Water Margin: From a White-Robed Scholar to Donning the Yellow Robe

"Songdi, do you want a wife?"

Wu Song was taken aback by Wang Lun's question. After a long pause, he hesitated before asking, "Brother... which woman do you intend to marry me to?"

"Third Sister Hu," Wang Lun said with a smile to Wu Song, "that Zhang Qing is a perfect match for you. I've thought about it for a long time. Now that I'm your elder brother, it's only right that I make the decision for your life's important matter. If you're willing, I can find Third Sister Hu for you within a month."

Wu Song's bronze face flushed slightly, but he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "It's all up to you, brother."

Wang Lun laughed heartily and said, "The only bad thing is that Hu Sanniang and Zhu Biao were once engaged, but Shi Qian was captured by the Zhu Family Village. This matter can be used to make a fuss."

Wu Song frowned and said, "But I think Zhu Biao is also a good man. Do you want to kill him, brother?"

"It would be best if he could break off the engagement and be brought under my control. But if he can't be of use to me, then I'll have to eliminate the Zhu Family Village. Don't worry, Brother Song, I won't let you bear the name of injustice."

Wu Song was slightly relieved and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, brother."

Wang Lun smiled and said, "A month from now, I will definitely arrange for Hu Sanniang to marry you. This will be the first major happy event in Liangshan, and we must celebrate it properly."

Wu Song sighed softly, "Brother treats me like a true brother. I am so fortunate."

Wang Lun sighed inwardly: I've already given you a beauty with long legs like Hu Sanniang, how could I not treat you well?

The Liangshan army was busy reclamation, farming, road construction, bridge building, and training.

The people of Jeju also praised the soldiers, with those who were able to help and those who were not able to bring their own tea to comfort them.

This pleased Wang Lun greatly. This was the so-called "mass line." Indeed, those who win the hearts of the people win the world. The ancients were right.

The Liangshan Flying Tiger Army has now gained a good reputation in Jizhou. Even if the imperial court takes back Jizhou, it will be of no use. The people's hearts have long been with Liangshan.

Zhang Shuye, Guan Sheng, and the others could only wait idly in the military camp. Knowing that they had no strength to contend with Liangshan, they dared not withdraw their troops and could only wait for the imperial court to send someone.

After waiting for many days, a scout finally brought news that Grand Commandant Gao of the imperial court had sent Li Yuhou.

Zhang Shuye was taken aback. What did Grand Commandant Gao mean by sending only a guard? What good could that do?

But the other party was, after all, Grand Commandant Gao, a trusted confidant of the Song Dynasty Emperor. As everyone knows, what Grand Commandant Gao said was often what the Emperor said, and what Grand Commandant Gao did was often at the Emperor's behest.

Zhang Shuye dared not delay and led Guan Sheng, Ling Zhen, and Hao Siwen out of the military camp to meet them on the road.

Before long, a thousand soldiers indeed came into view.

Meanwhile, Li Yuhou was carried in a sedan chair by four people, moving steadily and smoothly. He took a nap in the sedan chair, with a maid gently massaging his legs beside him.

Zhang Shuye was stunned, unable to bear to look directly at Guan Sheng, and glanced at him with a helpless expression.

Guan Sheng's face was flushed and his breathing was heavy, clearly indicating that he was angry.

He quickly whispered, "General Guan, please don't be angry. Let's hear what he has to say first."

Scorching sun.

They waited for half an hour.

Li Yuhou indeed woke up groggily and saw Zhang Shuye, Guan Sheng and others waiting patiently by the roadside under the scorching sun. Without paying any attention, he reached out and put his arm around the maid beside him, turned over and wanted to continue sleeping.

Zhang Shuye suppressed his anger and stepped forward, saying, "Zhang Shuye greets Li Yuhou."

He was the Vice Minister of Rites, a much higher position than this Yuhou, yet he still had to be obsequious.

As the saying goes, even a third-rank official can be found in front of the Prime Minister's residence.

Even a dog at the prime minister's gate can only bow its head in respect.

Seeing that Li Yuhou ignored him, Guan Sheng flew into a rage and shouted, "You scoundrel, didn't you hear Vice Minister Zhang speaking to you?"

