Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

On the evening of the Bingzi day, the setting sun burned the entire sky red.

Sun Fu led a troop of imperial guards down from the city wall, carrying a bad premonition, and rode off on mules and horses into the palace.

Along the way, one could see young men carrying supplies for the city's defense and soldiers carrying wounded soldiers. A tense and sorrowful atmosphere permeated the air, and the expressions on everyone's faces were not relaxed.

"Hurry up, hurry up, get your hands dirty, or I'll beat you to death!"

The angry shouts caught Sun Fu's attention. It was a foreman who was whipping a man carrying a stone bullet.

A guard behind him noticed him looking in that direction and couldn't help but lean in and whisper, "Sir, are you looking at those young men being whipped? These days, the peasants in the city are like donkeys; they always make excuses and won't get anything done unless they're whipped."

"...let's go."

Sun Fu shook his head. What did those young men have to do with him? He was still looking at what they were picking out, and he still didn't see him asking the officials for money.

Please, whatever you do, don't let anything go wrong!
Muttering a few words to himself, Sun Fu quickened his pace and arrived at the foot of the imperial city just as dusk was falling. He quickly sent someone to report, and soon a eunuch came out with a lantern and led him inside.

Following behind, Sun Fu couldn't help but ask, "How is His Majesty today?"

"Everything is fine. I chatted with Master Guo for a while today and was in a great mood. I even ate half a lamb leg for dinner."

Sun Fu's eye twitched: "Did you see the imperial guards I sent back?"

"We don't know about that."

Sun Fu took a breath and nodded, having a general idea of ​​what was going on. He didn't speak again, but followed the eunuch. Soon they entered the hall, where Zhao Huan was reading by lamplight. Hearing the sound, he put down his book and smiled when he saw Sun Fu enter: "Minister Sun, come quickly, I have something to tell you."

Sun Fu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I also have something to say to Your Majesty."

Zhao Huan's smile froze, and he looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Sun Fu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the morale of the soldiers guarding the city walls is low today. I promised to reward them with money to boost their spirits and help them fight against the Qi army. I wonder if Your Majesty has seen the guards I sent back? Have you prepared the reward money?"

"This matter," Zhao Huan laughed again, waving his hand, "I have seen it, but after meeting with Master Guo, I no longer intend to give the soldiers any rewards."

Sun Fu's eyes widened, and he shouted, "Your Majesty!"

"Let me finish speaking." Zhao Huan waved his hand to interrupt, his tone heavy: "Last year, the State of Qi plundered a large amount of money. Although some has been collected from the people this year, it is still not enough. The national treasury and the imperial treasury are now empty, and we really cannot afford to pay the salaries of the officials."

Sun Fu was stunned for a moment, then heard the young emperor's voice become lighter: "Master Guo said that the Six Jia Method has been completed, and immortals and gods have descended to the mortal world. Soon we will have a heavenly army, so why should we care about ordinary people in the mortal world?"

"It's done?!"

Sun Fu was initially delighted, but then hesitated: "But... I have already guaranteed their agreement with my official position, and today we were able to defend the city entirely thanks to the efforts of everyone."

"That... is easy to say." A cunning look appeared on Zhao Huan's still somewhat immature face: "After I remove you from the position of Minister of War and promote you to another post, wouldn't that make things smoother?"

"..."

Sun Fu stared blankly at the young emperor opposite him, speechless for a long time.

Eunuchs lit lamps outside, and the firelight reflecting off the walls made the room a little brighter.

Zhao Huan walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, then turned to look at him: "Minister Sun, there's no need for this. The court is currently short of money and grain, so we can only make do with the soldiers for now. Once the Heavenly Army kills the traitorous Emperor Lü Bu and drives the Northern bandits back, we will not only be able to get back the money and grain we paid in reparations, but also reclaim the lost territory."

The young emperor's face gradually became excited: "Perhaps we can take back the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. At that time, my achievements will surpass those of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and you, Minister Sun, will also be remembered in history."

Sun Fu relaxed at this moment, and a smile appeared on his face. In the end, he didn't care too much about whether the soldiers under him would receive a reward. The only thing he cared about was his own face. Now that he heard that there was a chance to leave a mark in the history books, he naturally put everything else behind him. He could still tell what was more important.

Zhao Huan took a breath: "Master Guo will send troops to fight tomorrow. You should go back and wait patiently."

Sun Fu cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Your subject takes his leave."

……

In the same city, in a courtyard in the southeast of Bianliang.

As night fell, burly men dressed in brocade robes walked back and forth in the courtyard, their chests exposed despite the cool weather. Many of them, who had no chest hair, had various tattoos embroidered on their chests, while a few menacing-looking men had a red flower of unknown name pinned to their ears.

