Ah! Namgung Family
003 I'll Protect You (1)
On the way to the Namgung Family estate, Namgung Joseok—who had been teaching Namgung Ganghae the Daeyeon Shingong and the Namgung Sipsamse whenever he had a moment—was greatly surprised. He had thought the boy would learn well because he was bright, but this was too fast even so.
The Namgung Sipsamse was, after all, a basic martial art, but it was not so easy that one could memorize it after seeing it just a few times. Moreover, Namgung Ganghae was only twelve years old. Yet he not only memorized the stances but also performed them perfectly.
And that was not all.
He had mastered the Daeyeon Shingong, which would have taken others three or four months, in just a few days. Though it was no more than a handful, he had already begun to feel qi accumulating in his dantian.
So he asked once more if the boy had ever learned martial arts before, but the answer was the same. It was his first time. Unconvinced, Namgung Joseok checked his pulse and examined his body, yet there were no traces of trained internal energy.
If Namgung Ganghae continued to grow this way, he might become an absolute master capable of wielding Gang Qi.
Gang Qi meant drawing qi out of the body and molding it into a tangible form. And using Gang Qi through a sword was called Sword Gang.
Once one mastered Sword Gang, even a twig became sharper than the greatest famous blade under heaven. Anything it touched was severed in an instant. Therefore, the victim died without even realizing they were dying.
In the present age, those who could wield Gang Qi were so few they could be counted on one hand, and all of them enjoyed tremendous fame.
If Namgung Ganghae mastered Gang Qi, it would only be a matter of time before the Namgung Family recovered its former prestige. Thinking this, Namgung Joseok's heart raced.
Yet on the other hand, he worried whether they could support Namgung Ganghae's talent. Most of the Namgung Family's advanced martial arts, not to mention their secret ultimate techniques, had been lost.
Fortunately, Namgung Ganghae was still young. They would find a way before he grew much older. For now, he could take joy in having acquired such a talent.
From then on, Namgung Joseok taught Namgung Ganghae with even greater care than before. As a result, their training time increased, and their journey to the Namgung Family estate grew progressively slower.
"Today, we shall rest over there and cross the river by boat tomorrow."
"Yes."
Arriving at a village near the Changjiang, Namgung Joseok headed to a nearby inn. He paid for the room first and followed the attendant to a room on the second floor. After setting down their things and resting for a while, they went downstairs to eat and saw quite a few guests. Those who had missed today's boat had gathered to cross the river tomorrow.
Namgung Joseok found a seat, ordered food, and listened to the conversations around them while waiting.
He overheard talk of the Janggang Surochae. The Janggang Surochae were river bandits who operated on the Changjiang. In the past, when the Namgung Family's prestige was great, they had been as quiet as dead mice, but it seemed they were doing well enough these days. To think they were running rampant like this.
It was no wonder. The declining Namgung Family had fled the capital, Hefei, and returned to their former home in Huangshan as if driven out. After that, Hefei had become an ownerless mountain, and now the powerful held sway. The Janggang Surochae were among them.
After the meal, Namgung Joseok watched over Namgung Ganghae's training in the room. It was not very spacious, but there was enough room to swing a sword once or so. Accordingly, Namgung Joseok had him repeat the Namgung Sipsamse one move at a time.
Though it was a wooden sword, his stances were so good that his swinging motions were quite sharp. There was nothing more to teach him now. He only needed to keep training to achieve complete mastery.
Afterward, he checked whether Namgung Ganghae had memorized the essentials of the Daeyeon Shingong and had him cultivate. Namgung Ganghae sat in meditation and opened his eyes after about half a shichen.
"How is it?"
"I'm not sure. The qi I feel in my dantian seems to have grown a little, but it also seems the same as before."
"To achieve even that much is incredibly fast. Do not rush. Cultivate every morning and evening."
Namgung Joseok said this, looking at Namgung Ganghae with a pleased gaze. The boy absorbed everything he was taught as quickly as a sponge soaking up water, which was truly gratifying.
"Yes, I will."
"Today, I shall teach you a footwork."
"Footwork?"
"Yes. It is a basic footwork of the Namgung Family called Infinite Step. Once you are proficient in it, you can instantly get to your opponent's flank. Stand holding your sword."
Namgung Ganghae stood holding his wooden sword as instructed.
"Attack me."
"Huh?"
"Any technique from the Namgung Sipsamse will do. Attack me."
"Yes."
Answering, Namgung Ganghae quickly stepped forward and swung his wooden sword. It was the fourth stance of the Namgung Sipsamse. But before the wooden sword could even finish its swing, Namgung Joseok was already at his left side.
"Ah!"
Namgung Ganghae's eyes widened in surprise. How on earth had he moved?
"Try again."
Namgung Joseok said so and returned to his position. Namgung Ganghae glared intensely, determined not to miss the slightest movement, and swung his wooden sword again. Yet the result was the same.
"Amazing! How did you do that?"
"You move your feet like this and go this way. At first, it will take two steps, but once you are used to it, you can do it in one. If the stance is complex, it might be hard to evade, but against a simple attack, you can dig into your opponent's inside in an instant. Or, as I just did, you can read the tell of your opponent's attack and approach first."
Namgung Joseok briefly explained the knack of performing the Infinite Step and taught him. Namgung Ganghae, who had been clumsily following along, scratched his head.
"It's not easy."
"Haha! You just learned it; isn't it only natural?"
He spoke lightly, but Namgung Joseok was greatly surprised. In that short time, Namgung Ganghae was already performing something resembling the Infinite Step. Truly a tremendous talent.
"That is enough for today. You can continue tomorrow; now, let us sleep."
"Yes."
