Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

Chapter 213 Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it; armor gleams in the sun, like g

Now, let's turn to another story. The four armies of Liangshan Marsh, like four iron chains swallowing the sky and earth, surrounded the vast city of Jizhou, making it an impenetrable fortress. Outside the city, banners blotted out the sun, and a murderous aura filled the air. The apricot-yellow banner proclaiming "Acting on Behalf of Heaven" fluttered in the cold wind, chilling the hearts of the defending soldiers on the city walls. Inside the city, however, a deathly stillness prevailed, and the people were filled with dread, like a giant tomb awaiting its final sealing.

In the past few days, the people of the city, whether merchants who opened their shops to make a living or ordinary people who dared not go out, were all restless and unable to eat or sleep. This was because the Liangshan bandits were behaving in a truly strange manner. They didn't attack the city, nor did they engage in verbal battles; instead, they drilled their troops outside the city every day. The deafening drumbeats and shouts of battle were like death knells, each sound striking the heart of every person. Even more eerie was that every morning and evening, thousands of arrows, like locusts, would swarm in from outside the city, covering the sky.

The arrows were neither poisoned nor bound with oil; they were simply wrapped with rough sheets of hemp paper. On the paper, written in the most colloquial language, was a proclamation from Li Hanxiao, the leader of Liangshan, to the people of the city.

"...When officials force the people to rebel, the people have no choice but to rebel! The current court is corrupt and incompetent, with treacherous officials in power. People like Gao Qiu and Cai Jing are corrupting the country and harming the people, causing widespread suffering and starvation. We, the Liangshan heroes, act on behalf of Heaven, and those we punish are only corrupt officials, local tyrants, and evil gentry! They are of the same origin as our millions of suffering people, how can we bear to harm them? Now, the army is besieging the city, and we will perish together, which is not my wish. If the righteous men in the city can follow the example of the people of Yuncheng, spontaneously capture the corrupt officials who are exploiting the people, and surrender the city, I, Li Hanxiao, hereby swear that I will ensure your families' safety and well-being, and that you will not commit any offenses! On the day the city falls, all the money and grain in the treasury will be distributed to the poor in the city, and the policy of equal land distribution will be implemented, so that those who till the land will have land, and those who live in the city will have houses..."

These notices, like red-hot irons, were thrown into icy water, instantly stirring up towering steam and raging waves throughout Jeju City.

At first, the government troops were ordered to search and burn the paper scraps from house to house. But these scraps of paper were like the spring grass in the fields, impossible to burn out, and would grow back after being blown away. No sooner had they been collected than new arrows were shot into the city, landing on rooftops, floating on well edges, and even being picked up by mischievous children who used them as kites and ran around the streets.

Gradually, the words on the notice quietly spread throughout the city. Teahouses, taverns, streets and alleys were filled with whispers.

"Have you heard? That Chief Li of Liangshan is truly a living bodhisattva! In Yuncheng County, he killed 'Hairless Tiger' Niu Er and distributed all the land to the poor!"

"That's not all! I've also heard that in their area, even the lowly status of singers and prostitutes has been abolished, and now they can all be given land and live with dignity!"

"Sigh, tell me, which is the real thief, the government or Liangshan?"

This last question, though startling, voiced the doubts in everyone's hearts. The will of the people is like water; it can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Now, the water that carries the boats of the Song Dynasty government has begun to flow backward.

The morale of the city's garrison had long since crumbled. Most were local militia, their families and friends still in the city. Hearing such words, where was their will to fight? Every day, patrolling the streets, they saw only the angry, silent stares of the people; they heard only the suppressed gossip behind their backs. The swords and spears they carried were meant to protect their territory and its people, but now they were protecting a government that had long lost the people's hearts, and killing the "righteous army" who were standing up for the people. To whom should they raise their swords? For whom should they die?

Seeing the situation was turning against him, the strategist Wu Yong hastily ordered a city-wide curfew, strictly forbidding people from gathering and discussing the matter privately. He also increased the number of patrolling soldiers several times over, suppressing the rumors day and night. However, this oppressive measure not only failed to quell the rumors but actually fueled the fire. The suppressed public resentment, like molten lava surging underground, was just waiting for an outlet to erupt, ready to burn the corrupt government to the ground!

