: A True Hero Sees the Four Seas, a Fake Hero Freeloads at Chai Village

In terms of age, Chai Jin should actually be older than Song Jiang. When Chai Jin appeared, he was already thirty-four or thirty-five years old, while Song Jiang appeared about two years later than Chai Jin and was only in his early thirties!

At this time, Song Jiang was only about twenty-seven years old, but Chai Jin was already over thirty. So Song Jiang was really embarrassed by being called "brother"!

Chai Jin exclaimed happily, "Last night I dreamt that a distinguished person came to the manor, and this morning when I went out, the magpies were chattering incessantly. It turns out it was my brother who came! I am so fortunate to see my brother today; it is truly a great blessing in my life!"

Hearing that Chai Jin valued him so highly, Song Jiang was overjoyed, but he still gave a generous bow and said politely, "Master Chai, please don't say that. It was Song Jiang who came abruptly and disturbed you!"

Chai Jin laughed and said, "Brother, what are you saying? Please come inside the manor with me and we'll talk!"

Thinking of something, he said to the gatekeeper, "You've always looked down on people, and I've never bothered with you before. But today you've actually failed to recognize a true hero. My manor really can't keep you here. Go to the east manor and be a hanger-on!"

Chai Jin is not a fool. On the contrary, he is a very meticulous person with a large family business. There are some things he knows without even asking. But Chai Jin has not yet realized the root of the problem!

After deciding the fate of the gatekeeper, Chai Jin ordered his servants to pack Song Jiang's luggage. Then, Chai Jin took Song Jiang's hand and led him into the manor. After walking a while, they arrived at the main hall. Bian Xiang and the others naturally followed. Once in the hall, everyone took their seats according to their status as guests and hosts.

Song Jiang stood up and introduced Gongsun Sheng, Wu Song, Bian Xiang and his group to Chai Jin. When he introduced Li Zhu, Chai Jin sighed inwardly. Although he had never heard of Li Zhu, his insight was extraordinary and far superior to that of the other servants!

It is obvious that Li Zhu and his nephew are not comparable to those amateurs in the village who only have flashy but ineffective skills!

This Taoist priest originally intended to come and join them, but these snobbish scoundrels handed him over to Song Jiang!

Although Chai Jin was magnanimous, he must have felt somewhat uncomfortable about losing a talented person. However, he had never been very ambitious, so while he regretted missing out on a talented individual, it wasn't a particularly serious matter.

However, the atmosphere in Chai Village definitely needs to be rectified, otherwise, if more talented people come to join us and are driven out again, I will truly be left with nothing but tears!

After the introductions were finished, Chai Jin smiled and said, "I dare not ask, but I have heard that you wield considerable influence in Yuncheng County, and I imagine you are living a comfortable life. How did you find the time to travel so far to visit this humble village?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "I have long admired your esteemed reputation, which is as loud as thunder in my ears. I only regret that I am too busy with my lowly duties to have the opportunity to meet you. Today, I, Song Jiang, had to go to Qinghe County on important business. After finishing my business, I thought that you were in Cangzhou, so I came to pay you a visit! There is another matter. Master Luo, the teacher of this Taoist priest Gongsun, has something to discuss with me. I am going to Erxian Mountain to visit Master Luo and see if he can give me some guidance!"

Chai Jin paused for a moment before saying, "I've also heard of the name of Master Luo. I never imagined that you would make a special trip to Erxian Mountain just because of a single sentence from him. I truly admire your thoughtfulness!"

Chai Jin's words seemed to imply that he looked down on Luo Zhenren, but he couldn't be too direct because Gongsun Sheng was there!

Song Jiang thought for a moment and then said, "The affairs of this world are mysterious and unpredictable; one cannot believe them entirely, nor can one disbelieve them entirely. You, sir, are a man blessed by Heaven, so it is normal that you do not believe in fate!"

Chai Jin laughed heartily and said, "Brother is absolutely right! However, the teachings of Taoism and the Huang-Lao school also have their unique aspects, adept at resolving people's doubts. It wouldn't hurt for Brother to make a trip there!"

Just as Song Jiang was about to ask again, a servant stepped forward and said, "Sir, the wine and dishes are ready!"

Chai Jin said happily, "Brother, the journey has been long, and you must be a little hungry. Why don't we have a meal first, and chat while we eat!"

Song Jiang, not holding back, said, "In that case, I'll have a few drinks with you, sir!"

Upon entering the inner room, a large table was already laden with food and wine: tender chickens and plump geese, shrimp, crabs, fish, turtles, seasonal fruits and vegetables—everything imaginable. Several jars of fine wine had already been opened, making one's mouth water!

Chai Jin invited everyone to sit down. A dozen or so servants and several managers took turns serving wine and urging people to drink.

Everyone drank a cup first, and the expressions on Wu Song and Bian Xiang's faces changed slightly!

This wine is indeed good, but it is still somewhat inferior to the gourd wine that Song Jiang took out earlier!

