Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Silvershine Stables Incident
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Slurp!
Namgung Jangcheon sipped his green tea while gazing out the window.
“……Brewed it about five times, and it’s finally decent.”
But it still wasn’t enough.
It had been ages since he last had Tieguanyin, and he wanted to savor the mood.
The quantity was too meager for a proper tea ceremony, though.
A pinch.
Namgung Jangcheon scooped some Tieguanyin from the tea caddy and sprinkled it into his cup with a flick.
The tea leaves scattered like salt floated idly on the surface.
“Hmm! Perfect.”
Only then did Namgung Jangcheon stroke his cup with a satisfied expression.
He was relishing the pinch of Tieguanyin with a contented face when—
“Family Head—!”
Geum Gwangmo burst into the family head’s chamber.
“What is it?”
“I think you need to see this.”
Namgung Jangcheon took the report from Geum Gwangmo.
He set down his teacup and read it, his pupils trembling faintly.
A moment later, he closed the report, his face hardening gravely.
After pondering silently for a bit, he issued an indifferent order to Geum Gwangmo.
“Summon all the elders to the Heavenly Bow Hall.”
“Yes.”
Geum Gwangmo hurried out, and Namgung Jangcheon rose and headed to the Heavenly Bow Hall.
* * *
The elders gathered in the Heavenly Bow Hall started to stand and bow, but Namgung Jangcheon waved them down as he took the seat of honor.
Namgung Jangcheon swept his gaze over the assembled elders.
Questioning looks appeared on the elders’ faces.
It was a sudden elders’ meeting, and the family head’s demeanor was far from ordinary.
Namgung Jangcheon spoke up.
“The Silvershine Stables has come seeking aid.”
His heavy voice startled the elders.
“The Silvershine Stables?”
“Why would the Silvershine Stables…?”
The Silvershine Stables was located on the southern plains of Anhui Province, a horse ranch raising high-quality steeds under the Namgung family’s management.
Namgung Jangcheon said with a stern expression.
“They say bandits intercepted a shipment of horses being transported back to headquarters.”
“No way!”
“Those damn bandit scum dare?!”
“Are there even bandits in Anhui bold enough to touch the Silvershine Stables?!”
The elders furrowed their brows.
And they spat out their displeasure and fury in unison.
What did it mean for bandits to raid the Silvershine Stables, a place under the Namgung family’s influence within Anhui Province?
“Outrageous! Are they insulting the Namgung name?!”
“Such ignorant fools!”
The elders ground their teeth.
Namgung Wigyung asked incredulously.
“Aren’t there Namgung warriors stationed at the Silvershine Stables? They shouldn’t be losing to mere bandits.”
The elders’ eyes turned fierce at his pointed question.
“Exactly! We placed some of our outer court’s finest there permanently. This is no ordinary matter!”
“Could this be connected to those bastards?”
“Come on, the northern front is hundreds of li from Zhejiang Province. No way they’re involved.”
“These aren’t ordinary gutsy bandits. Do you think any common riffraff could attack our headquarters?”
“True. There’s ample reason to suspect.”
“Wouldn’t it be more plausible if they were bandits pushed down from the upper regions?”
The elders grew rowdy, each chiming in.
Namgung Wigyung calmed the mixed atmosphere and asked.
“Family Head, what’s the damage to the family?”
Namgung Jangcheon exhaled lightly and replied.
“One hundred fine steeds. Fortunately, no warriors in the escort were killed.”
The elders let out low groans.
“At least no one died. That’s a relief.”
“A relief? One hundred steeds! That’s equivalent to half a year’s operating budget!”
“Ugh, right.”
“We’re already tight on finances, and now this!”
The elders, briefly subdued, jumped up again.
The losses exceeded their expectations by far.
Even Namgung Wigyung’s eyelids twitched at the unimaginable sum.
“That’s not the important part right now.”
The elders turned to Namgung Jangcheon at his voice.
“Then what is, Family Head?”
He continued in a subdued tone.
“No one in Anhui Province is unaware that the Silvershine Stables is a Namgung business. For it to suffer a bandit raid means our family’s prestige has hit rock bottom, doesn’t it?”
“Ugh!”
“The priority is capturing those bandits to restore our honor, followed by recovering our lost assets.”
Namgung Jangcheon glanced at the elders before continuing.
“Chasing a hundred horses has its limits. We’ll soon track the bandits’ trail, so headquarters must dispatch warriors to exterminate them.”
A few elders nodded, but Namgung Wigyung expressed concern.
“Family Head! We don’t have elites to spare for the Silvershine Stables right now. There’s the Zhejiang Province issue, and we’ve already pulled many elites for the outbound escort agencies!”
“Ugh!”
“Besides, the bandits’ scale is a problem too, isn’t it? Stealing a hundred steeds means they’re no small fry…… Our warriors can’t be spared easily, and pulling from other operations would lack the caliber……”
Namgung Wigyung trailed off.
Half-heartedly assembling a force could backfire badly.
All the elders showed distress.
A major incident they couldn’t ignore, yet no real means to resolve it—it was frustrating and infuriating.
No one dared speak rashly amid the heavy mood when—
“Isn’t there one option left?”
The low voice drew the elders’ attention.
Namgung Baek raised his head calmly after sipping his tea.
Namgung Wigyung asked with a puzzled look.
“What do you mean?”
Namgung Baek met the elders’ stares and curved his lips slightly.
“The Thunder Dragon Squad?”
“The Thunder Dragon Squad?”
The elders stared at Namgung Baek in bewilderment.
It was a name none had even considered.
They glared piercingly, as if trying to dissect his intentions behind suggesting the Thunder Dragon Squad.
