Chapter 382: Zhao Jin's Wedding

So when Commandant Li and his party traveled the road, it was truly like fierce tigers descending the mountain. For over a hundred paces ahead, practically no one could be seen — everyone hid far off the roadside, not even wanting to be spotted by them. If they somehow provoked trouble, armed robbery and drawn blades were common occurrences.

Commandant Li naturally saw nothing wrong with this; on the contrary, he felt it was an impressive display of authority. They certainly wouldn't notice anything amiss with the travelers on the road. They failed to notice that ahead, a group of travelers, seeing them approach head-on, not only hid off the roadside but actually fled all the way up into the hills.

"Have those curs passed by yet?" a man in his forties asked in a low voice.

A young man just past twenty had just come running down from the hills. He quickly nodded and said, "They're not coming for us. They headed straight for Su Prefecture."

The man let out a long breath and peered down at the official road below the hill a few more times. Turning to the companions beside him, he said, "Don't panic. Once we reach Xuzhou, things will be better."

Beside him were four slender young people; further off stood five sturdy, robust men. The four slender youths were all very short in stature, their builds slight, their faces smeared dark. Though the sun wasn't very harsh, each of them wore a wide-brimmed bamboo hat.

The other men were all in their twenties or thirties, with a somewhat unruly cast to their faces and short blades tucked at their waists. Two of them carried podao on their backs. The man who had spoken looked a bit odd — his complexion wasn't very dark, and the calluses on his hands weren't thick; one could even see traces of burst blood blisters. He didn't quite look like someone from a hardscrabble background, yet he didn't resemble a man of wealth and status either. All the others, whether the sturdy men or the slender youths, treated this man as their leader.

These dozen or so people shared one common trait: the look of hunger. Every one of them seemed somewhat weak, as if they hadn't eaten their fill.

"Uncle Zhong, do we really have to go to Xuzhou?" one of the slender youths asked timidly.

As soon as this question was raised, the others all looked over. One of the sturdy men also spoke up: "Why not go to Luzhou, or Yangzhou? Those are fine places. Xuzhou is nothing but barren hills and foul waters — can anyone make a living there?"

"If we go to Luzhou Prefecture or Yangzhou Prefecture, I fear no one will take us in. In Yangzhou, several great families control everything, with local militias numbering in the thousands, nearly ten thousand. The moment we arrive, the government troops and village braves will slaughter or capture every last one of us. We'd end up as slaves or prostitutes, never to rise again for generations. Luzhou has an even larger military presence, and the local authorities are closely tied to that eunuch Yu. We'd likely be caught between two forces and crushed!"

"Then what about Xuzhou? Haven't we heard the militia there is vicious, that they slaughtered nearly a hundred thousand common folk?" someone immediately countered.

The man addressed as "Uncle Zhong" smiled and said, "They did kill quite a few, but nowhere near a hundred thousand. And that was because those Shandong brutes were incited to besiege the city, which led to the troops and militia killing so many. But do you know what happened next? The remaining refugees and commoners weren't killed at all — they were given proper resettlement and are living well now."

At this, Uncle Zhong sighed and gazed into the distance from the mountainside. With a melancholy air, he said, "As things stand now, of all the places we can go, all the places we can reach, only Xuzhou takes in common folk. We have no choice but to go there and try our luck."

Silence fell over them all. A few of the slender youths began to sob quietly, tears streaming down and carving pale streaks through the grime on their dark faces.

Uncle Zhong turned toward those slender youths. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's just that you've suffered so. In a good year, how could you ever have been reduced to this..."

"Uncle Zhong, we're willing. If the few of us can trade for the safety of everyone else..."

"Those heaven-cursed eunuch dogs! That heaven-cursed Zhu family! Taking advantage of the famine — they're out to devour people alive!" Uncle Zhong suddenly ground his teeth and spat out the words.

Zhao Jin's wedding day drew nearer by the day. For the first time, his parents felt some resentment toward him. His mother, He Cuihua, complained to the He family relatives who had come to help: "What kind of son acts like this? He won't even show his face for his own wedding, leaving every last thing for his parents to handle. We're worked to the bone!"

His uncle, He Youfu, looked at the gifts filling the entire courtyard and the line of people outside the gate waiting to offer congratulations and presents. He had no idea how to respond to such words and could only force a bitter smile in reply.

It wasn't just Zhao Jin who kept out of sight — Xu Zhenzhen didn't say a word either. Though it was said that the bride's family shouldn't have to do much, Xu Zhenzhen had managed the Xu household for four or five years. For her to offer no help with such an event inevitably made people suspect she was shirking. The one running around everywhere was the Xu family's Xu Bende.

