Chapter 132: Alcoholism?

132. Chapter 132: Alcoholism?

Zhao Jin hadn't gone far when Chen Ergou came running up in small steps and said respectfully from behind, "Master Jin, I've been with you the longest and I'm the least selfish. Others watching over those businesses might have selfish motives, but I will serve loyally and won't skim or embezzle a single coin."

Yan Blackface was the biggest boss in the southern part of the city, but now everything had fallen into Butcher Li's hands. Chen Ergou was of course unwilling to accept this. He felt that since he'd dealt with Zhao Jin for a longer time, he should come over and plead his case.

Zhao Jin smiled and said as he walked, "These past few days you've been avoiding me. Did you think you'd handed over enough silver and done enough, and feared I'd meddle too much? So you didn't even send a single person over, just wanted to keep watch over your own turf by yourself. Since you didn't come to me, naturally things went to Butcher Li, who did."

With every sentence, Chen Ergou shuddered. He hadn't expected Zhao Jin to lay out his thoughts with perfect accuracy. By the end, Chen Ergou's face had gone completely pale. He hurried forward a few steps, blocked Zhao Jin's path, and dropped straight to his knees, kowtowing as he said, "I am utterly loyal to Master Jin. These past few days I've been too busy to manage things and neglected to pay my respects. I absolutely had no other intentions."

Zhao Jin didn't stop walking. He simply stepped right over him and said coolly, "Your seniority is shallow and you can't keep people in line. For now, keep an eye on Butcher Li for me. If any slip-ups happen on his end, I'll split off some of Yan Blackface's territory for you."

Only then did Chen Ergou's face turn from white to red, but he didn't dare rise from the ground. Kneeling there, he said repeatedly, "Rest assured, Master Jin, I will keep a close watch. I will keep a close watch."

Zhao Jin strode on without pause. Chen Sheng and the others, however, looked back several times. After they'd left that street, Chen Sheng turned his head to look at Zhao Jin, his face full of the expression of someone looking at a stranger. After a moment, he spoke: "Zhao Jin, where did you learn to talk like that? It doesn't seem like you!"

Dong Bingfeng, walking beside them, hesitated for a moment and then said with some puzzlement, "Brother Zhao, Chen Ergou is one of our own. If you're so harsh with him, won't it chill his heart?"

Before Zhao Jin could answer, Sun Dalei let out a scoff and spoke first: "Chen Ergou's been running his own little schemes all along. He was reluctant about handing over the money and even guarded against us with information. These past few days, Leizi hasn't been able to get anything useful out of him—all because Chen Ergou's been on guard. If we don't put a scare into him, he'll really start thinking he built his turf all by himself."

Zhao Jin smiled and glanced at Sun Dalei, nodding in acknowledgment of his explanation. What Zhao Jin found interesting was that among his companions, Sun Dalei was the one who schemed the most, several times unwilling to advance or retreat together. Sun Dalei looked fat and simple, but he was actually very shrewd and saw many things quite clearly.

By the time they returned to the freight yard, it was already lunchtime. Ji Xiang's father had handed his cooked-food stall over to a cousin to run and was now leading people to handle the meals here full-time, because what he earned here in a month was several times what the stall brought in. And with the recruitment of new men, the income would increase even faster.

Ye Wenshu and the other two naturally didn't have to eat the communal pot with everyone else. Zhao Jin had someone order meat and wine for them nearby.

As soon as he saw Zhao Jin return, Ye Wenshu hurried over to report. He said that thirty qualified men had been found that morning, and now many people outside had gone home for lunch. He estimated even more would come in the afternoon. Since so many were coming, he wanted to ask Zhao Jin exactly how many household guards they were recruiting this time.

This was well-intentioned on Ye Wenshu's part. Zhao Jin's trading company looked prosperous, but its scale wasn't large. Recruiting too many men they couldn't afford to keep would only become a problem.

"I already have thirty-seven. Recruit sixty-three more to make a full hundred. That'll be enough!" Zhao Jin answered with a smile.

"An auspicious number!" Ye Wenshu said with a flattering laugh.

Zhao Jin paused to think, then added, "Uncle Jiang, once we've recruited enough, write down the names and addresses of the other qualified men as well. We'll have use for them in the future. And I won't let you do all this hard work for nothing."

Hearing there were more benefits to be had, Ye Wenshu smiled so broadly his eyes disappeared, and he simply nodded.

The household guards were nearly finished with their lunch. Zhao Jin and the others simply took their food to the small courtyard. Before eating, Zhao Jin said to Chen Sheng, "After the meal, draw twenty taels of silver and take it to the constable station. Tell them it's tea money for the uncles. Then tell your father that for those men we sent over, could they wait until we're there before interrogating them? Remember to speak politely."

Chen Sheng was taken aback. Puzzled, he said, "For our own family's business, we still need to spend silver?"

"Public business must be handled publicly. Give the silver to your father and let him distribute it," Zhao Jin explained with a smile. Chen Sheng nodded, and Chen Hong hurried off to get the silver.

Once the silver had been brought out, Zhao Jin smiled and said to everyone, "What businesses Yan Blackface has in the city—Butcher Li might not tell the truth. But after interrogation, we'll know all the details."

Only then did everyone understand the purpose. Zhao Jin sat there, took a few bites of food, then looked up and said, "Daxiang, Dalei, this afternoon you two go take care of something. Erhong, draw fifty taels of silver for them. Buy one small jar of every kind of white liquor and distilled spirit in the city. As long as it's a different kind, buy one small jar. If it's inconvenient to carry, hire a cart to bring it back."

