Volume One, Chapter Ten: Appointed as Guest Minister to Borrow His Name

Li Shandao hurriedly sought advice, asking with a solemn expression, "May I ask, elder brother, which point are you referring to?"

Fei Junzhong replied, "The leaders of those groups brought by Wang Bodang must be the very men who followed Wang Bodang and Master Zhai down from the hall just now. When they passed by us, I looked closely; each one looked fierce and vicious. You can tell at a glance they are the type accustomed to killing in the dark and setting fires under a high wind. If the leaders are like this, you can be sure their subordinates are the same. Such men only respect brute force. Although they have joined our camp, they are strangers to this place and its people. They might restrain themselves for a moment, but before long, their true colors will show. Regarding the hundred men assigned to you, you must never be lenient in your daily dealings with them. The moment you show any leniency, they will perceive you as someone to be bullied. Whenever they do not act according to your wishes, just use your club on them! The harder you strike, the more willing they will be to submit to your command. Second Brother, that is all I wish to impress upon you."

Li Shandao joked, "And if I just keep beating them until they get angry with me—what should I do then?"

Wei Yechazhe, arms folded, cut in with a surly tone, "Give them ten times the courage, and let's see if they dare to be angry! Second Brother, just hit them, don't be afraid. If any scoundrel dares to say a single word of complaint or resentment behind your back, I will kill him for you."

Because Gao Chounu had beaten him to the punch and prevented him from sparring with Zhang Tiecha, Wei Yechazhe had been a bit displeased with Gao earlier. However, being young—only sixteen or seventeen—how deep could his grudge be? More importantly, Shan Xiongxin treated Gao Chounu with great affection, and Wei Yechazhe was devoted entirely to Shan Xiongxin, so he had already cast aside his earlier displeasure.

Fei Junzhong laughed, "Yechazhe, Second Brother has Chounu to help him. Even if someone dares to complain, why would we need you to intervene? ...Isn't that right, Chounu?"

Everyone laughed.

Whether or not one takes Fei Junzhong's advice is one thing, but since it was offered with good intentions, gratitude was necessary.

Li Shandao said, "Hearing your words is worth more than ten years of study. Elder Brother Fei, I have taken your words to heart! I have never led troops before, so there are many things I truly do not understand. If I encounter anything confusing in the future, I will have to seek guidance from you and the other elder brothers again."

Fei Junzhong, Wei Yechazhe, and the others replied, "We are all our own people; say no more!"

As they chatted, quite some time passed, and Shan and Xu had not yet emerged. However, they saw Zhai Mohou coming down the mountain path, swaying as he returned to the courtyard entrance, having escorted Wang Bodang out of the camp. Fei Junzhong, being the eldest among them, led the group in bowing to Zhai Mohou. They had already seen him once when he emerged to see Wang Bodang off, and Li Shandao already knew who he was.

Zhai Mohou's appearance and physique resembled those of Zhai Rang and Zhai Kuan, though his eyes were different.

Zhai Mohou asked, "Are Second Brother Shan and Eldest Brother Xu still in the hall?"

Fei Junzhong replied respectfully, "Replying to your words, Master, yes, they are."

"Good, I understand." Zhai Mohou nodded perfunctorily and strode into the courtyard.

Not until Zhai Mohou had entered the hall and disappeared from sight did Fei Junzhong, Wei Yechazhe, and the others straighten up. It had been the same earlier; when Zhai Mohou went to see Wang Bodang off, they had waited until he was far away before rising from their bows.

Compared to their behavior when meeting Zhai Rang in the hall just now, Li Shandao felt that their attitude toward Zhai Mohou was even more deferential. He was secretly surprised but found it inconvenient to ask, so he kept this doubt to himself.

Bored with the wait, Li Shandao’s thoughts shifted to Wang Bodang.

He already knew that Li Mi had not yet joined Wagang, so was Wang Bodang here to act as a lobbyist for him?

Just as he was pondering this, Zhai Rang’s booming voice reached his ears again, followed by the voices of Shan Xiongxin and Xu Shiji. Li Shandao looked up and saw Zhai Rang seeing them out. Zhai Kuan, Zhai Mohou, Jia Xiong, and Wang Ruxin also emerged.

