There Is No Such Thing as a Peaceful Caravan (1)
“Good morning… mister…”
“Hye-ryeong, this is an inn.”
So don’t walk around looking so disheveled. I turned my gaze away from Lim Hye-ryeong, who was still adjusting her rumpled clothes after waking up, and looked down the opposite corridor.
No signs of life.
Even though this was the medieval era where people rose early, it seemed no one stirred at the crack of dawn when the sun had only just begun to show its face. Or perhaps the guests staying here simply had no need to wake early. Those who had to hustle to survive rose with the sun, while those who could afford leisure naturally wanted more sleep.
After some time had passed, the rustling sounds finally died down and Hye-ryeong tapped me lightly on the back. I turned around at her signal and looked at her.
“Hehe. Thank you.”
“You’re a woman too. You shouldn’t let just anyone see you looking so unkempt.”
She already drew every man’s eyes just by walking down the street. Why was she so defenseless like this?
I let out a small sigh as I recalled how Hye-ryeong had caused the disciples of the Hainan Sword Gate to suffer simply because they belonged to the same sect. Whether I sighed or not, she simply beamed and spoke up.
“You’re saying such boring things. You really are like an old man, mister.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Hmm, maybe that you’re really uptight?”
Was that a joke or was she serious?
Seeing her giggle playfully, it seemed she was just teasing me. I sighed again and countered.
“I’d say I’m quite open-minded, all things considered.”
As a former modern man, I considered myself pretty open-minded. At the very least, I wasn’t as rigid as the people here. Hye-ryeong gave me a mischievous smile.
“Is that so?”
Leaving behind that ambiguous answer, she walked past me, saying she was going for a stroll.
I should go back to the room and rest a bit.
There was still some time before breakfast anyway. I could spend it maintaining my weapons.
Just as I was thinking that, I felt Hye-ryeong’s gaze poking at my back.
It was the kind of look that said she wanted something from me.
She hadn’t said anything, but I could guess what it meant.
“…I’ll go tell Elder Baek.”
“Hehe. You wanted to go for a walk too, didn’t you, mister? I’ll show you around!”
Pretending she hadn’t known anything, Hye-ryeong smiled brightly and leaned against the wall with her hands behind her back. The pose naturally emphasized her chest, and those heavy mounds swayed up and down with terrifying presence.
“…Never mind.”
“Hehe, hurry up and ask him! Mister!”
That bewitching little brat.
She clearly knew exactly what she was doing.
I chuckled and grabbed the door handle.
“Breakfast here definitely feels light.”
I had assumed all the food here would be greasy, even in the morning, but this was surprisingly lean.
“We martial artists may have strong stomachs, but ordinary people don’t. So it’s only natural, isn’t it?”
Ha Jin responded to my mutter. I nodded and looked down at the somyeon that had been served for breakfast, using my chopsticks to poke at it.
So this was the somyeon that appeared endlessly in wuxia novels. The moderately oily broth and the rice-noodle-like appearance caught my eye.
I picked up a moderate amount of the pure white noodles with my chopsticks and put them in my mouth. The unique soft texture of the noodles and the broth that had soaked into them filled my entire mouth.
This is what noodles are supposed to be!
Once one strand entered my mouth, more followed without end. Perhaps because it was breakfast, this relatively light Central Plains noodle dish disappeared in an instant.
“Is it that good?”
“It’s amazi— I mean, it really is delicious.”
I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d eaten noodle dishes. It had to have been at least two years. This was truly an emotional reunion. In the West, there was almost no chance to eat something that slid down the throat so smoothly like this.
Pasta?
Since when did soldiers get to eat pasta?
…Besides, the standard supply method in this era was mostly living off the land. There was no way they could bring something like pasta. While noodles preserved fairly well, they were a hassle to cook.
The only thing I’d ever heard about pasta was some story from a guy who belonged to the Pythagorean school. Given the time period, there were no tomatoes, so it probably tasted different from the pasta I knew. Still, I’d wanted to try it at least once.
“Waiter! Another bowl of somyeon!”
“Coming right up!”
The waiter who had been standing blankly by the kitchen answered quickly and disappeared inside. He was probably going to relay my order to the cook.
In the meantime, I decided to soothe my palate with the savory broth. I scooped up the clean somyeon soup with a spoon.
“Hehe, Hero Wi. You must have been quite hungry.”
“On the battlefield, you eat as much as you can whenever you have the chance. I still haven’t shaken that habit. And with a body this large, it can’t be helped. To maintain this physique, I have no choice but to eat a lot, right?”
