Blue-Robed Scholar (3)
Seogwigui Gyeon Jabok.
Outwardly, he looked small-framed and boyish, but in truth he was a man in his mid-twenties, the sort who had risen from a plain errand boy to the master of a Hebei branch office. He was a figure of genuine legend.
In the underworld of the Black Sect, in particular, he was known as the Little Crow Spirit, a frightening man famed for his extraordinary ability to gather information and his wide reach. No one doubted that he was capable.
For that reason, Shin Dan-woo was not at all surprised, no matter how young and fresh-faced he looked.
Age mattered little on the black-market floor of the underworld. What mattered was how quickly one read the room, and how sharp and clever one was.
Of course, if he had risen to the rank of branch master, then his martial skill had to be excellent as well.
“So you’re finally showing yourself.”
Seok Geum-ryong smiled with evident satisfaction when he saw Branch Master Gyeon Jabok reveal himself.
“Pardon? You knew I was the branch master?” Gyeon Jabok of the Little Crow asked in surprise.
“I didn’t know you were the branch master, but I did suspect the one in charge was testing us. Otherwise, where in the world would anyone treat a guest so rudely?”
Seok Geum-ryong answered without even blinking.
As expected!
At those keen words, Gyeon Jabok was startled once more. He straightened his clothes and formally bowed.
“Please forgive my rudeness, Young Master Seok Geum-ryong. I have overstepped myself.”
In truth, Gyeon Jabok already knew the identities of Seok Geum-ryong and Shin Dan-woo.
The moment they had set foot in Black Sect territory, that information had been shot straight to the Hebei branch of Haomun.
“You knew who we were?” Shin Dan-woo asked, looking as if he had not expected them to be identified so quickly.
“Of course. This is, after all, a branch office in Hebei. We have a solid grasp of the major figures from Seok Ji-sung, Lord of Seokga Manor, down to the eight heirs, the stewards, the guests, and most of the key people.”
Listening to Gyeon Jabok’s candid answer, Seok Geum-ryong decided that this man was exactly the sort of person who could uncover the hidden past of the Blue-Robed Scholar, Gong Sang-pil.
And perhaps, if things went well, he might become someone with whom they exchanged information for years and grew together.
“Then you also know why we came?”
“I hate to say it, but not quite that far, no...”
At Seok Geum-ryong’s question, Gyeon Jabok lowered his head politely, though his manner suggested vigilance rather than submission.
“Then try to guess.”
“Hm. Since Seokga Manor has now entered the horse trade in earnest, perhaps you came to gather intelligence from our branch and work together on a joint venture?”
To Seok Geum-ryong’s surprise, they even knew that he had become the landlord of Bukcheon-won thanks to the bloody horse, and that he had taken charge of promoting that line of business.
This is impressive.
Seok Geum-ryong smiled faintly, feeling that this was even better than the Beggars’ Sect.
“Then I’m curious whether you’re truly the right kind of man to work with me. Since you’ve tested us, may I test you as well?”
“...!!”
At the word “test,” Gyeon Jabok flinched, struck where he was vulnerable.
“A test? Not at all. I was in the wrong, but I can offer you a little information at a very modest price.”
For the moment, both the Hebei branch of Haomun and Branch Master Gyeon Jabok took a lower posture.
And the reason had nothing to do with fear of Seok Geum-ryong and Shin Dan-woo’s martial strength.
This was Black Sect territory. If they wished it, they could summon an even more terrifying expert here at once.
This young Master Seok Geum-ryong is an exceptional talent, far beyond my expectations, no, beyond even Lord Haomun’s expectations!
And yet they did not do so for one simple reason.
Seok Geum-ryong felt like hidden talent buried in the dust, a lump of gold no one had yet discovered.
They might lose a little in the short term, but in time he seemed likely to bring enormous profit not only to the Hebei branch but to all of Haomun.
“Good. Then as a token of sincerity... bring me all information you have on Gong Sang-pil, the Blue-Robed Scholar under my command.”
“Blue-Robed Scholar?”
At the name, Gyeon Jabok reacted at once.
He had been tense, expecting some kind of difficult test, but the question was so simple that his nerves loosened all at once.
“Blue-Robed Scholar Gong Sang-pil. Age thirty-three. Hometown, Hebei Province...”
Gyeon Jabok was about to rattle off the information from memory, as though it were all too easy and he needn’t even look at a letter, when Seok Geum-ryong cut him off sharply.
“You weren’t about to recite the sort of facts anyone could find out, were you? That he’s from Fengyang County in Hebei, the only son of a family that has produced scholars for generations, that he took the county examination and failed, and then drifted to Seokga Manor... I trust you weren’t going to waste my time with information that obvious?”
“...!!”
At Seok Geum-ryong’s cool recital of what came after, Gyeon Jabok was visibly shocked, his pupils shaking.
“That level of information can be obtained anywhere. You called it a little bit of information, so I wondered how little you meant... Were you really looking down on me?”
Seok Geum-ryong’s tone sharpened as if he were about to take offense, and Gyeon Jabok was dragged helplessly along with it.
“N-no, absolutely not! Of course not.”
By then the atmosphere had completely reversed: the young Seok Geum-ryong was now in command, and the weathered Little Crow Spirit of the Black Sect was the one flustered.
“Pfft.”
The sight was so absurd that even Shin Dan-woo burst out laughing.
It was not merely a matter of being taught one thing and understanding ten; Seok Geum-ryong’s performance was better than his teacher’s. Was this not the true meaning of blue outshining the indigo?
