A storm is brewing in the Juyi Hall
Chapter Quote: In front of the Loyalty Hall, the military is discussed, and the undercurrent is turbulent and hidden. Clever words are used to show the sharp edge, and a temporary respite is given to wait for the opportunity.
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The next morning, bells and drums rang out in the Gathering Hall, and all the Liangshanpo leaders, both great and small, gathered for their regular meeting. Yan Qing, the newest leader, was also ushered into the hall. He was seated relatively far back, yet still had a clear view of the entire scene—clearly a carefully planned arrangement.
Song Jiang sat at the head of the table, followed by Wu Yong. Following him, following the chairs, were Lu Junyi (a vacant seat, perhaps filled by Yan Qing), Gongsun Sheng (a wandering figure), Guan Sheng, Lin Chong, Qin Ming, Hu Yanzhuo, and so on, all the way to the last seat. The room was packed, a testament to the current wealth of talent on Liangshan.
Yan Qing watched with a cold eye, noticing the different expressions on everyone's faces. Surrendered generals like Guan Sheng and Hu Yanzhuo had grave expressions, while veterans like Lin Chong had worried brows. Others like Li Kui and Wang Ying were eager to try, while even Wu Yong and Bai Sheng cast scrutinizing glances at them from time to time.
Song Jiang cleared his throat and said loudly, "Brothers! The first thing we have to do today is to welcome our newest good brother to Liangshan—the Prodigal Yanqing!"
Everyone's eyes were once again focused on Yan Qing. Yan Qing stood up and clasped his fists around him, his expression calm and neither humble nor arrogant.
Song Jiang continued, "Brother Yan Qing is a man of exceptional martial arts and unparalleled loyalty. It is truly a blessing for Liangshan to have him join us! According to the rules of the mountain stronghold, a new leader must demonstrate merit before being given a rank. I wonder if any of you brothers have any urgent tasks that would allow Brother Yan Qing to demonstrate his skills?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a man below him shouted back, "Brother! I've recently heard that Zhang Qing, known as 'The Featherless Arrow' from Dongchang Prefecture, is returning from escorting a shipment of military equipment, money, and provisions. He'll be passing through Liangshan territory soon! He's injured several of my brothers, and he's truly outrageous! Why don't we send Brother Yanqing to rob the provisions and meet Zhang Qing while we're there? That way, he'll know how powerful Liangshan is!"
Everyone looked over and saw that the speaker was Suo Chao, the "Vanguard." He was impatient and had suffered at the hands of Zhang Qing before, so he made this suggestion.
Looting government troops and sniping generals are obviously extremely risky tasks, intended to test Yan Qing's sincerity and ability, and may even kill someone with a borrowed knife.
Before Yan Qing could speak, another person said sinisterly, "Brother Suo Chao is absolutely right. However, I heard that Brother Yan Qing and Zhang Qing seem to have some old friendship. I wonder if Brother Yan Qing would be able to do such a thing?"
The speaker was Wu Yong, the "wisdom star." He waved his feather fan, seemingly casual, but in fact he was putting Yan Qing in a dilemma. If Yan Qing refused, he would be loyal to his old master and disloyal to Liangshan; if he accepted, he would have to deal with his old friend personally and bear the reputation of being unjust.
The Juyi Hall suddenly became quiet, and everyone looked at Yan Qing to see how he would respond.
Yan Qing sneered inwardly, but a look of embarrassment appeared on his face. He pondered, "Brother Gongming, Military Advisor, Brother Suo Chao. General Zhang Qing... does have a history with me. He is a man of integrity and a worthy general for the imperial court. While looting military equipment and ambushing government troops could weaken the imperial court,... I'm afraid that innocent people would be harmed, and furthermore, it would damage Liangshan's reputation as 'enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven.'"
He paused, noticing the slightly gloomy expressions on Song Jiang, Wu Yong, and the others' faces, and then changed the subject: "However, since we have come to Liangshan, we should prioritize the interests of the mountain stronghold. If Brother Gongming and the military advisor are determined to do so, Yan... is willing to go!"
He initially offered a slight refusal, citing "righteousness" and "reputation," demonstrating his integrity. Then, he expressed his willingness to obey the order, appearing to be mindful of the broader situation. This response, neither complete compliance nor outright defiance, struck a perfect balance.
Song Jiang's expression lightened up a bit, and he was about to speak.
Suddenly, Guan Sheng, the "Big Knife" who was sitting in the front row, spoke up: "Brother Gongming, Military Advisor. I think that ambushing Zhang Qing and looting his weapons, while it may bring temporary benefits, is not the best strategy."
Everyone turned to Guan Sheng. As the leader of the Five Tiger Generals of the Cavalry, Guan Sheng held a high position, and his opinion carried great weight.
