The Three-Way Meeting
As soon as the words left his mouth, something flashed past So Jin-wol’s face.
The front of his robe split open in a long, clean line.
Startled by Naeng Han-sang’s exquisite technique, So Jin-wol quickly lowered his head.
“As Elder Naeng has commanded, the Sahaebang will withdraw.”
Having spoken, So Jin-wol hurried from the room with his subordinates in tow.
With the Sahaebang brothers she had counted on now fleeing, Hwa-ryeon was left in an awkward position.
While she stamped her feet, unsure what to do, Sa-wol approached and whispered in her ear.
“Head of the House, the constables from the Jangan County Office entered Meisil a short while ago.”
Hwa-ryeon’s face brightened in an instant.
With the Sahaebang gone, the only ones she could rely on now were the constables.
Having nowhere else to turn, she decided to appeal to the power of the government.
“Go at once, explain the situation, and bring them here.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sa-wol hurried back the way she had come.
Naeng Han-sang stared at the head of the house with a dumbfounded expression.
He had assumed it was time for the leader of Gimun to appear, yet she was summoning constables instead.
“Hmph! Rejecting the wine of authority only to drink the wine of punishment?”
Hwa-ryeon, who had survived decades in the murky waters of the pleasure houses, refused to yield.
“Whether it’s the wine of authority or the wine of punishment, once you’ve drunk it, you must settle the bill.”
Meisil.
It was a gathering Dan Yeop had arranged to treat the constables who had endured hardship alongside him.
Dan Yeop, the one footing the bill, sat at the head of the table.
Constable Jang Ho and five patrol constables took seats on either side of him.
Constable Jang Ho declared with a triumphant face, “Come, come! Everyone! Constable Dan is treating us today, so drink to your hearts’ content!”
“We’ll enjoy it thoroughly, Constable Dan!”
“As expected, the man has real loyalty!”
“Constable Dan! Call us again next time! We’ll come running even if it’s a thousand li away!”
The patrol constables who shared secrets with Dan Yeop chimed in energetically one after another.
Just as the constables and patrolmen were about to fill their cups, someone entered.
It was the maid Sa-wol.
Disappointment flickered across the constables’ faces when they saw her maid’s attire.
The gisaengs they had been waiting for never appeared; instead, a lone maid had come. The excitement instantly died.
At that moment, Sa-wol pleaded in a desperate voice.
“Honorable constables! Please save our head of the house!”
She quickly recounted everything that had happened until now.
“…He’s drunk and keeps demanding we bring the leader of Gimun, but our head doesn’t even know who the leader of Gimun is.”
The gazes of Constable Jang Ho and the patrol constables all turned toward Dan Yeop at once.
Dan Yeop asked the maid, “Do you know why this person is looking for the leader of Gimun?”
“I don’t. He only said that if the leader comes, he’ll settle the drink bill.”
Dan Yeop tilted his head at those words.
An acquaintance of the Gimun leader?
But if that were the case, the man should have known that the leader of Gimun was at Sosangru in Jangrak Ward.
His curiosity about the man’s identity only grew. Dan Yeop rose from his seat.
“A complaint has been filed, so I will go investigate. The rest of you, enjoy yourselves here.”
At Dan Yeop’s words, Constable Jang Ho and the patrol constables nodded willingly.
After all, none of them wanted to get entangled with murim experts.
Dan Yeop headed toward the place where the Geomgak master was said to be, accompanied by the maid.
When the maid returned with a young man in tow, the gisaengs parted like a wave.
Curiosity filled the gisaengs’ faces as they looked at the youth.
Although the Yeonangyeong hid his eyes, the rest of his features were more than enough to reveal how handsome he was.
Sa-wol introduced Dan Yeop to Hwa-ryeon.
“Head of the House, this is Constable Dan Yeop of the Jangan County Office.”
Hwa-ryeon found the young man wearing tinted glasses in the middle of the night somewhat suspicious, but with no one else to rely on, she quickly bowed her head.
“Aigoo! Honorable constable, the guest over there has been enjoying drinks and gisaengs to his heart’s content, yet now he refuses to pay. Please, I beg you to resolve this matter.”
