“Let’s start with the death list.”
Having gained power and justification, it was time to organize.
“What do you mean by death list?”
“Our first priority is to find the culprit.”
While I had to deal with all the relatives who framed me as the poisoner, finding the real culprit who attempted the poisoning was of utmost importance.
“Are you not going to formally announce that you have become the successor?”
“It’s easy to swing a rage-fueled six-sided club against an opponent. However, if those who conspired realize that the tide has turned against them, they will desperately try to destroy evidence.”
Who wanted to poison me and Man Geum-jeon? Who sent the Blue Robe Swordsman after me? I had to find out before all evidence completely disappeared.
“Whether we employ public authority or not, if we have no evidence, there’s nothing we can do but simply scold them and cut ties.”
Gil-san nodded at my words.
“Indeed. If we fail to find the culprit, attempts on Master Kang’s life might not end with this one.”
Un Yeop seemed to understand my intent and nodded alongside him.
“Yes. Let’s distinguish between those who need to be beaten into submission and those who need to be killed.”
If the opponent has crossed the line, I have no intention of holding back.
They thought that by getting rid of me, the money from Man Geum Battlefield would become theirs. I might have overreached, believing it was acceptable to beat them within bounds; they seemed convinced they could kill both me and anyone who gets in the way.
“Do you have any thoughts on this?”
“I’ll be going incognito for a few days. I’ll act like I’m still in prison.”
I’m sorry, but the head of the police and constables who released me will be staying at the government office for some time for information security.
Even if someone comes looking for me, I’ve set up a situation where they can’t possibly meet me, claiming I’m undergoing intense questioning.
“You’re trying to induce complacency.”
Whoever the culprit is, once I disappear, they will have to move towards their next objective. This was the perfect opportunity to turn a crisis into a chance.
As I nodded, the former head of guards shared an update from the past half-day.
“A person in charge of managing the wine cellar has gone missing. We’re searching for him, but his whereabouts are unknown.”
If he managed the wine cellar, he could have secretly added poison. It would be great if we could find him, but I wouldn’t mind if we couldn’t.
“Well, that’s fortunate.”
“Fortunate? How so?”
“From now, please pretend that Man Geum Battlefield is in a neutral stance to the relatives and maintain a facade of confrontation. Can you do that?”
I asked my first retainer.
Could he set up a confrontation against the family of Man Geum-jeon in a situation where there is no master?
Man Geum Battlefield was the possession of Jang Noya. It could dangerously turn into an act of rebellion against the family of its owner.
Jeon Woon-yeop knelt down on one knee again and said to me,
“Man Geum Battlefield will act according to Master Kang’s wishes.”
That was a satisfying answer.
“Now, everyone, please move according to my orders.”
“How can I not meet my father! What nonsense is that!”
In front of the main gate of Man Geum-jeon, the daughters of Jang Noya and his grandchildren were blocked by the martial artists of Man Geum Battlefield, unable to advance or retreat, their angry voices ringing out.
“He’s in critical condition, and he can’t meet just anyone.”
The deputy head of guards, Jeon Woon-yeop, stood firm, preventing even a single person from entering.
“Since when have we become just anyone?!”
“We don’t know who ordered the assassination of Man Geum-jeon. We can’t let anyone in.”
You are just anyone. Jeon Woon-yeop’s voice was resolute.
“The assailant has been identified as that barbarian!”
“…He’s merely a suspect. We’re just being cautious and considering all possibilities, so please calm down.”
To call him a barbarian while pledging loyalty to his master, Jeon Woon-yeop barely managed to contain his clenching teeth as he calmly explained the situation.
“Cautious? Cautious sounds good.”
With a brash voice, a man jumped out from the crowd.
“Eun Ji-myeong, Master.”
Jeon Woon-yeop bowed his head toward the man, who had been one of the candidates for the successor exam.
“In this chaotic situation where my grandfather has collapsed, someone has to take charge, right?”
“You mean take charge?”
“Of course, not in the sense of standing in for grandfather! But in any organization, there needs to be a leader for it to function. There are at least five qualified people here, so shouldn’t we discuss this among ourselves?”
Even if anyone else is just anyone, we are not, right? The speaker was one of the final candidates, excluding Kang Yoon-ho.
“Right! That’s a good idea!”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Those without qualification should step aside!”
