I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 57

He was the most watched minister in the court and the heir to the most prestigious family. His death was a major incident that turned the country upside down.

His superiors couldn’t decide. Only the Sect Leader could decide on this matter.

He met Jo Gwang-yun’s mocking gaze.

“So, you have to ask your superiors about that too.”

“Y-yes, I do.”

“This isn’t going anywhere, so I can’t help it. Let’s meet again tomorrow. Not you, but your superior. Someone in charge who can confidently answer my questions needs to come.”

Jo Gwang-yun gestured to Gu Seung, who threw three or four silver coins on the table.

“For the noodle soup. Use the rest for your drinks.”

The man gritted his teeth and stood up.

He hesitated for a moment but eventually picked up the silver coins. It was a lot of money to suppress his pride.

As the man disappeared, Gu Seung cautiously opened his mouth.

“Lord Protector, is it true?”

“What?”

“That he’s stronger than me.”

Perhaps it was because he was young, or perhaps he had already mastered the temperament of a martial artist, but he seemed curious about the outcome of a fight.

“That’s how it seemed to me. I don’t know if it’s true or not.”

He only felt that way, so he couldn’t ask any further.

“Then who is this Maeng Wool from the Taebu Temple? Why are you trying to eliminate him?”

“He’s a young minister. I’m not curious about Maeng Wool, nor do I want to eliminate him. I was just more curious about Eumyeongmun.”

“Ah…”

“They said they could find out what’s going on in the court. Of course, they could find out by asking around and investigating, but that’s not what he meant. In other words, they have connections within the Imperial Palace.”

“So, the root of Eumyeongmun isn’t the Murim World… [Murim refers to the martial arts world or community in wuxia stories.]”

“That’s right. It seems to be an organization created by members of the Imperial Family or military personnel. I don’t know if current officials are included or not.”

Gu Seung wanted to ask more questions, but he closed his mouth. He knew that his job was to think for himself and help Jo Gwang-yun with what he wanted to do.

The next day, the person who came to the same place was even younger than yesterday.

“I think my subordinate committed many discourtesies. Please forgive him.”

Jo Gwang-yun also lightly bowed his head to the young man who showed a very polite attitude.

“The request is quite tricky. Investigate first and then kill. Does this mean you’ll decide whether to kill or not after seeing the investigation results?”

“Shouldn’t you talk about Eumyeongmun’s abilities before my intentions? Is it possible?”

“Investigation is possible, and elimination is also possible.”

“I heard you’re good at disguising things as accidents, but I want him to be brutally murdered in broad daylight rather than an accident.”

The young man from Eumyeongmun looked embarrassed.

“In a noisy way?”

“Yes. If possible, in a crowded place. Like a revenge play.”

“Revenge…”

“If it looks like a personal grudge rather than a political reason, wouldn’t that also be a disguise?”

The man shook his head firmly.

“That’s impossible. We don’t want to make a fuss.”

“Is that so? I had high expectations, but this is… Even if the murder is revealed, Murim people shouldn’t be involved. Disguising an accident is no problem if you plan it well… Could it be that your martial arts skills are lacking?”

“We have to stick to our own methods.”

He scratched him a little, but the young man remained calm.

“I’ll only accept the request to investigate. The cost depends on the length of the investigation period. How long do you need to watch him?”

“Until I tell you to stop. Whether it’s a year or ten years.”

The calm man changed.

“The cost is not cheap. It will cost two hundred silver coins every month… If you give me a year’s worth in advance, I’ll give you a discount of fifteen hundred silver coins.”

“You know how to do business. Let’s do that. I’ll receive the investigation results here on the first day of every month. Let’s meet again tonight. A bill from the Great Battlefield will be fine for the payment, right?”

“Of course, sir.”

Jo Gwang-yun and Gu Seung left the noodle restaurant, leaving the man behind.

“Keep a close watch. Check if anyone is following us.”

As Jo Gwang-yun muttered, Gu Seung tensed up.

When they returned to their lodgings, Gu Seung said,

“There was no one.”

