Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

Sunlight streamed through the wooden cabin windows, illuminating the bedding on the bed and filling the room with light.

Zhang Shan's eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, and a smile spread across his eyebrows.

For many years, he has never had a good night's sleep, let alone woke up naturally.

In his past life, he had two simple goals.

One person counts money until their hands cramp, while the other sleeps until they naturally wake up.

When I was young, I always felt that my first goal could be achieved with a little effort, and my mind was full of thoughts about making money.

It wasn't until I entered the workforce that I realized how difficult it is to make money, and my first goal was ultimately out of reach.

Later on, even sleeping in became a luxury. Every day, I was startled awake by the alarm clock, squeezed onto the subway with dark circles under my eyes, and rushed to work, without even a moment to catch my breath.

Now, one of them has finally come true.

He propped himself up on his arms and sat up abruptly, stretching his arms overhead. His bones cracked and popped, and the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days dissipated with that stretch.

"So comfortable, so comfortable!"

He muttered to himself, his whole body relaxed, his mind and body felt light and refreshed, and he was instantly revitalized, even his eyes brightened a bit.

He got up, put on his coarse cloth robe, walked to the basin of water in the corner of the room, scooped up some cold water and splashed it on his face. The icy touch instantly made his mind clearer.

Pushing open the door, I saw two brothers standing guard at the entrance.

Zhang Shan stepped forward, raised his hand, and patted the two men on the shoulder: "Thank you for your hard work!"

The two men immediately straightened their backs: "It's nothing, Chieftain, you're the one who's really working hard!"

They were both speaking from the heart, their faces full of sincerity.

Before Zhang Shan went up the mountain, they followed Wang Lun, and they were always hungry and lived in constant fear.

Since Zhang Shan joined Liangshan, killed Wang Heng who had oppressed the villagers, and seized grain and gold and silver, enabling them to eat their fill and stay warm, no longer suffering from hunger or living in constant fear,

Who doesn't admire this chieftain from the bottom of their heart these days?

Zhang Shan smiled, said nothing more, patted the two men's arms, and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

Before even getting close to the kitchen, you could smell a mixture of rice and meat aromas, along with the crackling of firewood and the sounds of pots and pans being stirred.

Pushing open the door, several large, black iron pots were placed in the center of the kitchen, steaming from them. Inside were pots full of a mixed stew, with white rice, green vegetables, and bits of meat mixed together, bubbling and splashing with tiny drops of oil.

When the kitchen manager saw Zhang Shan enter, he quickly put down his spatula and hurried over, carrying a rough porcelain bowl and a warm steamed bun.

"Chief, you've arrived!" He said with a smile. "This is the leftover mutton from last night. I made mutton soup, and there are also freshly steamed flatbreads. I specially saved them for you; they're still warm."

Zhang Shan reached out and took it, his gaze falling on the pot. He frowned slightly, pointed at the large pot, and asked, "Brothers, is this what you usually eat?"

The head of the kitchen was stunned, his smile instantly froze, and his face flushed red. He hurriedly rubbed his hands and explained in a flurry, "Chief, I didn't mean to! These are all leftovers from last night's victory celebration. I thought it would be a waste to throw them away, so I cooked a lot."

He became more and more anxious as he spoke, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, as if he was afraid of doing something wrong and upsetting Zhang Shan.

Zhang Shan waved his hand, his tone calm, to dispel his concerns: "It's not that I think you did a bad job. Go and call Si Lang over. I have something to say to him."

He could tell that the person had misunderstood him.

It's not his fault; it's all the mess left by Wang Lun.

When Wang Lun was in charge, he lived a life of luxury, while his men couldn't even get a full meal. Over time, they became accustomed to being frugal and didn't dare to overstep any boundaries for fear of getting into trouble.

The kitchen manager breathed a sigh of relief, quickly replied "Okay," and turned to run out.

A moment later, Li Si came running over, panting: "Third Brother, what did you call me for?"

Zhang Shan pointed to the bench next to him and said with a smile, "Sit down, have you eaten?"

Li Si nodded, pulled up a stool and sat down: "I've eaten."

