Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Now it is said that Li Kui, the "Black Whirlwind," paid no attention to the words of Tang Bin and Geng Gong. Leading his men, he charged across the battlefield, where Qiao Daqing trapped him with his sorcery. Over five hundred men were captured alive—not a single one escaped. Geng Gong saw that the situation was going badly, turned his horse eastward, struck it twice with the whip, and fled ahead of the others. Tang Bin saw that Li Kui and the others had been ensnared, the army thrown into confusion, and Geng Gong had already fled. He thought to himself: "Qiao Daqing's sorcery is formidable. If I cannot escape, I shall only be mocked by others. I have heard that soldiers do not fear death but dread losing their name. At this point, how can I spare my own life!" Tang Bin held his life in contempt, gripped his spear, spurred his horse, and charged forward. Qiao Daqing saw him coming with ferocity, hastily pressed his fingers together, muttered an incantation, and shouted, "Swift!" At once a cloud of yellow sand swirled up within his own formation and flew toward Tang Bin's face. The sand blinded Tang Bin's eyes; he raised his hands helplessly. Before he could react, soldiers rushed forward, stabbed his left leg with a spear, and he tumbled from his horse—he too was taken alive. It was the custom of the northern army that any officer who delivered a captured commander alive received double rewards, so none of the captured generals were killed. At that time, Tang Bin's ten thousand men were all blinded by the yellow sand. They were slaughtered—men perished and horses fell, scattered like stars and clouds. More than half the soldiers were lost.

Meanwhile, Lin Chong and Xu Ning were at the east gate. Hearing the cries of battle rising to the sky from the south of the city, they hastily led their troops to reinforce. The defending general Sun Qi and others inside the city saw Qiao Daqing's banner and quickly opened the city gates to join him. By then Li Kui and the others had already been captured and carried into the city. They saw only Geng Gong, along with a handful of defeated and scattered soldiers, galloping toward them breathless and panting, saddles askew and reins dangling, helmets hanging to one side. When they saw Lin Chong and Xu Ning, they finally managed to rein in their horses. Lin Chong and Xu Ning hastily asked where the army had come from. Geng Gong gave a rambling, incoherent reply in two sentences. Lin Chong and Xu Ning urgently set out with Geng Gong for the main camp. There they happened to meet Wang Ying and Hu Sanniang, who had led three hundred cavalry scouts and had already received this news. Together they went to report to Song Jiang, the vanguard commander. Geng Gong gave a full account of how Li Kui and the others had been captured by Qiao Daqing. When Song Jiang received the report, he was greatly alarmed and wept, saying: "Li Kui and the others are as good as dead!" Wu Yong urged him: "Elder brother, do not distress yourself. Attend to the matter at hand with all haste. Since the enemy possesses sorcery, we must speed to Huguan to bring Fan Rui to oppose them." Song Jiang said: "We shall send for Fan Rui on one hand, and on the other we shall advance our army and demand from that sorcerer the return of Li Kui and the others." Wu Yong remonstrated earnestly, but Song Jiang would not listen.

At that time, Song Jiang, the vanguard commander, ordered Wu Yong to lead the remaining officers in guarding the camp. Song Jiang personally commanded eight officers—Lin Chong, Xu Ning, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Liu Tang, Tang Li, Li Yun, and Yu Baosi—with twenty thousand troops, and they set out at once toward the south of Zhaode to attack. Su Chao and Zhang Qing received them, and the forces joined together. With banners waving, drums beating, war cries rising, and gongs sounding, they charged toward the city walls.

Now, Qiao Daocheng had entered the city and ascended the command headquarters. Sun Qi and ten other generals came to pay their respects. Sun Qi and the others were just about to prepare a banquet in his honor when a scout suddenly reported that the Song army had arrived again. Qiao Daocheng said angrily, "These fellows have no manners at all!" He said to Sun Qi, "Wait until I capture Song Jiang and then I will return." He immediately mounted his horse and led four lieutenants and three thousand soldiers out of the city to meet the enemy.

The Song troops were arraying their forces and challenging the enemy to battle when they saw the city gates open and the drawbridge lower. A force of soldiers poured out of the gate, led by a rider in the front—a scholar seated on horseback. It was none other than the "Demon Illusionist" Qiao Daocheng, gripping his precious sword. He led his troops across the drawbridge. The two armies faced each other, banners and drums aligned, and both sides shot powerful crossbows and stiff bows to hold their positions. In both armies, painted horns blew and war drums thundered together.

