Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 284

284. A Noble Guest of the Woonha Merchant Guild

Royal Inspector Jo Gwan spoke to the Regional Inspector, as if a thought had just struck him.

“Ah, and we’ll need official robes for our party.”

“Official robes?”

At the Regional Inspector’s question, Jo Gwan responded with a wry smile.

“We can’t possibly meet such a noble guest in this attire.”

Indeed, Jo Gwan’s appearance was more akin to a young nobleman enjoying a casual outing.

Were it not for his official identity plaque, one wouldn’t be able to confirm he was a Royal Inspector.

“I understand. That much is….”

The Regional Inspector gestured to his aide.

“Then, are we escorting this noble guest today?”

“That is correct.”

“Then we must prepare the best room here.”

This was a noble guest deserving of treatment befitting the Imperial Family.

Naturally, he intended to offer the finest suite in the Regional Inspectorate.

However, Jo Gwan shook his head.

“No. The decree is strict, so we plan to depart immediately today.”

“Today? Without even resting….”

“There is no time to delay.”

The Regional Inspector was taken aback.

He had planned to invite the noble guest to the Regional Inspectorate to cultivate personal connections, but that plan had completely fallen apart.

“Even so….”

“This is a command to expedite the Royal Inspector’s tour,” Jo Gwan said with a firm gaze.

“You understand the gravity of this matter, do you not?”

The Regional Inspector was momentarily speechless.

“Hmm.”

However, he couldn’t simply back down.

The Regional Inspector said in a resolute tone.

“In that case, I shall also attend the welcoming of the noble guest.”

At this unexpected request, Jo Gwan hesitated for a moment.

He could easily guess the Regional Inspector’s intentions.

“You mentioned adhering to the standards of the Imperial Family, so how can I, as a local dignitary, not pay my respects to the noble guest? This is a duty I must fulfill.”

The Regional Inspector was unwavering.

Jo Gwan had no further justification to refuse.

“I understand. However, please keep the number of attendants to a minimum.”

“I shall.”

With both sides reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, Jo Gwan rose from his seat.

“Then, I will go and prepare for a moment.”

As Jo Gwan left with his aide, the Regional Inspector also stood up.

He, too, had much to prepare from now on.

‘Ah.’

The Regional Inspector, about to leave the room, suddenly muttered as if a thought had occurred to him.

The obvious question he should have asked from the start had only just come to mind.

‘But who exactly *is* this noble guest?’

However, Royal Inspector Jo Gwan was already gone.

The Regional Inspector shrugged.

‘Well, I’ll find out soon enough anyway.’

It didn’t matter if he learned the name later.

It would be sufficient even after showing the noble guest the utmost sincerity.

Flapping his splendid official robes, the Regional Inspector hurriedly moved towards his private quarters.

***

In the office of the Woonha Merchant Guild, the guild leader, Woon Il-pyung, was sharing tea with Head Manager Joo of the Hacheon Merchant Guild.

“Oh, is that so?”

Woon Il-pyung nodded.

The Head Manager Joo of the Hacheon Merchant Guild bowed his head.

“Yes, I am truly sorry. Originally, our elder [the head of the Hacheon Merchant Guild] should have come in person for this matter, but….”

“No, no. We sought to establish a good relationship with each other, so how can we dwell on faults?”

“I am truly grateful that you say so.”

Head Manager Joo spoke as if he were genuinely sorry.

“We have withdrawn the marriage proposal that we initiated due to unavoidable circumstances, so I apologize once again sincerely.”

Woon Il-pyung nodded, looking genuinely regretful.

However, in his heart, he thought it was for the best.

This way, he wouldn’t have to burden his nephew with a difficult decision.

“And, separately from this matter….”

Head Manager Joo said in a cautious voice.

“Our elder wishes to speak with you privately.”

“To speak about….”

Smiling, Head Manager Joo replied.

“What else would merchants talk about? It must be about the current state of commerce in Gwangju. Our elder has always highly valued the credibility of the Woonha Merchant Guild.”

A bitter smile flitted across Woon Il-pyung’s lips.

