الفصل العشرون

الفصل العشرون

Now, when Lin Chong had slain Wang Lun, he stood with the sharp knife in his hand and addressed the assembled men: "Although I, Lin Chong, am a military officer banished here by the law, today I have come to join you, all of you men of mettle, in this fellowship. But Wang Lun's heart was narrow and his spirit jealous of talent; he made pretexts to keep me out, and so I put an end to him—not because I coveted his position. Look at the breadth of my heart and the courage of my spirit: how dare I resist the imperial forces or cut out the chief villain at the Emperor's side? But here stands Brother Chao, whose righteousness and generosity are renowned, whose wisdom and bravery are complete. His name is known throughout the land, and all who hear it bow in awe. Today, putting righteousness above all, I would make him our chief. What do you say?" The men said, "The chieftain speaks most fittingly." Chao Gai said, "It cannot be. Since ancient times, 'a strong soldier does not displace his lord.' Chao Gai, in any case, am merely a newcomer from afar—how dare I presume to take the highest place?" Lin Chong stepped forward, pushed Chao Gai down into the chair, and cried, "The matter has come to this—please do not refuse. Whoever does not agree will share Wang Lun's fate." Again and again he supported Chao Gai until he was seated. Lin Chong then ordered the men to pay their respects before the pavilion. At the same time he sent small lads to lay out a feast in the main camp, had Wang Lun's body carried away, and dispatched men to the hills and valleys to summon all the lesser captains to gather at the main camp.

Lin Chao and his party then invited Chao Gai to mount horse or carriage, and they all rode to the main camp. Before the Hall of Righteous Assembly they dismounted and entered. The men supported "Heavenly King Chao" into the central seat at the head, and incense was burned before him. Lin Chong stepped forward and said: "This humble Lin Chong is but a coarse, rough fellow, skilled only in spear and stave, without learning or talent, without wisdom or stratagem. Today, by heaven's blessing, this band of heroes is gathered at the mountain fortress, and great righteousness has been made clear—this is no time for the old, half-hearted ways. The 'Scholar' is here; let him serve as our military adviser, taking command of the troops and directing the officers. He must sit in the second place." Wu Yong replied: "I, Wu Yong, am but a village scholar. I have no talent to govern the world, and though I have read some of Sun Wu and Wu Qi's books of war, I have not the smallest deed of merit to my name. How dare I take so high a place?" Lin Chong said, "The matter has come to this—there is no need for modesty." Wu Yong could do no more than take the second seat. Lin Chong said, "Master Gongsun, please sit in the third place." Chao Gai said, "That will not do. If we are to go on making such courteous refusals, Chao Gai must withdraw entirely." Lin Chong said, "Brother Chao, you are mistaken. Master Gongsun's name is known throughout the rivers and lakes; he is skilled in the use of troops, possessed of schemes beyond the reckoning of ghosts and spirits, with the power to summon the wind and call the rain. Who can match him?" Gongsun Sheng said: "Though I possess some small arts, I have no talent to govern the world. How dare I take so high a place? Let the chieftain sit here." Lin Chong said: "Just now, in overcoming our enemy, we have seen the proof of the Master's wondrous arts. It is like the three legs of a tripod—take one away and the vessel falls. The Master must not refuse." Gongsun Sheng could do no more than take the third seat. When Lin Chong would have yielded again, Chao Gai, Wu Yong, and Gongsun Sheng would not hear of it. All three said: "Just now we heeded the chieftain's words about the three legs of the tripod, and on that account we dare not disobey. We three occupy the higher seats; if the chieftain would yield further, Chao Gai and the rest must withdraw." The three men held Lin Chong firmly, and he could only sit in the fourth place. Chao Gai said: "Now we must invite Chieftains Song and Du to take their seats." Du Qian and Song Wan, seeing that Wang Lun had been killed, thought to themselves: "Our own abilities are small—how can we draw near these men? Better to do them a kindness." They earnestly begged Liu Tang to sit in the fifth place, Ruan Xiao'er in the sixth, Ruan Xiaowu in the seventh, Ruan Xiaoqi in the eighth, Du Qian in the ninth, Song Wan in the tenth, and Zhu Gui in the eleventh.

