Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Here is the translation:

When Wenzhong Niu saw that Gaizhou had already fallen, he had no choice but to flee the city, escorted by Yu Yulin, Guo Xin, Sheng Ben, and Sang Ying. They ran straight into Kui Leng and Lu Zhishen, who at the head of infantry had blocked their path. Kui Leng shouted loudly: "I've been waiting for you bunch of beaten caged birds for ages, by Commander Song Jiang's orders!" He swung his twin axes and charged; with a flash of the axes, he cut down Guo Xin and Sang Ying on the spot. Wenzhong Niu was frightened out of his wits. Before he could react, Lu Zhishen brought his monk's staff down upon him, shattering both helmet and skull together, knocking him from his horse. The two hundred or so men were all killed to the last one. Only Yu Yulin and Sheng Ben managed to break free by dashing madly at an oblique angle. Lu Zhishen said: "Leave those two donkey heads! Let them go spread the message." They then cut off three heads, seized the saddled horses and armor, and went straight into the city to present them.

Meanwhile, Song Jiang's main force entered Gaizhou city and immediately issued orders to first put out the fires and not to harm the residents. The generals all came to present their achievements. Commander Song Jiang had the soldiers display the severed heads at each gate, and at daybreak posted notices to reassure the people. The entire three armies were quartered within Gaizhou, and rewards were distributed to all the generals and soldiers. On the register of merit, Shi Xiu, Shi Qian, Xie Zhen, and Xie Bao were recorded for their deeds. At the same time, a memorial was written and sent to the court. Having taken Gaizhou, all the gold, silk, and treasures from the treasury were transported to the capital, and a letter was written to present to Grand Marshal Su. It was now the end of the twelfth month. Song Jiang was attending to military affairs, and before he knew it, three or four days had passed, when suddenly a report came that Zhang Qing had recovered from his illness and, together with An Daoquan, had come to report for duty. Song Jiang was overjoyed and said: "Excellent. Tomorrow is New Year's Day of the fifth year of Xuanhe—how good that we can be together again."

The next dawn, the generals all put on their official caps and robes, and Song Jiang led his brothers in facing the imperial palace to offer congratulations. After completing the ceremony of five bows and three kowtows, they removed their official caps and robes and all put on their red brocade battle robes. The ninety-two chieftains, along with the newly surrendered general Geng Gong, all came neatly and properly to offer New Year's congratulations and pay respects to Song Jiang. Commander Song Jiang laid out a grand feast for celebration and reward. The brothers took turns toasting Song Jiang and wishing him long life. After several rounds of wine, Song Jiang said to the generals: "Thanks to the strength of you brothers, the state has recovered three cities. And on this New Year's Day, to gather together in joy is truly rare. But Gongsun Sheng, Huo Yanzhuo, Guan Sheng, the naval commander Jun Li and his seven others, as well as Chai Jin and Li Ying guarding Lichuan, and Shi Jin and Mu Hong guarding Gaoping—these fifteen brothers are not here with us, and I find this very disheartening." He then summoned the army's petty officers, giving them over two hundred soldiers, and separately rewarded them, instructing them to set out that very day carrying sheep and wine to deliver to the garrison commanders at Weizhou, Lichuan, and Gaoping, along with news of the victory. Before he even finished giving these orders, a sudden report came that the garrison commanders of all three places had sent men to offer congratulations. They all said that by Commander Song Jiang's orders, being occupied with military affairs, they could not come in person to pay their respects. Song Jiang was greatly pleased and said: "Receiving this news is as good as seeing them face to face." He rewarded the messengers and joined his brothers in drinking to their hearts' content, drinking until they were thoroughly drunk.

The next day, Commander Song Jiang prepared to go to the eastern outskirts to welcome the spring, for it was the exact hour of the fourth quarter of the zi period, which coincided with the Beginning of Spring. That night a northeast wind blew up, thick clouds gathered densely, and all at once a great snow fell throughout the day. When the chieftains got up the next morning to look, they saw:

Willow catkins drifting everywhere, goose feathers fluttering piece by piece.

White egrets flocking in flight across the sky, white gulls tumbling and turning upon the river.

