Monopolizing Fortunes (72)
Monopolizing Fortunes (72)
"That could be."
"Don't let on that you belong to the Hangzhou Underworld."
"Why? I'm not ashamed of it."
"If word gets out that you're with the Hangzhou Red Tiger Society, every underworld outfit in the Central Plains will have eyes on us. 'Good heavens! A daughter of the Namgung Clan is in the Red Tiger Society!'—like that."
"Don't do Peking opera."
"Was it that bad?"
"Yeah."
"Other underworld groups getting wary of the Red Tiger Society does us no good."
"Fine for me, but what are you going to say?"
"I've got no reason to hide."
"A daughter of the Namgung Clan going around with a Hangzhou underworld thug?"
"Is that strange?"
Namgung Seol-rin shrugged.
"Oh? Isn't that Lady Namgung?"
Namgung Seol-rin turned her head and saw a handsome young nobleman. He had large eyes, a straight nose, red lips like a woman's, and a slender jaw.
He had the kind of looks that made you think you could never go wrong using him as a model for a handsome man. His name was Seomun Jong-yeol.
"It has been a while."
Her greeting was flat, showing neither pleasure nor displeasure.
"Have you also come all this way because of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King, Lady Namgung?"
"I came to do some sightseeing as well. Two birds with one stone."
"I heard Cheol-hyeon is here too, but it seems you didn't come together."
"No. I came separately from my brother."
"Let's not stand about in the street. Come to our inn. You'll see a good many familiar faces."
Namgung Seol-rin looked at Do Tong-dal. For her, this was simply an indifferent occasion, but for Do Tong-dal it could turn into an uncomfortable time.
"Let's go. In this vast Central Plains, meeting friends isn't an easy thing."
Do Tong-dal did not want to see Namgung Seol-rin avoid the gathering because of him.
"And the person accompanying you—from which clan does he hail?"
When they don't know the other party's identity, trailing off like that seems to be a habit of people in the martial world.
"He's my friend."
"A friend? For Lady Namgung to make a friend, he must be someone special."
Under the repeated pressure to reveal his identity, Do Tong-dal spoke.
"I'm with the Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou."
"Was there a sect called the Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou?"
To Seomun Jong-yeol, it could only be something he had never heard of.
"It's not a martial sect...."
Do Tong-dal was about to speak when Seomun Jong-yeol waved toward the other side of the street.
"Jeong-uk!"
The man who answered Seomun Jong-yeol's call was nearly six cheok tall and so unusually large in build that he was recognizable even from a distance.
"You know Hwangbo Jeong-uk as well, don't you, Lady Namgung?"
"I know him well."
Hwangbo Jeong-uk, a friend of Namgung Cheol-hyeon, had sometimes stayed at the Namgung Clan for a month at a time when he was young.
"Oh? Isn't that Seol-rin?"
"It's been a while, Jeong-uk."
"Hahaha! I never expected to see you here, Seol-rin."
Seomun Jong-yeol spoke.
"We met by chance on the way and are heading to the inn where we're staying. This gentleman is with the Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou."
"The Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou? Was there such a sect in Hangzhou?"
"The Red Tiger Society isn't a martial sect...."
"Oh my! Seol-rin—!"
Do Tong-dal let out a long sigh and muttered, "Forget it." Seeing the woman bounding over in delight, Namgung Seol-rin frowned.
Do Tong-dal whispered to Namgung Seol-rin.
"A friend you're not glad to see?"
"I don't dislike her, but being around her is tiring."
Unlike her, the woman who came running with a delighted face threw her arms around Namgung Seol-rin.
"It really has been so long! Has it been two years? Hmm.... One year and 308 days. I went to the Namgung Clan six months ago, and you weren't there—I was so disappointed!"
"Cheong, you're as noisy as ever."
"Hohoho! And our Seol-rin is as prickly as ever."
"Seeing that you've come too, the Jegal Clan must want the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King quite badly."
"Who cares who eats some old wild ginseng? I'm just using the chance to tour the Central Plains. And meeting such welcome faces like this. But who is this...?"
"He's with the Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou, absolutely not a martial sect...."
