'To think the Demonic Cult was involved here too.'
Beyond being absurd, it was now astonishing.
Just how far had the Demonic Cult extended its reach to prepare for the invasion of the Central Plains?
'They prepared for so long, so of course, we were helpless...'
The martial artists of the Orthodox Faction probably couldn't even dream that the Demonic Cult was working like this under the surface.
To be honest, the original was the sa.
In my past life, I entered the Martial Alliance and went here and there, fighting all sorts of battles, but thinking back, there were very few incidents related to the Demonic Cult.
It was chilling to think about how secretly they had been laying the groundwork.
"Who from the Cheonjishingyo? How did you get to know him? Can you still contact him?"
"He said his na was Myeong Hwa-ryun. He approached first when I was still working as a county magistrate in Shandong Province. He said he would install the formation in the manor if I just followed his words without having to worry about anything, and I don't know what possessed then, but I asked him to do it."
"So there's no way to contact him separately?"
"No. I have no way. I don't even know if the na Myeong Hwa-ryun is real..."
His voice trailed off.
Now that the whole situation was over, he seed to be realizing how absurd his actions had been.
A son who tries to get what he wants by threatening his father.
It was to the point where I thought it would have been better if he had just pestered Minister Jeong for the family heirloom every day.
Of course, knowing Minister Jeong's personality, he would never have given up the heirloom that way, which is probably why he did what he did.
"Hmm... this makes things a little unsettling."
"What is unsettling?"
"To be honest, we were able to appease Left General Jin Baek this ti, but the Demonic Cult bastards are incredibly cruel. They could co back at any ti, saying you didn't keep your promise. Since they installed the formation themselves, they already know the location of this place."
"Ah...!"
Jeong Il-hak's face turned pale.
It seed he hadn't thought that far.
Since he had given up his official position, the path to becoming a central official was now distant.
If the Demonic Cult bastards showed up and caused a ruckus, asking why he didn't keep his promise, he would have no justification to say anything.
"B-But I haven't been contacted even once since then. Isn't it possible they won't bother us in the future?"
"No one can guarantee that."
“……”
"There's no other way. You'll just have to strengthen your guard and live while keeping an eye on your surroundings from now on."
He had an anxious expression, but he soon nodded.
As I said, there was really no other way.
And it's not like I could stay here forever.
'Still, I shouldn't lose interest in the news from this area.'
Whatever the outco, just finding out that the Demonic Cult was involved was a pretty big gain.
Since those bastards are now extending their hands to the imperial court and the governnt army, I should tell Ryu Ju-guk and Jeong Yi-hak about this as well.
It seems they are still approaching under the na Cheonjishingyo, so I should ask them to first obstruct anything related to the Cheonjishingyo and then contact .
"Taoist master. From now on, I will truly live a good life without being greedy. I also heard from my father that you said he should save when he was about to give up on ."
"Don't get the wrong idea. It wasn't for your sake. I just didn't want Minister Jeong to live with the guilt of his son going wrong for the rest of his life."
"Still, in the end, you saved . I will never forget that grace."
"You've given up your official position and have none of the wealth you've accumulated. How are you going to repay my grace? Don't create a debt of gratitude for no reason. You'll get my hopes up."
I said it lightly, but Jeong Il-hak's expression beca serious.
He spoke with eyes full of determination.
"No. Not right now, but I will beco a person who can be of help after so ti has passed."
"How?"
"Although I have given up my official position this ti, I plan to take the provincial examination again in a few years."
"The provincial examination?"
"If I win first place again then and re-enter officialdom, won't I beco a person who can be of help to soone?"
I looked at him with eyes full of suspicion, wondering if he still hadn't co to his senses, but he waved his hands and hurriedly said, "Ah! It's absolutely not because I have so other ulterior motive. I'm a grown man, and I can't just freeload off my father forever, so I have to do sothing. The only thing I know how to do is study... Instead, if I enter officialdom again this ti, I plan to do it fairly and squarely with my own strength."
To be honest, I couldn't completely believe his words, but I nodded for now.
"If a similar incident happens one more ti... then I'll co for you for real, not with a formation."
"Yes. Such a thing will never happen."
"Alright."
I told him I would trust him and left him there.
In any case, whether to trust him or not was a decision for Minister Jeong to make, not .
He is a wise man, so he will make sure Jeong Il-hak makes the right choice.
The next person I went to see was Jeong Yi-hak.
He greeted warmly when he saw .
"Taoist master. Thanks to you, everything has been resolved well."
"I'm glad. If you hadn't told that the first young master seed to be the culprit in this incident, I wouldn't have been able to solve it."
"Even though I had my suspicions, I couldn't do anything... It's dizzying to think that sothing really terrible could have happened to my father if it weren't for you, Taoist master."
He fumbled for sothing in his bosom and handed it to .
It was a wooden plaque about half the size of a palm, with so characters written on it, and a seal stamped in gold on the bottom right.
