Chapter 58
Chapter 58
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Booking the Heavenly Pavilion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Heavenly Pavilion was one of the top three taverns in An-hui Province.
It boasted scenery as beautiful and splendid as its reputation, and it was just as expensive.
Even a simple meal on the cheapest first floor cost at least one silver tael.
Yet its food was known as the finest among the three great taverns.
Thanks to that, its monthly revenue easily topped a thousand silver taels, making it a roaring success.
As the owner of the Heavenly Pavilion tallied the previous day's sales in his ledger today as well, he furrowed his brow at the sight of his chief steward rushing in.
"You fool. Show some dignity."
"O-Owner!"
"Tch, raising your voice like that..."
"Th-the Second Young Master is here!"
"Are there only one or two young masters who come here? What, did some high official's heir drop by?"
"N-No! It's the Second Young Master of the Namgung family! The Second Young Master has come to the tavern!"
The owner tilted his head at his steward's panicked words.
"Who?"
"The Second Young Master of the Namgung family!"
"The Second Young Master of the Namgung family...?"
"Yes!"
"Not the Family Head? Not that the Family Head's visited in ages anyway."
Lately, rumors had been circulating through An-hui's underworld that the Namgung family's finances were in poor shape.
The owner figured there was probably some truth to them.
There had even been that incident where they'd tried to poach the Heavenly Pavilion's head chef, only for it to fall through.
Of course, they'd summoned a chef again not long ago, but that might've just been them putting on a show of pride.
The owner glanced nonchalantly at his ledger.
"Yeah, well, probably just here for a meal."
"That's not it!"
"Hah, come on. If not that, then what? Quit beating around the bush and spit it out!"
"He rented an entire wing!"
"Rented a whole wing? The Second Young Master? I've heard he's been doing well in the Namgung family these days—must've gotten some pocket money."
The owner smirked and asked,
"So, which floor?"
"All of them."
"What?"
The owner blinked in disbelief.
The steward repeated himself.
"From the first floor to the seventh—all of it."
"Huh?"
The owner's mouth fell open.
"All of it?"
The entire place from the first to seventh floors?
This was unprecedented in the Heavenly Pavilion's history.
"Is the Namgung family holding some big event today?"
"It's just the Second Young Master, one servant, and thirty men from the Thunder Dragon Squad."
"About thirty people rented out that massive wing entirely?"
"Yes!"
Stunned by this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, the owner snapped out of it and closed his ledger.
"V-VIP! We have a VIP!"
A deity had descended.
* * *
Ding! Dling-dling! Ding-ding-ding! Ding!
Clear notes from a golden instrument rang out from the Heavenly Pavilion's top floor, and the doors slid open as people flooded in.
The long banquet table filled with the finest dishes the Heavenly Pavilion had to offer.
Steam rose in wisps alongside the fragrant aroma of spices, filling the air.
Then came the premium bamboo leaf wine, brewed and sold exclusively by the Heavenly Pavilion.
Geon Cheon-hwi and Tak Hyeok-dong exchanged glances as they watched the procession of dishes piling up.
'...Big Bro, can we really eat this?'
'It's not poisoned.'
'No, I feel like if I eat this, I'll owe even more.'
...Yeah, fair point.
He could dangle bait like this and work them even harder afterward.
But.
'So what?'
'...Huh? So what?'
'If we owe, we owe.'
'Hah, listen to this guy. Owe what? You need to foam at the mouth running all the way to the Huabei Plains again to come to your senses?'
'Not a bad idea.'
"Huh?"
Tak Hyeok-dong let out a sound before hurriedly clamping his mouth shut.
He flashed an awkward smile under Namgung Hyeok's gaze, then shot Geon Cheon-hwi another look.
'What're you saying?'
'Training works—you felt it too.'
Tak Hyeok-dong nodded.
True enough.
That was undeniable.
Comparing before and after being run ragged by Namgung Hyeok was night and day.
