Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

Chapter 105 Zhang Bao is promoted after demonstrating martial arts skills; Song Jiang is lustful and

"cough!"

Uncle Zhang picked up his teacup, skimmed off the foam floating on the tea leaves, and coughed as he did so.

Upon hearing his father's cough, Zhang Bofen knew that his father wanted him to test Zhang Bao's martial arts skills. So he shouted and leaped out, throwing a punch in mid-air with the move "Great Coffin Splitting," using the momentum of his fall to smash it hard onto Zhang Bao's head.

Although Zhang Bofen was not old, only sixteen years old, while Zhang Bao was twenty-five or twenty-six, eight or nine years younger than Zhang Bao, his height and build were in no way inferior to Zhang Bao's. Zhang Bao immediately felt as if a small mountain was pressing down on him from above.

Zhang immediately spread his legs, stabilized his lower body, and used his arms in a "Pangu Supporting the Sky" posture to grab Zhang Bofen's arms.

Zhang Bao wasn't stupid. He could tell that the two young men standing next to Lord Zhang Shuye were almost certainly Zhang Shuye's two sons. Their move was a test of his abilities.

Zhang Bao himself also hoped to prosper and become an official, so he naturally wanted to show his abilities. However, he also had to be careful not to hurt the two young masters.

However, after the two officially clashed, Zhang Bao realized that he had completely underestimated this young master Zhang Bofen. Although he was young, his arm strength was truly remarkable!

Zhang Bao asked himself, when he was also sixteen or seventeen years old, he certainly didn't have this kind of strength!

"Hey!"

Zhang Bao exerted force with both arms, breaking Zhang Bofen's momentum. The two men each took a step back and confronted each other there.

Before long, the two were fighting again, throwing punches and pulling kicks. One pulled the opponent away from the horse stance and launched a series of flying kicks, while the other used a grappling hook and a chest-splitting technique, tearing out the heart and gallbladder with his ten fingers.

Zhang Bao was composed, his punches were like "The Immortal Points the Way," flowing and unrestrained, his kicks were like "Old Man Riding a Crane," each movement precise and methodical.

Young Master Ben was enraged. He pounced on his prey like a hungry tiger, struck at the head, and swung at the chest like a dragon playing in the water. He used his fingers to perform a python somersault, and his feet to perform a deer antler-splitting move. He lifted his heel to quench the earth dragon, and twisted his wrist to grab the heavenly bellows.

When the fist came, it was like a green lion opening its mouth to the wind, or a whale leaping on the waves. The foot kicked out a topknot and scattered flowers, the toes swept out a jade belt around the waist, the palm facing the wind and the finger crushing flowers and urging the falling. The two were hard to distinguish. Zhang Bao used the Arhat Fist, and the young master countered with the Bodhidharma Leg. The long fist was wide and far-reaching, while the short fist was agile and sharp. It was seen that the two had been locked in a stalemate for dozens of rounds, with neither having the upper or lower skill.

The two fought for dozens of rounds, and the officials and yamen runners on both sides, as well as Zhang Shuye and Zhang Zhongxiong, were all stunned. All they could hear was the sound of fists clapping. Zhang Bofen kept probing and refused to give in, while Zhang Bao wanted to show off his skills and countered each move.

"Alright, alright! Stop! Stop!"

Zhang Shuye immediately stopped the two men from continuing to fight.

"Zhang Bao, you are indeed skilled and your martial arts are excellent. You and I share the same surname, Zhang, so we are of the same clan. Now that the prefecture needs people, I will promote you to the rank of Bingyi Lang and have you serve in the army!"

Zhang Shuye promoted Zhang Bao from Chengxin Lang to Bingyi Lang.

Bingyi Lang was a military official title established during the Zhenghe era of Emperor Huizong. There were 53 ranks for military officials, and the 46th rank was Bingyi Lang, which replaced the old official title of Xitou Gongfeng Guan. It was an eighth-rank official position.

Although it may seem like Zhang Bao was simply promoted from the ninth-rank Chengxin Lang to the eighth-rank Bingyi Lang, which doesn't appear to be a major promotion, in the local context, a military officer with a rank above the seventh rank is considered to be at a high level. Zhang Shuye's promotion is not considered too low.

"Thank you for your support, sir!"

Zhang Bao gladly bowed down, thinking to himself that it was finally a rare opportunity to find an official who recognized his abilities, and that his future looked promising!

On this side of the hall, Zhang Shuye promoted Zhang Bao, the horse guard, and at the same time drafted this notice seeking talent. He first posted it outside Jizhou City, and then sent his men to post it in various villages.

Meanwhile, Song Jiang, the "Righteous Protector," and Wu Yong, the "Strategist," were extremely disappointed after being driven out by the previous governor of Jizhou. Song Jiang, the "Righteous Protector," was originally unwilling to be a minor official for his entire life. He had felt that there was still some hope when he joined the staff of the previous governor of Jizhou.

