Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The winds of the capital region howled and swept across the fields the following day.

The sky, overcast with dark clouds, blocked out the sunlight. The outline of the distant forest and fields moved backward at a steady pace, with two thousand Right Guard cavalrymen surrounding a figure clad in golden armor and a bright red cloak.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves rolled northward like thunder. After an unknown amount of time, the vast forests receded behind them, and in the distance came the outline of Fengqiu City. A general in leather armor stood at the gate to greet them.

The warhorse stopped at the city gate, and the guards in front parted to make way for the fiery red figure to step forward.

"Li Jun (Tong Wei, Tong Meng), a colonel under the command of General Liaoshui, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Lu Bu patted Red Hare, which had just acted out of control, and looked at the three generals: "Get up." He then looked around: "Zhang Shun is in there too?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The three men, along with the officials behind them, straightened up. Li Jun stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Majesty, General Zhang Shun is in the mourning hall..." He paused, then lowered his head and said, "Zhang Liaoshui only has one relative, so he did not come."

"I didn't blame him." Lü Bu waved his hand, spurred Red Hare, and walked into the city: "Follow me."

Yu Cheng and Wei He, clad in iron armor, followed behind with Cao Ning and twenty other strong guards. Li Jun and the Tong brothers also quickly turned around and followed, heading towards the city.

In a courtyard house in the east of the city, white silk cloth hung on the door plaque, with long strips of cloth hanging down on both sides, and white paper pasted on the door.

Lu Bu dismounted, glanced at the white mourning clothes, took off his cloak and placed it on his horse, then stepped inside. The scabbard of his Han sword occasionally clashed with the beast-faced chainmail armor at his waist. Yu Cheng and Wei He followed behind him, the latter carrying a black wine jar under his arm.

A group of soldiers in full armor entered the courtyard and stood in front of the hall where the coffin was placed. The three at the front stepped inside.

In the spacious mourning hall, Zhang Shun, dressed in hemp clothing and with a white turban wrapped around his head, stood in the center of the hall in a daze. Hearing a voice coming from the hall, he quickly turned around and bowed to the person who came in: "This humble general greets Your Majesty. I was unable to greet you from afar because of my brother's affairs. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Lu Bu stepped forward, bent down, and his armor clattered softly. He pulled Zhang Shun up, patted him, glanced at the coffin, and sighed, "Generals inevitably die on the battlefield. Your brother died fighting for the country, and I am deeply saddened. Please accept my condolences."

He reached out and patted the man in hemp clothing on the shoulder.

Zhang Shun looked somewhat embarrassed. He knew perfectly well how Zhang Heng had died. His emperor was mindful of past relationships and the idea that death was the greatest loss. If it were someone else, they would probably have cursed him outright. After all, the loss of several warships and hundreds of soldiers was a serious defeat for the navy.

Lu Bu said nothing, stepped forward, and reached behind him. Wei He quickly presented him with the wine jar.

bang——

The seal was broken, and a fragrant aroma of wine wafted out.

Lu Bu sighed and poured wine in front of the coffin. Upon seeing this, Zhang Shun immediately knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude.

"The dead are gone, the living remain." As he spoke, the tall figure placed the half-empty wine cup in front of the coffin, glanced at Zhang Shun, and said, "Take the coffin back by water later, the war here is probably over."

Zhang Shun lowered his head, paused for a few moments, and then clasped his hands in a salute: "Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lu Bu nodded, lit incense and inserted it into the incense burner. Yu Cheng and Wei He also stepped forward to burn incense and insert it into the burner. Then the three of them walked out as Zhang Shun knelt to thank them.

“Although this fellow wasn’t well-liked back in the mountains, he was still…” Wei He didn’t finish his sentence, turning to look behind him with a somewhat sad expression: “Another person is missing.”

Footsteps gradually emerged from the courtyard. Lü Bu took the cloak brought to him by the guard, tied it on, and mounted his horse, saying, "Let's find a place to rest first, and return to the army tomorrow."

Looking up at the courtyard draped in white mourning clothes, he shook his head: "It's all fate."

Within days, news of Zhang Heng's death spread throughout the army, along with the punishment of being demoted one rank and having his title reduced by two ranks.

……

Bianliang City.

With the return of Zhang Bangchang and Song Qiyu from their missions, the news that the Qi army was willing to withdraw its troops brought a sigh of relief to the two emperors. Bai Shizhong, Li Bangyan, and others, who were in the surrender faction, mobilized the forces within their respective factions to gain the upper hand in public opinion at court, preventing the voices of those who advocated war, such as Li Gang, from being heard.

