Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

"You've run out of tricks!"

Du Xue's face contorted with rage from exerting force, but also revealed a hint of excitement. Just then, Li Hanxiao landed, still kneeling on one knee and not yet getting up. Du Xue unleashed a move called "Qin King's Whip Stone," using his eighteen-foot spear as an iron rod, and smashed it down hard on Li Hanxiao's head.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's a spear; even a rhinoceros might not be able to withstand being hit on the head by something that's made of pure metal and weighs over fifty pounds!

In this situation, Li Hanxiao lowered his position, which should have made Du Xue the happiest, because in this situation, he was on a higher position and it was much easier for him to exert force than for Li Hanxiao, so he could easily suppress Li Hanxiao.

Sure enough, Du Xue immediately pressed down with his spear, and Li Hanxiao immediately raised his three-pointed double-edged sword to block it. Du Xue's weapon immediately pressed down on Li Hanxiao, who was half-crouching.

By squatting down to exert force, Du Xue thought that as long as he persevered, he would eventually be able to pin Li Hanxiao to the ground in this struggle.

Li Hanxiao was not humiliating himself, but rather "retreating to advance," preparing to use a "dragon's reversal" to deal with Du Xue.

"Dragon Turns Over" means raising the three-pointed double-edged sword above the head to parry the opponent's weapon as it comes down, then slightly retracting the front hand and raising the back hand high, like a dragon in the clouds reaching down with its claws, and then lunging diagonally forward to stab the opponent's head, neck, chest, and abdomen, followed by a wrist-turning parry and slash.

This move, which turns defeat into victory, is most suitable for a novice to fight a master. It is a unique move in the sword technique that Erlang Shen taught Li Hanxiao. There is no such fighting method in the general sword techniques of the world.

Li Hanxiao had used this sword technique before. It was often used to achieve the effect of surprise and turning the impossible into the possible. Today was his first time fighting against "Nine-Headed Lion" Du Xue, and this unexpected fighting style was most suitable for use now.

As the two were grappling, Li Hanxiao slightly pulled back his front hand and raised his back hand, turning the three-pointed double-edged sword, which was originally held horizontally above his head, into a "slope".

Du Xue's spear, which was originally resting on the three-pointed double-edged sword, was caught off guard by the change in the sword's position and "slipped" off the handle, veering off course!

This is the opportunity I've been waiting for!

Li Hanxiao immediately stood up, and like a bird soaring into the sky, he flew like a cannonball and crashed directly into the arms of "Nine-Headed Lion" Du Xue.

Li Hanxiao thrust his sword downwards like a dragon reaching for its claws in the clouds, lunging forward and diagonally towards his opponent's head, neck, chest, and abdomen. Caught off guard, Du Xue could only rely on instinct to defend himself in the chaos. He turned his head to dodge the dagger aimed straight at his neck, but the sharp edge of the three-pointed double-edged sword still managed to cut a bloody gash on his neck, from which blood gushed out.

Although Li Hanxiao missed his first strike, he could still follow up with a left and right slash and a large chop, but Du Xue couldn't react in time. In order to block the next strike, he could only let go of one hand, put the spear on the ground, and lift the spear shaft with one hand to barely block Li Hanxiao's next strike by holding the spear handle in front of his chest.

However, because he was holding the gun with one hand, he couldn't withstand Li Hanxiao's force, which caused the spear to slip from his hand. It was no longer possible for him to block it again!

However, Li Hanxiao did not continue to make a move, but simply stood still.

"You, you clearly had no strength left, how could you still have a backup plan..."

Du Xue was somewhat puzzled. Li Hanxiao's behavior before and after was too different. He had just been beaten to the point where he could only parry and had no power to fight back, but suddenly he used a surprising move to defeat him!

"Haha, Master Du Xue's martial arts skills are probably unmatched in the martial arts world. But a contest of martial arts is not just about martial arts skills, but also about courage and strategy. In terms of martial arts skills alone, I may not be your match, but with a little trick, you've taken the bait!"

After hearing Li Hanxiao's words, Du Xue suddenly realized, "So... you were deliberately feigning weakness to lure me into making a careless move!"

"Not bad, you took a shortcut! So, Chief Du, what about my brother's horses?"

Although Li Hanxiao did not kill Du Xue, his three-pointed double-edged sword hovered just two inches away from Du Xue's chest. If they could not reach an agreement, he could easily take Du Xue's life with a single strike, making him extremely threatening.

"As expected, he is no ordinary person. His martial arts and strategies are both top-notch. This time, I, Du Xue, admit defeat! Give the horse back to them!"

