Chapter 175 The War King’s Gate (4)

Chapter 175: The War King’s Gate (4)

From the next day onward, I frantically scoured every corner of Nine Dragon City.

Finding armor and warhorses for seven hundred warriors was no ordinary task.

Especially warhorses—before the imperial power weakened, acquiring them would have been a crime in itself.

But what could I do?

I’d made up my mind, so I had to see it through.

The first place I sought out was Huilong Hall, which operated numerous mines and forges.

It was the only place capable of taking an order for a thousand breastplates and helmets, including spares, plus extra iron bars and shields to secure to the forearms.

Of course, there was something to do before placing the order.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Senior Brother! Senior!“

That was to call Jeon Mook, the successor of Hwaryongdang, and secure a personal discount.

Even saving just one nyang per item would easily add up to a thousand nyang in savings.

”He’s just a small-time local military officer. No need to flatter him too much.”

“As a man, aren’t you standing tall in this world? And this Jeon Mook, I’ve heard the rumors.”

“Rumors?”

“Yes, about smashing Baekryongdang… Ugh…”

“Shut up?! People can hear you outside, you brat.”

“Huu… It was still a secret. I was thoughtless.”

“…Well, it wasn’t exactly wrong.”

I had been thinking about crushing those White Dragon Sect bastards someday, after all.

“By the way, what brings you this far? Perhaps… to impart some teaching to me?”

Jeonmuk looked at me with an expectant gaze.

It felt burdensome.

“…No, I just wanted to place an order.”

“An order…?”

I handed Jeonmuk a booklet detailing weapons for disciples to use.

He glanced through it, then tilted his head.

“It resembles military manuals… specifically iron cavalry equipment. These aren’t suitable for someone like you, whose specialty is empty-handed combat, are they?”

“I just need them.”

“Hmm, so you’re training in new martial arts. Understood. I’ll have it ready within a few days.“

”How much?“

”Huh?“

”Even you can’t give it away for free. I asked how much.“

”Come on, I’m just using leftover iron to make it. Why would I charge you? Between you and me.”

That was right. The Hwaryongdang was a gathering of unparalleled lunatics who merged their livelihood with martial arts.

Naturally, their iron production overflowed.

They ran the forge precisely to handle that surplus.

But the quantity I was ordering now was too large to give away or accept for free.

“Even though you’re ordering a thousand?”

“……Yes?”

“A thousand.”

“……”

Jeon Mook snapped back to reality and asked again.

“You… mean a thousand pieces?”

“Yes. A thousand.”

“Unless you’re planning to raise an army… Senior, surely not?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Understood.”

“Then give me a quote. I need to know the cost before placing the order, right?”

“Yes. With the cost of iron and the artisans’ wages, it should be about five nyang…”

No, don’t tell the buyer the cost price.

“Please give me five thousand nyang.”

“……Is just the cost price acceptable?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“……”

Jeon Mook smiled, showing his white teeth.

“The important thing is that you need this Jeon Mook’s help, right? ”

Somehow, he’d become my brother, but from the moment he shaved off thousands of nyang, Jeonmuk was practically my sworn brother.

“Ah, little brother!”

“Brother!”

Thud.

I pulled Jeonmuk, twice my size, into a tight hug.

* * *

A few days later.

“The magistrate agreed to bring in a thousand horses.”

“Really?!”

No wonder his complexion looked brighter—Myohyang had brought good news.

The long-stalled purchase of warhorses was finally complete.

The difficulty arose from trying to procure a thousand horses at once due to time constraints.

The Shanxi merchants’ interference didn’t help either.

“But the price is steep. Even though we didn’t get the highest grade, it looks like it’ll cost nine liang per horse.”

“Hmm…”

Even though there was practically no army outside of Nanjing, the price of the horses was steep.

But.

“There’s no choice. We’ll have to use the dividends we’ll receive from Sangryeon to pay for them…”

It was already a done deal.

The money invested so far was astronomical. If they weren’t selected as a partner company, they’d lose every penny they’d saved up.

Increasing their chances of being chosen was the right move in every way.

“…Aren’t you investing too heavily?”

“We can cover it with the taxes coming in from Hanjung.”

We can just take it and pay it back.

“…Just now, Lord Munju’s gaze felt exactly like Sosso’s.”

“Sis, aren’t you being a bit harsh?”

“I-I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help myself…”

“Enough. I’d appreciate it if you were more careful from now on.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bowing her head to express her apology, Myohyang explained the circumstances.

“I understand Seojangsan may be weaker than Sansusan, but they have better endurance.”

“Strength is more important, you know.”

“I’m sorry. Sansusangbang interfered, making it impossible to retrieve it.”

“What do you have to apologize for, sister? It’s those jealous Sansu bastards’ fault for being jealous of Hanjung’s success. It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”

“It’s getting worse the longer it goes on. Right now, we can’t even get near the Shanxi side at all.”

“I’ll figure something out, so just hang in there a little longer.”

“Yes.”

Shanxi Shangfang’s backer was Zheng Deming.

He thought he might be able to resolve it somehow by leveraging his connection with Jin Gong, whom he was familiar with.

‘Guess I’ll have to use my golden connections for the first time in ages.’

Anyway, that wasn’t the urgent matter right now.

“By the way, are you planning to handle the opening ceremony preparations? That’ll be tough…”

The opening ceremony was far more urgent.

He needed to make sure as many people as possible knew about the Ex-King Sect’s existence so they wouldn’t get cut off at the entrance during the selection of partner companies.

“Hehehe, it’s the moment the Sect Leader spreads his wings. Of course, I should step up, right? Besides, I only need to manage the opening ceremony, so it won’t be hard at all.“

”Why not just leave it to the Hao Sect kids…“

”No way. It’s the rule that the mistress must take charge of any sect event.”

