Chapter Twenty Return to Majiabao

  As the sun approached dusk, in the central business district of Majiabao, Qin Lang was dressed as a beggar and sat at the bottom of the grain store's steps. Not long after, a young servant came out of the grain store, holding a broom to sweep away the dirty Qin Lang to the wall root of the bulletin board.

  Qin Lang quietly found a place to hide and secretly sent a surge of dark energy into Xiao Xun's body.

  In half a month, the little servant will die suddenly. Qin Lang doesn't have the habit of retaliating afterwards, whoever humiliates him in person must be repaid on the spot, even if he is now just a beggar.

  Qin Lang hung his head, his hair disheveled and covering his face. His narrow eyes and high nose thick lips revealed that he was from a nomadic tribe in the north. What caught attention was a long scar slanting from the middle of his forehead to the right.

  Wanted posters were posted on the bulletin board, he was the leader of the Qinglang Army, the largest mountain bandit in Dashao Mountain.

  No one knows that three months ago, Qin Lang led the Qinglang Army to unify the twelve mountain bandits of all sizes nearby, and now there are more than 30,000 thieves under his control. Half a month ago, Qin Lang appeared in disguise at Majiabao, with the aim of attacking Majiabao.

  Majia Fortress is hard to attack. Many mountain bandits have had the intention, but none succeeded. However, Qin Lang wants to attack, this is Tree Wei, gathering a group of scattered sand together.

  Qin Lang's vanguard of over 50 people has infiltrated, he wants to create an internal and external response. Of course, this is not enough, the key is whether the Qinglang Army can destroy the earthen building.

  Qin Lang's first thing to do when he arrived at Majiabao was to grab a handful of soil from the earth building and take a bite. Sure enough, it was high-viscosity clay and glutinous rice.

  The very solid earth building was considered by the mountain bandits as an impregnable fortress, and when it came to fighting, the leaders of each mountain had a difficult expression. Qin Lang said nothing, and no one knew that Qin Lang was from Tongwan City in the north.

  Tongwan City is over three thousand miles away from here. It's a gigantic castle standing in the northern grasslands, famous throughout the land.

  When Tongwan City was being built, every day there were two groups of people. One group built the city, while another group dismantled it. If the newly built city wall wasn't torn down, the demolition team would be killed! If it was torn down, the construction team would be killed! As a result, Tongwan City was stained with blood every day, and the whole city was soaked in blood.

  Compared with Tongwan City, Majiabao is nothing but rubbish.

  His muddy hair was stuck together in strands, covering his face. A sly smile appeared on Qin Lang's face. He believed that it wouldn't be long before Majiabao would be his.

  "The sunset is infinitely good, only near dusk!" Liangshan rode on a donkey, reciting poetry and swaying from under the big arch of the Ma family's house.

  There are three large stone archways, namely Zhong, Xiao and Jie. They were all built by the imperial court to honor the Ma family with imperial edicts. They are made of high-quality stone materials and crafted by skilled stonemasons, exquisitely carved and majestic in appearance.

  This is the center of honor for the Ma family, and there were shops on both sides of the archway in the past.

  Today's market is bustling with people, Liangshan thought that he could only apologize to the original author.

  Liáng Shān needs a grand appearance, just like the intense drumming before a person goes on stage to sing an opera.

  Poetry can express one's ambition, and there is nothing more suitable than poetry. Liangshan wants to let the old masters of Majiabao know that he, Liangshan, has returned!

  Liangshan's heart was apprehensive, rescuing his wife was a certainty, but the Ma family was too ruthless, and even if he was now at the initial stage of Qi, it wouldn't change the overall situation. Therefore, Liangshan could only consider using clever tactics to gain the upper hand.

  Liáng Shān finished reciting his poem, and more than ten vendors lifted their heads to gaze at him, as if the surrounding area had come to a sudden standstill.

  "What a great poem!" After a while, a scholar finally applauded loudly and praised.

  "Who is this?" an old farmer carrying a pole asked in a low voice.

  "He doesn't know either, Liangshanbo is also."

  Liáng Shān let out a breath of relief, slid down from the donkey, smiled slightly, clasped his hands together in greeting to all directions and said loudly: "I am Liáng Shān Bó!"

  The Four Seas Inn is a three-story brick and tile house with a large hall on the first floor and guest rooms on the second and third floors.

  Liangshan and Kang Shu, Wu's brothers met, and after a brief conversation, Kang Shu said that the news of Young Madam being captured had not been spread by the Ma family, and it seemed that the Ma family was not making things difficult for Young Madam, but only keeping her under house arrest.

