Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian (1)
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"You've really gone and done it."
Sima Hyeon stared at the butcher shop with an incredulous expression.
He had returned from the escort mission about two days later than expected, only to be greeted by an empty house.
He could understand if it was just Sima Geon, Cheol Woo, or Sima Ho who were missing, but when even Sima Jin was nowhere to be seen, his heart sank with fear that her illness might have worsened.
Thankfully, a neighbor passing by the house at that moment spotted him rushing out pale-faced and informed him about the butcher shop. Otherwise, he would have bolted straight to the Clear Heart Clinic.
"Second Brother!"
Sima Jin, who had been cleaning, lit up with joy upon seeing Sima Hyeon.
"When did you get back?"
"Just now. What are you doing when your body's still weak?"
Sima Hyeon snatched the broom from her hands and asked.
"Just... Oh, right, did you hear? Big Brother took over this butcher shop."
"I heard on the way."
Sima Jin stealthily reached for the broom.
"It's a butcher shop Big Brother worked hard to acquire. Can't let it get dirty."
"It's clean enough already. That's plenty."
Sima Hyeon tossed the broom far away and patted the pouting Sima Jin's shoulder with a laugh.
"Where's Brother?"
"In the slaughterhouse."
Worried she might grab the broom again, Sima Hyeon took her hand and led her inside the butcher shop.
"Business going well?"
"Not yet."
As Sima Hyeon's brow furrowed, Sima Jin spoke up defensively.
"The previous owner, old Grandpa So, passed away not long ago. We only officially opened a few days back. Expecting it to boom already would be unreasonable."
"Grandpa So passed away?"
Sima Hyeon had heard about the butcher shop acquisition but not about So Hyang's death, so his face registered genuine shock.
"Yeah, the night Big Brother took over the shop. They say he passed peacefully in his sleep."
"I see."
Sima Hyeon nodded slowly.
He didn't have a deep connection with So Hyang, but they had exchanged greetings now and then, so the news weighed on his heart.
Passing through the neatly organized butcher shop toward the slaughterhouse, a sudden shout rang out.
"I told you to drain the blood properly. What is this? Ugh, it's a total mess."
"Cheol Woo hyung?"
Sima Hyeon asked with wide eyes, and Sima Jin giggled while nodding.
"Yep. Third Brother's getting scolded again."
"Huh? Why's that guy here?"
"Big Brother drags him here whenever he gets the chance to teach him slaughtering. Third Brother tries everything to escape, but weirdly, he never succeeds."
"Serves him right."
Sima Hyeon quickly realized that Sima Geon teaching Sima Ho slaughtering was a ploy to pull him away from the back alleys, and it filled him with delight. Just then, Sima Ho's irritated voice echoed.
"Argh, seriously! I slit the throat and drained the blood like you said."
"Slitting the throat isn't everything. I clearly told you to sever the tendons completely. I explained how crucial it is to drain the blood properly and quickly—it affects the meat quality."
"Got it, I got it. You're nagging like a girl just because you're big and burly... Ow!"
Sima Ho, attempting a bit of cheeky rebellion, yelped as Cheol Woo smacked the back of his head, screaming that he was dying.
Sima Hyeon, knowing Sima Ho's rough temper, startled at the thought of trouble brewing, but Sima Jin remained utterly calm.
While Sima Hyeon was away, Sima Ho had arrogantly challenged Cheol Woo's lessons, only to get thoroughly thrashed, so now he didn't dare try anything.
"And there's one more mistake. Maybe the biggest one."
Sima Hyeon and Sima Jin craned their necks toward the slaughterhouse at Sima Geon's words.
"What's that?"
Sima Ho glanced warily at Cheol Woo before asking back.
"Looking at the meat, it seems you tenderized it while it was still alive. Right?"
Sima Ho's eyes widened.
"H-how'd you know?"
"Why'd you do that?"
"You have to beat livestock like cows and pigs properly for the meat to soften. Anyone who's hunted dogs knows that."
