Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 294

294. A Farewell Carried on the Wind

As Unhyun exited the Alliance Lord’s residence, Jo Gwan and his group, along with the scribe, were waiting.

Jo Gwan looked relieved, and the scribe guided them back to the Heroic Alliance’s main gate.

There, Unhyun noticed a small cart he hadn’t seen before.

It looked like a baggage cart, but with curtains drawn on all sides, it was impossible to see what it carried.

“The Alliance Lord bestowed it,” the scribe said, but Unhyun wasn’t listening.

Step, step.

“Sir!” Jo Gwan exclaimed in surprise, but Unhyun strode towards the cart without hesitation.

He pulled back the curtain.

Flap.

Unhyun froze.

Jo Gwan and the group rushed to Unhyun’s side.

They, too, couldn’t help but halt in shock.

“G-Great Hero…”

Jin Yelim said in a trembling voice.

What the cart carried was an open coffin.

And inside that coffin, Dokgo Rang lay.

“…Dokgo Je.”

At first glance, he seemed to be merely sleeping.

But there was no breath, no warmth.

Dokgo Rang lay there, pale as a doll.

A faint smile graced his lips.

That night, alone in that pool of blood, dying, he had been smiling.

Just like the figure Unhyun had seen under the blue moon.

“…Sir.”

Jo Gwan said quietly.

Unhyun’s hand, clutching the curtain, trembled.

After a moment, Unhyun slowly lowered his hand.

Rustle.

Dokgo Rang’s figure was hidden behind the curtain.

“Let’s go,” Unhyun managed to say, gritting his teeth.

But Unhyun himself didn’t move. No, he couldn’t move.

The curtain was still tightly clutched in his hand.

As if afraid to let go.

“…Sir.”

After a long while, Jo Gwan spoke again.

Rustle.

Only then did Unhyun release his grip.

Jo Gwan turned to the group and said,

“Let’s go.”

The group bowed their heads.

Dam Soha took charge of the new cart, while Hang Jangik and Jin Yelim mounted their horses to guard the surroundings.

Unhyun got into the four-horse carriage he had arrived in with Jo Gwan.

Clop, clop.

The two carts and two riders slowly left the Heroic Alliance.

The scribe respectfully bowed to them, but no one saw his gesture.

Returning, Unhyun held onto the coffin and wept for a day.

The next day, Unhyun realized he had to decide on Dokgo Rang’s funeral.

His heart ached, but it was something he had to do.

And Unhyun realized once again.

He knew virtually nothing about Dokgo Rang.

Not even his hometown, or whether he had any siblings or family.

Unhyun knew nothing.

His heart felt heavy.

Swish.

The wind scattered Unhyun’s hair.

In the end, Dokgo Rang’s funeral had to be a cremation.

Sailing north along the Grand Canal, Unhyun scattered the ashes over the waves.

The white powder disappeared without a trace in the blowing wind.

It was as if he had sent them away on the wind rather than scattering them on the canal.

But Unhyun didn’t think so.

The place where he buried Dokgo Rang was right in the center of his heart.

***

Just as the Heroic Alliance was located in Hangzhou, the Taepyeong Alliance [Great Peace Alliance] was based in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

The Taepyeong Alliance’s signboard hung proudly on a splendid manor in the metropolis of Chengdu, but right behind it stood the even larger and taller main residence of the Tang Clan.

It was as if showing a symbolic image of who the master of the Taepyeong Alliance was.

Also, the fact that the Taepyeong Alliance was in Chengdu meant that the representatives of the Seven Great Clans had to gather in distant Sichuan for every important meeting.

Eventually, the clans began to station their representatives permanently in Chengdu.

Thus, Chengdu in Sichuan Province, which had historically been treated as a backwater, formed one of the two power centers, dividing the Jianghu [martial world] along with the Heroic Alliance in Hangzhou.

“This Taepyeong Alliance Martial Arts Tournament…”

Tang Seol-yeon, the chief military strategist in charge of external affairs, announced in a clear voice that echoed through the conference hall.

“…is to select the promising successors from the Taepyeong Alliance’s Seven Great Clans, boost the morale of the young disciples, and encourage high-level competition.”

Tang Seol-yeon smiled lightly.

“But of course, that’s not all. During the tournament, the heads of the Seven Great Clans will hold a meeting, and we will also invite influential sects from various regions, key figures from the commercial world including the Three Great Merchant Guilds, and high-ranking officials from the court.”

