Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 92 - 92. 사기
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Translator: crow
Chapter 92: The Scam
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Anhui Province bordered Henan, where the Murim Alliance was located.
Even so, with the vast expanse of the Central Plains, it would take about half a month to reach the Nangong Family by ordinary carriage.
“Young Master Yuseong, it's still less burdensome than going to Sichuan, right?”
Inside the carriage, Yuseong nodded.
“Indeed. We should be able to make it back quickly.”
The trip to Sichuan had taken far longer than this.
However.
Yuseong wasn't being entirely honest with Nangong Yurin.
In truth, he felt more uneasy about this journey than the one to Sichuan.
‘Without me, the Chief Strategist will keep suffering from headaches.’
He hadn't minded before learning that she got headaches without studying, but now it bothered him.
-Go carefully. And come back as soon as possible.
Just before leaving the Murim Alliance, Jegal Yeongyeong had said that with a sullen expression.
‘She gets so happy every morning after receiving the sustained treatment skill...’
His desire to help Jegal Yeongyeong had only grown stronger since that night.
“Oh, by the way, did you know? Anhui Province has spicy and stimulating foods too. When we get to my family—”
Nangong Yurin chattered on to Yuseong.
The Nangong Yurin who had dreaded returning home was gone.
She had used the Murim Academy as a refuge for a while, but that didn't mean she had no longing for her family.
Traveling with Yuseong, who could treat her brother and maid, gave her a perfect excuse.
Having overcome her emotional scars, her martial arts training was progressing smoothly, so she no longer feared facing her grandfather.
The only lingering concern was.
‘I just feel sorry toward Older Sister Juyeon... I'll have to repay her for life.’
Even if her facial scar was healed, too much time had passed—Juyeon was already twenty-nine.
She had long passed her marriageable age.
Vowing to help Juyeon as much as possible once she gained influence in the family, Yurin kept talking to Yuseong.
At the Murim Academy, she rarely got to see him.
Though not alone with escort warriors riding along, she enjoyed this moment sharing the carriage.
‘Traveling slowly like this isn't so bad.’
However.
Yuseong thought differently.
Once they entered a well-paved road, he said to Godongjin.
“Godongjin, shall we pick up the pace a bit?”
Godongjin was one of the warriors assigned to escort Yuseong.
Godongjin scanned the surroundings.
“We're already going plenty fast... but should I tell them to speed up more?”
“I'll cast divine arts on the horses.”
It was an excuse he used often, so the words 'divine arts' now slipped from Yuseong's lips effortlessly.
“Oh! Divine arts, you say?”
Godongjin had heard the rumors circulating in the Murim Alliance.
They said that when Yuseong used divine arts, warriors moved faster, and horses ran quicker.
Today, he would witness it firsthand.
After Godongjin relayed the message to the coachman.
Yuseong's hand glowed.
[Swiftness]
Neigh!
The four horses pulling the carriage whinnied in surprise at their sudden burst of speed.
An ordinary coachman would have panicked and lost control, but this one—having traveled with them to Sichuan—calmly steadied the horses.
The sturdy carriage raced along the well-paved road at astonishing speed.
“Wow! This is incredibly fast. I don't even know how to describe it... It's like the horses are using a movement technique!”
Across from the excited Godongjin,
Nangong Yurin—who had wanted a leisurely trip—secretly made a face.
***
“We'll rest in this village today!”
Jin Eongong, a merchant dealing in horses, said to his caravan's servants.
“Whoa, whoa!”
The servants handled the dozens of horses with skill.
Jin Eongong nodded at the sight.
‘Not entirely satisfactory, but what can you do? Even this should net us two or three gold taels.’
It was lucky he'd swindled ignorant fools to gather these horses; buying dozens from knowledgeable sellers would have been...
Factoring in transport costs to the north, he might have barely broken even.
The reason for heading north was simple.
The war with the barbarians on that front had dragged on.
With horse prices skyrocketing up north, delivering at the right time could mean a fortune.
Repeating this a few times to grow his caravan—that was Jin Eongong's goal.
Save enough ruthless coin, buy a minor official post in a small town, and live idly off bribes.
“Hmm...”
Of course, supplying superior horses would be ideal, but southern breeds weren't top-tier to begin with.
At that moment.
“Hya!”
Neigh!
Clatter clatter!
A carriage pulled by four horses sped past at incredible velocity, entering the village his caravan was approaching first.
