“This is Zhejiang Province now.”
Gangchan muttered to himself as he looked around.
It was still autumn, and since Zhejiang Province was part of Jiangnan, it wasn’t that cold, but the mornings and evenings carried a noticeable chill.
The sun was slowly setting, yet there wasn’t a village in sight anywhere nearby. Gangchan stroked Mong’s mane and said,
“Looks like we’re sleeping out again tonight, Mong. You okay?”
Mong lightly snorted, nodding as if to answer.
Gangchan settled on a low hill not far from the water’s edge and lit a small campfire.
“It’s always the same food… but today, it’s meat porridge again.”
He murmured to himself as he pulled out some rice flour and dried meat.
Every time they camped outdoors, his habit was to mix these two ingredients and cook them like porridge.
As the savory smell spread around the campfire, Gangchan took a spoonful and glanced at Mong.
“Mong, you’re hungry too, right? Wait just a bit longer. I’ll prepare something you like.”
After finishing his meal, Gangchan handed Mong a bundle of grass. Mong snorted softly and began eating.
Gangchan smiled and moved to a space beside the fire, starting to stretch his body.
“Even at times like this, I can’t slack off on training.”
Since leaving home, whenever he had the chance, he unfolded the Gwihoonbo and practiced Cheonryeongmu. But at this moment, he trained solely using the strength of his body, without using his energy.
Still, Cheonryeongmu combined with the Gwihoonbo was fast and beautiful enough to remind one of a celestial dance.
After some time, sweat drenched Gangchan’s body.
Without Jieugiseong, Gangchan had no internal energy at all.
Therefore, physical training was more important to him than anyone else.
After washing the sweat from his body in the stream, Gangchan returned to the campfire and smiled at Mong.
“Did you like the grass? Now get some rest.”
Unlike normal horses who sleep standing, Mong would quietly lie down beside Gangchan, offering warmth.
Leaning against Mong, Gangchan said, “This moment is the most comfortable and peaceful in the world, Mong.”
He felt Mong’s body warmth as he slowly closed his eyes.
Lying beside Mong was the most cozy and peaceful time for Gangchan.
That was why, even on the road, he preferred sleeping outdoors whenever possible.
Having little money, the way Gangchan managed to travel for nearly three years was simple.
He would enter cities and earn meals and lodging through odd jobs, and when crossing mountain paths, he hunted for food.
If fortune favored him and he hunted an animal with valuable leather, he sold the hide to cover his expenses.
At first, he sold the leather directly to shops, but later he made deals through the shops to get better prices.
Living among people, dealing with them—Gangchan realized during his journey that this was the best way to cultivate one’s character.
Wanting to keep his martial skills hidden, Gangchan avoided conflicts on the road and stayed out of trouble as much as possible.
If a bad feeling arose, no matter how far, he chose to take detours.
He avoided mountain villages entirely, and if he absolutely had to pass through, he sent Mong ahead into the woods to keep a safe distance, then quietly slipped away using Cheonryeongchukji so as not to be detected.
This style of travel naturally led to frequent nights spent sleeping outdoors and limited knowledge of the wider world’s affairs.
When Gangchan finally entered Hangju, winter was just beginning.
The Qiantang River curved through Hangju, and a canal connected to the south, making its transportation network extensive and convenient.
Naturally, supplies were abundant, and the wealth drew many people to this place.
West Lake, located west of Hangju City, was surrounded like a folding screen by green mountains, and the lake water was so clear you could see the bottom, even at depths of over ten jang (about 30 meters).
With such rich resources and breathtaking scenery, many refined men of leisure gathered here.
Not only pleasure seekers but also scholars and monks were captivated by the view, and visitors never ceased coming.
It was truly a place worthy of being called paradise.
Where many people gathered, money overflowed.
Wealth brought people peace of mind.
That peace turned Hangju into a premier entertainment city on the continent.