Guan Sheng continued, "Zhang Qing is the bravest of the three armies, and his 'featherless arrows' are even more unpredictable. Even if we can seize the food and fodder, Liangshan will suffer a heavy price. Although the imperial court has been defeated, its foundation remains intact. Making enemies everywhere is unwise. It is better to remain patient for the time being, accumulate strength, and bide our time."
His words were based on strategic considerations and were more mature and prudent.
"Brother Guan Sheng is right!" Another person echoed, this one was "Leopard Head" Lin Chong, "Now that Liangshan has just secured the northern territory (referring to the fact that the battle of Zengtou City was not completely successful, but the deterrent had been established), we should focus on consolidating our foundation and training our troops. A hasty confrontation with a fierce general like Zhang Qing would be more trouble than gain."
Lin Chong enjoyed great prestige among the old Liangshan members. When he spoke out in support of Guan Sheng, the tone of discussion in the hall immediately changed.
Wu Yong saw this, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. However, Guan Sheng and Lin Chong were in a special position, so he couldn't directly refute them. Instead, he smiled and said, "Brothers Guan Sheng and Lin Chong are very thoughtful and far-sighted. What you say makes sense. In that case, let's put the ambush on Zhang Qing aside for now."
He brushed the matter off lightly and turned to look at Yan Qing. "Brother Yan Qing, you're new here and haven't accomplished anything yet. You really need a job to win over the people. How about this? The stronghold is short of money and food lately. I heard that Mr. Lu Junyi, the 'Jade Unicorn' from Hebei, is very wealthy. Now that he's escaped a disaster, his coffers must be full. Brother Yan Qing and Mr. Lu have a deep bond as master and servant. If you can find a way... to 'borrow' some money and food from him to alleviate the stronghold's urgent needs, wouldn't that be a great achievement?"
As soon as these words were spoken, many people in the hall turned strange. Asking Yan Qing to plot against Lu Junyi, his former master, to whom he had sworn allegiance, was even more sinister than asking him to ambush Zhang Qing! It was a plan that would destroy his heart!
If Yan Qing agrees, he will be regarded as a heartless and ungrateful person, and it will be difficult for him to gain a foothold in Liangshan in the future; if he does not agree, he will be disloyal to Liangshan, and he should be killed!
Everyone's eyes were once again focused on Yan Qing, to see how he would break this deadlock.
Yan Qing was filled with anger. Wu Yong was indeed vicious. When one plan failed, he would come up with another one. He kept pressing him step by step, determined to force him into a desperate situation!
He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and a look of grief and struggle appeared on his face. He said slowly, "Military Advisor... this is really asking too much! Mr. Lu has been so kind to Yan Qing, and their relationship is like that of a father and son! Yan Qing would rather die than betray his master and seek glory! If Military Advisor insists on forcing me, Yan Qing... I will have no choice but to resign and leave the mountain to preserve my loyalty!"
After saying that, he actually stood up, bowed to Song Jiang and everyone else, and made a gesture to leave!
This retreat, a decisive attitude, caught Wu Yong and Song Jiang off guard. They wanted to force Yan Qing to express his stance, or even to gain leverage over him, but they didn't really want to force him out immediately. After all, Yan Qing still had something they wanted (such as the whereabouts of the evidence that framed him, and his value in connecting various forces).
"Wait a minute, brother!" Song Jiang quickly stood up to stop him, a smile plastered on his face. "Military Advisor, that was just a joke. Why take it so seriously? Brother, your loyalty is something I admire. How could I let you do something so unjust? Please sit down, please sit down!"
Wu Yong also laughed dryly, waving his feather fan gently. "Brother Yanqing, please don't be angry. I was just joking to test your resolve. Brother, you are so loyal and righteous. You are truly a role model for us at Liangshan!"
A storm was temporarily resolved by Yan Qing with his resolute attitude.
Finally, thanks to Song Jiang's mediation, Yan Qing's first assignment was to assist Tao Zongwang, the "Nine-Tailed Turtle," in overseeing logistical tasks such as building houses and digging waterways in the mountains. Although this was a sinecure and lacked significant merit, it prevented him from immediately becoming enemies with old friends or being branded as an unjust person.
After the meeting in the Gathering Hall was over, Yan Qing walked out with the crowd. His face was calm, but his heart was in turmoil.
Although the confrontation in the hall had come to a temporary end today, he knew that Wu Yong's probing would never stop. On Liangshan, he had to be vigilant at all times, treading on thin ice.
He looked up at the gray sky of Liangshan and thought to himself, "Wu Yong, if you have any tricks up your sleeve, just use them."
His eyes inadvertently swept across Lin Chong, who was leaving alone in the distance with a desolate figure, and his heart moved slightly.
Perhaps, not all the people on Liangshan are enemies.
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Chapter 38 End
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