And so Liangshan Marsh was settled with eleven heroes in their places. From before the mountain and behind, some seven or eight hundred men came to the hall to pay their respects and stood ranged on either side. Chao Gai said: "All of you here present: today Instructor Lin has supported me as chief of the mountain fortress, Scholar Wu serves as military adviser, and Master Gongsun shares command of the troops. Chieftain Lin and the others will jointly manage the fortress. The rest of you will keep your former duties, governing affairs on all sides of the mountain, guarding the stockade and the fords—let there be no neglect. Each of you must strive with one heart and unite in great righteousness." He then had the houses on both sides put in order and the two families settled, and he had brought out the birthday convoy—the gold, pearls, and treasures that had been taken—together with the silver and silks from his own estates, and bestowed them before the hall upon all the lesser captains and the many small lads. That day oxen and horses were slaughtered and offered in sacrifice to Heaven and Earth and the spirits, celebrating their new gathering in righteousness. The chieftains drank until midnight before dispersing. The next day they held another feast and celebration, and for several days they feasted without cease. Chao Gai and Wu Yong and the other chieftains took counsel together: they put the storehouses in order, repaired the stockade, forged weapons—spears, swords, bows, arrows, armor, and helmets—preparing to meet the imperial troops. They arranged boats of all sizes and trained the men in fighting on the water, making every preparation. But this is another matter. From that time on, the eleven chieftains of Liangshan Marsh were gathered in fellowship, and truly their bond was like that of bone and sinew, their loyalty like that of flesh and blood. A poem bears witness:

In olden days, friendship was worth more than gold;

When hearts are as one, loyalty runs deep.

In the Water Margin, look upon the men of duty and honor:

Through life and death they keep the faithful heart that endures the bitter cold.

For this reason, seeing that Chao Gai was generous in conduct, liberal with his wealth, and righteous in spirit, and that he had settled the old and young of each household in the mountains, Lin Chong was suddenly overcome with longing for his wife, who was still in the capital, her fate unknown. He therefore confided the full depths of his heart to Chao Gai, saying, "Ever since this humble one came to the mountain, I have wished to bring my wife up here, but I saw that Wang Lan's mind was unsteady and it was difficult to make a living under him, so I put it off time and again. She has been adrift in the Eastern Capital—I do not know whether she lives or dies."

Chao Gai said, "Since you, brother, have family in the capital, why not go and bring them here so you may be reunited? Write a letter quickly, and I shall send men down the mountain to fetch them up with all haste—how good that would be."

Lin Chong thereupon wrote a letter and sent two trusted followers from among the lesser outlaws down the mountain. In no more than two months, the men returned to the stronghold and reported: "We went all the way to the Palace Commandant's residence inside the Eastern Capital and found Instructor Zhang's house. We heard that your wife, pressed by Grand Marshal Gao to accept a marriage, had hanged herself and died—she has been gone for half a year. Instructor Zhang, consumed by grief and anxiety, also fell ill and passed away not half a month ago. Only the maid Jin'er remains, and she has taken a husband into her home and settled there. We asked the neighbors, and they all said the same. Having confirmed the truth, we returned to report to the chief."

When Lin Chong heard this, tears streamed down his face, and from that day on he put aside all thoughts of her. When Chao Gai and the others heard it, they sighed with heavy hearts. From then on there was little talk in the stronghold; every day they merely drilled the men and prepared to resist the government troops.

Then one day, while the chieftains were gathered in the Hall of Loyalty deliberating on affairs, a lesser outlaw came up the mountain to report: "An officer of Jizhou Prefecture has led out some one thousand men, in four or five hundred boats of various sizes, and is now encumbered in the marshes of Shijie Village. He has come to report this."

Chao Gao was greatly alarmed and summoned the strategist Wu Yong to consult with him, saying, "The government troops are approaching—how shall we meet them?"

Wu Yong smiled and said, "You need not trouble yourself, brother. I have my own arrangements. As the ancients said: 'When water comes, earth dams it; when soldiers come, generals meet them.'"

He then called the three Ruan brothers to him and whispered in their ears: "…Do thus and so." He also called Lin Chong and Liu Tang and gave them their orders: "You two shall…do this and that." Then he summoned Du Qian and Song Wan and gave them their instructions as well. Truly it was:

Three thousand battle lines once met Xiang Yu in the west,

Today the first deed of merit shall be performed.

Now then, the Prefect of Jizhou ordered Militia Commissioner Huang An and one of the prefecture's bandit-suppression officers to lead over a thousand men. They commandeered boats from the region and, having assembled them at the marshes of Shijie Village, divided the vessels into two columns to advance on the marsh stronghold.

As for Militia Commissioner Huang An, he led his men aboard the boats, waving their flags and shouting their war cries as they bore down upon Golden Sand Beach. As they drew closer to the shore, they heard a mournful sound blowing across the water. Huang An said, "Is that not the sound of a painted horn? Divide our boats into two columns and pull into the reed marsh to anchor."

Looking out, they saw three boats approaching from far off on the water. Each boat carried only five men: four working paired oars, and one standing at the bow wearing a crimson kerchief. All were dressed alike in red embroidered silk jackets, and each carried a hook-spear. Among the government troops, someone who recognized them said to Huang An, "The men on those three boats—one is Ruan the Second, one is Ruan the Fifth, and one is Ruan the Seventh."

