Chapter 45
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 45
Chapter 45. The Fog Cleared (2)
Jaegal Yoo-ah replied to my words.
“You mean the culprit will target the tea pot I took.”
“But that person could also endanger Miss. Therefore, I would like to assign a bodyguard to you.”
“Ah, there's no need for that. As soon as we discover someone trying to steal the poisoned tea pot, not only will we have proof, but we also have a great ally who will protect my safety.”
I chuckled.
After all, as the Clan Head, she was a person who could do everything she said.
The Grand Minister approached him as he knelt and untied his gag.
“I know your name. Wang Gyeong, right?”
“....”
“You have to answer. That's what good children do.”
The mere presence of the Grand Minister of the Left was enough to kill a man.
Wang Gyeong answered with extreme fear, as if he were about to pass out at any moment.
“Yes, that's right.”
“Then may I ask what you were doing here?”
“That's...”
“You were switching the poisoned tea pots, weren't you?”
“Ugh!”
He looked at the tea pot in the bundle next to him and said.
“Heo Gong.”
“Did you call me?”
“I want you to check that tea pot.”
At those words, Heo Cheong immediately moved. He poured out the tea in the tea caddy and checked it, then replied.
“Poison was detected in these three tea caddies on the table.”
At those words, Wang Gyeong closed his eyes tightly.
“You are not capable of doing something like this on your own. You must have been ordered by someone! Who is it?”
Wang Kyung replied to the harsh interrogation.
“I did it all. Hyun-ri... Huh!”
Realizing his mistake, Wang Kyung shut his mouth, but everyone had already heard him.
I also laughed bitterly inside.
The fact that he unconsciously called him Hyun-ri instead of Taesangga means that it had become a habit.
That meant that someone had ordered him to call him Hyun-ri.
That someone was very likely the person who had ordered him to do this.
He did not recognize the Grand Prince.
That had significant implications.
Come to think of it, both the Grand Prince and the Clan Head had been eliminated in his previous life.
And among the children of the Clan Head, none survived except Jaegal Yoo-ah.
The direct line was eliminated.
That means...
The culprit is from the collateral line.
The most coveted thing in the Jaegal Clan was the Jaegal Clan itself, and in order to get it, there had to be no direct line.
Then who among the collateral line did this?
At that moment, the Grand Clan Head sighed and said to the Clan Head.
“Yul.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I must take the warriors of our clan to a certain place. Please take care of things here.”
“Yes, Father.”
.
.
.
That evening.
I learned the whole story from Pal-gap.
This was because he was very sociable and had already befriended the servants and maids of the Jaegal Clan.
“So, this was all done by the Grand Minister's younger brother?”
“Yes, that is what we have heard. It is said that the Grand Minister's younger brother, Jaegal Dong-woo, prepared the poison and built his own forces in order to take control of the clan.”
“I see.”
Thus, the threat to the Jaegal Clan was resolved.
But why did I feel uneasy?
At that moment, the Taesangga's attendant came to see me.
“I have a message from the Taesangga.”
“Yes.”
“As you know, there has been a family matter, and we can no longer entertain our guests. The Clan Head has asked me to take you home. Please understand.”
“I understand. Don't worry too much.”
On the surface, the Grand Minister's words seemed like he was turning us away, but he was actually doing it for our sake. Soon, a bloody battle would rage within the Clan.
In that case, we should do as he asks.
“Yes, sir. We will prepare immediately.”
“Please hurry.”
.
.
.
A short time later, we left the Jaegal Family.
Normally, guests are not sent away in the evening, but the fact that we were asked to leave in a hurry even though it was evening meant that the situation was urgent.
Surprisingly, we were escorted by the Taishogun's attendants and the Taishogun's bodyguards.
That showed how much the Taishogun was worried about us.
After about an hour, we arrived at the inn.
It was a fairly famous inn, and the Taishogun's attendants reserved a special room for us.
You didn't have to do that...
However, we accepted it with gratitude, as it would be disrespectful to the Grand Minister to refuse such kindness.
After unpacking our belongings in our rooms, we went down to the restaurant on the first floor.
As we sat down and ordered our food, we noticed a group of people eating dinner on the other side of the room.
Their clothes looked familiar.
“Those clothes...”
At that moment, Chief Administrator Yu saw them and said,
“They are escorts from the Changin Escort Agency.”
Seeing them, I felt somehow happy.
Then, I saw a familiar face.
Huh?
Why is Master here?
A moment later
I had a chance to talk to Master.
“Master, did you have a good trip?”
My master replied to my question.
“The trip to Zhejiang was uneventful, and I am currently on my way to another assignment.”
However, I didn't see anything in the inn that could be considered a delivery.
Furthermore, my master was talking to me away from the others, so it couldn't be a person.
Then... he must have something on him.
But then a question popped into my head.
Of course, Head Escorts are not low-ranking, but it is the domain lord's prerogative to accept requests.
Naturally, Head Escorts cannot take on personal escort missions.
Then there was only one answer.
My master may be the Head Escort, but he has the same status as the governor within the escort agency, or he has been delegated the same authority by the governor.
I don't know what it is, but I'm sure my master will handle it well.
As I was thinking this and chatting with my master, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.
It was similar to the nausea I had felt in front of the proposal writer earlier.
Noticing that I looked unwell, my Master asked me, “Are you feeling unwell?”
“I think I'm a little tired. I suddenly feel nauseous...”
My Master was shocked and widened his eyes.
“Why? Why are you so surprised, Master? Why are you so shocked?”
“How could you not be surprised? You've only been learning martial arts for less than a year, and you've already been accepted into the ranks of the Ssanggyeokgi!”
