by Shi Nai-An
"But we do not want you to spend money," said Yuan the Second, "and we will arrange that matter ourselves so you need not worry."
"I have come to invite you three gentlemen," said Wu Yung, "and if you do not allow me to pay the cost I must leave."
"In that case," said Yuan the Seventh, "we will allow you, our teacher, to have your own way."
"Our seventh brother, you are really very straightforward," said Wu Yung. He then took an ounce of silver, and gave it to Yuan the Seventh. He asked the innkeeper to lend them a large jar, and fill it with wine, and make up twenty-seven pounds of beef, and a pair of chickens.
"I will pay you now for the wine we have just had," said Yuan the Second.
The innkeeper agreed to this proposal.
The four friends took the wine and meat and stowed it in the boat, then cast off the rope, and rowed to the house of Yuan the Second. Upon arriving there they tied the boat to a post, took the wine and meat into a room at the back of the house, and told the servants to light the lamps. Of the three brothers only Yuan the Second was married.
They all took their seats. Yuan the Seventh killed the chickens, and giving it to the wife of Yuan the Second told her to get the cook to prepare it for them. At about 8 p. m. all the food and wine was ready and was placed on the table. Wu Yung then invited the brothers to drink wine with him, and in order to introduce again the question of the fish he asked, "How is it that there are no large fish here, seeing that you have such a large lakes?"
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Yuan the Second replied, "We will not deceive you. The fact is that all the big fish are only found near Liang Shan Po and as our lake is very small there are no big fish here."
"This lake is not far from Liang Shan Po, and is connected by a stream. Why do you not go there to fish?"
Yuan the Second sighed and said, "Don't mention that!"
"But why do you sigh?" asked Wu Yung.
Yuan the Fifth interposed saying, "Teacher, you do not understand. Formerly even our clothes and food come from Liang Shan Po but now we dare not go there."
"But surely the officials in this large district have not prohibited you from catching fresh fish," said Wu Yung.
Yuan the Fifth said, "No official dares come here, and prohibits us from catching fresh fish, and even Yen Lu Wang (The Living Pluto) dares not do that."
"But if there is no prohibition," said Wu Yung, "why don't you go there?"
"Sir, you do not know all the circumstances of the case," said Yuan the Fifth, "but I will explain matters. "
"As you have not told me so far," said Wu Yung, "of course I do not understand."
Yuan the Seventh interposed, "It is not easy to talk about this Liang Shan Po. Recently a band of brigands have seized the island in the lake so we cannot catch fish there."
Wu Yung said, "I did not know that there are robbers there, and have never heard of such a state of affairs."
"The chief of the bandits," said Yuan the Second, "is a man who has failed to pass the examination as a Chu-Jen .(M. A.), and he is called Wang Lun, White Clothes Scholar; and the second in command is Tu Chien, Sky Feeler, and the third in command is Sung Wan, the Diamond in the Clouds, there is also Chu Kwei, Speedy Courier, who has an inn at Li Chia Tao Kou where he acts as a spy and gathers information. Recently a man named Lin Ch'ung, Leopard's Head, has joined them from the Eastern Capital, and he is noted for his military skill. There are about seven hundred men in this gang of bandits, and they loot and rob in every direction. We have not been there fishing for quite a year. They are the terror of this district; and have deprived us of our food and clothing, but this is not the whole of what they have done."
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"I did not know that matters are like this," said Wu Yung. "Why do the officials not arrest them?"
"Whenever the officials act in those affairs," said Yuan the Fifth, "the people suffer for it. As soon as they come into the village they first seize the people's pigs, sheep, fowls, and geese, and eat them, and then demand money to cover the traveling expenses of their soldiers. Just now the officials do not know what to do, so how dare they come here? If the officials come here to arrest the bandits they would be so frightened that they would be rendered useless, and would not even dare to look for the bandits."
"Yet as we do not catch fish now," said Yuan the Second, "we can avoid their extortion."
