Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The sky became overcast and the sun disappeared behind the clouds in the afternoon. On the city wall west of Huanglongfu, Wanyan Zonghan looked at the dust in the distance with a strange expression. It was the smoke and dust raised by the retreating Liao army. Then scouts ran out of the city gate, and soon the Jin commander standing on the city wall received a reply.

"…retired?" Wanyan Zonghan opened his eyes wide: "Why?"

"This... I am incompetent and have not figured out why the Liao people retreated."

The figure in golden armor waved his hand slightly, looked towards the city, and shook his head: "Forget it, no matter why we retreat, it is better than being blocked by others. Let's continue to find out where they retreated to."

He turned around and prepared to walk towards the city, but stopped and said, "Let's find out more about the situation at Wanyan Loushi's place."

"Yes."

Without paying any attention to the scouts who had answered the order, the Jin army commander walked down the city wall, mounted his warhorse, and, surrounded by his personal guards, headed for the imperial palace.

A somewhat cold wind blew across the dry streets, through the intertwined gazes of the people, and came to the outside of the palace that looked inexplicably desolate. Wanyan Zonghan reined in his horse, sat on the saddle and let the warhorse stop for a while before he turned over and got off. Seeing this, the guards behind him also hurriedly dismounted and escorted him into the palace.

The imperial palace in Huanglongfu was also renovated by Wanyan Aguda in the past two years. It is not very grand. After Wanyan Sheng ascended the throne, he had been at war with Wanyan Gao. All the money and food were used in the army, and there was no money for expansion. All the decorations in the palace, palace maids, and eunuchs were inherited from their predecessor.

Wanyan Zonghan came in, and a sensible eunuch came forward to greet him and lead the way. He led him to the side hall and then knocked on the door: "Bojilie, General Nianhan wants to see you."

"Come in--"

The drawn-out tone was a bit unclear. Wanyan Zonghan frowned, pushed the door open and walked in. Suddenly, a scent of wine filled his nose. He couldn't help but straighten his feet and stepped forward to salute: "Nian is rarely seen before."

In the sight, Wanyan Sheng's originally gloomy face was full of red flushes due to drunkenness. Empty wine jars were piled up at his feet. Judging from the number, he had obviously been drinking for a while.

"Nicky...Han!" Wanyan Sheng looked at him with the wine bowl in his hand, and suddenly laughed. He handed the bowl forward and said, "Come, accompany me, hiccup - have a drink."

Wanyan Zonghan's mouth twitched and he turned to look at the eunuch. The man was also smart. Seeing this, he bent his body, blocked Wanyan Sheng's sight with his sleeves, and made a sign with his other hand.

That means Wanyan Sheng has been drinking here alone for the whole morning.

Wanyan Zonghan didn't know whether he understood or not, but frowned even more tightly, walked over and sat down, first took the bowl and drank the wine, then wiped the wine stains from the corners of his mouth: "Bojilie, why are you hiding here to drink today? This is really unlike you in the past."

"Why can't I drink it?"

Wanyan Sheng waved his hand, and the eunuch who led the way quickly backed out of the door, grabbed the wine jar and took a big sip, and said with a big tongue: "What's that saying in those Han books? Drink the wine today, and worry about tomorrow's affairs tomorrow."

Wanyan Zonghan, who was sitting here, watched him pour the wine. He had been in the army for a long time and had little exposure to Han and Khitan books, so he had no idea what he was talking about. He just said helplessly: "You can't drink in broad daylight. What if someone breaks in?"

“What should I do?” Wanyan Sheng looked at him with a dull look in his eyes and smiled strangely: “Does anyone care about my Bojilie? Gu Shen, that bastard who deserves to be hanged, surrendered just like that…”

bang——

The wine jar slammed down on the table: "Xiangzhou! The northern gate of Huanglong Mansion!"

The drunk man stood up with the help of the wine jar, staggered twice and waved his arms violently.

Bangpong——

The wine jar broke and the liquid with the aroma of wine splashed out. Wanyan Zonghan retracted his foot and looked at the man with a red face.

"I didn't even send Buluhu, Hulu and the others, I only let Gu Shen stay there." He staggered a few steps, stretched out his hands and shook them: "I need soldiers and generals, we have enough money and food, and we have enough weapons. Why should he be the first to surrender..." He turned around and said: "Why!"

Wanyan Zonghan tilted his head and said nothing. He watched Wanyan Sheng rush forward and walk back to his seat. He turned around and sat down, panting: "I am my brother's successor..."

