Heavenly Thunder... Martial God? (1)
Time passed as if a storm had swept through, and peaceful daily life returned. The confinement order from the family head was lifted, but Yang Sojin didn't step outside her inner quarters. She spent her days simply playing with her young sons, and servants said she often stared off into space, lost in thought. According to So Hye, even the elders had stopped visiting her. They had only been her faction in name; in truth, they moved at the whim of Yang Taek's money. There was no reason for them to seek out a woman abandoned by her own father. No profit in it.
Her life, once lived like she owned the world, had changed overnight. Public sentiment was a fearsome thing—people had already forgotten her, and it hadn't even been long. She probably never imagined it. She must have thought her prestige would last a thousand years. Flowers don't stay red for ten days straight—if there's a day of glory, a day of decline is sure to follow. That's why one should live proud but not arrogant, humble but not servile. No point in making enemies needlessly.
Still, his father occasionally visited her quarters. Not to console her, but to share a meal, play with the kids, and pass the time before leaving. Wife and children, even if hated. It was a relief. That his father was that kind of man.
In this tranquil time, as if nothing more would ever happen, Jin Yeo-rip's days grew far busier than before.
"Again?"
"Yes, starting today, it's about the Haewol Merchant Group."
So Hye stacked books and documents on the desk like a tower, and Jin Yeo-rip stuck out his tongue in dismay.
"You expect me to memorize all this?"
"Of course? Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle, right?"
Know the enemy and know yourself...
"Is the merchant group the enemy?"
"They could become one anytime."
So Hye smiled brightly, and Jin Yeo-rip squinted one eye. Smiling? Is this a smiling matter?
It had been days like this already. Dawn training, breakfast, then attending the family head meetings, lunch followed by tea chats with the branch family heads, and finally his father's lessons. By the time he dragged his dizzy head back for sparring with Im Pilsaeng, the day was done. But no rest. Once the schedule ended, So Hye came with armloads of documents she'd prepared all day and piled them up like this.
"Do we really have to go this far?"
"Of course."
"Sigh. When am I supposed to get through this?"
"Oh, quit whining. You finished it all in three days last time."
"..."
Jin Yeo-rip shot her a glare at So Hye's words. Fine, three days per group. The problem? There were twenty-five major ones. One every three days—that was seventy-five days. Two months and a half. All because the grand merchant assembly, where every merchant group leader under Cheongeumbang gathered, was right around the corner.
"So Hye, won't the leaders understand?"
"Understand?"
"Yeah, it's weird for the young master, fresh back from Shaolin, to know every one of them."
"The weirder, the more impressive it'll seem."
"What?"
"Think about it. Like you said, the leaders won't expect you to know them at all."
"..."
"But imagine they realize you do know them—that you're pondering their businesses, showing interest. Their favor toward you shoots up, naturally."
She wasn't wrong. He'd had similar experiences in school, the military, at work. Calling someone's name didn't seem like much, but hearing your own from someone who knows nothing about you? Incredibly grateful. Whether the metaphor fit or not, they said even bandits would face death for those who knew their names. Bullshit. They'd die without knowing why. Some poet said that when you call their name, they come to you and become a flower. What the hell... Just a figure of speech. People are ridiculous.
"So Hye, I haven't slept two si-jin lately."
"Then cut back on training with Uncle Pilsaeng."
"What? No way!"
"Why not? Prioritize the urgent stuff."
"Don't you know the saying? 'If you don't read a day, thorns sprout.' Training's like that for me!"
"There's a saying like that?"
"There is!"
A heroic line from a great savior whose records would last millennia. Whatever. Right now was a critical moment—reaching the next realm or not—so he had zero intention of slacking on training.
Tanggi. Not a technique, but a realm of the heart method. Chonggi amassed energy inside to amplify strength and harden the body. Hyeonggi manifested it outside, tangible and bursting forth. The next step was Tanggi: projecting that inner energy outward.
A far cry from the fist wind that once shattered a teacup. An advanced skill beyond comparison. When Im Pilsaeng demonstrated, his eyes bulged and jaw dropped. How could it be so powerful? Two ways to grow strong, he'd said: pour in mad effort over time, or sudden enlightenment. Then he added that the Hwangbo young master was at the entry of Tanggi. That lit a fire in him. With Im Pilsaeng's "With effort, you'll reach Tanggi soon" pouring oil on it. He'd just grasped a thread—stop training now? Absurd. He'd achieve it, no matter what. When else to pour effort if not now, wasting time!
"You can postpone it. After the assembly. You're not even planning to be a full murim warrior."
"Hey! Push off today's work, and tomorrow's me will resent you. How could you do that to him?"
"Tomorrow, today's resentful me will be gone anyway."
"Well..."
