Chapter 13: The Eastern Depot Frets, the Hao Clan Woos, and the Beggars' Sect Is Aghast (1)
Chapter 13: The Eastern Depot Frets, the Hao Clan Woos, and the Beggars' Sect Is Aghast (1)
There is an old proverb: The well water does not invade the river water.
It means that the water in a well does not interfere with the water in a river—a metaphor for two unrelated groups respecting each other's boundaries and refraining from encroachment.
Today, this proverb is most commonly used to describe the peculiar coexistence between the Martial World and the Imperial Court.
From the perspective of the Imperial Court, which lacks sufficient local administrative power, they acknowledge the local influence of the Murim sects and turn a blind eye to their activities.
From the perspective of the sects, who could easily be viewed as unauthorized armed paramilitaries, they respect the administrative jurisdiction of the Court to avoid the crushing hammer of a treason charge.
This precarious coexistence has successfully taken root across the vast provinces of the Central Plains, with one notable exception.
Beijing.
The land where the Emperor resides. Narrowly, it refers to Shuntian Prefecture; broadly, it encompasses the vast reaches of Northern Zhili and the North China region.
In this land, no armed paramilitaries other than the Imperial Army are tolerated.
No power of the Orthodox Faction has ever managed to settle here.
The martial artists who survived in the North China Murim were mostly limited to Black Path gangs acting as subcontractors for the local government.
And the primary force behind this strict control was the hidden blade of the Imperial Family—the eyes and ears of the Emperor, moving only for his sake: the Eastern Depot.
"The fourth...?"
"Yes, my Lord. We are told he is the fourth son of Peng Wi-cheon."
"The Head of the Peng Family moved personally for a mere fourth son? He led all the elders into Shuntian Prefecture himself?"
"Yes. Since then, the Family Head has been personally tending to the boy for nearly ten days."
"Ten days!"
Grand Eunuch Jin Seung-gyeom, the Grand Assistant of the Eastern Depot, tapped on the desk piled high with letters, lost in thought.
His duty was to gather intelligence on Murim sects infiltrating Beijing.
Among his concerns, the most sensitive information always involved the Hebei Peng Family.
They were located close enough to reach within three days on foot, and more importantly, they were one of the ten most powerful sects in the entire Central Plains.
They were an opponent too costly to push out completely, yet they didn't cause harm beyond the usual nature of the Murim if left alone. Furthermore, too many high-ranking officials had accepted the Peng Family's gold for the Depot to touch them easily.
A wise man does not beat the grass and startle the snake.
The Eastern Depot had long ago decided on a policy of monitoring the Peng Family without obstructing their affairs.
But then, a bloody incident occurred in the heart of Beijing.
Immediately afterward, the Head of the Hebei Peng Family broke his long silence, appearing in person to march through the center of the city.
Following that, Peng warriors were spotted simultaneously scattering across various parts of North China.
Something was clearly happening in this land.
And at the start of it all was a seven-year-old boy.
The youngest grandson of the Peng Family, who had just turned seven: Peng Hyeon-hwi.
Information on this boy had already been collected.
There were stories of how the Family Head had shown him special favor during his first birthday celebration.
Then came a mundane childhood spent quietly buried in books for a long time.
And now, his first "emergence" into the world. This boy, who looked like any other child you might see on the street...
"Are you certain? Alone, without any assistance?"
"Yes, my Lord. It is certain. The autopsy revealed the blade marks of a single person, and the trajectory of every strike matches the height of the Fourth Young Master."
"Good heavens, a monster has been born into the Peng Family."
He had slaughtered over ten martial artists. Alone, with a single blade.
He had charged straight into the heart of a Black Path sect.
It wasn't a particularly grand sect—just the Black Dragon Gang, a common Unorthodox organization found anywhere, with members of mediocre martial skill.
However, the fact that a boy not even ten years old had slaughtered grown men was an entirely different story.
Add to that the fact that the Head of the Peng Family himself had risen to retrieve the child.
"Monitor his every move. Even if we cannot plant eyes inside the Peng Family's Inner Hall, track and report every single step this boy takes the moment he sets foot outside their gates."
"Yes, my Lord. It shall be done without fail."