They came swirling into the courtyard, whirling and swaying with the wind;

They glistened upon spear and halberd, shining brilliantly under the sun.

A thousand mountains dressed in jade could make woodcutters lose their way in longing;

Ten thousand homes robed in silver have inspired many a recluse to compose fine verse.

Indeed it is said that a good harvest year is blessed—but what is an auspicious sign of abundance?

At the frontier passes, many bear arms—such omens are fitting, but not in abundance.

At this point, Xiao Rang, the Star of Literary Pattern, said to the chieftains: "This snow has several kinds of forms: a single flake is called 'bee,' two flakes 'goose feather,' three flakes 'gathering four,' four flakes 'clustering four,' five flakes are called 'plum blossom,' and six flakes are called 'six-petaled.' Snow is formed from the congealing of yin energy, hence the six petals, corresponding to the yin number. After the Beginning of Spring, the flakes are all mixed plum blossom shapes, and there are no more six-petaled ones. Although today is already the Beginning of Spring, we are still at the juncture between winter and spring, so the snowflakes are either five- or six-petaled." Upon hearing this discussion, Yue He walked to the eaves and, using his black sleeve, caught the falling snowflakes to examine them. Sure enough, the snowflakes had six petals, with one inner petal not yet fully dissolved, still showing some angular edges; among them there were also five-petaled ones. Yue He cried out repeatedly: "It's true! It's true!" Everyone crowded around to look, but Kui Leng's nostrils expelled a blast of hot breath that melted the snowflakes away. Everyone burst out laughing, which startled Commander Song Jiang, who came out and asked: "What are you brothers laughing about?" The men said: "We were just looking at the snowflakes, when the Black Whirlwind's breath melted them." Song Jiang also laughed and said: "I have already ordered wine to be set out at the Spring Garden—let us all go enjoy ourselves together."

East of the prefectural seat there was a Yichun Garden, and in the garden stood a Pavilion of Two Fragrances. Before the pavilion grew several cypress, pine, and plum trees. That evening the chieftains gathered at the Pavilion of Two Fragances, talking and laughing with noisy merriment, wine cups passing back and forth in constant exchange. Before they realized it, dusk had fallen, and they lit the lanterns and candles. By now Song Jiang was flushed with wine, and in the course of casual conversation he began speaking of the perils he had endured in the past, and how much he owed to his brothers: "I was merely a petty clerk of Yuncheng. I had committed a grave crime, and it was you, my brothers, who risked your lives time and again amid a thousand spears and ten thousand blades, in the very shadow of death, to rescue me. When Dai Zong and I were being led to the execution ground at Jiangzhou, there was every reason to expect we would become ghosts. Yet today I have the honor of serving as a subject of the state, and of giving my strength to the state. When I look back on those past events, it seems like nothing but a dream!" As Song Jiang spoke these words, tears began to stream down his face unbidden. Dai Zong, Hua Rong, and the several brothers who had shared his hardships all shed tears as well when they heard these words.

