The Legend of Song Jiang in Water Margin

Chapter 103: The Battle Ends, a New Chapter Begins at the County Government Office

"Stop! Stop!" Two shouts of "Stop!" rang out simultaneously, one from Bian Xiang and the other from Song Jiang, who had just arrived!

Li Kui quickly stopped, acting as if nothing had happened!

Song Jiang approached Li Kui and scolded him, "You black scoundrel, since they have already surrendered, why do you kill the prisoners!"

Li Kui laughed, "It wasn't as fun as killing people!"

Song Jiang reprimanded, "If this happens again, I will punish you by forbidding you from drinking alcohol and eating meat for the rest of your life, and your brother Bian Xiang will have to practice with you for two extra hours every day!"

Li Kui hurriedly said, "I promise there won't be a next time!" He knew Bian Xiang's martial arts skills. Being beaten every day would be terrible, not to mention not having wine and meat to eat. How could he survive like that!

Song Jiang then asked with concern, "How's your foot injury? Let Doctor An take a look when we get back."

Li Kui chuckled and said, "Thank you for your concern, brother. Of course I'm fine as long as I can fight like this!"

Song Jiang nodded. He believed that Li Kui would not commit the crime of killing prisoners again. After all, Li Kui had indeed changed a lot after joining Liangshan. However, killing instinct is innate and cannot be completely changed overnight.

Di Lei looked at Song Jiang, a man as black as charcoal and as small as a child. He was someone Di Lei could crush with one hand, yet this man had repeatedly caused him to suffer setbacks. He stood right in front of him, and his fate was in Song Jiang's hands. Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, Di Lei was filled with emotion.

Song Jiang looked at Di Lei and laughed, "We finally meet, Chief Di!"

Di Lei smiled bitterly, "Di Lei is no match for them. I only beg the clerk to spare my brothers' lives. Di Lei is willing to die quickly!"

Song Jiang had carefully considered whether or not to kill Di Lei!

Is Di Lei a villain? Yes, he is! But he's not the kind of person who's utterly wicked. Compared to the pure evil of the Three Thieves of Qingfeng Mountain and the Mother Night Demon couple, Di Lei still has some kindness in his heart!

Previously, Song Jiang knew that a portion of the money and grain obtained by Qingyun Mountain would be distributed to the poor, so Qingyun Mountain held a high position in the hearts of the people. However, Qingyun Mountain was also particularly cruel in its actions, and those who did not pay money and grain would be exterminated. But not all wealthy households were heartless, so this practice also gave Qingyun Mountain a bad impression in the hearts of many people!

Qingyun Mountain is a place of mixed reputation, but good and evil are not simply defined by one person. At least in Song Jiang's mind, good and evil are not divided by whether you are a thief or not. The bottom line set by Song Jiang is not high, but it is not low either. Qingyun Mountain has not yet reached his bottom line!

Therefore, Di Lei cannot die yet, at least that's what Song Jiang thinks. There are three reasons for this. First, Song Jiang still needs Di Lei's help to keep the court's attention at bay. Qingyun Mountain is a considerable force in Shandong, and it's located in Yizhou Prefecture. He can develop it secretly. With Qingyun Mountain around, the court will be like a thorn in their side and will keep a close eye on Yizhou Prefecture!

Secondly, regardless of whether Qingyun Mountain has a good or bad reputation, Di Lei's ability and charisma cannot be ignored. With Di Lei as their leader, Qingyun Mountain is united and has many outstanding people. It is a pity that these talents died in internal strife. If a war with foreign powers really breaks out, they will be an absolutely formidable force!

Third, and most importantly, Di Lei was a descendant of Di Qing, the Prince of Pingxi. Given Di Qing's illustrious achievements, Song Jiang could not bring himself to kill Di Lei! Of course, he also knew that Di Lei could not be subdued by him, but killing him would still be a pity!

Why couldn't they recruit Di Lei? After all, Qingyun Mountain still had a considerable number of members. Although they suffered a defeat this time, they weren't seriously injured. Under these circumstances, it was unrealistic for Di Lei to give up his leadership role and become their subordinate. If forced, he would probably rather die than join Liangshan!