What else had they been discussing in the hall for so long?

He heard Xu Shiji say, "Lord Zhai, although Li Xuansui is indeed prone to grand rhetoric, it is also true that he possesses a great reputation. If you can accept him into our ranks, on one hand, it will further elevate your name, Lord Zhai. Even if Li Xuansui serves as a leader under you, your prestige will not merely shake Shandong; it will be known throughout the entire realm. On the other hand, in my humble opinion, it will also attract more heroes to join us. I beg you to consider this carefully, Lord Zhai."

Zhai Rang replied, "Maogong, I have heard everything you said. Rest assured, I will give it serious thought."

"Please stay your step, my Lord, no need to see us off further."

Zhai Rang gripped the arms of Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin, walked down the steps, and stopped only at the courtyard entrance. He laughed, "Tonight’s victory banquet is held specifically for you two; you must not be late. Let the first watch be the deadline; anyone late will be fined three bowls of wine!" Seeing Li Shandao and Gao Chounu, he smiled at them and the others, adding, "Everyone, come tonight! Let us have a proper celebration!"

...

On the way back to their quarters under the cliff, Xu Shiji called for Li Shandao to walk with him.

The mountain path was not very wide, but it could accommodate them walking side-by-side.

It was near dusk, the setting sun casting a dim, yellow hue over the mountains. The cliffs and vines nearby were bathed in the glow of the sunset, creating a sense of tranquility and majestic beauty. Tired birds returned to their nests, and a light breeze brushed their faces, carrying the crisp scent of trees and grass, and the fragrance of wildflowers from across the mountains.

Looking at this scene, how could this mountain seem like a "thieves' den"?

Yet, the groups of camp followers they encountered from time to time reminded Li Shandao that this was indeed the main camp of Wagang.

Upon seeing Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin, the followers stopped from afar, retreated to the side of the walls, and bowed respectfully with hands clasped.

Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin mostly ignored them, only nodding if they recognized someone.

Li Shandao replied, "Eldest Brother need not instruct me; I am aware." He smiled, "Lord Zhai giving me this position is, after all, out of respect for you."

Needless to say, Xu Shiji was not the type to demand repayment for favors, so he did not pick up on Li Shandao's remark.

He thought for a moment and said, "Second Brother, although you have been in the camp for over ten days, we have been busy raiding boats, so I haven't had a chance to tell you about the situation here. Let me give you a brief introduction.

"We currently have over twelve thousand troops in the camp, with more than four thousand stationed on this mountain, including those at the foot. This is our main camp. In addition, we have branch camps in the southwestern mountains and on islands in the river. Including the old camp in Wagang Township, Weicheng, we have four branch camps in total, ranging from several hundred to two or three thousand men each. Each branch is led by a manager appointed by Lord Zhai himself. Both Brother Shan and I are managers of branch camps. Brother Shan heads the Tongshan Camp to the southwest, and I head the Fenghuang Camp on the river to the east. However, we both hold positions in the main camp, so we do not reside at the branches.

"Speaking of positions, Lord Zhai told you that we have our own rules, and that is true. With over ten thousand men, besides the rank-and-file, there are also the families of the leaders and followers. Men, women, old, and young live mixed together. Externally, we must raid to provide for the camp's needs; internally, with so many people gathered in one place, there must be regulations to prevent chaos. Thus, I helped Lord Zhai draft ten mountain rules. I will give you a copy later; you must memorize them and never violate them."

Li Shandao laughed, "Understood. Eldest Brother, I have it in mind. I am a fellow countyman of yours, I came here to join you, and these rules were drafted by you. If I were to break the rules, would you punish me or not? That would put you in a difficult position!"

Xu Shiji was pleased, stroking his whiskers and laughing, "Second Brother, it is good that you can think of that! It is indeed so. If you break the rules, it puts me in a difficult spot. If I don't punish you, since I drafted the rules, how can I make others obey? It would not be convincing. If I do punish you, since we are from the same county and you saved my father, I could not bear to strike!"

"Therefore, please rest assured, Eldest Brother. I will certainly abide by the rules and will never put you in a difficult position."

