Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Luan Tingyu waited outside the village for a while, only to see an old man walking out of the village.

When Luan Tingyu looked at the old man, he was nearly sixty years old, leaning on a cane, he walked out and asked Luan Tingyu, "Where did the guest come from? Where is he going?"

Luan Tingyu bowed deeply to the old man and told him that he was a merchant from Dongping Mansion in Yunzhou, and that the people in the distance behind him were all his companions. He purchased a batch of goods in Qingzhou City a few days ago and was about to transport them back to Dongping. government to sell.Because of being greedy and rushing on the road, I missed Sutou, so I had to spend the night in this village and bothered the old owner.

The old man listened, looked at Luan Tingyu again, and said to Luan Tingyu: "The guest is too bold! I don't know that the front is a dangerous place. Anyway, since you and I met today, it is also a fate in a previous life, the old man must save your life. Guests, old man, there are more than a hundred people living in my village, so let your friends come in and rest for a night!"

After hearing what the old man said, Luan Tingyu returned to Ximen Qing with doubts in his heart, told Ximen Qing and Jiao Ting what he had just seen, and told Ximen Qing that the old owner had already agreed to accept everyone to stay.

Ximen Qing also said to Luan Tingyu: "A few villagers who carried grain on their shoulders passed by me just now, and they praised the old owner as Liu Dashan. I have already asked them where to go here. I didn't expect that we would When we came to Peach Blossom Manor, there is Peach Blossom Mountain not far in front of us, and it is also a haunt of strong men."

After hearing this, Luan Tingyu sighed: "But it's no wonder the old owner said that I was bold, didn't know the danger ahead, and said he wanted to save my life. Let's go into the village and see what the old owner has to say."

When Ximenqing heard from the villagers that this was the Peach Blossom Village at the foot of the Taohua Mountain in Qingzhou, he knew that this village was the place where the "Flower Monk" Lu Zhishen beat the "little bully" Zhou Tong.

This is a legend!Back then, when "Flower Monk" Lu Zhishen went from Mount Wutai to Daxiangguo Temple in Bianliang, Tokyo, he was unfamiliar with the road and became a road idiot. He went from Hedong Road to Hebei Road, and finally to Jingdong East Road, making a big circle. Come to the Peach Blossom Village under the Peach Blossom Mountain in Qingzhou.

When Lu Zhishen came to this village to spend the night, he happened to meet Zhou Tong, the owner of the second village of robbers on Peach Blossom Mountain, "Little Overlord", who wanted to marry the owner's daughter by force.Seeing injustice in the road, Lu Zhishen beat up the "little bully" Zhou Tong.

Li Zhong, the head of the big village on Peach Blossom Mountain, "Tiger Fighter", came down the mountain to avenge Zhou, but who is Lu Zhishen's opponent?If he and Lu Zhishen hadn't been old acquaintances in Weizhou, and met Lu Zhishen by borrowing the donkey from the slope, he might have been beaten to death by Lu Zhishen at that time.

Under Lu Zhishen's strong mediation, the "little overlord" Zhou Tong vowed not to come to Taohuazhuang to forcefully marry Liu Taigong's daughter again. This legendary story has just come to an end.

Ximen Qing remembered that old Mrs. Liu must have lived in fear back then, but after a few years, she seems to be living a more peaceful life than before, and has become a great benevolent person among the people.There must be a reason for this, Ximen Qing decided to find out.

Chapter 2 The troubles of the good man

The three of Ximen Qing led the cavalry into the Peach Blossom Village, the old owner arranged for the guests to take everyone to the guest room to settle down, Ximen Qing, Luan Tingyu and Jiao Ting followed the old owner to the main hall, where the guests and the host sat down.

The old owner said: "I haven't seen so many guests in this Zhuangzi for several years. It's a great pleasure to meet three guests today. The three guests have the right to stay overnight in Bizhuang with peace of mind."

After hearing this, the three of Ximen Qing all got up and sang.Luan Tingyu thanked him and said, "Thank you to the old owner. Don't dare to ask your surname Gao?"

The old owner said: "The old man's surname is Liu. This place is called Peach Blossom Village. People in the village call the old man the Grand Duke Liu of Peach Blossom Village. Dare I ask where the three guests' surnames are Gao?"

Ximenqing, Luan Tingyu, and Jiao Ting all reported their first and last names to Mrs. Liu, telling Mrs. Liu that they are all from Ximenbao, Yanggu County, Yunzhou.

