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

No, my master is unparalleled in the world when it comes to weapons, how could he possibly lose!

No wonder he began to waver in his feelings for Lu Junyi.

Zhao Yuan's reputation for killing a tiger with a single punch is simply too brutal!

Although Yan Qing had confidence in Lu Junyi, he also knew that with his master's martial arts skills alone,

If you were bare-handed, you might be able to kill a tiger, but you definitely couldn't do it as easily as with a single punch!

When Yan Qing came to his senses, he realized that everyone else had already taken their seats and were chatting, while he was still standing there.

"Brother Yi is confused!"

Xu Guanzhong laughed and said, "In my opinion, regardless of the outcome of this battle, it will be a good thing for Master Lu. Why should Brother Xiao Yi worry?"

"Brother, what do you mean by that?" Yan Qing asked, puzzled.

"If Master Lu wins this battle, his prestige in the martial arts world will rise to a new level,"

Xu Guanzhong explained, "If Master Lu loses, he can be freed from the troubles of the martial world. Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

"That's true," Yan Qing couldn't help but nod.

Lu Junyi has lived in Daming Prefecture for many years and rarely goes out.

Judging from his appearance, he really has lost interest in the affairs of the martial arts world.

"In that case, I will return and tell my master about Chief Zhao's matter,"

Yan Qing replied, "But whether Master is willing to agree is not a matter that Xiao Can decide."

"Whether Master Lu agrees or not, please inform him," Xu Guanzhong instructed.

Yan Qing looked surprised: "Brother, aren't you supposed to be leaving for Bianliang tomorrow?"

"Haha, how can we miss such a fierce battle!"

Xu Guanzhong laughed and said, "It's not too late to leave after watching the match between Chief Zhao and Master Lu!"

With the decision to challenge Lu Junyi made, everyone relaxed and became more at ease.

Yan Qing truly lived up to his nickname, "The Prodigal Son."

He is proficient in all kinds of arts and crafts, from playing musical instruments and singing to dancing; he is always there to liven up the atmosphere.

The group at the table quickly became acquainted.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food...

Qiongying finally couldn't help but ask, "Brother Xu, how did you guess my brother's identity?"

Zhao Yuan, who was standing to the side, was also a little curious. He shouldn't have said anything about revealing his identity.

"Haha, how could I have guessed that!"

Xu Guanzhong chuckled twice before explaining, "When Chief Zhao killed that tyrant Ximen Qing, I had just returned from traveling in Jiangnan and happened to be passing through Yanggu County. I was deeply impressed by Chief Zhao's heroic figure!"

"Just now, because Chief Zhao concealed his skin color and wore a fake beard to hide his identity, I didn't recognize him at first. But after Chief Zhao said he wanted to challenge Master Lu, I was able to confirm his identity!"

"Lu Junyi, the wealthy man, has been famous for many years, and ordinary people no longer dare to make a move against him. At this time, the only person who dares to challenge him and is surnamed Zhao is naturally the recently rising star Zhao Dalang from Tokyo!"

Chapter 122 The Gamble of Selling Oneself

"Chief Zhao, I have answered your sister's question. I wonder if you could also unravel the mystery in my heart?"

Xu Guanzhong asked, "How did the chieftain guess that I was going to Tokyo to participate in the martial arts examination?"

"This is it,"

Zhao Yuan chuckled and said, "If I said it was just a guess, would Brother Xu believe me?"

He wasn't lying. While the novel *Water Margin* mentions that Xu Guanzhong was a martial arts champion, it doesn't specify the exact time.

Zhao Yuan had only just remembered this matter and was just making things up on the spot.

"Believe it, why not? Chief Zhao is a true hero, upright and honorable. He wouldn't lie about something so trivial."

After Xu Guanzhong chuckled, he suggested, "Since Chief Zhao guessed so accurately, why don't you guess again how my luck will be on this trip?"

"With Brother Xu's talent, he is more than capable of handling the military examination."

Zhao Yuan replied, "If you ask me, Brother Xu, you will surely become the top scholar in the imperial examination this time!"

"The chieftain has such confidence in me?"

Xu Guanzhong said in surprise, "Although the martial arts examination is not as difficult as the imperial examination, it is still a gathering of heroes. I only hope to pass the martial arts examination and become a martial arts scholar."

"Brother Xu, how about we make a bet? I'll bet on whether you can become the top martial arts champion!"

