Chapter 136: A Scholar's Dignity in the Dust

136. Chapter 136: A Scholar's Dignity in the Dust

"He's hitting people..." The gatekeeper scrambled up and shouted hoarsely. Immediately, six or seven men dressed as household servants surrounded them.

Although the Yang household had numbers and momentum on their side, seeing Zhao Jin's tall, sturdy frame standing there perfectly composed, they couldn't figure out his background for a moment and none dared to step forward.

"He hit someone, go get him!" The gatekeeper retreated into the crowd and yelled. At that moment, a round-faced middle-aged man strode out quickly from inside. The several people in the courtyard, upon seeing this middle-aged man, paid no more heed to Zhao Jin and hurriedly greeted him, all calling him "Head Steward."

"What's going on? Don't you know the Master needs his rest?" The round-faced middle-aged man frowned and asked.

"Head Steward, this brat suddenly demanded to see the Master. Seeing he was of unknown origin and had no visiting card, I didn't want to let him in. Who knew he'd suddenly start hitting people!" The gatekeeper said hurriedly.

The steward's face immediately darkened. He stared at Zhao Jin and asked, "Who are you, to behave so outrageously at the Yang residence?"

As a steward, he handled matters more prudently than the gatekeeper. Someone who dared to swagger in and strike someone at a Provincial Graduate's home was either a madman or had backing. He had to get the facts straight before deciding how to proceed.

"I am Zhao Jin. I want to see Yang Zhongping." This time, Zhao Jin even dropped any pretense of polite address.

The steward's face went completely grim, looking ready to explode, but upon hearing that name he froze. He quickly pressed the question: "Zhao Jin? Could it be Zhao Jin from Constable Zhao's family?"

"Tell Yang Zhongping to come out!" Zhao Jin did not answer that question, instead raising his voice.

The several household servants in the courtyard wore angry expressions, all looking at the steward. They were ready to act at a single command. This half-grown kid had actually come to bully them at their own door. The gatekeeper even fumbled around the courtyard for a club and took it in hand.

Unexpectedly, the steward's expression shifted for a moment, then he turned and strode quickly back inside.

The Yang household servants, poised to strike, were all dumbfounded. None were fools; they understood perfectly why the steward did this. This young man's name must carry such weight that the steward could only go fetch the Master, not even daring to take offense at the visitor's unapologetic insolence.

"Zhao Jin?" One servant suddenly muttered under his breath.

"Isn't that the one who killed six monks, slaughtered the Blade Guest, and scattered a hundred foes with a shout..." Someone murmured.

At this, everyone looked towards Zhao Jin. The gatekeeper's face went pale with fright. Thinking about it, everyone could confirm it: the much-talked-about hero making waves in the city these past few days was the one standing right before them. Unless they had seen him before, no one would immediately connect the name to the face upon seeing Zhao Jin. No one imagined someone so formidable could truly be this young.

The Yang residence was not large. Soon, footsteps sounded. The steward arrived accompanying Provincial Graduate Yang Zhongping. The moment they entered the front courtyard, the steward barked, "All of you, get back to your own work! Don't loiter here getting in the way."

The servants scattered in a flurry. As the gatekeeper passed by Zhao Jin, his legs went weak and he nearly collapsed to his knees. He forced himself to keep going and only when he reached the doorway did he realize his whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

Provincial Graduate Yang Zhongping's expression was extremely grim. As Cloud Mountain Temple's representative within Xuzhou City, he knew more about Zhao Jin than most people in the city, and he was even more aware that Cloud Mountain Temple had sent the guest reception monk Ruhui to negotiate peace with Zhao Jin.

But Provincial Graduate Yang was unwilling to lower his own dignity. He felt that with his own Provincial Graduate scholarly rank, even the Prefect himself would offer him a seat and tea when he visited the yamen. Facing the son of a constable, a young martial artist, there was nothing to fear.

"What business do you have with me?" He felt righteous in his heart, yet the moment he opened his mouth, he found his voice sounded somewhat weak. Could it be I caught a draft at noon? Provincial Graduate Yang thought inexplicably.

