Light illuminated the dark night. A simple wooden platform was being built in the mountains to the west. The torches of the search team were extending to the side. The soldiers trotted past the camp. In the small square in the center of the camp, Song Jiang, whose hands and feet were tied, lay on his side on the ground. He and the other prisoners looked at the scholar who was sitting at the wooden table not far away. He crossed his hands and made his final speech before the wooden platform was completely built.
"Actually, this is how the whole thing started," he said. He said, "You will feel puzzled, you will feel strange about how your actions were guessed, not because you think too little, but because you think too much."
"After Liangshan was breached, you made a brave decision. About 4,000 people escaped and made my previous arrangements go back to zero. It was the right move. After that, you made a lot of moves, burned the village, escaped into the mountains, and dragged 10,000 to 20,000 people in circles. When you realized that burning the village was not enough, you took Fengping County and intimidated Rao Ping. Then, you came back and used the situation in Yunzhou to spread rumors and make everyone follow you … Ah, Zhu Wu, it seems that only you are interested in what I have to say … "
"You've done very well. Every step you've taken is admirable." Standing by the wooden table, Ning Yi's gaze swept across the crowd. He spoke calmly and slightly faster. At this time, he nodded at Zhu Wu and confirmed, "You were able to use the situation here to do so many things. Just the fact that more than 3,000 people ran around in the mountains for nearly a month without being caught is already very impressive. Moreover, you began to enforce military discipline and suppressed the role of spies to the greatest extent. You suppressed it until the end. To be honest, no matter which step you took in the use of tactics, I did not catch you … Oh … "
Zhu Wu raised his head in the cage, his eyes filled with the deepest doubt. A soldier next to Ning Yi came over to report the situation. After listening, Ning Yi nodded and picked up the cup on the table.
"He said that the people in the mountains are a little violent. Ignore them and return to the topic that you are interested in, Zhu Wu … And Brother Song Gongming, perhaps you also want to know. I didn't capture you. Although in all fairness, I hoped that they could surround you earlier and stop you from doing so many things, but I have to admit that the situation hasn't reached that stage yet. I … from the beginning to the end, I was only sure of one thing. From the moment you left Liangshan, I was sure. "
"You wanted to kill me!" The voice echoed in the small square. Ning Yi nodded. "You must kill me! I was already sure of this when you left Liangshan, but you seemed to have confirmed it a little too late. The whole thing was that simple. "
The words spread with the wind. Ning Yi lowered his head and drank the water, maintaining the silence. After a while, he put down the cup and shook his head.
"There are many ways to move forward … Most of the time, everyone thinks so. When you left Liangshan, it was not that you didn't think about killing me. You can go and join Tian Hu. Although it's a bit far and you won't be as familiar with the terrain after you leave Yunzhou, it's not impossible. You can keep wandering until the Wu Ruiying is not in the mood to catch you because they already have the credit of wiping out fifty thousand people in Liangshan. You can keep burning, killing, and looting villages, forcing the officials in Yunzhou or some other place to be willing to recruit you. You can also kill me, but it seems to be quite troublesome. It seems to be only one of the options … But I'm only sure of the last one. No matter how many paths there are in front of you, you can only come to this place in the end … "
"You attacked Jiangning and returned in low spirits after a small setback. I made you suffer at the Canal. After a few years of operation, you were like the sun in the sky. I defeated you at Dulonggang. I made you fight among yourselves because of the geographical advantage of Liangshan. I was the one who ran around and threatened the surrounding officials to never allow you to surrender! I was the one who urged the Wu Ruiying to never allow them to retreat! If you had a way to go, I would seal it. If you burned the villages, I would use the remaining people to fill the hole in Dulonggang. When you stumbled with every step you took, you would see me more clearly. Unfortunately, by then, it would be too late … "
"You thought you suddenly came to your senses? You thought … you suddenly found the key among the numerous and complicated clues? You thought you finally made up your mind and cut off all means of retreat? You thought that after you made up your mind, you used your tactics to trick the officials and then decisively killed them? You thought too much these days. Even you were deceived and confused about the order … "
"You finally made up your mind on the fifth and sixth day of the New Year. On the 23rd and 24th day of the New Year, we had already talked to the Wu Ruiying. If we didn't catch you, I only needed to guard against this last step. I didn't have much experience in tactics, so I could only see this step. I told them, and then … I got their understanding … "
The voice paused for a moment, "After you muddied the waters, I couldn't catch up to all your movements. I'm not a prophet, and I didn't get the news of your movements from any spy. You were already prepared, so there must be mistakes in the information. It's inevitable that the information is wrong. After Liangshan, the responsibility of all the spies has been fulfilled. I made them all silent. Even if they took the initiative to spread the news, I chose to doubt them … Yan Qing left a note in Feng Ping. I haven't opened it until now. But the more intense your movements are, the clearer it is to tell me what you want to do … The direction of the general trend is getting narrower and narrower. Apart from that, what else can you do? The Wu Ruiying is a little slow because of the various rules and regulations, but they have prepared for a month. It shouldn't be a problem for them to carry out an ambush … "
The soldier came again and reported the news. Ning Yi nodded again.
