Brother Jin-ho's Spring (3)
That day, I left the merchant group with an invitation in hand.
Of course, I had a pile of work waiting, but that could wait a little longer.
Worst case, I'd cut back on sleep or pull an all-nighter.
But Ha So-geo's matter was urgent—time-sensitive, even.
"Are we heading to the Changin Escort Agency, young master?"
I nodded at Seo-u Warrior's question.
"Yes."
The guards assigned to me today were Seo-u Warrior and Yi-pil Warrior. I took Palgap along with the two of them and set off for the Changin Escort Agency.
Ha So-geo worked there as an escort, so she'd be easy enough to find.
We arrived at the Changin Escort Agency soon enough.
It wasn't far from the Eunhae Merchant Group.
That explained how Brother Jin-ho could drop by every three days without fail.
Well, he'd probably make the trip even if it were farther.
"Where do you hail from?"
I answered the gatekeeper's question.
"I'm Eun Seo-ho, vice chief of the Eunhae Merchant Group. I've come to see your agency head."
"Ah! We've been expecting you. Please, come right in."
Thanks to the advance notice I'd sent, we were ushered inside immediately.
But a familiar attendant approached me with an awkward bow.
"S-sorry, sir. We have an urgent guest right now, so the head is in a meeting..."
"No problem. These things happen in the escort business. I'll just take a look around the agency in the meantime."
"Oh, really?"
The attendant brightened up.
"In that case, let me assign someone to show you around."
After a short wait, an escort approached us.
"Ah! Vice Chief!"
"It's been a while."
He was one of the escorts I'd traveled with before, so we exchanged warm greetings. Under his guidance, we toured the agency.
The training grounds took up more space than I'd expected.
"These grounds are pretty expansive."
Seo-u Warrior explained.
"Escort agencies handle both transport and protection, so martial arts training and physical conditioning are top priorities. Most of our people train steadily whenever they're not out on assignment."
"Makes sense."
"The higher your skills, the faster you climb the ranks—or at least stay safer. No choice but to keep at it."
The Changin escort nodded in agreement with his former escort leader's words.
As we wandered about, I spotted a group of women.
Judging by their outfits, they were escorts too?
Most escorts were men, but women weren't unheard of.
Ha So-geo had to be one of them.
I hadn't heard she was out on a transport job.
Which one is she?
I realized I knew of Ha Su-min but had never actually seen her.
"Whoa, those ladies are stunning."
Palgap's comment drew a chuckle from the escort.
"The pride of our agency. Especially Ha Escort—she's one of our agency's phoenixes."
"Phoenixes?"
"You know, like in the martial world? The Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes."
"Ah..."
In the jianghu, exceptional young unmarried talents—skilled in martial arts and looks alike—were called dragons and phoenixes. Men as dragons, women as phoenixes.
"We have a few like that here, and Ha Escort is one."
"I'm curious now."
"The one second from the left."
"..."
No wonder Brother Jin-ho fell for her.
She stood out even among that group—genuinely striking.
"But she might not be a phoenix much longer."
"Pardon?"
"You haven't heard? Eun Jin-ho Vice Chief's been coming around nonstop. And though she doesn't say it, Ha Escort seems sweet on him too."
"Ah... I see."
If even the escorts knew...
Aigoo, Brother Jin-ho.
From the outside, though, no sign of her congenital blockage syndrome.
She looked perfectly healthy, and my master had praised her skills.
Truly symptomless.
No one would suspect, then.
But Ha So-geo would die from triple yin blockage in a year—that much was certain.
I pondered for a moment, then approached them.
"Pleased to meet you."
"Ah!"
"Oh! Vice Chief."
Luckily, one of them was a familiar face—an escort from the time I'd escorted Mother to Luoyang.
"Ah, In Escort's here too."
"Yes."
She introduced me to the others.
"Say hello. This is Eun Seo-ho, vice chief of the Eunhae Merchant Group."
"Ah!"
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. It's a pleasure. If you ever join one of our transports, I look forward to working with you."
"Of course."
"The Eunhae Merchant Group's a longtime client—only natural."
We exchanged greetings, and I subtly observed Ha So-geo.
Hm?
From afar, I hadn't noticed, but up close... an inexplicable stuffiness.
Like something was clogged...
If this is her blockage syndrome, why doesn't anyone else sense it?
Ah... could it be that?
Present Dragon Physique.
That was the only difference between me and others.
Did the Present Dragon Physique let me detect blockages like this?
I'd need to investigate further.
But this oppressive feeling confirmed something was wrong with Ha So-geo.
And it had to be the blockage syndrome.
By the time it surfaced naturally, it'd be too late.
Just then, an attendant came running from afar.
Best to meet the agency head first, then think it over.
A short while later,
I sat facing the agency head and my master in the reception room.
"It's been too long."
"You and I are both busy as ever—can't be helped, eh? Hahaha."
I chuckled sheepishly at the head's hearty laugh.
