Chapter 405: Traveling Far in the Twelfth Month

Zhao Jin could understand this reasoning. He sighed with pity and regret, but his moment of weakness showed only in that single sigh. Immediately after, he gave the order: "For those left alone, we will pair them up ourselves and make up the full two thousand households. Giving them families is a blessing for them. Mister Zhou, you go to Yutou Town. Prepare the initial supplies based on these two thousand households — better to have too much than too little."

By this point, everyone more or less understood Zhao Jin's intent. He spoke again: "In a few days, I will go to the Grass Den to see it for myself. Dasheng, Bingfeng, Daxiang, and Xiaoyong will come with me. Zhaojing and Stone will stay behind to hold the fort. This time we'll bring enough horses and supplies, but when it comes to manpower, reliability is the first priority. Those jianghu types — no matter how well they know Huai'an Prefecture — without hostages and without knowing their backgrounds, we cannot use them."

Those named all voiced their assent. Wang Zhaojing's expression remained normal, but Shi Manqiang showed a trace of displeasure. Ruhui, however, hurriedly spoke up to dissuade him: "Master, a man of wealth does not sit beneath a hanging eave. Your status is now esteemed — how can you go and personally court danger? The Grass Den in Huai'an Prefecture is a lawless place. If anything were to go wrong, what would become of this whole enterprise? What would become of all of us?"

Ruhui spoke with great sincerity, and everyone nodded in agreement. Chen Sheng even spoke up: "It's the same if I lead the brothers there. You'd better stay."

"What you say is true, but this matter is too important. The next five years, ten years, or even longer for our Zhao Camp will depend on how we arrange this. I must personally survey and oversee it. There can be no mistake," Zhao Jin said gravely.

Seeing how solemn and resolute he was, and having been together long enough, everyone knew that persuasion was useless. Ruhui sighed and said no more. Wang Zhaojing pondered for a moment, then asked: "Brother, while you are away, if a major matter arises, should we consult sister-in-law or Uncle Zhao?"

"Ask my father. As for her, she will go into the city to stay with my parents for a while. Everything is more convenient in the city anyway." Zhao Jin's answer was very simple, but everyone understood the meaning behind it.

The plan was settled. No one raised any objections, and each went out to attend to their own tasks. Just before leaving, Zhao Jin called Wang Zhaojing and Shi Manqiang back. Once only the three of them remained in the room, Zhao Jin smiled and said: "Stone, I'm not bringing you along not because I don't trust you, but because leaving you here to watch over things puts my mind most at ease."

Only then did the displeasure on Shi Manqiang's face ease somewhat. He nodded sullenly. Zhao Jin turned to Wang Zhaojing and said: "Our Zhao Camp is no longer just a few hundred men like before. An operation this large needs someone with your scholarly rank to handle relations. You can talk to both the officials and the men below — no one else can do that. You must look after this household well."

Wang Zhaojing solemnly agreed. Only after Zhao Jin finished speaking and rose to leave, and after he had walked out the door, did a smile appear on Wang Zhaojing's face.

When Zhao Jin returned to his own residence, he could still hear the crackling of abacus beads from the neighboring courtyard. He knew it was the sound of the Xu family accountants settling the books.

It was already the twelfth month. At year's end, accounts had to be cleared and settled. The Xu family dealt in coal and iron, selling as far as several surrounding provinces. A business that large naturally had extraordinarily complicated accounts at year's end.

Xu Zhenzhen had always been the one managing the Xu family affairs. Although she had married into the Zhao family, she showed no intention whatsoever of letting go. Even if some in the Xu family grumbled in private and were unwilling, Xu Zhenzhen's long-established authority remained, and now Zhao Jin, that fearsome figure, was added to the equation. No one dared show any open sign of dissent.

