Let’s see how you like a taste of your own medicine. (2)
Perception is a curious thing.
People often don’t recognize peace as peace, nor do they recognize chaos as chaos. When peace is prolonged, people do not perceive that tranquility as something special. Similarly, when chaos is prolonged, they do not find the urgency strange.
It had been three years since the Yangtze River Disaster.
At first, those who groaned under the great chaos that started from the Yangtze River eventually began to accept such circumstances as a normal part of daily life.
Even in chaos, there is a form of stability.
Amidst the turmoil caused by the confrontation between Sapaeryeon and Gupailbang, and the rampant presence of the Evil Sects, the common people were somehow finding a way to establish stability in their lives.
That was until an unexpected rumor spread like wildfire along the Yangtze River region.
“They say the Tang clan is withdrawing from Hubei.”
The man who heard those words widened his eyes and jumped up.
“W-What kind of nonsense is that? The Tang clan is withdrawing?”
“It’s exactly as it sounds. They’re returning to Sichuan.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?”
The faces of the people gathered in small groups turned pale.
Those who had been farming the land north of the Yangtze River for the past few years could not be unaware of how much the Sichuan Tang Clan had done. If they hadn’t been here to protect this place, some of them surely wouldn’t be alive in this world today.
But now, with the sudden news that the Tang clan was withdrawing from the Yangtze, it was impossible not to be alarmed.
“W-Why are they leaving all of a sudden?”
“It seems that Evil Sects have appeared in Sichuan.”
“What? In Sichuan?”
“Yes, that’s what they say. Recently, the members of the Evil Sects have been causing chaos in Sichuan, burning down civilian houses and looting their property.”
“Now even Sichuan…”
“And just a while ago, those Evil Sect bastards stirred things up in Shaanxi, too. Now neither Shaanxi nor Sichuan is safe.”
“Ah…”
A sense of unspeakable distress appeared on the faces of those speaking.
As the name suggests, the Sichuan Tang Clan is the ruler of Sichuan. If Evil Sects are running rampant there, of course, the Tang clan must return to defend Sichuan.
“…This is worrying. What will happen if the Tang clan leaves…?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Does the Tang clan truly lack the resources that much? Even if there are problems in Sichuan, they wouldn’t have to withdraw completely…”
“What nonsense is this person talking about?”
One of the listeners, his face flushed, retorted angrily.
“It’s the Sichuan Tang Clan! Sichuan Tang Clan! For the past few years, they’ve protected us here in Hubei without any ties or taking any compensation, haven’t they?”
“W-Well, that’s true, but…”
“Then, instead of shedding tears of gratitude as they leave, you think it’s right to ask them to abandon their burning house to keep protecting us? Is that something a human with a conscience would say?”
“It’s just… I’m just saying it because it’s so unfortunate. Why are you getting so worked up…?”
The person who had spoken up shrank back, feeling disheartened.
“Fair enough! There are other sects that should be responsible for dealing with those damned Evil Sect bastards, aren’t there?”
At those words, a certain sect’s name popped into everyone’s minds. The sect that had been their pride until the Yangtze River Disaster occurred.
“The Tang clan is rushing back to their territory because of a problem there, so while the people of Hubei are suffering, where on earth are those damned Wudang people, and what are they doing?”
“…Who doesn’t know that? We’re talking about it because Wudang has shut its gates and hasn’t shown its face!”
“Then we should go to Wudang and protest! Honestly, what right does Wudang have to shut themselves in like that? And besides, I’ve heard that Hwasan, which also had been in Bongmun, but lifted it as soon as the Evil Sects swarmed into Shaanxi!”
“You mean Hwasan?”
“That’s right!”
Hearing the name “Hwasan,” the expressions of the people became complicated.
For the people of Hubei, the name Hwasan evoked very mixed feelings.
Once, it was a fallen Taoist sect, not even worth comparing to Wudang, which represented Hubei. But since the Yangtze River Disaster, it had been the only sect that fought against Sapaeryeon.
And now, three years later, Hwasan’s position lies somewhere in between those two extremes.
