The Benefactor of the Sacheon Tang Clan (2)
Heuk Du-gyeom looked taken aback by my words.
It was only natural.
He had no connection whatsoever to the Nanbal Gwanggeom.
"What's wrong?"
"Ahem, well... Our leader is currently away on business."
"Then we'll head up to the mountain stronghold and wait there."
"Our stronghold is a bit cramped, so accommodating so many people might be difficult."
Nok-a Mountain's stronghold is cramped?
What nonsense.
I knew better—I'd been there myself.
It could easily hold twice our group's size without issue. And as far as I knew, Escort Leader Hong Im was aware of that fact too.
Sensing something off just as I did, he took a step back.
I turned to Heuk Du-gyeom.
"I've visited the Nok-a Mountain stronghold before, so I know it's built on a fairly spacious clearing. For you to claim it's too small and bar our entry..."
I continued.
"How should I take that?"
"That's..."
"This is hardly a warm welcome, is it?"
His face twisted in panic as he tried to mumble an excuse.
"T-truth is, our stronghold's been in a rough spot lately."
"Rough how?"
"I can't say."
"Come on, we've known the Nanbal Gwanggeom leader for years now... This stings a bit. Don't we need to know so we can plan accordingly?"
At that, Escort Leader Hong Im chimed in.
"As the young master says, our Cheongin Escort Agency has built a solid rapport with the Nanbal Gwanggeom leader over the years. To cast that aside so coldly—it's disappointing."
Hong Im then glanced subtly over my shoulder.
He'd noticed two of the warriors who were always at my side were missing.
Having caught on to my intent right away, he'd been buying time.
"Come on now, have a seat and wet your throats at least. On second thought, I should've offered you a drink from the start."
Wine and snacks were laid out, and Heuk Du-gyeom and his men naturally settled in front of them.
In truth, alcohol was one of the things strictly forbidden during an escort mission.
Enemies had a knack for striking when guards were down from drink.
But there were times when booze was necessary.
The biggest reason: it dulled the pain of the wounded.
That's why we always carried some—and the bottle brought out now was exactly that kind.
As expected from its purpose, it was ferociously strong firewine.
Hong Im uncorked the bottle.
Pop!
At the same time, the potent aroma hit, and Heuk Du-gyeom's throat bobbed visibly.
Bandits sure couldn't resist the bottle.
"Please, help yourselves."
"Then I'll have one. Haha!"
He caved in the end.
I smirked at Hong Im, who nodded back.
About half a shichen later—roughly an hour—my senses picked up Seo-u and Jin Yu approaching.
Followed by the presences of those trailing them.
Finally.
The moment that man who'd called himself Heuk Du-gyeom revealed himself, I'd quietly sent them to the Nok-a Mountain stronghold.
Soon, a man with disheveled hair led a band into view.
"So, where's the bastard impersonating one of my stronghold's own?"
The Nanbal Gwanggeom leader.
Madness gleamed in his eyes.
I pointed at Heuk Du-gyeom, and upon spotting the Nanbal Gwanggeom, Escort Leader Hong Im rose and cupped his fists in salute.
"It was a struggle to hold them."
Heuk Du-gyeom and his crew, mid-drink, were utterly flustered by the sudden turn.
"So these are the ones who've been using my name to skim passage fees all this time?"
I shrugged.
"Couldn't say. I just sent someone to confirm if they were really from you, that's all."
I tossed the ball in his court.
"The judgment's yours."
Did he just say...?
'All this time'?
That meant the leader had long known about Heuk Du-gyeom's scams.
No wonder the Nanbal Gwanggeom was pissed.
That's why he'd rushed here in under an hour.
At my words, the Nanbal Gwanggeom grinned.
"Wasn't asking you. Just muttering to myself in disbelief."
Then he turned to his subordinates.
"Lads, drag 'em away."
"Yes, sir!"
The matter wrapped up in seconds.
They were already woozy from the firewine—fat chance of fighting back properly.
His men beat them to a pulp and bound them tight.
They looked like silkworm cocoons, trussed up so securely.
The Nanbal Gwanggeom eyed them coldly before turning to us.
"I know Escort Leader Hong here, but who's this?"
I saluted and replied.
"I'm Eun Seo-ho, young division head of the Eunhae Merchant Group and lord of Hyeonpung Province."
"Nanbal Gwanggeom, leader of Nok-a Mountain."
"I've heard of your famous name."
"The madman with the wild hair?"
I chuckled.
"You know it well."
The others looked baffled at my response, but I knew better.
The Nanbal Gwanggeom prided himself on being a madman—that was why he bore the title with such relish.
He burst into roaring laughter, just as I'd figured. He loved it.
"Not your average sort, are you?"
"Not on your level, leader."
Then Escort Leader Hong Im held out a pouch.
"Here's the passage fee."
The Nanbal Gwanggeom took it, pulled out half the contents, and handed them to a subordinate.
He tossed the remaining half back to Hong Im.
Thud!
Hong Im caught it, and the leader said,
"That's your finder's fee."
"Pardon?"
"Thanks to you lot, I nabbed those bastards. Can't just let that slide without some gratitude."
"My thanks."
"See you next time."
With that, the Nanbal Gwanggeom and his men hauled Heuk Du-gyeom's crew away from our camp.
Watching them go, Palgap remarked,
"Still a good leader, though. Giving us half as a reward like that."
As I opened my mouth to reply, someone beat me to it.
Seo-u Warrior.
"That's standard."
"Pardon? All leaders do that?"
"Not all. But if you value your life..."
Seo-u elaborated.
"Truth is, the deal between strongholds and escort agencies is a clear give-and-take."
