Drink today, for tomorrow we may die.

Xiao Rang said with emotion, "We have neither the talent to govern the country nor the courage to stabilize it, but we are honored by your high regard, brother, and we are willing to follow you!"

Neither of them had a high social status; Jin Dajian was even lower than Xiao Rang! Otherwise, they wouldn't have joined Liangshan together, with Xiao Rang ranking forty-sixth and Jin Dajian sixty-sixth!

Both men were honest and straightforward, with no ulterior motives. In fact, it didn't matter where they wrote books or carved inscriptions, but the genuine respect they received was something they had never experienced before. Song Jiang's courteous treatment of scholars ignited the passion in their hearts!

Jin Dajian was also moved and said, "Since you value us so much, brother, we will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Why say such things? Since you two brothers trust me, I will certainly not let you down!"

Although they had heard of Song Jiang's reputation before, they had never met him. Before meeting him, they were a little apprehensive, wondering what kind of person he was. But after meeting him, Song Jiang was very approachable and even showed them great respect, which made them feel much closer to him!

"Brother, I have some good friends who are also craftsmen. Although they are not stonemasons like me, there are carpenters, blacksmiths, and shipwrights. We often discuss our skills together! Their craftsmanship is equally superb! If you are willing, I can write to them and invite them to join me on Liangshan Mountain!" Jin Dajian said to Song Jiang after thinking for a moment.

Craftsmen had a low social status in ancient times! Some lucky ones could enter the Ministry of Works or the imperial palace based on their skills, but their salaries would be deducted by their superiors and eunuchs. As for craftsmen in the common people, they could certainly make a living, but it was basically impossible for them to earn a lot of money!

Jin Dajian realized that Song Jiang's elaborate efforts to find him were not meant to amuse him. It could only mean that Song Jiang was genuinely short of craftsmen. However, Song Jiang did not look down on craftsmen like other wealthy lords. Instead, he treated them with respect. His friends were skilled, but they could barely make ends meet each month. He suggested that they join Song Jiang on Liangshan. Song Jiang would certainly not mistreat them!

Sure enough, Song Jiang was overjoyed to hear that Jin Dajian knew so many craftsmen, saying, "If they are willing to join Liangshan, I will have rendered a great service! I will give them five taels of silver a month, and as Liangshan grows stronger, their monthly wages will increase!"

"I'll write to them right now!" Jin Dajian couldn't wait after hearing about the treatment Song Jiang offered him!

Song Jiang was deeply moved by the group of enthusiastic people in front of him; they were all brothers who believed in him!

Liangshan now has leaders such as Wu Yong, Liu Tang, the three Ruan brothers, Xiao Rang, Jin Dajian, and Pang Wanchun, which seems good, but Song Jiang still feels it is far from enough!

First, there was a lack of high-level combat personnel. Hua Rong was considered a high-level combatant, but he was not at Liangshan at the time. Although Liu Tang was brave, he was ultimately just an infantryman, and he was not a top-level expert. Then there were the horses. In the era of cold weapons, cavalry was much stronger than infantry. Without horses, it was impossible to train cavalry, which was a great headache for Song Jiang!

Chao Gai's grain was also delivered, and the rookies busied themselves carrying the grain, leading sheep, chopping firewood, and working with great enthusiasm!

The firewood was quickly piled up. Having more people has its advantages; things get done much more efficiently.

The three Ruan brothers and their naval forces returned laden with spoils, each bucket overflowing!

All kinds of fish, shrimp, crabs, turtles and tortoises are available, some weighing dozens of kilograms and others weighing only a few kilograms!

Seeing the stunned crowd, Ruan Xiaoer laughed and said, "What are you waiting for? There's plenty more on the ship, go and unload it!"

Forty people caught over a thousand catties of fish, and that was in just a few hours!

People live off the land and water. The Liangshan Marsh, stretching for 800 li, is rich in resources; as long as there's no overfishing, there's no way to eat all the fish in the lake!

Some are slaughtering pigs, some are butchering sheep, some are cooking, and some are starting fires!

Bonfires had already been lit in the open space. Some people had large pots hanging around their heads, bubbling with mutton soup. Others were roasting lamb legs, lamb chops, and whole lambs, the aroma filling the air. Pork had already been cut into pieces and stir-fried in pots.

The delicious grilled fish, the tender roast chicken, the fluffy steamed buns, and the hot rice were all tempting to the taste buds of everyone present!

A thousand people—a spectacle that would only be seen in later generations during joint exercises by several major camps—were brought together in such a grand manner by Song Jiang!

If it weren't for the tight schedule and numerous tasks, Song Jiang would have loved to put on a proper feast! But today's banquet is just so-so!

In high spirits, Song Jiang wanted his brothers to try his cooking. He was busy at a barbecue grill, which was filled with fish, shrimp, crab, and many skewers of meat. He sprinkled seasonings on them from time to time. Pang Qiuxia and Hua Baoyan were helping him. The cooked meat was placed on the table next to the grill. It was unclear how long he had been busy preparing all this food.

