“Yes, that sounds good.”
What is he trying to give me?
“This time, you and the Embroidered Guard worked together better than I expected. So, I’m going to let you learn the Imperial Palace Martial Art.”
“…What?”
“You’re a merchant, but you’re also a martial artist, so I figured it isn’t a bad reward.”
Not bad?
It’s amazing. Good enough to make my jaw drop.
Honestly, I never thought he’d give this to me as a reward.
“So, what do you think? Is this enough of a share to satisfy you?”
At the Emperor’s smiling question, I cupped my fists and bowed my head.
“I am so moved by Your Majesty’s grace in thinking of this small merchant that my eyes are filled with tears.”
“Still, you really know how to talk.”
Working together with the Embroidered Guard warriors had made me start getting curious about the Imperial Palace Martial Art.
Generally, the reason the first cultivation method you use to build your inner Qi is so important is that you can’t later learn another method that clashes with it.
If two or more kinds of Qi collide inside one body, you can fall into Qi deviation and either end up crippled or dead.
But who was it that said human persistence is frightening?
The Emperor wanted a powerful martial force to protect him, and the best way to achieve that was to recruit large numbers of martial artists who had already learned martial arts into the imperial army.
However, when you accept so many different martial artists, their martial arts vary, and problems arise when they have to coordinate.
They couldn’t just have people who already practiced one art go and learn another.
That really would have been no different from ordering them to die.
So the Emperor issued an imperial decree to every sect and martial family in the martial world, ordering them to research martial arts. The fruit of that research was the Imperial Palace Martial Art.
Even people who were already practicing another art could rebuild their inner Qi with it without any problem, and it was also a harmonizing art that combined the strengths of many different martial arts.
On that foundation, the Emperor was able to construct a powerful imperial authority.
Anyway, for martial artists loyal to the Emperor, the Imperial Palace Martial Art was something they were required to learn.
But learning it without the Emperor’s permission was in itself treated as treason, and the price for that was bitter.
Because of that, it had only been a martial art I secretly wanted to learn, something I never expected to actually get a chance at—and now I can?
One of the reasons I wanted to learn the Imperial Palace Martial Art was that it leaves a very distinct mark.
With that trait, I could very efficiently fleece bad guys…
Ahem. Anyway, this was an incredible opportunity.
“I’ll send you word separately, so you can go for now.”
“I am endlessly grateful for Your Majesty’s grace. This small merchant will take his leave.”
At the Emperor’s dismissal, I withdrew in high spirits.
.
.
.
“You’re out, sir?”
As I stepped out of the palace, Escort Guard Seo Wu, who had been waiting beside me, spoke up.
“Ah, yeah.”
When I came to the palace, I had come with Palgap, Escort Guard Seo Wu, and Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am.
I told the other two Escort Guards to wash up first and get some rest.
Having all four Escort Guards follow me around together is way too inefficient.
Honestly, even having them rotate in pairs like they were now felt a bit burdensome—and I felt bad about it.
They’d been taking turns guarding me in eight-hour shifts.
Frankly, if you work eight hours, I think you should rest sixteen.
It’s not just any job; they have to stay on high alert the whole time.
Still, once a few months pass and Escort Guard Myeong Jong and Escort Guard Chang Un join in, the burden on the guards should ease a bit.
“Let’s head back.”
“Yes, I’ll escort you.”
We returned to our temporary residence in Beijing. Before I knew it, it was almost evening.
“You back?”
At that voice, I turned around and saw Brother Jeong-ho standing there, looking at me.
“You’ve been through a lot all this time.”
“Hard work, my ass. You had things so well organized that it wasn’t hard at all.”
“Really? Then you can stay here and—”
“You looking to get punched?”
Seeing Brother Jeong-ho’s completely serious expression, I just laughed.
“You know I haven’t seen my kids or my wife for months, right?”
“Of course I know! I was just joking.”
“The only reason I didn’t smack you is because I know it’s a joke.”
“Ha ha ha.”
“Come on, let’s go eat.”
He pointed outside as he continued.
“I found us a decent restaurant.”
I nodded, then told Deputy Yeo Chang-ui he could get off work and handed him plenty of money for a staff dinner.
Then I headed to the restaurant with Brother Jeong-ho.
The dish Brother Jeong-ho chose for me was yuanyang hotpot.