Do Tong-dal quickly looked around, sensing that someone else was about to appear. Fortunately, there were no further interruptions.
"Not a martial sect, but the Hangzhou Underworld...."
There was no one in front of him. Namgung Seol-rin, surrounded by the three of them, was already walking off into the distance. A passerby went by saying, "Muttering to himself like a madman."
"Why ask if you don't even care, damn it?"
Do Tong-dal trudged after them. The inn they entered was probably the largest and most splendid building in this Jigang County.
Two three-story pavilions stood at the rear, and at the front sat a lavish two-story dining hall.
"Where did you all go, leaving me all alone?"
A woman who had been occupying a table by herself by the window complained. Then she saw Namgung Seol-rin and brightened.
"Seol-rin!"
Delight also rose on Namgung Seol-rin's face.
"So-yeon, you came too?"
It was Hwangbo So-yeon, Hwangbo Jeong-uk's younger sister. Once everyone had taken seats around the round table, Namgung Seol-rin looked around for Do Tong-dal.
Do Tong-dal was at the entrance of the dining hall, talking with a waiter about something. After pressing a few coins into the waiter's hand, Do Tong-dal came over to them.
Namgung Seol-rin patted the seat beside her.
"Sit."
Hwangbo So-yeon asked.
"And this is...?"
All eyes gathered on Do Tong-dal. Everyone had asked who Do Tong-dal was, but no one had received a proper answer.
"I'm no one. I pay for the sightseeing, and Seol-rin protects me in the dangerous martial world. Well, something like that."
"Seol-rin? Is he your friend, Seol-rin?"
"Probably."
"Wow—! Seol-rin has a man for a friend! If the promising young men of the martial world found out, the flames of jealousy would... Ah! Hot! There are two fireballs right here too."
At Jegal Cheong's teasing, Hwangbo Jeong-uk and Seomun Jong-yeol scolded her to stop talking nonsense.
Do Tong-dal asked.
"No one's eaten yet, right?"
No one had eaten an early lunch. Hwangbo So-yeon ran her eyes down the names of dishes hanging on the wall, saying, "What's this place good at?"
"I've already ordered."
Everyone was startled by Do Tong-dal's words.
"Already? How did you know what we'd want to eat?"
"I ordered a variety, so you can pick what looks good."
Jegal Cheong spoke.
"The food here must cost quite a bit. They say the prices have doubled these days because so many martial artists have come."
"We can each pay our own share. We're not hard up."
At Namgung Seol-rin's words, Do Tong-dal waved his hand.
"What are you talking about? I'm the one who ordered, so I should pay."
"Oh my! You must have a lot of money?"
"I do."
"I've never met a decent person among those who brag about money."
"Lady Jegal, saying that is too rude to him."
At Seomun Jong-yeol's mild reproach, Jegal Cheong answered without concern.
"It's the truth. There's no way he earned that money himself at his age."
Jegal Cheong stared at Do Tong-dal. By now, his face should have flushed and he should have protested about something.
But Do Tong-dal's face was as calm as if he hadn't heard.
"A nouveau riche and thick-skinned besides. Seol-rin, is he really your friend?"
Namgung Seol-rin gave a small laugh.
"He just thinks you're not worth talking to."
"Huh? You're taking his side pretty hard. Are you two really friends? Unless...."
Namgung Seol-rin was about to say something when Do Tong-dal brightened.
"Oh hey, the food came out fast!"
The waiter could be seen pulling a cart laden with all sorts of dishes from over there. Watching the dishes being set out in rows on the table, Do Tong-dal said.
"These are the most delicious dishes in this restaurant, so there should be at least one or two that suit your taste."
After that, the cart made two more round trips. Even for sons and daughters of prestigious clans, such a lavish spread was hard to come by.
Hwangbo Jeong-uk spoke.
"A single meal is a bit excessive."
"Do you know why meals are important?"
"Because stamina matters?"
"Because once you miss one, you may never find it again in your lifetime. Mmm! This Dongpo pork is really delicious."
Since the dishes were the pride of a first-rate chef, everyone found them to their taste. Do Tong-dal held a bottle of liquor out to Namgung Seol-rin.
"Have a drink."
Everyone was surprised to see Namgung Seol-rin casually hold out her cup.
