Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Chapter 125 Night Visit to Lingyun Temple

There was an undercurrent of tension in the kitchen.

Zhu Biao knew nothing about this, and even if he did, he wouldn't care.

Wu Da, Pan Jinlian, and Bai Qiniang will not stay in the militia camp; it's just a temporary expedient.

At this moment, he was in a secret meeting.

In the back hall of the council chamber, Zhu San and Zhu Wumen stood guard at the door, their hands on their knives, forbidding anyone from entering. Even Pang Qiutang was turned away.

"Ruyi, Zhu Jiu, this thing is called the Heavenly Pot, and it will be our money tree in the future."

"Young master, why does this cauldron look a bit like a steamer?"

Zhu Jiu was quick-witted and had been to bars before, so he recognized him at a glance.

"A money tree?"

Ruyi raised a delicate eyebrow and tentatively asked, "My lord, can this item enhance the quality of Drunken Immortal Wine? And fetch a higher price?"

"You're both right!"

Zhu Biao nodded and began to disassemble the structure of the satellite dish in detail.

"This is a traditional earthen stove, a steamer, and a cooling lid. The earthen stove can be used to start a fire."

Finally, he concluded: "By using this method, you can obtain strong liquor that feels like a knife down your throat and like fire in your stomach; three bowls are equivalent to one jar."

Zhu Jiu frowned and asked, "Young Master, with this method of brewing, how much of a regular jar of Drunken Immortal wine will be left in the end?"

"Forty percent, but the lees and dregs have other uses, so they can make up for the remaining twenty percent."

Ruyi thought for a moment, then asked in a deep voice, "My lord, if this strong liquor is as fiery and scathing as you describe, I'm afraid the people of our country might not like to drink it. Are you planning to sell it to the border regions?"

"Exactly!"

Zhu Biao slammed his hand on the table. Talking to two intelligent people, he felt his mind was clear and his heart was filled with joy.

"I want to use the connections of Master Lu in Daming Prefecture to send this wine to the Liao Kingdom in exchange for horses."

He paused, then said, word by word, "I want to go to the Chai family again to see if I can get in touch with the Jurchens and use this wine to exchange for some mountain products from the north."

"Hiss~"

Zhu Jiu and Ruyi both gasped.

Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty have maintained peace for nearly a century, with frequent trade exchanges, so selling wine there is quite reasonable.

However, the newly risen Jurchens had not yet made formal contact with the Song Dynasty.

However, according to the Liao merchants, they ate raw meat and drank blood, killing anyone they saw, and were usually regarded as evil spirits and ferocious beasts.

Ruyi licked her dry lips: "My lord, I heard in Linqing that the Jurchens are extremely cruel and have no rules whatsoever."

Zhu Jiu's tone also became somewhat serious: "Yes! Young Master, no one has ever traded with the Jurchens before. Isn't this too risky?"

"Heh~"

Zhu Biao chuckled.

"Do you know that the Jurchens have already established a state, right under the noses of the Liao people? How could a state be without rules?"

"Furthermore, regarding trade, if no one engages in trade, where do the pearls, ginseng, and animal hides, which are special products of the North, come from?"

Zhu Jiu reacted very quickly, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

"Those Liaoning merchants are spreading rumors and deliberately smearing us! These scoundrels want to monopolize the trade routes!"

Ruyi nodded and added, "It's also because no one else has the power to set prices, so naturally, whatever price they set is the price."

Hehehe~

Zhu Biao smiled.

"That's right, but they won't be able to enjoy this alone in the future."

Zhu Jiu came and went in a hurry, staying in the camp for only the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. He didn't eat a bite of food or drink a drop of water before riding away.

His task is very difficult.

Within three days, a small cauldron must be built, and within seven days, a sample of strong liquor must be produced, all while maintaining secrecy.

"Ugh!"

Watching Zhu Jiu's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Zhu Biao let out a soft sigh.

"My lord, are you reluctant to part with such a capable person?"

Ruyi put away her brush and ink, looked up and asked.

She just redrawn the design of the cauldron, and even carefully marked each component and its size. As for the original design by Zhu Biao, well, let's not even mention it.

"yes."

Zhu Biao nodded, sighing helplessly, "Zhu Jiu has always been the one who best suits my needs when it comes to handling official duties, but he can never stay by my side."

Ruyi walked slowly to his side, took his arm, and said softly, "My lord, you are not yet twenty, and there is still a long way to go. Although I am inexperienced, I am willing to share your burdens."

"How can we share the burden?"

Zhu Biao suddenly raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously, even reaching out to touch her ample bosom.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Ruyi was struck dumb, trembling and trying to retreat, but Zhu Biao held her tightly around the waist.

Feeling the large, burning hot hand moving downwards from behind, Ruyi blushed so deeply she almost bled. She hurriedly pressed it down and stammered in a trembling voice.

