Magical Water Margin: They all call me brother

Page 21

The official's celestial mirror shattered on the ground, his eyes widened like copper bells, and he let out a panting, trapped-beast-like gasp. A group of servants rushed over to ask what was wrong, but he couldn't utter a single word of warning. He simply raised his trembling hand and pointed to the gradually collapsing and shattering Ziwei Star Palace.

However, in Qilin Village, Liu Hong's family was unaware of the terror the officials in Kaifeng had experienced. They were still happily reunited, eating and telling each other the strange stories they had encountered that day. Pan Jinlian looked at Liu Hong, who had grown from 1.9 meters to 2.4 meters tall and whose muscles were even stronger. Her breathing became more rapid in surprise, and her pupils almost turned into solid hearts. "I really chose the right person. He was already so strong and powerful before."

Now that he's bigger and more vigorous, I wonder how ecstatic he must be in bed? I must taste him tonight.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Liu Hong embraced Jinlian, sharing a bed and engaging in intimate acts. As the moonlight shattered the clouds, Liu Hong's magnificent spear, which had also grown larger and more powerful, cast a huge shadow on Pan Jinlian's increasingly excited and trembling face.

Two bodies, as smooth and lustrous as porcelain, intertwined like snakes. Pan Jinlian never concealed her desires. Her cherry lips kissed Liu Hong's forehead, nose, and lips. Then, her beautiful legs bent, and her delicate body sank down. Her alluring lips traced a path along Liu Hong's skin, across his chest and abdomen, through his pubic area, and gently touched his long spear.

Their lips pressed tightly together, their tongues entwined, leaving two trails of moisture as they parted. Their pearly teeth gently bit, their throats swallowing and releasing, their bodies stained with the essence of ecstasy.

"I imagine your magnificence is truly magnificent; even the legendary Lao Ai of ancient times was no more impressive."

Pan Jinlian stroked her face, which was covered in hot semen, and couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh. She was so engrossed in carnal desire that she couldn't extricate herself. Her slender hands wiped the semen off her face, and her fragrant tongue lightly licked and rolled into her embroidered mouth, licking Liu Hong's semen into her lips and swallowing it. When she did this seductive thing, her eyes were incredibly charming, and her pupils were full of longing and worship.

Seeing his wife so alluring, Liu Hong couldn't resist pouncing on her. Her jade hairpin sagged, her long black hair cascading down. Her undergarments slipped down, revealing a glimpse of spring. Her arms intertwined like swallows in flight, her slender waist swaying gently like flowing water. Her ankles were slightly exposed, a crescent moon appearing beneath her white stockings. Her skirt was half-fallen, revealing two rosy dots on her breasts.

"Oh! Husband, please be gentle."

As the jade spear entered, Pan Jinlian let out a delicate cry amidst the tearing pain and the ultimate bliss. It was simply too big; her delicate eyebrows furrowed as if a startled magpie had stepped on a branch, and her ten fingers clenched slightly like a fox's claws hunting a rabbit, leaving ten red marks on Liu Hong's muscular skin.

Liu Hong was also aware of his rapidly increasing size, and he caressed his bride in his arms even more gently, slowly probing inside.

Before long, the pain transformed into a gentle spring stream, dripping incessantly downwards. Her slender waist swayed like a willow in the wind, and glistening beads of sweat fell like dewdrops on petals. Her legs, like snakes, coiled around Liu Hong's waist, tightening their grip as if trying to stuff him entirely into her lower mouth.

Seeing his wife so proactive, Liu Hong intensified his attack. Pan Jinlian raised her chin and cried out passionately—the huge jade spear had not yet fully entered, but it had already opened the gate of the Taiyin Inner Palace, causing her whole body to spasm and tremble in ecstasy. Her two pink lips were stretched beyond their limit and completely transformed into the shape of Liu Hong.

In an instant, the moon's shadow danced on the wall like fallen leaves swept up by the morning breeze, and the embroidered quilt on the kang (heated brick bed) billowed like waves crashing in a downpour. The sound of water gurgling and a subtle fragrance wafted from where the two were intertwined. The peony's heart opened and closed, its velvety petals trembling and drooping, spewing out two warm streams, one yellow and one white, amidst high-pitched, ambiguous moans.