"So, to what do I owe the visit? Did we slip up somewhere?"
"Not at all."
I waved it off.
"Your transports are always flawless—what's to complain about? Truth is, I turned twenty this time around."
"Oh! Already?"
"Yes."
I pulled an invitation from my sleeve and offered it.
"That's why I've come to invite you and the agency's folk to my birthday banquet."
The head nodded with a pleased smile.
"Of course—we're counting on you for our future."
"Pardon? Future?"
My master cleared his throat at my question.
"Ahem. That's how it is."
"Ah..."
Now I got it.
Master must've talked me up.
Makes sense—he had to report the operational funds Investigator left me.
"Thanks to that, we're breathing easier. Truly grateful."
"My doing? Credit Investigator for that."
As we chatted, the topic shifted to Ha So-geo.
"By the way, is Brother Jin-ho truly smitten with Ha Escort?"
I'd been wondering how to broach it, but the head beat me to it—perfect.
"Seems so. He's utterly indifferent to anything that doesn't catch his eye. If even you know, Head, then it's definite."
"Good to hear. Otherwise... what do you think your parents would say?"
From his position, their stance mattered.
Ha So-geo was just an ordinary escort leader's daughter.
"My parents don't care about that sort of thing. And ours isn't a house for political marriages."
Big Brother's wife was from a minor military family, after all.
And Father and Mother probably knew by now.
Were they just waiting for Jin-ho to speak first?
"Well, that's a relief, then..."
"But I'm more worried about something else."
"...?"
The head and my master looked at me.
"Might sound out of left field, but I'd like Ha Escort to get a pulse diagnosis."
"Pulse diagnosis? You think the girl's ill?"
"Hard to say for sure, but when I greeted her earlier, something felt off. Best to call in Black Crimson Divine Physician for a proper check."
Their faces grew grave.
This should set the stage nicely.
I bid them farewell and left the agency.
Next stop: the sundries shop elder.
"You're here."
The old man, gazing out from his chair, tossed the words at me the moment he saw me.
Gruff, maybe, but I caught the gladness in his voice.
I drew an invitation from my sleeve.
"Having a birthday banquet. You'll come, right?"
"Birthday banquet? Didn't your birthday pass already?"
"Yes. It did."
So he knows when it is.
"You know my birthday but didn't get me a gift?"
"Did you ever get me one?"
"..."
True enough.
"How could I, not knowing when it is? You never told me."
"Did you ask?"
I hadn't.
"When's your birthday? I'll start making up for it now."
"Find out yourself."
"Pardon?"
"Figure out my real birthday, and I'll give you a fine treasure."
"I'll do that."
Not just any birthday—'real' birthday. Means the one everyone knows is fake...
"So, not coming to my banquet?"
He snatched the invitation with a grin.
"Aren't you busy? Off with you."
"Yes, sir. I'm going."
I smirked. Still no good at hiding it.
As I rose, he added,
"By the way, heard you made quite the splash again. Buried that Namgung brat."
"I didn't do it personally... and he had it coming."
Arrested on imperial orders.
"Why the sudden interest from someone who never cared before?"
"Pardon?"
"Don't you think it's because you joined in?"
"Ah..."
I scratched my cheek.
He had a point.
"So in the end, you buried that Namgung punk."
Was that how it worked?
But there was an edge to his tone.
"Do you... dislike the Namgung family?"
"..."
No answer, but it was answer enough.
"Ahem, I'll be off then. See you at the banquet."
"Go or don't."
Yeah, yeah.
I chuckled and left the shop.
I set my birthday banquet for the end of the eleventh month.
With guests coming from afar, a little buffer time made sense.
Five days before the banquet,
After finishing my meditation, I rose—just as my master entered my pavilion.
"You're here."
"Yes."
But his expression was dour.
Could it be?
"My father-in-law came yesterday. As the head said, we had Su-min diagnosed."
My master paused, then fixed me with a stare.
"How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"How did you sense Su-min's condition and insist on Father-in-law's diagnosis?"
"...What condition?"
He answered gravely.
"Triple yin blockage."
"But with blockage syndrome..."
"Yes, it usually shows outwardly. But Su-min's is a rare hidden variant. By the time symptoms appear, it's beyond saving."
He sighed.
"How on earth did you know?"
"Truth is, yesterday when I saw her, this inexplicable stuffiness hit me. Like something was blocked tight. So I sensed something was wrong."
"..."
"She looks healthy, though—that's why I suggested Black Crimson Divine Physician."
"I see."
"Not entirely sure myself, but maybe my constitution lets me feel what others can't."
"That constitution... yes, it fits."
He looked convinced.
"Catching it early is fortunate, but Ha Escort Leader must be heartbroken."
"He is. But there's a treatment—thank goodness."
"As expected of Black Crimson Divine Physician."
"Not fully resolved, though. Needs a high-grade yang spirit elixir for the cure."
I grinned.
That? No problem at all.