Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 379

Chapter 379
We departed from Lee Tae’s stronghold and made our return journey toward Dongting Lake on Geumdo’s back.
Perhaps it was the sun’s warmth absorbed during his time basking—but Geumdo moved with a new and noticeable energy.
As Geumdo raced along the river and a dense expanse of reeds came into view on our right, Lee Tae gestured toward it and announced,
“Lord So-ryong, we must enter there. That is Songzi Mouth.”
The place he indicated was a point where the Yangtze’s current fed directly into the heart of the reed forest.
I tilted my head and inquired,
“I thought you said there were three entrances? Do we simply take the first one we see?”
“Whichever entrance you choose, they all meet up in the end.”
“Is that so?”
According to what the steersman had told me, there were three passages into West Dongting Lake:
Songzi Mouth, Ouchi Mouth, and Taiping Mouth.
I had assumed they led along separate routes, but it seemed they all joined into one main waterway.
“Very well. Geumdo, take us that way.”
Bububururu.
The moment I instructed Geumdo to follow Lee Tae’s direction, he pivoted sharply into the slender channel cutting through the reeds.
Upon entering Songzi Mouth, we were met with a vast wetland.
Contrary to its infamous reputation as an impenetrable maze, it appeared navigable at first sight.
It looked as though we could simply drift with the flow.
“This doesn’t seem nearly as treacherous as its reputation implies?”
In response to my comment, Lee Tae pointed further ahead and answered,
“The entrance is manageable, but once we move past that area, the swamp, reeds, and waterways become so entangled you can’t distinguish them. One misstep, and your vessel will be mired in the mud.”
When we arrived at the spot he mentioned, it was just as he said—the reeds closed in around us, and the marshy land merged so completely with the water that picking out the true channels was impossible.
With darkness descending, the shallow marshes and passages became even more indistinguishable.
My first thought?
An ideal location for pirates.
Conceal your craft within the reeds, lay in ambush, and then surge out—no one would stand a chance.
And if a ship tried to escape and ran aground in the swamp, as Lee Tae warned, it would be even worse.
‘Yes, it’s no surprise pirates thrive here.’
Just as I was reflecting on how perfectly this place was designed for ambushes, I detected motion ahead among the reeds.
‘Is that patch of reeds shifting?’
Sharpening my focus, I discerned small islets of reeds drifting soundlessly over the dark water.
Abruptly, a group of these islets moved to block Geumdo’s course, and a booming voice cried out.
“Wahahaha! Who dares to invade the domain of the Eighteen Dongting Camps!”
The reed islets obstructing us were actually boats disguised with reeds, and in an instant, we were encircled on every side.
They had to be the pirates of Dongting Lake.
As their shouts echoed, Lee Tae promptly leaned over the railing and called out toward the voice.
“Who goes there? It is I, Lee Tae of the Yangtze Water Route Camp!”
“Eh? Lee Tae of the Yangtze Route? Brother?!”
A voice answered from near the boat, and a figure vaulted onto the deck.
His expression shifted to surprise upon seeing Lee Tae standing there.
“Brother! What brings you here at such an hour?”
“Ah, Jin Un-gi? I have matters at Dongting Lake, so I came to seek the chief’s aid for a guide.”
“But this vessel… is it a prize from a raid?”
“A-A raid? This ship belongs to the individual I now serve.”
“What? Someone you serve?”
The pirate looked puzzled by the term “person I serve.”
“Has the Yangtze Water Route Camp appointed a new chief?”
He evidently assumed Lee Tae’s “master” was the new leader of his entire camp. Lee Tae offered an embarrassed smile and responded,
“No, it’s nothing of that sort. I will provide an explanation once we see the chief.”
“Very well. Secure the ship here and accompany me.”
“Agreed.”
As the pirate leaped back down, Lee Tae gave me a slight bow and said,
“Lord So-ryong, I shall return shortly. Please await me here.”
“Understood.”
As we had planned, he left to obtain the chief’s authorization.
Lee Tae stepped onto the pirate’s boat and disappeared into the labyrinth of reeds.
***
“Chief! Chief!”
“What is all this noise in the dead of night?!”
Sagong Won, chief of the Dongting Eighteen Camps, rubbed his eyes and sat up, visibly annoyed by the commotion.
He had only just fallen asleep, and the disturbance grated on him.
“It is I, your brother.”
“Huh? Lee Tae? What are you doing here?!”
