Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 274
Chapter Title: The Tiger Guards the House (2)
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A staircase leading underground was revealed as the brick was pushed aside.
With no one around, I pulled down my mask slightly and spoke in a low voice.
"Let's go."
Wu Sorung nodded at my words and naturally took the lead.
I turned to Yin Xia Lian once more.
"Miss Yin, stick right behind Sorung. This is the first time we're coordinating like this. In case something happens from the rear, it might be best if I, with my keen qi sense, take up the rear."
"Got it."
Upon entering the underground passage, Yin Xia Lian pointed to a magic ward array on one wall.
"Oh. If we solve that, won't it stop the trap mechanisms from activating?"
Wu Sorung shook his head.
"No?"
"Miss Yin's right. Matching the code on the magic ward will halt all trap mechanisms. But in exchange, the connected gears will turn, sending a signal somewhere."
"...I see."
"Yes. I've only seen these in the imperial palace when following Father, but to think one exists in a private home. The other installed mechanisms might even put the palace to shame."
"Well, you've been inside the palace, so you would know best, Brother Woo."
"Not the inner palace, just the outer one with the kitchens."
As if the words had summoned them, the path to the Mo Yong clan's secret warehouse was riddled with all sorts of mechanisms.
"Step on this floor tile, then immediately the seventh one over there."
The good news was that Wu Sorung was leading and pointing out the solutions.
"Here, these thousand-thread silk threads are strung like spiderwebs. Don't touch them—watch carefully and follow."
As we navigated the traps and neared the warehouse...
Wu Sorung signaled us to stop.
"This one's a mechanism that shoots out iron bars from all four directions—up, down, left, right. It'll take a bit to disarm. Wait here a moment."
"Whew. Even our Silver Radiance Merchant Group doesn't set up mechanisms this elaborate... In a way, it's impressive, Mo Yong clan."
Yin Xia Lian shook her head and turned to me with a question.
"By the way, Young Master Eon. Is there really a ledger of shame in there? If we go through all this and find only gold and treasures, it'll be for nothing."
"You don't trust me?"
"It's not that I don't trust you. I'm just asking because you seem so certain there's one there."
Sorung had asked for a little time anyway.
So, intending to give her a demonstration, I crooked my finger and said,
"Show me your forehead."
But Yin Xia Lian covered her forehead with both hands and shook her head.
"I'm really not doubting you."
"?"
"...You're not going to flick me, are you?"
"What do you take me for?"
At her reaction, Master's voice chimed in.
- She seems to just think you're you. Well, no one's experienced you as much as Hayeon, and that friend-meter thing is still...
I decided not to hear that and spoke to Yin Xia Lian again.
"I'm going to show you how I'm so certain."
"...For real?"
I pricked my thumb with a tiny needle wound and lightly touched her forehead.
"Is it done? I don't feel anything..."
"Now close your eyes."
As Yin Xia Lian shut her eyelids, I activated the spell engraved on the scroll.
"?!"
Her eyebrows twitched, and then she spoke as if entranced.
"It's not just a location-tracking spell— I can see inside the warehouse?"
"Now do you understand how I'm certain?"
"...Yes. There's a bookshelf organized by year codes. I never imagined a spell like this existed. What is this?"
Admiring it, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and asked me,
"Can I learn this too?"
"Setting aside whether it's possible, why would you want to?"
"Next year, I'll be managing the Azure Bamboo Pavilion. When I'm away, I could check on the underlings with this—perfect, right?"
"...What a watchful eye you have."
Even I hadn't thought of such a terrifying idea when...
The disarming finished, and Wu Sorung called me.
"Brother Eon."
"Alright, let's go in."
Having overcome all the mechanisms, we arrived inside the Mo Yong clan's secret warehouse.
Clank-
"Sorung, you stand guard. Miss Yin and I need to check those ledgers over there."
"Yes, Brother Eon."
Yin Xia Lian and I ignored the gold, silver, treasures, and artworks, heading straight to the bookshelf against one wall to examine the ledgers.
"No need to check the really old ones—let's start here."
"Yes. I'll take the right side. Young Master Eon, you do the left."
"Sounds good."
Splitting with Yin Xia Lian, I pulled a ledger from the left side and began skimming.
'Hm?'
As I read the first one I picked up and tilted my head, Master spoke.
- Found it already?
'No. This is just a record of the Mo Yong clan's expenditures.'
- Then why the head tilt?
