Chapter 69
I left the nanny behind for a moment and went to find Father.
I planned to tell him everything and also inform the Namgung Clan Leader.
But then—
“Dam-bi!”
From afar, I saw Father striding toward me, looking completely disheveled.
“Where have you been?!”
“Ah…”
“You said you were going back to your quarters after parting with Cheonghyeon, didn’t you? Do you know how worried I was after hearing you disappeared on the way back…!”
Behind Father, I saw the maid who had separated from me earlier.
She must have been looking for me but couldn’t find me, so she informed Father.
And judging from the situation, it looked like Namgung family warriors had also been sent out to find me, as they began appearing one by one.
“Haha…”
How was I supposed to take them with me now?
That fiend and the nanny would have been captured even before they managed to step past the Namgung gates with me.
I grabbed Father’s hand tightly.
“Father, I’m sorry for disappearing without a word.”
“So you know you did wrong.”
“But… I caught a kidnapper.”
“…?”
Father lifted his head and looked toward Choyo.
She was still holding the immobilized Namgung Yeon in her arms, staring back at him.
“What do you mean, you caught someone?”
“Namgung Lady’s nanny tried to kidnap this child—and me, too. I saw her doing it, so I restrained her. She’s tied up next to the storage shed right now.”
The maids of the Namgung clan gasped in shock and covered their mouths.
“Please free Yeon first, and then inform Clan Leader Namgung to imprison that nanny in the dungeon.”
It would have been ideal if someone had stayed behind to keep watch.
However, Choyo said she couldn’t send me alone.
She was worried something might happen to me again on my way back.
But she also couldn’t stay inside the storage room with that woman, not knowing when the man would return.
So she and I left the nanny behind, took Namgung Yeon with us, and came to find Father.
Father accepted Namgung Yeon and released the acupuncture point.
The child’s little fingers twitched faintly.
“Phew.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
Namgung Yeon, looking anxious, struggled to escape Father’s arms.
Father gently handed her to one of the Namgung maids.
“First, relay my daughter’s words to the Clan Leader and take this child somewhere safe.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
The maids received Namgung Yeon.
Father sighed deeply, then spoke.
“I do not understand what happened, not at all. But you said you tied up the one who tried to harm you.”
Holding onto his hand, I walked with him toward the storage shed.
“Yes.”
“How did you manage to catch her?”
“I used poison-touch paralysis.”
“Then she should be dead by now.”
“I fed her an antidote after tying her up.”
“You did well—handled it wisely.”
“But there might still be poison lingering inside the shed, so you must not go in.”
“I shall inform Clan Leader Namgung and ensure no one enters for three days.”
While we talked, we arrived at the shed.
“What?”
Namgung Ui-ryong frowned after hearing the urgent report from the warriors and maids.
“Yeon was almost kidnapped?”
“Fortunately, before it could happen, Miss Dam-bi of the Sichuan Tang Clan discovered it. The young lady is currently safe.”
“How could such a thing happen within Namgung’s own estate?!”
Namgung Ui-ryong roared angrily.
“Was there no one to guard or look after that child?!”
“Originally, Lady Namgung Yeon was cared for solely by her nanny, Hyangseo…”
“She’s only five years old! How could she be left in the hands of just one nanny?!”
Namgung Yeon was five years old.
On top of that, she could neither see nor speak.
In truth, the Namgung household often treated her as if she didn’t exist.
Namgung Ui-ryong knew this.
He had felt troubled by it and had personally given warnings and taken care of Namgung Yeon a few times.
But now, she had almost been kidnapped?
At his father’s 80th birthday celebration, of all places?
It was absolutely unacceptable.
Namgung Ui-ryong jumped to his feet.
“Where is the culprit now?”
“She has been imprisoned in the underground dungeon.”
“And Yeon?”
“Entrusted to Lady Sohwa.”
“Why leave her with— No, never mind. What about Dam-bi? The one who saved Yeon?”
“I believe she is waiting with Master Tang Jinhyeon in front of the dungeon.”
“Then we head to the dungeon immediately.”
“Yes, Clan Leader.”
“Has the Tang Clan Leader been informed?”
“A warrior has just gone to deliver the news.”
Without a moment of hesitation, Namgung Ui-ryong strode toward the dungeon.
The Namgung Clan’s underground prison.
Located deep beneath ground level, no light entered and no sound escaped it.
No water, no food—a place where criminals sentenced to severe punishment were confined temporarily.
As Namgung Ui-ryong approached, Namgung Hee-ran, the leader of the Changryong Sword Unit, followed behind.
Awakened by the sudden commotion, people peeked out sleepily, wondering what was happening.
Fortunately, since it occurred in the middle of the night, not many had noticed.
Most guests were heavily drunk and assumed it was nothing important, returning to sleep.
This was a small blessing for the Namgung family.
When Namgung Ui-ryong arrived in front of the dungeon, he stopped after spotting a familiar face.
“You’re here.”
The Tang Clan Leader of Sichuan—Poison Master, Tang Cheongi.
He stood there holding his granddaughter as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.
Beside him stood Tang Jinhyeon, the second young master of the Tang Clan.
Dam-bi, talking quietly in Tang Cheongi’s arms, suddenly lifted her head.
The moment she spotted Namgung Ui-ryong, she wriggled her arms and legs.
“Grandfather, please put me down!”
“Just stay here.”
“No, I have something to do.”
Ignoring his persuasion, Dam-bi firmly pushed her way out of his arms.
Plop.
The tiny girl landed lightly on the ground.
Her sleeve shook heavily.
From inside, tiny needles clinked faintly against one another.
Namgung Ui-ryong silently watched, curious about what she intended to do.
After smoothing her clothes carefully, making sure there were no wrinkles, Dam-bi stepped toward him.
Looking up with serious eyes, she spoke.
“Clan Leader, I captured the kidnapper and locked her away.”
“Miss Tang…”
“But you don’t need to thank me. You already gave me a medicinal pill yesterday.”
Though what he had given her the previous day was a fairly common elixir—
Dam-bi smiled brightly as if it was more than enough.
“And I have a gift for you.”
She reached into her sleeve.
Something rustled.
Then she took out a handful of something that resembled medicinal herbs.
“You’re going to interrogate the nanny, right?”
“I intend to see the face of the one who tried to harm my granddaughter. The interrogation will take place when morning comes.”
“Then, here.”
Dam-bi handed the herb-like plant to Namgung Ui-ryong.
He accepted it, bewildered.
“It’s Forget-Me-Not Grass. If you extract its juice and feed just a little, a person will spill every secret—even those eight degrees removed from family lineage. It’s very rare and extremely useful. I believe you’ll need it.”
“Forget-Me-Not Grass is not only expensive but highly rare and nearly impossible to obtain. Why give this to me?”
Namgung Ui-ryong, who had been holding back his questions until she finished speaking, finally could not contain himself.
Dam-bi tilted her head innocently.
“Even if it’s precious, what’s the point if it’s not used when it’s truly needed? I happened to have it, and it seemed like the right moment. And also… because you treated me kindly.”
Her young voice sounded pure and sincere.
Hearing that clear voice, Namgung Ui-ryong felt a warm fullness spread through him.
Dam-bi had saved Namgung Yeon.
She had prevented the Namgung clan from falling into disgrace and, despite nearly getting caught in danger herself, she was not blaming him—she was helping.
And she acted as if it was only natural.
As if such kindness was something anyone could give.
But in a situation where she could have earned enormous leverage over the Namgung clan—who would choose pure goodwill instead of debt and advantage?
