soldier pointed to a gourd on the wall, and said, “Should you want to buy some wine you can take that to a small village or market about a li from here in an easterly direction.” He then departed with the head jailer.
Lin Chong put the baggage away, and spread his quilts on the bed. At the back of the room was some firewood and charcoal so he put some on the stove which was standing close to his bed. Upon lying down and looking at the ceiling he noticed that there were many holes through which the wind was blowing strongly.
He soliloquized, “I cannot stay here all winter with the roof like that, so when it is fine I will go into the town, and get a bricklayer to come and repair the roof.” After a little time he felt cold so he remembered what the old soldier had told him, and decided to go to the village and buy some wine. He took some silver from his bag, picked up his spear and the gourd for the wine and put a cover on the fire. He put on his felt cap, and locked the doors. Then carrying the keys with him he went along the road towards the east. The snow lay deep on the ground like masses of beautiful white jade, and as there was a strong north wind blowing he walked sideways with his back half to the wind. The snow was falling fast, and he had not gone more than a quarter of a li when he saw an old temple at the side of the road. He entered and bowing his head to the image he said, “Protect me, O ye gods, and later I will burn paper money for you.” He then resumed his journey, and soon came to a number of houses. He saw a bamboo fence with a signboard of a wine shop sticking outside. He entered the wine shop, and the proprietor spoke to him. “Where are you from?”
“Do you recognize this gourd?”
The proprietor said that it belonged to the old soldier at the fodder depot.
Lin Chong admitted it. “Since you are the keeper of the fodder compound please take a seat,” said the proprietor. “And as the weather is very cold, you had better have three cups of wine on my account as you are a newcomer.” He brought forward a kettle of hot wine, and also cut up a plateful of beef, and requested him to dine.
Lin Chong took out some silver and with it bought his gourd full of wine, and placed the beef away in his breast, and expressed his thanks for their kind treatment. He then left the inn, and faced the strong, cold wind. He saw that the snow was falling more heavily than before. He trudged through the snow, heading into the cold north wind, and hurried to the fodder depot where he unlocked the door, and entered his miserable quarters.
The gods in heaven protect good and just men, and they no doubt saved the life of Lin Chong by this heavy fall of snow, which by its weight had broken down the grass hut where he was going to sleep. When he saw this he wondered what he must do. He was afraid that the stove might ignite the debris so putting his lance and gourd down on the snow he parted the grass and looked underneath. Creeping inside he found that the fire had been extinguished by the snow. He then felt around for the bed, and dragged away the cotton quilt. Withdrawing his body from the wreckage he looked around and as it was quite dark and he had no place to make a fire he wondered what he must do. He remembered however that there was the old temple a few hundred yards down the road where he could shelter. So he decided to go and sleep there for the night, and arrange matters the following day. He rolled up the quilt, and carrying the gourd of wine on the lance over his shoulder he locked the gate again, and left for the temple. Upon entering the temple he closed the door, and placed a large stone against it. Looking round he saw an image of the “Mountain Spirit” covered with gilt armor, attended by a judge of the afterlife, and a small demon on each side. On one side was a large pile of loose paper, and there was evidently nobody in charge. Placing his spear and the gourd of wine on the heap of paper, he unrolled his quilt, and shaked the snow off his clothes. His felt cap and outer gown were very wet so he took them off, and placed them on the altar. He then lay down with the quilt covering half his body, and drank the wine, and ate the meat which he had brought with him.
While lying there he heard a sound of crackling outside so he jumped up and peeping through a hole in the window he saw that the fodder depot was all in flames. He went to get his spear with the object of going to put out the fire when he heard some men outside talking. Hiding behind the door he found that there were three men who were coming to the temple. They pushed at the door but could not open it on account of the large stone he had placed there. So they stood under the eaves of the temple watching the fire, and one man spoke, “Is not this a good plan?”
Another man remarked, “Both of you, the superintendent and the head jailer certainly arranged the matter very well, and when I get back to the Eastern Capital, and report it to the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, you two will certainly be promoted. Then Drill Instructor Zhang will have no ground for further objection to the marriage.”
Another man said, “Lin Chong has certainly been caught in our trap this time. Master Gao will soon be cured of his sickness now!”
Another man said, “A man was sent four or five times to plead with Drill Instructor Zhang, and said that his son-in-law Lin Chong was dead. But Zhang would not agree to let his daughter remarry. As Master Gao only got worse Marshal Gao Qiu ordered us to do this business, and we did not expect to get it finished so soon.”
Another man said, “I went inside the fence and lit about ten stacks of hay on every side, so that he could not get out.”
Another man said, “It is nearly all burnt down now.”
Lin Chong listening heard another man say: “Even if Lin Chong escapes he will have to answer a serious charge of allowing a big depot full of army fodder to be burnt.”
The other man said, “Let us go back to the town.”
A man said, “It will be better if we wait until the fire is out, and then we can go and get one or two of his bones, and then when we report the matter to Marshal Gao Qiu and also Master Gao, they will see that we did the work thoroughly.”
Lin Chong knew by listening that one of the men was the head jailer, and the others were Lu Qian and Fu An. He thought, “Heaven has had pity on Lin Chong! If that straw hut had not fallen down I would certainly have been burnt to death.” He then quietly removed the stone from the door, and holding his spear in one hand he opened the door with his left hand, and shouted out, “Where are you thieves going?”
The three men wanted to get away at once, but they were so startled that they could not move. Lin Chong stabbed the head jailer with his spear. Lu Qian called out, “Spare my life!” but he was so frightened out of his wits that he could not move either hand or foot. Fu An ran about ten steps, but Lin Chong caught him up and stabbed him in the back. He turned round, and saw that Lu Qian had walked away a few steps. He shouted at him, “You villain! Where are you going?” He seized Lu Qian, and threw him on the ground. He then stuck his spear in the ground, and planted his foot on Lu Qian’s breast. He then drew his sword, and lay it across Lu Qian’s face. He shouted, “You villain! Previously I had no hatred of you so why did you try to injure me?” An old saying says, “Murder may be excused sometimes, but generally no excuse can be allowed.”
Lu Qian said, “This was not my affair. I am only carrying out the order of the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, and dared not disobey.”
Lin Chong abused him, “You villain! I have been a friend of yours since we were children, and yet you come now to kill me, although you say it is not your business. I will give you a taste of my sword.” He opened Lu Qian’s dress, and made a big wound in his breast—the blood rushing out in all directions. He then plucked out his heart. Turning his head he noticed that the head jailer had got up, and was getting away. Lin Chong pushed him down, and shouted, “You are a vile fellow! I will also give you a taste of my sword!” He then cut off his head and stuck it to the end of his spear. He then cut off the heads of Lu Qian and Fu An, and tying the hair in one knot took all three heads into the temple, and placed them on the altar.
