I am Emperor Shizu of Song

Chapter 45 The golden cicada escapes from its shell
When Lu Da climbed over the wall and entered the courtyard, the ruffian Zhang San was sitting at home, feeling quite frightened:

"Why is Master in such a state of disarray? Could it be that Gao Yanei is taking revenge?"

Zhao Zicheng and Yang Zhi followed in and heard the conversation. Zhao Zicheng thought to himself: It must be the butterfly effect. This time they were not well-informed enough and did not find out in advance that Gao Yanei was going to deal with Lu Da, but they could guess it, after all, Lu Da only had one enemy.

Zhang San spoke naturally, and Zhao Zi said he could tell from the details that he was fine. If he had deliberately withheld information, he wouldn't have said it so naturally. He would have been evasive and his expression wouldn't have been easy to conceal.

Lu Da didn't think too much about it. He just explained the cause and effect in general, and finally said: "I will stay here for a few days."

Zhang San quickly patted his chest and promised, "Master, I have always been unable to repay your kindness. It is my great honor that you can use me today. Please stay. I will provide you with good food and wine every day to help you recover from your injuries. I will not let anyone know."

Zhao Zicheng immediately corrected him: "Don't let him drink alcohol these few days, and don't eat too much. Instead, buy more meat, especially fish, to nourish his body, and eat more vegetables.

We're about to travel a long distance to the prefecture, and it's not easy to change my fat appearance. I need to lose some weight so I can get through it."

Lu Da was a fat monk. Although he was incredibly strong, his muscles were covered in fat.

Zhao Zi said that he decided to follow the scientific method of increasing muscle and reducing fat in later generations, temporarily increasing protein, reducing carbohydrates a little, and trying not to eat fat or only eating high-quality fat in fish.

When I return safely to Jiangnan in the future, I won’t care about wine and meat anymore, but I just need to avoid drinking too much and missing out on important things.

Lu Da was a heavy drinker, and it was only after he broke the rules and was reprimanded by Elder Zhizhen that he restrained himself a little.

Zhang San was also aware of these situations. Seeing this young man ordering Master Lu around like this, Zhang San couldn't help but feel a little unfair. He thought to himself: With Master Lu's temper, even if the Jade Emperor came, he couldn't stop him from drinking. Who is he afraid of?

However, this time Lu Zhishen listened obediently, and his respect for Zhao Zicheng was even greater than his previous respect for Elder Zhizhen:
"I can save myself the trouble. Young Master, don't worry. I won't drink alcohol or eat fatty meat these days. I'll just eat fish and rice."

"You can eat beef and chicken, just don't drink the chicken soup." Zhao Zicheng was relaxed and didn't make things difficult for him.

Zhang San, standing by, was stunned. After Zhao Zicheng walked away, he quietly nudged Lu Da with his elbow, "Master, why are you listening to that young man so much? Who is he? Is he some high-ranking official?"

Lu Da was immediately displeased and scolded, "What's the point of being a high-ranking official? You really underestimate me. The people I dislike most in my life are high-ranking officials! But this young man is a kind and capable man. I'm afraid you'll be shocked if I tell you about him."

He has this strategy, and he can deal with the treacherous ministers and thieves who have harmed millions of people. I want to see how he will act. Putting aside his strategy and kindness, his martial arts alone are beyond description. He just subdued me with one blow of his sword."

Lu Da was a man who refused to obey others and was not afraid of death. However, after being defeated and seeing the other party's strategy and ambition, he immediately changed his mind and would not tolerate anyone questioning him.

Even though Zhao Zi claimed that he had only taken advantage of the situation and accidentally defeated Lu Da, who had only exerted 20% or 30% of his strength, he still openly admitted that he had lost and never frowned.

Zhang San was so shocked by Lu Da's words that his legs went weak. "How could such a person exist in the world? Master is such a skilled martial artist! Even when he competed with Master Lin in spearmanship, he lost by half a stroke after dozens of moves. If we were to compete in strength, Master Lin wouldn't be as good as Master. If someone in the world could defeat Master with a single move, wouldn't he be a god?"

Lu Da was too lazy to explain. He just picked up the coarse pottery tea bowl on the table and drank it to quench his thirst. Then he wiped his mouth and said, "You frog in the well, you don't know shit!"

……

After Lu Da settled down temporarily, he told Zhao Zi that he would make a long-term plan on how to gain the trust of Madam Lin and make them make up their minds to run away.

Since Lu Da couldn't enter the city, he could only write a secret letter, but Mrs. Lin didn't recognize his handwriting, so she had to give him some token.

After much deliberation, Lu Da gave the certificate of ordination he was carrying to Zhao Zicheng, and also gave him the half of the sword that Zhao Zicheng had just cut off.

He was a legitimate monk, having received a certificate of ordination when he became a monk in Mount Wutai. The term "jie" (precept sword) refers to the need to adhere to the precepts, which means it can only cut clothes and cloth, and cannot kill. Many monks will engrave their Dharma names on the blade as proof of their identity.

Zhao Zicheng discussed a story with him, took the secret letter, and left Lu Da, leaving him some copper coins. He and Yang Zhi pretended to go sightseeing and returned to the city, and no one suspected them along the way.

Later that day, Zhao Zicheng returned to the inn in the city, where Murong Yan had been waiting anxiously. Zhao Zicheng took out the secret letter, the broken sword, and the certificate of ordination, and asked Murong Yan to find a chance to go to the Lin family in Zhouqiao before dark to report the news.

Murong Yan was slightly startled when she saw the broken knife and Zhao Zicheng looked a little haggard. "Did you fight with someone? Or was it Yang Zhishi who did it?"

