الفصل التاسع والستون

الفصل التاسع والستون

Here is the translation:

It need be said that Song Jiang, mindful of Chao Gai's dying wish, sought to yield the chieftainship to Squire Lu, but the others would not consent. Song Jiang spoke again: "Now our mountain stronghold is short of money and grain. East of Liangshan Marsh there are two prefectures that are well supplied: one is Dongping Prefecture, and the other is Dongchang Prefecture. We have never troubled their people, but if we were to ask them for grain openly, they would refuse outright. Let us now write two lots, and Squire Lu and I shall each draw one. Whichever of us captures his city first shall be the lord of Liangshan—how say you?" Wu Yong said: "That is good enough. Let us leave it to Heaven's will." Lu Junyi said: "Say no more of this. My elder brother is lord of Liangshan; I will take my orders from him." But Lu Junyi had no say in the matter. At once they summoned "Iron-Faced Judge" Pei Xuan to write out the two lots. Incense was burned and prayers offered to Heaven, and then each man drew his lot. Song Jiang drew Dongping Prefecture; Lu Junyi drew Dongchang Prefecture. The others said nothing.

That day a feast was laid, and in the midst of the drinking, Song Jiang issued orders to deploy the troops. Under Song Jiang were: Lin Chong, Hua Rong, Liu Tang, Shi Jin, Xu Ning, Yan Shun, Lü Fang, Guo Sheng, Han Tao, Peng Qi, Kong Ming, Kong Liang, Jie Zhen, Jie Bao, Short Wang, "Feather Green," Zhang Qing, Sun Erniang, Sun Xin, Gu Da-sao, Shi Yong, Yu Bao-si, Wang Ding-liu, and Diao Jing-zhu—in all twenty-five chieftains commanding one thousand horse and infantry. Three river chieftains—Ruan the Second, Ruan the Fifth, and Ruan the Seventh—led the waterborne forces in their boats to provide support.

Under Lu Junyi were: Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, Guan Sheng, Huyan Zhuo, Zhu Tong, Lei Heng, Suo Chao, Yang Zhi, Shan Tinggui, Wei Dingguo, Xuan Zan, Hao Siwen, Yan Qing, Yang Lin, Ou Peng, Zhen Ling, Ma Lin, Deng Fei, Shi En, Fan Rui, Xiang Cong, Li Gun, Shi Qian, and Bai Sheng—in all twenty-five chieftains commanding one thousand horse and infantry. Three river chieftains—Li Jun, Tong Wei, and Tong Meng—led the boatmen to provide support. The remaining chieftains and the wounded were left to guard the stronghold.

Once the divisions were settled, Song Jiang and his chieftains set out to attack Dongping Prefecture, while Lu Junyi and his chieftains marched against Dongchang Prefecture. The various chieftains descended the mountain by their separate routes. This was on the first day of the third month. The sun was warm, the breeze gentle, the grass green and the sand soft—a fine day for battle.

Now then, Song Jiang led his force to Dongping Prefecture and halted some forty li from the town, at a place called Anshan, where he pitched his camp. Song Jiang said: "The prefect of Dongping, Cheng Wanli, and the military inspector of the prefecture are a man from Shangdang Commandery in Hedong. His name is Dong Ping; he wields a pair of spears and is called the 'Twin-Spear General.' He has the courage to withstand ten thousand men. Even though we are going to attack his city, we should observe the proper courtesies. Let two men be sent bearing a letter of challenge. If he is willing to surrender, we can avoid bloodshed. If he refuses, then we shall carry out a great slaughter, so that none may bear a grudge. Who will volunteer to deliver the letter?" From the ranks stepped forward a man ten feet tall and several spans about the waist. Who was this? There is a verse to testify:

He loved not wealth but only righteousness,

His face like the fierce temple guardian.

They called him the Spirit of the Narrow Way—

This was Yu Bao-si of Qingzhou.

Yu Bao-si said: "I know Dong Ping. I will gladly carry the letter." Then another man turned from the ranks, slight of build, and called out: "I will go with him." Who was this? A grasshopper's head, sharp eyes and pointed, A heron's legs with no flesh at all. He could run like the wind over long roads—This was Wang Ding-liu of the Yangzi's banks.

These two said: "We have done nothing of worth for the stronghold. Today we are glad to make this journey." Song Jiang was greatly pleased. He promptly wrote the letter of challenge and gave it to Yu Bao-si and Wang Ding-liu to deliver. The letter spoke only of borrowing grain.

