Reborn in Liangshan: I built the strongest lineup

At the foot of Liangshan Mountain, in a hotel under Zhu Gui's jurisdiction.

"Bartender, two dice of wine and a plate of cooked meat."

A man who looked like a Taoist priest walked in and asked for wine and meat to eat.

"Okay, coming right away!"

The bartender agreed and then quickly went to prepare.

Zhu Gui was checking the accounts at the hotel when he saw this Taoist priest and found him interesting.

This man was eight feet tall, with a dignified appearance, arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a square mouth, and a full beard. He wore a brown Taoist robe printed with Bagua (Eight Trigrams) patterns, a multicolored belt around his waist, two ancient bronze swords with pine-patterned patterns on his back, a pair of black hemp shoes with multiple loops on his feet, and a blue turtle-shell fan in his hand.

"This Taoist priest is quite interesting."

Zhu Gui secretly observed him for a moment and immediately realized that this Taoist priest was no ordinary person.

The Taoist priests currently on the mountain, such as Qiao Daoqing and Ma Ling, give him the feeling that this Taoist priest is more like Qiao Daoqing.

However, it seems that all the leaders who have come up from the mountain recently have special professions.

There are already 3 monks. If we add this Taoist priest, there will be 3 Taoist priests. Oh no, Zhu Wu, the military advisor, is also a Taoist priest, so there will be 4 Taoist priests!

"Go back, I'll take over."

Thinking that this person might be extraordinary, Zhu Gui went into the kitchen and gestured for the bartender to go about his other business, as he wanted to serve the Taoist priest himself.

Who knows, this might be someone who's jumped off a mountain!

"Where does the Taoist priest cultivate? How did he come to our place?"

Zhu Gui carried a large plate in one hand, filled with sliced, high-quality meat, and a pot of fine wine in the other. He personally came to the Taoist priest's side and poured him wine.

"Are you...the manager here?"

The Taoist priest looked up, sized up Zhu Gui, and then asked.

"Indeed, Daoist Master has excellent judgment."

Zhu Gui poured the Taoist priest a full glass of wine, and then sat down opposite him.

"What brings you here, Taoist priest?"

"I am starving, let me eat first."

The Taoist priest didn't seem inclined to say anything; he just rolled up his sleeves and focused on eating.

"It seems the Taoist priest is quite far from here."

Watching the Taoist devour his food, Zhu Gui sighed. "Liangshan is so famous now! People from so far away are coming to join us!"

After finally finishing his meal, the Taoist wiped his mouth, straightened his clothes, and regained some of his otherworldly demeanor. Then he said to Zhu Gui:

"Innkeeper, I am Gongsun Yiqing, and I have come from Jizhou with important news that I wish to inform Brother Ren Yuan of Liangshan. Since you are the innkeeper, you must be a leader of Liangshan. Would you please inform him for me?"

"From Jizhou?"

Zhu Gui was taken aback at first, then he realized what was going on.

"Could my brother be Gongsun Sheng, a disciple personally taught by Master Luo, known in the martial arts world as the Dragon Entering the Clouds?"

"Huh? You actually know me?"

Gongsun Sheng was greatly surprised. He had been learning martial arts in the mountains since he was a child, and he was in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Liao Kingdom. He never expected that someone in the Song Dynasty would know about him.

"Oh my, what a coincidence!"

Zhu Gui slapped his thigh and said to Gongsun Sheng:

"My brother Zhu Gui, with the kindness of my friends in the martial arts world, has been given the nickname 'Land Crocodile.' In our mountain stronghold, there is a strategist named Qiao, nicknamed 'Illusionary Demon Lord.' He said that he once intended to become a disciple of Master Luo, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he was not accepted into the sect. However, he mentioned that Master Luo already had a personal disciple back then, and it turns out that it was you, brother!"

"Surname Qiao? Qiao Lie?"

Gongsun Sheng raised an eyebrow. This guy had joined Liangshan earlier than him?

"Yes, it's Strategist Qiao. Are you familiar with him, brother?"

Zhu Gui took one look and thought, "Wow, there's definitely something between these two!"

"Of course I remember him, he almost became my junior brother. Is he a Taoist priest now?"

