well for you at home? Or is it that my second sister's cooking skills have deteriorated, and now people can't eat at all."

"You are so brave..." Lu Bu looked at the young man who followed him with a playful look: "If your sister hears what you said... you may not be able to see anyone tomorrow."

"what……"

The smirk froze for two breaths, then suddenly disappeared. Su Yi turned around and clasped his fists: "I was wrong, brother-in-law, please forgive me."

"You brat." Lu Bu shook his head and laughed, reaching out to pick up the chopsticks and tapping him lightly: "Where did you learn to be so cunning?"

"Not bad." After swallowing the meat, Lu Wen didn't care what they were talking about. She just shook her head and said, "The meals prepared by my mother are excellent, but she doesn't allow me to eat too much of this or that. She forces me to eat things I don't like and always controls me. Third Aunt is very good and always lets me eat more freely. It's just that my mother is beside me when I eat...

By the way, Third Aunt also manages what Sister Lan eats. It seems that we sisters share the same suffering."

After saying this, he shrugged his shoulders, looking like a little devil.

“I can also use idioms.”

Lu Bu was amused by his daughter and reached out to pick up a dish for her with chopsticks: "If it tastes good, eat more. When the wind and snow subside, we can find a place to watch a show."

"That's great." The little guy cheered and ate happily.

The men at several tables on the second floor of the hotel who heard the sound looked over, each of them smiling. Now that Lu Bu was traveling, he would naturally not be alone, but he did not want to be surrounded by people all the time, so he asked the guards around him to disguise themselves and follow him, which was the biggest concession between them both.

Lu Bu didn't care either. He just had his meal happily with his daughter, thinking about how to explain it when he got back so as not to make Wu Qing angry. After thinking it over and over again, he couldn't come up with an idea, so he simply gave up the idea.

There will always be a way out when you reach the mountain. Just act according to your circumstances when your woman gets angry.

The meal took only over half an hour, and Lu Bu and Su Yi were eating most of the time. Only when everything was finished did Lu Bu take his daughter and go downstairs first.

In the lobby, most of the diners were sitting and chatting. When they saw the father and daughter coming down, Xu Wen, who was dressed in tight clothes, stood up, put on a black cloak and a felt hat, and took a few men from the next table to pay the bill and go out first. Then, people got up one after another and walked into the wind and snow.

"It's still snowing..."

"You usually watch a play in a teahouse, which is covered."

"So you don't have to go back?"

"We're all out today, so let's have fun."

Two figures in cloaks, big and small, were talking to each other. There were pedestrians walking around. Those walking in the opposite direction always had to dodge and make way because of the unfriendly looks from the people coming from the opposite direction. Then, more figures moved away from the father and daughter.

While walking around, they found a teahouse called "Song" pushed open by Xu Wen in front, and the father and daughter followed them in. The heat and noise instantly rushed over, making Lu Wen, who was about to jump in, stunned for a moment, and then she walked in cautiously.

Inside the teahouse, candlesticks and copper lamps were flickering with flames. From time to time, people came forward to add charcoal to the several copper stoves placed inside. Two sturdy men were dancing the Uighur dance on the stage. The brisk rhythm and the occasional sound of stepping on the stage attracted cheers from the spectators below.

Xu Wen, who was talking to Dr. Tea in front, came back with a frown on his face, approached Lu Bu and said, "Sir, all the private rooms here are occupied. Only the third and fourth rooms in the east are vacant. It's difficult to arrange staff there. How about..."

Lu Bu frowned, and then felt something wrong with the little hand in his palm. He looked down and saw his daughter lowering her head in disappointment. Then he smiled and said, "I am not someone who can't carry it on my shoulders or lift it with my hands. I want those two places."

Lu Wen looked up in surprise.

Lu Bu laughed and put his big hand on her head and rubbed it.

This teahouse is the largest stage in Dading Prefecture. The owner of the teahouse is a wealthy man from Bohai and a fan of Han culture. His favorite thing to do is to learn various tea drinks from the Song Dynasty every year. He has several so-called actors who specialize in learning the popular zaju and southern opera in the Song Dynasty. This attitude has made this teahouse more and more famous in Zhongjing.

