The Eldest Son's Burden
Some knowledge is learned from books or through others, while other wisdom is gained through life itself.
People are called wise or foolish depending on how well they apply such knowledge to living.
Cheonhwa mulled over the words he had heard at the inn as he walked along the road.
The notion that people living in the same world could inhabit entirely different ones was both incomprehensible and strangely understandable. It struck him as rather amusing.
“Cheonhwa.”
“Hm?”
“How strong is your martial arts?”
Cheonsang’s sudden question made Cheonhwa pause to think before answering.
“Well, it’s hard to say exactly how strong one’s martial arts are. There might be a standard for it, though.”
“Really?”
“At least, that’s what I think. Even if your martial arts are strong, it doesn’t mean you won’t be defeated by someone weaker.”
“If your martial arts are strong, you should win.”
“Winning and matters of life and death are a little different, I think.”
Cheonsang looked at Baek Do-san.
“I agree with Cheonhwa. The martial world is full of countless variables. That’s why people say it isn’t the strong who win, but those who win who are strong. Of course, I don’t particularly like that saying.”
“Ah. So even the weak can defeat the strong?”
“Strength isn’t expressed solely through martial force.”
After listening to Baek Do-san, Cheonsang seemed to understand and turned back to Cheonhwa.
“Then how high is your martial arts level?”
“A bit high. I’ve had several enlightenments. Maybe that’s why Father said I probably wouldn’t go around getting beaten up.”
“Hahaha.”
Baek Do-san laughed at Cheonhwa’s words. Though he couldn’t pinpoint Cheonhwa’s exact level, he believed that unless the One Demon, Two Emperors, and Three Kings intervened, no one could force Cheonhwa to reveal all of his true martial arts.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It seems your father spoke the truth.”
Cheonsang tilted his head. He couldn’t gauge what level of skill would prevent someone from being beaten. Sensing his thoughts, Cheonhwa spoke to him.
“Once you meet the Divine Physician of Life and treat your illness, then learn martial arts, you’ll understand.”
“I’m fine, so just teach So-ryong and Jin-hwa well.”
“Don’t worry about that. They’re both diligent, so they’ll do well. Don’t worry about your younger siblings and just focus on what you can do right now.”
“What I can do?”
“Yes. Help your uncle build up the merchant group. Learn business, meet people—that sort of thing.”
Cheonsang nodded.
“Then that’s enough. The rest of us will do our best in our own areas.”
Cheonsang felt strength from Cheonhwa’s words. In the past, whenever he accompanied his father on merchant trips alone, he had always felt exhausted, burdened, and lonely. But ever since Cheonhwa arrived, having a friend to talk with made everything feel lighter, and being able to share opinions with someone was truly wonderful.
“Got it.”
When Cheonsang answered with a bright smile, Baek Do-san, who had been watching, smiled warmly.
“You two look good together.”
“Of course.”
—By the way, Cheonhwa, are you certain Cheonsang’s body is unwell?
Baek Do-san sent a sound transmission.
—I can’t be sure, but it seems like there’s a problem with his qi and blood. He suffers pain when he overexerts himself.
Baek Do-san glanced at Cheonsang walking beside them.
—Hmm……
Though he hadn’t said anything for fear of hindering their journey, Cheonsang still looked somewhat strained.
‘He’s been carrying the weight of being the eldest son since he was young.’
Baek Do-san inwardly admired Cheonsang’s patience.
Sixteen wasn’t a particularly old age. To have accompanied his father on merchant trips with such a body since childhood was truly remarkable.
He could see that Cheonsang, as the eldest son of a declining family, had endured his hardships in silence to help revive the clan.
‘A tiger cub is still a tiger……’
Their merchant group had once been powerful enough to rank among the Ten Great Merchant Groups. In martial world terms, it had stood on par with the Ten Great Clans. Though it had now fallen from its peak like a retired tiger, its cubs were striving with such determination that with a little help, they could grow rapidly in a short time. His gaze naturally shifted to Cheonhwa.
‘I can’t get a read on him at all.’
Though Cheonhwa was only sixteen, his actions were impossible to predict, as if a hundred cunning snakes lurked within him.
