In Lanzhou (1)
Our boat chugged steadily upstream along the Yellow River.
The water level was just right, and with the wind blowing from the west, we made excellent time.
"Mount Hua is already right in front of us."
"Indeed."
Jin Yu Warrior nodded at my words, then glanced back over his shoulder.
"It looks like Myeongjong Warrior is feeling quite emotional."
I nodded in agreement.
Myeongjong Warrior had been standing stock-still since earlier, gazing at the ever-growing silhouette of Mount Hua.
His eyes held a complicated mix of emotions—longing, perhaps, or regret...
I approached him.
"Are you all right?"
"Ah, yes, my lord. I've been unseemly."
He hurriedly collected himself and bowed his head.
"As the old saying goes, even a fox turns its head toward its den in the moment of death. How could Mount Hua, the origin of your martial arts and a place filled with so many memories, not stir your heart?"
"...Thank you for saying that."
I turned my gaze toward Mount Hua.
That pinkish hue must be from the plum blossoms in full bloom—the home of the Huashan Sect.
"I've heard the plum blossoms of Huashan are breathtakingly beautiful."
"Yes, that's true."
Myeongjong Warrior nodded.
"When they bloom, the air everywhere is thick with their subtle fragrance. It's truly a spectacular sight."
"I see."
"We used to train by darting through the blossom-filled groves with my senior and junior brothers, catching the falling petals. But it was no easy feat."
"I imagine not."
"Truth be told, I got a bit too carried away at the last Dragon-Phoenix Tournament without realizing it. Advancing to the finals would have qualified me as a Plum Blossom Sword Guard..."
Plum Blossom Sword Guard.
The term referred to a swordsman who could bloom plum blossoms with his blade, but it also signified an elite of the Huashan Sect.
"In the end, I wasn't worthy of that title."
"Don't blame yourself too harshly. It was just bad luck."
"..."
"And you weren't expelled from the sect, were you? You'll return to Huashan someday."
I encouraged him with a pat on the shoulder and turned back toward the mountain.
In my previous life, the Huashan Sect had retained its fame but seemed to lack real influence.
The swords of Huashan should have struck fear into the hearts of rogues across the jianghu, after all.
The boat continued upstream peacefully and without incident for several days, passing Mount Hua.
How long had it been since then when the captain shouted to his crew?
"We're heading up now!"
"Yes, sir!"
The sailors scurried about, advising the passengers.
"The boat's going to shake a lot from here on. Best to tie yourselves to the pillars to stay secure."
Someone grumbled in response.
"That's a hassle. Do we really have to?"
"If you get flung off, you're fish food. Those ledges between the pillars are there to prevent exactly that."
This boat to Lanzhou in Gansu Province did have some unique features compared to others.
Wooden barriers like fences had been added to the railings, and there were plenty of ledges in the middle.
It made moving around inconvenient, but there was good reason for it.
The stretch from central Shanxi Province onward was notoriously treacherous.
Ideally, the river would flow straight from Shanxi to Lanzhou, but the terrain didn't allow for a navigable channel that far.
The river continued north of Shanxi.
So, we had to go upstream past Shanxi, head west, then come back down.
That meant navigating the rapids between the mountains.
Still, it beat crossing the river outright. Braving these rapids in this era was suicidal without a boat.
I quickly tied myself to one of the straps on the ledge and told my companions.
"Best to follow the crew's advice."
Yeo Eung-am Warrior nodded.
"You're right, my lord. It's fast, but just as perilous."
I asked him,
"Have you traveled this river to Gansu before, Yeo Warrior?"
He nodded.
"Yes, once for a merchant caravan."
"I see."
The Eunhae Merchant Group did have a branch in Gansu Province, small but important.
Gansu's Lotus Flower Mountain was the main source of rouge for women's lipstick.
That's how my father met my mother when he visited for business.
This time, since the Emperor's errand was dangerous, I doubted we'd stop by the branch or my maternal family.
"The rapids are getting fiercer!"
With the captain's shout, the boat began pitching wildly up and down.
It felt like riding a dragon through the sky, yet the vessel somehow stayed upright and pressed forward.
The problem was enduring this for two to three days.
With the constant jolting, soups were out of the question; we subsisted on hardtack and jerky.
"Is that why you stocked up on so much jerky, my lord?"
I nodded at Yi Pil Warrior's question.
"I heard about it from my brother once."
"Now that you mention it, the escorts from that escort agency we traveled with back then had loads of jerky. It comes back to me now."
Our group managed thanks to our martial arts training, but the ordinary passengers were in sorry shape.
Without those straps, they'd have been rolling across the deck and flung overboard by now.
Then it happened.
"Gasp!"
A child slipped from his father's arms.
The shaking had loosened his grip in an instant.
To make matters worse, the strap binding the child had come undone.
He'd been tied too, but whether it was loose or deliberately slack to avoid hurting him, who could say.
The child tumbled across the deck, slipped between the railings, and vanished into the water.
