Chapter 371: Some Rejoice, Some Grieve

Lei Cai's expression was quite calm as he stood rigidly at attention and answered. He used to be a fat man, but after enduring much hardship later, he became thin and gaunt. In the Zhao Character Camp he naturally ate his fill and well, yet he never gained the weight back, and even his back had become somewhat hunched. Zhao Jin and the other brothers merely seemed a bit prematurely mature in temperament, but Lei Cai looked like a man in his thirties or forties.

Inside and outside He Village, within the Zhao Character Camp system, and throughout the city of Xuzhou, few people liked Lei Cai. He had been a rather cheerful person at first, but later grew increasingly gloomy, making others feel very uncomfortable. Only Zhao Jin's attitude toward him never changed.

"Your rank is also Camp Colonel, but the Internal Guard does covert work, so you must also pay attention to secrecy in your actions. I don't want too many people knowing you are the Vice Captain of the Internal Guard," Zhao Jin admonished.

"Please rest assured, Big Brother, your little brother understands," Lei Cai answered in a deep voice.

Zhao Jin smiled and shook his head, teasing, "You're far too old for your years. If you keep on like this, be careful you won't find a wife later."

Lei Cai did not respond to this joke, and Zhao Jin did not mind. He continued, "You've been taking care of your uncle's children all along, yet you live so frugally yourself. I was too busy before and neglected your situation — that was my fault. This time, a small manor has been specially made for you at Cloud Dragon Mountain: fifteen hundred mu of irrigated land. The produce will be for your private use. Draw another thousand taels of silver from here, and if it's not enough, come get more!"

"Many thanks, Big Brother. Your little brother will accept the manor. My aunt is gravely ill in bed, my two younger brothers and one younger sister are not yet grown, and there are also several poor relatives — we will rely on this manor. As for the silver, your little brother will not take it. Such a large estate is more than enough. If official business requires it, your little brother will draw funds according to the rules." Lei Cai spoke very formally.

Zhao Jin nodded with a smile, then stood and clapped his hands, saying, "Everyone, let's go out and drink. Tonight we celebrate properly!"

"I'm not drinking. Da Xiang, you don't drink either. The rest of you do as you please — someone always has to keep watch at night," Chen Sheng said in a muffled voice.

Zhao Jin was taken aback, then smiled wryly and shook his head. Everyone filed out, but Zhao Jin called Liu Yong back. He lowered his voice, though his tone remained relaxed: "Xiao Yong, you need to have a squad of your own. Only you and I will know about this squad — don't tell anyone else."

"Should Lei Zi know?" Liu Yong asked quietly.

Zhao Jin said nothing, only shook his head. Liu Yong nodded, then spoke again: "Big Brother, shall your little brother continue arranging the bodyguards and hidden sentries on your side?"

His voice was very low. Zhao Jin was already walking out, but upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "Who else but you?"

That night, Zhao Jin got thoroughly drunk, because far too many people came to toast him. On such an occasion, he could not afford to refuse a single cup.

The gathering and feasting lasted just that one day. The next day, the intense busyness began.

In He Village, apart from the distillery and the market, all the walls and fences were torn down. The existing houses were reinforced and renovated as much as possible. Latrines were added and trenches dug. Every vacated building was put to use — He Village could still accommodate over two thousand people.

Carpenters from within a radius of several dozen li all came over. Timber was also transported in. All kinds of furniture and utensils were being manufactured in large quantities. These were all requisitioned and provided by the local strongmen and gentry, who directly mobilized the local craftsmen and sent them to Zhao Jin's side.

Large groups of refugees also hurried over. One part was piling up brick kilns, while another part, under the direction of craftsmen, was building kitchens and dining halls. The large-scale earthworks also continued. The entire area around He Village had become a huge construction site.

Also starting from this second day, the young and able men who had been recruited began returning in a steady stream. Those who returned were not immediately formed into units, but were temporarily grouped into squads of fifty. These new recruits did not participate in training, but were led to do labor — this was also a means of building up their physical fitness.

The layout of He Village increasingly resembled a military fortress. Around this fortress lay the various artisan workshops and markets it sheltered. The fortress's location was also a transportation hub.

The large-scale construction here also brought enormous commercial opportunities. The flow of people and goods converged rapidly. Those with skills from the surrounding villages and towns came to supply materials; those with lesser skills came to set up a stall; those with no skills came to contribute their labor — all to earn a little extra income for themselves.

What many people did not expect was that the internal construction was overseen by the monks of Cloud Mountain Temple, because Cloud Mountain Temple's main temple and its various subordinate temples had long been experienced in providing food and lodging for several hundred or even a thousand people at a time.

Few people paid attention to the bustle at He Village, and few pondered the reorganization of the Zhao Character Camp. Everyone considered it Zhao Jin's own property and his own people — whatever he wished to do with them was no one else's business.

Some also thought that Zhao Jin, now possessing a fortune of ten thousand strings of cash and being in the prime of his youth and strength, ought to take several more concubines and enjoy himself properly. Spending so much money building houses for his household retainers and hiring several thousand people was a complete waste of money — the frivolity of a young man.

As the news and observations of that day gradually spread, what people truly took note of was Zhao Jin's spendthrift behavior.

How hard it is to acquire a single mu of land! Farmers scrimp and save, landlords scheme and plot, sometimes even resorting to blades and bloodshed. Once acquired, it must be carefully managed and passed down through the generations to one's descendants. Yet this young master, on the contrary, simply gives it away. Right now, it doesn't seem like much — just a few thousand mu — but he immediately brings in several thousand people. How many mu will that require? The family fortune he worked so hard to build is being squandered just like that. Wasteful! Ruinous!

