The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 121 Qin Ming Goes to Qingfeng Village, Wan Chun Rescues a Beauty and Finds Love

The Nanjing government and many wealthy local families are searching for An Daoquan! After all, An Daoquan's medical skills are superb, and his medicine can cure any disease. The government has also issued an order that An Daoquan must be found, whether he is dead or alive. However, everyone is at a loss!

Zhu Biao returned empty-handed and could only relentlessly exploit Kong Hou. Kong Hou thought he could leave once Luan Tingyu was out of danger, but Zhu Biao refused to let him go no matter what and even threatened him. Helpless, Kong Hou had no choice but to stay in Zhu Family Village!

To be honest, Huang Xin wasn't very optimistic about Hua Rong taking over Erlong Mountain.

"Summon Commander Qin!" Murong Yanda ordered.

Before long, a golden-armored general strode into the government office with a majestic and imposing air.

The man was eight feet tall, dressed in military uniform, looking imposing. His helmet had a red tassel that seemed to be flying in flames, his brocade robe was stained with blood, his chainmail was studded with gold stars, his cloud-patterned boots were painted green, and his tortoise-shell armor was piled with silver.

This man was Qin Ming. Qin Ming stepped forward, bowed, and said, "May I ask what important matter my lord has summoned me for?"

Murong Yanda stepped forward to help Qin Ming up and asked, "General Qin, have you heard about the great incident at Qingfeng Village a couple of days ago?"

Qin Ming looked blank and said, "I've never heard of it!"

Murong Yanda chuckled and told Qin Ming everything that had happened before!

Qin Ming, with a fiery temper, roared upon hearing this news, his eyes widening in fury: "These treacherous villains are so arrogant! How dare they be so presumptuous! This humble general will immediately lead an army to them and bring back the heads of those three traitors to our ancestor!"

Murong Yanda laughed and said, "General, please don't be anxious. It was my fault before. I let the bandits run rampant, which only emboldened them. But this trip to Qingfeng Village is not to suppress the bandits. I hope you will bring back Hua Rong. I have something to ask him!"

Qin Ming's nickname was Thunderbolt, but he was not stupid. Hearing Prefect Murong say this, he became suspicious!

Although he had never met Hua Rong, he knew that Hua Rong was a master marksman and an unparalleled archer. He had heard some of Hua Rong’s deeds. If Prefect Murong were to punish such a hero, it would be against reason, morality, and justice.

Murong Yanda saw Qin Ming's doubts and laughed, "General, rest assured, I have no intention of punishing Hua Rong. On the contrary, if he can take Erlong Mountain, I will reward him handsomely. Even if he fails to take Erlong Mountain, I will not blame him. However, there are some things I would like to clarify!"

Liu Gao's death was entirely his own fault. Murong Yanda wouldn't care about someone who died so stupidly, nor did he want to. But Hua Rong's sending troops was, in any case, a violation of his orders, and he would definitely have to get his face back. If Hua Rong was willing to submit, he might as well arrange a position for him in Qingzhou Prefecture. But if he was not willing to submit, it was best for such a person to stay far away from him. Qingzhou Prefecture definitely couldn't keep him!

To trace the root of all this, we must start with Huang Xin's defeat at Erlong Mountain. Just thinking about this makes Prefect Murong furious, his teeth itching with hatred. If Huang Xin hadn't been so incompetent, how could there be all this trouble today? Thinking of this, his gaze toward Huang Xin became increasingly hostile!

Huang Xin felt a sharp gaze directed at him and involuntarily shivered!

Following his gaze, he saw Murong Yanda staring straight at him. His heart sank, and he felt a chill run down his spine!

Growing angrier by the thought, Prefect Murong snorted, "General Huang, there's a merit to be made now. I wonder if you'd be willing to accept it?"

Huang Xin tensed up, but still forced himself to say, "I will certainly not fail in my mission!" At that moment, Huang Xin didn't dare to ask Murong Yanda what it was about. He sighed inwardly, thinking that if one thing was done wrong, everything would go wrong!

Murong Yanda ignored Huang Xin and instead looked at Qin Ming, saying, "General Qin, take Huang Xin with you when you go to Qingfeng Village. You stay in Qingfeng Village and wait for Hua Rong. Huang Xin will lead his troops to pacify Qingfeng Mountain, but General Qin, you must not help him!"

Qin Ming hadn't thought that far ahead. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Grand Ancestor, I will personally accompany Huang Xin to Qingfeng Mountain. I will serve as the military supervisor and will not participate in the battle!"

Murong Yanda sneered inwardly. He knew perfectly well what Qin Ming was up to! If Huang Xin wouldn't do it, he would definitely do it himself! He was too lazy to point it out, and simply said coldly, "You will depart in three days!" Then he said to Huang Xin, "Don't disappoint me again!"

Huang Xin sighed inwardly. If Qin Ming didn't take action, it would be difficult for him to take Qingfeng Mountain on his own. But he couldn't very well tell the prefect that he couldn't do it!

