Chapter 339: This Is Our He Family Village

339. Chapter 339: This Is Our He Family Village

Though few voiced a word, everyone understood — this was a gesture of gratitude for Zhao Jin's great kindness in saving Xuzhou City. The Zhao Character Camp had broken the siege and come to the rescue, saving Xuzhou and the hundred thousand souls within its walls. Such thanks were well deserved.

Zhao Jin repeatedly clasped his fist in acknowledgment. Behind him, the marching Zhao Character Camp retainers fell into ever-neater step, every man puffing out his chest and holding his head high.

As they advanced, more and more people hurried over. Some bowed with folded hands by the roadside; others simply dropped to their knees and kowtowed. Everyone was affected by the solemn, reverent atmosphere. No one clamored — all paid their respects in silence, then watched in silence.

By the time they reached the city gate, Zhao Jin saw that a crowd was already waiting there. From the dress of those at the front, he could tell they were gentry and men of standing. Several large carts stood off to one side, all piled high with goods.

"Young Master Zhao, your righteousness reaches the clouds — you shielded the entire populace of Xuzhou! Accept our bow!" someone called out loudly. The whole group there bowed together with folded hands, while many of the servants and underlings behind them dropped directly to their knees and kowtowed.

On such an occasion, Zhao Jin knew how to conduct himself. He promptly dismounted, clasped his fist, and stepped forward, saying, "Zhao is also a son of Xuzhou and merely did his duty. How could I be worthy of such generous affection from my elders?"

The words made Zhao Jin's own teeth ache with their cloying formality, but what had to be done had to be done. Ruhui had long foreseen such a scene and had taught him in great detail how to respond and what to say.

After a few rounds of pleasantries, the soldiers guarding the gate had already thrown open both the inner and outer gates of the barbican. The men who had come were all figures of high virtue and wide renown in Xuzhou City, though not necessarily the most powerful. That they came as representatives of Xuzhou's elders to see him off truly carried a certain sense of the people's will.

They had no entanglements of interest with Zhao Jin, yet they also stood in awe of this god of slaughter. None of them wanted the ceremony to drag on too long.

"Young Master Zhao, this is a token of regard from the elders of the city. We ask Young Master Zhao to accept it." The large carts were loaded with foodstuffs and cloth — all everyday usable supplies. This was a spontaneous gesture of reward from the common people.

Zhao Jin thanked them and accepted. The leading gentryman was surnamed Zhou and held the status of an Imperial Academy student. After all this was done, Student Zhou turned, took a piece of black cloth from a servant, and approached Zhao Jin holding it in both hands. He smiled and said, "Young Master Zhao, during that fierce battle beneath the walls, many saw the Zhao Character Camp fighting under a black banner. A few days ago, this humble one went to look — that black banner was already tattered and filthy. The various parties in the city have made this banner. We do not know if it suits your use."

"You have been most thoughtful!" Zhao Jin started for a moment, then smiled and accepted it.

That day on the battlefield, they had hastily dyed a bundle-cloth in horse blood to make a battle flag. It had picked up a great deal of dust in the fighting and turned from a red flag into a black one. He had not given it much thought afterward, only figuring they would make a new one after returning to He Family Village. He had not expected these gentry to be so considerate.

Once he took it, he shook it open directly. The fabric was of fine quality, the four edges hemmed, with grommets for hanging on a flagpole. Black background, red border — and in the center, written in red, was a gigantic, bold "Zhao" character.

The pairing of black and red carries many taboos in daily life, but for martial matters it is perfectly suited. The design of this banner left a very good impression on Zhao Jin.

"Excellent! My thanks for the regard of all you elders. From this day forward, the Zhao Character Camp shall fight under this banner, defending the countryside of Xuzhou!" Zhao Jin declared in a ringing voice.

At these words, a wave of cheers rose from the crowd. Having endured the refugee siege and the bloody defense of the city, everyone naturally felt reassured to have a reliable force like the Zhao Character Camp to protect them. Zhao Jin's declaration struck exactly the right chord — this cry of "Excellent!" carried not a shred of empty courtesy.

"Hoist the banner!" Zhao Jin's heroic spirit surged. Lu Da promptly ran out on his own, while Liu Yong dashed over to the Zhao Character Camp's own wagon train and pulled a long spear from one of the carts. This spear was slightly longer and thicker than those normally used by the camp, and the upper half of its shaft was fitted with hooks — it was a flagpole for a military standard.

Lu Da took the pole, clumsily hung the banner, then raised it and waved it. The black flag unfurled, and that "Zhao" character upon it was startlingly conspicuous.

"Young Master Zhao's tiger-like might!" someone shouted. Everyone around cheered and applauded. Even Zhao Jin, his companions, and the Zhao Character Camp retainers all felt their spirits lift.

"Lu Da, from now on, you are the Standard-Bearer of my Zhao Character Camp!" Zhao Jin said with a smile.

Lu Da did not quite grasp what this "Standard-Bearer" business meant, but the moment he heard the word "Bearer" — which sounded like an official title — he figured it could not be bad and promptly bellowed his acceptance of the order.

With this round of ceremony complete, the crowd escorted them beyond the outskirts of Xuzhou City before taking their leave and turning back. The several large carts loaded with reward supplies followed behind — the carts themselves were part of the reward as well.

A few li outside the city, Liu Yong was also about to turn back. Just as he said his farewells, Zhao Jin asked with a smile, "Was this Ruhui's doing?"

Liu Yong paused, then chuckled and said, "Mr. Cao merely made a suggestion. The city gentry were very enthusiastic. That flag was Mr. Cao's idea — everything else was spontaneous."

