Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

The corner of the front yard.

Seeing that he couldn't escape, the young waiter who was keeping watch for guests quickly hid behind the wall, but suddenly felt a chill on his back as a blood-stained spear tip protruded from his chest.

Zhu Biao flicked his spear, shoved him aside, turned his horse and rode away. In an instant, the sound of hooves echoed outside the guest room door.

"Oh no! Quick, help this kid up!"

The shopkeeper, who was already sweating profusely from fright, finally came to his senses and shouted in panic.

"what?"

The guy was dumbfounded.

"What the hell? Help him up, put a knife to his neck, quick!"

The shopkeeper's face contorted with anxiety. He kicked one of the waiters hard, then turned and yelled at another waiter who looked like a complete idiot:

"What are you standing there for? Go and barricade the door shut."

At this moment, the fat woman trembled and tried to crawl under the bed, but the shopkeeper grabbed her hair.

"You pig, you went to block the door too! Something must have happened in Wangjia Village. If this murderous bastard gets in, they're all dead!"

"what!"

The fat woman struggled desperately, screaming like a pig being slaughtered.

"I...I don't want to!"

Just then, a tremendous force came from the door panel, and Charcoal Head's raised hooves slammed into it like a battering ram.

Bang!

The next instant, the door panel shattered into pieces, sending the worker who was about to prop it up flying backwards.

Gaba!

A chilling sound of bones cracking rang out. He slammed heavily against the wall, vomited blood, tilted his head, and slumped softly to the ground, clearly beyond saving.

In that instant, time seemed to stand still, and there was no light or sound.

The shopkeeper and his plump wife, whose hair he was pulling, stood there dumbfounded, their rapidly widening eyes filled with an ever-growing, cold glint.

puff!

The gleaming spearhead pierced the fat woman's short, thick neck, and the warm, pungent, sticky substance instantly sprayed all over the shopkeeper's head and face.

"what!"

His mind snapped back to reality, and he screamed, staggering backward.

Zhu Biao flicked his spear, slicing open the fat woman's neck. But she hadn't died yet; her body, like a dead pig, fell towards the door.

Charcoal Head cleverly stepped back to dodge, and Zhu Biao took the opportunity to dismount, draw his sword, and rush into the room, stepping over the fat woman's corpse.

"No, don't come any closer, or I'll kill you!"

At this moment, the waiter had already held Yue Fei in front of him and pressed the axe blade against his neck. Because of the excessive force, a scarlet mark had been cut.

call out!

Zhu Biao's reply was cold, explosive, and decisive. With a flick of his wrist, a hidden arrow shot out and instantly pierced Zhu Biao's right eye.

"Spare me!"

Just as the shopkeeper was about to kneel down and beg for mercy, a cold glint struck his face, causing his eyeballs to pop out and half of his head to split open.

The blade was stuck in the bone and couldn't be pulled out. Zhu Biao frowned, let go, and kicked him in the chest.

Clang!

The shopkeeper's thin body knocked over the brazier, sparks flying everywhere, instantly scorching his clothes.

puff~

Only then did the man's body slump to the ground, and Yue Fei, who was also knocked down, was caught by Zhu Biao.

"Third, Third Brother."

Yue Fei called out weakly and with difficulty. Upon hearing this barely audible call, Zhu Biao's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

"Brother, I'm here."

At the fourth watch of the night, a raging fire broke out at Wangji Foot Inn. On the crimson snow, two horses and four figures gradually disappeared into the distance.

Murder, arson, and destroying evidence—in just ten days since leaving Chai Family Village, Zhu Biao has become increasingly adept at this sort of business.

Before setting the fire, he had searched the foot shop inside and out to make sure no one escaped and that no innocent people would be harmed.

At this moment, Yue Fei was lying limply on Tan Tou's back, and Zhu Biao personally led the horse for him, occasionally stuffing a warm egg with its shell still on into the horse's mouth.

Charcoal Head ate with gusto, wagging its tail and blowing its nose incessantly, rubbing its big head against him.

"Third Brother, is this really going to work? So many people have died, shouldn't we report this to the authorities?"

Yue Fei turned back to look at the firelight, his voice weak and feeble, but his mind had cleared up.

"Tch! Kid, has some kind of drug messed with your brain?"

Before Zhu Biao could answer, Pang Qiutang sneered, saying that on her horse, Yue Fei's father was lying on the ground, covered with a thick quilt, still fast asleep.

The charcoal was moving too fast; Zhu Biao had already started splashing oil and wine everywhere, preparing to set it on fire, when she finally arrived, even tripping and falling along the way.

In the end, he was only assigned the task of boiling eggs, and he was so angry that he smashed the pot afterwards.

"What can those corrupt officials in the government do besides swindling money?"

