Episode 29: Is the Heavenly Observation Pavilion Targeting the Clear Water Sect?
The middle-aged warrior untied the money pouch he brought.
"I can pay any amount."
"Then let's go to the herb shop together."
Won Seung went to the herb shop with the middle-aged warrior and gathered various necessary herbs.
The next day, the middle-aged warrior received thirty-three packets of medicine.
"Since you're older, you should boil one packet and take it every three days for a hundred days."
As word spread, warriors from the Clear Water Sect started visiting one by one.
"Can you treat my boil?"
He had suffered for years from a large boil on his buttocks, but the very next day after receiving the medicine, the boil disappeared.
The man who was cured of the boil was quite the chatterbox.
"It's truly miraculous! The root of the boil came out immediately."
As more warriors came to request medicine, Won Seung's money pouch and herb bundle became increasingly full.
The number of medicine bottles containing various poisons also grew, prompting Won Seung to acquire a leather case for them.
'Hmm. Should I rename it from the Heavenly Poison Sect to the Heavenly Medicine Sect?'
As Won Seung's popularity grew among the Clear Water Sect warriors, he became known as the Divine Doctor, and he was quite pleased.
*
The good times ended when Jo Bang-un arrived. Early in the morning, Jo Bang-un burst into the guesthouse and shouted.
"You fraud!"
Having painstakingly learned from Hua Yeo-wol that Won Seung's name was Seung, Jo Bang-un sent someone to the Imperial Capital to investigate Won Seung's identity. The result was that there was no one named Seung among the bloodline or retainers of the Prince Seong'S Mansion.
Moreover, it was revealed that the claim of someone challenging the Great Abyss Righteous Sword was unfounded.
Jo Bang-un, who had not forgotten the humiliation and was grinding his teeth, came running with the intention of not letting Won Seung off the hook.
However, Won Seung faced Jo Bang-un with great composure.
"What is it this time?"
"Your lies have all been exposed. What? You claimed to be a blood relative of the Prince Seong'S Mansion? How dare you try to deceive me?"
Thud!
Won Seung tossed a gold identification tag.
"Gasp!"
Jo Bang-un gasped as he saw the gleaming gold plaque.
Upon examining it, he saw that one side was inscribed with "Prince Seong'S Mansion," and the other side bore a phoenix emblem. Jo Bang-un knew that the dragon symbolized the Emperor and the phoenix represented the King.
Jo Bang-un looked at Won Seung with a bewildered expression, unsure whether to believe the gold plaque.
"There was no one named Seung in the Prince Seong'S Mansion..."
"When did I ever say I was from the direct line?"
"What?"
Jo Bang-un realized he had misunderstood. Even collateral branches are still family. To investigate collateral branches would greatly expand the scope.
"Then, the one who challenged the Great Abyss Righteous Sword..."
Won Seung chuckled and patted Jo Bang-un on the shoulder.
"I made a joke to give you a hard time for detaining me over such an absurd matter."
"Pardon?"
Jo Bang-un, considering the possibility that Won Seung might indeed be from the Prince Seong'S Mansion, inadvertently used honorifics.
"I already informed your Third Master, but it seems he didn't tell you. Haha. Your Third Master is quite mischievous. He must have known and just watched you run around."
Only then did Jo Bang-un understand the attitude of the Third Elder, Hwa Cheon-woon.
Despite reporting that Won Seung's claims of being from the Prince Seong'S Mansion and challenging the Great Abyss Righteous Sword were false, the Third Elder had said nothing.
'So Hua Yeo-wol was left to associate with Won Seung because they already knew his identity.'
Thinking this far, Jo Bang-un felt something surge from the depths of his chest, and his face flushed with heat.
'Even the Third Sect Master?'
The Third Sect Master had known that Jo Bang-un was being played by a young man and had not informed him.
Despite being the Chief Steward, Jo Bang-un felt a deep sense of betrayal, especially since the Third Sect Master usually treated him well.
'Am I really that insignificant?'
Though he held the title of Chief Steward, he had no real power.
