Chapter 183: Have a Drink

Seven hundred taels of silver meant little to a wealthy family like Wang Zhaojing's, and a steady man like Chen Sheng could keep his composure, but for the others, this was a genuine fortune. Sun Dalei's family was rich, yet earning seven hundred taels would still take them two or three months. Dong Bingfeng's family had plenty of land, but mostly in grain and goods — seven hundred taels in ready silver was a huge sum for them too.

Not to mention Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong. The Shi and Ji families had already become comfortably well-off thanks to Zhao Jin's care, but with this seven hundred taels they would be considered outright wealthy. Buying land and property outside the city would make them roughly middle-rank landlords; inside the city, they'd be prosperous, established households. One could say it elevated their entire social standing.

As for Liu Yong, he was now all alone and no longer mentioned his parents — others tactfully refrained from asking. With these seven hundred taels, he would be a man of means, one could say he'd vaulted from poverty overnight.

With such a life-changing fortune before their eyes, how could anyone not be stirred? Yet for them, excitement aside, they still knew what mattered most.

To everyone's surprise, Liu Yong was the first to calm down. By all rights he should have been the most emotional. Since the ninth month, Liu Yong had treated the goods yard and the distillery as his own home, and this twelfth and first month he had insisted on standing watch at both, with no talk of going "home" for the New Year. Yet he did not stay worked up for long over this fortune that could let him marry and settle down. Instead, he said coolly, "Brother, the business has only just started growing. Several hundred household guards, a distillery this big — money is needed everywhere. I eat, dress, and live right here, I've got nowhere to spend it. Brother, take this silver back and use it first!"

Wang Zhaojing and Chen Sheng were both nodding. Sun Dalei glanced back longingly and muttered, "Brother, if you drain all the silver out, the business might not survive. Better not hand it out."

Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Dong Bingfeng nodded along. Excitement aside, once they cooled down they could tell what was important.

Zhao Jin, however, shook his head with a smile and said to Chen Hong, "Accountant, give everyone a report on the books."

Chen Hong immediately straightened his back and stood up, declaring in a clear voice, "Before the New Year, the distillery brought in a total of eight thousand four hundred taels of silver. The protection fees collected from various parts of the city totaled two thousand two hundred taels. All purchases, expenses, and bonuses came to four thousand one hundred taels. This profit distribution is four thousand nine hundred taels, leaving a balance of one thousand six hundred taels."

He finished and looked at Zhao Jin, who said with a smile, "You've done well as an accountant. There's a hundred taels bonus for you too."

Chen Hong thanked him excitedly. Zhao Jin smiled and said, "After deducting all the expenses, there's still one thousand five hundred taels left. At the distillery I only need to pay wages and food costs — the grain and water for making liquor cost nothing. Three days of production at the distillery covers all the costs for the distillery and the household guards, and then the accumulated silver starts climbing again. The protection fees from everywhere keep coming in too. I don't have a thing to worry about."

After saying this, Zhao Jin teased them with a grin, "Are your eyes getting big? Hearing 'one thousand five hundred taels' and thinking it's a small amount — think carefully, that's one thousand five hundred taels of silver!"

Everyone paused, then burst out laughing. No matter how you looked at it, one thousand five hundred taels was still a fortune, but the comparison had made them subconsciously feel it wasn't much.

After the laughter, Wang Zhaojing still insisted, "I have no use for this silver either. Let it stay with Brother Zhao to circulate and generate more wealth."

The others all chimed in agreement. Chen Sheng said gravely, "None of us brothers lack money, and none of our families are waiting on cash for food and clothing. This money in your hands will certainly grow and multiply — why rush to pay it out?"

Everyone nodded again and looked at Zhao Jin in unison. Zhao Jin swept his gaze over them, then raised his cup with a smile and said, "There's nothing to argue about. Every tael of this silver is what you brothers have earned. Once it's handed out, it won't be taken back."

After all this time together, everyone knew Zhao Jin's expressions and tone of voice well. Though he had spoken with a smile, his tone was firm and brooked no argument. The group exchanged glances and argued no further.

Their reaction pleased Zhao Jin greatly. He raised his cup with a smile and said, "Now that's what true brothers are. Come, let's drain this cup."

Though everyone understood the distinction between public and private — that the silver given to them would be put to greater use if left in Zhao Jin's hands — now that they knew for certain the money belonged to them, their spirits soared. After the second cup, the liquor surged up, and everyone's mood grew high.

Chen Hong secretly licked some white liquor and ended up sticking out his tongue from the burn, making everyone laugh. Chen Sheng, however, glared at him and scolded, "Once you're full, get back quickly. Grandfather and your parents are still waiting for you!"

The lively atmosphere made Chen Hong reluctant to leave, but he feared Chen Sheng's scolding even more. After he'd eaten his fill, Zhao Jin assigned two household guards to escort him home.

Only eight people remained in the room — all of them brothers here. The hired hands outside who wanted to come pour wine had been shooed away; what they wanted was freedom and good cheer.

The scene and atmosphere reminded Zhao Jin of year-end gatherings in the past. The distillery was earning a fortune daily, the enemies who used to harass them had not appeared in a long time, everything was on the right track, everything was thriving. His mood was thoroughly cheerful, and he couldn't help but go around toasting each person, just like in the old days.