Zhao Jin smiled, cupped his fists in salute, and said amiably, "I heard that Provincial Graduate Yang performed a good deed, so I came specially to commend Provincial Graduate Yang."

A good deed? Both Provincial Graduate Yang and the steward were stunned. After passing the provincial exam, one became a man above others. After attaching himself to Cloud Mountain Temple, he had acted even more lawlessly. He truly could not recall doing any good deed.

Zhao Jin smiled and continued, "Provincial Graduate Yang, out of compassion for his neighbor Widow Ye née Wu, paid one hundred taels of silver to buy her house. Furthermore, he bought a tidy little courtyard over at Peach Tree Lane in the west of the city for the old woman to live in. Everyone, upon hearing this, praises Provincial Graduate Yang's benevolence."

Provincial Graduate Yang froze, then it dawned on him. His face immediately darkened. This Zhao Jin actually wanted him to buy that old crone a house in the west of the city, and to give her one hundred taels of silver to boot. And he had the gall to swagger in, strike someone, and utter these extortionate words. This was truly pushing people too far.

"I heard many masters from Cloud Mountain Temple all say that Provincial Graduate Yang performed this good deed. Provincial Graduate Yang, is this true?" Zhao Jin asked with a smile.

Provincial Graduate Yang was brimming with fury, feeling as if his whole body was about to explode. But seeing the faint smile on Zhao Jin's face, he involuntarily nodded his head.

"Provincial Graduate Yang is truly admirable. In a few days, I will also go to Peach Tree Lane to visit Widow Jiang née Wu and tell her of Provincial Graduate Yang's virtuous act." Zhao Jin continued with a smile.

Looking at the stiff-faced Provincial Graduate Yang and his steward, Zhao Jin nodded and said, "I won't disturb Provincial Graduate Yang further. I take my leave first."

Having said this, Zhao Jin turned and walked out the door, swaggering off without looking back.

Provincial Graduate Yang and the steward stood there, speechless for a long while. Someone outside knocked something over, and only then did the two snap back to their senses. Provincial Graduate Yang's body began to tremble violently. He pointed at the empty courtyard gate and said, "Arrogant! Insolent! Lawless!"

He spoke with fierce severity. The steward quickly urged, "Master, please calm your anger. A scoundrel of this sort isn't worth your trouble."

Provincial Graduate Yang's trembling had not ceased. He continued in a furious voice, "I endured ten years of bitter study to attain my current status, never imagining I would still be bullied by such a shameless villain. This is truly, truly..."

He was too agitated to speak. Suddenly, a faint breeze blew past. Yang Zhongping couldn't help but shiver. He realized his entire body was soaked in cold sweat. Only then did Provincial Graduate Yang understand his own state. The trembling was not from anger and agitation at all, but from fear.

Provincial Graduate Yang came to his senses. Just now, he hadn't spoken not out of reserve, but out of fear. Tension had locked his throat; he simply could not make a sound.

The steward, hearing his master stop mid-sentence, looked over in puzzlement. He found Provincial Graduate Yang's face deathly pale, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, and a large patch of sweat already visible on his back. This appearance looked like a sudden illness. The steward quickly drew near and called out, "Master, Master..."

Provincial Graduate Yang shuddered, finally reacting. He turned and headed towards the inner courtyard. His steps were unsteady. After a few paces, he looked back and said, "That Widow Ye née Wu is pitiable indeed. Take one hundred and thirty taels of silver and deliver it to her. And to still want me to go buy some house? Truly absurd. Don't even think about it."

The steward was astonished and quickly nodded in agreement. He noticed his master's voice carried a tremor. Those words sounded firm, but thinking carefully, buying a house at Peach Tree Lane wouldn't cost twenty taels of silver. In reality, this was an even greater capitulation.

However, the steward was well-informed and knew of Zhao Jin's fearsome reputation in Xuzhou City. Being able to spend money to settle this matter was naturally for the best. He only regretted that he himself wouldn't get a cut of the profit.

