Episode 30: So We Were Friends
"You said it yourself, the hegemony of the Xiang River is at stake. We're risking our lives for a few coins."
Jong Bi replied absentmindedly.
"This is a serious matter. There's someone targeting Hua Cheon-gang, whom I'm supposed to kill."
"That's a good thing. It's like getting the job done without lifting a finger."
"Hmm. That's true."
Won Seung nodded, and Jong Bi spoke again.
"The gold plaque is mine. You have to return it after the job is done."
Jong Bi, having eaten a late dinner, felt sleepy. He declared ownership of the gold plaque made from his secret funds and went to lie down in his room, snoring loudly enough for Won Seung to hear.
"Mm. Truly living carefree as an assassin. It's a wonder he's still alive," Won Seung murmured as he lay down, pondering.
'The two forces have been at a standoff, and now one side suddenly launches a surprise attack? They must be confident of success... Is Hua Cheon-baek's cultivation status important? What could that mean? Is he undergoing Ren and Du Meridian Opening Cultivation?'
The Four Great Sword Sects and the Three Great Blade Sects are the rulers of the current martial world. Compared to them, Red Blood Mountain is like a firefly under the full moon.
Won Seung realized he was in the midst of a tremendous conflict within the martial world.
'Why is Red Blood Mountain involved in the fight between the Sword Pact Sect and Dosanrim?'
He tilted his head, then realized it was a foolish question and lightly tapped his own head. What does an assassin organization do? They kill people for money.
'They must have been paid a huge amount.'
Killing one of the Top 100 Masters and seizing regional dominance is a big deal, so they must have received a significant sum.
Suddenly, he felt angry. They accepted such a colossal contract and only gave him two silver taels a month. His anger towards Red Blood Mountain flared up again.
After a moment, Won Seung calmed down.
'I should leave the Clear Water Sect.'
If the Heavenly Observation Pavilion attacks, a massacre will ensue. It would be troublesome to get caught in the crossfire and be struck by a stray blade.
The next morning.
As Won Seung packed his things and left the guesthouse, Jo Bang-un was waiting for him.
"I apologize for not recognizing you... It was such a coincidental matter...."
Jo Bang-un offered an excuse and handed over a money pouch.
"It's modest, but I offer it to apologize for my past rudeness."
Won Seung frowned. Inside the slightly open pouch, silver coins glinted. Judging by the weight, it seemed to be about a hundred nyang.
Jo Bang-un, upon realizing that Won Seung was a collateral member of the Seongwang family, was preemptively trying to grease the wheels, though it wasn't his own money.
Though inwardly pleased, Won Seung maintained a stern expression and scolded him.
"Do I look like someone who would accept such petty change? It's truly laughable."
Then he tossed the pouch to Jong Bi.
"But since you're asking for forgiveness for your rudeness, I can't ignore your sincerity. I'll give it to my servant who has worked hard."
Caught off guard by the flying pouch, Jong Bi quickly pocketed it.
Jo Bang-un was taken aback but could only bow his head.
As the two left the Clear Water Sect, a voice called out from behind.
"Where are you going?"
It was Hua Yeo-wol.
"Oh, the misunderstanding is cleared up, so I'm leaving."
"Leaving without even saying goodbye...."
"It's not like I'm going far. I'll be staying at the Cloud Flower Pavilion. Come visit often."
Won Seung said with a smile to Hua Yeo-wol, who seemed slightly disappointed.
"Weren't you leaving Xiangyang? Then why stay at an inn? You could remain at the main sect."
"One must be clear about such things. My stay at the Clear Water Sect was because Jo Bang-un confined me. I don't deserve such treatment."
"Indeed. I wouldn't stand for it either."
"I'm quietly stepping back for your sake."
"Huh? For my sake?"
"Yes. You're a friend. I can't put a friend in a difficult position."
"Uh-huh."
Hua Yeo-wol repeated, looking dazed, as if hearing the word 'friend' for the first time.
"So we were friends."
She looked as if she had just heard the term 'friend' for the first time.
Won Seung, feeling awkward, said, "I thought so? Wasn't it?"
"No, you're right. I just found it refreshing to hear that men and women can be friends. Friends, that's nice."
Hua Yeo-wol beamed.
"In the martial world, men and women can be friends, right?"
Hua Yeo-wol looked at the distant sky, her eyes sad like a bird in a cage.
Won Seung knew that Hua Yeo-wol felt stifled in the Clear Water Sect. The children of prestigious families often have many restrictions on their actions.
"I want to go out into the world. If I stay like this, I'll soon marry and live my life as one man's woman. There are too many things I haven't done for that."
"For someone as talented in both academics and martial arts as you, it's natural to think that way. It would be amazing to traverse the world with the name Hua Yeo-wol, not as someone's wife."
Traverse the Four Seas.
The boldness of the phrase made Hua Yeo-wol's heart race. She blinked her large eyes and murmured dreamily.
"Traverse the Four Seas... It's a wonderful phrase. I want to roam the world too, like you."
'Hmm. That's not quite it.'
Won Seung muttered inwardly, almost groaning at Hua Yeo-wol's misunderstanding.
'I'm actually stuck in an assassin organization....'
Thinking of Red Blood Mountain, Won Seung felt a surge of anger. They had stolen ten years of his life.
"What are you thinking about?"
Hua Yeo-wol leaned in close, asking when Won Seung remained silent. Her distinct features were undeniably beautiful.
Won Seung flinched, surprised.
Hua Yeo-wol's clear eyes stirred something deep within him.
At sixteen, it was the age to awaken to the opposite sex, but having grown up rolling in the dirt with girls at the Assassin Training Center, his perspective on women was slightly different from other men.
