The Thief Prince

Before setting off, Li Zheng prepared one hundred taels of silver, ten bolts of silk, and ten pearls, all of which were carried onto his horse.

He also brought extra jars of wine and several pieces of pork as snacks to accompany the wine.

Tang Meng couldn't help but ask, "Brother, this is your first time meeting a few fishermen, why did you bring so much stuff?"

Li Zheng mounted his horse: "Brother, you should know that it's never wrong to be overly polite."

Tang Meng said, "We're all men of the martial world, we're bound by brotherhood, why do we need these stinking money to pave the way?"

Li Zheng laughed and said, "We are complete strangers to them. If we ask to borrow their boat and passage, and we can't even spare a little gold or silver, then our sense of loyalty would be too cheap."

Tang Meng thought about it and felt that it made a lot of sense, so he didn't ask any more questions.

The group rode their horses along the shore of the lake.

The water was vast and misty, stretching as far as the eye could see.

A breeze blew across the lake, carrying a faint fishy smell.

Looking at the vast expanse of white water, Li Zheng asked to the side, "Is there a leader in that fishing village?"

Han Zhu urged his horse to catch up: "Brother, that village is called Shicao Village, and there are about a hundred fishing households there."

"The ones I know are their leaders, who are a brother and sister. Their surname is Zheng, and they make a living by fishing and also do private business in the lake."

"My older sister is called 'Sinking Shark' Zheng Qing, and my younger brother is called 'Wave-Piercing Shuttle' Zheng Zhou. I've done fish trading with them for several years, and they're trustworthy brothers."

Li Zheng became interested: "I wonder what skills these siblings have?"

Han Zhu replied, "It's good to let my brother know that these siblings are quite capable."

"My sister started fishing when she was six years old. She could hold her breath underwater for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and dive to a depth of two or three meters to catch river clams. She was also fierce and dared to fight people. Seven or eight strong men could not get close to her."

"My younger brother is a master craftsman, an absolute expert at rowing boats. In his hands, a small boat moves as fast as if it were flying across the water. He is also skilled with a spear, hitting its target every time, even small fish can't escape it."

After listening, Li Zheng was already considering recruiting them and couldn't help but ask, "Could we invite these two siblings to join us on the mountain?"

Han Zhu scratched his head: "This... I don't know either."

"Neither of them has any legal troubles and they are doing well enough to live, so they may not be willing to go up the mountain."

Li Zheng didn't ask any more questions, but he had an idea in mind.

No lawsuit doesn't mean you can't go up the mountain. Capable people are ambitious; how could they be content to be fishermen for the rest of their lives?

After walking along the waterfront for another half hour, a winding waterway appeared ahead, with the thatched roofs of dozens of houses scattered along the bank.

But we see:

Verdant peaks rise in layers, mulberry and osage orange trees stand like clouds. Streams meander around the lonely village, and sparse bamboo groves line the narrow paths. Thatched eaves stand by the ravine, ancient trees form a forest. A wine flag hangs high outside the fence, and fishing boats are idly moored in the shade of willows.

Li Zheng dismounted and was looking around the village when he suddenly heard the sound of water.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a small wooden boat emerging from the reeds on the shore.

A beautiful woman stood on the boat, her skin as white as jade, her figure slender and shapely. She was not wearing anything on her upper body, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin.

Li Zheng thought it was Zheng's older sister, so he quickly lowered his head, afraid of offending her.

But then Han Zhu's hearty laughter rang out beside him: "Brother, just look up, that's Zheng's younger brother!"

Li Zheng was taken aback. He looked up and saw that the person on the boat had narrow shoulders and a slender waist. Although he was fair-skinned, he was clearly a man.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head with a smile.

The man, holding a spear, warily surveyed the crowd. He only relaxed upon seeing Han Zhu: "Brother Han Zhu, where have you come from? What brings you here?"

Han Zhu said, "I have some small matters to trouble you with, brother."

Zheng Zhou replied, "Brother, if you have something to say, please speak freely."

