The Hainan Sect's Banquet in Nanjing (4)
As Jeong Go had said.
The stupid ones had properly swallowed the bait.
Nam Geonhu, Geum Hwayeong... what on earth to do with them.
In this world, in all existence... the commoners have stabbed the eunuchs?
They dared to stab a manager right in front of the Jinyiwei commander?
Admit it! This public truly admits it.
Your internal organs have escaped beyond the Great Wall.
This, this.
Tears are blurring my vision.
Go well, you won't go far.
Well, if you're really lucky, you might see each other again.
But what case would that be.
Better to die than that.
***
Nam Geonhu, who held the sword that had pierced Jeong Go's belly, stood beside him with Geum Hwayeong, her eyes wide like those of a rabbit. Gongsun Dajing had come to find Jeong Go together with Jin Myeong after the Crown Prince incident.
[!!!!!!]
The three of them froze for a moment, staring at one another in stunned silence.
They were questioning whether the scene unfolding before their eyes was real.
Among them, Nam Geonhu was the first to speak.
“Ah, no...! That’s not it...! I’ll explain everything...!”
His words never continued.
Because in the blink of an eye, Jin Myeong’s figure, which had left only an afterimage behind, appeared directly in front of Nam Geonhu’s nose.
Then.
Kwa! Bang!
Nam Geonhu, struck squarely in the chest by Jin Myeong’s palm, flew like a snapped string and slammed into the warehouse wall.
He passed out without even a scream.
Geum Hwayeong had not had time to react. It was an overwhelming surge of revenge.
This was the Sunflower Water Form Jin Myeong had used when clashing with Daoist Hyeondo and when he eliminated the assassin who had ambushed Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi.
The ideal world Dongfang Guihua’s parents had envisioned when creating the Sunflower Water Form was the fragrance of the chrysanthemum.
It was the wish that their beloved daughter’s figure could linger anywhere, just like the exquisite scent of the chrysanthemum the couple had always cherished.
It was the result of research by parents with utmost sincerity for their child.
It could only be the best.
Next to the frozen Geum Hwayeong, Jin Myeong appeared like a hallucination and gently laid Jeong Go down.
“Jeong Go!”
Tu! Ttuduk! Tuk!
Immediately, he drew the sword and pressed the acupoints around the wound to staunch the bleeding.
Jin Myeong’s voice and expression were extremely startled, but inwardly, it was the opposite.
-Are you alright? It was a good stab. The vital organs and major blood vessels are fine. You’ll need about two weeks of recuperation.
Jeong Go, who heard Jin Myeong’s telepathic voice, opened his eyes slightly and nodded.
The two shared a subtle smile.
Jeong Go had precisely stabbed the spot where there was no danger to life, choosing the place where Nam Geonhu’s sword had pierced.
Exactly 2 cun (about 6 cm) deep.
Stabbing a martial artist who had trained for nearly ten years without hitting vital organs and acupoints was no big deal.
The result was, as you can see, only a wound that could be stitched and healed in about two weeks.
If it was to properly capture Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong, this much wound wasn’t even worth calling a wound.
After enduring the pain of having their dantian torn and the pain of castration.
This much pain is nothing.
'Now it’s your turn. Experience it once. The excruciating pain I went through.'
The big picture of the plan the two had made to capture Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong was like this.
Just like last year when Jeong Go had been framed, to return the frame to this side.
Only then would Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong feel the miserable heart that Jeong Go had felt.
Simply giving physical pain wasn’t enough.
Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong had taken away Jeong Go’s honor and status, not to mention his dantian, from the promising young martial artist.
And even his life as a man!
Jin Myeong had been only sixteen then, a virgin youth.
He had been born into the world and become a eunuch without ever experiencing anything.
Any man would feel that injustice deep in their bones, their heart aching.
On the other hand.
“Ah, no! Hyung was standing still, but Godeungun...! He stabbed himself!”
Geum Hwayeong, who had been left alone after losing her brother, was in a state of blankness.
The silence was so heavy it felt like she would suffocate, and she felt like she had to make some excuse.
Just the fact that the eunuch she had seen that morning had appeared made her head spin.
With the Jinyiwei commander.
It must be that person she had seen in yesterday’s report.
