Chapter 253: Eastern Emperor (4)
Currently, the Martial Alliance was in a state of emergency. This was because the New Justice Association, which had emerged as their replacement and counterweight, was rapidly expanding its influence.
“To think a fellow who hasn’t even reached thirty is the leader of the New Justice Association. The sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects must have been incredibly desperate.”
At Su Je-heon’s words, Sama Ye, the Chief Strategist, shook his head with a grave expression.
“Rather than that, I find it remarkable that the Eastern Emperor accepted the position of Association Leader in the first place.”
“If those old men forced it upon him, who could possibly refuse?”
“Consider the sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects, Alliance Leader. Are they the type of people to easily yield such a position? There must have been at least one among them who coveted the seat.”
“That is true.”
“Furthermore, they could not have forced the Eastern Emperor. If it became known that he was alive, there was no telling how the Imperial Palace would react. Though the palace seems flustered because they didn’t expect him to make such an open appearance, they certainly won’t remain idle. They will soon issue a directive.”
“So, in the end, it means he stepped forward somewhat voluntarily.”
Sama Ye nodded at Su Je-heon’s words.
“Indeed. Most people wouldn’t even be able to bear the weight of sitting in such a position. Consider this, Alliance Leader: if you were not even thirty years of age, yet had to place old men who have lived past fifty beneath you, how burdensome would that be?”
And those weren’t just any ordinary old men playing baduk at the entrance of some village, but the legendary sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan. Even in Su Je-heon’s estimation, it was a daring debut. He simply had no wish to admit it.
“Moreover, he is currently accepting spars from everyone who visits and offering them individual insights. Martial artists who are currently without alignment cannot help but be tempted.”
“Whose side are you on anyway, Strategist? Mine, or that fellow’s?” Su Je-heon’s face soured. As far as he knew, Sama Ye, his Chief Strategist, had rarely praised even him, the Alliance Leader.
“I am merely offering an objective assessment.”
“As the Chief Strategist, surely you have some countermeasure other than simply praising the enemy leader?”
“There are no suitable options. While they are playing a straightforward game, they are simultaneously forcing us to play by their rules.”
“You mean the tournament?”
“Yes. They are proposing to strip away everything else and clash purely based on skill.”
“What about the Imperial Palace?”
“If we borrow the hand of the Imperial Palace here, the Martial Alliance will continue to be a puppet of the palace. We have no choice but to let them act independently while hoping their actions align with our interests.”
Su Je-heon clicked his tongue. Ultimately, it meant they could do nothing. For now, they had to rely on the unpredictable variable that was the Imperial Palace. Although the Martial Alliance had joined hands with the palace, they had no desire to be interfered with to such an extent.
“The Imperial Palace… I wonder how they will react,” Su Je-heon muttered, resting his chin in his hand. Of course, muttering to himself did not yield any answers.
The Imperial Palace only sent letters when they had business of their own.
Just what the palace would do was something no one could predict.
* * *
It was an unexpected and welcome group of guests. I had assumed it was yet another martial artist seeking a spar today, but I was mistaken.
The moment I saw them, I bolted upright from my seat to greet them.
“Oh! Just how long has it been?”
The ones who walked in together were Namgung Hwi, Peng Chae-hyang, and Jeon Oh-su.
“You truly were alive.”
“I am someone who doesn’t die easily.”
“Even if it is difficult, you must not pass away, brother.” Namgung Hwi clasped his hands in a martial salute, his eyes filled with emotion. It was only natural, considering he was seeing someone he had firmly believed to be dead.
“It has been a long time, my friend. You have no idea how shocked I was when I heard you had died.”
“I was surprised myself.”
Jeon Oh-su stepped forward and embraced me. Being a merchant, a hug was more familiar to him than a martial salute. Much like them, it was an incredibly overwhelming moment for me as well.
If I had truly died, I would never have seen these faces again. Reflecting on that, every meeting and karmic tie felt profoundly precious.
