Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Setting Out
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Pink-tinged dawn bloomed from the east, and the world remained as quiet as if still locked in slumber. Yet the road in front of the Shenzhou Merchant House was a chaotic mess.
“Whoa, whoa... Catch the damn horse first. Damn it.”
“Then you grab it yourself. Can’t you see it shaking its head? It’s got a temper— what am I supposed to do?”
Dozens of carriages and over a hundred horses were filing out of the Shenzhou Merchant House in succession—an event far from ordinary.
They then lined up to receive the headcount from Jin Ichang and the other leaders of the Shenzhou Merchant House, leaving no time for anything else.
Riding his horse as he meticulously inspected the caravan procession, Jin Ichang had Jin Seolhwa mounted beside him.
Compared to Jin Ichang’s simple attire, Jin Seolhwa had a yellow sable fur wrap around her neck and wore a green deerhide riding cloak.
It was clearly the outfit of someone embarking on a long journey.
Moments later, the Shenzhou Merchant House caravan fully emerged and began marching down the wide avenue toward the west gate of Xi’an.
Jin Ichang and the others hurriedly spurred their horses ahead to overtake the procession.
They needed to reach the west gate first and watch over the exit once more.
“You call this on schedule? Ha ha...”
At that moment, in the spacious yard before a large warehouse inside the Shenzhou Merchant House, the Great Fortune Caravan’s carriages still stood.
“Let’s wait a bit longer. They’ve got over thirty wagons. We’ll inspect the procession again after leaving Xi’an anyway, so no need to rush.”
Seonwoyong remained utterly calm in the face of the Old Man’s fretting.
Dokwang had yet to return.
“I was taught never to trust a gambler’s word, and in this old man’s life, that lesson’s never failed me once.”
“Hey, old timer. I’ve lived long enough myself. So enough with the nagging already?”
Seonwoyong was starting to get irritated too.
Relying on a nagging old man, an ignorant kid, a gambling-obsessed Taoist, and the like to reach the Western Regions? His head was already pounding.
He hadn’t exactly planned to go alone on horseback from the start.
Yet here he was, choosing this cumbersome path.
Human affairs began with connections and ended with them.
The jianghu itself was people forging bonds and carrying them forward like a flowing river.
Just then, Dokwang came rushing breathlessly into the yard before the warehouse.
Sweat streamed down his face, his appearance utterly disheveled, but he began chattering excitedly.
“It’s done. It’s done! I finally saw it through to the end. Ha ha ha...”
“What’s done? Get on the carriage already.”
Ignoring him, Seonwoyong climbed aboard and urged Dokwang on.
“Heh heh... I’ve finally quit that damned gambling for good.”
“What on earth did you do to come back in such a good mood?”
Even the Old Man, who’d been grumbling nonstop, couldn’t help asking out of curiosity.
“I took the money I’d sunk into gambling for ten years and turned it into five times the principal. That’s plenty, right? Heh heh heh...”
Dokwang made no move to board the carriage. Instead, he rummaged at his waist and pulled out several promissory notes.
He waved them proudly.
“Gasp. How much is all that? A thousand taels of gold?”
“Heh heh. What else? Isn’t it, old timer?”
The dozen or so hired hands of the Great Fortune Caravan gathered around, gawking at the notes.
Seonwoyong let out a deep sigh.
“Hey. Quit yapping and get on this carriage right now, or you’re fired. You’ve made a fortune—no need for this coachman gig anymore.”
At that, Dokwang turned serious.
“What’re you talking about? I’ve left the gambling tables behind, so now I’ve gotta live diligently, right? Please take good care of me, Caravan Leader Seonwoyong. Ha ha ha...”
Chattering shamelessly, Dokwang climbed aboard beside Seonwoyong’s seat.
“What’re you lot doing? Let’s get moving already!”
At Seonwoyong’s shout, the milling workers returned to their posts and prepared for departure.
Moments later, the Great Fortune Caravan’s five carriages finally rolled out the Shenzhou Merchant House’s main gate.
Leading the line was the carriage carrying Seonwoyong and Dokwang, while the last one held the Old Man and Han Sojung.
Han Sojung’s forehead was deeply shrouded by a fur hat, and Gwi Roa followed that carriage with light, skipping steps on nimble feet.
Beyond Xi’an’s west gate stretched vast open plains.
The Shenzhou Merchant House caravan was arrayed in formation across the plains, with Jin Ichang conducting a final inspection.
“Leader, don’t worry.”
“I’ll leave it to you, Manager.”
Sahongcheon mounted a massive black steed and exchanged final farewells with Jin Ichang.
