Explore Chapter 21 of '水浒新传' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Now, the heroes of Liangshan Marsh, having routed the government troops at Dongping Prefecture and lured Sun Hao back to the rescue of Yizhou, saw Guan Sheng's forces gradually withdraw to the mountain stronghold. Song Jiang and Wu Yong discussed the situation. Though they had repelled two of the three government columns advancing against them, the third column from Haizhou under Zhang Shuye remained, its status unknown. Further intelligence revealed that Zhang Shuye had received an imperial decree, appointing him as the Regional Military Inspector of the Eastern Capital Circuit, with overall command of military affairs in Shandong, specifically tasked with suppressing Liangshan Marsh. Zhang Shuye was a descendant of famous generals, deeply versed in strategy. His troops were elite and his officers brave, unlike those under Gao Qiu and Cai Jing. Song Jiang and Wu Yong dared not be negligent and maintained vigilance day and night.
One day, while Song Jiang was discussing military affairs with Wu Yong and Gongsun Sheng in the Hall of Righteousness and Loyalty, Dai Zong was reported to have returned to the mountain. Song Jiang hastily called him in to inquire. Dai Zong said, "I was ordered to go to Haizhou to scout the movements of Zhang Shuye. Since receiving the imperial command, he has been recruiting volunteers within his jurisdiction and reorganizing his forces. He governs his army with strict discipline, without harassing the common people, and thus enjoys great popular support. I also heard he has a son named Zhang Bofeng, just twenty years old, with the courage to match ten thousand men. He has a nephew too, named Zhang Zhongxiong, another young hero. His forces currently number over ten thousand cavalry and infantry, three thousand naval troops, and several hundred warships, all in excellent order." Song Jiang listened and fell into thoughtful silence. Wu Yong said, "Since Zhang Shuye is so capable, he will not attack rashly. Should he come, we must resist with all our strength. However, our stronghold has just endured a major battle; our men and horses are exhausted and need rest. Brother, you should order all camps to strengthen their defenses, post more scouts, and guard against a surprise attack by the government troops." Song Jiang agreed and issued the orders accordingly.
Several days passed without incident. Then one day, while Song Jiang was inspecting the naval forces on the Golden Sand Beach with Lu Junyi, Wu Yong, and others, he saw Ruan Xiaoqi speeding towards the shore in a fast boat. Upon landing, Ruan Xiaoqi jumped ashore, saluted Song Jiang, and said, "Brother, while patrolling the lake today, I captured a spy who claims to have urgent news and insists on seeing you." Song Jiang said, "Bring him here." Ruan Xiaoqi went back to the boat and escorted a man down. Song Jiang observed the man was dressed as a soldier, pale and gaunt, his clothes in tatters. Upon seeing Song Jiang, he kowtowed repeatedly. Song Jiang asked, "Where are you from? What is this urgent news?" The man replied, "I am a convict from the labor camp in Jizhou Prefecture, surnamed Wang, the second son, so people call me Wang the Second. I was wrongfully convicted and exiled here. Yesterday, I overheard some news and risked my life to escape and inform the Chieftain." Song Jiang asked, "What news?" Wang the Second said, "The newly appointed Prefect of Jizhou, Zhang Shuye, took office recently. He has already mustered his troops and plans to march against Liangshan Marsh within ten days. I also heard he has sent word to Daming Prefecture, requesting reinforcements from Grand Secretary Liang for a coordinated pincer attack. I thought to myself, the Chieftain has shown such kindness to the people. If the government troops break through, what will become of them? So I disregarded my life to bring this warning. I beg the Chieftain to prepare early." Hearing this, Song Jiang exchanged troubled glances with Wu Yong and the others. Wu Yong said, "Zhang Shuye truly lives up to his reputation, moving with incredible speed. But if he intends to join forces with the troops from Daming, why send men to attack first? There might be deception here." He then asked Wang the Second, "How did you manage to escape?" Wang the Second replied, "I was doing hard labor at the camp. That day, while carrying rice to the warehouse, I saw the guards were lax, so I climbed over the back wall, stole a horse, and fled here overnight." Song Jiang ordered wine and food to be given to Wang the Second and had him taken to a guest room to rest.