Therefore, Zhao Huan directly issued a decree to raise gold and silver. As the retired emperor, Zhao Ji waved his hand and began to recruit women from the imperial clan, starting with distant relatives. Every ten women were sent to the Qi army camp under the protection of the imperial guards in exchange for a piece of silk with a reduced amount.

After all, the Qi state demanded too much gold and silver. Not to mention the current national treasury, even the reserves before the Northern Expedition could not come up with such a large amount of money.

Zhao Huan sat in the palace with a worried expression. On either side of him sat Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan, as well as Zhang Bangchang, Li Zhuo, Wu Min, Tang Ke, Geng Nanzhong, and other people who advocated surrender and ceding territory. They were preparing to discuss how to raise money.

After all, if they don't have money, it would be terrible if the Qi army outside doesn't retreat.

"...Let the retired emperor send more princesses to the Qi army camp. He has many daughters, so losing a few is not a big deal."

Zhang Bangchang stood up. After returning, although his official rank was not promoted, he was often taken by Bai Xiang to work.

what is this?
This is Bai Xiang's trust!

Therefore, this person was very interested in acquiring gold and silver, and was determined to get this matter done for Bai Xiang.

Of course, from a more personal perspective, if this matter were successfully accomplished, it would leave a strong impression on the Emperor of Qi that he was capable, which would be crucial in determining whether he could be transferred to another post in the future.

"Go and talk to the Emperor Emeritus about this, and we won't compete for this cushy job."

Wu Min said something, but her face showed that she did not agree.

Across from him, Tang Ke stroked his willow beard and said calmly, "Women can only be exchanged for a few coins. Even if the Emperor Emeritus were willing to allow all the princesses to enter Qi, this huge hole would not be easy to fill."

Li Zhuo and Geng Nanzhong exchanged a glance and slowly nodded. Let alone all the imperial princesses being brought in, to put it bluntly, even the entire harem of the retired emperor would be thrown in…

Uh……

Huh?
That seems like a good idea?!
Anyway, the monthly expenses for the harem are quite substantial, and with just a couple of women, there might even be some money left over.

Two solemn and refined officials were secretly harboring disrespectful thoughts, while the others simply assumed the two were deep in thought but were unable to offer their advice due to a lack of ideas.

“No, no.” Li Bangyan shook his head and bowed to Zhao Huan: “Your Majesty, in my opinion, we should collect money from the people to make compensation.”

Zhao Huan turned to look at him, and the others also looked at him.

Li Bangyan looked up at Zhao Huan and said, "The people of Bianliang were spared from being attacked by the Qi army only because of the protection of the court. Now that the court is in trouble, it is only right and proper for the court to provide some financial support. Otherwise, why would the court protect them?"

Bai Shizhong stroked his neatly trimmed beard and nodded slowly: "That makes sense. As the saying goes, 'An army is raised for a thousand days to be used for one.' Although the common people are not soldiers, they are supported by the court. It is only natural for them to contribute money and effort at this time."

"Excellent, I second that!"

"I also second the proposal!"

Several people nearby stood up and clasped their hands in agreement. Zhang Bangchang outwardly agreed, but inwardly he felt somewhat disappointed. If the compensation was raised because of this, his contribution this time would be truly diminished.

"Then it's settled!"

Zhao Huan stood up and made the final decision: "This matter is entrusted to you all. Make sure to raise the funds as soon as possible."

The group of refined-looking men bowed and accepted the order, then turned and walked out of the main hall.

On that day, the imperial court sent its officials and soldiers to various parts of the city to demand money. Chen Xizhen, the commander of the Japanese army, disliked the sound of extorting money and instead called it collecting "blessing money." For a time, the sound of demanding blessing money could be heard throughout the city.

The people of Bianliang were naturally unwilling to hand over their hard-earned money, but unfortunately, they were not powerful enough to resist the imperial guards. Those who refused were often beaten half to death and their money was confiscated from their homes.

Such large-scale looting naturally led to some who broke the rules. It is unknown whose wife and daughters were repeatedly violated by the imperial guards who came to their door. Unable to bear the humiliation, they hanged themselves that day.

A wealthy merchant, having all his wealth robbed, was so distraught that he and his entire family hanged themselves in front of their door.

The news caused an uproar throughout the city. The people, who had been suffering from the harassment for the past few days, became even more resistant to the army in the city. However, they could not find anyone to speak up for them and could only live a miserable life.

The streets, shops, and the entire city were in an uproar.

Such a matter could not be concealed, and the students of the Imperial Academy were filled with righteous indignation. Without anyone provoking them, they had already spontaneously gathered together.

"This is outrageous! The Liu family in the east of the city, once a kind-hearted family, has been ruined, their wealth confiscated, and their women sold into brothels."

