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"Brother Liu Hong, Brother Liu Hong, I know I was wrong!"
Seeing that his greatest backer and last reliance had abandoned him, handing over his mission of building Liangshan Marsh to Liu Hong, and even taking out his own heart for him, Wang Lun immediately became like a stray dog with its spine broken. Without hesitation, he prostrated himself on the ground, his buttocks sticking up high, and kowtowed repeatedly to Liu Hong to admit his mistakes. His previous arrogance was gone.
"Please, brother, give your sister a chance, a chance to serve you as a slave! I promise I will spread the faith of the Dragon God of Jidu with you!"
Everyone fell silent, turning their gazes to Wu Song and Liu Hong, the siblings, since they were the direct victims and their opinions were the final say.
"Forget it, we've just escaped Daming Prefecture and are heading to Liangshan Marsh. We need manpower right now, and she's a very rare Confucian scholar. Let's spare her life for now. Besides, I still have her heart in my hands."
Liu Hong thought for a moment and ultimately decided not to kill him, which made Wang Lun extremely grateful and weep bitterly.
Two days later, the fleet finally sailed into Liangshan Marsh in a grand procession. Liu Hong stood at the bow of the lead ship, gazing into the distance. The sixteen warships moved like a string of shuttles cutting ripples across the vast expanse of water. As the morning mist began to dissipate, the eight hundred miles of misty waves gradually revealed their true form.
Mountains rise like towering waves, waters meet the distant sky. A chaotic mass of reeds forms a thousand ranks of swords and spears, strange trees stand in rows of swords and halberds. Pebbles pile up like mountains, bitter bamboo shoots stand like a dense rain. Warships come and go, surrounded by reeds in ambush. Deep harbors conceal their hideouts, nestled among lush vegetation on all sides.
The water surges like a dragon, with dark green waves rolling in from the horizon, crashing against the rocks of the island in the center of the lake, creating white waves that resemble unbridled ribbons.
The mountain is shaped like a tiger, with seven peaks emerging from the clouds and mist in the lake. The bizarre pines and cypresses hanging upside down on the cliffs have roots covered with terrifying salt frost.
Like clouds, the sixteen ships carrying the birthday tribute rounded the reed bay, their white sails dotting the vast water, like clouds scattered across the earth.
Brothers under the same star, a hundred brothers and sisters stand on the deck, a hundred weapons gleaming with a sharp, cold light under the morning sun, shining brightly like a cluster of stars.
"What a magnificent Liangshan Marsh! Surrounded by mountains and rivers, it is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It is truly a promised land flowing with water and blood!"
Liu Hong looked around at the scenery in awe, and the others were also delighted.
"I've offended both the Liao and Song dynasties, and I thought I'd be stuck underground like a mouse for the rest of my life! I'd never see the light of day again. I never imagined there would be such a treasure trove within the Song territory!"
[A treasure trove! A treasure trove!]
Du Qian knelt excitedly on the boat, his arms outstretched, both heads greedily breathing in the fresh air of Liangshan Marsh.
"Yes, when our stronghold was attacked by the Song army, I was in despair. The world on the ground cannot tolerate criminals like us. The Ghost Fanlou, which we had worked so hard to build, was also wiped out by the Song army! The world is so big, but where is there a place for us to hide?"
Song Wan's voice trembled slightly as he looked at the vast expanse of water, deeply moved.
"Liu Hong's description of Liangshanbo is indeed a treasure land. We, who have nowhere else to turn, finally have a home again."
"Yes, I never imagined there was such a treasure land in the world. This land of seven hills could probably accommodate 100,000 people!"
Even Wu Song praised the terrain of Liangshan Marsh at this moment.
"That's right. The Yellow River flooded here, creating a vast expanse of water. The only place that wasn't submerged is the high ground protected by these seven mountain peaks, collectively known as Liangshan. We will build our own homeland amidst these seven mountains!"
Liu Hong was filled with pride at this moment. He had finally achieved his goal in the first stage. Liangshan Marsh was now his!
At this moment, Liu Hong noticed that three more of the celestial stars surrounding the weapon had lit up: Wu Song, Du Qian, and Song Wan, who had also become his subordinates, acknowledging his leadership abilities.
【Wu Song - Heavenly Wounded Star】: For each negative status effect, Heavenly Slash damage is increased by 50%, stacking infinitely. For every 1% of health lost, Heavenly Slash damage is increased by 1%, stacking infinitely.
【Du Qian · Earth Demon Star】: Heavenly Gang Slash can be infused with any spiritual energy you know, simultaneously unleashing Heavenly Gang Slash and spiritual energy damage/effects.
【Song Wan - Earth Demon Star】: Heavenly Gang Slash +8 Physical Damage.
