Chapter 80: Two Hundred Taels

"Brother Zhao, don't worry. I'll think of something too." As he passed by Zhao Jin, Wang Zhaojing said in a low voice.

One by one they walked out. Chen Sheng was about to speak when Zhao Zhentang opened his mouth and said, "Dasheng, go back and tell your father to head to the yamen constable station right now. There's an urgent matter of the utmost importance. Tell him I said so. Don't forget!"

Seeing how grave Zhao Zhentang looked, Chen Sheng quickly nodded.

Once everyone had left, Zhao Zhentang called in the unofficial runners waiting outside and told them to take the prisoners out and wait.

The five official runners were also shocked at the sight of the corpses on the floor, but they all tactfully asked nothing.

The trussed-up kidnappers were led out, and the bodies on the floor were carried away as well. Only Zhao Zhentang, his son, and Mu Shulan remained in the room. Zhao Zhentang first asked with concern, "Xiaolan, are you alright?"

Mu Shulan nodded obediently, then said quietly, "Uncle Zhao, Brother Xiaojin came to save me. Don't blame him."

Zhao Zhentang smiled and shook his head. Seeing the mood lighten, Zhao Jin quickly said, "Dad, the men from Cloud Mountain Temple are all dead. I've also cross-checked the kidnappers' confessions. When the time comes, your son will just say it was a righteous act to save someone..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Zhentang's face turned stern, and he said in a deep voice, "Shut your mouth. At your age, you still act so thoughtlessly."

A slap and a scolding — for the first time, Zhao Jin felt like a child. His father disciplined him directly with his hands and scolded him without mercy. Only a father and son would act this way.

"First, follow me and clear this place. Then take Xiaolan home. Once there, tell your mother to bring out two hundred taels of silver, and you deliver it to the yamen for me." Zhao Zhentang said with a dark face.

Zhao Jin had no choice but to agree. Zhao Zhentang walked a circle around the room, as meticulous as he had been at the Mu house the night before. He actually found several dozen taels of silver, plus a small wooden chest containing a few ingots of gold and some jewelry.

He wrapped these items into a bundle on the table and said in a deep voice, "Do you realize how lucky you were? This gang of kidnappers used this place as a base. The neighbors were probably used to things being off and didn't dare interfere, which is why all your racket went unnoticed. Had it been anywhere else, someone would have long since sounded the gong and reported it to the authorities. Once the militia and village braves gathered, you'd have been in serious trouble."

After saying this, he took the bundle and went out the door. On the street, Zhao Zhentang added one more warning: "Go home and change your clothes. Don't let the blood miasma seep into your body."

Mu Shulan didn't care whether outsiders were present or not; she just clung tightly to Zhao Jin's hand. After Zhao Zhentang and the others left, the girl pressed even closer, sticking tightly to Zhao Jin, as if only this could keep her from being afraid.

Zhao Jin watched his father's back disappear at the intersection, then led the girl home.

On this street, people truly only swept the snow from their own doorsteps. The sounds of slaughter and screaming inside had been so loud, yet the other courtyards showed no reaction whatsoever.

If Zhao Jin hadn't noticed, as he walked past, someone peeking through a crack in a courtyard gate, he would have thought this street was uninhabited.

"Brother Xiaojin, Uncle Zhao cares about you a lot. Don't be angry. My dad is the same way..." After walking for a while, Mu Shulan said timidly.

Zhao Jin was startled, then realized he hadn't spoken the entire way. The girl thought he was upset from being hit and scolded. He smiled and said, "Xiaolan, you misunderstand. I know it was for my own good."

Hearing Zhao Jin's explanation, Mu Shulan nodded, and the two continued walking forward in silence.

The reason Zhao Jin hadn't spoken just now was that he was thinking about today's battle. From start to finish, every link in the chain had problems.

He had thought that by training in martial arts every day without fail, with his second uncle Zhao Zhenxing teaching him combat skills and passing on battlefield experience, with a mature mind far beyond his peers, and with military knowledge ahead of this era, he should be invincible, winning every battle.

