A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 380

380. Approaching Dark Clouds

Sunbin and his party entered the fortress, following the warrior. Contrary to expectations, there was no fierce atmosphere. Warriors with thick red cloths wrapped around their heads were chatting in small groups or eating.

“What should I say about this…”

Sasu-yeon said, looking bewildered.

“It’s very… relaxed.”

Sunbin gave a wry smile. The market-like atmosphere, the people who seemed to live on the streets, and the fortress itself all suggested the same thing:

Everything here was lax, like the oppressive heat that sapped your energy.

The warrior led Sunbin and his party to the fortress building and dismounted. They followed suit.

*Thud, thud.*

The warrior approached his superior and reported, “I’ve brought the foreigners you mentioned.”

“Is that so?”

The superior glanced at Sunbin and his party.

“Throw them in jail.”

They were foreigners. They hadn’t offered bribes, nor did they have connections. Their crimes were undetermined, so there was no reason to treat them with respect.

The superior turned to leave, but the warrior hesitated.

“There’s a problem.”

“What problem?”

“There seems to be a Muslim among them.”

The superior stopped and frowned at Dang Wora’s veil. The warrior continued, “If we detain a Muslim before determining any crime, won’t the lord rebuke us? The *Mutasib* [religious enforcer] arrived from the central government today.”

The devout Muslim former emperor had religious inspectors called *Mutasibs*. They imposed heavy taxes on non-Muslims, enforced Islamic law, and even held the power of life and death.

Stories circulated of Hindu temples being demolished, making those who nominally converted to Islam but still practiced Hindu customs uneasy.

“Damn it,” the superior muttered. If these foreigners appealed to the lord or the *Mutasib*, claiming to be Muslims, things would become difficult.

“Are you sure they’re Muslims?”

“I couldn’t communicate with them, but they might be Muslims from another country…”

That was possible. Cheonchuk [ancient name for India] was a vast empire with merchant ships arriving from Persia and beyond.

The superior hesitated briefly. It was better to treat them well than risk problems by imprisoning Muslims.

“Take them to the ‘Waiting Place’.”

The ‘Waiting Place’ was a temporary holding facility for those awaiting trial by the lord. They could wait indefinitely, but it was better than prison.

The difference was significant. The ‘Waiting Place’ was almost heavenly compared to a prison, where they would at least be treated humanely.

Thinking this was enough consideration for foreign Muslims, the superior returned to his work.

“Understood.”

“Take their weapons.”

The superior’s casual order prompted the warrior to tilt his head slightly, as if it were natural.

*Thud, thud.*

The warrior gestured arrogantly towards Sunbin and his party.

“That way.”

Sunbin looked where he pointed. A shabby, dirty building with unusually strict security stood out—clearly a detention center.

“What should we do?” Sasu-yeon asked quietly. Sunbin glanced at the building and then at the warrior.

“The lord will interrogate you. If you’re innocent, you’ll be released, so obey the order,” the warrior said, hands on his waist, with a sour expression. Dang Wora translated quietly.

“He says we’ll be released if we’re innocent and that we’re going to meet the lord.”

Being detained was undesirable, but they didn’t want to cause trouble for the village and children. If they could resolve it reasonably, enduring some inconvenience was preferable.

“Then let’s follow his instructions and wait for Hwang Merchant to arrive.”

Seorin would find Noh-gun and Hwang Merchant soon. Hwang Merchant could clear up the misunderstanding. After all, Sunbin and his party were just passing travelers. They simply needed to leave.

“Okay,” Sasu-yeon nodded.

“We can always leave,” Sunbin said with an awkward smile. No matter how central the fortress was, Sasu-yeon and Dang Wora could easily escape if they were serious. Detention wasn’t a major problem, though unpleasant.

Looking back at the warrior, Sunbin said politely, “Yes, we’ll do that.”

The warrior raised his head arrogantly at Sunbin’s respectful tone, believing these lucky foreigners would never know how carefully he had acted.

Before entering the ‘Waiting Place’, Sunbin had to relinquish Baek-ro [his sword]. The Cheonchuk warrior didn’t pay much attention to it, as Baek-ro looked like a wooden stick compared to the ornate Cheonchuk swords.

If he had drawn Baek-ro, the situation would have been different.

There was no special inspection beyond a simple body search. People inside were talking to their families through the window or receiving food.

But it was dark and dirty—definitely not a place to linger.

‘Will Suyeon Sojeo [term of respect for a young lady] and Wora Sojeo be okay?’

Sasu-yeon and Dang Wora were taken elsewhere, seemingly separated by gender. He was worried, but considering the situation, nothing serious seemed likely.

How long had he been wandering? As the sun set, a small voice reached Sunbin’s ear.

-Hyung [term for older brother or respected male].

It was Seorin’s telepathy.

-We’re here.

“Seorin-ah,” Sunbin said, surprised and joyful. Seorin had found Noh-gun and Hwang Merchant and brought them. Considering it hadn’t even been a day since they separated, Seorin had moved urgently.

-We’re going in now.

Soon, Hwang Merchant’s voice was heard near the entrance. He seemed to be talking to the guard, and then he entered alone.

“Oh, my, you’ve had a hard time,” Hwang Merchant said with a playful smile. Sunbin smiled back.

“It’s okay. You had a harder time.”

Hwang Merchant coughed. He had indeed rushed here with Noh-gun.

“I found out it’s not a big deal. The situation is tense, so they caught you preemptively, but the lord will interrogate you soon. Just wait a moment.”

Sunbin was impressed by Hwang Merchant’s quick assessment. Hwang Merchant smiled and made a circle with his fingers [a gesture for money or connections].

“People are the same everywhere. I’ll be with you during the interrogation, so don’t worry. Are you hungry?”

