Time: 2013-03-31 13:58 Source: "Selected Folk Stories" Author: Yang Weihua\Hao Zhengxiong was a notoriously infamous bandit in the Taihang Mountains. He was ruthless and merciless; wherever he raided, not a single soul survived.\Hao Zhengxiong's Hao Family Fort was built in Tiger Leaping Gorge, a place with treacherous terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The authorities had launched several sieges but suffered heavy losses and returned without success. Because they couldn't capture this gang of bandits, local officials were repeatedly reprimanded by the court. County magistrates were replaced one after another, and none of them served more than half a year in office. In the end, the Ministry of Justice had no choice but to offer a high reward of 100,000 taels of silver per person for the capture of Hao Zhengxiong and his sons. Still, no one dared to volunteer to eliminate the threat for the people.\But Hao Zhengxiong also had worries: his three sons had grown up and wanted to show their talents, and he was getting old and intended to retire to a secondary role. Which son should take over as the leader of the fort?\After thinking for a long time, he finally came up with a good idea. He called his three sons to him and said: "Everyone understands the saying: 'The victor becomes king, the vanquished a bandit.' You three brothers are all outstanding and have the potential to sit on my tiger-skin chair. But there can only be one fort leader, so I want to test you. Only the one who passes my test and emerges as the best will be able to take my position and ensure the Hao Family Fort prospers forever!"\The three brothers glanced at each other, and Hao Dalang couldn't wait to ask: "Father, please tell us, what kind of test?" Hao Zhengxiong replied calmly: "We come from a family of bandits, and there's no need to hide it. The first rule of being a bandit is to be ruthless in dealing with people, striking without mercy to serve as a deterrent; the second rule is to be thorough in everything you do. As the saying goes, 'If you don't cut the grass at the root, it will grow again with the spring breeze.' Showing mercy to enemies is being cruel to yourself, so you must wipe them out completely, leaving no chance for them to retaliate; the final rule is to harm others for your own benefit—bandits never do things that do not profit themselves. These three points are the ancestral teachings of our Hao family. You must remember them and pass them down through generations. Tomorrow, the three of you will descend the mountain and have one month to accomplish a spectacular feat. Return on my sixtieth birthday. The one who performs the best will be the future master of the Hao Family Fort!"\One month later, on Hao Zhengxiong's sixtieth birthday, his three sons rushed back to the fort. The Hao Family Fort was decorated with lanterns, drums and music filled the air, and the place was bustling with people—it was lively and festive. After several rounds of drinking and tastings of the dishes, Hao Zhengxiong, in high spirits, asked his three sons to report on their accomplishments over the past month.First is Hao Dalang. After descending the mountain, he rode straight to the capital city. On a dark and windy night, he broke into the residence of the Vice Minister of Punishments, cut off the Vice Minister's head with a single stroke, and took away all the rare treasures in the house. Hao Dalang proudly laughed and said: "This despicable official actually dared to post a bounty on the four of us. From now on, let's see who still dares to speak recklessly!" Hao Zhengxiong kept nodding and said repeatedly, "Good! That's ruthless!"
Hao Erlang, on the other hand, entered the prosperous Central Plains alone. Within a month, he robbed thirteen wealthy families. Every family he visited was not only completely looted, but wiped out, leaving no one alive except for the women. Hao Zhengxiong frowned and said, "A man is most likely to stumble over desire." Hao Erlang laughed and said: "I sold those women to brothels in Luoyang, ensuring they will never rise again, and in return, I got 100,000 taels of silver."
Hao Zhengxiong laughed heartily and said: "Not bad, ruthless and decisive, and you've managed to harm others while benefiting yourself!" He turned back and asked Hao Sanlang, "What about you? What have you done?"
Hao Sanlang stood up and said embarrassedly: "What I did wasn't as sensational as what Big Brother and Second Brother did. I only went to the countryside of Qingzhou."
Hao Zhengxiong asked in surprise: "What did you go to the countryside for? It's full of poor people, there's not much to gain there." Hao Dalang laughed proudly and said: "Is Third Brother afraid of losing to me, and wanted to find a place in the countryside to hide? Don't worry, we are brothers. As long as you work well with me, Big Brother will never treat you unfairly." He had clearly become the new head of the Hao family bandit camp. Hao Erlang, unwilling to be outdone, quickly said: "Third Brother, as long as your Second Brother has a single meal, you will never go hungry. From now on, you are my right-hand man!" His demeanor was more like that of a bandit leader.
Hao Sanlang smiled slightly and said: "The reason I went to the countryside of Qingzhou is because the head chef's hometown is there. When I got there, I took his family hostage and sent him a message, asking him to do something for me."
Hao Zhengxiong, Hao Dalang, and Hao Erlang all showed expressions of astonishment and doubt. Hao Zhengxiong asked: "What kind of big help can a chef give you?"