Unlike the Grand Steward, who managed the Clear Water Sect's external affairs, and the Third Manager, who handled internal operations, Jo Bang-un was tasked with serving the Sect Leader's family.
Those who didn't know better treated him as a servant to the Sect Leader's family. In fact, the high position of Chief Steward was given because he served the Sect Leader's family, but Jo Bang-un only felt that he was doing work unworthy of his position.
Won Seung took the gold plaque from Jo Bang-un's hand and said,
"My presence here is top secret. Your lips are sealed, right?"
Jo Bang-un suddenly had a thought that made him stagger.
'Damn! If this guy is from the Prince Seong'S Mansion... why is he sticking around the Clear Water Sect? Could it be...'
Jo Bang-un quickly bowed his head and showed respect.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Seung..."
He hesitated to add "Young Master" as it felt awkward to use honorifics. Won Seung smiled and said,
"Just call me Young Master Seung. If you call me 'sir' while I'm undercover, my identity will be exposed."
He spoke so naturally, as if he were someone of high status.
"Understood, Young Master Seung. I'll take my leave now."
Jo Bang-un showed respect and hurriedly left.
'Hmm. This is strange. He was really surprised by my identity? Something's up.'
The perceptive Won Seung sensed that Jo Bang-un was hiding something.
"Keep an eye on him. There's something suspicious."
He instructed Jong Bi.
Jong Bi, having experienced the effects of the antidote for the Blood Drying Powder, felt a surge of vital energy and noticed his hair growing thicker.
Having been impressed by Won Seung, he nodded immediately.
"Alright."
*
In a secluded private room behind the Yunzhong Road Teahouse.
Jo Bang-un was pacing, unable to sit down, when an elderly man entered.
The middle-aged man had a smooth, fair face, but his narrow forehead gave him a somewhat narrow-minded appearance.
"What is so urgent that you had to see me in person?"
Gu Ja-ang, the Heavenly Observation Pavilion Strategist, had stopped what he was doing to come, though he was inwardly displeased, he spoke gently.
Jo Bang-un hurriedly approached and lowered his voice.
"A significant variable has arisen, and I had no choice but to meet you like this."
Seeing Jo Bang-un's anxious demeanor, Gu Ja-ang led him to a seat.
"First, sit down. Have some tea and calm yourself."
Once Gu Ja-ang sat down, Jo Bang-un quickly took a seat across from him and spoke.
"This is no time for that. A major variable has emerged. We may need to change our plans."
Seeing Jo Bang-un's serious demeanor, Gu Ja-ang's brow furrowed.
The plan to attack the Clear Water Sect had already undergone significant changes.
Originally, the plan was to hire the Red Blood Mountain to assassinate the Qingshui Gate's top expert, Hua Cheon-gang, and then engage in a direct confrontation.
The Red Blood Mountain had requested six months, which seemed reasonable given that Hua Cheon-gang was one of the Top 100 Masters.
But suddenly, a descendant of the Yong family appeared and challenged Hua Cheon-gang. For the Heavenly Observation Pavilion, which needed to strike the Clear Water Sect quickly, this was an opportunity.
If Hua Cheon-baek opened his Ren and Du Meridians, the opportunity would be lost forever. Worse, the Heavenly Observation Pavilion would be in danger. So, they decided to change their plans and take advantage of the life-and-death duel between the Yong family descendant and Hua Cheon-gang.
To ensure a decisive victory, they invested a large sum and even received support from a master of the Daoist Forest.
On the night of the life-and-death duel between Hua Cheon-gang and the Yong family descendant, the Daoist Forest master planned to assassinate the Hwa brothers of the Clear Water Sect.
Everything was proceeding smoothly...
"And now you say there's a variable! What are you talking about?"
Gu Ja-ang's gentle demeanor vanished, revealing a cold, ruthless side. Despite his inner tremors, Jo Bang-un spoke.
"There is someone from the Prince Seong'S Mansion in the main sect."
"The Prince Seong'S Mansion?"
Gu Ja-ang was startled and asked again.
'That can't be right.'
Gu Ja-ang wondered if Jo Bang-un was up to something and glared at him.
