Jinting Han people

Chapter 65: The Prodigy Who Arrives at the Cock Crow (4k)

It was still dark outside the window, and the cicadas and frogs had begun croaking, waking the rooster in the dormitory. The rooster then crowed loudly, a passionate and annoying sound that set off a chaotic roar of cursing from the students. When the crowing died down, everyone rolled over and fell back into a drowsy sleep.

This did not include Zu Ti, who was 22 years old at the time. When he heard the rooster crow, he shuddered and immediately stood up. After he recovered, he put on his clothes and went downstairs to open the windows of the house.

The morning breeze blew in, dispelling the stuffiness in the house. The stars in the sky twinkled, making Zu Ti feel relaxed. And seeing the silence in the school, as if he was the only one who stood up, he was filled with ecstasy, feeling that he had won a victory.

Zu Ti lit a lamp on the table. The candlelight blazed, illuminating Liu Kun, who was sleeping soundly. His breaths rose and fell with his chest, but Zu Ti still slapped him awake, calling out, "Yueshi, Yueshi, wake up, wake up!"

Liu Kun rubbed his eyes and sat up, his handsome face full of discomfort: "Shizhi, I'm still dreaming!"

"No matter how beautiful a dream is, it's false. Wasting time is real." Zu Ti said this as he began to put on his military uniform and leggings. "In the future, when the world is in turmoil, do you plan to repel the enemy by dreaming?"

"It may not work in dreams, but perhaps I can rely on my gentlemanly demeanor and a few words to make them retreat without a fight."

"You want to be Zhu Zhiwu, but I'm not Duke Mu of Qin!"

The two laughed together. Liu Kun stopped complaining and got out of bed to get dressed, also in a red and white military uniform. Then they scooped water from the vat to wash their faces, then took their swords and went to the Forest of Steles Square to practice sword dancing.

The curfew had been lifted, but no one was in the square of the Imperial College. Looking up, one could still see the bleak moonlight. Zu Ti was extremely happy, and he said to Liu Kun, "Yue Shi, this is what it means when the whole world is drunk and I am the only one awake!"

Zu Ti had been in Luoyang for half a year. Six months earlier, he had been living as an expatriate in Yangping County, Hebei Province. His extensive reading of historical and modern texts had led to him being recommended by the local prefecture government for the position of Xiaolian (Xiaolian) of Yangping County. While being recognized as a Xiaolian official was a prestigious honor during the Han Dynasty, it was now considered commonplace, so Zu Ti declined. However, the Yangping County government was undeterred and offered him a place at the Imperial College. Zu Ti accepted the offer, as the opportunity to see the world in Beijing was something he had longed to achieve.

Time flies, and half a year has passed. He is dancing with a sword in the Xiping Stele, surrounded by new friends, but he feels lonely inside. It's not because of the silence at the moment, even in the bustling city of Luoyang, he feels even more lonely.

Because he was precocious and had already seen through it, all the vanity and prosperity in Luoyang were a false illusion and were doomed to perish. The world would be in chaos in the future, and he was on the eve of this chaotic world, so he had to think about what to do next.

So Zu Ti called Liu Kun to dance with him with swords every day, until they were sweating all over and were full of energy, until the night dissipated and the dawn broke. Then, listening to the intermittent crowing of cocks in the school, the two of them put away their swords and returned to the room. After breakfast, they began to read aloud to the daytime.

Books contain beautiful women and golden houses. Although there is no such poem now, most scholars actually hold this view.

But for Zu Ti, reading is actually like dancing with a sword. He was honing his sword skills, intending to draw his sword with pride and make a stunning debut when the waves were surging and everyone was paying attention.

But this was destined to be a long wait. Zu Ti had been tempering himself for several years, but the longer he tempered himself, the more depressed he became:
Because the sharpness in the heart is not only directed at the enemy, but also at oneself. This is the reason why it is said that the hardest thing is easily broken.

Zu Ti naturally understood this truth, so he also had different ways of venting.

