CCWAD – Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Volume III: Undercurrents Stir Liangshan, Schemes Settle the World

Preface:

“The chess game in the Eastern Capital is set. Now it’s time for the pawns to cross the river. When I return to Liangshan with Li Shishi’s secret order, I will no longer be the terrified and perpetually anxious ‘Cold, Enchanting, Arrogant, and Useless.’ This time, in the Hall of Righteous Gathering, I will strike the first thunderclap for Liangshan’s destiny.”

—

Chapter 26: Return to the Mountain

Epigraph:

“Months later, as I set foot on Liangshan’s soil once more, I wasn’t met with the embrace of brothers, but with Li Kui’s axe at my throat. ‘Little Yi Brother,’ he asked, his eyes bloodshot, ‘are you truly one of Liangshan, or a dog of the court?'”

—

In the July sun, the reeds of Liangshan Marsh were a scorched yellow. Yan Qing stood on the swaying ferry, gazing at the approaching silhouette of the mountain stronghold. A fine sweat beaded on her palms. This wasn’t nervousness, but the last lull before a long-brewing decisive battle.

The night before her departure, Li Shishi had bid her farewell in a secret chamber at Fan Lou. In the candlelight, the woman renowned throughout the capital shed her usual coolness and personally poured her a cup of farewell wine.

“Remember three things,” Li Shishi’s voice was exceptionally clear in the night. “First, Lu Junyi is your greatest reliance, but guard against his sentimentality; he might falter at a critical moment. Second, Song Jiang values reputation; you must stand firm on the grounds of righteousness. Third…”

She paused, then produced a small bronze tiger tally from her sleeve: “Yang Bamei’s three hundred cavalry are in position, on Green Stone Hill outside the water plain. If necessary, you may deploy this force.”

Yan Qing took the tiger tally; it felt cool in her hand. She knew it wasn’t just a military token, but Li Shishi’s complete trust.

At that moment, the ferry docked. Yan Qing took a deep breath and straightened her plain blue linen robe—a deliberate choice, vastly different from the brocade she wore when she left Liangshan, conveying a studied simplicity.

The Golden Sand Beach was eerily quiet, with only a few vigilant low-level guards who looked at her with surprise but dared not approach. This unsettling silence was more unnerving than drawn swords.

She followed the familiar mountain path upwards. The brothers she encountered along the way kept their distance, their gazes complex. Until she reached the training ground before the Hall of Righteous Gathering, a dark figure lunged like a whirlwind!

“Yan Qing! You dare to return!”

Li Kui’s eyes were bloodshot, reeking of alcohol, and his two axes whistled through the air as he swung! Yan Qing was prepared, dodging to the side, but Li Kui’s axe strokes were broad and powerful, his second swing sweeping towards her!

“Iron Ox, stop!” Lu Junyi’s shout echoed from a distance.

But it was too late. The axe grazed Yan Qing’s neck, shearing off a few strands of hair and leaving a bloody scratch on her skin. The cold blade then rested against her throat.

“Speak!” Li Kui’s voice was hoarse with rage. “What did you do in the Eastern Capital? Why did one letter throw the stronghold into chaos? Have you defected to the court?!”

The surroundings had somehow filled with people. Yan Qing saw Song Jiang and Wu Yong standing on the stone steps of the Hall of Righteous Gathering, their expressions grave. Lu Junyi hurried over but was deliberately or inadvertently blocked by Wu Song, Zhang Qing, and others. Yang Zhi stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes flickering.

A fine show of force.

Instead, Yan Qing smiled. She slowly raised a hand, using two fingers to gently push away the axe blade from her neck. “Iron Ox, if I had defected to the court, I would be leading the imperial soldiers to surround the mountain now, not returning alone to court death.”

“Then tell us! Why did you ruin our grand plan for amnesty?!” Though Li Kui had moved his axe, his muscles remained tensed.

Yan Qing didn’t answer, her gaze shifting to Song Jiang on the steps. “Brother Gongming, since Little Yi has traveled far to return, surely I am owed a drink of water?”

