Chapter 156: The Tomb of the Ming King (1)
Chapter 156: The Tomb of the Ming King (1)
—In the 15th year of Zhizheng, Han Lin’er appointed Zhu Yuanzhang as the Vice Marshal of the Left.
(History of Ming (明史): Basic Annals of Taizu)
—Han Lin’er finally ascended the imperial throne, calling himself the Ming King. He named the state Song and changed the era name to Longfeng. He distributed official ranks and duties, and his majesty shook the whole of the Central Plains.
(History of Ming (明史): Biography of Han Lin’er)
—In the fifth month of the fourth year of Longfeng, Han Lin’er captured Bianliang and made it his capital. From that day forward, there was no place where the commands of Longfeng did not reach, and no one who did not borrow his prestige and power.
(History of Ming (明史): Biography of Han Lin’er)
—In the 12th year of Longfeng, Taizu ordered Liao Yongzhong to invite the Ming King, Han Lin’er, to Yingten Prefecture in Nanjing. When the boat reached Guabu, it capsized and vanished; thus, the Song Dynasty fell.
(History of Ming (明史): Biography of Han Lin’er)
The era of the struggle for the Heavenly Mandate at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.
Though there were many brave generals and heroes who ended the reign of the Northern Yuan and finally reclaimed the Central Plains...
The beginning of all those great achievements originated from the hands of a single group: the Red Turban Army. During the time that man was alive and active, no warlord or hero of the age dared to claim the title of King or Emperor.
In that period, every warlord who declared their intent to fight the Yuan willingly bowed their ambitions and obeyed the era name he proclaimed.
That man was...
The Commander-in-Chief of the Anti-Yuan Red Turban Army.
The Emperor of the Reconstructed Lesser Song.
The Sect Leader of the Huayan White Lotus Sect.
The greatest of all time.
The Ming King, Han Lin’er.
That is the name of the most powerful martial artist recorded in the historical archives.
*
Mount Mao can be reached by riding south from Nanjing for about half a day. Throughout that entire distance, even while galloping on horseback, I could not take my hand off the hilt of my sword.
The number of martial artists radiating murderous intent within Nanjing had increased to the point where it was laughable to even try counting them. Since the commoners were too terrified to even step onto the streets, everyone visible on the official roads was a weapon-bearing martial artist.
Gazes poured over me as I raced past on my horse. Most of them turned away once they saw my horse equipped with the Namgung family’s tack. No one in Jiangnan was foolish enough to pick a fight with someone from the Namgung Clan.
However, it wasn't a journey where I could truly feel at ease.
About three of them?
It seemed there were about that many martial artists who couldn't suppress their curiosity at the sight of a Namgung warrior racing toward Mount Mao. Or perhaps I should say there were about that many who felt confident they could survive leaving Nanjing even if they picked a fight with the Namgung family.
They aren't even trying to hide their realms.
The cultivation of those openly following me using movement techniques was, at the lowest estimate, the late Peak Realm—perhaps even Super Peak. Beyond that point, it’s difficult to be certain of a realm until you actually clash, but that was likely a fair guess.
It was a literal dragon’s lair. Looking at the official roads, cleared of commoners and filled only with martial artists, I was confused as to whether this was the peaceful Jiangnan or Chongqing, the Demon King’s castle of the Black Path.
“You there, young hero riding ahead! Halt for a moment!”
Finally, one of the martial artists who had caught up right behind me shouted. He didn't even hide his ominous aura, as if he would strike if I kept going.
I slowly pulled the reins to slow down and turned around, hand resting on my sword hilt.
“What is it?”
“I saw the Namgung family’s harness. Though it is difficult for me to reveal my name at this time, I personally have an acquaintance with the Namgung Family Head. Could I hear an explanation as to why you are riding so urgently?”
“Why don't you go to the main estate and ask him yourself? I am on a mission and in a hurry.”
“Hmm. If that is the case, perhaps I could assist you?”
