Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

"...Suo Chao, your apprentice died in a battle between two armies. He died because he was not skilled enough and his skills were inferior. How can you blame him? You set fire to the camp and killed thousands of people. Do you expect to pay for each of them with a life?"

"You are still alive thanks to His Majesty's mercy, and I also said that you are a capable and brave warrior, which is why I am willing to give you a chance."

"Don't be ungrateful, Suo Chao. You have an elderly mother, wife, and daughter at home, and your apprentice also has parents at home. One of your wives is sick and the other is young. If you die, do you believe that within a few years, both your families will come down to find you? What are you going to do then?"

"Ha, you kowtow down there and say you're unfilial and incompetent, that as a loyal subject of the Zhao family you couldn't protect them. When you were a soldier, every time you saw someone in the garrison, you were insulted. Every time you got drunk, you would curse them. Have you forgotten that too? Now that you've met Zong Ze, do you think you can change your situation? Even if he were alive, let alone now that he's dead, he still wouldn't change the status of us warriors in the court."

In the dimly lit prison, Li Cheng stood with his arms crossed, his loud voice echoing in the small space. The expressions on the faces of the figures inside the cell kept changing.

Li Cheng looked at Suo Chao with some annoyance. He had never gotten along with this boorish man and didn't have much patience to persuade him. Now he was starting to regret it. He shouldn't have volunteered to the emperor just because Du Yun was showing off. As a military commander, when had he ever paid attention to the details of this fool's affairs? He only knew superficial information.

bang——

Li Cheng slammed his fist into the wooden railing and stared at Suo Chao: "You bastard, do you really want to die here?"

"What's wrong with civil and military officials dying for their country? Not everyone can be like you, Commander Li, kneeling down and begging for mercy when the enemy comes."

An unfamiliar voice came from behind him. Li Cheng turned around abruptly: "Bullshit! Which bastard with a torn crotch is sticking his tongue out?" He walked over a few steps, looked through the wooden bars, and sneered: "Who do we have here? It's you, you good-for-nothing. What, can't you shut your mouth even in jail?"

Wen Huanzhang's face showed neither joy nor sorrow. Leaning against the corner of the wall, he glanced at Li Cheng and gave a mocking smile: "My mouth is on my own body, what can't I say?"

Li Cheng sneered, "You don't know how civil officials suppress us military men since you're not in the court. Even a prefectural supervisor is less than a dog in their eyes. Anyone can come here to act tough, point fingers, and extort a couple of coins. If you want to get a position, you have to beg and plead, sending money and gifts, but it all disappears without a trace. Now I'm not going to serve you anymore."

He patted his chest and said, "Qi values ​​military merit. With my skills, how could I not have a chance to make a name for myself? But you..." He looked Wen Huanzhang up and down, his hair disheveled, and said, "Even if you talk a big game and claim to be the most famous person in the capital, how many of the officials in the court would actually give you a second glance? They all just treat you like a monkey show."

“You…” Wen Huanzhang’s face turned red instantly. He stared at Li Cheng for a long time, then snorted, “Traitorous minister, you shall die a horrible death.”

"At least I'll live longer than you."

Li Cheng smiled, turned around, tilted his head slightly, and said, "You stay here for now. His Majesty doesn't have time for you right now. He'll send you to see your master in a few days."

"you……"

Wen Huanzhang glared at him, but Li Cheng was too lazy to say anything more. He strolled back to his previous position, and perhaps his mood had calmed down after scolding Wen Huanzhang a few times: "I've said everything I needed to say. I'll just say one more thing. You've been languishing in Daming Prefecture for so long that you've only been promoted from a regular soldier to a lieutenant. Those who are less capable than you and more cowardly than you have long since been promoted and disappeared. Do you really want to lie here and wait to die?"

Inside, Suo Chao raised his head and said hoarsely, "Li Cheng, we've never been on the same path. Don't try to persuade me. Let's go back."

“…Okay.” Li Cheng nodded, gave him a thumbs up, and said, “You have guts.” He then turned and walked outside.

Behind him, several loud laughs rang out, "Hey Li, not everyone is like you." "This guy's a spineless coward, terribly afraid of dying."

Li Cheng didn't stop walking, a cold smile on his face. He had already recognized the voices of Chen Cui, Quan Bangyan, and others.

bang——

Li Cheng slammed the prison door open, stepped out, and then flung it back shut: "Damn it!"

bang——

In the small room, there were five or six jailers waiting. Cai Fu and Cai Qing exchanged a glance and hurriedly ran over with their heads bowed and their backs bent. They said cautiously, "General Li, why are you so generous? It's not worth it for those lowly bastards inside. We are willing to serve you."

