I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 63

“There’s one more thing. Have the innkeeper or staff check Namgung Yeop’s face too. See if they noticed anything suspicious when he visited.”

“Yes.”

The Chief Patrolman carefully asked, watching the Leader’s expression.

“If, by any chance, the culprit is from the Namgung family, what are you planning to do?”

Moyong Hui didn’t hesitate for a moment.

“That’s not a question for me to answer. We have to accept Changryong Mun’s opinion, don’t we?”

“Does Changryong Mun have the guts to do that? If they say to kill everyone involved, will the Namgung family accept it willingly? Frankly, isn’t it a big deal even if the culprit *is* from the Namgung family?”

“Didn’t you see that guy [referring to Noh Hye-gwang]? He’s got plenty of guts. I wonder what he’ll say? Hehehe.”

“Leader, this is not a laughing matter.”

The Chief Patrolman felt his insides burning.

He also suspected the culprit was from the Namgung family, and if the whole story came to light, the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts clans] would fall into uncontrollable chaos. Besides, there’s one guy he remembers clearly.

That’s Hwasan’s First Sword, Noh Hye-gwang.

He said in front of everyone that he would cut off the culprit’s head with his own hands, and he’s the type to take responsibility for his words.

Moreover, it happened in the front yard of Jongnam and Hwasan. The two sects will think the Namgung family ignored them, and aren’t they stubborn guys who value face more than life?

If they jump in too, the Namgung family might be kicked out of the Murim Alliance.

“Just kidding, just kidding. Why are you so serious? Moderately… about five years? Wouldn’t it be okay to ban the Namgung family from activities in the Murim Alliance during this period? Relinquishing all positions. What do you think?”

“Five years?”

“Then? Since they killed three, should we make it three years?”

The Chief Patrolman was convinced that Leader Moyong Hui had already made a decision.

No matter how strong the circumstantial suspicion, there is no decisive evidence. Yet, seeing the Leader’s confident demeanor means there’s something he hasn’t revealed yet.

“Leader, I’ll meet Jo Gwang-yun first and check a few things.”

As the Chief Patrolman tried to get up, the Leader shook his head.

“It’s no use. That guy’s gone.”

“Yes?”

“He said he returned to Gaebong.”

“Seriously… He made the Murim Alliance like this and went back as if nothing happened? Isn’t that guy really crazy?”

The Chief Patrolman was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t help but raise his voice in front of the Leader.

“No, he’s keeping his word. Didn’t he clearly say? He’ll leave everything to the Murim Alliance. So, isn’t it natural to go back and wait for the conclusion? Meeting this guy and that guy here will only cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”

*This* is also suspicious. Since the victim is not here, the Leader is naturally in a favorable position to strengthen his words.

The Chief Patrolman missed the days when the Nine Sects controlled the Murim Alliance a long time ago. At least back then, there was no infighting within.

* * *

Jo Gwang-yun, who returned to Gaebong, met with Magistrate Yun Ju-seong first.

He informed him that he had handled the affairs in the capital well and that good news would come soon.

“Now, I can’t go back to the old days.”

“People are bound to change. Just as you can’t live forever as an innocent child.”

“That’s right. This is also something I chose. I won’t have any regrets. Then, since I’ve crossed the river that I can’t return to [a point of no return], let’s talk frankly, Head Jo.”

Magistrate Yun spoke with a gentle expression, as if he were treating an old friend.

“What are you talking about?”

“The reason you’re bringing me to the center. Besides being a commoner of Jungwon [the Central Plains of China] or a peaceful reign, what do you want me to do?”

“It hasn’t even started yet. Don’t think unnecessarily until the Magistrate returns to central politics and his rank rises. Just look to higher places. I’ll help you with all my might.”

“What if I refuse Head Jo’s request when I have power?”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled and said.

“It’s okay. Those with power can do that as much as they want. Isn’t the reason you want power so you *don’t* have to do things you don’t want to do?”

Magistrate Yun was frustrated because he couldn’t figure out Jo Gwang-yun’s true intentions, but as he said, it hasn’t even started yet.

“Now, you have to work, right?”

“Of course. I will fulfill my duty as the Magistrate of Gaebong until the official appointment.”

“That’s the Magistrate’s job… I’m talking about *our* work.”

“Our work?”

“Start working on it now. When the Magistrate enters the court, a new Magistrate will be appointed here in Gaebong, right? Whoever it is, that person shouldn’t get in the way of what I’m doing. That’s the first thing I want. It’s not that difficult, right?”

“Not difficult? How can I interfere with an official appointed by the Imperial family?”

Magistrate Yun, who was startled, shook his hand as if it were absurd, and Jo Gwang-yun’s smile disappeared from his face.

“Are you saying you can’t do it without even trying anything? Is this how the Magistrate works?”

Magistrate Yun was speechless.

“Assessing the possibilities comes from experience. There are still many things the Magistrate hasn’t experienced. Act before you think. Write letters to the ministers of the court or meet them in person. Nothing changes with just thinking. Action comes first.”

Magistrate Yun nodded with his mouth tightly shut.

*It’s not easy to turn a scholar who only studied books into an acting politician, but he’s a person with potential, so if I patiently correct him, it will work.*

The second person I met in Gaebong was after a very long time.

“I greet the Head.”

Da-gyeom, the last member of the Gaebong Mukdo Association, looked radiant.

“I was going to praise you for your hard work, but looking at you, you seem to be doing very well.”

“That guy was so engrossed in a female entertainer from the South that he had no intention of coming out. Thanks to that, I had nothing to do but eat and sleep… Hehe.”

“So, how did the work go? You handled it well, right?”

“Of course.”

“You handled it as an accidental death?”

“No.”

