Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Tong Wei and Tong Meng saw many of their companions injured and lying on the ground, writhing in pain, as they were attacked by the men in black. Ruan Xiaoqi's shoulder was bleeding profusely, staining a large area of ​​her clothes red.

Tong Wei was extremely anxious and hurriedly said to Ruan Xiaoqi, "Seventh Brother, as long as we're alive, we can always fight again! These men in black are of unknown origin and their martial arts are strange. Let's leave quickly!"

Looking at his wounded brothers, Ruan Xiaoqi's eyes were filled with anger and resentment, but he knew that fighting head-on was not the best strategy at this time. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Brothers, retreat!"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned around and ran towards the reed marshes.

The man in black pursued relentlessly, continuously launching darts. The darts streaked through the air like meteors, carrying a deadly threat.

"Ah!" Several more companions were unable to dodge in time, their shoulders were injured, and blood splattered everywhere. But they endured the excruciating pain and dared not stop for even a moment.

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others ran desperately ahead, with the whistling wind and the sharp sound of darts flying past their ears.

"Faster! Faster!" Tong Meng shouted as he ran.

The reed marshes drew ever closer, but the pursuit by the men in black grew increasingly urgent.

Just then, a dart flew straight toward Ruan Xiaoqi's back. Tong Wei reacted quickly, pushing Ruan Xiaoqi aside, but his own arm was grazed by the dart.

"Tong Wei!" Ruan Xiaoqi called out.

"I'm fine, Seventh Brother, run!" Tong Wei ignored his wounds and continued running.

Finally, they reached the riverbank. Without hesitation, they all jumped into the river.

The moment they hit the water, the darts fell into the water, splashing up sprays of water.

The man in black chased the figure to the riverbank, staring at it disappearing into the water, and roared angrily.

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others swam desperately in the water, not daring to surface. The river water was icy cold, and their injuries were excruciatingly painful, but they dared not slacken their efforts. They swam until they were far away and, making sure the men in black were not chasing them, they quietly went ashore.

After reaching the shore, everyone collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. The relief of surviving the ordeal and exhaustion were intertwined on everyone's faces.

Tong Wei and Tong Meng looked at Ruan Xiaoqi with anxiety and confusion in their eyes, and asked in unison, "Seventh Brother, what should we do next?"

Ruan Xiaoqi frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "These people are of unknown origin and their skills are so strange. We won't gain anything by fighting them head-on. I think we should hide for now and wait until dark. These people are new here and don't know the situation in Shijie Village. Let's avoid their sharp edge for now."

Tong Wei and Tong Meng nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

Ruan Xiaoqi continued, "I know there's a cave in the back mountain. I hid some herbs there before. Let's hurry over there and treat the wounds first."

After saying that, Ruan Xiaoqi led everyone towards the back mountain. Along the way, everyone was cautious and vigilant about the movements around them, fearing that the men in black would suddenly appear.

The hill behind Shijie Village was overgrown with weeds, and the road was rugged and difficult to travel. Ruan Xiaoqi led the way, his steps firm but slightly unsteady, his injured shoulder making his movements a little slow.

Tong Wei followed closely behind, supporting his more seriously injured companion, while Tong Meng brought up the rear, keeping an eye out for pursuers.

"Everyone be careful, don't make too much noise," Ruan Xiaoqi whispered a reminder.

Everyone held their breath and tried their best not to make a sound.

Suddenly, a bird took flight from the grass, and everyone's hearts jumped into their throats.

"Don't panic, it's just a bird," Ruan Xiaoqi said softly.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and continued on their way.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, we finally saw the hidden cave.

Ruan Xiaoqi was the first to enter the cave, followed by Tong Wei and Tong Meng with the others.

The cave was filled with a damp atmosphere and was dimly lit.

"Everyone, take a break for a bit," Ruan Xiaoqi said.

Tong Wei and Tong Meng quickly helped their injured companion sit down, while Ruan Xiaoqi found the herbs she had hidden in the corner.

"Thankfully, these herbs are still here." Ruan Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief.

He began treating everyone's wounds, with Tong Wei and Tong Meng helping him. Everyone's face was etched with exhaustion and pain, but their eyes shone with determination and resilience.

"We've really stumbled this time, but as long as we're alive, we'll have a chance to get revenge," Ruan Xiaoqi said while bandaging her wounds.

Everyone nodded and clenched their fists.

Finally, night fell. Ruan Xiaoqi, along with Tong Wei and Tong Meng, cautiously emerged from the cave and carefully surveyed the area. All was silent; the men in black had vanished without a trace.

The dim moonlight spilled onto the paths of Shijie Village, shrouding everything in a hazy veil. Following the familiar road and guided by the moonlight, Ruan Xiaoqi and the others arrived at Zhao Tianming's shop.

Before even entering, Ruan Xiaoqi could hear the voices of the people inside the shop. Ruan Xiaoqi gently pushed open the door, and Wu Yong, Song Jiang, Lu Junyi, and the other heroes inside turned around. They were all taken aback by their disheveled appearance and quickly got up to greet them.

"Brothers Xiao Qi, what's wrong with you?" Song Jiang asked anxiously.

Ruan Xiaoqi shook her head with a wry smile and said, "Brothers, don't even mention it. We've really suffered a terrible fate today."

Wu Yong frowned and said, "Sit down and tell me slowly. What exactly happened?"

