Book 15: Chapter 2: Below the Water's Surface

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Part 2 - Below the Water's Surface

The North.

In front of the Great General's Headquarters.

"......"

A sentry was holding his spear firmly with a tense face.

"(Mom, I'm hungry!)" the voice of a child nagging.

"(Now, now, hold on just a little bit.)" the voice of the mother soothing the child on her back was drowned out by the noise generated by the long line of refugees and could barely be heard.

It was a queue to receive food from the granary of the Great General's Headquarters.

"(Give us a little more!)" they were only able to protest because they still had some strength left.

"(How is our entire family supposed to survive on this?!)" those protesting were few.

"......"

"......"

Most of them simply looked up at the sky and muttered prayers in unintelligible tribal languages, or listlessly received a handful of food in the pouches they had brought with lifeless eyes.

"Do not let your guard down."

At the sentry squad leader's words, the sentries nodded reflexively.

Since the grassland tribes were not originally people living under the rule of law of the Central Plains empire carrying weapons out of habit was a common occurrence, and there had even been an accident where sentries were injured by refugees who suddenly exploded in anger.

For that reason.

"Is this the Northern Great General's Headquarters?"

When a group of people approached and asked so, the sentries raised their spears reflexively.

"we heard that the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family has arrived here."

"Ah, we are not suspicious people."

As travelers usually do she lifted the bamboo hat she had worn pressed down low to avoid the scorching sun of the grasslands and what was revealed beneath it was, although heavily tanned by the sun, distinctly the face of a young woman.

Due to her tall stature and neutral voice, the sentries had not realized it.

"Please deliver this to the Eldest Young Master."

She smiled.

"Then, our identities will be verified."

* * *

Great General's Headquarters, meeting room.

"......"

"......"

For a moment, as if they did not understand at all one of the generals, wearing a completely blank face, asked the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.

"Did you say you would resolve the food issue?"

Another general followed and asked.

"And that too, starting right now?"

"E-Eldest Young Master..."

Murong Ho also opened his mouth, knowing it was impolite.

"While it is true that the food issue is the largest problem faced by the Great General's Headquarters," as attention gathered on him, Murong Ho continued speaking while hesitating.

"it is also a matter that must not be handled rashly all at once by overreaching."

Normally, they would have rebuked the rudeness, but since the speaker was Murong Ho, the younger brother of Murong Un-jeong and since he said exactly what they wanted to say, the high-ranking officers instead nodded their heads and supported him.

"His words are correct."

"If the Great General's Headquarters tries to hurriedly buy grain now, we will instead only be swayed by the merchants and the enemy."

"That would also mean falling deeper into the enemy's strategy."

If the Great General's Headquarters tries to buy food on a large scale while the situation is glaringly obvious we will become prey to the merchants, and to the enemy, it will be an opportunity to squander the Great General's Headquarters' war funds.

"Rather than that, a long-term plan is needed."

"It would be better to establish measures to secure it from a reliable partner at a stable price..."

"Since the Eldest Young Master has come, we must also consider the method of directly transporting it from the North China region."

"Or somehow even from Jiangnan..."

Would it feel like having to watch a slowly burning fuse?

As they watched the dwindling food how much everyone usually worried about that issue was shown as concerns and opinions poured out in cascades, and this was barely calmed down after Murong Un-jeong, who had raised the problem first, stepped forward.

"Everyone, calm down."

"Would the Eldest Young Master have brought up the topic without knowing this situation?"

"......"

"......"

Then, this time, they all shut their mouths as if they were one body and at the sight of them looking at him so anxiously, the Eldest Young Master burst into laughter and shook his head.

"To resolve the food issue starting from now; of course that is impossible."

No...

At that, one of the generals grumbled.

"Just a moment ago, didn't you say, Eldest Young Master, that you would resolve it right now?"

"Indeed."

As the Eldest Young Master nodded readily, everyone wore confused expressions.

"What on earth does that—" the Eldest Young Master shook his head.

"It is contradictory—" the Eldest Young Master cut off their words with a grin.

"I said I would resolve it 'right now,' I did not say I would resolve it starting from now."

"That means—" as Murong Ho showed a puzzled expression, Murong Un-jeong spoke in his stead.

"Could it be that you already have a solution, Eldest Young Master?"

"Not yet."

"What—" the Eldest Young Master raised a finger as if telling them to wait.

"However, by now, it should soon—" the moment his finger was raised completely toward the sky, a heavily armored guard of the Great General entered from outside the meeting room.

"There is a matter to report to the Eldest Young Master—" as everyone stared at him, the Eldest Young Master asked him, who was flustered without knowing the reason.

"Do I have a visitor?"

"H-How did you know that?"

The Great General's guard became even more flustered.

"They must have given you something to prove their identity?"

"Yes, that is correct. According to the report from the sentry squad leader guarding the main gate, they said that if we deliver this, you would verify their identity, Eldest Young Master."

What was placed on the Eldest Young Master's outstretched hand was none other than a woman's norigae.

While everyone tilted their heads at the sight of the latest fashionable norigae, which was rarely seen in the north, as the Eldest Young Master nodded, the Great General's guard dashed out again.

"It is correct. Permit their entry."

"...Eldest Young Master."

Murong Un-jeong asked the Eldest Young Master on behalf of everyone.

"What is that?"

The Eldest Young Master raised the norigae with a thick smile.

