The Second Volume of Water Margin

  "The Right Fort is also on fire!" On the watchtower of the Central Great Fort, Zengtoushi soldiers looked at the flames and thick smoke billowing from the Right Fort in horror.

  As the wind blew by, not only was there a choking smell of smoke, but also a faint scent of blood, making the faces of the soldiers in Zengtou City even paler.

  Apart from the sentry's panicked shouting, the Central Great Village had fallen into a deathly silence.

  Zeng was paralyzed and sat in a chair, looking at Shi Wenguang with a very helpless gaze, this teacher who had been hired at a great price.

  "Is Su Ding also dead by now?"

  He didn't dare to think about it, yet couldn't help but think about it. His eyes were filled with fear and numbness.

  For over a decade, Zeng Quan had been collecting large amounts of intelligence for the Jin State, from the population of Lingzhou to the annual harvests, from maps of Lingzhou to troop deployments. Although these pieces of information were currently useless, one day when the Jin State's iron cavalry charged in, they would become crucial intelligence.

  As a veteran intelligence officer, Zeng Quan didn't care about his own safety, but his five sons, especially the eldest son Zeng Tu, were his weak points.

  Three years ago, his partner passed away, and Zeng Qicai suddenly realized that he was still extremely afraid of the moment when death would come in the depths of his heart.

  The name "Zeng Family Five Tigers" can be considered to have been completely wiped out. Except for Zeng Tu, who is still in a coma with his left arm disabled, Zeng Kui and Zeng Sheng died at Fahua Temple, and even their bodies cannot be found; Zeng Mi died in front of Liangshan Stronghold, going out alive but returning as a headless corpse. With the fall of Zuo Village, Zeng Suo is probably dead too?

  Shi Wengong looked at the helpless Zeng Quan and couldn't help but say, "If you had made up your mind earlier, I'm afraid the reinforcements from Lingzhou would already be on their way. With the soldiers in the camp, there's still a good chance of holding on..."

  "What's the use of saying these now?" Zeng Quan, who had been sitting paralyzed, suddenly straightened his waist: "It's better to take advantage of the fact that the large troops from Liangshan have not arrived yet and open the gate to escape to Lingzhou!"

  "Escape? Where to escape?" Shi Wengong shook his head slightly: "It's too late. The Liangshan troops have divided into two routes to attack my left and right camps, in order to surround the central camp. Now that the left and right camps have fallen, the troops hiding in front of my camp should also appear, shouldn't they?"

  As if providing evidence for Shi Wengong's judgment, a dull "thud" sound came from afar, accompanied by a faint and obscure drumbeat.

  Zeng's face changed color, he tilted his head and listened carefully, afraid that he had misheard.

  "Bang...bang...bang"

  The drums that kept ringing reminded Zeng Quan that he had not misheard.

  The drumbeat is getting more urgent! Getting closer and closer!

  "They're here..." Shi Wengong's hand suddenly tightened around the hilt of his knife: "They've arrived!"

  The drumbeat seemed to be pounding in Zeng's heart, making it impossible for him to continue sitting. Zeng jumped off his chair and rushed out of the tent with Shi Wenguang, climbing up a high platform to look in the direction of the drumbeat.

  In the distant woods, the drumbeats have shaken the sky, and various flying birds are startled to fly all over the sky, unable to land.

  One, two, ten!

  One hundred, two hundred, one thousand!

  Troops emerged from the forest, interspersed with several mounted leaders, formed a battle array outside the forest, and slowly approached the central camp until they were within arrow range before stopping.

  The three wooden poles held high at the very front of the Liangshan troops were once all dusty and earth-colored.

  Those were the heads of Zeng Kui, Zeng Sheng and Zeng Mi hanging on the wooden stake!

  Zeng Quanqiang was almost vomiting a mouthful of blood, his body swayed and nearly fell off the high platform, fortunately, there were soldiers who held him up.

