Chapter 82: For This, It's Worth It

But Wang Zhaojing still did not rise. He knew his father's ability — thorough in thought, incisive in judgment. If his father said there would be calamity, then calamity there would certainly be.

Wang Zhaojing's expression flickered. He kowtowed again and said, "If calamity truly comes, I beg Father to lend a hand now. If we act only after a conviction and imprisonment, it would indeed make the Zhao family even more grateful, but doing it that way is bestowing favor, not the way of friends and brothers. After that, I fear we would grow distant."

Hearing this, Wang Youshan set down his book, stood, turned, and looked at his son, his face carrying surprise as he said, "That you can grasp this point shows you have truly matured these past few years. But the son of a bailiff — ah, or shall we say the son of a centurion — is he worth such great effort to befriend?"

At this, Wang Youshan's tone was not stern, but rather carried a trace of curiosity. Without waiting for Wang Zhaojing to answer, he continued, "You say Zhao Jin's martial skill is outstanding, but his ability can only be called passable. In this city of Xuzhou, there are countless who surpass him. You say his strategies are outstanding, his handling of matters thorough and proper, but it can only be said he has some clever, novel ideas — perhaps insights his uncle brought back from traveling far and wide. As your father, I hope your friends can help you more in the future, not the other way around. Think carefully: is it worth it?"

Wang Zhaojing was just about to speak when his stomach rumbled. Wang Youshan immediately laughed. Wang Zhaojing, red-faced, sat up straight and said solemnly, "Father, it is not a matter of worth it or not. Your child will only say one thing. Tonight, Brother Zhao said he would take all the responsibility upon himself. Everyone thought it was righteous, but then Brother Zhao went on to say that because there is someone in his family who holds a post, there was no need to worry about this matter."

"Oh?" Wang Youshan's brow furrowed. He felt his son was not distinguishing the important from the trivial, suddenly bringing up such a minor thing, but he did not interrupt, letting Wang Zhaojing continue.

"If there had only been those earlier words, your child would have thought Brother Zhao was feigning lofty virtue. But because Brother Zhao spoke so plainly, your child feels from the heart that Brother Zhao is honest and values loyalty."

Wang Youshan said nothing, walking to the side and sitting down. Wang Zhaojing, with the utmost gravity, continued, "For this, it's worth it!"

After these words were spoken, the study fell quiet for a moment. Wang Youshan rubbed his forehead with his hand and said, with some weariness, "That is also true. At your age, you ought not to calculate so much. Go eat your meal."

"Father, have you agreed to help?" Wang Zhaojing did not rise, but asked with eager eyes.

Wang Youshan did not answer, merely nodded.

When Zhao Jin returned home, he found Mu Shulan slumped over the dinner table, asleep. The food on the table was untouched. Seeing him return, He Cuihua quickly went with Zhao San's wife to reheat the meal, and even made a point of saying that they had originally told Mu Shulan to eat first, but the girl insisted on waiting for Zhao Jin, and as a result, hungry and tired, she had fallen asleep on the table.

After finishing the meal, Zhao Jin changed his clothes and did push-ups on the brick bed. He had persisted with this kind of strength training for five years, never interrupting it except under the most extraordinary circumstances.

He had only done two before he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep, sleeping straight through until dawn.

He had thought he would have nightmares, but when he woke, he felt clear-headed and refreshed. He had slept very soundly that night. The window paper was already pale with light, and he rose at his usual waking time.

After Zhao Jin dressed, he went out for his run as usual. When he returned home for breakfast, he discovered that his father, Zhao Zhentang, had already come back.

"You and Xiaolan go eat in her room. I have something to discuss with Xiaojin," Zhao Zhentang said. He looked as if he had not slept all night, his complexion haggard, his eyes completely bloodshot.

Hearing the gravity in his tone, He Cuihua asked no questions and left the main room with Mu Shulan, carrying their bowls and chopsticks.

Once only father and son remained in the main room, Zhao Zhentang drank half a bowl of congee in one go, then opened his mouth and said, "After breakfast, leave the city. Go through Heqing Gate. Fifteen li outside the city, there is a Qi Family Village. Go into the village and find a man called Qi One-Eye. Tell him I sent you. Stay at his house and do not go out. Wait for my message before making any plans. Do you understand?"

Could the case have changed? Was this the meaning of fleeing? Before Zhao Jin could ask, Zhao Zhentang took a small gold ingot and several pieces of broken silver from his bosom and spoke again, "Keep this money safe. Don't let anyone else see it, not even that Qi One-Eye. Remember to wear a hat when you go out, and check whether anyone is following you."