It was a kind of huoguo, a winter dish in Beijing where you boil broth in a large, shallow pot and briefly swish thin slices of meat and vegetables in it.
They call it yuanyang hotpot because the pot is split down the middle with a divider, half filled with spicy red broth and the other half with a mild white broth, and you boil them together.
“Hotpot really is the best in winter.”
I nodded at Brother Jeong-ho’s comment.
Since hotpot is something you eat while it boils, it’s perfect for the cold Beijing weather.
Brother Jeong-ho and I, along with Palgap and his attendant, sat at one table, while the other Escort Guards split up and sat on either side.
“I’ve been here a few times, and this place is the best.”
“I like this restaurant too.”
It had been one of my regular spots in my previous life as well.
Compared to other places, the meat is better quality and they give you generous portions.
When your stamina’s low, meat is the best medicine.
While we were enjoying our meal and sipping tea, Brother Jeong-ho asked me,
“So what are you planning to do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your schedule. Are you planning to stay here?”
At that question, I shook my head.
“No, not that. We can’t keep construction going through the winter anyway; it’s too cold.”
“That’s true.”
Beijing is a cold region to begin with, and this winter was brutally cold, just like last year.
Because of that, pushing construction in the dead of winter isn’t a good idea. The materials freeze, the buildings might end up shoddy, and the workers’ safety is at risk.
“So Father told me to wrap things up here and return to Hubei together with you.”
“I see. Then the work here…”
“I’ll leave it to the supervisor here.”
Of course, I still had to learn the Imperial Palace Martial Art, but that wasn’t something you finished in a day or two…
“Oh! That reminds me, I almost forgot to say this.”
“…?”
“Happy birthday.”
At Brother Jeong-ho’s words, I scratched my cheek.
“I’ll give you your present when we get back. I already prepared something and left it at home.”
“Got it.”
Just then, someone carefully approached us from the side.
“Um, excuse me… are you by any chance the Handsome Young Hero?”
I blinked a couple times, then nodded.
“I knew it! It really is you! It’s an honor to meet the hero of the Dragon-Phoenix Martial Gathering!”
At those words, the nearby customers started buzzing.
“Seriously? That hero, the Handsome Young Hero?”
“He’s really handsome…”
I can’t believe my name’s spread this far already…
Brother Jeong-ho was looking at me with such a proud expression that I couldn’t even run away.
Damn.
It was exhausting giving every person who crowded around a little blessing.
After all, there’s this saying that if you get a blessing from a hero, good fortune will come your way.
And not just any hero, but a hero who’d saved a lot of lives.
Jin Yeong hurried toward the imperial palace.
Because the Emperor had summoned him.
Once he was standing before the Emperor, the Emperor asked,
“Can you teach the Imperial Palace Martial Art to someone?”
At that question, Jin Yeong answered right away.
“Of course. However, as I understand it, that falls under the instructors’ duties.”
“I know that as well. But the one who’ll be learning the Imperial Palace Martial Art this time is in a bit of a special position.”
“…?”
“I want you to personally teach him the Imperial Palace Martial Art.”
Seeing the broad smile on the Emperor’s face, he had a feeling who the student would be.
The Emperor hadn’t had much to smile about, but starting a few years ago, even he had something that made him smile.
It was when he met Eunhae Merchant Group’s Eun Seo-ho.
Watching from the side, Jin Yeong had more than once wondered, “Is His Majesty going to clutch his neck and collapse at this rate?”
But on the days he met Eun Seo-ho, the Emperor looked genuinely cheerful, and that made Jin Yeong sincerely happy.
When he was young, he had come to the palace following his father.
Back then, the current Emperor had been just one of many princes. But the moment Jin Yeong saw that prince, he sensed it.
That this was the one he would give his heart to.
Just as he’d wished, he joined the prince’s guard, and now that the prince was Emperor, he had become his hands and feet.
The Emperor often said to Jin Yeong, about Eun Seo-ho, “He’s an impudent brat.”
But Jin Yeong knew.
Eun Seo-ho didn’t make the Emperor smile just because he was cheeky.
His sense for reading the room was uncanny, his timing when he advanced and retreated was excellent, but more than anything… he got things done.
Like a busy honeybee bringing back nectar, he constantly brought the Emperor things that worked to his advantage.
