Yangyang Martial Hall (5)
I placed the contract on the table and said,
"Doesn't something seem off about this?"
"What part do you mean?"
"This contract. It must have been drawn up by the previous clan lord and the previous hall master, right?"
"That's correct."
"The hall master, I could understand, but a clan lord wouldn't typically write a contract like this. For someone managing countless people and lands, isn't it strange that it's just a single line?"
Ha Pyodu nodded at my words.
"You're right, it is odd. The previous clan lord was a renowned wealthy man in these parts. Even if he drew it up out of goodwill, someone handling that much money would always include the formalities."
Ha Pyodu shared my view.
He'd called himself my senior escort ahead of my master, so he must have seen plenty of these contracts.
That's why he picked up on my intent right away.
"I hear he was quite meticulous. And..."
Ha Pyodu continued,
"The previous hall master wasn't just some martial arts fool either."
Yeom Gwanju, listening to our conversation, nodded as well.
"Now that you mention it, it does seem strange."
I looked at the contract and said,
"There's a good chance something's hidden in this contract."
We began scrutinizing the contract inch by inch.
But no matter how thoroughly we searched, nothing stood out.
There were no uneven thicknesses, no hidden ink, and the wording was straightforward and textbook—no tricks or wordplay at all.
"Haa..."
I sighed, set the contract down, and gazed at the ceiling.
"This is tricky. It feels like there's definitely something..."
"Tell me about it."
Ha Pyodu and Yeom Gwanju leaned back in their chairs, looking a bit worn out.
Ah, staring at paper for so long? My eyes are seeing afterimages.
There has to be something here. I can't give up now.
If I quit at this point, I'd never achieve my goal of building the world's greatest merchant group.
I shook off the fatigue and examined the contract again.
Looking at the seals of the previous hall master and clan lord, I rubbed my eyes.
Still afterimages?
Oh, no, it's not.
That tiny dot on the clan lord's seal... ink splatter?
No, wait.
This isn't ink splatter.
Contracts are finalized after all terms are settled—no more changes—then stamped.
Sure, ink could drip from the brush onto the seal spot.
But this isn't a drip mark.
Drips look different from deliberate dots.
So, this tiny dot on the clan lord's seal was intentional.
Come to think of it, the seal's shape is a bit unusual too?
The two of them looked at me cautiously.
"What did you find?"
"Doesn't this seem strange?"
I pointed to the clan lord's seal and explained my thoughts. Both nodded.
"Now that you say it..."
"It does look odd."
"And this seal—the design is peculiar."
"Is it?"
It felt familiar somehow.
Like I'd seen the pattern before...
As I rotated the contract this way and that for about an hour, examining the seal's motif—
"...!"
It hit me like a bolt of lightning.
I knew what the seal's shape represented.
"I got it."
"Pardon?"
"This seal's design symbolizes West Lake and its surroundings."
Ha Pyodu and Yeom Gwanju tilted their heads, peering at the seal. As they slowly turned the contract, their faces lit up with surprise.
"Whoa!"
"I-it really is!"
Thanks to my previous life's research on the West Lake area for business in Hangzhou.
I'd wandered these parts countless times, surveyed them myself, even drawn detailed maps.
"Then this dot stamped here..."
I nodded and said,
"Yes. There's a high chance something's hidden at that spot."
.
.
.
We'd found the clue, but put off the search for a few days.
With outsiders here, the clan lord's people might be watching.
Better not alert them unnecessarily.
I left the hall master's office. Under Yeom Gwanju's guidance, we toured the grounds.
Hmm, the buildings look pretty rundown overall.
Soon, we came upon the caretakers tending to the children.
"They look busy."
"They are. Haha."
The place bore a martial hall's signboard, but it doubled as an orphanage.
Meaning a good number of the kids growing up here were still toddlers barely walking.
Even with five nannies, it seemed short-handed.
The infants still in cribs were manageable, but the ones starting to toddle wouldn't stay put.
"Mind if I lend a hand?"
"You sure?"
Yeom Gwanju said worriedly.
"Honestly, the kids won't listen well. They cry at the drop of a hat... and half the time, you don't even know why."
Why does he look like a burned-out dad?
"Not that I dislike them or anything..."
"I get it. I understand."
"Thank you for understanding."
"Anyway, no plans today, so I'll help out."
I approached the kids with Palgap. Yeom Gwanju explained me to the nannies.
"Ah! You're that sponsor from before."
"We were so grateful."
"Thank you for helping, but are you sure? Childcare's tougher than it looks."
"It's fine."
I needed to meet Great Bandit Chunil for intel, but that was a nighttime thing.
