Our destination was Gansu.
The shortest route was to pass through Shanxi and cross Ningxia, but the terrain there was brutal.
To go that way, we’d have to cross not only Mount Tai near Beijing, but also Mount Heng, Mount Wutai, and the other peaks north of Shanxi.
So the route we chose was to head south through Hebei, board a boat in Kaifeng, then ride the Yellow River upstream all the way to Lanzhou in Gansu.
And since we’d be heading south at first, we could also trick our pursuers into thinking we were really going to Guangdong.
Unless we burned Qi on lightness skills and sprinted nonstop, traveling by boat was faster and easier than galloping overland on horseback.
Even if we were going against the current.
With people chasing us, speed came first if we wanted to shake them off.
Another reason to avoid the roads was that uprisings were starting to break out all over the place.
After we left Beijing and traveled for three, maybe four days, Kaifeng finally came into view.
Kaifeng had once been the old empire’s capital, so it was packed with historic sites and just as bustling.
Since it sat along the river, big market fairs were held there as well.
As soon as we arrived in Kaifeng, we decided to look for a boat.
You could run around yourself asking about passages, but the easiest way was to use an inn by the ferry pier as a middleman.
The inns near the docks basically specialized in arranging boats.
We headed for the biggest, most luxurious inn among them. Getting chased or not, giving up a comfortable bed and a hot meal would just be too miserable.
Besides, what pursuer would imagine we’d be brazen enough to stay in the finest inn in town?
And since we’d slipped out under cover of night, we should have a decent lead on anyone following us.
“Welcome.”
As we stepped into the inn, a waiter hurried over to greet us.
“You can leave your horses with us.”
“Ah, thank you.”
He handed us wooden tags to mark our horses, which we’d use later to claim them.
We went inside and approached the clerk in charge of rooms.
This time I didn’t leave it to Palgap or Escort Guard Seo Wu; I handled the clerk myself.
“We’re planning to stay a few days.”
“Ah, are you perhaps looking for a boat?”
“Yes.”
I purposely kept it vague instead of saying how many days; we had no idea when a boat would actually depart.
“Understood. First, what kind of room would you like?”
“Do you have a room where all eight of us can stay together?”
“We do have a large hall that can hold about ten guests, but as you know, those rooms are either the very best or the very worst.”
The clerk chuckled and went on.
“Of course, a guest like you would want the top grade. That one is three silver taels per night.”
For lodging, that was pretty expensive, but for the best room in a place like this, it was only natural.
“We’ll take that room. Ah, and please find us a boat heading to Lanzhou in Gansu.”
“Certainly. Payment for the room is in advance. If you wish to stay tomorrow as well, let us know before lunchtime and pay the next night’s fee in advance.”
I paid for the room on the spot.
Another attendant came at the call and led us to a suite on the top floor.
“Here we are. This is the largest and finest room in our inn.”
Since it was the best room, large enough for ten people, everything inside was top quality.
There was a shared sitting area in the middle and four separate rooms to either side.
“Wow! This is seriously amazing!”
It was fancy enough to impress even Palgap, and since this was probably the first time Escort Guards Myeong Jong and Chang Un had stayed in a place like this, they stared around with wide, round eyes.
I couldn’t help a small laugh as I slipped the attendant one silver tael.
“Please take good care of us while we’re here.”
“But of course. If you need anything, just pull this bell rope here anytime. Then, please rest well.”
The attendant bowed politely and left, and I turned to our group.
“Let’s take it easy today. Starting tomorrow, things are going to get a bit busy.”
“Understood.”
Since there were four rooms, Palgap and I took one, and the six Escort Guards split the remaining three.
.
.
.
The next day,
When we went down to the first floor for breakfast, a clerk approached me.
“Sir, you asked me to find a boat heading to Gansu, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“There’s a ship leaving early tomorrow morning for Lanzhou in Gansu.”
He handed us a document. On it were a sketch of the ship, the captain’s career, the number of crew, how many passengers it could take, and so on.
It could carry fifty passengers, not counting the captain and crew.
Considering the provisions and cargo for the trip to Lanzhou, that was a fairly large vessel.
