Water Margin: The Tale of Li Erlang of Guankou

Chapter 162 Li Hanxiao Returns East to Liangshan, Wang the Painter Encounters Robbers on the Way

After breaking through the Western Army's defenses, Li Hanxiao led the Shaohua Mountain troops swiftly toward the Hedong Road. Only by leaving Yongxing Army Road and entering Hedong Road would their pursuing forces be greatly weakened. After all, Yongxing Army Road and Qinfeng Road were the Western Army's old territory, while Hedong Road was much more chaotic in comparison.

Previously, Tian Hu and his men had already caused trouble on Hedong Road. The government troops on Hedong Road were not very strong. As long as Li Hanxiao and his men entered Hedong Road, they would not be unable to defeat the government troops even if they encountered them.

After setting off, "Nine-Dragon" Shi Jin found Li Hanxiao with a deep sense of apology. He apologized to Li Hanxiao, saying that if it weren't for his own actions, he wouldn't have dragged Li Hanxiao and the others into danger by coming to his rescue.

Upon hearing this, Li Hanxiao laughed heartily and said, "Brother Shi Jin, this is all fate. Heaven made you my brothers, Li Hanxiao, and brought us together at Liangshan. That's why I came to rescue you. Now you've all escaped unscathed, so there's no need to worry!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Dragon," was filled with admiration for Li Hanxiao's magnanimity. As for the other three leaders of Shaohua Mountain, Zhu Wu, nicknamed "Divine Strategist," was a clever man. Although he had only known Li Hanxiao for a short time, Li Hanxiao had already shown them his skills upon arriving at Shaohua Mountain, deploying troops and setting up various traps, which made Wang Shunchen cry for his parents, demonstrating his strength.

Zhu Wu, the "Divine Strategist," knew he couldn't do it, which proved that Li Hanxiao was definitely a genius and worth following. Moreover, the more talented a person is, the more respect they will have for a strategist or advisor like himself. Zhu Wu was very clear that if he followed Li Hanxiao, he would achieve great things in the future.

As for this "strategist Zhu Wu," Li Hanxiao knew that he was capable, but not as capable as he had imagined. He needed to be trained more and it would be better not to let him be a strategist, but to let him do logistics or handle administrative affairs.

Why? Because Li Hanxiao was well-versed in Water Margin, and he knew clearly that the real "divine strategist" Zhu Wu's strength might not be as exaggerated as those people in later generations had made it out to be.

For example, before being granted amnesty, Zhu Wu had only three military achievements.

The first time was a ruse, because "Leaping Tiger" Chen Da was on his way to borrow grain and fought with "Nine-Tattooed Dragon" Shi Jin when he passed through Shi Family Village, and was captured alive.

Having no other choice, the "divine strategist" Zhu Wu resorted to a self-inflicted injury ruse. He and "White Flower Snake" Yang Chun tied themselves up and asked "Nine-Tattooed Dragon" Shi Jin to send the three of them to the government office.

Shi Jin was deeply moved by the three men's loyalty and released Chen Da, befriending them in the process. This led to the destruction of the Shi Family Manor, and he himself fled into the martial world. From a strategic standpoint, Zhu Wu was successful, but he implicated Shi Jin. After wandering the martial world, Shi Jin eventually chose to join the outlaws at Shaohua Mountain, but this strategy was hardly brilliant.

The second was the Battle of Huazhou. After Shi Jin joined the outlaws at Shaohua Mountain, he helped a painter named Wang Yi. After learning that Wang Yi's daughter had been kidnapped by Prefect He of Huazhou, Shi Jin went alone to assassinate her, but he failed and was captured instead.

The original text says that Zhu Wu had "no plan" and took no action. Later, Lu Zhishen also went to assassinate Shi Jin in order to save him, but was still captured alive. In the end, it was Song Jiang, Wu Yong and others who tricked Jin Ling into hanging him and then captured Huazhou, saving Shi Jin and Lu Zhishen.

