Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Within the quiet confines of Baek Muryang’s private study at the estate, the patriarch pressed his question once more.
“I received word that you managed to persuade So and Yeon, used your quick wit to enlist Gu Ak as an escort, and slipped out of the estate. But what exactly transpired? Tell me everything that happened next.”
Yanghwi offered an unvarnished, direct response.
“Brother Gu and I raided a secret cache belonging to the Cheongsa Gang.”
The sheer audacity of the revelation left Baek Muryang completely dumbfounded.
“What could have possibly possessed you to undertake something so perilous?!”
“It was not dangerous in the slightest.”
Drawing upon the same reasoning he had presented to Gu Ak, Yanghwi softened the narrative, painting the entire venture as an effortless, risk-free enterprise as he laid it out for the clan leader.
“How on earth… Hwi, for a boy of your tender years, you are truly extraordinary.”
Baek Muryang looked at him with an expression suspended between awe and disbelief.
“Still, even so…”
Tsk. Did I overplay my hand? Father seems unsettled.
Yanghwi could not bear the thought of sowing suspicion or alienation in his adoptive father’s heart; having the man look at him with wary estrangement would be a bitter pill to swallow.
Without missing a beat, Yanghwi supplied an easy justification.
“Though the birth parents who cast me aside gave me nothing else, it seems they at least endowed me with a formidable intellect.”
“Ahem, well. I… I see…”
The patriarch cleared his throat, thoroughly caught off guard by the boy’s blunt yet disarming honesty.
In an instant, the lingering uneasiness and subtle incongruity prickling Baek Muryang’s mind dissolved into nothingness.
“Then is all of this fortune your personal share?”
“It is. Though in truth, it rightfully belongs to the Baek clan.”
Yanghwi leaned forward, pushing the glittering mound of gold across the desk toward Baek Muryang.
“What are you saying?”
“You and the Baek house took in a penniless, starving orphan. I simply wished to repay that overwhelming benevolence. Since this wealth was obtained on that premise, it is only proper that it serves the clan.”
Baek Muryang’s countenance hardened with unyielding dignity.
“The clan had no hand in procuring this treasure. By all rights, every coin belongs to you.”
“And because it is mine, I ask that it be devoted to the welfare of our house, just as I desire.”
“Good heavens…”
Truth be told, Baek Muryang had intended to deliver a stern reprimand regarding the reckless entanglements with underworld thugs. Yet facing a child whose motivations were devoid of petty greed and rooted purely in loyalty and filial devotion, the scolding died on his lips.
“Be that as it may, I cannot bring myself to take the entire sum.”
Reaching out, Baek Muryang neatly parted the heap of gold straight down the middle. Even when halved, the portion before Yanghwi represented an astonishing sum exceeding two thousand silver nyang.
“I shall honor your devotion. However, this other half is an allowance, granted from a father to his son.”
Yanghwi did not contest the gesture; he bowed his head politely.
“I shall accept it with deep gratitude and make good use of it.”
Just as I expected. His noble nature would never allow him to covet another person’s possessions.
Even in the face of financial ruin, Baek Muryang was a man who flatly refused to enrich himself through questionable paths. Yanghwi had deliberately cloaked the operation as an act of filial duty precisely so the clan leader could accept the funds without moral conflict.
“You appear remarkably composed. That is a staggering sum for a child of your age to possess.”
“My father has decreed it. As your son and subordinate, my only duty is to obey.”
In truth, Yanghwi had seen through the patriarch’s underlying motive.
He wants to observe how I manage such wealth to take the measure of my character. After all, despite adopting me, to him I am still a stranger who only entered this household yesterday.
“Father, if I may ask, how did you handle So? If you have not rebuked him yet, please remember he was merely trailing behind me. I beg of you not to treat him too harshly.”
“You have been brothers for barely a single day, and you already look after your younger brother so protectively? Admirable. Siblings ought to share an unbreakable bond. As for So… I did not scold him at all.”
A proud, warm smile softened Baek Muryang’s face.
