52. Ripped Off Without Mercy
“There… were circumstances. We had to open the doors because we heard the Taesu was coming.”
Ogu brought up the Taesu. The senior official seemed to know about Baekhwa Pavilion already. He scowled fiercely and snapped,
“That’s all the more reason to follow regulations and procedures. Hurry up and file the application. We can’t ignore a shop the Taesu’s looking for.”
The subordinate official slyly pocketed the silver and glanced around casually before eyeing the inner quarters. The inner rooms were a mess from the construction of buying and opening up the neighboring house.
The subordinate tried to smooth things over subtly.
“Looks like the renovations aren’t done yet. We’ll issue the business permit as soon as they’re finished.”
“Fine. But that painting looks pretty decent, doesn’t it?”
When the official started eyeing the artwork too, heat surged inside Won Seung, and the corner of his eye twitched upward. His hand instinctively rose toward the needle hidden in his hair by his ear.
Ogu hurriedly whispered to the subordinate official.
“We haven’t even opened for business yet. This is problematic.”
Another quick flash of silver passed hands.
The subordinate official spoke to his shaken superior, who looked like he’d just brushed death’s door unnoticed.
“Come back once we’re officially open, and pick out a fine painting.”
Luckily, the senior official wasn’t all that interested in art. He nodded and said to Ogu,
“Are you the owner?”
Ogu turned to look at Won Seung, but he’d already slipped quietly inside.
A moment longer, and he might’ve committed murder. Better to avoid it.
Realizing he had to handle this alone, Ogu smiled at the subordinate official.
“I’m the manager, but what can I do for you…?”
The senior official leaned close to Ogu, murmured a few words, and left.
Once the officials were gone, Won Seung emerged and asked Ogu,
“What’d that bastard say?”
“He said to contact him ahead of time if the Taesu’s coming. He’s from the Namjo Office.”
The Namjo Office oversaw the southern part of Sangyang. With the Taesu passing through their jurisdiction, they’d come sniffing around under the guise of paying attention… but why take the money?
“You’ve gotta oil the wheels at the government offices well.”
Ogu shared a harsh street survival rule.
Hah. Black society lackeys and now officials too… They’re ripping us off without mercy.
Won Seung felt like he was the one being devoured by wolves.
At the same time, Ogu’s presence grew even more impressive for handling it so deftly.
Jong Bi would’ve stabbed the guy in the gut without hesitation. Even Won Seung had barely restrained the urge to kill the senior official.
Gu Ja-ang had reasons for using him as a front man. He’s got some real savvy.
Won Seung eyed Ogu for a moment, then said,
“Teacher Wu, about the Baekhwa Pavilion permit. Put it in your name.”
“Pardon? But the situation…”
“No. You’ve learned a lot by now. Better to do the manager role properly.”
Ever since hearing about the Jeokhyeolsan branch in Sangyang, Won Seung had avoided exposing himself as much as possible.
But now the Taesu and Cheongsu Gate knew his true identity. Who knew when it’d spread through Sangyang? Time to officially step back from Baekhwa Pavilion.
Ogu, oblivious to this, was moved to tears once more.
“Sniff. Pulling me from the shadows into the light, and now promoting me too. I’ll work hard.”
Pain from the bruises, surgery side effects, or what? The once cold-eyed Ogu was turning into a weepy man.
It suited his gigolo-like face… but only once or twice.
“Stop crying… I was gonna hand it over anyway. Who else knows Sangyang like you? It’s only natural. But hey, I need to learn about Sangyang. Who’s really running the show here?”
“Running the show?”
Won Seung pointed upward with a finger.
“The boss, the head, the big shot? Whoever’s at the top.”
“That’d be the Taesu, of course.”
“Doesn’t seem like it to me. What was that Uyangjeong earlier? They brazenly take bribes because they’ve got solid backing.”
“Ah, you must not know about the black society.”
Ogu nodded as if it was natural for a young master from a great house to be ignorant of the underworld. He explained Sangyang’s black society and dark paths in detail.
“…You can think of the black society as handling everything that happens in the dark of night. It’s a nationwide organization, and Sangyang’s branch falls under Henan’s black society.”
Won Seung knew the basics about jianghu sects and big organizations from assassin training. But theory and reality differed.
He listened quietly to Ogu.
“Under Sangyang’s black society, there are groups like that Uyangjeong—several of them. Even small gangs of three or four are countless.”
“Who’s above Henan’s black society?”
“Not sure, but I hear the heads of similar-sized black societies meet in a council. So maybe that council’s chairman is the overall black society head?”
Ogu didn’t know the upper structure. But Won Seung did. The black society heads of each province met once every ten years, led by the supreme head.
His Jeokhyeolsan master, who taught “everything about the black paths,” speculated that head had close ties to the imperial family.
Won Seung thought for a moment and asked,
“Who’s the nominal head of Sangyang’s black society?”
“Officially, it’s Gu Ak-pyeong of Hwacheong Pavilion, but that’s not true. I’ve heard there’s a real chairman behind him.”
“That head honcho… quite the coward. Pushing a front man.”
