After his heroic battle with the tiger, Wu Song gained fame as a celebrated hero in Water Margin. However, in his later years, for various reasons, he took monastic vows at the Six Harmonies Temple. There, he spent his days reciting scriptures, seeking peace, but the regret for his past actions remained.
Years earlier, Wu Song avenged his brother's death by killing Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian. Over time, however, Wu Song realized that the true instigator of the tragedy had been overlooked. This person’s malicious scheming had triggered the irreversible chain of events. But who was this person, and how did they cause such a blood-soaked tragedy?
The Wu brothers, though poor, were deeply bonded by family affection. Wu Dalang, the elder brother, was short and dark but hardworking, selling sesame cakes to support his younger brother. Wu Song, by contrast, was tall, strong, and charismatic, earning admiration from the villagers for his good looks and martial skills.
Though their personalities differed—Wu Dalang being mild and Wu Song fiery—their brotherly bond was strong. Wu Song, aware of his brother’s sacrifices, deeply respected him. But their lives changed when Pan Jinlian, once a rich family's maid, entered their lives.
Pan Jinlian was forced to marry Wu Dalang after defying her master’s wishes. She resented her fate, finding her husband unattractive and weak, while Wu Song’s appearance and physique impressed her. Pan Jinlian’s desires grew stronger, and Wu Song, sensing her interest, chose to stay away, lodging at the county office to avoid any complications.
This decision proved to be the turning point for Wu Dalang. With Wu Song gone, Pan Jinlian’s loneliness and dissatisfaction festered. One day, she met the wealthy and indulgent merchant Ximen Qing, and their affair quickly flourished.
Unbeknownst to Wu Dalang, Pan Jinlian betrayed him, and their affair continued with the help of the scheming Wang Po. Around this time, a poor boy named Qiao Yun, who sold pears to support his sick father, discovered the affair while loitering around Ximen Qing's shop. He cleverly decided to profit from the secret, offering to trade the information for money, but Wang Po rejected him, sending him away.
Angry, Qiao Yun went to Wu Dalang and exaggerated the details of his wife’s betrayal, stirring up his anger. Wu Dalang, already weak and emotionally devastated, was incited to confront Ximen Qing.
When he arrived at Ximen Qing’s establishment, expecting a confrontation, he was instead brutally beaten by Ximen Qing’s thugs. The townspeople, though aware of the situation, only whispered from a distance, too afraid to intervene. After the beating, Wu Dalang, bruised and broken, limped home.
Pan Jinlian, initially feeling a twinge of guilt, quickly dismissed it, growing increasingly cold towards her husband. Eventually, Wang Po, seeing Wu Dalang’s condition as a threat, urged Pan Jinlian to rid herself of him. With poison in hand, Pan Jinlian ended her husband's life while he was too weak to resist.
When Wu Song returned home, he learned of his brother’s death, and after some investigation, he discovered the true cause behind his brother’s demise. His vengeance led him to kill both Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian, punishing Wang Po as well. Though this act of revenge brought temporary relief, it left Wu Song burdened with guilt and sorrow. He became a wandering hero, eventually joining the ranks of the Liangshan outlaws.
Many years later, after numerous battles, Wu Song, now weary and missing an arm, shaved his head at the Six Harmonies Temple. He sought peace, but the memories of his past, especially his brother’s tragic death, haunted him. In his monastic life, he realized that the real culprit behind the tragedy wasn’t just Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian, but also Qiao Yun, the young boy who had incited Wu Dalang’s fatal confrontation.
It was Qiao Yun's meddling that had pushed Wu Dalang into a disastrous path. Had the boy not spoken maliciously, Wu Dalang would never have confronted Ximen Qing, and the outcome might have been different. With regret weighing heavily on his heart, Wu Song couldn’t undo the past but could only live with the consequences.
Wu Song's life was a mixture of heroic deeds and tragic consequences. Through revenge, he earned his name, but it was the deep regret that followed that marked his soul. In the end, he found solace in the Buddhist teachings, though the lessons of his past remained an unshakeable burden. His story serves as a reminder that sometimes the most devastating outcomes arise from the smallest, seemingly insignificant actions.
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