Another issue is that Di Lei's reputation isn't very good right now, and having him join would likely lower his own reputation. Of course, that's not important, but since his development hasn't been very fast in the early stages, if he were to swallow up Di Lei and his men, and if Di Lei had ulterior motives, he would still have to put in a lot of effort to subdue him!

Thinking of this, Song Jiang sneered and said, "Chief Di is indeed a man of great loyalty, but General Di was once a fearsome figure who terrified the Tangut people. How come his descendants have become bandits who wreak havoc on the region?"

Upon hearing Song Jiang mention Di Qing's name, Di Lei roared with rage, "How did the imperial court treat my ancestors? They served the country loyally, yet they died in despair and were even condemned after death. I wish I could kill such a despicable court immediately!"

Song Jiang shook his head and said, "The imperial court has indeed wronged General Di Qing, but when General Di was in trouble, many ministers spoke up for him. And what did you do on Qingyun Mountain? Robbery? Burning, killing, and plundering? Attacking cities and seizing land? Do you think you're worthy of General Di's past acts of protecting the country? You acted cruelly, wiping out entire families at the drop of a hat. Who will seek justice for these people? Did those wealthy households deserve to die, or did the county magistrate and his yamen runners you killed deserve to die? How is what you did any different from what the imperial court did to General Di?"

Di Lei lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, then Song Jiang spoke.

Suddenly, Di Lei shouted, picked up a knife, and slit his throat!

Song Jiang was taken aback, never expecting that Di Lei would be so resolute as to choose to commit suicide. Bian Xiang reacted quickly, swinging his axe to knock the knife out of Di Lei's hand.

Di Lei sighed and said, "Why am I not even allowed to choose death? Fine, do it!" Seeing that Song Jiang hadn't spoken for a long time, Di Lei thought that Song Jiang and the others were going to do it themselves.

Song Jiang was speechless. Why did people in ancient times like to seek death so easily? Was being a prisoner of war really that shameful? No wonder they often said, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!"

But in Song Jiang's view, even ants try to survive. Song Jiang did not disagree with sacrificing oneself for one's country, but death can be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. One should die with value so as not to let down the world that gave you a chance to come here and the life that gave you a chance to live!

Song Jiang shook his head and said, "Chief Di, why bother going down this path?"

Dilley remained silent, responding with silence.

Song Jiang took a deep breath and said, "You may leave!"

"What?" Di Lei thought he had misheard and could hardly believe that Song Jiang was letting him go like that?

Song Jiang repeated, "Chief Di, you may leave!"

Di Lei hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why did you let me go?" Di Lei really didn't know what Song Jiang was up to, but at least now that Song Jiang was in his hands, he wouldn't just let him go!

Song Jiang laughed and said, "What's wrong with me sparing General Di's descendants' lives out of consideration for his past merits?"

Dire hesitated, then asked, "What about my brothers?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Of course I'll go back with you!"

Di Lei knelt down and said, "I will never forget your kindness, clerk. Please accept my bow!"

Song Jiang said sternly, "Don't rush to bow to me. You must agree to three things before I will let you go!"

Without hesitation, Dire replied, "Sir, please say whatever you wish, even if it costs me my life, as long as it's within my power!"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "The first thing is that after you return to Qingyun Mountain, you must not kill without cause, nor rob wealthy families with a good reputation. Can you do that?"

Di Lei nodded and said, "I can do it, Clerk, rest assured. From now on, Qingyun Mountain will only rob corrupt officials who prey on the people or notorious merchants, and will not harm good people or honest officials in the slightest!"

Song Jiang began, "The second matter is that if there is a war with foreign powers, Qingyun Mountain must go to the battlefield to support the defense of our homeland. Is that possible?"

Di Lei hesitated for a moment, but still nodded and said, "Although I dislike the imperial court, if you, sir, want me to kill the barbarians, I will be the vanguard. With my two hammers, I will make sure those barbarians never return!"

Song Jiang smiled and continued, "The third thing is that you must not harm the people without cause. Even if Qingyun Mountain faces difficulties, you must not plunder villages. Is that possible?"

