The Guest House
The old district of Luoyang.
A secret gathering of the Spring of Luoyang.
"Just now, Manager Yuk of the Law Protection Court—the legal officer responsible for the Yongbongjihoe Arena Construction Site—submitted his first investigation report to the Supreme Operations Committee."
Yeon So-hyeon relayed the contents of the report that had been immediately brought to him to the chivalrous warriors assembled before him.
"Further investigation is deemed unnecessary."
No cheers erupted.
Instead, the moment the First Young Master's words ended, sighs of relief burst forth from every corner of the room.
"Haa…"
"…Thank the heavens."
They had long since steeled themselves to throw away even their lives for the sake of righteousness, for the sake of calling spring to Luoyang. Yet facing the very real possibility that the Luoyang Sword Family itself might begin hunting them in earnest was an entirely different matter.
Most of them had barely been able to breathe under the weight of that tension.
"All of this is…"
One of them offered his gratitude to Yeon So-hyeon.
"Surely it is thanks to the First Young Master's efforts."
The voice behind the mask was familiar. Cheong Ho-wi. The Cheong clan—an illustrious Luoyang family that had produced famous magistrates for generations and that was currently at war, alongside Yeon So-hyeon, against the factions of the Second Young Master. Cheong Ho-wi was the nephew of the clan head, a former renowned constable turned troubleshooter.
"I do not know how we can ever repay this boundless kindness."
At Cheong Ho-wi's words, every head in the room nodded without distinction.
"Thank you, First Young Master."
"You have saved our lives more times than we can count."
One among them asked Yeon So-hyeon directly:
"First Young Master, is there something you desire of our Spring of Luoyang?"
Yeon So-hyeon answered the question with a question of his own.
"You invited me to this secret gathering. What is it that the Spring of Luoyang hoped for when they invited me?"
"That is…"
"Ahem."
The men exchanged sheepish smiles. Cheong Ho-wi, who had at least some prior acquaintance with Yeon So-hyeon, stepped forward.
"Originally, our Spring of Luoyang intended to confirm whether First Young Master Yeon So-hyeon was willing to stand with us in the cause of great righteousness, and then to request his support."
Yeon So-hyeon smiled faintly.
"Support, you say."
Cheong Ho-wi hurriedly waved both hands.
"No—no. As I said, that was only our original intention. Now that we have received so much grace from you, we no longer dare to ask for anything more…"
His voice trailed off.
The smile on Yeon So-hyeon's lips deepened.
"So you are saying that support is no longer needed?"
"…That is not it either."
Cheong Ho-wi's awkwardness was plain to see. Their situation must be quite dire.
Outwardly Yeon So-hyeon kept a light smile to ease the atmosphere, but inwardly he wore a bitter one. It was not born of displeasure.
His gaze swept the surroundings.
A warehouse little better than a ruin in Luoyang's old district. Somewhere a sewer must have been exposed; a foul stench rose into the air. They called it a "secret gathering," yet the place itself was pitiful.
"First Young Master, please do not misunderstand."
"I do not."
While answering Cheong Ho-wi calmly, Yeon So-hyeon's eyes now took in the chivalrous warriors of the Spring of Luoyang themselves. Word that their benefactor was coming had clearly made them want to appear presentable. Yet the patches mending their clothes and the grease polished into the fabric by long wear could not be hidden no matter how they tried.
The support Cheong Ho-wi spoke of was, as I thought, financial after all.
To pursue great righteousness and practice chivalry was a noble thing. Yet by some subtle law of the world, a life spent pursuing that righteousness was almost inevitably accompanied by poverty.
Every one of these chivalrous warriors was a martial artist who would be treated with respect anywhere in the Central Plains. And yet they were poor. They had almost certainly emptied their entire fortunes to extend a hand to those in need.
"First Young Master."
As Cheong Ho-wi grew restless, an older warrior who had been watching quietly stepped forward.
"Please forget about that talk of support."
The old warrior's eyes were clear and pure, belying his years.
