“If you’d done it sooner, or at least not called everyone... I might’ve overlooked it.”
“Cl-Clan Leader.”
“But they all came to the Tang Clan of Sichuan, and each showed their own sincerity. At this late hour, invalidating everything... it wouldn’t be courteous to them, nor proper for the Tang Clan of Sichuan.”
“But—”
“—This time, even I can’t yield.”
Dang Jeokcheon spoke in a resolute and stern voice.
“Soran, if it were just between you and me, I’d have sorted it out somehow. But this isn’t that kind of issue. What would I say to the Shangpyeong Merchant Group? To the Jegal Family? The Namgung Family? I could excuse the Shangpyeong Merchant Group as merchants from Weicheon Merchant, but the Jegal and Namgung Families even sent their own children... Invalidating it all would be smearing mud on their faces. Even I would take it as an insult if I sent my daughter to a family and she just came back.”
“...”
He approached with a worried expression and comforted Dang Soran.
“It’s... I’m still not... ready...”
“No matter how much you steel yourself, the moment you’re perfectly ready won’t come. Pick one of those three and slowly warm up to him. I’m not saying fall in love right away. Just choose the least bad man, that’s all.”
“...”
“This time, it won’t do. I’ll bend your will just once. Go back. Sort out your feelings and think calmly again.”
Dang Soran already knew it was an unreasonable demand.
It hadn’t been that long since she’d last begged her father for something.
But...
‘Don’t get married, Soran.’
At that voice, Dang Soran set aside her shame for the moment.
She tried to prioritize the command, even knowing her father would be disappointed.
She worked her lips, then even tried acting cute.
“Daddy... I’m still... better off staying by your side...”
“No.”
Dang Jeokcheon was even more firm.
“I said no.”
“Eek...”
“They’re flawless men. We can’t send them back just because you changed your mind. Go back. There’s nothing more to say today.”
“...”
Dang Soran finally left the Clan Leader’s quarters empty-handed.
She crouched down on the floor right away and thought.
...What do I do?
The Young Master will be disappointed.
She was in deeper danger than she’d thought.
****
“Those guys are crazy.”
The Weicheon Merchant Group had set up in the castle town and started selling all sorts of goods.
Silk. Fine silk thread.
Jade. Jade cups. Jade rings. Jewelry.
Paintings. Antiques.
Ginseng. Wild ginseng. Deer antler. Herbs.
Tea. Spices. Dried fruits.
And liquor too. Various fine liquors were scattered everywhere.
They had everything. I’d seen Uncle Bang Biyeon’s Changhwa Merchant Group, but the Shangpyeong Merchant Group was clearly on another level.
And this wasn’t even their main force.
This was just the scale of the carriages they dragged here to the castle town.
“Impressive, truly impressive.”
“Impressive my ass. Ow, my shoulders hurt so much.”
“I’m thirsty, Seojin. You said yesterday there’d be something in it for us if we helped...”
I looked at the three uncles clinging to my side.
The ones eyeing the Shangpyeong Merchant Group while sneaking glances at me.
“Man, to tell someone not to marry a guy who put together a merchant caravan like this... what were they thinking?”
“Hey, don’t kill the kid’s vibe. Without his confidence and cheek, our Seojin would be a corpse!”
“He’s cheeky alright. Look at him pretending not to notice how thirsty I am.”
“Why’re you thirsty? You worked so hard yesterday. Carrying a guy Seojin’s size on your shoulders at our age...”
“Ha, seriously.”
I finally pulled out my pouch.
“Uncles, do you really think I’m that heartless?”
I rattled it a bit for effect.
The silver from selling leather clothes to Uncle Bang Biyeon.
It was finally time to let it go.
“Here.”
I tossed the silver to Uncle Gwak Du.
“Huh...? Wha-what??”
Uncle Gwak Du’s eyes went wide.
Uncle Gu Yeong and Uncle Ma Childuk were the same.
“Br-Brother. My eyes aren’t going bad, right?”
“Ch-Childuk. What’s this?”
“S-Something that looks like this metal piece... To me, it looks like silver...”
“B-Bite it and see.”
I stopped the uncles.
“Hey, no biting. It’s silver, for sure.”
Uncle Gu Yeong started panting like he was about to pass out, and Uncle Ma Childuk snatched the silver and held it up to the sun, turning it this way and that.
Uncle Gwak Du just stood frozen, mouth agape.
Their reactions were so good, I couldn’t help but smirk smugly.
“Beggars gonna beggar. Flipping out over one piece of silver.”
I hadn’t seen silver myself until recently, but nothing beats the taste of bluffing.
Uncle Gwak Du still couldn’t believe it.
“S-So. Why this silver. Wh-What... how much should we change it for?”
“Jeez, you guys are beggars, but I’m not, okay? Even after seeing me mix with Clan Leader Bang? I said I wouldn’t join the Beggars’ Sect because I don’t wanna end up like you uncles.”
“...Then...”
