Chapter 116: Xiao Lan

"Your grandson killed four."

Old Master Chen's tone made it sound like some trivial matter, but Chen Sheng was a bit at a loss. His expression fell under Old Master Chen's gaze, and Old Master Chen slid his blade back into its scabbard, saying with a smile, "Killed is killed. With no official charges to pursue, what are you afraid of?"

Without waiting for Chen Sheng to speak, Old Master Chen nodded with satisfaction and said, "That friend of yours is decent — not the sort who only knows how to carouse and chase pleasure. He's led you all into plenty of proper business."

Just then, a voice called "Father" from outside. Chen Wu walked into the courtyard and said with a smile, "The case will keep us busy all night. I came back to let you know. Father, as for Dasheng here…"

"I wasn't scolding him. No need for you to plead on his behalf." Old Master Chen rebuked him. Chen Wu coughed twice and fell silent. Over on his side, Old Master Chen continued, "This child has far more promise than you — he knows to practice the blade, he values loyalty and bonds. You spend all day fixated on your little schemes. How many more days of peace do you think this world has left? You won't let the child learn martial skills, instead making him study those presentable-in-public official tricks of yours. What's to become of our Chen family in the future?"

Being scolded by his own father in front of his son, Chen Wu raised his head, his face full of helplessness, and said, "Father, these are peaceful times right now. How could there be chaos? The Korean, Ningxia, and Sichuan barbarian rebels have all been wiped out. The good days are still ahead. You, old sir, worry every day, but you must never speak such words outside. If the wrong people hear them, it will be disaster."

"Nonsense. Once Grand Marshal Qi is dead, what can these worthless troops of the Great Ming possibly do? I refuse to believe that all of them going off to farm and labor can protect the realm." The old master flared up at once.

Chen Wu's expression grew even more helpless. He muttered, "Why do you trouble yourself over this? Grand Marshal Qi has been dead so many years, and the court has still won great victories."

After these two lines, the moment he saw Old Master Chen about to turn hostile, Chen Wu waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Your son only came to let you know. The yamen has urgent business — I have to head back right now."

"I'm telling you, Dasheng handles matters with proper method, and he has capable people guiding him. From now on, keep your nose out of his affairs. Erhong can study business properly if he likes, but Dasheng's martial training must not be neglected!" Old Master Chen said loudly.

"Fine, fine, fine. I can't control Dasheng anymore anyway. Let him do as he pleases." Chen Wu spoke as he walked, fleeing the residence.

Chen Sheng finally understood the situation. So his grandfather had not come to reprimand him, but to praise him.

Zhao Jin walked to his own front door and politely thanked the four men who had escorted him, leaving those four yamen runners thoroughly uneasy. They thought to themselves, how could such a fiercely invincible Zhao family lad be so courteous toward them?

After the four men left, Zhao Jin did not rush into the courtyard. Instead, he stood at the doorway and meticulously inspected himself from head to toe, checking whether the bloodstains on his clothes, his weapon, and his head, face, and hands had all been cleaned away. He did not want to worry his mother.

Just after checking his trouser legs, Zhao Jin caught a flicker of movement at the intersection to the right. He turned his head to look and saw a person hurrying away.

Only a few households lived on this street, and the location was out of the way, so passersby were extremely rare. Moreover, Zhao Jin clearly remembered that before Mu Shulan was abducted last time, someone acting suspiciously had also appeared on this street. Not to mention that Zhao Jin was now exceptionally cautious and vigilant, on guard against any follow-up to the morning's events. He immediately picked up his long spear and gave chase.

After running out of the intersection, he saw the person walking away in hurried steps. Zhao Jin sprinted a few paces, but to his surprise, the person turned around, cupped his fists, and offered an ingratiating smile.

Zhao Jin was taken aback. He hadn't expected this reaction. Moreover, the man looked somewhat familiar — a resident who lived several streets away. Zhao Jin always paid attention to details everywhere, and once he saw something, he rarely forgot it.

A person like this had roots. If he committed any crime, tracking him down would be easy. Such a person would not be used as a spy or lookout — following the trail would expose things far too easily.

Furthermore, Zhao Jin remembered that this man was an ordinary commoner who sold water and fruit for a living. His appearing here was very likely just a casual stroll.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Jin did not pursue the matter. He waved his hand and let the man leave.

Outside, he called for the courtyard gate to be opened. The Zhao family courtyard gate was always bolted from the inside. Even family members had to knock and call for someone to open it.

Rounding the spirit screen and entering the courtyard, Zhao Jin habitually glanced at the monkey off to the side. Every time Zhao Jin came back, this monkey would always chatter and screech wildly — noisy, but it made one feel very relaxed. To his surprise, this time the monkey did not cry out. Instead, it ran over and stayed quietly beside him.

Zhao Jin reached out in surprise to touch it. He had once learned from his father Zhao Zhentang to stroke the back of the monkey's neck. When Zhao Zhentang stroked and kneaded it, the monkey stayed very quiet, but when he reached out, the monkey would shriek loudly. A few times it had even tried to scratch him with its claws. Zhao Jin had already prepared to pull his hand back, but to his surprise, the monkey obediently let him stroke it, behaving exceptionally docile.

He laughed and gave it a few squeezes, finding it amusing, when he heard He Cuihua calling from inside the house: "What are you still dawdling for? The food's about to get cold."

He straightened up and was about to enter the house when it hit him. The reason the monkey was so docile was that it had smelled the blood-qi on him — it knew he had killed people.

