Chapter 10

Lin Chong Shelters from the Snowstorm in the Mountain Spirit Temple

Captain Lu Qian Sets Fire to the Fodder Depot

Lin Chong was strolling along, when someone behind him called his name. He turned around and saw the tavern waiter Li Xiao-er. When they first became acquainted in the Eastern Capital, Lin had helped him financially several times. Later, Xiao-er stole money from the tavern keeper and was arrested. He was going to be sent to the prefect but Lin Chong spoke up in his behalf, and he did not have to stand trial. Lin also paid back the money for him and he was released. Although Xiao-er could no longer find work in the capital, thanks to the travelling expenses which Lin gave him, he was able to seek employment elsewhere. Today, unexpectedly, they met again in Cangzhou.

"What are you doing here, Brother Xiao-er?" asked Lin Chong.

Xiao-er kowtowed and replied, "After you saved me, benefactor, and gave me travelling money, I looked everywhere for a job, but in vain. Finally, I wandered into Cangzhou. Here, a tavern keeper named Wang took me on as his assistant. Because I was a hard worker and could make tasty dishes and sauces, the customers praised me and business improved. The tavern keeper had a daughter, and he gave her to me in marriage and adopted me into his household. Now, both he and my mother-in-law are dead. Only my wife and I are left. We run a tavern in front of the garrison. I was just passing by on my way to collect some bills. What are you doing here, benefactor?"

Lin pointed to the mark on his face. "Because I crossed the will of Marshal Gao, he conspired against me and had me convicted and exiled to this place. At present, I look after the garrison prison temple. I don't know what they'll do with me in the future. I never expected to meet you here."

Xiao-er brought Lin Chong to his home, invited him to be seated, and called his wife in to greet him. Both husband and wife said happily. "We have no close relatives. Your coming here today, benefactor, is like a gift from heaven!"

"I'm an exile," said Lin. "Won't associating with me sully your name?"

"How can you talk like that?" said Xiao-er. "Everyone knows your excellent reputation. Be sure to bring all your washing and mending to my wife."

He entertained Lin Chong with food and drink and that night saw him back to the garrison temple. The following morning, he came again to invite Lin to his home.

From then on, Xiao-er and Lin called on each other frequently. Xiao-er often sent tea or soup to Lin in the garrison. Moved by the couple's respect and devotion, Lin gave them money from time to time to use in their business.

To skip the idle chatter, time passed quickly. Winter came. All of Lin Chong's padded winter garments were stitched and mended by Xiao-er's wife. One day, while Xiao-er was cooking in the entry, a man slipped in and sat down inside at one of the tables. Then another fellow furtively entered. The first man was an army officer, by the looks of him. The second seemed more like an attendant. He also hurried in and sat down.

Xiao-er went up to them. "Wine?" he queried.

The officer handed Xiao-er an ounce of silver. "Take this on account. Bring us three or four jugs of good wine. When our guests come, serve some food and tidbits. You choose the dishes. You needn't ask me."

"You've invited guests, sir?"

"I must trouble you to go to the garrison prison and invite the warden and the head keeper here for a chat. If they question you, just say: 'A gentleman requests that you come and discuss certain matters. He is looking forward to your arrival.'"

Xiao-er assented and left. At the garrison, he first relayed the request to the head keeper then, together, they extended the invitation to the warden, after which all three went to the tavern. The gentleman, the warden and the head keeper exchanged greetings.

"We haven't met before," said the warden. "May we ask your name, sir?"

"I have a letter of introduction here, which I will give you shortly," replied the man. "But first let's have some wine."

Xiao-er quickly opened the jugs and served the food. The gentleman called for a ceremonial tray of wine goblets. After filling and handing them out, he invited his guests to be seated. Xiao-er dashed back and forth like a shuttle, serving without cease. The gentleman's attendant took care of the warming of the wine. A dozen rounds were drunk, more tidbits to go with the wine were ordered.

"My attendant will warm the wine," the gentleman said to Xiao-er. "You needn't come unless we call you. We want to talk privately."