On the thirtieth day of the ninth month, Zhao Jin returned to Xuzhou City under the escort of his cavalry. Xu Zhenzhen also arrived at the Xu family's city residence. Since they couldn't cross the Yellow River to fetch the bride, they simply moved the bride's family base to Xuzhou City — that way everyone could save some effort.

Once in Xuzhou, Zhao Jin didn't have a moment's rest. Building connections, pulling strings, and getting close to people was always better done sooner than later. The guests from all quarters who had long been waiting in the city immediately swarmed in.

At the Zhao family residence in the northeast part of the city, from the afternoon of the thirtieth of the ninth month all the way through the evening of the first of the tenth month, the two surrounding streets were packed solid with carriages, horses, and servants. Those actually handling the wedding arrangements had great difficulty getting in and out. Zhao Zhentang had been going in and out of the yamen with his arm in a sling, never once complaining about his health, but these two days, for the first time ever, he claimed his shoulder wound was aching and he needed a good rest — leaving Zhao Jin to receive all the visitors.

When darkness fell on the first of the tenth month, Provincial Graduate Cai and several clerks from the Six Offices finally couldn't stand by any longer. They took the initiative to shoo the guests away, saying that since the man was getting married the next day, he needed to rest early. Only then did the Zhao household quiet down. The Zhao San couple and the Meng siblings were utterly exhausted. The Zhao household still only had these few servants, and the four of them had to handle all the indoor serving duties themselves.

As soon as everyone left, Zhao Jin's father Zhao Zhentang's old wound stopped hurting. He and He Cuihua walked together to the main hall. Just moments ago, the hall had been bustling with noise and activity; now it was cold and quiet. The husband and wife exchanged a glance, but neither spoke. Zhao Jin, seated at the lower end, was also silent. These past two days of receiving guests had been more exhausting than fighting on a battlefield — this was a chance to catch his breath.

"On such a fine, happy day, what are you crying for?" Zhao Zhentang suddenly said, his voice tinged with irritation, though still very low.

Zhao Jin, who had been staring blankly into space, was startled. He looked over and saw that his mother, He Cuihua, was wiping away tears. His mother rarely cried, but over these past few years, the times she wept had grown more and more frequent.

"Xiao Jin was never home much to begin with. Now that he's starting his own family, he'll be even more distant," He Cuihua said, still wiping her tears.

Zhao Zhentang was so annoyed he nearly slammed the table, but his arm made it inconvenient. He merely snorted and said, "What nonsense are you talking? It's only a few dozen li — going back and forth is so easy. You can see him whenever you want. Tomorrow is the great happy day, and here you are being all gloomy."

"See him for what? Xiao Jin's been over there for more than half a year now. The few times he came back to the city, I'd rather he hadn't come at all. Once he's married, he'll be even busier, never stopping. And that daughter-in-law of ours — she's no simple, easy one either. You think you can count on her to be filial to her in-laws?" He Cuihua rambled on, her complaints unceasing.

Zhao Zhentang's face stiffened. He seemed about to say something, but in the end, he let out a long sigh and said, "Xiao Jin's success matters more than anything. That daughter-in-law who hasn't crossed our threshold yet will be a good helper to Xiao Jin. Finding people to be filial and serve us is easy — just scatter some silver and who knows how many will come kowtowing at our door."

"Father, Mother, these past few years have been rather troublesome for your son. Everything is still unsettled. Once I've found firm footing, our whole family can be together. For now, staying apart is safer — it makes trouble less likely." Zhao Jin didn't quite know how to respond, so he could only stand up and speak stiffly.

He Cuihua didn't answer him directly. She simply wiped her tears and said, "Go to bed early. You have to rise early tomorrow. Your father and I are going to sleep now."

When children marry and establish themselves, they become independent. Although the Great Ming valued multiple generations living under one roof, Zhao Jin had been self-reliant from a young age and now lived on his own outside the city, rarely coming home. This marriage made his parents feel he was even further away. Zhao Jin could understand this feeling, but there was no way to resolve it. The Zhao Battalion at its current scale simply could not be stationed inside the city, yet the city was the hub of Xuzhou and needed his father's help in keeping an eye on things. For the sake of his enterprise, this was indeed a dilemma.

Zhao Jin had always slept soundly, but that night he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He didn't know if it was because he was getting married the next day or because his parents' spirits had been so low that evening.

At the first glimmer of dawn on the second day of the tenth month, the Zhao household began to bustle. Though the courtyard held only the family of three and four servants, a large contingent of men had long been waiting outside the gate. The moment the gate opened, everyone surged in — including his companions dressed in their finest. Everyone was laughing and joking, brimming with joy.

