Chapter 155

A silent room. Six or seven scholars were frantically immersed in their work.

With haggard faces, they processed the bamboo slips piled up like mountains one by one while reporting various matters to the master of the office.

“There’s been a dispute between the Yellow River Gang and the Sogong Sect. They’ve asked our family to mediate…”

“Tell them we’ll set aside time on New Year’s Day to discuss it. Inform the Inner Hall Master in advance.”

“What should we do about the matter concerning the Five Gates of Shanxi?”

“Ah, is this related to the third one?”

“Yes. The hall masters of the Five Gates of Shanxi are waiting to offer their apologies.”

“Send them back. If they were truly sorry, the heads themselves should have come in person instead of sending their hands and feet. Inform the Inner Hall Master of that, too.”

“Next, there’s a matter from the Southern Merchant Guild…”

Even as he received their reports, Jin Wikyung, the master of the office, never looked up from the bamboo slips.

But the next report made even him raise his head.

“Lesser Family Head, mounted-bandit groups from the northern plateau are showing suspicious movements near Datong.”

“Mounted bandits? Is this information from the Lower District Sect?”

“Yes. If left unchecked, they’ll launch a large-scale raid against the common people.”

“How large is their force?”

“Five mounted-bandit groups have formed an alliance. Around five hundred men are gradually gathering.”

“Mounted bandits, huh? They’ve been a constant nuisance.”

Jin Wikyung rubbed between his brows, his face weary.

The Jin Family of Taiyuan was undeniably powerful, but it still lacked the strength to cover all of Shanxi Province.

That was also why the mounted bandits kept watching for an opportunity despite knowing that the Red Wind Band had been annihilated.

“Should we draft some martial artists?”

At the scholar’s question, Jin Wikyung immediately shook his head.

“No.”

“We’ve had more martial artists join our family recently than we can count. We have men to spare.”

“We’ve already shed too much blood for that. Besides, those we accepted this time still lack experience. Even if we recruit several hundred, several hundred will die.”

The Mount Heng Sword Sect.

One of the legs supporting the tripod of Shanxi Province had broken, and the water inside was beginning to spill over.

They had to devise a countermeasure before the boiling water scalded them.

After a moment’s thought, Jin Wikyung spoke.

“For the time being, focus on establishing and stabilizing branches in each prefecture and county. That is our top priority.”

“Lesser Family Head!”

The scholar cried out in surprise. The others, who had been focused on their own tasks, also raised their heads.

Hundreds of mounted bandits were supposedly invading, and yet establishing branches was the top priority. Did that mean they did not care whether the common people died?

As disappointment spread across the scholars’ faces, Jin Wikyung continued.

“Instead, ask the Five Gates of Shanxi for support. Two hundred men should be about right… What do you think?”

“That won’t be nearly enough.”

There was no one in this office, at least, who could speak so bluntly to the Lesser Family Head of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.

Jin Wikyung grinned at Wipeng as he came through the door.

“Is that so? I thought it would be enough.”

“What sort of people are the Five Gates of Shanxi now? They’re obsessed with clawing at one another for scraps. They’ll hide their carefully trained elites inside their walls and send us a force packed with clueless Second Rate and Third Rate martial artists.”

“That sounds plausible.”

“It’s not just plausible. That’s what will happen nine times out of ten. The mounted bandits will see all those peach-fuzzed little punks and be so delighted their mouths will split open.”

“Haha. So we have to step in?”

“What choice do we have? If you attach some useful men to the force, I’ll go there myself. Then the Five Gates of Shanxi won’t be able to pull any sneaky tricks.”

“Exactly. Isn’t the Ghost Sword more frightening than a ghost?”

At Jin Wikyung’s teasing tone, Wipeng shook his head from side to side.

“That’s enough. Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“You already have a plan, don’t you?”

“What plan? Your idea sounded good to me.”

“Good grief. Since when have you listened so closely to anything I say?”

“Every word from your mouth is a golden rule to me.”

Wipeng let out a deep sigh and turned toward the scholar standing blankly nearby.

“What do you think?”

“P-pardon?”