Now things are really messed up. The previous governor of Jizhou was sentenced to exile for three thousand miles, so he and "Strategist" Wu Yong were just making baseless accusations.

Originally, Song Jiang could have returned to Yuncheng County to continue working as a clerk, but Shi Wenbin, the head of Yuncheng County, was dismissed from his post because all four of the county's constables had been killed. The new county magistrate did not know Song Jiang, so Song Jiang was also troubled. He took sick leave and hid in his home in Yuncheng County every day with "The Wise Star" Wu Yong.

He had no shortage of food, clothing, and daily necessities, after all, Song Jiang still had some wealth, but his spirit was not what it used to be.

However, there were some good things too. When Song Jiang was at home, the matchmaker Wang Pozi came to his door and begged him to be generous with his money.

It turns out there was a family of three from Dongjingcheng. The man's surname was Yan. The family came to Shandong to seek refuge with relatives but failed and ended up in Yuncheng County. The locals didn't like listening to people sing, so Yan Poxi's family lived in poverty and had to live in a quiet alley behind the county.

Life was difficult, and then Yan Gong fell ill and died. Yan Po was poor and had no money for his funeral, so she went to the matchmaker Wang Po and begged her to find a good family for Yan Po Xi to marry into so that she could get some financial assistance to bury Yan Gong.

Seeing her pitiful state, Song Jiang sent her a coffin and ten taels of silver to send off the deceased Yan Gong for his burial. After all, Song Jiang was used to such generous acts of charity. Although he didn't earn much as a clerk in Yuncheng County, he was not short of money.

Although he had removed himself from the household registration of his family's Song Taigong branch and publicly severed ties, it was only because he anticipated that if he worked for the government, he might get into trouble and implicate his family in the future. So he put on an act for others to see. In reality, he still had a share of the output from the hundred or so acres of land in his hometown.

Moreover, his reputation as "Timely Rain" of Shandong, "Righteous Protector" of Yuncheng, and "Filial and Righteous Black Third Brother" resounded throughout the martial arts world. People would come to see him just to catch a glimpse of him and leave, but they would bring countless gifts with them, which Song Jiang could not possibly accept. In addition, he had always been generous and righteous, and many of the people he had helped would repay his kindness by sending gifts to express their gratitude to Song Jiang. This was how he made his money. Therefore, he had enough capital to continue to be generous and righteous, help the poor and needy, and earn a good reputation.

Without the financial foundation, even if you want to be generous, you won't have the money. Just like Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," a penniless schoolteacher, he wanted to be generous but had no money to give to others.

Here, Song Jiang, being generous and righteous, buried Yan Gong. Yan Po then brought Yan Poxi to thank Song Jiang, only to discover that Song Jiang was unmarried, his first wife had died, and he was now single.

Although Song Jiang was short and dark-skinned and didn't seem particularly handsome, he was a well-known and respected figure in Yuncheng County, and he was also quite wealthy. So, Granny Yan naturally wanted to keep Song Jiang under her control as a long-term meal ticket.

It just so happens that she also has a beautiful daughter named Yan Poxi. Yan Poxi is also from Dongjing (Kaifeng), and has seen the world. She learned to sing from her father, Yan Gong, since she was a child. Now she is eighteen years old and has grown into an extremely beautiful woman. Moreover, she is still a virgin, so she is perfect to be betrothed to Song Jiang.

Then Granny Yan asked Granny Wang to matchmake Song Jiang and Yan Poxi. At first, Song Jiang declined, saying that his wife had passed away and he could not remarry. But then Granny Wang said that Granny Yan agreed to not marry him formally, but to make Yan Poxi Song Jiang's mistress, that is, his concubine.

Firstly, Song Jiang had been feeling depressed and restless lately, and needed an outlet for his emotions. That day, he saw Yan Poxi, who was young and beautiful, and he was somewhat attracted to her. Secondly, Song Jiang couldn't resist Wang Po's persuasive words, and Wang Po practically blocked his door every day to persuade him.

Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," observed coldly from the sidelines and once reminded Song Jiang that this woman was someone who had seen many romantic encounters and might not be as virtuous as a woman from a respectable family. However, Song Jiang told him that he had no intention of helping her to become a respectable woman.

Wu Yong then understood that Song Jiang was lusting after Yan Poxi's beauty, so he said nothing more. Song Jiang then agreed to Yan Poxi's request, bought a house in the west alley of the county, furnished it, arranged for Yan Poxi and her daughter to live there, and took Yan Poxi as his concubine.

