Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

The innkeeper was taken aback, then slowly nodded: "This is indeed Liangshan Marsh. May I ask where you gentlemen come from?"

Zhang Shan smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he pointed to the lake and said, "I've heard there's a Yuncheng County nearby?"

"Yes, just keep walking forward, that's it." The shopkeeper said as he instructed the waiter to prepare the food.

Zhang Shan continued smiling, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Why have we noticed there are fewer and fewer pedestrians here as we've walked this far?"

The shopkeeper said with a wry smile, "Esteemed guests, you may not know this, but the world is not peaceful these days. People are suffering and have nothing to eat. There are bandits and outlaws everywhere. Fortunately, there are many of you."

"That's true, the world is not peaceful these days," Zhang Shan echoed, and then began to observe the large lake.

This strategically important and vital transportation route was turned into a place for robbery and plunder by Wang Lun.

What a waste!

Historically, major transportation routes and waterway intersections have always been bustling commercial hubs.

Now it's almost completely desolate because of Wang Lun, he's quite a talent!

"Let's go." Seeing that everything was ready, Zhang Shan had a high probability of guessing who the hotel owner was.

However, since he had no intention of joining Liangshan directly, he naturally didn't say anything more.

The large group of people moved forward slowly.

The hotel manager watched the group of people walk further and further away, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

"Shopkeeper, are we just going to watch them leave like that?"

"Yeah, it's been half a month, and this is the first group of people to arrive."

The cooks under their command were getting anxious. Fewer and fewer merchants were coming from the vicinity of Liangshan, and they were almost running out of ways to make a living.

"I can't figure out this group of people; they don't seem like business people," the shopkeeper said slowly.

"Furthermore, these leaders are all skilled in martial arts; didn't you see they have bows and arrows and spears?"

"And the strongest one, his staff probably weighs dozens of kilograms."

The waiter and cook were stunned, saying in disbelief, "Really dozens of kilograms? It can't be fake, can it?"

"Hmph, go and see over there, see if there are any marks on the ground where heavy objects have been placed on it." The shopkeeper was a little angry that these people dared to doubt his judgment.

Do they really think they're in charge for nothing?

The two men walked over, squatted down, and saw that it was indeed a shallow pit, which was still normal for picking up and putting down.

If it hits someone, that would be terrible.

He was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat, and didn't mention the incident again.

There's a cost to robbery; if several brothers die in each robbery, no one will be willing to rob anymore.

They mostly robbed individuals or groups of three to five people.

However, there have been fewer and fewer passersby lately, and the brothers on the mountain are almost unable to make ends meet.

On the other side, Zhang Shan was also ready.

If Liangshan is foolish enough to come down and plunder, we can easily wipe them out and give them a taste of their power.

"Third brother, are we going into the city?" Lin Chong asked, having just heard that Yuncheng County had been mentioned.

Zhang Shan gently shook his head: "No, let's go to Shijie Village first."

"Go to Shijie Village? What's that place? What are we going there for?" Lu Zhishen asked, puzzled.

Zhang Shan smiled and said, "We need to find three heroes. With them, we can successfully join the Liangshan bandits!"

"Okay, we'll do whatever you say." Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong nodded at the same time, without any objection.

Lu Zhishen was a traveler; he traveled alone, venturing across the country.

That's how he came to know the hardships along the way.

Under Zhang Shan's command, they traveled safely the entire way, except for encountering high obstacles, which was a great achievement.

Everyone saw all of this, including the way Gao Qiu was dealt with.

Without Zhang Shan, who knows what kind of trouble might have occurred.

They are not children, nor are they naive and ignorant of the ways of the world, who believe that peace and smooth sailing are simply a given.

For ordinary people, life is always difficult.

If you feel safe and happy, it's highly likely that your family is silently supporting you.

After asking around, the group finally arrived at Shijie Village.

Right beside Liangshan Marsh, there is an inconspicuous little village.

Along the lake, they saw at least four or five such villages built along the lake.

Throughout the entire Liangshan Marshland, there are countless such inconspicuous villages.

"Excuse me, is this Shijie Village?" Zhang Shan asked with a smile as he approached an old man.

"Yes, what can I do for you, sir?" the old man asked.

Zhang Shan smiled and said, "I must be tired from the journey. I'd like to find a hotel to rest."

"The village hotel is in poor condition and probably can't accommodate so many of us." The old man saw that Zhang Shan and his group were quite large, and there were also carriages and horses, so they were obviously not ordinary travelers.

"Old man, we're all just travelers, no need for such formalities. Please lead the way," Zhang Shan said with a smile.

"Alright, I happen to run a village shop. If you don't mind, you can come to my house," the old man said with a smile.

The food and drinks consumed by so many people are equivalent to almost half a month's income for him.

"May I ask your honorable name, sir?" Zhang Shan followed and walked forward.

"The old man's surname is Shi. Don't be fooled by the name Shijie Village; there aren't many people with the surname Shi. There are people with the surnames Zhang, Wang, and even Ruan." Old Man Shi was quite talkative.

"Our place is not like the surrounding areas. The Liangshan Marsh rises and falls, and it is connected to the Yellow River. This year there is nothing wrong, but next year it may flood our village."

"So, there weren't many wealthy families; they were all poor people who relied on the water to make a living."

Zhang Shan listened attentively. He knew some of it because he was originally from Shandong, and his hometown was near the Yellow River.

I have genuine reverence for the Yellow River.

It's just that the area was managed well in later generations; otherwise, it would have long since become a swamp.

"Old man, you just mentioned someone with the surname Ruan. What's their name? That's a very rare surname," Zhang Shan continued to ask.

The old man also became interested and said with a smile, "I don't know where they moved from, but the Ruan family has three brothers, named Ruan Xiao Er, Ruan Xiao Wu, and Ruan Xiao Qi. Their swimming skills are all top-notch. Not to mention our village, even in the surrounding villages, no one can compare to them."

Those who live by the water naturally have great respect for those who are skilled in water.

Just as a person with a powerful backer has great respect for someone skilled in hunting.

"Oh, I love making friends with heroes. I wonder if you could invite these three brothers over for a chat later?" Zhang Shan said, just wondering how to start the conversation.

After saying that, he took out a silver ingot from his pocket and said with a smile, "This place has mountains and rivers, outstanding people and beautiful scenery. I might stay here for a few more days. Let me give the old man a deposit first."

Old Man Shi was overjoyed to see the silver and took it, saying, "This is no trouble at all. Please wait a moment while I prepare some food for you."

After saying that, he turned around and went off to get busy.

"Big brother, second brother, let the brothers rest a bit, and your wife can come down and rest too." Zhang Shan looked much more relaxed.

Having reached this point, we've essentially succeeded more than halfway.

If all goes well, we can rest for a few days and then head to Liangshan!