Chapter 1477
The plan seemed sound. (2)
“……Where did you say they were going?”
Jang Ilso’s eyes involuntarily squinted as he was sitting in a grand chair placed in a tent so luxurious, it was hard to believe it’s set up in the middle of a field.
“As confirmed.”
Ho Gamyeong, standing before him, unusually displayed a troubled expression as he continued.
“Commoners from Hubei are lining up and moving to Shaanxi.”
“…Shaanxi?”
“Yes. And some commoners from the northern part of Sichuan are also…”
Ho Gamyeong hesitates for a moment.
Both ‘evacuation’ and ‘escape’ are inappropriate terms. At least from their perspective.
“It appears they are attempting to relocate.”
A look of confusion appeared in Jang Ilso’s eyes. He put down the wine cup he was holding onto the side table and raised a hand to lightly rub his chin.
“They’re going to Shaanxi?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“…”
Such a simple question. Yet, Ho Gamyeong found it difficult to provide an answer. Even he couldn’t comprehend this matter with his own mind.
“Gamyeong-ah, where are we right now?”
“In Zhangjiajie.”
“Yes, that’s right. We’re in Zhangjiajie. From here, we can attack Hubei or Shaanxi whenever we want. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
“But the people of Hubei are packing their belongings and fleeing not to Henan or Hebei, but to Shaanxi?”
“…”
“Hmm.”
A groan of frustration escaped Jang Ilso’s lips.
“I can’t understand what those dirt-diggers are thinking. Are they doing this because they’re stupid, or do they just think differently from us?”
Jang Ilso let out a short sigh.
In reality, how the common folks move is not particularly important in the current situation. What’s important are the movements of Gupailbang and Cheonumaeng. It’s just that the unexpected turn of events was slightly irritating to him.
“So, what are those Cheonumaeng bastards doing? They must be flustered with the sudden influx of refugees. With all the talk they’ve been spouting, they can’t exactly drive them away, can they?”
“That is…”
“Hmm?”
Jang Ilso narrowed his eyes as Ho Gamyeong hesitated to respond.
“Cheonumaeng has built numerous houses in Hwaeum to accommodate the refugees.”
“…”
Jang Ilso looked at Ho Gamyeong with a bewildered expression.
“They’re accommodating them?”
“Yes. It seems they had prepared in advance…”
Ho Gamyeong, stumbling over his words, cautiously observed Jang Ilso’s reaction. He couldn’t predict how Jang Ilso would take this news.
‘Why on earth are they doing this?’
These worms couldn’t even wield a sword. What could they possibly achieve by accommodating such people?
Taking in refugees is no simple task. Just keeping them alive and breathing requires enormous amounts of grain and resources. This is a path no one on the brink of war would choose or should choose.
Yet, Cheonumaeng was actively engaging in this seemingly futile act, as if they had collectively lost their minds.
‘Is this even possible?’
Even if someone, blinded by the notion of ‘righteousness,’ strongly insisted on this, surely the leaders of Cheonumaeng weren’t all fools. What were they thinking, supporting such an absurd decision?
No matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t comprehend the situation itself.
However, because he couldn’t understand it, he could distinctly see how this situation had come about.
“Hmm.”
Jang Ilso slumped slightly in his chair. Despite his relaxed posture, his eyes emitted a deeply ominous glow.
“Judging by the situation…….”
“…”
Jang Ilso’s blood-red lips twisted eerily.
“It seems that he has completely taken Cheonumaeng into his grasp.”
Ho Gamyeong’s head bowed slightly.
He thought the same. Without such a judgment, there was no way to interpret the situation.
“Anyway, this is troublesome.”
Jang Ilso chuckled softly.
“After I crushed him so thoroughly that he couldn’t even lift a finger, he goes and stabs me in the back. I mocked him, saying that no matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t achieve anything beyond the level of a mere third-rate disciple, and then he goes and takes the power into his own hands.”
His voice was tinged with laughter.
