Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

"That's not right... He drank at least three or four catties of liquor. At that rate, even someone my age would be as sturdy as a rock. How come this young man is perfectly fine..."

Old Master Hu had complete faith in the efficacy of his medicinal wine, because he had personally tried it before and confirmed it was indeed a good medicine…

Since it wasn't the medicinal wine that was the problem, then it must be Li Hanxiao. But Old Master Hu really couldn't believe that the imposing and robust Li Hanxiao before him would actually have that kind of problem...

"That shouldn't be the case... If he had that kind of hidden ailment, how could he possibly have gone to the capital city of Tokyo to break through four gates and have a tryst with that courtesan..."

The more Hu Taigong thought about it, the less he understood what was going on. But just then, Li Hanxiao, who had drunk too much, needed to use the restroom. So the old man said he was going to open the sluice gate and went with him to verify it himself.

In the end, it was discovered that Li Hanxiao was indeed imposing and strong, and there was nothing wrong with him...

Why isn't there any response?

Meanwhile, his son, "Flying Tiger" Hu Cheng, was already completely drunk. If he were to drink any more, Hu Taigong would have to do it himself. Hu Taigong was afraid of Li Hanxiao's drinking capacity and worried that he would get drunk and die first after getting off the table.

So, Old Master Hu had no choice but to try a different approach. He returned to the dinner table and went straight to the point, asking Li Hanxiao about it.

"May I ask, Chief Li, what is your impression of my daughter?"

Upon hearing Old Master Hu's question, Li Han smiled and frankly replied, "Your daughter is a heroine among women, a remarkable woman indeed!"

"I only have one daughter. I was forced by Zhu Biao to agree to a marriage with the Zhu family. It was a helpless move. Now I intend to betroth my daughter to Chief Li. I wonder if Chief Li would accept?"

"puff!"

Li Hanxiao spat out a mouthful of wine, "Old Master, please don't joke, I already have a fiancée!"

“It is common for men to have three wives and four concubines. The so-called three wives and four concubines are one primary wife, two secondary wives, and four concubines. Although my daughter cannot be the primary wife, she can be a secondary wife.”

"That's what Old Master Hu said."

"Your daughter is a remarkable woman, and she should have no shortage of suitors. Why then does the old man have taken a liking to me? What kind of respectable girl would have parents who would rather have someone else be a concubine or secondary wife than a primary wife?"

Li Hanxiao asked with great curiosity, because from what Old Master Hu said, it seemed to have a strong preference for sons over daughters, and he didn't care if his daughter became a concubine.

"Does Chief Li know why Lü Taigong, the father-in-law of Emperor Gaozu of Han, married his daughter to the good-for-nothing Emperor Gaozu?"

Hu Taigong suddenly mentioned a story that Li Hanxiao had heard before. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, the reason why Lü Taigong married Lü Zhi to Liu Bang was because he was "good at physiognomy". After meeting Liu Bang, he believed that he would become a great man in the future, so he married Lü Zhi to him.

Could it be that this Hu Taigong is also a fortune teller?

"Isn't it just that Grandpa Lü knows the art of physiognomy? Could it be that the old man also knows it?"

Li Hanxiao casually mentioned it, but unexpectedly Old Master Hu took it seriously. "I have seen countless people and have some skill in physiognomy. I can see that the chieftain is of noble birth and has a bright future. Moreover, my daughter has fallen in love with the chieftain at first sight. Therefore, I would like to arrange this marriage."

After Old Master Hu finished speaking, Li Hanxiao was speechless.

"This……"

Old Master Hu was implying that he would have a bright future sooner or later, so even if his daughter wasn't his legal wife, it would still be a very good choice for her.

Admiring the powerful is a human habit. If you, as a father, let your daughter become someone else's concubine, others will despise you. But if you let your daughter enter the palace as a concubine, others will say that you, as a father, have good taste.

What is the essential difference between the emperor's concubines and ordinary people's concubines?

It's still about how much benefit this position can bring.

Hearing this, Li Hanxiao also began to think...

Although Li Hanxiao was from the future, he had traveled to ancient times for a few years and had witnessed the state of men having multiple wives and concubines. Based on the principle of "since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it," he figured it wouldn't hurt to experience what it was like to have multiple wives and concubines himself...

Speaking of Hu Sanniang, nicknamed "One-Zhang-Qing," in terms of appearance, although she was somewhat inferior to Li Shishi, she was still a beautiful young woman, with stunning looks. To say that Li Hanxiao had no good feelings towards her would be somewhat dishonest.

Li Hanxiao simply doesn't like to passively accept relationships between men and women. He is extremely disgusted by scenarios like a father arranging a marriage for his daughter, which is somewhat reminiscent of being forced into blind dates in later generations.

Li Hanxiao preferred to do things himself, believing that self-sufficiency would bring him plenty...

"I can't rush this matter. I'll go back and discuss it with my fiancée first..."

Li Hanxiao understood that although his current fiancée, Li Shishi, seemed very magnanimous, he still needed to show her respect and at least ask for her opinion.

