Chapter 132: Rescuing the Prisoner at the Execution Ground in Jiangzhou (Part II)

"Magistrate Huang, you have come at just the right time. I have received a letter here stating that the Liangshan bandits intend to raid Jiangzhou to rescue Song Jiang. Take a look..." The Magistrate said, handing the letter to Huang Wenbing.

"Liangshan bandits?! Raiding Jiangzhou? Hmph! They truly have the audacity to say such things!" Huang Wenbing sneered. However, the claim that they were coming to rescue Song Jiang was likely true. He had spent some time recently inquiring about Song Jiang and knew that the Liangshan faction indeed had good relations with him. Chao Gai, the second leader of Liangshan, was an old friend of Song Jiang. The only reason Song Jiang had been captured by the authorities and exiled to Jiangzhou was because his father had feigned a terminal illness, which allowed the officials to seize him.

He needed to carefully analyze how much of this letter was truth and how much was deception.

After reading the letter several times, Huang Wenbing suddenly sneered, "What bold scoundrels! They have no fear of heaven!" He looked at the Magistrate and asked, "This letter is problematic. Who delivered it to you?"

The Magistrate replied in surprise, "It was delivered by one of my capable subordinates, Dai Zong. He claimed that the Liangshan men drugged him and slipped it to him." He quickly asked, "Is there something wrong with him?"

Huang Wenbing placed the letter on the table. "Not only is there something wrong, but I fear there is a major problem! If I am not mistaken, this Dai Zong has likely defected to the Liangshan bandits and become their inside agent within the city!"

The Magistrate exclaimed, "That cannot be! How could he possibly be in league with Liangshan..." He suddenly recalled that Dai Zong’s specialty was the secret art of divine speed, which had earned him the nickname "The Divine Messenger" among his subordinates.

He did not know exactly how fast Dai Zong could travel; if Dai Zong had visited Liangshan during one of his trips and returned on time, he would naturally never have suspected him.

Thinking of this, the Magistrate was filled with fury. "Someone, go and arrest Dai Zong!" The realization that he had been deceived by a minor official only fueled his rage.

Huang Wenbing, meanwhile, continued to ponder the contents of the letter until Dai Zong was dragged in, looking terrified. It was then that he finally spoke.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the execution arrived. Two prisoner carts carrying Song Jiang and Dai Zong arrived at a wide intersection. A large crowd of citizens followed them, packing the execution ground so tightly that not even water could pass through.

The execution ground was adjacent to a tavern. On the second floor, by a window, two men wearing wide-brimmed straw hats watched the scene below.

"Their men have arrived. There is another group mixed into the crowd; they must be the Liangshan contingent," the man on the left whispered.

"When do we strike?" the other asked, his grip on his cup so tight it almost shattered.

"Wait!" the man on the left replied. "The guards below have already formed a formation. We cannot kill them if we just jump down; we must break their military formation first!"

"Understood!"

Song Jiang and Dai Zong were pulled out and forced to the ground. On the placards behind their backs were the words: "Traitorous rebels, vicious Liangshan outlaws!"

The onlookers whispered among themselves. They knew a thing or two about the Liangshan outlaws, but they also knew of Song Jiang’s reputation. He had cultivated many good relationships while in Jiangzhou, and his reputation was excellent. To suddenly label him a rebel seemed like a massive disparity.

"I heard that this Song Jiang offended the concubine of 'The Wasp' Huang!" A Liangshan henchman in the crowd began to spread the rumor as originally planned. Huang Wenbing’s reputation in Jiangzhou was widespread, but it was not a good one. Whether it was true or not, to the common people, this seemed the most plausible explanation.

"Alas! What a pity to lose such a good man, all because he was harmed by that 'Wasp' Huang!"

As the crowd murmured, the steward sent by Huang Wenbing heard the talk and quickly shouted, "Fellow villagers! This rebel Song Jiang is black-hearted! He colluded with the Liangshan outlaws to raid our Jiangzhou and harm you all. Thanks to my master, Huang Wenbing, who is resourceful and foresaw his wolfish ambition, he set a trap to capture this Song Jiang. Today is the day of reckoning for this rebel, and a warning to the Liangshan bandits! Jiangzhou is not a place for them to scheme!"

It would have been better if he had kept quiet, but his outburst drew everyone's attention. Some immediately recognized him as Huang Wenbing’s steward, which effectively confirmed the suspicion that Huang Wenbing had framed Song Jiang.

