Heaven's Way Does Not Flatter

"Father!"

"Oh, you little rascal. You're going to break my back."

A manor stood in the distance, with Mount Hwang wrapping around it like a folding screen. From its grand gates, a young child burst out like an arrow. The merchant group leader smiled warmly, catching the rushing child in his arms. He waved back at a woman waving from the entrance as he walked toward her. It was the picture of a loving family.

"Welcome to the Hwangro Merchant Group."

After a brief exchange of greetings with his family, the merchant group leader, Baek Gyeom, turned to welcome his guests with a bright smile. No matter how long they had traveled together, welcoming guests into one's own home was a different matter entirely. Even the caravan members, who had grown quite close to their young companions, wore serious and respectful expressions now.

"The manor is quite large."

"Though we occupy the lowest rank among the merchant groups affiliated with the Namgung Clan, we have made a decent fortune through liquor distribution."

Where is a person most at ease? Their own home, of course. One could tell just by looking at his face how immense the relief was for a merchant returning safely after a high-stakes trading journey. Smiling like a living Buddha, Baek Gyeom extended an invitation to Yoo Jeong and Namgung Sua.

"If you do not have a place to stay, why not lodge with our merchant group?"

"No, thank you for the kind offer. But we must stop by the clan ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first."

"Ah, of course."

A branch of the Namgung Clan was located on Mount Hwang. Generally, one might assume a clan's branch consists mostly of collateral relatives. However, the Namgung Clan was slightly different. Their branches were established to solidify their influence over Anhui Province. Situated on Mount Hwang, Mount Tianzhu, and Mount Palgong, they formed a triangle around the main house in Hefei, projecting their power across the entire province. Because of these tight bonds with the main house, even direct descendants often resided at the branches. As the daughter of the clan leader, she needed to pay her respects.

However, that was Namgung Sua's duty. Yoo Jeong was free to enjoy the hospitality here. She was about to send him a telepathic message, but Yoo Jeong spoke first.

"Thank you for everything so far."

It was a polite refusal, and Baek Gyeom offered a regretful smile.

"Do not mention it. In truth, I wished for you to rest here until we finished our preparations so we could travel together again, but I cannot hold back those with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠busy schedules."

"Father, who are these big sisters?"

Just then, the child in his father's arms chimed in, his eyes wide with curiosity. 'Sisters?' At the child's words, Namgung Sua immediately glanced at Yoo Jeong. Sure enough, Yoo Jeong's lips were twitching. Having been treated as a younger sister or a daughter all this time, how must he feel now being called a "big sister"? Namgung Sua struggled to hold back her laughter.

"These are the benefactors who saved your father's life. Greet them properly."

Surprised by his father's words, the child tugged at Baek Gyeom's sleeve. Baek Gyeom set him down, and the child clasped his tiny hands together in a formal martial greeting.

"Thank you for saving my father."

The child's lisping, adorable greeting was incredibly endearing. Yoo Jeong seemed to find him precious as well, gently patting the boy's head.

"Yes. Be good to your father."

"Lady Namgung, please take this."

The merchant leader watched the scene warmly. At his gesture, a servant waiting in the rear brought forward a small chest. Having traveled with the merchant group for the past few days, Namgung Sua could easily guess what was inside.

"A merchant's pride cannot allow guests to leave empty-handed. This is a small token of my appreciation. Elder Baekgeom at the branch will surely appreciate it."

Namgung Sua's eyes brightened at the name "Baekgeom." The Three Swords of the Blue Robe. This was the title given to three swordsmen who traveled the land performing righteous deeds while clad in the Namgung Clan's signature blue robes. The eldest among them, Baekgeom, was the younger brother of the current clan leader and her uncle.

"So my uncle is here. Thank you. I will deliver your regards."

"That would be wonderful. The Hwangro Merchant Group plans to set out again in three days, so if you happen to change your mind, please feel free to visit anytime."

Returning his deep bow, Namgung Sua and Yoo Jeong slowly turned around. Glancing back, even after they had walked a fair distance, they could still see the merchant leader's family standing by the gates, with the young boy waving his hand. Namgung Sua waved back gently in response, and only then did the family step back inside the manor.

'By the way...'

Namgung Sua's gaze shifted back to the person beside her. In the brief moment she had looked away, something seemed to have happened; a strange man apologized to Yoo Jeong before heading toward the Hwangro Merchant Group.

