Читать книгу Water Margin - Shi Naian - Страница 18

CHAPTER 6

Lu Da Uproots a Willow Tree; Leopard’s Head Makes a Mistake in Entering the White Tiger Hall

NOW these vagabonds had two leaders; Zhang the Third, nicknamed “The Crossing Road Rat” and the other Li the Fourth, nicknamed “Green Grass Snake,” and they tried to induce Lu Da towards the cesspit, but he noticed that the crowd of men did not move at all. Lu Da invited them all to come into the temple, but as the two leaders had already knelt down they did not want to get up, and waited for him to come forward to assist them to get up when they would seize his legs. As they neither moved nor got up, Lu Da at once suspected some trickery, and thought they were surely waiting to “pull the tiger’s whiskers.” So he decided to go forward, and make them feel the weight of his fist and foot. As he strode up to them the leaders said, “We offer you our congratulations,” so saying, they advanced on their knees, and tried to grab hold of Lu Da’s legs. But the latter was too quick for them, and he kicked Green Grass Snake into the cesspit, and then did the same to Old Rat. This made the crowd of rascals speechless, and they all wanted to sneak off. Lu Da shouted that if any man attempted to go away he would be treated in the same way. No one dared move. In the cesspit the leaders were peeping to see what was happening. The cesspit was so deep that they could not touch the bottom. There was a terrible stench, and their heads were covered with maggots. They called out, “Reverend, please forgive us.”

“You rascals there,” shouted Lu Da, “come and help these men to get out. I forgive the whole lot of you.”

The two leaders were assisted out of the pit, and then they went and stood near a gourd stand some distance away as the stench was so strong.

Lu Da laughed, “You foolish fellows! You had better go to the pool and after a wash there I will talk with you.”

The leaders did this, and their followers handed them a change of clothing to put on.

Lu Da ordered them all to come into the temple, and there sitting in the center of the hall he pointed at the assembled men and said, “You gang of vagabonds need not try to deceive me. Now why did you come here to trifle with me?”

They all knelt down, and the leaders replied, “We live by gambling, and therefore have to depend on your garden for our food. The temple bribed us several times to leave the vegetables alone, but there is no result. Reverend, where do you come from? You are so strong that we must submit to you. We are willing to do whatever you wish.”

“I was a Major in the army,” replied Lu Da, “and because I killed many men I became a monk. My name is Lu Da. You thirty men are of no account to me for even if a thousand soldiers came here I would defeat them.”

The rascals expressed their appreciation of his clemency in letting them off so lightly; they then departed. The next day the rascals got together some money, ten jars of wine, and a roasted pig, and brought them to present to Lu Da. In the temple they took their seats in two rows with Lu Da in the center, and they all drank wine.

Lu Da asked why they had wasted so much money, and they replied, “We are happy because you are with us today, and we ask you to become our chief.”

Lu Da was pleased at this offer. When they had been drinking for some time, some were singing, others talking, applauding, or laughing. While in this state they heard a great noise outside, caused by some crows cawing. Some men showed their teeth to indicate dislike of this interruption and used a saying, “If there is trouble let it go to either heaven or hell.”

“What trouble are you fellows talking about?” asked Lu Da.

The men said, “We are afraid there will be trouble because of the cawing of those crows.”

“Where do you get that idea from?” asked Lu Da.

A servant laughed and replied, “The crows build their nests in a willow tree just outside the garden, and every evening they clamor there.”

Some said they would get a ladder, and destroy the nests. Lu Da was now merry with wine, and they all went outside to look at the nests. The Green Grass Snake said he would climb up the tree, but Lu Da took off his gown, and seizing the tree with both hands he made a mighty heave and uprooted the willow tree. The vagabonds were astounded, and kneeling down they worshiped him. They said, “Reverend, you are not a mortal man, but must be a living Buddha. If you had not the strength to lift ten million jin in weight you could not have done this.”

“That is only a small affair. Wait till tomorrow, when you can see me do some military exercises with my sword.”

It was evening before they all departed. The next day they were quite submissive in spirit due to what they had seen. They brought wine and meat for Lu Da, and watched him at his exercises. After they had done this for some time Lu Da decided to give them a banquet, and ordered his gardeners to go into the town and buy various kinds of fruit and wine, kill a pig and a sheep. At that time the weather was warm it being the end of the fourth lunar month, so Lu Da had mats spread under the ash tree, and there the vagabonds sat down. They were served with big bowls of wine, and large pieces of meat, and were told to eat as much as they wanted. During the feast they said, “Reverend, for several days we have seen you exercising, but we have not noticed you using your staff, and we should like to see you do that now.”

