Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Prefect's Inquiry
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The contents of the two letters differed, but the implication was the same. The court's vigilance over the seas, maintained to enforce the sea ban, had begun to slacken.
Yuk Jin-yang held the two letters together and brought them to the candle flame. The frail fire devoured the paper, swelling its body with embers. Watching this, Hwang Dal-pyeong spoke first.
"I didn't expect the sea routes to open so soon."
"Is that so? I had a feeling it was coming."
"How did you foresee it?"
"What's the point of lifting the sea ban after the trouble starts? You have to fatten up the merchants in advance so you can squeeze them when the time comes."
Hwang Dal-pyeong let out a snicker.
"Indeed. Then how do you read the branch prefect's reaction?"
The letter from the Fuzhou branch prefect was far more concise and loaded than the one from Yi Pil-do. It simply expressed concern that the soldiers guarding the coast had grown lax in discipline, potentially allowing pirates to run rampant.
But the content itself wasn't important. The very act of reporting to Yuk Jin-yang held the meaning.
A branch prefect had leaked this information. To a mere warrior who wasn't even on the wanted list. It carried significant implications.
"Doesn't it mean he wants to latch onto the Yuk Clan's line this time?"
"That's..."
Isn't that treason? Hwang Dal-pyeong swallowed the words he was about to add. It was too overt. Instead, he phrased it circuitously.
"Even at the risk of earning a bad name?"
"Throughout history, how many cases are there where superiors and subordinates united as one to fend off rebellion? If it were foreign invasion, maybe."
Not all local officials were loyal subjects. Plenty went with the flow of the times. Above all, this was a struggle between imperial bloodlines. The Prince of Yan had ample justification too.
"On the contrary, as officials, they'll watch the winds of fortune even more keenly and act accordingly. As long as no direct threat comes their way."
Conviction laced Yuk Jin-yang's voice.
"Their official careers will rise or fall depending on who wins."
Hangzhou was in an uproar.
The preparations for the Zhejiang Yuk Clan's outing were that grand.
Direct descendants, branch families, retainers, and servants were all packing up. It was on a massive scale, leaving only the bare minimum to guard the estate.
"What a spectacle. It's practically on par with a royal procession."
Dang So-so murmured from the stern of the passenger ship.
The direct descendants, branch families, and retainers had boarded long ago, yet the servants still formed a long, snaking line like a dragon. Luggage carts trailed behind in abundance.
Yuk Eon subtly took Dang So-so's hand as he replied.
"It's deliberate, to flaunt our might. So word spreads across the realm."
"I'm no expert on politics, but I'm glad to be traveling like this with you, my lord. It reminds me of old times even more."
"I'm sorry I couldn't pay you more attention all this time."
As he spoke, Yuk Eon hooked his pinky around hers. Dang So-so blushed but quietly accepted the gesture.
Yuk Jin-yang, standing nearby, felt like a fifth wheel. Watching his reincarnated parents' fresh display was utterly painful.
Fortunately, the awkward moment didn't last. Grand Steward Choe Rim appeared before them with a smiling face. Yuk Eon and Dang So-so hastily parted. Pretending not to notice, Choe Rim got straight to the point.
"There you are. The patriarch is looking for Young Master Jin-yang."
"Suddenly?"
"It's nothing serious. He just wants to bond with his grandson."
"I didn't know Father was so affectionate."
Yuk Jin-yang nodded slightly toward Yuk Eon, signaling it was fine.
"This way, then."
Choe Rim led Yuk Jin-yang up to the ship's pavilion.
It was as if an entire terrestrial palace hall had been transplanted there. Not just the exterior—the interior matched perfectly too.
There were unfamiliar faces in the corridor. Officials in court robes, all wearing stiff expressions. Choe Rim ignored them and guided Yuk Jin-yang to a small side chamber.
The room's furnishings amounted to little more than a table and chairs. One wall had sliding doors leading to another room.
Yuk Jin-yang glanced sideways with just his eyes. Flickering shadows danced beyond. The patriarch was already meeting a guest.
"We have an uninvited visitor, so wait here a moment."
Choe Rim said this and opened the sliding doors to enter the next room.
Through the closing gap, Yuk Jin-yang glimpsed the uninvited guest Choe Rim mentioned. From his attire, his rank was clearly higher than the others.
Yuk Jin-yang circulated his qi to massage the meridians around his ears, heightening his hearing.
His sharpened senses caught every whisper from the next room crystal clear.
"My lord, I deeply apologize, but I've received orders from the court and must inquire despite myself."
"Come now, does a man of your station need to beat around the bush? Just ask if I'm harboring any rebellious thoughts. That's all."
"Haha... How could I utter such ominous words?"
The uninvited guest was the prefect overseeing Hangzhou.
A figure who could beckon great clans or merchants with a mere gesture.
Yet now, the Hangzhou prefect was bowing and scraping, seeking permission.
"The times are troubled in many ways. Especially in the Central Plains and North, ominous rumors fly thick and fast. Why not choose a more auspicious day and set out then?"
"Is that the Emperor's will?"
"No, my lord, it's not..."
Listening to the exchange, Yuk Jin-yang shuddered slightly.
A chill crept in through the sliding doors. Even though it was midday under warm sunlight outside.
It was a phenomenon born purely from personal intimidation.
Suddenly, Yuk Mu-hyeok's laughter rang out. The oppressive aura squeezing the space dissipated in an instant.
"The court must be desperate. You saw it yourself on the way here, didn't you? Does this gathering look like an army plotting treason?"
"Of course! No, of course not. I apologize for troubling you with idle words."