Liu Taigong saw that the three of Ximenqing had extraordinary appearances, and also heard that Ximenqing was the richest man in Yanggu County, so he couldn't help but feel close to him.He hurriedly reminded the three distinguished guests that there was a dangerous place ahead, called Peach Blossom Mountain.

Liu Taigong said that there are two great kings on the mountain. Three years ago, they set up a fence and gathered 700 people.The two great kings on the Peach Blossom Mountain are demon kings who kill without blinking an eye. They have killed many merchants in the past on this road.After the three honored guests had a rest at the village, it was best to turn back the same way and take another route to return to Yunzhou, bypassing the Peach Blossom Mountain.

After Ximenqing and the others thanked Mr. Liu for his kindness, Ximenqing asked, "Grandpa, you said that there were five or seven hundred strong people who robbed their houses on Peach Blossom Mountain. Why is your Peach Blossom Villa located at the foot of the mountain, but you haven't been attacked by the robbers on the mountain?" Harassment? Just now outside the village, I saw that the old grandpa is kind and generous, and he is still distributing a lot of food to the poor villagers. It can be seen that there is a lot of money and food in the Taigong village. Why is the old grandpa not afraid of the robbers on Peach Blossom Mountain?"

Liu Taigong said: "Since the senior officials are asking questions, the old man will tell the twists and turns to the three distinguished guests. To tell the truth, the senior officials, I am worrying about this."

Ximen Qing said strangely when he heard the words: "The food donated by the old grandpa will save many poor families. It is really an act of good deeds. Why do you worry about it?"

Liu Taigong said: "It's a long story, and all the troubles started because of the poor little girl of the old man.

The old man has only one little girl under his knees, and she is now 22 years old.Three years ago, Zhou Tong, the second great king on Peach Blossom Mountain, came to the old man's village to beg for gifts and met the old man's daughter.The second great king, Zhou Tong, was greedy for the little girl's appearance, so he left 20 taels of gold and a piece of red brocade as a betrothal gift, and wanted to marry the little girl up the mountain by force.

The old man Zhuangshang couldn't argue with him again. When he was distressed, a master from Mount Wutai came to the Zhuangshang to stay overnight.When the master heard about Zhou Tongqiang's marriage to his daughter, he felt injustice and beat up Zhou Tong who came down the mountain to welcome his wife that night.

The old man was terrified by this, fearing that the king on the mountain would take people down the mountain to take revenge and kill my whole family.How do you know that the great king and the master of Mount Wutai were acquaintances in the past, after the mediation by the master, the two great kings on the mountain agreed to withdraw from the marriage.The second great king, Zhou Tong, was still forced by his master to swear that he would never come to my Taohuazhuang again. "

Luan Tingyu and Jiao Ting were fascinated by what Liu Taigong said, but Ximen Qing knew it long ago.At this moment, Ximen Qing was more concerned about what happened in Taohuazhuang after Lu Zhishen left Taohuashan.

Only Taigong Liu said again: "After the master of Wutai Mountain left, the old man thought that he had nothing to do with the second king of Peach Blossom Mountain, Zhou Tong. How did he know that Zhou Tong kept his promise and would not go to the gate of my Peach Blossom Manor to force the old man? But his minions spread the news that he was going to marry an old man and a daughter all over the neighborhood.

The old man only has such a little girl, and he still hopes to recruit a good husband to marry me, to provide me with retirement, and to carry on the incense.But being disturbed by the robbers on Peach Blossom Mountain, all the good people around here are afraid of the king on the mountain, so which one would dare to go to the old man's house to propose marriage?

The old man knew that Zhou Tong was forced to keep his promise not to come to my house, but he wanted to force the old man to send the little girl to his cottage!However, he is a devil who kills people without degrading his eyes. He is not in the same family as me. How could I marry my little girl to such a robber?

Because of this, the old man's little girl stayed in his boudoir, and three years of youth was wasted in a blink of an eye. "

The three of Ximen Qing heard this, and they all patted the cases around them and said angrily: "That guy Zhou Tong is so hateful!"

Taigong Liu said with a wry smile: "The three distinguished guests are right, the second king often makes people stare at the old man, which makes the old man very troubled.

I don't want the surrounding villagers to suffer from the Peach Blossom Mountain robbers' extortion and respect. After they heard that the old man is not being coerced by the Peach Blossom Mountain robbers here, they all sent their fields under the name of my farm, but came to my farm as tenant farmers.For this reason, the grain harvested by my village is increasing year by year.

But old man, I am a person who recites Buddhism, how can I use the name of a robber to profit for myself?Although the old man took over the land, the output of the field was not kept for himself, and it was returned to the tenant farmers who took refuge in the old man.