Huang An commanded, "All of you, join your strength and press forward together to seize these three men!" Some forty or fifty boats on both sides raised a great shout and surged forward. The three boats whistled in unison and turned back together. Huang An flourished his spear and called out ahead, "Press on and kill these brigands—I shall reward you richly!"

The three boats sailed ahead, and from the government boats behind, arrows were shot at them. The three Ruan brothers went into their cabins and each took up a sheet of blue fox fur to shield themselves from the arrows. The boats behind kept up the chase.

They had pursued them for no more than two or three li along the waterways when a small boat came flying up from behind Huang An to report: "Do not pursue further! All the boats that entered in the other column have been cut down into the water by them, and the boats have all been seized!"

Huang An demanded, "How did we fall into the hands of those rogues?"

The man on the small boat replied, "When we were sailing, we saw two boats in the distance, each carrying five men. We joined our strength and pursued them, but after three or four li of water, eight or nine small boats darted out from side channels on all sides. They shot crossbow bolts at us like a swarm of locusts. When we tried to turn our boats back, we reached a narrow harbor, where we saw some twenty or thirty men on each shore pulling a great bamboo cable stretched across the water. As we were about to advance and look at the cable, they rained lime pots and stones down upon us like raindrops. Our officers and soldiers had no choice but to abandon their boats and jump into the water to save their lives. When those of us who escaped reached the dry land and looked around, the men and horses on the shore had all vanished—the horses had been led away, and the soldiers tending them had been killed in the water. We found this small boat along the edge of the reed marsh and came straight here to report to the Commissioner."

Huang An heard these words and cried out in distress. He waved the white flag, ordering his boats not to pursue but to turn around and come back. The boats had only just managed to turn their heads and had not yet gotten underway when the three boats behind them, followed by more than ten other boats, came speeding toward them. There were only those same three or five men on each boat, waving red flags and blowing whistles through their mouths, chasing them as swiftly as flying birds. Huang An was about to array his boats to meet the enemy when he heard cannons firing from among the reed beds. When Huang An looked, red flags were waving everywhere on all sides, and he was thrown into a panic. The men on the boats chasing from behind shouted: "Leave your head behind, Huang An, before you go back!" Huang An put all his strength into poling his boat past the reed bank, but then forty or fifty small boats darted out from narrow inlets on either side, and crossbow bolts rained down on them like drops of rain. Huang An tried to force his way through the forest of arrows, and by then only three or four small boats remained. Huang An then leaped onto a light boat and looked back. He saw the men behind him, one after another, all plunging into the water with a splash. Some had their boats dragged away, and more than half of them were killed. Huang An was piloting his small light boat and had not gone far when he saw a boat standing at the edge of the reed flower marsh, on which Liu Tang was standing. With a grappling hook he caught hold of Huang An's boat, leaped across in a flash, seized Huang An around the waist with a single hand, and shouted: "Don't struggle!" The other soldiers who could swim were shot to death with arrows in the water. Those who dared not enter the water were all captured alive on their boats. Liu Tang dragged Huang An to the shore. Once on land, they saw from a distance Chao Gais and Gongsun Sheng riding horses and holding swords on the mountain side, leading some fifty or sixty men and twenty or thirty horses to come and meet them. The entire party captured a hundred or two hundred men alive, and all the boats they seized were collected and moored at the mountain's southern water stronghold. The chieftains, great and small, all made their way up to the mountain stronghold. Chao Gais dismounted and came to the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, where he took his seat. The various chieftains removed their armor and weapons and sat in a circle. They bound Huang An to the general's pillar; took out gold, silver, and bolts of silk, and rewarded the lesser followers. Upon inspection, they had captured in total more than six hundred fine horses—this was Lin Chong's achievement. The eastern harbor was the achievement of Du Qian and Song Wan. The western harbor was the achievement of the three Ruan brothers. The capture of Huang An was Liu Tang's achievement.

The chieftains were overjoyed. They slaughtered cattle and horses and held a feast in the mountain stronghold. There was fine wine brewed in-house, fresh lotus root and fresh fish from the water marsh, and from the mountain's southern trees there were always seasonal fresh fruits—peaches, apricots, plums, Japanese medlars, loquats, wild jujubes, persimmons, chestnuts, and the like—as well as chickens, pigs, geese, ducks, and other provisions raised on the premises; there is no need to enumerate them in detail. The chieftains gave themselves over to celebration and reward. Having newly arrived at the mountain stronghold and winning a complete victory was no small matter. A poem bears witness:

Laugh at Wang Lian, vainly puffing himself up with pride—

How could a mediocre talent bear so great a charge!

