Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Merchant House - Anhui (5)
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Mok Ri-won stared blankly at the manor before him.
The grand main gate was large enough to accommodate ten people entering at once without crowding.
Above it hung a plaque with the neat characters "Jang Family Manor."
"This place is…."
"It's the Jang Family Manor, just as it looks. The largest manor in this city."
"Why did we come here? Didn't you say we were going to perform righteous deeds…."
"Performing righteous deeds starts here."
Jegal San licked his lips as if savoring the moment.
Mok Ri-won furrowed his brow, a question forming in his mind.
"This doesn't seem like a place that needs righteous deeds…."
That was Mok Ri-won's understanding of righteous deeds.
Helping the weak who couldn't overcome immediate hardships with their own strength.
Standing in for them against violence that threatened the common folk.
Yet nothing like that was visible here.
"Look over there. The manor's workers are all moving about with calm faces. The aroma of food wafting through is enough to make one's mouth water, so there are no starving people. And there's no murderous intent in the air, so no villains harboring wicked hearts. It's truly a peaceful place, so why does Brother Jegal say righteous deeds are needed here?"
"Heh heh, it seems Brother Mok still has much to learn."
Jegal San draped an arm around Mok Ri-won's shoulders and continued with a chuckling grin.
"Come now, Brother Mok. Are righteous deeds only about warding off physical hardships?"
"Well, no, but…."
"Exactly. They may all look peaceful as they go about their business, but doesn't everyone have their own worries? And that's not all. We're still at the main gate of the manor. We don't know the feelings of those inside. For example…."
Jegal San trailed off, observing Mok Ri-won's reaction.
A clear expression of interest appeared on his face.
'What a pure-hearted fellow.'
Thinking that this 'righteous deed' venture would be quite enjoyable, Jegal San pressed on.
"…the grief-stricken heart of a widow who lost her husband."
"…!"
Mok Ri-won's body jolted sharply.
Only then did he realize that Jegal San had brought him here regarding the 'widow' he had mentioned before.
"Uh, uh, Brother Jegal!"
"Shh! Lower your voice! Don't you see the passersby looking at us suspiciously!"
Mok Ri-won flinched and whispered to Jegal San in a voice much softer than before.
His face was smeared with betrayal, his voice thick with injustice.
"I'm disappointed, Brother Jegal! I thought you truly came here for righteous deeds…!"
"I did come for righteous deeds."
"Don't lie! You came here obsessed with women!"
"Oh dear!"
Jegal San feigned a stern tone and glared at Mok Ri-won.
"Do you think I came here entranced by feminine charms, Brother Mok? Do you see me, Jegal San, as the type to drop dead at the sight of a married woman? I'm disappointed!"
Jegal San abruptly released his arm from Mok Ri-won's shoulder and turned his back.
Mok Ri-won panicked at Jegal San's seemingly furious demeanor and scrambled for excuses.
Of course, nothing suitable came to mind.
'Th-then what is it!'
Circumstantial evidence, as they say.
Considering his past exploits and the way he licked his lips in delight, how else could one conclude but that he came to seduce the widow?
Mok Ri-won's confusion deepened.
Accordingly, the corners of Jegal San's mouth, hidden from view, curved upward sharply.
Mok Ri-won's trembling body revealed just how hard he was holding back his laughter.
"You've misjudged me! I highly regarded the chivalry you showed in Suyang County and invited you along! That's it!"
Jegal San slowly, very slowly, turned to leave.
Mok Ri-won floundered in confusion before finally grabbing him.
"S-sorry! Please calm down first…."
"It's done! I have nothing more to say!"
"N-no! I was wrong! I'm not some scoundrel who judges people by rumors!"
He felt unjust enough to go mad.
Mok Ri-won didn't want to be branded a scoundrel like this.
…Though a moment's thought would reveal something was off, Mok Ri-won, always beloved by others, faced resentment from someone for the first time and couldn't think straight.
Jegal San finally glanced back at Mok Ri-won with a suspicious look.
"…Can I trust you?"
"O-of course!"
"Ahem! Very well, I'll trust you one more time."
Mok Ri-won's face brightened.
It was a radiant smile, like spring in bloom.
'As expected, this is the smile that melted even the Poison Phoenix!'
Jegal San thought to himself, then addressed the now-relieved Mok Ri-won.
"Then cause a commotion here."
"…Huh?"
"Cause a commotion. While you draw their attention, I'll slip inside."
Mok Ri-won's face went blank.
*
"Ah, aiyoo…! Save this hero…!"
At the Jang Family Manor's main gate.
Mok Ri-won clutched his stomach, his face flushed red, putting on an awkward performance.
"Aiyo, I'm dying…! My stomach, it feels like I'm starving to death…!"
Passersby gathered at the incomprehensible, clumsy acting.
Workers from beyond the gate turned their eyes toward him as well.
Mok Ri-won felt mortified but endured.
This was the process of proving he wasn't a scoundrel, of proving his innocence—he resolved to bear it.
His earnest but utterly unconvincing act drew no believers, yet it excelled at attracting attention.
"Aiyo…!"
As Mok Ri-won squeezed his eyes shut, delicate wrinkles formed on his smooth brow.
