Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 35

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

#035

 

‘…This is it.’

 

I’m certain I’ve found a way out.

 

But at the same time, I hesitate whether to say this or not.

 

The reaction might not come out as I expect.

 

Rather, it might be worse than not doing anything at all, stirring up unnecessary trouble.

 

My heart races. No, more precisely, I suppress it from racing.

 

The air in the room is heavy.

 

The alcohol in the silver cup reflects the candlelight, shimmering faintly. My gaze, which had been fixed on that cup, slowly shifts to Tang Mujin.

 

If not this moment, there’s no way to make Tang Mujin open his mouth. He has already locked the door to his heart and regards me as nothing more than a bothersome guest.

 

I steady my breathing.

 

Like those moments in the past when I had to stake everything on a single opportunity, just before aiming for a target’s vital point.

 

‘Rather than being driven away like this…!’

 

“I report to the Master.”

 

“What now?”

 

Tang Mujin’s face now showed irritation beyond mere annoyance.

 

“I already know who you are and have roughly figured out what kind of person you are, so withdraw.”

 

“You’re right. Since the Master of the Tang Family has already figured me out, a mere puppy just entering the martial arts world, may I take advantage of the connection of having this private drinking session with you tonight to ask one presumptuous question?”

 

Tang Mujin hesitates.

 

With puzzled and displeased murky eyes, he looks at me.

 

“…Go ahead. Well, what you’re going to say is probably obvious anyway-.”

 

“I’m worried because there might be someone who is extremely ill.”

 

Silence.

 

A brief but heavy silence fills the space between us.

 

Tang Mujin’s fingers tremble slightly. His hand resting on the table.

 

It was only a fleeting moment, but I don’t miss it.

 

“Why do you ask that? These days, being in the position of a young master of the Namgung Family, do you pry into such personal and trivial matters of the Tang Family, knowing it would be presumptuous? I’m disappointed, though this is our first meeting. How troublesome.”

 

His voice is cold but somehow defensive.

 

It’s the reaction I expected. No, perhaps it’s a stronger reaction than I expected. This is proof that my speculation wasn’t off the mark.

 

“The Namgung Family sent me not only to check on matters related to silver supply with the Sacheon Tang Family, with whom we’ve built long-standing friendship, but also to find out if there’s anything wrong with the Sacheon Tang Family, our old friends, and to gladly help if there’s anything we can do.”

 

I take a breath.

 

Now comes the real part.

 

“For that purpose, even if it meant being a little late, we showed the courtesy of sending Baekjao, the soul and final bastion of our Namgung Family, directly as a messenger, and for inquiring about the situation, we sent me, the fourth young master, directly for matters that could have been handled by sending a mere courier, or even harshly speaking, a carrier pigeon. Would the Deputy Master have sent me just to check on simple mine affairs?”

 

“…”

 

The candlelight flickers. Shadows dance across his face.

 

A face worn down by fatigue and lethargy.

 

Deep wrinkles around his eyes, and lips pressed tight as if enduring something.

 

“If this position was simply for the experience of a fourth young master on his first journey in the martial arts world, would the Namgung Family have put in such effort? Consider the front and back reasonably. I came here as a representative to help the Tang Family and to listen to your difficulties, as a face of our family.”

 

Tang Mujin’s silence grows longer.

 

His shadowed black pupils move.

 

It’s not a look of complete conviction.

 

But at least now, slowly but for the first time since entering this room, he straightened his posture and looked directly at me.

 

“…You said sending you was led by that Deputy Master Namgung Seong-tae?”

 

Did it work?

 

My heart races again. But this time I don’t suppress it. This tension actually gives me sharpness.

 

I answered quickly.

 

“That’s right. I strongly requested to go myself, and the Deputy Master agreed after much deliberation.”

 

“That money-obsessed man? I’d believe Baekjao was sent with the Namgung Family’s sincere apology, but that’s a separate matter of trust. The Deputy Master I know wouldn’t carelessly trust and send someone, especially one who just became a fourth young master.”

 

The answer to that is predetermined.

 

“I came in the golden carriage that Deputy Master Namgung Seong-tae sent directly, his most cherished one. I rode it beyond the borders of Anhui right up to the edge of Sichuan territory, so if you check just a little, you can immediately verify its authenticity.”

 

Surprise spreads across Tang Mujin’s face.

 

“…That money-loving Deputy Master? He went so far as to mobilize his beloved carriage that he’s famous for not letting anyone ride carelessly?”

 

“Yes. How could I dare tell such a lie to the Master of the Tang Family when it would be exposed in less than half a day upon verification?”

 

His gaze sweeps over me. Once more, from beginning to end. A reassessing look. A calculating look.

 

-Thud.

 

He sat down in front of me again.

 

“…You naturally have no standing in this martial arts world, and you’re even someone I have no connection with, meeting for the first time today. It’s natural that I can’t trust you except for the Namgung background… but that Namgung Seong-tae wouldn’t act without reason either. If he sent you…”

 

Tang Mujin nodded slowly.

 

“I understand. Let me hear more of what you have to say.”

 

“Before getting to the main point, may I first explain why I asked the rude question about whether you have someone who is ill?”

 

Tang Mujin nodded silently.

 

“When you first poured the alcohol, Master, you deliberately replaced the porcelain cup with a silver one. And before drinking, you waited five breaths.”

 

Tang Mujin’s eyebrows twitched. I didn’t stop speaking.

 

“Five breaths is sufficient time to check for discoloration. As if you were being cautious of poison.”

 

“Stop. You’ve gone too far.”

 

A faint anger begins to rise on Tang Mujin’s haggard complexion.

