Chapter 182: Year-End Bonus

182. Chapter 182: Year-End Bonus

Whether it was the Yan Family Estate outside the city or the general store inside the city, the profit from this salt distribution business was actually not large. There was always a net income of over three hundred taels a month, but trading in salt was a taboo business, so the officials had to be bribed. The magistrate's yamen and the patrol office outside the city would take one hundred seventy to eighty taels right off the top. After deducting all the miscellaneous expenses, not much was left.

Originally, Blackface Yan thought that by following a heroic figure like Zhao Jin, they wouldn't have to pay these customary fees anymore, which would save a large sum of silver each month. However, Zhao Jin was uncompromising on this matter and paid every single wen that was due.

Precisely because they followed the rules, these businesses that Blackface Yan offered up did not bring Zhao Jin too much income; at best, it was just icing on the cake.

By the end of October, Zhao Jin and his companions were on high alert, fully prepared for a fight. Even their fathers had begun to move. Chen Wu and Zhao Zhentang hosted several rounds of drinks, inviting constables from the arrest bureau, headmen among the unofficial runners and bailiffs, and the relevant clerks and minor officials from various departments. At the banquets, they greeted them, saying that the youngsters might act without discretion, and when the time came, they would need everyone to look after them.

By now, everyone in Xuzhou City knew the capabilities of Zhao Jin's group, and quite a few people had benefited from them. Hearing this greeting, they all warmly agreed.

As for officials with actual ranks, such as the magistrate, the vice magistrate, and the judge, generous gifts had long been prepared and sent in, so that when the time came, they would turn a blind eye.

After making so many preparations and tensely gearing up for battle, no one expected things to suddenly quiet down. It remained peaceful all the way until the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Except for shops run entirely by one's own people without hired outsiders, stores and such would close for the holiday on the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month. After a busy year, everyone in the shop needed to go home and properly celebrate the New Year. Workshops and factories closed even earlier. Of course, Xuzhou City was in decline, so there weren't many commercial firms or shops, let alone workshops and factories.

Not to mention other establishments, the largest workshop in the city was the Drifting Aroma Distillery, where over a hundred people were busy working. They truly toiled day and night without rest. Although the food was good and the wages were ample, after several months like this, everyone was reaching their limit.

Zhao Jin was considerate of this and planned to let them off for the holiday on the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month. Their wages for the month would be paid in full, with ordinary workers receiving double pay and the craftsmen also getting a bonus. Although they could not leave the distillery grounds, if they wanted to send silver home or buy New Year's goods for their families, the distillery could deliver it on their behalf and let them watch from the side.

If you wanted a family reunion, there were residences within the distillery grounds. You could bring your family to live there, but then your entire family would not be allowed to leave for three years.

If at the beginning everyone was still somewhat scared and worried, now many had figured it out. Although this young master had immense influence, he kept his word. Moreover, life inside the distillery was peaceful, with full bellies and warm clothes. Bringing one's family in was like sharing in the good fortune, so many had brought their wives and children inside.

But while they wanted time off for the New Year, the outside merchants disagreed. By the twelfth month, all the liquor they had stockpiled was being sold at increased prices, and there was still massive demand. Whose family didn't loosen their purse strings a bit during the New Year, buying some good food and drink to reward themselves? The Drifting Aroma Distillery's winter production drop was already infuriating, and now, at the most profitable time, they were actually going to stop work. No one was willing to leave money on the table.

As a result, the merchants took the initiative to demand a price increase, offering triple wages to the craftsmen and workers, insisting they work at least until the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month before resting, and that at least one still be fired up by the seventh day of the first lunar month.

With higher wages, the exhaustion vanished. The craftsmen and workers cheerfully went back to work and started production.

These people hired by the distillery still had a concept of celebrating the New Year, but the household guards could forget about it. However, this was taken for granted. You were already someone else's man; were you still thinking of going back to your own home for the New Year?

Besides, Zhao Jin was generous enough. The household guards could send their pay home, and during the holidays, there was good food and drink as a reward. No one felt that not being able to go home was a bad thing; others couldn't even hope for such treatment.

According to Xuzhou custom, the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month was Little New Year. No matter what you were doing outside, you had to return home to reunite and celebrate. Zhao Jin and his group had accomplished many great things that year, but they were still only fifteen or sixteen years old. In their parents' eyes, they were still children and should be staying obediently at home at this time.

However, Zhao Zhentang and He Cuihua also knew their son could not be treated as a child. Zhao Zhentang even specifically reminded Zhao Jin that before the New Year, he should gather with his little brothers.

In fact, he didn't need his father's reminder; Zhao Jin had already made preparations. On the evening of the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, in the newly built main hall of the distillery, eight people gathered: Zhao Jin, Chen Sheng, Wang Zhaojing, Sun Dalei, Dong Bingfeng, Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong.

The main hall was quite spacious. The distillery workers knew the owner and his group would be using it and had long since heated the fire walls until they were blazing hot, making the room as warm as spring.

The round table was laden with sumptuous dishes. Chefs from several restaurants in the city had shown off their skills to prepare fine food and personally delivered it before going back to celebrate their own Little New Year.

