"Almost a total wipeout."
"Killing and arson are pardoned."
"The metaphor of this story is quite deep."
"Strangely, no one is making a fuss, everyone seems accustomed to the old rascal's way of handling things; the old rascal has successfully pua'd us readers."
Indeed.
Even with such an ending, no one is criticizing Chu Kuang; instead, it has prompted readers to praise him, which is truly odd.
The same goes for this ending.
The characters that elicit the most reflection are primarily focused on two individuals.
One is Song Jiang;
The other is Lu Zhishen.
The former is the leader who betrayed his brothers.
The latter is widely considered by readers as the most qualified person to be called a "hero."
"The tide of the Qiantang River rises, today I finally know who I am."
This phrase is from the one hundred and nineteenth chapter of "Water Margin."
It is a verse by Lu Zhishen before his meditative death at Liuhe Temple in Hangzhou, the full text is:
