الفصل السابع عشر

الفصل السابع عشر

Here is the translation:

It will be recalled that Yang Zhi, having had the birthday convoy seized from him at Yellow Mud Ridge, could not think how he could return to see Liang Zhongshu. He was on the point of throwing himself off the ridge to his death. But as he stood poised to hurl himself down from Yellow Mud Ridge, he suddenly came to his senses, checked his step, and reasoned with himself: "My father and mother gave birth to me—a man of dignified bearing and imposing frame. From youth I mastered the eighteen weapons of war. Surely it cannot end like this... Rather than seek death today, better to wait until they catch me, and then deal with it." He turned back to look at the fourteen men. They could only stare helplessly at Yang Zhi, unable to stir. Yang Zhi pointed at them and cursed: "It is all because you lot would not listen to my words. This is what has come of it, and you have dragged me down as well." He took his broad-bladed sword from beneath the tree, strapped on his waist saber, and looked about him, but there was nothing else to be seen. Yang Zhi heaved a sigh and walked straight down from the ridge.

The fourteen men did not recover consciousness until the second watch of the night. One by one they crawled to their feet, crying out in unbroken agony. The old chief steward said: "You people would not listen to Officer Yang's good counsel, and now you have ruined me as well!" The others said: "Sir, the deed is done for today—let us at least talk it over." The old chief steward said: "What do you propose?" The others said: "We were in the wrong. The ancients said: 'When fire reaches each man's own body, let him sweep it off himself; when a wasp stings a man's breast, let him at once undo his jacket.' Had Officer Yang been here, we could not have talked our way out. But now he has gone off, no one knows where. When we return to see Lord Liang Zhongshu, why not put the whole blame on him? We shall simply say: 'Along the road he bullied and beat us all, and we could not move hand or foot. He joined forces with the bandits, drugged us with doped wine, bound our hands and feet, and carried off all the gold and valuables.'" The old chief steward said: "That sounds reasonable enough. At daybreak we shall go to the local authorities and make our report first. We shall leave two inspectors to follow official orders and help apprehend the robbers. The rest of us will ride through the night back to the Northern Capital to report to our superior, who will then issue documents to inform the Grand Tutor, and press Jizhou Prefecture to hunt down this band of robbers." The next morning at dawn, the old chief steward and his party went to report to the relevant officials of Jizhou Prefecture. That is another matter.

Now it must be told that Yang Zhi, his broad-bladed sword in hand, walked on in sullen silence. He left Yellow Mud Ridge and headed south for half a day, then walked on through another half the night. He rested in a grove of trees and pondered: "My traveling money is gone, and I have not a single acquaintance in sight. What am I to do?" Gradually the sky grew bright. He had no choice but to travel while the morning was still cool. After he had walked some twenty more li, truly:

His face, fierce and venomous, once boasted of valor;

In vain were the eleven loads of gold and pearls given away today.

Why does he hasten along with such urgent strides?

He does not know who will wield the rod to flog him.

By now Yang Zhi was weary from walking. He came to a wineshop. Yang Zhi said: "If I cannot get some wine to drink, how shall I endure?" He entered the wineshop, sat down at a table and bench of mulberry wood, and leaned his broad-bladed sword at his side. He saw a woman by the stove and asked, "Do you wish to prepare a meal, sir?" Yang Zhi said: "First bring two measures of wine. Lend me some rice to make a meal, and if you have any meat, prepare some. I will pay you all at once when I am done." The woman first called a young lad to pour wine before him. At the same time she cooked rice and stir-fried meat, and brought it all to Yang Zhi to eat. Yang Zhi rose, took up his broad-bladed sword, and walked out the door of the shop. The woman said: "You have not paid for your wine, meat, or rice!" Yang Zhi said: "I will pay you when I return. Trust me for now." So saying, he walked on.

The young lad who had poured the wine rushed out, seized Yang Zhi by the collar, and was knocked to the ground with a single blow from Yang Zhi's fist. The woman began to wail and cry out her grievance. Yang Zhi kept walking. He heard someone running up from behind, shouting: "Where do you think you're going, you rogue?" Yang Zhi turned and saw a man stripped to the waist, dragging a staff, rushing toward him. Yang Zhi said: "Is this fellow not courting disaster, coming to look for me?" He planted his feet and would not budge. Looking back, he saw that the young lad who had poured the wine had also taken up a barbed spear and was chasing after him, and had brought along two or three farm hands, each carrying a staff, all rushing toward him as fast as they could. Yang Zhi said: "If I finish off this one fellow, the rest of them will not dare to follow." He leveled his broad-bladed sword and engaged the man in combat. The man swung his staff around and came forward to meet him. The two fought some thirty exchanges. The man could not match Yang Zhi—all he could do was parry, block, dodge, and duck.