Well, that’s true… Wait, mistress?

Startled, I stared at her as Myohyang began to stammer.

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. I, I just use the term ‘mistress’ because I’m in charge of Sangryeon and the sect’s household affairs. Ah, I didn’t mean anything else by it.”

“Ah… I see.”

Seeing Miao Xi visibly flustered, I felt a pang of regret.

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence lingered. Trying desperately to change the mood, I forced myself to speak.

“Sis, you know I’m always grateful to you, right?”

“Wh-why bring that up now?”

“What’s so sudden about it? I express it often enough.”

“I-I-I see.”

After a moment of hesitation, Myohyang opened her mouth with a determined look, as if she’d made up her mind.

“……If you’re truly grateful, could you make me just one promise?”

“A promise?”

“Yes, a promise sworn to the heavens.”

I don’t have a religion…

But I couldn’t disappoint Myohyang, my benefactor and family.

Besides, hadn’t she worked for me for over a decade?

“Alright, if you want it, I’ll do it.”

“Then… once the Jeonwangmun is fully established, please grant me just one favor.”

“A favor? If it’s that kind of thing, even now…”

“No. It absolutely has to be then.”

“Fine, I get it. That much is fine.”

“Really?! It might be a bit of a big favor, but are you sure?”

“Oh, come on. Between you and me?”

“Thank you!”

Myohyang clasped my hands and shook them vigorously.

Her soft skin pressed against my fingertips.

‘This is something.’

It was a day that left my mind unsettled.

* * *

One month later.

The armored suit ordered from Hyeryongdang and the warhorse Myohyang had procured arrived.

I’d expected some kind of sabotage attempt from Baekryongdang, but nothing came of it.

The armor was large enough to cover thighs and shoulders, the helmet extended to the back of the head, and there was an extra shield strapped to the back and a small shield worn on the left arm.

Despite easily weighing over 50kg, everyone adapted quickly.

Of course they did.

‘That kind of weight is nothing compared to combat-hardened muscles.’

After all, the disciples of the Jeonwang Gate could now easily lift three 500kg weights using pure muscle strength alone.

Moreover, the disciples didn’t just adapt to the heavy armor.

Heeeeee-

“Yeehaw!”

Having procured a hundred horses from the market and rotated through mounted training, they quickly mastered the art of utilizing warhorses as well.

A sight that brought a smile to anyone who saw it.

And leading them from the very front was none other than…

“Don’t forget I’m raising your rank too, okay?”

“Geez, trust me for once. Do you really think I’d scam my own uncle?”

It was Yook Hak of the Iron Blooded Faction.

Truthfully, Cheongso played a major role in Yook Hak joining the Jeonwang Gate.

No matter how much trouble she caused, Cheongso worried about her as her precious daughter. The Cheong family head, who was Yook Hak’s foster father, had entrusted Cheongso to him.

Thanks to that, Yook Hak, who had quit his role as a guest at the Han Jung Sang Ryun and come to Guryongseong, caught my eye.

Persuading him wasn’t difficult.

What does a warrior truly need?

Isn’t it money that allows one to live a life devoted solely to martial arts?

As long as Qing Xiaosuo remained with the Zhenwang Sect, Yuk Hak couldn’t leave either.

Had I not extended my hand, Yuk Hak would have been starving.

‘Nothing is more miserable than being penniless in middle age.’

Anyway, after recruiting Yook Hak like that, everyone at the Jeonwang Gate, myself included, couldn’t help but be astonished.

“Ugh, what kind of military formation is this?”

“The foundation of cavalry lies in breakthrough power. If you’re going to ride like that, just quit.”

“Protect your spear tip. Nothing makes you easier prey for the enemy than a wobbling spear tip.”

Every word was golden advice.

It wasn’t because he was a peerless master.

It was because he came from a military background.

Even if his war experience was limited to the imperial capital, where the court’s influence still reached, he was still a hundred times better than us, who knew next to nothing about cavalry.

Truthfully, it wasn’t that we hadn’t looked into it; hints about his background had surfaced long ago.

In a martial world where swords dominated fifty percent, sabers thirty percent, and the rest split the remaining ten percent, warriors wielding crescent sabers were almost unheard of.

Thanks to this, the Zhenwang Sect gained not only a peerless master but also a reliable commander.

And then.

“Sect Leader! A notice has been posted.”

As time passed, notices announcing Nine Dragon City’s recruitment of partner companies were posted throughout Sichuan Province.

To some extent, it was a ceremonial procedure.

For the sects in the southwest that were considered somewhat influential, envoys sent by the city had already visited to inquire about their intentions.

Of course, since we hadn’t even held our founding ceremony yet, no separate contact had come to us.

“It’s finally beginning.”

“The documents are already prepared. We plan to submit them immediately after our founding ceremony.”

“We’ll be the last participants, then.”

“It’s advantageous to draw as little attention as possible. Well, those who know will know, of course.”

“Given the commotion we caused.”

Of course, the Eight Sect figures would be suspicious of our participation.

But the difference between suspicion and certainty is enormous.

Investigating with certainty versus investigating on a hunch inevitably leads to worlds apart in results.

Yoo So-pyeong smiled brightly.

“We should start inviting the guests soon. The opening ceremony…”

“Miao the Chief said he’d handle that, so we don’t need to worry about it.”

“Of course.”

Yoo So-pyeong lowered his head, his eyes gleaming with a sly look.

“What is it? Why are you staring like that?”

“Ah, nothing. Oh! I left something I was working on.”

Watching Yoo So-pyeong’s departing back, he thought.

Finally, the Jeonwangmun had taken its first step into the world.

‘Somehow, it feels like things have gotten way too big…’