Yang Zhi
After being robbed at Yellow Mud Ridge of the valuables he was escorting to Dongjing which were birthday gift for Grand Tutor Cai Jing, Yang Zhi deserts the escort party for fear he would be punished. He wanders in despair and comes to Cao Zheng's inn. When he, penniless, tries to leave without paying Cao's wife for his meal, the butcher rushes out from the kitchen to block his way. As they are fighting, Cao suddenly breaks off realising that Yang is no ordinary man. He is delighted to learn that the man is Yang Zhi, who is reputed to be a highly-skilled fighter.