'Ledgers look like simple records of money in and out, but look closely, and you can guess what people or clans are thinking.'
- Oh?
'For example, if costs for food and clothing suddenly skyrocket, it means the number of people they're feeding has increased.'
- Makes sense now. So what do you think the Mo Yong lot are up to?
'Need to look more for accuracy, but... they seem anxious.'
Instead of giving more to branch families, they've increased tribute from them and cut back on guest retainers who could bolster the clan in various ways later.
'Internals are a mess. But for events like this eightieth birthday banquet to show off, they overdid it big time.'
It wasn't incomprehensible.
The current Mo Yong clan was crippled by repeated blunders and the Alliance Leader's pressure.
Moving the Backbone Society to turn things around probably hadn't worked lately either.
On top of that, hearing my name and the Pearl Eon Family's rising everywhere must have made them extremely uneasy.
'They must figure if this continues, the Five Great Clans seat will go to Pearl Eon Family, and they'll drop to minor clan status.'
How much time passed as I examined the ledgers?
Around when I'd roughly grasped why they were using Prince Yeon Manor as a lifeline...
Yin Xia Lian called me.
"Young Master Eon. Think I found it."
"You did?"
"See? No incoming records, just constant outgoing ones. No names of recipients either."
"I see."
"I've heard they do it this way for secret deals with the imperial family."
"They've done plenty of secret deals, huh."
"Big ones too."
After confirming, I handed the ledger back to Yin Xia Lian and asked,
"Can you memorize it right here?"
"I did it all the time at the merchant group. Give me a moment, and I can recite it word for word."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We returned to the inn cautiously, wary of detection or ambush.
Click-
Opening the window and entering the men's quarters, we were greeted by Jeonghyeon with a finger to his lips.
I sent him a transmission.
[Something up?]
[Young Master Mo Yong from next door is here.]
[Oh, really?]
[Yes. Young Master Namgung and Young Master Cheon are playing go, and the rest are supposedly sleeping.]
[Professor Changryang?]
[Seemed anxious more might come, so he's pacing by Sowon's door.]
[...Truly no tact.]
[Heh. Exactly. How'd it go?]
[Fetch the professor. On the way, tell Mo Yonggil we're late so he should head back.]
I nodded and sent another transmission, then changed into casual clothes.
"Professor. I'll head back now."
"...Yeah. Good work."
"Good work? I just drank..."
"Am I drunk? Brother Mo Yong, you twisting the professor's words?"
"No, no. Not at all what I meant, Professor. Rest well. And you too, Jangho, Yoon."
Sounds of seeing off Mo Yonggil followed.
Soon after, Professor Changryang, looking years older in moments, burst in with the remaining Eon brothers.
Professor Changryang spoke first.
"How'd it go?! No injuries?"
"Calm down first."
"How can I calm down? I was so worried... Don't ever ask me for something like this again!"
Following the professor, Namgungyun and Cheon Jangho spoke up.
"Yeah. Better not ask the professor. Lying's a talent too."
"You're the same, Yoon! Why single out the professor?! I'm speechless."
As their excitement subsided a bit...
I began recounting the trip.
"We weren't caught, no injuries. Found what we were after too."
"Can I see it?"
"Didn't bring it out."
"Didn't take the ledger?"
"Yes. Memorized it. The deals with the prince's manor had no seals proving exchange, no recipient names—just outgoing records."
I detailed the contents, and the professor soon asked,
"...Can that serve as evidence?"
A question befitting a scholar Taoist from the academy, I thought.
Before I could answer, Paeng Sojin spoke first.
"Mo Yong clan and Prince Yeon Manor—the parties involved will know from the records alone. The mere fact they kept such things... from the prince's side..."
"They'll deem it insolent."
I added,
"And crucially, this proves a real intimate relationship. We're not suing in court—we're handing it to Prince Cho."
Jeonghyeon asked then.
"No other evidence?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Demonic Cult. Their actions don't make sense otherwise."
"You can't understand because you've never been trapped by clan shackles, Jeonghyeon."
"...Could be."
"I had the same suspicion, so I checked the ledgers... No clear traces of dealings with the Demonic Cult."
"I see."
"But they are straining to hold their position. Oppressing not just commoners but branch kin too. Possible they inadvertently gave the Demonic Cult breathing room in the process."
Jeonghyeon furrowed his brow at my words.