Now, Prefect Cheng of Dongping, hearing that Song Jiang had marched his army to Anshan and encamped there, summoned the military inspector of the prefecture, the "Twin-Spear General" Dong Ping, to discuss the grave military situation. As they sat together, a gatekeeper reported: "Song Jiang has sent men with a letter of challenge." Prefect Cheng had them brought in. Yu Bao-si and Wang Ding-liu were ushered into the prefectural hall, where they presented the letter. When Cheng Wanli had read it, he said to Inspector Dong: "They want to borrow our money and grain. What are we to do about this?" Dong Ping flew into a rage. "Cut them down at once!" he shouted. Prefect Cheng said: "We cannot do that. From ancient times it has been the rule that 'when two states are at war, the envoys are not slain.' It would be improper. Let each man be given twenty strokes of the rod and sent back to their camp, and then we shall see how they respond." Dong Ping's anger had not yet subsided. He ordered Yu Bao-si and Wang Ding-liu bound tightly and beaten until their skin was torn and bleeding, then driven from the city. The two men returned to the main camp and tearfully told Song Jiang: "That scoundrel Dong Ping was beyond all decency—he showed utter contempt for our stronghold!"

Song Jiang, seeing how the two had been beaten, was filled with fury and was ready to swallow the whole prefecture whole. He first had Yu Bao-si and Wang Ding-liu placed in a cart and sent back to the mountain to recover. Then "Nine-Dragon" Shi Jin rose and said: "When I lived in Dongping Prefecture, I was intimate with a courtesan in the prefect's household named Li Ruilan, and we were on familiar terms. I will now take a quantity of gold and silver and secretly enter the town, lodging at her house. When the day is fixed, my elder brother can attack the city. As soon as Dong Ping comes out to give battle, I will climb the drum tower and set a fire. With forces inside and outside working together, the great deed can be accomplished." Song Jiang said: "Excellent." Shi Jin at once gathered his gold and silver, packed them in a bundle, concealed weapons about his person, and took his leave. Song Jiang said: "Brother, watch your opportunity well. I shall hold my troops here for now."

Now Shi Jin made his way into the city and went straight to the house of Li Ruilan in the Western Wazi district. The old madam was startled to see him, but she ushered him inside and called her daughter out to meet him. Li Ruilan was a woman of truly exceptional beauty, as this poem attests:

A thousand charms beyond compare,

Pearl blossoms veiled in rain, jade breathing sweet.

The green bird wakes the dream of Luofu's peaks—

She seems plum blossoms dressed for dawn's first greet.

Li Ruilan led him upstairs and seated him, then asked Shi Jin, "Where have you been all this time? I heard you became a chieftain at Liangshan Marsh, and that the authorities have put out a warrant for your arrest. These past two days the streets have been buzzing with talk that Song Jiang is coming to attack the city and seize grain. How is it that you've come here?"

Shi Jin said, "I won't hide it from you. I'm now a chieftain at Liangshan Marsh, but I haven't yet distinguished myself. Now my elder brother is coming to attack the city for grain, and I told him all about your household. I've come here specifically to work as a spy. I have a packet of gold and silver for you. You must on no account let this news leak out. Tomorrow, when the job is done, I'll take you and your whole family up the mountain to live in ease and pleasure."

Li Ruilan accepted it all without question, took the gold and silver, and arranged some wine and meat to serve him. Then she went to discuss the matter with the old madam, saying, "In the past, when he was a guest here, he was a good man, and it was no trouble having him come and go in our house. But now he's turned to a life of crime. If this comes to light, it won't be a laughing matter."

The old madam said, "Those heroes of Song Jiang's band at Liangshan Marsh are not to be trifled with. Whenever they attack a city, none can withstand them. If word gets out, one day they'll break through the gates and come in, and we'll be caught up in it too!"

The old bawd cursed him: "You old fool, what do you know of the world? As the saying goes, 'When a bee stings you through your clothes, you must strip to chase it off.' It is a universal rule that whoever confesses first is exempt from punishment. Go quickly to Dongping Prefecture and report him, have him arrested, so we won't be implicated later."

Li the elder said, "He gave us so much gold and silver—if we don't take some responsibility for him, what was the point of his buying our favor?"

