Nanchang Prefecture was big and bustling, befitting the provincial capital of Jiangxi.
It sat on the chokepoint that anyone from Jiangxi, Fujian, or Guangdong had to pass through to reach the Central Plain.
If you rode the long north–south waterway of Poyang Lake, you could cut the ti to a fifth compared to forcing your way through rugged mountains.
So it was only natural that people and goods from not only Jiangxi but also Fujian and Guangdong would pour into Nanchang Prefecture.
Along market towns that stretched for over a dozen li, guesthouses and winehouses stood in rows, and every one of them was packed to the eaves with custors.
At dusky evening, two people stepped inside the walls of Nanchang Prefecture.
It was Kwak Yeon and Chwi Dugae.
“It doesn’t match Hangzhou or Suzhou, but the bustle of Poyang-Nanchang is quite a sight,”
Chwi Dugae said, deliberately exaggerating as he took in the brilliant streets where lanterns hung in double and triple ranks on every roadside building.
“Is Hangzhou and Suzhou really that bustling?”
When Kwak Yeon reacted to what had sounded like a mutter to himself, Chwi Dugae felt satisfied.
“Kwak, haven’t you heard the saying, ‘In heaven there is paradise; on earth there are Suzhou and Hangzhou’?”
“I’ve heard it from half the drunks once they’re tipsy, so there’s no way I wouldn’t have.”
Chwi Dugae’s mood improved further at Kwak Yeon’s noticeably lighter tone.
Since leaving Huayang Temple, Kwak Yeon’s expression had brightened a great deal.
It ant that by letting his emotions explode that day in the storehouse, he had grown more mature by a step.
‘Still not quite his age, but a long stride forward.’
“I’m a drunk myself, but I’m not spouting pure nonsense. When flower boats float on Lake Tai in Suzhou and lanterns are hung along the canal roads, you could fairly call it paradise on earth. Hangzhou is even more prosperous—manors of old houses line the road for dozens of li.”
“I heard even beggars in Hangzhou wear silk when they beg. Is that true?”
“No matter how rich a place is, would beggars do that? Well, there was a beggar wearing silk. When I grabbed him and asked, he said he’d put on an old silk robe soone had thrown away.”
People of the common lot spent a lifeti wishing for a single set of silk clothes.
“It’s astonishing that Hangzhou folk are that wealthy. Do you strike gold when you dig the ground in Hangzhou?”
“Hangzhou’s ground is a gold lump in itself.”
“......?”
“I an it’s where the boundless sea ets the Nine-Ten-Thousand-li Yangtze.”
“If the sea and the river et, that must be a spectacle.”
“I an it’s the point where all produce ets. To co from the sea to the Central Plain, or for goods of the Central Plain to go out to sea, you go through there. Above all, Hangzhou has its old resident, the Great Prosperity House, which is why it could develop so.”
“The Great Prosperity House?”
“You don’t know the world’s foremost rchant house, the Great Prosperity House? The Comrce House of the trade world that scholars compare to Confucius House among the literati and to the Martial Sage House in the martial world?”
“I’m an outsider to the trade world.”
“Even so. There are almost no martial sects that haven’t been indebted to the Great Prosperity House. I hear they donate quite a lot to the Wudang Sect as well.”
“Is the Great Prosperity House that rich?”
“The Great Prosperity House is the world’s foremost rchant house that’s continued for hundreds of years. I hear they even have a branch in the Parsa Kingdom way out in the Western Regions.”
Kwak Yeon was only then truly surprised when he heard “Western Regions.”
“That really is a trendous rchant house.”
He had heard of India and the Western Regions in words, but to a Taoist novice living in the mountains, they were as vague as immortal lands that existed only in stories.
Yet to think they actually went to such distant places to trade and even kept branches there.
‘A world-first rchant house really is different. But if the people of the Western Regions have blue eyes and goblin-red faces, how do they communicate?’
