Chapter 556
Chapter 556
Chapter 556. The Test (4)
At my words, Squad Leader Won Eop asked.
“Is, is that true?” (Won Eop)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“What is that detoxification method?” (Won Eop)
“That is……” (Eun Seoho)
When I hesitated and could not answer, he asked urgently.
“Why are you doing that? Why on earth are you about to speak, only to stop?” (Won Eop)
“The detoxification method is a bit, well. It is indeed a detoxification method, but it might be considered as me mocking the Masters.” (Eun Seoho)
I let out a sigh.
“If that happens, it will become awkward for us to see each other’s faces, so though it will be painful, I think it would be best to simply endure it for five days.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, he hurriedly grabbed my sleeve.
“Ugh! Y-you would be saying it to detoxify us, so how could we misunderstand it that way?” (Won Eop)
“Really?” (Eun Seoho)
“Really!” (Won Eop)
“Well, that is true. If one bears a grudge over being told a treatment method, then one has no right to belong to the Martial Alliance.” (Eun Seoho)
“Th-that is exactly right!” (Won Eop)
I looked at the other squad members and asked.
“Do all of you think the same?” (Eun Seoho)
“W-we do.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“We will do whatever you tell us, so please do something about this stomachache.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Guuuugh! I feel like I’m dying.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
They looked at me with desperate eyes while clutching their stomachs.
“In that case, understood. First, everyone lie down on the ground.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, everyone obediently lay flat on the ground.
“Roll three times to the left.” (Eun Seoho)
“……What?” (Won Eop)
“Roll three times to the left. Then roll three times to the right again.” (Eun Seoho)
At my instruction, one squad member burst out.
“Is this not the kind of disciplinary training that only dimwits do?” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
I let out a sigh.
“Phew, I knew this would happen. That is why I told you to simply endure it for five days. You are already acting like this, so how could I possibly help you detoxify?” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“And yet you call yourselves members of the Martial Alliance? Those who pride themselves as representatives of the orthodox sects are making such suspicions.” (Eun Seoho)
“I-I am sorry.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“That is enough. I will just stop here. Though you will be in deathly pain for five days, that seems as if there will be no misunderstandings between us. I do not want to die early from receiving such misunderstandings.” (Eun Seoho)
And when I turned away without any lingering attachment, they approached with grimacing faces and began begging earnestly.
“W-we were wrong!” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“We are truly sorry.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
I put on a gloomy expression.
“This is not something to say right now, but seeing how you keep speaking down to me, it seems you have no intention of acknowledging me as a fellow martial artist. Even though the Alliance Leader bestowed the title Immortal Hero Beauty upon me and told me to undertake this mission together with you.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Well, I suppose that means you cannot agree with the Alliance Leader’s thoughts.” (Eun Seoho)
“Th-that is not…… not true.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Absolutely not.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
Good, their speech has become longer at the end.
They should have done this long ago.
Perhaps because they are out of their minds from pain right now, polite speech is coming out all at once.
“So please, we beg you to detoxify us.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“It is too painful to endure this agony for five days.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“And if we happen to encounter suspicious people, it will be a serious matter.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“It will be all right.” (Eun Seoho)
I said to them.
“My party and I are quite skilled, so we can protect all of you well enough.” (Eun Seoho)
“H-how skilled could you possibly be?” (Won Eop)
I looked at Squad Leader Won, and under my gaze, he cleared his throat and corrected himself.
“How skilled could you possibly be?” (Won Eop)
Well, arrogant people like that would not remember my realm.
“I and Warrior Seowoo beside me are at the peak realm. And Warrior Yeo Eungam has also recently reached the peak realm.” (Eun Seoho)
“Th-then three peak-realm warriors…….” (Won Eop)
“Yes. In addition, we are openly carrying the Martial Alliance’s flag like this, so what empty-headed fools would attack while prepared to be pursued for the rest of their lives?” (Eun Seoho)
The more my words continued, the worse their expressions rapidly became.
In other words, there was sufficient reason for me not to bother detoxifying them right now.
“So though it will be a little painful, you may stay at ease.” (Eun Seoho)
Thud.
At my words, they even knelt down.
“W-we beg you, please.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“We will absolutely not have any useless misunderstandings, so please save us!” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“If this continues, we truly feel like we will die!” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
Watching everyone, including Squad Leader Won, plead like that, I grinned inwardly.
“Understood. I will trust the Masters just once more.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, they nodded repeatedly.
So much that I wondered if their necks might snap.
“Then everyone lie down on the ground and roll three times to the left, then three times to the right.” (Eun Seoho)
Without complaint, they followed my instructions.
“Again, roll five times to the left and five times to the right.” (Eun Seoho)
“Squat jumps in place, ten times each while facing east, west, south, and north!” (Eun Seoho)
Every time my instructions continued, Squad Leader Won and the squad members became covered in dirt.
