Magical Water Margin: They all call me brother

Page 56

In reality, only about thirty of his household servants responded to his call.

Under the deliberate manipulation and dissemination of Zhu Gui, the intelligence chief, the fame of Liangshan had spread wildly throughout the eight hundred li of the marshland. Everyone knew what Liangshan was all about and what they were there for—these people were not ruthless bandits at all; on the contrary, they were righteous thieves who robbed the rich to help the poor! They only killed wealthy people and did not harm the common folk.

If we, the tenant farmers and serfs, manage to hold off Liangshan's army here, after the victory, we will continue to harvest grain, hand over 60-70% of the year's harvest to the landlord, and the rest will only be enough for our families to tighten their belts and barely survive for a year until the next harvest. In the meantime, we might even be bullied by the landlord Shi to the point of ruin and death.

However, even if we are defeated here, we can still enjoy the same benefits as the people of Yuncheng! Liangshan will distribute land to our family!

Having figured this out, when they saw the Liangshan army arrive, these tenant farmers and serfs had no will to fight and scattered in all directions. Some ran into the woods, some bent down and squatted in the wheat field, and some plunged into the river. They escaped in all sorts of ways, but not a single one of them was willing to fight for the landlord.

It can be said that the government and local tyrants have lost the hearts of the people around the 800-li Liangshan Marsh. Liu Hong is now only one step away from taking over these territories: sending troops to occupy them.

"Damn these scoundrels! Form ranks! Form ranks! Even so, it's forty against twenty-five, the advantage is on our side! After we drive away these Liangshan bandits, I'll go back and skin these scoundrels alive!!!"

Master Shi roared angrily and led thirty lackeys armed with broadswords, wooden clubs and other long weapons to charge at the Liangshan army!

"Everyone, form three lines!"

Thirty muskets were arranged in three rows amidst the golden waves of rice. Ten men were in each row. The first row knelt in the wheat, the second row stood, and the third row stood behind the gaps between the soldiers in the second row.

Wang, the head of the capital, wiped the morning dew from the barrel of his gun and directed his thirty men to nervously aim at the approaching enemy troops.

The local militia privately trained by Master Shi were quite capable. Upon seeing this array of firearms, they immediately broke into smaller, scattered units and launched an attack on him. Forty or fifty of them were scattered throughout the entire wheat field.

"Use the thunder of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven!"

With a roar, the ten muskets in the first row suddenly erupted with a deafening roar, their sound shaking the heavens! Metal bullets, amidst the dazzling flames and billowing smoke, whistled and blasted forward!

The fire lance was so powerful that if you weren't hit, it was fine, but if you were hit in the chest, the broken spine and ribs would pierce through the flesh of your back and fly out of your body along with the bullet, turning into a fleeting flower of blood. Your whole body would fly out like a blood-soaked rag doll.

If you are hit in the limbs, the impact of the bullet is enough to tear a human's arms and legs off the torso!

If an unlucky person gets hit in the head, the impact of the bullet is enough to cause their entire skull to explode instantly, like a ripe watermelon!

Before the militiamen could recover from the shockwave, the first volley of musketeers quickly reloaded their gunpowder after firing, and the second volley began to fire as well. Under the command of Chief Wang, they unleashed a second volley!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"

As they began loading, the third volley of muskets fired, raining down iron and sending waves of fire soaring into the sky, turning the golden rice paddies into ruins of broken stubs.

At this moment, the forty or fifty hooligans who charged forward were dumbfounded. Although they only managed to kill nine people with a three-line volley, with a hit rate of barely 33%, the deterrent power of this thing was too terrifying. Putting aside how miserable the people killed by the muskets were, the huge noise, the terrifying flames, and the towering smoke when this weapon was fired could not help but arouse the most primal fear in people's hearts.

Chapter 124: Harvest Season - Collusion Between Officials and Bandits (Bonus Chapter for 2300 Monthly Tickets!)

