Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Ariyeong of the Maemul Merchant Guild
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As I turned around, Geom Mojam approached.
"Shall we head out?"
"You've made contact ahead of time, right?"
"Yes. They've finished preparations and are waiting for us."
"Then let's go."
Geom Mojam hesitated for a moment before replying.
"Understood."
That assassination attempt seemed to have left a massive trauma on Geom Mojam. The occasional smiles he used to show had vanished, replaced by prolonged silence. He spent his breaks practicing swordsmanship or honing his jujutsu. I wanted to stop him, but decided to watch for now.
As the carriage slowly set off, the retainers began to move. Leaning back against the seat, I covered my lower abdomen with a blanket. Pain still shot through me every time I walked or moved. Riding a horse was out of the question, so I had to stick to carriages or palanquins, which meant giving up on leading the expedition myself.
The carriage entered Chang'an Fortress but headed not toward the inner citadel where my residence was, but to the outer citadel. It was where the common folk and low-ranking officials lived—a place teeming with far more people coming and going than the inner citadel. Because of that, the carriage slowed down. Amid Geom Mojam's voice ordering vigilance around us, the carriage paused briefly before picking up speed again. The streets were narrow, flanked by countless two-story buildings, so I could imagine just how tense Geom Mojam must be. Finally, after passing through the constricted alleyway, the carriage came to a stop. Moments later, Geom Mojam opened the door at the back.
"No suspicious figures in sight."
I descended slowly from the carriage, and right in front of me stood a massive gate. It held its own against the mansions of nobles, but the difference was the endless stream of porters and merchants bustling in and out. Above it hung a signboard revealing what this place was.
"Maemul Merchant Guild!"
It was the headquarters of Goguryeo's largest merchant guild. It was also home to Ariyeong, who was supporting me wholeheartedly on the orders of the Celestial Maiden residing in Gukdong Daehyeol. Beyond the financial backing—which was secondary—I could easily gather intelligence and send swift, precise messages through the guild's merchant network. I'd been trying to meet her all this time, but one thing after another had kept delaying it. Finally, we were meeting.
The only known detail about Ariyeong, who effectively ran the Maemul Merchant Guild, was that she was a young woman. Yet in just a few years, she'd played a pivotal role in the guild's explosive growth. We'd exchanged many messages, but this was the first time she'd requested a meeting. Sensing something unusual, I'd come straight here.
As Geom Mojam and the retainers scanned the surroundings, I stepped inside the Maemul Merchant Guild. The vast courtyard was piled high with goods from every corner of the nation, as well as from Silla, Baekje, and even Wa. Merchants wearing hoods and balancing loads on their backs hurried to and fro. Some haggled, others inspected the stacked wares. Deeper in the courtyard stood another wall with a gate in the center, guarded by a stocky man in a brown hood. Gold earrings dangled from his ears. As I approached, he bowed respectfully.
"I'm Hwang Gil, Chief of Central Administration, sir."
The title "Chief of Central Administration" still felt awkward, making me pause slightly. Hwang Gil stepped aside and gestured to the door.
"The lady is waiting."
"Lead the way."
His eyes weren't bloodshot, and he carried himself with discipline, so I felt at ease. Hwang Gil opened the door and led me inside, turning left. We walked along a passageway formed by upright wooden planks like walls, and soon a smaller door appeared on the right. He stopped in front of it and stepped aside.
"This way."
Geom Mojam opened the door to check inside.
"It's fine."
"Thanks."
I entered, and a narrow, elongated garden came into view. In the center was a small pond where fish swam leisurely. The surroundings were an open colonnade of pillars without walls. Braziers placed at intervals drove away the chill. In the middle rose a slightly elevated platform with a wooden floor. Inside sat a woman in a red skirt and jacket. As I approached, she rose slowly.
"Welcome. I'm Ariyeong of the Maemul Merchant Guild."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Yeon Namsaeng, Chief of Central Administration."
"Please, come in. I've prepared tea."
I removed my shoes and stepped inside, where a long table and chairs sat atop earthen tiles. At one end of the table was a small brazier with a kettle on top. Ariyeong, in her red skirt and jacket, stood up. Her sharp eyes, long eyelashes, and fair skin marked her as a classic 21st-century beauty. In Goguryeo, they favored slightly plump figures for beauty, so she transcended eras. Aside from knowing she was young, there was little information about her, making this meeting all the more intriguing. She straightened the gold-embroidered collar of her garment and gestured to a seat.
"It's still quite cold out, isn't it?"
"It'll take some time before the weather warms up."
She lifted the kettle from the brazier and poured tea into a cup adorned with a lotus flower. Hot steam rose like mist.
"I heard General Yang Man-chun set out on expedition today."
"He'll bring good news soon enough."
"He'd better. The one-wheeled and two-wheeled carts you made are serving our guild's merchants well."
"Glad to hear it. I've relied on the Maemul Merchant Guild's help a great deal myself."
