Chapter 29: Gwancheonbang Eyes Cheongsumun?
The middle-aged warrior unpacked the bundle of money he had brought.
"I can pay any amount."
"Then let's head to the herbal shop together."
Won Seung went to the herbal shop with the middle-aged warrior and gathered various necessary ingredients.
The next day, the middle-aged warrior received thirty-three packets of medicine.
"You're not young anymore, so boil one packet and take it for three days straight—do that for a hundred days."
Word spread, and Cheongsumun warriors began showing up one by one.
"Can you treat my boil?"
Won Seung gave medicine to the man who had suffered for years from a massive boil on his buttock, and the next day, it was gone.
The one cured of his boil was a chatterbox.
"It's truly miraculous! The root came right out in one go."
Warriors started flocking to him daily for medicine, and Won Seung's money pouch and herb bundles grew fat.
His collection of poison vials multiplied too, forcing him to buy a leather case to hold them all.
Hmm. Maybe I should rename Cheondaemun to Cheonyakmun.
As his popularity soared among the Cheongsumun warriors, earning him the title of divine physician, Won Seung felt deeply satisfied.
The good times ended when Jo Bang-un showed up. Bursting through the guesthouse door early in the morning, he bellowed,
"You swindler!"
Having wrangled Won Seung's given name "Seung" out of Hwa Yeo-wol with great difficulty, Jo Bang-un had sent someone to the capital to dig into his background. The verdict from Seongwangbu: no blood relative or retainer named Seung.
Of course, the story about someone challenging the Great Sword of the Great Union was pure fiction too.
Never forgetting the humiliation, Jo Bang-un came storming in, determined not to let Won Seung off the hook.
But Won Seung greeted him with utter confidence.
"What now?"
"All your lies are exposed. What? Blood of Seongwangbu? You dared try to fool me?"
Thwack!
Won Seung tossed over a gold identity token.
Gasp!
Jo Bang-un sucked in a breath at the gleaming gold token.
Examining it, he saw "Seongwangbu" engraved on one side and a phoenix emblem on the back. Even he knew dragons symbolized the emperor and phoenixes the king.
Staring blankly at Won Seung, Jo Bang-un's eyes swirled with confusion—believe it or not?
"Seung... There's no Seung in Seongwangbu...."
"When did I say I was direct lineage?"
"What?"
Jo Bang-un realized his mistake. Extended family was still family. Checking side branches widened the scope enormously.
"Th-then the challenger to the Great Sword of the Great Union...."
Won Seung chuckled and patted his shoulder.
"I was just joking to make you sweat for illegally detaining me over nonsense."
"Pardon?"
Now half-convinced he might really be from Seongwangbu, Jo Bang-un slipped into honorifics.
"I've already told your third master, but looks like he didn't pass it on. Haha. Your third master's a real prankster—knew it all along and just watched you run around."
Only then did Jo Bang-un understand Hwa Cheon-un's attitude.
Despite the investigation confirming Won Seung wasn't impersonating Seongwangbu or challenging the Great Sword, the third master had said nothing.
Hwa Yeo-wol hanging around him unchecked? He already knew his identity.
Realization hit, and a surge of rage boiled up from Jo Bang-un's gut, flushing his face red.
Even the third lord fooled me?
He knew he was being played by a kid, yet the third lord hadn't told him.
The betrayal stung deeper because it was the third lord who usually treated him decently.
Do I look that pathetic?
Sure, he was deputy steward, but it was an empty title.
Unlike the grand steward handling external affairs or the third managing internals, Deputy Steward Jo Bang-un attended to the sect lord's family.
Outsiders treated him like a servant. Truth be told, that's why they gave him the high-sounding title—he felt it didn't match his menial duties.
Won Seung snatched the token back from his hand.
"My presence here is top secret. You can keep your mouth shut, right?"
Jo Bang-un staggered, a sudden thought striking him.
Damn! If he's really from Seongwangbu... why's he sticking around Cheongsumun? Could it be...?
He bowed hastily.
"This lowly one was rude. Seung...."
Adding a surname for formality felt awkward with honorifics. Won Seung smiled.
"Just call me Young Master Seung. I'm incognito—'lord' would blow my cover."
His natural air of superiority as the subordinate speaker sealed it.
"U-understood, Young Master Seung. I'll take my leave."
Jo Bang-un bowed and scurried out.
Hmm. Something's off. He was way too shocked for my status. There's more here.
Quick on the uptake, Won Seung sensed Jo Bang-un was hiding something from his behavior.
"Keep an eye on that guy. He's suspicious."
He instructed Jong Bi.
Having detoxed the Swolhyeol San, Jong Bi was reaping the benefits—vitality surging, hair thickening.
Grateful to Won Seung, she nodded at once.
"Got it."
In a hidden back room of a teahouse on Unjung Street.