“He told me that following his elder brother through the world opened his eyes—that he realized there are no men born below other men, nor any men above them. I thought he was still an ignorant child, but it seems he has grown up without my noticing.”
Not quite, Father. So is still very much a naive boy.
Yanghwi chose to keep his silence, allowing his father to bask in that quiet paternal pride. Besides, with him guiding the boy this time around, So would undoubtedly mature into a capable man far earlier than in his past life. That was not a mere hope; Yanghwi fully intended to make it reality.
“That concludes our business for tonight. Go wash up and rest. You have had an exhausting day.”
“What of you, Father?”
“I still have official matters to review before I retire. And… with this sudden wealth in hand, I must deliberate carefully on how best to allocate it.”
Baek Muryang beamed as he surveyed the golden coins. The prospect of finally relieving the financial strain on his loyal retainers clearly brought immense relief to his heart.
Yanghwi nearly cautioned him to remain discreet so the Cheongsa Gang would not catch wind of their sudden spending, but he held his tongue. Minor as the clan might be, the man before him was still a seasoned patriarch; such elementary precautions went without saying.
“Then I shall withdraw for the night. Rest well, Father.”
Retreating from the study back to his personal quarters, Yanghwi carefully tallied the assets in his possession.
Converted into silver, it amounted to exactly two thousand and fifty-five nyang. It was a massive fortune, sufficient to hire ten retainers for well over half a year—far too exorbitant a sum for an eight-year-old child to wield openly. In practical terms, an infant physique severely restricted what could be accomplished directly.
Yet Yanghwi had charted his course long before dawn broke.
I need to invest it and make it multiply. I cannot rest on this alone.
His overarching ambition was to elevate the Baek clan into the undisputed preeminent power under heaven. Accomplishing that meant expanding their numbers by the hundreds and raising their martial strength to peerless heights. To fulfill such an endeavor, even two thousand gold nyang, let alone silver, was a drop in the ocean.
“Now then… which merchant house will dominate Jiangxi Province in the years ahead?”
If circumstances permitted, he would have loved to invest directly in the Danseo Trading House of Zhejiang Province, the future undisputed titan of commerce. But confined to an eight-year-old body, traversing provincial borders was impossible. Despite being designated a mere province, the land was as vast as an entire nation. His mortal flesh could never withstand such a grueling trek, no matter what peerless knowledge lived in his mind.
For now, I must operate strictly within Jiangxi Province—no, within Muju itself. In fact, keeping it within Ak’an County is the wisest approach.
The martial world was vast, perilous, and unforgiving. Moving rashly on the arrogance of past-life memories was a swift route to an early grave. Having spent over a decade wandering the realm as an escort, Yanghwi understood that harsh truth better than anyone.
“As expected, that establishment is the ideal choice.”
Yanghwi called to mind a specific commercial entity destined to rise meteorically a decade from now through sheer business brilliance: the Baekseo Merchant Guild. True to its name, it started humbly by trading in paper and literature before diversifying its enterprises into an empire. At this point in time, it likely operated as nothing more than a modest shop dealing in secondhand manuscripts.
The future master of the Baekseo Company… right now, it would be the proprietor’s daughter. Rumors always held that Chu Yongwol possessed a terrifyingly sharp mind for commerce.
Very well. The Baekseo Merchant Guild it is.
Although the enterprise was currently based in Nanchang rather than Muju, that obstacle was easily circumvented: he merely had to entice them to come to him.
At daybreak a month later.
True to his daily habit, Baek Muryang summoned the children to the courtyard in the pale morning mist to drill them in martial arts.
“Yanghwi. Even if your talent allowed you to comprehend the secret principles of the Heaven-Covering Sword in an instant, your flesh remains that of an eight-year-old child. You must temper your physique without slacking.”
Yanghwi wholeheartedly concurred. At its core, martial arts comprised striking with fists, kicking with legs, and wielding steel to slaughter adversaries. A robust, tempered frame was the foundation of all combat prowess.
“Cultivate your internal energy with equal diligence. The Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art is a movement system that harmonizes both internal energy gathering and external body conditioning, permitting you to temper the flesh while circulating qi simultaneously.”
