Monopolizing Fortunes (73)
Monopolizing Fortunes (73)
"Young friend, your words are harsh!"
"My apologies. It seems my words were harsh. I should have said you're trash among trash who can't even get proper treatment from your own family."
"Wh...... what did you say?"
"That's what you said to me. So when you say it, it's fine, but when I say it, it becomes harsh?"
"How dare you compare us to the Underworld! We treated you with courtesy because you're a friend of Lady Namgung, and now you run wild without knowing how high the sky is!"
Hwangbo Jeong-uk and Seomun Jong-yeol wanted to snap Do Tong-dal's neck on the spot, but they were barely holding back because of Namgung Seol-rin.
Do Tong-dal leaned back comfortably against the chair and spoke.
"You two are being pretty pathetic."
"Gr...... grubby?"
"If you're going to hide your jealousy, at least hide it properly to the end."
"Jealousy?"
"You're jealous because Seol-rin seems close to me, aren't you?"
Hwangbo Jeong-uk and Seomun Jong-yeol's faces flushed red.
"Wh...... what grounds do you have for such absurd talk?"
"You've been trying to pick a fight since we first met, and the moment I said I was an Underworld thug, you snapped at me right away. If you don't have the guts to confess, at least don't be so petty."
Bang!
When Seomun Jong-yeol slammed the table, several plates tipped over and spilled food.
"You'll pay the price for running that mouth of yours today! Come out right now!"
Do Tong-dal's expression hardened.
"Are you really confident you can beat me in a fight?"
"What?"
"You're looked down on even within the Seomun Clan because of your martial arts, and you think you can beat me?"
"Y...... you know that......."
"If that handsome nose of yours gets broken by a mere Underworld thug, you might get kicked out of your family. Are you willing to take that risk?"
"......."
"If you don't have the guts, don't bark. And you."
Do Tong-dal's gaze turned to Hwangbo Jeong-uk.
"If you're going to confess to Seol-rin, just do it like a man. You at least seem to have more of a chance than that pretty-faced one."
Smack!
Namgung Seol-rin's hand struck his back again.
"Ugh! Why does this girl hit so hard...?"
"Who are you to talk about chances! There's no chance! Jeong-uk!"
"Uh...... yeah?"
"Do you like me?"
It was a truly direct fastball.
"N...... no, I mean......."
"If Tong-dal says so, it must be true. But there's absolutely no chance, so give up."
"Why is there no chance?"
"There's someone I like."
"Who? Don't tell me......."
All four pairs of eyes gathered on Do Tong-dal.
"That's right. I like Tong-dal."
Everyone wore stunned expressions. Jegal Cheong clapped her hands in admiration.
"Wow! A sudden confession like this!"
"It's not sudden. I confessed long ago, and I'm waiting for Tong-dal's answer now."
"What? You confessed long ago and there's no answer? Why?"
"Because this guy is so impressive."
A man that the Namgung Clan's treasured jewel of the world clings to? And such a person is an Underworld thug?
"You...... does your uncle know about this? If Cheol-hyeon finds out, he'll try to kill that bastard."
Just then, Namgung Cheol-hyeon's voice came from behind.
"Seol-rin!"
"Brother!"
Namgung Cheol-hyeon, who had walked quickly between the tables, embraced Namgung Seol-rin.
"What brings you here? If you're here, that means......."
Do Tong-dal, who had only been showing the back of his head, turned around. Namgung Cheol-hyeon's face brightened even more than when he had seen Namgung Seol-rin.
"Where the needle goes, the thread can't be far behind!"
"Hey, I'm the needle."
The two, who had thrown themselves into a hug, pounded each other's backs vigorously.
"You didn't seem interested in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King, so why did you come all the way here?"
"To get the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King and give it to you."
Namgung Cheol-hyeon whispered.
"I was also agonizing over how to secretly sneak it out if I got it. It's something you absolutely need."
"Hey, what would an Underworld thug do with Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King?"
After finishing his joyful greeting with Do Tong-dal, Namgung Cheol-hyeon's gaze turned to the four people.
"Meeting you all here. The competition for the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King is incredibly fierce."
He said that, but Namgung Cheol-hyeon felt more gladness than tension. From the demeanor of the four people greeting him, Namgung Cheol-hyeon sensed awkwardness.
"Why the faces? Did something happen?"