“What?!”
In the situation where Man Geum-jeon has collapsed, only the final candidates could lead Man Geum Battlefield.
It seemed the situation would take a bizarre turn with just a word, as the grandchildren of Man Geum-jeon quickly split into two factions.
“You’re overstepping your bounds.”
To Jeon Woon-yeop, this was an unacceptable statement.
“What?”
How dare a servant speak like that to his master. The grandchildren all looked at each other in disbelief, wondering if they had misheard.
Jeon Woon-yeop declared once again, with a resolute expression, as if he had not misheard.
“The moment the Jangwon-ju was opened, the title of successor you held has already vanished.”
“…!”
“The exam is over. The other families’ sons should quietly prepare to continue their families.”
You children of a daughter are now excluded.
The moment the third exam ended, there was no longer any portion to return to you. How dare outsiders claim rights at Man Geum Battlefield?
Go back to your families and continue your games of being the son of a daughter. This was the notice from the deputy head of guards, Jeon Woon-yeop.
“What did you just say!”
“How dare a servant defy the master!”
“Who do you think you are speaking about the family matters!”
Of course, no one was going to back down with the immense treasure of Man Geum Battlefield before them.
Generally, it is true that the grandchildren don’t have rights. However, since Man Geum-jeon has no sons, if Jang Noya passes away like this, the wealth would naturally become the daughters’.
Those who believed in the sickly Man Geum-jeon’s authority were yelling, while the grandchildren who could lay claim to the inheritance were fighting over their time. Who time favored was still uncertain.
“What are you all doing?!”
It was only before an enraged woman appeared in front of the mansion’s main gate.
“Elder Sister?!”
With shocked faces, everyone looked at Jang Nanyo, the eldest daughter of Man Geum-jeon.
“How can you start fighting over inheritance already when father has collapsed? Are you all out of your minds?”
“Elder Sister…!”
Jang Nanyo, who had also played the role of the small mother in the family during their childhood, left her sisters at a loss with her older sister’s rebuke.
“Did I raise you all like this? Did your mother teach you like this? I’m very disappointed!”
“Elder Sister, it’s not like that…”
“I’m very disappointed! I’m glad I hurried over at Hyang’s request!”
As Jang Nanyo turned her head back, Jegal Hyang peeked out from behind her.
“Hyang, you?!”
“Ah, hello.”
Why was someone who normally didn’t show her face here? Those who had no idea that Kang Yoon-ho had asked Jegal Hyang were just bewildered.
The elder sister is the eldest daughter of Man Geum-jeon. Even if things go wrong, the division of inheritance would start with the eldest daughter; even the thunderous ones would find it hard to go against her words.
“Who do you think you’re looking at?! I will remember this clearly!”
“Elder Sister!”
“Sister!”
“Woon-yeop, oh, you’ve become deputy head now, right? Deputy head, is there something you need?”
Jang Nanyo made her way through the parting crowd with a warm smile and asked Jeon Woon-yeop.
“We suspect that the person in charge of the missing item drank poison. We suspect that they may be hiding the culprit somewhere in the residence.”
With perfect timing, Jang Nanyo’s timely arrival leveraged the situation in her favor. Jeon Woon-yeop marveled at the new master and recalled what he had previously shared with him.
“Are you suspecting us?”
“You impudent little…!”
“Stop!”
“…”
With a single word from Jang Nanyo, everyone went silent as if they had eaten honey.
“What do you want?”
“I will send martial artists, so allow us to investigate the residence immediately.”
“Did you hear that?”
Jang Nanyo looked at her younger siblings with an expression that said refusal wouldn’t be tolerated.
“Well, I don’t mind.”
In the current situation, if one were to resist, they would make themselves look bad in front of Jang Nanyo, who would lead the future inheritance division, or could even be suspected as the culprit. No need to stubbornly refuse for just finding one piece.
Everyone present thought similarly.
“Let them search.”
“Thank you. I’ll send the martial artists of Man Geum Battlefield immediately.”
From the banner of Man Geum Battlefield to Jang Nanyo’s appearance and Jeon Woon-yeop’s proposal. They had no idea that all of it was part of one person’s scheme.
“Even if the item is the culprit, it’s unlikely they would be hiding in my elder sister’s house.”
As I spoke of my plan, Jeon Woon-yeop looked at me with concern.
