Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Call ~

Zhu Biao let out a long breath, forcing himself to calm down and resisting the urge to go into the store and ask questions.

That would be so stupid!

He is now a scholar from Linqing who has come to the capital to seek out his teacher and visit friends, while Pang Qiutang is Huang Ji, a servant boy from Xiangzhou who goes to make preparations ahead of the merchants.

The two are completely unrelated.

The innkeeper was observant and meticulous, and he immediately spotted the flaw.

Diagonally opposite Dongsheng Inn, there was a small, deserted teahouse with its door still unopened.

Zhu Biao steadied himself, walked over slowly, found a clean table facing outwards, and sat down, glancing at the tea table on the wall.

"Shopkeeper, give me a bowl of Qibao Lei Cha (a type of tea), no scallions or ginger, add sugar and a little salt, and also a dish of steamed buns."

"Alright! You really are a connoisseur, sir."

There were no other customers in the shop at the moment, only a thin, slightly sickly-looking middle-aged shopkeeper was running the business, his smile somewhat forced.

dong dong~

He stuffed sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, and other things into the mortar and began to pound them vigorously. Zhu Biao only glanced at him twice before ignoring him.

This man was unskilled in martial arts, and his expression was wistful; perhaps he had some story to tell, but it was none of my business.

What can Pang Qiutang do?

Did you forget to clip your handkerchief? Did the wind blow it away? Were you too tired to sleep soundly? Or perhaps, did some unexpected situation arise that forced you to run away?

"Sir, the tea is ready. Please enjoy it while it's hot."

At this moment, the shopkeeper placed a bowl of hot tea and a dish of steamed buns on the table.

But the person didn't leave; instead, they stood to the side with their hands at their sides, looking expectant, as if waiting for a judgment.

The so-called Seven Treasures Lei Cha is simply black sesame paste with several kinds of dried fruits, salt, and sugar. There's almost no reason why this stuff wouldn't taste good.

Because he wanted to get information out of him, Zhu Biao patiently took a bite, but almost spat it out on the spot.

It's cloyingly sweet and unhealthy, and there's way too much dry seasoning. The bottom part isn't even properly dissolved. Damn it! If they keep doing business like this, they'll go out of business sooner or later.

"Sir, is it not to your liking?"

The shopkeeper's eyes were filled with expectation, guilt, and a touch of sadness.

Zhu Biao suppressed his anxious thoughts and offered a suggestion.

"Shopkeeper, you've added too much salt, sugar, and dried ingredients. Dilute this bowl into two and a half bowls, stir it a bit more, and it might be just right."

"Okay, okay, I'll go change it right away."

After the tea was served again, the condition improved considerably. Zhu Biao took a few sips and nodded, which immediately pleased the shopkeeper, but then his eyes darkened again.

"Thank you, sir. I was poisoned by coal gas a month ago. My wife died, and I lost my sense of taste. This tea stall used to be hers."

My condolences.

Zhu Biao was extremely anxious at this moment, so he gave a perfunctory reply and changed the subject in a heartless manner.

"Shopkeeper, are you open every day?"

"Open every day, from dawn until midnight, but business is terrible~"

Zhu Biao interrupted:

"Has anything happened in the neighborhood these past two days?"

The shopkeeper was puzzled:

"What is it, sir? What is it you wish to speak of?"

Zhu Biao explained:

"A friend invited me to meet at the Dongsheng Inn recently, but I just went to ask and he wasn't there, so I'm asking now."

"I see, but it hasn't happened these past two days~"

"Shopkeeper, a bowl of Lei Cha (pounded tea) and a pot of hot water, please."

Just then, a short man walked into the shop.

He wore a fur hat and a fur robe, the brim pulled very low, his face was covered in dust, he was shivering slightly from the cold, and his voice was muffled.

Because he had his head down and was blocked by the shopkeeper, he didn't see Zhu Biao.

Upon hearing his voice, Zhu Biao suddenly stood up, pushed the shopkeeper aside, took two steps forward, and without saying a word, pulled him into his arms.

"Huang Ji! You rascal, where have you been? You scared me to death!"

The short, stocky man was none other than Pang Qiutang, who was disguised as a man. Suddenly being hugged, she instinctively reached for her knife.

However, upon hearing Zhu Biao's voice, she first froze, and then burst into tears.

"Third Brother, you've finally arrived!"

"That damned inn has been booked by some corrupt official, and I've been suffering outside for two days already!"

The shopkeeper had almost been pushed over, but he wasn't angry. He glanced at the two of them, quickly turned around, and muttered something under his breath.

"So this is what a friend he is. Sigh, the world is really going to the dogs."

Rumble~

Just then, a heavy thud of wheels could be faintly heard in the distance, mixed with the sounds of footsteps and the rapid hoofbeats of horses.

"Walk!"

Zhu Biao snapped back to his senses and abruptly released Pang Qiutang, but it was too late.

Da Da Da~

In the blink of an eye, more than ten fast horses had rushed up to them.

Fortunately, they weren't targeting them, but rather patrolling the streets and alleys near the Dongsheng Inn, driving away passersby; they were clearing the area.

