Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

The banquet at the Lu residence was as lavish as expected, yet surprisingly meager.

Four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes: steamed chicken, braised beef, roasted lamb, and grilled fish. The vegetables were all cold dishes: cabbage, radish, tofu, and lotus root.

The ingredients were all top-notch, but the cooking method was utterly unrefined, even somewhat crude in comparison to Lu Junyi's status.

Only Lu Junyi and Zhu Biao were at the table; no one else was there to keep them company. Yan Qing and Zhu Wu had been taken away by Li Gu to eat at a separate table.

No matter how close the relationship, they are still servants and are not allowed to sit at the same table as their masters; this is the rule.

"Sanlang, you don't need to be so formal. I can't drink alcohol these days, so please make yourself at home."

Lu Junyi pushed the wine pot towards him, then picked up a piece of beef and threw it into his mouth.

"Very good!"

Zhu Biao blurted it out.

"To be honest, elder brother, I don't like drinking either."

He was telling the truth; he didn't like drinking to begin with, and the wine in the Song Dynasty was somewhere between beer and spirits, with a strange taste that was hard to swallow.

Seeing that Lu Junyi had already started eating and was not behaving properly, Zhu Biao also stopped being polite and ate like a whirlwind, his mouth dripping with oil.

Seeing his hungry wolf-like appearance, Lu Junyi laughed instead of getting angry.

After a short while, Lu Junyi had almost finished eating and picked up a damp towel to wipe his mouth.

"Has Sanlang eaten his fill?"

Zhu Biao patted his slightly swollen belly.

"My stomach is so full, I'm completely stuffed. Thank you for your hospitality, brother."

"Heh~"

Lu Junyi looked at him with increasing admiration.

With his keen eye, he could certainly see through Zhu Biao's true nature. This kid was exceptionally clever and also knew how to navigate social situations.

But he is unpretentious, genuine, and natural; he has courage and knows when to advance and retreat—each of these qualities precisely hits the mark on his temperament.

"It will take ten days to gather all the horses."

"You can stay here in the manor for a while and focus on building up your strength. Don't worry, there will be plenty of meat."

Zhu Biao got up and poured him a cup of tea.

"Thank you for your kindness, elder brother. However, I must leave the city immediately and try to reach Shen County tonight for the night. Please take the horse to my home."

"Oh?"

Lu Junyi was slightly taken aback; this kid always managed to do things unexpectedly.

"Heading south? Why the rush?"

"Elder brother, I have been asked to go to Tokyo to pick someone up."

Zhu Biao hesitated for a few moments before answering, and his words were quite vague. He didn't lie to Lu Junyi, but he didn't tell him everything either.

Lin Chong is now burdened with the heinous crime of burning down the hay storage yard. While rescuing Lin Niangzi, he also has to confront Gao Yanei head-on, indirectly angering Gao Qiu.

The matter was accomplished in secrecy! Zhu Biao didn't tell anyone the detailed plan, not even Zhu Wu knew much about it.

Lu Junyi frowned slightly, gave him a deep look, and subconsciously tapped the table.

"It seems this matter is perilous. How confident are you, Sanlang?"

Hiss! Zhu Biao felt a chill run down his spine, astonished by Lu Junyi's keen insight and sharpness, just like his marksmanship, hitting the nail on the head.

"As long as he's alive, I'm 80% confident."

"Excellent!"

Lu Junyi's lips curled into a smile.

The road between Daimyo Prefecture and Tokyo was called Chidao, or Imperial Road.

It is wider and flatter, made of rammed earth mixed with gravel, and can carry vehicles and horses. It will not rot when it gets wet, and there are also roadside trees on both sides.

blah blah~

The horseshoes clattered as they hit the ground.

Zhu Biao has now upgraded his status, or more accurately, his treatment has been improved.

The mule cart they had come in had been replaced by a sedan chair pulled by two horses, with a black flag with red characters reading "Lu" fluttering in the wind atop it.

Horse-drawn carriages were luxury items and rare commodities in the Song Dynasty. Two-horse carriages were even more luxurious, and even ordinary officials of the fifth or sixth rank might not be able to ride in one.

Not far behind, Zhu Biao and Yan Qing were riding side by side.

"Brother Xiao Yi, Brother Lu can't do without you. Now that we've dropped you off here, you should turn back."

"That won't do!"

Yan Qing shook his head and replied with a smile:

"Sanlang, since my master has sent Xiaoyi to escort you to Tokyo, I will not turn back until I see you enter the city with my own eyes."

When Yan Qing was by Lu Junyi's side, he was calm, aloof, and taciturn. But after leaving him, he became unusually cheerful and talkative.

They were having a blast.

Just now, when he left the city gate, he even took out his bamboo flute and played a tune.

"Brother Yi, I'm not joking, there's really no need for me to see you off."

Yan Qing's smile remained unchanged.

"What? Does Sanlang look down on Xiao Yi?"

"I know Brother Xiao Yi is very capable, but..."

"Just what?"

Yan Qing reached out and took Zhu Biao's reins, giving him a meaningful look.

"Does Sanlang have some unspeakable secret, or is the person he's to meet someone who can't be brought into the open?"

Zhu Biao met his gaze without blinking, and after a long while, he said in a deep voice:

"Both."

