by Shi Nai-An
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"This great riches," said Kung-Sun Sheng, "we must not let pass amiss. The ancients had a saying, 'If you do not take what you ought to take, you must not regret it afterwards.' Alderman, what do you think about it?"
Just then, while they were talking, a man rushed into the, room, and taking hold of Kung-Sun Sheng, he said, "Well! In the visible world there is the king's law, in the invisible there is the God, and now you discuss the matters like this. I have been listening to you for a long time."
This interruption frightened Kung-Sun Sheng so much that his face became pale.
Plans in project will leak through walls,
Lonely walls may hide calamity.
We will now relate who the man was that took hold of Kung-Sun Sheng.
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CHAPTER 15
YANG CHIH IN CHARGE OF THE CONVOY OF
SILVER AND GOLD; WU YUNG SCHEMES
HOW TO GET THE BIRTHDAY PRESENTS
WHILE Kung-Sun Sheng was stating that it was not improper to seize the birthday presents from the Northern Capital as they had been bought with ill-gotten gains, a man rushed into the room, took hold of him and said, "I know what you are discussing. But how bold you are to talk about it!" The man was Wu Yung. Ch'ao Kai laughed and said, "Teacher, stop this fooling, and let me introduce you to this man."
When the man had been introduced, Wu Yung said, "I have heard of the fame of Kung-Sun Sheng, the Cloud Dragon, but I never expected to meet him here in this way."
Ch'ao Kai introduced Wu Yung, and Kung-Sen Sheng then said, "Everywhere men speak highly of Wu Yung. But I did not expect to meet you at the village of this alderman at the present time. It is simply because the alderman distributes wealth in a good cause that all the heroes in the country come to him."
Ch'ao Kai said there were some friends in the hall at the back whom he would also like to introduce.
They then all went into the hall where Liu Tang and the three brothers Yuan were duly introduced.
They all asked the alderman to take the seat of honor, as their meeting there that day was not a casual affair. "I am only a poor host," said Ch'ao Kai, "so how dare I take the seat of honor?"
"Alderman and elder brother," said Wu Yung, "you are much older than us, so I hope that you will comply with our requests, and take the seat of honor."
So Ch'ao Kai sat down, Wu Yung took the second seat, Kung-Sun Sheng, the third seat, Liu Tang, the fourth seat, Yuan the Second, the fifth seat, Yuan the Fifth,
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the sixth seat, Yuan the Seventh, the seventh seat, and they all ate and drank the food and wine which was placed on the table.
Wu Yung said, "Alderman, you had a dream, and saw the seven stars of the Dipper descending from the sky, and settling on the ridge of the roof. To-day we seven men have assembled here to transact some business, and does it not mean that our meeting fulfills the forecasts of Heaven? I am sure that we shall succeed easily in this business. But previously we agreed that Brother Liu should make inquiries as to which way the presents are being sent so I suggest that he will start early to-morrow morning."
"There is no need for him to go," said Kung-Sun Sheng, "because I already know that the presents are being sent via Yellow Mud Ridge."
"That place is not far from the village of An Lo which is about three miles apart in an easterly direction. At that village there is a man of leisure named Pai Sheng, nicknamed Daylight Rat, who previously came here when I helped him with some money."
"Does not this man answer the white light that was forecast in the dream?" said Wu Yung. "I think we ought to make use of him."
"This place is rather a long way from Yellow Mud Ridge," said Liu Tang, "but is there a place there where we can rest?"
"We can stop at Pai Sheng's house," said Wu Yung, "and also make use of him."
"Mr. Wu, shall we use force or not to get these presents?" asked Ch'ao Kai.
Wu Yung laughed as he replied, "I have already prepared a trap for them. We need only to see how they arrive. If they are armed we must use force, and if they are on their guard we must use strategy. I have a plan but I do not know whether you will approve of it." He then explained his plan. When Ch'ao Kai understood the plan he was so filled with glee that he stamped with his feet, and said, "A splendid idea! No wonder they call you Clever Star. You are really better than Chu-ko Liang! A splendid plot!"
