The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 133, Article 131: Throughout history, all sages and wise men have been guests of wine.

The most difficult thing to see through since ancient times is the human heart!

The current situation has far exceeded Song Jiang's understanding and knowledge of the original story, so Song Jiang is not sure whether Grand Commandant Wang will plot against Xu Ning behind his back!

However, according to the original work, Wang Taiwei had previously asked Xu Ning to buy armor, but after Xu Ning refused, the matter was eventually dropped!

Will things unfold as they did in the original story? Will Shi Qian steal the armor and trick Xu Ning into joining him on the mountain? I doubt it!

Those in high positions are hard to fathom, because they have power and can manipulate the law, while ordinary people are powerless against them!

But Gao Qiu, the Grand Commandant, did not see that he would repeatedly plot against Lin Chong for the sake of his adopted son, and even tried to kill Lin Chong on several occasions, all so that Gao Yanei could have the pleasure of Lin Niangzi.

Although this young Grand Commandant Wang Du has no bad reputation in history, he was a dashing, unconventional, and cynical man!

Such people often act entirely according to their own whims and preferences. Because they are relatives of the emperor, many officials are too busy currying favor with them to dare to offend them. After all, not everyone is like Bao Zheng, who dares to offend powerful figures and is ruthless enough to even behead the King of Horses!

Because of Wang Shen's sudden visit, the atmosphere was far less pleasant and harmonious than before, so Song Jiang had no choice but to take his leave with the others!

Before leaving, Song Jiang instructed Tang Long, "Brother, if Instructor Xu encounters any trouble, inform me immediately!"

Tang Long said with a wry smile, "I never expected to run into something like this!"

After leaving Xu Ning's house, Wang Taiwei did not return to the Ma residence, but instead went to the home of a lover!

This young Grand Commandant Wang was quite an eccentric character. He had no interest in money or future prospects, but he had a great interest in rare treasures, beautiful women, and fine wines!

He was chosen by Emperor Yingzong of Song, Zhao Shu, but he had a very good relationship with Emperor Zhezong, Emperor Shenzong, and Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, who was not yet Emperor Huizong at the time. Even after he ascended the throne, he wanted to keep him by his side!

Although the Grand Commandant was the head of all the Grand Commandants, it was actually a nominal position with no real power. He enjoyed wealth and honor without having to worry about anything, and could be described as carefree and happy!

Wang Taiwei enjoys appreciating flowers and watching birds, composing poems and couplets every day. He will take in anyone who shares his interests, regardless of their character or background, even if they are poor or are fugitives!

At this moment, Liu Hanyan had already prepared fine wine and food, waiting for Grand Commandant Wang to arrive!

Seeing the sullen look on Grand Commandant Wang's face, Liu Hanyan sensibly helped him sit down and said with a smile, "Which ignorant person has upset our Grand Commandant husband?"

Grand Commandant Wang shook his head and said, "Who else could it be but Xu Ning, the instructor of the Golden Spear Squad!"

Liu Hanyan pondered for a moment and said, "Could it be that Xu Ning is unwilling to sell that ancestral treasure armor?"

Grand Commandant Wang said directly, "Xu Ning said that our ancestors taught that as long as the armor is there, the person is there; if the armor is broken, the person dies. He has already said that, so how can I force him? I, Wang Shen, have nothing I can't get, yet I've been humiliated by Xu Ning!" After saying that, he poured himself a cup of wine and drank it all in one gulp, his face full of resentment!

Liu Hanyan leaned against Grand Commandant Wang's chest and said, "If it were just Xu Ning refusing to sell that precious armor, Grand Commandant Wang wouldn't be so angry!"

Grand Commandant Wang smiled slightly and said, "I couldn't hide it from you after all. It wasn't for nothing that I redeemed you from the music hall!"

Liu Hanyan remained silent, straightened up, filled Wang Taiwei's cup to the brim with wine, and then poured one for herself, saying, "If it weren't for Taiwei, Hanyan would still be suffering in the music hall. This cup is dedicated to Taiwei for rescuing Hanyan from this sea of ​​suffering!"

Looking at the lovely girl before him, Grand Commandant Wang smiled and downed his drink in one gulp. He then said, "Today I saw a child at Xu Ning's house. I have no doubt about the precious sword he was holding; it is Yang Zhi's family heirloom sword, the Meteor Rock-Shattering Sword!"

After listening to Grand Commandant Wang's explanation, Liu Hanyan said, "Yang Zhi had already fled to Daming Prefecture and was serving under Liang Zhongshu after losing the birthday gifts. How could the precious sword be in the hands of that child?"

After a moment's thought, Grand Commandant Wang said, "That child must also be a descendant of the Yang family. It's not surprising that the knife is in his hands. However, this precious sword and armor are things I've been longing for day and night. Now that they've both appeared in Xu Ning's house, I'm itching to get my hands on them and play with them!"