The young men and farmhands who had come up behind were about to join in when this man leaped out of the fray and shouted, "Hold on, everyone! You there, the one with the broadsword—tell me your name!" Yang Zhi thumped his chest and said, "This man has never changed his name, whether sitting or standing. I am the 'Blue-Faced Beast' Yang Zhi!" The man said, "Could you be Military Commander Yang of the Eastern Capital's Palace Command?" Yang Zhi said, "How do you know I am Commander Yang?" The man set down his spear and staff and bowed. "These eyes failed to recognize a great man." Yang Zhi raised him up and asked, "Who are you, sir?" The man said, "I am originally from Kaifeng Prefecture. I was a pupil of Lin Chong, the drill instructor of the Eighty Thousand Imperial Guards. My surname is Cao, my given name Zheng. My ancestors were butchers for generations. I am good at slaughtering livestock—tendons, bones, skinning, and butchering—so people call me the 'Demon Butcher.' A wealthy man in my hometown gave me five thousand strings of cash to trade here in Shandong, but I lost my capital and could not return home. So I married into a farming family here. The woman you saw by the stove is my wife. The one with the three-pronged fork is my brother-in-law. Just now when I fought with you, Commander, I saw that your skill is no different from that of my master Instructor Lin, so I could not stand against you." Yang Zhi said, "So you are Instructor Lin's pupil. Your master was framed by Grand Marshal Gao and went to join the outlaws. He is now at Liangshan Marsh." Cao Zheng said, "I have heard people say this, but I do not know if it is true. Please, Commander, come to my house and rest a while."

Yang Zhi then went back to the inn with Cao Zheng. Cao Zheng invited him inside and seated him, then called his wife and brother-in-law to pay their respects to Yang Zhi. He also set out more food and wine. As they drank, Cao Zheng asked, "How did you come to be here, Commander?" Yang Zhi told him the whole story from the beginning—how as a military commander he had lost the shipment of rare rocks and minerals, and how he had now also lost the birthday gifts for Grand Secretary Liang. Cao Zheng said, "Since that is the case, Commander, stay at my house for a few days. We can discuss what to do next." Yang Zhi said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness. But I fear the authorities will come after me, so I dare not stay long." Cao Zheng said, "If you say so, where do you plan to go?" Yang Zhi said, "I wish to go to Liangshan Marsh to find your master, Instructor Lin. When I passed through there before, I ran into him just as he was coming down from the mountain, and we fought. Wang Liang saw that we were evenly matched, so he kept us both at the stronghold to meet one another. That is how I came to know your master Lin Chong. Wang Liang urged me strongly to stay then, but I refused to become an outlaw. Now I have this 'golden brand' on my face as well—if I go to join him now, I would lose all face. So I am torn, unable to advance or retreat."

Cao Zheng said, "What you say is true. I have also heard people say: that fellow Wang Liang has a narrow mind and cannot accommodate others. They say when my master Instructor Lin went up the mountain, he suffered endless humiliation from him. But not far from here, in Qingzhou territory, there is a mountain called Two-Dragon Mountain. On the mountain is a temple called Precious Pearl Temple. The mountain is naturally well-fortified, surrounding the temple, with only one path leading up. The abbot there has returned to secular life and grown his hair back, and the other monks have followed him. They say he has gathered four or five hundred men and they rob and plunder. The leader is called the 'Golden-Eyed Tiger' Deng Long. If you are willing to become an outlaw, Commander, you could join them there and find a safe haven." Yang Zhi said, "Since there is such a place, why not seize it and make it my home?"

That night Yang Zhi stayed at Cao Zheng's house. He borrowed some traveling money, took his broadsword, bade Cao Zheng farewell, and set off for Two-Dragon Mountain at a brisk pace. After a full day's walk, as dusk drew near, he caught sight of a high mountain. Yang Zhi said, "I will rest in the woods tonight and climb the mountain tomorrow." He turned into the woods and was startled. There sat a fat, huge monk, stark naked, with flower tattoos on his back, cooling himself at the base of a pine tree. When the monk saw Yang Zhi, he seized his staff from beside the tree root, leaped to his feet, and roared, "You scoundrel—where do you come from?" Indeed:

He lost his load of precious goods, and now comes to Precious Pearl Temple to settle accounts. Before he can join the strongmen within the temple, a monk from outside the temple appears first.