Xiao-er said: "Very well, sir," and left the room. Outside the door, he conferred with his wife.

"There's something fishy about those two."

"What do you mean?"

"They've both got Eastern Capital accents and neither of them knows the warden. When I went in with those tidbits just now, I heard the head keeper murmur something about 'Marshal Gao'. Wasn't he the one who harmed Instructor Lin? I'll stay here at the door and keep an eye on them. You go and listen on the other side of the partition wall."

"Why not bring Instructor Lin here from the garrison and see if he recognizes them?"

"You don't know what a terrible temper he has. He's liable to commit murder and burn the place down. If I called him and that gentleman turned out to be the Captain Lu he mentioned the other day, Lin would never let him escape alive. If anything happened here, you and I would be involved. You'd better go and listen. We'll decide what to do later."

"Very well," said the wife. She went and listened for a time. Then she returned and said: "They're whispering with their heads together and I couldn't hear much. But I saw that fellow who looks like an officer take something wrapped in a white cloth from his attendant and give it to the warden and head keeper. Maybe there's money in it. I heard the head keeper say: 'Leave everything to us. We'll finish him off, come what may.'"

Just then, from the inner room a voice shouted: "Bring the soup." Xiao-er hastened to comply. As he entered, he saw that the warden had a letter in his hand. Xiao-er served the soup, then brought some more dishes of food.

The feast continued for another hour. After the bill was paid, the warden and head keeper departed first. The other two, heads stealthily lowered, then also left.

Shortly afterwards, Lin Chong entered the tavern. "Brother Xiao-er," he said, "I hope you're prospering."

"Please sit down, benefactor," Xiao-er begged hastily. "I was just about to look for you. I must tell you something very important."

"What is it?" asked Lin Chong.

Xiao-er led him to the inner room, invited him to be seated, and told him all about his recent customers. "I don't know who these fellows are," he said in conclusion, "but I don't trust them. I'm afraid they want to harm you, benefactor."

"What do they look like?" asked Lin.

"One is of average build, fair, clean shaven, about thirty or so. The other fellow isn't very tall either. He has a ruddy complexion."

Startled, Lin Chong cried, "That man of thirty must be Captain Lu Qian! The filthy thief, how dare he come here to harm me! If I get hold of him I'll smash him to a jelly!"

"The main thing is to be on your guard," said Xiao-er. "'Take care not to choke when you eat, or trip when you walk,' as the old saying goes."

Lin Chong left Xiao-er's home in a towering rage. On the street, he bought a sharp dagger. Carrying it on his person, he made a search of all the streets and lanes. Xiao-er and his wife were in a cold sweat.

At daybreak the following morning, Lin rose, washed his face and rinsed his mouth, then took up the dagger and again prowled through all the streets and lanes both in the city and on the outskirts. He patrolled all day, even searching the prison and the garrison, but nothing was stirring.

Returning to Xiao-er's place, he said: "Nothing happened today either."

"Benefactor," said Xiao-er, "let's hope it stays that way! But remain on your guard."

Lin went back to the garrison prison temple, where he spent the night. He walked the streets for four or five days, without success. His temper gradually began to cool.

On the sixth day, the warden summoned Lin Chong into his hall and said: "You've been here for some time now. For the sake of Lord Chai's prestige, we must improve your lot. Fifteen li outside the city's East Gate is a large army fodder depot. Every month you can collect fees from the people delivering the fodder. An old army man is in charge. I've decided to give you the job and have him replace you in the garrison prison temple. Out at the depot you'll be able to earn a little spending money. Go there with the head keeper and take over."

"I'll do that, sir," said Lin.

He first left the garrison and went directly to Xiao-er's house. Lin told the couple the news.

"Today, the warden is sending me to take charge of the army fodder depot. What do you think?"

"It's a better place than the garrison prison temple," replied Xiao-er. "You can earn some regular fees out there. Usually, no one gets that post without paying a bribe."

