Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Chapter 101 What? A whistleblower?

"Wu Song? Who's that? I've never heard of him."

"The leader of the strongmen, but his surname isn't Zhu? He's a different surname!"

"I know him! He's the incredibly strong man who threw the stone roller during the day!"

"Which village is he from? Is he married?"

"Mother! This is a man who can kill a tiger, what girl could withstand him?"

The villagers were gossiping, but some of the women started to lead the conversation astray, all looking for a wife for Wu Song.

Zhu Biao quickly cleared his throat to interrupt, saying, "Everyone, look closely! This tiger's head was smashed by my second brother with a single hammer blow and three punches!"

He pointed to the tigress's sunken head.

"There's no need for everyone to guess. My second brother is a sworn brother I made outside, not someone from our Zhu Family Village."

"Hiss! Three punches shattered a tiger's head, is this even human?"

"Did you hear that? This outsider not only became the leader, but the young master even calls him 'Second Brother'!"

Upon hearing this, the onlookers all gasped and began whispering among themselves. Some quick-witted individuals immediately asked, "Young Master, are outsiders allowed into your militia camp?"

"certainly!"

Zhu Biao's eyes suddenly lit up. Damn it, they've finally gotten to the heart of the matter.

"Although Second Brother's surname isn't Zhu, he's also from this village, yet he possesses the ability to subdue dragons and tigers, and the courage to withstand ten thousand men!"

He suddenly walked up to Wu Song and raised his voice.

Wu Song had actually suffered some injuries earlier, including damage to his tiger's mouth, arms, fingers, and internal organs.

But at this moment, Zhu Biao's praise made him look radiant, as if he had eaten an elixir, and he felt comfortable all over, as if he was about to ascend to heaven.

Seeing that the groundwork had been laid, Zhu Biao changed the subject and said loudly, "The militia camp is not the private army of the Zhu family. It was set up to protect the territory and its people and safeguard the region."

"Any capable, skilled, or willing to endure hardship, regardless of their surname, Zhu Biao will welcome them with open arms!"

Immediately, someone asked, "Young Master, is archery considered a skill?"

Zhu Biao replied, "Of course it counts!"

"Is hunting and tracking considered a skill?"

"Calculate!"

Someone hesitantly asked, "Young Master, I'm only willing to endure hardship, are you still willing to take me in?"

Zhu Biao laughed and replied, "Enduring hardship is exactly what I value most! Tell me, if you're willing to endure hardship, what skill can't you learn—riding a horse, shooting an arrow, or fighting?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the man who had asked the question excitedly volunteered, "Young Master! I can endure hardship, please accept me into your camp!"

"I can shoot arrows!"

"And me, I'm strong~~"

The others responded enthusiastically and surrounded him.

Zhu Biao's lips curled up slightly, and a surge of pride welled up in his chest. The spark of integrity had been ignited, and it wouldn't be long before it spread like wildfire.

The tiger hunt in Xiaoxi Village can finally be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

The next day, early in the morning.

At the entrance to the back mountain of Xiaoxi Village, a new grave made of rammed earth has been added.

A wooden board stands in front of the grave, with two large, blood-red characters written on the front in cinnabar:

Tiger Tomb.

There is also a line of small print on the back:

The people of Xiaoxi Village never beat cubs.

This grave wasn't erected by Zhu Biao, but rather built spontaneously by the hunters. However, this shows that "Tiger Queen" was indeed deeply loved by the people, and his caution was not in vain.

"Mrs. Tang, take this money to properly bury your family members, and keep the rest for your children's medical treatment."

"The ancestral hall," Zhu Biao said softly, while Pang Qiutang picked up a bundle and stuffed it into her hand. The bundle was heavy, weighing at least thirty strings of cash.

"Young Master!"

Tang Youshi was the daughter-in-law whose entire family of men had died. She instinctively wanted to refuse, but couldn't bring herself to say it, and her eyes turned red with suppressed emotion.

Her family were hunters; they didn't own any land, only a vegetable garden on the hillside.

They had already spent all their savings on their son's medical treatment, and now even if they sold their house, they still couldn't afford three coffins.

"Don't overthink it. This is an advance on your wages. After the New Year, bring your child to me for a job. You'll only need to eat and stay; there will be no salary. This will last for three years."

After hearing Zhu Biao's words, Tang Youshi was stunned for a few moments, then kowtowed heavily to the ground, sobbing, "Thank you so much, Young Master, for saving my life!"

Zhu Biao stood up and waved his hand.

"Alright, that's enough for this matter. Let's head back!"

After leaving Xiaoxi Village and reaching the main road, Zhu San, Zhu Wu, and Su Fangbian dismounted and headed straight east.

"Third Brother, where did they go?"

Pang Qiutang asked curiously, and Zhu Biao casually replied, "Oh, he went to collect the debt for me."

"Why aren't you riding a horse?"

