Chapter 149
Chapter 149
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Let's Catch the Rat (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
While deliberating on who should monitor Lee Kwon-yeong, my maternal grandfather even sought Professor No Sam's opinion.
"...Yong-un seems like the right man for the job. What do you think, Elder No?"
"In this beggar's humble opinion, the kids I brought along are the best fit. As Yong-un said, Woo here is skilled in lightness arts, and the others may not look it, but they're all prodigies on the cusp of the Peak realm despite their youth. Yong-un has already stepped into the Peak ranks."
At those words from Professor No Sam, a smile once again spread across my grandfather's face.
"Peak at such a young age! Let me think, Chief Steward Geum?"
"Yes, Family Head."
"What was your level of cultivation at that age?"
"I'm getting on in years, so my memory's fuzzy, but I think I was barely at the expert level."
"And our Yong-un is at Peak?"
"Congratulations, Family Head."
"Hahaha. I heard about Yong-un before I even secured my position, but it was so different from the news I'd heard over the past twenty years that I wondered what happened. Now I see he bloomed under that snot-nosed Family Head of the Eon Clan and that fool of a father-in-law! He's like a fish in water!"
At my grandfather's words,
Yong-myeong muttered "Snot-nosed?" in his crawling voice, while Jeong-hyeon and Woo So-rung, who had met my father, simultaneously echoed "Fool?"
Even in this moment, Professor No Sam and my master at my waist chimed in.
"Ahem. In this case, more specifically, it's our Righteous Martial Academy that provided the water, and even more precisely, the Azure Bamboo Hall."
- If Yong-un is the fish, then I'm the water. That worm of a Family Head who only knows a few tricks talks big.
- That's because you'd have to become a beggar to learn it.
Anyway.
The conversation veered off-track once more.
But in the process, having confirmed that my peers and I surpassed the average warriors of the Peerless Escort Agency, my grandfather quickly regained control and permitted us to monitor my youngest uncle.
"Good. Yong-un, you and your friends will handle Kwon-yeong. But..."
Of course, there was a condition.
"...Above all, prioritize your and your friends' safety. A place like the Yi Clan Manor, full of riches, naturally attracts rats. I have no intention of losing a treasure while catching a rat that's always been there. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Do you really understand?"
"If things get dangerous, pull back, right?"
"And if the rat tries to bite you, smash it without mercy."
That condition carried a sharp edge, making everyone swallow dryly.
And rightly so.
It was still just suspicion, and it involved his sons, so he spoke metaphorically.
But taken literally, my grandfather was saying that if my youngest uncle was colluding with the Demonic Cult, it was fine to take his life if necessary.
His words seemed not just affection for me or his attitude toward the matter, but a test of my resolve.
But I was the type who showed no mercy in such situations from the start.
Whether Lee Kwon-yeong or anyone else, if they went beyond collusion and tried to kill me, there was no reason to hold back.
"Yes. I understand."
I replied firmly, and my grandfather nodded.
"Very well. Then Yong-un, you take charge of Kwon-yeong. Chief Steward Geum, provide the children with whatever they need."
With my grandfather's permission, we left his chambers and followed Chief Steward Geum to the annex in the rear garden.
"The Family Head said he'll handle the manor's internal affairs through Young Master Yong-un, so I moved your luggage from the guest quarters to this annex. I took the liberty without opening anything..."
"Yes. I trust you wouldn't have, Chief Steward Geum."
"...Thank you, Young Master. I see you have night clothes, but what else should I prepare?"
"Doesn't managing an estate like this require building maintenance records?"
"Yes. We keep records in a book called the Facility Ledger."
"Could you provide this year's volume and some Thousand-Li Fragrance?"
"Yes. I'll prepare them right away."
While waiting in the annex for Chief Steward Geum to fetch the items,
my other peers began changing into their night clothes.
Then, Jeong-hyeon looked at me and spoke.
"Your resolve was impressive. It gave me a glimpse of where the two Eon swordsmen's steel comes from."
