Chapter 283: Invest Boldly (1)
While staying in Luoyang, no night visitors came calling.
Instead, Palgap brought some entertaining news.
"I went out to the marketplace and heard something interesting, young master."
"Oh? What story?"
"They say about a dozen corpses were found dumped together east of Luoyang."
"What?"
"The investigation revealed they were an assassin group that had been giving the Henan authorities quite a headache. According to the officials, they turned on each other and wiped themselves out. But here's the thing."
Palgap grinned.
"That assassin group's name was Eunrim."
"......"
Wait a minute—Eunrim? That's the affiliation the assassin targeting Young Master Peng spilled when we caught him.
And he mentioned their base was east of Luoyang.
I had a pretty good idea what had happened.
I'd figured my 'bounty strategy' would work well, but I hadn't expected it to work this well.
"No wonder no night guests showed up..."
Well, good news is good news—time to celebrate.
***
At that very moment,
Peng Kang-un sat anxiously in the inn room he'd secured in Luoyang.
"Don't be so tense, young master."
His attendant's words drew a heavy sigh from Peng Kang-un.
"Honestly, I'm still not convinced. Walking right into bustling Luoyang like this!"
"No need to worry. From what I saw, Young Master Eun Seo-ho will get us safely back to the main house. He's the one who elevated the Eunhae Merchant Group to its current status."
"......"
"A true merchant never backs down from a deal. Since we've made that agreement with him, we'll be safe."
"Was it really the right call to ignore Father's orders, skip heading straight home, dismiss the escorts he sent... and go meet Young Master Eun Seo-ho instead?"
"Absolutely. You did the right thing. Even after speaking with him face-to-face, don't you feel it?"
Peng Kang-un recalled his conversation with Eun Seo-ho at the attendant's question.
"Come to think of it... talking with him felt strangely comfortable the whole time. And trust just... built up naturally. But given everything we've been through, it's not exactly a situation to trust just anyone, is it? And yet..."
He shook his head and continued.
"Putting up three thousand silver taels for me! It was honestly unexpected. The boldness to stake such a fortune without hesitation..."
"They say you can't even guess at a genius's thoughts. Young Master Eun Seo-ho struck me as no ordinary man. So trust him and wait calmly."
That was when it happened.
"A-Are you in there?"
It was Eun Seo-ho's voice.
"Ah, come in."
They tensed up at once. Someone else might barge in, after all.
The door opened at his response, revealing a strikingly handsome face. The kind of refined beauty that had earned him the moniker Seonhyeopmirang.
No human-skin mask, no matter how masterfully crafted, could replicate that.
"Please, come in."
"I actually came because I have something to tell you."
"Yes."
"My attendant went to the marketplace and heard an amusing tale."
Eun Seo-ho smiled as he relayed the story Palgap had told him.
Peng Kang-un stammered in disbelief.
"S-So... you're saying they wiped each other out?"
"Yes. Obvious, even without seeing it. Do you think those types have any loyalty? They probably sold each other out, each dreaming of pocketing the three thousand silver taels alone. And for once, they all had the same idea."
"......"
"Isn't that great news?"
"Yes... yes, it is. Truly great."
Only then did Peng Kang-un unravel one lingering doubt.
Why he'd insisted on coming to crowded Luoyang.
To spread the word of the bounty far and wide, let it ripple through the crowds.
"But your expression still seems troubled."
Peng Kang-un hesitated before speaking.
"Truth be told, yes. There's one thing I still don't understand."
"Go ahead."
"Why stake such a fortune on me? Ten claimants alone would cost thirty thousand silver taels."
"Ah... that?"
Eun Seo-ho answered Peng Kang-un's question with perfect composure.
"Investments have to be bold."
"Pardon?"
"You don't go all-in without conviction, of course. But with conviction? You bet big—or you get nothing."
"So you're saying..."
"I have conviction in you, Young Master Peng."
Peng Kang-un was at a loss for words.
'He's staking this much on me... and here I couldn't even trust Young Master Eun.'
Peng Kang-un felt ashamed of himself.
***
I stepped out of Young Master Peng's room.
Tomorrow, we'd leave Luoyang.
The Murim Alliance Lord had sent someone inviting us to dinner, delaying things slightly.
Not that it was unexpected.
The Lord dispatched his personal guards to escort us. Who'd dare target us under their watch?
One wrong move, and they'd be public enemies of the martial world, with nowhere to hide.
Thanks to that, we enjoyed a lavish meal.
Still, Young Master Peng got emotional over a mere three thousand silver taels?
What I told him was sincere—my creed.
With conviction, invest boldly. Of course, building that conviction takes gathering intel and all the hard work that entails.
I wonder if Young Master Peng realizes...
My real investment hasn't even begun?
The next day,
we left the inn.
Hubei wasn't far now. Though reaching the Peng Clan in Beijing would take a bit longer.
Whew, this empire's land is vast, no matter how you slice it.
But thanks to the ripple effect of my three-thousand-tael bounty, our trip to Beijing was smooth sailing.
.
.
.
How many days had passed since leaving Luoyang and crossing into Hubei?
We'd finally arrived in Beijing.
"There's a reliable inn nearby that I know well. We should stay there for now."
"Understood."
"From here on, things get dicey. The closer Young Master Peng gets to the clan, the more desperate they'll get—no holds barred."
Young Master Peng and his attendant nodded at my words.
They knew it too.
The enemy couldn't stall forever.
