Chapter 279: Attending to Every Detail

Everyone in the room was jolted. Gold, silver, weapons, and armor were already astonishing enough — what great gift could there possibly be? In just these few days, had Ruhui emptied Cloud Mountain Temple entirely?

"What great gift?"

"Cloud Mountain Temple has over twenty thousand registered souls, with a full eight thousand able-bodied young men available. These young men are far more precious than gold, silver, or weapons and armor. If the master has use for them, they can be taken at any time," Ruhui said with a smile.

Everyone froze for a moment, exchanging glances. Each person's eyes grew blazing hot. The Zhao Battalion, counting every type of personnel, still numbered less than a thousand. They moved with extreme caution in everything they did. If these eight thousand able-bodied young men were added in, what heights would the Zhao Battalion reach? The mere thought of it set a fire burning in everyone's hearts.

Never mind the others — even Zhao Jin himself felt his blood surge. But he quickly calmed down and asked with a smile, "How is the training of the five hundred men we have now coming along?"

The newly recruited household retainers had only just begun their training. The veteran squad, however, was more than ready. Everyone cooled off somewhat at once. Zhao Jin then asked, "The allied villages and mutual defense groups — they should have nearly a thousand able-bodied young men to train. Have those been trained?"

After these two questions, the group all sobered up from their fantasies. Zhao Jin said with a smile, "Eat your rice one mouthful at a time, walk your road one step at a time. Let's take care of the business right in front of us first!"

The entire morning had been a flurry of sweat and dramatic swings of spirit. But Zhao Jin had resolved each matter one by one, and everyone rose and began filing out.

Ruhui merely stood, but did not leave with the others. As an advisor and aide, he had to remain at his master's side at all times. Once everyone had gone, Ruhui's expression grew solemn. With great seriousness, he said, "Master, gold, silver, and weapons are all illusory. The true foundation is people. Cloud Mountain Temple's tens of thousands of registered souls, however..."

Zhao Jin cut Ruhui off and asked with a smile, "What do you think of the Zhao Battalion's household retainers?"

Ruhui was taken aback for a moment, then answered, "First-rate elite troops. That kind of stern, fierce, and valiant bearing — I have never seen its like."

"One man can train at most a hundred. A thousand or ten thousand is beyond his reach. These household retainers are the seeds. Once they are fully matured and ready for use, scatter them and you reap a bountiful harvest," Zhao Jin replied, answering a question that had not been asked.

Ruhui, however, understood. Shaking his head with a smile, he said, "It seems your subordinate was overthinking things."

Zhao Jin rose and walked toward the door, speaking as he went. "You've practically emptied Cloud Mountain Temple. Are the people left behind willing to accept this?"

"They are all terribly rigid. They dare not disobey the abbot's orders. Besides, who doesn't know that your subordinate was propped up by the master? With bloody examples right before their eyes, they all understand exactly what to do," Ruhui answered with a smile.

In early April, Zhao Jin sent men throughout Xuzhou to proclaim: any blacksmiths coming to He Village to open a smithy, so long as they met the requirements, would receive land and equipment free of charge. The wages of their workers would be paid by He Village. All products would be purchased at twice the market price. When all this was calculated, the profit of a smithy would be five to six times the normal amount — perhaps even more.

Within three days of this news spreading, six new blacksmith smithies had appeared in He Village, and quite a few men with smithing skills came seeking work. But not many were able to open their own shops, for Zhao Jin's standards of craftsmanship were extremely high. Without ten or twenty years of experience, one could not meet the mark.

Everyone who heard of this called Zhao Jin a wastrel, though they would also add that he could afford to be one. That liquor of his earned far too much — this expense was nothing at all.

After Ruhui had ruthlessly carved a chunk of flesh from Cloud Mountain Temple, even if they harbored any schemes, they dared not show them. They could only draw close to Zhao Jin's side. The sorghum-for-liquor trade continued as before. The distilling could not possibly use so much — a great deal of it was processed and fed to the warhorses.

Practice makes perfect. The Zhao Battalion's hundred-plus household retainers spent more and more time in the saddle, and their range of movement grew larger by the day. Every day they rode through all the surrounding villages.

The villages in the allied mutual defense pact with He Village had always been somewhat duplicitous, concealing figures in the various data on their output and population. But after the mounted squad made its rounds through each of them, they all fell obediently into line.

Villages like theirs were different from Zhao Jin's operation. Their able-bodied laborers all had to take part in production. Not many could be spared from each location. Nine places combined yielded only a hundred and fifty men. During the agricultural off-season, that number could multiply several times over, but for now, this was all there was.