"Riding a horse is conspicuous, and the person who owes the debt is somewhat special, so it's not good to make a big fuss about it."

Having just gotten rid of Pang Qiutang, Wu Song approached again. This time, his face was somewhat pale, but his eyes were bright and sparkling.

"Sanlang, um~"

His tone was somewhat hesitant, and his eyes were also somewhat evasive.

Zhu Biao was intrigued by his hesitant expression.

"Second brother, we're brothers, so why are you hesitating?"

Wu Song pursed his lips, as if he had made up his mind.

"Then I'll speak then, Sanlang. The nickname you gave to Pang Xiaoniang is so impressive, could you perhaps give Second Brother a similar one?"

"Nickname?"

Zhu Biao was stunned.

"Exactly!"

Wu Song was really going all out.

"The archers under Pang Xiaoniang's command all call her Chief Qingluan in private. I... I also want a cool nickname."

"Heh~"

Pang Qiutang laughed and teased, "How shameless! How about I give you a nickname, 'Big Silly Guy'?"

Wu Song glanced at her but didn't argue much. He just stared at Zhu Biao with expectant eyes.

At this moment, Zhu Biao understood his intentions. As the saying goes, a person's name is like the shadow of a tree. Which man who has been in the martial arts world doesn't want to make a name for himself?

However, most of the heroes of the martial arts world are rough and unrefined, and their nicknames vary greatly, some of which are simply unbearable to hear.

For example, the Blue-Faced Beast, the Red-Haired Devil, or Wu Song's original nickname.

The word "traveler" is too ordinary; at first glance, it sounds like a lackey.

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and said, "Second Brother is unparalleled in divine might, with the strength to subdue a tiger. Now that it happens to be the time when the Year God is in charge, to ward off evil spirits, let's call him the Grand Duke of Jupiter, what do you think?"

Wu Song was stunned, but Lin Chong, who had been listening silently, couldn't help but praise him.

"What a great nickname!"

Immediately afterward, he said to himself with a self-deprecating laugh, "If I had known Sanlang earlier, I wouldn't have had to bear the name of a beast and be so smug about it."

As he spoke, he subconsciously touched his cheek, as if it had stirred up unpleasant memories of the past, and he couldn't help but show a look of melancholy.

Ever since leaving the Cangzhou hayfield, in order to conceal the golden seal, Lin Chong has always dressed as a wandering monk and even adopted the Buddhist name Chonglin.

However, after reuniting with Lin Niangzi, he, a cultivator in the eyes of outsiders, had a wife, which inevitably drew criticism.

Although no one gossiped in Zhu Biao's courtyard, Lin Chong still felt stifled and refused to leave the house unless absolutely necessary.

"Hahaha!"

At this moment, Wu Song suddenly burst into laughter.

"God of the Grand Duke Jupiter! Thank you, Sanlang, I love this nickname very much."

"If Second Brother likes it, that's good."

Zhu Biao smiled and replied to him, then rode up to Lin Chong's side and said in a low voice, "Instructor Lin, don't worry. After the New Year, we'll set up our own camp at Tiger Sorrow Gorge. Then it will only be our own brothers, and we won't need to pretend anymore."

"yes."

Lin Chong nodded, a look of longing in his eyes.

"Moreover, I've heard that there's a master in Nanjing who can remove the golden seal. I'll find that person sooner or later and restore your original appearance."

Zhu Biao knew that the golden mark on his face was Lin Chong's last worry and the final shackle to restrain this ferocious leopard.

Lin was moved to tears: "Sanlang, you have done so much for me, I... I have no way to repay you."

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "Instructor, you're speaking too soon. We have plenty of time!"

When they arrived at Zhujiaji, Zhu Biao was once again surrounded by a swarm of villagers.

There are two reasons:

Firstly, his series of actions to eliminate the tiger had already spread throughout Zhu Family Village, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Secondly, they felt that this young master of the village was both brave and benevolent.

Secondly, his publicly announced recruitment criteria were not limited to the Zhu family, which was a real bombshell.

Of the more than 20,000 people in Zhujiazhuangkou, only six or seven thousand are actually surnamed Zhu. There are many who want to make a living on the edge of a knife.

"My rules will not change! As long as you have the ability, skill, and hard work, I don't care about your background or your surname!"

Zhu Biao, of course, would not give up such a good opportunity to recruit soldiers, and repeatedly publicized his standards several times.

This drew cheers from the villagers, who were almost ready to shout "Long live the Emperor!"

But at that moment, he suddenly noticed that Zhu Jiu was struggling to squeeze into the crowd, looking anxious, and was gesturing to him frequently.

"Alright, everyone disperse! The conscription will take place after the New Year. I haven't slept all night, so I need to go home and catch up on my sleep now."

""

Seeing this, Zhu Biao quickly found an excuse to disperse the crowd. Zhu Jiu hurriedly approached the horse and whispered, "Young Master, something's happened! The family guards have rioted!"

"What? A riot?"

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