Episode 54
Although it is Japanese pirates that run rampant in the waters of Zhejiang, there is a separate group that causes direct damage to the residents of Zhejiang.
Bandits, bandits, bandits, and the martial arts people of the dark island.
Thanks to the attention of the government military and the martial arts factions being focused on the pirates, those who made it their business to steal and extort others became very vulnerable.
By now, no merchant or bureaucracy in the central plains was planning to transport goods to Zhejiang.
Of course, the only exceptions were large merchant merchants and pyoguks that supplied supplies to the military.
No matter how rough the thieves were, they could not dare to touch the superiors who were protected by the government.
Because it is impossible to take care of it.
What about a group of young men and women traveling in an expensive four-horse carriage?
“Don’t you have any business ethics over there? “It’s not the prey we found first!”
“This is definitely the territory of the yellow dragon! “It’s you who broke business ethics, not us!”
“area? Are you talking about the border that runs along the ridge over there? It’s literally just a tacit agreement! Strictly speaking, it could be said to overlap with the territory of West Lake!”
“No matter what you say, this is Hwangryongchae’s territory! “Don’t make a fuss in other people’s karma and just quietly retreat!”
“W-what? Are you talking? Are you having trouble? “You have such an open mouth that you talk arbitrarily!”
I clicked my tongue as I looked back and forth at the two men who were shouting loudly in their respective camps.
I was already feeling uneasy because the schedule was delayed, but I was getting really annoyed with all the random things blocking the road and fighting among themselves.
‘I want to get to the village quickly and rest.’
The situation was different from when I requested an escort from Pyoguk and was treated well while moving.
No food, no sleep, no sleep.
An extremely uncomfortable journey where you have to solve all sorts of things yourself.
If possible, I wanted to avoid sleeping on the street.
“OK! “If that’s your wish to die, I’ll kill you!”
“come! “I’ll feed you an arrow coated with a poisonous liquid made by grinding the Cheonan Star and the Golden Flower!”
Unlike the energetic shouting, they just looked at each other.
Neither side wanted to take the first step.
I felt that if things were left as is, the standoff would prolong indefinitely.
I got off the carriage, scratching the back of my head.
‘by the way.’
When I looked to the side, a carriage that had stopped for the same reason came into view.
A luxurious appearance at a glance.
All of the horses tethered were course horses.
Five horsemen surrounded the carriage as if to guard it.
‘Are there people other than us heading to Zhejiang in these times?’
The energy emanating from the horsemen was unusual.
Each and every one of them was a master who had reached the end of the world or the beginning of the peak.
A person of that caliber would most likely have an unusual status.
‘Well, let’s put aside our interest in this area for now.’
With my hand on the sword, I walked toward the bandits who were still engaged in a war of words.
Although there were a total of about 100 people, there was no sense of tension at all.
So, it seems like they are just a bunch of ragtag bunch of people.
It was then.
A woman stuck her head out the window of the carriage and stopped me.
“What are you planning to do?”
“······?”
“You definitely don’t want to fight that many people alone.”
A beautiful voice that sounds like jade beads rolling around.
His face was covered with cotton thread, so his features were unrecognizable.
I slightly tilted my head and responded with a calm expression.
“I think so.”
“Stop it. Courage and courage are different. “You should cherish your life.”
“It’s not like there’s really any other way.”
“If I pay a reasonable toll, won’t they get out of the way?”
“Can you say that even after seeing that scene?”
I asked, pointing my index finger in the direction where the bandits were.
Two groups of bandits were facing each other with their weapons drawn, as if they were about to clash at any moment.
Those who would just collect the toll and open the road are putting so much energy into a meaningless territorial dispute?
It was a story that made a passing dog laugh.
However, the cotton woman’s thoughts seemed a little different from mine.
“Do not worry. “If they knew how to think, they wouldn’t want to touch this area.”
“······?”
“Don’t be rash, go back to the carriage and rest. “Leave this to us.”
The woman said, gesturing as if she was giving a wedding invitation.
Although it wasn’t visible because it was covered with cotton, I somehow thought she was smiling.
“Ha Musa.”
“yes.”
“Raise your collar.”
“All right.”
Two flags were hung on the roof of the richly decorated carriage.
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When I saw the pattern drawn on the flag, I let out an exclamation.
I thought I knew why the cotton woman spoke so confidently.
‘One is a pattern symbolizing the Zhuge family, and the other is a pattern symbolizing the imperial family.’
It wasn’t difficult to understand what the two flags meant.
It seems that the official requested support from the Zhuge family to subdue the Japanese pirates, and the Zhuge family accepted the request and dispatched the family’s talented people.
“omg!”
“Jegalse?”
The bandits, who were in the midst of a fierce fight, appeared agitated as if they had grasped the situation.
The rumbling noise spread throughout the area.
“Take this and show it to their leader.”
