Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

Zhang Shan wore a relaxed smile, already knowing what was going on.

The goals of this trip have been largely achieved.

He didn't reveal his name directly because he knew Wang Lun's personality. If he had revealed his identity from the beginning, who knows what kind of trouble this petty white-robed scholar would cause, creating unnecessary complications.

This is for the best. Their strength has been demonstrated, and their reputation has spread. Wang Lun is already completely under their control, leaving them no choice but to submit.

"Leader Wang, please rise." Zhang Shan smiled and stepped forward, helping Wang Lun to his feet. He gently patted Wang Lun's arm twice, his tone calm yet firm.

"We have caused you much trouble on our journey up the mountain. Please forgive us, Chief Wang."

When Wang Lun was helped up, he secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. His clothes on the back were already soaked. He smiled and waved his hands repeatedly.

"No disturbance! No disturbance! It was my poor hospitality; it was my lackeys who were blind to your greatness and dared to obstruct you heroes. I will certainly teach them a lesson later!"

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; judging from the situation, his life was spared for the time being.

The life of a bandit was truly unbearable; he had to live in constant fear, always at risk of being killed. It was nothing like the life he had imagined.

He once thought that becoming an outlaw would bring him freedom, power, and a carefree life, but now he realizes that the so-called freedom and romance are nothing but illusions, and only endless fear accompanies him day and night.

"Chief Wang, to be honest," Zhang Shan changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious as he went straight to the point, his gaze fixed on Wang Lun, "We killed Gao Qiu, but the imperial court will certainly not let this go. There is no place for us in this vast world anymore. We came here today to see if Liangshan Marsh can provide us with a safe haven."

He deliberately slowed down his speech to see Wang Lun's reaction and test his bottom line.

Wang Lun's heart skipped a beat, his previous guess was instantly confirmed, and the smile on his face became even more stiff. He quickly smiled ingratiatingly and rubbed his hands: "Hey, brother, you're joking. This Liangshan Marsh is remote and desolate. When I first came here, there was no one here. I managed to take care of it bit by bit. It took me several years to get it to what it is today. It's really very simple."

He dared not refuse directly, nor did he dare to agree easily.

If he were to accept Zhang Shan and his group, who were all highly skilled in martial arts and had great reputations, he would certainly not be able to hold onto his position as the chieftain.

But if he refuses, given the other party's strength, they could easily kill him, leaving him no room to resist.

He still clung to a sliver of hope, wishing that Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and the others would look down on Liangshan, this tiny place, and turn to find a place to settle down elsewhere.

"Yes, Liangshan is indeed a treasure trove, created by Chief Wang himself, which is why it has its current grandeur." Zhang Shan nodded slightly, his tone decisive, directly revealing his trump card.

"We wish to settle here as outlaws. What is your opinion, Chief Wang?"

Having come this far, how could he give Wang Lun a chance to shirk responsibility?

These words instantly froze the previously relaxed atmosphere; even the mountain wind seemed to stop, leaving only the sound of everyone breathing.

Wang Lun's face turned deathly pale instantly. His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time. He was completely stunned.

He gripped his robes tightly, with only one thought in his mind: This is my Liangshan, which I built with my own hands. Why should I give it to them!

Seeing this, Du Qian, who was standing behind him, quickly and quietly tugged at Wang Lun's sleeve, his eyes filled with urgency.

He knew in his heart that this was not the time to hesitate. That was the rule of the martial world: the strong were respected. If the other party was really angered, they would all die.

Wang Lun, however, was already in a state of panic and did not understand Du Qian's meaning at all. He remained frozen in place, looking dazed.

Du Qian dared not wait any longer, and quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed to Zhang Shan and the others, saying:

"It is an honor for us heroes to come to Liangshan! Please come up the mountain with me for a chat. We have prepared some simple wine and tea in the stronghold. Let us eat and talk, and I will tell you about the situation in Liangshan."

"So much trouble!" Lu Zhishen grumbled impatiently from the side, stomping his foot heavily on the ground as he carried his monk's staff, his face full of impatience. "Stay if you want, leave if you want, why all this nonsense!"

Du Qian quickly smiled apologetically and bowed to explain, "Officer Lu, please calm down. It is our good fortune that you heroes are willing to come to Liangshan. However, Liangshan is not as simple as it seems to outsiders. We have been here for a long time and are familiar with its advantages and disadvantages. We will explain them to you one by one so that you heroes can make a decision."

"After I finish speaking, if you are willing to stay, we brothers are willing to serve you wholeheartedly; if you find Liangshan too simple and unsatisfactory, I will not stop you, and will even prepare travel expenses to send you heroes down the mountain."

