Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: But We're Still Faster
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But we're still faster
“Young Master, are you really going with this group composition?”
Cheon Gyeongwan asked with a serious expression.
And for good reason—no fewer than nine women were standing around the carriage.
They were all maids who had insisted on following Byeok Taesan to serve him.
“Of course, I can’t take them all. But I need to be comfortable, so I’ll take just three.”
At the word “three,” the nine maids’ eyes sparkled as they looked at Byeok Taesan.
Among them was Soso, who had served Byeok Taesan for a long time.
Soso’s expression was one of utmost determination.
As the number of women who came to serve Byeok Taesan grew one by one, she felt a sense of crisis, as if her own position was being threatened.
That was why she didn’t want to miss this chance. She was determined to catch the Young Master’s eye and return to her original place.
So she gazed at Byeok Taesan, pouring all her heart into her eyes.
Byeok Taesan’s finger moved slowly, pointing to one person.
It was Danyeong.
With a faint smile, Danyeong walked with light steps and stood behind Byeok Taesan.
Soso bit her lip. She had to acknowledge Danyeong. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also so meticulous that she would likely attend to Byeok Taesan’s every need throughout the journey.
Byeok Taesan’s finger moved again. This time, it was a woman named Chaewol.
She was the most recent woman to have come to Byeok Taesan, and for reasons similar to Danyeong, Soso had to acknowledge her as well.
Soso looked at Byeok Taesan, her pounding heart filled with desperate hope.
But Byeok Taesan’s third finger was moving away from her.
A look of regret filled her eyes.
Finally, Byeok Taesan’s finger pointed toward the carriage.
“Soso, get in the carriage.”
For a moment, Soso stood there dumbfounded, not understanding what had just happened. Then, realizing what Byeok Taesan had said, she shrieked with joy.
“Ahh! Thank you, Young Master! Thank you! I’ll work really hard! Thank you!”
Soso bowed deeply in all directions.
Anyone watching would have thought she had received some grand prize.
Byeok Taesan chuckled at the sight and headed for the carriage.
The maids who had not been chosen bowed respectfully toward Byeok Taesan with disappointed expressions.
Byeok Taesan glanced at them before boarding the carriage.
Then, the One-Needle Eccentric and the Divine Doctor of the Ages followed him into the carriage.
The rest, of course, had to walk or ride horses.
Just as they were about to depart, the Divine Doctor’s face popped out from inside the carriage.
“What are you doing? You all should get in too.”
The people outside were the three maids, and Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon, who were accompanying them under the pretext of being Byeok Taesan’s guards.
They stared at the Divine Doctor with wide eyes.
“Hurry up and get in. The carriage is quite spacious and comfortable.”
They all hesitated, but at the Divine Doctor’s urging, they boarded the carriage one by one.
When Cheon Gyeongwan was the last man standing, the Divine Doctor gestured with his eyes toward the driver’s seat.
Cheon Gyeongwan nodded and sat in the driver’s seat.
Soon after, the carriage started moving.
* * *
The inside of the carriage was indeed spacious and comfortable. However, it was too crowded.
The most comfortable person in the carriage was, naturally, Byeok Taesan.
Byeok Taesan occupied one entire side by himself.
The carriage had a door on one side, and the other three sides were designed for seating.
The rest of the people were huddled together there, and despite the considerable number, it was manageable.
Although it wasn’t exactly comfortable.
Byeok Taesan sat cross-legged with his eyes gently closed.
He was in the middle of organizing the insights he had recently gained from the One-Needle Eccentric.
It wasn't something that could be finished in a day or two, so he had to organize it whenever he had a spare moment like this.
As Byeok Taesan sat like that, a heavy silence fell over the carriage.
No one dared to speak rashly.
If they did, it would be troublesome if Byeok Taesan got annoyed, saying they were a disturbance.
Before they knew it, they had begun to tailor all their lives and thoughts to Byeok Taesan.
Even so, there was one person who couldn't stand the silence. It was the Divine Doctor of the Ages.
He fidgeted several times before finally speaking cautiously.
“Shouldn’t we at least go over the rough schedule? I think it would be good to decide where we’re staying tonight, for starters. Or are we going to travel only by carriage? Actually, wouldn’t it be much more convenient to use the waterways to get to Yichang?”
“They say river pirates have been rampant lately, so a carriage is better.”
When Yu Seoyeon answered, the Divine Doctor tilted his head and glanced around the carriage.