These men were organized into five squads and trained by the household retainers. Each squad was assigned two veteran retainers and one new retainer. The only weapons issued were long staves. Many retainers eyed these dozen or so instructor posts with envy, seeing them as a chance to stand out. Zhao Jin handled the matter fairly — those who performed well were all given appointments.

Although annexation had been spoken of beforehand, Zhao Jin did not push matters to the extreme. When the able-bodied men from each village arrived, the Zhao Battalion provided their food and lodging, and they even received wages. When pay was distributed, Zhao Jin would personally appear and offer each man a few words of encouragement. This put the village men, who had initially been nervous and fearful, completely at ease. Having undergone a different kind of training, returning home well-fed and with money in their pockets, these men could already feel how they differed from their fellow villagers. Others could see the difference too. The next time they came, many would not refuse — they would scramble to be first.

Because meals were provided, there was no drain on the household. The wages offset the loss of farm and family labor, and even provided a surplus. More crucially, they knew that all of this was given by Zhao Jin. Without Zhao Jin, none of these changes would exist.

Counting every aspect, the Zhao Battalion amounted to just over a thousand people. These people did not engage in production; all their food, clothing, and supplies had to be purchased. At first, everyone in He Village was terrified, fearing Zhao Jin would squeeze them dry. Even many of the peddlers and merchants at the market fled. With an operation as large as the Zhao Battalion, who knew if it could be sustained? If the market were suddenly looted, they would not even have time to weep.

Once people learned of the income from Zhao Jin's distillery, they were considerably relieved. Yet they did not fully relax. In times like these, if you could take without paying, who would bother to pay? It was only after Zhao Jin's purchasing proved to be conducted with real, solid coin, with not a single transaction involving bullying or skimming, that everyone realized good days had arrived. That said, while the Zhao Battalion did not bully others, neither did it tolerate fraud. A few who tampered with the rice and flour had their arms broken right there in the marketplace.

The monthly consumption of so many people, the large sums of silver spent on procurement, caused He Village's old market to flourish beyond measure. The original peddlers and merchants could no longer handle the load. Seeing the opportunity, merchants and peddlers flooded in — from neighboring villages and towns, and some even from the prefectural city itself. Were it not for Zhao Jin's strict scrutiny of outsiders moving into He Village, the settlement could well have doubled in size by now. These outsiders now all lived in the surrounding areas. Little Stone Village and two other nearby villages had benefited from the spillover. Not only were many of their houses rented out, but quite a few people were paying good money to buy land and build new houses.

It was not only these people who benefited. The cattle and horse traders at the livestock market found their animals selling far more easily, and there were even people looking to rent oxen and horses. The reason was simple: by now, Hanjing Famous Liquor had spread through virtually all of Xuzhou, Huai'an Prefecture, and Fengyang Prefecture. Merchants were already scheming to sell it in Henan, Shandong, and Northern Zhili. After all, the liquor had not yet reached those distant parts, and everyone knew that a strong, mellow spirit like this would have no trouble selling in the north. Transporting it required animal power, and having a livestock market nearby was perfectly convenient.

The volume from Pizhou was gradually rising. After Zhao Jin had purged Cloud Mountain Temple, the Cloud Mountain Trading Company and Cloud Mountain Restaurant had been taken over by Zhao Jin's Xu'an Trading Company. Taking over the storefronts was easy, but the distribution network could not be quickly mastered.

Logically, this should have caused a drop in sales. Yet there was still no surplus liquor to sell. The gap left here was filled by the rising demand from the Sun Family Trading Company in Yutou Town, Pizhou.

The serendipitous encounter on Luoma Lake near Yutou Town the previous year had let the transport soldiers and grain-tribute boatmen of the canal fleet learn of Hanjing Famous Liquor. Jar after jar of the spirit traveled north and south with the tribute boats, spreading everywhere. Whether the boatmen and soldiers drank it aboard their vessels to ease fatigue and ward off the cold, or sold it to traveling merchants on board or to residents on the shore, the demand was enormous.

This demand had been anticipated, yet Zhao Jin still found it strange, because the details did not match what he had imagined. The Sun family always sold it a few jars or a dozen jars at a time — thirty jars at the very most. There were no large-volume demands, no long-term fixed-quantity orders. It was always passing tribute boats and merchant vessels buying a little to take with them.

Previously, these men on the canal who stole tribute grain would trade it to He Weiyuan for liquor. He Weiyuan brewed his liquor using rice and wheat, and his costs were far higher than Zhao Jin's sorghum spirit. Yet he still made a fortune hand over fist. Zhao Jin, using cheaper sorghum to brew, would see even higher profits.