Yang Zhongping hurried back to his bedroom. He stripped off his clothes, got directly into bed, and covered himself with the quilt. The weather was turning hot now, and wealthy households had switched to thin blankets. Provincial Graduate Yang only felt cold. He loudly shouted for his wife to bring thick blankets in.

Regarding Zhao Jin's affairs, Provincial Graduate Yang knew more than others. Previously, he was the one who had gone to the yamen on behalf of those six slain monks. A few days later, Cloud Mountain Temple suddenly sent him word to prepare to go to the yamen again to have Chief Constable Chen Wu and the executioner Zhao Zhentang removed from their posts. At that time, Provincial Graduate Yang had already prepared a written accusation listing over a dozen charges, both true and fabricated, against Chen Wu and Zhao Zhentang.

Unexpectedly, that very afternoon, another message came from Cloud Mountain Temple, telling Provincial Graduate Yang not to act rashly and to await further instructions. Immediately after, Yang Zhongping heard the tale of Zhao Jin's bloody battle south of the city, and everything became clear in an instant. He knew those desperadoes were likely Cloud Mountain Temple's arrangement, and he was even more shocked that Zhao Jin was so ferociously brave.

When such a god of slaughter came knocking on his door, Provincial Graduate Yang at first forgot to even be afraid, completely stunned. When he came to his senses, the more he thought, the more terrified he became.

Provincial Graduate Yang covered himself with a full two layers of quilts and shivered until late into the night. Afterwards, he did not leave his house for three days, telling outsiders only that he had caught a chill.

Zhao Jin returned and trained as usual until evening. Just before dismissal, Ye Wenshu brought his aunt to Zhao Jin's place. Upon meeting him, they knelt to kowtow. Zhao Jin quickly helped them up. Ye Wenshu said very sincerely, "If Master Jin ever has need of my service in the future, I shall be entirely at your command."

The next day, the story of Zhao Jin righteously standing up for Ye Wenshu's widowed aunt spread throughout Xuzhou City. That Provincial Graduate Yang, relying on Cloud Mountain Temple's power, had acted without scruple in the city and was disliked by everyone high and low. Seeing him suffer this loss, many felt gratified. At the same time, they felt Zhao Jin acted with a sense of justice, truly possessing the spirit of a hero.

But when this news reached the Prefect's yamen, Xuzhou Prefect Tong Huaizu was not very pleased. Prefect Tong had been in the rear hall savoring tea and resting his mind. After his personal attendant relayed this news, Prefect Tong's expression darkened. He said to Adviser Wang, who was accompanying him for tea, "This Zhao Jin acts far too arrogantly. Whatever else Yang Zhongping may be, he is a scholar with official rank. How can he be casually humiliated by him? Mister Wang, go and make inquiries. Such a trend cannot be indulged!"

Civil officials were all scholars by origin. Their personal opinions of each other were one matter, but they could not tolerate an outsider touching the dignity of their group.

Adviser Wang stroked his beard with his hand, but in his heart he was thinking of the fifty taels of silver Zhao Jin had given him as a writing fee, and the promise of future benefits. Though Zhao Jin was young, he handled matters responsibly and would certainly not renege on his debts. Over time, the benefits would surely be substantial. Thinking of this, Adviser Wang put a smile on his face and said, "Your Excellency's insight is absolutely correct. This student will go and reprimand him immediately."

He turned and took two steps, then slapped his forehead, pretending to have just remembered something. He turned back and said, "Your Excellency, do you still recall that seven hundred taels of silver from a few days ago? The bounty offered by the various yamens of Xuzhou's one prefecture and four counties, as well as the villages below, for the slaying of those fourteen desperate bandits."

Seven hundred taels of silver was no small sum. A windfall of money dropping from the sky—Prefect Tong naturally remembered it clearly. He nodded at once. Adviser Wang put on a mysterious air and said, "Your Excellency, that silver was sent by this very Zhao Jin. He killed those fourteen desperate bandits, yet took the initiative to hand the reward silver up to Your Excellency."