"Miss Yoo, what happened?"

"That man suddenly stumbled and almost bumped into me."

"He wasn't a pickpocket, was he?"

"No."

Yoo Jeong patted his chest to show that his purse was safe. Watching the slight movement of his chest with a somewhat complicated look, she brought up the main point.

"Miss Yoo."

"Yes?"

"Um... are you going to come with me to the branch?"

"Why?"

Yoo Jeong tilted his head. He looked as if he had taken it for granted that they would go together, not understanding why she was asking.

"The elder of my family currently staying at the branch is quite strict and stubborn."

Though he was hailed as a righteous hero in the Jianghu, his deeds did not stem from pure compassion. Rather, they were closer to acts of condescending charity rooted in pride and authority. As someone who took immense pride in the Namgung bloodline above all else, he would undoubtedly question Yoo Jeong's origins and lineage the moment they met.

'With Miss Yoo's personality, things definitely won't end quietly.'

"Go on ahead."

Sensing her worry, Yoo Jeong spoke easily.

"I'll just look around the area and wait for you."

"Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. I'm a bit curious about Mount Hwang anyway. Besides, you'll find me once your business is done, won't you?"

"Yes. It's not like Master took that child with her."

"Go ahead, then. I'll stay at a nearby inn."

"Alright, I'll be back soon."

Saying he would look around, Yoo Jeong departed first. Watching his retreating figure, Namgung Sua finally let out the sigh she had been holding back and steeled herself.

"I really don't want to go."

Yoo Jeong had thought of it lightly. Traveling with the merchant caravan had made him feel like a great hero from a legend. Of course, being treated as a woman wasn't particularly pleasant. Still, for Yoo Jeong, who had been entirely consumed by the goal of forging his own sword, finding a different kind of fulfillment was meaningful.

He had advised Namgung Sua not to give up on her other self. He had spoken as if he knew better, but he realized he was no different.

'The life of Yoo Jeong.'

He still did not know what that would entail. Yet, through this experience, he thought that walking the path of a righteous hero like his master might not be so bad.

"Are there no vacancies?"

Or so he had thought, right up until he stepped into a certain inn.

In the dark of night, Yoo Jeong stood before the gates of the Hwangro Merchant Group. It had been barely a day—two days, strictly speaking. Yoo Jeong, who had departed from these very gates with the merchant leader's family waving him goodbye, had returned, with a sword and a liquor bottle slung at his waist.

"What brings you here?"

One of the guards watching the gate spoke first. He had not been part of the trading caravan, so he did not recognize Yoo Jeong.

"I came to see the merchant leader."

When Yoo Jeong replied in a low, heavy voice, the guard looked troubled. It was only natural. Visiting at this hour was a breach of etiquette, let alone demanding to see the master of the manor. Under normal circumstances, they would have sternly pointed out the rudeness and driven the visitor away. However, Yoo Jeong's striking appearance left the guards hesitant and unsure of what to do.

"Is the merchant leader asleep?"

"He is likely still working, but... young lady, at this hour..."

"Tell him that a friend of the Namgung Clan has come to visit."

To ease their dilemma, Yoo Jeong revealed his connection. Sure enough, the moment the name Namgung was mentioned, the guard's eyes wavered. Anyone who lived by the blade in the Jianghu knew the name of the Namgung Clan. Moreover, their merchant group was affiliated with them. After whispering among themselves, the one who appeared to be the senior guard spoke.

"...Since you mention the Namgung Clan, I will go and report this. However, if this is a lie, there will be severe consequences. I ask you one last time, shall I deliver your words exactly as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they are?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Please wait here for a moment."

Though unable to completely hide his suspicion, the guard disappeared inside. Yoo Jeong waited, lightly tapping the hilt of his sword. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but his throat felt parched. He considered taking a drink from the wine bottle at his waist, but decided against it. He resolved to save it until everything was finished.

About fifteen minutes later, the guard who had rushed inside came running back out.

"My deepest apologies. I failed to recognize the master's esteemed guest."

The guard apologized immediately, his face pale as if he had received a harsh scolding.

"It is fine. May I enter?"

"Yes. I will guide you."