The old bawd cursed: "You old beast, that's the talk of a fool letting wind! Our kind of establishment has trapped thousands upon thousands of men—what's one more to us? If you won't report him, I'll go to the yamen myself and cry out my grievance, and I'll make sure your name is in it too."

Li the elder said, "Don't fly into a rage. Let our daughter keep him here and detain him. We mustn't 'beat the grass and startle the snake' and let him escape. I'll go inform the constables, and they'll come arrest him first. Then we'll make our report."

Now when Shi Jin saw Li Ruilan come back upstairs, he noticed her face kept changing color, now flushed, now pale. Shi Jin asked, "Is something the matter in your household? You seem so flustered and startled."

Li Ruilan said, "Just now on the stairs I missed a step and nearly fell, so my heart is still racing and my thoughts are in turmoil."

Though Shi Jin was a brave man, she had deceived him completely, and he harbored no further suspicion. A poem bears witness:

How pitiful—the wiles of a singing girl are many;

The courtesan will always protect the old bawd.

Had he known she plotted treachery in the dark,

He'd never have squandered gold to buy her songs and smiles.

Li Ruilan then spoke with him of the time they had been apart. Before an hour had passed, they heard footsteps on the stairs and someone rushing up. A shout came from outside the window, and several dozen constables burst onto the upper floor. Shi Jin had no time to react. Like a hawk seizing a sparrow or a pellet striking a turtledove, they bound Shi Jin like a lion by the head and dragged him downstairs, then straight to the main hall of the Dongping Prefecture office.

Prefect Cheng looked at him and raged, "You reckless scoundrel, how dare you come here alone as a spy! If not for Li Ruilan's father's report, you would have brought disaster on every decent citizen of this prefecture! Confess quickly—what did Song Jiang send you here to do?"

Shi Jin said nothing. Dong Ping said, "This kind of hardened bandit—how will he ever confess unless we beat him?" Prefect Cheng shouted, "Give him a good beating!" The jailers came forward and first sprayed cold water on his legs, then gave him one hundred heavy blows on each leg. Shi Jin endured the beating without confessing the truth. Dong Ping said, "Put him in cangue and manacles and throw him into the condemned cell. When we capture Song Jiang, we'll send them both to the capital for execution."

Now ever since Shi Jin had left, Song Jiang had written a detailed letter to Wu Yong informing him. When Wu Yong read Song Jiang's letter—that Shi Jin had gone to the prostitute Li Ruilan's house to work as a spy—he was greatly alarmed. He quickly told Lu Junyi, then came to see Song Jiang that very night and asked, "Who sent Shi Jin?"

Song Jiang said, "He volunteered. He said this Li Ruilan was an old flame of his, and he felt deeply for her, so he went."

Wu Yong said, "You lacked judgment, brother. If I had been here, I never would have let him go. As the saying goes, 'In a brothel, beware the five words: pull, beg, leak, slip, and flee.' They are practiced at welcoming the new and seeing off the old—how many talented men have they ruined? Moreover, a courtesan's affections are as fickle as water. However deep the feeling, it is hard to escape the old bawd's control. This man has gone there, and he will certainly come to grief!"

Song Jiang then asked Wu Yong for a plan. Wu Yong called for Sao Dasao and said, "I must trouble you to make a journey. Disguise yourself as a poor old woman and slip into the city, pretending to beg. If there is any sign of trouble, come back at once. If Shi Jin has been thrown into prison, go to the jailers and say, 'I have old ties of kindness with him—I want to bring him a meal.' Push your way into the cell and secretly tell Shi Jin: 'On the last night of the month, around dusk, we will certainly attack the city. You must find a place near water or fire and devise a means of escape.' On that last night of the month, you set fires in the city as a signal, and we will advance our troops from outside, and thus our plan will succeed. Brother, you should first attack Wenshang County. The people will certainly all flee to Dongping Prefecture. Have Sao Dasao mix in among them and enter the city in the confusion—then no one will notice her."

Having laid his plan, Wu Yong mounted his horse and returned to Dongchang Prefecture.

Song Jiang called up Xie Zhen and Xie Bao, and with some five hundred men, attacked Wenshang County. As expected, the people, carrying their old and leading their young, scattered like rats and fled like wolves, all rushing toward Dongping Prefecture.