“Spend it all. Blow it good. Buy booze and drink, order a full table of food... hell, hit up a brothel if you want. I won’t say a word, so spend it wildly.”
Uncle Gu Yeong let out a silent cheer. He grabbed Uncle Gwak Du’s shoulders and shook him with a joyful face.
“Brother raised a fine son! Who knew a day like this would come! Br-Brother, how about we try some pricey liquor today? I heard there’s some tasty takju nearby...”
“Sh-Shut up... Not cheap booze, drink the expensive stuff... Even if you give him money, he can’t spend it...”
Holding back my twitching smile was tough work.
Uncle Ma Childuk started watching the surroundings warily, like someone might steal the big money.
“Se-Seojin. For real, right? No strings attached?”
“A man keeps his word. Don’t worry.”
Uncle Ma Childuk finally looked at Uncle Gwak Du.
Uncle Gwak Du, who’d been stiff for a while, squeezed his eyes shut then open.
He snatched the silver from Uncle Ma Childuk’s hand and handed it back to me.
“...? Why?”
“Take it, don’t spend it like this.”
“...Pardon?”
“You said you’re gonna live on your own later—spend money like this already? Save it!”
Disappointment crept over Uncle Gu Yeong and Uncle Ma Childuk’s faces.
But even they just scratched their heads, not stopping Uncle Gwak Du.
I clicked my tongue.
“No one kills the mood like Uncle Gwak Du.”
“What, you punk?”
“Spend it. It’s really okay, that’s why I’m giving it.”
“...”
“What good’s saving it? We’re all in the castle town for fun—eat, drink, and be merry now. Living on the outskirts of Mount Emei, chances like this don’t come often.”
I shoved the money back into Uncle Gwak Du’s bosom.
The uncle resisted, pushing back.
So I snatched the silver from his hand... and tossed it to Uncle Gu Yeong.
“Fine, if you don’t want it. Uncles, go have fun without Uncle Gwak Du. Why drag the rest of you down with your own hang-ups.”
“Hey, hey! Why’s it turn into that?”
“Right? So go have fun.”
As I smiled, Uncle Gwak Du looked at the silver once, then back at me.
Now he wore a relieved smile.
“...Kid, when’d you grow up like this.”
“Get used to it. I’m gonna be rich.”
“Yeah! Then we’ll go have fun!”
.
.
.
I wandered the castle town aimlessly, spending the day.
Cheongwol had promised not to skip training with the Sect Leader, so she was at the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
I waited only for news from the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
Word that the engagement was off.
That’s all I waited for.
The sun was high in the midday sky... it should be around time by now?
“...”
I roamed around with ears perked like a Beggars’ Sect beggar, but no word came.
‘Weicheon Merchant’s got guts! Paid for everyone’s drinks at the tavern last night!’
‘Heard that? Turns out Jegal Yong’s been admiring Lady Dang Soran since last night? Man, with that handsome face, you’d think he’s into women, but he’s got some romance to him.’
‘No word on Namgung Yeon?’
“...Hmm.”
...What’s going on?
“What?”
Then, someone grabbed me.
Familiar clothes, familiar face veil.
“...Wol?”
Training over already?
“...Wol?”
“...Ah.”
But the voice wasn’t Cheongwol’s.
Looking closely, she was shorter than Cheongwol too.
She slightly lifted her veil.
With a slightly annoyed expression, she said.
“Did you mistake me for Cheongwol?”
“Well...”
“And that’s not the issue, Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“It’s... Father said no...”
.
.
.
We stopped at a small teahouse and faced each other.
It was a dead shop with flies buzzing, so not many to hear our voices.
“What do we do?”
“...”
“...What do we do, Young Master?”
Why ‘we’?
But seriously, what do we do?
My head throbbed.
I hadn’t expected Dang Jeokcheon to bend his daughter’s will over the marriage.
Would I have thought that of such a doting father?
No. That’s exactly why.
He trusted those three candidates to be her safety net.
“I need to think about it.”
How to bust this.
I can’t do anything about Weicheon Merchant’s huge caravan.
Jegal Yong being a coward—what can I do?
Namgung Yeon... whatever happens, happens.
First, how to separate Weicheon Merchant and Jegal Yong?
Especially Jegal Yong—he’s already head over heels for Dang Soran, they say.
“But is that true?”
“...What?”
“That Young Master Jegal Yong is already smitten with Lady Soran.”
“...”
Dang Soran didn’t reply. Guess it’s true.
“Ha, but I have no feelings for Jegal Yong, Young Master. Really.”
Trying to lighten the mood.
“Not even a little tempted by such a handsome guy approaching?”
“Y-Yes? Th-That sleazy-looking guy?”
Dang Soran was genuinely shocked.
“I don’t mean to badmouth, but... he looks too much like a gigolo, not my type...”
“Really? I thought he was handsome.”
“W-Well, rather than him, Young Master is... by my standards, more handsome...”
“Me?”
“...”
Dang Soran nodded with difficulty.
...Who’s she teasing now?
Fine. I started the joking.