Song Jiang said to Wu Yong, "This matter is suspicious. If Zhang Shuye truly intended to advance, wouldn't he keep it secret? How could a mere convict learn of it? Perhaps this is a stratagem to sow discord." Wu Yong said, "Brother is right. Yet Zhang Shuye's military tactics are hard to predict. I suggest we dispatch a few brothers to Jizhou again to investigate, while also monitoring the situation in Daming Prefecture. Meanwhile, we should prepare for battle here at the stronghold, so as not to be caught unprepared." Song Jiang then said, "Let Brother Dai Zong make another trip to Jizhou. And send Brother Shi Qian to Daming Prefecture to gather intelligence." Dai Zong and Shi Qian accepted their orders and departed.
Two days later, Dai Zong returned first and reported, "I went to Jizhou and found the city gates tightly shut, with strict inspections. Fortunately, I met an old acquaintance, a cake seller named Old Wang, and learned the true situation. It turns out that after Zhang Shuye took office, he dismissed all the original government troops and recruited new ones. Currently, the new troops are still in training, so there is no plan for an expedition at all. What Wang the Second said was completely false." Song Jiang was furious and summoned Wang the Second for questioning. But when attendants went to the guest room, Wang the Second had vanished without a trace. Song Jiang said, "That wretch must be a spy sent by Zhang Shuye, deliberately spreading false alarms to tire us out while he prepares in secret. Quickly order all camps to be doubly cautious."
Just then, Shi Qian also returned and reported, "I went to Daming Prefecture and learned that Grand Secretary Liang, after losing the Birthday Tribute Convoy last time and having his city breached by us, was demoted but kept in office by the court, tasked with redeeming himself through merit. Thus, he drills his troops day and night to avenge his shame. Recently, he received an official dispatch from Zhang Shuye, urging him to join forces for a pincer attack on Liangshan Marsh. Grand Secretary Liang has already appointed the two generals Li Cheng and Wen Da to lead eight thousand cavalry and infantry, and they are to set out on the appointed day. I also learned that Zhang Shuye sent a commander named Hua to Daming to assist Grand Secretary Liang in the advance." Hearing this, Wu Yong said to Song Jiang, "So it appears Zhang Shuye does indeed plan to converge with the troops from Daming for a three-pronged attack. What Wang the Second said was a mixture of truth and falsehood, precisely designed to confuse us. Brother, you must quickly make arrangements." Song Jiang then invited Lu Junyi, Wu Yong, and others to a council of war.
Wu Yong proposed, "The government troops advance in three columns; we shall also divide our forces to meet them. For the first column, the troops from Daming coming from the west, let Brother Guan Sheng lead a force to block them head-on. For the second column, Zhang Shuye coming from the south, you, brother, should personally command the main army and descend the mountain to confront him. For the third column, in case Sun Hao and Dou Yi regroup their remnants and harass us again, let Brother Hua Rong guard the route from Dongping. The naval chieftains should protect the lake to prevent a surprise attack by government water forces." Song Jiang said, "The Military Strategist's deployment is most appropriate." He then issued the orders. Guan Sheng and Hua Rong each led their own troops away. Song Jiang himself, along with Wu Yong, Lin Chong, Qin Ming, and others, mustered twenty thousand cavalry and infantry, left the mountain stronghold, and marched south to meet the enemy.
