The Yin-Yang Fig
Early one morning, a man came to see Nam Cha-seong at the Gangso Merchant Group. He had served as Nam Cha-seong’s most trusted subordinate for many years. Yet today his demeanor was visibly unsettled.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
Until now, the man had always sent word ahead and arranged meetings at neutral locations. His sudden appearance at the residence could only mean something had gone terribly wrong.
“My lord, we have a serious problem.”
His voice trembled with worry, anxiety, and fear.
Nam Cha-seong already suspected as much. “Out with it. What happened?”
“Wang Geo-rang and So Chang-woo never returned after completing their task. When I looked into it, I discovered someone had killed them all and delivered the kidnapped people straight to the Palrosuro Army’s encampment.”
Nam Cha-seong stared at So Jeong-san, the messenger, hoping he had misheard. The man repeated the same story.
“So someone raided the human trafficking site, slaughtered everyone, and handed the victims over to the Palrosuro Army?”
The news should have been catastrophic, yet Nam Cha-seong felt neither shock nor panic.
“Yes. The slave traders were all killed as well.”
So Jeong-san’s voice wavered at the sight of his master’s unnerving calm. The fear that had gripped him began to ease.
“What about Sang Man-deok, the man Wolyeongmun sent?”
“He is dead too. We treated him like a first-rate expert because he came from Wolyeongmun, but when it mattered, he proved useless.”
“A first-rate expert… dead.”
“My lord, that is not the real issue. Wang Geo-rang and So Chang-woo may have mentioned the Gangso Merchant Group before they died.”
“They would speak of us at the trafficking site?”
“They have done this work for years. I doubt they would have slipped. But the fact that the attackers knew exactly where the deal was taking place suggests they were not passing by by chance. They were targeting us.”
“Hmm…”
“From what I gathered, our men and the slave traders were struck while they were still some distance apart. That means the attackers waited until the transaction was finished and the two groups were about to part ways.”
“They waited for them to separate?”
“It seems they already knew you stood behind the organization, my lord.”
Nam Cha-seong fell into deep thought. Lately, every illegal establishment under his control had run into trouble. Someone was clearly provoking him.
“What if the attackers simply could not strike both groups at once and chose to deal with them separately?”
“I considered that, but there was no need to kill everyone if they only wanted money. They could have eliminated the slave traders first and taken the goods before we even arrived.”
“True. Then perhaps they were after the slave traders and we were caught in the crossfire?”
“There would have been no reason to risk attacking our men after the deal was already done. No, my lord—these people want to destroy your business.”
Nam Cha-seong nodded. If that were the case, the rising new merchants in Jiangsu must be moving to seize his commercial territory.
“Sinfungjang…”
The manor had been troubling him lately.
“Pardon?”
“Recently, someone opened legal gambling houses at Taihu and Hongze Lake. Besides gambling, they also run inns, taverns, and shops selling fabrics, cosmetics, jewelry, and trinkets to the courtesans. They even have escort agencies, pawnshops, and moneylenders working in cooperation with them under different names.”
“Are you saying they are targeting you, my lord?”
So Jeong-san asked in surprise.
“I cannot be certain. But if this is not coincidence, then several of their businesses overlap with my own interests in the shadows.”
“Do they have ties to the martial world? If not, why not have Wolyeongmun deal with them?”
That would have been the simplest solution, yet one obstacle remained.
“They opened those gambling houses legally at Taihu and Hongze Lake.”
“What does that matter?”
“Receiving permission from the Governor of Jiangsu means they have some connection to him.”
“You mean killing them might draw the governor into the matter? But we also have ties to him, do we not?”
Nam Cha-seong shook his head.
“Having met someone and having a real relationship with them are two different things.”
So Jeong-san nodded without realizing it.
“We have bribed Inspector An Hyeong-tae and made contact with Governor Man Jeong-do, yet he still refused to legalize our gambling houses and moneylending operations. That tells me Sinpungjang’s connection to him is stronger than ours.”
“Then what do we do? With the human trafficking exposed to the Palrosuro Army, we must lie low for now. Our trading partners are all dead, so we will need new ones…”
Nam Cha-seong felt irritation rising. Every month the expenses remained fixed, yet profits from both his legitimate and illicit businesses were steadily declining. Still, rushing forward while enemies circled was equally dangerous.
“Raising funds will become difficult, but our legitimate businesses will not suffer major damage. We will watch how things develop. Meanwhile, we will continue pressuring Sinpungjang through Wolyeongmun. Eventually they will break.”
“Then their businesses will fall into your hands, my lord.”
“Yes. It will take time, but in the end their operations will belong to me. Once you have organized everything here, go to the Warlord Alliance and assist my third brother.”
“You mean Third Young Master Nam Sang-o?”
“There will soon be a reorganization of positions. If he is promoted this time, he may reach a post that allows him access to the martial manuals in the Warlord Alliance’s archives.”
So Jeong-san understood at once and bowed his head.
“Understood. Should I inform the Third Young Master of the situation here?”
“No need. Sang-o has his own duties. Simply help him focus on his work.”
“I will do so. Unless something urgent arises, I will remain at his side.”
“Good. And never come to my residence like this again, no matter how urgent the matter.”
“I apologize. I was too flustered and made a mistake.”
