The Second Volume of Water Margin

  Hua Rong shot an arrow, didn't even look back, and turned to leave. He heard the commotion behind him and knew that his arrow must have hit its mark. In fact, at such a close distance, Hua Rong could have hit the target with his eyes closed, and his reputation as "Little Li Guang" was not undeserved. Moreover, it was a poison arrow.

  But Hua Rong was secretly hurt and couldn't face that familiar face, just a few days ago they were drinking together, respectfully calling him "Big Head Leader". Hua Rong didn't feel any joy in completing Song Jiang's task, instead he felt a chill of fear creeping through his body, even his hands were shaking. The craftsman who made the arrow for himself should have disappeared under Song Jiang's care by now?

  For Song Jiang this sworn brother, no, for his own sister Hua Yue Long, did he really make the right choice?

  Hua Rong couldn't understand, but recalling the time when Song Jiang helped Thunder Fire Qin Ming up, Song Jiang's promise made Hua Rong feel a chill for the first time and felt that his sworn brother was somewhat unfamiliar.

  Song Jiang never had any intention of discussing with Hua Rong from start to finish, as if he was treating Hua Yueyue like a commodity in his hands, waiting for the right price to sell. Although Hua Yueyue is Song Jiang's sworn sister and calls him "sworn brother" following her own brother Hua Rong, she is not Song Jiang's servant or maid, and can't be given away just because someone says so! Moreover, Qin Ming is old enough to be Hua Yueyue's father, with years to spare!

  Hua Rong believed that Qin Ming had also sensed the chill at that time. Although Lei Huo was as fierce as a raging fire, he wasn't a fool either. If he didn't agree on the spot, Qin Ming would have been doomed to die.

  Until now, although Huayue Rong has not yet passed the door, Pi Li Huo Qinming saw Hua Rong this "big brother-in-law" and also turned his head and walked away. Even in the mountain stronghold banquet, he found a position farthest from Hua Rong's table to sit down.

  Out of the willow forest, the noisy sounds behind could no longer be heard. Hua Rong walked hastily while feeling dryness in his mouth, wondering how many more underhanded deeds he had to do for this sworn brother Song Jiang! Hua Rong felt that Song Jiang had entwined him tightly with a net, and the more he struggled, the tighter it got.

  Hua Rong now only hopes that Song Jiang will soon become the leader of the mountain stronghold, and accept amnesty as soon as possible, so that he can take Hua Yue Rong away from this sworn brother.

  He pushed open the gate and rushed into that secluded room, covering his head with a quilt, hoping for dawn to come soon.

  Hua Rong did not expect that in the dark corner of the courtyard, a pair of cunning eyes were watching him.

  At the time of the drumming, due to work-related reasons, he became more spirited as the night wore on. After hastily eating a few mouthfuls of rice, Shi Qian casually made up an excuse to go out and look at the peach blossoms, and slipped away unnoticed. Ximen Qing thought that Shi Qian was just worried about the crowds of people during the day and had fallen ill with occupational disease, so he didn't pay much attention to it, only reminding him a couple of times before letting it go. Who would have thought that Shi Qian's mind was growing more and more restless as he came out to find that mysterious old customer?

  Shi Qian didn't have to spend much effort and soon found the courtyard where Hua Rong was staying with the help of a young monk who delivered food. What he didn't expect was that Hua Rong, this mysterious old guest, had vanished into thin air. The young monk put down the food and left, Shi Qian thought for a moment and then went to take a look at the horse stable, the horse was still there, indicating that the person hadn't left yet, but the quiver was nowhere to be found in the house, it's likely that he took it out with him on foot, doing something secretly.

  "I knew this guy was trouble." Shi Qian thought to himself, finding a corner in the courtyard and squatting down to wait patiently. Sure enough, after a while, he saw Hua Rong rush in from outside, with that quiver of arrows on his back.

  Shi Qian planned to wait outside the window for Hua Rong to fall asleep, then sneak into the house to steal the quiver and take a look, and flip through it to see if there were any letters or anything. Unexpectedly, until the east began to gradually turn white, there was no snoring sound in the house, but instead a series of sighs and the sound of Hua Rong tossing and turning.

  Hua Rong spent a sleepless night, and when the time finally arrived, he saw the bright light rising from the window. He got up, washed his face with water, went to the backyard to find his horse, and left immediately.

  Shi Qian looked at this scene with a mixture of anxiety and frustration, then went back to the house to search again. Hua Rong was originally very secretive and cautious in his actions, not even leaving behind a piece of paper or a thread from his clothes. Shi Qian couldn't find any clues no matter how hard he searched. He could only return to his own quarters with a sigh, feeling frustrated and anxious. After resting for a while, the sound of Wu Song training with Little Sky Clearness drifted in from outside, making it impossible for him to fall asleep even after covering himself with the quilt.

  "Are you going to let people sleep or not!" Shi Qiang angrily opened the door, startling Xiao Tianqing who was doing her daily homework.

  "Third Master, it's already broad daylight, what are you doing?" Little Tianqing asked cautiously, holding up her shield.

  "It's no good sleeping at night, now he's gone mad." Wu Song, who was practicing his boxing, stopped and laughed: "Don't mind him, apprentice, continue your practice."

  At this time, Ximen Qing also came over with a yawn and said: "Third brother, you're suffering from occupational disease, be careful!"

  Ximen Qing got up very early today, and after seeing Snowy's archery scores yesterday, Ximen Qing suddenly felt that he needed to improve his martial arts skills. With Wu Song already being a ready-made teacher, it would be a pity not to learn from him.

  "What occupational disease is this, wasn't it just yesterday that I saw that old guest sneaking around, staring at me for a whole night." Seeing Ximen Qing yawning, Shi Yan couldn't help but let out a huge yawn, even bringing tears to his eyes.