The army marched to a spot some fifty miles from Jizhou and set up camp. Song Jiang and Wu Yong rode out to survey the terrain. They saw a stretch of flatland ahead, with mountains in the distance-an ideal place for battle. Wu Yong said, "If Zhang Shuye comes, he will surely seize the strategic heights on those mountains first. We must take that high ground beforehand." He ordered Qin Ming and Huang Xin to lead three thousand men to occupy the mountain peak. Qin Ming and Huang Xin accepted the order and advanced rapidly. Upon reaching the mountain, they saw government banners already flying on the summit. Enraged, Qin Ming spurred his horse, brandished his club, and charged up the slope. Arrows rained down from above, forcing Qin Ming to retreat without gaining ground. Seeing that the government troops had seized the advantageous position first, Song Jiang grew worried. Wu Yong said, "Do not worry, brother. Since Zhang Shuye holds this mountain, he will use it as a base to advance step by step. For now, we should dig deep trenches and raise high ramparts, refusing to give battle. When his provisions run low, he will naturally withdraw." Song Jiang followed this advice and ordered the soldiers to construct earthen walls and hold their position without attacking.
Zhang Shuye, for his part, did not attack either. Instead, he stationed his main force on the mountain, sending small detachments down daily to issue challenges. The troops of Liangshan Marsh simply refused to emerge. This stalemate lasted over ten days. Song Jiang was in his tent discussing matters with Wu Yong when it was suddenly reported that a contingent of troops was approaching from the east, bearing the banners of Liangshan Marsh. Puzzled, Song Jiang went out to see for himself. It turned out to be the defeated troops of Sun Hao and Dou Yi, though how they had arrived was unclear. The leading general was Featherless Arrow Zhang Qing, who galloped forward, dismounted before the camp, and entered the tent to pay his respects to Song Jiang. Song Jiang asked, "Brother, how did you come to be here?" Zhang Qing replied, "I am under orders from Squire Lu to come and assist. Squire Lu has already captured Yizhou, leaving Advisor Gongsun Sheng to guard the city. He himself leads a large force to attack Haizhou, threatening Zhang Shuye's rear. Fearing that you might be short-handed here, he specifically sent me with three thousand men to be at your disposal." Song Jiang was overjoyed and kept Zhang Qing in the camp.
The next day, Zhang Shuye suddenly broke camp and retreated southward. Song Jiang wished to pursue, but Wu Yong cautioned, "There might be an ambush." He only ordered Zhang Qing to take a thousand men and scout far ahead. Zhang Qing returned after half a day and reported, "Zhang Shuye retreated very swiftly and is already far away. There were no ambushes along the route." Song Jiang said, "Why would he retreat without a fight?" Wu Yong said, "He must have learned that Squire Lu is attacking Haizhou and fears for the safety of his base, hence his hurried return to rescue it. Brother, you should immediately lead the troops in pursuit. With a pincer attack from front and rear alongside Squire Lu, we can defeat Zhang Shuye." Song Jiang then ordered the entire camp to move and pursue southward.
After a day of pursuit, as they neared the border of Haizhou, scouts reported, "Zhang Shuye's troops have entered Haizhou city, and all four gates are tightly shut." Song Jiang ordered a camp to be set up a distance from the city. The next day, Song Jiang led his generals to view the city. He saw orderly banners and dense arrays of weapons on the walls, indicating a formidable defense. Song Jiang said to Wu Yong, "Haizhou has high walls and deep moats. Zhang Shuye is skilled at defense, so it may not be easily taken." Wu Yong said, "Let us have our soldiers taunt them into battle and see what happens." He ordered Qin Ming and Suo Chao to issue a challenge at the city walls. They hurled insults for half a day, but the city remained silent. Suddenly, the gates opened, and a cavalry unit charged out. The leading general, in silver helmet and armor, on a white horse with a long spear, was Zhang Bofeng. Qin Ming met him with his club, and they fought over thirty rounds without a clear winner. Suo Chao spurred his horse to assist, but Zhang Bofeng showed no fear, holding his own against both. A gong sounded from the city walls, and Zhang Bofeng wheeled his horse and retreated inside. Qin Ming and Suo Chao tried to give chase, but a hail of arrows from the walls forced them back.
