Chapter 7:  Impetuous Drunken Beating of Lu the Gentleman, Loyal and Righteous Standing Alone Against the Liangshan Army

Among the small leaders who rushed in, there was one named Cheng Zhi Ping, who, like Lin Chong’s servant Dong Li Ning, had secretly pledged allegiance to Song Jiang. As soon as he entered, he fanned the flames, saying, “Gentleman Lu, Lin Chong, Wu Song, and the others have always been dissatisfied with your high position as the second-in-command of Liangshan. Why don’t you take this opportunity to get rid of them?”

Lu Junyi was startled and was about to rebuke them, but Cheng Zhi Ping gave the order first, “The Gentleman has ordered! Capture Zhang Yue alive, anyone who obstructs will be killed without mercy!”

Immediately, the five hundred or so scoundrels rushed forward, surrounding Zhang Yue and the others.

Wu Song and the others jumped out, engaging the soldiers in a fierce battle.

Zhang Yue flipped over, leaped into the air, grabbed the long spear on the table, and with a flash of white light, he thrust it out. With a single spear, Cheng Zhi Ping fell dead.

Lu Junyi was furious. He roared, brandished his long spear, and used all his skills to attack Zhang Yue. In a flash of lightning, he thrust thirteen spears, each aimed at Zhang Yue’s vital points.

Zhang Yue, however, did not want to fight him. He simply held the spear with one hand, casually blocking, dodging, and weaving, avoiding attacks. In the gaps, he grabbed a wine jar and took a few sips, asking Lu Junyi if he wanted to drink together with a drunken smile on his face.

Lu Junyi had never been so humiliated. He lost his mind in anger and forgot about his image as the Jade Unicorn. He transformed into the Black Whirlwind, Li Kui.

He used all his strength, without any form, and swung his long spear like a sudden gust of wind, like a ferocious beast. Wherever he went, tables and chairs were overturned, and everything was in disarray.

Lu Junyi went on a rampage, smashing all the pots and pans in the inn, but he didn’t even touch the corner of Zhang Yue’s clothes.

Liangshan’s top fighter, Lu Junyi, attacked with all his might, while Zhang Yue was casual and nonchalant. With a few moves, he turned Lu Junyi’s fierce attack into nothing. It was truly unbelievable. Zhang Yue was a little puzzled, “Are you really the Jade Unicorn, Lu Junyi, of Beijing?”

“I am who I am, Lu Junyi of Hebei, the Jade Unicorn of Liangshan!” Lu Junyi’s hair was disheveled, his face was ashen, and he roared hysterically.

Zhang Yue smiled wryly in his heart. What? Lu Junyi is only this good? It seems that Master Zhizhen really taught me everything without reservation. Am I going to be unstoppable in Water Margin?

Lu Junyi was not only beaten to the point of questioning his life, but he was also exhausted. He held his long spear tightly with both hands, propping it on the ground, barely managing to stabilize himself. He stood there with difficulty.

Lu Junyi had no more fighting strength left. Zhang Yue settled Guo Tong in the back room, jumped out of the window, and the outside was already in chaos. The five hundred or so people Lu Junyi brought were not ordinary soldiers, but the strongest fighters among the Liangshan small leaders.

Wu Song and the others had not gained the upper hand against them. Even Song Wan, Du Qian, and a few others with lower fighting strength had been subdued.

Zhang Yue roared, brandished his long spear, charged into the formation, killed several people in a row, and left a trail of corpses. He was like a god of death, killing anyone he encountered.

Even though these people were seasoned veterans, they had never seen such a person before. They were all terrified and hesitant.

Zhang Yue didn’t want to kill any more. He reversed his spear, turning it into a staff, and used the Five-Tiger Bagua Staff. In the blink of an eye, he knocked down twenty or thirty more people.

He then stopped, striking a handsome pose, holding his spear three steps and seven paces in front of him, the spear tip pointing downwards, a posture that was both offensive and defensive.

Wu Song and the others also stopped fighting and formed a battle formation behind Zhang Yue, protecting each other’s backs.