"Isn't that the Demonic Cult's favorite prey? Punish the Mo Yong clan now... and Liaodong becomes a power vacuum?"
The other Eon brothers, who'd studied the Demonic Cult with me at Mabangyeon, crossed arms and groaned.
"Exactly. That's what I'm pondering—how to handle this."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Eightieth birthday banquets typically spanned several days of feasting.
The second day after the first passed.
Mo Yong Sang, the Mo Yong clan head, irritably slumped in the clan head's chair and called to the guard outside.
"Is Hak outside?"
"Yes, Clan Head."
"Father will view the performance gift from the later-generation disciples' chest today. Time left—bring it here first."
"Yes."
Having ordered the chest brought, Mo Yong Sang quietly recalled yesterday's events.
"...Nothing's going right."
Originally, Mo Yong Sang planned to use the snub to deflate the Murim Alliance Leader's spirit, rally dissatisfied forces, and push for a leadership change.
But with Daoist Changryang in the group, it backfired, shaming the Mo Yong clan instead.
And during the key event of receiving gifts from VIPs publicly, he'd been humiliated by Paeng Muhyuk.
"Spent a fortune on this banquet. Damn Paeng scum. Even his own daughter abandoned the Five Rings Sword School for the blade, yet he dares claim to head the way of virtue."
While cursing Paeng Muhyuk...
Mo Yonghak, sent on the errand, returned with a report.
"Clan Head. It's Hak."
"Bring it in."
Looking at the chest entering the clan head's quarters, Mo Yong Sang thought,
'Eon Yong-un.'
The one who'd prepared that chest seemed reasonable.
But as he'd said himself, it was for the future.
'Fundamentally, it's about handing the clan to my sons.'
Entrusting the clan fully to his sons was already dire; recruiting him wouldn't yield immediate great aid.
Just laying a few stones for future contingencies.
His face crumpled further when...
Mo Yonghak, who'd placed the chest and stepped out, reported again.
"Clan Head."
"Speak."
"The Acrobatic Troupe leader wishes to see you. What shall I do?"
"More performance fee? Already paying handsomely—greedy. Tell him to prepare properly or get lost if he doesn't want the whip."
"...He insists on seeing you. Says it's not about money."
"Hah. Once underestimated in the jianghu, every riffraff starts barking."
"Says no performance today if you refuse."
"...Let him in."
Already at his limit of irritation, this lowly intruder arrived.
Mo Yong Sang let in the Acrobatic Troupe leader intending to beat him dead if needed.
But he couldn't act on that impulse.
"From the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
The words from the intruder's mouth were too staggering.
"What?"
"Straight to the point: We want to help the Mo Yong clan."
"Our clan must look like a joke. You lot dare..."
"We know the Mo Yong clan is all flash, rotten inside, on the verge of being overtaken by Pearl Eon Family and falling to second-rate."
"......"
"We'll help. Manpower, wealth, elixirs—all. Surpass Paeng, reclaim the way of virtue seat. After all, the Mo Yong founded dynasties past."
Smirking, the troupe leader placed the brought chest on the table.
"A birthday gift for the Grand Patriarch. No strings—accept it. We'll await your wise decision."
He left as if business done.
Mo Yong Sang sat dazed for a long while.
When he snapped out of it...
Opening the lone chest revealed it packed with gold bills.
'...This covers the banquet costs fully.'
Swallowing dryly then...
Another report from outside.
"Clan Head. Eon Yong-un is he—urk."
Before permission, clamor erupted outside.
"Coming in."
"Wh-what?"
Mo Yong Sang hurriedly shut the chest and hid it under the table.
Soon after, Eon Yong-un entered the clan head's quarters.
'What's this guy want?'
Mo Yong Sang stared incredulously.
Hardly an unexpected guest.
Eon Yong-un had barged in without permission, beyond mere rudeness.
What had Mo Yonghak been doing letting him in?
'No way he knows anything...'
As Eon Yong-un leisurely cupped hands in greeting, Mo Yong Sang's unease doubled.
But he shook it off.
'The troupe leader left ages after his pitch.'
The conversation then, the gold bill chest under the table.
No chance Eon Yong-un knew.
Best to act bold now.
Mo Yong Sang straightened, raising his voice at Eon Yong-un.
"What is this behavior!"
But Eon Yong-un just smirked sinisterly.
"......?"
As if he knew everything.
"Clan Head, that's rat poison."
The moment chills ran down Mo Yong Sang's spine.