Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The golden sun is rising.

Song Jiang, who was lying on his side on the bed, opened his eyes. It was a cold morning and he was not a martial arts practitioner. He was sealed on the bed by the warm quilt for a while. He turned over and lay on his front out of habit, took a breath with a "hiss", and quickly turned to the side. His back was still painful from the beating from his father the night before.

After lying in bed for a while, he was so bored that he put on his clothes and got up. He asked someone to bring him warm water to wash up before he got dressed and walked out of the room. The cool air entering his lungs refreshed him. He exhaled, endured the pain in his back, and performed a few rounds of punches and kicks according to the routine before he stopped. Surprisingly, he felt that the pain in the wound was not so severe for a while.

After wiping off the sweat from his face, Song Jiang walked all the way to the main room. Seeing his father sitting at the table, he quickly stepped forward and knelt down to greet him. His brother Song Qing, who was sitting next to him, winked at him.

The old man looked at Song Jiang for a while, raised his hand and asked him to stand up: "You came back in a hurry yesterday and I didn't talk to you in detail..."

Song Jiang stood up obediently and sat down on the side, complaining in his heart, "You old man, you haven't talked in detail, you are just busy lecturing me."

But there was nothing he could do, he had to listen to his father and Song Jiang never acted disobediently in front of him.

Song Taigong waved his hand and asked someone to bring breakfast, saying, "You were born with a heroic spirit and like to get close to those people in the underworld. Your father can't say anything about this. When you grow up and become a bailiff in the county, I'm not afraid that you will hang out with them. I just don't know why you suddenly killed someone. As for such a fickle woman, just ignore her, cut off her source of money, and watch her suffer."

He picked up the hot porridge and took a sip.

Song Jiang's face was full of bitterness. He thought that under the circumstances at that time he had no choice but to kill him. If he didn't kill him, he would not only be tortured to death but also lose his life. But he couldn't say this to his old father. He didn't want to alarm Song Taigong about Chao Gai's affairs, so he just silently followed and drank a mouthful of porridge.

"Since you did that, your father can't help but worry about you. Jingdong..." Wiping his mouth, he picked up some side dishes and ate, "A few years ago, a big thief Lu Bu appeared. Although it seems that all the people in the underworld have to give him some face, the place has become much quieter. In fact, Dad also knows that the power of the outlaws has greatly increased, and there are more people who occupy the mountains and act as kings than before."

Song Jiang looked at him with eyes wide open. The old man glanced at him while drinking porridge and immediately put down the bowl: "Why, your father raised you brothers and expanded the family business to this extent, do you really think that your father is an old farmer who knows nothing?"

Song Jiang and Song Qing looked at each other, then quickly lowered their heads and said, "I dare not."

Song Taigong shook his head and said, "It's not that you don't dare, it's that you dare too much. Ever since you became a fugitive, your father has been afraid that you would be seduced by those outlaws and become a bandit, and become a disloyal and unfilial person. That's why I asked Silang to ask Zhu Tong, Lei Heng and some friends who admire you to help spread the news. Fortunately, you still have a conscience. You ran back when you heard that I was seriously ill. In the end, you still became a mountain king in Dengzhou. You...sigh..."

The old man slammed the table.

"Father, please calm down. How dare I not come back?" Song Jiang glanced at his brother, who smiled back at him, and said with a wry smile: "Father, if you want me to come back, just say it. Why do you have to humiliate yourself by saying that you are seriously ill and can't get out of bed? Isn't that unlucky?" However, he didn't dare to explain the matter of becoming a bandit, for fear of angering the old man again.

The old man waved his hand with an open mind: "Everyone is born, grows old, gets sick and dies. How can your father be an exception?" He glanced at Song Jiang who was a little anxious and said: "Originally, I asked Silang to write a letter saying that I was dead and asked you to come back. It was only after Silang met with Zhu Tong and Lei Heng that I changed the letter to seriously ill."

Song Jiang put down the bowl and said, "Dad, why are you so miserable..."

"Don't interrupt." Song Taigong said, ignoring his son's helpless expression: "Silang has inquired clearly in the county. The old parents have no intention of arresting you. They only issued a warrant for your arrest. Zhu Tong, Lei Heng, and the Zhao brothers owe you a favor because of the Liangshan incident. No one is willing to make an effort to arrest you, so no one has come to harass you. I am calling you back now because the court has issued a general amnesty. Anyone who has committed a serious crime will have his sentence reduced by one level. The official document has been posted everywhere. With your crime, the most you can get now is exile, but you won't lose your life."

Song Jiang heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this: "So, Zhu, Lei, and Zhao, the four captains, have ever been to the village?"

Song Qing shook his head and said, "I heard the other day that two of the four were sent out. Zhu Tong was sent to Tokyo, and I don't know where Lei Heng was sent. Now only the Zhao brothers are in the county."

