A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 222 A Great Wind Rises, Where Can We Find Brave Warriors?

"Speak properly. Why bother with such elaborate gestures all the time?"

Guan Luoyang reached out and lifted Li Ying up from a distance with a surge of vital energy. "My boat is moving slowly, and it will take quite a while to reach Liangshan. Don't be anxious. Explain the whole story clearly so that I can make a judgment."

"You said there will be a major battle at Liangshan soon, and you seem to know a lot about the place. Could it be that you two are currently staying there?"

Li Jun couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up with his sword in his hand and said, "This matter actually started with me. Brother Li Ying can be said to have been implicated by me."

Since Li Jun was named and recruited into the army by the imperial court's recruitment notice, he first followed the government troops to fight river bandits, and later was assigned to fight against the Western Xia. He eventually reached the border river between the Song and Liao dynasties and clashed with the Liao navy.

More than half a year ago, Li Jun suffered a serious injury on the border river. He was granted permission by Han Shizhong, the general guarding the border river, to return to his hometown to recuperate.

He joined the army and fought many battles, winning many victories. He thought that the current emperor was wise and that when he returned home in glory, he would see a peaceful and prosperous scene with no wind rustling the branches and green fields.

Who knew that on his way back to his hometown, he would find that the situation was even more dire than during the reign of Emperor Daojun. Less than one in ten of his fellow villagers were still alive; they had either been taken to the mines or fled to other places. The village houses were dilapidated, and the village port that he used to rely on for a living was deserted, with the wooden planks hollowed out by insects.

After making careful inquiries, Li Jun learned that although Emperor Daojun's tribute of flowers and stones had been abolished, newly opened mines in various places still needed miners to work.

Every month and every quarter, boatloads and cartloads of minerals were transported by land and water throughout the country to the army and Bianliang (Kaifeng) to supply the border troops for training and the needs of the emperor and the imperial guards. Countless laborers suffered as a result.

Li Jun was a knowledgeable man who had a general idea of ​​the number of mines in the country. He also knew how much minerals an elite army like Han Shizhong's, which guarded the frontier, needed. With a rough calculation, he knew that the output from the mines in various places, which squeezed lives to supply the army, far exceeded the army's needs.

He went into the city to find the governor of Luzhou and discovered that even the servants of the wealthy families in the city had learned demonic cultivation techniques. The warehouses of each family were piled high with minerals, and they spent their days chewing on the minerals, breathing in and out vital energy, riding horses in the long streets, and hunting outside the city, living a very happy life.

The ore that was desperately mined in mines across the country was exploited layer by layer, with most of it ending up in the pockets of local officials and gentry. They were used to support their families and recruit guards and servants. Once their relatives and children were numerous, the government would order the miners to reduce their rest and mine day and night.

Li Jun, considering his merits in the army and his official position, originally did not want to turn against the prefect. He simply pleaded with the prefect, saying that this was like draining the pond to catch all the fish, and hoped that he could restrain the wealthy households and gentry and restrain himself.

The prefect readily agreed, but after Li Jun returned to his hometown, he made no changes whatsoever. Li Jun tried to contact him three times in vain, and in a fit of anger, he decided to go to Bianliang to appeal. However, when he arrived in Bianliang, he discovered that the situation there was even worse than in Luzhou.

In Bianliang City, anyone who is related to officials, big or small, does nothing but sit at home and receive a share of the ore profits and can even practice demonic arts. The sons of wealthy families enjoy gambling and playing games.

Li Jun even witnessed firsthand how, in the brothels along the Bian River, many people would compete for the most beautiful courtesans and show off their skills. If they suffered a minor loss, they would blame it on the scarcity and impurity of their own mineral resources and then seek other ways to plunder them. As a result, their subordinates would add several more steps, having people start the furnace to purify the ore before it was transported away.

Li Jun had been staying in Bianliang City for more than half a month, but he couldn't find an opportunity to appeal. The merits he had made in the army seemed to be less than a piece of waste paper in front of the famous young men in Bianliang City who were related to him and indulged in drinking and reveling in the pleasures of life.

After he returned to Luzhou, the prefect actually invited him to a party, where he was openly and subtly ridiculed and mocked in every way.

