Under the noonday sun, the two sides shouted at each other from afar, the echoes reverberating across the battlefield.

"Uphold justice on behalf of Heaven, only punish the wicked leaders, those who surrender will not be killed!" When the forces of Liangshan, numbering more than five times the population of the Zhu Family Manor, besieged the stronghold, such pronouncements before the battle were not without their deterrent effect.

However, Zhu Biao's sudden cry from behind the stone wall, "You're afraid!" was not entirely unexpected by Song Jiang and Wu Yong. Nevertheless, for Wu Yong, insisting on making these statements before the battle was not without reason.

In terms of psychological warfare, the enemy had already thoroughly worked on the morale of the Liangshan army within a mere three days. It was inevitable that the ranks would be affected by the enemy's taunts during these pre-battle exchanges. Given the current situation, the upcoming battle would primarily rely on the sheer number of troops and the skills of the leaders to suppress the wavering morale among the ranks. In any case, with most of the men's families still on Liangshan, they would still possess a certain level of fighting spirit, but the degree to which it would manifest remained to be seen.

Conversely, while the Zhu Family Manor had only three thousand-plus defenders, Liangshan had never employed psychological warfare against them. By voicing their words and applying numerical pressure, even if only a small percentage of the defenders were swayed, even if only slightly, it would still constitute a considerable advantage for the Liangshan forces. The current situation resembled a mutual exchange of bloodletting. Wu Yong believed that Liangshan could gain the upper hand.

Wu Yong's idea was, in fact, reasonable. Even if Ning Yi were brought in, he would probably only say, "Follow me and learn to cook." However, if he could have seen Zhu Biao's ecstatic joy behind the stone wall after Song Jiang's speech, and how he rushed to pull his elder brother Zhu Long aside, repeatedly exclaiming, "It's my turn, it's my turn!" perhaps he would have regretted his actions sooner.

"You're afraid!"

Focusing his energy in his dantian, Zhu Biao roared in a deep voice, his sound resonating across the entire field.

"Song Jiang, what are you afraid of! Didn't you previously vow to slaughter my entire Lone Dragon Ridge!"

Song Jiang's voice came from the other side: "Spent force, yet you still overestimate yourselves! Look at how many men are arrayed before you! Today, we have come to uphold justice on behalf of Heaven! We will only punish the ringleaders! These Zhu Family members, Steward Zhu, Zhu Long..."

"...Now it's only punishing the ringleaders? Why! Look at your Liangshan, look at the head of Red-Haired Devil Liu Tang! You're already fighting amongst yourselves, do you think those below don't know? You have killed so many people from my Lone Dragon Ridge – family, brothers, wives, and children! Are you afraid now!"

"...He who offers up the heads of Mixed Thunder Hand Lei Feng, who harmed my brothers, shall become a leader of Liangshan!"

"...Haha, you're afraid of our strategist! Look at yourselves, in just three days! What have you become! Look at the people around you...Wu Yong, our strategist told me to tell you something: a teaching instructor should stay home and take care of children! How can you even speak now! Foolish—"

Sitting astride his horse, Wu Yong's veins bulged, but these words were intended for the indecisive within Zhu Family Manor who might be intimidated by the disparity in strength. Song Jiang spread his hands.

"We are twenty thousand brothers, and you are only three thousand, mostly old and weak! I, 'Righteous Protector' Song Jiang, am known for my benevolence, and I give you one last chance. These are your families! Come and see!"

Several hundred prisoners from Zhu Family Manor and the Hu Family Manor were brought to the side of the battlefield. Zhu Biao laughed loudly from above: "If you kill your way in, we have no chance of survival. But if you have hostages, so do I! Come and see, these are your brothers! Bring 'Fiery Thunderbolt' Qin Ming up first. If you dare kill my kin, I will kill your brothers one by one!"

In the distance, Qin Ming, bound by ropes and gagged, was brought forward. Song Jiang reined in his horse and sneered: "My benevolence is known throughout the land. Go ask, am I one to kill indiscriminately! All your families are here. Those who wish to surrender to Liangshan and join our cause, their families will be spared death. Otherwise, when my twenty thousand brothers level Zhu Family Manor today, those whose families do not claim them will be killed! These are my final words—"

As he said this, he drew the treasured sword from his waist, pointing it towards the sky, about to speak, when a sudden change occurred on the stone wall, halting the army's preparations to charge.

On that stone wall, Qin Ming, who had been bound and escorted there, suddenly struggled and broke free from his ropes with a loud snap. With a single punch, he sent a nearby villager flying into the manor. Others rushed forward, but Qin Ming's martial arts skills were formidable. He broke free from the grip of the villagers with a single surge of strength, snatched a steel saber, and prepared to leap off the stone wall.

The stone wall of the Zhu Family was a fairly sturdy barrier in the area, but it was only about two zhang (approx. 23 feet) in height. Those with strong martial arts skills would have no problem jumping down. However, Zhu Biao was nearby when he struggled, and he blocked him with a spear. At the same time, Luan Tingyu rushed over. Qin Ming, having just broken free, was hampered in his movements and immediately took a blow. At this moment, Hua Rong drew his bow and arrow, ready to charge, and others were also about to shout and charge to rescue Qin Ming, when Qin Ming pulled the cloth out of his mouth.

"Huyan Zhuo—"

This name echoed across the battlefield. However, Huyan Zhuo was at the Wan Family Ridge battlefield. No one knew what this name meant here, but then his words sent shivers down many spines.