The father and daughter went up to the second floor with Xu Wen, Su Yi and two guards. Although the two seats on the east side were not very good, they came there mainly to accompany the little girl to play, so they didn't care too much.

After they sat down, the tea doctor served tea and cakes, and the transformation version of the farce "Mulian Saves His Mother" was played below. Lu Wen was watching it with gusto, but Lu Bu found it somewhat bored. He glanced around at the figures moving around in the arena, and while he was distracted, he could vaguely hear the sound of conversation at the table next to him.

"...I heard that something happened at the Fayuan Temple in Xingzhong Prefecture. At the end of last month, I went there to purchase goods. At night, I went to a brothel with a friend. Wow, something big happened. Guess what happened?"

"Just tell me now, don't keep me in suspense."

"You know he is this kind of person. Ask him whatever you want to say. If you don't want to say it, go ahead."

"No, I said..."

Lu Bu's ears twitched and he glanced slightly to the side, and saw a man in rich clothes leaning forward and talking with a few friends at the table next to him. He couldn't help but listen attentively.

"The temple was ablaze with blue flames, and I immediately ran over with my friend to take a look. Hey! The blue flame was not extinguished when I ran over, and I could still see it from a distance. Hey, have you ever seen blue flames?"

"without……"

"No."

"I haven't seen it... Hey, stop wasting time and tell me."

Xingzhong Prefecture?
Blue fire...

Was it provided by the palace?
The corner of Lu Bu's eyes twitched, and he recalled the memorial signed by Qiao Lie, Li Zhu and Wang Zheng a few days ago. The three of them felt that the three temples were too small a matter and would not cause much reaction among the people. They needed to continue suppressing Buddhists in various places, so they seconded many people from the court.

While thinking, he put his arm on the table and his fingers moved subconsciously.

"Let me tell you, I personally saw many monks trying to put out the fire. When they poured water on it, the fire burned even more fiercely. Oh, no, it spread. The monks who were trying to put out the fire were left standing there at a loss as to what to do. Tsk tsk tsk tsk... It's a pity that you didn't see that scene."

"You are such a talker." "We still need you to talk."

"Tell me quickly, what happened next?"

"Then? The blue fire went out, but..."

The voices stopped talking, and there was no sound for a long while. Lu Bu was just about to move over to hear more clearly when he heard someone slap the table impatiently: "Alright, I'm afraid of you. We have to settle the account today."

"Hey, thank you, Brother Gao."

"You are just taking advantage of me."

After a few people cursed, the man finally said, "After the fire was extinguished, it was in the shape of a fox. The monks said it was a nine-tailed demon fox that was suppressed by the Buddha and came here for revenge. Tsk! I think it was bullshit."

"What?"

"Why? Later, government officials came and dug a pit there, and buried a lot of bones in it. A coroner examined it and said that the oldest one was ten years old. Tsk tsk..."

"Eat people without leaving any bones..."

“These monks are really crazy.”

The moving fingers stopped, and Lu Bu narrowed his eyes. He was now certain that Li Zhu should be the one commanding Xingzhong Prefecture, and his muscles tensed.

Digging a grave is not...

Tsk, forget it, I've already given them the right to do what they want, let Li Zhu find his descendants to compensate them later...

I relaxed my body again and looked at my daughter who was happily watching the show. Suddenly, I felt that this time was not so difficult.

but……

What are Wang Zheng and Qiao Lie doing now?

His eyes were fixed on the stage below, and he didn't know where he was looking. The topic of the people behind him had turned to which brothel to go to for beautiful girls with good sex skills, and then to which official in the government was more virtuous and which one was too demanding.

Lu Bu listened thoughtfully and quietly wrote down a few names. But before he could hear anything else, this group of people started talking about where Qi should attack Nanjing next. They spoke with great vigor and power, as if each of them was a general in the court.

Lu Bu glanced at the table and curled his lips. All this table needed was a few jars of good wine and a table of food. They were some wonderful people.