Inside the house in the courtyard, Guo Jing sat in the main seat, flanked by a group of thugs. The table in front of him was a mess, with chicken and sheep bones scattered everywhere, and wine spilled on the ground, almost dried up after a long time.

"Now that we've finished eating and drinking, let's get down to business." Guo Jing wiped his hands with a warm, damp cloth, sniffed it, then smacked his lips and slapped the table, saying, "You've all received a fair share of money these past two days. Now it's time to put in the work. The Emperor wants us to go into battle tomorrow, but we don't have enough manpower."

As he spoke, he grabbed a notebook from the side, dipped a brush in ink on the table twice, and held it in his hand.

"So fast?" someone asked, picking his teeth with chopsticks. "I have about forty men I can use, all of them simple-minded."

"I don't have many here, only six or seven people."

"I have twenty men under my command!"

The shouting echoed in the room. Guo Jing listened and took notes, then opened his eyes and calculated several times, but the number he got was different each time. He simply threw it aside and said, "Alright, alright, about three or four hundred people. Go back and gather them together. Give them some incense ash water to drink."

"got it."

"Look!"

The group of men stood up menacingly and staggered out. Guo Jing let out a burp, walked out as well, lay down in his room, and soon began snoring.

……

That night, some people in Bianliang slept soundly, while others couldn't sleep at all.

Dark clouds drifted past the moon, leaving behind a strange black shadow.

At this moment, Zhang Shuye was writing a memorial under the lamplight. Since he led troops to provide assistance last year, he had been detained by the young emperor and had not returned. Now he was in an awkward situation in the court.

Zhao Huan would occasionally think of him, but he didn't trust him very much. Even so, he was still very concerned about the war and wanted to warn the emperor not to employ treacherous and wicked people, because defending the city still depended on the soldiers' willingness to fight.

"Sigh...it still doesn't work..." He folded the memorial in his hand sharply and threw it to the ground, where it landed among four or five folded and discarded memorials. The white-haired man scratched his head vigorously: "How can we not give Zhong Shidao an important position after summoning him back to the capital! Trusting a charlatan, what's the difference between this and the retired emperor!"

The dark clouds that had been obscuring the moon moved forward, allowing the moonlight to shine brightly again.

……

Moonlight streamed into the military camp, where soldiers in leather armor patrolled the area behind their respective military academies.

The central command tent was still brightly lit, and the soldiers who came to report presented the list of those killed or wounded that day.

"Give the list to Li Ying and tell him to prepare the compensation." Lü Bu casually flipped through it and handed it to Yu Cheng beside him: "He knows what to do."

"Here."

The tall guard nodded and accepted it, then went out to find a guard to deliver it to.

Lu Bu looked at the figure on the other side: "A lot of siege equipment was damaged today. Have the replacements been delivered yet?" "Your Majesty, rest assured, the transport team has just entered the rear camp." Fang Xuedu bowed and said, "The craftsmen are assembling them, and they will be ready for use tomorrow."

Lu Bu nodded: "Have any Song army reinforcements from various places been spotted nearby?"

“I haven’t seen it. Perhaps it’s true, as the intelligence reports, that the Southern Dynasty itself is not allowing local aid.” Wang Zheng pondered for a moment before speaking: “This matter is somewhat strange, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a conspiracy involved.”

Fang Xuedu looked at him: "We still need to be wary of the Song people playing tricks. It would be troublesome if they were waiting for us to let our guard down."

Wang Zheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"No matter what it is, we'll fight according to our established strategy." Lü Bu stood up and waved his hand: "As long as we take this capital, no matter how many schemes or plans they have, they'll be useless."

Then he turned around and said, "Go and rest. Bianliang is a fortified city that is very difficult to capture. Be prepared for a long siege."

Seeing the two bow, he then remembered something: "Minister Fang..."

"The minister is here."

"Make a good plan for the rotation of soldiers in the military."

"Here."

……

As dawn broke in the east, a touch of white appeared, the air was slightly cool, and countless people opened their eyes.

The horses' hooves thundered as they stepped out of the gate, and a squad of cavalrymen, acting as scouts, galloped out to report the surrounding situation back to the camp.

Bugle calls echoed from all sides, and squads of soldiers dressed in black uniforms and armor marched out of the camp. Banners of various colors fluttered in the air, and black and red flags blotted out the sky, forming a sea of ​​people and flags.

The command "Depart!" was given by the commanding officer. As they marched across the field, dust rose from the trampled grass, gradually ascending from their feet. Sunlight shone down, and the weapons in the soldiers' hands reflected a chilling light.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and a murderous aura permeated the air.

One after another, towering siege engines brought up the rear, raising even more dust. In the distance, the city of Bianliang, which looked like a black dot, slowly grew larger.

"Stop!" "Halt!"

Amidst the shouts, the formations halted, leaving passage for warhorses and equipment.