Watching the back of the guard leading the way, Yoo Jeong felt a strange sensation. Ever since descending from Mount Kuaiji, he had always slipped into places undetected. 'To think I'm being guided in like this.' A hollow chuckle escaped him despite the gravity of the situation. Passing a large courtyard and a beautifully landscaped garden, they arrived at the brightly lit inner quarters. The guard bowed deeply and returned to his post.

"Lady Hero."

Instead, the merchant leader welcomed Yoo Jeong with a bright smile. Having thrown a long robe over his thin nightclothes as if he had been about to sleep, he hurriedly stood before Yoo Jeong.

"Have you been resting well?"

"Yes."

"Haha, did you perhaps change your mind and decide to travel with us? I practically leapt out of bed in anticipation... though..."

The merchant leader, who had been smiling genially despite Yoo Jeong's stiff expression, found his voice gradually trailing off. Confronted by Yoo Jeong's cold, rigid gaze, he slowly scanned the youth's figure. His own expression hardened as he noticed the bloodstains covering Yoo Jeong's clothes.

"Were you... perhaps attacked?"

He asked the question, but both the merchant leader and Yoo Jeong knew the truth. It was not an attack.

"They say those who come with good intentions do not knock, and those who knock do not come with good intentions. Lady Hero... have I done something to offend you?"

Taking a hesitant step back, the merchant leader asked with a look of resignation. It was only natural. He had already allowed Yoo Jeong to get this close. No matter how desperately he tried to run, Yoo Jeong could take his head in an instant. Yet, Yoo Jeong did not draw his sword.

"Yi Sam-cheol. Yi Jin-ryeong."

Yoo Jeong merely uttered those two names with a bitter expression. Yet, the other man flinched as if slashed by a blade, and the eyes of the merchant leader, Baek Gyeom, filled with sheer terror.

"How... how do you know those names?"

"Yesterday, a man took his own life. Inside his own inn."

Unlike Yoo Jeong's calm, steady voice, the merchant leader's eyes shook violently like a sea caught in a tempest.

"Why did you do it?"

"What... what do you mean?"

"Why did you arrange the marriage between the Punglim Sect Leader's son and a woman who was like a niece to you?"

"I only..."

Clenching his teeth, Baek Gyeom tried to compose his face and offer an excuse, but Yoo Jeong did not let him.

"Do not tell me that a merchant like you was ignorant of the young sect leader's reputation."

Merchants were highly sensitive to information. There was no way he was unaware of what Yoo Jeong, an outsider, had discovered just by walking around and asking a few questions.

"The dead man wrote in his blood letter that he had misjudged someone."

Until he heard the truth from the Punglim Sect Leader, Yoo Jeong had assumed the letter referred to the young sect leader. It did not.

"Did you want his inn that badly? Enough to deceive your friend with sweet words and drive a child who was like a niece to her death?"

"No, that's not it!!!"

Baek Gyeom shrieked in denial, his body trembling violently as if struck by lightning.

"Stealing the inn? That is absurd! And Jin-ryeong is dead? They promised me! They swore she would become the mistress of the Punglim Sect and live a life of wealth and honor! They promised me that much!"

"That woman..."

Yoo Jeong recalled her horrific end.

"...was gang-raped by the men of the Punglim Sect, subjected to brutal violence, and died in misery. Her body was never returned to her father; it was left to be eaten by wild beasts."

With a dull thud, Baek Gyeom's knees gave out.

"Why did you do it?"

At some point, Yoo Jeong's sword had been drawn, its tip resting against the man's throat.

He had heard the whole story from the Punglim Sect Leader and his son. The merchant leader had wanted to partner with a martial arts sect. The Punglim Sect had wanted to build a brothel on the prime location where the inn stood. And the Yi family, father and daughter, had steadfastly refused to hand over the inn that had been passed down through generations.

The merchant leader had approached the Punglim Sect first, using the pretext of persuading his friend. In exchange, he negotiated for the Yi family to receive a share of the brothel's operations and a guarantee of their safety. The Punglim Sect partially accepted but countered with their own condition: a marriage between the young sect leader and Yi Jin-ryeong. Though the young sect leader's reputation was terrible, Baek Gyeom persuaded his friend, painting a picture of the honor of becoming the Punglim Sect's mistress. Trusting her father's words, the daughter eventually relented and married the young sect leader.

"But you knew the truth, didn't you?"

