Chapter 327: No Choice but to Comply

Chen Sheng frowned and turned his head. Seeing Wang Zhaojing frantically signaling with his eyes, he immediately caught on, and his expression turned somewhat awkward. Zhao Jin looked left and right and instantly understood. He said with a smile, "It's not like we can't talk about it—what are you all fussing over? But Dasheng does have a point. Although we propped up that Zheng Quan, he still counts as one of the Mu family's people. From start to finish, the entire Incense-Smelling Sect in Xuzhou has belonged to his Mu family..."

Zhao Jin gave a disdainful laugh and added, "A tiny little sect, and yet it has this many factions."

"Big Brother, all along the way, these refugees have always had just a little grain to keep them going—enough to sustain them, but always leaving them hungry. Using this method, they brought tens of thousands of people right to the walls of Xuzhou. I've been thinking, this is quite similar to those supply depots you once mentioned, Big Brother. We could use it the same way," Liu Yong said with some excitement.

The captured Incense-Smelling Sect propagators had also all been disposed of. The bailiffs carried the corpses into a designated area within the prison, then stood far off, waiting for orders.

Zhao Jin and his brothers, however, sat there chatting quite happily. From breaking the siege to entering the city, and then dealing with the hidden dangers within, it was only now that they had a moment of relative leisure.

"There's nothing special about that method. Anyone who's served in the official army and paid close attention could learn it. But this refugee chaos—tens of thousands of common people stirred into a frenzy by them, heedless of life and death, marching all the way south, and then going so berserk beneath the city walls—that kind of tactic is truly worth learning," Zhao Jin said in a deep voice.

After saying this, Zhao Jin felt it was somewhat inappropriate. He looked around at his companions' expressions. Ji Xiang and Liu Yong were both nodding. Chen Sheng's expression was indifferent. Dong Bingfeng was visibly puzzled. And Wang Zhaojing seemed somewhat hesitant for a moment, before his face shifted into a calm smile as he nodded repeatedly.

"From here, following the river to Nanjing, it's still a four or five day journey. The provincial exam is in the eighth month—what are you still dawdling in Xuzhou for? You should set out soon!" Zhao Jin changed the subject.

"I'll leave after the joint council concludes. This council is crucial for our Zhao Character Camp," Wang Zhaojing replied with a smile.

Early in the morning on the second day of the seventh month, the idlers of Xuzhou city had forgotten the great calamity of the previous days. They all rose early and went to wait outside the yamen. Today was a rare grand event in the Xuzhou region: heroes and gallants from all walks of life gathering here. This was far more interesting than watching a grand opera or listening to storytelling.

Arriving early, they chatted and discussed. Everyone couldn't help but sigh with emotion. During the city's defense, many bailiffs and civilian militia had been killed or wounded—all of them neighbors from the streets. As they exchanged news, they realized just how heavy Xuzhou city's losses had been this time.

Meanwhile, the rear hall of the yamen presented an entirely different scene. The rear hall of the magistrate's yamen was already the private residence of Magistrate Tong Huaizu, though some official government business was also handled there.

The servants and maids of the Tong household had been having a hard time these past few days, because the master's mood had been constantly irritable. Even if a servant committed a minor mistake, as long as he saw it, severe punishment was inevitable. This kept everyone in a state of trepidation. The entire Tong household was puzzled: earlier, when the bandit refugees were besieging the city, anxiety and panic were normal, but now that the siege was lifted, why was his temper even worse?

This morning, just about when the master had risen, Adviser Wang came seeking an audience together with the clerk from the Punishment Office and the head jailer. In the past, Adviser Wang and the clerks from the yamen would certainly have waited until the master had finished washing and had his breakfast before coming. No one knew when it started, but everyone had stopped observing that particular rule.

Even stranger, the master initially said irritably that he would not see them. Yet Clerk Qian of the Punishment Office and the head jailer actually had someone go in and report again, saying the matter was extremely urgent, showing no regard for the hierarchy of rules. After the message was relayed again, the master's expression turned utterly dreadful, but he still allowed them in.

Once they entered, it wasn't long before the master's furious shouts and roars could be heard. Everyone kept well away, lest they be caught in the aftermath and become the target of his vented anger.

Inside the rear hall, Tong Huaizu sat there panting heavily. The other three stood respectfully to one side, heads bowed and hands lowered. Yet judging by the expressions on those three, it seemed as if they were the ones seated, while Magistrate Tong was the one standing to the side.

"When exactly were these hundred-plus people arrested yesterday? How is it that I, this official, knew nothing about it?"

"In less than a single night, over a hundred people all died of illness in the jail—how is that even possible?"

Having composed himself, Tong Huaizu immediately roared out his furious, rapid-fire questions. He was so agitated that the hand pointing at the three men before him trembled uncontrollably.

"My Lord, yesterday the constable's office sent an urgent report stating that there were treacherous elements within the city colluding with the bandit refugees, gathering a crowd and attempting to stir up chaos once more. At the time, the situation was urgent. This humble one and Mr. Wang discussed it and immediately ordered the constables and officers to move out and make arrests. That is how these people were captured," Clerk Qian said. After finishing, he glanced at the head jailer beside him.

The head jailer, standing at the lowest position, cleared his throat and answered with a meek and submissive air: "My Lord, the weather is sweltering now, and with so many corpses being burned outside the city, the jail cells are stiflingly hot. Outbreaks of pestilence are common. To have over a hundred die all at once—this humble one has been derelict in his duty."

Both Clerk Qian and the head jailer spoke unhurriedly, with an air of complete self-assurance. Moreover, although the head jailer said "derelict in his duty," he did not say "please punish me, my Lord."

