Benefactor of the Sacheon Tang Clan (3)
The next day.
I headed to the Sacheon Tang Clan.
I had originally planned to first inspect the salt retail shop in Sacheon Province that was under our management.
But the Sacheon Tang Clan Lord's maniacal drive had pushed things forward, and we ended up going straight to the Tang Clan first.
Riding in the carriage, I looked at the clan lord sitting across from me.
Honestly, it felt burdensome and awkward.
Sharing a carriage with the clan lord himself, of all people.
I was meeting the Sacheon Tang Clan Lord, Dang Gyu-jeong, for the first time.
Not in my previous life, nor in this one.
So why did he seem vaguely familiar, like I'd seen him somewhere before?
After a full day of travel, we soon came upon a massive building with red-tiled roofs.
A large plaque hung boldly above, inscribed with bold red characters.
Sacheon Tang Clan Main House.
So this was the Sacheon Tang Clan.
To think I'd end up here again like this.
Last time, when I'd rescued Dang Jo-woong, I'd brought him straight here myself.
Our carriage entered through a side gate next to the main entrance.
"We're here."
"Yes."
We stepped down from the carriage.
"Daehyeop!"
At that moment, a boy came running toward me.
Seeing him, I smiled warmly.
It was Dang Jo-woong.
True to his growth spurt, he'd gotten much taller and more solidly built since then.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Yes, daehyeop."
"I haven't earned the title 'daehyeop' yet."
"No, you are to me."
Dang Jo-woong's eyes sparkled as he said it.
"How old are you now?"
"I just turned eleven."
"I see."
The boy was already up to my chest. At this rate, he'd tower over me once he reached adulthood.
"Hoho, this rascal has been eagerly awaiting the day he'd see Young Hyeop again."
"Somehow, I feel apologetic."
"It was just bad timing. We weren't in the capital either."
"There's something I've been wondering about, though."
"What is it?"
"How did you know I was the one who saved Young Master Dang Jo-woong? I never told him my name back then."
The clan lord chuckled at my question.
"Jo-woong remembered it."
"Ah, I see."
Come to think of it, I'd told Dang Jo-woong my name back then to reassure him.
It had been a fleeting mention, yet he'd remembered it...
"Then let me show you to your quarters."
The accommodations the clan lord personally escorted me to were a detached pavilion deep within the grounds.
Handing over an entire pavilion like this meant they were treating me with utmost respect.
"Rest well, then. I'll send someone around lunchtime tomorrow."
"Understood."
As soon as the clan lord, Dang Jo-woong, and the others left the pavilion, Palgap marveled.
"Whoa! This place is incredible. A detached pavilion? How is this even a pavilion?"
I nodded in admiration too.
"It's far too grand to call it just a pavilion."
Yeo Chang's deputy had stayed behind at the Sacheon branch, so my entourage consisted of Palgap and four escorts.
I turned to Yeo Eung-am Warrior and I Pil Warrior.
"First off, I want to thank you both. Thanks to you, we're receiving such fine hospitality from the Sacheon Tang Clan."
"No need."
"We were just..."
"Following orders, right? Still, I'm grateful. You granted my request."
I continued.
"Anyway, let's head in and rest."
"Understood."
We each claimed a room and went inside. In the process, I glanced at I Pil Warrior.
I'd noticed the Tang Clan folks stealing glances at him earlier...
What was that about?
Did they know each other?
I entered my room intending to flop straight onto the bed, but I didn't get the chance.
Thud.
Palgap had grabbed my shoulder.
"Young master, lying on the bed in those dust-covered clothes isn't happening."
"...W-what are you talking about? I was going to wash up first."
Palgap shot back at my protest.
"Then why aren't you heading to wash up?"
"Training..."
"Pardon?"
"I still have training to do."
That's right. I still had my routine left.
* * *
Thud.
I Pil Warrior closed the door and entered his room.
The room was spacious enough that each of us got our own.
And this was the Sacheon Tang Clan.
Normally, escorts paired up in twos for safety in emergencies.
But harming the Tang Clan's benefactor here was unthinkable.
There was no need for two escorts to share a room.
He knew better than anyone how secure this place was.
He sat on a chair by the desk and let out a sigh.
"In the end, I've come back here."
Having discarded his identity to serve as Eun Seo-ho's escort, it no longer felt stifling.
Back then, it felt like a prison.
But with so many here who knew his face, Eun Seo-ho would soon learn the truth about him.
Still, he wasn't worried.
He knew what kind of man Eun Seo-ho was, having spent every moment together.
* * *
The next day around lunchtime.
A man arrived at our pavilion.
It was the clan lord's deputy.
"I've come at the clan lord's order to escort you to the banquet hall."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
We finished preparing and followed the deputy to the banquet hall.
"It was quite the ordeal tracking you down for Young Hyeop. You've been darting all over the place."
"Now I feel sorry. Haha."
"Thanks to that, we could escort you with peace of mind. We confirmed you're not accomplices with those who kidnapped Jo-woong young master."
"..."
"If that offends you, my apologies. But take it as proof of our trust in you."
"It's fine. A clan like the Sacheon Tang can't afford to trust lightly."
"Thank you for understanding."