Lu Da agreed, and going indoors, brought out his monk staff, seventy inches in length, and weighed sixty-two jin. When they saw this huge weapon they were startled, and said, “If a man had not the strength of a buffalo in both arms he could not use that.” But Lu Da whirled it round with great ease, making it whistle in the air. On seeing this the men applauded.

Lu Da was quite in high spirit and did this display in good form. He noticed an official watching him through a break in the garden wall, so he ceased his exercises. The official wore blue gauze silk, folded in a knot on his head; round his head was a string of pearls to which were attached two white jade tablets at the back of his head; his military gown was of thin green silk decorated with a flower design; his belt was embroidered like the marks on the back of a tortoise; suspended from it were two otters’ tails, and it had a silver buckle; his black shoes were of court fashion with tips turned up; in his hand he held a fan made of Sichuan paper. His face was like a leopard’s, with big round eyes and a heavy beard. He was nine feet tall and seemed to be thirty-five years of age. He called out, “This is an extraordinary master, and uses his weapon well.”

The vagabonds answered, “As this Drill Instructor approves, Lu Da must be very good.”

“Who is that army officer?” asked Lu Da.

“He is the Drill Inspector of the Imperial Guards, and is named Lin Chong.”

“Why don’t you ask him to come inside?” asked Lu Da. But just then the onlooker jumped over the broken wall, and met Lu Da under the ash tree, where they sat down.

After the usual courtesies as to names, Lu Da said that he had met Lin Chong’s father at the Eastern Capital. Lin Chong was much pleased, and insisted upon making Lu Da his sworn elder brother. He then informed Lu Da that he had come with his wife to worship at the Yue Temple nearby. As he saw Lu Da exercising, so he told his maidservant, Jin Er, to go with his wife to the temple, and he would wait there for them. Lu Da ordered his servants to bring wine for the guest, and when the latter had partaken three cups, he saw the servant with a red face hurrying towards the broken wall and calling, “Master! come at once! Your wife has trouble with a man in the temple.”

Lin Chong quickly inquired where they were, and Jin Er replied, “She was just at the bottom of the Wu Yue Pavilion in the temple when a cheeky fellow stopped her, and would not let her go.”

Lin Chong hurriedly said to Lu Da, “Please excuse me, sir; I will come back very soon.” He ran towards the broken wall and jumping over, hastened to the Yue Temple followed by the maid. Upon reaching the Wu Yue Pavillion, he saw several men with bows, blowpipes, and sticks covered with lime for catching birds, standing inside the railings. On the staircase to the upper chamber was a young man, preventing his wife to proceed, and saying to her, “Come with me upstairs as I have something to say to you.”

Lin Chong’s wife blushingly replied, “How dare you speak to me in this way, in broad daylight?”

Lin Chong hurried forward, caught hold of the man, and pulled him away, saying; “You should be severely punished for molesting a respectable woman like this.” He was on the point of hitting him, when he recognized him as Master Gao, the adopted son of the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, Gao Qiu.

Now sometime before Gao Qiu having no child of his own, had adopted his cousin, and was very fond of him, but Master Gao used the influence of this official for the sole purpose of debauching the people’s wives. The people at the court were afraid of his power, and dared not oppose him; nevertheless, they nicknamed him “Heavenly King of Pleasure.”

When Lin Chong saw who it was, he became cautious. Master Gao saw that he was restraining himself, and not knowing that the woman was Lin Chong’s wife, asked, “Why do you interfere in my affair? You are going too far!”

Men standing round saw the danger of a row, and came forward saying, “Drill Instructor, please excuse him for if he had known that she was your wife he would not have intruded.”

But Lin Chong’s anger had not entirely subsided, and he glared at Master Gao, who left the temple and rode off.

Just then Lu Da arrived, armed with his monk staff, and accompanied by the vagabonds, and said he had come to fight for Lin Chong.

Lin Chong explained what had occurred, and said that he had let Master Gao off this time as he did not wish to annoy Gao Qiu. He referred to the old saying, “Fear not the authorities, except those that have authority over you.”

“You are afraid of the Marshal of the Imperial Guard,” said Lu Da, “but I am not. If I had met that young rascal I would have given him three hundred blows with my staff.”