After listening to Dr. Zhang Jing's lecture that morning, he said to Liu Kun, "Yue Shi, are you short of money lately?"

Liu Kun had been with him for half a year and had already figured out his thoughts. He replied with a smile: "People are like buckets in the sea, and money is like drops of dew. When will it be enough?"

"How about a western suburb?"

"Maybe we should go to the western suburbs!"

After that, the two of them hurriedly had lunch, picked up their swords and headed to the western suburbs, where they had a secret meeting place.

It was called a secret gathering, but in reality it was just a deserted courtyard. Even in Luoyang, such abandoned courtyards were not uncommon, but they were usually used by stray dogs and beggars to take shelter from the wind and rain. However, this house was different. Its desolation was only superficial. The roof needed several layers of thatch, and there were some leaks between the doors and windows. If someone really entered the house and took a look, they would be shocked.

The house currently held a dozen or so young men, most of them lavishly dressed. While not made of the finest silk, they were clearly not cheap. The decorations were also quite impressive, including embroidered screens, golden sandalwood tables, money-shaking lanterns, ivory cups, and even a small red coral in the corner. Conservatively, if all of these were exchanged for cash, they could fetch at least a few dozen gold.

When Zu Ti arrived, the young men were eating in front of a boiling cauldron. There was dog meat stewed in the cauldron, and corn rice in the bowls. Each of them had a bag of wine tied around his waist. They looked extremely unrestrained.

When they saw Zu Ti and Liu Kun coming in, they all put down their bowls and stood up suddenly, almost at the same time, and then shouted loudly: "Hello, elder brother! Hello, second brother!"

Zu Ti saw that they were full of energy and spirit, and smiled with satisfaction. He waved his hand and said, "Sit down, all of you! Why are you pretending when you are eating?"

The leading youth was named Wang Chang. He puffed out his chest and said, "That won't work. If it weren't for Brother Zu who brought us out, how could we have such a good life with good food and warm clothes? Although we have no parents and no family education, we also know what gratitude is."

"We've known each other for so long, and you're still saying such nonsense! Did I come here just to listen to your flattery? Eat first!"

The young men all obeyed Zu Ti's orders very well. As soon as he said a word, everyone followed suit. They sat down and ate the dog meat voraciously, finishing it in no time.

While everyone was digesting their food, Zu Ti asked Wang Chang, "How's the market going lately? Have you sold all those silver hairpins you got last time?"

Wang Chang nodded and said, "Brother, we did sell it, but the price wasn't very good, only 60% of the usual price. I think it was that guy from the Wen family. He seemed to be sure that we had no other way and was trying to deliberately lower our price."

"Sixty percent? That's such a low number?" Zu Ti's face changed, and he frowned and said, "Then it's better to keep it for now. Since ancient times, there have been more people willing to spend money than to risk their lives. We are in the business of gambling our lives, how can we be bullied by such a brat!"

Liu Kun smiled and said, "This isn't a difficult task. If it doesn't work out, the worst that can happen is a long trip to the gold market in Xuchang to sell the stolen goods."

Although it was troublesome, it was indeed a possible solution. Zu Ti nodded, and looking around at the young men watching him, a surge of passion rising in his heart. He said, "Let's do a few more things before we go! Six months ago, when I came to Luoyang, I only had a hundred coins. So what? I said I would provide everyone with food and clothing, and now I've achieved it! In another six months, we'll build a large courtyard with three entrances and support a hundred brothers. How do you say that?"

Of course, all the young men wanted to make friends with him. They were originally children from poor families. They could not find a way to make a living and had to wander around begging. They did not expect that after meeting Zu Ti, their luck would change and they would have no worries about food and clothing. Now, even if Zu Ti asked them to die, they would still fight bravely and make it a shame in the future.

At this point, Zu Ti called Wang Chang over and whispered, "It's better to do it now than to wait for a day. If you have any good ideas recently, I want to do it."