“Hehe, that is true…”
“Mister, try this too!”
“Hero, please have some of this braised pork as well.”
The gazes of my companions carried a hint of pity.
Since they knew my circumstances, those were looks of sympathy. I ate every single dish they offered without leaving a crumb.
Pride doesn’t put food on the table.
It was during this happy breakfast that I sensed someone approaching our table. Their presence didn’t prickle my skin, so there seemed to be no hostility, but it wasn’t something I could simply ignore either.
I set down my chopsticks and looked up at the newcomer.
“Elder Baek. It has been a while. I hope you’ve been well.”
“Lord Myung, it’s been a long time.”
A middle-aged martial artist who looked as if he had stepped out of a painting and a middle-aged scholar exchanged polite fist salutes. It was a scene straight out of a movie. I looked back and forth between the two.
They seemed to know each other. Had he spotted Elder Baek and come over? Or did he have some business?
“You still look healthy. That’s good to see.”
“Hehe, what is a martial artist without his health?”
Was he just here to chat?
I let their small talk go in one ear and out the other as I picked up my chopsticks again.
I didn’t want to eat soggy noodles, after all.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, I noticed that the man called Lord Myung was staring at me with curious eyes. I lifted my head.
“Hehe, Elder Baek. I heard this gentleman gave those scoundrels from the Stone Family Manor and the Baek Family Manor a proper thrashing yesterday.”
“Hero William is an outstanding martial artist. The Hainan Sword Gate is also indebted to him.”
“Ohh, he must be quite the remarkable warrior. My name is Myung Yun-jin. I run a modest trading business.”
“I am William Marshall. I am a martial artist currently under the care of the Hainan Sword Gate.”
It might be better to come up with a proper Central Plains-style name soon. Nothing good was coming to mind. With that thought, I offered a fist salute. Lord Myung returned the gesture.
“Hehe, I’m curious how Hero Wi and the Hainan Sword Gate became connected, but unfortunately I don’t have time to listen right now. There is an urgent matter.”
“Urgent matter, you say…”
So this was the real purpose. I glanced at Lord Myung, who had skillfully steered the conversation. He closed his mouth for a moment as if choosing his words, his face troubled, then slowly opened his mouth again.
“I have been entrusted with an important caravan this time. However, the escort company I had originally arranged suddenly had an issue and can no longer take the job. I was in quite a bind. We are supposed to depart today to meet the promised deadline, but at this rate…”
Lord Myung trailed off and looked at Elder Baek with earnest eyes.
As expected of a merchant. It seemed he had approached us with a clear objective from the start. Elder Baek spoke in response to the subtle request.
“I would like to help, but we came from Hainan Island this time to participate in the Wuxia Alliance’s event. Unfortunately…”
“Ah, that’s fortunate. My destination lies along the way to Hubei.”
“Hmm…”
Elder Baek looked troubled. It seemed he found it difficult to agree right away. After all, we weren’t on a pleasure trip. We were carrying important news that needed to be delivered quickly.
“Elder. The man is in a difficult situation. How about we travel together? We left with plenty of extra time anyway, didn’t we?”
Ha Jin, who had remained silent for a long while, finally spoke up and offered his opinion to Elder Baek. When the next sect leader suggested helping, Elder Baek’s resolve seemed to waver slightly as he stroked the end of his beard.
“That’s right, Elder Baek! Is it not the spirit of the orthodox factions to never ignore someone in distress?”
“Exactly!”
When even Ha Gyeong added her voice, Hye-ryeong and Mu-gwang also agreed with Ha Jin’s suggestion.
I couldn’t tell whether this came from a true sense of justice or because they smelled some profit, but helping someone in trouble seemed reasonable enough. I decided to add a word as well.
“If our paths are the same, traveling together wouldn’t be bad.”
At my words, Elder Baek smiled as if he had no choice and spoke.
“Hehe, if everyone is of the same mind, then there is no reason to refuse.”
“Thank you so much. Young Hero Ha Jin.”
“Not at all, Lord Myung. Shouldn’t we help each other in times like these?”
…Look at this guy.
I smiled faintly at the packed meaning hidden behind those few sentences.
“While we travel together, I will take care of all your food, clothing, and shelter.”
“Thank you.”
“No, no. I am the one who should be thanking you.”
And so we ended up accompanying Lord Myung’s caravan to Wuchang Prefecture in the northern part of Guangdong Province.