Chapter : 52
“To meet the famed Munryeong under heaven—it feels as though my eyes have finally been opened.”
As the old man straightened his back and spoke, Mo Yong Yun-hwan’s eyebrow twitched.
“The government and the martial world are not meant to interfere with one another. Why has a military officer come here?”
“Though the paths of the authorities and the martial world differ, are we not all subjects beneath the same Emperor? Our duties may differ, but they cannot stand above the bonds of heaven.”
The old man, Jang Bok, pointed toward Yoo Geon-myeong.
“Young Master Yoo here is the only son of Elder Yoo Cheon-rak, the head of the Daejeong Merchant Guild and sworn brother to the Provincial Inspector. The Inspector has come to Yichang—would he not be deeply disappointed if he could not meet the nephew he has not seen for so long?”
A Provincial Inspector!
The title referred to a high official who toured the provinces on behalf of the Emperor and even possessed independent military authority.
Even one of the Three Commanders of the Martial Alliance—who divided the martial world in two—could not treat such a figure lightly.
Yet what truly shocked those present was Yoo Geon-myeong himself, who had never once hinted at possessing such powerful connections.
“If you had such strong ties within the government, wouldn’t you have avoided making such major concessions to the Namgung Clan during your betrothal ceremony with the young lady?”
Sak Gi-sun, observing the situation, spoke on behalf of his master. Yoo Geon-myeong answered calmly.
“Is it truly wise for someone within the Martial Alliance to boast of ties to the government? It is best when the martial world and the authorities avoid conflict. However… my uncle, whom I have not seen for a long time, has summoned me. I simply believe it is proper to meet him. If not now, who knows when we might see each other again?”
“Where is this Provincial Inspector now?” Mo Yong Yun-hwan asked, clearly displeased by the uninvited guests.
“He is currently staying at the Yichang Administrative Office. Governor Gu—the head of that office—has long been acquainted with our Inspector and is also waiting with him to meet Young Master Yoo.”
The Governor of the Yichang Office was not entirely unrelated to the Martial Alliance, whose headquarters were also based there.
This is becoming more troublesome by the moment, Mo Yong Yun-hwan thought, clicking his tongue as his gaze shifted between Yoo Geon-myeong and Yeon-hwa.
“When do you plan to depart?”
“We will prepare and leave immediately.”
“I’ll assign some Alliance warriors to accompany you.”
He spoke as if offering goodwill, but the old man Jang Bok immediately looked ready to refuse. Yoo Geon-myeong stopped him.
He did not want rumors spreading—rumors that the Alliance was sending spies into government territory or that he was under surveillance by martial artists, something that could offend high officials. And knowing Jang Bok’s personality, he would not reject the offer politely.
“Neither Yeon-hwa nor I hold positions that allow us to command people. It would be improper to use Alliance warriors for private matters. Moreover, if my uncle were to hear of it, he might misunderstand and take offense. There is no need to create unnecessary problems.”
Mo Yong Yun-hwan could not refute him; pressing the matter might look like an attempt to infiltrate government offices.
“Very well. That won’t be necessary.”
When the conversation ended, Yoo Geon-myeong extended his hand to Yeon-hwa. She glanced at it briefly before carefully placing her own hand in his. As he helped her stand, he addressed Mo Yong Yun-hwan, who was staring intently at their clasped hands.
“Thank you for summoning us. Jang Bok said he came searching for me within the Alliance because you allowed him entry after seeing the flag—but from the Alliance’s perspective, he must not have been a welcome guest.”
Jang Bok’s face turned pale. Realizing he had acted rashly out of longing to see the young master, he blamed himself. But Yoo Geon-myeong gave him a reassuring glance before continuing.
“I had intended to visit you anyway—to discuss matters regarding Jang Bok and my departure to see my uncle. Your summons has actually made things easier.”
