Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The lively wedding turned into a drinking contest.

The generals in the front yard carried three or four people down in a disorderly manner. Even though Lu Bu could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, a person's tolerance was limited after all. Han Shizhong, Xu Wen, Di Lei and others who were the best men stepped forward to take over and let their emperor have a rest and relieve the sense of urgency.

However, this made the generals who were ready to take advantage of the situation to "defeat" Lu Bu a little at a loss. By the time two of the best men were knocked down, the emperor, who was a master on both the battlefield and the bar, had recovered and shouted at everyone to continue drinking, and immediately everyone fell to the ground.

The generals who were known for their good drinking skills "died" one after another in front of their own emperor. They were carried to the side and lay on the ground to sober up. The halls and courtyards were suddenly filled with snoring sounds.

Someone turned around and looked around, and found that more than half of the civil and military officials in the Qi court had been "killed" at this banquet. The military generals were killed by the emperor, and the civil officials were "harmed" at this banquet by the Shangshu Ling and Taipuqing.

No matter how others viewed the emperor's drinking capacity, they remembered the achievements of Yang Bangyi and Zeng Nong, that the six ministers, vice ministers and doctors were all "dead", and they would not forget it for a long time.

"It seems that the mistresses of each family will blame me again tonight." Lu Bu stood up, straightened the jade belt around his waist, laughed, and walked out. Yu Cheng and Wei He hurriedly led the guards to follow.

Outside, the palace maid who stayed at the door came forward to tell Lu Bu that Wu Qing and the other girls had returned to the palace. Looking up at the moon in the sky, the Emperor of Qi was not surprised at all. His daughter and son were still in the palace. Although there were palace maids and eunuchs there, what mother would not worry about her own children?
The emperor's departure also brought the wedding banquet to an end. The women who were still waiting for their men went to the front and heard snoring sounds one after another.

The angry woman stepped forward and punched the man a few times. Some of the men's snoring stopped for a moment and then resumed, while others did not even show the slightest sign of discomfort.

The woman, who was filled with hatred, had no choice but to carry the man to the car with the help of the servants in the Shangshu Ling's mansion, and wait until the next day to wake up to deal with it.

Just as Wu Qing expected, no one went to the county lady's wedding room tonight, and the young boy and girl were able to embrace each other quietly in this room.

The bridal chamber stopped red candles last night, and waited until Xiaotang to worship uncle.

After putting on makeup, she asked her husband in a low voice, thrush the depth of the eyebrows.

……

This month.

Everyone firmly believed that Qi's national fortunes were prospering.

In late autumn, during the regular court session, the Minister of Personnel Qiao Lie proposed the establishment of the Northern Frontier Protectorate. Niu Gao was appointed the first protector, Wang Jun the deputy protector, Du Lisan the chief secretary, and Zhazhici Rentuo Zhao the military commander. He sent 5,000 troops north.

What made the second generation of Linhuang Prefecture sigh was that Sun Yue actually did what he said. Originally, he had an uncle, Sun Qi, in his family, but he had received the emperor's order and went to Goryeo with Feng Sheng. Therefore, the young man, who was out of supervision, prepared at home for three or five days, then left a letter, rode out of the city alone, with two swords, and headed east to Fengzhou to find Sun An.

Also leaving at the same time was Niu Tong. This unruly young man was also stimulated by Yang Zaixing. He pestered Niu Gao and finally joined the army. He went north to the grassland with his father and would not be seen for a while.

As soon as the two of them left, the morale of Ruan Liang, Huyan brother and sister who were sitting in the school suddenly became unstable. First, Huyan brother and sister went home to find Hu Yanzhuo under Xiao Haili in Liaoyang Prefecture.

Huyan Shi refused at first, but when she heard that Sun Yue and Niu Tong had left, she thought for a while and then wrote a letter to her husband. She also asked a few servants in the mansion to accompany Huyan Yu. As her sister, Huyan Yuying was ordered to stay at home and not to go anywhere.

