Chapter 188
Episode 188
I opened my mouth in absurdity and pointed my finger, but Yeon-ryang put his index finger to his lips as if to tell me to listen quietly.
I obediently closed my mouth and focused on the conversation of the passengers.
The chivalrous deeds attributed to my name without my knowledge were more and more absurd the more I listened.
They said I released a thousand bags of relief rice for starving orphans, captured a band of robbers and handed them over to the government, and helped commoners suffering from usurious loans...
It was an epic of chivalrous deeds that would be impossible even if I had ten bodies, and Yeon-ryang was laughing so hard he was about to fall backward.
"Aren't you going to pay the fare?"
"Ah, here it is. Give me a private room."
Awakening to the sailor's urging, I poked Yeon-ryang in the side with my elbow and paid the fare.
"Stop laughing."
Despite my nagging, Yeon-ryang couldn't stop laughing until he entered the cabin.
"Hehehe, it seems our sister's Flying Dagger went around all over the Central Plains instead of her? The greatest chivalrous person of our time has appeared."
"I'm going crazy. Why did such rumors spread? What is it?"
Yeon-ryang, whose cheeks were twitching, wiped away his tears and said.
"It's obvious. Someone is impersonating our sister."
"What are they going to do by impersonating me? Even if they impersonate the Tang Clan, they won't see good results, will they?"
Yeon-ryang shrugged his shoulders as he looked at me, who was dumbfounded, and chuckled.
"There must be a purpose. They either want to call our sister out, or they want to use our sister's name. I think it's the former. Didn't you get any separate letters from the merchant group?"
"No. I didn't even tell Young Lady Jang that I was on Wudang Mountain. I don't think she knows where I am."
At my answer, he nodded as if he understood.
"Since they don't know your whereabouts, they spread rumors that you're staying at the Golden Dragon Merchant Group to prevent the impersonator from acting recklessly. You're smart as always."
I clapped my hands as I realized the situation from Yeon-ryang's words.
Wow. Young Miss Jang Mi-ryeo, she's really reliable.
The more I see her, the more I realize she has an extraordinary ability to plan things. To gain such a skilled person as an ally. Maybe I was the lucky one.
Yeon-ryang, who was stroking his chin, tilted his head.
"Leaving Young Lady Jang aside, who has business with our sister? I have no idea who it could be. So-hye, you didn't cause any trouble while I was away, did you?"
"Of course not. Brother, I haven't even left Wudang Mountain. I've been training all day."
"I can't figure it out..."
Yeon-ryang and I put our heads together and pondered for a long time, but no one came to mind.
Mama doesn't know I'm from the Tang Clan, so of course it's not her.
The Tang Clan people would have spoken through Uncle Geun-myeong if they had any business.
Wi Ji-gok gave me a recommendation letter and even a Murim Alliance access pass, so there's no reason for him to bother calling me out.
Who on earth is it?
I scratched my head and frowned in annoyance.
"I should go straight to the merchant group as soon as I arrive in Yueyang. I hope Young Lady Jang knows something..."
"At least you'll be able to find out when the rumors started. But what do you want Young Lady Jang's help with?"
At Yeon-ryang's question, I fidgeted with my fingers and met his eyes. Looking into his dark eyes, I felt like a stone was weighing down my chest, and the words wouldn't come out.
Can I take leaving my sword behind as a sign that I intend to give up the life of a Martial Artist?
If I tell him to hide, will Yeon-ryang obediently hide?
I swallowed hard and carefully opened my mouth.
"You know, Brother."
"Yeah."
"Shall we go somewhere quiet and take a break?"
"Somewhere quiet?"
"Yeah. I thought it would be nice to change our mood in a place with good mountains and water. Maybe it's because it's quiet, but being holed up in Wudang Mountain has been good for my training."
As I spoke cautiously, Yeon-ryang's face darkened.
"...Did Father tell you to?"
"What? It's nothing like that. I'm just a little tired too."
I shook my head and waved my hands wildly, but Yeon-ryang already had a different look on his face. He muttered in a bitter voice.
"I see. I can't hold my sister back as her brother."
"It's nothing like that. You said it would be nice if you opened an inn, Brother. When I came down from Wudang Mountain, I was walking among the commoners and I thought of that."
"...An inn?"
"Yeah. So I was going to ask Young Lady Jang if there were any good neighborhoods. Even if we can't open an inn right away, it would be good to look at the location in advance. I want to eat the food you make for me every day, Brother."
I shook Yeon-ryang's hand quickly.
"Once we settle down, we'll stay there for good, so I wanted to see if it was a good neighborhood to live in in advance. That's why I asked."
"Okay, okay. I understand."
Only then did Yeon-ryang smile and tap the back of my hand. His face was still dark, but he didn't look as self-reproachful as before.
I quickly changed the subject, rambling.
"More importantly, about that impersonator earlier..."
But Yeon-ryang only nodded and didn't answer as cheerfully as before.
His listless appearance made my chest feel tight.
...I should pretend not to know and wait for a while.
I swallowed a sigh and clenched my fist inside my sleeve.
It seemed like Yeon-ryang needed time to sort out his feelings.
\ \ *
It was bright daylight when we arrived at the port of Yueyang along the waterway.