"Don't be afraid! Isn't that a musket? The reload time is agonizingly slow; they've already run out of ammo. Everyone, charge! Charge!!!"

Master Shi roared hoarsely, and one of his hired instructors, Instructor Li, wielded a thirty-pound iron cudgel and charged ahead at the forefront! They truly crossed the death distance and reached the side of the Liangshan soldiers.

At that moment, the musketeers in the first rank had reloaded their paper ammunition and were ready to fire again, but this time, they were not equipped with ordinary bullets, but with shotgun shells.

The smell of gunpowder hadn't yet dissipated from the wheat fields and rice paddies when the muzzles of ten muskets were already tracking the white figure, locking him in all directions. Instructor Li used a leaping agility to soar into the air, leaping three meters into the sky, preparing to deliver a powerful slash and charge into the enemy formation.

But at that very moment, gunpowder exploded in the barrel of a gun, and sixteen small iron pellets rained down on the metal net. As he leaped through the air, the iron rain had already gripped his leggings. When the first wave of pellets tore open his Yongquan acupoint, his arches shattered like a fish bladder being crushed! Five broken toe bones, trailing trails of blood, scattered like petals across the wheat field.

Li Du let out a scream and fell downwards. The second shot from the fire lance hit him squarely in the chest, blasting out a horrifying cloud of blood mist mixed with fragments of internal organs from his dantian.

The other eight fire lances also fired in quick succession, and the net of fire woven by the ten fire lances instantly engulfed him, blocking all escape routes. Three iron balls pierced his neck, and with a crisp cracking sound as his cervical vertebrae exploded, the headless body continued to charge forward with inertia until his entire body was torn to pieces by the grapeshot.

The cotton-padded jacket, soaked in blood, suddenly swelled up like a ball, then exploded under everyone's gaze. In the concentrated attack of ten shotgun shells, it was torn apart by one hundred and sixty small iron balls into a rain of vermilion blood flying everywhere. Blood and bits of flesh exploded in all directions like fireworks, and the wheat field within thirty paces was covered with plum blossom-shaped scarlet mincemeat.

"All troops, charge!!!"

At the command of the Liangshan leader, Wang Dutou ordered the flag bearer to wave the flag and stand behind him, leading the entire army in a charge!

At that moment, the ten soldiers in the second rank also loaded their muskets with shotgun shells and began to walk, jog, and charge forward. When they were less than ten meters away from the enemy, they fired at his chest!

In an instant, gunpowder explosions rose and fell, flames and light illuminated the sky, and dust and smoke billowed into the air! Anyway, at such close range, and with shotgun shells being fired, anyone who wasn't blind could basically be hit. Ten lackeys fell to the ground, and everyone's front was riddled with blood and gore from the exploding bullets.

Then, they put away their fire lances, drew their two-meter-long short spears from their backs, and charged forward, roaring, howling, and laughing. One spear after another, imbued with their masters' anger and killing intent, pierced the chests of their lackeys!

The battle was quickly decided. Liangshan was far superior to these lackeys in terms of technology and equipment. The battle was almost a complete rout. A martial arts captain who could only make a living in a village had no chance of winning against a group of muskets.

In terms of morale, the Liangshan army was in high spirits. Even though Liu Hong had not yet fully forged the army's spirit, he at least gave these people a concept: these landlords, gentry, and powerful families have bullied us for so long, and now, I have given you the tools and power to fight back against the oppressors.

Fight, resist, and kill! Return the suffering they inflicted upon you tenfold.

Not only that, if you succeed in eliminating a wicked landlord, one-third of the property will go to the local people, one-third will be shared by Liangshan, and the remaining one-third will be divided among you!

Therefore, the Liangshan soldiers had a strong initiative to attack the wealthy landowners. They were so eager to stay up all night and rush to these landowners to vent their pent-up suffering and resentment on them.