Zhao Zi said that he was not a show-off, but in front of a beautiful woman, he could not help showing off instinctively. It was harmless anyway. He simplified the process and downplayed it, saying that he had found it by chance. However, Murong Yan was still worried:
"I heard that monk's martial arts skills are on par with the instructors of the Imperial Guards. You've only been practicing martial arts for three months, how can you be so arrogant? When you have a solid foundation, let my mother teach you the family's traditional methods of maneuvering and counterattacks, so you can give them a taste of their own medicine. Even if you don't practice well, you will definitely be able to defend yourself with ease."

Zhao Zicheng ignored the question. He knew this was Murong Yan's family secret weapon, a skill not passed down to outsiders. If he agreed to learn it, it would be practically the same as agreeing to marry her. Such matters were not to be taken lightly.

At that moment, he pretended not to understand the deeper meaning, thanked the beauty for her kindness, and sent her to do her business.

Murong Yan changed into women's clothes and went to the Lin family with ease. She took the certificate of ordination, the broken sword with the Buddhist name on the hilt, and the secret letter, and told everything to Madam Lin.

Mrs. Lin was also shocked when she saw the broken knife, but she dared not disbelieve it. She said that she would leave decisively as soon as the city gates opened tomorrow morning. As for the heavy property, it was too late to sell it, so she would just leave the house empty and lock it up, as it would cause too much noise if it was disposed of.

That night, the Lin family barely slept, and continued to pack their belongings. The maid Jin'er even asked Madam Lin:

"Madam, do you think Master Lu has been murdered by that girl's brother? Even his sword is broken. If they are my husband's enemies and are trying to trick us out of the city, what should we do?"

Madam Lin was decisive, and she explained the situation in just a few words: "Regardless of friend or foe, the fact that she was able to produce this broken knife shows that the situation is extremely critical. If we stay in the city, we will definitely die. It is better to leave the city and take a gamble.

I'll bring a half-cut pair of scissors tomorrow. If that bastard yamen has indeed hired a skilled warrior, I'll immediately remove the scissors and kill myself, so I won't be harmed. Since you're not married yet, just surrender and save your life."

How could Jin'er have the nerve to respond to such a question? She just kept silent and cleaned up quietly.

……

The next morning, Yang Zhi, An Daoquan and others completed the formalities of leaving Beijing to take up their posts.

Yang Zhi was transferred to Suzhou and appointed as the commander of a battalion. This had been agreed upon long ago. He had not set off before because he was waiting for Zhao Zicheng. The Palace Marshal's Office also gave him three months to take office, as long as he did not exceed the deadline (it would take more than a month to travel, and it was normal to give a three-month deadline given the long distance at that time).

So Yang Zhi and An Daoquan set off with Li Jun and the transferred personal soldiers. No one suspected them and they left the city smoothly.

The Lin family, father, daughter, and three others, followed them out of the city, though they weren't officially traveling together; they simply queued up together to pass through the checkpoint. The Lin family was still innocent, without any problems, so naturally, no one would stop them. Yang Zhi simply watched from the sidelines to prevent any accidents.

After leaving the city and reaching a deserted place, Yang Zhi, along with the Lin family and An Daoquan, took the wigs they had just obtained from real people and the rare deer antler glue obtained by the Chief of Works. They all wore inconspicuous tattered clothes and went straight to the residence of the ruffian Zhang San.

The Lin family and Lu Da met and told each other about their situations, and they also sighed.

It was not until this moment that Madam Lin and her father Coach Zhang were convinced that Mr. Zhao was truly a man of great righteousness, who came to their aid out of pure justice and helped them clear their identities.

Yang Zhi took out two blank certificates for captains and said to Lu Da and Mrs. Lin, "Originally, a battalion was supposed to have five captains, but the court knew there were definitely some unpaid salaries in the local area, so the maximum number of men allowed for a battalion was 200, and out of prudence, they only gave two captains.

Let Brother Lu and Brother Lin each use one when the time comes. I'll give you two fake names so you can disguise yourself and get away with it. Brother Lin also bore the injustice of burning down the army's hayfield, and he won't be able to serve in the army under his original identity for several years. It's a shame for both of you to lose your great reputations in the martial arts world."

Faking death, changing identity, hiding one's real name, everything else is fine, but for people in the underworld, the most unpleasant thing is that the reputation they originally made can no longer be used to scare people.

Many people in the underworld regard the reputation and bandit name they have earned as more important than their lives. Once they show them, other people will admire them for a long time and respect their status in the underworld.

Fortunately, Lu Da had given up his identity once and became a monk. After becoming a monk, he did not dare to publicize his identity. Now it doesn’t matter if he changes again.

Seeing that Master Lu didn't mind, Madam Lin quickly thanked him on her husband's behalf. "Although my husband is innocent, what else can I say now that things have come to this? Master Zhao is willing to directly offer a captain and give him the opportunity to show his strengths again. This is already a great favor.

He will fight for his future fame and glory again, sword and spear. But I don't know where Mr. Zhao is. Why haven't I seen him today? I can't even thank you in person."

Yang Zhi wore a bamboo hat the entire time and didn't look at Madam Lin. He simply explained with his face tilted to the side, "The young master is very busy, and today he has another important matter at the head of the prison. Besides, he didn't leave the city when you and Brother Lu escaped, which also avoided future suspicion. He already had a few drinks with us in the city just now."

Zhao Zicheng was extremely measured in everything he did, taking care of every detail. He wouldn't let Yang Zhi leave the city, but Yang Zhi and Zhao Zicheng were friends, and it was well known, so he saw him off anyway. He had just had a few drinks at a restaurant near Suanzao Gate in Bianjing, then hurried off, claiming he was busy with technical matters he was discussing with Jia Zhubu that day.

(End of this chapter)