All Matters Return to Righteousness (3)
The physician who rushed to Jeong Hwiji's side bowed deeply.
"This should give him some breathing room."
"Physician Choi."
"Yes, Family Head."
"Take good care of Father. Save him with the Qingming Pill, no matter what."
Jeong Hwiji patted the physician's shoulder.
To anyone watching, it looked like genuine concern for the family head.
But Yi Mu-myeong, who had spent a long time in the Henan Jeong Family, knew it was all an act.
Everyone from the guards to the servants knew of Jeong Hwiji's ambitions.
After the physician left and some time passed,
"Wh-what?!"
A panicked shout came from inside.
Moments later, the physician burst out, pale as a ghost, eyes wide.
"The Family Head is in danger!"
"What? What happened?"
"It... it seems the Qingming Pill was poisoned."
Yi Mu-myeong narrowed his eyes at their exchange.
It was clearly Jeong Hwiji's trap.
The Qingming Pill he had brought was fake, but he knew it contained no poison.
The real one, given by Lady Jeonghwa, in the Cold Iron Box, had been taken by Han Bin.
Yi Mu-myeong silently stared at Jeong Hwiji.
His face showed panic, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward ever so slightly.
Yi Mu-myeong took a deep breath and spoke.
"What do you mean? How could the Qingming Pill be poisoned?"
"I'm sorry, Fourth Young Master. We must follow the family rules."
Jeong Hwiji reached out.
His index finger pressed Yi Mu-myeong's shoulder acupoint, the Yeonjeong.
Pik!
Instantly, Yi Mu-myeong couldn't move his upper body.
His pressure points had been sealed.
Seol-hwa, beside him, widened her eyes in a tearful expression.
She looked like a child too shocked to even cry.
Even in this absurd situation, Yi Mu-myeong couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Others might be fooled, but Seol-hwa was clearly acting.
She stayed calm, carrying out her mission.
But he couldn't stop his racing heart.
They had fallen into the trap, after all—maintaining composure was impossible.
Then Jeong Hwiji shouted,
"Seize the suspects! Treat them with respect, as substitutes."
At his vague command, the guards protecting the family head's quarters sprang forward.
They bound Yi Mu-myeong and Seol-hwa in an instant.
Yi Mu-myeong, tightly bound with Seol-hwa, was dragged to the underground prison of the Henan Jeong Family.
His pounding heart calmed only after the strangely gentle binding.
He hadn't noticed amid the chaos, but Jo Ho had bound him.
And Sim Miho had bound Seol-hwa.
In a way, having his pressure points sealed was a stroke of luck.
Without it, his expression would have betrayed him.
Thud, thud.
Walking the prison corridor, Jo Ho stopped at the last cell.
He unlocked the iron bars.
As the prison door swung open, Jo Ho and Sim Miho shoved Yi Mu-myeong and Seol-hwa inside roughly.
Thud.
Shoved so hard, they tumbled across the stone floor.
One of Jeong Hwiji's subordinates, watching, chuckled.
"Heh, the young master said to handle them gently."
"For criminals, this is gentle."
Sim Miho cupped her fists in salute, and the subordinate smirked.
"You guys really get it. Just hang in there a few more days. We'll make you rich for life."
"Understood!"
Sim Miho bowed exaggeratedly low.
Anyone watching would think she'd sell out the whole Henan Jeong Family.
Sim Miho and Jo Ho left without a glance at Yi Mu-myeong and Seol-hwa.
Yi Mu-myeong was impressed again by their ruthless acting.
For a moment, he even wondered if it was real.
Then Seol-hwa used a splinter of wood from the floor to write in front of Yi Mu-myeong.
It seemed she wanted to communicate in writing to avoid sound leaking out.
Scritch.
The words formed.
-Uncle, you okay?
Yi Mu-myeong realized his speech and movement points were both sealed as he tried to reply.
As he stared blankly, Seol-hwa erased the words and wrote again.
Scritch.
-I'll unseal your pressure points. Move carefully when you can.
Finishing, she pressed his acupoint with her finger.
Pik!
Now Yi Mu-myeong could move.
A question arose in his mind.
Seol-hwa's points hadn't been sealed, but she had been bound.
How could she write?
Turning, he saw the ropes neatly coiled beside her.
Another question added.
Jeong Hwiji had only sealed his upper body.
A sophisticated technique.
That meant Seol-hwa was at least peak high-grade.
A chill ran down Yi Mu-myeong's spine.
She had chosen to stay at Cheonsu Manor on borrowed time after giving her heart to Han Bin, but he hadn't expected monsters like her swarming the place.
Suddenly, he recalled the story Han Bin had told days ago about his clash with the Blood Demon Sorcerers.
Yi Mu-myeong had thought it exaggerated.
Even if true, Han Bin hadn't done it alone.
When they crossed swords before, he'd thought he knew Han Bin's full strength...
'But I didn't even glimpse the depths.'
Yi Mu-myeong closed his eyes quietly.
* * *
At the same time, in the Henan Jeong Family's guest hall.