However, Ho Gamyeong could tell. Only he could discern that the laughter in Jang Ilso’s voice was gradually fading as he continued speaking.
“So, did he foresee this situation…”
Jang Ilso stopped speaking. His gaze grew deeper, much deeper.
“No, that’s not it. It wasn’t a prediction. It wasn’t that he foresaw and prepared for this. He must have orchestrated it to happen this way.”
“…”
Jang Ilso, seemingly deep in thought, soon reached out and picked up the wine cup on the side table. His expression grew noticeably more relaxed as he took a sip of the wine.
Watching him, Ho Gamyeong cautiously spoke up.
“Ryeonju.”
“Speak.”
“Do you have any idea what he might be thinking? What could be his motive…….”
Ho Gamyeong suppressed a sigh that kept threatening to escape.
The reason Maehwa Geomgwi was so terrifying wasn’t because he was insane. The true reason he was terrifying was because he was a ‘madman who couldn’t be ignored.’
“Hmm.”
At Ho Gamyeong’s question, Jang Ilso looked directly at him. In that moment, his calm eyes softened like a crescent moon.
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
“Do we really need to worry about that?”
“…What?”
Ho Gamyeong, startled by the unexpected question, reflexively responded and then quickly bowed his head slightly. Seeing this, Jang Ilso chuckled and continued speaking.
“To us, this is all just an amusing affair. But there are those who must be feeling the fire under their feet, aren’t there?”
“Ah….”
Gupailbang.
Indeed, those who would be most bewildered by the current turn of events were none other than them.
To Sapaeryeon, the movement of Hubei’s commoners to Shaanxi was a mere curiosity. However, to Gupailbang, it meant that those they protected were abandoning their protection to seek refuge under Cheonumaeng.
Could there be a greater disgrace from the perspective of Gupailbang, particularly Shaolin?
“By now, they must be trying every possible means, so just release a few people to observe. Let’s see what they manage to find out.”
“I understand what you mean, Ryeonju.”
Ho Gamyeong nodded, indicating his understanding.
“Good. You may go now.”
“Yes. Then, I will.”
Ho Gamyeong bowed deeply and left the tent.
Left alone in the tent after Ho Gamyeong’s departure, Jang Ilso quietly looked at the image reflected in his wine cup. A man with a white face painted like a clown stared back at him mockingly.
“Pitiful. Still clueless, are you? Or are you aware and just choosing to ignore it?”
Jang Ilso tilted his head back. His slightly dazed eyes stared blankly at the unadorned ceiling of the tent.
“The world isn’t such a nice place. No matter how much you give, nothing comes back.”
This was a good thing for him. Certainly.
The mistakes of his opponents only served to benefit him. According to his reasoning, he should have been rejoicing.
But Jang Ilso couldn’t bring himself to do so.
An inexplicable feeling of suffocation was slowly tightening around his chest.
“…This is troublesome. Bring me more wine.”
“Yes, Ryeonju!”
The servants quickly brought more wine.
Jang Ilso’s hand, as he reached for the offered wine bottle, was uncharacteristically rough.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Shouldn’t we do something about this?”
“…”
“Abbot. It’s not just those ignorant and poor people anymore. Even those of some standing in Hubei are now heading to Shaanxi.”
“…”
“Abbot, instead of just sitting here, we need to take some action.”
“And what do you suggest we do?”
“Excuse me?”
“So, should we point our swords and spears at those who choose to leave on their own and threaten them to stay?”
Jongli Hyeong closed his mouth as tightly as a clam.
Paeng Yeop’s words were right. They were neither the government nor the imperial palace. They had no justification or authority to stop the commoners. But Jongli Hyeong wasn’t saying this because he didn’t know that.
“I don’t see this as a particularly bad situation.”
“Lord Paeng, what do you mean by that…?”
“These people are of no use in war anyway. If Cheonumaeng is willing to take them in, there’s no reason for us to refuse.”
“That… may be true, but…”
“Formally, they are people we need to protect. But without them, our range of movement will greatly expand. The important thing now is not these peasants who can’t even wield a sword, but ensuring the consolidation of the smaller sects.”
