Water Margin

Poem: 

The heavens' justice is clear and cannot be denied; don't think evil deeds will yield good results. 

If not for the snowstorm and a drink at a village inn, they would have perished in the fire, leaving nothing but ashes. 

Believing they had plotted cleverly in the shadows, they did not know that unseen forces were aiding in the light. 

Admire those who escape death's grip a thousand times; truly, they are extraordinary and brave men.

As the story goes, Lin Chong was wandering idly when he suddenly heard someone call from behind. Turning around, he recognized the person as Li Xiao’er, a former wine merchant. Back in Dongjing, Lin Chong had helped him a lot. Li Xiao’er had been caught stealing from his employer and was about to be sent to the authorities for punishment. However, Lin Chong intervened, spoke on his behalf, and paid some compensation, allowing him to escape the charge. Unable to stay in Dongjing, Li Xiao’er had to rely on Lin Chong, who gave him money for travel expenses to find another place. Unexpectedly, they met again here. 

Lin Chong asked, “Brother Xiao’er, how did you end up here?” 

Li Xiao’er bowed and replied, “Ever since you saved me and provided for me, I traveled around seeking refuge but found none. Eventually, I came to Cangzhou and started working at an inn owned by someone named Wang. Seeing my diligence and my skill in preparing good dishes and blending fine drinks, the owner made me his son-in-law. Now, both my parents-in-law have passed away, and it’s just my wife and me. We run a small tea shop near the camp. I came to collect some money and unexpectedly ran into you here. What brings you here, my benefactor?” 

Lin Chong pointed to the brand on his face and said, “I offended Grand Marshal Gao, who set me up. After being convicted, I was exiled here to Cangzhou. Now, I’ve been assigned to guard the Tianwang Temple. I don’t know what the future holds. I didn’t expect to meet you here.” 

Li Xiao’er then invited Lin Chong to his home, where his wife came out to greet and thank their benefactor. The couple said, “We have no other relatives, and today, to have you here feels like a blessing from the heavens.” 

Lin Chong replied, “I’m a convict; I’m afraid I might disgrace you two.” 

Li Xiao’er responded, “Who doesn’t know your great name? Please don’t say such things. If you have any clothes that need washing or mending, bring them to us.” They treated Lin Chong to a meal and sent him back to the Tianwang Temple that evening. The next day, they invited him over again. Because of this, Lin Chong often visited Li Xiao’er’s home, and they would frequently bring him food and drinks to the camp. Lin Chong, noticing their diligence and respect, often gave them some silver to help with their business. There is a poem as evidence: 

Having just left the lonely path to the temple, now guarding the desolate hay shed. 

Li Er and his wife, devoted to guests, always serve tea and wine with genuine hospitality. 

Time passed quickly, and winter arrived. Lin Chong’s padded clothing was all mended and prepared by Li Xiao’er’s wife. One day, while Li Xiao’er was preparing vegetables for a meal at the shop’s entrance, a person walked in and sat down. Shortly after, another person followed him inside. The first man appeared to be an officer, while the second looked like an attendant. Li Xiao’er approached them and asked if they wanted some wine. The first man took out a tael of silver and said, “Keep this in the drawer and bring three or four bottles of good wine. When the guests arrive, just keep bringing out the fruits and dishes without asking.” Li Xiao’er asked, “Which guests are you expecting?” The man replied, “Go to the camp and invite the superintendent and the warden for me. If they ask, just say an officer wants to discuss some matters and is waiting for them.” Li Xiao’er agreed and went to the camp, first inviting the warden and then the superintendent to the shop. 

Upon arrival, the man greeted the superintendent and the warden. The superintendent asked, “We are strangers, may I ask for your esteemed name?” The man replied, “I have a letter here; you’ll understand shortly. For now, bring some wine.” Li Xiao’er quickly prepared the wine and set out the vegetables and fruit dishes. The man asked for a side tray, poured some wine, and invited them to sit. Li Xiao’er, alone, served them attentively. The attendant who came with the man heated the wine, and they drank about ten cups. Then they asked for more wine to be placed on the table. The man said, “I have my attendant to warm the wine; you can leave us now. We have some matters to discuss.” 