So, at the end of the eleventh month, the managers and accountants from the Xu family's coal mines and ironworks began arriving at He Family Village. The ox-cart and horse-cart inns were filled to the brim with them. At daybreak they would come to the residences near Zhao Jin's dwelling, calculating and settling accounts. Maidservants, clutching account books, hurried back and forth delivering verbal messages, bustling without pause.

Xu Zhenzhen's way of doing things seemed strange and improper in the eyes of others, but to Zhao Jin it felt perfectly normal. It was a good thing that his wife had her own enterprise. This very normalcy of Zhao Jin's, in turn, struck Xu Zhenzhen as strange — something that made one not know whether to laugh or cry.

When Zhao Jin returned to his room, Meixiang hurriedly greeted him. He saw three maids clutching account books hastily exit the room. They bowed before Zhao Jin, then departed.

The maidservant Meixiang, after respectfully greeting him and performing the proper courtesies, also left the courtyard. In truth, she found it strange as well. Before coming, she had heard of the grand scale of Zhao Jin's operations and had assumed that upon arrival, a life of brocade robes and fine food was inevitable. She never expected such simplicity. Even now, the servants and attendants were still those of the Xu household. And while Zhao Jin conducted affairs with great method, his household had few rules. Xu Zhenzhen and the servants had made all sorts of preparations beforehand, but upon arriving here, none of it had been needed.

After he entered the room, Xu Zhenzhen rose to greet him, poured tea for Zhao Jin, and set out pastries and dried fruits, thus fulfilling the courtesies of a wife. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back to rest.

"One must have limits in work. Don't wear yourself out." Zhao Jin could see that Xu Zhenzhen was very fatigued and could not help but offer a word of advice.

Xu Zhenzhen smiled. If Zhao Jin had said this when she first entered the household, she would nine times out of ten have wondered if he was displeased that she managed the Xu family business and paid too little attention to her own household matters. But after spending this time together, Xu Zhenzhen understood that Zhao Jin meant only the literal meaning of his words.

"At this time every year, there's never any leisure. It only gets a little better after the tenth of the twelfth month. By then, I'll be busy with the household's New Year preparations and distributing dividends, and also preparing for the coming year. There's no rest to be had," Xu Zhenzhen replied with a smile.

Zhao Jin took a sip of tea and nodded. Xu Zhenzhen was in a very good mood tonight. Leaning against the bed, she said: "Husband, in past years at this time, the Xu family always fretted over a shortage of laborers. Once the twelfth month arrives, everyone is busy preparing for the New Year. Those who stay demand extra wages, and their minds aren't on the work, so they don't produce much. With the several thousand people you arranged to send over, we can stockpile a great deal of goods by the time spring begins in the first month, and sell at a good profit while prices are high."

"Don't let the refugees form cliques or gangs. Spread them out, and don't let them govern their own," Zhao Jin reminded her.

Hearing this, Xu Zhenzhen chuckled softly and replied: "This concubine understands. The Xu family has never allowed people from the same home region to oversee each other."

Zhao Jin laughed in spite of himself. So others had thought of this even earlier than he had. Xu Zhenzhen rose to refill Zhao Jin's teacup and added: "Wasn't husband curious about firearms and bird muskets? Now that it's year's end, the skilled craftsmen have some free time. Why not arrange for them to come and make some for you?"

"I'm surprised you still remember. But right now, that's not the most pressing matter. Still, we must do it in the future," Zhao Jin said with a smile. Xu Zhenzhen had already sat down across from him.

Zhao Jin considered his words for a moment, then spoke: "It's already the twelfth month. Father and Mother are overwhelmed in the city. You should go stay with them and help them manage the New Year preparations."

Xu Zhenzhen's expression changed. She studied Zhao Jin's face before asking: "Will husband not be going?"

"I have business that requires me to travel far. I won't have time to go. I may not even be home for the New Year this time, so I'll need you to spend more time with Father and Mother." After saying this, Zhao Jin added: "You can handle your affairs just as well from the city. The Yellow River is frozen now, so getting from Xuzhou to Jingshan is much faster than from here."

