One Roof, Two Heads - 3
I sensed it the moment I arrived at Jeom-cheongsan. These bastards were a total disaster, like a sack of spilled beans.
"We greet the Left Vice Inspector General, sir!"
"""We greet the Left Vice Inspector General, sir!"""
The six warriors guarding the entrance to Jeom-cheongsan. As soon as I approached and revealed my identity, they responded with immediate courtesy. But their reaction wasn't the important part right now. The distance between them, their expressions, and especially their attire—that was what mattered.
It's a shitshow.
In a normal sect or clan, everyone wears similar uniforms. People in the same outfit naturally feel a sense of belonging, right? But not these Jeom-cheongpa warriors. Sure, they had "Jeom-cheong" embroidered near the left chest—minimal conscience at work—but the styles and colors split cleanly into two distinct types.
And right now, Jeom-cheongpa was divided between the Dan and Go families, Buddhism and Taoism.
Sub-factions within a faction, huh.
Of course, even in the same organization, uniforms can vary by rank or position. That's understandable. But Jeom-cheongpa wasn't divided by hierarchy. No matter how you looked at it, it was split by factions they followed, blatantly showing how messed up the internals were.
"The sect leader and Left Elder will be delighted by your visit, sir."
"The Right Elder is always full of admiration and respect for your reputation in working for the world's peace."
I could've figured out the mess even without the uniforms, thanks to the two warriors escorting me to Jeom-cheongpa. But still.
What kind of sect splits its elders into left and right?
It was almost laughable. Most groups don't even have a "Grand Elder" position, and when they do, it's for one person. It's not a title handed out left and right for balance. Sure, government offices divide into Left/Right Censor-in-Chief, Left/Right Vice like me, but that's to prevent power monopolies. Yet Jeom-cheongpa's Left and Right Grand Elders were clearly the result of Dan vs. Go rivalry. Truly astonishing.
Nothing else came to mind except "what a clusterfuck."
And they're only hyping their own elder.
From the entrance onward, the white-uniform guy only mentioned the Left Elder, and the black-uniform one only the Right. Even Zhongnanpa and Huashanpa weren't this bad. You lunatics.
The dizziness I felt at the entrance peaked at Jeom-cheongpa's main gate. Inside, people strictly grouped by uniform color, ignoring those in the other with not even a glance. The buildings were so perfectly left-right symmetric, I wondered if they used separate ones entirely.
It was maddening. If you're gonna be like this, just split the sect name into Left Jeom-cheongpa and Right Jeom-cheongpa.
"We've sent someone, so the Left Elder will─"
"Just wait a moment, and the Right Elder will─"
"Escort me straight to the sect leader. I have no intention of speaking with anyone else before that."
I cut off the two warriors mid-sentence, demanding they take me to the sect leader. Meeting the Left or Right Grand Elder in this situation was the worst option. Terrible for my mental health.
"Understood, sir."
"We'll escort you right away."
The two, who flinched briefly at my words, guided me to the central hall. And while we're at it, couldn't one of you talk, or at least take turns? Both speaking at once was grating on my nerves.
Their attitudes are polite, so it's hard to nitpick.
If they'd been negligent or rude while eyeing each other, I could've smashed their heads. But they treated each other like ghosts, so no real friction even there. At this point, it was almost admirable.
The sect's thorough division was impressive, and even more so that it maintained a unified facade despite the internal chaos. Any other sect would've split long ago. Hell, this was a brand-new faction, formed later than even Baek-su-mun.
If you're gonna do this, just make separate sects from the start.
I hope the sect leader's sane.
Soon, I worried about the sect leader's state. Even a visitor like me felt dizzy from the sight; what about the one running it? Had he lost his mind? Achieved enlightenment and let go? Become a puppet stripped of power by the elders? Or collapsed in rage? All plausible.
Please, at least let the sect leader be compos mentis and wield real authority.
If even he's nuts, we'd need a total rebuild.
If the central figure was gone, Jeom-cheongpa was beyond saving. Better to dismantle it and form two new forces: Dan family clan and Go family clan.
A powerful aura and a pure one approached from afar.
