Chapter 708: The Situation Looks Excellent

The lower ranks were delighted, and those above were equally pleased. Just as Ma Chonghao had thought, the actions of those few top-tier magnates were being closely watched by the merchants and gentry of Qingjiangpu. At the first sign of movement, they would immediately follow suit — not to mention that the Qingjiang Grand Market held far more than just those few families, and they weren't the only ones coveting Zhao Jin's enterprises. Those above ate the meat, and those below followed to drink the soup, but the meat was so large that even the soup was swimming in fat.

Those great magnates still had some scruples and dared not come in broad daylight, but the ones who came later couldn't care less. At first they too feared being seen by the Zhao Battalion and others, yet by the second night the place was already packed with people outside, and all sorts of news had leaked out — for instance, whoever went in early could carve out a piece of Zhao Jin's enterprises, while those who went in late wouldn't get the good parts, or might even get nothing at all.

Hearing this, and seeing so many people, and also hearing that this big shot from the Embroidered Uniform Guard treated people courteously, wasn't the type to take everything for himself, and was willing to share the spoils with everyone — more importantly, everyone saw the fully armored Embroidered Uniform Guard cavalry, their uniforms and armor gleaming, arrive before the gates of Qingjiang Grand Market, right there shouting about investigating Zhao Jin for rebellion. To most people, this Zhao Jin was already a dead man.

When the Embroidered Uniform Guard says you're plotting rebellion, then even if you're a law-abiding citizen, you're a traitor. Besides, this Zhao Jin had done so many lawless things — before, as long as someone was covering it up, it was fine, but now that such a formidable big shot had come to expose it all in public, even if you had backing, you couldn't recover.

It was just that at first, no one had noticed the finer details. Only after the magnates of Qingjiangpu had gone to meet that Embroidered Uniform Guard Assistant Commander did everyone come to their senses and realize they had to hurry and curry favor — they might still get a share of the benefits.

For five days straight, all Ma Chonghao and his few men did each day was receive guests and accept gifts. The supplies for that thousand or so elite cavalry were entirely covered by the great magnates of Qingjiangpu — fine food and drink flowed in like a stream. Around the encampment, even clandestine prostitutes had appeared to solicit business. Of course, in the rooms of Ma Chonghao and the other leaders, there were women of outstanding beauty attending to them — such trifling matters, the merchants would naturally see to with thorough consideration.

"Back when Master Jin first broke ground in Qingjiangpu, even his doorstep was never this bustling. These people really do know how to flock to a spectacle." Not far from the encampment of Ma Chonghao and his crew stood a teahouse. Lei Cai, Nie Hei, and Wei Mugen sat at a table, watching and commenting as they went.

After Wei Mugen finished speaking, Lei Cai gave a bitter laugh and said, "At the time, I rushed back from Nanjing, afraid I wouldn't make it in time to fight alongside the brothers. And now that I've reached Qingjiangpu, these bastards actually can't bear to leave. Fine by me — staying here lets us keep a close watch on them."

All three chuckled quietly. Nie Hei lowered his voice and spoke: "According to the news our eyes and ears have sent out, these past few days they've taken in at least forty-six thousand taels of silver. With that much silver in hand, how could they bear to leave? You might not know this yet, but right now every single enterprise under our Zhao Battalion, inside and out, has already been carved up clean by these people. Even the oil press at Kong Family Village was taken by four men. Because the silver involved is so enormous and the enterprises entangled are so many, both Nanjing and Wolf Mountain have already sent their own account managers over — they want the accounts settled clearly, can't let the men on assignment take it all."

Lei Cai and Wei Mugen looked rather dumbfounded. Wei Mugen couldn't help but ask, "The fight hasn't even started — they haven't even gone to Xuzhou yet — and they're already sending account managers?"

"What's so strange about that? If it weren't to get rich, who'd put up such a huge stake?" Nie Hei was older than the two of them, more worldly-wise, and understood the trick of it.

A man in a blue tunic and small cap came in and asked for a cup of tea. That attire was the dress of a servant running errands in a wealthy household — these days, around the encampment, there were countless such men, and no one found it odd. Wei Mugen, however, stood up and walked over, looking perfectly casual about it.

Not long after, the man finished his tea and left. Wei Mugen, who had seemed to be idly strolling, circled back. The smile on his face was somewhat stiff. He sat down and said in a low voice, "These bastards are raking in money so hard it's shaking the whole region. The Defense Eunuch of Fengyang has also sent over two hundred cavalry, led by a Battalion Commander."

Lei Cai cursed under his breath. He moved to slap the table but restrained himself, instead lifting his tea bowl to mask his expression. Nie Hei stood up and said, "I'll send someone to pass the news back."

Fengyang was the secondary capital of the Great Ming and the site of the imperial tombs, acclaimed as the most critical ground under heaven. It housed a Defense Eunuch and a Fengyang Grand Coordinator. The Fengyang Grand Coordinator also oversaw the grain transport canal and had always conducted business from both Fengyang Prefecture and Yangzhou Prefecture, though recently he had been permanently stationed in Taizhou, effectively in charge of the South Zhili region north of the Yangtze.

The Defense Eunuch had a modestly sized garrison battalion under his command, but this force was the core unit guarding the entire imperial tombs, Fengyang Prefecture, and the surrounding areas, and was therefore quite elite. Sending over two hundred cavalry this time showed they had put real stakes on the table.