"That's considered good. I heard that a family surnamed Li in the west of the city was beaten to death along with fifteen other family members just because they didn't want to pay up."

“How miserable…”

"Yes, that's terrible!"

A cacophony of voices arose, filling the hall with a buzzing sound. Someone threw down their cup and stood up, shouting, "Fellow students, listen to me!" "It's Headmaster Chen!"

"Quiet!"

The noise gradually subsided, and the student named Chen Dong looked around at his classmates and juniors: "The city is in chaos, and tragedies are happening one after another. All of this is the work of treacherous officials in the court!"
"Six traitors remain unpunished, and Li Bangyan's reckless words are bringing disaster to the country!"

The hundred or so students standing around were indignant, and many clenched their fists.

"We, the students of the Imperial Academy, study the words of the sages and understand their aspirations. In the future, we will participate in the imperial examinations and become local officials. How can we remain indifferent to the tragic scene before us?!"

As Chen Dong spoke, he stood on a stone pier, clenched his fist, and raised his voice: "Among all the ministers in the court, the one who dares to risk his life and shoulder heavy responsibilities for the country is Prime Minister Li Gang. He is a minister of the state!"
The rest of the people are mediocre, all jealous of the virtuous and capable, neglecting their country and only thinking of their own interests. People like Li Bangyan, Bai Shizhong, Zhang Bangchang, Cai Mao, and Li Zhuo are all of this kind. These people are no less harmful than the six traitors!

With a slightly excited look, he swept his gaze across the crowd: "I, Chen Dong, am unworthy, but I am willing to go outside the palace to petition for the reinstatement of Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Zhong to their original positions, and for the severe punishment of the traitors Li Bangyan and Bai Shizhong. Is there anyone willing to follow me?"

"I am willing to join Brother Li in submitting a petition to punish the traitors!"

"Count me in!"

"Let's go together!"

The angry voices of the crowd rang out in the Imperial College. Chen Dong was overjoyed and shouted, "Bring me paper and pen!" Immediately, people rushed to get them.

At that moment, some people were grinding ink, while others, confident in their beautiful handwriting, volunteered to write. Chen Dong then dictated his wishes, which were then written on paper. After the ink dried, the paper was sealed.

Hundreds of people surrounded him as he walked towards the Imperial Academy. Along the way, he encountered other students, called out to them, and explained the situation in a few words. One of them joined him immediately. As he walked and stopped, he eventually gathered hundreds of students.

A large group of people marched into the streets. When the officials and yamen runners saw this, they knew that these students were all of noble status. Seeing that they were either excited or furious, no one dared to provoke them. They let them shout slogans such as "Punish the traitors and restore Prime Minister Li's post!" and "Drive out the northern bandits and restore our peace!" until they reached Xuande Gate.

Meanwhile, the petition by the students of the Imperial Academy had become known to the people of Tokyo. Unable to bear the plundering by the Imperial Guards, the people immediately gathered here, and in a short time, the number reached tens of thousands.

Li Bangyan was unlucky; he was in charge of raising funds and had raised quite a bit over several days. His original intention was to go to the palace to ask Zhao Huan for credit, but little did he expect that a large crowd would gather outside in no time.

After he boasted about his achievements, Zhao Huan's face lit up with joy. When he left the palace, the number of people outside had just reached its peak.

Someone pointed at him and shouted, "That's the treacherous eunuch Li Bangyan!"

The once noisy square suddenly fell silent. Li Bangyan, who was walking out, froze in place, looking around as if everyone was staring at him with wide eyes.

He had good eyesight and saw several people gritting their teeth with blood seeping from the corners of their mouths to his left. One of them had strained too much and his eye had split open, bleeding profusely.

"Hit him!"

"go to hell!"

A shout came from the crowd, and a stone flew past. The imperial guards on either side of Li Bangyan reacted quickly and, seeing that things were going badly, hurriedly ran behind the door.

Li Bangyan wasn't paying attention when he cried out, "Ouch!" as a stone hit him squarely on the forehead. Just as he reached out to curse, a dark cloud rose up from the other side, scaring him so much that he scrambled into the palace. Even so, several stones still hit his back and buttocks, causing a burning pain.

"Close the door! Close the door now!" Li Bangyan rushed inside, ignoring his injuries, and urged repeatedly, "Can't you see there are rioters outside? Hurry up!"

creak-

The dozen or so guards reacted quickly and slammed the Xuande Gate shut with a loud bang amidst shouts. Someone nearby hurriedly lowered the bolt.

bang bang bang-

A series of thuds pounded against the door, and the people inside knew clearly that it was the sound of stones falling. Then came a tirade of curses directed at Li Bangyan and his ancestors for eighteen generations, which made a group of imperial guards glance at the high-ranking official who was advocating surrender.