"Hmm?" Li Cheng put his hands on his hips, looked the Cai brothers up and down after hearing this, and nodded: "I was so angry just now that I forgot you two were here." He patted the two brothers on the shoulder: "Go in and give Wen Huanzhang, Chen Cui, and Quan Bangyan a good talking to, and let them know when to open their mouths and when to shut up."

The two members of the Cai family were overjoyed and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Yes, we promise they will understand the rules next time."

The jailers standing nearby also kept saying that they would teach the man a lesson.

Li Cheng nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well done, everyone will be rewarded." He then glanced back at the closed cell door and said, "Don't move that bastard surnamed Su inside... Damn it, you want to make me lose face in front of His Majesty because I can't do my job well... I'll make you kneel down!"

Then he flicked his sleeves and walked out.

The men in the small house looked at each other, and Cai Fu and Cai Qing excitedly wiggled their fingers: "Brothers, let's go in and serve those officials."

"Let's go."

A group of junior jailers followed him in with smiles on their faces, dragging him to the torture chamber. Soon after, screams of agony echoed through the cell.

Li Cheng didn't care about what happened in prison. As soon as he left the prison gate, he went straight to several places selling goods, bought some food and supplies with his own money, hired someone to carry them, and followed him to a street.

bang bang bang-

The sound of banging on the door rang out that afternoon, followed by a shout of "Coming!" from inside, and the sound of footsteps.

squeak-

The door opened, revealing an ordinary-looking woman. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had just been crying. She stared blankly at the person standing outside the door for a moment, then noticed Li Cheng's magnificent robes and cautiously asked, "May I ask who you are?"

"I am Li Cheng, formerly the military commander of the city." The man outside the door bowed and smiled warmly: "May I ask if you are Madam Suo?"

"I wouldn't dare, it is indeed you, young lady." The lady of the Su family was startled and quickly bowed to him, looking at him with some sadness: "I wonder if Supervisor Li has come with news of my husband? Could it be...?"

"Don't worry, Madam." Li Cheng smiled gently and didn't go in. "Suo Chao is still alive and well, but whether he can survive in a few days depends on you."

The woman was initially delighted, but then her expression changed. She gripped her clothes tightly and looked at Li Cheng warily: "What do you want to do?!"

Li Cheng was taken aback at first, but after seeing her reaction, he immediately understood. His face darkened, and he cursed inwardly, "How could I possibly be interested in someone like you? What are you thinking all day?"

He took a step back, shaking his head vigorously: "No, no, no, no, Madam, you've misunderstood me. It's not what you think."

He then explained Suo Chao's situation, smiling gently as he said, "That's the situation. Suo Chao is a straightforward man. Although I don't like him personally, I also pity his skills. As you've seen, the Qi army that entered the city, while not entirely without fault, hasn't done anything excessive to the people, and they've been quite considerate of the surrendered soldiers and generals." Seeing the woman relax, he gestured behind him, "Now His Majesty has heard about Suo Yuhou's situation and greatly admires him. He sent gifts and hopes you can speak to him. Putting aside his years of wasted time here, you know the hardships he endured in the Song army. Does he really want him to continue serving that contemptible court?"

"This..." The woman hesitated, "But I heard you say that Zhou Jin died on the battlefield because of the Qi army."

Seeing this, Li Cheng's heart stirred, and he quickly advised, "It is common for a man to die on the battlefield. You can't be allowed to kill but not be allowed to kill you. At worst, let Suo Chao help the Zhou family more in the future. It's better than the whole family having no one to rely on in the future."

The woman lowered her head and thought for a moment. She didn't want anything to happen to Suo Chao, and after hearing Li Cheng's earnest words, she nodded firmly: "What Commander Li said is right. My husband was just confused for a moment. Let me go and talk to him and tell him not to be confused."

Li Cheng was overjoyed and laughed heartily, "Excellent, excellent!" He immediately ordered the gifts to be sent in.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Su family didn't even bother to look at what the gifts were. In fact, she didn't care. She was only concerned about the safety of her husband. She went back to the house to let her mother-in-law take care of the children, and then hurriedly went to the prison with Li Cheng.

……

As the sun continued to move westward, the sky gradually began to darken.

Many pedestrians on the street began to hurry home. Inside the largest restaurant in the market, four men, their faces flushed from drinking, got up and walked out. One of them took out money and stuffed it into the manager's hand.

"Master Lu, you mustn't do this, you mustn't do this." The chubby shopkeeper hurriedly pushed the string of copper coins back in his hand: "The help you gave to our shop in Daming Prefecture a few years ago is something we can't even pay back in a year. This little bit of wine and food is just to celebrate your return, Master Lu."

"There's no reason for me to take back the money I've given you." Lu Junyi glared at the shopkeeper, reeking of alcohol, pulled his hand away, and slammed the money into his palm: "Take it!"