Seeing Zhang Bofeng's valor, Song Jiang grew troubled. Wu Yong said, "It grows late today. We shall fight again tomorrow." That evening, Song Jiang sat brooding in his tent. Zhang Qing offered advice, saying, "I watched the battle today. Although Zhang Bofeng's spear technique is excellent, his strength is no match for Brother Qin Ming. If I go out tomorrow and strike him with my sling stones, I am sure to prevail." Song Jiang said, "Brother, your stones never miss their mark. You may try tomorrow."
The next day, Zhang Qing rode out and called for Zhang Bofeng by name. Zhang Bofeng led his troops out of the city, and the two armies formed their lines. Zhang Qing said, "You fought two generals yesterday. Dare you duel with me alone today?" Enraged, Zhang Bofeng leveled his spear and charged. Zhang Qing met him with his own spear. After they had fought over twenty rounds, Zhang Qing turned his horse as if to flee. Zhang Bofeng gave chase. Zhang Qing took a stone from his pouch, turned in the saddle, and let it fly. It struck Zhang Bofeng square in the face, and he toppled from his horse. Zhang Qing reined in, meaning to finish him with his spear, when suddenly a bowstring twanged from the wall. An arrow shot forth, striking Zhang Qing in the left arm. Startled, Zhang Qing slumped over his saddle and galloped back to his lines. From the Liangshan Marsh formation, Tang Long and Du Xing rushed out and rescued Zhang Bofeng, while the government troops also withdrew into the city.
Seeing Zhang Qing wounded, Song Jiang was greatly alarmed and went personally to check on him. Fortunately, the arrow wound was not deep. After removing the arrow and applying medicine, it was deemed not serious. Song Jiang said, "There are skilled men in the city. We must not underestimate the enemy." Wu Yong said, "Though we lost Brother Zhang Qing today, we also captured Zhang Bofeng. We can bind him before our army to force Zhang Shuye's surrender." Song Jiang said, "That makes sense." He ordered Zhang Bofeng to be tied to a flagpole and displayed before the city walls.
Seeing this from the city walls, Zhang Shuye burned with rage and wished to charge out to snatch his son back. An old general beside him, the Regional Military Inspector Wang Huan, remonstrated, "The bandits of Liangshan Marsh seek to provoke you into coming out to fight. They outnumber us; we might fall into their trap. Though your son is captured, his life is not in immediate danger. Exercise patience for now, and we shall devise another strategy." Zhang Shuye said, "With my son captured, my heart is torn. How can I just stand by?" Wang Huan said, "If you sally forth rashly, Haizhou will be hard to defend, and your son will be beyond saving. It is better to hold the city firmly. When the bandits fail to take it after a prolonged siege, they will grow lax. Then we can launch a surprise attack and break them." Zhang Shuye had no choice but to restrain himself.
Seeing that Zhang Shuye would not come out, Song Jiang ordered his soldiers to assault the city day and night. But Haizhou's walls were stout, and after several days of attacks, they made no headway. Wu Yong said, "Storming the city costs us men and commanders; it is no sound strategy. Let us withdraw a short distance and consider other methods." Song Jiang then ordered a retreat to set up a new camp.
At the second watch that night, flames suddenly erupted behind the camp, accompanied by deafening battle cries. Song Jiang rushed from his tent to find Zhang Shuye had personally led elite troops in a raid. The Liangshan Marsh soldiers, exhausted from the day's siege and unprepared in the deep night, were thrown into utter confusion. Song Jiang mounted his horse and, along with Lin Chong, Qin Ming, and others, fought desperately. In the darkness, unsure of the enemy's numbers, they had no choice but to abandon the camp and flee. After retreating some twenty miles, dawn broke. A tally of the troops revealed over two thousand casualties, with countless supplies and equipment lost. Song Jiang sighed, "Since I raised this force, I have never suffered such a defeat. Zhang Shuye is truly a famed general!" Wu Yong said, "Victory and defeat are common in war. Do not trouble yourself, brother. We are newly defeated, our spirit shaken. It might be best to return temporarily to the mountain stronghold and reconsider our plans." Song Jiang said, "But Squire Lu's attack on Haizhou has not yet succeeded. If we withdraw, his force will be isolated and hard-pressed." As they debated, it was suddenly reported that Lu Junyi had sent Yan Qing to see them. Song Jiang called him in. Yan Qing said, "Squire Lu, while attacking Haizhou, heard of your defeat and specifically sent me to invite you to join forces and take the city together." Song Jiang was delighted and, with Wu Yong, led his troops to rendezvous with Lu Junyi.
