Mid-May, north of the Yellow River, sunshine and rain alternated, and upon the land, city after city, the atmosphere was gloomy and grim. Search:\(¨Complete¨ Book¨God¨Station¨) to read quality literature for free.

Compared to the Central Plains ten years ago, there are not many people still living on this land today. Large numbers of villages and lands have become desolate. Houses made of mud bricks or thatched roofs are collapsing and decaying between the alternating heat and rain. On the long-neglected roads, groups of refugees stagger along, with starved and emaciated corpses lying by the roadside.

Troops, as impoverished as refugees, were being mobilized between city after city. In large areas of Jingdong East Road and Hebei East Road, more than 200,000 troops had begun to gather near the Liangshan area, forming a huge encirclement and blockade.

The aftermath of the Battle of Daming Prefecture had not yet subsided, and new flames of war were already brewing.

Of course, compared to Wanyan Chang's meticulous approach to attacking Daming Prefecture, the siege of the Liangshan Marsh by hundreds of thousands of troops seemed somewhat chaotic and disorganized. At the time, Wanyan Chang had stationed 30,000 elite troops to oversee the battle. When the Guangwu Army and the Huaxia Army desperately broke through, although Wanyan Chang responded calmly, the entire army suffered huge casualties under the all-out offensive of the Guangwu Army and the Huaxia Army.

Now, with only 20,000 Jurchen troops needing to suppress a quarter of the Central Plains, there were not many who could be sent to supervise the battle of besieging Liangshan. The mobilization and gathering of 200,000 troops was a huge burden for these Han troops who were already short of military supplies. After arriving near Liangshan, these troops fished and plundered, not only making life miserable for the surrounding people but also failing to effectively seal off the entire defense line.

Wanyan Chang had already done his best to deal with this situation, slowly gathering ships so that he could launch an offensive against the entire Liangshan. No matter how passive these Han troops were, having more than 200,000 people pounce on tens of thousands of elderly, weak, women, and children on the island would ultimately cut off the last lifeline of the Huaxia Army and the Guangwu Army. On his side, although he could freely execute or replace new Han military commanders, with insufficient Jurchen troops to supervise, the significance of killing and replacing them was diminishing.

It was said that a small number of soldiers were gradually sneaking back to Liangshan – that would be a perfect opportunity to catch them all in one swoop.

If 200,000 people couldn't defeat tens of thousands of elderly, weak, women, and children, then another batch would be sent to fight. Anyway, recruiting soldiers in this area always drained the vitality of the Central Plains Han people, and Wanyan Chang didn't care how many people he had to throw into it.

On May 12th, the weather gradually changed from cloudy to sunny. On the southern bank of the Liangshan Marsh, a convoy came along a rugged road by a reed bed. Riding a horse at the front of the convoy was an unremarkable general with half-white hair. Although he still looked strong, even in a general's uniform, he seemed to lack any sense of strength. When the convoy reached the water's edge, a man beside the general hurried forward, blew a whistle, and several small boats came out of the reeds.

The man who blew the whistle was of medium height and also looked very unremarkable, but he was "Rogue" Yan Qing in disguise. Seeing the small boats coming, a woman with long black clothes and hair lifted the curtain of the carriage behind. She was Li Shishi, whose temperament had settled and become increasingly clear, although she was already in her thirties.

Since childhood, she had possessed wisdom and a Buddhist heart, seeing things clearly. Over the years, although she had worried about the world and traveled extensively, her determination had become increasingly clear and unwavering. This made her appearance still as fresh as a maiden even at her current age, but her eyes had a clarity that came from seeing through the world. Like the highest goodness is like water, she resembled a crystal even more so at over thirty years old.

The old general on horseback looked over, not blinking for a long time, until Yan Qing walked back from the other side and cupped his fist at him: "General Huang, I have offended you previously." Only then did the general named Huang Guangde sigh: "No offense, no offense, leave quickly. Let's pretend we never knew each other." There was some regret in his tone, but also some open-mindedness.

Shishi also came over: "Mr. Huang, thank you."

"Alas, forget it, forget it..." Huang Guangde waved his hand repeatedly, "I'm troubling you. It's best if we never see each other again from now on."

"From now on, we don't know General Huang." Several figures came out of the carriage behind. The person at the head said these words. This person had gauze wrapped around his head, and a hideous, upturned scar still showed between his exposed eyes, his skin torn and fleshy, very frightening. Huang Guangde glanced at him and immediately turned away, disapprovingly saying: "You've been a great help."

