The Connection Between Water and Pirates - 1
All the tasks in Yunnam were wrapped up. I'd made friendly contact with the new sects Baek Su Mun and Jeom-cheongpa, the leading powers there; found a suitable human-faced poison holder to send to Nang-jung Wang as a stand-in for Samshik; and nipped any potential schisms within Jeom-cheongpa in the bud. It felt great to have such a productive schedule after so long.
"If things keep going like this, won't I get promoted when I return to the capital?"
Honestly, at this rate, they had to at least make me a Vice Censor-in-chief, even if full Censor-in-chief was a stretch. If I'd been working like a dog, the reward should be solid. Of course, the wall between Regular 4th Rank Deputy Censorate Inspector and Regular 3rd Rank Vice Censor-in-chief was one you could pour your whole life into without crossing. Sure, it was just two ranks apart on paper, but plenty of officials peaked at Regular 4th Rank and retired. Still, I was the eldest grandson of Giwang's house. No wall was insurmountable for me. The only question was when I'd leap it.
"If you return to the capital, sir, you'll not only get promoted but also be eyed for the next Censor-in-chief position."
Jo Wi-cheo nodded in agreement, clearly thinking the same. Yeah. If I fully returned to the capital, promotion was a lock, and I'd be pegged as the next Censor-in-chief. And the Dochalwon wouldn't shunt a minister- or vice-minister-level figure off to the provinces, so my rise would mean freedom from these endless assignments.
"If I make Vice Censor-in-chief, I'll pull whatever strings to get you to Deputy Censorate Inspector too."
"...Are you planning to send me out alone to the provinces, sir?"
At my sincere promise, Jo Wi-cheo took a step back, putting distance between us. No, damn it. How could he twist "I'll promote you" into that?
This guy's got some serious trauma built up.
It was a shame. As an Inspector Escort and a Chojeoljeong master, Jo Wi-cheo was an elite who could shine anywhere. For such a talent to develop PTSD from excessive nationwide tours—what kind of grandson of a king would I be if I didn't feel for him?
"You'll stick by my side, so don't worry."
Only then did the wariness fade from Jo Wi-cheo's eyes. These endless nationwide tours were ruining two perfectly sane people. After getting a copy of the Four Shadows Sword Technique from the sect leader, we headed for Kunming, Yunnam's hub. Since we'd come all this way, it was only right to at least greet the high officials here. How offended would they be if the Left Deputy Censorate Inspector blew past them to other regions?
In truth, I should've met them sooner, but right after entering Yunnam, I'd gotten Baek Su Mun's invitation and hadn't had time for officials. We'd gone nonstop from Omongbu at the northern edge to Sama Bu in the south, then to Jeom-cheongsan where Jeom-cheongpa was based.
Lucky Kunming's near Jeom-cheongsan.
If it had been farther, I'd have seriously considered skipping them.
"Welcome, Left Deputy Censorate Inspector. I'm delighted to meet you like this."
"The honor is mine to meet you, Prefect Pojeongsa. I'm only sorry I couldn't pay my respects sooner."
I'd agonized but come anyway. My boldness toward a Regular 2nd or 3rd Rank as a mere Regular 4th Rank came from the Dochalwon's backing, but my status as a royal grandson weighed even heavier. Song officials, even the heads of merit sects, all minded my bloodline and showed deference. So I had to respect their ranks and positions in turn. If I acted too brashly, it'd hurt their pride. Dropping the deference due to my blood and going full protocol would just make my lower rank awkward for them.
"Ha ha! Everyone knows how busy you are, Left Deputy Censorate Inspector. How could you say such a thing? If you'd just sent a letter, I'd have read it with joy."
Even his words now suggested he'd have been miffed if I hadn't come in person. Good thing I'd made it, even if late...
"By the way, I heard you visited Baek Su Mun and Jeom-cheongpa..."
"Yes. It's rare for new sects to make such a name for themselves regionally. I was curious and checked them out myself."
"Your diligence is admirable. Though I've lived longer than you, Left Deputy Censorate Inspector, I find myself respecting you."
"You're too kind. I lack your wisdom, sir, so diligence is all I have."
At the blatant praise, Pojeongsa burst into even heartier laughter. You could brush off compliments from underlings, but when someone you had to defer to praised you, it felt good—like you'd earned their peer-level regard. So even if it felt a bit embarrassing, frequent praise smoothed relations.