Stamina aside, his movements, inner energy flow—everything had improved.
Sure, he'd nearly died fighting that demon beast, but his cultivation had advanced a level.
'Training to get stronger is just natural, right?'
'...Yeah.'
'Following the Second Young Master's orders has only been good—no downsides.'
'Then we're drifting from peace and stability. That's why you're...'
'Is peace and stability such a big deal? Work when it's time to work, rest when it's time to rest—that's it.'
'Uh... true.'
'You've seen how he keeps his word. Do what he says, and he gives you rest like this. When have we ever drunk like this on the top floor of the Heavenly Pavilion?'
'Yeah, point taken.'
'Then quit nodding like a fool and drink.'
Tak Hyeok-dong nodded entranced, gulping down the wine Jang Ung poured for him.
"Khaaa! Good stuff!"
"Krr! Wine doesn't get better than the Heavenly Pavilion's. This flavor's killer!"
"Sweet, so sweet! Check out the view—feels like we're above the clouds!"
"Not called the Heavenly Pavilion for nothing!"
"Kuhahaha!"
Jang Ung and Tak Hyeok-dong passed the bottle back and forth, roaring with laughter.
Geon Cheon-hwi grinned as he sucked down the premium wine.
Premium bamboo leaf wine tasted different from the regular stuff—smooth yet profound, enough that even a cheap-wine guzzler like him could appreciate its depth.
The Thunder Dragon Squad fell deep into the Heavenly Pavilion's luxury.
Seated at the head, Namgung Hyeok mixed chaos wine.
He poured premium bamboo leaf wine and Yellow River wine into cups. Liquor cascaded over thirty bowls.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled and tapped the bowls with his chopsticks—tap-tap-tap.
Geum Cheom-sang, watching from the side, lit up.
"Why do you tap them?"
"Helps mix the wine."
"How many times?"
"Varies by preference. Three for me."
"I see. Impressive."
Geum Cheom-sang nodded, jotting notes in his booklet.
'Everything but martial arts, and he's gung-ho.'
Namgung Hyeok stared at him in disbelief.
Geum Cheom-sang looked up after scribbling down Namgung Hyeok's chaos wine technique.
"Oh, right. Young Master, did you hear?"
Namgung Hyeok replied halfheartedly while focusing on mixing.
"What about?"
"Some Heaven-Earth Sect or whatever—heard someone got killed there?"
"Killed?"
Namgung Hyeok glanced up, and Geum Cheom-sang shrugged.
"Two or three, I think. Their Law Enforcement Hall elder's infamous for being ruthless."
Jang Ung chimed in.
"Yeah, I heard too. Medical Hall's doing an autopsy or something."
"Autopsy?"
"Isn't that weird?"
Geon Cheon-hwi furrowed his brow slightly and turned to Namgung Hyeok.
"Sounds suspicious, Young Master."
"Hmm, does it."
"There was that shady one among them, right? Even the Heaven-Earth Sect Leader talked about making him confess something..."
"Probably something there."
"...Pardon?"
What?
He's brushing it off like it's someone else's business?
The Heaven-Earth Sect posing as bandits was shady enough, and they'd suddenly tried to kill Namgung Hyeok too.
Plus, the sect leader treating the bandit stronghold's chief like a superior.
With all that suspicion, now some of them drop dead out of nowhere.
"...Should I look into it?"
"Necessary?"
"It feels off."
"Don't stir things up."
"Pardon?"
Namgung Hyeok turned with a meaningful expression.
Geon Cheon-hwi and Geum Cheom-sang looked baffled—like this was something to brush off so easily—but Namgung Hyeok smirked.
"Why make more work? You want to?"
"...Pardon? I thought you'd be curious. Weren't there guys you cared about?"
"Me?"
Namgung Hyeok let out a hollow laugh.
"Once it's out of my hands, it's done. Dead or not."
"Ah..."
He brushed it off so casually it really did feel like nothing.