“Listen to me, everyone. We are all brothers of Liangshan. Don’t let a stranger like me cause discord among us!” Zhang Yue said loudly.

Lu Junyi did not come out. The people Song Jiang had planted were all killed by Zhang Yue. There was no leader among them. They could only look at each other. Finally, a soldier tentatively threw down his weapon.

The other soldiers were about to follow suit when, with a “puchi,” an arrow pierced the soldier’s throat.

“Little Li Guang, Hua Rong, is here. Anyone who dares to surrender will die!”

Before the words were finished, a group of people charged forward slowly. The leader, riding a tall horse and holding a Qinglong Yanyue Saber, was majestic. It was the Great Saber, Guan Sheng.

On his left was the prodigal son Yan Qing, dressed in plain clothes. He was restless on his horse, his eyes anxiously scanning the area, looking for his master, Lu Junyi.

On his right was Little Li Guang, Hua Rong, who was confidently hanging his carved bow on his saddle.

“I didn’t expect Little Li Guang, Hua Rong, to be so ruthless when shooting your own brothers!” Zhang Yue’s voice was filled with regret.

“You!” Hua Rong, upon hearing this, drew his bow to shoot Zhang Yue, but Guan Sheng stopped him.

At this moment, Lu Junyi finally recovered. He came out with his spear, and Yan Qing quickly rode over and helped him onto his horse.

Lu Junyi was the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of the Cavalry. He was not good at fighting on foot. The environment in the inn was not conducive to his performance, and he was also teased by Zhang Yue. He was so angry that he lost his mind and was defeated.

As soon as he got on his horse, his confidence returned. He straightened his chest, his eyes regained their fierce killing intent, and he said to Guan Sheng in a deep voice, “Brother Guan Sheng, this thief is very vicious. Don’t let our brothers die in vain. Retreat!”

Lu Junyi was the second-in-command of Liangshan after all. His words were effective. As soon as he spoke, the soldiers retreated neatly behind Guan Sheng.

Lu Junyi also took the opportunity to go to Guan Sheng’s side. He ordered Hua Rong and Yan Qing to flank them, and he and Guan Sheng went out to fight Zhang Yue. Thus, a strange situation formed in front of the South Mountain Inn:

Liangshan’s two top fighters, the Jade Unicorn, Lu Junyi, and the Great Saber, Guan Sheng, along with the Heavenly Gang General, Little Li Guang, Hua Rong, and the Prodigal Son, Yan Qing, led hundreds and thousands of soldiers, forming a formidable array, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Opposite them, however, was not a vast army, nor a high castle, but Zhang Yue, Wu Song, and a few others.

After both sides had taken their positions, Lu Junyi turned to Hua Rong behind him and gave him a few instructions. Then he and Guan Sheng rode out.

Zhang Yue saw this and knew that a battle was inevitable. But in order to avoid implicating Wu Song and the others, he decided to try diplomacy first:

“Gentleman Lu, General Guan, killing Gao Qiu was done by me alone. It was only out of hatred for the traitor and to relieve the suffering of the people. It was not an intentional attempt to sabotage Liangshan’s plan for imperial pardon.”

He then turned and glanced at Wu Song and the others, continuing, “I only met Instructor Lin and Captain Wu today. We hit it off and drank together. They were just drunk and acting foolishly. They have nothing to do with this matter.”

Zhang Yue then whispered to Wu Song, asking him to take everyone back to the inn to protect Guo Tong. Wu Song nodded in agreement. Zhang Yue continued loudly, “Please allow them to return to the inn, Gentleman Lu, and don’t let this affect the harmony of Liangshan!”

Zhang Yue’s words were reasonable and logical. Lu Junyi and Guan Sheng could only nod in agreement. After Wu Song and the others retreated to the inn, Lu Junyi and Guan Sheng exchanged a glance.

The two steeds charged out like lightning, a spear and a saber turning into two beams of light, attacking Zhang Yue with thunderous force.

At the same time, Hua Rong quietly grabbed the carved bow on his saddle. His hawk-like eyes were fixed on Zhang Yue.