by Shi Nai-An
"I think you are wrong," said Sung Chiang. "There is an ancient saying, 'If enmity is not settled amicably there is no end to it.' He is your colleague so if he has a small fault you should overlook it, and dwell more on his good points."
"Elder brother," said Hwa Jung, "your exposition is very clear. When I meet magistrate Liu in his yamen, I will explain to him how you saved his wife."
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"If you do that it will show your goodness to him."
After that for some time Hwa Jung and his wife entertained Sung Chiang at many feasts. Hwa Jung had several confidential servants, and every day one of these was appointed to attend to Sung Chiang's needs. Hwa Jung gave them money, and they conducted him for strolls round the town to see the temples and sights. Sung Chiang did not want them to pay for any wine, etc. they had, and he always paid these expenses himself, but he never told Hwa Jung that he had done this. The companions liked this arrangement as they could keep for themselves the money advanced by Hwa Jung, so they respected Sung Chiang and loved him much. Sung Chiang had stayed with Hwa Jung for about a month when it happened to be the Lantern Festival. It was on the 15th of the first month of the year and the people subscribed money, and erected an imitation mountain in front of the temple dedicated to the local god. The scenery was covered with festoons, and was illuminated by about seven hundred lanterns. There were also lanterns exhibited at every house, and inside the temple were all kinds of amusements. The whole town was gay with festivities. Though this place could not be compared with the Capital City, yet it was considered the Heaven on earth in that vicinity.
At this feast, Sung Chiang had dined with Hwa Jung. It was a very fine day, and about 11 a.m. Hwa Jung mounted his horse, and went to his yamen. He gave orders that in the evening a hundred soldiers should patrol the streets, and preserve order, and that other soldiers should guard the barriers outside the town. About 3 p.m. he returned home, and dined with Sung Chiang. The latter mentioned that he wished to have a look of the display of lanterns in the town that evening. Hwa Jung stated he would have liked to accompany him, but his official duty would not allow him to do that. He would, however, depute two or three men to go with Sung Chiang. He would wait for his early return for dinner.
In the evening the moon rose in the east, and it was full moon. Sung Chiang started off for a stroll accompanied by three confidential servants. There was a brilliant display of lanterns in the form of peonies, mimosas, and lotus flowers of
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all sizes cut out of paper. They visited the local god's temple, saw the imitation mountain with its illuminations, and then strolled off towards the south side of the town. They had only gone about 700 paces, when they came to a house with a big display of lanterns, and a big crowd of people outside the front gate. Gongs were sounding, and the crowd was applauding. Sung Chiang saw that there was a masquerade inside the courtyard, but as he was of short stature the crowd in front obstructed his view. His companions however asked the people to make room, and so Sung Chiang got a good view. The actors displayed awkward manners, and Sung Chiang could not avoid laughing at the exhibition. Now it happened that the magistrate and his wife were inside the courtyard with some other women watching the show, and when Sung Chiang laughed, Mrs. Liu looked in his direction, and at once recognized him. She pointed at Sung Chiang and said to her husband, "That dwarf fellow who is laughing is the chief of the bandits who seized me on the Pure Wind Mountain." Magistrate Liu was surprised at this, and ordered about seven of his attendants to arrest the small man who was laughing at the gate. Sung Chiang had however heard the order, and went away at once. He had not gone far, when the soldiers caught up to him, and seizing him took him inside the courtyard where they bound his arms with ropes. When his companions saw that he had been arrested they hurried off, and reported it to commander Hwa Jung.
Magistrate Liu took his seat on the bench at once, and Sung Chiang was brought in, and made to kneel.
"You are one of the bandits from Pure Wind Mountain," said magistrate Liu. "But how dare you come here to look at the show of lanterns? Now that you have been captured what have you got to say?"
"I am a native of Yun Cheng Hsien," said Sung Chiang. "My name is Chang San, and I am a friend of commander Hwa Jung. I have been here for several days, and I am not a bandit on the Pure Wind Mountain."