"Who? Grandfather?"
"Yes. Though an outsider like me knows nothing of the merchant world, I can see how he earned the title 'Shanxi Golden Peng.' Especially that last line about smashing the rat if it bites—it carried the will to scrape poison from bone. Truly befitting one who commands the homeland of Lord Guan."
Scraping poison from bone referred to the tale of Guan Yu, whom Jeong-hyeon called Lord Guan.
In Shanxi, Guan Yu's hometown, he was revered as a wealth god who aided merchants, so the words fit oddly well.
I nodded,
when I felt Cheon Jang-ho staring at me intently.
"What."
"Can I speak my honest opinion?"
"Since when do you ask? I don't recall you ever doing that."
"I've been scolded by the professor so much for loose talk in this house that I asked first this time."
"What is it? Go on with your honest opinion."
"I found it kinda scary? Like when you snatched the seal and token from that warehouse manager's waist, or just now when he glared like a demon. I thought my legs would shrink from that old man's presence, who doesn't even know martial arts."
"Eh, when he looks at you, honey drips from his eyes? But weirdly, he seems stingy toward your father, the Eon Family Head. Am I imagining it?"
"I felt the same."
Then Yong-myeong spoke up.
"I hear it's because there was a little incident during Mother and Father's marriage."
At that, Jeong-hyeon, Woo So-rung, and Cheon Jang-ho perked up simultaneously.
Of course, such stories are entertaining.
Even I, the possessor, was hearing it for the first time and was curious.
But just then, Chief Steward Geum announced his presence from outside.
"Young Master. It's Chief Steward Geum."
From the next room, Zhuge Seolji, who had changed, also sent a transmission.
"Young Master Yong-un? I've changed."
I clapped once to get their attention.
"Alright."
I let Chief Steward Geum and Zhuge Seolji inside.
"We'll hear the details later. You two, come in."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Miss Zhuge, check this book for any suspicious recent renovations and report back."
I handed Zhuge Seolji the Facility Ledger out of the two items Chief Steward Geum brought.
"We'll scout the movements at Cleansing Hall first."
I led the rest to set up watch at my youngest uncle's residence, Cleansing Hall.
Yong-myeong and So-rung confirmed, as Grandfather predicted, that Lee Kwon-yeong wasn't leaving Cleansing Hall today.
[Aunt is in the inner quarters.]
[Young Master Eon's youngest uncle is in the annex.]
At some point,
Zhuge Seolji, clad in black night clothes, crossed to my rooftop perch with light steps and transmitted.
[Young Master Yong-un. It says here that due to increased guests lately, they expanded the warehouse manager's quarters, Cleansing Hall, privies, and kitchen.]
[Miss Zhuge, inform Grandfather in the rear garden of this so they can check for surveillance on the warehouse manager's quarters too. I'll handle this side.]
[Yes.]
After sending Zhuge Seolji back, I descended the roof, called Cheon Jang-ho and Jeong-hyeon over, and spoke in a whisper only we could hear.
"This house's privies and kitchen stoves were recently repaired."
At my words, Cheon Jang-ho grumbled.
"Last time you had me feed poison, now you're sending me to dig through shit pits?"
Knowing that wouldn't work, Jeong-hyeon set off resolutely toward the kitchen stoves without a word.
"I'll check right away."
Cheon Jang-ho realized and grabbed Jeong-hyeon's shoulder like lightning.
"Hey, this Daoist is slyly sending me to the shit pit?"
"...I turned quickly in a hurry. No other intent."
"Whatever. If you have a conscience, rock-paper-scissors: Stone Head Divine Steps."
They quickly played.
"Man is stone! Stone Head Divine Steps!"
"...!"
Jeong-hyeon, who threw paper against Cheon Jang-ho's scissors after shouting "man is stone," lost and was assigned the privy.
"Heaven hasn't abandoned this beggar."
"...O, Original Celestial Venerable."
