Do you have the strength to force me to join the Liangshan bandits?

Chapter 256 The Most Ruthless Thing is the Imperial Family [3rd Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets]

As for the matter of Lü Fang becoming Fang Jie's apprentice, everyone present tacitly refrained from mentioning it again.

Bringing it up would only cause them more trouble. Could they really allow Lü Fang to betray his sect?

Song Jiang and Wu Yong then began discussing who to send to the Southern Kingdom to investigate.

After much discussion, it was finally decided to send "Sick Tiger" Xue Yong and "Boat Fire" Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng was from the south and was an expert swimmer.

Although Xue Yong was from the north, he had been selling "Dali Pills" in the south for many years, so he could be considered half a southerner.

Without further ado, Song Jiang selected the right people and sent Xue Yong and Zhang Heng out to investigate the Southern Kingdom.

However, after all his brothers left, and only Wu Yong and Hua Rong, a few close confidants, remained in Song Jiang's household, Song Jiang secretly sent Kong Ming and Kong Liang to find Guo Sheng, nicknamed "Sai Rengui".

When Guo Sheng arrived, he saw Song Jiang lying on the bed, his eyes red-rimmed, as if he had just been crying...

Guo Sheng: "Brother, you were looking for me?"

“Brother…”

Song Jiang extended his hand, and Guo Sheng quickly offered his hand to Song Jiang so that Song Jiang could hold it.

Song Jiang looked at Guo Sheng with deep affection:

"Brother, tell me, how has Song Jiang treated you?"

Guo Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said:
"My brother treated me with deep affection and loyalty, like a brother to me!"

Song Jiang then asked, "How does Song Jiang treat the Lü Fang brothers?"

Why are we bringing up Lü Fang again?
Guo Sheng was puzzled, and tentatively said:
"Treat him like a younger brother..."

Song Jiang asked again, "Has Song Jiang ever wronged you in any way?"

Guo Sheng categorically denied it: "Absolutely not!"

"Since there is no ..."

Song Jiang asked again, "Why did Brother Lü Fang also join the Cai family?"

"what?"

Guo Sheng was stunned: "Lu Fang has sided with the Cai family?"

"That's impossible, he didn't even tell me..."

Guo Sheng and Lü Fang became friends after a fight.

After joining Song Jiang, the two brothers were always seen together.

Although their friendship wasn't as deep as that of Lu Zhishen and Wu Song, who would entrust their wives and children to each other, Guo Sheng and Lü Fang were still considered close friends.

So Guo Sheng was stunned, because before this there was no indication that Lü Fang intended to join Cai Fu.

Seeing that Guo Sheng's reaction didn't seem fake, Song Jiang shook his head with a wry smile:
Song Jiang knew that Cai Fu was now very powerful.

"It's only natural for the Lü brothers to seek profit and avoid harm..."

Guo Sheng: "..."

Song Jiang grasped Guo Sheng's hand tightly, his eyes filled with tears, and said to Guo Sheng:
"Brother, if you also want to leave Song Jiang..."

Guo Sheng quickly shook his head: "Brother, what are you saying?"

"What I hate most in my life is fickle people!"

"Now that I have followed you, brother, I will remain loyal to you until the end, even unto death!"

"Brothers!"

Tears welled up in Song Jiang's eyes as he gripped Guo Sheng's hand tightly, as if he were holding onto that spring of the seventh year of the Zhenghe era...

Guo Sheng left Song Jiang's house with a heavy heart.

Lu Fang's house was right next to Guo Sheng's house. Guo Sheng walked to Lu Fang's door and stood there for a long time.

He wanted to ask Lü Fang why.

But in the end, he didn't knock on the door and silently walked towards his own home.

"Why did you come back?"

In the pitch-black night, a familiar voice rang out at Guo Sheng's door.

Guo Sheng looked closely and saw that it was indeed Lü Fang!

"Brother, I've made up my mind."

Finding nothing amiss with Guo Sheng, Lü Fang took his hand:
"We're going to pledge allegiance to the Second Chieftain!"

"It's sudden, but I've made up my mind. Brother, come along too!"

Why didn't you say it earlier?

