Chapter 47
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Supreme Great River, the Yangtze
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The supreme great river of the world, the Yangtze.
Originating from the southwest of Qinghai Province, it winds its way through the Central Plains, dividing them in half, gathering countless tributaries before flowing into the eastern sea off Jiangsu Province.
That was why people called it the Passage to All Under Heaven, or Tong Tianxia.
True to its grand name, the Yangtze was surrounded by countless famous scenic spots, including the mysterious Daoist sect Kunlun of Qinghai and Ying Tian Fu—Nanjing—the capital established by the founding emperor.
Moreover, as it flowed through every corner of the realm, the Yangtze had long served as a vital passage connecting provincial capitals.
Merchant ships, passenger liners, official vessels, even pleasure cruises.
The waterways and docks were always packed with boats, lined with merchants dealing with sailors, inns, and taverns that turned the nights into endless revelry.
Naturally, immense profits followed, and like flies drawn to food, opportunists flocked to the Yangtze one by one.
With the exception of the Demonic Cult, the hegemonic force of the northwest, the orthodox sects fiercely competed for dominance over the river's docks.
But there was a group that treated the entire river—not just the docks—as their own backyard, exerting territorial control: the bandit horde known as the Yangtze River Waterway Stronghold.
They occupied secluded stretches of the waterways, collecting tolls and even plundering passing ships at times.
The authorities had mobilized against them several times, but the Yangtze was no village stream; eradicating them, scattered across its entire length, was no easy task.
Eighteen major strongholds and countless smaller ones infested every waterway the Yangtze touched, reigning as objects of terror to sailors.
Of course, the waters of Anhui Province, home to the Nangong Clan, were no exception.
Just as the Nine Dragons Stronghold lurked deep in Mount Huang, the Black Whale Stronghold dominated Anhui's waters.
In terms of raw power, the Nangong Clan had no reason to fear them, but there were four reasons they hadn't been wiped out yet.
First, their base was elusive.
They had fake outposts scattered everywhere along the waterways, making it hard to pinpoint their true headquarters.
Second, their fearsome naval combat skills.
Even the Nangong Clan would suffer devastating losses on the water.
Third, protection fees.
Those using the waterways sought direct safety guarantees from the Nangong Clan, who provided Azure Heaven Banners in exchange for a modest fee.
The clan couldn't ignore the massive influx of protection money, so as long as ships with the banner weren't targeted, they turned a blind eye to the bandits.
It was crassly pragmatic, but the bandits brought in the revenue. A necessary evil, so to speak?
And the most crucial fourth reason.
The Yangtze was home to a monstrous behemoth even Sword King Nangong Chang-seon couldn't disregard.
A monster who could rightfully claim to be unrivaled in the water...
Provoking the Black Whale Stronghold, one of the river's strongholds, was tantamount to summoning him, so both sides steered clear of each other.
* * *
Just before dawn.
The Wuhu dock, dimly lit by the first light, buzzed with activity.
Porters lined up, hauling cargo onto ships, while officials, accompanied by shipmasters, inspected for any contraband forbidden by the state.
These were the so-called transport ships.
One of them, the Manjangho's owner, Ha Seon, slipped something into the lapel of an official checking the cargo manifest.
“Hey now, I told you not to...”
“Just take it. It's a token of my sincerity. We're not strangers, are we?”
“You rascal.”
The official feigned resistance but let Ha Seon stuff his pocket.
“Ahem, nothing out of order here. What are you lot standing around for? Hurry up! Let's wrap this up and grab some breakfast.”
“Yes, sir. We're done already.”
Was it the weight in his pocket that improved his mood?
The official stamped the manifest and waved them off. The underlings rummaging through the cargo quickly cleared out.
“Take care, Excellency!”
“Hey! Call me brother from now on. Aren't we all on the same side?”
“Oh, thank you for treating me like a brother. Next time I come, please remember this humble face.”
“Haha, of course! I'll keep it firmly in mind.”
“Thank you.”
“Heh, alright then, carry on.”
“Yes, brother!”
The affable Ha Seon bowed the official off with a grin.
He followed all the way out of the hold, bowing until his nose nearly touched the ground.
“Pah! Spit!”
Ha Seon spat phlegm with a face full of irritation.
“Brother, my ass. Damn corrupt officials. So damn money-grubbing...”
His annoyed glare naturally followed the official's retreating back, pocket now heavier.
But what could he do? Not all transport ships were created equal.
The civilian transport ships docked at Wuhu fell into two categories.
Those flying the Nangong Clan's Azure Heaven Banner, and those that didn't.
The Manjangho, traveling from Jiangsu to Sichuan, was the latter.
Flying the Azure Heaven Banner guaranteed safe passage on the Yangtze, but it came with the drawback of not being able to carry certain cargoes.
The banner represented the Nangong Clan's pride, so they strictly enforced bans on illicit goods.
Thus, those with the banner didn't need to bribe officials.
But how could a small-scale transport like the Manjangho afford the banner's usage fee?
Besides, illicit cargoes, though riskier, brought bigger profits than legal ones.
Even after bribing officials and paying tolls to the river bandits, the margins were substantial.
Especially today...
“Ahem!”
Once even the porters had left, Ha Seon descended back into the hold and cleared his throat loudly.
Was that the signal?
From the shadows behind the stacked cargo, a middle-aged man in fine silk robes poked his head out, looking anxious.
“The officials are gone now, so you can come out.”
“......”
