0081 : Amcheonhyang (Dark Heaven Village)
I was able to use the token from the Jeongcheon Alliance to borrow a horse from the relay station for free. The Golden Sign he gave me was a privilege reserved for the important executives of the Jeongcheon Alliance, indicating that they would cover my expenses later on. Moreover, by using this token, most of the government officials would either let me pass through inspections or treat me favorably.
Thanks to that, I crossed over into Shandong without much difficulty and navigated through the Jeolgong territory effortlessly. After passing through Jeolgong, the rugged terrain became rare, so it wouldn’t be long before I reached the Trade Port.
Upon arriving at the Trade Port, I was able to gain assistance from the Open Sect. They seemed to have contacted Cheonryonggae in advance, as they readily provided me with information upon spotting me.
“There are ships heading to Goryeo every twenty days, and one will depart ten days from today. The leading merchant associations for trade are the Daeryong Merchant Association and the Seogung Escort Agency, with Jeong Gi-tae, an official of the sixth rank, in charge of trade. This time, the main cargo being transported includes artifacts, iron items, and silver. And here is the map of this Trade Port, Qingdao.”
I was impressed as I received the detailed information along with the map. If I had to gather such information by running around inns and various post stations, it would have taken me at least ten days. Now, I only needed to find the right contacts to figure out how to board a ship.
“Thank you.”
As a bonus, one of the Open Sect members handed me a small, black flute. The reason it was black didn’t seem to be due to dirt.
“And if the Little Hero needs any assistance from our side, just blow this Ojeok (black flute). This is the Open Sect’s token bestowed directly by Cheonryonggae, and upon hearing the sound of the Ojeok, all Open Sect members in Qingdao will come to assist you.”
“Understood.”
It seemed that Cheonryonggae had thoroughly prepared assistance for me more than I had expected. I realized that the Ojeok was not a typical flute but a special one that emitted high-frequency sounds inaudible to humans. Moreover, the practitioners of the Open Sect likely possessed the ability to sense the sound of the Ojeok through their internal energy. With a sense of wonder, I examined the Ojeok as I entered deeper into Qingdao.
Bustling…
Qingdao Port was a vibrant city. Since this place was a trade port actively engaged with Goryeo, I could see many people dressed in Goryeo attire. As it was my first time seeing Goryeo people, I passed by them quietly while listening to their conversations; their language certainly seemed different from that of the Central Plains. Suddenly, I realized one significant problem.
‘Ah… What do I do if I can’t speak Goryeo?’
Although I could communicate somewhat through Chinese characters, it would be difficult if I couldn’t understand the spoken language. Moreover, if I wanted to find the treasure known as Haein, which was somewhere in Goryeo, communication would be essential. Faced with a problem I hadn’t considered until now, I felt a moment of confusion.
However, I quickly thought of a solution.
“Right, let’s hire a translator.”
Since this was a trade port, there surely had to be someone fluent in both Chinese and Goryeo. They would definitely be at the post station. I thought that once I gathered some money and hired a translator, I could travel around Goryeo with them to gather clues.
So first, I decided to visit the Daeryong Merchant Association and the Seogung Escort Agency, as they were leading the trade. They appeared to be bemused by my presence as a young boy, but upon showing them the Golden Sign given to me by the Leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance, their demeanor changed.
In less than half a meal’s time since my arrival, the leader of the Daeryong Merchant Association, a portly man, had me brought into the reception room. True to his position leading a large merchant association, he was adorned in luxurious clothing and decorations. He smiled and said.
“Ehehe… Seeing that you possess the Golden Sign, you must be a distinguished envoy of the Jeongcheon Alliance! What brings you to our Daeryong Merchant Association?”
“Actually, I would like to travel to Goryeo and I wish to hire a translator.”
“It’s not difficult. I will prepare a VIP room for you, Little Hero. As for a translator…” The leader of the Daeryong Merchant Association gave a troubled smile.
“I’m sorry, but if you plan to travel in Goryeo, we unfortunately have no available translators. I can’t do anything about that.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not a matter of money. Recently, trade volume has surged sharply, and both our association and the government are currently constructing several large ships. A translator proficient in Goryeo is a rare asset and cannot be casually lent out.”
In other words, due to the flourishing trade with Goryeo, translators were receiving high-level treatment, to the extent that even with payment, they couldn’t spare any. I nodded reluctantly and asked,
“Is there no way at all?”