Zhao Yuan's heart stirred, and he suddenly said 18.

What is the stake?

As soon as Xu Guanzhong finished asking, he immediately said, "If the bet is that I lose and have to go to Liangshan with the chieftain, then I dare not gamble!"

“If Brother Xu loses, as the martial arts champion, it will naturally be inconvenient for him to come to my mountain,”

Zhao Yuan laughed and said, "But if I told you that Brother Xu would not only become the top martial arts scholar, but also be granted an official position, it wouldn't be long before he resigned and went into seclusion!"

"Resign from office and retire into seclusion?"

Xu Guanzhong chuckled and asked, "Why is Chief Zhao so certain that I would do such a thing?"

"Although I have only just met Brother Xu, I have heard that you are of noble character and no ordinary person."

Zhao Yuan explained, “Nowadays, the court is filled with treacherous officials, the government is corrupt, those who are jealous of the virtuous and capable run rampant, while the loyal and upright are unjustly accused. How long do you think you can stay in such a court, Brother Xu?”

"this......"

Xu Guanzhong remained silent for a long time before sighing, "Perhaps it really will be as the chieftain predicted."

"When Brother Xu encounters setbacks in the court, he will surely be disheartened and only think of living in seclusion. But if that happens, wouldn't it be a waste of Brother Xu's talent?"

Zhao Yuan advised, "My bet is that if the time comes, I ask Brother Xu to come to Liangshan and lend me a hand!"

Xu Guanzhong pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If Liangshan Marsh is just a small-scale skirmish, we can use its geographical advantage to deal with the local officials and soldiers. But if we want to do something big, once the court is truly angered and sends in the elite Western Army, given that Shandong is easy to attack but difficult to defend, I'm afraid its destruction will be imminent!"

"I see that the chieftain is not an unwise man, and he must have great ambitions. Why then would he choose to walk the path of death?"

Zhao Yuan did not answer immediately, but instead asked, "In Brother Xu's opinion, when will the Song court be destroyed?"

"Although the current emperor has made mistakes, the Song Dynasty has been established for over a century and has a deep foundation. Even if there is some unrest, it cannot change the overall situation."

Xu Guanzhong shook his head and said, "If the new emperor can sweep away the treacherous officials and restore order to the court, the Song Dynasty can stand for another hundred years."

"Brother Xu, when did I say that the Song court would perish from within?" Zhao Yuan suddenly asked.

Xu Guanzhong pondered for a moment, then suddenly paused, startled: "Does the chieftain mean the Jin Dynasty?"

I just overheard Zhao Yuan and Xu Guanzhong discussing the fall of the Song Dynasty.

Everyone else at the table was too shocked to speak.

Now, when Xu Guanzhong mentions the Jin Dynasty...

Yan Qing finally couldn't help but say, "The Jin Kingdom is just a small country newly established by the Jurchen tribe. It is small and weak. How could it possibly destroy the Song Dynasty?"

"Between the Song and Jin dynasties, there was the Liao dynasty. If the Jin wanted to destroy the Song, it had to destroy the Liao first."

Shi Qian also shook his head and said, "Although the Liao Kingdom is weak at this time, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. How can a little Jurchen like us bully them?"

After the two finished speaking, Yan Qing saw that Xu Guanzhong remained silent for a long time and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Brother, you don't really think that the Jurchens can destroy the Song and Liao dynasties, do you?"

"I didn't take the Jurchens seriously before, but after listening to the chieftain's words and doing some mental calculations, I suddenly realized that the Jurchens might actually be able to destroy the Song and Liao dynasties!"

Xu Guanzhong gave a wry smile, noticing the puzzled expressions on the faces of Yan Qing, Shi Qian, and the others.

He then explained to them, "The current Liao emperor, Tianzuo, is incompetent and tyrannical, favoring flatterers and distancing himself from loyal and honest officials. He has plunged the Liao kingdom into chaos, and the people are suffering. With such a foolish ruler as emperor, how can the Liao kingdom not perish?"

"Furthermore, when I traveled the world before and arrived in Bianliang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, I encountered an envoy from the Jurchen tribe who requested an audience with His Majesty. He wanted to form an alliance with the Song Dynasty to jointly attack the Liao Dynasty."

"Isn't this a good thing?"