The moment Young Master Peng set foot in the clan, the young lord's seat would slip away—so they'd pull every trick to eliminate him first.
Risky or not.
I had no intention of holding back either.
Beijing was the Hubei Peng Clan's stronghold—but it was my stage too.
I handed the pre-prepared letter to Yi Pil, the warrior.
"Warrior Yi Pil."
"Yes."
"Deliver this, please."
"Got it."
Soon, we reached the inn.
"Is this inn safe? If trouble comes our way and harms the place..."
What a good guy.
I grinned.
"It's fine. Nothing to worry about."
Because this wasn't the ordinary inn Young Master Peng imagined.
***
Hubei Peng Clan.
"What? That punk's in Beijing?"
"Y-Yes. He should reach the main house soon."
Crash!
The priceless teacup in Young Lord Peng Mun's hand shattered.
"Damn it! How the hell did those idiots let him set foot on Beijing soil unscathed?"
"W-Well..."
"What?"
"Young Master Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group traveling with him... put up a bounty."
"A bounty? How much?"
"Three thousand silver taels..."
"Gah!"
He choked in shock.
"Cough, cough!"
"Are you alright?"
Once he recovered, he bellowed.
"No! Does that bastard have money to burn? Why pull a stunt like that?"
"That's why the assassin groups we hired backed off—or fought over the bounty and self-destructed."
"Shit!"
He gnashed his teeth.
'That young lord seat I fought so hard for!'
Born the eldest son, but the position was never truly his.
The clan's rule: the strongest becomes clan lord.
His father, the current lord, had declared, "That's why we've fallen behind the Hwangbo Clan! From now on, we'll uphold that principle!"
The designated young lord was Peng Sung, the second of seven siblings.
Peng Mun couldn't accept it.
This clan was his. He wouldn't let it go.
Not even to his full brother from the same mother!
He'd schemed and succeeded in ousting the second brother.
Father disapproved but appointed him young lord for the clan's stability.
The other siblings feared him and stayed quiet.
Then came the unforeseen.
The lord discovered a martial prodigy in Peng Mok's eldest son, Peng Kang-un, and declared it outright.
"Our clan must be led by the strong. And I see hope in you."
"Thank you."
"Do you want to be clan lord?"
"If given the chance, I wouldn't refuse."
"Good— a man needs that spirit. Here's the deal: Enter the Yongbong Martial Tournament. Win, and you're young lord."
"But... Uncle is already young lord."
"An unfit young lord must be replaced."
"...!"
"It's for the clan. If he's truly one of us, he'll step down."
Those words still burned in his mind. And his father was a man of his word.
He'd tried to kill Peng Kang-un, but the kid survived—hell, he even won this year's Yongbong Tournament.
The Hubei Peng Clan Lord rejoiced. Peng Mun had heard it clearly, standing nearby.
Father muttering, "A promise is a promise..."
He stood.
"Where's that punk now?"
"At the Sifeng Inn."
"Sifeng Inn..."
He grabbed the sword hanging in his room.
"Round up the men. No more time. I'll end this myself."
"Understood."
No more delegating.
Even if Father learned he'd killed his own nephew, so be it.
'You brought this on yourself, Father.'
Moments later,
he headed to Sifeng Inn with his personal warriors.
"That the place?"
"Yes. But what's the plan?"
"Kill everyone there."
"P-Pardon?"
"Then spread rumors that rogue demons did it. Problem solved."
"Th-That..."
"What? Scared?"
"No, I've sworn to follow you—what's there to fear? It's just..."
"What?"
"Something feels off..."
"Just nerves."
Peng Mun dismissed his subordinate's concern.
Gripping his sword tight, he charged at Sifeng Inn.
Bam!
They smashed through the door—and froze.
Armed men awaited them, as if expecting the assault.
And...
"Damn it! Young Lord! Have you lost your mind?"
A familiar face bellowed from inside.
"Do you even know where you are, storming in armed?"
"U-Uncle? What are you doing here?"
"We're in the middle of a banquet."
"Pardon?"
"A Gold Guard banquet."
"......"
That was when Peng Mun spotted the handsome man seated to the side.
The instant he saw that face, Peng Mun realized.
He never should have come here.
***
I clicked my tongue inwardly as the Gold Guard warriors apprehended them.
Why play such a reckless hand?
The letter I'd sent via Warrior Yi Pil was to Jin Yeong Daehyeop.
It thanked the Gold Guard daehyeops for making him an unwitting hero at the Yongbong Tournament—and promised a grand feast in gratitude.
And the venue I'd chosen? Sifeng Inn.
One of the Gold Guard's secret safehouses.
Sifeng Inn, of all places—they'd let their guard down and gathered freely.
I'd set the stage, but the young lord completed it.
Now, how would the Peng Clan Lord react?
Blood is blood, after all. He'd pull strings to bail his son out.
I'd anticipated that.
The current emperor favored the Hwangbo Clan, putting them at a slight disadvantage, but the Pengs still had plenty in the military.
The clan lord would scramble, but treason charges? No escaping those.
Unless the emperor danced with swords himself.
But the emperor I knew would use this to tighten the noose on the Pengs.
The real reason I'd orchestrated this? To buy time.
Time for Young Master Peng to return safely, claim the young lord seat, and build his own faction.
With matters settled, I headed to Young Master Peng's room.
"You're back?"
"Did you see?"
"Yes, from the window."
"Prepare to depart. Time to claim the Peng Clan."