Seomun Jong-yeol asked.
"Cheol-hyeon, do you know what kind of person your friend is?"
"There's no one in the world who knows everything about this friend."
"He's a thug belonging to an Underworld organization called the Red Tiger Society in Hangzhou."
He said it as if revealing a new fact.
"So?"
Hwangbo Jeong-uk stepped in.
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew. The place where I met this friend Tong-dal was Hangzhou."
"And you became friends? With an Underworld thug?"
Namgung Cheol-hyeon's eyebrows shot up.
"Are you reproaching me right now for becoming friends with an Underworld thug?"
"Of course! The Young Head of the Namgung Clan and the foremost rising talent of the orthodox faction who won the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering has befriended a mere thug! Is this even acceptable! It could become a disgrace to the orthodox faction beyond a disgrace to the Namgung Clan!"
Namgung Cheol-hyeon, who had scanned the four people, spoke.
"So there was a reason the atmosphere was strange. You must have persecuted Tong-dal for being part of the Underworld."
"It's not persecution, it's fact."
"The only fact here is your shallow gaze that saw only his outer shell and failed to see what's inside. Tong-dal is, as far as I know, the bravest person, more righteous than any chivalrous hero, and more just than any orthodox faction. He's also generous enough to forgive his enemies. If Tong-dal weren't so generous, you all, who hurled all sorts of abuse, wouldn't be standing as you are now."
"What do you mean? That thug is stronger than us?"
"He's strong. Stronger than you, stronger than me, and perhaps even stronger than the Ten Great Masters of the world."
Do Tong-dal whispered.
"That doesn't seem right?"
Knowing Namgung Cheol-hyeon's personality of never speaking with exaggeration, everyone couldn't hide their astonished expressions.
Namgung Cheol-hyeon asked Do Tong-dal.
"If you fought Won Dae-yeon, you couldn't win?"
"I couldn't win."
"Not with martial arts. If you fought using any means and methods?"
"Come on. Would Won Dae-yeon even be a match for me? That rigid old fellow would be easy."
"Then what about them?"
Do Tong-dal, who had glanced at the four people, patted Namgung Cheol-hyeon's shoulder.
"Enough. Immature kids made a mistake without knowing any better. Don't let it bother you."
"No, I can't do that."
Namgung Cheol-hyeon looked at the four people and spoke.
"From this moment on, if any of you act discourteously toward my friend Tong-dal, I will not stand by. He is also the benefactor who saved my life, and he may become my brother-in-law."
They thought there was nothing left to be surprised about, but another wave of shock swept over them.
"Br...... brother-in-law?"
"Y...... you're marrying Seol-rin off to a thug?"
"Hey, what are you talking about?"
"Why? Didn't Seol-rin already confess?"
Namgung Seol-rin nodded.
"But......."
"Do you not like my little sister? Of course, what woman could possibly catch your eye, but still, she's my sister, so look on her kindly. Before that girl takes to her bed with lovesickness."
"Brother, it's not that bad."
"Hey, it is that bad."
Before the conversation grew longer, Do Tong-dal changed the subject.
"You haven't eaten yet, right? I ordered a lot of food, so let's eat together."
Eating really is the best way to settle a chaotic atmosphere.
"Oh! That's the mountain delicacy platter I like! There's Seoun Roasted Meat too! This is truly a feast. Why were those precious dishes knocked over? Uncle, there's plenty of room, so let's just eat here."
The people Namgung Cheol-hyeon had called over were Namgung Sang-yeon and eight warriors of the clan.
Among them, only Namgung Sang-yeon joined the table, and the warriors went to another seat. Do Tong-dal called the waiter, ordered new dishes, and had the cold food reheated.
"It's been a while."
Namgung Sang-yeon greeted Do Tong-dal first. Jegal Cheong was surprised that Namgung Sang-yeon knew Do Tong-dal, and she resolved not to be surprised by the man called Do Tong-dal anymore.
"I'm sorry about what happened back then. I apologize once again."
She couldn't help but be surprised. Namgung Sang-yeon, whose pride was as immovable as a ten-thousand-geun boulder, was apologizing like that in front of everyone!
"My wounds have all healed, so please don't worry."
With Namgung Cheol-hyeon's friend and even Namgung Sang-yeon treating him so cautiously, they could no longer dismiss Do Tong-dal as an Underworld thug.
