Chapter 1, The Heavenly Net and Earthly Web for Zi Zhang
Wang Mang implemented new policies, expanding the enrollment of the Taixue. Liu Xiu, along with his good friends Yan Guang, Deng Feng, and Zhu You, went to Chang'an to pursue their studies under the leadership of his elder brother Liu Yan, hoping to revitalize their family after graduation. However, unexpected changes occurred. The outside world was far from the exciting picture they had imagined.
Ma Sanniang, the enchanting Pixiu Ma Sanniang, is indeed so beautiful! There are still people tiptoeing, their gazes lingering obsessively on the slender-waisted maiden.
Before his words had faded, Zhu You had already caught up from behind. Hearing that his three companions dared to arrange themselves in front of the adult, he became increasingly ashamed and irritated. He raised his fist and struck the spine of Yan Guang, who was closest to him, saying, "You salt tiger, all you know is to use me as a decoy. Who was it that said, 'Autumn colors surpass spring's brilliance, missing it is to betray'?"
I hope that the young man Zhang has been restrained by the court, for his fiery temperament...
These four naughty boys! The young man in the white robe leaned back in his seat and shook his head with a smile at his companion, who was dressed in a blue long gown, saying, "Not a single one of them is reliable. At such a young age, all they know is running out to see women!"
"Lard, what are you sulking about again?" Another youth with a broad forehead squeezed forward, mocking the half-grown boy by calling him by his nickname. "Even if the third daughter of the Ma family is not accepted by the court, your uncle would never allow you to marry a mountain bandit as your wife. Besides, she is at least four or five years older than you. If you really bring her home, she will make sure to serve you four meals a day, and she will definitely be tougher than your aunt!"
It was lard that led everyone there; he wanted to see what the legendary Ma Sanniang looked like! The third one to run over was a youth with a very dark complexion, whose nickname must be "Under the Lamp, It's Black," as he raised his face and loudly shifted the blame.
"You are not Yan Guang, how could Yan Guang not know your thoughts?" The broad-foreheaded youth Liu Xiu was unwilling to let Yan Guang suffer alone, turned around, and together they "faced off" against Zhu You.
Only a few days into August, the chill has begun to intensify. Along the official road to the west of Jiyang City, the leaves have been stained by the autumn frost, resembling clusters of dancing flames. Whenever the autumn wind blows, the fallen leaves descend from the air like peach blossoms, showering down upon the heads and faces of passersby, yet they cannot hurry, cannot be annoyed, and cannot bear to wave them away.
As the words hung in the air, a sudden, piercing sound of a horn echoed in my ears, "Wuwuwu, wuwuwu, wuwuwu..." It was like the white-haired wind of the twelfth lunar month, instantly sending a chill deep into one's heart
Ah, what a pity, what a pity! In the crowd gathered at the city gate to watch the spectacle, there was a young boy with a heart-shaped face, sighing and shaking his head. He seemed to have witnessed the vicissitudes of the world, his face full of unspoken words.
Following closely behind the leader was a girl with long arms and a slender waist. Her skin tone was slightly darker, and her eyebrows and features were as clear as if carved from ivory. Her gaze was bright yet lively, with a hint of mischief. If it weren't for the three-foot-long ring-handled knife slung diagonally at her waist, one would certainly forget her nickname "Soul-Stealing Pixiu" and instead prefer to think of her as a neighborly little sister, secretly leading young men into their dreams.
The young man in the white robe, who also held a pessimistic view of the future of the Ma siblings, shook his head and said with a smile: "Well, from now on, places like Xinye and Jiyang can be considered to have found some peace."
The names of Ma Zizhang and Ma Sanniang are well-known on both banks of the Jishui River. In the past two years, countless corrupt officials have lost their heads at the hands of this brother-sister duo. Whenever the officials and soldiers entered the mountains to suppress the bandits, they either found themselves led in circles by the siblings in the forest, ultimately exhausted and empty-handed, or they fell directly into traps set by the siblings, only to be slaughtered by the bandits. Even the official Liang Qiuci from Wancheng suffered a great loss at their hands, returning home bloodied and clutching his saddle, and it took him nearly half a year of treatment from renowned doctors before he could barely walk again.
