Sparks of War Gathering Hall
Chapter Quote: The turmoil in Daming has subsided temporarily, but the flames of war continue to rage across the land. In secret, they plot their plans across thousands of miles, and the heroes raise the banner of resistance against Liang.
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The situation in Daming Prefecture gradually stabilized, and Lu Junyi "rested" in the inn. Yan Qing became the invisible link, maintaining the balance between the parties. However, neither he nor Lu Junyi ever relaxed their vigilance against the undercurrents in Liangshan and the court.
One day, Yan Qing received a secret letter from the "Hidden Post" from Gongsun Sheng, inviting him to Shaohua Mountain to discuss an important matter. Yan Qing, knowing that something serious was about to happen, made some arrangements for his affairs in Daming Prefecture and quietly set off.
Climbing Shaohua Mountain again, the atmosphere was vastly different from the last time. Checkpoints lined the mountain roads, and security was tight. On the training grounds, the sounds of fighting were deafening, and drills were in full swing, giving the impression of an impending battle.
The lights in the Juyi Hall were bright. When Yan Qing entered, he saw that besides the hosts Zhu Wu and Shi Jin, there were already quite a few people sitting there!
At the first seat on the left sat an old man with a purple face, a long beard, and an extraordinary demeanor. It was none other than Huangfu Duan, the "Purple Bearded Lord"! He had ultimately chosen to come and seek refuge. Seeing that he was safe and sound, Yan Qing felt a little relieved.
Below Huangfu Duan sat two men. One, with an elegant face and a feather fan in hand, was Zhu Wu, the "Divine Military Advisor." The other, with a leopard-like head and round eyes, possessed a heroic disposition. He was Deng Fei, the "Fire-Eyed Suanni." Next to him sat the taciturn yet burly Meng Kang, the "Jade Banner." The people from Yinmachuan had arrived, too!
To his right stood a stern-faced general, imposing without even a hint of anger. Though dressed in casual attire, his demeanor exuded a military air. He was none other than Sun Li, the "Sick Weichi" (also known as "Sick Weichi"), the commander of the Dengzhou corps! He had come in person! Behind him stood two figures: one was his younger brother, Sun Xin, known as "Little Weichi," and the other, the shrewd-looking "Mother Tiger" Gu Dasao, clutching an abacus. The Dengzhou faction was prominently present!
In addition, there were some faces in the hall that Yan Qing knew or didn't know. They all had serious auras and sharp eyes. They were obviously heroes and patriots from all over the country who were unwilling to rely on Liangshan or were forced by Liangshan.
When they saw Yan Qing come in, everyone's eyes fell on him, some were curious, some were scrutinizing, and some were as enthusiastic as Zhu Wu and Shi Jin.
"Brother Yanqing, you're finally here!" Shi Jin came up to him with a big laugh and pulled him to sit in an empty seat in the middle. "I've been waiting for you!"
Gongsun Sheng sat in the main seat. Seeing everyone gathered, he waved his whisk and said loudly, "My fellow heroes, you have condescended to come to Shaohua Mountain today because you are loyal and righteous. You cannot bear to see Liangshan become too powerful and harm the people. On behalf of 'Yinyi' and Shaohua Mountain, I, Gongsun Sheng, thank you all!"
Everyone returned the greeting.
Sun Li was the most impatient. He bowed and said, "Mr. Gongsun, Brother Zhu Wu, no need for politeness! Liangshan is now arrogant and arrogance, repeatedly attacking provincial capitals. Even General Hu Yanzhuo has been defeated and is nowhere to be found! The imperial court... humph, we can't count on it! We have gathered here with the intention of joining forces to resist the Liangshan forces! However, a snake cannot survive without a head, and a bird cannot fly without a head. This alliance must have rules!"
Deng Fei also chimed in, "Sun Tixia is absolutely right! Liangshan is a powerful force. If we act like a pile of scattered sand, fighting on our own, we'll be defeated one by one sooner or later! We must unite and unify our command!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes simultaneously turning to Gongsun Sheng and his subordinate, Yan Qing. Gongsun Sheng was highly respected, his Daoist skills profound, and he was the ideal leader. Yan Qing, though young, had already gained widespread acclaim for his repeated efforts to disrupt Liangshan's conspiracies, rescue Lu Junyi, and connect various factions. Furthermore, his connections to Lu Junyi, Zhang Qing, and even the Three Villages made him the perfect choice to connect the dots.
Gongsun Sheng smiled slightly and looked at Yan Qing: "Brother Yan Qing, what do you think?"
