Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Despite being surrounded, Zhao Tianming showed no fear and roared, "You treacherous scoundrel Gao Qiu, how can you succeed with such despicable means!" With that, he brandished his long sword and fought fiercely.

His soldiers were also brave and fought to the death alongside Zhao Tianming. However, the enemy outnumbered them, and the situation became increasingly critical. Zhao Tianming was hit by several arrows, his battle robe stained with blood, yet he still stood firm.

Zhao Tianming gritted his teeth, his eyes wide open, his heart filled with resentment: "My life is over! But I will not kneel before traitors!"

Just then, the sounds of battle erupted in the distance. It turned out that Zhao Tianming's good friend, Lin Chong, was leading a troop of elite soldiers to their rescue. Lin Chong, wielding an eighteen-foot spear, was unstoppable, and wherever he went, enemy soldiers scattered in all directions.

Lin Chong shouted, "Brother Zhao, don't be afraid, Lin Chong is here!"

Upon seeing this, Gao Qiu's face darkened, and he shouted, "Don't let Zhao Tianming escape!" His men intensified their attack.

Lin Chong and Zhao Tianming joined forces and fought desperately. However, Gao Qiu's army was numerous and their encirclement was very tight.

Zhao Tianming looked at Lin Chong and said gratefully, "Brother Lin, I'm so sorry to have troubled you this time!" Lin Chong replied, "Why would I say such a thing between brothers?"

Just as everyone was starting to feel exhausted, Lu Zhishen arrived with a group of Liangshan heroes. Lu Zhishen wielded his monk's staff with tremendous force, moving as if he were in an empty place.

Lu Zhishen roared, "You old scoundrel Gao Qiu, take this beating from me!"

The Liangshan heroes were all brave and quickly threw Gao Qiu into disarray. Seeing the situation was dire, Gao Qiu decided to retreat.

(Gao Qiu thought to himself, "The Liangshan bandits are powerful this time. Let's retreat for now and plan our next move.")

Taking advantage of the situation, Zhao Tianming and his group broke through the encirclement. However, all of them were seriously injured and exhausted.

Back in the camp, Zhao Tianming discussed the matter with the others. Zhao Tianming said, "That scoundrel Gao Qiu will certainly not let this go easily. We should make preparations as soon as possible."

Lin Chong said, "We should unite with righteous men from all sides to fight against the treacherous villains."

Lu Zhishen said, "I am willing to take the lead and fight that old man Gao Qiu to the death!"

Everyone was filled with excitement.

Not long after, Gao Qiu indeed launched another attack. Zhao Tianming and his troops prepared for battle, standing ready for the fight.

On the battlefield, drums and gongs resounded, and smoke filled the air. Zhao Tianming charged ahead, plunging into the enemy ranks. Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and others followed closely behind.

Zhao Tianming's eyes widened in fury as he shouted battle cries, his momentum unstoppable.

Although Gao Qiu's army was numerous, its morale was low. The Liangshan heroes were each worth ten men, and they slaughtered Gao Qiu's troops, who fled in disarray, abandoning their armor and weapons.

Gao Qiu suffered a crushing defeat and returned home. When Tong Guan heard this, he was furious and said, "Gao Qiu is incompetent. He lost his troops and generals and ruined my great cause!"

Gao Qiu argued, "Zhao Tianming has the help of the Liangshan bandits, making him difficult to deal with."

Tong Guan said, "We should report to His Majesty and request that a large army be dispatched to annihilate them."

Knowing that Gao Qiu and Tong Guan would not give up, Zhao Tianming and others sent people to Liangshan to request reinforcements. They also contacted heroes from all walks of life, intending to raise the banner of righteousness together and overthrow the treacherous officials.

In an instant, the martial arts world was shaken, and heroes gathered from all directions.

At the Liangshan Hall of Righteousness, Song Jiang passionately declared, "Gao Qiu and Tong Guan have brought disaster to the country and its people. We must act on behalf of Heaven to save the people from their suffering." All the heroes responded in unison.

On Zhao Tianming's side, troops were drilled day and night, and camps were fortified in preparation for an even fiercer battle.

