Chapter 17 The Intention

Yanbei, Heavenly King Stronghold.

Several months had passed since the last envoy arrived to discuss the terms of surrender. Recently, an imperial commissioner finally arrived, representing the government to formally inquire about the intentions of the Heavenly King Stronghold.

Lu Longchuan and the stronghold's leaders went out to greet the imperial commissioner and hosted a banquet for them in the Hall of Loyalty.

After several rounds of wine and numerous dishes, the imperial commissioner put down his wine cup, looked at Lu Longchuan, and said with cupped hands, "Chief Lu, esteemed leaders, Prime Minister Qin knows that the Heavenly King Stronghold has a heart for serving the country, and has specially spoken well of you before the Emperor, mediating on your behalf. Now the imperial court has the intention of offering amnesty. As long as you are willing to assist the imperial court in quelling the banditry in Yanbei and Taidong, this matter will be halfway settled. I wonder, what are your thoughts?"

Lu Longchuan solemnly clasped his fist. "His Majesty has bestowed his grace. We, the common people, will naturally serve the country wholeheartedly. We, the Heavenly King Stronghold, will surely quell the banditry in these two areas."

The imperial commissioner smiled and nodded. "Very good."

Lu Longchuan paused and then asked, "After the amnesty, how does the imperial court intend to deal with my Heavenly King Stronghold?"

"Haha, rest assured. After the banditry is quelled, Chief Lu will most likely be granted the title of Military Commander, in charge of the troops of several prefectures, or a Regional Pacification Commissioner. All the leaders will also receive official positions and rewards. If you can show the imperial court your heartfelt devotion to serving the country, it is not impossible to be granted the title of Jiedushi (military governor) in the future. After all, there is precedent for this, and Prime Minister Qin will certainly speak well of you."

The imperial commissioner said with a smile.

The Great Xia Dynasty had been established for nearly one hundred and eighty years and had experienced many bandit uprisings. The method of offering amnesty had been used too many times. In the past, many once-prominent Green Forest heroes had accepted the imperial court's offer of amnesty, established meritorious service everywhere, and eventually were granted official positions, even becoming Jiedushi. Some of them had a good ending, which was passed down as a good story.

Therefore, in this regard, the imperial court had set a precedent. Otherwise, the Green Forest people would not think that amnesty was a good path.

Lu Longchuan stood up, his burly body bent, and said gratefully, "When you return, please thank Prime Minister Qin for his kindness and love. When I enter the capital in the future, I will personally visit and thank him."

"It's easy to say, I will report back to Prime Minister Qin. His Majesty is currently on a tour of the South and is not in the capital, so this matter will still need to wait for several months. It will probably be around the beginning of spring next year that His Majesty will issue an edict of amnesty, grant titles and rewards, pardon past crimes, and restore your innocence. At that time, you will also have to enter the capital to pay homage."

"Thank you, sir." Lu Longchuan thanked him again.

Having agreed on their intentions, everyone ate and drank, and the host and guests were happy.

The imperial commissioner stayed for three days before leaving the mountain. Lu Longchuan and others escorted him for twenty *li* before returning to the stronghold.

On the way, a straightforward leader said in a muffled voice,

"What kind of person is Big Brother, to be so obsequious to those imperial commissioners? It makes me feel so stifled. Why be so polite to such nobodies?"

Lu Longchuan shook his head. "The matter of amnesty is of great importance. Since I am seeking a way out for all my brothers, what does it matter if I lower my posture a little?"

"Brother, that Prime Minister Qin is one of the seven traitors of the current dynasty. We are going to curry favor with this person. Wouldn't we be ridiculed by the heroes of the world?"

"Brother, you are wrong. Now that treacherous officials are in power, no one can do anything about it. Even if we have a heart to serve the country, how can we be granted amnesty by the imperial court if we don't follow the path of powerful officials? Alas, a true man should endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens. This is the only way for now."

Lu Longchuan sighed and explained.

Most of the leaders echoed his words, expressing their understanding.

Now, thanks to the efforts of the chief, the matter of amnesty had been pushed to the final step. Everyone was about to receive the benefits of amnesty, transforming from bandits into regular troops. Naturally, there was no reason to go back on their word at this time.