In the back hall of the government office, in the bedroom where Zhang Shuye was recuperating, the atmosphere was gloomy and filled with the smell of medicine.

Zhang Shuye leaned against the bed, his face ashen, his lips cracked, and his eyes, which always shone with shrewdness and determination, were now clouded. The arrow wound in his shoulder blade, caused by days of overwork and worry, had flared up repeatedly, becoming red, swollen, and festering, accompanied by a persistent high fever. The army physician was already at a loss, saying only that the sudden attack of the fire had depleted his qi and blood, and that even a miracle couldn't save him; he told them to prepare for the worst.

He knew that his time was coming to an end.

He also knew that the time was up for Jeju City.

"Cough...cough cough..." A violent cough caused his already weak body to tremble violently, and a few dark red bloodstains splattered on the brocade quilt in front of him, like a few withered plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

"Wu Xuejiu, Song Yashi, Hua Jiangjun, my son Bofen..." Zhang Shuye, having calmed his breathing, called out to the people standing by his bedside in a hoarse voice like a broken gong.

Wu Yong, Song Jiang, Hua Rong, and Zhang Shuye's eldest son Zhang Bofen all bowed forward, their expressions solemn.

Zhang Shuye's cloudy gaze slowly swept over everyone present, finally landing on his eldest son's face. A bitter smile appeared on his face, which was as dry as old tree bark.

“Zhongxiong… my child is still in the hands of bandits, his fate unknown. Now, in my Zhang family, you are the only heir left…” He stretched out his withered hand, which was nothing but skin and bones, and tightly grasped Zhang Bofen’s arm. “Your father… I’m afraid I won’t live to see the day when you have children and bring honor to our ancestors…”

“Father!” Zhang Bofeng’s eyes were filled with tears. He knelt down with a thud and wept uncontrollably.

"What are you crying for?!" Zhang Shuye suddenly regained his senses, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and shouted sharply, "The men of the Zhang family shed blood, not tears! We live to eat the nation's bounty, and we die to repay our sovereign! Today, I, your father, will live and die with this city of Jizhou!"

He struggled to sit up, his voice filled with the last vestige of his indomitable spirit. "Issue my order! Mobilize all the troops in the city. Tomorrow morning, open the city gates wide and fight those Liangshan bandits to the death! I, Zhang Shuye, will die on the walls of Jizhou City, to serve the Emperor with my blood!"

These words shocked everyone in the room!

"Prefect! Absolutely not!" Song Jiang was the first to scream, his already sallow face draining of all color. Only one thought occupied his mind: a decisive battle? That would be suicide! I, Song Jiang, haven't even left any descendants for the Song family; how could I die here without a proper explanation!

Wu Yong's brows were also furrowed. Although he knew the situation was hopeless, he had never considered ending everything in such a suicidal manner. He stepped forward, gently waving his feather fan, his voice still calm, yet unable to conceal his urgency: "Prefect, please calm down! As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Now the morale of the army in the city is shattered, and the people's hearts are turned away. If we open the city gates for a decisive battle, it will be tantamount to throwing eggs against rocks, needlessly sacrificing the lives of all the soldiers in the city, and it will not help at all!"

"Yes, Prefect!" Hua Rong, nicknamed "Little Li Guang," clasped his hands in greeting, his handsome face filled with anxiety. "We still have several thousand soldiers, and the city's provisions can last for more than a month. If we can find a good opportunity to break out from a weak point and preserve our strength, we may one day be able to make a comeback!"

The men behind him, including "Jinmaohu" Yan Shun and "Dwarf Tiger" Wang Ying, echoed his sentiments, none of them willing to make that pointless sacrifice here.

Looking at the group of officers and soldiers before him, whose courage had already vanished, Zhang Shuye's eyes, which had just brightened, gradually dimmed again. He let out a long, desperate sigh and slumped back onto the bed.

