Chapter 51 Cannot Reach an Agreement? Then Fight!

The capture of Li Kui put Chao Gai and the others in a passive position.

Chao Gai repeatedly wanted to raise the wine bowl in his hand and smash it to the ground, but he hesitated, constrained by the rats around the vessel, because of Li Kui's current state.

"Chao Gai! Tell me, where am I supposed to sit now?"

Ren Yuan no longer showed any courtesy to Chao Gai. His forms of address had progressed from Heavenly King to Village Magistrate, and finally to using Chao Gai's given name directly—this was the clear prelude to a falling out.

"Or perhaps we should just overturn the table so that nobody gets to sit!"

A silver flash flickered. Ren Yuan kicked the tail of his three-pointed double-edged saber, caught the hilt in mid-air, spun around to perform a flourishing arc with the blade, and then delivered a split-mountain strike that cleaved his table directly into two halves!

"Enough, Ren Yuan! You are too presumptuous! Do you take me for a coward?"

Chao Gai was angered as well; Ren Yuan was completely stripping away his dignity! With great force, he dashed his wine bowl onto the ground! In an instant, from behind the screens on three sides, four or fifty saber-wielding executioners rushed out.

Taking a look, Ren Yuan gave a mental scoff. The man leading them was none other than the one who had tried to confiscate his weapon just moments ago.

"It seems there is nothing left to discuss. A fight today is unavoidable! This steward here probably isn't one of your estate retainers, is he? State your name!"

"Humph! I am Lei Heng, the Chief Constable of Yuncheng County! You Liangshan bandits, why don't you surrender immediately!"

Lei Heng seemed to have recovered his composure by now. Holding a broadsword in his hand, he led this pack of executioners to block the exit.

"Lei Heng..."

Ren Yuan sized him up.

This Lei Heng was somewhat interesting.

According to the descriptions in the book, the Winged Tiger Lei Heng had spent his early years killing cattle and lending money at usury before becoming a chief. He was quite righteous; though somewhat narrow-minded, he was exceptionally filial to his mother.

However, as a chief constable, this fellow's conduct was clearly somewhat substandard, especially when compared with his good friend Zhu Tong—the gap between them was by no means small.

As for his martial arts... they were about on par with Liu Tang's, or perhaps even slightly inferior. He remembered the original text mentioning that Wu Yong separated the two of them precisely because he feared Lei Heng might lose if the fight continued.

"Chief Constable Lei, Liangshan has never offended Yuncheng, has it? Your coming here today—is this your personal initiative, or do you represent Yuncheng County?"

Ren Yuan held his three-pointed double-edged saber in one hand. Even though he was surrounded, he looked entirely calm and composed.

"You band of outlaws committed heinous crimes in Xixi Village, and everyone has the right to put you to the sword! As an officer of the law, I certainly cannot let you escape!"

As soon as Lei Heng spoke, he slapped a heavy accusation upon them.

"Absurd!"

Ren Yuan said with extreme disdain:

"When the former magistrate of Xixi Village engaged in the water-ghost and river-god scam, harmed young boys and girls, seized the fields of commoners, bullied men and women, and drove countless families to ruin—why didn't any of you talk about him committing heinous crimes? When Liangshan killed him, the common people cheered with delight. Where is the heinous crime in that?

"Isn't it simply because we killed him, and you lot could no longer extract benefits through him, leaving you bitter and resentful, that you now wish to eliminate us? What kind of pure and upright official are you trying to pretend to be in front of me?

"What's this? Now that your yamen's ugly deeds of colluding with scoundrels have been exposed, you want to preserve your reputations? Just how much are your faces worth?

"Listen well, Lei Heng: you lot ignore the life and death of the common people, but Liangshan cares! You refuse to kill wicked bullies and local gentry, but Liangshan kills them! To uphold justice on behalf of heaven and rid the world of violence and bring peace to the good—that is what Liangshan is!"

These words left Lei Heng entirely speechless. His eloquence was never particularly sharp to begin with, and since what Ren Yuan said was the absolute truth, he found himself utterly unable to refute it.

Liu Tang, standing off to the side, almost blurted out a cry of "Well said!"

He only stopped himself upon remembering that he was currently an adversary to Liangshan.

"Chao Gai! Let me ask you: if it were you, would you kill that magistrate of Xixi? Answer with your conscience!"

Ren Yuan turned his head to question Chao Gai.

"Ren Yuan, you..."

Sensing that something was amiss, Wu Yong hurriedly wanted to interject.

"Shut your mouth, Wu Yong! I am the master of Liangshan, but are you the master of the Chao family estate? If not, get lost and stand aside!"

