Chapter 121. Unexpected Movement (1)
At the same time, in the family head's quarters of the Henan Jeong Family.
Once the cleanup had reached a certain point, Family Head Jeong Muryong sat face-to-face with Hanbin.
Hanbin wore a kindly expression as he examined the contents nestled against his chest.
It was the necklace he hadn't removed from his body since departing for the Henan Jeong Family.
His face as he checked the necklace was brighter than ever.
In a way, he looked serenely enlightened, like some enlightened monk who had attained nirvana.
In stark contrast, Jeong Muryong struggled to find the right words to say.
He gazed at Hanbin for a moment.
Jeong Muryong had a habit of looking people directly in the eyes when facing them.
One could usually gauge the depth of a person's life from their eyes. But those eyes, devoid of any greed, were impossible to measure.
The family head, who had been steadily downing his tea, finally spoke quietly.
"Young hero, allow me first to express my gratitude for saving our family."
Hanbin quickly waved his hand.
"As I said last time, the title of 'young hero' is far too much for me. For the absolute ruler of Henan to call me that only adds to my burden."
"If we don't bestow the title of young hero upon the man who saved the Henan Jeong Family, then who should we give it to?"
This was Jeong Muryong's sincere sentiment.
But Hanbin just smiled lightly and replied,
"I didn't save the Henan Jeong Family specifically—I merely did my utmost for the righteous factions as a whole. So please, withdraw the title of young hero. Besides, by blood ties, aren't you practically my great-uncle?"
Hanbin kept his kindly face, a gentle smile curving his lips.
Half of what he said was true.
He hadn't set out specifically to save the Henan Jeong Family.
The goal of this plan had been to sever his ill-fated connection with Lady Jeonghwa and complete the formulas of the Yongrin Sword Art.
But the part about blood ties making him a great-uncle was entirely sincere.
Since Paeng Kangwi was Jeong Muryong's son-in-law, that made Jeong Muryong something like Hanbin's granduncle.
At Hanbin's words, Family Head Jeong Muryong stroked his beard and let out a low hum.
"Hm..."
His eyes held no greed, reminiscent of a shaman from Mudang or a Daoist from the Volcanic Sect.
His hand, stroking his beard, came to a stop.
"Though Lady Jeonghwa married out of the family, a thread of paternal affection remained due to our blood ties. But now, not even that exists."
"In that case..."
As Hanbin narrowed his eyes and trailed off, Jeong Muryong's gaze shifted.
"Lady Jeonghwa is no longer my daughter."
"That's a difficult decision."
Hanbin nodded solemnly with a mournful expression.
Of course, it was all for show.
One rotten tooth had finally been pulled.
But Hanbin wasn't one to stop there.
As if it were time to drive the nail in deeper, he shifted from a mournful look to a sharp one.
Noticing the change, Jeong Muryong asked,
"Is something the matter?"
"Aren't you curious, Family Head?"
"Curious about what?"
"About whether the Cold Iron Box sent by your daughter—no, Lady Jeonghwa—actually contained the genuine Qingming Pill from Kunlun."
"Hm."
Jeong Muryong let out a slight hum.
"We'll have to check that ourselves. What I passed to Jeong Hwiji wasn't the Cold Iron Box given to me by Lady Jeonghwa."
With that, Hanbin glanced at Jang Ja-myeong beside him.
Meeting his gaze, Jang Ja-myeong pulled something from his luggage and handed it to Hanbin.
Jeong Muryong's eyes widened at the sight.
It was unmistakably a Cold Iron Box.
Hanbin slid the Cold Iron Box across the table to Jeong Muryong opposite him and continued,
"Please verify the sealed stamp."
"Yes, understood."
Jeong Muryong lifted the Cold Iron Box, narrowing his eyes as he inspected the seal.
Hanbin pressed on with a serious expression.
"This is the Cold Iron Box Lady Jeonghwa handed me. Once you see the seal, you'll be able to discern its authenticity."
"This matches the seal Lady Jeonghwa has used since her time in the Henan Jeong Family. In that case, the one I took before..."
As Jeong Muryong trailed off, Hanbin finished for him.
"That one was fake. Not quite a Spirit Pill, but still a tonic of some sort."
"Then, the instruction to pretend to lose consciousness and worsen afterward was..."
"To gauge your response. Jeong Hwiji acted as if that fake Qingming Pill was poison, didn't he?"
"..."
"I suspect the Cold Iron Box Lady Jeonghwa gave me contains poison. Whether you check it or not is entirely up to you, Family Head."
"Hm."
Family Head Jeong Muryong let out a low groan, his eyes flicking between the Cold Iron Box and Hanbin.
A flicker of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure passed through his previously serene gaze.
His first encounter with Hanbin had been just a few days ago, at dawn.
When the two servants entered to collect his urine, he had felt the usual shame, as always.
The absolute ruler of Henan, unable to even control his bowels?
Ever since collapsing from this inexplicable illness, Jeong Muryong had been in this state.
Sometimes he wanted to die, but seeing his family crumbling reignited his will to rise again.
Before the servants entered, Jeong Muryong had prayed to heaven and earth and the gods.
If they saved his family, he would offer his life in return.
And a miracle occurred.
Hanbin and Jang Ja-myeong hid in his chambers, treating him day and night without rest.
On the first day, sensation returned to his limbs; on the second, he could channel his qi through them.
They had treated him for a mere two days in total.
Jeong Muryong came to see Hanbin as a divine physician sent from the heavens.
But after witnessing Hanbin's prowess in the family head's quarters, he changed his mind.
A Hwagyeong realm master at such a young age?
Of course, it was an illusion from Hanbin's feigned display, but Jeong Muryong believed it.
