The Thief Prince

However, it would take some effort for Song Rushi to go up the mountain to accept the imperial pardon.

First, a spy was sent, carrying a flag and unarmed, to the marsh by boat, where he was captured by the navy's henchmen.

Li Zheng was discussing military matters in the Hall of Righteousness when he heard a report from his underlings:

"Brother, we captured a government spy at the foot of the mountain. He said that a man named Song Rushi brought ten bottles of imperial wine and an imperial edict of 'summoning and pardoning' and wanted to come to our mountain."

Li Zheng chuckled upon hearing this: "This official is quite stingy. Even if he wants to offer us amnesty, he should at least spend more money."

"Ten bottles of imperial wine—could it be the leftovers from his banquet for corrupt officials in the capital, sent to us instead?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Officials like He Zhihan, who came from the imperial court, looked somewhat uncomfortable.

After all, they had just surrendered to the emperor, and hearing Li Zheng speak so boldly about the emperor made them feel somewhat uneasy.

Li Zheng glanced at them and made up his mind.

Where is Gan Xun?

"I'm here!"

"Take a few brothers and bring that man surnamed Song up the mountain so we can hear what the Emperor of the Great Zhou has to say."

"Here you are."

Gan Xun led his men in ten fast boats to the agreed location.

Song Rushi was waiting on the shore when he saw several fast boats approaching. A man at the head of the boat sat at the bow, looking at him with a mocking expression.

A soldier beside him shouted, "You scoundrel! The Emperor's decree is here! Come quickly to greet him!"

Gan Xun, however, was not annoyed. He cheerfully steered his boat closer and asked, "Which one is Song Rushi?"

Song Rushi straightened his clothes and was about to speak when Gan Xun spotted him.

Among the dozen or so people, he was the only one wearing official robes; how could he not be distinguished?

Gan Xun pulled himself ashore and grabbed Song Rushi by the collar: "Come with me quickly, your brother is waiting!"

The surrounding officers and soldiers were shocked and all wanted to draw their swords to attack.

Then they heard a clattering sound, and saw that every sailor on the ship had taken out a crossbow and was pointing it at them.

Gan Xun glared at the crowd: "My brother wants to see that man surnamed Song. What are you all doing here?"

A soldier said, "We are here on General Shi's orders to escort Censor Song up the mountain!"

"Which General Shi?" Gan Xun scoffed, blurting out a nonsensical answer. "None of the hundreds of chieftains on our mountain have ever heard of anyone surnamed Shi!"

Upon hearing this, all the government troops were startled.

Wasn't it said that there were only about a thousand bandits on Liangshan? How did several hundred leaders come about?

Song Rushi quickly said, "You lad, you mustn't be so presumptuous. The Emperor has bestowed upon you imperial wine, and you still need them to carry it up the mountain."

Gan Xun asked, "Do you all really intend to go up the mountain together?"

All the officers and soldiers looked at him.

"Then let's get on the boat."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and was about to board the ship when they discovered that the pirates had not yet put down their crossbows.

The leading government soldier asked, "What is the reason for this?"

Gan Xun said, "Hand over your weapons."

Although the officers and soldiers were unwilling, they had no choice but to obediently hand over their weapons, as they were under someone else's roof.

They then carried ten more loads of wine onto the small boat.

Ten small boats swayed and rocked their way up the mountain. Gan Xun pulled over a bottle of wine: "What kind of fine wine is this that the Emperor sent? Let me smell it for my brothers first."

Song Rushi wanted to stop them, but seeing that Gan Xun and his group were fierce and showed no respect, he was also somewhat afraid.

I simply turned my head away, pretending I hadn't seen it.

Gan Xun took the wine and unsealed it, and was immediately greeted by a fragrant aroma.

He wiped his drool and scoffed, "What lousy wine? It tastes like horse piss!"

Even so, she carefully put it back, hoping that her brother would share a bowl with her.

Upon reaching the shore of Jinsha Beach, Song Rushi expected the bandit leader Li Zheng to come and greet him, but what he saw was quite different:

There were no drums or ceremonial guards on the beach, only a dark mass of people running back and forth.

Several leaders were shouting and directing their henchmen to dig trenches and erect fences.

Hundreds of fishing boats were moored on the shore, and dozens more patrolled the waters.

But all that could be seen was a scene of bustling activity; who would bother to even glance at him?

Song Rushi opened his mouth, then stood there awkwardly.

Gan Xun walked up to him and slapped him on the backside: "What are you standing there for, official? Come up the mountain with me!"

Song Rushi, as a censor, although his official rank was not high, considered himself noble and respectable. He had never been treated like this before.

He felt both angry and annoyed: "Where is your leader?"

Gan Xun said, "Brother is busy with military affairs and has no time to take care of you. Just come up the mountain with me and wait."

Left with no other choice, Song Rushi had to bite the bullet and head up the mountain.

At first, the mountain path was quite wide, but it became narrower and narrower as you went up, and from time to time, bandits coming down from the mountain would come towards you.

After walking for a while, a gorge with stone walls came into view.

At the mouth of the gorge, there is a stockade wall, behind which several stone watchtowers can be seen, with black flags fluttering on the towers.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the stockade wall was at least two zhang tall, with a ring of sharpened wooden stakes at the bottom.

There were also a dozen or so henchmen on the wall, carrying a thick horizontal log to the top of the wall, with piles of logs and stones next to them.

The government troops were secretly alarmed when they saw this, as these bandits had actually built a pass here.

How many lives would be lost if we were to launch a forced attack on such a small place?

But Song Rushi was thinking about something else: judging from the way these bandits were acting, they were probably going to hold out on the mountain to the death.

Alas, I, the envoy tasked with securing amnesty, am likely doomed.

After passing the pass and walking a while longer, we finally reached the open plain at the top of the mountain.

