Volume One, Chapter Six: Zhang Tiecha Encounters an Ambush and Performs a Favor

In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, two years after the Sui dynasty conquered the Southern Chen, a rebellion broke out in the Jiangnan region. Although it was eventually suppressed, the uprising was widespread, engulfing nearly every part of the Jiangnan territory, and the pacification process dragged on for a full year. To strengthen control over the south, Emperor Wen of Sui issued an edict in the eighteenth year of Kaihuang: "Within all prefectures of Jiangnan, any vessel with a length of three zhang or more shall be confiscated by the government." He believed that any boat exceeding this size could potentially serve as a gathering place for conspirators, thus banning the use of large private vessels among the Jiangnan populace. However, this edict, much like the one issued by the Emperor in the fifteenth year of Kaihuang—"Collect all weapons under heaven; those who manufacture them privately shall be punished. Guanzhong and the frontier regions are exempt"—only restricted a specific region. It limited the size of private boats in Jiangnan but placed no such restrictions on private watercraft in the north.

Shipbuilding is currently quite advanced. The present Emperor, Yang Guang, has heavily taxed the people's strength to excavate the Tongji Canal and other waterways, transporting grain and goods from across the realm to Luoyang. Consequently, large-tonnage merchant and civilian vessels are a common sight on northern waterways.

The Tongji Canal begins in the northwest at Ban Zhu in Xingyang, emerging from the Yellow River, and reaches Huaiyin at the northern boundary of Jiangdu Commandery in the southeast. Jiangdu Commandery is Yangzhou; in the early years of the Daye era, Yang Guang changed prefectures into commanderies, and Yangzhou was subsequently renamed Jiangdu Commandery.

This wealthy merchant from Yangzhou had hired a large northern civilian ship when he departed from Huaiyin. The vessel was used for both passengers and cargo, measuring one to two hundred feet in length, capable of carrying hundreds of people and up to a thousand shi of freight, with a crew of several dozen just to manage the ship.

It was nearly noon. Under a clear sky with scattered clouds, the water shimmered, birds skimmed the surface, and the Tongji Canal was bustling with traffic in the Yangwu area. Xu Shiji, Shan Xiongxin, and their companions had been waiting for a long time under the shade of the green trees and weeping willows on the bank. Finally, they spotted the ship carrying the wealthy merchant.

Looking from afar, the ship stood out among the numerous passenger boats, cargo vessels, and fishing craft like a massive beast. Its sails, fully unfurled, reached toward the clouds, cutting through the water and breaking the waves. Wherever it passed, the smaller vessels hurriedly turned their rudders to yield. Trailing behind the ship was a small boat, kept for emergencies—yet even this small boat was no smaller than those that had moved aside.

Shan Xiongxin was overjoyed and said, "The ship is here! Worthy brother, let us begin!"

Xu Shiji was much younger than Shan Xiongxin, yet he possessed greater composure. Stroking his stubbly beard, he gazed out at the water and spotted two small, black-canopied boats. Seeing them turn to intercept the giant vessel, he replied, "Good. Let us begin!"

Fei Sanlang, Wei Yecha, and other leaders led their subordinates in a rush to the shore, boarding a dozen or so fishing boats that had been waiting. The fishermen had been ready. At the command, the fishing boats set off, leaving the shore and heading toward the large vessel approaching from the east.

Xu Shiji kept his eyes fixed on the large ship while monitoring the fishing boats. After waiting patiently for about a quarter-hour, seeing that the large ship was close and the fishing boats were converging upon it, he waved his crane-feather fan and said to Shan Xiongxin, "Brother, it is time to make some noise."

Shan Xiongxin turned and shouted to the rest of the men waiting under the trees on the bank: "Hurry! Start shouting! The louder, the better!"

The remaining troops, numbering three or four hundred, were more numerous than those who had boarded the boats. Some beat gongs, others struck drums, some whistled, and others shouted at the top of their lungs. With hundreds of men creating such a clamor, the commotion was immense. Although the merchant's ship was some distance from the shore, the people on board could hear it. A servant hurried into the cabin to inform the merchant.

The merchant emerged and went to the ship's rail. Looking out, he saw hundreds of men gathered on the shore. Seeing the ruckus they were making, it was clear they were targeting his ship. He rubbed his eyes for a clearer look and saw the men not only shouting but drawing swords and brandishing spears. Panic struck the merchant immediately. "Oh no! Oh no! It must be the bandits from Wagang!" he cried, urging the crew to speed up and calling for Zhang Tiecha.

Before he could summon him, Zhang Tiecha arrived.

The merchant said, "Master Zhang, look! Hundreds of men are gathered under the trees on the bank, waving blades and spears. It must be the Wagang bandits! Oh, they are coming to rob me!"

