Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The moon set and the sun rose, and soon it was noon the next day.

Zeng family.

Zeng Tu opened his eyes. According to Qi State's practice, the army had a half-month rest period after the war, so he naturally went back home to rest. He sat up, squeezed his forehead with his hand, and then touched his throat, feeling a little uncomfortable.

I drank a little too much at the banquet yesterday, and I didn’t get enough rest during these days of fighting, and I returned all the way south in the wind and snow.

tsk...

Don't tell me you've caught a cold.

Thinking of this, the eldest son of the Zeng family got out of bed, washed up and put on his winter clothes. Just as he was about to go to his parents to say hello to Aunt Jun, a servant came running in.

"My dear, someone is here to visit us. It's the Minister of Personnel, Mr. Qiao."

"Hmm?" Zeng Tu stopped, looked up at the sky, and muttered, "Why is he here at this hour? The Ministry of Personnel is so idle?"

He said, "Got it. Go to the kitchen and get me some breakfast."

The servant quickly agreed and Zeng Tu turned around and went to the front hall.

He was tall and had long legs, and he took big, fast steps. Soon he entered the front hall, and as soon as he closed the door, he felt a warm feeling.

He greeted Qiao Lie, who was sitting by the brazier, warming himself by the fire and drinking hot soup, and then went over to sit down: "Mr. Qiao, how come you have time to come to my house to see me today?"

"Of course there are some things I want to confirm with Dalang."

Zeng Tu's eyes moved. The man opposite him called him Da Lang, which should not be a matter of official business. However, the two of them had no friendship in the past. He really couldn't think of any reason to trouble the Phantom Demon Lord, who was avoided by people since the Liangshan era, to come over.

Qiao Lin smiled as he watched the Jurchen Lieutenant General thinking, and did not play dumb: "It's just about some things that happened to Wanyan Zongbi when you were heading north. It has nothing to do with you."

Zeng Mo blinked, looking a little bewildered, but still said, "Brother Qiao, just ask me if you have anything to ask. I will certainly tell you everything I know."

Qiao Lie nodded, and just as he was about to speak, he closed his head again. He tilted his head to look at the door. There was a knock on the door, and then a servant holding a tray appeared in his sight.

"You go out first, I have something to talk to the guest."

The servant was stunned for a moment and was about to leave and close the door.

"Wait a minute." Qiao Lie quickly stretched out his hand to stop him: "Da Lang hasn't eaten yet? Why don't we talk while we eat? It's not a very urgent matter anyway."

The servant looked at Zeng Tu, and the eldest son of the Zeng family nodded. "Since Brother Qiao has said so, please come in and put down your things. Tell the outsiders that no one is needed here. I will call you later."

The man responded, put down the steamed buns, pickled vegetables and some rice porridge, and walked out. Qiao Lie didn't say anything either, but watched Zeng Tu break the steamed buns open and stuff them with pickled vegetables, then eat quickly, taking a mouthful of porridge and a mouthful of rice porridge.

It was not until he thought the servant had gone far away that Qiao Lie found a free moment and spoke: "Da Lang, tell me about the Northern Expedition."

Zeng Tu swallowed the food in his mouth and asked: "Where should I start?"

Qiao Lie stroked his short beard and said, "Let's start from the beginning, starting with Wanyan Zongbi's story."

"Uh..." Zeng Tu hesitated for a moment, drank the rice porridge in a few gulps, and wiped his mouth: "When we go north..."

The soft words came out of the mouth of the Jurchen lieutenant general, and the young minister, stroking his beard, just listened quietly without saying a word, occasionally interrupting to ask a few questions.

When the sun was right in the middle, Qiao Lie finally stood up with satisfaction: "Thank you, Dalang, for today."

"It's just a small matter, not worth mentioning." Zeng Tu waved his hands quickly, and then he couldn't help but asked curiously: "Is there something wrong with Wanyan Zongbi?"

Qiao Lie narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't make random guesses, Dalang, these are just some small things."

After taking two steps, he turned his head slightly and said, "Don't tell anyone about what happened today. Just think of it as a chance to get closer to each other as we haven't seen each other for a long time."

Zeng Tu's mouth curled up sharply: "Okay, Brother Qiao, don't worry, I'll remember it."

Only then did Qiao Lie nod, turn around, open the door and leave.

The cold wind blew in from outside, but was blocked by the door. The eldest son of the Zeng family sat in his seat for a long time with a frown on his face. After a while, he stood up and walked out of the room.

He called the servants to harness the war horse, put on his cloak, mounted the horse and headed towards the imperial city.

His father still has to go on duty today, so there are some things that can be discussed, as long as too much is not revealed.

……

Inside the palace.

