Sixteenth day of the sixth month, Dulong Gang.

Flames roared, and smoke pillars rose like dragons, soaring towards the sky.

Outside the manor, skirmishes broke out along the winding roads. To maximize the disruption of the Liangshan army's assault, the Dulong Gang side had set fire to the woods. Although the nearby area had abundant water and lush trees, preventing the flames from spreading on a large scale, the rising black smoke still hampered the attackers' movements. This had been a useful tactic for Dulong Gang in resisting the enemy for the past few days.

Perhaps enraged by Ning Yi's tactics, the Liangshan forces launched an exceptionally fierce offensive starting from the morning, pressing forward with the force of Mount Tai and the might of thunder. The Dulong Gang side struggled to hold their ground, but fortunately, the Liangshan retreat the previous evening had given them a timely boost in morale. Moreover, taking advantage of the terrain, the men inside the manor could sortie in waves to harass the enemy while releasing prisoners in small groups.

By the afternoon, the sounds of fighting still echoed outside the manor, with Liangshan generals even approaching the outer walls several times. They did not intend to launch a full-scale assault, but they frequently feigned attacks, constantly applying pressure to those inside the manor. In previous days, Liangshan had deployed three to five-tenths of their forces, but today almost six or seven-tenths were committed simultaneously. The winding paths around Dulong Gang, known as Pantuo Road, had varying widths, but in a real battle, there was always a point of saturation. Deploying more troops was meaningless, so the surplus was used to increase the pressure, trying to keep the nerves of those inside the manor constantly on edge.

Near the courtyard where the Dulong Gang villagers were resting, Ning Yi tossed a packet of wound medicine to the physician attending to Zhu Biao. As he watched the physician cleanse the bloody wound, apply medicine, and bandage it, Zhu Biao, gripping his steel spear, chattered incessantly to Ning Yi about the "ambush" he had just sprung on the Liangshan forces. In his usual fights, he relied on his bravery and familiarity with the terrain to repeatedly defeat strong opponents, but his tactical skills were limited to simple surprise attacks. Never had he engaged in such technically sophisticated maneuvers as today, working with his mentor to trick several teams of Liangshan men, leaving him immensely excited.

"Brother! I, Zhu Biao, am impressed by you today. You're a real man. The Liangshan guys...they're like madmen today...and this wound medicine of yours is pretty good too."

"It's a formula passed down from the Lu Liang Mountains. It's hard to make, and I don't have much left, but I've taken it all out," Ning Yi said with a smile. "They're fighting harder and harder. Aren't you afraid the manor will fall even sooner?"

"Brother, you're joking. I, Zhu Biao, may have a short temper, but I'm not stupid. As soon as Master spoke yesterday, I figured it out. The more abnormal Liangshan acts, the more effective Brother Lei's strategy is. The more they act like this, the happier I am fighting."

Zhu Biao was only eighteen or nineteen years old, a bit arrogant and unruly, but his nature was straightforward. At first, the young man fought for honor because of his martial arts skills, but the arrival of Liangshan had also added a sense of responsibility to protect his home. He had fought fiercely in the past few days, and many Liangshan men had suffered at his hands. But behind this heroism, seeing the shifting situation, he often fought with bloodshot eyes, though his hands might have been trembling at times. Now, witnessing Ning Yi's carefully planned tactics, he frankly expressed his admiration.

"But in this situation, Brother Lei must have a backup plan, right?"

"Of course, I have to," Ning Yi said with a smile. "How's the prisoner release going?"

"Just like Brother Lei said, they've arranged people to specifically receive and deal with these things, so we're running all over the mountains and fields. But it doesn't seem to be causing them much trouble anymore. Should we just stop releasing them? Should we keep them as hostages?"

"There will still be trouble, it's just not so obvious, and we can't see it for the moment. We still have to continue releasing people, this is very important, and before they completely surround the manor, we have to release everyone. The more we disturb them and make them anxious, the harder they will fight, Zhu brother needs to be mentally prepared."

"Fighting for the manor is my family business," Zhu Biao nodded. The physician had finished bandaging him, and he sat there moving his injured arm, thinking. "Actually, it's the first time I've ever seen a situation where the plan is completely revealed, and the other side can't do anything about it. Brother Lei, is there really no way to solve it? What would you do if you were them?"

"There is, it's very simple."

"What?"

