A Harsh Government is More Ferocious than a Tiger

"U-Uwaaaah... Thank goodness... Thank goodness...!" Namgung Hyeok sobbed, kneeling before me.

"If that was the case, you should have just talked to me."

"H-How could I possibly discuss such a... delicate matter with my benefactor..."

I scratched my head.

"Fair point."

To put it bluntly, the guy had been suffering from erectile dysfunction. It seemed that when I used the Fiery Blood Immortal Palm with my Guihua Preservation inner force, some of my energy had seeped into him and caused a mishap. Fortunately, once I dispersed the foreign energy inside his body, he returned to normal in no time.

Hmm... Theoretically, even if I had left it alone, the Namgung Clan's inner force would have eventually dispersed the energy, and he would have recovered on his own.

A sudden flash of inspiration struck me. "Ah! Wait, could it be?!"

If I unleashed the Fiery Blood Immortal Palm at full power against someone with weak or nonexistent inner force... wouldn't it become semi-permanent?

I nodded to myself.

I should call this technique the Impotence Palm.

Since it makes them impotent, the Impotence Palm. A highly intuitive name. Who would have thought a makeshift technique I created just to subdue someone would have such an effect?

"B-Benefactor, Jigyeong County is just a little further ahead. We should secure a room at an inn there and rest comfortably..." Namgung Hyeok stammered, flinching.

Ever since he realized I could render men impotent, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Namgung Hyeok had been acting incredibly submissive around me.

"Why are you trailing off?"

"Since you are the most beautiful woman under heaven, wouldn't it be uncomfortable to have someone like me by your side? So, I thought I would find another inn—"

"We can just get separate rooms. Why on earth would you go to a completely different inn?"

"W-Well..."

I glared at him. "Don't try to be clever with me."

"Yes, ma'am! Understood!"

Where did he think he was going? If he stayed at a different inn, who was going to run my errands?

Following Namgung Hyeok, who was still walking a bit awkwardly after recovering his yang energy, we entered Jigyeong County. However, there was something rather peculiar about this place.

Every single woman walking the streets was wearing something over her head to cover herself. On top of that, they barely spoke a word... What was this? Did Islam somehow spread to the Central Plains without my knowledge?

I scratched my head. "Why is this place like this?"

"I am not sure either, Benefactor."

If even a young master of the prestigious Namgung Clan didn't know, then it certainly wasn't a trend sweeping the Central Plains. It had to be a local issue unique to this county.

Approaching a stall, I said, "Two sweet pastries, please." In times like this, asking a street vendor was always the best course of action.

"Here you go. But, uh..." The pastry vendor trailed off the moment he looked at me. There was definitely something going on here.

I bowed slightly. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

"Is the young lady perhaps an outsider?"

"Yes. Is it that obvious?"

"Well, you're only wearing a myeon-sa and haven't covered your body at all. Do you perhaps have connections with high-ranking officials? Or are you a martial artist?"

Namgung Hyeok nodded proudly and chimed in. "Ahem! The benefactor standing before you may not be known to the wider world, but she is undoubtedly the absolute peak of the younger generation! I, Namgung Hyeok, guarantee this."

"N-Namgung?! This lowly one has committed a grave discourtesy..."

Namgung Hyeok had cut in to show off, and the moment the vendor heard the name 'Namgung', he looked ready to plant his head right into the dirt. And here Namgung Hyeok was, crying about how his family was going through hard times... Was he just crying poor to avoid paying me?

"Even so, it is best to be careful. The magistrate of Jigyeong County is... Gasp!" the vendor whispered.

The vendor cut himself off, gasping in sheer terror. Looking around, I saw—

A group of government soldiers was patrolling the area with stern, rigid expressions.

"What's wrong? Are the soldiers doing something?"

"N-No, it's nothing! I spoke out of turn. Please, have a safe journey, Great Hero!"

With a pale face, the vendor bowed deeply, practically begging us to leave. There was no point in pressing him further.

"Hmm... there's definitely something fishy going on, right?"

