Chapter 325: Settling Accounts (Begging for Monthly Tickets!)

Even the most arrogant characters dared not hope for any benefits this time. Lord Jin had led the Zhao Battalion through blood and death to defend Xuzhou — all of this rightfully belonged to him. So many valuable properties — it would be a lie to say no one coveted them, but wealth is an external thing; life is what matters most.

The reason for coming this time was simply to help boost Lord Jin's prestige. Besides, in this affair some contributed men to fight and kill on the battlefield, some contributed money for rewards and consolation, but even more couldn't get involved at all. Taking this chance to meet him and kowtow counted as presenting one's calling card, making future encounters easier.

Anyone with a clear head could judge that this time, the Xu family might well have to take a bite of the benefits too. The Xu family of Jing Mountain had always focused solely on coal and iron, rarely meddling in the various interests and entanglements of Xuzhou. Yet a colossal entity like the Xu family inspired wariness even when it did nothing.

This time, the refugees had swept through everything in their path, poisoning villages and hamlets, yet the Xu family remained safe and sound. Moreover, they had taken several thousand refugees as their own labor force. Needless to say, those ownerless fields and properties on the northern bank of the Yellow River naturally became the Xu family's as well.

The Xu family, which had always stayed out of such affairs, had now reached out its hand. Then this fattest piece of land outside the prefectural city of Xuzhou would inevitably be tasted by them too. A fierce struggle with the Zhao Battalion was unavoidable. When the time came and two strong powers clashed in the yamen, there would certainly be a lively show to watch.

Since coming here yielded no benefits anyway, watching the excitement was good too. A collision of such great powers was bound to be spectacular. Everyone had lacked the good fortune to witness the bloody battle between the Zhao Battalion and tens of thousands of refugees beneath the city walls that day; watching this would be just as good.

Among the gentry and powerful figures who had rushed to Xuzhou City from all directions, quite a few secretly harbored the intent to watch the show. This topic had even spread through the streets and markets of Xuzhou, much to the anticipation of the common folk, who had suffered great fright but no major casualties.

The people who had survived the calamity wanted to find some amusement for themselves, so they discussed it often and were especially eager. Meanwhile, the riffraff of the marketplace and the rivers and lakes were extremely nervous.

After the siege of Xuzhou City was lifted and the gates opened, on the first day, chaos reigned outside with corpses everywhere. Leaving the city was courting death, and no one dared go out. But by the second day, when Zhao Jin entered the city, they heard about how Chen Ergou and Butcher Li had kowtowed to Zhao Jin in the barbican but received no friendly looks.

During the refugee siege, many in the marketplace and rivers and lakes had entertained petty schemes. Now, every one of these people had a guilty conscience and wanted to leave the city at the first sign of trouble.

But just as they wanted to leave, they found they could no longer get out. At every city gate, besides the soldiers on guard, there were experienced yamen runners from the magistrate's office who knew everyone by face, and also unfamiliar-looking characters who seemed like street thugs. These three parties were all stationed at the gates, and everyone entering or leaving was checked by them.

The people of the marketplace and rivers and lakes within the city were all blocked and turned back. Because the gates were guarded by three parties, bribing one side couldn't buy off the other two. No one dared force their way through — who would dare raise a hand against soldiers and runners? That wasn't the way to seek death.

Why were they suddenly forbidden from leaving the city? This made them even more terrified. Some began to wonder if they could use ropes to lower themselves from the city walls under cover of darkness. But the patrols atop the walls had also become strict. In peacetime, soldiers would snore away in the barracks at night, inspecting the walls only when they got up to relieve themselves. Now, however, patrols circled without pause, and the runners and street thugs from inside the city were actually helping with the inspections too.

Local bosses had personal connections in every corner. Now, with no time to begrudge their silver, they went straight up the walls with their family fortunes, begging familiar acquaintances to turn a blind eye and let them out.

"... Lord Jin forbids it..." Amid the silver and the personal appeals, someone let slip a bit of information.

Hearing this, their terror turned to utter horror. If they couldn't flee, they could only hide within the city. A city this large — finding someone wouldn't be easy.

However, what no one knew was that the order strictly forbidding the street thugs from leaving the city had not been issued by Zhao Jin, but by Liu Yong. Once Zhao Jin had made his attitude clear to Chen Ergou and Butcher Li at the city gate, Liu Yong knew what to do.

The original major bosses in the city had been Big Head Huang, Tuft Mao, and Yan Heilian. After these forces were wiped out by Zhao Jin from within the city, their core members either vanished without a trace or joined the banners of Chen Ergou and Butcher Li. Two-Headed Snake was one of the latter.

Two-Headed Snake Mi San had originally been a minor boss under Big Head Huang, managing usury. When Big Head Huang fell, he brought the account books and kowtowed at their door, and also offered up the young prostitute he had been sleeping with for two years. He immediately gained great favor and became one of the top three trusted subordinates under Chen Ergou.

During the refugee river-crossing and siege, Two-Headed Snake Mi San had been hopping about in great excitement. "... With so many refugee bandits, Zhao Jin is surely finished outside the city. Xuzhou City will be thrown into chaos for a while too. Let's all take this chance to make a fortune, and then seize the wine workshop business..."