Yet, the promises were never kept. When the innkeeper realized something was wrong with his daughter, he pleaded and protested to the Punglim Sect. But they were a martial arts sect. A mere innkeeper was utterly powerless against their might. Hearing that his friend had returned from his trading journey, the father had rushed to him, begging for help.

This was a father who had shed his own blood to write a desperate plea to a stranger. When he was turned away and cast out by his closest friend, his final hope, Yoo Jeong could not fathom the depth of his despair. That was why he wanted to know. Why, of all things?

"The Hwangro Merchant Group belongs to the Namgung Clan... but we receive almost no support from them. It is because we are far smaller than the other merchant groups," the merchant leader lamented in a choked voice.

"For a merchant group to grow, it needs martial power. But the Namgung Clan only enjoys the privileges of ownership; they never fulfill their duties to protect us."

Yoo Jeong recalled how they had trembled before mere bandits.

"That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was why. If we joined hands with the Punglim Sect... if we built the brothel and secured a stable supply of liquor there, the Hwangro Merchant Group could have leaped forward to become a much larger organization."

"..."

"I wanted to leave my son a merchant group that would never have to beg or bow to anyone."

"So you sold out your friend and sacrificed your niece for that?"

"I only learned they had broken their promise... when my friend told me. But I never imagined she would die so miserably. I... I only..."

"Those are excuses," Yoo Jeong said coldly.

In the end, the abacus in the merchant leader's mind had chosen profit over righteousness.

"Yes. You are right. In the end, I have become a shameful father."

The merchant leader laughed hollowly. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon the liquor bottle.

"Ah. That wine..."

"It is the price the dead man offered for his revenge."

"I see... Nu'er Hong. That wine... I was the one who gave it to him... Heh, heheh..."

Laughing and crying, pouring out his tangled emotions, the man looked up blankly at Yoo Jeong.

"You have come to take my head, haven't you?"

"That the guilty pay for their crimes. It was a request made with his life."

"...Could you give me a moment? I wish to leave some final words."

"Do it here."

At the firm reply, the merchant leader smiled bitterly. He took off his long outer robe.

Grip! He grabbed Yoo Jeong's blade. Though blood stained his hand, he ignored the pain and began writing on the robe.

How much time passed? By the time the first characters he wrote had dried stiff, the merchant leader finished his message and raised his head. His eyes were hollow, filled with the quiet resolve of death.

"It is done."

"Is that your will?"

"Yes. To minimize the chaos within the merchant group... I have confessed my crimes and framed this as a suicide."

Straightening his back and adjusting his posture, he spoke.

"My family knows nothing of this."

"I understand."

"...Thank you. I have no face to meet my friend in the afterlife, but I will go and beg for his forgiveness."

Looking at the bitterly smiling man, Yoo Jeong hesitated to swing his sword. Throughout their journey, the man he had known was responsible, knew how to repay favors, and was a wise merchant leader and a loving father. Was it right to strike down such a man so easily? A sudden doubt, a shadow of a mental demon, crept into his mind.

But then...

"'Heaven's Way does not flatter.' It rewards the good and punishes the wicked without fail. That has been my lifelong creed."

Pressing his own neck against Cheonru, the merchant leader comforted Yoo Jeong.

"Do not hesitate, Lady Hero. Thanks to you, I have realized my sins and opened my eyes. Please, do what must be done."

In the end, biting his lip, Yoo Jeong swung his sword. A swift flash of steel swept past the merchant leader.

Was he an evil man? Yes. He had betrayed his friend for profit, so he was undoubtedly wicked. But was he not a good man? No. At least to his own people, he had been a good man.

Yoo Jeong stared at the now lifeless body of the merchant leader with a heavy heart. When he raised his head, he saw a figure standing in the distance. Realizing who it was, the words of his master finally echoed in his mind.

"To those of the Jianghu, gratitude and vengeance are like destiny. They can never be severed. The goodness and righteousness I sought to perform have now, in this very place, become evil and resentment to someone else."

"My name is Yoo Jeong."

The child, trembling with fear, stared intently at the person who had killed his father. Leaving his name with the boy, Yoo Jeong turned and departed.

—Wahhhhh!

Leaving the delayed burst of crying behind, he took a sip of the wine. Unlike when he was in Hangzhou, it tasted incredibly bitter.

Master. Performing righteous deeds is far more difficult than I thought.

The words he could not bring himself to speak aloud lingered in his mind for a long time, swallowed down with the wine. It was a night under the moonlight.