"Yes. I will head to an inn and gather some information."

"Ugh, my head hurts."

I followed Namgung Hyeok into the inn. We had slipped some coins to the local kids selling flowers to find the best value-for-money tavern in town. One might ask why we didn't just combine that money and go to a high-end establishment, but... in overly luxurious inns, gathering raw, unfiltered rumors was actually much harder.

"Drink! Drink up!"

"Two more bottles of yellow wine here! No, just bring the whole jar!"

As expected of a budget-friendly place, it was packed to the brim. The sheer volume of the patrons laughing and shouting was enough to make my ears ring.

"How can anyone get drunk off yellow wine? Waiter! Bring us three bottles of soju!"

Namgung Hyeok naturally ordered some strong liquor and slid into a shared table. He had mentioned traveling around doing righteous deeds, and it seemed he was quite adept at navigating these environments.

"A distinguished guest has arrived with soju! We don't have much, but please, share our snacks!"

"Thank you for the warm welcome. To be honest, we only arrived in Jigyeong County today, so we don't know much about the area..."

"Hahaha! Have you not heard the saying, 'One who eats another's food must speak softly'? Ask whatever you wish with an open heart. I shall certainly earn my keep for this drink."

Oho...

The conversation flowed as smooth as water. So this was what happened when you bought a drunkard a drink. I had learned something new today.

I scratched my head. "All the young ladies around here seem to cover themselves up. Is something going on? From what I've seen, it's only the young women doing it..."

"Ah, that."

"Hey, friend, you shouldn't speak of that so carelessly—"

"What does it matter? It's so loud in here anyway, no one else can hear us."

"Ahhh... as expected, soju is clean and crisp!"

"So there really is a reason?"

"A reason, indeed. In more ways than one! Hahaha!"

The man, having downed his cup of soju, leaned in close and whispered.

"You see, the magistrate of this county is absolutely mad for women. Rumor has it that if he sees any woman who is even remotely decent-looking, he drags her off and rapes her."

"W-What?!"

"Heavens!"

The magistrate was kidnapping and raping women? Even Magistrate Byeon from the Tale of Chunhyang only tried to force himself on one woman; he didn't pull this kind of outrageous stunt.

"So, you should be careful too, young lady. Since you're wearing a myeon-sa, your face might not be much to look at, but that bastard might still target you just by looking at your figure."

"Watch your mouth when speaking to my benefactor."

The man had spoken out of genuine concern, but Namgung Hyeok seemed offended on my behalf. He gripped his cup, attempting to circulate his inner force, but—

"Cough, cough!"

Forget circulating his qi; Namgung Hyeok could only let out a dry cough.

"Hey, didn't I tell you not to overdo it? You're still a patient."

"My apologies. I lost control for a moment..."

His physical condition was currently a total mess. He had forced himself to execute the Emperor's Sword Form when he wasn't ready, so it was a miracle he had even survived with only these injuries.

I scratched my head. "If such a wretched bastard is the magistrate, why are the people just taking it? They should submit a petition, or if all else fails, just pack up and move."

"It is not that simple."

"Aside from being a complete degenerate, the magistrate is actually flawless in every other aspect. Taxes are low, there is barely any forced labor, and his trials are remarkably fair."

"Huh? Seriously?"

"That is why the commoners here are in a dilemma. If the magistrate is replaced, a corrupt tyrant who squeezes them dry might take his place, which would be far worse."

Namgung Hyeok let out a bitter laugh and nodded. "A harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger... So they choose to endure it."

A harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger.

It was an old tale. Once, Confucius was traveling when he encountered a woman weeping before a grave. As it turned out, her father-in-law, husband, and son had all been mauled to death by tigers.

When Confucius asked her why she didn't just move away, she replied, "Because the government here is not harsh."

I scratched my head. Hmm...

To be honest, it was a difficult concept to grasp with modern values. In the modern world, a politician would be dragged off to jail just for inappropriately touching someone's backside, let alone committing rape.

