Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#106

“….”

Namgung Taejin’s face becomes explosively complicated.

He never expected that the pushover younger brother he thought would simply comply would mention the flaws he carelessly spoke of and reject him so strongly like this.

Moreover, it wasn’t a complete flat rejection but left room for possibility, which would make it even more maddening and infuriating.

‘But anyway, from the moment I realized you approached me to hand over something called the Amtu-jang, it was obvious you’d act like this.’

No matter what flaws it might have, unlike Cheonribang, this was clearly a tangible object.

Three gold ingots?

Of course there’s an aspect of being ripped off, but it probably wasn’t a completely baseless price either.

Though there’s the risk of getting entangled with the authorities as a flaw, due to the principle of non-interference between officials and martial artists, the scale of any intrusion would be limited anyway. Even if they did intrude, Anhui is Namgung Family territory, so there are plenty of escape routes.

I don’t know what he’s being so extremely cautious about, but unless it’s a special situation like the Third Young Master, it could be ignored.

But then what’s the point.

To hand that over in the first place, the Third Young Master himself would have to acknowledge and premise that he owns the ‘Amtu-jang.’

Selling it through others using false names has its limits, and even if sold that way, it would inevitably be exposed during the organizing process.

That process could become another leash to blackmail the Third Young Master later.

For the Third Young Master who knew this, there was no choice from the beginning.

There was absolutely nowhere else but me to dispose of that thing.

On top of that, listing all the flaws stimulated even a soy sauce dish’s worth of conscience as a bonus.

“Damn it. Fine. Yeah. To achieve great things, one must know how to boldly give up small things. If you cling to small things and miss the big picture, that’s what makes you petty.”

Rather than speaking to me, Namgung Taejin muttered with difficulty as if comforting himself, then raised his head.

“Little brother, no matter how bad your situation is, you must have the reward money you received through the Monthly Political Gathering this time, right? Plus there’s money that comes in regularly.”

“Yes. I’ve spent some so it’s tight, but I do have a bit saved up here and there.”

Namgung Taejin held up five fingers.

“Five silver notes. Each silver note equals one box of silver, and this amount is equivalent to one gold ingot cut to a third from the original offer of three gold ingots. I can’t do more than this. Instead, I’ll make you a proposal. There are two choices. Listen carefully. I really made this decision with difficulty too.”

Namgung Taejin said.

“If you pay three notes upfront as advance payment to prove trust out of the five silver notes, I’ll gladly let you pay back the remaining two silver notes whenever your situation improves, with no time limit. I’ll leave it entirely to your conscience.”

He placed the ownership certificate for the Amtu-jang on the table conspicuously.

Tapping it, he continued speaking.

“But if that’s difficult, just pay one silver note as advance payment. However, for the remaining four silver notes, I’ll have to charge interest at my own high rate. I can’t live by digging holes in the ground either. How’s this proposal?”

“Is that really true?”

“Of course. When has your older brother ever lied to you? Oh, but let me say in advance about the latter option – I absolutely can’t waive the interest on the four notes. This is hardship you’ll have to bear, so don’t blame me. If even this is difficult, well, I have no choice but to charge high interest on the full five silver notes…”

I lightning-fast pulled out three silver notes from my chest.

I extended them forward.

“…What’s this?”

Namgung Taejin stupidly looked down at the three silver notes I held out.

“What do you mean what. It’s for the first proposal you mentioned. Three silver notes. They’re real ones you can exchange at a money house.”

“…”

Namgung Taejin looks at me.

“Before, you could barely scrape together a hundred silver coins?”

“I’ve been diligently raising pigs since then, so I’ve saved up some money. Thanks to you, older brother.”

“Uh… is… is that so?”

“Then since I’ve proven trust for the first proposal, the deal is concluded, right? A transaction between men of honor.”

“…”

Namgung Taejin held the three silver notes in a daze, checking them.

He held them up to the sunlight several times, checking the seals and format.

“…They’re real.”

“Of course. They’re real. If you take them to a money house, they’ll exchange them right away.”

I immediately took the certificate from the table.

“Then since I’ve paid the price, I’ll gratefully take this certificate. No problems, right?”

“…No… problems.”

“Thank you, older brother. I’ll try my best to repay the remaining two silver notes as quickly as possible once my situation improves. You’ve cut the price from three gold ingots to less than one, and then again reduced it by nearly half with no interest until I can afford to pay – you really care for your younger brother.”

At my words, the corners of Namgung Taejin’s eyes trembled.

And he answered with great difficulty, slowly, word by word.

“Ha… haha. Right, right. Our little brother Hwi’s growth is my joy.”

***

“Everything’s ready.”

Half a day was enough to prepare for going down to the Amtu-jang.

Guk came out of the annex carrying a bundle.

“Guk!”

Wu Biaoyun, who had hurriedly chased after him from behind, shouted.

“Don’t forget what I asked when you come back up Mount Cheonju! We’re out of pork!”

Guk turned around with an incredulous look. He answered briefly.