Sagong Won had shouted from his bed, expecting one of his own men—but then he recognized the voice.
Realizing who it was, his tone softened instantly, and his irritated scowl transformed into an expression of shock and happiness.
Naturally it would—the voice belonged to his sworn brother, Lee Tae.
“Wait there a moment.”
Sagong Won’s abrupt change in mood had a cause.
In the martial world, loyalty is a sacred virtue—but it is a rarity among pirates.
Most pirates emerge from dire backgrounds or lives of crime, concerned only with their own survival.
But if there was one man Sagong Won trusted to be genuinely loyal, it was Lee Tae.
They had first encountered each other when Sagong Won arrived at Dongting Lake, a lowly pirate with nowhere else to turn.
He had fled his home after assaulting a corrupt official who attempted to confiscate the entire winter’s food supply, pursued by government soldiers.
“You are Sagong Won?”
“Yes, sir!”
A nervous, freshly initiated pirate Sagong Won had his first exchange with Lee Tae.
“Not so loud. I haven’t been a pirate for long either.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. How old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
“Then you are younger than me. I will be your elder brother, then.”
“Wait, what about seniority or position?”
“We are pirates. Who worries about rank? We joined at roughly the same time, so we are equals. But by age, you are younger—so I am your hyung, correct?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
And so, they started addressing each other as “brother,” and as time passed, Sagong Won came to understand the depth of Lee Tae’s loyalty.
The first time he commanded a raid from a reed boat, a subordinate’s error led to his punishment, and he was left without food for three days.
“Hyung, are you hungry? Here, have this.”
As he lay curled up in his quarters, Lee Tae suddenly appeared, offering something that smelled delicious.
“What is it?”
“Venison jerky. I took a portion from the last raid and saved it.”
Sagong Won reached for it eagerly, but then halted.
Their leader had been explicit—anyone discovered sharing food would face punishment.
“Wait, if the chief learns you gave me food, you will be punished.”
“So what? At worst, I receive a beating. Do not worry and just eat.”
“Damn… Brother!”
And that was not the only instance.
Even after Lee Tae rose to lead the pirates of the great Yangtze River, he continued to treat Sagong Won—who was not yet a chief—as his elder brother, always showing courtesy and respect.
Sagong Won hurriedly pulled on his clothes and stepped outside, greeting Lee Tae with warmth.
“What is this unexpected visit without any prior word? Is something the matter?”
Lee Tae smiled and replied,
“Nothing is wrong. I merely require assistance reaching Dongting Lake. I need a guide.”
“To Dongting? Why there? That place has become perilous lately—whirlpools and eddies have been forming without warning.”
He would happily provide a guide at any time, but the mere mention of Dongting Lake now brought a concerned frown to his face.
Lately, unexplained whirlpools had been capsizing boats within the lake itself.
Because of this, even the pirates confined themselves to the outer channels and steered clear of the lake’s interior.
Scratching his head, Lee Tae responded,
“Well, the one I serve is determined to go there.”
“Huh? Someone you serve? Did the Yangtze Route get a new leader? Are you safe?”
This sounded alarming. If a new chief had assumed power, Lee Tae could be at risk of being eliminated.
But Lee Tae shook his head.
“No, it is not like that. I have entered the service of the son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“The Tang Clan? What are you saying?”
Sagong Won’s eyes opened wide.
The Sichuan Tang Clan—one of the Seven Great Clans.
Why would such an esteemed family ever accept a pirate like Lee Tae?
Seeing his bewilderment, Lee Tae scratched his head awkwardly.
“Well, you see, Brother… I…”
“WHAT!?”
With that, Sagong Won’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
Though his younger brother spoke evenly, the meaning was clear—he had been defeated, disarmed, and now had no option but to serve the Tang Clan.
There was no question the Tang Clan had poisoned him and were using the antidote to command his very life.
It was common knowledge throughout the martial world: the Tang Clan administered poisons to people and used the antidotes to keep their lives in their grasp.
Fury boiled within Sagong Won, but he suppressed it and asked,
“So then, is the one you serve on that ship?”
“Of course, Brother.”
“Then I should go and present my respects as well.”
“You will go personally?”
“Naturally. How can I remain here when it concerns someone my younger brother serves? I must greet him myself.”
His eyes glinted as he stated that the man who had poisoned his brother was on board.
He claimed it was a greeting—but it was a deception.
