Although the main world is still in the late Han Dynasty, its civilization is more prosperous due to its higher world level, and even its military books are much more advanced than those in the Water Margin world. Wang Xuan had spent a lot of time at home reading military books, and now he could finally put them into practice.
Over the next few days, Wang Xuan practiced martial arts, taught his disciples, and also took time to reorganize the Liangshan army.
Several hundred more people were added, bringing the total number of men in the stronghold to nearly two thousand. The original bandit model of small fry, minor leaders, and chiefs was clearly no longer suitable.
He first established the military system: ten men formed a squad, with one squad leader; fifty men formed a platoon, with one platoon leader and one deputy platoon leader; one hundred and fifty men formed a battalion, with one captain and one deputy captain; and five hundred men formed a battalion, with one captain and two deputy captains.
Reorganized according to this military system, the entire Liangshan was organized into two army battalions, one navy battalion, and an extra unit of men, which was used as scouts and reconnaissance soldiers.
Wang Xuan appointed Ruan Xiaoqi to the naval battalion, because Ruan Xiaoqi possessed stronger luck and better talent. As for his two older brothers, they became Ruan Xiaoqi's adjutants, becoming two deputy captains in the navy.
On the army front, Wang Xuan appointed Song Wan and Du Qian as deputy colonels, without formally appointing colonels; he himself assumed the position. This wasn't because he wanted to seize power, but simply because Du Qian and Song Wan were incompetent; entrusting a battalion to their command felt like a recipe for disaster.
Zhu Gui remained in charge of intelligence gathering, and the scouts and reconnaissance soldiers of that district were entrusted to him. As for Wang Lun, he could only reluctantly manage logistics; Wang Xuan would never allow him to control the troops.
After a reorganization, the entire Liangshan army underwent a complete transformation. Previously, they were merely bandits who roamed the mountains, but now they were a true army!
Liangshan's soldiers were well-trained and well-fed, and everything was thriving. But just then, Zhu Gui suddenly rushed over and said to Wang Xuan, "Master, a scout just brought an urgent report that something has happened in Yuncheng County!"
With an additional scout and reconnaissance soldier under his command, Zhu Gui could no longer remain holed up in the mountains. Instead, he hid around Liangshan Marsh to gather information about the activities of nearby prefectures and counties.
If the government intends to send troops to suppress them, they will immediately receive the news and make preparations as soon as possible.
Before the imperial army arrived to suppress them, trouble had already broken out in Yuncheng County. Wang Xuan immediately guessed the reason and a smile appeared on his lips.
Sure enough, Zhu Gui continued to report: "After our Liangshan army withdrew, Shi Wenbin, the magistrate of Yuncheng County, first appeased the people, but after a few days, he suddenly launched an attack and arrested Song Jiang, Zhu Tong, and Lei Heng on charges of colluding with our Liangshan!"
"Zhu Tong and Lei Heng, the two constables, were sentenced to immediate execution, to be carried out in two days. As for Song Gongming, his father sent gifts and pleaded for him, and in the end he was only convicted of misbehaving with bandits and exiled to Cangzhou."
"I never expected that Song Jiang would escape this calamity!" Wang Xuan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.
According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, colluding with bandits was already a crime, let alone helping bandits capture a county town. This would put one in the category of rebels and would definitely be a capital offense!
However, Song Jiang was ultimately only exiled to Cangzhou, which was undoubtedly too lenient a punishment.
It should be noted that Cangzhou is not some remote place, but a fertile land in Jiangnan, even more prosperous than their Yuncheng County.
Song Jiang wasn't being punished at all; he was clearly going there to enjoy himself!
"Is this also the effect of luck?" After a moment of inward grumbling, Wang Xuan quickly grasped the crux of the matter. Song Jiang's luck was outrageously powerful, capable of influencing the officialdom of the Song Dynasty!
Of course, those who could be affected by Song Jiang's luck were probably only low-ranking officials; otherwise, Song Jiang wouldn't have almost been beheaded for writing a rebellious poem.
"No, we must recruit Song Jiang as soon as possible. The fortune he can bring me is probably equivalent to that of thirty or forty Liangshan heroes, and he's one of the top-ranked ones!"
"Men! Our friend Song Gongming is currently imprisoned. How can we, as his friends, stand idly by? Tell the brothers to get their spirits up and we'll set out for Yuncheng County first thing tomorrow morning to rescue Clerk Song!" Wang Xuan said righteously.
Upon hearing this, the three Ruan brothers, Du Qian, Song Wan, Zhu Gui, Wang Lun, and others all wore strange smiles.
It seems that Song Jiang has already caught the attention of their chieftain; they won't rest until they bring him back to the stronghold.
As for whether they could capture Yuncheng County, they had no doubt whatsoever. The reorganized Liangshan army was much stronger than it had been a few days ago, and Yuncheng County had just been attacked by them not long ago; its defenses were dilapidated, and it offered little resistance.
This is where the benefits of reorganization become apparent. With a single command from Wang Xuan, everyone performed their duties, ate a hearty meal, and went to bed early.
