Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 976: The Martial Arts Show Ends
In the military camp.

Only about ten thousand soldiers were allowed to go outside. Of course, not all of the fifty or sixty thousand soldiers could go out to watch the martial arts performance. Most of the remaining people were supervised by deputy generals or military commanders.

The idle soldiers in the camp stood in empty spaces from time to time, listening to the faint sound of war drums coming from afar, and occasionally discussing who would take the vanguard position. Naturally, there were gamblers who had already opened the odds and placed their bets, and were looking at the direction of the parade ground with worry, begging God to let them win so that they could exchange it for a few pounds of good wine to drink.

In the central army tent, figures dressed in scholar's clothes came in and out from time to time, and people holding official documents and pens could be seen everywhere. Wang Zheng, Zhang Lin, and Lu Sili, who came with the army this time, were making final inventory preparations for supplies here.

"Your Majesty, why haven't you come back yet..." Wang Zheng lazily leaned on the wooden chair, with a cup of hot old wine on the table in front of him. He occasionally took a sip and looked at the document next to the wine glass with a headache: "I should have asked Minister Jiang and Doctor Li to come earlier. They are busy with money and grain all day long, so they should be able to help a lot."

Zhang Lin finished processing several official documents, handed them to the military clerk beside him, stood up and stretched himself: "Minister Jiang is in trouble. The Ministry of Revenue has a lot of things to do. I'm afraid his math skills can't leave for a while. Doctor Li might be transferred over."

After a pause, he thought about it and said, "By the way, ask Minister Fang to come over as well. Zhongjing is quite large, and the Ministry of War will have to spend more time here."

"That was after we took over Zhongjing Road."

Lu Sili stroked his beard and looked at Zhang Lin. He was no stranger to this former prime minister of the Southern Palace. He had met him during the Liao Dynasty, but they were of low rank and could not talk to each other. Now they were colleagues again. He looked outside the tent to check the time and said, "It's getting late. Why hasn't the meeting ended yet?"

"I'm afraid that everyone is vying to be the vanguard, and there are many generals in the army, so the fighting will take some time." Zhang Lin said indifferently.

Wang Zheng stroked his short beard and suddenly said, "It's not a good idea to keep waiting like this. Why don't we send someone to take a look? Then we can know the situation of the battle."

"I'm afraid the military advisor has been too quiet and is ready to take action."

Zhang Lin and Lu Sili laughed and did not object. Then they called a few soldiers to go to the front to investigate. The three of them were talking in the tent, and Zhang and Lu were also calculating which officials and generals in Zhongjing could be won over.

Not long after, the soldiers who were sent out rode back and entered the big tent to report: "The vanguard battle has ended. General Han Shizhong and General Wanyan Loushi are tied. Your Majesty ordered them to take Enzhou and Huizhou to decide the outcome..."

"Han Powu was the first to ascend the throne and always took the lead in every battle. He is indeed extraordinary."

"I heard that Wanyan Loushi was born in a small Jurchen tribe and later merged into the Wanyan tribe. He is also a good fighter. It will be interesting to see the fight between these two."

"It seems that His Majesty will soon return."

Listening to the three people reporting, they all looked like they were watching a good show. Seeing that the soldiers who reported were not ready to go down, Lu Sili asked curiously, "When will your majesty come back?"

The man hesitated for a moment, then clasped his fists and said, "I heard that Your Majesty will personally come down to compete with General Du, General Wang and others in martial arts."

Lu Sili had a look on his face as if he had heard a joke. He turned to Zhang Lin and laughed, "Did you hear that? He said that His Majesty would personally participate in the martial arts demonstration. This is really...unheard of..." The smile on his face froze and suddenly disappeared, his eyes widened, "Hear?!!"

Zhang Lin suddenly jumped up from his seat: "Your Majesty is the emperor, how can you personally go down? Du Fu, Wang De and others are also fooling around. What if they accidentally hurt Your Majesty?"

