by Shi Nai-An
"It happened that on the third day of the sixth month, seven traders pushing Chi'ang Chou-made carts stopped at the inn to rest. I recognized the leader of them as Ch'ao Kai, the alderman of the Tung Chi Village, in Yun Cheng Hsien. Now how did I know that it was him? Because some time before I went to that village with a fellow gambler who sought refuge there. When I took the register and asked for their
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names a man stepped forward who had a mustache and a small beard, with a white face. He said, "We are all called Li, and have come from Hao Chou, with dates, and are going to sell them at the Eastern Capital." I wrote this down although I doubted the statement made. They departed the next day. The proprietor of the inn took me into the village to gamble, and upon passing the comer of a street I saw a man carrying two buckets on a pole over his shoulder. I did not know him, but the proprietor of the inn called out to him, 'Mr. Pai, where are you going?' The man replied, 'I am taking some vinegar to sell to the wealthy people of the village.'
"The inn proprietor told me that the man was Pai Sheng, and had a nickname 'Daylight Rat.' He was a gambler. At that time I took notice of the matter but afterwards I heard everybody talking that seven traders of dates had captured some birthday presents at the Yellow Mud Ridge by means of some drugged wine. I at once jumped to the conclusion, that Ch'ao Kai had done this. So we may arrest Pai Sheng and find out what he knows a I bout the matter. This notebook is my copy of the register."
Ho T'ao was much pleased at this, and took his brother to the district yamen where the governor asked him, "Have you any information about that matter?"
Ho T'ao replied that he now had a slight clue. The governor asked them to go with him to the inner apartments to discuss the matter. There Ho Ching gave him all the details he knew.
The governor then ordered eight thief catchers to accompany Ho T'ao and Ho Ching to the inn at An Lo Village where they got the proprietor to conduct them to the house of Pai Sheng where they arrived by midnight. The proprietor of the inn induced them to open the door, but when they struck a light they heard Pai Sheng making a noise on the bed. Upon asking Pai Sheng's wife she said that her husband had a fever. The men seized hold of Pai Sheng and bound him with cords. They saw that his face was very red. They shouted out, "You have done a fine business at the Yellow Mud Ridge!" But Pai Sheng did not confess this. Even when they bound his wife with cords she also remained silent. The men searched the whole house, and they noticed
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that the ground under the bed was uneven. So they dug there, and about three feet down they found a quantity of gold and silver, which discovery excited them. Pai Sheng's face had now turned pale. They then blindfolded him, and his wife, and the thief catchers carrying the booty they set off for Chi Chou where they arrived about 5 a.m. They went into the yamen with the prisoners. The governor asked who had planned the bandits raid, but Pai Sheng would not say, and even if in danger of death he would not confess and implicate Ch'ao Kai and the other six men. He was then beaten with bamboo about four times until his flesh was broken and his blood was flowing.
The governor shouted, "The thief catchers have found out that the head of the bandits is Ch'ao Kai, the Pao Cheng at the Tung Chi Village in Yun Cheng Hsien, so it is useless for you to screen them. If you will say who the other six men are we will not beat you any more."
Pai Sheng hesitated a little, but as he could not endure any more beating with the bamboo he at last confessed, "The chief of the bandits is Ch'ao Kai. He himself came with six other men to get me to carry some wine for them, but I do not know who the other six men are."
"That will not matter," said the governor. "Go now and arrest Ch'ao Kai, the alderman, and we can soon find out where the other six men are." He then ordered that Pai Sheng should be fitted with a large cangue weighing at twentyseven pounds, and that the woman should be chained and confined to the women's jail. He then ordered a dispatch to be prepared and handed to Ho T'ao who was to take with him twenty of the best policemen to arrest Ch'ao Kai and the others. The magistrate at Yun Cheng Hsien must also send the two servants of Grand Secretary Liang to try and identify the six men. Ho T'ao, the head thief catcher,and his men must be careful as he was afraid that the news of their departure might reach Ch'ao Kai first.
