The fog deepens within the palace; the young heroes join the Liangshan bandits.

Deep within the imperial palace, a somber, musty smell permeated the air, symbolizing the unspeakable, ugly secrets and scandals within the royal household.

In tyrannical and autocratic feudal dynasties, human life was often less valuable than grass, and countless innocent souls died in the palace!

Inside a detached house, a man dressed in black is kneeling on the ground!

No one recognized this person; he had never even shown his face in the martial arts world, and no one knew his name!

Before him stood a smiling man, a smile as warm as a spring breeze and as fiery as a summer sun!

The smiling man looked at the person kneeling on the ground, his smile widening, and asked, "How did things go?"

The man in black remained expressionless and said, "Steward, the mission has failed!"

The steward laughed and said, "How could we fail?"

The man in black said, "That man had several skilled fighters with him, especially a Taoist priest; all of his men were killed in action!"

The steward, intrigued, said, "Interesting. This man first killed Commander Wu to steal the imperial seal, and then he managed to eliminate these assassins. He's quite a talent. Have you ascertained his identity?"

The man in black nodded and said, "This man is quite famous in the martial arts world. He's called Song Jiang, the Timely Rain, and he's a clerk in Yuncheng, Shandong!"

The steward read aloud, "Song Jiang, Song Jiang, I'm starting to take a liking to this man!"

The man in black suddenly stood up, a dagger appearing in his hand as he slashed at his own neck!

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and he saw a figure swaying. Before he could react, the knife was already in the steward's hand.

The man in black was somewhat taken aback, but the steward maintained his nonchalant smile and asked, "Why do you want to die?"

The man in black said expressionlessly, "Mission failed. According to the rules of Shadow Assassins, death is the only outcome!"

The steward smiled and shook his head, saying, "This matter was indeed an unexpected turn of events. You were originally going to assist Commander Wu in retrieving the treasure, not to assassinate him. What was unexpected cannot be considered a failure. Moreover, assassinations always carry the risk of failure, so this matter cannot be blamed on you!"

The man in black kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Steward, for sparing my life!"

The steward gestured for the man in black to rise, saying, "You've been by my side for seven years, loyal and without a single mistake. You must continue to serve me well in the future!"

The man in black gave a deep bow, then suddenly raised his head and said, "Someone has arrived here!"

The steward waved his hand, and the man in black quickly disappeared into the darkness. Unless one deliberately noticed, no one would realize that there was another person in the room!

There was a knock at the door, and the steward said, "Come in!"

Outside the door, a man who looked like a eunuch appeared!

The steward glanced at it casually and laughed, "So it's Li, the censor. What brings you here?"

Li, the censor, glanced to both sides and, seeing no one was following, hurriedly entered and said, "Chief Steward Yang, I've recently heard some earth-shattering news!"

Steward Yang did not show any surprise, but simply waited quietly for Li to continue speaking!

Seeing that Chief Steward Yang showed no intention of continuing the inquiry, Li, the censor, continued, "A few days ago, there were rumors that Jizhou Prefecture had lost two treasures presented as tribute to the Emperor: the Exquisite Ruyi Eight Treasure Box and the Deep-Sea Luminous Pearl!"

Steward Yang smiled and said, "Since it's just a rumor, why take it seriously? If it were true, then the prefect of Jizhou would deserve to die!"

Li, the clerk, stared at Chief Steward Yang and said, "There are rumors that this matter is related to Chief Steward Yang!"

A murderous aura emanated from the darkness, but Steward Yang glanced into the darkness and the murderous aura vanished instantly!

Chief Steward Yang casually remarked, "In the depths of the palace, the disappearance of a eunuch, palace maid, or disgraced concubine is perfectly normal!"

Although Li Jishi was a little uneasy, he met Yang Zongguan's gaze without fear!

Steward Yang shook his head and said, "Li Yan, I underestimated you. But are you really not afraid of death?"

Li Yanzhi, the censor, said directly, "If I were afraid of death, why would I come to see the chief steward? However, Privy Councilor Tong has been secretly investigating this matter to find out the truth behind the lost treasure!"

Steward Yang's smile gradually faded, and his face hardened as he said, "That Tong Guan, he actually tried to scheme against me in secret!"

After speaking, he looked at Li Yan, who was standing in front of him, with a cold gaze, as if his eyes were sharp arrows that wanted to pierce Li Yan's heart.

Li Yan stood there like a stone statue, neither humble nor arrogant, without moving an inch!

Steward Yang withdrew his icy gaze, his smile returning: "Li Yan, aren't you afraid I'll kill you to silence you?"

Li Yan suddenly knelt down and kowtowed, replying, "From the moment I entered the palace, I followed the chief eunuch, who has shown me immense kindness. Li Yan is willing to entrust his life to the chief eunuch."

Steward Yang laughed and scolded, "You're quite obedient. It's not for nothing that I've treated you well. I know your intentions. From now on, work hard for me."

