Moma Liangshan

Chapter 195 Open Attacks and Hidden Arrows

When Zhu Gui uttered the phrase "two thousand broadswords," everyone—Ma Cao, Chao Gai, Gongsun Sheng, and the three Ruan brothers—was utterly surprised. A few breaths later, Chao Gai said, "Young Master Wang, your kindness and virtue are immense; how can we repay you?" Zhu Gui still couldn't fully grasp Wang Hao's intentions, but he genuinely admired Wang Hao's spirit, saying, "Before you left, you instructed me that Liang Zhongshu, having lost the birthday tribute twice, would certainly not let it go easily; otherwise, he and Cai Jing would lose all face. King Chao is a hero of his time; he can punish corrupt officials and uphold justice, but he must not raise the banner of rebellion!" Cai Jing listened attentively to the first half of the statement, but after the second half, he suddenly burst into laughter, saying, "Young Master, you're overthinking it. With only a hundred or so men in the stronghold, how can you accomplish such a momentous event as changing dynasties?" The speaker meant no harm, but upon hearing this… Gongsun Sheng, increasingly curious about Wang Hao, remarked, "Wang Hao's actions are truly unfathomable, completely unpredictable!" Ma Cao frowned and questioned, "What do you mean by that, Mr. Gongsun?" Gongsun Sheng, also a proud man, replied, "This humble Taoist prides himself on his ability to predict the future, yet I am utterly bewildered by Young Master Wang's various arrangements, hence my earlier remarks!" Ma Cao, not taking Gongsun Sheng seriously, said with a hint of sarcasm, "My young master can discuss the Dao with immortals in his dreams; can you do that?" Gongsun Sheng already had a favorable impression of Wang Hao, and now, having received a favor from him, he didn't continue arguing with Ma Cao, saying, "I am ashamed! I am ashamed!"

Ma Cao, a loyal executor of Wang Hao's orders, clearly understood Wang Hao's intention to protect Chao Gai. He said, "Chao Gai should understand that only when the sword is in your own hand can you stand tall." Chao Gai nodded and said, "That's indeed the truth!" Ma Cao continued, "Two thousand broadswords can solve Chao Gai's immediate crisis, but they cannot change the situation of the enemy being strong and us being weak!" This time, it wasn't Chao Gai who spoke, but Gongsun Sheng, who said, "That's right!" Ma Cao continued, "In my opinion, it would be a great pity not to use Liang Chun as a pawn!" Chao Gai still had concerns and said, "But what if it involves Young Master Wang?" Chao Gai couldn't possibly be unmoved by Liang Chun's brilliant move, but he always put loyalty first, and he would find it unacceptable to drag his benefactor into the mire! Ma Cao, however, had other considerations, saying, "When the scheme was set up at Erlong Mountain last year, you were far away in Mingzhou, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you weren't involved. Whether it was Liang Chun's capture or the large sum of money he was offered to bribe him, the Ruan brothers were personally involved." At this point, Gongsun Sheng already understood Ma Cao's meaning and said, "With Young Master Wang's current status, 100,000 strings of cash is just a drop in the ocean. Liang Zhongshu and Cai Jing should exclude him immediately. If the three Ruan brothers are acquainted with Liang Chun, this matter isn't complicated!" Ruan Xiao'er said, "When..." "Back at Erlong Mountain, Liang Chun was captured by our three brothers. And that hundred taels of gold was given to Liang Chun by Chief Wang in front of us three brothers." Chao Gai finally made his decision, saying, "In that case, I'll trouble Brother Ruan to make the trip himself!" Ruan Xiao'er said, "Brother, you're too kind! Leave it to me!" Chao Gai then looked at Ma Cao and Zhu Gui, saying, "Please inform Young Master Wang and convey our sincere respect to the seven of us brothers!" He then stood up, cupped his hands in a salute. Ma Cao and Zhu Gui exchanged a glance and said, "We will certainly deliver King Chao's message!"

The next day, Zhu Gui and Ma Cao left Liangshan together and returned to Jiaozhou. On the way back, Zhu Gui asked, "How did you learn about Chao Gai's men?" Ma Cao shook his head and said, "I didn't know that Chao Gai and his men had robbed Liang Zhongshu's birthday gifts, let alone that you, sir, had already ceded Liangshan to them." Zhu Gui was even more puzzled and said, "Then what brought you to Liangshan?" Ma Cao explained, "I learned in Dongjing that the birthday gifts Liang Zhongshu was sending to Cai Jing had been robbed in the Liangshan area, so I wanted to find Du Qian and Song Wan to inquire about the situation. As for what happened after I arrived at Liangshan, you were there." Zhu Gui was still doubtful and said, "This matter is not of great importance to you, sir." "You don't need to travel thousands of miles!" Ma Cao shook his head and said, "Do you really think this is just a trivial matter of a mere 100,000 strings of cash?" Zhu Gui frowned and said, "Otherwise what?" Ma Cao sneered three times and said, "The more corrupt an official is, the more they care about their reputation. The birthday gifts Liang Zhongshu sent to Cai Jing have been robbed for two consecutive years; they can't easily swallow this insult." He paused briefly, looked at Zhu Gui, and seeing Zhu Gui nod in agreement, continued, "These two are one of your greatest political enemies, young master. Making them focus their attention on other matters would be extremely beneficial to you!"

At this moment, Zhu Gui not only looked at Ma Cao with newfound respect, but even felt a genuine admiration for him, saying, "Young Master, you're currently focusing on developing Jiaozhou, prioritizing commerce and industry, which is a bit unfair to you!" Ma Cao shook his head and said, "The imperial son-in-law of the Song Dynasty, the Duke of Liao, your miraculous achievements in turning decay into magic—has anyone else in history, in the entire world, ever done this?" Zhu Gui replied, "Unparalleled in the world!" Ma Cao nodded as well, saying, "Therefore, I only worry that my talents are insufficient to become Young Master's sharpest henchman!" Zhu Gui was somewhat curious and said, "Among the children who grew up in Liangshan, you are the smartest. Why not seek a stable job under Young Master?" Ma Cao shook his head and said, "Compared to being admired, I prefer to be feared and trembled." "Courage!" Zhu Gui said, "So you won't be the plow in the young master's hand, but the sword!" Ma Cao said, "Not entirely. To be precise, Lin Chong, Lu Da, Yang Zhi, and other military generals are the swords in the young master's hand. I will be the arrow hidden in the darkness!" Zhu Gui frowned and said, "It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark! An arrow may be sharp, but it can never see the light of day!" Ma Cao said, "A bright sky in broad daylight doesn't necessarily mean uprightness; a dark and windy night doesn't necessarily mean despicable behavior!" Seeing that Zhu Gui didn't speak, Ma Cao continued, "The young master is upright and kind-hearted, but he cannot repay evil with kindness and let those greedy and treacherous villains get away with it! In other words, the young master must not only establish virtue but also establish authority, and I am merely focusing on the latter!"

Zhu Gui still felt a pang of regret, saying, "Once you embark on this path, you might not have the chance to turn back!" Ma Cao smiled and said, "I only know that there's nothing in this world that you, young master, cannot accomplish. In the future, as long as you nod, I can withdraw unscathed!" Ma Cao's loyalty to Wang Hao was no longer simple; it was naked fanaticism. It was precisely because of Ma Cao's fanaticism that he played a crucial role in Wang Hao's future establishment of the "Rixin Guard."