“Cough, cough.”
A servant coughed from the dust, but Jin Eongong's wide eyes chased the carriage that had just entered the village.
Precisely, the horses pulling it.
‘Heaven's famous steeds! How could there be four such magnificent horses!’
His lifelong instinct, honed from inheriting the family business, told him.
Those horses wouldn't fall short of the legendary crimson stallions famed across the land.
They ran effortlessly, yet the carriage surged ahead.
One of those could fetch more than the dozens he had now.
If he acquired all four and offered them whole to the imperial court, he might earn a huge reward.
Not just a small town post—he could aim higher...
“Hurry! We must find out where those people are staying!”
“Yes!”
Greed filled Jin Eongong's eyes as he dreamed of instant riches.
***
Yuseong's group slowed as they reached the village entrance.
“We should swap the horses now. Speeding up the body causes quicker fatigue as a side effect. This is probably their limit.”
Physical exhaustion could be somewhat recovered with healing skills, but mental fatigue required proper rest.
They'd reach the Nangong Family in two days, but swapping for fresh horses would ease his mind.
“Still impressive. We've shaved days off the schedule already. That... I'd love to experience the Medical Pavilion Master's divine arts on my own body sometime.”
“Haha. I'll do it for you later.”
“Thank you!”
As he chatted with Godongjin, a stable appeared.
With a bit of extra coin, they could exchange the tired horses there.
The warrior acting as coachman eyed the group.
‘The Medical Pavilion Master, the Sword King's granddaughter, two Peak Realm experts as escorts... I don't know horses well, but this seems like my job.’
He only knew how to drive the carriage; horses weren't his expertise.
But in such cases, the lowest-ranking handled the grunt work.
Decision made, he said to the group.
“I'll wrap this up here and meet you at the inn. Go ahead and secure rooms.”
Godongjin nodded.
“Then I'll leave it to you. Medical Pavilion Master, shall we go?”
“Please do.”
Yuseong, Nangong Yurin, and the two escorts departed.
The coachman called into the stable.
“Anyone here?”
No response from inside.
“Must be at the outhouse...?”
He scratched his head, thinking he'd have to wait,
when
“Are you here to exchange horses, by chance?”
Turning, he saw a portly middle-aged man standing with hands behind his back.
His plump cheeks suggested a seasoned merchant.
Behind him stood the dozens of horses they'd seen entering the village entrance, lined up.
“Yes, but what's your business?”
Seeing the coachman's guarded look, Jin Eongong deployed his polished salesmanship.
“I'm a horse trader, from the Jin Family. Exchanging here is a loss. Look, only scrawny nags. See? That one's thigh muscles are underdeveloped, and that one's ankles are too thin—”
The merchant pointed out each stable horse, explaining.
The coachman examined them closely.
‘I can't tell...’
To him, they all looked the same.
But the merchant's convincing words gradually swayed him.
“...I see.”
He didn't want to reveal his ignorance.
“You're in luck. I'm dealing in horses right now, so I'll swap you for far better ones than these sorry beasts.”
The coachman narrowed his eyes.
He knew nothing of market prices, but in trades, not seeming naive was key.
They had travel funds from the Murim Alliance, but no need to waste them.
“How much?”
“Hahaha! No need for that fierce glare. You'll be satisfied.”
“So, how mu—”
Before he could ask the price, Jin Eongong thrust forward four gold taels.
“How about this?”
“...”
The coachman just blinked.
‘Exchanging tired horses for fresh ones...? I should be paying...? Why is he giving me money?’
Not silver—even gold taels, four of them.
More than the funds allotted for the round trip to the Nangong Family.
Cognitive dissonance froze him, but the merchant forced the gold into his hand.
“Then I'll take that as agreement and swap the horses.”
“W-Wait!”
“...What is it?”
Finally realizing why he was receiving gold, the warrior couldn't hold back his greed.
“N-No backing out later!”
Clutching the gold tightly, the coachman spoke, and Jin Eongong inwardly sneered.
‘Idiot. Horses worth dozens of gold taels from the right buyer, sold for a mere four. Your master's going to flog you—good luck.’
He ordered his servants to swap four horses quickly.
Once the coachman drove off with the new ones, Jin Eongong dropped his friendly smile and urged his men.
“Hurry! Forced march to the next village!”
If they realized the scam and chased, it'd be trouble.