At this point, Li Kui had drunk several cups more, and the wine was taking hold. Even as he chatted with the others, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. He propped his face with his arms and was soon fast asleep. A thought suddenly stirred in his mind: "The snow outside hasn't stopped yet." The thought arose, but his body hadn't moved a muscle—yet it felt as he had already walked out of the pavilion. When he looked outside, another strange thing: "So there's no snow at all! I've been sitting here for nothing! Let me go over there for a stroll." He left the Yichun Garden, and before long had passed through the city gates. Suddenly he struck his head: "Ah! I forgot to bring my axes!" He felt at his waist—there they were, thrust in place. He walked on without heed of direction, stumbling and blundering, not knowing how many miles he covered, until he saw a great mountain ahead. Before long he reached the mountain's foot, where he saw a man emerge from a hollow in the hills. He wore a folded-corner headscarf and a pale yellow Taoist robe, and came forward with a smile, saying, "If the general would like a leisurely walk, just beyond this mountain lies a place of great delight." Li Kui asked, "Elder brother, what is this mountain called?" The scholar replied, "This is Heavenly Pool Ridge. When the general returns from his ramble, come back here and we shall meet again." Li Kui followed his advice and indeed went around the mountain, when suddenly he saw a manor by the road. From inside came a great commotion. Li Kui charged in and found more than a dozen men, all wielding staves and weapons, smashing tables and benches, breaking every piece of furniture and household good to pieces. Among them a big fellow was cursing: "Old ox, hand over your daughter to me as my wife, and all will be well. If you say a single word against it, I'll make sure you all die!" Li Kui, who had just come in, heard these words and his heart burned with fury as if a fire had been lit in his chest and smoke poured from his mouth. He roared, "You bunch of bird-brained scoundrels, how dare you force yourselves on another man's daughter?" The gang shouted back, "We're taking his daughter—what's it to you?" Li Kui flew into a rage and drew his axes to strike. Strangely enough, there was no stopping him. With a single blow he felled two or three of them. The others tried to flee, but Li Kui overtook them and hacked away six or seven times more, sending them sprawling in every direction until corpses lay all over the ground. Only one escaped, running outside. Li Kui rushed into the inner rooms and found two doors bolted shut. He kicked them open and saw an old man with white hair and an old woman weeping there. Seeing Li Kui burst in, they cried, "Disaster! He's broken in!" Li Kui shouted, "I'm one who cannot abide injustice on the road! I've killed that gang of scoundrels outside—come with me and see." The old man followed him out trembling with fear, then seized hold of Li Kui and said, "Though you've rid us of these villains, it will still bring trouble of the law down on us." Li Kui laughed and said, "You old fool, you don't know Black Granddaddy. I am Li Kui, the 'Black Whirlwind' of Liangshan Marsh, now serving under Brother Song Gongming on an imperial campaign against Tian Hu. They're all drinking in the city right now, and I was bored, so I came out for a walk. Never mind those few scoundrels—even if I'd killed a few thousand, what of it?" Only then did the old man wipe his tears and say, "In that case, all is well indeed! Please, General, come inside and sit." Li Kui went in, and a table of food and wine had already been laid out there. The old man helped Li Kui to the seat of honor, filled a bowl to the brim, and presented it with both hands: "The general has saved my daughter. Please drain this cup." Li Kui took it and drank, and the old man pressed him on. After four or five bowls, the old woman who had been weeping earlier came forward with a young girl and the two of them pressed their hands together and made a deep bow. The old woman said, "The general serves under Commander Song and is so mighty a man. If you do not disdain her plainness, we would gladly give our daughter to you as a wife." When Li Kui heard these words, he leaped to his feet and said, "What a filthy, crooked lot! Did I just now scheme to take your daughter, killing those wretched birds? Shut your foul mouths and don't let out any more stinking bird-breath!" With one kick he sent the table flying and ran out the door. There he saw a huge fellow bearing a broad saber, striding toward him with great steps and bellowing, "You black villain, don't run! Why did you kill all those brothers just now? We were taking his daughter—what business was it of yours?" He thrust the saber straight at him. Li Kui, furious, swung his axe to meet him, and they fought more than twenty rounds. The man could not hold his own, so he parried the axe, dragged his saber, and fled as if on wings. Li Kui gave chase, pursuing him through a grove of trees, when suddenly he saw a great many palaces. The man ran to the front of a hall, cast aside his saber, and mingled into the crowd—and the man was nowhere to be seen. Then a voice thundered from the hall: "Li Kui, have no insolence! Let him come to the court." Li Kui realized with a start: "This is the Hall of Literary Virtue, where I attended court with Brother Song the other day—this is the Emperor's own place." Then the voice from the hall said: "Li Kui, quickly prostrate yourself!" Li Kui hid his axes and stepped forward to look. He saw the Emperor seated far away on the throne, with many officials ranged before the hall. Li Kui knelt and bowed three times toward the throne, but thought to himself: "Ah! I'm short one bow!" The Son of Heaven asked, "Why did you kill so many people just now?" Li Kui, still kneeling, said, "These scoundrels were forcing themselves on another man's daughter. Your subject was overcome with rage, and so he killed them." The Emperor said, "Li Kui, seeing injustice on the road, has rooted out evil men. His courage and righteousness are most commendable. Your offense is pardoned. I appoint you Guardian of the Court." Li Kui rejoiced inwardly: "So the Emperor is such a man of understanding!" He kowtowed more than a dozen times, then rose and stood below the throne.

