I stood on the ship’s deck.
“We should reach Nanjing soon.”
I turned around and saw Navigator Song Juk.
“I see.”
Once the ship docked in Nanjing, we would load the liquor sent down from Beijing and depart for the Great Yue Kingdom.
Just then, Lady Seohyang spoke from beside me.
“Oh my, are those birds seagulls?”
She pointed toward the white birds soaring in the distance.
Come to think of it, she had probably never seen a seagull before.
“Yes, they are.”
Navigator Song answered.
“Seagulls tell us when land is near. That makes them a good omen for sailors like us. Of course, we’re traveling down a river at the moment, so it doesn’t quite apply in this case.”
“Still, they mean the coast is nearby, so they’re a good omen.”
“Hahaha. Indeed they are.”
She gazed at the seagulls with undisguised delight.
There was no particular danger this time, nor did we need to move with any urgency, so Lady Seohyang had accompanied us.
She was also my deputy, and she would have to return to Beijing eventually anyway.
“Still, life aboard a ship must be uncomfortable. Are you managing all right?”
“Everyone has been very considerate, so I’ve been quite comfortable.”
“That’s a relief, but please tell me immediately if there’s anything you need.”
Two hours later.
At long last, we arrived in Nanjing.
After disembarking, I immediately began searching for an inn.
The sailors had endured a long journey to get here, and I wanted them to rest comfortably.
Fortunately, I managed to rent an entire inn near the harbor.
I paid the few guests already staying there twice the usual compensation, and they gratefully agreed to move to another inn.
Once everyone except those assigned to guard the ship had settled in to rest, Brother Jeong-ho and I headed for Nanjing’s Provincial Command Office.
It was the official gathering place for everyone participating in this trade voyage.
“I am Eun Jeong-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
Once we identified ourselves, the guards lowered the crossed spears blocking the entrance.
“Please forgive us. You may enter.”
Brother Jeong-ho and I went inside and headed toward the same area that had served as the assembly point during the previous trade voyage.
When we arrived, several familiar faces greeted us.
“It’s good to see you.”
“Yes, it’s good to see you as well, Deputy Merchant Lord Song.”
“You look well. I take it things have been going smoothly?”
“It’s all thanks to you, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun. Hahaha.”
The man warmly exchanging greetings with us was Deputy Merchant Lord Song Un of the Changhae Merchant Group.
The Baekcheon Merchant Group’s scheme had nearly cost him his entire merchant group, but with my help, he had managed to reclaim it.
That was probably why he remained so favorably disposed toward me.
“I saw the Changhae Merchant Group’s ship at the docks, so I knew you had arrived. When did you get here?”
“About three days ago.”
“You arrived early.”
“We had some goods to load here.”
“I see.”
I turned and exchanged greetings with Deputy Merchant Lord Ji Seok-mun of the Baekbuik Merchant Group as well.
“It has been a long time.”
“How are you still so busy even when there isn’t a trade voyage underway?”
“Pardon?”
“I heard you’ve been making quite a name for yourself in Beijing. Didn’t you solve the murder of that critic from the Poetry and Prose Competition?”
“News of that reached all the way here?”
“Of course. I also heard that the notoriously demanding Sixth-Sense Duke chose you as his successor. Congratulations.”
“Haha, thank you.”
I scratched the back of my neck and laughed.
As expected of the Baekbuik Merchant Group, which had close ties to the Imperial Palace.
They were the largest merchant group trading with the Maraeseo Kingdom, so even the empire relied on their ships whenever it sent official envoys there.
That was also how Princess Shina of the Maraeseo Kingdom had come to the empire aboard one of the Baekbuik Merchant Group’s ships.
She was now Cousin Seon-il’s wife.
I heard that during the first trade voyage, they had delivered both news of her marriage and a letter from her to the Maraeseo Kingdom.
The king of the Maraeseo Kingdom had subsequently given the marriage his formal approval.
In truth, many things had happened that the others knew nothing about, but most of them could never be discussed in public…
“Despite how busy you’ve been, you’re looking remarkably healthy.”
“Am I? It’s all thanks to the grace of His Majesty the Emperor.”
Are you watching, Your Majesty?
Look at how loyal I am.
The other merchant groups arrived in small clusters, and by the appointed time, everyone was present.
.
.
.
Night had fallen.
I lay down on the bed.
Nothing beats finally stretching out in bed when it’s time to sleep.
Now we only had to load the goods being sent from Beijing, and we would be ready to depart.
Just then, I sensed someone approaching in a great hurry.
A moment later, Escort Guard Seo Wu’s voice came from outside.