After all, Li Shishi came with a "dowry." Her presence helped Li Hanxiao recruit several fierce generals from the former Tang Dynasty military families, and Li Shishi served as the link between them.

If Li Hanxiao and Li Shishi have a falling out, it's hard to say whether they can remain loyal to Li Hanxiao. Therefore, Li Hanxiao still needs to maintain respect for Li Shishi. Although Li Hanxiao knows that Li Shishi will not prevent him from "having children," he still needs to ask her first.

Old Master Hu understood what Li Hanxiao meant; there was still hope, since Li Hanxiao said he needed to discuss it with his fiancée.

As long as they can reach an agreement, it means the marriage is still possible, and his efforts haven't been in vain...

Three days later, the day Li Hanxiao decided to set off arrived. The three villages on Dulonggang prepared carts to carry their belongings and families. The carts pulled by various cattle, horses, donkeys, and mules circled Dulonggang so much that they almost couldn't fit them all.

The Liangshan troops brought by Li Hanxiao were all transporting money and grain to the Zhu Family Village and the Hu Family Village. In the Li Family Village, "Soaring Eagle" Li Ying sold all the land through connections within three days and then converted it into silver.

They didn't have much grain stored up, far less than the Zhu Family Village, but they had a lot of gold and silver jewelry, enough to fill thirty-six oxcarts.

According to Li Hanxiao's rough estimate, the number of people from the three villages who went to join Liangshan Marsh was close to 10,000. Among them, there were about 4,000 young adults, and the rest were their families who also wanted to go.

Fortunately, there were still more than four thousand strong men who had come to join them. Li Hanxiao told them all to drive the carts and help transport the supplies, otherwise it would have been really difficult to move so much stuff.

After Li Hanxiao and his group set off, they headed straight for Jeju and returned. More than 10,000 people were on the road. Although they inevitably encountered some bandits along the way, they dared not provoke such a large group. Therefore, they arrived at the border between Jeju and Yunzhou without any obstacles.

Upon arriving here, Li Han smiled and thought that they were not far from Liangshan Marsh. He then ordered "Leopard Head" Lin Chong to lead the troops back to Liangshan first, while he himself prepared to set off for Jiankang Prefecture to invite "Divine Physician" An Daoquan.

When Lin Chong, nicknamed "Leopard Head," heard Li Hanxiao's idea, he tried his best to dissuade him, saying, "Chief, you are the leader of the stronghold. How can you go alone? What if something goes wrong? Wouldn't it be too late to regret it then?"

"Don't worry, I've been through the world before. It's just a trip to Jiankang Prefecture, not too far. I expect nothing will happen."

"No, if you're going, you're taking a few of your brothers with you!"

Lin Chong said with considerable concern.

Li Han smiled, thinking that he could go and come back quickly, thus avoiding a lot of trouble. His BMW, Beihai Saluzi, was fast, and he estimated that he could make a round trip in less than half a month. If others followed him, but did not have the same BMW, it would really slow down the progress!

However, Lin Chong's attitude was very firm, and the brothers were also quite worried. Li Hanxiao glanced at the leaders and saw "Golden-Faced Buddha" Qin Zhi. His Thousand-Mile Dry Grass Yellow was also a precious horse that could travel a thousand miles a day. Its speed could keep up with Li Hanxiao's North Sea Sa Lu Purple, so it wouldn't delay things.

So Li Han smiled and said, "Let Brother Qin Zhi come with me. Now you can rest assured, right?"

Qin Zhi, nicknamed "Golden-Faced Buddha," was highly skilled in martial arts, so Lin Chong and the others felt at ease. Thus, the two groups parted ways. Lin Chong led everyone back to Liangshan Marsh, while Li Hanxiao and Qin Zhi went to Jiankang Prefecture.

On the way, Li Hanxiao specifically asked Qin Zhi what they, the generals of the Tang Dynasty, would think if he married someone else.

"Brother Qin Zhi, I have a question for you, and you must answer me frankly."

Li Han smiled and said seriously.

"Please speak, Chief!"

"If I marry Shishi and then take other wives and concubines, what do you all think..."

Li Hanxiao didn't explain everything clearly, but he felt that Qin Zhi should understand what he meant.

"What's wrong with a man having three wives and four concubines? As long as the princess is the empress, we don't have any objections."

Qin Zhi, the "Golden-Faced Buddha," put it very clearly: they were servants, and all they needed to do was ensure Li Shishi's status as the empress. As for who Li Hanxiao wanted to marry next, that was none of their business.

"That's good. I suppose you've already figured it out: Old Master Hu wants to marry his daughter, Hu Sanniang, to me."

Li Han smiled and said to Qin Zhi, the "Golden-Faced Buddha".

"Congratulations, Chief! Hu Sanniang is both heroic and beautiful, she is a perfect match for you."

Qin Zhi said.

"stop!"

Just then, a frightened horse came galloping wildly from the side of the road.

Behind the horse, a man in his late twenties, with lightning speed, lunged forward and grabbed the reins tightly, pulling hard to stop the frightened horse.

