Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 28 Why do you ask?

This handsome man was clearly a regular customer here and of high status. The innkeeper personally led the two of them up to the third floor.

The elegant room was indeed quite remarkable: the walls were whitewashed, adorned with several paintings and calligraphies by renowned artists; the river-facing side featured vermilion-lacquered carved windows, and upon opening them, one could see the clear, rippling river, with willows swaying on both banks, a truly picturesque scene. A rosewood octagonal table stood in the center, already set with silver chopsticks, jade dishes, and celadon wine cups.

Just as the two sat down, Dai'an, accompanied by two servants, came up panting with three jars of wine.

The man waved for him to leave, then personally broke the mud seal. As soon as the seal was broken, a strange fragrance filled the room.

"Brother Zheng, please try this 'Jade Pot Spring'." The handsome man personally poured Zheng Tu a full cup. "This is a famous wine from Jiangnan. My family has been storing it for ten years. We don't usually serve it to guests."

Zheng Tu raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp. He found the wine to be mellow and sweet, with a lingering aftertaste, and exclaimed, "Truly fine wine!"

The man then served the dishes, saying, "Although Qinghe County is small, it has some flavors that can't be found elsewhere. The silver knife fish from the canal can only be obtained for ten days around Qingming Festival; the peaches from Lijia Garden in the west of the city are in season now; and this pickled quail requires seventy-two kinds of spices..."

He rattled off the details to Zheng Tu as if they were his own treasures, never stopping, truly a seasoned gourmand.

Although Zheng Tu had lived two lives, he had never seen such a grand display before. While listening to him talk, he stuffed a lot of food into his mouth.

He had been in that small mountain village for months, and his mouth was already so dry that he was completely fed up. This time, encountering such a lavish feast was truly a stroke of good luck.

As they spoke, the dishes were served one after another: whole steamed goose, roasted suckling pig with a crispy crust, stewed soft-shelled turtle, braised deer tendon... a table full of delicacies from land and sea.

The man earnestly urged Zheng Tu to drink, and the two of them drank more than ten cups of wine in no time.

After a few rounds of drinks, the handsome man's face flushed, and he became more talkative: "Brother Zheng, with such a physique and bearing, you must be no ordinary person. I wonder where you made your fortune? And why have you come to Qinghe County?"

Zheng Tu was already prepared. He put down his wine cup and sighed, "To be honest, brother, I am originally from Guanzhong. I run a butcher shop in Weizhou City, which is considered a small business."

Unfortunately, I encountered a rogue who bullied and monopolized the market, seizing my shop. Enraged, I fought with him, but I went too far and someone died. I had no choice but to flee and wander aimlessly.

This was said in a way that was half true and half false, but the young man believed it to be seven or eight parts true.

He had always enjoyed associating with people from the underworld, and in Qinghe County, he usually met only those who were sycophants and didn't know their place.

Apart from the two who got along very well, there were a few others, all of whom were down on their luck and had no connections.

Rarely seeing such a robust and valiant hero as Zheng Tu in this county town, with a life on his hands, the handsome man felt even more respect for him: "So that's how it is! Brother Zheng is truly a man of principle! What's the big deal about killing that scoundrel?"

Zheng Tu, observing the man's demeanor, realized that this wealthy man was likely a lawless individual, which reassured him somewhat. He then tentatively inquired, "I am new to this place. What is the local climate like in Qinghe County? Is the government strict?"

The handsome man laughed heartily upon hearing this, waving his gold-flecked fan and saying, "Brother Zheng, rest assured! The magistrate of Qinghe County is surnamed Li, and he is a sensible man."

I have some connections with him, and I'm familiar with everyone in the yamen. Even if Brother Zheng only accidentally injured someone, and even if it were a truly serious case, I could handle it.

These words were spoken arrogantly, but Zheng Tu sensed the confidence in them and thought to himself that this person indeed had some connections.

He then probed further, "Brother, you're so generous; what kind of business do you run?"

The handsome man picked up a piece of deer tendon and said slowly, "I dare not lie to you, my family runs a herbal medicine shop, which is the largest in the county. In addition, we also do some lending and pawnbroking. Sometimes I handle some official business in the county and make money by negotiating with people. To be honest, my father passed away early, leaving behind this family business, which I am just trying my best to maintain."

Hearing this, Zheng Tu understood perfectly well that it was merely a self-deprecating remark:

This business is far more than just "barely managing to stay afloat." Judging from his imposing attire and lavish spending, he must be one of the wealthiest households in Qinghe County. Furthermore, his complete lack of fear of the government suggests he has connections at all levels. Even if he doesn't rule the entire area, he's likely a powerful local figure!

It's either black or gray!

Just as he was pondering, the handsome man suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Brother Zheng, since you come from Guanzhong, have you heard of a major case? In the neighboring county, which is the only way to get from Guanzhong to Qinghe County, it's all over the place. They say a hero, to save a woman in distress, killed the county magistrate's son and his dozen or so guards, and then drove off with them. Now they've painted his portrait everywhere and offered a reward for his capture!"

How far has this misinformation gone?

Aside from the young master's son, who could be matched, the others were simply unheard of.

That young master and his party, including three attendants, numbered only four people in total. Where did the dozen or so officials come from? Besides, everyone present at the time had been killed by him, so where would the portraits come from?

It seems that people have a fondness for these classic hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress stories, and as they have been passed down, they have become distorted.

Zheng Tu's mind raced, and he quickly grasped the general reason.

He chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly composed. He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said casually, "I've heard a little about him. That man is quite a hero."

This romantic tale of a man risking his life for a woman is exactly what this handsome man likes. Seeing that Brother Zheng shares the same views as him, he is even more delighted.

As they chatted, the two found themselves getting along very well, talking about everything from anecdotes of the martial arts world to business strategies, from the dark side of government to interesting stories from the world of pleasure.

"Brother Zheng, you don't know, but I recently had a romantic affair that I'd like to tell you about. The details are quite interesting, and it's truly worth sharing with you!"

"I'd like to hear more details!"

"It's just that I went out for a walk in the street that day, looking for a place to relax and have some fun. Who knew I would run into a beautiful woman!"

"Tsk tsk, to be honest, I've seen my share of beautiful women, but for some reason, that one glimpse of her when she lifted the curtain that day was like a dream come true. I can't stop thinking about her, day and night. I can't even bring myself to eat when I get home, and I have no motivation to do anything."

"But that woman was already married. In this world, the words 'to be alone' are the hardest to bear. Even if I had some wealth, so what? In the end, I still got my wish and won the beauty's heart. Why do you ask?"

The handsome man was a little drunk. He took a sip of wine and smiled at Zheng Tu.

Zheng Tu, who had also drunk quite a bit, found it amusing and asked in a roundabout way, "Oh? Why is that?"