Chapter 86: Fearful and Uneasy

After opening the courtyard gate, Mu Shulan went inside by herself to tidy up briefly. Zhao Jin gave a rough account of what he knew from the day before. Chen Sheng had gathered no less information on his end, and only after the two compared notes did they feel a lingering fear — if Wang Youshan had not stepped in, Yunlin Temple would never have let the matter rest.

As they spoke, Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang showed up together. The two didn't walk straight in as usual, but poked their heads in at the gate to peer around. Only after spotting Zhao Jin and the others did they hurry inside. Once in the courtyard, they let out a huge breath and said, "Yesterday the two of us came by to check, afraid something might have happened here at Brother Zhao's place. So we came again today."

They certainly didn't have news channels as well-connected as Chen Sheng, Wang Zhaojing, and Dong Bingfeng, but they couldn't put their minds at ease, so they could only run over to keep an eye on things.

The group chatted and laughed for a few moments, and then Wang Zhaojing arrived as well. Of those who had gone the day before, only Sun Dalei and Liu Yong had yet to come.

Just as they thought of those two, they spotted Sun Dalei poking his head around at the gate. Judging by his expression, it wasn't uncertainty, but rather a certain uneasiness about whether to come in.

Following Zhao Jin's gaze, everyone noticed Sun Dalei outside the gate. Chen Sheng's expression immediately turned cold. Dong Bingfeng took a step back and said nothing. Shi Manqiang and Ji Xiang exchanged a glance, both wearing looks of disapproval. Wang Zhaojing, however, had a smile on his face.

"What are you standing there dumbly for? Get in here!" Zhao Jin called out with a smile.

Sun Dalei at the gate hadn't expected Zhao Jin to say that and actually froze on the spot. Even the other few were quite surprised.

Zhao Jin looked around at everyone with a smile and said, "That day when we fought to the death, Dalei was plenty brave. He just had family matters and left a little early — what of it? Are we not friends anymore?"

Hearing him put it that way, no one had anything to say, though Chen Sheng's expression remained sour. Wang Zhaojing smiled and nodded at Sun Dalei.

Sun Dalei opened his mouth to speak, but coughed and couldn't get the words out. He tried to open his mouth again, then lowered his head instead. He reached up to wipe his eyes, and only then raised his head and said, "I... I..."

His old stammering habit had flared up again; he couldn't get a single sentence out whole.

"Hurry in and get to martial practice. We don't have that much time to waste." Zhao Jin called out with a smile. Sun Dalei nodded forcefully and strode quickly inside.

Only once he entered did they realize that Sun Dalei had not come alone. Behind him followed two men dressed like shop assistants, both carrying food boxes on shoulder poles — four large boxes, no telling what was inside.

They came in and set them down. Sun Dalei dismissed the two assistants and said with a beaming smile, "Good stuff my parents sent over. Everyone eat, everyone eat."

His parents did business in Yutou Town, a midway point on the canal where north and south traveled, with a full range of goods from both regions. When the food boxes were opened, one contained candied fruits, two held pastries, and another was filled with assorted cooked meats. Such exquisite food, in boxes this large — the cost was truly not low. Even Wang Zhaojing and Chen Sheng were taken aback at the sight.

"This must be at least ten taels of silver, right?" Zhao Jin asked. Sun Dalei just chuckled and said nothing. Zhao Jin stepped up and patted Sun Dalei on the shoulder, saying in a solemn voice, "Dalei, we're friends, we're brothers. That business the day before yesterday — you went along to help, you charged in and fought the enemy. You already did plenty. Some misunderstandings, we just talk them through clearly and that's it. Next time, no need for this."

Zhao Jin knew that Sun Dalei was afraid of being shut out by his friends right now, which was why he'd bought so many good things to eat, hoping everyone would forgive him. Zhao Jin had no intention of refusing, nor would he keep harping on it. He went on with a smile, "Dalei's brought quite a lot of good food. Everyone come eat. Xiaolan, come out and have some good food."

Mu Shulan came out of the house with a cheerful smile, went to the food boxes, and took a little of each kind. Then Wang Zhaojing came over with a smile and took some. Dong Bingfeng, Shi Manqiang, and Ji Xiang all came over and took some as well. Chen Sheng, however, stood off to the side with a cold face and made no move. Zhao Jin shot him two looks in a row before Chen Sheng reluctantly came over and took one item.

Seeing that everyone had come over and taken something, a smile finally appeared on Sun Dalei's face. Making conversation for the sake of it, he went on, "Brother Zhao, why hasn't Liu Yong come?"