Chai Jin, being a man of great talent, naturally noticed the expressions on Wu Song and Bian Xiang's faces and laughed, "It seems you two brothers aren't used to this kind of wine!"

Song Jiang hadn't expected these two to be so picky, so he quickly smoothed things over, saying, "I, Gongming, am not very talented. I brewed some wine in Shandong before, and I suppose they're used to village wine, so they naturally won't be used to Master Chai's fine wine!"

Upon hearing this, Chai Jin's curiosity was piqued, and he exclaimed, "I never imagined that you, brother, possessed such skill in brewing wine! Do you have any left? Please bring it out so that I, Chai Jin, may have a taste!"

Song Jiang came to Chai Jin's manor with one purpose: to let Chai Jin taste his wine and see if there was any possibility of future cooperation!

After all, Chai Jin was one of the wealthiest men in the entire Song Dynasty. With him as a partner, the profits from wine could easily increase several times over!

Since Chai Jin had spoken, Song Jiang didn't hold back and directly took out two gourds!

One gourd contains baijiu (Chinese liquor), while the other contains fruit wine!

When the gourd was opened, Chai Jin's eyes lit up. The aroma of this wine was so wonderful, it was incomparable to the fine wines in front of him!

A servant brought over cups and bowls, each filled with two kinds of wine!

Chai Jin looked at the fruit wine in the glass, which was as thick as honey and as clear as amber. He couldn't resist any longer and picked up the glass to take a sip!

In an instant, I felt a sweet sensation in my mouth, leaving a lingering aftertaste, and my entire mouth was filled with the aroma of fruit!

I took another sip of baijiu. My first impression was that it was spicy, and my second impression was that it was strong. This is the kind of liquor a man should drink!

As men of Yan and Zhao, we should compose a heroic and tragic song, instead of living aimlessly, hunting and riding horses!

This was Chai Jin's heartfelt thought after drinking!

"Brother, this!" Even as a descendant of the Later Zhou dynasty, Chai Jin had never tasted such fine wine before, and his admiration for Song Jiang came from the bottom of his heart!

"My lord, how is this wine? Is it still palatable?" Song Jiang joked.

Chai Jin laughed and said, "Brother, don't joke around!" Then he said seriously, "It's a pity there's not enough; this wine will be gone if one person drinks a little!"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "There is indeed a bit less wine, but we still have some in stock in Shandong!"

Chai Jin sensed that Song Jiang's words had a hidden meaning, and quickly asked, "Brother, are you here to discuss with me how to cooperate on this wine?" Talking to a smart person is indeed effortless, and Song Jiang certainly had this intention!

Song Jiang replied, "Sir, you clearly have this intention, but now is not the time to sell this wine!"

Chai Jin asked in confusion, "Why is that?"

Song Jiang pointed outside and said, "Next year, I, Gongming, dare to guarantee that the value of this wine will far exceed that of today!"

Chai Jin suddenly realized and said, "So that's how it is!"

Song Jiang asked, "My lord, what do you think of the value of this wine?"

Chai Jin lowered his head in thought for a moment, then raised his head solemnly and said, "In the eyes of high-ranking officials and nobles, it is of extraordinary value, but in the eyes of ordinary people, it is something they cannot afford to drink!"

Chai Jin had a keen eye for business and was indeed a master at it. The Chai family's businesses spanned the entire Cangzhou area, so Chai Jin naturally understood the market!

Song Jiang laughed and said, "My lord, how about we cooperate?"

Chai Jin was eager to cooperate with Song Jiang, and now that Song Jiang had brought it up, he was even more delighted and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking!"

Song Jiang said, "However, this wine is not ready for mass production yet. Gongming plans to brew it first and then sell it to others when the time is right!"

Chai Jin said to a steward-like man beside him, "Bring me ten thousand taels of silver!"

The man accepted the order and left, returning shortly with a dozen silver notes.

Chai Jin took the silver notes and handed them to Song Jiang, saying, "Brother, please take these silver notes first. I wonder if I could take half of the brewed wine? We'll split the profits 50/50 on all the wine I sell, and I'll provide all the raw materials needed for brewing?"

Chai Jin's terms were incredibly generous. All that was needed for brewing wine was grain and fruit, and Chai Jin essentially took it at the original price and then sold it, splitting the profits 50/50 with Song Jiang!

From Song Jiang's perspective, this was very convenient, and he didn't need to worry too much. From Chai Jin's perspective, it was equally generous, since he could set the price of the wine as long as he monopolized it!

In Cangzhou, there are many people who love wine, whether they are commoners or high-ranking officials. Even Chai Jin, who is used to eating delicacies, thinks this wine is good, let alone others!

The two discussed some more details and finalized the matter. Song Jiang also had Jiao Ting put away the 10,000 taels of silver notes!

Having earned 10,000 taels of silver from the trip to Chai Village, Song Jiang was in an extremely good mood, as was Chai Jin. With fine wine readily available, Wu Song and Bian Xiang naturally didn't hold back. With more people than wine, the two gourds of wine were quickly finished!