'Brother! What do I do! Grandfather! What do I do!'
Geum Hwayeong, who found herself in an unresolvable situation, bit her lip while looking at Nam Geonhu lying in one corner of the warehouse.
She had no idea how to explain this incident, or if she could explain it at all, her vision was dark.
If it was just the eunuch alone, she could say nothing.
But if the eunuch was framing this side, then it would be fine.
The eunuch and Godeungun were close eunuchs.
'Stay calm, stay calm, Geum Hwayeong. I need to meet Grandfather. Grandfather will solve this. There’s no way he would do something to the granddaughter of the Hainan Sect leader.'
Now, the only thing to believe in was Geum Jong-mu and Hainan.
Geum Jong-mu and Hainan had received the emperor’s favor several times for their contribution in defeating the pirates of the South Sea with the navy.
Although not as beloved as Wudang, there aren’t many sects that the emperor personally bestowed a plaque on.
If people don’t believe the words of the Hainan Sect leader, who would they believe?
'If Grandfather explains that Godeungun was banished and bore a grudge against us because of that incident.'
Recalling Grandfather and brother, Geum Hwayeong felt her uneasy heart calm a little.
“This public is Gongsun Dajing, the Jinyiwei commander. Eunuchs are also country’s officials. How dare you harm an officer. If you even twitch a finger, I will cut off your neck immediately. Will you willingly accept the arrest, or will you pass out from suffocation. Decide.”
Gongsun Dajing, who had understood the situation and had a face hardened with fear, asked while grasping the sword.
“I and my brother are innocent. The fallen eunuch stabbed himself. We intended to frame us. Please let us meet the sect leader of our sect. The sect leader will tell you. Tell the sect leader what kind of person this eunuch was before he became a eunuch.”
***
The Hainan Sect’s second-generation disciples had tried to kill the eunuch!
The rage of the eunuch clan exploded!
The rumor spread in an instant.
Gongsun Dajing kept silent, but in the process of handling the incident, the event had to have several mouths.
Among those several mouths, there was the mouth of the eunuchs, which was the most natural fact.
Those who wander the world in search of interesting things are precisely the eunuchs.
Those who excel in gossip and small talk are precisely the eunuchs, not inferior to inns.
[The Eunuch O-mokpae got stabbed!]
What? O-mokpae? Who the hell stabbed O-mokpae?
Moreover, the act of the two of them, a man and a woman, collaborating to threaten and harm an absent person was something that all eunuchs, heaven and earth, would be angry about.
And Jeong Go was the O-mokpae who had just entered the palace for two months.
In other words, a bastard eunuch story.
O-mokpae is the bastard of the entire eunuch race, and the other eunuchs are like brothers and parents, so how could they stand still after being touched by such a bastard.
Eunuchs would fight among themselves, but if an outsider touched their own kind, they would rise like fire.
They would rush until the breath of the one who touched their own kind was cut off, and they would even disregard their own lives for it.
The fear of the eunuch clan was precisely from that unique psychology and temperament of the eunuchs, and those who knew the characteristics of that eunuch race would never touch a eunuch.
[These bastards who have no one to touch, they touch the pitiful eunuchs of this world?]
[There’s the O-mokpae that the Eunuch Supervisor Jang is carrying around. Him! His name was Jeong Go, right?]
What? Eunuch Supervisor Jang? These guys are crazy to want to die? They touch the person of Eunuch Supervisor Jang because there’s no one to touch? Who is Eunuch Supervisor Jang? Our eunuchs’ treasure, isn’t he?
Yeah, even the Crown Prince doesn’t favor him, and he’s with the Jinyiwei. Hainan is in big trouble. They’re going to suffer.
But there’s one thing missing.
The ones who have martial arts, poison, power, and wealth are precisely the eunuch clan.
Those who can do anything except hot nights, and anyone.
[Big trouble? They have to offer their neck? This is something even His Majesty can’t stop. Damn! The crime of touching a eunuch is heavier than ten thousand gold!]
Ah, but look at this free-mouthed bastard eunuch talking. If His Majesty stops him, that’s it, what can’t he stop? Is His Majesty your friend?
The rumor that spread among the eunuchs spread like wings, and as a result, the atmosphere of the martial competition became immediately gloomy.
