الفصل التاسع والعشرون

الفصل التاسع والعشرون

It was at this moment that Shi En stepped forward and said, "Brother, please sit down. Allow me in detail to tell you the matters that weigh upon my heart." Wu Song said, "Little Warden, don't be so roundabout and fussy. Just pick out the essential words and say them straight." Shi En said, "Since childhood I have learned some small skills with spear and staff from a master in the jianghu world. In all of Mengzhou, they have given me a nickname—'Golden-Eyed Tiger.' Outside the East Gate here, there is a market town called Happy Forest. All the merchants from east of the mountains and north of the river come there to do business. There are a hundred or so large inns and twenty or thirty gambling houses and money-changing shops. In the past, I relied on my own martial skills and also controlled eighty or ninety desperate convicts from the camp. I ran a wine and meat shop there, and shared the profits with the innkeepers and the gambling and money-changing establishments. Whenever traveling prostitutes came to that place, they first had to pay their respects to me before they were allowed to earn their keep. Every single day those establishments brought in spare cash, and at month's end there were two or three hundred taels of silver to be had—such was my livelihood. Recently a certain Colonel Zhang of this camp arrived from a prefecture in the east, bringing a man with him. That fellow's surname is Jiang, given name Zhong. He is nine feet tall, and so the jianghu world has given him the nickname 'The Jiang Gate-God.' Not only is he huge, but he also possesses excellent martial skills—adept with spear and staff, expert in boxing and flying kicks, and above all in wrestling. He boasts loudly: 'For three years I competed at the Grand Sacrifice on Mount Tai and found no match. In all the world beneath heaven, there is no one like me!' He has come to seize my livelihood. I refused to yield to him, and he beat me so badly with his fists and feet that I could not get out of bed for two months. When you first arrived the other day, my head was still wrapped and my hand still bandaged. Even now the wounds have not fully healed. I had intended to gather men and fight him, but he has Colonel Zhang's regular soldiers behind him. If trouble were to break out, I would be in the wrong from the start within the camp. This boundless hatred of mine I have been unable to requite. I have long heard that you, Brother, are a true man. How can I prevail upon you to help me vent this boundless resentment, so that I may die with my eyes closed? I feared that you, having traveled far, might not yet have recovered your breath or regained your strength. So I planned to let you rest and recuperate for half a year or three months, until your body was fully restored and your strength replenished, before discussing the matter. I did not expect my rustic servant to speak carelessly and blurt it out. I must now tell you the truth."

When Wu Song heard this, he laughed loudly and asked, "How many heads does this 'Jiang Gate-God' have, and how many arms?" Shi En said, "Just the one head and two arms. How could he have more?" Wu Song said with a smile, "I thought he must have three heads and six arms, with the powers of Nezha—that's why I would have feared him. So he has only one head and two arms after all! Since he doesn't look like Nezha, why should I fear him?" Shi En said, "It is simply that my strength is slight and my skill is poor—I cannot match him." Wu Song said, "I am not just boasting. With the abilities I possess in my breast, all my life I have only fought hard men of the world and those who lack moral principle. Since the matter has been put this way, what are we doing lingering here? Bring wine, and I will take it to drink on the road. I will go with you right now, and you shall see me deal with that fellow as I would with a great tiger. If my fists strike too hard and I kill him, I will pay with my own life." Shi En said, "Brother, sit a while longer. Wait until my father comes out to meet you. Then we can act, but I would not dare to act rashly. Let me send someone tomorrow to spy out the situation there first. If the man is at home, we will go the day after tomorrow. If he is not at home, we will consider the matter further. To go there empty-handed and 'beat the grass to startle the snake' would only give him a chance to prepare his defenses—that would not do." Wu Song said irritably, "Little Warden, do you not realize you have been beaten by him? This is not the conduct of a real man! If we go, we go—what is this waiting for today or tomorrow? If we are going, let we go. I fear no preparations of his!"

