Chapter 805: Strange and Suspicious

Ma Chonghao's expression turned solemn. He said gravely, "Replying to the Master, this subordinate is only speculating. If it truly is for money, after making another profit following the property confiscation, they would stop. After all, civil officials and scholars stick together; someone might be able to find out who's behind it, and not stopping early would bring trouble. But this subordinate is only guessing. If it isn't for money, then spending it might..."

Zhao Jin nodded and asked again, "You have ways to spend money and gather information. I'll leave this matter to you first. Use your connections in the capital to get Wang Zhaojing's father out. Don't be afraid to spend silver. Start using your connections today. Don't worry about the silver; it will be delivered there while you're handling things."

"Just for gathering information, there are several very reliable people in the capital. Please rest assured, Master." Ma Chonghao bowed and replied.

"For these next few days, stay with Nie Hei. Don't handle any other assignments. Await my orders at any time." Zhao Jin spoke. Ma Chonghao quickly bowed in acknowledgment and took his leave.

After Ma Chonghao left, the confusion on the faces of the people in the room deepened. They looked at each other, unsure what to say for a moment. Wang Zhaojing hesitated and asked, "Big Brother, how can the silver reach the capital quickly? Even a transfer from Yunshan Firm wouldn't make it in time."

"Have the Li family of Linqing transfer it first. He's an inspector there; who knows how many merchants want to curry favor with him, and that place is close to the capital." Zhao Jin answered casually.

This wasn't what everyone was concerned about at all. They looked at each other and remained silent. Zhao Jin tapped the table with his hand, stood up, and said, "What needs to be prepared has been prepared. What needs to be set in motion should be set in motion. What we must do next is settle down and gather information. Everyone, get to work!"

A trace of irritation was in his tone. He had originally been describing firearms and explaining the complete pike square formation to everyone, when suddenly this news arrived. Many things that could have been done slowly and steadily had now become urgent. When things become urgent, problems and oversights of one kind or another are inevitable.

Everyone in the room took their leave. They all had many matters to attend to. Wang Zhaojing deliberately stayed until the very end. Once everyone had left, he came before Zhao Jin, his face showing resolve. He took a deep breath, wanting to speak, but his mouth opened and then closed again, a hesitant expression flickering across his face.

"Before the truth comes to light, don't overthink things. Just do your job well." Zhao Jin said in a deep voice. He could guess what Wang Zhaojing wanted to say, but such words—as a son, how could such a decision be made so easily?

Wang Zhaojing nodded. There seemed to be tears in his eyes, but he lowered his head to hide them. Zhao Jin patted Wang Zhaojing on the shoulder and added, "Whether it's a jailbreak or whatever else, Uncle Wang will definitely be rescued from the capital. You can rest assured of that!"

Going to the capital to break someone out of prison—it sounded like a fantasy, utterly inconceivable. Yet Zhao Jin spoke with absolute certainty. Wang Zhaojing wiped the corner of his eye with his hand and was about to bow deeply, but just as he started the motion, Zhao Jin caught him by the arms. Staring at him, Zhao Jin said, "We're brothers. All of this is only right."

Wang Zhaojing took a deep breath. Zhao Jin softened his tone and said, "Go back and rest early. Starting tomorrow, things will get busy."

As they faced each other before parting, Wang Zhaojing didn't say a single word. Zhao Jin saw him out of the courtyard. As they walked out, the urgent sound of horse hooves could already be heard ringing out everywhere, then fading into the distance. Orders and messages were already being sent to all quarters.

But at the He Family Village market, the salt market, and everywhere the influence of the Zhao Character Camp extended, not much difference could be felt for now, because everything was operating as usual. Yet everyone knew something was about to happen.

Although he had arranged for everyone's families to go to the farmstead stronghold on the east bank of Luoma Lake, Zhao Jin had no intention of letting Xu Zhenzhen, Mu Shulan, or the children leave.

"If I can't protect you, where else could you go within this tiny patch of Xuzhou and Pizhou?" Zhao Jin knew his wives' temperaments, and he spoke without any concealment.

Xu Zhenzhen and Mu Shulan also remained composed. Only Zhao Feng and Zhao Long didn't understand what was happening; one laughed, the other cried, and then after a while, they switched, filling the room with lively noise.

"All the outside work and business at the Jing Mountain Ironworks have been halted for now. They're forging weapons and armor for you, husband. The Xu family also has no shortage of able-bodied young men; if organized and trained, they could be a source of support for you."

"As things stand now, the matter is somewhat suspicious, but it hasn't reached that stage yet." Zhao Jin answered in a muffled voice. After analyzing it from all angles, and adding Ma Chonghao's assessment, this affair was full of questionable points.

They had always been on guard against Xuzhou being implicated in a charge of rebellion, yet now that such a charge had been laid, it wasn't directed at Xuzhou. It felt strange and awkward no matter how he thought about it.

"Brother Jin, if the court intended to move against Xuzhou, there would certainly be flying-bamboo-slip messages sent within the Smelling Incense Sect. Counting the days, we should get word by the day after tomorrow at the latest. Then we'll be able to be more certain."

Even though Xu Zhenzhen knew Mu Shulan had a network of people under her command, matters related to the Smelling Incense Sect were things Mu Shulan would only discuss with Zhao Jin alone.

"Both the Xu and Wang families have arrangements in the capital. For a major event like this, one not related to the Smelling Incense Sect, the flying-bamboo-slip messages will travel urgently but won't be too secret. The several lines I've arranged can all intercept and learn of it."