“I’m okay. What about Suyeon Sojeo and Wora Sojeo?”

“They’ll be fine. I hired a woman to take care of them since men can’t go there.”

Sunbin nodded, impressed by Hwang Merchant’s thoroughness.

“How about Elder Noh-gun?”

“He’s nearby, as is Seorin Sohyeop [young hero].”

Since Sunbin and his party were caught, Noh-gun and Seorin had to be careful. That’s why Hwang Merchant came alone.

“He was furious when he heard you were caught. I had a hard time stopping him from turning this place upside down…”

Sunbin smiled wryly. It was typical of Noh-gun.

“Oh, there.”

Sunbin glanced at the guard and lowered his voice. The Cheonchuk warrior wouldn’t understand, but caution was wise.

“Did you find the mark?”

He was asking about the mark or letter left by Guigyeon Sura. Hwang Merchant shook his head.

“Not yet. Elder Noh-gun also found it strange. Getting you out is the priority, so let’s talk about it later.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work,” Sunbin replied with a smile, thinking this incident would soon be over.

* * *

‘Raja’ [king], originally meant king. The first ‘Shahs’ [emperors] chose to embrace the indigenous kingdoms instead of conquering them.

The lord of the region, ‘Maharaja’ [great king], was one of those ‘Rajas’. He had ruled this area for generations and was now receiving unwelcome guests in his simple palace.

“Wow, His Majesty the Emperor highly appreciates Maharaja’s loyalty,” Bahadur, a general from the central government, said with a bright smile. He seemed an unlikely general, with narrow eyes and a goat beard, sitting comfortably in a splendid seat.

“I have only done what I should have done,” the elderly Maharaja replied politely, looking at the white-bearded old man next to the general, who remained silent, eyes half-closed.

‘Was it Sheh [tribal leader]?’

The general introduced the old man as ‘Sheh’. ‘Sheh’ is a general term for the head or elder of a tribe, revealing nothing about the old man’s identity.

“Keuheo, indeed, he is the Maharaja who has protected this land for generations. His loyalty is very special,” the general said lightly. “That’s why the Seventh Prince is expecting Maharaja to play a big role in suppressing this rebellion. Hahahaha.”

The Maharaja gave an awkward smile, knowing ‘big role’ meant sending money and soldiers.

“But it’s a very good palace. Oh, that’s an artwork from Persia, isn’t it? Those things are very expensive, right?”

The general looked at the sculptures with an exaggerated expression, his eyes gleaming greedily.

‘Tsk.’

The Maharaja clicked his tongue inwardly, unable to understand how such a petty person could become a general. Hiding his thoughts, he said seriously, “As the general knows, the situation in our territory is bad. Trade routes are blocked, merchants have decreased, and the harvest is poor…”

“Oh, my, that’s terrible! Your territory is in trouble,” General Bahadur interrupted with a surprised expression, quickly replaced by a smile. “But don’t worry. Mercenaries gather during famine. Give them food, and they’ll gather like dogs, right? Kehahaha.”

The laughter, indifferent to the people’s suffering, grated on the Maharaja’s ears. But he couldn’t get angry, as Bahadur’s words determined how much his territory would have to pay.

“Ah, and another thing,” General Bahadur lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret. “The *Mutasibs* are worried. Conversion is sluggish, and they suspect disloyal movements…”

It wasn’t just this area. The former emperor pushed for conversion through religious taxes and *Mutasibs*, but the results were insignificant. For most, Cheonchukgyo [Hinduism] was a way of life, beyond logic.

The former emperor’s Islamic-centered policy only divided the empire, leading to the current chaos.

“Hehe. How could that happen? I’m not violating Islamic law,” the Maharaja said with an awkward smile. His family had been Cheonchukgyo for generations.

The era of tolerance was over, replaced by oppression and division. Even as a Maharaja, he was trapped by religious issues and questions of loyalty.

“Of course. It’s absurd to doubt Maharaja’s loyalty,” the general laughed, hitting his knee. But the laughter was untrustworthy.

*Sip.*

Tasting the wine, the general exclaimed, “This is very good wine. As expected, Maharaja drinks only high-end things. Hahaha.”

Tasting only, due to Islamic law against drunkenness. The general’s lax attitude was surprising, considering he brought the *Mutasibs*.

“It’s not that high-end. You’ve come a long way, so please rest comfortably. I’ll be leaving now…”

The general widened his eyes.

“Are you getting up already?”

“I have work in the territory.”

It was an excuse. He knew the general would only ask for money.

“Work? What kind of work?”

The Maharaja replied sternly, “I’m going to interrogate some suspicious foreigners. There are constant riots and disputes these days…”

It was a subtle jab at the central government. But it didn’t work.

“Suspicious foreigners? That’s very interesting.”

Bahadur stroked his beard.

“Can I go with you too?”

“Are you, General?”

The Maharaja frowned, then smiled, wrinkling his face.

“Is there any trouble if I go?”

It was rude, but the Maharaja couldn’t get angry. He couldn’t risk giving him something to argue about.

“…No.”

“I’ll get ready soon.”

The general smiled and jumped up. The ‘Sheh’ also quietly got up and followed, without even a greeting to the Maharaja.

Watching them leave, the Maharaja gritted his teeth in humiliation, hoping for no more problems.

*Thud, thud.*

General Bahadur stopped in front of the inner garden and gestured.

*Shh.*

Three warriors appeared, wearing Cheonchuk’s curved swords and black cloaks.

“What’s the result?” Bahadur asked sharply. “Did you find something? A weakness to grab this heretical lord’s leash?”

Bahadur’s face was cold, the smile gone.

(Author’s words)

General Bahadur, who works very hard when you know it.