Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Winter is here.

On the official road outside Chaijiazhuang, dozens of large carts traveled in a long line, their wheels covered with frozen soil and the edges of their covers stained with scattered bloodstains.

"stop!"

The leader suddenly tugged on the reins.

The convoy slowly came to a stop. He pulled down his mask, revealing himself to be a young man of seventeen or eighteen, with a handsome appearance, yet his expression was remarkably composed.

Zhu Biao, the young master of the Zhu Family Manor.

"Chai Jin, what kind of person will he be if he becomes the tenth leader of Liangshan in the future?"

Gazing at the archway that looked like a giant mouth in the wind and snow, he exhaled a puff of white breath and murmured.

"Sanlang, everyone says that Master Chai is a righteous man who commands respect throughout the land. Is that just an empty reputation?"

Luan Tingyu rode up, wiped the frost off his beard, then nocked his riding bow and moved his quiver to his side.

"A false reputation is fine, but our grain is not easy to swallow."

After glancing at the long, serpentine convoy and the men of the village standing solemnly with knives in hand, Zhu Biao said in a deep voice.

What if something unexpected happens?

Luan Tingyu asked in a low voice.

"Protect people, abandon grain."

"Here you are."

Luan Tingyu was slightly taken aback, then nodded emphatically.

Saburo has really changed.

A month ago, Zhu Biao went to the Hu family to find San Niang for a winter hunt, but fell off his horse and fainted on the way. When he woke up, he was like a different person.

He either stayed in his room talking to himself, writing and drawing, or he sought out someone to play with him. He never looked for the young lady from the Hu family, whom he had once cherished.

He also insisted on one thing: forming a caravan to leave Zhujiazhuang.

Zhu Chaofeng always doted on his youngest son, and his two older brothers couldn't dissuade him, which led to this trip north.

"They're here!"

Luan Tingyu suddenly raised his hand and pointed.

On the side road leading to Chaijiazhuang, more than ten fast horses galloped by, creating a snow dragon with astonishing momentum.

"Showing off?"

Zhu Biao raised his eyebrows, spurred his horse, and took the lead in meeting the enemy.

"drive!"

Luan Tingyu led a group of mounted guards who followed closely behind.

In the blink of an eye, the two sides were within a hundred paces. Zhu Biao suddenly stood up, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and shot.

call out!call out!

An arrow was also fired from the opposite side, and the two whistling arrows sounded almost simultaneously, passing each other.

Do!

The arrows embedded themselves in the snow, seemingly drawing an invisible line. Both sides tacitly stopped their horses, circling and sizing each other up.

Zhu Biao raised his bow and reins, glancing at a line of small characters that had appeared out of the corner of his eye.

Horsemanship proficiency +5, archery proficiency +5.

"Sigh, the only way to improve is through matches; I have to get hyped up!"

His gaze shifted, and he raised his voice.

"My name is Zhu Biao. Is that Master Chai ahead?"

Across from the opposing cavalry, a middle-aged man wearing a sable cloak and sporting three long, flowing beard, who looked like a wealthy man, laughed heartily.

"It is indeed I, Chai. I have long heard of Brother Zhu Biao's bravery and prowess, and seeing him today, I can confirm it is indeed the spirit of a dragon and the strength of a tiger!"

As he spoke, he spurred his horse forward a few steps and said warmly:

"I hope you've had a long and tiring journey, young man. Please come back to my estate with me quickly, and we'll have a cup of wine to warm yourselves up!"

"not busy!"

Only then did Zhu Biao put his bow away and return it to its sheath.

"The brothers have braved the wind and snow all the way, which has not been easy for them. Sir, why don't you hand over the money and grain first?"

Chai Jin's smile froze for a moment, then he clapped his hands and laughed.

"Good! That's how it should be."

As a member of the former imperial family, the Chai family mansion has seven courtyards running north and south, with carved beams and painted rafters. Occasionally, a charming maidservant will catch a glimpse of you, and her fragrance will linger for a long time.

"Is that a crane?"

Upon catching sight of several white cranes basking in the garden, the usually composed Luan Tingyu's eyes widened in surprise.

"I heard that crane meat is tough and has little meat, not as good as chicken or duck."

Zhu Biao made a whining remark, though he genuinely disagreed and even felt a bit disdainful.

All that's good is outward appearance!

Their family was merely a minor, insignificant local strongman, yet they maintained three hundred elite troops. With the sound of a gong, they could gather two thousand local soldiers in the time it takes for a few incense sticks to burn.

What does the Chai family have? Rare birds, beautiful maids, and servants. The dozen or so elite cavalrymen who just showed off were merely his retainers.

It's just a show of bravado.

Passing by a courtyard, Zhu Biao paused slightly and took a second look at two strangely shaped bronze beasts engraved with inscriptions of foreign races, which were squatting at the entrance.

"Honored guest, this is a gate beast of the Khitan royal family. In my Chai family, it is only fit to guard a side courtyard."

The butler leading the way said arrogantly.

Chai Jin smiled but remained silent, while Zhu Biao felt a chill run down his spine.

Damn it, the Liao Kingdom is about to fall! I don't have much time left to maneuver and make a comeback.

"Drink to your heart's content! Brother Zhu, your grain has arrived just in time, relieving my urgent crisis!"

