Chapter 516: It's the Zhao Camp

As he spoke, Hu Huigong's own expression changed first. He lowered his voice and muttered, "That being the case, the Feng family getting wiped out in the night... it might very well have been that kid's doing too."

At the words "the Feng family got wiped out," Ma Chonghao's gaze suddenly sharpened. He stared hard at Hu Huigong, but Hu Huigong was just standing there in lingering fear. He patted his forehead and said, "Had I known it would be like this, why would I have ever gone out of my way to provoke that god of slaughter?"

Over there, he was still sighing in fear, but Ma Chonghao just started chuckling. Chiliarch Hu Huigong hastily stepped back, bowed, and said, "I will handle this matter myself, no need for you to trouble yourself, Commandant. I will make sure it brings no trouble to our side."

"This is no trouble at all — this is a heaven-sent windfall! I absolutely must trouble myself over it!" Ma Chonghao said, his eyes gleaming.

At this, Hu Huigong was instead baffled. Somewhat puzzled, he asked, "Commandant, that kid is far too thorny. He even dared to lay hands on our Embroidered Uniform Guard officers, and he's been doing lawless things like this for years. Why should we get tangled up with him?"

"You're scared? One lawless local thug from Xuzhou has frightened you into this state?"

"Commandant, that kid supposedly has over two thousand militia and household retainers under him. Looking at all these cases and such, he must be keeping no small number of desperadoes. A local magnate like that, even the local officials can't do anything about him. Why should we go looking for trouble?" Hu Huigong's words were quite detailed this time. Having just recited Zhao Jin's deeds, he felt a chill run through his whole body. He figured that if they kept entangling themselves, they might very well bring disaster upon themselves.

Ma Chonghao stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the Qinhuai River, dotted with lights everywhere. He laughed and said, "No matter how you talk him up, he's still just a local thug. If the magistrate can't handle him, there's still the circuit intendant, still the grand coordinator. He has a few thousand men under him? The Great Ming has tens of thousands of troops right here in South Zhili, and a million soldiers across the whole realm. What does he even count for? A local thug who runs the underworld, a landlord who fences stolen goods — what is he even worth?"

At this point, Ma Chonghao slapped the window lattice and said excitedly, "That distillery is surely a gold and silver mine of income. All those fields and properties can be turned into silver the moment they change hands. And since he's just a local thug in some backwater, no one will care no matter how you strike. This is a big fat sheep. I truly don't know how you people just let him slip by."

Hu Huigong bared his teeth. This master from the capital really had a different way of thinking. He'd scatter small sums to buy goodwill, but wouldn't let a single big sum he could grab slip through his fingers. The north really did have broader experience than the south, and knew how to get things done.

Thinking of this, Hu Huigong smacked his forehead and said, somewhat awkwardly, "Commandant, there's something I forgot to mention. Behind that Zhao Jin stands a pure-stream official, a censor from the Chief Surveillance Bureau. I've also heard he's on familiar terms with several powerful eunuchs in the inner court. It just occurred to me now, otherwise I wouldn't have been so cautious in my investigation. A personal note from Eunuch Yu would have sufficed."

Chiliarch Hu Huigong had originally thought of not mentioning this, to see if he could set a trap. But after serving for so long, he knew this Assistant Commander-in-Chief's temperament very well. He would definitely investigate thoroughly before making a move, and once it was found out, he himself would certainly be marked for retaliation.

"A censor?" "A powerful eunuch?" Ma Chonghao's brow furrowed. A censor he didn't take seriously, but the words "powerful eunuch" forced him to pay attention.

"With a father so pure and esteemed, how could the son be running a business of the rivers and lakes underworld?" Ma Chonghao sensed something was off.

In households of presented scholars, provincial graduates, and licentiates, there were certainly no shortage of those who preyed on the countryside and ran brothels and gambling dens under their protection. But they would absolutely never personally wade into the blood and flesh, life-and-death struggles of that world.

"I heard it's the father of a sworn brother, also a Xuzhou man." As a chiliarch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, no matter how dissolute and debauched he usually was, his ability to remember things was never poor. A great deal of information was stored in his head, ready to be retrieved at any time.

"So it's not his own father!" Ma Chonghao grinned, slapped the window lattice again, and said, "Tomorrow, everyone from centurion and above, come to my place. There's something to discuss."

These words were a dismissal. Hu Huigong could also guess what Ma Chonghao intended to do. He had nothing to say, but inwardly he had his own calculations. If this Ma Chonghao went to Xuzhou and smashed his head bloody against a wall, it wouldn't be a bad thing for everyone.

As the sound of Hu Huigong's footsteps faded into the distance, the excitement on Ma Chonghao's face could no longer be contained. He muttered to himself in a low voice, "Liquor, farmland... very possibly private salt too. Who knows how much silver he's stashed away. Excellent..."

"... These cowardly goods who've never seen the world, scared witless by a single bold and ruthless local thug..."

Following the Yellow River west back to Yucheng County, and traveling along the Xuzhou official road toward Shangqiu, the seat of Guide Prefecture, one would pass through Mamu Market.

In the areas where Guide Prefecture bordered Xuzhou, there were quite a few manors and properties. If nothing else, the trade markets at these border crossings were always far more prosperous than elsewhere.

Originally, at every crossroads along this border, there were runners and soldiers sent by the authorities to stand guard, with patrols moving about to inspect and check. But no one knew how long this rule had been neglected. Everyone was too lazy to do it seriously. For one thing, if you blocked the road and a salt smuggler came through, what were you supposed to do? Fight and you'd be throwing your life away; not fight and you'd be breaking the rules.

Moreover, if you enforced the ban too strictly, what about the local villagers and neighbors? Everyone was hiding stolen goods and selling salt — who wasn't implicated somehow?