The magistrate's wife was standing behind a screen at the back of her husband, and when she heard this she came forward, and spoke to Sung Chiang herself. "You cannot
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get out of it. Have you forgotten how I addressed you as the chief?"
"Lady, you are mistaken. At that time did I not tell you that I had been captured by the bandits, and could not leave the mountain?"
"If you were a traveler, and were captured, how could you leave the mountain and come here to look at the lanterns?" asked magistrate Liu.
"When you were in your stronghold," interjected Mrs. Liu, "you sat on the middle chair, and had an ostentatious manner. When I addressed you as the chieftain you paid no attention at all."
"Lady," replied Sung Chiang, "have you forgotten that I did my best, and obtained your release? Why do you now accuse me of being a bandit?"
Mrs. Liu was angry at this, and pointing at Sung Chiang she cursed him, "You prevaricator! You will not admit it unless you are thrashed."
The magistrate agreed to this, and at once gave orders for Sung Chiang to be beaten with the split bamboo. This was done, and Sung Chiang was severely beaten so that he was soon covered with blood. He was then bound with chains, ready to be conveyed in a prisoner's cart to the Prefectural Town under the name: "Chang San, The Tiger, from Yun Cheng Hsien."
Commander Hwa Jung was upset when he got the report of the arrest of Sung Chiang. He immediately wrote a note to his colleague magistrate Liu, and sent a confidential servant with it. The letter was duly delivered and read by magistrate Liu as follows: "I, Hwa Jung, have a relative named Liu Wen who arrived from Chi Chou a few days ago. He went to see the lanterns, and may have offended you. I beg you, sir, forgive him and release him, and I will come to express my regrets in person. Moreover, I wish you to excuse me for this improvident note as no disrespect is intended."
Magistrate Liu was very angry upon reading this, and tore the letter into pieces. He said, "Commander Hwa Jung is entirely wrong. He is an official appointed by the court, and yet he associates with bandits, and also tries to deceive me. The prisoner said himself that his name was Chang San and that he came from Yun Cheng Hsien, whereas this
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letter names him Liu Wen, and says he came from Chi Chou. But he will not deceive me. He thinks that I will be inclined to let the man go because he uses my name Liu." After saying this, he dismissed the messenger without an answer.
When Hwa Jung heard of this, he was very much excited, and ordered his horse to be got ready. He changed his dress, and armed himself with a bow and arrows. He summoned about fifty soldiers armed with cudgels to accompany him and set out to visit his colleague. Upon reaching the yamen the guard at the gate saw that Hwa Jung was very angry, and being afraid ran away. Hwa Jung dismounted in front of the hall, and his soldiers drew up on both sides. He held a spear in his hand, and called out, "I request magistrate Liu to come here, and speak with me."
Magistrate Liu hearing this, was panic-stricken. He was afraid to go outside to meet Hwa Jung who was a military official. Hwa Jung waited a little time, and then he ordered his soldiers to search the buildings on both sides for Sung Chiang. They soon found him tied to a beam, with both feet fastened with chains, and his legs showing traces of the beating he had had. The soldiers broke the chains, and released Sung Chiang. After mounting his horse again, Hwa Jung cared out, "Magistrate Liu, what are you going to do? Where is there a family without some relatives? What is your idea in keeping my relative in your home and falsely accuse him of being a bandit? That is a great insult to me! I will talk to you to-morrow." He then departed with Sung
Chiang and his soldiers.
Magistrate Liu was very angry at this, and ordered two hundred soldiers to proceed to Hwa Jung's quarters, and bring the prisoner back. The drill inspectors in charge were skilled with the spear and sword, but were not the equal of commander Hwa Jung. Although they did not like the job, yet they dared not decline to go. The soldiers reached Hwa Jung's yamen while it was still dark. They paraded in front of the gate, but no one dared to enter. They were all afraid of Hwa Jung. Now as the day was breaking, they saw that the gates were open, and upon looking inside they could make out Hwa Jung seated in the main hall. In his left hand, he held a bow, with an arrow in his
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right hand. He saw the soldiers standing outside the gate, and lifting the bow he shouted to them, "You soldiers are not concerned in this quarrel. I will settle it with magistrate Liu himself. He sent you here, but you need not fight for him. You two drill inspectors have been newly appointed, and you do not yet know my military skill. To-day, I will give you a display of that, and afterwards if there is any man who wishes to fight with me he may enter without fear. I will now shoot an arrow at the cheek of the God drawn on the door." Thereupon he lifted the arrow to the string; stretched the bow to the full extent; called out "Go!" and the arrow flew and struck the drawing of the Door God in the exact spot as predicted. The soldiers were struck with awe.