“Then?”

Da-gyeom shook his hand as Jo Gwang-yun’s face showed anxiety, wondering if he had done something wrong.

“He was with the female entertainer day and night without even thinking of submitting his resignation, so I took care of it. Ah, there’s nothing to worry about. I made it a death from exhaustion and it ended cleanly. I’ve already confirmed that a new Magistrate will be appointed and returned.”

“Death from exhaustion?”

“Yes. I bribed the female entertainer with the generous money the Head gave me, and I stopped that guy’s heart with my own hands.”

“Oh ho.”

*This is a guy Lee Geon would actively recommend.*

He doesn’t just wait, but he also has the brains to use what he has to get the job done quickly. Besides, he made it an accidental death instead of murder to prevent any possible problems.

Finally, he even confirmed that a new Magistrate would be appointed. It means no one thinks it’s murder.

Jo Gwang-yun confirmed the last one.

“Then what about that female entertainer?”

Da-gyeom smiled.

“She hanged herself to death out of guilt for killing the Magistrate.”

*She didn’t die, she was killed.*

This guy is something.

He said he had never been an assassin, but his finishing is skillful.

Jo Gwang-yun threw a bag of silver.

“You’ve worked hard. Take a good rest for a while and relieve your stress. There will be a lot of work to do in the future.”

“Thank you, Head. Just give me any job. You will never be disappointed.”

“Don’t make big promises. Just show me the results.”

With the remaining work perfectly finished, Jo Gwang-yun devoted himself to work again.

He was planning to stay in Gaebong until Magistrate Yun returned to central politics and the Murim Alliance’s Five Great Families’ fight came to an end. Unless a variable arises.

* * *

Namgung Hyeon, the head of the Namgung family and father of Namgung Hyo-sin, who is said to be the best martial artist in the Namgung family, is over seventy years old but is healthy enough to hold the position of head for decades to come.

At one time, it was said that Namgung Hyeon was the only rival of Sword Saint Moyong Hui, but as time went on, the gap widened.

Realizing the unbridgeable gap, Namgung Hyeon devoted all his efforts to the prosperity of the family rather than personal martial arts, and the result returned as the reputation of being the best martial family in Jungwon.

Personally, it’s Moyong Hui, but the family is Namgung.

However, he was not comfortable.

The contents of the carrier pigeons that kept flying in from the Murim Alliance were somehow unusual.

“Does anyone know about this?”

Namgung Hyeon threw a small piece of paper with tiny writing on it, but no one picked it up. Everyone already knows the contents.

“Don’t know? It means that the death of the three Changryong Mun children has nothing to do with us, right?”

Everyone is silent.

“Then this is not the time for me to be like this.”

Namgung Hyeon jumped up, and his brothers were startled.

“Brother, why suddenly…?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? It seems that old Moyong Hui is determined to disgrace our family, so I can’t just sit still. I have to cut him off with my own hands to relieve my anger. How dare this old man play tricks!”

All the younger brothers grabbed him, seeing the head of the family looking like he was about to grab his sword and run out right now.

“Brother, Hyo-sin will handle it well. There’s no need for you to step in.”

“That’s right. Calm down and sit down first.”

“Is this a matter to calm down about!”

Namgung Hyeon shouted and began to glare at his younger brothers.

“You guys… are suspicious.”

“Yes?”

“Normally, you’d be the first to grab a sword and run out before me, but why are you so calm?”

“……”

As the family members who were pricked by their conscience shut their mouths, Namgung Hyeon clenched his fist and twisted his wrist back and forth.

“Are you going to tell me the truth as it is and get hit? Or are you just going to die?”

The blood disappeared from the faces of the old younger brothers.

He always maintained a gentle tone and behavior, and treated even the lower servants who did the housework with a warm face.

People respect him for that, but when he clenches his fist and starts talking like a gangster from the back alleys, his hidden side comes out.

This appearance is the real face of him that only his younger brothers and children know.

“B, Brother.”

“Yes. Just die.”

As he raised his clenched fist, everyone fell to the floor.

“It’s all our fault. Hyo-sin only did what we told him to do.”

“Look at these guys. Are you covering for my son? Do you think I’ll be touched? Where are you trying to use your petty tricks! I can tell that stupid guy caused the trouble first.”

Namgung Hyeon, who lowered his raised fist, sat back in his seat.

“From now on, tell me the truth about everything you’ve been doing behind my back without leaving out a single detail. Hurry!”

The younger brothers, who were hesitating, slowly opened their mouths. As their story continued, Namgung Hyeon’s complexion became more and more red.

When the younger brothers’ confession ended, Namgung Hyeon shouted.

“That stupid bastard is ruining things after all.”

“B, Brother. It was necessary to suppress Changryong Mun. Those guys were following the Leader around…”

“Shut up. How can you not distinguish between poop and pee? How old are you that you have so little discernment?”

Everyone closed their mouths and lowered their heads at the continued scolding.

“A chick is just a chicken when it grows up. A chick can’t grow up to be a hawk. Changryong Mun was just a chick. What does it matter if those guys follow the Leader or expand their power? A chicken is destined to be eaten no matter how fierce it is!”

Namgung Hyeon hit his chest as if he was frustrated.

“You stupid guys. We should raise chicks like Changryong Mun well and eat them ourselves, why are you putting them on someone else’s table?”

“Brother, what do you mean by that?”

“Now those guys have gone into Moyong’s henhouse forever. From now on, if we even touch them, Moyong will step in! No, you can’t touch them. If you touch a chick in someone else’s henhouse, you’ll only be called a thief?!”

Namgung Hyeon’s family members did not fully understand the head’s words, but they knew one thing for sure.

Today, passing quietly is out of the question.

End