 

“Where do you think this is? This is the Sacheon Tang Family. You’re saying we’re being sensitive about poison in that very Tang Family? No. This is simply our daily routine. You pretend to know something, but in the end, your shallow knowledge shows. I said I’d listen earlier, but this seems like a waste of time.”

 

“I’m telling you this precisely because I think it wouldn’t be routine, even for the Sacheon Tang Family.”

 

“What?”

 

I speak firmly.

 

“On the table, there was initially a porcelain cup due to a servant’s mistake. This is the reception room, the face of the Sacheon Tang Family, and even within this reception room, it’s the table the Master sits at and uses directly. The servant in charge of organizing such a place would be one with long experience, and if even such a servant’s body isn’t accustomed to it, it must be a recently changed matter.”

 

“…”

 

“Of course, I’m not a member of the Tang Family, so how could I know everything? But that’s what I think. However, while I’m speculating, let me mention one more thing.”

 

I looked to the side.

 

There was a slightly open door crack.

 

“From the southeast direction, there’s a faint scent of incense flowing out, and this smell appears to be white flower incense. Am I correct?”

 

The Master hesitates.

 

Soon after, he realizes his momentary hesitation and reacts as if extremely displeased.

 

“Listen to this nonsense you’re spouting so brazenly. White flower incense? This is simply the common smell of medicinal herbs in the Sacheon Tang Family. How dare you come to Sichuan and discuss medicinal herbs?”

 

No.

 

There’s no way I could be mistaken.

 

Rather, the Master’s definitive and defensive behavior makes me more certain.

 

‘…It was a terribly familiar scent.’

 

A smell that passed by countless times in the past.

 

It was exactly that incense I had smelled countless times in the residences I attacked to finish off injured high-ranking targets.

 

I didn’t waver.

 

“Though it can’t compare to Sichuan’s knowledge, I know this particular sour smell within the aged incense. With this level of intensity, it’s the scent of the highest grade white flower incense among those that nourish mind and body, aged extremely long and used only for the seriously ill.”

 

“…”

 

“To call it an everyday medicinal herb smell, it’s incense used for someone too seriously ill. From my deduction so far, there exists someone extremely ill in the southeast direction, and additionally, I believe that person is extremely precious to you, Master.”

 

The Master chuckles.

 

“A precious person? Can you handle the consequences of that arrogant speculation? You seem to have forgotten who is sitting in front of you-.”

 

“I can handle it.”

 

“What?”

 

“Because there’s no way I could be wrong.”

 

I hold up two fingers.

 

“The source of the smell comes from two places. Southeast, and the Master’s clothes right in front of me.”

 

“….”

 

“That means you were watching over that sick person right until just now. And now it’s late at night, past midnight. If you were there until just before this time, it must be someone precious to you. And I know that the Master lost his wife over ten years ago and has been alone ever since.”

 

Tang Mujin’s eyes fix on me.

 

The face that had held faint indifference, boredom, and mockery begins to harden.

 

“…You little…”

 

“The Master’s recently heightened ‘routine’ vigilance regarding poison. And the existence of a ‘non-routine’ seriously ill patient within the family. Combining these two facts leads to one conclusion.”

 

I stared intently at Tang Mujin.

 

“Has the young master of the Tang Family recently been struck by some extreme poison?”

 

“…!!!”

 

Half a breath.

 

Clearly, the Master’s pupils shake.

 

What I’m doing isn’t simple bravado.

 

Rather, it’s a judgment based on cold reason.

 

My opponent is the center of the Tang Family, said to be the pinnacle of poison, various strange weapons, and hidden weapons.

 

And while his face is currently filled with helplessness, I could clearly sense it.

 

The explosive, fire-like momentum that leaked out moment by moment.

 

Thinking of his future that only I know, no matter how unmotivated and trash-like he appears now, it’s ultimately just a matter of time and opportunity—such tendencies are inherently embedded within him.

 

If my careless words were to ignite his latent violence even for a moment,

 

If my reasoning was off and I touched his reverse scale,

 

I don’t know what might happen to me.

 

I feel a drop of cold sweat trickling down my spine. But at the same time, that chilling sensation actually cleared my mind.

 

The instincts I’d honed from countless brushes with death in the past were crying out. The old tiger before me hadn’t lost his fangs—he was simply crouched down to protect his sick cub.

 

His helplessness wasn’t born from inherent weakness, but was merely a temporary appearance caused by despair.

 

‘I’ve decided.’

 

This commission started simply as a way to gain recognition as a retainer of the Namgung Family.

 

But I’m changing my approach.

 

I’ll abandon my passive attitude and actively solve this problem completely.

 

Through the leverage from that, I’ll extract what I need from this Sichuan Tang Family as compensation.

 

This is for the third calamity that’s approaching soon, to prevent the ruin of my life, and it’s an absolutely necessary condition to prevent the destruction I foresee coming.

 

And if my thinking is correct, this will become a major turning point for me, more than any ordinary opportunity.

 

‘That includes you too, Heavenly Fragrance Poison Demon.’

 

I took a deep breath.

 

And spoke to the being before me.

 

“Seeing your continued silence, it seems my guess was fortunately correct.”

 

“You….”

 

“Well then, let me return to the beginning and dare to ask the Master again.”

 

I stood up.

 

“Namgung Hwi, fourth son of the Namgung Family. As a representative of Namgung, to the master of the Sichuan Tang Family, Master Tang Mujin, what has happened here, and why problems have arisen even with the trade between the Namgung Family….”

 

Looking down at the seated Tang Mujin, I said.

 

“If it wouldn’t be presumptuous, might I, Namgung Hwi, dare to formally ask the master of the Sichuan Tang Family about those details once more?”

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