Gathering Bonds (3)
“Too busy with work to attend... sigh.”
Jin A-gyeong let out a deep sigh. As the head of the Cheonryong Merchant Group, one of the major sponsors of the Yongmun Conference, she had her hands full. Winter conferences like this were rare to begin with. It almost felt like someone had schemed to make it happen.
Officially, the Yongmun Escort Bureau was behind it, but Jin A-gyeong knew the imperial palace's influence loomed large in the shadows. Still, that was that—and the mountain of documents piled before her wouldn't let her budge.
“A chance to serve Lord Baek himself!”
“You can't go anywhere until you've cleared this backlog, Lady Chairman.”
“To think it piled up this much while I was away...”
The Cheonryong Merchant Group was a colossal enterprise, so the paperwork was beyond ordinary. Normally, Jin A-gyeong handled it before it turned into a mountain, but lately, she'd been frequenting the Gyeongun Merchant Group to build ties with Baek Su-gyeong. That was why it had stacked up like this—a terrifying height that mocked her seated stature.
“Any urgent matters?”
“The top priority is the Yongmun Conference, and beyond that... the Nine Provinces Merchant Kings.”
“A meeting with the Nine Provinces Merchant Kings?”
“Yes.”
The Nine Provinces Merchant Kings referred to the nine elders of the Cheonryong Merchant Group. Though called elders, they were still active, each overseeing one of the group's nine domains—different cities, regions, and fields. The Great Sea King handled maritime trade, the Agricultural King managed farming, the Flower King oversaw flowers and pleasure houses, the Gold Hoard King dealt with battlefields and usury, and so on.
Jin A-gyeong stated firmly, “Postpone it.”
“But—”
“I know what they're worried about, that's why.”
The nine elders' concerns were obvious. Their leader, who steered this vast merchant empire, was suddenly acting smitten with a mere novelist. That had to be it.
“Lord Baek is someone we can't afford to lose, even if it means partnering with the Gyeongun Merchant Group. No one in the current murim wields that kind of influence without being a martial artist.”
“That's true, but...”
“Besides, the Namgung family and Mingwang Society have people at his side. Even setting aside the young head of Gyeongun, we need to maintain ties with Lord Baek.”
The Namgung family was the pillar of the Eight Great Clans among the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Clans, the righteous factions' twin pillars. The Mingwang Society was a splinter from Shaolin, a neutral-righteous sect that stubbornly endured despite opposing Shaolin. Both were powerhouse sects with immense influence.
Seize the opportunity right, and they could forge connections with both the Namgung family and Mingwang Society.
“Dealing with the Namgung family or Mingwang Society is notoriously tough,” Jin A-gyeong added.
“True. The Heavenly Sword King is especially prickly with merchants.”
The Heavenly Sword King, Namgung Do, was infamous for his distrust of merchants. Scarred by a betrayal in his youth, he eyed them with suspicion first. Even one-off deals with Namgung succeeded, but no merchant group had ever secured regular trade.
Not even the Hui merchants, centered in Anhui Province—despite Namgung being that province's backbone.
“Isn't the Cheongpung Merchant Group desperately trying to break through for regular trade with Namgung?”
The Cheongpung Merchant Group was the standout among Anhui's Hui merchants and one of the Ten Great Merchant Groups of the Central Plains, rivaling Cheonryong itself.
Wo Ho-beop, her aide, nodded subtly in agreement.
“Yes, but the Heavenly Sword King is refusing.”
“Do you know which Namgung warrior is with Lord Baek right now?”
Wo Ho-beop bowed his head at her question. “I hear it's the Jade Sword Flower.”
“Right—his only daughter. Through her, we might pierce Namgung's iron walls. Same for Mingwang Society. Word is, she's the Mingwang Lord's daughter.”
“His daughter?”
Jin A-gyeong nodded at Wo Ho-beop's surprised query, prompting a strange look from him.
“What?”
“Nothing. I've never heard rumors of the Mingwang Lord having a daughter. He's said to be a lifelong bachelor...”
“Could be a one-night fling. For someone like the Mingwang Lord, it's not weird.”
The Black Asura, Gal Yeon, was known as a vigorous man. Marriage aside, he had no issues with women.
“Fair enough.”
“Even if not, no issue. If he personally assigned her to Lord Baek, she's no low-rank. Maybe a secret elite he's groomed.”
“So, keep all possibilities open.”
“Exactly.”
Jin A-gyeong gazed at the office ceiling from her chair. Wo Ho-beop's voice reached her ears.
“But those three are said to be wary of you, Lady Chairman.”