As for Ruan Liang who returned home, he also shouted loudly that he wanted to join the army for training. He wanted to learn from Sun Yue and pack his bags to leave, but he was beaten up by Madam Ruan. His father Ruan Xiaoer is now on the sea. Wouldn't it be impossible to find him even if he swims until he dies?

Therefore, the first second-generation son of the navy was unable to go. He was depressed all day long, complaining that his father could not do anything else but join the navy. He could have run and jumped back then and would not have suffered such grievances.

But he completely forgot that his home was by the water and he would not be able to survive if he didn't learn some water skills.

As for the last person, Wanyan Jindanzi, his mother didn't mind him living in the army. It was just that Wanyan Zonghan hadn't returned yet. The calf-like boy suddenly became impatient. He wanted to go to the school to play with Niu Tong and others, but was told that they had already left Beijing. He immediately became discouraged.

Fortunately, Qiongying and Yang Zaixing spent two sweet days together, and she did not forget her identity as the Princess of Qi State. No matter how reluctant she was, she could only watch the man who had just become her husband go back to the military camp.

On her daily basis, apart from greeting the newly-appointed Lady Yang in the morning, she would go to the palace to play with the three daughters of Wu Qing and the three siblings of Lu Wen. Occasionally, she would also go to see Ni, who was now a widow and chanted sutras at home all day long.

As for her younger brothers and sisters, Qiongying, who was already married, didn't see them often. When they met again, she found that many of them had followed Yang Zaixing's example and joined the army. For a moment, she didn't know whether to be proud or laugh.

The team heading to the Song Dynasty was gradually approaching Tokyo Road and heading towards the nearest port.

It was also from this month that the State of Qi officially entered a stage of recuperation.

……

The emerging countries occupying the east and north directions began to retract their claws and accumulate strength.

The Liao Kingdom in the south was enjoying peace and prosperity. After Yelu Yanshi returned from hunting in Luming Mountain, he was relieved to find that Qi did not continue to pursue him. Even though there was no news about the outcome of the war in the northern part of Shangjing Road, the emperor did not take it to heart.

He just feasted and drank, and ordered craftsmen to make mattresses out of the tiger skins he had hunted and placed them in his tent, enjoying the scenery every day. However, he grew tired of this kind of self-entertainment after a few days, so he summoned dancers and singers and asked them to learn the latest lyrics and dances that came from the State of Song.

When he drank too much, he would go to sleep with the most beautiful singer and dancer of the day. As for the advice from the court, it went in one ear and out the other. Some people were even kicked out of his tent because they spoke too much. Many people sighed to the sky, but they didn't know how to motivate their emperor to concentrate on state affairs.

All this made those close to him very worried. Some of them looked solemn, as if they were thinking about how to dissuade him.

The political situation of the Liao Dynasty gradually turned into a strange one in this atmosphere.

……

At the same time, in the south of Song State, Muzhou and Qingxi County.

Hurrying footsteps led into the spacious house. Under the sunlight, the whole house was eerily quiet. Figures sitting or standing seemed to be asleep, without any movement.

The sound of footsteps startled the "stone statue" in the room. Looking over, the man wiped the sweat off his face and bowed: "Brother Fang, I'm a little late, please forgive me."

"Brother Bai, it's good that you're here. Take a seat—"

A heroic laugh came out of the room, and he pointed at the person who came and said to everyone in the room: "This is Brother Bai Yanshou, a native of Qixian Village, and he uses a good Pudao."

"Thank you, thank you."

Under the daylight, the young man had a bit of embarrassment on his face, perhaps he was not used to this kind of opportunity to show up in front of people. He hurried to the end and found a seat to sit down.

The owner of the heroic laughter stood up. He was neither tall nor short, with a square face and a righteous look. He waved his hand and said, "Brothers, you are here today to give me face. I have prepared some wine here. You can have a taste. It is my own craft. If it doesn't taste good, tell me quietly later. Don't embarrass me in public."