“I know your loyalty well. I say this only because our enemies may already be watching your movements.”
So Jeong-san lowered his head again.
“I was shortsighted.”
“No. I know that is not what you meant.”
Nam Cha-seong exhaled deeply as he regarded the bowed man.
“You must not have eaten breakfast, rushing here like that.”
“I have not.”
“Since you are already here, eat with me.”
“That is unnecessary. I—”
“When I invite you to dine, the answer is simply ‘yes.’ Adding one more pair of chopsticks to the table is no trouble.”
“Truly, I am fine. I can stop at an inn—”
“You are family to me. Say no more and eat before you go.”
“Then I will accept.”
“That is the proper answer. Do you understand?”
“I am sorry.”
“Enough. Business can always go wrong. Endless success is not necessarily a good thing. We grow through failure and recovery. I am simply grateful you were not harmed. So stop apologizing.”
“Your words humble this humble servant…”
“Again!”
So Jeong-san bowed once more.
“Come. You have a long journey ahead. Eat well before you leave.”
“What benefit would we gain by lying to Your Excellency? We operate our businesses openly and have promised to deliver one-tenth of the profits to you. Of course, we will also keep secret the fact that Your Excellency has long associated with certain… shadowy elements.”
Nam Sa-ik sat across from Governor Man Jeong-do inside the governor’s residence.
“Have you come to threaten me?”
Man Jeong-do’s voice was sharp.
“Threaten? We are not common thugs. If we are to walk the same path for many years, Your Excellency must remain in good health, must you not?”
Man Jeong-do narrowed his eyes. Not long ago, these men had appeared with knowledge of his every misdeed and forced him to grant permission for the gambling houses at Taihu and Hongze Lake. While the new establishments had indeed boosted the local economy, the fact that they held his secrets still left him uneasy.
Nam Sa-ik produced a small box from his robe and offered it.
“My lord instructed me to present this to Your Excellency.”
“Your master?”
“Yes. He risked his life to obtain this for you.”
Nam Sa-ik handed over the box. Man Jeong-do regarded him with suspicion.
“Open it.”
Man Jeong-do lifted the lid carefully. A sweet fragrance filled the room, bringing an immediate sense of calm. Inside lay a single flower petal.
Even from the scent alone, he could tell this was no ordinary herb.
“What is this?”
“Have you heard of the Yin-Yang Fig?”
“The Yin-Yang Fig?”
“It is the greatest of all legendary spiritual herbs…”
Nam Sa-ik explained the properties of the Yin-Yang Fig, then gestured to the petal.
“Consuming it grants not only longevity but also boundless vitality, even at night.”
“Is that true?”
“I never speak falsehoods that can be exposed. Spend tonight with your wife, and you will find tomorrow’s breakfast tastes different. Spend it with a concubine, and word of your remarkable vigor will spread throughout Jiangsu by morning.”
“Hmm…”
Convinced the fragrant petal was not poison, Man Jeong-do reached for it.
“Wait!”
Nam Sa-ik stopped him in alarm.
“It will melt upon contact with your hand and become useless. Bring the box to your lips and touch the petal with your tongue. The medicinal effect will enter through your tongue.”
“Is that so? Can I truly trust this?”
“I told you when we first met. We wish to walk through life with Your Excellency as companions, sharing both joy and hardship.”
Seeing no deceit in Nam Sa-ik’s eyes, Man Jeong-do brought the box to his mouth and touched the petal with his tongue. As Nam Sa-ik had said, the petal melted instantly, and a surge of energy flowed into his body.
At that moment, Nam Sa-ik moved behind him and pressed several acupoints.
“What are you—”
“Do not worry. I am merely helping you absorb the medicine completely.”
Nam Sa-ik used his internal energy to guide the medicinal effects through Man Jeong-do’s body. In doing so, the governor naturally realized that Nam Sa-ik was a formidable martial artist.
After nearly an hour, Nam Sa-ik released the acupoints and returned to his seat.
“Hmm…”
Man Jeong-do could already feel the changes in his body. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but a faint fragrance seemed to emanate from him, and his limbs felt lighter.
“How do you feel?”
“Quite good. My body feels lighter.”
“Then all is well. Enjoy a pleasant night with your wife tonight. You will see that my words were no lie.”
“With my wife?”
“If you visit a concubine first, your wife will grow jealous. It is better to spend the first night with your legitimate spouse. Besides, it will look proper to others. I am certain her attitude toward you will change dramatically afterward.”
“Very well. Might I meet this master of yours someday?”
“I will convey Your Excellency’s words to him. This, by the way, is one-tenth of this month’s gambling profits. We also operate a pawnshop, but the ledgers are still unsettled, so I brought a note from the Gangso Merchant Group’s establishment instead.”
“I will not refuse. Thank you.”
“It is nothing. As I said earlier, we wish to be lifelong companions. Fulfilling our promises to one another is only natural. If Your Excellency had refused, we would have felt uneasy.”
“Is that so? Your words are appreciated. I hear there have been several incidents since you opened the gambling houses. Is everything all right?”
“Some water bandits from the canal tried to cause trouble, but we handled them. Ordinary citizens will not be affected, so you need not worry.”
Man Jeong-do nodded.
“If you say so, I will trust you.”
“Thank you. Should you ever require our assistance, we will gladly provide it.”