Chapter 82: An Era Where One Must Worry About Peace
Before leaving, I had requested Chief Tang Man-ok to post a notice to gather people to go search for the medicinal ingredients.
The person who poisoned the family head would want this task to fail. They would surely join the expedition to interfere, so I advised him that we could weed out the traitor if we investigated them thoroughly.
However, that was merely a secondary benefit; the primary goal was to draw attention and keep them occupied. In the meantime, I planned to quickly gather the medicinal ingredients.
“They moved more quickly than expected.”
The fact that we were being followed meant they had grasped our movements. Information might have leaked beforehand, or they could have anticipated and prepared for this situation in advance.
However, though their tracking technique wasn’t bad, it wasn’t outstanding either, so I couldn’t be certain.
“Don’t let your guard down. They might be pretending to be incompetent on purpose.”
“Hey, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that my tactics are superior to yours, right? I am naturally well aware of that much, so you don’t need to coach me.”
This was one of the practical tactics I had heard from my masters.
When someone acts as a bait with low-level movements, attention is drawn to the target, and vigilance toward the surroundings is lowered. At that moment, the real experts who were suppressing their presence nearby exploit the opening and finish the job.
It was certainly a useful tactic for the Sichuan Tang Clan, who were proficient in hidden weapons and poison.
‘There is no presence caught separately…’
Although I seriously scanned everything around us, nothing was caught.
Perhaps it was because they were such a great expert that I couldn’t read them, but if I couldn’t read them even with Master Zhang Sanfeng’s listening force and Master Heavenly Demon’s synesthesia combined, then they were no different from a monster that couldn’t be dealt with at any ordinary level.
If such an expert were included, there would be no need to use a bait tactic like this in the first place.
“Let’s try to capture them if possible.”
The reaction was instantaneous.
It was a form of launch where we, who had seemed to be arguing and then making up, suddenly transformed and launched a surprise attack.
Whether it was too sudden, the hidden figure showed no reaction to counter it at all.
‘No resistance?’
It felt as if they were waving a white flag to surrender.
Since I intended to capture them if possible, it was not difficult to ease the strength in my hands.
After quickly knocking them down, I grabbed them by the neck to subdue them.
“You…?”
It was a person in my memory.
Twice.
“Wow! Are you mounting me the moment you see me? Your hands are fast.”
“…Pardon?”
Was that something to say while smiling brightly in this situation?
No, rather than questioning that.
“Still, if possible, I’d like you to follow the order. It’s true I’m interested in you, but it’s also troublesome to appear too cheap,”
“…”
It was hard to follow the conversation.
[It seems you have been taken in. First of all, wouldn’t it be better to do something about the fact that you are mounted on top of that maiden?]
‘Uh?’
[Well, though it is embarrassing to look at, it is certainly a feast for the eyes.]
I wanted to feign ignorance and say I didn’t know what he was talking about when he said it was a feast for the eyes, but a particularly prominent part naturally entered my view.
Since jumping up in surprise would look too pathetic, I suppressed my instinctive reaction as much as possible and slowly released my grip.
“Why did you follow us?”
“I’m Tang Sa-yeon.”
“Sigh…”
It was another irrelevant answer.
Should I say she has a firm subjective view? She is a maiden whose self-assertion is top-notch.
“Yes, Miss Sa-yeon. I heard your name clearly, so I will ask again. Why did you follow us?”
“Because I’m interested. In you.”
Is this also an irrelevant answer?
In a way, it sounded like what a spy would say to blur the logic of the interrogator.
If that was indeed the purpose, it felt like it was working extremely well.
“It sounds like a confession. The kind one would make to the opposite sex.”
“Will you accept it?”
“…”
This won’t do.
Suddenly, my head began to hurt.
‘This is troublesome.’
If she really didn’t follow us for some other purpose, there was a bit of a problem.
Unless the situation where we secretly slipped away from the Sichuan Tang Clan had been exposed, Tang Sa-yeon, who could report our whereabouts, must not return to the Sichuan Tang Clan for the time being.
It meant I had to continue the journey while dragging along this woman who kept throwing fluttering words.
“Isn’t this your first time receiving a confession from a woman?”
“Shut up.”
Baek Mu-ho smirked as he looked at me and Tang Sa-yeon, wondering what was so amusing.
As if the laughter was contagious, Tang Sa-yeon also smiled brightly upon hearing that.
“By the way, what do you think of our Tang Clan’s practice of marrying in as a son-in-law?”
“…I have never thought about it in the first place, so I can’t answer.”
I knew with what intention she was asking, but that made it harder to understand.
I didn’t know why she was saying such things when it hadn’t been long since we met.
‘Come to think of it, as Mu-ho said, is this really my first time receiving a confession from a woman?’
“This time, my sister is really in big trouble.”
Contrary to his words, Baek Mu-ho’s laughter, which was still ongoing, was grating to the ears.
***
Although it felt like I was digging my own grave with my own hands, I suppressed that feeling and told Tang Sa-yeon that she wouldn’t be able to return to the Sichuan Tang Clan for the time being.
It was a notification that, although unintentional, we must take custody of her.
Her reply was spectacular.
“Is it a confession?”
“No.”
“Then it means your only goal is my body?”
“…No, uh, is it? So to speak, that seems to be correct, but the nuance sounds somewhat strange.”
“Since Young Hero Yeon says so, I shall follow.”
In conclusion, she obediently followed and showed cooperation.
The most important thing was that her irrelevant way of speaking had decreased.
Since we ended up traveling together, when I explained the current situation to her, Tang Sa-yeon took it seriously.
At the same time, she spoke from the perspective of a Sichuan Tang Clan insider about things I hadn’t thought of.
