The Second Volume of Water Margin

  After listening to Zhang Dàmǒu's report, Xīmén Qìng gave a strange order at the same time as the assembly: behead people.

  Cut off people's heads? Some soldiers of the Imperial Guard didn't know what was going on and thought it was time to reward their merits, so they hastily started cutting off heads everywhere. Of course, the ones being cut were the heads of the dead soldiers from Zengtou City.

  Zhang Dàmǒu was somewhat puzzled, wiping his sweat and asking: "Boss, now it's impossible to tell who killed whom, so how can we reward them based on the number of heads?"

  Ximen Qing gave a mysterious smile: "I'm going to use human heads to defeat the remaining Zeng family soldiers, do you believe me?"

  Zhang Dazui this time really opened his mouth wide, shaking his head in incomprehension.

  "Brother, isn't this move attacking the heart first?" Wu Song said thoughtfully.

  "It's true." Ximen Qing smiled and said, "At present, the other courtyard has already calmed down. The enemy's main force is gathered in the back hall of Fahua Temple, with more than 200 people. Although we have sixty or seventy people together, brothers are all tired from the hard fight, and if we push forward, there will inevitably be many casualties."

  "That once lifted human heads has many uses, don't forget to cut it off."

  Wu Song nodded, personally went over and cut off Zeng Sheng's head, holding it in his hand. Ximen Qing arranged for Drummer Shi to lead seven or eight soldiers into the courtyard, first to inform the family of the latest news, and secondly to move away the earth piled up to block the gate.

  According to Rong Ziyuan, it would take some effort to move the soil. Ximen Qing didn't want to wait outside the gate after killing his enemy.

  Although his family members were not harmed this time, Ximen Qing still felt that his current ability was not enough and he could not fully protect his family, especially the little demon Snowy, and Pan Jinlian who had not yet been formally married into the family, which made Ximen Qing worried. On one hand, he led the soldiers to Da Xiong Bao Dian, on the other hand, he was considering various possibilities.

  Isn't it that you want to leave your family in Liangshan Marsh for a while, and wait until Wu Song and you have settled down in the capital before bringing them over?

  This possibility, Ximen Qing had indeed seriously considered, but at present on Mount Liang, there was still Song Jiang, that black fatty, who he had rescued, Tuoba Tianwang Chao Gai. He couldn't bear to see Song Jiang every day shouting for amnesty, even composing songs about it. Even Iron Bull Black Whirlwind Li Kui couldn't stand it. Could Song Jiang do this and be worthy of Chao Gai? Worthy of the Jianghu good men who came in response to his timely rain, filial piety, black fatty title? Worthy of those surrendered court officials?

  In Ximen Qing's eyes, Song Jiang was just a narrow-minded guy. After becoming the leader of the mountain stronghold, he tied everyone to the war chariot with the amnesty sign and charged forward towards the dark precipice without batting an eye.

  However, after saving himself, Chao Gai pressed Song Jiang down again. In the eyes of that black fatty Song Jiang, he was absolutely a thorn in the flesh. Ximen Qing felt that he really had to stay at Liangshan Marsh for a while and help Tuo Da Tianwang squeeze out that black fatty Song Jiang.

  Carrying two sacks full of human heads, Ximen Qing, Wu Song and Yan Qing led a group of about twenty people to storm the Taiyuan Treasure Hall, where they joined forces with Liu Renzhong and his men. Of course, Zeng Sheng's head received special treatment, being carried personally by Wu Song.

  Liu Renzhong straightened his waist and introduced the situation to Ximen Qing, who also went to take a sneak peek. He turned back and asked in a low voice: "Who among you is better at playing cuju?"

  "Cuju?" Liu Ren looked at Ximen Qing in incredulity: "The battle hasn't even ended, how did you suddenly bring this up?"

  Ximen Qing pursed his lips, and Liu Renjing only then noticed the two hemp sacks filled with spherical objects. From the bloody appearance on the surface of the sacks, Liu Renjing naturally wouldn't believe that they were filled with leather balls for cuju.

  "Pour it out!" Ximen Qing whispered: "Choose a few good kickers, kick them into the crowd, kick the enemy, reward 100 coins."

  The soldier took orders and loosened the mouth of the bag, turned it upside down, and what rolled out was not a leather ball, but the head that had just been cut off. They were all heads of soldiers from Zengtou City.

  Liu Renzhong suddenly realized: "So that's what the leader meant..."

  "That's right, now our side is not at an advantage, only by using this method, called the enemy's morale scattered, no heart to resist. This way we can win a big victory and reduce casualties to a minimum." Ximen Qing explained with gestures.

  After hearing Ximen Qing's explanation, Liu Renzhong was deeply impressed and respectful. In his eyes, Ximen Qing's image was elevated to an even higher level.

  There are not many leaders on Mount Liang who can fight, and there are even fewer with this kind of mind. The surrendered generals who have defected to the bandits do not have real power in their hands, except for being called out to single-handedly challenge during battles, they actually do not have the right to command the army. The right to command is held by a very small number of leaders, especially Song Jiang and Wu Yong, if it were not for Chao Gai bringing troops himself this time, power would almost be lost.

  Liu Renzhong and a group of troublemakers hung out together, also mostly because of this reason.