But this was medieval China, so I supposed I had to accept it for what it was. In this era, the lives of the powerless were treated as cheaper than acorns on the roadside.

"Anyway! You must be careful as well. I see you carry a sword, so you must be a martial artist, but one can never be too safe in this world."

"Phew~"

The door to the magistrate's private residence inside the government office swung open, and a half-naked man stepped out. This man was, of course, the magistrate of this county, Yuk Mungap. The sound of a woman sobbing echoed from a corner of the estate, but to him, it was of no consequence.

"Hehehe, have you finished, My Lord?"

The man handing him fresh robes with a sycophantic grin was the local clerk, In Heung. The relationship between a magistrate and a clerk was much like that of a provincial governor and his underling.

Yuk Mungap adjusted his robes. "Ahem. The girl this time was decent, but I am starting to grow a bit bored."

"In what way, My Lord...?"

"Her face was pretty enough, but her body was far too frail. There was no substance to hold onto."

"Ah, is that so! In that case, here are today's portraits."

In Heung handed a stack of papers to Yuk Mungap. Sketched roughly on the sheets were the portraits of various women. The government soldiers had quickly drawn any decent-looking women they spotted while patrolling the county.

"Hmm...?!"

As he flipped through the papers like a man browsing a menu, a strange gleam flashed in his eyes.

"This one! Who on earth is this woman?!"

A particular portrait had completely captivated his gaze. It depicted a woman whose face was obscured by a myeon-sa.

"My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠word... what a magnificent figure! I have bedded countless women, yet I have never seen one with such a body! Could the soldiers have made a mistake in their drawing?"

However, his admiration quickly turned into a frown as he read the notes. "Tsk! An outsider and a martial artist? Why did they write such crucial information at the very bottom?!"

The separation of government and Murim. While it wasn't an absolute, unbreakable rule, targeting a martial artist for rape was bound to cause serious complications. At the very least, the government wouldn't step in to save him if he ended up with a sword through his chest.

In Heung stepped closer. "What is making you so anxious, Magistrate?"

"What do you mean? There is absolutely nothing to gain from provoking a martial artist."

"Well, that is only if you take her by force."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

Rape, by definition, was committed by force. Yuk Mungap tilted his head in confusion at the absurd remark.

In Heung leaned in and whispered his scheme. "Therefore, we simply need to make her submit of her own free will."

"Bwahahaha! Indeed! That is a brilliant idea! You truly are my Zhang Liang, my Zhuge Liang!"

Yuk Mungap burst into hearty laughter, clearly delighted by the plan.

As if on cue, a chained dog nearby began to bark loudly.

"Hehehe. Don't you think the common folk are the spitting image of that dog?"

"Hehe, indeed they are, My Lord. If you treat them with just a modicum of kindness, they won't even realize they are being led to the slaughter."

"...So, you are telling me to offer myself to him tonight?"

The atmosphere inside the inn turned icy. The patrons who had been drinking quickly scrambled to escape, while those who couldn't flee in time trembled under the crushing weight of pure killing intent. It was only natural, given that a Peak Realm master had lost her temper and was unleashing her aura.

"T-That is..."

The messenger lay prostrate on the floor, shaking like a leaf. The only reason he was still breathing was simple.

"P-Please, I beg of you, just this once! If you do not help, my daughter will be dragged away!"

This man was not an official messenger from the government, but an elderly local who had been blackmailed into coming.

"Old man!" Namgung Hyeok roared in fury at the absurd request. "There are things you can ask, and things you cannot! How is this any different from asking my benefactor to sell her body in your daughter's stead?!"

If an actual government official had delivered this message instead of this helpless old man, Namgung Hyeok would have cut him down before he could even lay eyes on Yeonhwa.

"Don't get so worked up. You'll reopen your wounds."

"But, Benefactor!"

"Don't worry, I have no intention of going."

"Ugh..."

I leaned forward. "Listen here, old man. I'm not going, so crying your eyes out here won't change anything. If you feel wronged, go up to Beijing and submit an appeal to the imperial court."