He revised his judgment: in a mere ten years, this man would dominate the martial world.
Yet now, his assessment of Hanbin shifted once more.
His schemes were on par with the Justice Alliance's strategists.
What exactly was Hanbin's true nature?
A divine being?
A martial prodigy sent from heaven?
Or had Zhuge Liang been reborn?
Amid these swirling questions, Jeong Muryong quietly tucked the Cold Iron Box into his bosom.
Even if it contained poison as Hanbin said, he wanted to keep that knowledge to himself.
Gazing at the mournful Jeong Muryong, Hanbin rose from his seat.
"With this, I've completed my escort mission from the Hebei Paeng Family to the Henan Jeong Family."
Finishing his words, Hanbin quietly clasped his hands in a fist salute.
He had wanted to explain everything while treating Jeong Muryong.
But his condition had been more severe than expected, so treatment came first.
Resolving the incidents in the Henan Jeong Family came next.
Now that he'd laid it all out, the mission was perfectly complete.
At Hanbin's gesture, Jeong Muryong also rose and returned the salute.
"You honor us too much, young hero."
"Please drop the young hero title now."
"If the title burdens you, I'll call you little hero for the time being."
"Lower your speech as well. Next time we meet, I'll greet you as the youngest young master of the Paeng Family. It wouldn't be fitting otherwise."
"Haha, very well then."
Jeong Muryong chuckled lowly.
He understood what Hanbin meant.
Calling him young hero implied the Blue Cloud Emissary.
Yet Hanbin showed no desire to reveal himself as such.
Jeong Muryong admired this.
What martial artist lacked fame or ambition?
A Hwagyeong master hiding his light?
It was almost laughable.
How much effort had he poured into raising Jeong Hwiji as Henan's greatest swordsman?
And how proudly had the Henan Jeong Family boasted of having such a master?
Yet the Hebei Paeng Family had nurtured a Hwagyeong expert while keeping it secret.
Suddenly, Jeong Muryong felt a chill at the depth of the Hebei Paeng Family's hidden power.
But he resolved to take the secret of his benefactor Hanbin to his grave.
At the end of his long laugh, Jeong Muryong said,
"Then, allow me one question, little hero."
"Ask away, elder."
"How should I repay this grace?"
At the question, Hanbin's eyes gleamed as he silently stared at Jeong Muryong.
Suddenly, the room fell into heavy silence.
Jeong Muryong waited patiently without pressing.
As the quiet grew awkward, Hanbin finally spoke, raising a single finger.
"There's just one thing I want."
Jeong Muryong leaned forward, forgetting his dignity as family head at Hanbin's earnest gaze.
"What is it?"
"Confiscate all of Lady Jeonghwa's assets and let me manage them."
Hanbin waited for Family Head Jeong Muryong's reply with that same serene, desireless expression.
Jeong Muryong fell into thought for a moment.
His daughter Lady Jeonghwa had continued managing several profitable interests even after marrying into the Hebei Paeng Family.
Hanbin was asking for those.
He had asked how to repay the grace, but he hadn't expected such a direct demand.
A man's word was worth a fortune in gold, but he needed to know the reason.
Especially since Hanbin seemed utterly devoid of greed for wealth or fame—it only piqued his curiosity more.
With eyes full of curiosity, Jeong Muryong asked,
"May I ask why? It's not mere greed, so I must inquire, little hero. Feel no pressure to answer; keep it to yourself if you wish."
"I want to uncover every atrocity Lady Jeonghwa committed in the Hebei Paeng Family. I believe every one of her schemes was backed by the interests she took from the Henan Jeong Family."
"Hm."
Family Head Jeong Muryong let out a hum.
Hanbin's intent was clear: to clip the wings of his mortal enemy completely.
The deliberation didn't last long.
"Very well. I'll see to it."
Jeong Muryong's own intent was simple.
He would sever ties not only with his daughter Lady Jeonghwa but also with her blood kin, Paeng Mubin and Paeng Kyungbin.
"Thank you."
Hanbin gave a slight bow, and Jeong Muryong waved it off.
"No need. It was something I should have done long ago, little hero."
At Jeong Muryong's words, Hanbin glanced back.
Jang Ja-myeong, standing beside him, hung his head with the look of someone who knew this was coming.
He was astonished by Hanbin's actions yet longed to flee at moments like this.
What Hanbin had done in the Henan Jeong Family clearly merited the title of young hero.
But what he might do next was the problem.
Ignoring Jang Ja-myeong's bowed head, Hanbin lightly snapped his fingers.
Snap!
At the sudden gesture, Family Head Jeong Muryong tilted his head in surprise.
But Jang Ja-myeong nodded along with his head still lowered.
As if he'd seen it coming.
Before Jeong Muryong's tilted head could right itself, the door opened.
Creak...
Someone darted lightly through the gap.
It was none other than Seolhwa.
Jeong Muryong narrowed his eyes.
This girl, who seemed untrained in martial arts yet wielded her dagger with uncanny skill.
He had planned to inquire about her true identity later, given her dainty appearance and lethal hands—and here she was.
Seolhwa ignored Family Head Jeong Muryong entirely, untying a bundle on the table.
Whoosh.
As the bundle unfurled, Jeong Muryong's head tilted even further.
He simply couldn't grasp what was happening.
Ignoring his gaze, Seolhwa carefully spread out a sheet of paper on the table.
She then poured ink from a log into the inkstone and said,
"Young master, I just ground fresh ink in the other room."
"Good. Thanks, Seolhwa."
Unable to hold back at their exchange, Jeong Muryong asked,
"What in the world is going on, little hero?"