One day, a scout reported that the imperial army was approaching. Zhao Tianming and his men discussed countermeasures.

Wu Yong said, "I have a plan that can defeat the enemy."

Everyone listened intently.

Wu Yong said, "We can set up an ambush at key points and attack them with fire. We can also send a surprise force to flank them and attack their supplies."

Zhao Tianming followed the plan.

The imperial army marched in a grand procession, only to be ambushed. Flames raged, and morale plummeted.

The generals panicked, and the soldiers fled in all directions.

Zhao Tianming led his army in a surprise attack, like a tiger among sheep. The imperial army was routed, suffering countless casualties.

Zhao Tianming and his men's great victory made Gao Qiu, Tong Guan, and other treacherous officials grit their teeth in hatred. However, Zhao Tianming and his men did not become complacent in the slightest because of this.

On Liangshan Mountain, Song Jiang and the other heroes discussed their next move. Song Jiang said, "Although we have won a battle, the imperial court will not let this go easily. We should continue to prepare our troops to prevent the enemy from coming again." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Zhao Tianming was also working tirelessly day and night, comforting the wounded soldiers and intensifying the training of new recruits. Lin Chong was responsible for patrolling the area around the camp to prevent enemy attacks. Lu Zhishen, meanwhile, led his brothers in forging weapons, preparing for an even more brutal battle.

Just as everyone was busy, a scout suddenly reported that the imperial court had dispatched another general, leading 100,000 elite troops, to suppress the rebellion. This general was Cai Jing's confidant, named Wang Fu, a man of great military prowess and cunning.

Upon hearing this news, Zhao Tianming frowned and said to the others, "This enemy is no ordinary foe; we must be careful." Wu Yong smiled and said, "Brother Zhao, do not worry; I already have a plan."

It turned out that Wu Yong had already sent men to infiltrate the enemy ranks and gather intelligence. They learned that although Wang Fu had a strong and well-equipped army, he was ambitious and eager for quick success. Wu Yong then decided to take advantage of this and lure the enemy deep into his territory.

Zhao Tianming followed the plan, deliberately sending a small force to provoke the enemy. Seeing that Zhao Tianming's force was small in number, Wang Fu thought there was an opportunity and ordered the main army to pursue them.

Zhao Tianming's troops fought and retreated, leading the enemy into a valley. Wang Fu, seeing the treacherous terrain, became suspicious and considered ordering a withdrawal. However, at that moment, countless boulders suddenly rolled down the mountain, blocking their retreat.

Immediately afterwards, shouts of battle arose from all sides as Zhao Tianming, Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and others led their ambush troops out. Wang Fu's army was thrown into chaos.

Seeing the situation was dire, Wang Fu personally led his troops in a breakout attempt. However, Zhao Tianming and his men were incredibly brave and fiercely blocked his path. After a fierce battle, Wang Fu's troops suffered heavy casualties.

After Wang Fu's crushing defeat, Gao Qiu, Tong Guan, and Cai Jing gathered in a room, their faces grim.

Gao Qiu slammed his fist on the table in anger, saying bitterly, "This Zhao Tianming gang is really troublesome!" Tong Guan also frowned, saying, "In the current situation, a direct confrontation is unlikely to be victorious." Cai Jing stroked his beard, a sinister glint in his eyes, and said, "We need to use some despicable means."

The three conspired together and devised a treacherous plan.

On one hand, Cai Jing sent spies to infiltrate Zhao Tianming's army and spread rumors that the Liangshan heroes had developed a grudge against Zhao Tianming and wanted to part ways. On the other hand, Gao Qiu sent men to cut off Zhao Tianming's army's food supplies, putting them in a difficult situation.

As expected, the rumors caused widespread panic in Zhao Tianming's army. Although Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and others tried their best to dispel the rumors, many soldiers still harbored doubts. The shortage of food and supplies further dampened the morale of the army.

Zhao Tianming was extremely anxious and discussed countermeasures with Wu Yong and others. Wu Yong pondered for a moment and said, "This is the enemy's plan. We must stabilize the morale of our troops and find a source of supplies."