The accumulated snow was swept to the sides. Qiao Lie, wearing thick winter clothes and a sable fur cloak, followed the eunuchs to the martial arts field in the palace.

Today's memorials have been reviewed, so Lu Bu naturally has time for himself. In addition to spending time with his family, practicing martial arts has become an instinct that has been ingrained in his bones, and he will not give up.

click-

A cold light flashed in the air.

bang-

Half of the wooden stake fell to the ground and bounced twice.

When Qiao Lie walked in, Lu Bu was chopping a wooden stake with his halberd, splitting the thigh-thick log in half. He quickly clapped his hands, "Good! Your Majesty's kung fu is still as clean and neat as ever."

Lu Bu raised his painted halberd, swung it, and threw it to Yu Cheng beside him. He took the white towel handed to him by the eunuch and wiped his sweat off his face. "How did you find time to enter the palace today?"

Qiao Lie looked around and said, "There are some things I want to discuss with Your Majesty."

Lu Bu nodded and pointed to the rest room next to him: "Let's talk inside."

This room is used for resting when one is tired from practicing. It is not big, only six steps wide and long. There are soft chairs and tables with some dried fruits and candied fruits on them. There are two braziers on the ground burning vigorously, so it is quite warm inside.

Lu Bu came in first, turned around and sat in a chair, pointed to the side and asked Qiao Lie to sit down, then he picked up the tall purple clay teapot on the brazier beside him and poured some hot drink into the cup: "It's so cold, drink something hot to warm you up."

Then he looked at the Minister of Personnel, whose cheeks were red from the cold, and asked, "Why are you looking for me so impatiently?"

Qiao Lie thanked him first, then reached out to pick up the cup and held it in his hands to warm it, saying, "About the matter of His Majesty's vicious dog."

"Oh?" Lu Bu raised his eyebrows and sat back a bit. "What did the dog do? If it just said bad words, that would be fine. Since I tolerated Feng Tai back then, I will tolerate him today too."

"Not quite the same." Qiao Lie pursed his lips: "Feng Tai just has bad breath, but that dog of yours...maybe he even wants to bite his master."

Lu Bu raised his eyebrows, took a sip of hot soup, and just looked at him.
Qiao Lie thought for a moment before speaking, "Your Majesty may not know this, but my people have discovered that he has connections with Wanyan Chanchun, who in turn has close ties with a Songdi professor named Wen Huanzhang."

"Wen Huanzhang? Who is he?" Lu Bu frowned.

"The person General Hua brought back when he went on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Song."

"Oh..." Lu Bu suddenly realized. He had so many things to do that he didn't even remember the scholar from Song Dynasty that Hua Rong brought back. He asked curiously, "What happened to this man?"

"To be honest, I have not yet found out what this person wants to do. I only know that he originally wanted to return to Song State to serve as an official, but he was unable to escape because he was surrounded by soldiers who were injured and retreated from the battlefield. Later, he seemed to accept his fate and stayed in Wanyan Shitumen's army to teach Chinese studies.

Wanyan Chanchun had always been resentful and missed the old Jin Dynasty very much. He often promoted the advantages of the former Jin Dynasty among his tribesmen. However, he surprisingly got along well with Wen Huanzhang, and the two of them often went hunting, drinking and chatting.

These two people must have colluded with each other, which really makes me think more. As for Wanyan Zongbi..."

He paused for a moment, then continued after seeing that Lu Bu did not respond, "When this man conquered Shangjing, he had a secret meeting with Wanyan Chanchunduo. We do not know what they talked about, but his identity as the fourth prince of the Jin Kingdom and the fact that he was forced to surrender to Your Majesty are probably known to everyone.

He also had good relations with many of the Jurchens in the army, and he also had a half-brother serving in the army. Although he was not very active during the Jurchen cavalry's advance north, he had come into contact with Wanyan Zongfu, who was under Zeng Tu's command."

After thinking for a while, he added: "As for the discord between him and Wanyan Zonghan, I can conclude that it is true. However, Wanyan Zonghan is different from Wanyan Loushi. He and Zongbi are from the same tribe, while Loushi rose to power by virtue of military merit after being annexed by the Wanyan tribe."

Lu Bu understood what he heard, and he narrowed his tiger eyes and looked over, tapping the table next to him with his fingers: "You mean... Wanyan Zonghan is not reliable, but Lou Shi can be trusted?"

"I don't know." Qiao Lie shook his head bluntly: "I am just telling you what I know. The decision will all depend on your majesty."

"You really gave me a difficult problem..." Lu Bu glanced at Qiao Lie, and the Minister of Personnel opposite him bowed his head in respect.

