Chapter 82

But Wang Zhaojing still did not get up. He knew his father's abilities, his thorough thinking, and his clear judgment. If his father said there was trouble, then there certainly was trouble.

Wang Zhaojing's expression changed, and he bowed again, saying, "If there really is trouble, I hope Father will take action now. If you wait until I am imprisoned, although the Zhao family will be even more grateful, this would be an act of kindness, not the way friends and brothers should interact. After that, we might become estranged."

Upon hearing this, Wang Youshan put down his book, stood up, and turned to look at his son with a surprised expression. "You have figured out this key point, and you have indeed made great progress in recent years. However, as the son of a constable, or perhaps I should say, the son of a hundred-household officer, is it worth putting in so much effort to befriend him?"

As he spoke, Wang Youshan's tone was not harsh but rather curious. Without waiting for Wang Zhaojing to answer, he continued, "You say that Zhao Jin is skilled in martial arts, but his abilities are only average. There are many in Xuzhou City who are stronger. You say he is outstanding in strategy and thorough in his actions, but he only has some creative ideas, perhaps from the experiences his uncle has brought back from his travels. I hope your friends can help you more in the future, not the other way around. Think carefully, is it worth it?"

Just as Wang Zhaojing was about to speak, his stomach growled. Wang Youshan immediately laughed, and Wang Zhaojing, blushing, sat up straight and said solemnly, "Father, it's not about whether it's worth it or not. I just want to say one thing. Tonight, Brother Zhao said he would take all the responsibility, and everyone thought it was righteous. But then Brother Zhao said that because someone in his family is a constable, there was no need to worry."

"Hmm?" Wang Youshan frowned, thinking his son was not prioritizing his points and suddenly mentioning such a trivial matter. However, he did not interrupt and let Wang Zhaojing continue.

"If it were only the first few sentences, I would think Brother Zhao was pretending to be righteous. But since Brother Zhao was so clear, I feel from the bottom of my heart that he is sincere and values righteousness."

Wang Youshan remained silent, walked to the side, and sat down. Wang Zhaojing continued earnestly, "It is worth it for this!"

After this speech, the study was quiet for a moment. Wang Youshan rubbed his forehead, looking tired, and said, "You're right. At your age, you shouldn't calculate too much. Go eat."

"Father, have you agreed to help?" Wang Zhaojing did not get up, asking eagerly.

Wang Youshan did not answer but nodded.

After returning home, Zhao Jin found Mu Shulan sleeping on the dining table, the food untouched. Seeing him return, He Cuihua and Zhao San's wife quickly went to reheat the food, mentioning that they had intended to let Mu Shulan eat first, but the girl insisted on waiting for Zhao Jin, resulting in her being both hungry and tired, and falling asleep on the table.

After eating, Zhao Jin changed into his clothes and did push-ups on the kang. He had been doing strength training for five years, never missing a day except under special circumstances. After only two push-ups, Zhao Jin fell asleep on the bed and slept until dawn. He thought he would have nightmares, but when he woke up, he felt refreshed. The window paper had turned white, and he got up at his usual time.

After putting on his clothes, Zhao Jin went out for a run as usual. When he returned home for breakfast, he found that his father, Zhao Zhentang, had already returned.

"You and Xiao Lan go to her room to eat. I have something to say to Xiao Jin." Zhao Zhentang looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and bloodshot eyes.

Hearing his serious tone, He Cuihua did not ask more and left the hall with Mu Shulan, carrying their bowls and chopsticks.

Once the hall was left to the father and son, Zhao Zhentang drank half a bowl of porridge and then said, "After breakfast, you will leave the city through the Heqing Gate. Fifteen miles outside the city is a village called Qijia Village. Find a man named Qi Duyan and tell him I sent you. Stay at his place and don't go out. Wait for my news before making any plans. Do you understand?"

Could the case have changed? Is this a plan to escape? Before Zhao Jin could ask, Zhao Zhentang took out a small gold ingot and some silver pieces from his pocket and said, "Take this money and keep it safe. Don't let anyone see it, not even Qi Duyan. When you go out, wear a hat and check if anyone is following you."

