Thirty-Nine Loyalty to the Country Seventy Walks in Huainan

  The thirty-six sworn brothers who broke out of the siege stayed at a dangerous section called Cross Slope, secretly occupied a tea hotel, and set up a celebration banquet. Everyone toasted to Little Ninth, Song Jiang's dark face showed red light: "Brothers, Little Ninth is talented, we have a military advisor now."

  "Useless, useless!" Xia Jiu used tea instead of wine, but was still surrounded by the smell of alcohol, her pretty face flushed red. She originally meant to say that no matter how talented a woman is, she is useless, and she repeated it twice, offending the martial artists' taboo, and immediately retaliated by giving Xia Jiu a nickname - "Useless".

  Xiao Wu was deeply troubled. Since leaving the mountain stronghold, under Song Jiang's intentional or unintentional guard, he and Han Nü'er had not had any opportunities to be alone together, and they had unknowingly drifted apart. Seeing her carefree appearance now made him even more unsure of what she was thinking.

  But then again, isn't this life of swift revenge and heroic deeds the most beloved dream of every young person? Xiaowu misses his family, yet has a sense of national purpose, but is also often perplexed and lost, unsure of where to go or what to do.

  After this battle, the heroes truly saw the nature of the government troops and from then on they roamed freely in Qi and Wei. Although there were tens of thousands of government soldiers, none dared to resist their edge. It's not that we are too strong, but rather the enemy is too weak!

  The wheels of history have entered the second year of Xuanhe, and a major event that will change the fate of the great Song Dynasty is brewing.

  In February, the court again sent a secret envoy across the sea to Jin to discuss an alliance against Liao. Zhao Liangsi - this Han Chinese from the former Liao state who was originally named Ma Zhi and first proposed an alliance with the Jurchen-led Jin, naturally took on this important task.

  In April, Zhao Liangji arrived in Jin and coincided with the founding emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty, Wanyan Aguda, who personally led an expedition to the Liao State's capital, Shangjing (also known as Linhuangfu).

  Abaoji, clad in golden armor, received the Song envoys during the brief lull before the siege of the city and told Zhao Liangsi in Khitan language: "You shall see how I use my army to attack the city, then we can discuss an alliance."

  At dawn, Zhao Liangji observed from a distance the Liao army's flags and banners filling the sky like clouds, their swords and spears like a forest, forming an impenetrable wall of copper and iron. Suddenly, Abaoji ascended to a high command platform several zhang tall, where countless Jin soldiers in formation saw their commander appear, and all shouted "Long live!" in unison, shaking the earth and making the Liao people tremble with fear. Abaoji, full of vigor, personally beat the drums to launch the attack, and the fearless Jurchen warriors' battle cries shook the heavens as they charged forward under a hail of arrows, taking turns attacking the city. In less than half a day, in just two or three hours, they breached this formidable Liao capital that had shaken the four directions.

  The former Liao people, Zhao Liangxu, had long known the strength of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty, but did not know it was so formidable. He immediately fell to the ground and offered a toast for longevity, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" and presented a letter written in his own hand by the Song Emperor proposing an alliance. The two sides agreed on this plan: the following year they would simultaneously rise up in arms, with the Jin army attacking the Liao dynasty's outer borders and the Song army attacking its inner borders. After the destruction of the Liao, the Yan-Yun prefectures would be returned to the Song, and the annual tribute that had been given to the Liao would instead be offered to the Jin. This was the famous "Maritime Alliance".

  With the advent of autumn, Zhao Liang returned to the Great Song with the demeanor of a meritorious minister. The court was filled with jubilation and excitement, anticipating that the ancestral wish of "recovering Yan and Yun" which had been unfulfilled for two hundred years would be realized in our generation.

  Among the joyful and harmonious ruler-minister relationships, there were indeed clear-sighted and far-seeing scholars who realized the disastrous consequences of allying with Jin to destroy Liao. Yuwen Xuzhong submitted a memorial to the emperor: "China has been at peace with Khitan for over 100 years, and they have always been obedient to our court. Now we abandon the obedient Khitan and instead befriend the powerful and arrogant Jurchen as our neighbor. The Jurchen, relying on their hundred victories, are arrogant and domineering. With the lazy and weak soldiers of a hundred years, it will be difficult to resist the newly sharpened enemy. I fear that China's troubles will not have a peaceful end..."

