Chapter 340: Truly a Match Made in Heaven

Among those present, some knew him and some did not, but upon hearing the form of address, they understood this was Zhao Jin's trusted personal advisor. No one dared be remiss; they all rose to offer greetings. Ruhui responded to each with a smile, then took his place behind Zhao Jin.

"You've been traveling through the night?" Zhao Jin asked.

"Master, your subordinate is fortunate not to have failed in his mission," Ruhui said with a smile.

Zhao Jin understood the matter was largely settled. Now was not the time to discuss this topic. He addressed the group at the banquet: "Gentlemen, you all wish to send your sons and juniors into the Zhao Character Camp. I, Zhao, understand this sentiment. Each of you, report your numbers. Everyone here knows my rules — those who do not meet the rules need not be counted!"

A hush fell over the table. Ruhui seized the moment to pull out a handkerchief and wipe the sweat from his forehead. In order of status, Senior Licentiate Cai spoke first: "This old man has five hundred men here!"

Another silence. The expressions of the others changed instantly. The man from Zhang Village spoke up directly: "Elder Cai, Master Jin is expanding by only fifteen hundred in total. Your Qulipu alone wants five hundred — are you leaving any room for the rest of us!"

Senior Licentiate Cai was courteous before Zhao Jin, but before them he was unequivocal. Stroking his long beard, he said solemnly: "Every son of my Qulipu is hot-blooded, willing to sacrifice life and limb to defend our homeland. Never mind five hundred men — even a thousand could be mustered."

The others all glared. Zhao Jin smiled and waved a hand, saying: "Gentlemen, simply report your numbers. The two thousand mentioned that day was not set in stone; it was only a figure of speech."

"My Zhang Village is willing to send three hundred sons!"

"... sons, two hundred..."

The banquet instantly grew lively again. Qulipu was one of the largest townships in Xuzhou; aside from the prefectural seat and the four county seats, this was the next largest. Moreover, Qulipu was not just one place — the surrounding villages and stockades were all effectively dependencies of Qulipu. That was why Senior Licentiate Cai could open his mouth and say five hundred. The other places simply did not have that many people.

Yet with everyone speaking in turn, a rough tally already exceeded three thousand. The atmosphere was fervent; every man looked at Zhao Jin with utmost earnestness. Zhao Jin smiled but made no sound. Ruhui, standing behind him, leaned close and whispered four words: "Borrow a chicken to hatch eggs."

Zhao Jin's smile remained unchanged. He merely nodded slightly, raised a hand to signal for quiet, then said with a smile: "I, Zhao, thank you all for your goodwill. That every place is willing to send so many sons into the Zhao Character Camp — I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude. However, these able-bodied young men are surely the labor force of each place, the pillars of their households. If they all came to the Zhao Character Camp for training, would that not harm agriculture and damage livelihoods? This kindness I hold in my heart with gratitude, but I dare not accept it. Allow me to first thank you all."

After speaking, Zhao Jin rose to his feet and cupped his fists in salute. Everyone was momentarily stunned, then followed suit, rising to return the salute, repeatedly saying "We are unworthy of such courtesy." Chairs and tables clattered in a chaotic din.

After a round of hollow pleasantries, everyone resumed their seats. Zhao Jin said with a smile: "I, Zhao, do not mean to shut the sons of every place outside my door. Yet my original intent in organizing this militia was to let every place live and work in peace, free from the harassment and harm of bandits. If organizing the militia ends up disrupting everyone's livelihoods, would that not be absurd?"

The atmosphere in the room cooled. Zhao Jin seemed utterly oblivious, simply continuing: "I, Zhao, do have a method that satisfies both sides — one that neither disrupts the livelihood and production of each place, nor fails to train your sons into troops as elite and strong as the Zhao Character Camp."

No one believed these words, of course. But having Zhao Jin agree to help with training was still a gain. After all, the Zhao Character Camp had gathered a group of inexperienced youths less than a year ago and forged them into such formidable soldiers — they must have unique methods. If he came to train their own men, he would hold back secrets, but he would still impart some genuine techniques. Achieving even a fraction of the Zhao Character Camp's standard would be good enough.

They exchanged glances, each harboring some resentment. If not for Senior Licentiate Cai impatiently blurting out the number five hundred first, how would they all have scrambled so desperately? With so many men, they had likely scared Zhao Jin off directly. Impatience had ruined everything!

They all voiced their willingness to follow Zhao Jin's arrangements, but each secretly resolved not to send so many men. Sending a few less would be fine. They would send their own brothers, sons, and nephews — they absolutely had to learn the methods here.

Zhao Jin's proposal was simple: each place would send men at scheduled times to train together, or the Zhao Character Camp would send men to train them. But equipment had to be standardized with the Zhao Character Camp, and they had to obey the Zhao Character Camp's assignments.

These terms were already within everyone's calculations. When Zhao Jin proposed them, all agreed. Only then did the atmosphere at the banquet grow lively again, and everyone parted in satisfaction.

Zhao Jin basically did not drink when entertaining guests, so once the meal and discussion were done, the gathering dispersed quickly. The others returned to their lodgings to rest and confer. Zhao Jin did not leave the mule-and-horse inn in a hurry. Wang Ziyang attentively served fine tea and pastries, stayed to chat for a few moments, then withdrew as well, leaving only Zhao Jin and Ruhui.

"They all scheme so well. Send several hundred men to me, and once they're trained, they go straight back, or they stay here speaking for their own villages. On the surface, the Zhao Character Camp looks greatly expanded, but in reality it becomes a sieve. Your analogy was a good one — borrow a chicken to hatch eggs," Zhao Jin said with a smile. He made no mention whatsoever of Ruhui acting on his own to see off the guests.

