Chapter 150: A Lively Gathering

Hearing this, Zhao Zhentang couldn't help but pause for a moment, then a look of sudden understanding dawned on his face. He nodded and said, "It's rare for you to think things through so thoroughly."

Thinking back to what had happened to those kidnappers last time, it wasn't hard to imagine what awaited these captured men inside. Zhao Jin felt no sympathy for them whatsoever. If he hadn't been on guard last night and the fire had really spread, he shuddered to think what would have become of his own household.

After leaving the yamen, Zhao Jin took his people out for lunch, then instead of returning to the goods yard, he went home first. Everything was peaceful at home, though his mother, He Cuihua, spent a long while complaining to him about how having so many people around the house made her uncomfortable in every way. Zhao Jin could only smile and offer a few words of comfort.

By the time he got back to the goods yard, it was already afternoon. The place was in complete chaos. Two bone-setting doctors were there tending to the household guards. There were no serious injuries—just cuts and bleeding heads from being hit by stones and clods of dirt, all superficial flesh wounds that were fine once cleaned up. A few with bad bruises needed medicinal liquor rubbed in.

Once inside, Wang Zhaojing was still reading, occasionally looking up to chant a few lines. Seeing Zhao Jin return, he set down his book and said with a smile, "After today, south of the city belongs to you alone, Brother Zhao."

Wang Zhaojing saw things far more clearly than others. Zhao Jin didn't elaborate, merely smiling as he changed the subject. "The ones who gained the most from this are the household guards. They train nonstop every day but had no idea how vast the world outside really is. After that fight today with the salt smuggler's men, they finally know that what they've been practicing is useful—and that training alone isn't enough."

"A capable man is capable of everything. Brother Zhao, you even play the official's tune so well," Wang Zhaojing said with a laugh, then lowered his voice and asked, "What do we do next?"

"No rush. We wait for Xiaoyong to get back," Zhao Jin answered with a smile.

No one expected that Liu Yong wouldn't return to the goods yard until it was nearly dark. By his reckoning, the city gates of Xuzhou would already be closed by then.

Normally at this hour, the companions would all be heading home for dinner. Chen Hong had collected his silver and gone home early. Dong Bingfeng and Sun Dalei were about to take their leave, but seeing that Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing showed no sign of departing, the two of them decided to stay as well.

Only the eight of them were in the room. Liu Yong was in the corner, drinking water and wiping off sweat. He looked utterly exhausted, as if he'd been running around all day. Sun Dalei grinned and said, "Brothers, I'd just be eating alone at home anyway. Since none of you are leaving, I'll stay too!"

Dong Bingfeng chimed in, "My father always says I don't know how to make friends, that I'm always coming and going all by myself, and that I should spend more time with my brothers. I'll ride home to let them know, then come right back."

Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang were both delighted. Though they'd spent so much time together, they rarely shared a meal. Young people love excitement and love gathering together. Ji Xiang stood up with a grin and said, "Bingfeng, you go tell your family first. I'll go have my father prepare a few extra dishes."

"Daxiang, close the door first and check if anyone's outside," Zhao Jin said.

Ji Xiang paused, quickly stepped out to look, then shut the door. Zhao Jin nodded and asked Liu Yong directly, "Xiaoyong, tell us about your end of things."

Liu Yong glanced in surprise at Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, Sun Dalei, and Dong Bingfeng. Only when he saw Zhao Jin nod in confirmation did he prepare to speak.

Before he could begin, Wang Zhaojing raised a hand to stop him and said in a low voice, "Brother Zhao, is this appropriate?"

At those words, the expressions on the faces of Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, Sun Dalei, and Dong Bingfeng all turned rather sour. What Liu Yong and Wang Zhaojing had just said made it clear there were things they didn't know about. They were all brothers, yet distinctions of closeness and distance were being drawn—it was deeply unsettling.

"We've faced life and death together. It's appropriate," Zhao Jin answered Wang Zhaojing.

Wang Zhaojing nodded and said no more. Chen Sheng simply drew the short blade from his waist and began slowly wiping it clean. Liu Yong took another drink of water, then stood and said, "This morning, when you led the men to the south side of the city, Big Brother, that Li Yang was still at home sleeping. Someone quickly went to bring him word. Li Yang hurried out of the city and hid in a village ten li beyond the north gate. In the afternoon, someone brought him another message, and Li Yang came back into the city. He entered a house beside the old Earth God Temple in the east of the city—one of those places with a half-hidden door. He should be staying there tonight. I've got Leizi keeping watch on the place. I came back first to report."

Some understood; others were bewildered. Everyone looked to Zhao Jin. Zhao Jin swept his gaze around the room and said with a smile, "Tonight, we're going to kill a man."

Wang Zhaojing, Chen Sheng, and Liu Yong remained impassive. Everyone else jolted. Every person in this room had drawn blood before, but those times had been about saving someone or an unavoidable clash—fights they'd been forced into. This was the first time they were setting out with the deliberate purpose of killing. And unlike the previous two times, when Zhao Jin had cleared their names and given them righteous, legal cover, this killing would be different.

"We have confirmed information. Li Yang was the mastermind behind last night's arson. For that, he must die. Are you coming or not?" Zhao Jin put it plainly.

Wang Zhaojing and the other two said nothing. Shi Manqiang hesitated only a moment, then said in a muffled voice, "If Big Brother truly sees me as a brother, he shouldn't keep things from me. I'm going!"

Ji Xiang, beside him, added, "Li Yang deserves to die. I'm going too!"