What Zu Ti called "doing something" was actually robbery. After all, in those days, even a noble like Shi Chong took the initiative to rob, so the common people, unable to make ends meet, naturally followed suit, forming a popular trend. Robbing money and food was a minor matter; more frivolous acts such as seizing people as slaves and attacking government offices were not uncommon.

But at least on the surface, the masters still had to consider their face and instruct their subordinates to do it, while people from humble backgrounds like Zu Ti had to do it themselves. The first thing Zu Ti did when he arrived in Luoyang was to chop up a child trafficker in the western suburbs, taking away his savings over the years and recruiting these young people as his own. This is how he acquired this courtyard.

Then, in the following months, Zu Ti formed a small and highly combat-capable gang, which specifically targeted wealthy people in Luoyang who had no background but had accumulated some wealth.

Typically, he would first send a threatening letter detailing the amount of money demanded and the agreed location, then light a pile of firewood outside. If the hostage initially refused to respond, Zu Ti would lead a surprise attack, kidnap the hostage, and then send another threatening letter. If the hostage still refused to respond, Zu Ti would torture the hostage and then commit other unbearable acts, such as murder and arson.

By now, almost half of the people in the western suburbs knew about this gang of young robbers. They had considered seeking help from the government, but Zu Ti was a shrewd man. He had already arranged for his good friend Liu Kun to connect with Man Fen, the governor of Luoyang, and had agreed to split the proceeds 40-60. So, even though they prospered in the western suburbs, no one bothered Zu Ti.

Of course, Zu Ti was selective when it came to his robberies. He would let anyone with a good reputation go after confirming their identity. However, in this Dharma-Ending Age, where evil spirits were rampant, good people were especially hard to find. Every household had some dirty deeds they dared not speak of, and even the peaceful Anle Mansion was no exception.

Therefore, for the past six months, Zu Ti hadn't failed. He would spend the money he got from robbing houses on himself, and then use the rest to bribe the poor, recruit them, act as an external spy, and then continue to inquire about possible targets for robbery. This cycle continued, and the gang showed signs of becoming a gang.

Zu Ti used this kind of career as his hobby to dispel the resentment accumulated in his heart.

That day, Zu Ti also thought so. Wang Chang had already found a good point in the past few days.

Three miles away, there was a wealthy merchant who, ostensibly dealing in cloth, secretly smuggled salt, often murdering and robbing people along the way. Wang Chang bribed a few servants there and learned that they had recently sold a large batch of smuggled salt, making tens of thousands of gold. If they could rob it, they could spend it without having to go to the black market. It was a prime business. Upon learning of this, Zu Ti didn't hesitate. He left two brothers at home to guard the house, and with a proud and heroic spirit, he led fourteen of his brothers to take over.

The process went very smoothly. The terrain had been mapped out beforehand. The gang, with their hidden agenda and relying on their connections and weapons, even bought a courtyard in the most secluded part of the western suburbs, surrounded by apricot trees on both sides, a perfect place for Zu Ti and his party to hide. When dinner time came, they heard laughter and chatter in the courtyard, and smelled the aroma of wine and meat, and immediately knew a feast was underway.

Zu Ti waited until it was dark and the noise in the courtyard gradually died down, then he imitated the call of a partridge three times towards the sky. With a "squeak", the bribed servants came to open the door for Zu Ti.

A group of people immediately rushed in, drew their axes and rushed in to kill.

The people in the courtyard were eating meat, drinking, and having fun, and they were paralyzed all over. How could they have expected such a sudden change?
Even though they were all grown men, and had plenty of experience in killing, the youngsters took the initiative, slashing at anyone they saw. Under the blade, the outcome was indiscriminate.

In an instant, the young men killed everyone in the yard in chaos, with ghosts crying and wolves howling.

Even if someone wanted to escape, the several exits had already been blocked by Zu Ti, and of course no one escaped.

After killing the people, Zu Ti felt hot all over, so he handed the counting work to his subordinates and went to the well to wash his face.

The moon had already risen, and the cold water splashed against his face, blurring his vision and mind for a moment, but at least it relieved a lot of the murderous intent in his chest. When he came to his senses, his vague shadow was reflected in the water at the bottom of the well. Only the outline was clear, not his face.