They traveled to Yun Cheng Hsien during the starlit night, and upon arriving there, Ho T'ao put his men in an inn with orders to wait there until he came back. He then took two men with him to the yamen. He reached the yamen about 11 a.m. but the magistrate had retired from the early court, and everything was very quiet. Ho T'ao
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therefore went to a tea house where he got some tea, and rested a while. After he had drunk a cup of tea he asked the waiter, "How is it that everything is so quiet here to-day?"
"The magistrate had an early court," said the waiter, "and all the litigants went away also to get some food and have not returned yet."
"Who is on duty to-day?" asked Ho T'ao.
"The waiter pointed to a man and said, "That clerk is on duty to-day."
Ho T'ao saw that the clerk was leaving the yamen.
The clerk was called Sung Chiang, and his style was Kung Ming. He was the third brother in his family, and his forefathers had always resided at the Sung family village, in Yun Cheng Hsien district. Because he had a dark complexion people called him Black Sung Chiang, and because he had a great reputation for filial piety and for distributing wealth in a good cause he was nicknamed, "Filial and Just Black the Third." His father was living, but his mother had died some time before. He had a younger brother Sung Ching, who had been nicknamed "Iron Fan," and stayed at home with his father cultivating the fields and supporting the family. Sung Chiang earned a living as a clerk in the Yun Cheng Hsien yamen. He was a calligraphist and was quite familiar with all the routine of office work. He liked exercising with the lance and cudgel, and was quite good at all kinds of military exercises. He took a great interest in the doings of all bandits and they often came to him for help. No matter what kind of bandit there was, he would help him and keep him at the farmnouse. He kept company with them the whole day, and felt quite satisfied with their friendship. If they wanted to leave at any time he assisted them with money as though it was dirt. He never refused to give money when people asked for it. He was always charitable. He settled disputes and always assisted people in difficulties. He was always buying coffins for the poor, and medicine for sick people.
He always assisted those in distress, and raised those who had been crushed down in life. The result was that his fame was known in all Shantung and Hopei provinces, where he was also known as Welcome Rain because his influence was like the falling of rain on parched soil.
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Sung Chiang was accompanied by an attendant, and as they were leaving the yamen, Ho T'ao, the thief catcher, came out and saluted them, saying "Sir, I request you to come and have tea with me."
Sung Chiang saw that the man was dressed in uniform, and quickly saluting, said, "Brother, where do you come from? "
Ho T'ao replied that they could talk matters over when they were seated inside drinking tea. Sung Chiang agreed to this and they thereupon entered the tea house, and the attendant was told to wait outside.
"I take leave to inquire your name," said Sung Chiang.
Ho T'ao replied, "I am a thief catcher, Ho Tao, and I come from Chi Chou Fu. I also beg to inquire your name."
"You must not blame me for not recognizing you," said Sung Chiang. He then gave his name and position in the yamen.
Ho T'ao knelt down, and saluted. "I have heard of your fame, but I had no opportunity of meeting you before."
"I am afraid," said Sung Chiang, "but will you please take the seat of honor?"
"I dare not occupy such a position," said Ho T'ao.
"You come from a higher yamen than this one, and you are also a guest from a distant place," said Sung Chiang. After both men pressing each other to take the seat of honor they finally
sat down -- Sung Chiang as host, and Ho T'ao as guest in the seat of honor. Sung Chiang then ordered the waiter to bring the tea, and it was soon served. After they had drunk some tea he asked, "What business has brought you here?"
"I won't deceive you. I have come here to arrest some very important persons in this district."
"Is it connected with the bandits business?" asked Sung Chiang.
"I have a sealed dispatch here, and I hope that you will help me to get the business done."
"As you are appointed by superiors I must of course help you," said Sung Chiang. "But what bandit affairs is it about?"
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"It is a matter that you will have to deal with so I will tell you all about it: A party of eight bandits at the Yellow Mud Ridge drugged some wine, and sold it to an escort of fifteen soldiers who were conveying some birthday gifts from Grand Secretary Liang at the Northern Capital for the royal tutor, Ts'ai. They seized the eleven loads of presents, which were worth about one hundred thousand strings of cash. We have arrested one of the brigands named Pai Sheng, and he confessed that the other seven bandits were in this district.