The cavalrymen ran back and forth, relaying the orders of the central army commander and bringing back feedback from all sides. Lü Bu dismounted from Red Hare and stepped onto the spacious observation chariot. The generals and strategists who had marched south were all on their warhorses, quietly gazing at the distant city.

Lu Bu slowly raised his arm, then paused and lowered it again.

A warhorse galloped back from ahead: "Report—something is strange with the Song army on the city wall. There are sounds of drums and music, and a banner with the image of the Heavenly King is standing on the city wall. It looks like someone with disheveled hair is performing a ritual."

Lu Bu was stunned for a moment, and a chorus of surprised voices rippled around him. Li Zhu, dressed in court attire, widened his eyes: "So, the Daojun Emperor has taken power again?"

The rider looked at him, bowed his head and clasped his hands: "This humble servant was unaware."

Li Zhu looked at Lü Bu, but something strange was bound to happen today. Before he could give the order, another rider galloped over: "Report—war drums are sounding in Bianliang City, as if they are about to go out of the city to meet the enemy."

"Do the Song army really have the audacity to leave the city?"

"I heard that Zhong Shidao was defeated and returned. Could it be that he was the one who led the troops?"

"...a defeated general."

The sounds from all around did not affect Lü Bu's judgment. He decisively waved his hand and said, "Let the wolf cavalry advance and prepare for battle. Wang De, Yang Zaixing!"

"Your subordinate is here!" x2
Two fully armed generals stood on horseback, hands clasped and heads bowed.

Lu Bu pointed forward: "Lead all your troops forward. If the city gates open, don't worry about fighting, just rush in!"

"Here!"

Wang Deyang and Zaixing excitedly pulled on the reins, turned their horses around, and galloped away.

Soon, the thunderous sound of horses' hooves thundered and disappeared into the distance.

……

On the city wall, various Taoist musical instruments resounded, and a banner painted with images of heavenly generals and gods fluttered in the wind.

Guo Jing stood on a high platform with disheveled hair. In front of him was a wooden table covered with fine Shu brocade, and an incense burner with three sticks of incense sticks stuck in it. He walked with an unknown footwork and wielded a peach wood sword frequently. From a distance, he did look somewhat like a sorcerer.

Soldiers were not allowed to watch from the city wall, nor were ordinary people allowed to approach.

Near and far, many court officials watched him perform the ritual, their faces filled with amazement, and faint exclamations of "What a master!" could be heard.

Below the city, more than three hundred idle men known as the Six Armor Divine Soldiers gathered, each with an arrogant look on their faces. They all wore yellow short shirts with their chests exposed and held a refined iron knife in their hands, shouting incoherently in twos and threes in a language that no one else could understand.

"Brother Boye, do not open the city gates at this time!" Seeing that things were not going well, Zhang Shuye hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Sun Fu, saying anxiously, "From ancient times to the present, I have never heard of an army winning by using magic or spells in a battle between two armies."

"Brother Ji, rest assured." Sun Fu stroked his beard and spoke with an air of composure: "This Master Guo has real skills. You don't know, a few days ago the Emperor and we personally witnessed him writing the characters 'life' and 'death' in the palace, and experimenting with cats and mice. He could make them live when he told them to live, and die when he told them to die. It was truly miraculous. Moreover..."

He gestured downwards, saying, "Now that the Qi army is outside and we are inside, he wouldn't have accepted this task if he didn't have some ability." He then turned and patted Zhang Shuye, saying, "Everyone in the court knows that Master Guo was born to relieve the crisis of our Great Song Dynasty. You should only tell me this, and not tell anyone else."

Zhang Shuye's face was pale, and he stomped his feet repeatedly.

Just then, Guo Jing shouted, "Heaven and earth are boundless, borrow the power of heaven and earth to protect my true body, unleash the Dark Flame!"

He turned his head, opened his mouth, and spat out a line of fire that set the banner bearing the image of the Heavenly King ablaze: "Heaven is about to descend upon me, to protect the laws of this world!"

With a flick of his wrists, pieces of paper covered in gold foil flew down, and he shouted, "Heavenly soldiers, descend to earth and obey my command! Leave the city and help my Great Song Dynasty repel the enemy army!"

Golden flakes flew down towards the city walls, and the men in yellow shirts cried out in surprise.

The city gates slowly opened.

……

"It's really open..."

"Blow the bugle! Blow the bugle!"

"Seize the city gate!"

The nearly ten thousand cavalrymen gathered at the front of the formation immediately roared, "Victory!"

Wang De, Yang Zaixing, Wang Yin, and Shi Baozao spurred their horses and charged out. As the generals charged out, horns sounded, and then a large contingent of cavalry surged out.

The thunderous sound of hooves echoed as they galloped straight towards Bianliang. (End of Chapter)