Chapter 126: Terms for Peace

126. Chapter 126: Terms for Peace

Only then did Zhao Jin take notice of the two men accompanying Monk Ruhui. Both monks were very young, at most a year or two older than himself, and both looked timid and uncertain. As for the one beside Clerk Li, Zhao Jin found his face familiar — probably a copyist or something from the Punishment Office.

Once arrangements were made, Zhao Jin and his group picked up their weapons and followed them over. Clerk Li chatted merrily the whole way. Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng consistently observed the decorum expected of juniors, exceedingly polite, while Monk Ruhui also walked along quietly to one side.

It was Zhao Jin's first time at Old Zhang's Bones. Officials and gentry usually went to Cloud Mountain Tower. The people coming and going at Old Zhang's Bones were mostly those with some wealth but no real status — runners from the yamen, for instance. Along the way, quite a few people greeted Clerk Li with deference and respect. In front of these people, Clerk Li put on considerable airs.

The moment they entered the shop, a rich, savory aroma filled the air. Every table held a porcelain basin brimming with milky-white broth and pork ribs. Clerk Li was clearly a regular; the shopkeeper fawned over them obsequiously and led the group into a private courtyard at the back.

The room in the private courtyard wasn't large, just big enough for two round tables. Before entering the courtyard, however, Zhao Jin said he needed to relieve himself. He dragged Chen Sheng outside and told Wang Zhaojing to lead the others in.

Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng did not go to relieve themselves. Instead, they walked through every part of Old Zhang's Bones, front to back. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, they finally entered the courtyard at ease.

This private courtyard was a higher-grade private dining room. The yard was kept very clean, but two wooden chests sat in front of the door — clearly not original fixtures of the courtyard.

After entering the room, Zhao Jin saw that his companions had already been seated at one table. Though they had known each other for a long time, this was their first time gathering for a meal at a restaurant like this, and everyone was very excited. Zhao Jin walked over with a smile. Just as they were about to speak, they heard Zhao Jin say in a low voice, "Keep track of the time. Every count of one hundred, one person goes outside to look around. If nothing's wrong, come back in, and then keep doing it."

Everyone paused for a moment, then caught on, each nodding gravely.

Clerk Li only called Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng over to that table, but Zhao Jin also pulled Wang Zhaojing along.

Not to mention his status was sufficient — with Wang Zhaojing's meticulous mind, he could also be of help.

Compared to the three of them, Zhao Jin's group, sitting on this side, over on the monks' side, only Monk Ruhui sat down. The other two stood in the corner. The clerk Clerk Li had brought, though seated, was constantly pouring tea and water, attending to them diligently.

"Old Zhang's Bones white-broth ribs aren't that famous, but the flavor is excellent, and they use generous ingredients. If I go a few days without it, I start to crave it," Clerk Li said with a smile.

Zhao Jin, however, looked toward Monk Ruhui, thinking to himself: could this monk really be openly breaking his vows, drinking wine and eating meat?

Just as he was watching, Monk Ruhui set down his teacup and said mildly, "Young Master Zhao, Cloud Mountain Temple has many monks and lay followers, a vast establishment. It's inevitable there are one or two lawless individuals. That these people acted outrageously and were punished by Young Master Zhao is exactly what they deserved. This temple harbors absolutely no resentment."

Zhao Jin gave a cold laugh and said, "If I had been killed by those desperadoes a few days ago, who would have cared whether my family harbored resentment? Someone might well have said I got what I deserved."

Clerk Li rose with a dry laugh and said, "You two chat first. I'll go see if the counter has any good wine. If not, I'll have Old Zhang go buy some elsewhere."

The moment he left, the clerk he had brought also tactfully followed him out. Only Zhao Jin's party and the three from Cloud Mountain Temple, Monk Ruhui and his companions, remained in the room.

Monk Ruhui wore a smile, but his eyes were full of surprise. Zhao Jin was tall and sturdy, yet his face clearly showed he was a teenager. But this teenager possessed the composure and stance of an adult, not letting himself be led along in the slightest.

"Young Master Zhao, better to untie a knot than to keep it fastened. In the past, there may have been many misunderstandings between Cloud Mountain Temple and your side, but from today onward, these misunderstandings are resolved. This temple harbors absolutely no resentment," Monk Ruhui continued with a smile.

Zhao Jin understood what this meant: the two sides had been enemies before, but from today they were reconciled. At this thought, Zhao Jin couldn't help but laugh out loud. He waved his hand and said, "You tried to get at Xiaolan several times, even sent someone to abduct her. That time, I killed six of you. Then you stirred up trouble in the yamen, and a few days ago set a trap south of the city, hiring some 'Man-Eating Leopard' to deal with me — and then I killed every last one of them. That Yan the Black-Face also fled the city. So many lives lost, such a blood feud — you dare speak of reconciliation, but I wouldn't dare believe it!"

Monk Ruhui shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Young Master Zhao, this temple did indeed have several senior brothers unwilling to let matters rest. Those incidents were also their doing. But that was before the day before yesterday. Yesterday, Cloud Mountain Trading was set on fire, two branch temples outside the city were also torched, and someone even shot arrows into the main temple gate. This temple is utterly overwhelmed and has no mind to continue this struggle with your side, Young Master Zhao. That is why they sent this humble monk to discuss a settlement."

Zhao Jin and his companions exchanged glances. They hadn't expected so many attacks on Cloud Mountain Temple in a single day. Zhao Jin could also guess that these matters were all connected to the Smelling Incense Sect and Mu Shulan's second uncle. But this reconciliation was still unclear. He continued bluntly, "I didn't set those fires, nor did I shoot those arrows. What use is it coming to me to talk about this?"

