My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 127
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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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127.
When the triplets were mentioned, he struggled to suppress the surge of emotion and said.
“They went to Jinan first.”
“The children went that far distance alone?”
“They’re smart kids, so they’ll be fine.”
“But why did you suddenly ask about the location of the Demonic Cult?”
“Just curious.”
He desperately wanted to find the triplets right away and go to the Demonic Cult.
Seeing that Seol Mujin looked weak, Bang Goyang asked.
“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
“No. I should get going now too. I’ll contact you again later.”
As he left the inn and walked sluggishly, he felt empty as if some of his internal organs were missing.
“They’ll be fine. They’ll be okay.”
Everyone revered and feared the triplets, calling them the Three Supreme Elders of the Demonic Cult and the greatest masters under heaven, but to Seol Mujin, they were just his little siblings.
Then he suddenly pictured the triplets being kidnapped in concrete detail.
The triplets among children who were kidnapped by strange villains and trembling in fear.
They were no different from three tigers disguised with fluffy fur among a flock of sheep.
Those who kidnapped the triplets mistaking them for sheep were merely jackals or wolves.
Such frail beings that the triplets could bite to death in one bite if they set their minds to it.
Thinking this way made him feel a little more at ease.
No matter how high and treacherous the mountains the Demonic Cult had to overcome, to the triplets they would be no more than a neighborhood hill.
As long as they didn’t attempt to kill the Cult Leader, nothing dangerous would happen to the triplets.
Since he had promised them, the triplets would keep that promise.
Thinking this way, Seol Mujin finally felt reassured and returned to Jinan.
In the house that he thought would feel empty without the triplets, Hwangbo Cheonak and Namgung Hyemin were still there.
And they were embracing each other.
“Eek—!”
Seol Mujin, who was entering the courtyard, stopped in surprise, and the two people who seemed a hundred times more startled than Seol Mujin hastily separated.
Though there wasn’t much skin showing, Seol Mujin hurriedly turned around.
“I didn’t see anything!”
Hwangbo Cheonak coughed awkwardly and said.
“Ahem! Y-you should have sent word that you were coming.”
“Why would I send word to come to my own house?”
“Ah! It was your house. Ahem!”
“Then go ahead and finish what you were doing (?).”
Hwangbo Cheonak said hastily.
“G-go where! I need to clear up this misunderstanding first!”
Misunderstanding my ass!
Seol Mujin left saying “Have a good time” and headed to Yeonji-ru.
Though he couldn’t imagine Yeonji-ru without Hwa Seonhwa, Yeonji-ru, the most successful pleasure house in Jinan, was still in its place.
“Mujin!”
The courtesans rushing toward him were the same as before, and Yeon Seobi also ran out barefoot to greet Seol Mujin.
Even without Hwa Seonhwa, Yeonji-ru was still his home.
The owner of the annex building that Hwa Seonhwa used had now changed to Yeon Seobi.
Yeon Seobi was tending to orchids in that spot, just as Hwa Seonhwa had done.
“It looked easy when Madam did it, but when I actually try it, it’s not easy. Both the orchids and running Yeonji-ru. Is Madam doing well?”
“Yes. She’s living well in a grand tiled house in Beijing.”
“Nothing dangerous happening?”
“Of course not. How is Yeonji-ru?”
“Still the best in Jinan. Oh right! Did you hear about the new magistrate who took office?”
“The magistrate already came?”
“I heard he was a magistrate somewhere in Jojang County in Shandong Province and transferred here.”
“When did he arrive?”
“Three days ago.”
“I should meet him tomorrow.”
“I heard he’s in his mid-thirties and apparently quite arrogant.”
“Who did you hear that from?”
“Clerk Bang Donguk.”
“It’s hard to find a magistrate as good as father.”
After chatting about this and that with Yeon Seobi, Seol Mujin left Yeonji-ru.
The next place he headed to was the brewery.
“Seol Podoo! You’ve finally returned!”
Yeon Gok, who was making medicinal tonic at the brewery, welcomed Seol Mujin warmly.