“I shall keep that in mind, Father.”
Bowing deferentially, Yanghwi continued to cycle through the forms of the Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art until the patriarch excused himself.
The rate of cultivating qi is admittedly sluggish, but the tempering effect on muscle and bone is truly remarkable.
Though widely disparaged as a third-rate discipline, it served as an extraordinary foundational base. Just as the noble Namgung clan trained their disciples in the Flying Swallow Sword before initiating them into the Azure Sky Sword, or the Wudang Sect grounded beginners in the Six Harmonies Sword before passing down the Taiji Sword, the Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art was an unrivaled vehicle for solidifying fundamental strength.
Could this technique be a surviving remnant from the days when our clan stood among the noble houses of renown?
“I must take my leave now. Continue drilling for another two shichen, take your breakfast, and proceed to your academic studies.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Understood!”
“We will, Father!”
Gazing upon the three siblings with deep affection as they answered in unison, Baek Muryang turned and departed the training yard.
Once he was out of sight, Yanghwi took it upon himself to tutor Baek Heonso and Baek Yeonyeon in between his own routines.
“So, when executing that opening stance, extend your leading foot another chi forward.”
“Brother, this is the way Father instructed me.”
“That was before your recent growth spurt. As your physical frame elongates, your footwork must adapt accordingly.”
The retainers strolling past the grounds observed the instruction without a word of dispute. Over the course of the past month, Yanghwi’s peerless martial aptitude had been thoroughly etched into the minds of every clan member.
“Elder Brother, what about me?”
“Yeon, you need to develop your physical strength a bit more. Why not join me in drilling the Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art?”
“Yes!”
Watching the little girl eagerly mimic the postures of the Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art with clumsy hops naturally coaxed a tender smile from him.
“Oh, look at you go! Yeon might very well grow into the realm’s greatest martial heroine.”
“Truly? Hiyah, hiyah!”
“Splendid, absolutely wonderful!”
As he lavished her with unrestrained praise, Yanghwi caught sight of a gaze directed his way and glanced over. Baek Heonso was staring at him with a rather conflicted, pensive look.
“Ahem. Well, that suffices for our morning martial practice. Let us wash up, eat, and attend to our books.”
Within the Baek clan, it was customary to forgo early breakfast in favor of an early lunch, followed by a hearty evening meal. Though labeled an ancestral tradition, it was frankly an unspoken accommodation born of longstanding poverty.
Jeong Inhwa, the lady of the household, joined the siblings at the dining table.
“So, Yeon, was your morning training fruitful?”
“Yes, Mother! I cycled through the Heaven-Covering Sword from beginning to end more than a hundred times!”
“Me too! I worked hard practicing the Pear Blossom Six Harmonies Art! Brother Hwi showed me how!”
Jeong Inhwa smiled warmly at the children’s enthusiasm, but a delicate, suppressed rasp broke through her lips.
“Cough, cough…”
Yanghwi quietly observed his adoptive mother.
She had been constitutionally frail since her youth, rarely possessing the stamina to leave the estate grounds. Following the birth of two children, a chronic sickness had taken root, leaving her bedridden for the greater part of each day. Yet despite her fragile health, she made a steadfast point of sharing at least one meal a day with her children—a soul of profound tenderness who embraced even an adopted outsider like him with unconditional maternal love.
He could not bear the thought of watching this gentle woman succumb to sickness and perish in a mere five years.
I have to accumulate vast wealth as swiftly as possible, if only to preserve Mother’s smile.
Steeling that resolve, Yanghwi addressed her with a gentle expression.
“Mother, is your condition troubling you today?”
“I am feeling significantly better today, child. Do not fret over me.”
“So and Yeon mentioned that you spend most of your hours confined to your bedchambers. If ever the solitude becomes tiresome, please send for me. I would gladly keep you company.”
Jeong Inhwa offered an affectionate smile.
“Hwi, you are truly a considerate child. But your mother is quite well; dedicate that warmth toward guiding your younger brother and sister instead.”
