The road ahead is long and arduous; who will judge right and wrong?

Yang Zhi looked gloomy. Song Jiang's words were exactly right, as if he had seen it with his own eyes. If he hadn't never known Song Jiang before, he would probably have thought that Song Jiang was his friend of many years!

"Alas, clerk, this is how it is!" Yang Zhi cupped his hands and said helplessly.

Gongsun Sheng and Zhu Tong, who were standing to the side, were also very surprised. Song Jiang could tell all sorts of things just by looking at Yang Zhi!

Gongsun Sheng gave Song Jiang a meaningful look but remained silent.

"What are your plans, Commander Yang?" Song Jiang asked.

Yang Zhi was taken aback. He really didn't know what he was planning! He was a descendant of the Yang family generals, and his lifelong wish was to restore the glory of his ancestors. But now he felt that all of this seemed to be getting further and further away from him. To put it bluntly, what difference was there between him and a stray dog? He had no home to return to, no official position to hold, and no country to serve!

Song Jiang knew that Yang Zhi was a proud and arrogant man who valued only the glory of his ancestors. Even if he was down on his luck, he would not deign to be brothers with people of humble origins. This made Yang Zhi seem out of place with the other heroes!

Yang Zhi is a pitiful character. With his martial arts skills, he only wanted to fight on the battlefield, make great achievements, secure a title for his wife and children, and bring glory to his family. He wanted his family, which was once admired by countless people but had long since fallen, to regain recognition and respect. He did work hard towards this goal, even if it meant joining the ranks of corrupt officials!

But Yang Zhi is also tragic. His surname is Yang and his given name is Zhi, which shows that his father hoped that he would make a name for himself and have lofty ambitions. However, he is associated with the dark star in the sky, which seems to be telling him that his life is bleak and is a tragedy!

The shipment of opium stones capsized, and the shipment of birthday gifts was robbed. Fate seemed to be playing tricks on him again and again. Opportunities were right in front of him, but he missed them one after another. In the end, he had no choice but to become an outlaw on Erlong Mountain and sighed at the impermanence of life!

Blame fate? Perhaps! But often, things are determined by human effort; the causes of the past lead to the results of today!

Leaving aside the Flower and Stone Tribute, just consider the Birthday Tribute. If Yang Zhi had any backbone or sense of responsibility, even if the Birthday Tribute had been lost, he could have calmly returned to report. The outcome might have been different. Liang Zhongshu was indeed a corrupt official, but he also truly valued talent. Daming Prefecture was backed by the border, so perhaps he would eventually have his day!

How could Yang Zhi, a newly arrived prisoner in Daming Prefecture, gain Liang Zhongshu's trust and be entrusted with the important task of escorting the birthday tribute? It was Liang Zhongshu's wife, Cai Jing's daughter, who personally brought up this matter. It seems that Yang Zhi had been doing his best to please Liang's wife, bowing and scraping to her!

If it were just flattery, that would be one thing. But after escorting the birthday tribute, he would scold or beat the soldiers who were escorting it, and speak coldly to them. In the end, he completely lost control of the team and watched helplessly as Chao Gai and his men seized the birthday tribute!

The question is, if he and his subordinates were of one mind and had a more peaceful personality, and there were no internal conflicts, how could his subordinates disobey him and insist on buying alcohol?

Fortresses are often breached from within. Unfortunately, Yang Zhi's obsequiousness to superiors and his bullying of subordinates ultimately led him step by step to the brink of ruin, paving the way for his family's glory.

Yang Zhi was full of ambition, but now he has ended up in this predicament. He doesn't know where to go for the time being, so he simply keeps quiet!

Song Jiang bowed and said, "Now that treacherous officials are in power, I, the Commander, am full of ambition but have no place to use it. What a pity!"

Yang Zhi felt a pang of sadness. Song Jiang's words struck a chord with him, and they were indeed the truth. The current emperor only cared about having fun and had no interest in state affairs. His subordinates were all treacherous villains who only cared about extorting bribes. Who cared about the stability of the country and the rise and fall of the nation!

Having developed a strong admiration for Song Jiang, Yang Zhi's attitude was no longer as aloof as before. He bowed, composed himself, and said, "In your opinion, what should I do?"

Song Jiang sighed and said, "Now that the Flower and Stone Tribute has sunk to the bottom of the Yellow River, I'm afraid it will be extremely difficult to retrieve it by manpower alone (each piece of the Flower and Stone Tribute weighs several thousand catties, and the Yellow River's current is swift; even in modern times, it would be very difficult to retrieve it by manpower!)!"

Yang Zhi was well aware of this, and he sighed and shook his head silently.

Seeing Yang Zhi's distressed expression, Song Jiang said, "I have an idea, but I don't know if it will work. If you are willing, Commander, you can give it a try!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhi quickly replied, "Please speak frankly, Clerk. Whether it succeeds or not, Yang Zhi will remember it!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Commander Yang, have you ever heard of Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture?"

