Water Margin official

Lin Chong said: "Brother Lu once said that Zhou Tong and Li Zhong are stingy and are not straightforward men."

Lu Fang asked about the reason, and Lin Chong explained with a smile: "These two people left the village with a lot of gold and silver, but went down the mountain to rob others, get the money, and come to see Brother Lu off."

Zhang Zhengdao also laughed and said: "This great monk is also funny. Taking advantage of the two people who were going down the mountain to rob, he took away the gold and silver utensils from the other people's village, left the main entrance shamelessly, and rolled down the steep part of the back mountain. He fell down and was not injured. What a reckless man."

Lu Fang couldn't help laughing.

Everyone was talking and laughing along the way, but they didn’t feel the wind, frost or cold.

After marching for four or five days, the army and horses got close to Qingfeng Mountain.

Zhang Zhengdao reined in his horse and looked from a distance, only to see that this evil mountain was rugged on all sides and steep on all sides, with dense forests and trees, grassy slopes covered with thorns, strange pine trees with intertwined roots, and old crotch trees covered with vines.

At first glance, there are no business hotels along the way. As we approach the mountain pass, we are surrounded by pits of dead bodies.

What a good place for strongmen to rob.

"Brother, there must be an ambush for Qingfeng Mountain's men in that forest." Lin Chong was born in the Imperial Army and was familiar with military literature. He just took a look around and found a good place for an ambush.

Zhang Zhengdao looked in the direction pointed by Lin Chong, and there was indeed a strange forest overgrown with grass. It was completely silent and no wild animals were seen.

"Go down with the order, be careful and go around Qingfeng Mountain." Zhang Zhengdao ordered, and everyone was on full alert and continued marching along the post road.

Horse hooves galloped, kicking up large amounts of smoke and dust, and rushed straight into the sky. The army passed Qingfeng Mountain without any danger, and no strong men who fell into the grass jumped out to rob. Maybe it was the minions hiding in the woods who saw this Biao Song army. The costumed military horses are majestic, and they dare not jump out easily to tease the tiger's beard.

Bypassing Qingfeng Mountain is Qingfeng Town.

This town is the choke point to Qingzhou and a three-way intersection. There are many merchants coming and going, and there are also three to five thousand families gathered here.

Before the troops and horses broke into the town, they caused a commotion.

Before Zhang Zhengdao and others entered Qingfeng Town, they heard a burst of strong horses galloping, and thirty or fifty riders came out from the middle of the town.

The leader is a young officer, with white teeth and red lips, eyebrows that fall into his temples, eyes like stars, a thin waist and broad shoulders. He is covered in green velvet and red brocade inlaid with chain mail, and his crotch is completely white. A fine horse from the North with no mottled colors, a bright silver spear in its hand, and a bow and arrow tied to the saddle. He is truly a handsome man in the world.

In an instant, these thirty or fifty cavalrymen rushed forward, and the young officer shouted loudly: "Is this the Huangdu Prison of Qingzhou Prefecture in front of you?"

Zhang Zhengdao motioned to Lin Chong to come forward and talk.

"Are you Qingfeng Town Zhizhai Huarong?" Lin Chong rode forward, came to his head, took out a seal from his arms, shook it casually, stuffed it back into his arms, and said loudly: "I am waiting for Dengzhou Water Master, if you pass by this place, please ask Huazhi Village to arrange a camp for the brothers to rest."

When Hua Rong heard this, he couldn't help but have doubts in his heart, but when he looked at this group of troops, they were all dressed in Song army uniforms, and their appearance was neat, unlike ordinary Xiang troops.

Lin Chong saw Hua Rong in a daze and shouted again: "Is there anything difficult in Huazhi Village?"

Hua Rong came back to his senses, suppressed the doubts in his heart, and replied: "To the north of the town is Hua's camp, which can be used temporarily by your army."

Lin Chong was not polite and waved his hand and said: "Please ask Huazhizhai to lead the way."

Hua Rong put away his silver gun, cupped his fists and said, "Please."

With Hua Rong leading the way, the people in Qingfeng Town calmed down and stood on the roadside to watch the army enter Qingfeng Village.

After arranging the two hundred cavalry brothers, Zhang Zhengdao, surrounded by Lin Chong and Lu Fang, followed Hua Rong into the main hall of Qingfeng Village to have some refreshments first.

Hua Rong went to the back hall, took off his armor, put on a green embroidered brocade robe, put on green civil and military boots, and then came out.