While they were there and he could not be persuaded otherwise, the old Warden came out from behind the screen and called out, "Noble sir, I have been listening to you for some time now. Today I am fortunate to meet you, noble sir, and my foolish son is like one who has seen the sun break through the clouds. Please come to the rear hall and stay a while." Wu Song followed him inside. The old Warden said, "Noble sir, please be seated." Wu Song said, "I am but a convict. How dare I sit as an equal before Your Honor?" The old Warden said, "Noble sir, please do not say such things. It is my foolish son's great fortune to have met you. Why be so modest?" Having heard this, Wu Song gave a perfunctory salute and sat down facing him. Shi En, however, remained standing before them. Wu Song said, "Why does the Little Warden remain standing?" Shi En said, "My father is here keeping you company above. Brother, please make yourself comfortable." Wu Song said, "In that case, I would not feel at ease." The old Warden said, "Since the noble sir is so considerate, and there are no outsiders here," and he told Shi En to sit as well. Servants brought out wine, delicacies, fruit, and dishes of all kinds. The old Warden personally raised his cup to Wu Song and said, "A hero such as you—who does not admire and respect you? My foolish son originally conducted some business in Happy Forest, not out of greed for wealth and profit, but truly to add splendor to Mengzhou and enhance its atmosphere of bold chivalry. I did not expect that now the 'Jiang Gate-God,' relying on power and acting the tyrant, would openly seize that place. Only a hero such as you, noble sir, can requite this hatred and wipe away this humiliation. If you do not scorn my foolish son, drain this cup, and accept four bows from him. He wishes to bow to you as elder brother, to express his heartfelt respect." Wu Song replied, "What learning or ability do I possess? How dare I accept the Little Warden's courtesy? It would be to no purpose that I, Wu Song, should waste my humble self!" Thereupon, after the wine was drunk, Shi En bowed his head and paid four bows. Wu Song hastily returned the courtesy, and they swore brotherhood. That day Wu Song drank with delight and became utterly drunk. He was helped to a room to rest, and there we leave him.

The next day, Shi En and his father deliberated together: "Wu Song drank himself into a terrible stupor last night—he must still be suffering from the effects of drink. How dare we ask him to go today? Let us put it off by sending someone to find out whether the man is at home. If he isn't, we can delay one day and deal with it afterward."

That day Shi En came to see Wu Song and said, "It's better not to go today. I've already sent someone to find out, and the scoundrel is not at home. Tomorrow after breakfast, I'll ask you to go, brother."

Wu Song said, "Tomorrow's fine, but today I've been stewing in frustration for a whole day."

After breakfast and tea, Shi En and Wu Song went for a leisurely walk in front of the barracks. When they returned to the guest room, they discussed spear techniques and compared their boxing and cudgel skills. Around noon, Shi En invited Wu Song to his home, where only a few cups of wine were served, with dishes to accompany the meal—countless of them. Wu Song was eager to drink wine, but seeing that only food dishes were brought out to encourage him, he paid it little mind. After the midday meal, he got up, took his leave, and returned to the guest room to sit.

Then the two servants came again to attend to Wu Song's bath. Wu Song asked, "Why does your young warden only serve me meat today, but not bring out more wine for me? What's the meaning of this?"

A servant replied, "Dare I hide it from you, Marshal? This morning the old warden and the young warden discussed it. Today they originally intended to ask you to go, but they feared you drank too much last night and might still be suffering the effects today, which would interfere with the important matter. So they dared not bring out wine. Tomorrow they intend to ask you to go and handle the business."

Wu Song said, "So they think I'm drunk and would ruin your important business?"

The servant said, "That is precisely their calculation."

That night, Wu Song could barely wait for daybreak. He rose early, washed and dressed. He wrapped his head in a swastika-patterned cloth, put on a plain-colored cotton shirt, tied a red silk sash around his waist, bound cloth leggings and knee guards on his lower legs, and wore hemp shoes with eight seams. He applied a small medicated plaster over the "golden seal" tattoo on his face. Shi En came early to invite him to his home for breakfast.

After Wu Song finished his tea and meal, Shi En said, "There's a horse in the stable, saddled up for you to ride."

Wu Song said, "I'm not a small-footed woman—why would I ride a horse? I only ask that you agree to one thing."

Shi En said, "Brother, speak freely. How would I dare refuse you?"

Wu Song said, "When we leave the city, I want you to grant me 'No Three, No Passing.'"

Shi En said, "Brother, what is this 'No Three, No Passing'? I don't understand."