Only upon hearing this did Xu Zhenzhen's expression relax. She more or less understood Zhao Jin's meaning and said softly: "Husband, you must be very careful. With you going away, your father and mother, and this concubine as well, will all be deeply worried."

Zhao Jin nodded, but inwardly he had a feeling: although Xu Zhenzhen spoke words of worry, it was more out of propriety than genuine concern.

Having lived together for so long, there was no real emotional attachment to speak of between them. Both were merely maintaining this marriage for what they each wanted from it.

What Zhao Jin was going to do, and how long he would be gone — Xu Zhenzhen did not press for details. She simply did as Zhao Jin had said and went to the Xuzhou prefectural city the next day, accompanied by accountants and servants, making quite a procession.

Meanwhile, at He Family Village, they began selecting personnel from various places to prepare for the journey to the Grass Den in Huai'an Prefecture. The first criterion for selection this time was the ability to ride a horse, so the pool of candidates was not large.

There were one hundred twenty men in the cavalry unit, plus two hundred old household retainers who had previously been trained to ride. Among the newly recruited jianghu characters, those old household retainers who could ride had all now reached the ranks of Camp Officer and Camp Sergeant, serving everywhere as Company Commanders and Squad Commanders. Such personnel could not be drawn away in large numbers, or it would affect the stability of the various Zhao Camp units. As for the jianghu characters, few could be trusted. The cavalry unit, on the other hand, had too many new recruits. In a place like Huai'an Prefecture, where the Zhao Camp had no influence whatsoever, new recruits could not be considered entirely reliable.

After much picking and choosing, Zhao Jin brought a total of seventy men. These seventy men, however, used two hundred horses. Supplies were made as abundant as possible, and even silver and coin were brought in ample amounts. For instance, gold and silver were specially withdrawn from the treasury and specifically cast into gold ingots and gold leaf.

Of the type of armor that Zhao Jin and his men were equipped with, the Shi family blacksmith shop had forged a total of just over thirty sets. Excluding those damaged or of poor quality, all of them were brought this time. Several dozen of the best sets of chainmail were also selected, ensuring that every man had armor.

Whether the selection of personnel or all the preparations, everything was carried out in secrecy. Zhao Jin continued to appear at the training grounds every day as usual.

On the morning of the ninth day of the twelfth month, Zhao Jin led the unit out. Afterward, He Family Village and the Zhao Camp went into lockdown and sealed their gates. Only the rotations to the prefectural city and Kong Family Village continued as before.

In the past, when the Zhao Camp imposed martial law and sealed the camp, the neighboring villagers and elders would show some concern. Now, everyone was busy preparing for the New Year — who had the time to pay attention to this?

Xuzhou had suffered many disasters this past year — drought, the onslaught of refugees. They had managed to pull through, nonetheless. It is said that great fortune must follow great disaster. Even if not, everyone needed to catch their breath and enjoy themselves a little. Such was the atmosphere in the city of Xuzhou. Households that in the past lived frugally and counted every coin were now willing to spend money on meat and wine, even buying a few catties of Hanjing Famous Liquor. Wealthy families were making even grander preparations.

The reason was simple: everyone had lived through the refugee siege of the city. That was truly a scene of impending catastrophe and the end of days. Having experienced that, everyone had learned to live a little more freely. Who knew how many more good days they would have? Eat and drink as you should — don't shortchange yourself.

In past years at this time, the magistrate's yamen was thronged with visitors. As the year drew to a close, it was natural to pay respects to the local magistrate, sending gifts and currying favor. But now, the magistrate's gate was desolate. Instead, the gate of Deputy Chief Constable Zhao Zhentang's home in the east of the city was bustling with activity. The line of people delivering gifts and greetings stretched several streets away. The same was true for the Chen, Shi, Dong, and Ji families. Everyone knew who truly called the shots now.