“It is not necessary.”
“Haha, I asked with kind words, yet you respond so rudely. I’m losing face. Fine, I apologize for blocking your busy path. Safe travels.”
The man stepped back, seemingly conscious of the surrounding eyes. His face was twisted with enough displeasure to draw steel right then and there, but he apparently didn't want to deal with the consequences of harming a Namgung retainer on a main road.
Even as I set off again, the presence of that man and others followed me.
Reminds me of when I first set out into the world.
It was a pursuit so blatant it reminded me of the dragnet cast by the Divine Spear Yang Family and the Shanxi Beggars' Sect. The pursuit would likely become even more aggressive once I left the official road.
Now that the rumor of the Ming King’s tomb had spread, there was bound to be no distinction between Orthodox and Unorthodox before martial artists coveting such a legacy. This was likely the Zhuge Family Head’s objective.
A point where no one respected the Namgung family’s authority anymore; where even the sects belonging to the Jiangnan White Forest Coalition were blinded by the massive bait of Han Lin’er’s tomb; where public order and stability were shattered, paralyzing the Coalition’s operations.
All of this was achieved with the life of a single Mount Mao Taoist and a rumor spread through the Beggars' Sect. Honestly, I couldn't help but admire the scheme.
The Mount Mao Sect is a prestigious Taoist sect that serves as the origin for all left-path factions classified under the Shangqing lineage. Befitting its long history, countless Taoists are stationed throughout these vast mountains, and the entire mountain itself protects the sect as a massive grand formation.
Even the Mount Mao Sect was currently struggling to handle the influx of martial artists. I slowly led my horse, which was panting and frothing at the mouth from exhaustion, through the mountain gate.
“Where have you come from?”
“Namgung. I have letters from the Sword Empress and the Family Head. May I see the Sect Leader?”
“Ah, I see... Unfortunately, the Sect Leader is currently away.”
“In such a dire situation?”
When I asked while handing the reins to the Taoist guarding the gate, he shook his head bitterly.
“It is precisely because the situation is so dire. Is the commotion not too great for him to simply sit still within the sect? To respond to any potential situation, the Sect Leader and most of the sect’s elders have scattered to the base of the mountain.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“Who would dare harm the members of this sect at the foot of our own mountain?”
This was the pride held by most great sects. Most sects belonging to the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance occupied entire mountains classified as sacred by Taoism or Buddhism.
Their mountain was to them what the Peng Family District was to the Hebei Peng Family. How shameful would it be if a Peng warrior was killed or injured by an outsider within the Peng Family District?
Likewise, if the Sect Leader or an elder of the Mount Mao Sect were killed or injured within Mount Mao, there would be no greater disgrace for the entire sect. And in most cases, a sect that suffered such a disgrace would seek revenge at any cost.
It would be one thing if someone was confident they could survive the grudge of the Mount Mao Sect, but this was the Mount Mao Sect—the sovereign of the left-path Taoist sects.
I didn't know the details, but anyone who crossed them would likely wander as a ghost until they died, lost within the formations surrounding the mountain. These people were practitioners of occult arts that rivaled the Ghost Gate; they wouldn't even let you cross the Sanzu River in peace after death.
“Then is there no elder currently present who can receive and act upon the Namgung Family Head’s letter?”
“We couldn't have that. The Lord of the Taiqing Pavilion is managing the sect. I will arrange a meeting.”
“Please.”
“We will look after your horse. Sun-jeol! Come here and guide this young hero!”
At the Taoist’s call, a young Taoist walking in the distance approached. He bowed politely and began to lead me inside the gate.
The Taiqing Pavilion is one of the most important halls in a Taoist temple. Taiqing refers to the Grand Pure One, the Daode Tianzun—Laozi—among the Three Pure Ones. The Taiqing Pavilion is the highest-ranking hall below the Yuqing Palace, where the Sect Leader resides.