"My love, my lord, no, not here."

Zhu Biao didn't actually intend to go any further; he was just showing off.

At this moment, Zhu San and Zhu Wu were still waiting outside the door, and the council hall had now been converted into a large dining hall, so everyone would gather there later.

He's not crazy, how could he be acting recklessly like this?

"Not here? Where will it work?"

However, seeing that Ruyi was weak and powerless at this moment, with seductive eyes, Zhu Biao still got up to play and leaned close to her ear to ask.

"My lord~"

The heat from the steam made Ruyi's legs feel weak, and her usually eloquent tongue became sore that she couldn't even utter a coherent sentence.

"Third Brother!"

Just then, Pang Qiutang’s almost frantic shouts suddenly rang out from outside the door.

"What is it that Sister Ruyi can hear, but I can't?"

"ah!"

Ruyi gasped, shoved Zhu Biao away, and ran back behind the desk as if fleeing, her pretty face turning from crimson to deathly pale.

"Huh~"

Zhu Biao gave a helpless, bitter smile, quickly walked to the door, and pushed it open.

"Third Brother, what are you talking about?"

Outside the door, Pang Qiutang stood in front of Zhu San and Zhu Wu. She wasn't entirely without manners; at least she didn't force her way in.

"Qiu Tang, this is a military camp. I am the commander. Whom do I need to discuss, and what do I need to discuss? Do I need to report to you for everything?"

Zhu Biao, unlike his usual indulgent attitude towards her, interrupted her with a cold face and a cold voice.

Pang Qiutang's expression hardened, and she immediately stammered, "I, I just saw Sister Ruyi inside~"

Zhu Biao interrupted again, emphasizing his words: "Ruyi is an advisor; deliberation is her duty! The reason you weren't invited to participate is simply that the time wasn't right. Why don't others ask a single question, but instead..."

"Are you here to cause trouble?"

Pang Qiutang's eyes suddenly reddened, but Zhu Biao showed no mercy and continued to stare at her coldly.

As close as we are, this young lady has recently shown signs of becoming somewhat arrogant and spoiled, so we must take this opportunity to teach her a lesson and set some rules for her.

"Third Brother! I know I was wrong. When you're in the army, you have to follow the rules."

Pang Qiutang was arrogant, but not one to argue unreasonably. After a moment of stunned silence, he readily admitted his mistake.

"Hmph, considering this is your first offense, I won't punish you with a beating this time."

Zhu Biao snorted coldly, then changed the subject: "Go and call Master Luan, Second Brother Wu, and Senior Brother Chonglin here for a meeting!"

Upon hearing this, Pang Qiutang's large eyes, still wet with tears, suddenly widened, and she blurted out, "Third Brother! Is there going to be another war?"

"Hurry up and go!"

Clearly, his attempt to persuade her failed, and Zhu Biao slapped her on the head in exasperation.

With Wu Da's arrival, the camp's dinner service underwent a dramatic transformation. Perhaps because there was more manpower available, he was in a good mood.

Besides their signature steamed buns, they've also prepared two other main dishes.

The dish featured cured pork stewed with wild mushrooms and cabbage, and mutton stewed with radish and tofu. The tofu was freshly ground and made to order, so delicious that the soldiers almost swallowed their tongues.

Even the food rations of the mountain bandits have increased dramatically.

The pig-slop-like bran porridge was replaced with three hot mixed grain bran cakes, and there was more oil in the soup than before, plus a few pieces of radish.

Many of the bandits wept upon receiving the food.

As night fell, the snow gradually subsided, but dark clouds still covered the sky overhead.

Several figures slipped out of the camp silently like ghosts and headed east along the passage on the north bank of Tiger Sorrow Gorge.

"Sanlang, how does that damned Lingyun Temple compare to White Tiger Stronghold?"

Among the group, Wu Song's imposing figure, as large as a door panel, was the most eye-catching.

Lingyun Temple is the stronghold of the bandits at the eastern exit of Huchoujian, and it is also Zhu Biao and his group's destination tonight.

"They say there are only about a hundred henchmen, but whether that's true or not is unknown."

Zhu Biao replied in a deep voice.

"Really! Sir, the number is correct."

Beside him, a gaunt man trembled as he spoke.

"When I escaped down the mountain last year, there were only 130 people left in the temple. The trade in Tiger Sorrow Gorge had stopped, so I guess there weren't many people left."

This guy's name is Ren Wu, he's from Juncheng. He looks unremarkable, but he actually has quite a background.

He is thirty-three years old this year and has been a bandit for seventeen years, having stayed in three different mountain strongholds: Liangshan Marsh, Lingyun Temple, and Baihu Village.

He was captured by Zhu Biao just a few days ago.

"Um."

Zhu Biao nodded, patted his shoulder lightly, and said jokingly, "I'll check it myself later. If there are more than a hundred people, I'll stab you for every one extra one."

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