  Liang Shan slightly put his mind at ease, encouraged a few words, and asked Liang Kang to prepare a small gift, and immediately went to visit Ma Wencai.

  Night falls, and the four masters and servants of Liangshan hastily finish their dinner. Liang Kang leads the way with a lantern, Wu Tu and Wu Huo follow behind to escort, and Liangshan heads to Qingyulou in the middle.

  Liáng Shān yī lù zhāo yáo, jiàn rén jiù gǒng shǒu chēng dào: "zài xià Liáng Shān bó, xiàn zài qián wǎng qìng yú lóu, bài huì Mǎ Wén cái Mǎ Dà Gōng Zǐ." Bù duō shí, zhǔ pú sì rén shēn hòu jiù gēn zhe yī pī kàn rè nao de rén.

  Kang Shu knocked on the gate and handed over the visiting card to the doorman, who coldly said "wait" and after half an hour, he stuck out his head and said: "My young master says, not seeing you!"

  Liáng Shān's face turned red with anger, and he cupped his hands together, shouting loudly: "I am Liáng Shān Bó! Today, my daughter Zhù Yīngtái was seized by the Mǎ family without reason. I have come to your doorstep to demand justice!" Liáng Shān shouted three times, and the onlookers were shocked one by one. What? Zhù Yīngtái has been seized?

  On that day, Liu Bei's first plan for marrying Dong was to publicize the marriage.

  Liáng Shān saw the initial goal was reached and immediately said in anger: "If the Ma family doesn't give a definite answer today, I won't leave!"

  When Ma Wenci heard Liangshan say something like "Thinking of my husband and wife's harmony, deep affection" in the inner courtyard, he couldn't continue reading The Spring and Autumn Annals, and sent someone to respond.

  Liáng Shān received a reliable message that they would meet tomorrow, and the four masters and servants returned to the Four Seas Inn.

  After closing the door, Liangshan and Uncle Wu discussed with Wu Huo that no matter what, they had to meet Zhu Qingyun tomorrow. If they didn't meet, Liangshan's heart would be restless.

  Liáng Shān has already promoted to the initial stage of Qi Refining, but Mǎ Jiā Bǎo still has that stinky old Taoist sitting in town, Liáng Shān obviously can't defeat him. Apart from the old Taoist, Mǎ Jiā Bǎo also has formidable martial arts masters.

  If he reached the Golden Elixir stage, he could directly go and take his wife back. Alas, being weak is to invite beating, thought Liang Shan.

  After the discussion, Liangshan took Liangkang out to visit Zhu's family master Zhu Xian. Master Zhu Xian of the Zhu family had already visited Zhu Yingtai and should have more accurate news.

  Half an hour later, Liangshan came out of the Zhu family's Zhujiaguan in Majiabao, feeling slightly relieved. As it turned out, the Ma family did not make things difficult for Zhu Qingyun. With Liangshan's understanding of Zhu Qingyun, she might be able to leave now if she wanted to, but she was a simple person who believed in cause and effect, and most importantly, she was afraid of implicating herself.

  Even if this matter is resolved smoothly, it's likely that Qingyun will also abandon the world and cultivate the Tao.

  At this thought, Liangshan felt a pang in his heart.

  When he came to this world, he didn't have too many ideals. As long as the Liang family could settle down in Xiaoniu Mountain and live a happy life with his wife, that would be enough. However, now it seems that even this wish is extravagant.

  Wish Zhongyun to cultivate the Tao with an iron heart, Liangshan can't stop it. If not, Liangshan will follow Zhongyun to that so-called Xuandao Sect. But this way, the foundation of Xiaoniu Mountain, which has just been established, will be abandoned again, and a large group of people will point at themselves, but they cannot be so unrighteous either.

  Liang Shan was deep in thought, with no clear plan in mind, and could only take things one step at a time. Just then, a burst of loud laughter echoed from outside, sounding like the quacking of ducks: "Ah, Brother Liang! Brother Liang!"

  Liáng Shān pushed open the door, and saw a man climbing up the stairs, wearing a small crown on his head, dressed in brocade robes, with beady eyes and an upturned nose, looking like a drunkard at first glance. Liáng Shān looked for a few moments before realizing it was Zhū Dà Chāng, his fellow student from Lóu Tái Book Academy.