Rather, they who had dismissed him felt more dismissed themselves. Jegal Cheong asked Namgung Cheol-hyeon.
"Cheol-hyeon, how did you come to meet Young Master Do?"
"Secret."
"What? Come on, don't be like that, please tell me."
"Instead, I'll tell you something else. If you go to Hangzhou, be sure to try Sagiju. Then you'll realize how terrible all other liquor was."
Namgung Seol-rin jabbed.
"You just want to go to Cheonsangru using Sagiju as an excuse."
Namgung Cheol-hyeon's eyes grew wistful.
"I absolutely have to go back there. I stopped by Hangzhou and still couldn't go! How unfair this is!"
"Cheonsangru, don't tell me it's a pleasure house?"
"Why wouldn't it be."
"Huh? Cheol-hyeon visits a pleasure house?"
Namgung Seol-rin looked at Do Tong-dal and said.
"That man corrupted my innocent brother."
"You went too, didn't you?"
"Me, well...... I went because I had no choice."
"You mean the girl who only went because she had no choice drank with a courtesan until morning and got completely plastered?"
Hwangbo Jeong-uk, Hwangbo So-yeon, Jegal Cheong, and Seomun Jong-yeol couldn't believe the words flying back and forth before their eyes.
Namgung Cheol-hyeon and Namgung Seol-rin were rumored in the martial world to be martial arts fanatics who knew nothing but martial arts. On top of that, their personalities were so cold and thorough that even Hwangbo Jeong-uk, who had known them for fifteen years, couldn't easily strike up a conversation.
But Namgung Cheol-hyeon visited a pleasure house, and Namgung Seol-rin got drunk to the point of losing consciousness? The two of them casually talking about it was one thing, but Namgung Sang-yeon knowing and saying nothing was astonishing too.
"Hmph, Cheol-hyeon, haven't you loosened up a bit since winning the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?"
"One thing I realized after meeting this friend Tong-dal is that life absolutely needs commas. Uncle, isn't that right?"
"Huh? Yeah...... well, looking at you, it does seem that way."
"Uncle, don't just work all the time. Make some time and come visit Hangzhou sometime. Since we're on the subject, how about stopping by on the way back?"
"That depends on the situation."
"I suppose so."
Do Tong-dal placed a hand on Namgung Cheol-hyeon's shoulder.
"What situation. If you get the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King, drink it as celebration. If you don't, drink it as consolation."
"You're right. Heh heh heh......."
Jegal Cheong pretended to eat while continuously watching Do Tong-dal. In her life, he was the first person to draw her interest like this.
A mere Underworld thug, yet the man Namgung Seol-rin adored, a friend of Namgung Cheol-hyeon, and even someone Namgung Sang-yeon seemed to acknowledge.
'If I peel back more layers, what will come out?'
The Jegal Clan was famous in the martial world for their intelligence, and Jegal Cheong lived up to that reputation.
She could accurately judge what kind of person most people were within one ke of meeting them. But she couldn't do that with Do Tong-dal.
At first, she thought he was an Underworld type without any pride, but before long, she realized her thinking had been wrong.
The reason Do Tong-dal could remain calm in the face of their provocations was the bother of not wanting to deal with them and consideration for Namgung Seol-rin.
How many young men in the martial world could show such composure against the rising talents of martial clans?
Jegal Cheong had never met even one such young man. At the root of the uncontrollable interest she felt toward Do Tong-dal, there was also jealousy toward Namgung Seol-rin.
The reason the Jegal Clan formed one pillar of the Five Great Clans of the martial world was not merely because of their intelligence. With intelligence alone, unaccompanied by martial force, one could never survive in the martial world.
The Jegal Clan possessed martial force befitting the Five Great Clans, and their pride was also immense.
Jegal Cheong had tremendous pride, but in martial arts, she simply could not surpass Namgung Seol-rin. No matter how hard she tried, Namgung Seol-rin always stayed far ahead.
And in the year she turned seventeen, she finally acknowledged it. She could not beat Namgung Seol-rin, neither with talent nor with effort.
'In the end, she's just a daughter of a martial clan.'
Even if her martial arts were outstanding, in the end she would have no choice but to walk the path that countless daughters of martial clans had walked. That was their fate.
But the Namgung Seol-rin she met today was mocking even that fate.
* * *