Chapter 430: Going Together

After that, the innkeeper understood a few things — what to do and how to do it, and when to play dumb.

The innkeeper followed orders, sticking to his own duties; others naturally handled the rest. He knew that people from Zhao Character Camp lived on both sides of those two men's lodgings. In truth, the separate courtyards of the caravan inn had their own built-in arrangements — if anyone wanted to eavesdrop, nothing said inside could escape the outside.

These small details went unnoticed by others. The traveling merchants who came to buy wine drank and made merry all day, their spirits high. But the innkeeper grew more and more nervous, especially today when Third Master Wang himself had come — and wearing a servant's clothes at that, his face smeared with soot, walking with his head down. The matter was certainly no small one.

An hour after nightfall, the merchants had all returned to their rooms. He Family Manor had many rules; break one and you'd be fined. Everyone came here to buy wine and make money — no one was going to cross silver over a little trouble. Troublesome as it was, everyone complied.

Beside the separate courtyard where those two men stayed stood a woodshed. Beneath the woodshed was a cellar, and the cellar led to a hollow wall in the courtyard — one could eavesdrop from there. Wang Zhaojing took off his shoes in the woodshed and put on padded cotton covers so his footsteps would make no sound.

This whole setup had been taught by an old hand of the jianghu in the city — all tricks of the trade from shady inns. When the caravan inn was rebuilt and renovated, many such shady-inn designs had been incorporated.

Wang Zhaojing walked over with light, careful steps and saw Lei Cai already standing on a wooden rack, listening. He patted him lightly; Lei Cai nodded, and only then did Wang Zhaojing climb up.

The edges of the furniture in the guest room had very discreet gaps. Through these gaps one could see outside, and hear very clearly as well.

"A major case — absolutely a major case. Slap an 'intent to rebel' charge on it, and there's no way they'll get off!" the older Han Song said excitedly.

Yan Shao'an was rubbing his hands together nonstop, his face flushed bright red, worked up to an extreme. He chimed in: "We brothers are getting a promotion this time. Why not snag a Chief Flag Officer post? With any luck, we might even get into the Capital to work at the Suppression and Pacification Office. And if Eunuch Yu promotes us to the Eastern Depot — even better!"

The two men chuckled. Han Song took a sip of wine and let out a long breath. "Right next to the distillery, yet they only sell one jin at a time. I really don't know what this shopkeeper is thinking."

With that, Han Song set his wine cup down and said with a grin: "Promotion can wait. First we get rich. Once this case is reported up, those big shots will take a bite each and clean this place out — there won't be any scraps left for us brothers. Tomorrow we head back to the city, reveal our identities, and then spend the New Year right here in Xuzhou."

Yan Shao'an froze for a moment, then clapped his hands together and said excitedly: "Big Brother, your methods are brilliant! Once we reveal our identities, everyone in Xuzhou, high and low, will be scared out of their wits. Plenty of people will come begging for favors. We'll slash the distillery for a fat cut — with all this gold and silver, how could it not be several thousand, even ten thousand taels? We'll take that back with us, and then report the case upward!"

"Come to think of it, what's the big deal about keeping a few thousand men south and north of the river? There are plenty who keep several thousand households. It's just Zhao Jin's bad luck — of all the people to offend, he offended Eunuch Yu!"

"What's the use of worrying about him? Forget him! I hear this Zhao family is also tied by marriage to the Xu family. The Xu family's coal and iron business is outrageously huge — when the time comes, they'll have to bleed too."

"Speaking of the Xu family, I almost forgot — don't they have an Assistant Minister in the family?"

"A joke — just clinging to connections, that's all. In the capital, all those big figures have relatives everywhere. Haven't we seen enough of that?"

Growing more and more excited, Yan Shao'an picked up the wine pot and poured Han Song a cup, then filled his own. He shook the pot and said: "Tonight we drink to our hearts' content. Once we finish, we'll have them bring more wine in. This place really isn't bad — a pity there are no women. Too much pent-up fire!"

"Once we get into the city, we can even bed a wealthy family's young lady if we want!"

Listening to the talk inside, Wang Zhaojing nudged Lei Cai beside him with his hand and pointed outside. Lei Cai nodded. The two men slowed their movements and climbed down from the wooden rack.

They left the cellar with light, careful steps, changed their shoes in the woodshed, and walked straight outside. There were no people coming and going in the courtyard. Even if there were, no one would pay them any attention, because both of them were dressed as servants.

The two men exchanged a glance outside the door. Wang Zhaojing said in a low voice: "Once they reveal their identities, this matter can't be suppressed. If they go back, the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard won't just let it slide either. Add in that eunuch Yu's word, and we'll be in big trouble."

Lei Cai was silent for a moment, then said quietly: "If they don't reveal their identities and can't go back — can the matter end there? Won't the Embroidered Uniform Guard just send more people?"

Wang Zhaojing gave a cold laugh. "Don't overestimate those agents. If they don't go back, Nanjing won't even know anything happened to them."

Seeing the look of surprise on Lei Cai's face, Wang Zhaojing continued: "You heard them just now — they plan to stay and extort silver. That must be their usual way of doing things. Their side naturally won't worry about them. By the time enough has passed for anyone to sense something's wrong, it'll be at least two months. Factor in official foot-dragging, and it could be even longer."

"Third Brother, but after two months, there'll still be trouble!"

"As long as we have two months, we can turn a lot of things around. My family can also put in a word in the capital." Wang Zhaojing said with considerable certainty.

