Chapter 237: A Not Unexpected Speculation

237. Chapter 237: A Not Unexpected Speculation

"What's wrong?"

"My information from outside the city isn't very well-informed. It's just that a few acquaintances inside the city said some Chant Leaders have left their own incense altars. In the past, when something like this happened, it always meant honored guests were coming from the main altar, or the main altar was arranging some major operation. Things here inside the city are still unclear — there haven't been any movements from the Chant Leaders or the followers yet." Zheng Quan said in a low voice.

Zhao Jin's brow furrowed as well. This kind of vague, unsubstantiated rumor was the most troublesome — taking it seriously might mean wasting effort, while brushing it off might mean overlooking real danger.

"Go back and keep watching for me. If there's any news, report it quickly. Spend whatever silver needs spending — I'll cover all your expenses here." Zhao Jin said. Zheng Quan hastily agreed and, after a bow, turned to leave.

"Da Xiang, take Chant Leader Zheng to see the child, and get twenty taels of silver for Chant Leader Zheng to help with household expenses." Zhao Jin instructed from behind.

Zheng Quan's body trembled. He hurriedly turned back to express his thanks, nearly dropping to his knees to kowtow. Zhao Jin smiled and waved him off — their relationship wasn't yet master and subordinate, so there was no need for such heavy ceremony.

As soon as they stepped outside, Dong Bingfeng spoke up: "Big Brother, why not just arrest all the Chant Leaders inside and outside the city, and release them after we've finished moving?"

Dong Bingfeng had drawn blood before, but at heart he was pure and good-natured, not hard-hearted. Yet when it came to the Incense-Smelling Sect, Dong Bingfeng showed absolutely no mercy, because Sun Dalei had died at the hands of the Incense-Smelling Sect's Xuzhou Assembly Master. This made him grind his teeth with hatred.

Hearing Dong Bingfeng's suggestion, Zhao Jin couldn't help but laugh as he said, "What use would arresting them be? Without the Chant Leaders, there are still all those followers below them. Can you arrest all several thousand or even ten thousand of them?"

Dong Bingfeng had no reply. Zhao Jin said in a deep voice, "These Chant Leaders and followers of the Incense-Smelling Sect might do nothing at all, but they help those who do act — providing shelter and supplies, passing along intelligence, making sure our every move can't be hidden. That's the biggest trouble."

"What do we do?"

"We can only be careful ourselves. Zheng Quan's information is just hearsay — it may not even be true. These followers are all half-crazed... Still, the outside of the city knows, but the inside doesn't. Could they be deliberately keeping it from those inside the city...? Without the Assembly Master, those of higher status can still give orders..." Zhao Jin spoke a few sentences, then sank into thought.

But no matter how he considered it, the only thing they could do was maintain full defensive readiness and not let anyone exploit a gap. Could it be they planned to ambush his convoy leaving the city? Zhao Jin immediately dismissed this speculation. Right now, on Xuzhou's territory, fewer than five factions could muster that kind of force, and among them were the government troops of the Xuzhou Assistant Regional Commander. If the Incense-Smelling Sect tried something like that, there was no way it could escape Zheng Quan's notice.

"Da Xiang, go right now and pass orders to Chen Ergou and Butcher Li. Tell them to mobilize all their connections to investigate — see if there's been any recent activity targeting us. In particular, have them keep a close watch on the Incense-Smelling Sect's movements. The moment anything unusual happens, report it immediately. Make it clear to them: if they delay matters, they'll pay with their heads!" When Ji Xiang returned, Zhao Jin immediately assigned this task.

Ji Xiang had also heard Zheng Quan's information just now and knew this couldn't be taken lightly. The lesson of the last ambush was still fresh in everyone's memory. He nodded and hurried out to find the men.

After arranging all this, Zhao Jin also headed out, planning to go to the distillery. Dong Bingfeng had wanted to follow, but Zhao Jin sent him back to sleep.

The moment he stepped out of the courtyard, he was at the training ground. In the distance, he could see Luan Song leaning against a wall. He didn't see the expected formations and drill, but instead found the veteran household guards standing in formation holding long poles. On the other side, the new recruits were spread out holding wooden clubs of varying lengths. With a moment's thought, it was clear — the clubs the recruits held were similar to their original weapons, at least roughly the same length. Chen Sheng stood off to one side.

Over there, Chen Sheng raised the long blade in his hand and swung it sharply downward, simultaneously shouting: "Begin!"

