Chapter 1, Sharpening the Sword (1)

Note 2: Shi Chonggui, the adopted son of Shi Jingtang. After ascending to the throne, he felt deep shame for Shi Jingtang's act of recognizing the usurper as his father and refused to continue the reign of the Sun Emperor. As a result, he angered the Khitan ruler Yelü Deguang, who led a large army to invade. Shi Chonggui rose to resist and repeatedly defeated the Khitan forces. However, unexpectedly, his uncle Du Chongwei led his troops to defect in the midst of battle, ultimately leading to the fall of Bianliang and the destruction of the country and family.

Then the head was pickled in lime and sent to a certain place to exchange for money

As a result, he actually obtained a cart full of silk cloth and copper coins

Alas! Upon hearing this, everyone let out a prolonged sigh.

Ning Caichen felt a tickle in his neck when asked, and quickly stepped back to avoid it. "Alright, alright, you continue to pinch, I won't say anything, will that do? Anyway, if the Buddha gets angry, it won't be directed at me!"

However, adhering to the principle of taking advantage of opportunities, several outlaws who have consistently opposed the Khitan people, following the contact methods circulated in the martial world, casually severed the heads of the Khitan individuals they had killed and proceeded to trade them in the legendary manner

The ones residing in the temple are not monks, but a group of bandits

The fact that not a single hero dares to confront the Khitan troops head-on in the Central Plains has caused many brave men of the green forest to shake their heads and sigh. They increasingly feel that the prospects of continuing the resistance are becoming more and more bleak

Suddenly, at that moment, several beams of light flashed outside the window. Immediately afterward, a rumble of thunder rolled overhead, causing the roof of the Great Hero Hall to tremble and dust to fall.

Just when everyone thought they were truly facing divine retribution and were closing their eyes, waiting for death, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and an iron axe flew through the air. It struck the rolling thunder like a hammer, sending it flying several feet away. With a loud crash, it smashed into the belly of the Buddha statue, causing it to explode in a cloud of green smoke.

Which reckless fool is this? Do you want to kill me? Li Tieguai, the fifth master, with disheveled hair, swiftly turned his iron staff towards the door. The axe just now nearly grazed his scalp; if it had been half an inch lower, it would have taken his life directly

The army of the Great Khitan State, consisting of one hundred thousand elite troops and book soldiers, marched from the banks of the Hutu River all the way to the capital of the Jin State, Bianliang, suffering losses of just over three thousand men. However, after being stationed in Bianliang and Daming for less than three months, nearly five thousand brave warriors went out to forage for grass and "never returned".

Once upon a time, there was a mountain

Zhao Yanshou is indeed not a Khitan general under Yelü Deguang; he becomes disoriented as soon as he leaves the official road. This individual once served as the military governor of Xuzhou under Emperor Mingzong of Tang, Li Cunxu, and is well-acquainted with the mountains and roads of the Central Plains. He has always been adept at winning people's hearts, and he commands numerous ruffians and thieves. Having led his troops on campaign for more than half a month, he has already scoured the area surrounding Bianliang. The others are huddled in the mountains, refraining from action; however, once they do strike, it is inevitable that they will be tracked down by Zhao Yanshou's hunting dogs.

If I don't crush it, am I supposed to throw it around your neck?" Before he could finish his sentence, Li Tieguai suddenly roared and interrupted.

The reason is simple. Just after changing the name of Khitan to Liao, the emperor Yelü Deguang, who vowed to rule over all under heaven, suddenly realized that the Khitan Eight Tribes he had brought were diminishing at an unprecedented rate. If this continued, not to mention becoming the lord of the entire Nine Provinces, he might even struggle to return alive to the borders! In a moment of desperation, he reinstated the Yan King Zhao Yanshou, who had previously rendered meritorious service in guiding the way, and appointed him as the Grand Chancellor and Chief of the Secret Police, commanding his troops to quell the rebellion.

Note 4: Liu Zhiyuan, Gao Xingzhou, and Fu Yanqing were three renowned warlords during the Later Jin period. During the Khitan invasions, they all expressed their loyalty to Yelü Deguang.

Ah! Even the boldest among Xu Yuanju and others were terrified by this bizarre sight, their souls nearly escaping their bodies. The black hair on their heads stood up one by one, resembling flames, swaying towards the rolling thunder.