Li Xiao’er responded and went to the door, calling his wife, “Sister, these two people seem suspicious.” His wife asked, “Why do you say that?” Xiao’er replied, “Their accents are from Dongjing, and at first, they didn’t recognize the superintendent. Later, when I brought in the warm wine, I overheard the warden mentioning the name ‘Grand Marshal Gao.’ Could this have something to do with Lin Chong? I’ll keep an eye on things at the door; you go behind the partition and listen to what they’re saying.” His wife suggested, “Why don’t you go to the camp and bring Lin Chong to identify them?” Xiao’er disagreed, saying, “You don’t understand. Lin Chong is a hot-tempered man. If he finds out it’s that Deputy Lu who caused trouble before, things might escalate, and we could get dragged into it. You go listen first, and we’ll decide what to do next.” His wife agreed and went to listen for about an hour. She returned and said, “They were whispering, so I couldn’t hear much. But I did see the officer hand something wrapped in a cloth to the superintendent and the warden. It seemed like it might be gold or silver. I overheard the warden say, ‘We’ll take care of him, no matter what.'” 

As they were talking, someone inside called for more soup. Xiao’er quickly brought it in and noticed the superintendent holding a letter. He refilled the soup and added more dishes. They continued drinking for another half hour before paying the bill. The superintendent and warden left first, followed by the two suspicious men. Shortly after, Lin Chong arrived at the inn and said, “Brother Xiao’er, how’s business been lately?” Xiao’er hurriedly replied, “Please have a seat, benefactor. I was just about to come find you; there’s something important I need to tell you.” 

There’s a poem that goes: 

In secret, they plotted against a hero, but fate delivered the message just in time. 

Thanks to the loyal and wise Li Xiao’er, who secretly protected the hero with great skill. 

Lin Chong asked, “What is the urgent matter?” Xiao’er led Lin Chong inside and said, “Earlier, a suspicious man from Dongjing came to my inn and invited the superintendent and warden to drink here for half the day. I overheard the warden mention ‘Grand Marshal Gao,’ which made me suspicious. I had my wife listen in, but she couldn’t catch much of their conversation. Before they left, the warden said, ‘We’ll take care of him, no matter what.’ The two men handed a package of gold or silver to the superintendent and warden. I’m worried they might be plotting something against you.” 

Lin Chong asked, “What did the men look like?” Xiao’er replied, “One was short and stout, with a fair face, no facial hair, and about thirty years old. The other was also not very tall, with a dark face.” Upon hearing this, Lin Chong was shocked and exclaimed, “That short man is Deputy Lu! That vile scoundrel dares to come here to harm me! If I catch him, I’ll make sure he’s ground into dust!” Xiao’er cautioned, “Just be careful. As the saying goes, ‘Be wary when eating, to avoid choking; be careful when walking, to avoid tripping.'” 

Angry, Lin Chong left Xiao’er’s house and went to the market, buying a sharp dagger. He then wandered through the streets and alleys, searching for the men. Xiao’er and his wife watched anxiously, sweating with worry. 

That night passed without incident. The next morning, Lin Chong got up, washed, and armed himself again. He spent the day searching throughout the city and surrounding areas but found no sign of the men. He returned to Xiao’er’s house and said, “Nothing happened today.” Xiao’er replied, “I hope it stays that way. Just stay vigilant.” Lin Chong returned to the Tianwang Temple, where he spent the night. He continued searching the streets for the next three or four days, but there was no sign of trouble, and he started to relax. 

On the sixth day, the superintendent summoned Lin Chong to the inspection hall and said, “You’ve been here for some time now, and although you’ve been recommended by Chai Da Gongzi, you haven’t been given any special treatment. There’s a large military supply depot fifteen miles outside the East Gate. The monthly supply deliveries come with some customary payments. An old soldier has been managing it, but I’m promoting you to replace him and watch over the Tianwang Temple. There, you can earn a bit of extra money. You can go with the warden to take over the duties there.” Lin Chong agreed, saying, “I’ll go right away.” 

He left the camp and went to Xiao’er’s house, telling him, “Today, the superintendent assigned me to the military supply depot. What do you think of this?” Xiao’er replied, “This job is similar to guarding the Tianwang Temple. There’s a bit of extra money to be made when the supplies come in. It’s a decent position.” Lin Chong said, “It seems they’re not trying to harm me but rather giving me a good assignment. What could this mean?” Xiao’er advised, “Just keep an eye out and don’t worry too much. Though it’s a bit further away, I’ll come visit when I can.” They immediately arranged a few cups of wine at home and invited Lin Chong to drink. 