In the Song formation, the gate-flag opened and Song Jiang rode out. Yu Baosi held the commander's flag before his horse. To his left were Lin Chong, Xu Ning, Lu Zhishen, and Liu Tang; to his right were Su Chao, Zhang Qing, Wu Song, and Tang Li—eight officers in all protecting him. Song Jiang's chest was filled with rage. He pointed at Qiao Daocheng and cursed, "You wicked sorcerer aiding the rebels! Quickly return our brothers and the five hundred men you hold! If you delay even slightly, I will capture you and cut you into ten thousand pieces!"

Qiao Daocheng shouted back, "Song Jiang, do not be so discourteous! Even if I do not return them to you, what can you possibly do to capture me?" Song Jiang flew into a great rage. He pointed with the tip of his riding whip, and Lin Chong, Xu Ning, Su Chao, Zhang Qing, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Liu Tang all charged forward together.

Qiao Daocheng gnashed his teeth and began his incantations, forming secret hand signs and chanting spells. He pointed his sword toward the west and cried out, "Swift!" In an instant, countless soldiers and officers came flying from the west to attack, and the Song troops were thrown into disorder. Qiao Daocheng then pointed his sword toward the north, muttering incantations, and cried, "Swift!" In moments the sky grew dark and gloomy, the sun lost its light, sand and stones flew through the air, and the earth shook as if the heavens trembled.

Lin Chong and the other officers were pressing forward in attack when they saw before them nothing but yellow sand and black mist—not a single enemy soldier could be seen. The Song army fell into chaos without fighting, and the horses under them reared and bolted in terror. Lin Chong and the others hastily turned their horses to protect Song Jiang and fled northward.

Qiao Daocheng summoned his troops to pursue and slaughter. He drove Song Jiang's forces into scattered fragments—broken here and there, calling for brothers, searching for sons and fathers. Song Jiang and the others fled in confusion. Before they had gone even half a li, something strange appeared ahead: the troops had marched across open, level plains, but now, as far as the eye could see, there stretched an endless expanse of white-capped waves reaching to the horizon—a great ocean. Even if one grew wings on one's ribs, one could not fly across it. Behind them, enemy troops were in pursuit—it seemed certain death.

Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Liu Tang shouted together, "Shall we simply wait to be bound?" The three turned and fought their way back, charging northward. Suddenly a thunderclap split the air, and more than twenty golden-armored divine warriors appeared in mid-sky, raining weapons down upon them. Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and Liu Song were struck from their horses, and the northern troops rushed forward and took them alive.

Then a great shout rang out: "Song Jiang, dismount and surrender, and your life will be spared!" Song Jiang looked up to heaven and sighed, "Song Jiang's death is of little consequence—but I have yet to repay the Emperor's grace, my parents are old and have no one to care for them, and my brothers such as Li Kui have not been rescued. Since matters have come to this, I will fight to the death rather than be captured and humiliated."

The seven remaining chieftains—Lin Chong, Xu Ning, Su Chao, Zhang Qing, Tang Li, Li Yun, and Yu Baosi—clustered around Song Jiang and said, "We are willing to follow our elder brother and become vengeful ghosts to slay the enemy!" Even Yu Baosi, pressed into such desperate straits and with two arrows lodged in his body, still held the commander's flag high and upright, following Song Jiang closely without straying even a step.

The northern troops, seeing that the commander's flag had not fallen, dared not advance recklessly.

Song Jiang and the others had already drawn their swords, each preparing to cut his own throat, when suddenly a figure walked forward and stopped them, saying, "Do not do this. Have no fear, all of you. My rank corresponds to the element of Earth. Seeing your loyalty and righteousness, I have come specifically to overcome this demonic water and lead you back to your camp."

When the officers looked at this person, his appearance was extraordinary: two fleshy horns grew from his head, his body was covered in blue-black skin, his hair was red and he was naked from the waist up, wearing only a yellow loincloth below. In his left hand he held a bell-and-clapper. The figure scooped up a handful of earth from the ground, cast it toward the vast white-capped waters before them, and in the blink of an eye, the original flat plain reappeared. He said to the assembled troops, "You are destined to suffer calamity for several days. Now the demonic water has been destroyed. Return swiftly to your camp and send men to Weizhou—only then can you be rescued. Strive to serve your country!" With these words, he transformed into a whirlwind and vanished without a trace.

