Chao Tianwang Remains the Same, Heroes of Liangshan Join Us

Chapter 152 Chao Tianwang Remains the Same, Heroes of Liangshan Join Us

When Song Jiang arrived at Dongxi Village, it was freezing cold. Chao Gai was warming himself by a fire and drinking wine in the courtyard. The wine was brought by Song Jiang, and for Chao Gai, there was no limit to the amount of wine!

The servants all recognized Song Jiang and went directly to greet him as he met Chao Gai.

"Brother, come and have some wine to warm yourself up!" Chao Gai said happily when he saw Song Jiang.

He's been busy shipping goods and collecting rent lately, and he hasn't seen Song Jiang in a long time, so he misses him terribly!

After Song Jiang found a stool and sat down, he poured himself a cup of hot wine and drank it all in one gulp!

My body, which had been feeling a bit chilly, gradually warmed up!

"Brother, how have you been lately?" Song Jiang was overjoyed and started talking!

"Nothing much happens every day!" Chao Gai laughed.

The greatest happiness is to be alive every day when you wake up. To have some wealth, family and friends by your side, and not have to worry about food and clothing is even more of a blessing!

Farm laborers are not family members after all. They are loyal, but they also have their own families, so many things lack a sense of warmth.

Song Jiang regarded Xian Gai as family, and the two immediately sat down and began to chat warmly!

Without further ado, Song Jiang stayed at Chao Gai's manor for two full days before taking his leave. Firstly, there were only a few days left until New Year's Eve, and secondly, there were still many matters to attend to in the mountains. Although Chao Gai's manor was nice, it was not suitable for him to stay there for long. Otherwise, he would only want to lie down and not do anything else, which would only diminish his heroic ambition!

Upon returning to Liangshan, Wu Yong, Wen Huanzhang, and others came to pay their respects to Song Jiang!

When Song Jiang was led to the hall, he noticed that there were many unfamiliar faces among the crowd, as well as quite a few familiar ones. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, and he was filled with emotion.

"Brother, the old Taoist priest is back!" Mr. Li, who hadn't seen Song Jiang for a long time, stepped forward and said excitedly!

"Master Li, Brother Misheng, Brother Li! You're finally back! I've been missing you terribly! When did you arrive?" Song Jiang stepped forward and embraced the three of them, his eyes filled with tears.

Jin Jian, the Master Li, smiled and said, "Brother, before we parted, we promised that no matter what, I would return to Liangshan before the New Year. Now, there are still a few days until the New Year, and I haven't broken my promise. This time, I've not only brought back Brother Mi Sheng and my nephew Li Guilai, but also Brother Ji Shan and Brother Mulan Shan. I hope you will treat them well!"

Song Jiang was overjoyed. Li Zhu had brought him so many elite soldiers and generals, which greatly increased Liangshan's strength. No wonder Wang Qing in the original story became one of the four great bandits with Li Zhu's support alone. Du Zhu and others were under his command. However, when Song Jiang thought of Du, he could only sigh.

The victorious return greatly alleviated the shortage of high-level combat personnel in Liangshan. Of course, Song Jiang was even more eager to see which heroes Li Zhu would bring!

Mulan Mountain is in Jingchu, and so is Ji Mountain. They are not far from Huaixi, but they are not close either. Li Zhu really traveled a lot to help Song Jiang search for talent.

"Brother, let me introduce you!" After saying that, Li Zhu walked up to a young man with a resolute face and said, "This is Feng Tai, and this is his sworn brother, Wei He. They originally gathered on Mulan Mountain, but they were willing to come with me after hearing that you were recruiting heroes from all directions at Liangshan."

"Brother!" Feng Tai and Wei He knelt down on one knee and bowed to the ground.

Song Jiang quickly helped the two men up! Although these two men came from the bandit world and gathered a group of followers to roam the mountains, they were still thieves with a code of honor and never harmed others indiscriminately. They were truly men of honor, and this was the kind of people Song Jiang admired the most!

Feng Tai, in particular, killed Shan Shiqi in more than ten rounds, which was a glorious achievement. Although he was finally killed by Bian Xiang in one round, Feng Tai should not be underestimated because of this!

As for Wei He, his martial arts skills were not bad either. He once fought with Shan Shiqi for thirty rounds. Both of them were quite skilled in martial arts. In addition, they were very loyal. Just because of Li Zhu's advice, they gave up their mountain stronghold and brought their men to join Song Jiang. Song Jiang would not let them down for this favor alone!

It wasn't the right time to discuss everything, so the two stepped aside. Li Zhu then approached the other men and said, "These five are the Five Tigers of Jishan, each a skilled and courageous hero!"

The Five Tigers of Jishan are: Ma, Ma Jin, Yuan Lang, Teng Kui, and Teng Kan. Besides the Duan family, Wang Qing relied on the Jishan Army to get started!

