Chapter 15: Da-You Breaks an Oath Made Before the Altar — Zhang Feng Listens through the Window and Carries Word

Now, Qu Jue Xing, having pocketed the five-hundred-tael note, said: "I have a plan that is perfect in every way." Gui Xing was overjoyed and pressed him to explain. Jue Xing said, "This plan requires only that my worthy nephew sacrifice one ox, one sheep, and one pig — after that, all things will be settled without fail. Will you agree?" Gui Xing said, "That is a trifling matter — of course I agree!" Jue Xing said, "Now that is a brilliant plan!" Gui Xing said, "Please tell me — what is it exactly?" Jue Xing tilted his head back, looked at the ceiling, and said slowly and languidly, "How inspired! Throughout the ages, there has been no better way to bind bold men together!" Gui Xing was about to ask again, and Jue Xing added, "Liu Bei's winning over Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Song Jiang's gathering so many bold men — all of it ultimately came down to this very method!" Gui Xing said, "Good Elder Cousin, stop teasing me — just tell me quickly!" Jue Xing said, "This crowd is lawless, but there is one thing that can subdue them: the gods. We need only do thus and so... but we still lack one forceful man to carry it through." Gui Xing said, "What about my uncle Zong Kong?" Jue Xing said, "That man only knows how to smile and flatter his way through life — he cannot handle a serious task. These are not words to drive a wedge between you and your uncle, but look at how he has followed you around these past several years, eating and drinking off your generosity without ever actually doing a single thing for you. Better to think of someone else." Gui Xing said, "Lin Da-You is a new acquaintance, but I can see he has genuine nerve and ability. Perhaps we could ask him." Jue Xing pondered: "Very well — let us wait until the banquet is over, then discuss it with him."

With the two of them agreed on their plan, they returned to the table. Two rounds of drinks went by, then Jue Xing stood up, drained a full cup, and addressed the gathering: "Today, Qi-Bo (Elder Cousin Gui Xing) wishes to discuss great business with all of you, and has entrusted everything to my direction. I now speak one word to you all — please listen quietly." Indeed the whole company fell silent at once. Jue Xing then turned to Gui Xing: "Worthy nephew, please have Xi Lai supervise the household servants in cleaning and preparing all spare rooms for use — this must be done by tomorrow." Then to the assembly: "The gentlemen newly arrived from the provincial capital will of course be living here from now on. The rest of you are also urged to take up residence here starting tomorrow. I ask all of you to go home today and tell your wives and families only that tomorrow you have business in the provincial capital, or in Foshan, or in Chencun — you must not say you are coming here. Be sure to be back here by noon tomorrow without fail. I will also be here, and there will be further discussion at that time. Do not fail to keep to this!" Everyone stood and answered in unison.

Jue Xing then turned to Zong Kong: "There is one thing I must trouble you with, Elder Cousin — tomorrow morning, make a quick trip to the provincial capital." Zong Kong said, "Is it to go and summon Tian Lai and his brother to come home and meet their end?" Jue Xing laughed: "Nothing of the sort. Tomorrow evening we will need a sheep, and there is nowhere to buy one here. I ask you to go to the capital first thing tomorrow morning and buy one, then bring it back without delay." Zong Kong, hearing that fetching the sheep would allow him to pocket a few coins on the way, readily agreed. Jue Xing finished speaking; the guests settled back to their drinking and did not break up until dusk. Jue Xing stayed in the study to chat with Lin Da-You, Zhou Zanxian, and the others through the evening. He saw that Lin Da-You was indeed sharp and capable — a formidable figure — and drew him aside to explain the plan from beginning to end. Lin Da-You assented again and again.