Zhao Jin had already roughly guessed what was about to happen here. He stood to the side without moving on. On the field, the veteran and new household guards had already begun their movements. There were a full eighty recruits, while the veteran guards numbered just over thirty. Because the veteran guards' formation was orderly and tight, while the recruits' formation was scattered, the veterans looked even fewer by comparison.

Both sides roared battle cries and charged straight at each other. The recruits were fierce in spirit, raising or leveling their weapons and rushing forward without the slightest fear.

Everyone knew they had to perform before the master. Zhao Jin was the Master, and the second-in-command was acknowledged to be Chen Sheng. Showing one's mettle before Chen Sheng would be greatly beneficial for the future. What's more, those with sharp eyes had already spotted Zhao Jin standing at the edge.

They scrambled to show off, terrified of falling behind and being branded cowards. But foot speed varied after all — some charged ahead, some fell behind, and the formation began to stretch out.

On the veteran guards' side, however, their pace remained unhurried, because they had to stay aligned with one another. The first man on the right constantly barked orders, telling everyone to adjust their steps. The veteran guards maintained perfect order the entire time.

The training ground wasn't large, and the two sides were soon about to clash. The recruits charging at the front realized the enemy had no openings — ten men in a single row, ten long staves pointed forward. If they charged in, they'd certainly be stabbed. Meanwhile, the wooden clubs in their own hands were either too short, or if long, they'd be outnumbered and simply couldn't meet the clash.

Some shouted, some frantically tried to halt their steps. The front fell into chaos, while those behind kept charging forward recklessly. They bunched up into a tangled mass. Those shouting were stabbed by the long staves; those who'd halted were shoved down by them. The men behind couldn't even find room to swing — they scrambled to dodge their comrades ahead, or were knocked into by those in front and joined the chaos.

The household guard formation, meanwhile, slowed slightly but never lost its order. Three rows of long staves thrust forward relentlessly. Cries of pain and curses rang out without end — it had already turned into a rout.

Watching this scene, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Zhao Jin's mouth. He was just about to leave when he noticed four men on the left flank of the household guards. These four hadn't charged with the main group — instead, they'd crept around to the side of the guard formation. A closer look revealed familiar faces: it was Qian Yong, Tao Gui, and the others. The smile on Zhao Jin's face widened. These few weren't completely useless after all — at the very least, they knew how to adapt.

But since everyone had charged together, creeping to the flank meant taking a detour, which took longer. They were bound to arrive later than those attacking head-on. The household guards had already scattered the frontal attackers. The guards on the left called out a report, and the man directing on the right shouted an order. The small square formation of thirty-odd men wheeled directly left, turning to face those four.

After wheeling left, the formation looked somewhat disordered, but its general shape held. Seeing them turn, Qian Yong, Tao Gui, and the others hastily halted, stumbling a couple of steps. They threw down their clubs and hurriedly raised their hands.

In just a brief moment, victory and defeat were decided. Chen Sheng strode over and shouted, "Look at yourselves, you sorry lot! Each of you thinks you're the king of heaven, but when it comes to real action, you're worthless cowards. What are you still sitting there for? Get up, quick! Let me tell you — if you put in the hard work and train bitterly, you won't end up in such a sorry state today. You'll be the ones winning."

Those recruits who'd been knocked down all got to their feet. Compared to before the clash, their arrogance and defiance were gone. Every one of them had become considerably more obedient.

Da Sheng has his own tricks too, Zhao Jin thought to himself. Smiling, he nodded a greeting to Chen Sheng and left the compound. He hadn't taken more than a couple of steps beyond the gate when four household guards bearing weapons fell in behind him. This was a rule Zhao Jin had established: no one was to move alone, lest the enemy seize the opportunity.

Zhao Jin knew that Xuzhou's sons revered martial prowess and admired heroes, but he hadn't expected the quality of this recruitment to be so high. Even those local youths from good families who'd had no prior experience or skills — judging from the clash just now, they clearly didn't lack courage. On reflection, this wasn't surprising. He had already made such a great name for himself. The compensation matter had proven that the household guards' pay and treatment were no empty promise. Add to that this thriving, upward momentum, and naturally men came from all directions to join him.

How many among them were spies and infiltrators sent by other factions? Zhao Jin did not let down his guard.

Zhao Jin hadn't been to the distillery in quite some time. By the usual schedule, this was exactly when liquor should be coming out. Normally, the front of a distillery wouldn't be this bustling, because merchants would always buy in batches, sell them off slowly, and only come back for a second batch once the first was sold. But Han Well Famous Liquor sold too well, and production couldn't keep up. Merchants wanted to buy as much as was available — whatever they could buy was pure profit, and no one was going to be careless about that.