  Looking at the pair of eyes that were staring at him with a reddish glow, Ximen Qing teased: "Look at your eyes staring so red, is there any result? If you stare blankly for a whole night and turn into a rabbit, it would be a waste."

  "Who says nothing's been accomplished!" Drumming his fingers on the table, he yawned again: "That guy took his bow and arrow out who-knows-where, came back that night without sleeping, and rode off on horseback at dawn."

  "What's this?" Wu Song said with a smile: "Third brother, I think you've been staring blankly all night."

  "I'm too lazy to talk to you, I'm going to sleep!" Tiān Qián Lǎo Dà was unhappy, went into the house and closed the door. He pulled out a handful of cotton from under the quilt, rubbed it in his hands, made two cotton balls and stuffed them into his ears. After trying, he found that he could hardly hear any sound, then covered himself with the quilt and fell asleep.

  This side was busy for a whole night, and in the temporary camp, the Liangshan people were also busy for a whole night. The three heroes of Ruan's family rescued Chai Gai, pulled out the arrow and applied gold wound medicine, and helped him onto his horse. When they arrived at the camp gate, Toa Tianwang was swaying on his horse, and when he was helped down, he was already dizzy and couldn't speak. He was hastily taken into the big tent to find a military doctor to examine him.

  The military doctor examined the face of Chong Tianwang and found that half of his face had turned black and swollen due to the poison arrow. Everyone only then realized that Chong Ge had been hit by a poisoned arrow. When they searched for the arrow, they saw the words "Shi Wengong" on the arrow shaft. Each of them gritted their teeth in anger, wishing they could destroy Shi Wengong completely. Especially Wu Yong, also known as Zhidao Xing, led the way in scolding and cursing, even extending his curses to Shi Wengong's ancestors eighteen generations back.

  Ruan Xiaowu thought to himself: "Ordinarily, Wu Xuezhu looks like a bookish scholar, but now he's scolding in the streets, even more fiercely than a shrewd woman. It really is true that you can't judge people by their appearance!"

  He knew that Wu Yong's plan had succeeded, and Chai Ge was not long for this world. In a hurry to show his loyalty to the Heavenly King, he made all sorts of excuses.

  Liu Tang, the red-haired ghost, was on the verge of tears, and hastily ordered the military doctor to administer medicine. The military doctor, who was originally a rural scholar, didn't have much skill, and after smelling the arrowhead for half a day, couldn't figure out what kind of poison it was coated with, so he could only use a common prescription to treat the wound.

  After taking the medicine, Chao Gai, the Heavenly King, was able to speak, but his face became even more swollen. Feeling unwell, he gave an order: "Whoever caught the one who shot me with an arrow will be made the leader of Liangshan Marsh!"

  As soon as he finished speaking, Chong Gai fell into a deep sleep, unaware of anything around him.

  The leaders heard this and only then did they realize that Chao Gai's days were numbered, and they all became flustered. Wu Yong heard this and his heart sank, indeed Chao Gai was not willing to let Song Jiang take the throne, which is why he spoke such words.

  Liu Tang and Ruan Shi San Xiong were thinking of using a large vehicle to send the injured Tuo Tuo Tian Wang back to the mountain stronghold for medical treatment. Wu Yong, also known as Wisdom Star, turned his eyes and stopped them, saying: "I see that Tian Wang's poisoning is quite deep and cannot be moved. Although there are several slightly stronger doctors in the mountain stronghold, they may not necessarily have the magical effect of reviving the spring. It would be better to find a good doctor locally to treat Tian Wang."

  Liu Tang was worried that there were no good doctors locally: "The military advisor's words are not wrong, but the city of Zengtou has been occupied by the Zeng family, and I have never heard that Lingzhou has any good doctors. Is it just watching Brother Tianwang die?"

  Wu Yong gently waved his feather fan and said, "First send Brother Dài Zōng back to Liáng Shān to report this news to Elder Brother Gōng Míng. We will firmly defend the camp here and dispatch a leader to ride a fast horse to visit good doctors in the surrounding states and counties, offering a reward of 1,000 taels. Within two or three days, there must be news!"

  "Don't mention a thousand taels, even if it's a hundred thousand taels, as long as it can save Big Brother Chao, the mountain stronghold is willing to give it up!" Liu Tang nodded and said, Ruan Shi San Xiong also deeply agreed: "If not for Big Brother Chao, where would Liangshan be?"

  Wu Yong listened and sneered in his heart, the medicine arrow was a prescription he had seen from an ancient book, its toxicity was unparalleled, it was unknown whether Chai would survive till tomorrow, even if a good doctor came, they would be helpless.

  It was a chaotic night, and the leaders didn't have the heart to rest. Liu Tang and Ruan Shi San Xiong quickly mounted their horses and rushed to nearby counties to find good doctors. Deng Fei had pulled out the arrow and bandaged his arm, and he was no longer in great danger. He followed other leaders to guard the tower and defend against Zeng Tou Shi's attack.

  Liu Tang's heart was burning with anxiety, he urged his horse on, galloping wildly along the way. Suddenly, he remembered something: "I was so anxious that I forgot there is a Fahua Temple near Zengtou City, which happens to be in full bloom of peach blossoms, and it's crowded with tourists. Maybe there are some good doctors among them, or maybe someone who knows a good doctor. Why not go there and ask around?"

  Thinking of this, Liu Tang felt that this idea was feasible and much better than searching aimlessly everywhere. He hastily turned his horse's head, recognized the road, and headed towards Fahua Temple.

  "Brother, your body is not suitable for martial arts!" In Fahua Temple, Wu Song taught Ximen Qing some basic movements. Ximen Qing followed and did a few repetitions, but couldn't get the hang of it, causing Wu Song to shake his head repeatedly.