“How could I not be surprised? You haven't even been learning martial arts from me for a year, and you're already experiencing the evil spirit period.”
“The evil spirit period?”
“Yes. That feeling of nausea is a sign that you have entered the evil spirit period.”
My master explained calmly.
“The mental technique you are learning from me, Taiyin Binghai Shigong, is a mental technique that gathers very pure and righteous inner arts.”
I already knew this, but I listened attentively as if I didn't.
“Therefore, it has the ability to prevent you from falling into inner demons and clouding your judgment.”
That's why I benefited so much from it in my previous life.
In important business negotiations, I sometimes resorted to despicable acts such as using drugs or burning incense to cloud my judgment and gain more profit.
But this was the first time I felt such disgust.
“Then, when you reach a certain level, you will have a negative reaction to anything impure from the outside.”
“Is that negative reaction what I felt?”
“Yes.”
“Then, does this rejection mean that I have reached a certain level?”
“It means that you have definitely reached the level of a first-class warrior.”
But even in my previous life, I was a first-class warrior, and I had never felt this way before.
As if sensing my confusion, my Master smiled and added, “To be precise, it means that you are approaching your peak.”
“What? My peak?”
“What? My peak?”
I was shocked by his words.
My peak?
I hadn't thought of that. My inner arts are at the level of a first-class warrior, aren't they?
“Then do I have to continue living with this disgusting feeling?”
“No, that's not the case.”
My master said with a smile.
“That will disappear when you reach the peak. The disgust will remain, but it won't be uncomfortable.”
“I see.”
At that moment, I realized that I had left out a very important question.
“Then what exactly is this disgust that I feel?”
“The answer is simpler than you think. Why do we call this feeling of disgust ‘sagami’?”
“It's... No way.”
I continued.
“Is it disgust for evil energy?”
“Yes. Sagamiki is disgust for evil energy, that is, the energy of the Black Dao and the Demonic Path.”
“That's why you were able to warn me that you sensed the killing intent of the Black Dao before my older brother's Young Master announcement ceremony.”
“That's right.”
Master nodded and continued.
“However, I would prefer that you not tell anyone else about this.”
“Anyone else?”
“No one but me. The reason is...”
I chuckled.
“I think I know why. This must remain a secret, even for my own well-being.”
Even if the Demonic Cult members openly claimed to be followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, most members of the Black Dao hid their true identities.
Those who hid their identities did not have good intentions.
What should one be most wary of with such people?
It is that they will discover your true identity.
Therefore, it is only natural for them to first eliminate anyone who might interfere with their plans.
“You are wise.”
“Anyway, are you saying that the reason I feel so sick is because there are members of the Black Path or the Demonic Path in this inn?”
“Yes. To be precise, it is someone from the Black Path.”
“Then what is someone from the Demonic Path like?”
“You will know when you experience it yourself.”
Master replied and stood up.
“I've been away for too long. I'll be going now.”
“I'm sorry for keeping you for so long.”
I returned to the dining room.
“Are you finished with your story?”
“Yes.”
“You must be tired. Why don't you get some rest?”
“Should I?”
Just then, a guest who seemed to have arrived not long ago finished his meal, sighed, and left the inn.
As he did, the nausea that had been tormenting me gradually subsided.
Ah, I can finally breathe again.
At that moment, I realized something I had been missing.
The disgust I felt at the proposal was when I faced Je Gal-kyung.
And when he left, the disgust disappeared.
That means the cause of the disgust was Je Gal-kyung.
My master clearly said...
“It is a disgust for evil energy, or the energy of the Black Dao and the Demonic Path.”
Then why did I feel disgust toward Jegal Kyung?
Jegal Kyung is a member of the Jegal Clan, a martial arts family, isn't he?
Oh... No!
I realized why I felt uneasy when I heard that Jegal Dong-woo, the younger brother of Taesangga, was behind this.
If Jegal Dong-woo had taken control of the Jegal Clan after the Clan Head died, I would have known his name.
But I had no idea who he was.
That could only mean one thing.
There was someone else who brought down the Jaegal Clan.
I urgently told the Taesangga's attendant.
“We must return to the Jaegal Clan immediately.”
“What? Why?”
“The Jaegal Clan is in danger.”
* *
The Jaegal Clan was in an uproar.
“Arrest them!”
“Ugh!”
“Damn it!”
The warriors who received orders from the Grand Minister and the Clan Head were searching for those who sided with Jaegal Dong-woo.
Among them, a man was heading somewhere as if he were taking a walk.
“Ah, he got away. He got away.”
He clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry.
“It's unfortunate, but I have to end it here. I can't let them find out that I was the one who supplied the poison.”
If the higher-ups who gave him orders were revealed, he would be in serious trouble.
Soon, he entered his room.
Then, he tore up a piece of paper that had been stuck to the wall.
What was revealed was a crimson-colored formation.
The formation in front of him was one that activated formations connected to various places in the Jegal Family.
The name of this formation was “Hun-A-An-Mak-Jin-Beop.”
As the name suggests, it was a formation that blurred the eyes so that one could not distinguish between friend and foe.
Originally, the formation was to be used after the death of the Jaegal Clan's Grand Master and Clan Head.
However, now that Jaegal Dong-woo's actions had been discovered, it was clear that he would be replaced.
This couldn't go on.
He had to do something to prove himself to his superiors.
Although the Grand Clan Head and Clan Head were still alive, he believed in the power of the Anmak Jinbeop.
“Hehehe, in the midst of that chaos, will they be able to break this formation even if it means killing their own family members?”