A monkey's sense of smell is far keener than a human's. Even though he had simply tidied himself up, it could still sense it. And this monkey spent all day with Zhao Zhentang, so it surely recognized the bloody scent from before and after a killing very well. The monkey's behavior today was not out of closeness, but out of fear.

Having figured this out, Zhao Jin's mood was very complicated. He took several deep breaths outside before stepping into the house.

Judging from his mother He Cuihua's expression and demeanor, she likely still knew nothing of the outside events. He Cuihua busied herself with household chores all day, and the servant Zhao San and his wife were honest folk who, even when they went out, rarely spoke to outsiders. It was only natural that news did not reach her.

"Mother, did anyone come to our house today?" Zhao Jin asked. After seeing that person on the street, Zhao Jin was still uneasy.

He Cuihua and Mu Shulan were carrying dishes to the table. Hearing this, she answered with clear displeasure, "Who else could there be? You father and son didn't even come back for lunch."

The girl beside her covered her mouth and giggled. Zhao Jin coughed dryly and reminded her again, "Mother, you must be careful. If anyone else claims to be Xiao Lan's relative, remember to go find Father and me."

He Cuihua set the empty bowl down heavily on the table and glared at Zhao Jin. "I was foolish once. Are you going to keep harping on it forever?"

"Just saying, just saying." Zhao Jin hurriedly explained. No matter how much he stirred things up outside, in front of his parents he was still a child.

He Cuihua then complained that she hadn't seen Zhao Zhentang for two whole days. As coincidence would have it, just as she said this, the sound of knocking came from outside, and then Zhao Zhentang walked in.

Seeing her man return, He Cuihua hurriedly moved to fetch an extra set of bowls and chopsticks, but Zhao Zhentang said, "No need. I just came back to see if this boy had made it home. The yamen is so busy my feet haven't touched the ground — I have to go back at once."

He Cuihua grumbled in disappointment. When you thought about it, Xuzhou had seen two major cases in the past few days — the fifty-plus lives at Zhouge Village, and today's massacre of the desperadoes by Zhao Jin. Adding up that so-called Man-Eating Leopard and the dead thugs, over thirty had died. The yamen personnel were naturally swamped.

Zhao Zhentang did not leave immediately. Instead, he said to Zhao Jin, "For those men this morning, many estates around Xuzhou posted bounties. Even a few yamen combined have three hundred taels in reward money. The total from official and civilian sources likely exceeds six hundred taels. All these bounties were offered dead or alive. By rights, you all should receive them. But to settle this matter smoothly, the Prefect needs to be satisfied. I'm thinking of giving all this silver to him. What do you think?"

"Father, whatever you arrange is fine. Your son has nothing to say." Zhao Jin replied instinctively, then immediately found it strange. Why was his father explaining in such detail and even asking for his opinion? But Zhao Jin caught on quickly — his father truly regarded him as an adult now and would no longer make decisions on his behalf.

Understanding this, Zhao Jin said solemnly, "Father has considered this thoroughly. This matter must be smoothed over on the official side, or the future troubles will be endless."

Zhao Zhentang smiled and nodded, saying, "You really have grown up."

As he spoke, he pulled from his bosom a palm-sized black lacquered wooden tablet and handed it to Zhao Jin, saying, "This tablet was taken out yesterday. You are now an unranked runner in the yamen's Punishment Office. This is just an identity — you don't need to report for roll call. The other tablets are with Old Chen; your brothers all have theirs."

"Having an official post is good too — it'll save you from running wild every day. Dear, since you're back, have a bite of hot food before you go!" He Cuihua interjected from the side.

Zhao Zhentang turned and was just about to speak when he heard the courtyard gate being knocked on from outside. He couldn't help but pause, shaking his head. "Truly busy to the point of chaos. It's only been a short while, and they're already in a rush to hurry me along!"

He finished speaking and was about to head out the door. Before he could take a step, Zhao San, who had opened the gate, rushed hurriedly into the room, his expression strange, and said, "Master, someone has come from outside, claiming to be Miss Mu's uncle."

The room instantly fell silent. Zhao Zhentang, He Cuihua, Zhao Jin, and Mu Shulan exchanged glances, their expressions equally odd. He Cuihua slapped the table and said, "If he'd come during the day, you could still say he just entered the city. But now the sky is dark and the city gates are closed. What sort of person comes to claim kinship at this hour? Throw him out!"

Zhao Zhentang, however, said in a deep voice, "Let him in. No matter what demon or monster he is, he won't be able to stir any trouble in front of us, father and son."

He indeed had the confidence to say this. Zhao Zhentang possessed martial skills, and Zhao Jin had proven his ferocity over the past few days. With father and son combined, there truly was little to fear.

As Zhao San went out to bring the person in, Zhao Jin tucked the short blade that had been set aside into his waistband. He glanced at Mu Shulan beside him. The girl's face held both hope and nervousness, her hands twisting the hem of her clothes. One could see her emotions were very complicated.

Zhao Jin reached out and patted the back of Mu Shulan's hand, saying softly, "Don't be afraid."

The girl nodded gently. Listening to the footsteps outside drawing nearer, Zhao Jin also stood up.

The door curtain was lifted. Zhao San ushered the guest inside, then stood outside the door himself.

The moment they saw this person, the entire room fell utterly silent. Everyone stood there stunned, because the man who had entered looked exactly like Mu Shulan's relative.