"Not only haven't they harmed me, but they've given me this good job instead. I don't know what to make of it."

"Why be suspicious, benefactor? As long as nothing happens, that's fine. The only trouble is you'll be living quite far from us. After a while, I'll come and see you, when I have time." Xiao-er pressed Lin Chong to join him in several rounds of drinks.

To make a long story short, the two separated and Lin Chong returned to the garrison prison temple. He packed his belongings, put his dagger in his belt, took up a spear and set out with the head keeper for the fodder depot.

It was a bitterly cold winter day. The sky was overcast, and they walked in the teeth of a rising wind amid thickly swirling snowflakes. Since there was no place along the road to buy drinks, Lin and the keeper soon reached the depot.

Surrounded by an earthen wall, the depot had a gate with two doors. They pushed them open and entered the compound. They saw a thatched building of seven or eight sections, which was serving as a storehouse for fodder. All around were piles of hay. In the center stood a small thatched shack. Inside, they found the old soldier huddled over a fire.

"This is Lin Chong," the head keeper said to him. "The warden has sent him to replace you. You are to go back to take care of the garrison prison temple. You can hand over your duties."

The old soldier gave Lin Chong the keys and said: "The stuff in the store-house is under official seal. And those haystacks there are all numbered."

He took Lin around and counted the stacks, then brought him back to the shack and gathered his belongings.

As he was leaving, he said: "I'll give you my brazier, my pot, my bowls and my dishes."

"I have such things in the temple too," said Lin. "You can have mine."

The old soldier pointed to a gourd bottle hanging on the wall. He said: "If you want to buy wine, there's a little market-place two or three li east down the road." Then he and the head keeper departed for the prison.

As to Lin Chong, he placed his bundle and bedding on the bed and sat down to replenish the fire in the earthen brazier. There was some charcoal in a corner of the room, and Lin used a few sticks of them. He looked around the shack. It was very dilapidated and shook with every gust of wind.

"How can I pass the winter here?" thought Lin. "When the storm stops I must bring a mason out from the city to repair this place."

Although he hugged the fire, he still felt cold. "The old soldier said there was a little market-place two li from here," he recalled. "Why don't I go and buy some wine?"

He took some money from his bundle, tied the gourd bottle to the end of his spear, covered the brazier, put on his broad-brimmed felt hat, took the keys and shut the door of the shack behind him. Coming through the compound gate, he closed and locket it. Then, carrying the keys, he headed east. The snow-covered ground was a mass of tiny white jade flakes. Lin Chong trudged forward with the north wind on his back. It was snowing very hard.

He had gone less than half a li when he observed an ancient temple. Lin Chong pressed his palms together before his forehead and bowed. "May the gods protect me. I must come here one of these days and burn some paper money in sacrifice."

Lin continued on his way. Ahead, he saw a cluster of houses. He halted, and peered through the storm. The buildings were enclosed by a fence. A clump of broom straw hanging outside one of them indicated that this was a tavern. Lin went inside.

"Where are you from, sir?" the host asked.

"Do you recognize this gourd bottle?" Lin Chong countered.

The man looked at it and said: "It belongs to the old soldier at the fodder depot."

"That's right," said Lin.

"So you're the new custodian," said the host. "Please be seated, brother. It's a bitterly cold day. Let me treat you to a few goblets, by way of welcome."

He served a platter of sliced beef, heated a pot of wine and invited Lin to help himself. Lin bought some more beef, drank a few cups, then had the gourd filled with wine. He wrapped up the two orders of beef, left a few pieces of silver, tied the gourd bottle to the end of his spear and placed the beef inside his shirt.

"Thanks for your trouble," said Lin. He went out through the fence gate and started back against the wind. Now that night had come, the snow was falling harder than ever.

Plodding through the snow in the teeth of the north wind, Lin Chong hurried back to the fodder depot. When he unlocked the doors and entered the compound, he uttered a cry of dismay. Actually, the gods who see everything and protect the good and virtuous were saving Lin Chong's life with that snowstorm. The thatched shack had collapsed under the weight of the snow.