Among them, Yuan Lang is undoubtedly the most skilled in martial arts, with the glorious record of fighting Thunderbolt Qin Ming for 150 rounds without a clear winner.

As for the Teng brothers and the Ma brothers, they are equally formidable. Teng Kan has a record of fighting Hu Yanzhuo, who has double whips, for fifty rounds. As for the other three, they did not have much of a chance to show their skills before being killed off by the plot. However, it is likely that their skills are not too different, and they are all first-class masters!

Importantly, the Five Tigers of Jishan brought a full three thousand soldiers, which greatly replenished Liangshan's forces. For this reason alone, Song Jiang could not treat them unfairly!

The five men knelt on the ground, and Song Jiang quickly helped them up, saying, "Brothers, there's no need for such formality!"

Yuan Lang spoke first: "We have long admired your name, brother. We five brothers are just outlaws, far less ambitious than you. We wish to follow you and carve out a place for ourselves in the world. What a heroic thing that would be! We only hope that you will not look down on us because of our humble origins!"

Song Jiang, brimming with heroic spirit, declared, "As long as we're brothers for a day, we'll be brothers for life. I'm deeply grateful for your unwavering support, and I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Yuan Lang glanced at his four brothers beside him, then at the expectant heroes around them, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "We are willing to go through fire and water for our brother, without hesitation!"

Li Zhu stroked his beard and laughed heartily, "You are all passionate and righteous men. This old Taoist priest is willing to stake his life on it; you will certainly not be disappointed!"

Song Jiang was deeply moved. These were brothers who had risked their lives to do great things with him. If he were to slack off in the slightest, he would be letting them down.

It's a pity, a pity. The court is corrupt and the world is treacherous. If I don't change things, how can I break out of this hopeless and dark situation?

There were far too many people coming up the mountain today. The Five Tigers of Jishan stepped aside, and there were about ten other people not far away, but no one introduced them. They must have come to Liangshan on their own!

Seeing Li Zhu's smiling face, Song Jiang stepped forward and asked, "May I ask who these heroes are?"

A man stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Brother, my name is Li Jun, and I have come to follow you!"

Upon seeing that the hero before him was actually Li Jun, Song Jiang was initially surprised, but was immediately overwhelmed with joy!

Previously, Song Jiang had personally written a letter to Li Yun, sending him to find Li Jun to join the Liangshan bandits. However, Li Jun neither agreed nor refused. After Li Yun returned, Song Jiang didn't know what Li Jun was thinking. In addition, he had important matters to attend to at the time, so he put the matter out of his mind. Who would have thought that Li Jun would take the initiative to come and join him today? This "New Year's gift" is really too great!

If we were to ask who saved Song Jiang's life the most in the original novel, it would undoubtedly be Li Jun. From being drugged by Li Li when they arrived in Jieyang Town, to encountering Zhang Heng (the boatman) while fleeing for his life, and finally leading a group to storm the execution ground and guiding Song Jiang, Li Jun saved Song Jiang from danger three times. Such kindness is truly unique!

Song Jiang also greatly admired Li Jun. In order to suppress the three Ruan brothers, he directly appointed Li Jun as the Grand Admiral of the Navy, in charge of all the naval forces!

Of course, Li Jun, as Song Jiang's confidant, had his own thoughts, unlike Li Kui who blindly followed him. Although Li Jun's water skills were not the strongest, his methods, leadership and personal charisma were unique. Yet, it is not seen that both Mu Hong and Zhang Shun respected Li Jun in Jieyang!

"I was so glad to see you before, brother, because I thought you were living a carefree life. But I never expected to see you today. I am so happy. It is a wish that I could be with you all." Song Jiang said happily!

Is it an exaggeration? No, it's not! Song Jiang genuinely wanted Li Jun to join Liangshan. After all, Li Jun's leadership and ability to unite people were no less than his own, and he was also a loyal and devoted man. He was ambitious, but he didn't show it. He only wanted to be Song Jiang's follower. If Song Jiang hadn't insisted on accepting the imperial pardon, Li Jun wouldn't have chosen to leave!

Song Jiang's words delighted Li Jun. Everyone likes to hear nice things, and he was no exception!

He could feel the genuine respect from Song Jiang in his words, and thought to himself that coming to Liangshan was the right decision!

Li Jun bowed and said, "Upon receiving your letter, I intended to come and join you immediately. However, considering that Liangshan is currently in a period of development and I am not a wealthy man, I went to search for some talented individuals for you. These heroes have long admired you and are willing to join you. I will introduce them to you!"

Li Jun was indeed a shrewd man; he knew exactly what he lacked and brought it along. When Song Jiang saw that the heroes Li Jun brought included fishermen, scholars, and even monks, he realized they were no ordinary people and his anticipation grew even stronger!

