Episode 9. Reading people’s minds.
The speech of the eastern part of Luoyang.
Waryongjang.
It was early the next evening when the Baekho-dae warriors realized that Yeon-jeok-ha had run away. As usual, a warrior carrying a basket of food discovered a fallen door.
“What! The enemy broke down the door and ran away?”
The commander of the Waryongjang, Yeonmu-dok, suddenly stood up from his seat.
Baekho-dae’s leader, Baek Jeong-gi, lowered his head.
“Considering that the side door was intact until last night, it seems that he ran away in the meantime.”
“Are you saying a day has already passed?”
“That’s right.”
“How could that little boy escape when the White Tiger Guard is guarding it!”
“I’m embarrassed. I think I’ve relaxed a bit since nothing much has happened in the past ten years.”
In the past ten years, there has not been a single attempt to escape. It is true that the security around the warehouse has become lax.
The commander-in-chief, Yeonmu-dok, was curious about Baek Mi-ju’s reaction, who ruled Waryongjang.
“What did Madam Baek say?”
The corners of Baekho-dae Daeju Baek Jeong-gi’s mouth slightly went up.
Unlike the Yeon clan, there was no one in Baekho-dae who did not know the relationship between Yeonmu-dok and Baek Mi-ju.
“He told me to search for it within three days from the announcement.”
“Hmm! Three days… … .”
“Three days seems like too much. He’s a child who has no experience in martial arts, so he probably wouldn’t be able to get away with it.”
“That’s true, but… … .”
The smoke detector has a somewhat ominous face.
It makes sense, since Waryongjang and his own shortcomings are about to be revealed.
“What would you do if you couldn’t find it after looking for it?”
In fact, it was not something he, the commander and uncle, could ask the leader of Baekhodae. That was how much control Baek Mi-ju and Baekhodae had over Waryongjang at the moment.
“You said you would pretend to have run away.”
Yeonmu-dok nodded as if he understood.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Baek Jeong-gi got up from his seat, bowed, and left.
Yeonmu-dok, who had been standing there blankly for a while, sat down on the spot.
“Surely, you said that Moobaek and Namgung Se-ga were coming… … You didn’t do anything before that, did you?”
Yeonmu Baek, who went to Namgung Se-ga ten years ago, is returning after completing long training.
It doesn’t matter as long as only smoke comes.
The problem is that the children of the Namgung family are coming with Yeonmu Baek.
If it was discovered that they had been imprisoning the enemy for ten years, Waryongjang’s reputation would have fallen to the ground. Given Baek Mi-ju’s personality, it would have been difficult for her to tolerate that.
‘Did they handle the loading before they got there?’
“Hmm!”
A voice flowed out of Yeonmu-dok’s mouth.
If it was Baek Mi-ju that he knew, she would be a woman who would do that and more.
Baekho-dae was a group of people who would even pretend to die if Baek Mi-ju ordered them to do so.
Isn’t it absurd to say that the cargo escaped by breaking down the side door?
When I thought about the death of my subordinate, I felt guilty.
“Ha! Brother, sister-in-law. I’m sorry. When I go to the afterlife, I’ll kneel down and apologize.”
Yeonmu-dok briefly apologized to the dead and shook off thoughts about Yeonjeok-ha.
Because the dead are dead and the living must live. After Baek Mi-ju took full control, his position became even smaller and he was now nothing more than a butler.
Of course, the chief of the police did not put in any effort to find his runaway nephew. He thought it was just an act to show off to others.
Three days passed since then.
The warriors of Baekho-dae and Waryongjang who had been wandering around the area returned empty-handed.
Baek Mi-ju made a fuss, asking why she couldn’t find even one little child, but that was the end of it.
In fact, Baek Mi-ju thought that even if Yeon-jeok-ha was alive, her life would end in begging. There was nothing a child who had been locked in a warehouse for ten years since he was six could do.
***
Seven days after Yeonjeokha ran away from home.
The gate of Waryongjang, which had been tightly closed, finally opened wide.
Baek Mi-ju was running around busily, just like the day she welcomed Namgung Se-ga’s guests ten years ago.