After sharing a few drinks, Lin Chong and Xiao’er parted ways. Lin Chong returned to the Tianwang Temple, packed his belongings, took the dagger and spear, and left with the warden. It was the dead of winter, with heavy clouds and a strong north wind. Soon, a heavy snowstorm started. How heavy was the snow? A poem in “To the River Fairies” captures it: 

The snow falls in clusters, filling the sky, this time too much to bear.  

The icy creek freezes the boats of Ziyou.  

The jade dragon’s scales dance, covering the rivers and seas.  

The towers of the universe are overwhelmed, the long sky is filled with drifting snow.  

The entire world is connected in a sheet of jade, the ice binds the northern shore, frozen for over ten years. 

As the heavy snow fell, Lin Chong and the warden walked on without finding any place to buy wine. They finally arrived at the supply depot, surrounded by yellow dirt walls and two large gates. Pushing open the gates, they saw several straw houses used as warehouses, with piles of horse fodder everywhere. In the middle, there were two larger straw halls. Inside one of the halls, an old soldier was warming himself by the fire. The warden said, “The superintendent has assigned Lin Chong to replace you and return to the Tianwang Temple. You can hand over the duties now.” The old soldier handed over the keys and led Lin Chong around, pointing out the various stacks of fodder and other items. He explained, “The warehouses are sealed by the authorities, and these stacks of fodder are all accounted for.” After going through everything, the old soldier prepared to leave, saying, “I’ll leave the fire pit, pots, and dishes for you.” Lin Chong replied, “I have my own at the Tianwang Temple; you can take these with you if you like.” The old soldier pointed to a large gourd hanging on the wall and said, “If you want to buy wine, just leave the depot and go three or four miles along the main road, and you’ll find a market.” The old soldier then left with the warden. 

As Lin Chong set down his bundle and bedding on the bed, he started a small fire. He noticed a pile of charcoal nearby and took some to start a fire in the ground stove. Looking up at the thatched roof, he saw that it was damaged on all sides and shaken by the strong north wind. Lin Chong thought, “How can this house withstand a whole winter? Once the snow clears, I’ll go to the city and find a mason to repair it.” 

Feeling cold, he considered, “The old soldier mentioned a market five miles away; why not go and buy some wine?” He took some loose silver from his bundle, picked up his spear, grabbed the wine gourd, covered the fire with charcoal, put on a felt hat, took the keys, and locked the doors as he left. He walked east, treading on the snowy ground, heading against the north wind, with snow falling heavily. 

After walking less than half a mile, he saw an ancient temple. Lin Chong bowed and said, “May the deities protect me; I will come another day to burn incense and offer paper money.” After walking a while longer, he saw a cluster of houses. He stopped and noticed a broom placed outside one of the houses, then went inside the shop. The shopkeeper asked, “Where do you come from, sir?” Lin Chong replied, “Do you recognize this gourd?” The shopkeeper looked at it and said, “This gourd belongs to the old soldier at the hay depot.” Lin Chong asked, “How do you know that?” The shopkeeper responded, “Since you’re the keeper of the hay depot, please sit down. The weather is cold; let’s have three cups of wine to welcome you.” The shopkeeper prepared a plate of cooked beef and a pot of hot wine, inviting Lin Chong to eat. After buying some more beef and drinking a few more cups of wine, Lin Chong filled his gourd, wrapped the beef, and left some silver pieces, before heading back, calling out his thanks. 

By evening, the snow was falling even more heavily. There was once a scholar who composed a poem lamenting the snow’s cruelty to the poor: 

A fierce wind scours the ground, the snow falls heavily. 

Pulling at the cotton, stretching the thread, the flakes are as large as baskets. 

The bamboo houses in the forest nearly collapsed under the weight.  

The wealthy homes even wish for more snow to curb disease.  

They have beast charcoal in red furnaces, wear padded coats, and sing songs about national prosperity, unmindful of the poor.  

Reclining in seclusion, they write many poems. 