Originally, Song Jiang was resentful, but after a night of passion with Yan Poxi, he became infatuated with her. Firstly, his resentment made him less resolute, so he lingered among women. Secondly, Yan Poxi truly had the skills to seduce men. She was charming and coquettish, charming and infatuated, and flattering, making Song Jiang feel incredibly comfortable. It was as if one Buddha had appeared and two Buddhas had ascended to heaven. Song Jiang stayed with Yan Poxi for half a month, completely forgetting about the "wise strategist" Wu Yong.

Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," was not interested in women, nor did he indulge in depravity like Song Jiang. Instead, he focused on gathering information about the current situation at Liangshan Marsh while waiting for the next prefect of Jizhou to take office.

He hasn't forgotten his desire for revenge against Li Hanxiao. It truly proves the saying, "A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years; a petty person's revenge is never too late, even from morning till night!"

In particular, Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," had recently heard that Li Hanxiao had led the Liangshan forces to sweep through the Zhu Family Village, Li Family Village, and Hu Family Village on Dulonggang in Yunzhou Prefecture. He became even more certain that he and Song Jiang would surely achieve great things after taking office.

Firstly, the Liangshan Marsh bandits robbed the birthday tribute, defeated the government troops of Jizhou Prefecture several times, and even defeated the troops of Daming Prefecture who came to help. Recently, they committed crimes in Yunzhou Prefecture, which are all cross-regional crimes. As the situation gets bigger and bigger, Grand Tutor Cai and the imperial court will definitely not sit idly by.

Therefore, the official who came to take over as the prefect of Jizhou Prefecture was likely a formidable figure, and his main task was to wipe out these Liangshan bandits here.

Since he wants to wipe out the Liangshan bandits, he needs to use people, but in the current state of Jizhou Prefecture, it's obvious to everyone that it's just an empty shell.

If Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," and Song Jiang, the "righteous protector," were to volunteer again, the situation might be quite different.

Now, the news that Prefect Zhang Shuye had taken office in Jizhou Prefecture has reached Wu Yong, the "wise strategist." He even inquired about Prefect Zhang Shuye's past deeds and later learned that this guy was a talented person who was both a scholar and a warrior. He had fought in the Northwest and served as an envoy to the Liao Kingdom. He was a capable man.

In addition, Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," also saw a recruitment notice posted outside the Yuncheng County government office by officials from the Jizhou Prefecture.

After reading it carefully, Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," was overjoyed. Wasn't this the time? Their chance to turn the tables had finally arrived!

So, the "wise strategist" Wu Yong rushed to Yan Poxi's residence to find the "righteous protector" Song Jiang.

Upon arriving at the destination, Wu Yong encountered Granny Yan, who was out buying groceries. Wu Yong bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Granny. I've come to look for Clerk Song, but I don't know where he is."

"It's Scholar Wu! My son-in-law hasn't gotten up yet; he probably won't be up until late today. Please have a seat, Scholar. I'll go buy some wine and dishes and be right back!"

After saying this, Granny Yan went to buy vegetables by herself. Wu Yong went into the house by himself. Last night, Song Jiang and Granny Yan had been intimate for several nights. It could be said that, "When the smoke cleared, the bright moon shone for a thousand miles, the floating light danced like gold, and the still shadows sank like jade. Fishermen sang to each other. What joy could there be!"

At this moment, both of them were fast asleep in bed and had no way of getting up.

Wu Yong, however, was already impatient. In his view, how could matters between men and women be compared to his important business?

So he called out, "Brother Song Gongming, get up! Brother Song Gongming, get up! I, Wu Yong, request an audience!"

Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," was shouting at the top of his lungs, waking up Song Jiang and Yan Poxi upstairs. Yan Poxi, who was known for her unruly nature, couldn't help but curse when she heard Wu Yong yelling, "This poor wretch, chattering away like this, is he trying to wake me up? He's really disturbing my peaceful sleep!"

"Oh! Don't talk nonsense. It must be that Scholar Wu has something urgent to discuss with me. You should go to sleep, I'll be right back!"

Song Jiang patted Yan Poxi, feeling her bouncy texture, and felt a little itchy inside. However, Wu Yong's shouting was like a broken record, which really didn't arouse his interest. He then pulled up his pants to put them on.

As a result, Yan Poxi rolled over and pinned down Song Jiang's two thighs, lying on top of him. Her eyes were full of tenderness as she scolded, "You tormented me all night yesterday, and now you're so heartless? Yes, yes, just like the lyrics say, brothers are always like limbs, and women are like clothes. Go away, go away, you're leaving now. Don't even think about getting back into my bed!"

"Oh! My darling! You're not some piece of clothing to be thrown away, you're my sweetheart!"

Song Jiang could not resist Yan Poxi's teasing. He felt his blood rushing to his head and then down to his lower abdomen. He couldn't control himself and felt as if he were being burned by fire. He rolled over and carried Yan Poxi back into the bed. They made love passionately and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.