Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 329

Chapter 329
Following the commander’s departure with the captives from the Five Venoms Sect and the Blood Cult, Hwa-eun and I made our way to Hyung’s residence.

Our reunion by the river had been too brief for a proper conversation, so we agreed to continue our discussion in depth at his home. If we were to launch an assault on the capital, Yeongcheon Prefecture, we required Ji-ryong’s counsel.

—Clatter, clatter.

Traveling openly on foot with Yeondu and Cho by day was impossible, so we journeyed to the estate in the carriage Hyung had provided. Peering through a gap in the window covering, I observed a Beijing more opulent than any city I had yet encountered. The route to Hyung’s estate cut through a vibrant city center—stores offering unfamiliar, exotic fruits, shops overflowing with brilliantly colored silks, and the workshops of blacksmiths crowded the streets on both sides.

It was, after all, the capital of the Central Plains. While it hadn’t held that title in my previous life, its status as a premier metropolis was undeniable.

As I was absorbed by the sights outside—

The mental voices of Hyang and Cho reached me.
『Tsrrr! (Papa, look! That person just tumbled on the ground!)
Tsrr! (That person is blowing fire! Do people have poison like me?)』

Blowing fire?
Blowing fire!?

I turned quickly—
The two children had nudged their heads beneath the rear canvas of the carriage and were gazing out.

My first instinct was to yank the cloth shut to prevent them from being seen, but for a second I was distracted by their guileless chatter.
Hwa-eun and I also leaned over to see what had captured their attention.
Through the narrow opening, we could see entertainers performing flips on the spot and exhaling plumes of fire after sipping from oil-filled cups.

So that was it—street performers.
Here in the Central Plains, it was not unusual to find people demonstrating acrobatic feats in public spaces to earn a living, much like a traveling circus.
The children were utterly fascinated.

‘They really are just little kids at heart, aren’t they?’
Despite consuming Neidan and maturing both in body and mind in less than a year, their worldly experience was still limited.
Their innocent hearts were completely enchanted by the spectacle.
『Those are called acrobats. They perform tricks to earn coins,』 Hwa-eun explained softly, gently patting their heads as they watched in awe.

Then—abruptly, a shocked cry cut through the air.
“Ah!? T-that is—!”

‘What’s happening?’
I looked toward the sound—one of the acrobats balancing atop a ladder was pointing at our carriage with a stunned expression.
From the way his eyes were focused, he had undoubtedly seen the children.
I moved swiftly to close the gap, but the man on the ladder lost his footing and crashed to the ground—
Instantly, the orderly performance dissolved into bedlam.

—Thud!
“Aiyah! Someone took a fall!”
“Heavens! What occurred? Sir, are you hurt?”
“It came from over there!”

The fallen man was now gesturing wildly toward our carriage.
I secured the canvas opening and whispered urgently to Gwiseong-hyung, who was driving:
“Hyung, we need to go. I believe the children were spotted through the cloth.”
“Is that so? Understood. We’ll pick up the pace.”

As the canvas was sealed and the carriage accelerated, I heard the disappointed murmurs of the kids.
『Tsrrrrt… (I wanted to keep watching…)
Tsrrt… (Me too…)』

Their desire to continue observing the acrobats was palpable.
But of course, allowing them to be seen publicly was out of the question.
Feeling remorseful, I gave their heads a comforting stroke and promised,
“I am sorry. But I give you my word, Papa will strive harder—soon, I will create a world where you can roam outside without a care.”

Hearing their melancholy tones reinforced my determination to gain renown swiftly.
If I could become famous across the land as the Heavenly Venomous Fa-fa and popularize the concept of keeping venomous creatures as companions throughout the Central Plains, perhaps then it would be acceptable to be seen with them.