Li Jun finally lost his temper, drew his sword and beheaded the prefect. Surrounded by the prefect's guards, he managed to escape and reached the vicinity of Li Ying's manor.

Li Ying had a close personal relationship with him. Seeing that he was being chased so closely that he was almost killed, he threw a flying knife and killed a group of soldiers.

From then on, both of them were wanted by the authorities and ended up in Liangshan Marsh.

At this point, Li Jun took a swig of wine, his brow furrowed, cleared his throat, and continued, "But not long after we arrived at Liangshan, Brother Li Ying noticed something was wrong."

Guan Luoyang asked, "What's wrong?"

"There are too many people there!"

Li Ying picked up the conversation and said, "Liangshan Marsh is full of treacherous waves, and the deep waterways and forks in the reed marshes are easy to get lost in. The population was not dense to begin with. After a group of bandits on Liangshan were wiped out, their bodies were hung on the mountain to dry. The surrounding people were afraid and stayed even further away."

"But when we went there this time, the Liangshan mountain range in the middle of the eight hundred li of water was actually crowded with fifty or sixty thousand people. Most of them were young and strong, and a small number of them were even able to bring their families and parents with them to migrate there."

Why does a large number of people necessarily mean something is wrong?

Guan Luoyang quickly understood the reasoning behind it.

The conscription of laborers by mines across the country left many rural villages desolate and deserted, making it extremely difficult for able-bodied men to escape.

However, in just a few years, tens of thousands of people successfully escaped to Liangshan Marsh. It is obvious that someone deliberately left the road to Liangshan open to lure people to escape there.

After the founding of the Song Dynasty, the country was divided into fifteen circuits. Liangshan Marsh was under the jurisdiction of Jizhou in the Jingdong East Circuit. However, the fact that tens of thousands of young men fled here was definitely not something that could be done by just one prefecture. It was probably a consensus among the officials of the Jingdong East Circuit.

"The officials let them escape there not out of kindness, but to lure the people away, and then capture them all when they felt it was the right time."

Guan Luoyang said calmly, "You said there will be a major battle at Liangshan, which means that the time has come for those people to make their move."

Li Ying's eyes brightened slightly, and he cupped his hands and said, "Daoist Master, your knowledge is extraordinary. I admire you."

Guan Luoyang said, "If the people on my ship don't go to Liangshan, where can we settle them?"

"Go to Qingzhou."

Li Ying was confident. With a flick of his finger, he poked a small hole in the side of the wine pot. As he moved, the wine poured into the cabin, drawing a topographical map.

"Qingzhou is mountainous. To the southeast is Laoshan Mountain, to the southwest is Wulian Mountain, and to the north are Linglong Mountain, Tuoshan Mountain, and Yunmen Mountain. Qingyun Mountain is located in the center. The terrain is treacherous and the landscape is ancient. If you want to escape and hide, to avoid the government troops, that place is actually the best choice."

"It's a pity that the people in the various prefectures and counties of Jingdong East Road are afraid of the deep mountains and ancient forests, and the government officials deliberately relaxed their guard on the waterways leading to Liangshan, which is why these people can enter but not leave."

Upon hearing this, Dai Zong exchanged a glance with Gongsun Sheng, raised his hand to interrupt Li Ying, and said, "Going to Qingzhou is probably not an option."

"Mr. Gongsun and I have passed through Qingzhou before. Because of its treacherous terrain, many dangerous roads can be guarded by only a small group of soldiers."

"Master Guan himself is not afraid, but the thousands of people on the ship are weak and vulnerable. If they want to enter Qingzhou, they will definitely encounter many difficulties."

Before Dai Zong could finish speaking, Gongsun Sheng added, "When I passed through Qingzhou before, I observed the clouds and mist of the mountains and felt that there was danger lurking in the air. Many people in Qingzhou have already gone up the mountain to become outlaws, bringing their families with them. There are bandit camps everywhere. Even if Brother Guan can bring these people into Qingzhou, he will still have to fight with the local bandits for territory."

"This..." Li Ying was speechless for a moment, and said with a wry smile, "It's still better than Liangshan."

Guan Luoyang took a small sip of wine and asked, "From what you two are saying, Liangshan is absolutely no match for the government troops?"