Lin Chong saw that Lu Da was drunk so he said, “What you say is all right. These men persuaded me to let him off.”

“If you have any further trouble please tell me, and I will help you,” said Lu Da. They then all departed, but Lin Chong was rather troubled in his mind.

Master Gao was infatuated with the wife of Lin Chong, but had submitted to Lin Chong’s interference, and led his followers away, but as he returned to his official residence he was in low spirits. During the next few days his followers kept out of his way as they found him upset, and quite unable to attend to business. But one man, an idler named Fu An, nicknamed “Stinking Dickhead,” understood his master, and waited upon him. One day as Master Gao was sitting idly in the library he entered and remarked, “You are not looking well these last few days, and there must be something worrying you.”

“And don’t you know the reason?”

“I think I can guess what it is,” replied Fu An. “You are thinking of the wife of Lin Chong. Am I right?”

Master Gao laughed, “You have guessed correctly, but I have no means of getting her.”

“There is no difficulty. You are afraid of Lin Chong because he is a hero, and therefore you dare not belittle him. But never mind that, because he is in your employ, and he would not dare to offend your father, the Marshal of the Imperial Guard. If he made a slight mistake he could be banished, or if a serious error he would be ruined for life. I have a plan by which he could be implicated.”

Master Gao after hearing this said, “I have met many nice young women and girls, but I particularly love this one, and since I saw her, my mind has not been at peace. How could you implicate him? If applicable I will handsomely reward you.”

“I have an intimate friend Lu Qian who is very friendly with Lin Chong. Tomorrow you can hide yourself in Lu Qian’s house. He would arrange a feast, and invite Lin Chong to it. He however is to be told to lead Lin Chung to the Fan Inn for wine. Then I will go to Lin Chong’s home, and tell his wife that her husband, while drinking wine at Lu Qian’s house suddenly became ill and fell down unconscious. I will tell her that she had better go at once as it might be serious, and I will bring her to Lu Qian’s house. There when she sees you so well dressed, and listens to your flattery, she will become amenable to your suggestions as she is of an unstable disposition. What do you think of my plan?”

Master Gao was pleased, and said, “This evening I will send for Lu Qian.”

Now Lu Qian’s house was in the same alley as the house of the Marshal Gao Qiu of the Imperial Guard. The next day the plan was explained to Lu Qian who agreed to act his part. Although he was a friend of Lin Chong yet he would do this treacherous thing in order to ingratiate himself with the more influential Master Gao.

Lin Chong had been depressed in spirits for some time, and had not gone out of doors. But one day about ten o’clock in the morning he heard a man at the street door call out, “Is the Drill Instructor in?” Upon going to the door he saw Lu Qian and asked what he wanted.

“I have specially come to see you as I have not seen you for a long time.”

“I have been much depressed,” said Lin Chong, “and therefore have not been outside.”

“Come with me,” said Lu Qian, “and a few cups of wine will drive your cares away.”

Lin Chong invited him to come inside, and after a few cups of tea he told his wife that he was going with Lu Qian for some wine. She asked him not to drink too much, and to get back as soon as possible. The two men then left the house, and after strolling about for a little time Lu Qian suggested that instead of going to his home they would go to the Fan Inn for the wine. This was agreed to, and at the inn they sat in a small apartment where the waiter brought wine and fruit. While they were chatting Lin Chong sighed, and Lu Qian asked why he did that.

“You do not understand,” said Lin Chong, “that although I have ability I have not yet found an employer who appreciates my skill. I have to submit to the injustices and vile tempers of mean fellows.”

“Although there are several drill instructors yet there is not one equal to you in ability. The Marshal of the Imperial Guard treats you well so whose vile temper have you to submit to?”

Lin Chong then told of the affair he had with Master Gao some time ago, while Lu Qian pressed him to drink more wine. Lin Chong drank about nine cups of wine, left the room, and then the inn, for the lavatory. He was returning to the inn when he met his maidservant Jin Er who said that she had been looking for him. Upon Lin Chong asking why, she explained, “You had been gone with Lu Qian less than half an hour when a man rushed into your house, and spoke to your wife, ‘I am a neighbor of Lu Qian, and your husband is drinking with him. I saw your husband fall down senseless. You had better go there at once.’ Your wife asked our neighbor Madame Wang to look after the house, and then set off with me. We went to the alley where Marshal Gao Qiu lives, and opposite his gate we entered a house and went upstairs where there was a table set with food and wine, but you were not there. I was just about to go below when I saw the young man who had annoyed your wife at the Yue Temple the other day. He spoke to her, ‘Please sit down. Your husband will be here shortly.’ I hurried below, and there heard your wife upstairs shouting, ‘Help! Help!’ Therefore I ran to look for you, and happened to meet a man who told me that he had seen you entering the Fan Inn so I came here at once. Please, sir, hurry up!”