Wu Song laughed and said, "I'll tell you. When you want me to beat Jiang the Gate God, once we're outside the city, every time we come upon a wine shop, you must invite me to drink three bowls of wine. If there aren't three bowls, we don't pass the signpost. This is called 'No Three, No Passing.'"

Shi En thought to himself on hearing this: "The Happy Forest is about fourteen or fifteen li from the East Gate. By my count, there are twelve or thirteen wine shops along the way. If we drink three bowls at each one, that would be thirty-five or thirty-six bowls of wine by the time we get there. I'm afraid my brother will get drunk—how can this possibly work?"

Wu Song laughed loudly and said, "You're afraid I'll get drunk and lose my skill? The truth is, without wine I have no skill. With one part of wine, I have one part of skill; with five parts of wine, five parts of skill. If I drink ten parts of wine, my strength would come from who knows where. If it weren't for the boldness that comes with wine, how could I have killed that great tiger on Jingyang Ridge? At that time I had to be thoroughly drunk—then I could strike with power and momentum."

Shi En said, "I didn't know it was like that with you. At home we have plenty of good wine. I only feared you would get drunk and spoil the business, which is why last night I didn't dare bring out wine. Please drink deeply, brother. Since you say your skill is greater after drinking, then let me have two servants take our home's fine wine, fruits, and dishes ahead to wait on the road, and we'll drink slowly as we go along."

Wu Song said, "That suits my wishes perfectly! If I'm to beat Jiang the Gate God, I need some courage. Without wine, how could I bring my skills into play? I'll knock that scoundrel down for you today and give everyone a good laugh!"

Shi En then made arrangements, calling two servants to carry the food baskets and wine jars ahead, along with some copper coins. The old warden also secretly selected twenty or so strong, sturdy men to follow slowly behind as reinforcements, and gave them their instructions.

Now then, Shi En and Wu Song left Anping Stockade and went out through the East Gate of Mengzhou. After walking three or five hundred paces, they saw a wine shop by the roadside, its signboard fluttering before the eaves. The two servants carrying the food baskets had already gone ahead and were waiting there.

Shi En invited Wu Song inside and sat down. The servants had already laid out the dishes and brought the wine to pour. Wu Song said, "Don't use small cups. Pour it in large bowls—just three bowls."

The servants set out the large bowls and poured the wine. Wu Song didn't stand on ceremony—he drank three bowls in succession and then got up. The servants hastily gathered the vessels and hurried on ahead.

Wu Song laughed and said, "Let it start working in my belly for a moment. Let's go."

The two of them left the wine shop and came out. It was the seventh month, the height of summer not yet faded, the autumn wind just beginning. They loosened their garments. Before they had gone even a li, they came to a place that was neither village nor town, and already they saw a wine banner high up among the trees.

When they came into the grove, they found it was a small country wineshop selling village brew. They saw:

*An ancient road, a village inn,*

*A wine shop beside a stream.*

*Weeping willows shade the door,*

*Lotus flowers grace the pool.*

*The wine banner dances in the golden breeze,*

*Short reed blinds shield from the fierce sun.*

*On the porcelain shelf, cold and white,*

*The village brew fills every vessel;*

*Before the earthen stove, fragrant steam rises*

*From the freshly brewed community wine.*

Not that the wine would perfume ten li when the flask is opened, nor that it would make three households drunk next door.

At this time Shi En and Wu Song arrived before a village wine shop. Shi En stopped and asked, "This is a village brew, elder brother—shall we drink here?" Wu Song said, "Never mind if it's sour, salty, bitter, or astringent—if it's wine, I must drink three bowls. If it can't manage three, we'll pass by the curtain." The two sat down, and the servants laid out fruits and appetizers. Wu Song drank three bowls in a row, then rose to leave. The servants hastily gathered up the dishes and utensils and hurried ahead. The two came out of the shop and had walked less than one or two li when they saw another wine shop along the road. Wu Song went in, drank three more bowls, and left again. Enough said of such matters. Wu Song and Shi En walked on together, and whenever they came upon a wine shop, they would go in and drink three bowls. They must have visited some ten or more good wine shops, and when Shi En looked at Wu Song, he was not very drunk. Wu Song asked Shi En, "How much farther is Happy Forest?" Shi En said, "Not much more. When you see that grove in the distance ahead, that's it." Wu Song said, "Since we're almost there, wait for me somewhere else. I'll go find him myself." Shi En said, "That's the best plan. I have a place to stay. I hope you'll be careful, elder brother—do not underestimate the enemy." Wu Song said, "That's no concern. Just have your servants keep escorting me. If there's another wine shop ahead, I'll want to drink more." Shi En had the servants continue to escort Wu Song. Shi En then left on his own.

