The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 105 Vanguard Battles Blue-Faced Beast: Escorting the Birthday Gifts Becomes a Difficult Task

Upon hearing the arrow, Yang Zhi turned around and caught it!

This blatant display of overwhelming power stunned everyone present; they had never seen such an arrow-catching ability before!

Liang Zhongshu was overjoyed, thinking that this was a gift from heaven to him. He ordered Yang Zhi to shoot Zhou Jin, now seeing Zhou Jin as nothing but a piece of trash!

Zhou Jin had no choice but to put down his bow and arrows, take the shield in his hand, and ride away from Yang Zhi.

Yang Zhi smiled slightly, patted the horse's head, and spurred the horse to chase after Zhou Jin. It must be said that the Yang family's horsemanship is also first-class!

Yang Zhi intended to tease Zhou Jin, so he drew his bow fully but did not nock an arrow.

Hearing the twang of a bowstring behind him, Zhou Jin turned around and raised his shield to meet the arrow, only to find that Yang Zhi hadn't fired.

Zhou Jin pondered, "Could it be that Yang Zhi can't shoot arrows? If this continues, I'll just go directly to Liang Zhongshu and tell him I've won."

Soon, Zhou Jin's horse circled around, and Yang Zhi drew his bow to its fullest extent and nocked an arrow!

After hesitating for a moment, Yang Zhi thought, "We have no past grievances or present enemies, so why kill him?" Thus, the arrow that was originally aimed at Zhou Jin's heart was changed to his shoulder!

Yang Zhi drew his bow to its fullest extent, and his arrow flew like a shooting star. In the blink of an eye, the arrow struck Zhou Jin squarely in the left shoulder.

Zhou Jin had no time to react and was shot off his horse by an arrow. Everyone rushed to his rescue, leaving only an empty horse that arrived in front of the hall!

Liang Zhongshu was overjoyed and ordered the Military and Political Affairs Department to send a document instructing Yang Zhi to replace Zhou Jin in his duties.

Yang Zhi was also quite pleased. He dismounted and went to the front of the hall to thank Liang Zhongshu.

At this moment, someone nearby shouted, "Don't be so quick to thank me, come and fight me if you dare!"

When Yang Zhi looked at the man, he was over seven feet tall, with a round face, large ears, wide lips and a square mouth, and a thick beard on his cheeks. He was imposing and had a dignified appearance.

The man walked up to Liang Zhongshu, bowed, and said, "Zhou Jin is unwell and unable to exert his full strength. I am willing to compete with Yang Zhi. If Yang Zhi can defeat me, then he can take my position, and I will voluntarily serve as a lowly soldier."

When Liang Zhongshu looked, he saw that it was none other than Suo Chao, a regular soldier of the Daming Prefecture Garrison Command, nicknamed "Vanguard"!

Seeing that Suo Chao had stepped forward, Li Cheng thought to himself, "Even if Yang Zhi is strong, can he be stronger than Suo Chao?"

He stepped down from the platform and went to the front of the hall to report: "Secretary, this Yang Zhi is a Palace Attendant with superb martial arts skills. It is normal that Zhou Jin is no match for him. Since Suo Chao is willing to compete, I hope that Your Excellency will agree. Suo Chao is the number one expert in the army of Daming Prefecture. If Yang Zhi can defeat him, he will show his true ability."

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhongshu thought to himself, "I cherish Yang Zhi very much, but he is a newcomer after all, and none of these guys are convinced of his abilities. It would be better to wait until he defeats Suo Chao, then they will be convinced and have nothing to say."

Thinking of this, Liang Zhongshu immediately summoned Yang Zhi to the hall and asked, "How did your martial arts contest with Suo Chao go?"

Yang Zhi reported, "How dare I disobey the orders of the Grand Secretariat?"

Liang Zhongshu said, "Since that's the case, I have good armor and a good horse. Go and put them on, but be careful. Suo Chao is the number one expert in the army of Daming Prefecture."

Yang Zhi thought to himself, "This Liang Zhongshu really flatters me. It seems that Brother Song Jiang was right to send me here." He bowed and went to make preparations.