Song Jiang smacked his lips and said, "If my brothers Zhu and Lei were here, I wouldn't be too worried. Although the Zhao brothers have some friendship, they are not close friends."

"Your father doesn't care about your official affairs." Song Taigong shook his head: "There is only one thing. Although our family is not an official family, we have never produced any traitors. Think about it carefully."

Song Jiang nodded, thought for a moment, and walked out. He needed to find someone to ask some questions before deciding what to do next. However, soon, his rash actions made up his mind.

The next morning, Zhao Neng and Zhao De knocked on the manor door and said to Song Qing who came out to greet them, "Let Brother Gongming come out. Someone has come forward to accuse him."

Song Qing blinked and tried to deny it: "Third brother didn't come home."

Zhao De shook his head: "Brother, if no one reported it, our parents wouldn't care. It was because he went out and someone was watching him, and then reported it to the county, that we brothers had to come."

Zhao Neng also sighed: "Brother Gongming helped me a lot in those days, and I am grateful to him. If possible, I don't want to come here to bother you."

Song Qing then said helplessly: "Please wait a moment, I will let you two go into the house for a while."

Zhao Neng nodded: "Understood, my brother will wait for Brother Gongming here."

Song Qing clasped his fists and went into the house. Soon Song Jiang came out. The Zhao brothers were relieved to see this and greeted Song Jiang. Song Qing presented twenty taels of silver and invited everyone to drink. Zhao Neng and Zhao De accepted the money and did not put shackles on Song Jiang. They escorted him back to the county government office.

When the county magistrate Shi Wenbin heard that he was waiting to bring back the criminal, he immediately called Song Jiang into the yamen. Looking at his familiar dark face, he sighed, "Gongming, why are you doing this? This county is not worthy of your trust. Why are you running out of the yamen?"

"Please forgive me, old parents." Song Jiang knelt down and touched his head to the ground. "It's not that Song Jiang didn't know what happened. It's just that my mind was confused at that time. When I woke up, I didn't know where I was. It's a capital crime to betray my old parents."

"Get up now." Shi Wenbin said helplessly: "Now that things have come to this, our county is helpless. Fortunately, there is a general amnesty, and your crime has been reduced. Later, our county will find a good place for you. You should atone for your sins. Who knows, there may be a chance of recovery in the future."

"Thank you, my dear parents, for your love." Song Jiang knelt on the ground and said sincerely.

Shi Wenbin couldn't keep him, so he had him taken away. It was also because Song Jiang had been in the county government for a long time and treated people gently and generously, so even though he had left, the tea was not yet cold. In addition, Zhang San had found a new love and didn't want to be his enemy, so he was treated preferentially in prison. They found him a clean and dry room, and the Song family spent money to bribe everyone and serve him three meals a day.

It was not until the beginning of summer when the temperature turned warmer that he had spent enough time in prison and was sent to Jeju. After some money was paid and with the help of local gentry and Shi Wenbin, he was sentenced to exile in Jiangzhou, and the police officers chosen to escort him were Zhang Qian and Li Wan.

Although these two people did not know Song Jiang, who in Jeju did not know Song Jiang's name? His ears were full of stuff, and with the help of Song Taigong's request that Song Qing bring money to him, these two people did not dare to treat him as a prisoner along the way. Not only did they serve him well, but Song Jiang also wanted to go to Liangshan to take a look. When he saw the mountains in the water from afar, new trees had grown, and the young leaves and weeds on the mountains were swaying in the wind. The green mixed with the color of the rocks and soil made people feel like they were in another world.

Song Jiang sighed, "I didn't expect this mountain to be like this. Lu Bu was so powerful when he was here, but now there are only broken walls and weeds left. It's really sad." Zhang Qian smiled, "It's thanks to the old lady's martial arts skills, otherwise we don't know how many years we would have been suppressed by the Liangshan bandits."

Li Wan also said: "Now that the Liangshan bandits are gone, peace has returned to the two routes of Jingdong. This is cause for celebration."

Song Jiang looked at them both meaningfully without saying anything. He thought to himself that the matter about the old lady could only deceive those who had little knowledge. Anyone with a little brains would know what was going on.

But he didn't have the heart to tell the two of them this. He always felt as if something was missing standing by the water. He pondered for a long time but still got nothing. So he set off in the impatient eyes of the two.

But before they had gone five miles, a group of bandits suddenly jumped out of the woods, and the leader held a broadsword and chopped at Zhang Qian. Song Jiang shouted loudly, "Brother Zou Yuan, hold on!"

hum-

The knife flashed towards him, and the blade with a cold glow stopped on his forehead. Zhang Qian looked at the knife with horror. His legs and feet went limp, and he sat on the ground with his mouth wide open. He uttered "ah...ah..." but could not form any words.

