Chapter 36
The bamboo tube incident was quietly swept under the rug.
Thanks to Namgung Jeokmyeong—ever the notorious scoundrel of the Namgung Clan—brushing it off as “Just some harmless love notes between a young man and woman, why make a fuss?”, Namgung Chumyeong was forced to take a step back.
It also helped that Jin Cheongak had presented proof of having slain the Blood-Sucking Sword Ghost.
From Namgung Chumyeong’s perspective, the last thing he wanted was for an unexpected powerhouse to ruin the years of careful planning he’d built up.
Soon, the day’s events were exaggerated into a scandalous rumor: Namgung Soyou’s personal guard had split the Blood-Sucking Sword Ghost clean in two.
Within half a day, more than five warriors came seeking instruction from Jin Cheongak.
Of course, he brushed all of them off just as easily.
But there was one thing he couldn’t brush aside—
the information he’d received through that bamboo tube.
The first message:
[The “Killing Register” sealed within the Namgung Clan truly exists.]
That bit of intelligence lent credibility to Namgung Jeokmyeong’s words.
The second message, however, was even more important—
it concerned Namgung Chumyeong’s true identity.
[The trail is shrouded in fog, but tracing the clues about his use of a disguise mask, and through several converging pieces of evidence, we narrowed it down to three possible groups.
My humble opinion? It’s worth examining the Yeonghwang Yuse (Eternal Sovereigns Beyond the World) more closely. They’re the most obscure of the three, and even our Hangryong Sect cannot determine when they first began operating.
Their movements are too strange to be the work of a mere offshoot of the Killing Sect. Their members can be identified by a corroded scar on the left shoulder blade. Among them are a few experts of note…
If you’d like more details, please do come visit this girl ♡]
Srring—
Seol Yeong unsheathed her sword with a look that clearly said she would not tolerate this nonsense.
“Have you gone mad, Brother Ak?”
Jin Cheongak replied blandly, unfazed by her fierce tone.
“I just memorized what was written.”
That tracked. The ridiculously detailed phrasing all but confirmed that the letter had been penned by Seol Seorin—the head of the House of Tastes and Seol Yeong’s elder sister.
“The middle part was already missing, I assume?”
“I didn’t read all of it. How could I, in that short time, decipher the scrawl of someone with handwriting that bad? Even for me, that’s impossible.”
Yeonghwang Yuse…
What an arrogant name.
Judging by their actions, they were clearly the ones who’d killed Namgung Soyou and targeted Hwasan’s Gong Cheongseokyu.
So, Namgung Chumyeong and they were in league together.
Gong Cheongseokyu is a renowned elixir—anyone might covet it.
But the reason they’d tried to assassinate Namgung Soyou while wearing Namgung Chumyeong’s face remained unclear.
It felt somehow tied to her birth.
Jin Cheongak opened a book of unknown origin and said,
“The head of the House of Tastes seems to be eagerly waiting for our dear Lady Namgung.”
“I’ll visit when I have time.”
“Time? Isn’t that the one thing we have in abundance? Or are we secretly in the middle of some grand operation I’m unaware of?”
“You’ll get hurt if you keep talking.”
“Not knowing won’t stop me from getting hurt either. Might as well get hurt knowing why.”
“Say one more word.”
“So two words are fine then?”
“I’ll chase you around naked for half a day.”
“…”
While she was volleying back retorts at his nonsense, Seol Yeong returned from circling the courtyard, munching on rice cakes as she sat down.
“Seems like guests have been arriving since morning. Isn’t this the first time the Namgung estate has felt so… lively?”
At that, Yeil perked her ears and listened closely to the voices of servants beyond the stone wall.
“We’ve so many herbs to prepare. Young Master Chumyeong’s condition has worsened again…”
“Ah dear, what’ll we do? If Second Young Master passes unexpectedly, won’t the Young Lord and Third Young Master be left to manage the clan? Lord Pae doesn’t seem the ambitious type either.”