Anyway, the timing was perfect.
“Sounds good. We’ll take this one.”
“How many will be boarding?”
“Eight people. And we have eight horses as well.”
“I’ll have everything arranged.”
After chatting with the clerk a bit more about the ship, we finally started eating breakfast.
Since we were leaving tomorrow morning, we had to move quickly.
There wasn’t that much to prepare, but there were still a few things I needed to take care of.
After breakfast, we headed out to Kaifeng’s main marketplace.
The streets there were quite a sight.
“Feels kind of similar to Hangzhou, doesn’t it?”
I nodded at Palgap’s comment, though there was a difference.
Hangzhou was famous for its wine houses, whereas this place was famous for its tea houses. Maybe because of pride in being a former capital, people here preferred tea over wine.
They even said any true poet had to drink tea and compose verses in one of Kaifeng’s tea houses at least once.
And since it wasn’t far from Hubei, I’d come here fairly often in my previous life.
So I was familiar with the layout of the city.
“We can buy some jerky over there.”
“I never imagined a place like that would sell dried provisions.”
Escort Guard Seo Wu sounded impressed.
He probably thought we’d just stumbled across that shop while wandering around, but that wasn’t it.
I had steered us there on purpose.
The jerky from that shop was pretty delicious.
I bought more jerky than we had people.
Palgap tilted his head and asked, puzzled.
“Why are you buying this much?”
“I’ve got plans for it.”
We nibbled on the jerky as we wandered around, and before long it was almost lunchtime.
I glanced back over my shoulder.
I saw a beggar sitting with a bowl in front, begging for coins.
They acted like they’d been rooted there all day, but they couldn’t slip past my Qi sense.
That one had been tailing us nonstop, begging in every spot we passed.
Anyone not paying attention wouldn’t notice, but it was the same Qi every time.
Besides, memorizing faces happened to be one of my specialties.
I looked at the beggar’s belt cord.
There were three knots.
A three-knot disciple of the Beggars’ Union, and a fairly high-ranked one at that.
Well, any Beggars’ Union disciple would know who I was. The Beggars’ Union was one of the Nine Great Sects, after all.
So they’d sent someone with decent rank to shadow me and dig up information.
Which actually worked out nicely for me.
I walked over to the beggar and tore off a good chunk of the extra jerky I’d bought, dropping it into the bowl.
“Oh my, thank you so much, young master.”
“Seems you were curious about information on me.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“You’re already aware who I am, so don’t play dumb.”
“…”
Their eyes rolled nervously from side to side.
“You must be hungry. Have some jerky. This batch is quite the delicacy.”
“…Gulp.”
Beggars’ Union or not, a beggar was still a beggar.
They hesitated while staring at the jerky I gave, then finally grabbed it and stuffed it into their mouth.
“Here, have some water too.”
I poured water from my canteen into the bowl and offered it, and they obediently took it and gulped it down.
“Want some more jerky?”
“A-hem, ahem, I-I’m fine.”
But their eyes were fixed on the jerky in my hand.
Once they’d tasted that famous jerky, the piece in my hand must have haunted their gaze.
There’s a saying in this world, isn’t there?
The scariest flavor is the one you’ve already tasted.
“You don’t want any? Guess it didn’t suit your taste.”
“A-hem, ahem. T-that’s not it…”
“Then would you like a little more?”
I held the jerky out to them, and they reached for it.
They finished that piece off in an instant too.
Watching that, I smiled the way only a merchant could.
“Then it’s about time you paid for the jerky, don’t you think?”
“Huh?”
“I never said the jerky I gave you was free.”
“…”
They protested at me with a flustered look.
“H-how can you do that? When you give alms to a beggar, you aren’t supposed to expect anything in return!”
“Is that really true?”
I smiled faintly.
“Honestly, isn’t giving alms to a beggar usually about hoping that good deed brings you some blessing later? I know that’s how it is for me, at least. Of course, there are people who truly expect nothing back. Those people are genuinely good.”
I continued.
“But I’m not that good a person.”