A furnace was burning on the east side, and a dozen shirtless men were wielding large hammers, forging away with a clanging sound.

On the west side, a row of long tables stood where craftsmen were bent over, carving arrow shafts, with arrowheads and feathers piled up beside them.

Song Rushi paused slightly, thinking to himself: How formidable are these mountain bandits? They can actually forge their own weapons and armor?

Several government troops felt a sense of foreboding.

This group of bandits looks quite elite; they're nothing like the ordinary outlaws you usually encounter.

When they arrived at the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, the hall doors were wide open, and groups of henchmen were going in and out.

Gan Xun led them through the crowd to the center of the hall.

Song Rushi saw a person standing in front of a long table, wearing a mask with evil spirits carved on it, looking as if he wanted to devour the living!

Several men who appeared to be leaders were listening to him speak.

"The archers in these two cities don't need to be scattered to different passes. They can stay on the mountaintop and wait for orders, going wherever the situation becomes critical."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Gan Xun stepped forward: "Brother, the people from the imperial court offering amnesty have arrived."

Li Zheng raised his head, glanced at Song Rushi, and then looked away: "Let them wait."

Song Rushi and the others stood aside, listening to Li Zheng and the other leaders discuss military affairs without any restraint, feeling as if tiny insects were crawling all over them.

Before coming to offer amnesty, he had considered that the bandits might be furious and kill him on the spot.

I also imagined the thief would be overjoyed and kneel down to thank God for His grace.

But he never expected that the thief would completely ignore him.

While Song Rushi was feeling uneasy, Li Zheng finished his discussion and took a sip of water before looking at Song Rushi.

"You, read it."

All the leaders looked over.

Song Rushi felt a chill run down his spine: "Read...read what?"

Li Zheng said impatiently, "Enough nonsense, what does the Emperor want to tell me?"

Song Rushi dared not delay, let alone have everyone bathe and burn incense.

He opened the imperial edict and immediately began to read it aloud.

The decree stated: "Civil administration can bring peace to the country, and military force can stabilize the nation."

The Five Emperors established their territories through rites and music, while the Three Sovereigns pacified the world through warfare. Events follow a pattern of favorable or unfavorable circumstances, and people are sometimes wise and sometimes foolish.

I have inherited the great legacy of my ancestors, and brought forth the brilliance of the sun and moon. All under heaven and throughout the land, none fail to submit to me.

Recently, Li Zheng and others have gathered in the mountains and forests, robbing and plundering counties and cities. I originally intended to punish them according to Heaven's will, but I am afraid that it will cause trouble for our people.

Now, the Imperial Censor Song Rushi has been dispatched to offer amnesty. Upon receipt of the imperial edict, he shall immediately surrender all the money, provisions, weapons, horses, and ships he is entitled to, dismantle his hideout, and lead his troops to the capital. He is hereby pardoned from this crime.

If anyone still goes against their conscience and violates the imperial edict, when the heavenly army arrives, not a single soldier will be spared!

Therefore, this edict is hereby issued, and it is conceivable that you should be aware of it.

After reading the imperial edict, Song Rushi raised his head tremblingly, and his heart skipped a beat.

He secretly groaned, wondering which edict was written by an official in the imperial court, with such harsh wording, that it was truly harming him!

Except for the bandit leader, whose expression was obscured by a demon mask, everyone else wore angry expressions.

Cao Su, He Zhihan, Lei Desheng, Wang Yingdou, and others were filled with anger and sorrow.

The edict only mentioned Li Zheng throughout, without mentioning the names of the others, clearly indicating that the court did not value him.

Only Li Zheng, hidden behind the mask, showed a hint of a smile.

He had expected this long ago; the imperial court always valued its reputation, and the edict of amnesty would certainly not have any kind words.

If this were read aloud in public, even those leaders who were originally military officers would have completely lost faith in the imperial court by now.

Li Zheng chuckled, then suddenly stepped forward, snatched the imperial edict, and glanced at it.

After a cold laugh, he ripped it to shreds with both hands.

He tossed it to the ground and cursed, "What utter nonsense are you spouting!"

Upon seeing this, one of the accompanying soldiers' expressions changed drastically. He immediately jumped out, pointed at Li Zheng, and cursed, "You audacious bandit! You dare to tear up an imperial edict? Don't you know the might of Heaven? Are you courting death?!"

Before he could finish speaking, Hu Niu Ang, who had been unshackled, was already in front of him from behind the hall.

With a swift motion, he slashed at the human body, splattering red and white substances all over Song Rushi's face.

The officers and soldiers cried out in alarm and retreated in all directions. Song Rushi even collapsed to the ground.

Li Zheng gave Niu Ang an approving look.

Previously, this kind of work should have been done by Yan Yun, but now that Yan Yun is gone, Niu Ang, that scoundrel, is quite handy to use.

Song Rushi stammered, "Leader...leader, are you unwilling to accept the imperial pardon?"

"Your official gave us a good scolding, and now you want me to vote for him?"

Song Rushi forced himself to say, "If the leader is unwilling, please let us go back. In times of war, envoys are not to be killed."

Li Zheng chuckled: "Are you envoys?"

"Since you came up the mountain, you've seen every inch of Liangshan and memorized it all, haven't you?"

The officers and soldiers immediately paled.

Li Zheng couldn't help but find it amusing. Did these government troops think that the bandits were brainless?

They all saw the defenses deployed at Liangshan; how could I let them go back?

Too lazy to say anything more, he waved his hand and said, "Take him away and torture him thoroughly. Make sure he gets any information about the government troops out of him!"

Not only did they not let them leave, they also interrogated the government troops for intelligence!

Niu Ang licked his lips: "Brother, leave this to me. I didn't spend all those years in prison for nothing."