The Winds of Change

I nearly fucking died. I swallowed a slow curse in my mind. The man standing before me—Tao Qian. I'd seen all kinds of bastards in my life, but in front of that old general, even breathing felt dangerous. The border was completely still, without a single breeze. Even without drawing a sword, it felt like the tip of a blade was already pressed against my throat.

I blinked slowly. If Tao Qian is this terrifying... how monstrous must the other names that left their mark in history be?

I realized it once again. The bandit groups I'd dealt with until now were on an entirely different level. These were monsters who read numbers, calculated the political situation, and cut throats without hesitation if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠necessary. I turned my head while catching my breath. In the distant rear line stood the boy Tao Qian had entrusted to me—Tao Ying. His face showed some tension, but his eyes remained steady.

Yeah, it wasn't for nothing that he handed over this little brat.

I swallowed a dry laugh. Even while entrusting his child, Tao Qian was clearly thinking that the moment the negotiation broke, he'd use any means to tear me apart. He hadn't trusted me—he was certain I wouldn't make a mistake. By placing his son with me, he intended to monitor me at all times.

A cold sweat ran down my spine. Shit, even now it feels like Tao Qian is watching me.

I slowly brushed the dust off the back of my hand. It wasn't time to let my guard down yet.

"......"

I narrowed my eyes and looked east. Beyond the plains of Yanzhou, the land of Xuzhou appeared faintly. A land soaked in the stench of blood, a place that had only just begun to catch its breath.

Once Tao Qian leaves, Xuzhou will fall into chaos again.

That was certain. And with this negotiation, I would seize the opportunity within that chaos. Xuzhou would soon be swarming with Yellow Turban remnants and bandits again. When that happened, the merchant caravans would return to Taishan. But instead of the petty tolls they currently paid, I would directly plunge a spoon into Xuzhou's commercial world.

I gritted my teeth. This is the chance to put a whole new meal on the table.

It was time to move.

"Yu Bi."

I looked back. Yu Bi, clad in black armor, nodded. Behind him stood the still-young Tao Ying. The boy met my gaze with composure. I looked at him for a moment.

Smart kid.

He was a watchdog meant to monitor me and the Black Mountain Bandits, but in these times when capable people were scarce, he was high-quality personnel with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an education. The corners of my mouth rose in satisfaction at the sight.

"Let's go."

The wind was still blowing fiercely. But my steps no longer faltered. It was time for the shadow of the Black Mountain Bandits to fall over Xuzhou.

The Black Mountain Bandits moved quietly. They didn't boldly raise banners or flaunt their power. Instead, they lowered their flags, dressed merchants, coachmen, and escorts in shabby clothes, and sent them down from Taishan.

"Lord Jang Yeon, this area leads to Dongguan and Langya. The surveillance from the commanderies is lax here."

"Good. We'll take this place."

I personally selected the elites. From among the bandits, I picked only those who could handle a blade, had enough brains to play merchant, could understand orders, and could make reasonable ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠judgments.

"If they look like bandits at first glance, it's no good. Disguise them to look like a proper merchant caravan. Put those without the confidence for it as escorts or porters."

The merchant groups coming and going from Taishan had to pay tolls to the Black Mountain Bandits. At first it was simple passage fees, but now it was different. We had already investigated their operations and dissected their profit structures.

"Once we finish investigating where these bastards buy and sell what, we'll openly step in."

"What if they protest?"

"Coerce them gently. Don't threaten too blatantly—give them choices. Tell them we'll protect them, so they should pay not just tolls but a reasonable 'protection fee.'"

They moved with systematic, organized precision. Taishan was no longer operating as a mere bandit stronghold but beginning to function like a true faction.

After that day, I received reports every night.

"The patrol units sent by Governor Tao are frequently moving toward Dongguan and Langya."

"That man is obsessed with patrolling all of Xuzhou. Tell our people to be more cautious and avoid causing any commotion."

When the Black Mountain Bandits moved, Tao Qian moved as well. We never clashed. We simply knew each other's movements with perfect accuracy.

—That was the balance we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had agreed upon for now.

I seated Tao Ying at a distance and called for Yeon So-yeon.

