Chapter 107 Hostages
With a gloomy face, he closed the door and bolted it, turned off the lights and fire, and lay down on the couch, but unfortunately he could not fall asleep for a long time.

Wang Aihu has obvious shortcomings, but his strength is his loyalty.

Besides, what is Liangshan? It is a place where bandits gather in the mountains. Which leader of the mountain is not stained with evil karma? Why can't they tolerate a lustful person?
What is the difference between you and Wang Lun?

Since you dare to attack my people, don't blame me, Song Jiang, for being cruel and ruthless.

In the dark room, Song Jiang stared at the ceiling, his eyes as fast as lightning and murderous intent in the corners of his eyes.

He had just closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep when the wooden door suddenly banged violently and urgently.

Song Jiang got up from his couch in anger and shouted impatiently, "Who is knocking on the door? Are there any rules?"

"Hmm? Brother Gongming, it's me, Shi Xiu."

Shi Xiu was stunned for a moment, thinking that Brother Gongming was always friendly and he had never seen him so angry and scolding.

Is he angry that I disturbed his sweet dream just now?
Song Jiang originally thought that someone had walked into the wrong door while drunk, but he never expected that it was Shi Xiu who was on duty that night. He immediately put away his anger, dressed, got out of bed, and responded in a soft tone.

"Is that you, Brother Shi Xiu? Wait a moment, I'll change my clothes and open the door."

"Eh"

Shi Xiu scratched his head in surprise, then stepped aside holding the torch.

When he saw Song Jiang opening the door with a smile, Shi Xiu couldn't wait to step forward and apologize with a fist.

"Don't blame me, brother. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"I was just half asleep. I remember you were on night watch today. Is there anything unusual going on around here? King Chao invited several leaders from Jieyang to have a drink. Did someone get drunk and cause trouble?"

"No."

Shi Xiu waved his hand and explained, "Leader Li of the Beishan Hotel received a guest named Kong Liang at dusk. He claimed to be the disciple of Brother Gongming and said he had an urgent matter to attend to, so he sent his minions across the river to bring him here overnight."

"Kong Liang?" Song Jiang was startled when he heard this and asked hurriedly, "Where is he?"

"Set him up in the side room next to the Juyi Hall."

"Take me there quickly."

Kong Liang must have something important to tell you when he rushed to Liangshan overnight, so Song Jiang hurriedly asked Shi Xiu to hold a fire and lead the way.

After a while, the two came to the ear room in the front hall.

When Kong Liang saw Song Jiang, he fell to the ground and shouted excitedly: "Master, please save my brother's life!"

"What happened to Kong Ming? Get up quickly and talk." Song Jiang helped him up with both hands.

Kong Liang patted his chest, took the initiative to sit next to Song Jiang, and explained the cause of the accident in detail.

Shi Xiu understood what was said, but he did not dare to speak for Song Jiang.

Song Jiang held Kong Liang's hand and said to him in a gentle voice, "It's easy, but most of the brothers have gone to bed now, and Chief Chao is inviting people to a drink. You should rest on the mountain for one night. Tomorrow morning I will select the generals to go with you to rescue people."

"Great, thank you, Master."

Kong Liang clasped his fists again and was about to bow, but Song Jiang quickly held him back, pretending to be kind and slowly saying, "Erlang, you've had a hard journey. It's too late to stay in a guest room. Why don't you just stay in my room for one night? What do you think?"

"How dare I disturb Master's rest? It's just one night, this side room will do."

"You are being too formal, aren't you? We are a master and a disciple, and we should share the joys and sorrows together."

"This is me."

Kong Liang was just about to agree to sleep with Song Jiang when Shi Xiu next to him suddenly started talking to him enthusiastically.

"Brother Gongming, my brother and I have to patrol tonight, and the house is empty. If Brother Kongliang doesn't mind, why don't you just let me stay with you?"

"Alright."

Song Jiang looked at Shi Xiu and saw him nodding happily. He said seriously, "Brother Shi Xiu is not a stranger. It's okay for Erlang to stay with him. You need to have a good rest tonight so that we can have enough energy to travel tomorrow."

"I will listen to Master," Kong Liang nodded, then turned around and thanked Shi Xiu, "Sorry for bothering you."

"You're welcome, brother. I'm Brother Gongming's vanguard." Shi Xiu responded happily.

He took Kong Liang to send Song Jiang back first, then brought the guest to his own residence and enthusiastically helped to make the bed and fold the quilt.