“Then that means they already know who I am. Okay. You go alone tonight and deliver the bill.”

“Yes.”

“And do you know the identity of Eumyeongmun?”

As Jo Gwang-yun casually asked, Gu Seung scratched the back of his head.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know.”

Jo Gwang-yun wasn’t sure either, but he had a feeling it was someone’s private organization. That someone could be one of the ministers in the court, or it could be an imperial institution. Maybe even the Emperor.

If you carefully examine Eumyeongmun’s request records, you might find out all the ugly things that have happened in the court.

“Now that we’ve connected one string, we’ll slowly find out. We’re going back tomorrow. Tell everyone.”

“Yes, Lord Protector.”

* * *

When he returned to Gaebong, the person who had been waiting for Jo Gwang-yun the most was not Magistrate Yun Ju-seong, but Sect Leader Im Bon-jae.

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

From his gloomy expression, he sensed that it was no ordinary matter.

“Did something happen in the Murim Alliance?”

“No. It’s about us. Three disciples who were establishing a branch in Xi’an were murdered.”

“What?”

Xi’an is the center of Shaanxi Province. Since they were already operating a collection point for Shaanxi Province’s courier companies there, it was expected to be the first Changryong Sect branch to establish itself.

In particular, the hegemons of this region were only the Hwasan and Jongnam sects, so there was even the advantage of less interference.

“Aren’t they humans who read books in the deep mountains, practice martial arts, or cultivate themselves, and don’t get deeply involved in secular affairs? They don’t care if someone is making money nearby. As long as they don’t harass the people.”

“Could there have been a conflict with a sect established by Hwasan or Jongnam’s secular disciples?”

“No. I’ve already informed the Murim Alliance. Because of the close relationship between the Changryong Sect and the Jo Family, we only move on a minimal scale. No one in the Murim Alliance opposed the Changryong Sect’s branch.”

It’s not just because of the close relationship. The huge donation made in the name of the Changryong Sect must have played a part.

Since they were responsible for a significant portion of the money needed to operate the Murim Alliance, they turned a blind eye to that much.

“So, you’re saying you were attacked by someone you don’t even know.”

“That’s right.”

“Then what about the Battlefield? What about the department store?”

“Both places are fine. The people at the Battlefield and the department store didn’t even know that there had been an accident at the Changryong Sect branch.”

Im Bon-jae hurriedly continued.

“Lord Protector. I must go to Xi’an. The Murim Alliance is also sending an investigation team, so shouldn’t I be there?”

After thinking for a moment, Jo Gwang-yun nodded his head.

“Leave at once. You must find out who did it and punish them. Do you understand?”

“Of course.”

“Also, take some useful people with you and continue to establish the Changryong Sect branch. We must show the world that we will never stop.”

“I will do so.”

“The bodies are still there, right?”

“Yes. We can only hold the funeral after the investigation is over.”

“Hold a very large funeral. As grand as the funeral of a high-ranking official. And let the entire Changryong Sect know that we will pay each of the bereaved families one hundred silver coins, and let it leak to the Murim Alliance as well.”

“I understand what you mean.”

He was telling them to spread the word that the Changryong Sect would take responsibility for the lives of its sacrificed disciples until the very end, and also for the livelihoods of their families.

Until now, no sect has treated a single disciple of the sect like this. If this fact spreads, there will be another line of people hoping to join.

As Sect Leader Im Bon-jae stepped back, Jo Gwang-yun slammed his fist on the armrest of the chair and burst out with the anger he had been holding back.

This is a clear warning. A warning about money, a warning about business expansion.

If they touch the Battlefield or the department store, the government must step in. Because it’s a murder case of ordinary people.

But if they dismiss the Changryong Sect as a matter related to the grudges of Murim people, the government will only stand by and watch.

The Jo Family Department Store in Xi’an has no enemies. Even the local merchants knew from the beginning that they were opening a store, so even the merchants welcomed them.

The most suspicious place is the Great Battlefield. The reputation of being the best battlefield in the Central Plains is gradually fading due to the Jo Family Battlefield.