Hwa Jung took another arrow, and shouted out again, "Soldiers! Now watch an arrow hit the tassel on the helmet of the Door God on the right-hand side of the door." The arrow whistled through the air and struck the exact spot. The two arrows were still sticking in the leaves of the door, Hwa Jung shouted again, "Soldiers! Now watch my third arrow strike the breast of your drill inspector who is dressed in white uniform." The man referred to, called out "Ai Ya!" and turning, ran away. Upon seeing this the soldiers took to flight likewise.
Hwa Jung gave an order for the gates to be closed, and went to see Sung Chiang in the room at the back. He said, "Elder brother, you have suffered too much owing to a fault on my part."
"It does no matter to me," said Sung Chiang; "I am only afraid that he will not put up with you. We must devise some scheme to get out of this trouble."
"I no longer wish to be an official," said Hwa Jung; "I must settle this dispute with that fellow."
"I did not expect that woman return my generous act with enmity," said Sung Chiang, "and even asked her husband to beat me. I did think of giving my true name, but I did not do so because I was afraid that he would then remember the murder of the woman Yen. I did not anticipate that Liu Kao would be so unreasonable as to arrest me, and put me in a prisoner's cart. He wanted to charge me with being the chief of the bandits so that I might be
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executed. If you had not rescued me, I should have been tongue-tied, and could not have said anything."
"I wrote your name as Liu," said Hwa Jung, "because that was also his name, and as a scholar, he might let you go on that account. I never thought he turned out to have no feelings. Now that I have rescued you I will settle the dispute with him by and by."
"You are wrong," said Sung Chiang. "Now owing to your influence, I was rescued. There is an ancient saying, 'When eating food, beware of choking; when going a journey beware of stumbling.' You rescued me by force, so he sent soldiers to arrest me again, and as that failed the matter cannot rest as it is. He will certainly report it to his superior official. So this evening I must escape to Pure Wind Mountain, and remain in hiding there. You can pretend to have no knowledge of the event, and 'bury the case in a pigeonhole.' They have no proof if I escape now, and the higher official will ascribe the case to a petty personal quarrel between civil and military magistrates."
"I am only a soldier," said Hwa Jung, "and am without your farsightedness. I am afraid that you are so severely injured that you cannot walk far."
"Never mind that. As matters are urgent there can be no delay. I will walk slowly towards the bandits' retreat." He had his wounds dressed, left his things with Hwa Jung, and set off at once.
When magistrate Liu's soldiers returned he heard them reported what a terrible fellow Hwa Jung was and that nobody dared to go and face his arrows. Both the drill inspectors also said, "Who did that would soon have a hole in his body. We are not keen on that."
Magistrate Liu was a civil official so he could consider things from other phases. He anticipated that Hwa Jung would allow Sung Chiang to escape to the mountain, and then come to discuss matters. "I have not sufficient evidence so that it will only end in a wrangle between us. To-night I will dispatch about twenty soldiers to a place about two miles on the road to the mountain, and keep a lookout there. If we succeed in capturing him he must be brought here secretly and imprisoned. Then I will report the matter to the prefect, and ask him to send soldiers to take charge of both Sung
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Chiang and Hwa Jung. Then I shall have sole control of this district, with no more molestation from those fellows."
That evening he dispatched about twenty soldiers to wait on the road. Two hours before midnight, the soldiers returned having arrested Sung Chiang. Magistrate Liu was very pleased at the success of his plans, and said, "I was quite correct in my estimate of what he would do. Place him in the jail at the back of my quarters, and see that not a single person gets to know of this." That night, he wrote a dispatch, and sent it with two confidential servants to Ching Chou Fu.