Yang Zhi nodded and said, "I've certainly heard of him as the son-in-law of Cai Jing, the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty!"

Song Jiang said, "I've heard that Liang Zhongshu is eager to find talented people and values ​​them highly. Daming Prefecture is located on the border, so if Commander Yang is willing to go there to serve, he will surely be given an important position!"

Yang Zhi was delighted, for it was indeed so, but he still had some doubts, saying, "I have never met Liang Zhongshu before. How can I possibly meet him if I go there rashly!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "The prefect of Jizhou is a protégé of Grand Tutor Cai and an old friend of Liang Zhongshu. If he is willing to write you a letter, this matter will surely be accomplished!"

Yang Zhi felt a chill in his heart. He didn't know the prefect of Jizhou, and they were not related. Why would the prefect recommend him?

Song Jiang thought for a moment and said, "I won't hide it from Governor Yang. This trip to Hebei is because Jizhou Prefecture lost two precious treasures. These two treasures were intended as gifts to be presented to His Majesty next year. If they are not found, I'm afraid the entire Shandong province will be implicated!"

Song Jiang didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was very clear. Yang Zhi followed up, saying, "Does the clerk mean that I should go with him to find the treasure, and then return to Jizhou so that the prefect can recommend me to Daming Prefecture?"

Song Jiang smiled slightly: "Indeed!"

Yang Zhi thought for a moment and realized that he had nothing else to do, so it wouldn't hurt to accompany Song Jiang. He figured that Song Jiang knew he was skilled in martial arts and wanted to keep him by his side as a bodyguard. Even if Song Jiang couldn't find the treasure, he wouldn't suffer any loss and would even gain a favor from Song Jiang. So he wouldn't lose out in this matter!

Thinking of this, Yang Zhi nodded and said, "In that case, I will accompany you on your journey, Clerk!"

With Yang Zhi joining the team, Song Jiang was overjoyed, as their safety had been greatly improved!

The four of them were not bored traveling together. Song Jiang had knowledge from five thousand years later, Zhu Tong was a free spirit, and Yang Zhi opened his heart to many people. The four of them got along very well along the way, and Song Jiang's many insights were highly praised by the other three!

After another day of walking, as dusk approached and the sun began to set, the four of them were getting hungry. They passed through a village and found a village shop to go inside!

Upon entering the shop, although it was a village shop, it was quite spacious. There were seven or eight tables inside, two of which were already occupied. A burly man was sitting at one of the tables, his back to the door. Judging from his back and actions, he seemed to be eating large chunks of meat and drinking heavily!

At another table sat a young man, pouring himself a drink and occasionally picking up a piece of meat and slowly chewing it.

Song Jiang and his three companions found a table, sat down, ordered seven or eight catties of mutton, thirty steamed buns, and a jar of wine, and ate and chatted on the table!

They were having a pleasant conversation when the curtain outside the shop was pulled open, and a man and a woman came in!

The man had a full moon-like face and lips like pearls, and was very handsome. Although the woman's face was covered by a thin veil, her features could still be seen. She was graceful and beautiful, like a lotus flower just emerging from the water, and was indescribably charming.

Seeing that the two seemed to be a couple, Song Jiang thought to himself that they were a perfect match, a match made in heaven!

After entering the store, the two people found a table at the very back and sat down!

This woman is different from Hu Sanniang's heroic spirit, Hua Baoyan's liveliness, and Pang Qiuxia's straightforwardness. Instead, she gives people a gentle and wise feeling!

For some reason, Song Jiang felt a sense of fear towards the woman in front of him. It was a real fear, the kind of fear that made him want to get away from her as quickly as possible!

This woman seems to be no ordinary person. Song Jiang suppressed his fear, took a big gulp of wine, and cursed inwardly that it was eerie!

"Waiter, check please!" A loud voice rang out like thunder, startling Song Jiang's ears!

The waiter, who was serving the dishes, immediately placed them on the men's and women's table upon hearing the bill. He then ran over to that table, calculated the amount, and said, "Five catties of mutton, two catties of wine, one fat chicken, and twenty steamed buns, totaling one tael and five mace and ten copper coins. Sir, one tael and five mace will suffice!"

The man stared at the waiter with wide, round eyes. The waiter felt a little intimidated, but still forced himself to say, "Our shop is honest and fair to all, young and old. Is there anything else you need, sir?"

The man shook his head and said, "I didn't order anything, I just don't have any money on me!"

"Ah, this... sir, we're a small business, you..." Although the waiter was annoyed, the man in front of him looked intimidating and ate a lot. He knew he couldn't possibly be a match for him if he got angry, so he maintained a relatively good attitude!