"The same as the other side, enforce strict military discipline, and then fight hard. If possible, send the released people somewhere else. But their reaction yesterday was a little late, and some people have already hidden. Plus, we will continue to release people, they can't send people away one by one or in batches, so they shouldn't do this in the first place, it’s impractical. But when problems arise, it will be too late...In fact, these people may not want to leave, after all, it is their first battle after coming out of the mountains, very important, who wants to be separated?"

Ning Yi thought for a while, then with a sigh, "Liangshan is just beginning to prepare to make a big splash, with inexhaustible energy. In this case, many things can be suppressed, any problem is not a problem when blood rushes to the head. I'm also targeting this...But if they really survive this battle and carry out another rectification, learning from the lessons, I'm afraid no one in the entire Shandong will be able to stop them."

Ning Yi's sigh did not resonate with Zhu Biao too much. He was looking up, thinking: "In this way, it seems like what those storytellers say, they have Wu Yong, and we have Lei Feng, Brother Lei, the two sides are fighting..."

The storytellers of this era naturally told stories of military advisors clashing, plotting against each other, and Zhu Biao, though not particularly intelligent, had certainly heard such tales. Ning Yi laughed: "You're exaggerating. They were indeed outmaneuvered, but for the time being, they won't take me seriously until the problem expands...Oh, then I'll have to ask the Third Young Master to help them suffer a hidden loss."

Hearing that he could make the Liangshan people suffer a hidden loss, Zhu Biao's eyes lit up: "Brother, you name it, I'll do anything."

The two talked for a while, Zhu Biao's expression first solemn, then in the afternoon sun, a cunning smile appeared...

The Zhu Family Manor continued to release people, even though the trouble it was causing the Liangshan side was no longer visible here. Within Liangshan, however, the effects of the released people were acutely felt.

Most of the prisoners released by the Zhu Family Manor were indeed gathered by the Liangshan military law officers, ready for centralized control, but a small portion still managed to quietly return to their teams through various channels. For many who considered themselves "smart," this first battle after Liangshan's expansion was crucial for their future advancement. If possible, they did not want to be stained by this kind of blemish, and those with connections tried their best to hide.

These people were only a small part and might not really do anything to harm Liangshan. At the same time, many troublesome and trivial situations were emerging.

First, a large portion of those who came to Liangshan for assembly were heroes of the Jianghu underworld. Not all could be called heroes, like Lin Chong and Lu Da. In fact, nearly half the Liangshan army were veterans of the underworld.

These underworld figures had some skill, and some might even be feared bullies or local boxing masters in certain areas. They were not necessarily tough guys. They would squat with their hands tied in the face of the Zhu Family's swords and spears, but they were unwilling to be humiliated back on the Liangshan side. I heard of the Liangshan assembly and came all the way to help, and you doubt me?

When the military law officers took too many precautions, these people would cause trouble on the spot. There were actually thoughts of guilt and weighing options. They knew they were suspected, and in this army full of "heroes," they could not simply swallow their anger if they wanted to rise through the ranks. A hero needed to have pride, even if they had a fight with someone, and then became kindred spirits, it was better than doing whatever others told them. Those who had roamed the Jianghu underworld had their own set of survival wisdom.

Second, Suo Chao's entire team was captured. As the prisoners were released one after another, some could not find a leader to prove their identity before the numbers were complete. The military law officers could only gather them together and guard them closely. And according to rumors, in response to this situation, the government villain named Lei Feng, nicknamed "Whirlwind Thunderbolt Hand," arranged for some Zhu Family Manor men to infiltrate them, assassinate the temporary military law officers, and escape.

Such a situation, for the Liangshan higher-ups who truly knew the full picture, did indeed receive intelligence that an incident had occurred. In an army of tens of thousands, it was not a big deal for someone to be assassinated and escape by a spy sent by the enemy. But at the bottom, it spread quickly, especially among the military law officers, making them even more wary of those who were released. Some became overly cautious, leading to several minor frictions.

Third, in the afternoon, someone set fire to a stack of dry grass near the military camp. When the smoke rose, it looked as if the military camp was under attack, and those who saw it from afar could not help but wonder for a while. And during the battle, someone took advantage of the chaos to kill a companion and run to the Zhu Family Manor with his head. The battlefield was too chaotic, and this matter had not been verified, but it was said that the man's family information was known to the court, and he had no choice but to do so. The news spread in a small range.