This is intriguing. You, a "strategist" known for your wisdom and resourcefulness, are at a loss when faced with a problem. You could at least come up with a couple of bad ideas, but you simply have no ideas at all!

The third was the Battle of Mangdang Mountain. Liangshan wanted to defeat Fan Rui, Li Gun, and Xiang Chong of Mangdang Mountain. At that time, Shi Jin, Zhu Wu, Chen Da, and Yang Chun of Shaohua Mountain had already surrendered to Liangshan. Shi Jin volunteered to lead Zhu Wu and others to attack Mangdang Mountain.

However, even without Fan Rui, the "Demon King," using any magic, Shi Jin, the "Nine-Tattooed Dragon," was defeated and nearly injured, Chen Da, the "Leaping Tiger," was hit by a flying knife, while Zhu Wu, the "Strategist," showed no skill whatsoever and had no plan whatsoever.

In the end, it was Gongsun Sheng, the "Dragon Soaring into the Clouds," who broke through Mangdang Mountain. If Fan Rui had used magic, his defeat would have been understandable. The problem was that Fan Rui, the "Demon King of Chaos," did not use any magic at all. Even Zhu Wu, the "Strategist of Divine Strategist," could not win without a single plan!

It can be said that before joining Liangshan, Zhu Wu had two instances of not showing any talent, and once he played the self-inflicted injury trick, which could be considered a mere success.

When Gao Qiu was captured alive, Zhu Wu suggested that Song Jiang seek help from Grand Marshal Su to complete the task of accepting amnesty. However, Wu Yong, the "wise strategist," also saw that Gao Qiu was ungrateful and would not help Liangshan accept amnesty. The gap between the two sides did not widen.

After being granted amnesty, Zhu Wu performed well, sometimes making mistakes and sometimes excelling.

For example, during the battle against the Liao Kingdom, Zhu Wu successively deciphered Wuyan Yanshou's Taiyi Three Talents Formation, Heluo Four Symbols Formation, Cyclic Eight Trigrams Formation, and Eight Trigrams Formation. Later, he also recognized the Taiyi Hun Tian Xiang Formation set up by Wuyan's army. However, Zhu Wu only saw through the formations, but did not break them.

In addition, Zhu Wu once broke the Six Flowers Formation and plotted to capture Yuling Pass. However, the victory at Yuling Pass was actually a mistake because he did not scout the enemy's situation in advance. As a result, he lost six lives: Shi Jin, Shi Xiu, Chen Da, Yang Chun, Li Zhong, and Xue Yong. He also lost the other three leaders of Shaohua Mountain. This was the plan devised by Zhu Wu.

Aside from these three commendable performances, Zhu Wu wasn't particularly impressive at other times. For example, during the Liao campaign, he deployed the infamous "Wild Donkey and Kunpeng Formation," which caused his own men to suffer greatly.

Zhu Wu's "Kun Transforms into Peng Formation" was supposed to be a powerful and versatile formation that could change shape. However, in reality, the formation was completely ineffective. As a result of the battle, Zhu Wu's formation was broken, and the commander-in-chief, "Jade Kirin" Lu Junyi, lost contact with the army and was in danger twice: once when he fought Yelü Sijiang alone, and once when he encountered a Liao army of a thousand men.

If it weren't for the divine might and bravery of "Jade Kirin" Lu Junyi, who could take on four opponents single-handedly and even kill one of them, and who could chase after a thousand people and mow them down with unparalleled speed, he, as the commander-in-chief, would probably have died twice already.

Many people in later generations have exaggerated his strength by saying that he saw through the Taiyi Hun Tian Formation, claiming that he crushed the "wise man" Wu Yong, while ignoring that his "Wild Donkey Kunpeng Formation" was also a failure in his formation skills, and believing that Zhu Wu was a hundred times stronger than Wu Yong.