But they wouldn’t be foolish enough to mess with the Changryong Sect. They would know that the Murim Alliance would move if they messed with the Changryong Sect.

Whoever it is, the culprit is clear. The person who has suffered the most damage because of Jo Gwang-yun and the Changryong Sect, or the person who will suffer the most damage.

* * *

“Sigh. Why did we keep the bodies here until now? It’s already rotten, so it’s difficult to confirm the wounds.”

“That’s right. Even if you look at it roughly, this was finished with one strike. There’s no way there would be any traces of martial arts.”

“In order for traces of martial arts to remain, you need to have the skills to withstand at least a few seconds… It wasn’t even a one-second kill. Tsk, tsk.”

“That’s what happens when you scrape together a bunch of mediocre people and just fill the numbers. Hehe.”

The two men covered the bodies with white cloths again and chuckled as they came outside.

They found Sect Leader Im Bon-jae waiting outside and stopped laughing.

“Did you find out anything?”

“Sect Leader. We couldn’t find any traces of martial arts on the bodies. It was just a stab.”

“Judging from the lack of resistance, it seems they were attacked while asleep.”

The two men from the Murim Alliance’s Daejeonggak [Daejeonggak is likely a division within the Murim Alliance responsible for investigations.] politely answered.

“Is that all?”

“Yes?”

“We all know that they were attacked while asleep. Didn’t we come all the way here to get new clues? Did you come here to confirm what everyone already knows?”

The faces of the two men, who had been polite, hardened.

“Sect Leader. Someone secretly invaded while they were asleep and stabbed them in the neck with a knife. What do you think about this? Isn’t something strange?”

“Then is it not?”

“Of course not. Regardless of whether they were asleep or awake, a knife went into their necks. In other words!”

The man brought his mouth close to Im Sect Leader’s ear.

“The Changryong Sect’s disciples are too weak, so there was no need to use martial arts. They couldn’t even use their fists, and they couldn’t even draw their swords. No, they didn’t even know someone was approaching. They’re trying to end it with just a surprise attack while they were asleep because they’re worried that it will be known how pathetic the Changryong Sect’s martial arts are. Do you understand?”

Whispering means that only the two of them should know.

However, all fifteen Daejeonggak martial artists chuckled. They were all masters who had been selected from famous sects or families and had undergone tremendous training, so they could easily hear a whisper, not telepathy.

Sect Leader Im Bon-jae’s face turned red enough to be pitiful.

“That’s the most likely possibility.”

A man who had been listening from the side strode forward and said.

The eyes of the Daejeonggak martial artists were fixed on the man.

“Who are you?”

He exuded a presence that was not at the level of an ordinary Changryong Sect disciple, so there was also a hint of vigilance in their eyes.

“I am Yeom-sin, indebted to the Changryong Sect.”

As he revealed his name, the men buzzed.

“Oh ho. It’s Great Hero Pungjeongsu [Pungjeongsu translates to ‘Wind Right Hand’, likely a title or epithet.] Yeom. I didn’t know you were relying on the Changryong Sect.”

The men of Daejeonggak all put their hands together in front of them and paid their respects.

“But even if it’s the same words, the meaning seems to be different, doesn’t it?”

“Of course it’s different. My sworn brothers who suffered the accident had the martial arts to sufficiently sense and prepare for the presence of any master. The fact that those sworn brothers were helpless means that the assassin is an incredibly supreme master.”

Yeom-sin’s words made Im Bon-jae’s face somewhat brighter, but the expressions of the Daejeonggak men were not good.

“I understand that Great Hero Yeom is looking favorably on his sworn brothers and thinking about the prestige of the Changryong Sect, which he has entrusted himself to, but rash judgments and careless words will only obscure the essence of the incident.”

“I think you were the first to make rash judgments and careless words?”

“What? You?”

Sparks flew from the eyes of Daejeonggak Lord Tang Chae-myeong (唐寨名) [Tang Chae-myeong is the name of the Daejeonggak Lord].