Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Thump thump thump~ thump thump thump~

At four quarters past dusk, the evening drum sounded, and the city gates of Bianliang slowly closed. Pang Qiutang finally emerged from the small courtyard.

The skinny rascal who had been keeping watch immediately put down his wine bowl and stood up.

"That young lady is out. Let's go take a look. If Lin Niangzi manages to slip out unnoticed, the young master will definitely not let it go."

His fat companion lazily turned his head and glanced at him, scoffing coldly:

"You won't admit you're blind! This young lady is almost three inches shorter than Madam Lin, how could she possibly sneak out blindfolded? Did they saw off her legs?"

The skinny man seemed a bit dazed, squinting at him for a long time before nodding.

"It is much shorter, but let's go take a look, just in case?"

"You go if you want!"

The fat man waved his hand impatiently, but the skinny man pulled and tugged at him, saying:

"Come along, come along, I'll give you all the drinks later."

"Hey, you said it yourself," the fat man chuckled.

"Young lady, where are you from? Come, lift your veil and let this old man see your face."

The fat man staggered and blocked Pang Qiutang's path, brazenly extending his short, stubby fingers to lift the veil from under her hood.

"Who are you, daring to harass me in the street?"

Pang Qiutang's voice sounded delicate and weak, but her hand under her sleeve clenched a short dagger, her heart pounding with desire, as if she wanted to slice off his fat hand with one stroke.

But she didn't dare!

Before leaving the inn, Zhu Biao solemnly warned her that unless her life was threatened, she must never use violence in public.

"Get lost!"

Just then, a loud shout rang out, and a figure rushed over like a black whirlwind, kicking the fat man far away.

chap!

The next instant, Zhu Biao drew his sword and held it directly to the bewildered skinny man's neck, shouting and cursing:

"You son of a bitch! How dare you commit evil deeds in the street and humiliate my mistress! I'll skin you alive!"

Pfft!

The skinny man was so frightened that he knelt down and begged for mercy. The fat man was about to get up when he caught a glimpse of this scene, his fat body trembled, and he slowly lay back down.

These hooligans, having spent so much time roaming the streets, have developed a knack for getting things done.

Knowing who not to mess with, for example, this dark-skinned guy in front of me is clearly a ruthless character who has people's lives in his hands.

"Wang Wu, let it go, don't let it escalate to the point of causing a death."

Pang Qiutang said.

"Hmph! You guys are just lucky."

Zhu Biao kicked the skinny man over, snorted coldly, and sheathed his sword.

At this moment, Instructor Zhang heard the commotion and went out the door, with Madam Lin following anxiously behind him. Zhu Biao didn't say anything, but nodded three times to them subtly and quickly.

A moment later, in the Zhang family courtyard, Madam Lin brought a basin of hot water and placed it in front of Instructor Zhang.

"Father, soak your feet in hot water and get some rest."

"Hehehe~"

Instructor Zhang paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Take a break? Aren't you waiting for that young master to come?"

"what?"

Lin Niangzi's eyes were full of confusion. She was quite far away and it was dark, so she only vaguely saw Zhu Biao nod at her. She didn't see him very clearly.

"Just now, that young man nodded three times; he will surely arrive before midnight."

Instructor Zhang took off his footwear, soaked his feet in hot water, let out a long, comfortable sigh, and remarked:

"That young man is truly remarkable; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he has a plan that never fails."

"Wang Wu, what time is it?"

On the donkey cart, Pang Qiutang lifted the curtain and asked a question.

This was also what Zhu Biao instructed: on the way back, occasionally start a conversation so that he could take the opportunity to turn around and observe what was behind him.

"At about six quarters past 5 PM, we were almost at Fanlou."

On the crossbeam, Zhu Biao turned his head and replied, glancing quickly at the back of the carriage. He felt a slight sense of relief; thankfully, that skinny rascal had been shaken off.

Don't let that skinny guy's cowardly appearance fool you; he's actually quite cunning and secretly followed us earlier.

However, human legs can't compare to donkey legs, and his eyesight wasn't good either, so he soon couldn't keep up, which was one of the reasons why Zhu Biao had to hire a car.

Pang Qiutang spoke in a dejected tone:

"Forget it, I don't want to go anymore. Let's go back to the inn."

This is another character setting for Zhu Biao.

On the return journey, they would first detour to Fanlou, and then find some excuse to return to the inn along the way. Of course, the inn where the donkey cart stopped was not their actual place of residence.

Being in enemy territory, surrounded by enemies, you can never be too cautious!

"Yes."

Zhu Biao responded and turned to the shopkeeper.

"Back to the west side of the city."

After getting off the donkey cart ahead of time, Zhu Biao made sure there were no tails following them before pulling the lost Pang Qiutang back to the inn.

"Fifth Sister, eat some dry food and rest well. Remember to keep the door locked and leave the window slightly ajar."

