Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

That day, everyone set off immediately. After all, Gao Yanei had been missing for more than a day, and Gao Qiu must be searching everywhere. It was not safe outside the city either. Li Hanxiao sent someone to get two carriages, one for Zhang Jiaotou's family and the other for Li Shishi. They immediately set off for Shandong.

The group traveled at breakneck speed, leaving the capital region in just one day. They took the route from Heungin Prefecture and Gwangje Army through Dingtao, heading straight for Liangshan Marsh in Jeju.

Along the way, the news from within Tokyo was utterly chaotic. It was said that Gao Qiu had turned the city upside down but had not found Gao Yanei. In his desperation, Gao Qiu even sent troops to clear out the underground city of "Ghost Fanlou," but to no avail.

Li Hanxiao's victory at the Imperial Fragrance Pavilion, breaking through four barriers, became a legendary tale. However, this was only the public knowledge. In private, Li Hanxiao suspected that Cai Jing, that old scoundrel, had ruined his plans and abducted Li Shishi, and must hate him to the core. Gao Qiu must also know that he had beaten Gao Yanei outside the Fanlou and had made him the prime suspect.

However, he left so quickly, without leaving a trace or making a sound, that they couldn't find him even if they wanted to.

Li Hanxiao and his group arrived at the ground of Jingdong West Road without any hindrance. In order to escape potential pursuit, Li Hanxiao led his men on a five-day forced march, finally running far enough.

At this time, their group was only one or two days away from Liangshan Marsh in Jeju Prefecture.

Li Hanxiao wasn't in a hurry to attack Liangshan, because he knew very well that even if Lin Chong was managed to turn against Wang Lun by his own actions, the excellent defensive capabilities of Liangshan's 800-li waterway were no joke.

Once Wang Lun closes the pass, he will need the assistance of naval warfare experts to attack the marshland.

And these naval warriors don't need to be searched for; they can be found in Shijie Village near Liangshan Marsh. They are the three Ruan brothers: "Standing Tai Sui" Ruan Xiao Er, "Short-lived Erlang" Ruan Xiao Wu, and "Living Yama" Ruan Xiao Qi.

The three brothers originally made a living by fishing in Shijie Village, but after Wang Lun and his gang occupied Liangshan Marsh, they forbade fishermen from fishing in the Liangshan Marsh. Shijie Lake was a small lake and could not hold any big fish, so their lives became increasingly difficult. In addition, the officials usually harmed the people, so their dissatisfaction with the world became more and more intense.

This is also why Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," had little trouble persuading the three brothers to seize the birthday gifts in the original story. The three brothers also longed for a carefree life of drinking from large bowls, eating large chunks of meat, and dividing gold and silver by the scale. They had the idea of ​​becoming outlaws and did not want to live a cowardly life. However, no one recognized their heroic nature, so they had been fishing in Shijie Village.

In other words, if Li Hanxiao could meet the three of them before Wu Yong and Chao Gai, he could easily subdue the three Ruan brothers.

The group has now reached the Leize area and is very close to the Jizhou Prefecture. Li Hanxiao wanted to personally subdue the three Ruan brothers, so he made arrangements for various matters.

Li Hanxiao then instructed Wang Yin to lead the group slowly, while he and Wen Huanzhang rode fast horses to Jizhou Prefecture first, where they persuaded the three Ruan brothers.

Once the two of them have persuaded the three Nguyen brothers to come and join them, the main force should arrive by then, which will be just in time.

Li Hanxiao instructed them to set up camp on Niutou Mountain, a small hill not far from Liangshanbo, after arriving in Jizhou Prefecture. They were to return and regroup after they finished their business. Otherwise, the sudden appearance of so many people in Jizhou Prefecture would be too conspicuous and easily expose them.

Not only will the government find out about the trouble, but if Wang Lun and his gang find out, the trouble will be even greater.

After making the arrangements, Li Hanxiao and Wen Huanzhang immediately set off for Shijie Village. They arrived at the entrance of Shijie Village in the afternoon.

The village was situated by the lake, with no farmland in sight. Dozens of small fishing boats were moored to withered stakes at the nearby docks, and tattered fishing nets were drying outside every household. It seemed that no one in Shijie Village farmed the land; the entire village was made up of fishermen. Nestled against the mountains and near the water, it truly lived up to the saying "living off the mountains." With only about a hundred households, it could hardly be considered a large village.

