White Tiger Hall From Outlaws of the Marsh

1. A few days after his wife was nearly abducted, Lin Chong went for a drink with Lu Zhishen and told him all about the incident. Out in the street the two comrades came across a man selling an antique saber. Lin Chong liked the weapon so much that he promptly bought it.

2. Early the next day a message came for Lin from the local military official, Gao Qiu, who had heard of Lin's purchase. Gao wanted Lin to bring the saber to the military residence to compare it with Gao's own saber.

3. Lin was admitted into the military residence and taken to wait in one of the halls while the servants went to announce his arrival.

4. For a long time Lin sat there alone, wondering what was going on. Suddenly it occurred to him to look up. He was shocked to see the words "White Tiger Hall" inscribed on a board above him.

5. Lin knew that "White Tiger Hall" was a restricted military location, so he immediately got up to leave. Just then he heard the sound of men in boots approaching. Gao Qiu stepped into the hall and cried: "Lin Chong! You have forced your way into a restricted military location bearing a lethal weapon. Have you come to kill me?"

6. Before Lin could account for himself Gao called for his men. Three dozen of them rushed in and bundled Lin to the ground. Gao ordered Lin sent to Kaifeng to be beheaded.

7. Lin narrated his whole story to the tribunal at Kaifeng, ending with how he had been tricked over the incident with the saber. The prefect knew that Lin had been framed but couldn't afford to offend Gao Qiu. Lin was found guilty of entering White Tiger Hall in possession of a weapon, and sentenced to twenty strokes of the rod followed by imprisonment at a remote location.

8. Dong Zhao and Xue Ba were dispatched to escort Lin to prison. Lin's wife, attendants and neighbors all came to see him leave. Lin and his wife understood that they would probably never see each other again.

9. Dong and Xue placed Lin under detention while they went home to pack for the journey. Each was waylaid on the road and invited to an inn, where Lu Qian was waiting for them with ten catties of gold . . . and an order from Gao Qiu.