In other words, the Lord of the Taiqing Pavilion essentially held the position of a Vice Sect Leader in a typical sect. It was safe to view the old man with the long beard before me as the second-in-command of the Mount Mao Sect.
The Lord of the Taiqing Pavilion, Danryeong-ja, was a martial artist of considerable renown even in the Jiangnan martial world.
Since they left someone of his stature behind, the Sect Leader and the other elders must have indeed all descended the mountain. It was an appropriate deployment of personnel.
“A young hero from the Namgung family. This humble Taoist has little insight into the secular world, so this is my first time seeing you.”
“I am not a retainer of the Namgung family. I have merely come to your sect at the request of the Sword Empress, so I am concerned I might appear to have deceived you. I hope you can be magnanimous, Danryeong-ja.”
“Do not be so formal. However, for the Sword Empress to personally make a request to someone who is not a retainer at a time like this... May I hear the young hero’s name?”
“I am Hyeon-hwi of the Peng family.”
“...A distinguished guest has come from a distant land.”
The gaze Danryeong-ja directed at me sharpened instantly. The fact that he didn't immediately freak out or kick me out showed the depth of this old man’s cultivation.
The Hebei Peng Family of the Black Path Demonic Alliance had no small amount of notoriety throughout the world. Although it had been diluted somewhat recently thanks to me, it was by no means a favorable name to an old Taoist who had lived his whole life within a mountain gate.
“This old Taoist has heard your great name frequently of late. But do you happen to have a token from the Sword Empress?”
“I have something better.”
Saying so, I pulled a jade plaque from my robes. It was the Sect Leader’s Command Token of the Namgung family, the Azure Jade Plaque. Danryeong-ja carefully accepted the jade plaque, stroked it for a long time, and then groaned.
“It is real. The Namgung family gave the Sect Leader’s Command Token to a direct descendant of the Peng family...? I cannot fathom what kind of providence this is. What is the Sword Empress’s intent?”
“The Sword Empress asked me to uncover the truth behind the current commotion. I must know where the absurd rumor started—the one claiming a Mount Mao geomancer discovered the Ming King’s tomb.”
“It is not absurd.”
Danryeong-ja took a deep breath after returning the jade plaque to me. He looked at me with a face that seemed to have aged significantly more as he continued.
“It is all true. A third-generation disciple belonging to our sect’s Houtu Palace discovered a strange relic while examining the ley lines of Mount Jindan for his training.”
“A sword fragment with the inscription 'The Sun and Moon Point to Heaven' (日月指應天)—is that correct?”
“It is. A relic of the Ming Cult. If it is a relic of the Ming Cult from that era, it wouldn't be particularly strange even if it were found here in Yingten Prefecture. It’s not a common item, but it’s possible.”
About 200 years ago, the White Lotus Cult fought against the Northern Yuan under the name of the Red Turban Army. While not all Red Turbans were members of the White Lotus Cult, at the very least, the Red Turbans who rose up near Yingten Prefecture and North China were all White Lotus followers.
The region from Nanjing’s Yingten Prefecture to Beijing’s Shuntian Prefecture was the area where the Northern Yuan made its last stand. Any Red Turban who died here was highly likely to be a White Lotus follower.
The White Lotus followers were the ones who fought the anti-Yuan war most fiercely among the Red Turbans. So, an old relic of the White Lotus Cult found in Yingten Prefecture—even if it was just a rusted sword fragment discarded deep in the mountains—was a possibility.
“However, that child did not stop there. He realized that the shape of the ley lines near where the relic was found was strangely distorted. Upon investigating, he found a concealed grand formation.”
“Does that even make sense?”
I couldn't help but interrupt Danryeong-ja.
“Something that the Ming Imperial Court couldn't find despite searching desperately for 200 years was discovered by a geomancer who just happened to be checking ley lines for training? Is there any land in Nanjing that the geomancers belonging to the government haven't checked?”