“Please inquire at the Seogung Escort Agency or the government office. If they’re unable to help, you may have to search for locals or learn Goryeo yourself.”
“Do you speak Goryeo well?”
“Ehehe. Given my position, I’ve had to learn it for decades, so I understand it. However, Goryeo is quite different from the language of the Central Plains, so to become fluent, at least a few years of practice would be necessary.”
“Hmm…”
I exchanged some pleasantries with the Daeryong Merchant Association leader and then left the association. I had also managed to reserve a spot in the VIP room for the ship departing in ten days. However, I was still troubled by the translator issue.
‘It seems unlikely they would have any at the Seogung Escort Agency either…’
As expected, while I was able to meet the Lord of the Seogung Escort Agency easily thanks to the Golden Sign, he also shook his head in dismay.
“I’m sorry. We have a total of three specialized translators in our agency, and all of them will be extremely busy during this trade. I’ll be swamped with work alongside them.”
“Is there truly no way?”
“Did you not hear something similar from the Daeryong Merchant Association? Their scale is several times larger than ours, and if they have no personnel left, then there’s nothing to be done. It would be a waste of time to visit the government office; you’d only earn their ire.”
But I couldn’t give up just based on his words. Regardless of the outcome, I decided to head to the government office to meet Jeong Gi-tae. Unlike the associations or the post station, the government office did not initially respond to the Golden Sign and, after a short while, the Vice Commander checked the sign’s validity before heading off to report to his superiors.
Jeong Gi-tae, an official of the sixth rank, sauntered out about half a meal later. He glared at me with an irritated expression and said,
“Are you audacious enough to summon someone from the government office here with the might of the Jeongcheon Alliance? What do you martial artists think the government is?”
He appeared to be quite angry. It seemed he was compelled to come due to the weight of the Golden Sign from the Jeongcheon Alliance but was evidently upset by the relationship between the government and the martial artists. I quickly lowered my head, fearing any further complications.
“I apologize, esteemed sir. Please forgive me. I did not intend to impose on you with the authority of your position; I am in urgent need of your assistance to navigate this situation.”
As I skillfully diverted the topic, Jeong Gi-tae’s expression softened slightly. He cleared his throat and said,
“Did you say your name was Baek Woong? If you have business, hurry up and speak; I am busy.”
“What I need is a translator. I can pay any amount.”
“A translator? There should be plenty of those available in Qingdao…”
“What I seek is someone who can accompany me while traveling in Goryeo.”
Understanding my intent, Jeong Gi-tae tilted his head.
“What are you talking about? Why would you look for such a person in the government?”
“Both the Daeryong Merchant Association and the Seogung Escort Agency said they were short on staff, so I had no choice but to come here.”
“Hmph… That much is true. Unfortunately, we can’t lend out such a person either.”
As he said this, Jeong Gi-tae grimaced.
“By the way, do you think you can travel to another country so easily?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you want to travel in Goryeo, you must negotiate with their officials, obtain formal travel permission, and then that report must be submitted up the chain for approval, along with coordinating with the Goryeo nobility. This process takes at least a month, and you’re just thinking about traveling to Goryeo on a whim? That’s not travel; it’s an invasion and you’d have no excuse if you were beheaded on the spot.”
“……!!”
“Hmph. I can guess you were planning to sneak aboard one of the merchant ships and hide in a Goryeo village. That’s a typical idea from martial artists, isn’t it?”
Jeong Gi-tae, who had been grumbling, suddenly said,
“Know this—I’m not so uptight that I would complain about you martial artists sneaking around. But don’t give me unnecessary trouble.”
“What?”
Jeong Gi-tae’s eyes suddenly sparked with anger.
“However, if you’re going to do it, make sure you don’t get caught. If you do get caught, not only you but also the leader of the Jeongcheon Alliance who gave you the Golden Sign will be thrown in prison. I won’t suffer alone!”
“……”
Listening to Jeong Gi-tae’s warning, I regretted coming to the government office.
‘I should have listened to the Lord of the Seogung Escort Agency. It would have been better not to come here at all.’
I felt like I had stirred up trouble for myself. If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have had to worry about Jeong Gi-tae knowing of my existence, but now it seemed like it would lead to issues down the line. I resolved not to rush to the government office again.
What should I do now?
Reluctantly, I decided to visit the Open Sect. They were quick to gather information and might be able to assist me with this problem. Upon arriving at Qingdao’s Bunta where the Open Sect members were gathered, I was greeted by one of them who handed me a map at the entrance.
