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

Chapter 389 Song Jiang: You also want to take me for a reward? [1st update]

Yang Zaixing shook his head: "No..."

Cai Fu frowned even more deeply, his single eyelids even turning into double eyelids:
"not a single one?"

Well, Cai Fu felt that although everyone had different ideas, it didn't have to be so disloyal, did it?

He traveled all the way from Liangshan Marsh to Erlong Mountain to rescue him, but Song Jiang didn't send a single soldier?
No, do they really think they're being taken advantage of?

"Those bastards!"

Lu Zhishen, with his fiery temper, immediately launched into a tirade of curses:

"I've traveled a thousand miles to save them!"

"They're sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight?"

Wu Song also cursed loudly: "They've occupied our Erlong Mountain, yet not a single one of them has a man!"

Yang Zhi, Han Shizhong, Liu Tang and the others started cursing, and all the heroes of Liangshan were filled with righteous indignation!
After they had finished cursing, Cai Fu waved his hand dismissively:
"Alright, let's deal with the surrendered soldiers and spoils first, then go up the mountain to confront them and demand an explanation!"

Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Han Shizhong then went about their own business, as there were simply too many surrendered soldiers...

Meanwhile, on the cliffs of Erlong Mountain, Song Jiang and Wu Yong were trapped by their henchmen.

Song Jiang's two disciples, Kong Ming and Kong Liang, each wielding a broadsword, stood in front of them, their faces fierce but their hearts weak.

There are more than two hundred henchmen who have trapped them here.

Although these henchmen were all emaciated and swayed as they stood, their eyes gleamed with a fierce light!

Like a pack of starving wolves!

"Capture Song Jiang and go claim your reward from the imperial court!"

"And strategists too, strategists are very valuable!"

"What kind of time is this? Kongming and Kong Liang are still risking their lives for Song Jiang. What benefits can he possibly give you?"

"Once the government troops have eliminated the reinforcements, they will break through the pass! Rather than putting up a stubborn resistance, we might as well surrender!"

"Kongming, Kongliang, if you capture Song Jiang and Wu Yong and hand them over to the imperial court, the court will reward you with riches and honors!"

The henchmen used the simplest and most direct language to stir people's hearts and persuade Kongming and Kongliang.

The simplest and most direct approach is often the most effective, and even Kongming and Kongliang were somewhat swayed.

They were indeed loyal to Song Jiang, but it was somewhat unfair to make them lose their lives.

But the bond between master and disciple is like that between father and son; they simply couldn't bring themselves to hand Song Jiang over to the imperial court...

"Surrender means certain death!"

Wu Yong, waving his goose feather fan, engaged in a verbal battle with the assembled scholars:

"You're exchanging us for money, don't you think you're worthless yourselves?"
"They'd rather kill you all and get the reward money than give it to you!"

“You’re right. To the government troops, we are a reward, but you are a reward too!”

"Surrender means certain death. We might as well cooperate with the reinforcements from within and without, and maybe we can fight our way out!"
"This is our only way to survive!"

Kongming and Kong Liang's wavering hearts returned; indeed, Wu Yong's words made much more sense than those of the lowly minions.

Song Jiang pressed his advantage: "Don't be impulsive!"
"We've endured so much for so long, and finally the reinforcements arrived, but you want to start fighting amongst yourselves?"
"Listen to Song Jiang's words. Instead of fighting amongst ourselves here, we should break out and join forces with the reinforcements to attack from both sides and carve out a bloody path!"
"When word gets out in the martial arts world that we defeated 300,000 government troops with a smaller force, everyone will be proud!"

"If you betray us to the imperial court now, even if you save your lives, how will you survive in the martial world in the future?"

"Will you still have a place in the martial arts world?"

Just as Song Jiang and Wu Yong were spitting as they spoke, a general led a group of henchmen and charged up!
Those two hundred-odd henchmen were no match for him, and he quickly scattered them!

Looking at him, Song Jiang noticed that, setting aside the crooked nose and one ear, this general was handsome and dashing!

Wielding a pair of silver spears, he possessed the courage of ten thousand men; he was none other than the "Double Spear General" Dong Ping!
"Brother Dong Ping!"

Song Jiang was so moved he almost cried, but Wu Yong instinctively grabbed his hand.

Song Jiang was taken aback, only then realizing that Dong Ping's gaze held three parts coldness, three parts sinister intent, three parts ruthlessness, and a touch of pity...

Song Jiang's heart sank: Oh no, Dong Ping also wants to take the reward from me!
Fortunately, before Dong Ping could make a move, another large group of people rushed up. Dong Ping turned around and saw that it was Lin Chong and Qin Ming.

Lin Chong ultimately saved Qin Ming, and the two joined forces to scatter the group of rebellious henchmen.

But chaos had already broken out on the mountain. They couldn't care less about going down the mountain to coordinate with the reinforcements; they had to come to rescue Song Jiang first.

Upon seeing them, Dong Ping knew that the situation was hopeless, so he called out:
"Hmph! Instructor Lin, Steward Qin, you've come at the perfect time!"

"I have already rescued Brother Song Gongming, and I still need to go elsewhere to quell the rebel army. I'll be going now!"

"Brother Dong Ping, you've worked hard!"

Lin Chong and Qin Ming, unaware of the situation, let Dong Ping leave before reporting to Song Jiang and Wu Yong:
"Brother, something's wrong!

"I don't know who instigated the henchmen, but a lot of rebels have appeared on the mountain!"

Song Jiang was terrified. He grabbed Lin Chong's hand with one hand and Qin Ming's hand with the other, and said bitterly:

"If you hadn't arrived in time, Dong Ping would have attacked us too!"

"what?"

Qin Ming said angrily, "That scoundrel Dong Ping has a wicked look on his face. I told him long ago that he was unreliable!"

"Instructor Lin, you protect Brother Song Gongming, I'll go get him!"

"Wait a minute!"

Song Jiang quickly grabbed Qin Ming's hand tightly:

"Our priority now is to concentrate our forces and quell the rebellion!"

"Send men to find the other leaders; more people means more strength..."

Wu Yong added from the side, "Brother, why don't we all go and close it!"

"To prevent the mutinous troops from taking this opportunity to open the gates and let the government troops in!"

Song Jiang: "The strategist is right, let's go and close the gate first!"

……

A group of lowly thugs gathered in the large canteen, rummaging through drawers and cupboards in an attempt to find something to eat.

"Damn it! Not a single grain of rice can be found!"

"I clearly saw the leader even having porridge to eat!"

"Fuck your mother! We're all born of parents, yet the leader gets porridge while we're destined to starve?"

The henchmen were cursing and swearing, when suddenly a voice came out from nowhere:
"Surrender is the way to go!"

"That's it!"

No one noticed who said "surrender," but the words immediately resonated with everyone.

"Rather than starve to death here or be killed by the government troops, we might as well open the gates and surrender!"

"Who's willing to die with Timely Rain? We want to live!"

"I heard that the reinforcements have all been annihilated by the government troops. We have nowhere to go. If we don't surrender now, when will we?"

The henchmen chattered amongst themselves, when suddenly someone interjected:
"Capture Song Jiang and surrender; you can even get a reward!"

"Yes!"

The henchmen were immediately reminded by this person, and someone immediately said, "Let's go, let's go capture Song Jiang!"

"Let's go together!"

The henchmen were so hungry their eyes were bloodshot, and with someone instigating them, they all rushed to arrest Song Jiang.

After they left, Zhang Qing emerged from behind the wall, chuckled, and went off to another event.

(End of this chapter)