Riding in a carriage, we arrived at the Golden Dragon Merchant Group and exclaimed at the changed appearance of the merchant group.
The site of the merchant group, which was already quite large, had become surprisingly large to anyone who saw it.
There were so many carts coming and going from the merchant group that it was so complicated that my eyes were spinning even when I was standing still.
"Ugh, there are too many people? There are so many lines. Where is the visitors' line?"
"I think it's over there."
Yeon-ryang, who was putting his hand to his eyes and looking around, pointed to the line on the right side of the main gate.
"Sister, come here."
As he gestured to me and strode forward, the people who were passing by moved aside on their own, and a path opened up.
They were surprised by the aura emanating from his body even though he didn't have a sword.
That man won't be ignored anywhere even without a sword.
I was relieved, but I became nervous, worried that Yeon-ryang might have attracted attention.
Since this was the case, it seemed better to quickly enter the merchant group rather than stand in line and be seen by others.
I approached the guard Martial Artist and quickly stated my business.
"I would like to see Young Lady Jang."
"Do you have an appointment with the group leader?"
Oh, she became the group leader in the meantime. That's good.
"No. But if I show you this, it will be enough."
I slightly raised my Bamboo hat, made eye contact with the guard, and presented the Golden Dragon Merchant Group's pass that Jang Mi-ryeo had given me sometime ago.
The eyes of the guard Martial Artist widened as he checked the gold pass engraved with a dragon pattern.
"P, please wait a moment!"
He shouted loudly and ran inside in a hurry, then soon ran out and guided me and Yeon-ryang to the reception hall.
"The reception hall has gotten bigger too."
"It looks like they built a new building here."
As I looked around in wonder, I felt someone rushing towards us from afar.
"Dang Sojeo!"
Jang Mi-ryeo, who was holding a brush in her hand as if she had been working, ran over and grabbed my hand tightly.
A smile leaked out at her face, which was so happy she didn't know what to do.
"Have you been well? I'm sorry if I'm causing trouble by visiting you without notice."
"Trouble? It is my pleasure that Dang Sojeo has come to visit in person. Please sit down quickly. Please sit down here, Great Hero."
He offered a chair for Yeon-ryang, but unlike before, he didn't seem to be afraid of Yeon-ryang.
Yeon-ryang noticed the difference and smirked.
"You've become tougher."
"It's all thanks to you two. I was worried because I hadn't heard from you for a long time. I've been worried about the person who's been impersonating Dang Sojeo these days."
Jang Mi-ryeo, who answered with a smile, put down the brush she was holding and bowed politely.
"I spread rumors that Dang Sojeo was staying at the merchant group as a guest because I didn't know what that person would do. I hope you're not angry."
A smile appeared on my face as Yeon-ryang's prediction came true. I shook my head to mean it was okay.
"Angry? Thank you for your concern, Young lady. No, I should call you group leader now. How is Gyo-jin?"
"Ah, my husband has gone to Luoyang for a while. Yang Jangju-nim called him."
"...H, husband?"
I hesitated at the embarrassing title and rolled my eyes. Jang Mi-ryeo smiled nonchalantly.
"Oh, dear. I call him that in front of the family, so it's become a habit. Dang Sojeo, how long do you plan to stay? Would you stay until Gyo-jin comes back? He'll be back in fifteen days."
"I don't think I can stay that long."
"I see. Gyo-jin will be disappointed. He wanted to see Dang Sojeo very much."
I don't really.
I swallowed the words that had risen to my throat and tried not to think about the two people pretending to be a couple and changed the subject.
"The problem you were worried about..."
"Everything has been resolved. It's all thanks to Gyo-jin. Everyone who came to target the merchant group peed their pants and ran away."
"T, that. They peed their pants... Yes. I see. That's good."
I tried to force a smile and nodded, but the corners of my lips didn't go up well.
Yang Gyo-jin... What did you do...
He didn't just beat them all up without a plan again, did he? It's okay if they're Martial Artists, but he shouldn't touch commoners, right?
I felt dizzy, but I thought Jang Mi-ryeo would have taken care of it properly.
I looked at Jang Mi-ryeo, who was preparing tea, with strange eyes and changed the subject with difficulty.
"The Bodyguard has changed too."
"Yang Jangju-nim was worried about assassination attempts and sent people himself."
"Assassination?"
Were there any remnants left who were in league with the Demonic Sect?
I looked at Jang Mi-ryeo in surprise, but he shook his head as if it was nothing.
"We did a big cleanup with the help of the Yang family. There was an assassination attempt by the Ghost Blade Clan, but Yang Jangju-nim took care of it himself."
"B, big cleanup? What kind of cleanup did you do..."
"We exterminated the bugs that had been extorting silver from the merchant group every year."
I got goosebumps at the extreme expression that didn't match her shy voice.
Bugs? You mean the Black Road Clans that extort tribute? She wasn't this kind of Young lady, was she? Is it Yang Gyo-jin's influence?
...I shouldn't ask what she's been doing for the past year.
Jang Mi-ryeo, who quickly organized her expression as I became awkward, placed teacups in front of me and Yeon-ryang.
"I was being presumptuous. Please drink it while it's warm."
"Ahaha, yes. I will enjoy it."
I pretended not to see Jang Mi-ryeo's sparkling eyes and raised the teacup to cover my mouth.