Sima Ho looked back and forth between Sima Geon and the flustered Cheol Woo as if they were the odd ones.
Sima Geon whipped his head toward Cheol Woo.
"What were you doing?"
"W-well... I forgot for a moment."
"There's forgetting, and then there's forgetting that. After getting chewed out by the old man for it."
Under Sima Geon's reproach, Cheol Woo offered no excuses, his face flushing as he scratched the back of his head vigorously.
Sima Ho felt a secret glee watching Cheol Woo but couldn't shake his growing doubt.
"Is it wrong? Everyone knows it as common sense."
"It's wrong. Horribly wrong common sense."
Sighing, Sima Geon pointed at the pig hanging from the pillar.
"See the bruises where you beat it? Bruises like that trap the blood. If the blood doesn't drain, what happens? I told you."
Sima Geon glared at Cheol Woo.
"The... the meat tastes awful."
Cheol Woo stammered.
Having forgotten the basics yet scolded Sima Ho, he wanted to crawl into a hole.
"That's weird. Properly tenderizing made the texture better and the meat tastier from my experience."
Sima Ho still couldn't hide his skepticism, clashing with his past experiences.
"You're not entirely wrong, but there's a condition. You must do it after slaughtering and fully draining the blood. Then, yes, the texture improves and the flavor enhances. But beating it alive produces the opposite result. In the worst case, it becomes inedible. Think about it—even lowly beasts feel agony and pain when beaten to death. How much resentment builds up? That poison seeps into the marrow. You think meat like that tastes good?"
At Sima Geon's question, Sima Ho sheepishly shook his head.
His experience beating dogs in sacks left lingering doubt, but Sima Geon's explanation stirred an uneasy feeling in his chest.
"Then what about that one, Boss? If we sell meat like that, Grandpa So's gonna kick open his coffin and come after us."
Cheol Woo pointed at the pig on the pillar. Not even skinned yet, but the bruises everywhere made it look in poor shape.
"We could sell it cheap, but that'd tarnish the reputation Grandpa So built with blood and sweat. Distribute it to the neighbors. Explain the reason properly."
"Got it."
Cheol Woo accepted easily, but Sima Ho looked utterly baffled.
"Even so, just give away that expensive stuff? No way. Let me handle it. I can sell it at full price quietly, no problem."
"Quiet."
Sima Geon snapped seriously, flicking Sima Ho's forehead with his finger before turning away.
"How long you gonna lurk and watch?"
Sima Hyeon, peeking from behind the pillar, stepped out sheepishly, while Sima Jin bounded over to Sima Geon's side.
"When did you get here? I was worried the escort run was delayed."
Sima Geon stroked Sima Jin's head and asked.
"Just now."
"No trouble?"
"A bit tired, but as you see, I'm fine."
Sima Hyeon spread his arms lightly with a smile.
Having rushed straight from the escort, his sweat-soaked clothes were caked in dust.
"But Brother, you ended up causing a scene. I wasn't gone that long. Lightning fast."
"That's how it happened. Not happy?"
Sima Geon asked with an awkward smile.
"Not unhappy, just surprised. Never imagined you'd take over this butcher shop. Still, seeing you all like this makes it look good. Caught some funny sights too."
Sima Hyeon glanced at the dejected Sima Ho and continued.
"But is it okay? This place is famous. The old owner was no slouch. Fall short even a little, and you'll eat shit from everyone. Doing well just breaks even."
At his worry-filled words, Sima Geon flashed a bright smile.
"Don't worry. I've got some confidence. And to survive, we gotta hustle. All of us."
His meaningful gaze made Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho shiver involuntarily.
Only Sima Jin, imagining the two working at a butcher shop instead of Juhae Escort Agency or the Heart Society, laughed alone.
"Living Immortal Medical House? You just said Living Immortal Medical House?"
The middle-aged man asked with a shocked face.
"Yes. The captives in the jail testified as such. We verified it ourselves—it's definitely the Living Immortal Medical House."