In the end, his pent-up resentment suddenly transformed into a long sigh. Like tangible mist, it lingered between the beams and columns, refusing to dissipate for a long time

"Uncle Wu, it's me, Xiao Fei!" A voice full of goodwill came from the doorway, showing no sign of being affected by Xu Yuanju's "biting the hand that feeds you"

Note 3: Huangfu Yu, a fierce general of the Later Jin, was captured and forced to surrender to the Khitan by his commander Du Chongwei. The Khitan ruler Yelü Deguang admired his bravery and wanted to order him to lead the charge against Bianliang. Huangfu Yu, feeling unworthy of such a position, chose to starve himself to death

One cannot speak of difficulties in the household; if even those few cannot endure, the subordinates will be even more desperate. There is no need for Zhao Yanshou to send troops to suppress; the group will inevitably descend into chaos on their own.

Secondly, a few days ago, the leader Wu Ruofu took a batch of pickled Khitan dog heads to settle accounts with the previous owner, and he has yet to return. If he does not come back, a substantial reward will remain unfulfilled. Moreover, it is also difficult for everyone to make a final decision regarding the fate of the entire stronghold

Cut off the heads of the Khitan people who are mowing the grass in the fields

What exactly is he after

If you ask me, everyone should just know when to stop! How can one fight against the heavens?" In the Baima Temple of Wagang Mountain, the third master Xu Yuanju suggested with a furrowed brow

"I threw the axe to save you! Don't worry, I have precision!" A person opened their mouth, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "What was that strange thing just now? Why is it floating above your heads and not moving at all? Oh no! The Buddha is on fire, quick, put it out, put it out. If we wait any longer, we won't have a place to stay today!"

"Damn it, if you have the guts, strike me on the head!" Fifth Master Li Tieguai propped himself up with his iron staff and leaped into the air. His face, lined with wrinkles, appeared particularly fierce. "I am standing right here; if you can't kill me, be careful that I won't stab a hole in you!"

However, as the third leader Xu Yuanju stated, it is not so easy to disperse with the money earned at the cost of one's life. Firstly, in the stronghold, besides a few leaders, there are also over a hundred sub-leaders and lackeys. Such a large group of people cannot simply vanish like dew under the bright sunlight.

"Alright, Lao Wu, you might as well save your breath and not speak prophecies! Who told you to keep killing in front of the Buddha just now?" Second-in-command Ning Caichen quickly stood up, running to close the windows around while joking to lighten the mood.

Meanwhile, fifty thousand bolts of silk or an equivalent amount of copper coins quietly flowed into the populace from several unknown sources. This spontaneously rising flame of resistance was quietly fueled with several ladles of fierce oil, causing the blaze to grow ever higher.

The emperor of the Great Jin State has already been captured by the Khitan people; the chancellor, along with the officials, has surrendered; the military governors, each commanding tens of thousands of troops, are bowing their heads in submission to the Khitan Emperor Yelü Deguang. The Confucian scholars, based on the theory of the Five Virtues and the cycle of reincarnation, have already calculated that the Khitan people are destined to rule the world; there are also many learned individuals who cite classical texts to argue that the Yelü family is the legitimate descendant of the Liu clan, having lost their country for over seven hundred years, and now they are destined to return to power. How could there be anyone who stubbornly refuses to believe in this and insists on going against the will of heaven? The Confucian scholars, based on the theory of the Five Virtues and the cycle of reincarnation, have already calculated that the Khitan people are destined to rule the world; there are also many learned individuals who cite classical texts to argue that the Yelü family is the legitimate descendant of the Liu clan, having lost their country for over seven hundred years, and now they are destined to return to power. How could there be anyone who stubbornly refuses to believe in this and insists on going against the will of heaven?

"I am not afraid at all; I will chop this gilded rotten wood to use as firewood!" San Dangjia Xu Yuanju, however, did not understand Ning Caichen's good intentions in the slightest. Leaning against a pillar, he stood up, his half-section iron spine snake spear pointing towards the face of the Buddha statue. "You are nothing but a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong! I will put it this way: if you have the guts, go chop that Zhao Yanshou, who acts as a lackey for the tiger, and I will immediately help you reshape your golden body. From then on, you can convert to Buddhism and spend your life eating vegetarian and reciting scriptures..."

The robbers do not steal money or goods; they only behead.

There is a temple in the mountains

"Old Five, it would be better if you refrain from making a mess of blood before the Buddha!" The second-in-command, Ning Caichen, was a refined man with a fair complexion and well-defined features. His demeanor and manner of speaking were not as coarse and unsightly as those of Xu Yuan and Li Tieguai. "We may have killed people outside, but at least when we return here, we should avoid leaving blood everywhere..."