Ta-ta-

The sound of fingers tapping the tabletop rang out monotonously in the room. After a long while, Lu Bu finally spoke: "The Jurchens have just won a victory for me. It is not easy to start a war at this time..." As if he had thought of something, his fingers suddenly stopped on the tabletop. The Emperor of Qi turned around and stared at his own Minister of Personnel: "Is Wanyan Zongbing's achievements this time enough to make him a prefect?"

"Not enough yet." Qiao Lie's mind moved: "Your Majesty means..."

"Find a chance to let him out." Lu Bu stood up and took two steps, pondering the idea that had just flashed through his mind: "Let those who have ulterior motives unite with him..."

He stopped and looked up to think, then turned around and said, "Don't deliberately transfer people to him. This is too deliberate. All the rebels will be under his command."

He stretched out his hand and clenched his fist: "If I can defeat him once, I can defeat him a second time."

Qiao Lie nodded: "Your Majesty, I understand what you mean. It's just like fishing. You first give enough bait to attract fish. However... in a hurry, there is no place for him to play."

"No hurry." Lu Bu laughed, walked back and sat down: "The Liao Kingdom still has a lot of territory. When we go on the next expedition, I will select a general and let him make more contributions and then release him."

"Your Majesty is wise." Qiao Lie chuckled and cupped his hands: "It's just that Wanyan Chanchun is in Liaodong, so it's not easy to respond to him."

"Tell your people to speed up the investigation and see who has the intention to rebel." Lu Bu seemed to have a clear mind and waved his hand: "Recruit an army and send them all to the front line."

"And Wen Huanzhang, when the time is right, find a reason to move him to the front. I don't believe that a few brats can rebel against the heaven."

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Qiao Lie stood up and said, "In that case, I will do as your majesty says."

The two talked for a few more words, and then Qiao Lie said goodbye and left.

Lu Bu sat in the room for a while, drank some hot drinks to replenish his water, and then stepped into the martial arts field again. He had not sweated enough just now, so he decided to exercise again.

……

At the same time, Zhongjing Road.

The sounds of stringed instruments and drums were heard in the howling cold wind in the camp. A figure dressed in eunuch's attire was running quickly with his body hunched. Then steaming grilled lamb chops were rushed into the tent. When they reached the table, they were just warm enough not to burn the mouth.

In the emperor's tent, Khitan nobles and ministers with shaved heads sat on both sides. Occasionally there were Xi or Han courtiers, but their number was small and they could not be considered the mainstream. From time to time, familiar figures would come together and talk to each other.

The braziers placed all around were trying to emit heat, and eunuchs would come over quietly from time to time to replace the charcoal, making the tent as warm as spring, without feeling the cold of winter outside at all.

The aroma of meat and wine filled the air, and the musicians plucked the strings, and the notes flowed like the gurgling of a spring. A melodious and graceful melody flowed in the air, and from time to time powerful drum beats sounded, shaking people's hearts.

The dancer in the field started dancing, her delicate face became rosy due to the dancing, and her thin dance clothes fluttered in the air as she kicked and turned, revealing an alluring white complexion underneath.

Yelu Yanxi twirled his beard and watched with great joy, his eyes following the white spot and from time to time he stretched his neck to take a closer look.

"Your Majesty, what do you think of this dancer?" Xiao Fengxian sat aside, also smiling frivolously at the emperor beside him: "This humble servant has spent a long time to find someone to train her before he dares to show her off. Look at her dancing posture..."

He grinned and moved closer: "But you still can bear to watch it, huh?"

"Very wonderful!" Yelu Yanxi was unwilling to even look away, and said while pinching his beard and shaking his head: "This dance is rare in the world. In my opinion, it is rare in the world——"

He dragged out the words and then whispered, "Is this girl...good?"

Xiao Fengxian also whispered in his ear: "She is still a virgin who knows nothing. Your Majesty, please teach her in person at night so that she can appreciate your profound knowledge." He raised his eyebrows repeatedly: "Wouldn't it be better?"

"Ah? Ah...hahahahaha——" Yelu Yanxi scratched his beard with one hand and pointed at him with the other hand: "You are such a traitor."

Xiao Fengxian smiled and said, "I will only be a flatterer when Your Majesty needs me."

"Ahahahaha——"

Yelu Yanxi burst into laughter. The ministers sitting on both sides looked over. The supreme ruler of the Liao Kingdom raised the jade wine cup and shouted: "My lords, I am happy today. Let's drink a few more cups for the prosperity of the Liao Dynasty!"

"For the prosperity of the Liao Dynasty!"

Everyone below raised their glasses and drank the wine together with the emperor. Then they looked at the emperor who was still laughing, not knowing what was going on.