  Zhu Dachang's family was engaged in business, and they were quite wealthy. He studied at the Lou Tai Shuyuan because of his merchant status, he was looked down upon by others, but he and Liang Shanbo made a good pair.

  "Ah, Brother Zhu!" Liangshan hastily returned the courtesy with a bow of his own.

  "Brother Liang, this is where you're wrong! You've come to Majiabao several times but never came to find me. Do you look down on me?!" As he spoke, Zhu Dachang glared at him and grabbed his sleeve, "Come on! Come on! Brother will take you to a great place to have fun."

  "Brother Zhu, I really don't have the heart to go."

  "I've heard a bit about your situation, but you don't know that the more prosperous a place is, the more news it has, and Brother Liang will definitely gain something."

  Liáng Shān was still hesitating, but was dragged out by Zhū Dà Chāng. Liáng Shān's heart skipped a beat, and he said: "In that case, I'd rather obey than be polite!"

  Majiabao night market is bustling, incomparable to the Twelve Linked Caves, wine towers and tea houses are crowded with people coming and going, laughter and noise, the sound of bamboo flute music, and joyful songs floating out freely. Above the head, a bright moon shines, making it a perfect scene.

  Liáng Shān followed Zhū Dà Chāng, pondering the sudden emergence of his intention, thinking "he" had come to Mǎ Jiā Bǎo several times before, but never saw Zhū Dà Chāng emerge, and his heart moved, this Zhū Dà Chāng was sent by Mǎ Wén Cái.

  Before long, the two arrived at the entrance of Xunfang Building. Zhu Dachang chuckled and made a gesture to invite her in.

  Liáng Shān turned to leave, but was pulled back by Zhū Dà Chāng who grabbed his sleeve: "Shān Bó, in the past we would flock to such a romantic place like birds to a phoenix tree. What's going on? Are you turning over a new leaf now that you're married?"

  "No, my wife was wrongly arrested, how can I be in the mood for pleasure?"

  "Shan Bo, I still don't know you." Zhu Daichang chuckled and said: "The flower girl Hua Mei from the Xunfang Building, you used to be infatuated with her, didn't you say that if you could spend one night with her, even if it meant death, it would be worth it?"

  "I did say it, but..." Liang Shan's forehead was sweating.

  "It's settled then. Recently, Shān Bó's poetry has gained great fame. That 'If love is long-lasting, why should it be limited to dawn and dusk?' is truly an eternal masterpiece. Huā Mèi Jiě asked me to find Shān Bó, if you can give her a poem, she'll be yours every night." As he spoke, Zhū Dà Chāng winked and made eyes at him.

  Liáng Shān pouted and stomped his foot, saying: "Does that Huā Mèi really know the news about my mother?"

  Zhu Daichang's heart was filled with joy, and he said: "That's natural, the pleasure quarters are where the wind and moon meet, it's a place where rumors spread throughout the land. If you want to know what kind of news is going around, there's no rumor that can't be heard!" As soon as his words fell, Liangshan was seen hastily entering the Xunfang Building, wearing a Taoist robe, and Zhu Daichang couldn't help but laugh until his eyes narrowed into slits.

  "Ah, you two gentlemen are indeed elegant and refined! Come quickly, ladies, to receive our guests!" The old madam cried out loudly.

  Liáng Shān stood in the middle of the first floor flower hall, but just like in the TV dramas he had seen before, the tables were lined up with wine, and many men and women were drinking and playing finger-guessing games.

  In an instant, three or four women in light cheongsam dresses came over with a whiff of perfume and surrounded Liangshan on all sides.

  "Madam, don't try to deceive me with these ordinary women. This is the renowned Liangshan Bo, and Hua Mei has specially summoned him."

  It was said that Hua Mei's sister had summoned him, and the women retreated, but they were all staring at Liang Shan with admiration, the old procuress chuckled like a mother hen and clapped her hands, saying: "So it's Young Master Liang, my daughter has already bathed and changed into new clothes to wait for you in the back."

  Liáng Shān and Zhū Dà Chāng did not go upstairs, but followed the old procuress to the backyard, passing through a small corridor by a small lotus pond. The back of Xún Fāng Lóu indeed has some garden features, looking elegant and refined.

  Liangshan and Zhu Dachang arrived outside a boudoir, the old procuress softly said: "Girl, Liang Gongzi and Zhu Gongzi have arrived."

  "Hmm." A soft response, yet the sound seemed to reverberate in his ears, suddenly lifting his spirits. Liang Shan felt a slight chill in his heart, this woman in the house was indeed enchanting.

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