“I don’t think we need to worry about river pirates.”
For starters, the One-Needle Eccentric alone could destroy a decent-sized pirate den by himself.
No, there was no need for even him to step in. Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon could turn a whole swarm of river pirates into fish food.
Besides, the three maids traveling with them were no pushovers either.
Of course, it hadn't been long since they started training in martial arts, but the arts they were learning were so exceptional that they could surely handle one or two pirates.
‘And…’
The Divine Doctor’s gaze flickered over Byeok Taesan and back.
He couldn’t describe how shocked he had been to see Byeok Taesan fight the One-Needle Eccentric.
Honestly, he knew he was strong, but he had no idea he was *that* strong.
Though it did seem like he suffered from some side effects after that fight.
In any case, with Byeok Taesan, who had put the One-Needle Eccentric to sleep in one blow, present…
With a group of this caliber, what river pirates were there to fear?
If anything, they should be worried about the river pirates.
‘By the way, why is that old man so on edge?’
The Divine Doctor glanced at the One-Needle Eccentric, who was sitting a little distance away.
The One-Needle Eccentric kept sneaking furtive, anxious glances at Byeok Taesan.
The way he was acting, he looked just like a clueless kid being bullied by the neighborhood toughs.
While he was at it, the Divine Doctor observed each person in the carriage one by one.
The three maids had their eyes fixed on Byeok Taesan, barely even blinking.
‘Same as ever, even out here.’
Byeok Taesan’s maids were famous for living with their eyes only on him.
Even now, they were constantly watching him, worried he might be uncomfortable.
The one who was slightly better was Soso, but seeing her today, it seemed she wasn’t quite normal either.
Yu Seoyeon sat still with an unreadable expression.
But the Divine Doctor could clearly see it. The obsession lingering in her eyes.
These days, the scariest person was Yu Seoyeon.
‘By the way, has she used that poison yet?’
When Yu Seoyeon had asked for the poison, he had felt a bit hesitant, but he had given her a moderate amount.
It wasn't a particularly dangerous poison, and Yu Seoyeon’s expression when she asked for it had been a bit frightening.
Anyway, he had handed it over, and he was dying to know how she would use it.
He didn't know what she was waiting for, but it was bound to be quite a show.
“Ah, by the way, I heard someone from the Yeon Family is also going to the Hubei Martial Alliance. Is that not true?”
The Divine Doctor asked, looking at Yu Seoyeon.
Yu Seoyeon nodded her head.
“Our young lady has decided to go.”
“The young lady? You mean Lady Yeon Harin?”
“Yes.”
The Divine Doctor tilted his head.
“Weren’t you originally her escort? Is it okay for you not to be there?”
“It is fine. And… my mission is to be here.”
Yu Seoyeon said this as she looked at Byeok Taesan. Then she turned her gaze to check each of Byeok Taesan's beautiful maids.
Her mission was to protect Byeok Taesan. But now, that mission had become meaningless.
The mission she had now taken upon herself was to keep an eye on any women who approached Byeok Taesan.
Of course, Yeon Harin had not asked her to do this. It was a mission she had taken on herself.
Yeon Harin was simply worried about Byeok Taesan.
“The Yeon Family must have assigned another skilled escort.”
The Divine Doctor spoke as if he couldn't understand.
“The Yeon Family did assign escorts. But I doubt all of them combined would be a match for you alone.”
“That can’t be. The Yeon Family is a martial family with more depth than you think.”
Moreover, Yeon Harin’s own skills were formidable.
The Divine Doctor stared at Yu Seoyeon for a moment.
‘It seems she doesn’t properly realize her own strength.’
Recently, Yu Seoyeon had been growing stronger at a terrifying pace, thanks to Cheon Gyeongwan.
But since the only person she could compare her skills with was Cheon Gyeongwan, it was perhaps natural that she couldn't properly gauge her own abilities.
“Do you know that Lady Yeon Harin is traveling with others?”
Yu Seoyeon looked at the Divine Doctor with cold eyes.
“By traveling with others, you mean…”
“Are you aware that the Yeon Family has had a flood of guests recently?”
“I am not.”
“It seems you haven't heard that part. The Seomun, Guyang, and Chu families have sent people. I believe… they were all the third sons, but I’m not certain.”
“Those are prestigious families.”
“They are families that wield a fair bit of power.”
The Divine Doctor’s gaze then shifted to Byeok Taesan.
