Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Chapter 108 Sky-Soaring Eagle

After chatting for a few more minutes, Wu Da tactfully took his leave.

When he went out, his mouth was stretched so wide it almost reached his ears, and he couldn't suppress it. Even his hunched back was straighter than usual.

Pan Jinlian, who was following behind, had a sullen face, her lips were tightly pursed, and her hands were gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.

She was a shrewd person, and in the end she didn't object, nor did she embarrass Wu Da in front of outsiders. She even thanked Zhu Biao for the arrangement with him.

However, she harbored a deep hatred for Ruyi, feeling that her achievements had been stolen and her path had been cut off.

Today, she encouraged Wu Da to come and deliver steamed buns, intending to steer the conversation back to the issue of uniforms, since she had already studied the design.

Moreover, she wanted to volunteer to supervise the embroiderers in making clothes.

To put it bluntly, she wants to have power, even if it's just a tiny bit of power.

"My lord, how is your injury? Are you not practicing martial arts today?"

At this moment, Zhu Biao had lost interest, and the burning passion in his eyes was gone. Ruyi was disheartened and reluctantly started a conversation.

"Well, I'm still feeling a bit unwell today, so I'll just take a break."

Zhu Biao casually replied, and upon hearing this, Ruyi's eyes showed even greater desolation.

She also began to hate Pan Jinlian in her heart; this restless and seductive woman had ruined her chance to become a concubine.

Having spent a long time together, she had already figured out Zhu Biao's personality.

Calm, restrained, and self-disciplined, I was in high spirits today, but I was repeatedly interrupted, and now my enthusiasm has been dampened and my spirits have been extinguished.

"After I've eaten and drunk my fill, I'm going to stroll around the market."

Zhu Biao picked up the curved sword and walked towards the door.

Ruyi suppressed her disappointment, quickly picked up the cloak hanging on the coat rack, and chased after him a few steps.

"It's cold outside, my lord, please wear another layer."

In her haste, she inadvertently took the black Shu brocade that Pan Jinlian had just made for Zhu Biao.

She only realized it when she draped it over Zhu Biao's shoulders, but it was too late. She had already put it on, and she couldn't just take it off.

"Um?"

The moment the brush touched him, Zhu Biao immediately sensed something was wrong.

The clothes fit better than before, reaching just to the calves, tight where it should be tight, and loose where it should be loose, making them very comfortable to wear.

The stitches are fine and tight, and there are also soft leather pockets sewn on both sides of the inner placket.

"Tsk, Mrs. Pan is indeed skilled at needlework."

He couldn't help but praise her, and Ruyi's heart sank suddenly, but Zhu Biao's next words made her smile again.

"However, I still prefer my old clothes; this brocade robe is too flamboyant."

As the year draws to a close, Zhujiaji is bustling with activity, even more festive than usual.

Red lanterns were hung on the shops along the street, and there were more stalls selling red paper, New Year pictures, candied melons, and roasted nuts. The streets were bustling with people, and shouts of vendors rose and fell.

Last year, the harvest in Zhujiazhuang was fairly good.

So even the poorest families would grit their teeth and buy two pounds of fine grain and a few feet of cloth.

Currently, Su Fang and his team are still on business and have not returned. Zhu Jiu is keeping an eye on the clothing manufacturing business. Wu Song is drunk, and Pang Qiutang has been tricked into going up the mountain.

Therefore, Zhu Biao was left alone.

But this is good too. It's rare to have peace and quiet. Anyway, in this small area of ​​Zhu Family Village, he doesn't need any attendants. Everyone knows him.

"Young Master!"

Along the way, people kept greeting him, their tone more sincere. After the tiger hunt, his prestige was clearly higher than before.

"Young Master, please come in and have a bowl of tea? Try some freshly roasted melon seeds and some freshly made candied hawthorns."

"These two pheasants are newly caught and still lively. Young Master, take them to nourish your body."

"Yes! I still have some wild mushrooms here. Young Master, you are a man of honor and kept your promise, allowing Tiger Queen to rest in peace. We hunters of the North Mountain are all grateful to you!"

"Thanks for your kindness. Keep this chicken and sell it for the New Year."

Upon hearing the title "Tiger Queen," Zhu Biao couldn't help but twitch his lips.

"Young Master, are you planning to recruit soldiers after the New Year? My third son knows how to shoot arrows!"

"I heard from Tongniu that from now on we should call you Lord Military Commander?"

Zhu Biao finally stopped and laughed and cursed.

"That idiot, he really has a big mouth."

Tongniu, that good-for-nothing, isn't really brainless. His family are actually small landowners with a hundred or so acres of land, and they're doing alright.

This guy just ate so much that he was forced to become a household soldier.

With meals provided by the Zhu family, plus his corporal salary and an extra subsidy from his family, he could barely manage to eat his fill.

Every time he was on duty guarding Pantuo Road, after his shift, Tongniu would come to the market to forage for food. Over time, he became familiar with the merchants.