When encountering those poor families who are out of reach, the old man has to help them a little bit.What the three distinguished guests saw outside the village today were some poor people nearby who came to receive relief. "

After hearing this, Ximenqing and the others got up together and saluted the old lady Liu. They really respected the old lady very much.

After getting up, Ximen Qing asked Grandpa Liu: "I admire the old grandpa's kind deeds. I am just worried that the old grandpa's actions will offend the robbers on Peach Blossom Mountain. Don't you think that the old grandpa will beat you after they turn their backs on you?" Is it?"

Liu Taigong replied: "How can the old man not be afraid? It's just that the old man has a kind heart, and he can't listen to the pleadings of the villagers, so he has to bite the bullet and take this responsibility.

In the past two years, there were indeed bandits on the mountain who came to my village from time to time to threaten and scare the old man, as if they wanted to tear their face and kill them to come to my village.

But in the past year, I seldom saw the young people on the Peach Blossom Mountain come to my Peach Blossom Village to do activities.Old man, I don't know what's the secret. "

When Liu Taigong said this, Ximenqing guessed in his heart that it was almost inseparable.About a year ago, it was the time when "Monk Hua" Lu Zhishen came to Qingzhou and seized Erlong Mountain.

Liu Taigong didn't know about this matter, but Li Zhong and Zhou Tong on Peach Blossom Mountain didn't know about it.The two traitors must be afraid that Lu Zhishen will still have relations with Mr. Liu, so they don't dare to harass Taohuazhuang anymore.

After listening to Mr. Liu's words, the three of Ximen Qing understood the past of Taohuazhuang.The three of them comforted Liu Taigong together, so that he would not have to worry, saying that his daughter is beautiful and virtuous, and she will definitely be able to recruit a good husband.

At this time, Ximen Qing had secretly decided in his heart that he wanted to get rid of the robber's lair on Peach Blossom Mountain, so as to relieve this great good man Liu Taigong's confidant's troubles.

Chapter 2 First Meeting Miss Liu

Ximen Qing intends to get rid of the two bandit leaders, "Tiger Fighter" Li Zhong and "Little Overlord" Zhou Tong, on Peach Blossom Mountain, not just for the sake of the old Mrs. Liu's family in Peach Blossom Village.

Ximenqing remembered that Lu Zhishen's evaluation of Li Zhong and Zhou Tong was that they were stingy, not straightforward heroes.That is to say, both of them are stingy misers.

Li Zhong and Zhou Tong occupied the Peach Blossom Mountain, robbed houses, killed people and bought goods, and accumulated a lot of money.When Lu Zhishen was invited by them to go up to the mountain for a gathering, all the utensils Li Zhong and Zhou Tong brought out for drinking and eating meat were made of gold and silver, which shows how rich they are.

But when Lu Zhishen was about to go down the mountain and leave, Li Zhong and Zhou Tong should give Lu Zhishen some travel expenses as a token of their friendship, but these two misers refused to take a penny of the travel expenses out of their own pockets.They actually asked Lu Zhishen to wait on the mountain, and after they went down the mountain to rob the property, they sent him to make money with Lu Zhishen.

Seeing that these two stingy guys used other people's property as favors, Lu Zhi looked down on Li Zhong and Zhou Tong in his heart.After the two went down the mountain, the upright Lu Zhishen did it himself, stomped and packed the gold and silver utensils on the table, and left without saying goodbye to them.

Li Zhong and Zhou Tong went back to the mountain and saw so much gold and silver lost, they jumped up in anger.But the two couldn't beat Lu Zhishen, and they didn't dare to chase after them, so they could only curse a few "bald donkeys" helplessly on the mountain.Li Zhong and Zhou Tong's stinginess can be seen from this.

Ximen Qing now thinks of how stingy Li Zhong and Zhou Tong are, but secretly applauds in his heart.Those two were misers that were rare among robbers. They must have saved up their daily income on the mountain and were reluctant to spend it?

Now that I, a senior official from Ximen, have already arrived at the foot of Peach Blossom Mountain, there is no reason for me to return empty-handed.Could it be said that the property accumulated by Li Zhong and Zhou Tong was not prepared for my future career as a senior official in Ximen?

God guided me to wait for this Taohuazhuang, just to give me this windfall!

Ximenqing was already moved, and decided to do another one for nothing, and take the property from Taohuashan robbery for three years as his own.

Mrs. Liu didn't know that this handsome, elegant and polite official was already planning to rob the two murderous demon kings on Peach Blossom Mountain.

If Mrs. Liu knew what Guan Ximen Qing was thinking, he might fall off his chair in shock.