Moma Liangshan

Chapter 6 As the year draws to a close, Liangshan sets up a martial arts tournament.

Wang Hao couldn't help but admire his father's shrewdness, and hesitated, saying, "What if Master Chai changes his ways and takes over our winery? What then?" Wang Lun laughed loudly and said, "Absolutely impossible! Master Chai only gives money, he would never take it." With this plan settled, Wang Hao said no more, and after a moment said, "I'd like to ask how many villages there are in the eight hundred li of Liangshan Marsh?" Wang Lun, curious, said, "Why do you ask? According to the Yuncheng County Annals, there are about fifty villages." Wang Hao said, "Please allow me to answer later. I wonder about the friendship between Father and the heroes of the surrounding villages." "How is it?" Wang Lun replied, "We haven't had much interaction." Wang Hao said, "Now that we possess the finest wine in the world, relying solely on the current forces of our stronghold is probably insufficient for future endeavors. I'd like to build a fighting arena and invite heroes from the surrounding villages to compete. Father, you can sit high in the referee's seat, overlooking hundreds of heroes. Admiring your prowess, they will surely be inspired to join us and serve you." Wang Lun looked worried and said, "What we father and son do is, after all, a business of robbery and plunder. The government can turn a blind eye to minor incidents. But if we make a big fuss and the scale is too large, won't it arouse suspicion from the government and lead to a government siege?"

Wang Hao thought for a moment and said, "Father's words are reasonable, but I have a plan that may solve this predicament." Wang Lun's eyes lit up and he shouted, "Speak quickly!" Wang Hao said, "If it weren't for the corrupt court that forced our family to the brink of collapse, how could Father, a scholar, have become an outlaw? Those treacherous officials are all greedy, lustful, and cowardly bullies. Now Father alone controls the eight-hundred-mile Liangshan Marsh, with money and men at his disposal. If we offer them bribes to win over those corrupt officials while simultaneously sharpening our weapons to intimidate those lowly soldiers, Father will surely be invincible." Wang Lun stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before saying, "Once they've taken our benefits, and can't defeat us, they'll have no choice but to obediently submit and tacitly acknowledge the existence of Liangshan Marsh." Wang Hao then asked, "Yuncheng County plus Liangshan Marsh..." "Are there any heroes who can rival Father?" Wang Lun slowly replied, "There are two men who are highly renowned in the martial world. One is Chao Gai, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King of Dongxi Village. He is known for his generosity and chivalry, and loves to make friends with heroes from all over the land. Whenever someone comes to him, he treats them to fine wine and meat, and when they leave, he gives them silver. He loves wielding spears and clubs, and is incredibly strong. He once carried a blue stone pagoda on his shoulder for several miles on foot. The other is Song Jiang, the clerk of Yuncheng County. He is dark-skinned and short, and is extremely filial to his family. People call him the Filial and Righteous Black Third Brother. He also loves to make friends with heroes of the martial world; whenever someone comes to him, he accepts them. He never refuses to help people who ask him for money or goods. He often distributes coffins and medicine to help the poor and needy, and helps those in distress. For this, he is famous throughout Shandong and Hebei, and everyone calls him the Timely Rain. I am slightly inferior to these two."

Wang Hao thought to himself, "Chao Gai and Song Jiang, I didn't expect to meet them so soon. Both are heroes; we can only befriend them, not subdue them." He asked, "Father, do you have any connection with these two?" Wang Lun replied, "We've only heard of each other's names, we've never met." After careful consideration, Wang Hao said, "When Liangshan holds a martial arts tournament, Father, you can send invitations to these two, inviting them to co-host." Wang Lun was puzzled and asked, "Why?" Wang Hao replied, "With the tournament stage set up at Liangshan, no one can steal Father's prestige. Inviting these two will make Liangshan, with its eight hundred li of water, truly magnificent." "This is a gathering of three heroes. No matter which village or stronghold, all the heroes can only look up to this grand feast. Father, you sit side by side with Chao Gai and Song Jiang, and are seated in the center. Naturally, all the heroes in the land will regard you as equal to Chao Gai and Song Jiang, perhaps even slightly superior. A thousand strings of cash for this immense fame—I think it's worth it!" Wang Lun was delighted, yet inevitably worried, saying, "I fear these two might overshadow us!" Wang Hao shook his head, saying, "I think not, for three reasons. First, Father is the host; second, Song Jiang and Chao Gai are upright and cherish their reputation; third, there is no profit to be gained."

Wang Lun repeated, "There's no profit to be made, what's the explanation?" Wang Hao said, "Holding a contest at the end of the year is for celebration and enjoyment. The key to such a matter is that everyone should help out. When Song Jiang and Chao Gai meet with Father, they will only flatter each other; they will never undermine each other." Wang Lun understood and said, "I will handle this matter entirely, son. Just come to me with any money, provisions, or manpower you need." Wang Hao added, "I would like Father to personally write the visiting cards for Chao Gai and Song Jiang, and then I will personally deliver them." Wang Lun nodded and said, "Come and pick them up tomorrow evening." Wang Hao bowed and said, "Thank you, Father. I take my leave!" He then left the courtyard. After Wang Hao left, Wang Lun leaned back in his wooden chair, swirling a half-full glass of baijiu in his hand. He thought to himself, "This kid must have met the Dragon King in the water; he's completely transformed. This wine is so fine; even the celestial nectar of the heavens couldn't compare." The alcohol made him dizzy, and Wang Lun shook his head, muttering to himself, "With a son like this, what more could I ask for!" He then downed the wine in one gulp.