Lin Chong was astonished, and immediately rushed off to Lu Qian’s house. Upon arriving there, and going up the staircase he found that the door of the room was fastened, but heard his wife inside say, “In this day of universal tranquillity why do you detain me, an innocent woman, here?” To this Master Gao replied, “Madame, please take pity of me! Even a woman of iron or stone would change her mind.”

Lin Chong shouted, “Wife, open the door.” And she did so, while Master Gao being afraid, opened a window, jumped out, and ran away.

Lin Chong ascertained that his wife had not been ravished, and then smashed everything in the room. He took her downstairs, and on the streets noticed that the doors of the neighboring houses were closed. The maidservant just then joining them, they all three went home. There Lin Chong taking a dagger concealed it in his sleeve, and went to the Fan Inn to look for Lu Qian, but did not find him there. He then went to Lu Qian’s house, and waited outside the door until evening without seeing that man. Upon returning home Lin Chong was exhorted by his wife, “As I did not fall into that man’s trap you must be reasonable.”

“It is very intolerable to think that that brute Lu Qian who used to address me as his brother should have deceived me. Now I am only afraid that I shall not meet that Master Gao, and get my revenge.”

His wife strongly appealed to him not to go out.

Lu Qian hid in the private quarters of the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, as he dared not go home. Lin Chong waited for three days without seeing Lu Qian. On the fourth day Lu Da called on Lin Chong, and remarked that he had not seen him for several days. Lin Chong explained, “I have been somewhat busy these few days so that I have not been able to see you, but as you have favored me by visiting my little hut you should drink three cups of wine with me. Unfortunately I have no wine here so how will it be if we go for a stroll and call at some inn?”

Lu Da agreed and they went out. They were drinking wine for the whole day, and then agreed to meet again the following day. They even did this every day until at last the affair of Master Gao was almost obliterated from Lin Chong’s mind.

After escaping from Lu Qian’s house, Master Gao did not dare to mention the matter to his adopted father, and remained at home sick. Lu Qian and Fu An came to see him, and noticed that he still seemed to be depressed. Upon their asking why he was not well, he replied, “I will not deceive you in any way. It is because I have twice failed to get hold of that woman, and have been scared by her husband. My lovesickness is more acute than ever. I think I shall be like this for a long time, and that even my life is in danger.”

The two men said, “Master, do not worry! We will take this matter in hand, and will be responsible for bringing you and her together. She can only escape by committing suicide.”

While they were talking the steward came in to see how his master’s sickness was progressing. When he had made the usual inquiries Lu Qian and Fu An asked him to go with them for a private conversation. Upon reaching a quiet spot they said to him, “If you want Master Gao to recover you must report the affair to his father, Marshal Gao Qiu, and put an end to Lin Chong’s life. Then we can get hold of the woman and take her to Master Gao who will recover. If you do not do this your master will certainly die.”

“That is an easy thing,” replied the steward, “and I will inform Marshal Gao Qiu this very evening.”

“We have already the plan,” said the two men, “but we will wait until you tell us what’s Marshal Gao Qiu’s idea.”

The steward went to see the Marshal of the Imperial Guard that evening, and told him, “Your adopted son is melancholy because he cannot have the wife of Drill Instructor Lin Chong. He met her at the Yue Temple, more than a month ago, and ever since he has become lovesick.” He then explained Lu Qian’s plan for curing Master Gao.

Gao Qiu thought the matter over, but could not see how he could damage the prospects of Lin Chong, and said so. He agreed however to hear what plan Lu Qian had, and sent for him. Upon their arrival they called out “nuo!” in the usual way, and Gao Qiu asked what plan they had to cure his son. Lu Qian explained the plot, and the Marshal approved of it, and ordered them to carry it out the next day.