Ah! This is so refreshing!
When I glanced behind me, my party also had expressions as if the blockage in their stomachs had cleared.
After making them roll around like that for about half an hour, I finally said to Warrior Ipil.
“Did you bring the herb I mentioned?” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes. Here it is.” (Warrior Ipil)
I held out that herb to Squad Leader Won and the squad members and said,
“Now you need only chew and eat this herb.” (Eun Seoho)
“Understood.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
They received the herb and began chewing it, and before long, they looked amazed, as if the pain had disappeared.
“Huh? My stomach doesn’t hurt.” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Hah! It really got better!” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Well now! How miraculous!” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
At that moment, someone said to me.
“But could we not have eaten this herb from the beginning?” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
“Why did you not have us eat this herb from the start and instead make us move our bodies so laboriously?” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
It is a question I expected, and I am prepared for it too.
I deliberately let out a sigh.
“Phew, there are always people like this. When you save someone drowning, they ask why you held out a rope instead of silk.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued speaking.
“Medicine can become a poisonous herb or a medicinal herb depending on the situation. If the Masters had eaten that herb without any preparation, it would not have detoxified you properly. The reason I made the Masters move your bodies was as a preparatory process so that you could be detoxified all at once.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Martial Alliance Warrior)
At my answer, they wore embarrassed expressions.
“Even though I explained that much earlier, to think there is still someone who raises such a question! Truly, I worry for the future of this murim.” (Eun Seoho)
They fidgeted with expressions as if they wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.
At that moment, Palgap said,
“They say people are different when they go into the privy and when they come out of it…… Young Master should not have trusted these people!” (Palgap)
“I think so too. It makes me quite sad. To think that the prodigies of the murim are…… no. What more can I say?” (Eun Seoho)
As I lamented like that, I glanced over at Squad Leader Won and the squad members.
All of them had ashamed expressions.
“Then we will take our leave now. It is late, so please go to sleep.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes, sleep well.” (Won Eop)
Squad Leader Won hurriedly gave his farewell, and I silently clasped my hands and returned to our campsite.
“You look extremely refreshed.” (Warrior Seowoo)
At Warrior Seowoo’s words, I nodded and grinned.
“What is there to even say?” (Eun Seoho)
Our campsite was somewhat far from theirs, so it could not be seen clearly.
And since I had set up a barrier with qi, sound did not reach over there either.
Warrior Ipil said,
“To think you came up with such a method using that herb! Truly, I can only admire you.” (Warrior Ipil)
“It is thanks to you, Warrior Ipil.” (Eun Seoho)
Warrior Yeo Eungam said,
“Now they will not be able to treat us carelessly.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
“Yes, I deliberately planted guilt in them for that reason.” (Eun Seoho)
Palgap shook his head.
“I will absolutely never make an enemy of you, Young Master. I want to eat well and live well for the rest of my natural lifespan.” (Palgap)
At those words, everyone in my party unconsciously nodded before their eyes met mine.
Then they smiled awkwardly.
“Honestly, I am showing you this side of me because you are my people. If you were not my people, I would have shown you only my good side.” (Eun Seoho)
“Does that mean you trust us that much?” (Palgap)
At Palgap’s words, I gave a faint laugh.
“Think whatever you like.” (Eun Seoho)
.
.
.
Day broke.
After making and eating breakfast, we finished preparing to depart. Squad Leader Won approached me.
“Did you sleep well last night?” (Won Eop)
“Yes. Thanks to the stomachache disappearing, I slept very soundly.” (Eun Seoho)
They had been busy washing this morning.
Last night, they had slept well while still covered in dirt without even washing.
It seemed rolling around under the moonlight had been quite tiring.
And Squad Leader Won was speaking politely to me very naturally.
It seems last night’s disciplinary training had a good effect.
“We plan to depart in fifteen minutes.” (Won Eop)
“Understood.” (Eun Seoho)
“Um, and……” (Won Eop)
He scratched his cheek and continued speaking.
“Last night, I was far too petty. I apologize.” (Won Eop)
“I accept your apology.” (Eun Seoho)
I do not know whether his current apology was because he truly realized he had been petty, because of what happened last night, or because he learned my realm was peak.
But what matters is that I received an apology.
We will not be seeing each other for particularly long, so whether the apology contains sincerity is not important.
What matters is only whether I can spend the remaining schedule comfortably.
A short while later.
We set off toward Mount Tai again.
For some reason, the footsteps of our horses heading toward Mount Tai felt light.
Ah, these fellows had accumulated quite a lot as well.
Well, of course. We are their owners.
The journey to Mount Tai was very peaceful and comfortable.
To them, I was both their benefactor and the object of their guilt, so they treated me well.
It was giving the disease and then the cure, but if the result is good, that is enough.
We traveled a few more days like that, and soon we reached Jinan.