With motivation, goals, and money to be made, the Liangshan soldiers were in high spirits and fought with overwhelming force.

The landlord's lackeys, whose morale was similar to that of the local militia, were all just trying to make a living. Why would they risk their lives for a few hundred coins a month? Therefore, they collapsed almost immediately, and the moment they realized they couldn't defeat the Liangshan army, they too began to flee.

Thus, Liangshan achieved another victory, seizing control of the village with unstoppable momentum. What followed was the same old routine: beating the wealthy landowner, distributing the land, establishing a court, and publicly trying the local tyrants and gentry. This quickly established Liangshan's reputation and banner, and the village committee was formed with local people to re-establish its rule.

After achieving final victory, the local villagers would quickly submit to Liangshan, spreading the great achievements of Liangshan Marsh to all directions.

Moreover, this attack by Liangshan took place during the autumn harvest season. The villagers had already heard of Liangshan's great reputation, and after seeing Liangshan's victory, they received the greatest benefit: the grain tax revenue visibly decreased.

Some wealthy farmers and free people who used to have to pay 30% or 40% of their grain tax in various forms now have to pay only 20%, with 10% going to the county magistrate and 10% to Liangshan.

The serfs and tenants fared even worse. They were originally required to pay 60-70% of their grain tax, but now it was reduced to 20%, with 10% going to the county magistrate and 10% to Liangshan. They were now the masters of their own destiny, cheering for Liangshan and expressing their gratitude to Liu Hong.

Moreover, after gaining control of the villages and the autumn harvest, Liu Hong also used the idea provided by Song Jiang to send some people to negotiate with the county magistrates of these counties.

Anyway, that's the situation. I've got my hands on all these rural areas outside the city walls. I've completely destroyed your grassroots governance. This autumn's harvest is definitely not going to be collected by these dead rich folks.

Even if you counties muster your local troops and militia now and launch a coordinated attack, you still won't make it in time. You'll definitely miss the autumn harvest and get a good scolding from your superiors. That would be the best-case scenario.

But don't worry, magistrates, I will still pay the taxes due. I, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, will pay the taxes for you on behalf of those wealthy landowners!

As long as you sign an agreement with me and pay a pledge of allegiance: that is, regardless of any actions Liangshan takes outside the county town, and will not attempt to interfere in the situation of any rural area, I will immediately pay your taxes.

If you disagree, then you county magistrates will first be charged with late tax payment, or even being unable to pay taxes. Then let's see if the county magistrates who besiege Liangshan Marsh are still the same people!

At this moment, the magistrates of Rencheng, Shouzhang, and Zhongdu counties were all in a state of utter panic. The magistrate of Rencheng was on the verge of collapse—Jizhou was truly going through a turbulent time. The new prefect, Zhang Shuye, had taken office, and I hadn't even figured out the situation yet. The imperial court also wanted us to investigate Lin Chong, saying that Lin Chong could be anywhere along the Ji River.

Now you, Liu Hong, the Great Sage of Chaos, are causing trouble again—oh well, anyway, I'm just a county magistrate who comes and goes, while those wealthy landowners are the permanent masters. There's really no real difference between the wealthy landowners paying taxes and Liu Hong paying taxes. It's better to avoid trouble.

For a moment, the magistrate of Rencheng chickened out and obediently surrendered to Liu Hong.

The magistrates of Shouzhang and Zhongdu counties under Dongping Prefecture were slightly more assertive, but only slightly so, as ignorance breeds fearlessness.

After the two county magistrates discovered that Suo Chao, the vanguard of Daming Prefecture, had actually been defeated by Liu Hong and even surrendered to Liangshan, they immediately realized just how outrageous their enemy was. They were also somewhat puzzled by Liu Hong's bounty of 100,000 strings of cash.

When Liu Hong's reward was ten thousand strings of cash, everyone looked at him with envy, wishing they could immediately rush up, tie him up, and send him to the county government to claim the reward.