"A bunch of bastards..."

Li Bangyan's face turned pale and then red. He touched the wound he had been hit by, flicked his sleeve, and dared not linger at the door any longer. He turned and hurriedly entered the palace.

I'll probably be spending the night here...

On that day, Bianliang City almost rioted. Zhao Huan was at a loss in the palace. After seeing the petition written by the students of the Imperial Academy, he hurriedly issued an edict to restore Li Gang and Zhong Shidao to their original positions.

Seeing that the crowd of people and students gathered outside did not disperse, he had no choice but to summon Li Gang and Zhong Shidao to the palace and reinstate them to their posts. At the same time, he issued an edict to appoint Li Gang as the commander of the four walls of the capital.

After the imperial decree was issued, and Li Gang and Zhong Shidao were seen walking out, the crowd gathered outside cheered and dispersed.

……

The sunlight dimmed at dusk.

Li Gang, properly armed, walked up the city wall with his hand on the hilt of his sword. The imperial guards on the wall looked at each other. Even though they belonged to two different camps, they were very respectful to him. They quickly stepped forward and clasped their hands in a salute: "This humble general, Gao Chonghan (Hu Chun) (Cheng Ziming), greets Prime Minister Li."

"Generals, you have worked hard."

Li Gang smiled, looked outside, and saw a battalion of Song soldiers driving dozens of empty carts back. While having some guesses in his mind, he still pointed outside and asked, "What are they doing?"

Gao Chonghan turned his head to look and replied in a low voice, "They are brothers who went to the Qi army to deliver gold and silver. They usually come back around this time every day."

"...How many have already been sent out?"

"This... I don't know."

Li Gang glanced at him, sighed, and knew in his heart that it was true. There should be no one in the court who would tell the fighting men on the city wall about these things. He looked around on the city wall and said, "Order the Whirlwind Cannon operators to load the stone projectiles and fire a volley from the furthest range. Tell the Northern bandits that I have returned!"

Gao Chonghan and the others clasped their hands in a fist salute: "Yes!"

Cheng Ziming immediately turned around and shouted, "Order the artillery to the city wall, quick—"

A slightly chilly breeze blew, and Li Gang took a breath of the evening air: "Issue my order again: from this moment forward, no one may enter or leave the city at will. Anyone who sends gold, silver, money, women, or other valuables to the Northern bandits will be severely punished..."

Clang——

He drew his sword from his waist and slammed it hard against the wall, sparks flying from the blade.

"cut!"

……

Qi army camp.

As the patrolling soldiers in armor passed by, the platoon leader, who was listening to something, looked out of the camp and saw a fast horse galloping in from the south. He shouted, "Urgent military situation!"

He galloped to the front of the central command tent, dismounted, and quickly entered the tent, kneeling on one knee: "Your Majesty, just now, more than a dozen stone projectiles were fired from the city wall of Bianliang. When we went to investigate, we found that the flag of the general on the city wall had changed. When we asked him, he said that Li Gang had been reinstated and was once again in charge of the defense."

The smiles of the crowd, who had been pleased by the money and the royal woman sent by the Song army, vanished. Mi Sheng suddenly stood up and asked, "What's going on? Are those bastards from the Song dynasty going to break their promise?"

Bian Xiang slammed his hand on the table and said angrily, "You don't keep your word, and you don't say anything at all. You're really a bunch of unscrupulous people."

"Your Majesty, what should we do?" Generals such as Han Shizhong and Yang Zaixing looked at Lü Bu.

“…Not much to do.” Lu Bu said slowly, picked up the wine on the table, took a sip, and put it down: “The weather is getting colder, and winter is coming soon. When it gets cold and the ground is frozen, the pressure on our army is indeed too great.”

Wang Zheng nodded in agreement.

Fang Xuedu frowned: "Are we just going to let it go like this?"

"Forget it? I won't let it go!" Glancing at the Minister of War, Lü Bu stood up: "I was worried that the Song Dynasty had prepared all the money and would find another excuse. It just so happens that their breach of contract has given me an excuse to wait for next year."

He glanced at the generals below and said, "Issue my order: set off north and take over the land east of Hebei."

He picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp: "Once this cold winter is over, we will visit Bianliang again next spring."

"Here!"

A dozen or so figures stood up, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and then filed out of the tent.

That night, Qi scouts were deployed everywhere, and the number of patrols doubled, keeping the city of Bianliang on edge all night.

The next morning, someone reported that the Qi army was breaking camp and preparing to return north. (End of Chapter)