Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

Chao Gai's brain wasn't working well; he basically couldn't keep up with Wu Yong's "wise strategist" thought process. Just a moment ago they were talking about the birthday gifts, and now they've swung to turning the tables and seizing Liangshan Marsh.

This also reveals the difference between the two. Chao Gai, the "Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King," was still a true man of integrity, loyal, and principled.

His plan was that after seizing the birthday gifts, if possible, he would return this hard-earned money to the people in the form of "taking from the people and using it for the people," which would be a chivalrous act.

Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," might not have thought that way. The idea that ill-gotten gains should be taken by virtuous people was merely an excuse he wanted to use to justify his plan to seize the birthday gifts.

For a schoolteacher, he certainly possessed considerable wisdom. Whether it was a conspiracy or a legitimate strategy, the means were the means, and as long as they worked, they were wisdom.

Therefore, he was unwilling to spend his whole life teaching in a small village, accomplishing nothing. He always carried a goose feather fan with him, using it in both winter and summer. Could it be that he was suffering from internal heat and afraid of the heat? He was comparing himself to Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms period, the "Sleeping Dragon." He even gave himself the pseudonym "Jia Liang," meaning that his abilities were even greater than those of the "Sleeping Dragon" Zhuge Liang.

Such a person is extremely ambitious, so in the original novel "Water Margin", Wu Yong is basically a staunch supporter of Song Jiang's plan to surrender and be granted amnesty. Rather than saying that Song Jiang was too eager to surrender, it is more accurate to say that Wu Yong, who was by his side, was constantly pushing him down this path.

Even in the original novel, when the Liangshan heroes were conquering the Liao Kingdom, King Yelü Hui of Liao extended an olive branch to the Liangshan heroes, hoping that they would join the Liao Kingdom and receive high-ranking positions and generous salaries. Wu Yong was tempted by this and clearly stated that he would definitely receive better treatment and have greater opportunities in the Liao Kingdom than in the Song Dynasty.

However, what is surprising is that Song Sanlang, who is obsessed with officialdom in the eyes of many, was not tempted in the slightest by the high-ranking official position and generous salary offered by the Liao Dynasty. He said that even if the Song Dynasty betrayed him, he would remain loyal to the Song Dynasty and would not betray his Han ancestors. He sternly refused.

Therefore, for Wu Yong, helping Chao Gai seize the birthday gifts was the first step, and taking over Liangshan was the second step. There will be a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth step as well.

All of this is to prove his own progress. He doesn't want to be the boss, but he wants the world to know that there is a man named "Wise Star" Wu Jialiang who can easily support someone, turn the world into chaos, and then restore order, just like Su Qin, Zhang Yi, and Gonggongsun Yan in ancient times, who could "make the feudal lords tremble with anger and bring peace to the world when they live in peace."

Such a person is the most terrifying, because he only thinks about proving himself, and others are not that important to him. In addition, he is quite intelligent and likes to act quickly, effectively, and without repercussions, which means that his methods are definitely not aboveboard...

"Besides, besides, besides, there are only a few of us. If we were to capture Liangshan Marsh, Professor, haven't you heard that Li Hanxiao is incredibly powerful? First, he killed the original leader of Liangshan Marsh, Wang Lun, and seized Liangshan Marsh. Later, Commander Huang led two thousand soldiers to suppress the bandits, but they were defeated and lost an ear. I heard that Li Hanxiao can summon gods and magic and command five ghosts. How can we fight him?"

Chao Gai felt that Li Hanxiao was no ordinary person. To turn his people against him on his own territory was basically tantamount to courting death.

Wu Yong laughed incessantly. "Brother, supernatural powers and strange phenomena are things you wouldn't discuss. Beyond the six directions, we leave them aside. Does Li Hanxiao really possess any supernatural abilities? It's just hearsay. Brother, since you disagree with taking Liangshan, there's no rush to talk about it. However, we can go to Liangshan Marsh and persuade Li Hanxiao to join us in taking the birthday gifts. Afterwards, we can join Liangshan together based on our merit in reporting the news, securing our future. Wouldn't that be perfect? ​​As for your wish to return the birthday gifts to the people, I'll persuade Li Hanxiao then. With my silver tongue, am I afraid he won't listen?"

Wu Yong knew that Chao Gai was also a stubborn mule, and once he got into a stubborn streak, even ten oxen couldn't pull him back. So he simply stopped trying to persuade him and took a step back. He would first lead him onto his own path, and then secretly push him along, coercing him so that he wouldn't be able to resist following Wu Yong's plan.

