Chapter 116

Chapter 116

At that moment, upon hearing that his younger brother Zhang Shun had perished, Zhang Heng was so overcome with grief that he fainted and lay unconscious for some time before being revived. Song Jiang said, "Take him to the tent and tend to his recovery. We shall question him about the maritime affairs later." Song Jiang ordered Pei Xuan and Jiang Jing to record the meritorious deeds of the various generals. By the hours of chen and si, all had assembled before the tents. Li Jun and Shi Wu had captured Wu Zhi alive; the three women generals had captured Zhang Daoyuan alive. Lin Chong had speared Leng Gong to death with his serpent spear; Jie Zhen and Jie Bao had killed Cui Yu. Only Shi Bao, Deng Yuanju, Wang Ji, Chao Zhong, and Wen Kerang had escaped. Song Jiang then posted notices to reassure the people, rewarded the troops, and sent Wu Zhi and Zhang Daoyuan under escort to the army of Zhang Zhaotao, where they were beheaded. Yuan Ping-shi, who had contributed grain, was recommended in a memorial and appointed magistrate of Fuyang County; he obtained his official commission from Zhang Zhaotao's office. But enough of this. All the generals retired to the city to rest. The attendants reported: "Rui Xiaoqi has come ashore from the river and entered the city." Song Jiang summoned him to the tent and asked him. Rui Xiaoqi said, "My younger brother Zhang Heng, together with Hou Jian, Duan Jingzhu, and the sailors, found ships by the coast and sailed as far as Haiyan and elsewhere, hoping to enter the Qiantang River. Unexpectedly, the winds and currents were unfavorable, and we were driven out into the open ocean. We tried to make haste back, but the ship was smashed by the wind, and everyone fell into the water. Hou Jian and Duan Jingzhu could not swim and drowned in the sea. The sailors scattered in all directions to save themselves. I swam to the mouth of the river, entered Zheshan Gate, and the tide carried me straight to Banshan Mountain, where I swam back. I then saw elder brother Zhang Heng in the river at Wuyun Mountain, and I wanted to go ashore, but I did not know where he was. Last night I saw fires rising in the city and heard the sound of continuous cannon fire, and I reckoned that my elder brother was engaged in battle at Hangzhou, so I came ashore from the river. I do not know whether Zhang Heng managed to reach shore or not." Song Jiang told Rui Xiaoqi about Zhang Heng's situation, and had him meet with his two elder brothers as before, and he continued to command the naval generals and vessels. Song Jiang issued orders: the naval commanders were to be dispatched first to collect river boats on the river, in preparation for the advance on Muzhou. Reflecting on how Zhang Shun had manifested such spiritual power, Song Jiang had a temple built outside Yongjin Gate near the West Lake, inscribed with the title "Jinhua Taibao," and Song Jiang personally went to offer sacrifices. Later, after Fang La was subdued and merit had been rendered to the court, Song Jiang returned to the capital and reported this matter. An imperial edict was specially issued, posthumously enfeoffing Zhang Shun as the "General of Jinhua," with his temple receiving offerings in Hangzhou.

Furthermore, Song Jiang, in the traveling palace, reflected that since crossing the river, many of his officers and commanders had been lost, and his heart was filled with grief. He went to the Jingci Monastery to hold a seven-day-and-night Water-and-Land Dharma Assembly, distributing offerings of food to rescue the sunken souls and deliver the fallen generals, each of whom was honored with a spirit tablet. After these meritorious deeds were completed, all the structures within Fang Tianding's palace were destroyed. All the gold, silver, jewels, silk, and other valuables were distributed as rewards to the generals and officers. The people of Hangzhou were all at peace, and a banquet was held to celebrate the rewards. Together with his military advisors, Song Jiang deliberated at length about deploying troops to recover Muzhou. It was now the end of the fourth month when a report suddenly arrived: "Deputy Commander Liu Guangshi and an imperial envoy from the Eastern Capital have both arrived in Hangzhou." Song Jiang immediately led the generals out through the North Gate to welcome them into the city, and in the traveling palace the imperial edict was read aloud: "...We command Vanguard Commander Song Jiang and others, who have repeatedly achieved great merit in suppressing Fang La, to receive in reward thirty-five bottles of imperial wine and thirty-five robes of brocade for the principal officers; the remaining subordinate officers shall likewise receive rewards of silk according to their names." In truth, the court only knew that Gongsun Sheng had not crossed the river to suppress Fang La, but was unaware of how many commanders had been lost. When Song Jiang saw the thirty-five brocade robes and bottles of imperial wine, he was suddenly overcome with sorrow and could not stop his tears. When the envoy asked the reason, Song Jiang told him about the loss of the generals. The envoy said, "With such losses, how could the court know? When I return to the capital, I shall certainly report this." A banquet was then held to entertain the envoy, with Liu Guangshi presiding, while the other officers, great and small, sat in order of rank. All partook of the imperial banquet and received its grace. For the fallen principal and subordinate officers, the brocade robes and imperial wine were set aside as rewards. On the following day, spirit tablets were set up and offerings were made from afar. Song Jiang took one bottle of imperial wine and one brocade robe to Zhang Shun's temple and called his name to offer sacrifice. The brocade robe was placed upon the clay idol, while the rest were burned from afar. The envoy stayed for several days and then returned to the capital.