Having been in officialdom for so long, Magistrate Tong naturally could see and understand these subtleties. After a moment of stunned silence, he trembled all over with rage. He stood frozen like that for a long while, then suddenly gritted his teeth, shot to his feet, and roared: "Outrageous! Outrageous! This is perverting the law! This is wanton slaughter of the innocent! Do you take this official for a fool? Do you take this official for an idiot? Do you even know the law..."

Toward the end, Tong Huaizu's lips began to quiver uncontrollably, and he was too agitated to speak. Clerk Qian and the head jailer exchanged a glance, then looked toward Adviser Wang. Tong Huaizu saw their expressions clearly—it was not fear at all, but rather a look of finding the situation awkward. What authority did he, the magistrate, still have left? How was he supposed to govern the Xuzhou region from now on?

Adviser Wang sighed and turned to Magistrate Tong Huaizu, saying, "My patron, Clerk Qian and Old Wu have both served in their posts for a very long time. They would not fail to distinguish the important from the trivial. As for why they did this, my patron should be able to guess the reason. It is best that everyone understands these matters tacitly. If it is spoken aloud, or if that person comes asking, then it will become ugly."

"You!" Tong Huaizu pointed at Adviser Wang and roared a single word. Adviser Wang merely bowed and lowered his head.

A private adviser is hired by an official with his own money. Nominally, the relationship is one of friendship, but in reality, the adviser serves as a strategist and counselor. A private adviser's stance does not consider public affairs, but only the interests of the official.

The words Adviser Wang had just spoken clearly placed him on the other side, which drove Tong Huaizu even more insane with fury.

Below, Clerk Qian and the head jailer exchanged another look, each understanding the other's meaning. There had long been rumors in the city's official circles that this Adviser Wang, while nominally the magistrate's private adviser, was actually working for the distillery and receiving more silver from Zhao Jin. Judging by his words and actions today, it was indeed so.

"My patron, your student is also thinking of your welfare and that of your entire family," Adviser Wang said with the utmost sincerity.

Magistrate Tong's face was ashen. He dared not replace this adviser. Without this adviser, he would have to face Zhao Jin directly, with no buffer whatsoever, which would be even more awkward and troublesome.

But what Adviser Wang had said had torn away the last fig leaf, amounting to a naked threat. Yet this threat was also the truth. With tigers and wolves at his side, the slightest carelessness would invite great calamity!

"... Zhao Jin is using this official's hand to kill people!" When Tong Huaizu spoke again, his voice had taken on a sobbing tone. The three standing men merely lowered their heads.

"Why should the karmic debt of these hundred-plus lives be counted against this official's head? Why!" Tong Huaizu raised his hand, as if trying to grasp something.

Adviser Wang frowned slightly and sighed, "My patron, this is hardly the first time. The He Family Village believed in evil cults, Li Shun of Yunshan Temple colluded with bandits... A single document sent down settles the matter once and for all. Today is the joint council for relief and recovery; the local gentry from all over will be arriving shortly."

Magistrate Tong's entire frame hunched over. He practically collapsed into his chair and said feebly, "Since things have come to such a pass, is there still any need for this official to appear at the council? Just say this official is ill and let Vice Magistrate Zhou go instead!"

A smile surfaced on Adviser Wang's face. In a respectful tone, he said, "Relief and recovery are major affairs for Xuzhou. How could my patron not appear? Besides, Vice Magistrate Zhou already reported in sick yesterday."

By this time, the street outside the yamen was already bustling with activity. Figures from all walks of life arrived one after another—some on horseback, some in carriages, and some in sedan chairs.

No matter who they were, upon reaching the main gate, they had to proceed on foot inside. The idlers watching the scene squeezed desperately to the front, observing each person entering and offering their comments and critiques.

The first dozen or so people who arrived drew little attention. But then someone was called out by name, while others, having little connection to the prefectural city, were complete strangers whom no one recognized. The person in question felt they had lost considerable face and actually stood on the steps, having a servant shout out: So-and-so from such-and-such a place has arrived!

Those who could attend the joint relief and recovery council were no ordinary figures; they possessed both renown and strength. Once their names were shouted, the idlers suddenly realized—ah, so it's that person.

With examples set before them, those who came later naturally followed suit. Some who did not wish to announce their own names found the watching idlers simply shouting and urging them on.

The bailiffs at the gate also found it amusing and paid no heed to the jeering, shouting idlers. As a result, it became such that every person arriving had to shout out their name and title.

Normally, these gentry and local strongmen kept to themselves, neither crossing nor interfering with one another. Although they had come here for the sake of relief and recovery, to carry Zhao Jin's sedan chair, or simply to watch the excitement, they still wanted to measure themselves against each other and vie for superiority. If you were known by so many people, I couldn't afford to fall behind.

Those who arrived first hadn't thought of it, but later arrivals actually spent money to hire idlers from the marketplace to come and cheer for them. For a time, the area in front of the yamen gate was extraordinarily boisterous, just like a fair.

"... Such a grand procession over there—horsemen and sedan chairs. Could it be Master Jin has arrived..."

"... Nonsense. Wouldn't you recognize Master Jin..."

Just as they reckoned that everyone had more or less arrived, a commotion and clamor arose from the street on the other side of the yamen. A group of people appeared before everyone's eyes.

A dozen or so men on each side cleared the road. Two young men wearing front-opening riding vests rode their horses at the front. Behind them was a middle-aged man dressed in a courtier's robe. Behind this middle-aged man was a four-man sedan chair; its curtains and window blinds were all screened with bamboo slats, making it impossible to see who was inside. Behind this sedan chair, two more riders followed.