Xiao Rang - Becoming An Outlaw

Becoming An Outlaw

Song Jiang is arrested and imprisoned in Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi) after writing a poem advocating rebellion against the government when he was drunk. Dai Zong follows Wu Yong's instructions and travels to Jizhou to seek help from Xiao Rang and bring him to Liangshan. Jin Dajian is also invited to join Liangshan as well. Xiao Rang helps the outlaws forge a letter in the handwriting of Cai Jing, while Jin Dajian carves an official seal from Cai Jing to be stamped on the letter. In the letter, Cai Jing asks his son, Cai Jiu (governor of Jiangzhou), to have Song Jiang escorted to the capital city to await further action. The outlaws will then ambush the convoy and rescue Song Jiang along the way.

Initially, everything goes as planned and even Cai Jiu is unable to tell the difference between his father's and Xiao Rang's handwriting. He believes that the letter is genuine until Huang Wenbing spots a mistake with the seal that Jin Dajian had carved and he exposes the fraud. Cai Jiu is furious and he orders Song Jiang and Dai Zong to be executed immediately. Wu Yong had realised the mistake earlier and the outlaws storm the execution ground and rescue Song Jiang and Dai Zong in time.