"Brother, why did you call me? Let me kill him with my sword, and then we can go back to Dengzhou and have fun together." Zou Yuan frowned. He had just instinctively obeyed Song Jiang's order to stop, but now he thought something was wrong. He retracted his arm, raised his sword, and looked at Li Wan.

"Hero, spare your life!"

Li Wan on the other side was not much stronger than Zhang Qian. He bent his knees, fell to the ground, and begged for mercy like a kowtow.

"Zou Yuan! Are you going to force me to death?" Song Jiang stomped his feet and quickly stepped forward to stand in front of the two men.

Lin Long immediately shook his head and put away his knife: "Brother, what are you talking about? How dare I do this?"

Song Jiang finally breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed Zou Yuan's arm: "Brother, if you love me, don't worry about this and go back first."

Zou Yuan was stunned: "Brother, why do you say that? Before we came here, uncle and nephew told Mr. and Mrs. Sun that we would take you back." His nephew Zou Run behind him also nodded desperately.

"Listen to me." Song Jiang exerted force on his hands and took two steps forward with him. "I am an official. I became the leader of the mountain stronghold out of necessity. Now that I have hope of redeeming my sins, Song Jiang will naturally follow the law. Besides, my old father at home is also hoping that I can escape the lawsuit and return to my hometown. If you don't listen today, I will kill you with a knife. This will make Song Jiang a disloyal and unfilial person. It is better to kill Song Jiang first and then kill the two of them."

"I dare not." Zou Yuan was shocked and quickly broke free from Song Jiang's hand and knelt down: "If I have any intention of harming you, may the heavens strike me with lightning and I will die a miserable death."

Zou Run also knelt down and said, "My nephew is the same. I will never dare to harm my brother in this life."

Song Jiang finally breathed a sigh of relief: "I know what you guys are thinking, but the best thing for me right now is for me to go to Jiangzhou to serve my sentence. When I have redeemed myself, I will return home and reunite with you guys. Wouldn't that be great?"

The uncle and nephew of the Zou family looked at each other, and Lin Long said helplessly: "Just do as my brother says."

Song Jiang was overjoyed: "My dear uncle and nephew, please get up quickly. What's the point of kneeling like this? Now that we have agreed, let's go back quickly."

"Brother, wait a moment."

Zou Yuan and Zou Run stood up and took out some silver from their pockets and put them into a bulging bag. "We left in a hurry this time and didn't bring much money. Fortunately, we met a group of idiots on the road and got 500 taels. Brother, take it all and use it on the road."

Song Jiang did not refuse and took it immediately. The big man pointed at Zhang Qian and Li Wan who were in doubt and said, "Hey! Listen carefully, you two, if my brother gets hurt on the way, I will kill your whole family and hang them on a tree to feed the birds when I come back! Do you understand clearly?"

The two men shuddered and nodded repeatedly: "We will never treat Brother Song Gongming badly. Don't worry, you two heroes, don't worry!"

Zou Yuan and Zou Run reluctantly said, "The mountain is high and the road is long, brother, please be careful."

"That's a relief." Song Jiang patted the two men and said, "Go back and tell my brothers about this." He took a step back and looked at their faces. "Song Jiang - goodbye."

Zou Yuan and Zou Run bowed together: "Brother, everything is fine."

Then he walked away with his followers, looking back every few steps. Song Jiang stood there, waving his arms and watching them go away. Then he turned around and helped Zhang Qian and Li Wan up: "I'm sorry for scaring you two." He took out two ingots of fine silver from the package and stuffed them into the two men: "This is a small amount of money. You two keep it. It is Song Jiang's apology for the two brothers."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

"How dare you let Brother Gongming spoil the money."

The two men shook their heads repeatedly. Song Jiang used his arms to exert force and said, "You two must accept it, otherwise you will look down on me, Song Jiang."

"This……"

The two officers looked at each other, then took the silver and put it in their bag: "Brother Gongming, you are so generous. The two of us will definitely serve you well together."

Song Jiang then smiled and said, "What are you talking about? The three of us will help each other along the way."

The three of them did not stay in this desolate mountain and wilderness, but walked all the way forward. Some small thieves appeared on the road from time to time, but fortunately Song Jiang's reputation worked, and these people not only did not rob them, but the rich ones also offered them fifty or thirty taels of silver, and Song Jiang always gave them some. This made the two officers tremble with fear, and they also respected Song Jiang very much. He was worthy of being the timely rain famous in Shandong.

As they walked and stopped like this, their pockets became fatter, and each of them earned about a hundred taels of silver. The two happy escorts served Song Jiang even more attentively.

Not long after, they crossed the Xunyang River. (End of this chapter)