Ever since the burning and the merging brought a new lord,

One would see the new enterprise of Liangshan marsh unfold.

While they were drinking, a scout was seen reporting: "A man sent by Chieftain Zhu has arrived at the stronghold." Chao Gai called him in and asked what was the matter. The scout said, "Chieftain Zhu has learned of a band of merchants, several dozen traveling together, who must pass by the land route tonight. He sent me to report this." Chao Gai said, "We are in need of gold and silk. Who will lead men to go on this mission?" The three Ruan brothers said, "We brothers will go." Chao Gai said, "Good brothers, be careful and go quickly, and return early." The three Ruan brothers left the hall, changed their clothes, girded on their swords, took broad-bladed spears, forked staffs, and grappling hooks, and mustered over a hundred men before coming to the hall. They took leave of the chieftains and went down to the mountain. At the Golden Sands Ferry they took a boat across to Zhu Gui's inn.

Chao Gai, fearing the three Ruan brothers might not be able to handle it alone, also sent Tang Liu with over a hundred men down the mountain as reinforcements. He instructed him: "You may only take the merchants' goods and property by fair means, and you must not harm their lives under any circumstances." Tang Liu departed. By the third watch Chao Gai still had not received word of their return, so he sent Du Qian and Song Wan with more than fifty men down the mountain as additional support.

Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, and Lin Chong drank until dawn. Then a scout was seen bringing good news: "Thanks to Chieftain Zhu, we have obtained over twenty carts of gold, silver, and goods, along with forty or fifty donkeys and mules." Chao Gai then asked, "Did anyone get killed?" The scout replied, "When those merchants saw how fierce our attack was, they abandoned their carts, their animals, and their luggage and fled for their lives. Not a single one was harmed." Chao Gai was overjoyed to hear this. "Having just arrived at this stronghold, we must not harm people." He took an ingot of silver and rewarded the scout. He then ordered wine and fruit to be brought down the mountain directly to the Golden Sands Ferry. There he saw all the chieftains carrying the carts up onto the shore. He then ordered boats to be brought to ferry the donkeys and horses across. All the chieftains were delighted.

After they had drunk, he sent for Zhu Gui to come up the mountain for a feast. Chao Gai and all the chieftains went up to the Hall of Righteous Assembly at the stronghold and sat down in a circle. The scouts were ordered to carry up the many goods and lay them out in the hall. Package by package was opened: silk and clothing were piled on one side, merchandise and wares on another, and gold, silver, and valuables were piled in the center. The chieftains all rejoiced at seeing the great haul of goods. They called the petty officer in charge of the treasury and told him to take half of everything and store it in the treasury for future use. The remaining half was divided into two parts: one part was shared equally among the eleven chieftains in the hall; the other was shared equally among the men of the stronghold, above and below the mountain. The newly captured soldiers were branded on the faces with identifying marks. The sturdy ones were assigned to various camps to feed horses and chop wood; the weaker ones were sent to various places to tend carts and cut grass. Huang An was locked up in the jail house in the rear camp.

Chao Gai said, "Today is our first day at this stronghold. When we originally came, we only hoped to escape calamity and seek refuge, placing ourselves under Wang Lun's command as petty chieftains. I am deeply grateful to Instructor Lin, our worthy brother, for yielding the highest seat to me. I never expected to receive two strokes of good fortune in succession: first, we defeated the government troops, captured many men and horses and boats, and took Huang An prisoner; second, we have obtained such quantities of goods and gold and silver. Is this not all due to the abilities of our brothers?" The chieftains replied: "It is all due to the blessing and protection of our elder brother, and that is why we have had such success."

Chao Gai then said to Wu Yong: "The lives of us seven brothers all depend on Song the Escort and Chieftain Zhu. The ancients said, 'A man who knows a kindness and does not repay it is no true man!' Whence does this prosperity and peace we now enjoy? Soon we must send someone with gold and silver to go personally to Yuncheng County. This is the first and most urgent matter. Furthermore, Bai Sheng is imprisoned in Jizhou jail. We must rescue him." Wu Yong said, "Elder brother, do not worry. I have my own plans. Song the Escort is a man of benevolence and righteousness; he earnestly does not expect us to repay him. Nevertheless, courtesy cannot be neglected. In time, once the stronghold is somewhat settled, we must send one brother to go in person. As for Bai Sheng's situation, we can send someone unfamiliar to that place to use money there, bribing those above and instructing those below, easing his situation so he can escape. For now, let us discuss storing grain, building boats, manufacturing weapons, arranging the stockade and walls, adding houses, organizing robes and armor, and forging spears, swords, bows, and arrows, to prepare for resisting government troops." Chao Gai said: "Since that is the case, I rely entirely on the military adviser's wise counsel." Wu Yong thereupon assigned the various chieftains to carry out these tasks. But no more of this.

