Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

The mountain shadows of Yinmachuan were gradually left behind, and Zhang Shan and his group continued northward.

Before leaving, Meng Kang specifically mentioned, "Brother, shipbuilding costs a lot. A single cargo ship costs at least two thousand strings of cash, and warships are even more expensive. Materials, labor, and ironwork all cost a fortune."

These words weighed heavily on Zhang Shan's heart like a boulder.

Two thousand strings of cash per boat, and that's just for a grain transport boat.

The number of warships more than doubled.

The Liangshan Marsh stretches for eight hundred li, and without large ships, it's like having no legs. But to build a decent fleet, money would flow out in droves.

Zhang Shan, riding his horse with the reins loosely draped in his hand, found his mind involuntarily drifting to Cai Jing's birthday tribute.

Liang Zhongshu's 100,000 strings of cash will definitely be intercepted.

No matter who is escorting the shipment this year, and no matter which route they take, Zhang Shan has his eye on this lucrative deal.

But then I thought, Liang Zhongshu is Cai Jing's son-in-law, if he gives gifts, then others won't?

Cai Jing's protégés, former officials, and trusted lackeys in other places all took this opportunity to curry favor with him.

This person gave 30,000, that person gave 50,000; together, it's probably more than Liang Zhongshu's 100,000.

Zhang Shan gritted his teeth.

When pushed to the limit, he intercepted them all.

Really.

As a transmigrator with a system, I'm living such a miserable life.

They couldn't stay in Liangshan, nor could they stay in the Song Dynasty. They were constantly on the move, enduring wind and rain.

That wicked old society, that damned Emperor Huizong, that damned Cai Jing!

A bunch of good-for-nothings have ruined this once beautiful country.

Zhang Shan cursed under his breath as he walked.

The soil on the official road was trampled into a mess by horses' hooves, and water still lingered in the potholes, even though it had only been a few days since the autumn rains.

When the horses stepped over them, mud splashed up, covering my trousers in spots.

Modern people get exhausted driving hundreds of kilometers, let alone riding a horse.

"Brother, we're almost there." Deng Fei leaned closer, his eyes red. "Should we go to Jizhou first, or go directly to the border market in Xiongzhou?"

Zhang Shan glanced at him: "Do you know where the border market is? How do you get in? Do you have any connections?"

Deng Fei shook his head repeatedly; he had no idea about these things.

All he knows is highway robbery and extortion; when it comes to doing business, he's completely clueless.

Hey.

Zhang Shan sighed inwardly.

These guys are good at fighting and killing, but when it comes to doing business, none of them are any good.

They were all heroes, and also all roughnecks.

He suddenly thought of someone.

Li Gu.

Li Gu from Daming Prefecture.

That guy is a real talent.

A steward who can manage Lu Junyi's vast business empire and run it with great success—that's a skill not everyone possesses.

It's a pity that this person is smart and bold enough to seduce the mistress and frame the master.

If he had a few capable brothers backing him up, he might actually be able to swallow the entire Lu family whole.

Unfortunately, it can only stir up trouble among women.

Zhang Shan was lost in thought when a series of hurried footsteps came from behind him.

Wu Song strode over, his expression grave. He approached Zhang Shan and whispered, "Brother, we just caught a petty thief who stole some wine."

Zhang Shan was somewhat surprised.

Although they were posing as businessmen, they were all ruthless characters who had lived on the edge and were not good people at all.

Along the way, anyone who dared to approach them was intimidated by their imposing presence, and even the hotel staff along the route dared not utter a word.

How could anyone dare to steal their things?

"Just kick them out," Zhang Shan said casually, not taking it too seriously.

Wu Song joined the group halfway through the journey, originally intending only to go along and visit his brother on the way.

But along the way, he heard a lot of things, and while he admired them, he also wanted to do something.

If I have to leave in the future, at least I won't owe anything, and I'll feel less guilty.

