The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 116 Hua Baoyan Returns to Qingfeng Mountain, Song Gongming Encounters Dwarf Tiger

A man named Tang Liang sighed and said, "I've traveled all over the country and tasted many delicacies, but I never imagined that fish could be cooked so deliciously!"

The other man, clearly a connoisseur of wine, exclaimed happily, "This is the kind of wine a man should drink! Although it's a bit spicy at first, the aftertaste leaves you feeling energized. This is what wine should be!"

Hearing the two men's ridiculous explanation, Song Jiang chuckled inwardly!

As for the ingredients, they were indeed fresh, pollution-free, pesticide-free, and purely natural in ancient times!

However, when it comes to cooking techniques, later generations are undoubtedly more outstanding. This is not to say that ancient culinary techniques were bad, but rather that with the rapid changes and continuous refinement by later generations, along with the addition of many seasonings that did not exist in ancient times, the taste can certainly be taken to a higher level!

As everyone was discussing this, a waiter knocked on the door and came in carrying a tray!

There was a plate of mutton and a plate of meatballs on the plate.

The mutton was just ordinary steamed mutton, not very flavorful, which left everyone somewhat disappointed!

But the meatballs were different. They were golden in color, with a clear sauce, and they gave off an enticing color and aroma!

The glutton picked up a piece and put it in his mouth; it was so fresh he almost bit his own tongue!

Chen the wealthy man looked at Song Jiang, who smiled and said, "This is called the Four Great Joys, symbolizing the four great joys of life: fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness!"

It turned out to be Shandong cuisine's Four Happiness Meatballs, but Song Jiang had given it a different name!

Actually, besides sweet and sour carp and four-happiness meatballs, there are also two other dishes, Dezhou braised chicken and braised pork belly, which are famous dishes in Shandong cuisine!

After all, Shandong cuisine is one of the four major cuisines of China. Since I've come to Shandong, I must let these guys eat authentic Shandong cuisine, so that I won't be unworthy of calling myself a fellow Shandong native!

The serving of dishes was also quite interesting. A regular dish and a Shandong dish were served alternately. When the braised pork and Dezhou braised chicken were served, everyone no longer cared about their image and started to eat and drink heartily!

Of course, Song Jiang also gave two names to braised pork and Dezhou braised chicken: "Wealth and Good Fortune" and "Great Roc Spreading Its Wings," with clear meanings!

The fruit wine "Xi Shi's Tears" was also brought out. Apart from Shi Wenbin, no one else had ever tasted this kind of wine before. The wine was as clear and transparent as mutton fat amber, yet as viscous as honey!

If some people can't accept Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), then everyone wants to buy some of this fruit wine from Song Jiang, and some even want to cooperate with him long-term!

Of course, Song Jiang has no plans to cooperate at the moment. If you want to buy fruit wine, you are welcome, but the quantity will be limited!

The crowd was somewhat disappointed, but Song Jiang didn't completely rule out the possibility of cooperation.

The names "Erguotou" and "Xi Shi's Tears" were both names Song Jiang came up with after much thought. Shi Wenbin thought the name "Erguotou" was a bit vulgar, but Song Jiang often teased Shi Wenbin, saying, "This wine is not meant for you scholars!"

Shi Wenbin remained silent for a long time before the name of the wine was finally decided!

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the homemade steamed buns from Wuda University were served! Chen Dahu took a steamed bun, broke it in half, smelled it, and took a bite!

The steamed buns were soft, crispy, and sweet. Master Chen exclaimed, "These steamed buns must have been made by Commander Wu! I never knew he had such skill!"

Upon hearing this, everyone picked up a steamed bun and tasted it!

The meal lasted a long time, but it was finally finished! Today, Song Jiang and the guests were all very polite and everyone was very satisfied!

The entire first and second floors of Tianranju were packed! Song Jiang waved his hand and declared that the entire meal was on the house today, and he would treat everyone!

Does it hurt? Of course it does, but the shop is our own, the ingredients are our own, and the cost of the ingredients isn't high at all. It's just that if we make it and sell it, the price definitely won't be low!

The crowd cheered, thanking Song Jiang for his generosity! Song Jiang laughed heartily and announced, "Today, Tianranju Restaurant is grandly opening. Starting tomorrow, for three consecutive days, all meal prices will be halved. In addition, each table will receive a complimentary pot of Erguotou liquor!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was even more delighted! They shouted Song Jiang's name loudly!

That night, Song Jiang left Song Qing in the city to take full charge of the affairs of Tianranju, while he himself returned to Liangshan. It wasn't that Song Jiang was trying to wash his hands of things, but rather that he had quite a lot to do!

The restaurant is only in its initial opening phase, and Song Qing can manage it all by herself. However, she still has a lot of things to do on her own, and she really can't be in two places at once!

At Liangshan Golden Beach, Hua Baoyan was sitting there, staring blankly at the sunset!

