Chapter 219: Qi Family Village

219. Chapter 219: Qi Family Village

Yet Dong Bingfeng had performed outstandingly all these years, always willingly and loyally working for Zhao Jin, which left them deeply puzzled. A son of a chiliarch showing such deference and loyalty to the son of a centurion — wasn't that a complete inversion of proper order? Only after Zhao Jin had accomplished one great undertaking after another did they finally set their minds at ease. But some still had misgivings and wanted to come see for themselves. Master Luan Song here harbored just such thoughts, and right now he was doing exactly that — observing.

Zhao Jin did not slow his pace. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "One thing is certain: there will be no ambush. If they fight, it will be a head-on clash. No matter how many they are, they aren't a single force — that makes them a heap of loose sand. We may be few, but our hundred-odd men are one clenched fist. We strike!"

Luan Song had already taken a hard flatbread from his saddlebag, broken it into several pieces, and brought them to his horse's mouth. After the mount had eaten, he adjusted the bow and steel saber hanging on either side of the saddle. Luan Song felt no tension about this situation. Both he and Dong Bingfeng had brought their own mounts; if things truly became untenable, they could simply ride away — self-preservation was simple enough. Luan Song was merely curious: with the enemy so numerous and their own side so few, Zhao Jin had made his decision so readily — how would his companions react? Knowing full well the fight would be hard and defeat likely, surely someone would shrink back in fear. If that were the case, then there was no need for Dong Bingfeng to remain here any longer.

But what this Master Luan Song had not expected was that after Zhao Jin spoke those words, none of the others had anything to say. They simply continued forward. He had originally thought that heavyset young man with the saber looked like someone with ideas of his own; he never imagined that even he would merely give a slight nod.

Looking toward Qi Family Village from a distance, people were already climbing onto roofs and walls. The terrain was flat and open — only these few spots offered any elevation to see far.

As they drew closer, figures darted chaotically in and out of the village, and the clamor already carried over to them. When they were about three hundred paces away, Zhao Jin turned his head and said, "Form the carts into a single line. Bingfeng, get on a cart and use your bow to cover the field. The rest of the brothers, follow me forward on alert. Household troops, don armor and form ranks!"

As he spoke, Zhao Jin strode to the front, spear in hand. Chen Sheng, Shi Manqiang, Ji Xiang, and Liu Yong all followed, taking up positions ahead of the carts. The household troops began unloading armor from the carts and putting it on, while Dong Bingfeng leaped onto a cart, nocked an arrow, and drew his bow.

Chen Sheng gripped a five-chi-long blade. Shi Manqiang held a long-hafted double-edged axe. Ji Xiang carried a pudao. Liu Yong had a short axe strapped to his back and a short spear about five chi long in his hand. The five of them stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the carts. If anyone charged out of the village at that moment, they would be the first to meet the enemy.

Seeing this scene, Luan Song slowly nodded. He swung himself onto his horse but did not draw his saber or bow. Instead, he rode over beside Dong Bingfeng and said, "Charging to the front — this is truly impressive."

"Luan Shu, they are all my good brothers!" Dong Bingfeng stared intently ahead and answered without turning his head.

The household troops were not slow either. The first time they had donned armor, it had been a flurry of fumbling hands and feet. But they had put it on and taken it off — this was now the second time, so they were considerably more practiced. And having been through more, though they were tense, they could still keep it under control.

In truth, Qi Family Village's reaction was far more panicked than Zhao Jin's side. Though they had spotted them early and sent word back ahead of time, there was still no organization to speak of. Plenty of people had climbed walls and roofs to look around, but toward the direction Zhao Jin's group was coming from, no one came out.

As for those fleeing in other directions, Zhao Jin could not be bothered to pay them any mind. After all, he had come this time to teach a lesson, not to slaughter a village and exterminate a family. What was interesting, though, was that no one was actually running away.

"The Patrol Office and Xuzhou Guard are all our own people — which route are you from out there?"

On this side, the cotton armor was already on and they had begun tightening the leather cords. Only then did someone run out from the other side, stopping several dozen paces away and shouting at the top of his lungs.

The Patrol Office's duty of investigating illicit salt and bandits went without saying. Back when Xuzhou was a canal hub, the Xuzhou Guard had also established three patrols to inspect the salt routes, the canal, and banditry — they too had jurisdiction over illicit salt. That was why the man from the village shouted this.

"Zhao Jin!" Zhao Jin called out his own name in reply.

The man who had come to question them first froze, then immediately shrank back, turned, and ran back toward Qi Family Village. When he ran into the village and yelled something at the top of his lungs, the clamor in Qi Family Village instantly died away and fell silent.

In the territory of Xuzhou these days, there were many who did not know the surname of the Prefect, but very few who did not know of Zhao Jin. Especially these well-informed illicit salt dealers — they were all characters who plied the rivers and lakes. How could they possibly not know of a figure like Zhao Jin? The moment they heard this lord had come knocking, they were all stunned into silence.

"Big Brother, formation complete!" Dong Bingfeng called out from behind.

"Carts abreast, household troops follow behind the carts — forward!" Zhao Jin bellowed the order.

The official road was narrow, but in the first month of the year, the ground was still reasonably firm. The five carts lurched and jolted forward, the household troops following right behind them. The cart drivers were, of course, terrified, but living within Xuzhou city, Zhao Jin was someone they absolutely could not afford to offend.

They advanced just over a hundred paces like this, until they were about a hundred paces from the outskirts of Qi Family Village — close enough now to make out the expressions on the wall tops and rooftops.