  The Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty was furious and demoted Yuwen Xuzhong, while ordering Tong Guan to assemble troops from various routes, including the Imperial Army that was pacifying bandits in Shandong and the six Shaanxi ethnic and Han armies defending against Western Xia's invasion, in preparation for an attack on Liao next year.

  The six roads Fan and Han soldiers in Shaanxi are an exception in the Song army's organization, belonging to the local militia, composed of robust men from various ethnic groups who are familiar with the Western Xia Tangut language. With a strong desire to defend their homeland, they fought to the death in battles against the Western Xia army, accumulating rich combat experience and possessing stronger fighting strength than the Imperial Guard, also known as the "Western Troops". As a result, whenever the Song army sent troops, if the Western Xia people heard that it was the official army coming, they would applaud with joy; but if they heard that the Western Troops were coming, they would be like facing a great enemy.

  The thirty-six sworn brothers, who were playing a game of cat and mouse with the government troops in Shandong, suddenly realized that the number of government troops was much smaller than before. At first, they thought it was just a trick played by the government troops, but after several days, they received confirmed news that all the imperial guards were gathering in the capital. Although they didn't know the specific reason, they felt a great relief, as they had been surrounded by hundreds or thousands of enemies every day, with their spirits highly tense. If one day they dozed off, they would be trampled to death by the countless government troops' horses.

  Seeing the unusual movement of officials and soldiers, Xiao Wu was no longer the naive Hebei village husband who had never seen the world. He vaguely guessed that the imperial court might be planning to use troops against the north. With his personal experience of fighting against Khitan and Jurchen soldiers, combined with this year's confrontation with officials, he could see the strengths and weaknesses of the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties at a glance. He couldn't help but feel anxious, yet also self-mockingly thought: "Can a strong outlaw really worry about national affairs?"

  In fact, looking at the overall situation of the world at that time, for Song, making a correct decision was not difficult. The most cost-effective way was to use Liao's lingering power to consume Jin's new and sharp forces, and wait until both sides were exhausted before reaping the benefits. However, when history gave a rare opportunity, an ethnic group that thought it was excellent would often make a wrong choice, and the consequences of this choice could be irreparable.

  Just as the good people thought they were safe, the various provincial governments that had lost the support of the Imperial Guards began to organize local militias for self-defense according to the Baojia law, stipulating that ten households formed a bao and one household's affair would affect ten households.

  The people of Shandong were originally fierce and brave, and under the influence of the Baojia system, they dared not to exert their full strength. Once they discovered the traces of bandits, they would beat drums and gongs, mobilize all forces, and provide mutual support with neighboring counties and towns. The enemy had no chance to take advantage of them. Unintentionally, this led to the growth of Western-style soldiers, and also allowed Xiao Wu to witness for the first time the great power of the people's forces.

  Under the pressure of local militia everywhere, Song Jiang and his men lost their previous invincibility against government troops. In order to maintain mobility, the Thirty-six Heroes had always been lightly armed and had not accepted more heroes, nor did they have a stable stronghold, only constantly moving southward.

  Wu Song was originally from Haizhou, Huainan East Road. He said that Haizhou is backed by mountains and faces the sea, with a treacherous terrain, many large islands along the coast, rich products, and more suitable for building a stronghold than Liangshan Po, which moved Song Jiang to go south.

  When a country is about to perish, monsters and demons are born. In October, Fang La, a wealthy household in Qingxi, Muzhou, could no longer bear the extortion of officials who came to collect taxes on flowers and rocks. He took advantage of the resentment of the people of Jiangnan, who had suffered greatly under oppression, and called for an uprising in the name of the White Lotus Sect. Many responded, gathering as many as 100,000 people. In just one or two months, they swept through six states and 52 counties, including Hangzhou and Shezhou, proclaiming Fang La emperor and establishing a separatist regime.

  The imperial court often pardoned rebel armies that surrendered, and offered them amnesty; but those who dared to usurp the throne were severely punished, with their entire clan exterminated.

