Chapter 841: Single Combat

The Cai family had received so many benefits from Zhao's Camp, yet they betrayed them at the critical moment — washing that clean wouldn't be easy. The entire Cai family was stranded in Henan, unable to return home, and most of their family property was confiscated as punishment.

When people grow old, they long to return home; the urge for fallen leaves to return to their roots grows especially strong. Not to mention the Cai family was stranded outside, and comparing Henan with Xuzhou, they could see many differences and understood how they should choose from now on. They knew that even though the Cai sons had offended Zhao Jin, if they could put down roots and develop in Xuzhou, their prospects would be far better than drifting outside.

But having given such offense, how could they seek forgiveness? There really seemed no way to think of. Later, no one knew who brought up this Cai Huajun, saying the kid had good luck — not only was he not dragged down by the Cai family, he was actually quite highly regarded.

Zhao's Camp valued warriors above all, valued loyalty above all. Since Cai Huajun had such fortune, could he take the initiative to do things for Zhao's Camp? Once he had toil and merit to his name, he'd have the standing to petition Zhao's Camp and have the Cai family released back to Xuzhou.

For this, Candidate Cai offered extremely generous terms: the Cai family would split into two branches, each taking fifty percent of the family property, with one branch headed by Cai Huajun as family master. Although the Cai family had declined, they still had some foundation left. Then Cai Huajun would be established as a son of the main branch, entered into the ancestral hall, entered into the family genealogy.

Cai Huajun didn't care about this. If he'd sought wealth and rank, he could have been ruthless back then, or followed Zhao Jin on his adventures, and now he'd lack for nothing. He also had no interest in the genealogy and ancestral hall — he'd suffered too much at the hands of the Cai family as a child. But Cai Huajun's mother cared about this enormously, feeling that the child was after all a member of the Cai family, and if he could become the master of one Cai branch and return to the ancestral hall and clan genealogy, his origins would be cleansed, bringing honor and dignity, and it would benefit the grandchildren too.

Since his own mother had stepped forward, Cai Huajun had no choice. He could only prepare his bow and horse to go join them. Beforehand, he even greeted several friends in the cavalry company. He understood the rules of how Zhao's Camp did things, and he recounted Candidate Cai's commission in full detail, holding nothing back.

Tao Gui and Xu Yong, once worthless, were now company commanders in the cavalry company, men who could speak directly to Zhao Jin. Naturally, this was reported upward. Zhao Jin's reply was very simple: you come and do the work, and then the Cai family won't split into two branches — you'll manage all of it. Otherwise, no deal.

No one knew how Candidate Cai's group, stranded outside, argued and quarreled, but the matter was actually agreed to just like that. Amid his wife's sobbing, Cai Huajun entered Zhao's Camp.

He was slightly different from those affiliated martial men from Xuzhou and Pizhou. Because Cai Huajun's identity was reliable, the Internal Guard had someone talk with him for a long time. Cai Huajun took on the responsibility of monitoring the interior for the Internal Guard, and since he would return to manage the Cai family later, the Internal Guard also hoped he would continue working for Zhao's Camp.

"Old man, have any riders come from the north these past few days?" Cai Huajun asked, leading his horse, holding several packets of coarse salt in his hand.

Cai Huajun thought things through clearly. Since he was doing this, he had to do it well — otherwise, there'd be no talk of anything afterward. Zhao's Camp valued martial men, but those martial men also had to earn merit and prove capable. The Cai family had brought such huge trouble upon themselves; he absolutely had to achieve a great merit, so he charged to the very front.

The family harvesting wheat in the field was very tense. Several able-bodied young men gripped their farm tools, ready to strike at any moment. Only the eldest among them showed some courtesy. Hearing Cai Huajun's Caozhou local accent, he relaxed slightly. Cai Huajun did not dismount. Farm households in the fields might seem weak, but if no one was watching, they were perfectly capable of killing a man for his goods. Cai Huajun had operated for a time in Shandong and Northern Zhili and was thoroughly familiar with this.

"Sir, I haven't seen any riders coming from the north. But a few refugee families have passed through, saying there's a great army coming from the north."

Cai Huajun nodded and casually tossed a packet of coarse salt from horseback, saying with a smile, "Thank you, old man. If anyone else asks, don't mention I passed by."

The old man caught the paper packet, poked a hole in it and licked — his face immediately broke into a delighted grin. He nodded repeatedly, saying, "Understood, understood!"

Salt was hard to come by in the villages, and ordinary farm households had it even harder. Often, salt itself served as currency. But Cai Huajun also understood: with the Liao tax levies scraping through time and again, and famines ravaging through time and again, any household that still had able-bodied young men to harvest wheat was no ordinary, honest family. Giving this common currency, just like speaking in the local accent, was a warning that he was a local man and they shouldn't get any crooked ideas.

Back at camp, some companions had already been shouting: we carry bows, horses, and weapons — we can roam the world fearing nothing. If we run out of food and drink, we just enter a village. Who would dare refuse to supply us?

Cai Huajun hadn't argued at the time, but he didn't dare enter those Shandong villages. What if there were cultists inside burning incense and worshipping gods? Once you went in, you might never come out.

On the official road west of the canal and Weishan Lake, no travelers or merchants could be seen anymore. No one wanted to get mixed up in this military disaster. Cai Huajun didn't travel on that official road either. The whole area was flat open country anyway, and the smaller paths below were just the same. Traveling on the official road made you too conspicuous a target — it was too easy to get trapped with no room to run.