Among them, the atmosphere of the Hainan Sect, the party involved in the incident, was like a thunderbolt in the middle of the night, a funeral atmosphere.
Geum Jong-mu, one of the elders, Nam Yeonghak, and Seong Munjeong rushed to the Nanjing Weijiwsasa, where Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong were captured.
With their bones chilled.
A short while later.
The four people arrived at the grand hall where Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong, bound with thick ropes, were kneeling.
Ignoring the cold eyes of the Jinyiwei guards and eunuchs guarding the grand hall, they entered.
“Hwayeong-ah!”
“Geonhu-ya!”
“Father!”
“Grandfather!”
Seeing the appearance of the granddaughter and son who were bound, Geum Jong-mu and Nam Yeonghak shouted in shock inside the grand hall.
“Sect leader, you have come. This public is Sa Hapji.
The person in charge of the hall was Sa Hapji, the head of the Jinyiwei.
Although it was a bit far from the martial competition hall where Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi was, since the incident of a martial artist harming an official was a very sensitive matter, he took the lead.
Since the management of the martial world was also the duty of the Jinyiwei.
“The Hainan Sect’s Geum Mo, I greet the commander. Sir, there must be some misunderstanding.
Geum Jong-mu, who had given a simple greeting, went to the main point.
The longer this kind of thing drags on, the more disadvantageous it is.
With the vicious tempers of the eunuchs joining, it was impossible to know what would happen.
“It is a pity to see it like this. Then, since everyone who should have come has arrived, let’s hear it once. Nam Geonhu of the South Family, Geum Hwayeong of the Geum Family. Which of the two will confess?
“I, I will confess, Nam Geonhu.
After answering indifferently, Nam Geonhu stepped forward when Sa Hapji asked.
Compared to the hasty and reckless Geum Hwayeong, Nam Geonhu, who was three years older, was more suitable.
“Good. Listen.
Immediately after Sa Hapji accepted, Nam Geonhu, who was pulled over, explained the situation in detail.
His breathing was trembling and his words were stuttering due to the tense atmosphere and fear, but it seemed that he had roughly told the prepared words.
“So, what I’m saying is that O-mokpae Jeong Go was originally Godeungun and a disciple of Hainan, and the one next to him, Geum Hwayeong, was a person who was banished after trying to frame him with a fake marriage.
“That’s right. Sir!
“And he tried to frame you out of resentment, pretending to commit suicide?
“As you say. We, the brothers, had a shred of sympathy for the eunuch Jeong, but we never dreamed that it would come back like this with a dagger.
“You didn’t intend to bury O-mokpae Jeong Go? How did you know about the warehouse where O-mokpae Jeong Go was?
“It’s an absurd statement. Where would we dare to plot such a hasty matter in Nanjing. While sitting in the martial competition, the eunuch Jeong gestured, and when we went down, he said he had something to say to us separately.
“Really? Then let me ask one thing. Whose sword did you draw?
“Jeong the eunuch and I had made peace saying to forget the past, and Jeong the eunuch asked me to hold the sword of our sect for the first time in a long time.
How much practice had he done.
Nam Geonhu naturally strung lies.
Originally, a little bit of lie mixed with the truth sounded more plausible than perfect truth.
As he spoke, Nam Geonhu became more and more convinced.
“I see. This time, Jeong the eunuch will speak.
“Commander! This public is Jeong Myeong, the Eunuch Supervisor. Since Jeong the eunuch’s body is uncomfortable, may this public speak on his behalf?
“Oh, so you are Jang Jinmyeong. I heard from Gongsun Dajing. Speak.
Sa Hapji’s indifferent face brightened when he recognized Jin Myeong.
He would, because the person who had almost prevented a failure that would go down in Jinyiwei history.
“Yes! It is true that O-mokpae Jeong Go was originally Godeungun. However, there is a problem with Jeong Go being banished.
“Problem?
“O-mokpae Jeong Go was preparing a martial competition to select a disciple to participate in the second-generation disciple representative selection of the Hainan Sect at the martial competition of the Murim Alliance about a year ago, and Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong overheard Seong Munjeong’s plot to frame him with a fake marriage.
“Continue.