"Fang Dalang is joking." "Every time I come to Dalang's place, I am always drunk."

"Just some witty remarks. Bring us the wine."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became lively. Fang La smiled and didn't care. He clapped his hands. The servants who had been waiting outside came over with hot wine and cut meat with sauce. The wine was poured into the bowl and then into his stomach. For a moment, the aroma of wine filled the air.

However, the people in the room did not seem to be in a good mood to talk. Few people spoke, and the few who spoke spoke in low voices and frowned, as if they were complaining about something.

Fang La, the host, did not say anything. He just drank bowl after bowl, occasionally picking up slices of meat and putting them into his mouth. After everyone had drunk a few bowls of wine, Fang La tilted his head back to drink the wine in the bowl and threw the bowl on the table.

boom--

The sound of the bottom of the bowl hitting the table made everyone in the room look up. Fang La stood up and wiped his mouth: "Everyone -

We all make a living in this southeastern region. Fang La dares to ask an impolite question: How much have you, the distinguished guests, earned this year?

The people who were eating and drinking were silent for a while. Fang La did not intend to listen to their answers. He took a breath and slapped the table: "I tell you, this year Fang's lacquer garden did not make a penny, and even lost a thousand strings of cash!"

He raised his hands and drew a circle on both sides: "This world is like a family, the government is the father, the officials are the elder brothers, and we are the sons and younger brothers. However -

How can it be that the sons and brothers earn money, but it is taken away by their fathers and brothers to squander, and they are beaten with bamboo sticks or whips if they are not satisfied? How can it be that the fathers and brothers force their own flesh and blood to use their savings to satisfy their desires? ! "

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He pointed his right hand at the person in front of him and said, "If it's you, are you willing?"

He pointed to the side again: "Are you willing?"

"What about you?"

The sound was like a huge bell. The people who were pointed at were dressed in luxurious clothes. Their faces turned red. Some of them threw their wine bowls to the ground in anger. "Damn it, I've had enough. Brother Fang, you have to pay a thousand strings of cash this year."

He patted his chest and said, "Where is I? My ancestral tomb was almost dug up by those bastards! If I hadn't spent money and been allowed time to move the tomb, the damn court would have really done something like digging up people's ancestral tombs!"

boom--

"Huo Chengfu, you spent money to save your ancestral tomb." Someone slammed the table nearby. Everyone looked over and saw a skinny man with a distorted face: "I spent money but my ancestral hall was still destroyed. Just because a stone inside couldn't come out, those officials forcibly demolished my ancestral hall!"

He stamped his feet in anger and said, "My ancestral tablets are all over the floor. I went to ask for them to be put back in their place, but they wouldn't let me. How can there be such an official?"

"That's it!" Fang La interrupted him, "You two are rich, Huo Chengfu and Wu Bang. What about ordinary people? What about the children of poor people? Not only do they have to deal with their various exorbitant taxes, but they also have to endure hard labor and forced labor, Brother Bai."

Bai Yanshou, who was listening to the sigh at the last seat, looked up. Fang La looked at him and asked, "How was the harvest in your village this year?"

"...There is no harvest." Bai Yanshou smiled bitterly and spread his hands. "The local official over there is even more greedy. 70% of the harvest from the fields this year was taken away, and the silk raised by women was sold to the workshops at a low price. Not only did they work for nothing all year, but they even had a problem of whether they could survive the winter."

Fang La closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, tears were glistening in his eyes: "Officials plunder and extort, and farmers can't feed themselves. We who rely on lacquer, paper, bamboo and wood for survival have all been taken away by the government under various names of taxes, leaving us with not even a single bamboo thread!"