Yet, their disheartened voices lingered.
『Tsrr… (But… the acrobats…)
Tsrrr… (The acrobats…)』

Seeing their downcast expressions, Hwa-eun clapped her hands together as an idea struck her.
—Clap!
『Ah! How about we have Papa perform for you once we get home?』

Tsrrt? (Papa?)
Tsst? (Papa?)
‘Absolutely! Your papa is more skilled than they are.’
Tsrrt… (Is that true?)
‘Without a doubt. Isn’t that right, So-ryong?’
‘Y-yes. That sort of thing? I could do it in my sleep.’
The children’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

And so, before I could even present myself to the Peng Clan Lord at Hyung’s estate—
I found myself performing gymnastics.
『Tsrrr! (Incredible!)
Tsrrt! (So awesome!)』

They were utterly delighted by a simple series of tumbles.
It was at that moment a familiar, rough voice called out.
“So… So-ryong, might I ask what you are doing out here?”

The Peng Clan Lord, having been informed of our arrival and noting my absence indoors, had come out to welcome us—he now stared at me with a utterly perplexed look, as if questioning my sanity.
It was mildly humiliating…
But seeing the pure joy on the children’s faces—
I reflected:
Sometimes a father must be an entertainer, a clown, and whatever else is required.
***

“So, a significantly large Blood Cult base is situated in Yeongcheon Prefecture, is that correct?”
Ji-ryong asked again, his expression one of surprise, after listening to the detailed account from Hwa-eun and myself.

“Yes. Based on the testimony from the head of the Blood Cult’s intelligence division, it is their largest in terms of physical scale.”
As the saying goes, ‘the darkest place is under the lamp’; the capital of the Central Plains, Yeongcheon Prefecture, currently hosted the most substantial Blood Cult base.
In terms of martial prowess and sheer size, the base near the Martial Alliance in Wuhan was formerly the biggest, but after its eradication by the Alliance, the one in Yeongcheon Prefecture had taken its place.
Its concentration of martial experts wasn’t notably high, but its operational scale was immense.

“There is apparently a Five Venoms Sect base in the vicinity as well… To think those scoundrels had infiltrated the Central Plains so completely.”
It seemed there was also a Five Venoms Sect base nearby.
Neither establishment was particularly conspicuous, with each running a sizable brothel and tavern.
The capital, brimming with travelers and commercial prospects, had evidently allowed both to operate clandestinely, unaware of each other.
Recently, I had heard both were under the management of the Five Venoms Sect.

“However, raiding the Blood Cult base in Yeongcheon Prefecture… I do not believe it is feasible using only our personal strength.”
Ji-ryong made this statement after carefully examining the compiled intelligence we provided, his face etched with clear concern.
I nodded in agreement.
I had already concluded that our group alone would be insufficient.
“Yes, I share that assessment.”

At this, Lord Peng, Gwiseong-hyung’s father, interjected loudly.
“It is not a great distance. Take one of the Peng Clan’s martial units. Just lead them there and crush the place entirely.”
In a manner perfectly characteristic of the Peng Clan, he proposed simply taking a force of fighters and leveling everything.
Ji-ryong responded with an uncomfortable expression.
“Clan Lord, you are aware of the statute—martial artists are forbidden from employing their arts within Yeongcheon Prefecture without official sanction.”
“Ah, that’s right! Damnation. That is undoubtedly why those vermin established themselves there.”

Hwa-eun had previously informed me of this law as well.
In Yeongcheon Prefecture, the use of martial arts is prohibited without prior authorization.
Because the Emperor resides there, unsanctioned martial arts practice is strictly forbidden.
Since martial arts cannot be freely exercised, the Martial Alliance does not even maintain a branch office in the capital.
A congregation of martial artists there could represent too significant a threat.
This was precisely why I intended to seek Ji-ryong’s advice once the Five Dragons and Three Peaks had reassembled—to determine if he had any viable strategies.

After a period of contemplation, Ji-ryong addressed Hyung’s wife.
“Lady Ak, would securing assistance from the authorities be a possibility?”
“Ah, for a matter such as this, I can consult my father. Our family has senior members serving in the military; I am certain they can provide aid.”

