Episode 59. A Thousand Nyangs of Debt
Contrary to his hasty mind, the closer he got to Uicheonmun, the slower Pungcheondo Yangmugi’s pace became.
‘Ha! By the way, how should I start?’
When I tried to tell the news to Gunjageom Lee Yeon-ik that ‘the Lord Moon’s daughter was being held captive in the Nokrim,’ my eyes went dark.
It doesn’t matter if you are a third party who has no relation to the matter.
However, he actively supported the Luoyang Five Knights’ journey to the Gangho region. Depending on how you look at it, he was partly responsible for their capture.
‘I guess I’ll turn back.’
No matter how much I rack my brain, there is no way out.
After taking a deep breath and raising my head, I saw the signboard of Uicheonmun right in front of me.
Late at night, two people are sitting across from each other in the doctor’s office of the Uicheonmun. They are Lee Yeon-ik, the military swordsman of the Uicheonmun, also known as the Great Hyeop of Inui, and Yang Mu-gi of Pungcheondo.
As the story of the two weapons ended, Yi Cheon-mun, the military swordsman Lee Yeon-ik, quietly asked.
“So, my daughter went with Hwayangsangbang to subjugate O Bong San Chae and was captured?”
“I’m sorry. I should have stopped you… … .”
Yang Mu-gi didn’t dare raise his head.
In contrast to his calm voice, a genuine murderous aura flowed out from Lee Yeon-ik’s entire body. They say he is a gentleman’s sword, but even when he gets angry, he is different from ordinary people.
The voice of Lee Yeon-ik, as if spitting out something, was heard through the ears of Yang Mu-gi, who had lowered his head. It felt like he, as a father, was not able to completely control his emotions.
“Tell me what you saw about the Five Bongsipgeol.”
Yang Mu-gi relayed what he witnessed that day as accurately as possible.
“… … When that thief swung his sword, a whirlwind of wind blew and everything was over in an instant. The moment I saw that, the Green Forest Triad came to mind. Not only me, but everyone who was there said the same thing.”
Lee Yeon-ik muttered as if he was dumbfounded.
“Huh! A thief in his late teens possesses the martial arts of the Three Lords of the Green Forest?”
The criteria for evaluating the inaction of the Nokrim in the Jeongpa are as follows. The best is the Pacheonma-gun, one of the ten greatest masters in the world, then the Nokrim Samjon, the greatest of all time, then the Twelve Ma-gun, then the Nokrim Chaeju, and the rest are just common thieves.
“yes…….”
Yang Mu-gi also knows that his words are absurd.
But what can I do? I have no choice but to tell you what I saw.
Then again, it would make sense for him and the Luoyang Five Swordsmen to surrender. The Green Forest Three Swordsmen would only be able to deal with someone as great as the leader of the Seven-Pay Sect.
“Why hasn’t such a master been known until now?”
“It is said that he suddenly appeared last year and took control of the Obongsan area. Rumor has it that even the shamanist Cheonjisangin couldn’t handle it… … .”
Yang Mu-gi emphasized once again that his opponent was at the level of the Green Forest Three Lords. Even if he didn’t know about the Luoyang Five Knights, he was a master whose martial arts skills were already known to the Heavenly and Earthly Merchant. If he could handle it, it meant that he was definitely one of the top tiers of the Twelve Horse Army.
“Even if what you say is true, I still can’t understand. You captured my daughter with only the martial arts skills of the Green Forest Three Lords? Are you not afraid of the Uicheonmun?”
“… … .”
Yang Mu-gi nodded his head without saying a word.
Because I knew that no matter what I said, it would only make Lee Yeon-ik angry.
Lee Yeon-ik, a swordsman who had been staring blankly at the two weapons, suddenly spoke.
“But for someone who has met a strong opponent, he has no wounds.”
“I am ashamed. I could not resist the overwhelming inaction.”
“There was a person like a reed at the Mugeukmun Gate. They say that Pungryodo planted a paulownia tree at the entrance to the Mugeukmun Gate.”
Jang Kang-ho, the master of the Mugeuk school, is a man who would rather break than bend like a paulownia tree.
Now, Lee Yeon-ik was criticizing Yang Mu-gi for surrendering to the bandits without even fighting.
Cheonpungdo Yangmugi’s face turned red with shame.
