I’ve felt this for a long time now, but Brother Jin-ho’s drive is really something else.
He took the bait I tossed out in the morning…
And before evening even came, he had already finished getting everything ready to depart.
“Y–you already finished all the preparations?”
“Where would we find time to dawdle? My mother–in–law and the other in–laws are starving!”
Well, he had a point.
“I’d really like to leave right this moment, but I’m holding myself back.”
“Got it. Then we’ll set out tomorrow morning.”
This time, the Sixth Squad of the Eunpoong Division, where Brother Jin-ho serves as Squad Leader, would be accompanying us.
It wasn’t just anywhere we were going – it was his in–laws’ home.
On top of that, since both Brother Jin-ho and I were personally moving, Father ordered us to bring the Sixth Squad along.
Of course, officially, the reason was to deliver food to the North Sea branch.
That night.
My second sister–in–law came to see me.
I’d been expecting her to come, so I greeted her without being flustered.
“Welcome.”
“I’m sorry to bother you when you must be so busy.”
“It’s fine. No matter how busy I am, I can at least make time to receive my sister–in–law.”
I pulled out a chair at the low table in the middle of the office as I spoke.
“Please, have a seat.”
“No, it’s okay. I just… came to ask you to please take good care of my mother, my aunts, and my husband.”
“If that’s all, you don’t need to worry. I’ll do my utmost. It feels a bit much to call it a ‘trade’, but…”
I continued.
“Can I entrust my parents to you?”
“That’s only natural.”
.
.
.
Today was the day we were leaving for the North Sea Ice Palace, but of course Master wasn’t the type to let training slide just because of that.
After finishing circulating my Qi and regulating my breathing, I stood up and grinned.
As expected, Master was walking into the annex.
“Good morning.”
“Yes, Master. Good morning.”
“Then let’s begin your training right away.”
.
.
.
He worked me to the bone again today.
I lay sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath, and spoke.
“Master, today I’m supposed to be heading to the North Sea Ice Palace… aren’t you being a bit too harsh?”
At my complaint, Master let out a soft chuckle.
“That’s exactly why I couldn’t afford to go easy. We don’t know what threats might appear. Think of it as this Master’s wish for his disciple to stay safe.”
“…”
I had nothing to say to that.
Huh?
I blinked in mild surprise. Master was holding a hand out to me.
“Get up.”
“Thank you.”
I took his hand and got to my feet.
“For now, we’ll end today’s training here.”
“Thank you for your guidance.”
I cupped my fists and bowed.
“And also… I’m counting on you.”
At Master’s words, I nodded.
“As your disciple, I’ll do everything I can.”
A little later.
At breakfast, I told my family I’d be back safely.
“Jin-ho.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Don’t lose your temper and cause trouble, and listen to Seo-ho.”
At Father’s words, Brother Jin-ho scratched his head.
“Come on, Father. I’m an adult who’s even married now.”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying this. Like you said, if an adult who’s already married can’t keep his head and flies into a rage, there’s nothing more shameful.”
“…”
With just a single sentence, Father sank Brother Jin-ho like a ship.
As expected of Father.
Honestly, Brother Jin-ho does have a bit of a temper.
Even so, I’m taking him with me for several reasons, one of which is that I need someone who can lead the trade caravan in my place if something happens.
We also need enough people to guard all that grain.
Given the times, there are bound to be people whose eyes will roll back in greed and charge at the sight of so much grain.
“Anyway, travel safely.”
At Mother’s words, Brother Jin-ho and I cupped our fists and bowed our heads.
“Yes, Mother.”
“We’ll be careful and return safely.”
.
.
.
Lady Seohyang would also be accompanying us on this journey.
Her stamina has recovered enough that long–distance caravans aren’t a problem anymore, and since she’s training in the Heavenly Flow Ice Sword, she has developed some resistance to the cold.
The reason I’m taking Lady Seohyang along is that, as my Deputy, there are tasks she’ll need to handle in my stead.
And her abilities might be a huge help.
“Young Master, then are we meeting the North Sea Ice Palace’s Young Palace Lord on the way?”
At Escort Guard Seo Wu’s question, I nodded.
“Yes. We agreed to meet in Beijing.”
Using Geumryeong, I sent a letter to Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin, who was staying at Yangyang Martial Hall in Hangzhou.
The letter said we should meet in Beijing and head to the North Sea Ice Palace together.
In the reply Geumryeong brought back, she wrote that she understood.
