Chapter 113: Fear (Begging for Monthly Tickets!)

Zhao Jin smiled and waved his hand. "Go clean the bloodstains off your clothes, move the tables and chairs outside — we're still recruiting people this afternoon."

The sixteen newly inducted household retainers were clearly brimming with motivation. Hearing Zhao Jin's orders, they all answered in unison and busied themselves with their tasks.

From the bloody slaughter all the way back, weeding out those who didn't meet the requirements, they had been at it nonstop since early morning. Zhao Jin found a rock and sat down, still unable to suppress a smile. Chen Sheng, beside him, asked in puzzlement, "Brother Zhao, what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing that they wanted to be slaves and weren't willing to be hired hands." Zhao Jin explained.

Unexpectedly, as soon as these words left his mouth, the others all looked astonished. Shi Manqiang spoke up: "Big Brother, of course no one wants to be a hired hand. A hired hand comes and goes as he pleases — there's no long-term security at all. Pledging yourself to a great household as a slave, now that's a secure arrangement for life."

Zhao Jin was taken aback, then promptly changed the subject. "Jixiang and Shitou, head home together first. Have your household prepare tonight's dinner according to the new headcount. Then the two of you need to bring your parents and families over — this matter isn't fully settled yet, so we must remain cautious above all. Xiaoyong, you accompany them. If you really run into trouble, run straight back here; don't fight it out."

Everyone had already relaxed, but hearing how serious Zhao Jin was, they grew tense again. They watched the three leave. Liu Yong hardly ever brought up his own elders, and when asked occasionally he would evade the question, so others didn't press him. Zhao Jin stood up — he still couldn't help smiling.

He had assumed that slaves were lowly and degraded while hired hands enjoyed freedom of status, which was why he had set this rule. He had never imagined that everyone's thinking ran the other way.

To Zhao Jin himself, slaves dependent on him were naturally more reliable than hired laborers. But he had assumed beforehand that no one would be willing — he truly hadn't expected this. Zhao Jin's laughter was partly the relief after a great battle, and partly self-mockery: he was still applying the experiences and concepts of his past life to the present, and sure enough, he'd made a joke of it that no one else even noticed.

After all this commotion, lunchtime had already passed. Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng were both hungry, and the sixteen household retainers' stomachs were rumbling loudly too.

It would be a while yet before Jixiang and the others returned. Zhao Jin felt around on his person — he had less than three taels of loose silver. He was about to pool some money with Chen Sheng and go buy food first.

Before he could even speak to Chen Sheng, they heard someone outside the courtyard asking with the utmost deference, "May I ask, is Master Jin here?"

Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng exchanged a glance. They both recognized the voice — it was Chen Ergou. Before, he had called him "Young Master Jin" or "Young Lord"; now he called him "Master Jin." The form of address had changed.

They opened the courtyard gate and saw nine people standing outside. Chen Ergou stood at the front; behind him were eight men dressed as restaurant waiters and head chefs, carrying food boxes, tableware, and cooking utensils. The two at the very back were even leading two goats.

"The moment you gave the order, Master Jin, this humble one set to work. I went to Cloud Mountain Tower and ordered four cold dishes and ten hot ones, and had two geese steamed as well, and only then brought them to you. The ingredients and hands for slaughtering the goats and baking the flatbreads are all prepared — we can get to work this evening." Chen Ergou's waist remained bent the entire time, his face wreathed in a fawning smile; he didn't even dare meet Zhao Jin's eyes.

Zhao Jin smiled and said, "You've gone to some expense. Bring these things inside!"

After saying this, Zhao Jin turned and called into the courtyard, "Good food's here — come out and help!"

A resounding answer came from inside. Lu Da ran out at the very front, charging straight out, and they all carried in the ten or so food boxes.

"Master, you eat first!" They laid everything out right there on the ground in the courtyard, still mindful of rank, and called Zhao Jin to eat first. Zhao Jin smiled and waved his hand. "You all go ahead and eat."

Despite his words, that Li Wu who had asked the question earlier still picked out a bit from every dish and set aside a few pieces of dry ration, keeping them separate.

Being a household retainer really was different from being a hired hand. Zhao Jin called out to Chen Ergou, then went back inside with Chen Sheng to eat.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ergou followed them in with an apologetic smile, still bent at the waist, and said repeatedly, "You two masters eat; this humble one has a few matters to report."

"Second Brother, you're…" Zhao Jin frowned and began, but no sooner had the words left his mouth than Chen Ergou dropped to his knees with a thud, terrified, and said, "Master Jin, this form of address 'Second Brother' — I absolutely cannot bear it. From now on, just call this humble one Ergou, and this humble one will feel honored by it."

Zhao Jin tore off a piece of flatbread, dipped it in the meat broth, and put it in his mouth. North of Xuzhou City lay Cloud Dragon Mountain — the character "dragon" was taboo, so many places were called Cloud Mountain instead. Cloud Mountain Tower was also an establishment of some repute within Xuzhou City; the personnel from the Revenue Department branch and the official granary often went there to drink, so the meat broth was quite excellent.

Lu Da and the other dozen or so men were already devouring the food like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds. Zhao Jin took a bite and felt his own hunger, so he simply finished that piece of flatbread along with the stewed meat. Chen Sheng was also eating in silence beside him. Neither of them paid any attention to Chen Ergou standing off to the side. Chen Ergou stood there with a stiff, awkward smile.

After finishing, Zhao Jin rubbed his hands together and said in a deep voice, "Ergou, the situation at the God of Wealth Temple is now stable. Next we're going to expand it. You must manage it well."