After a round of passionate lovemaking, Pan Jinlian knelt on the bed again, her two plump, ripe and tender buttocks like peaches, resting on ten round and smooth jade toes. The pale cherry blossoms seeping from the tips of her toes and the honey-like nectar about to drip from her buttocks brewed into a dizzying sweet wine in the rising warm fragrance.

Liu Hong stroked the four fox tails, parted the two snowy buttocks, and merged with his wife once again, enjoying the feeling of conquest from behind. He slapped the snowy buttocks with both hands, making the fleshy waves, and kneaded the fox tails, causing the delicate body to tremble. With each slap and each stroke, the little mouth would tighten around the jade spear, making it extremely ecstatic.

The jade toes, which were nestled beneath his buttocks and constantly curled up and held captive, gently caressed Liu Hong's spear handle and jade belt, sending a jolt of pleasure up his spine and into his brain, sharing in ultimate bliss.

Pan Jinlian was always like this, both incompetent and playful. She clearly couldn't last long, yet she willingly succumbed to desire. Under the whip of the jade spear, her body was so weak that she even urinated. Before, she could last four or five rounds, but this time, she was beaten to a pulp in just one round and fainted in ecstasy.

The next day, Liu Hong continued training feeling refreshed. His strength and stamina were steadily increasing. In the previous six months, he had pushed himself to the limit every day during training. Now, the burden was just heavier, and it was getting easier day by day.

Zhou Tong didn't let Liu Hong learn more knowledge. He just made him strengthen his body and hone his basic skills. According to Zhou Tong, Liu Hong was a quick learner who took an unorthodox approach. He forced himself to use his superhuman brain to memorize the application of various moves and was able to quickly analyze which move to use on the ever-changing battlefield.

But you only remember it in your brain, not your body. No matter how fast your brain reacts, there is still a delay.

This kind of rapid progress, this kind of delay, is fine even if you encounter bandits or second- or third-rate characters.

But encountering a top-tier master like Wu Song is fatal; the outcome between masters can be decided in an instant! You must use your body muscles to completely memorize all your moves. At that point, your body will naturally and subconsciously respond to all external threats, instead of requiring your brain to spend extra time thinking, calculating, and then reacting.

Such people are top-notch masters, and there are no shortcuts in this training process.

And so, Liu Hong stayed in Qilin Village for a full year, spending a year and a half learning Zhou Tong's skills while making up for his lack of childhood training, laying a foundation as strong as those of Yue Fei and Wang Gui, and allowing his body to develop muscle memory.

Although his rank only increased by one level this year, Liu Hong laid an incredibly solid foundation. He could even sense danger through his body's intuition without seeing or hearing it, and react accordingly, thus avoiding being caught off guard.

In his spare time, Liu Hong would occasionally substitute as Wang Yuanwai's tutor and teach the four children, Yue Fei, Wang Gui, Tang Huai, and Zhang Xian. The children listened with rapt attention, and Yue Fei would call him "teacher" and he would call him "senior brother," each of them discussing their own ideas.

Every now and then, he would go to Daming Prefecture to take on a few underworld jobs, build a relationship with Zhu Gui, earn some money, and train his combat skills. After a few jobs, his underworld reputation was rising steadily. The people living underground in Daming Prefecture were terrified when they saw these two 2.4-meter-tall giants. They both respected and feared the brother and sister. His reputation value had risen from the initial 5 to 10.

In her spare time, Pan Jinlian also learned embroidery, poetry, and songs from the villagers, and even listened to Liu Hong's lectures to study the abilities of her five tails. Wu Dalang's legs had also recovered and he could run around freely. Every day, she cooked for her younger siblings to welcome them back from martial arts practice.

Li Cunxiao's talent was even more enviable—the older a dragon gets, the larger it becomes, and the stronger it becomes, requiring little extra training. This little guy did nothing all year, just eating and sleeping like a cat, sleeping for at least eight hours a day, sometimes sleeping for a whole month at a time. He only occasionally went hunting in the back mountains to get some exercise. As a result, his entire dragon grew a size larger, from a level 6 hatchling to a level 7 hatchling.

It was another ordinary early summer day. Liu Hong was practicing martial arts when Yue Fei suddenly rushed over excitedly and banged on the door.

"Junior brother! Junior brother! I have good news for you! The Emperor has granted a general amnesty! I went to Neihuang County yesterday, and the county magistrates have started releasing prisoners from the jail one after another! The warrants for many criminals have also been withdrawn! Let's go to Daming Prefecture quickly and see if your and Junior Brother Wu's warrants are still on!"