"Hey!"

The man subdued the frightened horse, looked up and saw Li Hanxiao and the other man. He bowed and said, "This beast was startled and offended you two. Please forgive it."

"A brave man stops a frightened horse—a fine move!"

Li Hanxiao focused his attention on the man's skill in stopping the frightened horse. The man had impressive footwork, agility, and strength.

To subdue a frightened and frenzied horse, you need not only strength but also considerable skill. This person in front of you is probably a master!

"You flatter me, sir. I came from a family of butchers and later followed my uncle to the north to trade horses. I only know a little about livestock!"

That man was quite modest.

"May I ask your name, sir?"

Li Hanxiao felt that this person was no ordinary person and had to ask for his name.

"I am a native of Jiankang Prefecture, named Shi Xiu."

"Shi Xiu, the daredevil!"

Li Hanxiao blurted it out almost without thinking.

"Have you heard of me, guest?"

When Li Hanxiao called out his name, Shi Xiu, the "Desperate Saburo," was taken aback.

"Of course, I've long heard that 'Desperate Saburo' is a renowned hero who would risk his life to help those in need. He's a truly good man. I never expected to meet him here!"

Li Hanxiao never expected to run into Shi Xiu here.

In the original novel, Shi Xiu's ancestral home was Jiankang Prefecture in Jinling. He came from a butcher's family and learned to use weapons from a young age. Later, he followed his uncle to the north to trade sheep and horses. Unfortunately, his uncle died of illness on the way, and the business failed. Shi Xiu had no money to return home, so he wandered to Jizhou and made a living by chopping wood. Later, he met Yang Xiong, known as "Sick Guan Suo," and eventually joined Liangshan Marsh.

Shi Xiu is currently in the period when he lost his capital while trading horses with his uncle and was unable to return home, but he has not yet wandered to Jizhou.

Because Jizhou is now part of the Liao Kingdom, and the Song and Liao Kingdoms had recently fought a small-scale border war, which closed the pass, he couldn't cross it. So his life trajectory changed from heading north to heading south.

He is currently selling firewood and herding livestock in Shandong to make a living, but he never expected to run into Li Hanxiao and his group.

"May I ask your esteemed names?"

Shi Xiu thought to himself that these two people had heard of his name and might also be people from the martial arts world, so he asked them their names.

"To be honest, I am the new master of Liangshan, Li Hanxiao from Guankou, and this is my brother, 'Golden-Faced Buddha' Qin Zhi."

Li Hanxiao naturally intended to recruit the "workaholic" Shi Xiu, so he spoke the truth.

"Ah? You are Chief Li of Liangshan Marsh?"

Shi Xiu was greatly shocked upon hearing this.

"Replace it if it's fake!"

"Shi Xiu has met Chief Li before. I never imagined that Chief Li would be so young!"

Shi Xiu was somewhat surprised to see that Li Hanxiao was a few years younger than him, because Liangshan Marsh was now gaining fame in the martial arts world under Li Hanxiao's leadership, which was really not something a young man of this age could build.

"Ambition knows no age; without ambition, one lives a wasted life. This is common sense. I wonder why this daredevil is here?"

Shi Xiu sighed and recounted his misfortune of being tricked by his uncle. He added that he was now penniless, and that he had been helping someone train a horse, but the horse had gotten spooked. If the horse ran away, he estimated that he would have to pay back money and go into debt.

Since Shi Xiu was having such a bad time, Li Hanxiao was very happy, because this meant that Shi Xiu had enough potential to be recruited by Li Hanxiao to join Liangshan.

"It's a pity that Shi Sanlang, with all his skills, has fallen to such a state. Why don't he come with us to Liangshan?"

Before Li Hanxiao could even open his mouth, "Golden-Faced Buddha" Qin Zhi spoke out what Li Hanxiao was thinking.

"What? I can join Liangshan too?"

Shi Xiu seemed to have heard something unbelievable.

"Liangshan Marsh is recruiting talented people. The 'Desperate Saburo' is famous throughout the land and has superb martial arts skills. Why can't he join Liangshan? By the way, you happen to be from Jiankang Prefecture. We are going to Jiankang Prefecture to take care of something. Why don't we go together? After it's done, we can return to Liangshan together and join the gang."

Li Hanxiao extended an olive branch directly to Shi Xiu, the "Desperate Saburo". For Shi Xiu, who now had no way to improve his life, being able to join Liangshan was a lifesaver, because he was now almost unable to afford food!

"That's for the best. Shi Xiu greets Chief Li and thanks you!"

Shi Xiu bowed deeply, and Li Han smiled and agreed. Then he asked, "By the way, Brother Shi Xiu, since you are from Jiankang Prefecture, you must know that there is a 'miracle doctor' named An Daoquan in your area, right?"

"Yes, this person is the number one physician in Jiankang Prefecture, and I have long heard of his great reputation."

"Desperate Saburo" Shi Xiu nodded vigorously.

"Our trip to Jiankang Prefecture is to invite him back to Liangshan. Do you see if there's any way to make him..."