Zhu Biao checked the guest room thoroughly to make sure there were no problems. After giving a few instructions, he was about to turn and leave when Pang Qiutang grabbed his arm.

"Wang Wu, where are you going?"

"I want to go back to Instructor Zhang's house."

"I'll go with you!"

"No!"

Zhu Biao flatly refused.

Seeing Pang Qiutang looking at him pitifully, he couldn't help but soften and explained helplessly:

"Fifth Sister, you walk too slowly and don't know the way. If you encounter an accident and need to separate, you won't be able to find your way back. Tokyo is so big, I won't be able to find you either."

The reason was so compelling that it was impossible to refute. Pang Qiutang's eyes suddenly reddened, and she pursed her lips, finally managing to utter a sentence after a long while.

"Then, be careful. I'll wait for you to come back."

Tokyo is a huge maze, with streets and alleys scattered and disordered, making it even harder to find your way around after the lights are on at night.

Even with Zhu Biao's amazing memory, he got lost several times and almost fell into the Bian River before finally arriving at Ganjing Lane just before midnight.

By this time, the restaurant had already closed and its doors were boarded up.

However, at the entrance, in the sheltered spot under the eaves, a charcoal brazier was lit, and the fat and thin ruffians were warming themselves by the fire, wearing fur robes.

Even so, I was still shivering from the cold.

Bianjing is not as bitterly cold as the north and rarely snows, but the night wind in the twelfth lunar month is just as biting and unbearable.

Damn it! They really went all out. And this young master Gao isn't entirely useless; at least he can keep these hooligans quite obedient.

Power, money, authority, and punishment are all indispensable.

After observing from a hidden corner for half an incense stick's time, confirming that only the two of them were being watched, Zhu Biao then drifted like a ghost towards the back of the small courtyard house.

He hadn't practiced any martial arts, but he was quick-witted and agile enough to easily outmaneuver the two ruffians.

"But is it Wang Wu?"

Just as they climbed onto the top of the wall, they heard a deliberately lowered, aged voice coming from the courtyard.

Zhu Biao was startled and almost fell headfirst, but he quickly regained his composure and replied in a low voice:

"Exactly."

What's behind Zhenniang?

"Plum blossom mole".

Thud! A bamboo ladder suddenly appeared on the wall.

When Zhu Biao landed, in the dim light, he saw an old man with white hair and beard, but a straight back, staring intently at him.

Beside him, a stunningly beautiful woman gracefully bowed to him, choking back tears as she said:

"Your kindness is truly admirable, Zhenniang greets you with courtesy."

"Madam Lin, please don't do this!"

Zhu Biao quickly stepped forward, bowed in return, and offered his hands in a gesture of support.

"I wish to become Instructor Lin's apprentice and learn to shoot. From now on, you will be my master's wife. I absolutely cannot accept your courtesy."

Instructor Zhang nodded slightly, feeling relieved.

With her loyalty, courtesy, boldness, and meticulousness, Zhenniang and her blockhead son-in-law are saved!

At this moment, Zhu Biao turned to Instructor Zhang, clasped his hands in a salute, and went straight to the point:

"I've met Elder Zhang. I wonder if you can still ride a horse and draw a bow?"

"Um?"

Instructor Zhang raised an eyebrow.

"Young master, do you perhaps intend to take this old man out of Tokyo with you?"

"Exactly!"

Zhu Biao never forgot Coach Zhang.

However, he never considered the old man as someone to be rescued, but rather as a helper and an ally.

Just now, Coach Zhang's performance fully confirmed his judgment. This old man is shrewd, experienced, and physically robust, and is definitely not a burden.

"Cough cough cough~"

A moment later, in the north room of the courtyard, Instructor Zhang choked on his tea and coughed violently. Madam Lin's beautiful eyes widened, and she forgot to pat her father's back.

"Young master, not only are you going to take my daughter and me away from Tokyo, but you're also going to assassinate Gao Yanei?"

After a long while, Instructor Zhang finally recovered and looked at Zhu Biao with astonishment, as if he wanted to get to know this audacious young man all over again.

"That's right."

Zhu Biao resolutely blocked the railway.

"That scoundrel caused Instructor Lin to become a criminal exile. He bribed the guards to murder him halfway through the journey, and now he has sent people to hunt him down for thousands of miles and frame him."

"I will not be at peace until this grudge is avenged!"

Actually, there was another reason, which he didn't mention.

Besides avenging Lin Chong and venting his anger to prevent future troubles, killing Gao Yanei was also Zhu Biao's obsession.

When he read Water Margin in his previous life, he was young and had a simple sense of right and wrong. He felt indignant at the time and hated Gao Yanei with a passion.

Only after growing up did he realize that Gao Yanei was one of the countless tentacles of the privatization and corruption of public power, and he still hated him.

Having unexpectedly arrived in this world, the assassination of Gao Yanei was an unshakable core objective in his first plan.

Zhu Biao has obsessive-compulsive disorder; he's determined to achieve his goals! Therefore, Gao Yanei must die!