Chapter 274: Before Riding the Storm (6)
I entered Jun County before stopping by Wudang Mountain. That was because I had established the New Justice Association’s headquarters in Jun County. I couldn’t keep borrowing Wudang Sect’s halls forever.
Now that the New Justice Association itself had martial artists like Iron-Bold Flying Fork Jeon Rip-saeng, it was awkward to remain at Wudang Mountain.
The funds came from commissions and revenue earned through the New Justice Festival. Although the percentage wasn’t large, it was commissions from several years of income for Jun County merchants, so a considerable amount had come in.
“You’ve returned.”
Waiting for me at the main gate of the headquarters were Peng Chae-hyang and Namgung Hwi. It seemed they had received word that I would arrive around this time.
“I didn’t send word for you to come see me off.”
“I know.”
Only after entering the New Justice Association headquarters did I release my disguise. I was now a person known throughout the entire Central Plains. It wasn’t arrogance—it was simply the truth.
In fact, whether in Shaanxi or Gansu, whenever I ate at an inn, there was always at least one group discussing the New Justice Association and the joint festival.
“Nothing unusual happened?”
“No.”
“When is the Palace of Heavenly Worship inauguration ceremony?”
“Ten days remain.”
I had returned at the right time. Ten days was enough time to prepare something.
The problem was that I still didn’t know what to prepare.
But as the leader of a massive group like the New Justice Association, I couldn’t reveal that I had no plan.
“You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting. Gaga. Everything at the New Justice Association headquarters is prepared.”
Peng Chae-hyang clasped her hands together and looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“Prepared for what?”
“To follow Gaga’s orders. You haven’t said a word about how to respond to the Palace of Heavenly Worship inauguration ceremony yet.”
“…Right.”
The crisis was approaching faster than expected. Well, when you added the travel time to Beijing where the inauguration ceremony would be held, there really were only a few days left.
“Let me freshen up first, then we’ll talk.”
“Right. Should I convene a meeting?”
“Tomorrow. I’m a bit tired today.”
“Understood.”
Peng Chae-hyang and Namgung Hwi seemed to believe without question that even with the meeting postponed to tomorrow, I had some brilliant strategy.
“Ah, and many letters have arrived. They’re all organized on the Association Master’s desk.”
“Got it. I’ll check them.”
Cooperation or threats. It had to be one of the two. Being the Association Master was more troublesome than I’d expected.
I was beginning to suspect that the old men hadn’t given me this position just to make me suffer.
First, I freshened up, washed, and changed into comfortable cotton clothes. After that, I handled the backlog of work in the Association Master’s office.
It had only been half a month, but a lot had piled up.
“I can only sigh.”
Letters and bamboo scrolls stacked like a tower on the desk. I had to review all of them.
But I had spent decades in administrative work. For a merchant company of this scale, the Association Master was much closer to an administrative role crafting strategy than a field merchant.
I handled two shichen’s worth of accumulated work in half the time, then checked the letters sent to me.
Just as I expected, they were either cooperation or threats. But since I had no intention of expanding cooperative relationships right now, I skimmed through them.
[ To the Benefactor of Sae-eun ]
Then I stopped at one letter. It was the first and last letter that was neither cooperation nor threats.
Come to think of it, had I ever done a favor for a friend named Sae-eun? My memory was vague. The name sounded familiar, but also unfamiliar.
Even turning the letter over, the sender’s name wasn’t written. Yet the seal was firmly pressed, giving off an unusual feeling.
Carefully, I broke the seal and unfolded the letter.
[ It’s been a while. Have you been well? It’s Hyeong Tae-seong. ]
The sender was none other than Hyeong Tae-seong, who was currently in the Imperial Palace. And a memory surfaced fresh from deep within my mind.
Come to think of it, Hyeong Tae-seong’s daughter had been named Sae-eun. Before I had earned the reputation as the Divine Physician of Hubei, the first person I had treated was Hyeong Tae-seong’s daughter.
