The journey to Zhejiang Province this time was relatively comfortable.
We had no detours along the way, nor were we hauling goods for trade.
So, we decided to take a boat down the Yangtze River.
With little snow, we reached the ferry landing without issue.
“The Yangtze is vast as ever.”
“It’s not called the Long River for nothing.”
The Yangtze rarely froze, even in winter.
It ran through the relatively warmer southern regions of the Central Plains.
But even this mighty river would partially freeze during this cold snap. The chill was that severe.
In my previous life, the upstream freezes melted with sudden heavy rains, causing floods in several mid— and downstream areas.
That dealt us considerable damage.
Our headquarters in Hubei, along with most branch locations, hugged the Yangtze.
Logistics ground to a halt, and sorting it out only delayed my Deputy Merchant Lord inauguration even further.
I let out a wry inner smile at the memory when Escort Chief Ha’s voice reached me.
“We’ll arrive at Huangshan soon.”
“That means it’s time to disembark.”
“Yes.”
Huangshan was the largest mountain in Anhui Province.
And Anhui housed the Namgoong Family, one of the famed martial clans.
The family of Namgoong Gang, who killed me in my past life, and Namgoong Bo, who clashed with me during the Imperial Silk Supplier Competition.
The Namgoong Family was Murim Alliance’s staunchest supporter.
Naturally—the Alliance Leader hailed from their ranks.
The local magnate Yeom Clan in this area was a fervent Alliance backer as well.
Come to think of it… the reason Weaver of the Bamboo Grove’s husband, Yu Yu-geumje, fell into qi deviation was the Yeom Clan’s machinations.
If that couple faced off against the Yeom Clan, it wouldn’t end amicably.
In truth, I’d had business in Anhui before, but I’d deliberately avoided it.
Because that was where I died.
To be precise, at the foot of Huangshan.
The Namgoong Family’s territory made it easy to tamper with evidence.
Honestly, who would want to visit the site of their own death?
But I couldn’t keep avoiding it forever.
That’s why I decided to resolve Master’s worry this time. Passing through here was necessary.
What I say with my mouth, I follow through with my actions.
Yet, seeing Huangshan up close made my breath catch.
“Young Master? Are you alright?”
At Palgap’s worried expression, I forced a smile.
“I’m fine.”
“Your face looks pale.”
“My skin’s always fair. Maybe winter makes it whiter?”
“…”
Palgap stared at my lame joke without a word.
His eyes seemed to be cursing me silently.
Still, it helped loosen the tension a bit.
Soon, the boat docked at the ferry landing. After disembarking, we rested at a nearby inn, planning to depart early the next morning.
The inn we’d stay at was one I knew well.
“Welcome.”
A plump middle-aged woman greeted us.
“We’ll be staying one night.”
“Yes. You came at a good time—plenty of rooms. Pick as you like.”
“Then…”
We leisurely took one room per two people, and I decided to share with Palgap.
“It’s incredibly clean.”
“Yeah, it is.”
The room wasn’t large or ornate, but spotless without a speck of dust.
This inn’s fame lay in its cleanliness and low prices.
It was always bustling, but luck was on our side today with vacancies.
I’d even braced for one room per four.
The Changin Escort Bureau always stopped here on Anhui runs, so I’d stayed often too.
Back then, I wondered why skip fancier places, but there was a reason.
Unlike other upscale inns, this one was free from martial sect interference.
The woman greeting us was the inn’s owner and head chef’s wife.
And in truth, they were martial artists.
Both husband and wife at peak mastery.
With even lesser sect elders at that level, no ordinary martial force would dare touch the place.
The couple had cut ties with the martial world.
It stemmed from their two sons’ deaths.
To make a name at the Murim Alliance’s Dragon-Phoenix Martial Assembly, held every five years, their eldest entered.
But he drew a bad opponent.
A scion from a famed martial family, whose ruthless hand turned the match deadly.
Despite it being a tournament, he suffered severe internal injuries and died.
Then the younger son sought revenge, tracking him down—but returned after being toyed with.
Unable to bear the humiliation, he took his own life, leaving the couple childless overnight.
They lost all will for vengeance and severed martial ties, quietly running the inn instead.
I learned this through the intelligence network the Eunhae Merchant Group once operated.
Of course, most didn’t know.
But word quietly spread among martial folk that the innkeeping couple were experts, so no one caused trouble.
Thus, it was natural for the Snow Wind Palace—needing to hide their identities—to frequent it.
And I felt at ease here too.
No eyes from the Murim Alliance or Namgoong Family, perfect for discreet dealings.
.
.
.
After washing up and coming down, Escort Chief Ha and the escorts were already there.
“Ah, I’m the last one.”
“No, we just arrived too. What would you like?”
“I don’t have preferences. Whatever you recommend, Escort Chief. It’s my first time in the area anyway.”
“Understood.”
Escort Chief Ha rose and placed the order at the kitchen before returning.
Soon, the innkeeper’s wife brought tea first.
As I savored it lightly, the food began arriving one by one.
First came noodles in chicken broth, followed by steamed fish.
“Sniff sniff! Ugh! What’s that smell?”
Palgap recoiled at the sight of the fish.
“It’s fermented mandarin fish, fried lightly, seasoned, and steamed.”
Come to think of it, in my past life, Palgap hated this dish too.
As winter neared, mandarin fish caught in the Yangtze fermented naturally during transport.
