The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 113 Tang Long of Qinghe County Returns to His Hometown, Li Cheng of Daming Prefecture Is Punished

Tang Long is currently in dire straits, doing poorly and unable to pay off his gambling debts. He was almost beaten up!

Song Jiang's reputation and generosity undoubtedly made Tang Long want to cling to his coattails!

Although Song Jiang knew why Tang Long had fallen to such a state, he still deliberately asked, "Brother, you should be working for General Zhong in Yan'an Prefecture right now. Why are you here fighting with some hooligans?"

Tang Long's ugly face flushed red, and the spots on his face seemed to become fuller. He sighed and said, "Brother, you don't know this. It's because my father died in office and I was a gambler. I was kicked out of Yan'an Prefecture by the quartermaster. Because I was ashamed, I wandered around and wanted to go to the north to take a look."

Song Jiang said, "Brother, listen to me. When will you rise to prominence here? I think you are a capable man. I am in need of a blacksmith in Yuncheng. Why don't you pack your things and leave with me? Once we get to Yuncheng, we can eat meat and drink wine to our hearts' content. Wouldn't that be much happier than staying here and doing nothing?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Tang Long knelt down and said, "How could I dare to disappoint you, brother? I am willing to serve you faithfully!"

Song Jiang helped Tang Long up and said, "From now on, we're brothers. Come with me to find Wu Erlang!"

Tang Long said, "I have no family to accompany me, so I can set off with my brother now!"

Apart from his usual iron hammer, Tang Long had nothing else of value, which must have been left to him by his father!

When they arrived at Wu Fu's house, Wu Fu and Wu Song were already up and dressed, and Li Kui had also woken up from his sleep! The two brides were still in the room!

Seeing that Song Jiang had returned with a pockmarked man by his side, the group went to greet him!

After Song Jiang gave his introduction, Wu Da, having nothing else to do, went to buy wine and meat to prepare a feast for everyone!

After taking their seats, Song Jiang made no attempt to hide anything and asked directly, "Brother Tang Long, you've been in the army for a long time. Do you know any skilled craftsmen, blacksmiths, carpenters, stonemasons, boatmen, etc.? Any skilled craftsman will do."

Tang Long was somewhat puzzled, wondering why Song Jiang was asking about the craftsmen, but he still answered truthfully, "To be honest, brother, my family has been making a living by forging military equipment for generations. I know many people, whether they are blacksmiths in the military camps, the Imperial Arsenal or the Imperial Armory!"

After thinking for a moment, Tang Long added, "I also know some highly skilled craftsmen in the countryside!"

Wu Song asked curiously, "What's the difference between the Military Equipment Bureau and the Military Equipment Factory?" It turned out that Wu Song was unaware of the intricacies and complexities involved!

As a history graduate student, Song Jiang naturally knew this, so he explained, "The Military Equipment Bureau was a place that routinely manufactured weapons, produced armor, and researched and developed weaponry. At the same time, they also supervised the local weaponry, and incidentally, they were responsible for building city defenses, coordinating military supplies and equipment, etc. The head of the Military Equipment Bureau was the Assistant Director, a fourth-rank official!"

"The Imperial Arsenal, established by the current Emperor Zhao Ji, is similar to the Imperial Armory in that it manufactures armor and weapons. However, it is managed by eunuchs, and the weapons it produces are not used by the army but by the imperial guards. It is somewhat like a royal blacksmith shop!"

Wu Song and Li Kui seemed to understand, and nodded thoughtfully.

Tang Long, however, sensed something different: Song Jiang was addressing the current emperor by his given name, showing absolutely no respect. He had a vague suspicion, but still asked, "How many craftsmen does brother need?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Of course, the more the better! Dozens or hundreds are not too few, hundreds or thousands are not too many! Brother Tang Long, the more people you bring in, the greater your merit!"

Tang Long's heart skipped a beat. Although he was a gambler, he was not a fool. On the contrary, he was a very shrewd person. Otherwise, he would not have used a scheme to trick his cousin Xu Ning into going up the mountain!

When Song Jiang said this, he knew that Song Jiang must have rebellious intentions, and a moment of hesitation arose in his heart!

If Song Jiang succeeds, his followers will surely be remembered for their good deeds; if Song Jiang fails, his followers will surely be remembered for their infamy.

He wasn't from a poor background like Ruan Xiaoer, nor was he a failed scholar like Wu Yong. Instead, he came from a military background, so he naturally had more to think about. Although the four words "loyalty to the emperor and love for the country" weren't ingrained in his bones, he had them to some extent!

Looking at Song Jiang's gentle face, Tang Long finally let his emotions overcome his reason. He thought to himself that he had always been unlucky and lost every time he gambled. Today, he had met Song Jiang, so he decided to take a gamble and try his luck. Maybe one day he could make a name for himself in history? As for losing the gamble? Anyway, he had nothing left to lose except his life!