Song Jiang’s expression changed. He forced a smile. “Little Yi has returned. You must have had a hard journey. Come into the hall first and speak.”

“No need,” Yan Qing said loudly. “Some matters are better clarified in front of all the brothers.”

She took a few steps forward, standing in the center of the training ground, her gaze sweeping over everyone present. These heroes who had once called her brother, now looked at her with varied expressions: suspicion, anger, and anticipation.

“I know the stronghold has been in turmoil these past few days over the matter of amnesty,” her voice was clear and resonant, echoing in the silent valley. “I also know some feel I, Yan Qing, have been ungrateful and ruined my brothers’ future.”

She took out a stack of documents from her怀中: “These are the evidence I gathered in the Eastern Capital over three months. The first is the Ministry of War’s proposed amnesty strategy, written in black and white, stating the intention to transfer Liangshan’s forces to the northwest and Jiangnan, using them to destroy themselves.”

The documents were passed around, causing a stir.

“The second,” Yan Qing produced another scroll of silk, “is a copy of secret correspondence between Tong Guan and Cai Jing, explicitly mentioning the plan to ‘remove the heads and scatter the wings’ after the amnesty.”

A greater uproar ensued.

“The third,” Yan Qing held up the last document, a blood-stained letter, “is the dying testament of Imperial Observer Chen, who was killed three months ago. He opposed this plan and was silenced by Tong Guan. Before his death, he entrusted this blood letter to me.”

This blood-stained letter was meticulously forged by Li Shishi, but its words dripped with blood, moving many present.

“Now,” Yan Qing’s voice suddenly rose, “does anyone still believe that amnesty is the way out?”

Li Kui was completely stunned, squatting on the ground with his head in his hands. Wu Song clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Even the usually composed Lin Chong showed anger on his face.

“Little Yi,” Wu Yong began, fanning himself with his feather fan, “can these documents be guaranteed to be authentic?”

“If Scholar is in doubt, you are welcome to send someone to the capital to verify,” Yan Qing replied calmly. “But I would remind you, Tong Guan’s men are likely already on their way. By the time verification is complete, the grass on Liangshan’s graves will be quite tall.”

Song Jiang finally couldn’t help but speak: “Even so, amnesty is always a righteous path. Are we, descendants of loyal officials, to remain outlaws forever?”

“Brother Gongming is right, we cannot be outlaws forever,” Yan Qing’s tone shifted. “But what we want is not a bestowed amnesty, but an equal submission! Liangshan’s eight hundred li of water plain, tens of thousands of elite soldiers, why should we be at the mercy of others?”

She scanned the crowd, speaking each word deliberately. “We must make the court understand that Liangshan is not a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will. Either give us the status and respect we deserve, or…”

She paused, her voice like the striking of metal and stone: “We will forge a new world!”

These words struck like thunder, exploding in everyone’s ears. Forge a new world? Was this… rebellion?

“Arrogant!” Dong Ping was the first to jump out. “With you, Yan Qing, daring to speak such grand words?”

“Not me,” Yan Qing smiled slightly, “but Liangshan’s tens of thousands of brothers, the natural defenses of the eight hundred li water plain, and…”

She took out the bronze tiger tally from her怀中 and raised it high: “The countless heroes willing to follow us in forging this new era!”

The tiger tally gleamed in the sunlight, its inscription clearly visible. Those who knew recognized it as a military dispatch token of the former dynasty’s imperial guards!

The entire assembly fell silent.

Everyone stared at Yan Qing in shock, at this “Wanderer” who had once only excelled at wrestling and archery, now holding a military dispatch token and uttering such earth-shattering words.

Lu Junyi finally pushed past the obstruction and strode to Yan Qing’s side, stating in a deep voice, “What Little Yi says is precisely what this brother thinks. Liangshan must forge its own path.”

The tide, at this moment, had completely turned.

Yan Qing felt the burning gazes of the crowd, knowing the first thunderclap had fallen. The storm that followed, however, was just beginning.

—

(End of Chapter 26)