"You must not mention it," said Wu Yung. "There is a saying, 'Walls have ears, and outside the window is
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there not a man?" This plan must be kept between you and me only."
"You three brothers of the Yuan family can now return to your home," said Ch'ao Kai, "and you can come again when the time arrives. Mr. Wu can also go back, and resume your teaching. Kung-Sun Sheng and Liu Tang can stay at this farmhouse."
On that day they all dined together, and afterwards retired to their separate rooms. The next morning they were all getting up about five o'clock, and after eating their breakfast Ch'ao Kai took thirty ounces of silver and giving it to the three brothers Yuan, he said, "This little silver is only a slight expression of what I think of you, and I hope that you will accept it."
But the three brothers Yuan refused to take the silver, and Wu Yung said, "As we are friends you should not raise any objection." The three brothers then agreed to accept the silver. The brothers were escorted outside the gate of the farmhouse where Wu Yung whispered to them as to what was going to be done, and that when the suitable opportunity arose there would be no delay. The brothers then departed for their home at Shih Chieh Village. Ch'ao Kai, Kung-Sun Sheng, and Liu Tang stayed behind at the farm where they had frequent conferences with Wu Yung.
Now we shall relate how Grand Secretary Liang at the Northern Capital (Ta Ming Fu), having purchased the birthday gifts for one hundred thousand strings of cash, selected a day on which to dispatch them. It happened that one day as he was sitting in the private apartments Mrs. Ts'ai (his wife) asked him, "On what day are you thinking of dispatching the birthday presents?"
Liang replied, "The presents are now all ready, and they will be dispatched either to-morrow or the day after. But there is one thing that I cannot decide."
"What is that?" asked his wife.
"This year I am unable to find a servant whom I can intrust with these valuables, and that is the difficulty."
His wife (Mrs. Ts'ai) pointed to a man standing at the bottom of the steps to the hall, and said, "You have always said that that man was very strong so why don't you give
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him the order for this work? I think that he will not make a mistake."
Grand Secretary Liang saw that the man she was pointing to was Yang Chih, Sallow Faced Brute. Although he had not made up his mind what to do, he summoned Yang Chih and said to him, "I have almost forgotten you. If you will escort some valuable birthday presents for me without mishap I will see that you will be duly promoted."
Yang Chih saluted with his folded hands, and said, "If Your Excellency tell me to go I must obey you. But I do not know yet what arrangements have been made, and when you want me to start."
Liang said, "I want to dispatch ten (flat) carts from Ta Ming Fu, in charge of ten soldiers from my headquarters. On each cart there will be a yellow flag, with the inscription, 'Birthday Presents for the Royal Tutor,' I will also send a soldier for each cart to guard it. These will be dispatched within the next three days."
Yang Chih said, "I am not trying to excuse myself but really I cannot go. I suggest that you should send the best of your able heroes."
"I have been thinking of promoting you," said Liang. "With the presents I will dispatch a letter for the royal tutor recommending you for promotion, and when you have received the imperial appointment you can return here. What is your objection to going?"
"I have heard," said Yang Chih, "that last vear the presents were seized by brigands who have not been arrested so far. This year there are more brigands about than last yea
r. We shall have to go by road to the Eastern Capital as there is no water route. The road is via Purple Metal Hill, Two Dragons Hill, Peach Blossom Hill, Umbrella Cover Hill, Yellow Mud Ridge, White Sand Wharf, Wild Clouds Ferry, and Red Pine Forest. But at all those places there are bandits so that even a merchant with no valuables dare not travel there by himself. If the bandits get to know of the presents being sent they will certainly try to seize them. I do not want to lose my life just now so I am afraid that I cannot go."
"In that case," said Liang, "I will let you have more soldiers to accompany you."