It all happened in a flash.
"Aigoo! Seung-yeok!"
The parents rushed to the rail, but the crew held them back.
The sailors had no choice.
The living must preserve their lives, and civilians jumping into these rapids couldn't save the child—only join him in death.
But I was already moving.
I untied my strap, shed my outer robe, and dove into the rapids.
Splash!
I couldn't say why I'd acted on impulse.
Maybe because our eyes had met just before he fell.
These rapids were dangerous even for martial artists.
But I had mastered my master's Binghae Water Severing Technique.
I was confident I could move freely in any current.
And the Binghae Assimilation Heart Method let me sense everything underwater even with my eyes closed.
I had the means to save the drowning child.
Standing by while he died—how would that differ from the Baekcheon Merchant Group or the Murim Alliance that killed me in my past life?
I expanded my senses to their limit.
"...!"
I swam straight toward the faint presence.
Thanks to the Binghae Water Severing Technique, the torrent parted like a calm lake.
Snap!
I grabbed the child and shot to the surface.
We were far from the boat, but I wasn't worried.
"Hoo..."
I took a deep breath and dashed across the water.
A technique from the Binghae Water Severing set, adapting the Traceless Ripple Step.
I quickly caught up to the boat and boarded lightly.
"Seung-yeok!"
As I returned with the child, the parents rushed over.
But I held up a hand to stop them.
"Wait a moment."
I laid the child down and pressed the acupuncture points on his chest to help him breathe properly.
Only then did he react.
"Pwah!"
"Cough, cough!"
The child spewed water and coughed violently.
I patted his back and told the parents,
"He's fine now."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"How can we ever repay this kindness!"
They bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
I waved them off to calm them.
"The rapids are still rough. Secure him tightly so he doesn't fall again."
"Yes! Yes!"
"Understood."
I watched them bind the child firmly and sighed in relief.
"That was a close call, young master."
Palgap handed me a towel, and I wiped my face as I replied.
"Yeah, really."
"I meant it's a relief you're safe, young master."
"Ah..."
I scratched the back of my neck sheepishly. He had a point.
"We were worried too."
I apologized straightforwardly to Seo-u Warrior.
"Sorry."
"We knew you'd be fine, so we waited, but a word would have been nice."
"I'll do that next time."
"I'm not done yet."
"..."
Palgap's nagging went on for hours, nearly driving me mad.
About three days later,
The ferocious rapids calmed to a gentle flow, as if it had all been a dream.
We finally untied ourselves and moved freely about the deck.
Seung-yeok's parents thanked me once more.
"Thank you for saving our son."
"We heard you're called the Swordsman Beauty. You live up to the name."
As I blushed at the title, Seung-yeok bowed to me.
"Thank you for saving me, pretty big brother."
"Cough."
Pretty... big brother.
I guess I should take it as a compliment?
At any rate, averting a family's tragedy made learning the Binghae Water Severing Technique worthwhile.
"Do you have a place to stay upon arriving in Lanzhou?"
"We're just passing through, so an inn."
"I see. If it's not too presumptuous, why not stay at our home?"
I hesitated at the father's offer. Pursuers were on my tail.
I couldn't drag innocents into it.
"Thank you, but we have urgent business and must move right away upon arrival."
"I understand."
"Instead, I'll visit when I get the chance later."
"Then please do come to our home without fail. It's..."
I quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, Seung-yeok, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"How old are you, Seung-yeok?"
"Five."
"Wow! So brave after such a scare!"
"Yeah! Grandpa said if you live boldly, the world will help you."
"He's right. That's the way to live."
As we chatted, the captain approached me.
"I heard you're the hero of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, the Swordsman Beauty."
"Just an empty title."
"Nonsense. I saw with my own eyes why you're called that. No accidents on my boat thanks to you."
He continued,
"To show my gratitude, however small, I'd like to refund your fares."
I waved my hands frantically.
"No, I can't accept that. We got here safely because of you and your crew's hard work. The fare is your due reward!"
"But..."
"If you insist, help me out sometime in the future if our paths cross."
"That would suffice?"
"What makes you think I'd ask something unreasonable?"
"Doesn't matter. I trust the Swordsman Beauty wouldn't."
The boat continued upstream leisurely, and before long, we reached Lanzhou.
"Safe travels."
"Thank you."
We led our horses off the boat.
Horses are sensitive creatures, so I'd worried during the rapids, but they seemed fine.
Still, the new surroundings had them on edge, so rest was in order.
We spent the night at a nearby inn and set out early the next morning.
According to the sealed letter from the Emperor, Master Bang Hyo-myeong was half a day's ride from Lanzhou, at Bang Manor.
The estate looked substantial.
"Where do you hail from?"
As I prepared to state my identity to the gatekeeper, a voice called out from behind him.
"Isn't that our benefactor?"
"...?"
Seung-yeok's father, the man I'd saved, was rushing toward us.
(To be continued)