‘No wonder Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho looks like a honey jar in His Majesty’s eyes. But still, the Imperial Palace Martial Art…’
Yet instead of gold, silver, and jewels, he was giving his favorite the Imperial Palace Martial Art…
It might look a little strange, but Jin Yeong knew the Emperor.
When he gave something to someone he favored, he always did it with that person’s future in mind.
“I accept your order.”
As he answered, Jin Yeong thought
that before long the Emperor would probably entrust Eun Seo-ho with a fairly big job together with the Embroidered Guard.
The next day.
Warrior Jin Yeong visited my temporary residence again.
“We meet again today.”
“Did you get back safely yesterday?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I got home just fine.”
Warrior Jin Yeong looked around my place and asked,
“Do you have a place here where you can train martial arts?”
As expected, it seemed Warrior Jin Yeong had been chosen to teach me the Imperial Palace Martial Art.
“Of course.”
“Then go change your clothes and come there.”
“Yes.”
I asked Escort Guard Lee Pil to guide Warrior Jin Yeong to the training yard, then went inside.
With Palgap’s help I changed clothes and headed for the training yard.
This might be just a temporary residence, but I was going to be staying here for quite a while. So I’d set up a fairly large training yard for my own practice.
Not just me—my Escort Guards and even Palgap also trained here.
When I arrived at the training yard, Warrior Jin Yeong was inspecting the ground.
Seeing that, I could tell he intended to take this seriously.
“A dirt floor, huh.”
“Yes. Just an ordinary dirt floor.”
“That’s unexpected. For someone as rich as you, I thought you’d have paved it with blue stone.”
“True. It’s easier to maintain, it’s cleaner, and it doesn’t kick up dust, so your clothes don’t get covered in dirt.”
I smiled.
“But most places where fights actually break out are just plain dirt, aren’t they?”
When you use martial arts—no, when you fight someone—the most important thing is grasping your surroundings.
And for most martial arts, everything starts from the ground beneath your feet.
Unless you’ve reached some ridiculously lofty realm, you’re almost always going to be fighting on the ground.
Your footwork has to adjust to the terrain, and the same goes for how you swing your weapon.
“If you only ever train on stone, you’ll probably make a lot of mistakes in real combat.”
“Ha ha. You’re exactly right. Honestly, I think the only reason the great sects of the martial world pave their training yards with blue stone is to show off.”
So we think alike.
“Then before we start in earnest, I’ll tell you about the Imperial Palace Martial Art.”
“I’m all ears.”
“The Imperial Palace Martial Art’s official name is ‘Imperial Palace Heaven-Revering Eternal Protection Martial Art.’”
A martial art to revere the palace like the heavens and protect it for ten thousand generations… what an overblown name.
“But honestly, it’s way too long. So we just shorten it to Imperial Palace Martial Art.”
“I see.”
“The Imperial Palace Martial Art is divided into internal cultivation methods, lightness skill, fist techniques, kicking techniques, sword techniques, formation techniques, and tracking techniques.”
I knew what the others were, but what was “tracking techniques” supposed to be?
Warrior Jin Yeong must have read my mind, because he explained,
“You know what the others are, but you’re wondering about the tracking techniques, right?”
“Yes.”
“Just think of it as tracking skills. Honestly, while the Imperial Palace Martial Art’s purpose is to protect His Majesty, it also has another role: tracking down criminals and arresting them.”
“Ah!”
Warrior Jin Yeong’s explanation continued.
“…That’s it for the explanation. Do you have any questions?”
“Yes. I heard there’s a separate martial art that only the eunuchs practice.”
“Ah… that one? Yes. But because of certain physical requirements, only eunuchs can learn it. Why, are you interested?”
Warrior Jin Yeong’s gaze flicked down toward my lower body, and I answered firmly,
“I’m not interested. I was just curious.”
Good grief… this person is saying things that could get him killed.
Training ended.
Warrior Jin Yeong decided he’d come every other day from now on, and today he just checked my basic physical condition.
And he muttered, “We can start in earnest now.”
Right now, I’m at the construction site for the Beijing branch.
I came at night like this because I didn’t have time to look around during the day.
But… what is that?
I stared for a moment at something in the distance, then shouted in shock,
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing at someone else’s construction site in the middle of the night?”
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt