Chapter 129: Empty-handed Come, Empty-handed Go (3)
Chapter 128 – Empty-handed Come, Empty-handed Go (3)
The manor of the Mad Monk Association was busy from early morning for its new renovation.
First, Namgung Cheon paid the commoners of Yixian a reasonable wage to clean up the manor.
They rebuilt the collapsed walls, removed the Buddhist statues placed in each pavilion, erased the distinct scent of a temple permeating each room, and sold all the spare monk robes to a fabric shop.
At first glance, it really looked like a place where monks resided, but traces of greed were clearly visible everywhere.
Thanks to that, there was no need to worry about wages even if they worked the commoners to their hearts’ content.
‘This is truly job creation. A circulating economy. A redistribution of wealth, so to speak.’
While Namgung Cheon watched the people with a pleased expression, Son U-gon, the Captain of the Azure Eagle Squad, approached his side and reported.
“I have assigned two Azure Eagle Squad members to Pa-gak and Hye-gwang respectively.”
“Very well, tell them to watch for just a moment. I will replace them soon with someone excellent in stealth.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He planned to obtain someone excellent in stealth through the Obscurity Society.
Although the Azure Eagle Squad would have learned basic stealth techniques, they wouldn’t be as skilled as the Obscurity Society when it came to hiding their identities and observing others.
Besides, the Azure Eagle Squad was, after all, the direct strike force of the Young Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, and they needed exactly twenty people to perfectly deploy the Boundless Sky Limitless Sword Formation.
Just then, the main gate opened, and a group of people entered.
It was Namgung Geom, Namgung Hwa, and Namgung Hyo, the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion.
In particular, even though Namgung Hwa and Namgung Hyo had heard of and knew the entire situation, their eyes widened like saucers as they continuously looked around.
Namgung Hyo asked stutteringly.
“Hwa, w-what on earth is all this?”
“Even if you ask me, I have nothing to say…”
Since this unfamiliar sight was also completely strange to Namgung Hwa, how could she respond?
The only one showing a calm reaction was Namgung Geom, but seeing how the corners of his eyes trembled slightly, he was undoubtedly surprised deep down.
It was only natural since he had spent his time swallowing bitterness while looking at the massive manor of the Mad Monk Association whenever he traveled to and from Yixian after the fall of the Namgung Clan.
Yet, who would have thought that he would end up standing blankly right in the middle of that manor today?
Just then, Namgung Cheon approached with a bright smile.
“Ah, you have arrived. Come, do not just stand there; please come inside.”
Namgung Cheon guided them, pointing inside as if it were his own house.
Namgung Geom, Namgung Hyo, and Namgung Hwa began to follow Namgung Cheon with dazed expressions.
In particular, Namgung Hyo shook his head and continuously looked around as if he could not adapt to this situation at all.
Then, seeing several sturdy men carrying a large Buddhist statue, he cleared his throat and asked.
“Ahem! How do you plan to handle those Buddhist statues and miscellaneous items?”
“Ah, those? I plan to sell them all.”
“Wait. T-That is…!”
At that moment, Namgung Hyo stopped in his tracks and looked at a large framed picture that the men were carrying.
A painting was drawn in the frame, and the appearance of a golden Buddha sitting on a lotus flower looked so elegant that it even seemed mysterious.
Namgung Hyo gaped and quickly shouted.
“Stop right there for a moment!”
“Yes?”
The men, who had been grunting as they carried the frame, stopped in their tracks and blankly stared at Namgung Hyo.
Namgung Hyo ran over in a single breath, closely examined the painting in the frame, and then yelled.
“H-How can you handle such a precious painting so recklessly with bare hands?”
“Ah… we do not know much about paintings, so…”
“Put on gloves and handle it with care! Treat it as if you are handling a woman… no, a newborn baby!”
“Ah, yes. Understood. But Elder, is this painting really that amazing?”
At the question of the man who tilted his head, Namgung Hyo wore a dumbfounded expression and continued.
“Amazing, you say? This is the Golden Buddha Lotus Painting. Looking at this delicate expression, it is definitely the genuine article.”
“Yes, we will be careful.”
Only after the men quickly put on gloves and carried the frame carefully again did Namgung Hyo turn around, seemingly relieved.
