That's the Problem - 3
If Shanhaiguan marked the boundary between the Central Plains and the Eastern Seas, then Jiayu Pass was the line dividing the Central Plains from the Western Regions. The sprawling desert nearby, the camels wandering here and there, and the occasional sandstorms constantly reminded me that this wasn't your typical Central Plains territory.
"Welcome, Left Vice Inspector General. You've had a long, arduous journey."
No wonder the armor of the Jiayu Commandant—who'd rushed over at the news of my arrival—was caked in sand. It gave me a rough sense of the harsh, impoverished conditions on the frontier.
Not an act.
I sized up the Jiayu Commandant as my mind raced. If it were anyone else, I'd suspect they were putting on a show—deliberately looking disheveled to boast about their hardships or highlight how brutal Jiayu Pass was. I'd seen plenty of officials pulling that stunt while touring the Central Plains.
And their motives? Simple. To catch my eye for a promotion, or to get transferred out of some dogshit posting.
But not this guy.
The Jiayu Commandant I knew wasn't the type. He'd volunteered for Jiayu Pass in the first place, and he had connections that could advance him without kissing up to me.
"My thanks for the warm welcome, Commandant. I felt guilty barging in unannounced and stealing your time, but your reception puts my mind at ease."
"Nonsense. If anything, I'm ashamed my shortcomings forced a dignitary like you to come all this way."
"Haha, shortcomings? You're the one steadfastly guarding the realm. Even Duke Eokguk praises you endlessly."
At that, the commandant cleared his throat, a mix of pride and embarrassment flickering across his face.
Sang Woo-chun—Duke of Eokguk and Left Supervisor of the Rear Army. In actual history, he was one of the key figures in the Ming Dynasty's founding, a brilliant general whose military achievements rivaled Seo Dal-i's.
And that Sang Woo-chun was the commandant's brother-in-law.
Not quite on my level as a royal grandson, but the commandant had connections any man would envy. No need for him to whine or perform for me.
What an odd personality.
Thinking of his network naturally led me to the bloated ego he no doubt kept tucked away. A normal person might strut around bragging, "My brother-in-law's a duke and army supervisor!" But not him. He never leveraged that family tie for abuse of power and even chose the remote outpost of Jiayu Pass.
His take? Blood ties earned by luck weren't his merit, so he kept quiet about them.
Stubborn, in a way. Valuing his own hard-won achievements over fortunate connections.
In real history, too, he'd relied on his skills over his brother-in-law's influence, coming off as arrogant at times.
Diligent guy? Or just twisted?
A real enigma. Like spotting someone picking up trash while jaywalking—baffling.
"Commandant, please, come inside first. We can't keep our honored guests from afar out in the sandstorm."
"Ah, right."
Just then, the commandant's deputy whispered something in his ear.
Yeah. Somehow, we'd been standing here eating wind the whole time.
Stings...
Finally registering my own state, my body sent up a chorus of complaints. Eyes burning, scalp gritty, hands oddly rough—like I'd been doused in sand a dozen times over.
- Kki-ing!
Kki-iing! -
- Kki-ong!
The displeasure hit Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i too; they spat ptui-ptui with irritated cries.
Only Maek, cradled in my arms, and Samshik, tucked inside my clothes, seemed unscathed.
We followed the commandant's lead to the reception hall.
"It's hardly fit to host the Left Vice Inspector General, but it's the least shabby spot in Jiayu Pass."
I shook my head gently at his sheepish words.
"No need for concern. Frontier passes suit ruggedness over finery, don't they? Besides, it's not where you are, but who you're with that matters."
"The company over the place—well said."
He flashed a faint smile at my reply, then personally brewed the tea.
"I'm delighted to meet you too, Left Vice Inspector General. Even this familiar hall feels different today."
His good-natured laugh carried an obvious subtext. Officially, Jiayu Pass ran business as usual—so how did a central official know enough to show up here?