The next morning, Wang Hao greeted Wang Lun and said, "I'm going down the mountain today to discuss the tournament with Chief Zhu. Ma Decao and Zhang Sangou are very clever, so I've come to ask for your permission to take them with me." Wang Lun said, "From today onwards, Ma Decao and Zhang Sangou will officially be your close followers. They have impeccable records, so you can use them without worry." Wang Hao was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Father. I'll head down the mountain now." Wang Lun nodded and said, "Be careful on the road."

Wang Hao led Ma Decao and Zhang Sangou straight to Jinshatan. After boarding the boat, Ma Decao asked, "Young Master, are we going to make a fortune this time?" Wang Hao countered, "Who told you that?" Ma Decao leaned closer and said, "The chieftain rewarded each of us with twenty strings of cash, but he forbade us from freely entering or leaving the stronghold. Coupled with your conversation with Old Man Xu yesterday, I think our winery must have brewed some extraordinary wine. And fine wine is meant to be sold, so I think you're going to make a fortune." Wang Hao asked, "What about yesterday's wine?" "Didn't you drink any?" Ma Decao asked regretfully. "Not a drop," he replied. "Old Xu sealed all the wine jars with mud and affixed seals, saying that even the chieftain couldn't drink without the young master's permission. As for his own bowl of wine, he found a bottle, washed it six times, dried it over a fire, and then stored it away. We have no idea where he hid it." Wang Hao shook his head and smiled slightly, saying, "When we get back, I'll open one jar and allow you to drink to your heart's content." The two men were overjoyed and said, "Thank you, young master!"

Upon arriving at the lakeside hotel, Wang Hao met Zhu Gui. He cut to the chase, saying, "I plan to set up a martial arts arena before the end of the year, inviting heroes from all directions to compete." Zhu Gui, caught off guard, asked, "Why did you suddenly have this idea, young master?" Wang Hao replied, "It's alright to tell you in advance. I've brewed the finest wine in the world in our mountain stronghold, and next year it will be sold in the capital, Tokyo. I guarantee that once this wine enters Tokyo, it will bring in a fortune. I sent the first jar of wine to my father yesterday, and my father and I have also discussed the martial arts arena in detail. I came to see Zhu Gui today..." "Leader, this is to determine the exact location of the arena and how to send out the invitations." Upon hearing that Wang Lun had given his permission, Zhu Gui dared not be careless and said, "The Liangshan stronghold is where the lives of all the brothers are at stake. It would be unwise to rashly bring in a bunch of unrelated people. Therefore, I believe a spacious island in the marshland will suffice for the arena location. We'll set up the arena, build huts, arrange tables and chairs, and provide plenty of fish and meat—everything will be taken care of. However, I'm not entirely clear on the details of the invitations."

Wang Hao explained, "Father said that Chao Gai, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King of Dongxi Village, and Song Jiang, the Timely Rain of Yuncheng County, are renowned heroes throughout the north and south. Is that correct?" Zhu Gui nodded and replied, "Indeed." Wang Hao continued, "For this martial arts contest, Liangshan is the host, and Father will naturally be the chief referee. Chao Gai and Song Jiang are highly respected, and I would like to invite them to be assistant referees. What do you think?" Zhu Gui considered the matter carefully and said, "Young Master, your insight is excellent!" Wang Hao added, "With these two assisting us, no one in Liangshan, with its vast expanse of water and dozens of villages and strongholds, will dare to underestimate our contest. After I visit Chao Gai and Song Jiang, if they accept the invitation and come, we will have my father, Chao Gai, and Song Jiang as the three..." "In name only, we'll send a hero's invitation to each village. The invitation will be left blank for those wishing to participate to fill in their names. What do you think, Chief Zhu?" Zhu Gui replied, "If we do this, heroes from all over the land will surely flock here, and our Liangshan stronghold will be in an uproar." Suddenly, he changed the subject, saying, "If the scale is too large, won't the government become wary and send troops to suppress us?" Wang Hao replied, "I've already informed my father that the government will send us silver and goods in advance. Once they've received our money, those officials won't dare to cause trouble. If there are any ungrateful people, we'll just demolish their government offices." Zhu Gui said, "Young master is wise. With silver and swords, we're not afraid of anyone being foolish."

Having reached an agreement with Zhu Gui, Wang Hao said, "Tomorrow I will send you a jar of newly brewed wine. With the year-end approaching, it would be best to decide on the location for the arena before nightfall today." Zhu Gui closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "At the confluence of Dongping Lake and Liangshan Marsh, there is a sandbar, several tens of acres in size, with five large willow trees on it, known as 'Five Willows Sandbar.' The sandbar offers a wide view on all sides, the water is calm, and it is situated precisely in the center of the 800-li marshland. What do you think of this place, sir?" Wang Hao said, "Seeing is believing. Shall we set off by boat immediately?" Zhu Gui replied, "Please wait a moment, sir, while I arrange things at the inn." Half an hour later, Wang Hao and several others boarded two small boats and headed to Five Willows Sandbar. Along the way, Zhu Gui and Wang Hao discussed the details of setting up the arena at Liangshan. The deeper their conversation, the more Zhu Gui sensed the tremendous change in Wang Hao compared to before. About an hour later, five large willow trees could be vaguely seen.