Li Hanxiao and Wen Huanzhang led their horses into the village and stopped a villager, asking, "Brother, may I ask if you know where the three Ruan brothers live?"

Are you talking about those three brothers, Ruan Xiao'er, Ruan Xiao'wu, and Ruan Xiao'qi?

The villager looked at Li Han and asked with a smile.

"It was those three brothers."

"Ruan Xiao'er has a wife and lives alone on the island in the middle of the lake. Ruan Xiao'wu and Ruan Xiao'qi are unmarried and live with their mother on the shore, not far from the village. May I ask what business you have with these brothers?"

"We heard that they have the skill to catch fish weighing over ten kilograms. We need such large fish for our banquet, so we came here to buy some from them."

Li Hanxiao casually lied.

“What you say is true, guest. Although every household in our Shijie Village fishes, these three brothers are the best swimmers. They can all hold their breath underwater for dozens of meters and are the best at catching big fish.”

Although the villager praised the three Ruan brothers a few times, he then changed the subject and sighed, "It's just that the guests came at an inopportune time. Ruan Xiao Er's son has been suffering from some kind of illness lately, vomiting and having diarrhea. They've sought medical help in various prefectures and cities, but to no avail. The three brothers even invited monks and Taoist priests to examine the external ailment and internal evil, but they couldn't do anything either. They're just waiting to die at home. A couple of days ago, their mother collapsed from worry when she saw her grandson was dying. Right now, the family is preparing for the funerals of the old woman and the young boy!"

Li Hanxiao hadn't expected that he would arrive just as the Ruan family was facing a major upheaval. However, upon further reflection, he realized that Ruan Xiaoer's son's vomiting and diarrhea might be a digestive tract disease or malaria. Just because those quack doctors and shamans couldn't cure him didn't mean he couldn't either. If he could cure Ruan Xiaoer's son's illness, he might even be able to build a relationship with him.

He was a former special forces soldier and needed to have some medical knowledge. Although he might not be a great doctor, he was certainly capable of being a barefoot doctor, so it was worth a try.

So he asked the man where Ruan Xiaoer lived, and went there with Wen Huanzhang.

Upon arriving at the place, they saw that the eaves of Ruan Xiaoer's house were hung with mugwort to ward off evil spirits, and the walls of the house were covered with talismans for protection, drawn in a mess. There was also a medicine jar on the ground outside the door.

It seems that the three Nguyen brothers have tried everything, but nothing has worked, and they are now in a state of near despair.

"May I ask if Erlang is at home?"

Li Han laughed and called out. Not long after, a person came out of the house. He was over seven feet tall, with a fierce face, a face full of fat, dark eyes, and a short, light yellow beard on his cheeks. He wore a chess piece cloth vest and a raw cloth skirt around his waist. His body was like cast iron. It was hard to tell whether he was Ruan Xiaoer, Ruan Xiaowu, or Ruan Xiaoqi.

"Who are you two, and why are you looking for my second brother?"

The man came out, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and asked a question.

"We are merchants from out of town, here to discuss some business with Erlang. May I ask who you are...?"

"My name is Ruan Xiaoqi."

When Wen Huanzhang asked, he learned that this person was "Living Yama" Ruan Xiaoqi.

"It turns out to be Qi Lang. I'm disrespectful. I wonder where Er Lang and Wu Lang are?"

Li Han asked with a smile.

“My second brother went to the Guandi Temple to burn incense and pray to the gods, and my fifth brother went to the city to fetch two coffins. My family is having a funeral, so it is inconvenient to entertain guests. Please go back.”

Ruan Xiaoqi's expression didn't look too good. He didn't have a very gentle appearance to begin with, and now that something bad had happened to his family, with his nephew and mother almost gone, it would be strange if he were cheerful.

"What happened? Seventh Brother, why don't you tell us? It's fate that we met. Perhaps we can be of some help."

Li Hanxiao immediately struck up a conversation, and luckily, Ruan Xiaoqi was an upright man, so he said, "Guest, you don't know about my family's situation. A few days ago, my nephew suddenly started vomiting and having diarrhea, unable to eat anything, and suffering from severe abdominal pain. We called doctors, but the medicine didn't work. We even consulted Buddhist and Taoist priests, who performed rituals, but that didn't help either. The three of us brothers have been taking care of him day and night, hoping for improvement, but his condition has only worsened. Two days ago, my mother, worried about her grandson, also fell ill, and her condition is very serious. She can't eat or drink anything. My sister-in-law is taking care of my mother day and night, and I'm watching over my nephew. It's like watching these old people, one with white hair and the other with black hair, about to die. I don't know what sins my Ruan family committed in our past lives to deserve this..."