Thanks to Grandfather's reputation, a little courtesy goes a long way in building a good image.
Regrettably, my grandfather was infamous for his fiery temper and flashy antics. Strangers meeting me for the first time got nervous I'd pull the same stunts, so when I acted politely, they looked at me with eyes full of goodwill. A grandfather burning his own rep to help his grandson. I wasn't particularly grateful.
"So, what did you think after seeing them yourself, Left Deputy Censorate Inspector? Worth the trip?"
As I steadied myself thinking of Grandfather, Pojeongsa spoke again.
"Couldn't be better."
I gave a concise answer, packed with just the essentials: Baek Su Mun and Jeom-cheongpa aligned with the government's greater good.
"That's fortunate news indeed."
Pojeongsa nodded in satisfaction at the inspector's firm endorsement. Yunnam was the murim fringe of the Central Plains, annexed relatively recently. In such a place, every bit of manpower mattered, so two sects friendly with the government would sharply ease his burdens—especially if they were big enough to represent the region.
"As expected of a nobleman; you bring precious tidings with you."
"Ha ha, you're embarrassing me."
After that, we chatted idly, building ceremonial rapport. Things like the person Nang-jung Wang sent returning with a cart carrying the human-faced poison holder; Baek Su Mun's beasts increasing in Kunming; elephants being perfect for civil engineering; Yunnam being different from other regions but full of its own charms, and so on.
"Come to think of it, Left Deputy Censorate Inspector, have you ever been to Gwiju?"
"Gwiju?"
After a stretch of mundane talk, Gwiju came up out of nowhere.
Gwiju.
I recalled what Pojeongsa said.
Yunnam's northeast region.
But nothing else came to mind. No incidents there had reached my ears.
Come to think of it, I'd met the Baekryeon Cult Leader in Shiwandaishan of Guangxi and wiped out water bandits on Dongting Lake in Hunan, but Gwiju—bordering both Guangxi and Hunan—had been astonishingly quiet.
"Gwiju is small and peaceful compared to other places, so I've had no reason to go until now."
I continued matter-of-factly: no big deals, so no visits.
Damn it.
A twinge of annoyance followed. If Pojeongsa mentioned Gwiju, there was a reason. I'd tossed him good news, but he was probably about to lob a bomb back. Pitiful, really. No wonder things had gone so smoothly in Yunnam.
"True enough. Few places in the world are as serene as Gwiju."
Pojeongsa nodded at my reply and took a sip of tea.
"But peace on the surface doesn't mean peace within."
"...I see."
His blatant quest trigger made me sigh inwardly. I'd planned to sightsee Gwiju lightly on my way north to Gansu, but as always, my plans crumbled. It didn't even surprise or frustrate me anymore. Just par for the course.
I slumped against Kki-ing-i's body. At times like this, her smooth gait was perfect. Quadrupeds had less of that jarring vibration.
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, sir."
"If the government controlled every ship in the Central Plains... would all the rivers go quiet?"
"The private sector would build them illegally."
Spot on, so I just sighed. Yeah, that's human nature—tell people not to, and they double down. Besides, for folks by coasts or rivers, ships weren't just transport. They were the sole lifeline feeding families. If the government seized them all, fishermen would be stuck beachside with rods. Horrifying just to imagine. If that happened, the people would rise up crying, "Let's start our own tradition of chopping off the emperor's head!"
Damn pirate bastards.
My frustration soon turned to the river trash, sea maggots: the water bandits. Those scum were why I'd even thought of insane ideas like ship control.
Is there seriously a respawn zone for them somewhere?
I pressed my throbbing forehead and sighed again. I'd run into water bandits near every river or lake so far, reliably as clockwork. Sichuan and Yunnam, being inland, had let me dodge the encounters, but no sooner had I relaxed than they popped up again—in peaceful, quiet Gwiju of all places.
Catch 'em and kill 'em all.
So I resolved. Any water bandits I met in Gwiju, I'd execute as many as possible. Normally, I'd handle the ringleaders and major criminals, shipping the rest to Shanhaiguan. But this time, execution was default unless it was some minor offender. I wanted to treat joining a pirate band as a major crime outright, but some were coerced or joined tearfully for survival. I'd cut them that much slack. Beyond that, no mercy, no leniency.