Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

Smoke swirled in the open space behind the kitchen.

Li Si led several brothers and quickly got to work, cleaning and stewing the grain, salted meat, and fresh fish that the Ruan brothers had just caught from the lake. The aroma of meat and fish soon filled the mountain village.

The Liangshan heroes lined up to receive their food, each holding a large, rough porcelain bowl. They wolfed down their food, sweating profusely. This was the first time in all the time they had followed Wang Lun that they could eat their fill, licking the bowls clean.

Taking advantage of a break from their work, Li Si leaned close to Zhang Shan and whispered, "Third Brother, all the brothers from the vegetable garden have come up with ideas. Some want to join the army, some want to join the navy, and a few want to do internal affairs."

Zhang Shan leaned against a pillar, watching everyone eat. "Let them choose for themselves, whatever makes them comfortable. Let's assign them a small leader first. They've all followed us from Tokyo, brothers who've been through thick and thin with us, we can't treat them unfairly."

Li Si smiled. He knew that his third brother would never betray the hearts of his own people.

"There's one more thing," Zhang Shan said firmly. "Give each of you a hundred strings of cash as a resettlement allowance. You've been wandering on the road and haven't had time to settle down. Now that you've finally settled in Liangshan, let's distribute some money to you so that the brothers can feel at ease."

Those brothers who followed him all the way from Tokyo were all people who were willing to give their lives for him. He remembered this kindness in his heart and was determined to put it into practice.

We killed Gao Yanei but didn't get any spoils; now it's a good time to get a share.

Li Si's smile faded slightly, and he advised in a low voice, "Third Brother, why don't we hold off for now? The Liangshan warehouse is basically empty now, and we need money right now. We need to replenish our supplies of grain and weapons. Besides, the brothers are all on the mountain, and we don't usually need much cash."

Zhang Shan smiled, patted Li Si on the shoulder, and said sincerely, "Si Lang, you know best what kind of person I am. The brothers are willing to follow me through thick and thin because of their own feelings; I treat them well because of my own feelings. Go, do as I say, and tell the brothers that as long as we work together, things will only get better."

Whether or not he gets paid is his business; whether he can spend it, where he can spend it, and how he can spend it are the brothers' business.

Li Si's eyes reddened slightly, and he choked up a little. His third brother was still the same third brother. No matter what the situation was, he would never mistreat the brothers who followed him.

He nodded emphatically: "Okay, Third Brother, I'll take care of it right away!"

"Wait a minute," Zhang Shan called out to him, adding, "Let the brothers learn martial arts and practice with us from now on. Don't be idle. This skill is the foundation for us to survive in this world."

Li Si grinned and waved his hand: "Don't worry, Third Brother, no need to rush! We've all experienced the dangers along the way. We need to hone our martial arts skills to survive. Now everyone is actively looking for places to practice their skills, so we don't need anyone to watch over us."

Indeed, after breaking out of Tokyo and evading government pursuit, these brothers have long developed a sense of crisis and know the importance of martial arts without being urged.

After eating, it's time to train. The training is very simple: long spear thrusts!

This is the fastest way to improve combat power.

Zhang Shan rearranged the more than two hundred men newly selected by Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong, and also included the brothers who came all the way from Tokyo and were willing to continue fighting. Each of them was in charge of twenty men and served as a small leader, which could both lead the training and keep the morale of the men stable.

The big guy was one of these small-time leaders.

He was originally a street ruffian in Tokyo. He followed Zhang Shan to kill Gao Qiu and break through enemy lines. Along the way, he also developed some courage and strength.

In the evening, after training, the brothers sat in twos and threes on the open ground outside the barracks, rubbing their sore arms and legs and panting heavily.

A former Liangshan soldier approached the tall man, his face full of curiosity, and asked, "Captain, tell us, what kind of person is the chieftain?"

Among men, loyalty is paramount, and they are also most curious about who is the strongest.

A group of rough men, exhausted from training today, but they had a good meal and were filled with curiosity and awe for their new chieftain.

The big man sat down on the ground, grinned, and said with pride, "My third brother? He's no ordinary man. In the martial arts world, he's known for his unwavering loyalty and righteousness!"

He paused, then deliberately raised his voice, drawing several of his men closer: "You all know Gao Qiu, right? The Grand Commandant of the court, who held absolute power. It was my third brother who orchestrated his assassination!"

"Not only was Gao Qiu killed, but his wicked son, Gao Yanei, was also dealt with, giving a vent to many suffering people in the capital!"

Some of the brothers who were gathered around had heard of Gao Qiu's infamous reputation, while others hadn't. At that moment, they all stared wide-eyed, listening intently.

"Captain, tell us more, in more detail!" A quick-witted brother rushed forward, massaging the big man's legs with a fawning expression.

The big guy felt good from the punch, his smile widening. He secretly planned that even if they didn't ask, he'd still have to give a proper explanation.