Wu Yong's plan was to first trick Chao Gai into agreeing to let him go and persuade Li Hanxiao to seize the birthday gifts so they could go up the mountain. Then, he would secretly instigate the three Ruan brothers and others to rebel. In this way, Chao Gai would have no choice but to agree to the usurpation even if he didn't want to.

Wu Yong knew that Chao Gai was the most loyal and righteous person. When the time came, Wu Yong would create an organization like a "community of shared destiny" where everyone would share the same fate. Even if Chao Gai didn't want to do it, he would have to consider everyone's interests and usurp the throne.

Just like Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny and the donning of the yellow robe, even if Emperor Taizu of Zhao didn't really want to wear that yellow robe at the time, he had no choice but to put it on.

Chao Gai nodded in agreement after hearing Wu Yong's suggestion. "If that's the case, with your eloquence, it's feasible to persuade Li Hanxiao. How about I go with you, Professor, and try to persuade him?"

"No! I will go and inquire. The three Ruan brothers on Liangshan Marsh are people I know well, and I'm sure they're safe. Brother, you should stay home and drink!"

Wu Yong stopped Chao Gai, after all, he didn't know Li Hanxiao's temperament yet. He was using the face of the three Ruan brothers' old friendship to try and get up the mountain to meet Li Hanxiao. He was confident that with his eloquence, no matter what kind of person Li Hanxiao was, he could find a way to deal with him.

However, taking Chao Gai along would be different. This guy is clumsy with words, straightforward, has a bad temper, and is unwilling to yield. If he says something wrong, it might lead to a tense standoff and ruin things.

Upon hearing Wu Yong's words, Chao Gai said, "Very well, then I'll trouble you, sir, to go and make the trip for me!"

Wu Yong then set off again for Zhu Gui's tavern at the entrance of Li Family Road in Liangshan Marsh. He was a native of Jizhou Prefecture and had heard that the tavern at the entrance of Li Family Road in Liangshan Marsh was the medium for outsiders to come to the mountain.

However, this time he didn't walk. Although he could swing the copper chain a couple of times for self-defense, he was still a scholar in terms of physical strength. The previous trip to Shijie Village and back had been quite strenuous, and he was a little too tired to walk anymore. So he asked Chao Gai's servants for a donkey and rode it, making "ah-uh-ah-uh" noises, towards Lijia Pass.

Before Wu Yong even reached Zhu Gui's tavern at the entrance of Lijiadao, everyone inside heard the donkey braying. Before Wu Yong could even dismount, the waiter helped him lead the donkey away.

What would you like, sir?

Wu Yong entered Zhu Gui's tavern and, without beating around the bush, got straight to the point: "May I ask if the manager is here? I am an old friend of the three Ruan brothers from the mountain, and I have come here specifically to find them."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gui, nicknamed "Dry Land Crocodile," stepped out from behind the counter, bowed, and said, "Sir, I am the manager of this place. Are you acquainted with the three Ruan brothers? May I ask your esteemed name?"

"Please inform them that Wu Yong requests an audience with the three brothers."

"Wu Yong? Is he the 'Strategist' known in the martial arts world?"

Zhu Gui asked.

"I am but a humble person."

"So it's you, sir. I've heard so much about you. Please, bring some tea!"

Zhu Gui ordered tea to be served while simultaneously sending someone to inform the three Ruan brothers inside the water village.

Wu Yong sat at Zhu Gui's place at the entrance of Lijiadao for a short while, drank a cup of tea, and then saw Zhu Gui's waiter call over the "Standing Tai Sui" Ruan Xiaoer.

"Oh my! Professor! It's rare to see you here. What brings you here?"

Ruan Xiaoer was delighted to see Wu Yong and told Zhu Gui to prepare some wine and meat so he could invite Wu Yong to a meal.

"I had been missing you brothers for many days, so I went to Shijie Village to look for you. I didn't expect to hear that all three of you brothers had gone to Liangshan, so I came here. Please don't be offended!"

Wu Yong spoke with a mix of truth and falsehood.

"Not at all, Professor. As the saying goes, 'Friends made in poverty and hardship should not be forgotten.' In the past, my brothers and I have often troubled you. Today, I'd like to invite you to have some wine!"

Ruan Xiao'er was truly sincere. Wu Yong, not seeing the shadow of "Short-lived Second Brother" Ruan Xiaowu and "Living Yama" Ruan Xiaoqi, asked, "Where are Fifth Brother and Seventh Brother? Why don't we go together!"

"They're up in the mountains, training the navy and overseeing the construction of warships. They're so busy they don't have a moment to spare. Let me offer you, Professor, a few drinks. Please!"

Zhu Gui ordered his men to set out a feast: fat chicken, stuffed goose, roast bird, lean meat, fresh fish, and lamb leg. He also brought out some of the restaurant's best wine, which was a great gesture of respect to Ruan Xiaoer.

