Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

winter day.

The bare branches, stripped of their leaves, pierce the sky with their bare trunks. As the sunlight falls, it casts shadows on the ground, creating bizarre shapes that resemble exposed bones.

wow——

"The stars pave the way to the heavens—"

Dong Ping exerted force with both hands, causing the soul-guiding banner to unfurl in the air. His warhorse snorted and began to stride forward.

The wind, carrying a chill, scatters the scattered paper money in all directions. White cloth banners flutter in the air, and knights dressed in black armor and wearing white turbans ride slowly on their warhorses, lances in hand.

"Black armor shatters the netherworld, banners fly into Fengdu—"

Behind them, sixteen burly soldiers, clad in mottled black armor, shouted as they lifted the black coffin, placed the wooden pole shaped like an iron spear on their shoulders, and walked forward steadily step by step with heavy strides.

Foot soldiers holding long spears stood guard on both sides, and the long strips of white cloth tied to the spear shafts were blown by the wind, creating a scene of pure white.

As Xiao Haili's funeral procession gradually began, high-ranking officials from the court gathered together, their faces filled with sorrow. Many of them had come from the same mountain, and their bond was much stronger than that between ordinary colleagues in the court.

Even though they had been granted titles and official positions in the past two years, and their feelings might have changed, at the moment of death, those initial emotions returned. Therefore, many people held wine jars in their arms, ready to drink with their old comrade one last time, although…

He won't be able to drink it.

As Lu Bu rode on Red Hare, the cold wind blew up his cloak, and a piece of paper money flew in front of him. He reached out and caught it, looked at it for a few moments, then stretched his arm to his side, opened his palm, and as the next gust of wind blew, the paper money trembled and suddenly flew out.

The sound of wind and percussion music echoed between heaven and earth. Lü Bu looked up at the sky, then turned his gaze to Xiao Gaoshi and her son Xiao Jingshan, who were walking with the coffin, and gave a bitter smile.

"Old fool, you neglect your family affairs completely, yet you truly trust me..."

The murmuring voice drew the attention of Yu Cheng and Xu Wen on either side, who then looked away, their eyes filled with sadness as the scene of Xiao Haili's death flashed through their minds.

At that moment, that person was truly thinking of His Majesty's best interests, which is perhaps one of the reasons why His Majesty is still so unhappy...

The funeral procession walked in the cold wind to the outskirts of the city and stopped in front of the dug grave. Fang Xuedu stepped out from among the court officials, holding the Ministry of War's edict in his hands, and placed it on the coffin. Someone stepped forward and read the eulogy in a melodious tone.

As everyone watched, the coffin was lowered into the tomb, and the dragon-severing stone of the great tomb was set down.

Separated by Yin and Yang, life and death are two separate paths.

Yao Gang, Mi Sheng, Yelü Ma Wu, and other generals carrying wine stepped forward. A dozen or so figures broke the seal, and the aroma of the wine filled the air as the clear, cool liquor was splashed onto the bluestone.

Yao Gang and the others downed the last half-jar of wine, "burp—", and raised their hands to bow to the tombstone in front of them: "Brother Xiao, may you rest in peace."

He strode up to Xiao Gaoshi and Xiao Jingshan and said, "If anything happens to you, sister-in-law, please let us know." The dozen or so burly men patted their chests and said, "We'll go through fire and water for you if you give the order."

"Thank you, uncles." Xiao Gaoshi bowed to everyone with red and swollen eyes.

Lu Bu watched from behind, exhaling a puff of white breath, and slowly walked towards the court officials. Li Zhu, Fang Xuedu, and others quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities here."

Lu Bu waved his hand, looked towards Xiao Gaoshi's side, and said to Li Zhu, "Keep an eye on the Xiao family from now on, and don't let them get into any trouble."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, your assistant will handle it." Assistant Li glanced in that direction with slightly narrowed eyes.

Lu Bu nodded, his gaze sweeping over Wang Zheng, Li Ying, and the others, and said softly, "Come to the warm pavilion to see me the day after tomorrow; there are some things we need to discuss."

"Here!"

……

With the passing of a high-ranking official, the streets of Yanjing were adorned with white, and government offices and post stations were decorated with ornaments to express mourning, all at the emperor's command.

The passing people occasionally talked about it with some sighs. Such a high-ranking general of the imperial court, he had just begun to enjoy his life when he passed away. His good fortune was a bit short. But soon, the topic turned to his friends and acquaintances.

A chilly wind swept across the eaves of the palace's grand halls, causing the winter feathers of the birds that landed there to flutter in the wind before they flapped their wings and soared away into the distance.

The figure in the cloak shrank back and walked up the wooden corridor under the watchful eyes of the guards. The eunuch gently opened the door and led the person inside.

