Night Talk in Yuncheng, First Hearing of Liangshan
The hunter's wooden house was so simple that it was drafty on all sides, but it provided a temporary shelter after all.
Qiongying huddled on a haystack in the corner, clutching the two flying stones Zhang Qing had returned to her. The cool touch helped her muddled thoughts clear up a bit. Zhang Qing's last words, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sent ripples through her heart.
"Perhaps, it's because Zhang... doesn't want to be just a pawn."
What does he mean? Is it dissatisfaction with Tian Hu, or concern about the prospects of Liangshan's recruitment? Zhang Qing, who seems to be strictly following military orders, seems to be hiding unknown waves in his heart.
But no matter what, he did let her go and even pointed out a clear path. She remembered this favor.
In the latter half of the night, the lights and shouts from the search of the mountain gradually faded away, just as Zhang Qing had predicted. Qiongying dared not sleep deeply, remaining alert until the sky began to turn pale.
Following Zhang Qing's instructions, she found the stream hidden in the bushes behind the house and headed northwest cautiously, following the direction of the current. The gurgling stream masked the sound of her footsteps, and the dense vegetation provided her with the best cover.
Along the way, she didn't dare take the official roads, choosing instead to follow deserted paths. When hungry, she picked familiar wild fruits or roasted birds with rocks; when thirsty, she drank stream water. Fortunately, the original owner had excellent physical fitness and a foundation in martial arts; otherwise, simply enduring these harsh conditions would be enough to overwhelm a modern person.
She began consciously practicing her rock-throwing technique. Muscle memory gradually awakened: the force exerted by her wrist, the angles she chose, the control of her aim... She was immersed in a strange sense of familiarity, as if this body was meant to be this way. After a few days, she could hit swaying branches ten steps away with considerable accuracy.
At the same time, she also began to apply modern medical knowledge. She applied chewed herbs to wounds caused by thorns to prevent infection, searched for plants with insect repellent properties, crushed them and applied them to clothing, and even made a few simple hunting traps using sharpened branches and tough vines.
These small successes gradually helped her regain some sense of control and diluted the loneliness and fear of exile.
Five days later, she finally made it out of the Ciyun Mountains and into Yuncheng County. The landscape here was slightly different from the area controlled by Tian Hu, less austere and more urban.
She did not dare to be careless. She used mud to slightly cover up her outstanding appearance, tied her long black hair into a man's bun with a cloth strip, changed into a set of coarse cloth clothes that she bought with silver money in the villages along the way, and disguised herself as a young man with a handsome face and thin figure.
That evening, she arrived at a town called Shijie. It wasn't large, but its proximity to major waterways made it quite lively. Qiongying found a modest, bustling inn, requested a lower room, and found a corner seat in the lobby. She ordered a bowl of plain noodles and a pot of coarse tea, silently listening to the conversations around her.
She needed information about Tian Hu's movements, about Liangshan, and about... Zhang Qing.
"...Have you heard? Princess Qiongying, who served under King Tian Hu, mysteriously disappeared on her wedding day!" Several people who looked like merchants at the next table were talking loudly.
"That's right! I heard that King Tian Hu was furious and offered a huge reward for his capture!"
"Tsk tsk, a daughter! That princess is said to be beautiful and skilled in martial arts, why did she run away?"
"Hey, you don't know this, right? I heard that the princess was dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by Tian Hu and eloped with someone!"
"Elope? With whom?"
"Who else could it be? It must be the Liangshan hero who wanted to marry her, 'Arrowless' Zhang Qing! Some say General Zhang Qing was seen leaving the city that night, and he hasn't returned since!"
Qiongying's grip on the teacup tightened, and she nearly lost her composure. Eloping? That rumor was truly outrageous! But then she thought, this might confuse the public and remove the suspicion of "failure to pursue" Zhang Qing, which might not be a bad thing for him.
She remained calm and continued to listen.
"That Zhang Qing is a real hero! He has the unique skill of throwing rocks and can shoot arrows through arrows from a hundred paces. Back then, he defeated fifteen generals from Liangshan in Dongchang Prefecture. He's truly formidable!"
