Chinese Name: Yue He

Japanese Name: Tetsukyōshi Gakuwa

Rank: 77th of the 108 Stars of Destiny

Nickname: Iron Whistle 

Yue He was skilled in military drill and fighting with the spear. He was also very talented musically, being able to sing, as well as play multiple instruments. He worked as a jailer in Dengzhou where he met the Xie brothers (plates 75; 100). 

The brothers had been tasked with hunting and killing the tigers in Dengzhou. If they succeeded they would be rewarded, and if they failed they would be punished. They killed a tiger with a poisoned arrow, and it rolled down the hillside and into the garden of Squire Mao. When they tried to retrieve it, Squire Mao insisted his son had been the one to kill the tiger, and he would take it in for the reward. The Xie brothers angrily trashed the Mao home but were seized by the servants and taken to the Yamen for trial. They were held at the prison, and Squire Mao, not wanting any further trouble with the Xie brothers, bribed the prison warden to have them killed. 

Yue He was a cousin by marriage to the Xie brothers. He knew they were good men who were victims of injustice, and decided to help them escape. He enlisted the help of another cousin, Gu Dasao (plate 50), and her husband, Sun Xin (plate 49). They tried to recruit Sun Xin’s brother, Major Sun Li (plate 48), but he was reluctant. When Gu Dasao threatened to thrash him if he did not assist them, he agreed to help. Finally, they recruited two of Sun Xin’s friends, the bandits Zou Run (plate 75) and—his uncle—

Zou Yuan (plate 86).

Gu Dasao brought food to the prison for her cousins, and seeing her arrive, Yue He quietly unlocked the Xie brothers’ cangue restraints. At the same time, Major Sun Li arrived and insisted on seeing the warden. The warden came out to talk to the Major and Gu Dasao quickly pulled two swords from her belt and began killing the guards. The warden tried to escape, but the Xie brothers fell upon him and Xie Bao used his cangue to crush the warden’s skull. They all made their way outside the prison where the rest of their comrades awaited, then made their escape. 

After their escape, the Xie brothers and three of their rescuers, went to Squire Mao’s home. They killed him and his son and looted the property. They met up with Yue He and the remainder of their comrades, and the group made their way to Liangshan without delay to seek refuge and join the army of outlaws at Liangshan Marsh. 

Yue He is depicted here performing a song. 

Isaac Nichols original