Yang Zhi heard this and said, "So he is a monk from Shaanxi too. We are from the same region—let me ask him." Yang Zhi called out, "Where do you come from, monk?" The monk made no reply, but swung his staff and came at him. Yang Zhi said, "How dare this bald rascal be so rude—let me vent my anger on him!" He raised his broadsword and charged. The two clashed in the woods, back and forth, up and down, matching each other. Behold:

Two dragons contending for treasure, a pair of tigers fighting for a meal. The staff rose like a tiger's tail and a dragon's sinew; the broadsword flew like a dragon's whiskers and a tiger's claws. Crashing, thundering—heaven and earth trembled, dark clouds swirling in the battle haze; fierce and ferocious—thundering and howling, golden light flashing within the killing aura. Two dragons contending for treasure—even the mighty Zhou Chu, wielding his frosty blade, was dazzled and saw no light; a pair of tigers fighting for a meal—even the bold and reckless Bian Zhuang, wielding his snowy blade, lost his very soul. Two dragons contending for treasure—their eyes flashed with color, and their tails swayed the水母 halls and terraces.

A pair of tigers fought for their prey, and wild beasts stampeded, their roars so thunderous that even the mountain god's hair stood on end.

At that time Yang Zhi and that monk had fought forty or fifty bouts with neither side prevailing. The monk feigned an opening, leaped out of the ring, and shouted, "Rest!" Both men stopped. Yang Zhi inwardly applauded: "Where did this monk come from? Such skill—truly formidable! I barely managed to hold my own against him!" The monk called out: "You there, blue-faced fellow—who are you?" Yang Zhi said, "This one is Yang Zhi, an escort officer from the Eastern Capital." The monk said, "Aren't you the one who sold his sword and killed that worthless scoundrel Niu Er in the Eastern Capital?" Yang Zhi said, "Don't you see the golden brand on my face?" The monk laughed and said, "So we meet here!" Yang Zhi said, "May I ask, brother, who you are? How did you know about the sword?" The monk said, "This monk is no other. I was an officer under the venerable Old Zhong, Military Commissioner of Yan'an Prefecture. Because I beat 'Tyrant of the West' to death with three blows, I went to Mount Wutai and had my head shaved to become a monk. People see the flower tattoos on my back and call me 'Flowery Monk' Lu Zhishen."

Yang Zhi laughed and said: "So we're from the same hometown. I've long heard your great name on the rivers and lakes. I heard you were lodging at the Great Xiangguo Temple. What brings you here?" Lu Zhishen said: "It's a long story. I was managing the vegetable garden at the Great Xiangguo Temple when I met 'Leopard Head' Lin Chong, whom Grand Marshal Gao wanted to murder. I could not stand by and see injustice done, so I escorted him all the way to Cangzhou and saved his life. I didn't expect those two escorts to return and tell that scoundrel Gao Qiu: 'We were just about to finish off Lin Chong in Wild Boar Forest, but Lu Zhishen from the Great Xiangguo Temple rescued him. That monk escorted him all the way to Cangzhou, so we couldn't harm him.' That bastard cursed me with a vengeance and ordered the temple abbot not to let me lodge there. He also sent men to arrest me. I got a tip from a gang of rascals and escaped his clutches. Then I set fire to the garden office and fled into the rivers and lakes—nowhere to go east, nowhere to go west. When I passed Cross Slope in Mengzhou, I nearly lost my life to a woman who ran an inn—she drugged me with knockout drops. Fortunately her husband returned early, and when he saw my appearance and my monk's staff and preceptor's sword, he was startled and quickly gave me the antidote to revive me. When he asked my name, he kept me there for a few days and swore brotherhood with me. That couple are also well-known heroes on the rivers and lakes. He is called 'Vegetable Gardener' Zhang Qing, and his wife 'Mother Nightmare' Sun Erniang—both deeply righteous. After staying four or five days, I heard that the Baozhu Temple on Two-Dragon Mountain here could serve as a refuge, so I came specifically to join Deng Long's band. But that scoundrel refused to let me stay on this mountain. We fought, and he couldn't match me, so he locked the three passes at the mountain's base tight shut. There's no other way up. That bird-brained fool—you can curse all you like, but he won't come down to fight. I've been stewing with frustration here with no way out, and then, wouldn't you know, you arrived." Yang Zhi was overjoyed. The two of them bowed to each other in the woods and sat there through the night.