Guan Sheng's voice was loud and imposing. He had been waiting under the scorching sun for so long and was already impatient. His anger was burning fiercely in his chest.

Li Yuhou was taken aback, but relying on his position as Gao Qiu's favorite, he looked Guan Sheng up and down and said, "So you're Guan Sheng, the one who failed to suppress the bandits and even colluded with them?"

Guan Sheng was taken aback, and said in a deep voice, "I am Guan Sheng. As for the criticism of my ineffective suppression of the bandits and my collusion with them, I would appreciate it if you, Li Yuhou, would refrain from such remarks. If you wrong me, I fear it will be difficult to explain to the Emperor."

Li Yuhou gave a cold laugh and got off the sedan chair, but saw that the sun was blazing and his skin was burning. He immediately retreated and hid in the shade of the sedan chair roof.

"I have come on the orders of Chancellor Cai and Grand Commandant Gao to ask you two questions."

Zhang Shuye, Guan Sheng, and the others could only bend down slightly and listen attentively.

"You have a force of 25,000 men, while the Liangshan bandits number only a few thousand. Yet you have suffered repeated defeats and failed miserably in suppressing the rebels. Do you acknowledge this?"

"Guan Sheng has allied himself with the bandit leader Lin Chong and intends to defect to the enemy. Zhang Shuye failed to supervise him properly, allowing the bandits to become increasingly arrogant. Is this true?"

Li Yuhou puffed out his chest and raised his head, saying a few words with even more pride, and laughed, "The Grand Commandant ordered me to come here for two reasons: first, to question you, and second, to escort you all to the capital and hand you over to the authorities for questioning."

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers behind him immediately stepped forward to seize Guan Sheng's weapon.

Guan Sheng roared in anger, "You treacherous villain, how dare you frame me! Are you tired of living? Can you take this blow from me?"

He brandished his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, poised to strike.

Zhang Shuye quickly advised, "General Guan, hold your hand. We have nothing to hide. If we're going to the capital, then let's go. I refuse to believe that the Song Dynasty is ruled by Cai Jing and Gao Qiu."

Guan Sheng stood firmly, glaring at Li Yuhou, and said, "Minister Zhang, the truth is all in Gao Qiu's mouth. How can you and I possibly explain it? Let's kill this scoundrel and go to Liangshan together."

As soon as he spoke, Hao Siwen and Ling Zhen stepped forward and stood beside him.

Needless to say, the three of them were of one mind.

"Listen to this, aren't they about to surrender to the traitors? Come on, seize them! Anyone who resists, execute them on the spot!" Li Yuhou became excited, jumping up and down as he directed the soldiers behind him.

With a roar, Guan Sheng swiftly placed his Green Dragon Crescent Blade on Li Yuhou's shoulder.

Li Yuhou was taken aback, and the soldiers behind him dared not move.

Zhang Shuye hurriedly said, "General Guan, this man's death is not a pity, but if you kill him, we will really have no way to explain ourselves."

"That's right... Guan Sheng, if you're going to rebel, don't forget your family." Li Yuhou's face turned ashen.

"If you dare to touch a single hair on my family's head, I will kill your entire family and exterminate Gao Qiu's entire clan."

Guan Sheng gritted his teeth and pressed down hard, forcing Li Yuhou to kneel on the ground.

Zhang Shuye said urgently, "General Guan, as long as we return to the capital, even if Gao Qiu wants to frame us, we can still appeal to the Emperor."

Guan Sheng turned to look at Zhang Shuye, knowing that Zhang Shuye was unwilling to go to Liangshan and wanted to return to Dongjing. If Guan Sheng really killed Li Yuhou, it would put Zhang Shuye in a difficult position.

He then sheathed his sword and said, "Minister Zhang, have you thought this through? If we are without weapons and are escorted to the capital by this man, we might be killed on the way."

Li Yuhou's expression changed, and he quickly said, "How could I dare?"

Zhang Shuye hesitated for a moment, but then, considering he was the Vice Minister of Rites, he said, "I doubt Gao Qiu has the guts to do that."

Guan Sheng sighed and tossed the Green Dragon Crescent Blade aside.

Li Yuhou was overjoyed and waved his hand, saying, "Tie them up."