Water Margin: From a White-Robed Scholar to Donning the Yellow Robe

"In this battle, I, Wang, won by sheer luck. It is also thanks to General Huyan's great understanding of righteousness that he chose to abandon the darkness and join us in fighting side by side to build a great cause."

Wang Lun was very modest. "Minister Zhang, my brothers and I were originally from good families, but we were persecuted by treacherous officials and had no choice but to become outlaws and were forced to join the Liangshan bandits."

"We are now acting on behalf of Heaven, performing a righteous act, while you are leading an army to attack us, which is an unjust army. Therefore, my victory and your defeat are the will of Heaven."

Zhang Shuye was taken aback. He hadn't expected that Wang Lun, who seemed so humble, was actually so shameless. He actually called the imperial court's campaign against the bandits an unjust army, and even more audaciously claimed that Heaven was on the side of the Liangshan bandits.

Wang Lun continued, "Minister Zhang, you are a man of great insight. I have admired you for many years. Now that we are preparing our troops, it will not be difficult to conquer the surrounding cities, nor will it be difficult to slaughter you all."

Zhang Shuye glanced at the situation and realized that the enemy was indeed stronger, so he didn't try to argue.

"But since I respect the Vice Minister and greatly admire General Guan's martial arts, I can let you return to your camp today. After you report to the court and gather your troops, it will not be too late for us to fight again."

When Wang Lun said this, Zhang Shuye and Guan Sheng were both stunned. If the two sides were to fight each other, the government army would definitely lose. Why was Wang Lun willing to let them go?

"Really?" Zhang Shuye was somewhat skeptical.

Wang Lun laughed heartily and said, "Of course it's true. I can capture and release General Huyan, so what difficulty would there be in letting you return to camp today?"

"In that case, I will not stand on ceremony. I thank Chief Wang in advance. Once I have gathered my troops, I will settle this with you."

Zhang Shuye, imitating the manners of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who travels the martial arts world), clasped his hands in a salute, then spurred his horse and led the government troops away.

The Liangshan Flying Tiger Army stood quietly to one side, their formation perfectly intact. When Wang Lun released the government troops, not a single soldier of the Flying Tiger Army murmured among themselves.

Upon witnessing such military discipline, Zhang Shuye and Guan Sheng secretly praised it, knowing that their defeat was not unjust.

After the government troops had walked a long way, Lu Zhishen finally asked, "Brother, why did you let them go?"

Wang Lun laughed and said, "Zhang Shuye and Guan Sheng are both rare and outstanding generals. Wouldn't it be better if we could win them over? Rather than forcing them to submit by force, it would be better to persuade them to join us voluntarily through morality."

The generals all frowned. Did releasing them mean they would be the only way to get them to defect?

Gongsun Sheng laughed and said, "I don't think there's any need to ask. Brother has his own ideas. Let's just wait and see."

Wang Lun exclaimed "Ee-yah!" and patted Gongsun Sheng's shoulder, laughing, "Gongsun understands me more and more now. Could he have become a tapeworm in my stomach?"

The leaders laughed heartily, and the atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.

Seeing the brotherly atmosphere among the leaders, Hu Yanzhuo burst into laughter, and the gloom of defeat and surrender in his heart gradually disappeared.

Zhang Shuye and Guan Sheng led their troops back to the camp. The once vast camp now only had a few thousand soldiers left. The six thousand soldiers that Huyan Zhuo had taken with him were now being recruited by Liangshan.

The Liangshan Flying Tiger Army grew stronger and stronger, while the government troops dwindled in number.

Zhang Shuye sighed and had no choice but to continue writing the official gazette to recount what had happened to the court and to ask for help again.

When Wang Lun and others returned to Jizhou, they recorded the merits of all the soldiers and carefully documented them according to the previously established performance system. They also took stock of the results of the battle and sent people to find out that Han Tao and Peng Qi, who had originally led troops to attack Yuncheng, had hurriedly withdrawn their troops after learning that Huyan Zhuo had been defeated again.

The crisis in Yuncheng has been resolved.

The leaders were overjoyed, and Wang Lun made an exception and allowed everyone to drink and celebrate, also to welcome Huyan Zhuo to join the group.

The leaders drank and made merry, starting at noon and continuing until late at night before dispersing.