"Sect Leader. The Left Vice Inspector General from the court has arrived."
"He requests a meeting with you."
And from beyond the door, they announced the guest. Indeed. The pure aura was the Left Vice Inspector General, and the powerful one his entourage?
"Honored guests have arrived."
With those words, he opened the door himself to greet us.
"I am Myeong Jin, the humble sect leader of Jeom-cheongpa."
"Left Vice Inspector General Han Un."
After exchanging greetings with the Left Vice Inspector General, I turned to the two disciples who'd escorted the guest here. Time for them to leave. Of course, they'd head straight to their respective Grand Elders, report the high official's meeting with me, and discuss next moves.
"Let's go in."
"Yes, sir. Make yourself comfortable."
As they bowed to me and withdrew, the Left Vice Inspector General's voice snapped me back to attention. The two squabbling elders weren't the priority now. They'd growl at each other if I just ate and breathed. Whether those disciples reported or plotted, it was routine.
What truly mattered was why this big shot had come to Jeom-cheongpa.
Is it a disbandment order?
For a moment, hope surged. Was the court using its authority to dissolve us? That might be best. As sect leader, I couldn't turn Jeom-cheongpa into a peaceful, unified place. My only role was preventing the elders' clashes—a role doomed to fail eventually.
Better to disband than let nominal family spill blood.
...Disbandment could mean imprisonment for the sect leader.
I pondered the worst: if the court dissolved us harshly, the leader staying unscathed would look suspicious. I might have to take the fall. That'd convince others we'd really fucked up.
I was just a wandering Taoist clinging to nature. A fluke opportunity let me dream big briefly, but paying for opining on the world's peace as a mere nobody? Not a bad end—
"You seem to be thinking something strange."
The Left Vice Inspector General's words broke my reverie.
"I heard your new sect boasts massive scale even in Yunnam, so I came to see for myself. No need to worry."
I swallowed involuntarily at his casual tone. Hard to believe. The Left Vice Inspector General came all the way to Jeom-cheongsan just to sightsee? To this remote edge of Daesong? Lies. A lure to reassure me before a sudden arrest.
Or maybe not me—the elders?
I wasn't a history buff, but I knew the Left and Right Grand Elders were noble blood from the old Dali Kingdom that once ruled Yunnam. The Right Elder's clan fell to the Left's, and the Left's crumbled post-Daesong founding.
What if... the court targeted Yunnam's instabilities by hitting the elders? Eliminating fallen kingdom elites via Jeom-cheongpa?
No.
That wouldn't do. Sure, the Left and Right Grand Elders were foul-mouthed, annoying pests who started needless fights, formed this sect, and turned quiet Jeom-cheongsan noisy. But they hadn't broken laws or defied the court. They loved Yunnam, worked for its people—rivaling each other to exterminate bandits and beasts with the swordsmanship I'd taught.
Lunatics, yes. Criminals, no. I had to block any arrest.
Thrust into leadership semi-forcibly, I was still above them as sect leader. They'd respected my authority by not forcing the sword arts; now, I had to protect them as such.
"Left Vice Inspector General, sir."
"Speak."
"Jeom-cheongpa's disciples may differ in direction, but they strive for Daesong and its people. Despite dark pasts, they stand proud now."
His brow furrowed at my words, but I couldn't stop. Protect my own bastards...!
The sect leader's words furrowed my brow involuntarily.
What the hell?
Some minor misunderstanding between us, it seemed. Jeom-cheongpa was an internal mess, not one causing external issues. No reports of defying the court or harming people. Sure, if the infighting spilled over uncontrollably, I'd planned to smash it—but
Dark pasts? What?
He probably thought I was here for Dan and Go descendants. True, Go were traitors who'd ousted their king, Dan collaborators with Mongols... but
That's old kingdom history.
All that was Dali Kingdom era, pre-Daesong. Go's ousted king was Dali's; Dan surrendered Dali. No tie to Song.
Who cares if foreigners surrendered?
Today's Dan and Go weakness stemmed not from treason but Daesong sidelining alien elites for centralization. No need for the sect leader to fret over them before me.