List of Water Margin Minor Characters - Yang Zhi's Story

Yang Zhi's Story

• Niu Er (Chinese: 牛二; pinyin: Níu Èr), nicknamed "Hairless Tiger" (traditional Chinese: 沒毛大蟲; simplified Chinese: 没毛大虫; pinyin: Méimáo Dàchóng), is a hooligan in Dongjing (present-day Kaifeng) who has been bullying and terrorising the townsfolk. The authorities do not dare to arrest him because he has ties with the aristocracy. When Yang Zhi is selling his precious saber on the streets, he encounters Niu, who demands to test the weapon's special properties. Yang is desperate to sell the saber so he reluctantly obliges to Niu's demand. However, when Niu orders him to kill a man with the saber to prove that its blade will not be stained with blood, Yang refuses and attempts to leave. Niu tries to seize the saber by force but ends up being accidentally killed by Yang during the ensuing scuffle.

• Liang Shijie (traditional Chinese: 梁世傑; simplified Chinese: 梁世杰; pinyin: Liáng Shìjié), better known as Grand Secretary Liang (traditional Chinese: 梁中書; simplified Chinese: 梁中书; pinyin: Liáng Zhōngshū), is Cai Jing's son-in-law. He also serves as the governor of Daming Prefecture (in present-day Handan). When Yang Zhi is exiled to Daming for killing Niu Er, Liang intends to recruit Yang to serve under him, and he is further impressed with Yang after the latter demonstrates his skills in a military arts contest. Later, Liang puts Yang in charge of escorting a convoy of expensive birthday gifts to his father-in-law. However, the gifts are robbed by Chao Gai and his friends, who flee to Liangshan Marsh for refuge and form an outlaw band there. Yang Zhi becomes a fugitive after his failure and he eventually joins the outlaws too. Since then, Liang bears a grudge against the outlaws and he vents his anger on Lu Junyi later when the latter is accused of being in league with the outlaws.

• Li Cheng (Chinese: 李成; pinyin: Lǐ Chéng) and Wen Da (traditional Chinese: 聞達; simplified Chinese: 闻达; pinyin: Wén Dá) are two generals in Daming Prefecture serving under Grand Secretary Liang. They are defeated in the battle against the Liangshan outlaws.