Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 75 Never happen again
The fireworks at the campfire crackled and popped, and Qiongzhou City, which had been in chaos all day, finally fell silent.

That night, Zhao Huai'an occupied the western workshop of the city, and his troops were all stationed in the western city. He called all his subordinates back to report.

These people spent the whole day looting and seizing warehouses in the city. If Zhao Da doesn't put them in a cage, they'll become wild.

When Lu Zhongyuan and his group came in one after another, they were all beaming with health, clearly having made a great haul in the city in the past half day.

Zhao Huai'an raised his lips slightly and clapped his hands:
"Have all the teams returned?"

The team members present all said that upon hearing the news of the camp closing, the brothers scattered outside rushed back.

Zhao Huai'an nodded. It seemed that his words were still effective, but it was hard to say to what extent.

He was only implying something:

“We are an army, not bandits. We must obey orders in everything we do. If you follow me, Zhao Da, you will definitely make a fortune. But if anyone dares to disobey my orders, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I don’t want my brothers to test the sharpness of my Mo Dao.”

If it were a few months ago, eight out of ten of these team leaders would have dismissed Zhao Huai'an's harsh words. But after all the bloody battles, Zhao Huai'an's prestige has truly been established, especially in the hearts of these team leaders.

So, when Zhao Huai'an became ruthless, the warriors, who had been beaming with pride and strutting about, were suddenly startled and clasped their hands in a fist salute, shouting:
"We will all follow your lead!"

After slapping him, Zhao Huai'an offered a sweet treat. His previously stern face immediately broke into a smile, and he laughed:
"Can you tell me what items you seized?"

The officers were all excited, each chiming in with their own stories: one said they had captured a winter clothing warehouse, another said they had captured a number of prisoners.

But they couldn't give an exact figure, so in the end it all turned into each of them bragging.

As Zhao Huai'an listened, he instructed his servants to serve everyone wine.

As soon as the wine was served, these soldiers revealed their true colors. Just a moment ago they were being respectful to Zhao Da, but now their turbans were askew, their clothes were open, and they were no longer kneeling properly, but sitting cross-legged. Then they shouted to the servants, "Fill it up!" "Fill it up again!"

Zhao Huai'an doesn't forbid drinking, as long as you don't give him to drink during wartime. Besides, these soldiers can't live without these things. In the high-pressure environment of the battlefield, there are no cigarettes available, so what else can relieve their emotions besides drinking?

Zhao Da used to be like this too, except that before he drank when he was happy, now he only feels happy when he drinks.

Moreover, this wine is truly a supreme treasure for enhancing relationships. At this moment, everyone is eating some roasted meat and drinking the farm's homemade wine. With everyone in high spirits, the atmosphere is becoming increasingly lively.

Just then, Fatty Bean rolled his cross-eyed eyes, suddenly leaned close to Zhao Da, and grinned slyly:
"Young Master, I heard that Magistrate Song sent you a foreign woman. How did she taste?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an glared at Zhao Liu in the crowd, thinking that only this old Liu would say such a thing.

He coughed:
“These all need to be sent back. I, Zhao Da, am not that kind of person.”

The team members present were all secretly listening intently, and they were getting anxious as they heard that the generals were still putting on airs.

Among them, Wei Jingang spoke up to offer advice:
"General, they've already sent it all here. If you send it away now, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to Magistrate Song? I've heard that scions of noble families are very concerned about their reputation. Why would you do something so offensive?"

Zhao Da was stunned. He had always thought Wei Jingang was a taciturn person, but he never expected him to make such insightful remarks. He was speechless for a moment.

Meanwhile, Chen Fahai, also drunk, offered his advice:
"It's just one Hu woman, yet you hesitate like this, which makes the brothers look down on you. If you ask me, with your commanding presence, what can you do even if there are three or five Hu women? They're still just your beautiful horse, aren't they?"

A group of people here will start to make a fuss.

Zhao Huai'an had pondered the taste, and suddenly remembered that saying:

"If you don't take it, how can I take it? If I don't take it, how can Commissioner Geng take it? If Commissioner Geng doesn't take it, how can we both advance?"