“What brings you here, Little Hero?”
“I have a problem.”
As I explained my predicament to him, he responded with a serious expression.
“Why on earth would you do something like that? The agreement of non-invasion between the government and the martial world is a mutual treaty. By announcing your intentions to invade Goryeo, what have you accomplished?”
“I have no excuse. I’m sorry.”
“Let’s put that aside… about a translator. You’ll have to take the initiative to find someone fluent in Goryeo on your own. I’m sure there are individuals in Qingdao who speak it well but aren’t in professional positions.”
“Please give me a clue. With only ten days left, it’s tough just to search aimlessly.”
“Hmmm… I can’t say for sure. You’ll have to figure it out yourself.”
They seemed to want to avoid further involvement. While they might assist me under the order of Cheonryonggae, they certainly wouldn’t be concerned about such intricate matters. I had no choice but to return to the inn and lie on my bed deep in thought.
‘What should I do?’
Of course, I didn’t necessarily need to find a translator within ten days. If worse comes to worst, it might be better to search for a Goryeo person who speaks the language after landing there. However, that would involve significant risks, and I doubted my ability to persuade them. It would be better to hire a Korean speaker to accompany me for at least a few months.
After pondering for a while, I reached a conclusion.
“There’s no other choice… I’ll just have to go and learn.”
My conclusion was to either settle as a resident in Goryeo or simply naturalize there. By declaring that I would become a Goryeo person, I would be able to learn the language in detail. Unlike ancient languages or oracle bone script, such foreign languages could certainly be mastered with enough time and effort.
Above all, due to the blessing of the Queen Mother of the West, I had an abundance of time to spare. Although it would take me years to learn the language, once I became familiar with it, I imagined it would make things much easier for me in the future.
And so, ten days later, I boarded a ship bound for Goryeo.
Swoosh—
The sound of waves echoed from outside.
Sitting quietly in the deluxe VIP cabin, I found myself lost in thought. Lately, I had developed a habit of reflection, an effort to temper my impulsive nature. When faced with a problem, I had started to realize that taking a moment to think it through could illuminate a path forward, which made me feel an increasing need for meditation.
‘Even if I get seasick, surrendering to the rhythm of the boat doesn’t make me dizzy.’
I didn’t have a weak sense of balance to the point of experiencing seasickness. I quietly mingled with the Daeryong Merchant Association’s upper echelons and enjoyed several days of sea travel. The feeling of seeing the blue sea’s horizon for the first time was refreshing.
About six days into the voyage, I heard screams from the deck.
“Ahhh! Pirates!”
What?
Rushing up to the deck, I saw a black ship approaching from the distance. There were five merchant ships in our fleet, but three were on the opposing side. Numerically, we had the advantage, but if that was a pirate vessel, the situation would change. There would undoubtedly be armed pirates aboard, and if a conflict broke out, the merchant ships would suffer.
The Lord of the Daeryong Merchant Association, appearing flustered, spotted me and exclaimed, “Ah, Little Hero! You’ve arrived!”
“What’s going on?”
“They are the Blood Saber Group, notorious pirates wreaking havoc in the Yellow Sea. You seem to possess considerable martial skills, so please, fight them off!”
As much as the Lord of the Daeryong Merchant Association had shown me the Golden Sign, I began to understand why he had brought me to the deluxe cabin without charging any boarding fee. It was likely a ploy to have me face the pirates if such a situation arose. However, I knew that if the merchant ships sank or were captured, it would lead to unfortunate consequences, so I had no choice but to fight.
I observed the approaching Blood Saber pirates and asked, “Are they martial artists too?”
“Yes. I’ve heard many possess skills above the level of expert. Please, I beg you.”
“Understood.”
Bang!
The pirate ship rammed into our starboard side. I couldn’t believe we allowed such an easy breach without firing any cannons, but then again, it seemed improbable that a merchant ship would carry a significant number of cannons. Ultimately, it would resort to close combat.
One by one, the pirates began to climb onto the deck.
With a sigh, I drew my sword. “Hah… I really don’t feel like fighting.”
For some reason, I was not inclined to engage in this battle. Perhaps it was a feeling of foreboding. Yet in the next moment, my body shot forward like lightning, and I began to slash at the pirates. The clear sound of steel rang out, splitting the air.
Thus began my first naval battle.
—————————= Author’s Note =————————=
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