Ren Yuan glared at Wu Yong, making the latter feel as though he had been locked in the gaze of a ferocious beast. Wu Yong stumbled backward three or four steps in a hurry.

"Chao Gai! Don't make me look down on you! Is the Heavenly King Who Lifts Pagodas really nothing more than this? You can't even follow your own heart? In that case, you might as well change your name to the Heavenly King Who Shovels Dung!"

"...I would kill him."

Chao Gai remained silent for a moment before finally spitting out those words.

"Did you hear that, Lei Heng? Chao Gai would kill him too. Then let me ask you: if he commits murder, will you arrest him? Swear upon your mother!"

Having obtained his answer, Ren Yuan turned his questioning back to Lei Heng.

"I... naturally I would..."

Lei Heng did not know what to say.

"You would what? Stop stammering like a coward. Be decisive, like a real man!"

"I... I would tip off the magistrate..."

"Hahahahaha! Did you hear that, Lei Heng? You would tip him off, yet you come here leading men to arrest me. Why? Isn't it simply because you and Chao Gai are close friends? Tell me, how much money does Chao Gai usually give you to make you protect him like this?

"Where is your duty as an officer of the law? Where is your sense of righteousness?"

Lei Heng was left completely speechless by these accusations, and even the executioners behind him fell silent.

"Chieftain, are these the officials of the yamen? Then this dynasty is truly beyond saving."

Seeing his chieftain reduce this group of people to silence, Shi Sheng felt an even deeper contempt for the lackeys of the yamen.

"Amitabha. It just goes to show how much darkness there is in this world and how much suffering the common people endure. We of Liangshan help the common people, yet we are labeled as bandits. Heh..."

"Don't listen to the nonsense of these scoundrels! They are bandits! Bandits! Subdue the three of them, and we can go claim our reward! Magistrate! Hurry!"

At this point, Wu Yong cast all other considerations aside, directly whirling the bronze chain in his hand.

If he let Ren Yuan continue talking, someone in the estate might defect to their side, and then there would be no point in fighting at all!

"Right! Ren Yuan, stop trying to bewitch people with your heresies! Come on, all of you, follow me and charge!"

Lei Heng also raised his broadsword, preparing to engage Ren Yuan in battle!

Chao Gai gripped his own great saber as well, glaring at Ren Yuan:

"No matter what, today you are dead men. Every year on this day, I will come to burn a stick of incense for you."

"Hahahahaha!"

The three men of Ren Yuan exchanged glances and burst into hearty laughter.

"Chieftain, Heavenly King Chao thinks we're dead for sure. What should we do?"

Shi Sheng continued to press his axe down against Li Kui, paying no mind whatsoever to Li Kui's desperate struggles.

"What should we do? Simple!

"If we can't negotiate, we fight!

"Chao Gai, take my blade!"

Ren Yuan kicked the hilt of his three-pointed double-edged saber, grabbed it out of the air, and thrust straight toward Chao Gai!

"Fall down for the Buddha!"

Guanghui swung his heavy copper staff in a wide horizontal sweep, instantly knocking away three or four of the executioners who had gotten too close! Then he surged into the midst of the executioners like a tiger entering a flock of sheep!

"Release my brother!"

Shi Sheng also wanted to finish off Li Kui directly, but Liu Tang and Lei Heng charged at him to rescue him at the very first moment. Liu Tang even threw his broadsword straight at Shi Sheng's face to harass him! If Shi Sheng insisted on killing Li Kui, he would sustain an injury himself!

"Humph!"

Shi Sheng, possessing supreme skill and a daring heart, lowered his body and ducked to evade Liu Tang's flying broadsword. At the same time, he twisted the handle of his axe, sending the blade sweeping horizontally outward!

"Rip!"

Sensing the threat when Liu Tang threw his broadsword, Li Kui used both hands to desperately push away Shi Sheng's axe blade, then hastily rolled on the ground in an attempt to escape Shi Sheng's attack range.

But he was not fast enough! Shi Sheng's horizontal sweep brought the axe blade right across his back, slicing a long, deep gash! Not only was his clothing torn to shreds, but blood sprayed everywhere!

Li Kui's dark face turned pale as death in an instant!

"Brother Li Kui!"

Liu Tang was greatly alarmed and hurriedly lunged forward with another broadsword to save him!

Meanwhile, Lei Heng placed himself directly in front of Shi Sheng to block his continued pursuit!

"Li Kui!"

Chao Gai also noticed the situation on this side and was deeply shocked, wanting to rush over to assist as well!

How could Liangshan possess such ferocious military commanders!

"Chao Gai, you dare to let your attention wander while fighting me? Taste my blade!"

The only response Chao Gai received was a flash of silver light descending from the skies!