Chapter 19: Getting Stabbed in the Back Hurts, But Getting Hit Face-to-Face Hurts More
[Tsk, tsk. Crossing the line always accompanies a price. For myself and for others. It is only natural that giving an influence to something has a returning reaction, whether good or bad. But many people do not know that.]
It was the teaching delivered by Master Zhang Sanfeng when the cowed scribe occasionally looked back, casting anxious gazes.
He seemed to dislike that scribe quite a bit.
Was it because his basic background was that of a Martial World person? Well, when you think about it, it was not as if I liked him very much either.
[In a way, it might rather be a good thing. Since he quickly learned the disposition of the one he must serve, if he has learned something, he will not act rashly without thought in the future.]
If Master Zhang Sanfeng scolded his external aspect, Master Bodhidharma spoke about his internal aspect.
Embracing and soothing.
I feel it once again, but he is truly an accomplished person.
No, since he is one who belongs to the Buddhist sect yet ascended to heaven, should I call him a Bodhisattva or a Buddha?
It is hard to believe that this very person is the origin of the Shaolin philosophy of cracking skulls first when things go wrong.
Is it true or not? While doubting for a moment, the footsteps walking behind the scribe reached a place where several people were gathered.
I saw the person who was at the very center there.
He was a person who stood out in a subtle area. A moderate person, so to speak.
Usually, those who have achieved something show their temperament outwardly. Looking decisive, or looking wise.
The person named Seo Yun-geon did not show such temperament.
An appearance of maintaining the middle way. Neither too excessive nor lacking. In a way, he looked like the optimal person as an official, but a person cannot be judged by outer appearance alone.
The person who was like that proof was next to Seo Yun-geon.
Jong In-geol.
The owner of the Jungshin Merchant Group, who moved the Bright Fate Escort to drag in the Baek Family Escort.
The man I finally came to see was an old man with a gentle and benevolent impression, to the extent that it was unbelievable he possessed deep scheming.
Aren’t there people who look like they have never swore at others in their life? Jong In-geol was a person who looked like that.
But it is certain that he is a person whose inside and outside are different.
Being such a person, he must have exhibited the skill of growing the Jungshin Merchant Group, which he created by putting forward his connections, and pushing out Hongwu Gate, which had helped him with goodwill when he was establishing himself.
It is a clear fact that the Bright Fate Escort, which was caught up in his schemes, was smashed.
Furthermore, even the details learned after coming here were so.
The scribe asked when he came back. Whether we came from Samyang County.
Thinking about why he asked such a question, the answer comes roughly. It must be because someone mentioned Samyang County and linked it to grandfather.
It was said that the person named Seo Yun-geon admired grandfather. Since Jong In-geol was said to be a person well-versed in human affairs, he must have known in advance.
There was one more reason he had dragged in the Baek Family Escort.
Whether the scribe who went to them brought up the story about the Baek Family Escort and spoke about me, I saw the expressions of those two, who suddenly turned their gazes toward my side, change.
Whether the statement that he admired grandfather was not a lie, Seo Yun-geon immediately approached this side. Along with him was Jong In-geol, who followed while still wearing a good-natured smile.
“Chief Baek, greet him. This is Master Seo Yun-geon, who has risen to Assistant Director of the Ministry of Personnel in Hubei this time.”
Jong In-geol began speaking, giving off the feeling of mediating between the two.
“I am Seo Yun-geon.”
“I am Baek, who runs an escort agency in Samyang County.”
Although he seemed to have more interest in my side rather than Uncle Baek Jin-seong, perhaps because he was a person who knew manners, he greeted Uncle Baek Jin-seong first. Even if he was interested in me, the person representing the Baek Family Escort was strictly Uncle Baek Jin-seong.
“Chief Baek’s skill is worthy of being called the best in this vicinity. Since he is a person of virtue, his reputation around is also excellent. If you have an affair requiring martial power, he is a person worth calling once.”
“To have the recommendation of Master Jong, who is famous for his wide connections, inspires trust.”
Cliche conversation painting gold on each other’s faces was exchanged.
“By the way, that the Bright Fate Escort is not visible is…….”
Then, that old man subtly brought up the topic about the Bright Fate Escort.
‘What trash.’
I understood why he mentioned the Bright Fate Escort at this point.
When the story about the Bright Fate Escort comes out, the story about Hongwu Gate’s attack will naturally come out. Then Seo Yun-geon will learn about what Hongwu Gate did, and that will naturally follow as a misfortune for Hongwu Gate.
Even though he was the one who induced it like that.
Uncle Baek Jin-seong’s face also stiffened slightly.
“Before we joined, the Bright Fate Escort was in a state of being wiped out by the attack of unidentified assailants.”
“Oh my!”
Jong In-geol made a fuss as if it were the first time he heard it.
“Did you have no idea who the assailant was?”