  The soldiers in front of Liangshan slowly parted, and a horse-drawn carriage slowly came forward, with Chao Gai sitting on it. The banner "Tuo Tuo Tian Wang" was held by Duan Jingzhu, a golden-haired dog, fluttering gently in the wind; On the left side, Wu Yong sat on horseback, fanning himself with a goose feather fan, and behind him, a mysterious eight-trigram flag with a light yellow color was raised high, with the title "Zhì Duō Xīng" written on it.

  A general on the right side **a black war horse, a light yellow face, wearing armor, wearing a dark-colored battle robe, holding a steel spear, with a hidden bamboo section whip behind his back, and no flag number behind him.

  The soldiers who escaped the night before recognized that it was Zeng Yi who had been shot and wounded by the enemy general, and they pointed and told Shi Wenguang.

  "Ah, it's actually Shi Wenguang, the former military commander of Dengzhou. He was skilled in archery and horsemanship, and had a reputation on the rivers and lakes. Who would have thought he'd end up joining the outlaws at Liangshan?"

  Zeng Quan struggled to stand up straight, pulled at Shi Wenguang's war robe and said: "Teacher, this man killed my son Zeng Mi and injured Zeng Tu. The hatred is as deep as the ocean, how can I let him off?! I only ask that you, Teacher, consider our master-disciple relationship and take him out of the village to kill him, just to ease my mind a bit!"

  Shi Weng sighed and said: "Everyone has their own fate, why force it? This is the end of Zeng Mi's life, it can't be escaped."

  Zeng Quan was speechless after hearing this.

  "The teacher doesn't know." The soldier who had just spoken said: "Sun Li has made a statement, wanting to meet the teacher with that Heaven-Defying Halberd!"

  "What? How dare you!" Shi Wengong angrily said: "I didn't go to provoke him, but he used words to tease me! Wait for me to meet him!"

  Zeng Quan said: "We must kill him!"

  "Don't worry!"

  Shi Wengong ordered someone to bring over the Night Jade Lion Horse, and with 500 soldiers, they charged out of the camp gate. As they were about to engage in battle, he suddenly saw a flag on the opposite side and was taken aback for a moment.

  Two big characters on white cloth stained with blood: "Blow Blood"!

  Under the flag, a white horse carried a person who sat lazily, with a face as beautiful as jade and resembling Pan An. His two hands were empty, with a long sword at his waist, looking at himself with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  This blood-curdling banner, paired with this lazy virtue, is somehow off no matter how you look at it!

  Moreover, on the right side of the horseback ride sat a handsome young man with a rosy complexion like spring, holding a small bow and arrow in his hand, which seemed to be going out for hunting.

  On the left was also a young man, looking even younger than the one on the right. He had an iron shield strapped to his left arm, which was so large that it almost covered half of his body, including his head and feet. However, his right hand held no weapon, leaving Shi Wengong astonished.

  "When did Liangshan have such a character? Doesn't seem like a fugitive bandit, but rather a young master out for a stroll, and even flying the 'Blowing Snow' banner!"

  Shi Wengong was very puzzled, thinking to himself, when the lazy young master opposite him suddenly burst out laughing and pointed with his hand: "May I ask, is the person who has come indeed Shi Wengong?"

  Shi Wengong held up the Fang Tian painting halberd, and urged the Night Jade Lion Horse to come to the front of the formation. He shouted loudly: "It's really Shi Mou! Who are you? Come out and talk!"

  This lazy young master is naturally Ximen Qing, the one holding the bow and arrow is Xue'er that little demon disguised as a man, and the one holding the shield is Xiaotianqing.

  At this moment, Shi Wengong asked him, Ximen Qing laughed and said: "The left and right strongholds have all been broken by me Liangshan, why don't you surrender, what are you waiting for?"

  Shi Wengong snorted, raised his halberd and pointed it at him from a distance: "I think you're not even capable of tying up a chicken, so just call out that yellow-faced Sun Li to see me!"