Ruan Xiaoqi was a tough man, but at this moment, he was worried about his mother and nephew, and tears welled up in his eyes.

“Qilang, we have traveled all over the country and know some medical skills. Why don’t you let us take a look? Now is the time to try our luck. If the two of us can really cure him, it will be a small contribution.”

Li Han smiled politely and asked.

Ruan Xiaoqi looked at the two of them. Li Hanxiao didn't look like a doctor, but Wen Huanzhang was dressed like a scholar and looked like a cultured person. He might know some medicine, and he also had a Tokyo accent, as if he had seen the world.

Ruan Xiaoqi thought to herself that she might as well try anything, even if it seemed hopeless. If God had a change of heart and could save a life, that would be one less life. She didn't want things to turn out this way, where all the old and young would end up on the Terrace of Longing for Home, drinking the Soup of Oblivion.

So Ruan Xiaoqi led the two into the house, where they saw an eight or nine-year-old child lying on the bed. His face was as pale as paper, and his body was thin, like a skin hanging on a skeleton.

How has your diet been lately?

Although Li Hanxiao only glanced at it, he seemed to have already noticed something.

"He can't eat or drink anything, he just complains of abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea."

"That's what Ruan Xiaoqi replied."

Wen Huanzhang also knew some medical skills. He stepped forward, took Ruan Xiaoqi's pulse, and then asked, "Has the child eaten anything unclean, or raw fish or shrimp?"

“The fish and shrimp are never eaten raw. My nephew usually eats the same things as my second brother’s family. It’s just that recently in Linxia, ​​there are more water chestnuts and water caltrops in the water, and I’ve seen him pick some to eat.”

No sooner had Ruan Xiaoqi finished speaking than Li Hanxiao said, "That's the problem!"

Li Hanxiao and Wen Huanzhang both realized that the child seemed to be infected with some kind of intestinal parasite, probably from eating something raw.

Li Hanxiao is a former special forces soldier who often engages in survival and combat operations in the wild. Parasite problems are common among him, and he can spot various parasite symptoms with just a glance.

As an aquatic plant, the edible part of the water chestnut is its underground modified stem. It is generally planted in low-lying areas such as ponds, fields, and tidal flats. The water quality of the environment in which water chestnuts grow is poor and there is a lot of silt. In addition to carrying a large amount of soil and bacteria, it may also be parasitized by parasites such as Fasciolopsis buski.

At this point, people may not have a scientific understanding of parasites. Basically, it's normal to get infected with parasites if you eat raw water chestnuts.

Hearing Li Hanxiao's explanation, Ruan Xiaoqi was still puzzled and asked, "We often eat water chestnuts and caltrops, so why are they fine?"

"But can it be eaten raw?"

Li Han asked with a smile.

"No, it's often used to make fish soup more flavorful."

Ruan Xiaoqi said.

“There are tiny insects in water chestnuts. If you eat them raw, they will not die, but they will enter your stomach and cause trouble. Such insects can also be found in raw fish and meat. They must be cooked to kill them. Chen Deng of the Later Han and Three Kingdoms period ate too much raw fish and contracted this disease, which led to his untimely death.”

Li Hanxiao explained.

"I see. I wonder if it can still be cured?"

Seeing that they were speaking logically and persuasively, Ruan Xiaoqi felt a glimmer of hope in her heart.

"Red vine has the effect of killing insects and eliminating carbuncles. Qilang can go and get Patrinia scabiosifolia, red vine, and dandelion to boil into a soup. Give it to him once every hour. If that doesn't work, force it down his throat until all the insects are killed, and then he will get better."

Wen Huanzhang said.

"Alright! I'll go right away!"

These things weren't hard to find in the countryside. Ruan Xiaoqi ran out like the wind and found everything in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. She picked up the medicine pot, boiled it, and fed it to the child while it was still hot.

After being forced to drink two bowls, the child soon reacted, rolling around on the bed and crying out in pain. Soon after, he opened his mouth and vomited a liquid mixed with many worms.

"There really are bugs! It's you pests who harmed my nephew!"