  Especially in the Song Dynasty, the strategy of recruiting soldiers in disaster years was implemented to prevent refugees from becoming thieves. Even if they became bandits, if their strength was great enough, they could be recruited as officials. This phenomenon also became a unique landscape of the Song Dynasty's officialdom, which is why the Song people both feared and admired bandits. Even someone like Xiaowu, who was loyal and self-disciplined, did not resist much when forced to become an outlaw, also due to the above-mentioned psychology.

  The 36 heroes' march to Haizhou was not easy. The original prefect of Huizhou, Zeng Xiaoyun, had resisted Fang La and was appointed as the prefect of Qingzhou by imperial order to check the activities of Song Jiang's bandits in Shandong.

  Zeng Xiaoyun, although a civil official, relied on his experience of fighting against the Fang La rebels and personally led a group of local soldiers to intercept the Thirty-six Heroes. The heroes fought and retreated with Zeng's troops, then had another fierce battle with Jiang Yuan's troops in Yizhou, before heading towards Huaiyang. During this time, Xiaojin made great contributions, repeatedly using clever tactics, feigning attacks on one side while striking from the other, and finally shaking off the pursuit of various local soldiers, entering Shuyang County at the end of the year and formally entering Haizhou territory.

  Hai State - vast and broad in eastern China, boundless on the shores of the Eastern Sea, the ancient land of the Dongyi people, the eastern gate of Qin, connecting the intersection of Wu, Chu, Qi and Lu, communicating between north and south, east and west, has always been a place that military strategists must contend for.

  The current governor Zhang Shuye is one of the few officials in the Song Dynasty who excels in both literature and martial arts. He has been fascinated with military tactics since childhood, joined the army as a young man and achieved great merit, and has mastered the "Hundred Steps Piercing Yang" archery technique. He is intelligent, brave, loyal, and righteous, but was disliked by Cai Jing and therefore not reused.

  Zhang Zhizhou heard that the Song Jiang gang, which was rampant in Shandong, had entered his own territory. He also saw Wang Shixing, the county magistrate of Shuyang, who had fled in defeat. Without panicking, he immediately ordered the recruitment of "dare-to-die soldiers" to defend their hometown.

  "The Brave Warriors" was a temporary organization set up by the local government to deal with emergency situations, between official soldiers and militia. The selection requirements were no less than those for formal military recruitment. The young men of Haizhou had long been known for their bravery on the Jianghuai plains, and they eagerly enlisted. In just a few days, the "Brave Warriors" numbered over a thousand. Governor Zhang was overjoyed and personally went to the drill ground to train the soldiers in martial arts and tactics.

  On the other side, the thirty-six sworn brothers of Shuyang County spread a rumor that they would attack Haizhou City, but it was actually Xiaojiu's plan to openly repair the plank road and secretly cross the Chen River. The heroes quietly hijacked a large ship and headed straight for the sea island.

  It's a pity to be afraid of water and yet encounter it, and to arrive in the cold winter month. Xiao Wu wrapped himself in fur on his body, stood at the bow of the boat, braving the wind and resisting the dizziness of the boat. He saw the tide rising with waves like a hundred layers, waves rolling up thousands of piles of snow, what a vast and majestic East China Sea.

  This big ship is much more stable than the small sand boat that crossed the sea last time. The bow is low and the stern is high, the front of the hull is wide and the back is narrow, with floats on both sides, not afraid of rough waves, it was designed and built in imitation of the shape of seabirds, so it is called a seagull.

  "Is it cold? Is it cold?" Wu Xingzi emerged from behind him.

  "Brother Wu, it's not cold, just lonely." Xiao Wu knew he had a kind heart, so she said this on purpose.

  "Alright, alright! I'll keep you company. " Wu Xingzi chuckled and pointed to the faint black dot in the sea, "That's Yu Zhou Island, facing Hai Prefecture City across the sea. It's vast and sparsely populated, with a treacherous terrain. As long as we occupy it, no matter how many officials and soldiers come, they'll be powerless against me."

  "Is it?" Xiaowu suddenly thought that he would never be able to achieve his dream of occupying the island and becoming king, and couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.