"This being the case," said Wu Yung, "these thieves are indeed leading a happy life!"
"They fear neither heaven, nor earth, nor the officials," said Yuan the Fifth, "they weigh and divide among themselves the silver, gold, and silks they have looted. They have big jars of wine to drink, and large quantities of meat to eat so why should they not be happy? In vain we three brothers have skill how can we compare with them?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Yung was much pleased and thought it would fit in well with his plans.
Yuan the Seventh said, "Man lives just a generation, and grass exists just for a year. We follow the livelihood of fishermen, but if we learnt their ways of earning a living our life would not be so bad even a day."
"Why, should we follow these bandits!" said Wu Yung. "Is not their criminal way of living deserving of severe punishment, so what would be the advantage for you to throw aside your present respectability by joining them? If you were arrested by the soldiers it would be your own crime that would be tried."
"But the soldiers," said Yuan the Second, "do not know anything, and are a stupid lot. Although the bandits commit great crimes yet they are not punished. We are very much distressed on account of our poverty. If somebody would only assist us in this matter we would go and become bandits ourselves."
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"I always come to the same conclusion," said Yuan the Fifth. "Our abilities are quite as good as other men's, but nobody seems to be aware of it."
"If somebody knew of your ability," said Wu Yung, "would you then be willing to go?"
"If somebody knew of our ability," said Yuan the Seventh, "and asked us to go through water or fire we would not hesitate a moment in doing so. If we were only employed for a day and were killed, we should still die contented."
Wu Yung was highly delighted at this, and thought that the three brothers had ideas, and he could gradually induce them to fall in with his plans. He pressed them to drink more wine, and after they had drunk two cups he asked, "Are you three willing to go to Liang Shan Po and arrest these bandits?"
"If we did that," said Yuan the Seventh, "where could we get the reward? If there was no reward the bandits would laugh at us."
"I am rather inexperienced," said Wu Yung, "but would it not be a good plan for you to go to that place and throw in your lot with the bandits seeing that you do not like to catch fish?"
"Teacher," said Yuan the Second, "you do not know we have even discussed that plan but we have heard that Wang Lun, White Clothes Scholar, is regarded by his followers as a very narrow-minded man, and does not care to get many other men. Sometime ago Lin Ch'ung from the Eastern Capital joined them at Liang Shan Po and suffered much at his hand. Wang Lun would not forgive others and such being the case, we are disinclined to approach him."
"If they would treat us as generously as you do," said Yuan the Seventh, "that would be nice."
"If Wang Lun were as friendly to us as you do," said Yuan the Fifth, "we should have gone there a long time ago, and would not wait until now. We should even have been willing to die for him."
"I am not worth mentioning," said Wu Yung. "In both Shantung and Hopei provinces there are many brave heroes.
"There may be many bravo heroes," said Yuan the Second, but so far we have not met them."
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"Do you know a man in this vicinity named Ch'ao Kai, who is the alderman of the Tung Chi Village, in Yun Cheng Hsien?" asked Wu Yung.
"Is he not the man known as the Heavenly King or Pagoda Carrier?" asked Yuan the Fifth.
"That is the man," said Wu Yung.
"Although
he lives at a distance of only thirty-five miles from here yet our fate has not allowed us to meet him even though we have heard of his fame," said Yuan the Seventh.
"As he is a man who distributes wealth in a good cause how is it that you have not tried to meet him?" asked Wu Yung.
"We have had no business at that place," said Yuan the Second, "and therefore we have not been able to meet him."
"For several years," said Wu Yung, "I have been teaching at a village close to his home. I have heard that just now he has a matter in hand which will bring in much wealth and that is really what I came here to discuss with you. How would it be if we intercepted this treasure, and took it ourselves?"
"We cannot do that," said Yuan the Fifth. "He is a man who distributes wealth in a good cause; we cannot intercept his treasure. Besides that, should the brave heroic bandits hear of it they would laugh at us."