Looking at her benefactor, Liu Hanyan frowned and said, "Grand Commandant, don't worry. If we can't do it openly, we can do it covertly!"

Grand Commandant Wang's eyes lit up, but he immediately shook his head and said, "I'm not good at doing things in secret. Besides, if others find out about this, I, as Grand Commandant, will lose face!"

Liu Hanyan pursed her lips and said, "The Grand Commandant doesn't need to get involved; we can delegate that to someone else!"

Grand Commandant Wang asked, "I suppose you already have someone in mind!"

Liu Hanyan nodded and said, "It's Gao Er, the current emperor's favorite! If it weren't for the Grand Commandant's patronage, how could Gao Er have gotten to know the emperor and become a court attendant? He's always been full of crooked ideas, so why not call him here to lend the Grand Commandant a hand? He's bound to have a solution!"

Upon hearing this, Grand Commandant Wang thought the plan was indeed brilliant, and said with a smile, "In that case, I will send someone to inform him to come over!"

He then put his arm around Liu Hanyan's slender waist and said, "You are my most precious treasure. How can I reward you?"

Liu Hanyan replied obediently, "Hanyan is content as long as she can stay by the Grand Commandant's side!"

Grand Commandant Wang laughed heartily, "You really have a silver tongue! From now on, don't call me 'Second Senior,' I'm not the same person anymore. You should call me 'Attendant Gao,' hahaha..."

95

The weather is getting colder and colder. Today the sun is shining brightly, but I don't feel warm at all. Instead, a slight chill makes me pull my long coat tighter!

It's a small tavern, simple yet exquisite. Unlike other luxuriously decorated restaurants, this tavern is peaceful and quiet, and the prices are reasonable, making it a gathering place for talented people from all over to compose poems!

Listening to the two scholars, one a true scholar and the other a pseudo-scholar, arguing heatedly over a poem, while the waiter bustled back and forth around the table, Song Jiang found the place quite amusing. He laughed and said, "Waiter, bring me a pot of good tea first, then some of your best dishes. Bring on all the wine and meat you want, the price is negotiable!" As he spoke, he took out a small piece of silver and handed it to the waiter, saying, "Please hurry, my brothers are starving!"

The waiter happily accepted the money, knowing it was a tip, and went to urge the kitchen to hurry up!

Just then, a commotion seemed to break out outside. Many people ran into the alleys to hide. Others rushed into the tavern, instantly filling the already small tavern to capacity!

Song Jiang was puzzled. He saw many people running around in a panic. Could it be that someone had arrived?

All that could be heard were voices shouting, "Get out of the way! The tiger is coming!"

Song Jiang's heart skipped a beat and he thought, "How strange! Could it be him?" Just then, he saw a tall, dark-skinned man in the distance, half-drunk, stumbling into the restaurant.

When Song Jiang looked at the man, he found him to be ugly.

It turned out that this man was a notorious down-and-out rogue in the capital, known as the Hairless Tiger Niu Er. He was known for causing trouble, committing violence, and making a scene in the streets. He had even been involved in several lawsuits, and the Kaifeng Prefecture could not subdue him. As a result, everyone in the city avoided him when they saw him.

When the waiter saw Niu Er barge in, he stepped forward with a fawning smile and said, "Sir, please don't disturb our guest. Please have a seat, the food and wine will be served shortly!"

Niu Er slapped the waiter across the face, sending him sprawling on his back! He yelled, "You ungrateful wretch, get back to work!"

Those around dared not speak out in anger, and the waiter, touching his swollen face, hurriedly left as well!

Niu Er was a little hungry, so he went straight to a table for one person, tore off a chicken, and started eating it in big bites! The two people next to him were a little helpless, but they didn't dare to say anything!

Song Jiang watched from the sidelines, but remained silent!

Actually, Niu Er wasn't anyone to be trifled with. He just relied on his size and brute strength to bully men and women and act tyrannically in Bianliang! The only problem was that people didn't dare to unite and stop this evil!

This constant avoidance only emboldens evildoers, ultimately leading to this outcome!

Of course, another point is that Niu Er is not a stupid person. He never causes any murder or seriously injures anyone. Therefore, the Kaifeng Prefecture wants to punish him, but cannot find a reason to do so, which is very troublesome!

Song Jiang's silence doesn't mean others won't speak!

Jiao Ting slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "You only dare to bully the good and kind; you're nothing but a coward who preys on the weak and fears the strong!"

Jiao Ting's words warmed the hearts of those who had long suffered under Niu Er's oppression, and they all looked at him! If someone really stood up for them, their lives would be much better in the future!

Niu Ercong ignored him, took out a wrist-splitting knife from his waist, placed it on the table, and continued to tear at a chicken leg!

Jiao Ting chuckled and said, "I thought you were something special, but you're just a coward!"

