Liangshanbo, Yunzhou, has finally calmed down since Song Jiang's second uprising was completely suppressed. Some of the generals who participated in the Liangshanbo Uprising were suppressed and died, such as Song Jiang, Wu Yong, Li Kui, etc., and some of them became the generals of the Jingzhao Army, such as Yan Qing, Guan Sheng, Hua Rong, Ruan Family Three Heroes, etc.

Some died in the invasion of the Jin soldiers, and some of them disappeared into the grassland, such as Lin Chong, Wu Song, Lu Da and others.

However, some people still live in Yunzhou and became local tyrants after being pardoned by the government. Currently, there are three people including Liu Tang, Shi Xiu, Zhang Rong.

That afternoon, two men came outside the south gate of Xucheng County, Yunzhou. After experiencing wars, Xucheng County was already dilapidated, the city wall collapsed, and the city gate was disrepaired. However, the main commercial street in the county was still relatively prosperous. This main commercial street was three miles long, with restaurants, teahouses, brothels, Guanpu shops, silver shops, cloth shops, grain shops, butchers, snack shops, etc. on both sides, with hawking one after another and extremely lively.

There were no defenders at the city gate, only a few old soldiers were responsible for opening and closing the door. Although Yunzhou had been occupied by the Jin soldiers, it was now under the jurisdiction of the King of Qi. There were no Jin soldiers stationed here, and it belonged to the rear. There were even fewer troops, with only one thousand soldiers stationed.

The two great men were Ruan Xiaowu and Ruan Xiaoqi. They came to Yunzhou to contact old friends under the order of Li Yanqing. As far as they know, there were three old generals of Liangshanbo living in Xucheng, one was Zhang Rong, the other was Shi Xiu, and the other was Liu Tang. It has been seven or eight years since the destruction of the Liangshan army. Everyone has already started a new life. Whether they can convince them is a big question. The Ruan brothers are not sure.

The two of them walked slowly along the street. Ruan Xiaoer suddenly pointed to a restaurant not far ahead, "It should be it!"

When the Ruan brothers were salt owls, they had a relationship with Zhang Rong from Xucheng County. They knew that Zhang Rong had opened a big restaurant in Xucheng County in name, but in fact, he raised hundreds of thieves in Liangshanpo, and they were still engaged in intercepting merchant ships and grain ships.

This is a large restaurant covering an area of ​​eight acres. It is the largest restaurant in Yunzhou. The huge sign says the word "Rong Ji". In front is a four-story restaurant, and behind it is more than a dozen small courtyards. A gardenia lantern is hung above the main entrance, indicating that there are secret prostitutes in the restaurant. This is more common in the Song Dynasty. Basically half of the restaurants have pornographic services, and gardenia lanterns hanging at the door are the symbols.

Of course, prostitutes are not raised in restaurants, but restaurant staff can go to the prostitute to invite people at any time, and the restaurant also provides a place.

The Ruan brothers walked into the restaurant, and a bartender immediately came up, "The guest hasn't been here for a long time, please sit upstairs!"

Ruan Xiaowu laughed and scolded, "I haven't been back for almost eight years, but I still know me?"

Ruan Xiaoqi sneered, "Where do you know you? He always says this to everyone."

When I turned around, I saw the bartender greeting two more guests, "The guest officer hasn't been here for a long time, please come upstairs!"

It was really a verbal greeting. Ruan Xiaowu had to shake his head and walk to the second floor.

"Call the shopkeeper, I have something important to ask him!" The Ruan brothers sat down at a table and told the clerk.

Soon, the shopkeeper came over hurriedly, "Two guests are looking for me?"

"I am your boss' friend, I want to meet him!"

"What are the two?"

"Tell him that our surname is Ruan, the Ruan brothers."

The shopkeeper is from another place and has never heard of the name of the Ruan brothers. He nodded, "Two masters sit down, I'll go and go!"

The Ruan brothers didn't order food, so they just sat there and waited. After a moment, the shopkeeper came back and said, "Two Masters Ruan, please come with me!"

The Ruan brothers stood up and followed him to the backyard, walked to a separate yard, and the shopkeeper pointed to the room, "The boss is waiting for two people inside."

"Thank you!"

The Ruan brothers pushed the door open and walked into the room. As soon as they entered the room, two steel knives were placed on their necks at the same time. Zhang Rong was sitting at the small table drinking, and there were two other people sitting opposite him, Shi Xiu and Liu Tang.

Zhang Rong snorted and said, "Are the two generals coming to arrest us?"

Ruan Xiaoqi said coldly: "So you defected to the Jin people and insulted your ancestors!"