Moreover, as time passed, Han Well Famous Liquor was gradually being sold to places farther and farther away. It wasn't only the canal laborers on the Grand Canal who liked to drink. A pure, clean distilled liquor like this — anyone would want a few sips. It warmed the body and eased fatigue. More and more people learned of it, demand increased further, yet production barely budged. Naturally, the price rose, and profits climbed with it. The merchants could see clearly that this trend would only continue.

The moment Zhao Jin entered the distillery district, he was spotted by the merchants who'd come from all over to collect their liquor. Instantly, he couldn't take another step. Every merchant's face was piled high with the most sincere, fawning smiles — even the merchants with Cloud Mountain Temple backgrounds were the same. Toward someone who could make them money, merchants would always curry favor with utter sincerity.

These merchants were all asking the same question: when would He Family Village start producing liquor? Would the liquor produced there be as fine as Han Well Famous Liquor? They all knew there was a large distillery there, and they also knew it was now in Zhao Jin's hands. If that distillery could also produce Han Well Famous Liquor, then never mind the future — just in the first few months, they could certainly make a huge profit.

"Rest assured, everyone. I, Zhao, can guarantee that the liquor from He Family Village will only be better than what we have here. The old rule still stands: everyone can sample a jar before buying!" Surrounded by the crowd, Zhao Jin shouted this single sentence at the top of his lungs.

The moment these words rang out, it was as if ripples spread from the center outward. The entire place fell quiet. The merchants looked at one another, then immediately surged around him with even greater fervor and earnestness. Zhao Jin's word had always been good. He Family Village would certainly produce fine liquor, and with increased output, being able to buy more meant being able to earn more. They had to seize this chance to lock in a larger share.

A smile remained on Zhao Jin's face as he politely repeated, "We'll discuss it when the time comes."

Compared to inside Xuzhou city, the water quality at He Family Village was indeed better. According to Lu Xiangjiu, the wine cellars and stills there, having been used for so long, produced a fermented grain mash far more mature than what they had in the city. The Han Well Famous Liquor made there would definitely taste better than what came out of the city distillery.

By now, quite a few skilled craftsmen and helpers had already been brought to He Family Village. But until the He Family Village distillery could be sealed off and secured, they didn't dare start production. The trick behind Han Well Famous Liquor was simply too easy — once someone learned it, it would spread far and wide in no time, and immediately become far less valuable.

Sealing it off and keeping it secret both required strength. But until the new recruits were trained and organized, they lacked the manpower. He Family Village couldn't yet begin operations and start producing liquor. Zhao Jin wouldn't risk the greater for the lesser.

Everything at the distillery was running normally. Zhao Jin took a cursory glance around and was about to leave, when Su Da, who was minding the operation here, came over with a grin and made an earnest request: he begged Zhao Jin to let him go work at He Family Village.

"Master, everything at this distillery runs like clockwork now. It'll produce fine liquor even without someone watching over it. He Family Village is just getting started — it'd be good to have a few more experienced hands there."

Su Da was nothing like he'd been half a year ago. The poverty and destitution of those days were nowhere to be seen. Though he couldn't leave the distillery grounds, he'd already taken two women to wait on him, and in food, clothing, and daily necessities, he was not the slightest bit inferior to the wealthy households outside.

Zhao Jin wasn't about to be fooled by Su Da's eager words. He asked with a smile, "Outsiders may not know, but don't you know how this liquor is made? What need is there for experienced hands to watch over it? What are you really thinking?"

Lu Xiangjiu and Su Da's brewing skills couldn't be called extraordinary, but they had the advantage of seniority, having been with the distillery since its founding. Zhao Jin also regarded them as his own people, so everyone spoke freely.

Seeing his true thoughts exposed by Zhao Jin, Su Da wasn't particularly afraid. He just chuckled dryly and explained, "Master, staying cooped up in this distillery is unbearably stifling. Now that I've got silver in hand, I keep wanting to go out and show off a bit. Master, I've received your great kindness — I wouldn't pass on this secret method."

"What I said back then was three years, so it's three years. After three years, when you get out and open your own distillery, you'll be a man of great wealth!" Zhao Jin replied.

Su Da scratched his head, not daring to argue further. He just muttered, "Those fellows down below, watching the outside world — their eyes are practically shooting fire."

"If you're short on anything, spend the money and have the household guards buy it for you. Rules are rules." Zhao Jin knew perfectly well what this principle meant, and he naturally wouldn't break the rules just because a bunch of people felt cooped up.