Lei Cai nodded slowly. After a moment's thought, he said: "In that case, Third Brother, you go back first. I'll handle this matter."

Wang Zhaojing froze, then his face filled with fury — though luckily it was too dark to see clearly. Before Lei Cai could turn away, Wang Zhaojing grabbed him by the front of his clothes, yanked him close, and snarled in a low voice: "What do you mean, 'I go back first'!"

Lei Cai looked somewhat surprised, though the night hid it just as well. His tone was sincere: "Third Brother, you have a bright future ahead. There's no need for you to get tangled up in this. It's enough for me to do it."

"You still call me Third Brother!" Wang Zhaojing grew even angrier, his grip on Lei Cai's clothes tightening.

Ever since Zhao Jin had set the order of precedence during the reorganization, everyone had grown accustomed to addressing each other by rank. Wang Zhaojing glared fiercely at Lei Cai. Though the darkness made it impossible to see clearly, he could still sense the calm in the other's expression, as if there were no other meaning behind it.

Wang Zhaojing loosened his grip and sighed quietly. "Did Big Brother and Dasheng tell you to do this?"

"Neither Big Brother nor Second Brother said anything. I just thought, Third Brother, you're already a Provincial Graduate — sooner or later you'll go out and become an official. Doing this sort of thing violates taboos." Lei Cai replied, a bit surprised.

Wang Zhaojing stood stunned for a while, stepped back twice, and let out a long sigh. He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. In the end, he simply waved his hand, turned, and walked away.

Lei Cai shifted his weight, about to find someone to make arrangements. But before he could move, he saw Wang Zhaojing turn and stride quickly back. In a fierce, lowered voice, he said: "What were you thinking? Would you really trust outsiders with something like this? Can you handle two men alone?"

Before Lei Cai could answer, a shout rang out from the separate courtyard: "Waiter! Servant! Bring another pot of wine! If you've got a jar, bring the jar — think we can't pay?"

Wang Zhaojing patted Lei Cai on the shoulder and said quietly: "We go together!"

Lei Cai nodded slowly.

"Dear guests, the wine you ordered is here! The innkeeper has also sent a complimentary dish for you gentlemen to enjoy with your wine!" A call came from outside the door.

Yan Shao'an hurriedly got up to open the door, laughing and cursing: "With the profit you make on one jin of wine, you could buy ten jin of meat — you should've been sending dishes long ago!"

A "complimentary dish" meant a dish given free of charge — wine shops and restaurants used this to curry favor with customers.

Before long, a servant carrying a two-jin wine pot and another man bearing a plate of fragrant, sizzling roast meat walked in together.

"Didn't we say to bring a whole jar?" Yan Shao'an said with a frown.

"Dear guest, our shop's rule is that wine is sold by the jin. This wine is rich and mellow — drinking too much harms the body."

"Old Yan, what are you still prattling about over there? The meat's good — come drink!" Han Song said impatiently from his seat.

Yan Shao'an cursed something and swayed back to his seat. The shorter servant carrying the dish hurriedly took the wine pot from his companion's hand, stepped forward, and filled the two men's cups to the brim. The other, taller servant stood by with his hands at his sides.

The two men clinked cups. Yan Shao'an drained his in one gulp. Han Song brought the wine to his lips, took a sip, then frowned. "Why does the wine taste different?"

After speaking, he held the cup up to the lamplight to examine it. The originally pure, clear liquor was now somewhat cloudy. Han Song suddenly realized what was happening. He flung the cup aside and shouted: "This wine is—"

Halfway through his shout, the servant holding the wine pot smashed it down hard on his head. The porcelain pot shattered to pieces. A two-jin wine pot, nearly three jin with the pot itself — the sudden blow sent Han Song reeling backward, crashing straight to the ground. Before he could react, the shorter servant pulled a dagger from his bosom and stabbed it viciously toward his heart — plunging it straight in!

Han Well Famous Liquor was strong and fierce. The two men had already split a jin between them; half a jin of white liquor down, each was already dizzy. What's more, Yan Shao'an had just downed another cup of this very wine. When he heard Han Song shout, he froze at first. Only when he saw the wine pot shatter did he realize what was happening. Just as he was about to move, the tall servant beside him had already made his move — grabbing his head with both hands and twisting it violently. Crack! Yan Shao'an's head was wrenched around, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

"Leizi, don't pull the knife out — the blood will spurt!" Wang Zhaojing said in a low voice.

Lei Cai had stabbed the dagger into Han Song's chest while his other hand covered Han Song's mouth. Only now did he relax.

Unlike Zhao Jin and the others, who trained diligently in martial skills every day, Lei Cai's only training as a child had been sparring with Zhao Jin and the rest. Later, he had fallen completely behind. Only after he began working with Zhao Character Camp did he resume training. He was diligent and careful in his work, but his hand-to-hand skills were quite ordinary. This time he had the advantage of surprise, but he was wound so tight he was at his limit, his face covered in cold sweat.

"In a bit, the two of us will move the bodies out. Then we'll find two trusted brothers, have them wear these men's clothes, and tomorrow ride their horses westward. We need as many people to see them as possible." Wang Zhaojing said quietly.

Lei Cai looked up and studied Wang Zhaojing for a few moments, then finally said in a muffled voice: "Third Brother thinks of everything."

Wang Zhaojing answered with a bitter smile and shook his head. "Big Brother, please come back soon. How did so many things crop up all at once!"