Chapter 47 :

Chapter 47. The First Pouch (1)

The situation had come to an end.

I looked at Zhuge Gyeong, who had become a corpse.

Seeing him, an indescribable heaviness welled up, and a sigh escaped me.

Anyway, I finally felt somewhat relieved.

The disgust I had felt from him until just a moment ago had disappeared.

Could it be that once someone dies, such feelings vanish as well?

I should ask Master about it.

And, when the time is right, I should also ask him about the formation.

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“Grandfather! Are you all right?”

The elder lord was sitting collapsed on the ground. I hurriedly ran up to him and asked.

“Are you unharmed?”

“I am fine.”

But contrary to his words, the elder lord’s complexion looked deathly pale.

“I am fine, so do not worry.”

“But……”

At Zhuge Yua’s words, he continued.

“It is merely that my internal energy is a little lacking. It has been a long time since I have felt such insufficiency in my internal energy.”

“Then, does that mean the formation was truly that tremendous?”

At her question, the elder lord spoke.

“Indeed.”

The elder lord looked at me with a peculiar gaze.

Why is he looking at me like that?

“Gongja, thank you for rushing to aid our family and helping us in our time of need.”

“Not at all. It was simply what had to be done.”

“I thought you would say as much. Still, gratitude is gratitude.”

He went on.

“If you do not have any urgent business upon returning, may I trouble you to stay at the inn for a while? Though I would prefer to host you here, as you know, there is much to put in order, and I fear our hospitality would be lacking.”

“Understood. I will do as you say.”

“Thank you.”

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The Zhuge Family prepared the most luxurious room in the finest inn nearby.

That was unnecessary, truly.

By the way, I wondered if Chief Manager Yoo was doing well.

Having realized that there was another hidden hand behind this incident, I needed to return to the Zhuge Family as quickly as possible.

Therefore, I could not bring Chief Manager Yoo along.

The road had to be traveled at full speed, which would have been too taxing for Chief Manager Yoo, whose strength was limited.

Moreover, it would be problematic if his journey away from the merchant group grew any longer. Business would be piling up endlessly.

So I entrusted Master with escorting Chief Manager Yoo.

In any case, Master’s escort journey would pass through our merchant group.

As expected, Master readily agreed, and said he would depart as soon as dawn broke.

Thus, another two days passed, and I kept myself busy wandering about the area.

For there was something I needed to do, now that I had the time.

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On the third day, I was summoned by the elder lord.

The place I was led to was not the elder lord’s residence, but what could be called the very heart of the Zhuge Family.

The Hall of the Sleeping Dragon.

Inside the massive building, I spotted the one who had come to greet me.

“Lady Zhuge Yua.”

“Welcome, gongja. Everyone is waiting for you.”

I asked her,

“Are you no longer keeping up that pretense?”

“There’s no need anymore. And it is all thanks to you.”

“I did nothing. It was the efforts and sacrifices of your family members.”

I entered the head’s office.

There, the elder lord, the family head, and several others were gathered.

“I have come, as summoned.”

I bowed respectfully, and the elder lord spoke to me.

“Raise your head.”

“Yes.”

When I lifted my head, the elder lord rose from his seat and said,

“Thanks to you, Young Lord Eun, the Zhuge Family has escaped a great crisis. We are truly grateful.”

Then he clasped his fists in salute and bowed his head to me, and following him, everyone else clasped their fists to me as well.

To think that I would receive words of gratitude from the elder lord of the Zhuge Family!

I quickly waved my hands to stop him.

“Why would you do such a thing? I did nothing.”

“No. You have done much for our family.”

He continued.

“But before that, there is something I wish to ask you.”

“Yes, please ask.”

“How did you know that trouble would befall our family? My servant said you claimed that the Zhuge Family was in danger, and that a formation would be used?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

I had already anticipated this question, so I answered calmly.

“In truth, I met him when I went to the Finance Pavilion.”

“Ah yes, you mentioned you had gone to the Finance Pavilion.”