Before they knew it, time had flown and several dozen days had passed. Zhang Zhaotao sent a man with a document urging the vanguard to advance. Song Jiang and Wu Yong discussed with Lu Junyi: "The route to Muzhou follows the river straight to the rebel stronghold; the route to Shezhou goes by the small path through Yuling Pass. Now we shall divide the troops from this point to attack both places. I wonder, brother, which route your army should take?" Lu Junyi said, "The deployment of troops and generals is entirely subject to your strict orders, brother. How would I dare to choose?" Song Jiang said, "Even so, let us see the will of Heaven." They divided the forces into two groups, wrote the destinations on two lots, burned incense and prayed, and each drew one. Song Jiang drew Muzhou, and Lu Junyi drew Shezhou. Song Jiang said, "Fang La's stronghold is in Qingxi County, in the Bangyuan Cave. When you have taken Shezhou, brother, you may station your troops there and send a flying report to inform me, so that we may agree on a day to jointly attack the rebel cave in Qingxi." Lu Junyi then asked Song Jiang to consider the allocation of officers and troops.

Vanguard Commander Song Jiang led thirty-six principal and subordinate generals to attack Muzhou and Black Dragon Ridge:

Military Advisor Wu Yong, Guan Sheng, Hua Rong, Qin Ming, Li Ying, Dai宗, Zhu Tong, Li Kui, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Jie Zhen, Jie Bao, Lü Fang, Guo Sheng, Fan Rui, Ma Lin, Yan Song, Song Qing, Xiang Chong, Li Gun, Wang Ying, Hu San娘, Ling Zhen, Du Xing, Cai Fu...

Cai Qing, Pei Xuan, Jiang Jing, and Yu Baosi.

Seven leaders of the naval forces, principal and subordinate, commanding boats to accompany the army in the campaign against Muzhou:

Li Jun, Ruan Xiao'er, Ruan Xiaowu, Ruan Xiaoqi, Tong Meng, Tong Wei, and Meng Kang.

Deputy Vanguard Lu Junyi led twenty-eight principal and subordinate officers to seize Shezhou and Yuling Pass:

Army Strategist Zhu Wu, Lin Chong, Huo Yanhui, Shi Jin, Yang Xiong, Shi Xiu, Shan Tinggui, Wei Dingguo, Sun Li, Huang Xin, Ou Peng, Du Qian, Chen Da, Yang Chun, Li Zhong, Xue Yong, Zou Yuan, Li Li, Li Yun, Zou Run, Tang Long, Shi Yong, Shi Qian, Ding Desun, Sun Xin, Gu Dasao, Zhang Qing, and Sun Erniang.

At that time, Vanguard Commander Lu Junyi led a total of principal and subordinate officers numbering twenty-nine, together with thirty thousand troops. On an appointed day they took leave of Regional Commander Liu, parted from Song Jiang, and led their forces toward Hangzhou by mountain roads, passing through Lin'an County before setting out on their march. Meanwhile, Song Jiang and the others organized their boats and cavalry, distributed the principal and subordinate officers, and on a chosen day offered sacrifices to the army banners and set out on campaign, advancing by both land and water, boats and cavalry supporting each other. At this time, plague was raging within Hangzhou; six officers had already fallen ill: Zhang Heng, Mu Hong, Kong Ming, Zhu Gui, Yang Lin, and Bai Sheng. Their sickness had not yet abated, and they could not join the campaign. Mu Chun and Zhu Fu were assigned to look after the sick—eight officers in all, left behind in Hangzhou. The remaining officers, numbering thirty-seven in total, all followed Song Jiang in the attack on Muzhou, taking the road along the road toward Fuyang County.