"Breakout... Hah, Jeju City is surrounded like an iron barrel, with both land and water forces advancing, making escape impossible. Where can we possibly escape to?"

Amidst this atmosphere of despair, a glint of cunning flashed in Wu Yong's eyes, which always gleamed with a sinister light!

"Prefect, I... have a plan that might allow us to escape!"

"Oh?" A glimmer of hope rekindled in Zhang Shuye's cloudy eyes.

Wu Yong leaned closer and whispered in his ear the details of a cunning plan called "Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell."

"...This plan, ostensibly a decisive battle, is in reality a breakout. Tomorrow, we can launch a full-scale attack from the south gate, mobilizing all the city's main forces, making it appear as if we're fighting to the death. Seeing us like cornered beasts, Li Hanxiao will surely divert all his main forces to the south gate, seeking a decisive victory. At that time, we can take advantage of the darkness and quietly escape by fast boat from the least noticeable waterway at the north gate. Outside the north gate lies a vast reed marshland, crisscrossed by waterways, perfect for concealment. Once we escape into that reed marshland, it will be like fish in the sea; finding us will be as difficult as ascending to heaven!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuye's spirits lifted slightly, but he immediately frowned again: "This plan is brilliant, but... what about the feint attack at the south gate? If it's just a feint, it probably won't fool Li Hanxiao. If we want to draw away his main force, the feinting troops must fight a real battle to the death, and the leader must be a fierce general who can hold out long enough under the siege of the Liangshan army to buy us enough time to break through!"

Wu Yong nodded, his expression grave: "The governor is absolutely right. To put it bluntly, this rearguard is a pawn to be sacrificed. Going there, they face a slim chance of survival."

The room fell into a deathly silence once again.

Who's going?

Who would be willing to be a pawn destined to die?

Just then, Zhang Bo suddenly raised his head, his young face, which bore a striking resemblance to Zhang Shuye, filled with determination!

"Father! Your son is willing to go!" He knelt down again with a thud, his voice strong and clear, "As a son of the Zhang family, I am entitled to the emperor's bounty and should serve my country with utmost loyalty! Today, let me go to war in your father's place and carve a bloody path for you and all my brothers!"

"Bofen! No!" Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuye was struck dumb! He sat up abruptly, grabbing his son's arm, his withered hands trembling like leaves in the wind. "Zhongxiong... Zhongxiong has been captured by the bandits, his fate unknown! My Zhang family has only you left! If anything happens to you, how can I... how can I face our ancestors in the afterlife!"

At this point, he could no longer hold back and burst into tears, embracing his son. The sound of his weeping was desolate and desperate, and all who heard it felt their hearts ache.

The father and son embraced and wept bitterly. The generals standing nearby also looked on with sorrow.

Just then, a towering figure pushed through the crowd and stepped forward. He knelt before Zhang Shuye, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Prefect! Your humble servant Zhang Bao is willing to accept this important task!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhang Bao, a man of imposing stature and resolute face, whose eyes shone like stars in the night. He was originally a hero of the martial world, but out of gratitude for Zhang Shuye's patronage, he joined Zhang's ranks and remained loyal. Over the years, he had accumulated countless military achievements and had long been Zhang Shuye's most trusted confidant and beloved general.

Zhang Shuye looked at him, his lips moving, but he couldn't utter a word. His heart was filled with a mixture of emotions, a bittersweet mix of feelings. He couldn't bear to see his own son die, yet... he could bear to see this righteous man who treated him like a father die.

"Heh..." A very faint, sarcastic laugh came from the corner.

Everyone turned to look, and saw "Little Li Guang" Hua Rong leaning against the doorframe, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Prefect, what a touching display of fatherly love! But I wonder, how much is General Zhang Bao's life compared to your son's?"

These words were sharp and sarcastic, showing no mercy whatsoever!

Uncle Zhang's face instantly turned a deep liver color. He pointed at Hua Rong, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

"Hua Rong! Don't be rude!" Song Jiang hurriedly stepped forward to smooth things over.