Chinese Name: Li Li 

Japanese Name: Saimeihangan Riritsu

Rank: 96th of the 108 Stars of Destiny 

Nickname: Hell’s Judge

Li Li ran an inn where he served some of his customers spiked drinks to render them unconscious. He then robbed them, butchered them, then used their meat as filling in buns which he served to other unwitting customers. He is depicted as being a very large man with red skin, bushy hair, and fiery tiger-like eyes.  

Song Jiang (plate 107) returned to his home town in Yuncheng County after receiving notice of his father’s death (albeit fake, as his father merely wanted to see him). While home, he was spotted and arrested by the authorities who’d been hunting him for the murder of his mistress Yan Poxi. After facing trial he was banished to Jiangzhou Prison. 

Along the way to Jiangzhou, Song Jiang and his two escorts stopped at Li Li’s inn for a meal. Not long after they began to eat and drink, the two escorts slumped over in their chairs. Song Jiang stood up and tried to shake them awake, but his legs began feeling numb, and he soon collapsed as well. Li Li, seeing his victims had collapsed, soliloquized he had not had any business in a long time, then drug Song Jiang to the back room and lifted him onto a cutting block.

Just then, Li Jun (plate 61), Tong Wei (plate 32), and Tong Meng (plate 94) arrived. They told Li Li they were searching for the famous Song Jiang as he was supposed to be passing by there sometime that day. Li Li told them he had captured two soldiers and their prisoner, but had not yet killed them. Li Li took Li Jun to the back room, and upon examining the unconscious man, Li Jun realized it was in fact Song Jiang. Song Jiang and the two escorts were revived from their drug induced sleep, introductions were made, and they returned to the main room of the restaurant for food and drink. Li Li and Li Jun were enthralled as they listened to Song Jiang regale them with stories of his adventures and those of his comrades. They tried to convince Song Jiang to stay there instead of continuing on his way to prison, but Song Jiang declined, saying he did not want to dishonor his father. Finally Song Jiang and his escorts continued on their way to Jiangzhou Prison. 

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As the story continued, Song Jiang was sentenced to death for writing a seditious poem on the wall of a restaurant (see plate 34 for details). Li Li joined with Song Jiang’s comrades to mount a rescue, and when Song Jiang was freed, they all escaped to Liangshan Marsh. After much feasting and celebrating the successful rescue, Song Jiang, Li Li, and Li Jun’s group were invited to stay and become members of the bandits of Liangshan Marsh.                                                       

Isaac Nichols Original