"Everyone's dead, the shop's burned down. What can I say to the authorities? That I'm ridding the people of a scourge? That I killed in self-defense? Do you think those corrupt officials will believe me?"

"Even if they believe it, this case involves an entire village, hundreds of people. Do they dare to investigate?"

The young woman bombarded him with a string of questions, leaving Yue Fei speechless, his eyes visibly wide open.

"Hmph, in the end, either nothing will be done, or the blame will be pinned on us, and we'll take the opportunity to rob us of our goods."

Pang Qiutang and her two siblings had their Lingbi stones stolen by Inspector Huang Can, and were even forced to kill officials and rebel, so naturally they hated the government.

However, what she just said was absolutely right, and even Zhu Biao couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Brother, although what she said was unpleasant, the reasoning behind it was sound."

"But Third Brother~"

Yue Fei hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but Zhu Biao smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Brother, I know what you mean. Without a trial by the government, it is not considered a just punishment. Private punishment is even more disruptive to the law and order, and even disregards human life."

"Is that what you think?"

"yes!"

After a long silence, Yue Fei finally responded, his voice soft but his tone resolute.

Call ~

Zhu Biao exhaled a breath of stale air, momentarily dazed. This stubborn little brat in front of him was none other than the future Yue Fei, a loyal and patriotic general.

"So, Sanlang, what do you think I should have done just now, appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him?"

"Uh~ Uh~"

Yue Fei opened and closed his mouth several times, but the word seemed like a bone, stuck firmly in his throat, and he couldn't spit it out no matter what.

Appeal to their emotions and reason with them?

If Zhu Biao had arrived even a moment later, he would have been in grave danger. Just now, when he was lying on the ground like a dead dog, didn't he also have murderous thoughts?

"Brother, I do not advocate vigilante justice, but I am not so pedantic as to reason with evil spirits."

As he spoke, Zhu Biao pulled out a thick stack of travel permits, at least fifty or sixty in various condition, from his horse's satchel and waved them in front of Yue Fei.

"That foot inn has been committing evil deeds for years, causing at least a hundred deaths. Do you really think the yamen and the inspectors knew nothing about it?"

Upon seeing these travel permits, Yue Fei's eyes narrowed sharply. Zhu Biao continued:

"If we were to take them to court, we would likely lose the case. I, a mere minor official, could perhaps use some money to escape the lawsuit, but you and your uncle..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Yue Fei clearly understood, because he shivered.

After a long silence, which seemed to last an eternity, Yue Fei suddenly asked in a hoarse voice:

"Third Brother, why did you become a militia leader?"

"At present, I only wish to protect my hometown. If I have the ability in the future, I would like to protect more people. If I am fortunate enough to go further, I am willing to protect all living beings."

Zhu Biao's tone became increasingly forceful, like the clanging of swords clashing.

Finally, he suddenly turned his head, his eyes blazing, and stared intently at Yue Fei, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"The common people are the foundation of the world! I will not be a lackey or lapdog for any one family or clan!"

As dawn approached, a bright red line gradually appeared on the horizon.

At a fork in the road, Zhu Biao carefully helped the still unconscious Yue He onto Yue Fei's back and then carefully tied the bundle for him.

Six or seven miles further on is Chenggang Village, Yue Fei's hometown, so it's neither necessary nor convenient to send him off there anymore.

"Elder brother, remember this: tell everyone you meet that you and your uncle left last night at dusk because you couldn't bear the innkeeper's sarcastic remarks, and went home overnight."

"Third Brother, Fei, Fei remembers."

Yue Fei's eyes were red, and his voice choked with emotion.

Zhu Biao patted his thin but muscular shoulders:

"Young Master, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you may write to me or send someone to find me. I will surely respond to your letter!"

Yue Fei was already in tears, his eyes filled with reluctance. He sniffed hard and solemnly said:

"Third Brother, once Father recovers, Fei will definitely come to find you and serve you by the horse's reins!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhu Biao paused for a moment, then laughed loudly, "Damn you! Just hearing that Yue Fei led his horse is enough to make my life worthwhile!"

The sound of horses' hooves had long since faded away, and Yue Fei's face was still covered in ice shards. Suddenly, Yue He, who was on his back, spoke up.

"My son, I hope that your young master is a good man and a benefactor to our family."

"Father! You're awake?"

Yue Fei was both surprised and delighted.

"Cough cough~"

Yue He coughed twice, panting, and said:

"My son, Zhu Xiaogong's ambitions are too great. Following him is a path of no return, fraught with danger and bloodshed. I will neither advise you nor stop you."

"Think it over yourself."

"Um."

Yue Fei nodded, lifted his father onto his back, and strode towards home, facing the dazzling morning sun.