“My lord, Deputy Gwak requests an audience.”
“Hmm? At this hour?”
I rose from the bed and put on the outer robe hanging beside it.
“Let her in.”
Lady Seohyang entered.
She ordinarily kept herself so impeccably neat that it was almost astonishing.
Now, however, her hair hung loose, and she had clearly thrown an outer robe over her sleepwear in haste. Something urgent must have happened.
“What is it?”
“You need to leave immediately. There’s going to be a landslide.”
“What? A landslide out of nowhere? We’re at the harbor.”
“Not here. You have to divert the people bringing the liquor here before they reach it.”
“When will it happen?”
“…Judging from the point in the future that I saw, they’re about three days away.”
Three days away?
“Yes. They encounter the landslide at Rabbit-Rump Mountain shortly after leaving the Jade Bright Inn. The landslide happens on the fifth day after the rain begins.”
My thoughts raced.
Three days from here.
And the landslide would occur on the fifth day after the rain began…
That was when it happened.
Pitter-patter.
Fwoooooosh!
Rain began pouring down. Which meant… we had only about one day to spare.
Now I understood why Lady Seohyang had rushed to me in such a disheveled state.
I immediately called for Palgap.
“Palgap!”
“Yes! Did you call for me, Young Master?”
“Go tell Brother Jeong-ho that I’m stepping out and will return later. Tell him I’m going to meet the party coming from Beijing.”
“Understood!”
“And Escort Guard Seo Wu.”
“Give me your command, my lord.”
“Inform the other Escort Guards. We leave in one hour.”
“Understood.”
“Escort Guard Chang Un will remain behind and protect Lady Seohyang.”
“I accept your command.”
“And Escort Guard Myeong Jong will be responsible for keeping watch over this entire inn. Go prepare immediately.”
The Escort Guards promptly departed, and I clasped my hands toward Lady Seohyang.
“Thank you. Truly. Without your warning, we might have suffered a devastating loss.”
Everything we had spent months – no, years – preparing could have been ruined in a single stroke.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
What would have happened if I hadn’t saved Lady Seohyang?
“Whew…”
She suddenly swayed, and I hurriedly caught her.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah, yes. I’m sorry. I think the tension left me the moment I finished telling you what I saw.”
Her answer drew a faint chuckle from me.
“Am I really that dependable?”
“Yes.”
I had only meant it as a lighthearted joke, but her immediate, unwavering response left me flustered.
“Ahem. I’m hardly the most dependable man in the world.”
“No. To me, you’re the person I trust more than anyone.”
Embarrassed by her words, I lowered my gaze, only for my face to flush bright red.
She wore only thin sleepwear beneath her robe, and when I caught her just now, her clothing had slipped slightly out of place.
“It’s late. Leave everything else to me and return to your room to sleep. I’ll escort you.”
Her room was right next door, after all.
I personally opened the door and saw her inside.
Hmm…
There was something I had to say.
“I’m truly glad you’re alive, my lady. And that you’re here beside me.”
At my words, a faint blush colored her cheeks.
“Please return safely.”
“I will.”
I closed the door and spoke to Escort Guard Chang Un.
“Please protect Lady Seohyang.”
“I will defend her with my life.”
Escort Guard Chang Un’s expression was extraordinarily solemn as he made that declaration.
I changed into light traveling clothes. My usual attire would only get in the way with a landslide looming ahead.
Then, one hour later.
We mounted our River-Crossing Horses and raced through the rain.
Before long, we arrived at the Jade Bright Inn.
It stood exactly three days’ travel from Nanjing.
It was closer as the crow flew, but the actual road between the two places was considerably longer.
A fairly large mountain stood between them.
Rabbit-Rump Mountain.
It had earned that name because its shape resembled a rabbit’s rump.
It was now near the end of the Fourth Month.
The bitter winter frost was finally thawing completely, leaving the ground unstable.
A sudden downpour at this time of year could easily trigger a landslide.
That was probably what would happen this time.
“Whoa!”
We brought our horses to a halt, and an attendant came out of the inn to welcome us.
“Welcome! How many are in your party?”
“Six.”
Escort Guard Myeong Jong and Escort Guard Chang Un were still back at the inn in Nanjing.
“You’ll be staying the night, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Please come inside first.”
The Jade Bright Inn was a fairly large establishment. That was likely why the party from the Imperial Palace had chosen to stay here.
We decided to share rooms in pairs.
The moment I set down my belongings, I took out the Path-Revealing Map and spread it open.
“To the Provincial Command Office in Nanjing.”
I stated my destination, and the Path-Revealing Map soon revealed a route.
