Chapter 79: Chapter 79

The river traversing Hunan of the Central Plains is the Yangtze River. The Yellow River is another river stream much further up.

It was a bit strange for a famous horse in the Hunan Horse Market to be attached with the name ‘son of the Yellow River Dragon.’

Jeo Ryang asked about that thought immediately.

“If it’s Hunan Province, isn’t it the Yangtze River, not the Yellow River, traversing the land? Then why is he the son of the Yellow River Dragon, not the Yangtze River Dragon?”

“Because the dam horse that carried that guy came from the Yellow River.”

Jang Geon sipped tea water and continued speaking.

“…That guy’s dam was a horse of extremely good pedigree. Originally, one merchant of the Yellow River basin bought eight horses from the far Western Regions intending to present them to Imperial Army generals. Naturally, that merchant cherished, fed, and cared for all of them, and their posture reportedly appeared like King Mu’s Eight Steeds.”

The Eight Steeds are legendary horses said to have pulled King Mu’s chariot in ancient Zhou. At those words, Jeo Ryang marveled ooh alone, then quickly moved his hand and began scribbling.

“…However, at that time there was a bit of trouble at the Yellow River. The river that had been quiet for these past few years suddenly flooded, creating countless flood victims. People who lost villages, lost homes, and lost families starved and fell ill, and a mess unfolded. It was a chaotic period to the point that the Imperial Army was deployed.”

“Flooding of the river. I heard such things happen occasionally in the place where eastern tribes live.”

Jang Geon nodded at Hun-ma’s words.

“Around such rivers, the soil is fertile so farming is good. It was also the reason farmers couldn’t easily leave even if flooding occurred frequently.”

“Correct. Farming went so well that eastern friends built quite large cities even without Central Plains people…”

“Ah, ah! You two can jabber separately later about flood control and farming! So, what did that flooding have to do with the Eight Steeds?”

As Jang Geon’s and Hun-ma’s story appeared as though it would stray oddly, Jeo Ryang hastily cut in and set the track straight. At that appearance, Jang Geon gave a subtle smile and brought up the story again.

“Since the Imperial Army was deployed, on the surface the chaos settled down for now. However, that didn’t mean homes returned, nor did the Yellow River’s flooding seem to have any intention of stopping… Just then, someone said this. ‘This is because the Yellow River Dragon is enraged. We must offer sacrifices.’”

“…Sacrifices?”

Jeo Ryang’s expression stiffened slightly. Sacrifices offered to a dragon during a disaster didn’t seem to evoke a good picture. However, Jang Geon continued speaking in a serene tone.

“Since the Imperial Army was preserving order, they couldn’t offer humans as sacrifices. If they did so, rather than flood victims, they would be defined as fanatics fallen into a cult religion and suppressed. So the people decided to appease the Yellow River Dragon with the eight horses imported by that merchant. Thinking that even if not humans, the Yellow River Dragon would calm down with those eight horses.”

“S-So?”

“So what. In the middle of pouring rain, a ritual was held at the river basin, and the eight horses that had traveled thousands of li of land, eating and playing well, were swept away as were into the yellow river water.”

Jeo Ryang tilted his head.

“Didn’t you say that guy’s dam was also among those eight?”

“Correct. They said she was the foremost among those eight.”

“…Didn’t you say she was offered as a sacrifice to the Yellow River and swept away?”

Jang Geon sipped the remaining tea water and set down his empty teacup.

“Surprisingly, upon offering horses as sacrifices, not only the Yellow River but even the weather calmed down. The merchant who bought the horses didn’t gain the favor of the Imperial Army as originally thought, but gained the respect of many people in that area, being reasonably satisfied. However, a short while later a surprising event occurred. One of the horses thought swept away and vanished in the Yellow River returned one day. Furthermore, carrying a foal.”

“Ooh…”

“However, the merchant was not pleased. In fact, he was fearful. Seeing it clearly swept away in that rugged river stream, how could it return? Is there really a dragon in the Yellow River? Is the foal currently growing inside that guy’s belly really a dragon’s child? If so, would I be able to handle it?”

Jeo Ryang forgot scribbling and focused on Jang Geon’s story. Hun-ma beside him was the same.

