Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The night was as dark as ink, the wind was howling incessantly, the water of the Liaohe River was surging unsteadily, and in the moonless darkness, the water was making a roar. Something was moving on the dark river surface, and someone was whispering under the night sky.

"What if someone hears the loud water noise?"

"Brother Mi Xian, don't worry. That's because you are right in front of me and the sound seems louder. In fact, when you are on the shore, it is just the sound of water. It is difficult to distinguish if you are not a sailor for many years."

"Brother, I don't hang out near the water much, so don't lie to me, Brother Bao."

"What did you do to lie to me?"

In the dark night, Li Bao seemed to look at the man in black face and black armor in front of him and touched his cheek: "You look suitable for going out at night. As long as you close your eyes, you can't see anyone."

Mi Xian rolled his eyes in annoyance: "Do you think I'm a ghost?"

Li Bao laughed and said, "The ghost is not as hidden as you."

Mi Xian clenched his fist and gestured to Li Bao in the dark, but it was pitch dark that night. Even though Li Bao was close, he could only feel a dark shadow swaying in front of him.

As he was talking, a sailor came up from below in the dark and said softly, "We are almost there."

The two turned their heads and looked towards the north bank. It was pitch black, as if there was a man-eating beast lurking there, which made people feel creepy.

"Then it's my turn to go down." Mi Xian stretched his body lazily. "The scouts reported that there are defenders on the north bank guarding the floating bridge and boats. We must destroy them. Let Liu Yuan and Chen Yun go down as well. The rest of them will follow you to attack the Jin army on the south bank."

"Then... just wait and see how we attack when the boats are burning. With the light of the fire, the Jin army on the north bank will definitely be looking at us." Li Bao took two steps to the north side of the boat, looking back, it was difficult to see anything: "On this water, our navy is not afraid of anyone. We have waded through the sea, so what's this small river?"

"I know you navy soldiers are extravagant." Mi Xian rolled his eyes, walked to the stairs, stretched out his foot to test the steps before stepping on them. The figure who went down did not look back, but just said lightly: "I'll leave my back to you."

"Brother Mi Xian, take care." Li Bao replied, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Try to drive them to the river. There will be boats in the river, and it will be convenient to shoot arrows at the shore."

"Understood."

In the distance at night, there were wolves howling. Soon, the boat stopped near the river, the sound of rushing water continued to stir. The feet in combat boots stepped on the ground, and he muttered something indistinctly. The fierce general holding a mountain-splitting axe jumped onto his warhorse: "Shut your mouths, don't make any sound. Anyone who makes a sound will be killed!" He pointed the axe forward: "Let's go--"

There were rustling sounds in the darkness. Many people took out their belongings and bit them in their mouths as they walked. The ups and downs of their figures were quickly swallowed up by the darkness, as if no one had ever passed by here.

……

In the camp near the river in the south, there was a bonfire burning outside the largest tent in the center. After dinner, Wanyan Aguda felt a little unhappy and couldn't fall asleep peacefully lying on the bed. Outside, he could hear the footsteps of patrolling Jin soldiers, and in the distance, night owls made creepy sounds.

The central army tent was silent at night. The snoring of a deep sleep stopped suddenly. With a scream of "Ah!", Wanyan Aguda suddenly opened his eyes, sat up with a slightly hunched body, cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and violent gasping sounds were heard in the tent.

"Dubo Jire!"

"Father Khan?!" Wanyan Zonghan and several bodyguards who were on night duty outside the tent rushed in with swords and guns in hand. With the help of a torch held by a man at the back, they looked around, but no one was there.

Wanyan Zonggan sheathed his sword and said to the guards, "You go out first."

After watching the people leave the big tent, he picked up a white towel and handed it to Wanyan Aguda: "Did father Khan have a nightmare?"

"...I dreamed about Mou Lianghu's kid." Wanyan Aguda wiped the sweat off his face, threw the white towel to his eldest son, and said with a calm breath: "Seeing him standing in this big tent covered in blood and asking me to leave quickly."

Wanyan Zonggan raised his eyebrows, his face moved as he spoke: "Could it be a dream of foreboding?"

Wanyan Aguda smiled and said, "I have been in the army with your grandfather since I was a teenager. I have been in the army for decades now. I have had all kinds of strange dreams. When I was young, I often dreamed that the dead man Taiyu was chasing me and killing me. But what was the reality? Your uncle Huo Lahu knocked me off my horse a long time ago, and I barely survived."

Wanyan Zonggan twitched the corner of his mouth, knowing that his father was talking about the battle with the Buhui tribe when he was young. He had heard this story with his brothers at every family dinner when he was a child. Although he didn't count, he must have heard it more than ten times.

The highest-ranking official of the Jin Dynasty, who was awakened by the dream, could not fall asleep for a while. He simply threw off the blanket and got out of bed. He walked to the side and lit the lamp. Wanyan Zonggan quickly poured a bowl of water and handed it to his father: "Father Khan, drink some water."

Wanyan Aguda took it, walked to the door of the big tent and opened the door curtain. The sky was pitch black, without any starlight or moonlight. He turned to look at Wanyan Zonggan who had followed him and said, "This night is the best time for a surprise attack. Strengthen the night patrols and defenses. We will cross the river and approach the southern army city. Someone will come to attack the camp tonight."

"Yes, I'll prepare it right away."

Wanyan Zonggan bowed and accepted the order, without saying that he had already ordered his men to be on guard. He nodded and walked back to the camp, leaving Aguda alone looking at the night sky thoughtfully.

A few night owls let out strange cries and flapped their wings to fly through the air.

Wanyan Aguda called over the guards beside him and said, "Tell the soldiers on night duty to pay more attention to the movements outside. There is something wrong with these night birds."

The guards took the order and left. Wanyan Aguda frowned and looked at the night outside the campfire. He murmured softly: "No matter how you attack, the cavalry is outnumbered."

Soon after, the roar of horse hooves could be heard in the night. The roar came from far away and approached like thunder. Wanyan Aguda, who had just laid down, sat up instantly and hurried out of the tent: "Don't panic. Tell Wuzhu and Nianhan to lead their troops to prepare for the battle. The people in the rear should continue to rest and get enough energy to attack the Southern Army's fort tomorrow."

The guard ran down the steps, grabbed the warhorse tied nearby and hit it twice. When the horse started running, he jumped up and ran away quickly.

The sound of trumpets and messengers roared in the night sky. Countless nimble figures from the camp near the south quickly emerged from the military tents, wearing leather armor and holding swords. The huge roar of horse hooves turned from the front and moved away to the surroundings, getting farther and farther away.

Wuzhu held up his axe, looking at the gradually quiet night outside in astonishment, lowered his head and spat, then called his deputy general over: "Go and tell Dubojilie that the enemy is harassing us, and ask him what to do?"

Soon, Wanyan Aguda looked at the signal from the torches waving on the watchtower in the distance, and listened to the information sent back by Wushu and Nianhan. He frowned and thought for a moment: "Go back and tell Wushu and Nianhan to let half of them sleep and the other half stay in the tent without taking off their armor, to prevent the enemy from turning from a false situation to a real one and really breaking into the camp by force."

Wanyan Zonggan stepped forward and said, "Father Khan, why don't you let me lead the cavalry? The next time the Southern Army cavalry comes and escapes, I will chase them."

"No." Wanyan Aguda shook his head. "It's hard to see tonight. If they have an ambush outside, you leading the troops to attack will just satisfy the southerners' wishes. It's better to remain unchanged and wait until tomorrow morning... or even just dawn. No matter how many tricks they have, it will be useless." (End of this chapter)