Chapter 323: Settling Accounts Cleanly (1)
Three days had passed since acquiring Uncheol at the public altar.
During that time, we rested deeply at the inn.
At first, I couldn't sleep well thinking about the piling up tasks, but then a thought struck me.
What's the point of worrying about things that won't get solved just by worrying?
So, I emptied my mind and took the opportunity to rest truly, deeply—completely.
Rest is the best, always number one!
After rolling around doing nothing for three days, I began preparing to descend from the public altar.
It wasn't that I was tired of playing—no way.
I could play more, but Bang Nosanim and the Gold Guard daehyeops were due to arrive in Beijing soon.
No need to stay here any longer.
I rose from the bed.
"Palgap."
"Yes, you called, young master?"
"Yeah. Give me a cup of tea."
Palgap tilted his head in surprise at my words.
"You said you hated tea because it keeps you awake, so what's up today?"
"Time to get my head straight."
"Ah, so it's time to head down from the public altar?"
"Yeah. Time to go home."
Palgap soon brewed the tea, and as I sipped it, I organized our next steps.
The tea cleared my mind a bit. Once finished organizing, I stood and headed to the courtyard.
Clang!Clang-clang!
The sound of cold weapons clashing rang out.
Excluding the two currently guarding me, the rest of my escorts were training in the courtyard.
They'd always been diligent with training before. But lately, it felt like they were even more intense.
Was it my imagination that they'd been putting extra effort into training ever since I got injured by that bandit's gauntlet while facing their leader?
Soon, evening came, and over dinner, I spoke to the escort warriors.
"It seems it's time for us to head back to Beijing."
"True, we've stayed quite a while."
"So, when do we depart?"
"Thinking of moving out tomorrow morning."
We all finished our preparations to leave and went to bed.
As soon as dawn broke, we went down to the first floor, had a light breakfast, grabbed our luggage, and came back down.
"Thanks to the Taoists' generous care in many ways, we've rested well before departing."
"We pray that donors' journey is filled with good fortune."
With that, we left the inn and headed north again.
To check that bandit lair once more.
If those mysterious pursuers had been tracking our movements, they surely would have reached it.
But what we saw there was completely unexpected.
"Hm? Why are there signs of battle here...?"
The Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior, inspecting the site, spoke up.
"Two groups clashed. But both are black path factions."
"Seeing traces of the martial arts from the ones who attacked us, it looks like they fought another black path group."
"No clear winner—looks like mutual destruction."
Hm... what could this be?
The mysterious black path group chasing me had clashed with another here?
"But traces of the other black path group aren't very visible."
"Then there's one answer."
"What?"
"The original owners of this lair. No other black path folks would show up here."
"Indeed! That's it!"
"Mutual destruction, you say..."
I grinned. What luck, rolling right to me.
"No need to watch out for those bastards anymore. Let's head back—to Beijing."
"Yes!"
Beijing.
Bang Hyo-myeong and Jin Yeong, along with their group, paid respects to the Emperor immediately upon arrival.
"Minister Bang, you must have had a hard journey."
"No, Your Majesty. This humble subject merely took it easy on a boat."
"Your spirit remains undimmed as ever. But how could you abandon me and retire to the countryside?"
"...This humble subject merely offered a bit of advice in this matter."
The Emperor smiled ambiguously at Bang Hyo-myeong's words, then turned to look at Jin Yeong and the other four Gold Guard warriors.
"I've seen the report. You suffered greatly in those villains' clutches. Your disappearance caused me great worry."
"We were incompetent, causing Your Majesty distress. Please punish us."
"No. Not at all."
The Emperor waved it off.
"That you returned safely is thanks enough to heaven and earth. You did well."
"We could return safely only because Your Majesty did not abandon us. We are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's grace."
Jin Yeong continued.
"This grace we shall never forget, even in death."
The Emperor's face softened with benevolence, then he tilted his head.
"But where's the other one who should be here? Why isn't that fellow with you?"
Bang Hyo-myeong answered the question.
"Young Master Eun Seo-ho stayed behind in Gansu Province to divert the attention of those pursuing him."
"That kid did?"
"Yes. Due to this humble subject's shortcomings, a young man had to make such a sacrifice."
The Emperor chuckled.
"Thanks to him, you all returned safely. Sending that fellow was the right call."
"..."
The Emperor looked at the Gold Guard warriors.
"You've suffered much. Take a month's leave to recuperate."
"Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty."
"And hand over those captured this time to the Gold Guard. You may withdraw."
With that, the four Gold Guard warriors withdrew, and the Emperor ordered the eunuch.
"Send imperial physicians to them."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
"Ah, and I heard that fellow Cheonggwan caused the Gold Guard quite a bit of hardship... What do you think?"
At the straightforward question, the eunuch immediately prostrated himself.
"Please execute this servant for failing to manage his subordinates properly!"
"No. How could I blame Chief Eunuch Jeong for something like this? I can't oversee every personal greed."
"..."
"But if rot has formed because of it, cutting it out is the superior's duty."
"This servant will take responsibility and excise it."
"I'll be watching."
"Your grace is vast as the sea."
Chief Eunuch Jeong bowed deeply, grinding his teeth inwardly.
'That ×× bastard!'