Hua Rong saw that only Zhang Zhengdao was sitting in the main hall, and the other two were standing on the left and right. He respectfully stepped forward and saluted, and asked, "Didn't you ask for your husband's name?"

Zhang Zhengdao was dressed in a brocade hat and mink fur coat, and he looked like a wealthy man. Hua Rong mistakenly thought that he was a civil servant with a background in the imperial examination.

When the Song Dynasty was founded, civil servants were valued over military officers. Even if they were at the same level, civilian officials were more respected than military officers.

The famous privy envoy, General Di Qing, was cautious and cautious, but he could not escape the humiliation of civilian officials and was impeached until death.

Although Hua Rong is the son of a hero, he is a military officer of the eighth or ninth grade. He does not dare to offend the civil servants of the imperial court.

Zhang Zhengdao put down the tea cup in his hand and said with a smile: "Huazhi Village, I have admired the name for a long time, and I am Zhang Tiandao in Xiashuibo Liangshan."

Hua Rong was taken aback and thought about it a lot, but he never expected that the person in front of him was Zhang Tiandao, the powerful Jingdong, the owner of Liangshan Lake on the Green Forest Road in Hebei Province, the "Nine Heavens Divine Dragon".

Zhang Zhengdao pointed to the person on his right and introduced: "This is the former 800,000-strong Forbidden Army instructor 'Leopard Head' Lin Chong."

Hua Rong became more and more surprised. In the past few days, the official notice of Cangzhou's sea arrests had been sent to Qingfeng Village. The former commander of the imperial army killed Yuhou Lu Qian, Fu'an in Gao Taiwei's house, and the prison camp in Cangzhou.

He dispatched three people and set fire to the army's fodder yard, committing a heinous crime. The court issued a reward of three thousand guan in letters and drew pictures to capture the culprit Lin Chong.

Zhang Zhengdao continued to introduce the person on his left: "This brother is called 'Little Wenhou' Lu Fang. He makes a square-shaped halberd and has the courage of ten thousand men."

Lu Fang knew that his brother was promoting him, so he felt grateful and nodded towards Hua Rong.

Hua Rong paid homage to Lin Chong and Lu Fang one by one, and finally gave a big salute to Zhang Zhengdao and said: "My dear brother, your reputation is as thunderous as thunder. I am truly lucky to meet you today."

Zhang Zhengdao stood up and helped Hua Rong up, and said with a smile: "Brothers, there is no need to be polite. Today I am visiting, but it is a bit abrupt."

Hua Rong said: "Brother Meng, I don't want to come here because I don't have any rare things to entertain you."

After saying that, Hua Rong invited the three of them to sit in the back hall, and asked his wife Cui and his sister Hua Mingyue to come out to meet them. He also arranged for bathing in fragrant soup and a banquet for Zhang Zhengdao and others to wash away their dust.

Hua Rong's wife, the Cui family, comes from a noble family, is generous and dignified in behavior, and is indeed virtuous.

Hua Rong’s sister Hua Mingyue is smart and beautiful.

Zhang Zhengdao nodded secretly, Hua Rong actually asked his wife and sister to come out to meet him, which shows his respect for him.

At the banquet, Hua Rong personally poured the wine for the three of them and said with a smile: "My dear friends, I have come from afar. I would like to toast my three brothers with this glass." After saying this, he raised his head and drank the wine first.

Zhang Zhengdao, Lin Chong, and Lu Fang also picked up their wine glasses and drank them all in one gulp.

Hua Rong filled the wine glasses for the three of them again and encouraged them to drink again.

The four of them drank three cups together before picking up their chopsticks to pick up the food.

Hua Rong pointed to a bowl of stew and said, "Brother, let's try it first. This is a wild deer that I shot out the day before yesterday. It's delicious."

Zhang Zhengdao and others tasted it one after another, and the taste was indeed extraordinary.

After half-drinking, Hua Rong asked: "May I ask why you are here?"

Lin Chong and Lu Fang remained silent, waiting for Zhang Zhengdao's answer.

This trip involves Liangshan's secrets. If the imperial court knows about it, it will probably cause a huge disaster.

Zhang Zhengdao put down his chopsticks, glanced at Lin Chong, who had a serious face, and Lu Fang, who was smiling silently. He chuckled and said, "Brothers and I want to go to Dengzhou to rob and kill the Korean mission."