Zhao Jin had seen Cao Ruhui's calligraphy many times. The character "Zhao" was his own surname, so he was more familiar with it than with other characters. This time, the brushwork was unmistakably Ruhui's. Besides, the whole affair was a touch too staged, and that flagpole had been prepared a little too conveniently.

"Mr. Cao did well. But if there is something like this again, tell me in advance, so I'm not caught off guard," Zhao Jin said with a smile.

His expression and tone were both relaxed, but Liu Yong had been at his side long enough to naturally catch the implication beneath the words. His face immediately straightened, and he said gravely, "Rest assured, Big Brother. It will not happen again."

Zhao Jin nodded, then added, "Though the refugees have scattered, the city is not without its dangers. Be careful yourself."

Liu Yong acknowledged this, exchanged a word with the others, then spurred his horse and rode back toward the city.

After the main body of the Zhao Character Camp had marched on for a while, Zhao Jin spoke in a low voice from horseback: "That man Ruhui — his planning and resourcefulness are both excellent. Perhaps because he was suppressed too long at Cloud Mountain Temple, his conduct now is a bit too loose and free."

"It hasn't been long. He might change after a while," Chen Sheng said beside him.

Zhao Jin nodded and said nothing. They rode on a while longer before Chen Sheng spoke again: "If this were a few days ago, I would have advised you to bear with Ruhui. But as things stand now, we can afford to wait a few dozen days and see."

"A scholar pours his life's blood into the imperial examinations. Now that he's passed the provincial level, next year he'll go to the capital, advancing step by step — he'll only drift farther and farther away."

"Let's just watch. I actually think he's come around."

After they had traveled for a shichen and a half, the sun had risen high and the heat was beginning to be felt. Sweat showed on every face. Zhao Jin had the column take a brief rest — they would march for another shichen before the heat grew too intense, then rest through midday.

By now it was fully light, and the folk in the villages and towns along the way were busy with their day. Children playing outside and idlers, seeing the Zhao Character Camp pass by, all hurried back to their villages to spread the word.

From the very first village they passed, the Zhao Character Camp's pace slowed. Not long after they went by, the village's leading figures would come chasing after them with offerings of reward.

The things they brought were simple: freshly brewed hot tea, fruits and pastries produced in the village. There was no time to slaughter pigs or sheep, so they led the live animals out directly. They even asked whether the camp needed the village to send able-bodied young men to help.

Faced with such sincere and heartfelt warmth, Zhao Jin thanked them earnestly. He would drink a little of the tea, but refused everything else. This only made the village folk sigh with even deeper admiration.

When the day reached its hottest point, they happened to arrive near a manor. Beside the manor was a grove of trees — the perfect place to rest.

Before the Zhao Character Camp had even halted, everyone of standing from that manor came out to welcome them. Seeing that they meant to rest there, the manor folk immediately set about preparing a meal. Though Zhao Jin declined, they still slaughtered six sheep, boiled them in great cauldrons, and brought the meat over. That midday meal was a lavish one.

The manor folk invited Zhao Jin inside for a banquet and cleared out clean quarters for him to rest. He refused all of this, staying only to take the midday rest with the entire Zhao Character Camp in the shade of the trees.

When it was time to leave, Zhao Jin left two hundred taels of silver for the manor — roughly double the cost of all the rewards and provisions. The manor folk were terrified and refused to accept it, but Zhao Jin insisted they take it. The manor people escorted them for five li before turning back.

"This is the true hearts of the people — far more useful than those staged theatrics!" Zhao Jin summed up from horseback.

By the time they neared He Family Village, the sun had already set. From a distance, they could see many people waiting at the crossroads. The Qi brothers, who had ridden ahead to scout, had long since reported back: Shi Manqiang was there with the garrison troops and the people of He Family Village. The leading figures of the Joint Village Defense were there too, and even Scholar Cai and his group had come.

This was not something Ruhui had arranged. Yet the send-off ceremony from the city had to be reenacted here as well. The retainers returned to their camp, but Zhao Jin still had no leisure — a banquet had been laid at the Carriage Inn to entertain the guests from all sides.

The Carriage Inn was very crude. It was Wang Ziyang and those cattle and horse merchants who had helped put together the banquet, barely managing to avoid any breach of etiquette.

"Young Master Zhao, we are all fellow countrymen of Xuzhou and ought to stand united. If the Zhao Character Camp is to expand, this old man has many hot-blooded young men, all willing to join and follow Young Master Zhao's command!" Once they were seated, Scholar Cai cast aside all ceremony and came straight to the point.

"Master Jin, the sons of Zhang Village are no weaklings! We fought our way out alongside you this time. We beg Master Jin to accept us. In the future, through water or fire, if any of us so much as furrows his brow, then he was not sired by man or borne by woman!" Another man beat his chest and declared with rough boldness.

"Master Jin, Tian Family Village wants to do away with that name from now on. The several hundred souls of this village, high and low, will be just tenant households of He Family Village." Tian Liang was even more direct.

"Master Jin…"

The atmosphere at the banquet was incomparably fervent, yet from the start until now, not a single sip of wine had been drunk. Emotions ran high — everyone spoke of how many able-bodied youths, how many sons of their house they had, and begged Master Jin to surely accept them.

The nine places in the Joint Village Defense adopted an attitude of outright willingness to become his vassals, while the other locales each had their own "strengths" to offer. One said they would provide their own weapons; another said they would raise their own provisions and pay; yet another offered to share the burden of supplying the Zhao Character Camp with grain and wages.

Beyond that, one man mentioned he had a beautiful daughter; another said he had a beautiful younger sister. None of these men dared suggest marriage to Zhao Jin as a wife — they only spoke of serving to warm his bed.

Just as the atmosphere reached this fever pitch, Ruhui walked in. One look at his travel-worn appearance was enough to tell he had only just arrived.