Unbeknownst to Jo Bang-un, the plan to eliminate the Clear Water Sect was being carried out with the tacit agreement of the Prince Seong'S Mansion. But now, Jo Bang-un claimed there was someone from the Prince Seong'S Mansion in the Clear Water Sect.
"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"No, I'm not. I even checked the identification tag myself. It was engraved with a phoenix, a tag of the bloodline."
"Hmm."
Gu Ja-ang let out a low hum.
The Clear Water Sect controlled the lower reaches of the Xiang River. To manage the waterways, they needed to be familiar with the identification tags of various sects and high-ranking officials.
Though Jo Bang-un was narrow-minded, he had risen to the position of Chief Steward of the Clear Water Sect, which was a testament to his capabilities. He wouldn't be fooled by a fake identification tag.
The identification tag forged by Jong Bi was that of Won Sochu, the nephew of the Seong King and son of Lady Ju. Neither Jo Bang-un nor Gu Ja-ang had seen the Seong King's collateral identification tag in person, only in illustrations.
"Are you sure?"
"I checked the identification tag copy ledger myself."
Having checked the ledger of various identification tags before coming, Jo Bang-un spoke with confidence.
Gu Ja-ang's expression hardened.
'Could the Prince Seong'S Mansion have had a change of heart?'
The Xiang River waterway was divided at the midpoint of Xiangyang, with the upper reaches managed by the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the lower reaches by the Clear Water Sect. The Xiang River flowed into the canal connecting the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. Controlling the Xiang River meant securing a supply route to the Imperial Capital.
For the Prince Seong'S Mansion, it didn't matter whether the Heavenly Observation Pavilion or the Clear Water Sect controlled it, as long as they remained loyal.
Gu Ja-ang's mind raced. If the Clear Water Sect had offered better terms, the Seong King could easily change sides.
To the Seong King, they were merely insignificant commoners.
"Who is this person?"
"He only gave the name Seung, without revealing his surname. I'm not even sure if Seung is his real name."
"How could you be so careless? Without knowing who he is, you just assume he's from the Prince Seong'S Mansion?"
Gu Ja-ang reprimanded Jo Bang-un, whose face showed displeasure.
Realizing his mistake, Gu Ja-ang thought, 'This guy is narrow-minded. That's why he harbors resentment against the Clear Water Sect, which has allowed me to sway him.'
Having invested considerable effort in winning Jo Bang-un over, Gu Ja-ang couldn't afford to lose him now.
Gu Ja-ang softened his tone and said,
"Someone as meticulous as you must have a way to uncover his identity."
"Indeed."
Jo Bang-un's mood improved as Gu Ja-ang praised him after initially criticizing him.
Gu Ja-ang pondered for a moment and said,
"We'll investigate him on our end. You focus on monitoring Hua Cheon-baek's training. That's the most important thing."
"Understood."
*
The brief conversation between the two was relayed to Won Seung through Jong Bi.
"Is that old man really from the Heavenly Observation Pavilion?"
"I saw the old man enter the Heavenly Observation Pavilion."
"Hmm. The Clear Water Sect and the Heavenly Observation Pavilion are arch-rivals... Jo Bang-un must be planning to betray the Clear Water Sect."
"Why worry about people unrelated to us? Let's just kill Hua Cheon-gang and leave."
Having missed dinner while monitoring Jo Bang-un, Jong Bi was eating dumplings and rice cakes. While Jong Bi, who had heard everything firsthand, was indifferent, Won Seung paced the room, contemplating the situation.
"The Heavenly Observation Pavilion targeting the Clear Water Sect... Aren't they afraid of the Sword Pact Sect's retaliation?"
Jong Bi dismissed it lightly.
"The Heavenly Observation Pavilion is under the Daoist Forest. The Sword Pact Sect and the Daoist Forest can't openly fight, so they have their underlings compete. This kind of thing happens all the time."
Won Seung shook his head.
"This is about the control of the Xiang River. Neither the Sword Pact Sect nor the Daoist Forest can back down. They've shared it well so far, so why suddenly target the Clear Water Sect?"