Zhao Jin took the money, feeling increasingly nervous. Could something really have gone wrong? Seeing his expression, Zhao Zhentang said in a low voice, "Eat quickly, and be on your way. Don't worry too much; this is just a precaution."

Zhao Jin nodded and started eating quickly. Zhao Zhentang finished his porridge, looked around, and said with a cold laugh, "You thought you were smart by leaving those kidnappers alive to confirm the crimes of Yunshan Temple. Did you think no one else could make them change their story? Yunshan Temple has such great influence, with people in the government. Do you think they wouldn't make those kidnappers frame you?"

"Did those kidnappers, like Ding Gongmeng, change their statements?" Zhao Jin asked urgently.

"Last night, they were afraid of the law and committed suicide," Zhao Zhentang said casually.

Zhao Jin's heart raced. The screams from the holding cells last night and the strong smell of blood on his father's body suggested that Zhao Zhentang had interrogated the kidnappers last night.

"Last night... did you interrogate them? Why not just kill them directly?" Zhao Jin couldn't help but ask.

Zhao Zhentang laughed and pointed at Zhao Jin, saying, "Now you're asking about this. Let me tell you, to make the high officials, from the Prefect to the Assistant Prefect and the Magistrate, and even the clerks in the criminal department, overlook this matter, you need real gold and silver. Our family's two hundred taels won't do much. Those kidnappers have been doing this for years and must have accumulated a lot of money. We forced them to confess and then sent the money up, and the constables also need their share."

There were such connections, Zhao Jin was speechless. Zhao Zhentang cursed, "There were almost two thousand taels."

"If so much money has been spent, do I still need to leave the city to avoid trouble?" Zhao Jin asked again.

"Yes, Yunshan Temple's influence is too great. If they decide to pursue this, even this much money won't buy us a fair judgment," Zhao Zhentang said through gritted teeth.

After breakfast, Zhao Jin changed into different clothes and hurriedly left. Following his father's instructions, he wore a hat, but was stopped from taking a spear, as it would be too conspicuous.

The Zhao family ate breakfast early, and when Zhao Jin arrived at the Heqing Gate, the eastern gate of Xuzhou City, the city gates had just opened. Mixing with the crowd leaving the city, the guards did not stop or question him, and he left the city smoothly.

In recent years, Zhao Jin had rarely left the city, spending his days diligently practicing martial arts, leaving him with little free time.

Walking on the road outside the city, Zhao Jin found that the countryside was even more desolate than the city. Although spring had just begun, there was little greenery, and the yellow earth stretched as far as the eye could see. The dilapidated state of the villages and buildings was not due to the season.

What made Zhao Jin even more uncomfortable was seeing two already decomposed bodies by the roadside. He never imagined that the countryside could be so lawless.

The villagers and peasants he passed were all in tattered clothes. Occasionally, he saw a few who were neatly dressed, but they didn't look like good people.

However, no one dared to target Zhao Jin. Although he was neatly dressed and looked like he had some money, he exuded a stern and alert aura, making it difficult for anyone to take advantage of him. Most people approached and then walked away.

After less than an hour, he arrived at Qijia Village. Compared to the other places he had seen on the way, the houses in Qijia Village were in better condition, though old, they were not dilapidated, indicating regular maintenance.

At the village entrance, Zhao Jin asked for directions and quickly found Qi Duyan's house. Qi Duyan was a man in his fifties, with a blind right eye, and unlike the other hunched and emaciated old men, he was quite fat.

After explaining his purpose, Qi Duyan invited him into the yard and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to grow so big. You really look like your father when he was young."

Qi Duyan lived alone and didn't talk much. After leading Zhao Jin into the house, he specifically warned, "Today is the day for salt distribution. Don't go out and wander around."

"What is 'salt distribution'?" Zhao Jin was a bit confused but didn't ask more. His mind was not on this matter.