Because this tribute grain was illicitly obtained, it could not be sold at market price and was often very cheap. And Zhao Jin's sorghum was practically free. Calculating it all, brewing the spirit meant earning a profit on the liquor itself, and then earning another profit on the tribute grain. The windfall was staggering.

After destroying He Village and learning the details of the tribute-grain-for-liquor trade, and with the Sun family having since established ties with the transport soldiers and tribute boatmen, Zhao Jin had been eagerly anticipating an explosive surge in profits. Even if the money earned was modest, being able to stockpile cheap rice and wheat would be a tremendous boon. Yet all had remained quiet. Nothing came at all.

"You're saying that since the new year, no tribute grain has entered Xuzhou at all?" Zhao Jin asked, puzzled.

"Correct. Several old acquaintances on the grain routes have all told this humble one the same thing," Yan Heilian and Qi Erkui said, standing respectfully before him.

Qi Erkui had no relation to the three Qi brothers under Zhao Jin's command. He had been taught a lesson by Zhao Jin once for disrespect and defiance, and because Qi Duyan had pleaded for mercy, a connection with Zhao Jin's side had formed instead.

Nowadays, the Zhao Battalion's name carried great weight in Xuzhou. Not to mention the countless ties between the city's officials and the Zhao Battalion — whoever could build a relationship with Zhao Jin would find all of Xuzhou open to them, whether passing the checkpoints of the official patrols or the toll gates of the local strongmen and outlaws.

Qi Erkui had indeed profited considerably from this. On the night of the battle at He Village, Zhao Zhentang and Chen Wu in the city had learned the news and mobilized every force at their disposal. Beyond the garrison troops and guard units, they had also called up quite a few men from the rivers and lakes. At that moment, Chen Ergou and Butcher Li's side were not to be trusted, but Qi Erkui of Qi Village was usable.

Of course, that day, Qi Erkui had led over thirty men, trembling with fear, only to learn halfway there that all was safe. Though it had been a trip for nothing, he had received a promise from Zhao Jin's side: if he had any matter, he could come seeking help.

After that great battle was fought and Cloud Mountain Temple was bathed in blood, peace reigned across Xuzhou. But Qi Erkui soon reaped the benefits. The Zhao Battalion was conducting its affairs in He Village with great fanfare and needed all kinds of supplies. Salt and sundry goods were major items. External purchasing was handled by Yan Heilian, and though Yan Heilian had his own salt business, he now had to direct business toward Qi Erkui's side.

This favor was not merely letting Qi Erkui earn the profits from He Village alone. Qi Erkui took over the salt trade for all the land within twenty li of He Village — which meant his salt-selling territory had suddenly expanded by over a dozen villages and stockades. For Qi Erkui, this meant his business had grown by more than a third.

Earning money was a minor matter. Xuzhou, with its one prefecture and four counties, had long been divided into territories by salt smugglers great and small. Rules had been established both openly and in private. The business standing of every salt peddler was fixed. It was very difficult to change without bloodshed, gang warfare, or even the replacement of officials. Yet because of Zhao Jin's purchasing, Qi Erkui's status in Xuzhou's illegal salt trade had risen considerably.

Having latched onto a powerful patron and received so many benefits, Qi Erkui naturally put great effort into currying favor. Salt peddlers roamed everywhere, dealing with both officials and the underworld, and their information was well-informed. On this trip to deliver goods, Zhao Jin had directly summoned both Yan Heilian and him for questioning.

"How was the tribute grain handled in the past?" Zhao Jin asked.

"This year has been strange. In the past, the tribute grain traveled along the river. Some was sold to Fengyang Prefecture, some to Henan. No matter the route, it had to pass through our Xuzhou. Everyone got a share of the profits. But this year, there's been none. That's what's odd," Qi Erkui said.

Zhao Jin nodded and asked further, "Could it be sold elsewhere?"

At this, Qi Erkui hesitated. Beside him, Yan Heilian gave a dry laugh and said, "Master Jin, grain is not like salt. The places that rely on the canal don't need it, and Jiangnan has no shortage. To sell it to Fengyang Prefecture, Henan, or Shandong, it absolutely must pass through our territory..."

"And there's been no word of any strict inspections on the canal either. Those water rats won't just turn vegetarian for no reason. If they don't steal tribute grain, what will they live on?" Qi Erkui chimed in from the side.

Yan Heilian shot Qi Erkui a glare and said hesitantly, "Master Jin, it's also possible the grain isn't moving through the grain routes or the salt routes. If it has nothing to do with the circles this humble one deals in day to day, then it would be hard to find out."

Zhao Jin pondered in silence for a moment before speaking. "Keep a close watch. If there's any news, come and report it."