However, when Liu Hong offered a reward of 100,000 strings of cash, even county magistrates were terrified of him and wished that this Great Sage would leave as soon as possible, because he was too damn scary.

After careful consideration, the two county magistrates both agreed with Liu Hong's proposal, allowing Liangshan's sphere of influence to grow wildly like wildfire in the four counties of Yuncheng, Rencheng, Shouzhang, and Zhongdu.

Chapter 125: The Fall of the Liangshan Marsh

By the winter of 1112, after only six months of development, Liangshan had grown to an astonishing size, encompassing four counties: Yuncheng, Rencheng, Shouzhang, and Zhongdu, with a total population of 150,000, of which 15,000 were urban residents living in the county towns, beyond Liu Hong's control.

The remaining 135,000 rural residents were almost all placed under the jurisdiction of Liangshan, and tens of thousands of them followed Liu Hong's lead.

During the winter, many farmers, who had nothing to do, even went directly to Liangshan, where they used the wages offered by Liu Hong to build the Liangshan stronghold. As a result, the population of Liangshan swelled to 12,000 people that winter!

When spring arrived the following year and everything thawed, Liangshan Marsh had already taken shape. Seven thick wooden walls connected the seven majestic peaks into one, along with thirty-five towering towers that carefully protected the rows of houses, the grand and magnificent stronghold, and the temples of Jidu and Guan Yu.

Blacksmith shops, gunpowder factories, saltpeter fields—it has everything.

It has everything: a fabric workshop, a pottery workshop, and a warehouse.

At this point, Liangshan had already grown into the size of a small fortified town.

Beyond the protection of the Seven Peaks, all the mining sites pointed out by the Dragon King of Jidu have been mined, and miners have begun to continuously extract minerals such as iron, coal, and lime.

Various terraced fields and fertile lands were also cultivated to grow soybeans and wheat. Hunters and fishermen enjoyed hunting in the forests and ponds. Mines, farms, forest farms, and fishing grounds were scattered throughout Liangshanbo.

The four massive dry fortresses to the east, south, west, and north form a defensive triangle with the central fortress, protecting and supporting each other.

At this moment, Liangshan is simply a paradise on earth.

However, when spring arrived in 1113, things changed slightly. The population of Liangshan instantly dropped from its peak of 12,000 to 6,000. Although this was still much larger than the initial 3,000, it still annoyed Liu Hong. "These people are just here to make money as bandits during the winter off-season! They'll go back when it's time to cultivate the fields in the spring?"

In that instant, Liu Hong deeply understood the practical significance of the bandits demanding a pledge of allegiance.

Sometimes, in some places, bandits and ordinary people are really in cahoots, able to switch roles seamlessly. If you don't let them kill someone or pay a blood oath, they have a way out. Naturally, they will be bandits when they make money and farmers when they have a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.

Although there were some minor incidents, Liu Hong didn't say much. He just let it be. At least these people were still serving as officials in the county he controlled after they escaped.

However, Liu Hong never increased the number of troops. With a population of 6,000, producing 600 soldiers was already a high ratio of one-tenth. The most important thing for Liangshan now was development. Moreover, he had forged over a thousand fire lances, which would allow him to deploy over a thousand musketeers in case of emergency.

During this time, Lin Chong became increasingly immersed in lust and pleasure, indulging in intimate moments with his younger brother, and after repeated acts of debauchery and madness, he reached out to his wife, Zhang.

As the moon hung high in the sky and the lanterns were lit, Lin Niangzi, with a shy expression, bathed and cleansed herself. Her wet, naked body, wrapped in a thin silk robe, went to Lin Chong's bed.

Thinking back on the past few months, I've actually had a pretty good time. Liangshan is indeed a bit small, not as prosperous as Kaifeng, and the living conditions are not as good as before, but I've never run out of food and drink, it's just that the food isn't as delicious as what the chefs at Fanlou in Kaifeng make.