Song Jiang went back to the room and lay down again. At this time, his mind was filled with the affairs of Qingzhou, and he had no desire to sleep at all.

The three camps of Erlong Mountain, Taohua Mountain and Baihu Mountain have a total of thousands of soldiers and horses. Kong Ming and Kong Liang are my disciples, Wu Song is my sworn brother, and Lu Zhishen and Yang Zhiwei are well-known.

When I bring the Sanshan people under my command, what else will Chao Gai use to fight me? I will let you jump around for a few more days.

The leader of Liangshan? What's so strange about that? Song's ambitions are not limited to this.

If he had achieved his lofty ambitions, he would have called Huang Chao a coward!
Song Jiang fell into a deep sleep very late, and it was Song Qing who knocked on the door to wake him up the next day. It was already bright by then.

"Shiro, why are you so flustered and anxious?"

"King Chao is gathering his generals in the front hall, and seems to be preparing to attack Qingzhou. Many leaders are worried that my brother is not here, so Hua Rong asked me to come and take a look. I didn't expect that my brother is still sleeping."

"Last night Kong Liang came to tell me the news, and I couldn't sleep." Song Jiang was explaining halfway when he suddenly pushed Song Qing aside and started walking quickly, saying, "I have to rush over as soon as possible. How can I let others save my apprentice?"

When he hurried to the outside of the Juyi Hall, he could already hear Chao Gai's impassioned speech.

"I left Hu Yanzhuo last time, but I didn't expect him to show off his power in Qingzhou again. Since White Tiger Mountain, Erlong Mountain, and Peach Blossom Mountain have invited us, I have no choice but to take charge of Liangshan Marsh. I will personally lead the expedition this time, and I hope all the brothers will cooperate with me."

"Zhu Jieji, Sun Tixia, and Brother Yang, I will order the three of you to be the vanguard. I will select 2,000 cavalry to go down the mountain immediately to clear the way. Liu Tang and Lei Dutou..."

What do you want to do?
Picking peaches and stealing plums while I'm away?
Song Jiang eavesdropped on just two words outside and then hurriedly strode into the gathering hall. When Hua Rong, Qin Ming, Dai Zong and others saw him, they all stood up, clasped their fists and called him Brother Gongming.

These actions naturally interrupted Chao Gai's selection of generals.

"Brother? Why are you so late?"

Chao Gai smiled with a complicated expression, then waved to Song Jiang, "I am mobilizing troops to go down the mountain to rescue your disciples. I'll have to trouble you to take care of the affairs of the mountain stronghold for the time being."

"Brother, the leader of the mountain stronghold, you can't move lightly. Let me go for a walk."

Hearing Song Jiang using this as an excuse again, Chao Gai cursed him in his heart for treating him like a joke.

He frowned and then relaxed his eyebrows, then retorted in a joking tone: "What do you mean I can't move easily? If I don't go down the mountain to stretch my muscles, my martial arts will be wasted. My dear brother has gone down the mountain many times, so this time you should just guard the village for the time being. I will go for you."

"That's a bad word."

Song Jiang was not in a hurry. He first glanced at Kong Liang below him, then turned back to Chao Gai and clasped his fists, saying seriously: "This is a brotherly matter. Kong Liang came from afar to be friends with me. If you lead the troops there, I am afraid that the brothers over there will be uneasy. I would like to invite a few brothers to accompany you."

"If I lead the troops to rescue your brother, will the brothers over there feel uneasy?"

Chao Gai ignored Song Jiang and stared at Kong Liang.

Kong Liang had just arrived, and he had no idea that Chao Gai and Song Jiang were fighting for power. But since Song Jiang had said so, Kong Liang replied, "I dare not lie to Heavenly King Chao. The heroes of the three mountains all hope that my master will lead the troops to rescue us. You'd better stay in Liangshan and make plans."

"Haha, that's it."

Chao Gai's stomach felt like it was boiling in a pressure cooker, and the anger in his chest was stuck in his neck, unable to come out, making his face red and black.

After a brief thought, he looked at the leaders in the hall with a stern face, and asked loudly and meaningfully: "Since the Sanshan brothers all recognize Brother Song, it would be unreasonable for me to stop him. How many brothers are willing to follow him down the mountain?"

"I am willing to serve you like a dog and follow Brother Gongming."

"I am willing to follow Brother Gongming"

"And me" "Me too."

The noise in the Juyi Hall was deafening, and Chao Gai's heart felt colder than the lake water.