Yan Qing knew Gongsun Sheng was trying to establish his own prestige, so he didn't refuse. He stood up, looked around at the crowd, and said loudly, "I'm deeply grateful for the trust you heroes place in me. Yan Qing is unworthy of this. The danger to Liangshan lies in the fact that he uses the name of 'acting on behalf of Heaven' to annex and plunder, and Wu Yong's cunning schemes are hard to defend against. We are joining forces, not to fight for supremacy, but to protect ourselves, to safeguard our territory and our people, and to preserve a measure of righteousness for the world!"
His words were clear and his stance was unequivocal, resonating with many present. Most of them did not intend to rebel, but were simply forced by the current situation to remain uncorrupted.
"Then how can we unite?" Yan Qing continued, "Our forces are scattered. If we gather in one place, we might become a target of public criticism. If we fight on our own, our strength will be too weak. In my humble opinion, it would be better to form an 'Anti-Liang Alliance'!"
"Alliance?" Everyone seemed to be thinking about it.
"That's right!" Yan Qing walked over to the huge map hanging in the hall. "We don't need to unite our forces. Instead, we can each defend our positions and support each other! Lu Junyi, the official from Daming Prefecture, can stabilize Hebei; Sun Tixia from Dengzhou can hold the seaports and threaten Liangshan's flanks; Deng Fei and Meng Kang from Yinmachuan control the key waterways; Zhu Wu and Shi Jin from Shaohua Mountain are eyeing the Central Plains; and the other heroes from various places can also secretly coordinate and pass on information!"
He traced a few dots on the map, connecting them into a whole. "This will form an invisible network! We can develop independently, keep in touch, exchange intelligence, and trade. If Liangshan attacks any of them, the other allies will either send troops to contain them, cut off their food supply, or attack them where they must come to their rescue, leaving them with no choice but to fight!"
Zhu Wu clapped his hands and praised, "Brilliant! This is the strategy of 'dispersing in form but not in spirit'! It conceals our presence, preventing us from becoming the primary target of the imperial court and Liangshan, while also allowing us to consolidate our strength and provide mutual support!"
Sun Li pondered and said, "Although this strategy is good, the issue of unified command..."
Yan Qing interjected, "Within the alliance, we will establish a 'Council Hall', with representatives from all parties participating. Major decisions will be discussed together. Mr. Gongsun and Brother Zhu Wu can oversee daily liaison and coordination. Yan Qing is willing to facilitate communication and relay information. We will also establish a 'Wind Signal' system, with the 'Hidden Post' as the hub, to ensure the smooth flow of information!"
He had considered it carefully, respecting the independence of all parties while establishing an effective coordination mechanism. Everyone nodded in agreement, believing it feasible.
"Besides," Yan Qing's eyes grew sharp, "the Liangshan internal forces are not monolithic either. We can secretly try to contact those who still have conscience or those who are forced into a corner, explain the pros and cons, and divide and disintegrate them! This is what they call 'openly repairing the plank road, secretly marching through Chencang'!"
Huangfu Duan twirled his beard and said, "When I was at Liangshan, I realized that people like An Daoquan were not willing to do this. This may be something we can do."
The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly heated, with everyone discussing the details of the alliance. Finally, under Gongsun Sheng's leadership, the "Anti-Liang Alliance" was officially established, with the mission of "protecting the territory and the people, upholding justice, and jointly resisting Liangshan" as its purpose! Gongsun Sheng was elected as the alliance leader (in name only), Zhu Wu as the military advisor, and Yan Qing as the chief liaison, responsible for coordinating all parties.
Although the alliance is kept secret, the power it contains is enough to attract the attention of any force.
Towards the end of the meeting, Mrs. Gu, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, "Now that the alliance is established, it needs funding. Intelligence transmission, personnel exchanges, and even wartime support all require money. I propose that we establish a 'public treasury' within the alliance, with each party contributing according to their ability, and the funds being allocated uniformly for alliance affairs."
Everyone praised this statement. Mrs. Gu was a calculating woman, so it was perfect for her to be in charge of the "public treasury."
With the important matters settled, everyone felt relieved. In the gathering hall, cups were exchanged and the atmosphere was lively. Yan Qing looked at the heroes in the hall who came from all directions and temporarily came together for a common goal, and his heart was filled with emotion.
In the previous life, many of them died, dispersed, or eventually joined the Liangshan band. But in this life, due to his own intervention, they embarked on another path of uniting to resist Liangshan.
Can the flame formed by these sparks really set the whole field on fire and change the tragic ending that was already determined?
He didn't know, but he was willing to do his best.
As the night deepened, the lights in the Gathering Hall remained lit. A vast, invisible net targeting Liangshan had been quietly woven atop Shaohua Mountain.
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Chapter 28 End
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