"No excuses. Get to it. 'No reading a day, thorns sprout'—perfect. Read hard so no thorns grow. I'll go prepare the next batch."
Using his motivational metaphor like that? But So Hye winked and left.
"That girl... Sigh."
He couldn't blame her. He just read what was prepared, but she stayed up nights creating it. All because of Saihai Money House. Yang Taek had invested not just in Cheongeumbang but its outer merchant groups too. Now enemies, he'd never let him win the leaders' hearts. Just look at Yang Sojin.
"Sigh, karma."
Who to complain to about the karma he'd sown? Under the flickering lantern, Jin Yeo-rip slowly opened the book and focused. Reading in the dark ruins your eyes... He hated it, but flipping it open, the words jumped out, concentration surging. Ah, this damn genius. Smart head, and diligent too.
Sararak.
The pages turned. As he finished the first book, Im Pilsaeng entered with tea and fruit. He was Unjeong Pavilion's cook, after all. Snacks were his domain.
"Holding up?"
"I'm dying."
"So Hye..."
"I know, I know. She's killing herself for me."
"Yes."
"Still, as my subordinate, this is too much. I just want one day off."
Jin Yeo-rip grumbled, and Im Pilsaeng, who'd been watching quietly, chuckled.
"Then let's take one day off."
"Pardon?"
"So Hye looked exhausted and fell asleep."
"Really?"
"Yes. I asked Hwang the physician for an awakening pill, but he was out of herbs."
"You didn't have to go that far..."
Not like a job seeker cramming for exams. That stuff borrows future stamina—overuse wrecks you. She never spares herself for him.
"She looked so worn out, I acupointed her to sleep deeply."
"Pardon? Acupoint?"
"Yes."
A technique to force sleep by striking meridians. He'd suffered it from Monk Beomgang at Shaolin.
"Is that okay?"
"How could I not? She was curled up, so pitiful."
"You grumble at her nagging but take care of everything?"
"She's worked hard."
"..."
"Lady Mother cherished her."
Though smiling, the sadness beneath made Jin Yeo-rip awkward.
"Ah, young master. Want to step out for some air?"
"Step out?"
"Yes."
"But So Hye said finish this in three days."
"Your eyes are sparkling too much for that. Thought you were a star."
"Haha, joke."
"Your butt's already off the chair. Just go?"
"..."
"One day won't hurt. I'll keep quiet."
At Im Pilsaeng's sly tone, Jin Yeo-rip swallowed hard.
"W-well, shall we?"
"Let's."
"But if sharp So Hye finds out? She prepared this, sleeping curled up."
"So we keep it secret, obviously."
"How? She knows everything around here. She'll figure it tomorrow."
"Young master."
"Yes?"
"Why grab your coat if you're just talking?"
Standing and donning his outer robe, Jin Yeo-rip grinned sheepishly at the callout.
"Since we're dressed, let's go. I know a place So Hye won't hear about."
"A place she won't know... Outside Cheongeumbang?"
"Yes. About twenty ri from the Outer Market east gate. Does dawn business—I go sometimes."
"R-really?"
"Yes. Even So Hye won't know beyond the Outer Market. Quick breather, one drink, back."
Im Pilsaeng wiggled his wrist like holding a cup, his tempting whisper like a devil's. Jin Yeo-rip, ensnared devotee, already had the door open.
"Not going? Dawn's almost here."
Let's go, cook! I'll heed your call.
"Heh, let's! My treat."
Excited, they slipped out of Unjeong Pavilion on tiptoe. Jin Yeo-rip even slipped extra coin to the inner garden guards he'd befriended during dawn training, begging silence. Chasing Im Pilsaeng, his face beamed like he'd conquered the world, legs flopping like fish in water.
Rebellion's like that. Thrilling excitement. Excluding official business, he'd never left Cheongeumbang. The night air felt fresher than day's. Ah, like military life—inside and outside the fence so different. Memories flooded back.
Horse? Suited a noble like him, but no time to fetch one amid the rush. What're strong legs for? Just twenty ri. Run. Dawn runs must've been for today. With inner power, no issue.
Kururung!
But the sky looked ominous. Black clouds hid moon and stars—about to pour.
"Uh oh, looks like a downpour. Turn back?"
"Turn back? Don't jinx it!"
"Pardon?"
"Rain's great! Makes the booze taste better."
"Does it?"
"Obviously."
As Jin Yeo-rip spoke like a drunkard, Im Pilsaeng chuckled and sped up.
"But Uncle Pilsaeng."
"Yes?"
"That place... good at jeon?"
"Jeon?"
"Yeah."
"What's that?"
"Like green onion pancakes..."
"Pfft, what pancakes at a dawn joint? Rain calls for hot soup."
"Well, not bad."
Disappointing. Rainy days scream for jeon and makgeolli. Random, but he craved kimchi pancakes.