Mu Shulan explained very clearly. However, after dinner, the reason Zhao Jin spoke with Mu Shulan alone was not for this.

"Xiao Lan, I want to send people into the capital for a jailbreak. Can you help with this?"

"The manpower my second uncle and fourth uncle gathered over the years has already scattered. They're still slowly picking it back up. I'm afraid there's nothing in the capital. Xiao Liang's family is quite familiar with the capital, but for something like guiding the way, they can't be relied upon either."

Zhao Jin fell silent. After Wang Zhaojing and the others left, Zhao Jin didn't rush off to work. He simply closed the door and asked, "To assemble a team of elite fighters and go to the capital for a jailbreak—do you have any confidence?"

In the room, Sun Dalin and Meng Zhiqi both had looks of shock on their faces. Niu Jinbao and Nie Hei remained expressionless. After a moment of silence, Nie Hei shook his head and said, "No confidence. The capital is too big. Charging in wouldn't be hard, and rescuing the person wouldn't be hard either. But once you break into the Imperial Prison, they'll certainly seal the city and conduct a massive search. Even if you rescue him, I'm afraid he'd just be captured again."

"Brother Nie is right. The master has no shortage of elite fighters. Those people in the capital are used to comfort; they don't have the guts for a real fight. But the trouble is, once the alarm is raised, people will come from all directions. And the capital is simply too large. I'm afraid before we could fight our way out, the city gates would be shut. At that point, truly, even with wings, escape would be impossible."

"What if all the silver is spent where it needs to be, buying off everyone from top to bottom, and we only send people there to escort him out, just as a precaution against any unforeseen event?" Zhao Jin asked again.

Since these imperial agents were out to extort money, then give them money. The Zhao Character Camp had amassed so much gold and silver; this was precisely the time to use it.

Hearing this, Nie Hei and Niu Jinbao both fell silent. After another pause, Nie Hei finally spoke: "Perhaps there's some degree of confidence, but in the capital, nothing can be guaranteed."

"Tomorrow, find Ma Chonghao. First, get a clear understanding of the capital's roads. If we can learn the specifics of where he's being held, that would be best. First, set it up and drill it here in Xuzhou." Zhao Jin said in a muffled voice. This was the same procedure they'd followed before charging into the Feng family compound.

But everyone also knew there was no rushing this. The news was still just the one-sided account of a messenger. They still didn't know how Wang Youshan actually was, or even whether he was really being held in the so-called Imperial Prison of the Decree Court. Everything had to wait for their people to go investigate. A round trip like that, at the fastest, would still take over ten days...

After finishing his discussion with Mu Shulan, Zhao Jin slept with Xu Zhenzhen that night. Before sleep, Xu Zhenzhen whispered, "Husband, why not let Xiao Feng and Xiao Long go with Sister Mu to the refugee camp?"

"Don't let your imagination run wild." Zhao Jin answered, a bit annoyed. Perhaps feeling his tone had been too harsh, he explained further, "Even if it truly came to that, they wouldn't be going to the refugee camp."

"I've managed a household since childhood, and my nature is strong. The elders at home always said that after I married, I'd suffer and be bullied. But since following you, husband, everything has gone as I wished. I am deeply content and consider it a blessing. There's just one tormenting thing: every so often, my heart is always in my throat, worrying about the two children, worrying about you, husband, and worrying about myself." Xu Zhenzhen, lying there, spoke softly and wistfully.

Zhao Jin was speechless for a moment. After a silence, he finally spoke: "After this time, you won't have to live in fear anymore... Or perhaps you'll have to live in fear for another year, or a few more years..."

These words made Xu Zhenzhen unable to hold back her laughter. She twisted Zhao Jin's arm and covered her mouth, giggling quietly without stop.

The night passed. Waking up the next morning, Zhao Jin found he had slept rather well. Logically, being implicated in a rebellion case, with a violent storm about to break, he shouldn't be so unworried. This was strange.

Zhao Jin knew he was sufficiently calm, but this implication in a rebellion case was something he had always worried about. Because reaching this stage meant completely tearing off all pretenses and rising up. In the past, whenever he occasionally thought of it, he would toss and turn. Now that it had actually happened, he wasn't so worried.

It wasn't quite the feeling of a suspended stone finally dropping, either. Perhaps it was because the questioning yesterday had revealed too many suspicious points, and there was simply no way to confirm anything.

In the past, Zhao Jin's morning training had always been physical conditioning and martial skills. After the foreigner Louis arrived, he began learning to fire muskets, using the newly made firearms and following the standard movements in Louis's illustrated manual, meticulously carrying out the loading and firing drill.

After morning training ended, the family ate breakfast together, and then the busy day began. Compared to before, today was exceptionally different. The various tasks assigned yesterday would start generating feedback today.

"All the messengers sent out on every route have departed. Things have already started moving over at the prefectural city."

As usual, Zhao Jin headed first to the training grounds of the Personal Guard Company and the First Regiment. Halfway there, Nie Hei had already caught up with him. What Nie Hei wanted to discuss was another matter entirely.

"Master, at the salt market, the main market, and everywhere else, there's not the slightest reaction. All the private residences are also business as usual, with no sign of anything unusual."

Hearing this, Zhao Jin's brow furrowed. This was the truly strange part. The market and salt market were full of shops opened by wealthy merchants from various circles. Among them, the wealthy merchants of Qingjiangpu and the Yangzhou salt merchants were deeply entangled, and some offshoots even connected to the households of several noble families in Henan and Shandong. With such backing, these people were naturally well-informed.

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