His sight swept over more people, and the faces of these young and middle-aged men suddenly twisted. Fang La took the opportunity to say: "The officials of the court are supposed to nurture the people, but they are so cruel and greedy, how can people not resent them!
His officials have singing and dancing with women in the palace, built palaces and gardens, expanded military equipment, and collected rare flowers and stones. Every year, the silver and silk bribes to the western and northern countries must be calculated in millions. Which one is not the blood and sweat of the people in the southeast? ! Isn't it our fat? !
And the court! The court never dared to say no to the west and the north. The officials in the court never cared about those increasingly contemptuous eyes. They would only say that the stability of the border was a sign of long-term peace and stability.

Only us! We are busy all year round, paying taxes and grain for the ministers, and offering precious stones to the government, but in the end, our wives and children can't even have a bowl of porridge to eat at home! What do you think we should do? "

In the crowd, Bai Yanshou and several other honest-looking people stood up and shouted indignantly: "Fang Dalang, you decide what to do. We are willing to listen to your orders!"

Fang La took a breath and said, "The people in the court today are all flatterers. They are good at making money but neglect the state affairs. Outside the capital, the local officials are all corrupt and no one cares about the lives of ordinary people.

The people in the southeast of China have suffered enough, and have been exploited the most and for the longest time! The recent flower and stone project is even more unbearable!

You are all prominent figures. If you are willing to plead for the people of the world and rise up, all places will surely respond. As long as we can gather tens of thousands of people in a short period of time, those corrupt officials in the southeast will surely not dare to provoke us and try to pacify us. They will not negotiate with us and will not immediately report to the court."

After a pause, Fang La glanced at the people gathered here and saw some interest on their faces: "Then we can propose various conditions to buy them time and send other people to capture the counties in the south of the Yangtze River.

The imperial court is even slower in sending troops, the court makes decisions slowly, it takes time to allocate food and grass, and it also takes time to recruit and train the army. It will take at least half a year before the troops can be sent out, and we have occupied the southeast at this time."

He made a circle with his hands and said, "You should know that the annual tribute is over a million and the military expenditure is as high as 100,000. Most of these come from the people in the southeast. You and I are the official money bags. Without the tribute from people like us, the court can only oppress the people in the Central Plains, and they can't stand it, and they will also rise up in rebellion.

Southeast and Central Plains are both in rebellion, and the annual tribute will certainly be insufficient. Then the Xixia and Liao people will certainly not agree, and will inevitably send troops to attack and teach the Zhao family a lesson. In such a time of great chaos in the world, we only need to defend the south of the Yangtze River, lighten taxes and levies, and within ten years, we will finally unify it!"

Fang La stood up straight and looked around at everyone: "If not, we can only wait for death!"

bang——

"Master Dao, I am willing to follow Fang Dalang in rebellion!" The figure who stood up was wearing a Taoist robe. It was Bao Daoyi who had not been seen for a long time. "Although Master Dao is a Taoist, I have long seen that these corrupt officials are not good enough. I am willing to fight and create a clear world!"

"Well said! It's the other way around!"

"I also want to follow Dalang!"

"I've long wanted to kill those corrupt officials, and this time I'm going all out!"

More and more people were talking, and the crowd was in an uproar. Fang La showed a trace of relief on his face and raised his hands high: "Everyone, everyone!

This is a matter of life and death, please don't make such a fuss."

He paused for a moment, waiting for the crowd to shut up and listen, then nodded: "We need to discuss a time, and start the uprising on that day. Also, we need people with strong martial arts to participate in the march and battle. If there are any martial arts people you know, you need to bring them in."

The people below nodded.

On the ninth day of the tenth month of the second year of the Xuanhe reign, Fang La, a native of Qingxi in Muzhou, started an uprising in Qixian Village in She County. He proclaimed himself Holy Lord, established the Yongle reign, set up officials and generals, and used turbans to distinguish their ranks. Within ten days, he had gathered tens of thousands of people and killed the Song general Cai Zun.

Jiangnan is shaken. (End of this chapter)