Chapter 40: The Heroes Spy Over the Birthday Gifts (Third Update!)

"Really? That's wonderful! Senior brother! I'll go to the Western Xia battlefield first and earn my name through hard work! You can come back when you're older. By then, I, Wu Song, will definitely be able to accumulate merits through my own abilities and become the Dingnan Army Military Governor of Western Xia! I'll appoint you as my vanguard general!"

Wu Song was overjoyed. If a general amnesty were granted, his crime of accidentally injuring someone in Qinghe County would be wiped clean! He could then use his martial arts skills and his master's letter of recommendation to make a name for himself on the Western Xia battlefield!

Liu Hong remained silent. Joining the army had long been out of his plans. In his plan, he should first learn martial arts and accumulate wealth here, and then, whether for personal gain or for the sake of his country, he should find a way to join Liangshan.

Given the situation in the Northern Song Dynasty, military service could not save China. The chronic problems of the Northern Song Dynasty could no longer be solved from the top down, within the imperial court. Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi both tried to implement reforms, but the final result was utter defeat.

To change the course of history and survive the chaos of the Jingkang Incident, the only way was to start from the bottom up and act from the farthest reaches of society.

The only problem is that Wu Song hasn't experienced the events at Yuanyang Tower and Feiyunpu yet, and still harbors a sliver of hope for the Song Dynasty. We need to find a way to persuade her.

"Let's go to Daming Prefecture first. Maybe our warrant has been dropped."

Liu Hong used a feigned retreat to advance, and once again rowed his fishing boat, leading Wu Song to Daming Prefecture. They first stayed at Zhu Gui's inn to gather intelligence.

Seeing that his two strongest henchmen from his underworld intelligence center had appeared, Zhu Gui immediately greeted them with a smile and led them to his room.

"Brother, sister, little sister, there's a big job here! All the heroes of Ghost Fanlou are excited and discussing whether to do it! Unfortunately, these Ghost Fanlou members are fighting their own battles, scattered and disorganized, no one is willing to take the lead, and no one is capable of shouldering the responsibility."

Zhu Gui said mysteriously.

However, if you two take action, all the leaders of Ghost Fanlou will surely be willing to lead yourselves and work together to accomplish this important task!

"what's up?"

Liu Hong was quite curious.

"It's already June, and the birthday of Grand Tutor Cai Jing of Kaifeng is approaching. Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture, who is Cai Jing's son-in-law, has been frantically extorting money from the people for the past few months, levying exorbitant taxes and making life unbearable in Daming Prefecture. In the end, she has raised 100,000 strings of cash to give to that old dog Cai Jing, which is called the birthday tribute."

Zhu Gui gritted his teeth in hatred whenever Liang Zhongshu was mentioned.

“Those damned tax collectors even took money from me! They forced me to pay the hotel's taxes five years in advance! If it weren't for my connections and dirty money in the underworld, I probably wouldn't have been able to come up with so much money and they would have driven me to bankruptcy.”

“These people are truly despicable! Once we intercept the birthday tribute, the money my sister was extorted for will be returned twofold.”

Liu Hong also felt indignant on Zhu Gui's behalf. One string of cash was equal to one thousand copper coins, or one tael of silver. One hundred thousand strings of cash was one hundred thousand taels of silver! This number truly tempted Liu Hong—I had raided such a large brothel, and the three of us only got one thousand five hundred taels of silver in total. A family of five only spent twenty taels of silver a month.

And the birthday gift Cai Jing received was a whopping 100,000 taels of silver? That's enough for our family to live on for over 400 years.

What kind of astronomical figure must Cai Jing's real wealth be?

The old brothel owner's incisive words resurfaced in Liu Hong's mind once again—the gap between the elite and the common people was so vast that it was no wonder they didn't treat the common people as equals.

But who's escorting this birthday tribute? Yang Zhi's courier service? Will I run into Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, and their group?

Liu Hong did the math: this year is 1112. Oh, Yang Zhi lost the birthday tribute in 1113—this is an auspicious sign! Wasn't it because the birthday tribute was intercepted that Liang Zhongshu had no choice but to ask Yang Zhi to help escort it the following year? Doesn't this mean I'm destined to succeed?!

“Sister Zhu Gui, we need to consider this matter carefully.”

Just as Liu Hong was about to agree, Wu Song stopped him.