"I fear that you all are unaware of the situation at Liangshan, and may thus jeopardize your promising futures!"

Du Qian's words were perfectly tactful, giving Zhang Shan and the others face, leaving Wang Lun a way out, and subtly stabilizing the situation.

Wang Lun suddenly realized what was happening, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. Yes, once he died, no matter how good Liangshan was, it would have nothing to do with him anymore!

Preserving your life is the most important thing right now.

He quickly composed himself, nodding vigorously, a stiff smile plastered on his face: "Yes! Yes! Brother Du is right! Let's go up the mountain first for a cup of wine, and then I'll slowly introduce the situation of Liangshan to you all. We can discuss this further, discuss it further!"

Zhang Shan's gaze fell on Du Qian, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes—unexpectedly, the biggest surprise of this trip came from the usually taciturn Du Qian.

On the contrary, Wang Lun panicked and lost his composure when faced with problems. He had no experience in handling matters of the underworld and only knew how to guard his own little corner of the world. His vision was too narrow.

"Alright, then we'll listen attentively." Zhang Shan nodded with a smile. He had already made up his mind to join the Liangshan outlaws, and hearing more about the situation there would help him avoid some detours.

Upon seeing this, Wang Lun's face immediately lit up with joy. He quickly stepped aside to lead the way, proceeding with utmost caution: "Heroes, please!"

The group walked up the mountain path, with Zhang Shan leading the way. He appeared calm and collected, his eyes occasionally scanning the surrounding terrain.

Wang Lun followed closely behind, hunching over and glancing at Zhang Shan every now and then, his face full of flattery.

Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong stood on either side. Lu Zhishen, carrying his monk's staff, glared at Wang Lun every now and then, his face full of impatience. Lin Chong, on the other hand, held a gun in one hand, his expression vigilant, watching the surrounding movements.

The three Nguyen brothers followed at the back of the procession, their hands on their weapons, their eyes sharp, alert to their surroundings.

The mountain path was rugged, with dense forests on both sides. The fallen leaves and branches covered a thick layer, making a rustling sound underfoot. The mountain breeze, carrying a bit of moisture, blew through the forest, making one feel slightly cool.

"Brother Zhang Shan, you don't know this," Wang Lun said impatiently as he walked, pointing to the surrounding mountains with a bitter expression on his face. "Liangshan is located at the junction of Dongping, Jizhou, and Yunzhou prefectures, a very remote place. I have no great ambitions; I just want to live a peaceful life on this small island. As long as we don't provoke the government or encroach on the prefectures, the government won't bother us."

"But Liangshan is too small, and the island's area is limited; it simply can't accommodate too many people and horses." He deliberately emphasized his words, then pointed to the ground beneath his feet.

"Look at the soil on this mountain, it's very barren and can't grow crops; there are no mines, so we can't make weapons or forge armor; and there's no flat place to raise horses, so the brothers in the village don't even have horses to get around on weekdays."

"Xiao Ke leads several hundred people in the village, but they can barely find food here and live a very frugal life."

Wang Lun went on and on, listing all the shortcomings of Liangshan.

He initially chose Liangshan simply for a peaceful and carefree life; he had no grand ambitions whatsoever.

To put it bluntly, he just wanted to find a place to hide and retire peacefully; he had no desire to let Zhang Shan and his group disrupt his life.

"And another thing, every winter, I can't eat or sleep properly." Wang Lun frowned, looking worried. "Once this 800-li marshland freezes over, the lake becomes flat ground, and people and horses can walk freely. The only natural barrier of the marshland is completely gone. If the government comes to besiege us then, we won't have anything to rely on."

"Not only that, the island is very humid. We didn't feel it when we first moved in, but after a while, many brothers caught colds and rheumatism, and their health deteriorated. I was very worried about this."

He became increasingly anxious as he spoke, wishing he could make Liangshan seem worthless so that Zhang Shan and the others would give up and find another place to go.

Du Qian, who was listening from the side, was alarmed. He quietly tugged at Wang Lun's sleeve, his eyes full of anxiety. Even if he didn't want them to stay, he shouldn't have made it so obvious. Wasn't this just blatantly trying to get rid of them?

If you anger the other party, the consequences could be disastrous.

Wang Lun was tugged and realized that his intentions were too obvious. He immediately looked embarrassed and coughed twice, softened his tone, stopped rambling, and just walked forward with Zhang Shan and the others with his head down.

Zhang Shan remained silent, a smile playing on his lips, listening quietly to Wang Lun's performance.

If these words were effective, Emperor Huizong wouldn't have had a noose around his neck!