Her usual playful attitude coming out was a good sign too.
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“...After you told me that story, I finally realized it for sure.”
“What?”
“How much I didn’t want this marriage.”
“...”
“...So, thank you. I’ll somehow try to make this engagement invalid.”
“How?”
“...I don’t really know either...”
I scratched my head.
Can’t they all just go home?
Can’t they say it’s not a match and leave?
That’d be the most peaceful.
I don’t want to blow this issue up...
Thinking of the butterfly effect that always comes back to bite, I always hesitated.
“Lady Soran. For now, try pleading with the Clan Leader again...”
Then, a small murmur outside the teahouse grew louder.
Dang Soran even turned her head at the commotion.
“...What is it?”
I stepped out to check the situation.
Then, from afar, I heard arguing.
“Huh? What’s going on.”
It was the uncles.
The uncles were raising their voices with the Shangpyeong Merchant Group merchants.
I ran straight to them without thinking of Dang Soran.
“What’s this? What happened!”
“You punk! Get down he— Ah, Seojin. Ha, really...”
Uncle Ma Childuk, who’d been jumping mad, calmed down upon seeing me.
I grabbed Uncle Gwak Du’s shoulder and asked.
“Uncle, what’s going on?”
“...Nothing. Forget it.”
Uncle Gwak Du seemed ready to drop the fight upon seeing me, spitting on the ground and turning to leave.
“What do you mean forget it! These punks looked down on us!”
Uncle Gu Yeong shouted.
“Hey, you punks! Even if we’re beggars, we don’t do shameful things! Where do you get off talking like that to a paying customer!”
The merchants raised their voices too.
“A beggar shows up with silver trying to buy expensive liquor—who wouldn’t think it’s stolen? Who’d believe you!”
My heart sank.
And rage filled the spot.
“What, you say?”
As I stepped forward, this time Uncle Ma Childuk and Uncle Gwak Du grabbed me.
“Another beggar shows up. That’s why you lot never look decent! Band together and topple giants? Hah, where’s this giant? In the end, you just bully honest merchants like us.”
We went into a long, drawn-out argument.
I raised my voice, and so did they.
Soon, more Shangpyeong merchants gathered, and Beggars’ Sect beggars did too.
The big commotion finally drew him too.
“What’s the matter?”
At that moment, the crowd parted.
I froze at the sight of the newcomer.
Weicheon Merchant.
Was this how it’d tangle up?
He wedged between the merchants and us, trying to mediate.
“What happened?”
He asked the merchant first.
“These beggars come with silver from who-knows-where trying to buy pricey liquor. If we get tangled in stolen money, it harms the caravan, so we just said we wouldn’t sell to them first.”
“You keep saying it’s stolen—how do you know! My nephew here gave us the money!”
“You expect me to believe some guy who looks like a beggar just handed over silver!”
I held back the uncles and quietly watched Weicheon Merchant.
Maybe because he already gave me a bad impression.
Getting dragged into this, my anger boiled to the top of my head.
No point in a meaningless fight anymore—he can sort it out, right?
“Merchant Weicheon.”
So, I suppressed my rage.
He hadn’t done anything to me yet, nor harmed those around me.
Whatever betrayal he does in the future, let him.
I’d decided to be a bystander anyway.
But now... I’ll take what’s mine.
“...I want an apology.”
He looked back and forth between me and the Beggars’ Sect uncles, then said.
“...Where’d the silver come from?”
“You...!!”
Uncle Gu Yeong started to raise his voice, but I stopped him.
“...Forget it. Let’s go.”
Then I dragged the uncles and turned away.
Since I did first, the uncles followed me.
Dang Soran, who’d been watching from afar, approached and checked my face.
“Y-Young Master. Are you okay... As expected, you didn’t like him from the start... Why are you smiling?”
“...Good. Actually, better.”
A hollow laugh escaped.
Yeah, actually better.
The uncles looked at me stunned too.
“Hey, Seojin, you okay?”
“...Gwak Du Brother. Seojin’s gone weird...”
Only Uncle Gwak Du squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his face.
“Ah. Big trouble.”
I looked at Dang Soran and said.
“Milady, stop trying from now on. Doesn’t matter if you try to break the engagement or not.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll break it myself.”
“...”
Dang Soran’s expression went blank.
But my resolve was singular.
Well, what.
Honestly, it’s no big deal—just step over it like dog shit.
But why bother?
This filthy spy punk dares treat our uncles like thieves?
Merchants might, but a caravan lord shouldn’t.
Everything lined up perfectly by luck.
No need to hold back anymore.
Weicheon Merchant’s gonna die horribly anyway, and I tried not to get blood on my hands...
...I’ll stain them myself.
Butterfly effect... fuck it, who cares now.
Let’s stomp him clean.
.
.
.
I headed to the Chwiun Ru.
Entering, the errand boy startled at my face.
I was already famous in the Hao Gate.
“Brother Ju... no, Brother Wicheong, where is he?”
“I-I’ll call him.”
I nodded.
“Quickly.”