“This is a huge matter. Whether we killed a rich man or eliminated a ghost Fanlou, it was a trivial matter to the imperial court. But intercepting the birthday tribute is different. If something goes wrong, we will be truly unforgivable and have no way out. My brother and I need to think about this carefully.”

"Yes, I understand. Then little sister will wait quietly in the shop for good news from her older brother and sister. I have already inquired and found out that the convoy escorting the birthday gifts will depart in seven days. The leaders of Ghost Fanlou who are willing to do this job still need some time to unite, coordinate, and plan. Please make a decision quickly, older brother and sister."

"No problem. By the way, sister, you're very well-informed. The Emperor has granted a general amnesty these past few days. Have the warrants for my brother and me been withdrawn?"

Wu Song asked eagerly.

Faced with Wu Song's question, Zhu Gui hesitated and avoided eye contact.

"If you've retreated, you've retreated; if you haven't, you haven't. Why are you being so evasive, little sister?!"

Wu Song found it strange.

"They withdrew, but not completely."

Zhu Gui opened his mouth and struggled to tell the truth.

"Sister Wu Song only injured a ruffian, and didn't even kill him. Such a minor offense can naturally be forgiven."

"But Brother Liu Hong not only killed Master Zhang's entire family, but also a captain, two Song soldiers, Sister-in-law Pan Jinlian, and Brother Wu Da were all accomplices! The Qinghe County Magistrate has defined the three of you as murdering government troops and plotting rebellion, which are heinous crimes. Therefore, even if the government grants a general amnesty, it is impossible to pardon you. Brother Liu Hong and the other two are still criminals."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Song's eyes widened in anger, while Liu Hong inexplicably felt a sense of relief, even revealing a relieved smile.

Perhaps deep down, I was truly influenced by Master Zhou Tong, Senior Brother Yue Fei, and Sister Wu Song. I really planned to wait for the emperor to grant a general amnesty and clear my name, and then go to the Western Xia border to join the Guanzhong Army or Hedong Army of the Song Dynasty to serve the country.

But now, the government has personally blocked my path, so I have no choice but to go to Liangshan. I no longer need to struggle internally or make a choice.

"Little brother, don't be so discouraged! Let's go home first; perhaps Master has another way!"

Wu Song clearly noticed that Liu Hong was not in a good state, and anxiously hugged him, constantly comforting him. He forcefully dragged him back to the fishing boat and rushed back to Qilin Village to tell his brother and master about the sudden situation.

Upon hearing that Liu Hong was labeled a traitor by the Qinghe County Magistrate simply for killing Zhang, a constable who had threatened to destroy his family, cause his wife to leave him, and scatter his brothers, Wang Gui, Tang Huai, and Zhang Xian, these纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy families who are spoiled and dissolute), were furious and clamored to go to the Qinghe County government office to seek justice for their junior brother.

Not to mention those hotheads were furious, even Yue Fei, who had a calm and composed demeanor, could not suppress the thunder and anger in his chest, and his eyes burned with a molten gold-like light!

"Master, fellow disciples, don't worry, I have another idea."

After considering it for a while, Liu Hong once again chose to advance as a way to retreat.

“There is another way. I have studied the history of the Song Dynasty over the past few decades, and there is another way out to choose from—rebellion!”

Liu Hong stood tall and spoke with righteous indignation.

"To date, the Song Dynasty has seen hundreds of peasant uprisings, but the government's weak local garrison is simply incapable of suppressing these bandits. They only offer amnesty, and all rebels who are willing to accept amnesty are directly given local garrison units, eat the state's food, and garrison their own territory."

"This bizarre policy led many people to revolt when they could no longer survive under the government's exorbitant taxes and levies. They would then wait for the imperial court to grant them amnesty, and become local militia members who would live off the government and drift through life in a daze."

It was precisely because of this policy that the problem of redundant troops in the Song Dynasty became increasingly serious. Millions of local troops were starving for food, which forced the military expenditure to become increasingly huge. This forced the Song Dynasty to continue to levy exorbitant taxes, which led to the emergence of more rebel armies, and then, under the guise of amnesty, even more local troops were created.

As a result, the Song Dynasty's military expenditures became even more enormous, its taxes and levies even more drastically, and it further incited rebellion, creating a death spiral that was constantly falling into the abyss!

"You mean you want to rebel, start an uprising, and then wait for the emperor to grant you amnesty and make you a member of the local militia? To serve the country in this way?"