"What am I going to do?" Lin wondered.

He put his spear and gourd down in the snow. Worried that the embers in the brazier might set the place on fire, he pulled open a section of the wall of the fallen shack, pushed himself halfway in and felt around. But the embers had been extinguished by the melted snow. Lin groped around on the bed till he found his quilt and pulled it out, emerging again into the dark night.

"I've no place to build a fire," he pondered. "How am I going to manage?" Then he remembered the ancient temple, half a li down the road. "I can spend the nigth there," he thought. "When daylight comes, I'll decide what to do."

He rolled up his quilt, shouldered his spear with the wine gourd dangling from one end, closed the compound gate once more, locked it, and proceeded to the temple. Entering, he shut the door and propped against it a big stone which he had noticed lying to one side. He walked further into the temple and saw on a platform an idol of a mountain spirit with golden armor, flanked by a Nether Region judge and a small demon, one on each side. In a corner was a pile of paper. Lin Chong inspected the whole temple but could find neither occupants nor anyone in charge.

Lin placed his spear and gourd bottle on the pile of paper and untied his quilt. He removed his broad-brimmed felt hat, shook the snow from his clothes and peeled off his white tunic which was half soaked, then put it together with his hat on the altar table. He covered himself to the waist with the quilt and drank from the gourd bottle from time to time, helping the cold wine down with slices of the beef he had been carrying.

Suddenly, he heard a loud crackling outside. He leaped to his feet and peered through a vent in the wall. The fodder depot was in flames and burning fiercely. Lin grabbed his spear. He was about to open the door and dash to the fire when he heard men's voices. Lin leaned against the door and listened. The footsteps of three men came directly to the temple.

The men pushed the temple door, but the big stone held it fast and they couldn't open it. They stood under the eaves watching the fire.

"Not a bad plan, eh?" one of them said.

"We're much indebted to the warden and to you, Head Keeper," someone replied. "When I return to the capital and report to the marshal, he undoubtedly will make you both big officials. Now Arms Instructor Zhang has no excuse to refuse."

"We've taken care of Lin Chong properly this time," said a third. "Young Master Gao is sure to recover."

"We tried to arrange the match three or four times," said a voice. "We told that lout Zhang: 'Your son-in-law is dead,' but he wouldn't give in. Young Master Gao's ailment kept getting worse. And so the marshal sent us specially to beg you two gentlemen to help. Today, we've succeeded at last."

"I climbed over the wall and set a score of haystacks afire. I'd like to see him get away!"

"The depot is almost completely destroyed."

"Even if he escapes with his life, burning down a military fodder depot is crime punishable by death."

"Let's go back to the city."

"Wait a little longer. If we bring a couple of his bones with us to the capital, the marshal and the Young Master will praise us for doing the job thoroughly."

Lin Chong recognized them by their voices. One was the head keeper, another was Captain Lu Qian, the third was Fu An.

"Heaven took pity on me," thought Lin. "If that thatched shack hadn't collapsed, I'd have been roasted to death by these villains!"

Softly, he pulled the stone away from the door. Clutching his spear, Lin Chong pushed the door open.

"Where do you think you're going, knaves!" he roared.

The three, who had just been leaving, froze, too shocked to move.

Lin raise his arm and speared the head keeper to the ground.

"Spare me!" cried Captain Lu, weak with terror.

Fu An had run only a score of paces when Lin Chong caught up. With one thrust, Lin plunged the spear into his back, and he also fell.

Lin turned. He saw Captain Lu starting to flee. Before Lu had gone three paces, Lin Chong shouted: "Halt, treacherous thief!" He grabbed Lu by the front of his tunic and threw him flat on his back in the snow.

Lin jabbed his spear into the ground, put one foot on Lu's chest, whipped out his dagger and held it against the captain's face.

"Filthy wretch," he grated. "I never wronged you. How can you have injured me so? Truly, 'Killing can be forgiven, but never deception!'"

