Monopolizing Fortunes (229)
Monopolizing Fortunes (229)
"You know I'm not the type to go somewhere and get myself into trouble."
"It's still a battlefield! And I have to let you know about Protector Jang and Her Highness the Second Princess, not just you! Oh dear! I'll go send a messenger pigeon."
Yeon Ja-yeon was the sort who had even set aside a separate place at Yeonhyang Pavilion for managing messenger pigeons. Do Tong-dal called after her.
"While you're at it, tell the Beggars' Sect Leader to come quickly too."
"I don't know anything about that!"
Jang Yu-seom whispered to Do Tong-dal, who was scratching his head.
"Still, it's some consolation."
"Consolation how?"
"To see that there are things even Hall Master Do can't do."
"So I'm the common enemy. Anyway, the Righteous Chivalry Sect will be fine, won't it?"
"If anything had happened, Mistress Yeon would already know."
Yeonhyang Pavilion had become a channel through which word could be sent to Do Tong-dal in Beijing if anything occurred. They could also send word directly to the imperial palace, but most affairs of the martial world gathered at Yeonhyang Pavilion.
They settled into the annex. A cup of seolhyang tea, drunk against the backdrop of a rear garden adorned with a pond and pine trees, washed away their fatigue like melting snow.
"The trail that might have let us seize the hidden faction has gone cold. What do you intend to do? The Sichuan Tang Clan still remains as a clue, though."
Jang Yu-seom felt sorry for bringing up work, but the newly emerged hidden faction could become a splinter under a fingernail, or as dangerous as a sword hanging beneath one's chin.
"I'm not keen on it, but it seems I'll have to meet Won Jin-u."
"The Revenge Society's Young Society Leader?"
"If the hidden faction was controlling the Revenge Society, Won Jin-u might know something."
"Will it be all right? Wouldn't it be better to dig into the Sichuan Tang Clan instead?"
"I'll have to go to the Sichuan Tang Clan myself. Since it's nearly certain they've attached themselves to the hidden faction, the danger will be that much greater."
"Let's move together this time."
"What about the Righteous Chivalry Sect?"
"The hidden faction's goal was to find you, Hall Master, so now that you've shown yourself, they won't target the Righteous Chivalry Sect."
Do Tong-dal's thinking was not much different from Jang Yu-seom's, but he was still worried.
"Trust the Sect Leader. She's been running the Righteous Chivalry Sect so splendidly that it's hard to believe her age."
"But is it all right for you to keep going out like this? What will you do if Lady Seon kicks you out at this rate?"
"What? Surely she wouldn't kick me out . . . would she?"
"I think you'd better hurry back."
"R-right? It doesn't seem like the time for me to be idling away at a pleasure house."
As soon as Jang Yu-seom made up his mind, he sprang to his feet.
"Then I'll be off."
"Come back by the time of the imperial palace banquet."
"What's some banquet?"
"His Majesty might be disappointed."
"To me, Hye-min is more important than His Majesty!"
After saying goodbye to Ju Seo-in, Jang Yu-seom vanished like the wind.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk . . . That man is fated never to escape being henpecked."
"It's nice to see, though."
"I'm not saying it's bad . . . just that it's true. Hmph!"
That day, nothing in particular happened, and no guests came calling. He had expected Wang Chil and Jo Jin-ho to come, but they had put it off until the next day, thinking, "On a day like this, he should spend it with Mistress Yeon."
"By the way, I sent Du-sik here. Where is that fellow?"
Yeon Ja-yeon, who had been asked the question, smiled softly.
"He's here right now."
"What? Good heavens! He's living at Yeonhyang Pavilion here too?"
"I find it reassuring, actually. Unlike his looks, his personality is so easygoing that he's incredibly popular."
Since becoming Do Tong-dal's younger brother, Wang Du-sik's disposition had changed a great deal from before. Though his fondness for pleasure houses remained the same.
"Shall I call him?"
"No. When I see that fellow, it's exhausting."
An incident that could be called a commotion occurred the next day. Namgung Seol-rin came rushing over in a flurry, and the moment she saw Do Tong-dal, she set his back on fire.
Ha Su-ran scolded him point by point, reasoning through every detail, and frankly Namgung Seol-rin's palm had hurt less.
On top of that, Jang Yeon-seon even came after leaving the Righteous Chivalry Sect empty and joined in the scolding.