The men were filled with wonder. They escorted Song Jiang southward. After traveling five or six li, they suddenly saw a cloud of dust rising and a body of troops approaching from the south. It was Wu Yong, together with Wang Ying, Hu Sanniang, Sun Xin, Gu Dasao, Xie Zhen, and Xie Bao, leading ten thousand soldiers to come to their aid.

Song Jiang said to Wu Yong, "If I had not heeded your words, brother, we would barely have survived to see each other again!" Wu Yong said, "Let us speak of this when we reach the camp." The men entered the camp one after another and recounted in full their defeat, their entrapment, and the encounter with the divine being.

Wu Yong raised his hand to his forehead and said, "'Rank corresponding to the element of Earth'—that is the God of Earth. Our elder brother's loyalty and righteousness moved the spirit of Houtu, and Earth can overcome Water." Only then did Song Jiang and the others understand. They bowed toward the sky in gratitude.

At this hour the sky was growing dark. Defeated soldiers who had escaped came back and reported that in the chaos, Sun Qi, Ye Sheng, Jin Ding, and Huang Yue had opened the south wall of Zhaode City and led troops in a slaughter, killing great numbers, while the rest scattered in all directions. Song Jiang counted his men and found he had lost over ten thousand. Wu Yong said to Song Jiang, "The enemy can use sorcery and has won two battles in a row. We must quickly devise a plan to guard against a raid on our camp. Moreover, our soldiers are terrified—every cup that looks like a snake, every ghost in the wind, every phantom soldier among the grass, all these things shake a man's resolve. We should leave this camp empty, with only sheep hooves beating the drums, while our main force retreats ten li and pitches camp elsewhere." Song Jiang at once issued the order, and the army withdrew ten li. Wu Xuejiu further instructed Commander Song to have the camps arranged so that large camps enclosed small ones, with corners linked and positions interlocking in a pattern resembling Li Yaoshi's "Six-Flower Formation." The generals obeyed.

The camps had just been set when a messenger arrived: Fan Rui had gallanted from Hanguan by order. He entered the camp, paid his respects to Commander Song, and inquired about the details of Daoist Qiao. Fan Rui said, "Elder brother, set your mind at ease—it is nothing but sorcery. Let me perform my arts tomorrow and capture him." Wu Yong said, "If he does not come to challenge us, we shall simply hold our troops in place. When公孙一清 (Gongsheng Yiqing) arrives, we shall make our plans." Song Jiang then ordered Zhang Qing, Wang Ying, Jie Zhen, and Jie Bao to lead five hundred light cavalry, ride day and night out of the pass, gallop to Weizhou, and escort公孙胜 (Gongsheng Sheng) here to break the enemy and bring relief. Zhang Qing and the others prepared their horses, took leave of Song Jiang, and departed. Meanwhile the Song forces planted deep abatis, firmly erected palisades, strung their bows, drew their swords, slept in their armor with weapons at hand, and kept watch with bells and signals. Song Jiang and his officers burned candles and awaited dawn—of them, no more.