"We of the Spring of Luoyang are not ungrateful wretches, nor are we so lacking in propriety that we would demand a bundle of belongings from the benefactor who pulled us from the water."
The others nodded in agreement. They desperately needed support, yet once they accepted the reasoning they nodded freely and without reservation.
"Indeed."
"Saving us alone is already a grace beyond any reckoning."
A rough consensus began to form.
"Cheong Ho-wi was merely answering the First Young Master's question about our original purpose."
The older warrior clasped his hands toward Yeon So-hyeon.
"Separate from that, this gathering was convened solely so that we might discuss how to repay the First Young Master's grace."
Now everyone offered brief words of assent or nodded to show their agreement with the older warrior. I see. Yeon So-hyeon inclined his head. So this is how the Spring of Luoyang makes decisions. They had no designated leader; their process of reaching consensus was peculiar, if one wished to call it that.
"Therefore, if the First Young Master would only show us the path by which we may repay—"
The older warrior broke off mid-sentence and closed his mouth.
"You say you gathered to discuss how to repay my grace," Yeon So-hyeon said, raising a hand lightly for leave to speak, "yet I did not come here for the purpose of making you repay it."
"Then…?"
"I have a purpose of my own."
Il-ryeong, who had been waiting outside the building, entered and reported to Yeon So-hyeon.
"Everything is prepared."
No sooner had her words ended than the voices of the Spring of Luoyang warriors standing guard outside rang out.
"Carriages!"
"More than ten carriages approaching down the alley!"
Confusion was about to break out when Yeon So-hyeon's voice, laced with internal energy, rolled quietly through the room.
"They are carriages I prepared for all of you. Be at ease."
"…The First Young Master prepared them?"
Through a broken window frame they could see the carriages arriving one after another in the alley—carriages so luxurious that none of them would ever have ridden in one in their entire lives.
"In order to continue this gathering, I thought it best we first change locations."
Yeon So-hyeon added briefly:
"To a place more fitting for all of you."
At the meaningful smile on his lips, the others managed uncertain smiles of their own in return.
A spot from which the Valley of Sin could be seen across a small stream.
Tanryung District of Luoyang, an ultra-luxurious guest house.
Situated in the glittering heart of Luoyang's entertainment quarter, the guest house operated under a strict membership system; ordinary people could not even set foot inside. At its entrance stood a sign reading "Temporarily Closed." Yet the fundamental atmosphere of the place was unsettled in a way it had never been before—because its ownership had recently changed hands.
"You want us to send every last employee home?"
"Yes."
The woman who answered the manager was so beautiful that looking at her hurt the eyes. The greatest beauty of Sichuan. Sang-gwan Nan-hwa of Daseonrang.
She pressed a small purse of gold into the manager's hand.
"This should be more than enough for the entire staff to enjoy a day of leisure outside the city."
Feeling the weight of the purse, the manager hurriedly nodded.
"Of course! More than enough!"
"It is a gift from your new master to those of you who have long been loyal to the previous owner. Be sure to remember your gratitude."
"I will make certain every employee hears of it!"
He turned to leave at once. As his hand closed on the door handle, Sang-gwan Nan-hwa's voice came from behind him.
"…You understand, do you not?"
What he was supposed to understand, the manager did not ask. He had managed the floor of this ultra-luxurious guest house for more than a decade.
"Our entire staff saw nothing today."
For all that he looked like a lightweight, he was a man of capability. Still holding the handle, he looked back at Sang-gwan Nan-hwa and smiled.
"Because every one of us was on holiday."
That was also why she had decided to keep him on. Even so, she could not offer him only carrots.
"Your new master is fundamentally a merciful man, yet at times he can be extremely strict in accordance with his station."
A dry smile touched Sang-gwan Nan-hwa's lips.
"Should misfortune see you dismissed, what your families receive will be a sufficient consolation payment."
Not severance—consolation. Not given to them, but to their families. The manager understood perfectly what she meant. He swallowed hard and bowed his head.
"…There will never be any cause for disappointment."