“Yes. At that time, he seemed unusually wary of me. For simple caution against an outsider, it was excessive. It was as if…… he were hiding something.”

“Hiding something……”

“Yes, even at the last moment he regarded me with suspicion before vanishing. Having been raised in a merchant household, where one must always be wary of both intruders and traitors within, I recognized the look, and thus found it suspicious.”

“But with just that……”

“Decisively, I remembered only after leaving the Zhuge Family. I recalled seeing him after a meal at the inn. Tell me, when it is revealed that a culprit from within has attempted to poison someone, what would be the usual reaction?”

“They would be flustered, of course.”

“But he strolled leisurely away as if nothing had happened. From that, I realized the Zhuge Family was still in danger.”

“I see. And what about the conclusion that a formation would be used?”

“That was obvious, was it not? He, too, was one of the Zhuge Family.”

“Hmm……”

“With unease in my heart, I merely returned to deliver a warning, but by then the matter had already erupted, and I too was startled.”

“I understand. Very well.”

That ended his questions.

Yet I found it odd. He had not asked the truly important question.

That was regarding the lion’s roar. It had cleared the minds of those who had mistakenly turned their swords on each other. Naturally, one would be curious as to what had transpired.

But no such question was raised.

Why?

He was not the type to overlook such a matter.

As I lingered on the elder lord, the family head spoke.

“Therefore, our family wishes to reward you in return. Whatever you desire, speak of it.”

“No! There is nothing I desire.”

At my words, the elder lord added,

“Hoho, and yet, speak freely.”

“I truly want nothing. I did not act with any thought of reward.”

I went on.

“When those in peril stand before me, how could I merely stand idle? I moved because I had to. Since I did not act for recompense, how could I now ask for recompense?”

In truth, if I wished to extract recompense from the Zhuge Family, there was much I could claim.

But I only wished for the Zhuge Family to remain strong.

That way, the Murim Alliance would not so easily bare its ambitions.

This, in fact, was laying the groundwork to bind the Murim Alliance in the future.

Yet my answer seemed to leave quite an impression.

“Hoho! A true gentleman stands before us!”

At the elder lord’s words, the family head nodded.

“Indeed. Though young in years, gongja, you possess the very bearing of a gentleman.”

At those words, the others also nodded.

“But since Father has spoken thus, refusing would be discourteous. So speak freely, without reservation, about anything you wish.”

Under that unspoken pressure, I finally let out a sigh and said,

“In that case, I do have one request.”

“What is it?”

“In truth, our merchant group’s Chief of Internal Affairs, Yoo So-Ak, became Chief through complicated circumstances. Yet before that, he was someone who genuinely enjoyed reciting poetry. And the time he spent with Elder Lord, at Elder Lord’s invitation, was truly joyful for him. Therefore, I beg you.”

I clasped my fists and continued,

“I hope you will continue to be his friend in poetry and verse.”

At my words, the elder lord’s eyes grew moist.

Huh?

Why all of a sudden?

“Ahem! How is it that you move me so deeply?”

“……Pardon?”

“Have you forgotten, gongja? Chief Yoo is already my sworn younger brother. Which means, in turn, that Chief Yoo is Yua’s uncle.”

At that, the family head added,

“Indeed, Father speaks truly. From this day, Chief of Internal Affairs Yoo So-Ak is my uncle.”

In other words, anyone who sought to harm Chief Yoo would find the Zhuge Family standing in opposition.

Thus Chief Yoo gained himself a formidable backing.

And all I had meant was simply to ask that our merchant group remain connected with them in friendship.

“Is there really nothing else you want?”

At Lady Zhuge Yua’s question, I lightly nodded.

“Yes.”

“Truly?”

“Yes.”

“Really, nothing at all?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, the elder lord spoke.

“Now that I think of it, your family’s Pavilion Master Yeon has moved to Anxi in Fujian Province, seeking to purchase Tieguanyin directly, hasn’t he?”

“So you knew.”

