Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 182
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C182. That is the Intention
Nam Cho-gyeol took what little money he had left and quietly left Kaifeng, almost as if he were fleeing in the night. He feared that Nok Dam-pyeong from the Sambobang would find out and send someone after them.
On the way to Hwasang Village, his mind was preoccupied with worries.
“I’ll need to find a chef and staff to work…”, he thought.
He had spent most of his money over the last two years due to his illness and hadn’t had time to sell his belongings before leaving, so he had little money left.
However, seeing his granddaughter so lively made his worries fade away. The poor girl had suffered so much at the hands of Nok Dam-pyeong that now she seemed full of life.
“Are you happy?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“You should have told me earlier. We could have come to Hwasang Village much sooner.”
“I couldn’t say it because you were sick.”
“Darn… I understand.”
Nam Cho-gyeol sighed but decided to let it go. He couldn’t even dream of confronting or seeking revenge against Nok Dam-pyeong.
As they moved forward, they finally saw Hwasang appear in the distance.
Upon arrival, Nam Cho-gyeol felt a mix of emotions. The inn had been closed for two years, and he feared the condition he would find it in.
“Maybe I should have sold the inn to Jang I-yu for a low price back then…”, he thought.
Nam Su-gyeong, looking around curiously, commented, “This road used to be deserted, but now there are so many people. Grandpa, don’t you think our inn might do well?”
“Yes, it seems there are more people,” he admitted.
There were more people than he remembered, which seemed strange to him. So, he asked a passing merchant:
“Excuse me, may I ask you something?”
“Yes, how can I help you?” the merchant replied.
“Why are you using this road? I thought the dock had been moved further down.”
“Oh, that dock was destroyed a month ago. They’re using this one again now.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Nam Cho-gyeol felt uneasy. He remembered what Jang I-yu had said.
“Why did you stop, Grandpa?” asked Su-gyeong.
“It’s just that Jang I-yu mentioned something strange.”
“What did he say?”
“He said someone was operating our inn.”
“Our inn?”
“Yes.”
“Did you sell it?”
“Of course not. If I had, I wouldn’t have suggested coming here.”
Nam Cho-gyeol, now anxious, quickened his pace and hurried through the village.
After a while, they saw the inn in the distance.
“Grandpa, there are people going in and out of our inn!” exclaimed Su-gyeong.
Nam Cho-gyeol was stunned. Anger began to boil inside him.
“Who are these scoundrels who have taken over our inn?” he wondered.
Entering the inn, he approached an old man at the counter.
“Are you the owner of this place?” Nam Cho-gyeol asked.
“Oh, no! I’m just the clerk. But why are you looking for the owner?” the old man replied.
“I need to speak to the person who claims to be the owner.”
Feeling uncomfortable with Nam Cho-gyeol’s tone, the old man called one of the employees, Sangdo.
“Sangdo, go fetch Young Master Yeon.”
“Yes, right away.”
Sangdo quickly left. Meanwhile, Nam Cho-gyeol sat down in the dining area, exhausted from the long journey.
Shortly after, Sangdo returned with a young man.
Nam Cho-gyeol looked at the young man with disdain.
“Are you the one pretending to be the owner of this inn? How dare you! Who did you buy it from?” Nam Cho-gyeol exclaimed.
“I bought it from the previous owner, Seok-in,” the young man, Yeon Jeokha, replied.
“Seok-in? That’s ridiculous! Get out of here before I report you!” shouted Nam Cho-gyeol.
Yeon Jeokha, puzzled, asked, “Who are you to tell me to leave?”
“I’m the real owner of this inn.”
“That can’t be.”
Nam Su-gyeong intervened, “Excuse me, young master. This inn belongs to my grandfather. He closed it two years ago because he was sick.”
“Closed? But it’s been in operation.”
“No, he closed it two years ago because there were no customers.”
Yeon Jeokha, still perplexed, called for his assistant.
“Go fetch Shim Tong.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sangdo ran upstairs, and shortly after, Shim Tong came down, still sleepy.
