Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 219
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C219. Do You Have a Standard for Spending Money?
Seok Wudae spoke with a look of disgust.
“I’m very worried about this nephew who suddenly appeared. Although he is young, he carries a sword, which means he is a Murim. Murim warriors don’t care about what others think.”
The Seok brothers nodded, understanding his concern. They too had felt the humiliation at Yi Wooseok’s house.
Seok Ilham, deep in thought, looked at his son.
“Wudae, you need to go to Hyanghyun.”
“Hyanghyun?”
Hyanghyun is an hour’s journey from Seokjangchon. Suddenly, his father asked him to go there, making Seok Wudae wonder why.
“Did you forget that the magistrate of Hyanghyun, Seok Gangwol, is your distant cousin? Go greet him and ask him to attend your wedding in two weeks.”
Since it was his second marriage, Seok Ilham had wanted to keep it low-key, but the situation had changed. If they invited the magistrate, Yi Wooseok would have no choice but to accept without protest.
Understanding his father’s plan, Seok Wudae’s face brightened.
“Yes, Father.”
————
The room filled as five people sat down.
“That year, your uncle and aunt died. After that, I was left alone. If I hadn’t met your aunt here, I would have had to wander aimlessly to survive.”
Saying this, Yi Wooseok took the hand of his wife, Jang Somin, who was sitting next to him.
“Oh, please, we’re in front of guests!”
Jang Somin pulled her hand back, blushing. Yeon Jeokha smiled at the scene. Though they were poor, it seemed they at least had a good relationship.
“So, is Yuha getting married soon?”
The warm atmosphere instantly vanished with Yeon Jeokha’s words. Yi Wooseok looked at Yuha and Yeon Jeokha, unsure of what to say.
“I’ve received a lot of help from my in-laws. But I was embarrassed to keep asking for help, so I turned to the village chief. The chief is a generous person and has helped many.”
Yi Wooseok glanced at his wife. Seokjang Village was composed of the Seok and Jang Families, but the Seok were predominant. Most of the land belonged to the Seok, and some of the Jang worked on the chief’s land.
“Over time, the debts accumulated and became considerable. To pay off that debt, Yuha has been helping out at the village chief’s house. Apparently, the chief took a liking to her, and he proposed a marriage with his son. Yuha didn’t object, so we agreed.”
As soon as Yi Wooseok finished speaking, Jang Somin intervened.
“Do you think Yuha did it because she wanted to? She only agreed because she feared we would have no means to survive if I opposed it.”
“What are you talking about? We’re surviving well by selling firewood and doing needlework. Why do you say we’re desperate?”
“Are we surviving well? Then why did you borrow so much money? How much exactly? Since the topic came up, tell us now.”
Everyone looked at Yi Wooseok. It seemed no one knew the exact amount. After hesitating for a while, he answered in a low voice.
“A little over three hundred taels of silver.”
“When did you borrow that much? I don’t remember needing that much.”
“Do you think I used it for nonsense? Three years ago, when Yuha fell ill, the cost of medicine was high.”
Jang Somin looked at Yuha, who didn’t seem surprised. It seemed she already knew something about it, probably because she had heard something while working at the chief’s house.
Meeting her mother’s gaze, Yuha spoke calmly.
“Mother, I’m fine. After all, everyone gets married at some point. Besides, there’s no better proposal in Seokjang Village than the one from the village chief.”
Though it seemed like she was being sold, Yuha thought it was worth sacrificing for her family.
Yi Wooseok looked at Yeon Jeokha with an uncomfortable expression.
“As you heard, that’s why Yuha will marry the village chief’s son.”
Yeon Jeokha nodded without showing any surprise.
It had been the same when his grandparents sold his mother to a warrior.
Seeing that Yeon Jeokha had no more questions, Yi Wooseok asked:
“How have you been?”
Yeon Jeokha touched the sword at his waist and replied.
“My mother died giving birth to me, and my father died when I was six years old. Since then, I learned to fight and have been wandering around.”
From his words, he seemed like a wanderer with no home or support. Yi Wooseok’s family accepted his words as they were.
Jang Somin murmured sadly.
“Oh, poor boy! How much you must have suffered at such a young age!”
“Yeon Jeokha, if you have nowhere else to go, you can stay in Seokjang. How about working with me gathering firewood or farming?”
“I don’t think Seokjang is the right place for me.”