"This wasn't my idea," Lu pleaded. "The marshal ordered me to do it! I didn't dare refuse!"

"Treacherous knave," cried Lin. "We were friends since childhood, yet today you come to destroy me! How can you excuse yourself? Have a taste of this knife!"

He ripped open Lu's clothes, stabbed the blade into his heart and twisted. Blood spurted everywhere. Lin tore out his heart and liver.

He saw the head keeper struggling to his feet to run. Lin seized him in a flash. "Now I know what an evil scoundrel you are," he shouted. "Take that!" He cut off the keeper's head and tied it to the end of his spear.

Next, he went back to Fu An and Lu Qian and cut off their heads too. He put away his knife, tied the three heads together by the hair, carried them into the temple and placed them on the altar in front of the mountain spirit idol. Then he put on his white tunic, tied his waist sash, clapped the broad-brimmed felt hat on his head and finished off the cold wine in the gourd bottle.

Lin tossed his quilt and the bottle aside, took up his spear, left the temple and started east. He had gone only four or five li when he saw people from a neighboring village hastening with water buckets and pikes to put out the blaze.

"Hurry and save the place," Lin Chong called to them. "I'm going to report the fire to the officials!"

Spear in hand, he walked on rapidly.

The snow fell more heavily. For two watches Lin Chong walked eastward. He shivered in the relentless cold. He was now far from the fodder depot. Across the snowy spaces in a sparse grove of trees he saw a small house with a thatched roof, weighed down by a thick mantle of snow. Firelight gleamed through cracks in the wall. Lin approached the house and pushed open the door. An old vassal and four or five young ones sat huddled around an open hearth where sticks of wood were burning brightly. Lin walked over to them.

"Greetings. I'm on a mission for the garrison prison. The snow has soaked my clothes. I'd like to dry them by your fire, if I may."

"Go ahead," said the old vassal. "We don't mind."

Lin toasted his damp clothes until they were somewhat drier. He noticed warming by the embers a large jug from which the fragrance of wine was rising.

"I have some small silver on me," he said. "Could you let me have a little of that wine?"

"We take turns every night guarding the grain bins," the old vassal said. "It's already the fourth watch, and very cold. We don't have enough wine for ourselves. How can we give you any? Forget it."

"Only two or three bowls to ward off the chill." 

"Persistent, aren't you? I said no!"

The aroma of the wine sharpened Lin's thirst. "It can't be helped," he insisted. "You'll have to give me some."

The vassals all turned on him. "We're nice enough to let you dry your clothes by our fire and you want our wine," they said. "Get out of here! If you don't we'll tie you up!"

Lin grew angry. "Surly louts," he cried. With the end of his spear he flicked a burning stick in the old vassal's face and, again with his spear, stirred the flames so high that they singed the old man's whiskers. Everyone jumped up in alarm. Lin belabored them with his spear. The old vassal hurriedly departed. The others were paralyzed with fright. Lin drove them out with blows of the spear shaft.

"They've all gone," he said. "Now I can enjoy this wine!"

There were two coconut ladles on the clay platform bed. With one of these he began scooping up and drinking the brew. Soon only half remained. Lin took his spear and walked unsteadily through the door.

He staggered along for nearly a li. A gust of wind knocked him down beside a ravine. In vain he tried to struggle to his feet. Once a drunkard falls, he can't get up. Lin Chong lay stupefied in the snow.

The vassals, leading over twenty others armed with spears and clubs, came rushing back to the thatched house. Lin was gone. They followed his trail till they found him collapsed in the snow, his spear lying to one I side.

"So here you are," they cried. They seized and bound him. By the fifth watch they had brought him to another place.

And because he went to this place, thousands of boats fore and aft sailed into battle on the lakes, a hundred and more heroes arrayed themselves in ranks left and right in the stronghold in the marsh.

Truly, to hear of the slaughter and tragedy freezes the heart and chills the bones!

Where exactly did the vassals take Lin Chong? Read our next chapter if you would know.