There’s a limit to how far you can screw with people! (3)
Whoosh—
The sound of grain pouring out rang pleasantly through the air.
With a measuring scoop in his hand, Jo Gul shouted toward the crowd that had gathered around him.
“There’s plenty, so don’t shove! Line up properly! There’ll be more than enough for everyone!”
As if to prove it, he gave the sacks of grain stacked before and behind him a rough tap.
“Here you go.”
“We… we’re truly grateful, martial gentleman. Truly.”
Seeing the old man thanking him over and over, tears streaming down his face, Jo Gul broke into a broad grin.
Hyun Young had spent every coin Hyun Jong had borrowed at usurious rates from Chung Myung and used it to purchase grain in bulk. Now they were distributing it to the common people along the Yangtze who had fallen into hardship.
Not just here, either. The Mount Hua disciples and the Tang Family retainers alike were visiting nearby villages to give relief wherever they could.
“All right, hold it out.”
Jo Gul was scooping grain into the sack held out by the man who stepped forward when—
“Oh my, oh my. Thank you, truly. How splendid you look.”
“Hahaha. I am rather handsome, aren’t I?”
“To think there’s such an extraordinary young martial gentleman! Word of the young martial gentlemen of Mount Hua has been spreading all along the Yangtze these days! People say there are heroes among them who stood up to that monstrous evil, Jang Il-so, leader of Maninbang!”
Jo Gul’s chin rose higher and higher.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha! It’s not that big a deal, really. Of course, Jang Il-so was impressive too, but….”
At that, the old man who had received the grain earlier widened his eyes.
“Then could it be that you, martial gentleman….”
“Urk, ngh!”
“What is it?”
“N-no, it’s nothing. My side still aches where Jang Il-so hit me. Ugh… It’s not healing easily.”
“M-my goodness… That great man was….”
Emotion washed over the old man’s face.
He was so moved that the mighty man who had crossed swords with the world’s Jang Il-so was personally here, handing out grain to the people.
“Then perhaps…?”
“Yes?”
“Are you, martial gentleman, perhaps the famed Mount Hua Sword Hero?”
“……”
“No? Then maybe the… Mount Hua Righteous Sword?”
“……”
“……No? Ah, then could it be Ice….”
“It’s filled. Next.”
“M-martial gentleman.”
“Yes?”
“……My grain seems a little less than everyone else’s.”
“It’s the same.”
“It definitely seems a little less….”
“No, it’s the same. I said it’s the same, so—aaagh!”
Suddenly, a hand flashed in from nowhere and smacked Jo Gul hard across the back of the head.
“Stop doing pointless crap and fill it properly!”
“Agh, why do you always pick on me, sahyung!”
“Because everyone else doesn’t do things worth being picked on for!”
“I mean—!”
“Say one more word.”
When Yoon Jong glared at him, Jo Gul wilted, muttering under his breath as he resumed scooping the grain.
“Ah, this dirty world. Some guy’s the Mount Hua Sword Hero, some guy’s the Mount Hua Righteous Sword, and I’m just Mount Hua’s little lackey.”
“Shut your mouth.”
Jo Gul finally stopped his bizarre song and pressed his lips tight together. Yoon Jong chuckled and stepped in to help distribute the grain.
“I don’t know how we could ever properly repay this kindness….”
“No need.”
Yoon Jong shook his head.
“Because of the scoundrels with swords like us, you have all suffered so much. I can only feel sorry.”
“H-how could that be Mount Hua’s fault? It’s all because of those rotten Gupailbang bastards and those filthy Sapa trash who ought to be ripped apart!”
“That’s right!”
“Mount Hua is different! The Heavenly Alliance is different too!”
Voices of agreement and shouts rose from all around them.
Since they were giving out grain, of course people would say all sorts of grateful things, but it was clear that the people of the Yangtze were leaning toward Mount Hua’s side.
Yoon Jong gave a wry smile.
“Thank you for your words. Still, we have many other places to visit besides here, so please do hurry a little.”