Song Jiang's heart stirred, thinking that this girl had been well-behaved and sensible since coming to Liangshan, and had helped him a lot!

Sitting here today, perhaps something is on your mind?

"Baoyan, what's troubling you?" Song Jiang stepped forward and asked with a smile.

Hua Baoyan looked at Song Jiang and said, "Brother Song, it's been half a year since I was separated from my brother. His birthday is in a few days. I'm always by his side on his birthday, but I don't know what will happen this year..."

Song Jiang said cheerfully, "If that's the case, then this matter is quite simple. We just need to go and celebrate his birthday!"

Hua Baoyan asked excitedly, "Really?"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "It's getting late today, let's set off tomorrow!"

Time was tight, so Song Jiang didn't delay. That very night, he prepared some gifts. Pang Wanchun and his sister knew that Song Jiang was going to find Hua Rong, and they insisted on going with him no matter what. Song Jiang thought that since Pang Wanchun joined Liangshan, he had never left Liangshan except to go to find Dai Zong. This trip together must be a sign of mutual respect between the two archers!

The next day, after packing his luggage, Song Jiang left Liangshan with Gongsun Sheng, Li Kui, Pang Wanchun and his sister, and Hua Baoyan. Wu Yong, Bian Xiang, and others continued to guard Liangshan. Liangshan was becoming more and more prosperous. Song Jiang dared to guarantee that if the imperial court wanted to take Liangshan, it would take more than 10,000 men. However, Song Jiang did not make any grand promises. Instead, he told them to be careful before leaving.

When Wu Song learned that Song Jiang was going to find Hua Rong, he insisted on going with Song Jiang no matter what!

Song Jiang thought about it and realized there were indeed too many bandits near Qingzhou. He nodded and took Wu Song with him!

Unexpectedly, Wu Song also brought Pan Jinlian along. Song Jiang was confused as to whether Wu Song was taking Pan Jinlian on a trip or was really protecting him!

Actually, Song Jiang had another thing to do when he went to Qingzhou, which was to go to the coastal prefecture. After looking at the map and combining it with his geographical knowledge from later generations, Song Jiang finally chose Qingzhou, which was closest to him and also closest to Laizhou Bay. Beyond Laizhou Bay was the Bohai Sea!

Along the way, Song Jiang looked at Wu Song and said helplessly, "Second Brother, you only get a few days of rest every three months. Isn't it a waste for you to come with me to Qingzhou?"

Before Wu Song could speak, Li Kui interjected, "Brother Wu Song, with your beautiful wife by your side, how could you possibly waste your time traveling and enjoying the scenery?"

Wu Song glared at Li Kui and said, "You iron ox, you don't know the benefits of having a wife. Once you have one, I guarantee you'll be enjoying it!"

Li Kui stuck out his tongue and said, "I'll never find a wife in my entire life!"

Everyone burst into laughter, especially Pang Wanchun, who laughed the loudest. Pang Qiuxia, on the other hand, glared fiercely at Li Kui!

Just then, the sound of fighting could be heard in the distance. Because Pan Jinlian was with them, Song Jiang and his group had specially hired a carriage!

The coachman said, "Guests, we've reached Qingfeng Mountain. There's a gang of bandits there who rob and kill, committing all sorts of evil deeds. It's even said that these thieves eat human hearts and livers as snacks, and many passing merchants have fallen victim to their cruelty!"

Before the coachman could finish speaking, a group of people surrounded the carriage. A short man, holding a steel rod, declared, "This mountain is mine, these trees are mine. If you want to pass, leave your toll!"

Pan Jinlian had never seen such a scene before, and she gasped in fright!

Upon hearing the woman's voice, the short man exclaimed joyfully, "Don't let any of them escape! Bring them all up the mountain!"

Song Jiang was slightly surprised, then sneered inwardly! This guy only brought fifty or sixty men, which was no match for our side, yet he dared to spout such arrogant words!

The boy was a little annoyed. At this moment, Pan Jinlian also opened the carriage curtain and poked her little head out to see what was going on!

The short man was stunned for a moment, then let out a strange, cackling laugh. When had he ever seen such a beautiful woman? The Hu Sanniang he fought that night was indeed pretty, but unfortunately she was too violent. He was no match for her, and he almost lost his life when he encountered a master!

The short man laughed loudly, "Heaven has been kind to me! It has sent me such a beautiful wife!"

Pan Jinlian, terrified, shrank back into the carriage. The short man raised his stick and shouted, "Men, follow me! Kill all the men!"

Wu Song was furious. These thieves dared to lay a finger on his wife; their crimes were truly unforgivable!

Enraged, he grabbed a knife and charged at the dwarf!

Li Kui was also furious, and he grabbed his double axes and charged into the crowd!

Two henchmen dodged Li Kui and attacked the carriage, each wielding a wooden spear and charging at Song Jiang!

Song Jiang turned to Pang Wanchun and Gongsun Sheng and said, "I'll test their mettle. Daoist and Brother Wanchun, just protect the carriage."