“And here they say you’re the Handsome Young Hero…”
“Isn’t good and evil relative? I’m not kind enough to be good to someone who’s been tailing me from behind, like you.”
“…!”
My words made them flinch.
“S-so what do you want from me, then? You can’t be looking for money from a beggar.”
“Information.”
“Are you trying to buy information with just a bit of jerky? Even for a merchant, don’t you have any shame?”
“Aren’t you jumping ahead a little? When did I say I was buying information?”
“Y-you didn’t?”
“Right.”
“A-hem, ahem, then what do you want?”
They kept clearing their throat, as if they’d gotten tangled up in my way of speaking.
“The Branch Chief is in Kaifeng right now, isn’t that so?”
“…!”
“I want an audience with the Branch Chief.”
.
.
.
A little while later.
Our group headed for the Beggars’ Union’s main lodge in the city, guided by the beggar who’d eaten my jerky.
“H-here we are.”
They led us to a shabby-looking building with a plaque that read [Beggars’ Union Main Lodge].
The Beggars’ Union preferred not to stand out, so even their signboard was modest.
In front, beggars lounged around scratching their bellies, but their eyes were sharp as they watched their surroundings.
As we approached, one of them spoke up.
“What is it?”
“Guests.”
“Guests? Pretty face… an attendant who looks like a bear… Don’t tell me, the Handsome Young Hero?”
I laughed and replied.
“So you recognized me after all. I must be more famous than I thought. May we go in?”
They nodded at my question.
I gave a small bow and went inside.
The outside had looked shabby enough, but the inside was even worse.
Well, that was the Beggars’ Union for you.
“This way.”
Following our guide’s words, we headed toward the rear courtyard.
Under a tree there, a lone beggar was sitting.
Their hair was white, and nine knots hung from the belt at their waist.
The staff at their side was the Beggars’ Union Branch Chief’s symbol.
We clasped our fists and bowed respectfully.
“This humble merchant, Eun Seo-ho, greets Branch Chief.”
“Mm…”
They slowly lifted their head and looked at me.
“So, you wanted to see me?”
“Yes, I did.”
“People call you the Handsome Young Hero, but at your core you’re a merchant. So, what profit brings you to this old beggar today?”
“First, this is a token of my sincerity.”
I took a banknote from my robe and offered it. The Branch Chief’s eyebrows shot up when they saw the amount.
“For mere sincerity, this is a bit excessive, isn’t it?”
“You’re right. That banknote isn’t just to show sincerity. Part of it is for a small favor.”
“A favor?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“Soon, people will come here looking for information on me. I’d like you to tell them my destination is Guangdong.”
“But your real destination isn’t there, is it?”
As expected of the Beggars’ Union Branch Chief.
They already knew Guangdong wasn’t where I was truly headed.
“You’re asking us to feed false information to our clients? What about the damage to our reputation?”
“Just this once. After that, you can reveal my real destination as much as you like.”
“…”
“This year’s poor harvest has made even begging difficult, hasn’t it?”
“…”
“If you don’t like it, we can pretend this never happened. Please, return the banknote.”
“Now see here, you rascal!”
The Branch Chief wore a complicated expression, then nodded.
“Fine. Just once.”
“Thank you.”
Right now, the biggest information networks in the martial world are the Hao Clan and the Beggars’ Union.
Which meant all I had to do was control what those two handled.
Then next, time to go twist the Hao Clan a little.
I had no choice but to spend a fortune for this, but our safety mattered more than money.
Money was something I could always earn again.
And every coin I spent this time, interest included, I fully intended to squeeze back out of the Emperor.
.
.
.
The next morning.
We headed to the dock to board the ship the inn had arranged.
We went straight aboard, and soon our ship set off toward Lanzhou in Gansu.
One day after Eun Seo-ho’s party left, a group of people arrived in Kaifeng.
“They must have stayed here to cross the river. Put in a request with the Hao Clan and the Beggars’ Union.”
“Yes!”
A short while later, they returned with the same answer from both sides.
“They say the group headed south.”
“Looks like they’re heading to Guangdong, just like the information we had.”
“Just as expected. Let’s move!”
“Yes!”
–TL Notes–
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