Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1072 Joining the Army
Midsummer, heavy rain.

Thunder rumbled in the north, and rain fell to the ground, hitting the top of the tent with a crackling sound.

Time did not slow down because of the actions of any of the three kingdoms of Qi, Liao and Song. When Xin Xingzong's Eastern Army suffered a disastrous defeat at Baigou River, the army surrounding Miyun had already set out one after another and rushed towards Yutian, Sanhe and Xincang.

Afterwards, Lu Bu led the army to retreat fifty miles, sending orders to Zhongjing for supplies of food and grass, replacing the garrisons of the military states in the east, and temporarily incorporating Luanzhou, Pingzhou and other places into Youbeiping County, almost doubling the previous county territory.

As for how to arrange things in the future, we’ll talk about it later.

The candlelight illuminated the figures in the military tent. There was less work in the army on rainy days. A few idle generals and civil officials sat in the big tent drinking, looking at the emperor who was the first to draw his sword.

Lu Bu stretched out his hand and carefully stroked the Han sword in his hand. It had eight sides and was made by Wu Hu at his order. It was sent here today along with the memorials from various states and counties in the rear.

Since the army set out, although the affairs of the court were entrusted to Yang Bangyi, Yang Pu and others who stayed behind, important affairs of the court had to be sent to the army every ten days to prevent the emperor who was in the army from being unaware of anything, and to prove his innocence.

The long sword that was delivered had a long and sharp blade, and the end of the hilt was made of jade with a coiled dragon pattern. The hilt was wrapped with black leather to prevent it from slipping.

The scabbard placed on the table is simple, painted in red and black, carved with valley patterns all over, and inlaid with turquoise in the middle.

Lu Bu bent his fingers and knocked on the sword.

Clang——

A pleasant metallic sound was heard.

"What a sword!"

Words of praise came from the mouths of Han Shizhong, Wang De and others on the side, and they watched without blinking.

Most of the people in the tent were warriors, so they would naturally like to see good weapons. Moreover, this sword would not only be a weapon in the future.

"It's a good sword."

Lu Bu nodded and put the sword back into the scabbard with a "swish". He stood up and took his original sword off Lan Qi and replaced it with this one. His happy expression clearly showed that he was in a very good mood.

boom--

There was a loud thunder outside. Lu Bu turned around. Under the candlelight, the lines on his face were clear. "Is there any news from Yuyang?"

"Your Majesty, no." Qiao Lie grinned and reached out to pick up the wine bowl and took a sip. "Since the army retreated, Generals Yelu, Wanyan and others led their troops westward. The Liao people in the city only sent out some scouts. I thought of using these people to pass on the message, so I didn't order anyone to intercept them."

Lu Bu nodded, listening to the violent storm outside, pondered for a moment, called Yu Cheng and said, "Send some scouts out, bring more ginger to keep warm." He reached out and picked up the wine bowl and said, "This kind of storm is most suitable for sneak attacks and conveying military intelligence. Let's keep a closer eye on it."

"Here."

The tall young man agreed and went out to pass down the order.

Soon, Dong the Clown rode out on horseback with hundreds of people and disappeared in the rain curtain.

……

Near Guanlu in the north of Wuqing County.

It was raining heavily, and the falling rain curtain connected the sky and the earth. The gray color made people only see the nearby scenery and could not see the distant scenery.

A dozen riders wearing straw raincoats came galloping on horseback. The sound of horses' hooves was suppressed by the sound of wind and rain, and sounded much quieter than before.

"...Damn it, this bird!"

The leading knight wiped off the rain, looked around as best he could while his horse was galloping, and suddenly pointed to the distance: "Go over there, there is a forest over there."

These people were also drenched by the rain. Upon hearing the words, they turned their horses' heads and ran quickly after the person who spoke. The mud and water rolled up from the ground into the air, and the figures on the horses looked like drowned rats. The moment they entered the woods, they felt that the rain falling on their bodies had become much less. However, these people didn't know if it was an illusion, after all, they were almost soaked.

"Damn it! If it weren't for the military order, I would never have made this trip."

"My underwear is all wet."

Several cavalrymen grumbled that it was midsummer and the temperature was still a bit cold, so it was natural to feel uncomfortable after being caught in the rain.

"It would be nice to find a place to light a fire at this time...Pfft..."

Someone looked up and saw that the leaves could not bear the weight, and the accumulated rain water fell down and hit people's mouths.

"This is a blessing, and you still despise it."

Several comrades laughed a few times, and the leader gestured with his hand: "Stop joking, find a place to rest. We have received an emergency military order. According to common sense, we should not stop halfway. Now it is a violation of military discipline."

"Fortunately, it's a thunderstorm, so it shouldn't last long. We can continue on our way when the rain stops."

"That may not be certain." Someone looked at the gray sky and said, "Even if the thunderstorm is over, I don't think these rain clouds will disperse for a while."

