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

Chapter 764 Xu Guanzhong: Song Jiang, the traitor who served three masters! [1st Update]

"Tie Niu, how dare you be so rude!"

Song Jiang glared at Li Kui again, then spoke to Xu Guanzhong with humility and politeness:

"My brother is impetuous, please forgive him, sir!"
Song Jiang had long heard that the gentleman was both a scholar and a warrior, proficient in military strategy and martial arts, and knowledgeable in music, chess, calligraphy and painting!

"Proficient in the languages ​​of Khitan, Jurchen, Tangut, Tibetan, and Mongolian countries!"
"What's most remarkable is that he has traveled extensively to famous mountains and rivers, and is knowledgeable about geography. He is known in the martial arts world as a 'living map'!"
"Song Jiang dares to humbly request that you, sir, come out of seclusion and assist me in conquering the world and bringing peace to the people!"

After saying this, Song Jiang pushed over the Golden Mountain and the Jade Pillar, and knelt down in front of Xu Guanzhong, as if to say, "I won't get up until you leave the mountain."

Xu Guanzhong sneered: "You are now the marshal of the Jin Kingdom!"

"Whose realm is being conquered, and whose people are being brought peace?"

"Sir, you are mistaken!"

Song Jiang had already prepared his explanation, and he began to speak immediately:
"The Song Dynasty was ruled by a tyrannical and incompetent emperor, with treacherous officials seizing power and Prince Qi causing chaos by indiscriminately killing innocent people!"

"Sir, you helped me destroy the Great Song Dynasty and eliminate the Prince of Qi. This is a great act of merit that saved the people from suffering!"

"It's full of nonsense!"

Xu Guanzhong retorted without any politeness:

"You traitor, you sell out your country for personal gain, and you still have the audacity to claim that you are saving the people from suffering!"
"No need for further words, Marshal Song, please do not defile this peaceful place of mine!"

"Whoa, whoa--"

Li Kui flew into a rage and rushed forward to kick Xu Guanzhong, but Song Jiang stopped him.

"Tie Niu, stop!"

"Oh!"

Xu Guanzhong had already been kicked to the ground by Li Kui...

"Stop!"

Song Jiang shoved Li Kui aside in annoyance and reached out to help Xu Guanzhong, but Xu Guanzhong shook him off.

Xu Guanzhong coughed up blood and then burst into laughter:
"That would be best, then the world would know that I do not wish to associate with you!"

Left with no other choice, Song Jiang bowed to Xu Guanzhong and left behind a bag of silver.
"A small token of my appreciation..."

"Oh!"

Xu Guanzhong kicked the silver out of the gate, then took off his shoes and threw them out as well.

"Please come, Marshal Song!"

"Boy, bring a shovel and shovel out the dirt that Marshal Song and his men trampled!"

Song Jiang's expression changed several times, but he ultimately held back and pulled Li Kui, who was still trying to kick someone, out of the room.

Li Kui kept cursing and swearing:
"You're giving him too much credit!"
"Who does he think he is, daring to be disrespectful to my older brother!"

After walking five miles, Song Jiang let out a cold laugh:
"Xu Guanzhong was not only a man of both literary and military talent, but also possessed a map of the mountains and rivers..."

Li Kui curled his lip and said, "Who doesn't have a map of mountains and rivers?"
"We have those too, why should we ask him for them?"

Song Jiang snorted: "What do you know? Our map of mountains and rivers only knows the place names, not the terrain!"
"His map of mountains and rivers even marked a valley and a small river!"

"I am eager to recruit talent and wholeheartedly want to bring him to join our righteous cause, so I have no choice but to resort to this last resort!"

Yang Fan, nicknamed "Little Tyrant," was new and, not knowing what was going on, asked curiously:

"Brother, what's the worst option?"

"Please ask Eighth Brother (Yue Zhen) to lead men disguised as Qi soldiers, capture Xu Guanzhong, and burn down his thatched hut!"
"We broke through midway and rescued Xu Guanzhong..."

At this point, Song Jiang noticed Yang Fan's strange expression and quickly added:
"This is something we had to do in order to be able to join forces with Brother Xu!"
"Wouldn't it be a waste of his talent if he were to grow old and die in these deep mountains and forests?"