“Lacking confidence to handle the word ‘dragon,’ the merchant tried to sell that horse off to anyone before it gave birth. Though one wonders if there was a need to be so scared, from the position of having witnessed a real sacrifice being offered and flooding stopping, he might have felt a sensation of being swept into some unknown current. Thinking whether the reason for the flooding wasn’t to release the Yellow River Dragon’s child into the world. The merchant who offered sacrifices for his own profit thought so, so how would other people in the Yellow River basin be?”

Hun-ma nodded his head as if understanding well.

“No one would have bought the horse…”

“That’s right. So ultimately the dam carrying the Yellow River Dragon’s child passed around and reached all the way to the Yangtze River far away. Arriving there, childbirth couldn’t be delayed any further, and so that guy was born. The troublemaker of the Hunan Horse Market whose seed couldn’t be found anywhere else than to think of him as the Yellow River Dragon’s child.”

Hun-ma and Jeo Ryang looked at Jojo with admiring eyes. However, the guy had a lukewarm expression as if asking why they were glaring so, then began hitting on the mares beside him again.

“…Dignity of a dragon or such isn’t felt at all.”

Jang Geon recalled old memories for a moment while listening to Jeo Ryang’s slightly disappointed voice.

Born extraordinarily like that, Jojo showed extraordinary strides just like his birth. Compared to his ordinary body, he became the leader of the herd not only with strength and temper that other horses couldn’t follow, but also rejected wearing horse gear like saddles, refusing to carry humans.

Breaking fences every other day, he would lead the herd and flee to vast fields, or single-handedly trample and kill a pack of wolves targeting the horse ranch. Even on a certain night, when a tiger descended from the mountain and jumped over the fence, he kicked its waist and drove it away.

However, whether a dragon’s child or the leader of a herd, a horse raised in human hands ultimately had to carry a human. Or pull a luggage wagon. Ultimately, a horse was just a horse.

The Hunan horse merchant who happened to take charge of Jojo gifted that guy to an Imperial Army general just as his dam’s original owner tried to do. Thinking that an Imperial Army general with outstanding martial arts would rather like a violent guy.

However, before two days passed, Jojo smashed that general’s stable, escaped, and was eventually captured back to be used merely as a breeding stallion.

“…Then how did you come to take charge of that guy?”

Jeo Ryang’s question made a scene come to mind for Jang Geon.

A dark stable corner blocked on all sides by iron plates, a being bound by iron chains unable to roam freely even in that narrow corner. A guy locked up for a long time, able to see faint sunlight only briefly on days a mare entered. A pungent smell filling the stable from eating feed mixed with aphrodisiacs constantly and bathing replaced by pouring water over his gaunt body.

However, even in that darkness, eyes blazing blue, impossible to believe as belonging to a horse. An untamable wild beast’s eyes showing that if only these restraints were freed, even if lungs tore, legs broke, and waist collapsed, he would run without stopping, but if he were to die inside these dark iron plates in the end, even his vain soul would shed physical body and run across wide fields.

Just then, Jang Geon’s eyes saw Jojo glum after the counterpart mare turned her head demurely and grew distant. Feeling that gaze, Jojo also looked at Jang Geon again, and the two met eyes again just like a moment ago.

Jang Geon stood up from his seat. And walking toward Jojo, he spoke.

“Take charge by chance, my foot. I bought him, so he goes around with me.”

At that time, Jang Geon was just leaving his clan with thoughts of gaining experience for new martial arts and leaving an uncomfortable household. Originally in his past life he had no interest in harsh breeding environments or free-range for livestock, but seeing this guy’s eyes and appearance by chance captured his steps.

Jang Geon cleaned out all the money he had on the spot and bought Jojo. And roughly fitting a bit, he pulled the reins, crossed the Yangtze River and Yellow River, went up and up to the north, reached a suitable field, and simply released him. However, whether because affection grew during that short time, or because reaching a real field he grew scared as a horse that lived only in horse ranches, the guy didn’t leave Jang Geon.

Thus on that day, the guy’s name became ‘Jojo.’

“Aren’t you tired of it? Do it moderately, don’t get kicked by hind legs for nothing.”

Taking off his saddle, Jojo snorted as if asking why he worried about everything, then began stealthily approaching the mare and hitting on her again. Gently shaking his head watching him, Jang Geon carried the saddle and returned to the campfire.

Seeing him sit in his place, Jeo Ryang urged.

“So, buying and riding that guy is the end? The son of the Yellow River Dragon?”

“Correct.”

“No wait, that’s not a story to end like that—”

Jeo Ryang tried to urge Jang Geon thinking there would be more story. However, seeing Hun-ma gently shaking his head looking at him, he realized he was being a bit rude right now.

