Water Margin, Volume One

by Shi Nai-An

  The governor at Chi Chou Fu had instructed the drill master Huang An together with the thief catcher to take a thousand soldiers, and collect boats from all over the district which were to proceed from the lake of the Shih Chieh Village to Liang Shan Po by two main routes. Huang An, the drill master, embarked his soldiers and horses on the boats, and with much shouting and fluttering of flags set out for the Golden Sand Bund. When approaching that place they heard strange sounds coming from the water. Huang An asked, "Is not that sound from battle horns! Stop the boats!" Looking around they saw in the distance three boats coming towards them. On each boat were four men pulling at two large sculls, and one man standing alone. The man standing wore dark crimson caps, and had red gauze coats, and they each were armed with a spear having a hook behind the head. The men who were sculling were all dressed alike. A man recognized the three men and told Huang An that they were the three brothers Yuan.

  "You men must all work together and arrest those three men," ordered Huang An.

  About fifty boats started off to arrest the brothers, the soldiers making a great noise. But a whistle was heard and immediately the three boats turned round. Huang An was standing on the leading boat twirling his spear and cried out, "Kill these thieves! I will reward you handsomely!"

  The three boats in front received a shower of arrows from the boats behind. The three men descended into the holds of their boats, and brought forth a fox skin which they placed at the stems of the boats as shields. The boats behind kept chasing after them. When they had gone about a mile a small fast boat overtook Huang An's boat, and reported, "We must not pursue! The boats that were following the other route have all been seized, and the men killed."

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  "How is it that our men were entrapped by those thieves?" asked Huang An.

  The man on the swift boat replied, "While we were proceeding with our boats we saw two boats in the distance with five men on each. We pursued them. When we had gone about a mile we saw about eight small boats emerge from anchorages on four sides of us. The boats were armed with crossbows, and fired arrows like a cloud of locusts. Our boats turned and retreated but when we got to the narrow mouth of the creek we found about thirty men on each bank, and they had fastened a split bamboo rope across the entrance. When we got up to the rope the men on the bank threw a shower of bottles of lime and stones at us. Our men realizing the dangerous position they were in, all jumped into the water. We reached the bank, and could see neither horses nor men there all the men in charge of the horses had been killed in the water. Among the reeds we found a small boat so we hurried here to report the matter to you."

  Huang An was upset when he heard this, and taking the white flag signaled to his fleet to stop the pursuit and return. All the boats turned. But before retreating, they saw that accompanying the three boats were now more than ten others with about five men on each who displayed a red flag, and whistled with their fingers, and were approaching at great speed. Huang An was thinking of meeting the attack by spreading out his boats, but just then he heard in the reeds on the bank the sound of explosives being fired. He then noticed that on the banks on every side were red flags, and he became much agitated.

  The pursuing boats were now close and a voice from them called out, "Huang An, leave us your head before you go."

  Huang An took the scull, and forced the boat to the bank. Just then about fifty boats emerged from the small creeks on either hand. They were armed with crossbows, which discharged a hail of arrows. In this shower of arrows Huang An was trying to find a way of escape. He had only about four boats left. He jumped into a small fast boat and looking round saw that his men one by one plunged into the water. His boats were seized, and more than half of the men who were aboard them were killed. Huang An was sculling his boat, but he had not gone far when he saw near the bank

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  a boat on which was Liu Tang who reached out a hook to draw Huang An's boat and alighted upon it. He seized Huang An by the waist, and shouted out, "Don't struggle!" The soldiers who could swim had now all been killed by the arrows from the crossbows and those who could not swim had been captured alive aboard. Liu Tang dragged Huang An to the bank. In the distance they saw Ch'ao Kai and Kung-Sun Sheng mounted on horses, armed with swords, leading a party of about sixty men and thirty horses, in reserve at the foot of the hill. About two hundred of Huang An's men were captured alive and these with the boats seized were now taken the stronghold on the south side of the mountain. All the bandit leaders now came to the headquarters.