Xu Shiji was very satisfied with Li Shandao's understanding, thinking to himself: "The rumors in our county all say this Li Shandao is a rogue, relying on violence and bravery, addicted to gambling and lust, capable of every evil. But in the days I have spent with him, his words and actions contradict these rumors entirely. On the contrary, he is quite strategic, knows how to advance and retreat, and possesses a benevolent heart. Rumors are half-truth and half-false; they are truly not to be fully believed."

With that in mind, he continued, "Second Brother, the rules are one thing. With over ten thousand people, you cannot rely on rules alone for food, clothing, and shelter. Therefore, we have established specific duties for the various affairs in the camp. This is what I meant by 'position' earlier. Generally speaking, the positions can be divided into two categories: Military and Political. The political side manages the daily lives of the ten thousand people, while the military side manages defense and raids. The rank of Brigade Commander that Lord Zhai gave you is a position on the military side."

Li Shandao listened intently and said, "Eldest Brother, I didn't expect the duties in the camp to be so finely divided."

"Why? When you came to join us, did you think we were completely without order, acting in total lawlessness?"

Li Shandao replied, "I didn't exactly think that; I assumed there were rules, but I didn't expect them to be so detailed."

"Second Brother, with over ten thousand people, how can you manage them well without dividing the duties? Moreover, we have ten thousand now, but what about later? Relying on Lord Zhai’s reputation for righteousness, our forces will surely grow, so we need to lay a solid foundation early."

Shan Xiongxin, who had been listening, added with emotion, "My brother is right! Four or five years ago, 'Zhishilang' already had tens of thousands of troops. Two years ago, when Meng Rang attacked Xuyi, it was said that the troops he led numbered over one hundred thousand! And other heroes like Sun Xuanya, Zuo Xiaoyou, Lu Mingyue, Qi Gongshun, Pei Changcai, Hao Xiaode, Meng Haigong, and Xu Yuanlang—some also claim to have over one hundred thousand, others have tens of thousands. They roam between Qi and Lu, attacking cities and breaking towns, their prestige awe-inspiring. They are all truly illustrious! Although we only have ten thousand now, sooner or later, we will be just like them, reaching one hundred thousand!"

"Zhishilang" referred to Wang Bo.

The Great Sui Empire was ablaze with rebellion; the foundations were crumbling. In the Shandong region alone, countless "righteous armies" and "thieves" had risen up—almost every county had them. Wang Bo was one of the first, having gathered his forces five years ago in the seventh year of the Daye era.

Li Shandao knew of his fame, his title "Zhishilang," and his "Song of Wasted Death Toward Liaodong" from his time in school in his previous life.

The figures mentioned by Shan Xiongxin—Meng Rang, Sun Xuanya, and the others—were all prominent leaders of the "rebel" or "thief" groups currently active in Shandong.

—It is worth noting that while Wagang was a major power in the western Shandong region of Dongjun, Xingyang, and Liangjun, it was not yet the premier force among the many "bandits" across all of Shandong.

Hearing Shan Xiongxin’s ambitious words, Xu Shiji clapped his hands lightly and laughed, "Exactly. With Lord Zhai’s righteousness spreading far and wide, and you, Brother, being so brave and skilled in battle, as long as we all work together, our Wagang Camp will surely prosper sooner or later!"

Shan Xiongxin smiled, "Brother, you left out one thing: your own resourcefulness." He turned to Li Shandao, "Second Brother, the rules and regulations of our camp mostly come from Eldest Brother. Thanks to him, even though our numbers are growing daily, everything is in perfect order."

Xu Shiji said, "What I have done is nothing." He paused and said to Shan Xiongxin, "Brother, in fact, the best way to develop our camp faster is exactly what I suggested to Lord Zhai in the hall just now!"

"Brother, do you mean your suggestion to Lord Zhai to allow Li Xuansui to join us?"

Xu Shiji replied, "Exactly. Brother, we have discussed this privately. I have pondered it repeatedly and believe that we should accept Li Xuansui's request. What do you think, Brother?"

Shan Xiongxin stroked his beard and mused, "You have always been far-sighted, Brother. Since you believe this, I naturally trust you. However, I feel that Brother Ruxin’s concerns are not without merit. Furthermore, although Lord Zhai did not say so explicitly, I sense that he, like Ruxin, is also hesitant about accepting Li Xuansui! Just now in the hall, when you made the suggestion, Ruxin strongly opposed it, and I could see that Lord Zhai was also wavering."