Jongli Hyeong fell silent.
He understood. Paeng Yeop’s words were not wrong. All these developments were purely advantageous for them.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t shake his frustration.
‘Can we really see this situation in such a simple light?’
The common people were leaving them. No, the commoners were abandoning them. Did they really not understand how strange this situation was?
The Just Sects practiced martial arts to protect the powerless. Yet, those very powerless people they were supposed to protect were now rejecting their protection.
Could they truly be indifferent to this reversal of roles?
“Amitabha.”
At that moment, a calm voice came from Beop Jong.
“This is not a pleasant matter. It is certainly not a good thing that the common people trust Cheonumaeng more than Gupailbang.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“But.”
Beop Jong met Jongli Hyeong’s gaze with serene eyes.
“These are times of war. We must prioritize practicality over sentiment.”
“…”
“As Lord Paeng said, if we consider only practicality, this is not entirely a bad thing.”
At these words, Jongli Hyeong let out a deep sigh.
Was he truly too foolish to understand this situation?
“We can’t just sit and watch, so please instruct your disciples to persuade those who are leaving. Emphasize that it is safer here than in Shaanxi.”
“…I will do that.”
“And if anyone is in a difficult situation, let’s distribute some of the stored military rations to help them. We need to show that much sincerity.”
“That is…”
“What a good idea, Abbot!”
“Amitabha.”
Beop Jong nodded at Jongli Hyeong. Although Paeng Yeop looked slightly displeased, he did not openly oppose Beop Jong’s words.
“Anyhow, depending on how you look at it, this might not be entirely bad news. If we consider it objectively, it might even be a favorable situation.”
“What? Abbot, why do you think that?”
“Because they are Cheonumaeng.”
Jongli Hyeong frowned at the incomprehensible statement. Seeing his expression, Beop Jong chuckled softly.
“As you know, Cheonumaeng never stays still for long, do they?”
“That’s true.”
More precisely, it was not Cheonumaeng, but Hwasan Geomhyeop Chung Myung.
“When I first saw this situation, I was also surprised and flustered. But now, I find it rather fortunate. If not for the refugees, Cheonumaeng would surely have done something strange. Like the recent attack on Sichuan or their previous venture to Hainan.”
“Ah…”
“But right now, they don’t have the capacity for that. They must be too preoccupied with managing the refugees. So if you think about it, it’s actually better for us to deal with them while they are tied up in Shaanxi.”
“Indeed, that makes sense…”
Jongli Hyeong and Paeng Yeop nodded in agreement. The situation unfolding was indeed strange, but it effectively neutralized the unpredictability of Cheonumaeng.
Satisfied that they understood his point, Beop Jong folded his hands and smiled softly.
“If there are any shortcomings, we can address them after we win the war. If something is lacking, we’ll consider it then. For now, let’s focus on what needs to be done.”
“Yes, Abbot. We will do so.”
“We will do so.”
Hearing their responses, Beop Jong quietly nodded. His gaze unconsciously drifted to the northwest, where Shaanxi lay.
‘Hwasan Geomhyeop.’
Beop Jong’s eyes grew deeply contemplative.
‘What is he planning to do with those commoners?’
However, Beop Jong was unaware.
Chung Myung was no longer with the commoners in Shaanxi.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Ahhhh!”
“Hey! Chung Myung! That bird is too fast!”
“How are we supposed to chase that? Is this even possible?”
“Where are we? Are we still in Henan? I feel like I’m going to puke already!”
Watching Sahyeongs struggle, Chung Myung’s face contorted in frustration.
“Did these guys only eat meat and alcohol? Stop complaining and follow! I’ll personally twist the ankles of anyone who falls behind!”
“Give me some meat and then talk!”
“This crazy bastard! How can a person chase a bird?”
“Runnnnn!”
Towards the rising sun.
Chung Myung and Five Swords followed, heading towards the distant eastern sky.
With the gaze of all the people in the world fixed far away on Shaanxi.
Comments