Wang Lun, supported by Zhao Si and the maid Ke'er, returned to his room to rest. After getting drunk, he woke up at noon the next day. He had a headache and was thirsty. He drank some hangover soup with the help of the maid Ke'er, but still felt unwell.

He leaned against the headboard, sighing, when he heard footsteps outside. Zhao Si called out, "Chief, something terrible has happened!"

Wang Lun was startled, his drunkenness instantly vanishing. He exclaimed, "Could it be that Guan Sheng launched a night attack on the city, and Yang Zhi failed to hold it?"

Last night it was Yang Zhi's turn to guard the city, so I didn't invite him to drink. Yang Zhi is always cautious, so there shouldn't be any problems.

"No, something happened within our ranks." Zhao Si quickly helped Wang Lun get dressed. "Leader Wang got drunk last night and raped the daughter of the Chen family across from the government office, killing her alive."

Wang Lun's hands and feet trembled: "Which Chief Wang?"

He was a little confused. Was there someone with the surname Wang among the leaders? He wasn't fully sober yet, and his mind was a bit sluggish.

"Oh dear, Chieftain, it's Wang Ying from Qingfeng Mountain. The Chen family has already complained to Magistrate Shi, who sent men to arrest Wang Ying. But then, the two leaders, Yan Shun and Zheng Tianshou, arrived at Magistrate Shi's office with their men, demanding his release. When I arrived, the two sides were already on the verge of fighting."

Wang Lun was startled but quickly calmed down. Had things changed?

Wang Ying has always been a womanizer, and he, Yan Shun, and Zheng Tianshou had all joined the outlaws in Qingfeng Mountain, so the three of them naturally had a better relationship. Therefore, when he divided the leaders of the four armies, he deliberately separated the three of them.

Unexpectedly, even though he had already established military regulations, Wang Ying still did such a thing after drinking.

The rebellion of Yan Shun and Zheng Tianshou is not so terrible. The three of them have no troops at their disposal and can only gather the old troops from Qingfeng Mountain at most.

His concern was for Qin Ming and Hua Rong, who had also gone to Liangshan with Yan Shun and others. If someone with ulterior motives tried to persuade them, the situation would be difficult to control.

When he finished changing his clothes, Wang Lun's face had already darkened.

"Pass down the order: all leaders, gather in the main hall of the government office for a meeting."

Wang Lun's tone was somewhat cold, and his eyes revealed a murderous intent.

"Please have Wu Song and Lu Da bring three hundred axemen and bring Wang Ying to the main hall. Anyone who dares to disobey may be executed first and reported later."

Zhao Si was taken aback, then quickly went to relay the order and personally went to find Wu Song and Lu Zhishen.

Wang Lun drank a large cup of cold tea, took a deep breath, and then strode out the door.

When he arrived at the main hall, many leaders were already there. Seeing Wang Lun's gloomy face, no one spoke.

Shortly after, Qin Ming and Hua Rong entered one after the other.

Seeing that the two men were not wearing armor or carrying weapons, Wang Lun felt somewhat relieved.

A moment later, the sound of hundreds of footsteps could be heard outside. The leaders were shocked. How could there be so many people outside the meeting hall?

Three hundred axemen stood in unison outside the door.

Lu Zhishen lifted Wang Ying like a chick, threw him to the ground, and stood on either side of him with Wu Song, clasping his hands in greeting, "Brother, Wang Ying has been brought."

Shi Wenbin, with a gloomy face, came in from outside and sat down in his seat.

Yan Shun and Zheng Tianshou, armed with weapons and followed by dozens of henchmen from Qingfeng Mountain, arrived outside the main hall. Upon seeing this display of force, they dared not enter.

Wang Lun said in a deep voice, "Bring them in, remove their armor and weapons."

Wu Song strode out the door, his tiger-like eyes blazing: "Didn't you hear me?"

Three hundred axemen outside the door roared in unison, "Disarm yourselves!"

His voice was like thunder.

Yan Shun and Zheng Tianshou were disheartened and had no choice but to obey Wang Lun's orders. They threw their armor and weapons outside the door and went into the main hall.

Wang Lun coldly looked at Yan Shun, Zheng Tianshou, and Wang Ying, and said, "You three want to rebel?"