"H-How could I..."

"Besides, choosing to live like this was the choice of the people here. What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Ugh...!"

The old man wanted to cling to my legs and beg, but he didn't dare. He knew that if he crossed the line in front of a genuine master, his head might literally explode.

I shook my head. "Still, this is getting on my nerves..."

"Do you mean that bastard's behavior?"

"Yeah. It's not like I can just beat him to a pulp."

I could easily beat him up and flee, but if I did, the old man's daughter would undoubtedly suffer a horrific fate. Thus, I could only seethe in frustration, but—

Namgung Hyeok shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Then we can just do it."

"What?"

"You know, that."

Namgung Hyeok flattened his palm and lightly tapped his own groin.

"...Hey, Namgung Hyeok."

"Yes?"

"Are you perhaps a genius?"

In the dead of night, when even the starlight seemed to lose its way.

Two figures leaped gracefully down from the roof of the estate. Ironically, because the mansion was so exceptionally well-built, the floorboards didn't creak at all, making the infiltration incredibly easy.

Oblivious to the intruders, the master of the house lay spread-eagled on his bed, snoring loudly.

"Fufufu."

Filled with anticipation, I let out a soft, eunuch-like chuckle without ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even realizing it.

"Benefactor, shall we begin?"

"Yes."

Normally, a night raid wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠something one could carry out so lightheartedly. Beating or killing someone would inevitably leave traces and trigger an investigation. But what if, instead of beating him, we just gave him a gentle touch?

The inner force of the Guihua Preservation began to gather in my palm. Though it was a martial art I had created by reinterpreting the Blood Sect's techniques, its effects were actually far more insidious than anything the Blood Sect had ever produced.

For someone like Yuk Mungap, who possessed absolutely no inner force, his masculinity would be permanently degraded.

"Should I turn up the output a bit more?"

Moreover, this time, I was actively unleashing the technique with the sole intention of causing that exact outcome.

They say that when a frog is slowly boiled alive in lukewarm water, it feels a pleasant, drowsy warmth.

"Mmm..."

Coincidentally, Yuk Mungap was currently experiencing that exact same drowsy warmth. Was it due to the energy of the Guihua Preservation, or because he was being touched by the hands of a peerless beauty? Whatever the case, he was fortunately enjoying the deepest, most comfortable sleep of his life.

Since my objective was being fulfilled perfectly, it was a win-win situation for everyone.

"Benefactor, this bastard is smiling."

"Leave him be. He must be having a pleasant dream."

Some time after the uninvited night guests had departed.

"Tsk, so that wench ended up running away after all."

"Well, at least we gave it a shot, My Lord. Hehe."

Having discovered that Yeonhwa had vanished, Yuk Mungap walked through the market square with a sour expression.

The local women quickly fled to keep their distance from him. Normally, he would have flown into a rage or ordered his soldiers to uncover their faces, but—

"Hmm..."

For some reason, he just didn't feel up to it today, so he simply kept walking.

One of the clerks bowed. "Then, as a substitute, shall we bring the old man's daughter to you today?"

"No, I am not in the mood for that today."

"Pardon?"

The clerks' eyes widened in utter shock at this completely uncharacteristic response. Paying them no mind, Yuk Mungap continued his stroll.

"Oh my... these earrings are absolutely gorgeous."

Yuk Mungap was marveling at the jewelry displayed on the street. It was a hobby that did not suit a middle-aged man in the slightest. He was even browsing the face powder used for makeup.

"Fufufu, what do you think of this powder?"

Fufufu?

A soft, effeminate giggle escaped the lips that had always let out boisterous, hearty laughs. The clerks were utterly bewildered once again, but—

"I-It suits you wonderfully, My Lord!"

"Please, apply some on me as well!"

What choice did they have but to play along? Where the needle goes, the thread must follow. And so, they spent the afternoon giggling and applying face powder together. Of course, only one of them was genuinely enjoying it, but that was of little importance.