"It was on the Celestial Maiden's orders. She said you're the one who'll change Goguryeo's fate, so we must aid you with our lives."
A trace of loneliness crossed Ariyeong's face as she spoke. Understanding her feelings fully, I let out a quiet sigh.
"With National Academy Scholar Lee Mun-jin passed away, only you, I, and the Celestial Maiden of Gukdong Daehyeol know I came from the future."
"That's a heavy burden. Ever since the Celestial Maiden chose me as a child, my dream was to become a shrine maiden."
"Like the shrine maidens of the inner citadel?"
"Yes. At six years old, I was foraging for herbs in the mountains with friends."
She fell into thought, recalling that time, then spoke.
"That's when we saw someone approaching."
"Who was it?"
"The Celestial Maiden. She climbed up to the ridge where we were gathering herbs and looked us over with a gentle smile. Then her eyes settled on me."
"And after that day, you became a shrine maiden?"
She nodded with a smile at my question.
"I said goodbye to my family and went to Gukdong Daehyeol in the inner citadel. There, I underwent the training to become a shrine maiden. From then on, my dream was to serve the High Gods and Buyeo Gods for life."
"But that dream fell apart because of me."
She sighed deeply at my words.
"One day, the Celestial Maiden called me and said I must help a noble guest from the distant future."
"And so you came to the Maemul Merchant Guild."
"On her introduction. For years, I've worked here waiting for you."
"Thanks to the Maemul Merchant Guild, I could keep my couriers operational."
"I'm glad it helped. To understand the world's affairs, you must hear and learn the news first and fastest."
"Business is the same— to win, you have to know before others, and quicker."
Come to think of it, I hadn't named the courier service yet. I considered "Ikmunsa," but as a self-respecting writer, plagiarism didn't sit right. While lost in thought, Ariyeong set a cup of tea before me.
"It's made from tea brought from Baekje. Its subtle aroma makes it quite popular."
I took a sip, and my chest felt refreshed. One inconvenience since coming to Goguryeo was the lack of carbonated drinks like cola. This tea served as a decent substitute, though without the crispness. As I sipped the fragrant brew she mentioned, a sharp twinge hit my lower abdomen. Forcing it down, I set the cup aside. She asked,
"How are your wounds?"
"In a month or two, moving around shouldn't be an issue."
"That's a relief. The Celestial Maiden told me you have various abilities to evade assassinations, so I felt secure—until I was shocked otherwise."
"That was my carelessness."
As I spoke, I recalled Prince Go Bokseung dying in the rear garden of Bin Yeongeok Pavilion. Go Bokdeok was probably eliminated by now too. Ariyeong carefully set down her teacup.
"I hear you'll soon confront Tang."
"Tang allied with Silla to destroy Baekje and topple Goguryeo. Thirty years left. If things went as they should."
Ariyeong shuddered lightly at my words. It was the story of Goguryeo—a kingdom that had endured for centuries, existing since her birth—vanishing in mere decades.
"To me, it's like the world collapsing. The same for everyone else, of course."
"That's why I'm here to stop it. So far, so good, but the road ahead is the real test."
"I'll help with all I have. Truth be told, that's why I requested this meeting today."
"What's going on?"
"Merchants from our guild who visited Silwi and Gomakhae recently brought back intriguing reports."
"What kind?"
"The number of Tang merchants has increased, and they all seem suspicious."
"Suspicious how?"
"Not merchants at all—like warriors disguised as traders wandering about."
A chill ran down my spine the moment I heard her. One reason Goguryeo struggled in the war with Tang was the nomads. The Tujue were the most prominent, but other tribes were just as dangerous.
"Any idea why they're doing this?"
"We've looked into it discreetly, but no concrete evidence yet. However..."
She trailed off briefly before continuing.
"They're gathering young men from the tribes."
"Young men?"
"Yes. Youths skilled at riding and archery."
Her words made the situation click instantly.
"They're recruiting mercenaries."
"Seems that way."
"They could use Tujue as frontline shields, so why stir up Gomakhae and Silwi specifically?"
I took a sip of tea while awaiting her answer. Staring at her cup, Ariyeong replied.
"I had them investigate out of curiosity, but we haven't found answers yet."
Muttering quietly to myself after hearing her out,
"It's time to turn our attention north."
If Yang Man-chun's expedition succeeded and we took Adan Fortress, Silla would be pushed out of the Ari River basin. Their exchanges with Tang would be all but severed. Coupled with successive defeats, internal chaos would mount—they'd have achieved our goal. Having decided inwardly, I told Ariyeong,
"I'll head north as soon as I'm healed."
"Personally?"
"I planned to go north after sorting out Silla anyway. I intended to win over Seol Yeon-ta."
She pondered my words before responding.
"Then I'll go with you."
"You too?"
"The Celestial Maiden said I must always assist the Chief of Central Administration."
I started to say it wasn't necessary, but her eyes stopped me. They brimmed with determination to protect me at all costs. We agreed to depart in a month or two and wrapped up the conversation.