I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 73

< The Curtain Rises 3 >

Jo Gwang-yun lightly nudged the dumbfounded Namgung Hyo-shin’s shoulder and left the assembly hall.

The elders of the Murim Alliance leadership were completely bewildered. Who would have thought blood would be shed in this place!

As always, these matters usually concluded with a measured investigation, a mild scolding, a perfunctory apology, and everyone saving face. Responsibility would be conveniently shifted onto a few expendable underlings, as had always been the custom.

This time, they had intended to conclude things by gently scolding and appeasing the powerful families and wealthy sects, showcasing the dignified facade of the orthodox factions, but it had escalated into open conflict!

The assembly concluded with the disciples of the Changryong Sect somberly cleaning up Im Bon-jae’s body.

For Jo Gwang-yun, the assembly was far from over.

The Changryong Sect warriors surrounding him struggled to understand Jo Gwang-yun’s palpable tension.

Today’s assembly had been a resounding triumph for the Changryong Sect, demonstrating its power and resolve to the Murim world. Jo Gwang-yun’s commanding presence before the Murim Alliance’s powerhouses, like the roar of a tiger, had been awe-inspiring.

But now, he resembled a frightened puppy, tail tucked between its legs, fleeing from a fearsome predator.

“Move faster! We need to leave the Murim Alliance grounds as quickly as possible.”

Leaving the Murim Alliance at an almost frantic pace, Jo Gwang-yun rushed to his horse and mounted it without delay.

“Gu Seung.”

“Yes.”

“Gather all the Hana Association members staying at the inn and join us as quickly as possible. The rest will follow me to Gaebong. We must ride day and night without rest.”

“Understood.”

Dozens of horses kicked up dust as they rapidly departed the Murim Alliance.

The disciples, who had been riding day and night without knowing the reason, finally saw Jo Gwang-yun sigh in relief when they made camp in the forest, and their own tension began to dissipate.

“Hah… I’m alive.”

Unable to contain their curiosity any longer, they gestured to Gu Seung, who cautiously approached Jo Gwang-yun and spoke.

“Sect Leader, I apologize for disturbing your rest, but… why were you in such a hurry?”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled wryly at the numerous gazes fixed upon him.

“I can’t afford to die like a dog when everything went according to plan.”

“Pardon?”

“If Namgung Hyo-shin had any sense, he would have tried to eliminate me before leaving the Murim Alliance.”

“Surely not? There are dozens, hundreds of eyes watching; how could he…?”

“If that guy had even half the brains of his father, he would be confronting the Namgung family warriors in this very spot right now.”

“Even Namgung Hyun wouldn’t be so reckless, would he?”

The Sect Leader was already dead. And now, to commit another murder? Everyone thought it was highly unlikely.

Jo Gwang-yun addressed the group that had gathered around him.

“If they kill me, the one who would seek revenge disappears. Right now, the Changryong Sect is centered around me. And do you honestly believe the Murim Alliance sects would hold the Namgung family accountable for killing me, whom they dismiss as a mere merchant?”

They realized they had momentarily forgotten the true nature of the Murim Alliance leaders.

“They’ve been checking each other, undermining each other, and saving each other for decades, growing together, and there’s a certain camaraderie built up over that long time. After all, the Nine Great Sects and the aristocratic families are in the same boat. Even if Namgung Hyo-shin had cut off my head right there, no one would have retaliated by cutting off Namgung Hyo-shin’s head. It would have ended with a reprimand for reckless behavior. After all, our Changryong Sect will only be remembered as a fleeting presence in the Murim Alliance.”

Gu Seung was worried by Jo Gwang-yun’s explanation.

“Then, doesn’t that mean they will side with Namgung in the war between us and them? Namgung alone is overwhelming enough…”

Jo Gwang-yun shook his head with a smile.

“That’s a separate issue.”

Everyone perked up their ears, eager to hear more.

“None of them believe we will win this war. But they know that the Changryong Sect is charging in with the determination to fight to the bitter end. So, what’s the result? Even if the Changryong Sect loses, the Namgung family will inevitably suffer enormous damage, right?”

“So, they’re subtly…?”