Zhou Tong understood the thought process of his last disciple.

"Hmm—it's a bit crazy, but it's a solution. However, you must withstand several waves of sieges by the imperial court. If you can't even withstand the sieges by the bandits and convicts, the emperor won't grant you amnesty; he'll just kill you all."

Liu Hong nodded outwardly, but inwardly he shook his head frantically—I am indeed preparing to rebel, but I absolutely cannot accept the imperial pardon!

Song Jiang's fate has already explained a lot. Amnesty, amnesty, what kind of amnesty is that!

Liu Hong made up his mind to mix the following lie into the previous nine truths.

“That’s right. Right now, the only way for a wicked person like me to serve the court is to rebel and wait for amnesty. If the court is unwilling to let me die on the battlefield, then I will serve the country in my own way.”

Chapter 41: Farewell to the Qilin, Golden-Winged Roc, and the Vow of Alliance Across Mountains and Seas (Fourth Update!!!)

After Liu Hong spoke, everyone fell silent.

"Just now at Guifanlou, an informant gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If it succeeds, I won't have to worry about the start-up funds needed for the uprising, and I can go straight to Liangshan."

"And what about you, junior sister?"

Wang Gui looked at Wu Song with a simple expression.

"I remember your warrant for arrest has been dropped. You are now innocent. Do you want to join us in the army to serve the country, or do you want to conspire with your brother to rebel?"

"To hell with joining the army and serving the country! What's a lowly official like him compared to my family?!"

Without a second's hesitation, Wu Song stood firmly beside Liu Hong.

"The once-in-a-lifetime event you mentioned, and the subsequent uprising and subsequent amnesty, are all too dangerous. You've only been learning martial arts for a year and a half, which is just laying a solid foundation in weaponry. I must go with you on this! If I can't even save my brothers and watch them be surrounded and killed by the Song army, what use is it for me, Wu Song, to become the military governor of Dingnan Army on the border?!"

“I’ll go with you! It’ll be good for us siblings to look after each other.”

Liu Hong looked at Wu Song with gratitude. She knew that deep down, her sister also longed to have a government job and to serve her country. However, because of her family, she had given up her dream without hesitation.

Pan Jinlian and Wu Dalang, who could never escape their status as wanted criminals, naturally chose to join them.

Li Cunxiao was still asleep when Liu Hong shook him awake. His little eyes were still half-closed, and it took him a while to realize what was happening. He said in a childish voice, "Let's go together," and then snuggled back into Liu Hong's arms and fell fast asleep. He even blew bubbles from his little nose, which made everyone laugh.

"Alright! Since you've made up your mind, I won't say anything more. The subsequent moves are all in these books. Practice them yourself. If there's anything you don't understand, find some free time and go back to Qilin Village to ask me."

Zhou Tong saw through Liu Hong's ulterior motives at a glance, but upon reflection, he realized that he had wasted his life in the Song army and what he had gained: nothing more than the empty titles of vanguard officer and instructor in the capital.

So be it. My last disciple is unwilling to join the army and follow in my footsteps. Let this young man make his own way!

He sighed, then took out two antique-looking books, titled "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear" and "Flying Dragon Staff Technique." He shared everything he knew with Liu Hong, holding nothing back.

"I'll say it again: you can do whatever you want back in Qilin Village, but once you're out there, especially with those Song soldiers, don't think you're my disciple! Shi Wengong is only bad at character, which has already bothered me a lot. If you openly rebel, I'll really have a headache."

"This disciple will remember Master's teachings and will never reveal them!"

Liu Hong respectfully thanked his master.

“I see you’re all grown up now, but you still don’t have a courtesy name. I’ll give you one; this is the last thing your master will give you.”

Zhou Tong examined the Seven Killing Stars projected by Liu Hong's chivalrous power, then considered the rebellion he was about to commit. Finally, he decided to use two words as a reminder and warning to his last disciple.

"From today onwards, your surname will be Liu, your given name will be Hong, and your courtesy name will be Xianzhong!"

Upon hearing that Liu Hong and Wu Song were leaving, the entire Qilin Village sprang into action. Master Wang, Master Tang, and Master Zhang all sent Wang Gui, Tang Huai, and Zhang Xian with fifty taels of silver, along with some cured meat, fine wine, and flatbread as parting gifts to bid farewell to Liu Hong, their private tutor who had taught them culture and history, and their fellow martial arts brother with whom they had practiced.