The expressions of the clan representatives subtly hardened.

Not only regional sects but also the commercial world and high-ranking officials—that was practically an opening ceremony for a new sect.

“The actual goal of this tournament is to establish friendly and cooperative relationships between them and our Taepyeong Alliance.”

“Ahem.”

Gongson Chuhyeon, the vice head of the Gongson Clan’s outer hall, cleared his throat.

“The world is turbulent. Do we really need to hold a tournament at a time like this?”

Currently, the Gongson Clan was struggling just to maintain its existing power.

Their main residence had been burned down, and their financial lifeline from the Yangtze River trade had been cut off by the Heroic Alliance.

They had hastily turned to inland merchants, but that was no easy task either.

“Yes, the world is turbulent,” Tang Seol-yeon said with a smile.

“So shouldn’t we show the strength of the Taepyeong Alliance even more?”

Gongson Chuhyeon’s expression remained sour.

He knew that even if it was the Taepyeong Alliance’s strength, it would ultimately be the Tang Clan that received the attention.

“Isn’t there something more urgent than this kind of tournament?”

Thud.

Gongson Chuhyeon slammed a document roughly on the table and said,

“Instead of asking us to contribute resources to something like this, we should be providing support to the clans that are currently struggling…”

“The Taepyeong Alliance…”

Tang Seol-yeon interrupted Gongson Chuhyeon.

“…is a clan alliance. If Gongson Clan wishes to act independently, you are welcome to do so at any time. After leaving the Taepyeong Alliance, that is.”

“W-What are you saying…!”

Gongson Chuhyeon tried to get angry, but Tang Seol-yeon wasn’t finished.

“I heard that the Gongson Clan’s young master recently said that the Taepyeong Alliance should fight the Heroic Alliance immediately, didn’t he?”

Tang Seol-yeon continued, watching Gongson Chuhyeon flinch.

“The Gongson Clan’s young master openly criticizes the alliance’s foreign policy, and the vice head of the outer hall finds fault with everything the alliance does…”

Tang Seol-yeon said with a sharp glint in her eyes,

“As the chief military strategist in charge of external affairs, I can’t help but wonder how I should interpret their intentions.”

Despite saying she was troubled, Tang Seol-yeon’s demeanor was resolute.

Tang Seol-yeon knew very well that the Gongson Clan could never leave the Taepyeong Alliance.

After the fall of the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance], the status of the existing sects had plummeted.

Sects that had been suppressed by the Murim Alliance’s power had risen, and even the Demonic Factions and bandit groups had rapidly increased their power.

The sects, having lost the enormous financial resources of the Yangtze River and no longer having the overwhelming force of the Murim Alliance, failed to adapt to the rapidly changing situation.

Large and small conflicts erupted one after another, and the power of the existing sects dwindled day by day.

The only exceptions were the Seven Great Clans of the Taepyeong Alliance.

The name of the Taepyeong Alliance, which divided the Jianghu martial world with the Heroic Alliance, was enough to provide shelter.

Therefore, the Gongson Clan could not leave the Taepyeong Alliance.

Even though the Tang Clan and the Zhuge Clan were leading the Taepyeong Alliance, aggressively expanding their power unlike the other clans that were falling behind.

“T-That’s…”

“Haha. Criticizing the alliance’s foreign policy is clearly wrong,” Zhuge Giho, the chief military strategist in charge of internal affairs of the Taepyeong Alliance, said with a smile.

“But wouldn’t it be too much to make an issue of something said privately at a drinking party? We can overlook that much as youthful exuberance. I, too, boast all sorts of nonsense in front of courtesans.”

The large Zhuge Giho looked back at Tang Seol-yeon with exaggerated gestures.

“Isn’t that right? Chief Military Strategist.”

Tang Seol-yeon chuckled.

“Is that so? I don’t know, but since the Chief Military Strategist says so, I trust you will handle it well.”

“Leave it to me. Hahaha.”

Zhuge Giho pounded his chest and laughed.

His words and actions were very light, but Tang Seol-yeon did not underestimate him.

‘A sly fox.’

Appointing someone like Zhuge Giho as the chief military strategist in charge of internal affairs, a position that belonged to the Zhuge Clan, was an unusual move.

It was as if the Zhuge Clan was saying that they didn’t want the power of the Taepyeong Alliance, so the Tang Clan should take care of everything.