Not to mention that since Chao Gai had come to Liangshan Marsh, the band had prospered mightily. Turning now to the prefect of Jizhou, who had heard the account given by the soldiers who had fled from Huang An's force—how the troops sent to Liangshan Marsh had been slain and Huang An himself taken alive; how the Liangshan outlaws were so fierce and formidable that no one could get near them, making them impossible to capture; and how, besides, the waterways were bewildering, with so many inlets and creeks that victory could not be achieved. When the prefect heard this, he could only cry out in distress. He said to the Grand Secretariat's agent, "He Tao first lost a great many men and horses, and barely escaped with his life; both his ears have been cut off, and he has gone home to recover, but he has still not healed. Not one of the five hundred men sent returned. So I then sent Militia Commander Huang An together with the prefecture's own bandit-suppression officers to lead troops in pursuit, and they too have been wiped out. Huang An has been captured alive and taken up the mountain; the number of government soldiers killed cannot be reckoned. And still we cannot prevail—what is to be done?" The prefect's belly was full of secret fears, and he could find no way out of his predicament. Just then an attendant came to report: "At the Official Reception Pavilion by the East Gate, a new official has arrived, and a flying dispatch has come ahead with the news." The prefect hastily mounted his horse and rode to the East Gate Official Reception Pavilion. Where the dust rose, the new official had already dismounted before the pavilion. The prefect went up to the pavilion and exchanged greetings with him. The new official produced the transfer document from the Secretariat-Chancellery and handed it to the prefect. After the prefect had read it, he accompanied the new official to the prefectural offices, where they handed over the official seals and all matters pertaining to the treasury and grain stores. A feast was then prepared to entertain the new official. The outgoing prefect gave a full account of the enormity of the Liangshan Marsh bandits and how they had had government troops killed. When he had finished, the new official's face turned the color of earth. He thought to himself: "Grand Tutor Cai has promoted me through this assignment, but what a region this is, and what a prefecture! ... And with no fierce troops or valiant generals, how can I bring this band of strongmen to heel? If these fellows come to the city to 'borrow' provisions, what then shall I do? ..." The following day the former prefect packed his clothes and luggage and returned to the Eastern Capital to face punishment—of which no more need be said.

To return to the new prefect, Prefect Zong. After assuming his post, he summoned a newly transferred military officer stationed in Jizhou, and together they discussed recruiting soldiers and buying horses, gathering provisions and storing grain, enlisting stout commoners and wise and talented men, all in preparation for capturing the Liangshan Marsh outlaws. On one hand, he sent a report to the Secretariat-Chancellery, with orders relayed to the neighboring prefectures to join forces in a concerted campaign; on the other, he issued his own directives to all subordinate prefectures and counties, instructing them to cooperate in the suppression and to defend their own territories. Of all this, no more need be said.

Now the chief clerk of Jizhou dispatched a messenger with an official document to Yuncheng County, ordering it to defend its own territory and guard against the Liangshan Marsh bandits. The magistrate of Yuncheng County, upon receiving the document, ordered Song Jiang to process it and distribute it to all villages for coordinated defense. When Song Jiang saw the document, he pondered inwardly: "So Chao Gai and his men have committed this great deed and committed a grave crime—they seized the birthday gifts, killed the constables, wounded Inspector He, destroyed many government soldiers and horses, and even took Huang An alive up the mountain. Such a crime carries the penalty of extermination of nine generations of kin. Though they were driven to it and had no choice, the law cannot be lenient. If there is any lapse in guarding against them, what then shall I do?" He brooded alone in his heart. He instructed his assistant clerk, Zhang Wenyuan, to process the document and distribute it to every township and village. Zhang Wenyuan busied himself with the paperwork, while Song Jiang strolled out of the yamen on foot.