Niu Er could no longer contain himself. He grabbed his knife and charged at Jiao Ting, shouting, "You dare to talk back to your grandfather!"

To everyone's surprise, Jiao Ting was not afraid at all and charged straight at them!

Niu Er was an experienced fighter. He picked up a knife and stabbed Jiao Ting in the hand, which was not a fatal spot. Niu Er knew that his constant minor mistakes were not enough to warrant the government's imprisonment, but if someone were to die, he would definitely be executed.

Amidst the gasps of the crowd, Jiao Ting calmly turned to the side, used a knife-seizing technique to disarm Niu Er, and then employed a joint lock!

With a snap, Niu Er's hand was broken!

Niu Er screamed in pain, but Jiao Ting showed no mercy, grabbing Niu Er's other hand and twisting it off!

Then he kicked Niu Er's inside ankle, and another sound of bones breaking rang out!

Niu Er was trembling all over from the pain. His body slipped and fell to the ground like a limp eel, unable to get up again!

Just then, there was another commotion outside. It turned out that the constables from Kaifeng Prefecture had arrived!

Song Jiang sneered inwardly. When Niu Er started bullying the people, the constables never came!

Jiao Ting knocked Niu Er over, and then the constables arrived. It's truly terrifying how cunning and shrewd people can be!

Four constables entered and immediately adopted a haughty tone, shouting, "What's going on? Why are you making such a commotion? Who's causing trouble here?!"

The restaurant owner had long resented Niu Er for trying to dine and dash. Today, seeing a brave man step forward and beat Niu Er, he was overjoyed and would never betray him.

Moreover, judging from Niu Er's appearance, he seems to have permanently lost his hands and feet, so he definitely can't do evil anymore! I have nothing to worry about!

Therefore, the innkeeper spoke first: "This Niu Er came to eat, and he tried to show off, pulling out a knife to juggle, but who knew that while he was waving it, he actually fell to the ground and couldn't get up!"

No one would believe such nonsense, but to everyone's surprise, the people and the crowd around them all agreed, saying that what the shopkeeper said was the truth!

The constable looked at Niu Er, who was lying on the ground like a lump of mud, shook his head and said, "Niu Er, why aren't you going back? Stop making a fool of yourself here!" Then he hurriedly left.

With their keen eyesight, they could naturally see that Niu Er's arms and legs had been broken, and he would probably never be able to walk again for the rest of his life. But Niu Er was also a complete villain who had angered the public. The constables were too lazy to care whether he lived or died, let alone investigate Jiao Ting's responsibility. So they just gave him a few perfunctory words and left!

Niu Er wanted the constables to stand up for him, but when he saw Song Jiang's cold eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say it. To put it bluntly, he was just a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong!

The constables left, and the innkeeper gave Niu Er a disgusted look, then said, "A few men, throw Niu Er out!"

Turning to Song Jiang with a smile, he said, "Thank you for your righteousness, hero, for ridding us of this scourge. This meal is on me!"

The innkeeper had seen many travelers from all over the country and could naturally tell that Song Jiang was the leader of this group, so he took the initiative to thank Song Jiang!

Song Jiang laughed and said, "There's no need to be so polite!"

The people nearby also came forward to thank Jiao Ting. Jiao Ting scratched his head sheepishly and said with a smile, "I just couldn't stand his bullying attitude, so I taught him a lesson!"

Song Jiang also stood up and said, "Gentlemen, today my brother Jiao Ting beat up Niu Er here, saving you from being bullied by him in the future. But what if another Li Er, Wang Er, or Chen Er appears in the future? We won't be here anymore, what will you do then?"

Seeing everyone remain silent, Song Jiang sighed and said, "This Niu Er is neither some kind of three-headed, six-armed demon nor some spoiled brat from an official family. He's just a scoundrel! There are many passionate men among you. If we unite as one, why worry about not being able to deal with this fellow?"

Song Jiang's words made everyone feel somewhat embarrassed, but they also knew that what he said was true!

Having been bullied by him for so long, they had long forgotten the path of resistance!

At first, they did try to resist, but they were outnumbered and outmatched. After being beaten several times by Niu Er, they learned the pain and became afraid, and no longer had the will to resist!

Little did they know that Niu Er could only fight a few of them, so how could he possibly defeat dozens of them?

As everyone was pondering, a voice came from nearby: "That makes a lot of sense!"

Upon hearing the sound, Song Jiang looked over and saw a scholar-like man sitting at a table not far away!

The man was in his thirties, dressed like a scholar, and looked quite bookish. On the table were a plate of peanuts, a pot of wine, a pair of chopsticks, a bowl and a cup, and nothing else, just as simple as his clothes!

Song Jiang found this scholar-looking man rather intriguing; could he be some kind of reclusive master? He stepped forward and invited, "This gentleman seems quite familiar. How about we share a drink together?"

The scholar smiled and said, "Since you've invited me, I'll gladly accept!"

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