Chen Ergou's body trembled; his waist bent even lower. He said respectfully, "Master Jin, that is precisely why this humble one has come — to speak of this matter. That whole operation at the God of Wealth Temple belongs to you, Master Jin. This humble one is merely watching over it for you. The specific rules and regulations must still be decided by you."

Zhao Jin smiled and shook his head. After he had pushed Chen Ergou up to that position, Chen Ergou had begun to harbor his own little schemes. Today's incident — Chen Ergou probably hadn't known about it, but the men he had assigned to Liu Yong were all people Liu Yong couldn't command or control. It was likely also intended to make Liu Yong lose face. Liu Yong was his deputy and also Zhao Jin's friend; if Liu Yong were strong and commanded respect, then there would be no room for Chen Ergou himself to act. Hence this plan to suppress him.

But Zhao Jin could also guess why Chen Ergou was now so humble and fearful. That bloody battle in front of the Huang family's gate at Big Head — by now it must be spreading all over the southern part of the city. A dozen or so hardened bandits, desperate outlaws who had run rampant across Xuzhou, had been slaughtered clean by Zhao Jin and his men. Such ruthless, vicious methods were enough to scare the soul out of anyone. Whatever little schemes he'd had would be so thoroughly intimidated they'd vanish like smoke.

By now, Chen Ergou surely understood just how far he fell short of Zhao Jin and his men — their strength was on an entirely different level. How would he dare entertain any more petty schemes? He could only come and show his deference.

Now that matters had reached this point, Zhao Jin couldn't be bothered with polite formalities. He got straight to the point: "The fact that you can use the words 'watching over' shows you still know your place. Get the accounts from that whole operation of Copper Head's sorted out. After deducting expenses from each month's income, you'll give me seventy percent."

Handing over seventy percent of the net profit every month — a pained expression flickered across Chen Ergou's face, but he didn't dare refuse. He simply nodded with a smile and said, "Rest assured, Master Jin. It will be delivered to you at this time every month."

"If you run into trouble, I'll stand up for you. Don't overthink anything else." Zhao Jin added. Hearing this promise, Chen Ergou's expression improved slightly.

Zhao Jin waved his hand. Chen Ergou didn't dare linger any longer; he bowed respectfully and hastily withdrew.

Once the man was gone, Chen Sheng closed the courtyard gate and came back. Staring at Zhao Jin, he said, "Your authority is truly something. That Chen Ergou was scared stiff, like a Chen Two-Rats."

"That bloody battle this morning brought out the fearsome reputation of all us brothers, not just me." Zhao Jin answered with a smile.

"It's not the same. You are the head of all of us!" Chen Sheng replied gravely.

The two were just about to continue eating when the courtyard gate was pounded on again. Chen Sheng stood up and said, "Shitou and the others might be back."

Opening the gate, they found it was Ye Wenshu and the two runners, who had left not long ago. Their attitude was completely different from when they had departed. Back then they still had some temper; now their faces were full of fawning, fearful smiles. They bowed and scraped at the doorway, saying, "Young Master Jin, we few went back to the yamen and finished our tasks, then hurried right back here to see if anyone had come to sign up or anything of the sort."

After returning to the yamen, these three had surely heard exactly what Zhao Jin and his few men had done that morning. How could they dare be negligent? Never mind whether there was still work to be busy with at the yamen — they rushed over in a hurry, terrified of offending this god of slaughter from the Zhao family.

Zhao Jin could guess the reason for their change in attitude, but he couldn't be bothered to expose it. He smiled and said, "You've come at just the right time. Some people have already been dismissed by me. Those who remain will be converted into my household slaves. Give each of them three taels of silver as a settlement and allegiance fee, and draw up new contract documents for them!"

"Young Master Jin is wise. It's indeed more reassuring to take them in as household slaves — hired hands are far too unstable. Shall we follow the same rule for the people recruited this afternoon?" Clerk Ye offered a word of flattery, then asked. Zhao Jin nodded.

Seeing that Zhao Jin's attitude hadn't changed, the three of them finally breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around, they each wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads — they had been utterly terrified.

"Zhao Dadao worked as an executioner, taking heads. All that blood and killing aura must have concentrated in this son of his. Fierce bandits like the Man-Eating Leopard — he slaughtered them all…"

"Keep your voice down. It's all your fault, you rascal, rushing off to drink."

The three muttered among themselves as they walked over to the table. Standing there, they began to shout: "The Zhao family's trading company is hiring servants! The Zhao family is one of Xuzhou City's renowned benevolent and righteous households. To be able to enter their service — that's a blessing you couldn't earn in several lifetimes."

Zhao Jin, inside the courtyard, heard this and his face filled with a bitter smile. Chen Sheng swallowed the food in his mouth and said in a deep voice, "They're all afraid. It's good that they're afraid. We brothers are still young — it's hard to keep people in line. Now let's see who still dares to be defiant."

It wasn't just Chen Ergou and Ye Wenshu and the others who were afraid. After Ye Wenshu and his companions had energetically shouted for half a shichen, no one came to sign up — but the people who had left that morning came back, utterly terrified and uneasy.

Many of them had witnessed the bloodshed of the killing ground and were genuinely afraid. But a few had been thinking of taking advantage, figuring that Zhao Jin, covered in blood, must have committed some crime. If they left, first, they wouldn't be implicated, and second, that hundred wen was already in their pockets.

Unexpectedly, they hadn't been home long before the news of Zhao Jin's great slaughter in the southern part of the city spread. Those who heard this news were scared out of their wits, thinking: they had offended the man just this morning — wasn't that inviting disaster upon themselves? How could they have dared offend such a god of slaughter?