"Of course, you can choose not to fight, but if that's the case, I guarantee that the external pressure will make your entire team unable to hold on for another half a month or a month at most. At that time, the mountains and wilderness of Yunzhou won't be a place where you can run as you please. It doesn't matter when the decisive battle is held … "He smiled and lowered his voice," Alright, I've said almost everything that needs to be said. Everyone, let's go over. The 2,000 people inside are probably getting impatient. Come, Song Jiang, let's go together … "
The soldiers surrounded him. Someone untied the rope around Song Jiang's feet and helped him up. Song Jiang struggled and said, "What are you doing …" However, the soldiers pulled up the heroes they had captured this time one by one. Zhu Wu, Wu Song, Dai Zong, Xi Junyu, Chai Jin, Zhang Qing … and so on were pushed forward one by one. Wu Song struggled with all his might and kicked a soldier away. With a bang, blood bloomed on his chest. Almost at the same time that Ning Yi fired, a soldier next to him slashed at him with a knife and was immediately shocked. Ning Yi put down the gun and watched Wu Song's body fall. Then, he smiled and nodded at the soldier. "Well done."
He patted Song Jiang on the shoulder. "Although it's the first time we've met, I like you. There's no need to ask anymore. Let's go."
The group walked out. Song Jiang stumbled, clearly trembling a little. Then, he gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. "There are still 2,000 people. They are all the most powerful brothers of Liangshan …"
"Huh?" Ning Yi, who was walking beside him, looked at him kindly. "You can't force me like this.
When people are forced to a dead end, they will fight with their lives on the line. I … I can surrender and accept amnesty. You don't have to lose so many people. You … let go of my brothers. You don't have to kill them all. I, Song Jiang … You can kill me if you want in the future … "
"Righteous. What a brother." Ning Yi nodded with a smile and listened carefully. They passed through the formation of soldiers and could already see a small wooden platform in the distance. Ning Yi did not answer him. He thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Actually, I can understand you. I understand what you're doing."
"Uh …" Song Jiang was stunned, but Ning Yi patted him on the shoulder and urged him to leave quickly. His voice was not loud, like two good friends whispering side by side.
"No one is born to be a bandit. Sometimes, fate is destiny, and we can't stop it. It's just like a tiger lying in the wilderness, hiding its claws and teeth to endure. Look, I like your words very much. Fate is bad, and you can only go up the mountain to be a bandit. There are many like this. For example … Lin Chong, he was framed by Gao Qiu. His wife was insulted by the scum in the Gao Yamen and died. He was assassinated and sent to the army. He was framed by his superiors and assassinated by villains. In the end, he had to go up the mountain.
