Chapter 75. They'll Learn the Hard Way That Scheming in Sangyang Gets You Burned
“Hey, you’re the ones here as ushers today, right?”
Jong Bi called out to the nervous-looking people standing in the corner of the warehouse.
They were the ushers Ogu had recruited.
The ushers approached and asked, “What exactly are we supposed to do?”
“Nothing much. Go outside, line people up, watch for anyone cutting in line. Then let them in one by one.”
Right on the hour of the rat, people swarmed in front of the warehouse. Far exceeding the expected three hundred, there looked to be at least a thousand by rough count.
Jong Bi was greatly surprised.
“What’s going on here? Even for a duel between a hundred peak experts, who pays to watch?”
The ushers raised flags and yelled to line up the crowd.
“Form a line! No line, no spectator passes. Cooperate, please.”
“I got here first. Why do I have to stand behind this guy?”
“First in line gets priority. Line up! Line up!”
In the chaos, some grumbled their complaints, but with Cheongsu Gate and Gwancheonbang warriors holding the perimeter, no one dared protest openly.
The man at the front entered the warehouse. A middle-aged fellow in silk robes, he looked like he had a fair bit of money.
Won Seung, wearing a puppy mask, sat at a desk with a ledger open and asked, “Do you support Gwancheonbang or Cheongsu Gate?”
“Ahem. Gwancheonbang, obviously. Didn’t Cheongsu Gate just tarnish Sangyang’s martial reputation big time?”
“No sale!”
Won Seung cut him off without mercy.
“No sale? What nonsense is this? I even brought silver with me!”
“For the duel’s fairness, we can’t issue passes to anyone not neutral.”
“What? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this duel?”
The man protested, but the ushers grabbed his arms and dragged him out.
“Hear that? Anyone supporting Gwancheonbang or Cheongsu Gate, head home.”
Jong Bi and the ushers announced it to the crowd outside, but no one budged.
The next person came in, and Won Seung asked the same question.
“I don’t support Cheongsu Gate or Gwancheonbang. I just want to see a fair duel.”
“Your name?”
Won Seung wrote the name in the ledger and marked neutral next to it.
They’re playing blind man’s buff for real!
Jong Bi stuck out her tongue inwardly. The passes sold out in a flash.
“Heh heh.”
Jong Bi couldn’t stop grinning at the silver piled in the chest.
Won Seung divided the silver, giving three taels each to the ushers, and handed a handful to Hwa U-cheon and Gwan Ju-gyeon.
“Buy the hardworking warriors something nice to eat.”
This bastard? With all that silver raked in... sending us off with pocket change?
Gwan Ju-gyeon’s eyes flicked to the chest of silver.
Won Seung wasn’t blind to it.
“That silver’ll be deposited equally into Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate’s accounts.”
Only then did Gwan Ju-gyeon drop his greed. He’d assumed it was heading to Gwancheonbang’s coffers since they were going there. Of course, Won Seung had no such plan.
The silver was bound for the secret basement next to Baekhwa Pavilion.
By afternoon, a grim rumor spread through Sangyang.
Gu Ak-pyeong, the Hwacheong Pavilion owner known as the black society boss, had been assassinated. And the Gan Su Gate lord’s corpse had been found murdered.
Won Seung pressed Jong Bi.
“You killed the Gan Su Gate lord, didn’t you?”
“He deserved it. Ogu was dying, and the bastard just watched.”
With the justification of avenging Ogu—and shrugging off the mental torment from Bi Jangno—Jong Bi replied with a much lighter expression.
Won Seung was a bit shocked seeing Jong Bi treat taking a life so casually.
This one... is a true assassin, after all.
What’s done was done.
If the excited black dao thugs caught wind and swarmed, it’d be trouble. After a moment’s thought, Won Seung went to the guard captain patrolling the painting district.
“Can’t just stand by while you keep Sangyang safe like this.”
He slipped the man a full ten taels of silver.
The guard captain beamed.
“The prefect himself watches over the painting district’s security. No worries.”
The captain even lined up guards right in front of Baekhwa Pavilion.
By afternoon, Won Seung rode a carriage to the Taesu Office.
Total steward Jeong Gu-in came out to greet him.
“The Taesu is receiving a guest from the Seongwangbu in Huangdo.”
Won Seung was inwardly startled at the mention of a Seongwangbu guest. It felt ominous.
The tripartite duel’s tomorrow, and Seongwangbu sends someone?
Won Seung kept a straight face and asked curiously, “Seongwangbu? Who’s here?”
“A scholar named Yu Bul-gun. Do you know him?”
Jeong Gu-in took Won Seung for a scholar from Huangdo.
“Just heard the name.”
“Want to go say hello?”
“No. He’s here on official business; don’t want to bother.”
Just then, So Sansan entered, having heard Won Seung was there.
Jeong Gu-in bowed lightly and left. So Sansan said, “I was just about to come find you.”
“I wanted to see you too, Sansan. Been swamped lately.”
Won Seung let out a deep sigh.
“I’m worried about Yeo-wol unnie. Tomorrow’s the tripartite duel.”