“That doesn’t matter. What I want is not the whereabouts of the item.”
It wouldn’t confess to being the culprit, nor would it hide in its own home.
“Then why do you want us to investigate?”
Finding the item would be nice, but that wasn’t my goal.
“All I need is for the homeowner to open the door with a smile, without suspicion.”
Since there wouldn’t be the item, they would naturally open the door smiling. That was what I wanted.
“Huh? What does that mean…”
“Can I come in?”
Perfect timing. Someone knocked on the guest room door.
“Come in.”
As I spoke, three robust men entered the guest room and kneeled before me.
“We greet Master Kang.”
“Who…?”
Everyone looked at them, confused by the unfamiliar faces, noticing that they didn’t have black hair. Why were they kneeling before me? With curious expressions, I smiled and revealed their identities.
“They are the ones who should not open the door with a smile, no matter what.”
“Huh?”
Did they already realize? Jeon Woon-yeop and the head of guards’ expressions shifted.
“Could you help me out?”
“The, the thief?!”
“Please call us the righteous thieves.”
The men before me were those I had sworn loyalty to after a night of bonding—members of Hao-mun’s righteous thieves.
“They dared to poison the son-in-law of the Thorn-throwing Faction; they must pay the price. If you’d like, we can do other things as well.”
I could sense the anger bubbling beneath their speech.
“Unfortunately, we have to keep this within bounds.”
If I kill them all overnight, I would be in danger too.
“Now that the furious warriors of the Thieving Faction are surely ready to support, I’ll only bring over the best from Hubei Province.”
It’s refreshing to see such eagerness. As expected, these were people I could rely on, as my father-in-law had stated.
“W-What is going on here…”
Who hired the Blue Robe Swordsman? Who colluded with the item? Even if I couldn’t find the two of them, that was fine. It was enough to go seek out whatever information was hidden in the innermost places.
I patted Jeon Woon-yeop’s shoulder and continued,
“Jeon Woon-yeop, this friend here will turn the prisoners into the martial artists of Man Geum Battlefield. Bring them in.”
Even if they sneaked into an unknown house, they would be the ones to bring back the most crucial information. If such a group knew the structure of the house inside and out, imagine what would happen.
“I will bring every secret, even from your farther cousins.”
I already knew what kind of power they held, thanks to the Shadowless Thief incident.
—-
“What the heck? They said you were imprisoned, so why are you here?”
My secret weapon to quickly find the true culprit lay in another place. After leaving the aftercare to others, I headed straight to Si-mun Hyang-ju.
“The Hao-mun Do got angry that they couldn’t solve their meals for free, so they released me.”
“Haha! Yeah, those beggar scoundrels! We need to earn an honest living! By the way, they said you were poisoned? Are you alright?”
Si-mun Hyang-ju laughed heartily as if he’d heard a funny joke.
“I’m entirely fine, enough to seek revenge against those who fed my father-in-law for free!”
“Ha! I was shocked to hear the news that the youngest was imprisoned because of poisoning. Even the mighty Gi-mun Hyang-ju dropped his pipe!”
“Gi-mun Hyang-ju?”
“It was during a meeting. He was furious. I guess with age, that motherly nature starts to show. He’s soon to be wed, and yet he’s overly protective. So you don’t have to worry about groundless rumors.”
“I’m always grateful to Gi-mun Hyang-ju.”
Had the rumors reached Si-mun Hyang-ju’s ears? Looks like some fun awaits him.
“Okay, what brings you here?”
“I was hoping to get organized information on the Blue Robe Swordsman.”
I pondered whether to visit Gi-mun Hyang-ju, but worried about whether enemies could have their eyes and ears in Hwa-wol-ru, so I made my way to Si-mun instead.
“Ah…that? I know it well.”
“Is it an issue that you need to bring up with Gi-mun Hyang-ju?”
What’s this troubling expression?
“It’s a small problem, but…”
“What kind of small problem?”
What sort of issue could it be?
Why does Si-mun Hyang-ju look at me with such a troubled expression?
What issue could possibly delay the information gathering from Gi-mun Hyang-ju?
The words that emerged from Si-mun Hyang-ju’s mouth were entirely unexpected.
“You know the Blue Robe Swordsman? He died two months ago.”
“…Huh?”
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