He raised his whip and pointed to the Lu-character flag on the carriage:

"Brother Xiao Yi, I know you are capable and I understand Brother Lu's good intentions, but no one can bear the consequences of what I am about to do."

"Hehe~"

Yan Qing laughed, first a soft chuckle, then a loud laugh.

"Hahaha! Sanlang, I understand now why the master values ​​you so much. You are meticulous, bold, and loyal."

After a good dozen or so breaths, he finally stopped smiling and put his arm around Zhu Biao's shoulder.

"Sanlang, look behind you."

Zhu Biao turned his head in confusion, and after a few moments, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

A few dozen feet behind them, three people and four horses followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far. At this moment, they all raised their felt hats and straw hats and pulled down their face masks.

The group consisted of two men and one woman, all around the same age as Zhu Biao and his two companions, and they also bore some resemblance in appearance.

"When they arrived in Shen County, they would continue to drive my family's carriage and horses, taking a detour to Qingzhou, stopping for meals and lodging along the way under the guise of Sanlang."

Shedding its skin like a cicada!

Zhu Biao instantly guessed Lu Junyi's intention, and his heart was filled with emotion, his eyes welling up with tears.

He had been in this world for two months, and had been working tirelessly and gritting his teeth to persevere. This was the first time he had received such timely help.

The key point is that he only met Lu Junyi once, and he even knew that Zhu Biao was going to take a risk. Their friendship was worth a fortune!

Late at night, outside Shenxian County, heavy snow was falling.

The once bustling road is now deserted, without a soul in sight, save for the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps.

Zhu Biao led two horses, walking with uneven steps.

"Damn it, the weather is really unpredictable. It was sunny just now, and now it's snowing. We might as well go into town."

When they were almost at Shen County, Yan Qing said goodbye to him and returned to Daming Prefecture. Zhu Biao was right; Lu Junyi couldn't do without him.

Zhu Biao did not enter the city either. He decided to divide his forces again. Zhu Wu and Ruyi were to buy a donkey cart tomorrow and slowly drive to Tokyo to meet him.

He rode two horses, day and night, galloping at breakneck speed to reach Tokyo as quickly as possible.

Unexpectedly, it started snowing before we had gone very far.

Braving the wind and snow, Zhu Biao trudged along for more than ten miles before finally catching a glimpse of a flickering light. He hurried over and found it to be an express delivery station.

Four or five low-lying shops, a simple wooden fence courtyard, a tall pole in front of the door with a red lantern hanging from the top.

Is anyone there?

Even though his body was freezing, Zhu Biao still didn't break in, but stood outside the courtyard and knocked on the door.

When you're out and about, it's better to avoid trouble.

After calling out several times, the door to the east wing creaked open, and a middle-aged man wearing a tattered fur coat came out carrying a lantern.

"Who's knocking on the door in the dead of night?"

He raised the lantern and waved it at Zhu Biao through the fence, his voice trembling slightly, while his other hand gripped a flat-headed knife tightly.

"Brother Pu Bing, I apologize for bothering you."

"I am the head of the military command of Daming Prefecture. I am on official business in Tokyo, but I missed the time to enter the city. Now I am caught in a snowstorm and would like to ask for lodging for the night."

Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Tang Shaowu, a ninth-rank official, this is Zhu Biao's new identity, which he hastily created overnight before arriving in Daming Prefecture.

This person is real. According to the information on the road sign, he is twenty-one years old this year and is a handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth.

I was ordered to go to Caozhou on official business a month ago, but I left my travel permit at that nameless shady inn. I guess it's rotten to the bone by now.

Just then, the door to the middle room was pushed open, and several disheveled soldiers squeezed out, each carrying a knife and speaking in a panicked tone.

"Hey, didn't we agree not to answer the door after nightfall? Why are you out again?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? Don't answer the door! What if it's an urgent official document from 600 li away? Don't you all want your heads?"

Wang Tou turned his head and cursed at them a few times, then raised the lantern again.

"Open your dog eyes wide and look carefully! This young man is none other than Commander Shuai!"

Wang Tou was the head of the express courier station. He guarded the road all day long and had seen all kinds of people. He had long since developed a sharp eye for people.

He could clearly see Zhu Biao's appearance, demeanor, the two fine horses behind him, and the gun holster and quiver hanging in front of the saddle.

I've already started to believe seven-tenths of what Zhu Biao said.

"Please come in, sir. Our courier post is humble and not as grand as the military headquarters. Please don't look down on us."

"Not at all, thank you very much, Shopkeeper Wang."

Wang Tou opened the gate, and Zhu Biao led the horse in. He subtly slipped a tael of silver into Zhu Biao's hand, and then pulled out a string of copper coins in front of him.

"I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. Please accept this small amount of money and treat the soldiers to a few bowls of wine."

"Ha! Chief Constable is so generous!"

Wang grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

At this moment, he had no more doubts about Zhu Biao's identity. He must be from a family of officials and a minor official to be so familiar with the ways of officialdom.

"Thank you for the reward, Chief Constable!"

"The head constable is so generous!"

The other soldiers' eyes also lit up, and they helped Zhu Biao lead his horse and ushered him into the house.

Their salaries were extremely low, and they lived a very hard life. Half a penny was enough for them to have a good meal with good wine and meat.