Lin Chong trudged through the auspicious snow, facing the north wind, and hurriedly arrived at the hay depot gate. He unlocked and entered, only to cry out in distress. It turned out that divine justice had protected him; the heavy snowfall had saved Lin Chong’s life. The two straw halls had collapsed under the weight of the snow. Lin Chong wondered, “What should I do?” He set down his spear and gourd in the snow, fearing that embers from the brazier might catch fire. He moved aside the broken wall and reached in; the fire inside had been extinguished by the snow. As he felt around on the bed, he only managed to retrieve a quilt. Lin Chong emerged to find it getting dark and pondered, “There’s no way to make a fire, how will I manage?” Remembering an ancient temple half a mile away where he could take shelter for the night, he decided, “I’ll stay there until morning and then figure out what to do.” 

He rolled up the quilt, balanced the gourd on the spear, locked the gate, and made his way to the temple. Upon entering, he closed the door and propped it shut with a large stone he found nearby. Inside, the temple housed a statue of a gold-armored mountain deity, with a judge and a small ghost on either side. A pile of paper sat nearby, and the place appeared deserted. Lin Chong placed his spear and gourd on the paper pile, shook off the snow from his clothes, and removed his wet outer robe, which was already half-soaked. He laid the quilt over half his body, took a drink from the gourd, and ate some beef he had brought along. As he was eating, he heard a crackling noise outside. Jumping up, Lin Chong looked through a crack in the wall and saw that the hay depot had caught fire and was burning fiercely. Observing the blaze, he saw: 

A single point of clarity, the five elements’ creation, the fire element’s influence persists through the ages.  

In a mind shrouded in ignorance, disaster arises in Cangzhou.  

The cauldron of iron can forge all things, casting golden elixirs even for grand towers. 

Reflecting on ancient and modern times, the southern region, governed by fire, is the most influential.  

Green windows reflect the glow of embers, deep within the garden, concealing a fisherman’s boat.  

The fierce battles at Red Cliffs brought joy to Zhou Yu’s strategies. Li Jinwang drunkenly stayed at the post station, Tian Dan drove the cattle at Jimo.  

Zhou Bao’s laughter at Lishan, thus mocking the feudal lords. 

At that moment, he saw the fire blazing all around the fodder depot. Lin Chong grabbed his spear and was about to open the door to put out the fire when he heard voices coming from the front. Lin Chong crouched in the temple and listened as three men approached and tried to push the door, but Lin Chong was holding it shut, so they couldn’t open it. The three men stood under the temple eaves, watching the fire. One of them said, “Isn’t this plan perfect?” Another responded, “Indeed, thanks to the efforts of the commander and the overseer. When we return to Dongjing and report to the Grand Marshal, both of you will surely be promoted. This time, Instructor Zhang has no excuse.” One of them added, “Lin Chong has finally fallen into our trap, and Young Master’s illness will surely improve.” Another said, “We’ve sent people to that scoundrel, Instructor Zhang, three to five times to inform him, ‘Your son-in-law is dead.’ Yet, Instructor Zhang still refuses to agree, and so the Young Master’s condition worsened. The Grand Marshal specifically sent us to ask the two of you to handle this matter, and now it’s finally done.” Another man said, “I crawled over the wall and lit ten or so torches around the piles of hay. Where could he escape to?” One of them replied, “By now, most of it should be burned.” Another voice said, “Even if he manages to escape, burning down the army’s fodder depot is a crime punishable by death.” Another man said, “Let’s go back to the city.” One of them said, “Let’s wait and see if we can find a piece of his bone to take back to the capital. When we see the Grand Marshal and Young Master, we can show them we did the job well.” 