“Head on in, brother. I’ll be back safe.”
“Seolhwa. Be careful, please. To me, your safety matters more than the entire caravan.”
“Ho ho... Put some honey on those words before lying. Brother, you’re getting smoother with age. You used to be so curt.”
“It’s no lie. I worried terribly, but since I permitted it, come back safe and sound.”
“Got it. I’ll be back safe. You take care too, brother.”
Thus ended the farewell between Jin Ichang and Jin Seolhwa.
Right on cue, the Great Fortune Caravan’s five carriages arrived and attached to the rear of the procession.
Seonwoyong hopped down from his carriage and approached them.
“Are we late?”
“Not at all. Perfect timing. Let’s say our goodbyes—we’re about to depart...”
“I see. Anyway, I owe you all a great deal these past days. Stay safe until we meet again on the return trip.”
“No need for thanks. Thanks to you, brother, I’ve gained much. Please lend a hand on this trading journey too.”
“If anything, I’ll be the one in your debt. We’re all family on this road. I’ll treat us as one body.”
At that, Jin Ichang called Sahongcheon aside separately.
“As you know, young hero Seonwoyong here is our guild’s benefactor. Treat him like family and consult on everything.”
“Of course. I’m already a step ahead with this friend. Ha ha...”
Sahongcheon nodded heartily.
“Ha ha. Please take care of me.”
Seonwoyong bowed brightly and returned to his carriage.
At Jin Ichang’s hand signal, the massive procession finally lurched into motion.
At that hour.
A worker burst into the office of the Xingyang Merchant House leader.
“They’ve all set out.”
Xingyang Merchant House leader Yang Dogo nodded.
His face brimmed with resolve.
“So Dokwang took a thousand taels of gold from you?”
Yang Dongsah, seated before Yang Dogo, nodded.
“That’s the report. No matter what they tried, they couldn’t stop him.”
“Hmph. I’ve never suffered such humiliation in my life, and lately it’s been one disgrace after another.”
“Calm yourself, Father.”
Yang Dongsah anxiously gauged his father’s expression.
“So I heard those two have some kind of plan?”
Seated before Yang Dogo were No Deuk and So Myeongcho.
“That’s right, Leader. We two have spent the last twenty years immersed in the Western Regions. There, we can avenge this insult...”
“Enough.”
Yang Dogo cut No Deuk off.
“I don’t want long talk, and I won’t give it. Roughly speaking, the goods they’re carrying are worth at least five thousand taels of gold. Retrieve them—that’s all. Can you take responsibility?”
No Deuk fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
“We take responsibility.”
“Good then. I’ll entrust it to you.”
Yang Dogo pulled two promissory notes from the paulownia wood chest where his left elbow had rested.
“Two for a thousand taels of gold each.”
He extended one.
No Deuk accepted it reverently, and as Yang Dogo returned the other to the chest, he continued.
“Use one upfront for expenses. Collect the other when the job’s done. Of course, anything you gain from the great tent incident is yours separately.”
“Understood. We’ll do that.”
No Deuk and So Myeongcho bowed in thanks, but Yang Dogo’s response was icy.
“What’re you doing? Get going. Their carriages have already passed the gate.”
At Yang Dogo’s roar, No Deuk and So Myeongcho shot to their feet, bowed, and hurried out.
“Hmph. What kind of humiliation is this?”
Yang Dongsah glanced at his father before asking.
“Can they really pull it off?”
“What?”
“Taking down the Shenzhou caravan en route like that...”
“You fool. From leaving Xi’an, through Lanzhou, to Dunhuang, it’s all Ming territory under Ming law. But the moment they pass Jade Gate Pass? It’s a lawless grassland of the strong devouring the weak. Ruining them? Child’s play.”
“Child’s play how?”
“Hmph. You can’t imagine how many bandit hordes swarm beyond Jade Gate Pass.”
“But bandits usually settle things with greetings and...”
“Idiot. Beyond Jade Gate Pass, there’s no code even among brigands. Just starving beasts waiting for prey. Leak the Shenzhou caravan’s info to them, and...”
“Ah... When they leave, where they’re headed, what goods and how much...”
“Exactly. Whisper a few words their way, and they won’t survive.”
“Aha... Now I get why you gave those two a thousand taels of gold. Ha ha...”
“You brat. We’re merchants. No matter what, we secure our profits...”
As the Yang father and son conversed, four horses bolted out the Xingyang Merchant House’s main gate.
No Deuk and So Myeongcho had grabbed an extra mount each and set off.
Their destination: naturally, the Western Regions.
Comrades awaited them there.