'

After saying this, Song Jiang glanced at the henchman, drew his Chunyang sword, and slashed at the henchman's head!

The henchman hurriedly raised his gun to block the sword! But the Chunyang Sword was an unparalleled treasure, incredibly sharp, and the wooden gun was as fragile as paper, cleaved in two!

The Pure Yang Sword moved with unstoppable force, continuing downwards and splitting the henchman's head in two. He fell to the ground, twitched once, and was dead beyond any doubt!

The Chunyang Sword was spotless, yet its crimson blade shone with an imposing aura under the sunlight!

The other henchman was so frightened that he dared not move and stood trembling to the side.

By this time, Song Jiang had seen quite a few bloody scenes, so he felt no discomfort at the sight before him. In particular, he knew that these people were definitely not good people and had taken lives on their hands!

Song Jiang ignored the henchman and looked in the other direction, at the place where the commotion had come from!

A burly man with red, curly hair, wielding a knife, was seen leading twenty or thirty henchmen who were attacking a man and a woman!

The man and woman clearly both knew martial arts, but they weren't very strong. Their opponents outnumbered them, so for the time being they could only parry. If they held out any longer, they would both die here!

That burly man with curly hair was clearly not a good person; he was also a bandit. Now that Song Jiang had encountered him, he certainly wouldn't stand idly by and do nothing about the man and woman!

Watching Li Kui cut down seven or eight henchmen like a tiger among sheep, Song Jiang said, "Tie Niu, leave this to me. You go and help those two!"

Li Kui slashed down another henchman, nodded, and said, "I'll be right back, brother, be careful!"

Song Jiang smiled, twirled his sword, and said to his henchmen, "I rarely make a move, so those who aren't afraid of death, come and try!"

I recently learned the second sword technique, the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, from Gongsun Sheng. I feel my martial arts skills have greatly improved. Plus, with Gongsun Sheng right beside me, there's definitely no danger. Why not try it out and see how well I've practiced lately!

With his steel knife, Wu Song moved as if he were in an empty field, scattering the henchmen and rushing to the side of the scoundrel, where he swung his sword at him.

That short fellow had no idea that Wu Song was so fierce and powerful, and in his panic, he tried to parry!

Zi had hoped to use his strength and the weight of his stick to knock away Wu Song's knife! But after they started fighting, he realized that he was no match for the big man in front of him in terms of strength!

In the chaos, he was stabbed in the arm and felt the pain. Then, the steel knife came crashing down on his head!

The short man immediately did a lazy roll to dodge the knife, shouting at the same time, "Come help! Men!"

Even the henchmen were afraid of dying. Wu Song was so powerful; if they went up against him, they would only be throwing their lives away and wouldn't be able to do anything else. So they just surrounded Wu Song, and none of them dared to go up!

Li Kui rushed to the man and woman's side and killed one of the henchmen who was about to attack the woman with a single axe stroke!

The woman noticed and nodded in thanks.

Li Kui observed that the woman appeared to be in her early twenties. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she wielded a steel knife and exuded a heroic and spirited air!

It has a unique charm, but judging from her hairstyle, she is a married woman!

Li Kui sighed. He was really annoyed that this curly-haired bandit was so ruthless to women. He picked up his double axes and charged at the curly-haired big man!

The burly man with curly hair was taken aback and was killed in a few moves, leaving him in a sorry state!

Seeing that this wasn't working, and that the plan was too risky, if things continued like this, forget about the bandit's wife; his entire army would likely be wiped out without even harming the enemy. His eyes darted around, and he shouted, "Everyone, stop! Let me say something!"

Song Jiang smiled slightly, sheathed his Chunyang Sword, and said with a laugh, "Come to my side, all of you!"

These words were spoken to his own men, leaving only about twenty henchmen lying on the ground, their fates unknown!

The man and woman hesitated for a moment, then followed Li Kui to Song Jiang's side!

The short man looked at the henchmen on the ground, feeling a surge of resentment. However, given the dire situation, he spoke up: "I am Wang Ying, the Dwarf Tiger, and that burly man is my brother, Yan Shun, the Golden-Haired Tiger. May I ask your names?"

Song Jiang thought to himself, "As expected, it's these villains," but he still replied with a smile, "So it's Brother Wang Ying. I've heard so much about you. My name is Song Jiang!"

Wang Ying was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed with delight, "May I ask if you are Song Jiang, the Timely Rain of Shandong?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "That's me!"

Wang Ying and Yan Shun immediately knelt on the ground! Song Jiang helped them up, saying, "My two heroes, there's no need for such formalities!"

Wu Song felt uneasy. To be honest, he really thought it would be good to kill these villains and didn't want Song Jiang to associate with them, especially this short man who actually had designs on Pan Jinlian!

Song Jiang seemed to know what Wu Song was thinking, and turned around to give Wu Song a meaningful smile! Wu Song suddenly realized that Song Jiang had been planning this all along!