Having worked his way up from the bottom, he knew best that boasting about his own chieftain's prowess could boost his own morale and win over the new brothers.

And so, a group of people sat in a circle, listening to the big man boast with great enthusiasm, spitting as he described Zhang Shan's deeds as if they were divine.

In his mind, beating up Niu Er, the scoundrel from Tokyo, was nothing more than a minor incident.

He also described how the crowd threatened Gao Yanei and later killed Gao Qiu outside the capital city of Tokyo, making each part of the story full of twists and turns.

The brothers around him listened in stunned silence, their eyes wide open, barely daring to breathe, occasionally letting out a gasp of surprise.

Humans are inherently creatures that admire strength, especially in a place like Liangshan.

Whoever has the strongest fist and the most ability can lead everyone to survive and make everyone's life better, and everyone will respect that person.

The big man, getting carried away, patted his chest and said earnestly, "Let me tell you, my third brother is a martial arts genius! Don't be fooled by how skilled Lu Zhishen and Instructor Lin are now; one day, my third brother will definitely surpass them!"

Many of these former Liangshan brothers had witnessed Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong's skills. Lu Zhishen's staff swept across thousands of troops, and Lin Chong's spear technique was superb. In their eyes, these were the world's top martial arts.

Someone couldn't help but speak up, their voice filled with disbelief: "Captain, is the chief really more powerful than the second-in-command?"

"Otherwise what?" the big man retorted, his face full of certainty. "Otherwise, why should my third brother be the chieftain? Even someone as capable as Commander Lu and Instructor Lin willingly followed my third brother, didn't they?"

He had an inexplicable admiration for Zhang Shan; in his eyes, Zhang Shan was omnipotent.

Having said that, he suddenly pulled a cloth bag from behind his back, and with a "whoosh," poured out the hundred strings of cash he had just received onto the ground. The copper coins rolled all over the ground, making a crisp sound, and he shouted:

"Come here, everyone, come here! This is a gift for you all!"

The brothers sitting around were all stunned. A thin brother stammered, "Captain, you're giving us a gift? We're the ones who usually give gifts to the leader, it doesn't make sense for the leader to give us gifts!"

"Yeah, I've never seen anything like this before!" The others chimed in, their faces full of astonishment.

Upon hearing this, the big man couldn't help but spit on the ground, his tone serious: "Pah! We don't do such dirty things. This money was given to me by my third brother! I'm sharing some with the brothers now!"

"My third brother is a man of his word; what he says is as weighty as Mount Tai, and he never goes back on his word!"

He bent down and distributed the copper coins to the brothers around him, saying as he did so, "This money is the resettlement allowance my third brother gave me. Now I'm your captain, so we're brothers. From now on, we'll be brothers who share the same pot of food and fight together. What's a little money to you?"

He imitated Zhang Shan's usual manner, straightening his back when he spoke.

But I wasn't sure, and I didn't know if I was doing the right thing.

But when he saw the gleam in his brothers' eyes, and the longing and awe in their eyes as they looked at him, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.

The brothers took the copper coins, clutched them in their hands, and could hardly believe they were real; their fingertips trembled slightly.

They've followed Wang Lun for so long, and they're already grateful to have enough to eat. They've never received such benefits before, nor have they ever had a leader share money with them.

Seeing their excited expressions, the big man felt even more confident and continued:

"Third Brother said he'll be paying everyone every month from now on, and he always keeps his word! As long as we're obedient, follow orders, fight bravely, and train hard, our future will definitely be bright!"

Language can deceive, and sweet talk can fool people, but real money in your hands will not lie.

Most of these brothers had only turned to banditry because they had nowhere else to turn. They struggled at the bottom of society and had long been fed up with the days of not having enough to eat or wear and being oppressed.

Now, the new village chief not only feeds them but also gives them money, and they remember this kindness in their hearts.

The crowd gripped their copper coins tightly, shouting excitedly, "Captain, don't worry! From now on, wherever you point, we'll fight! We'll never back down!"

"Yes! We're just lowly people, living one day at a time. Today, the chieftain fed us and even gave us money. Even if we die, we'll die well-fed. It's worth it!"

The big man looked at the scene before him and a smile appeared on his lips.

He also had ambitions. He used to be a thug on the streets of Tokyo, living a life of subservience and confusion. It was Zhang Shan who gave him a way out.

He didn't want to be a scoundrel for the rest of his life. He wanted to follow Zhang Shan, work hard, and one day be able to earn the respect of his brothers like Zhang Shan and live a respectable life.

He stood up, clapped his hands, and said loudly, "Alright, alright, calm down and get some sleep! We might have to send troops out tomorrow. If we take Wangjia Village, we'll continue to live a life of luxury and ensure all the brothers have a good life!"

The brothers responded in unison, their faces full of anticipation.