There Must Be a Reason for This - 4 Inspector Escort
Exactly—or rather, grasping my head at the request from Gu Gangwang backing the Inspector Escort—I wrapped my arms around it. They'd discovered the tomb of Hoinamwang Yeongpo and wanted to excavate it, so they were asking for an official with tomb excavation experience. On the surface, it was a flawless request without a single issue. Even if Yeongpo was a traitor, he was a figure from nearly 1,600 years ago. He had no real connection to the present Daesong, so it was more fitting to see him simply as a departed soul rather than a rebel. In other words, Gu Gangwang was currently in a position where he had to disturb the rest of the dead in this Confucian society. Requesting "an official with excavation experience from the capital" was consideration for the departed—and a hint that he'd appropriately share the excavation's byproducts with the center. And from my memory, the only ones in the Dochalwon with tomb excavation experience were me and Jo Wi-cheo. Other departments might have more if we dug around, but this was a matter requested through the Inspector Escort to the Dochalwon. Sending someone from another department felt off.
"Whoa."
A sigh slipped out unbidden. There were three ways to respond to Gu Gangwang's—er, the Inspector Escort's—no, just Gu Gangwang's request. Have the newlywed me go to Gu Gang, send Jo Wi-cheo who's on the verge of marriage, or pull strings in some other department. Those were the options. Each one was utterly insane. 'Of those three, going myself is the most sensible.' Tears welled up. How could sending a newlywed groom on a business trip be the most sensible option? Was the welfare of Daesong officials this abysmal?
"...Samshik."
- Shiiik?
"Come out for a sec?"
At my request, Samshik slithered out from my sleeve and onto the desk. I tore a piece of paper into three small pieces and wrote on each one before placing them in front of him. The words were me, you, him. "Me" meant literally me, "you" was Jo Wi-cheo, and "him" was a third party from another department.
"Pick one. We'll go with that."
Samshik's three heads lifted in unison to look at me.
- Shiiiik.
- Sieeek.
- Shiuuuk.
Instead of picking, he hissed soothingly and shook his heads back and forth, side to side, as if consoling me. That hurt more than any action could. It was like he was saying no matter what he chose, the outcome would be the same. No, it was the same. I'd already concluded rationally that I should go. My heart just refused to accept it, so I was thrashing about pathetically.
"That's why experienced hands are scary. We're always hunting for career officials, so how can new ones ever emerge?"
I stroked Samshik and let out a small sigh. I acknowledged my own excavation credentials. But if we always sought out the experienced, when would officials without experience ever gain it? No experience meant people only sought the pros, and seeking only pros meant others never gained experience. A heartbreaking vicious cycle. Even more heartbreaking was that I'd wandered the Central Plains and racked up pretty much every experience imaginable. If Jini formed a hexagon with knowledge, I was the all-purpose old hand forming one with experience.
The moment I spotted Han Un arriving in Gu Gang, a chuckle burst out. His visit wasn't surprising. Given his personality, I'd expected him to respond to the request for aid. Calling on a newlywed just settled in Kaepyeong didn't sit entirely well with me either, but this was the tomb of Hoinamwang Yeongpo, a founding merit of the Former Han—not some figure from centuries ago. Neglecting or botching the excavation of such a tomb would be a national loss. So I'd get Han Un's help, but in return, I'd generously share the grave goods from the tomb. Items from over 1,600 years ago would be treasures even for someone raised in the Giwang household. And I'd prepared private funds as a contingency if the goods were meager or the excavation failed, but...
"Uryang, been well?"
"Of course. I paid my respects not long ago—what could go wrong in the meantime?"
"Finding something like this means you've been hustling around. Hope you didn't strain your back or knees."
Not only Han Un, but someone else had come too. 'He must've really hated it to bring the elder along.' I eyed Han Un, slung over Giwang's shoulder like baggage, with bittersweet feelings. I knew I was being harsh to a newlywed, but bringing Giwang along was overkill retaliation. With him at the site, lightning striking the tomb wouldn't be odd.
"Heh heh, Uryang. Don't look at me like that. He was supposed to go alone, but I tagged along."
"Aigoo, isn't Han Un a married man now? I get cherishing your grandson, but isn't this a bit much?"
"Not worrying—just tagging along. With you here, Uryang, what's to worry about?"
Giwang set Han Un down from where he dangled off his shoulder and stroked his beard.
"One of my most devoted subordinates, who's served my grandson wholeheartedly, is about to hold his wedding. So I put in some effort to speed up Han Un's round trip."
"Speed up the round trip?"
"Riding spirit beasts is slower than riding a Hwagyeong master, no?"