"Hah, seven years old... then what in the world..."
If a boy who caused such a bloodbath at seven were to grow up...
If he grew up retaining the bloodline, the martial arts, and the temperament of the Peng Family...
What kind of Great Demon would he become?
"The future of the Black Path Murim looks bleak indeed."
The Grand Assistant of the Eastern Depot, one of the five aides to the Admiral who oversaw the entire organization, grumbled with a smirk.
*
8. The Superstar Who Makes the Eastern Depot Fret, the Hao Clan Woo, and the Beggars' Sect Aghast
The Beggars' Sect is an Orthodox sect. No martial artist exists who would deny this obvious fact.
It’s not that they are particularly incapable of tolerating injustice, nor are they the loudest in calling for the eradication of the Black Path, the Unorthodox Faction, or the Demonic Cult.
The Beggars' Sect is, quite literally, a sect of 'beggars.'
There are countless beggars under heaven, and every single one of them is potentially considered a member of the Beggars' Sect.
Their consent is not required.
Did the commoners have to consent for Zhu Yuanzhang to become Emperor?
The sect was established to protect the pitiful weak (themselves) and to defend all the weak under heaven (potential members). They solidified their current position by defeating all the vested interests that labeled them as Unorthodox under that grand justification.
Therefore, the Beggars' Sect is Orthodox.
From the perspective of other Righteous sects, there is no need to pick a fight with them, so they let it slide. The Black Path sects are already at odds with them, so it remains a self-evident truth.
"Son of a...!"
Thus, from an Orthodox perspective, the proliferation of Black Path sects is always a massive headache.
"He took them all down like that at age seven?"
"Whoa, shouldn't we report this to the Sect Leader, Branch Master?"
"Damn it, how am I even supposed to explain this?"
In every secluded alleyway, there is bound to be either a Black Path thug or a beggar—and in Beijing, there’s a high chance both exist simultaneously.
The site of the Black Dragon Gang was no different.
Consequently, even when everyone else scattered in fear after the Peng Family Head appeared, the beggars—who had no 'home' to scatter to—could only watch the entire scene while shivering in the shadows.
Because of this, they were able to confirm the day's tragedy faster than any other intelligence organization.
Before the advent of visual media, all information began with: "I saw it with my own two eyes, I tell ya!"
"I'm tellin' ya, that kid smashed the door with one punch, hopped inside, and before a single incense stick could burn, the stench of blood was thick enough to choke a horse! I peeked through the doorway and—Lord have mercy—there was this kid, lookin' like a blood-soaked rakshasa, carvin' up adults with a blade as big as himself and tearin' into their flesh!"
"Dammit, boys, throw the salt!!"
"Yes, Branch Master!!"
Salt, which they usually saved and cherished too much to even put in their stew, was scattered in heaps at the entrance of the branch office.
Several beggars who followed Buddhism hurriedly prayed to Guanyin Bodhisattva.
The more level-headed Shuntian Prefecture Branch Master bit his lip as he fiddled with a bamboo scroll.
"How do I even report this... Peng Hyeon-hwi, age 7, martial level unknown. On his first emergence, he annihilated a Black Path sect alone. According to field reports, he appears to have cannibalistic tendencies...?"
"If this kid grows up and shows his face, it'll be a bloodbath!!"
"Does anyone know why he did this?"
"We're not sure about that..."
"Maybe he saw the people in Beijing and worked up an appetite?"
"Why would they let a lunatic like that loose in Beijing alone? Make it make sense."
"Since when has the Hebei Peng Family ever done anything that makes sense?"
"Ha, you've got a point there."
Won Sang, the Shuntian Prefecture Branch Master of the Beggars' Sect and a Four-Knot Beggar known as the Golden Fragrance Beggar, brooded for a long time before finishing his report.
This report was marked 'Urgent' and delivered to the headquarters in Tianjin.
[Bloody Incident at Guang'an Gate, Shuntian Prefecture, Beijing.
Location: Black Dragon Gang Headquarters.
Casualties: All members of the Black Dragon Gang.
Suspect: Peng Hyeon-hwi, Fourth Young Master of Peng Wi-cheon of the Hebei Peng Family.
