Chapter 155: A Journey through Jiangnan (6)
Chapter 155: A Journey through Jiangnan (6)
"…My lord."
"Yes…?"
"Why exactly is the young hero of the Namgung Family following us?"
When I met Hwa-yeong the next day, she was in an incredibly foul mood. It seemed Sister Dan So-hye had failed to prove her only use—persuasion. She was currently standing far off in the distance, smirking as she watched us.
This was the 'affection' shared between fellow disciples of the Hao Clan. As far as I could tell, the only person in our sect with a level head was Brother Baek Seo-ui. And that included the old man, our Hao Clan Leader.
"It would be difficult to guarantee the Earl’s safety if he were to enter Jiangnan alone. Fortunately, there are few martial artists in Yingtian Prefecture who recognize my face, so it will be much safer if I accompany you."
Namgung Jeong-ha rattled off his excuses at lightning speed, but Hwa-yeong didn't even pretend to listen, addressing only me. Since Namgung Jeong-ha had joined the party, she had to wear the Cheon-ryeong-hwa human skin mask again, and she seemed deeply displeased by it.
"Has my lord forgotten that our guild belongs to the Jiangnan Merchant Guild? If we move through the branch located in Nanjing, who would dare to challenge us?"
"It wouldn't do you any good to go around spreading rumors that the Jiangnan Heavenly Merchant Guild has joined hands with the Dragon Slaying Alliance."
"That’s…!! I see. It wouldn't be good for me… Sigh. Hmph."
Hwa-yeong started to retort but quickly shut her mouth, stammering for a moment. She soon let out a dry cough and spoke demurely.
"If that is truly your wish, this humble wife shall step aside."
"Huh? Where are you going?"
"I have… ahem. Urgent business to attend to…"
With that, she ducked away and vanished among the Demonic Cult members of the Heavenly Merchant Guild. Was she in a hurry to find a restroom?
In any case, the journey to Yingtian Prefecture aboard the Namgung Family’s vessel was extremely comfortable. Just as no one in Northern Zhili would dare inspect a passenger ship of the Hebei Peng Family, the Namgung Family’s vessel in Southern Zhili was treated with no less deference than a royal procession.
The ship glided smoothly down the blue Yangtze River in the morning light, heading toward Nanjing.
"It’s a pity for Lady Murong…"
"Hmm? What do you mean by that?"
"Everyone knows Lady Murong has feelings for you, Earl. Now that you seem to have taken a wife, she’s left with no other choice."
Namgung Jeong-ha shook his head bitterly.
"Even with the bright reputation of being a direct descendant of the Murong Family, if rumors spread that she was toyed with and discarded by a direct descendant of the Hebei Peng Family, her marriage prospects will be in dire straits. I’m not trying to blame you, but you’ve essentially ruined a woman’s future."
"You are blaming me, though."
He was being incredibly blunt about it, too.
"And strictly speaking, Lady Cheon and I aren't in that kind of relationship."
"…What?"
"I don't even know why I’m making excuses to you. Just don't go around spreading weird rumors for no reason."
"……"
After that, Namgung Jeong-ha didn't say another word to me until we reached Nanjing.
Whenever our eyes met as we passed each other on the deck, he would merely glare at me as if he were looking at a pile of rotting garbage.
*
Immediately upon arriving in Nanjing, we sought out the Daicheon Pavilion. As expected of a Hao Clan branch in this massive city, it was located in the prime spot of Nanjing’s street of brothels, making it easy to find.
Sister Dan So-hye led the way with an air of triumph, as if she had finally found her purpose. We followed behind her, glancing at one another.
Our party consisted of the Young Lord of the Namgung Family, the Fourth Son of the Hebei Peng Family, the Little Heavenly Demon, and the twelfth disciple of the Hao Clan Leader. Somehow, a 'Young Avengers' alliance of the Red, Blue, and Black teams had been formed.
"Y-Young Hero Namgung? Gasp! The Heavenly Zither Demon…?! What brings the Beijing Branch Master here…?"
"Peek-a-boo. The Tianjin Branch Master is here too, you know?"
"Good heavens, could it be that everyone has come because of the tomb of the Crying Flute…?"
After being led straight to the VIP room of the Daicheon Pavilion, the manager who opened the door was struck with horror upon seeing our faces. I was surprised myself, so I could only imagine how shocked a manager who personally handled information must be.
However, there was no need to sympathize with him. Circumstances dictated that the betrayal of the Nanjing Hao Clan branch was a certainty.
I slowly placed my blade on the table.
"Has Sister Yeo-hee not returned from Mount Mao yet?"