“Yes, sir! We will.”
Jo Gul’s mouth stuck out at the very different reaction.
“Why am I the martial gentleman and sahyung the daoist? I’m a daoist too!”
“……Gul.”
“What?”
“If you open your mouth one more time, I may no longer be able to hear people call me daoist gentleman either.”
“……I’ll keep quiet.”
He promptly shut his mouth and busied himself with the grain, and Yoon Jong let out a faint laugh as he straightened up.
Far off, the Yangtze flowed in majesty, and beyond it lay Jiangnan.
It looks so peaceful.
But only on the surface. That place was no longer somewhere that could be called peaceful.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“There sure are a lot of them.”
Returning after giving relief to the common people, Baek Cheon muttered like a sigh as he looked at the crowd gathered at the dock.
There had already been a surging number of merchants trying to cross the river not long ago, but in just a few days, their numbers seemed to have doubled.
What was interesting was that normally, when this many merchants gathered, fights and chaos were inevitable, yet here there was no sign of trouble at all.
Those whose turn was nearly up waited in line with admirable order, while those with a much longer wait skillfully set up tents and rested, calmly gauging their place in the queue.
Merchants were notoriously short-tempered when money was involved, but here they were as meek as lambs.
Why? The reason was simple.
“You there?”
“Yes?”
“Your foot’s sticking out.”
“S-sorry.”
“No, I’m not saying you did anything wrong. I’m just telling you to watch out—you could get hurt by a passing cart. Understood?”
“Yes! Yes! Thank you for your concern!”
The people managing them all looked like bandits who had probably torn a tiger apart with their bare hands at least once.
“H-hey, you there… hero?”
“I’m not a hero, I’m a merchant member. Yes? What is it?”
“W-we got here before the people loading the cargo….”
“Huh? Hold on a second.”
The bandit checking the order scratched his head, his expression suddenly turning sheepish.
“Ugh. Sorry about that. What am I supposed to do now…? If I report it, I’ll get beaten half to death. Grr….”
Seeing the bandit’s face go pale, the merchant flinched. Then, when even veins started standing out in the bandit’s eyes, the merchant hurriedly spoke up.
“N-no, it’s fine. I-I was only mentioning it. We can wait and load ours later.”
“Hm? You don’t mind?”
“Of course not! Naturally, yes! Hahaha. We’ve got time to spare.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to repay you! Then go and stand over there. I’ll have yours loaded next!”
“Thank you, thank you!”
Being pushed back because of a mistake was not something to thank anyone for. And yet the merchant kept bowing over and over as if he were truly grateful.
“……”
Watching that scene in silence, Baek Cheon opened his mouth as if he had something to say, then turned his head away instead.
But the sight that met him when he looked elsewhere wasn’t exactly pleasant either.
“So how much money came in yesterday?”
“I’ve recorded it here in the ledger.”
“Hmm.”
Hyun Young took the ledger with practiced ease and flipped through it.
If that were all, there would be nothing special about it. As Mount Hua’s Finance Elder, it was only natural that he would be responsible for checking Maehwado’s accounts.
That was, of course, unless the one handing over the ledger so politely was the Green Forest King.
“Hmmmmmm. Did you study accounting separately, by any chance?”
“Haha. Isn’t it basic knowledge?”
“It’s very precise.”
“You won’t find a single coin out of place. The most important thing for an ongoing relationship of trust is honesty, after all!”
“Indeed, indeed. It’s been a long time since I’ve entrusted work to someone so reliable. Though… if the Eunha Merchant Guild drops by from time to time to check the books, I’d appreciate it if you could understand that.”
“Why, of course! They’re always welcome.”
“Hahaha. Just as I heard, you’re a real hero.”
“Hahahahaha. That’s nothing compared to you, Finance Elder.”
Im So-byeong clasped Hyun Young’s hand tightly.
“Please, I’m counting on you!”
“Well… hahah. Of course. Hahahahaha.”