The man with a hideous scar from his left eye to his right mouth corner bowed politely and replied.
"And you confirmed why they came to Hangzhou?"
"A retired imperial clansman in Hangzhou fell gravely ill. The imperial family apparently requested the Living Immortal Medical House directly for him."
"And on the way to Hangzhou, their physicians clashed with those scum?"
"Yes."
"What rotten luck. Hmm, but something feels off. The Living Immortal Medical House wouldn't just chop heads off out of nowhere. No, it's weird they even left Hangzhou with their underlings to begin with. There must be a reason."
"Indeed."
The man nodded quietly and stepped slightly closer.
A glint flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes.
Just one step, but it conveyed the gravity of the situation.
"Ga Deung was after the Celestial Pure Jade Milk."
The middle-aged man's face twisted properly at the man's words.
"Celestial... Pure Jade Milk?"
"Yes."
From the man's curt reply, the middle-aged man grasped the full picture.
Ga Deung had learned that the Living Immortal Medical House physicians carried Celestial Pure Jade Milk to treat the imperial clansman in Hangzhou. Overreaching his station out of greed, he got burned instead.
"Filthy worm. Greed for the wrong things. I made him king of Hangzhou's night streets by digging through trash alleys."
The middle-aged man fumed that Ga Deung, his dog-like subordinate, had hogged such vital info and died for it.
"What of the Living Immortal Medical House physicians?"
"They left this morning."
"Damn it!"
The middle-aged man's face soured naturally. Their departure meant the clansman's treatment was done, and so was his chance at the Celestial Pure Jade Milk.
"What a shame. Celestial Pure Jade Milk, worth its weight in gold, wasted on some dying old imperial has-been."
The middle-aged man irritably lifted his cup.
"It wasn't used for the clansman. The Celestial Pure Jade Milk has a different owner. Our chance remains."
The middle-aged man turned his head, cup still at his lips.
"A different... owner? Not the Living Immortal Medical House's?"
"Yes. Ga Deung actually clashed with them while pursuing that person."
"Why didn't you say so sooner!"
Yelling at the man, the middle-aged man drained his cup in one gulp and pressed.
"Who? Who's carrying the Celestial Pure Jade Milk?"
"A man named Sima Geon."
"Sima Geon?"
An unfamiliar name. As the middle-aged man tilted his head, the man continued swiftly.
"From Xiaoxing. He bought the Celestial Pure Jade Milk that the Water Dragon Merchant Association's head secretly owned to treat his sister."
"Water Dragon Merchant Association? Hah, didn't know that greedy old pig had snagged Celestial Pure Jade Milk."
Sneering, the middle-aged man issued his command with utmost seriousness.
"Better this way. If it were still with the Water Dragon Merchant Association, it'd be tricky. But this is heaven-sent. Go get the Celestial Pure Jade Milk now. Money's no object... Wait, for his sister's illness?"
"Yes."
"Damn it! Time's already passed. Hell, what illness needs Celestial Pure Jade Milk? Hope we're not too late."
The middle-aged man clenched his fist, shaking his head roughly in regret.
"Such spirit medicines have their rightful owners."
To Yeongho Jung, widely known as the Gentleman Sword, the Celestial Pure Jade Milk was desperately needed.
'Not sure if I can get it, but if I do, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Helpful for me, and if luck holds, it could even cure Little Uncle's most cherished kid's illness.'
If he could cure the illness of that faintly remembered young nephew (his cousin's son), he'd gain the support of Little Uncle—the clan's elder statesman—and his uncle elders. That would let him crush his brothers in the shadow battle for clan headship and claim leadership of the Yeongho Clan.
"Use any means necessary. If by some chance he's used it, drag back the sister who took it. It's Celestial Pure Jade Milk—the effects won't be fully absorbed yet; they'll linger pure in her blood."
At Yeongho Jung's ruthless order, the man—Dang Baek, his shadow and dark fixer—bowed deeply.
"As you command, my lord."