However, his eyes spun around again as he saw an incense burner being carried by someone over there.
“T-That is…!”
Namgung Hyo’s mouth gaped open again, to the point where saliva was about to drip.
Namgung Hyo scurried to one side of the manor, looked at the incense burner that the man was carrying, and let out an exclamation.
“I-Is this not the Three-Legged Clear Wind Incense Burner! Good heavens, just how much wealth do they have? How much is all this worth?”
Namgung Hyo could not collect his senses as he stared at the incense burner the men were carrying.
It was truly a situation where his mouth couldn’t help but gape and his eyes couldn’t help but spin.
Namgung Hyo, who barely calmed his mind, quickly returned to Namgung Cheon.
“You, how much do you plan to sell t-those for?”
“Well, I just plan to receive a rough price for them.”
“A rough price? These are not items that should be disposed of roughly. Do you even know how precious those things are when you say that?”
“Hmm. I am not that meticulous of a person. Are they very expensive?”
“Heh! That Three-Legged Clear Wind Incense Burner could easily fetch thirty thousand taels each. Since there are six of them that I have seen, that is roughly two hundred thousand taels. The Golden Buddha Lotus Painting is fifty thousand taels. No, someone might even offer a hundred thousand taels!”
Namgung Hyo’s eyes flashed wildly as he explained passionately, spitting saliva.
The momentum was so fierce that Namgung Cheon took a step back.
He was right on the verge of losing his mind.
Namgung Cheon smiled faintly and said.
“Then, would you handle them, Pavilion Lord?”
“M-Me…?”
“Yes. If the Pavilion Lord, who knows the value of the items well, takes charge of them, it would be extremely reassuring.”
At Namgung Cheon’s words, Namgung Hyo’s eyes instantly sharpened.
Namgung Hwa, who was watching, felt anxious for no reason and read their expressions.
From Namgung Hyo’s perspective, he could feel offended by the attitude that seemed as if he were assigning work to a subordinate.
‘What should I do? My uncle is a man of strong pride… Cheon has crossed the line.’
While she sighed inwardly, Namgung Hyo spoke in a stiff voice.
“Just what do you think of me…”
“…”
“…to know me so well?”
“…?”
At the unexpected development, Namgung Hwa’s eyes went wide.
Did Namgung Hyo not stride toward Namgung Cheon and suddenly clasp his hands firmly?
“Can I really handle those things?”
“Of course. I believe you are the most suitable person.”
“Thank you! I will make sure to get the best price for them!”
A wide grin spread across Namgung Hyo’s face.
How could he not?
As the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion in charge of the Namgung Clan’s finances, he had endured all kinds of hardships.
He had even gone on that long journey just to borrow money.
Having returned empty-handed even after that, he had felt like he was living with a heavy stone on one side of his chest to this day.
But now, since he could finally do some proper work as the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion after a long time, there was no way he wouldn’t be excited.
Namgung Cheon smiled brightly as he looked at Namgung Hyo.
“As expected, you are reassuring.”
Namgung Hyo approached Namgung Geom and said, even tearing up.
“Patriarch! Perhaps the Namgung Clan has finally hit rock bottom and it is time to soar! Was crouching low for all those long years not all for the sake of soaring high starting today? I have always… Wait! T-That is…!”
In the middle of his words, Namgung Hyo’s eyes spun around again.
His eyes widened like wells, and he hurriedly ran over.
“W-Wait! Hold on! Oh my god! Is this not… the White Dragon Mount Huang Painting? Heavens… Heavens…!”
By now, a faint madness was even visible in Namgung Hyo’s expression.
Just as a few workers crossed the yard carrying a large box, he ran over again.
“H-Hold on! What is this? Where are you moving this to?”
“Ah… we received orders to move this to the Namgung Clan’s Golden Cauldron Pavilion.”
“To our clan’s Golden Cauldron Pavilion? Open it. I am the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion.”
“Ah, yes. Then…”
As the workers set down the box and opened the lid, did it not contain a heap of yellow gold bars inside?
Freezing like stone in an instant, Namgung Hyo eventually ended up foaming at the mouth.
“O-Oh my god…!”
Thud…
As Namgung Hyo collapsed to the ground, the startled workers shouted toward the surroundings.