Each and every item, big and small friction, was not absent from previous military camps. After Wu Yong made the decision last night, the leaders also issued orders to the subordinates. For a time, everything was in a state of suppression, only whispered between acquaintances. Such things did not affect combat power, nor did they alarm the higher levels. For Wu Yong, what truly embarrassed him this day was the fact that Lin Chong and others had been ambushed, and the other side had used it against them.

After noon that day, Lin Chong and other leaders signaled Zhu Zhuang's people according to Wu Yong's plan. They gathered around, preparing to encircle them. However, the people did not arrive, and Luan Tingyu, Zhu Biao, and others took advantage of their concentration to bite the weak forces of "Red Haired Devil" Liu Tang nearby. Liu Tang was highly skilled in martial arts, and his subordinates were also brave and fierce, resisting for a long time. However, Luan Tingyu attacked fiercely, giving Liu Tang a stick before Lin Chong and others could rush over, hitting his shoulder with bloody flesh, and injuring him severely. It was hard to say what would happen later, but at least in this battle, it was difficult to fight with a knife again.

Everyone knew that this incident was caused by the military advisor Wu Yong's plan, although no one said it, Wu Yong also sincerely apologized to Liu Tang and others. But turning his head, it was really like being slapped in the face. After the matter spread, the generals' understanding of the government villain named Lei Feng deepened, as Zhu Biao said, it really felt like military advisors in operas disassembling each other's moves.

Of course, this was only a private saying. On the sixth day of the sixth month, the Liangshan offensive did not stop until late at night. After all, the battle was the real focus. Even if the other side's small conspiracies brought trouble to this side, if they could not really expand to the battlefield, they were ultimately meaningless.

That night, in the Zhu Family Manor and the Hu Family Manor, they talked about the new "military advisor," talked about his arrangements, and Wu Yong's embarrassment, which boosted the villagers' morale. And in the Liangshan military camp, friction was also expanding. The more than two hundred soldiers who were isolated had had multiple conflicts with others. People whispered about the situation, saying that a guy named Lei Feng had planned all this. That night, there were several small incidents that caused a commotion, and even someone was killed. A soldier tried to escape the military camp with a head, but was discovered, hysterically injured two people, and was finally surrounded.

"My wife, children, and old mother at home haven't had time to go up the mountain! My identity has been recognized by them! I can only do this!" After being surrounded, the soldier shouted, then turned the blade against himself: "My name is Geng An! My name is Geng An! You tell him that I have done the thing! You remember to tell him! My name is Geng An!"

Then the soldier named Geng An committed suicide in front of everyone.

A few hundred people were caught, some would be recognized, and some family members had not yet gone up the mountain, and some would take risks to do things, which was expected before.

This matter did not actually affect the combat power the next day. Wu Yong guarded the big tent steadily, supervising the battle in an orderly manner, no longer allowing himself to be distracted by anything. As long as they pushed straight through, all the other side's methods would turn into dust.

As for Lei Feng, the news about the other side's methods had spread throughout almost the entire Liangshan bottom on the seventh day of the sixth month, after all, everyone could see the situation. The discussions at the bottom did not amount to too much military instability. There were various small frictions, but it was not enough to change the entire battle situation. This news swelled rapidly, and even Wu Yong and others could not figure out why it swelled so quickly.

Of course, the battle was still the battle, and although there was a lot of discussion at the bottom right now, it was almost impossible to expand to the extent of affecting and reversing the entire Dulong Gang battle. Outside the battle, this matter became an interesting thing that all the generals could not help but pay attention to. They had never seen or heard of such a combat method. The other side seemed to have transparently transmitted all the moves, and everyone knew and saw it, but no one could stop the gradual deterioration of the situation.

If he was given a lot of time, maybe Liangshan would really suffer a big setback because of this. Everyone thought so, and naturally wanted to end the battle in a faster way.

However, the catalyst of enormous malice hidden under the transparent surface finally surfaced on the eighth day of the sixth month. Only on the seventh day, some people had already faintly noticed the clues. This person was not Wu Yong, but Xi Junyu, who was responsible for logistics in the army at this time. Unfortunately, what should and should not have been spread had been broadcast throughout the entire military camp. On the eighth day, the truly transparent conspiracy finally...revealed its hideous form.

Sometimes, you feel the malice, but you finally have no way to retreat...

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