163. Flattered by the Chickens, Are We?
Watching the Blood Purifying Pills pile up, Won Seung felt a surge of greed. He headed home and fetched the ingredients he'd stockpiled to make Great Reversion Pills and Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pills.
"What's all this?"
Gong I-gwan asked, curiosity piqued.
"Call all the senior brothers."
Once the Cheondaemun disciples had gathered, he spoke up.
"As sect leader... I want to see what my seniors can do. Make some Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pills."
The Cheondaemun disciples got right to work without complaint.
Unaware of Won Seung's ulterior motives, the Cheondaemun folk were simply stunned by his sheer wealth. The herbs for Blood Purifying Pills and Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pills were insanely expensive and numerous. They'd never dared make them casually before, but with Won Seung throwing money around like water and supplying them in abundance, their enthusiasm ignited. The disciples threw themselves into refining the pills.
A few days later, they had two hundred Blood Purifying Pills and eighteen Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pills.
Won Seung assembled the disciples and distributed one Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pill and five Blood Purifying Pills to each. He pocketed four Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pills and 130 Blood Purifying Pills for himself.
Then he pulled something from his bosom.
"I've seen your skills. Now let's challenge a new realm."
Won Seung unwrapped the package, revealing the powdered Great Reversion Pill.
A clear, ethereal fragrance filled the room.
"What is that?"
Jang Go On instantly recognized it as a top-tier elixir and asked, eyes gleaming.
"This is the famous Shaolin Great Reversion Pill."
"Great Reversion Pill?"
"Ah...!"
The Cheondaemun disciples buzzed with excitement. It was the dream of every physician to lay eyes on a Shaolin Great Reversion Pill.
"I got a fragment by chance and powdered it to analyze the ingredients."
Won Seung swiftly unrolled a scroll listing the 105 herbs noted by Dok Sabu.
"The Great Reversion Pill contains 108 ingredients. These are 105 of them. We need to figure out the remaining three, plus the processing methods, ratios, and refining technique."
"Ah... You figured this out alone?"
U Mun-bi marveled at the scroll.
"It took a while."
Won Seung feigned modesty. The third-generation disciples gazed at him with eyes full of respect and admiration. And rightly so. He'd handed out one of their sect's prized elixirs, the Blue Blood Rejuvenation Pill, plus five Blood Purifying Pills each. Now he was inviting them to research the Great Reversion Pill together...
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for any physician."
"If we can replicate the Great Reversion Pill..."
The Cheondaemun disciples, swollen with dreams, dove into the replication research, forgetting even to eat or sleep. They'd gathered at Jang Go On's summons after Gong I-gwan's message that the sect leader had appeared. They hadn't planned to stay away from the clinic long, but the Great Reversion Pill had them hooked—they had no thoughts of leaving.
While the Cheondaemun disciples pored over the Great Reversion Pill, Won Seung came and went from the Sangyang Escort Agency. He finally received the note he'd been waiting for. Reading it, he bolted to the outer city.
Hwangmunwon.
It was the top inn every scholar visiting Huangdo dreamed of staying at. If the inner city had Ilseonru, the outer had Hwangmunwon.
'As expected of Yangjae.'
Defying Sangyang's snobbery, Yang Dae-hyeon had taken up residence at Hwangmunwon. The place boasted a grand main building and a rear garden with numerous detached villas. The Byeolyudang annex was reserved for high officials and tycoons.
Entering the main Hwangmunwon building, Won Seung found a large reception desk manned by three clerks. Their uniforms set them apart. As he approached, one greeted him politely.
"Hwangmunwon is fully booked, I'm afraid. You'll need to find lodging elsewhere."
"I'm here to meet someone. Where are the Cheongsan Academy folks staying?"
The clerk checked the registry and pointed him to the Byeolyudang in the rear garden, asking who he was there for.
"Hwa Yeo-wol of Cheongsan Academy."