Monk Ruhui was taken aback. Shaking his head, he said, "The people who did these things put the word out: if you, Young Master Zhao, agree to a settlement, they will cease making trouble for Cloud Mountain Temple. Otherwise, why would this humble monk have come to see you, Young Master?"

Zhao Jin and his companions were all jolted. Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing looked at Zhao Jin in astonishment, completely unprepared for this turn of events.

After a brief moment of shock, Zhao Jin considered all the related factors. He and his father had handled the Mu family's funeral affairs and cleaned up the loose ends. In a sense, that had also cut off any possibility of the authorities tracing the Smelling Incense Sect. Then they had taken in Mu Shulan. After the girl was abducted, they had searched the entire city, and several youths had stepped in righteously to rescue her. The series of events that followed seemed unrelated on the surface, but upon closer examination, they were all connected to that rescue.

For example, that great battle south of the city against the desperate bladesmen — thinking back now, it was simply Cloud Mountain Temple's retaliation for that rescue.

And not just these — one could even trace it much further back. The Zhao family had once taken in the destitute and helpless Mr. Mu and his daughter. Zhao Jin even inexplicably thought of the sudden death of the previous executioner...

Speaking of these entanglements, the Smelling Incense Sect owed the Zhao family an enormous debt of gratitude. Yet if the Smelling Incense Sect repaid it directly, it would do the Zhao family no good and would instead bring trouble. This time, one could say they were conveniently presenting a borrowed flower to the Buddha — using Cloud Mountain Temple's hand to repay the Zhao family.

Seeing Zhao Jin deep in silent thought, Monk Ruhui shook his head and raised his hand in a gesture. At this movement, Chen Sheng's hand went to his saber hilt. Ruhui noticed the motion and gave Chen Sheng a slight smile, which made Chen Sheng somewhat embarrassed.

The two monks standing in the corner saw the gesture. They bowed in acknowledgment and left the room together, returning shortly. The two of them were laboriously carrying one of the chests — the very chest that had been placed in the private courtyard.

The two chests were carried into the room, and the two monks withdrew. Monk Ruhui rose from his seat and opened the chests.

The moment the lids were lifted, the room brightened considerably. In that instant, everyone in the room held their breath, all eyes fixed on the chests.

Golden and silvery light reflected from within the chests. Loose gold ingots were neatly arranged atop silver ingots — a truly dazzling and eye-catching sight.

"Young Master Zhao, this is Cloud Mountain Temple's sincerity. One thousand taels of silver, one hundred fifty taels of gold. This temple indeed did things that were wrong in the past. These represent our apology and sincerity."

In the exchange ratio between gold and silver, the official rate was one to four, but on the market, one to seven was also very common. This meant Cloud Mountain Temple was offering over two thousand taels of silver all at once as recompense — an extraordinary sum indeed.

The people at both tables had heard Monk Ruhui's words and knew this huge sum was meant for them. Zhao Jin, Chen Sheng, and Wang Zhaojing remained very composed, while everyone else's breathing grew heavy and ragged.

To face such a large sum of money at such a young age and remain so calm — Monk Ruhui's eyes were filled with astonishment.

Zhao Jin merely glanced at the chest of gold and silver. Leaning back in his chair, he said, "Even if we accepted this money, Cloud Mountain Temple could snatch it back at any time. A reconciliation like this is fine for fooling children. Why bring it here to discuss?"

The smile returned to Monk Ruhui's face, though it was more of a bitter smile. He said, "Young Master Zhao, if this money were given to you for no reason, your doubts would be entirely justified. However, this time, there is someone vouching for it. Even if this temple wished to go back on its word, it would have to think twice about the incense-burning heterodoxy."

"Incense-burning heterodoxy" — that had to mean the Smelling Incense Sect. Hearing this, Zhao Jin felt considerably more at ease. After Mu Shulan's second uncle had purged the dissidents, the Smelling Incense Sect had stabilized again in Xuzhou and had demonstrated forceful measures against Cloud Mountain Temple. Under such intimidation, Cloud Mountain Temple indeed would not dare act rashly after a settlement.

"I never imagined that I, Zhao, would become the condition for peace between your two sides. Your esteemed temple isn't making peace with me — you're making peace with those incense-burners," Zhao Jin said with a laugh.

Hearing Zhao Jin refer to himself as "I, Zhao," paired with that youthful face, it seemed absurdly like a boy putting on the airs of an elder. Monk Ruhui couldn't help wanting to laugh, yet hearing Zhao Jin speak so incisively, he felt the young man was indeed mature beyond his years.

Monk Ruhui added with a smile, "This temple, high and low, never imagined Young Master Zhao would be so fierce and valiant. Those clamoring for revenge are also afraid now. This peace negotiation conveniently addresses both sides at once."

At Monk Ruhui's words, the youths at the two tables stirred slightly, each face showing excitement and pride. Cloud Mountain Temple's fearsome reputation was immense, both within Xuzhou and beyond. The magistrate's yamen might not necessarily frighten people, but Cloud Mountain Temple could overawe all quarters. And yet their own Big Brother could intimidate Cloud Mountain Temple — it was simply too impressive.

Moreover, the other side had brought such a huge sum of silver. Both face and substance were accounted for. Everyone's eyes converged on Zhao Jin. Though no one spoke, they all felt Zhao Jin should agree.

"Cloud Mountain Trading, Cloud Mountain Tower within the city — all of Cloud Mountain Temple's businesses inside the city. Twenty percent of the monthly take. I want twenty percent," Zhao Jin said coolly.