Li Cheng then instructed Suo Chao, "Zhou Jin is your apprentice. He lost, but you can't afford to lose face. If you slip up again, Yang Zhi will look down on us. He's from a military family; if he rises to prominence in Daming Prefecture, where will we stand? So you absolutely mustn't lose the match. I have a fine horse and good armor that I'll lend you. Be careful and don't let it dampen your spirits. If you win, I'll give you the horse and armor."

Suo Chao thanked him and went to make preparations.

Liang Zhongshu sat in the hall, his heart filled with anticipation for the competition!

Not only Liang Zhongshu, but everyone else did too. They had all witnessed Yang Zhi's martial arts skills firsthand. His spear technique was divine, and his archery was even more unexpected!

Suo Chao is also a well-known figure in Daming Prefecture, so the battle between these two will surely be as intense and exciting as an earthquake!

It could even be said that this was a once-in-a-lifetime competition for them, and many soldiers from other places rushed over just to witness this fierce battle!

Yang Zhi, clad in armor, rode in his prized horse and slowly walked forward, holding an iron spear in his hand!

Suo Chao, also clad in armor, rode a fine horse and wielded a large axe as he stepped forward!

Liang Zhongshu secretly praised the two men, saying that if they were truly capable, he would give them important positions regardless of victory or defeat, so that they would be grateful and serve him!

With a single cannon shot, the competition began!

Yang Zhi gripped his spear tightly, pulled on the reins, and attacked Suo Chao. Suo Chao was equally unyielding, brandishing his axe and clashing head-on with Yang Zhi!

With a loud crash, the two men and their horses met face to face, their spears and axes locked in fierce combat, neither willing to give up!

After a brief stalemate, the two simultaneously withdrew their strength and then resumed their fight!

A single spear, like a dragon soaring across the four seas and a tiger roaring in the forest, instantly transforms into countless spear shadows, causing clouds to sway in all directions, making it impossible to distinguish between reality and illusion!

A single axe, like a dragon swinging its tail or a lion reaching its peak, seemed to cleave Mount Hua or scoop the moon from the seabed with its immense power, leaving no room for resistance.

The two fought for fifty rounds, truly evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand.

The others had never seen such a competition before, and they all cheered and exclaimed in admiration!

Li Cheng, fearing for the safety of the two men, quickly approached Liang Zhongshu and said, "We are all convinced of Yang Zhi's skill. It would be better to stop the fight to prevent any mishaps, which would be a great misfortune for Daming Prefecture!"

Liang Zhongshu was also watching the spectacle intently. Upon hearing Li Cheng's words, he quickly ordered someone to beat a gong to stop the competition!

Upon hearing the gong, the two immediately stopped fighting, dropped their weapons, and dismounted!

Liang Zhongshu summoned Suo Chao and Yang Zhi to his presence and said with a smile, "These two heroes are highly skilled, truly a blessing to Daming Prefecture. With you two here, what do we have to fear from external enemies? Today, I will promote you both to the rank of commander, and further promotions and rewards will follow. I wonder if you two are satisfied?"

The two were naturally extremely satisfied and quickly thanked Liang Zhongshu.

Liang Zhongshu was overjoyed to see Yang Zhi and Suo Chao's contest today. The descendants of the Yang family generals were indeed extraordinary!

This skill is probably even better than Li Cheng and Wen Da's. Suo Chao also admires Yang Zhi's skills. You know, Yang Zhi first competed with his apprentice Zhou Jin before competing with him. He was able to wait for the enemy to tire himself out, and in the end, he still gained the advantage!

After Yang Zhi and Song Jiang got together, Yang Zhi lost his former arrogance and became more approachable!

Yang Zhi was chatting and laughing with Suo Chao right away, not at all like he had just been through a battle. Many of Suo Chao's men congratulated him on his promotion to commander and said they would celebrate with him the next day. Suo Chao invited Yang Zhi to go with him, and Yang Zhi readily agreed!

On that day, Liang Zhongshu and the officers of all ranks held a banquet in the drill hall.

