Chapter 37

One person spoke up, and the others all nodded. Although Shi Manqiang and Jixiang didn't say anything, their expressions were not good.

As expected, this was within Zhao Jin's expectations. Zhao Jin raised his hand and shouted, "I know you're worried about those ruffians causing trouble. I promise you that those ruffians won't bother you tomorrow. If there's no problem, will you still come?"

"If there's no problem, of course we'll come!" The response from below was loud and clear. Zhao Jin smiled and nodded from atop the mound, then came down.

After coming down, the martial arts competition was considered over. However, Zhao Jin didn't rush back to practice. Instead, he called Chen Sheng and Wang Zhaojing to the front and asked in a low voice, "Didn't your families come with you today?"

"I didn't want anyone to follow, so after dropping off the things, I sent Uncle Cai home," Chen Sheng said, puzzled.

"Having servants around always makes one uncomfortable, so I didn't bring anyone today," Wang Zhaojing said in a deep voice. After saying this, he seemed to realize something and added, "Brother Zhao, my father doesn't really approve of fighting. If it involves ruffians, he'll be even more unhappy. I can't help you much with this!"

Zhao Jin glanced at Wang Zhaojing, thinking this kid was indeed smart. He knew Zhao Jin wanted to seek help from the adults of their families and had preemptively declined.

"I was just asking. I'll figure out a way," Zhao Jin said with a smile. Wang Zhaojing smiled and nodded, while Chen Sheng looked a bit confused, looking around.

The excitement of the fight was high, but the ruffians' threats of revenge dampened everyone's spirits. The young boys and children dispersed in small groups, and Zhao Jin also led Mu Shulan back.

People often hope for something but end up disappointed. The man and woman who usually came to pick up Mu Shulan didn't appear today. The little girl was very excited, but Zhao Jin was inwardly bitter.

"Xiao Lan, were you scared during the fight this afternoon?"

"Not really. With Brother Xiao Jin here, I'm even less scared."

Zhao Jin wasn't just asking casually. During the afternoon fight, Mu Shulan remained surprisingly calm throughout, which was unusual.

Martial arts competitions have rules and are about stopping at the right moment, while street fights are more brutal. Zhao Jin felt the afternoon fight was very satisfying and gained new insights into spear techniques, so he practiced with extra dedication in the afternoon.

Zhao Zhentang didn't come back for dinner. According to He Cuihua, he was finally free, so the people at the government office would gather to drink and have fun. She told Zhao Jin to eat and go to bed without waiting.

Back in his room, Zhao Jin started doing sit-ups and push-ups, and kept stretching to stay as active as possible.

It was almost time for his usual bedtime when Zhao Zhentang returned. He sat in the hall and shouted, "Someone, bring some tea."

Zhao Jin had been waiting and quickly ran out, smiling, to pour a bowl of tea. Zhao Zhentang's face was flushed, with a bit of oil on his beard, and he was full of alcohol. After taking the tea, he scolded, "The tea should be hot; cold tea can upset your stomach."

Despite this, he drank it all. Zhao Zhentang sighed, loosened the belt of his dark robe, and patted Zhao Jin's head, saying, "It's so late, why aren't you sleeping? How did the fight go today?"

"Father, I ran into some trouble," Zhao Jin said softly.

"What kind of trouble? Why didn't you tell your mother? What happened?" He Cuihua, holding a hot towel, hurried over and asked anxiously.

Zhao Zhentang burped and waved at He Cuihua, saying casually, "What kind of trouble can a child have? Don't make a big deal out of it. Xiao Jin, tell me in detail."

"Okay, today I..." Zhao Jin began to explain. At this age, children are often reluctant to seek help from their families, especially in such situations, for fear of being scolded or feeling ashamed. However, Zhao Jin was clear that parents are the support for their children, and it's natural to seek their help when facing problems they can't solve.

Zhao Zhentang listened while drinking hot tea, but he seemed a bit drowsy, yawning frequently. When he heard that Wang You Shan's son also participated in the competition, he was surprised. He probably didn't expect such a scholarly family to let their child fight. When he heard that Zhao Jin won all the way to the finals, a smile appeared on his face. When he heard that Zhao Jin had taken down a ruffian first, Zhao Zhentang's face lit up, and he patted Zhao Jin's shoulder hard, laughing, "Good boy, you're stronger than your father and uncle were. You have a bright future!"

"You're drunk, what's so great about this? Xiao Jin was such a well-behaved child before he got sick, but now he's like this. He might become a troublemaker when he grows up. It's all because you took him to see executions, which filled him with evil energy..." He Cuihua muttered.

Zhao Zhentang put down his teacup and said impatiently, "What do you know, being able to fight isn't a bad thing. At least he won't be bullied."

After saying this, he smiled and asked Zhao Jin, "Xiao Jin, those ruffians won't dare to bother you. Why are you so worried?"

This was the key question. Ruffians know who they can and can't offend. Zhao Jin, Chen Sheng, and Wang Zhaojing, with their clothes and appearance, were clearly from wealthy families, so the ruffians wouldn't dare to provoke them. This had nothing to do with Zhao Jin, and he had no real trouble.

So Zhao Zhentang asked this question, which was also due to the alcohol. Normally, he wouldn't have been so curious.

Zhao Jin didn't try to be clever; he simply said, "Father, I finally gathered so many friends. If they disperse because of this, all my efforts will be wasted. It will be hard to gather them again."

Zhao Zhentang smiled and said, "You're a good boy. Alright, I'll take care of this trouble for you tomorrow morning."

Zhao Jin was taken aback by his father's straightforward response. It was so simple. Before he could react, he saw Zhao Zhentang stretch and walk toward the inner room, saying with a smile, "Learning martial arts isn't bad. I like your spirit."

As he got into bed, Zhao Jin was still dazed. The ruffians under the "Black Tiger Temple Copperhead" targeting children didn't seem like formidable opponents, but his father was just a regular constable. How could he solve the problem so easily?

Just before falling asleep, Zhao Jin suddenly smiled. After today's group fight, he had won the hearts of the cargo yard boys.

The next morning, Zhao Jin was a bit distracted during breakfast. He felt nervous. Zhao Zhentang drank his porridge in large gulps and, seeing his son's appearance, couldn't help but mock him, "Look at you, acting like you have a big problem. Are you scared today?"

In his previous life, Zhao Jin was brave and fierce, but he had never dealt with people from the underworld. Today, he was indeed unsure about meeting these ruffians.

After breakfast, the father and son left. He Cuihua tidied up the dishes and said, "Xiao Jin, be careful. Don't get hurt or cause trouble."

"What's the point of saying so much!" Zhao Zhentang wiped his mouth carelessly and led Zhao Jin out.

As they left the courtyard, Zhao Jin realized that his mother hadn't mentioned the ruffians, showing no worry at all.

Zhao Zhentang wore a black robe with red trim and a constable's hat, walking confidently down the street. As they walked out of the northern gate, Zhao Jin noticed that the market was very quiet. The sun was already up, but many shops still had their shutters closed, and the fronts were uncleaned, indicating they were closed.

The market wasn't just quiet; it was somewhat dilapidated. The decline of Xuzhou City was evident. However, the father and son walked slower and slower because too many people greeted Zhao Zhentang.

"Sir Zhao, are you free today?"

"Brother Zhao, let's have a few drinks at Gaosheng Tower tonight. I'll treat you."