He never expected he would still feel fear when facing an enemy. This small operation was still riddled with flaws: going to deal with the two hidden sentries but forgetting people could come out of the courtyard at any moment; asking if the girl was inside but forgetting to ask how many guards there were; everyone rushing in together but forgetting to block the back door...

Too many mistakes were made. Fortunately, the enemy was also incompetent and useless. Fortunately, his hard-trained martial skills still played a decisive role in the life-or-death fight.

What needed changing must be changed; what needed strengthening must be strengthened further. Zhao Jin thought again of the friends who had fought alongside him through blood. A few years ago, when he approached and befriended them, he had indeed had ulterior motives. Thinking back now, how laughable that was. Once they truly became friends, everyone would go through life and death together, fighting side by side through blood!

With parents like these, with friends like these, everything was worth it!

Zhao Jin took a deep breath. At that moment, he noticed the girl gripping his hand tightly. Zhao Jin suddenly realized that if Mu Shulan had been abducted and fallen into a living hell, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life. Being able to save her — it was worth it!

The young boy and girl walked along the street holding hands, saying nothing the whole way, just holding on tightly.

Gradually, they entered the northern part of the city. Many of the houses along the roadside had lanterns hanging from their gates, making the street much brighter. They were just one intersection away from turning onto their own street when Zhao Jin saw his mother, He Cuihua, standing in the street, looking back and forth anxiously. Though he couldn't make out her expression, he could feel her frantic worry.

"Is that Xiaojin?" Seeing the blurry figure from afar, He Cuihua wasn't sure and shouted out.

"Mom, it's me!" Zhao Jin answered, and saw He Cuihua running toward them.

As soon as she reached them, He Cuihua asked hurriedly, "You child, suddenly running off — and how come you've brought Xiaolan back..."

After a couple of sentences, she suddenly stopped. By the distant lamplight, He Cuihua saw the bloodstains on Zhao Jin's face and body. Horrified, she grabbed Zhao Jin's shoulders and asked, "Xiaojin, are you hurt? What on earth happened?"

"This is someone else's blood. Mom, don't worry. Dad has urgent business and told me to come back first. I still have to go out again."

"Someone else's blood? What's going on?"

He Cuihua kept asking questions, and Zhao Jin explained with a wry smile. He didn't go into too much detail, afraid of frightening his mother. Though the explaining was troublesome, he felt warmth. A father's love and a mother's love express themselves in different ways. Of course, only someone with his mature mind could appreciate this; the vast majority of his peers would not only be ungrateful, but would grow impatient, or even harbor resentment.

Not only did she question him outside, but once they were indoors and she could see clearly under the lamplight, He Cuihua insisted on meticulously checking every spot on Zhao Jin where there were bloodstains, terrified he was injured. After the inspection, she found him a change of clothes and told Zhao San's wife to heat water for him to wash up.

It was only when he went to the bedroom to change that Zhao Jin quietly recounted the day's events, skipping over the killings and the Cloud Mountain Temple matter. Judging by his mother's demeanor, she probably still didn't know the girl had nearly been abducted. If his father, Zhao Zhentang, had heard about the day's events from He Cuihua, he could probably guess the truth, but to spare He Cuihua guilt and worry, he had likely chosen not to reveal it.

Hearing this, He Cuihua's face immediately went pale. Without regard for Zhao Jin, who was in the middle of changing, she rushed out of the room, embraced Mu Shulan outside, and burst into tears, saying over and over, "Your aunt nearly ruined you."

As Zhao Jin changed clothes, he couldn't help but smile. After all, it had been a close call but all was well. Seeing that he was fine, his mother immediately went to tend to Mu Shulan — she truly had a warm heart.

Once he had changed and wiped the bloodstains clean, Zhao Jin felt much fresher. He walked out and saw only He Cuihua and Mu Shulan there, so he said directly, "Mom, Dad says to prepare two hundred taels of silver. He wants me to bring it to the yamen right away."

"Two hundred taels? What on earth happened? Wasn't it just some blind kidnapper?" Although He Cuihua didn't know what had happened, she understood perfectly well what kind of matter required a sum of two hundred taels of silver.

He Cuihua exclaimed the question, then fell silent. She had already thought of the bloodstains that had covered her son when he returned home.