The third thing wasn't too difficult either. Di Lei nodded and said, "When we return to Qingyun Mountain, I will also have my men cultivate fertile land. Although we won't be able to be self-sufficient, at least we can reduce our plundering!"

Song Jiang said sternly, "You swear on General Di Qing that you must keep these three promises!"

Di Lei knelt on the ground, pointed to the sky, and said, "I swear on the honor of my ancestors that I, Di Lei, have promised Song Jiang, the clerk, three things, and I will definitely do them. If I break this oath, may I be punished by heaven and earth and die a terrible death!"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "Get up, Chief Di! I have something else to tell you!"

Di Lei paused for a moment, then quickly walked to Song Jiang's side and said, "Please speak, Clerk!"

Song Jiang said, "I will have a way to make money with you in the future. I wonder if Chief Di is interested?"

Di Lei quickly nodded and said, "Please speak, Clerk Song!"

Song Jiang shook his head and said, "Let's keep this a secret for now. When the time is right, I will naturally send someone to inform them!"

Although curious, Di Lei still said, "Then I will await your arrival at Qingyun Mountain!"

Seeing that Di Lei hesitated to speak, Song Jiang laughed and said, "Chief Di, just say what you have to say!"

Di Lei pondered for a moment and said, "Yao Shun, Cui Hao, and a group of their brothers are currently in Yuncheng prison. If they are handed over to the imperial court, they will likely face certain death!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "If someone tries to break them in on their way to Jizhou Prefecture, they can escape!"

Di Lei was overjoyed and said, "I hope you can help me, Clerk!"

Song Jiang frowned and said, "This matter is somewhat difficult!"

Di Lei understood Song Jiang's meaning and said, "Today, when I return to Qingyun Mountain, I will repay the clerk's kindness for today!"

After thinking for a moment, he continued, "I wonder if 100,000 taels of silver and 5,000 taels of gold would be enough to repay your kindness today, sir?"

Di Lei gritted his teeth and took out half of his savings from Qingyun Mountain. Yao Shun and Cui Hao were his brothers who had followed him for a long time, and he couldn't just watch them die!

Song Jiang was naturally pleased, guessing that Qingyun Mountain had also suffered a significant loss. He nodded and said, "Then I thank Clerk Song on behalf of my colleagues in Yuncheng County!"

Di Lei quickly waved his hand and said, "What are you saying, sir? I should be thanking you, sir!"

Seeing that the discussion was almost over, Song Jiang said calmly, "If Chief Di has nothing else to say, you should hurry up and lead the brothers on their way! If you don't leave in three hours, Huang An, the militia leader of Jizhou, will arrive with a thousand soldiers. At that time, none of you will be able to leave!"

That day, fearing that Bian Xiang's side wouldn't have enough men, Song Jiang left himself a backup plan. He had Shi Wenbin write a letter to the prefect of Jizhou, saying that Qingyun Mountain was bound to fail and that the Jizhou government should take the credit!

Song Jiang also wrote a letter to Huang An. Song Jiang was not particularly familiar with Huang An, but they had some acquaintance. So, sending him was a way to give one of his men a chance to make a contribution!

This was also a backup plan that Song Jiang had left for himself! Only Shi Wenbin and Song Jiang knew about this; even Wu Song and Zhu Tong were unaware of it.

However, these guys are exceptionally shrewd. If you asked them to directly suppress bandits, they probably wouldn't come. But if there's a rewarding and easy job, everyone would be eager to do it.

Upon hearing this, Di Lei shouted, "Brothers, getting on our way is the priority! Follow me immediately!"

The people of Qingyun Mountain were somewhat confused, but since Di Lei had spoken personally, no one dared to disobey. They all endured the pain and followed Di Lei towards Qingyun Mountain. A stench filled the air, and Song Jiang and the others quickly moved away from this group to avoid being harmed!

An hour later, everyone from Qingyun Mountain had left, leaving behind only a large pile of tents and things they couldn't take with them! Bian Xiang also left, leaving only Song Jiang and Wu Song far away from the Qingyun Mountain camp, sitting on the ground waiting for Huang An's arrival!