"I'm just an old man looking to enjoy some boating in my twilight years. I understand the Emperor's concerns, but this is actually to safeguard the realm, so no need to worry. I guarantee it."
"I've been rude. Please forgive me."
"No need for apologies. Off with you."
As the sliding doors opened, Yuk Jin-yang quickly feigned ignorance.
Choe Rim and the prefect emerged together. Choe Rim subtly drew a silk pouch from his bosom, and the prefect swiftly pocketed it. A form of hush money.
Choe Rim did not return.
Instead, the previously restrained energy surged forth anew. Its nature was markedly different this time. Intangible waves formed, enveloping the space in a soundproof barrier.
An eerily serene silence descended.
Inside and outside were utterly severed. A technique only a master who wielded qi with perfect freedom could perform.
"Your attainment in the Moon Maiden Divine Art is impressive. You've reached the stage of stimulating and enhancing your senses—far quicker than your cousins."
Yuk Mu-hyeok spoke abruptly, as if he'd been aware of everything from the start.
Yuk Jin-yang first bowed his head. Eavesdropping on a superior's conversation was a breach of etiquette, after all. No point inviting criticism.
"Sorry for listening in, Grandfather."
"Half of it was a test. Now that you've grasped the knack, you need to apply it swiftly too."
Dismissing it lightly, Yuk Mu-hyeok indicated the empty seat beside him. Yuk Jin-yang rose and sat next to his grandfather.
"Jin-yang."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Remember this well. Connections wear thin with use."
The Yuk patriarch's penchant for metaphors was familiar now. Yuk Jin-yang easily grasped the meaning.
"You mean they're not eternal."
"Right, you catch on quick. Once a connection forms, it's hard to refuse favors. But the more favors are asked, the easier it becomes to refuse."
"Did you have a connection with the prefect too?"
"No, that fool was just a messenger delivering words. The one directly connected to me is..."
Instead of continuing, Yuk Mu-hyeok pointed upward with a finger. For the world's greatest martial artist, only one person warranted such respect.
The Great Ming Emperor. He had secretly tasked the prefect with surveilling the Yuk Clan's movements.
"So remember that scene just now. How I handled him. The deference those court lackeys owe you in the future. How to leverage their fear to erase debts."
"I'll engrave it in my heart."
"The denizens of the martial world have a surprisingly naive side. Even in chaotic times, some fancy themselves as paragons of justice. But officials are different."
"You're saying they'll devour you if you seem weak? But fold if you stand strong."
A wizened smile crept onto Yuk Mu-hyeok's lips.
"We've spent little time together as grandfather and grandson, so I've neglected you in many ways, but seeing your sharp mind puts me at ease."
"I'm still far from worthy. Please teach me more."
"I intend to."
Their eyes met. His grandfather's deep, abyssal gaze betrayed little of his thoughts.
'Does he mean to teach me martial arts?'
Yuk Jin-yang suppressed his anticipation without showing it. No sense overinterpreting and courting disappointment.
His caution proved wise—Yuk Mu-hyeok's next words veered from expectation.
"The Emperor's procession differs from a commoner's, just as a clan's excursion through the jianghu differs from a lone wanderer's. Learn that on this outing."
Yuk Mu-hyeok didn't miss the flicker in his grandson's eyes. Even his expression drooped. A chuckling remark followed.
"That said, this old man feels sorry for my grandson."
"What do you mean...?"
"You should be studying manuals in the Martial Valor Hall at your age, not dragged out into the world."
Stroking his beard, the patriarch revealed a glimpse of his true feelings.
"You've given advice twice now, so pay with martial arts."
"I didn't do it for reward."
"I see through you, boy. Once this affair ends, I'll pass on one of my unique techniques. It's a famed ultimate art not yet placed in the Martial Valor Hall."
"Really?"
Yuk Jin-yang blurted without thinking. The generosity was that unbelievable.
Yuk Mu-hyeok was infamous for stinginess with martial knowledge. His notoriety persisted even among later generations of the clan.
From what he'd heard, the old man had set brutally harsh standards. He never relented despite his descendants' resentment.
"So don't slack on the Moon Maiden Divine Art or Moon Maiden Sword Technique. Without a calm mind, firm body, and solid foundation in Yuk Clan martial arts, you won't handle this old man's techniques."
"I'll hone it day and night."
"But there's something you should know. Have you ever wondered why our ancestors steadily created martial arts and donated them to the Martial Valor Hall?"
"For the clan's prosperity?"
Yuk Jin-yang tried to brush it off vaguely. He'd long been curious, but never found a clear answer.
"Partly right. But there's another reason. For themselves."
"You mean the donations to the Martial Valor Hall?"
"No, the creation of martial arts."
The patriarch stated flatly.
"Clothes tailored to one's build fit best. Borrowed garments always show."
"Martial arts are the same?"
"Yes. To become a peerless master, you can't just follow your predecessors' footsteps or rely on their arts. Create your own that suits your body."
"So the Martial Valor Hall's arts are mere sparks of inspiration?"
"Any martial art is the same. Those stale old Taoists and monks of the Nine Schools revere their founders' teachings like sacred writ. But has any surpassed their founders' realms?"
Yuk Jin-yang shook his head.
"Over time, teachings lose their edge and grow vague. Even peaks deemed ultimate fall short of the originals."
"..."
"Shaolin, once hailed as the cradle of the world's finest techniques. Wudang, said to have opened new horizons through profound yin-yang harmony under Zhang Sanfeng. Their decline was no accident."
"I'll keep it in mind."
Yuk Mu-hyeok waved him off. Time to go.