Chapter Thirty: Barefoot Zhang San

While the conversation was lively on one side, Maoxiang suddenly stood up, his face dark with anger, and addressed Wang Shicheng, “Sir Wang, I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot stay. I must take my leave.”

Wang Shicheng, already harboring dissatisfaction toward Maoxiang, replied curtly, “I won’t see you out.”

Maoxiang cupped his hands in salute and strode away.

Wang Pu commented calmly, “It seems that gentleman has some prejudice against me.”

Wang Shicheng laughed awkwardly and said to Wang Pu, “These scholars of the Restoration Society are full of themselves, frivolous in manner. You needn’t take them seriously, General.”

Wang Pu glanced at the sky and said, “Sir Wang, esteemed gentlemen, it grows late and I have military duties to attend to. I cannot linger here.”

Wang Shicheng quickly replied, “In that case, I won’t keep you, General.”

Wang Pu turned to look at Chen Yuanyuan and continued, “Sir Wang, I must trouble you to mediate the matter of Miss Yuanyuan and the Jade Peak Troupe.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Wang Shicheng replied obsequiously. “It is my duty to serve.”

Wang Pu said, “As for the betrothal gifts for Miss Yuanyuan’s formal acceptance, I will send someone to deliver them soon.”

[The betrothal gifts for formal acceptance are essentially the ransom for her freedom. The price varies according to a courtesan’s looks and talents. For a beauty like Chen Yuanyuan, it is naturally steep—sometimes tens of thousands of gold, sometimes just a few thousand. It all depends on how much Wang Pu, the gallant, is willing to pay.]

“This…” Wang Shicheng said flatteringly, “Let me cover the betrothal gifts for you, General. I worry you may not have so much silver on hand while occupied with official duties.”

“Sir Wang, you must not know,” Li Zushu interjected eagerly, “Brother Wang brought back fifty thousand taels of silver from Liaodong, along with countless ginseng, East Sea pearls, and gold. How much silver could it take for Miss Yuanyuan’s acceptance? Do you really think Brother Wang can’t afford it?”

Wang Pu did not wish to reprimand Li Zushu in front of everyone, so he feigned ignorance.

Wang Shicheng laughed, “Since that’s the case, I’ll await your message here, General. As soon as the betrothal gifts arrive, I’ll promptly propose to the Jade Peak Troupe. Before nightfall, Miss Yuanyuan will be sent to the camp outside the city. General, you may prepare for your wedding night.” He chuckled.

These words made Chen Yuanyuan’s cheeks flush with rosy color.

Wang Pu said, “I must trouble you then, Sir Wang.”

“Farewell.” Wang Pu cupped his hands to the officials, then turned to Chen Yuanyuan, “Miss Yuanyuan, I shall take my leave.”

Chen Yuanyuan cast Wang Pu a coquettish glance and bowed gracefully, “I respectfully see you off, General.”

Wang Pu laughed heartily and strode away.

■■■

Let us leave Wang Pu, triumphant, returning to his camp. Meanwhile, Maoxiang, the Restoration Society scholar, grew ever more agitated as he left the Wujiang County yamen. Born to a prominent family, Maoxiang had always been used to getting what he wanted. Now, the woman he had set his heart on had been taken from him.

For Chen Yuanyuan, Maoxiang had chased her from Rugao to Kunshan, from Kunshan to Nanjing, and then to Suzhou, enduring countless hardships to finally trace her whereabouts. He had believed his talent and learning would win her favor, but never imagined it would end like this.

Unable to quell his anger and frustration, Maoxiang found a small tavern and began to drink alone.

“Master,” his page Mingyan pleaded, “Please, don’t drink anymore. If you keep on, you’ll be drunk.”

“Go away,” Maoxiang snapped, “Stop bothering me.”

“Ah, Brother Mao, your temper is fierce today!”

No sooner had Maoxiang finished speaking than a clear voice rang out from outside. A figure entered the tavern—a young man just over twenty. This was none other than Maoxiang’s close friend, Hou Fangyu, courtesy name Chaozong, from Shangluo in Henan, born to a family of officials.

Mingyan quickly pulled out a chair for Hou Fangyu, “Sir Hou, please sit.”

“Thank you,” Hou Fangyu replied, returning Mingyan’s gesture, then sat across from Maoxiang. “Brother Mao, are you still angry over Chen Yuanyuan?”

Maoxiang snorted in reply.

“It’s just Chen Yuanyuan,” Hou Fangyu consoled. “Yes, she’s beautiful, but the Qinhuai River boasts many renowned beauties. Some rival her charm. I hear several new maidens have emerged recently, each more lovely than the last. Why fixate on just Chen Yuanyuan?”

Maoxiang sighed, “Of all the thousands of beauties on the Qinhuai, only Yuanyuan fills my eyes.”

“Ah, you truly are a romantic,” Hou Fangyu shook his head. “But Yuanyuan is about to be formally accepted by Wang Pu. Before night falls, Prefect Wang Shicheng will send her in a small sedan chair to the camp outside the city. You’d best give up hope, Bijiang.”

“So soon?” Maoxiang frowned. “Wang Pu, out campaigning, has so much silver with him?”

Hou Fangyu replied, “You don’t know. Wang Pu plundered more than fifty thousand taels of silver from the Jianzhou Jurchens in Liaodong, plus countless ginseng, pearls, and gold. The silver needed for Yuanyuan’s acceptance is nothing to him.”