Someone muttered, "Ever since dealing with the imperial court, things have been so unsatisfactory. It's not as carefree as before. Wouldn't it be more comfortable to be like Chen Feng in the South, acting on behalf of heaven and killing to our heart's content?"

Chen Feng's actions had spread among the Green Forest of the world, and many of the leaders of the Heavenly King Stronghold admired him very much.

If they hadn't joined the Heavenly King Stronghold early on and been brothers for many years, many people would have loved to fly to the South and follow that Chen Feng to act on behalf of heaven and roam the martial world.

Lu Longchuan stroked his beard and pondered, "That Chen Feng eliminates treachery and punishes evil. He is indeed a remarkable figure, admirable, and has the style of my youth. But... this person acts too recklessly, is tyrannical by nature, and repeatedly provokes the imperial court, cutting off his own retreat. It is probably impossible for him to be granted amnesty."

Everyone was silent.

At this time, Xiang Tianjie coughed, changed the subject, and asked,

"The imperial court wants us to quell the banditry in Yanbei and Taidong. Brother, do you and the strategists have a plan?"

Hearing this, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar spoke, "Although my Heavenly King Stronghold is the leader of the Green Forest in the North, the Northern Lands are in turmoil and there are many large strongholds. It will not be easy to quell them. However, once my Heavenly King Stronghold is granted amnesty, with the righteousness of the imperial court, we may be able to persuade some of the strongholds with whom we have good relations to surrender. As for the rest of the stubborn ones, we will have to fight a few battles."

"That's right, quelling Yanbei and Taidong requires a combination of force and persuasion. As long as the banditry in these two places is eliminated, the North will be mostly stabilized."

Lu Longchuan nodded.

He did not want to blindly fight and suppress bandits. If they exhausted their resources, even if they were granted amnesty, it would not be of much use, and they might be killed off by the imperial court after they had served their purpose.

In his view, only by maintaining armed forces, making it difficult for the government to manage, and not offending the imperial court, would the imperial court be willing to offer substantial rewards to continue to win over their Heavenly King Stronghold, thus indirectly becoming a regional warlord, with a status no longer limited to the Green Forest, but on the right path.

...

After sailing by boat for many days, Zhou Jing and his group finally arrived in the territory of Huyang.

The folk customs here were very different from those of Jiangchun and Luhe. It was far less prosperous and wealthy than those two places. Poor people with tattered clothes were seen everywhere, and the rural villagers were even more emaciated and sallow, living in a worse state.

Looking around, it was a scene of desolation.

"Brother, where do we go now? Do we go to the county town to eliminate treachery and punish evil, or do we pay a visit to experts, or do we visit fellow Green Forest members?"

Everyone looked at Zhou Jing, waiting for his decision.

Zhou Jing stroked his chin and pondered, "The matter of experts is not urgent. I want to meet the Green Forest heroes of Huyang first, so let's go to Yue Mountain Lake. As for the matter of eliminating treachery and punishing evil, we can do it along the way."

"We will follow Brother's orders."

Everyone had no objection.

Huyang was crisscrossed by waterways, and after only two days of travel, the group was stopped by a large lake.

On the shore of the lake was a fishing village wharf, with rows of small boats parked. There were many fishermen and boatmen making a living here.

Fang Zhen went to inquire about the situation and soon returned to report.

"Second Brother, the villagers here said that this lake is called Little Wind Lake. If we take the land route to cross it, we will have to go a long way around. It is best to cross it by boat."

Zhou Jing looked at the large lake. The lake was dotted with sandbars and reeds, with many harbors and complex waterways, making it a treacherous place.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Is there any bandit activity in this lake with its complex waters?"

"I asked, and the villagers said no. I don't know if it's true or not. But according to my observation, this fishing village may also have some tricks up its sleeve."

Fang Zhen was also a well-traveled person and would not completely believe what the locals said.

Guo Hai interjected, "Huyang is rampant with water bandits. Basically, every slightly dangerous lake has water bandits entrenched there. They usually collude with the surrounding fishing villages. I think this place is not simple."

Zhou Jing narrowed his eyes. "So that's how it is... It's a good opportunity to test the waters. Find some boatmen to take us across the lake. Everyone, act according to the situation."