Jo Bang-un paced anxiously without sitting when an elderly man entered.
The man in his sixties had a shiny, plump face, but his narrow forehead gave him a petty air.
"What on earth made you summon me in person?"
Gwancheonbang strategist Gu Ja-ang had dropped everything for Jo Bang-un's urgent call, inwardly annoyed but speaking mildly.
Jo Bang-un rushed over, whispering.
"A massive variable popped up—I had no choice but to meet."
Seeing his fidgeting, Gu Ja-ang guided him to a seat.
"Sit first. Have some tea and calm down."
As Gu Ja-ang sat, Jo Bang-un plopped opposite, urgent.
"No time for that. A huge variable hit. We might need to change plans."
His grave demeanor furrowed Gu Ja-ang's brow.
Cheongsumun strategy was already in flux.
Originally, they'd hired Jeokhyeolsan to assassinate top expert Hwa Cheon-gang, then pick a fight for open war.
Jeokhyeolsan demanded six months—reasonable for a top hundred master.
But suddenly, a Yong family descendant challenged Hwa Cheon-gang. Perfect for Gwancheonbang, eager to strike Cheongsumun fast.
If Hwa Cheon-baek cleared his blocked meridians, the chance vanished—and Gwancheonbang would be in peril. So they pivoted: exploit the deathmatch gap for a big move.
They'd poured gold and gotten Dosanrim experts as backup.
Plan: While Hwa Cheon-gang dueled the Yong heir at night, Dosanrim kills the Hwa brothers.
Everything on track until now....
"A variable now?! What are you saying?"
Gu Ja-ang's mild facade cracked, revealing cold ruthlessness. Jo Bang-un shivered but pressed on.
"A Seongwangbu man is in Cheongsumun."
"Seongwangbu?"
Gu Ja-ang startled, echoing.
No way.
Suspicious of tricks, he glared.
Jo Bang-un didn't know, but purging Cheongsumun was tacitly agreed with Seongwangbu. A Seongwangbu man there?
"Are you mistaken?"
"No. I saw the token myself—phoenix crest, blood kin."
"Hmph."
Gu Ja-ang grunted.
Cheongsumun dominated the lower Sang River. To control shipping, they knew major sect and official tokens.
Jo Bang-un was narrow-minded but competent enough as deputy steward—not fooled by fakes.
Jong Bi's forged token belonged to Joo Gunju's son and Seongwang's nephew, Won Sochu. Neither had seen a real side-branch token—only drawings.
"Certain?"
"I checked the token sketch ledger myself."
Jo Bang-un spoke confidently, having verified the ledger of various tokens beforehand.
Gu Ja-ang's face hardened.
Is Seongwangbu double-crossing us?
The Sang River split midstream: upper Gwancheonbang, lower Cheongsumun. Linking Yellow and Yangtze, controlling it secured capital supply lines.
Seongwangbu cared not who held it, as long as loyal.
Gu Ja-ang grew urgent. Better Cheongsumun offer, and Seongwang flips like a pancake.
To him, they were mere peasants.
"Who is he?"
"Just 'Seung'—no surname. Not sure if real name."
"How do you handle things so sloppily? What good is 'Seongwangbu man' without a name?"
Rebuked, displeasure flashed on Jo Bang-un's face.
Gu Ja-ang cursed inwardly. This guy's petty. That's why he resented Cheongsumun's disdain, letting Gu Ja-ang recruit him.
Too much effort wasted at the end.
Softening, Gu Ja-ang said,
"A sharp one like you—how could he hide his identity?"
"Exactly."
Jo Bang-un's pique eased at the flattery.
Gu Ja-ang pondered, then,
"We'll investigate him. You focus on Hwa Cheon-baek's training. Remember—that's priority."
"Understood."
Their brief talk reached Won Seung via Jong Bi's ears.
"That old guy's really from Gwancheonbang?"
"Saw him enter with my own eyes."
"Hmm. Cheongsumun and Gwancheonbang are sworn enemies... Jo Bang-un's selling out Cheongsumun."
"Buncha guys who mean nothing to us—why care? Kill Hwa Cheon-gang quick and bounce."
Skipping dinner tailing Jo Bang-un, Jong Bi munched on dumplings and rice cakes. Unfazed by what she'd overheard, but Won Seung paced the room, piecing it together.
"Gwancheonbang targeting Cheongsumun... Not scared of Geom Yak Jong's revenge?"
Jong Bi shrugged it off.
"Gwancheonbang's under Dosanrim. Geom Yak Jong and Dosanrim can't clash openly, so proxies fight. Happens all the time."
Won Seung shook his head.
"Sang River hegemony's at stake. Neither Geom Yak Jong nor Dosanrim backs down from that. They've split it peacefully forever—why hit Cheongsumun now?"