As expected, the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends are all simply enhanced versions of the Heavenly Gang Slash. The buffs from Du Qian and Song Wan are not bad, but the Heavenly Wound Power given by my sister is truly terrifying. Although I can only achieve this effect with the Heavenly Gang Slash, it is still quite remarkable!
At this moment, all six stars of his Heavenly Gang Slash were shining brightly.
The group quickly landed at the foot of Liangshan Mountain to the south. Over a hundred men got to work, some scouting, some cutting down trees, and others transporting supplies. Finally, Li Cunxiao, who was flying in the sky, discovered a large bay protruding from the mountains on the south side, surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side—a strategically advantageous and difficult-to-attack area. The group decided to build a simple dock there.
With one side facing water, watchtowers can be built at the water's edge, and iron chains can be strung up to block the bay and prevent foreign enemies from entering.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the natural environment provides a safe harbor for ships during storms.
A group of people were working hard to build their new home. The cannibals, taking advantage of their height, waded through the mud, with most of their bodies submerged in the water, to drive huge wooden stakes into the mud and set up the stakes.
Meanwhile, the rat people set up tents, lit campfires, and boiled water in large pots for everyone to drink—although they didn't know why, Brother Liu Hong said that water should only be boiled before drinking and that raw water should not be consumed, so they listened to him.
Despite the harsh conditions, everyone worked with great enthusiasm. This was for our future, for our homeland! Not for the political achievements of corrupt officials or the extravagance of the emperor! Therefore, everyone worked with exceptional spirit.
When everyone gathered for dinner that evening, Liu Hong took half of his birthday gift and placed it among everyone.
"Brothers and sisters, I have a proposal. We have just arrived here and everything is in ruins. Liangshan Marsh is a good place, but it is uninhabited. We need to start from scratch! This requires money, a lot of money!"
"Therefore, I propose that everyone contribute half of the birthday tribute to become our common property. This money can only be used to build the stronghold, and it will be subject to everyone's supervision! It can only be used after everyone agrees. If anyone misuses it, may they be struck by lightning! Brothers and sisters alike shall condemn them!"
In the future, we should dedicate at least half of our earnings to building our home.
"no problem!"
Lü Fang and Guo Sheng both nodded in agreement. There was nothing left in Liangshan Marsh, so keeping so much money was useless. It was better to take it out. Besides, the money would ultimately be used against us anyway.
Du Qian and Song Wan exchanged a glance. Du Qian was a bit greedy, but after understanding Lü Fang and Guo Sheng's thoughts, he nodded in agreement.
In the end, it was Li Cunxiao who refused to let go, even at the cost of his life. This greedy little devil clung tightly to his property and refused to let go, almost to the point of tears. Everyone laughed, and no one bothered to argue with a child.
Liu Hong was both amused and exasperated. He assigned her a job guarding the treasury. Only when she heard that she could sleep on so many people's money did Cun Xiao calm down and nod with satisfaction.
In the end, the group pooled together 45,000 strings of gold, silver, and copper coins as the first common property of the stronghold, serving as development funds—Song Wan had lost some of his birthday gifts in the underground cave.
Chapter 64: Building a Mountain Stronghold, Brothers United
With money and manpower, Liu Hong immediately began to build the mountain stronghold on a large scale.
First, I'll send Song Wan's rat swarm to the nearby villages to gather information and find out what's going on in the area. I need to have all the information about the surrounding area.
Secondly, build an inn on the southern road of Liangshanbo. Liangshanbo, spanning eight hundred li, is under the jurisdiction of Yuncheng County of Jizhou, and the capital of Jizhou, Juye, is located south of Liangshanbo. This inn will serve as the intelligence hub for Liangshan to gather information about Jizhou.
Zhu Gui readily became the hotel owner, eagerly and excitedly returning to her old profession: eavesdropping and investigating passersby.
Next up was Lü Fang. Guo Sheng led his traveling caravans to disperse and explore various prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Jizhou. Liangshan was in dire need of everything, so it would be best if they could buy things in the nearby market.
Wu Dalang became the logistics manager, in charge of cooking.
Wu Song, as the strongest fighter, led Pan Jinlian to guard the mountain stronghold.
Wang Lun was responsible for using magic to create a statue of Ao Ying for worship. Once everyone had established a basic foundation for survival, they would build a Dragon King Temple to enshrine him.
"And what about me! What am I supposed to do? Just sit around watching over the money and sleep?"
Seeing that Liu Hong had arranged everything and it was still not his turn, Li Cunxiao became unhappy and jumped up and down to make his presence known.
"I'm giving you the toughest and most important job."
Liu Hong looked at Li Cunxiao with a serious expression. His serious expression made the little girl stop jumping and look at her brother nervously as well.
"You are one of only two among us who can fly. With paper and pen in hand, fly through the sky, overlook the eight hundred li Liangshan Marsh, and be responsible for drawing a complete topographical map for everyone. Can you do it?"
