Chapter 144

However, the heroic and brave Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi were not very afraid of this Liang Shan leader.

For them, the safety of their own brother was the most important thing.

They quickly came to Ruan Xiao Wu's side and asked with concern:

"Fifth brother, are you okay?"

At the same time, the two of them kept their eyes on Ruan Xiao Wu, wanting to see if there were any injuries on his body,

such as whether he had been abused by the Liang Shan bandits, interrogated under torture, etc.

"Brother Er, Brother Qi, I'm perfectly fine! Don't worry."

Ruan Xiao Wu was in high spirits and replied with full vigor.

"That's good, that's good."

Indeed, they found no obvious wounds on Ruan Xiao Wu, and seeing him so full of vigor,

Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi, who cared about their family's safety, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, Wang Lun, who was eager to see the owner of the letter, was somewhat impatient.

He looked at the tavern in front of him and asked Ruan Xiao Wu anxiously:

"Is the owner of the letter in this tavern?"

Ruan Xiao Wu, who had personally received the letter from Zhang Jie, replied with certainty:

"Exactly."

Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi, seeing Wang Lun like this, were full of suspicion:

'What kind of person could make Wang Lun, this Liang Shan leader, so excited just to meet him?'

The two brothers could not help but feel a deep curiosity about the identity of the person in the tavern.

"Brother Ruan Er, Brother Ruan Wu, Brother Ruan Qi, Leader Wang, my Young Master invites you into the tavern to meet."

At this moment, Wu Song's powerful voice reached their ears.

The excited Wang Lun and the curious three Ruan brothers then stepped into the tavern.

And other people who wanted to watch the fun were blocked outside the tavern by the tower-like Wu Song:

Zhang Jie had only invited the three Ruan brothers and Wang Lun; other idlers were not included.

As soon as Wang Lun and the others entered the tavern, they were instantly attracted by the young man sitting by the window.

Although Lu Zhishen and the others were also mighty and imposing, they could only be overshadowed and relegated to the background

beside that youth who looked like a jade tree in the wind and was full of heroic spirit.

'What a graceful young man!'

'The heroic spirit in novels is probably just like this!'

Ruan Xiao Er and Ruan Xiao Qi, who had never seen Zhang Jie, were shocked.

They seemed to somewhat understand why their fifth brother was willing to risk such danger after only meeting him once.

And Wang Lun was even more excited; he came to the young man in two or three steps,

first straightened his clothes, and then bowed solemnly with a respectful ceremony:

"The junior Wang Lun greets the Top Scholar!"

Well, although he was more than a cycle older than Zhang Jie,

in terms of studies, one also respects the learned as a teacher.

Zhang Jie, who had achieved the rank of Top Scholar before he was twenty, naturally had knowledge far superior to his own, as he had failed the exams repeatedly.

Wang Lun, who was bowing to Zhang Jie, saw that the three Ruan brothers were still standing there woodenly, and could not help but remind them in a low voice:

"This is the Top Scholar of this year; why don't you pay your respects?"

"What? This is actually the Top Scholar of this year?"

The three Ruan brothers were shocked to learn of Zhang Jie's identity.

The county magistrate who managed their Shi Jie Village was rumored to be only a third-rank successful candidate from many years ago.

A first-rank Top Scholar was truly a divine figure to them, like a dragon seeing its head but not its tail!

Moreover, he was so young; he was probably the only one who could be a legendary

Wenqu Star descending to earth to achieve such extraordinary merit.

Even Ruan Xiao Wu, who had been conquered by Zhang Jie earlier and was willing to risk his life to deliver the letter, was shocked.

He knew Zhang Jie's identity was extraordinary, but he did not expect it to be this extraordinary.

The status of a Top Scholar, except for a few imperial relatives,

was something even the sons of hereditary dukes and marquises could not compare to!

"Ruan Xiao Er/Ruan Xiao Wu/Ruan Xiao Qi greet the Top Scholar!"

The three Ruan brothers immediately bowed solemnly.

"Gentlemen, no need for such formalities; please rise."

Zhang Jie stood up and helped the four people who were bowing to rise one by one.

"I wonder why the Top Scholar sent someone to summon me?"

Wang Lun did not have the reserve of a Liang Shan leader and asked respectfully.

Zhang Jie gently told the direct reason for his coming to the Liang Shan water expanse:

"I am not favored by the current Emperor and have been demoted to Vice Commander of the Qingzhou Training Corps..."

Before Zhang Jie could finish, Wang Lun was already filled with righteous indignation:

"The Top Scholar is the Wenqu Star descending to earth; how could the Emperor treat you like this?

It must be that there are treacherous officials in the court slandering you in front of the Emperor."

Zhang Jie, however, was not at all worried about being demoted; he said as calmly as ever:

"Now that our group has no place to stay,

I heard that Leader Wang's Liang Shan water expanse is a good place, so I have come to join you today."

Zhang Jie: If that Song Jiang can sit in the leader's chair of the Liang Shan stronghold, why can't I, Zhang Jie?

This "Star of Heavenly Leadership" thing—it's not like he, Zhang Jie, can't do it!

"What? The Top Scholar actually wants to become a bandit?"

Wang Lun was shocked upon hearing this.

There have always been scholars who became bandits, but he had never heard of a *juren* who became a bandit;

let alone a Top Scholar, who occupied the top three among successful candidates.

A Top Scholar, not to mention anything else, would have no shortage of wealth and glory.

Since that was the case, why bother with becoming a bandit, which is neither decent,

nor something people spit on and poke in the spine, and is also dangerous enough to be wiped out by the imperial court?