“But where are the three Supreme Elders…?”
There was no need to hide the truth from Yeon Gok.
“They went to the Demonic Cult.”
“What? The three of them went to the Demonic Cult? Why?”
“They heard that the Cult Leader had fallen into qi deviation. They insisted they had to see it with their own eyes.”
Seol Mujin briefly explained the reason and method of how the triplets went to the Demonic Cult.
After hearing the whole story, Yeon Gok tilted his head.
“A master of the Cult Leader’s level falling into qi deviation? That’s as miraculous as the Supreme Elders’ rejuvenation.”
“Isn’t qi deviation more common than that?”
“Qi deviation itself is, but this is the Demonic Cult Leader. With so many masters and physicians around him, would they just watch the Cult Leader fall into qi deviation? The Cult Leader himself wouldn’t be that foolish either.”
“That’s exactly why my siblings went to investigate.”
Sensing Seol Mujin’s worry, Yeon Gok said.
“Nothing will happen to the Supreme Elders. They’re not ordinary people, after all.”
“I do trust them, but they can’t use their original martial arts yet.”
“But they have experience. Nothing will happen, so don’t worry. More importantly, how are things progressing in Beijing?”
Seol Mujin told him about meeting Ma Hwangcheonseong.
“What? Hwangcheonseong is working as a royal physician? That quack?”
“He’s not exactly a quack, is he?”
“Well, if it weren’t for me, he would have been the Demonic Cult’s best physician, so he’s not completely incompetent. But for that guy to escape the Demonic Cult and point a blade at them. What a world we live in. So does that mean you’ll become the leader of the Myeongcheon Society?”
“No. For now, Wang Cheongyeong, Physician Hwang’s disciple, will serve as the leader.”
“I see. Then you, Seol Podoo…”
Just then, a rough voice was heard from outside.
“Is anyone inside!”
When Seol Mujin opened the window, he saw six government officials entering the courtyard.
Except for the head constable at the front, all the other constables were people Seol Mujin knew.
Seol Mujin leaned his elbow on the windowsill and asked.
“What brings you all here?”
The constables who had stern expressions brightened up when they saw Seol Mujin.
“Seol Podoo!”
“When did you return?”
While everyone was greeting Seol Mujin, the unfamiliar head constable shouted angrily.
“Shut up! Who told you to speak!”
The head constable, who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, turned his gaze to Seol Mujin.
“So you must be that famous Seol Mujin Podoo.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Gang Dujin Podoo who came with the new magistrate! I’ll be in charge of the government office’s constables from now on!”
The Powon referred to the organization that Podoo and Pokwae belonged to.
And though no one had officially appointed him, Jinan’s Powon was implicitly under Seol Mujin’s management.
“You’re quite enthusiastic. But what brings the Podoo who manages the Powon to a distillery?”
“I came on orders from the Magistrate! From today, the government office will manage thirty percent of the alcohol produced at this distillery!”
“Manage, you say? Are you telling us to offer thirty percent of the alcohol produced at the distillery to the government office?”
“That’s right!”
It was so absurd that he couldn’t even laugh.
“The government office isn’t highway bandits, yet you’re going to rob thirty percent from a legitimate business?”
“Rob? It’s tax! Tax! Does a Podoo not even know about liquor tax!”
“As far as I know, we’ve been paying our taxes faithfully?”
When Seol Mujin glanced over, Yeon Gok nodded to confirm this was correct.
“Taxes are determined by the government office! So it’s true that you’re the actual owner of Yeonji Distillery?”
Anyone worth knowing at the government office knew this – it wasn’t really a secret.
“Knowing I’m the owner, you’re still going to rob thirty percent?”
“A government official privately starting a business to satisfy personal greed! How can you call yourself an official!”
Seol Mujin climbed through the window into the courtyard.
“Did the New Magistrate order this?”
“New Magistrate? You bastard! Show proper respect to your superior!”
Instead of Podoo Gang Dujin who was just shouting loudly, Seol Mujin asked the Pokwae standing behind him.
“Pokwae Yang. What’s all this about?”