Now Daoist Qiao, having used his arts to trap Song Jiang, was about to advance and capture him when he saw that ahead not a drop of water remained—Song Jiang and his men had already vanished. Astonished and bewildered, he said, "My method is no ordinary thing. How did they know to counter it? There must be an extraordinary man in their army." He then withdrew his troops, entered the city with Sun Qi and the others, and took his seat in the command headquarters. Sun Qi and the others at once prepared a banquet to celebrate. The soldiers brought Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Liu Tang, and the previously captured Li Kui, Bao Xu, Xiang Chong, Li Gun, and Tang Bin, bound before the tent. Sun Qi, standing to the left of Daoist Qiao, saw Tang Bin and cursed him: "Traitor! the King of Jin never wronged you!" Tang Bin shouted back, "Your death day has arrived too!" Daoist Qiao ordered them all to state their names. Li Kui opened his fierce eyes wide, bristled his tiger whiskers, thrust out his chest, and roared, "Listen to me, you Daoist bandit! I am the Black Uncle, 'Black Whirlwind' Li Kui!" Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, and the others let him answer for them, too furious to speak. Daoist Qiao ordered the soldiers who had captured them brought forward. Soon the executioners led the soldiers in. Daoist Qiao questioned them one by one and learned that these were all brave commanders among Song Jiang's forces. He then addressed them: "If you are willing to surrender, I will report to the King of Jin and have you all granted high ranks and titles." Li Kui bellowed like thunder: "Look at your grandfathers—what manner of men do you think we are? Stop that bird-shit talk. If you want to cut the Black Uncle, go ahead—hack me a few hundred times. If the Black Uncle so much as frowns, I'm not a true man!" Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Liu Tang, and the others shouted together: "Sorcerer, stop dreaming! These heads of our brothers can be severed, but these iron legs will not bend!" Daoist Qiao flew into a rage and ordered them all beheaded at once and their heads brought back. Lu Zhishen laughed loudly: "This monk regards death as going home. Today I die on the right path." The executioners crowded the men away. Daoist Qiao thought to himself, "I have never seen such hardened men. I will spare them for now and deal with them later." He hastily ordered the soldiers to release the men and hold them in confinement pending further action. Wu Song cursed: "Filthy rebel, behead us cleanly at once!" Daoist Qiao lowered his head and said nothing. The soldiers led Li Kui and the others away to be imprisoned.

Daoist Qiao saw that his "Water of the Three Essences" method had failed. He now harbored some doubts and simply remained in the city with his troops, spying on the movements of the Song army. Thus both sides held their forces in check. Five or six days passed, when Nie Xin and Feng arrived with their main force, entered the city, reported to Daoist Qiao, and quartered all their troops within the walls. Daoist Qiao saw that the Song army was closely guarding their camps and not coming to fight, and judged they had no other plan. He mustered his forces, assembled his officers, and together with Sun Qi, Dai Mei, Nie Xin, and Feng led twenty thousand troops out of the city at the fifth watch, pitching camp at Wulong Mountain south of the city, and advancing at dawn. Daoist Qiao said to Sun Qi, "Today we must capture Song Jiang and recover Hanguan." Sun Qi replied, "We rely entirely on the National Preceptor's magical power." Daoist Qiao then led ten thousand troops toward Song Jiang's main camp. A scout verified the report and flew to inform Commander Song Jiang. Song Jiang ordered Fan Rui, Shan Tinggui, and Wei Dingguo to muster their troops, tether their horses, and prepare to meet the enemy. Daoist Qiao, observing the Song camp from a high vantage point, saw:

In all directions, eight ways, each with its proper alignment;

Front and back, left and right, each positioned to rescue the other;

Gates opened and closed with method,

Breath and contact maintained with measured rhythm.

Qiao Daoqing inwardly applauded the man. Just then a cannon boomed from the Song camp; the gate swung wide, and a body of troops surged forth. On both sides, colored banners waved and drum-thunders shook the heavens. Qiao Daoqing descended from the high mound and rode to the front of his formation, with Lei Zhen, Ni Lin, Fei Zhen, and Xue Can flanking him. From the Song ranks, where the banners parted, a general galloped out to meet him—none other than the "Demon Who Throws the World into Chaos" Fan Rui, sword in hand. He pointed at Qiao Daoqing and cursed: "Thief-priest, how dare you show your savagery!"

Qiao Daoqing thought to himself: "This man surely knows some sorcery—let me test him." He shouted at Fan Rui: "Defeated fool, how dare you spew such filth! Do you dare match martial arts with me?" Fan Rui replied: "If you want to match martial arts, come forward and take my sword!" The soldiers on both sides roared and beat the drums. Fan Rui spurred his horse and leveled his sword straight at Qiao Daoqing. The priest leaped his horse forward and met him with blade raised. Two swords clashed, two demons fought. At first the two steeds were locked together in a whirl of combat; then each summoned his occult power. Two columns of black vapor appeared, swirling left and right, rolling back and forth across the front. The soldiers on both sides stood transfixed. When the battle was at its fiercest, Fan Rui spied an opening and swung his sword at Qiao Daoqing—but struck only empty air, nearly tumbling from his horse. Qiao Daoqing had deliberately feigned a weakness, luring Fan Rui in, then used the "Black Dragon Shedding Its Bones" technique and had already returned to the front of his own formation, laughing heartily. Fan Rui, shaken, retreated to his ranks.

