Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

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So they simply bought them all.

After both parties have settled the payment,

Zhao Yuan and his men originally intended to leave in a carriage.

Pang Wanchun, however, insisted on keeping them there to drink and apologize.

Unable to refuse, Zhao Yuan had no choice but to stay.

They followed Pang Wanchun into the main hall of Siming Mountain Village.

After three rounds of drinking and questioning,

Zhao Yuan pretended to be nonchalant.

He asked,

"By the way, Chief Pang."

Why do you think we are the people from Liangshan?

"There must be quite a few merchants coming from the north to Jiangnan every day!"

"Why do they always seem to think that we are..."

"I was just guessing."

Pang Wanchun explained apologetically,

"It's also because of the recent news about Liangshan."

"Then Liangshan's dozen or so warships were anchored off the coast of Mingzhou,"

"The government of Mingzhou sent naval forces to clear out the area two days ago,"

"But they were utterly defeated by the Liangshan bandits!"

"Not only were more than four hundred naval soldiers captured,"

"Even the three warships that the government had acquired were taken by Liangshan!"

"After that uproar at Liangshan, the bandits of Jiangnan are now..."

"Everyone in the area turned pale at the mere mention of Liangshan."

"Nobody knew that Liangshan was going south this time,"

"What exactly do you want to do!"

"I've thought about this before, even back in the mountain village,"

"Just then, I overheard the girl returning to the village, saying she encountered a group of merchants from the north selling medicinal herbs,"

"And she also said that Manager Zhao, you are quite knowledgeable,"

"His men are all extraordinary individuals,"

"I subconsciously thought,"

"You may be the spies sent by Liangshan to investigate the situation in Jiangnan."

"I apologize for any offense I may have caused, Manager Zhao."

"It's alright! This isn't Chief Pang's fault,"

Zhao Yuan laughed.

"It's also my fault, that I share the same surname as the leader of Liangshan."

That's why the chieftain misunderstood!

"However, it's all Liangshan's fault!"

"Just stay in Shandong and be fine."

What are you doing in Jiangnan?

"Hehe, Manager Zhao, you wouldn't know about these things,"

Pang Wanchun was already somewhat drunk.

Without even thinking, he spoke up.

"Now everyone in the Jiangnan bandits is talking about it,"

"That Liangshan expedition south this time,"

"They want to discuss this with the Ming Cult,"

How can we overthrow the Northern Song Dynasty?

"This...this is something the chieftain shouldn't tell me about,"

Zhao Yuan feigned cowardice and replied,

"I'm just an ordinary merchant,"

"Such a big deal, I don't even dare to hear about it!"

"Really?"

Pang Wanchun gave Zhao Yuan a meaningful look.

He then stopped talking about it.

After they drank a few more glasses,

Pang Wanchun, drunk, insisted that Zhao Yuan and the others stay the night.

Zhao Yuan couldn't refuse.

So he could only send his personal guards.

We set up camp in this village in the Siming Mountains.

"Brother, what exactly does Pang Wanchun mean by this?"

Zhang Shun asked, puzzled.

"Judging from his appearance, he doesn't seem to want anything against us?"

"But why are you so eager to keep us here?"

"If you ask me, this Chief Pang most likely knows who we are,"

Zhao Yuan splashed cold water on his face and answered casually.

"what?"

Zhang Shun and the others were all taken aback.

"Chieftain, could it be that your identity is...?"

"That fellow probably doesn't know my identity; he just roughly guesses that we're related to Liangshan,"

Zhao Yuan said in a deep voice,

“There are over a hundred of us, all tall and strong men,”

"And they came from Shandong again, carrying more than ten cartloads of medicinal herbs, and traveled south safely all the way,"

"It's not surprising that this fellow recognized us as people from Liangshan..."

Chapter 1185 The Way Out

"And he's like this now..."

Ruan Xiaoer couldn't help but ask.

"Judging from his expression, he probably doesn't want to offend either side,"

Zhao Yuan thought for a moment and said,

"This Pang Wanchun was able to build such a large village all by himself,"

"He still has some skills."

"The Ming Cult invited him to join their ranks several times, but he refused each time,"

"If we offend Liangshan again,"

"Wouldn't that leave us with absolutely no way out?"

"Okay, whatever,"

Zhao Yuan instructed,

"Tell everyone to be careful."

"This is not Shandong now, after all."

"It's always better to be careful in everything you do."

Everyone nodded.

Dispersed.

.....

at the same time,

Pang Qiuyan also helped her drunken brother back to his room.

As soon as I entered the house,

Pang Wanchun then regained his usual calm demeanor.

He was nowhere near as drunk as before!

"Brother, you're not drunk?"

Pang Qiuyan asked in surprise.

"Drinking with a few people of dubious origin,"

Pang Wanchun said irritably,

"How could I possibly get drunk so easily?"

"Were you pretending just now?"

Pang Qiuyan asked, puzzled.

"They're just a bunch of drug dealers. Do you find them suspicious, brother?"

"Just let them leave."

"Why make them stay and drink with them?"

"This group of people is definitely not ordinary pharmaceutical merchants?"

Pang Wanchun frowned and said,

"Let's leave aside the leaders for now,"

"Those guys,"

"You've all seen them; they're all tall and fit,"

"They are clearly well-trained,"

"They are much better than the lackeys in our village."

"If it were only one or two, that would be fine,"

"A full hundred people appeared together,"

"They all still have that Shandong accent,"

"To say that this group has nothing to do with Liangshan,"

"I absolutely do not believe it!"

"But weren't these people indeed traveling south from the north?"

Pang Qiuyan asked, puzzled.