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others found a place to sit down, took a sip of water, and then recounted their experiences during the day in detail.

"We were taking He Tao back to the yamen for a proper interrogation when suddenly more than a dozen men in black appeared on the way. Their moves were strange, and even though we fought them off, we were still injured. We had no choice but to hide for now," Ruan Xiaoqi said angrily.

Lu Junyi slammed his fist on the table and roared, "How could this happen! Who exactly are these men in black?"

Tong Wei continued, "We don't know either, but judging from their appearance, they seem to have come prepared."

After a moment of contemplation, Song Jiang said, "This matter is probably not simple; there may be another conspiracy behind it."

Wu Yong nodded and said, "Brother is absolutely right. The appearance of this group of men in black is so suspicious; they must be after us."

The crowd began to speculate about the identity and purpose of the man in black.

"No matter what, we must be careful," Song Jiang said. "Brother Xiao Qi, you should take good care of your injuries first."

Ruan Xiaoqi and the others nodded, feeling incredibly warmed by the concern shown by the heroes.

Not long after, Zhao Tianming rushed back. As soon as he entered, he saw the injured Ruan Xiaoqi. He quickly walked over, patted Ruan Xiaoqi's shoulder with concern, and said, "Brother, you suffered such a disaster because of me. I, Zhao Tianming, feel terrible. Don't worry, just stay here and recover. Don't think about anything else."

Ruan Xiaoqi forced a smile and said, "Brother Zhao, this is nothing serious, just some superficial injuries, it's nothing to worry about."

Ruan Xiaoqi continued, "Brother Zhao, let me introduce you to two people." As he spoke, he pulled Tong Wei and Tong Meng in front of him, "These two are the brothers Tong Wei and Tong Meng. If it weren't for their desperate help today, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Zhao Tianming clasped his hands and said, "Brothers Tong Wei and Tong Meng, thank you for taking care of Xiao Qi. From now on, we are all family."

Tong Wei and Tong Meng quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Brother Zhao, you're too kind. It's all what we should do."

Looking at everyone's tired and injured appearance, Zhao Tianming said, "You've all worked hard. Please settle down here with me first."

Then, Zhao Tianming turned to He Xiang and said, "Wife, quickly go and get some good medicine for your injuries, and prepare some wine and dishes to properly entertain Brother Ruan Xiaoqi, the Tong brothers, and their companions."

He Xiang responded and hurried off to prepare.

A short while later, He Xiang returned with medicine and food. Zhao Tianming personally took the medicine and handed it to Ruan Xiaoqi: "Brother Xiaoqi, apply the medicine first."

Ruan Xiaoqi accepted the medicine without hesitation and began treating her wounds. Zhao Tianming then gestured for everyone to sit down, saying, "Brothers, let's have a good meal today and get some rest."

The group sat together, and although they were injured, they felt a little more relaxed in the warm atmosphere.

Looking at the table full of food and wine, Tong Wei said with emotion, "Brother Zhao is truly righteous. We brothers are extremely grateful to receive such care here."

Zhao Tianming smiled and said, "Don't mention gratitude. We're all brothers. We share hardships and joys together."

As they ate and drank, they chatted about their experiences during the day.

“Those men in black came from nowhere, and their moves are strange; they are indeed difficult to deal with,” Tong Meng said.

Lu Junyi nodded and said, "This matter needs to be considered carefully. We must find out their origins and purpose."

Everyone agreed.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, everyone was starting to feel a bit tired.

Zhao Tianming said, "Everyone is tired, let's go and rest first, we can talk about it tomorrow."

So, under Zhao Tianming's arrangement, everyone went to rest. Although the night had been full of twists and turns, with Zhao Tianming's help, Ruan Xiaoqi and the others finally had a moment of peace.

After settling Ruan Xiaoqi and the Tong brothers, Wu Yong came to Zhao Tianming's study late at night.

Wu Yong knocked lightly on the door, and Zhao Tianming's voice came from inside: "Come in."

Wu Yong pushed open the door and entered. Zhao Tianming was sitting at his desk with a solemn expression.

Wu Yong cut to the chase, saying, "Brother Zhao, I don't think this matter is simple. Ruan Xiaoqi and the Tong brothers are almost unmatched in the martial arts world. How could such a powerful figure appear, and how could the three of them not gain any advantage?"

Zhao Tianming stood up and paced around the room, saying, "What the scholar said is absolutely right. This matter is suspicious. Those people have an unknown origin, but their goal is clear, as if it was premeditated."

Wu stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and said, "Could it be that they're after our recent actions? Or is it related to an old enemy?"

Zhao Tianming shook his head: "It's hard to say for sure right now, but this matter must be thoroughly investigated, otherwise we will never have peace."

Wu Yong nodded in agreement: "That's right, we need to approach this from multiple angles. First, we should send people to inquire whether there are any newly emerging forces in the martial arts world, or whether any other gangs that have grudges against us have made any unusual moves."

Zhao Tianming stopped in his tracks, his gaze resolute: "We still need to carefully investigate the martial arts styles of those men in black. Perhaps we can find out their lineage and sects, and follow the clues to find the mastermind behind it all."

Wu Yong continued, "We should also pay attention to whether Ruan Xiaoqi and the others reveal any key information when they fight with the men in black."

"This matter is of great importance. We must hurry and not let the danger get any closer." Zhao Tianming said solemnly as he and Wu Yong planned the next direction of the investigation.