Thus began the true ordeal for Cheonggwan, who had sold information for his own greed, even selling out the Gold Guard warriors and trying to sell out Eun Seo-ho's group.
The hardships he'd suffered in the bandit lair were nothing compared to what awaited—hardships that even Eun Seo-ho would call self-inflicted karma.
The Emperor smiled faintly and asked Bang Hyo-myeong.
"So, how was retirement after leaving me?"
"Wonderful. Sweeter than honey."
The Emperor chuckled at the answer.
"Honestly, I didn't want to call you back to the palace either."
"Your Majesty, if you're going to say that, shouldn't you drop the smile?"
At Bang Hyo-myeong's words, the Emperor adjusted his expression.
"Like this?"
"Yes. With a bit of a regretful look."
He continued.
"Did you send me to find the missing Gold Guard warriors to pave the way for my return to the palace?"
The Emperor nodded at the question.
"Yes, exactly. There'd be plenty of complaints about bringing you back. So I had you achieve merit no one could refute."
The Emperor continued.
"Of course, finding those Gold Guard lads too. They're ones I quite favor."
"As I thought. But Your Majesty, sending just Young Master Eun Seo-ho would have sufficed to find the Gold Guard warriors."
"Ho, is that so? I didn't know you rated that kid so highly."
"Rather, it felt like he was being considerate of me. With such a prodigy of the world at your side, do you really need me?"
"Tsk tsk, trying to wriggle away like an eel?"
"Busted."
He continued.
"But my impression of Young Master Eun Seo-ho's abilities is sincere."
"I know he's a prodigy too. That's why I sent you to him."
"You mean get close to him?"
The Emperor nodded with a smile.
"So he doesn't run off."
"I planned to anyway. He's a rare fellow I like, after all."
"Anyway, that kid has his own things to do. And I have work for you in this palace."
"So, what did you call me for?"
"There are rats in this palace. Rats serving another master."
"..."
"Catch them all and interrogate."
I headed back to Nanzhou.
Planning to follow the river along the same path to Kaifeng, then up to Beijing.
But stopping by the bandit lair delayed us, so we ended up camping overnight before reaching Nanzhou.
The group skillfully prepared the camp.
The Myeongjong Warrior and Changun Warrior had been clumsy at setting up camp at first.
But now they handled it on their own adeptly.
In the meantime, Yeo Eung-am Warrior and I-pil Warrior caught a deer in the mountains, dressed it, and Palgap skewered it to roast over the bonfire.
Seeing the venison made me think of Bang Nosanim.
He really loved his meat.
He'd offered us some, but ended up eating half of it himself.
No wonder he was called the Meat-Eating Duke.
Once the meat seemed well-cooked, we each took a skewer and started eating.
Hm... not as good as the meat Nosanim gave us.
Meat really needs to be charcoal-grilled.
Now I understood why Bang Nosanim carried charcoal and a grill around.
Should I start carrying charcoal too?
I'm serious—no joke.
That was when it happened.
"...!"
I sighed, set down the venison skewer, and drew my sword from my waist.
"They say even dogs don't bother you when you're eating."
Palgap replied.
"Dogs don't because biting gets them hit, right?"
"I'll bite too."
Not just a nip—an ang! chomp.
My escorts followed suit, drawing their swords and taking defensive stances.
Swish!
Swish-swish!
The presences closing in to surround us confirmed it.
They were after us.
Moments later, they revealed themselves.
Their auras, masked faces and all, felt familiar. Still repulsive.
"We've finally met again!"
"Who are you?"
At my question, the one in the center twisted his lips.
"Ha! We've never forgotten you for a second, but you've forgotten us?"
"Unrequited love."
"Enough. You lied last time. Denying you had the Emperor's letter!"
"...That means you're convinced I have His Majesty's letter... What's your proof?"
"Our superiors said so."
"Sounds like your superiors hold high positions."
"Enough chit-chat! Hand over the letter!"
"Don't have it. Why would I still be carrying it? I already delivered it."
He bit his lip at my consistently playful tone.
"What's the content of that letter?"
"How should I know?"
"You must have read it."
"Reading someone else's letter before delivery is rude. That's basic etiquette, yet you assume so boldly that I did—shows you lack even that."
"Kuh!"
They fell silent, at a loss for words.
"Anyway, I don't know the letter's contents."
Of course, total bullshit.
Bang Nosanim had shown me the letter, so I knew, but no reason to tell them.
"Then, who did you deliver it to? Speak."
"And if I do? So you can go ask them?"
I chuckled.
"Problem is, the recipient already left for Beijing."
"What?"
"To Beijing. Probably meeting His Majesty by now."
"..."
Despair began filling their eyes.
I drove the wedge home with a smile.
"So, all your hard work was for nothing."
They roared in furious rage.
"Uwaaaak!"
"Aaaak!"
"Uuuuuk!"
Deep frustration echoed in their cries. Soon, their eyes gleamed with madness.
"No choice now! We won't let you return to Beijing alive!"
"Never said I would. But your group's numbers seem way down... Something happen?"
"..."
At my words, their madness deepened.
To the point of impaired judgment.
Palgap whispered from behind.
"As expected, you're amazing, young master."
This time, I agreed with Palgap.
I seemed to have a talent for pissing people off.