Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Inside the Liangshan Hall of Righteous Gathering, Wu Yong and Gao Qiu sat facing each other, the atmosphere tense and solemn.

Wu Yong smiled, but there was no smile in his eyes. He spoke first: "Lord Gao Qiu, I hope you can show sincerity in today's negotiations."

Gao Qiu snorted coldly, "Hmph, Wu Yong, you Liangshan bandits, you kidnapped the son of an imperial official, what right do you have to negotiate?"

Wu Yong gently shook the feather fan in his hand, "Lord Gao Qiu, you are mistaken. If you hadn't sent troops to attack Liangshan, how could we be in this situation today?"

Gao Qiu's face darkened. "Enough with the nonsense, tell me your terms!"

Wu Yong's expression turned serious. "Alright, then I'll get straight to the point. First, you must immediately release Instructor Lin and allow him to return to Liangshan safely."

Gao Qiu gritted his teeth. "I need to consider this matter carefully."

Wu Yong's eyes narrowed. "Lord Gao Qiu, this is not up to you to decide. Furthermore, you must return the restaurant that you forcibly seized and compensate Liangshan for all the losses suffered because of your military campaign."

Gao Qiu slammed his fist on the table and stood up, exclaiming, "This is outrageous!"

Wu Yong remained unmoved. "Lord Gao Qiu, you should think this through. Your son is still in our hands. If you don't agree, you will bear the consequences."

Gao Qiu glared at Wu Yong, "If you dare to lay a finger on my son, I will make sure Liangshan is in turmoil!"

Wu Yong laughed heartily, "Lord Gao Qiu, you don't have that kind of confidence now. As long as you agree to our conditions, we will release Gao Yanei."

Gao Qiu sat down again, pondered for a moment, and said, "Alright, I can agree to your conditions, but you must guarantee that my son will be unharmed."

Wu Yong nodded. "Lord Gao Qiu, rest assured, the heroes of Liangshan keep their word."

After the negotiations concluded, Wu Yong ordered Ruan Xiaoqi, Li Jun, Zhang Heng, and Zhang Shun to escort Gao Qiu back.

Gao Qiu left Liangshan by boat. When he reached the middle of the river, the boat suddenly rocked violently. It turned out that Ruan Xiaoqi and his men had secretly tampered with the boat and capsized it.

Caught off guard, Gao Qiu fell into the river. He struggled desperately in the water, looking utterly disheveled.

"Help! Help!" Gao Qiu shouted loudly.

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others stood on another boat, watching Gao Qiu's ugly behavior in the water, and laughed heartily.

"You old bastard Gao Qiu, you've finally met your match!" Ruan Xiaoqi mocked.

Gao Qiu struggled in the water for a long time, and it looked like he was about to give up.

Ruan Xiaoqi then signaled his brothers to rescue Gao Qiu and put him on the boat.

Gao Qiu was soaked to the bone, shivering, his eyes filled with terror and anger.

Ruan Xiaoqi pointed at Gao Qiu and said, "Old man Gao Qiu, you're lucky this time. If you dare to provoke Liangshan again, we'll stab you with twenty or thirty holes!"

Gao Qiu was panting heavily and dared not utter a word.

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others threw Gao Qiu on the shore and left.

As Gao Qiu watched their departing figures, he secretly vowed to avenge this humiliation.

Gao Qiu returned to his residence in a disheveled state, his clothes still wet, his hair in disarray, looking utterly dejected. Seeing his father in such a state, Gao Yanei felt both guilty and furious, and rushed to greet him.

"Father, this revenge cannot go unavenged!" Gao Yanei said through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

Upon hearing this, Gao Qiu's eyes widened, his anger seemingly about to burst forth. He glared at Gao Yanei, his chest heaving violently, his breathing becoming rapid.

"Slap!" A loud slap landed heavily on Gao Yanei's face. Gao Yanei was stunned by the sudden slap, and a clear handprint instantly appeared on his face.

"It's all your fault, you fool! You were so arrogant, thinking you had victory in the bag just because you had a sorcerer helping you. If you hadn't been so smug and acted so recklessly, how could we have suffered such a defeat today? You've completely disgraced me, the Grand Commandant!" Gao Qiu roared, his voice echoing throughout the room, making everyone's ears ring.

Gao Yanei covered his face, tears welling in his eyes, but more than that, he felt resentment and anger. "Father, how was I supposed to know that the Liangshan bandits were so powerful, and that Wu Yong was so cunning? Can you blame me for all this?" Gao Yanei retorted stubbornly, his neck stiff.

Gao Qiu trembled with rage, pointing his finger at Gao Yanei, "You still have the nerve to talk back? If it weren't for your usual reckless behavior and trouble-making, how could you have gotten involved with these evil stars from Liangshan? Now you've made your father lose face in front of everyone, and almost cost him his life!"

Gao Yanei said unwillingly, "Are we just going to let it go like this? What will become of our authority in the imperial court?"

Gao Qiu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "This matter needs careful consideration. The Liangshan bandits are growing in power; we cannot act rashly."

Gao Yanei said urgently, "Father, are we just going to swallow this insult like this? I can't let this slap go unpunished!"

Gao Qiu looked at him coldly, "Endure? Of course not. But we must wait for the right opportunity, find their weakness, and strike decisively. Until then, you stay put and don't cause any more trouble!"

Gao Yanei was indignant, but dared not disobey his father's orders, so he could only lower his head and mutter softly, "I know."

Gao Qiu sat down in his chair, rubbing his temples, his mind racing. This defeat had threatened his position in the court, and his political enemies would surely seize the opportunity to kick him while he was down. He had to find a way to turn the tide and re-establish his authority.

