Chapter Seven, The Wind-Bent Grass

"Hurry up and go!" Wei Di shouted in a low voice. Since they refused to surrender, everyone hurriedly helped the commander off the bamboo raft and desperately ran towards the trees on the shore.

All the disciples knelt down together, and Zhang Yu cried out, "Master, even if we have to risk our lives, we will definitely ensure your safety"

Upon arriving at the temple, upon closer inspection, even Zhang Alang, who was quite accomplished and known for his gentle demeanor, could not help but be taken aback. It turned out that the disciple sent to explain the situation to the encircling Song army had his ears cut off and was sent back. His face was pale, and blood was continuously gushing from his head. As soon as he saw Zhang Alang, he knelt down and cried out, "Master, we are surrounded outside by thousands of soldiers, and the leading officer said that we have no choice but to follow orders. My ears were actually cut off and eaten by that scoundrel!"

At that moment, a shout from Chen Dehuan was heard, and the bamboo raft suddenly jolted. Several soldiers from the Northern Han army lost their balance and fell off the raft, only to find themselves standing on a shallow layer of water, their feet now on the soft sandy beach. It turned out that the bamboo raft had already reached the shore.

Wei Ti gazed into the distance, only seeing the blurred silhouettes of Song troops' ships gradually becoming clearer in the night. The soldiers, with bows drawn and arrows nocked, stood at the bow of the ship and calmly said to those around him: "I, Wei, have fought all my life and have long since disregarded life and death. If you are unwilling, you may surrender my head to the Song general." The others showed expressions of shame, and Wang Gui further stated: "How can a tiger general surrender to mere mice? We are willing to fight to the death alongside General Wei."

As soon as he stepped through the temple gate, he was surrounded by the anxious members of the Northern Han, who were discussing plans. Wei Ti raised his hand to silence the others and spoke first: "In today's matter, Lord Qi is also caught off guard. In my judgment, there must be a traitor among us who has leaked information to the Song court. Now, we are all under the protection of Lord Qi, and how we proceed will depend solely on his arrangements." After saying this, he looked at Zhang Alang, waiting for him to speak.

Unexpectedly, the Song general let out a sinister laugh and said, "That's right." He actually drew his waist knife and, with a swift stroke, beheaded Zhang Qibo, who was deeply trusted by tens of thousands of people from Shu, in public. A jet of blood shot up into the sky, and the corpse stood upright for a long time before it suddenly fell down.

Zhang Alang's face showed signs of shame as he clasped his hands and said, "I am grateful for General Wei's trust. It is my fault for not being able to take good care of all the esteemed guests. As for the current situation..." He pondered for a moment, as if he had made a significant decision, and continued, "I, at the Erlang Temple west of Guankou, have a small path behind the temple that the temple keeper uses daily to fetch water. Outsiders are not very familiar with it. Wang An can lead the generals down this small path to the Min River, where there are bamboo rafts prepared for use. The generals can then float down the river and escape from this place"

Zhang Alang pondered for a moment, raised his hand to silence the crowd, and said in a loud voice: "Dear villagers, please remain calm. We have no intention of rebellion under the auspices of Erlang Shen. Allow me to send a disciple to clarify the situation, and we will ensure that all of you can return home safely." After speaking, he appointed a disciple to seek out the person in charge of the Song army on the periphery to communicate the situation, while he himself turned and entered the Erlang Temple to discuss strategies with Wei Ti and others.

Nonsense! Zhang Hetushu.com.com sternly instructed: "I am the Qibo of the Erlang God of Guankou, known far and wide within a hundred miles. Even if my master were to lower himself to conceal me, who knows whether the authorities would let my master off. You are different; you must preserve your useful selves to serve the Erlang God. " After saying this, he suddenly remembered something and continued: "From now on, the main priest of Guankou Erlang will be your senior brother Wang. You all must assist him well. Wang An is a person who despises evil, but he is not good at being flexible, so you must advise him often. " After finishing, he waved his sleeve and dismissed the disciples.

The small boat lost its support and immediately began to spin by the riverbank. Wei Ti and Wang Gui, who had no knowledge of water skills and could not operate a raft, could only watch helplessly as the boats of the Song army glided closer and closer. Only Chen De picked up the bamboo pole that the boatman had dropped, and with all his might, he pushed the bamboo raft towards the shore. Behind them, the arrows shot by the Song army became increasingly dense, and Wei Ti and the others hurriedly drew their swords and knives to fend off the arrows, desperately protecting Chen De, who was supporting the raft.

Zhang Alang gently patted his disciple's shoulder and sighed, "Zhang Yu, you were originally an honest farmer from beneath Qingcheng Mountain; it is I who have brought you this unforeseen disaster." He raised his head to look at the bewildered villagers below, pondered for a moment, and said to his disciples, "You, like me, are all local villagers. As long as you blend in with the townsfolk, I believe no one will betray you. The Song people cannot possibly kill all these thousands of villagers. However, someone must take responsibility for today's events. Since I am to bear the main sacrifice for the Erlang God, let it be me who takes on this burden."