And around noon.
A carriage stopped in front of Waryongjang.
The man and woman who got off the carriage did not go straight into Waryongjang but looked around.
Namgungcheon of Cheongung Sword said while stretching.
“Oh my! My arms and legs. My whole body aches. Priest Yeon, why don’t you hurry up and go in and say hello?”
Now, the grown-up Yeonmu Baek muttered, stroking his dark beard.
“I thought the death penalty and the Waryongjang were huge, but I’m surprised at how small they are.”
“Stop freaking out. Now that the priest has returned, we will become the biggest martial family in Luoyang.”
Then Yeonmu Baek laughed heartily.
“Haha! Luoyang? No, my goal is to be the best martial artist in Henan Province.”
“Becoming the ruler of a province is not something that can be achieved by one’s own efforts. Do you think that a powerful family in the martial arts world can be created that easily? Don’t you, Yeon-ah?”
Namgung Yeon did not answer Namgung Cheon’s words.
She simply looked at the low wall of Waryongjang with sad eyes.
The gatekeeper, who discovered this man and woman, ran inside.
After a while, the Yeon clan, led by Baek Mi-ju, poured out of the inner quarters.
Baek Mi-ju’s eyes opened wide as if they were lanterns, as she discovered Yeonmu Baek from afar.
At first glance, the young Yeonmu Baek seemed like a young master.
Baek Mi-ju, who grew up in a poor family, immediately realized that her eldest son had returned as a master.
“No white!”
At Baek Mi-ju’s call, Yeonmu Baek hurriedly ran and bowed.
“Mother, I have returned after studying for ten years.”
The face of Yeonmu Baek, who was straightening his waist, was filled with pride.
It makes sense, since he trained in martial arts for ten years in the Namgung family, the best in the martial arts world.
“Well done, my son. Aren’t those who have come with you honored guests of the Namgung family?”
Baek Mi-ju’s eyes quickly swept over Namgung Cheon and Namgung Yeon.
I immediately knew they were Namgung Byeok’s son and daughter because their faces still had the look of ten years ago.
Namgung Jeon, who was 28 years old, looked like a peerless master like Yeonmu Ryong when he was younger. In fact, there was no one in the martial arts world who did not know the nickname of Cheongun Sword.
The pretty girl standing next to her is Namgung Yeon, 18 years old. Her body with clear curves is enough to make even other women envious.
Namgungcheon bowed politely and greeted him.
“Auntie, it’s a thousand.”
“… … .”
Namgung Yeon bowed silently but did not open his mouth.
Baek Mi-ju, who was admiring her flower-like beauty, belatedly recalled Namgung Yeon’s eccentric personality and snickered. It seemed like nothing had changed since he was like that ten years ago.
Yeon Seung-baek and Yeon Seon-ju, who had been standing behind Baek Mi-ju, stepped forward hesitantly.
“older brother.”
“Brother.”
Yeonmu Baek smiled and nodded.
“Yes, it’s been a while. I’m glad to see you all healthy. Seungbaek, have you made any progress with the Gucheon Sword?”
“So-so. How are you, hyung?”
“With my uncle’s help, I have achieved the six sages. My uncle said that I would attain ten sages within the next ten years… … . I don’t know what will happen.”
Yeon Seung-baek’s mouth opened wide at the mention of the word “yuk seong.”
“A sex toy? Whoa!”
I heard that his father, Yeonmu-ryong, was at the peak of his power when he entered the martial arts world. Yeonmu-baek is twenty-four years old, so it can be said that his father, who was called a genius, has achieved something similar. The revival of Waryongjang, which his mother had so desperately wished for, is not far off.
Baek Mi-ju, who had been watching the conversation between her brothers with a proud face, started to get excited.
“Oh, come to your senses. Let’s go inside quickly. My nephews and nieces, please go inside too.”
Baek Mi-ju was pressured by the name of the Namgung family and treated her nephews like superiors.
Namgung Cheon looked at Namgung Yeon with an awkward face.
But surprisingly, Namgung Yeon’s expression did not change as if it was natural.