Upon hearing this, Song Jiang became interested. He realized he had encountered someone trying to dine and dash. He looked at the man.

He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with rough hands and feet, and was extremely large. He wore a coarse linen shirt, had a fierce face, and his bull-like eyes looked like he wanted to devour people!

The man said, "Brother, don't panic. I may be broke, but I have plenty of fists. If you have any enemies, I'll teach them a lesson for you as payment for the meal!"

The waiter cried out, "My lord, I've always been honest and law-abiding. How could I have any enemies? I run a small business, please have mercy on me!"

The man said, "Since I have no enemies and no money, I am the enemy. Hit me if you want!" After saying that, he slapped himself in the face!

The waiter quickly grasped the man's hands, saying, "Sir, please don't act recklessly. If you hurt yourself, you'll only cause me to face legal trouble!"

Seeing the farce escalating, Song Jiang said, "I'll settle this debt for the heroes!" He then took out a five-tael silver ingot and placed it on the table.

Song Jiang's words drew the attention of the young man, the burly man, and the four attractive people. The waiter, on the other hand, happily picked up the silver and said, "I'll give you your change, sir!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "The rest can be used as travel expenses for this hero!"

"Waiter, bring the wine!" At this moment, the curtain was pulled up again, and more than a dozen people rushed into the shop!

These dozen or so men, each wielding a steel knife, looked fierce and menacing; they were definitely not good people!

The waiter didn't bother to give change and quickly put a jar of wine on the table!

One man picked up a wine jar, took a sip, spat it all out on the ground, and cursed, "What kind of wine is this? It's more like horse piss!" He then smashed the jar on the ground!

This was a troublemaker, and the waiter had no choice but to bring over another jar of wine!

The man took another sip and cursed, "You don't even have any good wine in your shop, how dare you open it?"

The waiter looked distressed and dared not answer!

The other man said, "I won't waste my breath on you. Hand over two hundred taels of silver, and we'll leave immediately!"

"Two hundred taels? Why don't you just rob me?" the man said.

"You're right, Grandpa is robbing!" the man replied, glancing at the man in front of him, while brandishing his steel knife, seemingly telling the others not to make any rash moves!

The man stood up and said, "This is outrageous! Brother, please stand aside!" He then walked towards the man.

The man sneered, "You're courting death!" and swung his steel knife at the man's head!

The man slightly turned his body to dodge the knife, then rushed in, grabbed the man's arm, and turned around!

With a snap, the man cried out in pain as his arm hung limply in his hand like a noodle, clearly broken!

The man showed no mercy and took the opportunity to break the man's other arm. The man fell to the ground, screaming and yelling. This gruesome sight made the others a little panicked!

"Let's all go!" The man who was drinking waved his hand, signaling to use a numbers strategy!

More than ten men gripped their steel knives and surrounded the man!

One against a dozen, the other side had weapons, while the man was unarmed. Song Jiang felt it would be difficult!

The man also had a solemn expression and struck a pose!

Song Jiang looked at Zhu Tong and Yang Zhi and said, "These people are not good. As the saying goes, one should help those in need. Why don't you two lend this big man a hand?"

Zhu Tong laughed and said, "Even if you don't say anything, I'll still take action!"

Although Yang Zhi didn't speak, he nodded silently.

The battle was about to break out. Zhu Tong and Yang Zhi made their move instantly, knocking down four or five people. The pressure on the man was greatly reduced, and he calmly faced the rest of the group!

The young man also made his move. Song Jiang only saw a flash in his eyes, and the young man had dislocated the arms of the two men in the blink of an eye. His move was swift and decisive!

He's a master! Song Jiang secretly admires him. Such a small shop is actually full of hidden talents!

Without even drawing their weapons, the men, bare-handed, managed to break all the men's arms and legs with a little force, causing them to wail in agony!

The waiter looked terrified and didn't know what to say for a moment!

Having suffered a silent loss, the group was about to leave when Song Jiang spoke up, "Wait!"

The man drinking, who was also the leader of the group, glared at Song Jiang and asked, "What else is there?"

Song Jiang pointed to the broken tables, chairs, benches, chopsticks, bowls, and plates around him and said, "If you break something, how can you not pay for it!"

The man dared not linger. He took out twenty taels of silver and placed it on a perfectly intact table, saying, "I've suffered a great loss today. It's just bad luck. Farewell!" With that, he and the others helped each other up and hurriedly left.

The man made some harsh words, but they weren't harsh enough. He clearly couldn't swallow his anger, but he was afraid that if he spoke too harshly, he wouldn't be able to escape. So he had to make a perfunctory threat!

Song Jiang picked up twenty taels of silver and gave it to the waiter, saying, "This is compensation for your loss!"

The waiter refused the money, and instead exclaimed in fear, "They are bandits from Yunmeng Mountain! I'm afraid we're doomed this time!"