Guo Sheng avoided Lü Fang's expectant gaze:

"Then I wish you a bright future."

Lü Fang was stunned.

He assumed Guo Sheng would be with him, so he waited for Guo Sheng here after leaving Cai Fujia's house.

He waited from sunset until dark and windy night, but unexpectedly... Guo Sheng slowly withdrew his hand from Lü Fang's, silently opened the door, went inside, and closed the door.

Lu Fang stared blankly at his empty palm.

After a long pause, he shook his head and silently returned home.

From then on, they went their separate ways.

……

Meanwhile, Cai Fuzheng and Fang Jie had a late-night talk by candlelight.

"Brother Jie, why?"

The candlelight flickered, and Cai Fu stared intently at Fang Jie, making Fang Jie feel as if he had nowhere to hide.

"His Majesty wants to kill me!"

Fang Jie lowered his gaze, avoiding Cai Fu's seemingly piercing eyes, and stared at the flickering candlelight as he said:

"Right in front of my grandfather's mourning hall!"

Du Wei stood behind His Majesty, holding a throwing knife!

"He thought I wouldn't see the throwing knife if he hid it behind his back, but I could see the murderous intent in his eyes!"

Cai Fu was stunned: "Could there be some misunderstanding?"

"No misunderstanding!"

Fang Jie clenched his fists involuntarily:
"His Majesty's assassination and my grandfather's suicide must be connected..."

Cai Fu asked in surprise, "Who told you that?"

Fang Jie shook his head with a wry smile: "Nobody told me."

"But I'm not stupid. Why would His Majesty want to kill me in front of my grandfather's funeral?"
"Before this, His Majesty treated me like his own son. Why did His Majesty want to kill me in front of my grandfather's mourning hall?"

Cai Fu: "But His Majesty did not kill you."

"Because he realized I knew nothing, and he also realized I never intended to kill him..."

Fang Jie's eyes welled up with tears:

"My father died early, but I've always considered him my father!"

Cai Fu: "..."

Fang Jie's tears welled up in his eyes:

"But he is not my father, he is His Majesty."

Cai Fu sighed: "The most ruthless thing is the imperial family..."

“While I was observing the mourning period for my grandfather, His Majesty sent an imperial edict from Qingxi, relieving me of my duties as General of the Imperial Guard and Commander-in-Chief of all the inner and outer armies.”

Fang Jie's eyes were blurred with tears:

"I am hereby granted the title of Duke of Anguo, and shall be permanently stationed in Shezhou."

Cai Fu had nothing to say.

This looks like a promotion for Fang Jie.

But anyone with eyes to see knows that Fang La no longer trusts Fang Jie as much as before.

Fang Jie has withdrawn from the power center of the South.

Even if you treat someone as your own child, they are ultimately not your own.

Fang Jie added, "I don't want to be the Duke of Anguo."

"That's why I resigned my post and came to Liangshan Marsh to find you..."

Cai Fu asked directly:

"Brother Jie, I am His Majesty's son-in-law. Why did you choose to serve me?"

Fang Jie's tears immediately receded:

Don't misunderstand!
"I just came to see if the stories you told me about Guan Yu's descendants, Little Zhang Fei, Little Conqueror, Little Huang Zhong, and Little Marquis Wen are really true."

"But after meeting Little Marquis Wen today, he's nothing special!"

Cai Fu laughed: "Some are genuinely luxurious, while others are just empty boasts; you'll have to find out for yourself."

"Liangshan Marsh is full of hidden talents, many of them are heroes with the courage of ten thousand men. Brother Jie, if you like it, feel free to stay!"

"Spar with a great hero every day, and I guarantee you won't repeat yourself for six months!"

"Okay!"

Fang Jie's brows relaxed:
"Brother-in-law, I heard there's a guy surnamed Song who's been going against you. Tomorrow I'm going to challenge one of his top fighters!"

"By the way, aren't Little Zhang Fei and Little Huang Zhong his subordinates?"
"Dare to go against my brother-in-law? Deal with him!"

Cai Fu laughed heartily: "Take him down!"

[Don't worry, there's more to come. Let's give them some monthly tickets and recommendation votes!]

(End of this chapter)