Sun Dalei scratched his head, looked around, and then said, "It's all the same to me where I stay. My parents are back in Yutou Town anyway. I won't go home tonight."

Everyone's eyes turned to Dong Bingfeng. Dong Bingfeng looked deeply embarrassed, thinking for a long while before finally speaking. "Big Brother, let me go home first and let them know. I'll come back after."

Zhao Jin nodded. Dong Bingfeng turned and headed out the door. Just as he stepped over the threshold, Sun Dalei called out, "Don't go telling your family about the killing."

Dong Bingfeng turned back, his face bright red. "I'm not an idiot. Of course I know not to say anything."

The room erupted in laughter. As they watched Dong Bingfeng leave, Zhao Jin spoke. "Daxiang, go buy a few jugs of strong liquor. Then go to the kitchen and pick out a few bundles of firewood. Drizzle some oil over them. If anyone asks, just say it spilled by accident. Shitou, you go help him. Dalei, you go arrange tonight's watch. Make sure no one's posted at the back gate. Xiaoyong, after dinner, slip out quietly. As long as Li Yang is still at that house, you don't need to come back. Send Leizi to guide us—have him wait on the street outside the goods yard. You stay there and find a secluded spot to wait for us. When you hear four dog barks, come out and join up."

Once the others had their assignments, Chen Sheng finished wiping his short blade clean. Wang Zhaojing asked with a smile, "Brother Zhao, what about Dasheng and me?"

"The three of us are the main force tonight. Rest up and be ready to move. Before that, Zhaojing, you need to make sure your family's servants and household guards don't come following along." Zhao Jin spoke with great seriousness. Wang Zhaojing looked a bit awkward, coughed twice, and agreed with a laugh.

Wang Zhaojing thought it over, then went out anyway to make the arrangements. Only Zhao Jin, Chen Sheng, and Liu Yong remained in the room. Chen Sheng suddenly spoke. "I wonder if Bingfeng will come back."

"If he comes back, he comes with us. If he doesn't, he won't say anything," Zhao Jin said with a smile. Chen Sheng nodded and said nothing more.

The liquor was soon bought and brought back. The oil-doused firewood had been set aside separately. Sun Dalei finished arranging the watch. And then, dinner began.

Injured or not, every one of the household guards was eagerly looking forward to the meal. Boys that age had enormous appetites. Those willing to work as household guards all came from families that were far from wealthy. Having a full belly on a regular basis was already a struggle; eating well was out of the question. Since coming under Zhao Jin's employ, every meal had some grease in it, and this reward feast was richer than anything they'd ever seen. They might not even eat this well at New Year's, so naturally they were overjoyed.

Ji Xiang's father and his hired helpers came out carrying large wooden buckets. One was filled with spare ribs stewed with cabbage; the other was packed with wheat-flour flatbreads. The household guards hurriedly lined up with their wooden bowls, practically drooling.

"You whelps had better know gratitude and remember kindness! Plenty of places give you room and board—they feed you mixed-grain slop, the vegetables are rotten outer leaves, and you sleep on the floor. Look at what you're eating! There's more meat in here than cabbage! These flatbreads are made with oil! In Xuzhou, even in good times, we only eat like this at New Year's. You've got good fortune, and this fortune is all thanks to Master Zhao!" Ji Xiang's father waved his ladle, hawking at the top of his lungs.

"We know all that, old sir, we've got it all in our hearts! But how about we start eating first?" some smart-mouth in the crowd piped up, and the whole yard burst into roaring laughter.

There weren't many spare ribs—it was just straight-up chunks of meat. Everyone tucked in with abandon, eating with pure delight. Zhao Jin and his band of brothers also grabbed wooden bowls and cheerfully went to get their share of the ribs before heading back inside. The household guards outside could also see Ji Xiang and Shi Manqiang carrying jugs of liquor into the room. None of them had ever really drunk before, so they couldn't exactly say they were envious.

Compared to the lively bustle outside, it was quiet inside the room. Everyone ate slowly and deliberately. By now, they'd learned from experience: if there was action ahead, eating too fast would upset their stomachs, and eating too little would leave them without strength. They all ate with great care, and after resting for about half a shichen, they'd be fine.

Dong Bingfeng still hadn't returned. Everyone tacitly avoided bringing it up. Zhao Jin spoke a few quiet words, then opened one jug of liquor—only to smash it directly onto the floor. Then he laughed and said, "Drinking is drinking, no need to go smashing the jugs!"

The door to their room was only open a crack, separating them from the eating household guards. Whatever they did inside, the people outside couldn't see. But hearing Zhao Jin's laughter and smelling the thick aroma of liquor, everyone naturally assumed the people inside were drinking. They could also hear the sound of laughter and chatter inside the room growing louder.

Zhao Jin and the others simply laughed and spoke loudly. Except for one jug they left unopened, they opened all the rest and let the liquor aroma waft out freely. While putting on this act, they listened to the sounds outside. The household guards all ate very quickly. Once they were full, they went to tidy up their gear, then gathered in groups to chat—a rare chance for them to have some time off.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from outside. Zhao Jin's brow furrowed and he immediately stood. Ji Xiang moved fast, reaching straight for the door to pull it shut. If anyone saw the act they were putting on in here, it would mean trouble. The door was just about to close when Ji Xiang's hand stopped. The door opened, and in walked Dong Bingfeng. His face was slightly flushed, and he said loudly, "Brother Zhao, I've come back to eat!"