A moment later, in the flower hall, Chai Jin raised his wine cup, his expression becoming more earnest.

Last year, Hebei suffered a severe drought. In the autumn, the Liao people launched repeated invasions, causing famine in the Cangzhou area. Even the Chai family's granary began to run dry.

"You flatter me, sir."

Zhu Biao respectfully drank it all in one gulp.

"I wish you great generosity, young man! You must stay at my manor for a few more days."

"Thank you for your kind offer, sir. However, I must go to Daming Prefecture tomorrow to deliver a batch of grain, which will be escorted by Master Luan."

"Oh?"

Chai Jin paused in his act of pouring the wine.

"Young Master Zhu, what brings you on your journey?"

Zhu Biao replied bluntly:

"Buy horses."

"Heh~"

Chai Jin chuckled, but his smile was somewhat enigmatic.

Earlier, Zhu Biao had written to him three times, trying to exchange grain for horses, and the price he offered became more and more sincere each time, but he refused each time.

Horses are his lifeblood!

He had entertained countless heroes of the martial arts world, providing them with food, drink, and money, but he had never given them a single horse.

"Brother Zhu, the imperial court has always kept a close eye on horses, so you must not be careless in your actions."

"Thank you for your guidance, sir."

Zhu Biao filled the wine cup and presented it with both hands.

Luan Tingyu also stood up and smiled slightly.

"So that you may know, sir, that Lord Murong of Qingzhou has been kind enough to recommend Sanlang to be in charge of the Dulonggang militia. We are buying horses to carry out this mission."

He wasn't making it up; after Zhu Biao woke up, he did something important.

When all his efforts to persuade Zhu Chaofeng failed, he stole five thousand strings of silver and took Luan Tingyu to Qingzhou overnight.

A few days later, when he returned to the Zhu family, he had transformed into the head of the local militia. In theory, the local militia of the Li and Hu families were under his command.

However, his official rank was only ninth-rank Chengjielang, with no salary and no official status. He was on the same level as the archers under the county magistrate, and the key point was that he had to raise his own food and salary.

The two older brothers blushed because of this.

Five thousand strings of cash is no small sum. Even if the Zhu family is wealthy, it would take them a long time to manage it. It would be enough to add several hundred more acres of fertile land, or support two hundred more soldiers.

"Oh?"

Chai Jin raised a thick eyebrow, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

Zhu Biao's brother didn't understand, but he did. A ninth-rank official was still an official position, and it was a real post with military power.

Besides, Murong Yanda's connections are the most valuable thing; he is the elder brother of the Imperial Concubine and a powerful maternal relative.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"I have been overthinking it. I wish you, young man, to be a promising talent and to gain the favor of a distinguished person. You will surely soar to great heights in the future!"

Zhu Biao handed him a wine cup:

"You flatter me, sir. I have no lofty ambitions. I am only concerned for my hometown because the bandits of Liangshan are becoming increasingly rampant."

"Congratulations on your great righteousness, young brother!"

Chai Jin's smile remained unchanged, but his fingers under the table clenched tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged out.

At this moment, his thoughts had already flown back to the quiet room.

On the map, there's a red circle marking eight hundred li of waterways, and there's also the white-robed scholar who often wrote to him, borrowing money and asking for grain.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the outer hall, accompanied by the muffled sounds of tables and chairs overturning and the clatter of cups and plates hitting the ground.

"You son of a bitch! Who came from, daring to cross me?"

Then a rough, hoarse voice rang out. Zhu Biao recognized the voice; it belonged to Zhu San, one of his mounted guards, a servant born into the village.

Zhu Biao frowned, put down the wine cup he was about to offer, lifted his robe, gripped the hilt of his sword, and strode out into the room, with Luan Tingyu following closely behind.

Chai Jin also came out with a few people accompanying him, but the smile that was usually on his face had turned serious.

If it were our own family members causing trouble, we would lose all face and dignity today!

In the outer hall, Zhu San was helped up from the ground, his body covered in greasy soup, his eyes wide open, gripping the knife handle tightly.

He was surrounded by a group of Zhu family guards, all of them gritting their teeth.

Across from them, amidst overturned tables and chairs and a messy scene, stood a burly man with his hands on his hips, looking like a fierce tiger.

He stood with his feet slightly apart, his chest slightly open, his face flushed, holding a wine jug in his hand, and his eyes glancing sideways.

"What? You bunch of outsiders can drink this 'Ten Mile Fragrance' wine from Daming Prefecture? Do you think I, Wu Er, can't?"

"Wu Song!"

Zhu Biao and Chai Jin pronounced the man's name almost simultaneously.

Zhu Biao raised an eyebrow slightly, his heart unmoved, his eyes still somewhat cold.

So what if he's a tiger-slaying hero? No matter how incompetent Zhu San is, he's still his confidant. Not to mention Wu Er, even Song Heizi can't beat or scold him for no reason.

On the other side, Chai Jin's face had turned red. He took a few quick steps and pointed at Wu Song, angrily rebuking him.

"Are you causing trouble again?"

Wu Song's drunken eyes narrowed, and he was about to lash out, but when he saw the person in front of him clearly, the fierce light in his eyes suddenly dimmed, and he gave a crooked bow.

"My lord, you are utterly ignorant. You invite me to a fine meal, but why don't you call me Wu Er?"