Gongsun Sheng naturally knew Qiao Lie. When Qiao Lie became an apprentice, he collapsed at the last test. His master asked him, "In a year of great disaster, when there is nothing to eat in the world, if you only have two pieces of bread and a pot of water, and a family of three comes to you hungry and begs for food, what would you do?"

He still remembered what Qiao Lie had said: he would keep the water for himself and give all the flatbread to the three people so they could divide it among themselves.

Master Luo Zhenren thought the answer was not good enough, as it implied that it would lead to infighting, so he did not accept Qiao Lie as his student.

The master said that although Qiao Lie was very talented, he had a demon in his heart. He would need to meet the demon of virtue and be subdued one day before he could return to the Taoist sect.

"That's right, Strategist Qiao is a Taoist priest, his Taoist name is Daoqing. He is not only good at arranging troops, but also has excellent martial arts skills. My brother praises him every day."

“That’s great. He and I are old acquaintances. Chief Zhu, if it’s convenient, please introduce me to the mountain. I do have important news to tell Brother Ren Yuan. Besides, I’m happy that Qiao Lie is doing so well now.”

"Of course, of course. Brother Gongsun, come with me. If you come up the mountain in the future, you will definitely be a strategist. You must take care of me then!"

Zhu Gui was all smiles. He suddenly realized that he had made the right decision to come and check the accounts today!

After saying this, he walked out of the hotel and fired a whistling arrow at the lake. Before long, a fast boat appeared in the reeds. Zhu Gui personally led Gongsun Sheng onto the boat and they went up the mountain together.

……

"So that's why you weren't accepted by Master Luo back then?"

In the Liangshan stronghold, Ren Yuan, who rarely has any free time today, is chatting with Qiao Daoqing, Ma Ling, Zhu Wu and others.

They were unaware that another Taoist priest had arrived on the mountain.

"Yes, brother, I think I answered quite well. I gave all the pancakes to others and kept the water for myself. Is that not allowed?"

Qiao Daoqing was quite helpless. When they were talking about the past, he mentioned that he had tried to become Luo Zhenren's apprentice but failed. His brothers really enjoyed hearing about it.

"Could it be that you think Old Joe is being selfish by keeping the water for yourself?"

Ma Ling attempted to interpret Luo Zhenren's thoughts.

"Who knows? Anyway, I didn't pass in the end. Otherwise, I wouldn't have studied with you later, Lao Ma."

Qiao Daoqing shrugged, indicating his helplessness.

"What's wrong? You still can't forget Master Luo?"

Ma Ling knew that Master Luo was a knot in Qiao Daoqing's heart.

"Alas, that's mainly because back then, Master Luo already had a personal disciple, the one my brother often mentioned, Gongsun Sheng, the Cloud Dragon. I really don't know where I lost to him."

Qiao Daoqing sighed helplessly.

"If I ever get to meet him, I really want to ask him what his answer is?"

"My answer back then was that I would boil water, break the flatbread into pieces, put it in the water and cook it into a porridge, and then eat it with that family of three."

As soon as Qiao Daoqing finished speaking, as if by divine intervention, a reply came from outside.

"who?"

Everyone looked up, somewhat surprised that they had never heard this voice before.

Only Ren Yuan remained completely calm. This was Liangshan's main stronghold, and those who could approach it were either leaders who had already gone up the mountain or leaders who were preparing to go up.

“Brother, it’s me, Zhu Gui! I’ve brought a new leader to join us at the mountain.”

Gongsun Sheng followed Zhu Gui in, striding in. He first waved to Qiao Daoqing, then bowed to Ren Yuan.

"I am Gongsun Yiqing, and I have come down the mountain on my master's orders. I admire the great name of Brother Ren Yuan of Liangshan. Today, I present to you, Brother, the news of Cai Jing's 100,000 strings of birthday gifts!"

"Haha, Master Gongsun, no need for formalities. Once we're on Liangshan, we're all brothers!"

Ren Yuan dared not be negligent and quickly got up to greet this dragon who had entered the clouds.

Good heavens, now that he's here, there really are four Taoist priests in this house in Dazhai...