Chapter 520: Until You Come Again

With interests interlocked and each side checking the other, a force of over a thousand men was maintained in Guide Prefecture to collect taxes and secure the trade routes. This force consisted mainly of Xuzhou martial men and sturdy young refugees. As for Guide Prefecture's own jianghu men, Zhao Jin assigned them to work over in Pizhou. Both groups were on unfamiliar ground and dependent on Zhao Jin for provisions and support. With this layer of reliance, they naturally had to serve loyally and dared not harbor any disloyal thoughts.

Seeing this tactic of Zhao Jin's, everyone in Guide Prefecture grew increasingly convinced. A man capable of maintaining such a balance and mutual restraint, while also handling matters fairly and with decency — only such a man could hold power for the long term.

As they learned more, they inevitably came to know of the Zhao Camp's student-soldier units. The clerks and runners were the first to send their sons and younger brothers over. Now, it was precisely they whose ties to the Zhao Camp were closest, for without Zhao Jin's backing, they would immediately die without a burial place. Next came the Guide Prefecture jianghu men working for Zhao Jin, and after them, the so-called loyal and upright prominent households also sent their sons. Everyone had to prove their loyalty and closeness, and sending hostages was the best method.

A few families had daughters or younger sisters of suitable age, as beautiful as flowers and jade. But after making discreet inquiries, they all dropped the idea. The Xuzhou mistress was already with child, and she came from a top-tier prominent household herself. If they tried to slip a woman in at this time, whether they could even succeed was one question, but nine times out of ten they would earn someone's bitter hatred.

Moreover, at present Zhao Jin had only Xu Zhenzhen by his side. Had none of those before him thought of doing this? Everyone had acted with extreme caution and thoroughness.

Zhao Jin's actions in Guide Prefecture were no secret. The first to learn of them were the salt merchants at the salt market and other trading centers. They immediately realized that the volume of illicit salt sold into Henan was about to surge. No matter how you calculated the water and land distances, shipping salt goods from this salt market to Kaifeng Prefecture was the shortest route. And from now on, they would no longer be dealing with those low-buying, high-selling petty men of Guide Prefecture, but with the great merchants of Kaifeng and Luoyang! They were going to make a fortune again!

When it came to doing business, no one was smarter than anyone else. Just as the merchants of the Xuzhou salt market caught on, the merchants of Kaifeng also began arriving in Xuzhou.

It was already the eleventh month. Normally, everyone would have begun preparing goods for the twelfth-month markets and closing up for the New Year. But now no one had a moment's leisure; they all wanted to seize this chance to establish ties with the Henan side and make their big moves the following year.

Even the people within Guide Prefecture tasted the sweetness. Although a portion of their farmland harvests had been deducted, commerce and trade flourished in turn. Local specialties could be sold elsewhere without being skinned alive by those few black-hearted profiteers. Everyone looked forward to the coming year.

As for everything happening in Guide Prefecture, within Xuzhou city people could hardly be bothered to discuss it. Everyone felt it was perfectly normal. What heroes or stout fellows could a place like Guide Prefecture produce? Lord Jin had led men there personally — what could possibly remain unsubdued?

In Xuzhou, everyone was discussing one matter. A few men working on the estates, because they were diligent and conscientious, had managed the refugee farming under them better than elsewhere and produced larger harvests. As a result, they had been promoted to take charge over at the Kong Family Estate. Each man now had around a thousand people under him, making them essentially estate masters.

So it turned out that working under Zhao Jin brought not only benefits but also promotions. Many people had thoroughly studied the Zhao Camp's system. To climb up, to gain benefits, you had to follow the rules and dare to fight and kill. If you earned merit in combat and slaughter, you quickly rose to high rank. That Zhang Hubin now carried himself with an air no less than a county magistrate.

But this was something everyone could only envy from afar — it had to be earned by tying your head to your belt and fighting for it. Those estate head stewards, however, were different. They had merely worked conscientiously, putting in more heart and effort than others, and yet they too had achieved promotion. This was what stirred everyone's ambitions.

Some sneered, saying Zhao Jin was just putting on a show — a mere local magnate, yet setting up a system mimicking the official bureaucracy. But going from managing a hundred-odd people to managing over a thousand was undeniably a promotion. Higher position, greater benefits, and glory before others and behind their backs. Who didn't want to rise to glory and wealth in officialdom? Yet how many had such good fortune? The Zhao Camp could give everyone a start, could give everyone something to strive for — that was good enough.

A promotion in officialdom was a happy event, but was a shop assistant rising to shopkeeper in a trading firm not also a cause for celebration? Officialdom required studying and essay writing, which seemed too distant, but this system of the Zhao Camp — everyone felt they could do it too.

"What are you spacing out for? Too much tussling with your woman last night?"

"Bullshit. My old lady went back to her parents' home the day before yesterday. Who am I supposed to tussle with? On this barely-starving, barely-alive pay of ours, you think I can afford a brothel?"

The east gate of Xuzhou city was bustling with people coming and going. The garrison soldiers stood listlessly on watch, and those not stationed right at the gate gathered in a cluster to chat idly.

After a few jokes, one man spoke up: "The other day I heard someone say Lord Jin's side is recruiting now — sending men to Henan, and they need men for Fengyang Prefecture too."

"You're nearly forty. What could you go do? They want sturdy young lads under twenty over there."