"Sit separately!"

Upon recognizing the leading knight, Zhu Biao's eyes narrowed sharply. He quickly pushed Pang Qiutang a few steps away, then removed his cloak and returned to his original seat.

It was Liang Siqi!

This young vixen had also changed her attire, wearing a soft-brimmed turban, a black fitted outfit, a dark hooded leather robe, and a face mask.

However, Zhu Biao recognized her at a glance; her eyes, which held a hint of madness, were truly unforgettable.

Just before his eyes met Liang Siqi's, he quickly looked away and called out loudly to the stunned shopkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, it's rare that this brother shares the same taste as me, so please serve him a bowl of tea as well, and I'll pay the bill."

"Oh, oh, okay."

A knowing look flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He responded with a nod, then turned and went to make tea.

"Pooh!"

At this moment, Liang Siqi's gaze swept over Zhu Biao, she pulled off her mask, and spat angrily.

"You filthy scoundrel!"

Then, she gave an order to her knights:

"Go! You only gave that filthy-eyed dog two lashes; now get him out of here!"

"Here you go!"

The two knights immediately turned their horses towards the tea stall, one of them shouting from his horse:

"The Imperial City Guard is on official business; close the doors and board them up immediately!"

The other man jumped off his horse, grabbed his whip, and walked straight toward Zhu Biao. Without saying a word, he raised his hand and lashed out.

However, the knight was aware of the situation and clearly held back, only putting on a show to get by.

"Ouch~"

Zhu Biao raised his hand to cover his face, screaming in pain, but subtly shook his head at Pang Qiutang under his sleeve.

At this moment, her eyes were red with anger, gleaming with a cold light, and her hands were already inside her clothes.

"So what if I'm from the Imperial City Guard? What right do they have to beat me? I'm a scholar who passed the imperial examinations!"

After being whipped again on the shoulder, Zhu Biao got up and ran out of the shop in a disheveled state, shouting in a show of bravado but inwardly weak voice.

"ha!"

The knight lashed his back again with his whip and laughed:

"A mere scholar like you! You pretty boy, my master finds you repulsive and is only giving you two lashes as a mercy!"

"Hahaha!"

The surrounding knights burst into laughter. A look of satisfaction appeared in Liang Siqi's eyes. She pursed her lips, pulled her veil back up, and spurred her horse to go elsewhere.

Zhu Biao covered his head and ran out the door. The knight didn't chase after him, but turned around and pointed at Pang Qiutang with his riding whip.

"You get out of here too!"

Pfft!

Zhu Biao hadn't run far when he tripped and fell. He glanced at Liang Siqi and saw that she had already ridden away, and then he saw that Pang Qiutang had already left the shop.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief and staggered to his feet.

At this moment, a large black carriage pulled by four horses slowly approached, followed closely by dozens of guards armed with knives.

Although they deliberately didn't wear the Liang family's belts, and the carriages didn't have flags or lanterns, Zhu Biao had already spotted several familiar faces in the group.

The person inside the carriage was practically leaping out – the old scoundrel Liang Shicheng!

At the same time, the innkeeper also sent out a group of people, led by a tall, handsome scholar who looked to be around thirty years old.

"I don't know him. I guess he's some official Liang Shicheng is colluding with. Whatever."

Zhu Biao withdrew his gaze, calmed his mind, and strode towards a small alley.

He was self-aware; at this stage, he could only handle minor figures like Zhu Qi, a powerful figure on the fringes of society, while Gao Yanei was his limit.

He couldn't even get close to a tycoon like Liang Shicheng.

Not to mention the dozen or so knights led by Liang Siqi and the dozens of guards beside the carriage, this old thief probably also has experts serving him.

"Third Brother!"

Pang Qiutang suddenly emerged from a narrow alleyway in front of him, clutching his cloak, startling Zhu Biao.

It seems she hasn't been idle these past two days; she's thoroughly explored the surrounding area.

He unfolded his cloak and draped it over Pang Qiutang, saying gently:

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm dressed warmly, and that guy is a weakling. He's not hurt at all. It's you who's suffering. It's my fault for not thinking things through."

Pang Qiutang leaned closer to him, her voice trembling as she said:

"I'm fine too, Third Brother. It's all worth it to have waited for you."

"What kind of situation is this? We only managed to sell two bowls of tea after all that trouble!"

The tea shop owner, who had just hung up the door panel, sighed and was about to return to the back room with a candlestick in hand when he suddenly saw a flash of silver light under the corner of the table.

"what?"

He quickly took two steps, and sure enough, it was a piece of silver, weighing about three ounces, enough for him to earn for a month or two.

"Hey, they say good people get good rewards, and that handsome young man is a man with a conscience."

The shopkeeper wasn't stupid; he knew that this was the very table Zhu Biao had just sat at, so he must have deliberately left it there.

"Hey, then I wish you all the best, may you and your loved one be together forever, and may you not care about the opinions of the world."

He carefully put the silver away from his body, a smile spreading across his face.