  Ximen Qing's idea, or strategy, made Liu Renzhong feel refreshed. What delighted him even more was that Ximen Qing's command style prioritized the lives of soldiers and would never miss any opportunity to reduce casualties. The simple method used by other generals, who would just point with their whip and order soldiers to charge forward, was something Liu Renzhong couldn't agree with.

  During the Northern Song Dynasty, Cuju flourished and became popular among both men and women of all ages. Emperor Huizong of Song was particularly fond of it, and even had a special women's football team in the palace. The most famous example is that of General Fu who became a commander-in-chief because of his excellent skills in Cuju, although his military abilities are unknown, he rose to fame through football.

  Whether it's the army or the bandits, kicking a few games in their spare time is nothing more natural. Liu Renzhong himself was also a good player, and immediately called a few people who kicked well in their daily lives to try out the foot feel with human heads.

  "Zeng Kui is not in the courtyard, what a good opportunity!" Ximen Qing observed for a while and did not find anyone like Zeng Kui. The people in the courtyard were mostly ordinary soldiers.

  "Boss, let me try one kick first." Liu Renzhong walked to the door, roughly estimated the distance, and threw the human head into the air. He kicked it out with a loud noise, and the head flew straight towards the soldiers of Zengtou City more than twenty or thirty steps away.

  The enemy was not far away, and the crowd naturally did not dare to cheer loudly, but instead craned their necks to watch that "human head" fly by without any deviation, it was indeed a powerful shot. Ximen Qing nodded repeatedly, if this Liu Renzhong were born a thousand years later, he might be able to save the national team, who knows.

  A soldier next to him let out a low cry: "Too high, what a pity!"

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, that "human head" slowly and quietly brushed past the top of a soldier's head in Zengtou City, and the soldier who was facing away didn't have any reaction at all.

  "Isn't this long-distance shooting also a tradition?" Ximen Qing had just uttered a "what a pity" when he heard Liu Ren coming up with a sentence, "Not necessarily."

  The soldier just let out a low shout, and then everyone else started cheering quietly.

  Ximen Qing looked over and saw that the "human head" had flown over the soldiers' heads not far away, but suddenly lost its momentum and fell straight down, landing right in the middle of a circle of resting Zengtou City soldiers.

  It turns out that Liu Zhangzi's goal from the very beginning was the crowd in between!

  This footwork left Ximen Qing speechless, was the Northern Song Dynasty the pinnacle of Cuju? Even a Liu Renzhong had such good footwork, what would the national football team be like after a thousand years?

  "What the heck!"

  "My goodness, what a headache this guy is!"

  "Who's throwing human heads around!"

  "Look at you, smoking and being so rude! Grandpa is still eating his pancakes! How can he eat with all this commotion!"

  Those soldiers from Zhenzhou City directly exploded in anger and stood up one after another, loudly scolding.

  A good soldier picked it up and pulled out the dead man's hair to take a look, and was immediately stunned.

  "Isn't that so-and-so's kid from next door!"

  The soldiers all gathered around to look, and indeed two more soldiers recognized him: "This guy came saying something about dividing money and women, how did he end up getting his head cut off? Is there an enemy or not?"

  The soldiers shouted loudly, and more soldiers gathered around to watch. At that moment of confusion, the soldiers facing this side pointed at the sky in terror and shouted: "Heads! They're all heads!"

  In an instant, almost all of the soldiers turned their heads to look.

  Flying all over the sky... were human heads.

  Liu Renzhong led a few soldiers, with his feet spread wide at the gate, and anyway, he had already attracted the enemy's attention. At this time, don't worry about footwork and accuracy, just kick out the "human head ball".

  It's raining people from the sky.

  People's heads were rolling on the ground.

  Ximen Qing could see that the soldiers in Zengtou City had eyes full of terror, instinctively avoiding the "human head drums" falling from the sky, and for the kick drum performance dozens of steps away, there was no intention to stop.

  In "human head" inside, there are their fathers and brothers, as well as the brothers who drank and farted together yesterday.

  Dozens of "human head drums" were all gone in no time. Looking at the rolling human heads everywhere, Ximen Qing beckoned with his hand, and Wu Song handed over a whistle rod. The front section of the whistle rod was tied with Zeng Sheng's blood-stained head, with arrow branches still stuck in his eyes and the back of his brain.

  Ximen Qing smiled and weighed the whistle rod in his hand, holding it up with one hand at a 45-degree angle, letting the people next to him take a fresh look, not knowing what kind of pose this was.

  "Halt! All of you, listen up!" Wu Song shouted loudly according to Ximen Qing's orders: "You four young masters from Zeng Family in the capital have been beheaded! The heads are here! Take a good look!"

  The soldiers opposite Zhen Head City were in a state of confusion, and their eyes gradually converged on Ximen Qing, who was standing beside Wu Song with a smile and a stylish pose.

  Ximen Qing's right foot lightly tapped the ground, and he quickly ran forward two or three steps. His body slightly leaned back, and then his right arm was raised high, swinging with force!

  These actions were done in one breath, causing Ximen Qing to take the whistle rod that had been tied to Zeng Sheng's head and shoot it out like a javelin!

  Of course, this "javelin" was unstable and didn't fly very far before tilting and falling to the ground, but it was enough. The soldiers of Zengtou City widened their eyes as they stared at the bloody human head, although there were arrows inserted in the front and back, it did not affect the recognition rate at all.