At Jong In-geol’s behavior of asking for the cause persistently, the space between Uncle Baek Jin-seong’s eyebrows distorted slightly. It was an appearance of suppressing irritation.
Even so, in the eyes of others, it would look like an appearance of feeling sorry for Bright Fate Escort’s misfortune.
“Since we have finished the job, we plan to find out gradually.”
“So you must. I shall definitely find out.”
Jong In-geol shook his fist and displayed anger like a good-natured person seeking justice.
To others it looked like an appearance of revealing anger at an unfortunate event, but to us who knew the inner details, it was perceived as reprimanding Uncle Baek Jin-seong’s incompetence in not mentioning Hongwu Gate in the end.
That old man is really crossing the line.
But perhaps Jong In-geol also thought that holding on further here might look strange, so he turned the topic to another side.
“Since it is an event that occurred due to my commission, I shall do all I can for them.”
With an appearance of feeling very sorry, the old man Jong In-geol promised generous compensation to the Bright Fate Escort. He spoke with exceptional emphasis on this part, as if telling everyone to hear how generous a person he was.
“That is a relief.”
Then, Uncle Baek Jin-seong grinned. As if he had been waiting for that reply.
I watched that smile intently.
There was no problem with Uncle Baek Jin-seong smiling, but the way he smiled was familiar.
I glanced at Baek Mu-ho. It was because that smile Uncle Baek Jin-seong wore resembled very much the smile that fellow wears when filled with thoughts of screwing someone over.
What was more peculiar was that Baek Mu-ho was also wearing the exact same smile.
“Father! Father!”
As expected, Baek Mu-ho’s mouth opened.
“Ask about this quickly!”
Like a fool with a innocent brain who cannot think opening his mouth without grasping the situation, Baek Mu-ho shouted while vigorously shaking something held in his hand.
Jong In-geol’s face stiffened slightly. Because it was a momentary change in expression, it was easy to miss if one did not watch closely, but I clearly saw it.
It was only natural.
Since that was the top-grade white jade that Jong In-geol had smuggled out, deceiving even the spies of Hongwu Gate planted inside.
For bribing.
As everyone knows, a bribe is something that exerts its power only when slipped in secretly.
That he pulled that out openly meant?
“Ah, sorry about this. After we were attacked, my son, who was checking if the escort goods were safe, found something strange.”
To openly show what the strange thing was, Uncle Baek Jin-seong opened his pouch and took out the top-grade white jade.
Ah, right now that old man’s expression twitched once more.
“It was an item not in the contents of the commissioned goods. My son said he would take it if it is an ownerless item, haha. Surely this is Master Jong’s item, right? I wonder if you lost it when delivering the goods.”
“Haha, that is…….”
Jong In-geol hesitated, as if lost for words. Since if he claimed it was not his, it meant we would just take it.
In any case, it could not be used as a bribe.
Baek Mu-ho’s imitation of an innocent fool was quite plausible, so that must also be an ability inherited by blood.
It meant Uncle Baek Jin-seong’s imitation of a fool was quite something.
Wow, the method of beating someone up while pretending not to know was just. It was to the extent that I wondered if one had to pay money to beat them like that.
“Well done.”
At my words, Baek Mu-ho was holding his tightly clenched fist against his waist. I lightly bumped my fist on top of Baek Mu-ho’s fist!
As if waiting, Baek Mu-ho bumped on top of my fist once more in turn!
I didn’t want to communicate with a man without conversation, though.
Still, I liked this a bit.
“……It seems to be the item I lost. Haha, this is really embarrassing. Since it was an item I thought of as a gift for Master Seo, I searched for it for a long time, and now it returns like this.”
In the end, Jong In-geol did not give up the top-grade white jade.
“Since things have turned out this way, I hope you accept it as a gift.”
Saying so, he subtly handed it over to Seo Yun-geon.
Receiving the top-grade white jade, Seo Yun-geon held the item in his hand and examined it for a moment before suddenly turning his head.
“It was you, right? The fellow who is Master Yeon’s grandson.”
“Yes, Master Seo. I am Yeon Cheong-un.”
“How does it look to you? Should I accept this?”
Why ask that of me?
At the question that came in suddenly, I had no choice but to blink my eyes for a moment.
Then, my eyes met with the Baek father and son for a moment.
The gazes of those two were saying.
Go for it!
Yes, in any case, I was just about to beat that old man up together.
“Wouldn’t it be fine to accept it?”
“Accept it?”
Whether it was unexpected words, Seo Yun-geon’s eyes widened. Judging by the returning reaction, he seemed to have expected different words. Did he want to show the appearance of an upright official in front of the grandson of the person he admired?
I added words for such a Seo Yun-geon.
“As Master Jong said, because this is a ‘gift.’ A ‘gift’ is something that does not wish for a ‘return’ in exchange.”