Zhang Tiecha glanced over, snorted, and said, "We are on the ship, and they are on the shore. Even if they are the Wagang bandits, what is there to fear?"

Before he finished speaking, they heard the helmsman shouting to those outside: "What are you doing? Steer away! Get any closer and we’ll capsize you!"

The merchant and Zhang Tiecha looked and saw a dozen or so fishing boats dodging the vessels that were yielding to them, moving against the current and closing in on both sides of their ship. These were, of course, the boats carrying Fei Sanlang, Wei Yecha, and the others. Taking advantage of the fact that the merchant and Zhang Tiecha were distracted by the commotion on the shore, they had quietly closed the distance.

Since these were the boats of Fei Sanlang and his men, they naturally did not retreat due to the helmsman's threats. Instead, they moved even faster toward the sides of the ship. The merchant and Zhang Tiecha realized something was wrong. Zhang Tiecha's men rushed from the cabins, divided into two groups, and armed with weapons, took up positions on the sides of the ship. The merchant organized his own guards and had them do the same.

Soon, the fishing boats reached the sides of the large ship. Without waiting for Zhang Tiecha to give the order, the merchant hurriedly commanded his guards to fire their bows. The canal was wide open with no cover, and the wind was strong; arrows fired from ordinary bows would likely veer off course. Among the merchant's guards, few were capable of drawing heavy bows, and most of their arrows flew erratically, posing little threat to Fei Sanlang and his men. Furthermore, Xu Shiji had long anticipated that they might fire arrows; Fei Sanlang's men were carrying wooden shields, making the arrows even less of a threat.

Facing the arrows, the fishing boats reached the proximity of the large ship without incident. The merchant was drenched in sweat; the wealthier he was, the more cowardly he became. He cried out, "Master Zhang! Oh, what should we do? What should we do?"

"What is there to fear? Even if they haven't boarded yet, even if they were already on board, there would be nothing to worry about. Just watch us kill these thieves!" Zhang Tiecha's bravery was legendary in Liang Commandery; even Zhai Rang had tried to recruit him several times, which spoke to his skill. He remained completely unfazed.

The fishermen rowing the boats were experts at navigating the river. After nearing the large ship, they managed to maintain a distance close enough to board but far enough to avoid being crushed. Looking from where Xu Shiji and Shan Xiongxin stood on the bank, the thirty-to-forty-zhang-wide canal was now clear of other ships near the merchant’s vessel, as those further away had accelerated to escape. Only the dozen or so fishing boats remained, swarming the sides like a school of sharks surrounding a whale.

Shan Xiongxin clapped and laughed, "They’ve surrounded it!"

Shan Xiongxin then ordered the three or four hundred men left on the shore: "Stop the shouting! Get on the boats with me! Rush over to assist!"

There were still fishing boats docked at the bank. Half of the men, led by Shan Xiongxin himself, boarded the boats and rowed toward the large ship. Why not send everyone? Was there a shortage of boats? No. It was due to the doubt Fei Sanlang had raised yesterday: "Will Yang Qing send troops to intervene this time?" Xu Shiji was cautious; although he believed Yang Qing would not interfere, it was safer to keep some men on the shore to respond to any unforeseen changes.

A sharp-eyed boatman spotted the boats carrying Shan Xiongxin and shouted, "More bandits are coming! More bandits are coming!"

Zhang Tiecha, annoyed by the merchant's constant wailing, interrupted him: "Master, what is there to fear? The hundred men I brought are all veterans of the battlefield! Some have even fought in Goguryeo! How could these scruffy Wagang bandits be our match? If you are scared, go back into the cabin and sit down."

Following the servant's gesture, the merchant saw the bandits on the fishing boats pull out grappling hooks, clearly preparing to throw them onto his ship and climb aboard. The boats were so close that the merchant could clearly see the expressions and attire of the bandits: some were shirtless and clutching blades, others had their chests bared and held spears, and some were waving grappling hooks or shouting. Their savage grins and fierce demeanor made them look like true demons!

The merchant prayed to the heavens: "I beseech the Maitreya Buddha to protect this humble believer. If I can survive this calamity, I vow to donate ten pieces of gold!" After praying to the Buddha, he turned to Zhang Tiecha and pleaded, "Master Zhang, under no circumstances must you let these bandits board! If you can drive them back, I will pay another ten pieces of gold on top of the reward!" Ten pieces of gold for the Buddha, ten for Zhang Tiecha—a perfectly balanced price.

Zhang Tiecha refused, saying, "I have made my way in the world based on faith and honor. The agreed-upon reward is what I shall take, not a single 'white coin' more!" ("White coins" were the new currency minted by Yang Guang, so named for their pale color.)