Even at night, when everyone else slept, Hangju never rested.
A city that never sleeps—Hangju.
When Gangchan entered Hangju, he looked no different from a beggar.
Though sleeping outdoors was comfortable for him, his appearance was not.
His hair was tangled and unkempt, and his clothes were so dirty it was hard to tell if they were gray or black.
Without Mong, anyone would have taken him for a vagrant.
Not long after arriving in Hangju, a boy around twelve or thirteen blocked Gangchan’s path.
“Are you looking for an inn with good food but very cheap prices, sir?”
The words sounded calculating, yet also surprisingly polite.
“How did you know?”
“I can tell at a glance. It’s even better if the place has a stable and can feed your horse well, right?”
“Hahaha, exactly!”
“If you trust me and follow me, I’ll take you straight there without wandering.”
Then the boy led the way.
If Gangchan hadn’t had a horse, the boy would never have guided him.
Having a horse meant he wasn’t a complete beggar, and the boy, though young, knew from experience not to judge solely by clothes.
With Mong beside him, Gangchan followed the boy slowly.
As they neared Hangju’s center, the streets gradually became cleaner.
When the worn-down low buildings began to give way to taller, more splendid ones, the boy glanced back and said,
“We’re here.”
The building the boy stopped at was a somewhat aged but solid three-story structure.
A sign above the entrance read “Baekcheon Inn.”
“Go inside, and leave your horse to me.”
Without giving Gangchan a chance to reply, the boy grabbed Mong’s reins and disappeared toward the backyard.
“Please take good care of him with good feed.”
“Yes, don’t worry!”
Hearing the reply from afar, Gangchan smiled and stepped inside.
Contrary to his expectations, the interior wasn’t very spacious.
The kitchen was generously sized, and the tables were spaced wider than in other inns, likely designed for the comfort of guests during meals.
There were six four-person tables, half of which were placed by the windows.
Opposite the windows was a rather large area separated by thick curtains, which appeared to be the kitchen.
As Gangchan entered, a woman in her thirties lifted the thick curtain, hesitated briefly, and greeted him.
“Welcome.”
She then pointed toward a table by the window.
“Please sit here.”
Gangchan took the seat and nodded politely.
“Thank you.”
The woman looked at him for a moment, seeming hesitant, then finally spoke.
“May I ask how you came to be here?”
Gangchan stared at her blankly, apparently not understanding the question’s meaning.
“Did a boy guide you here?”
Only then did Gangchan grasp the situation and smiled.
“Yes, a very clever boy.”
At that moment, the boy who had led Gangchan burst through the inn’s door and shouted indignantly,
“I’m not a boy! My name is Sobaekcheon, and I’m already thirteen!”
Gangchan smiled at Sobaekcheon’s confident demeanor, but the woman’s expression was different.
She shot Sobaekcheon a sharp, annoyed look.
Noticing this, Sobaekcheon approached her with a subdued expression and spoke carefully,
“I’m sorry, but he’s a stranger, right? It should be fine for him to stay here.”
The woman gazed at Sobaekcheon for a long moment, as if pondering something.
Feeling the tense atmosphere, Gangchan quietly intervened.
“Regardless of the boy, I came here on my own. It would be good if you could serve me some food first.”
The woman fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Just so you know, we don’t have many dishes available, and we don’t know when we might have to close.”
There was a trace of unease in her words, as if she were being chased by something.
Gangchan smiled lightly.
“That’s fine. Just bring what you can.”
Yet, in his heart, he sensed the two of them were involved in some serious matter.
Still, that was their business, and he didn’t want to get involved.
“No problem. Simple dishes are enough, and I’ll stay only until you stop business. Is there a room?”
Sobaekcheon answered immediately.
“There are plenty of rooms.”
Gangchan looked at Baekcheon and said, “One simple vegetable dish, one roasted duck, and some Duck Leaf Liquor, please. I’d like the room to be clean, and… ah, I’d like to take a bath first.”