They extinguished the lights and lay down on the beds, but Namgung Ganghae could not fall asleep easily and asked about the Infinite Step. Namgung Joseok answered with a smile, but as the questions continued, he was surprised once more. Namgung Ganghae was already asking questions demonstrating that he understood when and how to use the Infinite Step.
***
The next day, Namgung Ganghae woke early and went outside to wash his face. Then he filled a basin with water and brought it to the room. In the meantime, Namgung Joseok had risen.
"Please wash."
"Thank you."
There was no need for him to do so, yet Namgung Ganghae attended to Namgung Joseok. At first, Namgung Joseok had stopped him, but since the boy kept doing it, he let it be out of annoyance. Besides, it was not unpleasant to be attended to in this way.
"Here is the towel."
After Namgung Joseok wiped the water from his face and held out the towel, Namgung Ganghae took it.
"I asked them to bring the usual breakfast in half a shichen."
"Well done. Then let us begin training."
"Yes."
Namgung Joseok watched over Namgung Ganghae's training, and when the time came, they went down to eat together. Though it was early morning, there were many guests preparing to eat. They were people waiting to cross the Changjiang.
However, Namgung Joseok noticed a suspicious man. He was indeed a guest, yet something was off about him. While eating, he kept surveying his surroundings. He looked as though something was bothering him.
Namgung Joseok observed him carefully but soon averted his attention. It would not do to get entangled in unnecessary trouble.
In the past, he would not have worried about such things. Merely invoking the name of the Namgung Family had been enough to resolve most matters. But it was different now. He had to be careful in all things, ever careful.
After the meal, they left the inn and headed for the ferry crossing. People had gathered to cross the river by boat. Upon approaching, Namgung Joseok saw workers loading cargo onto the boat, so everyone was waiting.
However, the attire of the man giving orders to the workers was familiar. He wore white martial attire with a black overcoat, and the hilt of the sword he carried bore a square pattern. The warriors loitering nearby wore the same clothes.
They were people of the Sanggwan Family, one of the Eight Great Families under heaven. The Sanggwan Family was not a martial clan but a merchant clan. They were said to have so much money that it rotted away; merely selling half their assets could feed hundreds of thousands of people for months.
"Can you see? The pattern carved on the sword and that attire are the hallmarks of the Sanggwan Family. Remember them well."
"Yes."
The martial world was a place where they would draw blades over the smallest mistake. To avoid and handle such situations, one had to know everything. Information was power. Therefore, Namgung Joseok passed on necessary knowledge whenever he could.
After the Sanggwan Family's cargo was fully loaded, the two waited a good while longer before they could finally board the boat with the others.
"The wind is calm today."
Standing on the deck and gazing at the majestically flowing Changjiang, Namgung Joseok muttered. He had not spoken for anyone to hear; it was practically a soliloquy. Because of this, Namgung Ganghae merely looked around in silence.
The front of the boat was crowded with people and cramped, while the back was deserted. The warriors of the Sanggwan Family were guarding the cargo loaded there, so everyone was frightened and gathered at the front.
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
Namgung Ganghae shook his head and averted his gaze. Then Namgung Joseok asked with a smile.
"Do they bother you?"
"A little."
"The Sanggwan Family is the greatest merchant clan under heaven. Rumor has it that their wealth even surpasses the imperial treasury. Because of this, they resolve every matter with money and act only after weighing profit. They are a reliable ally, but a troublesome enemy."
Listening to Namgung Joseok's words, Namgung Ganghae nodded silently. However, the explanation that should have continued was no longer heard. Raising his gaze, Namgung Ganghae saw Namgung Joseok looking at a man with a rather unpleasant expression.
"Who is he?"
"Hm? Ah, him? He is the one I saw at the inn this morning."
"Is there a problem?"
"Did I not explain about the Janggang Surochae two days ago?"
"Yes."
"They have a method they commonly use. They board their subordinates on the boat in advance and then come to negotiate. If things do not go well, they resort to force."
As soon as he finished speaking, three boats from the Janggang Surochae approached, as if on cue. Those who saw them shouted in alarm, and the warriors of the Sanggwan Family drew their weapons.
"It's the Janggang Surochae!"
"River bandits!"
They approached so quickly from the front that the boat could not turn around. Yet they could not simply sit and take it. Following the current, the boat turned to the left.
But as if they had anticipated this, the Janggang Surochae's boats moved in that direction as well. In the end, the three boats surrounded them: one blocked the front, while two closed in on the left and right.
"Grapple them!"
The bandits aboard threw grappling hooks attached to ropes onto the deck railings. Then they pulled with all their might, closing the distance between the boats.
"Do not be afraid. If the Sanggwan Family complies with the negotiations, there will be no serious trouble."
Negotiations meant giving the bandits a reasonable amount of money. Then the bandits would retreat while pretending to let them save face.
It was a kind of custom. Since neither side benefited from bloodshed, they let matters pass in this way.
However, if the Janggang Surochae made unreasonable demands, the Sanggwan Family might not comply. In that case, a fight would break out. The problem was that the Sanggwan Family did not know that some of the people aboard their boat were Janggang Surochae bandits.
Namgung Joseok briefly pondered whether he should inform them. If he was going to speak, he had to act before the bandits boarded.
His deliberation was not long. Many powerless commoners were aboard. If a chaotic battle broke out now, they would die helplessly. The bandits would kill them all to set an example.
Namgung Joseok quickly scanned the Sanggwan Family members and soon found the one leading them. A sturdily built middle-aged man was shielding a girl about Namgung Ganghae's age while giving orders to the Sanggwan Family warriors.
If his memory served him right, he was Sanggwan Irok, a collateral blood relative of the Sanggwan Family. He was the cousin of the family head, Sanggwan Hojae, or something like that. Since he had a child with him, he would be receptive. Having judged this, Namgung Joseok pushed through the crowd and approached him.