Yeon Jeokha immediately rejected the offer. His rejection was so clear that Yi Wooseok asked, surprised.
“Why? Do you have another place in mind?”
“My mother was sold from here, and now you’re selling Yuha to the village chief. I don’t like a place where parents sell their children.”
“…”
Yeon Jeokha’s words left Yi Wooseok in shock.
Recovering, Yi Wooseok shouted angrily.
“When did I sell Yuha?! She agreed to the marriage herself. You heard it!”
Yeon Jeokha looked at his uncle intently.
“Uncle.”
“Speak!”
“Can you cover the sky with your hand?”
“What nonsense are you saying now?!”
Yeon Jeokha took something out of his bag: a promissory note.
“It’s a promissory note for a thousand taels of silver issued by Daejungjeon in Zhengzou. If I give it to you, would you still marry Yuha to the village chief’s son?”
“…….”
Yi Wooseok looked alternately at the promissory note and Yeon Jeokha, stunned.
Seok Wudae, the chief’s son, was older than him and already had children from his previous marriage. Though the situation was difficult, accepting the note would mean admitting that he was selling his daughter.
“…”
Yi Wooseok gritted his teeth and resisted the temptation.
“…”
Just as he was about to respond, Jang Somin hit him on the back.
“Don’t talk nonsense! You’ve taken money from both my parents and the chief, and now you reject your nephew’s help? Do you think Yuha would marry the chief’s son if we weren’t in debt? Do you think she’s as foolish as you?”
Yi Wooseok looked at Yuha.
“Yuha, did you really agree to marry Seok Wudae because of the debt?”
“Father, do you think I want to marry a man older than you? His children are older than me.”
“I asked you several times, and I always thought you wanted to marry him.”
“You asked many times, but the situation never changed. How could I say no?”
“…”
“And about the chief being generous, he’s not. He never does anything that doesn’t benefit him. That’s why I couldn’t refuse.”
Yi Wooseok lowered his head, unable to say anything. Although the debt for his daughter’s illness had pressured him, he now understood that Yuha had accepted the marriage for the same reason.
At that moment, Yi Sihwa took the promissory note and examined it.
“Hey, is this real money?”
“Yes.”
“Wow! A thousand taels? You’re rich! Will you really give us this?”
“No. I only asked if you would marry her off even with this.”
Yeon Jeokha extended his hand to take back the promissory note, and Sihwa returned it, wide-eyed.
Yeon Jeokha calmly put the note away.
Yi Wooseok, surprised, lifted his head.
The note for a thousand taels had already disappeared from his sight.
“Are you toying with us because you have money?”
“No.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“I don’t want to help someone who would sell their family. Money should be spent wisely.”
“So I don’t meet your standard?”
“Exactly.”
“Is it a crime to go into debt to save your daughter? I’m not forcing Yuha to marry.”
“Heaven helps those who help themselves. You shouldn’t use Yuha to pay your debts. Show me you’re making an effort to resolve it. Then, maybe, the note will reappear.”
——————–
At the border between Buyang and Hoenam.
Lake Chogangho.
Early in the morning, twenty-five warriors appeared by the lake.
They were Lee Cheolsan’s men.
Looking around, Lee Cheolsan spoke to Yak Daemong.
“They’re surely not in Hoenam. They must have their base nearby.”
“I’ll send some men to investigate.”
Yak Daemong selected five warriors to explore the village and its surroundings. They returned at noon.
One of them spoke on behalf of the group.
“Master Lee, there are foreign warriors staying at a place called Banya Manor.”
“Banya Manor?”
“Yes, not far from here.”
“Do you know who the owner is?”
“The villagers didn’t know. They only said it was bought by someone from outside last year.”
“How many are there?”
“About forty, so it seems to be them.”
Lee Cheolsan nodded without showing concern.
“Let’s go.”
After walking for about thirty minutes, a large compound appeared before them.
The sign at the entrance read Banya Manor.
Shim Tong, the veteran warrior, observed the sign with interest.
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
Lee Cheolsan, puzzled, looked at Shim Tong.
“The engraved letters show considerable skill. It’s surprising that someone with such talent owns a place so remote.”
“Ha ha! But not as skilled as you, right?”
“Well, of course not.”
Shim Tong lifted his head, satisfied. In the past, he wouldn’t have noticed such skill, but now it was different. He was confident he could face any leader of the Seven Great Sects.
Lee Cheolsan gently pushed the main gate.
It creaked open.
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