Seeing that Dengzhou, Jieyang and others, who had shown goodwill to him, also stood up after Hua Rong and others, he knew that he was powerless to stop them.

Chao Gai supported his legs and sat down, nodded and said calmly: "Since all the brothers are willing, you can mobilize the troops. Remember that if the leaders such as Lin Jiaotou are injured, they should not go to the battle with injuries."

"Don't worry, brother. Xiaoke knows what to do."

When Song Jiang saw Chao Gai being humiliated, he felt indescribably happy in his heart, but his face remained calm. He clasped his fists in salute, looked down, and then stroked his beard to select people to go down the mountain.

His calm appearance and demeanor were as if he were in a seafood buffet, with delicious ingredients placed in front of him and he could never finish them all. Chao Gai, on the other hand, was as if he were in a school cafeteria, with only a few dishes to choose from over and over again.

"Hua Rong, Qin Ming, Yan Shun, and Yang Chang, the four of you will be the vanguard; Mu Hong, Yang Xiong, Jie Zhen, and Jie Bao will be the second team."

Song Jiang selected twenty leaders and divided them into five teams, and then led three thousand cavalry and infantry down the mountain to Qingzhou. None of the twenty leaders were Chao Gai's confidants, including Lei Heng, who had recently become close to Chao Gai.

After completing the deployment of troops with high spirits, Song Jiang even pretended to ask Chao Gai for instructions.

Seeing that he brought only a few men, Chao Gai had to nod in agreement. He was rubbing his forehead and was about to disperse when Hu Sanniang suddenly stepped out from below and spoke.

"My two brothers, I have never traveled far since I came to the mountains. This time I want to follow my husband and serve as a pioneer. I hope you can help me."

"No."

"not good."

Hu Sanniang happily volunteered, but was rejected by Song Jiang and Chao Gai in unison, leaving the girl at a loss.

Chao Gai and Song Jiang turned their heads and looked at each other in tacit understanding. They immediately understood each other's concerns, so they waved their hands and said, "Since you are my sworn sister, you can speak for yourself."

"Ah."

Song Jiang nodded slightly, turned around and explained to Hu Sanniang: "It's not that I don't want to take you with me, it's just that there are enough leaders going down the mountain, and Brother Lin and others are still injured, so we need you to assist King Chao in guarding the mountain. I know you and Sanlang have a deep love, but this trip to Qingzhou won't take long, you will be back in one or two months at most."

"Then let the official stay too."

"If Brother Sanlang hadn't been there, I wouldn't have sent him as the vanguard."

Song Jiang smiled bitterly, thinking to himself that women are always women, no matter how strong their martial arts skills are, they cannot escape vulgarity. If they need a man to stay by their side every day, what great things can a man accomplish?
Seeing Hu Sanniang hesitated to speak, Song Jiang hurriedly called Yang Chang and ordered: "Sanlang, the army is about to set out, you should quickly say goodbye to Sanniang and don't forget that you are the vanguard."

"I can spare it."

Yang Chang nodded in affirmation, immediately gave Hu Sanniang a look, and walked straight out of the gathering hall with his woman, ignoring the whispers of the other leaders.

Later, when they arrived at the open space outside the house, Hu Sanniang took the initiative to bow her head and admit her mistake.

"Sir, I just acted like a spoiled child. Did I embarrass you?"

"What's the big deal? My lady, don't worry about it."

"I'm really not clinging to you, sir. The truth is that the last time we fought side by side, we didn't have enough fun and the battle ended before, so I asked to go with you just now, but I didn't expect that both of them disagreed. There should be quite a few leaders left on Liangshan. They can't hold on without me? I really don't understand."

"hehe."

Hearing Hu Sanniang's complaints, Yang Chang shook his head and smiled. He looked around and saw that no one was following him. He lowered his head and whispered, "Madam, it's right that you can't understand it. That's just Song Jiang's excuse."

"What do you mean?"

Hu Sanniang was startled and her big eyes didn't blink.

"You and I are both equally skilled in martial arts, and we have no worries or sins. If we both go down the mountain and don't come back, what will Chao Gai and Song Jiang do?"

"What the official meant."

"In addition to fighting around Liangshan, we must have one person stay on the mountain, who can be regarded as a hostage."

"hiss"

Hu Sanniang took a deep breath, and the doubts in her heart were immediately cleared. She murmured, "No wonder they wanted to take the other party's family away first before they could lure Liangren to the mountain. I thought Chao Gai was more righteous, but I didn't expect him to be the same as them."