Baek Sang, who had been watching from the side, jolted and whispered to Baek Cheon.
“S-sahyung. Just now, that… that hand….”
“Silence.”
“Yes?”
“Close your mouth.”
“……”
Baek Cheon had seen it clearly too. Something heavy-looking had appeared in the money pouch in Hyun Young’s hand the moment he clasped Im So-byeong’s hand and let go.
After confirming that Hyun Young even coughed into his fist and tucked the pouch away against his chest, Baek Cheon squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head.
I saw nothing.
That was just how the world worked. The world.
Still watching the lively dock, Baek Cheon’s eyes darkened slightly.
“Soon….”
“Yes?”
“We’ll need to prepare.”
“Prepare for what?”
Baek Sang asked back, but Baek Cheon only smiled faintly without answering.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Late at night.
With a lone bottle of liquor dangling in his hand, Chung Myung stepped out of the room. The lights in the halls were still blazing brightly.
“Hmm.”
After looking around at the well-lit surroundings, Chung Myung quietly changed direction.
This place was too bright to drink in peace.
His steps took him toward the river. Passing through thick reeds and walking for quite a while, he reached a stretch of bank where few people ever came.
Swishhh…
The river water surged forward, then drew back again and again.
Chung Myung sat down somewhere suitable and took a swig from the bottle.
“Hah.”
After a while, he set the bottle down a little roughly, and his face had twisted into a strange expression.
He flopped backward onto the ground, and the moon hung bright and round in the middle of the night sky above him.
I don’t get it.
Things were going well. Mount Hua had gained fame, gained practical benefit, and gained legitimacy as well. Through everything happening along the Yangtze, the Heavenly Alliance would firmly establish its footing.
Something that should have taken at least ten more years had been accomplished in barely a month.
So naturally, he should have been glad. This was exactly what Chung Myung had wanted all along.
But….
“This is suffocating.”
It felt as if a boulder had been placed on one corner of his chest.
Was it because he was afraid of, or burdened by, what Jang Il-so was doing in Jiangnan?
No. It wasn’t that.
He couldn’t even understand the cause himself. Ever since he had clashed with Jang Il-so, this nameless heaviness had refused to leave him.
Something he couldn’t explain….
“Where’s the sword?”
“Whaaaaat—!”
Startled out of his skin, Chung Myung rolled out of the spot and sprang to his feet.
“Damn it, you scared me! Are you a ghost? Huh? You a ghost?”
“……Where’s the sword?”
Yu I-seol had somehow approached close enough to stand right beside him, looking at him with a blank expression.
Even if he hadn’t been on guard, how could she have gotten this close without a single sound…? Ah, right. This woman had always been like that.
“Why the sword?”
“Draw it.”
“Huh?”
Shrrrrk.
In that instant, Yu I-seol slowly drew the Plum Blossom Sword at her waist and pointed it at Chung Myung.
At the sudden move, Chung Myung frowned.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“A spar.”
“……With me?”
“Yes.”
Yu I-seol nodded firmly. Chung Myung let out a long sigh.
“I’m not in the mood for that right now, so I’ll deal with you later. Today, I….”
That was when it happened.
Fshaaaaah!
A chilling sword aura burst from Yu I-seol’s blade. It shot out without the slightest hesitation and scraped past right beside Chung Myung’s face.
“……”
Shocked, Chung Myung wiped at his cheek with a blank expression. His fingertips came away red with blood.
“……An accident?”
“There won’t be a second.”
“……”
Chung Myung barked out a laugh. Then, with a faint twist of his mouth, he slowly drew the Hidden Plum Sword from his waist.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I’m in a pretty damn bad mood right now.”
“……”
“You’d better be ready to get your ass kicked.”
“Arrogant.”
Yu I-seol’s eyes cooled even further.
“As a junior disciple.”
“Oh? Then let’s see just how amazing Sago’s skills really are….”
Yu I-seol kicked off the ground and lunged before Chung Myung could even finish speaking.
A frightfully cold killing intent burst from her eyes.