“Will you eat before or after the bath?”
“After the bath.”
“Alright, I’ll prepare the bath water first. The bath costs 5 nyang separately. I’ll have the food ready as soon as you finish.”
“Thank you.”
Gangchan handed Sobaekcheon 1 nyang of Cheoljeon and patted the boy’s head.
“I’m giving this because you were very polite. Thank you.”
“Thank you.”
The boy replied and disappeared into the inn’s kitchen with the woman, who seemed to be the innkeeper.
“Sobaekcheon! You promised your mother you wouldn’t do this. What if you end up harming a guest?”
“Then should I just do nothing and stay still?”
“Your mother is protecting you, so don’t act rashly. If you get hurt too, your mother won’t be able to live.”
“There will be a way, Mother. I asked Chunmun to talk to his father. He said he’ll try to help.”
“You did something pointless. It won’t help anyway. It’d be better if your mother asked No Hoeju to extend the deadline or raise the prices a bit.”
The boy and the woman seemed to be mother and son.
Though they spoke quietly in the kitchen, Gangchan clearly heard their conversation.
Something was definitely wrong, but Gangchan decided to stay out of it.
It wasn’t his place to get involved.
Just then, Sobaekcheon approached Gangchan.
“The bath is ready.”
“Thank you.”
Gangchan slowly stood and walked toward the bathhouse in the backyard.
***
After a while, he returned fresh from his bath and changed into clothes that, although not new, were clean and freshly washed.
Sobaekcheon looked surprised and said, “Is that really the same person from earlier? Wow. You look like a completely different man.”
“That kid’s teasing me.”
“Hehe. Sorry about that. Please come this way; the meal is ready.”
Guided by Baekcheon, Gangchan entered the inn’s first floor and took his seat at the table with the meal laid out.
He ate slowly, enjoying a leisurely meal for the first time in a long while.
After finishing, Gangchan asked Baekcheon about Mong, then went up to his room on the second floor.
Though not spacious, it was clean.
The bedding was freshly washed and sun-dried, giving it a crisp feeling that lifted his spirits.
It was too early to sleep yet.
From downstairs, a somewhat noisy conversation drifted upward.
“I understand it’s a difficult situation, but I can’t do anything either.”
“Chief! You know well that the Baekcheon Inn was built piece by piece by Baekcheon’s father.”
“I know. How could I not?”
“If we sell it, the Ju Ryonghoe won’t give us any credit because they know the money won’t be repaid. If we can’t pay, then Baekcheon has no way to survive. Please increase the inn’s price a bit or give us about a month’s grace.”
Jinhagi, the chief of the Baekryonghoe, was in a very difficult position.
He personally knew Baekcheon’s father well.
More than that, he was the one who had arranged for Baekcheon’s father to borrow medicine money from the Baekryong military council when Baekcheon’s father was suffering from a serious illness.
Of course, he had given them a slightly lower interest rate than others.
But six months ago, Baekcheon’s father suddenly passed away, unable to recover.
The interest payments fell behind, and now the debt had grown so large that they had to hand over the inn itself to settle it.
The young woman and her son would be thrown out onto the streets in an instant.
‘How could Jinhagi’s heart not ache?’
But there was no choice.
He too belonged to an organization.
Looking somber, Jinhagi spoke to his subordinates, “The limit of help I can give is fifteen days. If the head of the group finds out… anyway, clear out within fifteen days.”
He then glanced at the inn with a pitiful look and left.
The Baekryonghoe members who came with the chief left the inn, looking toward their leader.
“We kept quiet because it’s the chief’s business, but if the head finds out, it will also cause trouble for the chief.”
“Exactly. Just keep quiet this one time. I owe that guy’s father a favor, you know.”
“Well, as long as no one asks, we won’t say anything, so don’t worry.”
With murmurs like this, the men walked away from the inn.
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