It turned out that Lu Junyi, having set out from Yizhou, had advanced unhindered until reaching the outskirts of Haizhou. Learning that Song Jiang was engaged with Zhang Shuye, he had camped east of the city, forming a pincer. That day, upon hearing of Song Jiang's defeat, he invited Song Jiang to his camp for counsel. Song Jiang met Lu Junyi and recounted the setback. Lu Junyi said, "Though Zhang Shuye is brave, with the two of us joining forces, what have we to fear? Tomorrow, we can attack from both sides and are sure to achieve total victory." Song Jiang agreed.
The next day, the Liangshan Marsh troops divided into eastern and western columns and assaulted the city simultaneously. Zhang Shuye personally directed the defense from the city tower, with soldiers and civilians cooperating to hold firm. The attackers fought all day, but arrows and stones rained from the walls, and they made no progress. As evening approached, a great cloud of dust rose in the north, and a fresh contingent of troops charged forward, their banners bearing the words "Grand Secretary Liang of Daming Prefecture." Song Jiang exclaimed in alarm, "How did Grand Secretary Liang arrive so swiftly?" Lu Junyi said, "He must have been summoned by Zhang Shuye. Our men are weary from days of siege. With fresh reinforcements joining the fray, we will find it hard to resist. It is better to withdraw for now." Song Jiang had no choice but to order a retreat.
The Liangshan Marsh troops retreated a considerable distance and made camp. Song Jiang, downcast, said to Wu Yong, "The government troops have converged from three directions; their momentum is great. What are we to do?" Wu Yong said, "The best course now is to return to our mountain stronghold and rely on its natural defenses to hold firm. The government supply lines will stretch thin; in time they must withdraw. Then we can plan our next move." Song Jiang said, "It seems the only way." He then merged his forces with Lu Junyi's, and they retreated gradually towards Liangshan Marsh.
Seeing the Liangshan Marsh troops withdraw, Zhang Shuye did not pursue. Instead, he met with Grand Secretary Liang, rewarded the three armies, and discussed strategies for suppressing the bandits. Grand Secretary Liang said, "The Liangshan Marsh bandits have retreated, but their strength is not broken. I propose we press our advantage and strike directly at their lair." Zhang Shuye replied, "Liangshan Marsh is a maze of waterways and treacherous terrain, making a direct assault difficult. It is better first to clear the surrounding prefectures and counties, clipping their wings. Then use our naval forces to blockade the lake. Once their provisions are exhausted, they will collapse of their own accord." Grand Secretary Liang said, "The Inspector's insight is profound. Please take charge of devising the strategy; I shall follow your orders." Zhang Shuye modestly declined, then settled on a plan to first capture Dongping and Dongchang Prefectures, severing Liangshan Marsh's left and right arms.
Song Jiang and the others returned to the mountain stronghold and tallied their forces. They had lost four or five thousand men, but fortunately all the main chieftains were safe. Song Jiang said, "Zhang Shuye did not pursue, so he must have other designs. We should dispatch more spies to gather news of the government troops' movements." Dai Zong, Shi Qian, and others accepted the orders and departed.
A few days later, scouts reported: "Zhang Shuye and Grand Secretary Liang have divided their forces. Zhang Shuye marches against Dongping, and Grand Secretary Liang against Dongchang." Song Jiang was alarmed and said to Wu Yong, "If Dongping and Dongchang fall, our stronghold will stand alone and be in peril!" Wu Yong said, "We must divide our own forces to rescue them." He proposed that Song Jiang guard the mountain stronghold, while Lu Junyi went to the aid of Dongping and Guan Sheng to that of Dongchang. Once the arrangements were made, each led his troops away.