The bandits provide "order" by reining in and cleaning out the riffraff, ensuring safe passage for travelers.
In return, travelers pay the "passage fee."
But we'd tipped them off to the troublemakers they needed to handle, saving them the legwork—so they paid us for it.
If the accounts weren't square, resentment built up, leading to fights. Bad for everyone.
Some might say bandits lose more, but escort agencies took a hit too.
Delays meant compensating clients.
Palgap nodded.
"Got it."
Former escort himself, Seo-u knew the dynamics well.
"Wonder what'll happen to that Heuk Du-gyeom and his lot?"
I answered.
"Nothing good."
They'd earned it—no pity needed.
Still, curious.
Would they sever their limbs and sell them to the mines as slaves, like in my past life?
Or just kill them outright?
In this life, Heuk Du-gyeom had been caught months earlier than before.
It'd ripple into future events, no doubt.
But I couldn't just let him slide.
He was blatantly disrupting the trade routes, after all.
The next morning, we hit the road again and soon entered Wudang Sect territory.
Hong Im announced to the group.
"From here on, it's the Sword-Unsheathed Zone! Everyone, stow your weapons in the luggage!"
"Yes, sir!"
When passing Wudang's gates, anyone not of the sect had to unbelt their sword and pack it away.
They said it honored the sect's founder, Jang Sam-bong. Fail to comply, and Wudang's masters would chew you out and ban you for life.
Having to disarm here meant, put another way, it was safe even without weapons.
As everyone busily unbuckled and loaded swords onto the horses, Palgap asked,
"But say someone has no luggage or horse—how do they disarm then?"
Seo-u Warrior replied,
"Wear it upside down. Counts as unsheathed."
"Ah, got it!"
We passed through the Sword-Unsheathed Zone.
Sichuan drew nearer.
Sichuan Tang Clan Patriarch Dang Gyu-jeong received unexpected news from a subordinate.
"What? Eun Seo-ho, young division head of Eunhae Merchant Group, is in Sichuan now?"
"Yes, that's right."
Nearly two years prior, his youngest son Dang Jo-woong had nearly been kidnapped.
The threatened wet nurse had fled with the boy, and his guards fell into a trap the kidnappers had deliberately set, losing the trail.
They'd figured the tracking scent would lead them anywhere.
But when Eun Seo-ho showed up at the Tang Clan with Dang Jo-woong in tow, that complacency shattered.
The tracking scent on the wet nurse and boy had vanished without a trace.
Without Eun Seo-ho's rescue, Dang Gyu-jeong would've lost his youngest forever.
Even now, the thought chilled him.
He'd interrogated the captured Formless Gate thugs Eun Seo-ho had brought in and learned they'd planned to ransom the boy.
But no matter the torture, they wouldn't reveal how the tracking scent had been neutralized.
That was a major issue.
It implied the secret had leaked somewhere.
Through this, Eun Seo-ho became not just Dang Gyu-jeong's, but the entire Sichuan Tang Clan's benefactor.
A great one at that.
The Tang Clan, derided as cowardly for their poisons and hidden weapons.
What let them stand as a prestigious martial house? Their ironclad principle: repay favors twofold.
Of course, they repaid grudges the same way.
Thus, returning this debt was a matter of Tang Clan honor and pride.
That's why they'd sent people multiple times to bring Eun Seo-ho to the clan.
But they'd failed every time, leaving him anxious—until Eun Seo-ho's letter arrived.
Couched in impeccably polite phrasing, it promised a visit someday when the time was right, asking them not to overexert themselves.
So they'd waited. And waited.
Now, the time had come.
Dang Gyu-jeong rose.
"He's in Sichuan—I won't let him leave without a proper welcome. I'll go myself."
"Understood."
"What’s Jo-woong up to?"
"The young master is training in martial arts."
"Good. He'll be thrilled to hear this."
Upon reaching Sichuan, I headed straight for the branch where my uncle was stationed.
"It's been too long!"
"How have you been, Uncle?"
"Doing great. You've grown even taller and more handsome in the meantime—Sichuan's ladies will be lining up."
"Haha, you're too kind."
I exchanged greetings with my aunt, my two older cousins, and my younger cousin Ryeo-ok.
"Looks like Older Sister Hyang-ok is at Ami Sect."
"Yeah, she's deep in secluded training, chasing a new insight."
"I see."
Seemed the prior incident—when the branch's lead warrior had been bribed by Dan Clan merchants—had toughened them all up.
The Sichuan branch felt more solid now.
"I'll need to visit the Uljin Merchant Group starting tomorrow."
"For the saltpeter, right?"
"Yes."
"But..."
"...?"
Uncle wore a knowing half-smile.
"Do you really think you can make it to Uljin tomorrow?"
"Pardon?"
"The Sichuan Tang Clan is more tenacious and thorough than you might expect."
Just then, a frantic gate guard rushed up to the branch entrance.
He prostrated himself and shouted,
"Branch head! The Sichuan Tang Clan patriarch himself is here!"
What? The patriarch came in person?
I glanced at Uncle, who chuckled.
"Told you."
I was speechless.
I'd figured they'd send another invitation at most—not that the patriarch would show up himself.
No choice but to head to the reception hall.
A middle-aged man sat there sipping tea. His presence was overwhelming.
Given who he was, Uncle and I saluted respectfully.
"First time meeting you. I'm Eun Myeong-sang, head of the Eunhae Sichuan branch. Thank you for visiting."
"First time. I'm Eun Seo-ho, young division head of Eunhae Merchant Group and lord of Hyeonpung Province."
The man stood.
"Sichuan Tang Clan Patriarch Dang Gyu-jeong."