But the twist was that one of the expanded privies really was a secret passage.
After removing the footing, a clean tunnel appeared, so Jeong-hyeon returned spotless.
Cheon Jang-ho, who checked the kitchen stoves, came back covered in soot.
"This is the Way."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thus, Grandfather's first night awake ended with discovering not just the secret passage known only to him and Chief Steward Geum, but another exit to the outside.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
I changed with So-rung to guard Grandfather and headed to the rear garden,
when the uncles began visiting one by one.
"Father, it's Kwon-yeong. The lady prepared some porridge."
Surprisingly, Lee Kwon-yeong arrived first.
At his appearance, my master at my waist clicked his tongue.
- Isn't that guy the one you're most suspicious of right now, Yong-un?
'Yes. The secret passage can exit inside but also let people in from outside, and the eldest uncle handled household matters, so it could be him. But my gut says it's that guy.'
- Hmm. If your gut's right, is he boiling porridge to check if it's his father's last burst before death? Is that human?
Not human.
That's why I'm willing to use rough methods too.
Seizing the moment Lee Kwon-yeong entered the chamber, I called So-rung and handed him the Thousand-Li Fragrance while transmitting.
[Take this.]
[A case of Thousand-Li Fragrance? Why give it to me?]
Thousand-Li Fragrance didn't truly travel a thousand li, but when applied, its faint scent carried dozens of li—perfect for tracking someone like now.
[When the youngest uncle comes out, I'll subtly trip him, and you pretend to support him while applying this.]
[But I'm not confident in acting...]
So-rung seemed to have more to say, but no time for talk.
Creak—
The door opened as Lee Kwon-yeong emerged.
Ignoring So-rung's transmission, I approached naturally and spoke.
"I'll take the bowl."
Using Shadowless Heaven-Splitting Step subtly, I hooked his leg.
His balance crumbled instantly.
"Whoa?!"
As I caught the airborne tray and bowl,
"Are you alright? You must be startled."
So-rung applied the fragrance to the back of Lee Kwon-yeong's neck with awkward speech but deft hands.
Success.
"Damn! Bad luck from morning!"
"I meant to help, but... Here’s the bowl and tray."
"Forget it! Add it to your upkeep or toss it!"
Lee Kwon-yeong dusted his sleeve and left the rear garden.
'If my gut's right, that Thousand-Li Fragrance will lead us to the Demonic Cult's den in Shanxi City.'
Afterward, the eldest uncle came begging and was chased off.
"Father, I was wrong."
"Didn't you say you never wanted to see my face? Even house arrest would boil my blood, yet you come to stoke my anger?!"
Next, Uncle Yun-yeong, acting as interim warehouse manager, brought death offerings like Kwon-yeong.
"Uncle Yun-yeong brought porridge too? The youngest uncle already brought and left."
Scratching his head, he replied.
"Oh? I'm late. Still, Father likes his food heavy on vinegar, and I made this porridge that way. Since I brought it, he might take a spoonful more, so I'll leave it."
"Yes. Unlike earlier, this has a tangy scent."
"And originally, people collapsed from various places at Father's birthday banquet, making it a mess, then the eldest and Kwon-yeong fought, ruining it further. Now that he's recovered, how about a bigger feast?"
"A feast?"
"Yes. I'll get permission inside, but Father said to go through you for manor affairs, so I'm telling you first."
Grandfather's intent was to show he was still hale.
Uncle Yun-yeong's idea aligned.
Thus, the recovery feast was quickly approved.
"Hey, you idiots! The awning's backward! Spread it right, right! Oh! Isn't that the village head of Hanghwa Village?"
"Yes. Hearing Shanxi Golden Peng has recovered, I brought only the finest Fen Wine on a cart."
"This way! Over here!"
With the Yi Clan Manor bustling,
Lee Kwon-yeong slipped out, leaving a trail of Thousand-Li Fragrance.
"Let's go."
My peers and I began tailing him stealthily.