  "Wu Er and Mu Gun, you two are secretly drinking the northwest wind, not even calling out to our Xia family?" Monk Hua also came out of the cabin, laughing and saying loudly.

  "Little brother gets seasick and doesn't really want to drink the northwest wind." Xiao Wu's eyes sparkled with amusement, his cheeks were frozen red, but a warm current surged in his chest.

  In the years of war, Hua and Shang led the charge, while Xiao Wu followed with his bow, the three men working together in close combat and ranged attacks, covering each other's backs, and were known as the iron triangle of the 36 sworn brothers. In this life-and-death battle, the three men forged a bond far deeper than that of their other brothers.

  "This wind is cutting like a knife, Wu Er and Xiao Wu, let's take out our weapons and practice." Hua He Shang was rough on the outside but meticulous on the inside, and he had actually brought out both of their staffs, while carrying his own Zen stick, ready to fight against the cold.

  "Just in time to learn from the two brothers about martial arts." Xiao Wu was overjoyed, taking his iron spear, since he paired up with the second monk, he had rarely had the chance to use his spear to fight.

  "Flower idiot, flower idiot, when did you become a martial arts idiot?" The two monks rarely didn't argue whenever they were together.

  "Nonsense! Take a look at this!" Hua He Shang shouted loudly, swinging his Zen staff with a whooshing sound, striking Wu Xingzhi's Tianling down first with a "top-of-the-head blow".

  "Good job, good job!" Wu Xianzhe's slender figure was as agile as a monkey, and with a tap of his iron staff on the ground, he spun around in a circle, causing the Zen stick to strike empty air.

  "Good!" Xiao Wu couldn't help but cheer, the two monks were using heavy weapons, Huahe Shang's fine steel Zen stick weighed 55 catties, and Wuxingzhe's pure iron short club also had 47 catties. Normally, when they went to battle, one sweep would knock down a group of government soldiers and militia. But this time, Wuxingzhe used the clever moves of light weapons, making heavy things seem light.

  "Don't just stand there like a wooden stake." Monk Hua couldn't let Xiao Wu be idle, and from an unexpected angle, he knocked the tail of his staff, seemingly clumsy but actually clever, striking towards Xiao Wu's lower abdomen.

  "Rise!" Inspired, Little Wu also treated the eight-foot iron spear as a light weapon. With one foot on the staff tail, his body borrowed force and shot up straight, already above Huahe Shang's head, with a single spear thrust downward.

  "Land!" But Wu Xingzi took advantage of Xiao Wu's mid-air suspension, nowhere to exert force, transformed his staff into a spear and pointed it at Xiao Wu's abdomen.

  Good little Wu, taking advantage of the momentum, wrapped his legs around the stick body, but the iron gun's momentum was not affected, and it stabbed towards Huahe Shang's forehead. Huahe Shang dared not to be arrogant again, his body dodged, barely avoiding it, only to hear a "zip" sound, the corner of his black robe being pierced by the iron gun, what a close call!

  "Good kid, pay for our clothes!" Monk Hua also praised and joined in, his staff dancing like a whirlwind, as if possessed by a mad demon, charging towards the two.

  The three of them were on the turbulent sea, in the small space at the bow of the boat, engaging in a fierce battle. The commotion had already startled the brothers inside the cabin, who crowded to the porthole to watch, their faces filled with shock and amazement, as they cheered and shouted in excitement.

  Unbeknownst to them, the island of Yu Zhou was already in sight. The three of them had just finished their battle and were gathering their troops, all panting and covered in sweat. They looked at each other and burst out laughing, feeling extremely pleased and satisfied.

  The boat was still moored, and Xiao Wu jumped onto the reef first, full of energy, unusually not seasick. It seems that this fight is more effective than blowing air, now there's experience for next time.

  Drop the anchor, put down the plank, all good men work together to move luggage and heavy objects from the ship, lead down the saddle horse, and look around left and right, can't help but praise. It turns out that this Yu Zhou Island is not an island, but a large continent independent of the sea, with steep mountains, swaying bamboo, and a good place to establish a stronghold!

  "All brothers, go up the mountain!" The normally calm Song Jiang was rarely seen with a pleased expression, and he divided the heroes into two teams, front and rear. The front team marched lightly to scout ahead, while the rear team followed with horses carrying heavy loads.