"There is an officer from the royal tutor waiting at our head yamen for the completion of this business, so I hope that you will give it immediate attention."
"We must of course arrange for the arrest of the bandits," said Sung Chiang,"even though you yourself have brought a dispatch here, not to say about the instruction from the royal tutor. But I should like to know who are the seven persons that Pai Sheng named."
"I will tell you. The head of the bandits is Ch'ao Kai, the alderman of the Tung Chi Village in this district. But so far we have not found out the names of the other six men, so I must ask for your assistance."
Sung Chiang was surprised at hearing this, and thought, "This Ch'ao Kai is my bosom friend. Now he has committed this serious crime. But if I do not save him he will certainly be arrested." He was very anxious about the matter, but replied, "That Ch'ao Kai is evidently a rascal. Everybody in this district say that he is not a good man. Now that he has committed this crime it will be better for him to suffer for it."
"I hope that you will take the matter in hand," said Ho T'ao.
"That will be easy. 'A tortoise in a wine jar is easy to catch'. But you must present the dispatch at the yamen yourself so that after it has been read men can be deputed to arrest the bandits. I dare not presume to open the letter myself. It concerns a very important matter, and it would not do to let the contents leak out, and be known to other men.
"As you understand the matter so well will you accompany me into the yamen?"
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"The magistrate has had an early court," said Sung Chiang "and being tired he is now taking a rest. You had better wait until the magistrate holds a later court when I will come and inform you."
"I hope that you will help me," said Ho T'ao.
“It is my duty, you need not talk like that. I will now go to my home where I have a few matters to attend to, and you can rest here until I come back."
"All right," said Ho T'ao. "You attend to your affairs, and I will stay here till you come back."
Sung Chiang rose, and going into another room told the waiter that Ho T'ao was to be supplied with tea which he (Sung Chiang) would pay for. Upon leaving the tea house he went with all speed. He however first told his attendant to go into the yamen, and get another man to stand at the door of the tea house. Should the magistrate hold a second court the man must immediately tell Ho T'ao and say, "The clerk, Sung Chiang, is busy just now, but he requests you to wait a little longer." He then went to the troughs where the horses were, saddled one, concealed a whip in his sleeve, and led a horse to the back door where he quickly mounted. After leaving the east gate, Sung Chiang used his whip, and the horse galloped along towards the Tung Chi Village. In less than an hour he drew up at the, door of Ch'ao Kai's house. A servant had seen him coming and had already announced his approach.
At that time Ch'ao Kai, Wu Yung, Kung-Sun Sheng, and Liu Tang were drinking wine under the vines in the garden. The brothers Yuan had returned to their home at Shih Chieh Village when they had got the money. When Ch'ao Kai heard that the clerk Sung Chiang had arrived he asked, "How many men are with him?"
The servant said, "He has come by himself on a horse galloping at full speed, and wants to see you immediately."
"There must be some urgent business," said Chao Kai. He went at once, and upon meeting and saluting Sung Chiang they took each other by the hand, and walked into a small room at one side.
"Why do you come here in such haste?" asked Chao Kai.
"Elder brother," said Sung Chiang, "we are bosom friends and therefore I came to save your life at great risk to myself.
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The affair at the Yellow Mud Ridge has been disclosed. Pai Sheng was arrested and is now in prison at Chi Chou Fu. He has confessed about the other seven men. A thief catcher from Chi Chou Fu has arrived with a dispatch, and another order from the royal tutor, for your immediate arrest, and you are mentioned as the head of the gang of bandits. Fortunately the matter is in my hands. I have told Ho T'ao, the thief catcher, that the magistrate is asleep just now, and told him to wait for me in a tea house just opposite the entrance to the yamen. Therefore I came flying here on horseback to report the matter to you. Out of thirty-six plans you must select the best and get away at once. What is there to keep you here instead of going away at once? I must go back now and take the thief catcher to the yamen, where he will deliver his orders, and as soon as the magistrate sees them you may be sure that he will immediately dispatch men to effect your arrest. So you had better not delay your escape. If there is any failure in your departure you must not blame me."