"This..." The shopkeeper gave a wry smile, then put it away: "Thank you, sir. Next time, let my shop treat you."

Lu Junyi simply waved his hand dismissively and staggered out. In his line of sight, Yan Qing, Xu Ning, and Xu Guanzhong were standing there, talking drunkenly and waiting for him.

Seeing Lu Junyi come out, Yan Qing quickly stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Master, be careful."

Lu Junyi pushed the outstretched hand away, saying, "There's no need to help me with this little bit of wine."

He smiled at Xu Guanzhong: "Let's go somewhere else to continue drinking later, let's go to that Cui something-or-other building where Xiao Yi used to stay, and we'll bring a few more girls to keep us company, hahaha—"

Yan Qing looked at him swaying and felt a little helpless, but she knew Lu Junyi's temper and didn't force him. However, when she heard him say that he was going to a brothel, she couldn't help but pinch her forehead.

Since he joined the Lu family and followed Lu Junyi, he has never been to those places. Not to mention brothels, he has barely even touched Jun Gu, whom he married later. Otherwise, that scoundrel Li Gu wouldn't have taken advantage of him. Now, he not only goes to those brothels, but also hires more courtesans to accompany him...

The wine I drank today should be fine, right...?

Yan Qing couldn't help but glance at Lu Junyi's back, then touched his chin: Could it be that the stimulation last night was too great, changing his personality?
Just then, several black figures ran over from a distance and clasped their hands in a fist salute to the group, asking, "May I ask who Xu Guanzhong is?"

Lu Junyi, Yan Qing, and Xu Ning frowned, exchanged a glance, and then Xu Guanzhong stepped forward: "That's me."

"General Bian invites you."

The leader spoke, then stepped aside to gesture for them to proceed. Yan Qing's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "Is there something you need?"

The man smiled and said, "Good thing."

Yan Qing was a little worried when he didn't say anything, but Xu Guanzhong smiled and calmly straightened his headscarf and clothes: "Please lead the way."

The soldiers turned and left.

Although Lu Junyi and his two companions were not afraid that anyone wanted to harm him, they still followed.

Bian Xiang was resting in the house when he heard that Xu Guanzhong had arrived. He hurriedly came out to greet him. Seeing that the man was a stranger walking among Lu Junyi and the other two, he immediately understood and laughed, "You are Xu Guanzhong! Good! Quickly come with me to the government office to see His Majesty."

The group was taken aback, not understanding how this matter had involved the emperor. Lu Junyi, ever outspoken, asked, "General, how did His Majesty know about Brother Xu?"

“You don’t know, His Majesty obtained a map of Liaodong many years ago, and the person who drew it was none other than you, Brother Xu.” Bian Xiang didn’t hide anything, and looked at Xu Guanzhong with a big grin: “When you mentioned your name today, I felt a sense of familiarity. I remembered and went to tell His Majesty, and now His Majesty is waiting for me.”

Lu Junyi, Yan Qing, and Xu Ning exchanged glances, then looked at Xu Guanzhong in unison, exclaiming, "What a coincidence!"

Xu Guanzhong also looked surprised. He was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then quickly said, "Let me wash my face and hands first. I have drunk some wine, so that the smell of alcohol will not offend Your Majesty."

"It's alright!" Bian Xiang waved his hand dismissively. "His Majesty is not that kind of pretentious person."

However, despite saying that, he still had someone fetch clean water, and after Xu Guanzhong washed himself clean, he called his personal guards to bring a horse. He then stepped into the stirrups and mounted the horse, looking down at the riders below: "Do you know how to ride?"

Xu Guanzhong didn't answer. He walked over, leaped up, and landed steadily on the horse. He picked up the reins and smiled, "I once passed the martial arts exam and rode across the Liaodong region. General, don't underestimate me."

Bian Xiang laughed and immediately set off. Lu Junyi, Yan Qing, and Xu Ning quickly mounted their horses and followed. The group headed towards the government office.

……

Prison.

Li Cheng glanced at the woman with a somewhat nervous expression and gestured inside: "Suo Chao is inside. Please wait here for a moment."

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Su family nodded hurriedly: "I entrust my husband's matter to the Imperial Guard."

“No problem.” Li Cheng nodded first, then shook his head and said, “Madam, please don’t call me the Chief Eunuch anymore. Just call me General.”

"got it."

Li Cheng then let the jailer open the door and go inside. In the jailer's room in front of the cell, Cai Fu and Cai Qing were shirtless, their bodies covered in splattered blood and sweat, wiping themselves with a white towel. Seeing Li Cheng come in, they quickly put down what they were holding and ran forward: "General Li."

Li Cheng frowned as he looked at the two of them, then gestured: "Bring Suo Chao out and find him a private room to talk to his wife." (End of Chapter)