Seeing a group of disciples slowly mingling among the villagers, Zhang Alang loudly urged the villagers to all squat down on the ground as per the demands of the government troops. He stood before the statue of Erlang Shen, waiting for the Song soldiers to come in and capture them. The disciples watched him with tears in their eyes, his solitary figure standing resolutely before the roaring sacrificial fire, his demeanor solemn, exuding an aura akin to that of Erlang Shen himself.

Zhang Alang raised his head and said in a loud voice: "I am a tea farmer from the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, the chief priest of the Erlang God Temple in Guankou, Zhang Alang." After speaking, he fixed his gaze on the Song general, waiting to hear what he would say next.

Suddenly, the Song army ceased firing arrows, leaving the people of Northern Han perplexed. Chen De desperately pushed the boat towards the shore. A voice echoed across the river: "My general admires General Wei as a man of integrity. If you abandon the darkness and embrace the light, you may preserve your lives."

Wei Tiantai patted his shoulder and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Little Qi, for guiding us. In the future, if there is any need for us, do not hesitate to speak up." The people from Beihan also readily agreed, fully aware that since their whereabouts had been exposed, this journey was fraught with peril. They no longer hesitated; although most of them could not swim, they stepped onto the bamboo raft with determination. The followers of the Erlang God pushed the small boat away from the shore and, upon reaching the center of the river, began to drift downstream. At that time, the moonlight was dim; without the illumination of fire, one could not see a figure even a hundred steps away. Thus, the Song army surrounding the Erlang God Temple did not discover the bamboo raft in the river. The followers of the Erlang God pushed the small boat away from the shore and, upon reaching the center of the river, began to drift downstream. At that time, the moonlight was dim; without the illumination of fire, one could not see a figure even a hundred steps away. Thus, the Song army surrounding the Erlang God Temple did not discover the bamboo raft in the river.

Wei Ti was still in contemplation when he suddenly heard the commotion outside the temple once again. Zhang Alang bowed deeply to Wei Ti and said, "I still need to go outside to reassure the villagers and manage the affairs, so I will not see you off, generals. Farewell, and may Erlang Shen bless you all to turn misfortune into good fortune." After saying this, he turned and left in a whirlwind.

The villagers underground and Zhang Alang's disciples did not expect that Qi Bo would be beheaded so easily, and they immediately began to stir. The Song army, which had been monitoring from the side, rushed into the scene and apprehended several of the most unruly villagers, executing them on the spot. The remaining villagers, shocked, dared not utter a word. The Song general then proudly announced: "Zhang Alang, a stubborn villager from Chaguan County, has spread heretical words to mislead the public and conspired to rebel, and has been executed on the spot by me"

In that moment, aside from Chen De, who was desperately holding onto the raft, everyone from Northern Han turned their gaze towards Wei Ti. After the tumultuous Five Dynasties period, it had become commonplace for generals to serve multiple monarchs, while loyalty to a single ruler was rare. Seeing the other party make such a commitment, they decided to heed Wei Ti's judgment.

After a moment, a fully armored Song general, with a hand resting on his waist sword, strode in. He approached Zhang Alang, looked him over, and sternly asked: "Are you the troublemaker Zhang Alang, who has colluded with the demons of Beihan?"

At that moment, several long arrows suddenly shot from the rear of the ship, one of which struck the boatman in the chest, causing him to fall into the water. It turned out that the Song army had somehow learned of the whereabouts of the Northern Han individuals and had pursued them by boat.

The Song army did not expect that the troops of Northern Han would not surrender even in such a situation of overwhelming odds. At the command of their leader, several bows and crossbows at the bow of the ship released arrows, but most of them missed their targets. The few that were somewhat accurate were cut down by the fleeing soldiers of Northern Han. The majority of the Song troops were from the north and were not skilled in swimming; at this moment, they had no means to act and could only strike the backs of the boatmen with their blades, urging them to row faster.

As Zhang Qibo was being executed by the Song general, Wang Anzheng led the people of Northern Han along a small path behind the temple. They could hear the bustling noise from the temple but were unaware of what had transpired. He walked ahead with Wang Gui, while the Song army guarded the various roads surrounding the temple, oblivious to this shortcut known only to a few. Thus, Wang An and the people of Northern Han safely arrived at the banks of the Min River. Five followers who had been waiting there had prepared the boats. Wang An then turned to Wei Ti and the others, saying: "General Wei, I will escort you to this point. You may follow the river downstream and look for a dock that is not guarded by soldiers to land. Take care, everyone." With that, he clasped his fists in farewell to the group.

After all the villagers squatted on the ground for a while, soldiers from the Song dynasty armed with knives, shields, and crossbows entered the area. They first occupied the four corners of the square and the altar. Zhang Alang, who was clearly the bandit leader, had his hands bound behind his back. After confirming that the villagers would not resist and that there was no danger, they then invited the commanding officer to enter the square

After about the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, Wei Ti nodded slightly. Wang Gui smiled as he took out a piece of broken silver from his pocket and handed it to the boatman, saying: "This esteemed ferryman has worked hard; please choose a suitable place to take us ashore."

The boatman initially insisted that he did not want the guest's money, but later, unable to resist Wang Gui's insistence, he gratefully accepted it. He raised the pole and forcefully pushed the raft towards the riverbank. The people on the boat, already on edge from the swaying on the water, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief as they saw themselves getting closer to land