The Ming Imperial Court is not incompetent. Naturally, it cannot be. The Ming Dynasty is a great empire that established the most stable Han Chinese state in the history of the Central Plains.
Furthermore, this Nanjing’s Yingten Prefecture was the capital of the Ming Imperial Court until just 100 years ago. It means it was the capital of a nation until the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing.
There is no way the Ming Imperial Court would have managed the area near where Han Lin’er died so carelessly. Countless geomancers must have scoured the entire landscape during that time, so how could a tomb of that scale be discovered 'by chance' now?
Fortunately, Danryeong-ja did not take offense at my interruption and spoke.
“That is because the formation that has been revealed was created ten years ago.”
“...What?”
“The last time the ley lines of Mount Jindan were checked was ten years ago. There was no such thing back then. And judging by the traces of the formation, the time it was installed matches perfectly.
You are right. In our sect’s history, all the ley lines of Mount Jindan had long since been analyzed in detail. That disciple had merely gone on a training trip to develop his eyes by looking at already known ley lines.”
“Which means...?”
“Someone installed a new formation within Mount Mao ten years ago. And as far as our sect is concerned, there are only two people in the world capable of that. One of them would never dare set foot in Jiangnan, and the other was living in Jiangnan.”
A practitioner capable of infiltrating and deceiving the Mount Mao Sect’s formations...
In the last ten years, there were likely only two such people. The Heavenly Killer, One Soul Ten Thousand Spirits, Jin Hoe-seong—the Ghost Gate Meridian Lord.
And the other.
The Crouching Dragon Fan Lord, Zhuge Yeon-seon. In other words, the Zhuge Family Head.
“Then are you saying the Zhuge Family Head set up a formation on Mount Jindan to deceive the world?”
“Yes. But there is one more thing I must add.”
“What is it?”
“It likely is Han Lin’er’s tomb.”
Danryeong-ja spoke as if he feared the repercussions of his words.
“A grand formation that hid the tomb of the Ming King, Han Lin’er, in the old days. There must have been a formation that the White Lotus followers, who founded the Lesser Song back then, hid from the Hongwu Emperor with all their might. The Zhuge Family Head must have discovered it ten years before the Ming Imperial Court... and before our Mount Mao.”
“Have you confirmed what is inside?”
“Of those who entered, no one has come out alive yet.”
“Then is there not a lack of evidence?”
“The Zhuge Family Head’s Eight Trigrams Golden Gate Formation was not built on empty ground. Inferring from the shape of the ley lines revealed by that formation, there are clear traces that a formation unique to the Ming Cult existed within.
And in this Yingten Prefecture, a formation deep in the mountains hidden so well that even the Ming Imperial Court didn't notice...”
The absolute master who suddenly vanished from Yingten Prefecture 200 years ago.
No, perhaps an absolute being who could be discussed as the greatest of all time.
It is the ruin of the Ming King, Han Lin’er.
“It’s hard to imagine it being anything else.”
“The Zhuge Family Head has played a ruthless hand.”
“Indeed.”
He knew the location of Han Lin’er’s tomb yet hid it, cherishing and saving it for a long time. All for this one moment, to use it as the perfect card to paralyze the Jiangnan White Forest Coalition.
That moment is now. To prevent the White Forest Coalition from interfering in the unrest occurring in Yunnan, he played this massive card he had been saving.
He must have had the conviction that he would surely win, and the prospect that if this succeeded, he would more than make up for a loss of this magnitude. To the point of using the ruins of a man once considered the greatest of all time as a mere sacrificial pawn.
Tap, tap.
I fell into thought while tapping the table.
Let’s think.
The Zhuge Family Head discovered that the Ming King’s tomb was on this land at least ten years ago. He found a hidden formation that even the Ming Imperial Court had failed to grasp.
Let’s not think about 'how.' There’s no way to know anyway.
The thought I need to have now is 'why.'
Why did he 'bother' to overlay a new formation on top of it?