Seeing the crowd growing indignant, the steward felt a bit nervous. "Proceed with the execution quickly! I still have to report back to my master!" As he spoke, he began to retreat toward the tavern.

"Make way, make way! The axle is broken, I can't stop!" a panicked voice shouted.

"It's crashing into us!" several people screamed. The onlookers turned to see a large cart piled high with sacks, wobbling as it barreled toward them. If they were hit, they would either be dead or severely maimed! In such a moment, who had the heart to watch the show? Everyone scrambled to get out of the way.

The executioner and the officials on the platform were stunned. What exactly was happening? The soldiers had no choice but to aim their weapons at the cart, intending to destroy it if necessary.

Just as the cart was about to collide and the soldiers prepared to attack—

"Brother Gongming, Iron Ox has come to save you—!"

A burly, pitch-black man burst from the cart, pushing the surrounding sacks aside. His two broadaxes flashed with a dark, lethal light, instantly cleaving three soldiers in half.

"Now!" The two Zhang brothers on the balcony threw off their straw hats and leaped down, landing beside the executioners. Each struck with a blade, felling the executioners to the ground. Zhang Heng immediately helped Song Jiang and Dai Zong break their shackles, while Zhang Shun turned to strike at the supervising official and Huang Wenbing’s steward.

A gong sounded, and countless men swarmed out from the surroundings, shouting, "Save Brother Gongming!" as they charged into the execution ground.

In the sky, Sun Meng watched the constellations shining brightly and could not help but reveal a slight smile. With this, combined with the forces of Hua Rong that Song Jiang had previously subdued, the martial stars gathered on Liangshan would certainly meet the requirements of the mission!

The supervising official and Huang Wenbing’s steward were killed by Zhang Shun in an instant. The military formation was thrown into chaos by Li Kui’s charge, and with no one left to command them, coupled with the fact that the Liangshan henchmen were mixed with Zhang Heng’s men, the remaining soldiers were wiped out in moments.

The prepared Liangshan henchmen drove up the carriages. Li Kui scooped up Song Jiang, and Zhang Heng carried Dai Zong on his back, loading them into the carriage, which then sped toward the city gate. The other Liangshan forces and Zhang Shun’s men scattered and vanished into the crowd. By the time the authorities received the news and arrived, there was nothing left but a scene of carnage and the bodies of fallen soldiers; not a single bandit could be found!

Outside the city of Jiangzhou, Song Jiang was brought to the camp where the Liangshan forces were stationed. Having suffered no real injuries, Song Jiang quickly recovered his vitality.

"I am eternally grateful to all the brothers for saving me!" Song Jiang said as he prepared to bow, but who would dare to accept a formal bow from him, save for Chao Gai?

Chao Gai, wanting Song Jiang to join the mountain, naturally would not accept such a grand gesture. He quickly reached out to stop him. "Brother, you have suffered! It was I, Chao Gai, who implicated you! This time I have brought half of Liangshan’s forces; we shall certainly break through Jiangzhou City and capture that scoundrel Huang Wenbing to vent your anger!"

"That's right! Kill that scoundrel Huang Wenbing!" Li Kui shouted loudly, and the others echoed him. On the journey, the two sides had gotten to know each other, and through the bond of Song Jiang, these men of similar temperament quickly became good brothers.

Song Jiang looked at Chao Gai. "The Heavenly King has invited me several times, and I have refused. To refuse again would be truly ungrateful. I hope the Heavenly King will forgive me; I wish to personally command the army to capture Huang Wenbing!" At this moment, Song Jiang had made up his mind. He would not only join Liangshan but also unite the entire faction, waiting for the war between Song and Liao to serve his country!

Chao Gai smiled and nodded. "It is truly a joyous occasion that Gongming is willing to join the mountain. You could even take my seat if you wished!" For some reason, he felt a deep affinity for Song Jiang, yet there was something strange about it. The resonance between the stars told him that Song Jiang was also an awakened martial star, so Chao Gai did not harbor further doubts.

Wu Yong added, "Jiangzhou is not a small city, and the Wuwei Army is not the band of local thugs we have dealt with before. If we want to take the city, we need a detailed plan."

Xue Yong said, "I previously contacted someone who knows the situation of the Wuwei Army. I reached out to him during the operation, and he will be here soon!"

Song Jiang cupped his hands to the assembly. "Thanks to the help of all you brothers, I will lead everyone to take Jiangzhou City and capture Huang Wenbing alive!"