His fair skin reflected the sunlight in a beautiful glow, and his trembling fingertips evoked pity and sympathy.
It was the 'appearance that even Dang Hwa-seo fell for' shining through, as Jegal San had said.
"It looks like he's performing a play."
"Seems so. Goodness, I've never seen such a handsome man in my life."
"Sigh… Hey, find out who that man is. I want to share a drink with him alone tonight."
People admiring Mok Ri-won's looks, others agreeing, and even a woman passing by who harbored lewd thoughts upon seeing him.
In a situation that could jeopardize his chastity, someone pushed through the crowd.
Thud.
Thud.
The footsteps radiating blatant anger belonged to none other than Dang Hwa-seo.
"Young Hero Mok!"
Flinch-.
Mok Ri-won, in the midst of drawing eyes, shuddered.
He looked toward the voice with fear-filled eyes.
"L-Little Sister…."
"What are you doing?"
Her wide eyes pierced him like arrows.
Suppressed fury seeped from her voice.
Mok Ri-won hastily concocted excuses with a pale face.
"Br-Brother Jegal…."
"Brother?"
"Th-the young master said just for a moment…."
"Enough. We'll talk later."
Dang Hwa-seo grabbed Mok Ri-won's ear and dragged him away.
He flailed pitifully, seeking help from those around, but no one dared approach her murderous expression.
The woman from somewhere who had just given lewd orders upon seeing him shrieked and fled with her servants the moment her eyes met Dang Hwa-seo's.
Mok Ri-won's chastity was safe once more today.
…Whether his life would be equally safe remained uncertain.
*
Jegal San stifled chuckles while watching Mok Ri-won being dragged off by Dang Hwa-seo from afar.
'What an entertaining fellow.'
He hoped Mok Ri-won would survive the night unscathed.
'Now for me….'
Jegal San scaled the wall into the Jang Family Manor, steadied his breathing, and expanded his senses.
'No guards this far in.'
Perhaps to be expected.
The Jang Family Manor was that of an ordinary wealthy merchant, not meticulous enough to station guards even behind the outhouse.
Jegal San pinched his nose against the fertilizer stench and headed toward the inner quarters.
'It should be around here….'
Peering from behind a pillar, Jegal San eyed the inner quarters.
Every entrance and window was guarded tightly by armed retainers.
It could be seen as manpower protecting the building, but otherwise…
'It's practically a prison.'
It looked as if they were confining someone inside to prevent them from leaving.
Their attention was focused inward to that extent.
Jegal San observed the retainers with calm eyes.
'Second-rate, second-rate, second-rate, second-rate at the tail end, and the one in the center is first-rate entry level.'
Likely the leader.
Jegal San slipped a hand into his bosom and rolled a few jade stones in his grip.
He pondered.
'What to do….'
He had achieved half success by infiltrating this far, but Jegal San wasn't satisfied with that alone.
Cunning and persistence.
Those were the core elements defining the Strange Dragon Jegal San.
-Please just confirm if my sister is doing well. That's all I need. So please…
His thoughts led to the image of a raggedly dressed man, gaunt and starved, emptying his pockets of every coin.
'Brother, it seems your sister isn't faring well.'
He murmured inwardly.
Useless words that wouldn't reach, but Jegal San grinned and continued.
'Well, just in case, I'll make sure to check thoroughly.'
Jegal San withdrew his hand from his bosom.
In it were three small jade stones gleaming elegantly.
'Let's go quietly.'
Flick-.
Jegal San infused inner energy and launched the jade stones.
They shot out so discreetly as to be nearly invisible to the naked eye, yet each headed in a different direction despite being released in one motion.
One to the roof, one behind a pillar, the last beneath a retainer's feet.
Then, the anomaly occurred.
Shoooo-.
A ripple of energy spread.
Of course, no one but Jegal San noticed it.
The ingenuity that elevated the Jegal Clan to one of the Five Great Clans.
The ingenuity that earned Clan Leader Jegal Byeok the moniker Array King.
It was the Simplified Array Method.
'Working perfectly.'
The retainers' eyes glazed over momentarily before returning to normal.
However, they could no longer see Jegal San.
For the next two hours.
All they would see above their eyelids were drifting clouds and the setting sun.
Whoosh-!
Jegal San dashed out with lightness skill and slipped through an open window meant for ventilation.
Landing silently inside, he scanned his surroundings.
'This place is….'
A small study.
Jegal San dusted off his knees and rummaged through the study's nooks.
'Usually, ledgers are hidden in places like this.'
He hummed a tune as he searched.
But it was in vain.
Not a single ledger or anything related to the family.
The main study must be elsewhere.
'Aw….'
Jegal San drooped his shoulders in disappointment, then quickly rallied and leaped to the ceiling.
Prying open a gap, he crawled into the dusty space above.
'No hidden guards, judging by the dust.'
Things were going smoother than expected.
Crawling along on his belly here and there for a while.
-Where is it?
-I don't know.
Voices drifted in.
Jegal San's eyes gleamed as he grinned.
He headed toward the voices, widened a crack slightly, and peered below.
There sat a toad-like old man and a slender woman in neat attire facing him.
'Oh ho….'
Jegal San gazed at the woman with delight.
'A beauty.'
He had found his target.