Monopolizing Fortunes (197)
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Monopolizing Fortunes (197)
The people who entered the room while speaking were Yang Su-pan and Tae Jun-seo, who had recently become head of the Northern Pacification Office.
Byeok Chang-u's movements stiffened like a stone statue. Although it had only been three days since he had come up to Beijing and registered his appointment, he could not possibly fail to recognize Yang Su-pan, who received the emperor's sole favor.
Yeon Ja-yeon bowed.
"So you've come, Sir Yang. I apologize for not coming out to greet you."
"Greeting me? I'm just glad I could at least see your face. But that fellow is...?"
"He says he is a newly arrived Supernumerary Gentleman of the Seals Office, and I hear he is the son of Minister of Rites Byeok U-bang."
Yang Su-pan glanced around the room. Dishes that should have been on the table were rolling on the floor, and food was scattered everywhere.
One side of the face of a courtesan whose clothes were half undone was red, as if she had been slapped. When the fallen entertainer also came into view, he could easily guess what kind of situation had unfolded.
This time, Yang Su-pan bowed his head toward Yeon Ja-yeon.
"The fault is largely mine for failing to properly manage the officials."
"How could you, Lord Yang, personally oversee the conduct of every official? This is a common occurrence in a pleasure house, so please do not concern yourself."
"It might be one thing at another pleasure house, but this sort of thing must not happen at Yeonhyang Pavilion. A ruffian who can't tell shit from piss might be one thing, but for an official of the nation to dare run wild at Yeonhyang Pavilion... The day His Majesty the Emperor learns of this, a furious scolding will fall upon me."
"Ho ho ho! Surely His Majesty would not bother himself with the affairs of a mere pleasure house."
"Not at all. How could he not take an interest in a place run by Tong-dal's beloved? I offer my apologies once again."
Yang Su-pan called Tae Jun-seo.
"Commissioner Tae."
"Give your command."
"You know what to do with that bastard, right?"
"Of course."
"How much could a Supernumerary Gentleman of the Seals Office earn in a month to frequent a place like this? It's obviously family money, and how did that family amass its money in the first place?"
"I will investigate the Minister of Rites' household down to the last detail. If even a speck of wrongdoing is found, I will deal with it strictly according to the law."
"Keep those words about being strict in mind. You must never show leniency just because he is a high official."
"Of course. How could I handle lightly someone who dared to run wild at Yeonhyang Pavilion?"
Byeok Chang-u could not understand how things were unfolding. Since Yeonhyang Pavilion was the finest pleasure house in Beijing, Yang Su-pan could certainly come as a guest.
But listening to his conversation with the madam, it seemed as though Byeok Chang-u had committed a crime second only to high treason.
Running wild in a pleasure house was an everyday occurrence, and it had never once caused a problem. It was, after all, just a pleasure house, even if it was called the best in Beijing.
"This... is this my father's prank? Right?"
That was the only thing he could think of. His father, Byeok U-bang, disapproved of his son frequenting pleasure houses and was doing this to correct his behavior.
Tae Jun-seo approached and grabbed Byeok Chang-u by the scruff of his neck.
"A prank? Let's see if you can say that at the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"H-hey! Let go of me! I am a Supernumerary Gentleman of the Seals Office, a senior fifth-rank official! My father is the Minister of Rites, a senior second-rank official!"
"You fool, even if your father came here, he would have to drink quietly and leave at Yeonhyang Pavilion. This is not a place for the likes of you to run wild. Do you even know where you are, you dare!"
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard stepping in just because I drank a little roughly at a pleasure house! What kind of law is this!"
"This bastard, to the very end!"
Tae Jun-seo dragged Byeok Chang-u out into the corridor and slapped him across the face. Hearing the sound from the room, Yeon Ja-yeon said to Yang Su-pan.
"Please just give him a good scolding."
"I will handle it. Shall we move to another room?"
They went to a large room where a table of drinks had been prepared. Before Yeon Ja-yeon could even fill his cup, Yang Su-pan asked.
"Have you still had no word from Tong-dal?"
At the mention of Do Tong-dal's name, a sigh escaped Yeon Ja-yeon's lips out of habit.
"It has already been two years and five months with no news at all. Where in the world is he training? I have no way of knowing if something has happened to him."
"What could possibly happen to that friend of ours? His closed-door training is probably just running a little long. I take it the Righteous Chivalry Sect has no news either?"