“I happened to learn of it, unintentionally. You see, our family owns tea fields in Fujian Province.”

“I see.”

“When I met you before, I noticed you too had an interest in tea. So, as recompense, I will grant your merchant group the distribution rights to the Tieguanyin harvest from our Zhuge family’s tea fields in Fujian.”

“What?”

From what I knew, the size of the Zhuge Family’s Tieguanyin fields was enormous.

In the future I had once lived, the Murim Alliance had swallowed it whole.

If our merchant group were to hold the distribution rights to the tea harvested from those vast fields, the profits would be immeasurable.

“The term is indefinite.”

“Wh– what! That is too much, I cannot possibly accept.”

“It is only right that you do. The entirety of the Zhuge Family, myself included, owes you a life debt.”

“But still……”

“Just take it, take it! I wish I could give more, but who knows, one day you may need our family’s aid again. Let us save the rest for then.”

And so, through this affair with the Zhuge Family, I obtained something wholly unexpected.

This was the result of the life I had altered.

I did not yet know what the future of this life would become, but for now, things had concluded well.

It was about time I returned.

“Then, I should take my leave. I too have duties, and cannot remain away any longer. Please understand.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Then Zhuge Yua spoke.

“Young Lord Eun.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you, truly. If ever there is anything I can personally do to help you, I wish to offer my aid.”

Since we were in the presence of her family elders, I could not coldly refuse.

“I will remember your kindness, my lady. Please remain in good health.”

At my words, her cheeks flushed red in an instant.

At that moment, the family head spoke.

“Ahem, ahem. Tell me, do you have a fiancée?”

“Not yet, but……”

“Is that so? I see.”

What was the meaning behind that question?

In any case, I clasped my fists to everyone.

“May you all remain in peace. Elder Lord, Family Head, and everyone, thank you deeply for your grand kindness.”

Now, I truly had to return home.

***

The elder lord watched as Eun Seoho’s carriage grew distant.

His eyes were filled with satisfaction.

‘Was this young man’s visit to our house the blessing of my ancestors? Or is it Heaven’s will that our family must not yet vanish?’

From his sleeve, he drew out a small jade pendant, gazing at it silently.

It was a token once exchanged with a sworn friend.

That friend’s family had been famed for its pure and upright internal energy, but they were no more.

They had been wiped out in an instant by the demonic cult.

How agonizing it had been when he heard of his friend’s death……

Yet he had felt something amiss, and secretly investigated the incident.

In the process, he discovered a letter left behind by his friend.

Only then did he realize.

It had been the doing of the Murim Alliance.

Partly for his friend’s vengeance, and partly out of suspicion of the Murim Alliance, he had kept his distance ever since.

The reason he had not been affected by the Vision-Blurring Bewilderment Formation this time, was because of the jade pendant his friend had left him.

For within that jade pendant was his friend’s pure and upright internal energy, shielding him from the sinister qi of the formation.

And he had felt that same pure and upright energy in Eun Seoho.

Which meant, somewhere, his friend’s descendants had survived and secretly carried on the bloodline.

Thus, for the sake of his friend, he had not asked about Eun Seoho’s lion’s roar.

And it was also to protect Eun Seoho, who had saved his family, from those powers.

‘It will require some careful manipulation of information…….’

It seemed he would have to move busily for a while.

***

Upon returning home, I went straight to Father’s office.

“Father, your son has safely completed his journey and returned.”

“Was it a pleasant time?”

“Yes. It was both joyful and meaningful.”

“I heard from Chief Yoo. He said something happened at the Zhuge Family, and you had to rush back?”

“In truth, Father……”

I recounted the whole story, and after hearing me out, Father sighed.

“So that is what happened.”

“Yes.”

“Even so, you are still……”

I quickly held out what I had in hand to him.

“And Father, this is what the Zhuge Family has given us.”

“Hm?”

“They pressed it upon me so firmly that I could not refuse. But I truly do not know if we ought to accept it.”

Father took the documents from me and unfolded them.

Counting them carefully to three.