Chapter 71

Chapter 71

The 71st episode

The Korean-Japanese Prize is unprecedented.
He was branded as the worst person in the North Sea and imprisoned in an ice cage in the depths of the North Sea.
His arms and legs were bound with iron cuffs, never to surface again.
This was the stern judgment of the Bing Tian, who considered it an apology to the people of the North Sea, and the price for their mischief.
“Tough decision for someone I once considered my own flesh and blood. Even a courtier.”
“That’s understandable, since I had the ……Beijing Sea at my beck and call, and I was at the mercy of a foreign power.”
“That’s another thing.”
I nodded in agreement with my uncle. The scar on the North Sea was quite large.
Perhaps an incident like this, or something similar, in the Zhongyuan would have been difficult to recover from.
The Zhongyuan’s connections and interests are so intertwined that the slightest sign of weakness would have been met with a school of fish that would have jumped at the chance.
Even now, the Zheng Clan, the Sect, and even the Madao.
The world is not a place where the Zheng Clan pursues clean cooperation.
A world where the Sect only wants its own interests.
That old world is long gone.
Nam Gongsun, Eighth Elder of the Nam Gongsun Clan,
Hwang Bo-gyeom, the wall power of the Hwang Bo family,
and even Ye Gong of the Qing Sheng Sect, I realized.
I realized that there was no point in believing in political parties.
Believing in it would only lead to trouble.
But this is the Beihai.
All the people of the Beihai, united as one, will stand behind Lord Han Taiwen, and they will take it upon themselves to restore the Beihai Ice Palace to its former glory.
In fact, the Beihai will become even more powerful than before.
“Heavenly Thunder Sword Star, I am. You’re already using the name I’ve been calling myself for decades.”
I grimaced at the sound of his voice, which was raspy and grating. He didn’t seem to like the fact that I, who was supposed to be arguing with him, didn’t say anything but twitched my lips. He snorted, then sighed heavily and turned to me.
“……By the way, is it right to take her like this?”
I laughed along with her. On top of the cart that Kang-seok and Chun-sik had personally tinkered with, a small prison had been converted into a solid iron cage that could only be used in an ice prison. The cold breeze from the steady northern wind tickled the group and made a small noise against the iron armor of the criminals inside.
A man’s face was covered by a swaddling cloth, his vision obscured, his limbs bound, and, unusually, his arms were covered in dead skin. Even worse, the limbs were bound with ten thousand years of cold iron that even a sword would not be able to cut through.
Perhaps this was unnecessary, for he had already destroyed the dantian and was now nothing more than a scribe.
It doesn’t change the fact that it was necessary. His misdeeds in the North Sea are disgusting even to mention, so my uncle and I concluded that we would break his lantern boldly.
Nevertheless, though we could not see his face, the wild look in his shaking head told us that he was still unrepentant of his misdeeds.
There was no sign of remorse, so I assumed my conclusion was correct.
Evil must be treated as evil.
Malice should be treated as malice.
Favorable.
Of.
No compassion or sympathy.
This is the iron-blooded pact I seek.
Having made up my mind, I felt lighter on my mind as I traveled through the roads of the North Sea than I did on my way to the Ice Palace. Moreover, the way out of the Beihai Ice Palace to Zhongyuan was easy.
Dag-dag, dag-dag.
On a blue, sparkling North Sea morning, the group, wrapped in white, fur-covered hats and clothes that made them look like they were one with the snow, rode a reindeer with magnificent antlers. Clutching a small bell, I was able to match the reindeer’s gait and enjoy the spectacular view of the North Sea for the first time.
What’s more, as we made our way through the forests of the North Sea and encountered each village, our guides changed and we were favored by those who cheered and cried out for the sword. When I first set foot here, there was not a single sign of hostility or malice.
I felt my heart warm at the sight, and the reindeer seemed to feel the same way, stepping up their pace.
That’s how we finished our journey in the North Sea, against all odds.
With our hands full of many things.
* * *
“I can’t take it.”
“I can’t get it.”
“I can’t get it.”
I gave them a look of incredulity as they all shook their heads, as if they were all squeezing.
“Why can’t I have it?” I said.
“You can have it.”
“I have my own.”
At Black Lake’s words, I shook the box of white ginseng in my arms. A whopping five white ginsengs. I had no intention of giving this away. I said that this was my share, that it was rightfully mine, and that I had no intention of giving it away. But Black Ho, Donghui, and Kang Woo-moon didn’t respond.
“……When we return, trade with the North Sea will open up, so it will be easier to get white ginseng.”
“You seem to think that white ginseng is a weed that comes right out of the ground.”
“If you mention the Grand Duke’s name to the people of the North Sea, their eyes will light up and they’ll come running.”
“…….”
I coughed in vain. White ginseng was not readily available in the North Sea.
