Lin Chong's
Story
Among the 108 characters
of the novel, if there was to be a single hero, in the occidental
meaning, it would be Lin Chong.
He has all the required virtues for this status : youth, valiance,
bravery, talents... and bear all the misfortunes on his head : jealousy,
malevolence, betrayal...
Gifted military, he
is the arms instructor of the Mighty Imperial Guards in the Eastern
Capital. Handsome young man, he has a loving and faithful wife.
Alas, Gao, adopted son of Marshal Gao Qiu, commander of the
Imperial Guards, lusts after his wife and will have no cease until
he causes the ruin of the poor Lin Chong. By fair means, Gao will
convince the authorities of Lin Chong's felony and will succeed
in sending him to exile. But that is not enough for this nothing-to-good
heir and he will pay the prisoner's escort to kill him during the
travel.
Happily, Lin Chong has conquered the friendship of the
Tattoed Monk, Lu Zhi-shen.
The laster will save his life during the Wild Boar Forest
episod, a famous Beijing Opera.
Lin Chong will stay
in life and thanks to Chai Jin's help will survive to many other
traps but he will keep the infamous tattoo of the convicts, his
wife will commit suicide and he will only live to become one of
the more loyal captains of Chao Gai and Song Jiang.
He is the one who will welcome the Heavenly King in the Liangshang
Marsh stronghold and kill its former chief, Wang Lun, to set Chao
Gai to his place.
Le félon
Les
hommes de main
The chapters