At the city gate at the end of the official road, today it is crowded with onlookers. Furthermore, the county magistrate Cen Peng, accompanied by the county deputy Yin Xuan, the county constable Ren Guang, and several prominent local figures such as the captains Yan Feng and Li Zhi, are all respectfully waiting in front of the reception pavilion outside the city.
Speaking, he waved his hand as if wielding a knife, making a feigned slash in mid-air. This caused the other patrons around him to instinctively shrink back, a sudden chill creeping up their necks.
"What is the meaning of this horn blowing?" The young man in the white robe and the blue cedar simultaneously drew their swords, leaning halfway out of the window, gazing towards the direction from which the sound of the horn arose
The bandit from Phoenix Mountain, who had just entered the city, was caught off guard and killed. Wanting to turn around and rush out of the city, there was no time left. In the blink of an eye, he was engulfed in a sea of piercing blades.
"Anger from embarrassment, anger from embarrassment! Haha, I finally understand what it means to be angry from embarrassment!" The other three boys were not as strong as him; after a few casual exchanges, they slipped away into the crowd. As they ran, they couldn't help but turn back and laugh, adding, "Anger from embarrassment, and then wanting to kill to silence. Zhu You, look at your little achievements. It's a pity you are not qualified for an official position. If you were to become an official in the court, within three days, there would be no living person left in the yamen!"
Now, the Ma siblings and the numerous heroes of Phoenix Ridge have finally grown weary of their blood-soaked days and have decided to descend the mountain to accept the amnesty. Naturally, the common folk, who have long been familiar with them, gathered to witness the spectacle. Firstly, they wanted to see how many arms the siblings, Ma Zizhang and Ma Sanniang, possessed to accomplish such heartening deeds. Secondly, it was also a farewell to the legendary heroes; from now on, the siblings would don official robes, and they would surely be two different paths from the common people. If the masses were to suffer from the oppression of officials again, they could no longer expect the siblings to come forth and uphold justice.
We are going to see the heroes of Phoenix Mountain, as they are coming down today to accept the amnesty! The young man nicknamed "Salted Fish Tiger" also stopped, wiping the oil sweat from the tip of his nose, and added loudly
"Salted Tiger, Liu San'er, and Black Under the Lamp, you three better not run away!" Zhu You, with a face like a melon seed, was furious, his fists clenched as he pursued relentlessly. In an instant, he followed the figures of his three companions into the city of Jiyang County, leaving behind the grand performance of the amnesty at the city gate without a trace of nostalgia.
"It would be pointless to watch!" The young man of the blue cedar laughed lightly, disdainfully curling his lips, "That Ma family's third daughter-in-law is not someone an ordinary person can subdue. Together with her brother, Ma Zizhang, over the past six months, they have no idea how many officers they have slaughtered during their campaigns. If someone were to marry her, and if the couple were to have a quarrel, heh..."
As far as the eye can see, there are thousands of common people, scattering and fleeing like startled cattle and sheep. Meanwhile, in the courtyard closely adjacent to the inner side of the city gate, large groups of soldiers are emerging. They raise their gleaming ring-headed sabers, completely blocking the entrance to the city.
If he could endure it, he would not have, in a fit of anger, drawn his sword to slay the former county magistrate who led the team to collect taxes...
Well, in that case, a five-year difference is not too much. Just right to take care of you every day, provide you with food and drink, help you wash your clothes and shoes, and occasionally give you a whack on the backside with the scabbard!
"What do you know!" The boy with a face like a sunflower seed, nicknamed 'Lard', turned his head, his face slightly flushed, and retorted with conviction, "Who said I want to marry her? Appreciation, this is called appreciation, do you understand? A beauty is like a flower; no matter how much you like to see flowers, can you pick all the flowers from the mountains and take them home? I was just lamenting that the mountain flowers have been moved into the courtyard; even if they are watered day and night, they will never regain their former colors! Alas, tsk tsk, tsk tsk!" I was just lamenting that the mountain flowers have been moved into the courtyard; even if they are watered day and night, they will never regain their former colors! Alas, tsk tsk, tsk tsk!