“…Ahem, I see. It was an interesting story. Thanks to it, stories to write in a new novel seem to surge out.”

Jang Geon gave a faint smile watching Jeo Ryang, who subtly shoved inside his book and brush and assumed composure like when first greeting. He couldn’t tell whether he thought the story so far was real, or whether real or not didn’t matter as long as it was interesting. But at least it was certain he wouldn’t scold Jang Geon telling him not to spout nonsense. That alone proved he was a quite polite person.

Jeo Ryang, slightly disappointed like that, had his imagination stimulated by the abruptly cut story a moment later, opening his book again and starting to scribble. Hun-ma let out a small sigh as if unable to stop him, lifted the teapot, held it out to Jang Geon, and spoke.

“Right, having heard news of the south and an interesting story, we shouldn’t just get by with eggs either, but tell you one recent piece of news. Would you like to listen?”

Jang Geon received tea water and nodded his head. But filling his cup, Hun-ma hesitated for a moment for some reason, licked his lips, and spoke.

“…Actually, it is not interesting news like what you told us. Rather, it is a slightly scary story.”

“A scary story.”

Jang Geon suddenly looked up at the fully darkened sky and thin crescent moon. It was a good moment to tell ghost stories. Hun-ma nodded his head alone at Jang Geon’s muttering, looked at the campfire, and spoke.

“That is… recently a dreadful rumor has been circulating around here. That there is an evil ghost targeting travelers or merchants passing the road.”

“An evil ghost?”

“Indeed. An evil ghost. Passing this area, a moment comes when ash-grey clouds cover the sky, and in that moment, a black horse made of smoke and a rider with a face red like blood appear and tear travelers to pieces, killing them—such is the rumor.”

Though a slightly absurd rumor, Jang Geon didn’t laugh. For such a rumor to circulate in a wilderness like this, there had to be a beginning.

“Hmm, bandits?”

“No, it’s not such a thing. They say it’s a real evil spirit. The black horse made of smoke cannot be caught up to at all, and its skin cannot be cut so it cannot be blocked either. The red-faced rider riding it is a bit gruesome. His whole body is pitch-black while only his face is a hideous sight red like blood, a monster said to rip out and eat the hearts of killed travelers.”

An evil ghost that rips out and eats hearts. Jang Geon felt that somewhere familiar. Don’t tell me those bastards of the Demonic Palace or whatever are causing trouble here?

“If such a rumor circulates, the Martial Alliance would step forward.”

“The news doesn’t seem to have spread as far as Sinsacheon yet. Because it’s a rumor we heard at a village we stopped by yesterday. Probably for patrol squads or whoever to come, several days and nights must pass.”

Jang Geon nodded his head, deliberating whether the source of this rumor was the Demonic Palace, or a bandit who picked up and learned clumsy demonic arts somewhere performing gruesome acts. Of course, having just picked up a scrap of rumor now, he couldn’t know.

“Hey, actually that’s why I’m asking…”

Just then, Jeo Ryang, scribbling on one side, carefully opened his mouth. Jang Geon looked at him as if telling him to speak.

“…Seeing as Warrior Jang seems to be heading north, is that correct?”

“For now, the direction is so.”

“Uh, look here, we are also on the way north, how about moving together at least while exiting this plain tomorrow? Actually, I don’t think that rumored evil ghost is a real evil ghost either. Probably bandits robbed travelers and chopped up corpses, and seeing that such rumors circulated. And if they are bandits who spread such rumors to raise infamy, they would mainly target travelers traveling as one or two. Because only then will no one be missed.”

“They wouldn’t target three?”

“It would be much better than one or two. What do you think?”

Thinking for a moment, Jang Geon nodded his head. If it was briefly tomorrow, moving while chatting with several people rather than going alone seemed fine. Though a short conversation, Hun-ma and Jeo Ryang were quite agreeable conversation partners. No need to waste strength fighting bandits either.

Afterwards, they conversed for a moment and went to sleep. Jojo was rejected by the mare until the end in the midst of that, and seeing that, Jang Geon gave a chuckle.

And the next day, Jang Geon had to change his thought that bandits were causing commotion around here. Because the wagon smashed into a mess in the middle of the field and flesh pieces torn and scattered like rags around it, which they met around noon while traveling the road, could not possibly be thought of as an act done by a human.