"Seol-rin, you drink too?"
Namgung Seol-rin tasted the liquor and grimaced.
"What is this?"
"Yeohong."
"It's worse than Sagiju."
"It's hard to find liquor as good as Hangzhou's Sagiju. Here, everyone have a drink."
The four of them held out their cups before they knew it and received Do Tong-dal's liquor. With good food and drink, the mood quickly turned warm and friendly.
As they were already acquainted, they talked about old times, and Do Tong-dal simply listened without a word.
Suddenly Seomun Jong-yeol asked Do Tong-dal.
"By the way, why did you come here? Surely you're not after the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King."
"Why do you think I'm not?"
"Look at the martial artists gathered here. What are the odds, even one in a hundred, that you could obtain the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King?"
"By the odds, yours don't seem much better than mine either, Seomun."
"I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but that could be heard as slighting the Seomun Clan, so be careful."
"And do you know me, Seomun?"
"If it's some nameless sect in Hangzhou...."
"I've been trying to say this for a while now, but the Red Tiger Society is not a martial sect."
"Then a merchant company?"
"An underworld society."
Everyone's faces went blank.
"By underworld society... you mean back-alley thugs?"
"That's right."
Namgung Seol-rin, receiving the gazes of all four at once, nodded and confirmed Do Tong-dal's words.
"Seol-rin, why are you traveling with an underworld thug?"
Namgung Seol-rin answered Hwangbo Jeong-uk's question with a question.
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
"A person ought to associate with those of matching standing. If you keep company with an underworld thug, what do you think your uncle would say?"
Seomun Jong-yeol joined in as well.
"I don't know why Lady Namgung is traveling with an underworld thug, but this doesn't seem right. Has he got some hold over you?"
Namgung Seol-rin gently set down her chopsticks and was about to say something when Do Tong-dal suddenly burst out laughing with a "Pfft!" So her arrow turned back toward Do Tong-dal.
"Is this situation funny?"
"I was just thinking how every single person I meet reacts exactly the same way. The moment I say I'm a thug, they all come out like that. Even if you stamped people out of a mold, they wouldn't be more identical than this."
"That's because you just sit there like a fool."
"I'm sitting still so you can have a good time with your friends."
"Since when was your consideration so silky-smooth? For an underworld thug."
Hwangbo So-yeon asked.
"Are you really an underworld thug? The kind who extort protection money from merchants, traffic people, sell drugs, that sort of thing?"
"There are some of those we don't do, but yes, that kind of underworld."
"Then you're an unorthodox villain?"
Seomun Jong-yeol spoke.
"Underworld thugs are the lowest of the low, despised even by the unorthodox martial world."
Jegal Cheong, who had been staring at Do Tong-dal, asked.
"To hear that and not even change color—are you transcendent, or do you simply have no pride?"
"Hah! Would an underworld thug dare put on airs before us?"
In the end, Namgung Seol-rin said a word.
"I said he's my friend. If you keep being rude...."
Hwangbo Jeong-uk cut her off.
"I don't know what the story is, but this is wrong. They say one takes the color of the ink one is near. Keeping someone like that close will do you no good. How can someone as smart as you not know that?"
Namgung Seol-rin gripped the edge of the table.
"Why, you...!"
Do Tong-dal caught her arm as she was about to flip the table.
"Hold it in."
"Why are you suddenly acting like a saint?"
"Because there's no reason to get angry."
"Damn it! You're not scared just because they're sons and daughters of martial clans, are you?"
"Nah, it's not that."
"Then what's different between them and the people who said that kind of thing to you before? Did you hold it in back then too?"
"Because once we part ways with them here, we'll never see them again. Underworld thugs and martial clan children have no point of contact. They're just people passing through. Fighting them and making things awkward for you too would be ridiculous."
"You're holding back because of me?"
"Well, there's that too. The bigger reason is they're not even worth fighting."
"But...."
"Don't get worked up. What do kids barely around twenty know? Born into martial clans and raised being treated well, they grew up spoiled rotten. Why should I bother fighting such children?"
Seomun Jong-yeol shot to his feet.
"Did you just call us spoiled-rotten children?"
* * *