Chapter 143: Night Fire

With the house empty, there was no need to stand guard. Zhao Jin called Li Wu and the others back, but in the morning he had Lei Cai send word that he was looking for any movement from the Incense-Smelling Sect.

The city's foxes and rats, the drifters of the rivers and lakes, the lowlifes of every stripe — these jianghu folk had the sharpest ears in town. But what caught Zhao Jin completely off guard was how fast the answers came back from every direction, all saying they couldn't find out anything. Liu Yong and Lei Cai both confirmed it wasn't just a brush-off.

Lei Cai even went to ask in person. He came back saying that before, the followers of the Incense-Smelling Sect were no different from ordinary Buddhist or Daoist devotees. But after that Mr. Mu died, the sect's activities went underground. All anyone knew was that they gathered somewhere to burn incense and worship the gods — anything beyond that, no one had a clue. The Incense-Smelling Sect had numbers and strength, and they'd shown their ruthless methods more than once. Jianghu folk didn't dare provoke them lightly. The two sides had always kept to a well-water-doesn't-mix-with-river-water arrangement.

Not being able to find out anything only made the unease worse. Zhao Jin gathered his companions and gave them a few words of warning. After hearing him out, every face turned grave. Ji Xiang, especially worried, asked, "South of the city, plenty of households burn incense. Most of the household guards come from the south side. Could some of them be incense-burners hiding among us?"

At that, everyone tensed up. Zhao Jin shook his head and dismissed it. "The guards train here every day. Their activity never leaves the goods yard. Even if there were Incense-Smelling followers among them, they'd have no way to send word out. Besides, when the fighting started yesterday, every single one of them charged forward bravely."

They had just breathed a sigh of relief when Zhao Jin added, "Those of you living here must keep a sharp watch. The guards are to train, eat, and rest only within this area. Without my order, not a single guard is to leave this place."

They answered in unison and were about to disperse for training when Zhao Jin pulled Liu Yong aside alone and said in a low voice, "Keep looking for the men I told you to find. These men answer only to you. I'll provide the money. Don't let anyone else know."

Despite all these arrangements, Zhao Jin still felt a knot of unease in his chest. But the whole day passed, and nothing happened.

In the afternoon, the distillery asked Zhao Jin to come over. Although no liquor had been produced yet, the whole place was already thick with the aroma of fermenting grain. Lu Xiangjiu, brimming with excitement, led Zhao Jin to the fermentation cellar. Inside, the fermenting sorghum had already changed color. Su Da was leading a dozen apprentices, turning it over with wooden shovels.

Lu Xiangjiu scooped up a handful, squeezed it, and it clumped together. He dropped it, and it immediately crumbled apart. He said, "Master, the rule for well-fermented grain is 'clumps when squeezed, falls apart when dropped.' Ours is fermenting nicely. The cellar is good, the sorghum is good, even the well water is good. This liquor should be drinkable."

Zhao Jin couldn't help but laugh. Did I put in all this effort just to make liquor that's "drinkable"? Still, he understood what the man meant. To Lu Xiangjiu and Su Da, sorghum liquor was normally undrinkable swill. Under these relatively favorable conditions, "drinkable" was already a remarkable achievement.

Lu Xiangjiu, oblivious to Zhao Jin's thoughts, just rambled on. "It's a pity we had to buy our fermentation starter from a distillery outside the city. Pi Prefecture has top-grade starter. If we can get some of that later, the flavor will be even better."

"When do we actually brew?" Zhao Jin asked.

"We're brewing right now… Ah, you mean when the liquor comes out. Five more days and we can fire up the still. Tomorrow, I'll need the master to release some silver — we need to buy firewood and coal," Lu Xiangjiu went on.

Zhao Jin nodded, breathed in the distillery's not-entirely-pleasant smell, and said with a smile, "When you fire up the still, be sure to call me."

Lu Xiangjiu hastily agreed, then accompanied Zhao Jin on a cursory look around before seeing him off. Watching Zhao Jin's retreating figure, Lu Xiangjiu couldn't help shaking his head. He had assumed Zhao Jin bought the distillery because he had some secret recipe for making fine liquor. But from the start until now, with the final distillation stage nearly here, this young master had produced nothing at all. It seemed Zhao Jin was just indulging a passing whim.

This operation, so painstakingly revived, was about to fall apart again. Lu Xiangjiu felt a real pang of regret, but he'd already pocketed a year's wages, so he didn't dwell on it.

Zhao Jin hadn't gone far from the distillery when Su Da came chasing after him. Having just finished turning the fermenting grain, he was drenched in sweat and reeked of liquor. Compared to when he first met Zhao Jin, these days of good food and good sleep, doing the work he knew best, had completely transformed Su Da's spirit and energy.

Catching up to Zhao Jin, Su Da first bowed deeply with his hands clasped, then said quietly, "Master, that Lu Xiangjiu could barely keep his old distillery running. He doesn't have any real skill. I may only be a senior hand, but I worked in a big distillery. I know the whole craft from start to finish. If the master wants to make fine liquor, I can call together my old mates and friends. They all have good skills, and maybe even some fine fermentation starter…"

Su Da spoke with eager enthusiasm, but the meaning behind his words was clear to anyone: Lu Xiangjiu was currently the distillery manager, and Su Da wanted that position for himself.

Zhao Jin smiled and clapped Su Da on the shoulder. He was more than twenty years younger than Su Da, yet his gesture and expression seemed far more mature. Smiling, he said, "The liquor is about to come out any day now. Put your heart into the work."