After a long while, Huang An, the Jeju militia commander, finally arrived with his large force!

Song Jiang was truly speechless. If he really needed support, he would have come at this time, and the war would probably have been over long ago!

As soon as Huang An saw Song Jiang, he came up and greeted him warmly, and Song Jiang responded in kind!

At this moment, a soldier came up and reported to Huang An, "Commander, the bandit camp is completely deserted, with only a strong stench."

"A foul smell?" Huang An was momentarily confused. Song Jiang explained, "When I arrived, the bandits had already vanished. They must have all retreated after yesterday's failed attack!"

Upon hearing this, Huang An was furious. He had come here to claim credit, but now there wasn't a single thief. What was the point of all this?

Huang An asked with a pained expression, "Brother Gongming? Look!"

Song Jiang was secretly pleased. He knew he would need Huang An's cooperation for the next step, so he said, "That's easy. Brother Huang An, you led reinforcements in time and utterly defeated the bandits of Qingyun Mountain, forcing them to retreat without even having time to pack up their tents. What do you think, Brother Huang An?"

Inside Yuncheng County, Shi Wenbin was sitting in the main hall of the county government office, listening to Huang An's eloquent speech with a smile on his face!

Shi Wenbin wasn't stupid; he knew Huang An was just spouting nonsense. He claimed to have successfully suppressed bandits by showing off some tents—even a pig wouldn't believe that!

But Shi Wenbin was too lazy to point it out. Huang An just wanted some credit. He had made a huge contribution by defending Yuncheng this time, so a little credit was fine with him. The fact that Yuncheng was safe and sound was the best thing for him!

At this moment, Chen, the wealthy man, also arrived at the main hall, knelt on the ground, and respectfully kowtowed three times to Shi Wenbin. Actually, Chen was more grateful to Song Jiang, but Song Jiang was unwilling to be the first to act. Furthermore, Shi Wenbin had genuinely sacrificed many soldiers for Yuncheng, so these three kowtows were truly heartfelt. Shi Wenbin smiled and said, "Master Chen, there's no need for such a grand gesture. Serving the people is simply my duty!"

The wealthy Mr. Chen said in a trembling voice, "My humble abode is currently being renovated and filled with earth. In seven days, I urge the magistrate and all the soldiers to move to my abode. I will be very grateful to you all!"

After Chen the wealthy man returned home, Song Jiang said to Huang An, "Commander Huang, why don't you take the Jizhou army back to Jizhou first, and then come back in a few days to join us for the victory celebration?"

Huang An thought about it. Since he was going back to Jizhou anyway to inform the prefect of Jizhou about the situation, and with so many troops staying here, Shi Wenbin certainly wouldn't want to provide food for nothing, so it was good to go back!

Huang An also took his leave. Song Jiang thought about his promise to return to Liangshan with the Liangshan army, so he also asked Shi Wenbin for leave. Shi Wenbin knew that Song Jiang was exhausted recently, so he told Song Jiang that he would be in the city in seven days and that he should take a good rest during this time!

Song Jiang bowed and was about to leave with Wu Song when a soldier came to report: "Your Honor, something terrible has happened!"

Song Jiang's heart skipped a beat. Could something else be going to happen again?

Shi Wenbin frowned and asked, "What's the matter that you're so panicked?"

The soldier said anxiously, "Liang Zhongshu's 200,000 taels of birthday tribute were stolen five days ago at Guantang Post Station, and Jiangzhou Prefect Cai Dezhang's 200,000 taels of birthday tribute were also stolen on the river five days ago. The Emperor is furious and has ordered all prefectures to capture the thieves!"

Note: Di Lei of Qingyun Mountain comes from "The Story of the Bandits", while Di Lei, a descendant of Di Qing, comes from "The Story of Yue Fei". The two have the same name and the same weapon, both using an octagonal iron hammer, but everything else is different!

Qingyun Mountain's Di Lei is older than Yue Di Lei and is a thief, while Yue Di Lei appears later and is a beggar in a worse situation. For the sake of later plot developments, the two are combined into one person to make the story more reasonable!