"Organize the list of new trade routes we've expanded so far."

Yeon So-yeon unrolled a scroll and began reading quietly.

"We have expanded to Dongguan, Langya, Donghai, and Xiapi. However, we have not reached into Pengcheng because Governor Tao has troops stationed there directly. Additionally, since the eyes of Xuzhou's influential figures are concentrated in Xiapi, we are sending mostly escorts and porters rather than merchants."

I nodded. The Black Mountain Bandits were spreading throughout Xuzhou. Thanks to that, we were earning profits beyond mere tolls. Moreover—

"You've attached people to those merchant groups, right?"

"Yes. We've embedded them as escorts, coachmen, and porters."

"Good."

They were there to gather information when needed or to check rival merchant groups depending on the situation. It would have been impossible before, but now it was possible. Because we were no longer mere bandits.

I slowly rose to my feet. Then I spoke to Yu Bi.

"Don't get too attached to petty sums like tolls."

"Pardon?"

"What I'm saying is, we need to start earning real money now. Keep your ears open for information, understand?"

In my head, the next moves were already turning. Not just Xuzhou's trade, but the region's influential figures and each commandery of Xuzhou. Taishan was still high. But I was driving stakes into the land below its foothills—into Xuzhou itself.

Xuzhou was quiet. On the surface, at least. But within that quiet, we cast our shadows.

I disguised the Black Mountain Bandits as merchants, escorts, porters, and coachmen from merchant caravans. I dressed them in neat clothes and made them hide the calluses on their hands.

"Don't act rough," I repeatedly warned them. "The place you'll be working from now on isn't the mountains. It's time to do business with the world."

The Black Mountain Bandits seeped into small markets, villages, and commanderies.

—Porters and coachmen reeking of sweat.

—Escorts concealing their vicious auras.

—Small processions disguised as merchant groups.

"They say they're from Yanzhou?"

"It's been a while since we've seen so many coming from other provinces."

The people of Xuzhou whispered among themselves. Not bandits, but merchants. Not plunder, but trade. That was how the Black Mountain Bandits infiltrated Xuzhou.

The Black Mountain Bandits moved by following the merchant caravans. The traded grains, silk, salt, and oil. The prices, quality, and demand. They eavesdropped on everything like ghosts and recorded it. When necessary, they procured goods themselves and squeezed other merchant groups, gradually pocketing profits.

"Fuck, at this rate there's no need to go through the hassle of robbing people," I muttered with a laugh.

If we could properly swallow even one merchant group whole, the profits would be far cleaner and more substantial than plundering an entire mountain.

The reports Yeon So-yeon brought grew thicker by the day.

"Two merchant groups in Langya have fallen into our hands."

"The traders in Dongguan are voluntarily paying both tolls and protection fees."

I licked my lips as I flipped through the bamboo slips. Good. Very good.

I had no intention of devouring everything at once. I would tighten the noose slowly, gradually. They would use our routes and receive our protection. Then, at some point... the merchant groups that had simply been paying money would become ours.

I unfolded a map that was now far more detailed than before.

"Where next?"

Yeon So-yeon pointed with her finger.

"The merchant groups in Xiapi are difficult to touch. Some have connections with Governor Tao, and the local elites and Xuzhou's great merchants have already established themselves there."

I stroked my chin. Can't rush and end up with nothing.

Xuzhou was only just beginning to find stability. Tao Qian had suppressed it with powerful force, and the local elites were watching carefully. Moreover, the great merchant powers boasting enormous influence were conducting regular trade under the protection of the government army even amid this chaos. If we moved too blatantly right now, Tao Qian might take issue with it.

I nodded.

"Hands off anything related to Xiapi, the influential figures, or the great merchants. Instead, let's focus our strength more on Donghai and Langya."

"Understood, Lord Jang Yeon."

After finishing her notes, Yeon So-yeon withdrew. I slowly examined the remaining map. The land of Xuzhou. The fierce flames of the Yellow Turbans had died down. The bandit groups were holding their breath. We would be the ones to drive a wedge into that gap.

I smiled. The Black Mountain Bandits were gradually infiltrating the small markets, villages, and commanderies. The shadow of Taishan was spreading over all of Xuzhou.