After speaking, Li Jun introduced the two men beside him, saying, "These two brothers, one is called Cave Dragon Tong Wei, and the other is called River-Turning Mirage Tong Meng. They are brothers, and their skills on the water are extremely impressive!"

It turns out to be these two brothers, Li Jun's Iron Rod. However, both of them are quite good at water combat!

The two men knelt on the ground in a gesture of respect, and Song Jiang quickly helped them up!

Li Jun then introduced them: "These two are master and apprentice; one is named Xue Yong, the Sickly Tiger, and the other is named Hou Jian, the Long-Armed Ape!"

These two, master and disciple, were minor characters in the original story, but they had a predestined relationship with Song Jiang from a previous life. In addition, they were among the chosen 108 heroes, so Song Jiang would naturally give them important positions.

Hou Jian, in particular, is good at making clothes and can be the supervisor in this area, working with Tang Long and the others in logistics!

As for Xue Yong, his martial arts skills are decent. Although he doesn't have many scenes in the original work, he's not just a minor character. He could be given some training!

However, Li Jun seemed to know that these two were not very skilled in martial arts, so he didn't introduce them much!

Next, Li Jun walked towards the scholar, and Song Jiang also became curious about his identity, especially since there was also a monk. The monk was eight feet tall and had a fierce look, quite like Lu Zhishen. But Lu Zhishen should not have become a monk at this time. Who exactly was the monk?

"Brother, this scholar's name is Lü Shinang. He is from Shezhou. He is generous and righteous, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and has a heart for the world. After hearing about your deeds, he sold his property to follow you!"

Song Jiang was overjoyed. He had heard of Lü Shinang's deeds. He was an important figure under Fang La, but Lü sold his property to follow him. Li Jun must have played a big role in this. Otherwise, they were not related and had never met before. Song Jiang did not know how to repay such kindness!

Lu Shinang smiled slightly and said, "Since I've decided to follow my brother, I won't regret it!"

Song Jiang bowed and said, "I will certainly not fail my brother's expectations."

Li Jun then introduced another man: "This man is also from Shezhou, a stonemason by trade, named Wang Yin. With a long spear in hand, he possesses the courage of ten thousand men, and is also skilled in strategy. He is a rare talent for a great general!"

If there weren't other people around, Song Jiang would have loved to hug and kiss Li Jun. The people Li Jun brought with him were all top-notch experts. Wang Yin was originally the Minister of War under Fang La. He was brave and resourceful. It took the combined efforts of Lin Chong, Sun Li, Huang Xin, and three others to kill him. In terms of martial arts, Song Jiang thought Wang Yin was definitely at the level of the Five Tigers!

Wang Yin was originally a stonemason. Unwilling to let his skills go to waste, he prepared to venture out and make a name for himself. Fang La had already sent someone to recruit Wang Yin, but Li Jun suddenly appeared and directly intercepted Wang Yin.

Having heard of Song Jiang's reputation, and knowing that Li Jun was a very loyal and righteous person, Wang Yin decided to go and meet Song Jiang!

Song Jiang didn't want to show too much excitement, but he still exchanged a few pleasantries with Wang Yin!

Li Jun then introduced the monk, saying, "I encountered three heroes in Shezhou. This master is also from Shezhou, known as Deng Yuanjue, the Precious Light Tathagata. He is highly skilled in martial arts, wielding a gleaming iron staff. His martial arts are evenly matched with those of the Wang brothers!"

Today is an auspicious day, that was Song Jiang's thought after hearing Deng Yuanjue's name. Whether it was Yuan Lang, Wang Yin, or Deng Yuanjue, they were all highly skilled in martial arts. It would be a great honor to have even one of them. Who would have thought that Song Jiang would suddenly gain so many masters today? The strength of Liangshan has now doubled out of thin air. Heaven has finally been kind to him!

Li Jun was secretly amazed. He had personally witnessed the skills of Wang Yin and the others, but judging from Song Jiang's joyful expression, he had obviously known about Wang Yin's abilities for a long time. It seemed that Song Jiang's ability to recognize heroes was indeed true!

Song Jiang and Deng Yuanjue chatted for a few more minutes before finally arriving at the last person brought by Li Jun!

The man appeared to be in his early twenties, with a thick beard, a broad face, wide ears, and piercing eyes. He was eight feet tall, and although he wore an ordinary cloth robe, his heroic aura was undeniable!

"He is indeed a hero," Song Jiang praised sincerely. This man was certainly not an unknown figure, but Song Jiang couldn't guess his identity for the time being. After all, Song Jiang didn't know much about the heroes of Shezhou. Wang Yin and the other two were already remarkable. If this man were an unknown person, Li Jun would certainly not have valued him. But Li Jun placed this man at the end, which meant he was obviously not an ordinary person. In terms of ability, he was certainly no less than Deng Yuanjue and Wang Yin, otherwise he wouldn't have been placed at the end!

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