Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: The Wanderers' Great Patron
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"Even with the justification of stabilizing public order after purging the Black Factions, Clan Head Baek still heeded our plea as merchants."
"This showed that the Baek Clan's words were not mere pretense but sincere. Thus, we merchants have one shameless request to make of the Baek Clan."
"Speaking on behalf of seventeen out of the thirty-three merchant houses, we humbly ask: Will you become our Great Patron?"
Great Patron. A title usually given with respect to those of high status.
But right now, it carried a different meaning.
"Great Patron, eh? That's too lofty a title for a humble soul like me."
"How can you say it's too much when you embody the very grace of a Great Patron? If you are not our Great Patron, then all of us, myself included, are but lowly small folk. Clan Head Baek, please accept our request."
Yang-hui looked at Gyeong Ju-san with a hint of surprise.
'A clever man.'
Merchant houses were typically hostile and insular toward outsiders.
Yet this Gyeong Ju-san, the head of his house, seemed to have gathered plenty of experience from the wider world.
'I can read him easily. The one who first refused is the hardliner, so Gyeong Ju-san must be the moderate.'
Moreover, he had excellent judgment and resourcefulness.
To flip his stance right after refusing just days ago, even at the risk of embarrassment?
And to do it publicly, with so many people gathered?
He'd timed it perfectly, waiting for a moment when no faction near Gilju could refuse without consequence before stepping forward.
'Right now, they can't demand a price for refusal. Well, Father wouldn't have demanded one from the start anyway.'
Baek Mu-ryang's response was just as Yang-hui expected.
"It seems I have one more thing to announce to my brothers of the four seas. I declare it once more here: The Baek Clan shall never turn away those who seek our aid!"
"Woooaaah!"
Thunderous cheers erupted once again.
This time, they felt even more heartfelt.
Most of the crowd were powerless commoners, so it was only natural.
'Still, Father, that was a bit too bold.'
To say they'd never refuse anyone asking for help?
A dangerous statement if scrutinized.
Of course, most Righteous Faction sects spouted similar platitudes.
'But Father means it. If every beggar in the world showed up demanding a single nyang of silver, we'd go bankrupt.'
Not that it mattered.
The Baek Clan's aid wasn't handing out a nyang of silver to beggars—it was forcing them to learn how to earn their own.
Those too lazy to seize the opportunity wouldn't even reach out.
'Those who endure the process and master earning money will each become workers contributing to the Baek Clan's prosperity.'
This was Yang-hui's vision of unyielding righteousness made real.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time flew by swiftly.
More precisely, with such massive events unfolding, days vanished just handling the aftermath.
'Even two bodies wouldn't be enough.'
It was only natural, really. If work had doubled, metaphorically speaking.
Before the Black Faction purge, the Baek Clan's domain was just Muju. Now they'd taken on Gilju, a territory a third larger.
"Adu, give my shoulders a rub... Oh."
He'd called out of habit, then clicked his tongue.
Now the emptiness truly hit home.
'He was always lounging around eating rice cakes while I handled everything. But without him, I notice.'
After the declaration at the public gathering,
Beop-gak had left the Baek Clan with Adu in tow.
"Waaah. The big monk said to follow the nice person!"
"Heh heh, little monk-brother. But you must prepare for the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly."
Adu whined incessantly, hating to part.
He'd even thrown a childlike tantrum, plopping down and refusing to budge.
'The monk seems quite troubled.'
For Yang-hui, having a peak expert like Adu stuck to him was useful in many ways.
But after all the help from Beop-gak, he had no choice but to let them go.
"Hey. Adu."
"Yang-hui doesn't want to part with me either, right?"
"Let's separate for just ten nights and meet again. If you're good, I'll grant one wish."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Then I wanna try alcohol."
"Uh...?"
How many meals had he shared with Adu?
Warriors reveled in hearty feasts, and true heroes loved their drink.
Yang-hui, a former wanderer, especially enjoyed it.
But he'd always flatly refused Adu...
He glanced at Beop-gak and nodded.
"Fine. A cup of reunion sake. Sounds good."
'The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly is three years away... He'll forget.'
Undoubtedly.
And so Adu departed with Beop-gak.
Adu wasn't the only one to leave.
Two days later, Je-gal-seon arrived at the Baek Clan.
"Uncle! I beg forgiveness for my sins!"
Yang-hui dropped to his knees the moment he saw Je-gal-seon.
Honestly, it wasn't a sin warranting that, but he knelt anyway.
Complete with a smile that couldn't spit.
'If I overact like this, he'll feel sorry and yell less.'
He'd originally planned to have Je-gal-seon play Beop-gak's role—borrowing the Je-gal name for Baek Clan affairs.
And he'd dragged Je-gal-seol-ha into the Baek Clan's fights too. For a doting father like Je-gal-seon, outrage was expected.
He'd rushed across the province the moment he got the letter—obvious.
But.
"It's not a sin."
"Pardon?"
"To be precise, it is a sin, but your contributions are so great it can't be called one."
He was surely referring to the help finding Yin-hu and persuading him to take Je-gal-seol-ha as a disciple.
"You've never once exploited our name for personal gain. Considering it benefited Brother's house too, use it freely from now on. I'll help to the best of my ability."
Je-gal-seon suddenly looked wistful.