So it was him! No wonder he looks so dazed! The crowd chuckled bitterly and turned their heads, catching sight of a shadow resembling an iron tower through the chaotic electric light. One hand held a shield, while the other wielded a short axe, and another axe was strapped to his back, blocking the torrential wind and rain outside the door

Du Chongwei is the uncle by marriage of Shi Chonggui, the last ruler of the Later Jin dynasty. He held the military power of the nation yet did not fire a single arrow, instead surrendering to the Khitan, which led to the downfall of the Central Plains and the suffering of the people. Zhao Yanshou, on the other hand, is an unambiguous servant of the three surnames, who has consistently sought to be the vanguard every time the Khitan invaded the south over the years. Currently, one of these two holds the title of Grand Tutor, while the other is conferred the title of King of Yan, enjoying unparalleled glory. In stark contrast, Huangfu Yu, the commander of the Longwu Army who refused to surrender to the bandits, met a tragic end after starving himself to death, his body left to rot in the wilderness by the Khitan. Comparing the fates of these two sides, who still dares to claim that the Buddha is benevolent and that Heaven has eyes?

Li Tieguai, however, was unyielding, glaring with his eyes, and continued to growl in a low voice: "What does the Buddha understand! If the Buddha were truly enlightened, he would have struck down Du Chongwei and Zhao Yanshou with thunder long ago! As a result, these two bastards enjoy all the wealth and glory, while General Huangfu is left in vain, alas!"

Thus, the trend of beheading the Khitan people instantly became uncontrollable

He has a kind and gentle appearance, yet there is a tattoo of a scorpion on the right side of his face, extending from the corner of his mouth to his eyebrow. As he speaks, the head and tail of the scorpion seem to jump erratically, as if ready to pounce at any moment and inject venom into the throat of the person opposite him

Alas! Even figures like Liu Zhiyuan, Gao Xingzhou, and Fu Yanqing have surrendered! This mandate of heaven, I fear, is truly about to fall upon the various Hu clans again

Crack! Before the sound faded, another flash of lightning illuminated the face of the Buddha, which was shrouded in smoke and fire, surrounded by a golden glow. The torrential rain, driven by the fierce wind, pushed open several tightly fastened windows on the west side of the Great Hero Hall, washing the gold-brick floor within a few feet of the windows until it shone brightly. Following that, a ghostly blue rolling thunder drifted in, slowly rotating in mid-air around the foreheads of several leaders of the green forest within the hall.

The head of each Khitan warrior is valued at ten bolts of silk or fifteen thousand Tianfu yuanbao, with each bolt of silk equivalent to three shi of rice. Only the heads are recognized, not the individuals, and there is no deception towards the young or the old

Liu Zhiyuan served as the King of Taiyuan, Gao Xingzhou as the Commander of the Guizhou Army, and Fu Yanqing as the Military Governor of Wuning. All three had previously defeated the invading Khitan multiple times, each commanding tens of thousands of troops. However, after Du Chongwei and his forces surrendered last year, all three subsequently pledged allegiance to the Khitan. This not only betrayed the great Jin Emperor Shi Chonggui, who had always held them in high regard, but also left the heroes of the realm, who had placed great hopes in them, feeling utterly disheartened.

***

Decapitate the Khitan people

Indeed, no matter how valuable the heads of the Khitan people may be, we must have our lives to spend them!" The fifth leader, Li Tieguai, pinched a louse out from the open pant leg, squeezed it hard with his fingernail a few times, and then looked at the crimson bloodstain while muttering.

At this moment, it is more accurate to say that everyone is venting rather than discussing. They are expressing their panic over an uncertain fate and their helplessness regarding the current situation. However, the more they vent, the more intense the pent-up frustration becomes. In the end, it feels as if it is a bubbling oil, trapped in their throats, ready to erupt at the slightest spark.

However, in the past half month, the heroes of the green forest have suddenly discovered that their business has become increasingly difficult to manage

Alas! Upon hearing this, everyone could not help but let out a collective sigh. On the faces that had long been numb, this moment surprisingly revealed a full expression of regret and desolation.

It is important to note that although we are currently in an era of war, the market price for a dou of rice is merely fifty wen. The head of a Khitan person is valued at fifteen thousand wen, equivalent to three hundred dou of rice, which far exceeds the annual income of a wealthy family in the countryside. How could anyone be so foolish as to willingly throw away their ancestral wealth accumulated over generations like flowing water?

Note 1: Zhao Yanshou, a notorious traitor during the Five Dynasties period. He repeatedly invited Khitan troops to invade, solely to become a puppet emperor. However, after the Khitan ruler Yelü Deguang destroyed the Later Jin, he reneged on his promise and refused to make Zhao emperor. Instead, he merely granted him a yellow robe, allowing him to parade around in it.

No one believed the heroes of the green forests of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks at the beginning

Now that Zhao Yanshou has arrived with his fierce subordinates, everyone can no longer expect the Buddha to provide protection! It is already considered a great mercy that Zhao Yanshou's men have not come to wreak havoc on Wagang Mountain. To hope for more is truly beyond what everyone can afford in incense money