"Still, it's lamentable that one must suspect everyone in these times."
"That's exactly what I was thinking."
Truth be told, I had no desire to be treated as the Tang Clan's benefactor.
That's why I'd roamed the central plains freely without much thought.
Hearing that my actions had earned their trust felt oddly satisfying.
Thanks to it, we'd gained easy entry to the Tang Clan. Who knew how things would turn out?
"The Sacheon Tang Clan has seven banquet halls, each with its own name. The largest is the Moksaek Hall, big enough for the entire clan."
"Must be enormous."
"It is. Though it's rarely used. Haha."
The deputy continued.
"The one for you is the Hwangsaek Hall, reserved for honored guests."
We soon arrived at the Hwangsaek Hall—and understood the name.
It was lavishly decorated in gold everywhere.
Whoa, even the tables are gold.
"Come on in."
"Thank you for inviting us to such a splendid place."
"No need for such modest words. Who else could come here if not you?"
The clan lord seated us at the central table.
In the hall were the clan lord, Dang Jo-woong, and his mother—Lady Hong Ri, the clan lord's third wife.
As soon as we sat, dishes began arriving.
Honestly, I hadn't expected much from the food. Sichuan cuisine differed from Hubei's.
Yet the dishes before us felt familiar.
"Could some of these be Hubei dishes?"
Lady Hong Ri replied.
"Knowing you're from Hubei Province, I worried Sichuan fare might not suit you, so I brought a chef from Hubei."
Such thoughtfulness...
"When the Sacheon Tang Clan sets its mind to hospitality, it does it right. Haha!"
At the clan lord's words, I cupped my hands in a fist and said,
"I'm so moved I nearly teared up."
"Hahaha. Worth bringing the chef, then. Eat up."
"My thanks."
I picked up my chopsticks and dug in.
"Whoa..."
What was this? Why was it so delicious?
"This is too good."
"Glad it suits your taste."
I nodded at Dang Jo-woong's words.
"It's really tasty. Eat plenty, you too."
"Yes, daehyeop."
As we ate heartily, the clan lord smiled warmly.
"Seeing you enjoy it makes me happy."
"I hope I haven't been too gluttonous. It's just so good."
"Not at all. It's rare for guests here to eat so freely."
"Ah..."
I caught his meaning and nodded.
The Sacheon Tang Clan handled poisons.
He was saying guests often feared poison and couldn't eat properly.
"Quite a few must have reasons to fear the Sacheon Tang Clan."
The clan lord burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
He laughed so heartily that those around us jumped.
Wiping tears of mirth, he said,
"What a likeable young hero! Indeed! They fear us because they have skeletons in their closets."
"It's a pity they can't enjoy such fine food."
Palgap and the escorts nodded in agreement.
The food truly was exceptional.
"So you stand tall before the Sacheon Tang Clan."
"Yes."
"No worry that poison might accidentally slip into the food?"
"Would the Sacheon Tang Clan make such a novice mistake?"
"Of course not."
"And would the clan lord lack the skill to neutralize any poison from his own clan?"
"No poison made here can't be undone."
"So what's there to fear?"
At my retort, the clan lord roared with laughter again. Turning to Dang Jo-woong, he said,
"You've met a true noble soul, Jo-woong."
Dang Jo-woong cupped his hands and replied,
"I think so too."
The meal concluded, and tea and desserts were served.
I sipped from my teacup.
"Do you know what tea this is?"
"Clear green hue, fresh and refreshing taste—harvested from the high mountains of Mount Ami, I'd say."
"Spot on. As expected of the Eunhae Merchant Group's young division head, famed for tea."
"You flatter my meager skill; I'm embarrassed."
"I still don't know the details of how you saved Jo-woong. Could you tell me what happened? Sorry to ask."
I nodded at his request.
"Of course, no trouble."
I'd explained it to Lady Hong Ri back then, hadn't I?
Or not?
No harm in repeating it, and as Jo-woong's father, he deserved to hear it.
Starting from when we'd entered Sacheon Province, I recounted the events.
"...And so I subdued the kidnappers, loaded them onto the cart, and brought them to the Tang Clan."
"I see. On behalf of Dang Gyu-jeong, I thank Young Hyeop for your decisive action and the two warriors who aided you."
He rose and cupped his hands.
We quickly stood and returned the gesture.
"We're glad we could help, however little."
We sat again.
The clan lord spoke gravely.
"The Sacheon Tang Clan repays both grudges and debts without fail. Any Tang must uphold this."
"..."
"So, may I find a way to repay your grace?"
"Honestly, I didn't save Jo-woong expecting anything. I saw kidnappers and a child in peril, so I acted. I'd have done the same for any child."
Yeo Eung-am Warrior and I Pil Warrior nodded in agreement.
"But refusing outright would burden your clan, so I'll accept your offer."
I continued.
"That said, I need nothing now. Should the need arise someday, I've one request."
"What is it?"
"A document affirming aid only in matters harmless to the Tang Clan and fitting for your assistance."
The clan lord smiled faintly.
"Such deep consideration. Requesting a formal pledge with two conditions shows your thoughtfulness."
"I'm ashamed."
"Very well. I'll provide Young Hyeop and the two warriors with such a document."