  Ch'ao Kai dismounted and proceeding up the hill took his seat in the assembly hall. The leaders of the bandits assembled there, and laying down their arms took their seats all around the hall. Huang An was brought in, and tied up to a pillar of the building. A lot of gold, silver, and silk was brought in and divided among the bandits as a reward for their victory. It was reported that Lin Ch'ung had seized altogether about six hundred good horses; that Tu Chien and Sung Wan had performed good services on the eastern side of the hill; that the three brothers Yuan had done meritorious service on the west side; and that Liu Tang had captured Huang An. The leaders were all much pleased, and orders were given that cows and sheep should be slaughtered, and a feast prepared. There was wine prepared on the mountain by themselves; lotus roots and fresh fish from the lake; fresh peaches, apricots, plums, pears, loquats, dates, persimmons, chestnuts, and other fruits which grew on trees near the lake. Chickens, pigs, geese, ducks, and such fowls which were kept on the hill. We need not go to the details, but a fine huge feast was given immediately in celebration of the great victory they had accomplished.

  During the feast one of the brigands arrived and reported that a man had been sent there by their leader Chu Kwei. Ch'ao Kai inquired as to his business and the man replied that a large party of travelers would arrive that evening and so he wished to report the matter.

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  "We are just now short of money for expenses so who will go on this expedition?" asked Ch'ao Kai.

  The brothers Yuan offered to go.

  "Good brothers," said Ch'ao Kai, "you go quickly and come back soon, but be careful."

  The brothers Yuan left the hall at once, and changing their clothes, armed themselves with swords, daggers, the arresting-fork (with pliable prongs to fasten on legs, arms or neck), the spear with a hook behind the head, and selected one hundred men to go with them. They reported their departure to the leaders in the hall, and then descending the hill to the Golden Sand Bund where they embarked and crossed over to Chu Kwei's wine shop.

  But Ch'ao Kai thought that the three brothers were not capable enough to undertake this enterprise so he ordered Liu Tang to follow them with another hundred men as a reinforcement. He then said to Liu Tang, "It will be very fine if you capture the gold and valuables, but I do not want you to kill or injure the travelers." Liu Tang then departed with his men.

  Up to midnight no report had been received as to how matters were progressing, so Ch'ao Kai sent Tu Chien and Sung Wan to take fifty more men as a further reenforcement.

  Ch'ao Kai, Wu Yung, Kung-Sun Sheng, and Lin Chung drank wine together till daybreak, and then a soldier arrived who reported that Chu Kwei had captured more than twenty carts loaded with gold, silver, and other valuables, besides fifty donkeys and mules.

  "Have they killed any men?" asked Ch'ao Kai.

  The soldier replied, "When they saw our threatening aspect they all escaped, and left everything behind so that not a single man was killed."

  Ch'ao Kai was much pleased at hearing this and said, "Hereafter we must not injure people." He then took an ingot of silver and gave it to the messenger. He gave orders that wine and fruit should be taken down to the Golden Sand Bund for the victorious leaders. The leaders also went down the hill, and took the carts carrying the loot on the bank and they instructed boats to be punted across for the horses. All the leaders were much pleased. After drinking some wine a messenger was

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  dispatched to request Chu Kwei to attend a feast at the mountain stronghold.

  Ch'ao Kai and the other leaders then went up the mountain to the assembly hall where they took their seats in the spacious easy chairs. He then told the brigands to bring in the booty, and spread out in the hall. All the silks were piled up in one place; the inferior goods in another place; the gold and silver valuables in the center. He then instructed the treasurer to take charge of half of the booty, and keep it in the treasury for future use. The other half was to be again divided in half; one part for the leaders and the remainder for the brigands.

  Huang An was to be looked up in the prison, but all his soldiers were to be branded, and the best men selected to attend to the horses, and gather and cut firewood. The others were to look after the carts, and cut grass for the horses.