While Kwak Yeon was letting his imagination puff the Great Prosperity House into a floating cloud, Chwi Dugae, carried by his own excitent, continued,
“The Great Prosperity House is more famous for its virtue than for its wealth. Truth is, the reason I’m headed to Hangzhou this ti is because of such a work of the Great Prosperity House.”
Maybe because the talk of the Great Prosperity House was fresh, Kwak Yeon’s interest grew keen.
“What were you going there for?”
“I hear so happy event befell the precious only daughter of the Great Prosperity House, and they’re establishing a Charity Hall for orphans. Originally my master, the Beggar King, was invited and should go, but saying he has to coach Gwaa, he told to go in his stead. Damn it, that old man just doesn’t want the trouble of going all the way to Hangzhou and used Gwaa as an excuse.”
Kwak Yeon, truly respectful of the Great Prosperity House, let Chwi Dugae’s grumbling pass by his ears.
Since they earned their money by comrce and spread the benefit broadly, the Great Prosperity House was indeed practicing true chivalry.
Like Grand Scholar Seol Junghyu of Sangjeon Village.
There were many wicked people under heaven, but not a few righteous ones as well.
“If Hangzhou is that splendid a place, I’d like to see it soday.”
“Yeah, it’s a place worth going at least once.”
What drew Kwak Yeon most was the fact that Hangzhou had the sea.
It reminded him of the promise he had made with the Cheongmu Taoist to go see the sea together soday.
‘If I’m going to see the sea, Hangzhou will be best.’
Kwak Yeon pictured the bustling, beautiful sight of Hangzhou and how the Cheongmu Taoist would delight in it. And if they saw the sea right after, that would be the crowning touch.
‘It would be good to hire a boat and head out onto the sea.’
“All this jabbering’s made hungry. Let’s eat first.”
They went into the dining room of the first guesthouse they saw and took seats, and Kwak Yeon spoke.
“Brother, looks like custors ca calling.”
Half a dozen stalwart n entered the dining room; the mont their eyes t Kwak Yeon’s, they feigned nonchalance and sat at an empty table.
“You noticed too?”
Kwak Yeon nodded.
“They’re the ones who were in the tea house at the city gate.”
“Following us that brazenly—what strange fellows.”
Chwi Dugae shook his head and asked,
“What do you think this is about?”
“Hard to say.”
They were unlikely to be henchn of the Jegal Family. The head of that clan wasn’t so thick he wouldn’t understand spoken reason.
Nor were they likely to be the Gathering Demons Division or the Demonic Eight Divisions, who tried to keep their movents hidden. For the level of n they’d send, these were far too poor.
“Well, no need to stew on it. If they pick a fight, we can ask then.”
Contrary to Chwi Dugae’s expectation, the stalwarts only kept sneaking glances.
“Damn! What kind of half-baked punks are those.”
Chwi Dugae lost patience, kicked his chair back, and stood.
“I’m too bored to wait.”
He went to the table where the stalwarts sat and plunked himself down in an empty seat without preamble.
“What are you lot doing?”
“......?”
A man who looked to be their leader widened his eyes, then affected a sly air and spoke.
“What’s this sudden picking of a quarrel?”
“A quarrel? Hah! You lot have so swollen gall.”
—THUNK!
Chwi Dugae set the Tagu Staff atop the table.
“What does this look like to your eyes?”
“......A... club......”
“More precisely, a dog-beating club. And how many knots do you see on my belt?”
“......E... eight......”
“Then who am I?”
“......A... Hu Gae......”
“Say it straight.”
“......Sub-Branch Master of the Beggar Clan.”
Chwi Dugae grinned.
“Now you’ve got a reason to answer my questions, haven’t you?”
“......Yes.”
“Then talk. Who are you, and why did you trail us like dogs sniffing dung?”
“.......”
“No answer?”
“We weren’t following the Sub-Branch Master.”
“Then...?”
“We were following the young... friend over there.”
“Why?”
“Because... he looks a lot like the one we’re looking for.”