He had gone no more than twenty or thirty paces when he heard someone behind him call out, "Marshal!" Song Jiang turned around and saw it was the Old Woman Wang, the matchmaker, leading another old woman. She said to Song Jiang, "You have good fortune—here is the marshal who does good deeds!" Song Jiang turned back and said, "What do you have to say?" The Old Woman Wang stopped him and, pointing to the old woman Yan, said, "Marshal, you don't know. This family has come from the Eastern Capital; they are not from around here. There are three of them in the immediate family—the father-in-law Yan, who has a daughter named Po Xi. This old man Yan was always fond of singing, and from childhood he taught his daughter Po Xi to sing all manner of tunes and ditties. She is eighteen years of age and quite comely. The three of them came to Shandong seeking an official they knew, but failed to find him, and so they drifted here to Yuncheng County. Unfortunately, the people here take no pleasure in music and revelry, so they cannot make a living. They are lodging temporarily in a quiet lane behind the county seat. Yesterday her father-in-law died of the seasonal pestilence. This Old Woman Yan had no money for burial and was at her wits' end. She came to me to act as matchmaker. I said, 'At such a time, where could there be anyone just right?' And there was nowhere to borrow from. They were at the end of their road when they saw the marshal passing by, so I and this Old Woman Yan hurried after you, hoping you might take pity on her and arrange for a coffin." Song Jiang said, "So that is how it is. You two follow me. We'll go to the wine shop by the lane and borrow a brush and inkstone to write a note for you to take to the house of Chen the Third on the east side of the county to get a coffin." Song Jiang then asked, "Do you have money for the burial expenses?" The Old Woman Yan replied, "To tell you the truth, Marshal, I don't even have a coffin, let alone the expenses!" Song Jiang said, "I'll give you ten more taels of silver for the burial expenses." The Old Woman Yan said, "You are my parents reborn, my parents renewed! I will serve you as a donkey or a horse to repay you!" Song Jiang said, "Don't talk like that." He at once took out a silver ingot and handed it to the Old Woman Yan, then returned to his quarters. The old woman took the note and went straight to the house of Chen the Third on the east street of the county, where she obtained a coffin. She took it home and saw to the burial. She still had five or six taels of silver left over, which mother and daughter used for their living expenses—of which no more need be said.

One day, Old Woman Yan came to thank Song Jiang for his kindness. Noticing that there were no women in his lodgings, she asked the neighbor, Old Woman Wang, "I don't see any women at Magistrate Escort Song's place. Does he have a wife?"

Old Woman Wang replied, "I've only heard that Magistrate Escort Song's family lives in Songjia Village. I've never heard that he has a wife. He's merely lodging here in the county while serving as an escort magistrate. I often hear of him distributing coffins and medicine to the poor, and he's always ready to help those in need. I suspect he doesn't have a wife."

Old Woman Yan said, "My daughter has a fine appearance, and she can sing songs too. She knows all sorts of amusing tricks. Since childhood in the Eastern Capital, she's always been welcomed at the entertainment quarters—there wasn't a single establishment that didn't adore her! Several leading courtesans asked to adopt her, but I refused. My husband and I had no one to care for us in our old age, so I wouldn't let her go. But now, to my misfortune, she's fallen on hard times. When I went to thank Magistrate Escort Song the other day and saw he had no wife, I wanted to ask you to speak to him on my behalf. If he wants to take a wife, I'd gladly give Po Xi to him. The other day you helped bring things about, and I'm grateful for Magistrate Escort Song's charity. Since I have nothing to repay him with, I'd like to become connected to him through marriage."

After hearing this, Old Woman Wang went to see Song Jiang the next day and told him everything in detail. At first Song Jiang was unwilling, but the old matchmaker's silver tongue kept urging him on, and eventually Song Jiang agreed. He rented a storied house west of the county seat, furnished it with household goods, and settled Old Woman Yan and her daughter Po Xi there. In less than half a month, Po Xi was adorned with pearls and kingfisher feathers on her head, and dressed in silks and gauzes from head to foot. Truly:

A flower-like face, graceful and fair; a jade-like form, elegant and rare.

Her hair was a cloud of darkest black; her brows, two crescent moons so slight and slack.

Her narrow golden lotus feet peeked from her skirt, revealing tender feeling;

Her slender jade fingers showed through her sleeves, concealing feeling beyond healing.

Her starry eyes were lustrous as lacquer, her creamy chest smooth as carved lard.

A beauty leaving her palace bower, a fairy descending to this world of ours.

After a few more days, Song Jiang also provided the old woman with several pieces of finery and clothing, keeping Po Xi in comfort with fine food and dress.

At first, Song Jiang slept with Po Xi every night. But gradually he came less and less often. Why was this? Song Jiang was a man of valor who loved nothing more than practicing spear and staff; he had little interest in women. Now this Yan Po Xi was as fresh and blooming as water itself, and being eighteen or nineteen, she was in the prime of her youth. Thus Song Jiang failed to satisfy her.