"S-so you already know… Yes, Branch Master Kang has not returned."
"How many days has it been?"
"It has been a little over ten days now. We are also in the middle of investigating how things are unfolding."
The manager’s eyes darted around as he answered Dan So-hye. I cut him off mid-sentence.
"Gal-yeong—Zhuge Yeong was here, wasn't he?"
"…Are you referring to Young Hero Zhuge?"
"That’s right. I can't find him no matter how hard I look. Where did he go?"
I stared intently at the manager’s face. His eyes trembled slightly as he scanned Dan So-hye and Namgung Jeong-ha, then he looked at me as if he had made a decision.
Before he could speak, I drew my blade slightly from its scabbard.
"Don't think the Young Lord of the Namgung Family here can save you. This is an internal matter of our sect. Isn't that right, Jeong-ha?"
"An outsider cannot intervene when a disciple of a sect is enforcing its laws. Do as you wish."
The manager clearly hadn't expected a blade to be drawn right in front of the Young Lord of the Namgung Family within the territory of the Orthodox sects. He turned pale and tried to back away, but seeing Dan So-hye smiling as she blocked the door, he squeezed his eyes shut in resignation.
"Young Hero Zhuge went to the Mount Mao Sect."
"When?"
"About three days ago… As soon as he heard the story about the tomb of the Crying Flute on the first day, he headed straight for Mount Mao."
"And he hasn't come back down since?"
"I-it’s the truth!"
It was the truth.
Even scanning him with the Jeojeong Heart Method, there were none of the physical reactions typical of someone telling a lie. Since he wasn't a master capable of deceiving my eyes, there was no need to doubt him.
When I nodded, Dan So-hye let out a sigh. In the end, it seemed we would have to go to the Mount Mao Sect.
"Sister, do you have any connections with the Beggars' Sect in Jiangnan?"
"The Hao Clan doesn't usually have a bad relationship with the Beggars' Sect. Why?"
"Could you and Jeong-ha go and feel out the Nanjing branch of the Beggars' Sect? If the rumors have spread to this scale within ten days—"
Below the open window of the VIP room, countless martial artists were roaming the streets with grim expressions, clutching their weapons. Nanjing couldn't possibly be a more dangerous place than Northern Zhili; in all likelihood, every one of those men were commoners whose eyes had turned red at the prospect of a treasure map.
If even a single alley near a brothel was in this state, then Nanjing as a whole must be a powder keg. A single stray spark would trigger a massive catastrophe.
Therefore, we had to divide our roles.
Originally, the essence of the Hao Clan lay in the 'collection of information.' We were an alliance of small business owners who were guaranteed safety in exchange for obtaining and storing information.
However, the essence of the Beggars' Sect lay elsewhere. They focused on the 'dissemination' of information. They were the ones with the power to spread rumors, distract the public eye, and turn the tide of affairs into the reality they desired.
"Check if the Nanjing branch of the Beggars' Sect has joined hands with the Zhuge Family. If they are also unaware of the situation, you must spread rumors about the White Lotus Cult."
"Then why must I go with her?"
"I can't send Sister alone among the beggars."
The Beggars' Sect was an Orthodox sect, while the Hao Clan was technically part of the Black Path Demonic Alliance. Furthermore, there was currently no one we could trust in Nanjing, whether they were from the Beggars' Sect or our own Hao Clan branch.
If Sister Dan So-hye were sent alone and ended up getting killed, I would have to turn Nanjing into a 'Chongqing Ghost Alliance' massacre site immediately. To be honest, Sister So-hye wasn't exactly the most useful person, but she was a fellow disciple who felt more like family than my actual siblings.
There was no place safer for our party to move than by Namgung Jeong-ha’s side.
"In the meantime, I’ll check on the Mount Mao Sect. I need to see what the Nanjing Branch Master has been doing there for so long and find Zhuge Yeong’s whereabouts."
"If it looks too dangerous, run away immediately. Got it, little brother?"
"If things look bad for you too, Sister, run to the Namgung Family. The Sword Empress has guaranteed our safety."
"Ugh, I don't really want to be alone with that lady… Don't you think her vibe is a bit similar to our Eldest Sister?"
"I’m going to tell the old man everything."
"And I’m going to tell our Eldest Sister that you called her an 'old man'!"
Sister So-hye chuckled, waved her hand, and stood up. She looked at the manager, who was still trembling, and let out a deep sigh.
"Now, will you tell me what Sister Kang is thinking? I’ll make sure your passing is peaceful."
"I, I don't know that either… I was just doing as I was told…"
"Since when have you been colluding with the Zhuge Family?"
"Pardon…? What, what do you mean by that?"