His speech still stammered, but it was much more fluent than before, showing that his mood had settled.

"Liu Yong is a man with duties now, not as leisurely as us. He's probably working over in the south of the city," Zhao Jin said with a smile.

Liu Yong, the very person they were talking about, was at that moment in the Black Tiger God of Wealth Temple in the south of the city, standing in a corner of the inner room. Boss Cheng was in the room discussing matters with several headmen. Originally, Liu Yong wasn't qualified to be there, but today he had been specifically called over.

Liu Yong was very measured in his conduct. He stood quietly off to the side, just listening. He could see that Boss Cheng's expression was not particularly good, and he could also notice that Chen Ergou's position was further forward than usual. How quickly the situation had changed. As for what had happened the day before, Liu Yong certainly hadn't forgotten.

Not long after returning from the east of the city the night before last, Boss Cheng had sent men to seize him and bring him in. But there had been no beating or cursing — he was simply locked in a room in confinement.

Around noon the day before, Boss Cheng sent men to let Liu Yong out. At midday, he was even taken to a restaurant for a meal, with wine and meat in great abundance. And today, he was even allowed to attend the headmen's discussions.

Liu Yong could guess the reason. He had killed men from Yunshan Temple. Boss Cheng would certainly have to hand him over. As a mere jianghu boss from the south of the city, he was nothing but trash before a local magnate like Yunshan Temple.

The reason he had been released, Liu Yong could roughly figure out. Chen Ergou had privately told him the cause: Wang Youshan had stepped in and classified the battle the night before last as a righteous act of bravery. That being the case, Boss Cheng naturally no longer needed to hand anyone over to Yunshan Temple, and moreover, for the sake of Zhao Jin's face, he had to treat him courteously. That meal of wine and meat he'd been treated to was essentially an apology.

How lucky to be able to follow a big brother like this. The big brother Liu Yong was thinking of in his heart was not Boss Cheng, but Zhao Jin.

The clamor of the gambling hall outside drifted in, making it somewhat hard for Liu Yong to hear clearly the low voices of Boss Cheng and the others above. From Boss Cheng's expression, he seemed a little afraid.

Boss Cheng was indeed afraid. As a faction boss on the streets of Xuzhou City, he was thoroughly familiar with all the city's low-down dirty dealings. In fact, the day Zhao Jin had come asking questions, he had immediately guessed which crew had done it. There was only that one gang of kidnappers in the city who dared to abduct from a constable's home.

But Boss Cheng also knew that someone from Yunshan Temple had designs on that little girl. This time, the gang of kidnappers was, nine times out of ten, backed by Yunshan Temple's power.

Although a yamen constable was a figure of some standing, he was nothing compared to Yunshan Temple. Boss Cheng naturally knew which side to pick. He had simply pretended not to be around, thinking to himself: if it were your father the constable showing up in person, I might still offer a few perfunctory words. But you, a half-grown kid, come knocking — why should I bother with you? If you can't find anything out, you'll just give up. And even if you do find out, there's nothing you can do about it.

Unexpectedly, that very night, word spread from inside the yamen that Constable Zhao's boy had led men charging in, slaughtered all the monks from Yunshan Temple, and delivered the kidnappers to the yamen.

That was six lives! Boss Cheng drew a sharp breath when he heard the news. The monks Yunshan Temple sent down the mountain on business all had decent martial skills. Well-fed and well-watered in the temple, they trained in martial arts daily to strengthen their bodies, and their equipment was good — every one of them was tough and formidable. Boss Cheng knew in his heart that the dozen or so men under him might not be able to handle those six.

Yet those six warrior-monks, stout men who knew martial arts, had been cleanly wiped out by a few half-grown boys. These youths really had the stomach to strike, and their martial skills were truly formidable.

Astonishment aside, Boss Cheng could still guess the outcome. Yunshan Temple's power in Xuzhou was too great. If they simply stepped in to pressure the authorities, Zhao Jin's constable father would never be able to shield him. When the time came, Zhao Jin would be convicted and thrown in prison, and Liu Yong on his side certainly wouldn't escape either. To avoid being implicated himself, he might as well lock the man up in advance.

But one unexpected thing followed another. At noon the next day, two pieces of news came out: those kidnappers had committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and Wang Youshan had stepped in to rule Zhao Jin and the others innocent.

When he heard the news that the kidnappers had committed suicide out of fear of punishment, a chill ran through Boss Cheng's entire body. He knew perfectly well that this was murder to silence witnesses. And the news that Zhao Jin and the others were innocent made Boss Cheng even more restless.