‘No matter how well the Young Lord and Young Lady taught him, he still lived on an island……’
The more he observed Cheonhwa, the more incomprehensible aspects he found, but he knew he wouldn’t learn the answers until Cheonhwa chose to speak.
After walking for another half-day, they arrived at Jinjiang County, where the waterways of the Yangtze River began. Upon reaching the harbor, they saw many people bustling about.
Laborers loading goods onto ships, merchants, and street vendors setting up stalls to sell boxes to them—all were working diligently. A smile formed on Cheonsang’s lips at the sight.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Just… I get excited when I see people moving about so busily.”
“Really?”
“Don’t you?”
“I’m not sure.”
After living quietly with his parents on the island and then coming to the Central Plains to mingle with many people, emotional changes were natural. Yet Cheonhwa honestly felt little stir.
Aside from a slight sense of foreignness when he first arrived in the Central Plains, his emotions remained largely unchanged.
Ever since his rebirth through enlightenment into the Heavenly Spiritual Body, Cheonhwa believed he maintained composure in any situation, resulting in minimal emotional fluctuations.
“If you meet people and talk with them, you’ll find it fun and exciting just like I do.”
Cheonsang smiled brightly.
“Let’s find a boat. I wonder if there’s one we can hitch a ride on.”
They inquired about boarding a ship together.
Though there would be space for three on a large vessel, they wanted to avoid merchant ships, so finding a suitable boat took some time.
“Why don’t you want to take a merchant ship?”
“Merchant ships are prime targets for water bandits, so they often bring trouble.”
“Then are regular passenger ships safer?”
“Passenger ships are rarely targeted, and even if they are, there’s nothing worth plundering, so they’ll let you pass for a small fee.”
Baek Do-san explained in detail.
After inquiring at several docks, they managed to board a small passenger ship.
“The ship will depart shortly. If there are any companions who haven’t boarded yet, please contact them to complete boarding. The ship departs in one gak.”
At the captain’s words, the boarding passengers moved briskly.
Cheonhwa, Cheonsang, and Baek Do-san went to the stern and secured seats.
“On small ships like this, waves can wash over the deck, so it’s best to sit at the stern.”
“I know that too. But when the waters are calm, sitting at the bow and feeling the cool river breeze is nice as well.”
“You’re right about that. Shall we move forward then?”
“No, sitting here and gazing at the river has its own charm. I like it.”
“Understood. If we get bored on the way, let’s go forward and enjoy a different kind of charm.”
* * *
Sinpungjang, which operated the gambling houses Sinpung Entertainment at Taihu and Hongze Lake, grew increasingly famous through word of mouth. Its name spread not only through Jiangsu but also to neighboring Shandong, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces, drawing people eager to gamble.
More than just a place for gambling, it was an entertainment venue like a pleasure house, attracting even larger crowds.
Among the visitors, true gamblers were rare. Most came for amusement and to socialize.
Moreover, since gambling could only be done with initially exchanged money, those who lost couldn’t simply exchange more to continue. Visitors from afar generally left satisfied after enjoying their day.
Additionally, guests could enjoy tea, alcohol, and food at Sinpung Entertainment if they wished, making it an excellent place to spend time.
Sinpungjang didn’t stop there. It also operated Sinpung Inn, allowing those who enjoyed themselves at Sinpung Entertainment to rest comfortably. This, too, spread through word of mouth.
As a result, several illegal establishments of similar nature had sprung up around Taihu and Hongze Lake.
Though these illegal gambling dens slightly impacted Sinpung Entertainment’s revenue, they themselves didn’t generate significant profits and eventually devolved into typical gambling houses focused on fleecing customers.
This situation dealt a heavy blow to the illegal gambling operations run by the Jiangsu Merchant Group, greatly aiding in its downfall.
Nam Sa-ik, the general manager of Sinpungjang overseeing Sinpung Entertainment, wore a troubled expression upon receiving a group of visitors.
“So you’re saying we should hand over the operating rights of this establishment to you?”
“It’s not that we’re asking you to hand it over for free. We’ll pay you, so just take the money and leave.”
These were water bandits from the Hongze Lake Bandits, who operated around Hongze Lake.