“Oho?”
A gift does not seek returns.
As I drove a large nail into that part, that old man Jong In-geol’s expression shook once again. This time it shook quite largely, making it clearly visible.
“However, wouldn’t it be not good for a person like me to accept such a ‘gift’?”
“Wouldn’t it be fine if you just maintain your center? From what I see, you look like you would do that job extremely well, Master.”
“Hahaha!”
At my words, Seo Yun-geon burst into a large laugh.
Because it was a large emotional expression revealed for the first time by someone who had been quiet like an undisturbed horizontal line, like the surface of a calm lake, it caught my eye instantly.
Thanks to that, he received even more attention from the surroundings.
“Ah, sorry. I suddenly remembered the past. Back when I was immature as an official, when I asked your grandfather for advice, your grandfather said such words to me. He said that if one maintains their center without bias, one can go high, so to keep the middle way. It seems certain that you are his grandson.”
Finishing his last words, he revealed a deep favorable impression toward me.
“Yes, well.”
“Understood. Then I shall accept this ‘gift.'”
Seo Yun-geon calmly placed the top-grade white jade in his chest.
Jong In-geol, looking at him, showed a slightly stiffened sign, but was barely able to maintain his expression. In any case, it was an appearance of feeling relieved at the thought that he had handed over a ‘bribe.’
“It is too early to be relieved, though.”
I also thought of screwing that human over like Uncle Baek Jin-seong or Baek Mu-ho. Surely, there was no way it would end with Seo Yun-geon just accepting the top-grade white jade while treating it only as a ‘gift.’
[Is there more?]
Whether finding it fun to watch, Master Zhang Sanfeng also spoke in a voice showing quite some interest.
“He is a person whose scheming is not shallow, but seeing that he has not realized it until now, the event the Baek father and son set off must have been quite flustering.”
[Is that so?]
“Yes. That person is in big trouble now.”
It was true.
The reason was soon revealed.
“By the way, I am sorry about this.”
“Haha, no. Rather, I am embarrassed…….”
“Not that. Since I have accepted this.”
Seo Yun-geon briefly pulled out the top-grade white jade he had put in his chest and showed it, making Jong In-geol and the surroundings clearly recognize what he had accepted.
That this was a ‘gift.’
That it was not a ‘bribe.’
“However, if an event beneficial to Master Jong occurs among the tasks I process, wouldn’t people talk? Saying that this was a ‘bribe’ after all.”
“Ah…….”
Jong In-geol, that old man also seemed to have noticed only now.
“Since I must also be careful myself, in the future when looking after the Ministry of Personnel affairs here, I might act a bit tightly toward Master Jong.”
“Haha…… Hahaha……. It, it cannot be helped, can…… it.”
Although letting out hollow laughs as if dumbfounded, Jong In-geol was putting all his effort into maintaining his expression. It was truly a sight to behold.
Looking at the way that old man used his hands, he was a type who must have bought quite some resentment around, and if this fact became known, the people trying to check Jong In-geol through Seo Yun-geon would secretly increase.
If a person of Seo Yun-geon’s caliber begins to use power, it is scary.
Watching that expression, I extended my fist behind my back.
*Bump! Bump!*
However, sound was made twice on top of my fist.
Glancing back, Uncle Baek Jin-seong was laughing along with Baek Mu-ho.
In any case, this father and son.
“Ah, Master Seo.”
In the midst of that, Uncle Baek Jin-seong suddenly spoke to Seo Yun-geon.
“Do you have something to say? I hope it is something like a request. Thanks to you, I remembered many things, and gained many things as well.”
It was said while tapping his head. And tapping the place where the top-grade white jade was.
Unlike his first impression, he has a secretly mischievous side, this man.
As if the timing was perfect, Uncle Baek Jin-seong also continued speaking.
“Indeed, I have a request.”
“Speak.”
“Looking as we entered, you seem to also have a connection to Shaolin, could I request a bit of teaching for Cheong-un for a moment?”
“Was the Elder’s grandson…… a martial artist?”
“Yes. It seems he recently touched a connection to Shaolin’s martial arts, and I thought it would be good to obtain teaching from those who learned properly.”
From Uncle Baek Jin-seong who was proceeding with the talk, there was even a slightly coercive feeling.
It was as if I had to establish a connection with Shaolin martial arts here to create an excuse for the origin.
“Understood. I shall ask.”
Although he was surprised that I was a martial artist, Seo Yun-geon, nodding his head while revealing a slight smile, as if it was good that he could help me anyway.
***
Thus, the connection with Shaolin that began was.
“That is not how you do it, though?”
extremely dangerous.
[Hahahaha! It seems they shaved even his eyes when they shaved his head, this bald monk fellow.]
And I also came to know clearly that Master Bodhidharma had quite a temper.