'Bang!' Zhang Rong slapped the table and said angrily: "What are you talking nonsense? When will we surrender to the Jin people?"

"Since you haven't defected to the Jin people, what are you afraid of when you see Song Jun?"

Zhang Rong was speechless, and Shi Xiu smoothed out the scene across the street, "Forget it, they are all brothers who grew up together in Liangshanpo, why bother with each other like this?"

Zhang Rong then gave a wink to his subordinates. The two subordinates took the steel knife away. The Ruan brothers ignored their expressions and went forward to sit down and poured himself a glass of wine.

Shi Xiu smiled and said, "You two have been promoted, have you forgotten all your brothers?"

At this time, Liu Tang, who had not spoken, said coldly: "It's better not to have the official you have received when you are servile!"

Ruan Xiaowu was furious, "Am I a servile servant? Do you know how many Xixia people I killed and how many Jurchens I killed? I destroyed Xixia and drove the Jurchens out of Hedong. This is my credit. My Ruan Xiaowu's rule should be upright, unlike you, who survived under the iron hooves of the Jin soldiers."

These words were said very heavily, and Liu Tang couldn't hold back. He snorted and got up to leave, but was pulled by Shi Xiu, "This is how Ruan Wulang speaks. He never shows mercy. You don't know!"

At this time, Zhang Rong asked on the side, "Then what are you doing?"

"After the order of the Regent, you are invited to participate in the Northern Expedition, expel the Jin soldiers and recover your home, will you do it?"

Shi Xiu couldn't help but ask, "Is it Li Yanqing who ordered our name?"

"That's right! I called out the names of the three of you. I hope you can pull up a rebel army and assist the Song army in counterattacking the two routes of Jingdong."

"Then what are the benefits of us?" Zhang Rong asked.

"If you are willing to be an official, you can be appointed as the commander. If you are not willing to be an official, you can be appointed as the official and reward silver and land. Do you choose your own choice?"

Shi Xiu was more keen on fame and fortune. He pondered for a moment and said, "But I heard that the commander also has three levels, and the lowest is the general."

"It should be the second-level commander. We were also the general back then. We joined the Song Army as well. If we made great contributions, we would be the first-level commander or even the third-level commander."

Ruan Xiaoqi advised again: "Everyone is aged 40. In another ten years, the life will be almost done. Should I just live like this and leave nothing for my descendants? Let my grandson say that my grandfather was a bandit in Liangshan, or would he pat his chest and say, "My grandfather is a hero against the Jin Dynasty, expel the Tartars, and restore his home? Think about it yourself! This should be the last chance in your life. Whether you can catch it depends on yourself."

After Ruan Xiaoqi finished speaking, the room fell silent. Shi Xiu finally couldn't help but say to Zhang Rong: "Third Brother, I think it's not bad, what do you think?"

Zhang Rong nodded, "If it was really what Li Yanqing said so well, I would be willing, but I'm afraid I would change my mind in the end! Just like the imperial court recruited us back then."

Ruan Xiaowu said: "Don't worry about this. The wife of the Regent is Hu Sanniang. Everyone is familiar with each other. The leader of the personal soldiers was Yan Qing. Now Yan Qing is a general and is in charge. Zhang Shun is a thief in the Yangtze River. Now he is the deputy commander of the scout camp. He is the first-level commander. Guan Sheng is the chief general of the heavy armored infantry, the second-level commander. Hua Rong is the chief general of the Shen'an Arm camp and the second-level commander. The three of us are in charge of the navy. They have made contributions to suppressing the rebellion and the palace coup. They have just been promoted to the second-level commander. These are your old brothers. Living examples are placed in front of you. Otherwise, how dare we recruit you."

Zhang Rong was really moved, and he looked at Liu Tang. Liu Tang drank a sip of wine and said in a muffled voice: "I don't care whether I am an official or not, but I am willing to expel the Tartars and restore my home!"

All three agreed, and Zhang Rong said, "What should we do?"

Ruan Xiaowu asked, "How many people do you have now?"

Zhang Rong said: "There are only a few dozen patriarchs in Liu Tang Manor. Shi Xiu opened a martial arts hall and could summon more than 100 disciples. I have 500 brothers in Liangshanpo, so I can gather six or seven hundred people together!"

Ruan Xiaowu said: "Then use these five or six hundred people as the foundation, establish a flag to recruit rebel troops, openly raise the banner of anti-Jin, and we will provide the required weapons and weapons."

Zhang Rong was a little puzzled, "How to provide military armor?"
Chapter completed!