Quite a few people echoed Mi San, and the situation under Butcher Li was much the same. These minor bosses all knew each other and were in league together. Coupled with the fact that Chen Ergou and Butcher Li themselves had also entertained such thoughts, they prepared to stir up trouble in the chaos.

This was, after all, the voice of experience. Once the city was left undefended, with soldiers, runners, and even the militia all gone to guard the walls and gates, there would be no one left to maintain order. The city would become their playground to do as they pleased. And once the incident passed, with all the chaos and sundry matters, the authorities would be too busy to deal with them. At worst, they could just share a cut of the profits with the officials, and all would be safe and sound.

But no one expected that with Zhao Jin absent from the city, the runners would actually become resolute. The mounted constables took to the streets and started cutting people down. And that young master Wang Zhaojing had actually turned into a god of death — seeing that murderous, sinister appearance, no one dared make a move. Even more unexpected was that the "hundred thousand plus" refugee bandits were utterly routed by Zhao Jin just like that. The siege of Xuzhou was lifted in a single day. Zhao Jin entered the city in majestic triumph, and then they were forbidden from leaving.

All plans had come to naught — that hardly mattered now. The most urgent thing now was saving their own skins. Two-Headed Snake Mi San hid in the home of a distant relative.

This relative was a distant younger cousin. Years ago, when he came to the city with no place to go, he followed Mi San in idling about the streets. During one gang fight, his shoulder was smashed by a carrying pole. Mi San found him a job as a gatekeeper and sweeper at a sundry goods shop — a kindness he owed him. This time, he was hiding right at this relative's place.

Mi San was extremely frightened, trembling all over at the mere sound of the courtyard gate. His nickname "Two-Headed Snake" did not come from being sinister and vicious, but because he had a lump growing on his private parts that looked grotesque. Everyone had started calling him that as a joke.

This relative was well over thirty and hadn't found a wife, living a tight life himself. Yet he was very loyal to Mi San, not only generously taking him in but also providing wine and meat every day, and regularly bringing news from outside.

Today, a certain gentry member entered the city. Today, the authorities issued a proclamation and sent documents and invitations to all who had arrived, saying that the joint discussion on relief and aftermath would begin in two days — precisely on the second day of the seventh month.

Hearing this news, Mi San finally breathed a sigh of relief. He thought that once everyone was busy with relief and aftermath, the checks on entering and leaving the city would loosen. He could then slip out and hide for a while. Then Mi San thought again — don't just hide for a while; it would be best never to return to Xuzhou. This young master Zhao Jin was clearly a god of death, and with so many rules, life under his watch would not be easy.

During the day, Mi San's relative had to go to work. After two days, Mi San had calmed down considerably. He reflected inwardly — true hearts are revealed in adversity. His relative had truly helped him greatly. He couldn't give away the several dozen taels of silver he carried, but if he had the chance in the future, he must repay him generously. At lunch today, he would definitely speak of this.

Lunchtime was approaching. Mi San hadn't eaten his fill that morning and was already hungry, waiting for his relative to return.

"Third Brother, it's me. Open the gate!" The relative's call sounded from outside the courtyard gate. For safety, the two had an agreement: the gate was always locked from the inside and could only be opened from within.

Hearing this, Mi San hurried over to open the gate, a smile on his face, ready to offer his sincere thanks. The moment he opened the gate, Mi San's smile froze on his face. Outside the gate was not his relative, but two large men dressed as yamen runners, with several young men behind them. His relative was cowering timidly to one side.

"Mi San, your case is exposed. Come with us to the yamen for a trip," one of the runner big men said coldly.

Only upon hearing these words did Mi San react. He turned to run, but the runner was too quick. The iron chain in his hand was flung out directly, tangling around Mi San's legs and causing him to lose control of his body. He crashed face-first to the ground. Before he could push himself up, the runner stepped on his back.

"You bastard sold me out!" Mi San shouted in furious desperation. It had to be that distant younger cousin who had informed the authorities.

Only after shouting this did Mi San realize — he had done plenty of bad deeds, but he had no case at the yamen. Why were the runners coming to arrest him? But the next moment, a heavy blow struck the back of his head, and after a burst of searing pain, his mind went hazy.

The two runners swiftly and deftly searched Mi San's body. Several dozen taels of silver and a few pieces of jewelry were found. The two runners grinned and glanced behind them, then tossed a dozen or so taels to Mi San's relative. The rest they stuffed directly into their own pockets — how to split it was not for public eyes.

On the fourth day after Zhao Jin entered the city, a city-wide manhunt began. Constables and runners, guided by street thugs, were arresting people everywhere. Those caught were all minor bosses among the city's rivers and lakes riffraff, as well as some who had looted during the chaos and escaped the mounted constables' street-clearing — they were arrested too.

The rivers and lakes and marketplace of Xuzhou City were thrown into chaos. Chen Ergou and Butcher Li had both vanished without a trace. You Zhenrong was outside the city and wouldn't return. And that "Retired Emperor" of the rivers and lakes and marketplace, Master Liu Yong, refused to show his face. With no one in charge, no one knew how to respond. They could only watch as the people around them were arrested one by one.

Though it was called chaos, the number of people to be arrested was actually not large — just over fifty in total. Many common folk witnessed the arrests. After their initial alarm and curiosity passed, they actually cheered.