“This place was permitted by Lord Man Jeong-do, the Governor of Jiangsu.”
“Hah… So because the governor is behind you, you think petty threats won’t work?”
The man laughed incredulously and glared sharply at Nam Sa-ik.
“That’s not what I meant……”
“If that’s not it, then what? If you’re trying to talk your way out of this, it won’t help you much.”
“Very well. Let’s do that. If the price is right, I’ll transfer the operating rights.”
Nam Sa-ik readily accepted their demand.
When Nam Sa-ik backed down, faint smiles appeared on their faces.
“Give us one billion nyang in gold. Then I’ll hand over the operating rights to this Hongze Lake gambling house.”
“Good… Wait, how much?”
“One billion nyang in gold. You came to buy the operating rights without even expecting that much?”
Nam Sa-ik spoke as if it were obvious. The water bandits wore dumbfounded expressions before quickly shifting to menacing glares, trying to intimidate him.
“You bastard, while I’m trying to talk nicely, do I look like some harmless neighbor Mr. Jeon to you?!”
Nam Sa-ik smiled faintly at the man’s words.
“Then do I look like neighbor Mr. Wang to you? If you want to make a living through banditry on Hongze Lake, you’d better live like a dead mouse within your own waters.”
“What, you bastard!”
Nam Sa-ik sneered at the enraged man and spoke.
“This is why fools always suffer physically.”
“Has this bastard gone mad wanting to die? What did you say?”
“Your nickname is Falling Horse Sword, isn’t it?”
The man flinched.
“Why do you think Wolyeongmun is using you instead of acting directly?”
The leader of the Hongze Lake Bandits was none other than the man Nam Sa-ik was speaking with—Falling Horse Sword, Yi Il-do.
“They’re afraid of the governor. If you keep acting up, it won’t be the horse’s head that falls, but yours.”
“You bastard……”
When Yi Il-do rose from his seat and swung his fist at Nam Sa-ik, the latter, still seated, kicked the table and struck Yi Il-do’s knee hard.
“Ugh!”
As Yi Il-do cried out and lurched forward, Nam Sa-ik grabbed his collar and slammed him down, driving his head into the table.
Thud……
Nam Sa-ik then lifted his foot and pressed it against Yi Il-do’s neck.
“Chief!”
The subordinates who had accompanied Yi Il-do were startled by the sudden turn of events and tried to help, but Nam Sa-ik’s single sentence stopped them cold.
“Take one more step and your chief’s neck will break.”
“Ugh… ughhh……”
Though Yi Il-do groaned in pain, no one could save him.
“Did you think we opened this establishment without considering such disputes?”
The water bandits exchanged glances.
“Rather than us seeking you out, we were waiting for day-flies like you to come to us.”
“What do you mean…?”
“You were part of our plan from the beginning. If we wipe you all out and take Hongze Lake, we’ll make quite a profit just from collecting protection fees from the establishments here.”
“So from the start, you were targeting us……”
“We intended to dominate Jiangsu’s commercial sphere. That’s why factions like Wolyeongmun, which is allied with the Jiangsu Merchant Group, are targets for elimination.”
Yi Il-do’s body trembled slightly.
Nam Sa-ik’s voice carried no trace of fear or empty bravado.
“If Wolyeongmun falls, do you think the Warlord Alliance will stay still?”
“That’s their problem. We only need to worry about ours. Would the Warlord Alliance really believe that the foremost unorthodox sect in Jiangsu collapsed because of a gambling house we operate?”
Yi Il-do’s expression twisted involuntarily.
Desperate to escape the situation, Yi Il-do begged Nam Sa-ik for his life.
“I’d like to, but you’ve already heard our plan, haven’t you? Along with the friends standing behind you.”
The water bandits flinched at those words.
“Do you think I explained our plan to you for no reason?”
“Then……”
“If you hadn’t heard it, it couldn’t be helped. But since you did, what can we do?”
When Nam Sa-ik finished speaking, the water bandits swallowed dryly, tension gripping them.
“Tonight, the Hongze Lake Bandits will sink beneath the waters of Hongze Lake and disappear.”
The moment Nam Sa-ik finished, he pressed down harder with the foot on Yi Il-do’s neck.
Crack!