No More Tomorrows (1)
Late at night, Jeong-yeo came to see me, a bottle of liquor in hand.
“Care for a drink?”
“Sure.”
His visit at this hour, with such formality, meant he had made up his mind about something significant.
Would he follow me, or remain loyal to Yang So-bang?
He had decided faster than I expected, but I couldn’t guess which way he had leaned.
We shared light conversation over drinks. Mostly, he talked while I listened.
He recounted his early days in the martial world, how as a child, a martial artist had saved his family by defeating a bandit. That event had inspired him to become a martial artist himself.
He went on to share various experiences from his life.
By the time the bottle was empty, he had finished his story.
“As you can see, I’m just an ordinary man. Perhaps even less than ordinary. Somehow, I ended up as the deputy leader of Yang So-bang, only to be cast aside. It was then that I met you and became the leader.”
He looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Even someone like me, is that alright with you?”
I didn’t need to say much.
“Yes.”
“One last question. What is your ultimate goal?”
The first thing that came to mind was the state of Simgeomjigyeong—a pure martial artist’s aspiration to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. It was a lifelong yearning, a thorn in my side.
Of course, there were other goals too.
If it was certain that I had been assassinated, I would seek revenge. If I didn’t know, it wouldn’t matter, but if I did, I would hunt them all down. If those who turned away from me after my death were involved, they too would face retribution.
I would rebuild the Byeok family sword school into the greatest in the land. Naturally, I wanted to honor my parents. I wanted to raise Gwang-du and the sword unit into formidable martial artists, and of course, I wanted to bring back Galsaryang and Baekpyo.
There was so much to do.
Jeong-yeo asked for my ultimate goal, so I needed to give one answer.
What should I say?
Then, a thought came to me, and I spoke without realizing it.
“I want to be happy.”
Wouldn’t achieving all those goals lead to happiness?
“I want to be happy, and I want everyone around me to be happy too.”
Jeong-yeo, who had been staring at me blankly, burst into laughter.
“Hahaha.”
He soon stopped laughing and said, “I’m sorry. Your answer was so unexpected that I was taken aback.”
“It’s alright. What answer were you expecting?”
“I was bracing myself for you to say ‘unify the world.’”
He saw me as a hidden dragon preparing for the times, so it was understandable.
Having already achieved unification once, I can say that the things I just mentioned are just as challenging.
“I’m sorry to disappoint.”
With a sheepish smile, he stood up.
Jeong-yeo bowed deeply and said, “I pledge my loyalty to you until death, under the heavens and earth.”
I knew then that my desire for happiness resonated more with him than any talk of unification.
I grasped his hands firmly and helped him up.
“From now on, I will consider you family. Please help this inadequate person.”
“I will give my life for you.”
“I will prove that your choice today was the right one.”
“I hope to find happiness with you, my lord.”
I was elated. Bringing him to my side wasn’t difficult. I had saved him from a crisis. But if I had used that debt or forced him with power, I wouldn’t feel this joy.
He was genuinely moved by me as a person and sincerely wanted to offer his loyalty.
I had gained another loyal subordinate in Jeong-yeo, alongside Gwang-du, the small sword unit, and Gong Su-chan.
I would continue to build relationships with them.
Their loyalty could change tomorrow, or it might never change.
A single careless word could dissolve their loyalty, or it might remain steadfast through a thousand insults.
I would acknowledge this variability and build relationships with them.
No human relationship is ever complete, and that is the fundamental premise.
I returned home.
Having pushed Ma Jeong-su relentlessly, I decided it was time to take a break and manage my household.
For the time being, I decided to let Yang So-bang operate independently. Jeong-yeo was ready to hand it over to me immediately, but that wasn’t necessary or wise.
I would nurture various organizations independently and unite them at a decisive moment.
I had run the largest organization in this martial world. I had hundreds of groups like Yang So-bang under me.
Instead, I entrusted Jeong-yeo with two tasks.
First, I assigned skilled spies to Ma Jeong-su. I instructed them to report immediately if there was any movement related to Song Hwa-rin.
Second, to maintain close communication with Jeong-yeo, I introduced a secret messaging system. Of course, I didn’t keep it directly in my household.
I set up a small communication post nearby. Jeong-yeo also established a post outside of Yang So-bang, as Ma Jeong-su’s faction was present within.
I ensured that the martial artists at the post were trustworthy. In martial organizations, information was crucial.
I added another layer of security.
Jeong-yeo and I devised a secret code only we could understand. The martial alliance had various code systems, from simple to highly complex ones that outsiders couldn’t decipher.
Naturally, I used the highest level of code, a modified version of the one used by Jeong-yi-gak. It was a code no one else could crack.
Seeing that I knew such advanced code systems, Jeong-yeo was once again impressed.
This is how you build trust with your subordinates.
Later, whether it’s loyalty or something else, you might not be able to tell, but for now, it’s time to constantly demonstrate your abilities.
I informed Gwang-du of Hwasun Nodae’s death.
“Ah! You did well.”
Gwang-du was as happy as if he had avenged his own enemy.
“Are you that pleased?”
“Of course. The child and the elder must be rejoicing in the afterlife. I wish I could inform the landowner who left our hometown that their enemy has been avenged.”
“They’ll find out eventually.”
“Will they?”
“Of course. How could they forget? As long as they remember, they’ll learn about it and believe that justice still exists in the martial world.”