Yang Zhi recounted the matter of killing Niu Er while selling his sword, and explained in detail the incident of losing the birthday tribute convoy. He also told how Cao Zheng had directed him there, then said: "Since the passes are sealed, there's no point staying here. Let's go to Cao Zheng's place and talk it over."

The two hurried out of the woods and arrived at Cao Zheng's inn. Yang Zhi introduced Lu Zhishen to him. Cao Zheng hastily prepared wine to welcome them and they discussed how to take Two-Dragon Mountain. Cao Zheng said: "If the passes are truly sealed, even if you had ten thousand soldiers, you couldn't get up there, let alone just the two of you. The only way is by strategy, not brute force." Lu Zhishen said: "Damn that bird-brained fool! When I first came to join him, we only met outside the pass. Because he wouldn't keep me, we started fighting. I kicked him in the belly and he toppled over. I was about to finish him off, but his men were too many and they carried him up the mountain and locked that damn gate. You can curse all you want down below, but he simply refuses to come down and fight." Yang Zhi said: "If it's such a fine stronghold, we must attack it with everything we've got!" Lu Zhishen said: "The problem is we have no way to get up there—there's nothing we can do about it."

Cao Zheng said, "I have a plan, though I don't know whether it will suit you two." Yang Zhi said, "I'd be glad to hear your good strategy." Cao Zheng said, "Honored Military Commissioner, stop dressing like that. Just wear clothes like the villagers around here. I'll take this reverend monk's staff and sabers. Then I'll have my wife's brother lead six of our men and escort you straight to the foot of the mountain. We'll tie the reverend up with a rope — I'll make a slipknot myself. Then we'll shout at the foot of the mountain: 'We run a wineshop in a nearby village. This monk came to our shop and drank wine. He got roaring drunk and refused to pay. He said he was going to report us and bring people to attack our mountain stronghold. So we heard him, and while he was drunk, we tied him up here and present him to Your Majesty.' That fellow will certainly let us go up the mountain. Once we're inside his stronghold and see Deng Long, we'll tug the rope loose from the slipknot, and I'll hand the staff to the reverend. You two heroes will attack together — where can that fellow run! If we finish him off, the men below won't dare to resist. How is this plan?"

Lu Zhishen and Yang Zhi said together, "Splendid! Splendid!" A verse attests to this:

Calling oneself a dragon while being but a suckling tiger is vain indeed;

Mount Dragon Twins deserves its twin dragons to convene.

When men meet in loyalty and righteousness, their hearts are drawn near;

When affairs reach their most perilous point, the strategy becomes clear.

That evening the men ate and drank, and provisions were laid in for the road. The next day they rose at the fifth watch, and everyone ate their fill. Lu Zhishen's luggage and bundles were all left in Cao Zheng's keeping. That day Yang Zhi, Lu Zhishen, and Cao Zheng set out with Cao's brother-in-law and five or seven village men, taking the road to Mount Dragon Twins. By early afternoon they reached the woods, stripped off their clothes, and bound Lu Zhishen with a slipknot of rope. They had two of the village men hold the rope end firmly. Yang Zhi put on a wide-brimmed straw hat to shade him from the sun, wore a tattered jacket, and carried a broad saber reversed in his hand. Cao Zheng took Lu Zhishen's staff. The rest all carried staves and clubs, pressing around them front and back.

When they reached the foot of the mountain and looked at the pass, they saw powerful crossbows and hard bows set up everywhere, along with lime jars and catapult stones.

The little bandits on the pass saw them bringing in this bound monk and flew up the mountain to report. After a while, two petty officers came down the pass and asked, "Where are you people from? What are you doing here? Where did you catch this monk?" Cao Zheng answered, "We are villagers from near the foot of this mountain. We run a small wineshop. This fat monk often comes to our shop to drink wine. He got roaring drunk and refused to pay. He said, 'I'm going to Liangshan Marsh to call up a thousand or a hundred men to attack this Mount Dragon Twins, and your nearby villages will all be wiped out!' So we could only offer him more good wine, got him drunk, tied him up with a rope, and brought him here to present to Your Majesty. We wish to show the loyalty and filial devotion of your neighbors and spare our village from future trouble."