In addition, during the Battle of Dusong Pass, Zhou Tong was killed in battle, Li Zhong was wounded, and Dong Ping was injured in his left arm; before the Battle of Shezhou, Zhu Wu anticipated that the enemy would raid the camp and made preparations in advance, but his plan was exposed by Vice Minister Gao.

Therefore, Li Hanxiao understood that this person was usable, but he was an exaggeration. During the campaigns in the south and north, Zhu Wu or he and Lu Junyi only conquered seven cities: Xijing, Jinning, Fenyang, Xuanzhou, Huzhou, Deqing County, and Dusong Pass. In summary, it can be found that Zhu Wu was only good at recognizing formations, but he did not have the ability to break formations, and his own formation setup was also very average.

He had some brilliant performances, but they were few; his performances were mostly average or even poor, so he could only be considered an average strategist.

To be honest, regardless of whether Wu Yong's schemes were ruthless or not, his success rate and efficiency far surpassed those of Zhu Wu, the "Divine Strategist." Wu Yong was indeed a level above Zhu Wu.

It's just that Wu Yong's schemes were insidious and frequently repeated, which led many people to despise him.

Li Hanxiao believes that Zhu Wu, the "divine strategist," is best suited to be a close advisor or a strategist, rather than a clerical worker. He is not suitable to be a strategist on the front lines commanding battles. He is knowledgeable and has many ideas, but he is not good at practical operation. He can use his brain, but not his hands. A strategist job that does not involve military affairs may be more suitable for him.

As for Yang Chun, the "White Flower Snake," he had followed Li Hanxiao all the way back and forth, and had a deep understanding of Li Hanxiao. He had also experienced the great battle between Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun of Taihang Mountain and the Nine-Tailed Fox, and knew that Li Hanxiao was a disciple of an immortal. Naturally, he was wholeheartedly loyal to him.

As for "Leaping Tiger" Chen Da, he was the least intelligent of the three. He was simple-minded but physically strong, and he only admired powerful people. Li Hanxiao's strength impressed him. He had fought with "Nine-Tattooed Dragon" Shi Jin before and was defeated by Shi Jin's three-pointed double-edged sword.

However, even though both are three-pointed double-edged swords, the one in Li Hanxiao's hand is far more powerful than the one in "Nine-Dragon" Shi Jin's hand, so he naturally conceded defeat.

Meanwhile, Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Dragon," quietly asked Li Han with a smile, "Brother Chief, there is something I would like to ask you. We both use the same weapon, but why is your swordsmanship so different from that of an ordinary three-pointed double-edged sword?"

Although Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Dragon," was taught eighteen kinds of martial arts under the tutelage of his master Wang Jin, he still frequently used this three-pointed double-edged sword as his weapon.

The three-pointed double-edged sword is not a common weapon among outlaws and bandits, but a standard weapon in the army, so there are only a few techniques for using it.

Shi Jin, the "Nine-Dragoned Swordsman," naturally mastered all those sword techniques. However, Li Hanxiao's sword technique was clearly not among them, and its power was simply off the charts.

"This one……"

Before Li Hanxiao could answer, "Flowery Monk" Lu Zhishen laughed and said, "Shi Dalang, you can't learn the chief's swordsmanship. Don't even think about it. The chief will never teach you."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Dragon," awkwardly scratched his head and asked, "Who is the chieftain's mentor? Could I go and pay him a visit to learn some swordsmanship?"

Upon hearing Shi Jin's words, Lu Zhishen, the "Flowery Monk," burst into laughter and joked, "Then that's even more impossible! Don't even think about it!"

Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Tattooed Dragon," was completely bewildered and confused. Meanwhile, Yang Zhi, nicknamed "Blue-Faced Beast," took the opportunity to explain to the four leaders of Shaohua Mountain the background and lineage of Li Hanxiao.

"is this real?"