Gradually, some people started laughing, "Ha...haha." Someone nearby saw him laughing and also moved his facial muscles to laugh out loud, "Haha, haha——". More and more laughter came out of the crowd, and the tent was filled with a scene of demons dancing wildly, with the sound overwhelming the timbre.

Next to her, in Concubine Wen's tent, a maid was standing up Xiao Sese's hair. The middle-aged woman was well-maintained and still looked like a middle-aged woman. She was applying red lip balm on her lips in front of a bronze mirror.

Faintly, laughter came into her ears through the tent. The maid frowned: "I don't know what you are doing, why are you laughing so loudly."

"Mostly they are talking about women..." She gently put down her lipstick and pursed her lips in front of the mirror. The woman, who was noble as Concubine Wen, had no expression on her face: "The country is in danger to this extent, and Your Majesty is still indulging in pleasure. This is not a blessing for the court."

"Your Excellency." The maid looked at the face in the bronze mirror, opened her mouth, and then gritted her teeth: "Your Excellency, do you really need to advise the emperor? He is just in a playful mood now, he won't..."

"How dare you criticize the emperor." Xiao Sese frowned and interrupted the maid's words, "Please forgive me, my dear!" She said softly, "Don't say such things anymore. Although I, Xiao Sese, am a woman, I am also the emperor's concubine and have the responsibility to advise my husband."

She watched the maid comb her hair, stood up, put on the white fox cloak, turned around and walked out of the tent: "You can leave first."

The maid looked at her back and knelt on the ground: "Farewell, my lady."

Xiao Sese pursed her lips, then turned around and smiled: "Don't be so polite, I am your majesty's concubine after all, he won't do anything."

After saying this, he opened the curtain and walked into the whistling wind.

Not far away, bursts of music and songs could be heard from the brightly lit tent. Xiao Sese walked over and the guards guarding the door quickly lifted the tent curtain. Someone turned his head curiously and saw a figure wearing a white fox cloak.

The voices in the tent stopped abruptly, and the faces that were bewitched by alcohol and sex looked towards the door and then straightened up.

Yelu Yanxi quickly put away his smile and stood up: "My beloved concubine, why are you here?"

Xiao Fengxian on the side waved his hands quickly, and the dancers and musicians quickly retreated.

Xiao Sese pretended not to notice and walked forward and bowed gently: "I heard that Your Majesty is having a banquet here, so I composed a song to present to you."

"Oh?" Yelu Yanxi breathed a sigh of relief, sat down and laughed: "My beloved concubine, it is rare that you have such a refined taste. Why don't you sing and let me listen."

The ministers on both sides nodded in unison, smiling reservedly.

Xiao Sese did not refuse and called the musicians to give them some instructions. The musicians nodded repeatedly and walked to the side to play a few notes. Then they looked at the Concubine Wen and said respectfully, "We are ready."

Xiao Sese nodded, took off the white fox cloak and handed it to the eunuch, then walked forward wearing palace clothes. She opened her red lips and her voice like a yellow warbler rang in everyone's ears.

"Don't lament the dark world on the frontier, don't be sad about the many difficulties and fear the barbarians. It is better to block the road of evil and select virtuous ministers. You must sleep on firewood and taste gall, and inspire the brave to sacrifice their lives. You can go to the clear desert in the morning and sleep on the Yanyun in the evening.

The Prime Minister came to the court with his sword jingling, and the officials looked at him in silence. It was too late to complain about the development of foreign threats, and the punishment for the loyal ministers was unclear. Relatives lived together as vassal states, and private doors secretly kept minions and soldiers. It was a pity that the Qin emperor of the past still looked forward to peace in the palace!

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials in the tent were so shocked that their faces changed color and they dared not even breathe. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard in the tent was the music played by the musicians, and just as the notes were twisting and turning, they were about to start over from the beginning.

"enough!"

Yelu Yanxi slammed the jade cup in his hand, stood up with a whoosh, and said, "You..." He pointed his finger at Concubine Wen and nodded tremblingly. His head with Mediterranean hair also nodded frequently, "Okay!" He put his hand down fiercely and kicked her with his foot.

wow-

Pong bang——

The table fell over, cups and plates fell to the ground, and a series of sounds of porcelain breaking reached everyone's ears.

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

"Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

The civil and military officials on both sides, as well as the eunuchs, musicians, and dancers, knelt down hurriedly, leaving only Yelu Yanxi and Xiao Sese standing opposite each other.

"you!"

Yelu Yanxi raised his hand again and pointed at Concubine Wen.

The proud woman raised her head slightly.

"Humph--"

Yelu Yanxi shook his hands fiercely, strode out, and shouted: "Get out of here!" (End of this chapter)