“Yes. No one likes to see the one in the lead stumble. Because being in the lead is all about maintaining honor. The Changryong Sect is creating an opportunity to seize that honor, so they’ll just stand by and watch.”

The Hana Association warriors seemed relieved by Jo Gwang-yun’s words. If even one Murim aristocratic family stepped forward to help the Namgung family, there would be no chance of victory. No, it would be difficult to avoid the complete annihilation of the Changryong Sect.

Jo Gwang-yun spoke to everyone.

“I have a difficult request to make here. Your swords should be used not to strike the necks of the Namgung family, but to strike the necks of our own people and mercenaries.”

“W-What do you mean…?”

Everyone thought they had misheard. To strike down their own comrades?

“The martial arts of the Namgung family are far superior to ours. Especially the martial arts of a few direct descendants may cause you to lose your will to fight the moment you see them.”

The Changryong Sect’s retainers nodded in agreement. They had witnessed the martial arts of the Namgung family firsthand.

“When there are many, they don’t sense danger as acutely. Right now, there may be quite a few warriors who underestimate the Namgung family because of the overwhelming numerical advantage. But if even one person is terrified, that fear will spread rapidly, and our warriors will only think about escaping. That very moment will mark the Changryong Sect’s defeat.”

Yeom Sin nodded in understanding.

“You see it accurately. I understand what you mean. If one stone falls out of the stone wall, it can collapse the whole structure, so you’re saying we should prevent that, right?”

“That’s right. If our warriors know there’s a chance to escape to save their lives, we’re doomed to lose. We must force them to think only of winning and to risk their lives completely. You must carry out this grim task.”

The Hana Association was tasked with the most difficult mission of striking down their own comrades to maintain order and prevent desertion.

* * *

The first to greet Jo Gwang-yun upon his arrival in Gaebong was the magistrate, Yun Ju-seong.

“Sect Leader Jo. I am finally returning to the capital. I will never forget that all of this is thanks to you, Sect Leader Jo.”

“Congratulations. So, what position is it?”

“To be honest, I was surprised myself. It’s none other than the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice [equivalent to a high-ranking legal administrator] (都官部侍郎).”

The Ministry of Justice was the department in charge of law and criminal administration (形政), and the Vice Minister was the second-in-command. This could be considered a plum position among key posts.

“I see. Under normal circumstances, I would like to hold a grand banquet to celebrate, but I regret to say that I have a fire under my feet and cannot spare the time.”

“A fire under your feet? What’s going on?”

“It’s a matter of the Murim world related to the Changryong Sect. It’s not something for you to concern yourself with, sir.”

Jo Gwang-yun suddenly bowed his head to Yun Ju-seong.

“No, why are you doing this? Do you think I was expecting that paltry banquet?”

“No. It’s because I’m asking for another difficult favor.”

Magistrate Yun Ju-seong chuckled.

“Why are you acting like this when you’re the one who usually demands that even difficult things must be done? Haha.”

“It’s because this favor is a matter of the Murim world, unrelated to politics.”

Yun Ju-seong considered Jo Gwang-yun’s words for a moment and shook his head.

“Who would say you’re not a merchant? How can you be so meticulous in your calculations? Even distinguishing between favors and requests?”

“It’s because I’m worried that you might be held accountable for this matter.”

“Then let’s hear what this difficult favor is.”

“I would like you to write a letter of introduction to the Regional Commander (都指揮使) of Anhui Province.”

“A letter of introduction? To the Regional Commander?”

“That’s right.”

“Didn’t you just say it was a matter of the Murim world? The Regional Commander is a general who commands five thousand soldiers in the provincial capital…”

“That’s why I said it was a difficult favor.”

Yun Ju-seong thought for a while and asked.

“Then how should I introduce Sect Leader Jo?”

“Just say I’m a decent merchant who never forgets a favor and repays it tenfold.”

“That’s an unadorned truth, isn’t it? Haha.”

Yun Ju-seong laughed heartily and pulled over the writing tools, and Jo Gwang-yun stood up and bowed.

“Thank you, sir.”

Yun Ju-seong waved his hand dismissively.

“Stop it. Can’t I even do this much for a friend?”

A friend… It was a weighty word for Jo Gwang-yun. He had never truly thought of Yun Ju-seong as a friend.