It was completely dark when Song Jiang saw that almost everyone had arrived, except for Wang Lun's group. He ordered dozens of jars of wine to be brought out and said, "I used to forbid you from drinking because it would cause trouble, but today we're having a good time, so I'll make an exception and allow you to drink some. Everyone, please enjoy yourselves and speak freely. There are only brothers, no captains." Jars of wine were passed around to the side, and everyone filled their bowls!

Song Jiang raised a bowl of wine and said, "The first bowl is to Heaven. Without this bright sky, this turbid world would only be more unbearable!" After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp!

"Homage to Heaven! Without this bright sky, this murky world would only become more unbearable!" the crowd exclaimed in unison, and they also downed their bowls of wine.

"The second bowl is to honor the earth. Food is the most important thing for people. Without this earth, we wouldn't be where we are today!" After saying this, Song Jiang drank it all in one gulp!

"Respect the earth, for food is the most important thing for people. Without this earth, we wouldn't be where we are today!" After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp! Everyone else also drank their second bowl of wine!

"This third bowl is for myself, and also for you all. Without you, there would be no Liangshan as we know it today! I, Song Jiang, thank you!"

"For the third bowl, we toast our brother. Without our brother, we wouldn't be who we are today!" This time, instead of imitating Song Jiang, everyone spoke in unison what they wanted to say!

Song Jiang's first two bowls of wine, offered to Heaven and Earth, were a way of hoping that they would treat their friends and family with a grateful heart!

They are able to live up to their current status because of Song Jiang's cultivation and expectations of them. Although it has only been a short ten days, their lives are much better than before. Without Song Jiang, they would not have everything they have now. He taught them to read and to practice martial arts. Some words of gratitude do not need to be said; they are all in their hearts!

Song Jiang raised his bowl and said, "This is the last bowl. May Liangshan's cause prosper more and more, and may we have a bright future. Sweat is our glory, and blood is our medal. Cheers!"

The crowd raised their bowls for the third time and shouted, "This is the last bowl! May Liangshan's cause prosper more and more, may we have a bright future, our sweat is our glory, our blood is our medal, cheers!"

After drinking three bowls of wine, Song Jiang laughed and said, "Eat whatever you like today, but don't waste any."

No one eats alone; everyone shares and is considerate. Since everyone has food, there's no need to fight over it. And no one takes a bite and then throws it away. Wasting food is shameful—this is something Song Jiang often said!

The residents of Xixi Village were initially a little reserved, but they quickly integrated into the community and joined in. The fine wine and delicious food made them forget their past hardships, as if they were in a paradise!

Laughter and cheerful conversation, illuminated by the firelight, brought immense relaxation to everyone. They ate, drank, sang, and joked around, surrounded by pure joy and excitement. This bonfire party would remain unforgettable for them for many years to come!

In the distance, Wang Lun, Song Wan, and Du Qian watched the lively scene at Liangshan with envy, shaking their heads. What could they say but envy? Looking at the steamed buns and pickled vegetables in their bowls, they smiled bitterly. However, Song Jiang had told them that if they behaved well, they could also join Liangshan. Gathering his thoughts, Song Wan took a bite of his steamed bun and said to Du Qian, "What's the Liangshan motto? 'Strive, fight, struggle!' We must also work hard every day to reform ourselves and strive to join Liangshan as soon as possible."

The firelight still illuminated the earth, and everyone's face was filled with joy!

Song Jiang, standing in the very center, laughed and said, "Today, I will teach you to sing."

Singing? Everyone was a little confused, but since Song Jiang had said so, then let's sing.

"Everyone, I'll sing one line, then you sing one line, do you hear me?" Song Jiang shouted.

"Yes," everyone answered in unison.

"The great river flows eastward, the stars in the sky point to the Big Dipper, let's go whenever we want, we have what you have, I have what you have, we all have what we all have."

Many people have never even heard of a song, let alone sung it. But they still sang: "The great river flows eastward, the stars in the sky point to the Big Dipper, let's go whenever we want, you have it, I have it, we all have it."

Song Jiang frowned as he listened. Many of these guys were tone-deaf; their singing sounded like a saw cutting wood—creaking and grating, extremely unpleasant to the ear. "It's normal for them to be like this the first time," Song Jiang reassured himself and started singing again. Everyone joined in, and while it was a little better than before, they were still off-key.

Song Jiang patiently taught them again and again, and they sang with great care. Gradually, they stopped singing off-key, and Song Jiang began to teach them the next line.

Although the people didn't quite understand the meaning of the lyrics, they felt that the melody was indeed beautiful and that singing it evoked a sense of homesickness and warmth.

After teaching them a song, Song Jiang had them sing it together once.

The great river flows eastward, the stars in the sky point to the Big Dipper, let's go whenever we want, we have everything, we stand up for what's right, we act decisively when necessary, we roam the land with great passion...

After everyone finished singing the whole song, although it wasn't very good, it wasn't too off-key anymore. The singing echoed across the empty land, making everyone feel inexplicably emotional.

The lyrics are magnificent yet concise, and the song gets everyone's blood pumping!