"Hurry, hurry, prepare the horses—" Lu Sili pointed outside with anxiety on his face and shouted, "Hurry, prepare the horses! I want to go and advise His Majesty!"

Amid the chaos, Wang Zheng calmly took a sip of wine and exhaled, looking at his two anxious colleagues and saying, "Why are you so anxious? It's just a martial arts performance. Your Majesty's martial arts skills are nothing compared to this."

"Wang!" Lu Sili was the most anxious. He rushed over and put his hands on the table in front of Wang Zheng. "You don't know the dangers of war. Your Majesty is young and hot-tempered and doesn't understand the dangers of war..."

"Stop!" Wang Zheng stretched out his hand to block the other party, and looked at the silent Lü Sili with a strange expression: "Lü Weiwei is confused because of his concern. Have you forgotten that your majesty built such a great foundation in Liaodong from scratch?"

The Lu family members on the opposite side were stunned for a moment, and then they heard Wang Zheng continue, "Zheng joined a little later, but he still saw your majesty personally leading the cavalry to charge the battle, and his awe-inspiring power was unmatched. How many Khitan generals died at your majesty's hands, Zhang Sheren should also know."

Zhang Lin was stunned for a moment, thought for a moment and shook his head: "No, the situation is different now. His Majesty cannot be hurt now."

As he said this, he pulled Lu Sili, who was at a loss as to what to say, and ran out. Then the sound of horse hooves was heard.

Wang Zheng looked at the wine jug on the stove beside him, curled his lips helplessly, reached out to pick it up and put it on the ground, then walked out with his hands behind his back, his mumbling voice echoing in the empty tent: "You're getting nervous now that you have expectations, tsk...won't it be a nuisance to His Majesty if I go now?"

……

In the parade ground, the cheers and shouts from the army echoed the beating of war drums.

Herod——

The fiery red warhorse neighed loudly, exhaled a breath of hot air in excitement, and stomped the ground with its four hooves. Lu Bu on the horse, holding his Fang Tian Hua Ji, looked at the figures rushing towards him from the left and right and smiled.

The next moment, three figures collided fiercely in the eyes of countless people, and the symphony of swords, spears and halberds was heard in the ears of the soldiers in the army.

The Fang Tian Huaji swung horizontally in a semicircle with a whistling sound. With a bang, the Huaji, with a force that was beyond the reach of ordinary people, smashed the Zhangba Snake Spear and bent it to the side.

In the sight, Du Fu's face turned red. He mobilized the strength of his arms and pushed hard the Fang Tian Huaji that was pressing towards him. The figure on the Red Hare took advantage of the situation.

Painted halberd, wind, thunder and clouds moving.

Wang De was riding a horse beside him, with the sword raised, and was about to swing it down before Lu Bu drew back his weapon, when suddenly he saw a flash of light in his peripheral vision. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly crossed his hands, changing the chop to a cut.

boom--

A greater force than before was transmitted from the halberd. Wang De's ugly face suddenly turned red. He exhaled and let out a sound of "Hey--". His wrist turned, and the blade tilted, making a friction sound against the halberd shaft.

On horseback, Lu Bu raised his painted halberd, and then lifted his broadsword upwards. Then he slashed downwards with his arm, and with a "clang" he chopped off the stabbing snake spear, and then stabbed Wang De with his halberd back.

Wang De took a breath and chopped down with the knife in his hand at the small branch of the halberd. With a "clang" sound, the halberd deflected at the moment of contact. The sharp blade and crescent of the Fang Tian halberd locked the blade. Then a great force came from the opposite side, and the hands that were originally chopped down were immediately pulled to the side.

bang——

The Zhangba Snake Spear swept across and hit the "sword and halberd", metal and iron collided, sparks flew, Wang De gritted his teeth, and was about to hold the halberd in the opposite direction, but he felt the blade lighten, and Lu Bu on the opposite side actually retreated first.