Du Xue relented, and the members of the canal gang next to him brought over the yellow horse. Qin Zhi immediately took it, examined it carefully, and only when he saw that there was no problem did he feel relieved.

"Sect Leader Du, I have something to say, and I wonder if you would be willing to listen?"

Li Hanxiao naturally wanted to recruit Du Xue, so he tried to persuade him to join Liangshan.

Du Xue wasn't stupid either; he saw through Li Hanxiao's meaning and said directly, "What? Does Chief Li also want to persuade me to join Liangshan?"

"Indeed, with such great skills as Chief Du Xue, you cannot display your abilities within this Canal Gang. Our Liangshan Marsh acts on behalf of Heaven and recruits heroes from all over the world. Naturally, Chief Du Xue will have a place to realize his ambitions!"

Upon hearing this, Du Xue laughed loudly and said, "Chief Li, you underestimate me. Do you think I, Du Xue, am a servant of three surnames? Do you think I am a heartless and ungrateful person who would easily betray my original master and kneel down to another? Let me tell you the truth, when I, Du Xue, was down on my luck, our Chief of the Canal Gang once gave me a meal and saved my life. I, Du Xue, will repay that kindness tenfold. How could I change my allegiance just because of a few words from you?"

It turns out that Du Xue, nicknamed "Nine-Headed Lion," was originally a dye shop owner in the Huai River region. However, due to a sudden flood caused by the Huai River, his entire property was submerged in the towering white waves, and he himself was swept away by the flood. Fortunately, he later met the current leader of the Canal Gang, who saved his life in the water and gave him a full meal. Du Xue then repaid the kindness by following the leader of the Canal Gang. With his excellent martial arts skills, he rose to the position of leader of the Wild Cloud Ferry within the Canal Gang.

If Du Xue had truly been swayed by Li Hanxiao's few words, Li Hanxiao wouldn't have thought much of him. However, Du Xue's words at this moment showed that he was a grateful person, which made Li Hanxiao look at him with new respect.

"A friendship is defined by life and death, and by poverty and wealth. I never imagined you would be such a sentimental person. I, Li Hanxiao, have been too forward. But it is precisely because of this that I admire you, Chief Du Xue, even more. Given time, I will make you my brother, Li Hanxiao!"

Li Han laughed heartily a few times, expressing his true feelings.

“Chief Li is indeed magnanimous, but unfortunately I, Du Xue, will not easily change allegiance. I will not leave until I have repaid your kindness.”

Du Xue, nicknamed "Nine-Headed Lion," had a clear attitude. In his view, since the leader of the Canal Gang had not repaid such a great favor to him, he would never switch sides. This was his principle in life.

"A true loyal subject indeed, but in my opinion, while your gang leader is good at employing people, he is not able to make the most of their talents!"

Li Hanxiao sighed regretfully.

Du Xue asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by employing people but failing to fully utilize their talents?"

Li Hanxiao then explained, "Take you, Chief Du Xue, for example. With such abilities, if you were born in the era of Emperor Taizong of Tang or Emperor Taizu of Song, who expanded the territory, you would have received far more than just the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. With your talent, you are more than just a chief, capable of occupying a ferry crossing and engaging in some private trade. It's a pity that Feng Tang grew old easily, and Li Guang was hard to be ennobled. Qu Yuan and Jia Yi were banished to Changsha, not because there was no wise ruler; Liang Hong was exiled to the coast, not because there was no enlightened era. If you could command thousands of troops, slay generals and seize flags, charge into battle, and protect the people and the country, wouldn't you be a flying general of today!"

Du Xue felt somewhat disappointed after hearing Li Hanxiao's words. Yes, he was indeed quite capable, but he hadn't been able to use his skills within the Canal Gang. What man doesn't dream of achieving something great? But his role in the Canal Gang was really just that of a skilled henchman...

Even if you fight for a lifetime, you've still repaid the debt of gratitude, but what good will it do?

"What you're saying is specious. Our canal gang isn't some kind of army that protects the country and its people. What are we talking about, charging into battle, slaying generals and capturing flags? Are you suggesting we join the army? The court is so corrupt and incompetent, I wouldn't go even if you asked me!"

Du Xue said dismissively.

"Yes, that's why your Canal Gang can't make the most of people's talents. We Liangshan are not like that. We want to act on behalf of Heaven, overthrow this corrupt Song Dynasty, and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, Liaodong, the Western Regions, Jiaozhi, the Northern Frontier, and even the former Lelang and Korea. If you come to our Liangshan, you will surely be able to realize your ambitions!"