"All those in power are like this. Only by finding the weakness can you control the person."

When Yang Chang finished his speech, he saw Song Jiang and others walking out. He immediately patted Hu Sanniang on the shoulder and comforted her, "Don't let your imagination run wild. Go and prepare my armor. I will follow you after I say hello."

"it is good"

Seeing Hu Sanniang turn around and leave, Song Jiang approached her with a smile and said jokingly, "Sanlang is amazing. Xianmei is a rouge horse, but you have tamed her so well. Erlang will definitely praise her when he sees her."

"Ashamed."

Yang Chang smiled awkwardly, clasped his fists and said, "Hua Zhizhai and the others are going to cross the river from Yazui Beach, right? I will go back to the camp to make some preparations and then set off. I promise that I will not fall behind."

"Your camp is full of weak soldiers, so you can travel alone with light equipment. I have just told Commander Qin that he will assign you 300 infantry and cavalry. When you return from Qingzhou, he will send more people to the back mountain. Do your best!"

"Got it. I'll take my leave now."

"Wait a minute."

Song Jiang suddenly called Yang Chang, approached him, raised his head and whispered, "There is something important that I forgot to tell you. Just now, King Chao discussed with me that since Sanlang is gathering with the heroes at Liangshan, his family should not be allowed to suffer outside. He will send someone to Yanggu County to bring Sanlang's uncle and his family back for a reunion."

"Uh" Yang Chang was startled when he heard it, then he smiled and responded, "Thank you, brothers. I'm leaving first."

I just mentioned hostages to Hu Sanniang, and you two have already agreed to take my relatives? You are so considerate and thoughtful, but it's a pity that you have come to nothing.

Not long after Yang Chang married Hu Sanniang, he sent his men to Yanggu County to inquire about the matter, hoping to get some gold and silver as compensation for their shelter. However, he learned that Yang De could not bear the exploitation of the government and had fled Jingnan Township with his wife and children.

After returning to the back mountain to dress up, Hu Sanniang sent Yang Chang to Yazui Beach.

She was worried that Hu Yanzhuo's horse was too fast to match, so she offered her own mount, Qingcong, hoping that her man would make great achievements again this time, and then Chao Gai and Song Jiang would have to be polite to him.

From the battle of Zhujiazhuang to now, Hu Sanniang has matured a lot. She understands that if she wants to gain a foothold among the beasts, she must show her sharp claws and fangs to scare others.

No one knows Yang Chang better than her. She wants to motivate her man to shine. If he really follows Song Jiang to surrender, the more famous he becomes, the better his fate will be.

After listening to Hu Sanniang's "nagging", Yang Chang left a meaningful sentence before boarding the ship.

"Don't worry, my lady. When I come back from Qingzhou, no one will dare to look down on us. I said so."

Hu Sanniang's heart was filled with excitement when she heard this, thinking that Yang Chang was going to show his great power this time. However, she didn't know that he was talking about the forces of Erlong Mountain. No matter how strong an individual is, he is just a lone wolf, while a pack of wolves can hunt lions and tigers together.

It was the end of the year and the beginning of the next year, and all the counties and cities along the way were celebrating the New Year, so there was no trouble on the way when the Liangshan army passed through.

In the first month of the year, reinforcements from Liangshan arrived in Qingzhou and joined forces with the troops from the three mountains.

When the heroes gathered, Wu Song brought Lu Zhishen, Yang Zhi, Li Zhong, Zhou Tong, Shi En and Cao Zheng to meet them.

Everyone saluted Song Jiang one by one, with admiration in their eyes, except the fat monk who looked him up and down, as if looking down on his own six-foot frail body.

Song Jiang was just trying to deepen his impression of Lu Zhishen, but he saw that he did not respond to his eye contact, but walked straight behind him with his mouth open.

Turning around and looking back, I saw Wu Song and Yang Chang hugging each other, patting each other on the back without saying a word. Their brotherhood was fully integrated into the patting.

"Today someone says Yang Sanlang is good, tomorrow someone says Yang Sanlang is good. It seems to me that I only have two eyes and two ears."

"Uh"

Yang Chang leaned on Wu Song's shoulder, looking at Lu Zhishen muttering and grinning, and Wu Song hurriedly turned around when he heard it.

"I was so busy reminiscing with Sanlang that I forgot to introduce you to this hero, Master Lu, who can pull up trees as easily as onions."

(End of this chapter)