"Stop the butchering already. Hall Master Do already looks covered in blood."
Won Dae-yeon, who was trying to stop them, was endlessly appreciated.
"But is it all right for you to leave the sect empty and come here like this?"
"It isn't, but I have to see my master who has returned from the battlefield. Even though you won't come to the Righteous Chivalry Sect."
Do Tong-dal asked casually.
"You really came all the way to Beijing because of me, right? Not because of someone else living in Beijing."
"What kind of nonsense are you—"
'Oh? This brat!'
Do Tong-dal spoke with a serious face.
"Do you really have feelings for the emperor?"
The gazes of the people who had each been chattering away gathered on Jang Yeon-seon one by one. Jang Yeon-seon's face flushed red, and she hastily waved her hands.
"No! It's just that His Majesty says he has his eye on me . . . so . . . you know how something bothers you for no reason. Like how it bothers you when a cockroach is crawling around your room."
"So you're saying the emperor is like a cockroach?"
"That's not it, it's just a metaphor! A metaphor!"
"So you compared him to a cockroach."
"Master!"
Yeon Ja-yeon smacked the back of Do Tong-dal's hand and stopped him, saying, "Stop teasing Yeon-seon."
"Anyway, I'm against you living locked up in that stifling imperial palace."
For Jang Yeon-seon, who was not the daughter of some power-hungry magnate clinging to the position of empress, the imperial palace would probably feel like a prison.
Ha Su-ran spoke.
"I think that's something for Yeon-seon to decide."
"She's only thirteen, so I can at least offer some advice."
"You know well yourself, Young Master Do, that Yeon-seon can't be defined by age alone. Isn't her own will what matters most?"
Namgung Seol-rin also backed Ha Su-ran.
"Tong-dal, you're not going to be responsible for Yeon-seon for the rest of her life."
Rather, Jang Yeon-seon took Do Tong-dal's side.
"I wouldn't mind living with Master for the rest of my life. It's only not happening because Master says he doesn't want it."
"Is that a threat that if I oppose your marriage to the emperor, you'll pester me forever?"
"Are you scared?"
"Yeah. Terrified."
"Heh heh!"
At that moment, the door burst open and Baek So-gu came storming in, huffing.
"You wretch! Am I your family's mutt? Why do you keep telling me to come and go!"
Do Tong-dal, on the receiving end of Baek So-gu's pointing finger, answered shamelessly.
"If you don't want to come, you can just not come."
"Well, that's true, but . . . I'm curious what business you're looking for me about."
Even if Do Tong-dal seemed to order him around carelessly, there had never been a time when a task he gave Baek So-gu was unimportant.
"Then I'd better resolve your curiosity quickly."
As Baek So-gu sat in an empty seat, he belatedly exchanged greetings with the others. After waiting for the greetings to end, Do Tong-dal asked Baek So-gu.
"You know where Won Jin-u is, right?"
"Won Jin-u? The Revenge Society's Young Society Leader? Why him?"
"You've heard that there's a hidden faction targeting me?"
He was an information broker of the Beggars' Sect who couldn't rest easy until he knew even how many pups the neighbor's mutt had birthed, so there was no way he didn't know.
"I've heard. But why are they targeting you?"
"That's why I need Won Jin-u. As it turns out, there's a hidden faction behind the Revenge Society."
"Huh? The hidden faction was behind the Revenge Society? How did you find that out?"
Dealing with Do Tong-dal sometimes made him wonder whether the Beggars' Sect's information network was utterly worthless.
"I found out somehow. But that's where it hit a wall. Won Jin-u, who was the Young Society Leader, must surely know something. At the very least, he'll have some guess."
"The Revenge Society has already been disbanded and the Young Society Leader has returned to being an ordinary person, so why would the Beggars' Sect chase after him?"
"So you don't know?"
"No, it's not that I don't know, but . . . it's unpleasant how you seem to see right through me!"
"Where is Won Jin-u right now?"
"He's living diligently as a potter in a place called Jining in Shandong Province. The beggars there seemed to have time on their hands, so I just told them to keep an eye on him whenever they could. I'm absolutely not having him watched on purpose."
"Peeking in on someone as you come and go is called watching them."
"So you're complaining?"
"I'm saying thank you."
"Tch! You're making me accept a bow while lying flat. Anyway, I've been hearing an absurd rumor that you won a great victory in this war against the northern barbarians. Is it true?"