Hao Dalang chuckled and said: "Third Brother, you must be in a rush, you even dragged a chef into this.Hao Sanlang smiled faintly and said, “I never intended for him to be of much help. I just need him to add a little bit of the medicine I gave him to every dish when preparing today's birthday banquet.” Hao Zhengxiong, Hao Dalang, and Hao Erlang were all shocked. Hao Zhengxiong asked, “Medicine? What medicine? Have you poisoned us?” A sinister smile appeared on Hao Sanlang's face: “Just a tiny bit. It won't kill you, it will just make it impossible for you to fight.” Hao Erlang shouted, “You, you dare...” Before he could finish, the sound of “thud, thud” echoed through the hall as everyone except Hao Sanlang collapsed to the ground. Hao Zhengxiong's face turned pale with rage, and he shouted furiously, “You little bastard, are you insane? Using such methods against your father and your brothers, are you even human? Give me the antidote!” Hao Sanlang let out a cold laugh: “Dad, didn't you say that the first rule of being a bandit is to be ruthless? To strike even your own family— that's the highest form of ‘ruthlessness.' Even if my elder brother killed the current emperor or my second brother robbed the entire world, it still wouldn't compare to me.” Hao Zhengxiong's eyes rolled back in anger; he struggled to control his rage and gasped, “You went after your brothers just to become the master of the Hao family stronghold, perhaps that might be understandable, but I am your father! Why wouldn't you even spare your own father, you...” Hao Sanlang sighed and said, “Dad, I also have my reasons. If I were to keep you by my side, even if I eventually sat in the tiger-skin chair, you would inevitably nag and interfere behind my back; being a leader would be extremely uncomfortable. Moreover, having targeted my two elder brothers, do you think you would have let me off? So I had no choice but to wrong you a bit. This is also what you taught us: in life, one must be decisive and never give the enemy a chance to recover. Dad, don't you think my understanding of this ‘decisiveness' surpasses yours?” Hao Zhengxiong was too furious to speak, sitting on the ground, gasping heavily. Hao Dalang said angrily, “Fine, you're impressive, you go ahead!” Hao Sanlang laughed and said, “So far, I have only achieved the first two rules in our Hao family's ancestral teachings: ‘Be ruthless in dealing with people, and be absolute in action.' As for the third rule, ‘Harming others to benefit yourself,' I still haven't reached that standard.”I heard that the newly appointed county magistrate, in order to keep the official cap on his head, raised the bounty offered by the Ministry of Justice on each of us from 100,000 taels of silver to 150,000 taels.” Hao Erlang shouted: “What are you planning to do?!” Hao Sanlang chuckled and sneered, saying, “The three of you are worth 450,000 taels. Do you think I'm going to do? Isn't this just ‘harm others for personal gain'? Haha!”
That afternoon, Hao Sanlang switched disguises, dressed as a chivalrous hero of the Jianghu, and clicked the mute points on his father and elder brothers, commanding Zuo Duo to carry them down the mountain and load them onto a carriage bound for the county town.
In the county office, the magistrate was troubled over the Hao family stronghold when suddenly a servant reported that Hao Zhengxiong and his two sons had been captured. He was so overjoyed he could hardly believe his ears, hastily ordered them to be positively identified, and upon confirming that they were indeed the father and sons of the Hao family, he became so excited that tears and snot flowed in abundance, and with a “thud” he knelt before Hao Sanlang. “Benefactor! My rebirth parents!” he cried, and ordered that the 450,000 taels of silver be brought immediately.
Hao Sanlang looked at the vast piles of shimmering silver, and thinking that from now on he would be the master of the Hao family stronghold, commanding as he pleased, grand and magnificent, he was so thrilled he almost laughed out loud.
The magistrate said, “Hao Zhengxiong and his two sons have been caught. The remaining Hao Sanlang is not to be feared. Tomorrow I will lead my men to the mountain and flatten the Hao family stronghold. Benefactor, please allow me to bow to you once more!” Saying this, the magistrate bowed deeply. Hao Sanlang hurriedly grabbed his hand and said, “Sir, you mustn't…”
But at that moment, the magistrate suddenly reversed his hand and grabbed Hao Sanlang's wrist. Hao Sanlang was startled, feeling his wrist tingle as if stung by bees, and realized something was wrong. Just as he tried to break free, he found all his strength vanished in an instant. The magistrate shouted loudly, swung both hands with force, and Hao Sanlang's body flew out and crashed onto the bluestone pavement of the courtyard.
The magistrate walked forward, kicking Hao Sanlang, and laughing, said: “You've been hit by my ‘Seven-Step Soul Severing Needle.' As long as you die, the 450,000 taels of silver will be mine. Hao Sanlang missing is not a problem; you can replace him. I will present the heads of you four to the court, and a life of promotion, glory, and rapid advancement is just around the corner.”Haha…… Haosang Lang struggled to get up, a stream of dark blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. He gritted his teeth against the excruciating pain, pointing at the county magistrate and said through clenched teeth: "You dog official, so vicious…" The county magistrate sneered: "In our officialdom, there are three treasured rules: first, be ruthless to others; second, be absolute in your actions; third, harm others for your own benefit…"
