Chapter 27. This Time, Don't Get Lost
Won Seung sipped his tea as casually as if he'd dropped by a neighbor's house for a visit.
'This guy's got some guts. No fear at all...'
Despite his calm expression, Hwa Cheon-un was inwardly flustered.
The kid in front of him just stared back with bright, lively eyes, his face an open book. No hint of hiding anything. People who concealed their intentions always showed unease, but this boy had none of that.
He was even leisurely critiquing the tea's flavor.
'Does he not know what Cheongsu Gate is?'
Hwa Cheon-un first reviewed what he knew.
After Jo Bang-un's report claiming the man was from Seongwangbu, he'd rushed a background check.
The conclusion matched Jo Bang-un's suspicions.
A suspicious-looking hunchback had delivered the challenge letter and dragged this boy into it to distract them—a clever ploy.
Jo Bang-un had only guessed, but Hwa Cheon-un had secured testimony. He'd even heard their conversation from the noodle shop owner.
He'd sent men out for a quick investigation too. He knew about the incident at Unhwa Pavilion, and the report that the boy had shown up in shabby clothes but bought the finest garments from Sangyang's best tailor.
Luckily for Won Seung, details like staying at a rundown inn on the outskirts for half a month, trading a sword for silver at the blacksmith, or exchanging bills of exchange for cash hadn't reached Hwa Cheon-un's ears.
The warrior tracking Won Seung's movements had missed him because his appearance and clothes before and after the tailor shop were too different.
'Really from Seongwangbu?'
He couldn't believe it. If not, he was a con artist... but the kid was far too composed for that. And the refined way he drank his tea suggested proper upbringing from a good family.
Hwa Cheon-un pondered deeply.
'Could be on a covert mission. But for someone from Seongwangbu to pop up out of nowhere...'
Cheongsu Gate and Seongwangbu weren't on good or bad terms specifically.
They managed logistics south of the Sang River, so they handled goods bound for Seongwangbu at times. They'd always done their best, so there was no reason for Seongwangbu to hold a grudge.
As Hwa Cheon-un stared intently, Won Seung moved with extreme caution. Pretending to admire the calligraphy on the wall while sipping tea, he plotted his next move.
'He's a cut above Jo Bang-un. Knows a fair bit about the situation.'
He'd know how much the man grasped from his opening words. But Hwa Cheon-un, with his deep scheming mind, showed no intention of speaking first. He silently drained his tea, waiting for Won Seung to break.
'Go ahead... you won't dig up anything on me.'
Dialogue tactics for various situations had been part of assassin training, and Won Seung had aced it.
Unable to bear the silence any longer—or so he pretended—Won Seung composed himself and asked politely.
"The tea's great, but the third lord's face is awfully cold. I have no idea what I've done wrong."
"Are you saying you don't know why you're here?"
"Of course I do. It's because of the challenge letter the second lord received, right?"
"Exactly. That's why you're being detained at Cheongsu Gate right now. I'm curious how a scholar like you got tangled up in murim affairs."
Won Seung let out a light sigh.
"No connection at all, naturally. I was sitting at the noodle shop when that guy suddenly showed up, chatted me up, scarfed down his noodles, and bolted. It was utterly absurd for me."
"And what business did you have in town? This is a remote spot—hard to come to unless you have dealings with Cheongsu Gate. Especially not a place for a scholar, and yet you just happened to eat noodles right in front of our headquarters."
"Tell me about it. What rotten luck..."
Won Seung shook his head.
"I overdid the drinking last night, so breakfast tasted off. I stepped out for a walk and got hungry all of a sudden, so I grabbed a bowl of noodles. And now this. Honestly, does it make sense for a scholar like me to hang with some lunatic challenging Cheongsu Gate's second lord? You know it doesn't, third lord."
Hwa Cheon-un frowned. The kid was using dialogue to draw concessions— no pushover.
"But you said something amusing to Inspector Lee."
"Hahaha."
Won Seung laughed heartily, as if delighted.
"You knew, huh? He grabbed me out of nowhere and interrogated me like a criminal, so I threw a little tantrum. Jo Bang-un, was it? His face turned beet red, storming off—it was a sight."
He'd sidestepped the impersonation accusation cleverly.
Hwa Cheon-un couldn't outright ask if he was really from Seongwangbu. If Won Seung said yes, he'd have to treat him as such.
That meant guest quarters immediately, servants too. And no talking down to him. Without proof, if it turned out false later, Cheongsu Gate would look foolish.
On the flip side, grilling him without evidence would damage the third lord's dignity. Best to play ignorant.
Hwa Cheon-un spoke coldly.
"So... you're saying you toyed with Cheongsu Gate's inspector?"
"You grabbed an innocent man first."
Won Seung's bold retort left Hwa Cheon-un speechless. Calling Cheongsu Gate a "local sect" like it was nothing—outrageous. But then he thought, what would a scholar know about murim sects?