"Haha, you must be even happier than I am. It wasn't long ago I enjoyed Gongdong-pa's hospitality; now here I am, face-to-face with you."
I tossed back the obvious answer: Gongdong-pa makes for excellent intel in Gansu.
Of course, I'd have come to Jiayu Pass even without their word—just to pay respects on my way to Qinghai.
"I see."
The commandant nodded at my response. He'd likely guessed Gongdong-pa's involvement, but hearing it confirmed from me was another matter.
Bet that drives him nuts.
I fell silent, watching him fiddle with the teapot, smile unwavering.
Frontier generals could threaten the center, but they also watched the center's every move. They knew even minor actions might irk the capital.
Learning the center had eyes on Jiayu Pass—and that those eyes belonged to a founding merit sect—complicated things. Even without treasonous thoughts, it muddied the mind.
Who likes 24/7 CCTV in their house? Complain, and suddenly you're the traitor.
Fate of any commander holding military authority.
"By the way, the sect leader was quite worried about you. He's toiling day and night for the realm's peace, yet lately there's been unrest?"
I broke the brief silence. Reminding him of central scrutiny was key, but overdoing it risked unnecessary caution. Time to shift topics.
"Indeed. Lately, Mongols have been skulking around."
He jumped on the pivot eagerly. Business talk probably eased his mind.
"A lamentable state. Driven to the steppes after losing Heaven's mandate and the people's hearts, and now they eye the Central Plains again."
"Regrettably, they're barbarians ignorant of propriety, righteousness, and the Way—hardly the sort to reflect on their sins."
I nodded quietly at his venom-laced disdain for the Mongols. It wasn't unusual for Daesong officials to spit anti-Mongol rhetoric in public or private. Felt as casual as "Nice weather" or "Eaten yet?"
"But they know their place—no clashes have erupted."
"That's odd. Those savage brutes avoiding conflict?"
This was genuine surprise. Mongols thrived on hit-and-run with their mobility and ferocity. Attacking the pass was suicide, but raiding nearby villages? Fair game. Yet no incidents?
What are they after?
Mongols showing up should've meant bloodshed. If they were too weak to act, they wouldn't appear at all.
Scouting, then? No—scouts probe aggressively, not lurk at a distance. Such obvious moves wouldn't escape the commandant.
"Might I see the sites myself?"
After mulling it, I ventured the request. He stroked his chin.
"Sandstorms are fierce now; even from the walls, visibility's poor. Once they calm—"
"No, not from the walls. I mean go to the sites directly."
His hand froze.
"I can't recommend that."
He waved it off with a grimace.
"Their appearances are unpredictable. Get caught scouting a site, and combat's inevitable. I won’t put an honored guest in such peril."
"I'll have Jiayu Pass's brave soldiers at my side, plus my inspector escort. Why fear a rabble of steppe rabble?"
"True, but..."
I grinned exaggeratedly, and his brow furrowed.
He knew what I'd said. With peak expert Jo Wi-cheo beside me and his troops guarding, my risk was near zero.
But his worry wasn't my safety—it was the fallout. If Mongols clashed unluckily, questions would fly: What were you doing letting a VIP get endangered?
Deep down, he was thinking, "If you meddle, it becomes my headache—back off."
Just packaging it politely.
"No issue, then. I insist, Commandant."
I pressed while he hesitated. Can't ignore a censor's demand outright.
"...Very well. Come with me."
His eyes cursed me, but I ignored it. If Mongols were up to something weird, I needed eyes on it.
I inspected the sites where Mongol troops had appeared, marking them on a map to spot patterns.
What the fuck.
Then unease hit. The points weren't many. Connecting them yielded a bulging southern curve and minor zigzags—nothing more.
The commandant had seen this too. But that half-formed curve looked familiar.
Like something from Hengshan.
The traces of human sacrifice we'd found there. It matched part of the ritual array I'd seen on-site.