Lin Chong had been drinking with Lu Da every day so that he had quite forgotten about the affair of Master Gao. It happened, however, on one day as they were walking near Yue Wu Fang lane they saw a big man with a splendid sword on which was a tuft of grass to indicate that it was for sale. He called out, “I have not yet met a man who knows the value of this sword.” But Lin Chong and Lu Da paid no attention, and strolled along. The man followed them calling out, “A good sword! What a pity that nobody knows its value!” The two friends still paid no attention so the man called out as they entered an alley, “This capital is a very big place, and yet there is no one who knows about military weapons.”

Lin Chong could not help but hear this, and turned round. The man drew the sword out of its scabbard, and displayed its dazzling brightness. Lin Chong was not aware that this sword would doom his fate as he asked to look at it. The man handed it over for inspection, and Lin Chong exclaimed, “What a fine sword! How much do you want for it?”

The man said it was worth three thousand strings of cash, but he would take two thousand.

“It is worth two thousand,” said Lin Chong, “but nobody here knows its value. If you will take one thousand I will buy it.”

“I am hard up for ready money,” said the man, “and as you want it I will make a reduction of five hundred.”

But Lin Chong would offer only one thousand so the man heaved a sigh; saying, “Now gold is for sale at the price of scrap iron. But enough! But don’t give me a single cash less.”

Lin Chong said he would pay him at his home, and so departed with Lu Da, promising to see him again the following day. He duly paid for the sword, and then asked where he got it from.

“It is a family heirloom, and I sell it because we are very hard up,” replied the man.

“Who was your ancestor?”

“If I told you I should be ashamed.”

Lin Chong did not press the point, and the man departed. He examined the sword, turning it this way and that, and saying to himself, “This is certainly an excellent sword. Marshal Gao Qiu of the Imperial Guard, has a sword like this, but he does not let anybody see it. I have asked him several times to let me see it, but have been refused. By and by I will take this sword and compare it with his.” He continued examining the sword till it was evening. At night he hung it on the wall, but got up long before daybreak to have another look at it.

The following day he heard two minor officials at the door calling out, “Drill Instructor Lin Chong, Marshal Gao Qiu of the Imperial Guard has heard that you have bought a sword, and he orders you to bring it for his inspection. He is specially waiting for you in his yamen.” Upon hearing this Lin Chong wondered who could have reported the purchase to the Marshal. The two men waited until he was dressed, then he took the sword and went with them.

On the way he said, “I have not seen you at the headquarters.”

“We have been appointed quite recently,” they replied.

Upon reaching the headquarters they entered while Lin Chong remained in the courtyard. The two men then came back and said that the Marshal was in the hall at the back. Upon going there they passed round the screen before the door of the hall and then saw that the Marshal was not inside. Lin Chong stopped there but the men said that the Marshal had instructed them to take him inside. So he went with them through three doors, until they came to a building surrounded by green railings. There they asked him to wait while they were going to announce his arrival. They went inside and Lin Chong stood under the eaves of the hall for so long a time that it would take to drink a cup of tea, but the men still had not returned. Such a delay and silence made him suspicious. He lifted up the door curtain and peeping inside saw an honorary tablet with four black characters, “White Tiger’s Private Hall.” He understood immediately that this was the hall where councils of war were held, and that he was trespassing. He quickly turned round to go away, but just then he heard the sound of footsteps behind him, and looking back saw the Marshal himself. He stepped forward, and called out, “nuo” (awaiting your attention).

Marshal Gao Qiu shouted, “Lin Chong! How dare you enter the White Tiger’s Private Hall, seeing that I have not summoned you? Moreover you have a sword in your hand, and evidently intended to kill me. I have heard that you have been hanging about these headquarters for several days with a sword so you evidently have bad intentions.”

Lin Chong bowed his head, and said, “Your Benevolent Excellency! I was favored by a visit of two junior officers who told me to bring my sword here to compare it with yours.”

Marshal Gao Qiu shouted, “Where are those junior officers?”

“Your Benevolent Excellency, they went inside this hall.”

“Nonsense! No junior officer dare enter my rooms! Seize this person!”

Before he had finished saying this, about thirty men rushed out of the building on both sides, and arrested him. Marshal Gao Qiu pretended to be angry, and said, “You are a Drill Instructor, and yet you do not know the law. Why do you enter the White Tiger’s Private Hall with a sword in your hand, and try to kill me?”

This event was to lead to much trouble in the empire.

Marks inscribed on farmer’s backs;

Fishing boats studded with flags.

We will now see what happened to Lin Chong.