“My nature is generous enough to spare plenty for both, Mother. I can hardly smother them with more care than I already do. Isn’t that right, you two?”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Indeed, Brother.”
After looking at the siblings with fond amusement, Yanghwi steered the conversation back to the matriarch.
“Mother, how do you usually pass the hours when resting in your quarters?”
“I immerse myself in reading. Studying classical poetry and ancient texts has been my quiet solace since my youth.”
He was already well aware of that fact. More than that, he knew her true passion lay in reading material vastly different from solemn classics and verse.
“Then, Mother, would you happen to harbor any fondness for the popular street tales and miscellaneous romances circulating in the common markets?”
Popular tales and miscellaneous writings—narratives whispered by romanticists, recounting martial heroes or passionate intrigues. In simple terms, popular fiction.
“Street romances and popular tales?”
A flicker of genuine intrigue sparked in Jeong Inhwa’s eyes. It was only natural; barred from the outside world by poor health, she had long sought vicarious thrills through the dramatic, vibrant stories of the common folk.
“Yes, Mother. Having wandered through the marketplaces since I was very young, I have listened to countless riveting stories.”
“Are you offering to act as my personal storyteller?”
A storyteller: those gifted orators who held court amidst crowded market squares, teahouses, and wine taverns, trading captivating yarns for coin.
“If it pleases you, I could transcribe what I remember and present it to you. Would it be possible to obtain a blank manuscript?”
“Why, of course. I shall have one sent to your room at once.”
“If it is not an imposition, could you have two volumes brought instead of one?”
“That is a simple matter. Consider it done.”
Having finished a warm and comforting meal with the family, Yanghwi went straight to his bedchamber.
Resting upon the small side table near his bed were two fresh, bound paper books, alongside an inkstone, a fine brush, and ink.
Now… which tale should I unfold first?
During his long years as an escort, there had been stretches of idle hours when duty required waiting rather than training. During those quiet intervals, he had devoured popular stories and dramatic romances to pass the time, committing every tale he enjoyed to memory down to the very last stroke.
Right, those two will do.
Taking up the brush, Yanghwi penned the titles Eastern Lands, Western Earth and Cliff of Severed Love across the covers of the blank volumes, then proceeded to fill the parchment in one continuous, effortless cascade of black ink.
Not long after, clutching the finished manuscript of Cliff of Severed Love, he made his way to Jeong Inhwa’s bedchamber.
“Mother, it is Hwi. I have completed the manuscript and brought it for you to read.”
“Thank you, dear.”
Taking Cliff of Severed Love into her hands, Jeong Inhwa began to turn the pages slowly. The mild curiosity that originally marked her face gradually gave way to a look of utter absorption.
“This… this is…”
“How do you find it, Mother?”
“It is utterly novel, breathtakingly engaging. Wherever did you come across a story of this caliber?”
Yanghwi smiled inwardly.
It could hardly be otherwise; in the years to come, this very romance would ignite a cultural sensation throughout the entire realm. Furthermore, Yanghwi held well over a hundred such celebrated masterworks locked within his mind.
“I simply stitched together various fragments I overheard on the streets and reimagined them to make the plot more gripping.”
“…Is that truly the case?”
“It is, Mother.”
“Your father praised your peerless martial talent, but your literary gift is equally astonishing.”
The prose of Cliff of Severed Love possessed a profound emotional resonance and worldly depth that seemed utterly impossible for an eight-year-old child to conceive. It carried a nuanced maturity far beyond superficial entertainment, resonating with insights that could only be harvested through the joys and tragedies of a long life.
If he had truly woven those sentiments out of raw imagination…
A prodigy. A literary genius blessed by heaven who could effortlessly carve his name among the greatest scholars and authors of the age.
Jeong Inhwa looked upon Yanghwi with unreserved admiration and wonder.
Gauging the timing to be ripe, Yanghwi seized the moment to voice his true objective.
“Mother… would it be possible for you to help me send a letter to Nanchang?”
With the seed funds secured in his hands, the time had come to begin his pursuit of fortune in earnest.
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