“Hwasan broke their Bongmun and came out…”
“That’s what I’m saying! Honestly, to put it bluntly, how can Hwasan’s Bongmun be compared to Wudang’s?”
“It’s different. Very different.”
Hwasan had closed its gates to strengthen itself. However, Wudang, unable to withstand the flood of criticism, had closed its gates to run away.
“If Hwasan had been active in Gangho over the past three years, they would have received all sorts of praise. Wasn’t Hwasan the only sect that upheld the dignity of the Just Sects during that horrendous Yangtze River Disaster? And yet, they turned down all of that and chose to close their gates, claiming they lacked strength! Hwasan, of all places!”
“…Yes, it is a remarkable sect.”
“When trouble arose in Shaanxi, even that great sect lifted their Bongmun and came out to protect people, while those damned Wudang folks don’t care whether the people of Hubei live or die. Damn them!”
The fear of the Tang clan’s withdrawal started to turn into condemnation of Wudang.
In fact, any rational person would naturally speak that way.
“And it’s not just Wudang! What about the small and medium sects of Hubei? They usually act high and mighty as Wudang’s subsidiary sects! Now that Wudang is out of the picture, are these subsidiary sects just going to sit and twiddle their thumbs? I heard that in Shaanxi, the smaller sects fought against the evil enemies even before Hwasan arrived!”
“Even the subsidiary sects of Jongnam, who had closed their gates, were said to have risked their lives to fight.”
“What on earth is Wudang doing…”
What provokes people the most is anxiety.
The fear that chaos might escalate due to the absence of the Tang clan was causing the people of Hubei to boil over.
“I heard that the people of Gyunhyun have gone up to Wudang, so let’s wait a bit longer. If they have any sense of shame, they’ll finally open their gates and come out.”
“…If they had any sense of shame, would they have closed their gates in the first place?”
“Ugh, damn it! This is so frustrating!”
The news of the Sichuan Tang Clan’s withdrawal was more than enough to turn the Yangtze River region upside down. However, the place where the real fire had started was elsewhere.
❀ ❀ ❀
“What? What did you just say?”
“…They say they are pulling out of Maehwado.”
The color drained from the face of Sama Gong [사마공(司馬功)], the Master of Dabok Merchant Guild [다복상회(多福商會) – many/great blessings merchant guild].
“Maehwado?”
“Yes, Master.”
“No, no! Why are they suddenly pulling out? Are you sure you didn’t hear it wrong?”
“No, Master. The rumors are everywhere. They’re accepting shipments until tomorrow, and after that, they won’t take any more.”
“Are they trying to do some maintenance? Is that it?”
“…It seems like they’re planning to pull out entirely.”
“No! Why on earth would they pull out of Maehwado? They’ve been raking in money by the handful! And what about the facilities they’ve built there? What are they planning to do with all that?”
“It seems they’re planning to abandon everything and leave.”
“…What on earth is going on…?”
Sama Gong murmured blankly, utterly dumbfounded.
How much effort had Cheonumaeng put into developing Maehwado and the adjacent dock? What was once nothing but a barren wasteland had now become a vast city, rivaling any in Hubei.
And now they’re saying they’ll pull out completely from such a place?
“Are they out of their minds?”
It was something completely beyond his comprehension.
As a merchant, it was impossible to fully understand the mindset of those Gangho scoundrels, but even so…
“No, if they were going to do this, they shouldn’t have started doing business in the first place! They could make so much more money, and they’re closing up the business here? Are they insane?”
Unable to contain himself, Sama Gong sprang to his feet.
“M-Master? What are you planning to do…?”
“I have to see it with my own eyes! I simply can’t believe it!”
Without another word, Sama Gong rushed outside.
Fortunately, the branch where he was staying wasn’t too far from Maehwado. Not only his own Dabok Merchant Guild, but many other guilds had established branches near Maehwado to facilitate smooth shipping operations and had stationed their members there.
When he arrived at the dock, his breath ragged from sprinting, he saw a large crowd that had already gathered after hearing the same news.