"Please wait in Datam Room. We'll notify the guest."
The clerk sent a young boy next door to inform Hwa Yeo-wol of her visitor. Moments later, Hwa Yeo-wol and Yang Yeon-seo entered Datam Room.
"Yeo-wol."
Won Seung shot his hand up in greeting.
"Young Master Feng."
Yang Yeon-seo beamed first.
"Oh, Yeon-seo, you're here too. Good to see you."
His words said hello, but his eyes were glued to Hwa Yeo-wol, making Yang Yeon-seo pout.
Hwa Yeo-wol smiled lightly.
"You look well. Your face has filled out nicely."
"Of course I am."
Hwa Yeo-wol seemed somewhat freed from her family's ordeal.
"Yang-senior brother will be out soon. We're eating lunch here since it's about that time."
"That punk's here too?"
"Ah, Senior Brother Jong? He's been here a while."
"Huh? Jong Won-bo's in Huangdo?"
"Staying at the Taegaksa residence, from what I hear. We let them know we arrived, so he'll probably drop by."
"Mm."
Won Seung had no idea Jong Won-bo had been exiled from his clan because of him and come to Huangdo. He'd once thought the Ilgwon Pasan ambush was Jong's doing, but now knew it was Cheon Il-hae's orders—no hard feelings remained. Still, he had no desire to run into the guy.
As the three caught up on recent events, Yang Dae-hyeon entered with Mun Yeok-su and three other Cheongsan Academy scholars. They'd passed the provincial exams and were here for the metropolitan ones. Passing those would qualify them for the palace exams a month later.
"Haha, Brother Feng—it's even nicer seeing you away from home."
"Brother Yang looks even more majestic."
Won Seung bantered with Yang Dae-hyeon and the others as they headed to Hwangmunwon's grand banquet hall. Yang Dae-hyeon had reserved a spacious window booth.
The group had arrived yesterday, rested in the morning, and planned to tour Huangdo in the afternoon.
"But first, someone to meet."
Yang Dae-hyeon flashed a meaningful smile. Mun Yeok-su, curious, pressed him.
"Brother Yang, I'm dying to know. Who is it you're hiding like this?"
"Looks like they're here."
The group followed Yang Dae-hyeon's gaze to the banquet hall entrance. A young scholar about Won Seung's age approached with a slim woman in traveler's garb and two armed escorts. Ordinary folk couldn't carry swords in outer Huangdo, so these weren't commoners.
As the newcomers neared, Yang Dae-hyeon rose and bowed.
"From the Jegal Clan?"
"You're Brother Yang?"
Hearing "Jegal," Mun Yeok-su and the Cheongsan scholars gasped.
Mun Yeok-su blurted hastily.
"The Cheonha Samjae Wujai? Are you him?"
Yang Dae-hyeon chuckled.
"That's me."
All eyes locked on Wujai. A boyish scholar of seventeen or eighteen—the Cheonha Samjae Wujai?
Yang Dae-hyeon introduced the Cheongsan scholars to him. Jegal Seung-seon introduced his companion.
"I'm Jegal Seung-seon. This is my younger sister, Jegal Seung-hye."
Yang Dae-hyeon introduced his own sister, and greetings were exchanged until it was Won Seung's turn.
"Joo Neung."
Yang Dae-hyeon and the others blinked in confusion at the introduction.
Won Seung avoided using Feng Un-saeng if possible. Jeokhyeolsan might trace his Sangyang movements and link it to No. 50. He'd even told the Cheondaemun disciples his real name was Joo Neung. Gong I-gwan, knowing Feng Un-saeng was an alias from the start, accepted it without question.
At the name, Jegal Seung-seon's eyes flashed briefly.
"Joo Neung? I've heard that name somewhere."
"Shh, isn't that the guy up there?"
Won Seung pointed skyward—the emperor's name meant Joo Neung—but Jegal Seung-seon shook his head.