Nie Hei had been gone for a while before Wei Mugen and Lei Cai's emotions settled. Wei Mugen, however, was not as worried as Lei Cai. He spoke up: "Master Lei, however many they send, it's just more food delivered to Master Jin's door. Herding one sheep is herding — one more is still just herding."

Lei Cai only shook his head and said glumly, "One more man is one more risk. This is the most critical moment."

Just as they were speaking, they heard a burst of alarmed cries from the street. The two looked over and saw a rider in Embroidered Uniform Guard garb trotting his horse. The common folk on the street scrambled to get out of the way. This area had already become something of a market — many peddlers had come to earn a bit of coin, and nearby residents and idlers had come to watch, so it had long been bustling and chaotic. In a place like this, people could barely walk fast, let alone horses.

But now everyone in Qingjiangpu knew how brazen this gang of Embroidered Uniform Guard riders was, and no one dared raise any objection — they simply dodged to either side. The reason for the outcry, however, was that there was a child in front of the horse. Faced suddenly with the towering steed, the child had frozen in terror and was about to be trampled under the hooves.

At that very moment, the rider slipped both feet from the stirrups, hooked one arm around the horse's neck, swung himself down from the saddle, grabbed the child with one hand and flung him to the roadside, then used the momentum to kick off the ground, leap up, and swing back onto the horse. From horseback, he bellowed, "Stay out of the way!" and rode off without a backward glance. Only then did the child, who had been tossed aside, react and burst into loud wails.

The common folk and peddlers along the street all breathed a sigh of relief, and the child's parents rushed over. But Lei Cai and Wei Mugen, who had watched this scene, now wore grave expressions. A mere Embroidered Uniform Guard rider, and yet he possessed such horsemanship. If all thousand or so of them were like this, then...

The two sat in silence for a while. Only after the teahouse attendant came by to refill their water did Lei Cai speak: "Old Li went to see Lu Da and Li He — did you send someone to handle that?"

"It's arranged. Among their attendants, we have our own people," Wei Mugen answered in a low voice.

Lei Cai nodded. Wei Mugen lowered his voice further and asked, "Master Lei, they're our own people — do we still need to watch them this closely?"

"Lu Da is one of our own. But in the current situation, all those who used to share the profits with us have already sent silver to the Guard riders. Old Li and Li He were originally captured by us — heaven knows whether they're still of the same heart at a time like this." Lei Cai's expression was utterly cold as he said this.

Wei Mugen smiled and replied with considerable confidence, "Master Lei, no need to worry. Don't think that just because the main force of the Zhao Battalion has all returned to Xuzhou, anyone in Qingjiangpu who dares make a move won't find only a dead end waiting."

"Until the very end, don't you make any sudden moves — or it'll be a dead end for you." Li Dajin said grimly to Li He.

The three of them didn't have much to say to each other. Lu Da was a man of few words and was in a hurry to drill the newly acquired local militia, so he didn't chat with them for long. Everyone knew the relationship between Li Dajin and Li He, so it wasn't strange that they had a few private words to exchange.

Li He had tidied himself up quite neatly, his beard trimmed and orderly. Dressed in a short combat tunic, he looked every bit the hired martial instructor for a household guard. The weather was stifling and rainless, so there was no wearing anything too heavy.

At Li Dajin's words, Li He gave a dry laugh and said, "Move, my ass. This militia looks full of simple, honest lads, but heaven knows how many are planted there to watch me. If anyone else makes a move, fine — but the moment I stir, I'll end up with a few extra holes in me for sure."

As the two spoke, their voices unconsciously dropped low, even though there was no one nearby.

"Old Li, do you think Zhao Jin can hold out? If the court really sends a grand army to encircle and suppress..."

"Encircle and suppress, my foot. Others might buy that, but you've led a battalion — you believe it too?" Li Dajin cursed under his breath.

After that, the two walked on in silence. Every couple of steps, they turned their heads to look around, scanning in all directions for anyone who might be following.

Seeing no one tailing them, Li He continued in a low voice, "Old Li, Zhao Jin has trained such a formidable battalion — one against two, even if he could fight one against ten, if the court truly gets ruthless and sends dozens of times, hundreds of times the men, enough ants can bite an elephant to death. Besides, no matter how strong his battalion is, how much can a territory of just two prefectures supply? When the provisions and fodder can't hold out any longer..."

Li Dajin clasped his hands behind his back and sighed. For a moment, he had no words. They rounded a street corner, coughed, and then both turned around at the same time — if anyone had been tailing them, this was the moment they'd likely be exposed.

Finding nothing amiss, Li Dajin hesitated, then said quietly, "You just wait. Wait until the final outcome is decided before you move. This time I can't say anything for certain, but I also feel that Zhao Jin isn't likely to be defeated and destroyed. He may be young, but he's steadier than many men in their forties or fifties — he wouldn't do anything he's not sure of."

"Old Li, rest assured. I can see through this much — I won't go courting death." Li He replied in agreement.

Li Dajin nodded and continued, "Right now, these local militias in Qingjiangpu are isolated troops. Zhao Jin treats this place as an idle piece on the board and can't spare attention for it for the moment. The officials regard them as ordinary guards and don't interfere. If you keep your head down and stay steady, there won't be any trouble. I'll head back to Xuzhou in a few days. That Sister Wu of yours — I'll look after her for you, so you don't need to worry. The Zhao Battalion is quite aboveboard in this regard; they won't use underhanded tactics against innocent women and children."

Thanks to the two old friends "123*" and "Rain-Swelled Poetic Shoots" for their tips. Thanks to every reader who subscribes, tips, and casts monthly votes — thank you all.