It was a formation no one had discovered for 200 years anyway. He could have just left it as it was and used it when needed. By overlaying his own formation on top of such a perfectly hidden one, it was instead discovered.
Yes, it was discovered. He timed it so that rumors would spread. Ten years ago.
A chill ran down my spine.
It was planned ten years ago...?
They say the Zhuge Family Head’s formation on Mount Jindan was made ten years ago. He must have coordinated the timing for when that formation would become known to the world.
This wasn't a rumor hastily spread to stop what was happening in Yunnan.
It was a rumor timed to break out alongside the bloody incident he had prepared to occur in Yunnan at this time, starting from ten years ago.
“Is there someone specific who ordered that deceased geomancer to examine the ley lines of Mount Jindan?”
“Yes.”
“I want to meet that person.”
That person is the Zhuge Family Head’s minion.
The one who ordered the geomancer to go to Mount Jindan—where the analysis of the terrain was already complete—specifically to examine the ley lines. The one who tried to spread the rumor of the 'Ming King’s Tomb' at this time.
Danryeong-ja shook his head as he answered.
“Before the rumor even spread, he was the first to enter, saying he would confirm the formation, and contact was lost.”
“What is that Taoist’s Taoist name?”
“Yeo-hong, the Lord of the Houtu Palace. He was in charge of managing and teaching the geomancers.”
“Lastly, did Kang Yeo-hee, the Nanjing Branch Master of the Hao Clan, visit your sect?”
“Contact was lost after she headed for Mount Jindan.”
“Zhuge Yeon-sin of the Zhuge family should have visited your sect recently as well.”
“Him too.”
The Taoist who conspired with the Zhuge Family Head and was likely most deeply involved in this matter; the Jiangnan Branch Master who would know the full story of the situation best; and my friend.
All three of them are trapped inside the formation.
“Is there no way to break it?”
“A great commotion will arise. This isn't something that can be passed over quietly. If Han Lin’er’s tomb is truly inside...”
“There will be a great bloodbath.”
“Yes. That is why we were waiting for someone to come out from within.”
“Is there even a Gate of Life inside?”
“As long as it is a formation, there must be.”
“Then please guide me to Mount Jindan.”
The guy who came all the way to Nanjing after hearing my words is currently trapped inside that formation. Along with the Taoist who joined hands with the Zhuge Family Head and betrayed the Mount Mao Sect.
Inside, there is likely a trap the Zhuge Family Head prepared with all his heart.
There’s no way to know how many other martial artists have entered that formation in the meantime.
Most of them are in a state where their eyes have turned inside out at the thought of the Ming King’s legacy.
If the formation is broken from the outside, countless martial artists drawn to the exposed tomb of Han Lin’er will engage in a free-for-all.
What is the best thing for me to do right now?
Do exactly what the Zhuge Family Head wants least.
Interrogate the Taoist named Yeo-hong, whom the Zhuge Family Head planted in the Mount Mao Sect, to uncover the full story.
Contact the Hao Clan’s Jiangnan Branch Master to grasp the situation.
And clearly announce to the world that all of the Ming King’s legacy was taken by the White Lotus Cult, thereby calming Jiangnan.
By now, Sister Dan So-hye, the Beggars' Sect, and Hwa-yeong should be contacting the Jiangnan merchant guilds. If a situation erupts here where I say, 'Ta-da, the Ming King’s tomb has appeared! Come and see!' after they’ve worked so hard, it will all be for nothing.
So, if what’s inside really is Han Lin’er’s ruins...
I will reduce it to ruins the moment I see it.
I’ll level it to the point where nothing remains, making it look like just an elegant 200-year-old ruin to anyone who sees it. Regardless of what is inside.
So that the events in Jiangnan can end as just a brief flash of unrest.
“You might not be able to come out alive.”
At those familiar words, I couldn't help but laugh.
“Then I’ll just die, I guess.”
I had no intention of dying, but once I heard those words, there was only one thing a Peng should say.