Then from the Song formation, where the flanking banners parted on both sides, there flew out from the left the "Sacred Water General" Shan Tinggui at the head of five hundred foot soldiers, all in black banners and black armor, bearing round shields, javelins, sharp steel tridents, and keen blades. From the right flew out the "Divine Fire General" Wei Dingguo with five hundred fire-troops in crimson garments, carrying fire weapons. Before and behind them rolled out fifty fire-carts, each loaded with reeds and other kindling. On every soldier's back was strapped an iron gourd containing sulfur, saltpeter, and five-colored smoke powder, all ignited at once. The two columns advanced—on the left, black clouds swept the earth; on the right, raging flames soared into the sky—and with a great clamor they charged. The northern army trembled and was on the verge of retreat. Qiao Daoqing shouted: "Any man who retreats will be beheaded!" He raised his sword in his right hand, muttered an incantation, and in an instant dark clouds covered the earth, wind and thunder rose in fury, and a shower of great hailstones descended, pelting the ranks of the "Sacred Water" and "Divine Fire" troops. Thunderbolts crashed, flames were extinguished. The soldiers, battered by the hail, scattered like falling stars and fleeing clouds, covering their heads and scurrying for cover. Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo were frightened out of their wits, helpless and at their wits' end, and fled for their lives back to their own formation. And so the "Sacred Water" and "Divine Fire" generals became nothing but a painted cake—empty and inedible.

In a moment the hail ceased and the clouds dispersed; once more the sky was clear and the sun bright. But on the ground lay countless chunks of ice, some the size of chicken eggs, others as big as fists. Qiao Daoqing looked at the Song troops: their heads and foreheads were smashed, eyes blinded, noses askew; stepping on the ice, they slipped and fell. Qiao Daoqing raised his sword and roared in triumph: "Is there anyone among the Song soldiers with greater skill or mightier powers?" Fan Rui, burning with shame and fury, loosened his hair, gripped his sword, and stood upon his horse. Mustering all the magical power he possessed, he chanted an incantation. At once a wild wind rose on all sides, sand and stones flew, heaven and earth grew dark, and the sun lost its light. Fan Rui summoned his men and charged. Qiao Daoqing laughed: "Think your paltry sorcery can accomplish anything!" He too raised his sword and worked his magic, murmuring incantations. The wind followed the Song troops in wild confusion, and once more a thunderclap split the sky. Countless divine soldiers and heavenly generals came slashing down. In the Song ranks, horses screamed and men shouted, scattering in chaos. Qiao Daoqing and his four lieutenants drove their troops forward in a sweeping attack. Fan Rui's sorcery had failed him; he could not withstand it and turned his horse to flee.

The northern army pressed the pursuit; the situation was desperate. Suddenly a shaft of golden light shot from the Song camp, scattering the wind and sand. The heavenly soldiers and divine generals came tumbling down in disorder before the ranks. When the men looked closely, they saw they were nothing but figures cut from five-colored paper. Qiao Daoqing, seeing his "Divine Soldiers Technique" broken, now displayed his full power. He loosened his hair, raised his sword, formed the seals with his fingers, and chanted a spell, crying out: "Now!" He deployed the technique of the "Samadhi Sacred Water." In moments, thousands of black vapors came rolling in from the ren-gui direction. But then from the Song formation a Taoist master rode out in haste, gripping an ancient sword with grain-patterned bronze, murmuring incantations and crying: "Now!" Suddenly, in midair, many divine generals in yellow robes flew northward, sweeping away and extinguishing the black vapors. Qiao Daoqing was struck with alarm, at a loss for what to do.

The Song soldiers, seeing this master break the sorcery, shouted with one voice: "Qiao Daoqing, you sorcerer-rebel—now a man of greater skill has come!" When Qiao Daoqing heard these words, shame burned crimson to his ears, and he retreated to his own formation. All his life Qiao Daoqing had flaunted his supernatural powers; today he hung his head in dejection. Truly, even if you scooped out all the waters of the Three Rivers, you could not wash away the shame of this day's disgrace.

Who, then, was the Taoist master in the Song formation who broke the sorcery? Listen to the next chapter.