"It's okay. Once we get into Yuyang, we'll keep our mouths shut and let the leader answer. No one will know we stopped along the way."

Several soldiers talked, dismounted and walked forward, trying to find a place with dense branches to stay.

This forest is large, the sky is dark, and the distance is pitch black, which makes people feel creepy. Fortunately, there are many people here and they are armed with swords, so they don't take these things seriously.

Lightning flashed across the sky above, illuminating the area with a pale light for a moment. The leader suddenly stopped and looked down: "No, there are people in this forest."

"Huh?" The soldiers behind him asked in doubt, and then lowered their heads. Someone simply squatted forward, observed and looked up: "There are traces of trampling in the grass, there are quite a few people."

"...There are people living in this desolate wilderness?"

"I'm afraid this is not a good idea."

After saying a few words, someone gripped the hilt of the knife tightly. The leader frowned, turned around and said, "Get out!", pulling the reins of the warhorse and taking two steps back.

boom--

Thunder rolled by, and he stopped suddenly again, leaning back.

In the field of vision, many shadowy figures walked out, each holding a knife or a stick. When the sight turned, some people were seen holding a net.

"Who are you?" Seeing that the situation was not going well, the Liao soldiers drew their swords and raised their guns: "We are cavalrymen in the army and have military duties to attend to."

The rain dripped from the gaps between the branches, with the sound of raindrops hitting the leaves.

A soldier at the back turned his head and said, "There are people behind us too."

The leader standing in the front took a quick look and estimated that there were more than 40 people gathered around, but he didn't know if there was anyone behind them.

He reached out from his straw raincoat and pulled out three red flags and raised them: "Did you see that? It's an 800-mile rush. If you don't want to die, get out of the way. I'll pretend I didn't see anything, otherwise..." Lightning flashed across the sky, and his eyes swept across the faces of those people who didn't look like good people in front of him: "The life you've been waiting for is over."

A figure walked out from the figures in front, looked him up and down and said, "Eight hundred miles in a hurry?" He hesitated for a moment and said, "What is it? Tell me about it."

"You deserve too..."

A soldier spoke, and the leader in front of him stopped him with his hand. He glanced at the person who was speaking. In the dim rainy day, he could only see that he was a sturdy man, and his appearance was not very clear.

"It's okay to tell you." He clenched the three red flags in his hand and said, "Our army has just defeated the invading Song people. This news must be informed to the officials and people of each military state so that the civilians don't need to panic."

The figures gathered over there were talking quietly, and the figure in front raised his arm, and the buzzing sound suddenly quieted down. "Yuan is a soldier who has contributed to the country. I heard that the Song army has entered the country with hundreds of thousands of troops. It is admirable that you can defeat them..."

Hearing the groaning voice, the team leader breathed a sigh of relief, as it seemed that they would not be embarrassed.

The figure over there raised his head slightly.

click -

Lightning illuminated the darkness in the forest, revealing a scarred face. The man raised his lips and said, "But you lied, too. The fastest way here is to Xianghe County. The people over there are more worried about the Qi army, right?"

The man took a step forward and raised his voice: "I'm afraid you all are going to Jizhou Yuyang with the military order? Let me guess, it must be that Yelu Dashi defeated the Song army and wanted to return to the city to conspire with the defenders of the city to join the Qi army. I wonder if I'm right?"

Several Liao army soldiers panicked, and some unconsciously pointed their swords and guns at him. The leader twitched his mouth and said, "What nonsense! We really want to go to the county government to report our victory. You, man, don't block the way. If you get out of the way now, you can still save your life."

Rain kept dripping between the two groups of people. I don't know when the rain became lighter. Although it was still falling, it was not as heavy as before.

"Haha - God helps me!"

A joyful laugh suddenly reached everyone's ears. The man with the scar on his face held the iron knife between his arms and clapped his hands.

pop-

He spoke amid the sound of clapping his hands: "Because of the Qi State's recovery of the salt and iron, my family can no longer continue the salt and iron trade. We have lost our source of income and have to leave that land..."

Taking a breath, the man took the knife in his hand and looked at the Liao army soldiers who were beginning to get nervous: "In fact, I have always regretted leaving Liaodong. I have always wanted to go back. After all, the power of Qi is getting stronger and stronger..."

He lowered his head and sighed, "It's just that my family was too well-off before, so I'm a little reluctant to go back and start over again. I can only hang around in Nanjing Road for now... Haha, if this goes on, I don't know when I'll have a chance to make a fortune."

Under the brightening daylight, Scarface could be seen clearly, with a grim smile on his face: "God has mercy on us and sent you to my hands. Isn't this the best military achievement for joining the Qi army? Don't you think so?"

The big men beside him laughed grimly, watching the Liao soldiers laugh. The big man's face gradually became serious, and he opened his mouth...

The Liao soldiers leading the horses were a little agitated for a moment. The leader looked around, gritted his teeth, and spoke...