His true intention was to capture the man who had subdued his brother and compel him to provide the antidote, to secure his freedom once and for all.
Certainly, assaulting someone connected to the Tang Clan was risky. But among the pirates of the Green Forest, Yangtze, or Dongting Lake, there was a tacit understanding: do not interfere with one another or with the orthodox martial sects.
Since the other side had violated this rule first by enslaving his brother, they now had right on their side.
It was time to repay the man who had once given him jerky when he was starving.
Back then, his brother had been nearly beaten to death by the chief for sharing that food.
“Very well. Lord So-ryong will be grateful.”
“So this man—he is Lord So-ryong, yes? Then return to the ship ahead of me and wait. I cannot go like this. I need to shave and change into suitable attire before paying my respects.”
“Understood, Brother.”
He sent his brother ahead and at once commanded his men.
“Summon all seventeen branch leaders of the Eighteen Dongting Camps, armed and ready, at once!”
“What!?”
“My brother is in peril—I cannot remain idle!”
“Y-Yes, Chief!”
His subordinates dispersed, and shortly after…
Seventeen pirate captains assembled outside Sagong Won’s quarters.
With a severe expression, Sagong Won addressed them.
“Listen carefully! My sworn brother, Lee Tae, has been poisoned and is being compelled to serve against his will! I owe him my life—I cannot disregard his suffering!
Once I am on the ship, when I raise my voice, all of you are to strike from concealment. Understood!?”
“Yes, Chief!”
With that, Sagong Won’s ship, illuminated by lanterns, departed—and dozens of reed-camouflaged vessels followed quietly in its wake.
***
“But when is Lee Tae’s sworn brother expected to arrive?”
“A good question… Ah, Lord So-ryong, there he is.”
A voice carried over the still waters of the midnight lake, and Sagong Won’s anger ignited anew.
They were rebuking his brother.
It was undoubtedly because of the poison.
‘Just hold on a little longer, brother.’
Biting back his rage, Sagong Won approached quickly and came aboard.
Standing beside his brother was a boy—scarcely more than a child.
So young… and yet this was the one who had poisoned Lee Tae and forced him into service?
A true little demon.
He was just thinking how vicious the boy must be when the youth gave a mischievous smile and greeted him.
“Lord So-ryong, this is my sworn brother, Sagong Won.”
“Ah, a pleasure to meet you. I am So-ryong.”
“The pleasure is mine. I am Sagong Won.”
Sagong Won maintained a strained smile, all the while confirming the poisoned wine concealed in his sleeve and the venom bombs stored in his coat.
He had already instructed his men to have their own poisoned wine prepared.
Poison might not be fully effective against someone from the Tang Clan, but if he set off multiple toxins simultaneously, it would at least create chaos. That was the strategy.
He clutched three bombs in his hand, awaiting the perfect moment—but then a group emerged from what seemed to be the cabin entrance.
A man and women—unmistakably martial artists.
As they came into view, Lee Tae introduced them.
“This is my sworn brother, Sagong Won. And these are the Dragon Fangs.”
“T-The Dragon Fangs? All of them?”
“Yes, every one.”
The Dragon Fangs were counted among the most powerful martial artists of the younger generation.
Even with all his men assembled, Sagong Won could not be certain of victory if a battle ensued.
And then it occurred.
Sssrrrk.
Grrrkl.
Hissss.
Shiaaa.
Enormous centipedes appeared from behind the Dragon Fangs, accompanied by women whose lower bodies were those of serpents or monstrous insects.
A giant red butterfly alighted on So-ryong’s head, and pale-white moths settled on each of his shoulders.
Sagong Won’s eyes widened in utter disbelief—and then one of the Dragon Fangs turned to him and stated,
“Any one of those creatures could overpower all of us together. But do not be alarmed—they will not harm anyone unless they are threatened. They are all raised by So-ryong.”
“Hiiieeek!”
A shriek escaped him before he even realized it.
And that, unfortunately, served as the signal.
Shouts broke out from every direction.
“Attack!”
“Attack!”
A single error could result in total destruction by these spirit beasts.
Sagong Won threw himself against the rail and roared,
“HALT! You fools!”
His men stopped in confusion, understanding they had misread the situation.
Sagong Won yelled again,
“When did I order you to attack!? I told you to pay respects to the one your brother serves!”
Yes…
The jerky debt would have to be repaid another day.
That is—provided he survived long enough to do so.