Fried, seasoned, and steamed—it was a local specialty near Huangshan. Folks here loved the stronger the stench, claiming it meant better fermentation.
I disliked the smell at first too, but one taste hooked me on the chewy, springy texture.
Plus, the salty-sweet seasoning was spot-on.
“How did you know it’s fermented mandarin fish?”
Oops—I shouldn’t know this on my “first” visit.
I gave an awkward smile and quickly covered.
“I heard from the guys. They said it’s a delicacy.”
“I see…”
“It looks mouthwatering already. I’ll dig in.”
I promptly tore off a piece with chopsticks and popped it in.
The aroma was pungent, but delicious as ever.
Watching me, Escort Chief Ha tilted his head.
“You eat it better than expected…”
“Yes, it suits my taste.”
But Palgap wouldn’t even touch it with his chopsticks.
Thinking about it, Palgap devoured anything— even Sichuan cuisine—without fuss, but had a few dislikes.
Fermented mandarin fish, stinky tofu…
Ah, he hated fermented foods.
Bears don’t eat rotten meat, they say… Is he really a bear?
Escort Chief Ha watched me and chuckled.
“Seeing you enjoy it makes ordering worthwhile.”
“Hahaha, thank you.”
“A drink with this fermented fish would be divine. Kah!”
The escorts nodded in agreement.
But no alcohol graced our table. They were on escort duty, guarding me, after all.
“When we head back, let’s buy some fermented fish to take. It’s cold, so storage shouldn’t be hard.”
“Good idea.”
Of course, dealing with the smell would be everyone’s problem.
The next morning.
We left the inn early.
And I had to tense up again.
Soon, we’d reach the spot where I died in my previous life.
Even now, closing my eyes brought it vividly to mind.
Back then, I’d taken a boat from Zhejiang to Anhui, heading to the ferry we arrived at yesterday.
Precisely twenty li before the inn we’d stayed in last night.
Sudden Murim Alliance warriors blocked us and attacked without a word.
We desperately fought to break through, but more awaited on the other side.
To buy me escape time, Palgap shielded countless arrows with his body and died; the other bodyguards fell one by one.
And the last to die protecting me was Gwak Jun-ha.
The memory welled up, choking my chest.
Then, the scene before me stole my breath.
Screams of crowds, bodyguards shouting to protect me, pursuing footsteps, lungs burning from full sprint…
And the metallic tang of blood.
My vision shook.
Because I saw that tree.
A sturdy one by a cliff with exposed boulders.
Beneath it was where I’d died in my past life.
Gasp…
Had it still not healed?
Five years since returning, I thought I was over it.
Nightmares were rare now, but facing the death site proved my training insufficient.
My breath wouldn’t come.
“Young Master? Are you alright?”
“…”
Palgap noticed first.
“My lord!”
The nearest escort, Seo Wu, rushed over to support me.
“Your face is deathly pale.”
“…”
At their words, I barely managed.
“Let’s… rest a bit… then go.”
With Palgap and Seo Wu’s help, I dismounted, but after that—memory faded.
.
.
.
A dream.
It had to be. How else could I see my own dead body?
Blood from the neck wound soaked everything.
No, perhaps that was reality, and I the soul. My lingering wish conjuring this illusion…
Thwack-!
“Argh!”
A massive pain exploded in my head, making me clutch it and cry out.
“Look at this idiot!”
Turning at the familiar voice, the Snow Wind Palace Patriarch stood there.
“Huh? Patriarch?”
His fist was clenched—the obvious culprit for my headache.
No, more importantly, why was he here?
“Look straight! Does that really look like you?”
“Pardon?”
He grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to face the corpse.
“Does that truly look like you? Look properly—no averting eyes. See it as it is.”
“…Huh?”
In a blink, my dead self had vanished.
No, what lay there was just a pile of dirt from the cliff.
“I thought you were clever, but you’re more foolish than I figured.”
His words irked me.
“Why am I foolish?”
“Can’t distinguish reality from illusion? That’s foolish. Would a smart one fail that? Especially one cultivating the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art.”
“…”
No retort.
“There’s only one Eun Seo-ho in my eyes—you. The one I saved at the cost of my remaining years. Your memories are unavoidable, but you’re tormenting yourself over what hasn’t happened.”
“…!”
His words snapped me awake.
Right—my death hadn’t occurred yet.
It was merely past memory, something that wouldn’t happen again. Why had I let it haunt me?
The Patriarch smiled faintly and pointed beside the tree.
“You seem more collected now. Dig there. I’ve prepared a gift.”
.
.
.
“Huh? Young Master? Are you alright?”
I opened my eyes to Palgap’s worried face.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
As I sat up, the bodyguards and Escort Chief Ha approached, faces etched with concern.
“You fainted so suddenly—we were shocked.”
“Ah, sorry. I pulled an all-nighter handling work before departure; fatigue must’ve built up.”
I smiled.
“But after a deep sleep, I feel refreshed.”
It was true.
The choking tension felt like a lie, gone.
I stood and approached the spot of my past death. Staring long, I turned to Palgap.
“Palgap, mind digging here a bit?”
“Pardon?”
At my abrupt request, he tilted his head but nodded, fetching a small shovel and starting to dig.
The others looked puzzled too, but waited silently.
Clunk.
Soon, something hit.
“Huh? Something’s buried here.”
–TL Notes–
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