Wu Song walked another three or four li and drank another ten bowls or so of wine. By now it was the hour of noon, the sky was sweltering hot, though there was a slight breeze. The wine surged up inside Wu Song; he spread open his cloth jacket. Though he was only five or seven parts drunk, he acted as though he were completely intoxicated—staggering forward and back, swaying east and west. When they reached the grove, the servant pointed and said, "Just ahead at the T-shaped crossroads is the 'Jiang the Temple God' wine shop." Wu Song said, "Since we've arrived, go hide far away. When I've beaten them down, you can come back."

Wu Song rushed around behind the grove and saw a man as huge as a Diamond King, wearing a white cloth jacket, sprawled in a folding chair, holding a fly-whisk, sitting in the shade of a green locust tree to cool himself. Wu Song looked the man over. What was his appearance like? Observe:

His features were hideous, his face coarse and rough.

A body of purple flesh spread wide, several blue veins bulging.

Yellow whiskers curled to one side, with a gust of wind seeming to blow from his lips;

Strange eyes wide open, a pair of bright stars beneath his brows.

He truly resembled the likeness of Shenshu and Yulü, but he was no upright pillar reaching heaven.

This Wu Song, feigning drunkenness and staggering, cast a sidelong glance and thought to himself, "This big fellow must certainly be 'Jiang the Temple God.'" He charged straight forward.

He walked another thirty or forty paces and soon saw a large wine shop at the T-shaped crossroads. Before the eaves stood a pole with a wine banner hanging from it, on which were written four large characters: "Heyang Wind and Moon." Turning to look, the front had a row of green-painted railings, with two gold-embroidered flags planted, each bearing five gold characters: "In drunkenness the universe is vast; in the pot the days and months are long." On one side were a butcher's block, chopping board, and cleavers; on the other side were kitchen stoves for steaming buns and firing stoves. Inside were arranged in a row three large wine vats, half buried in the ground, each containing about half a vat of wine; in the very center stood a counter, inside which sat a young woman—none other than Jiang the Temple God's newly taken concubine when he first came to Mengzhou, originally a courtesan from the Western Wazi who sang all manner of palace tunes. What was this woman's appearance like?

Her brows were layered green mountains, her eyes revealed autumn waves.

Cherry lips lightly flushed with red, spring-bamboo hands gently unfurling tender jade.

A small crown of fish-shell pattern, framing dark clouds;

Narrow sleeves skillfully dyed pomegranate red, thinly veiling auspicious snow.

Gold hairpins with phoenixes, jeweled bracelets encircling dragons.

She could have made Cui Hu search for water, one might suspect Wenjun was again selling wine.

Wu Song looked at her, cast a drunken glance, and strode straight into the wine shop. He sat down at a seat directly opposite the counter, pressed both hands on the table, and kept his eyes fixed on the woman without turning. The woman noticed, turned her head, and looked elsewhere.

Wu Song looked around the shop and saw there were five or seven wine stewards on duty. Wu Song pounded on the table and shouted, "Where is the owner of this wine shop?" A head steward came over and looked at Wu Song. "How much wine would you like, sir?" Wu Song said, "Pour two jiao of wine. Let me taste some first." The steward went to the counter and had the woman ladle out two jiao of wine. She poured it into a bucket, warmed a bowl, and brought it over. "Please taste the wine, sir." Wu Song picked it up, sniffed it, and shook his head. "No good, no good—bring a different one!"

The steward, seeing he was drunk, went to the counter and said, "Madam, just give him something else." The woman took back that wine, poured it out, and ladled some higher-grade wine. The steward took it and brought another bowl over. Wu Song lifted it and took a sip. He shouted, "This wine is no good either! Quick, bring another, or I'll make you pay for it!"