  Xiao Wu and Han Jiu'er were both assigned to the vanguard, where the mountains are high and the forests are dense, with ferocious beasts roaming about, requiring a skilled archer to scout ahead. Meanwhile, Xiao Jiu was like a young military strategist, and the important task of setting up the mountain stronghold couldn't be done without her.

  Hua and the monk led the way, wielding their wooden swords at the forefront of the group. As they approached the cliff overlooking the sea, they saw a lush forest of pines and bamboos. The martial artist, who had grown up by the seaside since childhood, pointed out the various mountains on the island, each with its own name, such as Cangwu Mountain and Suocheng Mountain. He said that the waters were rich in seafood, the birds and beasts were abundant, and it was suitable for fishing, hunting, and farming, making it possible to support a population of over a million people without any issues.

  "I once climbed Mount Tai, came out to watch the sunrise over the vast ocean; I wanted to cross to Donghai County, but unfortunately there was no stone bridge. This is indeed the East Sea Island that Mr. Dongpo yearned for, how beautiful and wonderful! The clear voice of the young girl echoed in the mountains, all day following a group of men, including Han Jiu'er, who had somewhat restored the elegance of a scholarly family."

  Xiao Wu's heart skipped a beat, and he glanced at the little girl behind him. She was wearing a white Mongolian-style dress with a white fox fur cape, her face as pale as snow, her lips red and teeth white, set off by a head of flowing black hair, radiant and captivating. No one would have guessed that she was actually "Wu Yong", the military strategist of the Thirty-six Pledges, also known in folklore as "Wu Yong".

  "Oh no!" Han Jiu'er was so busy admiring the scenery that he forgot about the steep and slippery mountain rocks beneath his feet. In a moment of carelessness, he slipped and fell, hurting himself so badly that he sat down on the ground, overcome with pain.

  "Sister, aren't you being careful?" Xiao Wu was the first to run over, scolding with her mouth but worrying in her heart. She squatted down to examine her injured foot, and fortunately it wasn't serious.

  "Xiao Wu, carry Xiao Jiu on your back." Song Jiang smiled at the little girl to comfort her. Men and women do not have close contact, there are only men here, who would dare to carry Xiao Jiu, except for Xiao Wu, they are siblings after all.

  "Thanks for your trouble." Han Jiuer furrowed his brow but put on a smiling face, which was both strange and captivating.

  "No need, no need." Wu Xing cut off Xiao Wu's words, "With a younger sister like Xiao Jiu, it's not enough to spoil her."

  This is true, all the Thirty-six Pledge brothers treated Xiaojiao as their own sister, and every time they went into battle, they would protect her layer by layer in the innermost part, fearing that she might get hurt.

  Only Xiao Wu, who clearly knew that the two were siblings, found it difficult to get into a brotherly role. As soon as he carried her on his back, he distanced himself from their sibling relationship. It turned out that he had distinctly felt two soft things pressing against his back, and suddenly came to his senses - the little girl was already over 14 years old, at an age where she should be wearing her hair in a bun, and her body had developed.

  "Brother..." Han Jiuer whispered, her face flushed with fever. As a family member, she knew what was going on at home and understood that Xiao Wu had noticed something strange about himself, fearing he would reveal the fake sibling relationship.

  "Sister, hold my neck tightly." Xiao Wu secretly took a deep breath, feeling ashamed and concentrated on walking.

  Yu Zhou Island is indeed big enough, and the good men traversed mountains and ridges, thoroughly scouting for two days, finally finding a suitable terrain to build a stronghold. It is located on the west slope of Suocheng Mountain at the northeast end of the island, along the deep and secluded Wuyang Lake to the south, all the way to the sea, hiding a secret valley, with three sides surrounded by mountains and one side facing the sea, and only one small path can be taken in the surrounding mountains, with a half-submerged reef standing upright towards the sea, forming a natural barrier, making it difficult for passing ships to discover, truly a heavenly stronghold.

  Isn't it the will of heaven to teach us to take root here? The thirty-six sworn brothers were amazed, and since leaving Liangshan Marsh, the wandering heroes finally had a new place to settle down.