Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Cheng Wanli sighed.

He opened the city gate.

Let the Liangshan army in.

It was out of necessity.

After all, the city had strong and capable soldiers.

They've all been taken away by Dong Ping.

Relying solely on the remaining elderly, weak, sick, and disabled,

Besides causing casualties along the way

How could they possibly defend Dongping Prefecture?

Now,

This is probably the best possible ending.

At least in the city, whether soldiers or civilians,

No one was injured or killed.

"I hope everything goes well..."

Cheng Wanli had just uttered a prayer in his heart when

I don't want to think about the next moment.

Then I saw the servant rush into the courtyard in a panic.

"Master, something terrible has happened!"

"Something happened?"

Cheng Wanli was startled.

My immediate thought was that it must be that Liangshan couldn't suppress their thieving nature.

They started causing a ruckus in the city.

"But have those Liangshan bandits started looting the city?"

"Looting?"

The servant paused for a moment.

He then quickly said...

"Master, that's not how it works!"

"It's because some merchants complained to that female leader of Liangshan that you demanded money from them!"

"Sue me?"

Cheng Wanli's brows furrowed immediately.

"Um,"

The servant said, his face pale.

"Sir, the female leader of Liangshan has already led her soldiers and merchants towards the prefect's mansion."

"In addition, countless citizens of the city followed behind them."

"Master, you'd better think of something quickly,"

This servant was an old servant who followed Cheng Wanli.

He was loyal to the Cheng family.

He urged anxiously.

"I've heard that Miss is acquainted with that female leader of Liangshan. Perhaps Miss could plead for Master's sake..."

"Enough! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Cheng Wanli sternly interrupted the servant's suggestion.

"When did you become acquainted with the bandits, Miss?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I was in a hurry, that's why..."

The servant quickly raised his hand and slapped himself twice in the mouth.

At this time, the Song Dynasty,

Although this was because the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism had not yet risen to prominence

The constraints and oppression of women have not yet reached their peak.

But the scholar-official families

There are also the extremely wealthy and powerful.

However, they were all quite concerned about the reputation of their female relatives.

Although Liangshan is located in various parts of Shandong,

Deeply loved by the people,

But in the eyes of scholars and officials like Cheng Wanli,

Yet they were still no different from bandits and outlaws.

Once outsiders learn that Cheng Wan'er once had connections with the Liangshan bandits...

That would obviously have a huge impact on her reputation.

"Alright, just be more careful next time!"

Cheng Wanli shook his head.

He took a step and walked towards the courtyard gate.

"I'll go see that female leader of Liangshan right now,"

"Have someone keep watch over the backyard. The young lady must never find out what happened in the front!"

"Yes!"

The old servant responded.

Then he couldn't help but say...

"But sir, what about Liangshan..."

"It was indeed wrong of me to demand money from the merchants,"

Cheng Wanli sighed.

"Although I did not take a single penny of that money, it is still related to me,"

"No matter how Liangshan handles it, I will accept it."

"As for the young lady..."

"I've heard that in Liangshan, the punishment of criminals has always been based on the principle that relatives should not be implicated."

"Wan'er is acquainted with that female leader of Liangshan, so she should be safe."

"If anything happens to me, please take good care of the lady and young lady..."

"master!"

The old servant was already in tears upon hearing this.

He was sold by his parents to the Cheng family as a pageboy for Cheng Wanli when he was young.

After decades of living together,

The relationship between the old servant and Cheng Wanli

This is naturally no small matter.

"Please rest assured, sir, I will definitely ensure that nothing happens to Madam and Miss..."

I immediately knelt down on the ground.

With red eyes, he assured Cheng Wanli.

Chapter 633 Not in Control of One's Own Fate

The main hall of the Prefectural Government Office in Dongping Prefecture

Gao Liang and his dozen or so merchants had only been there a short time.

Cheng Wanli then came out from the back hall.

He first glanced at the crowd of people surrounding the prefect's mansion, which was three layers deep.

His gaze then swept over the merchants.

Only then did he look at the sorghum.

"Leader of Liangshan, I heard you have business with me?"

"Prefect Cheng,"

The sorghum doesn't beat around the bush either.

He told her everything that had just happened.

"These dozen or so merchants are the ones who complained to us at Liangshan, saying that you, Prefect, were extorting money from them,"

"Prefect Cheng, do you have anything to say now?"

"...I have nothing to say,"

Cheng Wanli sighed.

“Everything these merchants said is true!”

"what?"

Cheng Wanli had to admit it directly.

Sorghum was momentarily stunned.

Although before this,

Seeing that these merchants were not afraid to confront the prefect of a prefecture,

Sorghum in my heart,

I was already somewhat convinced of the truth of what they said.

But now that I've heard it with my own ears,

Chen Wanli admitted it.

He had demanded money and valuables from these merchants.

Gao Liang was still somewhat distracted.

"Well, Your Majesty, you should have heard everything!"

"The governor has already admitted it himself!"

"Please, Your Majesty, do us merchants justice!"

.....

The merchants all knelt down and prayed.

We earnestly request that Gaoliang stand up for them.

And the people not far away,

Upon hearing that they had always believed the prefect to be upright and honest...

They actually solicited bribes from these merchants.

It even went straight up with a "whoosh"