Cai Huajun still remembered that the area he'd just passed through was Shijia Village. That place also lived off the canal trade, but the kind that couldn't see the light of day — all underworld figures and canal-related dealings, including bulk smuggled salt. But it was probably withered now. Zhao's Camp's salt trade radiated too widely and was run too properly; no one else could stay in business. Cai Huajun didn't know if anyone there still recognized him, but to avoid trouble, he deliberately steered clear.

The sun was pleasant, warm enough to make a man drowsy, but Cai Huajun dared not slacken in the slightest. From horseback, he nervously scanned his surroundings. The main army should still be far from here — otherwise, in this flat terrain, everything would be clearly visible. An army on the move would certainly raise dust, a sign that could be seen from several li away, even over ten li away.

The horse walked very slowly, eating fodder from its feed bag as it went. Cai Huajun knew when to spur his horse into a gallop, and right now was the time to conserve its strength.

There seemed to be a sign in the distance. Cai Huajun blinked and looked that way. In the already-harvested field, a dot was approaching. Judging the figure's height against the wheat fields that hadn't yet been hastily reaped — this was a rider.

Cai Huajun's eyes narrowed. After reining in his mount, he saw the other party pick up speed, heading straight toward him. Cai Huajun still didn't move. He waited on horseback for the other to draw near. At about five hundred paces, Cai Huajun recognized the man's identity — it should be a night-patrol scout cavalryman of the government army.

Normally, scouts operating abroad should wear civilian clothes, but this one swaggered openly in the light armor and robes of the government army, clearly intending to use the uniform to flaunt his authority.

Once this government scout had closed to this distance, he too slowed down. Cai Huajun was dressed like a lone traveling merchant, but at this season, in this region, how could there possibly be any lone traveling merchant?

Cai Huajun thought for a moment, then cleanly and decisively dismounted, grabbed the reins, and positioned his horse sideways in front of himself.

Shouldn't he be maneuvering his mount to meet the attack, or turning and fleeing at once? What was he dismounting for? The government scout, who had already slowed down, did not continue to decelerate.

The distance closed. At about a hundred-plus paces, the government scout bellowed, "Scout rider of Grand General Lu, Commander-in-Chief of Baoding, out on patrol! Who goes there?"

"Sir officer, this humble one is from Jiaxiang, here to visit relatives. Heard a great army's coming — I'm hurrying home." Cai Huajun's accent shifted to that of someone from Jiaxiang, even carrying a slight tremble, clearly very frightened.

Hearing this, and seeing the horse standing quietly there with obvious water stains on its body, the government scout reached his conclusion: this man probably wasn't lying. That mount must have run out of strength, so the man didn't dare run now and could only stay here waiting.

The government scout's mouth was already splitting open — he simply couldn't hold back his grin. To think he'd have such a prize on a single outing! Kill this unlucky wretch, search the body, seize the horse — goods and wealth falling into his lap for nothing. Truly, heaven had opened its eyes.

"No need to be afraid. This general is out searching for traitors and scoundrels. Once I've verified you're a law-abiding commoner, I'll let you go home and have you clear out of this war-torn place quickly." The government scout softened his tone even as he spurred his horse faster, his hand already drawing his saber.

"General, sir, this humble one truly is a law-abiding commoner! Hurrying home!" Cai Huajun explained in a fluster, yet he did not step out from behind the horse, and even extended one hand, waving it ceaselessly.

Seeing and hearing this, the government scout's eyes gleamed with murderous intent, while his face bloomed into a grin. With words that belied his heart, he soothed, "No matter, no matter. Step around so I can verify your identity, and I'll let you go."

The scout's hand had already tightened on his saber, his heel already lifted. The moment this man stepped out from behind the horse, a sharp jab of the spurs into the horse's belly, the mount would charge straight forward, and one slash of the blade would cut him down.

The distance between them was no more than twenty-some paces. Under the sunlight, everything was clearly visible. The government scout noticed that the sweat on the other man's horse had already dried. No — this horse showed no sign of fatigue or sweating at all; it stood there perfectly at ease, eating hay from its feed bag. The government scout instinctively glanced at the waterskin hanging by the saddle. He saw the stopper had been pulled out. Could it be this wasn't sweat, but water poured on…

The "law-abiding commoner" who had been using the horse to shield his front suddenly emerged from behind the horse's tail, bow in hand, arrow nocked, the string already half-drawn. He raised the bow. The bowstring drew full. The arrow shot forth!

At this distance, the government scout, who had been just about to spur his horse and swing his blade, had no defense or cover whatsoever. The smugness and vicious grin on his face had barely begun to register shock when the arrow nailed into his throat.

An arrow in the throat — the saber fell to the ground. The scout tried to reach up and pull the arrow out. A second arrow arrived, driving straight into his right eye. This time he made no movement at all, simply toppling downward off the horse.

It had all been so sudden, the movements so fast. Only after the two arrows were loosed did the government soldier's mount begin to grow restless, but before it could even startle or buck, Cai Huajun, whistling from his lips, had already closed in swiftly. He smoothly seized the horse's reins, while his other hand pulled out a crumbled piece of bran cake, still flecked with a bit of salt.

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