Seeing Zhao Jin's expression turn serious, Su Da didn't quite dare to speak further. He followed Zhao Jin for a long while, and only when Zhao Jin seemed about to leave did he hesitantly say, "Master, I've heard that the household guards outside serve on rotating shifts, taking turns at different posts. Now that we have He Family Village, could you let us men at the distillery rotate as well? Otherwise, these lads will go stir-crazy, and they won't put their backs into the work either."

Hearing this, Zhao Jin thought for a moment, then smiled and clapped Su Da on the shoulder. "That's a good idea of yours. If even you're this pent-up, they must be finding it even harder to bear."

Everyone shared a laugh. But with Su Da's reminder, Zhao Jin took a deliberate look around as he walked out. The expressions of the helpers and workers in the distillery were indeed not very cheerful. Well-fed, warm, and sleeping soundly in the distillery, with generous wages to boot — compared to the outside, it was practically a god's life. But people are never satisfied. Feeling stifled and longing for the outside world was only natural. Su Da's idea was indeed a good one — rotating between the city and He Family Village would count as getting out for some fresh air.

After strolling around the distillery, he exited. The moment he stepped out of the distillery's gate, he was surrounded by those merchants again. Many of them, after picking up their liquor, had sent their workers to transport it back on their own, while they themselves waited outside for Zhao Jin.

That earlier shout — that the He Family Village liquor would definitely be better than here, and that they could also sample before buying — the more they thought about it, the hotter their hearts burned. A chance to make a fortune was right before their eyes. They absolutely had to get Zhao Jin to promise them a share.

Faced with the crowd's enthusiasm, the smile on Zhao Jin's face had grown very stiff. He hadn't expected that an impromptu advertising shout would bring him so much trouble.

Just as he was dealing with them with polite pleasantries, he spotted a plainly dressed man waving in this direction not far away. The man wore coarse cloth clothes and looked like a laborer hauling wine jars here, but Zhao Jin recognized him — it was none other than Yan Heilian, the man he had cold-shouldered and kept under house arrest for a long time.

"Once the He Family Estate produces good wine, I will invite you all over. If I promise anything now, wouldn't that be letting down those who didn't come?" Zhao Jin fended them off with these words and extricated himself from the merchants' entanglements.

He strode out of the winery grounds, and without walking directly toward Yan Heilian, simply waved a hand. Yan Heilian hurriedly followed.

Once the road grew quiet, Yan Heilian came up deferentially to report. His voice was even trembling slightly. After learning that Zhao Jin's party had been ambushed, he had felt cold from the inside out. The matter of Zhao Jin going to the Gao Family Estate to seize it for the winery — he, Yan Heilian, had given a great deal of advice and could be considered one of the main promoters. He had never expected something like this to happen. What if he were suspected of being an accomplice?

Yan Heilian knew Zhao Jin's methods well. When he heard that Sun Dalei had died in the ambush, he was even more terrified. By then he was no longer worried about his own life or death, but feared his entire family would be exterminated.

The household guards watching him had received no specific orders and kept nothing much hidden from Yan Heilian. Hearing about the things Zhao Jin had done one after another, Yan Heilian grew more and more fearful. In such a state of mind, more than a month passed. When he received the order to go out and gather information, Yan Heilian went limp all over, collapsed to the ground, and tears streamed down his face — he knew his life was spared.

"Master Jin, nowadays everyone outside is talking about you. There truly isn't much other news," Yan Heilian said this first.

This statement couldn't exactly be called wrong. At present, Zhao Jin was the focus of the entire Xuzhou; others counted for nothing. Yan Heilian cautiously glanced at Zhao Jin's expression and continued, "Regarding Kong Jiuying, some of the news may not be accurate. All I know is that someone from his side has come to Xuzhou, but I don't know where they went."

Hearing this, Zhao Jin turned his head to look at him, paused, and asked in a stern voice, "Would Kong Jiuying collude with any of the surrounding factions?"

"This lowly one has no confirmed news, but I have also heard that recently Cloud Mountain Temple has been sending quite a few people out in all directions. If this lowly one may speak out of turn, it is very likely that Kong Jiuying and Cloud Mountain Temple are in collusion — though this is merely this lowly one's speculation," Yan Heilian continued.

Reporting speculative information was something Yan Heilian would not have done before, but now, desperate to demonstrate his merit, he no longer cared about anything else.

Zhao Jin slowly nodded. That Kong Jiuying and Cloud Mountain Temple were colluding was not surprising — both sides shared a common enemy, namely himself.