As the sun began to set and the banquet ended, Liang Zhongshu mounted his horse, and all the officials escorted him back to his residence.

That night, Yang Zhi and Suo Chao stayed together in the military camp. Sometimes, the thoughts of a warrior are quite simple. When there is a worthy opponent, it is inevitable to feel a sense of mutual respect!

Of course, the happiest person was Liang Zhongshu, who now had four great generals under his command and was riding high on success.

Daming Prefecture is located near the border and is always vulnerable to invasion by foreign enemies. Liang Zhongshu has always regarded these enemies as mortal foe and never compromises with them. This is why Liang Zhongshu enjoys high prestige among the people of Daming Prefecture. Although he may sometimes do some greedy things, he mostly works with the wealthy and does not extort or blackmail the common people. Therefore, Daming Prefecture has always been united, the people live in harmony, and the economy is doing well. All of this is inseparable from Liang Zhongshu!

When Yang Zhi arrived in Daming Prefecture, he spent his days leading troops in drills and occasionally sparring with Suo Chao.

Suo Chao greatly admired Yang Zhi's spear skills, especially his "returning spear" technique. Yang Zhi had previously competed with two axe masters, Mi Sheng and Bian Xiang, in Qinghe County, so he naturally compared Suo Chao, who also wielded an axe, with the two of them!

I have a rough idea in my mind that Bian Xiang is undoubtedly the strongest, while Mi Sheng and Suo Chao are probably evenly matched and it is extremely difficult to determine a winner!

Liang Zhongshu was very fond of Yang Zhi and invited him to live in his residence, but Yang Zhi politely declined, explaining that he had to train his troops every morning and evening and was afraid of disturbing Liang Zhongshu.

Unlike the original story, Yang Zhi's attitude towards Liang Zhongshu is quite different. In the original story, Yang Zhi was extremely obsequious to Liang Zhongshu, including to Liang's wife, which earned him the task of delivering the birthday gifts, but ultimately ruined his future!

The current situation is that Yang Zhi respects Liang Zhongshu very much, but he is neither servile nor arrogant, and he has his own integrity, which makes Liang Zhongshu admire him even more!

In particular, when he heard that Yang Zhi was strict in training soldiers in the army, but also cared about them a lot, especially those soldiers who had difficulties at home, Yang Zhi would find ways to help them solve the problems!

Having come to know Yang Zhi's character and abilities, Liang Zhongshu admired him even more and often invited Yang Zhi to banquets at his residence. However, Yang Zhi would always bring Suo Chao along. As a result, Suo Chao and Yang Zhi became even closer!

One day, a horse in the army suddenly went mad. When Yang Zhi tried to stop it, he was kicked in the shin by the horse. Despite the pain, he still managed to pull the horse back. Yang Zhi had the soldiers take the horse away and calm it down. After all, this wild horse was a good horse. He then called the army doctor to treat it.

As a result, Yang Zhi's lower leg was broken by a horse kick and he needed to rest for a while! Upon hearing this, Suo Chao rushed to the military camp to visit Yang Zhi, and Liang Zhongshu also learned of the news and came to the military camp.

Yang Zhi was in good spirits, but his inability to get out of bed was a worry. Liang Zhongshu sighed inwardly. Originally, Yang Zhi was supposed to escort the birthday tribute, but now that Yang Zhi was injured, they had to reconsider the choice of personnel. However, the time was approaching, and they had to make a decision as soon as possible!

After visiting Yang Zhi, Liang Zhongshu returned to his residence and summoned Li Cheng and Wen Da.

After the two arrived, Liang Zhongshu immediately asked, "The escort of the birthday tribute is urgent. Who do you think is capable of taking on this task?"

Just as the two were about to speak, Liang Zhongshu added, "Yang Zhi is injured now, and Suo Chao is a reckless brute, brave but reckless. If you want to recommend them, you'd better keep quiet!"

Li Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Lu Junyi, the son of Master Lu, is in his early twenties. He is a highly skilled disciple of the legendary hero Zhou Tong, nicknamed Jade Kirin, and is said to be invincible. Why not let him escort the birthday gifts? It would be a good opportunity for him to gain some experience."