"Before you said this," said Wu Yung, "I thought that you were not firm in purpose but now I see that you are really chivalrous and would treat your friends well. As you really are willing to assist me I will tell you the truth about this matter. Just now I am living at Ch'ao Kai's home. The alderman (Ch'ao Kai) has heard of your fame, and specially instructed me to come here and discuss a matter with you."
"We three brothers," said Yuan the Second, "are quite straight, and have no fraction of falsity about us. I think Ch'ao Kai must have an extremely secret and illegal affair in hand which requires our assistance and that is why he sent you here. If it is true that there is such business then let us take our oath with this remaining glass of wine that if we do not assist you with our utmost ability then let
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calamity fall upon us, disastrous disease attack us, and let us die an unnatural death.
Yuan the Fifth and also Yuan the Seventh patted their necks with their hands and the former said, "This warm blood we will offer to the one that appreciates us."
"You three brothers are here," said Wu Yung. "It is not I, who have any bad intention in inducing you. This matter is extremely important. The birthday of T'sai, the royal tutor at the court, is on the fifteenth day of the sixth month. His son-in-law is Grand Secretary Liang of Ta Ming Fu, the Northern Capital. Very soon the latter will dispatch presents of gold articles, pearls, and other valuables worth one hundred thousand strings of cash to his father-in-law on the birthday. A splendid fellow named Liu Tang has just come and reported this matter. They want you to go there and discuss with them the question of collecting men together who will go to some lonely pass in the mountains and there seize these ill-gotten gains so that everybody will enjoy a rich and happy life. Therefore they told me to come here under pretext of buying fish, but really to request you to go there to discuss this affair. What do you think of the matter?"
"Ho! Ho!" said Yuan the Second, "Brother, did I not tell you that it would come?"
Yuan the Seventh jumped up and said, "We have hoped for this a long time, and to-day we get our desires fulfilled. Your words scratch us at the place that itches. But when shall we go?"
"As you are willing to go," said Wu Yung, "I propose that we start to-morrow morning about 5 a.m., and go to the village of Ch'ao, the Heavenly King."
The three brothers were much pleased at this. They all went to bed. Early next morning they ate their breakfast, and after leaving instructions at their home, they departed on the road to Tung Chi Village. In the afternoon they came in sight of the farmhouse of Chao Kai. In the distance they saw Ch'ao Kai and Liu Tang waiting for them under a green ash tree. When they reached the tree Ch'ao Kai expressed his pleasure at seeing them and said, "I previously heard of your fame, but now I find that it is quite true. I request you to come inside my home to discuss matters."
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All the six then went into a room at the back of the farm where they took their seats according to their status.
Wu Yung explained all that had happened, and Ch'ao Kai was much pleased and instructed his servants to kill and roast a pig and a sheep, and prepare some paper for worshiping purposes. The three brothers saw that Ch'ao Kai's personal appearance was fair and noble and his conversation was free and easy, so they said, "We are fond of making friends with fine fellows, but we never supposed that we can find them here. We should not have had the pleasure of meeting you to-day if it had not been for Wu Yung who brought us here." The brothers were exceedingly pleased. They ate their evening meal, and talked with their host until midnight.
The next morning when they got up they went again to the chamber at the back where the paper money, paper, horses, incense, flowers, candles and lamps, the roasted pig and sheep and other worshiping materials were ready. They were pleased to see that Ch'ao Kai was so sincere. So they all took an oath saying, "Grand Secretary Liang at the Northern Capital has injured the people, and has used his ill-gotten gains to buy presents and send them to his father-in-law, Ts'ai, the royal tutor, at the Eastern Capital as birthday presents. They certainly represent wealth unjustly obtained. If in our band of six men there be one who has a selfish purpose Heaven and Earth will exterminate him. May the gods take note of our vows." They then burnt the paper money, and had a feast. While eating and drinking a farm servant entered and said, "There is a man at the door begging for some rice."