[ I’d like to meet in person and exchange pleasantries, but since we each walk different paths, it’s not easy. ]
That made sense. If I went to the Imperial Palace in Beijing now, there would be an enormous commotion. They probably wouldn’t let me in to begin with.
[ You probably noticed from the letter’s cover, but this is a letter sent without the Imperial Palace’s knowledge. ]
Of course. Hyeong Tae-seong was currently a central government official. He couldn’t openly send a letter to the New Justice Association Master, who was openly hostile to the Imperial Palace. That was why he had used his daughter’s name, which few people would know.
Come to think of it, had there been any reason for Hyeong Tae-seong to send me a secret letter? He did become a future grand minister, but that was twenty years away.
Of course, since he was currently serving under Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Wang Song at the Censorate, his rise could be even faster.
[ To be blunt. The Palace of Heavenly Worship inauguration ceremony is a trap. Do not attend. ]
My eyes snapped open. After that, the letter detailed the trap the Imperial Palace had laid.
“…Huh.”
At the unexpected development of the letter, I let out an exclamation.
[ The only reason I’m risking my life to send you this letter is one thing. Because you saved my daughter. ]
That was true. This was an Imperial secret. I didn’t know how Hyeong Tae-seong had obtained this information, but if it were known that the secret had been leaked, he would surely be a dead man.
[ Just in case, I plan to send my daughter to you. Please receive her well. ]
Hyeong Tae-seong had even anticipated that this letter might be intercepted. Leaking Imperial secrets was tantamount to treason. It wasn’t a matter of Hyeong Tae-seong alone taking responsibility.
Since Hyeong Tae-seong’s daughter was still young, it wouldn’t be immediate execution, but if discovered, she might have to live as a government slave for life. He had sent me this letter while bearing that much risk. It was a moment that naturally made me solemn.
“Sigh.”
I pressed my temples. My thoughts multiplied rapidly.
I had naturally expected there to be a trap at the inauguration ceremony itself. But the trap Hyeong Tae-seong had revealed was larger and more powerful than I’d imagined. I had been thinking of stopping something that could be blocked with a hoe, but this was a trap that couldn’t be stopped even with a rake.
“This is actually better.”
I hadn’t started planning yet. If I had already made a plan and prepared, I would have had to scrap everything.
First, I put away Hyeong Tae-seong’s letter and quickly changed into a battle robe.
“I’m going to Wudang Mountain for a moment.”
I informed Namgung Hwi and Peng Chae-hyang, who worked in the strategy division, then rushed out. Without waiting for their answers, I used my movement art and flew off.
I ascended Wudang Mountain at great speed. Normally when I visited Wudang Mountain, I would first pay respects to the Sect Leader, but I had no intention of doing so now.
It took less than half a shichen to travel from Jun County to Wudang Mountain. A distance that would take about five shichen on foot had been compressed that much.
“Senior Brother!”
I entered the Bow Hall. Inside, Myeong-gyeong was wielding her sword with a serious expression. When I approached, she stopped and looked at me.
“Junior Brother.”
“What’s so urgent? You startled everyone. I could feel your energy from the entrance.”
Myeong-gyeong scolded me. I had used my movement art at full intensity, so it couldn’t be helped.
Just as Myeong-gyeong said, the other senior brothers and sisters were all looking at me with surprised expressions.
“I’ll just say I came quickly because I missed you, Senior Sister.”
“…Alright.”
Normally, Myeong-gyeong would have been happy even with those words. But now, there was a shadow on her face. I knew the reason.
“Senior Sister. A moment.”
“Mm.”
Myeong-gyeong and I went under the large tree behind the Bow Hall. It was a cool spot, perfect for talking.
There was no need to beat around the bush. I asked directly.
“Senior Sister. Do you think I betrayed you?”
“…”
Myeong-gyeong fell silent. From the slight twitch of her eyebrows, I could tell I had hit the mark.
Having endured all manner of hardship at the Imperial Palace in her youth, Myeong-gyeong was a master of expression control, no less than me—perhaps even more so. That level of reaction was significant agitation.
“…Why do you think that?”