"...Guan Sheng! I will never forgive you, even as a ghost—"

Blood splashed into the sky. Luan Tingyu struck with his staff, Zhu Biao with his spear, killing Qin Ming on the stone wall, his body flying back into Zhu Manor. Zhu Biao turned around, his face splattered with blood, and shouted wildly, "Come on—"

No one paid attention to him.

Everyone had already drawn their weapons and were about to charge, but at this moment, they couldn't help but look towards the hill to the east. Under the sunlight, there were also gathered armies and fluttering banners. At the front of the formation were several leading generals, and the one at the very top was "Great Saber" Guan Sheng.

Beside him, on horseback, rode Yan Qing. This playboy, who was familiar with everyone on Liangshan, had come to chat, and they happened to be riding side by side there.

Few could describe the feeling of the Liangshan generals in the midst of this moment. In fact, most people immediately thought that they had fallen into another trap. Some thought Guan Sheng was doomed, while a few wondered if this was actually true. The clever among the ranks were unable to determine what was true and what was false. The soldiers were bewildered by this turn of events. Wu Yong, standing beside Song Jiang, was trembling, not knowing what to say. Some sinister chill descended from the sky, causing a coldness in their spines. From the opposite side came the intangible, taunting grin of a demon.

Among the crowd, the one with the most complex expression was probably Guan Sheng on the hill. Just now, he had already raised the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hand, and then he was stunned by this scene. He always claimed to be a descendant of Guan Yu, carrying the name of benevolence, but at this time, what could be said was no longer related to his thoughts. Qin Ming was dead, and everyone would be looking at him. His mouth opened, and then he subconsciously turned his head to look at Yan Qing at his side.

On the horse beside him, Yan Qing also seemed stunned, and then slowly turned his head, their eyes met in a complicated gaze. Yan Qing glanced out of the corner of his eye at the raised blade.

Before the two armies, under the gaze of everyone, time stopped for a second. Then, with a clang, Yan Qing drew his blade, Guan Sheng swung his weapon, and the two exchanged a blow. Guan Sheng was the strongest on horseback. Yan Qing, although skilled in martial arts, was not superior in that regard. The horse beneath him staggered sideways a few steps. Yan Qing even fell off his horse, standing on the grassy slope, holding his blade horizontally. He looked up at Guan Sheng from below.

When suspicion takes hold, the distance between two people is too close.

"It wasn't me—"

From the hill finally came Guan Sheng's stifled and gnashing roar.

"It wasn't him, it wasn't him, sowing discord, sowing discord..." Wu Yong muttered, the veins on his forehead bulging, barely able to control the horse beneath him. At this point, he had realized that they had fallen into another trap. He could now sense that the enemy had calculated almost all of the steps. From three days ago, every step he took was a step into a trap. The more steps he took, the more he stepped into it. This was a truly interconnected and devastating attack. The surrounding mud was like a swamp. His performance...was as clumsy as that of a child.

...How can you even speak now, foolish...

He tried to get closer to Song Jiang, grabbing at his sleeve.

"It's a trap, it's not Brother Guan, attack, attack... They are three thousand, we are twenty thousand, they are three thousand, we are twenty thousand..."

"They are three thousand, we are twenty thousand." This was what he had been constantly urging Song Jiang to emphasize to the people.

However, this time, before Song Jiang could speak, Lin Chong raised his spear on the hillside to the west, his voice resounding: "Brother Qin was deceived. How can we fall for this divisive trick! Brothers, we are twenty thousand men, and they are three thousand, mostly old and weak. They are already afraid. Let us level this place!" After saying this, he roared and led his soldiers to charge out.

"I'll kill you traitors—" On the hill to the east, Guan Sheng, ashamed and enraged, raised his blade and spurred his horse, but the soldiers behind him hesitated for a moment before finally following. At this time, a shout came from the stone wall: "Inspector Guan! Come to the manor gate! Inspector Guan! Come to the manor gate!" Everyone saw that he was riding alone in the lead, the soldiers behind him trailing far behind, and for a moment, they were silent. But this situation was only for a moment. Then, the Liangshan soldiers surged towards the Zhu Family Manor...

The first wave of arrows whistled through the sky, splashing blood among the two sides. The surging Liangshan soldiers carried simple ladders made of felled trees, pushing them against the wall. Boiling water and flaming rattan balls, soaked in oil and set alight, began to be thrown from inside the wall. As the flames rolled, thick black smoke filled the air. The battle finally began, beyond anyone's ability to reverse.

On the battlefield side, Wu Yong looked at the surging scene under the sunlight, feeling that the light was a little dazzling. He swayed slightly on his horse, and then, under the gaze of everyone, fell from his horse.

Song Jiang and others quickly helped him to lie down under a tree not far away. After some resuscitation efforts, he slowly woke up, his eyes bloodshot, looking at the vast battlefield. Voices came from afar, from the Zhu Family Manor, shouting while fighting, shouting that the imperial army was coming, shouting that Liangshan was already divided, shouting that a major leader had defected, and then shouting that killing Liangshan soldiers would wash away their sins, shouting the price for each rank of heads...

"Brother Gongming, cough... Wu Yong is incompetent, I did not guess... I guessed nothing..." He leaned against the tree trunk, his eyes filled with countless charging figures. "I have never heard of... a battle like this..."

The endless sounds of fighting drowned out his words...

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