"Kill him and break out! (Kill them and surrender to Qi!)"

The shouts that rang out almost simultaneously made the opposing figures move suddenly. The shouts of killing broke through the rain curtain. The thrown wooden sticks knocked down the soldiers on horseback, and the running figures flew up with knives in their hands and stabbed downwards.

In the chaos, the leader holding the red flag dodged the wooden stick and wanted to mount his horse, but he heard heavy and rapid footsteps. Without enough time to mount his horse, he drew his sword and slashed towards the place where the sound came from.

bang——

The iron knife chopped fiercely on the side of the knife in his hand. A huge force was transmitted, and the leading Liao soldier could not hold on. "Ah!" He let go with a scream of pain.

The figure who attacked yelled, "Lie down obediently!", then flipped his wrist and swung his arm back.

puff--

The leader of Liuyang flew up with a look of astonishment, and landed in the fighting crowd with a "bang".

Scarface wiped the blood that splashed on his face and yelled, "Kill them all, quickly!"

He rushed out and the heavy blade chopped on the body. Screams continued to be heard in the woods, and there was no moment of silence.

Scarface shook off the blood on his knife, walked to the headless body, bent down and touched it twice, took out the bamboo tube from his arms and looked at it, then smiled and said, "Clean it up, I only want this, the rest of the property and weapons are yours."

"Long live my lord."

"Thank you, sir."

A cheering voice came from the big man nearby, and several figures ran over, squatted and groped around. Soon, a cry of surprise was heard.

A figure came up to him from the crowd and asked, "My dear, do you really want to join Qi?"

Scarface looked at him and said, "Nonsense!", and raised the bamboo tube in his hand.

"The 800-mile rush has already been robbed, where else can we go if not to Qi?"

He took two steps forward and chuckled, "My Wang family was able to sell salt and iron in Liaodong in the past because of our ability to judge people. My ancestor picked a noble man and became rich. Now it's my turn, Wang Bolong."

He tossed the bamboo tube in his hand, turned around and smiled: "Do you think my name will be in the center of the ancestral hall?"

The sound of laughter echoed through the woods.

The rain is still pouring down.

……

In early midsummer, a slightly warm breeze blew across the Baigou River, a field filled with blood and corpses. The corpses were piled up and burned by the Liao soldiers, and any remaining corpses were dragged away by wild beasts.

Large areas of mud swallowed up the blood and human bodies, and gradually it became clear that there was no war taking place here.

On the north side of the river, the earth became restless. The wind blew the flags, revealing the general flags covered with Khitan characters. The moment the ox horn sounded, the sound between heaven and earth was drowned out by the roaring sound of horse hooves. The grass that was rolling in the air extended all the way, and the traces of horse hooves went to the northeast.

Soon, a fleet with the word "Qi" in its name entered the canal of Jizhou, winding its way up the river, destroying countless boats along the way. They will monitor the entire river until new orders come.

……

The sky was pale and cloudless, and the temperature rose after the rain.

Dozens of fast horses ran across the border of Jizhou in the northeast. Wang Bolun abandoned his brave men and quickly headed towards the place he had heard of, taking only dozens of his men who were good at riding and shooting.

The shadows of the trees flashed by quickly, and the ground retreated under my feet.

The sound of galloping horses was dull, but it sounded like heavenly music to his ears. After all, this was his path to a career in politics, and a few sounds could be regarded as a piece of music to celebrate in advance.

whoosh-

An arrow suddenly shot out from the woods. Wang Bolun reacted very quickly. He saw the foreign object out of the corner of his eye and suddenly lowered his head to avoid the arrow.

When he looked up, he saw a figure flashing in the woods. His mind raced and he turned back sharply: "Don't shoot the arrow!"

He rebuked his men for wanting to fight back, then pulled the reins, stopped, and took a deep breath: "Is that the scout of the Qi army in the forest? Brother Wang Bolong, I have come to you with the secrets of the Liao army, please meet me."

He shouted three times in a loud voice, then stopped and rubbed his throat.

Someone close to him stepped forward and whispered, "Sir, what if he wasn't a scout from the Qi army?"

"Stupid!" Wang Bolunlong did not reply: "We are surrendering to Qi, it doesn't matter if we are not Qi army. If we have more people, we can run away, if we have less people, we will be killed."

The person behind choked, touched his head, and muttered, "That makes sense..."

He had just finished speaking when a rustling sound was heard in the forest. A figure walked out with two blue birthmarks on his face. He looked at the person opposite him in confusion: "What secret?"

Wang Bolong's mouth widened.

Wang Bolong, a historical figure, was a Han general in the early Jin Dynasty. He became a bandit in the late Liao Dynasty. He surrendered to the Jin Dynasty and joined the attack on Liao. He was also a vanguard and joined the attack on Song Dynasty. He defeated Kong Yanzhou and Li Qiong and took Baozhou and Hejian. He conquered Qingzhou and was the first in merit.

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(End of this chapter)