Yan Heilian and Qi Erkui bowed and nodded obsequiously in agreement. As the two withdrew, Yan Heilian could still be heard saying irritably, "... be more respectful in front of Master Jin. A wrong word can bring disaster..."

Once the two had left, Ruhui, standing behind Zhao Jin, asked in a deep voice, "Is the master planning to make something of this tribute grain matter?"

"Greed bites off more than it can chew. The tribute grain and the canal transport have been a tangled web for ages — why would I go looking for that trouble? But the tribute grain that used to come in exchange for liquor has stopped coming. And I've heard from the Sun family that around Luoma Lake, that gang of tribute boatmen used to pay for everything with grain. Now, eighty percent of them pay in coin. It's far too strange," Zhao Jin said in a muffled voice.

"When things are out of the ordinary, there is surely something sinister at work. But the transport soldiers and tribute boatmen on the canal are a world unto themselves, and most are sect members. Getting information out of them is very difficult. That said, the canal no longer passes through Xuzhou. From Yutou Town in Pizhou to the prefectural city is a journey of a day or two. If something really does happen, there will still be time to react," Ruhui said slowly.

Ruhui — Cao Ruhui — after arriving at the Zhao Battalion, had not been able to help much in military or economic matters. He had no particularly good strategies for development either. By all accounts, an advisor who could not do these things would be considered incompetent. But Cao Ruhui had demonstrated a different strength: social dealings.

The members of the Zhao Battalion came from different backgrounds, but none were very old. Aside from Zhao Jin's special circumstances, none of the others had dealt with many people. Moreover, having grown up together, their opportunities to interact with outsiders were even fewer. They understood the world only through their families and elders. Zhao Jin's rise had taken place within the city of Xuzhou, where he had forcefully subdued all manner of people, high and low. As for dealing with various circles and connections, that was handled by the fathers of the Zhao, Chen, Wang, and Dong families. They had wide-ranging social ties and deep relationships. The Wang family, in particular, was of the highest scholarly nobility, so matters of external relations had never been a concern.

Once they reached Hejiazhuang, the weakness of having little external contact became a problem. The area around Hejiazhuang was densely packed with villages and settlements, yet Zhao Jin and his men were as isolated as if on a deserted island — no news, no interaction. Communication would be necessary in the future, but for that communication, Zhao's Camp was prepared to use direct, forceful subjugation.

This approach certainly had its drawbacks, but being several dozen li from the city, the constabulary and the garrison were too far away to reach effectively. As for the Wang family, leaving aside that Wang Zhaojing was studying in the city, Wang Youshan's connections and reputation were mainly in the capital region. He was equally unable to reach the countryside outside the city, and the same was even truer for the other families.

Apart from the nine village communities that had come to them of their own accord, and the merchants from various places who came to buy Han Well Famous Liquor, Zhao's Camp had no other connections here in Hejiazhuang. This was manageable in normal times, but at critical moments, it led to situations where the monk-soldiers and Captain Ma could ride straight in and only be discovered once they were right at Hejiazhuang's doorstep.

"If someone wants to move against Cloud Mountain Temple, the moment they enter Xuzhou territory, someone will rush to report it. Cloud Mountain Temple will know three days before the arrivals do. Even if they only reach the surrounding prefectures and counties near Xuzhou, as soon as they reveal such intent, word will still be sent back to Cloud Mountain Temple," Ruhui said.

The reason Cloud Mountain Temple was so well-informed was precisely because of the connections and friends accumulated over so many years of dealing with all sides.

"Cloud Mountain Temple forsakes righteousness for profit, acts like a tyrant, and does not win the hearts of the people. Yet by relying on intimidation and shared interests, they can reach this level. Now, with Zhao's Camp's strength and the blazing popularity of Han Well Famous Liquor, we can certainly do even better."

These words were essentially a promise from Ruhui. In just a short span of ten-odd days, Ruhui's social dealings had already made people see him in a new light.

First of all, in the prefectural seat and the four county seats of Xuzhou's one prefecture and four counties, everyone from the Prefect and the County Magistrates down to the lowly runners and constable heads received benefits. Anyone could give gifts; what was rare was knowing whom to give to, knowing exactly how much each person should receive — not so little as to breed resentment, not so much as to breed greed. Ruhui handled it with such perfect precision.

Zhao's Camp was indeed overwhelmingly powerful, its might shaking all of Xuzhou. The officials and runners dared not extort them, but when they could not collect their customary fees, resentment was bound to fester in their hearts. Now that they had received benefits, and what's more, from the very Zhao's Camp that was so strong it had no need to give them anything — the feeling was entirely different.