“All right. miss.”
The man called Ha Musa took something from the woman in Myeonsa and immediately rode his horse towards the bandits.
When the man returned to the carriage after about two minutes, two groups of bandits were standing on either side of the road, looking at him with tense expressions.
Two carriages passed the bandits and crossed the government road.
The carriage carrying the Zhuge family took the lead, and the carriage carrying my party and I followed behind.
The bandits just watched quietly as they passed by and did not make any significant movements.
‘It’s good because I don’t have to exert any unnecessary effort.’
I sat back in my seat in the carriage, lost in thought.
There was one thing that bothered me.
The identity of the cotton woman was unknown.
‘That’s strange. It’s different from what I remember.’
Even in his previous life, the official requested support from the Zhuge family.
To put an end to the sluggish fight against Japanese pirates.
The Zhuge Dynasty accepted this and dispatched a young man, who was later recognized by the world for his performance on the battlefield and was given the nickname Ji-ryong (知龍).
A dragon, not a bong.
‘There was no one riding in the carriage other than the cotton woman.’
If I remember correctly, the talent dispatched from Zhuge Dynasty had to be a man, not a woman.
That’s why I had doubts.
What is the identity of the cotton woman?
Why was she dispatched and not the Earth Dragon?
‘Has the future changed?’
Maybe the future has changed because of me.
Didn’t we learn something from the Cheoneumji kidnapping incident?
That small things can be an opportunity to change the future.
‘······No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it. ‘Is it really my fault?’
There is cause and effect in everything in the world.
The reason Dokgo-seong was kidnapped earlier than in his previous life was because I was walking around the market with him and ran into a member of the ghost squad.
Then, why did the Zhuge Dynasty dispatch a cotton woman instead of an earth dragon?
At first, I couldn’t figure out what kind of cause and effect was at work to cause such a context-free variable.
‘There are some issues that make it difficult to just brush it off as a trivial matter and move on.’
I sent a message to Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was sitting across from me.
-There is something I would like to request.
-request?
-You may have seen the flag with the Zhuge Dynasty’s mark a little while ago.
-I saw it.
-Do you know anything about the woman in the carriage?
-I am not some kind of god. How do you know about the person you met for the first time today?
-Please gather information about her.
-What, did you really fall in love at first sight?
-Don’t talk nonsense. I couldn’t even see his face because it was covered with cotton thread.
-I will accept the request. Actually, I was wondering about it too.
Cheon Ga-ryeong showed his approval by squinting one eye.
I rested my chin and looked out the window at the scenery and muttered to myself.
‘A talent dispatched on behalf of the Earth Dragon.’
* * *
The midslope of an unknown mountain.
My group and I eventually stopped the carriage and prepared to sleep in the open.
I gathered dry tree branches nearby, started a bonfire, and hung a pot on it.
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was watching me like that, asked with an expression of surprise.
“You’re quite skilled. “Isn’t this something you’ve done preparing for camping once or twice?”
“I have some experience.”
In my past life, I lived on the street like eating a meal.
Because I often worked outside on dispatched missions.
“Besides that, it seems like he really hates homelessness.”
“Isn’t it annoying and inconvenient?”
Rice soaked in water was added, and hay and beef jerky were added.
After sprinkling the spices I brought and seasoning with salt, the porridge was ready to eat.
I divided the porridge into bowls and distributed it to Cheon Ga-ryeong, Tang Seo-yeon, and Cheon-woo Dojang.
Tang Seo-yeon, who had taken a drink, said with a slightly surprised expression.
“It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve and glanced to the side.
The image of Cheonwoo Dojang fidgeting with his spoon came into view.
I wanted to leave all the miscellaneous work to him, but unfortunately, he had no experience of being homeless at all.
I had no idea how to make a fire, cook a meal, or prepare a bed.
‘Anyway, he seems like a useless guy.’
I sighed and brought the spoon to my mouth.
‘There is no choice. I have no choice but to teach gradually from now on.’
At that time, I felt someone coming towards me.
I narrowed my eyes and looked back at the looming owner.
“Are you eating?”
“yes.”
“If it’s okay, can I sit down? “I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”
“it’s okay.”
“thank you.”
It was a cotton woman.
She, who was preparing to sleep out with her family’s warriors in a place not too far away, had for some reason asked to be with them.
Two warriors stood behind her as if to guard her.
“I was grateful during the day.”
I put down the bowl and bowed politely to her.
The opponent is a talented person dispatched by Zhuge Dynasty.
There would be no harm in making a good impression.
The woman who was looking at my face suddenly said.
“I never thought there would be people other than us heading to Zhejiang at this time.”
“Same.”
“It was fate that brought us together like this, but I would like to make a suggestion.”
“······?”
“It looks like we both have the same destination. If it’s okay, would you like to accompany me for a while?”
martial arts,