Everyone was still enjoying themselves, but Song Jiang really couldn't conjure up any more good wine at this moment, so they could only drink Chai Jin's wine. Although it didn't taste as good as Song Jiang's wine, it was better than nothing!

After several rounds of drinks, Song Jiang said to Chai Jin, "My lord, I have another request!"

Chai Jin was extremely excited today. Seeing Song Jiang's serious expression, he laughed and said, "Brother, what are you saying? Between brothers, there's nothing to say, just speak freely. Please don't ask for favors, or it will ruin our brotherhood!"

Since Chai Jin had spoken so frankly, Song Jiang no longer concealed his intentions and asked, "Has Master Chai ever heard of Wang Lun?"

Chai Jin felt the name sounded familiar, but couldn't quite place it!

The steward beside him reminded him, "My lord, this Wang Lun is a failed scholar who previously came to seek refuge with you, Master Chai, along with someone named Du Qian!"

When the steward reminded him, Chai Jin immediately thought of Wang Lun and Du Qian. He then realized that it was because they had lost to Instructor Hong in a contest and lost face in front of him, and were sighing every day. He had no choice but to send them to Liangshan to join the outlaws. No wonder Wang Lun's name sounded so familiar. However, he was busy with many affairs of state and Wang Lun had not sent anyone to deliver the message. He had long forgotten about him!

Thinking of this, Chai Jin laughed and said, "Wang Lun once came to rely on me, so he can be considered a servant who left my estate. At that time, I told him to go to Liangshan to find a way out, but since then, there seems to have been no news of him. I don't know where he went. Why would you ask about him, brother? Do you know Wang Lun?"

Song Jiang sighed inwardly. No matter what, Wang Lun had come from Chai Jin's side, but Chai Jin had treated him lightly and without any concern. It seemed that Chai Jin lacked a bit of human touch when it came to those with slightly mediocre abilities.

But Song Jiang naturally wouldn't say such offensive things to Chai Jin. He simply smiled and said, "Wang Lun and his gang ran into me in Yuncheng County. Seeing that he hadn't done anything wrong, I made him disband his group. He's currently working as a schoolteacher in Yuncheng!"

Chai Jin also laughed and said, "Being a schoolteacher is fine; it doesn't dishonor my status as a scholar. May I ask what I can help you with, brother?"

Song Jiang said, "I heard that Wang Lun has a lover who is currently imprisoned in the Cangzhou camp. I wonder if Master Chai could think of a way to rescue her? I would even be willing to spend some money to get her to come back to Yuncheng with me and reunite with Wang Lun!"

Chai Jin laughed heartily and said, "What's so difficult about that? Wang Lun mentioned this to me before, but some parts were too troublesome, so I refused. But since Brother Gongming has brought it up, I'll talk to the warden of Cangzhou tomorrow, spend some money, and then write a letter to the place where the woman was exiled, saying that she suddenly died of an illness!"

Song Jiang was impressed by how well these wealthy people understood and manipulated the law.

Since Chai Jin had personally agreed, Wang Lun's matter was considered resolved. Song Jiang also planned to give Wang Lun a surprise, and Chai Jin intended to personally go to the Cangzhou camp to find the warden the next day. (Why wouldn't Lin Chong do this? For two reasons: first, Lin Chong had offended Gao Qiu, a favorite of Emperor Huizong, and no one dared to agree to this; second, Lin Chong himself wanted to serve his sentence before returning to serve the country. He was truly a tragic figure!)

Suddenly, someone entered the inner hall without knocking!

Seeing this man's lack of manners, Chai Jin was somewhat displeased, and a hint of anger flashed across his face. However, being a man of great composure, he suppressed his temper, took a closer look, and smiled, "Instructor Hong, this is Song Jiang, whom I often mention to you. Come and join us at the table, and have a few drinks with him?"

When Song Jiang got up to look, he saw that Instructor Hong was wearing a turban askew and his chest was exposed!

Seeing the man's attire and hearing Chai Jin address him as Instructor Hong, Song Jiang figured he must be the same Instructor Hong who defeated Du Qian!

Hong, the instructor, nodded and said, "Greetings, Clerk Song!" He neither bowed nor looked at Song Jiang, but walked directly to the table, picked up a cup of wine, and drank it down!

Chai Jin was even more displeased. He had always respected Song Jiang very much, but this Instructor Hong really didn't know what was good for him!

Bian Xiang, Wu Song, Mi Sheng, Yang Zhi, Jiao Ting, and others were equally displeased. This man was so rude; if it weren't for Song Jiang and Chai Jin being present, they probably would have already taught this arrogant and ignorant Instructor Hong a lesson!

Song Jiang didn't care. He really didn't care. It wasn't worth getting angry with such a person. As the saying goes, the higher you are lifted, the harder you fall. Song Jiang simply stood up and gave up the main seat for Instructor Hong to sit down!