"What did you eat?" Zhang Shan picked up the mutton soup, took a sip, and felt the warmth slide down his throat into his stomach. He continued to ask with a smile.

Li Si was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "It's the same food that Third Brother eats."

Zhang Shan put down his bowl, leaned forward slightly, patted Li Si's shoulder, and said in a serious tone, "Si Lang, do you remember how we survived in Tokyo? Back then, did we eat the same things as all the brothers around us?"

Li Si's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood what Zhang Shan meant.

They were people who had experienced hardship, drifting on the streets of Tokyo, sharing cold rice cakes and drinking cold water, never distinguishing between high and low status. This tacit understanding needed no words; they both knew it.

"Third Brother, I understand!" Li Si sat up straight, his tone sincere. "These are all broken rules left by Wang Lun. I didn't think much about them and just followed the old ways, ignoring the feelings of the brothers."

He paused, then frowned and said truthfully, "But Third Brother, our stronghold has several hundred people, and we don't have enough food or gold and silver. If all the brothers eat according to the leader's standards, the food consumption will be too great, and I'm afraid the pressure on the stronghold will be even greater, and we might not be able to hold on."

Zhang Shan nodded; he was also aware of his current situation.

Liangshan was newly established and its foundation was not yet stable. Food and gold and silver were scarce, so it was impossible to become fat in one bite.

"You can't get fat in one bite. Take it slow." He looked at Li Si and softened his tone. "Think about it and try to improve the brothers' meals. We don't have to make it the best all at once, but at least make sure everyone can eat their fill and see some meat at every meal. If they have something to look forward to, they'll be more willing to follow us."

Li Si nodded emphatically, his eyes resolute: "Third Brother, don't worry, I understand! I'll go and sort things out right away, and think of a way to make sure the brothers eat well and don't waste food."

"Good brother." Zhang Shan patted his shoulder again, his tone sincere and without a trace of falsehood. "You know our current situation. Without these hundreds of brothers following and protecting us, even if we, Brother Lin Chong, and Brother Lu Zhishen are very capable, we won't be able to gain a foothold in this world and protect Liangshan."

He didn't spout any grand theories; they were just family, speaking the truth, and everyone understood each other.

Li Si nodded repeatedly; how could he not understand the importance of unity?

The two sat for a while longer, chatting about trivial matters in the mountain village.

After their conversation, Zhang Shan stood up, dusted himself off, and flashed a hearty smile. "Let's go, call a meeting of the leaders. Today, Big Guy is going to be a leader too!"

Upon hearing this, Li Si immediately burst into laughter, slapping his thigh and exclaiming, "Haha! I've heard about it too! Big Guy did a great job in Wangjia Village this time, he didn't embarrass us!"

"The other brothers were also very envious, and they trained extra hard, all of them holding back their energy, hoping to make a name for themselves and become leaders."

Zhang Shan smiled and shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness but also with relief: "Tell the brothers to act according to their abilities, don't push yourselves too hard. Not everyone is suited for the battlefield. Defending the stronghold and doing your own job well are all merits, there's no need to fight to the death."

The two walked side by side toward the council hall. Along the way, the brothers bowed and greeted Zhang Shan with respect, calling him "Chief" in unison.

Before long, the two arrived at the entrance of the council hall.

Wang Wu was standing at the door, head down, pacing back and forth, his expression a mixture of barely concealed excitement and a hint of unease.

Seeing this, Zhang Shan couldn't help but laugh. He stepped forward, grabbed the man's arm, and pulled him into the hall: "Haha, big guy, what are you doing hiding by the door? Come on in! You're too shy to take the leader's position?"

Wang Wu was pulled so hard he stumbled. He quickly steadied himself, scratched his head, and blushed even more. He muttered somewhat embarrassedly, "Third Brother, I... I'm a little embarrassed. I've never been a leader before, and I'm afraid I won't do a good job."

"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Zhang Shan patted his shoulder, his tone cheerful. "You earned this leadership position through your own hard work and achievements. It's all aboveboard, so what's there to be afraid of?"

As they spoke, the three of them entered the council hall.