Liang Zhongshu frowned and said, "How could Master Lu allow his son to do such a job as a transportman? Moreover, this Lu Junyi dares to claim to be invincible at such a young age, and regards all heroes as nothing. Such arrogance is nothing short of childish."

Wen Da also spoke up: "I know a man who, despite his young age, possesses the courage of ten thousand men. He is in his early twenties and previously took the military examination, but failed because he refused to bribe the examiners. Now he works as a constable in his hometown county government. He is known as Guan Sheng the Great Saber. He is from Hedong and is a descendant of Guan Yu, the Martial Saint. He also looks very much like his ancestor!"

Liang Zhongshu was overjoyed and said, "If this person truly possesses the might of a Martial Saint, then this escort mission is more than sufficient!"

Li Cheng replied, "Hedong is a long way from Daming Prefecture. A round trip would take several days, and I'm afraid we won't be able to make it in time for Grand Tutor Cai's birthday!"

Liang Zhongshu pondered for a moment before speaking, "You and Wen Da will go ahead first. I will have someone write a letter and send it to Guan Sheng immediately. If he is willing, he can come directly from Hedong to you. If this matter is successful, you will both be rewarded upon your return!"

Li Cheng and Wen Da bowed and said in unison, "Yes!"

The next day, Li Cheng and Wen Da summoned forty soldiers, disguised as ordinary people, and carried the boxes towards Bianliang. The reason for not having too many soldiers escorting the shipment was because the journey was long and countless mountain strongholds and bandits were eyeing the birthday tribute.

Disguising oneself can both conceal one's identity and allow one to travel light without making a big fuss, so why not do it!

When Deputy Officer Zhou Jin found out, he insisted on going along. Escorting the birthday tribute was a tough job that many people would avoid at all costs. When Liang Zhongshu saw that Zhou Jin volunteered, he was delighted and agreed to let Zhou Jin go with Wen Da and Li Cheng!

A few days later, the men sent by Liang Zhongshu to find Guan Sheng arrived in Jieliang County, Hedong, without delay.

Guan Sheng was reading in the inner room of the county government office when the magistrate invited him to have a chat in the main hall!

Guan Sheng arrived at the main hall, wondering why the county magistrate had sent him. When the man sent by Liang Zhongshu saw Guan Sheng, he hurriedly stepped forward!

Guan Sheng glanced at the magistrate, who smiled and said, "This is someone sent by Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture, who came specifically to find you!"

Guan Sheng opened the letter, read it for a moment, and understood. He smiled and said, "I know what I'm doing, but this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to think about it. I will reply to Liang Zhongshu in a few hours!"

The man didn't urge him. He nodded and then Guan Sheng went to the inner hall and summoned his sworn brothers, Hao Siwen and Tang Bin.

Tang Bin met Guan Sheng when they went to take the martial arts exam together. He was good at standing up for the weak and had a very straightforward personality. He was also very skilled in martial arts. He and Guan Sheng got along very well and thus became sworn brothers!

If the original script had been followed, Guan Sheng would have become the patrol inspector of Pudong, and Tang Bin would have also gone there as a military officer, where the two would have met.

However, due to the butterfly effect of Song Jiang's time travel, he met Hao Siwen earlier in Yunmeng Mountain, which also brought forward the time when Guan Sheng and Tang Bin met!

Guan Sheng took out the letter and handed it to Hao Siwen and Tang Bin, asking, "Liang Zhongshu has invited me to escort the birthday tribute and then take up a post in Daming Prefecture. What are your thoughts?"

Tang Bin spoke first: "Liang Zhongshu is the son-in-law of the treacherous minister Cai Jing, and this birthday tribute is also a product of the people's ill-gotten gains. Brother, you must not associate with wolves!"

Guan Sheng said, "In that case, I'll just decline!"

Hao Siwen spoke up, "Brother, your ambitions remain unfulfilled, yet you're stuck here as a lowly constable. If what Liang Zhongshu said is true, you too can realize your aspirations!"