So fast……

Only these two words flashed through his mind as Lu Bu flipped his wrist, holding the halberd in a cross shape upwards. He raised his arms with force, changing the lock into a pick and lifted both the sword and spear upwards.

Du Fu and Wang De were also men of great martial arts skills, so they knew that they could not deal with Lu Bu's strength at this moment. However, the figure on Red Hare had already shown interest in fighting.

A painted halberd smashed horizontally and chopped vertically. In a few breaths, one man was suppressing the two on the opposite side, and three horses were turning in a T-shape.

Soldiers in the surrounding armies shouted excitedly. Someone in the back was asking his comrades in front. The excited faces looked ahead and leaned back to describe the battle situation in front vividly. Several officers in the front gathered together and couldn't help but share what they saw. "This duel is really exciting. It makes people's blood boil. Brother Lu, do you want to go up and try?"

"Just try it, Shangguan, stop giving me those stupid ideas..." The flower monk took off his helmet and rubbed his smooth scalp, curling his lips: "With my two bird legs, if I go up to fight him with four legs, wouldn't that be a pain in the neck?"

Shangguan Yi laughed: "Hahaha, can't Brother Lu also ride a horse?"

"Hey, I can only ride a horse, not a horse fight..." Lu Zhishen put his hands on his hips and laughed strangely: "In the Western Army, those guys who come from military families are the best at horse riding. How can I compare with them?"

Shangguan Yi, who was standing nearby, sighed when he heard this and said nothing more. He just stared at the fighting figures in front of him in a daze.

There was the sound of horse hooves outside the training ground. Several riders were approaching at high speed. The soldiers of the Right Guards hurried over to stop the riders. Zhang Lin and Lu Sili almost fell off their saddles and staggered forward a few steps: "Where is His Majesty? Where is His Majesty?"

Run forward quickly between the soldiers.

Yu Cheng and Wei He heard the commotion in the rear, looked back on their war horses, and saw two men coming. They muttered, "What are they doing here?", and then turned their horses around to meet them. When the two men saw him coming, Lu Sili hurriedly shouted loudly.

"General Yu, is His Majesty still practicing martial arts? Let him come down quickly."

"Lieutenant Lu!" Yu Cheng bowed and frowned at him, "Are you trying to make His Majesty lose face in front of the army?"

"When did I ever say that..."

As soon as Lu Sili said this, he suddenly came to his senses and looked shocked. Zhang Lin also came to his senses at this time. The two of them couldn't help but look at each other with embarrassed expressions.

Yu Cheng snorted coldly: "The three armies withdrew Jun Yan from the battlefield, and this is not enough?"

Wei He also looked at the two men with a bad expression. Seeing the shame on their faces, he thought for a moment, suppressed his anger, clasped his fists and bowed: "I know that you two are also worried and confused, but your majesty is different from ordinary kings. Please be patient and watch the martial arts performance quietly."

The two men said "Shame on you!" and bowed to apologize. They calmed down and followed the figure in front of them to watch the battle. At this time, they heard the sound of metal clashing, and the roar of soldiers around them and the sound of weapons striking each other. They hurriedly looked up.

The three war horses dispersed, gathered, and dispersed again. At this time, Du Fu and Wang De rode on their war horses, one on the left and one on the right, sandwiching Lu Bu in the middle. The snake spears and broadswords swept away with a whistling gale, but were all knocked away by the Fang Tian Huaji.

Horse hooves flew, and the dirt they kicked up fell. The three horses circled along the parade ground. The clanging metal sounds exploded above people's heads. There were dozens of bangs in a row, and sparks flashed above people's heads. Many soldiers unconsciously shrank their heads to avoid it. The whistling criss-cross halberd swept across and hit the broadsword, and Wang De's horse involuntarily slowed down.

Lu Bu lightly kicked Red Hare, and the red figure suddenly accelerated and instantly left the two horses behind by a body length, Zhao Ye Jade Lion. Du Fu was startled, and did not dare to let Red Hare escape the range of the Snake Spear, and followed at the same time, and actually caught up with it.