Not long afterward, Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Yang Jian, and Gao Qiu came forward in a group, kneeling and prostrating themselves as they said, "Song Jiang, who commands the army in the campaign against Tian Hu, has been loitering and making no advance, spending his days drinking wine. We beg Your Majesty to punish him for this offense."

Upon hearing these words, Li Kui's unquenchable fire of anger blazed up three thousand feet high, and he could no longer contain himself. Seizing his two axes, he rushed forward, struck each one with a single blow, and chopped off their heads. He shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, do not listen to the words of these treacherous ministers! My Brother Song has already captured three cities. Right now he's stationed at Gaizhou and is about to send out his troops. How could they make such slanderous claims?"

The assembled civil and military officials, seeing that four great ministers had been killed, all moved to seize Li Kui. Li Kui raised his two axes and cried, "Come and seize me if you dare—let these four be your example!" The crowd therefore dared not act. Li Kui laughed heartily and said, "Splendid! Splendid! Those four treacherous ministers have finally gotten their due today. I'll go report this to Brother Song." He strode grandly out of the palace.

Suddenly he found himself facing a mountain. When he looked at it, it was the place where he had met the scholar. The scholar was still standing on the hillside. He came forward again with a smile and said, "General, was this excursion to your satisfaction?"

Li Kui said, "Let me tell you, elder brother—just now I killed four treacherous ministers."

The scholar laughed and said, "So it was thus! I have long lived between Fen and Qin, but recently I happened to wander here. I know that you generals harbor loyalty and righteousness in your hearts. I still have something important to tell you. At present, Commander Song is campaigning against Tian Hu. I have a ten-word secret formula that can capture Tian Hu. You must remember it well and pass it on to Commander Song." He then recited to Li Kui: "To destroy Tian Hu's clan, one must unite the arrows of Qiong." He recited it five or six times over.

Li Kui heard that his words made sense, and so he repeated the ten words after him over and over. The scholar then pointed toward the forest and said, "There is an old woman sitting in the woods over there."

The moment Li Kui turned to look, the scholar had already vanished. Li Kui said, "How quickly he's gone! Let me go into the woods and see who it is." He rushed into the forest, and sure enough, there was an old woman sitting there. When Li Kui drew near and looked closely, it turned out to be Tie Niu's old mother, sitting motionless on a boulder with her eyes closed. Li Kui stepped forward and embraced her. "Mother! Where have you been suffering all this time? Tie Niu thought you had been eaten by a tiger, yet here you are today!"

His mother said, "My son, I was never eaten by a tiger."

Li Kui wept and said, "Tie Niu has received amnesty and has truly become an official. Brother Song's army is stationed in the northern city. Let me carry you there on my back."

Even as they were speaking, there was a sudden loud roar, and a ferocious tiger leaped out of the forest. It roared, swished its tail, and lunged straight at them. In his haste, Li Kui grabbed his axe and swung at the tiger. He struck with such force that his double axes cut through empty air, and he tumbled forward—only to crash face-down upon the wine table in the Rain-Scented Pavilion of Yichun Garden.

Song Jiang and his brothers were reminiscing about past events, and had reached the most absorbing part of their conversation. At first, they had seen Li Kui dozing on the table and paid him no mind. Then suddenly there was a loud crash—Li Kui had slammed the table with both hands in his sleep, sending bowls and dishes flying, splashing soup over both his sleeves. Even in his sleep he was shouting, "Mother, the great beast has gone!"

He opened his eyes and looked around. The lanterns and candles were ablaze, and his brothers were sitting in a circle, still drinking wine. Li Kui said, "Bah! So it was a dream—but what a splendid one!"

Everyone laughed and said, "What dream was it? You seemed so pleased with yourself!"

Li Kui first told them of dreaming of his mother, who had not died after all—they had been talking when the great beast interrupted them. Everyone sighed. Li Kui then went on to tell of killing the treacherous ministers and kicking over the table. When Lu Zhishen, Wu Shi, and Shi Xiu heard this, they all clapped their hands and cried, "Splendid!"

Li Kui laughed and said, "There's something even more splendid!" He then told of killing the four treacherous ministers Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Yang Jian, and Gao Qiu. Everyone clapped their hands and shouted in unison, "Splendid! Splendid! Even if it was only a dream, it was worth it!"