  Ch'ao Kai said, "Previously we were escaping from danger, and fled to this mountain with the hope of occupying some small rank under Wang Lun, but owing to the gracious favor of my worthy brother Lin Ch'ung we were pressed to occupy our present exalted positions. We did not expect so soon to have two such grand affairs, as defeating the army, and seizing a large quantity of men, horses, and boats; and arresting Huang An; and then capturing such a large amount of valuable booty. But was this not due to the fine work of you all?"

  The leaders all replied, "It was due entirely to you, our elder brother's good luck."

  Ch'ao Kai said to Wu Yung, "All us seven owe our lives to the exertions of Sung Chiang and Chu Tung. The ancients had a saying, 'It is inhuman to forget a enerous act.' But where has our present happiness and pleasure come from? We have now plenty of money so I think we ought to send some of it to Sung Chiang at Yun Cheng Hsien. Again we ought to send a man to Chi Chou Fu to rescue Pai Sheng from his imprisonment there."

  "Sir, do not be anxious," said Wu Yung, "I have a plan. Sung Chiang is a just and benevolent man, and he certainly will not expect us to reward him for his services. But we must not be deficient in politeness. We can

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  wait until all the affairs of our mountain stronghold are settled, and then we can send one of our brothers to do the business. In the case of Pai Sheng we can send a man with money to bribe both the higher and lower officials and arrange for his escape from prison. We can now discuss our store of grain; the making of boats; the preparation of more arms; repairing our barriers and defense works; and the building of more houses. We shall put in order our clothes, outer-coats, armor, and make some more spears, swords, bows, and arrows in readiness for another attack from the army."

  "All these shall depend on your wise instructions," said Ch'ao Kai.

  But we need not go into the question as to what orders Wu Yung gave to all the minor leaders.

  We need not mention further how everything prospered at Liang Shan Po since Chao Kai became the chieftain there, but we will now relate how those soldiers of Huang An who had escaped reported to the governor at Chi Chow Fu how the army had been defeated and exterminated; and how Huang An had been taken prisoner. They also reported how brave and fierce were the men at Liang Shan Po; and how difficult it would be to capture them; how difficult it was on the lake to find the way on account of the numerous creeks and anchorages; all this making it impossible for them to be victorious.

  The governor was distressed upon hearing this, and spoke to the officer from the royal tutor, "Ho T'ao lost a great many men and horses, and only himself escaped with the loss of both ears. I sent him home to recuperate, but so far he has not recovered. I sent five hundred men, but they were all lost. I then dispatched drill master Huang An with a thief-catching officer and many men, but they also have been all lost. We do not know exactly how many have been killed, but they could not defeat the bandits, who took Huang An captive."

  The governor felt so much perplexed and could see no solution of the difficulty. But just then a messenger came in and reported, "There is a new official approaching the town, who will be at the reception ball at the Eastern Gate in a few minutes."

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  The governor immediately mounted his horses, and upon arriving at the East Gate where the reception hall for officials was situated he saw the man dismounting in a cloud of dust. The governor dismounted, and entering the arbor saluted the visitor who handed him an appointment from the central government testifying himself to be a new governor. He conducted his successor to his yamen where he handed him his seal of office, and then gave him particulars of revenues in the treasury, and food on hand.

  He then invited the new governor to a feast where he explained how strong the bandits were at Liang Shan Po, and how his soldiers had been defeated and killed.

  When the new governor heard this statement of affairs, he turned pale, and without speaking he meditated, "When the royal tutor Ts'ai, promoted me to governor I did not think the position was like this. Here there are no efficient troops, or capable generals so how can I capture these brigands? Should they come here to borrow some grain what could I do?"

  The next day the old governor was ready with his baggage and left for the Eastern Capital to answer the charges made against him.

  Soon after the new governor had been at his post he invited a military officer who had just been appointed to take charge of the guard at Chi Chou Fu. He then gave orders that the army must be brought up to strength, and the bravest and boldest men must be recruited; horses and grain purchased, and preparations made for another attack upon Liang Shan Po. He also wrote dispatches to the capital asking them to instruct the surrounding fus to join him in this attack. He also ordered the district magistrates in his fu to assist in capturing the brigands, and to suppress any disorder in their districts.