I couldn't help but chuckle again. A Hwagyeong reduced to a mount. Only Giwang could pull that off. 'Sorry, Han Un.' In my heart, I offered a sincere apology. Sorry for misunderstanding your revenge ploy, and for creating this mess. But if the excavation succeeds, we'll gain much—think of it as a minor sacrifice for the greater good. Honestly, finding even one good item in Hoinamwang's tomb could be a gift for his wife or future children. Sacrificing a bit of honeymoon for an unparalleled family treasure. How joyful. His wife and future kids would love it too. Or not. Truth be told, mine died long ago, so I wouldn't know.
The excavation of Hoinamwang's tomb would proceed with me, Giwang, troops from the Gu Gangwang estate, and Han Un. Adding more people would complicate paths and shares. With the goods split among the Gu Gangwang estate, the center, and Giwang household, no need for extra hands.
"Head toward any unusual energy."
- Shiiik, shiiiik!
"If from different directions, the stronger one. Oh, not poison spots. Got it?"
- Shiiiik!
"Good. Tons of treats after."
Honestly, Han Un and that spirit beast Samshik could've sufficed, but we needed manpower to haul goods. 'A method only Han Un can pull off.' And what an intriguing sight: using a energy-sensitive spirit beast as a guide for tomb raiding. Considering elixirs among grave goods, highly effective. But bringing a rare wild spirit beast into a dark tomb and coaxing it to find elixirs? No easy feat. Without Han Un's beast affinity, impossible to mimic. Calling him despite the guilt was the right call. Imagining the process without him and that beast was nightmare fuel.
"Uryang."
"Yes, speak."
"Hoinamwang was once called Gu Gangwang, right? You're a Gu Gangwang too—how about using this tomb when you die? Good size, sturdy. Perfect for recycling."
I felt my adjutant flinch at Giwang's words. Naive, adjutant. Giwang spouts such unique remarks as easily as breathing. How could you be shocked?
"When I die, bury me in the Yangtze. Even in death, I'll guard it as a whale."
"Don't people usually say dragon?"
"Dragons are too arrogant."
Both Giwang and I chuckled. Half-joking, half-serious. Even in death, I'd protect the Yangtze, making it a haven for the good folk. Fitting end. But invoking dragons with His Majesty present felt presumptuous—whale it is. 'Whale's good.' Big and reliable, yields meat and oil, maybe ambergris if lucky. A giver without end.
"Your Highness! Found it!"
- Shiiiik!
'Oh.' Though the true giver might be Han Un, but lacking his grit, I'll pass.
Hoinamwang's tomb. Shouldn't a king's be called a royal mausoleum? But 1,600 years ago, details don't matter. Mausoleum or tomb, excavation's the same. I'd vowed no more tomb raiding after meeting Baek Gi's beloved steed in his tomb, but this wasn't grave-robbing disturbing the dead—it was scholarly excavation. That eased my mind.
"Hoinamwang's tomb? Never knew! This old man's coming too!"
"Pardon?"
But Grandfather's intervention soured my eased mind again. Not that I disliked him... but him at the site felt... ominous. 'Finish before lightning strikes.' Secure goods before the tomb became rubble. Pure human effort would've been tough, but luckily I had Samshik. Like Kki-ing and Kki-ong swiftly finding Baek Gi's goods, Samshik would handle it smoothly.
"Your Highness! Found it!"
In mere hours, we uncovered a hidden chamber.
"Ho ho."
"Indeed. Traitor or not, a king is a king."
We reached a secret space piled with substantial grave goods. Relief washed over me with a sigh. We'd arrived before Grandfather said, "Can't find the way? Make one!"—before the tomb became ruins.
'Ended quicker than expected.' Thanks to Samshik's prowess and Grandfather hauling his grandson to Gu Gang, the emergency trip wrapped in under a day. Kinda pathetic. If I'd known it'd end this fast, I wouldn't have agonized alone.
- Shiiiik.
'Hm?'
Gazing bitterly at the goods pile, Samshik tugged my pant leg, pointing at them.
"What? Something special?"
- Shiiiik!
- Sieeek!
Samshik nodded vigorously, so I stepped closer. If a spirit beast reacted, secure it first. Leave it, and it might gobble like Kki-ing or Kki-ong.
'What is it.'
But what Samshik led me to was unexpectedly...
'Bamboo slips?'
Not odd for Hoinamwang from Chu-Han Contention era, but after 1,600 years, impossibly pristine. Like made yesterday.
'A martial arts manual?'
Perfect preservation meant high importance. Heart raced, like finding Baek Gi's Myeol Yuk Guk Pyeong Cheon Sin Geom—an ancient technique. My pulse quickened.