After drinking a few cups with Wu Yong, Wu Yong, seeing that the time was right, said, "I have come to find you three brothers today because I have some important business to discuss."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiaoer patted his chest and said, "Professor, please speak freely. If there is anything we brothers can do to help, we will certainly not refuse."

“Very good, Erlang is as righteous as ever! It is like this, I have always taught at the Dongxi Village School. The other day, I was drinking with Chao Baozheng of Dongxi Village and learned about a confidential matter.”

"But Chao Gai, the 'Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King' of Dongxi Village, I've long heard he's a good man!"

As Ruan Xiaoer listened, he drank, and had already downed seven or eight bowls of wine.

"That's right. We learned from a wine merchant that Liang Zhongshu was sending a birthday tribute to his father-in-law, Grand Tutor Cai, on the fifteenth of June. He had amassed 100,000 strings of gold, silver, and jewels, a huge amount of money and wealth. He had the famous 'Blue-Faced Beast' Yang Zhi escort the tribute. The gifts were packed into more than ten loads, disguised as goods for guests. Some imperial guards disguised themselves as porters and carried the goods to the capital, Tokyo, overnight."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiaoer was shocked. "Wow, 100,000 strings of cash! That's so much! How much of the people's wealth has this scoundrel plundered!"

"That's what I said to Chao Baozheng as well. This 100,000 strings of gold and silver is ill-gotten gains, made with the blood and sweat of the people. We men should take it back and return it to the people. But that 'Blue-Faced Beast' Yang Zhi is no ordinary man. A single thread cannot make a line, and a single tree cannot make a forest. So I went to Shijie Village to ask you brothers to come out of the mountains and help me take back the birthday gifts and return them to the people. I never expected that you brothers would actually join the Liangshan bandits!"

Ruan Xiaoer listened thoughtfully, for Wu Yong was right; 100,000 strings of gold and silver was a considerable sum, and Liangshan was currently short of money. If they could find a way to seize this birthday tribute, it would be a good thing for Liangshan...

So Ruan Xiao'er spoke up, "Professor, the three of us have joined Liangshan, so we can't act on our own. But you're right, this ill-gotten wealth should be taken. Why don't you come with me to see our Chief Li? Perhaps he can lead our Liangshan brothers to take it..."

Before Ruan Xiaoer could finish speaking, Wu Yong, looking anxious, stopped him, saying, "No, no, no, absolutely not! This information was obtained by Chao Baozheng and me at great risk. How can we easily give it to others?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiaoer burst into laughter, “What’s so difficult about that? If the professor tells us about the birthday tribute, and we take it, wouldn’t that be a great achievement? With this merit, if the professor and that Chief Chao are willing, it wouldn’t be a problem for them to sit in a chair on the mountain!”

Ruan Xiaoer had no treacherous thoughts. He thought that Wu Yong, nicknamed "The Wise Star," was truly talented, and Chao Gai, the "Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King," was also a capable hero. If he could seize the birthday gifts and gain the help of these two, wouldn't that be an even better outcome?

However, Ruan Xiaoer, this "local tyrant," was unaware that he had been tricked by this "wise man" and had fallen into his trap step by step without realizing it.

Wu Yong had been waiting for these words, but he still put on a show, pretending to have thought about it for a long time before finally speaking, "What Erlang said is true. The two of us really can't take the birthday tribute. Keeping this information is of little use. That 'Blue-Faced Beast' Yang Zhi is a descendant of the Yang family generals, and his martial arts are superb. Only you Liangshan brothers can take the birthday tribute. After it's done, the two of us will need a place where we don't have to worry about being arrested by the government. Very well, if we can get a seat at Liangshan in exchange, what harm is there in telling Chief Li the details!"

"Haha, very good! Then I'll take you up the mountain!"

Because Liu Tang informed Li Hanxiao about the birthday gifts, Li Hanxiao asked Liu Tang to keep it a secret, so most of the Liangshan leaders were unaware of this, which made Ruan Xiaoer quite happy.

In fact, it wasn't just Ruan Xiaoer who was happy; Wu Yong was also delighted because he believed his plan was about to succeed.

However, he had no idea that even if Liu Tang, the "Red-Haired Devil," hadn't informed Li Hanxiao about the birthday tribute, Li Hanxiao had still read "Water Margin," and the chapter "Yang Zhi escorts the gold and silver, Wu Yong cleverly seizes the birthday tribute" had been selected as a textbook in later generations, which Li Hanxiao could recite from memory.

He thought Li Hanxiao would inevitably fall into his trap, but in reality, Li Hanxiao had already used an even bigger bag to trap him, yet he was completely unaware of it.