Dan Yeop listened in silence before turning to the middle-aged man.
“Greetings. I am Dan Yeop, constable of the Jangan County Office. May I ask the honorable guest who refuses to pay his drink bill for his respected name?”
As the situation grew increasingly tangled, Naeng Han-sang let out a light sigh and answered.
“Haa! I am not that sort of person. I am Naeng Han-sang of Geomgak. This all happened because everyone wanted to meet the leader of Gimun. Constable Dan, could you possibly assist me?”
“May I ask why you wish to meet the leader of Gimun?”
In that instant, Naeng Han-sang realized that Constable Dan Yeop was connected to Gimun.
Only after sending away the gisaengs and even the head of the house did he speak.
“There is a rumor that a traitor from Geomgak has taken refuge in Gimun. I wish to meet the leader of Gimun to verify whether the rumor is true.”
“A traitor from Geomgak? Who is this person?”
“A ronin named Go Geom-haeng.”
Chapter 88. The Three-Way Meeting
Because Dan Yeop was a constable, Naeng Han-sang revealed the full story without reservation.
He intended to meet the leader of Gimun through Dan Yeop.
After listening to Naeng Han-sang, Dan Yeop nodded.
“I happen to know something about Gimun. I could arrange a meeting between Elder Naeng and the leader of Gimun. However…”
“Why? Is there some problem?”
“If things go wrong, I could be the one blamed. I must confirm this clearly. Is it true that Go Geom-haeng betrayed Geomgak?”
“It is true.”
“What exactly did Go Geom-haeng do?”
“He taught Geomgak’s martial arts at Gimun. He violated the ironclad taboo against teaching outsiders. There is no greater betrayal than that.”
“What? He taught Geomgak’s martial arts?”
“Correct.”
“That’s not right. Who told you that?”
“I received the information from a trustworthy source.”
“Someone reported this to Geomgak?”
“Indeed.”
“Who was it? The person who made the report.”
“There is such a person.”
Naeng Han-sang did not reveal the name of the Heavenly Blade Association.
Above all, he did not trust the government authorities.
When the other party showed reluctance to elaborate, Dan Yeop changed the subject.
“I am somewhat familiar with the situation inside Haomun. This matter seems to require a three-way meeting.”
“A three-way meeting? What are you suddenly talking about?”
“It is true that Haomun has been learning new martial arts lately.”
“As I thought! I knew it! This was Go Geom-haeng’s doing! If that is the case, Haomun must also be held accountable.”
“However, it is not Geomgak’s martial arts.”
“Not? That cannot be. If it came from Go Geom-haeng, it must be Geomgak’s martial arts.”
“He is not the one teaching it.”
“Nonsense! I know full well that Go Geom-haeng is an instructor at Gimun.”
“Go Geom-haeng is also learning the new martial arts and then teaching them.”
“New martial arts? What are they?”
“They are Haomun’s supreme skill, the Jin-sam-dae-do-beop. Does the name alone not tell you it cannot possibly belong to Geomgak?”
Geomgak was a sect that revered the sword.
Naturally, they would not spare even a glance for saber techniques.
“That is impossible. Why would Go Geom-haeng bother learning some lowly saber art from Haomun?”
“It is the truth. That is why I said a three-way meeting is necessary. If Elder Naeng meets both Go Geom-haeng and the Haomun martial arts instructor who taught him the skill, you will understand that my words are true.”
“Then there is no need to meet the leader of Gimun?”
“It would be a meaningless encounter.”
“But will Go Geom-haeng and this Haomun instructor agree to meet me? They could very well die by my hand.”
“They will meet.”
“Is that so? A three-way meeting. I have no reason to refuse.”
Naeng Han-sang smiled faintly.
He had already traveled fifteen hundred li (roughly six hundred kilometers) from Geomnamdo all the way to the capital region just to meet Go Geom-haeng.
If it turned out to be false, he could simply cut him down on the spot. There was nothing for him to lose.
“Come to Sosangru in Jangrak Ward by the hour of You tomorrow (seven in the evening). Give them my name and they will guide you to the annex.”
“Understood.”
Once the meeting was arranged, Dan Yeop moved on to the next matter.