“She’s not the one dueling, so no need to worry that much.”
“The outcome could hurt Cheongsu Gate.”
“Anyone living in the martial world has to accept that fate.”
Won Seung said gravely.
His mind was a whirlwind. Yu Bul-gun showing up now?
The strategist hadn’t come all this way for nothing. It had to be about the tripartite duel, and meeting the Taesu was to apply pressure.
This might keep the Taesu from stepping in.
If he were So Yeonggwan, he’d cite official neutrality and bow out. Ignoring Seongwang’s request at the duel would be tough.
Won Seung realized Seongwangbu was more deeply involved than thought.
The advisor Yu Bul-gun coming personally?
Doubt crept in at the same time.
He knew how desperately Gu Ja-ang and Cheon Il-hae had worked to secure Seongwangbu’s backing.
As he pondered, a startling hypothesis hit him, and he spat out his tea with a puh.
Jong Bi’s morning words flashed through his mind.
Gu Ak-pyeong... worked to pit Gwancheonbang against Cheongsu Gate? What if the black society in Sangyang orchestrated this whole mess?
Sangyang’s black society answered to Henan’s, which answered to the national black society... and Won Seung had heard its head was tied to the imperial house.
If Seongwangbu had allied with the national black society, it explained Yu Bul-gun keeping distance from Gwancheonbang.
If this is a national black society plot...
Aiming for both Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate to suffer mutual destruction. That’s why Gu Ak-pyeong rallied Sangyang’s black dao to consolidate power.
The hypothesis solidified, and Won Seung’s mind raced.
“What’re you thinking so hard about?”
So Sansan peered at him with her big eyes.
“Oh, just... ‘Do your best and leave the rest to heaven’ popped into my head.”
So Sansan misunderstood.
“Yeo-wol unnie’s going to Yuwon Temple tomorrow to pray. I want to go too, but as the Taesu’s daughter, it might look like I’m taking her side.”
“Yeah. Situation’s delicate right now. One misunderstanding could lead to trouble, so we gotta be extra careful.”
As they chatted, a Taesu office servant arrived.
“Young Master Pung, the Taesu summons you to the office.”
“Great talking with you today, Sansan. Let’s meet up with Yeo-wol after the tripartite duel.”
Won Seung bid her farewell and followed the servant to the Taesu’s office.
So Yeonggwan sat with a heavy expression.
“Sorry, but I don’t think I can officiate tomorrow’s tripartite duel.”
As expected, So Yeonggwan was pulling out.
“What does Yu Bul-gun want?”
“An anonymous report to the court claims Cheongsu Gate and Gwancheonbang exploit merchant ships on the Sang River. His Majesty ordered Seongwang to investigate, so he sent Yu Bul-gun.”
So Yeonggwan looked at Won Seung like he had no clue what was going on.
“What’d you say?”
“Told him both sects have taken fair service fees all along. It’s true. If they’d gouged, would I have sat idle?”
“Of course you’d have acted.”
Won Seung chimed in to soothe him.
So Yeonggwan huffed.
“He says he’ll investigate personally. We’ll see how fair he is.”
With the Emperor’s order via Seongwang, the Taesu couldn’t interfere. But if past unfairness or gouging was found, blame would fall on him too.
He might even be accused of taking bribes to look the other way. So Yeonggwan wouldn’t stand for a sham investigation.
Won Seung nodded understandingly.
“I get your position, Taesu. Good thing the duel’s tomorrow. Survive today, and the duel decides it. Today’s the issue.”
“Survive today? You mean someone’s scheming something else?”
“Sangyang’s black society wants both Gwancheonbang and Cheongsu Gate destroyed.”
“Black dao?”
“It’s not just thugs. It’s a nationwide profit machine with deep connections... all the way to the top.”
Won Seung explained about the black society.
So Yeonggwan was outraged.
“So... this bloodwind in Sangyang is because some black society boss in distant Huangdo wants more power?”
“Can’t rule it out.”
So Yeonggwan scowled and thought, then said, “You’re right. It never made sense. Why would two sects that got along suddenly risk everything?”
“Someone’s pulling a massive scheme.”
“Can’t let that happen on my watch in Sangyang.”
The Taesu bellowed in fury.
“Call Captain Son!”
Moments later, guard captain Son Hyeong-geuk—whom Won Seung knew—entered.
“Deploy guards to central Sangyang for the next three days. Arrest any black dao thugs threatening the people!”
“Understood.”
Son Hyeong-geuk left. The Taesu paced and said, “Guards alone might not cut it. They’re martial artists. Time to muster the Sangyang army.”
The Sangyang army meant local garrison troops. So Yeonggwan wasn’t just a civilian official; as Taesu, he held military command and had cause to mobilize.
Won Seung was pleased inwardly.
Oh, Taesu... nice, nice.
With the Sangyang army out, neither black society nor Gwancheonbang could run wild.
So Yeonggwan’s eyes flashed fiercely.
“Whoever it is... they’ll learn the hard way that scheming in Sangyang gets you hurt bad.”