Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Wheels--

The wheels rolled over the bluestone road under the city gate. Li Shanqing, who was sitting in the carriage, swayed for a while. He looked at the figure wearing silver armor riding a white horse in front of him and sighed. He couldn't understand why those Song people only forced him to drink last night, but didn't drink with warriors like General Hua. It was really strange, but he couldn't say anything when he was a guest at someone else's house. These Song people could do whatever they wanted.

The sky came back into view and the carriage left Yidu City. Not long after they had traveled far, Hua Rong was the first to frown. Shan Jinglong and Li Shanqing also frowned like him after they had traveled another mile.

In the distance, there is a ten-mile long pavilion.

Two flags were fluttering in the wind. Next to the familiar large banner with the word "Qi" was a large banner with the word "Song". A little further away, a flag with the word "Yan" was unfurled. Below the flag, a black-faced general was riding a warhorse, holding a big sword upside down, looking at the Qi army on the side. The black and red troops were clearly standing on both sides, but the red troops seemed twice as many as the black troops.

"Envoy Li."

Murong Yanda, wearing a green cape, stood in front of the pavilion with a smile on his face. Hua Rong and the other two stopped, and Li Shanqing hurriedly came down to salute: "Murong Zhizhou."

"We heard that the envoy was leaving, so our state specially sent 800 soldiers to escort you all the way north to the ferry." Murong Yanda said with a smile, and then glanced at Hua Rong, then looked back at Li Shanqing: "To prevent any daring bandits from bumping into you on the road."

Hua Rong suddenly clenched his fists. Shan Jinglong saw that he had bad intentions and could not help but say, "It seems that there are still bandits under Qingzhou."

Murong Yanda didn't agree. Instead, he glanced at Hua Rong again and nodded: "I wonder where there are traitors who want to serve their country? Some people are ungrateful at heart." He looked at Li Shanqing and sighed: "If you encounter such people, the envoy must be very careful."

Although Li Shanqing didn't know what was going on, he was not stupid. He instinctively felt that the prefect of Song State across from him was talking about something else. He laughed and said, "Don't worry, Prefect Murong. If anyone really comes to provoke us, we have General Hua to protect us. Prefect, you don't know that General Hua is a good archer. He specializes in shooting down those blind insects. No matter how many trash come, it will be in vain."

Hua Rong relaxed a little.

Murong Yanda's smile froze for a moment, then he laughed, "That would be the best, but General Yan has already received the order from this state, so it would be better to let him take you to the riverside."

He turned around and said to the rear: "Tell General Yan to go ahead and clear the way for the Qi envoys."

Li Shanqing exchanged a glance with Hua Rong, and seeing him nod, Li Shanqing reluctantly said, "Thank you so much, Governor Murong. However, you don't need to worry about this matter. General Hua is experienced and will handle it properly." He turned to Hua Rong and said, "General, please go ahead. The generals of Song don't need to worry about clearing the way."

Hua Rong nodded, stared at Murong Yanda, then reined in his mount and rode forward with Shan Jinglong.

Li Shanqing immediately bowed and said, "Please forgive me, Governor. I still have to go to Bianliang to meet the emperor of your country. I will take my leave now."

He turned around and got on the carriage, and left with an order. Murong Yanda wanted to say a few more words, but seeing that he was determined to leave, he flicked his sleeves and snorted, looking at Ma Zheng who was following him: "Ma Qinxia, ​​keep an eye on these people. We are afraid that these villains will return to their old ways and cause chaos in Qingzhou."

Ma Zheng was groaning in his heart. He could see clearly from behind. Considering the military background of these Qi generals, it was likely that the Qingzhou governor had some conflict with Hua Rong. He blamed himself for not directly transferring the navy to Bianliang via the mouth of the Jishui River. He had to respond, "Don't worry, Governor. I will take good care of it."

After saying that, he hurriedly followed. In front, the flags of Qi and Song were advancing side by side, with carriages and horses following behind, raising dust all the way.

……

The sound of wheels and footsteps echoed on the flat road in the forest. When the common people and merchants going to Yidu saw it, they hurriedly made way for the team of thousands of people.

Li Shanqing sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked at the figure in red clothes. Dust was raised from footsteps and the moving figures were a bit messy. The envoy looked for a long time with his habitual smile, and then turned his gaze to the figure in black armor with a hint of relief in his eyes.

But soon, he frowned again and turned his gaze to the Song army. In the crimson figure, the general on the warhorse was tilting his head to look at the Qi army. From the back, it was unclear who he was looking at. Li Shanqing stroked his chin, his eyes turned back and forth between Hua Rong and Shan Jinglong, and then he waved to the soldiers of the Qi army: "Go and invite General Hua over."

The soldier responded and ran to the front. Li Shanqing saw him talking to Hua Rong. The general riding the white horse stopped his horse and then looked at the Song general over there. Sure enough, the man no longer looked at the Qi army, turned around and continued on his way silently.

"Mr. Li, why are you looking for me?"

Hearing the voice, Li Shanqing looked aside and smiled apologetically: "General Hua, you have worked hard. I have indeed discovered something strange." He pointed his finger at the Song army and said: "General, do you know who the leader of the Song army is this time?"

Hua Rong was stunned for a moment, then looked in the direction he had just pointed, and then frowned: "Are you talking about the leader? I have never seen this person."

"That's a bit strange..." Li Shanqing touched his chin and squinted at the back of General Song: "Just now this man was looking at you, could he be an old acquaintance of the general in Qingzhou?"

"I am sure that I have never seen this person before. He may be curious about our Qi army and glance at me occasionally."

"Maybe it's me..."

As the two were talking, the figure riding on a war horse in front of them glanced back. The moment their eyes met, he quickly turned his head away.

Li Shanqing pursed his lips: "...General, I said he was looking at you."

"Wait... I'll ask you when I get a chance."

Hua Rong said this, but Hua Rong did not take it to heart. The Song general also restrained himself afterwards. Without the previous spying, Li Shanqing had to deal with Ma Zheng, so he forgot about the matter for a while.

The journey finally came to an end. At the ferry crossing of the Jishui River in Boxing County, five large flat-bottomed sand boats were docked at the pier. There were shadows swaying on the boats, and officials guarding the pier came to greet them.

Hua Rong was about to send someone to negotiate, but before he could open his mouth, he felt something strange happening nearby. Turning around, he saw the general of the Song army staring at him with wide eyes, then he spurred his horse and ran towards him. A rough voice rang out from a distance of three or five feet.

"Wait a minute, you pretty boy!"

The warhorse's four hooves gradually stopped. The general held the knife and pulled the reins. The horse moved twice violently, and then it was pulled hard before it became obedient: "I have something to ask you."

"Who are you to come here and act like a troublemaker?" Shan Jinglong saw that he was so arrogant, pointed his finger and was about to step forward.

Hua Rong stretched out his arm to block him, frowning as he looked at the other's large and sturdy figure: "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"I..." The dark-skinned general smiled, his eyes full of contempt, and muttered, "The bandits put on brocade clothes and pretended to be me." He took two steps forward on his horse and said, "I want to ask you, did Qin Ming go to Liaodong with you guys?"

Hua Rong frowned even more tightly: "How do you know General Qin? Who is he?"

"I am Yan Shude, the cousin of Qin Ming the Hammer!" (End of this chapter)