A thin frame and a pale, washed-out face. He was the very picture of a pale-faced scholar who did nothing but pore over books in his room.

At Wipeng’s sudden question, he stammered out an answer.

“I-I don’t think it will be enough.”

“Is that all?”

“We should draft more men…”

Watching him, Jin Wikyung cut in with a laugh.

“That’s enough. And you.”

Already cowed by Wipeng’s sharp aura, the scholar flinched.

“Yes.”

“Send word to the Five Gates of Shanxi and the Shanxi Provincial Office. Tell them mounted bandits are swarming near Datong and that we request their assistance.”

“The Shanxi Provincial Office?”

“The people are in danger. The government ought to roll up its sleeves and help. Ah, casually give the Five Gates of Shanxi a hint about it, too.”

“Judging by the government’s passive attitude over the past several years, the chances of that succeeding are slim.”

“Then make it succeed.”

Jin Wikyung’s face lost its smile as he added one more thing.

“Isn’t that your job?”

“Ah.”

The scholar’s mind snapped awake. He was exhausted from staying up several nights, but he had been thinking far too simply.

Request help from Shanxi Province? The countermeasure proposed by Wipeng, a man who was a martial artist down to his bones, was much more plausible.

“I apologize.”

“You’re still inexperienced, so I understand. But what our family needs isn’t scholars. We need wise men who can offer the best possible measures for the sake of our family. I hope you’ll remember that.”

There was nothing the scholar could say. Seeing that not only the man before him but everyone else had reddened faces, Jin Wikyung spoke again.

“You’re all tired, so go in and rest for today.”

No one would refuse an order to rest, least of all men who had spent the last three days surviving on brief naps with bamboo slips for pillows.

Once the scholars dragged their exhausted bodies out, Wipeng pulled over an empty chair.

“Are those the new recruits?”

“Being on my own was too much. Still, they’re better than nothing.”

“I’m not sure. They all seem rather bland.”

“How many of them studied in order to join our family? It’s only natural.”

Jin Wikyung stretched his arms high. The loud cracking of bones echoed through the room.

“It’s only been a few days. We need to separate the jade from the stones and send away those who need to go.”

“Is that also why you didn’t tell them about the secret agreement with the Shanxi Provincial Office?”

“Why is a secret agreement called a secret agreement? The fewer people who know about it, the better.”

In truth, securing the assistance of the Shanxi Provincial Office was not particularly difficult. Hadn’t he and Deputy Military Commissioner Hong Jin already exchanged plenty through their conversation five days earlier?

“Our family hasn’t fully established itself yet. It would be troublesome if rumors spread that we had entered into a secret agreement with the government under these circumstances.”

“True. Especially when the rumors happen to be facts.”

The conversation Jin Wikyung had exchanged with Hong Jin had included several topics that the small and medium-sized sects of Shanxi Province—and especially the Five Gates of Shanxi—would not welcome.

If the Seongun Escort Bureau heard what Jin Wikyung and Hong Jin had discussed, they might collapse frothing at the mouth.

“So, are the other preparations going well?”

“Yes. I’ve completed the personnel changes as you ordered. The heads of the Inner and Outer Halls have been left in place, and we’ve established three new squads…”

The report flowing from Wipeng’s mouth concerned the first matter Jin Wikyung had handled immediately after the war ended.

The Jin Family of Taiyuan was like a rising sun. To the hot-blooded young people of Shanxi Province, it was the finest choice available.

To embrace the endless stream of people coming to them, the family had to widen its arms even further.

“…That’s how I handled it, but with our numbers expected to keep growing, we’ll likely need to reorganize again later.”

“That’s what we should hope for.”

Jin Wikyung tried to appear calm as he listened to Wipeng’s report.

The Jin Family of Taiyuan had declined slowly but steadily since the Great Faction War. Now, however, it was rapidly regaining its former glory.

No. Perhaps it will become even stronger than it was before the Great Faction War.

If that happened…

Only then would they truly earn the right to be called a great family.

They would break free of their status as a frontier martial family and stand shoulder to shoulder with the towering powers of the realm.

A great family. A great family, huh.