Li Ying shook his head repeatedly, saying, "We've heard some news that there are signs of troops being mobilized in several nearby states, numbering over ten thousand. If this were during the reign of Emperor Daojun, fifty or sixty thousand able-bodied men would have a good chance of breaking through against ten thousand local troops, and might even have won. But now..."

He sighed, "Those government soldiers have at least a few years of demonic cultivation. Facing these unarmed young and strong civilians, they are like tigers among sheep. They can easily take on a hundred men. There is no way those people from Liangshan can escape."

Guan Luoyang said, "So, are you two planning to take only a small group of people and settle down somewhere else?"

After a long silence, Li Ying said, "I'm not afraid of your ridicule, Daoist. My brother and I were indeed preparing to escape with some close followers. However, on the way, Brother Li Jun said that he smelled the aura of a dragon in the water, which gave me some ideas. We wanted to capture and tame this dragon, pretend it was an auspicious omen for Liangshan, send people out to spread the word, and then get in touch with the government."

"Once the auspicious omen is confirmed, I can mediate. It's inevitable that those Liangshan people will be arrested, but perhaps we can do so for the sake of the auspicious omen, so that fewer people die when they are arrested, and fewer people kill innocent people to claim credit. Even if they are eventually taken to the mines, at least they will live a year or two longer."

After Li Ying finished speaking, he raised the wine pot to take a sip, but suddenly stopped and said, "That's enough, I have no face to drink the Taoist priest's wine any longer..."

Guan Luoyang stood up and said with a smile, "That bottle of wine is broken, I'll replace it with a whole one for you."

Li Ying's eyes held a slightly complicated expression: "Daoist Master..."

"You've already done your best, what's there to be ashamed of in having a few drinks?"

Guan Luoyang handed over the wine jar and said with a smile, "Come, come, let's drink until we're drunk."

The wine is fine, but for those who have practiced unorthodox magic or demonic arts, the only way to get them drunk is to use a celestial wine that has been purified and blended with mineral energy.

Guan Luoyang drank and chatted with them, asking about all sorts of things, including their experiences in the army, the officials of the court, and the old story of defeating the Western Xia.

The two Lis were intrigued and became more and more energetic as they drank, and before they knew it, it was already late at night.

When the night breeze blew and the moonlight shone in from outside the cabin, Li Ying suddenly realized what was happening, hurriedly got up, and went out of the cabin.

Lin Lingsu sat at the bow of the boat, her hair and clothes fluttering in the cold night wind, and it was unclear what she was looking at.

Li Ying stopped behind him and stood there silently for a long time.

Li Jun was puzzled, but when he followed them out, he was also stunned.

The bright moon shines in the sky, and the stars in the sky are brilliant.

Ahead, the reeds stretched as far as the eye could see, the waves surged and the tides rose and fell, the sound of water filling the air. In the distance, amidst the misty waves, a dozen mountain shadows stood deep within the lake.

"Liangshan!"

Li Ying turned around and said helplessly, "Daoist, what a mysterious and wondrous power you possess."

The fleet steadily accelerated, and before they knew it, they had arrived at Liangshan. Meanwhile, during their conversation, Li Ying and Li Jun forgot to remind them not to go to Liangshan.

Lin Lingsu remained as still as a stone sculpture, her expression serene and unmoved. Clearly, both of these actions were carried out by Guan Luoyang.

Li Ying only realized this now, but it was too late.

Guan Luoyang walked onto the deck, still smelling of alcohol, and said, "The dragon under the ship seems docile, but it is actually quite patient. I have dragged it for so long, and finally worn down its ferocity. If you two want to take it away, you can do so tomorrow morning."

"However, if you trust me, you might as well stay for a couple more days. Perhaps you will see some changes I bring to Liangshan."

What else could Li Ying do but nod?

The fleet slowed down and gradually entered Liangshan Marsh.

After passing the outer reed beds, the water surface in front of us suddenly appeared much wider and flatter.

Only dense duckweed and aquatic plants remained on the water's surface, with a few scattered lotus leaves swaying in the wind and waves.

The Liangshan mountain range in the center of the lake is becoming increasingly clear.

Just as Guan Luoyang's fleet was less than ten miles from the shallows at the foot of the mountain, another fleet, braving the darkness, came cutting through the waves from another direction.

