The Ambition to Be the Best Under Heaven
“Thank you.”
When Cheonhwa returned to the Haedong Merchant Group, the first words he heard from his grandfather, Yi Sang-woo, were words of gratitude.
“Not at all. It was something I had to do, and besides, once Cheon-sang recovers, it will be good for the merchant group as well.”
“Yes. I am grateful that you think that way. If it were not for you, the future of our main house would have vanished.”
“There are So-ryong and Jin-hwa as well. And once Cheon-sang is fully cured and learns martial arts to protect himself, the merchant group will flourish even more.”
Yi Sang-woo nodded.
“I am somewhat aware that changes have been happening since you entered this household. Why are you putting in so much effort?”
It was the first time Yi Sang-woo had asked Cheonhwa such a question.
“I mentioned it before. Mother said that if I ever faced hardship in the Central Plains, I should seek help from my maternal family. Yet the rumors about my maternal family were not so favorable.”
“And so?”
“According to the rumors, Mother’s scheme of pitting two tigers against each other caused the Wulin Alliance’s power to plummet, and as a result, she enabled the unorthodox sects to rise. Because of that, the Wulin Alliance has been secretly pressuring the Haedong Merchant Group, her maternal family……”
“No. That is not it.”
“Pardon?”
“It was because I withdrew from all affairs after hearing that Hwarin had played both sides that the Wulin Alliance began to oppress our house. It was not the other way around.”
Cheonhwa looked at Yi Sang-woo.
“So do not harbor any other thoughts.”
At those words, Cheonhwa smiled brightly, understanding what Yi Sang-woo was worried about.
“Do not worry. I am not that foolish. Besides, Father always told me to know my place before fighting.”
“Know your place before fighting?”
“He said that charging into a fight you are certain to lose is recklessness, and refusing to fight even when you can win is arrogance.”
“Arrogance?”
“Yes. We may win now, but we do not know what the future holds. That is why he said that if someone is judged an enemy, their roots must be cut from the very beginning.”
Yi Sang-woo thought it sounded just like something Cheonwoo, a man of the Demonic Cult, would say.
“He warned me that arrogance and recklessness are the same as killing oneself, and that I must always be on guard. Above all, he constantly told me that I must know myself well. Only then can I acknowledge others.”
“Acknowledge others?”
“Not only in martial arts, but also in character and knowledge. Only by learning to acknowledge others can one recognize one’s own shortcomings and use that as a stepping stone for growth. He taught me that while beating me.”
“Hahaha.”
At the mention of being beaten while learning, Yi Sang-woo could not help but laugh out loud.
“It is true.”
A smile appeared on Yi Ja-saeng’s lips.
“Who said that?”
“I really got beaten terribly. Father scolded me so much, saying I had no manners. But on an island where only three of us lived, even without manners, I never caused trouble for anyone else.”
“Young Master Cheon must have spoken with your future departure to the Central Plains in mind. That is what etiquette is. It must be ingrained in the body from childhood to appear natural. If one acts while conscious of others, one’s true nature may suddenly surface unconsciously and bewilder people.”
“Mother said the same thing. That is why, at that time, she took Father’s side instead of mine and let me get beaten to death.”
Yi Sang-woo looked at Cheonhwa, who spoke of it so casually.
Thinking of how Cheonhwa must have felt lonely growing up alone on an island, his heart ached. Perhaps the bright demeanor he showed now was because he knew that loneliness all too well.
“You rascal……”
“Ah, Grandfather. Please eat this.”
Cheonhwa took out a paper wrapped in gold leaf from his robe and held it out to Yi Sang-woo.
“What is this?”
“I stopped by Chongqing and found something good. It will restore your energy if you take it.”
What Cheonhwa offered Yi Sang-woo was one of the five petals of the Yin-Yang Fig, the same as what he had given to the Governor of Jiangsu.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Just unwrap the gold leaf and put it in your mouth. If it touches your hands, the medicinal effect will disappear.”
Looking at Cheonhwa’s face, Yi Sang-woo nodded without hesitation.
Following Cheonhwa’s instructions, Yi Sang-woo carefully opened the gold leaf and saw the petal of the Yin-Yang Fig.
He wondered what it was, but soon brought the petal to his lips.
The moment the petal touched his lips, he felt it melt and be absorbed. Cheonhwa watched the scene.
Pressing his acupoints to guide the petal’s medicinal effects would have yielded better results, but he did not do so.
Even absorbing the petal’s effects like this would not hinder recovery from illness or longevity.
“The fragrance is nice.”
“Right? Grandfather, you must live long enough to see Cheon-sang grow the Haedong Merchant Group into the greatest merchant group under heaven.”
“Haha, I understand. But what about you? What will you do?”
“Me? Of course, I will become the best under heaven. I will obtain the honor that my parents could not.”
“Then should you not go to the Wulin Alliance or the Demonic Cult instead of staying here? Without a faction, you cannot become the best in the martial world.”
“Why?”
“The title of the best in the martial world is a completed form. To reach that completed form, one must inevitably face countless battles and checks.”
Cheonhwa nodded.
“Through that process, one gains fame and recognition from others.”
“I know.”
“However, some outstanding individuals dislike seeing others surpass them. If they feel their own power is lacking, they use their factions, and if that fails, they dig traps with all sorts of slander to drag that person into ruin.”
Cheonhwa tilted his head at Yi Sang-woo’s words. Seeing that expression, Yi Sang-woo smiled and spoke.