Shi Qian said in surprise, "If the Song and Jin dynasties form an alliance and destroy the Liao dynasty, then we can take back the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. With that territory in hand, we, the people of the Central Plains, will no longer fear foreign tribes."

By this time, Yan Qing, who was standing to the side, had begun to understand.

He sighed and said slowly, "The Liao Dynasty has been established for more than two hundred years. Its original arrogance and ferocity have long been worn down, so it can coexist peacefully with the Song Dynasty. Once the Liao Dynasty is destroyed and the Jin Dynasty rises, its momentum will be unstoppable. Without the Liao Dynasty as a shield, the Song and Jin will inevitably clash. At that time, the Jurchen army will be at the gates of the city. With the current military strength of Daming Prefecture, how can we stop them?"

Daming Prefecture was a major military stronghold in the north of the Song Dynasty, garrisoned by the Hebei Imperial Guard. It was originally established to defend against the Liao Dynasty.

However, following the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Song and Liao dynasties enjoyed a century of peace, with no further major wars.

This Hebei Imperial Guard gradually became corrupt and decadent, and by this time, it was no different from the local militia.

Xu Guanzhong and Yan Qing were both from Daming Prefecture.

Both of them were fully aware of this and could naturally imagine it.

Once the Jurchens destroyed the Liao dynasty, their southward advance was unstoppable.

"Isn't there still the Western Army?" Shi Qian asked.

"If Jin can ally with Song to destroy Liao, it can then ally with Western Xia to destroy Song!"

Xu Guanzhong said in a deep voice: "At that time, as long as the Western Xia sends troops to hold back the Western Army, the Jurchens will have no more scruples and can move south at will, directly threatening Bianliang!"

"I now understand. The chieftain intends to take advantage of the rise of the Jin Dynasty and the chaos in the north to seize the opportunity to achieve his great ambitions."

Xu Guanzhong looked at Zhao Yuan and asked, "But isn't the chief worried that after I pass the imperial examination, I might break the Song-Jin alliance? At that time, the chief will have to make plans, and it will all be just wishful thinking!"

"In the current Song court, Tong Guan is single-mindedly focused on recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and obtaining a title and the rank of king. He is also in cahoots with Cai Jing and others, all of whom are close advisors to the emperor."

Zhao Yuan laughed and said, "Brother Xu, if you think you can defeat them in the court, you are welcome to give it a try!"

Xu Guanzhong's face immediately showed a bitter expression, clearly indicating that he had already considered the difficulty of accomplishing this task.

"In any case, I must give him a try,"

Xu Guanzhong sighed, then suddenly stood up and bowed to Zhao Yuan, saying...

"I accept the chieftain's bet. If the day ever comes when I am disillusioned with the court, I will resign and go to Liangshan Marsh to lend the chieftain a helping hand!"

Chapter 123 The "Purple Bottle" in Jin Ping Mei

After agreeing to the bet with Zhao Yuan,

Xu Guanzhong had lost his appetite for drinking and got up to take his leave.

Yan Qing left with him.

The rest of Zhao Yuan and his group remained relaxed, having eaten and drunk their fill.

I just got up to return to the inn.

As soon as they stepped out of the private room, they found that the staircase to the main building had been blocked by a group of servants.

Upon inquiring with the waiter, they learned that she was the daughter of Grand Tutor Cai and the wife of Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture, and that she was coming to Cuiyun Tower to host a banquet.

The staircase was temporarily closed to prevent ordinary people from offending dignitaries.

Zhao Yuan and the others waited in the corridor for a while.

Then a dozen or so elegantly dressed ladies slowly walked upstairs.

Listening to the discussions of the surrounding guests,

Walking in the middle was Liang Zhongshu's wife.

Accompanying her were the wives and daughters of other officials from Daming Prefecture.

These ladies were followed by twenty or thirty maids.

Once all these people had gone upstairs, the servants who had blocked the stairs left, allowing ordinary people to walk freely.

Zhao Yuan and the others were climbing the stairs, about to descend.

Below, a woman was also seen with her head down, running hurriedly upstairs.

But it just so happened that it bumped into Zhao Yuan.

Zhao Yuan remained unmoved.

The woman was knocked backward and was about to fall down the stairs.

Zhao Yuan quickly reached out and pulled, but ended up pulling the woman into his arms.

The woman was still in shock; her face had turned pale with fright.