Let us not yet speak of the two armies setting out on their march. Returning to Chai Jin and Yan Qing, after parting from Song Jiang the vanguard commander at Xiuli Pavilion in Xiuzhou, they traveled to Haiyan County, took a boat at the coast, crossed through Yuezhou, and made their way by degrees to Zhuji County. They crossed the fishing ford at Yupu and arrived at the border of Muzhou. The garrison officers at the pass stopped them, and Chai Jin declared, "I am a gentleman scholar of the Central Plains. I understand astronomy and geography, am well versed in yin and yang, can discern the hexagrams of wind and cloud, and can differentiate the colors of the three luminaries. The nine schools and three teachings hold nothing beyond my knowledge. Gazing afar at Jiangnan, I perceived the aura of an emperor and came here. Why do you block the path of the worthy?"

The garrison officers, hearing Chai Jin's uncommon speech, asked his name. Chai Jin replied, "My name is Ke Yin. I am a master and servant traveling together, come to seek service in this great nation. There is no other purpose." The commander, upon hearing this, detained Chai Jin and dispatched a messenger directly to Muzhou to report to Right Prime Minister Shi Shiyuan, Councillor Shen Shou, Imperial Secretary Huan Yi, and Marshal Tan Gao. All four received the report and arranged for Chai Jin to be brought to Muzhou for an audience. After the formal courtesies were exchanged, Chai Jin's eloquent words deeply impressed the four men. Moreover, Chai Jin's bearing was far from ordinary, and they harbored no suspicion. Right Prime Minister Shi Shiyuan was greatly pleased and ordered Imperial Secretary Huan Yi to escort Chai Jin to the great palace at Qingxi for an audience.

Now Muzhou, Shezhou, and Fang La all had traveling palaces and great halls, and within the Dongyuan Cave at Qingxi County were established the five ministries and six boards. Chai Jin and Yan Qing followed Huan Yi to the imperial capital at Qingxi and first came to pay their respects to Left Prime Minister Lou Minzhong. Chai Jin spoke with grand eloquence, and Lou Minzhong was delighted, retaining Chai Jin as a guest in the prime minister's residence. Observing that Chai Jin and Yan Qing spoke with refinement and were well read and versed in propriety, Lou Minzhong was already eight parts pleased. Lou Minzhong had originally been a schoolteacher in Qingxi County. Though he possessed some literary talent, it was of no great depth, and Chai Jin's discourse filled him with immense joy. After spending the night, the following morning they attended the early court session, awaiting the ascension of Fang La's son to the throne. Within the hall were arrayed the palace attendants, concubines, and maidens; outside stood the nine ministers and four prime ministers, the civil and military officials in two columns, and before the palace stood the armored guards with golden halberds and personal attendants. Left Prime Minister Lou Minzhong stepped forward from the ranks and memorialized: "The Central Plains is the homeland of Confucius. There is now a worthy scholar named Ke Yin, accomplished in both civil and military arts, possessed of wisdom and courage, skilled in astronomy and geography, able to discern the hexagrams of wind and cloud, conversant with the colors of heaven and earth, and thoroughly versed in the three teachings, nine schools, and the hundred philosophers. He has come drawn by the emperor's aura. He now waits outside the palace gate, awaiting Your Majesty's summons."

Fang La said, "Since a worthy scholar has arrived, let him appear in audience in plain dress." The gate heralds summoned Chai Jin and conducted him before the throne. He performed the ritual obeisances, thrice hailed the emperor, and was ushered before the curtain. Fang La observed Chai Jin's extraordinary bearing, which carried the air of a dragon's son or grandson, and was already eight parts pleased. Fang La asked, "You say you came drawn by the emperor's aura. Where does it lie?"

Chai Jin memorialized: "This humble subject Ke Yin dwelt in the Central Plains, orphaned of both parents, studying alone. I received the secret teachings of the ancient sages and the profound texts of my forebears. Recently observing the celestial signs at night, I saw the Emperor Star shining brightly, illuminating Eastern Wu directly. Therefore I did not shrink from the toil of a thousand miles and came drawn by the aura. Arriving especially in Jiangnan, I further observed a strand of five-colored imperial aura rising from Muzhou. Now I behold the sacred countenance of the Son of Heaven, who possesses the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, with a countenance like the sun and sky—this aura corresponds to him precisely. This subject's joy knows no bounds!" With that, he bowed again.