He knew what Head Manager Joo, or rather, the Hacheon Merchant Guild’s proposal meant.

Perhaps the Hacheon Merchant Guild was trying to apologize and compensate for the discourtesy of this marriage proposal in their own way.

‘In the end, I’m relying on my nephew.’

His mouth felt bitter, but Woon Il-pyung quickly erased that feeling.

If it could be resolved this way, he couldn’t ask for more.

He wouldn’t burden his nephew, and the guild could breathe easier.

“I understand. If you contact me at a convenient time….”

It was then that Woon Il-pyung was speaking.

Suddenly, a hurried voice was heard from outside the door.

“Guild Leader.”

It was Head Manager Kang’s voice.

For him to interrupt when the Head Manager of the Hacheon Merchant Guild was present, Woon Il-pyung sensed that something unusual had happened.

“What is it?”

*Click.*

The door opened, and Head Manager Kang spoke with a stiff expression.

“…People from the government have arrived.”

‘The government (官)?’

That was a very ambiguous expression.

Perhaps Head Manager Kang had carefully chosen his words, conscious of the guest.

However, Woon Il-pyung had no idea what it could be.

“I see. Have them wait in the reception room for now. And….”

“No.”

Head Manager Kang interrupted Woon Il-pyung.

“I think you should go out and see them now.”

Woon Il-pyung looked at Head Manager Kang with a puzzled expression.

However, Head Manager Kang’s eyes strongly urged him to go out and see them now.

“I understand.”

Woon Il-pyung nodded.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

The situation seemed serious, so Head Manager Joo of the Hacheon Merchant Guild couldn’t say anything.

Woon Il-pyung rose from his seat. And he followed Head Manager Kang, who was clearly in a hurry, and moved his feet.

*Step, step.*

The hurried footsteps of the two men faded away, and Head Manager Joo, left alone, couldn’t hide his curiosity.

‘What is it?’

Clearly, something had happened.

If Head Manager Kang, known for his solemn expression, was showing such a face, then even more so.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Head Manager Joo of the Hacheon Merchant Guild cleared his throat and rose from his seat.

“Oh dear, where is the restroom here?”

Although no one was there, Head Manager Joo muttered to himself.

And he slipped out of the room.

“Ahem.”

Clearing his throat once more, Head Manager Joo of the Hacheon Merchant Guild moved his feet in the direction where Woon Il-pyung and Head Manager Kang had disappeared.

It was an expression of his thorough professional ethics.

If something were to happen to the Woonha Merchant Guild, it would not be unrelated to him.

Woon Il-pyung followed Head Manager Kang towards the main gate.

Even on the way, Head Manager Kang maintained a stiff expression.

“What’s going on?”

Woon Il-pyung asked.

*Step, step.*

“…I’m not sure either.”

Head Manager Kang said with a bewildered expression.

“But the Guild Leader must go and see.”

Woon Il-pyung sighed.

Hoping that it was not a bad thing, Woon Il-pyung arrived at the main gate of the Woonha Merchant Guild.

And he could understand why Head Manager Kang had no choice but to express it as ‘people from the government have arrived.’

“W-What on earth….”

*Neigh, snort.*

The sounds of horses and large carriages, and the numerous soldiers standing with their sharp blades gleaming.

The front gate of the Woonha Merchant Guild was filled with people.

All of them were dressed in official and military uniforms, lined up in an orderly manner.

‘Something big has happened.’

Woon Il-pyung’s face turned pale at the ominous atmosphere.

However, he soon maintained his composure and politely paid his respects.

“I am Woon Il-pyung, the head of the Woonha Merchant Guild.”

The gazes of the soldiers and officials turned to Woon Il-pyung all at once.

Feeling his mouth drying up, Woon Il-pyung continued.

“Who is in charge here?”

*Step.*

A man on horseback dismounted.

The man, dressed in formal official robes and with a striking physique, approached Woon Il-pyung.

And he politely paid his respects.

“I apologize for the sudden visit.”

He said in an extremely courteous voice.

However, the aura emanating from his appearance in official robes was by no means ordinary.