Moreover, his mind was consumed with thoughts of avenging Red Blood Mountain. Once the training ended and he returned to the mountain, he planned to settle his ten-year grudge all at once.
Still, with a beauty so close, his heart skipped a beat. Won Seung suddenly realized how pretty Hua Yeo-wol was and took a step back, saying,
"Everyone has their circumstances. I'm not as free as you think. I should get going."
"I'll see you off."
As Hua Yeo-wol was about to follow, a disciple from the Clear Water Sect approached and reported.
"Junior Sister, the Master is calling for you."
"Father? Oh, right. There was a family meeting today. I forgot."
Hua Yeo-wol tapped her head lightly and told Won Seung,
"I'll visit the Cloud Flower Pavilion tomorrow."
"Sure."
Watching Hua Yeo-wol return to the Clear Water Sect, Won Seung felt a strange sensation. It was as if he was getting involved in something complicated, a peculiar feeling tickling his mind.
*
Deep inside the meeting room of the Clear Water Sect's main hall.
Hua Cheon-gang sat at the head seat, with Hua Cheon-woon beside him, and opposite them were Hua Cheon-baek's two sons, Ucheon and Ugeuk. The atmosphere was heavy.
"Sorry for being late."
Hua Yeo-wol hurried in, bowing her head.
"Has he left?"
Hua Cheon-woon asked.
"Yes."
Hua Yeo-wol replied without much thought, and Hua Cheon-woon asked again.
"Did he leave Xiangyang?"
"No. He went to the Cloud Flower Pavilion."
Hua Yeo-wol was puzzled as to why her father was asking about Won Seung's whereabouts.
"Shall I handle him if he's bothering you?"
Hua Cheon-baek's second son, Hwa U-geuk, suggested, startling Hua Yeo-wol.
"Did Seung do something wrong?"
Hua Cheon-woon shook his head and addressed Hwa U-geuk.
"There's no need. He's not our enemy at the moment."
"Are you sure? Given the seriousness of the main sect's situation, wouldn't it be better to eliminate any potential threats?"
Hua Cheon-gang agreed with Hwa U-geuk's suggestion, but Hua Cheon-woon sighed lightly and replied.
"He's posing as the missing son of State Preceptor Won. The State Preceptor's legitimate wife is the sister of Prince Yeong, so it's not a lie that he has ties to the Seongwang family."
Hua Cheon-woon's words surprised Hua Yeo-wol. Her father had deduced Won Seung's identity from just his name.
Hua Cheon-gang frowned and asked,
"So, is he really the State Preceptor's son?"
"We don't know."
"He could be an imposter."
Hua Cheon-baek's eldest son, Ucheon, cautiously expressed doubt.
"It's possible. The world of emperors and high officials is different from that of ordinary people. They might have spread rumors of his disappearance for some reason and kept him hidden...."
"Why would they do that?"
Hwa U-geuk, not understanding, tilted his head, and Hua Cheon-woon explained.
"Because Won Seung is not the legitimate son of Lady Ju. The child she bore is Won Sochu, who is a year younger than Won Seung."
"Hmm. An illegitimate son born before the legitimate one.... That makes sense."
"He's not an illegitimate son. He's registered as Lady Ju's son in the family register. Officially, he's the legitimate son."
"Why did it happen that way?"
Hwa U-geuk asked, puzzled.
"The State Preceptor originally had a betrothed, but the Emperor married him to Lady Ju. The betrothed became a concubine and bore a son first, but the Emperor registered him under Lady Ju's name."
"So Lady Ju would want Won Seung gone."
Hwa U-geuk nodded in understanding, and Hwa U-cheon agreed.
"That's why he's wandering the martial world. To establish her son as the heir of Won Manor, she would have had to get rid of Won Seung."
"Then he's not really a member of the Seongwang family, is he? Wouldn't they want to eliminate him instead?"
"That's possible. But officially, he's Lady Ju's child. It's fine if they kill him themselves, but if someone else does, they'll find fault. It's better for us to pretend we don't know."
Hua Yeo-wol felt a pang in her heart upon hearing about Won Seung's identity. She never imagined that the cheerful Won Seung had such a painful family background.
Hua Cheon-woon shifted the topic.
"The issue we face now is... the Heavenly Observation Pavilion."
Hua Cheon-gang immediately responded.
"Hmm. We should kill Jo Bang-un first. How dare he... join hands with the Heavenly Observation Pavilion."
Hua Cheon-gang gritted his teeth. Hua Cheon-woon had revealed that Jo Bang-un was the one who sold out the Clear Water Sect's situation to the Heavenly Observation Pavilion.
"The traitor can be dealt with later."
Hua Cheon-woon said calmly.
"Anyway, the eldest brother is in seclusion training, and the second brother is being challenged by a descendant of the Yong family, so it's a perfect opportunity for them. They'll likely strike when the second brother is fighting him."
"Are they in cahoots?"
"We can't be sure."
Though it was highly likely, Hua Cheon-woon was the type not to include unverified information in his calculations.
"What's certain is that five Daoist experts have come from Dosanrim."
"Has there been any word from the main sect?"
The main sect referred to the Sword Pact Sect.
"We received word that Elder Yuk has departed with three swordsmen. However, it's uncertain if they'll arrive on time."
Upon learning that Dosanrim had sent masters, they had immediately sent an urgent message to the Sword Pact Sect, but it seemed unlikely they would make it in time.
"So we have to face them with just our forces."
The general warriors' strength was similar. However, with Dosanrim's masters, the situation changed. Moreover, if the Qingshui Gate's top expert, Hua Cheon-gang, left to accept the challenge, they would be at a complete disadvantage.
Hua Cheon-gang made a decision.
"We have no choice. I'll avoid the challenge. My honor isn't the priority right now. I can deal with the Yong family descendant later."