“Just as you thought, if such a thing happened, it must be an inside job. It really makes no sense that the family head, an expert in poison techniques, would fall into danger due to failing to adjust the dosage of poison.”
“Is there anyone who would have done such a thing?”
“Do you mean someone who had a reason to poison the family head?”
“Yes.”
Actually, even as I asked, I didn’t expect an answer. This kind of story is usually linked to the family’s shame, so it cannot be easily talked about to outsiders.
“Well. If it’s simply someone who had a reason, there are so many that it’s hard to mention them all. Though the scope narrows down quite a bit if it’s someone who could pull it off.”
“…Is the family that dysfunctional?”
For there to be countless people who had a reason to poison the family head?
Baek Mu-ho also seemed quite interested, shutting his mouth and listening intently.
“Should I call it a problem of the era, or a structural problem… Young Hero Yeon, you don’t know much about the Sichuan Tang Clan, do you?”
“I only know as much as others do.”
“Then it’s correct to say you don’t know.”
Tang Sa-yeon asserted flatly.
“The Sichuan Tang Clan rarely marries off its daughters to the outside. Most of the time, they bring in sons-in-law. Since the family’s power is strong, no outside forces mess with us. Since almost no one leaves, the numbers swell, and since there are no conflicts, few die young. You must have seen the result yourself.”
No matter how much of a great noble family it was, the scale was excessive.
“Even if they married in as a son-in-law, their lineage must use the Tang surname. That is the Tang Clan’s way of inclusion. Ultimately, it means a man abandoned his own surname to enter the Sichuan Tang Clan, which comes down to one of two things: either he truly loved his partner, or he had the ambition to back himself with the Tang Clan.”
[Indeed, it is inevitable for it to turn out that way.]
“Ah…”
Master Zhang Sanfeng seemed to understand immediately. I also got a sense of it after hearing that much.
The key points were the terms ‘problem of the era’ or ‘structural problem’ that Tang Sa-yeon had spoken of.
“In an era where minor conflicts exist but that is all, those who have ambition but haven’t found an opportunity to express it.”
They even abandoned their families to obtain the background of the Sichuan Tang Clan, yet they had no opportunity to make a name for themselves.
It was certainly an environment where those with ambition would cause trouble.
“It’s no different even for the people at the center of the family. If the family head changes, the power structure cannot help but change. At least the people who can be called close associates will change. Naturally, the positions of those close to those associates will also change.”
“And Shaanxi is chaotic at just the right time.”
It was chilling.
The unorthodox factions trying to brandish their swords without thinking of the consequences. The Demonic Cult instigating those unorthodox factions. The orthodox factions whose patience had bottomed out due to the recent provocations of the Demonic Cult.
In this situation, the Sichuan Tang Clan was thought to be the first step and the deterrent to block the Demonic Cult’s schemes and, furthermore, prevent war, but to think that the Sichuan Tang Clan was actually harboring a thunder bomb within itself!
Listening quietly, Baek Mu-ho tilted his head as if curious.
“I understand that the Sichuan Tang Clan’s internal situation is like that. Then shouldn’t ambitious people rather avoid the Sichuan Tang Clan?”
“If they had known, some might have avoided it.”
“Ah? Ah, that makes sense.”
This part was also understandable. It was not easy for such internal shame to be known to the outside.
From the outside, only the giant power of the Sichuan Tang Clan with its strong influence and strength was visible.
They would think that once they became a member, they too would be able to brandish that power.
“Because the family looks at skill or talent rather than the background of the person to be taken as a son-in-law. Although a family of a certain level might know information about the Tang Clan’s internal situation, such a person has no reason to abandon their family in the first place.”
This much was enough to make one easily fall for the Demonic Cult’s schemes.
Poison the family head and spark chaos.
They weren’t being used by the Demonic Cult. In their own minds, they probably thought they were using the Demonic Cult.
They deemed it no different from marrying in as a son-in-law to use the Sichuan Tang Clan.
[Peace is also complicated. Ah, indeed! An era where one must worry about peace.]
To Master Zhang Sanfeng, who had lived through an era full of disorder and warfare, it might feel strange.
‘Though I feel Master Heavenly Demon, who is said to be currently frying sinners in toilet water in hell, would have known.’
Putting that aside, Master Heavenly Demon has really been quiet lately.
Actually, when we said we were coming to Sichuan, I thought Master Heavenly Demon would be the one to enjoy it the most.
“But is it okay to tell all that to someone you’re recommending as a marrying-in son-in-law?”
It was a sudden question from Baek Mu-ho, but Tang Sa-yeon shrugged as if it was natural.
“Since it’s not something that can be hidden forever anyway. A relationship formed through deceit cannot be happy. Besides, I’ve already seen plenty of such cases.”
According to Tang Sa-yeon’s words, she must have seen them countlessly.
“I don’t think there’s any need to bring misfortune upon oneself. Although some say that one must sacrifice personal happiness for the sake of ambition, I want to have everything I can have.”
Achieving ambition, and grasping happiness.
She has wild dreams.
“You are greedy.”
“If it’s a healthy greed, there’s nothing wrong with it, is there?”
Tang Sa-yeon’s confident smile was like a fresh leaf of grass.
[She is a fine child.]
‘Yes.’
Just like Master Zhang Sanfeng’s evaluation, she was a fine young lady.
“Have you fallen for me?”
“No.”
“Tch.”
She was a personality who knew no limits.
Between people, a line is drawn, whether they know it or not.
Tang Sa-yeon crossed that line without hesitation.
I thought this was both her strength and her weakness.
‘It’s just that I don’t entirely dislike it.’
What was certain was that she had charm.
Something burning like a fire draws attention as much as it shines brightly.