"That's old news you're talking about. Lord Jin's side now wants older men, steady-tempered ones who can manage things. I figure even if I went and couldn't manage anything, as long as I was willing to put in the effort, Lord Jin wouldn't treat me poorly. Beats this half-dead existence here any day." The man spoke with considerable earnestness.

Realizing this was no joke, everyone grew serious. One nodded and said, "I think it could work. If you really went, it'd definitely be better than serving here. Here they issue one month's pay and dock half a month's, and the arrears never end. Lord Jin's side always pays in full, every bit of it. But if you don't have the skill, Lord Jin won't want you either!"

"Don't look down on me. My farming skills are nothing to scoff at..."

Just as the group was happily trading remarks, they heard someone behind them shout: "Old Brother Lü, those four mounted merchants over there don't look right. Stop them and check!"

As before, besides the soldiers guarding the gate, there were also old jianghu hands from within the city accompanying them.

However, the liveliest place in Xuzhou nowadays was He Family Village. With several large markets there plus the salt market that gathered wealth and goods from all directions, the flow of people and goods was concentrating there. The three teachings and nine schools, official circles, wealthy merchants from everywhere, plus every kind of jianghu riffraff — all wanted to go there to strike it rich and pan for gold. So Liu Yong had transferred the Internal Guard and the city's experts in every field over there, leaving only older men who didn't want to move stationed in Xuzhou city itself.

Old as they were, their eyes were just as sharp as ever. Usually listless, but no suspicious person escaped their observation.

Those four mounted merchants approaching were indeed not right. Not only were they tall and powerfully built, exuding a fierce, aggressive air from head to toe, but as they drew near the city gate and the garrison soldiers, they showed none of the caution and cringing that jianghu men typically displayed. They remained brazenly sizing everything up.

There was another anomaly any clear-eyed person could spot. Normally, such fierce merchants who traveled the length and breadth of the land would inevitably have weather-beaten faces — dark, lined features were unavoidable. Yet these four looked rather pale. Men constantly on the move never had such a wealthy complexion.

Those sheepskin surcoats were not cheap. The satin-faced cotton-padded jackets inside looked to be top-grade goods. Those boots beneath — you couldn't buy them for less than a tael or two of silver. Only the fur hats looked somewhat out of place, mismatched with the rest of their attire, but the price was surely not low either.

As for the steel blades resting beside their saddles, one look told you they were no showpieces — definitely superior weapons forged with plenty of good iron.

The garrison soldiers at the gate had long since honed their eye for such things. One glance and they knew something was off. They exchanged looks, waved through a man bringing pickled vegetables into the city, and then stopped the four mounted merchants behind him.

These four at least knew the rules. They dismounted when they reached the gate checkpoint, but their faces all showed impatience.

"Travel permits, hand them over," the garrison soldier said with equal impatience. When people reached the gate, they were supposed to voluntarily present either copper coins and silver or their travel permits. To have to ask for them outright — these men had no eyes.

"Travel permits?" The merchants exchanged glances, cold sneers appearing on their faces. The one in front, leading his horse, said, "I don't carry such things."

No travel permits? And speaking in that tone? The garrison soldier didn't react for a moment, then his temper flared. Thrusting his already rust-pitted spear forward, he bellowed, "Do you not know the laws and statutes of the imperial court? If you are bandits and rebels, surrender at once!"

The other seven soldiers joined in the clamor. They didn't actually think anything was seriously wrong — they just saw that these four were well-dressed and so ignorant of the rules. They must be fat sheep delivered to their door, ripe for a good fleecing.

The jianghu observers at the side, however, furrowed their brows. One said in a low voice, "Their accent sounds like Nanjing. And that manner — that's official circles."

"... And they're the kind who travel everywhere and have never suffered a loss..." another added. At this, they paused and exchanged cautious, solemn looks.

Quite a crowd had already gathered before the gate. Merchants coming from Yangzhou Prefecture and Huai'an Prefecture mostly entered and exited through the east gate. Moreover, He Family Village was nearly a full day's walk from Xuzhou city, so out-of-town merchants and travelers all had to rest overnight within the city. Thus, there was a constant stream of people coming and going here.

Seeing the commotion at the gate, no one was afraid. The soldiers in Xuzhou might be prone to petty greed, but it was only petty greed — in all else they were quite disciplined. Faced with such an incident, many people didn't flee but instead gathered at a safe distance to watch the excitement. There'd be no trouble afterward anyway.

As they spoke, spear points and blade tips were already thrust before them. The faces of the four merchants without travel permits changed — but not with fear. With fury.

The one being targeted raised a hand to parry, then twisted his grip and seized the spear shaft. With a yank toward himself, he pulled — the questioning gate soldier had never imagined the other party would react. Caught off guard, he was dragged straight over. The man moved fast. As the soldier stumbled before him, his other hand came up and delivered a slap. The force was considerable; blood burst from the soldier's lips. He lost hold of the spear, staggered back two steps, and clutched his face.

They had actually struck someone! The onlookers erupted in an uproar. Many faces showed excitement. Far from dispersing, the crowd pressed even tighter.

Thank you to "User I Come for a Stroll, Unmoving as a Mountain, Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Both Emptiness and Form Are Difficult, User Chen Jianxin" for your generous support. Unmoving as a Mountain is now an Alliance Master of this book — though why did I see you already listed as one on the supporter page several days ago... Thank you all for your monthly tickets and subscriptions. Thank you.