The two petty officers, hearing these words, were overjoyed and said, "Excellent! Wait here a moment, everyone." The two petty officers then went up the mountain to report to Deng Long that they had captured the fat monk. Deng Long, hearing this, was greatly pleased and called out, "Bring him up the mountain! And take that fellow's heart and liver to go with wine — that will avenge the grievance that burns in my breast!" The little bandits received their orders and opened the pass gate, calling for them to be brought up.

Yang Zhi and Cao Zheng pressed close around Lu Zhishen and escorted him up the mountain. When they looked at the three passes, they were truly formidable: mountains wrapped around on both sides, enclosing the temple. The peaks rose majestic and bold, with only a single road leading up to the pass. At the three passes were set logs and stones for rolling down, powerful crossbows and strong bows, and dense ranks of bitter bamboo spears. After passing through the three checkpoints, they came before the Precious Pearl Temple. Before the three hall gates was a stretch of flat ground smooth like a mirror, surrounded on all sides by wooden palisades serving as walls. At the temple's mountain gate stood seven or eight little bandits, and when they saw the bound Lu Zhishen, they pointed and cursed: "You bald ass! You wounded our Great King, and today we've caught you too! We'll slowly cut this fellow to pieces!" Lu Zhishen said nothing at all. They escorted him to the Buddha Hall, where they saw that the Buddha images had all been removed from the hall. In the center was placed a single leopard-skin armchair. Many little bandits carrying spears and clubs stood on both sides.

Presently, two little bandits helped Deng Long out, and he sat down in the armchair. Cao Zheng and Yang Zhi pressed close around Lu Zhishen to the foot of the steps. Deng Long said, "You bald ass, the other day you knocked me down and wounded my lower belly. The bruise still hasn't gone down. Today you've finally come face to face with me." Lu Zhishen opened his fierce eyes wide and gave a great shout: "You damned bird, don't you run!" The two village men gave the rope end a single tug, pulling loose the slipknot, and the rope fell open. Lu Zhishen took the staff from Cao Zheng's hand and whirled it through the air. Yang Zhi threw off his straw hat and raised the saber in his hand. Cao Zheng swung up his pole club. All the village men rose up together and pressed forward with united strength. Deng Long tried desperately to struggle free, but Lu Zhishen struck him on the head with a single blow of his staff, splitting his skull in two halves and smashing the armchair to pieces. The little bandits at his side were already stabbed and knocked over by Yang Zhi — four or five of them. Cao Zheng shouted, "Come and surrender, all of you! Those who refuse will be wiped out!" In front of the temple and behind it, five or six hundred little bandits and several petty officers were so frightened they stood stunned. They had no choice but to come and submit. They immediately had Deng Long's corpse and the others carried to the back of the mountain and burned. Meanwhile they went to check the storehouses and put the living quarters in order, and went to see what goods were stored behind the temple. For the time being they laid out wine and meat to eat. Lu Zhishen and Yang Zhi became the masters of the stronghold and prepared wine and a feast to celebrate. The little bandits all submitted, and petty officers were appointed to manage them.

Cao Zheng took his leave of the two heroes, gathered the servants of the manor, and returned home. No more of this. Truly:

The ancient temple, grand and strange, hidden in emerald hills,

Turned to a bandit's lair, feigning mercy and grace.

A monk of godly strength, the Flower Monk,

Wielding staff and sharpening blades, became its abbot.

There is another poem, this one touching upon Yang Zhi:

With cunning deep, he aided Zhi Shen,

A green-wood hero presiding over the forest.

Subduing dragons and tigers—true comrades in spirit,

Who would know a beast's face concealed a Buddha's heart?

Let us leave Lu Zhishen and Yang Zhi to settle as bandits on Mount Erlong as they pleased. Let us turn instead to the old chief steward escorting the birthday gifts, along with the several imperial guards, who traveled by day and lodged by night, hurrying back to the capital Dadu. They arrived at the mansion of the Prince Zhongshu, and proceeding straight to the great hall, all prostrated themselves on the ground together to confess their failure.