Ruhui also sat down. He drank a few sips of tea before saying: "Still, bringing the sons of every place under our command is not without benefit to us. Once we have a firm hold on these men, we have a firm hold on what stands behind them."

Zhao Jin nodded with a smile, stood up, and said: "We still want them, but we cannot let them come as formed units. Let them come one by one to register. Make them grateful that we took them in, not grateful that their clan heads and village elders sent them."

"Master thinks thoroughly — your subordinate was overthinking it!" Ruhui offered a word of flattery, then smiled and drained his tea in one gulp. Setting down the cup, he said with a smile: "Master, at noon Clerk Lu from the Rites Office already sent word back. He said the Xu family provided the birth characters, sought out an expert to match them, and with Master, it is a match made in heaven!"

"They gave them just like that, so readily?" Zhao Jin was momentarily taken aback.

"... In the Xu family, as expected, their young miss decides everything..." Ruhui first said this line with a smile.

The Xu family also had many business properties on the southern bank of the Yellow River. After Xu Zhenzhen finished her discussion with Zhao Jin that night, she had remained in the prefectural seat to handle affairs. Ruhui had persuaded Clerk Lu of the Rites Office to go to the Xu family and ask for the birth characters; Xu Zhenzhen and her party would be returning home even later than they did.

Although Clerk Lu of the Rites Office was a minor functionary in the yamen, he had served in Xuzhou for so many years that the phrase "of noble character and high prestige" suited him well. Even great and powerful clans had to show him some face. The moment he entered the Xu household, the Xu family head, Xu Benrong, came out personally to receive him.

The moment he heard they were asking for the birth characters, and then heard it was Zhao Jin who had sent someone to ask, the Xu family immediately grew solemn. By all rights, matchmaking and parental decree had nothing to do with the daughter, yet Xu Benrong at once dispatched a fast rider to ask Xu Zhenzhen's opinion.

This utterly unconventional handling left Clerk Lu dumbstruck, but he also understood that the Xu family was taking this seriously. If they had not the slightest inclination, they would have refused outright on the spot.

Fortunately, by this time Xu Zhenzhen had already reached the northern bank. The fast rider's round trip did not take long, and soon he brought back the Xu family young miss's message: the birth characters were given over immediately. According to Clerk Lu's information, Xu Zhenzhen had likely said a few other things as well, for Xu Benrong had already begun inquiring exhaustively about everything concerning Zhao Jin.

Here Ruhui made a point of adding a few extra words. Given Zhao Jin's reputation and standing in Xuzhou, any local strongman with even a modicum of power would have long since sent people to investigate him thoroughly. Yet this Xu Benrong actually did not know — it had long been rumored that although the Xu family head held no official degree, he was deeply fond of refined leisure, troubling himself with neither household affairs nor external matters. This incident seemed to confirm the rumors were true.

After obtaining the birth characters, Ruhui immediately had someone calculate the match. Though it was not a "match made in heaven," it could still be considered a fine pairing. Here Ruhui also explained separately that if the match had been inauspicious, he would have followed instructions and fabricated one. But luck was on their side — the characters were compatible.

This news was also relayed to Zhao Jin's parents. As soon as Clerk Lu returned, Zhao Zhentang planned to ask someone to go and propose marriage. Because Ruhui was in his thirties and well-versed in worldly affairs, Zhao Jin's parents had also consulted with him. In the end, they decided to ask an acquaintance from Xuzhou Guard to act on their behalf — this person would, in all likelihood, be Dong Jike.

"... The way the Xu family young miss handles matters is quite similar to Master. Perhaps this is what they call fate..." After finishing, Ruhui added this comment with a smile.

Zhao Jin nodded. He pondered for a moment, then spoke: "You have wide connections in Xuzhou. Find out the Xu family's full background. A clan that large must have several branches. A woman running the household — there are bound to be those who resent it. Investigate all of this, and every other aspect as well. The more detailed, the better."

Ruhui hastily agreed. After agreeing, he suddenly laughed. Zhao Jin looked at him quizzically. Ruhui waved a hand and explained: "Your subordinate was just thinking — is the Xu family young miss also instructing her people to investigate Master?"

Zhao Jin paused, then laughed as well. Judging from his impression of that night's meeting, it was indeed quite possible she would do just that.

Ruhui, however, did not continue the jest. The Xu family young miss was about to become his mistress; respect and proper boundaries had to be maintained. He took the initiative to change the subject, saying: "Tonight, your subordinate will begin organizing the gazettes from the forty-third year. By tomorrow, Master can start reading them."

Their conversation finished, the two exited the cart inn one after the other. The moment they stepped outside, they saw a large train of camels. The hired hands were carrying wooden buckets to water them and using brushes to clean them.

The mule-and-horse market dealt mainly in cattle and horses; camels were a novel sight. Wang Ziyang, who was seeing them out, hurriedly explained with a smile: "This is a camel caravan that travels between Henan and Northern Zhili. I specially invited them here to transport wine."

Camels excel at long-distance heavy transport and walk steadily — even more convenient than carts and horses. For carrying wine jars to the grasslands, they are the best pack animals.

Zhao Jin nodded with a smile, then spoke: "Remember to recruit those wandering, rootless Tartars for me. Any who can ride and shoot — I have a full belly of food waiting for them here."

Wang Ziyang nodded with a smile and said offhandedly: "Master Jin's Zhao Character Camp is invincible under heaven. Why would you still want these Tartars?"

Zhao Jin did not answer. He merely shot him a glance and left directly with Ruhui. Wang Ziyang's smile froze on his face. Only after Zhao Jin had walked out the gate did he slap himself across the face. Running his mouth — he deserved that.