One day, Song Jiang made the mistake of bringing his assistant clerk, Zhang Wenyuan, to Yan Po Xi's house for drinks. This Zhang Wenyuan was Song Jiang's colleague as escort magistrate, known as "Little Zhang San." He had clear brows and fair eyes, white teeth and red lips. He was always frequenting the pleasure quarters, drifting about like tumbleweed, and had acquired a fashionable, dashing manner. What's more, he could play every musical instrument with skill. Po Xi was a woman of wine and passion, and the moment she saw Zhang San, she took a liking to him and set her sights on him. Zhang San, seeing that she was interested, returned her glances with meaningful looks. When Song Jiang got up to wash his hands, she even made teasing remarks to Zhang San.

As the saying goes: "Without wind, the tree doesn't sway; without rocking, the water stays calm." Zhang San was also a man of wine and passion—how could he not understand what was going on? Seeing the woman exchanging amorous glances with him, full of affection, he took note of it. Afterward, when Song Jiang was away, Zhang San would go there, pretending he had come to look for Song Jiang. The woman would invite him to stay for tea, and after some conversation, the deed was done.

Who would have thought that once Po Xi and Zhang San had gotten together, they burned as hot as a block of iron fresh from the forge? And Zhang San was a man well practiced in such matters. Hadn't the ancients said, "Not once, but twice"? It was all because Song Jiang, a thousand times wrong, ten thousand times wrong, had brought Zhang San to his house for drinks—and that was how she had taken a fancy to him. As the old saying goes: "Tea brings lovers together; wine is the matchmaker of lust." They had fallen right into this trap.

From the moment Yan Po Xi and Little Zhang San became involved, she had not a shred of affection left for Song Jiang. Whenever Song Jiang came, she only hurled hurtful words at him and paid him no attention whatsoever. Song Jiang was a man of valor who set no store by women, so he went once every half a month or so. Zhang San and the woman were as close as glue to lacquer, coming at night and leaving at morning. Even the neighbors knew of it, and some whispers reached Song Jiang's ears. Song Jiang was half-believing, half-doubling, and thought to himself: "She's not a wife matched for me by my parents. If her heart isn't with me, why should I trouble myself with anger? I simply won't go there." From then on, he didn't visit for several months. Old Woman Yan sent people repeatedly to invite him, but Song Jiang always made excuses and refused to go. Truly:

The singing girl's heart follows the flowing water; the righteous man has no love for the fallen flower.

The mother loves money, the daughter loves beauty—two merchants trading the same goods, each serving the other's bower.

The tale now branches in two directions.

One day, toward evening, Song Jiang emerged from the county seat and went across to the teahouse, where he sat down to drink tea. He noticed a big fellow wearing a white felt hat in the Fanyang style, dressed in a black-green silk robe, with leg wrappings and knee guards below, eight-strap hemp sandals, a waist knife slung at his side, and a large bundle on his back. He was streaming with sweat like rain, panting and gasping for breath, his face turned away as he stared toward the county seat. Song Jiang saw that this man walked with a peculiar air and hastily rose from the teahouse to follow him. After they had gone some thirty paces, the man turned his head, glanced at Song Jiang, and did not recognize him. Song Jiang, for his part, found the man somewhat familiar — "Could it be that we have met somewhere before?" — but for the moment he could not recall. The man, having been looked over by Song Jiang for a while, also seemed to recognize him somewhat. He stopped, fixed his eyes on Song Jiang, and yet dared not ask. Song Jiang reflected, "This man is most strange! Why does he keep staring at me?" And Song Jiang dared not ask him either.

Then the man went to a barber's stall by the roadside and asked, "Elder brother, who is that yamen clerk ahead?" The barber replied, "That is Clerk Song." The man took up his broadsword, walked up to Song Jiang, and made a deep bow, saying, "Does the clerk recognize me?" Song Jiang said, "You look somewhat familiar." The man said, "May I have a word with you in private?" Song Jiang then went with the man into a quiet side lane. The man said, "There is an inn here where we can talk freely."

The two men went up to the wine shop and chose a quiet private room to sit in. The stranger leaned his dagger-axe against the wall, untied his bundle, and set it beneath the table. Then he threw himself down and bowed.

Song Jiang quickly returned the bow. "I dare not ask, but what is your honorable surname?"

The man said, "Great benefactor, how could you forget your little brother?"

Song Jiang said, "Elder brother, who are you? Your face does seem somehow familiar, but this humble one has lost the memory."

The man said, "Your little brother is none other than Liu Tang, the 'Red-Haired Devil' whom you once recognized at the estate of Chief Chao and whose life you saved!"

Song Jiang was greatly startled. "Good brother, you have a reckless nerve! Had any constables seen us just now, it would have nearly brought disaster upon us!"

Liu Tang said, "I am so deeply grateful for your great kindness that I would not fear death itself. I have come especially to repay you."

Song Jiang said, "How are Chief Chao and his brothers doing these days? And brother, who sent you here?"

