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C96. You Have Offended Me
Kaifeng.
Yonghui Pavilion.
Around noon, some visitors approached the guards' quarters.
Tak Gomyung had called for Pung Yeoncho's wife and children due to his critical condition. Pung Yeoncho's situation was so grave that arranging a final meeting with his family was deemed appropriate.
Despite everything, Pung Yeoncho struggled to sit up in front of them.
His wife, Im Jiryeong, tried to maintain a calm expression as she said:
“You can stay lying down.”
“I’m fine. I can still...”
Despite his words, Pung Yeoncho’s head was drenched in sweat.
He stood tall with bravery, wanting them to remember this image of him.
After today, he wouldn't allow them to visit again.
Even if they tried to force their way in, he wouldn't receive them.
He couldn’t allow them to see him further deteriorated.
“Children, greet your father.”
Prompted by Im Jiryeong, the children, Unbi and Hwiyeon, spoke hesitantly.
“We’re fine. Get better soon.”
“Dad, when will you come home?”
Unlike his older brother, Hwiyeon, at thirteen years old, still didn’t grasp the gravity of his father's condition. That’s why he asked when he’d return, staring at him intently.
“...Soon. Until then, listen to your mother and brother.”
“Yes.”
Pung Yeoncho’s face twisted in pain as he looked at his family.
Quickly, he covered his mouth with his hand.
“Ugh, cough, cough!”
Black blood seeped through his fingers.
Alarmed, Im Jiryeong approached, but Pung Yeoncho moved away.
“...It’s time for you to go. I’m sorry.”
“We’ll come back to see you.”
Im Jiryeong left with her children.
Tak Gomyung, waiting in the hallway, called one of the nearby guards.
“Shin Hyung, while I see off the lady and the kids, make sure no one enters the room. If you let anyone in without my permission, you'll be the first to die. Understood?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Shin Jungsoo nodded firmly.
Knowing Tak Gomyung’s skill and temper, he didn’t dare think otherwise.
Tak Gomyung escorted Im Jiryeong and the children outside.
Though it was a pavilion, the courtyard was quiet, as the day's business had not yet begun.
After bidding them farewell, Tak Gomyung rushed back to the quarters. Though he had left Shin Jungsoo in charge, he didn't fully trust him.
Upon arrival, Tak Gomyung shouted:
“Stop!”
Sang Jaeyong, the Bangju of the Sahae Chamber of Commerce, who was about to open the door, turned around.
His face showed evident displeasure.
A guard giving orders to his boss was not something he liked.
“Tak Gomyung, are you talking to me?”
Tak Gomyung glared at Shin Jungsoo.
With a worried look, Shin Jungsoo said:
“Tak Hyung, I tried to stop him, but the Bangju insisted on seeing his condition...”
Tak Gomyung’s gaze shifted from Shin Jungsoo to Sang Jaeyong.
In this situation, he couldn’t blame Shin Jungsoo.
“Bangju, I'll handle this.”
With these words, Tak Gomyung stepped onto the hallway.
Sang Jaeyong looked at him disdainfully and said:
“I asked if you were talking to me.”
“Yes. Without my permission, no one can see my brother.”
“You're overstepping. Who do you think you are?”
“...”
“I am the owner of this place. Both you and Pung are my employees. Do you think I should follow your orders? Does that make any sense?”
“The Bangju owns the pavilion, but he doesn't own Pung or me.”
“Haha. So, do you think the owner of this place, who hired someone, should follow your orders? Do you really think that?”
“I never said I’d stop him. I said I’d guide him.”
“But earlier you clearly shouted for him to stop, didn't you?”
“...”
“It seems that because of your martial skills, you don't consider your owner at all. Is that true?”
“It’s not that...”
“Then what is it? I knew wanderers were arrogant, but this is ridiculous.”
Tak Gomyung looked at Sang Jaeyong with eyes full of anger.
He just wanted to protect his brother with assassins nearby, why was it interpreted so negatively?
“What does that look mean? Are you trying to intimidate me?”
When Sang Jaeyong raised his voice, his five personal guards jumped onto the hallway.
The leader of the guards, Kang Mun, unsheathed his sword and pointed it downward.
It was a warning for him not to approach further.
The guards acted as if Tak Gomyung was threatening Sang Jaeyong.
Tak Gomyung shrugged and took a step back.
Those personal guards were from prestigious sects and more skilled than the wanderers.
But Sang Jaeyong wasn’t satisfied.
Whether it was due to wounded pride or some other purpose, he kept pressing Tak Gomyung.
“What are you waiting for? Are you going to let Tak Gomyung disobey me?”
At Sang Jaeyong’s words, the other four guards also drew their swords.
Kang Mun, representing the guards, spoke:
“Tak Gomyung, don’t resist and follow our orders. If there’s a misunderstanding, you should do so even more.”
‘Follow our orders’ meant being arrested.
Tak Gomyung gritted his teeth.
Shouting for him to stop had led to this situation. If he was arrested, there would be no one to protect Pung Yeoncho. All his efforts would be in vain.
As he contemplated whether to fight or surrender, the door swung open.
Pung Yeoncho staggered out.
“Tak Hyung, let it go. Anyway, I’m going to die soon. It’s not worth you suffering for me. Cough, cough.”
