Uncontrollable
The streets before Wongak Pavilion at dawn were wrapped in a silence so deep that the previous day's uproar seemed almost unreal.
Far to the east the sky was breaking open; dawn mist scattered the light in soft veils, and the blue leaves that had pushed up between the paving stones bowed their heads under beads of dew.
Inside the waiting pavilion set aside for messengers, the night-duty runners sat scattered at comfortable distances, dozing to the morning bird-song. A few who had risen a little earlier stepped out to stretch, rinsed their faces at the courtyard well, then gathered blankly around the brazier where tea-water was already heating, savoring the warmth.
Even in that lazy, peaceful atmosphere the runners kept glancing now and then toward one quiet corner of the waiting area.
"…"
Seated there were nuns of the Emei Sect.
They sat ramrod-straight, not a trace of sleep on their faces, eyes fixed unwavering on the main gate of Wongak Pavilion. They had slipped in under cover of the deep night after the previous evening's disturbance.
The runners watched them and murmured among themselves.
"After tucking their tails and bolting yesterday, to come back so shamelessly—they've got guts, I'll give them that."
"Whether you call it deep cultivation or just thick skin…"
At that moment a fresh group of Emei nuns emerged from the mist on the far side of the street—the relief shift returning from rest at the guest quarters.
"Any irregularities?"
The matron nun still carried a faintly irritable edge even after her rest.
"None, save that about half a shichen ago three maids of identical face came out and headed somewhere."
"Where did they go?"
"That far we…"
The matron nun's expression soured, yet she did not press them further. What mattered most to them was Daseonrang.
"Very well. You may return to the quarters and rest—"
Her words trailed off.
Figures had appeared at the main gate of Wongak Pavilion.
"Ugh…! I ate far too much breakfast!"
"My stomach feels a little heavy…"
"Ah, I just want to crawl straight back into bed right now."
Stepping one by one out of the mist were none other than the young women of Daseonrang. Faint traces of fatigue still lingered on their faces, yet they were fully prepared to go out.
"You lot…!"
The Emei nuns closed in rapidly, but the ladies of Daseonrang no longer flinched or shrank away.
"Halt."
The warning fell like a northern blizzard—cold and absolute.
"Unauthorized persons may approach no farther."
The Special Task Force warriors guarding the gate barred the nuns so thoroughly that they could only stamp their feet, unable even to draw near the Daseonrang girls.
"We only wish to speak with Daseonrang…!"
"Irrelevant."
The quiet pressure these warriors released was not the raw violence of the Second Young Lady's, yet it carried a chilling edge that forbade any rash move by the Emei Sect.
"Ghk…!"
"Good morning."
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa's voice was as calm and measured as ever. The matron nun's eyes flared.
"Sang-gwan Nan-hwa! You haven't by any chance forgotten your place and been up to some foolishness behind our backs, have you?"
The tallest of the Daseonrang girls, An Song-gyeong, merely shrugged one shoulder.
"Foolishness? Everything was serious discussion and decisions related to business."
"Don't tell me—without consulting the Emei Sect at all, you went ahead and made important decisions on your own?!"
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa answered in her quiet, even tone.
"Our Daseonrang has formally entered into an agreement with the First Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, and we will now participate in the joint enterprise of the First and Fourth Young Masters."
There was no need yet for the Emei Sect to learn that ownership of Daseonrang itself had changed hands. But even the portion Sang-gwan Nan-hwa chose to reveal was more than enough to make the Emei contingent leap in shock.
"What is the meaning of—?!"
The other Daseonrang girls smiled faintly and lightly backed An Song-gyeong's provocation.
"No need to worry. Do you really think we would make a decision that harms us?"
"When you speak so threateningly, people might misunderstand…"
"To make such a weighty decision on your own—have you all lost your minds?!"
The matron nun felt the world spin.
"You dare defy the Emei Sect and still feel no fear of the consequences?!"
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa tilted her head slightly.
"How strange. Listening to you just now, one would almost think the Emei Sect has no intention of allowing Daseonrang to expand its business here in Luoyang."
"That is…!"
For a moment the matron nun's tongue locked.
"Does the Emei Sect not want Daseonrang to expand at all?"
No.
That was not it.
The Emei Sect coveted Daseonrang, which was growing at a terrifying pace; they had no reason to cage that potential inside Sichuan forever. It was only that, after stepping into the Luoyang Sword Family and enduring one form of pressure after another—tangible and intangible—the matron nun had felt control over Daseonrang slipping away, and that sensation had driven her past the line into reckless words.
"No. That is not what I meant…"
"Then what did you mean?"
"This nun merely wished to keep you from doing anything foolish…"
An Song-gyeong gave a short snort of laughter.
"Just what exactly do you mean by 'foolish'?"
Because of the constant outrages the Emei Sect had visited upon Daseonrang as casually as breathing, the girls could no longer even tell at a glance where "foolish" began and ended.
"Do not press the matron so hard, Daseonrang."
What rescued the cornered matron nun was an Emei carriage that parted the mist and rolled into view.
"Everyone, calm yourselves."
From within the carriage stepped the Deputy Abbess.
"It seems the matron grew overexcited and made remarks that invited misunderstanding."
Accompanied by a retinue of administrative nuns and wearing a kindly expression, the Deputy Abbess addressed Daseonrang.
"Our Emei Sect has never intended—neither before nor hereafter—to obstruct Daseonrang's expansion of business."
She smiled with maternal warmth.
"We only wish to watch over you young ones so that you do not stray onto a wrong path."