‘Damn, so does that mean I should have died fighting?’
Yang Mu-gi felt a little wronged, but he held it in, thinking of Lee Yeon-ik’s feelings. There would be nothing more upsetting and humiliating to the head of the Chilpa clan than having his daughter captured alive.
***
Namjikryeoseong Namgyeong.
Justice League General Assembly.
In the leader’s office, two people are standing with their heads together, discussing their opinions with serious expressions. They are the leader of the Justice Alliance, Jang Gang-ho, and the chief of the Shin Gi-su Investigation Team, Jegal Seung-un.
“Wasn’t the upper class of Suwol Sangbang in Buyang almost wiped out by those wearing black clothes last year?”
“Yes. Judging from the blank ambassador’s work, they must have been the Dark Side.”
“Hmm! So the famous religion has finally shown its tail again!”
A slurred voice came out of Jang Kang-ho’s mouth.
The Justice Alliance fought against the famous religion about twenty years ago. At that time, they won after many twists and turns, but they were unable to touch the leadership. If it weren’t for the True Moon Swordsman Yeon Mu-ryong and the Sword King Namgung Byeok, they wouldn’t have known about the existence of the Wolha Seonja.
There is a secret story between Jeong Ui-maeng and Yu Ming-gyo that is unknown to the martial arts world.
The Justice League has four armed groups.
The Cheokmadae, Myulsadae, Uigidae, and Cheonchudae are the elite of the Chilpai clan, and one unit can take on a small clan.
Before the famous church became known to the world, the Uigidae, which was in charge of the Gangnam area, encountered unidentified kidnappers. The Uigidae sent a messenger saying, “We will track them down,” and then disappeared without a trace.
Even though they still haven’t revealed who did it, the leaders of the Justice Alliance think it’s the work of Yu Myung-kyo. Of all the criminal groups that kidnap, Yu Myung-kyo is the only one that can eliminate the expectations.
“Your Majesty, if what the Blank Master said is true, hundreds of monks have disappeared in Henan Province alone. If you include the Taoists, the number is unimaginable. Similar things must have happened in other places. Do you remember what the famous cult member who surrendered twenty years ago said?”
“Are you talking about that weird, absurd idea of gaining supernatural powers through human sacrifice?”
“Yes. If that is true, there must be more than one or two masters with supernatural powers in the famous religion right now.”
“Do you believe that, General?”
“Considering that the famous cultists are so fanatically devoted to human sacrifice, I think it’s not completely absurd. If you think about it, aren’t the magic books of the Reverse Heaven similar?”
Jang Kang-ho nodded.
I don’t completely believe the famous preacher’s words, but there was some truth to what the musketeer said.
“If so, what do you think, Commander?”
“If the decapitated head of a monk was found in Yeoju, there must be a famous church nearby. Since there is a Uigidae at Uicheonmun, how about sending them there?”
Jang Kang-ho muttered absentmindedly.
“Tch! Another expectation… … .”
It seems that the Ui-gi-dae that went missing twenty years ago has come to mind.
“If that part concerns you, please ask the Astronomy and Astronomy Department for additional support this time.”
“Let’s do that. I don’t want to lose hope twice.”
“Since the Cheonmun Gate alone may not be enough, I will ask the nearby sects for help.”
“Good point.”
Jang Kang-ho nodded.
The medical team is comprised of elite members of Shaolin Temple and the medical school. From the medical school’s perspective, it was redundant work, so they may have been short on support personnel.
That night, dozens of messenger birds flew in from the Justice League headquarters for urgent communications.
***
The speech of the eastern part of Luoyang.
Waryongjang.
Around lunchtime, a servant approached Baek Mi-ju, who was looking through the ledger on the veranda.
“lady.”
“What’s going on?”
“A little while ago, a strange man left a letter for you to deliver to your wife.”
The servant carefully handed over the letter along with the words.
As soon as Baek Mi-ju received the letter, she read it without thinking much about it.
As time passed, the color drained from her face.
Baek Mi-ju, who had read to the end, shouted at the servant who was guarding the seat.
“Go and tell Mu-Baek to come right now! Hurry up!”
The servant, startled by his mistress’s coldness, ran out in a hurry to find Yeonmu Baek.
After a while, Yeonmu Baek appeared.