“I am Royal Inspector Jo Gwan. I have come to escort a noble guest under a strict decree.”

Woon Il-pyung did not understand those words at all.

No, he knew what the words meant.

But he couldn’t understand the meaning at all.

“…Um, perhaps you have come to the wrong place….”

Woon Il-pyung said as politely as possible.

However, Royal Inspector Jo Gwan smiled.

As if he already knew everything.

“Isn’t there a noble guest with the surname Woon, using the character ‘Hyun’ [玄], staying here?”

It was a very relaxed smile.

But his explanation did not help Woon Il-pyung’s understanding.

No, rather, Woon Il-pyung was falling into even greater confusion.

***

Woonhyun received word that his uncle, Woon Il-pyung, was urgently looking for him.

Woonhyun, with a puzzled heart, paused as he entered the guest hall.

There were more people sitting in the guest hall than he had expected.

There were familiar faces such as his uncle Woon Il-pyung, his aunt, his cousin Woon Hee-yeon, and Head Manager Kang, but most of them were people he didn’t know at all.

‘Ah, those people are….’

Among the strangers, Woonhyun discovered people he remembered.

They were wearing completely unexpected attire—official robes—but they were definitely the people he had seen at the Nanhwa Brothel and Mount Wolsu.

‘One person is missing.’

The person he didn’t see was the woman, Jin Ye-rim.

Meanwhile, the people in the guest hall also discovered Woonhyun.

*Thump.*

Several people jumped up from their seats.

Others belatedly stood up, and the quiet guest hall briefly became noisy.

But the commotion soon subsided.

“Ahem.”

Feeling the gazes of the people, Woonhyun cleared his throat.

And he carefully stepped inside.

He could feel the gazes of the people following him.

*Rustle.*

Woonhyun paid his respects to his uncle Woon Il-pyung and his aunt.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“Um, yes. That’s….”

Uncle Woon Il-pyung trailed off.

Woonhyun, who had expected him to explain something, gave him a puzzled look.

But Woon Il-pyung had nothing to say either.

*Swish.*

With a nervous expression, he looked at the others in the guest hall, especially the middle-aged men wearing splendid official robes.

Woonhyun also turned his gaze.

“Who are these people….”

*Step.*

A young official who had been standing until then stepped forward and paid his respects to Woonhyun.

“Excuse me, but are you Master Woon [a respectful title]?”

He was a young man with intense eyes.

‘Master (大人)?’

Woonhyun was puzzled.

“I am Woonhyun, but….”

That meant he was mistaken.

The title ‘Master’ was a title that should be used for his uncle Woon Il-pyung rather than Woonhyun.

However, the man smiled.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Jo Gwan, a Royal Inspector from the Office of the Inspector General.”

‘Office of the Inspector General.’

Woonhyun frowned slightly.

Woonhyun knew what the Office of the Inspector General did.

“Why is a Royal Inspector from the Office of the Inspector General….”

Woonhyun’s expression was quite stern.

It was due to his aversion to the power struggles that had caused him to lose his sworn brother Il Chung-hyun and leave the Imperial Palace.

“Hahaha.”

However, before Jo Gwan could answer, a fat middle-aged man wearing splendid official robes laughed and stepped forward.

“I am Wang Si-joong, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Guangdong Province.”

Woonhyun was quite surprised.

The Provincial Administration Commissioner was a high-ranking local official who oversaw the administration of Guangdong Province.

“Ah, yes.”

Woonhyun replied politely.

“I am Woonhyun.”

“To think that the noble guest was in Guangdong Province, I am truly pleased….”

“Ahem.”

A middle-aged man in military attire frowned.

As Woonhyun’s gaze turned to him, the middle-aged military officer said with a rather intense gaze.

“I am Lee Eom-han, the Regional Military Commander.”

‘Regional Military Commander?’

Woonhyun couldn’t help but be surprised once again.

Wasn’t the Regional Military Commander the highest-ranking official responsible for the military affairs of Guangdong Province?

However, before Woonhyun could even return the greeting, another man next to him opened his mouth.

“I am Jang Young-hwan, the Regional Inspector. Nice to meet you, Master.”