He has suffered all the humiliation a man can endure. "As he spoke, he walked away. Ning Yi shook his head and sighed." He can't seek revenge. What can a coach do? He has tattooed on his face. When he enters the capital, he can't kill Gao Qiu even if he assassinates him. To say the least, even if he is lucky enough to kill Gao Qiu, he definitely won't be able to leave. Some people make sarcastic remarks and accuse him of not having the heart to fight. I don't think so. It's easy to say that … It's simply immoral to use this standard to demand others. So I understand him very much. Don't you think so … Look, your brothers and friends … "
At this time, the group had walked near the wooden platform. In the valley in the distance, they could see the besieged figures of the people of Liangshan. They were also looking at them, and then it caused a small commotion. The leaders and soldiers of Liangshan were indignant.
Song Jiang was taken to the wooden platform. Under the light of the fire, the people in the col could see more clearly. Xi Junyu stood next to him, and the others lined up under the platform. At first, the soldiers wanted them to kneel. Some knelt, and some struggled. Ning Yi waved his hand below and said, "Don't bother. If you want to kneel, kneel. If you want to stand, stand. It doesn't matter."
The wind blew the torches. The light flickered, and the sound whistled. The soldiers on both sides faced each other at a distance of hundreds of meters. In the col over there, there were many figures. Wu Yong, Li Kui, Song Qing, Hua Rong, Sun Erniang, Song Wan … Li Kui shouted and almost rushed over, but he didn't act impulsively. Ning Yi looked at both sides. After making sure that he could see the faces on both sides clearly, he returned. Song Jiang had been looking at him the whole time. He also walked to Song Jiang's side.
"Actually, I understand you. For example … enforcing justice on behalf of the heavens. Of course, there has to be a slogan for a rebellion! Why can't there be one? If it were me, I would have one too. I must shout it loudly! Also, look at Xi Junyu … It's very simple. His younger brother has caused trouble outside, or he's not a good person. Of course, the boss has to take responsibility. If he wants to go up the mountain, of course, it's to kill, set fire, and do bad things. If he's too good, the government won't force him up here. Sometimes, if the younger brother has done something wrong, it's fine to apologize. It's the pugilistic world. It's inevitable to accidentally injure others when fighting and killing … "
The night was silent, and only the sound of the wind could be heard. The people on both sides watched as Ning Yi and Song Jiang talked like good friends on the wooden platform. They even occasionally pointed at Xi Junyu, but they didn't say a word to the people on either side or the other. They didn't know what was going to happen. Even Song Jiang felt a little strange at this moment. He hoped that Ning Yi would talk to him about enlistment or surrender, but the other party was long-winded. Only strange and cold emotions accumulated in his heart.
"There's also Qin Ming, Xu Ning, and the others. Such powerful people. Of course, it's better to use them than to kill them. If it were me, I would most likely want to force them to rebel. Since I had nowhere else to go, I went up the mountain. The more powerful Liangshan was, the more I could save my life, right? If it's too big in the future, I'll talk to the government about enlistment and become an official. Really, that's the only thing I can do. "Look, I understand you. I really understand you."
Ning Yi looked at him with a smile and repeated this sentence. When Song Jiang nodded subconsciously a moment later, Ning Yi thought of something. "Well … back to the apology. Although this matter was started by your younger brother, more than a hundred people from the Su family died. For example, some children were only this tall. I saw … they were cut in half. It's not their fault. I'm sure it's not their fault. Since you did something wrong, can you apologize? Such a small child … what do you think? I really hope that you can apologize to them. Just say you're sorry … "
Song Jiang looked at Ning Yi, and Ning Yi also looked at Song Jiang. His gaze was gentle but persistent. He smiled and felt a little sad. Song Jiang gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry." His voice seemed to have been squeezed out from between his teeth. After he said it, he probably felt that his voice was too soft and wanted to say it again loudly. However, Ning Yi had already nodded and reached out to touch the top of his head and the back of his head. "It's okay, it's okay. They're already in the sky now. They should be able to hear you no matter how loud you speak. It's okay … "
Song Jiang was in his forties. Although he wasn't the burliest on Liangshan, he was still a man like an iron tower. However, when Ning Yi touched his head, it was as if he was touching a child. There was still blood at the back of his head, but Ning Yi didn't care at all. After saying this, he raised the fingers of his right hand and waved it. He walked to the side with a little excitement.
