Foreword

Now, it's a natural order that the lesser virtues serve the greater, and the lesser wise serve the wiser. Would they willingly submit and not feel ashamed if the lesser wise served the lesser, and the greater wise were in servitude? It's like binding a person with a weaker force, while letting the stronger be bound by others. Would they willingly be bound without resistance? This situation will inevitably lead to driving the great powers and the wise throughout the country to all join Liangshan. Thus, the multitude of Liangshan are all great powers and wise individuals, possessing both loyalty and righteousness. However, none have seen loyalty and righteousness like Song Gongming. Now, calling them more than a hundred and eight individuals, sharing the same merits and faults, living and dying together, their hearts of loyalty and righteousness are just like Song Gongming. Only Song Gongming, residing in Liangshan but having his heart in the court, wholeheartedly seeks to pacify, striving for the country, and ultimately decides to face challenges, achieving great feats. He is even willing to sacrifice his life for the country, not hesitating to die. His fervor of loyalty and righteousness is enough to move the hearts of more than a hundred and eight individuals, hence being able to become the leader of Liangshan. In the end, during the southern campaign against Fang La, more than half of the more than a hundred and eight individuals perished. Additionally, Zhishen sat in meditation at Liuhe Temple, Yan Qing shed tears in parting from his master, and the two children met their fate in Hunjiang. Song Gongming is not unaware, but he considers seeing a few wise men as a self-consolation of a small-minded man, and it is certainly not something that can be forced upon those loyal to the ruler and faithful to friends. This is what is called Song Gongming, and that is why he is referred to as "loyalty and righteousness."