Zu Ti stared at the shadow at the bottom of the well, and suddenly felt a little bewildered: "What am I doing in Luoyang? Is it for such a small matter to make me look so bad?"
This made him raise his head and turn around to ask Liu Kun: "Yue Shi, why hasn't the emperor died yet?"

Liu Kun had just found a jug of wine and was savoring it when this remark caused him to spit it all out. He coughed for a long time before finally saying, "Wait a little longer, wait a little longer. He'll die sooner or later."

But when thinking of the life span of Emperor Xuan of Jin, Sima Yi, Zu Ti couldn't help but feel discouraged. He couldn't help but think: the most difficult thing for a hero is not failure, but waiting. From this perspective, Sima Yi is indeed an admirable genius.

But for Zu Ti, this period of loss was always short-lived, as he was good at regulating his emotions. By the time the young men had packed up the spoils and buried the bodies, standing before them was a vibrant leader again.

Today they had indeed reaped a rich harvest, a full sixty gold coins, the largest haul for this small group in six months. The large compound in the capital that Zu Ti had just mentioned was now within reach.

The group went back and forth with great pride, but when they opened the door, they unexpectedly found three uninvited guests in their house.

There was one person he knew, Wen San, who usually helped them sell stolen goods, but the two people behind him were dressed in gorgeous clothes and had noble looks. Zu Ti only felt that they were somewhat familiar, but after thinking about it carefully, he could not remember where he had seen them before. He only knew that they were not ordinary people at first glance, and their purpose was also very obvious, they were coming for him.

Zu Ti was alert in his heart, but his expression remained calm. He asked Wen San, "Why did you bring people here? Are you trying to break the rules of the underworld? Or do you think I'm kind and gentle and wouldn't dare kill anyone?"

Wen San looked timid and didn't say anything. Liu Cong behind him smiled slightly, stood up and said, "Brother, you are really a noble man who forgets things easily. Didn't we meet last time when Doctor Ji Shao was giving a lecture at the Imperial College?"

Imperial College? Zu Ti's heart skipped a beat. He looked Liu Cong up and down, and finally remembered a little impression of him in his mind: "Are you...Liu Cong from Taiyuan?"

"Yes!" Liu Cong gently fanned himself, calmly recalling, "I still remember that time, a member of the Yingchuan Xun family's branch, Xun Cai, was beating and scolding a maid. You were so angry that you punched and kicked him, dragging him down like a dead dog, and even made him beg for mercy repeatedly. It really left a deep impression on me."

"It was just a casual thing." Zu Ti was impatient and waved his hand, saying, "You might as well explain it more clearly. What is the matter with you coming to see me?"

"I want to discuss a business with my grandfather."

Zu Ti's heart was moved, but he still pretended to be calm on his face. He sneered and said, "Don't you know? Whatever I want, I always rob, not trade."

"That's where I got it wrong." Liu Cong gently fanned himself and said with a smile, "I'm here to ask Zujun for help in doing something big! Whether it succeeds or not, the price is two hundred gold."

Two hundred gold? Zu Ti was shocked at first, then puzzled. Two hundred gold was indeed a huge sum of money, but he couldn't imagine what kind of reason was behind such a huge sum of money. This aroused his strong interest, and his bright eyes couldn't help but narrow.

Liu Cong guessed his thoughts, and his smile gradually faded into a solemn expression. He trembled his hands slightly, put away his folding fan, and then asked with a fist clasped, "Brother, what do you think of the Jingu Garden?"

Hearing the words "Jin Gu Garden," Zu Ti's entire body trembled, as if pierced by an arrow. Then his hands trembled slightly, and his breathing became heavier. Liu Kun, standing beside him, secretly exclaimed, "Oh no!" This was a sign of Zu Ti's excitement.

As expected, Zu Ti asked with great interest: "What are your plans? Please tell me in detail..."

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(End of this chapter)