If what Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin wanted was my help, it would’ve been easier for her to come straight to Hubei, so the fact that she deliberately went to Yangyang Martial Hall was probably to keep the existence of the Changin Escort Bureau a secret.
Or maybe she really has no idea where the Changin Escort Bureau is located?
…That’s possible too.
Well, I can just ask her about it later.
Turning those thoughts over in my mind, we headed for the wagon yard – and there, I saw a familiar face.
“Escort Chief Ha.”
“I’ll be accompanying this escort this time.”
He was Escort Chief Ha Cheol, Brother Jin-ho’s father–in–law.
Even though we had Brother Jin-ho and the Sixth Squad of the Eunpoong Division mobilized for this journey, the amount of grain we were transporting was considerable, so we needed plenty of guards.
That’s why we had asked the Changin Escort Bureau for support.
“I didn’t expect you yourself to come, Escort Chief Ha.”
“Truthfully, it was someone else’s turn to go, but I insisted. I’m worried about my wife.”
I could understand that feeling, so I nodded readily.
“Understood. In exchange, please follow my orders.”
“Of course.”
We set out for the North Sea.
Since it wasn’t the first time the Sixth Squad, led by Brother Jin-ho, was going to the North Sea Ice Palace, there didn’t seem to be much concern on that front.
Honestly, the first time is hard; from the second trip on, it’s not such a difficult journey.
Even inside the carriage heading for the North Sea, I was buried in work.
It was paperwork related to the Flourishing Peace Garden we were establishing.
I planned to handle it on the road and send it back through Geumryeong.
I could wait and submit it to Father after returning to the main headquarters, but that would slow things down.
This trip to and from the North Sea Ice Palace would take at least a month.
When I thought of the people eagerly waiting for the Flourishing Peace Garden to open, I couldn’t afford any delays.
Given the volume of documents, I’d have to pay Geumryeong more silver taels, but there was no helping it.
Evening came.
Instead of staying at an inn, we decided to camp in a suitable spot.
Our group was so large that it would be hard to put everyone in a single inn, and we didn’t want to broadcast that we were traveling with so much grain.
So it was simply easier on the mind to camp out.
Soon the porters from the escort bureau lit several campfires, and we gathered around them.
For dinner, we used the supplies we’d brought from the main compound when we departed.
Since the nights were still chilly, we hung a large pot over the fire and cooked a hot soup.
“Young Master.”
At that moment, Escort Guard Jin Yu called out to me.
“Yes, what is it?”
“There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“When I saw the North Sea Ice Palace, it didn’t look that lacking to me. Yet you say food doesn’t reach them easily… is there some reason?”
It seemed the others were curious about the same thing, because they all turned to look at me.
“That, I don’t really know either.”
“Huh?”
“All I know is that it’s difficult for them to obtain food. We’ll only learn the details once we meet the Young Palace Lord.”
Even so, the reason I came like this is because I’m the Snow Wind Palace’s Young Palace Lord.
And the reason I brought Brother Jin-ho and the Sixth Squad of the Eunpoong Division is because I trust their strength.
“Night’s getting late. Let’s get some sleep.”
Then I turned to Palgap.
“Set up a comfortable place for Lady Seohyang to sleep inside the carriage.”
“Understood.”
If you lay planks across the carriage seats and spread blankets over them, it makes a rather spacious and cozy bed.
And I gave that bed up to Lady Seohyang.
If the Commissioner of Land Affairs of Guizhou were to hear later that I’d made Lady Seohyang sleep on the cold ground, things would get very awkward for me.
He already wasn’t happy about Lady Seohyang working as my Deputy…
“I’m fine. I can just spread a blanket on the ground and sleep.”
Lady Seohyang refused, but I pushed my will through.
“No. Please do as I say.”
“I’m really fine, though…”
“If you end up having a hard time, it’ll be even harder on me.”
“Excuse me?”
At her puzzled response, Palgap cut in.
“What he mean is, if Deputy Gwak gets sick or something, handling the work will become difficult, right? That means the young master will have a lot more to deal with.”
“Ah, so that’s what you meant.”
“That’s why you always let the household’s horses and oxen stay in the warmest place.”
“Ah…”
Palgap, if you say it like that, what is Lady Seohyang going to think of me?
She’ll think I’m trash who sees my Deputy as nothing more than a horse or an ox.
That’s not it…
It’s really not like that.
“Pft!”
Just then, Lady Seohyang burst into laughter.
Huh? Why is she laughing?