"Brother," Du Qian chimed in, "this petty thief is no ordinary person. He's already been robbed once before, and this is the second time. It took the boss a lot of effort to catch him."

Zhang Shan's heart stirred.

Being robbed once is one thing, but to be robbed a second time, and to do it right under the noses of Du Qian and Jiao Ting, requiring Wu Song's help to finally subdue him, means this guy has something up his sleeve.

"Bring the person over here!" Zhang Shan said.

As soon as he finished speaking, a thin man was pushed and shoved over.

The man was dressed in a drab, grayish-brown outfit, covered in mud, with messy hair, but his eyes were bright and lively, darting around as he looked around.

"Heroes, heroes!" the man pleaded hastily. "I was momentarily craving wine, which led me to commit this act. Please, have mercy on me!"

As he spoke, he glanced at the crowd, trying to see who seemed to be in charge.

Zhang Shan didn't reply, but turned to Du Qian and asked, "How were you arrested?"

Du Qian blushed, stammered a few words, and then said in a low voice, "This fellow was a little drunk, which is why we caught him. If it weren't for Brother Wu Song lending a hand, he might have gotten away again."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shan's lips curled up slightly.

He stepped forward, bent down, and reached out to rip the rope binding the man's wrists.

The rope was thick and tight; after it was untied, there were two red marks on my wrist.

"Brother, if you want a drink, just say so," Zhang Shan patted the man on the shoulder. "We're all brothers in the underworld, why do something so sneaky?"

The man froze.

He stared wide-eyed at his wrist; the rope was indeed untied, hanging loosely on the ground.

He looked up and glanced at Zhang Shan, his face full of disbelief.

After being arrested, he considered all sorts of things: being beaten severely, having his arm or leg broken, or even being left to die in the wilderness.

He deserved it all, and he accepted it.

But to his utter surprise, the person opposite him neither hit nor scolded him, but instead untied him.

"Bring two more bottles of good wine for this brother!" Zhang Shan turned to Du Qian and instructed.

Everyone was stunned.

Du Qian opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He turned around to get the wine.

Deng Fei watched this scene with red eyes, completely bewildered.

Jiao Ting remained expressionless, his gaze shifting back and forth between Zhang Shan and Shi Qian.

Why would the chieftain treat a thief like that?

The man was stunned, as if he had been paralyzed by acupuncture, standing there motionless.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound.

Her eyes gradually reddened, and her nostrils twitched twice.

"May I ask... what is your honorable name, sir?" His voice trembled, filled with barely suppressed excitement. "I am Shi Qian, and I will never forget you!"

Time changes.

Zhang Shan's face lit up with joy; it was just as he suspected.

He was already guessing.

They were very wary, and ordinary thieves couldn't get close to them at all.

How many people in the world can be robbed once, then robbed a second time, and finally only managed to get Wu Song to take it down?

Shi Qian, the flea on the drum, could leap across rooftops and walls, appearing and disappearing without a trace. There was no one else like him.

"Shi Qian, are you the one known in the martial arts world as the 'Flea on the Drum'?" Zhang Shan asked.

Shi Qian was taken aback, a look of surprise on his face: "Yes... there is indeed such a pseudonym in the martial arts world, but I wonder how you, sir, knew of it?"

His nickname was only known to people in a few nearby counties; outside of that circle, very few people recognized him.

Zhang Shan did not answer, but shook his head gently and sighed deeply.

"Brother, you have such good skills, yet you use them to steal wine..." Zhang Shan looked at Shi Qian and said, word by word, "What a waste of talent."

He turned his head and added, "Go get two more bottles of wine."

Shi Qian stood there, frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

Throughout his life, he has been beaten, scolded, chased away, and despised. He has committed countless petty thefts and other despicable acts. People who see him either roll their eyes or swing sticks at him.

He thought this was his fate, that this was how his life would be.

But the person in front of him didn't hit, scold, humiliate, or preach; he just looked at him with a regretful gaze and said, "What a waste of talent."

Shi Qian's eyes finally welled up with tears.