Sang-gwan Nan-hwa watched until he disappeared down the staff corridor, then left herself. She stepped out into the luxurious guest corridor. Through the open ceiling she looked down into the dining hall, where cool breezes drifted in. The place was lively with the voices of people eating and drinking.
"To the spring that will one day come to Luoyang!"
Someone with a face flushed red from drink raised his cup and shouted; everyone shouted with him.
"We shall be the firewood that sees us through the long winter!"
They were the chivalrous warriors of the Spring of Luoyang. At first they had been cowed by the overwhelming luxury, standing about awkwardly; once the liquor began to flow they were busy celebrating their victory.
"They look happy."
At Sang-gwan Nan-hwa's words, Yeon So-hyeon—leaning against the corridor railing and gazing down into the dining hall—smiled.
"These are people who deserve to be happy in this moment."
One of the warriors who had spotted him raised his cup high toward Yeon So-hyeon.
"And to our benefactor, the First Young Master!"
Every warrior raised a cup toward him. Those who could not drink raised teacups instead.
"To the First Young Master!"
They had long since cast off the masks they had worn. Inside this place, guarded airtight by Yeon So-hyeon's subordinates, there was no need to worry about any accidental exposure of identity.
"…"
Yeon So-hyeon raised the cup he held toward them and drained it in one go.
"As expected of the First Young Master!"
"He knows how to enjoy his liquor properly!"
After exchanging nods with them, Yeon So-hyeon turned and leaned against the railing to look at Sang-gwan Nan-hwa.
"The staff?"
"All sent home."
Yeon So-hyeon slowly nodded.
"…These are people a great house has cultivated for generations."
He held out his empty cup to her.
"They are among the finest in their respective fields even within Luoyang. Without them, this Geum-jan-ru would be only half of what it is."
As Sang-gwan Nan-hwa took the empty cup, Yeon So-hyeon himself tilted the wine pot and poured for her.
"We ought to thank the Yi family."
The house Yeon So-hyeon had struck at the very opening of hostilities. The original owners of Geum-jan-ru had been the Yi family.
"To the Yi family, who so 'readily' handed over this splendid guest house and these outstanding employees."
Geum-jan-ru was one of the properties Sang-gwan Nan-hwa had torn from the Yi family's merchant group through blackmail.
"Then I…"
Yeon So-hyeon chuckled at her words, filled his own new cup, and raised it toward her.
"…will toast in admiration of the woman's skill that made them hand over such a splendid guest house so readily."
They raised their cups to each other and, without needing to say a word, emptied them at the same moment.
"Ahem."
Downing it stylishly had been fine, but the liquor was unexpectedly strong; Sang-gwan Nan-hwa coughed and walked off toward the opposite side of the corridor. Amused by the sight, Yeon So-hyeon looked down once more.
"Everyone, your attention."
He did not need to speak twice. All activity ceased as every face turned upward toward Yeon So-hyeon standing on the second-floor corridor.
"You have all endured much. This banquet can hardly serve as proper recompense for the sacrifices you have made until now, yet I hope it brings you even a little consolation."
Smiles appeared on every lip, and cheers broke out.
"However."
Yeon So-hyeon raised a hand.
"This was the first time any of you have collided head-on with the Sword Family. And every one of you must have felt it."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"That if things continue as they are, none of you will ever create true change—you will simply burn away and become a handful of ash."
"…"
A heavy silence settled.
"…We do not follow righteousness for the sake of change. We offer our bodies for the sake of meaning."
Someone spoke in a low voice. Another warrior continued.
"If we do nothing, nothing will change—so we stood up and raised our voices."
Yeon So-hyeon nodded, readily accepting their words.
"Indeed. It is meaningful work. And yet."
The boy's deep voice sank into their ears.
"Rather than becoming winter firewood that burns itself down to ash," his deep eyes met each of theirs in turn, "would it not be better to succeed in creating change, and for all of you to live to greet a happy spring?"
Before any answer could come, Yeon So-hyeon spoke.
"All of you."
He declared:
"From this day forward, follow me."
"For I shall bring a true spring to this Luoyang, and to this Central Plains."