The birthday gifts
(Yellow Earth Ridge)
Having all authority on army and people of
the Northern capital, Liang is the very soul of corrupted notable.
Amassing huge wealth, thanks to corruption and oppression of people,
he wishes, as a devoted son, to send birthday presents - a real
treasure- to his father-in-law who is the great preceptor of the
Eastern capital.
For fear of being robbed by the outlaws that
have been stealing the precious presents every year till then, he
asks Yang
Zhi to lead the escort.
On the Yellow Mud Ridge, the outlaws led by Chao Gai
are waiting for them, having prepared a trap imagined by Wu Yong.
Disguised in peaceful merchants, the Heavenly
King, Gong-sun Cheng, Liu
Tang, and the three Ruan brothers, meet "by chance" the escort led by Yang Zhi.
It will need all the cunning of Wu Yong and all the talent of the
outlaws to allay Yang Zhi's suspicion and to give narcotics to the
soldiers and steal away the presents.
Bai Sheng,
a false wine seller will be stolen away by the false merchants before
the prudent Yang Zhi let his men drink the drugged beverage and
fall asleep, letting the outlaws seize the convoy.
The chapters