Nothing else till dinner, so might as well rack up some goodwill.
"Then we appreciate it."
"If you can, play with them till they're exhausted. Otherwise, they won't sleep at night."
"Ah..."
I nodded.
"Staying up hurts their growth. Got it."
After a few tips, I approached the kids.
Twenty-three in total. Ages four to six.
I smiled gently as I neared.
"Hi."
"Uh..."
"Ah..."
They flinched at the stranger but soon toddled over.
"H-hello."
Twisting shyly in greeting—total opposite of what I'd seen earlier.
So well-behaved?
Glancing at the nannies, they looked dumbfounded.
What's with that? Good kids are a plus, right?
Palgap muttered just audibly beside me.
"This world really is rotten—even kids judge by looks."
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"Nothing, sir."
I tilted my head, then turned back to the kids.
"Let's play together today."
I had Palgap fetch a gourd and string.
I tied the gourd to the string and said to the kids,
"Now, we're gonna grab this gourd. Whoever does gets yummy tanghulu as a prize."
"Wow!"
"Go!"
I dangled the gourd just out of reach. They swarmed to grab it.
"Here, try this one."
"Waaah!"
"Hya!"
"Ack!"
"It's here!"
If it seemed too hard and they'd lose interest, I'd lower it a bit.
"Yay! Got it!"
The first success sparked hope in their eyes.
After about two hours, tired kids started emerging.
But I was fine.
Even if playing was tiring, my warrior stamina and inner energy made it easy.
Master's training never skipped endurance—even post-peak, I could hang from a tree for days without fatigue.
Hmm...
Should thank Master?
Adjusting so all could grab it eventually.
Planned to give tanghulu to everyone anyway.
Tanghulu: hawthorn berries skewered, coated in hardened sugar syrup.
Only in cold winters, since it needs to harden.
Zhejiang's usually mild, so rare even midwinter—but this year's early chill brought vendors out already.
Reason for kids: hawthorns prevent colds, aid fatigue recovery, skin health.
Winter's only fruit left, but these perks make it perfect.
And it's sour-sweet deliciousness.
Sitting with them munching tanghulu wasn't bad.
Once they finished, I stood.
Time to move again.
Sit after eating, get fat and sluggish—bad for martial arts.
Clap clap!
"Alright, next game?"
"Yes!"
.
.
.
As sunset neared, drowsy kids appeared.
Hours of running? No wonder.
Nannies settled them, then approached with moved expressions, thanking me profusely.
"Playing them out so perfectly!"
"You're amazing."
"Tonight, we'll actually rest."
"Hahaha."
Just played hard, but the praise embarrassed me.
"You okay? Not tired?"
I smiled.
"Fine. This is nothing..."
Glancing at the sleeping room, I asked the nannies,
"For raising North Sea Ice Palace kids, this seems fewer than expected."
Heard the palace was huge.
"Can't be helped. North Sea Ice Palace women usually don't marry."
Palace doesn't ban it, but entrants have their stories.
Marriage isn't on their minds.
"Even if they do meet a man and wed, the father usually raises the child... but sometimes that's impossible."
The nanny's face soured.
"Father dies, or..."
Abandons them.
"Worried, though. Moving in this cold..."
"Yeah."
"Hope the kids don't catch colds."
They knew the situation, long-time staff.
Hall moving midwinter.
Makes the clan lord even more despicable.
Knows it's an orphanage, yet demands move in dead of winter? Sane?
This winter's brutal—West Lake fully frozen.
Rare for the mild area's lake.
.
.
.
That night, I slipped out of the hall secretly.
Wandered West Lake quietly, savoring the mood.
West Lake has the Ten Scenic Views of West Lake. One's Broken Bridge Residual Snow.
Snow on bridge looks severed.
But scant snow last few years—no view lately.
Still, boat tours in this cold?
As I admired the scenery, a familiar aura approached silently.
"Long time no see."
Great Bandit Chunil, now our merchant group's intel man.
Turning, a man with a totally different face from what I knew stood there.
Voice changed too.
Impressive disguise, every time.
He quietly began his report.
"Current clan lord's name is Seong Jun. Lacks his predecessor's ability but not utterly incompetent."
"Something tells me."
"Yes. Predecessor had high prestige; current one's greedy, poor reputation."
As expected...
World's full of unworthy heirs under great fathers.
"Previous lord Seong Ji-myeong was talented, esteemed. Clan Seong's prosperity stems from him."
"I see."
"This mess seems from current lord Seong Jun's greed. Starting a new entertainment business, they say."
Hold on, starting a new entertainment business?
Means previous lord never touched such ventures.
Could've profited in Hangzhou—why not?