“…I am one of the world’s Baekjao. Do you think I’d carry such trivial errands, even a string of pork?”

“These days your lord isn’t gaining weight well, so the pressure is intense!”

“I’ll bring three pigs.”

“Three pigs! As expected of Baekjao!”

Guk, who had been watching Wu Biaoyun noisily return, looked at me.

“Let’s go, my lord.”

I felt awkward.

“Sorry. I’ll warn Wu Biaoyun. As you know, Guk, Wu Biaoyun isn’t from a martial arts background, so he doesn’t really grasp how remarkable you are. It wasn’t intentional behavior.”

“Rather, knowing that he doesn’t understand makes it even more acceptable. Besides, once I decided to serve my lord, past glory is just an empty shell. However, separate from that, I’ve wanted to ask you something for a while.”

Guk and I walk down Mount Cheonju side by side.

“With your position as Fourth Young Master, the Namgung Family could easily provide you with a cook. Living in a better place would be possible too. But why do you still live here in the annex with Wu Biaoyun doing the cooking?”

“It’s simple. I don’t want the number of people who know detailed recent information about me to increase. Those who already know can’t be helped. Especially when it comes to food, clothing, and shelter.”

At those words, Guk was impressed.

“Indeed… If I were to harm someone, I would start by understanding their food, clothing, and shelter and dig in from there. You truly are my lord. Typically, many people know this but deliberately ignore it for immediate comfort…!”

The sparkling way Guk looked at me grew increasingly intense, to the point where I couldn’t make eye contact for more than three seconds.

I held out my hand to Guk.

“What I asked you for? Is it ready?”

“Are you going to start from here?”

“Time is money.”

“Of course I’ve prepared everything.”

What Guk handed me was forsythia with yellow flowers.

Welcoming spring, yellow flowers bloomed abundantly on the branches.

Holding it like a switch, I examined it closely.

“Dandelion seeds would probably be most suitable for training, but I’ll have to be satisfied with this for now.”

“But why did you tell me to pick forsythia?”

“Forsythia? In your hometown, Guk, this is called forsythia?”

“Yes. The term forsythia is used in places like Anhui, or rather in big cities, but we just call it forsythia.”

Guk pulled out forsythia in both hands.

“Anyway, I brought several as you instructed. Are you planning to decorate your room with them when there’s no vase? If so, I’ll buy a vase when I get the pork.”

“It’s for training.”

I looked at the forsythia as I walked down the hill path.

“Training… you mean?”

“As Guk knows, I use a technique called blood eating along with my internal energy operation. So I need to control it even more precisely.”

I subtly channeled internal energy into the forsythia in my hand while simultaneously operating the Pasabeolsik body technique.

All the leaves of the forsythia seemed to stiffen, then the petals closest to my hand began falling one by one.

I clicked my tongue with a bitter taste.

“From now on, bring me any flowers until I say I’ve become proficient. Ones with many blossoms will be sufficient.”

“I understand what my lord is trying to do.”

Guk immediately understood what I was doing after seeing it just once.

“I did something similar when I was learning martial arts in earnest. It was practice standing on bamboo floating on water, where extremely precise control of energy in the feet and entire body was most important, and if the center of gravity was disturbed even slightly, I would immediately fall into the water.”

I let out an exclamation of admiration.

“That training is really good too. I should practice that as well whenever I go to Tianwang Bidao from now on.”

“I’m glad to be of help to my lord.”

Guk already knew that I was racing toward the pinnacle of martial arts in my own unique way.

And he never said anything about it. He just watched silently, and when I sought advice, he would always share his thoughts with the premise that he could be wrong.

That’s why such conversations were common between us.

Of course, I didn’t speak about Bukmyeong Singong.

But other than that, I tended to speak about most things.

I had done the maximum verification possible on Guk and Wu Biaoyun, who watched over my daily life most closely.

At least seven verifications.

Fortunately, they responded to my trust, so little by little, very occasionally, I would share the worries I carried only with them.

Both Wu Biaoyun and Guk would sometimes provide answers I never expected in their respective areas, and sometimes while talking aimlessly with them, I would slap my knee in realization.

“But truly, my lord’s body is unique. Should I say it seems to possess some separate will.”

I was surprised by Guk’s sharp observation.

That was something I had been feeling recently too.

Should I say it was like a fresh, lively fish?

After the gold needle embedded in my body was removed, my body seemed to have awakened from a long sleep.

But my rapidly changing body faced the problem of blood vessels that had been fused due to the gold needle.

The fragile blood vessels couldn’t withstand the pressure from my danjeon and collapsed, and my body eventually crumbled here and there like a cracked dam.

And that was completely restored through the treatment of Guiryeongseuui after tremendous hardships.

Now that all the pieces were in place.

My body was finally like awakening from winter hibernation.

As if suddenly crying out that this was the path it was originally meant to take, it was rapidly transforming into something while resonating even with the Buk Hai danjeon that shouldn’t have existed originally.

And the speed of change was getting faster and faster, interacting with my continuous training.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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