‘What’s wrong with a child who hates being bowed down to?’
This is the moment when Namgungcheon, who had been tilting his head, was about to take a step.
Namgung Yeon grabbed Namgung Cheon’s collar.
Namgung Cheon looked back at Namgung Yeon in surprise.
Namgung Yeon’s gaze turned to Yeonmu Baek, Yeonseung Baek, and Yeonseonju in turn, then back to Namgung Cheon.
Only then did Namgungcheon understand his younger brother’s intentions.
“Auntie, I don’t see my youngest brother.”
Namgungcheon couldn’t even remember the fourth child’s name.
A sigh escaped Baek Mi-ju’s mouth.
“Ha! He ran away from home a few days ago. Maybe he was stimulated by the news that his older brother had succeeded… … He just stayed in his room and didn’t do anything.”
“Are you running away from home?”
Namgungcheon didn’t think anything strange.
This is because he himself has run away from home once.
But at that moment, a chill came over me.
I was startled and saw that Namgung Yeon was oozing murderous energy from his entire body!
Namgungcheon quickly patted his younger brother’s shoulder.
“Haha! Yeon-ah. Don’t be so surprised. Haven’t I run away from home before?”
“joy!”
At Namgung Yeon’s cynicism, Yeonmu Baek’s shoulders flinched and trembled.
“S, Saj, what’s wrong?”
At that moment, Yeonmu Baek felt his heart sink.
Although his private secretary, Namgung Yeon, is four years younger than him, their martial arts skills are as different as heaven and earth. He is no match for her.
Only Namgung Cheon-man, a death row inmate, can handle her.
However, Namgungcheon is the kind of person who would pretend to die if it was something his younger sister said. In the end, this means that if Namgungyeon gets angry, no one can stop him.
‘Why does Sajeo act like that? He’s the kind of person who, once he makes a mistake, it lasts for years… ‘
To be honest, the person who had a hard time with Yeonmu Baek was Namgung Yeon.
Her nickname in Namjikryeoseong is Hwayongdoksim. It is a nickname given to her because she is said to ‘read people’s minds with a face as beautiful as a flower.’
Some people ridicule his taciturnity, saying he is ‘as quiet as a flower’, but they nod their heads at his intelligence that ‘reads people’s minds’.
However, Namgung Yeon did not even glance at Yeonmu Baek.
Meanwhile, Baek Mi-ju had no choice but to stop walking due to Namgung Yeon’s sudden cynicism.
‘Why that half-penny?’
Now that I think about it, I think I was just as quirky as I am now, even when I was young ten years ago.
Baek Mi-ju asked with a big smile on her face.
“My nephew, is there anything you don’t like? If there is, please tell me.”
Namgung Cheon stepped forward to replace Namgung Yeon.
“Haha, I think she’s surprised to hear that the youngest ran away from home. Don’t worry too much about it. Our Yeon-i sometimes does that at home too.”
But his excuses didn’t help much.
‘Ppadduk. What a shameless bitch. How insignificant must our Waryongjang have seemed to her to continue the habits she used to have at home!’
Baek Mi-ju tried to speak calmly, gritting her teeth internally.
“That could be true. I was also shocked when my son ran away from home. I can’t understand how children of that age think… … Of course, I have my shortcomings because I’m not their biological mother.”
Baek Mi-ju, who had been observing for a moment, continued speaking with a sorrowful expression.
“After that, for several days, we released people and searched the entire area of Unsa like a swarm of dogs… … .”
Before Baek Mi-ju could even finish speaking.
Suddenly, Namgung Yeon brushed past Baek Mi-ju and ran inside the gate.
Namgungcheon, embarrassed, hurriedly followed his younger brother.
Later, Baek Mi-ju and the Yeon family rushed into the house.
Baek Mi-ju glared at the back of Namgung Yeon’s head with a venomous look. Just as it was ten years ago, the boy still seemed hostile to her now.
How could such incompatibility be possible?
It seems like it would be difficult to even get close to her, let alone accept her as a daughter-in-law.
Wuxia,