“If that scoundrel of a Young Lord ascends smoothly, it’ll be fine by me. He’s always out carousing, never a bother to us.”
“True, and that Miss Cho-hong—what a beauty, and so kind too. If she settles as his official wife, maybe there’ll finally be peace in this household.”
“Ha! You dream too big. The elders arriving today will never allow it. You’ve no idea how fierce and chaotic the last meeting about the heirs’ marriages was…”
As she listened to the servants’ surprisingly pragmatic chatter, Chang-a returned to the room and spoke cautiously.
“My lady.”
A strange woman stood behind her.
“Are you Lady Namgung Soyou?”
The voice was unfamiliar.
Sensing the stranger’s presence, Yeil—who had been resting with her eyes closed—gave a small nod. The woman continued,
“I am Soya, sent by Lady Dan Ri-muklan—the elder sister of the late Namgung Clan Matron and current Matron of the Seonwoo Clan. The Madam wishes to meet you.”
Dan Ri-muklan.
It was a name she’d heard through Chang-a before.
But the woman’s tone carried the weight of a command, not a request—
and both Chang-a and Seol Yeong clearly found her manner unpleasant.
“My lady, you’ve been unwell for days. Perhaps you shouldn’t push yourself…”
“Our Lady Dan Ri-muklan is aware that you’ve been coughing blood. She intends to provide a remedy that will surely aid your recovery.”
The woman’s clear voice cut through Chang-a’s protest, followed by an unspoken demand:
“Please note that the Young Lord and the other Young Masters have already gone to pay their respects.”
In other words—take the hint and come quietly.
Perfect timing, Yeil thought.
She had business with Namgung Jeokmyeong anyway, and this was an ideal chance.
As she rose, Seol Yeong muttered behind her,
“Damn. Looks like this place will turn into a proper mess soon.”
She actually sounded amused by the coming chaos.
The woman led Yeil to a part of the estate she’d never entered before—Bukcheong, the northern quarters reserved for the clan head and his wife.
As soon as they stepped inside, laughter rang out—bright, carefree.
Peeking through a window, Yeil realized the atmosphere was not what she expected.
Is this… a matchmaking meeting?
There were exactly three men and three women—including herself.
A perfect balance.
The laughter ceased the moment Yeil appeared.
The awkward silence broke only when Namgung Jeokmyeong introduced her.
“You’ve arrived, little one. Auntie, this is Namgung Soyou. Soyou, this is your Aunt, Lady Dan Ri-muklan.”
Following the attendant’s guidance, she sat down. Nearby, she could hear Namgung Huimyeong’s voice—
apparently, only Namgung Chumyeong was absent, resting due to poor health.
Heh. I’ve probably coughed up more blood than he has.
And yet, they only summoned her.
Was this quiet discrimination against a concubine’s daughter?
Or perhaps Dan Ri-muklan simply adored Chumyeong too much.
Before long, an exclamation sounded.
“Oh my… how astonishing! I never imagined you’d be such a lovely girl. Namgung Soyou, was it? Come closer, dear.”
Supported by a maid, Yeil approached the seat of honor.
A strong scent of white sandalwood wafted from the sachet hanging near the woman’s sleeve—
a fragrance unfamiliar in the Namgung household, which was home to few women.
“Truly… such flawless skin, like polished jade. Not a blemish to be found—”
Cough.
“—and such a rounded forehead, thin lips, a most graceful face. As they say, a woman’s virtue lies in her modesty—”
Cough, cough.
“—and though you cannot see, that only makes you gentler in bearing. Despite being a concubine’s daughter, I could introduce you to a fine marri—”
Cough! Cough! Cough!
Dan Ri-muklan’s words were drowned beneath Yeil’s relentless coughing fit, her face paling as she fell silent.
Yeil, who had no intention of humoring her to begin with, found the silence far more comfortable.
