Chang Side led ten brothers from the Imperial Camp out of the imperial city. They chatted all the way, crossed the Longjin Bridge, and headed east along the Cai River.
We came to a place called Hu’s Restaurant.
Chang Side said loudly: "This is the one. Let me tell you, the game here is the best in Kaifeng. There are quails, hares, doves, and everything else. The most important thing is that the price is fair. I am happy today, so I will treat you brothers to a big meal."
Chang Side is a native of Kaifeng and grew up in Kaifeng.
Because he had extraordinary physical strength since childhood, Chang Side worked as a thug at the dock, looking after the place for the foreman.
The environment at the dock was harsh, and Chang Side mixed up there, learning a lot of fighting skills.
Just this year, his mother arranged a marriage for him, but the girl's family disliked the idea of ​​him being a grown man working as a gatekeeper at the dock, and were unwilling to let him marry.
Chang Side was so ashamed that he couldn't even raise his head.
In history, Chang Side was humiliated by this, and took the opportunity of Guo Rong's expedition to Huainan to join the army in anger. He led troops throughout his life, suppressed rebellions, followed Cao Bin in the Northern Expedition, and followed Li Jilong to transport grain to Lingzhou. He rose from a small soldier to the general of Zuo Shenwu step by step, and can be called an inspirational model.
However, it was not yet the time for Guo Rong to lead the army in person, so Luo Youdu was recruiting soldiers at the dock, and he happened to find a treasure, intercepting Chang Side.
Chang Side invited everyone into the restaurant.
The waiter came up to greet us warmly: "Chang Yingxiong, I haven't seen you for a long time. There are eleven of us in total! Are we going to the private room or just in the lobby?"
Chang Side said, "It's not tasty to eat in a private room. Put two tables together and boil 20 kilograms of Huiquan wine. Give me a portion of hare stomach and lungs, pheasant minced meat, white intestines, fried lamb, lamb head and yuan fish, finely rubbed lamb sashimi, and spicy feet!"
The waiter called the other guys in the store, put the tables together, and went to the kitchen quickly with the names of the dishes in hand to help order.
The eleven people sat down around the table.
The waiter first brought the bowls and chopsticks as well as the hot Huiquan wine.
Before the food was served, everyone filled their glasses and drank them all in one gulp.
Chang Side wiped the wine stains from his mouth and said, "Everything in the military camp is good, except for this drink. It's finally my day off, I have to drink to my heart's content."
The soldier sitting on Chang Side's right was called Hong Jun. He said, "During our training, General Chang Shi takes good care of us brothers. Today, we will accompany General Chang Shi until we are drunk. Whoever doesn't fall down is a cuckold."
Chang Side slammed the table and said, "Well said, whoever doesn't fall down is a cuckold."
Dishes were placed on the table one by one, and Chang Side and his companions ate and drank happily.
One of them asked under the influence of alcohol: "General Chang Shi, do you think Commander Luo Du keeps his word?"
Chang Side asked: "What is not worth doing?"
The man said, "It's just about paying the military pay on time. What about the so-called performance bonus? I've been a laborer at the docks for half my life and have never been in the military. I just heard that it's normal for the barracks to withhold military pay, conceal information about sergeants, collect empty pay, and delay pay. "
Hong Jun also said: "I have heard of this as well. I wonder if I can get my military pay on the eighth day of next month. If I can, I will treat you during the next day off."
Chang Side said angrily, "What do you mean by saying this now? Did Commander Luo Du fail to register your household registration, or did he treat you unfairly?"
Hong Jun immediately said: "No, no, I just said it randomly."
The man also said yes repeatedly.
Chang Side said solemnly, "As a grown man, why are you making blind guesses? Won't everything be clear by the eighth day of the first lunar month? When doing things, one should be loyal and righteous. Commander Luo Du pulled us out of the dock, registered us as military households, exempted our families from corvée labor, and lowered the land tax than ordinary people. This kindness is enough for us to remember for the rest of our lives. How can we question Commander Luo Du's credibility because of something that didn't happen?"
What the two of them said to him turned red in the face and kept denying it.
At this moment, an inappropriate remark suddenly came from the side: "I heard that the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp is a scholar who is weak and helpless? Do you think this scholar can lead troops? If he goes to the battlefield, he will definitely wet his pants!"
"Why not? The women's army!"
"Alas, women can form an army these days. What a lie."
"The commander-in-chief is a woman..."
…
Sarcastic and mocking voices came one after another.
Before Chang Side could speak, Hong Jun was so angry that he slammed the table and stood up, shouting, "Who are you calling a woman? Your father? He's eating delicious food in my trough."
The man on the other side was obviously looking for trouble. He got angry at the slightest provocation, then slammed the table and stood up and said, "What's wrong with saying you're a woman?"
Tian Lin, who was standing next to Hong Jun, said, "I'm sorry, did your wife tell you? Your wife is sitting on the ground sucking up dirt, and we brothers are weak and can't stand it! I'm afraid only my donkey can satisfy her..."
Chang Side, Hong Jun and their group mingled at the wharf, where all kinds of people mixed together. They were a group of grown men doing hard labor, swearing and telling ridiculous jokes whenever they had nothing to do.
This is worse than cursing. They have never lost.
"Fuck you!"
The man on the other side was obviously annoyed by the scolding and rushed directly towards Tian Lin.
Hong Jun grabbed the wine jar on the table and smashed it on the man's head.
With a bang, he was knocked to the ground.
Chang Side, Hong Jun and others usually make a living at the dock, where fighting is common and they have extensive experience.
The moment they started fighting, they instinctively used their experience in fighting and picked up any useful weapon around them.
Benches, wine bottles, plates, chopstick holders and the chopsticks in the holders should be thrown away or smashed.
Chang Side even flipped the table over and flew towards them.
On the other hand, the opponents were composed of three or five burly men, who were no less numerous than them, but they were obviously inexperienced and wanted to solve the problem with their fists and feet.
The overwhelming mess made me feel a little confused.
This is not in line with the code of conduct in the underworld.
Chang Side picked up a broken piece of table top from the ground and smashed it at someone's arm.
The other party was cursing in frustration, but after a flurry of activity he finally got used to the mess.
After all, they were well-trained soldiers and they quickly made adjustments and prepared to launch a counterattack.
But at this moment, a group of yamen runners rushed into the store, holding black and red water and fire sticks in their hands , and intervened forcefully.
Zhang Jin looked at the people fighting with a livid face and said angrily, "They are fighting in a restaurant in broad daylight. Take them all back to Kaifeng Prefecture. Anyone who dares to resist will be punished more severely."
As soon as the bailiffs appeared, Chang Side and his men stopped immediately and instinctively dropped the tools in their hands.
On the contrary, the brother who first scolded Tian Lin and then hit Hong Jun was so angry that he didn't stop and kicked Hong Jun.
Hong Jun fell to the ground and rolled over.
Seeing this, Zhang Jin hit the opponent's thigh hard with his water and fire stick, knocking him down.
Three or five yamen runners rushed over, pinned him to the ground, and tied him up tightly with iron chains.
"Take them all back to Kaifeng Prefecture!"