  At this time, a horseman rushed from the direction of Zuo's camp and another from the west. Ximen Qing thought for a moment and burst out laughing: "When we first meet, there must be great gifts! Shi Wen Gong, I have two big gifts here, take them!"

  Ximen Qing and the others did not know where this remark came from. After a short while, a rider arrived at the front of Chai Ge's horse carriage, dismounted, and presented an object: "Great leader! The person whose head was demanded is here! Yan leader said that people and horses will arrive immediately!"

  Huang Ge nodded and ordered the head to be placed in front of the carriage. Seeing that Zeng Suo's head had been cut off by more than half, with red and white things flowing out, he sighed: "There must be a fierce battle!"

  Snow saw it and disliked the bloody smell, hurriedly covered her mouth and nose, letting Ximen Qing mock her for a moment: "You little demon also have today!"

  A rider on the right rushed up, dismounted in front of Chao Gai's horse cart and presented something: "Great Head! Su Ding's head is here! Liu Head and Ruan the Third will arrive immediately!"

  Xiang Gai saw Su Ding's eyes tightly closed, and ordered the soldiers to tie both heads to a pole and take them to the front of the formation for Shi Wenguang to see.

  "Shi Wengong, this is where Zeng Suo and Su Ding lost their heads!" Ximen Qing pointed with a smile and said: "If you don't wake up now, your outcome will be the same!"

  Shi Wengong smiled wryly, but didn't get scared stiff. Instead, it was the people in the central courtyard behind him who were shocked. Zeng Quan, standing on the high platform, had clearly seen everything and couldn't hold back a mouthful of blood anymore, his body falling backwards...

  "Let Mo Shunli invite war!" Sun Li, the sickly and weak, flapped his battle robe, mounted his horse, and rushed towards Tuo Ta Tianwang Zhuo Ge with a bow: "Let me meet Shi Wengong for a moment!"

  Huang Gai nodded and said: "This Shi Wen Gong's martial arts are not trivial, General Sun must be careful to welcome him."

  "Save for the future."

  "General Sun, I'll let Wu Song and Yan Qing take your place in the vanguard."

  Ximen Qing's arrangement made Sick Jiaolong Sun Li nod his head in gratitude.

  Shi Wengong saw Sun Li hesitating and didn't come out, so he burst into a loud scolding: "Dawdling and hesitating, not a good man! This Heaven-painted halberd is starving and can't bear it, wants to drink your fresh blood!"

  "Halt!" Sun Li urged his war horse, brandishing a steel spear as he charged out of the formation. He faced Shi Wengong and shouted: "You scoundrel, you're no hero! Why did you shoot my brother Song Jiang with a cold arrow?"

  Shi Wengong sneered and said, "Mysterious!", then danced with the Fang Tianhua halberd, charged forward, and stabbed with a split heart.

  Sun Li calmly raised the steel gun in his hand: "I see that you are also ordinary, yet dare to use this Fang Tian Hua Halberd, dare to compare with Lü Bu?"

  This sentence is being said right on Shi Wengong's heart.

  Lü Bu was known as the "Number One Warrior of the Three Kingdoms" and it is said that "Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare". Shi Wen Gong compared himself to Lü Bu, specially crafting a halberd called the "heavenly painted halberd", practicing halberd techniques until he thought he had mastered them.

  Since he got the Night Jade Lion Horse, Shi Wengong has been like a fish in water, and he even called himself "Invincible Shi Wengong among humans, Night Jade Lion Horse among horses". This title is known to everyone in Zengtou City, making Shi Wengong's confidence even more explosive.

  At this moment, Sun Li asked him, Shi Wengong sneered: "I'm better than Lü Fengxian, unfortunately you're not Wei Rang!"

  Wei Bo's hands didn't stop, and he burst out laughing: "Lv Fengxian is a slave of three surnames, you're not much different, having become the teacher of the Jin State in Zengtou Market, which makes you a slave of two surnames!"