“Lady Peng.”
“Ah, yes!”
Peng Chae-hyang seemed slightly dazed, as if I had somehow summoned her spirit.
“It has been a long time.”
“Ah… yes, yes.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Ah. I… I should greet you.”
“A greeting? You are already doing it.”
Peng Chae-hyang looked back and forth between Namgung Hwi and Jeon Oh-su. Seeming to be deep in thought, she slowly took a step toward me. Yet each step she took seemed to cover less than a fraction of a pace.
“…?”
I watched in confusion, and only when Chae-hyang drew near did I realize what she wanted. Much like Jeon Oh-su, she wished to share a hug as well.
She could have simply said so. Contrary to what one would expect from a member of the Hebei Peng Clan, Chae-hyang had a tendency to be incredibly shy.
“Here.”
I opened my arms wide to welcome her.
Her eyes widened like a startled rabbit’s, and she threw herself into my embrace. I could feel her warm body heat and soft skin. A faint scent of violets drifted from the nape of her neck.
“I am so glad you are alive.”
“I am glad you are safe as well, Lady Peng.”
“It was all thanks to you, Young Master.”
Whispering those words shyly, Chae-hyang quickly stepped out of my embrace. Her face was flushed as red as a ripe persimmon.
Looking at her red face, a memory suddenly occurred to me.
“By the way, may I ask you something?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Back during the incident with the Great Toad of the Eastern Sea, you said you had something to tell me.”
“I did?”
Peng Chae-hyang seemed to have no recollection. Then again, given how critical the situation had been, it was entirely possible she had forgotten her own words.
“Yes. You said that since we were going to die anyway, you had something to say.”
“Ah.”
As I explained further, it seemed she finally remembered.
“You remember, right?”
“No.”
Yet, Chae-hyang immediately feigned ignorance. Although her voice made it completely obvious that she had remembered.
“Do you really not remember?”
“Yes. I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Despite being a martial artist, her honest nature made it so she displayed every single sign of lying. Her eyes darted upward, her hands and feet fidgeted restlessly, and her voice cracked slightly.
“Very well, then. Perhaps I was mistaken.”
Although probing further to tease her would be entertaining, I had no desire to force open something she wished to keep hidden.
With our joyful greetings concluded, I welcomed my guests in a relaxed manner for the first time in a while.
Jeon Oh-su was the very first friend I had made after my regression, and Namgung Hwi and Peng Chae-hyang were individuals with whom I had faced death itself. These people were truly my family.
“Since you’ve traveled a long way, please rest here for a while. We can have a drink together this evening.”
“Please speak comfortably, Association Leader. Considering the future standing of the New Justice Association, you must not use polite honorifics with a younger generation talent like me.”
“Is that so? I speak politely even to the errand boys.”
“Even so, you must not.”
Namgung Hwi displayed a strangely stubborn attitude. Then again, among the three of them, only Namgung Hwi belonged to the New Justice Association. Consequently, he seemed to be more mindful of the association’s prestige.
“In that case, let us all speak comfortably with one another. After all, we are of similar age.”
“Ah.”
Namgung Hwi gasped in surprise. Since everyone present was in their early to mid-twenties, I had spoken without much thought.
“How old are you, Young Master Namgung?”
“I… I am twenty-three.”
“I am twenty-four this year. Let us simply call each other brothers.”
“May I really do so?”
Namgung Hwi clasped his hands together, his face filled with profound emotion for some reason.
“Of course.”
“Then, I will gladly serve you as my elder brother!”
“Then speak comfortably…”
Before I could finish my sentence, Namgung Hwi suddenly bolted upright and bowed deeply to the floor. I stood up in alarm, completely flustered.
“Wait! What on earth are you doing all of a sudden?”
“In truth, I have always wished to serve you as my elder brother.”
“So suddenly?”
“Seeing your sacrifice on Hachido, I decided on the path I must walk. No martial artist I have ever seen has embodied chivalry with their entire being as you did, brother. You are the path I must pursue.”