The Prince Zhongshu said, "You have endured hardships on the road, and I am grateful to you all." Then he asked, "Where is Military Supervisor Yang?"

They replied, "It is unspeakable! This man is a bold and ungrateful villain! Five or seven days after leaving here, they reached Yellow Mud Ridge, where the weather was sweltering, and everyone rested in the shade of the woods. We never expected Yang Zhi to conspire with seven bandits, disguising themselves as merchants selling dates. Yang Zhi arranged to travel with them, first pushing seven carts from Jiangzhou and waiting in the pine woods on Yellow Mud Ridge. Then they sent a man carrying a load of wine to rest on the ridge. Our men, without thinking, bought his wine and drank it—that scoundrel had drugged them all with knockout powder, and they were knocked unconscious. He then bound us all with ropes. Yang Zhi and the seven bandits loaded the birthday gifts and valuables, along with all the luggage, onto the carts and made off with them. We have now filed a report at the office of the Jizhou prefecture, and left two officers there to follow official orders and await the capture of the bandits. We, the rest, have traveled day and night to return and report to Your Excellency."

When the Prince Zhongshu heard this, he was greatly shocked and cursed, "You villain, you convict! You are a criminal prisoner, and I promoted you with all my strength—how dare you commit such an ungrateful and heartless act! When I catch him, I will cut him into a thousand pieces!" He immediately summoned his clerks and had documents drawn up, then dispatched a messenger posthaste to Jizhou. He also wrote a personal letter and sent another man that very night to Tokyo to inform the Grand Tutor.

Let us not speak of the messenger sent to Jizhou with the official documents. Let us speak instead of the man sent to Tokyo, who arrived at the Grand Tutor's mansion to report. He was received by the Grand Tutor and presented the letter. When Grand Tutor Cai read it, he was greatly alarmed and said, "These bandits are outrageously bold! Last year they robbed the gifts my son-in-law sent me, and they have still not been caught. Now this year they have acted with such insolence again—how can I let this pass?" He immediately issued a sealed document and entrusted it to a personal assistant, who carried it himself and traveled day and night to Jizhou, with orders to the prefect to apprehend this band of bandits immediately and report back.

Now, ever since the prefect of Jizhou had received the official dispatch from the Prince Zhongshu, the garrison commander of Dadu in the capital, he had deliberated on the matter every day without resolution. Just as he was worrying and distressed, a gate officer announced, "An assistant from the Grand Tutor's mansion in Tokyo has arrived at the hall, bearing urgent official documents and requesting an audience with Your Honor."

When the prefect heard this, he was greatly alarmed and said, "This must concern the birthday gifts!" He hastily ascended the hall to meet the assistant and said, "Regarding this matter, I have already received the complaint filed by the officers from the Prince's mansion. I have sent constables to track down the bandits, but no trace has been found. The other day the garrison commander also sent an official dispatch, directing the military commandant and the constabulary inspector to pursue them under deadline, but they have not been captured. If there is any news or development, I will come personally to the Grand Tutor's mansion to report."

The assistant said, "I am a trusted man of the Grand Tutor's household. By the Grand Tutor's special order, I have been sent here specifically to apprehend these men. When I set out, the Grand Tutor personally instructed me to lodge at the prefectural office here and to wait while Your Honor arrests the seven date merchants and the one wine seller, along with the fugitive officer Yang Zhi—the true persons of all the bandits. You are given ten days to complete the arrests and send the men under guard to Tokyo. If the ten days pass without resolving this matter, I fear Your Honor will first be invited to take a journey to the Island of Shamen. I too will find it hard to return to the Grand Tutor's mansion, and my life will be in jeopardy. If Your Honor does not believe me, please see the Grand Tutor's official dispatch."

When the prefect had read it, he was greatly alarmed. He immediately summoned the constables. A man below the steps responded and stood before the curtain. The prefect asked, "Who are you?"

The man replied, "Your Honor, I am He Tao, the constabulary officer of the three districts."

The prefect said, "The birthday gifts that were robbed at Yellow Mud Ridge—are you responsible for that case?"

He Tao answered, "Reporting to Your Honor: ever since I received this case, I have not slept day or night. I have dispatched sharp-eyed and swift-handed constables under my command to patrol Yellow Mud Ridge. Though they have been repeatedly beaten for failure, to this day no trace has been found. It is not that I am negligent in my duties to the government—it is truly beyond my power."

