The Thief Prince

Liangshan.

This was the initial base camp that Li Zheng chose for his bandit career.

In Li Zheng's view, Black Wind Village had no advantages whatsoever.

The mountains are not particularly steep, and the surrounding resources are not abundant. The most critical issue is the lack of water resources.

There is only one stream on the mountain, and it dries up during the dry season.

Being closest to the county seat, Black Wind Stronghold would be the first to be targeted if the government came to Dangshan to suppress bandits.

They didn't even need to launch a strong attack; they simply surrounded the mountain for a few days, cutting off its water supply, and it collapsed on its own.

The advantages of Liangshan are self-evident and need no further explanation; anyone who has read "Water Margin" knows this.

"Brothers, do you know if anyone has joined the Liangshan outlaws?"

Tang Meng shook his head: "I've never heard of anyone joining the Liangshan outlaws. Even if there are some, they're just some unknown small force."

Li Zheng felt somewhat regretful upon hearing this.

It makes sense, considering that even figures like Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi haven't emerged in this world, and the familiar heroes of Liangshan have been submerged in the long river of history.

Zhang Yin then said, "However, I've heard that there are bandits roaming that area, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Water bandits?

Li Zheng silently kept it in mind.

Whether Liangshan could develop or not depended most importantly on whether it had a water force under its command.

If this group of river bandits is suitable, Li Zheng plans to recruit them into his ranks.

"What's the story behind Liangshan's ability to win the favor of brothers?" Tang Meng asked curiously.

Li Zheng smiled and said, "Brother, are you planning to come with me?"

Tang Meng was a little embarrassed: "I was just curious, just asking out of curiosity..."

Li Zheng stopped teasing him and said directly, "Brothers, you may not know this, but Liangshan is a treasure land that is easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"The surrounding ponds and the Great Wilderness Marsh form an 'eight hundred li of waterways,' with crisscrossing waterways and dense reeds. The government troops were not accustomed to naval warfare, so it was difficult for them to deploy their forces."

"Liangshan, as an isolated mountain in the lake, stands out on the plain. There is a flat area of ​​several hundred feet in circumference on the top of the mountain where a stronghold can be built. It is surrounded by cliffs and precipices, and only a few paths can be accessed."

"The surrounding waters are rich in fish, shrimp and aquatic plants, and the wetlands can also provide reeds and timber."

As Li Zheng spoke, he increasingly felt that Liangshan was truly a haven for bandits.

In a strategy game, that would mean encountering a rare, top-tier spawn location only after dozens of restarts.

Tang Meng agreed, saying, "In that case, it is indeed a good place."

Li Zheng nodded: "More importantly, it's close enough to Black Wind Stronghold; it's only a couple hundred miles away."

"The mountains of Jiangnan are easier to defend than attack, and there's also the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, but we can't get there, can we?"

The two nodded repeatedly as they listened.

Although they had never considered changing their allegiance, Li Zheng's reasons were compelling enough that they felt Liangshan was indeed a good place to go.

Zhang Yin asked, "When do you plan to set off, brother?"

Li Zheng said, "The national mourning period won't buy us much time. In fact, those people might resort to desperate measures and disregard the pressure from the capital."

"I think we'll have to leave the mountain in five days at the earliest, and seven days at the latest."

The two remained silent for a long time.

Leaving the place I've lived in for so long, I feel a little lost and disappointed.

But working with Li Zheng was indeed enjoyable, and this sense of regret quickly dissipated.

"Once we get back up the mountain, please explain the situation to the two elder brothers and the chieftain so we can set off as soon as possible."

Tang Meng didn't speak, but Zhang Yin laughed and said, "Brother Zhou Qing won't be going with us. After Brother Zhou Qing leaves, you can take the top seat, brother."

To Zhang Yin's surprise, Li Zheng did not refuse.

Instead, he said seriously, "If you brothers trust me, Li Zheng will risk his life to lead you to a bright future!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Meng and Zhang Yin felt a surge of heroic spirit, and their gazes toward Li Zheng became even more respectful.

Li Zheng also felt his blood boiling, as if a ball of fire was rising from his chest.

So what if you're persecuted at the beginning?

If he were to lead his troops back to the capital in the future, it would certainly be a triumphant return home.

This is what a man should do!

The procession slowly made its way to the mountain village, where Zhou Qing was already waiting at the village gate.

Seeing truckloads of valuables and the bellowing of cattle, horses, donkeys, and sheep, Zhou Qing's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

The salt merchants beside him looked at Li Zheng with increasingly evasive eyes, trying to hide their fear.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the village, Li Zheng and his two companions dismounted and greeted Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing snapped out of his daze, his eyebrows immediately curving into a smile, which became very amiable: "You three brothers have worked hard, hurry back to the stronghold and rest."

Although they had been up all night, the group of henchmen were still excited and showed no signs of fatigue.

They happily piled the spoils of war into the main hall of the stronghold, enjoying themselves immensely.

The four leaders then went to the chairs in the hall and sat down in a circle.

After the formalities were completed, Zhou Qing smiled and said to Li Zheng:

"Brother Li Zheng, you are truly awe-inspiring! You have wiped out the evil monks of Changfeng Temple and rid the people of Dangshan of a scourge."

His attitude could be described as initially arrogant and then becoming obsequious, but it didn't elicit laughter.

Over the years of debt collection, Li Zheng has encountered all sorts of debtors and has come to one conclusion:

A true hero is one who can bend and stretch!

Those who seem smooth and humble every time they visit might actually do something ruthless at any time.

On the contrary, those seemingly reckless and stubborn people are quickly scared into borrowing money from all sides to pay back their debts once you use a little trickery.

Zhou Qing's humble and subservient behavior only made Li Zheng more determined not to underestimate him.

"Brother, you flatter me. It is all thanks to you that we have achieved such a great victory today, with you in charge of the stronghold and leading the overall situation."

Zhou Qing waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "Brother, how about we have a heart-to-heart talk?"

Li Zheng quickly replied, "I would like to hear the details."

Zhou Qing said, "Brother, I'm just a merchant, reeking of money. How would I know anything about fighting?"

"The reason we built this mountain stronghold was simply to have a place to stay."

"Now that I see my brother is so brave and skilled in both literature and martial arts, I know that the true master of Black Wind Stronghold has arrived."

"Brother, you..."

Tang Meng exclaimed in surprise, but Zhou Qing waved his hand to stop him.

"I'm preparing to leave Dangshan. Last night I received news that my elderly mother at home is seriously ill."

"Although I, Zhou Qing, am unworthy, I am still filial and am prepared to take care of him in his old age and see him off in his final days."

Tang Meng was somewhat puzzled: "Didn't your mother remarry when you were ten years old...?"

Zhang Yin pinched him hard, and Tang Meng's mouth twitched in pain, and he stopped making a sound.

That purple-faced fellow really has no sense of propriety. He finally found an excuse, why is he taking it so seriously?

Zhou Qing's willingness to leave voluntarily saves the brothers from tearing each other apart, which is a great thing.

Even if his mother were seriously ill, or even if his father, who had passed away twenty years ago, were to come back to life, we would still sincerely congratulate him.

Zhou Qing looked at Li Zheng and said seriously:

"As the saying goes, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, nor can a family be without a head for a day. I, Zhou Qing, have gone to fulfill my filial duties, but how can the cause of the mountain stronghold be without a leader?"

"Brother Li Zheng, please do not refuse. As the leader of the stronghold, everyone must obey your commands!"