However, the people here are all happy and honest. There is no backstabbing or scheming in officialdom, no bullying or tyranny by the sons of officials, and no rules or dogmas of Kaifeng. It is as if everyone is a brother or sister, and everyone is a dear friend or relative.

Here, I don't have to be obsequious or scheme against people. My husband has also escaped the cutthroat, backstabbing officialdom and can devote himself to martial arts. He will never again hear bizarre remarks like "the most important skill of the 800,000 Imperial Guard instructors is to flatter and fawn." Life is getting easier and easier.

The only strange thing is that her husband has started staying out all night, sometimes not even coming home at night. If he wants to take a concubine, wouldn't it be better to just bring her home? There's no need to leave her outside.

Just as Madam Lin lay in bed lost in thought, Lin Chong pushed open the door. Madam Lin's face lit up with joy at the sight of him, and she quickly stood up, her slender white fingers grasping the jade belt at her lapel. Those rouge-smeared fingertips traced along her fair and delicate collarbone, like peeling back a newly blooming white peony, revealing the first layer of intoxicating gauze.

The moment the gossamer veil fluttered down, the incense in the room suddenly froze—it was because the moonlight had kissed her jade-like shoulders before the silk skirt could fall, and on her creamy skin, it flowed an alluring galaxy.

With a fleeting glance, her plain dress slipped down to her arm, the embroidered twin lotus patterns barely able to withstand the slight tremor of her jade-like arm, crumbling inch by inch along her exquisite curves. When the gold clasp at her waist finally came undone, the cloud-like, snow-white silk suddenly seemed to melt like a spring stream, swirling into an alluring eddy at her waist, yet stopping just short of release in that forbidden zone.

The most fatal flaw was the silk ribbon that had been mistakenly tangled around her ankle. Lin Niangzi hooked her toes and gently lifted it, causing her pearl-like dress to lose its shape. The entire white dress, like the receding tide, fell from her snow-white peaks down to her flat stomach, only to get stuck at her proud buttocks. Illuminated by the candlelight, it instantly cast a breathtaking silhouette on the pink wall.

Within those turbulent shadows, there lies both the solitary pride of red plum blossoms braving the snow and the sweet allure of ripe peaches waiting to be picked.

Lin Chong's breath caught in his throat as he looked at his alluring wife. The usually gentle Lin's wife was surprisingly assertive on the bed, walking naked in front of Lin Chong and leaping onto her body. With her slender fingers, she lifted Lin Chong's chin.

"My lord, you've neglected me for days. I'll give you a chance to make amends—come on, lie down on the bed! Stick your butt out, today, I want to be on top!"

"No wonder my sister is so weak in bed. It turns out she's the same way at home, always the bottom."

Liu Hong suddenly realized what was happening and spoke up, causing Lin Niangzi, who had just become assertive, to blush deeply. She let out a cry and hid in Lin Chong's arms, cautiously peeking out half her head to look at Liu Hong behind her, uttering a sound of surprise and uncertainty.

"Brother, younger brother? What are you doing here?!"

"I'm sorry to have startled you, my wife. Although it was rather sudden, I've made a decision. Today, I will take your younger brother as my concubine. From this day forward, we will be family."

Even at the very last moment, Lin Chong remained absolutely stubborn. Liu Hong, mindful of his sister's feelings, didn't expose her. He nodded, and before Lin Niangzi could react, he wrapped his left arm around Lin Chong and his right arm around Lin Niangzi. The Golden-Winged Roc swept out like a gilded cocoon, enveloping the naked man and two women.

Chapter 126: The Four from Seven Peaks Village Arrive

"My lord... my lord, this is too sudden!"

Lin Niangzi's voice trembled as she touched her slightly flushed face with her slender, spring-green fingertips. A shy, coral-colored halo appeared on her earlobes, and a faint blush, like the glow of sunset, rose from her snow-white body.