“Uh! The L-Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion has collapsed! Hurry, carry him inside!”
“Call a physician!”
“Hurry, quickly!”
Suddenly, one side of the yard became busy.
Watching this, Namgung Geom clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“Dear me, that man…”
However, it was not that he could not understand Namgung Hyo’s heart.
When the Namgung Clan was walking down the path of decline, the person who had suffered the most heartburn, more than anyone else, was likely the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion.
For the Lord of the Golden Cauldron Pavilion in charge of the clan’s accounting, he must have suffered severe mental distress as the decline of the family fortunes felt entirely like his own fault.
Even if that was not the reality, Namgung Hyo was a highly responsible person, so he would have blamed himself excessively.
Because of that, Namgung Geom did not view Namgung Hyo’s unsightly behavior with complete disapproval.
Just as Namgung Geom was about to take another step after seeing Namgung Hyo carried away with the support of the workers, it happened.
The main gate of the manor became noisy, and this time, Namgung Pyo and Namgung Seol-hui appeared.
Namgung Pyo wore a bewildered expression as he looked at the workers continuously moving the treasures.
“No, what is all this, Sister?”
“How would I know? Brother is over there, so let us go.”
The two spotted Namgung Geom and approached him.
“Brother… no, Patriarch. What on earth is going on?”
Then, Namgung Cheon stepped forward and answered.
“The corrupt monks who had settled in the manor turned over a new leaf and left, and our clan has taken over this manor.”
“What? By the way, why are you recklessly interrupting an adult’s conversation?”
“Since I know the situation better than the Patriarch, I was explaining it to you.”
“Why, you mouth off at every turn!”
“Were you not asking me this time? Since you asked why I interrupted, I merely gave you an answer.”
When Namgung Cheon answered cheekily, Namgung Pyo’s insides boiled with rage.
Namgung Pyo, who tried to calm his mind, asked in a cold tone.
“So, those corrupt monks withdrew quietly?”
“We were lucky.”
Namgung Cheon curled the corner of his mouth. Looking at that expression and tone, it was confusing whether it was humility or showing off.
Of course, there was no way such actions would look good in Namgung Pyo’s eyes.
“I assume you handled the matter cleanly?”
“What do you mean by cleanly?”
“I am asking if you handled it so there would be no aftermath!”
“Of course.”
As Namgung Cheon still answered with a smile, Namgung Pyo asked, trying to hide his discomfort.
“You accomplished such a massive feat in such a short time, and you can really be sure there is no aftermath?”
“I am telling you, yes.”
“Hmph! Do you think the ways of the world are so easy?”
“I do not know if the ways of the world are easy, but this task was not that difficult for me.”
“You, you…! Show-off…! Sister, please do not just stand there; say something to him.”
At that, Namgung Seol-hui chuckled.
“What do you want me to say? The corrupt monks have all left and handed over the manor on their own accord. Should I praise him or something?”
“Sister!”
Now, Namgung Pyo looked utterly aggrieved.
Then, a sudden thought crossing his mind, he whipped around to look at Namgung Cheon.
“That is right! To handle anything cleanly, there must be evidence. Did you get something like a written pledge?”
“Yes, well…”
Namgung Cheon answered indifferently this time as well and took out a booklet that looked like a ledger from his bosom.
It was at that moment.
Crash!
Did the main gate of the manor not open roughly as a crowd of people poured in?
About fifteen commoners wore angry expressions on their faces.
Upon seeing the people of the Namgung Clan, they suddenly yelled.
“We cannot accept this!”
Then, the Azure Eagle Squad members quickly approached and began to push them back.
“Now, now, we do not know what complaints you have, but let us talk later.”
“No! Out of the way! We do not agree to the Namgung Clan managing Yixian’s commercial rights again!”
“That is right! I do not approve either!”
“Namgung Clan, stay out of Yixian’s commercial rights!”
As the gathered commoners suddenly began to shout, Namgung Pyo’s expression brightened as if he had been waiting for this.
‘Indeed! How could the world only flow in one direction?’
Suddenly in high spirits, he quickly stepped forward and dismissed the Azure Eagle Squad members.
“Everyone, step back! Since they seem to have something to say to our clan, should we not listen?”