Seeing the man's nonchalant attitude, Geon Cheon-hwi gave up thinking about it.
When had Namgung Hyeok ever been someone you could figure out just by wanting to?
'He's got his reasons.'
One thing was clear: Namgung Hyeok was more meticulous than he seemed.
Geon Cheon-hwi scratched his cheek, recalling the board-reading insight and prowess Namgung Hyeok had shown at the Silver Shadow Escort Agency.
Namgung Hyeok passed around cups.
"Shut up and drink! Focus on that!"
"Yes!"
* * *
"Woooah!"
"Thirteenth floor!"
Geum Cheom-sang thrust his hand high as he built a thirteen-tier wine tower in the table's center.
Half-undressed, face flushed beet-red, white cloth wrapped around his head and spinning as he laughed.
Beside him, the Thunder Dragon Squad climbed onto the table, flinging cloths upward to the music.
Cloth fluttered like falling petals.
Geum Cheom-sang handed Namgung Hyeok a cup.
"Kuhuhu! Great!"
Namgung Hyeok downed it in one go, laughing.
Geum Cheom-sang wiped the cup, asking in a slightly slurred voice,
"Young Master, I've got a question."
"What now."
"Why rent the whole Heavenly Pavilion?"
No matter how he thought about it, it just seemed like extravagance.
Renting all the floors just to use the top one.
Geum Cheom-sang couldn't fathom Namgung Hyeok's intent.
"To set the mood."
"...That's your answer?"
"Of course not."
"Right?"
Geum Cheom-sang eyed him expectantly.
As he mixed chaos wine, Namgung Hyeok said offhandedly,
"Time to let people know my face."
"...Who in Hebi doesn't know you, Young Master? You're the Namgung family's Second Young Master."
"Need to let the right people know."
"What does that mean?"
"You'll see."
Geum Cheom-sang pondered, then frowned.
"Nah."
"Huh?"
"No reason, right? Who rents an entire unused wing? Just pretending to be flashy."
"Can your head be on one moment and gone the next?"
"What?"
"If I lop off your head now, can I stick it back on?"
"Gasp."
Geum Cheom-sang inhaled sharply, avoiding Namgung Hyeok's gaze.
Then he grinned slyly.
"Heh, hehehe. How could I presume to know your intent? Just my foolish thoughts."
"Foolish limb. Pour one."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Geum Cheom-sang beamed as he mixed chaos wine neatly.
He swirled it three times and poured into Namgung Hyeok's cup.
Tap-tap-tap!
He tapped it three times satisfyingly with chopsticks before handing it over.
Namgung Hyeok raised his cup high.
"Everyone, drink!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad grinned and raised theirs in unison.
"Drink!"
Clink-clink-clink!
They emptied their cups in perfect sync.
As everyone drained theirs in unison.
Slide!
The doors opened, bringing fresh wine and snacks.
Heavenly Pavilion Owner Gong Cheon-sang entered and cupped his fists.
"Greetings to the Second Young Master of the Namgung family. I am Gong Cheon-sang, owner of the Heavenly Pavilion!"
Namgung Hyeok propped his chin, eyeing the new arrivals.
"Didn't order more yet."
Gong Cheon-sang laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! This is my gift to you, Young Master! Eat and drink freely! I wanted to serve such esteemed guests personally."
"Oh."
"It's an honor to host such august company. Please accept this humble token—enjoy yourselves! This has been Gong Cheon-sang, Heavenly Pavilion owner."
"See you next time."
"Yes!"
Gong Cheon-sang cupped his fists and withdrew crisply.
Geum Cheom-sang blinked at the scene.
"...What was that? Flashy greeting. But he really just came to see your face?"
"Think so?"
"Saw anything else?"
"You talk too much."
Namgung Hyeok shook his head with a smirk.
He waved his hand.
"What're you spacing out for? Eat up. Can't leave gifts behind!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad dove back into the refreshed spread.