“Exposure means death. The black world’s competitive too. You become an assassin’s target the moment you’re known. Plus, upright sects might come crashing in if they hear of a black society council.”
Hmm, even the black society head lives in hiding… Everyone’s got it rough.
The more he heard, the more Sangyang felt like a den of demons. Won Seung sighed.
“Looks like… we need to talk things over calmly. Close up shop and come in.”
A bit later, Ogu shut the doors and entered. Won Seung poured tea and asked about Sangyang this and that.
To understand why Seong Wang coveted control of the Sang River, he needed to know Sangyang.
“Sangyang’s fertile, sure… Rich fields, rivers, lakes… Not just hometown bias—Middle Kingdom rarely has places like this.”
Ogu rambled on, but nothing linked to Seong Wang. Plenty of granary regions connected by waterways to the capital.
Then Ogu’s offhand remark hit home.
“…That’s why northern barbarians eye it too, so General Han Su…”
“General Han Su?”
The image of a stern white-haired veteran flashed in his mind.
The top contributor to repelling the barbarians, yet he’d volunteered to guard the borders still, earning the people’s respect.
“You don’t know General Han Su?”
He knew him. Had even seen him up close.
As a kid, he’d caught a distant glimpse of the triumphant general’s grandeur.
“With that famous hero guarding the northwest borders, we live in peace. Truly admirable.”
Ogu’s words faded from his ears. He’d figured something out.
The map!
Won Seung rushed to his room, pulled out the hidden map, and spread it. Northwest from Sangyang lay the northwest borders, garrisoned by the Jinbuk Army.
100,000 troops stationed there, swelling to 300,000 with garrison farms in emergencies.
This is what Seong Wang’s after.
If Seong Wang rebelled, stern General Han Su wouldn’t acknowledge him. He’d turn the Jinbuk Army’s banners straight to the capital.
Sangyang was the shortest path to the capital.
If Gwangeonbang, allied with Seong Wangbu, controlled the Sang River waterways, they could slow the Jinbuk Army’s advance through Sangyang.
Suddenly, So Yeonggwan’s hypersensitivity made sense.
He’s walking a tightrope, forced to side with one or the other.
Won Seung had planned to sever Seong Wangbu’s meddling hands in Sangyang anyway, using it as a hideout since he couldn’t return to the capital. Now he had an even stronger reason.
Can’t hand Sangyang to Seong Wang.
He’d barely built a foundation here. Losing it to Seong Wang would ruin everything.
* * *
“Teacher Song, Teacher Song!”
Won Seung looked for Jong Bi but couldn’t find her. No choice—he went to the well and filled the teapot himself.
Thud, thud!
Saw, saw.
Hammering and sawing echoed noisily from beyond the fence.
They were repairing the newly bought neighboring house.
The elusive Jong Bi appeared from the construction site, covered in sawdust. She gulped a ladle of water from the well, then scowled at the shed.
“Tell that guy to leave. He’s getting on my nerves.”
“That guy” was Yong Jo-un, holed up in the shed.
Won Seung had promised to arrange the duel, so Yong Jo-un had stopped his sit-in at Cheongsu Gate’s front and stayed in Baekhwa Pavilion’s shed.
Meanwhile, rumors spread through the markets that Cheongsu Gate had sent assassins to kill a Yong family descendant.
Gu Ja-ang’s doing. With all the blame pouring on Cheongsu Gate, it was exactly what Won Seung wanted.
He told the grumbling Jong Bi,
“You should stick to the kitchen. What’re you doing at the construction site?”
“These laborers are low-quality. Turn your back for a second, and they cut corners. Ahh… who knows what shoddy work they’re doing right now. Gotta go check.”
Jong Bi blamed the workers and hurried back to the inner courtyard.
With big money coming in, they’d hired carpenters and masons instead of doing it themselves. Still, Jong Bi spent all day in the inner yard supervising—or rather, watching Yong Jo-un in case he harmed Hyeol Hwa.
Who’s protecting who here?
Haeyeonmun’s elite assassin Hyeol Hwa was recovering daily. Odd as it was—assassin and target under one roof—they managed, stuck in the study and shed.
Jong Bi dutifully prepared separate meals for Hyeol Hwa with great care.
Won Seung saw it as pointless but didn’t stop her.
It was her life, after all.
Still… how strong is Hero Yong, really?
From Musanggok and subduing elite assassin Hyeol Hwa, he was a master for sure. But could he beat two of Middle Kingdom’s top hundred experts in a row?
Won Seung pondered, gazing toward Yong Jo-un’s shed.
Originally, he’d planned to set up the three-way duel and watch from afar. No deep grudges with any survivors, so no need to meddle deeply.
Of course, Yong Jo-un killing both Hwa Cheon-gang and Cheon Il-hae would be ideal… but those old monsters had weathered countless battles. Hard to bet on newcomer Yong Jo-un.
Backing him openly might draw heat from Cheongsu Gate or Gwangeonbang, making life in Sangyang tough. He’d planned to mediate fairly for appearances.
But now the situation had changed.
Need to play some angles.
Sorry, but Gwangeonbang… had to go down.