“We will rest here today, then visit the sect on Mount Tai tomorrow.” (Won Eop)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“Do you perhaps know a suitable inn to stay at nearby?” (Won Eop)
At that question, I pointed somewhere with my hand and said,
“That place, Cheongsan Inn, is decent.” (Eun Seoho)
That was the inn I had stayed at before when I came here for the Hundred Great Trading Companies gathering hosted by the Baekyeom Trading Company.
It had been quite decent.
We got rooms there and unpacked our luggage.
“I will look around nearby for a short while.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes. Please do so.” (Won Eop)
My party and I left the inn.
Since we had come to Jinan, I planned to look around the shops in the marketplace.
Jinan is a place where trade with foreign countries is active.
Because of that, goods and culture come and go actively, and it is one of the places that leads the empire’s trends.
Those trends are then transmitted to Beijing and develop further.
In other words, just by properly looking at the shops in Jinan, one can predict about half of what will become fashionable in Beijing.
So looking around this place is an extremely important matter as a merchant.
“Mm, there are quite a few interesting things.” (Eun Seoho)
As I observed the marketplace and walked around like that, something caught my eye.
I went over to that place.
“Are these not rouge containers?” (Palgap)
“That’s right.” (Eun Seoho)
Shandong, too, is a place famous for porcelain as much as for ironware.
Because it has good clay used to make porcelain.
The rather delicate drawings laid with gold thread looked truly pretty.
“I should buy one of these.” (Eun Seoho)
At my words, Palgap spoke with an expression as if he understood.
“Since you are buying a rouge container anyway, I think it would also be good to choose a rouge color that suits Lieutenant Gwak and fill it before giving it to her.” (Palgap)
“That is a good method too…… Huh? I never said I was giving it to anyone.” (Eun Seoho)
“I am your servant, Young Master. I understand at once from the smallest hint. Hehehe.” (Palgap)
This is somehow embarrassing.
Just as Palgap said, the rouge container is a gift for Miss Seohyang.
Because I felt sorry and also pained in many ways, including the fact that she had to keep dressing plainly to hide her identity.
At that moment, Warrior Seowoo said,
“I should buy this rouge container. I think my wife would like it if I gave it to her.” (Warrior Seowoo)
Warrior Yeo Eungam followed after him and said,
“This one looks pretty to me. My wife will like it too. Hahaha.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
I gave a faint laugh.
“Then let us go together to a nearby place that sells rouge.” (Eun Seoho)
Most of the customers at the rouge shop were women.
But was it not said that the power of a group is great?
Thanks to that, we were able to buy rouge without feeling embarrassed.
The funny thing is that the place where we bought the rouge is a place that receives rouge supplied by the Eunhae Trading Company.
If I wanted, I could buy rouge without paying, but that would be nothing but cutting into my own flesh.
As we left the rouge shop and headed toward our lodging, I heard a voice calling me.
“Who is this? Is this not Young Head Eun Seoho of the Eunhae Trading Company?” (Ho Gyeong)
When I turned around, I saw a familiar face.
It was Mister Ho Gyeong of the Baekyeom Trading Company.
“Ah, Mister Ho!” (Eun Seoho)
“It is good to see you, Young Head Eun. What brings you here?” (Ho Gyeong)
“I stopped by because I had some business here. But you seem to have grown even taller than when I last saw you.” (Eun Seoho)
“Hahaha! Yes. I grew a bit more.” (Ho Gyeong)
Indeed, if my memory serves, he was a bit taller than now, to the point that I had to look up at him.
“At the last gathering, the eldest young head attended.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes. Originally, that is the proper way. Until then, I had been attending in his stead.” (Ho Gyeong)
“So the succession has been decided.” (Eun Seoho)
“It had already been decided.” (Ho Gyeong)
After we exchanged this and that, Mister Ho Gyeong said,
“Young Head Eun, I still have not forgotten the debt from that time.” (Ho Gyeong)
He was talking about when the Baekcheon Trading Company schemed and tried to harm Mister Ho Gyeong, and I saved him.
“You may forget it.” (Eun Seoho)
“I absolutely cannot. I hope that dagger will surely be used one day.” (Ho Gyeong)
He must mean the dagger that is the token of his oath to help me while risking his life.
“Understood.” (Eun Seoho)
There will be a time to use it someday.
“Where are you staying now?” (Ho Gyeong)
“I am at Cheongsan Inn.” (Eun Seoho)
“Then how about staying at our Trading Company?” (Ho Gyeong)
I politely declined.
“I appreciate the offer, but then you would have to let even the Martial Alliance’s people into the Trading Company.” (Eun Seoho)
“Yes?” (Ho Gyeong)
I smiled and said,
“In truth, by the Alliance Leader’s command, I am currently carrying out a mission while accompanying people of the Martial Alliance.” (Eun Seoho)
His eyes instantly grew cold.
“Are you perhaps working together with the Martial Alliance?” (Ho Gyeong)