Song Jiang said, "Brothers, keep your voices down. These are the words of a dream—what does it matter?"

Li Kui, right at the height of his excitement, rolled up his sleeves and said, "Why the devil should we hold back? In all my life I've never done anything so exhilarating. And there's another strange thing—a scholar appeared in my dream and told me: 'To destroy Tian Hu's clan, one must unite the arrows of Qiong.' He said these ten words were the key to defeating Tian Hu, and told me to remember them well and pass them on to Commander Song."

Song Jiang and Wu Yong pondered but could not decipher their meaning. An Daoquan had heard the three words "arrows of Qiong" and was about to speak, but Zhang Qing gave him a look. An Daoquan smiled and said nothing.

Wu Yong said, "This dream is quite extraordinary. Once the snow clears, we can advance."

The drinking then ended, and the men retired to rest. Nothing further happened that night.

The next day the snow cleared. Song Jiang ascended his command tent and discussed with Lu俊義 and Wu Yong the plan to divide the army into two columns, advancing east and west. The eastern route would cross Huguan, take Zhaode, and pass through Lucheng and Yushe directly to the enemy's lair in the rear, then proceed from Dagu to Linxian for a combined assault. The western route would take Jinning, emerge at Huoshan, take Fenyang, pass through Fenxiu, Pingyao, and Qixian directly to the northwest of Weisheng, then converge at Linxian to capture Weisheng and seize Tian Hu.

The officers for the two columns were assigned as follows:

Commander Song Jiang led forty-seven principal and subordinate officers:

The military counselor Wu Yong, Lin Chong, Suo Chao, Xu Ning, Sun Li, Zhang Qing, Dai Zong, Tong Zhuo, Fan Rui, Li Kui, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Bao Xu, Xiang Chong, Li Gun, Shan Tinggui, Wei Dingguo, Ma Lin, Yan Shun, Xie Zhen, Xie Bao, Song Qing, Wang Ying, Hu Sanniang, Sun Xinsao, Gu Dasao, Ling Zhen, Tang Long, Li Yun, Liu Tang, Yan Qing, Meng Kang, Wang Dingliu, Cai Fu, Cai Qing, Zhu Gui, Pei Xuan, Xiao Rang, Jiang Jing, Yue He, Jin Dajian, An Daoquan, Yu Baosi, Huangfu Duan, Hou Jian, Duan Jingzhu, Shi Qian, and the surrendered Hebei general Geng Gong.

Vice Vanguard Lu Junyi led forty officers, main and auxiliary:

The military counselor Zhu Wu, Qin Ming, Yang Zhi, Huang Xin, Ou Peng, Deng Fei, Lei Heng, Lü Fang, Guo Sheng, Xuan Zan, Hao Siwen, Han Tao, Peng Qi, Mu Chun, Jiao Ting, Zheng Tianshou, Yang Xiong, Shi Xiu, Zou Yuan, Zou Run, Zhang Qing, Sun Erniang, Li Li, Chen Da, Yang Chun, Li Zhong, Kong Ming, Kong Liang, Yang Lin, Zhou Tong, Shi Yong, Du Qian, Song Wan, Ding Desun, Gong Wang, Tao Zongwang, Cao Zheng, Xue Yong, Zhu Fu, Bai Song.

Once the assignments were settled, Song Jiang consulted with Lu Junyi: "From here, our forces will march east and west to suppress rebellions. Which direction would you prefer to take, brother?" Lu Junyi replied: "In deploying troops and commanders, I submit entirely to your strict orders. How would I dare to pick and choose?" Song Jiang said: "Even so, let us consult the will of Heaven. We shall divide the two armies by lot, writing them on slips of paper, and each will draw one." At once Pei Xuan prepared the slips for the eastern and western routes. Song Jiang and Lu Junyi burned incense and prayed, then Song Jiang drew a lot. And it was precisely because Song Jiang drew this lot that several more heroes and fierce warriors were added to the three armies, and before the Five Dragon Mountains a tale of strange and wondrous arts was revealed. As for which route Song Jiang drew, listen to the next chapter for the answer.