“The one you’re looking for—would that be the Dark Cavern Taoist of Mount Wudang?”
“Guh! ......Y... yes.”
“Why are you looking for that Dark Cavern Taoist?”
“.......”
“Want to break a few bones and then ask?”
“No.”
The stalwart man, face gone pale, continued.
“Because the Society Leader ordered us to find him.”
“So you an you’re keeping watch until your Society Leader arrives?”
“Close enough.”
“‘Close enough’? Huh, this punk’s playing word gas.”
“Sub-Branch Master, it’s not wordplay—that’s really how it is. The Society Leader is coming, but soone else is coming with him...”
“Soone else?”
“Because the Dark Cavern Taoist’s baleful fa is so widespread—no, his notorious na is so widespread—the Society Leader said he can’t handle it alone.”
“So your Society Leader has business with that Dark Cavern Taoist, but he’s too scared to co by himself?”
“Roughly... right.”
“And what business would that be?”
“That... we don’t know the details.”
“Say what you do know.”
“The Society Leader said that only by finding the Dark Cavern Taoist can he live.”
“What kind of ghost-gobbling talk is that supposed to be?”
“S... sorry.”
Realizing these lackeys truly knew nothing, Chwi Dugae judged it a waste of ti to press them further and asked,
“Who’s your boss?”
“Poyang Thousand-Moon Saber, Society Leader of the Black Moon Society.”
The Black Moon Society’s leader, Poyang Thousand-Moon Saber, was a fairly renowned unorthodox expert who unified the black-path underworld here in Nanchang.
Black path or not, he was the overlord of a region. To think soone had frightened such a man and was using him like hands and feet—whoever commissioned this was quite the expert.
“And of course you don’t know who that soone is?”
“That’s right.”
“Then when will he arrive?”
“We sent a man to the Society Leader before we ca into the dining room, so he should be here soon.”
Even if it was by the Society Leader’s order, trailing them and watching their movents was galling.
It was only right to be compensated for that.
“In any case, you were waiting for us at the city gate, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then give your guests so hospitality.”
“Pardon? What do you an...?”
“You were waiting for us to co, weren’t you? If the guests you waited for have arrived, isn’t it only proper to treat them?”
“That’s a bit...”
When the stalwart, head cocked, saw Chwi Dugae reach for the Tagu Staff, he hastily spoke.
“Of course we’ll treat you.”
“Good. Treating guests with a glad heart brings you fortune.”
Chwi Dugae called the °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° errand boy, ordered heaps of food and wine, then pointed at the stalwarts of the Black Moon Society.
“Thankfully, these gentlen here say they’ll be picking up the bill.”
Once the Black Moon Society fighters had shaken out their purses and settled the total, Chwi Dugae said,
“Alright then, off you go.”
“Sub-Branch Master, but...”
“Where would we go when we’ve already ordered food? And even if we do go later, in thanks for a table you treated us to, we should at least see your Society Leader’s face and give our thanks before we leave, shouldn’t we.”
“We’ll just sit quietly right here.”
“No.”
Chwi Dugae shook his head firmly.
“I’m the sort who gets indigestion if soone watches eat.”
“......!”
“The last one out will serve as the example.”
In an instant, the Black Moon Society fighters, none waiting on the other, rushed out, each trying to be first.
—CLATTER-CLATTER-CLATTER!
When Chwi Dugae returned to his seat, Kwak Yeon said,
“Making them pay was a bit much.”
“So what? They volunteered to treat their guests. And you have to save travel funds every chance you get. It’s a long journey to the Martial Alliance, and your money pouch isn’t a cornucopia.”
“That’s true.”
“Let’s just fill our bellies. Since the fellows are coming on their own feet, we’ll soon know what this is about.”
Before long, food and wine arrived, and the two of them enjoyed a carefree al.
“As expected, food and drink taste best when soone else is paying. Kah!”
Just as Chwi Dugae finished off a bottle cleanly, at last a few people stepped into the dining room.
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