The prefect roared, "Nonsense! 'When those above are not urgent, those below grow lazy.' I came up through the imperial examinations and rose step by step to govern this prefecture—it was no easy matter! Today the Grand Tutor's mansion in Tokyo has sent an assistant here with the Grand Tutor's orders: within ten days, I must capture the true persons of all the bandists and send them to the capital under guard. If I miss this deadline, not only will I be dismissed from office, but I will surely be sent to the Island of Shamen. You are a constabulary officer who does not apply himself, and so you bring disaster upon me. I will have you tattooed and exiled to a remote and desolate garrison, a place even wild geese cannot reach!" He summoned the tattooist and had He Tao's face tattooed with the words "Exiled to... Prefecture," leaving the name of the prefecture blank, and pronounced the sentence: "He Tao, if you fail to capture the bandits, I will show you no mercy for your grave offense!" Truly:

The face prepared for tattooing—how absurdly presumptuous,

Seeking one's own safety while bringing calamity upon others.

A worthless face need not trouble itself with schemes,

But the heart should take counsel and consider carefully.

Now He Tao had received the prefect's orders. He left the hall and went to the deputies' quarters, where he gathered many constables and met with them in the confidential room to discuss the matter. All the constables looked at one another blankly, like arrows piercing the mouths of wild geese or hooks caught in fish gills — not a word from any of them. He Tao said, "You fellows have always used this room to line your pockets. Now that there's this difficult business at hand, you all keep silent. You might at least take pity on the characters tattooed on my face." The men replied, "Sir, we are not made of wood or stone — how could we not understand? But this band of traveling robbers must be outlaws from some other prefecture, from deep mountains and wild wastes. They happened upon the convoy and looted its treasures, then went back to their mountain lair to enjoy themselves. How could we ever catch them? Even if we knew who they were, we could only look at them and do nothing." When He Tao heard this, he had been five-tenths distressed before; now, having heard these words, his distress doubled. He left the deputies' quarters, mounted his horse, and rode home. He led the horse to the rear stable and tied it there. He sat alone, sunk in gloom. Indeed:

His brows were locked as if by three heavy bolts,

His belly was filled with ten thousand bushels of grief.

Where to seek the fish that slipped through the net?

From whom to demand the turtle caught in the jar?

Then his wife asked him, "Husband, why do you look so troubled today?" He Tao said, "You don't know. The other day the prefect gave me a warrant to investigate — because a band of robbers on Yellow Mud Ridge looted eleven loads of gold, pearls, and treasures that Grand Marshal Cai Jing's son-in-law, the Zhongshu of Liangzhong, had sent as birthday gifts to his father-in-law. I have no idea who these robbers were. Ever since I received this warrant, I haven't caught a single one. Today I went to request an extension, but instead the Grand Marshal's office sent an official demanding that I immediately arrest this band of robbers and send them to the capital. The prefect asked me for news of the robbers, and I replied, 'No leads yet, none apprehended.' The prefect then had the characters 'Exiled to ... Prefecture' tattooed on my face — only the destination hasn't been filled in yet. From now on, I don't know what will become of my life!" His wife said, "What can be done? How can this be resolved?"

While they were talking, his younger brother He Qing came to visit. He Tao said, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you off gambling? What brings you here?" He Tao's wife was sharp-witted. She quickly beckoned and said, "Brother-in-law, come into the kitchen — I have something to tell you." He Qing followed his sister-in-law into the kitchen and sat down. She laid out some meat, vegetables, and a few cups of heated wine for him. He Qing said to her, "My brother treats me too shabbily! Even if I'm worthless, I'm still his own flesh and blood! He may be so grand — all he is is an investigation captain — but he won't even share a cup of wine with me. What does he think I've done to disgrace him?" His sister-in-law said, "Brother-in-law, you don't know — your brother is in a terrible state." He Qing said, "Every day he makes a fortune. Where could he spend it all? He has plenty of money and grain. What could be troubling him?" His sister-in-law said, "You don't know. On Yellow Mud Ridge the other day, a party of date merchants looted the 'Birthday Convoy' — the gifts that the Zhongshu of Daliang had sent to Grand Marshal Cai Jing in the north. Now the prefect of Jizhou, acting on the Grand Marshal's orders, has set a ten-day deadline to arrest all the robbers and send them to the capital. If the real culprits aren't caught, he will be exiled to a malarial frontier garrison. Haven't you noticed that the prefect already had the characters 'Exiled to ... Prefecture' tattooed on your brother's face? Only the destination hasn't been filled in. If they aren't caught soon, he'll truly suffer. How could he have any heart for drinking with you? I only prepared this food and wine for you just now. He's been miserable for days — you mustn't blame him."