Now, at the crossroads where Guide Prefecture bordered Xuzhou, there were still a few men keeping watch, but they weren't there for inspection or checking. They were only there to pass along word.

By now it was the tenth month. This official road wasn't far from the Yellow River, and the north wind was cold and biting. The six men serving as lookouts were all huddled in a sheltered spot, idly chatting. In any case, the only people crossing the border were some traveling merchants, nothing important.

"I heard that Chang Tongchui has gathered over four hundred men and is drilling troops over at Guo Village. He's sent notices to everyone all around. Did your master receive one?"

"Received one long ago. My master even laughed about it in private, called it a monkey show. When Master Jin over there held his inspection, everyone who watched was utterly stunned. If this Chang Tongchui tries to put on a show, he'll probably just get laughed at by outsiders."

"You're just talking sour grapes. So what if it's a monkey show? He's got the salt trade in his grip now. Even Kaifeng and the north of the river are doing business with him. That Copper Hammer is now the top dog in Guide Prefecture."

"... That man's no good. I hear he has no sense of loyalty. If he hadn't turned on his sworn brothers and swallowed up their operations, he wouldn't be as big as he is today..."

After a few scattered complaints, someone said with great longing, "Don't you think, with Xuzhou so close to our Guide Prefecture, it'd be great if Master Jin just came over and took charge directly? That old man treats his own people well, he's all about rules and loyalty, and he can grow businesses and trade. Following him, you don't have to fear being shortchanged, and you can even get rich. He's way better than that bear of a man, Chang Tongchui."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, each imagining what it would be like if Zhao Jin came over. Someone laughed and punctured the fantasy: "Stop dreaming. Master Jin belongs to Xuzhou, that's South Zhili territory. It's got nothing to do with us in Henan."

At that, everyone's hopes faded. Just as they were about to change the subject, they suddenly heard the urgent sound of hoofbeats coming from the east, and it seemed to be getting closer and closer.

The men hurriedly poked their heads out from their shelter to look. They saw six riders, spread far apart, galloping swiftly in their direction.

Seeing the riders on horseback with sabers at their waists, these men naturally didn't dare interfere. They simply watched as the riders sped past them.

"Has something happened? Are they from the authorities?" someone asked, puzzled.

An experienced man immediately denied it, saying, "Doesn't look like it. Government men have to wear their uniforms."

They exchanged a few casual words and were about to duck back into their shelter from the wind when suddenly someone pointed east and shouted, "Look over there! A large force of men and horses!"

Looking east, they saw roughly over a thousand men and horses slowly advancing in the distance. At first glance, the formation didn't seem large, but after a few more looks, one would realize it only seemed small because the ranks were so impeccably neat.

"Could it be government troops?" someone muttered.

"Government troops could never look like that. You've seen the ones we have around here," someone immediately denied.

No one dared to stay at the crossroads. If you blocked the path of marching soldiers and got killed, there'd be nowhere to seek justice. But there was no need to flee either — they were all law-abiding commoners. Once the soldiers passed, they'd still need to keep watch...

About half a shichen later, as the distance closed, more details became visible. For instance, there were over two hundred cavalry, and the rest were all infantry, roughly a hundred men per company, their formation exceptionally orderly. Everyone also saw the banner flying amidst the ranks — black background with a red border, bearing the character "Zhao"!

None of the men here could read, but they knew perfectly well what that banner meant. Over the past year and more, how many carts, horses, and merchant convoys had passed through flying the Zhao Camp recognition flags, large and small...

"It's Master Jin!"

"It's the Zhao Camp!"

The several men standing sentry at the crossroads couldn't help but shout out loud. Only, their voices held little fear; instead, they were brimming with excitement.

They hadn't been standing too far off. A rider from the Zhao Camp ranks spurred his horse over. Drawing near, he shouted loudly, "All of you, go back and tell your households that Master Jin has arrived! Go, quickly!"

These men froze for a moment, then immediately turned and ran, shouting as they ran, "Master Jin is here!"

The landlords and local magnates of Guide Prefecture, and all those who could be considered figures of any standing, had initially all thought that Zhao Jin would never come to Henan — after all, it wasn't the same province. Yet these judgments did not affect how they expressed themselves once they learned the news.

Those who could make decisions and felt they had some weight first had their households prepare rewards and provisions, while they themselves rode ahead on horseback. There were also a few with guilty consciences who first set their final affairs in order before heading that way.

Once everyone had rushed over, each person first went to the roadside to kowtow and pay respects. Only after obtaining permission did they dare to follow along and advance together.

This time, everyone finally saw the legendary Zhao Camp with their own eyes. The men and horses were truly elite. Look at those ranks — all strapping young fellows, not a single step out of place. And look at that armor. To say nothing else, in the entire territory of Guide Prefecture, even counting the government troops, no one had iron armor this fine. When the sun hit it, it dazzled the eyes.

So Master Jin really was quite young — he didn't look to be even twenty yet. But for someone so young, the killing aura about him was truly intimidating. Though that was hardly surprising, come to think of how many lives Master Jin had taken...

As soon as one family got word, they immediately sent someone to notify their own relatives and friends, telling them to hurry over, kowtow, and pay their respects. They had previously assumed that because of provincial boundaries, he wouldn't cross over. Now that he had come, Guide Prefecture would certainly be under this master's rule from now on. Coming to kowtow and say hello was to prepare for the future.

Thanks to the three book friends "linenhai, Book Friend 11362748, Sweet Sugarcane" for their tips. Thanks everyone for your monthly tickets and subscriptions. Thank you all. Today's update schedule returns to normal; the second update will be at 3 PM.