Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

"what?"

Hu Sanniang, standing to the side, asked with a surprised expression, "Wasn't it that the tiger was about to attack Zhao Dalang, and then Zhu Biao kindly went to save him, only to be ambushed from behind by Zhao Dalang?"

"What did you say?"

Zhao Yuan asked with a strange expression, "I ambushed Zhu Biao?"

"That's what Zhu Biao told me,"

Hu Sanniang replied, "He said that after he saved you, you repaid kindness with enmity and instead took the opportunity to ambush him. When he was fleeing in panic, he accidentally fell into a pit and was injured in the leg."

"You just fought me. Do you think I would need to ambush Zhu Biao if I were to attack him?" Zhao Yuan asked.

"003"

"this......"

Hu Sanniang recalled how Zhao Yuan had subdued her with complete ease.

Although Zhu Biao's martial arts skills were slightly better than Hu Sanniang's, they weren't by much.

If Zhao Yuan were to actually attack him, he could probably capture him with ease.

Hu Sanniang immediately realized who was lying.

"I thought Zhu Biao was already shameless, but I didn't expect him to be even more shameless than I thought!" Hu Sanniang said angrily.

"Never mind, it's good that things have been explained clearly now."

As Zhao Yuan spoke, he picked up his broadsword.

Hu Sanniang thought he was going to kill her to silence her, so she couldn't help but close her eyes.

He lamented his fate in his heart.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, he suddenly felt a sudden relaxation all over his body.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that Zhao Yuan had already cut the ropes binding her.

"Are you going to let me go?" Hu Sanniang asked in surprise.

"If I don't let you go, do you really think I'm going to kidnap you and take you up the mountain?"

Zhao Yuan made a joke, but Hu Sanniang blushed immediately.

Realizing that he had wronged this person and even fought with him,

Zhao Dalang, however, didn't care at all, displaying a magnanimous spirit.

On the contrary, her fiancé, in order to get revenge, even went so far as to exploit her reputation as his fiancée.

Thinking of this, Hu Sanniang felt an even greater loathing for Zhu Biao.

At this moment, the female soldiers beside her had already led Hu Sanniang's horse over.

"I will explain this matter to my elder brother. Please forgive me for my offense today!"

After leaving those words, Hu Sanniang mounted her horse and rode away.

As Zhao Yuan watched her retreating figure, he was reminded of the three villages of Dulonggang.

In the original Water Margin world, the three villages on Dulonggang were quite wealthy in terms of money and grain.

After Song Jiang led his men to capture Dulonggang, he made a fortune.

Now, Zhao Yuan has a feud with the Zhu Family Village.

I suppose I'll have to fight them sooner or later.

Qiongying, standing to the side, noticed that Zhao Yuan kept staring at Hu Sanniang's back.

I thought he was reluctant to part with the beauty.

He glared at Zhao Yuan unhappily.

"If you really can't bear to part with her, then go with her!"

"What did you say?"

Zhao Yuan looked at Qiong Ying with a puzzled expression.

The girl ignored him and just sat by the fire, sulking to herself.

Sigh, teenagers are so rebellious!

Zhao Yuan thought she was still arguing with Hu Sanniang.

He could only sigh to himself and didn't pay much attention to it.

......

After eating their dry rations by the fire, the group continued their journey.

Another day passed, and they had entered Qinghe County.

Along the way, you can see many refugees who are dressed in tattered clothes and are emaciated.

Zhao Yuan dismounted and inquired, only then did he learn that...

These people all came from Cangzhou.

Last year, the lower reaches of the Yellow River experienced severe flooding, and many areas around Cangzhou were submerged.

These disaster victims were originally staying in Cangzhou, hoping to receive relief from the imperial court.

But to their surprise, almost a whole winter has passed, and they still haven't received any disaster relief funds or supplies.

To be honest, the Song Dynasty court wasn't short of money; it's just that money was the top priority for everyone in the court.

However, it was to provide Emperor Huizong with a tribute of flowers and stones to build royal gardens.

Secondly, corruption is rampant among officials at all levels.

In response to the recent flood in Cangzhou, the Song court has already allocated a sum of money and grain for disaster relief.

Before they even reached Cangzhou, all the money and grain had already been embezzled and disappeared.