Jo Gwang-yun watched him write the letter of introduction and pondered.

When will I truly consider Yun Ju-seong a friend?

* * *

A loud, angry voice erupted in Huangshan, Anhui Province.

“You’re as useless as they come.”

Namgung Hyun spat these words as soon as he saw Namgung Hyo-shin, who had rushed back from the Murim Alliance.

“F-Father.”

Namgung Hyun struggled to contain his rising fury.

“How could you handle things so poorly that it escalated to this point?”

“W-Well… it happened unexpectedly. No one anticipated Im Bon-jae suddenly taking his own life.”

“You fool! Handling expected events is a given! I placed you in the Murim Alliance to resolve unexpected events!”

Namgung Hyo-shin’s lips pouted in a childish manner. He felt that his father’s scolding was excessively harsh, considering that no one could have foreseen or prevented that situation.

Seeing his son’s petulant expression, Namgung Hyun roared again.

“You utter fool! Shouldn’t you have silenced them all before any incriminating words could escape their mouths? Didn’t you possess that much decisiveness? What purpose does that sword serve at your waist if you’re too timid to use it!”

“Father, how could I possibly draw my sword in that place? That old man Moryong Hwi was watching with hawkish eyes, and there were also the leaders of the Nine Great Sects…”

“Are you actually trying to justify your inaction right now! Even if you had slaughtered the Changryong Sect members, would Moryong Hwi have dared to kill you?”

He was the eldest son of the Namgung family and a leading candidate to become the next Murim Alliance Leader. Moryong Hwi could never bring himself to kill Namgung Hyo-shin. If the Moryong family and the Namgung family were to draw swords against each other, it would signify the catastrophic collapse of the orthodox Murim.

“Or you should have pursued them after that debacle and eliminated that Changryong Sect brat.”

“Pardon?”

“Anyone who intercepted the carrier pigeon you sent would know that the merchant is the second-in-command of the Changryong Sect. It would have been resolved if you had simply killed him. Don’t you even realize that he’s the linchpin of the Changryong Sect’s operations?”

Looking at his eldest son, who still seemed unable to grasp the gravity of the situation, Namgung Hyun could only let out a long, weary sigh.

“I won’t waste any more words on you. Get out. I can’t bear to even look at your face.”

Namgung Hyo-shin retreated from the room, feeling as though he had been cast out of the family.

He was no longer considered the heir of the Namgung family, nor the future Alliance Leader.

At best, he would be relegated to the role of a Great Protector of the family, a glorified guard dog. He had fallen from the pinnacle of power in the Murim world to the lowly position of a house pet.

There were those who watched Namgung Hyo-shin’s retreating figure with pity and concern.

“Brother, he’s still the eldest son; if you push him too hard…”

“Brother, there’s no immutable rule that the eldest son must inherit the family. That incompetent fool will bring ruin upon the family. No, he already has.”

He was a talented man in many respects. Moreover, he was the eldest grandson of this esteemed family. Namgung Hyun’s brothers felt a pang of sympathy for him.

Unlike his brothers, Namgung Hyun remained focused on the immediate crisis.

“If Moryong Hwi isn’t the mastermind behind this, then why did the Changryong Sect instigate this conflict? Do any of you have any plausible explanation?”

“Even if Moryong Hwi isn’t involved, if there were someone secretly backing them, they wouldn’t have recklessly declared an all-out war. If we engage them in battle, their destruction is inevitable, so who would willingly choose a path of self-destruction simply because someone else told them to? This must be the Changryong Sect’s independent action, driven by their own motives.”

His nephew, who possessed a modicum of intelligence, offered this assessment.

“Then why on earth is the Changryong Sect doing this? What is their ultimate goal?”

“Brother, there’s no need to overthink this. We simply need to crush the Changryong Sect and eradicate them completely.”

When one of his brothers made this simplistic statement, Namgung Hyun erupted in anger.

“You shut your mouth and start thinking too! Crush them? With what? Superior tactics? Flawless formations? Do you think we’re fighting a formal war right now? This is nothing more than a brutal dogfight! A chaotic brawl where our own flesh and blood are senselessly risking their lives.”

Faced with the enraged Namgung Hyun, his brothers were forced to fall silent.

< The Curtain Rises 3 > End