He ordered his follower, "Bring me my iron fork!"

Two men brought his heavy iron fork and presented it to him. Zhang Tiecha shed his outer robe, wearing only a short-sleeved garment. He easily wielded the iron fork, looking majestic as he shouted, "Lads, get ready! As soon as the grappling hooks land, grab them and throw them back! If they try to climb, hack their hands, strike their heads, or thrust your spears into their chests and shoulders! Don't hold anything back!"

His hundred or so men replied in unison. The merchant felt slightly more at ease seeing their display of strength.

Yet, at that very moment, the hundreds of "bandits" on the fishing boats did something unexpected. Instead of throwing grappling hooks, several men on each boat pulled out large slingshots and fired at the ship; others threw various objects onto the deck. The objects thrown looked like bundles of cloth.

The merchant and Zhang Tiecha were baffled. Just as they wondered what the bandits were doing, the bundles reached the top of the large ship. Since they were not tied tightly, they burst open one after another, and suddenly, dust filled the air. With the strong wind on the water, the dust instantly dispersed, enveloping the entire deck.

The merchant's eyes were blinded and his nose choked by the dust; he raised his sleeve to cover his eyes, coughing incessantly. Zhang Tiecha was also choked. He coughed twice and roared, "The scoundrels! Using such lowly tricks as throwing dust and ash! Zhai Rang of Wagang—you have a reputation to uphold; are you not ashamed?" He commanded, "Lads! Keep your spirits up! Watch out for the bandits climbing aboard!" Knowing that the Wagang bandits would likely begin to scale the ship now, he raised his iron fork and moved to a higher vantage point to direct his men.

Unexpectedly, before the bandits on the fishing boats even began to climb, the boatman’s screams rang out. The merchant and Zhang Tiecha turned to see several men climbing over the stern!

The leader of these men was a hulking, black-faced giant, about seven feet tall, holding a four-edged iron mace in each hand. His body was like an iron tower, and he moved with the power of a bear. He charged through the passage between the cabin and the rail, heading straight for the merchant and Zhang Tiecha!

Zhang Tiecha was tall himself, and with his iron fork, he was an obvious target. The giant locked his gaze onto him, ignoring the guards who tried to intercept him. For those who were foolish enough to block his path, he either shoved them aside with his shoulder or crushed them with his mace. In a breath, he was upon Zhang Tiecha!

The black-faced giant was a formidable warrior, and Zhang Tiecha was a hero in his own right! Although the giant’s charge was fierce, Zhang Tiecha felt no fear. He planted his feet, held his iron fork across his chest, and roared like thunder: "I am Zhang Tiecha of Liang Commandery! My fork claims no nameless ghosts—who comes here?"

The black-faced giant reached him and swung his mace with all his might. Zhang Tiecha was not short—by modern standards, he was about 1.8 meters tall—but he was still a head shorter than the giant. He hurriedly raised his iron fork to parry. Unexpectedly, the mace was so heavy that the handle of the iron fork snapped upon impact. Before Zhang Tiecha could dodge, the mace came crashing down, carrying the wind and the remaining dust in the air. It struck like Mount Tai, and with a sickening crack, Zhang Tiecha's head was smashed to pieces!

The iron fork fell to the deck, and Zhang Tiecha collapsed.

The black-faced giant replied in a muffled tone: "I am Gao Chounu, a servant of the Li family of Weicheng."

Zhang Tiecha, however, could no longer hear the answer.

Zhang Tiecha's men, witnessing the sight, were struck with terror. After a moment of shock, they let out a cry and charged forward to avenge their leader. The black-faced giant, Gao Chounu, swung his two iron maces; none of the loyal followers could withstand him. Those he touched suffered broken bones at best and death at worst.

In a short time, the deck was covered in blood. After a dozen men were killed or wounded, no one dared to approach him. The rest of the men who had boarded from the stern joined the fight. Accompanied by shouts, the hundreds of "bandits" from the fishing boats climbed onto the deck via the grappling hooks.

Whether they were the remaining men of Zhang Tiecha or the merchant's guards, who dared to fight now? One by one, they dropped their weapons, covered their heads, knelt, and begged for mercy.

As for the merchant, he didn't need to be told. He collapsed like a pile of mud, kowtowing frantically and pleading, "Master, spare my life!"

A clear voice reached his ears: "Are you a Hu? Look up and let me see. What is your name?"

The merchant, trembling on the ground, lifted his head and replied, "This humble servant has the surname Kang, and my name is Sanzang."

What he saw was a young man in his twenties. Though he was shirtless and soaked, he carried an air of heroic spirit, holding a gleaming steel blade.