Inside, Lu Bu's imposing figure sat behind the table, gesturing to the empty seats on either side as people entered.

The figures arriving one after another gradually filled the warm pavilion. Wang Zheng, Li Zhu, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Directorate of Works, several key personnel gathered here. Eunuchs and palace maids entered and placed wine, meat, and other items on insulated trays on the table in front of everyone, then quickly withdrew and closed the door.

Wang Zheng, Li Zhu, Fang Xuedu, and the others looked at Lü Bu. They could all guess why they had come today. Lü Bu had not kept Xiao Haili's last words a secret. Although the soldiers of the Wuwei Army and Deng Fei were not gossips, they had still told others about it, so they naturally knew.

"Judging from your eyes, you probably know why I summoned you here." Lü Bu glanced around at the crowd, a smile appearing on his face. He picked up a cup of warm wine and took a sip. "Since the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, the land of the Nine Provinces has rarely been divided. Now, the south is willing to be divided and ruled separately, but I am unwilling..."

He paused for a moment, then said with a touch of emotion, "That old codger Xiao Haili hopes that I can launch a southern expedition against the Song Dynasty, which is also my wish."

Looking towards Li Ying and Jiang Jing, the two men in charge of money and supplies felt a chill in their hearts. Lü Bu smiled and said, "Can the money and supplies support a major battle now?"

Li Ying glanced at Jiang Jing, and seeing that the person opposite was also looking over, he remained silent for a few moments, then stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty, after two years of recuperation and the good weather, the harvest has been good these past two years. The Song Dynasty in the south has also sent more grain and money. We can now say that our granaries are full."

"Sit down and let's talk. Today is not a formal audience, so there's no need for such formality." Lü Bu gestured to them, looking at the two of them. "So, in other words, money and provisions are no longer our weakness for the time being?"

Li Ying thought for a moment and nodded. Jiang Jing spoke up from the side: "It cannot be said that it is inexhaustible. If the war to destroy Liao were held today, we would certainly not raise any objections."

"Oh……"

Lu Bu's eyes lit up, his pupils darted left and right a few times, and he looked at Fang Xuedu and Ling Zhen: "How are the preparations going on the Ministry of War side?"

"The soldiers in the army are ready to fight at any time." Fang Xuedu stroked his beard: "The wounded, sick, old and weak have been weeded out. This spring, a new batch of young and strong men were recruited into the army. There were also prisoners of war from the Song army who were willing to surrender. They have all been incorporated into the various armies. Now, the number of soldiers in armor is twice that of a few years ago."

Lu Bu was overjoyed and turned to Ling Zhen with a smile, his eyes shining brightly.

Thunderclap shifted in his seat, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and after a long pause, finally spoke: "We have prepared plenty of firearms, but the cannons..."

As if choking on his food, his expression shifted slightly: "Although the improvements are good, extending the usable time and increasing the number of shots, the cannon barrel..."

Snapped--

"That's enough." Lu Bu slapped his thigh, looking at Ling Zhen, who was interrupted and unsure of what expression to make. "Even swords and sabers eventually break down. Even if your cannons are expensive, they'll eventually break too. Weapons... there's no such thing as something that never breaks." "Fine... alright." Ling Zhen scratched his head, reluctantly admitting defeat.

"Then... only the question of when to send troops remains." Lu Bu's gaze swept across everyone's faces, his knuckles tapping the table: "There are still two months until the twelfth lunar month. Based on past experience, the thaw will not occur until at least halfway through spring. Therefore, I will give you all six months to prepare provisions, equipment, and recruit soldiers."

His tiger-like eyes gradually turned fierce: "Six months from now, Du Xue will take the western route, while I will personally lead the eastern route south to attack the Song Kingdom. Are there any problems?"

The people at the table sharpened their eyes and bowed in unison: "Yes, sir!"

……

The howling north wind blew through the doors and windows, rattling the wooden planks.

The streets, big and small, of the city were quieter than usual. People dressed in simple clothes walked home shivering in the cold wind, their hypothermic hands tucked under their armpits, trying to feel a little warmth.

Squeak—Bang—

"Entering Mother's broken door."

Shi Xiu shivered, stepped out and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the men sitting on stools by the stove in the room and said, "Make way for me. This place is colder than Liaoyang Prefecture."

"Boss, you're the one who's going out, so you can't blame anyone else." Someone said jokingly, and moved over to let Shi Xiu sit down.

The workaholic stretched out his hand, feeling the heat emanating from his palm. He shuddered and exhaled, "Where would we get information if we didn't go out? Tsk—damn it, they didn't say it would be this difficult here when we came."

Several men nearby burst into laughter, then sighed, "That's right, it's supposed to be the capital of a country, but who knew it would be even worse than an ordinary city in Liaodong."