“That's the problem...”
She sighed. Namgung Som-in, Gal Ye-ryeong, and So Ssaang-a openly showed their affection for Baek Su-gyeong. Gal Ye-ryeong's was a bit ambiguous, but the fondness was clear. Jin A-gyeong wanted ties with them too, but their guardedness made it impossible—her current headache.
“Anyway, postpone the meeting. I know their worries.”
“Understood.”
“The Yongmun Conference will be a headache too...”
Jin A-gyeong sighed, eyes shifting to the documents—a pile towering over her seated height, welcoming her back.
“Touring the conference with Lord Baek might remain a pipe dream.”
Regret laced her voice. Strolling with him would deepen bonds and likely seal a deal.
“Wo Ho-beop.”
“Yes, Lady Chairman.”
“Heard Princess Nakbong is attending this Yongmun Conference. Verified?”
“Checked through palace sources, but it's unconfirmed.”
She frowned slightly. “Tell them to get solid intel. No point paying dead weight informants.”
“Yes.”
“A royal like Nakbong Gunju doesn't move without signs. She's the prime heir apparent. Failing to track that disqualifies them. Probe elsewhere—Shangshan Jian's best?”
The Shangshan Jian oversaw the emperor's meals, banquets, and sacrificial foods—not just his, but all palace residents' and officials'. Prime for intel. As one of the Twelve Supervisors under the Twelve Eunuch Chiefs, it was ideal. Infiltrating the Twenty-Four Yamen wasn't easy, but Cheonryong could manage.
She knew that, hence her words.
“I'll arrange it.”
“Plant more in the Twenty-Four Yamen. Tough, but not impossible. Eunuchs crave gold more than you'd think.”
“As you command.”
Jin A-gyeong picked up a document, eyes falling on a complex building diagram.
“This Yongmun Conference is crucial. Even if sudden, rumors of Nakbong Gunju herself coming mean it's basically confirmed for Luoyang.”
She ruffled her hair lightly. “Can't fathom the intent. Opening in winter? Nakbong coming personally? What on earth is brewing?”
Volume 9 wrapped up, but structuring and polishing took another ten days or so. Two weeks total to finish it—a speed possible only for Baek Su-gyeong, with his astonishingly swift hand. No computers in the Central Plains; all handwritten, yet he kept that pace. Superhuman, really.
“You're pushing too hard, Lord Master.”
Baek Su-gyeong smiled at So Ssaang-a kneading his shoulders.
“Volumes 9 and 10 lead into key events linking consecutively. Can't skimp.”
“Jinyun Daehyeop not crumbling mentally against such a mighty foe is miraculous, Teacher.”
“Because Jinyun's a complete master. Mind clear as a mirror, heart still as a serene lake. Only possible at the Clear Mirror, Still Water realm.””
“So he's already reached what Buddhism calls the Immovable Mind.”
“Yes.”
Namgung Som-in nodded in understanding. The Immovable Mind was vital for warriors, but attaining its depth was rare—especially at Jinyun's age, just past thirty. Yet as one returned from death, it made sense.
“Gucheon Bigung reemerging after its stage exit plunges the murim into chaos proper... Was that the plan, Teacher Baek?”
“Not intentional. Jinyun's true foe is Cheongeuk Divine Cult; Gucheon Bigung's more a pawn dragged onstage by them.”
“Uncannily mirrors current Central Plains vs. outer regions. Do you keep all that in mind too, Teacher Baek?”
Baek Su-gyeong gave a wry smile at Gal Ye-ryeong's words.
“I sought your and Lady Namgung's advice on it repeatedly, didn't I?”
“Oh, right?”
“You did. She's just forgetting.”
“Namgung, picking a fight?”
“Hmph.”
Baek Su-gyeong chuckled at the pair bickering again. So Ssaang-a asked,
“Wudang Sword Hero dragging on means more hardship for you, Lord Master...”
“Readers await my words—that makes it fine. Writers craft joy for readers, not themselves.”
“Still, take care. If you collapse, the Central Plains shakes.”
He smiled faintly. “Trying my best.”
“Worried demonic cults or unorthodox sects might infiltrate like in Wudang Sword Hero, Teacher.”
“No one'd mimic the novel's events exactly. Overthinking it, but...”
*No way,* he thought—even as cold sweat trickled down his back. With righteous folk imitating Wudang Sword Hero and aspiring warriors treating it like scripture, it wasn't impossible.
Baek Su-gyeong stood.
“Teacher?”
“Just in case, I'll check with the lord.”
Hoping his worry was overblown, he left the room.