Now, Gu Dasao, her hair in disarray and her clothes tattered, mingled with the crowd and slipped into the city. She begged from street to street. When she reached the yamen, she learned that indeed Shi Jin was imprisoned in the jail. She then knew that Wu Yong's wisdom was like that of a god. The next day, she carried a rice pot and hovered about the prison wardens' office, watching for an opportunity. She saw an old guard come out of the jail, and at the sight of him, she fell to her knees and wept as though the tears were rain. The old guard asked, "Why do you, this poor woman, weep?" Gu Dasao said, "The man they have locked in the jail, the young Master Shi, was my old master. It has been ten years since I left him. I only heard he was doing business in the rivers and lakes—how could I know he would end up in jail? I can see no one is bringing him food, and I've begged this mouthful of rice just to fill his belly. Brother, please take pity on me and lead me in—it would be better than building a seven-story pagoda!" The guard said, "He is a bandit from Liangshan Marsh, guilty of a capital crime. Who would dare take you in?" Gu Dasao said, "Even if he were to be cut to pieces, I would have him eat his fill before he goes. Just take pity on me, let this old woman go in and deliver this mouthful of rice—it would show I haven't forgotten the old days." And she wept again. The old guard thought to himself, "If it were a man, it would be hard to bring him in—but what harm can a woman do?" So he led Gu Dasao straight into the jail, where she saw Shi Jin with a heavy cangue around his neck and iron chains wrapped about his waist. When Shi Jin saw Gu Dasao, he was greatly shocked and could not utter a word. Gu Dasao wept falsely with one hand while feeding him with the other. The other wardens shouted at him, "This is a condemned villain! 'No wind blows through a prison'—who let you bring him food? Get out at once, or we'll spare you two blows of the rod!" Seeing there were too many people in the jail to explain the details, Gu Dasao only managed to say, "On the night of the new moon, they will attack the city—struggle free on your own in the jail." Before Shi Jin could ask more, the minor wardens drove Gu Dasao out of the jail gate. Shi Jin only remembered the words "the night of the new moon."

Now, the month was the third month, and it was a long month. On the twenty-ninth, Shi Jin heard two wardens talking in the jail and asked, "What day is it today?" The minor warden, having misremembered, replied, "Today is the last day of the month. When evening comes, buy some paper money for the wandering ghosts and burn it." Hearing this, Shi Jin could hardly wait for nightfall. One of the minor wardens, half drunk, led Shi Jin to the water-and-fire pit. Shi Jin tricked the minor warden by saying, "Who is that behind you?" When the man turned his head, Shi Jin broke free from his cangue and struck the minor warden full in the face with the end of the cangue, knocking him to the ground. He then picked up a brick and smashed the wooden shackles. With blazing eyes, he rushed to the central hall. The guards were all drunk; Shi Jin struck them head-on—some died, the rest fled. He pulled open the jail gate and waited for the outside rescue. He also released all the other prisoners in the jail, some fifty or sixty men in all, and together they raised a shout and made their escape.

Someone reported this to the prefect, Cheng Wanli, who turned pale with fright and immediately summoned the military commandant to discuss the matter. Dong Ping said, "There must be spies in the city. Send many men to surround these bandits. I will take this opportunity to lead the troops out of the city and capture Song Jiang. Your Excellency must firmly defend the city and send several dozen guards to surround the jail gate—don't let them escape." Dong Ping mounted his horse and led his troops away. Prefect Cheng then called up all the wardens, inspectors, and guards, each carrying spears and staves, and they advanced with shouts toward the great jail. Shi Jin, inside the jail, did not dare to make a rash move. The men outside did not dare to go in. Gu Dasao could only cry out in despair.

Now, the commandant Dong Ping, having mustered his troops, mounted his horse at the fourth watch and rode to attack Song Jiang's camp. The scouts reported this to Song Jiang, who said, "This must mean Gu Dasao is in trouble in the city again. Since he is coming, prepare to meet the enemy." The order was given, and all the troops rose. By then the sky was just growing bright, and they met Dong Ping's forces. The two sides drew up their battle lines. Dong Ping rode out—truly a hero of unrivaled valor and surpassing wisdom and courage. A poem attests to this:

Two painted banners gleam bright as the sun,

His silver-plated armor is like frost congealed.

His helmet, white as water-polished phoenix wings,

His battle robe, brocade green with qilin designs.