“Surely you exaggerate…”
I was thoroughly bewildered. Namgung Hwi was a titan among titans, destined to become the future patriarch of the Namgung Clan. Although the current landscape of the martial world had shifted drastically, his talent and capability remained unquestioned.
It felt incredibly bizarre to have someone who had been a legendary figure of the martial world in my past life bow to me as his elder brother.
“No. I am proud to be able to serve you as my elder brother.”
“…Very well, then.”
An air of fanatical devotion lingered in Namgung Hwi’s eyes, suggesting that no matter how much I tried to dissuade him, he would not listen. Anything I said now would simply fall on deaf ears.
“If you are going to do that, then everyone should speak comfortably. Lady Peng is here as well.”
Just then, Jeon Oh-su nudged my arm. Peng Chae-hyang, who had been staring blankly, gasped in surprise.
“Pardon?”
“If you speak comfortably with Young Master Namgung but not with Lady Peng, how hurtful would that be? You both went through the same ordeal, after all,” Jeon Oh-su said, winking at Chae-hyang. I had no idea why he was behaving this way all of a sudden. Jeon Oh-su was a quick-witted fellow, so he wouldn’t say such things without a reason.
“Is that not so, Lady Peng?”
“Ah, uh, yes. I suppose?”
Peng Chae-hyang seemed to freeze at the unexpected turn of events, her eyes spinning in confusion. I let out a helpless laugh and chided Jeon Oh-su.
“Why are you placing such strange pressure on her? She didn’t even seem to have such intentions.”
“How old are you, Lady Peng?” Ignoring my words, Jeon Oh-su turned to Chae-hyang and asked. And Chae-hyang answered him meekly.
“Ah, I am twenty-two.”
“A two-year difference, then.” Jeon Oh-su nodded in satisfaction.
“Stop it. What do you mean speak comfortably…”
The moment I tried to speak out of consideration for her, Chae-hyang suddenly bolted upright.
“No!”
“My word, you startled me.”
“Please… speak comfortably with me,” Peng Chae-hyang said, leaning across the table and bringing her face close to mine. Overwhelmed by her sheer intensity, I nodded reflexively.
“V-Very well, let us do so.”
“Yes.”
Peng Chae-hyang sat back down in her chair. The fierce intensity from a moment ago vanished, replaced once again by the shy girl who was quietly observing my reaction.
“Then… I will call you Gege.”
“…Ah, yes. No, I mean, sure.”
Gege. This was a form of address I had never anticipated. I had assumed she would at most call me ‘Oraboni.’
Granted, it was common in the Central Plains to address an older male with whom one was close as ‘Gege.’ However, if I were to say ‘Gege is a bit…’ here, it would truly be drawing a line just as Jeon Oh-su had implied. I had no choice but to accept it.
“Anyway… Lady Peng—no, Chae-hyang. Isn’t it a bit awkward for you to visit this place?”
I quickly changed the subject. Peng Chae-hyang flinched slightly at being addressed by her name.
Although it was equally awkward for both of us, an adjustment period was always necessary when first speaking comfortably.
“U-Uh, yes. That is why I wore a veil to avoid being recognized.”
“Did your father not say anything?”
“No. My father actually permitted me to come.”
“Ah, really?”
Although I nodded as if I understood, in truth, I couldn’t comprehend why he had allowed it. If it became known that the daughter of the Hebei Peng Clan had visited the New Justice Association, it would cause immense trouble. Was there a reason to send her despite that risk?
“Ahem. Then, Junior Brother Hwi? Did you simply come on your own?”
“Ah. I wished to come myself, but my father also gave me a command.”
“The Patriarch did?”
“Yes,” Namgung Hwi nodded.
A command from the Namgung Patriarch. I grew curious as to what message he had brought.
“What is it?”
“By any chance, is the New Justice Association’s advisory staff currently lacking?” Namgung Hwi’s eyes shone. I nodded hesitantly.