After a long pause, Myeong-gyeong spoke. I answered matter-of-factly.
“Because the way you treat me isn’t like before.”
“Isn’t that just part of growing up?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“You can say anything to your senior sister.”
Myeong-gyeong spoke in a light tone but couldn’t meet my eyes.
“Everyone has something to hide, naturally. I didn’t show you everything either, Senior Sister. That’s not betrayal. It’s normal.”
“…”
I knew why Myeong-gyeong was acting this way. It was because she was the purest person I knew. But no one in this world was perfectly transparent. Looking at the world with such purity was causing her inner conflict.
And all of this came from the Imperial Palace. If Senior Sister Myeong-gyeong had been born to an ordinary family, with ordinary circumstances, with ordinary parents, she wouldn’t be like this.
I didn’t have the confidence to explain all of this. Actions speak louder than words, so there was no need to explain.
“Senior Sister, you will accompany me to the Palace of Heavenly Worship inauguration ceremony.”
“…?”
From Myeong-gyeong’s perspective, it must have sounded like sudden nonsense. But I continued without hesitation.
“The Emperor will be there. Let’s settle this once and for all.”
Myeong-gyeong’s face turned pale.
* * *
“Must I really get involved in this as well?”
“It is His Majesty the Emperor’s request.”
“His Majesty the Emperor…”
Seo Jong-haeng knelt and bowed his head. The old man sitting in the chair stood up. The old man was incredibly short, about five chi tall.
“Liu Yue has already grown that much.”
The old man spoke while watering a potted plant. Despite committing the rudeness of calling the Emperor by his personal name right in front of Seo Jong-haeng, the Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Seo Jong-haeng couldn’t even show the proper reaction expected of a subject. The old man before him was that transcendent of a being.
“I should go discipline that brat. Even the previous emperors rarely summoned people from the Immortal Realm.”
“Elder. Still, addressing His Majesty the Emperor in such a manner…”
“Heh heh heh.”
The old man laughed. Seo Jong-haeng, who had been looking at the floor, suddenly found his gaze flipped to the ceiling.
The old man, who had somehow approached, had grabbed Seo Jong-haeng’s neck and lifted him up.
“Kgh.”
“Aiya. The Imperial Court is a worldly matter. Was the Immortal Realm ever part of the mortal world?”
“Ah, no…”
The old man tossed Seo Jong-haeng aside. Even though he had tossed him lightly, Seo Jong-haeng flew and crashed into a corner. Despite the pain throbbing through his body, Seo Jong-haeng jumped up and prostrated himself before the old man again.
“According to the Imperial Palace’s estimation, there are four martial artists of the sage rank remaining at Wudang. That is why the elders of the Immortal Realm are absolutely necessary.”
“That is a natural statement, but it violates the Penglai Covenant. You must know that.”
“His Majesty the Emperor has also taken note of that.”
“So he has ambitions. But the martial world’s resilience is not to be underestimated.”
The old man clicked his tongue. Seo Jong-haeng knew as well. That this was the first attempt to break the Penglai Covenant in the two hundred years since it was established.
Of course, Seo Jong-haeng didn’t know the detailed contents of the Penglai Covenant, but he knew that it was an oath the Imperial Palace held in the highest regard.
“For now, I will relay the message to the Immortal Realm.”
“Thank you. Thank you, Elder.”
Seo Jong-haeng struck his forehead against the floor. He hit it so hard that his forehead split open and blood flowed.
Prostrating silently, Seo Jong-haeng didn’t raise his head until about half a shichen had passed. The old man who had been standing before him had vanished.
“…Hoo.”
Seo Jong-haeng sighed and touched his neck.
This was his first time encountering the people of the Immortal Realm, whom he had only heard about. The people in the Immortal Realm all erased their records, so they were beings that could never be seen in official documents.
His Majesty the Emperor had said it. Merely conveying this message could earn death at the hands of the eccentric old men of the Immortal Realm.
But fortunately, his life was still intact. For that alone, Seo Jong-haeng was grateful.