The wine keeper swallowed his humiliation and took the wine to the counter, saying, "Madam, just go ahead and pour him some better wine—don't pay him any mind. This customer is drunk and only looking for trouble. Just give him some of the good stuff and let it go." The woman ladled out another measure of the finest wine and gave it to the keeper. He set the bucket before Wu Song and poured another bowl. Wu Song drank it and said, "Now this wine has some character to it." He asked, "Shopkeeper, what is your master's surname?" The wine keeper replied, "Surname Jiang." Wu Song said, "Why isn't it Li, then?" The woman heard this and said, "Has this wretch gone mad from drinking? Has he come here looking for trouble?" The wine keeper said, "He's obviously some ignorant country bumpkin who doesn't know any better. Don't listen to his nonsense!" Wu Song asked, "What did you say?" The wine keeper said, "We were talking among ourselves. Sir, mind your own business and just drink your wine."

Wu Song said, "Shopkeeper, call that woman behind the counter to come down and keep me company while I drink." The wine keeper snapped, "Stop talking nonsense! That is the master's wife!" Wu Song said, "Even if she is the master's wife, what of it? There's no harm in her keeping me company for a drink!" The woman flew into a rage and cursed, "Damned scoundrel! You wretched thief!" She pushed aside the counter and was about to rush out.

Wu Song had already pulled off his tawny-colored tunic and tucked it into his chest. He took the bucket of wine and simply poured it out onto the ground, then vaulted into the counter, where he caught the woman just as she emerged. Wu Song's hands were strong—she could not struggle free. He seized her around the waist with one hand, crushed her hairpiece to powder with the other, grabbed her cloud-like bun, and lifted her bodily out of the counter, hurling her straight into the great wine vat. There was a great splash—pitiful woman, she had been thrown headlong into the huge wine vat. Wu Song sprang out from behind the counter in a single leap. Several of the more quick-witted wine keepers who worked there rushed at Wu Song. With a light touch, he seized one by the collar, pulled him forward, grabbed him with both hands, and hurled him into the big wine vat, where he tumbled in headfirst. Another wine keeper came at him, and Wu Song caught him by the head with a single sweep and threw him into the wine vat as well. Two more came at him, but Wu Song knocked them down with a fist and a kick. The first three men were in the three wine vats and could not climb out. The last two lay on the ground, unable to crawl. These tavern workers had been beaten till they were half dead, and the smartest of them ran off. Wu Song said, "That scoundrel will surely go report to 'Jiang the Door God.' I'll meet him on the main road and beat him there for all to see—let the people have a good laugh." Wu Song strode out in great steps.

The tavern keeper ran straight to report to "Jiang the Door God." When Jiang the Door God heard the news, he was startled, kicked over his folding chair, tossed aside his fly whisk, and came rushing out. Wu Song happened to be coming right toward him, and they met on the broad main road. Although Jiang the Door God was a big man, he had lately been given over to wine and women, which had sapped his strength. The shock he had just received, combined with the fact that he had been running without stopping—how could he stand up to Wu Song, who was strong as a tiger and had come with a plan in mind? Jiang the Door God saw Wu Song and figured he was drunk, so he charged straight in. But quick as lightning, Wu Song first feinted two punches at Jiang the Door God's face, then suddenly turned and ran. Jiang the Door God flew into a rage and rushed after him. Wu Song spun around and kicked with one flying foot, catching Jiang the Door God square in the belly. Jiang doubled over with his hands pressed to his stomach. Wu Song wheeled around—his right foot was already in the flying kick, and it struck Jiang the Door God square on the temple, sending him toppling backward. Wu Song stepped forward, planted his foot on Jiang's chest, and raised a fist the size of a pickle jar, bringing it down on Jiang's face. This was the famous technique he had promised to use on Jiang the Door God—the "Jade Ring Step and Mandarin Ducks' Kick": first feint with the fists, then turn and throw the left foot; once that connects, spin around and fly the right foot. This was Wu Song's true skill, no small accomplishment. He beat Jiang the Door God till he cried for mercy on the ground. Wu Song roared, "If you want me to spare your life, you must agree to three conditions!" Jiang the Door God shouted from the ground, "Spare me, good sir! Never mind three conditions—even three hundred, I'll agree!" Wu Song pointed at Jiang the Door God and stated the three conditions. It would lead to one who changed his face and appearance to seek his master, and one who cut his hair to the brow to kill a man. But as to what those three conditions were that Wu Song stated, let us listen to the next chapter.