"Seol-rin and Su-ran are grinding their teeth, saying they won't leave him be when he returns. Is it perhaps because of the situation in the north?"
"So you have heard the news as well, Madam."
"What would a mere courtesan know? I have only overheard what the guests say."
"The movements on the Mongol side have been unusual lately. There are also signs that Prince Yeongun, His Majesty's uncle, is trying to join hands with the Mongols."
It had been foreseen that there would be resistance once the Third Prince, Ju Hyeong-seon, became emperor. Yet despite all the caution, Prince Yeongun, the third younger brother of the previous emperor, was now fingering the blade of rebellion.
But they could not rashly raise an army either, because mobilizing troops to punish Prince Yeongun could provoke the Mongols in the north.
"If only Tong-dal were here at a time like this, I feel he could resolve it somehow."
"If Young Master Do were here, it would not have come to this."
"Exactly. No, if he became a meritorious subject, he should have just taken his reward, become a bum or whatever, and lived comfortably. Why closed-door training of all things... Ugh!"
"Even if he is a bum, isn't he ultimately a martial artist who has trained in martial arts? They say a martial artist's blood always flows in that direction."
"If things keep going this way, war is inevitable. I wish Tong-dal would show up before that and give us a good plan."
"He will return someday. Someday..."
* * *
"This is truly unacceptable! It was all settled through the mediation of the Righteous Chivalry Sect, and now you suddenly attack in the middle of the night!"
Gwak Du-bo, the head of the Wonhyeong Sect, slumped to the floor and lamented his grievance.
Jang Yeon-seon did not treat the guest who had come in the dead of night, when everyone was asleep, poorly.
"Let's start with treatment."
"My treatment is not the issue!"
"It's already late tonight, isn't it? And I have things to ask you."
While Gwak Du-bo received treatment, Won Dae-yeon, Namgung Seol-rin, and Jang Yu-seom joined them.
"You're saying the Changso Sect suddenly attacked in the middle of the night?"
At Namgung Seol-rin's question, Gwak Du-bo nodded vigorously.
"That is correct."
"No matter how much of a surprise attack it was, the Wonhyeong Sect isn't a force that would be one-sidedly defeated by the Changso Sect, is it?"
Before the Righteous Chivalry Sect had established itself, the Wonhyeong Sect and the Changso Sect had been the two largest powers in Hebei Province, excluding the Seok family.
Their history spanned two hundred years, and they had over three hundred warriors under their command. That was why they had initially tried to throw their weight around with the Righteous Chivalry Sect, but they had been forced to bow their heads before even three months had passed.
It was because they realized the Righteous Chivalry Sect was not an opponent they could challenge. Since the Righteous Chivalry Sect also upheld its principles as an orthodox sect, it was able to establish itself as the greatest sect in Hubei Province within three years.
During those three years, the Righteous Chivalry Sect stepped in as a mediator whenever the surrounding large and small sects fought.
The martial world is a place where large and small fights never cease. It is a place where fists and blades are swung over matters that could be resolved with words.
But as the Righteous Chivalry Sect established itself as the greatest sect in Hubei Province, the blood shed by martial artists decreased markedly.
Not only was the Righteous Chivalry Sect's mediation fair, but even if there was dissatisfaction, no one dared to defy the sect's authority.
Thus, within Hubei Province, the Righteous Chivalry Sect enjoyed a prestige no less than that of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Northern Unorthodox Alliance.
Yet the Changso Sect had defied a matter that had been concluded under the Righteous Chivalry Sect's mediation.
It was not a small fight either; they had attacked in the middle of the night, causing over a hundred casualties, which was no different from declaring war on the Righteous Chivalry Sect.
Jang Yu-seom asked Gwak Du-bo again.
"Are you certain nothing happened between you and the Changso Sect after our mediation concluded?"
"Truly, nothing happened! That is why we were struck by this bolt from the blue!"
Jang Yu-seom said to Won Dae-yeon.
"Why would the Changso Sect go to such lengths? They must know perfectly well that we would step in if they attacked the Wonhyeong Sect."
"It means they are confident they can handle it even if we do."
Gwak Du-bo cautiously spoke up.
"Um... There was one strange thing."
"What do you mean, strange?"
"The one who did this to me was not the Changso Sect Leader, Baek Dong-ha. It was someone I had never seen before, and I am ashamed to say I could not last even ten moves against him."
Even if Gwak Du-bo did not enjoy a reputation across the entire martial world, he had reached the level of a first-rate master.