With that, Yoo Geon-myeong had effectively secured official permission from Munryeong regarding both Jang Bok and his future plans—making it difficult for anyone to raise objections later.
After the three of them withdrew, Mo Yong Yun-hwan drained his now-cold tea and took a sip of fresh hot tea.
“Investigate the Daejeong Merchant Guild again. Leave nothing out—search thoroughly.”
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence—an unusual occurrence. Sak Gi-sun, who had been memorizing the orders, looked up.
“…Never mind. You may go.”
Confused but unable to question him, Sak Gi-sun withdrew.
Mo Yong Yun-hwan finished his tea. Events kept slipping beyond his plans, and he sank into deeper thought about how to handle this shifting tide.
After returning from Munryeong Pavilion, Yeon-hwa gathered the luggage Hong-ri had prepared and went outside to Yoo Geon-myeong, who was waiting.
Beside him stood not only Jang Bok but also Yoo Jung-chi, who seemed to have arrived at some point.
“Elder Jang Bok, it’s been a long time.”
“Jung-chi… you’ve aged quite a bit. You must have had a hard time serving our young master.”
“Ha! It’s only natural. But…”
“What is it?”
“You know how much effort the young master poured into this matter. I worry… that it may come back to harm him someday.”
“Sigh… that’s true. Yichang was not originally part of the Inspector’s plan. It was only after receiving the young master’s letter that he changed course—it couldn’t have been easy.”
Though they spoke freely, they clearly assumed Yeon-hwa’s martial arts would not allow her to overhear them. Yet every word reached her ears clearly.
She had already learned from Yoo Geon-myeong on the way to Munryeong Pavilion that his uncle was the Provincial Inspector and that he had been summoned—but what she heard now sounded far more serious. She also realized that the relationship between Yoo Geon-myeong, his uncle-figure Jung-chi, and Jang Bok was far from ordinary.
He has pushed himself too far… because of me.
The Three Commanders had given her wealth, status, and everything others admired—but they had denied her the one thing she truly wanted. That made it even harder to bear, for it should have been hers from the beginning.
Geon-myeong gives me everything.
He was truly a good man—an excellent partner, a capable ally, and the man she had chosen herself.
Yoo Geon-myeong came out carrying luggage and approached when he spotted her. As they walked toward the others, the two men immediately fell silent.
“Let’s go,” Jang Bok said.
Yoo Jung-chi remained behind at the Daejeong Hall while Hong-ri waved them off.
“Miss, have a safe trip!”
“I’ll bring you back some candy.”
“Do you think I’m a child?!”
Despite her words, her face was full of smiles. Yeon-hwa tapped her lightly on the head before walking away.
* * *
Hoofbeats clattered down the main road.
A cavalry group rode through the street—not excessively fast, giving people plenty of time to move aside safely.
“What’s going on? Is something serious happening?”
“If it were, they wouldn’t be riding so slowly. Probably some important figure arriving.”
“Important? Didn’t that incredibly high official already arrive at the Yichang Office recently?”
“Then it must be another important person. There’s no shortage of them—and just look at those flags. Whoever’s coming must be someone significant.”
The townspeople simply watched and chatted as the cavalry passed.
Only when the Yichang Administrative Office came into view did the riders slow to a full stop. At the main gate, they dismounted.
Yeon-hwa also dismounted from the middle of the formation—from the red-maned horse once gifted to her by Ui-jun. It was clearly a noble-blooded steed that attracted attention, so she usually avoided riding it—but today was special.
“Jeok-roe, are you in a good mood?”
She stroked its mane, and the horse neighed happily.
When Yoo Geon-myeong approached, the horse glanced sideways at him and nudged him lightly with its nose.
“What? Want sugar again?”
As if used to this behavior, he scratched the horse’s nose and fed it a piece of sugar from his pocket. The horse crunched happily, snorting with delight.
Knowing how picky Jeok-roe usually was with people, Yeon-hwa watched the scene with surprise.