I wanted to tell them immediately, but that would put them in danger. Everything would find its place in due time.
“I hope so.”
“Gwang-du.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Become stronger.”
It was a simple statement with many implications, and I believed Gwang-du understood its meaning.
In the afternoon, I supervised the sword unit’s training for the first time in a while.
“Is everyone working hard?”
“Yes!”
Their response was full of spirit, and their eyes shone brightly.
Despite the grueling personal training, sword unit training, and dagger techniques, no one showed signs of fatigue during the session.
As an instructor, it’s natural to be drawn to those who genuinely strive.
If you all put in this effort, I will do my best as well.
Thanks to their diligent training, they had all made significant progress.
I especially praised Kwan-hwi and a few others for their remarkable achievements in front of everyone.
After the training, Kwan-hwi stayed behind.
“Master, I have a question about my martial arts.”
His eagerness to learn was evident. Despite the exhausting training, he immediately sought advice on martial arts.
“When I execute this technique, I feel like my balance is off.”
He demonstrated the technique for me.
After watching, I said, “You’re misplacing your strength. It’s a technique where your right foot moves forward, but you’re putting more weight on your left foot, aren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right. I learned that balance is crucial for this technique, so I’ve been consciously putting more weight on my left foot.”
“That’s actually disrupting your balance. Naturally, put more weight on your right foot, and use your upper body movements to maintain balance.”
“Is that really okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I was taught that balance should always come from the lower body.”
The martial arts he learned was the Gwanhun Swordsmanship, commonly taught in martial academies. It wasn’t a family tradition but a publicly available style.
The swordsmanship itself was excellent, which is why many academies taught it.
However, Gwanhun Swordsmanship had its limitations. Being a style taught to officials, it was somewhat bound by formalities.
Kwan-hwi had learned the swordsmanship properly. Because he learned it well, he would eventually feel its limitations.
There was no need to tell him that yet. He still had a long way to go within the confines of this style.
“In martial arts, there’s no concept of ‘always.’ It can change at any time, and it must change.”
“Ah, I understand. Thank you, master.”
In truth, he couldn’t fully grasp the depth of my words. Beneath the surface lay the essence of profound martial knowledge.
His calloused hands bore the marks of rigorous training. He trusted my words implicitly and was investing his time and effort.
So, I offered advice that contradicted my earlier statement.
“Kwan-hwi.”
“Yes, master.”
“It’s okay to take it slow. Working hard is good, but overexertion can backfire, like with your technique earlier.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Gwan-hwi bowed deeply before turning and sprinting away. Despite my advice, he was determined to give it his all.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the words I’d just spoken were ones I needed to hear myself.
Even if twenty-three-year-old Gwan-hwi didn’t understand yet, I did.
There are things in this world you can only see when you take your time.
“I’m not comfortable with this partnership,” Baek-jung, the chief manager of the Shandong Trading Company, said with concern.
“Why not cancel it while you still can?”
Go Sun-gyeong, the head of the company, sat back in his plush fur chair, eyes closed.
Having worked with Go Sun-gyeong for a long time, Baek-jung could tell that his straightforwardness wasn’t being well-received.
Normally, he might have backed down, but this time was different.
“From what we’ve seen, Ma Jeong-su is a dangerous man. Sir, I urge you not to make the mistake of inviting a tiger to chase away a wolf.”
Go Sun-gyeong opened his eyes at Baek-jung’s earnest plea.
“We’re about to be devoured by wolves. What difference does it make if a tiger enters the room?”
Baek-jung was taken aback.
“Is the situation really that dire?”
“Yes. After the last incident, the Hebei Trading Company and the Seok family are out for revenge.”
The Shandong Trading Company had tried to expand into Hebei by bringing in the Yang family, leading to several clashes that deeply wounded the pride of the Hebei Trading Company and the Seok family.
“Since we failed to bring in the Song family last time, they’re pressing us even harder.”
The Hebei Trading Company was pushing Shandong into a corner, willing to incur losses just to see them suffer. The financial damage to Shandong was significant.
In the world of commerce, rumors spread fast. As word got out that Shandong was in trouble, their financial resources dried up, and even long-standing partners began to turn away.
Baek-jung’s expression grew serious. As the internal manager, he hadn’t realized how dire the external situation had become.
“But even so, we can’t just come up with a hundred thousand nyang overnight. How do you plan to fulfill this partnership promise?”
“I’m planning to borrow from the Night Merchants.”
Baek-jung was startled.
The Night Merchants were known for their secretive and discreet dealings, often lending money at high interest rates or facilitating mergers between trading companies.
While it was easy to borrow from them, it was a perilous path. The interest was steep, and if you failed to repay, they would stop at nothing to collect.
“The Night Merchants are truly dangerous.”
“I’m aware.”
“No, you don’t understand. If you did, you wouldn’t consider getting involved with them.”
Baek-jung continued earnestly.
“Their enforcers are terrifying, not because of their martial skills, but because they’re ruthless and relentless. Once they hold a grudge, they never forget. Many who got entangled with them have disappeared. Rumor has it that their enforcers use forbidden weapons to deal with martial artists.”
But even these warnings couldn’t sway Go Sun-gyeong.
“Borrow the hundred thousand nyang from them.”
“Sir!”
Go Sun-gyeong closed his eyes again, sinking back into his chair.
“With wolves and tigers already prowling the room, a viper won’t make things any worse.”