Liu Tang said, "Chief Chao, my elder brother, has sent repeated salutations to his great benefactor. Having received your help and his life being saved, he now serves as chief commander of the stronghold at Liangshan Marsh. Wu Yongxue serves as military adviser, and Gongsun Sheng shares command of the forces. Lin Chong threw his full support behind them and they overthrew Wang Liang. The stronghold already had Du Qian, Song Wan, and Zhu Gui, and with our seven brothers, that makes eleven chieftains in all. The stronghold now has gathered seven or eight hundred men, with grain beyond reckoning. Thinking only of your great kindness, elder brother, which cannot be repaid, they sent Liu Tang especially to bring a letter and a hundred taels of gold as thanks to you, the chief clerk, and also to Constable Zhu and Constable Lei."

Liu Tang opened the bundle, took out the letter, and handed it to Song Jiang. Song Jiang read it, then lifted the front of his robe and drew out his document pouch. As he opened the pouch, Liu Tang placed the gold upon the table. Song Jiang took the letter—and also took one bar of gold along with the letter, wrapped them—and tucked them into his document pouch. He let his robe fall back into place and said, "Good brother, please wrap up the remaining gold as before."

He then called for the wine-server to bring wine, ordered a large plate of meat, and had vegetables and fruit laid out. He told the server to pour wine for Liu Tang to drink. As the daylight faded, Liu Tang finished his wine, unwrapped the gold on the table, and was about to take it out.

Song Jiang hastily stopped him. "Good brother, listen to me. You seven brothers have only recently arrived at the stronghold and are in pressing need of gold and silver. My household has ample means for living—leave the gold at your stronghold for now. When I lack traveling expenses, I will have my younger brother Song Qing come to fetch it. Today it is not that I stand on ceremony with you; I have already accepted one bar from within. Constable Zhu has some family wealth of his own—there is no need to give him any. I will explain the matter to him myself. As for Constable Lei, he does not even know that I reported to Chief Chao. Moreover, this man is greedy for gambling. If he were to take some out to gamble with, it would bring trouble upon us—that would not be safe at all. Under no circumstances must the gold be given to him. Good brother, I dare not ask you to stay at my house—if someone were to recognize you, it would be no laughing matter. Tonight the moonlight will certainly be bright. You can return to the stronghold at once; do not linger here. I have repeatedly conveyed my respects to all the chieftains—I cannot come to offer congratulations in person. I beg your forgiveness."

Liu Tang said, "Your great kindness, elder brother, can never be repelled. I was ordered by my little brother to bring some token of gratitude to the chief clerk, to show a small measure of filial devotion. Chief Chao, as head chieftain, and the military adviser issue orders that are not as they were in the old days. How would your little brother dare to bring it back? At the stronghold I would certainly be punished."

Song Jiang said, "Since your orders are strict and clear, I will write a letter of reply for you to carry back."

Liu Tang earnestly begged Song Jiang to accept the gold, but Song Jiang absolutely refused. He then took out a sheet of paper, borrowed the wine shop's brush and inkstone, and carefully wrote a letter of reply, which he gave Liu Tang to keep in his bundle. Liu Tang was a straightforward man; seeing Song Jiang refuse so firmly, he thought the gold would not be accepted and wrapped it up as before.

As evening drew on, Liu Tang said, "Since you have written a letter of reply, elder brother, I will set out tonight."

Song Jiang said, "Good brother, I cannot keep you longer—let our hearts be our bond."

Liu Tang bowed four more times. Song Jiang called the wine-server and said, "This gentleman has left a tael of silver here. I will come myself to settle the account tomorrow."

Liu Tang shouldered his bundle, took up his dagger-axe, and followed Song Jiang downstairs. They left the wine shop and reached the mouth of the alley. The sky was dim—it was mid-eighth month, and the moon was rising. Song Jiang took Liu Tang's hand and said, "Good brother, take care. You must not come again. There are many constables in these parts—it is no place for carelessness. I will not escort you farther; let us part here."

Liu Tang saw the moonlight was bright, quickened his pace, and headed west, returning to Liangshan Marsh that very night.

Now to return to Song Jiang: after parting from Liu Tang, he slowly made his way back to his quarters. As he walked, he pondered in his heart, "Had any constables seen us just now, it would have nearly brought a great calamity upon us!" And again he thought, "That Chao Gai has actually gone to become an outlaw—and on such a grand scale!" He had not gone past two bends in the road when he heard someone behind him call out, "Chief Clerk, where have you been? I haven't seen you for two days."

Song Jiang turned and saw it was the old woman Yan.

It was because of this encounter that Song Jiang's timid heart turned bold, and his good heart turned wicked. As to how Song Jiang dealt with old woman Yan, listen to the next chapter.