“Well… the New Magistrate said he would restore Jinan’s collapsed discipline…”
“Who told you to open your mouth!”
At Gang Dujin’s shout, Pokwae Yang hastily shut his mouth.
It seemed he’d need to silence Gang Dujin to have a proper conversation.
“Did you say your name was Gang Dujin?”
“Show respect. I clearly identified myself as the manager of the Powon.”
“I don’t care what you are. I heard the New Magistrate used to be magistrate in Jojanghyeon, Shandong Province – I suppose you came with him from there?”
Gang Dujin suddenly pulled out a club.
“This bastard dares speak informally to his superior! You need a beating to come to your senses! Get down on the ground right now!”
Raising his voice and straining his neck veins every time he spoke – what sturdy vocal cords he had.
Seol Mujin asked Pokwae Yang.
“How many people did the New Magistrate bring?”
“Fifteen people, sir.”
“I told you to shut your mouth!”
Pokwae Yang burst out shouting.
“Ah! Fuck! You shut your damn mouth! You ignorant country bumpkin coming to Jinan and daring to mess with Seol Podoo!”
“What, what? This crazy bastard…!”
“You bastard! In Jinan, Seol Podoo is the law! How dare some Podoo from some backwater village act up against Seol Podoo!”
The Podoo’s club, which had been aimed at Seol Mujin, turned toward Pokwae Yang.
“This bastard needs his head cracked to come to his senses!”
The club falling toward Pokwae Yang’s head, however, failed to reach its target.
Gang Dujin, struck on the back of his neck by Seol Mujin’s hand chop, collapsed without even a scream.
“That bastard was annoyingly loud.”
Pokwae Yang, who had raised his arms to block the club, quietly lowered them.
“Th-thank you, Seol Podoo.”
“Pokwae Yang, you know how to flatter.”
“I was just stating facts.”
“The New Magistrate brought fifteen people?”
“Yes. Among them are two from the Six Departments, but Bang Ibangg and Seo Hyeongbangnim were kicked out yesterday.”
“He’s only been here three days and already has quite the temper.”
Seol Mujin spoke to Yeon Gok through the window.
“Doctor Yeon. Please lend us a cart to transport this guy to the government office.”
“Yes, of course.”
Seol Mujin had no intention of playing king in Jinan.
Just about the same level as when Go Bongsu was here would be appropriate.
He had much more to do besides being Podoo.
When the New Magistrate arrived, he had hoped to help him understand Jinan’s order and wanted Jinan to run smoothly as before.
If he was an upright magistrate, he might not like this system Seol Mujin had created.
Since he received tribute from criminal organizations, made backdoor deals with Jinan’s local powers, and frequently took bribes.
If an honest magistrate came and wanted to lead Jinan according to his beliefs, he had no intention of opposing that.
He might even applaud him as an excellent civil administrator.
But seeing him barge into the distillery and try to rob thirty percent outright, he was clearly a magistrate far from honest.
As Seol Mujin headed to the government office, he asked Pokwae Yang.
“How much luggage did the magistrate bring?”
“How did you know there was luggage?”
“Just a guess.”
“It was about twenty-four or twenty-five large ox-drawn carts. I’ve never seen so much moving luggage in my life.”
When Go Bongsu came to Jinan, he had only a single bundle.
The New Magistrate was showing the typical pattern of a corrupt official.
“I’m busy to death and now I have to worry about all sorts of things. Where are Bang Ibangg and Seo Hyeongbangnim now?”
“They’re probably at home. Unless they went to a tavern out of frustration.”
“Go quickly and bring them to the government office.”
“Understood!”
Pokwae Yang disappeared with another Pokwae.
Seol Mujin walked at a leisurely pace, lost in thought about how to handle the New Magistrate.
Still, he was a magistrate in name, so he couldn’t treat him like a criminal, but he had no intention of giving him proper magistrate treatment either.
While pondering various thoughts, the government office came into view.
“Seol Podoo!”
The person calling Seol Mujin and running over breathlessly was Clerk Gwak Nogun.
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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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