Fang La said, "Though We hold dominion over the southeast, recently Song Jiang and his men have seized our cities and encroached upon Our territory. What is to be done?"

Chai Jin memorialized: "This subject has heard the ancients say: 'What is easily gained is easily lost; what is hard to gain is hard to lost.' Your Majesty's southeastern domain, since its founding, has swept forward and seized many prefectures and commanderies. Though Song Jiang has taken several places, before long the tide of fortune will return to Your Sacred Majesty. Your Majesty's realm will not be limited to Jiangnan—in days to come, the very Central Plains will belong to Your Majesty."

Fang La was greatly delighted by such words. He commanded that a brocade cushion be bestowed and Chai Jin be seated, entertained at an imperial banquet, and appointed Grand Secretary of the Secretariat. From that day, Chai Jin had daily access to Fang La, employing nothing but flattery and fawning words to win his favor. Before half a month had passed, neither Fang La nor any official, inner or outer, failed to take a liking to Chai Jin. Subsequently, observing that Chai Jin administered affairs with fairness and wholehearted devotion, Fang La ordered Left Prime Minister Lou Minzhong to act in arranging for Chai Jin to marry Princess Jinzhi by uxorilocal marriage, and appointed him Commandant of the Noble Household. Yan Qing changed his name to Yun Biren and was known as Commandant Yun. After Chai Jin's marriage to the princess, he came and went freely within the palace and became privy to all matters both inner and outer. Whenever Fang La had important military matters, he would summon Chai Jin to the inner palace for consultation. Chai Jin regularly memorialized: "Your Majesty's complexion is truly auspicious, but it is afflicted by the Baleful Star, and there will be half a year of unease yet. Only when Song Jiang has lost every single warrior under his command and the Baleful Star recedes will Your Majesty revive your great enterprise, sweep forward, and seize the Central Plains."

Fang La said, "We have several beloved generals among Our forces, all killed by Song Jiang. What can be done about this?"

Chai Jin further memorialized: "This subject has observed the celestial signs at night. Regarding Your Majesty's destiny, though there appear several dozen warrior stars, they are not of the righteous principle and will not long endure. However, there are the images of the Twenty-Eight Constellations coming to assist Your Majesty and revive the great enterprise. Within Song Jiang's band as well, there are some dozen men who will come to surrender—these too are among the destined stars, all of them ministers who will expand Your Majesty's domain!" Fang La was overjoyed to hear this. A poem bears witness:

In the silkworm chamber the Grand Historian was once punished—

Who does not condemn Li Ling for surrendering?

Who could have known that the honored Consort-Prince Ke

Acted from the very first with Song Jiang in his heart?

Let us leave aside Chai Jin's becoming an imperial son-in-law for now, and turn to Song Jiang, who led his great host of soldiers and troops away from Hangzhou and advanced toward Fuyang County. At that time, the National Preceptor Baoguang, Deng Yuanyue, together with Marshal Shi Bao, Wang Ji, Chao Zhong, and Wen Kerang—five commanders—led their battered remaining troops to hold the passes of Fuyang County, and sent a messenger to Muzhou for aid. The Right Prime Minister Zu Shiyuan dispatched two personal army commanding officers, leading ten thousand soldiers and horses, to come to their support. The chief commanding officer Bai Qin and the deputy commanding officer Jing De both possessed the courage of ten thousand men. They arrived at Fuyang County and joined forces with National Preceptor Baoguang and the others, occupying the mountain heights.