The next day Hwa Jung thought that Sung Chiang would have arrived at the mountain stronghold and took no more care of Liu Kao.
The prefect of Ching Chou was Mu-jung Yen-ta, and his sister was a concubine of the emperor, Hui Tsung. Relying on his sister's influence at the court he did outrageous things at Ching Chou Fu. He injured the people, and insulted his colleagues. On this day he had sat at an early court, and was just on the point of going to breakfast when the urgent messengers from magistrate Liu arrived. He read the dispatch, and was surprised. He said, "Hwa Jung is the son of a meritorious minister so how is it that he associates now with bandits? It is a very serious crime, but how can I know whether the charge is true or not?" He sent for colonel Huang Hsin who was highly skilled in military drill. He was in charge of the defenses of Ching Chou Fu, and had got the nickname of Guardian of Three Mountains. These three mountains were in that prefecture, and were the Pure Wind Mountain, Two Dragons Mountain, and Peach Blossom Mountain. These three mountains were the resorts of bandits. He had boasted that he would capture all the bandits, and that was how he got his nickname.
Upon reaching the hall, the prefect told him about the report, and gave him orders. Colonel Huang Hsin put on his mailed coat, and took his sword; mounted a horse and set out at once with about fifty soldiers for Pure Wind Town. Upon arriving there, he was well received by Magistrate Liu who entertained him in his own private quarters. The prisoner Sung Chiang was sent for so that Huang Hsin should see him.
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"I do not want to ask him any questions," said Huang Hsin. "Have a cart prepared, and put the prisoner inside it." This was duly done, and Sung Chiang had not said a word.
"Does Hwa Jung know that you have arrested Sung Chiang?" asked Huang Hsin.
"He was arrested during the night," replied magistrate Liu, "and has been kept secretly in prison since then. Hwa Jung is at home, and thinks Sung Chiang has got to the mountain."
"That makes our task easy," replied Huang Hsin. "We must prepare a feast at the headquarters, and invite him to partake of it with us. We will lay around the hall an ambush of fifty soldiers. When he comes I will give a signal by throwing my wine cup on the floor, and the soldiers then come forth and seize him. What do you think of that plot!"
"That will do splendidly," replied magistrate Liu. "It reminds me of catching a turtle in a jar."
The next day, the hall was prepared for feast, and tents were erected on both sides of the hall for the ambush. After breakfast Huang Hsin mounted his horse, and accompanied by about three men went to
visit Hwa Jung. Upon the servant reporting the arrival of Huang Hsin, Hwa Jung asked what Huang Hsin had come there for, and the servant replied that it was a friendly visit. Hwa Jung went outside, saluted Huang Hsin, and when they had taken their seats in the hall Hwa Jung asked, "Upon what official business have you come to see me?"
"The prefect ordered me to come to see you because he had heard that the relations between you and the civil officer here were not amicable. So he told me to prepare a feast, and invite both of you to conciliate you."
"How can I dare to cheat magistrate Liu?" asked Hwa Jung. "He is my superior officer, but he has frequently tried to find fault with me. I never thought that the prefect would know about it. How can I thank you for troubling you to come all this distance?" Huang I-Isin leaned forward, and whispered to Hwa Jung, "The prefect is quite well aware that you are the better, and more useful man, and he thinks that the civil magistrate here is not up too much. It will be all right if you come along with me now."
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"It is very kind of you to say that," said Hwa Jung. "But before we go, let me offer you some wine."
"It would be better if we drink wine after you two have talked matters over."
Hwa Jung agreed to this, and they both mounted their horses and went off. Upon reaching the headquarters they dismounted, and Huang Hsin taking Hwa Jung by the hand led him into the hall. Magistrate Liu was there waiting for them. Huang Hsin ordered a servant to bring the wine. The servants outside had taken Hwa Jung's horse to the stable, and had shut the gate of the yamen. Hwa Jung had no suspicion of a plot, and trusted Huang Hsin because he was also a military officer.
