The Featherless Arrow's Righteous Act, the Golden Retriever and the BMW Recognize Pe

Wu Song stretched out his right hand, gripped the whip tightly, and pulled hard. The middle-aged man was no match for Wu Song's immense strength. He lost his grip, and the whip was snatched away by Wu Song. Wu Song examined the whip; the quality was quite good, and the material was also excellent—fine cowhide.

Zhu Jing didn't make a move, but stayed by Song Jiang's side. Of course, Song Jiang was not the same as before. Since learning swordsmanship from Gongsun Sheng, he had made progress every day. At least when he encountered some powerful people, he wouldn't panic like before!

Wu Song smiled, picked up the whip, and handed it to the horse seller beside him, saying, "Consider this whip an apology from this man to you."

The horse seller took the whip, examined it carefully, and found it to be quite good. Without refusing, he placed it on his waist.

The middle-aged man was furious that Wu Song didn't take him seriously at all. He stretched out his hands, clenched his fists, and lunged at Wu Song as if he wanted to devour him whole.

Wu Song shouted, "Well done!" He changed his fist into a grab, dodging the middle-aged man's fists, grabbed the middle-aged man's collar, spun him around, and threw him forward. The middle-aged man was thrown out like a sandbag and fell to the ground groaning.

The two young men immediately rushed towards Wu Song. Wu Song smiled and quickly kicked out twice. One of them kicked one of them in the waist. The fierce kick caused the man to suffer a heavy blow and fly backward. The other man was kicked in the stomach and almost spat out a mouthful of blood. This was the first time Song Jiang had ever seen Wu Song use his fists and feet.

Unexpectedly, Wu Song's footwork was so domineering that he injured both father and son in just a few rounds. In terms of fist and foot techniques, Wu Song can truly be said to be among the best!

Moreover, Wu Song had held back; otherwise, these two would have suffered internal injuries. The middle-aged man stood up and drew his knife from his waist. The two young men also drew their knives. The woman hurriedly said, "Father, why don't we let it go? A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle."

The middle-aged man ignored the woman's words, his face cold as he slowly raised his knife and walked towards Wu Song.

Wu Song's expression turned slightly serious, but he didn't seem to care much. He raised his fist and said, "In my life, I only fight tough guys who don't know right from wrong. It seems that today I'll have to take action against you cunning bastards."

Enraged, the middle-aged man drew his knife and slashed at Wu Song.

Two young men also attacked Wu Song with knives. When the woman saw that she couldn't persuade him, she had no choice but to stop, but her anxiety was still evident.

Wu Song fought three opponents single-handedly without being at a disadvantage. However, these three were no ordinary people either. Their swordsmanship was highly disciplined, with offensive techniques and wide, sweeping movements, unlike those of ordinary people.

Wu Song had no weapon, but he fought with increasing ferocity. He dodged a knife and shouted, then punched the young man named Lin'er in the chest. Lin'er spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground, unable to fight anymore. If Wu Song hadn't been restrained from killing in Dongchang Prefecture, Lin'er would have died from Wu Song's punch long ago.

Seeing his son sitting on the ground, clutching his chest, the middle-aged man shouted and recklessly slashed at Wu Song with his knife. Wu Song dodged left and right, and when he got an opportunity, he kicked the middle-aged man's wrist with his right foot. The middle-aged man cried out, and the steel knife flew out of his hand, into the air, and then fell to the ground.

Another young man saw that Wu Song had his back to him and stabbed at Wu Song with his knife. Wu Song suddenly dodged to the side and was about to throw a punch when a flying stone hit the young man's arm. The young man was in pain and could no longer hold the knife. He fell to the ground and felt an indescribable soreness and numbness in the place where his arm was hit.

A young man suddenly appeared, accompanied by two others. The young man angrily said, "So young, yet you act so despicably."

The young man who was hit by the flying stone touched his arm and remained silent. Suddenly, the woman spoke to Song Jiang, saying, "We were in the wrong. Please forgive us."

After saying this, he first went over to help up the young man named Lin'er, then walked to the middle-aged man and said to Wu Song, "Heroes, please forgive me. Martial arts people love horses, and my father may have been a bit presumptuous in his moment of passion."

Song Jiang suddenly laughed and said, "What a fine example of 'uncontrollable impulse'! If he were to set his sights on the position of Prefect of Dongchang, wouldn't it be possible to seize it or buy it?"

The middle-aged man glared fiercely at Song Jiang, but dared not respond. Song Jiang was trying to frame him, and he wouldn't fall for it.

The woman said, "That is not true. The prefect is honest and upright, and he is a role model for us. This brave man was clever and resourceful in Yunmeng Village before, but today he is saying such nonsense. Could it be that this brave man has some dissatisfaction with the prefect?"

