My Heart Races (4)
I'd formed the habit of rising at dawn back when I was a mere merchant, scrambling to pick up goods. Even after becoming the head of the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group—with no need to hustle like that anymore—I'd stuck with it.
But today, even before opening my eyes, I could feel the warmth of sunlight and direct rays pouring in. I must've been pretty wiped out. It was nothing like the crisp dawn air that usually filled my lungs, cool all the way down to the depths.
"They're all waiting out there."
"Then you wanna drag a sleeping guy out of bed by force?"
Myeong-gyeong's sharp voice pulled me fully awake.
I glanced over and saw him blocking the doorway, holding back a crowd of people.
The officials peering over his shoulder spotted me stirring and jumped in eagerly.
"Young Master Muk! Ah, Young Master Muk is awake."
At their fussing, Myeong-gyeong finally turned to look at me.
"Not sleeping more?"
"I've slept plenty."
"You were up till dawn yesterday, weren't you?"
"Feels like it's past noon now. Sleeping too much gives me a headache."
"Don't push yourself. If you overdo it and something happens, how am I supposed to face Master?"
That's more like something I should say. But Myeong-gyeong was obsessed with playing the "big brother" role, so I let it slide.
"Why are the officials here, anyway?"
"Dunno."
"We've told you several times already. The Vice Minister is waiting for Young Master Muk."
At the official's words, I bolted upright. The Vice Minister waiting for me? It had to be Jin Mu-byeok, the Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister I'd glimpsed at dawn.
Even as head of the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group back then, a Vice Minister wasn't someone you kept waiting. And now, with nothing to my name? Unthinkable.
"The Vice Minister can just summon him if he wants."
Myeong-gyeong said the most absurd thing. The officials shot him incredulous looks.
I quickly straightened my clothes and hair. As I moved to head out, Myeong-gyeong trailed right after.
"Senior Brother, you can stay here."
"Yes, the Vice Minister only asked for Young Master Muk."
Myeong-gyeong's eyes flashed at the clear attempt to exclude him.
"You trust these people who worked my junior brother to death till dawn? And send him off alone?"
"I'm fine, really."
"Junior brother, you saying you won't listen to your senior?"
Myeong-gyeong was fired up, his clenched jaw screaming he wouldn't back down this time. I flashed an awkward smile at the officials.
"Officials, please let my senior brother come along."
"...Ahem. Not sure the Vice Minister will approve."
Myeong-gyeong glared at them like he wanted to devour them whole. It was so fierce they averted their eyes.
In the end, Myeong-gyeong and I went together. The Vice Minister had given his okay.
We entered the room where the Vice Minister waited. Inside were two familiar faces and one stranger. The familiars were Jin Mu-byeok and Registrar Hyeong Ta-seong.
What mattered was the stranger sitting squarely in the middle, between Jin Mu-byeok and Hyeong Ta-seong. That meant he outranked Jin Mu-byeok.
"There you are."
Jin Mu-byeok stood first to greet me. With my identity as a martial artist stronger now, I offered a fist salute.
"Sorry to keep you waiting on my account."
"Haha, a little wait's nothing. You're Hubei's benefactor, after all."
"Benefactor? That's going a bit far."
"Some are already calling you the Hubei Divine Physician."
I could only chuckle awkwardly at the nickname.
Still, I kept stealing glances at the stranger. He watched me with a piercing, appraising gaze.
I was sure I'd never seen him before. High officials like him weren't exactly on my radar back then. In my previous life, could I even have crossed paths with someone like that? I was just a lowly errand boy for some merchant group.
Then the stranger spoke.
"I'm Wang Song, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate."
I was stunned. Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate—a rank 3 post.
A step above the rank 4 Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister, but the real difference was in their power. The Censorate answered to the palace, not some ministry.
More crucially, the Censorate was the empire's watchdog. Grim reapers for officials—and this guy was their deputy head.
"An honor to meet you, Lord Wang."
"Pleased to meet you. And this is your junior brother?"
Myeong-gyeong nearly exploded, mouth opening wide—but my hand clamped it shut first. I shook my head.
"No, my senior brother."
"Senior brother, eh? Your seniority must be all mixed up."
Only after Myeong-gyeong calmed did I release him.
After that came the predictable questions. How I'd pinpointed a condition even physicians missed. What my father did for a living. Basic background check.
Even a simple one felt like an interrogation coming from the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.
"You stopped a major plague from spreading. Time for a reward."
My eyes lit up. Yes—that's exactly why I came here.
"Anything you want?"
"Hmm."
I pretended to mull it over, as if caught off guard. But this was all I'd planned for.
"It's so sudden... not sure what to ask for."
"Hoho, take your time."
Wang Song smiled warmly. I stayed on guard, choosing my words carefully.
"I originally came to the local yamen for a reason."
"Oh? What?"
"To register a merchant group. But the registrar was away, so I couldn't."
"A merchant group?"