Zhang Jie looked at Wang Lun's "Why are you rebelling, Your Majesty?" expression and found it interesting, continuing calmly:

"If a ruler treats his ministers as his hands and feet, then the ministers treat the ruler as their heart and belly;

if a ruler treats his ministers as dogs and horses, then the ministers treat the ruler as a stranger;

if a ruler treats his ministers as dirt and mustard, then the ministers treat the ruler as an enemy."

Since the Emperor treats me so poorly, why should I continue to serve him?

Furthermore, what do you all think of the Great Song today?"

The words of dissuasion in Wang Lun's mouth were instantly blocked back into his stomach.

"If a ruler treats his ministers as dirt and mustard, then the ministers treat the ruler as an enemy" comes from *Mencius: Li Lou II*,

which is the Confucian sage Mencius's discussion with King Xuan of Qi regarding the relationship between ruler and minister.

Moreover, the Great Song today is indeed not very good.

Otherwise, how could a scholar like him become a bandit?

Under the governance of the current Emperor, the Great Song can be described as wealthy families having groups of concubines and fields stretching across the land,

while the common people are exploited to the extreme, with almost no place to stand.

The Emperor also collected rare flowers and stones from Jiangnan to build the Genyue, calling it the "Flower and Stone Convoy."

Because of this, the wealthy land of Jiangnan could not make ends meet, and the people were in dire straits,

with peasant uprisings occurring endlessly, and countless common people dying because of it.

Even the three Ruan heroes changed color:

Although they were just commoners by the water expanse and did not know the situation of the world,

they knew that the bandits in the eight-hundred-li Liang Shan water expanse had been increasing in recent years,

and the exorbitant taxes collected by the government were also increasing.

The lives of these commoners were becoming more and more difficult; with the slightest change, their families would be broken and their people would die!

"I want to find a way out for the people of the world, and I hope you all will help me!"

Zhang Jie solemnly cupped his hands and bowed to everyone present.

"Hmm-haha, I have long been unhappy with those bird officials of the Great Song!"

Lu Zhishen rubbed his gleaming bald head and laughed heroically,

not worried at all about such a major matter as rebellion, which would involve the execution of nine generations of one's family.

"Willing to die for the Young Master!"

Wu Song, who had followed Zhang Jie for a year and knew his great ambition from his previous actions, bowed to the ground.

He and Zhang Jie had long since merged into one; they would prosper together and suffer together!

"Since the Top Scholar has the great ambition to clarify the world, how can we, the three Ruan brothers, not lend you a hand?"

The generous and heroic three Ruan brothers immediately responded to Zhang Jie's call.

Thus, everyone present, only Wang Lun had not yet made up his mind.

"Hmm?"

The sharp gazes of the crowd all converged on Wang Lun.

Wang Lun, feeling like he had thorns on his back, secretly said: "Bitter."

Although he had no good feelings for the Great Song and even had quite a bit of resentment,

which was why he became a bandit on Liang Shan after failing the exams repeatedly.

But he only robbed the wealthy to help his own poverty,

and had never thought about rebelling with bright swords and guns!

This would involve the execution of nine generations of his family!

But if he didn't express his stance today, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to leave this tavern,

and this day next year would be Wang Lun's death anniversary.

He did not doubt the decisiveness of Zhang Jie, who dared to talk about such rebellious topics.

'The execution of nine generations is so scary!

However, it seems I am the only one left in my Wang family.'

Wang Lun, thinking that the so-called execution of nine generations seemed to be just that, felt his heart relax.

His parents and relatives had long since gone to the underworld;

could the Great Song resurrect them and slice them again?

Besides, the Great Song could force a Top Scholar like Zhang Jie to plan a rebellion.

Looking at it this way, this big tree of the Great Song was probably only lush on the surface,

while inside it was already full of snakes, insects, rats, and ants, and rotten to the core.

And if a Top Scholar who clearly had plans in his chest still planned to rebel after careful consideration,

then even if he couldn't overthrow the Great Song, carving out a territory shouldn't be difficult.

And thinking that if the rebellion succeeded, he, Wang Lun, a mere failed scholar, would also have hope of being enfeoffed as a marquis or prime minister,

becoming one of the ministers governing the world—just thinking about it made him a little excited!

Let's see who would dare to mock him, Wang Lun, as a failed imperial examination waste!

Wang Lun, who felt the world broaden the moment he decided to join Zhang Jie, felt his tension vanish and bowed solemnly to Zhang Jie:

"Willing to die for my Lord!"

The reason he called Zhang Jie "Lord" was because since Zhang Jie had decided to rebel,

then the Great Song's fame and the title of Top Scholar had no meaning.

And since he had decided to rely on and assist Zhang Jie,

then the title "Lord" for a minister to his ruler was very correct.

As for being the leader of the Liang Shan stronghold, the style was really too low; it couldn't be brought out!

When he told Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, and the others the origin of this title,

they all felt that this title was very appropriate, so they all called him "Lord."

This established the status, clarified the superior and inferior, and made it easier to issue orders,

thereby exerting force in one direction, avoiding multiple commands, mutual obstruction,

self-internal friction, division, and even infighting.

Zhang Jie could not refuse and had to accept it.

"Lord, shall we return to Liang Shan now?"

After confirming the status, Wang Lun naturally adopted the identity of a strategist and asked for instructions.

Wu Song and the others were impressed by how quickly Wang Lun could adapt to his new identity,

without any gap between being the powerful leader of the Liang Shan stronghold and becoming a strategist:

There were many people who became bandits in the eight-hundred-li Liang Shan water expanse;

no wonder Wang Lun could seize the best position and become the most famous one among them.

But Zhang Jie seriously suspected that the reason Wang Lun's identity transition was so smooth

was because he had been looking forward to this day for a long time:

He was dressed in a scholar's white clothes and held a feather fan in his hand;

he was clearly cosplaying Zhuge Kongming!

This Wang Lun was still a cosplay enthusiast!