“Island Lord [도주(島主) – doju]! What on earth is happening here?”
“Is it true that Hwasan is withdrawing from Maehwado?”
“What about us? If this happens, we’ll all starve to death!”
Surrounded by the crowd, Im Sobyeong let out a deep sigh.
‘Damn it.’
He had rushed all the way to Shaanxi, only to be chased away without rest and forced to return to Maehwado. And now, as soon as he got back, he found himself surrounded and pestered by people again – he could almost cry.
No, that’s not right.
Perhaps he was a bit happy. After all, he’d rather be here with people who treated him as the Island Lord than be tormented by those damn people who saw him as nothing more than a useless bandit.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
Im Sobyeong cleared his throat and began to speak.
“Is it really true, Island Lord?”
“Yes, it is. Unfortunately, Maehwado will cease operations starting tomorrow.”
“Then, what are we supposed to do?”
“Without Maehwado, we can’t transport goods to Gangnam! Those pirates are still running wild out there!”
“Hwasan! What does Hwasan have to say about this? Is this their decision?”
“Now, now. Everyone, please calm down.”
Im Sobyeong waved his hands to pacify the agitated crowd.
“I’d also like to continue our operations, but… unfortunately, the situation in Gangnam is not looking good. You all have a rough idea of what’s happening, don’t you?”
At those words, the crowd that had been voicing their objections fell silent all at once.
They all knew that Sapaeryeon had finished consolidating their internal affairs. These people were merchants, and no matter how vicious Sapaeryeon might be, they wouldn’t go so far as to hunt them down one by one.
However, Maehwado was within Hwasan’s territory. It was clear that when Sapaeryeon crossed the Yangtze River, Maehwado would be the first place they targeted.
“Then, it really is…”
Im Sobyeong nodded.
“But there’s no need to worry too much. This is Maehwado, after all. Even if it’s not Hwasan, someone will surely try to continue operating here.”
“Well, that might be true, but…”
“Then, does Cheonumaeng know nothing about this?”
“I don’t know of it.”
Im Sobyeong gave a smile that suggested he knew more than he let on.
“There’s no point in saying much when you’re on your way out. However…”
“However?”
“Isn’t it true that everything follows the natural order? The rightful owner will reclaim their place.”
“The rightful owner…?”
“Who knows? I think I’ve said all I need to. We’ll keep working through the night without rest, and until tomorrow before sunset, we’ll be transporting goods without fail. If you still have cargo left, bring it quickly!”
The eyes of the merchants wavered at his words.
“M-Move it!”
“Damn it, the warehouse is still packed to the brim!”
“Wait, even if we move the goods now, how are we going to get them back when we exchange them?”
“That’s something to worry about later!”
In an instant, the crowd descended into chaos, and no one thought to ask Im Sobyeong anything further.
In the middle of the uproar, Im Sobyeong let out a small chuckle.
‘A Sapa’s scheme?’
What a joke.
When it came to scheming, he couldn’t even reach the heels of that devil.
Im Sobyeong took in the sight of the vast city spread out before him – a commercial city that any person in the world would covet, where the wealthiest merchants from across the land gathered.
‘Is there a bigger bait in the world than this?’
Im Sobyeong didn’t know whether Chung Myung had really thought about this three years ago or if things had simply developed this way as events unfolded. He had his suspicions but lacked concrete evidence.
Regardless of the intention, one thing was clear: this city of Jiujiang was bound to become the eye of a storm that would sweep away countless people.
“…It’s a shame, though.”
Clicking his tongue, Im Sobyeong gestured to his subordinates with a nod.
“Load up the goods in advance. We need to be ready to leave first thing tomorrow.”
“Yes, Nokrim – no, Island Lord!”
“Tsk.”
Im Sobyeong opened his fan wide and lightly fanned his face.
‘It’s a pity that the title of Island Lord is disappearing, but I don’t really care.’
His gaze shifted beyond the river.
‘It seems like things are about to get a lot more interesting.’
A low chuckle slipped out amidst the clamor of the chaotic crowd.
________
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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