The woman had recognized Song Jiang from the beginning, and her words were indeed eloquent. Song Jiang shook his head and said, "Who doesn't know that the Prefect is fair and just? It is a blessing for the people of Dongchang Prefecture to live and work in peace here. But some people here do not abide by the rules and insist on forced buying and selling, disregarding the laws of Dongchang Prefecture. I don't know who gave them the courage, or if they are just relying on their noble birth to treat the people like dirt."

The woman frowned, staring at Song Jiang without saying a word.

There was really no need to continue the conversation, otherwise who knew what Song Jiang would say to frame them? Actually, it was also his father's fault for being reckless. If others weren't going to sell, they could have just left; why did he have to try to seize the horse? And then throw the money on the ground—wasn't that an insult?

The woman shook her head, picked up the two hundred taels of gold notes, grabbed Lin'er, and prepared to leave with another young man and a middle-aged man.

Song Jiang said, "Please wait."

The woman turned around and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Song Jiang said, "I think it's necessary to go to the Dongchang Prefecture government office to report this matter to the prefect. Otherwise, if this situation happens again, but my brother isn't here, won't the other people be bullied by you?"

After hearing Song Jiang's words, Wu Song smiled without saying a word; he probably understood what Song Jiang meant.

The woman shook her head and said, "Your men also injured my father and brother. As for the affairs of others, what does it have to do with you?"

Song Jiang sighed and said, "If the road is uneven, someone will clear it; if there is injustice, someone will take care of it. If you don't go to the Dongchang Prefecture government office, you won't be leaving today."

The woman suddenly smiled and said, "I understand." Then she took out a silver note from her bosom, with the number "One Hundred Taels of Gold" written in large characters on it, making the people around her extremely envious.

Song Jiang enjoyed talking to intelligent people, but he didn't accept the silver note containing one hundred taels of gold. Song Jiang was gambling that these people must have other motives and dared not see the prefect; otherwise, this matter would only be settled with a fine. But the woman clearly didn't want to go to the prefectural office. Song Jiang guessed that these people had either committed a crime or had other reasons.

The woman gritted her teeth and said, "Being too greedy is not good."

Song Jiang remained silent.

The woman sighed and took out a silver note containing one hundred taels of gold.

Song Jiang knew he couldn't push these people too hard, so he took the silver note with a smile and said, "This is compensation for the emotional distress of the brother who sold the horse. I thank you on her behalf."

The woman muttered under her breath, "Shameless."

Song Jiang laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said, "I won't see you off."

After the woman left, Song Jiang handed two silver notes to the horse seller, saying, "This is their compensation to you."

The onlookers stared in astonishment, never expecting that the money Song Jiang had "extorted" would actually be given to the horse seller.

The horse seller declined the offer, saying gratefully, "If it weren't for you two brave men, I would have suffered a loss today."

Song Jiang forcefully shoved the stone into his hand, then walked over to the young man who had thrown the stone and asked, "Brother, are you Zhang Qing, the Arrow Without Feathers?"

The young man asked in surprise, "I didn't expect you to recognize me. May I ask your name?"

Song Jiang happily replied, "My name is Song Jiang."

Upon hearing Song Jiang's name, the horse seller hurriedly walked towards him.

Song Jiang saw the horse seller's happy face and wondered why he was so happy.

Seeing the horse seller's excited expression, Zhang Qing asked in surprise, "Brother?"

The horse seller bowed respectfully and said, "I have long admired you, brother, and have always wanted to find you, but unfortunately, I have not done well enough and have been ashamed to face you."

Upon hearing that this was yet another of his admirers, Song Jiang bowed and said, "I still don't know your name, brother?"

The man said, "My name is Duan Jingzhu. Because of my unusual appearance, my friends in the martial arts world have given me the nickname 'Golden Retriever'."

Song Jiang was overjoyed; it really was him. This Jing Zhu had extraordinary physical characteristics, making him seem unlike someone from the Central Plains. However, the Water Margin records that he was from Zhuozhou (which is now Baoding City, very close to Beijing), so he could actually be considered a person from the Central Plains.

The reason Duan Jingzhu was ranked last among the 108 heroes of the Water Margin wasn't due to a lack of skill, but rather because, like Shi Qian, he made a living by theft. While Shi Qian stole valuables, Duan Jingzhu stole horses. His theft of the Jade Lion Horse to present to Song Jiang was thwarted by Zengtou City, leading to Chao Gai's attack on Zengtou City. Ultimately, Duan Jingzhu was shot in the eye by Shi Wengong and died from the poison. Although Chao Gai's death has been the subject of much debate in later generations, it's undeniable that Duan Jingzhu caused a series of interconnected events, including Lu Junyi's joining the Liangshan bandits.