Early the next morning, the two battalions of road troops landed under the escort of the navy and headed straight for Yuncheng County.
To conceal their identities, they also used the banner of the Song Dynasty's military forces, claiming that they were going to reinforce the suppression of bandits in Yuncheng County.
The county seat of Yuncheng was only twenty or thirty li away from Liangshan Marsh. By the time the sun was high overhead, they had already arrived outside the county seat.
Although they disguised themselves as soldiers of the Song Dynasty, they lacked the armor and robes of the government troops, which revealed their weakness, and they were eventually exposed.
At this time, the city gates were tightly closed, and a few scattered soldiers were hiding on the city walls, preparing to hold out and await reinforcements.
Seeing the preparations in the city, Wang Xuan's apprentices frowned. Although their numbers were more than twice that of the city's soldiers, in siege warfare, the attacking side always suffered losses.
To take this county town, we'll probably have to sacrifice hundreds of lives!
"Master, let me go forward and challenge them!" Ruan Xiaoqi had been learning martial arts from Wang Xuan for a few days, and now she could fight ten people at once, even on land. Naturally, she couldn't wait to show off.
He walked to the front of the formation and shouted at the city gate, "You bunch of cowards, all you know how to do is cower inside the city! Not a single one of you is a hero! Who dares to come out and fight your grandpa!"
Ruan Xiaoqi cursed for the duration of a cup of tea, until her throat was dry, but no one came out. Only then did she retreat dejectedly.
"Master, those birds in the city are so afraid of my unparalleled martial arts that not one of them dares to utter a sound!" Even so, Ruan Xiaoqi didn't feel ashamed and shamelessly boasted to Wang Xuan.
"Get lost!" Wang Xuan ignored this idiot and punched him to the ground.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Forced to Join the Liangshan Rebels
Although the soldiers of Yuncheng County were not very strong, they defended the city and could hold off several thousand troops for a while.
Fortunately, Wang Xuan had made preparations in advance. He had deliberately plotted against Song Jiang and others and had long planned to launch a second attack on Yuncheng County.
"Where are Du Qian and Song Wan?" Wang Xuan shouted.
"Disciples are here!" Du Qian and Song Wan hurriedly stepped forward to reply.
“When we attacked Yuncheng County last time, we deliberately destroyed a section of the city wall. In just a few days, the government has been busy appeasing the people and probably hasn’t had time to repair it. So you can attack through that gap.”
The group accepted the order and left.
Soon, Wang Xuan's guess was confirmed; there was indeed a small gap in the city wall of Yuncheng County.
The Liangshan army stormed through the breach, and the few hundred county militiamen of the government were powerless to resist, suffering a crushing defeat and allowing the army to enter the city.
Wang Xuan led his gang of henchmen straight towards the county government office. Wherever they went, his men shouted in unison, "Down with the dog magistrate! Rescue Song Jiang! Down with the dog magistrate! Rescue Song Jiang!"
Without a doubt, the slogans they shouted were all at Wang Xuan's behest, with the aim of firmly pinning the blame on Song Jiang.
In the original story, didn't Song Jiang collude with Wu Yong, using all sorts of disgusting methods to force heroes to Liangshan?
Now, karma is catching up with you, and retribution is inevitable. It's Song Jiang's turn to suffer, and he's been forced to join the Liangshan bandits.
As the Liangshan army approached the county government office, the resounding slogans grew ever closer.
Upon hearing this voice, Song Jiang, who was imprisoned in the county jail, froze for a moment, then turned pale and cried out, "Thieves dare to frame me! With their commotion, I can't even go to Cangzhou. I'll definitely be labeled a traitor and have no choice but to become an outlaw with them!"
"Song, what did you just say?" A voice suddenly asked in Song Jiang's ear, which startled him. He looked closely and saw that it was a young jailer of about twenty years old who had come up to him at some point.
Song Jiang wiped away a tear without making a sound and asked, "Who are you? I, Song, have been working in the county government for so many years and have seen most of the jailers, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone like you."
"Sir Song is indeed extraordinary. Even while imprisoned, he remains so calm and composed." The young jailer praised Song Jiang and said, "I am a secret agent sent by Liangshan Marsh, specifically tasked with rescuing Sir Song!"
"Those damned Liangshan bandits again!" Song Jiang gritted his teeth in hatred, but he couldn't show it. What if he revealed his hostility and provoked the bandits' ferocity, causing them to attack him directly?
Left with no other choice, Song Jiang had to flatter him.
The spy sent by Liangshan had somehow obtained the key to the prison cell and opened the cell door, releasing Song Jiang, Zhu Tong, and Lei Heng.
Zhu Tong and Lei Heng were overjoyed at the arrival of the Liangshan army. Unlike Song Jiang, who enjoyed incredible luck, they had also colluded with bandits, yet Song Jiang was only sentenced to exile in Cangzhou, while they were sentenced to immediate execution!