Her slender waist was held in Liu Hong's hot, large hand, causing her to sway uncomfortably. Her snow-white breasts and peach-like buttocks rippled with each step, and her whole body gradually turned red and hot. Even the pearl hairpin in her hair was tinged with a hint of peach blossom color. Most striking was the shyness that lingered in her eyes, like the first dewdrops on a pear blossom in late spring, reflecting the beauty of a garden in the moment before they fell.

"It's alright, it's alright, my wife. Didn't you have a lot of fun with Jin'er in bed before?"

Lin Chong, filled with lust, embraced his wife and kissed her delicate lips.

"I've discovered that the pleasure between men and women is more intoxicating and blissful than that between women. I've experienced the heavenly pleasure, and my wife should experience it too."

Lin Niangzi was stunned. Seeing that her husband had said so, she could only nod shyly. Liu Hong embraced the two women and found that they did indeed look somewhat alike. Their faces were about 70% similar, but their expressions and temperaments were completely opposite.

Lin Daiyu was heroic and looked down on the world. Her pride was suppressed by the dark officialdom, but she became even more unruly because of the massacre of the White Tiger Hall and the bloodbath of the Grand Commandant's Mansion. She was like a demon star descending, and her snow-white hair fell like a galaxy.

Madam Lin, on the other hand, is gentle, considerate, dignified, and virtuous, perfectly embodying every man's fantasy of a devoted and caring wife. The contrast between her current alluring and blatant demeanor on the bed and her dark hair, styled like swirling clouds, is irresistible.

Liu Hong and Daiyu first engaged in intercourse to demonstrate for Lin Niangzi. Their two flawless, white bodies intertwined like snakes. As soon as Daiyu kissed Liu Hong's lips, she let out a soft moan and went limp like water. The valiant and incomparable female general on the battlefield instantly transformed into a submissive female slave in bed.

Liu Hong intensified his assault, kissing Daiyu's forehead, nose, and lips before biting her earlobe, gently licking, nibbling, and blowing on it, feeling her trembling and struggling in his arms. Her voice was filled with moans and wantonness.

Immediately afterwards, his lips slid down Daiyu's swan-like neck, leaving trails of wetness on her collarbone, breasts, lower abdomen, and waist, before finally landing on the pink nipples between her beautiful legs.

Their lips pressed tightly together, their red tongues curling around her clitoris, and Liu Hong brought Daiyu to orgasm with his kisses. Her cheeks flushed, her body burning hot, her breathing rapid, and her small mouth moaning. Then, her body convulsed and suddenly relaxed, and countless crystal-clear liquids gushed out from her small mouth like a waterfall, flowing all over the bed.

Then came the real battle. Her little mouth below had an orgasm, and it was so muddy that Liu Hong easily pulled out his magnificent long spear and pierced through it. In an instant, the sounds of flesh colliding, the lewd splashing of water, and the alluring moans blended together, creating a decadent atmosphere in the room.

Seeing her husband being whipped like this on the bed, Lin Niangzi was stunned. She instinctively covered her eyes with her hands, but was drawn by the sound. She opened her fingers to reveal two small gaps, and through the gaps, she could see everything on the bed.

She watched with her own eyes as that fiery long spear went in and out of her husband's body, each time pulling out thousands of strands of lustful fluid, each time penetrating his flesh, making Daiyu's flesh soft and bones weak.

She watched as Liu Hong's muscular abs repeatedly slammed against Daiyu's soft, slender buttocks, creating tantalizing, fleshy ripples.

She witnessed firsthand the blissful, wanton pleasure her husband displayed during their intimate moments! His expression was one of unparalleled ecstasy, one he had never shown before when he was with her!

Lin Niangzi stroked her burning cheeks, her breathing becoming increasingly rapid, her heart pounding stronger, and her eyes, reflecting the image of her husband and uncle making love, gradually turned into the shape of a heart, as she became more and more immersed in carnal desire.