Putting away the gold and silver, Zhao Jin's heart grew increasingly tense. Had something really gone wrong? Seeing his expression, Zhao Zhentang said gruffly, "Eat quickly. Eat your fill for the journey. Don't worry too much either; this is just a precaution against the unexpected."

Zhao Jin nodded and began to eat in large mouthfuls. Zhao Zhentang finished his congee, looked around, and said with a cold laugh, "You thought yourself clever, keeping those kidnappers alive to make them confirm the crimes of Cloud Mountain Temple. Did you not consider that if you can make them talk, others can make them change their story? Cloud Mountain Temple has such great influence, with people above and below in the yamen. Would they not be able to make those kidnappers frame you falsely?"

"Could it be that those kidnappers, Ding Gongmeng and the others, have changed their testimony?" Zhao Jin asked urgently.

"Last night, fearing the punishment of the law, they all took their own lives," Zhao Zhentang said, matter-of-factly.

Zhao Jin's heart gave a great leap. Last night, the agonized screams in the jail, and the thick stench of blood on his father — had his father, Zhao Zhentang, been torturing those kidnappers last night?

"Last night... Father, you were interrogating them under torture, weren't you? Wouldn't it have been fine to just kill them outright?" Zhao Jin could not help but ask.

Zhao Zhentang let out a dry laugh and pointed at Zhao Jin. "You still have the mind to ask about that now. Let me tell you, to make the Prefect, the Vice Prefect, the Judge, and all the clerks in the Punishment Office let this matter slide, you need to pave the way with real gold and silver. What damn use is our family's two hundred taels? Those kidnappers have been at it for so many years; they must have had quite a bit of wealth stashed away. Torture it out of them and then send it up. The men in the constable's office all need their share too."

So there was even this connection. For a moment, Zhao Jin was speechless. Zhao Zhentang cursed, "They actually had nearly two thousand taels."

"Then if so much silver has been spent, do I still need to leave the city to lie low?" Zhao Jin asked again.

"Yes. Cloud Mountain Temple's influence is too great. If they want to pursue this, all that silver won't even buy impartiality," Zhao Zhentang said through gritted teeth.

After breakfast, Zhao Jin changed his clothes and hurried out. Under Zhao Zhentang's direction, he even deliberately wore a hat. He had originally wanted to take his long spear, but was sharply told no — it was too conspicuous.

The Zhao family ate breakfast early. By the time Zhao Jin reached Heqing Gate, which was Xuzhou city's east gate, the city gates had just opened. Mingling with the crowd leaving the city, the soldiers guarding the gate did not stop or question him, and he left the prefectural city very smoothly.

Over these past few years, Zhao Jin had hardly ever left the city. Every day he trained hard in martial arts and studied diligently; he truly had no spare time to use.

Walking on the official road outside the city, Zhao Jin discovered that outside the city was even worse than inside. He had originally thought Xuzhou city was already dilapidated and impoverished, but the outside could almost be described as desolate.

Although spring had just begun and there was little greenery along the road, all one could see was yellow earth. Yet the dilapidated state of those village buildings was not due to the season.

What made Zhao Jin even more uncomfortable was that he actually saw two already rotting corpses by the roadside. He had not expected that outside the city, lawlessness had reached such a degree.

The villagers and common folk walking along the road were all in tattered rags. The occasional few with neat clothing did not look like good people either.

However, no one dared to target Zhao Jin. Although Zhao Jin was neatly dressed and looked like he had some money on him, Zhao Jin also possessed a stern, deadly bearing and was exceptionally alert. He looked like someone not easy to take advantage of, so most people drew near and then walked away.

In less than a double-hour, he arrived at Qi Family Village. Compared to the other places he had seen along the way, the houses in Qi Family Village were a bit better. Although they looked old, they were not particularly dilapidated; they must have been regularly repaired.

Zhao Jin asked someone at the village entrance for directions and quickly found Qi One-Eye's home. Qi One-Eye was an old man in his fifties, true to his name, blind in his right eye. Unlike those hunched, gaunt old men, Qi One-Eye had a rather stout and large build.

Hearing Zhao Jin explain his purpose, Qi One-Eye ushered him into the courtyard and said with a smiling sigh, "I never imagined you'd grown so big. You really do resemble your father when he was young."

This Qi One-Eye lived alone and was not much of a talker. After leading Zhao Jin into the house, he specifically warned him, "Today is the day for dividing the salt. Don't go out wandering around."

What was "dividing the salt"? Zhao Jin was a bit confused, but he did not ask further. His mind was not on that right now.