“I’m not misunderstanding, so you don’t have to look so troubled.”
Was my expression really that bad?
“Thinking about it, if I got stubborn and my health suffered, it really would cause you a lot of trouble, Young Merchant Lord. I won’t insist.”
“Thank you for going along with my wishes.”
“It’s nothing. Then I’ll head in first.”
With that, Lady Seohyang walked toward the carriage. I glared at Palgap.
“Palgap.”
“Yes, young master?”
“No matter what, if you say it like that to Lady Seohyang, what does that make me look like?”
“Look like how?”
“Of all things, why did you have to compare her to horses and oxen?”
“Young master, do you know how important horses and oxen are to common folk? Are you looking down on them right now?”
“N–no, that’s not what I meant…”
Well, horses and oxen really are incredibly important livestock to commoners.
Without them, they couldn’t plow their fields or feed themselves.
Even so, comparing a person to a horse or an ox is a bit…
Sigh.
I don’t even know anymore.
Well, it’s not like Lady Seohyang is the type to misunderstand over something like that, and she said she didn’t anyway.
“Still, that was too much.”
“How was I too much? You only sleep four hours a day and work like a draft animal yourself.”
“…”
He wasn’t wrong, so I had nothing to say.
Palgap does have a habit of saying only the truth.
Morning.
I opened my eyes and sat up.
“Did you sleep well?”
My guards had decided to stand watch in pairs, and it seemed it was Escort Guard Lee Pil and Escort Guard Myeong Jong’s turn; the two of them were sitting by my side.
“Good morning.”
“Ah, Deputy Gwak is already up and about.”
When I turned my head, Lady Seohyang was already standing nearby, neat and tidy in her clothes.
Yikes!
I must’ve fallen asleep late after thinking about this and that last night, because I’d woken up later than I thought.
“Ahem, let’s do our breathing and Qi circulation.”
“Yes.”
I asked my guards to stand watch and began circulating my Qi.
Once I finished and got to my feet, I sensed Brother Jin-ho’s Qi a short distance away.
Since the spear is a weapon with a wide reach, it seemed he had gone off to a secluded spot to train so no one else would get caught up in his practice.
Should I go take a look?
It’s been a while since I checked on Brother Jin-ho’s skills.
After telling Lady Seohyang, who had also finished circulating her Qi, to review what she’d learned yesterday, I headed toward where Brother Jin-ho was.
The place where he was training was a bit away from the rest of the group.
Even so, it wasn’t so far that we couldn’t rush over if something happened.
“Haa! Ha!”
Brother Jin-ho was brandishing Azure Dragon Dance, the spear I’d given him as a gift.
Now, Brother Jin-ho had become a full–fledged Peak–level warrior.
The blue spear–Qi coiling around the spearhead was proof of that.
This trip to the North Sea would be a great help to him.
Because I think what he needs at his current level is real combat – even if it’s a bit intense.
Of course, as a Squad Leader of the Eunpoong Division, he’s gone on many trade routes, but that’s not enough real battle experience for a martial artist to grow.
Real combat that lets you grow as a warrior is the kind where your life might truly be on the line.
Even if he’s familiar with the road to the North Sea Ice Palace, you still can’t call it an easy trip.
On top of that, this is a caravan where we don’t know what kind of danger might strike.
The reason I’m trying to help him gain this sort of real combat experience is probably because I want Brother Jin-ho to become stronger than he was in my previous life.
I still can’t forget the sight of Brother Jin-ho’s head that I saw right before I died.
Right now I’ve reached the Profound realm, and my escort guards are quite skilled as well.
At this level, even if Brother Jin-ho is in real danger, we can still save him.
As I watched him and thought about what lay ahead, Brother Jin-ho stopped his training and turned toward me.
“What is it? When did you get here?”
“Uh, just now.”
“Yeah? Perfect timing.”
“Huh?”
Brother Jin-ho pointed his spear at me and said,
“Spar with me!”
“What? A spar, all of a sudden?”
At my question, he grinned.
“Honestly, I’m curious about your skills. You’ve never really shown me what you can do.”
That was true.
“So I figured I’d use this chance to see for myself.”
“Hmm…”
I pretended to think it over for a moment, then said to him,
“Then how about a little bet? Whoever loses grants the winner a simple favor.”
Brother Jin-ho readily accepted my proposal.
“All right, let’s do that.”
He sure took the bait easily again.
Well, it’s only natural – Brother Jin-ho doesn’t really know what realm I’m in.
–TL Notes–
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