The night before.
"In the end, if we bring down the joint enterprise of the First and Fourth Young Masters, Daseonrang becomes a horse they no longer need."
At the Grand Abbess's words the Deputy Abbess could not hide her horror.
"We are to sabotage the First and Fourth Young Masters' joint enterprise?"
Her eyelids quivered. No matter how she turned it over, the act could amount to nothing more than striking a boulder with an egg.
"Foolish girl!"
Seeing her expression, the Grand Abbess—also known as the White-Haired Poisonous Old Ghost—broke into a phlegmy cackle.
"Do you think we are the only ones who wish to see the First and Fourth Young Masters' venture collapse?"
"Ah…!"
"Even if circumstances prevent them from moving openly, there are plenty inside this Sword Family who would roll up their sleeves and help us the moment we act in their stead."
The Grand Abbess's eyes narrowed.
"That old man of Diancang I met just now is one of them."
"I see…!"
Ordinarily the Grand Abbess never revealed her true mind even to those who could be called her limbs. Moments when she explained a situation and her intentions this patiently were rare.
"We need only borrow their strength and wait for the decisive opening."
"Indeed…"
The Deputy Abbess nodded, yet still spoke with careful unease.
"But inserting ourselves into the heart of this great family's power struggle—is that not still dangerous?"
The Grand Abbess gave a short laugh.
"This is merely a contingency for the worst case."
"Then…?"
The Grand Abbess's eyes gleamed.
"So long as the Daseonrang children do not go too far, their entry into Luoyang is ultimately to our advantage—once we have them in our grasp."
Exactly so. If Daseonrang successfully established itself in Luoyang, it would mean Daseonrang could succeed across the entire Central Plains.
"Therefore, at first light tomorrow you will go to Daseonrang, soothe their tempers, and coax them."
In other words: reclaim the initiative over Daseonrang, stick close to their side, and gather every scrap of information.
"That way, the moment it becomes clear those children have been up to any foolish tricks, we can move at once, can we not?"
"…I receive your command."
"Remember this. No matter what happens, you must remain glued to those children."
The dense killing intent made the Deputy Abbess swallow dryly.
"…Yet if we go about borrowing strength here and there to sabotage the First and Fourth Young Masters' enterprise, and then Daseonrang does nothing foolish so that we never need to act—will that not leave us in an awkward position?"
"Us? Why?"
The Grand Abbess's smile stretched into a sly grin.
"By then we will already have returned to Sichuan."
The Deputy Abbess's face went blank with shock.
"Matron, apologize to these children!"
At the Deputy Abbess's order the matron nun bowed her head with a stiff face.
"…I am sorry."
The Deputy Abbess shot the matron a displeased look, then turned a gentle smile upon Daseonrang.
"…Her concern for you ran too deep, and the matron let excessive words slip out."
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa shook her head.
"Not at all. It is understandable."
"How broad-minded you are…!"
Once the apology had been accepted so readily, the Deputy Abbess spoke in a coaxing tone.
"Might you tell me under what conditions you struck your bargain with the First Young Master of the Sword Family? Yesterday while touring the estate I spotted a fine tea-house with a lovely view."
"That is…"
The Daseonrang girls exchanged wry smiles.
"As expected, that would be difficult, would it not?"
Seeing their reaction the Deputy Abbess quickly waved a dismissive hand.
"In that case…"
She had never truly expected them to reveal the contract terms so easily.
"Then would you at least arrange a meeting between the Grand Abbess and the First Young Master of the Sword Family? If you merely prepare the occasion, we will ask nothing more of you."
Spare Daseonrang further difficulty—and in return, arrange the seat. The true meaning was clear: bypass the girls entirely and open direct talks with the First Young Master.
"Pff—!"
At last a laugh burst from An Song-gyeong's lips.
Before the Emei nuns could even show their fluster, the rest of Daseonrang began laughing one after another. The sudden peals of laughter made the Deputy Abbess's brows draw tight.
"…Whatever the reason may be, this is behavior most offensive to the one you face. Have you forgotten who this nun is?"
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa, who had been smiling wryly at her companions' laughter, shook her head.
"It seems you are still laboring under a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding…?"
The night before.
A warrior asked the former sect leader of Diancang as the old man returned to his quarters.
"Bringing down the First and Fourth Young Masters' joint enterprise… Can that old crone truly play so large a role?"
At the words the former sect leader's eyes went wide; then a great laugh exploded from him.
"That old crone—against that devilish First Young Master?"
He laughed a long while, then wiped the tears from his eyes.
"She is no ordinary piece herself, so she will surely have at least one hidden trump. But…"
The former sect leader bared yellowed teeth in a smile.
"What our lord and the great strategists actually desire is not the collapse of the First and Fourth Young Masters' joint enterprise."
"A misunderstanding? What do you mean by that?"
Faint anger was beginning to gather on the Deputy Abbess's face. Sang-gwan Nan-hwa let out a small sigh.
Should one call them arrogant, or simply ignorant of their own place?
Her lips parted.
"Does the Emei Sect still believe it can control this situation?"
"…We are not trying to control anything. We merely wish to hold a conversation."
Struck squarely on the vital point, the Deputy Abbess's answer came late.
"Then why not seize the opportunity yourselves?"
"Ourselves?"
Puzzlement rose on the Deputy Abbess's face at Sang-gwan Nan-hwa's words.
At that very moment—
"Clear the path and bow your heads! The First Young Master of this house approaches!"