“I told my crew not to enter the hold until we reach Wuhu, so no worries.”
Despite Ha Seon's assurances, the man still looked uneasy.
“I'm telling you it's fine. I've smuggled folks like you plenty of times. Didn't you see? Not just the docking officials—even the river bandits and I are on good terms. Relax.”
“......Alright.”
Ha Seon grinned at the man's reply.
“I'll slip some food in when we set sail, so get some rest.”
“Thank you. I'll pay the balance the moment we arrive.”
“Of course.”
Nodding, Ha Seon left the man and headed out.
He was a fugitive the Manjangho occasionally smuggled for big money.
Sometimes escaped slaves, sometimes criminals...
They were all customers, but this man was different.
His anxious expression couldn't hide his refined air and luxurious attire.
His speech was curt, marking him as highborn for sure.
Too many oddities to simply call him a fugitive?
Fortunately, he didn't seem wanted by the authorities.
The patrolling officials hadn't mentioned anything about him.
Whatever his story, he had reasons to travel unseen.
But did it matter?
Traitor or murderer, Ha Seon didn't care.
Money was what counted.
The five gold taels upfront were enough to grovel for, and ten more upon arrival.
“......Just gotta slip past the Black Whale Stronghold. Pay the toll fat, and no problem. Not my first rodeo.”
Wuhan's waters in Hubei connected to Anhui.
And Wuhan hosted the Murim Alliance, the pinnacle of orthodox unity—the one place in the Central Plains where unorthodox forces couldn't gain a foothold.
It was their pride; no matter the profit, they wouldn't tolerate bandits in their front yard.
So, just get past the Black Whale Stronghold.
Then it was smooth sailing to Wuhan, and Ha Seon would pocket a full tael of gold as balance.
“Heh, on the way back, I can hit Tianxiang Tower in Wuhan and party hard.”
Wiping drool from his unconscious grin, Ha Seon closed the hold door, lost in pleasant fantasies.
With loading done, it was time for passengers.
As he reached the rail, the chief oarsman—who'd rushed back after breakfast—was sorting the passengers.
Those who'd boarded in Ying Tian Fu and the new ones from Wuhu.
“Wow, lots of passengers today.”
Ha Seon smiled warmly at the long line waiting to board, then headed below for his belated breakfast.
* * *
“Hey, Uncle. Why not wait just two more days?”
“......”
Yu Hyun scowled, mid-line to board.
“Why wait two days when we've got nothing to do?”
“Huh?”
“How can you be so clueless? Every moment must be seized like a year to achieve greatness. How can a young punk like you be so leisurely? If you're that idle, train more!”
“......”
Nangong Seong pouted at the harsh scolding.
Young punk?
He was three years older.
But knowing his uncle's temper, arguing would just lead to a “training” beatdown.
Sometimes it was genuine training, but...
‘Seong-ah, let's train your anger.’
Usually, it meant he was in a bad mood and needed a punching bag.
But that alone didn't fully capture Yu Hyun's personality.
Impossible to read, really?
His behavior and speech toward Nangong Seong were near-rogueish, yet he was unfailingly polite and kind to others.
His lack of pretension was astounding.
He'd play with the inn's errand boys or drink shoulder-to-shoulder with laborers, showing a casualness that left jaws dropped.
He treated everyone equally, regardless of status or rank.
Shocking, given Yu Hyun's own station.
Yet he was disgustingly extravagant too.
Like some debauched playboy?
During his five months at the Nangong Clan in Hefei, every notable inn and tavern hailed him as their best patron for good reason.
Even his plain-looking black training robes were made of outrageously expensive fabric.
Frugal yet lavish.
The extremes made his true self unknowable, keeping Nangong Seong forever on edge.
One indisputable fact: he'd wiped out the Nine Dragons Stronghold hiding in Mount Huang.
Nangong Seong hadn't heard the reason directly, but Nangong Chu of the Azure Heaven Troops, who'd gone searching for him, said the bandits' corpses were too gruesome to behold.
Probably his noble scholar family upbringing made him intolerant of injustice...
Righteousness was a virtue for an orthodox martial artist, and excess wasn't an issue—usually.
But now, it worried him greatly.
The fastest ship to Wuhan that Yu Hyun found, the Manjangho, flew no Azure Heaven Banner.
Meaning they could be attacked by bandits anytime.
Sure, pay the toll if bandits came.
Since Yu Hyun wanted a low-profile trip—and Nangong Seong wore no clan insignia—staying meek would hide their identities.
But if Yu Hyun didn't hold back?
He'd razed the stronghold just on hearing of it, without even being robbed.
If attacked by river bandits? His eyes would roll back in fury.
Unthinkable rationally, but given his unpredictable strength surpassing even Nangong Seong's, the Black Whale Stronghold would suffer catastrophic losses.
Protection fees would be the least of it.
The unspoken agreement: bandits spared banner ships; Nangong Clan ignored raids on others.
Break that, and the Black Whale—eager to expand—wouldn't sit idle.
Unlike the cornered Nine Dragons in Anhui, it was one of the eighteen great strongholds.
Their collapse would force the chief stronghold to act to defend their pride.
And if...
The Yangtze's colossal monster, Water Dragon King Gu Ja-jin—whose power rivaled even Sword King Nangong Chang-seon's name—stepped in?
War.
Children's squabbles escalating to adult wars was commonplace, wasn't it?
He had to stop it. His hot-blooded young uncle from overdoing it.
But how to rein in this monster?
Persuasion... possible?