Zhu Biao explained, "I'm just a militia commander, a mere ninth-rank Baoyilang. How dare I call myself a military commander?"

Looking around, he clasped his hands and said, "My fellow villagers have all watched me grow up. You can just call me Sanlang. If you think highly of me, you can call me Tuanlian."

"That won't do!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted in a deliberately gruff voice, "The young master is the military leader of our Zhu Family Manor, and he will also be the military leader of the entire Dulonggang!"

"Indeed! We shall call you Commander! Greetings, Commander!"

The crowd immediately responded in unison.

Zhu Biao had sharp eyes and spotted the person who had shouted in the chaos in just one glance. He was not tall, with a scarf wrapped around his head and his whole body covered in frost and snow.

It was the Soviet Union.

Behind him stood the grinning Zhu San and Zhu Wu; they had actually returned, and judging from their appearance, they must have traveled all night to get back.

A moment later, in the innermost private room of the teahouse.

Zhu Wu gulped down a bowl of hot tea, wiped his mouth with his scarf, and muttered in a low voice, "Young Master, that old dog Zhu Geda is the one who lied."

As he spoke, he patted the heavy bundle beside him.

"Two tiger cub skins, plus tiger bones and tiger blood, that bastard Zhu Gensheng sold for a total of 130 guan."

"Um.

"6

Zhu Biao was not surprised at all. He picked up the teacup, blew on it, and took a small sip.

Where are they?

Zhu Sanqiang said, "Kill them. The bodies have already been buried in the woods. I guarantee there will be no problems."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao frowned slightly. Su Fang, with great tact, explained, "Young Master, we intercepted him yesterday evening, more than ten miles outside Li Family Village. After confirming that no one was around, we dragged him into the woods."

"After finding out the details of the matter and the buyer in Juye, we buried him under cover of night."

Hearing the answer he wanted to hear, Zhu Biao's expression softened slightly: "Yes, explain in detail."

"Yes, young master, this tiger calamity was entirely orchestrated by Zhu Gengsheng."

Su Fang succinctly explained the whole story.

In Juye City, there lived a wealthy man named Sun, whose ancestors were said to have served as transport commissioners in the Jinghu South Circuit. His family was incredibly rich.

In early winter, he was blessed with twin grandsons, whom he cherished dearly. However, the children were born weak and were prone to dying young.

Zhu Gengsheng was a peddler who traveled the streets and alleys every day and was very well-informed. When he heard about this matter, he took the initiative to visit Zhu Gengsheng.

In his early years, he had haphazardly read a few Taoist books and started spouting nonsense about how tiger cubs' fur, bones, and blood could ward off evil spirits, cure diseases, and even calm the spirits of young children.

In his desperation, the wealthy official Sun was willing to try anything, and he actually believed it.

Then, Zhu Gengsheng promised 30 strings of cash to lure the three members of the Tang family—father and brothers—up the mountain to steal tiger cubs.

The Tang family originally wanted to hand over the live tiger cubs to him directly, but he refused to do so and insisted that they skin and dismember them, which led to the later trouble.

Finally, Su Fang, with a tense little face, said indignantly, "Young Master, that Zhu Gengsheng deserves to die!"

"Just because of his own greed, he ruined two families, killed four people, and that tigress also died unjustly!"

Zhu Biao neither confirmed nor denied this, only giving a faint "hmm".

In his view, it was not wrong for Zhu Gengsheng to want to make money, and catching tiger cubs was nothing special. What was even more impressive was his ability to deceive that Master Sun.

However, this fellow deliberately lured the tiger calamity to Xiaoxi Village and then to Zhujiazhuang.

But that violated his taboo, which was tantamount to courting death.

"You've all worked hard. The New Year is almost here. Take out thirty strings of cash to keep as your initial investment, and distribute the rest among your brothers."

"Thank you for the reward, young master!"

All three of them were amused.

The brothers Zhu Biao mentioned were naturally his close followers, each of whom received more than ten strings of cash, roughly equivalent to half a year's monthly salary.

Besides making a windfall and having a prosperous New Year, more importantly, it also distinguishes between close and distant relatives.

Rumble~

Zhu Biao picked up his teacup, about to take another sip, when he suddenly heard the heavy sound of carriages and horses coming from outside.

Judging from the noise, there were at least dozens of fully loaded Taiping trucks.

He got up and opened the window, and saw a long, dragon-like cart with two donkeys approaching from afar, with a large red flag stuck on the shaft, fluttering in the wind to the north.

One side of the flag had the character "Li" written on it, while the other side depicted a large eagle poised to take flight.

At the head of the convoy, a burly man with a spirited and dashing appearance rode along. Upon seeing him, Zhu Biao raised a slight brow.

"Li Ying, the Sky-Soaring Eagle, what brings this fellow to the Zhu Family Manor at this juncture?"