With the cough, poisoned blood came out of Pung Yeoncho’s mouth.
“Brother!”
When Tak Gomyung reached out his hand, Pung Yeoncho pushed it away.
“Just go! Do you want me to bite my tongue and kill myself right now so you’ll leave?”
Seemingly exhausted, Pung Yeoncho leaned against the wall, panting.
The commotion attracted the guards of Yonghui Pavilion, who began to gather.
Sang Jaeyong shouted to the gathered guards:
“Don’t let Tak Gomyung escape! He has offended me, and he should not leave here until he pays for his crime.”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards of Yonghui Pavilion drew their swords, blindly obeying Sang Jaeyong’s orders, as they were mercenaries attracted by money.
“Ah!”
Tak Gomyung sighed.
His companions from a moment ago were now unsheathing their swords without question, only following the Bangju’s orders.
Among them was Shin Jungsoo, who had witnessed everything.
It was evident they valued their boss's orders over discerning who was right. This was the same for Sang Jaeyong’s personal guards, disciples of renowned sects. There was no loyalty or justice anywhere.
“This is blatant robbery.”
Tak Gomyung muttered as he slowly unsheathed his sword.
Whatever the reason, Sang Jaeyong didn’t seem willing to let him go easily.
Was shouting for him to stop such a grave mistake?
Did he deserve the death of several people?
The more he thought about it, the more outraged he felt, but there was nothing to do against someone with power.
‘Damn it! If I must go, I’ll take one more with me.’
At that critical moment, a familiar and annoying sound was heard from afar.
“Hahaha! What the hell is happening here? It smells bad, don’t you think, Young Master?”
At Shim Tong’s words, the Old Dao of Nine Heavens, Yeon Jeokha grumbled.
“Old Shim, stop talking about smells and deal with those idiots. What kind of pavilion is this? Did we come to the right place? Isn’t this one of the three main brothels in Kaifeng?”
Pung Yeoncho, who was on the verge of death, opened his eyes wide.
“Now they’re in real trouble...”
Tak Gomyung stabbed his sword into the hallway floor and shouted:
“Damn it, I thought I was going to die! Old Shim, young Yeon, look at what these bastards were doing! I’m so outraged I can’t even hold my sword! Finish these scumbags!”
Shim Tong crossed the courtyard with a leisurely step and said:
“When a tiger comes down from the mountain, it is despised by dogs. Haha! Dogs, the dog hunter has arrived. Lower your swords quietly.”
Six pavilion guards lunged at Shim Tong.
“This lunatic!”
“This old man is senile!”
Shim Tong, walking as if on a stroll, moved his sword with elegance.
With a cry of pain, the guards dropped their weapons, clutching their bleeding wrists.
Shim Tong, who reached the hallway, looked at the personal guards on the platform and said:
“Should I come up, or will you come down?”
The leader of the guards, Kang Mun, asked with a tense face:
“Who are you, old man?”
“Why? Do you want to beg for mercy? Idiot. Your master must be an idiot for teaching you, and your sect is an idiot for having idiots like you. Can’t stand it anymore? Then come down right now, and I’ll cut you immediately.”
“Damn it!”
Kang Mun shouted to his guards.
“What are you waiting for? Kill that old man now!”
With those words, Kang Mun descended from the hallway, followed by his four men.
Sang Jaeyong, left alone on the platform, looked at Tak Gomyung with uneasy eyes.
He didn’t feel good.
Though his guards were experts, it seemed they couldn’t defeat that old man.
Tak Gomyung, looking at Sang Jaeyong, said:
“Do you think the world is easy? That everyone is at your feet? What are you going to do now? To save your life, you’ll have to crawl like a dog.”
“Nonsense.”
“Don’t think those guards will help you. Before I finish talking, they’ll be in pieces. Look. One, two, three. Only two are left. No, four, five. It’s over.”
Sang Jaeyong’s face paled as he saw that, in the blink of an eye, his guards were sprawled on the ground.
Shortly after, the guards of Yonghui Pavilion and Sang Jaeyong’s personal guards were kneeling in front of the building.
Sang Jaeyong remained awkwardly on the platform, nervously watching.
Tak Gomyung, Yeon Jeokha, and Shim Tong didn’t even look at him.
All their attention was on Pung Yeoncho.
After speaking with Pung Yeoncho, Yeon Jeokha turned to Shim Tong.
“Old Shim, go find the people of that Red Blood Hall. We need to know who they are.”
“Yes.”
As Shim Tong was about to leave, Sang Jaeyong, hesitantly, spoke cautiously.
“Uh, if you’re looking for assassins, maybe I can help you.”
“Really? If you’re lying, you won’t die easily.”
Shim Tong glared at him, and Sang Jaeyong nodded vigorously.
“It’s true.”
Sang Jaeyong genuinely wanted to help them.
In any case, if they found the Red Blood Hall, Chu Yeopjin’s commission would be revealed.
Then, he needed to get ahead.
He had to reveal that it was all the work of Jang Munho, a textile merchant.
And he had to get rid of Chu Yeopjin before he could betray him.
Jang Munho would be enough to confirm the truth.
He had hinted something to Cheok Dogwang, so he only needed to contact him.
Gulp.
Sang Jaeyong swallowed his saliva.
Thinking about how quickly he needed to act dried his mouth.