It was a word that made his heart race just to think about it.

Just as every martial artist dreamed of becoming the Martial God, Jin Wikyung had long dreamed of raising his family onto the foundation of a great family.

New Year’s Day is almost here.

On that day, before all the sects of Shanxi Murim, the Jin Family of Taiyuan would be recognized as the undisputed hegemon of Shanxi Province.

Jin Wikyung had no doubt that the first day of the coming year would become the Jin Family of Taiyuan’s first stepping-stone—and the harbinger of its rise—as a great family.

And it was at the very moment he secretly clenched his fists that—

“Um… May I come in?”

“Hm? Of course.”

The voice belonged to the scholar who had just left.

“What is it? Did you leave something behind?”

“It’s not that…”

Under Jin Wikyung and Wipeng’s puzzled gazes, the scholar continued cautiously.

“There’s some news I failed to report.”

“You’re too conscientious for your own good. You’ve been working hard for days without even getting proper sleep. Don’t worry about it. Go in and get some rest.”

“No. I should have told you earlier, but it slipped my mind…”

“Now, now. It’s fine. I told you to rest.”

Wipeng chimed in.

“My lord is right. You aren’t a jiangshi. You need to get enough rest so you can have the strength to work again tomorrow…”

“Huashan has sent the Three Plum Blossom Elites.”

Jin Wikyung and Wipeng shot to their feet at the same time.

“What!”

“What did you say?”

Who were the Three Plum Blossom Elites?

They were the most exceptional talents among the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Huashan’s finest.

In particular, Huashan’s Lone Crane, Baek Museong, was a major figure expected to become the next Sect Leader and carry Huashan’s future upon his shoulders.

After hearing such news, how could the two men’s eyes not nearly pop from their sockets?

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. I meant to tell you at the end, but I forgot. And there’s one more thing.”

“One more?”

“Another? Tell us quickly!”

The visit of the Three Plum Blossom Elites was shocking enough, and now he was saying there was something else.

Frowning, the scholar continued.

“They say the Grandmaster has disappeared. He seems to have gone to our family, so they asked us to send word if we happen to meet him… But who is the Grandmaster?”

The scholar was still unfamiliar with the realities of Murim and wondered what this was all about. Jin Wikyung and Wipeng, however, stood with their mouths hanging open.

“If Huashan’s Grandmaster is…”

“Th-th-that…”

Sword Saint Mae Jonghak.

Unable to bring themselves to say the name aloud, the two men merely mouthed the words and swallowed hard.

Huashan still wanted to keep the Sword Saint’s whereabouts secret. At times like this, it was best to keep one’s mouth shut.

“Th-that… What did you say?”

“Th-that thing. You know, that sort of thing.”

“Pardon?”

“You can leave now. Erase everything that just happened from your mind. Understood?”

The scholar bowed with a bewildered expression and left. Only then did the words they had been holding back burst out.

“The Sword Saint is coming!”

“Shh! Lower your voice. We don’t even know for certain yet.”

Despite his words, Wipeng’s face had also flushed bright red. To a swordsman like him, Sword Saint Mae Jonghak was greater than even the Jade Emperor.

To think they might be able to meet such a person in the flesh! No, perhaps he might even receive instruction from him.

“B-but why would the Sword Saint come to our family?”

“What else could it be?”

“Ah.”

He had been so excited that he had momentarily forgotten who was currently staying at the Jin Family of Taiyuan.

“That Sword Saint broke his seclusion to look for his beloved disciple.”

“It’s only a guess for now, but that’s highly likely. I hear he raised him like his own grandson. How deep must his affection be?”

Jin Wikyung grinned broadly.

Whatever the reason, the Sword Saint’s visit was something to welcome with open arms—not only as a martial artist, but also as the Lesser Family Head of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.

“You said his name was Cheongpung, right? Where is he now? I seem to remember hearing a while ago that he was training my youngest brother in the Wall Lizard Technique.”

“The Wall Lizard Technique training ended two days ago, and now he’s…”

“And now?”

“He’s beating the crap out of the Third Young Master.”

“Whaaat!”