Martial practice was naturally out of the question. A flurry of hands helped Zhao Jin into his red wedding robes. Zhao Jin, who always made every decision himself, rarely found himself at everyone else's disposal like this. Everyone found it amusing. Even Zhao Zhentang and He Cuihua, whose spirits had been so low the night before, were now all smiles.

Once the wedding robes were on, a martial man was transformed into the image of a civil official. Ru Hui and Chen Sheng exchanged a few muttered words, then had him take the wedding robes off again and put on a layer of soft armor underneath. A short blade, of course, was never to be left off his person — better to be cautious.

A fine steed draped in red silks and colorful ribbons was already waiting at the gate. This had been prepared well in advance by Wang Ziyang and his group of cattle and horse merchants. The Xu family had also sent someone over early to inform the new son-in-law that everything on their side was ready.

The moment Zhao Jin mounted his horse, Chen Sheng and Liu Yong signaled to the front and rear. Immediately, men sprinted off in all directions. There were a full six hundred Zhao Battalion household troops inside Xuzhou City right now, with over a thousand men mobilized across all fronts. On such a joyous day, both the magistrate's yamen and the Assistant Regional Commander's office turned a blind eye.

Moments after those men ran off, his companions mounted their horses as well. The cavalry troop also mounted up, everyone dressed in new clothes of matching color, looking sharp and uniform. They clustered around Zhao Jin in the center, and only then did the procession slowly move forward.

Every road Zhao Jin would pass was guarded by someone — Zhao Battalion household troops, yamen runners, and local toughs. Only the common folk standing in front of their own homes could watch the excitement; pedestrians on the street were strictly forbidden.

Even so, the enthusiasm of the Xuzhou common folk remained undiminished. The moment Zhao Jin's wedding procession passed their door and they heard the sound of gongs and drums, entire families, young and old, would pour out. Strict as the procession's discipline was, they were exceedingly generous, constantly scattering brand-new copper coins and fragrant pastries to both sides, sending the roadside crowds scrambling to grab them.

Strictly speaking, the wedding proceedings didn't conform to proper ritual and custom. But both the Zhao and Xu families prioritized efficiency and convenience, and given their power, no one dared to open their mouths and criticize. The Xu family's city property wasn't far from the Zhao residence. By custom, when the groom arrived, the bride's family was supposed to block him a bit — pose some challenges, or extort some silver — all folk games to add to the festive cheer. But which of the Xu family's younger generation dared block Zhao Jin? Looking at that groom in his red robes and the tall, fierce young men behind him, the Xu sons' legs went weak. Bowing and smiling obsequiously, they ushered him right in.

The ceremonies inside were also very simple. Before long, Xu Zhenzhen, her head covered by a red bridal veil, emerged from the courtyard and got into the bridal sedan chair. Just before she boarded, the Xu family head, Xu Benrong, shed a few reluctant tears. The young master, Xu Housheng, came chasing after her, crying and shouting that he wouldn't let his sister go.

"Silly child, what are you crying for? Your sister's only going a few streets away. You'll see me again in a little while." Xu Zhenzhen's comfort was very direct. The people who heard this all wore somewhat odd expressions. When a daughter married out, she was supposed to squeeze out a couple of tears to show her reluctance to leave, but this young lady was certainly blunt. Xu Housheng broke into tearful laughter. Xu Zhenzhen patted his head and got into the sedan chair herself.

On the return trip, the gongs and drums sounded again. The common folk lining both sides of the road had just gone back inside and now turned around again in astonishment, thinking the bride-fetching had been far too quick — could this be a second family? But one look confirmed it was Zhao Jin bringing back his bride. The bridal sedan chair had maidservants walking beside it; there was no mistaking it.

"Such a lofty household, such a great family — how can it be so peculiar!" someone also muttered these words. Immediately, several fierce glares shot his way, and he dared not say another word.

A path was cleared in the vicinity of the Zhao family gate. The guests from all quarters, except for those of especially honored status, were all waiting outside to watch the wedding procession return.

For these people, ritual and custom were secondary. The union of the Zhao and Xu families signified that the entire Xuzhou region was now thoroughly under the control of a single family — one could even say under the control of a single man. That man was Zhao Jin.

"... Today Xuzhou becomes Zhao Province — that line is rather apt..."

"What did you say, Elder Cai?"

Provincial Graduate Cai had been watching Zhao Jin lead the bride through the door and had murmured this sentiment under his breath. When someone asked, he merely smiled and shook his head.

"If your mother could see how glorious her grandson is, who knows how happy she'd be!" A rough voice came from the seat of honor, filled with emotion but even more with joy.