Li Yan hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Tong Guan believes this matter is related to the Wolf Lord of Western Xia, but I don't think Western Xia would still come to cause trouble for our Great Song at this time!"

Steward Yang stepped forward and patted Li Yan on the shoulder, saying, "Some things are better left unsaid, better left unsaid. You may leave now!"

Li Yan nodded, bowed, and left Steward Yang's room.

The man in black emerged from the darkness and asked, "Are we going to kill Li Yan?"

Steward Yang shook his head and laughed, "No need. I need a loyal dog, and Li Yan has been quite honest today; he's more than qualified to be one!"

The man in black remained silent, so Steward Yang spoke again: "What do you think of Song Jiang?"

The man in black shook his head!

Steward Yang muttered to himself, "This man is quite talented. He was able to find the two lost imperial treasures in just a few days. However, judging from his actions and past behavior, he seems to be obsessed with fame and fortune. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so eager to find the imperial treasures. This can be taken advantage of. If we can win him over, it would definitely be a good choice."

The man in black said, "That person has several experts with him. It would be even better if we could subdue them all at once."

Yang Jian turned his back and said calmly, "The Jurchens' wishful thinking has backfired this time. They failed to steal the chicken and lost the rice instead. This can also teach them that the benefits of being a fisherman are not so easy to reap."

The man in black asked, "Should I go and deliver a message to Song Jiang?"

Yang Jian revealed a sly smile and said, "No need. I believe I'll see him soon!"

In Ximen Qing's home in Yanggu County, a beautiful woman was wailing loudly, while a young man remained silent.

After a long while, he sat down, poured himself a glass of wine and drank it. After a while, a butler walked in.

"Is everything arranged properly?" Ximen Qing asked.

"Five thousand taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, a set of crimson python robe, a set of official green dragon robe, twenty bolts of Han brocade, twenty bolts of Shu brocade, twenty bolts of fire-resistant cloth, twenty bolts of Western cloth, and forty bolts of other plain and floral fabrics; a lion and phoenix jade belt, a gold-inlaid agarwood belt, ten pairs each of jade cups and rhinoceros horn cups, eight red gold inlaid flower goblets, and ten pearls have all been prepared and are waiting for you to check the goods."

Ximen Qing shook his head and said, "No need to order. I will personally escort it to the capital and deliver it to Steward Yang. Otherwise, our whole family will be raided this time."

After the steward left, Ximen Qing poured himself another cup of wine. This time, he did not drink it all at once, but sipped it slowly, his eyes radiating a fierce and sinister aura. After finishing the wine, he put down the cup and turned to Wu Yueniang, saying, "Madam, please stop crying. If I do not avenge my father-in-law, I will surely be torn to pieces by a sharp blade."

Wu Yueniang was still weeping. Ximen Qing sighed and muttered to himself, "Song Jiang is fully responsible for this. If he hadn't caused this trouble, my father-in-law wouldn't have ended up dead. But first and foremost, it's that beast Yun Lishou. Although he's dead, his family is still alive. I've treated him fairly well, but this beast is so ungrateful. Just wait, none of them will escape."

Inside a residential courtyard, a child of about five or six years old was practicing marksmanship. Despite his young age, the wooden gun in his hands moved like a dragon crossing a river or a tiger roaring through the forest, displaying great power.

He practiced for a full hour, sweating profusely, before stopping and wiping his brow with a towel.

An elderly man in his fifties standing nearby said, "Young Master Sun, your marksmanship has improved considerably since the last two days."

The precocious child said, "That's far from enough. I need to keep practicing."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. The old man got up to open it, and the child put down his gun, preparing to see who it was.

The door opened, and a large man appeared in the doorway.

The child exclaimed happily, "Uncle, you're back!"

The burly man rarely smiled, and said with a laugh, "Yes, Zaixing, I'm going back." It turned out that this child was actually Yang Zaixing, the tiger general who would later strike fear into the hearts of the Jin soldiers!

In the evening, the three of them sat down together for a rare meal, enjoying the tranquility and joy of their reunion.

The old man hesitated for a moment and said, "Young master, you have been missing ever since you lost the granite. The government has come to inquire about you several times. I am really worried about you."

Yang Zhi sighed and said, "Sometimes, fate plays tricks on people, but now I have a good place to go. It's just that I'm worried about you, Uncle Zhong, and Zaixing."

Yang Zhong smiled and said, "Young Master, don't worry. As long as I'm alive, Young Master Sun will be safe and sound."

Yang Zhi shook his head and said, "I've found you a good place. Tomorrow I'll teach Zaixing the final move of the Yang Family Spear, the Returning Spear. Then you can set off! This is our Yang family's heirloom sword; you can keep it with you from now on!"

Yang Zhong and Yang Zaixing were somewhat puzzled. Yang Zhi's posture was like entrusting his son to someone else. However, Yang Zhi was the current head of the Yang family, and as long as he did not do anything against the natural order, Yang Zhong would obey.

