Is “Shi Xiu, the desperate third brother, swore brotherhood with Yang Xiong, killed Pan Qiaoyun in anger, and later bravely rescued Lu Junyi at the execution ground in Daming Prefecture.” true?
Shi Xiu, as a representative figure of the chivalrous market-place hero in "Water Margin" who draws his sword to help when seeing injustice on the road, has a distinct personality that is deeply rooted in people's hearts. Chapter 063 of "Water Margin" writes: "话说当时石秀和卢俊义两个在城内走投没路,四下里人马合来,众做公的把挠钩搭住,套索绊翻。" However, the "History of Song: Biography of Zhang Shuye" records the uprising of Song Jiang in only a few words, and the specific names and deeds of the thirty-six men are mostly untraceable. The thrilling plots such as his sworn brotherhood with Yang Xiong, the killing of his sister-in-law, and the rescue at the execution ground in Daming Prefecture, all lack historical archival support and are purely fictional episodes created by the novel to shape the heroes' character of avenging wrongs and expressing their grudges.
The Jianghu righteousness of the desperate third brother
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