It was because he knew that Yeon Harin was Byeok Taesan’s fiancée.
“I hear those guys are trying their best to woo her…”
Yu Seoyeon’s eyebrows twitched.
“I heard they are traveling by boat. With such powerful families gathered, most river pirates would flee at the mere sight of their banners.”
Yu Seoyeon reflexively turned her head to look at Byeok Taesan.
Byeok Taesan was still sitting with his eyes closed.
“It’s no use looking at me like that. We’re sticking to our original plan.”
At Byeok Taesan’s words, Yu Seoyeon lowered her head with a dejected expression. Her emotions were so shaken that she didn't even think to question how he knew she was looking at him with his eyes closed.
Their travel plan was to take the carriage to the vicinity of Jingzhou, and from there, take a boat to Yichang.
“But we’re still faster.”
At Byeok Taesan’s following words, Yu Seoyeon’s head snapped up, and she stared at him.
But Byeok Taesan said nothing more. And naturally, he did not open his eyes.
The carriage continued to travel at a fairly brisk and steady pace.
* * *
“What on earth is wrong with my son that you rejected him?”
Chae Miryeong glared at Byeok Cheonil, unable to hide her anger.
But what could Byeok Cheonil do? It was a decision made by none other than the One-Needle Eccentric.
The One-Needle Eccentric was a man who acted as he pleased. There was no predicting what he would do if provoked.
Honestly, even asking the One-Needle Eccentric to take Byeok Jehyeok with him to the Hubei Martial Alliance had been an incredibly difficult task.
He hadn’t been prepared to die, but he had been ready to have a few bones broken.
Fortunately, the One-Needle Eccentric had calmly refused.
“It seems he has taken an interest in the second young master’s illness. He says he will stick by him until it is cured, so there was nothing I could do.”
“Think carefully.”
Chae Miryeong said calmly, trying to compose herself.
“What do you think will happen if that Byeok Taesan’s illness is cured?”
Byeok Cheonil could only give a bitter smile, unable to answer.
What would happen would depend on Byeok Taesan’s intentions, wouldn’t it?
If Byeok Taesan had no ambitions, Byeok Jehyeok would inherit the Golden Jade Trading Company. If not, a fierce power struggle would ensue.
Already, talk of Byeok Taesan was circulating among those in key positions within the Golden Jade Trading Company.
“I asked you several times before to take care of it properly, yet not only is he still perfectly fine, but his illness is gradually improving, isn’t it?”
“I believe it is now out of my hands.”
Byeok Cheonil said, bowing his head slightly. It was true. The matter of Byeok Taesan was now out of his hands.
But Chae Miryeong shook her head firmly.
“No. It is still in your hands. Surely you didn’t think you could wash your hands of it so easily? Did you think I would just stand by and watch?”
Chae Miryeong smiled faintly.
And Byeok Cheonil’s expression hardened.
“There’s something I’ve been working on. I need you to finish it for me.”
“Something you’ve been working on…”
“I wished for him to die from his illness, but he’s getting healthier. What can I do? I’ll just have to get him out of my sight.”
Byeok Cheonil’s expression grew serious.
Watching him, Chae Miryeong said calmly.
“You don’t need to make that face. I have no intention of using harsh methods. You’re aware that we’re starting a new escort agency business soon, right?”
“Yes.”
Recently, various operations were underway to tighten the noose around the Thousand Gold Alliance.
One of them was the new escort agency business.
It was an endeavor to directly challenge the Blue Dragon Escort Agency, one of the Thousand Gold Alliance’s biggest sources of income.
Considerable preparations had been made, and a lot had been invested.
Many people were confident of its success and were trying to get a piece of the action.
“Push Byeok Taesan into it.”
“What? Do you really want that?”
“Yes.”
Byeok Cheonil stared blankly at Chae Miryeong.
Honestly, he had thought she intended to put Byeok Jehyeok in that position.
The Blue Dragon Escort Agency was in such a bad state that if a rival agency were established nearby, it would probably have a hard time surviving.
It was an opportunity that promised great returns for little effort, and he couldn't understand why she would give it to Byeok Taesan.
“It won’t succeed.”
“Pardon?”
“You can find out the rest on your own.”
Byeok Cheonil’s expression hardened.
“You’ll have to show at least that much capability to be worthy of the next Head of the Archives position, wouldn’t you agree?”
For some reason, Chae Miryeong’s brightly smiling face seemed terrifying to Byeok Cheonil.