When Song Jiang's great army reached QiLi Bay, the waterborne troops led the cavalry forward all at once. Shi Bao, seeing this, mounted his horse, took up his meteor hammer and his wind-splitting saber, left the heights of Fuyang County, and came to meet Song Jiang. Guan Sheng was about to ride out when Lü Fang called out, "Brother, wait a moment. Let Lü Fang fight this fellow a few rounds." Song Jiang watched from the shadow of the gate banner. Lü Fang, on his horse with his halberd, went straight for Shi Bao. That Shi Bao met him with his wind-splitting saber. The two fought to fifty exchanges, and Lü Fang's strength began to fail. Guo Sheng, seeing this, took up his halberd and galloped forward to join the attack. But Shi Bao, with one saber against two halberds, showed not the slightest gap. Just as the battle reached its most intense point, the National Preceptor Baoguang to the south hastily beat the gong to recall the troops. It turned out that he had seen war junks on the great river riding the favorable wind, all coming up onto the shallows and approaching the shore. He feared they would be attacked from two sides, and therefore beat the gong to recall his forces. Lü Fang and Guo Sheng pressed the fight closely—how could they let them go? Shi Bao fought another three or five exchanges, and then Zhu Tong from the Song formation, on horseback with his spear, came forward to join the attack as well. Shi Bao could not fight all three generals, so he parted from them with his weapon and fled. Song Jiang pointed with the tip of his whip, and the army charged straight over Fuyang Mountain ridge. Shi Bao's troops could not hold their positions along the way and retreated all the way to the boundary of Tonglu County. Song Jiang pressed forward through the night and made camp at the foot of Baifeng Ridge. That night he sent Jie Zhen, Jie Bao, Yan Shun, Shorty Wang, and Yu Qiu Qing by the eastern road, and Li Kui, Xiang Chong, Li Gun, Fan Rui, and Ma Lin by the western road, each leading a thousand foot soldiers, to raid the camp at Tonglu County. On the river, he ordered Li Jun, the three Ruan brothers, the two Tong brothers, and Meng Kang—seven men in all—to advance by water.

Now, when Jie Zhen and the others led their troops to Tonglu County, it was already the third watch of the night. National Preceptor Baoguang was in the midst of discussing military strategy with Shi Bao when suddenly they heard a cannon blast. The generals could not even mount their horses in time. They looked in haste—fires had broken out on three sides. The various commanders followed Shi Bao and thought only of saving their lives; none dared to come and meet the enemy. The three columns of troops charged in from all sides, slaying as they went. Wen Kerang was slow in mounting his horse and tried to flee by a small path, where he ran straight into Shorty Wang and Yu Qiu Qing. The husband and wife attacked together, dragged Wen Kerang from his horse, and took him alive. Li Kui and Xiang Chong, Li Gun, Fan Rui, and Ma Lin gave themselves over to killing and setting fires throughout the county. When Song Jiang received the report, he hastened his troops, broke camp, and advanced all the way to Tonglu County, where he stationed his army. Shorty Wang and Yu Qiu Qing presented Wen Kerang as a trophy of merit. Song Jiang ordered Wen Kerang to be sent to Zhang Taotao at Hangzhou for execution—but of this, no more.

The next day, Song Jiang deployed his troops and advanced by both land and water, all the way to Wulong Ridge. Beyond the ridge lay Muzhou. At this time, National Preceptor Baoguang led all the generals up onto the ridge to guard the pass and station their troops. That Wulong Pass lay right against the Yangtze River, with steep mountains and rushing waters. Defenses stood above, and warships were arrayed below. Song Jiang's army approached the ridge and encamped, setting up stockades. Among the foot soldiers, he sent Li Kui, Xiang Chong, and Li Gun with five hundred shield-bearing men to scout the road ahead. When they reached the foot of Wulong Ridge, rolling logs and cannon stones were hurled down from above. They could advance no further and were at a loss for a plan, so they reported back to Song Jiang, the vanguard commander. Song Jiang then sent Ruan Xiao'er, Meng Kang, Tong Meng, and Tong Wei—four men—to take half the war junks up onto the shallows first. Ruan Xiao'er, together with two subordinate officers, led a thousand water troops in a hundred bamboo boats, beating their war drums and singing mountain songs as they gradually approached the edge of Wulong Ridge. It turned out that the area below Wulong Ridge, against the mountain, was Fang La's water stronghold. In that stronghold were also stationed five hundred war junks, with some five thousand water troops aboard. The four chief water commanders were known as the Four Dragons of Zhejiang. Those four dragons were:

"Jade-Claw Dragon" Chief Commander Cheng Gui

"Scaled Dragon" Vice Commander Zhai Yuan

"Wave-Charging Dragon" Left Vice Commander Qiao Zheng

"Pearl-Playing Dragon" Right Vice Commander Xie Fu

These four chief officers had originally been boatmen on the Qiantang River. They had defected to Fang La and were given posts of the third rank. That day, Ruan the Second and the others drove their boats downstream with the current and rowed up onto the shoal. The four chief officers in the southern army's naval camp had already learned of this and prepared fifty linked fire-rafts. These fire-rafts were made of large pine logs lashed together, with bundles of straw piled on top. Hidden within the straw bundles were sulfur, saltpeter, and other combustibles. Bound together with bamboo cables, the rafts were placed at the head of the shoal.