"I've said it before, I understand you guys. Just like … Lin Chong, just like the one I just killed. It's Wu Song, right? He's Wu Song, right? He killed a tiger with his bare hands. If I heard that there was such a powerful person, I would have to say that he's a good man. "You guys drink big bowls of wine and eat big pieces of meat. How happy is that? It sounds yearning. If it were to be written in a book, it would definitely be very popular. "Over there, the Resourceful Star, Wu Yong, sounds very powerful. "Your brother, Li Kui, can kill whoever he wants. How great is that? "Let's not talk about Li Kui, let's talk about Lu Zhishen. People say that he has great wisdom. Look, he has great wisdom and can always be carefree and happy. Everyone will yearn for it. The common people like such good men because they also want to live so freely …"
"What are you doing …" As Ning Yi chattered on, Song Jiang finally interrupted him again. As Ning Yi spoke, he picked through the box beside him and took out a sharp, shiny boning steel knife. It looked like it was used to butcher pigs. When Song Jiang asked this question, Ning Yi stopped shaking the knife in his hand and glanced at the steel knife.
"Oh, this … knife, of course it's a knife. Where was I just now? Uh … freedom, living freely. Everyone yearns for it, but, but what if you kill your way into our house … "Ning Yi held the knife by his side, shook his head, and walked over. He looked at Song Jiang, then paused, looked down at the knife in his hand, and touched the tip of the knife with his hand." You guys … will kill your way into our house. It's not just a story. You guys will kill your way over and kill everyone in our family. What should I do at this time? "
Ning Yi stood there. "Do you think I can understand you if you keep saying that you have your difficulties? Wu Song, I also want to be as powerful as killing a tiger. Lin Chong, I'm also filled with righteous indignation for him. I'm really indignant. Lu Zhishen, everyone wants to be like him, free and unfettered, with great wisdom. Although he doesn't do good deeds and doesn't kill people and set fires, maybe one day he will be enlightened and become a Buddha. However, before he becomes a Buddha, he will protect you guys. What about the people who are killed by him? What if he kills me before he becomes a Buddha? Such a Buddha? Why should I come here!? I also want to be like you guys, drink big bowls of wine and eat big pieces of meat. Everyone wants it, but what if the wine you guys drink is mine? Look, you guys came to my house and killed people … "
Ning Yi looked at him with a sincere gaze, and the blade in his hand turned. "So, can you understand what I'm saying?"
Song Jiang's teeth trembled. He wanted to say something, but the expression on his face changed rapidly. The wind blew over, and the blade in Ning Yi's hand turned upwards and stopped. His gaze stopped at that moment.
"Thank you for understanding."
As soon as his calm voice fell, Ning Yi took a step forward and stabbed the knife into Song Jiang's stomach. Then, he grabbed the hilt of the knife and suddenly pulled it up. Under everyone's gaze, blood sprayed into the sky amidst the flames.
There seemed to be a wave of shouting in the air. Right beside Song Jiang, Xi Junyu, who had heard the whole process, screamed and suddenly retreated. His urine had already leaked out of his pants. Ning Yi shook his head, ignoring the blood that splashed on his body. He glanced at Xi Junyu, handed the steel knife in his hand to his companion next to him, and slashed at Xi Junyu's body. This was his final punishment for Xi Junyu. Then, in the midst of the huge commotion, Ning Yi turned around. In the flickering flames, he raised a hand.
"Kill —"
The loud roar that was emitted by the Qi of Breaking the Six Paths spread in all directions. On one side of the wooden platform, the soldiers in a row raised their steel knives and slashed at the row of Liangshan heroes who were being held in front of the formation. Zhu Wu, Dai Zong, Chai Jin, Zhang Qing … Rows of blood burst out and gushed out. Killing intent surged, and flames tore through the night sky. Song Jiang's entire body was cut open. He knelt down and fell. Blood flowed on the wooden platform and spread under Ning Yi's feet …
After the rain of arrows, the soldiers began to charge together. The real massacre of the night had begun …
*****
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