Hou Fangyu spoke without ill intent, but at the nearby table, two burly men quietly pricked up their ears. These two wore bamboo hats, their muscular bodies clad in tattered short coats, their sun-bronzed chests exposed. Clearly, they were fishermen accustomed to the rigors of life on Lake Tai.

Maoxiang sighed deeply, “Such a rare bloom…”

Hou Fangyu laughed, “Yuanyuan is indeed a flower, but Wang Pu is no dung heap. He’s young, handsome, and now a hero. The emperor will surely favor him, and his prospects are limitless. As for literary talent, his casual verses may seem frivolous, but his skill is remarkable. For Yuanyuan to marry such a man is her fortune, Bijiang—you need not be so dejected.”

“But I cannot stomach it,” Maoxiang said bitterly. “Wang Pu has stolen the woman I love. This feud is now set.”

Hou Fangyu glanced around nervously and whispered, “You! How can you say such things aloud? Come, let’s return to our lodgings.”

Soon after Hou Fangyu and Maoxiang departed, the two men at the next table settled their bill and left. As they exited, they deliberately lowered their bamboo hats to conceal their faces. In truth, these two were notorious—the lake bandits Barefoot Zhang San and Liu Bladebreaker who ruled Lake Tai.

■■■

Outside Wujiang, in the camp of the Imperial Guards.

Wang Pu was drinking with Chang Yanling and Li Zushu when Xiao Qi, the servant sent to deliver the betrothal gifts, stumbled in behind Zhen Youcai, knelt, and cried, “General, disaster!”

Before Wang Pu could speak, Li Zushu exclaimed, “Xiao Qi, why have you returned alone? Where’s our new sister-in-law?”

Xiao Qi replied mournfully, “I am useless. The new lady was taken from us.”

“What!” Li Zushu shouted, “Who has the audacity to snatch our new sister-in-law?”

Wang Pu said in a deep voice, “Tell us calmly—what happened?”

“It happened like this,” Xiao Qi panted. “I led twenty brothers, along with Sir Wang and over ten yamen runners, escorting the new lady out of town. We hadn’t gone far when hundreds of bandits rushed from the woods on either side of the road. We couldn’t hold them off, and the new lady was taken.”

At that moment, Wang Shicheng, pale-faced, entered the tent, panting, “General, it was… it was Barefoot Zhang San who abducted Miss Yuanyuan.”

“Barefoot Zhang San?” Chang Yanling barked, “Who is Barefoot Zhang San?”

“He is the chief of the Lake Tai bandits,” Wang Shicheng replied.

“Lake Tai bandits?” Wang Pu asked sternly, “Explain.”

Wang Shicheng wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “General, Lake Tai spans eight hundred li, with forty-eight small islands. Some impoverished fishermen and river pirates occupy these islands, calling themselves the Forty-Eight Strongholds. Barefoot Zhang San is their chief.”

Wang Pu asked, “What kind of man is Barefoot Zhang San?”

If he were a murderous, lustful outlaw, there would be little point in rescuing Yuanyuan now; it would be better to mobilize the army and wipe out the bandits’ lair. If he were a man of honor, there might still be hope.

Wang Shicheng, shrewd as he was, understood Wang Pu’s intentions and replied cautiously, “Barefoot Zhang San is known as a man of honor. He never harasses the fishermen around Lake Tai, only targets passing merchant ships and the wealthy. He takes only valuables, rarely kills, and never harms women.”

“Oh?” Wang Pu stroked his chin and nodded. “So Barefoot Zhang San is quite the character.”

“General, a letter!”

Before Wang Shicheng could finish, Scarface hurried into the tent, carrying a flying dart with a letter attached. Wang Pu took it, removed the letter, and found it was a ransom note—demanding fifty thousand taels of silver for Yuanyuan’s release at Dongshan, signed by Barefoot Zhang San.

“Outrageous!”

Wang Pu slammed his fist on the table. “Not only does he steal my woman, he dares to extort me! He must be destroyed!”

Li Zushu said fiercely, “Big brother, what’s our plan?”

“Scarface, gather the men immediately.”

“Yes!” Scarface departed to carry out the order.

Chang Yanling and Li Zushu said in unison, “Big brother, we’ll bring the Imperial Guard brothers and join you.”

“No,” Wang Pu shook his head. “You two must stay and guard the camp. We cannot risk the Jurchen prisoners inside.”

Li Zushu said, “Let the Imperial Guard remain; we’ll bring only our trusted household men.”

“Very well.” Wang Pu nodded and turned to Wang Shicheng, “Sir Wang, Barefoot Zhang San hasn’t had time to escape into Lake Tai yet. If we hurry, we can intercept him. Tell me, how many routes lead from Wujiang County to Lake Tai? Which are most likely?”

“Two,” Wang Shicheng replied quickly, “the Catfish Mouth path and the Yellow Mud Dyke road. The Lake Tai bandits are bold—they rarely conceal themselves and usually take the Yellow Mud Dyke road when leaving the lake. I reckon they’ll do so this time as well.”

Zhen Youcai considered and said, “General, this time Barefoot Zhang San will take Catfish Mouth.”

“Let’s go!” Wang Pu said decisively. “We’ll head for Catfish Mouth.”