After teaching them the harmony (the part about sharing a bowl of wine as a symbol of life-and-death friendship), Song Jiang saw that it was almost time, so he dismissed everyone and told them to clean up the mess and go to rest.

Late at night, in a room, the Liangshan leaders, including Xiao Rang and Jin Dajian who had just arrived on the mountain, were sitting together, brewing tea.

Chao Gai took a sip of tea and said, "Good tea." In fact, he didn't know much about tea; he was just saying it casually.

Wu Yong said with some concern, "Wang Lun and his group are making such a fuss about coming to Liangshan, they're bound to attract attention. I'm afraid we'll be noticed by the authorities soon."

Ruan Xiaoqi, who always had a fiery temper, said directly, "If the government dares to send anyone, we'll make sure they can't leave. Let these bastards know how powerful we are!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "It's alright, they won't send anyone. Don't worry."

Seeing Song Jiang's confident demeanor, the others didn't dare to say anything more.

Wu Yong took a sip of tea before saying, "The song 'Heroes' that my brother taught them to sing today has a melody I've never heard before. It's also very different from the ancient style songs I've heard before. The lyrics are also quite memorable, simple and easy to understand. I wonder who created it."

Song Jiang turned his head and looked into the distance. In the distance was darkness, an endless expanse that seemed to devour all light. But Song Jiang just kept staring into the darkness, as if trying to see through it, and at the end of the darkness was his former light.

After a long silence, he finally said, "This was created based on my own feelings!"

At the same time, in Xixi Village, Liu Zhi and his son returned to the village drunk!

Liu Fu said, still savoring the moment, "Father, you have no idea how beautiful my daughter is, her figure...tsk tsk tsk!"

Liu Zhi, with a lewd grin, said, "Mine is pretty good too. Next time I'll go find that bastard Lei Heng. He ripped me off a lot of money. He didn't even tell me about such a good place in Yuncheng. If it weren't for that bastard Zhang Wenyuan, I'm afraid I would have missed out again!"

Upon reaching the gate of the manor, Liu Zhi pounded on it forcefully, shouting, "Master is back! Aren't you going to come out and greet him!"

Soon, the door opened, and several farmhands helped Liu and his son into the hall. Two servants also brought tea and placed it on the table.

Liu Zhi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "I've been away for the past few days. Has anything happened in the village?"

The butler hesitated for a moment before saying, "No!"

Liu Zhi noticed something was off about the butler's tone, put down his teacup, and said sternly, "Don't try to hide anything from me!"

The steward said in a trembling voice, "The day before yesterday, during the spring plowing season, many tenants didn't come. I sent people to their homes to look for them, but they were all gone!"

"What! I'll say it again, don't hide a single word from me!" Liu Zhi was also startled by the news before him!

"More than seven hundred people have disappeared from the village! I sent people to search for them, but they have vanished without a trace, as if they have evaporated into thin air!" the butler whispered.

"What are you good for? What use are you! Hundreds of people disappeared overnight and you didn't even notice! You're useless!" Liu Fu shouted angrily!

The butler dared not utter a word and could only let Liu Fu scold him!

"Father, do you think it might be that scoundrel Chao Gai who did this?" Liu Fu asked!

Liu Zhi shook his head and said, "Probably not. These few hundred people aren't like a few hundred pigs. What use would they be to Dongxi Village? We'd have to feed and water them. Most importantly, what use would Chao Gai have for these people? That scoundrel Chao Gai would never do something so foolish!"

"By the way, sir, a group of people came to Xixi Village earlier, acting very aggressively. Since you weren't there, the servants pretended not to see them. I wonder if this matter is related to them. That scoundrel Chao Gai also sent someone to look for you, sir, but I sent them away!"

"Hiss!" Liu Zhi gasped when he heard that Chao Gai had come to find him. Although they were both village heads, Liu Zhi didn't know why he couldn't get hard in front of Chao Gai. He always felt inferior!

"What is he doing here? Does he want to annex our Xixi Village?" Liu Fu was not afraid of Chao Gai and even wanted to cause trouble for him several times, but Liu Zhi knew that Chao Gai was ruthless and that his son was no match for him, so he persuaded him to stay away several times!

"More than two hundred people from their village have also gone missing and came to us demanding their return! They said it was because he took in Liu Wu, and we were deliberately retaliating against him!"

"Has Chao Gai lost his mind? How could he say such stupid things? I think he's just here to cause trouble!" Liu Fu cursed.

"Enough! In a few days, take some gifts to Dulonggang and find Zhu Chaofeng. I have a feeling this matter is unusual. See if he can send someone to search for them. If they can't be found, are you willing to help? Tell him that those hundreds of people have been hired by him to work as tenants in Zhu Family Village!"

With hundreds of people missing, if he were held accountable, Liu Zhi's position as the head of the village would be over. He had to come up with a reasonable excuse to cover it up, otherwise, if they became bandits, he might be implicated as well. Thinking of this, he became resentful again. He had been having bad luck lately, which must be because Chao Gai had taken the pagoda! His hatred for Chao Gai grew even stronger!