"Do you think it makes sense that you’re the manager and yet you didn't know where this all started? You expect me to believe that?"
"N-no! Branch Master! W-wait a moment!"
As Sister So-hye reached out, I quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"He’s not lying right now. You’ve been neglecting your training in the Jeojeong Heart Method, Sister."
"You’re just too fast, you slippery snake."
Sister So-hye furrowed her brows, lost in thought.
"The manager really knew nothing? Even while rumors like Han Lin'er’s tomb were spreading, nothing?"
"Y-yes! I mean, why on earth would the Zhuge Family do such a thing? We were simply told that there was no need to keep the recent rumors a secret and to use them to make some pocket money!"
"Why didn't you inform the other branches?"
"Because there wasn't enough time! It’s only been ten days since the rumors started spreading! We sent word to the July Society headquarters, but we couldn't share information whose authenticity hadn't even been verified!"
"And Branch Master Kang went to the Mount Mao Sect to verify that authenticity?"
"Yes!"
It was the truth.
Then why was it impossible to contact the Jiangnan branch? If the Hao Clan hadn't even noticed the Zhuge Family’s influence, had Zhuge Yeon-seon made a move through the Beggars' Sect instead?
Regardless, there was no other way to confirm it than to meet Kang Yeo-hee in person. I looked down at the manager for a moment and organized my thoughts.
'Even if the Beggars' Sect has taken the Zhuge Family’s side, they can't harm Sister So-hye while she’s with Namgung Jeong-ha in broad daylight. Since I have the Sect Leader’s Command Token of the Namgung Family, I shouldn't have any trouble entering the Mount Mao Sect.'
Even if the Beggars' Sect made a bold decision, they couldn't afford to antagonize the Namgung Family. At the very least, in a situation where there was no martial artist in Jiangnan stronger than the Sword Empress, the consequences of attacking the Young Lord of the Namgung Family would be catastrophic.
Therefore, using Sister So-hye to feel out the Beggars' Sect would be enough to gather information from that side.
"Hwa… Lady Cheon."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Please look into the movements of the merchant guilds. I need to know what actions the Jiangnan merchant guilds are taking in this situation."
"I shall return before the day is out."
I didn't need to worry about her. The Heavenly Merchant Guild was known as a long-standing giant in Jiangnan, so there was no reason for them to be attacked. Even if their identity were discovered, escaping Nanjing would be as easy as flipping a palm given the martial prowess of Hwa-yeong and her Demonic Cult guards.
The problem was me.
"You’re going to the Mount Mao Sect alone? Won't it be dangerous?"
"That depends on how well you handle things, Sister. I hope you succeed in your persuasion."
"Look at the way he talks."
The most important thing was to use the names of the Namgung Family and the Sword Empress to pressure the Beggars' Sect, declare that the White Lotus Cult was the culprit behind the current situation, and announce that Han Lin'er’s tomb had already been picked clean by them.
That was the only way to calm Nanjing, which had become a powder keg, as quickly as possible. That was why I had assigned Namgung Jeong-ha and Sister So-hye to the roles that would draw the most attention.
In the meantime, I had to find out why and how Zhuge Yeon-seon had orchestrated this.
A trap? Of course it was a trap.
But I couldn't just sit by and watch Zhuge Yeong, who had walked into that trap of his own accord to gather information at my request.
If I had to pick another reason…
In military strategy, a trap is the point where the opponent's strength is most blatantly exposed.
I would use the trap Zhuge Yeon-seon had worked so hard to dig to shake the White Lotus Cult.
And when all those arrows turned back toward them, I would see for myself just how skilled Zhuge Yeon-seon really was.
If it got dangerous, well, I could just run away and hide behind Hwa-yeong.
*
Zhuge Yeong let out a heavy breath as he burned his last talisman to create light. Having slept outdoors for several days, he looked no different from a beggar.
However, he had no time to tidy himself up. He swallowed hard and slowly traced the ancient inscriptions.
'Maitreya’s Descent, the King of Light’s Appearance…'
He looked up while reading the engravings on the neglected, weathered stone wall. Three different Buddha statues were carved into the three sides of the wall.
They were Dipankara Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Maitreya Buddha. These carvings represented the Three Calamities of the White Lotus Cult. Below them, a mandala representing the King of Light was drawn sharply, as if carved with a blade.
And beneath those massive statues…
A single empty coffin lay there. Amidst three tattered flags fluttering in the air, it sat upon a throne.
"Han Lin'er’s tomb… was real?"
Zhuge Yeong muttered in bewilderment. Beside him, Kang Yeo-hee shouted triumphantly.
"See? I told you it was real!"