The next day, in the courtyard, Yang Zhi, holding a wooden spear, walked forward. Suddenly, he used his right foot as a pivot, turned around, and thrust the spear backward. The spear was as swift as lightning. If there were people behind him, even with a wooden spear, it could easily penetrate them.

Yang Zaixing watched intently, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. Yang Zhi then earnestly explained the power, posture, techniques, and footwork of the "Returning Spear" move. In reality, the "Returning Spear" is a mounted martial art; in foot combat, its power is ultimately less than that of a mounted attack.

Yang Zhi had Yang Zaixing practice several more times, pointing out any mistakes he made. It must be said that Yang Zaixing's skill in spear fighting was indeed extremely high. On the third attempt, Yang Zaixing successfully executed the "returning spear" technique. Although he lacked a bit of finesse, he was still a force to be reckoned with.

Yang Zhi nodded in satisfaction. This nephew was truly a prodigy in martial arts, and his future achievements might far surpass his own. Thinking of this, he patted Yang Zaixing's head with satisfaction and said, "Pack your things, and you should set off quickly."

Yang Zaixing was reluctant to part with him, and choked up as he said, "Uncle."

Yang Zhi laughed and said, "It's not like we're going to die. Be strong, Zaixing will happen again, and we'll meet again."

Just then, there was another knock on the door. Yang Zhi was a little surprised; who would be visiting at this hour?

When the door opened, a child walked in carrying a wooden gun. Seeing Yang Zaixing packing his luggage, the child asked curiously, "Yang Zaixing, where are you going? I just learned a move called 'Returning Spear' today. Let's have a match."

Yang Zaixing looked back and said, "Luo Yanqing, I'm afraid I won't be able to fight you anymore."

Yang Zhi laughed and said, "Yanqing, we're leaving now. We'll have another duel with you in the future."

Luo Yanqing lowered his head and said somewhat dejectedly, "Where am I going? If Xing leaves again, I'll really have no friends left."

Yang Zhi thought that Yang Zaixing would be alone on Liangshan anyway, and if Luo Yanqing were to accompany him, he wouldn't be so lonely. In addition, he had seen Luo Yanqing's talent in spear fighting, which was no less than Yang Zaixing's. If he could really join Liangshan, he would be a great help to Song Jiang in the future.

Thinking of this, he said, "Where is Uncle Luo Zhong? I have something to discuss with him."

Luo Yanqing replied, "Is he at home? Uncle Zhi, are you going to see Grandpa Zhong? I'll lead the way!"

Yang Zhi nodded and said, "Zaixing and Uncle Zhong, let's go visit Uncle Luo Zhong together!"

Luo Yanqing said happily, "Then let's go now!" He was still a child at heart.

Yang Zhi laughed and said, "Don't run so fast, I'll go with you."

At Luo Yanqing's house, Luo Zhong was sitting there with his head down, silent. Yang Zhi's words were very appealing, especially since Luo Yanqing's parents had died early, leaving him as his only son.

Centuries have passed, from the prosperity of their ancestor Luo Cheng to their current decline. The Luo family is even worse off than the Yang family, long since losing its former glory. Looking at the two children practicing their marksmanship, he sighed and asked Yang Zhong, "Old man, why do you want to go to Liangshan?"

Yang Zhong curled his lip and said, "You old codger, if you're going, you're going; if you're not going, you're not going. Why make so many 'whys'?"

Luo Zhong was somewhat embarrassed by the retort, but Yang Zhi quickly said, "Uncle Luo Zhong, Liangshan is definitely a good place to go. You'll see when you get there."

From the beginning until now, Luo Zhong had been listening to Yang Zhi's effusive praise of Song Jiang and Liangshan, and he couldn't resist his curiosity to go and see for himself. However, the Luo family's dignity did not allow him to so casually seek refuge with anyone, no matter how poor or destitute they were.

The glory of the Luo family ancestors was dazzling and could be said to surpass that of the Yang family. In particular, their ancestor Luo Cheng single-handedly locked down the five dragons and established the country, and Luo Tong swept through the entire northern frontier, making them kneel and submit to the Tang Dynasty and send out a letter of surrender. This was incomparable to the Yang family father and son fighting together, with only one of them returning.

Of course, Luo Zhong couldn't say these words out loud. He watched the two children's competition in silence.

At this moment, Yang Zaixing unleashed a counter-attack, and Luo Yanqing also unleashed a counter-attack at the same time. The distance between their spears was still four inches from each other's throats. In the end, this contest ended in a draw.

He sighed inwardly. If the Luo family's throat-locking spear technique hadn't been lost, the Luo family's spear would still have been superior in the end.

He glanced at Yang Zhi and slowly said, "I'll take Yanqing to Liangshan! If it's really as you say, I'll leave Yanqing at Liangshan; otherwise, I'll take Yanqing down the mountain immediately."

Yang Zhi smiled. He believed in Song Jiang and was full of expectations for the future development of Liangshan.