The Path-Revealing Map did not show the fastest road, but the safest one.
And this time, it was showing a detour that strayed from the usual route.
That meant the normal road passing beneath Rabbit-Rump Mountain was dangerous.
“…”
It was exactly as Lady Seohyang had said.
I had not taken out the Path-Revealing Map because I doubted her.
Had I not believed her, I would never have ridden through the rain in the middle of the night to come all the way here.
I merely wanted a second confirmation, as well as an accurate route for the detour.
So all we had to do now was wait for them.
That evening.
A sizable party arrived at the Jade Bright Inn.
They were the people I had been waiting for.
I watched them secure their rooms, then revealed myself at an appropriate moment.
“What! Deputy Merchant Lord!”
Deputy Yeo Chang-ui was the first to spot me.
“I thought we would meet you in Nanjing. What brings you here?”
Everyone else looked equally puzzled.
“I came to meet you.”
“To meet us?”
“Yes.”
I then turned toward the officials farther back.
Among them, I spotted the Assistant Director from the Ministry of Rites, the same junior fifth-rank official who had participated in the previous trade voyage.
They had assigned more personnel than last time as well.
I headed straight toward the Assistant Director. He was most likely the highest-ranking official present.
“You must have had a difficult journey, my lord.”
“Hoho, it wasn’t especially difficult. But hadn’t you already sailed from Hubei and reached Nanjing?”
“Yes, I had.”
I nodded and continued.
“I came here for the safety of you and your party.”
“Our safety?”
I desperately searched for a plausible way to explain the coming landslide.
Simply saying, ‘An immortal appeared in my dream and warned me to beware of a landslide,’ would hardly be a wise choice.
A situation like this called for an objective, rational explanation.
“The truth is, I arrived in Nanjing earlier than expected. While searching for something to occupy my time, I visited one of the city’s marketplaces. There, I overheard a conversation between several herb gatherers.”
“Herb gatherers?”
“Yes. As you know, herb gatherers practically live in the mountains, so they possess an exceptional understanding of mountain terrain and weather. During their conversation, I heard them mention that Rabbit-Rump Mountain seemed dangerous.”
I continued.
“Out of caution, I asked them for further details. They told me that if heavy rain fell, there was a high chance of a landslide occurring at Rabbit-Rump Mountain. Unfortunately, that mountain lies directly along your planned route.”
“So you traveled all the way here through this rain?”
“That is correct.”
I bowed my head deeply.
“I am merely a timid merchant, so I cannot overlook even the smallest cause for concern. Therefore, although the detour may take considerably longer, I earnestly ask that you avoid the mountain and take another road.”
The Assistant Director studied me for a moment before placing a hand on my shoulder.
“Raise your head. We will take the detour, just as you advised.”
“Do you truly mean that?”
“You came racing all this way for our sake. How could I disregard such sincerity?”
He continued.
“Besides, many members of the Eunhae Merchant Group are traveling with us, along with a great deal of merchandise they prepared. I trust both a merchant’s greed and his judgment.”
I chuckled inwardly at his words.
He was quite a sensible man.
That was probably why the emperor had placed him in charge of the trade voyage.
I bowed deeply once more.
“Thank you.”
Once the decision had been made to take a detour, we immediately began discussing the alternate route.
We also needed to consult the Escort Chief from the escort bureau hired by the Imperial Palace.
After hearing my explanation, the Escort Chief agreed.
“Landslides certainly occur from time to time during this season. Since we know of the danger in advance, we should avoid it.”
“How about taking this route?”
I showed him the road indicated by the Path-Revealing Map, and the Escort Chief nodded.
“That would be best.”
The next day, we departed from the Jade Bright Inn.
Naturally, taking the detour meant the journey would take longer.
I could hear grumbling from behind us.
“Good grief. There’s never been a landslide at Rabbit-Rump Mountain before.”
“We’re the ones suffering because someone worried over nothing.”
Escort Guard Seo Wu cautiously looked at me.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. Pay it no mind. There are always one or two people who complain, no matter what happens.”
We had traveled for roughly half a day when we stopped for a rest.
This damned rain showed no sign of stopping.
Rrrrrrrrrumble.
A sound like the earth itself trembling echoed through the distance.
The startled horses reared and thrashed, and we hurriedly calmed them.
Then someone pointed off into the distance and shouted.
“O-over there…!”
We looked where he was pointing, and my blood ran cold.
Far in the distance, an entire section of the mountainside was collapsing in a landslide.
I let out a long breath of relief and thought,
Without Lady Seohyang, we really would have been in serious trouble.
–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