Ch'ao Kai said, "You do not know your own business. As I am drinking wine here with my guests you should have given him about a quart of rice, and not come here to ask me about it."
The servant said that he had offered him rice, which he refused, as he wanted to speak to the alderman himself.
Ch'ao Kai said, "He must have not been satisfied. You go and offer him about three pecks of rice. Also tell him that the alderman is entertaining some guests, and has no time to see him."
The servant went away, but after some time returned
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and said, "I gave that man three pecks of rice, but he still refuses to go away. He tells me that he is a Taoist and does not want either rice or money, but begs to be allowed to see you."
"Cannot you give him a suitable reply?" said Ch'ao Kai. "Tell him that I really have no time to see him to-day, and ask him to call again in a few days when I will talk with him."
"I have told him that already," said the servant, "but he says that he has not come to beg for rice or money; but has heard that you are a just man and that is why he requests an interview."
Ch'ao Kai said, "You are giving me lots of trouble. You do not even help me to deal with this matter. If he is still unsatisfied with the rice you can give him about five pecks of rice, and yet you need not come here again to speak. Tell him that if there were no guests here I would have gone and spoken to him. You now go and send him away, and don't come here again to mention this matter."
The servant withdrew, but after about an hour they heard a row outside of the front gate. Another servant rushed into the room and said, "That man has become angry, and has assaulted about ten of your servants."
Ch'ao Kai was startled upon hearing this, and hurriedly rising said, "Will you gentlemen please remain seated. I will go and investigate this matter myself." Upon leaving the guest chamber, he went to the gate and there he saw a tall man about eight feet high, who had a very dignified but strange appearance. He was outside the gate near the ash tree, and as he struck the servants he said, "You do not recognize a good man."
"Do not be angry," said Ch'ao Kai. "You came here to see Ch'ao Kai, the alderman, for perhaps some subscriptions. They have already given you rice so why do you feel so much provoked? "
The man laughed loudly and said, "I a poor priest did not come here for either wine, food, money or rice. In my eye, one hundred thousand strings of cash seem to be quite an ordinary thing. I just came here to have a little talk with the alderman. I cannot bear these villagers who had no decency, and abused me, and that was why I lost my temper."
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“Do you know the alderman?" asked Ch'ao Kai.
I have heard of his great reputatio
n," said the man, "but so far I have not met him."
"I am the alderman," said Ch'ao Kai. "What do you want to speak to me about?"
The man looked closely at Ch'ao Kai, and said, "Alderman, do not blame me for this, and kindly allow a poor Taoist to kneel down to you."
"Do not be too polite," said Ch'ao Kai, "come inside and have a drink of tea."
"Many thanks," said the man. They went into the house, and when Wu Yung and the three brothers saw him enter they withdrew from the room.
When Ch'ao Kai and the man had drunk tea for a little time the latter said, "This is not a good place for us to discuss matters. Is there a better place where we can go? "
Ch'ao Kai took him to a small room where they both sat down.
Ch'ao Kai said, "May I venture to inquire as to your name and the place you come from?"
The man replied, "My family name is Kung-Sun, and my single personal name is Sheng. My religious (Taoist) name is I Ching (First in Purity). I am a Chi Chou man. When I was young I practiced much with the cudgel and spear. I was very good at all kinds of military drill so that people called me Kung-Sun Sheng, the Big Brother. I then studied the arts of Taoism so that I could command the wind and rain, ride on the mists and clouds. Everybody calls me Cloud Dragon. I heard of your great reputation, but had not the opportunity to meet you and pay my respects. Now there are gold articles, pearls, and other valuables worth a hundred thousand strings of cash, and I wish to give them to you as a present for introducing myself to you. I do not know if you will accept them or not."
Ch'ao Kai laughed and asked, "Are not these birthday presents from the north?"
The man was startled at this and asked how he knew about them.
I just guessed that," said Ch'ao Kai. "Does it agree with your ideas?"