Baek Mi-ju threw the letter she was holding at Yeon Mu-baek’s face.
“Look! What happened to your younger sister Yeonju? She’s been captured by O Bong San Chae! Do you know how much they demanded as ransom? It’s a thousand nyang! A thousand nyang!”
Yeonmu Baek, who picked up the letter and read it, couldn’t believe it at all.
Why did Seolju go to Obongsanchae, and what kind of courage did Obongsanchae have to take her hostage?
The power of Waryongjang has already surpassed that of an ordinary green forest.
‘The rumor must have spread to Hanam-seong through the disciple working at Baekse Sangbang, but why?’
At first, I was shocked and confused, but as time passed, I became angry. I felt my blood boil when I thought that I had dared to insult Waryongjang on the topic of Nokrim.
But Yeonmu Baek did not show his emotions.
If the mother gets excited and does something like that, there will be no one to handle the situation.
“Mother, all the Luoyang Five Heroes are being held hostage, so we need to deal with it together. Let’s go to Yicheon Gate first.”
“A mask? They say you can get a thousand nyang if you go there? What are you going to do with your younger sister Seolju? Say it with that smart mouth of yours!”
The money that comes into Waryongjang is 150 nyang a month. If you pay 50 nyang out of that as monthly salary, there is 100 nyang left. That 100 nyang is not the net profit.
It costs fifty nyang every month to feed, clothe, and house the disciples and workers in Waryongjang. If you save and save, you can earn fifty nyang in a month. That means you have to save for at least two years to earn a thousand nyang.
Baek Mi-ju lost her mind in front of the huge amount of money.
“Tell me! Where are you going to get a thousand nyang? You’re just like your father! Incompetent and incapable of doing anything! And yet you pretend to care for others! Pretend to be good! But you neglect your own blood relatives until they’re captured by the Green Forest! You’re just like those damn Yeon-ga bastards! Because of you, I can’t live my life as I want! I can’t live!”
Yeonmu Baek felt like he was going crazy from the frustration, but he held on.
What she said just now probably wasn’t her true feelings. She was just pouring out her anger. Even though she knew it, her words stabbed him in the heart like a knife.
***
Luoyang.
Astronomy and astronomy.
From early in the morning, the guest room of the Yicheonmun was filled with outside guests. They were the parents of the Luoyang Five Heroes who had read the letters their children had written themselves, asking for their lives.
Among them were Baek Mi-ju, the mistress of Waryongjang, and Yeon Mu-baek, the swordsman of Waryong.
But for some reason Baek Mi-ju, who usually held her head up straight, was quiet.
If you think about it, it’s all because of money.
The families of the Luoyang Five-Handled clan could not reveal the threat of the Five-Four Bong Mountain Clan to the outside world for the sake of their reputation and the future of their children. The same was true for Baek Mi-ju. For the sake of the Waryongjang that was just beginning to grow, the matter had to be handled quietly.
The cost of the Palseonmun, Daeyeonmun, Chilyangmun, and Uicheonmun was small, so there was no problem.
But Waryongjang was different.
Baek Mi-ju couldn’t immediately raise the thousand nyang of money.
She had to suffer without being able to tell anyone.
Just then, thankfully, Lee Yeon-ik volunteered to help.
When you are in a position where you need help from others, you become self-conscious about everything.
That’s why the female warrior Baek Mi-ju is droopy like a pickled vegetable.
“Hmm.”
When Yi Yeon-ik, the resident of Uicheonmun, appeared and coughed in vain, the noisy guest room soon became quiet.
“We are all gathered here for the same reason. I would like to catch the bandits of O Bong San Chae right away, but… … . Let’s hold back, because saving lives comes first. It’s not too late to take revenge after rescuing the hostages.”
The family of Luoyang Ohyeop nodded their heads.
They also agreed that saving people was the priority. No matter how hard they tried, they had no choice because their families’ lives were at stake.
“I would like to limit the number of people going to Mt. Obong to one per household. Other people are watching, and if our numbers are large, the bandits might get surprised and do something. If you have any other opinions, please let me know.”
“That would be good.”
“That’s right. If you don’t want to punish them, then you should do that.”
Everyone agreed with Lee Yeon-ik’s opinion.
Because at the moment, saving my children’s lives was more important than saving face or pride.
Wuxia,