The night passed without incident. The following day, around midday, everyone arrived in turn. That afternoon Zong Kong returned as well with the sheep. Gui Xing went off to have everything arranged. That night came another round of boisterous drinking and carousing, lasting until the second watch (around 9-11 pm) before it broke up. The remnants of the banquet were cleared; the company settled in their seats. Jue Xing then addressed them in a loud voice: "Today Qi-Bo has asked all of you to help him exact revenge. I wish to know: will all of you act with one heart and one mind?" Everyone answered together, "Naturally, we will act as one!" Jue Xing said, "Since you are all of one mind, let me make our purpose plain before this assembly. We have gathered more than twenty men; within the next few days we will go to the Liang family home and raid it. When we enter, do not bother taking their valuables. You need only keep eight words firmly in mind: 'Kill every male you find; spare every female you meet.' You will be rewarded as promised when we return." Everyone again said in unison, "We will do exactly as agreed!" Jue Xing continued: "But there is one thing to fear: after the event, if they file a complaint and it comes to court, then what?" Ling Mei Xian and the others in the crowd exchanged uneasy glances. Jue Xing went on: "Everything outside will be managed by Qi-Bo, so you need have no worry there. But what will you say in court?" Everyone was at a loss. Jue Xing said, "Brother Lin Da-You has a solution: if we come before the court, simply supply a made-up name, say only that the culprit fled to escape arrest, and while the authorities issue a warrant for his pursuit, this side can work out how to get you released..."

Gui Xing picked up the thread: "For everyone who has suffered under the court's punishment, I will take note of each one and send an appropriate sum for the pain." Jue Xing said, "Is everyone willing?" Everyone answered, "Willing!" Jue Xing said, "Good — everyone is willing. But when it truly comes to court, if one of you supplies the name 'Zhang San' while another supplies 'Li Si,' the accounts will not match. When the time comes, I will settle on a specific name and let you all know in advance. You must commit it to memory so that every single person gives the same answer — no court official could doubt it then. Now, there is one more thing: since all of you are of one mind and one intention, would you be willing this very night to take a solemn oath?" Lin Da-You stepped forward, struck his chest, and said, "That is exactly what I would ask for!" Jue Xing called out "Good!" and Gui Xing quickly had the sacrificial offerings brought in. In a flurry of hands, three tables were carried to the courtyard, the ox, sheep, and pig arranged upon them, an incense table set up, a bright pair of large candles lit, and incense burned. Meanwhile Jue Xing had taken the words he had just spoken, dressed them up with a little flourish of language, and written them out as an oath. At the bottom of the oath he listed the names of each person present. Gui Xing went first to the incense table and kowtowed. Jue Xing, Zong Kong, and the rest all followed in turn and knelt in worship. Jue Xing then took up the oath document and read it aloud to the assembly. When he had finished, he called the names one by one; when a name was called, that person answered — exactly like a roll call. When all names were checked, Gui Xing had the offerings brought in. Two servants appeared carrying a cage of chickens and a sharp knife, which were placed on the center table. Jue Xing put down the oath, stepped forward, took a small rooster in his left hand, took the knife in his right, and said, "I will take the oath first! Let each of you follow in turn — no backing down!" With that, he raised the knife high and called out, "Let any who breaks this night's oath die just as this rooster dies!..." Before he had finished speaking, with a single slash the rooster's head was cut off; he flung the bird out into the courtyard, where the headless rooster could still be heard flapping its wings.

The moment Jue Xing flung the bird away, Lin Da-You leaped forward with a single bound, stood in the center, and bellowed, "Anyone here who dares refuse to take this oath—" and with a hiss he yanked a two-foot-long spike from his person and cried, "I will put this blade through him!" With that, he drove the knife hard into the tabletop with a reverberating clang. He himself then snatched up a rooster, and with a single blow lopped off its head and spoke the oath. The others had already been somewhat unnerved watching Jue Xing's display; now, seeing Lin Da-You's murderous bearing, they had no choice but to step forward one by one and take the oath. Jue Xing then picked up the oath document again and said, "By custom this document should be preserved. But since this is a matter of great secrecy, if the paper were lost or found by the wrong person, it would be most unfortunate. Better to burn it here and now, leaving all our names recorded only in the vault of heaven. We must act even more resolutely as one — know that the gods of heaven and earth are watching!" With that, he held the paper to the candle flame. Then a strange thing happened: just at that moment a wind rose, and the ashes of the burned paper were swept up into the sky. Jue Xing deliberately tilted his head back and gazed upward, exclaiming in theatrical wonder. Everyone looked on with their hair standing on end.