Lin Chong recognized the voices of the three men as the overseer, Lu Qian, and Fu An. Lin Chong thought, “Heaven has mercy on me, Lin Chong. If the thatched hall hadn’t collapsed, I would have surely been burned to death by these scoundrels.” Gently moving the stone aside, he grabbed his spear, pulled open the temple door, and shouted, “You vile villains, where are you going?” The three men, startled and paralyzed with fear, couldn’t move. Lin Chong struck the overseer down first with a swift thrust of his spear. Lu Qian shouted, “Spare me!” He was so terrified that he couldn’t run. Fu An managed to run about ten steps before Lin Chong caught up and struck him down with a spear thrust to his back. Lin Chong then turned back to Lu Qian, who had only managed to take a few steps. Lin Chong shouted, “Traitor! Where do you think you’re going?” He grabbed Lu Qian by the chest, threw him to the ground in the snow, placed his foot on Lu Qian’s chest, and drew his knife. Holding the knife to Lu Qian’s face, he shouted, “You vile creature! I’ve had no real grudge against you, so why do you harm me so? Killing a person can be forgiven, but this treachery is unforgivable.” Lu Qian pleaded, “It’s not my fault; the Grand Marshal ordered me. I dared not refuse.” Lin Chong cursed, “You traitor! We have been friends since childhood, and today you come to harm me. How can you say it’s not your fault? Take this!” He tore open Lu Qian’s clothes and stabbed him in the chest, pulling out his heart and liver. Turning around, he saw the overseer trying to crawl away. Lin Chong pressed him down and shouted, “You scoundrel, you’re just as bad! Take this!” He swiftly decapitated him and then did the same to Fu An and Lu Qian. Lin Chong tied their hair together, carried the heads into the temple, and placed them on the altar in front of the mountain deity. He changed into his white cloth shirt, tied his arm protector, put on his felt hat, and drank all the cold wine from the gourd, discarding the gourd afterward. He grabbed his spear and left the temple, heading east. He had not gone more than three or five miles when he saw villagers coming with buckets and hooks to put out the fire. Lin Chong said, “You all go and help with the fire; I’m going to report to the authorities.” He continued walking with his spear, but the snow was falling heavily. The scene was described as follows: 

Piercing cold mist obscured the sky, and auspicious snowflakes fell thickly.  

In a moment, the countryside was covered, the roads indistinguishable, and the mountains unseen.  

The world was silver, the heavens were jade; in the distance, it seemed to merge with Kunlun.  

If it continued to snow until the third watch, it would seem as if it had filled the Jade Emperor’s palace. 

Lin Chong headed east for two more watches, but the cold was unbearable. He looked around in the snow and realized he was far from the depot. In the distance, among sparse trees, he saw a few thatched houses covered in snow, with a faint firelight showing through the cracks. Lin Chong headed towards the houses, pushed open the door, and saw an old peasant surrounded by four or five others, warming themselves by a fire. Lin Chong walked up and said, “Greetings, everyone. I am a guard from the prison camp, my clothes are wet from the snow, and I need to dry off by the fire. Please, allow me.” The peasants said, “Feel free to warm yourself; it’s no trouble.” Lin Chong warmed his wet clothes, which were somewhat dry, and noticed a pot near the fire emitting the scent of wine. He said, “I have some spare silver, could I buy some wine?” The old peasant replied, “We take turns watching the grain stores every night. Now it’s the fourth watch, and it’s freezing. We don’t even have enough wine for ourselves, let alone to sell to you. Don’t count on it.” Lin Chong said, “Just a few bowls to warm me up.” The old peasant replied, “Stop pestering us!” Lin Chong, increasingly wanting the wine, said, “I have no choice, just give me some.” The peasants said, “We’re letting you dry your clothes, and now you want wine too? Get out, or we’ll throw you out.” Lin Chong, angered, thought, “These guys are unreasonable.” He pointed his spear at the fire, then flicked it towards the old peasant’s face, causing his beard to catch fire. The peasants jumped up, but Lin Chong beat them with the spear shaft. The old peasant ran away first, followed by the others, who were too scared to move. Lin Chong shouted, “They’ve all run off, now I can enjoy the wine.” He took one of the coconut shells from the kang and filled it with wine from the pot, drinking it until he was half-full. He then grabbed his spear and left. The snow was deep, and he staggered and stumbled. After walking about a mile, the north wind knocked him down by a mountain stream, and he couldn’t get up. Once a drunk man falls, he can’t get up. Lin Chong lay drunk in the snow. 

Meanwhile, the peasants gathered about twenty men, armed with guns and clubs, and rushed to the hut but didn’t find Lin Chong. They followed his tracks and found him lying in the snow. The peasants said, “So, you’ve collapsed here.” His spear lay to the side. The peasants quickly tied Lin Chong up and took him to a certain place at dawn. This place was none other than: 

Liao’er Valley, surrounded by thousands of warships; Shuihu Village, home to hundreds of heroes.  

They disturbed the Emperor, causing him to tremble on his dragon throne, his courage failing within the Phoenix Tower. 

Indeed: 

The tale of Lin Chong’s capture chills the heart; the story of his trials fills the soul with sorrow. 

To find out where the peasants took Lin Chong, please listen to the next chapter.