"The unyielding hero from humble origins... A thorny path our Je-gal Clan could never choose... You and your father walk it without a care."
Anyway, Je-gal-seon stayed at the Baek Clan for a few days before departing for the Je-gal Clan.
Taking Je-gal-seol-ha with him.
"I need time to stabilize my peak realm, and it's been half a year since I left the Myeong-eum Map. For now, I'll train while spending time with Father and the family."
Je-gal-seol-ha lifted her veil and grinned playfully at Yang-hui.
"We agreed to meet at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly with Adu-monk, right? Promise me too. Reunion at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly. Though if you miss me before then, come visit the main house."
Yang-hui bid farewell with one short phrase.
"See you in three years!"
They say you don't miss a spot until it's empty.
Adu and Je-gal-seol-ha's absence loomed large.
They'd always been glued to him, so it hit harder.
Still, with mountains of work, time slipped away in a flash.
A month passed like that.
"Hui-ya. Come to the study. Let's talk, just us two."
"Yes, Father."
As he replied, he thought: 'Finally. It's here. I've been on edge this whole month.'
During the Black Faction purge and exposing Namgung Cheon-hu's schemes, Yang-hui had gambled with his life multiple times.
Given Baek Mu-ryang's temperament, a harsh scolding wouldn't be out of place.
Yet he'd neither punished nor lectured Yang-hui so far.
"Hui-ya. I have words about your actions. In the recent purge, you risked your life not once or twice, but many times."
'Heh, Father. You had a whole month.'
Time to show his preparations!
"See, Father, everything was to maximize the clan's benefits. A true genius weighs gains and losses clearly, of course. But I acted on firm conviction, not risking my life blindly, so my life doesn't belong on the scale..."
Baek Mu-ryang cut off the barrage of excuses.
"I know."
"..."
"I know too well, in fact—it's baffling. So I command you."
"A command? What kind...?"
"From now on, you're forbidden from handling clan affairs."
"Pardon?"
Ah, this was a problematic order.
He had to persuade Father somehow.
As Yang-hui scrambled for arguments,
"I spoke with the young head of the Tang Clan. Our ten-year pact with the Tangs ends soon. Go as envoy to the Tang Clan to strengthen ties."
"Pardon?"
He understood the intent.
Since he kept doing reckless things for profit, send him to a prestigious sect where danger was nil.
Sensibly, even for a minor clan like Baek, the Tang Clan posed far less threat to life.
However.
'I was planning to go anyway. Perfect—this isn't punishment.'
Yang-hui feigned sulkiness while inwardly cheering, then felt a twinge of doubt.
'But does Father not know I planned to go? He'd know if he talked properly with Tang-hyung. Maybe he does and is sending me anyway.'
Staring into Father's eyes, he realized one thing.
This wasn't just confinement to a safe place.
"This is your punishment too, so no excuses or refusals."
"Understood, Father."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Clop, clop.
"Tang-hyung. Thinking about it, it's been ages since we traveled like this, just the two of us."
"If we ignore that we're on horseback, I fully agree. Last time was probably the Sword King Tomb, right?"
"Whoa. Has it been that long? Amazing."
Tang-gun chuckled lightly, and Tang-yeon naturally poked her head in.
"Hui-ya, so you hate it?"
"With you here too, of course I love it. Why would I hate?"
"For real? Ahaha!"
Baek Heon-so, listening from the side, joined in.
"Brother! This is my first time heading out anywhere with you! I'm thrilled!"
Baek Mu-ryang had sent Baek Heon-so along to the Tang Clan too.
With the Tang siblings, he'd get Tang escorts, and the destination ensured safe martial experience.
"Kid. If we camp tonight, let's hunt a wild boar for dinner."
"Great! I'll catch it!"
In the cheerful mood, Chui-dal, tagging along sullenly, grumbled.
"Brother, the vibe's great without me. Mind if I bail?"
"Chui-dal."
"You don't need to drag me."
"What's your nickname?"
"Nickname? Il-li Chui-dal... Ah, no! None!"
"That's why I'm taking you."
"Huh?"
"At your age, no nickname? Get out more, and one'll stick!"
Chui-dal felt wronged.
No fifteen-year-old normally had a nickname.
'He's the weird one...'
Snap!
"Kyaack! Why hit meee!"
"Your eyes were impure."
'This guy, can he read minds like Seol-ha-noona now? Baek Yang-hui, you bas...'
Snap!
"Kyaack! Ack! B-brother, did you gain mind-reading powers?"
"Nah? Just felt like hitting you this time."
"..."
Endured Asura Hell Great Law's torment for this guy's sake?
"You got somewhere to go if you don't follow me?"
"Yeah."
Yang-hui looked puzzled.
"You? An orphan? Where to?"
"Gugang."
"Gugang?"
A familiar name.
Where he'd wiped out the Nameless Assassins and picked up the assassin-raised Chui-dal.
"I've reached first-rate now, so I wanna find my benefactor."
"Benefactor?"
What was this?
Then it clicked.
"The one who saved me from the Nameless Assassins. You said you didn't know who, Brother."
'Ah... That was me.'
"I'm serious, Brother. Born human, forget grace? No different from beasts. I'll look into it and come back."
"When'll you return?"
Chui-dal replied firmly.
"After finding my benefactor."
'After finding a nonexistent one? Even reborn, no return.'
Hm.
This was a problem.