"Alright, alright," Zhao Huai'an finally understood the essence of the sentence when he saw how anxious the soldiers below were.

What the soldiers said made sense, but it was too crude. Then, Zhang Guinian, who was drinking nearby, suddenly interjected:
“General, that Hu woman is also a pitiful person. In this time of war and chaos, even their guild halls can't stay open, so where can they find a place to stay? With that Hu woman's looks, if she were to be left out in the wild, it would be a real tragedy for her.”

When Zhang Guinian said this, Zhao Liuduo, who was standing next to him, glanced at the man and felt a strong sense of crisis.

Zhao Huai'an smacked his lips, remained silent, and thought to himself:
"I was wondering why all those leaders train secretaries? But after Old Zhang said it, it's become like he's rescuing a beauty from distress, and Lord Zhao is quite nice. Not bad, not bad, Old Zhang should be trained well."

So he stopped talking and continued drinking with his brothers.

Then everyone understood, and they excitedly drank.

Hehe, we've been on the battlefield for so long, it's time to have some fun. Once we're ready to enjoy ourselves, we won't stop the brothers anymore.

As they drank, everyone became more and more excited, and Kang Yanjun and Dang Shousu even went to the center and performed a dance for everyone.

Zhao Huai'an also got a little tipsy, tapping his chopsticks and singing as he drank:
"The wind is fierce, the sky is high, and the monkeys howl mournfully; the islet is clear, the sand is white, and the birds fly back."

"The boundless forest sheds its leaves with a rustling sound, while the endless Yangtze River rolls on and on."

"A traveler often feels sorrow in autumn, and ailing for a hundred years, I climb the stage alone."

"Hardship and sorrow have turned my temples gray, and in my decline I have stopped drinking wine."

When Zhao Huai'an opened his mouth, it was a unique operatic style, accompanied by the tapping of chopsticks, full of melody.

For a moment, everyone stopped drinking, practicing martial arts, and dancing.

Zhao Huai'an, also excited from singing, came down and shouted to the team members:
Come sing with me.

After saying this, Zhao Da struck a martial arts pose, and Zhao Liu and the others beside him imitated him in a similar manner, all singing along with Zhao Da:

"The wind is fierce, the sky is high, and the monkeys howl mournfully; the islet is clear, the sand is white, and the birds fly back."

"The boundless forest sheds its leaves with a rustling sound, while the endless Yangtze River rolls on and on."

"A traveler often feels sorrow in autumn, and ailing for a hundred years, I climb the stage alone."

"Hardship and sorrow have turned my temples gray, and in my decline I have stopped drinking wine."

The unique melody, rhythmic lyrics, and Zhao Da's exaggerated dance, combined with the influence of alcohol, got everyone jumping up and down, singing and dancing at the same time.

Suddenly, Zhao Da changed the lyrics and singing style again, and sang:

"You must be happy in life, and don't let the golden bottle face the moon."

"Heaven has endowed me with talents that will surely be put to use; though a thousand pieces of gold are spent, they will return again." "Let us feast on roasted lamb and slaughtered oxen, and drink three hundred cups of wine in one go."

Suddenly, he pointed at Wang Duo and shouted:

"Master Wang?"

Wang Duo, his face flushed, responded with a loud "Yes!"

Over there, Zhao Da pointed at the laughing Zhang Guinian and shouted:
"Zhang Guinian?"

Zhang Guinian was certainly familiar with the poems by Du Fu and Li Bai that Zhao Da had just sung, but he had never heard such a bold and unrestrained singing style before.

Watching Zhao Da dance freely, Zhang Guinian was captivated. Perhaps this was the true hero, free and unrestrained.

Then Zhang Guinian also came over, and began to dance and sing:

"I was born with talents that will be useful, even if I lose all my money, I will get it back."

Wang Duo, who wasn't good at dancing, raised his wine glass and sang loudly:
"Let's cook lamb and slaughter cattle for fun, and drink three hundred cups of wine in one go."

Zhao Huai'an pulled Zhao Liu, then Zhao Liu pulled Wang Duo, and so on. Everyone held hands and swayed their legs by the campfire behind the curtain.