"It's just that we will fight our own battles in the future. General Huang, please take care of yourself when we meet on the battlefield. Of course, if there's anything you need help with, cough cough... Wang will never refuse." Although this person speaking had his head wrapped in gauze, his demeanor seemed solemn, but he coughed twice while speaking, obviously still injured. Beside him was a tall woman dressed in men's clothing, with a murderous look on her face, but her left hand was broken. It was clear from her appearance that this woman was Hu Sanniang.

Behind them followed a dozen or so men who were either injured or disabled, but many of them still showed an astonishing aura of grimness at this time, even with their injuries. These soldiers returning from the killing field soon boarded the boat one after another.

Li Shishi chatted with Huang Guangde for a while. Huang Guangde remained on horseback, never getting down. Then Shishi also saluted and boarded the boat. As the small boat set off, Yan Qing remained on the shore, exchanging a few words with Huang Guangde.

On the night of the breakout from Daming Prefecture, Yan Qing was doing rear support work, but the danger was no less than that of the front line. Fortunately, he was highly skilled in martial arts and became one of the first to escape. After that, he contacted Lu Junyi and others who were recuperating in the rear and began rescuing his companions. A few days ago, Miss Shishi sent a message saying that she was preparing to marry Huang Guangde as a concubine, and also said that she had saved some people. Yan Qing understood the trick and secretly followed Huang Guangde for the past two days, preparing to attack him.

Who knew that when he was about to strike, he found that Huang Guangde didn't seem to have much defense. He led Yan Qing to see Li Shishi, who was secretly hidden away. Only then did he discover that some wounded soldiers of the Guangwu Army and the Huaxia Army were also secretly hidden in the villa where Li Shishi was staying. The most surprising thing was seeing Wang Shanyue and Hu Sanniang.

The fact that this couple was still alive was a great surprise to the two rebel armies. And the risk Huang Guangde was taking by hiding the Wang couple at this time was unimaginable. Yan Qing knew that he could no longer attack Huang Guangde. Shishi would probably be implicated. Who knew that after chatting with Huang Guangde for a while, he learned that this person was thinking of sending Li Shishi and Wang Shanyue away as soon as possible. He had already taken a great risk by hiding these people temporarily. If he hid Li Shishi in an outer residence, wouldn't he be likely to die at any time?

That was what Huang Guangde said, but at this point, as Li Shishi boarded the boat, the old man on horseback looked at the figure receding into the distance for a long time, and Yan Qing knew that this person really had feelings for Li Shishi in his heart.

"Since General Huang is so reluctant, why not lead your troops to Liangshan?" As soon as Yan Qing said this, he secretly cursed himself for being a blabbermouth. Fortunately, Huang Guangde only glanced at him.

"Go to Liangshan with you, isn't that just courting death? How many days can you still live?"

Yan Qing lowered his head and touched his nose, then stopped trying to persuade him.

At this time, sunlight shone from the surface of the marsh, and the reeds swayed in the distance. Shishi stood up on the boat and saluted towards this side. Huang Guangde watched the figure and raised his hand slightly to wave.

The prosperity of Bianliang more than ten years ago was still vivid in his mind. At that time, he had passed the imperial examinations all the way and traveled to the capital. Although things were not going smoothly with getting a substantive position, the days and nights in Fanlou were still the brightest and most beautiful memories in his heart.

The Jurchens came, Bianliang fell, and the Central Plains became increasingly dilapidated day by day. The old cities, the collapsing houses, and the piles of white bones by the roadside were the current situation he saw in his eyes, and if he was not careful, that would be his tomorrow.

More than ten years later, Li Shishi still carried the feeling of the best times of the Wu Dynasty. Huang Guangde's heart was immersed in it. On the one hand, he rejected Li Shishi, and on the other hand, he very unsteadily extended his hand in the battlefield, saving people, and then worrying about when it would be exposed. The Jurchens were ruthless in killing Han officials, and the longer it dragged on, even the people around him might no longer be reliable.

That was also why he didn't dare to touch Li Shishi at all. Leaving aside the rumors that this woman belonged to Ning Yi, the heart demon, if he really married her as a concubine, he felt that any help he was currently providing to the Huaxia Army and the Guangwu Army was just courting death.

On the marsh's edge where the reeds swayed, General Huang Guangde, nearly fifty years old, watched the figure disappear into the distant reeds and twilight for a long time, as if he had been bidding farewell to the past for more than ten years. Turning back, he needed to face the same tragic future as everyone else.

Yan Qing sighed and went in another direction. Although the Huaxia Army could use this secret to threaten General Huang for ruthless people, in the current situation, the other party had already done enough, and the Huaxia Army could only keep such gratitude in their hearts.

After days of heavy rain, the marsh stretched and overflowed. On another bank far beyond the range of vision, some figures pushed down tied-up rafts and began to cross the waterways, heading towards Liangshan.