With the die already cast, Huang Xin could only bow and say, "If this humble general fails to capture Qingfeng Mountain, I will leave my fate to your disposal, Grand Ancestor!"

Murong Yanda finally nodded and said, "If you can successfully flatten Qingfeng Mountain, past transgressions will be forgiven, and your master Qin Ming will also be proud. I can also recommend you as the military commander of Qingzhou. But if you fail again, you'll be feeding pigs!"

Having said all that, there was no point in saying anything more. The master and apprentice accepted the order and went to muster their troops, preparing to march on Qingfeng Village in three days!

Meanwhile, Hua Rong left Qingfeng Village and led his troops towards Peach Blossom Mountain!

Although it is already autumn, the heat is still unbearable. The scorching sun bakes the earth, and even the occasional breeze feels sticky. The air seems to be burning with heat, making people feel irritable!

Seeing that the soldiers were somewhat tired from their journey, and considering that they weren't too far from Peach Blossom Mountain, Hua Rong discussed it with Pang Wanchun and decided to set up camp and rest there. After a good meal and a night's rest, they would head straight to Peach Blossom Mountain the next day!

Just then, two farmhands passed by and saw the soldiers encamped. They became somewhat flustered and quickened their pace.

Seeing this, Hua Rong quickly said, "Please wait, you two!"

Upon hearing Hua Rong's address, the two farmhands immediately knelt down and said, "Greetings, sir! We are just ordinary farmhands. We left in a hurry and have little money or valuables on us. We beg your mercy and let us go. We will bring you silver later!"

Hua Rong felt a little uncomfortable. He had only intended to ask for directions, but he never expected them to say such things. They were afraid of soldiers like tigers. It seemed that the soldiers here had done a lot of extortion and shady dealings with the people.

How is this any different from what thieves do? Thinking this, he stepped forward and helped the two up, saying, "Please don't worry, I am Hua Rong, the magistrate of Qingfeng Village. I have been ordered to come here to wipe out the bandits of Peach Blossom Mountain, not to ask you for favors!"

The two men breathed a sigh of relief, and one of the farmhands spoke up: "Sir, this place is called Peach Blossom Village. Peach Blossom Mountain is about twenty miles west of here. There's a king on the mountain who has gathered four or five hundred henchmen, set up a stockade, and robs and plunders!"

Hua Rong nodded and said, "In that case, you two may go! There may be a fierce battle here in the next few days. When you return to the village, tell your neighbors not to come out unless it is urgent, so as not to cause any trouble and lose your lives for nothing!"

The two villagers were deeply moved. They had not seen many government soldiers in the past, but every one of them was a fierce and ruthless man who, if not preying on the villagers, would certainly demand bribes. They were nothing like the kind and amiable general before them today.

Hua Rong didn't have so many thoughts. Seeing that the soldiers had finished setting up camp, he said to a lieutenant, "Give the order to have the cooks start preparing food now. Everyone will have plenty of steamed buns and a pound of meat. Once everyone is full, we can take Peach Blossom Mountain in one fell swoop tomorrow!"

After a while, the aroma of food slowly filled the air. Just then, the servant from before rushed back and shouted, "General, save us! My master encountered bandits from Peach Blossom Mountain on his way back. They want to kidnap my young lady to take her to the mountain as their wife! Please, General, do us justice!"

Upon hearing this, Hua Rong immediately mounted his horse and said, "Brother Wan Chun, take twenty soldiers and come with me. Brother Li Kui, stay here and guard the camp!" After saying this, he cracked his whip and galloped away!

After traveling only a few miles, they saw a group of twenty or thirty thieves surrounding and robbing a few people not far away. The leader of the group was riding a tall, curly-maned white horse, looking very imposing and smug.

Hua Rong took the Heaven and Earth Sun and Moon Bow, nocked the Big Dipper Seven Star Arrow, drew the bowstring taut, and shot it!

With a "whoosh," the man riding the white horse heard the sound but did not see the figure. Caught off guard, he felt a sharp pain, only to find that his arm had been shot through!

Pang Wanchun shouted, "Excellent archery!" Holding his spear, he charged forward first!

The man on horseback thought he had struck it rich today and gained a beautiful woman. He was so pleased with himself that even the hooves of his horse seemed to be running faster than usual. But then, unexpectedly, someone intervened and ruined his good fortune. Not only was he injured, but his arm was also in great pain.

Looking back, a chill ran through him. Those people were clearly dressed as government troops. Could it be that the government troops had sent people to wipe him out?

Seeing the man wielding the silver spear charging towards him, he panicked and, without thinking, turned his horse around and galloped towards Peach Blossom Mountain without looking back!

Seeing that their leader had run away, the group of henchmen also hurriedly turned and fled!

Hua Rong, however, had no intention of letting them go, and shouted, "Come with me and kill them!"

Pang Wanchun did not give chase. Firstly, he was afraid of falling into the trap of these strongmen and turning around to attack. Secondly, he knew that Hua Rong was not much stronger than him, so he might as well stay and protect these people!