Hearing this, everyone responded and went to rent boats, soon hiring dozens of boatmen.

Before long, dozens of small boats, carrying Zhou Jing's group of more than a hundred people, set sail and slowly traveled on the lake.

Many Green Forest experts were separated, each sitting in a boat, protecting the poor people who followed them.

As the fleet sailed, the surrounding reeds became denser and denser, blocking their view.

The water also turned a murky green.

Just then, the boatmen on the boats suddenly dropped their oars and jumped into the water, like fish, very agile.

Splash—

Waves rippled on the water.

The next moment, the small boats that Zhou Jing and his group were sitting on began to shake violently, as if someone was shaking the boats hard from underwater, scaring many people to cry out.

"Heh, there really is a problem."

Zhou Jing remained calm. He suddenly reached out, as if catching a fish, and directly grabbed a boatman from the water, threw him on the deck, and stepped on his chest, making him unable to move.

Most of his companions on the other boats reacted in time. People like Guo Haishan, Duan Yunfeng, Hong Dingxian, Fang Zhen, and Zhang Lei also pulled the boatmen out of the water and easily subdued them.

Only a few people with mediocre martial arts skills were slipped away by the boatmen, and some were even dragged into the water, choking on water and making a fool of themselves.

Gurgle—

At this time, the decks of the small boats suddenly leaked water.

The bottom of the boats had been tampered with long ago. The boatmen, at the first moment of jumping into the water, activated the trap, puncturing the bottom of these small boats.

At the same time, small boats emerged from the reeds, surrounding them.

These ambushers were all water bandits. A rough look revealed that there were about three or four hundred people.

"Brothers, a big fish has arrived!"

"Hahaha, we're finally open for business!"

The water bandits shouted excitedly. Many of them stripped naked, held sharp knives in their mouths, and rushed into the water, eagerly heading towards the small boats of Zhou Jing's group. They were all skilled swimmers.

Zhou Jing's expression did not change. Instead, he smiled.

"The water bandits in other places at least ask people what kind of noodles they want to eat. I didn't expect the local water bandits to be so impolite, not even letting us choose."

Hearing this, the water bandits who arrived looked over, curiously sizing up the burly, fearless man.

Under everyone's eyes, Zhou Jing suddenly tore off his clothes and jumped into the water as well.

The next moment, the water surface suddenly churned violently, like a stormy sea.

Bang bang bang!!

Suddenly, patches of water bloomed. One could see water bandits being thrown out of the water, like exploding fish!

With a loud bang, a huge wave soared into the air, as if a bomb had exploded underwater, directly blowing all the small boats in the field, both enemy and friend, into a chaotic mess.

The splashing water was like a torrential rain, drenching everyone present.

At this time, Zhou Jing suddenly jumped out of the water and landed with a bang on a water bandit's boat, shaking the boat and scaring the water bandits on board to fall to the ground.

"How is it?"

Zhou Jing shook his wet hair and said with a laugh.

He himself was an average swimmer, but his physique and body control were high enough. He became proficient in this kind of thing after a little familiarity. Moreover, with the blessing of martial arts aura, his speed underwater was far superior to ordinary people.

"Who... who are you? You can turn the river and the sea upside down. Could you be a millennium dragon transformed into human form!"

The water bandit leader stammered in shock, unable to believe it.

He thought a big fish had come, but it turned out to be a shark.

Zhou Jing smiled, shook his chest muscles, and said boldly, "This grandpa doesn't change his name when he walks or sits. I am called Chen Feng."

"You are the Mischief King Chen Feng?!"

The water bandit leader's expression suddenly changed. He turned his head and shouted loudly to his subordinates:

"Stop! Everyone stop!"

The movements of the underlings were stopped, at a loss.

Immediately afterwards, the water bandit leader directly bowed his head to Zhou Jing, his face full of joy, and said excitedly:

"So it's Brother Chen Feng, I've long admired your name, no wonder you have such skills! Brother, please accept a bow from your little brother! "

Chen Feng's current reputation was like a superstar of the Green Forest. Everywhere he went, there were fans. Ordinary heroes were as excited to see him as they were to see their idols.