But Zhuge Giho was by no means an easy person.

Even now, he was seemingly acknowledging Tang Seol-yeon’s words while defending the Gongson Clan, wasn’t he?

“This Martial Arts Tournament…”

Tang Seol-yeon said to the representatives in a clear voice,

“…will be held in front of the heads of the clans, as well as numerous distinguished guests. It is a perfect opportunity for young disciples to bring glory to themselves and their clans. Furthermore, the winner will be given the opportunity to be dispatched to a major branch of the alliance to build merit.”

The representatives’ eyes lit up.

Even though the Tang Clan monopolized it, gaining power in the Taepyeong Alliance was by no means a bad thing.

‘Tsk.’

Zhuge Giho clicked his tongue inwardly as he watched them.

‘The winner will be the Tang Clan anyway.’

However, the representatives, with their increased interest in the tournament, discussed and negotiated the details of the tournament quite seriously.

It was then, as the meeting was nearing its end.

“By the way, don’t you think the alliance’s headquarters is in too remote a location?”

Hyeokryun Gwang, the representative of the Hyeokryun Clan, suddenly said.

He was the first person to appear as a representative of the Taepyeong Alliance.

“Of course, this Chengdu is not a small city. But isn’t it true that travel is inconvenient?”

Sichuan Province was close to the frontier.

The terrain was rugged, and various ethnic minorities lived there, making it feel like another country.

Therefore, Hyeokryun Gwang’s point was not wrong.

Of course, his intention was even more to weaken the Tang Clan’s influence over the Taepyeong Alliance.

“Since there will be a meeting of the clan heads, perhaps we could move the headquarters to the center…”

“That’s…”

“That’s a good idea. Hahaha.”

Zhuge Giho quickly interjected before Tang Seol-yeon could say anything.

“But I don’t think now is the right time,” Zhuge Giho said with a smile.

“Moving the headquarters isn’t just about taking the signboard. We would have to build a new headquarters worthy of the name of the Taepyeong Alliance, which would cost a huge amount of money, and all the key officials of the alliance would have to move as well, wouldn’t they?”

The representatives didn’t seem to understand what Zhuge Giho was talking about.

Then, a clear woman’s voice rang out.

“That’s right.”

Moyong Mi, the representative of the Moyong Clan, said with a calm expression.

“If that happens, all the Tang Clan members currently holding key positions in the alliance would have to move to the center as well. Wouldn’t that mean the Tang Clan would have to go along with them?”

She said with a smile, but the other representatives felt a chill down their spines.

That was practically tantamount to the Tang Clan advancing into the center.

It was something that should never happen in the current situation.

“T-That’s right. I misspoke…”

Hyeokryun Gwang couldn’t hide his embarrassment.

And he could see why the Zhuge Clan had agreed to keep the Taepyeong Alliance’s headquarters in Chengdu.

“Really? I think it’s something worth discussing,” Tang Seol-yeon said with a smile.

However, Hyeokryun Gwang shook his head.

“No, I’ll withdraw the proposal.”

Tang Seol-yeon’s smile turned into a sneer.

“Then, do so.”

Rustle.

Tang Seol-yeon organized the documents and said to the representatives,

“The meeting is adjourned. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Tang Seol-yeon left the conference room as she was.

The representatives of each clan reviewed the agreed-upon items or quietly talked with other representatives.

In particular, the Gongson Clan, the Danmok Clan, and the Hyeokryun Clan were showing a particularly close appearance.

Their conversations and expressions were by no means favorable to the Tang Clan.

Zhuge Giho sighed quietly.

‘…We still have a long way to go.’

They think they can keep the Tang Clan in check and move the Taepyeong Alliance.

They can’t forget the time when they were a great clan.

The Murim Alliance has already collapsed.

‘Is that side a bit, is there a possibility?’

Zhuge Giho looked at Hwangbo Seonhye, the representative of the Namhae Sword Sect, and Moyong Mi, the representative of the Moyong Clan.

They had been listening quietly from beginning to end, trying to grasp Tang Seol-yeon’s intentions and their meaning.

The Zhuge Clan does not want the Tang Clan’s dominance either.

The Zhuge Clan needed someone to join hands and cooperate with.

In that respect, the Moyong Clan and the Namhae Sword Sect, especially the Moyong Clan, which was quietly expanding its power, were noteworthy opponents.