The small boat team on this side also sailed towards Liangshan. At the end of the small boat, Li Shishi sat with her knees bent, looking back in the direction from which they had come. These days, she had originally prepared to sacrifice herself, but Huang Guangde's choice made her feel emotional.

Naturally, she didn't have any feelings for Huang Guangde other than gratitude. At this point, she also breathed a slight sigh of relief besides feeling emotional. Hu Sanniang came over to ask her about her feelings: "Do you really like that guy named Ning? He's not a good person... Also, if you like him, you should go to the Southwest."

Shishi tugged on one of her sleeves and just smiled. Did she like Ning Yi? Of course, she used to. Now that she had reached this age and seen too many things, the line between yes and no had become quite blurred. The world was in chaos, too many people had died before her eyes. She wanted to do things, but she was just a weak woman with no strength. Begging everywhere, even kneeling to people. If she really had to marry someone in exchange for more people's lives, Shishi felt... that she didn't mind it, actually.

But looking back, if she really had to say she liked him - of course she did. It was a very faint like, a like that was very, very faint. When she was preparing to marry Huang Guangde, she specially asked the intelligence personnel of the Huaxia Army here to send a letter to the Southwest. Now that her heart had calmed down, she could quietly think about what kind of mood Ning Yi in the Southwest would be in when he heard this news.

Just thinking about it made her feel very amused in her heart.

The boat team sailed for a while. In the distance, another row of rafts appeared. They signaled the password from afar. They were actually like their own people. When they got closer, Shishi suddenly stood up. She suddenly discovered that standing on the opposite raft, besides members of the Guangwu Army and the Huaxia Army, were also Zhu Biao and Lu Junyi.

Although there were also waves in the eight hundred *li* Liangshan Marsh, even small boats could usually cross it. Although it was just a small raft, Zhu Biao, who had bandages on his body, stood on it, still looking high-spirited. At the bow of the small boat on this side, Wang Shanyue, whose entire head was wrapped up, said loudly: "A few days ago, a master robbed a prison in Xin Fang. Was that you two?"

"Needless to say, your Incinerating City Spear, Brother Biao, has been invincible for a long time. How could three or five cats and dogs stop me... uh, and the cooperation of this Lu follower - eh? What kind of monster are you, you dumpling head!?"

Although Wang Shanyue's voice hadn't changed, even though he was injured and his head was wrapped up, it was obvious that Zhu Biao was teasing him with his loud voice. Shishi had already laughed at the stern of the boat. Wang Shanyue snorted proudly and reached out to untie the bandages wrapped around his head.

When the bandages were untied, a knife scar could be seen running down Wang Shanyue's face, which had originally looked as beautiful as a woman's. At this time, the skin and flesh were still torn open and had not healed, and it was a gruesome sight. Wang Shanyue said: "I suffered a little injury." There was a bit of pride in his words. Some people on the raft looked sad at this appearance, but now they laughed again. In fact, Wang Shanyue had been troubled by his appearance being too feminine since he was a child. Now that he had been disfigured by this knife, not only was he not sad, but he was quite satisfied with his hideous scar.

Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then covered his stomach and laughed loudly, laughing so hard that he couldn't close his mouth: "Hahahaha, you finally have this day..." His laughter made the others laugh along with him. Wang Shanyue and the people on the boat on this side couldn't help but laugh either.

Zhu Biao and others didn't care about Hu Sanniang losing an arm either, and said with a giggle: "You can learn swordsmanship from Du Sha in the future. He only became so powerful after losing an arm."

After a while, they said again: "You two can get a nickname called 'Heavenly Cripple and Earthly Defect' when you walk the *Greenwood* in the future, hahahaha--"

Amidst this unrestrained teasing, various laughter sounded on the water's surface. If people who didn't know the inside story heard it, they would think they had returned from a great victory.

The boat team continued forward. After a while, a large ship sailed over the lake, and everyone boarded the ship one after another. In the distance, Liangshan in the marsh came into view. On the island, a row of huge soul-calling banners were fluttering, and there were traces of paper money on the water's surface. When Zhu Biao and Wang Shanyue stood side by side at the bow of the ship, Zhu Biao glanced at Wang Shanyue and pushed him flying out. He stood at the bow of the ship, still arrogant. At this time, someone shouted from the side of the ship: "Everyone, look, there are people over there too."

At the end of the field of vision, several small boats were coming towards this side from a distance. The people on the boats were waving their arms vigorously - they were also people returning from outside. The people on the ship waved and greeted them with laughter. Shishi was also laughing. Suddenly, tears streamed down her face. At this moment, seeing the white banners fluttering on the island, she suddenly felt as if countless small boats were coming back to this small island from all directions. Those were thousands of heroic spirits, gathering here under the guidance of war drums and laughter.

-- Coming home.

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