A pair of white dragons contend above and below,

Two silver pythons dart and soar in flight.

The brave and gallant commander from Hedong—

He who wields a pair of spears is Dong Ping.

Now Dong Ping was by nature clever and versatile, conversant with the three teachings and the nine schools of thought, and adept at every kind of music and stringed instrument. In both Shandong and Hebei he was known as the "Gallant General of the Pair of Spears." When Song Jiang saw Dong Ping from the front line, the man's bearing and appearance pleased him at first glance. He also noticed that inserted in Dong Ping's quiver was a small flag on which was written a couplet: "Hero of the Twin Spears, the Dashing Marquis of Ten Thousand Households." Song Jiang sent Han Tao out to meet the enemy. Han Tao grasped his iron spear and rode straight at Dong Ping, but Dong Ping's pair of iron spears were so swift and unpredictable that no one could withstand him. Song Jiang then called for the "Golden Spearman" Ning Xu, who advanced with his "Hooked-Sickle Spear" to relieve Han Tao. Ning Xu galloped out at once and engaged Dong Ping in combat. The two fought on the battlefield for fifty bouts without either gaining the upper hand. After they had clashed for a long time, Song Jiang, fearing that Ning Xu might come to harm, ordered the gongs sounded to recall the troops. Ning Xu reined in his horse and turned back, but Dong Ping raised his twin spears and charged straight into the formation in pursuit. Song Jiang flicked his whip, and the soldiers on all sides closed in around him. Song Jiang rode his horse up to a high mound to observe, and saw Dong Ping surrounded within the formation. If Dong Ping tried to break east, Song Jiang would point the signal flag east, and the troops would converge on him from the east; if he tried to break west, the flag would point west, and the troops would surround him from the west. Dong Ping charged back and forth within the formation, his twin spears cutting through until after the hour of the Monkey, when he hacked open a path and fought his way out. Song Jiang did not pursue. Dong Ping, having failed to gain the upper advantage in battle, withdrew his troops back into the city that evening. Song Jiang set out with his forces through the night and advanced straight to the city walls, deploying his troops in a ring around it. Inside the city, Gu Dasao dared not set fires, and Shi Jin could still not get out, so both sides remained at a standstill.

Now Prefect Cheng had a daughter of exceptional beauty. Dong Ping was unmarried and had repeatedly sent matchmakers to seek her hand, but Cheng Wanli had refused. For this reason, there had been a certain coolness between them of late. That evening, after Dong Ping led his troops back into the city, he dispatched an agent to seize the opportunity and raise the matter of the marriage once more. Prefect Cheng replied, "I am a civil official and he is a military one; for him to become my son-in-law would be perfectly proper. But now that the bandits are at the city walls and the situation is critical, if I were to agree now, I would be laughed at. Wait until the bandit troops have been driven off and the city is secure, and then we can discuss the match—it will not be too late." The messenger reported these words to Dong Ping. Though Dong Ping answered, "What you say is reasonable," he hesitated inwardly and was far from pleased, fearing that Cheng might refuse him later.

Meanwhile, Song Jiang pressed the attack through the night, and the Prefect urged Dong Ping to go out and fight. Dong Ping, in a fury, donned his armor, mounted his horse, and led his three armies out of the city to give battle. Song Jiang himself stood beneath the gate-banner at the front and shouted, "How much can a lone general like you withstand us? Have you not heard the ancient saying: 'When a great mansion is about to collapse, no single timber can shore it up'? Look at my hundred thousand fierce soldiers and a thousand valiant generals, who act in Heaven's name, relieve the distressed, and aid the imperiled! Surrender now and I will spare your life!" Dong Ping, enraged, retorted, "You pox-faced little clerk, you scoundrel fit only for death—how dare you speak such insolence!" With that, he raised his twin spears and charged straight at Song Jiang. On the left stood Lin Chong, on the right Hua Rong; both generals rode out together and engaged Dong Ping with their weapons. After a few bouts, the two generals turned and fled. Song Jiang's troops feigned defeat and scattered in all directions. Dong Ping, eager to win merit, spurred his horse in pursuit. Song Jiang and the others withdrew as planned all the way to the border of Shouchun County, with Song Jiang in front and Dong Ping chasing behind. Some ten-odd li from the city, they came to a village: thatched cottages lined both sides, with a post-road running through the middle. Dong Ping, unaware of the trap, kept riding hard in pursuit. Song Jiang, knowing Dong Ping's prowess, had already sent Wang the Dwarf, "Sturdy Qing," Zhang Qing, and Sun Erniang—four of them with over a hundred men—to lie in ambush among the thatched cottages the night before; they had stretched several trip-ropes across the road and covered them with a thin layer of earth, waiting for the signal: when the gongs sounded, the trip-ropes would rise together to seize Dong Ping. As Dong Ping pressed forward and reached that spot, he heard Kong Ming and Kong Liang behind him shouting, "Do not harm our lord!" Just as he reached the front of the thatched cottages, a gong clanged, the doors on both sides flew open, and the ropes were yanked taut. His horse tried to turn back, but the trip-ropes behind rose up together and tripped the horse, throwing Dong Ping to the ground. From the left burst out "Sturdy Qing" and Wang the Dwarf; from the right came Zhang Qing and Sun Erniang. All four fell upon Dong Ping at once and captured him. His helmet, armor, twin spears, and horse were all seized. The two women leaders bound Dong Ping's arms behind his back with hemp rope. Each holding a steel saber, they escorted Dong Ping as prisoner to see Song Jiang.