Everyone in the courtyard stopped eating and stared at Zhao Jin in astonishment. Fifty taels of silver could buy who knew how much liquor. What on earth was Zhao Jin planning?

Wang Zhaojing furrowed his brow and said gravely in counsel, "Brother Zhao, although our income has been considerable lately, we haven't yet reached the point of indulging in wine and pleasure. Besides, martial training requires keeping far from wine and women. Such heavy drinking..."

Though the others said nothing, they all agreed with Wang Zhaojing's words. Zhao Jin laughed in spite of himself and waved his hand. "What are you all thinking? It's not that I'm craving liquor, and I couldn't possibly have that big an addiction. I'm buying the liquor for another purpose!"

"Brother Zhao isn't drinking it himself?"

"... I am drinking it myself..." After answering that, Zhao Jin realized he couldn't explain himself clearly. With a rueful smile, he said, "You'll all understand when the time comes."

Once everyone had finished eating, they went out to handle their assigned tasks. Just before Ji Xiang and Sun Dalei left, Zhao Jin called them back and added one more instruction: "Remember to buy twenty clean liquor cups!"

Everyone's eyes focused on him again. Zhao Jin walked out with a rueful smile, not even bothering to explain anymore.

Before training, Zhao Jin first made a round of the dormitory. Although the blankets weren't folded into perfect blocks, he could see they'd been carefully and neatly arranged. The floor was also considerably cleaner.

Zhao Jin roughly calculated, then sent Shi Manqiang to find his father. With the increase in recruited household guards, things like beds and bedding would also need to increase, and the construction work would have to double.

Feeding, clothing, housing, and transporting a hundred household guards all cost money. But with ample silver in hand now, nothing was a worry.

In the afternoon, the household guards' training was directed by Zhao Jin. In front of him, every guard steeled their spirit, terrified of making a mistake. The rod in Zhao Jin's hand was no joke.

After they'd trained for about the better part of an hour, Chen Sheng returned with a horse cart and stopped outside the freight yard. Chen Sheng walked up to Zhao Jin and said, "My father said whenever we want to go, just give him half a day's notice. Also, those fourteen podao are on the cart. Call a few men over to carry them in."

Zhao Jin called out the names of several household guards and sent them to move the podao. He understood this was the effect of those twenty taels of silver. True, family didn't need to spend money, but the yamen wasn't run by the fathers of just the two of them. Every side and angle needed greasing. When the silver was delivered, Chen Sheng's father, Chen Wu, might not take a single coin, but the others still needed a token of goodwill.

Moreover, their group had only just made a name for itself recently. If they made the elders feel they were arrogant, domineering, and full of themselves, those elders probably wouldn't help wholeheartedly. These twenty taels of silver were a gesture to show their attitude. Otherwise, why had those dozen or so podao, which they'd requested days ago, only arrived today?

These thoughts, of course, Zhao Jin wouldn't share with anyone. As training proceeded, the crowd of idle onlookers was considerably larger than in the morning. However, these people no longer boldly pressed close to watch the excitement. Instead, they gathered at a distance, pointing and whispering with awe. Whenever Zhao Jin's gaze happened to sweep over them, they all lowered their heads respectfully.

Zhao Jin could guess the reason for this. Word of the morning's exploits subduing a faction in the southern part of the city must have spread here by now.

"Big Brother, they're all talking about how awesome you were this morning. Hearing it got our brothers' blood boiling too."

As training was about to end, Ji Xiang and Sun Dalei returned with a horse cart. After passing through the crowd, they excitedly said a few words to Zhao Jin.

On the cart were over twenty small jars. This left Zhao Jin a bit disappointed. He'd thought a place as big as Xuzhou City would have a greater variety of white liquors.

According to Ji Xiang and Sun Dalei, they hadn't spent much money. Many people, upon hearing that Zhao Jin wanted liquor and only such a small amount, simply gave it away for free. It was a favor that cost them little, after all.

"Are those the good liquors?" Zhao Jin asked specifically. Sun Dalei was very meticulous and had deliberately placed them at the front.

Twenty white porcelain liquor cups, wrapped in a small cloth bundle, were also brought out.

"Daxiang, have someone boil these twenty liquor cups in water for a while, then let them air-dry. Arrange these liquors in order from cheapest to most expensive," Zhao Jin instructed.

Ji Xiang acknowledged and did as told. A few household guards helped carry things. Though no one asked, everyone's faces showed puzzled expressions. They had no idea what Zhao Jin was up to. Having spent so much time together, they all knew Zhao Jin wasn't the indulgent type. Buying so much liquor all at once was truly baffling.

It was almost dark. Everything Zhao Jin had requested was ready. Zhao Jin dismissed the training household guards, then gave Ye Wenshu the money he'd earned that day and went to the private courtyard.

His companions were all waiting there. Ji Xiang had also set up a small stove in the courtyard with water boiling on it. On a wooden tray beside it were a few small dishes of food.

"My father said cold liquor harms the body, so warm it before drinking. Drinking on an empty stomach is also bad, so I threw together a few things on short notice. Big Brother, don't think it's too shabby," Ji Xiang hurriedly explained.

Zhao Jin smiled and nodded. His companions all around watched curiously; they all wanted to know what Zhao Jin was going to do.

"Bring a pot of cold boiled water," Zhao Jin added. Someone quickly brought it over.