Two men sat before Jeong Hwiji.
They were the experts from Jeomcheong Sect and Kunlun Sect, guests of the family.
Jeomcheong's was Jeong Changmyeong; Kunlun's, Yi Jinmyeong.
Jeong Hwiji spoke first.
"Something unfortunate has happened within the Henan Jeong Family."
"What is it?"
As Jeong Changmyeong of Jeomcheong asked, Jeong Hwiji continued in a low voice.
"The Qingming Pill arrived today."
"Oh ho, then the Family Head will shake off his illness and rise."
"I hoped so too, but an unspeakable incident occurred."
"Unspeakable...?"
"Nothing I can't tell you two. The elixir we thought was the Qingming Pill was poisoned. Father's fragile consciousness has now faded completely."
"Heh."
"The problem is the aftermath. The Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master orchestrated swapping it with poison."
"Hm."
Jeong Changmyeong stroked his beard.
The Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master—that wicked brat he'd seen recently.
He still remembered being overpowered despite trying to bully him with seniority.
Jeong Changmyeong had decades in the jianghu.
He knew the situation well.
His hand stopped stroking; his mouth opened.
"What do you want us to do?"
"It seems my eldest brother is involved."
"Heh, the Great Young Master?"
Jeong Changmyeong feigned ignorance, stroking his beard again.
Jeong Hwiji continued.
"Father said he'd restructure the succession if he woke. That's what scared them."
"......"
Jeong Changmyeong nodded silently.
Then Yi Jinmyeong of Kunlun, listening, spoke.
"Then we just witness the family trial as Justice Alliance representatives?"
"Yes, exactly. This can't leak yet. Not until my brother returns from seeking the Great Reversion Pill. I hear he'll come back empty-handed in a few days. Step in then."
"Yes, fine. But we need some justification for meddling in family affairs..."
As Yi Jinmyeong trailed off, Jeong Hwiji offered two boxes.
Slide.
Two flat boxes sat before Jeong Changmyeong and Yi Jinmyeong.
Jeong Changmyeong glanced away, slightly disappointed by the size.
Yi Jinmyeong averted his eyes too.
Jeong Hwiji smirked and stood, a faint smile on his lips.
He bowed, then opened the boxes lightly.
Gold gleamed inside.
Jeomcheong elder Jeong Changmyeong let out a soft gasp.
"Heh."
Kunlun's prized disciple Yi Jinmyeong matched him.
"Not silver, but gold... I don't know where to put myself."
Finishing, Yi Jinmyeong swiftly pulled his box onto his lap.
* * *
Two days later, in the Henan Jeong Family prison.
Yi Mu-myeong's expression shifted constantly.
He'd been relieved seeing Sim Miho and Jo Ho, but unease grew.
They hadn't visited since.
What was happening outside?
Glancing aside, Seol-hwa sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
Circulating qi in this situation.
Then,
A door opened far off.
Clank!
At the sound, Seol-hwa quickly ended her meditation and rebound herself with the coiled ropes.
Her skill bordered on the supernatural.
Yi Mu-myeong thought only street performers could do such things.
He still couldn't fathom Seol-hwa's identity.
A mountain bandit street troupe?
Yi Mu-myeong was starting to resemble Jang Ja-myeong.
Then,
One of Jeong Hwiji's subordinates appeared before the bars, smirking slyly.
"Both of you, stand up!"
Yi Mu-myeong narrowed his eyes.
The man knew him as Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master—yet spoke so rudely?
It signaled intent to kill.
As Yi Mu-myeong glared, the subordinate said,
"I'll give you one piece of friendly advice."
"......"
"The family trial is about to begin. Just nod along with our Second Young Master then. You might keep your head."
"......"
As Yi Mu-myeong stared silently, the subordinate added,
"Right, your movement points are still sealed. Anyway, remember that."
Then,
Seol-hwa spoke.
"You'll let me live too, right, mister?"
"Yes, you weren't sealed, so you can talk sense. Same for you. Say yes to everything, and you'll go home safe. I'll be back soon."
With that, Jeong Hwiji's subordinate left the prison.
As he departed, Seol-hwa giggled.
"Whew, today's the last day of this charade. Right, uncle?"
Unlike her smile, Yi Mu-myeong's face was stone-hard.
"You're worried, huh. Things have gone this far; we should've heard something from outside by now. Seeing Jeong Hwiji and his cronies still strutting around is unsettling."
"Uncle, don't you trust the young master?"
"Of course I do. But even he hasn't shown up, so I can't help the anxiety. I'm worried about the Family Head too."
"The young master left first; he's probably handled everything."
Seol-hwa gazed at Yi Mu-myeong with a smile.
Yi Mu-myeong was dumbfounded by her demeanor.
Even trusting Han Bin, with death looming, how could she be so nonchalant?
The Family Head's condition had clearly worsened.
And the Great Young Master was away.
Could they really turn this around?
Yi Mu-myeong thought it impossible.
Then,
Footsteps echoed from afar.
Thud, thud!