"The reason I'm in Huangdo is because a family member was harmed. I heard the name while investigating: Inspector Joo Neung from the Ministry of Justice."
Won Seung startled. He'd only visited Nampo-cheong once—had his name stuck? Even so, he was a nobody... yet this guy remembered it.
'This is why they call him one of the Cheonha Samjae?'
His memory was freakishly sharp.
No point hiding it now.
"I briefly held the Ministry of Justice inspector's post, but I've stepped down."
The revelation that Won Seung had been a Ministry inspector shocked the Cheongsan group again. Yang Dae-hyeon gave him a fresh look, inwardly surprised.
Jegal Seung-seon's eyes sparkled as he asked.
"You demanded the withdrawal notice from Nampo-cheong—what was the reason?"
That? Hwang U from Nampo-cheong had volunteered the withdrawal, but it was logged as Won Seung's demand? These bureaucratic bastards just shoved blame onto others.
Won Seung sighed.
"Looks like Nampo-cheong's chief inspector messed around. He withdrew it himself under official immunity."
Jegal Seung-seon nodded readily, but Won Seung could almost hear the gears turning in his head. Any issues? He pondered briefly—nothing came to mind. Jegal Seung-seon didn't press further.
With the group expanded, it felt like a proper gathering. Delicacies flowed, wine poured, and tales flew. Yang Dae-hyeon and Jegal Seung-seon, who'd corresponded before, lavished praise: eagerly awaited this meeting, truly outstanding talents, and so on. The mood was warm and lively.
Everyone hung on every word from Cheonha Samjae Yangjae and Wujai, but Won Seung's attention stayed fixed on Hwa Yeo-wol, oblivious.
"Come out for a sec."
He pulled her aside to Datam Room.
"How long will you be at Geomsan?"
"Three years, give or take."
"That's a haul."
Won Seung sighed and handed over a small jade case and vial from his bosom.
"The jade case holds something that'll give you ten years of inner energy. The vial's the Blood Purifying Pills I gave you before."
"Can you really give me such precious meds?"
"Only because it's you."
"I have something for you too."
Hwa Yeo-wol pulled a letter from her bosom and passed it over.
"Father said to deliver this. There's a promissory note inside too."
"Promissory note?"
"When the Dosanrim expert came, you helped us. Father said he couldn't reward you properly then due to the chaos, so he's doing it now."
Money was money. Won Seung pocketed the letter.
As the two returned and sat, someone laughed loudly.
"With Yangjae and Wujai here, it's a shame. If only the Muwon Scholar came too—all three Cheonha Samjae together..."
Then.
"All three Cheonha Samjae? Treating them like circus attractions?"
A high-pitched voice cut in, drawing all eyes. A pale-faced beauty scholar with stark red lips stood there, expression icy.
A servant-like figure stood deferentially beside the beauty scholar.
"...?"
Silence fell at the uninvited guest. The beauty scholar glared alternately at Yang Dae-hyeon and Jegal Seung-seon.
"Flattered by the chickens' praise, are we?"
Hah... twisting 'crane among chickens' like that. Abruptly demoted to poultry, Won Seung's eyebrow twitched upward.
Yang Dae-hyeon eyed the beauty scholar before speaking.
"You're the Muwon Scholar."
"Ah!"
Everyone gasped. The Cheonha Samjae truly assembled.
Won Seung inwardly flinched. The Muwon Scholar was Seong Wang's adopted son from Seongwangbu. Having entered after Won Seung's kidnapping, this was his first sight of him.
"You must be Yangjae, Yang Dae-hyeon."
A strange smile curled Bun Yumyeong's lips.
"I've heard you two were in Huangdo."
He flicked his hand, and the servant stepped forward, bowing as he offered invitation cards to Yang Dae-hyeon and Jegal Seung-seon.
"Come to Seongwangbu in three days."
Bun Yumyeong swept his gaze over everyone.
"You're all invited."