"Yes, it's a pity that they eventually returned to Liangshan. Now that the imperial court has offered them amnesty, I don't know what the future holds for these heroes..."
The topic gradually turned to Liangshanpo.
"Song Jiang, Song Gongming, is a man of great righteousness. He led his brothers to surrender, which can be considered as taking the right path."
"The right path? Humph, I don't think so." A slightly aged voice sneered, "What kind of people are Gao Qiu and Cai Jing? To be able to serve in the same court with them? I'm afraid you've just escaped from a wolf's den and fallen into a tiger's mouth!"
"Father-in-law, please be careful with your words!" Someone nearby hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
The old man seemed a little agitated. He lowered his voice, but it was still clear: "When I was young, I also traveled around the world and saw some of the world. The heroes of Liangshan, each of them possessed unique skills, and they took pleasure in avenging good and evil. How carefree! Now, they have to endure the tyranny of that tyrant emperor and his treacherous ministers! Conquering Liao? Suppressing the Rebellion? It's nothing but a scheme to kill with a borrowed knife! In the end, how many of them will have a good ending?"
These words struck Qiongying's heart like a heavy hammer. This old man actually had such insight! It seemed that many people in the society were pessimistic about the prospect of the annexation.
She couldn't help but look up. She saw the old man who was speaking. He was wearing a scholar's gown, washed to a pale white. His face was gaunt, but his eyes were shrewd. He seemed to notice Qiongying's gaze and glanced in her direction, nodded slightly, and said no more.
Qiongying's heart moved. This old man might not be an ordinary person.
At this time, another group of men with weapons walked into the inn, sat down carelessly, and ordered wine and meat. They spoke loudly and talked about the recent events in Liangshan Lake.
"...Brother Gongming has received the imperial edict and will soon depart for Tokyo Bianliang to meet the emperor!"
"I heard that the imperial court wants to send us to attack Wang Qing in Huaixi?"
"Who cares! Follow Brother Gongming, there's wine and meat, and we'll fight whenever there's a battle!"
"It's just... Brother Zhang Qing's marriage is off. I heard he's been a bit depressed since he came back, and he's even more relentless in his martial arts training than usual..."
Qiongying's ears immediately pricked up.
"Alas, who says it's not true? Such a good marriage, but the bride ran away. Who can be happy? I heard that Princess Qiongying is a beauty with extraordinary martial arts skills. She is a perfect match for Brother Zhang Qing. What a pity..."
"I don't think it's a bad thing!" a voice retorted, "How could Tian Hu be a good person? Who knows if his adopted daughter was a spy arranged by him? She ran away!"
"You can't say that. Brother Zhang Qing must be really concerned, otherwise why would he go after her in person, and..."
Having said this, he seemed to be stopped by someone's eyes, and swallowed the rest of the words.
Qiongying lowered her head and slowly ate the noodles that had already become a little cold, but her heart was surging.
Zhang Qing was back, and not in great shape. Was it the stress of the failed pursuit, or was it something else? The words "I don't want to be a pawn" resurfaced in her mind.
Her original plan was to get as far away from Tian Hu and Liangshan's sphere of influence as possible, find a place to hide her identity, and then make plans later. But after listening to the discussions tonight, a bolder idea began to germinate.
Yuncheng, the sphere of influence of Liangshan Lake, was also Song Jiang's hometown. Here one could hear the most authentic news about Liangshan. If she wanted to change the fate of the Liangshan heroes, this might be a good place to start. The most dangerous places are often also the safest. Tian Hu's men would hardly have imagined she would infiltrate Liangshan territory.
Moreover, she developed an indescribable curiosity about Zhang Qing, the "boring" and "more ruthless martial artist." She wanted to see what kind of person this man who spared her life was.
After eating the noodles, she returned to her simple room, lay on the bed, looking at the hazy moonlight outside the window, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
The landscape of Jianghu unfolded before her eyes. She was no longer a reader, fantasizing about the world, but an insider experiencing it firsthand. The road ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger, yet an unprecedented excitement and fighting spirit burned within her.
She, Qiu Qiongying, wants to carve out her own path in this Water Margin world!
The first step is to gain a firm foothold in Yuncheng County.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