The fact that such a Gwak Du-bo could not last ten moves meant the man was at least on the level of one of the Twelve Zodiac Shadows.
"I have an eye for these things, and there was more than one or two such individuals. There were at least four, and perhaps more than that."
"It seems they sought outside help, but it isn't easy to hire that many masters. Especially when our Righteous Chivalry Sect is no minor sect."
Jang Yeon-seon picked up on Won Dae-yeon's words.
"Would the Changso Sect, who knows us better than anyone, turn the Righteous Chivalry Sect into an enemy simply by hiring a few masters?"
If that were the case, they would be the greatest fools under heaven, but the Changso Sect Leader Baek Dong-ha was no idiot. Even though his grudge was great because his son's arm had been cut off by Gwak Du-bo's eldest son, it was not enough to bring about the annihilation of his own sect.
"If only Tong-dal were here at a time like this, he would come up with the answer right away."
Jang Yeon-seon said sulkily.
"Don't even bring up Master. What kind of master goes completely silent for three years because of closed-door training?"
Won Dae-yeon soothed the disappointed Jang Yeon-seon.
"Isn't he able to stay away this long because he trusts us? The more the Hall Master is absent, the better we must handle things. Our Sect Leader Jang's mind is no less than the Hall Master's, so he will do well."
"That's not true. How could I dare compare to Master? Still, I must not let Master hear that I was foolish. Shall we devise a plan, then?"
* * *
Jo Chil-pyeong, whose eyesight was so sharp that he had earned the nickname Hawk Eye, was able to see the two hundred people leaving the Righteous Chivalry Sect early in the morning.
It was an expedition in which the Protectors, excluding the Sect Leader, and all twelve Hall Masters were mobilized. They would head straight for the Changso Sect. Without even knowing that their own house was burning down.
"Just as that person predicted. Idiots."
Jo Chil-pyeong immediately released a messenger pigeon to report that the Righteous Chivalry Sect's elites had departed for the Changso Sect.
One shichen later, four hundred people assembled at the Righteous Chivalry Sect. Against their usual strength, it would have been one thing, but with all their elites gone, the Righteous Chivalry Sect was an opponent worth fighting.
No, it was absolutely advantageous for the Changso Sect. Because they had the Bulyeo Six Spears.
No one knew the background of the six masters whom Sect Leader Baek Dong-ha had brought in. There were many masters in the martial world, but spear masters were rare.
The spear was a highly effective weapon, but it was a difficult weapon with which to become a supreme master.
However, Jo Chil-pyeong's thinking changed because of the Bulyeo Six Spears. He knew neither their background nor had he ever heard their nicknames, but he could guarantee that the Bulyeo Six Spears were more than qualified to be the greatest masters of a province.
Furthermore, the hundred warriors they had brought with them were all first-rate masters as well. None of them was weaker than Jo Chil-pyeong, a Hall Master.
That was why Baek Dong-ha had confidently attacked the Wonhyeong Sect. With those men, even Jo Chil-pyeong would not fear the Righteous Chivalry Sect in the slightest.
Of course, the Bulyeo Six Spears would not help the Changso Sect without any compensation, but that was not a matter for Jo Chil-pyeong, a mere Hall Master, to involve himself in.
Baek Dong-ha, the Sect Leader, even if in name only, stepped forward.
"Once we enter, kill without question! On a small scale, this is the Changso Sect's revenge, but on a large scale, it is a battle for supremacy in Hebei Province! So do not hold back in the slightest!"
"Understood!"
"Let's go!"
The vanguard was led by Seon Jung-in of the Bulyeo Six Spears. As Seon Jung-in ran, he thrust the tip of his spear at the main gate of the Righteous Chivalry Sect.
Bang!
It was a thrust from a spear, but a sound like an exploding bomb rang out.
"Waaaah!"
The Changso Sect fighters, their morale raised, charged through the main gate all at once.
"Kill them!"
They raised their voices as much as they pleased, but there was no one to kill. According to a report that had come in barely half a ke earlier, the training grounds were supposed to be packed with Righteous Chivalry Sect disciples practicing fist techniques.
But the training grounds were completely empty. The plan had been to kill the disciples, who would not even be carrying weapons, first, but there was not a single disciple to kill.
"What is going on?"
While everyone was in confusion, Sect Leader Baek Dong-ha shouted.
"Keep charging and kill everyone you see!"
* * *