When Song Jiang had passed the thatched cottages, he reined in his horse and stood beneath a green willow tree to meet the two women leaders as they brought in Dong Ping. Song Jiang at once ordered the two women to withdraw: "I told you to invite General Dong with courtesy—who told you to bind him?" The two women leaders murmured their assent and withdrew. Song Jiang hastily dismounted and personally loosened his ropes. He then removed his own protective brocade robe and dressed Dong Ping in it, and bowed to the ground. Dong Ping quickly returned the courtesy. Song Jiang said, "If the general would not disdain our humble station, we would have you as the chief of our stronghold." Dong Ping replied, "This petty general, a man taken captive, deserves a thousand deaths! If I may be pardoned and given a place to live, that would be the greatest fortune." Song Jiang said, "Our stronghold lies beside the great marsh and has never caused harm to others. Today we have come only to Dongping Prefecture to borrow grain—we have no other purpose." Dong Ping said, "That scoundrel Cheng Wanli was originally a private tutor in Tong Guan's household; given such a fine post, how could he not oppress the people? If you, elder brother, would allow me to go and trick open the city gate, we could kill our way into the city, seize its money and grain together, and I could thereby repay your kindness."

Song Jiang was overjoyed. He ordered the men to return the armor, spear, and horse to Dong Ping, who then donned his armor and mounted his steed. Dong Ping led the way, with Song Jiang's army behind, banners furled, all converging on the walls of Dongping. Dong Ping's troops rode ahead and called out, "Open the city gates quickly!" The soldiers manning the gate lit their torches and, recognizing Commandant Dong, immediately threw open the gates and lowered the drawbridge. Dong Ping galloped in first, severing the iron chains; behind him Song Jiang and his men drove their horses into the city. They all rushed to the Dongping prefectural offices and swiftly issued orders that no harm was to be done to the common folk and no houses set on fire. Dong Ping made straight for the private residence, killed Prefect Cheng's entire household, and carried off the woman. Song Jiang first had the great jail opened and freed Shi Jin, then opened the treasury, took every ounce of gold, silver, cash, and silk, and threw open the granaries, loading grain onto carts. He sent men to escort everything to Golden Sands Beach at Liangshan Marsh, where they delivered it to the three Ruan chieftains for transport up the mountain. Shi Jin led his own men to the West Tile District, to the home of Li Ruilan, and there butchered the old procuress and her entire family, young and old alike, hacking them to pieces. Song Jiang distributed the prefect's personal property among the townspeople and posted proclamations along the streets announcing to the people: "The oppressive prefect who harmed you has been put to death. You good citizens, each of you, go about your livelihood in peace." Once the proclamations were posted, the army prepared to return.

The officers and men arrived again at Anshan Town. There they saw "White Rat in Daylight" Bai Sheng racing up to them with news of the fighting at Dongchang Prefecture. When Song Jiang heard this, his brows shot up like kicking feet, his strange eyes bulged wide, and he roared, "All you brothers, do not return to the mountain—come with me!" And indeed it was:

Once more the heroes of the watery marshes rode forth,

To seize again the splendid city of Dongchang.

But where did Song Jiang lead his army next? Listen to the explanation in the next chapter.