Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The fourth year of Tianshun in Qi Dynasty, mid-spring.

The winter chill had not yet subsided, but trade in the entire north had become active again. Caravans of Han, Jurchen and Bohai people, carrying furs and medicinal herbs and driving horses, were running on the official roads as usual. All the trading houses had cleared away the snow and opened their doors to welcome the first batch of merchants to trade.

The news of the alliance with the State of Song had not spread among the people. For the common people, businessmen, students and others in Liaoyang Prefecture and even other military states in Liaodong, the only difference between this winter and usual ones was the winter military training at Zhechou Prefecture and perhaps the granting of garrison numbers. However, these were all matters for the officials and generals, and they were more content with spending the winter safely.

The news of the return of the delegation arrived first. Wanyan Zonghan, Zhang Lin and others who had been looking forward to it very much cursed the Song Dynasty for its fickleness. They asked why the envoys did not die in the territory of Qi and retreated without even wanting to form an alliance. As for generals such as Mi Sheng and Lin Chong, although they were angry about the lack of trust between the Song Dynasty's monarch and his ministers, they were happy that they did not have to form an alliance with them. They only cursed them all day long in private, and it was difficult for the officials to reach a consensus.

"Your Majesty, are you not angry about the Song Kingdom's betrayal?"

In the mansion's flower garden courtyard, several figures walked on the gravel path. The red and white plum blossoms swayed gently in the breeze. Hu Sanniang, who was walking on the far left, couldn't help but raise her hand to pick a flower and sniff it gently. As she finished speaking, Su Jinniang on the other side nodded: "I heard about it too. When I first heard it, I was almost mad to death. How can there be such a person who doesn't have the final say?"

"That's right. They were the ones who suggested it." Wu Qing nodded, and the hairpin on her head swayed a little: "It's really unrefined."

The three women spoke one by one, and Lu Bu had no chance to interrupt. He just found their angry faces inexplicably funny: "What's it worth? There are few people in the world who keep their promises, otherwise how can there be a saying that a promise is worth a thousand gold." He stretched out his hand to adjust his cloak: "Besides, it is normal for things like this between the two countries to go back and forth. If I get angry about this..." He paused and thought: "I am past the age to get angry about this. In my opinion, this matter is not worth getting angry about."

The three women chuckled, and Su Jinniang raised her hand and hit him: "Your Majesty, you are obviously young, but you talk like an old man. You don't have any vitality at all."

Lu Bu blinked and smiled suddenly: "Although I am young, I have seen a lot, so it is not wrong to say so." He stretched his waist and said with energy: "For me, it doesn't matter whether to form an alliance with the Song people. I don't think that the cowardly army can help much. It's just that my subordinates are enthusiastic about managing it, so I acquiesce to let them do it. After all, it's for the good of Qi. It's just a few months. I still have some patience."

The three women in the back fell silent for a moment, looking at each other. Wu Qing pursed her lips and said, "...Does the king want to go to war?"

"Want to? I never wanted to fight..."

After saying this, he turned around and looked at the three women. Lu Bu chuckled and reached out to pull the drooping plum branches: "Have you ever seen a wolf?"

Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "Wolves always hunt in groups. After getting the prey, the wolf king eats first. After the wolf king is full, the other wolves can eat in order of strength, status, pregnancy, etc., unless the prey is too small or the number is small. In that case, the wolf pack will share the food to ensure that all wolves in the group have enough energy for the next hunt."

Without turning around, he reached out and tapped his shoulder: "Qi State is now the new wolf pack, and I am the wolf king."

The three girls looked at his back and chuckled, then slowly restrained their smiles, with expressions of understanding in their eyes.

"Liaodong is only the smallest prey. Now the wolves have only tasted it briefly and are accumulating strength for the next hunt." The deep voice echoed under the cold sky. The footsteps in front stopped under a thick cherry tree, and the head was raised to look at the branches full of white plum blossoms: "And Liao is the next prey. This prey is big enough and heavy enough." He lowered his head and turned around with a smile with a hint of wildness: "It is the duty of this wolf king to feed the entire wolf pack and expand the tribe and hunting grounds."

The three women looked at him with different expressions. Hu Sanniang and Su Jinniang had bright eyes, but Wu Qing looked at him worriedly. Before he could say anything, a eunuch came running over from behind and stopped at a distance: "My king, General Hua and the others are back."

"Oh? So fast?" Lu Bu looked at the three women and smiled apologetically: "I wanted to walk with you..."

"Your Majesty, please go first." "The three of us can enjoy ourselves here, Your Majesty, please do not worry."

A plum blossom petal fell from the tree, and the air current caused by walking picked it up. Under the daylight, Lu Bu's voice came over: "Then I will come back to accompany you three after I finish dealing with it."

……

The burning brazier had not yet dispelled the chill in the room, and puffs of white steam were emitted when someone spoke.

At this time, the tired people were standing in the hall. Since it was not a court meeting, they did not stand in a formal manner. A few people who knew each other formed a circle. Hua Rong called out to the scholar behind him: "Professor Wen, we are all alone in Liaodong now, how about coming over and talking?"

"Hmph..." The middle-aged man, who looked a little tired, raised his hands and said, "I was abducted by you. I didn't come here voluntarily."

"I know, I know. You are such a nagging old man. Just come over if I tell you to."

Chi Fang was impatient, so he walked over and grabbed his sleeve and dragged him over here. Wen Huanzhang struggled twice, but how could he break free from this man who worked on the boat all day? Helplessly, he staggered forward twice and pushed him with his hand: "You... are so vulgar, really vulgar!"

"Tsk - you are really a very delicate person." Shan Jinglong curled his lips and said, "Why? Did you feel wronged in Liaodong?"

"I……"

Wen Huanzhang raised his head and just said one word when Li Bao, who was standing beside him, crossed his arms and laughed, "You haven't made any progress in Song! You've been standing outside Bianliang all day. Is there an official who speaks up for you?"

"you……"

"You look so poor..." Chi Fang let him go, looked at Wen Huanzhang, and laughed strangely: "You didn't give me money?"

"It should be because you don't have the money to give." Shan Jinglong tickled his nose, took a look, and flicked his fingers: "You want to be an official even though you have no money. Tsk tsk - you dare to dream even more than me."

"You guys..." Wen Huanzhang pointed at the three people with shaking hands. His face turned red. He didn't even notice the black spots sticking to his body. He just stamped his feet and said, "This is too much, this is too much!"

Hua Rong and Li Shanqing smiled bitterly: "Say less, the king will be here soon."

creak-

At the back, the door of the room opened wide, and several people in the hall looked solemn. They turned around, and a tall figure walked in. (End of this chapter)