“That is true.”
In reality, the New Justice Association was severely understaffed. Only Yu Cha-ryeon and Jo Chung-heon were helping me with my work, which was an incredibly flimsy structure for a power that boasted more than half of the Nine Great Sects and the Namgung Clan. Aside from a few people handling chores, we had virtually no administrative staff.
To truly replace the Martial Alliance, we had to expand the scale of the New Justice Association itself. To achieve that, while martial strength was important, the organizational structure was equally critical.
“In fact, the reason I am accepting so many spars is because this is a period of talent recruitment. While martial artists can hide their expressions, they cannot hide their swords. I am offering invitations to join the New Justice Association to those who possess both skill and good character.”
“Ah! As expected, my father’s assumption was correct.”
“Was my approach too obvious?”
“No. He praised it highly, saying it was an incredibly natural and clever method of expanding our influence.”
“It is nothing worthy of such praise.”
He was making me feel embarrassed. Namgung Hwi’s eyes were so bright that I wondered if he was embellishing his father’s words.
“So you are saying you wish to work directly within the New Justice Association?”
“Yes. My father sent me saying that I would surely learn a great deal under your guidance, brother. And I believe so as well.”
“Well, in that case, I am incredibly grateful.”
It was no empty flattery; from my perspective, it was a welcome development. The New Justice Association was a power with many enemies from the very beginning. It was best if those working alongside me, especially in the advisory staff, were people I could trust completely.
Namgung Hwi was more than trustworthy. At this point, his faith in me seemed to have reached the heavens.
I turned my gaze toward Jeon Oh-su, who had been slightly excluded.
“Then, Jeon Oh-su, what about you?”
“Coincidentally, though I came to see my friend, I also came in my capacity as the Young Proprietor of the Wuhan Money House.”
“Which means you have business.”
“Yes,” Jeon Oh-su’s eyes sparkled. As merchants, we knew. That was the look of someone who had caught the scent of money.
Although a money house employee wasn’t strictly a merchant, what mattered was that they were highly sensitive to the scent of wealth.
“Speak.”
“A cooperative relationship between the Wuhan Money House and the New Justice Association.”
“Publicly?”
“No. In secret.”
“Meaning you will provide financial backing?”
“Precisely.”
“And what do you want in return?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. Jeon Oh-su maintained a broad grin.
“For the Wuhan Money House to serve as the primary financial institution for the New Justice Association.”
“Oh?”
Jeon Oh-su’s proposal carried massive weight. It meant he was betting the future of the Wuhan Money House on the growth of the New Justice Association.
“Just to be clear, this is an idea I proposed. I practically forced it through.”
“That must carry quite a massive risk.”
The New Justice Association stood in opposition to the Imperial Palace. For a money house, which was heavily influenced by palace policies, to support the New Justice Association was a colossal gamble.
“True. The risk is immense. However, if we continue as we are, we will ultimately remain nothing more than a money house operating within Hubei Province.”
“I suppose so.”
In cold reality, whether in terms of wealth or connections, the Wuhan Money House lacked what was needed to operate on a continental scale. In my past life, the Wuhan Money House had never managed to break out of Hubei.
“But what fun is a life without goals or progress?” Jeon Oh-su’s eyes burned with passion. It was a declaration and a gaze that could only stem from youthful vigor.
“Very well. But I will not take responsibility for the outcome.”
“We are making this choice based on our own judgment. Asking you to take responsibility would be tantamount to admitting our own weakness.”
“I see.”
With that, I shook hands with Jeon Oh-su. It was the moment when the cooperative relationship between the New Justice Association and the Wuhan Money House was forged.
Just then.
“I-I will join too!”
“Eh?”
“I will also join the New Justice Association!”
Suddenly, Peng Chae-hyang bolted upright.
At that sudden, impulsive declaration, everyone stared at Peng Chae-hyang with utterly bewildered expressions.