"It seems the first solution has arrived safely right on time."

* * *

Entering the meeting room under the guidance of the Great General's guard was a tall beauty.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, everyone of the Great General's Headquarters."

She smiled refreshingly with a face that showed no sign of intimidation, unusual for her age.

"I am called An Song-gyeong."

While everyone looked at each other at the unfamiliar name, the Eldest Young Master spoke, lifting the trendy norigae that had been used as the token.

"Her name is more famous for this."

"Tea Fan Maiden."

The high-ranking officers buzzed.

"If it is Tea Fan Maiden..."

"Aren't they the ones who became famous in the land of Sichuan in a short period?"

"The ones who supposedly do that norigae business?"

At least the military officers in the intelligence line, who were well-versed in rumors south of the Great Wall, understood a bit more about them.

"If it is Tea Fan Maiden, they certainly had conflict with the Emei Sect..."

"And I had received information that they came under the Eldest Young Master's command..."

Across the murmuring voices, the Eldest Young Master asked An Song-gyeong of the Tea Fan Maidens.

"Did you execute everything I ordered?"

"Yes."

An Song-gyeong nodded confidently.

"We purchased all the food that could be gathered in the vicinity of Shanhaiguan."

Of course, the source of that funding was what she had taken with her according to Yeon So-hyeon's orders: a few months ago, under Yeon So-hyeon's strategy, their hidden assets that were being moved in a hurry had been plundered by the vigilantes of the Spring of Luoyang, who even mimicked clumsy highway robbers; and An Song-gyeong, who had vanished with them, revealed herself in this manner.

'the hidden assets of the Yeon family blood relatives.'

"Near the Imperial Capital, according to the Eldest Young Master's command, we even brought up the imperial guarantee to draw transactions, but..."

She asked the Eldest Young Master with a slightly worried look.

"Is it truly alright to use the name of the Imperial Family so casually?"

Instead of an answer, the Eldest Young Master tossed her the Emperor's decree that he had in his possession.

"Indeed...!"

An Song-gyeong, who read the contents in an instant, could not hide her admiration.

"To think you eventually secured His Imperial Majesty's order in this way. We won't have to worry about cleaning up afterwards...!"

The Eldest Young Master shrugged his shoulders.

"Moreover, the costs used for the food purchase will later be officially fully compensated by the Imperial Family."

"I see!"

While the two were conversing, the people in the assembly were doubting their own ears.

"...They already purchased food?"

"Did I hear correctly? I wasn't the only one who heard it, right?"

An Song-gyeong laughed out loud toward them.

"This is reality, so you do not need to pinch yourselves!"

Originally although her innate temperament was diligent, she had not been good at stepping forward in front of others, but it seemed the experiences of the past few months had changed her greatly.

"Even now, at every moment! Wagons of food are lining up and coming to this north, so you may rest assured!"

The Eldest Young Master shrugged lightly.

"I prepared in advance, thinking such a thing might happen."

Would it feel like this when a congestion that had tormented someone for a hundred days is cleared?

"Ohh...!"

"Excellent...!"

As if the slowly setting sun was rising again, the faces of the high-ranking officers brightened.

"Just a moment."

Amidst the high-ranking officers who were even clapping and making a fuss, Murong Un-jeong stood up abruptly and asked.

"What is the specific quantity?"

As the Eldest Young Master nodded in approval, An Song-gyeong pulled a report from her bosom and presented it to Murong Un-jeong.

"...Mmh."

While Murong Un-jeong calculated carefully, the assembly shut their mouths and only watched her expression.

However.

"......"

"......"

It was close to impossible to deduce a conclusion from the face of the Acting Great General of the North, who originally had almost no changes in expression.

"...If it is this much," Murong Un-jeong, who finished her calculations, laid down the report and spoke.

"it should be sufficient in many ways."

"Whoa—!"

The moment a shout was about to shake the meeting room once again, Murong Un-jeong continued.

"However."

"most of these are only temporary transactions. There are barely any long-term purchase contracts."

When it came to caution she, who was even more meticulous than her father the Great General of the North, would not miss the details of the contracts.

"In this state, if the war begins to drag on, things will become difficult starting this winter."

"That is..."

At those words, An Song-gyeong smacked her lips and scratched the back of her head.

"After all, to remain below the water's surface, we conducted the purchasing only to the extent of the surplus of various places, so that level was the limit within which we could avoid drawing attention."

She added.

"Making large advance contracts for this autumn's harvest would inevitably draw attention in the market..."

At her words, Murong Un-jeong shook her head.

"No. Even this much is extremely excellent."

Already the food prices in the market, having sensed the clouds of war originating from the north, were starting to soar.

Just as An Song-gyeong said aided by the Eldest Young Master's foresight, she had done to the absolute limit of what was possible.

However.

"......"

"......"

Was it like the story of "three in the morning and four in the evening"?

The high-ranking officers, who had been rejoicing from the moment they heard that things would get hard again starting in winter, of all times, had no choice but to have their thoughts become complicated once more.

And, at that time.

"Eldest Young Master!"

When the Great General's guard who had just left entered again, everyone looked at the Eldest Young Master with eyes of disbelief.

...Could it be?

"It seems they have arrived."

Pretending not to notice those looks, the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon shrugged his shoulders lightly.

"Did I not tell you?"

He spoke.

"I prepared in advance, thinking such a thing might happen."