Profile: 7 years old, 4 feet tall, trained in Hunyuan Blade, exhibits cannibalistic tendencies.
Note: Immediately after the incident, Peng Family Head Peng Ik-jin appeared in person to retrieve Peng Hyeon-hwi and vanished.
Circumstances: Presumed to be a spontaneous massacre by Peng Hyeon-hwi in a state of madness. Currently tracking traces of a specialized Demonic Art of the Peng Family.
Addendum: Won Sang, Four-Knot Beggar and Shuntian Prefecture Branch Master, fears a great bloodbath upon this individual's future emergence.
Confirmed: Won Sang, Shuntian Prefecture Branch Master.]
*
The Hao Clan is a Black Path sect.
They are inherently a group composed of the weak, such as tavern waiters and courtesans. This stems from the fact that Black Path sects often operate taverns, brothels, and gambling dens as their places of business.
Since they won't refuse an Orthodox member's money nor kick out a customer from the Imperial Court, they work with a very open-minded attitude, leading them to be evaluated as being 'between Orthodox and Unorthodox.' However, like most who start from the bottom, they survive on 'spite and grit,' making their activities closer to the Black Path.
While the Beggars' Sect collects civilian information, the Hao Clan of the Black Path gathers more meticulous intelligence.
No matter what high-ranking officials enjoying music and drinks in a brothel might say, it’s hard for a beggar to get close, but a courtesan can.
Thus, the Hao Clan was naturally able to acquire sensitive information earlier than any other intelligence group in the Central Plains.
"The Demonic Cult? Are you serious?"
"Yes, My Lady. The Cult Leader's third daughter came all the way to Beijing for marriage talks! She stayed at the Hebei Peng Family for nearly half a year!"
"Good heavens, an alliance between the Hebei Peng Family and the Demonic Cult...!"
In the Sagojeonseo Street of western Beijing.
In this area lined with the mansions of princes, prestigious nobles, and the Beijing elite, there naturally existed a flamboyant street of taverns.
The person in charge of the crucial task of scouring the most intimate secrets of Beijing from the heart of power...
Dan So-hye, the Pavilion Lord of Maehyang Pavilion, tapped her folding fan irritably against her palm and muttered.
"The Demonic Cult suddenly came all the way from the distant Heaven Mountains to Beijing to hold hands with the Peng Family... and in the midst of that, the youngest master of the Peng Family cleared out a Black Path sect at the West Gate..."
"And at only seven years old!"
"That's not the important part. What's more important is that members of the White Lotus Cult were also at the scene."
"Ah, the White Lotus Cult! Right!"
The Demonic Cult of the Heaven Mountains.
The Blood Cult of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
And the White Lotus Cult, scattered and hidden across the Central Plains so thoroughly that their location could never be found.
These were the ones designated as the Three Great Demonic Cults of the current era.
The leaders of each were counted among the Three Evils Beyond the Great Wall, and the bounties placed on their heads by the Imperial Family and the military reached tens of thousands of taels.
In such a situation, an alliance between the Demonic Cult and the Peng Family was forming in this land...
Then the youngest of the Pengs suddenly caused a bloodbath.
And meanwhile, the Peng Family is moving under an overt declaration of war against the White Lotus Cult.
"And this young master is right in the center of it all."
"Yes, yes, My Lady."
"What on earth is happening in Beijing right now? And how did that kid slaughter people like that at his age?"
The circumstances were clear. The White Lotus Cult had heard about the marriage talks in advance and played their hand to break the union between the Peng Family and the Demonic Cult.
Afterward, the Peng Family Head was enraged and declared war on the White Lotus Cult. Even now, Peng warriors were running all over Shuntian Prefecture, burning down businesses suspected of being allied with the White Lotus.
The Eastern Depot remained silent during such a loud affair, which made it certain that the Hebei Peng Family had funneled a massive amount of funds into the government.
Because the high-ranking officials who gathered to spend that money were even now guzzling wine in taverns and leaking information while in the arms of courtesans.
If so, the important thing was something else.
"So, what should we do?"
"Just bring some tea and snacks."
"Pardon...?"
The Hao Clan is an intelligence organization, not a martial one.