Ruan Xiaoqi was extremely surprised, and then stretched out her big foot and crushed all the insects.

After vomiting, the child complained of abdominal cramps and needed to use the toilet. Ruan Xiaoqi brought a clean bucket, and the child defecated three or four times, producing a foul stench. When they checked, they found many worms mixed in with the stool, but they were all dead.

"Seventh Uncle, I'm hungry..."

After the child finished urinating and defecating, he opened his mouth and cried out that he was hungry. Ruan Xiaoqi was overjoyed to hear this, because he knew that no matter what kind of illness it was, as long as the person knew to cry out that he was hungry, there was still hope for him.

"Uncle Seven will catch some fish for you to eat!"

Ruan Xiaoqi also doted on her nephew, and was about to go out with the child in her arms.

"Wait! He can't eat or drink yet. He needs to drink this red vine water several more times until the worms are expelled. Only then will it be effective. In addition, he needs a few doses of herbal decoctions."

Wen Huanzhang quickly stopped Ruan Xiaoqi.

"I'll listen to you two, I'll listen to you two!"

Ruan Xiaoqi was overjoyed and put his nephew Ruan Liang on the bed. Little did he know that his son was no ordinary man. The three Ruan brothers would later become famous throughout the world. In the original history, his nephew Ruan Liang was no less capable. Later, Ruan Liang helped the loyal general Yue Fei capture Jin Wuzhu in the Yellow River and took command of Yue Family Army's navy. But that's another story.

Seeing that his nephew might survive, Ruan Xiaoqi thought of his critically ill mother. Disregarding the saying that a man's knees are worth more than gold, he immediately knelt before Li Hanxiao and his brother, pleading, "Gentlemen, now that my nephew is alive, please save my mother. If you can save her life, we three brothers are willing to go through fire and water for you, and even become mules and horses!"

"Seventh Brother, please rise. Please take us to see your mother!"

Li Hanxiao quickly helped Ruan Xiaoqi up, while Ruan Xiaoqi poured a gourd of red vine water down her throat, picked up little Ruan Liang and went with him, otherwise she was afraid no one would take care of him. She then led Li Hanxiao and Ruan Xiaowu to his and Ruan Xiaowu's place to see his mother.

Before long, they arrived at their destination. Ruan Xiaoer's wife came out to greet them, only to find that her son had woken up. Overjoyed, she learned that it was Li and Wen who had saved her son and expressed her endless gratitude. But we will leave that aside for now.

Meanwhile, Li Hanxiao and Wen Huanzhang went inside to see Ruan's mother. Wen Huanzhang took her pulse and found that the old woman was suffering from a heart attack due to anxiety. Although she was said to be sick, she was actually worried about her grandson and her illness was caused by worry.

So he told Ruan Xiaoqi to have Xiao Ruan Liang go to his grandmother's bedside to switch grandmothers. Ruan Xiaoqi immediately agreed and told his sister-in-law to take her nephew and call for his grandmother.

The old lady was barely breathing and couldn't eat or drink anything, but her hearing hadn't completely disappeared. When she heard her beloved grandson calling her "Grandma" over and over, she was suddenly jolted awake. She opened her eyes and saw her grandson right in front of her bed, already able to speak. She immediately sat up, and her illness was instantly half cured.

"Oh dear! Mother! Please slow down!"

When Ruan Xiaoqi saw her mother wake up as if by magic, she was so surprised that she quickly went to support her.

"Seventh Brother, although your mother has woken up, it was due to a sudden attack of internal heat. In addition, she is old and needs to recuperate. I saw in a medical book that mung bean powder can protect the heart. You can get some for her to take, along with some mild tonics, and she will be fine."

Just as Wen Huanzhang finished speaking, Ruan Xiaoer's wife went to lead the donkey to grind soybean flour; she was a dutiful wife.

The old lady of the Ruan family was holding her grandson when the sound of crying came from outside.

“Mother… your son is useless. We’ve spent all our money and can’t even afford an elm coffin. We have to get a poplar coffin instead… If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have gambled…”

"Fifth Brother is back!"

Upon hearing the voice, Ruan Xiaoqi knew that it was Ruan Xiaowu, who had gone to the city to buy a coffin, who had returned. Originally, because the old lady and Xiao Ruanliang were not going to live and would only live for a day or two at most, Ruan Xiaowu was asked to take the family's savings and go to the city to buy a coffin. It just so happened that he was returning.