These disaster victims could no longer survive in Cangzhou, so they had no choice but to travel to Tokyo in groups.

"Brother, these people are so pitiful,"

Qiongying saw that among these disaster victims were both old and young.

The elderly were already covered in white hair, while the young were still crying for food; their eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.

"I hope they can find something to eat when they get to Tokyo."

"Even if we get to Tokyo, the elderly and weak here probably won't live much longer,"

Lin Chong, standing to the side, sighed and said, "With so many disaster victims arriving in Tokyo, the court usually incorporates the able-bodied men into the local militia to prevent them from causing trouble. However, many of the elderly and children among them will probably die on the way to Tokyo. Even if they do arrive, these elderly and children pose little threat, and the court will certainly not be willing to waste money by incorporating them into the local militia. They will only let them fend for themselves!"

"How could this be?"

Qiongying opened her big eyes and tugged at Zhao Yuan's arm.

"Brother, let's help them!"

Zhao Yuan pondered for a moment, realizing that Liangshan wasn't lacking in money and supplies, but rather in manpower...

And aren't these disaster victims right in front of us just existing population?

So Zhao Yuan summoned Ruan Xiaoqi and instructed him to return to Liangshan immediately.

Inform the other leaders that they must find a way to lure the disaster victims from Cangzhou to Liangshan.

Ruan Xiaoqi accepted the order and returned to Liangshan, leaving Zhao Yuan and the others powerless to help the numerous disaster victims.

All I could tell them was to head south.

There is a Liangshan Marsh that is taking in refugees.

They continued to move against the flow of refugees.

Zhao Yuan and his entourage arrived in Qinghe County.

Several squads of soldiers were stationed at the entrance of the county town.

However, this was done to strictly search the people entering the city and prevent disaster victims from sneaking into the city.

Zhao Yuan and his men entered the city, only to discover that...

In front of the shops in the county town, all sorts of lanterns were hung.

They then remembered that today was the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Qinghe County also has a lantern festival.

Although it wasn't as grand as the one in Tokyo, it was clearly still a celebration.

The group found an inn to stay at, and afterwards went to the lobby to eat together.

Looking at the food on the table, Qiongying couldn't help but think of the disaster victims she had seen on the road, and immediately lost her appetite.

Zhao Yuan didn't press the matter and told her to go back to her room to rest.

As night fell and darkness descended,

The streets in Qinghe County were gradually illuminated.

Lanterns have been lit in front of every shop in the market.

Crowds thronged the streets everywhere.

In ordinary households, even if they don't light lanterns themselves...

They also often go out to enjoy the lanterns and sightseeing.

Lin Chong and Jiao Ting had already gone out.

The two female soldiers also looked eager to give it a try.

Zhao Yuan then told them to go sightseeing first, while he would take care of Qiongying himself...

Chapter Ninety-Seven: A Chance Encounter with Adultery on the Lantern Festival

Arriving at the girl's door,

Zhao Yuan knocked on the door, and after she answered, he went inside.

Seeing that Qiongying was lying listlessly on the bed,

Zhao Yuan then asked her to go with him to the street to admire the lanterns.

The girl didn't want to go, but Zhao Yuan eventually dragged her to the street.

Looking at the various lanterns hanging everywhere in the street,

Qiongying, still young at heart, quickly forgot about the tragic scene of the disaster victims she had witnessed and happily began to play.

The two walked along the street, admiring the lanterns along the way.

Looking around at the street performers and various food stalls,

Qiongying didn't eat much that evening.

By this time, they were naturally hungry.

He then pulled Zhao Yuan to sit down at a stall selling glutinous rice balls.

They each ordered a bowl.

After the owner brought over two steaming bowls of glutinous rice balls,

Looking at those round and plump glutinous rice balls,

Even Zhao Yuan, who had already eaten dinner, couldn't help but feel hungry.

Not to mention Qiongying, who didn't eat dinner until she was 18.

The girl gently blew two breaths.

Then he gently took a small bite of the round glutinous rice ball.

The smooth sesame paste slowly flowed out, almost dripping into the soup below.

The girl quickly swallowed the rest of the glutinous rice balls into her mouth.

Unexpectedly, he was burned by the sesame paste.