With the offerings cleared away, the whole company took up residence at Gui Xing's household from that night forward. Three days passed and Jue Xing said nothing more about the plan. Gui Xing finally asked, "When does Elder Cousin intend to make the move?" Jue Xing said, "I have already reckoned it out. It is rare for Tian Lai and his brother to be home at the same time. If we rush in recklessly and cannot catch them both, what a pity that would be! Today is already the eighth of the seventh month. On the twelfth, worthy nephew, you should engage monks and Taoist priests and set up a religious offering ceremony (jiao). The priests should not enter the house — have them set up their tent outside the gate and hold a ceremony lasting seven days and seven nights. I guarantee success!" Gui Xing said, "This is strange! Are we praying in advance for their souls, fearing that vengeful ghosts might come for us?" Jue Xing said, "Nothing of the sort — I have another use for it, which you will understand in time. Just make the preparations." Gui Xing had no choice but to have things arranged, and pressed again to know exactly when they would act. Jue Xing said, "We will strike on the last night of the ceremony." Gui Xing counted on his fingers: "The ceremony opens on the twelfth and should close on the eighteenth night — why choose that particular night?" Jue Xing clapped his hands: "Worthy nephew! You truly have a deep-rooted feud with the Liang family if you have even forgotten this: is not Tian Lai's mother's birthday on the nineteenth? On any ordinary day, how could one be sure his brothers are all at home? On that day, they will naturally come back early to celebrate their mother's birthday. Not only will both brothers be there — if you also finish off his son Yang Fu, that too will be easy!" Gui Xing said, delighted, "Elder Cousin truly has godlike foresight. I leave all of this entirely in your hands. I will ask no more questions about it — and afterward, the reward will be generous." He at once had Xi Lai engage a tentmaker to put up the outdoor ceremony tent, and monks and Taoists were engaged to conduct the rites, with the stated reason of taking advantage of the Zhongyuan Festival (the Hungry Ghost Festival, mid-seventh month) to hold memorial services for his late wife and sister. For the first two days, people from the village gathered to watch in great numbers; by the third and fourth days, the crowds gradually thinned.

Dear readers, in Tancun village there was a poor man named Zhang Feng. By nature he was blunt and honest, given to meddling in other people's business and quick to take sides against injustice — and as a result everyone found him a nuisance. When he went out to work as a hired hand, he was invariably unwelcome among his fellow workers, and so no employment ever lasted long. After a time, people regarded him as someone without a conscience and simply stopped dealing with him. With nowhere to turn, he had ended up in the poorhouse. He begged on the street by day and slept in an old temple at night — a carefree enough life, at least, free from breathing in other people's foul air. Of late he had been ill and had not even bothered to go out begging — eating on days when something came to him, going without on others. These past few days he had noticed the ceremony tent set up at Ling Gui Xing's gate, and had gone over to beg some of the vegetarian festival food. To his surprise, what was offered was hardly vegetarian — the "offerings" were full of fat fish and great chunks of meat. He thought to himself: it seems their ceremony is not a fasting one after all. Grateful for the meal, he had begged there six days running.

This particular day, he had just begged enough to fill his stomach and was about to leave when suddenly a violent fit of malarial fever came on, and he shook uncontrollably. Noticing a narrow side alley nearby that was quiet and deserted, he dragged himself into it and lay down. Suddenly he heard voices coming from within the window beside him. One voice said, "Brother A-Qi! Why are you smoking so much opium today?" Another voice replied, "You don't know — I want a full dose of my fix before we go and do the business tonight." Another said, "You really are a greenhorn! Do you know that Liang Tian Lai is like a consumptive patient? His brother Jun Lai too — skin and bone. Forget killing just those two; even twice as many would be no trouble to kill. With more than twenty of us, how could we not manage it? You are worrying needlessly." Another said, "It's not like that — the master said, kill one man, get a thousand taels in thanks. I want to grab the top prize all by myself! Too bad the master also said 'kill every male, spare every female' — otherwise I'd want to earn even more." Another said, "How ruthless you are!" And then: "When are we moving tonight?" Another replied, "Adviser Qu says the second watch (around 9-11 pm)."

Zhang Feng heard this and broke into a cold sweat from head to foot. He hurried out, still sick, and thought to himself: the windows here plainly belong to the Ling household. Who would have guessed that while Gui Xing is openly holding a Buddhist ceremony, he is secretly plotting murder — truly beyond anyone's imagination! He then thought: why don't I hurry and warn Tian Lai, so he can take shelter in time? Yes, indeed — to save one life is worth more than building a seven-storied pagoda! With that he seized his beggar's staff, picked up his beggar's basket, and went straight to Tian Lai's home to report the news.

How would Tian Lai respond to the warning and make his preparations? Read on to the next chapter.