"You will definitely live up to your destiny!"
Amidst the dazzling and magnificent thunder, the little girl happily transformed into a blue fledgling dragon, spread her wings, and flew into the sky to draw maps.
"Sister, please keep an eye on these people for me, especially Wang Lun."
Liu Hong handed Wang Lun's heart to Wu Song.
"There is an important task right now that only I can complete, so I have to go on a long trip. I'll probably be back in two days."
"What is my brother going to do?"
Wu Song was somewhat curious.
"Go to Cangzhou and pay a visit to Master Chai. He is a generous and righteous man who is dedicated to making friends with heroes from all over the world and helping those who have been exiled. He is a modern-day Lord Mengchang. Whenever bandits become outlaws, they must first befriend Master Chai to seek his assistance. He will always grant their requests."
Liu Hong sighed.
“We lack building materials, civil workers, and construction tools, and we can’t solve these problems in the short term. Perhaps Lady Chai can solve these problems, and even if she can’t, she can provide us with a lot of help.”
"It's 700 li to Cangzhou. My senior brother Yue gave me the Golden-Winged Roc, which can fly 800 li in an hour. It will only take two hours to go back and forth. If I'm lucky, I can be back tonight."
"Well then, be careful on your journey. Remember to avoid the prefectures and counties along the way and travel through desolate and deserted places. Your wings are stylish, but they are too conspicuous and flashy. I estimate that our bounty will skyrocket."
"Okay, I'll be careful."
Liu Hong nodded and picked out a few of the most beautiful and gorgeous pieces of jewelry from the birthday tribute as a gift. This served two purposes: firstly, to show his utmost respect for Chai Jin, and secondly, to demonstrate his ability to intercept the birthday tribute, so that Chai Jin wouldn't underestimate him.
Then, he flapped his wings, and three shockwaves exploded as his golden feathers pierced the air. Liu Hong transformed into a ball of golden fire and plummeted toward the northeast!
The Golden-Winged Roc's flight speed of 200 kilometers per hour is truly astonishing. And this is not even Liu Hong's full strength. If he deliberately increases the flight altitude and dives downwards, the maximum speed can triple, reaching a maximum speed of 600 kilometers per hour!
Wherever they went, the soldiers lowered their torches, and the leaves in the tree canopy swayed.
With such incredible speed, Liu Hong arrived in Cangzhou in less than an hour. After asking around for directions, he found Chai Jin's residence.
It's not difficult at all. Such a huge and luxurious mansion, like a giant stone beast, sits on the shore of the Bohai Sea, next to the forest. The six-meter-high blue brick wall actually encloses several miles of land in the forest!
Outside, an indestructible four-cornered tower rises into the sky, with pure copper wind chimes hanging from its eaves. When the mountain wind blows, the sound can be heard for miles, startling the deer and roe deer in the valley so much that they dare not approach.
Inside, there are magnificent palaces standing side by side, with carved beams and painted rafters decorated with colorful lanterns. When the clouds obscure the sun, the light shines brightly, turning the dark night of Cangzhou into daytime.
This is no longer the mansion of a wealthy landowner; it is clearly an extremely luxurious castle!
Liu Hong folded his wings and landed at the main gate like a meteor. The drawbridge, made of century-old ironwood, was suspended high over the moat, which was three zhang wide. The corners were all made of Liaodong lapis lazuli and carved into dragon and tiger heads.
"I am Liu Hong, the Great Sage of Chaos, and I have come to pay my respects to Master Chai!"
At this moment, the guards from Chai Jin Manor were stunned when they saw Liu Hong. Those wings were too flashy; he was clearly no ordinary person. The high official liked such capable and extraordinary individuals, so they had to be careful in their treatment.
So the gatekeeper sent one of the villagers to inform Master Chai, while the others lowered the drawbridge, opened the gate, and welcomed Liu Hong into the village—he can fly now, so hanging the drawbridge and keeping the gate tightly closed is useless; it's better to just let him in and show that we're more generous.
Led by several servants, Liu Hong walked along the winding mountain pass for a short while before finally seeing the inner courtyard: an eight-tiered courtyard roofed entirely with colorful glazed tiles, and six golden nanmu pillars in front of the main hall, each as thick as two people could hug, with the pillar bases carved from single pieces of Qilian jade into the shape of a Pixiu. The screen wall was made of solid lapis lazuli, engraved with images of five hundred Arhats.
The East Garden Horse Ranch could accommodate three hundred fine horses for a charge, while the western training ground could accommodate a thousand people for drills. A large number of farmhands, with broad backs and thick waists, and gold and silver tattoos on their faces, held crossbows and wore two-piece armor. They didn't even bother to perform. The Song Dynasty had a full range of prohibited armor, bows and crossbows, and no one dared to investigate or interfere with Chai Jin's residence.