“The best under heaven is not something one can obtain simply by excelling in martial arts, scholarship, or power.”
“Why?”
“Because it means obtaining the world itself. That is why people use the terms ‘best in the martial world,’ ‘great merchant,’ or ‘great scholar’ far more often than ‘best under heaven.’”
“Then how does one become the best under heaven? I promised my parents when I left the island.”
Watching this, Yi Sang-woo thought that Cheonhwa was still a young man who did not yet know the ways of the world.
“To become the best under heaven, one must win the hearts of the people.”
“The hearts of the people?”
“Yes. The world is the common folk. If you win their hearts, people will not hesitate to call you the best under heaven.”
“Then how do I win their hearts?”
“I do not know. If anyone knew, many would have been called the best under heaven. But until now, no one has ever been called that. Not even His Imperial Majesty, who is called the ruler of the Central Plains.”
Cheonhwa’s lips protruded forward. It was a habit that appeared whenever something displeased him.
“Aww, then I should have just aimed to be the best in the martial world instead of the best under heaven.”
“Hahaha, Cheonhwa.”
“Yes.”
“Think about how you can become the best under heaven. And try your best. In that process, you will surely gain much.”
Cheonhwa had the five petals of the Yin-Yang Fig consumed by the Governor of Jiangsu, Yi Sang-woo, Yi Ja-saeng, and the Haedong Merchant Group’s retainers, Yong-deok and Jeok-sang. He also gave the root to the young Arin, and brewed the leaves into tea so that the merchant group’s people could drink it regularly.
The inner core of the Yin-Yang Double-Headed Snake was given to Cheon-sang, who had cured his Seven Yin Body through yin-yang harmony with the granddaughter of the Life-and-Death Divine Physician. The flesh of the Yin-Yang Double-Headed Snake was shared among the members of the New Wind Squad and the Black Wind Squad.
Finally, the skin of the Yin-Yang Double-Headed Snake was being made into undergarments for the people of the Haedong Merchant Group.
Thus, a month passed, and the Governor of Jiangsu, who had greatly benefited from the Yin-Yang Fig’s petals, granted many favors to the Sinpung Manor, causing its business to flourish day by day.
As a result, the Jiangsu Merchant Group suffered direct damage. Having previously avoided direct conflict, the Jiangsu Merchant Group could no longer evade confrontation.
While the Jiangsu Merchant Group and the Sinpung Manor fought over commercial rights in Jiangsu, the Haedong Merchant Group was also gradually growing.
The Haedong Merchant Group departed on a trade journey that passed through Shandong, Henan, and Anhui before returning to Jiangsu, and Yi Cheon-sang accompanied them.
To protect the goods, all members of the Black Wind Squad were mobilized. Publicly, they were known to be traveling as escorts hired from the Black Wind Escort Agency.
When they left Jiangsu, passed through Tai’an and Funing, and entered the outskirts of Mount Yuntai, they were attacked by over twenty assailants.
Clang!
While the Black Wind Squad members fought to protect the goods against the assailants, Hyeok Cheon-gwang guarded Yi Ja-saeng, Yi Cheon-sang, and the accountants.
Yi Cheon-sang watched from Hyeok Cheon-gwang’s side as the Black Wind Squad members battled the assailants.
“Are you not afraid?”
At Hyeok Cheon-gwang’s sudden question, Yi Cheon-sang hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“I am afraid.”
“Then turn your head away for a moment. It will be over soon.”
Although the assailants had launched a surprise attack, the advantage of surprise had long since vanished. Instead, the assailants were being overwhelmed by the Black Wind Squad members.
“I am afraid, but since there are people fighting on our behalf, I intend to watch until the end.”
Hyeok Cheon-gwang looked at Yi Cheon-sang.
“In the past, whenever something like this happened, I would be so terrified that I would want to escape as quickly as possible. But after meeting Cheonhwa, my thoughts gradually changed.”
“How so?”
“Cheonhwa always showed me a confident appearance. At first, I thought it was because he was a master of martial arts, but that was not it.”
“Then what was it?”
“I still have not figured that out. But what is clear is that Cheonhwa thinks and acts positively no matter what he does.”
“Would that not be what shows a confident appearance?”
“I suppose so, but it seems there is something more to Cheonhwa.”
Hyeok Cheon-gwang nodded at Yi Cheon-sang’s words. That “something more” Yi Cheon-sang spoke of was temperament.
People are influenced by their environment as they are born and raised, and that environment shapes their temperament, which unconsciously reveals itself in their words and actions.
“And when we parted, Cheonhwa said something to me.”
“What did he say?”
“He said that since I am now an adult, I must learn to take responsibility.”
A smile appeared on Hyeok Cheon-gwang’s lips at the mention of becoming an adult.
“Although Father is here, as the young master of our merchant group, I thought that simply compensating the Black Wind Escort Agency escorts who are fighting on our behalf with money would not be enough.”
“That is a proper mindset.”
“I still have many shortcomings. Please teach me a lot, Chief Escort Cheon-gwang.”
“Rather than learning from an uneducated man like me, it would be better to strive to resemble the young master.”
Although he could not be certain of the exact relationship between these people and Cheonhwa, he knew they always called Cheonhwa “young master” and moved according to his orders.
His grandfather Yi Sang-woo and father Yi Ja-saeng seemed to know the relationship between them and Cheonhwa, but Yi Cheon-sang had not asked about it separately. He thought they would tell him when the time came.
“Thank you for your help.”
“It is our duty. It is also what the young master desires.”