Now, even if he didn't use force, just showing his face would be enough for many Green Forest strongholds to welcome him as an honored guest. His stature was even greater than that of Guo Haishan.

"So much the better." Zhou Jing didn't hesitate and directly agreed to the invitation.

He wanted to find a local gang to inquire about the current situation in Huyang. This was right up his alley.

The water bandit leader was overjoyed and hurriedly called out to his men to repair the boats for Zhou Jing's group, pull up the people who had fallen into the water, and escort the group into the water stronghold hidden in the lake.

The water stronghold was dirty and messy, with very limited conditions. It was not suitable for raising chickens and pigs, and they mostly made a living by fishing.

The water bandit leader held a banquet and took out the food in storage to entertain the group.

Zhou Jing, Guo Haishan, and other Green Forest experts all attended the banquet and introduced themselves according to the rules of the martial world.

The water bandit leader also reported his name, Sheng Rong, the chief of the stronghold, with a nickname "Water Fly", praising his swimming skills.

This group of water bandits entrenched in Little Wind Lake had a total of about seven or eight hundred people, which was not a large scale.

The boatmen in the fishing village on the shore were in the same group as the water bandits, responsible for pulling the ferry passengers to the harbor in the lake, and then puncturing the boat, waiting for the water bandits to come and catch people.

However, this business only opened once in a long time, because there were many water bandits in Huyang, which had become a consensus. Generally, people were unwilling to take the waterway here, so the water bandits could only scam some small fish and shrimp from other places.

This was the first time they had encountered a big fish like Zhou Jing's group of hundreds of people, so they couldn't wait to take action before, fearing that they would miss it.

During the banquet, Zhou Jing asked about the Green Forest situation in the surrounding area and got a very interesting answer:

"I dare not hide it from you, brother. In the area of Huyang, most of the water bandits who can occupy a lake and a river to do business have paid their dues and have backers behind them. Although there are not many people in my group, we have also paid our dues to 'Golden Scale King' Fan Zong and are one of his twenty-two water generals."

This "Golden Scale King" Fan Zong was one of the three dragons of Huyang, and was the local Green Forest chieftain.

There were many water bandit groups in Huyang, and because of the complex terrain, the way they joined forces was different from that of ordinary mountain strongholds.

The water bandits here paid dues, and the structure was similar to a loose alliance. They relied on the name of the three dragons of Huyang and used the banner of the backers to protect their territory, so that they would not infringe on other groups. Otherwise, without this banner, no matter what territory you occupied, others could come and find trouble with you as long as they liked it, without having to worry about anything else.

When the boss needed it, the water bandit groups that had joined would act according to orders. Usually, these groups would stay in their own territory, do their own business, and develop on their own.

The three dragons of Huyang competed with each other for territory. Many times, they dug up the corners of the other side, causing the other side's water bandit group to turn around and serve themselves, in order to strengthen their power and say in things.

Zhou Jing asked clearly, was certain in his heart, suddenly got up, raised his wine bowl, and said loudly:

"Everyone, I want to move into Huyang and gather in the mountains and forests here. I wonder if you are willing to follow me?"

"Haha, it should have been done long ago!"

Fang Zhen laughed.

The crowd was also excited and responded in unison.

On the way here, Zhou Jing had already mentioned to everyone his intention to establish himself in Huyang, so everyone was not surprised at this time.

Then, Zhou Jing looked at the water bandit leader Sheng Rong and said with a smile, "Brother, what do you think?"

Sheng Rong was a little surprised, but after thinking about it for a while, he no longer hesitated.

He suddenly stood up, drank the wine in the bowl, and said loudly:

"Thank you, brother, for looking up to me. I am willing to respect you as the leader. From now on, I will follow your lead!"

Anyway, in Huyang, they had to pay dues. Under Fan Zong, he was just a little transparent figure ranked at the bottom. Turning around and following this world-famous Chen Feng might not be a better choice.

In Sheng Rong's view, with Chen Feng's ability, he could probably make a name for himself, break the current three-legged situation in the Green Forest of Huyang, and perhaps become on par with the "Three Dragons of Huyang" in the future.

Joining early would give him a better chance to get ahead in the future.