"Taoist master. Please accept this."
"What is this?"
"This is a Horse Requisition Plaque. If you possess this plaque, you can borrow a horse at any ti from the post stations managed by the state. You can return it to another post station, so just having this one will be a great help for your travels."
"Is it alright for you to give sothing like this?"
"Of course. I rarely use it since I have my own horse. And when I get a higher official position in the future, I will receive an even better Horse Requisition Plaque, so you don't need to worry."
"Then I'll gratefully accept it."
I took the Horse Requisition Plaque and looked it over.
It was very neat and elaborate, as if carved by a highly skilled craftsman.
"And... I will definitely repay this debt of gratitude soday. Whenever you need the help of an official, please co find . I will help you to the best of my ability."
"Yes. Your words alone are enough, thank you."
Seeing Jeong Yi-hak's skill and character, it seed highly likely that he would advance to a higher position in the future.
Since I've ford a good connection now, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to let it mature as much as possible and use it when he reaches a high position.
"I have to leave now, so if any other problems arise, please send a letter to the Wudang Sect. If there's anything I can do to help, I'll co again."
"What you've done so far is more than enough... Thank you so much."
His face was filled with emotion.
To be honest, it wasn't just that I wanted to help them; I said it because it was a place where the Demonic Cult had laid its hands, and I wanted to keep a close eye on how things would unfold. But for now, I decided to let him be moved.
"Now, I just need to et Minister Jeong one last ti, and then I have to return to the Wudang Sect. It's been too long since I left the sect."
"Yes, I understand. I also have to go back tomorrow morning. I've been resting all this ti on the pretext that my father had passed away, but I don't know how to tell them he's actually alive and well. Haha!"
Jeong Yi-hak showed a big laugh like that for almost the first ti since I t him.
He now seed to be truly at ease.
A little while later, after parting with Jeong Yi-hak, I arrived at Minister Jeong's quarters.
When I knocked on the door, Minister Jeong ca out after a long pause.
His hair was disheveled as if he had been taking a nap at this hour, but his expression looked incredibly bright.
"Taoist master! I apologize. I lay down on my bed in my quarters for the first ti in a while and fell asleep without realizing it..."
"It seems you are at ease now."
"Of course. It's all thanks to you, Taoist master."
He grabbed and led to a chair.
Then, he took out a golden plaque from a drawer next to the bed.
"What is this?"
"This is the Emperor's token."
"The Emperor's?!"
He nodded.
He seed to be reminiscing about the old days, closing his eyes for a mont as if recalling the past, and then said to , "This is an item that the current emperor bestowed upon when I laid down my official post and returned here. The emperor gave that item and said, 'With that item, you cannot wield absolute power... but at least once, no matter what cri you commit, that token will absolve you of the cri.'"
"Is it a pardon?"
"That's right. But since I spend most of my life inside the manor, I have no use for this. It seems it would be better for you, Taoist master, who will be traveling around the Central Plains a lot, to have this... Please accept this item."
"But how can I accept sothing so precious..."
"No matter how precious it is, can it be as precious as my life and my son's life?"
He said with a benevolent smile.
To be honest, how often would I clash with the governnt army or the imperial family, but having such a pardon would be beneficial, and there would be no harm in possessing it.
"Yes. I will gratefully accept it."
"Now... you will be leaving."
"It seems so. I should be heading back soon."
"Thank you for your help all this ti. I don't know if all my feelings will be conveyed, but I am truly grateful."
Minister Jeong bowed his head deeply to , who was decades younger than him.
At his bow, I felt a sense of fulfillnt, as if all my troubles until now had been rewarded.
***
The night before Unhwi's party left the manor.
A person was secretly looking around the vicinity of the manor.
He muttered to himself as he observed the atmosphere inside the manor.
"Tsk. At this rate, I'll never be able to keep my promise."
He was frowning heavily.
He was the very person who had made the deal to change the perception of the Cheonjishingyo in exchange for installing the formation in this manor.
"Just in case he reveals my na sowhere..."
He gauged the height of the manor wall and leaped over it.
He was planning to approach quietly, slit Jeong Il-hak's throat, and then escape.
"Myeong Hwa-ryun."
At that mont, hearing soone call him from the darkness, Myeong Hwa-ryun was startled and looked in that direction.
Then, a person erged from the darkness.
Although he looked very different from the person Myeong Hwa-ryun rembered, he could still recognize him at a glance.
"L-Lord!"
"Myeong Hwa-ryun. Stop interfering with this house now. I have found sothing more important."
"How are you here, my lord? And those clothes, that hair, what on earth..."
"It is the will of the Sect Leader."
The man imdiately continued.
"The important thing right now is not why I am like this. You are to never interfere with this house again. And quietly wait for my contact."
"Yes, my lord. I will do so."
Myeong Hwa-ryun answered and went back outside the manor.
And the man who was called 'Lord' by him entered the manor with a calm gait.
(End of Chapter)
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