Li Jun observed carefully and said, "They're not warships. That's strange. They're drafted so deep; they look like ships transporting minerals. Why would a fleet like this be heading towards Liangshan?"

The fleet moved quickly and reached the shore first.

Guan Luoyang thought for a moment, then waved his arm. A blue gale swirled among the ships, propelling them to turn and trace arcs across the lake as they headed toward the shore.

Many people on the shore were already talking to those who had disembarked from the boats.

Although the people of Liangshan were originally just ordinary young men and women, they managed to escape here and, in order to protect themselves, they made some spears and bows and arrows. They had no helmets or armor, and wore coarse cloth and tattered clothes, so their clothing was very simple.

They may have never been trained or learned any demonic arts before, but in order to survive, they never relaxed their vigilance at night. Some of them made contact with the fleet, while others sailed small boats toward Guan Luoyang and his group.

As the people on the small boat approached, they saw Li Ying standing at the bow and exclaimed with delight, "It's Master Li! Master Li has returned, and he's gotten a boat too!"

The people of Liangshan originally came from all over the country and were strangers to each other, so some friction was inevitable. After Li Ying and his group arrived, they used their skills to mediate and adjudicate for them, and in a short period of time they gained considerable prestige.

Hearing the joy in their words, Li Ying felt even more ashamed. He forced a reply and asked, "What is the origin of that fleet ahead?"

The people on the small boat shouted, "It's Instructor Lu and Instructor Wu!"

Li Ying was taken aback. Before he could speak, someone from the fleet ahead leaped dozens of feet and jumped onto Guan Luoyang's ship.

Although Guan Luoyang's boat was floating on the water, it was as steady as a rock. At this moment, it swayed slightly, creating ripples.

The newcomer had a round face, large ears, a straight nose, a square mouth, and thick beard and hair. He was shirtless, revealing his strong muscles. His chest and arms were covered with more than eighty bloody wounds, and a heavy, turbid aura seemed about to erupt.

"Hahaha, the two Li brothers are back too."

Li Ying couldn't help but step forward and ask, "Lu Da, how did you get so many injuries? Didn't you and Wu Song already leave? Why did you come back?"

Lu Da laughed and said, "Didn't you say that government troops might attack Liangshan at any time, and that they would kill at least a thousand or eight hundred people to claim credit, and then arrest the rest and send them to the mines to be whipped and forced into hard labor every day?"

Li Ying said, "Yes, I'm advising you to leave as soon as possible. It's too late for you to teach them martial arts techniques; it won't be of much use..."

Lu Da patted Li Ying on the shoulder: "My brother and I understood what you meant right away. Indeed, without gold and cinnabar to chew on, our kung fu training is not as smooth. These past few days, we found some notorious powerful families in the vicinity, looted their warehouses, and then went to the city to kill a bunch of people and hijack their fleet before we were able to bring back these good things."

He touched his chest, his hand covered in blood, and hissed, "I fought those generals and soldiers of Gu Shou of Mizhou for half a night. A bunch of thieving bastards, it was so exhilarating."

Li Ying's eyes showed astonishment, and he said blankly, "But what I mean is, we can't save them at all. What's the use of robbing these things? How could we possibly catch up with the skills of those government soldiers?"

"We'll train for as long as we can. When the time comes, I'll lead the charge and fight our way out to find a way to survive."

Lu Da waved his hand, and before Li Ying could say anything more, he suddenly sniffed hard, his eyes widened, and he walked up to Guan Luoyang, rubbing his hands together nervously.

"Oh my, what a wonderful aroma of wine! I wonder where this Taoist priest is from? The wine's fragrance is so pure. Do you have any more? Could you spare some for me?"

Guan Luoyang smiled as he examined the man before him, then looked past his shoulder to the people on the shore. There, a man carrying two swords on his back, also covered in blood, was pulling the boats ashore by holding several iron chains in each hand.

For some reason, Guan Luoyang couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Amidst the mountains and rivers, the sound of wind and waves could not drown out the laughter. In the mountain forests, fallen leaves rustled, and people on the shore looked up, their laughter startling many birds in the mountains.

Over there, Guan Luoyang flicked his sleeves and took out all the wine from his Lesser Universe Technique, piling it up like a small mountain on the bow of the boat.

"please!!"

(End of this chapter)