I then remembered that the Ak family held considerable influence within the military hierarchy.
Given her familial connections, obtaining help in the capital seemed highly probable.
While martial artists were often viewed with suspicion, the defense and security of the capital ultimately fell to the army’s jurisdiction.
Technically, we had another potent connection—the princess—but the exchange of letters would require months.
Thus, for the time being, our most promising avenue was Hyung’s wife.
“Thank you, Hyung’s wife.”
“It is no trouble at all. Cousin So, I will naturally assist.”

As I expressed my sincere gratitude, Ji-ryong continued to gaze at the list I had shared earlier, a look of slight unease on his face.
“You seem preoccupied, Ji-ryong. Is something the matter?”
“It is nothing of great importance. It is merely—the individual said to be managing the Five Venoms Sect’s tavern was also identified as a eunuch within the imperial palace, correct?”

This was a detail I had also verified.
The operator of the tavern, one of the Five Venoms Sect’s bases, was indeed a eunuch of low rank.
I had acquired this information from Cheong-yu Sojeo.
The Five Venoms Sect’s method for recruiting agents in the Central Plains involved using poisons to treat otherwise incurable diseases, thereby placing people in their debt and drawing them into the organization.
He was reportedly recruited in this manner.

However, being a low-level eunuch, it did not appear to be a major point of concern.
Had he held a high-ranking position, it might have been problematic. But a minor eunuch was unlikely to cause much trouble.
Hyung’s wife’s connections were presumably with high-ranking military officials, so the risk of interference seemed minimal.
“I confirmed that as well—he is a eunuch, yes, but his rank is insignificant. I do not anticipate it becoming an issue.”

Ji-ryong considered this for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
“It appears I was being overly cautious. If his rank is truly that junior, I suppose it will not amount to much.”
Ji-ryong was a thorough planner who tended to worry deeply.
I returned his smile.
***

We concluded our meeting at the Peng residence and promptly returned to the borrowed house.
We had informed the children via our mental group chat of our estimated arrival time, so they must have been anticipating us—the moment Hwa-eun and I entered the courtyard, the children, who had been gazing at the sky, came rushing toward us.
『Tsrrr! (Papa!)
Kkyuit! (Grandpa!)
Piii! (Faaather!)』

They swarmed us with the enthusiastic greeting of devoted pets welcoming their owner home.
Sister Seol came hurrying from the kitchen.
“So-ryong! Hwa-eun!”
Her face was streaked with soot, a clear sign she had attempted cooking again, despite her lack of skill.
Hwa-eun had prepared onigiri and dumplings before we left, but those must have been consumed, forcing her to venture into the kitchen herself.
“Unnie, your face—”
“Haha… I tried my hand at cooking rice for the first time. More importantly, did everything go well?”
“Yes. We even met with Hyung-nim there and settled on our next steps.”
“Then our next destination is Yeongcheon?”
“Yes. Hyung-nim said he would depart immediately and meet us here. He should arrive within a few days.”

Our next target, Yeongcheon Prefecture, was located south of Jeongju, between Kaifeng and Luoyang.
To its west, it bordered Mount Song and the Shaolin Temple.
Fortunately, by following one of the Yellow River’s tributaries, we could reach it by boat—meaning we would be using our ship, the Golden Venom.
Hyung-nim’s group was departing Beijing and would rendezvous with us before we embarked.

As I was finalizing the plan, Sister Seol appeared to recall something.
“Oh, So-ryong. Shortly after you left, a letter from Geum Gi-ryung was delivered.
The courier mentioned he was fortunate to locate us along the Yellow River and left it for us.”
“A letter?”
“Yes. You will understand upon reading it—he states that the ship is complete.”
“Oooh! Already?”
At first, I was puzzled, but it turned out to be the news I had been awaiting.
It had been just over two months since I parted ways with Geum Gi-ryung, and now word had arrived that the ship was finished.
He had pledged to expedite the work by assigning more laborers—true to his word and his reputation as a dependable merchant, he had delivered.
“I was concerned our bamboo raft would attract undue attention near the capital, but this is ideal.”
Hearing that the Golden Venom’s aircraft-carrier-like main structure was complete set my heart racing.
The remodeling of our ship was finally done.