“And what do you intend to do about the drink bill at Jaun-gak? This establishment has no connection to Gimun, so you must settle the account. If Elder Naeng continues to refuse payment claiming you have no money, the heroes of Jangan Castle will criticize Geomgak.”
“Constable Dan, I will speak honestly. I believed this place was connected to Gimun. That is why I made a bit of a scene. Only then would the news reach the ears of the Gimun leader.”
Dan Yeop simply listened in silence.
Of course, there were members of Gimun at Jaun-gak as well.
The signature gisaeng Soyo was a disciple of Leader Ha So-ran, after all.
“The only money I currently have is thirty taels of silver. I will have no choice but to send the remainder after returning to Geomnamdo. Could you help me with this?”
“Are you asking me to stand as guarantor?”
“Yes. In all of Jangan Castle, you are the only one I can trust.”
Geomgak had lived in isolation from the world for a long time.
They had no exchanges with other murim factions.
While they might have some connections in Geomnamdo, Naeng Han-sang knew no one in Jangan Castle.
“Very well. However, a verbal promise alone is insufficient. I will need you to write a debt confirmation for fifty taels of silver.”
“I will write it.”
“Understood. I will persuade the head of the house. Please wait here and enjoy your drinks for a moment.”
“Go ahead.”
Dan Yeop immediately turned and left the room.
Having resolved the drink bill, Naeng Han-sang drank with a relaxed expression.
A short while later, in front of Dan Yeop who had returned with Head Hwa-ryeon, Naeng Han-sang wrote the debt confirmation and even affixed his seal.
Only then did Head Hwa-ryeon speak with a bright smile.
“Elder Naeng, the bill for this seat has already been settled, so please rest comfortably before you go. If you need anything at all, call for me anytime. We have a girl named Soyo at our Jaun-gak…”
“That won’t be necessary. I have no need for a gisaeng. I will sit here until my mind is at ease and then leave, so do not concern yourself.”
“Yes, yes. Then please rest well before you depart.”
Ok-ran winked at Dan Yeop before she left.
“Then I shall take my leave as well. Please do not forget about tomorrow.”
As Dan Yeop turned to go after offering his farewell, Naeng Han-sang’s voice followed him from behind.
“Who exactly are you?”
“For now, I am a constable.”
Having spoken, Dan Yeop left without so much as a backward glance.
The drink bill for the seven people—including Dan Yeop, the constables, and the patrol constables—came to five taels of silver.
Even though they had given the constables a discount, Hwa-ryeon did not take the full amount.
As gratitude for Dan Yeop resolving the bill issue, she accepted only three taels.
After parting ways with the constables and patrolmen, Dan Yeop headed for Sosangru in Jangrak Ward despite the late hour.
He felt he should at least inform the leader of Gimun and Go Geom-haeng about the three-way meeting a day in advance.
Jangrak Ward.
Sosangru.
Inner chamber.
At Dan Yeop’s words, Leader Ha So-ran asked with a half-doubting expression, “Naeng Han-sang, you said? I have never heard that name before. How can I believe he is truly a man from Geomgak?”
“The Sahaebang experts who were guarding Jaun-gak withdrew from the matter at Jaun-gak immediately after encountering him. I believe that leaves no room for doubt.”
“Hmm!”
Leader Ha So-ran’s face hardened.
Sahaebang was the strongest faction in Jangan Castle after Janwol-gak.
Proud as they were, they would not have withdrawn from Jaun-gak so easily.
Watching the leader sink into thought, Dan Yeop continued, “I did not wish to mention this, but he declared he would kill Instructor Go and hold Gimun responsible as well.”
“What did you say? Why? What wrong have we committed against Geomgak?”
“Did you know that Instructor Go was originally from Geomgak?”
“That… haa, yes. I knew.”
“It was a dangerous choice. If Geomgak learned of it, an incident like this was bound to occur eventually.”
“My greed was excessive. But Instructor Go has never taught Geomgak’s martial arts. Even Head Instructor Dan knows this.”
“It is information known only to Gimun. From an outsider’s perspective, his actions are more than enough to invite misunderstanding.”
“Then now…”