Following Wu Yong's advice, Zhao Tianming reassured the soldiers, strictly prohibited the spread of rumors, and dispatched capable men to find provisions.

However, Cai Jing and his men didn't stop there. They bribed some local bandits to launch a night raid on Zhao Tianming's camp. The camp was thrown into chaos, but Zhao Tianming and his men fought back fiercely and managed to repel the bandits.

After this chaos, Zhao Tianming's army was exhausted. At this time, the imperial army took the opportunity to approach.

Zhao Tianming stared at the approaching enemy troops and gritted his teeth, saying, "Even if we are in dire straits, we must not retreat!"

Lin Chong brandished his eighteen-foot spear and shouted, "I am willing to live and die with Brother Zhao!" Lu Zhishen also brandished his monk's staff and roared, "I am absolutely fearless!"

In the ensuing battle, although Zhao Tianming's army was brave, they gradually lost ground due to exhaustion from the past few days.

Just when the situation was critical, Zhao Tianming suddenly came up with a plan. He ordered Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen to each lead a detachment to feign a retreat. Cai Jing, seeing this, thought that Zhao Tianming's army was powerless to resist and was overjoyed, ordering a full-scale pursuit.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Tianming had already laid an ambush along the way. When the imperial army entered the ambush area, the hidden soldiers sprang into action, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen led their troops back to attack, forming a pincer movement with Zhao Tianming.

The imperial army was thrown into chaos. Cai Jing was terrified and tried to command the battle, but it was too late to turn the tide.

Zhao Tianming took the lead, wielding his long sword as if he were in an empty field.

Lin Chong's eighteen-foot spear swept across thousands of troops, while Lu Zhishen's monk's staff possessed boundless power.

After a fierce battle, the imperial army was routed and fled.

Cai Jing, Gao Qiu, and Tong Guan were furious upon learning of their defeat. But they were not discouraged and plotted an even more insidious scheme.

This time, they sent people to poison the water source in the area where Zhao Tianming's army was stationed, causing many soldiers to fall ill.

Zhao Tianming and the others were furious when they discovered this. However, they did not panic, but quickly organized a rescue effort and searched for a new water source.

Meanwhile, Wu Yong sent out spies to discover Cai Jing and his men's next plan. It turned out they intended to launch another attack while Zhao Tianming's army was preoccupied with dealing with the water shortage.

Zhao Tianming decided to play along, pretending to still be troubled by the water problem to lull the enemy into a false sense of security.

When Cai Jing and his troops attacked, Zhao Tianming's army suddenly launched a surprise attack, catching them completely off guard.

Cai Jing's troops were routed, and Gao Qiu and Tong Guan, seeing this, were so frightened that they hastily retreated.

Zhao Tianming's army pressed their advantage and turned the tide of the battle.

Cai Jing, Gao Qiu, and Tong Guan suffered repeated defeats and became enraged. They gathered together, racking their brains to devise new schemes and plots.

Tong Guan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "Why don't we use the Liao army's strength to deal with Zhao Tianming?" Gao Qiu was taken aback at first, then clapped his hands in approval. Cai Jing, however, had a gloomy face and said slowly, "This matter needs careful consideration; we cannot act rashly."

After some discussion, the three decided to send someone secretly to the Liao Kingdom, offering them a large sum of money and benefits to persuade the Liao army to send troops to help them.

The Liao generals were greatly tempted upon hearing this. They saw it as a good opportunity to gain more benefits, so they agreed to Cai Jing and his group's request.

Cai Jing and his associates employed the strategy of "know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated" from Sun Tzu's Art of War. They dispatched numerous spies to thoroughly investigate Zhao Tianming's army's deployment, food supplies, and morale. Simultaneously, they employed a feint attack, deliberately creating disturbances to the east of Zhao Tianming's army to draw their attention, while secretly coordinating with the Liao army to launch a surprise attack from the west.

Zhao Tianming noticed the enemy's unusual behavior and became suspicious. Knowing that Cai Jing and his men were cunning, he dared not be careless. Therefore, he summoned everyone to discuss countermeasures.