"Let's drink, don't stop!"

"La la la la, la la la, la la la la, la la la."

As the song ended, the joy of the wine and the hearts of everyone came together at that moment.

With brothers who are loyal and devoted to each other, what more could one ask for?

……

Zhao Da was carried back to the tent by Zhao Liu and Lao Mo.

After Zhao Liu and Lao Mo dropped the person off, they left in a hurry without even raising their heads.

This was because there was another person inside the tent, none other than Hu Ji, the most beautiful courtesan from Tang An.

But the two didn't go too far, and only felt relieved when they heard the sounds coming from inside the tent.

Old Mo chuckled foolishly, while Zhao Liu spat out a remark:
"You just said you weren't a casual person, but I bet you, Zhao Da, are anything but casual when you get going!"

Then he pulled Lao Mo away. The sound was unbearable to hear; the more he listened, the more uncomfortable he felt.

That Zhao Da is a real beast.

……

Zhao Huai'an looked at the Hu woman in front of him in a daze.

Her skin was as white as jade, so delicate it glowed, her nose was high and straight, and her eyes were like a pair of gemstones, sparkling. But what attracted Zhao Da even more was her exaggerated curve.

At this moment, Hu Ji was bending over to help Zhao Da take off his clothes. Looking at her figure, which resembled a meat gourd, Zhao Da felt a surge of heat in his heart.

Then, Hu Ji's stray hairs would occasionally brush against Zhao Da's chest, especially her full, unbound breasts that cascaded down his nose like water.

Zhao's brain exploded instantly.

Without even asking any questions, he pinned the Hu woman down and, amidst her gasps of surprise, mounted his horse.

In a daze, Zhao Da seemed to hear nothing at all; he seemed to have returned to the battlefield.

He was leading his brothers in a charge against the enemy, amidst screams that pierced his eardrums, but he was fearless, fighting off wave after wave of enemies amidst the roaring waves.

He was brave and fearless. His brothers rushed into the enemy ranks, engaged in close combat, fought desperately with bare chests, and bit the enemy fiercely with their teeth and mouths.

Clang, clang, clang, as if they were about to collide and spark.

The crackling sound seemed to shatter everything.

Attack, attack, and attack again! Never stop!

At this moment, the Hu woman beneath him suddenly mounted him.

At this moment, Hu Ji seemed to have returned to her childhood. Her hometown was in the Western Regions, a valley covered with fragrant grasses and rivers, as beautiful as a painting.

She was riding a horse, but the horse was too wild and jolted her so badly she felt like her body was falling apart.

Suddenly, a storm came. The wind blew her hair wildly, and the rain lashed her body like whips. The wild horse beneath her was tireless, galloping and jolting her along the way, sometimes taking her to the bottom of the valley, and sometimes sending her straight up to the top of the clouds.

The storm raged on, one after another, until Hu Ji's bones went limp. She collapsed onto her warhorse like water, letting it carry her deep into the grasslands.

Suddenly, lightning struck, hitting Hu Ji directly. She rolled off her warhorse like a lump of mud.

An unprecedented weariness and a joy like rain after a long drought intertwined in my heart.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an wiped the sweat from his body, exhaled, and savored the moment.

It's so moisturizing, really moisturizing.

Zhao Huai'an had never eaten anything so good in either of his two lives.

At this moment, Zhao Da was truly grateful to Old Song; Old Song was indeed a man of principle. But this was also a way to erode his heroic spirit. Zhao Da was someone who wanted to start a business; how could he be greedy for such things?

But his resolve faltered at the sight of the blush on Hu Ji's face, and he added:
"Let it go today, but don't let it happen again, don't let it happen again."

After finishing, Zhao Da pressed down on him again.

A moment later, Zhao Da lay down on one side again. At this moment, his mind was clear and he had completely understood.

　These lyrics can be paired with "Ascending the Heights" for a truly immersive listening and reading experience. Last time, Xiao Chen went to karaoke with a group of friends from Henan and sang this song. With his martial arts style, Xiao Chen sang "Ascending the Heights" with his brothers until the early hours of the morning – so much fun!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)