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"Even if you let me have ten thousand soldiers," said Yang Chih, "they will be of no use, because as soon as they hear of the coming of bandits they will all run away.
"Then do you think that I had better not to send the presents?" asked Liang.
"I will go if you will promise me one thing," replied Yang Chih.
"Since I ask you to do this business," said Liang, "I of course have confidence in you. What promise do you want?"
"I want you to leave the matter in my bands, and I shall not use carts, but will pack the presents in ten loads as traveler's baggage to be carried on poles over the shoulders. The ten soldiers shall be dressed as porters to carry the loads, and another man in traveler's costume without a load can accompany me. We should travel stealthily during the night until we reached the Eastern Capital."
"What you say is fine," said Liang. "I will write a dispatch recommending you for promotion, and when you have received your new rank you can return here."
"Thanks very much for your favor," said Yang Chih.
The same day Yang Chih packed the presents, and selected soldiers to go with him. The following day he was told to wait in the hall, and when Grand Secretary Liang came there he said to him.
"Yang Chih, when do you propose to start?"
Yang Chih replied that he thought of starting early the following morning, and asked for his orders.
Liang said that his wife had also some presents which she was sending to Ts'ai's family, and these would also be intrusted to Yang Chih. "As she is afraid that you do not know the person to whom the present must be delivered she will send with you the husband of one of her nurses named Hsieh, and also two servants."
Yang Chih said, "Sir, I am afraid that I cannot go."
"'The presents are now all packed ready for dispatch," said Liang, "so why do you now refuse to go?"
Yang Chih saluted and said, "I will be responsible for the presents carried by the soldiers, and they will obey my orders as to when we must travel, whether early or late, and when we
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must stop or, rest. But what can I do if these three extra men who have been deputed by your wife will not obey my orders on the road? If in this way any mishap happens to the convoy what explanation can I offer?"
"That is easily arranged," said Liang. "I will give them definite orders that they must follow your instructions."
"In that case," said Yang Chih, "I will undertake the job, and if the things are lost I am willing to bear severe punishment." Grand Secretary Liang said, "I am not mistaken in employing you, you are indeed an experienced man." He forthwith summoned Hsieh and the two servants from his private apartments, and gave them orders saying, "Major Yang Chih is willing to take charge of the convoy of the birthday presents made up in eleven loads, and will see that they are duly delivered to the royal tutor at the Eastern Capital. He is responsible for everything. You three men will go with him, and on the road you must carefully follow his orders at all times as to when you are to stop or rest, and you must not dispute his authority. You will of course carry out the commissions my wife told you to execute for her. You must also be careful and not lose anything, and also get the business finished as soon as possible."
The three men agreed to do this, and the same day Yang Chih took charge of the presents. The following morning about five o'clock Yang Chih had the eleven loads of presents placed in front of the hall, and gave them to the eleven robust soldiers who were dressed like coolies. Yang Chih was wearing a cool summer hat, a black crape gown, hempen shoes, with puttees wound round his legs, a sword in his belt, another sword carried in his hand. Hsieh was dressed like a traveler, and his two servants accompanied him. Each man wore a sword, and carried a cane. Grand Secretary Liang gave Yang Chih the dispatches he had prepared. The men who had eaten their meals, saluted Liang in the hall before their departure, and he then watched them start on their journey. Including Yang Chih, Hsieh, and the two servants there were altogether fifteen men in the convoy who left the Northern Capital and started on the road towards Eastern Capital.
That time was the middle of June, and the weather was very hot so that traveling was unpleasant.
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Yang Chih was determined to reach the Eastern Capital by the fifteenth day of the following month, so he made forced marches on the road. During the first seven days from the Northern Capital they started about five o'clock each morning when it was quite cool, and rested at midday. After the first week, they passed through a scarcely populated district and met few people on the way. The road was hilly, and therefore Yang Chih decided to start every day about 8 a.m. The eleven soldiers acting as porters found their loads quite heavy in that district, and whenever they saw wood they wanted to stop there and rest. If the men stopped for a short time Yang Chih cursed them as lazy hounds, but if they stayed a long time he even went so far as to strike them in order to get them to move. The two servants carried only their baggage, but still Chih spoke to them strongly saying, "You do not seem to understand this business! I am responsible for the whole thing! You do not beat these men for me, yet you walk slowly behind them. This is not a place for passing the time idly."