"That is Ma Zizhang, the Iron-faced Xiezhi of Phoenix Ridge!" Among the crowd watching the spectacle, some whispered to each other. In their weary eyes, there sparkled a light that was uncertain whether it was admiration or envy
The reeds are lush and green, and the white dew has turned to frost
"You, Yanba Hu, you actually want to marry an older sister!" The boy nicknamed "Lard" was exposed in his secret thoughts, and immediately became furious, his face turning red as he swung his fists and started hitting his companions indiscriminately
What they are to receive today is not some high-ranking officials or noblemen in embroidered robes, but a group of armored warriors. There are a total of 24 individuals, each riding a tall and powerful horse. Leading the entire group is a commanding figure, a robust man with a tiger's back and a bear's waist. He stands at least 9 feet tall, with a bronze-colored face and a pair of eyes the size of cowbells, whose gaze is as sharp as lightning.
However, at this moment, there were quite a few patrons on the second floor, and he did not wish to speak too plainly. After pondering for a moment, he lowered his voice and remarked: "This Cen Junran truly lives up to the reputation of a scholar from the Imperial Academy. Having only served as the county magistrate for less than four months, he has already managed to compel the Ma siblings to descend the mountain and accept the offer of allegiance."
"Nonsense, you are not the excrement in my stomach, how can you know what I am thinking?" Zhu You refused to admit defeat and continued to pursue relentlessly with his fists raised.
Ah, ah! The boy with a broad forehead, who was running at the forefront, repeatedly responded and stopped in his tracks, "We, we just reviewed a section, and then we went to the city gate to get some fresh air. We will return now, we will return now!"
How else can she be arranged? There is no way she will be allowed to stay in the yamen as a female constable! As for her brother, Ma Wuma Zhi Zhang, having killed so many local gentry's sons and nephews, alas..." The young man of the blue fir shook his head, clearly feeling a thousand doubts about the future prospects of Ma San Niang and her siblings after their amnesty.
As he spoke, he shook his head. His manner of speaking, combined with his scholarly attire, made him seem even more peculiar. Immediately, the other two boys who had just approached were left frowning, turning their bodies to the side, and together they waved their hands back and forth in front of their noses, saying, "Sour, sour, really sour! Enough with the excuses, you pig! Who doesn't know that your childhood dream was to find yourself an older sister?"
"Stop fooling around and go back to your studies. If you don't memorize the 'Minor Odes' from the 'Book of Songs' today, none of you are allowed to have dinner!" From the second-floor window, the scolding voice rose again, instantly causing the four young boys to lose their desire to continue their playful antics, and they quietly retreated to their rooms to study diligently
I only found an excuse for you because I could see your heart was itching to be scratched! The fair-faced youth Yan Guang quickly turned around, parrying while retreating, his feet crossing over the inn. Confucius said, those who know beauty will be enamored by the young! Lard, you should stop pretending. If it weren't for Liu San'er pulling you back just now, you would have almost fallen under the hooves of the soul-snatching Pixiu!
Young people have simple thoughts and ample physical strength. In the midst of their playful chasing and fighting, they unknowingly ran to the entrance of the Gao Sheng Inn in the city. At the second-floor window facing the street, two young men dressed as gentlemen were toasting each other. One of them, wearing a white robe, heard the noise from below and immediately leaned out halfway, shouting loudly: "Liu Xiu, Yan Guang, Deng Zai, why aren't you studying properly? Are you planning to send someone to Chang'an?"
The young man in a white robe, however, could not agree with the lofty remarks of his companions. He shook his head and smiled as he retorted: "How can there truly be violence between husband and wife? Moreover, that Ma Sanniang is not solely cruel and bloodthirsty. At least in the eyes of the elders in this area, she and her brother are probably more benevolent than the officials in the yamen. However, now that she has accepted the invitation, it remains to be seen how the magistrate of Cen County will arrange for her.