Han Zhu patted the wine jar on his horse: "These are all brothers I trust. I brought some wine and meat. Let's have a few drinks before we talk."

Zheng Zhou hesitated for a moment, then brought the boat to shore: "In that case, let's go home first. My sister is home."

Han Zhu said, "Excellent."

Zheng Zhou tied the boat to a tree on the shore and led a few people into the village.

The group walked through several narrow dirt roads and stopped in front of a large courtyard with four or five thatched houses.

Zheng Zhou raised his hand and knocked on the door, calling out, "Sister! Sister! Brother Han Zhu is here!"

The door creaked open, revealing a thin, dark-skinned woman standing behind it.

Her skin was tanned dark and shiny, her figure was sturdy and well-proportioned, and she had willow-leaf eyebrows, big eyes, and bright, piercing gaze.

Li Zheng couldn't help but find it amusing; the younger brother was fair-skinned, while the older sister was dark-skinned, making them look like opposites when they stood together.

Zheng Qing glanced at Li Zheng and his group, and asked warily, "Where did these heroes come from?"

Han Zhu quickly stepped forward to introduce them: "Sister Zheng, this is my brother. They are both reliable brothers."

Zheng Qing was relieved: "Since he's your brother, come inside quickly."

Li Zheng told his henchmen to wait outside, and only brought Tang Meng and Han Zhu into the courtyard.

Han Zhu put the wine barrel on the table, and Zheng Qing turned around and went to the kitchen to tidy up. He took some fresh vegetables and two fresh fish to cook.

Before long, the wine and meat were served, and the four people sat down.

Han Zhu glanced at the fish on the plate and laughed, "You two siblings are so stingy, why bring two small fish to accompany your wine?"

Zheng Zhou sighed and said, "The lake near my village is small, and no big fish have been swimming in lately. I'm sorry to have troubled you, brother."

Li Zheng immediately chimed in, "This lake is connected to Liangshan Marsh; they're from the same body of water. Why don't we go fight in that marsh?"

Zheng Qing shook his head: "Liangshanbo is too far from the village, and it takes a lot of time to go back and forth."

These words struck a chord with Li Zheng. He picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, and cupped his hands, saying, "With Brother Han Zhu leading the way today, I will get straight to the point."

"We brothers have come here to do some risk-free business on Liangshan Mountain, but we cannot cross because of the lake. We would like to borrow a few boats from you two."

Zheng Zhou was startled upon hearing this: "Are you bandits from the mountain?"

Li Zheng's expression remained unchanged: "So what if you're a strongman? You fear neither heaven nor earth, nor the law. You divide gold and silver by weight, wear fine silks, drink wine from jars, and eat meat in large chunks. How can you not be happy?"

Zheng Zhou is young and at an age where he can't sit still.

Hearing Li Zheng's words, his eyes lit up slightly, and he was about to applaud.

Zheng Qing interrupted him in time, looking at Li Zheng and saying, "Brother, it's not difficult for my sister and me to dispatch a few boats, but if the government finds out that we are harboring bandits, then the anti-banditry officers will come knocking on our door."

Li Zheng said, "I certainly cannot let you and your brother suffer for nothing."

He clapped his hands, and several henchmen carried boxes into the courtyard.

As soon as the lid of the box was lifted, the pearly light immediately filled the room.

The Zheng siblings gasped as they looked at the silk, silver, and pearls.

After years of fishing and smuggling, the two of them have only managed to accumulate their current fortune.

The gift that Li Zheng casually gave away was enough for them to buy three or four more.

The two were filled with doubt and suspicion. Who was this person who was so generous and righteous?

Zheng Qing clasped his hands in a fist and asked, "May I ask your name, brother?"

Li Zheng said, "This is Li Zheng."

Zheng Qing's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "You can't be Li Zheng, the 'Suppressor of Shandong,' who destroyed three strongholds, captured Dang County, attacked Shanzhou Prefecture, and captured the prefect alive?"

Li Zheng was also taken aback when he heard this. Had his name become that famous?

No, wait! What "Suppressing Shandong"?

Who the hell gave me that bandit nickname?!