Although they didn't want to become bandits, at least they could save their lives and avoid becoming victims of the knife.
"Song, let's go meet the Liangshan army together!" Zhu Tong called out to Song Jiang.
Song Jiang, his face expressionless, said in a serious tone, "Alright, let's go to Liangshan together."
The three of them each grabbed a knife and fought their way out of the county jail.
When they came out, the Liangshan army had already captured the county government office, and the county magistrate, Shi Wenbin, had disappeared.
Wang Xuan spotted Song Jiang and his men from afar, and walked up to them with a big laugh, saying, "Sir Song, how have you been? I heard you were in prison, so I went to great lengths to come and rescue you."
It is this man who has caused me, Song Jiang, to fall to this state! Looking at Wang Xuan's smiling face, Song Jiang almost couldn't help but erupt in anger.
Song Jiang was originally a clerk in Yuncheng County, and he was deeply trusted by the county magistrate. In the future, he would not be without the opportunity to be promoted from a clerk to an official!
Song Jiang was a careerist. Even when he became an outlaw in the original story, he still killed officials and committed arson before accepting amnesty. He gambled with his brothers' futures and lives, all for the sake of a high-ranking official position and a generous salary.
However, his official career was ruined by this damned bandit, which can be described as a deep-seated hatred.
But Song Jiang was, after all, a thick-skinned and ruthless man. Now that he was under someone else's roof, he had no choice but to bow his head. Seeing his grateful expression, he choked up as he looked at Wang Xuan and said, "Thank you so much, Young Master Wang, for coming to my rescue. Song Jiang will never forget this kindness!"
I don't think he'll forget this grudge! Wang Xuan sneered inwardly. Although Song Jiang was thick-skinned and ruthless, he wasn't quite at the level to win an Oscar. Wang Xuan could guess some of his thoughts from his intense emotional fluctuations.
However, Wang Xuan didn't care, because Song Jiang's luck was too strong. Influenced by his luck, Wang Xuan simply couldn't make him willingly submit.
Since that's the case, let's just treat him like a sheep to be sheared and use all sorts of means to harvest some of his luck.
"Song Jiang, would you like to join our Liangshan?" Wang Xuan asked, staring intently at Song Jiang.
Song Jiang almost blurted out "I don't want to," but he swallowed the words back down. He had already sensed a hint of murderous intent in the other party's tone, and if his answer didn't satisfy them, his fate would likely be dire.
"Thank you for your kindness, Chief Wang. I am willing to join Liangshan and serve you faithfully!" With that, Song Jiang bowed to Wang Xuan.
Wang Xuan had long ago summoned the light screen of the Eternal Tower of Heaven and Earth, which was visible only to him, and the number representing his luck value on it jumped up and down instantly.
By simply joining Liangshan and becoming Wang Xuan's subordinate, Wang Xuan gained 200 points of luck, a reward that was outrageously generous!
"With Brother Song Jiang joining us, Liangshan is like a tiger with wings!" Wang Xuan laughed and patted Song Jiang on the shoulder, looking like he was taking care of his younger brother.
Now that they had rescued Song Jiang and the others, there was no need to stay in Yuncheng County any longer. Their two attacks on Yuncheng County must have alerted the Song Dynasty court, and the army surrounding them might already be on its way.
With Wang Xuan's order, the Liangshan army quickly withdrew from Yuncheng County and headed towards the Liangshan Eight Hundred Li Marsh.
When the army was halfway there, an unexpected event occurred. Wang Xuan suddenly sensed a dangerous aura, a martial artist's instinctive intuition.
He instinctively dodged to the side and saw a crossbow bolt as thick as a baby's arm shoot out of the roadside woods with lightning speed and land where Wang Xuan had just been standing.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Ambush Encountered Halfway
A crossbow bolt as thick as a baby's arm shot out from the roadside woods and landed right where Wang Xuan had just been standing. The arrowhead was half a foot deep into the ground, and the shaft was still trembling.
"This is a ballista, also known as a five-ox crossbow. It requires five oxen to draw it. Even in the Song Dynasty army, it was one of the most powerful weapons!" Wang Xuan looked at the crossbow bolt, his face terribly gloomy.
Although he wore the Heavenly Silkworm Robe, making him invulnerable to swords and spears, he did not usually cover his head with the hood that came with the inner lining of the robe.
In other words, his head was Wang Xuan's weak point, and that crossbow bolt had just been aimed at his head!
If Wang Xuan hadn't dodged in time, that arrow would have been enough to kill him!
"Enemy attack!" Before Wang Xuan could think further, a chorus of exclamations erupted around him.
Only two or three breaths after the crossbow bolt was fired, another shout came from the woods, followed by a deluge of arrows.
The Liangshan army had not been reorganized for long. They were fine in direct combat, but when they were suddenly attacked, they instantly fell into chaos.
"How dare you ambush me here? Do you really think your grandpa can't lift a knife?!" Wang Xuan reached out and pulled at the collar of the Heavenly Silkworm Robe, pulling out a thin hood that covered his head.