The two servants replied, "We do not wish to walk slowly, but the weather is so hot that it is impossible to walk quickly, and that is why we get behind them. Previously we started early when it was cool, but now we travel in so hot weather makes us walk slowly. Your orders are hardly fair."
Yang Chih replied, "What you say is nonsense! Previously we traveled through fairly quiet places, but now we are passing a dangerous locality. If it is hard to walk during the day who would dare walk here during the night?"
The servants did not reply to this, but they thought in their minds, "This fellow ought not to go to the extent of using abusive language."
Yang Chih took his sword in one hand, and a cane in the other, and went to urge the men on. The two servants however sat down in the shade of a willow tree, and waited there until Hseih caught up to them when they spoke to him. "This fellow Yang Chih, although he is only a major yet tries to pass himself off as a more important person. He puts on too much side."
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Hsieh replied, "Grand Secretary Liang told us definitely that we must obey Yang Chih, and that is why I have not said anything although these last few days I have noticed that he has been very severe, and we have had to endure it."
The two servants said, "What Liang said was simply to give Yang Chih a little face but now you ought to decide matters yourself."
Hsieh replied, "Let us put up with him for the time being."
That evening about five o'clock they found an inn where they could stop. The eleven porters were dripping with perspiration, and panting for breath. They said to Hsieh, "We were very unfortunate to ever become soldiers. We are of course aware that we have been sent to do this work. But the heat has been so oppressive and our loads axe exceptionally heavy. These last few days we have not even been walking in the cool of the morning, It has been very fatiguing, and Yang Chih has beaten us with his cane. Our flesh and blood is the same as his, so why should we have this bitterness?"
"You must not be discontented," said Hsieh. "When we reach Eastern Capital I myself will give you a reward."
"If he treat us as you do," said a soldier, "we should have no cause for complaint."
They passed the night there, and before d
aybreak they all got up as they wanted to avail of the morning cool to start. Yang Chih hastily got up and shouted out, "Where are you going? Go to sleep again, and wait until I give you the order."
The men said, "If we do not start when it is early, it will be so hot during the day that you will beat us with your cane."
"What do you know about it?" asked Yang Chih. He seized his cane and was trying to strike them.
The men restrained their anger, and lay down to sleep, That day they got up about 8 a.m, slowly cooked their breakfast, and then started off. Again on the road Yang Chih used his cane, and would not allow the porters to rest where there was a cool place. The men muttered their discontent to themselves as they plodded along. The two servants frequently spoke to Hsieh about the matter. Hsieh listened to what they said, and in his heart he harbored disgust with Yang Chih.
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We need not describe in detail the journey, but after traveling like this for about a fortnight there was not a single man of the fourteen who did not hate Yang Chih.
On the fourth day of the sixth month they got up as usual at 8 a.m. and prepared their breakfast in a leisurely manner. That morning there was not the smallest speck of cloud in the sky, the sun was glaringly bright, and it was exceedingly hot. There was only a very narrow footpath to follow, and it led through a lonely shaggy area among the mountains. After they had traveled about seven miles the porters felt tired and wished to rest a while in the shade of some willow trees. But Yang Chih came up with his cane, and shouted at them, "Hurry up! I will give you a rest by and by!" The porters looked at the sky but could not see a cloud anywhere, and as the day was so hot they could not stand in the heat any longer. But Yang Chih continued to press them forward along the deserted footpath. It was almost noon, and the stones on the road were as hot as to burn their feet. They said, "It is very hot, and we shall be burnt to death."