"Stop talking nonsense. At least those nobles and officials live in decent conditions, while our house is really dilapidated."

Shi Xiu listened to his men's complaints without saying a word. After he warmed up, he adjusted his posture and touched his chin: "We shouldn't be here for much longer."

"really?"

"Thank God Laozi! This is wonderful!"

Several men wore expressions of joy. Shi Xiu shrugged and said, "Perhaps the atmosphere on the street has been shifting towards that guy surnamed Li lately. That... uh, the King of Goryeo has also started to embrace Buddhism and stays in the temple all day. Maybe there's nothing going on here."

Someone took a pheasant covered in mud from the stove, cracked it open, and distributed the meat to everyone. Shi Xiu took a chicken leg and said, "Before the heavy snow falls, let's go back to Liaodong first, report the matter to the Minister, and see what his next move is."

"That's great."

"I'll do as the boss says."

A group of spies chatted and laughed, then the topic shifted to matters of romance and pleasure. Shi Xiu had little interest in this and simply listened quietly.

A few days later, a caravan set off from this small courtyard and headed by boat to Liaodong.

……

In the southern Song territory, dark clouds filled the sky, and a cold wind blew across the river, freezing the flowing water and causing the frozen land to spread towards Hejian Prefecture.

Outside the city, soldiers in scarlet uniforms huddled in a sheltered spot, a fire burning brightly among them, wisps of black smoke rising into the sky.

At the city gate, people came and went. The soldiers who were supposed to be guarding the gate watched the crowds coming and going from the gate opening. They stopped people who were simply dressed, questioned and checked them before letting them go. As for those who were dressed a little better, they ignored them and let people come and go as they pleased.

On the street, pedestrians hurried by. Winter was not the time for leisurely strolls and chats. The hotels and teahouses on both sides had heavy curtains hanging. The hotel called Zhang's had a sign that said it was full. Today, the military commander was hosting a banquet for his soldiers at this restaurant.

"The people in this city look much worse than those in Daming Prefecture." Dai Zong, dressed in fine clothes, looked down from the restaurant and shook his head: "They are both important towns in Hebei, how can there be such a big difference?"

Not far away, a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white robe suddenly clenched his fist, his amiable face stiffening.

"Why don't you say Bianliang is even better?" Someone next to him snorted disdainfully, raised his chopsticks, picked up a piece of smoked meat and put it in his mouth: "Damn it, after working hard for several years, all I got was the position of a military officer. I should have just stayed in the mountains and had a good time."

Dai Zong glanced at it and saw it was Lei Yingchun. He immediately clicked his tongue and said, "What's the point of living a carefree life on the mountain? By now, he probably won't even be able to get through the city gates."

"Bullshit! If I were still on Peach Blossom Mountain, I would have already destroyed several military prefectures by now."

"Go back now if you dare! I'm afraid you'll just cower back in your den and won't have the guts!"

bang——

"You dare to speak ill of my husband again!" Zhang Yue'e slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

"All right!"

The short figure suddenly stood up, and Song Jiang glared angrily at the three men: "We haven't even had a drink yet, and you're all already drunk? What nonsense are you spouting!"

"Please forgive me, Steward." Dai Zong immediately bowed his head.

"Hmph—" Lei Yingchun and Zhang Yue'e turned their heads to look elsewhere.

Song Jiang changed to a gentler tone: "Song Jiang knows that you brothers are unhappy, but the court rewards according to merit, and we are already fortunate to be able to enter Hejian Prefecture."

"It's all because we paid money..."

Li Kui muttered something under his breath, but Song Jiang didn't even frown. He just stomped on Li Kui's foot hard, and the Black Whirlwind's face showed pain. He continued, "However, I believe that our achievements will not stop here. If there are more battles, I will definitely promote all of you brothers. Please rest assured, Song Jiang never goes back on his word."

The restaurant hall fell silent for a moment, and no one responded.

"Good!" Suddenly, Mu Hong clapped his hands loudly: "The steward will definitely keep his promise, brother, I believe him."

I believe it too!

Dai Zong, Liu Tong, and Xie Zhen followed closely behind, glancing at Shi Jin and Zhu Tong. The two of them, feeling helpless, chimed in. As soon as they spoke, Zhu Wu and Gong Duan also chimed in, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Song Jiang breathed a sigh of relief, a smile on his face, but with a regretful expression: "It's a pity that the brave warrior who killed Tian Hu that day went elsewhere, otherwise we could have gained another tiger general."

"General, do not worry. We are now officials; why should we fear a lack of skilled warriors to command in the future?" Mu Hong exclaimed, then stood up and patted his chest. "We survived in those places in the north; here in Hebei, who wouldn't look up to us?" (End of Chapter)