After listening, Shi Jin, the "Nine-Tattooed Dragon," Zhu Wu, the "Divine Strategist," and Chen Da, the "Leaping Tiger," looked at each other in disbelief. It sounded like a storytelling performance!

Yang Chun, nicknamed "White Flower Snake," who was present at the time, then spoke up to testify, "It was true back then, brothers. I was there at the time. If you don't believe Commander Yang, how can you not believe me?"

Yang Chun, the "White Flower Snake," convinced the three men with his words. Shi Jin, the "Nine-Tattooed Dragon," immediately clasped his hands together on horseback and began chanting incantations.

"True Lord Qingyuan Miaodao, I wonder if you still need disciples? I am Shi Jin from Shijia Village. From now on, I will offer incense to you every day. Please consider taking me as your disciple..."

"Hey! Big brother, you're already switching sides, kid. If your master Wang Jin finds out, he'll slap you across the face!"

Lu Zhishen, the "Flowery Monk," resumed his usual witty banter, eliciting laughter from everyone.

Actually, it's not too bad. After the battle at Shaohua Mountain and the long run, Li Hanxiao didn't want his brothers to be on edge. Being overly nervous is no good; they needed to have a balance between tension and relaxation.

Just then, Duan Jingzhu, nicknamed "Golden Retriever," galloped back with a dozen scouts leading the way.

"Chief, there's something going on ahead. A father and daughter, along with a gang of bandits, have blocked our way and are trying to kill and rape us!"

"How many people are there on the other side?"

Li Han asked with a smile, and "Golden Retriever" Duan Jingzhu replied that the other side did not have many people, only seven or eight. They had already checked and found that there were no reserve troops behind those people.

Li Hanxiao couldn't help but ask, "Then why don't you just save them directly? Why are you asking?"

Duan Jingzhu, nicknamed "Golden Retriever," cupped his hands and said, "Isn't this your order, Chief, to keep us out of trouble and make sure we keep a low profile?"

"Alright, enough talk and they'll get away with it. They're just a few petty thieves. I'm going to take care of them!"

As "Nine-Dragon" Shi Jin spoke, he picked up his three-pointed double-edged sword. The weather in the mountains was hot and humid, and it was summer. He took off his shirt and was shirtless. The nine blue dragons tattooed on his chest were baring their fangs and claws, just like Shi Jin in the present moment.

"Go, brother!"

Having received Li Hanxiao's approval, "Nine-Tattooed Dragon" Shi Jin spurred his fiery red warhorse and galloped away with "Golden-Haired Dog" Duan Jingzhu.

To be fair, Shi Jin, nicknamed "Nine-Dragoned Swordsman," was quite chivalrous. If he hadn't been tricked into joining Shaohua Mountain, he would have been a promising young hero.

No, now as long as he does good deeds and accumulates virtue, he can at least be considered a young hero, or rather... a chivalrous thief?

"Nine-Tattooed Dragon" Shi Jin rushed forward, just in time to find the father and daughter already being held down by the bandits, about to be assaulted.

Shi Jin roared, "Hey! You beasts! Prepare to die!"

And who are these two, father and daughter? Actually, they are not outsiders. The father is named Wang Yi and the daughter is named Wang Jiaozhi. They have a close relationship with Shi Jin in the original work.

In the original story, the painter Wang Yi was from Daming Prefecture in Beijing. He went there to fulfill his vow to decorate the screen wall of the Jintian Shengdi Temple on Mount Hua in the west.

Because he was traveling with a daughter named Yu Jiaozhi, Yu Jiaozhi caught the eye of Prefect He of Huazhou, who wanted to take her as a concubine. Wang Yi refused. The prefect forcibly took his daughter as a concubine and exiled Wang Yi to a remote and harsh military prefecture. Later, Shi Jin rescued Wang Yi, which led to the Liangshan heroes causing a great disturbance in Huazhou. After rescuing Wang Yi, Shi Jin inquired and learned that the girl had jumped into a well.