It’s not that they lack martial power, but rather that the experts capable of directly clashing with other sects of the Ten Great Sects of the Black Dao are scattered all over the Central Plains.
If you asked what they could do in front of a Hebei Peng Family that was currently incensed to the point of madness, there was only one answer.
"There is nothing we can do. Let's just eat snacks."
"Yes, yes, My Lady!"
"Ugh... I wonder if they'll accept a transfer request. My eldest sister is scary."
Dan So-hye, the Grand Manager of the Beijing Hao Clan, who held the high-ranking officials of Beijing in one hand and overheard all the secrets of the Beijing government, nibbled on the well-prepared snacks with a bitter expression.
"This is good. Where is it from?"
"The uncle at the Saphungdang shop down the street is a regular of mine! I managed to get some Tiger-eye confections that are usually sent to the palace!"
"Well done. This is why I can't transfer. You're amazing, our Hyang-hyang. You're making your Pavilion Lord work forever."
"Hehe, I did good, right?"
*
"You're going to do what...?"
"I'm taking the Dongsaengsi."
"Why...?"
"I've studied, so it would be a waste not to take the exam. Why else would I study?"
I was actually more taken aback by Nang-rang's dazed question.
I mean, if you're not going to take the civil service exam, why on earth would you study for it? As a hobby?
Such a monster didn't even exist in the 21st-century developed nation of South Korea, where people were open-minded about everything.
No, such a person shouldn't exist...
"Are you planning to enter government service...? But until recently, weren't you saying you'd aim to be the Family Head, or that you harbored great ambitions...?"
"Tsk, tsk. What are you talking about, Nang-rang? You're looking at this country's government far too lightly."
"Pardon?"
"Who says they give you a government post just because you pass the exam? They just carve you a new identification tag and that's it. Besides, the Dongsaengsi isn't even a real civil service exam; it's an exam for kids."
Whether it was Joseon or the Ming Dynasty, there was a universal truth in every country that had a civil service examination system.
Exams are held regularly. But government posts are not given to all who pass.
Basically, in this country, unless you are stripped of your rank as punishment, every government post is a job for life.
Aside from the minor drawbacks—like the fact that your resignation won't be accepted even if you're old and dying, the salary is ridiculously low, and you only get one day off every ten days—it’s a dream job.
Let's also add that you have to work overtime every day, but there's no such concept as overtime pay.
On the bright side, taking bribes is practically legal here, so there's plenty of outside income.
Regardless, passing the exam doesn't mean you automatically get a post.
The exam is just a basic requirement. From there, you have to find an opening through the evaluation process.
And I only need that 'basic requirement.'
"Grandfather will like it, won't he?"
"Pardon...?"
"There isn't a grandfather in the world who hates a grandson recognized by others for being smart."
In this era, it was common sense that coming from the Hebei Peng Family meant you were a meathead.
And unsurprisingly, it was true.
Basically, no one in the Peng Family studied anything beyond the Thousand Character Classic.
Instead of studying, these guys would kidnap a scholar and make him read and write for them.
There's a reason they're treated like Unorthodox thugs.
In the midst of that, what if a grandson suddenly passed the civil service exam?
Especially when that kid slaughtered adults at age seven, never missed a day of martial arts training, and even practiced 'Confucian etiquette' by paying his respects every single morning like a filial grandson.
Even a Yakuza boss can't help but dote on a grandson who's ranked first in his school.
This is all part of the 'Hebei Peng Family Superstar Project.'
I can't catch up to my older brothers just by aging and learning martial arts normally.
Those guys won't be playing around during that time either.
Therefore, the more weapons and public favor I have, the better.
"Heh, just you wait, Central Plains."
A 'smart, diligent, and virtuous youngest son of the Hebei Peng Family' is coming to this uncivilized medieval China.
"Man, I hope they don't ask me to be an Orthodox martial artist."
Well, if they did, I might at least consider it.
If I can lead these blade-wielding brutes with righteous philosophy, then that is a burden I, as a scholar who has read the classics, must rightfully endure.
The white man's—no, the modern man's burden is truly heavy.
I could read the thought 'There he goes again' in Nang-rang's eyes as she looked at me, but I decided to ignore it.