He Qing said, "I've also heard people say vaguely that robbers looted the 'Birthday Convoy.' But where exactly did this happen?" His sister-in-law said, "All I've heard is that it was on Yellow Mud Ridge." He Qing said, "And who were the ones who looted it?" His sister-in-law said, "Brother-in-law, you're not drunk. I just told you — it was seven date merchants who did it." He Qing laughed loudly and said, "So that's it! If you know they were date merchants, why be so troubled? Why not send clever men to catch them?" His sister-in-law said, "You talk as if it were easy — that's just the problem, there's no way to catch them." He Qing laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, there's no need for you to worry. My brother has a whole company of good drinking and meat-eating buddies he normally keeps around. He ignores his own flesh and blood in ordinary times, but now that there's trouble, he says there's no way to catch them. If my brother would let me in on it, I could earn a few strings of cash. A handful of petty thieves like that — what difficulty could there be?" His sister-in-law said, "Brother-in-law, do you actually know something about this?" He Qing laughed and said, "Wait until my brother is at his wit's end — then I'll have a plan to save him." With that, he got up to leave. His sister-in-law pressed him to stay for two more cups.

The woman, finding these words suspicious, hurried to tell her husband the whole story. He Tao quickly called for his brother to come before him. He Tao said with a smile, "Brother, since you know where this bandit is, how can you not save me?" He Qing replied, "I know nothing about the matter. I was just joking with my sister-in-law. How could I save you?" He Tao said, "Good brother, don't be indifferent. Just remember the good things I've done for you, and forget the bad times, and save my life!" He Qing said, "Brother, you have many keen-eyed and quick-handed constables under your command, some two or three hundred of them. Why not have them put in some effort? What can one brother like me do to save you?" He Tao said, "Brother, don't talk about them. Your words carry some meaning. Don't go giving it away to others to play the hero. Just tell me something of their whereabouts, and I will reward you for it. How else can I put my mind at ease?" He Qing said, "What whereabouts? I know nothing about it!" He Tao said, "Don't provoke me. Just think of the fact that we share the same mother." He Qing said, "Don't panic. When things reach the most critical point, I'll put in some effort myself and catch this bunch of petty thieves."

His sister-in-law then said, "Brother-in-law, do what you can to save your brother. After all, you share the bond of brothers. Now we have a writ from the Grand Marshal's office, demanding these people immediately. This is a matter of heaven-shaking importance, yet you call them petty thieves!" He Qing said, "Sister-in-law, you should know that I've only suffered so many scoldings from my brother over my gambling. But when it comes to beatings and quarrels, I've never contested with him. When there was wine and food to spare, I went off to enjoy myself with others. Today, however, the brother has his use."

He Tao saw that his brother's words carried some substance, and hurriedly took out ten taels of silver, placing it on the table. He said, "Brother, take this ingot of silver for now. When the bandits are caught, I will personally ensure that you receive a share of the gold, silver, and silk rewards." He Qing laughed and said, "Brother, you are exactly like the man who 'embraces the Buddha's foot in an urgency but burns no incense in peaceful times.' If I wanted your silver, I would be extorting you. Take it back, and don't try to entice me with it later. If you do this, I won't speak. But since you two have come to plead with me, I'll tell you. Don't pull out silver to startle me." He Tao said, "The silver comes from the official rewards offered by the authorities. Why wouldn't there be three or five hundred strings of cash? Brother, don't refuse. Let me ask you: where exactly are these bandits to be found?" He Qing slapped his thigh and said, "These bandits—I've got them all caught in my pouch!" He Tao was greatly startled and said, "Brother, how can you say these bandits are in your pouch?" He Qing said, "Brother, don't concern yourself with me. They are all right here. Just take back your silver and don't try to entice me later. That's all I ask. And I'll tell you."

He Qing, unhurried and unperturbed, raised two fingers and told him. And so it came to pass: in Yuncheng County, a righteous hero was drawn forth; in Liangshan Marsh, a band of heaven-shifting champions was gathered. But as for whom He Qing named to He Tao, listen to the next chapter.