“Immediately after, Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong, fearing that Jeong Go would tell the sect about it, lured Jeong Go to some place and covered up the framing.
At that time.
“What nonsense! Sir! That incident has already been investigated in the main text...!”
Clack!
At once, Sa Hapji raised his hand to stop Nam Yeonghak’s protest.
From the sharp eyes under the fly-like eyebrows, a hint of anger was subtly felt.
“A disciple of Hainan. This public did not ask you. Jeong the eunuch and Jang the supervisor were silent while the Hainan disciples were talking. Does Hainan not know respect? This time I will forgive, but the second time there will be none. Remember. Jang the supervisor, continue.
When Sa Hapji himself and the eyes of the surrounding guards simultaneously glared, Nam Yeonghak closed his mouth.
“Jeong Go shook his illness saying that he had not forgotten the fact that he had targeted Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong while below the martial competition and that they had tried to use medicine a year ago.
Jin Myeong told the truth.
There could be someone who saw his appearance, and there was no problem for this side by telling the truth.
“Continue.
“Immediately after, he received a message from his superior and went to the warehouse, and suddenly Nam Geonhu and Geum Hwayeong appeared and drew their swords.
“Gongsun Dajing.
Sa Hapji, who thought he had heard everything from Jin Myeong, turned to Gongsun Dajing.
“Ha (Down)!”
“How was it when you went?
“When this public arrived, the sword was in Nam Geonhu’s hand, and I had heard what Nam Geonhu had said just before.
“What?
“He said that we should not have brought up the matter of trying to frame Seongsa with medicine.
And, Gongsun Dajing told the most core fact of the incident.
With that statement, the weight of truth tilted heavily to Jin Myeong.
“He said that we should not have brought up the matter of trying to frame with medicine... It fits both sides and the motive seems sufficient. This public believes that the truth of this incident is with Jang the supervisor and Jeong Go. Hainan, how is it, sect leader.
“Sir! This morning, I heard that Jang the supervisor said that he personally regarded Jeong the eunuch as his younger brother. Jang the supervisor favoring Jeong the eunuch...!”
Thud.
Before Geum Jong-mu’s words ended, Sa Hapji placed his command staff on the table.
His lips were trembling, a sign of sudden rage.
“Are you saying that the officer of the Jinyiwei has lied to the superior now! Also, Jang Jinmyeong is the eunuch who established the merit of protecting the Crown Prince from the assassins’ ambush and tried to shift it to other eunuchs of other departments! No matter what the process was, the scene was clear! Damn... .
When Sa Hapji, who doubted the integrity of the Jinyiwei, spewed his anger at Geum Jong-mu’s words.
“Oh Hong Hong Hong!”
At that time.
The sound of laughter that shook the ground suddenly came.
Urrung.
The powerful qi contained in the laughter shook the grand hall like thunder.
“Jangin Taegam!”
Sa Hapji and the Jinyiwei guards, who recognized the owner of the laughter.
The pupils of the eunuchs widened as if torn.
The one who came in with the Taegam hanging was the supreme leader of the 24 departments of the Ming Dynasty’s 10,000 eunuchs.
The Grand Director of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Zheng He, who was the closest confidant of Emperor Yongle along with Monk Doyeon.
“I have come because there is a person who stabbed a eunuch here. Hearing it from outside for a moment, it is really interesting. As expected, our race disregards the lowly eunuchs. Oh Hong Hong Hong!”
Urrung.
When Zheng He laughed coldly with anger, the air and the ground vibrated again and laughter erupted.
Thud.
“I ask Jang Jinmyeong, the Eunuch Supervisor,!
Then, Zheng He stopped laughing with a thud and looked at Jin Myeong.
“Yes!
“What is the Four Rules of the Ming Eunuchs?
“One! Eunuchs do not steal. Two! Eunuchs do not lie where there are common people. Three! Eunuchs do not discount the price of goods. Four! The eunuch race is one body whether alive or dead.
Both the question and answer had firm will and strength in their voices.
After Jin Myeong’s answer ended, Zheng He’s gaze, as well as the eunuchs’ poisoned eyes, gathered on the Hainan disciples at once.
From the angry eyes of the eunuchs, fierce light shot out.