Thinking of this, Tang Long clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "Tang Long will certainly live up to your expectations, brother, and will find many craftsmen for you!"

Hearing Tang Long's assurance, Song Jiang laughed and said, "Just do your best. I imagine the artisans in the palace are well-paid. If we really want to recruit them, it won't be easy!"

Tang Long sighed and said, "Brother, you don't know this, but the lives of the artisans in the palace, though seemingly glamorous, are actually quite complicated!"

Song Jiang asked in surprise, "What makes you say that?"

Tang Long said, "Brother, you don't know this, but while the monthly salaries of the craftsmen in the palace are indeed quite good, much better than those craftsmen outside without workshops,... however, their daily work is much harder than outside. Most importantly, the supervisors of the arsenal or the eunuchs of the Imperial Arsenal demand bribes from the craftsmen and force them to do private work for them, selling the manufactured weapons for them to pocket. Not only do the craftsmen work longer hours than outside, but they don't earn much more money, and sometimes even less, and they have no freedom whatsoever!"

Song Jiang cursed himself for being so foolish; he couldn't even understand such a simple truth!

Li Kui slammed his fist on the table and cursed, "These eunuch dogs!"

Wu Song asked, "If that's the case, why don't these craftsmen find another way to make a living?"

Tang Long smiled bitterly, "How could they possibly escape? These craftsmen are all registered artisans. If they try to flee, even if it's considered desertion, they'll be punished with caning at best, and exile or even beheading at worst. Moreover, those powerful eunuchs can come up with all sorts of vicious punishments to deal with the craftsmen. They are exploited every day; you could say they are living in dire straits!"

Song Jiang sighed deeply. "Since ancient times, there have always been policies from above and countermeasures from below. This is true in any dynasty. Even with the most perfect laws, people will still find loopholes. This is something that can never be eradicated!"

Seeing that Song Jiang remained silent, Tang Long continued, "If you truly need these craftsmen, brother, just let me handle it. I believe that as long as you treat them well, they will surely come to join you with their entire families!"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "Of course, I'm never stingy with my brothers!"

Tang Long knew that Song Jiang was not lying, so he bowed and assured him, "Tang Long will certainly not disappoint your high expectations, brother!"

Song Jiang was about to speak again when Wu Da, who had bought wine and meat, pushed open the door and entered.

Song Jiang quickly shut his mouth, not because he didn't trust Wu Da, but because there were some things that were not appropriate to say!

Wu Song also accepted the wine and dishes and placed them on the table!

Three days later, Wu Song packed his luggage, hired some carriages, and took Pan Jinlian and Wu Da and his wife, along with Song Jiang, Li Kui, and Tang Long, to Yuncheng County!

This time, their stay in Qinghe County was not long; the Liangshan warriors had previously ridden back to Liangshan on horseback.

As for the magistrate of Qinghe County, he was somewhat disappointed to learn that Song Jiang was leaving. According to inside information, he had been promoted one rank for his meritorious service in finding the imperial treasure and would be transferred out of Qinghe County at a later date. It was likely that Song Jiang had also contributed to this matter. However, Song Jiang was, after all, from Yuncheng County, so it was obviously unrealistic to have him follow him around.

Despite their disappointment, the magistrate of Qinghe still hosted a banquet for Song Jiang and his companions upon their departure. The group had shared a connection, but now that they were parting ways, it was uncertain whether this connection would end or be rekindled. Only fate would decide!

On the other hand, Li Cheng was furious at losing the birthday tribute, especially since Yuan Yanggu dared to provoke him, which was truly outrageous.

Having lost the birthday tribute, he had no intention of returning to the Daming Prefecture. Instead, he planned to wipe out Yuan Yanggu and continue his journey to Tokyo with the birthday tribute!

He first led everyone to Guantang County. Upon meeting the magistrate of Guantang County, he didn't waste any words and directly took out the token of Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture and threw it on the table!

The magistrate was somewhat apprehensive. No matter how much Cai Jing had fallen from power, he was not someone a mere seventh-rank official could offend. Following Li Cheng's orders, he ordered all the surrounding garrisons, totaling four hundred soldiers, to accompany Li Cheng and his men to Yuanyang Valley!

Yuanyang Valley was neither a dangerous place with towering mountains nor a mountain that was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Li Cheng had himself, Wen Da and the newly joined Guan Sheng on his side, and they quickly pacified Yuanyang Valley!

Xu Pingsheng's head was chopped off on the spot, and the henchmen scattered like birds and beasts. Li Cheng didn't bother with them and sent people to search the mountain thoroughly!

Aside from a few thousand taels of silver and some grain, that was about it! Li Cheng sighed, put away the silver and grain, and returned to Guantang Post Station, intending to see if Yan Luo had returned!

The government troops who had previously quelled the bandits had all returned to Guantang County!