Yang Fan thought about it and agreed.

So Song Jiang returned to the army and discussed the matter with Wu Yong. They then sent Yue Zhen, disguised as a Qi soldier, to capture Xu Guanzhong the next day. Yue Zhen went that very night, intending to tip off Xu Guanzhong so that he would defect to Cai Fu.

However, to his surprise, Xu Guanzhong's house was already deserted...

In fact, as soon as Song Jiang and his men left, Xu Guanzhong immediately packed his valuables, put his elderly mother on a carriage, and fled.

The blond-haired boy asked Xu Guanzhong as he drove the cart:
Why did the master leave in such a hurry?

"You may not know this, but Song Jiang was originally known as 'Timely Rain,' and he was quite a figure in the martial arts world."

Xu Guanzhong shook his head and sighed: "Before the King of Qi succeeded, he was originally the King of Qi's first general!"
"But greedy for wealth and glory, he first served the imperial court and then the Jin state, truly a slave to three masters!"
"He and Wu Yong, the 'wise strategist,' are adept at using treacherous schemes to cut off people's escape routes and force them to join the Liangshan bandits!"

"If I don't hurry on my way, I'm afraid he'll send men disguised as government troops to arrest me tomorrow!"

The blond-haired boy suddenly realized, "Master is right, but where should we go now?"

Xu Guanzhong sighed: "The world is in chaos, and the country is in peril. How can an ordinary person protect himself?"
"In this world today, only the King of Qi can protect the country and its people!"

"Of course we're going to seek refuge with the King of Qi!"

Yellow-haired boy: d(=^ω^=)b
……

Shaanzhou.

The prefect was sweating profusely with anxiety and asked the military commander:

"We've been besieged by that treacherous Wang Fu for days, what should we do?"

The military commander had repelled several attacks by Wang Fu's army, but was seriously wounded and could only manage a bitter smile.

"My lord, I don't know what to do either."

"We can only deal with whatever comes our way and wait for reinforcements from the imperial court..."

The prefect muttered anxiously in a low voice, "How could the imperial court possibly care about us now?"
"His Majesty has passed away. We don't know who the new ruler is, or who will send reinforcements to save us."

The military commander thought for a moment and said, "Your Excellency, according to my observation, the enemy seems to be putting in some effort but not putting in any real work..."

The prefect was taken aback: "Why is that?"

Just then, Wang Fu shouted again from below the city walls:
"Open the city gates and surrender, why sit and wait to die?"
"The Song Dynasty is dead!"
"Now that the Jin Dynasty has a million-strong army marching south, the Central Plains can no longer be defended!"
“I have been granted the title of Prince of Jin by the Great Jin Kingdom. If you surrender, I will appoint you as the Prefect, Minister, and Military Commander, Inspector!”
"Otherwise, once I break through the city, I will slaughter you all, leaving not a single one alive!"

Did the Jin Dynasty send a million-strong army south?

The prefect and the military commander exchanged a glance, both seeing despair in each other's eyes.

Whether the Jin Dynasty's million-strong army was real or not is unknown...

But if he didn't have a million-strong army, Wang Fu would have already become the Privy Councilor in the Song Dynasty. What would he have gained by surrendering to the Jin Dynasty?

Just as they were in despair, the Song soldiers guarding the city suddenly pointed to a line of firelight ahead and exclaimed in surprise:

"Husband, look! What's that!"

The prefect and the military commander looked around and saw a strange man riding on a pair of fire wheels!
That strange creature had two heads, four arms, and four legs—it was unheard of!

Slow!

The military commander finally saw clearly: "Your Excellency, isn't that one person carrying another on their back?"

Wang Fu also found out. He didn't know who had come, but he figured it couldn't be one of his own.

"Archers prepare!"

Wang Fu immediately shouted, "Shoot him!"

Seeing the strange man carrying someone rushing into the air within an arrow's reach on wheels of fire, the Jin soldiers immediately unleashed a volley of arrows:

"Shuashuashua——"

Arrows rained down, enveloping the strange man carrying someone on his back. Now, the moment of witnessing a miracle was about to begin!
The strange man opened one eye on his forehead, and a beam of golden light shot out with a "whoosh"!
(End of this chapter)