Water Margin - (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Shi Nai'an
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The introductory poem reads:
"Amid the chaos of the Five Dynasties and the turmoil,
One day the clouds part, and the sky is seen.
Plants and trees, nourished by new rain and dew for a hundred years,
Under the rule of carriages and books, the old mountains and rivers remain.
In ordinary lanes, silks and satins are displayed,
In several pavilions, music and strings are played.
People enjoy the days of peace and no war,
Orioles and flowers sleep endlessly in the high sun.
This poem was composed by a famous scholar in the court of Emperor Shenzong of the former Song Dynasty, named Shao, styled Yaofu, and known as Master Kangjie. It was written to lament the endless warfare of the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties. At that time, the court belonged to the Liang Dynasty in the morning and to the Jin Dynasty in the evening, as the saying goes:
‘Zhu, Li, Shi, Liu, and Guo—
The Liang, Tang, Jin, Han, and Zhou—
Fifteen emperors in all,
Fifty years of chaos.’
Later, influenced by the cycle of heaven, a sage was born in the Jia Ma Camp—Emperor Taizu of the Wu De era. This sage, born under red light filling the sky and with an extraordinary fragrance lingering for days, was believed to be the descent of the Thunderbolt Immortal from the upper realms. He was brave, mighty, and wise, unmatched by any emperor in history. With a staff as tall as himself, he conquered four hundred prefectures, making them all bear the surname Zhao. Under his rule, the world was pacified, the Central Plains were quieted, and the Great Song Dynasty was established with Bianliang as its capital. He was the first of nine emperors and the founder of a four-hundred-year dynasty. Therefore, Master Shao Yaofu praised:
‘One day the clouds part, and the sky is seen.’
Just as the people see the light of the sky again.
At that time, Chen Tuan, a recluse from Mount Hua in the west, was a man of high virtue and wisdom, able to discern the colors of the wind and clouds. One day, riding a donkey down the mountain, he was walking along the Huayang Road when he heard travelers talking:
‘Now, Emperor Chai of the capital has abdicated in favor of Zhao, the Imperial Guard, taking the throne.’
Hearing this, Master Chen Tuan rejoiced, placing his hands on his forehead and laughing on his donkey. When asked why, he said:
‘From now on, the world will be at peace. It is a match between heaven, earth, and humanity.’
From the year Gengshen, he accepted the abdication and ascended the throne, founding the dynasty. He ruled for seventeen years, bringing peace to the world, and then passed the throne to his younger brother, Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong ruled for twenty-two years and passed the throne to Emperor Zhenzong. Emperor Zhenzong then passed the throne to Emperor Renzong.
Emperor Renzong was the Red-Footed Immortal from the upper realms. At birth, he cried day and night. The court issued an edict, offering a reward to anyone who could cure the prince. Moved by this, the Jade Emperor sent Tai Bai Xingjin to descend as an old man to the edict and cure the prince’s crying. The officials led him to the palace, where he met Emperor Zhenzong. The imperial decree ordered him to enter the inner courtyard to examine the prince. The old man went to the palace, held the prince, and whispered eight words in his ear, after which the prince stopped crying. The old man did not reveal his name but vanished in a gust of wind. What were the eight words he whispered?
‘There are Wen Qu for literature, and Wu Qu for martial affairs.’
Indeed, the Jade Emperor had sent two stars from the Ziwei Palace to assist this emperor. Wen Qu was Bao Zheng, the Grand Secretary of Kaifeng and the head of the Longtu Pavilion, while Wu Qu was Di Qing, the great marshal who led campaigns against the Western Xia. These two virtuous ministers came to assist the emperor. This emperor was known as Emperor Renzong in temple. He ruled for forty-two years, changing nine era names.
From the first year of Tiansheng (Genghai) to the ninth year, the world was at peace, with abundant harvests, prosperous people, and a society where nothing was stolen on the streets and no doors were locked at night. These nine years were called the First Prosperity. From the year Mingdao to the third year of Huangji, the next nine years were also prosperous, called the Second Prosperity. From the fourth year of Huangji to the second year of Jiayou, the following nine years saw a great abundance of crops, called the Third Prosperity. For a total of twenty-seven years, it was known as the Era of Three Prosperities. At that time, the people enjoyed some happiness.
Who could have imagined that joy could lead to sorrow? In the spring of the third year of Jiayou, a plague spread across the land. Starting from Jiang