“Did you call for me, young master?”
“Old Shim, this elder claims to be the owner of the inn. He says he closed it two years ago.”
“That can’t be. We bought it from Seok-in, remember?”
Nam Cho-gyeol, seeing how the situation was unfolding, demanded, “Let me see the documents.”
They sat around a table in the dining area: Nam Cho-gyeol, Nam Su-gyeong, Yeon Jeokha, and Shim Tong. On the table were two documents: Yeon Jeokha’s contract and Nam Cho-gyeol’s deed.
Nam Cho-gyeol patiently explained, “Your contract says you bought it from Seok-in, but in my deed, my name, Nam Cho-gyeol, is clearly written. I am the real owner. While I was sick, that swindler Seok-in sold you the inn.”
Yeon Jeokha, gritting his teeth, said quietly, “Shim Tong, go to Kaifeng and bring those three here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Shim Tong stood up and left the inn. The remaining three sat in tense silence.
Nam Cho-gyeol, putting away the deed, commented, “It will be a long journey to bring them from Kaifeng.”
Yeon Jeokha, lifting a cup of tea, murmured, “It won’t take long.”
After about half an hour, Shim Tong returned, bursting through the door.
Nam Cho-gyeol and Nam Su-gyeong thought he had forgotten something and had returned.
“Young master, it seems we’ve been swindled.”
“Swindled? How?” asked Yeon Jeokha.
“Those three aren’t in Kaifeng.”
“What?”
“Yes. I was told that Sosam left the place a month ago. According to the information I gathered, Sosam, Hwang-so, and Seok-in were all outsiders who arrived less than a year ago.”
Nam Cho-gyeol frowned. This situation seemed increasingly suspicious.
“Are you pretending that in just half an hour you went to Kaifeng, investigated everything, and returned? Ridiculous!”
However, the elder exploded with rage: “Are you in cahoots with those swindlers? Confess, and I’ll forgive you, but if you lie, I’ll cut you to pieces!”
Nam Cho-gyeol, horrified, shouted, “What nonsense! I only came because Jang I-yu told me there were problems at the inn.”
“Who is Jang I-yu?” asked Yeon Jeokha.
“He’s a merchant from Mandok Chamber of Commerce. He told me someone was operating the inn, so I came to check.”
“Mandok Chamber of Commerce, you say. Wait here, I’ll bring Jang I-yu.”
Shim Tong quickly left.
He returned in half an hour with Jang I-yu in tow.
Shim Tong, with a fierce expression, asked, “What did you say to this elder?”
Jang I-yu, frightened, stammered, “I only asked him why he was trying to sell me the inn if he had already sold it.”
“So you say he sold it?”
“I met him the day before yesterday. He told me he wanted to sell it, but when I came to check, there was already a new owner. That’s why I complained.”
Shim Tong, frustrated, looked at Jang I-yu with fury.
Nam Cho-gyeol explained the situation to Jang I-yu.
“So it seems these men were swindled by Seok-in,” concluded Jang I-yu, reading the contract.
“They paid twelve thousand taels for this inn!” exclaimed Jang I-yu, pitying them.
Shim Tong exploded: “Don’t talk nonsense! They could be in cahoots! Everything seems suspicious!”
“No! I’m a merchant from Mandok Chamber of Commerce. Why would I do something like that?”
“Silence!” ordered Yeon Jeokha.
Yeon Jeokha’s shout silenced Shim Tong. Everyone fell silent.
“I bought this inn for twelve thousand taels of silver. Whether it was a swindle or not, we’ll find out when we locate those three,” said Yeon Jeokha firmly.
Nam Cho-gyeol, nervous, asked, “What are you saying?”
“The elder didn’t sell the inn, but I bought it. That’s what I’m saying.”
Nam Cho-gyeol frowned, feeling powerless in the situation.
“Shim Tong, bring those men here. Alive!” ordered Yeon Jeokha.
“I will!” responded Shim Tong, hastily leaving without even packing.
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