Ch'ao Kai was surprised at hearing this. He said, "Worthy brother, how can I ever repay you?"
"You need not say much," said Sung Chiang. "Get ready at once, and let nothing stand in your way. I must return at once."
Ch'ao Kai said, "Of the seven, the three brothers Yuan have received their share of the booty, and have gone back to their home at Shih Chieh Village. At the back of this room are however three others, and you might come and see them."
Sung Chiang went to the back garden, and Ch'ao Kai pointing to the three men there said, "These three men ore Wu Yung, KungSun Sheng, and Liu Tang."
Sung Chiang slightly bowed to them, and then turned round and said to Ch'ao Kai, "Now take care of yourself, and get away at once. I must go now." He went to the door, mounted his horse, and using his whip, galloped off to the town.
"Do you know the man whom I just introduced to you?" asked Ch'ao Kai to the three men.
"Who is he? And why did he depart so hastily?" asked Wu Yung.
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"You do not know, but had he not come here our fives would be cut short very soon."
The three men were startled at this statement. One of them asked, "But has our affair been disclosed?"
Ch'ao Kai said, " It is very lucky for us that he has taken a bloody risk in coming here to report to me. Pai Sheng has been arrested, thrown into prison, and has confessed about us. A thief catcher named Ho T'ao has arrived with orders from the royal tutor for the magistrate here for our arrest. He got Ho T'ao, the thief catcher, to wait for him in a tea house, and in the interval he has galloped here to tell me. He has returned, and when the dispatches are delivered the magistrate will immediately send men to arrest us. What shall we do?"
"Had he not told us," said Wu Yung, "we would be caught like fish in a net. But what is the name of our benefactor?"
"He is a clerk in the district yamen," said Ch'ao Kai. He is called Sung Chiang nicknamed "The Protector."
"I have heard of him," said Wu Yung, "but have not met him. Although we live so close together I have never had any chance for meeting him."
Kung-Sun Sheng and Liu Tang both asked, "Is he not the man whom people call the Welcome Rain, Sung Kung-miing?"
Ch'ao Kai nodded his head in asse
nt and said, "That is the man. We are on the best of terms, and we are sworn brothers. Wu, have you really not met him? His fame is well assured within the four seas. It is not useless to have this man for my sworn brother. But we are certainly in serious danger, what shall we do?"
"My brother, you need not discuss the matter," said Wu Yung. "Of the thirty-six plans the best is to get away at once."
"That was Sung Chiang's idea," said Ch'ao Kai. "But where shall we go?"
"I have already formed an idea," said Wu Yung. "We must pack up the booty into five or seven loads for carrying on our shoulders, and then depart for the Shih Chieh Village, and go to the family of the brothers Yuan. But we must immediately send a man in advance to advise them of the matter."
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"But how can so many men stay with the brothers Yuan, who are only fishermen?" asked Ch'ao Kai.
"Elder brother," said Wu Yung, "You are not very shrewd. That place is quite close to Liang Shan Po. That stronghold is very prosperous just now, and the soldiers dare not even go to look at the place. If we are closely pressed by the soldiers we can go there and join the band at once."
"What you say is fine," said Ch'ao Kai, "but I am afraid that they may not admit us."
"As we have plenty of gold and silver," said Wu Yung, "we can send some to them, and then they will admit us."
"As we have agreed to do this," said Ch'ao Kai, "then we had better not delay our departure. Mr. Wu, you had better go with Liu Tang and get servants to carry the booty for you, and when you have safely deposited it with the brothers Yuan you can come back along the road to meet us. I, with Kung-Sun Sheng will go as soon as everything is well arranged." Wu Yung and Liu Tang went to get about six servants, and as soon as the latter had had their food, they carried the bundles containing the booty and departed. Wu Yung hid a copper wire up his sleeve, whereas Liu Tang carried a sword in his hand. Altogether there were about ten men in their party.
