Xue Yong
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Xue Yong(薛永) is a character in the Water Margin.
Xue Yong was from Luoyang, Henan. He excelled in using the spear and cudgel and made a living as a medicine peddlar. He was nicknamed 'Sick tiger'(病大虫).
Once, Xue went to Jieyang Town to sell medicine, and had some trouble with the Mu brothers(Mu Hong and Mu Chun), who were the most influential and well-known men in town. The Mu brothers ordered the people watching Xue's performance not to award Xue any money. At the same time, Song Jiang, on his way to exile in Jiangzhou, passed by Jieyang Town and ignored the Mu brothers' warning and awarded Xue Yong five taels of silver. Mu Chun was furious and wanted to hit Song Jiang, but Xue stopped him and won him in a fight.
After that, Xue returned to the inn and packed up, planning to join Song Jiang in Jiangzhou. Unexpectedly, Mu Chun and his brother gathered a group of men and they captured Xue Yong. The Mu brothers had Xue Yong severely beaten up for revenge and had him locked up. Then, they went on in pursuit of Song Jiang.
Song Jiang met Li Jun, who introduced Song to Zhang Heng and the Mu brothers, who realised his true identity and begged him for forgiveness. Later, the Mu brothers released Xue Yong. After the Liangshan heroes stormed the execution ground in Jiangzhou, they sought refuge in Bailong Temple at the riverbank. Xue Yong, along with the Zhang brothers, Li Jun and several others, arrived with their boats and ferried the heroes all the way back to Liangshan safely and Xue joined the Liangshan band along with them. Later, Song Jiang sought revenge on Huang Wenbing, the man who framed him and had him almost executed. Xue Yong recommended Hou Jian, his former student and one of Huang's servants, to aid Song Jiang in his revenge. In the end, with help from Hou Jian, the evil Huang Wenbing was killed.
Xue Yong became one of the leaders of the Liangshan infantry and 72 Earthly Fiends. After the heroes had obtained amnesty from the emperor, Xue followed them on their campaigns against the Liao Tartars and southern rebels, making invaluable contributions to the imperial court. During the Fang La campaign, Xue Yong was assigned to attack Yuling Pass, and he died in the battle under dozens of enemy arrows along with another four heroes.
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