Wu Yong - Becoming An Outlaw

Becoming An Outlaw

The authorities send He Tao to lead a group of soldiers to arrest Chao Gai and his companions. With help from Zhu Tong, Lei Heng and Song Jiang, Chao Gai and company succeed in escaping and make their way to Liangshan Marsh. Wu Yong devises a strategy to lure He Tao and his men into an ambush in the marsh. In the ensuing battle, the seven men score a major victory by defeating He Tao's troops, who number at least 100. On Liangshan, Wu Yong instigates Lin Chong into killing the incompetent and selfish chief Wang Lun. Chao Gai is then nominated to be the new chief of Liangshan and Wu Yong takes the second position of leadership.

While in exile in Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi), Song Jiang runs into some trouble with the governor Cai Jiu after writing a poem inciting rebellion against the imperial court while he was drunk. Wu Yong invites Xiao Rang and Jin Dajian to forge a letter from Cai Jing, ordering Cai Jiu to have Song Jiang escorted to the capital for further action. Unfortunately, Jin Dajian used a wrong seal on the letter and the fraud is later exposed by Huang Wenbing. Cai Jiu is furious and he orders that Song Jiang be executed immediately. Luckily, Wu Yong realizes the mistake in time and alerts the Liangshan outlaws, who storm the execution ground and succeed in rescuing Song Jiang.

Wu Yong's strategies and plans are instrumental in the outlaws' victories over their enemies. He makes great contributions to Liangshan and is thus highly respected by the heroes as their military strategist. Wu Yong has some conflicting views with Song Jiang on the future of Liangshan - Song is persistent in the pursuit of his dream that the outlaws be granted amnesty by the emperor and be provided with opportunities to serve the nation, as opposed to being outlaws for the rest of their lives. Wu Yong, however, believes that the government is corrupt and incompetent and opposes Song Jiang's idea for amnesty.