"Get back to your room and reflect on your actions!" Gao Qiu roared again.

Gao Yanei flicked his sleeves, turned and left, secretly vowing to make Liangshan pay the price.

Gao Qiu was left alone in the room. He gazed at the night outside the window, his face grim, plotting his next move. He was determined to repay this humiliation tenfold.

After his defeat in the battle against Liangshan, Gao Qiu's anger and resentment burned ever brighter. He paced back and forth in his study, his face as gloomy as an impending storm. Finally, he stopped, sat down at his desk, picked up his pen, and quickly wrote a letter.

The letter reveals Gao Qiu's urgency and anger. It begins by detailing the humiliation he suffered at Liangshan, portraying them as a group of lawless and heinous bandits. Then, Gao Qiu lavishly praises Liu Menglong, calling him a pillar of the court and the only one capable of eliminating the scourge of Liangshan.

Gao Qiu ordered his trusted confidants to deliver the letter to Liu Menglong, the naval commander of Jiankang Prefecture, as quickly as possible.

Liu Menglong was a man eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and burly, with piercing eyes that shone like a beacon in the night. Having grown up by the water, he possessed exceptional talent and skill in naval warfare. Liu Menglong excelled at commanding large-scale naval battles; his tactics were flexible and varied, often resulting in surprise victories.

The navy he trained was highly disciplined, and its soldiers were all strong, healthy, and skilled swimmers. In daily training, Liu Menglong was extremely strict, allowing no detail to be overlooked. He knew that in naval warfare, the slightest negligence could lead to the annihilation of the entire army.

Liu Menglong's warships were meticulously crafted, with sturdy hulls and excellent equipment. The bows were equipped with sharp rams for ramming enemy ships; the sides of the ships were covered with crossbows, capable of delivering fatal blows to the enemy from a distance; the ships were also equipped with a large number of rockets, which, once launched, would engulf enemy ships in flames.

In addition, Liu Menglong was adept at using water currents and wind direction. He could accurately judge the best time to attack, using the water's momentum to enhance the warships' impact, or using the wind to make rockets have a longer range and greater power.

Upon receiving Gao Qiu's letter, Liu Menglong's expression turned serious. He knew that this mission was arduous, but it was also a great opportunity for him to demonstrate his abilities and serve the court.

Liu Menglong clutched the letter tightly in his hand, his gaze fixed resolutely on the distance. He secretly vowed to annihilate the Liangshan bandits in one fell swoop, to live up to Gao Qiu's expectations, and to earn himself a share of glory.

He immediately summoned his generals and held a military conference in the camp. Liu Menglong stood in front of a huge map, gesturing with his fingers on it, analyzing in detail the terrain of Liangshan and possible defensive deployments.

"Gentlemen, Lord Gao Qiu has high hopes for us. The Liangshan bandits are rampant, and this time we will definitely let them know the power of the imperial court!" Liu Menglong's voice was firm and resolute.

The generals responded in unison: "We are willing to obey your orders, General, and together we will defeat Liangshan!"

Liu Menglong began to deploy his battle plan, dividing his navy into several small teams, each with a clear mission and objective. He meticulously planned the attack routes and timing, ensuring that every step was closely linked, giving the Liangshan bandits no chance to catch their breath.

The entire naval camp in Jiankang Prefecture sprang into action, soldiers sharpening their swords and preparing for the impending fierce battle. Liu Menglong, however, stood on the shore, gazing at the surging waves, his heart filled with fighting spirit. He firmly believed that his navy would triumph in this battle, making Liangshan a stepping stone to his success and fame.

In Gao Qiu's mansion, in a quiet tea room, Gao Qiu and Liu Menglong sat facing each other. The aroma of tea filled the room. Liu Menglong, with a fawning expression, leaned forward slightly and respectfully accepted the teacup offered by Gao Qiu with both hands, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality, Grand Commandant. It is truly an honor for me to share this fine tea with you in such an elegant setting."

Gao Qiu took a sip of tea, looked at Liu Menglong with a cold expression, and remained silent.

Seeing this, Liu Menglong quickly continued, "Grand Commandant, I am truly grateful that you have entrusted me with such an important task. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to demonstrate my abilities. I will do my utmost to live up to your high expectations."

After saying that, Liu Menglong's face was covered with a fawning smile, a smile full of flattery, his eyes narrowed into slits, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes squeezed together.

Gao Qiu continued sipping his tea at a leisurely pace, only slightly raising his eyelids as he said calmly, "Liu Menglong, do you realize the importance of this mission?"

Liu Menglong nodded hurriedly and said confidently, "Grand Commandant, rest assured, I understand. Those bandits from Liangshan have caused you such great humiliation. I will do my utmost to wipe them out in one fell swoop and avenge you."

As Liu Menglong spoke, he observed Gao Qiu's expression. Seeing that Gao Qiu's expression had eased slightly, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He continued, "Grand Commandant, you are highly respected in the court. If I am able to successfully complete this mission, it will all be thanks to your guidance and trust. From now on, I will follow your lead and go through fire and water for you without hesitation."

Gao Qiu put down his teacup and snorted coldly: "Hmph, it's good that you know. If you mess it up, you know the consequences."

Liu Menglong shuddered in fright, quickly stood up, bowed and said, "Rest assured, Grand Commandant, I will not dare to be negligent in the slightest and will certainly live up to your mission."

Gao Qiu waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down. "Sit down and make some plans. Don't disappoint this Grand Commandant."

Liu Menglong nodded obsequiously and sat down again, but in his heart he was scheming how to perform well in this battle in order to win more of Gao Qiu's favor.