But his companions were even less restrained. Before Zhao Jin could go offer toasts, they were already coming at him one after another, cups raised. Among family there was naturally no standing on ceremony. Zhao Jin drank seven cups in a row — the cups were tiny three-qian cups, but nearly three taels of strong liquor went down all at once, and he immediately felt a little light-headed.

Zhao Jin felt the liquor surging, but he remained clear-headed — and even more exhilarated. He raised his cup and clinked first with Chen Sheng. The two said nothing, just nodded at each other and drained their cups. Then he clinked with Wang Zhaojing beside him and said with a smile, "Brother Wang will be sitting the provincial exam next year — your name is sure to be on the list. Here's an early congratulations."

At these words, the smile on Wang Zhaojing's face turned a little bitter. He raised his cup and clinked it, saying, "I'm grateful for Brother Zhao's kind wishes, but there have been some changes. I'll speak with Brother Zhao in detail another day."

The two drained their cups again. With nearly four taels of strong liquor in him, Zhao Jin felt as if his whole body were on fire, and also felt himself swaying slightly. Wang Zhaojing's answer struck him as off. He vaguely recalled that a few days ago, Wang Youshan had returned from the capital. A father and son reunion should have been a happy occasion, but Wang Zhaojing's mood those days had been low. Other families' private matters were not something to pry into, so Zhao Jin had never asked.

Now that Wang Zhaojing had brought it up himself, Zhao Jin, under the influence of drink and relaxation, paid it no mind. He simply said with a smile, "We'll talk in detail then. Little Yong, let's have a drink together."

At times like this, a person always thinks he's clear-headed when in fact he's merely over-excited. He overlooks many details and loosens his self-control, drinking cup after cup without stop.

The last person Zhao Jin toasted was Sun Dalei. Sun Dalei stood up a bit sheepishly. With this much drink, Zhao Jin's words grew considerably more unrestrained. He simply said with a laugh, "Out of everyone here, you're the one who keeps score the most. Think I'm toasting you last because I look down on you?"

Thinking it was one thing; having it pointed out bluntly was another. Sun Dalei grew even more embarrassed. Zhao Jin, however, smiled and said, "Others have risked their lives when lives needed risking, and shouldered burdens when burdens needed shouldering. You haven't done any less — it's just that you've fallen far short on the shouldering part. That's why I'm drinking with you last."

Sun Dalei had no idea how to respond. He scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin. Zhao Jin picked up the wine pot from the table, poured for Sun Dalei, then filled his own cup. Smiling, he said, "I'll drink an extra cup with you, and then I'll say one more thing. Dalei — we are all brothers!"

Hearing Zhao Jin say this, the others all cheered. Sun Dalei stood frozen, cup in hand, the rims of his eyes reddening slightly. He nodded and drained his cup.

This was just a small interlude. Once the round was done, everyone let loose, drinking back and forth with each other. Sun Dalei was thick-skinned enough and immediately returned to normal, grinning as he said, "Everyone, the horses have been bought. The day after tomorrow I'll bring them over and we can all try them out."

As martial men, they all had a special passion for weapons, armor, and horses. The moment they heard this, every pair of eyes lit up. Even Zhao Jin grew excited and said repeatedly, "Dalei has done great service — let's drink another!"

Sun Dalei, his face bright red, drank another cup. As it turned out, from the start until now, Zhao Jin had drunk the most with him, which instead made him look distinguished.

Zhao Jin had already downed roughly over six taels, and the others had at least three each. Though they were all strong and fit, and had eaten their fill before drinking, this was strong liquor after all, and none of them drank often. By this point, their words and movements were starting to slip out of their control.

"... Tell me, how rundown has Xuzhou city become? Nowadays there aren't even as many painted girls doing business inside the city as outside it — some have even moved from inside the city to outside..." Liu Yong was chatting idly. At their age, they were brimming with curiosity about women, and everyone was listening with rapt attention.

Zhao Jin leaned back in his chair and said with a smile, "Once our distillery grows big, the city will liven up too. When that happens, those painted girls and the like will have to come back into the city to do business..."

Idle chat aside, the toasting and drinking never stopped. Zhao Jin's eyelids gradually grew too heavy to keep open. Drinking with his brothers was deeply relaxing, and spurred on by the liquor, all the tension and fatigue he'd been carrying surged up. He felt an overwhelming drowsiness and wanted to lie down and rest for a while. Yet Zhao Jin knew he couldn't spoil everyone's fun at a moment like this, so he forced himself to keep responding and drinking, though he grew more and more muddled.

On an ordinary day, someone would have come over to ask after him and helped him back to rest. But now everyone had drunk quite a bit, each of them in high spirits, and some were even trying to shake Zhao Jin awake for another cup.

With roughly a full catty of liquor in each of them, Wang Zhaojing had started loudly reciting "Bring in the Wine," Chen Sheng was gesturing with a chopstick, and Sun Dalei was bellowing, "We've got so much silver in our hands now, we ought to live a little! One of these days let's go check out the human market by Weishan Lake — dewy-fresh young girls, you can take one home just for giving her a meal."