What Zhao Jin and his men had not expected was that at this moment, over two hundred men suddenly surged out of Qi Family Village — all able-bodied young fellows, every one of them armed, their momentum fierce.

These men naturally had no formation to speak of, and the weapons they carried were a motley assortment — blades, spears, staves, and clubs, all in full variety. Because they were a heap of loose sand, their formation was exceptionally wide, making them look far more numerous than Zhao Jin's side.

These men who had charged out of Qi Family Village were clustered around one person. This man wore a fur robe turned inside out but no hat, revealing a bare scalp — impossible to tell if he was naturally bald or had shaved it. He was very brawny, yet sported a goatee, a rather bizarre appearance.

This must be Qi Erkui. Zhao Jin was growing increasingly familiar with the ways of the rivers and lakes, and he knew that the figure who held sway over a territory often dressed distinctively — it served as a trademark, a storefront sign.

The goateed bald man looked over at Zhao Jin's side. Zhao Jin's several companions stood in a line at the front; behind them were five large carts, and behind the carts were quite a few more people. Because of the draft animals and the carts blocking the view, it was hard to see fully. Moreover, Zhao Jin's household troops were in strict formation and looked few in number. Though the wall tops and rooftops offered a high vantage, they were not that high — the view from there might not be any more comprehensive than from up close.

A crowd of many men bolsters courage the most. Seeing this scene, a measure of boldness crept onto the goateed man's face. He cleared his throat and said, "Jin... Young... Young Master Zhao, what noble business brings you to our Qi Family Village?"

The three shifts in address revealed that his heart might not hold as much courage as his face showed. And those able-bodied young men standing behind him, weapons in hand — their faces bore both hostility and curiosity. These salt dealers mostly operated outside the city; they had long heard of Zhao Jin's fame, but this was the first time they were meeting him face to face.

Before meeting him, they had imagined what kind of heroic figure Zhao Jin must be, having accomplished so many great deeds. But upon meeting him, they found he was nothing more than a half-grown kid, merely taller and sturdier than others his age. A sense of contempt immediately stirred within them.

"A brother of Zhao's had funeral rites. Every quarter within the city and outside was to come and kowtow. Qi Erkui was notified but did not come. Then you will kowtow nine times right here at the village entrance, and hand over thirty percent of the profits you have owed for a full year. From now on, pay in full every month — do not delay." Zhao Jin spoke in a clear, ringing voice. He had not even bothered to ask who Qi Erkui was.

To kowtow nine times to his face — all face would be utterly lost. To hand over thirty percent of the profits, and to make up a year's worth on top of that — that meant no money left to earn. A man who plied the rivers and lakes sought nothing more than fame and profit. The moment Zhao Jin said these words, the goateed man's expression changed. He looked left and right at the men beside him, then back at Zhao Jin's side, and said through gritted teeth, "Young... Young Brother Zhao, a man must leave some room for sentiment. I, Qi Erkui, have connections with Chief Constable Chen and Constable Zhao as well."

"No need to use my father's and Uncle Chen's names to pressure me. If there truly were a connection, you would not have failed to come, and I would not have had to come here. Zhao has urgent business to return to. Think of He Weiyuan's fate — do not waste time." Zhao Jin replied with a cold laugh.

If he truly had ties to the Zhao and Chen families, he would certainly have gone to pay respects at Sun Dalei's place. Failing that, when Zhao Jin mobilized this time, elders from both families would have come to mediate. Since none of that had happened, it showed the relationship was, at most, a matter of customary silver and routine formalities.

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, Qi Erkui's face immediately darkened. He took a step back, then stopped. With a flip of his hand, he drew the ring-pommel saber at his waist and said viciously, "We men weren't raised on scare tactics. He Family Village was caught off guard by you — there weren't many inside. But right here, right now, are several hundred stout fellows from every corner of the land. Zhao Jin, for your father's sake, if you leave now, fine. Otherwise, don't blame—"

Zhao Jin could not be bothered to say another word. He simply raised the spear in his hand and shouted, "Carts, spread out! Household troops, forward!"

The cart drivers behind hurriedly drove the carts aside to either side. Zhao Jin spoke: "Brothers, helmets on — we're about to fight!"

In truth, both sides were following the customary ways of the rivers and lakes: first exchange some face-saving words, then start fighting. Those illicit salt dealers and Qi Erkui's own men all understood this. The moment Zhao Jin raised his spear, they each raised their own weapons, ready to step forward and fight. Zhao Jin's name carried weight, but they were not too afraid. Dealing in illicit salt was a life-risking trade to begin with — they were always ready to clash and fight to the death with others. And in this situation, their side was indeed the one with overwhelming numbers.

Qi Erkui, to his credit, did not hesitate. He raised his great blade and strode forward. After all, he was the one initiating the fight — it would not do to lag behind. And deep in his heart, Qi Erkui harbored a faint hope: if he won today, then in the illicit salt trade across Xuzhou's territory, he would no longer be taking the small share — he might even gain a far greater position.

As he advanced, the others advanced with him. A crowd without discipline tends to move faster and faster as it goes. The several carts behind Zhao Jin were clearly not very maneuverable, and the cart drivers were panicking too. But in a grand spectacle of several hundred men squaring off with real weapons, movements were inevitably stiff. Three carts scrambled frantically aside; the draft animals of the other two refused to obey and were thrashing about in confusion.

Qi Erkui's side burst into raucous laughter, thinking: You snot-nosed brat, just a moment ago you were putting on such a serious act, and now look at this sorry state — a complete mess, aren't you!