Ha Su-ran scolded Baek So-gu.
"Since my husband took part in the war, a great victory is only natural. Why would that be absurd?"
"Oh dear, I picked the wrong place to make empty talk. Let's hear just how great a victory it was."
"We cut down about thirteen thousand of the enemy's men and horses, and our side's losses were about five hundred, including all the wounded."
Do Tong-dal muttered, "Five hundred casualties. It's because I was lacking."
Baek So-gu, who had been watching Do Tong-dal reproach himself, asked.
"Is that lie really true?"
"Why do you look like you don't believe it?"
"Say something that makes sense! You killed thirteen thousand of those demon-like Mongol cavalrymen and horses, and your side's losses were only five hundred including the wounded? There's no precedent in all of history for such a great victory against the northern barbarians!"
"That's why a victory banquet will be held at the imperial palace around the day after tomorrow. Because we won a great victory unprecedented in history."
"You're saying your words are true without a single lie added?"
"Have I ever lied to you, Sect Leader?"
"Even if you lied, I wouldn't be able to tell, so how would I know? How in the world did you fight to win such a great victory?"
Do Tong-dal had to unpack the bundle of war stories from Sapung Valley again. Since the people here were hearing it for the first time, they all listened intently with fascinated faces.
After hearing the whole story, sincerity popped out of Baek So-gu's mouth.
"It's a lie. It's a lie."
Namgung Seol-rin flared up.
"On what grounds are you making Tong-dal into a liar, Sect Leader?"
"Think about it. Sapung Valley is about fifty jang wide, isn't it? Is it possible for three people to hold it against Mongol cavalry? Even three of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven might or might not manage it, and you're saying Tong-dal, Her Highness the Second Princess here, and Protector Jang did it? You expect me to believe that?"
"It's the truth . . . though."
At Ju Seo-in's words, Baek So-gu was momentarily at a loss for words. Of all people, he could not very well raise his voice and call Ju Seo-in a liar.
If he did, he might become the first Beggars' Sect Leader in history to be hauled off for the crime of insulting the imperial family.
"We couldn't block all of them, so the soldiers guarding behind us were hurt—as many as five hundred."
Seeing Ju Seo-in speak so calmly, it again did not seem like a lie.
"Th-then are you saying that Her Highness the Second Princess and Protector Jang's martial arts have risen to the ranks of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven?"
"It's not quite to that degree. Compared to Alliance Leader Hwangmi, I'm still far off. Protector Jang's level is the same."
"Then . . . ?"
Baek So-gu's gaze turned toward Do Tong-dal. Then Ju Seo-in spoke.
"It was possible because my husband is the greatest master under heaven."
Do Tong-dal displayed his own brand of modesty(?).
"We can't know that yet. The martial world is a place where extraordinary people are as numerous as grains of sand. For example, even just looking at that woman who killed Prince Yeongun, she was by no means inferior to the current Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven."
"You defeated that woman, husband."
"That's true, but seeing how she went on about her master this and that, that master of hers might be stronger than me."
Baek So-gu hastily cut off the back-and-forth.
"Wait! Wait! Tong-dal, are you really the greatest master under heaven? Stronger than Alliance Leader Hwangmi?"
"We haven't fought, but I'd be stronger. Of course, this is a secret. If it reaches old man Hwangmi's ears, he'll definitely pester me."
"You supposedly went somewhere and trained in seclusion for a little over three years, and in that time you became the greatest master under heaven?"
"I obtained a fortuitous encounter."
"What fortuitous encounter?"
"A fortuitous encounter is meant to be kept secret."
"Anyway, so the current greatest master under heaven is you, Tong-dal? A thug who isn't even a martial artist is the greatest master under heaven?"
"It's not all that great for me either, being a thug. What good is it if a thug is the greatest master under heaven? It just means more work."
Judging by the atmosphere in the room, it did not seem to be bluster. The current Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven had never once fought one another.
Bang Si-bo, who had been the Mount Hua Sect Leader, was dead, so the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven had become the Nine Greatest Masters, but that one spot would soon be filled by the gossipmongers.
If those masters, who refused to fight each other because they did not want to fall out of the Ten Greatest Masters Under Heaven, heard this, they would literally foam at the mouth and collapse.
"Hah—! To think the Beggars' Sect didn't even know who the greatest master under heaven was. The Beggars' Sect of all the world . . . ."
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