Seeing the thieves retreat, the other of the two farmhands hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "If it weren't for the general's timely arrival, we would all have perished in the clutches of these thieves!"

An old man also knelt down and said, "Thank you so much, General, for saving us. I am deeply grateful!"

The others, along with the young lady, also bowed to Pang Wanchun!

Pang Wanchun helped the old man up, saying, "This place is not safe to stay any longer. I'll take you all back first!"

The old man said with emotion, "My surname is Liu, and I do not know your honorable surname, General. I hope this will help me remember your kindness in the future!"

Pang Wanchun shook his head and said, "My surname is Pang. Let's not talk about this anymore. Just go back!"

Along the way, the old man surnamed Liu was very grateful to Pang Wanchun. When he learned that the army was conquering Peach Blossom Mountain, he was even more delighted. Having lived in this place for a long time, he knew that the people could not live in peace until the bandits were eliminated!

Pang Wanchun was an easygoing person. The farmhand and the old man surnamed Liu saw that he was not pretentious, and their previous tension lessened a lot. They kept talking to him. Miss Liu thought that she was doomed and had fallen into the den of bandits, and her innocence would definitely be in danger. But she did not dare to commit suicide. Who knew that Pang Wanchun would come down like a god and save her. At this moment, the girl's heart was pounding like a deer!

The general before her, riding a white horse and wielding a silver spear, was exceptionally handsome. She was a young girl in the bloom of youth, and the people she saw every day were nothing more than rough farmhands and simple farmers. She had never seen such a handsome man before. Moreover, this man had just saved her and was her hero. She would blush even more when she occasionally stole a glance at him.

The old man surnamed Liu was shrewd and experienced, and he could naturally see what his daughter was thinking. He pondered that if the general in front of him did not have a marriage leave, he would give up all his family property as a dowry to make this marriage happen. Moreover, this guy was very powerful, and his daughter would be marrying up to him!

Back in Peach Blossom Village, just as Pang Wanchun was about to take his leave, the old man spoke up: "General, I imagine your army is weary from your journey. Why not rest in my village tonight, and tomorrow we can prepare ourselves and take Peach Blossom Mountain in one fell swoop!"

Pang Wanchun was about to refuse, but the old man surnamed Liu continued, "The soldiers have saved my life; I hope the general will allow this old man to do what he can!"

Pang Wanchun hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I am not the commander-in-chief and cannot make the decision. Besides, I would have done the same thing if it had been anyone else!"

The old man surnamed Liu thought for a moment and said, "In that case, I would like to escort the general back to his camp. I hope the general will agree!"

Pang Wanchun couldn't refuse the old man any longer, and reluctantly said, "Alright!"

In the military camp, Hua Rong also led his soldiers back to the camp. Seeing Pang Wanchun and the old man surnamed Liu return together, he was slightly surprised, but did not say much. Instead, he took the initiative to say, "The man on horseback earlier was Zhou Tong, the chieftain of Peach Blossom Mountain. He escaped into the stronghold by taking advantage of his fast horse, and all the other bandits who came out with him were captured!"

Given Hua Rong's archery skills, taking Zhou Tong's life would have been a piece of cake. So why didn't he kill Zhou Tong? It was because Song Jiang preferred to capture Zhou Tong rather than kill him. That's why Hua Rong's arrow hit Zhou Tong's arm!

Pang Wanchun laughed, "Those bandits have lost their nerve today; they'll be easy prey tomorrow!"

Hua Rong said solemnly, "We still cannot let our guard down!" After saying that, he looked at the old man surnamed Liu with a questioning look in his eyes!

The elderly man surnamed Liu quickly said, "I live in Liu Family Village, Peach Blossom Village. I have come here to thank the general for saving my life!"

Hua Rong laughed and said, "So it's Old Man Liu. There's no need to be so polite!"

Seeing that Old Man Liu seemed to have something to say but was hesitant, Hua Rong took the initiative to speak, saying, "Old Man Liu must have something else to say here, so please speak freely!"

Old Master Liu looked at Pang Wanchun, exhaled, and said, "I wonder if this general is married?"

Hua Rong was speechless, then smiled. Pang Wanchun hadn't expected that the old man had ulterior motives and actually wanted him to be his son-in-law. Otherwise, there would have been no need for him to make such a fuss!

Old Master Liu sighed and said, "I was forty years old when I had my daughter, who is now sixteen. Her mother passed away a long time ago. To be honest, my family is quite wealthy, but this daughter is the apple of my eye. I had previously wanted to find a son-in-law to live with me, as long as he was of good character. After I pass away, all my property will go to him. Today, I went to the neighboring village to find a young man, but I didn't find anyone satisfactory. On my way back, I encountered bandits. If it weren't for the two generals' rescue, I'm afraid I would have died with regrets. Today, General Pang's divine might has impressed me greatly. If General Pang is not yet married or has a sweetheart, I wonder if I could presume to be his wife?"