“In fact... our branch keeps certain hidden records. We do have information on the Blue-Robed Scholar, Gong Sang-pil.”
Seok Geum-ryong had succeeded in subduing the other man and taking control of the pace.
In the end, that move bore fruit.
“As Young Master Seok Geum-ryong already knows, Gong Sang-pil comes from the Gong family of Fengyang County in Hebei, a distinguished house that has produced scholars for generations... but you did not know that he was adopted, did you?”
“Adopted?”
Seok Geum-ryong truly had no idea about that.
Even Woo Do-min from his past life had never known it, so it was startling indeed.
“That is correct. Gong Sang-pil was originally not a legitimate son, but a distant relative who lost both parents at a young age. After the family’s only son died, they took him in as an adopted child.”
Only after seeing Seok Geum-ryong’s first genuine look of surprise did Gyeon Jabok finally appear satisfied.
He didn’t know!
Seok Geum-ryong had never imagined Gong Sang-pil was adopted, and even if he had known, it would not previously have been a matter of much concern.
Still, for some reason, he felt it was important to Gong Sang-pil’s past.
There was still more hidden information, and it was equally surprising.
“He was born with literary talent and was exceptionally bright, so he could have passed the county examination with ease. In fact, he did pass the early rounds and was on the verge of being appointed to office, but... when his adoptive parents fell ill and the family fortunes declined, he gave up the appointment and drifted to Seokga Manor instead.”
“So that was it...”
At that hidden story, Seok Geum-ryong’s face was plainly troubled.
Gong Sang-pil always acted cheerful, and when asked about his parents, he had only said that they were living well in a far-off place. Seok Geum-ryong had never suspected anything.
“Are you satisfied now? Did I pass your test?”
The tables had turned again, and Gyeon Jabok wore a self-assured expression.
It was certainly remarkable information, and more impressive still was the foresight to prepare such minor details in advance, knowing they might someday prove useful.
“If even the Beggars’ Sect didn’t know it, I have no choice but to acknowledge it. Ah, right!”
As Seok Geum-ryong nodded to acknowledge the intelligence network of Gyeon Jabok and Haomun’s Hebei branch, something suddenly came to him.
“By any chance, is there anyone in Seokga Manor who shares a hometown with Butler Gong Sang-pil... or is especially close to him?”
Seok Geum-ryong had recalled a memory from the dream he had had before, where Gong Sang-pil had been visited by someone familiar in the young Seok Geum-ryong’s memory.
Since there was still information about Gong Sang-pil that he had not known, he wanted to track down anyone connected to him.
“Ah! Now that you mention it, there is exactly one person from the same hometown.”
* * *
“By your command!”
In Namyeong-won, one of the largest residences within Seokga Manor, someone loudly swore loyalty to his master.
Swish!
What followed was a covert departure from Namyeong-won in the dead of night, moving together with a handful of elite martial artists.
That man was none other than Ju Baek-ryun, the steward under Seok Ju-woo and the fifth steward of Seokga Manor, known as the Wind-and-Cloud Guest.
“You’re all prepared, yes? The young master’s order has been given.”
Ju Baek-ryun was giving careful instructions to several first-class experts capable of standing against a hundred men.
“This operation is to be carried out in the utmost secrecy. If anyone discovers you... then you must keep your mouths shut forever, even in death.”
Ju Baek-ryun had originally been a free-spirited man who roamed the Central Plains wherever the wind and clouds carried him. He was gifted, and his martial skill was excellent as well.
He was known for his broad, open personality and wide network of connections, but at this moment he looked colder than anyone had ever seen him, speaking with grave seriousness.
What he was saying was frightening enough: even if it cost them their lives, they were never to open their mouths, and they were to die keeping the secret.
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
More surprising still was the response of the martial artists.
They answered as though this were only natural, and then followed after the steward for a long while, moving toward some unknown destination.
Their true identity was the escort warriors under Seok Ju-woo, the second young master of Seokga Manor. There could be no doubt they were working on some scheme with Ju Baek-ryun.
Whoosh...
Ju Baek-ryun, whose martial cultivation had reached first-class, led the covert movement of the first-class escort warriors.
And by chance, the destination they sought was not very far from here.
How long did they travel with light-footed movement?
We’ve arrived. This is the place!
At the subtle transmission from Ju Baek-ryun, who led the group, the several skilled martial artists all stopped at once and suppressed their presence.
To everyone’s surprise, the place they had come to was Fengyang County in Hebei, a rural district known for good water and clean air. It was also Ju Baek-ryun’s hometown.
Never would I have imagined coming back to my hometown for something like this.
Just before carrying out the deed, Ju Baek-ryun found himself thinking that with a strange mix of feeling.
Though it was not known to the world, the hometown where Wind-and-Cloud Guest Ju Baek-ryun had been born and raised was none other than Fengyang County, Hebei.
For that reason, he knew the tiny county extremely well, and from that knowledge he had obtained one useful piece of information by chance.
Namely...
This is where the adoptive parents of Blue-Robed Scholar Gong Sang-pil live.
A low, modest stone wall stood before a humble thatched house beyond it.
It was the home of the Gong couple, who, though not wealthy, lacked for nothing thanks to the excellent son they had raised.
The Gong family was famous throughout the otherwise insignificant Fengyang district as an old and respected household.
In front of the Gong couple’s home, where good deeds were regularly performed and the front gate was left open, enough gifts had piled up that even thieves would have felt embarrassed and grateful. And yet now men steeped in a sinister killing aura had stepped inside.
What, exactly, was their purpose?