Besides this, their own product, Han Well Famous Liquor, was indispensable, and it was the best few jars personally selected by Su Da. The distillery had a habit of keeping the best liquor stored away, as it might fetch a high price in the future. One jar was placed beside the table; given Zhao Jin and his friends' alcohol tolerance, this one jar would be enough.

Beside the liquor jar were also seven wooden chests. Everyone saw the chests sitting there as they entered and felt puzzled, but they also knew Zhao Jin would definitely explain, so they weren't in a hurry.

"Sit, sit. After a tiring year, don't still be standing at a time like this!" Zhao Jin said with a smile.

Everyone laughed and found their own seats. In truth, they were all somewhat excited. It was true they had accomplished many great things that year, but normally they still acted like half-grown kids. Tonight's gathering for drinking and feasting was clearly something only adults would do. Sitting here, everyone felt like they had grown up.

The seating was quite particular. The seat of honor naturally went to Zhao Jin, which everyone felt was only natural. With the left side being the place of respect, Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing exchanged a glance. Wang Zhaojing smiled and sat to Zhao Jin's right, while Chen Sheng sat to his left.

Before anyone else could move, Sun Dalei chuckled and sat to Chen Sheng's left, pretending not to see when Chen Sheng glared at him. For the seat beside Wang Zhaojing, Liu Yong tried to let Dong Bingfeng sit there, but Dong Bingfeng smiled and shook his head, gesturing for Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang to sit. Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang instead grinningly hoisted Liu Yong over to Wang Zhaojing's side.

In truth, in everyone's hearts, Liu Yong was second only to Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing, because he had done so much for Zhao Jin and for everyone, and these matters were extremely dangerous. Yet Liu Yong toiled away in silence, never complaining. Although he was the smallest in stature, he seemed the most mature.

As for Sun Dalei, everyone also considered him a brother, but this guy was just too shrewd in his calculations, never missing a benefit and never getting tainted by trouble. It wasn't that he truly chickened out or shrank back, but at certain times he showed a hint of timidity that made people uncomfortable.

Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Dong Bingfeng exchanged a few polite words and then took their seats. After all, the lower seats at a round table didn't have so many rules. As for Chen Hong, he obediently sat at the very last seat, looking around excitedly.

"We're all family here, so I won't have outsiders come serve us. Let's do it ourselves!" Zhao Jin said with a smile, then picked up the wine pot soaking in a basin of hot water, stood up, and poured wine for everyone.

The moment they saw him pouring, his friends all stood up wanting to help, but Zhao Jin smilingly refused. As he filled each cup, each person stood to thank him. But when he reached Chen Hong, he didn't pour any wine, saying with a smile, "You drink your red date soup."

The fragrance of liquor filled the air, and everyone grew more excited. Zhao Jin returned to his seat, raised his cup, and said while standing, "Brothers, we've toiled hard for a year, gone through life and death together, and now we've built a small foundation. Let's drain this cup."

With that, he drank it all in one go. The others also stood and drained their cups in one gulp. Though none of them were very old, at fifteen or sixteen, they were considered adults in this era. Not to mention drinking, even marriage and having children were normal. Everyone had more or less experienced drinking before. As the strong liquor went down their throats, aside from Dong Bingfeng coughing twice, the others just flushed a little.

Emboldened by the alcohol, the atmosphere grew even livelier. Everyone sat down and ate a few bites of food. Just as they began to chat idly, Zhao Jin said with a smile, "Everyone, stop for a moment. There are seven chests over there, one for each person. Go open them!"

His companions had long been curious about what was in the chests. Hearing this, they stood up one after another. The chests were all the same size, and everyone casually opened one.

The wooden chests were bound with iron, indicating they contained something important and very heavy. This only deepened everyone's curiosity. When they lifted the lids, they couldn't help but hold their breath. Inside, neatly arranged, were silver ingots.

Everyone stood stunned for a moment, then turned their heads in unison to look at Zhao Jin. Chen Hong, who had remained seated, covered his mouth and laughed. Zhao Jin said with a smile, "Erhong, explain it to everyone."

"Elder brothers, each chest contains seven hundred taels of white silver. Several days ago, Big Brother Zhao had me take the collected loose silver to a workshop to be melted down and cast into these ingots. Big Brother Zhao said this is the profit share for each of you from July until now," Chen Hong said with a smile.

"Brother Zhao, business operations need silver to circulate, and paying and feeding the household guards also requires silver. Distributing so much to everyone, don't let it affect the operation of important matters," Wang Zhaojing was the first to recover from his shock. After sitting back down, he said this with a smile.

Chen Sheng closed his chest, then glared at Chen Hong and said, "Such a big matter, and you didn't think to tell me beforehand?"

After scolding him, Chen Sheng shook his head and said to Zhao Jin, "We aren't short of this money. You should use it on urgent matters first."

While the two of them spoke this way, the others did not react the same. Sun Dalei was grinning from ear to ear, tossing a few silver ingots back and forth in his hands, only putting them down and sitting back when Chen Sheng coughed. Dong Bingfeng had an expression of utter disbelief, sitting there and constantly turning his head back to look. Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong were all red-faced, too overcome with emotion to control themselves.