Before Li Han's joke had even faded, Du Xue spoke up again, "Wang Xiaoer is just selling melons, praising his own wares. In the end, you're just praising your Liangshan Marsh and belittling our Canal Gang!"

Li Hanxiao listened to Du Xue's words without getting angry. Instead, he said very calmly, "Justice resides in the hearts of the people. Since I came to Liangshan, I have truly been the support of the people. As for whether what I said will come true in the future, I will not argue about it here. Let's wait and see!"

Li Hanxiao understood that he couldn't persuade Du Xue to surrender now, so he could only say this much.

"Very well, Chief Li's words are bold and ambitious. I will see in the next one or two decades whether Chief Li's words can come true!"

Although Du Xue, nicknamed "Nine-Headed Lion," rejected Li Hanxiao's offer to recruit him, he had to admit that Li Hanxiao's demeanor and abilities made him not dislike him, and even quite fond of him.

Having said their piece, Li Hanxiao and the other two took a boat across the river. Once on the other side, Qin Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Chief, this Du Xue is truly formidable. I am certainly no match for him. With such a strong opponent, why don't you continue to persuade him to surrender?"

Li Han smiled slightly and said, "This person cannot be easily moved by a few words. He cannot be swayed by words alone; he can only be subdued with kindness and righteousness. To win over such a person, one must be persistent. Back then, Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage three times to invite him to join his cause. Talented people are hidden in the sea of ​​people, just like an awl hidden in a pocket. They either want to stand out or they want to stab people. If you can't withstand their stabs, you can't hold them in your hands!"

"Brilliant idea! The chieftain is indeed worthy of the title. This 'Nine-Headed Lion' seems to be a horse lover as well. If we can get a good horse on this trip, giving it to him on the way back might just help us get closer to him..."

Qin Zhi, the "Golden-Faced Buddha," naturally didn't want to use their own horses to curry favor with Du Xue, the "Nine-Headed Lion." However, if they could get a new, good horse and give it to Du Xue, that would be acceptable.

"Finding a good horse in Jiankang Prefecture will probably be difficult..."

Li Han smiled to himself, thinking that if they went north on this trip, they might be able to find a good horse. However, Jiankang Prefecture is located in the Jiangnan water town area, a land of literary excellence that does not produce horses. Finding a good horse here would be even more difficult.

"Brother Shi Xiu, are there any famous fine horses in Jiankang Prefecture?"

"Golden-faced Buddha" Qin Zhi turned to ask "Desperate Saburo" Shi Xiu, a local resident. Since Shi Xiu had been selling livestock since childhood, he would probably know if there were any good horses near Jiankang Prefecture.

"I need to think about it. It seems there really is such a fine horse, but I've been away from home for many years and I don't know if it's still in Jiankang Prefecture..."

After a moment's thought, Shi Xiu, the "Desperate Saburo," spoke.

"Oh? Is there really a fine horse? Brother Shi Xiu, tell us quickly!"

Li Hanxiao listened to Shi Xiu's words and thought to himself that if Jiankang Prefecture really had a fine horse, he would get it no matter how much effort it took!

“I’ve seen this horse before in Jiankang Prefecture. It’s said to be a descendant of the celestial horses from the Abbasid Caliphate in the Western Regions. It’s enormous, a true behemoth, and is called One-Zhang Black…”

Shi Xiu said.

"If its tail were fully straightened, it would be nearly ten feet long from head to tail. Its entire body is covered in jet-black fur, and its shoulder height is at least nine feet. Even the largest camel would pale in comparison to this horse. It is said that this horse is extremely powerful and can overturn oxen and collapse houses. It is simply a behemoth..."

Shi Xiu said.

"Is this even a horse? Even a cow isn't this big!"

Qin Zhi was so surprised that he exclaimed, "Nine feet tall at the shoulders means at least two meters tall!"

Li Hanxiao wasn't too surprised. He had seen such large horses in his later life; the Shire horses in Europe seemed to be about the same size as this one.

Shire horses typically stand over 2 meters tall at the shoulder and at least 2.6 meters tall from head to toe. They can weigh over 1 ton and eat more than four times the amount of an ordinary horse. They are known for their great strength and can pull up to 5 tons.

However, because the Shire horse is very large, mounting and dismounting it is very difficult, so no one is willing to ride it. Moreover, the Shire horse can be over two meters tall, and any danger while riding it could be very serious. Therefore, in later generations, almost no one used this horse as a warhorse for training.

Listening to Shi Xiu's description, since this horse came from the Western Regions, that means it was from Arabia, and it might even be a breed of horse with the same origin as the Shire horse in later Europe...