Soon, the show ended. Lv Wen clapped her hands and imitated the people below, shouting "Cai!" She saw people giving chickens, ducks, rice and noodles to the artists on the stage, and some wealthy businessmen throwing silver coins. The girl turned around and stretched out her white hands: "Dad, give me money."

"Ok?"

Lu Bu was awakened from his eavesdropping state, glanced at her, and then reached out his hand.

Snapped--

His hands were slapped aside, and his eyes glared at him: "Nonsense, what do you want money for!"

"Give tips to those who are performing." Lv Wen pointed down at the people who came on stage to give tips: "Everyone down there is doing the same thing."

"…You think I sang well?"

Lu Bu frowned and hesitated. He was distracted the whole time listening to the idle chatter behind him. Occasionally he heard two lines of opera, but he couldn't make any sense. He thought that if his daughter found it nice, it would not be a bad idea to give her some money as a reward.

I just heard my daughter say, "I don't think it's very good either."

Lu Bu patted her head in annoyance and said, "What are you giving me? Don't imitate others. You have to make your own decisions."

There was a thoughtful look on Lu Wen's little face.

"Let's go." Lu Bu stood up and said, "You've been out for such a long time. Your mother will be worried soon."

Lu Wen wanted to stay here for a while, but when she heard that, she stood up and sighed deliberately: "Well, the time of joy is but like morning dew, and it is gone in a flash. Uh... well..." Then she got stuck and thought of the next sentence with a frown on her delicate brows.

Lu Bu was stunned at first, then he laughed, stretched out his hand and took his daughter's arm and walked out: "It seems that the teacher your mother found for you is not bad, he knows a lot, from now on, in addition to martial arts, I will also test your knowledge every month."

"Ah?" Lu Wen stared at her father with wide eyes, then lowered her head and muttered, "I should have known not to imitate the teacher's way of speaking... What bad luck..."

Behind them, Xu Wen and a few others followed closely, stopping people who were about to come over. As others watched, the group walked outside.

At this time, only the former was still raging in the street. There were a lot more pedestrians on the street. Many people who didn't want to go out on snowy days took advantage of the snow to walk quickly to the shops on the street to buy goods in preparation for the New Year.

The peddler pushing the cart was shouting his wares with all his might, his frosted brows full of smiles. Although there were not many customers that day, those who came to buy were all wealthy customers, often ordering several times the types and quantities of goods that he usually wanted, which made him a lot of money.

Lu Wen was eating the snacks her father had bought for her. Perhaps because she became more timid the closer she got to the palace, she couldn't help but want to walk slower. However, the journey would eventually end.

When it got dark, the father and daughter were already standing at the brightly lit entrance of the harem.

"Go in. Your mother has a light on here. She must be waiting for you inside."

"Dad, why don't you come in with me?" Lu Wen looked back at her father.

"Come in, you go in first, I'll close the door at the back." Lu Bu patted his daughter, then reached out and pushed the door.

creak-

The vermilion nanmu door opened, and under the light, a familiar face appeared in the field of vision. The cold expression made two people, one big and one small, with the same surname shiver.

The girl quickly put on a smiling face and pretended to be happy and shouted: "Mom, I'm back."

In front, Wu Qing sneered as he watched his daughter run towards him.

Before the mother and daughter could say anything, there was a bang as the door was pulled shut by a large hand. Outside the door, Lu Bu's voice came over: "I just remembered that I have some memorials to review. I need to deal with them. You two can eat first."

The sound of footsteps leaving was heard immediately afterwards.

Lu Wen looked back in astonishment, not even noticing the fleeting smile on her mother's face behind her.

After a while, a childish voice screamed from inside the house: "Dad, you are disloyal!"

However, Lu Bu had already walked out of the courtyard gate. He looked back and then at Su Yi and Xu Wen who were standing and waiting nearby. He said, "It seems like someone is calling. Did you two hear anything?"

The second general's face turned red, and he quickly bowed his head and clasped his fists: "Your Majesty, I... pfft...didn't hear it." (End of this chapter)