While feeling pained on someone else's behalf, everyone also grew doubtful. How long could such a thing last? Zhao Jin was the master of the house, after all. If he went back on his word, no one could do anything about it.

But everyone knew that Zhao Jin kept his word. When working as a servant for others, getting a full meal was already considered good. Yet Zhao Jin gave real silver and real coin, and even farmland. Whether such a good thing would exist in the future was uncertain, but it certainly existed now — and if you arrived late, it would probably be gone.

Many of the young and able men who had been accepted were driven out the door by their families, urged to hurry back to the Zhao Character Camp. Although everyone who entered was a new recruit, performing well always held the possibility of promotion, and that might allow one to earn a family estate to pass down.

Those households with status and influence paid more attention to the item called the Scholar Corps. The other divisions all had requirements, but the conditions for the Scholar Corps were considerably more lenient. If their own sons were thirteen or fourteen, or even past twenty with no prospects, should they send them over?

Some cared about this, while others cared about the marriage alliance between the Zhao and Xu families — what stage the ceremonial procedures had reached, what the betrothal gifts were on this side, what the dowry was on that side. People inquired and discussed all of this, which was hardly surprising. The marriage of two great families was a major event in Xuzhou recently and naturally worthy of attention.

It was said that the wedding date had already been set. For two such great families, the marriage was proceeding remarkably quickly. It was said that the first day of the tenth month was directly proposed for the ceremony, but Zhao Jin said that day was too grand and it should be changed. So the almanac was consulted again, and it was said that the second day of the tenth month was also an auspicious day. Everyone, however, was puzzled: the first day of the tenth month was too grand — what exactly was the reason? Even those monks, Daoists, and feng shui masters could not figure it out.

When the Xuzhou gentry and local magnates gathered at He Village and the Zhao Character Camp expanded and set its rules, those with real standing all knew what this signified. The clerks, scribes, and runners of the Xuzhou Prefectural Office already held little respect for Prefect Tong Huaizu, and now they grew even more negligent.

When the news reached the office, Prefect Tong shut his door and sat in a daze for an entire day. The next day, when his personal attendant went in to tidy up, he found the wastepaper basket full of crumpled notes. Curious, the attendant unfolded one and saw that each bore the same line: "Now Xuzhou has become the Zhao Prefecture." Once word of this got out, everyone high and low laughed.

Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, more news emerged. It was said that the Prefect's wife had once advised Tong Huaizu, saying, "My lord, just endure this one term, and then the sea and sky will be wide open."

It was said that at the time, Prefect Tong was writing a report stating that the Zhao Character Camp harbored disloyal intentions. Originally, the Prefect's wife had been quite neglected, with the Prefect spending all his days in the rooms of his two concubines. After Zhao Jin rose to power, the concubines complained all day long, while this wife often offered advice and comfort. The affection between husband and wife actually became much better than before.

"Husband, there is still a share of several hundred taels of silver after all. The customary fees are meager, but they have not yet ceased. Why tear off all pretense?"

"This official can endure no longer! How is this the Great Ming's Xuzhou? It is clearly his Zhao family's private estate! I must report this and submit a memorial — someone will surely intervene!"

"Husband, the Wang family is so pure and esteemed, and they are on friendly terms with the Zhao family. What use would your words be? You would only be reprimanded instead."

"Then I shall not be this Prefect any longer!"

"Husband, official rank is a small matter. Even in the worst case, if the court truly sends someone to investigate, that Zhao Jin is such a wolf and tiger, with deep and tangled connections everywhere in Xuzhou. I fear that when the time comes, neither your life nor your wife's will be safe!"

Those eavesdropping outside heard up to this point, because it was then that Prefect Tong, disheartened and dejected, called for his servants to prepare wine and food. That very night he got thoroughly drunk, and in his drunkenness he muttered, "Hardship at a cold window was not enough — I regret not having done better from the start. If only my ranking had been a little higher, how could it have come to this!"

When word of this spread, Scholar Cai provided the explanation: the first rank of presented scholars went to the Hanlin Academy, the second rank to the Censorate as investigating censors, the third rank to the Six Ministries as secretaries, the fourth rank to serve as county magistrates, and the fifth rank to serve as prefects. The prefect's rank was the highest, often being sixth or fifth rank, but there was no future prospect in a lifetime. Meanwhile, a county magistrate, though only seventh rank and a local official, was eligible to take the examination for censor or supervising secretary, whereas a prefect could only slowly grind out his time in the position.

At the time, this Prefect Tong Huaizu's ranking in the palace examination had been very low — hence this lament.

Ridicule aside, out of consideration for the fact that Tong Huaizu had done nothing, and for the sake of his worthy wife who understood the greater situation, everyone raised the customary fees somewhat.

Compared to the unsightly situation on the Prefect's side, the county magistrates of Feng County, Pei County, Xiao County, and Dangshan fared much better. They had long since dispatched their people in all directions to make contact, showing every courtesy to Zhao Jin's side, and all had gained benefits from this exemption of taxes and grain levies.

On the nineteenth day of the eighth month, Zhao Jin received another letter from Wang Zhaojing. After that joint council ended, Zhao Jin had arranged for Ru Hui to write a letter explaining all the events of that day, then sent someone from the Wang family to deliver it. In any case, by the time the letter arrived, Wang Zhaojing would have already entered the examination hall, so it would not cause any delay.

Wang Zhaojing's reply was, on the contrary, much briefer than the previous ones. Apart from greetings, it conveyed only one meaning: he would return as quickly as possible.