Wang Song tilted his head at the abrupt topic. Jin Mu-byeok and Hyeong Ta-seong looked equally puzzled.
"Can a Wudang disciple even form one?"
"I'm a Lay Disciple, so it's fine."
"Ah, a lay disciple. Well, the registrar's back now, so you can register."
"That's... actually the problem."
"What?"
"Don't merchant group registrations require a minimum capital of 1,000 silver taels?"
"Yes."
"I had it before, but recently some unexpected expenses left me short."
None other than buying the Unyielding talent—2,000 taels gone in a flash. Now I had only 500 left. Not chump change, but not enough.
Jin Mu-byeok looked uncomfortable.
"Hmm. Rules are rules."
I quickly gauged Wang Song's reaction. No clue what he was thinking, but he wasn't stopping Jin Mu-byeok—probably agreed. If he'd said yes, I'd have thanked him and moved on. But merchants pivoted fast.
"Oh, of course I'm not asking for a waiver on the capital. Rules must be followed."
"I see. Must've misunderstood."
"No, my fault for phrasing it poorly."
The Vice Censor-in-Chief was here, but the Vice Minister was high-ranking too. No need to ruffle feathers.
"By the time I scrape together the capital again, I might be stuck at Wudang or unable to come to Wuhan. So I was wondering if I could apply via carrier pigeon."
Phew. Off-the-cuff, but solid. Jin Mu-byeok smiled and nodded.
"That much? Sure, possible."
"Just approve it now."
Wang Song cut in. Jin Mu-byeok looked flustered.
"But there are rules. Especially if the Wuhan Merchant Association hears—they'll be miffed."
"Since when does the yamen tiptoe around merchants?"
Jin Mu-byeok bowed hastily at Wang Song's irritated tone.
"My error, sir."
"Got the registration documents ready?"
"Ah, yes. Prepared them in advance."
I pulled out the pre-drafted papers at Wang Song's prompt.
"Give them to the registrar."
"Yes, sir."
I handed them to Hyeong Ta-seong as instructed.
But something felt off. Why was the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief at the Hubei yamen in the first place? And why was he meddling in local affairs?
Off was off, but none of my business. In the Central Plains, ignorance killed fewer than knowledge.
I'd gotten what I wanted, so I rose to leave. But the Vice Censor-in-Chief wasn't done.
"By the way, Young Master Muk."
"Yes?"
"How did you know the middleman law was being abolished?"
I fought to keep my face neutral.
I'd foreseen the middleman law's repeal and the absolute color tax at the medical hall market, thwarting Shanxi merchants' profiteering. Word had reached the Vice Censor-in-Chief?
"Quite the topic shift."
"Too tricky for even me, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief?"
"Pretty tricky, yeah. So sudden."
"No powerful relatives, from what I see. Just a Wudang lay disciple—how'd you know? I'm curious."
"So that's the real point."
"Precisely. Lucky find, really. Heard some Wudang lay disciple named Muk Hwi-yeong was sticking it to Shanxi merchants, filed it away. Then the Hubei Divine Physician turns out to be Muk Hwi-yeong—not a common name."
"So you came all the way to Wuhan to see me?"
"The Right Vice Censor-in-Chief isn't that idle."
Wang Song chuckled. I stared into his eyes without glaring, reading his expression.
"Just wondered. Know someone in the palace who tipped you off?"
"Can't say."
"Even if I pinned palace secret-leaking on you?"
"I haven't broken any laws."
"You're too soft. That doesn't matter. Mosu-yu—throw you in on suspicion alone."
I knew. That's why officials terrified people. But I couldn't speak. No one had leaked secrets to me.
"Won't say."
"Oh ho. I see."
Wang Song's gaze was suffocating. One gesture, and he could strip officials of rank, lop off heads. To a commoner like me, I was just a fly.
"Kidding. How could I jail an innocent? I jail officials—not commoners. That's for the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Eastern Depot."
"Some joke."
"Haha, my apologies."
He roared with laughter. Sweat trickled down my back—what a carefree guy.
"Swing by Beijing sometime. I'll make it up to you, treat you right."
"Haha, thank you."
I forced a grin. Still, getting familiar with a rank 3 was valuable. Countless doors that opened. Maybe a decent guy after all.
"But don't get reckless. Wouldn't want to see you in the Ministry of Justice."
Nope. Terrifying through and through. That was a warning: don't misuse state secrets like last time.
Thus ended my brush with the fearsome Vice Censor-in-Chief. I hoped never to cross paths again.
Thanks to his influence, the merchant group registration flew through. Despite a long waitlist and the registrar's absence, mine was first.
"Heh heh heh."
Seeing the official merchant plaque, laughter bubbled up.
Hwi-yeong Merchant Group
I could finally use the name officially. Like reclaiming my old title.
Muk Hwi-yeong, head of the Hwi-yeong Merchant Group.
Same title, but everything else lacking. Still, it made my heart race all the same.