'Is this kid... really just caught up by chance?'
Hwa Cheon-un paused, then shifted topics—one of his favorite tactics.
"Why did you approach Yeo-wol?"
Won Seung feigned surprise.
"Approach Yeo-wol? What do you mean?"
Hwa Cheon-un glared sternly, pressing with his gaze. Most cracked under that and spilled a truth fragment. But Won Seung's skin was thicker than it looked.
"You think I'm after Miss Hwa? No way. I'm not into older women. Besides, I'm already betrothed. It was just coincidence."
Won Seung twisted the point elsewhere.
It was true enough. He had a fiancée from a marriage pact in the capital. She might've married elsewhere since he vanished.
"Hmph."
Hwa Cheon-un found no slip-ups. Meeting Yeo-wol twice in a row—yesterday and today—pure coincidence? He glared as if he knew everything, but Won Seung continued unfazed.
"I met Miss Hwa at Unhwa Pavilion yesterday. Today, while touring the outer grounds, we ran into each other again and chatted pleasantly. I get a father's worries with a grown daughter, but no need to fret. Just a passing greeting."
'This punk?'
Treating Hwa Yeo-wol like an unwanted spinster—even the cool-headed Hwa Cheon-un bristled as a father.
His only daughter, excelling in both letters and martial arts, even sent to Cheongsan Academy. And this boy dismissed her like she was nothing.
'Not interested in older women?'
A cold glint flashed in Hwa Cheon-un's eyes, but Won Seung innocently sipped his tea.
'This one's arrogant, alright. And sly as hell. But he wouldn't dare without backing.'
Impersonating Seongwangbu was a death sentence. Yet he'd done it openly without flinching—maybe he really was from there.
Hwa Cheon-un inwardly sighed.
Whether Won Seung was Seongwangbu or not, as long as he wasn't hostile to Cheongsu Gate, it didn't matter.
If genuine, better to steer clear. Rumors of Seongwangbu's rebellion swirled—entanglement brought no good. Ignorance was safer.
'Need to check his backing first.'
Realizing more grilling would yield nothing, Hwa Cheon-un softened his expression.
"Anyway, stay at the guest quarters until my subordinates finish investigating."
"No problem. But serve good tea, please. The guest house stuff was disappointing—enough to tarnish Cheongsu Gate's reputation in Sangyang."
Won Seung said as he rose.
'Ugh.'
Hwa Cheon-un turned to his attendant.
"Take him to the guest quarters."
Then to Won Seung:
"This time, be careful not to get lost."
A warning to stay away from Hwa Yeo-wol.
Jong Bi returned around the third watch, her face half-dazed from rushing.
'Pretty capable, huh?'
Won Seung took the gold plaque and inwardly marveled at how talented assassin trainees were.
In that short time, she'd slipped into the yamen to shake Cheongsu Gate's tail, found a bill of exchange, borrowed a blacksmith forge, and forged the plaque.
The gold plaque, even with its red silk cord, gleamed impressively.
"This really a Seongwangbu badge?"
"Probably."
He'd seen his half-brother Won Sochu play with one as a kid. Won Sochu's birth mother was Joo Gunju, whose brother—the current Seongwang—adored his nephew and gave him the plaque.
As Won Seung examined it, Jong Bi's eyes flashed murderously.
She'd emptied her savings to make it.
Gritting her teeth, she said,
"This cost a fortune."
"I know. Good job."
Her eyes flared at the servant-praising tone.
"Not for your praise. Your senior helping her junior. If you get my sincerity, give me the antidote?"
Won Seung chuckled lightly.
"Still a month away."
"I did everything you asked. You really want me as your servant?"
"You're mistaken. I'm doing this to keep you alive."
"What?"
"We're in this together. You're exposed. If I fail the mission, you're next on the list. Think Jeokhyeolsan will let that slide? Snip."
Won Seung mimed slicing his throat.
"They'll cut off loose ends. Now we have to pull off a real Ten Perfect Assassin job."
Jong Bi scowled.
"Ten Perfect Assassin job?"
"Yeah. Death disguised so perfectly, no one knows if murder or natural."
"Hmph."
She groaned inwardly.
Take out one of the Central Plains' Hundred Masters clean?
Absurd.
But Won Seung boasted confidently.
"Don't worry. We'll succeed. Then antidote, and I'll cure your Swolhyeol San too."
Tempting her with the poison cure, he grinned and continued.
"Best part? We get to enjoy ourselves. Half a year left—let's make the most of it."
"Hmph. You're insane. Going on an assassination and planning to play?"
Jong Bi groaned in agony. Her mind screamed about following a madman into madness, but she was powerless.
"Got any money left?"
"None. Think assassin gigs pay big? Spent it all."
She flatly denied, averting her eyes. Won Seung thought the opposite.
'Oh? She's hiding some!'
Won Seung placed the teapot on the brazier.
"We'll be moving together awhile. Shouldn't we learn about each other?"