Returning to the dense forest in front of Guantang Post Station, Li Cheng didn't see Yan Luo. Somewhat puzzled, Wen Da pondered for a moment and said, "Isn't that Yan Luo in cahoots with the bandits? Are they working on us from the inside?"

Li Cheng hesitated for a moment. He wasn't without suspicion, but Yan Luo's martial arts didn't seem like those of a bandit. Besides, although he hadn't known Yan Luo for very long, he could sense that the old man was a loyal and courageous man. Therefore...

He really didn't want to believe that Yan Luo was plotting against him, especially since Yan Luo acted decisively when they first encountered the thieves, which was completely unlike what he thought was planned beforehand!

But the facts are clear: Yan Luo and his gang haven't shown up yet, which is completely suspicious!

As Li Cheng was pondering this, two woodcutters carrying firewood walked by. One of them said, "It's terrible! A whole boatload of people, and not a single one is left!"

Another said, "Yes! But it seems like boats capsize on the Yellow River every year during this season; nobody can say for sure!"

Li Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Stop!"

The two woodcutters were so engrossed in their conversation that they only noticed a number of people staring at them with hostile eyes when they heard the noise!

One of them seemed a little flustered, but seeing that they didn't look like thieves, he quickly and politely asked, "May I ask what's the matter?"

Li Cheng asked, "What happened with the boat capsizing you mentioned?"

The man said, "I only heard about it. There's a fisherman in our village named Liu Si who saw a boat capsize on the river with his own eyes, and many bodies were floating on the surface. He didn't dare to go near it, and he even fell seriously ill afterward!"

Li Cheng hurriedly asked, "Where is that Liu Si?"

Another person said, "Liu Si dared not stay in this village. It's said that the Dragon King unleashed his power, and he seemed to have hurriedly run out of the village and no one has seen him since!"

Li Cheng didn't speak, but he wondered if Yan Luo and his group had capsized on the river and couldn't make it back in time.

Seeing that Li Cheng remained silent, the two woodcutters cautiously asked, "Are we allowed to leave?"

Li Cheng waved his hand, signaling that they could leave!

The two hurriedly carried the firewood on their backs and walked forward!

Li Cheng looked at Wen Da and asked, "Should we return to Daming Prefecture or get to the bottom of this?"

Wen Da pondered for a moment, then said, "Having lost the birthday tribute, I'll have no face to face the Secretariat when I return. Until I get to the bottom of this, it will feel like a thorn in my side. Let's first find out if any of the镖局 (escort agencies) members died on the river!"

Li Cheng had the same idea, but it would be difficult to move around with so many people, so he told everyone else to find a place to stay first, while he, Wen Da, and Guan Sheng went to find out the truth!

After everyone left, the two woodcutters came out again. One of them laughed and said, "Just as the strategist said, these people really want to get to the bottom of things!"

Another person laughed and said, "Everything's been arranged! They won't be able to find anything!"

When Li Cheng arrived at the ferry, he learned that an old man had indeed led a security escort agency by water some time ago, and his heart sank!

Upon learning that a boat had indeed capsized on the river earlier today, I was even more shocked!

When a tattered flag came into Li Cheng's view, and he saw the words "Shunfeng Escort Agency" written on it, Li Cheng felt a pang of sadness.

Li Cheng sighed and said, "It's my fault that these brothers and Senior Yan Luo are in trouble! I'm so sorry. If I had insisted on having them by my side, they wouldn't have suffered this disaster on the water!"

Wen Da comforted him, "This has nothing to do with you. We just have to go back to Daming Prefecture now!"

Li Cheng shook his head without saying a word, his face filled with dejection.

Actually, before Luo Zhong and Xiao Rang left, Ruan Xiaoer deliberately soaked the convoy flag in water for a long time and left a few naval soldiers to spread rumors of the ship capsizing. As for the corpses, it was even simpler; the corpses of those who had already died in Yuanyang Valley were not to be wasted!

They had stayed here for a while while searching for the route and were quite familiar with the people around them. So, the news spread like wildfire. In addition, the two woodcutters were from the Zouji Camp and were best at doing this kind of thing!

So something that didn't exist was created out of thin air and became something that had already happened!

This can be considered a way to put an end to this matter!

In Daming Prefecture, at Liang Zhongshu's residence, looking at Li Cheng, Wen Da, and Zhou Jin kneeling on the ground, Liang Zhongshu really wanted to order them to be dragged out and beheaded!

However, Liang Zhongshu was always a rational man. The words that were on the tip of his tongue turned into a question: "I asked you to escort a birthday tribute, and it all went missing. What kind of mess have you made? How should I punish you?"

Li Cheng knew he was in the wrong this time, so he didn't try to defend himself. He kowtowed and said, "I'll leave it to the Secretariat to decide! Li Cheng will die without regret!"

Liang Zhongshu nodded and said, "In that case, guards! Drag Li Cheng out and execute him!"