Wang De hit the horse twice, and seeing that the horse under his crotch did not close the distance, he could not help but say loudly: "Brother Du, be careful, my horse can't keep up."

The wind blew across the plain, and the black flags with red edges fluttered.

Du Fu was suddenly startled on his horse. He was used to attacking Lu Bu together with Wang De, but he didn't expect that he would be facing the enemy alone in a moment. Just as he was about to slow down his horse, he suddenly saw the red figure of Red Hare enlarged. He shouted hurriedly and thrust his Zhangba Snake Spear forward.

squeak--

A figure in front of him wearing a scarlet cloak moved, and the sharp edge of the snake spear tore through the cloth and pierced through the golden beast-faced head-swallowing chain armor, causing a streak of sparks to fly from the friction between the metals.

In an instant, Lu Bu on horseback turned around to avoid the snake spear and shouted, "Get down—"

He held the tail end of the Fang Tian Hua Ji in one hand and swung it, drawing a fan-shaped sword and smashing it at the general who was following behind. Du Fu hastily raised his arm to block it, but was knocked off his horse with a bang, and rolled several times before stopping. He stopped in a daze, looking up at the sky with a wry smile.

Wang De saw it clearly from the side and rear, gritted his teeth, and did not stop his horse, continuing to rush forward.

Lu Bu, who was in front, turned around and saw this and praised, "You have courage!". His cloak was torn by the snake spear and fluttered in the air.

As Red Hare accelerated, the man on the horse took off his cloak and threw it down. The torn cloth rolled to the ground, and the horse's hooves flew. The horse turned and rushed straight to the opposite side. Then it turned and exhaled, drawing an arc and charging towards Wang De.

The broadsword swung and hit the Fang Tian Huaji directly. With a roar of "Ha--", sparks flashed and jumped out. Lu Bu held the halberd with both hands, steadied it, and suddenly sank it down. The tail of the halberd drew a semicircle to relieve the pressure. Wang De raised both hands and chopped down with the blade again.

Living another life, Lu Bu, who was already an expert in martial arts, has made further progress in the past few years, and his physical fitness has also improved a lot compared to the beginning. Over the years, he feels that many things can be done flexibly, and his moves are becoming more concise and smoother.

The Fang Tian Hua Ji swung over fiercely and hit the blade. At the same time, he flipped his wrist and locked the opponent's sword again. At the same time, his arm rushed to the side. Wang De felt that the sword was out of control again. His body involuntarily turned to the side, and he felt the force on the sword disappear.

With a roar of "Come here!", Lu Bu actually threw away his Fang Tian Hua Ji. While Red Hare was moving forward, he stretched out his big hand and grabbed Wang De off the horse. With a loud laugh of "Hahahaha!", he let go of the general in his hand.

"Your Majesty's power!"

Wang De panted heavily, bowed to the other three generals who had dismounted earlier, then picked up the Fang Tian Hua Ji and handed it to Lu Bu.

"Wan Sheng——"

"Wan Sheng——"

"Wan Sheng——"

Seeing this, the soldiers around them shouted excitedly and clapped their weapons. A faint voice from the Right Guards rang in the ears of Zhang Lin and Lu Sili: "How is it? Can you see your majesty's martial arts?"

The two turned around and looked at Wang Zheng who had come and stood behind them. They smiled bitterly and covered their faces with their sleeves: "Don't embarrass me, go away——"

In the center of the field, Lü Bu raised his halberd and rode on his Red Hare. He looked around with high spirits and said, "Who else wants to try? Come up together."

No one answered.

Lü Bu pulled the reins, bounced twice as Red Hare excitedly kicked its hooves, and raised his Fang Tian Hua Ji: "In that case, the army will rest for three days and then march south to attack Liao!"

"Attack Liao!"

The Jurchens were the first to raise their weapons!
"Your Majesty, may you win—"

More weapons were raised, and there was a chill under the sunlight.

(End of this chapter)