Ruan the Second, Meng Kang, Tong Wei, and Tong Meng merely rowed their boats up onto the shoal. The four naval chief officers saw them from above, each raising a crimson signal flag, and drove four swift boats downstream to meet them. Ruan the Second saw this and ordered his men to shoot arrows. The four swift boats then turned back. Ruan the Second called on his men to press the advantage and advance onto the shoal. The four swift boats pulled alongside the shoal and stopped. The four chief officers leaped ashore, and many of the sailors also fled. Ruan the Second saw the large number of boats in the naval camp on the shoal and did not dare advance. As he hesitated, a banner was waved on Wulong Ridge, drums and gongs sounded as one, and the fire-rafts were all ignited at once. They came rushing down the shoal before the wind. The large boats behind them raised a great shout, all carrying long spears and grappling hooks, following the fire-rafts down.

Tong Wei and Tong Meng saw the situation was too dangerous to approach. They steered their boats to shore, abandoned them, climbed over the hillside, and went up the mountain to find a way back to camp. Ruan the Second and Meng Kang were still on their boats, meeting the enemy. The fire-rafts came burning toward them in succession. As Ruan the Second tried to dive into the water, a boat behind him caught up and a grappling hook seized him. Ruan the Second, in a panic, feared being captured and subjected to humiliation. He drew his waist knife and cut his own throat. Seeing the tide had turned against them, Meng Kang tried to dive, but the fire-rafts shot off their fire-cannons in unison. One cannonball struck Meng Kang's helmet squarely and smashed his head to pulp. The four naval chief officers then boarded their fire-boats and came down to attack. Jun Li, Ruan the Fifth, and Ruan the Seventh were all in the rear boats. Seeing the vanguard defeated, they came charging along the riverbank, but were forced to turn their boats in haste and drift downstream with the current to Tonglu shore.

Meanwhile, on Wulong Ridge, Baoguo the Imperial Preceptor and Marshal Shi Bao, seeing the naval chief officers victorious, seized the moment and led their troops charging down the ridge. The water was too deep to pursue, and the road was too far to chase. The Song troops withdrew again and encamped at Tonglu. The southern troops also pulled back up to Wulong Ridge.

Jiang Song set up camp at Tonglu and grieved the loss of Ruan the Second and Meng Kang. In his tent, he brooded in distress, unable to eat or sleep, restless even in his dreams. Wu Yong and the other officers tried in vain to console him. Ruan the Seventh and Ruan the Fifth had completed their mourning rites and came themselves to remonstrate with Jiang Song, saying, "Our elder brother today gave his life for the sake of the great cause of the realm. That is better than dying on Liangshan Marsh and having his name buried in obscurity. You, Commander, need not grieve. Please attend to the great affairs of the realm. We two brothers will go ourselves to avenge him." Hearing this, Jiang Song's expression softened somewhat.

The next day, he once again mustered the troops and prepared to advance. Wu Yong admonished him, "Brother, you must not act rashly. Take time to devise a strategy before we attempt to cross the ridge." Then Jie Zhen and Jie Bao spoke up: "We two brothers were originally hunters by trade. We are used to climbing mountains and crossing ridges. We will disguise ourselves as hunters from this area, climb up the mountain, and set a fire. This will throw the rebel soldiers into a great panic, and they will surely abandon the pass." Wu Yong said, "This plan is good, but I fear this mountain is too rugged and difficult to ascend. If you slip, your lives will be in danger." Jie Zhen and Jie Bao replied, "We two brothers broke out of the Dengzhou prison and went up to Liangshan Marsh. Through your patronage, we have been heroes for many years. We have received titles from the court and wear embroidered robes. Today, for the sake of the court, even if we are crushed to bones and ground to dust, it would not be too much to repay you, our brother." Jiang Song said, "Good brothers, do not speak such grim words. I only wish we might soon accomplish our great merit and return to the capital. The court will not treat us unjustly. Just devote yourselves wholeheartedly and serve the realm." Jie Zhen and Jie Bao then made their preparations. They put on their tiger-skin jackets, each girded a sharp knife at his waist, and took up their steel tridents. The two took their leave of Jiang Song and set out by the small path toward Wulong Ridge.