"The worries of Ruxin and Lord Zhai, to put it bluntly, are merely fears that Li Xuansui, as a noble from a high-ranking family with such fame, might threaten Lord Zhai’s position in the camp if he joins us. But in my opinion, such worries are entirely unnecessary."

Shan Xiongxin asked, "Oh? How so, Brother?"

"It is true that Li Xuansui comes from a high-status family and is a famous figure. But he is a 'guest' nonetheless, and to put it bluntly, as Ruxin mocked, he is currently a stray dog. He is being hunted by the court, and none of the other heroes or leaders are willing to take him in. He has nowhere to go; 'desperate' is an understatement! In such a situation, no matter how noble his background or how famous he is, once he enters our camp, what could he possibly do to threaten Lord Zhai’s authority?"

Shan Xiongxin pondered this and said, "Your words make sense, Brother."

"On the contrary, we can take advantage of his desperation to bring him into the camp, give him an honorary position as a guest advisor, and then use his fame to attract heroes from all over! Brother, is this not a move that benefits us with no drawbacks? It is a good thing for Lord Zhai as well."

Shan Xiongxin agreed, "Your words are reasonable, Brother."

"If you agree, Brother, and are willing to support accepting Li Xuansui, how about this: after the banquet tonight, let us suggest it to Lord Zhai again?"

Shan Xiongxin was not particularly skilled at strategy, but he trusted Xu Shiji and found his analysis sound, so he readily agreed: "Fine! It is settled! After the banquet tonight, I will accompany you to propose this to Lord Zhai again! You speak, and I will back you up."

Li Shandao had been walking alongside Xu Shiji, but as Shan and Xu talked, he had gradually fallen behind.

However, he did not fall too far and heard everything the two were saying.

He thought to himself: "As I expected, Wang Bodang’s visit was indeed to lobby for Li Mi. Judging by their conversation, it seems Zhai Rang is reluctant to let Li Mi join?"

This was not surprising. As Xu Shiji said, Li Mi was a "great Buddha." Zhai Rang’s hesitation was only natural.

—It was not just Zhai Rang. Ever since Yang Xuangan’s rebellion failed three years ago, Li Mi had been a fugitive. He had tried to join many camps—Li Gongyi in Liangjun, Zhou Wenju in Weicheng, Hao Xiaode in Pingyuan, Wang Dangren in Waihuang—but except for Wang Bodang, who held him in high regard, no one would take him in. The reason was the same as Zhai Rang's.

Sometimes, if a person’s background is too impressive and their fame too great, it becomes a burden.

For someone like Li Shandao, who had neither background nor fame, joining Wagang was much easier than it was for Li Mi.

As they talked, they reached the residence of Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin under the cliff.

Xu Shiji stopped, turned around, and called Li Shandao over, saying, "Second Brother, Lord Zhai said that you and Chounu should attend the banquet tonight. Don't forget."

Li Shandao wanted to offer his opinion on the Li Mi matter, but he realized that as a newcomer and a mere Brigade Commander, he likely lacked the standing to speak on such a major issue—after all, Xu Shiji had only discussed it with Shan Xiongxin. If he were too eager, he might leave the impression of being "unaware of his place." So, he swallowed his words.

He smiled and replied, "Understood. Around the first watch, I will come with Chounu to find you and Master Shan, and we will accompany you to the banquet."

"One more thing. Second Brother, the hundred men assigned to you today are all newcomers. Although you have wisdom and are steady, it won't be easy to win them over and control them all at once. There is no time to discuss this in detail today, but in a day or two, when things settle down, I will talk to you about it."

Li Shandao said, "That would be great! Eldest Brother, I am indeed feeling unsure. If you are willing to give me some pointers, there is nothing I would want more!"

"Lord Zhai ordered those troops to go to the valley to meet you. I don't know if they have arrived yet, so you should return to the valley first."

Bidding farewell to Xu Shiji, Shan Xiongxin, Fei Junzhong, and Wei Yechazhe, Li Shandao and Gao Chounu headed toward the small valley to the south.

Before reaching the valley entrance, they heard shouting from afar, as if someone were fighting.