Hearing this, Su Da immediately looked uneasy and hurriedly bowed. "I just wanted to find a few more good hands for the master, that's all. Nothing else."

The smile on Zhao Jin's face deepened. He increased the pressure of his hand slightly and said, "Keep a closer eye on things at the distillery. If anything comes up, tell me. You won't miss out on the benefits."

At those words, Su Da bent even lower, his face a mask of humble, fawning deference.

Zhao Jin's thinking was crystal clear. He didn't spend much time at the distillery. If someone wanted to pull something shady in there, it would be hard to guard against. Su Da, dissatisfied with Lu Xiangjiu's position, was a ready-made pair of eyes and ears delivered right to his doorstep.

As usual, training ended before dark. Zhao Jin named ten men, led by Li Wu, and arranged for them to report to his family home after dinner.

Zhao Jin himself, together with Wang Zhaojing, Chen Sheng, and the others, escorted the cart carrying his mother back.

Inside the carriage, He Cuihua was still grumbling. "You father and son are so jumpy — less guts than me, a woman. Nothing's happened all day, and all the housework's been held up."

When Zhao Jin parted ways with his companions along the road, he made a point of telling them to be careful. But the Wang and Chen families were both large, wealthy households with no shortage of household guards and able-bodied men, so there wasn't much to worry about.

Back home, everything was safe and sound, no different from when they'd left. He Cuihua felt even more that Zhao Jin was being overly cautious. She muttered a few words, then led Zhao San's wife off to cook. Zhao Jin, however, was extra careful. Carrying his long spear, he checked every inch of the house, front and back. Everything was perfectly normal.

Zhao Zhentang came home at the usual time. At dinner, he cursed a bit over the table, saying the Incense-Smelling people were skulking around like ghosts. Today he hadn't managed to find anyone at all — nowhere even to deliver a warning. He'd found that evangelist from yesterday and questioned him closely, only to learn the man had been demoted to an ordinary follower. No one in the sect paid him any mind anymore.

"Those incense-burning lot are all like rats, scared to death of the authorities. That bunch yesterday probably didn't know who our family was. Once they found out you work in the yamen, and learned young Jin's reputation, they've likely gone into hiding long ago. And here you two are, more timid than they are. Broad daylight, inside the city walls — what could possibly happen?" He Cuihua grumbled on.

Zhao Jin glanced at Zhao Zhentang. Thinking it over, his mother's words actually made some sense. He was the one who'd led his men and beaten up the Incense-Smelling followers, yet here his own family was, scared and on guard.

At He Cuihua's words, Zhao Zhentang's face darkened. He slammed his soup bowl down hard and said in a low, gruff voice, "They're timid? Have you forgotten how I landed this executioner's post?"

He Cuihua froze, then fell silent at once.

Zhao Jin knew that his father, Zhao Zhentang, had become the executioner of Xuzhou when Zhao Jin was just one or two years old. The executioner's post was hereditary and came with plenty of perks. His father was a Centurion in the Xuzhou Guard — by rights, the position should never have fallen to him. From the occasional mentions over the years, Zhao Jin could tell there was a story behind how his father had landed that executioner's job.

Curious as he was, this wasn't the time to ask. Zhao Jin simply said with a smile, "Being careful never hurts. The goods yard is being fixed up right now. Why don't I have a proper house built there for you and Mother? It'd be easier to look after you if you're close by."

"You've got a filial heart, boy, but your father's no coward. If they don't come, fine. If they do, I'll give them something to remember!" Zhao Zhentang said boldly. He Cuihua's face was all smiles too — Zhao Jin's filial thoughtfulness had pleased both his parents greatly.

After the idle chat at dinner, Zhao Jin didn't feel quite so on edge, but he dared not let his guard down. When Li Wu arrived with the household guards, Zhao Jin led them into the courtyard and carefully arranged their posts. When he went to bed, he still slept in his clothes, his weapon never leaving his hand.

These past few days had taxed his mind and body, and he hadn't stopped his martial training either. Zhao Jin was feeling the exhaustion. Even though sleeping in his clothes was uncomfortable, the moment his head hit the pillow, he was out.

Zhao Jin dreamed of wind, then was jolted awake by the shrill scream of a monkey. He opened his eyes — the window paper was glowing bright red.

"Someone's set a fire!" a guard shouted in the courtyard.

"What are you howling for? Go get water!" Li Wu's reaction was sharp.

Zhao Jin leaped straight off the kang, grabbed the long spear by the door, and strode out of the room. The moment he stepped outside, he saw his father, Zhao Zhentang, also emerging with a blade in hand.

"Father, stay inside and protect Mother. Everyone outside is my man. I'll handle this!" Zhao Jin said rapidly.

Zhao Zhentang paused, looking at his son, who now stood nearly as tall as himself. He nodded slowly and said only, "Be careful."

Spear in hand, Zhao Jin hurried out the main door. Behind him, he could still hear He Cuihua shouting, "Xiao Jin, be careful!"

The guards in the courtyard were even faster than Zhao Jin had expected. The days of training had paid off — their reactions and coordination were beyond that of ordinary men. Over by the side, Zhao San came scrambling out of the wing room in a panic, not even wearing a shirt.

The fire was at the woodpile. The woodpile stood against the wall, and two large balls of flame were burning on top of it. Li Wu used a wooden pole to knock the flaming bundles down, and the men beside him doused them with water at once. Because they'd reacted so fast, only a small part of the woodpile had caught. A few buckets of water and it was out.