"Our master is inside. Please, Great Sage Evil, come and meet him."
Upon reaching a grand hall, several servants dispersed to invite Liu Hong into the hall. Before he could even lift his foot, a purple-gold phoenix silhouette rushed out of the hall.
She walked gracefully and proudly along the corridor like a purple-gold peony in the imperial garden. Her black hair was styled in a high bun like nine phoenixes holding pearls, and purple-gold silk draped over her shoulders like dragons and phoenixes bringing good fortune. A phoenix head hairpin with gold and kingfisher feathers hung down in front of her forehead, making the vermilion dot between her eyebrows shine brightly.
Liu Hong carefully observed Chai Da Guanren.
Her two arched eyebrows, like distant mountains, resembled slanted swords, and her enchanting phoenix eyes, like the moon reflected in a cold pool, held three parts of the heroic spirit of a daughter of a military family. Yet, her rosy lips, painted with rouge, revealed seven parts of her unparalleled beauty.
Her snow-white skin was wrapped in a wide-sleeved robe of crimson and gold, the brocade phoenix pattern swirling with each step, creating a swirling purple haze. A mutton-fat jade belt hung at her waist, and a moon-like shawl with layers of flowing clouds hung down. The jade pendants tinkled softly with each movement, like celestial music.
Even in his previous life, Liu Hong had never seen a woman with such an aura. Her dignified and proud demeanor, combined with her elegant and noble bearing, and the alluring charm in her eyes, blended together to create a natural and majestic presence befitting an empress. It was as if the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers should all prostrate themselves beneath her purple-gold skirt.
"Isn't this Brother Liu Hong, the one who righteously killed Master Zhang, burned down the brothel, and forcibly seized the birthday gifts, known in the martial arts world as the Great Sage Who Chaos?! What brings you here?"
Chai Jin's usually dignified and proud face suddenly broke into a respectful, even admiring, smile as he looked at Liu Hong.
According to normal etiquette, one should enter the palace to pay respects to Chai Jin.
However, Chai Jin personally came out of the hall to greet Liu Hong, and personally took Liu Hong's hand to enter the magnificent hall, which made Liu Hong feel flattered.
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Author's Note: 13 more chapters to go, bonus chapters for monthly votes!
Chapter 65: Chai Jin from Cangzhou Presents a Treasure (Bonus Chapter for 1400 Monthly Tickets!)
The furnishings inside the main hall were even more luxurious than those outside. Thirty-two gilded and silver lamps held dragon brain candles, illuminating the white jade floor with an intoxicating, mutton-fat glow.
The lotus-shaped bronze incense burner in the center of the hall is filled with centuries-old sandalwood. Its five-tiered gilded lattice slowly rotates, filtering the warm smoke into the shape of a dragon, which coils around sixteen sandalwood logs as thick as two people can hug and slowly rises into the sky, swirling back and forth under the jewel-adorned dome.
Chai Jin pulled Liu Hong to sit down next to the main seat and ordered the servants to serve the finest wine and dishes. The wine here was even better than that in brothels.
"Greetings, Master Chai. This is just a small gift from me. It is of little importance."
After the two sat down, Liu Hong took out the set of gold jewelry that Liang Zhongshu had given to his parents-in-law and respectfully presented it to Chai Jin.
"Indeed, it is Liang Zhongshu's treasure. Brother Liu Hong is an honored guest. His presence here truly brings honor to my humble abode. There is no need for such formalities."
Chai Jin smiled gracefully, gently accepting the jewelry with her wide sleeves. The nine-phoenix beaded curtain above her head, adorned with pearls, remained perfectly still as she moved.
"I heard that you, brother, robbed Liang Zhongshu's birthday gifts? What a righteous act! It's something that all the heroes of the world admire. Are you here to escape from disaster, brother? Don't be afraid, just hide in the manor."
Chai Jin's fingertips, beneath the gold-embroidered phoenix sleeves, tapped calmly on the table, her dignified and beautiful face radiating confidence.
“Even if my brother commits an unforgivable crime, even if my brother assassinates the Emperor Zhao today, as long as you can escape to my village, there is nothing to worry about! It’s not that I’m bragging, but even the Xiang Army and the Imperial Guards wouldn’t dare to look my village in the eye.”
"You're truly amazing, sir!"
Liu Zhuang bowed with his hands in admiration.
"However, I am not here to seek refuge, but to borrow something from you, sir."
"Oh? Speak freely. As long as Chai Jin has them, what harm is there in giving him a thousand or even just a loan?"
"My brothers and sisters, a total of nine people, are now living as outlaws in Liangshan Marsh. Everything is in ruins and the place is desolate. Therefore, I would like to ask you, sir, to borrow some craftsmen and timber to build it up properly and make it a place for my brothers to stay."