"Now, not only is Wanyan Gao trying to kill me, but the Liao people are also coming over to invade the damn Qi State. Lu Bu still hasn't come, and I've promised him Xinzhou... They are all a bunch of damn killers."

The sound of mumbling came from the person who was lying low, and the two braids behind Wanyan Sheng's head were scattered behind his head. Wanyan Zonghan's eyes flickered twice, and he sat there for a few breaths before speaking: "I have good news to tell Bojilie. The Liao army has retreated, and the reinforcements from Qi have arrived."

"Um……"

A long nasal sound came from the drunkard. Wanyan Zonghan waited for a while, and seeing that he didn't respond, he thought he was drunk. Just as he was about to stand up with the help of the table, he saw Wanyan Sheng straighten his back like a corpse, looking at him with red eyes: "What did you say?"

Wanyan Zonghan leaned back and spoke, "There was movement in the Liao army camp this afternoon. I sent scouts out to investigate and found that the Liao soldiers were withdrawing. It didn't look like they were going to find another place to camp..."

"It's not a Liao dog, what happened to Qi?" Wanyan Sheng waved his hand and looked at him with eyes wide open.

Wanyan Zonghan cupped his hands and said, "Qi's reinforcements have arrived and are now stationed twenty miles to the south."

bang——

Wanyan Sheng slapped the table, stood up suddenly, and said excitedly while swaying: "Take me there quickly."

Wanyan Zonghan stood up quickly and held out his hand to support him: "Bojilie, wait a moment, at this time..." He looked him up and down, not knowing how to say it directly: "You... it's inconvenient for you to leave the palace to meet people today, how about tomorrow?"

"What are you talking about?" Wanyan Sheng was drunk, his eyes bright, "If I don't go to greet them in person, and the Qi army doesn't do their best to help us, then it will be a loss."

Wanyan Zonghan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but with inexplicable emotions in his heart, he said bluntly: "You are drunk today. If you go, you may be misunderstood by the Qi people. Anyway, they are waiting for the army to arrive, so there is no rush." ​​After thinking for a while, he said: "Anyway, it is only the vanguard of the Qi army that has come. The King of Qi has not arrived yet. Wouldn't it be embarrassing to go to meet them like this?"

However, he did not mention that the Qi army had been arriving for several days.

Wanyan Sheng was stunned, then he sat down again: "You are right. It is indeed inappropriate to meet him like this."

Snapped--

He slapped his face and cheered up a little: "Then I will have a good rest today. You send some military rations to the Qi army camp. When Qi King Lu Bu arrives, I will come out and talk to him in detail."

"Yes."

Wanyan Zonghan bowed and said a few words of comfort before turning and leaving the side hall. When he left the palace, he saw the cavalry sent by Wanyan Poluhuo.

"General, Wanyan Loushi will retreat to Xiangzhou."

“…Understood.”

Turning around to look at the palace he once remembered, Wanyan Zonghan jumped on his horse and said, "Let's go back to the barracks."

The sound of horse hooves clattered on the ground as they rode away.

That night, cartloads of food and live cattle and sheep were transported out of Huanglong Mansion and escorted all the way to the Qi military camp by 500 cavalrymen and 800 infantrymen, which made the Qi soldiers somewhat excited.

The next day, Wanyan Sheng sent court officials with gold, silver and beauties to present to generals such as Xi Sheng, Du Fu and Yuan Lang, but they politely declined. Then Wanyan Sheng sent military rations into the camp.

On the Bingshen day, Lu Bu's army marched north through Tongzhou and continued northward until they entered the Jin Kingdom's sphere of influence. The Liao people withdrew from Jingyuan City and returned to Changchun Prefecture.

In the year of Ji Hai, Wanyan Gao sent troops to occupy Jingyuan City, leaving 2,000 garrisons there, and transferred 2,000 soldiers from Binzhou to Xiangzhou. He then sent military supplies across the river, as if he was aiming for Huanglongfu.

In the year of Renyin, Xi Sheng and Du Fu moved their camps to the east of Huanglongfu, and the troops of Yi Dian and King Hue went north to Jiangning Prefecture.

Two days later, the big flag with the word "Qi" on it appeared again in the south of Huanglongfu. Lu Bu's royal flag came into the sight of the scouts from the three parties. The cavalrymen coming and going conveyed this message, causing different expressions of joy and anger on the faces of those who received it.

And Huanglongfu opened its gates. (End of this chapter)