  The recording secretary sent the governor's dispatch to the magistrate at Yun Cheng Hsien instructing the latter to get his defenses ready in case of an attack from the bandits at Liang Shan Po. The magistrate after reading the dispatch gave it to his secretary Sung Chiang with an order to write dispatches to all the villages to get their defenses ready. When Sung Chiang read the dispatch he thought that he never expected Ch'ao Kai and his six followers would do such

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  a big thing as the capture of the birthday presents, killing many soldiers; branding Ho T'ao; imprisoning Huang An, and capturing many soldiers and horses. For such an act their families were liable to be decapitated according to the law. Although they were compelled to do this yet according to the law they could not be pardoned. "If they are not careful what hope is there for them?" He was very sorry but told his clerk Chang Wen-yuan to write the dispatches to all the villages as ordered. When the dispatches had been dispatched Sung Chiang left the yamen, but he had not gone more than thirty steps when he heard someone behind calling to him. Looking round he saw a marriage-go-between old woman named Wang who was accompanied by another old woman who wished to speak to him. The woman Wang said to her companion, "Now you are lucky, as the clerk who does benevolent things is coming, and you can tell him your business." Sung Chiang turning round asked what she had to say to him.

  The woman Wang, however, told the other woman called Yen to keep quiet, and she herself spoke to Sung Chiang: "This woman has just come from Eastern Capital, and with herself there were three in the family -- her husband and a girl called Po Hsi. Her husband could sing very well, and taught his daughter Po Hsi to sing also with him. She is eighteen years old, and has a good color. They came to Shantung to find a certain gentleman, but after wandering about a lot they have failed to find him. Although they can both sing they have not found men of pleasure in this district, and they now live for the time being in an alleyway just behind the yamen. Yesterday her husband was seized with cholera, and died suddenly. She has no money to even bury the corpse so she asked me to help her, and arrange a marriage for her daughter. But I told her that I could not find a suitable man all at once. We were wondering how to borrow some money, when I saw you, so we followed you to ask whether you would provide a coffin for them."


  "Follow me to the inn in the alleyway," said Sung Chiang, "and there I will give you a letter to Mr. Chen to provide a coffin for her. But what are you going to do after that? "

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  "I will not deceive you," said Mrs. Yen, "I have no means of any kind."

  "I will give you ten ounces of silver," said Sung Chiang.

  "You are as generous as a father or mother to us," said Mrs. Yen, "and we shall have to requite you in some way."

  "You need not talk like that," said Sung Chiang. So, saying he took the silver and gave it to her, and then withdrew and went home.

  Mrs. Yen took the note given to her by Sung Chiang, and got a coffin from Mr. Chen. After the funeral she still had about five ounces of silver left to cover further expenses.

  Upon a certain morning Mrs. Yen called at Sung Chiang's house to thank him for his kindness, and she noticed that there was no woman in the house so she asked Mrs. Wang, the marriage-go-between, whether Sung Chiang had a wife or not.

  Mrs. Wang replied that Sung Chiang's people lived at the Sung Family Village, but she had not heard that he had a wife. He was the chief clerk at the yamen, and lived by himself. She was always hearing that he assisted poor people with coffins, medicine or food. She thought that he had no wife.

  "My daughter is very good-looking," said Mrs. Yen, "and also sings well and is proficient in amusements. When we lived at the Eastern Capital she was young and she often visited the houses of prostitution where she was much liked. Some heads of these brothels very often asked that my daughter be allowed to join them, but I would not agree. Because if we had let her go we should have had nobody to look after us, We did not expect that we should have such misery which has already ruined her future. A few days ago I saw that Sung Chiang had no wife in his house so I should be glad if you would tell him that if he would like a wife I should be willing to give him my daughter. We have no means of recompensing him for his kind assistance, but I would like to make him a relative of mine.