Zhao Jin looked over and saw a portly old man in a dark purple robe patterned with gold coin motifs staring right at him. The clothes were exquisite, but they didn't fit him well. Zhao Jin smiled and greeted him: "Maternal Grandfather..."

Butcher He from outside Xuzhou City was now a man of considerable stature. Though he still stuck to his pig-slaughtering trade, cared for in his old age by his sons, who didn't know he was Master Jin's maternal grandfather? Even ranked clerks from the yamen had to respectfully call him "Old Master" when they visited.

"Don't mind this old man — go on with your business!" Butcher He laughed so hard his eyes disappeared, his voice still booming. Zhao Jin also greeted his uncle, who stood behind Butcher He. Compared to his rough-and-ready grandfather, his uncle was much more ill at ease.

Compared to all these beaming elders of the Zhao family, Xu Zhenzhen's father, Xu Benrong, seemed somewhat out of place. He fancied himself a renowned scholar and naturally had no common ground with yamen runners and butchers. Exchanging strained, polite smiles was already the best they could manage. Xu Bende, however, chatted merrily with everyone, doing a fine job of keeping the atmosphere lively.

The master of ceremonies had handled plenty of joyous occasions before, but now he was a bit dumbfounded. The bridal return had come far too quickly — the city gates had just opened, and the auspicious hour had not yet arrived. Were they really going to perform the wedding rites and chants at breakfast time? Flustered, he hurried over to ask Zhao Zhentang's side, only to be pushed toward Zhao Jin's side.

"The bride will rest first. I will go receive the guests, and we will hold the ceremony at the auspicious hour!" Zhao Jin gave his answer, crisp and decisive.

It was said that before the ceremony was complete, the groom could not enter the bride's chamber. Zhao Jin paid no heed. Xu Zhenzhen's maid, Meixiang, tried to block his way, but after a word of instruction from behind, she bowed and slipped out.

"The He Village set the rules that day. Today everyone has come to build connections. I must go out and receive them. Rest well here." Zhao Jin explained.

"Husband, attend to your important matters. Your wife understands in her heart." Xu Zhenzhen replied very calmly, but beneath the bridal veil, her expression was somewhat strange.

In a world where men are honored and women are lowly, a local strongman like Zhao Jin was all the more accustomed to wielding power as he pleased. Xu Zhenzhen had prepared herself for Zhao Jin to act willfully, yet she never expected this husband of hers to be so considerate of her feelings, so attentive. This defied common sense, and Xu Zhenzhen found it peculiar.

To Zhao Jin, it was merely a habit, having nothing whatsoever to do with equality or respect. He simply felt he ought to give her a word. Xu Zhenzhen's reply made him feel even more that she understood reason — indeed, a woman who had managed a household enterprise on her own. Smiling and nodding, Zhao Jin turned and left.

Today, the four city gates of Xuzhou were exceptionally crowded. The number of people entering and leaving was about the same as usual, but the people gathered on either side of the gates were twice as many as normal.

Anyone with a good eye for faces could tell — at the city gates there were idlers, there were runners, and there were some unfamiliar, sturdy-looking men. Those sturdy men, dressed in uniform short robes, stood gathered in the distance in a group, while the idlers and runners were all there, ceaselessly sizing up the crowds going in and out. These idlers and runners were all said to have the sharpest eyes.

From afar, they saw a dozen riders, three large carts, and several dozen men dressed as laborers heading toward Xuzhou's east gate, the Mingde Gate. At the sight of those dozen riders, a runner turned his head and called out. Those sturdy men all drew near, and the garrison soldiers at the gate even stepped forward to block the way, shouting loudly: "Who goes there? What business do you have in Xuzhou?"

Countless people entered and left Xuzhou every day. The garrison soldiers usually just seized the chance to extort a little money and generally paid no mind to anything else. A large, well-equipped party like this would normally be let through directly, because it might be the retinue of a wealthy and noble family — offending them would bring great trouble upon oneself. The rules were much the same everywhere in the Great Ming.

The approaching party likely thought the same. The two riders at the front, wearing soft armor and carrying podao swords, showed looks of surprise.

Several idlers by the roadside had already slipped their hands into their coats, but one sharp-eyed man spotted a flag hanging from one of the large carts. The flag was a foot square, embroidered with two white horses, the stitching very fine.

"The Twin Horse Flag? Is this the Feng family's?" Traveling the jianghu, among all trades and walks of life, sharp eyes and a quick memory were prized above all — lest one fail to recognize a marker and offend someone who should not be offended. This fellow's foundation was deep; he identified the origin at a glance.

"The Feng family? Which Feng family?"

"The Yangzhou Feng family!"