“Are you serious?”
Namgung Baek twirled his teacup, seemingly enjoying the scrutiny, and replied.
“The Thunder Dragon Squad may be rough around the edges, but their skills are beyond doubt. Everyone saw how the outer court warriors couldn’t match them in the previous incident, right?”
“Ugh!”
“No one’s led them properly until now, so we couldn’t utilize them. But now Second Young Master has them fully under control—why not send the Thunder Dragon Squad?”
It made sense upon hearing it, so the elders nodded in agreement.
Yet unease lingered.
“But the Thunder Dragon Squad is only thirty strong. Isn’t that too few? And Second Young Master has never ventured into the jianghu—isn’t it reckless?”
Namgung Baek shook his head firmly.
“They have to gain experience eventually. Besides, with Second Young Master’s prowess, what’s a bunch of thieves to him?”
“Ugh!”
“I think it’s entirely feasible. What do you say, Family Head?”
Namgung Jangcheon eyed Namgung Baek with a subtle gaze.
Namgung Baek returned it with a blank expression.
‘What’s his angle?’
He knew Namgung Baek wasn’t the type to act for Namgung Hyuk’s achievements, making this suspiciously out of character.
It was about time for Namgung Hyuk, who commanded the Thunder Dragon Squad, to show results—but it still felt off.
‘Too many questionable points.’
Even at a glance, the Silvershine Stables incident reeked of something fishy.
A nagging itch at the back of his mind.
After much deliberation, Namgung Jangcheon spoke.
“We should hear Hyuk’s opinion before deciding.”
Namgung Wigyung nodded and wrapped up.
“Then we’ll leave it to the Family Head for now.”
* * *
Namgung Hyuk trudged into the family head’s chamber.
“Haah, sugar crash hitting hard. No energy left.”
Bingdangho’s candied fruits danced tantalizingly in his mind.
This winter was shaping up to be brutally cold.
Namgung Hyuk sighed and stepped inside.
Namgung Jangcheon and Namgung Ryong were there.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
Namgung Hyuk plopped down and rummaged for snacks, but the table held only some dried grass clippings.
‘……Tea?’
Was tea supposed to look like this?
Namgung Hyuk sighed with a smack of his lips.
‘Gotta eat something to survive.’
Sigh, how’d it come to this.
Munch munch munch.
Namgung Hyuk worked his jaw diligently and glanced aside.
Namgung Ryong stared at him blankly, steadily chewing something.
Crunch crunch crunch.
Watching Namgung Ryong chew raw herbs vigorously, Namgung Hyuk slowly turned his head.
“So, what’s up?”
Namgung Jangcheon, in a solemn mood, spoke.
“Trouble at the Silvershine Stables, which we run. Bandits plundered a hundred horses.”
“Oh, yeah. Bandits?”
Now bandits were sticking their noses into the Namgung family’s core business.
Namgung Hyuk gave Namgung Jangcheon a bored look.
“Yeah, seems like a large group. The stables are in dire straits because of it.”
Namgung Jangcheon said with a light sigh.
“The family hopes you’ll handle it, but if you don’t want to, I won’t assign it.”
“Ha, do I really have to step up to smack down some bandit punks? Come on, raiding a bandit lair—what’s so hard about……”
……Bandit lair?
Hideout?
‘Huh?’
Money……?
Money!
Namgung Hyuk’s lips curled into a gentle smile.
He nodded calmly, wearing the most serene smile imaginable.
“Good timing. I was uneasy with Elder Brother involved anyway, so I’ll pass it on to the elders……”
Thud.
Namgung Hyuk grabbed Namgung Jangcheon’s hand and shook his head.
“I’ll do it.”
“……Huh? You’ll do it?”
“Yes, of course.”
Still smiling, Namgung Hyuk spoke firmly.
“If I can help the family, what could be better?”
“……Doesn’t feel right.”
“No way.”
Namgung Hyuk slapped the table and stood, clenching his fist.
“If the family needs it, I go. The Thunder Dragon Squad’s just eating rations otherwise, right? When else will they contribute to the Namgung family?”
“Hyuk?”
Doubt flickered in Namgung Jangcheon’s eyes, but Namgung Hyuk ignored it completely.
He turned to Namgung Ryong.
“What would people say if they knew the Namgung heir spends all day munching raw herbs?”
Crunch crunch crunch.
Namgung Hyuk patted Namgung Ryong’s back and grinned.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“……You make me more uneasy.”
“Come on, what’s with that?”
“I hope I’m just worried over nothing.”
Namgung Jangcheon took a sip of tea and said.
“Fine, since you want it, I won’t oppose. Can you handle it?”
“Is there any doubt?”
Namgung Hyuk looked up with a smile.
“Then I’ll prepare to depart right away.”
Humming.
Namgung Jangcheon clicked his tongue watching Namgung Hyuk vanish humming a tune.
“……Am I the only one who feels like he’s off to a picnic instead of bandit hunting?”
Crunch crunch crunch.
“Even to you, it looks that way?”
Crunch.
“Hah.”
With a short sigh, Namgung Jangcheon gazed out the window.
Namgung Hyuk hummed along, his mind racing.
‘Jackpot! Was wondering how to make some cash, and this drops in.’
Gonna uproot that bandit lair down to the pillars and pocket it all.
If the loot’s lighter than expected?
“Then……”
Namgung Hyuk chuckled darkly and glanced back at the Heavenly Bow Hall where Namgung Jangcheon was.
‘Fetching back a hundred horses? Selling off a couple as handling fee shouldn’t cause issues.’
Who’d know?
Namgung Hyuk grinned and dashed to his quarters.