Regardless, although Chao Gai was shot and killed by Shi Wengong, if Duan Jingzhu hadn't stolen a horse and Zengtou City hadn't intervened, Chao Gai wouldn't have fought Zengtou City and wouldn't have died.

So putting aside conspiracy theories, Duan Jingzhu definitely has to take the blame. No one died in the three attacks on the Zhu Family Village, only seven were captured. Because Shi Qian stole a chicken, he was ranked 107th. Duan Jingzhu directly caused Chao Gai's life and death. He should be grateful to be ranked last.

Of course, the timeline has now completely changed. Song Jiang met Duan Jingzhu earlier, and Song Jiang knew Duan Jingzhu's abilities. He was able to steal the Jade Night Lion Horse from the Jin prince all by himself, which shows his skill level. Moreover, he must also be proficient in judging horses. He has been making a living by stealing horses for many years and has never been caught. All of this shows that he has strong survival skills.

Song Jiang was determined to recruit such a special talent into Liangshan, and seeing that he seemed to be a loyal fan of his, it was even better, saving him the trouble of asking questions.

In fact, Song Jiang didn't know why Duan Jingzhu admired him so much. At that time, Chao Gai was the leader of Liangshan, but Duan Jingzhu kept saying that he stole the horse for himself, basically showing no respect for Chao Gai. This made Song Jiang suspect that Duan Jingzhu was deliberately trying to sow discord in Liangshan. However, even during the campaign against Fang La, Song Jiang couldn't see what Duan Jingzhu was up to. Maybe he really admired him.

Seeing that Song Jiang didn't speak, Duan Jingzhu called out softly again, "Brother?"

Song Jiang realized what was happening and said, "I was so happy to see my brother that I was momentarily distracted."

Duan Jingzhu asked happily, "Brother, have you heard of my great name?"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "Brother, you have been trading horses in Liao territory for many years and transporting them to Song. In my opinion, you are a loyal subject of Song. If there were more people like you, how could Song not prosper and why should we fear foreign tribes?"

Duan Jingzhu was on the verge of tears. Song Jiang's flattery made him dizzy; he felt Song Jiang was a true confidant. In truth, Song Jiang knew that these talented people from humble backgrounds most desired recognition and respect, and craved dignity. The saying "A scholar will die for one who understands him" might not be understood by many in modern times, but in ancient times, many truly lived up to it.

For the first time, Duan Jingzhu felt that his horse trading was so meaningful and so great, and he was a little dazed.

Song Jiang watched as Duan Jingzhu's expression shifted between joy and pain, unsure of what he was thinking. He then looked at Zhang Qing and said, "It's fate that we've met. Why don't we go and have a drink together?"

Zhang Qing smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

The group of seven arrived at Hexinglou, the largest restaurant in Dongchang Prefecture. They found a private room, ordered dishes and wine, and sat down to chat.

Zhang Qing introduced the two people next to him, saying, "These two people next to me are friends I recently made. One is named Gong Wang, and the other is named Ding Desun."

Song Jiang thought to himself, "So it's them." He said, "Could it be Brother Gong Wang, known in the Jianghu as Flower-Necked Tiger, and Brother Ding Desun, the Arrow-Struck Tiger?"

Gong Wang laughed and said, "I didn't expect that anyone would know my name."

Ding Desun also praised, "I have long heard of your righteousness and your ability to recognize heroes. Seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."

Actually, Gong Wang and Ding Desun joined Liangshan too late and had no lines, basically like extras. But that doesn't mean they were bad. Many heroes from the Liangshan government army were always quite skilled, including Xiao Biao level fighters like Xuan Zan, Hao Siwen, Han Tao, and Peng Qi. These guys were all top-notch among Xiao Biao fighters. Even if Gong Wang and Ding Desun weren't as good as them, they were definitely much stronger than Yan Shun and Zhou Tong.

Zhang Qing had only heard of Song Jiang's reputation. Although he had a good impression of him after meeting him, it was far less than that of Wu Song. For some reason, he had a particularly good impression of this young man, Wu Song, and wanted to befriend him as soon as he saw him.

Note: "A clean prefect for three years, ten thousand taels of silver." This means that even officials who claim to be honest and incorruptible will still exploit the people, let alone other officials.

The Northern Song Dynasty, while a prosperous dynasty in history, was also one of the most corrupt. High salaries intended to encourage honesty did not lead to integrity; instead, corruption and bribery became rampant. In its later stages, buying and selling official positions became commonplace. For example, Cai Jing, the leader of the "Six Traitors," could easily embezzle hundreds of thousands of taels of gold and silver every year, while Liang Zhongshu could easily gather 100,000 taels of silver annually to give to his father-in-law as a birthday gift. Therefore, while 200 taels of gold was a considerable sum, it wasn't a major blow to many officials. Of course, the common people still suffered. As the saying goes, "When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer"—this is not just an empty phrase!