It was just the first watch of the night. On the road they ran into two sentries. They dispatched the two men. By the time they reached the foot of the ridge, it was already the second watch. They could hear the night-watch drums clearly from the camp on the ridge. The two did not dare take the main road but climbed up the ridge by grasping vines and creepers, step by step. That night the moon was bright as day. When they had climbed two-thirds of the way, they could see the lights flickering on the ridge. They lay low beside the ridge gate and listened; above them, the night-watch drum had already sounded the fourth watch. Jie Zhen whispered to his brother, "The night is short, and there is little time left in the darkness. Let us go up." They climbed on again. Just as they reached a place where the cliff-face was jagged and the precipice sheer, the two of them, intent only on climbing upward, their hands and feet never idle, had slung their tridents behind them by the shoulder straps. The tridents scraped against the bamboo and creepers with a loud noise. The men on the mountain ridge had already spotted them. Jie Zhen was just climbing in a hollow in the mountain when he heard a shout from above: "Got him!" A grappling hook caught him by the topknot. Jie Zhen reached frantically for the knife at his waist, but by the time he drew it, he had already been lifted off his feet. In his haste, Jie Zhen slashed with his knife and cut through the grappling hook, but fell through the air. Alas, Jie Zhen, who had been a hero for half his life, plunged downward from that cliff a hundred or more feet high and perished. Below him were jagged wolf-fang rocks; his body was shattered to pieces. Seeing his elder brother fall, Jie Bao tried to retreat down the ridge, but from above came a cascade of large and small stones, along with bolts and arrows shot through the bamboo creepers. Alas, Jie Bao, who had been a hunter all his life, was shot to death alongside his brother at the edge of Wulong Ridge, among the bamboo creepers. Both men perished.

At dawn, men were sent down from the ridge. The corpses of Jie Zhen and Jie Bao were left on the ridge to be exposed to the elements and decompose. A scout learned the full details and reported to Song Jiang, the vanguard commander, that Jie Zhen and Jie Bao had died on Black Dragon Ridge. When Song Jiang heard that he had lost Jie Zhen and Jie Bao as well, he wept until he fainted several times. He then summoned Guan Sheng and Hua Rong and ordered troops to be mustered to seize the pass at Black Dragon Ridge and avenge his four brothers. Wu Yong remonstrated, saying, "You must not act rashly, brother. Those who have died all met their fated end. If you wish to take the pass, you cannot act recklessly. You must employ ingenious stratagems and seize it through wisdom before you can deploy your troops and generals." Song Jiang said angrily, "Who would have thought they would sever our brotherly bonds—of three parts, one has been lost. I cannot bear that those bandits exposed my brothers' corpses on the ridge to decompose. Tonight I must lead troops at once to recover the coffins and bury them in proper caskets." Wu Yong tried to stop him, saying, "The enemy soldiers exposed the corpses to the elements—I fear this is a trap. You must not act rashly, brother." Song Jiang would not listen to his strategist's counsel. He immediately mustered three thousand elite troops and, leading four generals—Guan Sheng, Hua Rong, Lü Fang, and Guo Sheng—set out by night. When they reached Black Dragon Ridge, it was already the second watch of the night. A soldier reported, "Ahead, two people are being exposed to the elements there—they must be the corpses of Jie Zhen and Jie Bao." Song Jiang rode forward personally to look. He saw that on two trees, bamboo poles had been used to hoist up two corpses. A strip of bark had been cut from the trees, and two lines of large characters had been written on them, but the moon was dark and nothing could be made out. Song Jiang ordered fire-lighting torches to be brought and lanterns lit. When they looked, the inscription read: "Song Jiang too will soon be ordered to remain here." Song Jiang flew into a rage upon reading this. He ordered men to climb the trees and retrieve the corpses, but instantly torches blazed up on all sides, gongs and drums clamored in chaos, and troops surrounded them in tight formations. From the ridge ahead, a volley of arrows was already flying. The sailors aboard the boats on the river all scrambled ashore. Song Jiang cried out in anguish, not knowing what to do. As he hastily tried to retreat, Shi Bao blocked the road ahead, and from the flank, Deng Yuanjue came slaying his way down. The scene bore resemblance to the road of Maling, the spectacle was much like that at Jiang Fengpo. How exactly Song Jiang's troops managed to escape—let us listen to the explanation in the next chapter.