Considering the vastness of the North Sea, it shouldn’t be too difficult. The supply would be small, but if there was a demand, it would be something the North Sea would specialize in.
“The Grand Duke is planning to take over the trade with the North Sea when he returns, isn’t he?”
Black Lake’s words made me tingle.
“Lord Han, I would like to see the Southern Palace take the lead in the trade route to the North Sea, and I think it is possible. Although Anhui is quite a distance away, Shandong should have no problem establishing a trade route.”
Of course, he had already talked to Han Taiwen about this. Han Tae-moon readily agreed and told him to let him know whenever he was ready. He said he would set up a contact at the beginning of the North Sea.
Han had never mentioned that, so how could he know?
It wasn’t much of a trick, but the black tiger was very good at seeing through me.
“But not those three roots.”
The three strands of roots he pointed to, held in my hand, were glorious in their own right, looking like crystals carved out of the North Sea. In this fight, it was Black Ho who faced Han Il-sang head-on. Even though he was several levels higher than him, he didn’t back down at all.
Moreover, this battle in the North Sea was a decisive battle for my servant.
In other words, the three of them had thrown themselves into battle for me, and this was the reward they deserved.
But.
“Under your blueprint, we will not be so expendable.”
Black Ho’s words stung me sharply. I shook my head in disbelief.
“Then all the more reason to use them for the Grand Duke’s benefit.”
“Why?”
“Because the Grand Duke is our blueprint.”
……It was a rhetorical question, but ironically, I couldn’t recommend the ginseng more highly.
Even the sight of the legendary ganoderma lucidum should have shaken them, but the three of them looked determined, as if they were being squeezed.
“Of course, even if we were to consume it, it would be difficult for our bodies to absorb it in its entirety. How could we possibly melt those crystals, which cannot even be described as a sonic booster?”
The aura of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Ginseng was intimidating enough on its own, let alone the spiritual aura it contained.
“Black Lake is right. If you don’t take this crystal, you’ll be eaten by the Great Yin Zi and your entire body will be frozen solid.”
Eunuch Eunuch, Kang Woo-moon, and Dong-hwi nodded in agreement. Hana and I didn’t back down either, but offered another compromise.
“Then accept this as your own.”
I handed him four white ginsengs.
“You’ll give me one too.”
“It’s only fair.”
“You’ve earned it.”
I lifted the corners of my mouth at the sight of the old man laughing. When Mrs. Eo received the ginseng, Black Ho, Dong-hwi, and Kang Woo-moon accepted it as if they couldn’t refuse it.
“One white ginseng, please.”
“That’s enough.”
It was up to me to bring the ingredients, but it was Namgung Han, not me, who would lead the way to the Thunderclap. He spoke of the Thunderclap’s softness with certainty, so I trusted him and took it. With my fears thus put to rest, I opened my mouth, feeling the winds of the north wind die down.
“Let’s prepare to welcome Zhong Yuan.”
The words brought smiles to the faces of the entire crew.
It had been exactly six months since we had set sail for the North Sea.
* * *
“Han’er, stop stomping your feet so furiously.”
At the words of the White Sword Nam Gung-Seok, Nam Gung-Han, who was currently serving as the branch manager in Shandong, was stomping his feet as usual. He was stomping his feet as usual, worried that he had unintentionally left his back to the North Sea.
“Who knew it would take so long.”
“The Sword King came with us. Don’t worry too much.”
“The Sword King is all-powerful. The Grand Duke’s safety is important.”
Namgungseok looked incredulous at that. Since when did he care so much about the Grand Duke’s safety?
After all, he was the one who told him to fetch ginseng from the North Sea.
At that moment, he decided he had to say something.
“Everyone, come out!”
At those words, Namgungseok and Namgunghan stood up at the same time. It was a welcome sight to see their voices bursting out in such a loud manner.
And here, in Shandong Province, there was only one thing that was welcome.
“The Grand Duke is coming!”
“The Grand Duke!”
Namgung Han and Namgung Suk ran to the front of the chapter, their faces beaming.
“Why don’t you tell us in advance, so that we can escort you to…… before you reach the branch!”
While saying that, the two of them stopped talking with their mouths agape.
Namgung Han thought to himself.
He reminded himself of what he had been asked to bring back.
“It must be…… I asked for one white ginseng.”
Shandong Branch Chief Nam Gonghan gaped open-mouthed as he greeted the Grand Duke’s group, who were dragging someone with graying arms.
He even said.
“You’ve even established trade with the North Sea.”
What had they done in just half a year?
“You’re going to connect with Shandong alone, isn’t the Beihai famous for not trading with…… Zhongyuan?”
If he was bluffing, he would have told him to stop now, but when he heard about the bamboo root in his hand, he had no choice but to shut up.
……And so it was exactly half a year after Grand Duke Namgungban’s trip to the North Sea that he reached the Shandong branch, and half a year before he returned to the Namgungse.