My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 75

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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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75.

“Did Miss Hwa feel the same way?”

“Those two middle-aged men walking behind have considerable martial arts skills.”

When the two leaders of Oryongbang tried to burn down Yeonji-ru, Hwa Yeonshim’s martial arts had already been exposed.

So she didn’t bother trying to hide it.

The story that Seol Mujin had rescued Hwa Yeonshim from bandits had become nonsense.

“I wonder who that young man being escorted by people with such considerable martial arts is? His face is absolutely dripping with nobility.”

“We’ll find out when Seol Podoo arrives.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and Hwanggeum-i is definitely not the Third Prince’s son.”

Seol Mantong said this while putting dongpo pork in his mouth.

Seol Mujin asked.

“But they have the same mole behind their ears?”

“You can copy a mole, but you can’t change a person’s face. Well, there is something called disguise arts, but…”

“Changing faces?”

“Is Jang Jangsim a beauty?”

After thinking for a moment, Seol Mujin answered.

“What’s wrong with Aunt Jang? She’s plump and cute-looking, so she probably would have been popular.”

Seol Mantong shook his head.

“If your range of choices is as narrow as these chopsticks, then Jang Jangsim could be chosen. But how many courtesans are there in Jinan’s pleasure houses? Even if you eliminated about three hundred from the front row, there’d still be over a hundred left, right?”

“You shouldn’t talk like that about someone who nursed you.”

Seol Ryeoseon said.

“Being indebted is one thing, but evaluations should be objective. Even I can see that it’s not Jang Jangsim. And where does Hwanggeum-i even resemble the Third Prince… huh?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The triplets looked at each other’s faces.

Seol Changho muttered.

“Now that I think about it, their eyes do seem a bit similar.”

“And the narrow bridge of their noses too.”

“Both have chins that stick out a bit and are thick.”

Then silence fell.

Through that silence, Yeon Seobi’s voice penetrated.

“Mujin! Are you inside?”

Startled, Seol Mujin stood up.

“Yes! Sister!”

Yeon Seobi opened the door and said ‘You’re eating?’ but didn’t come inside.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“Someone came to Yeonji-ru looking for you.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but they seem to have some status. Especially the young person.”

“By any chance, do they look to be in their late twenties to early thirties?”

“Yes.”

Seol Ryeoseon asked.

“Did their chin stick out a bit and look thick?”

“I think so.”

Seol Mantong asked.

“Were their nostrils small?”

“Were they? I think they might have been.”

Seol Changho asked.

“Did they have no double eyelids but their eyes weren’t that small?”

“Right. Do you know this person?”

Seol Ryeoseon threw down her chopsticks and stood up.

“I told you they’d definitely come.”

Seol Mujin put on the coat he had taken off.

“Why did they come so quickly?”

Yeon Seobi said.

“As soon as they arrived, they asked for Seol baekju first.”

‘Drunkards really can’t be helped,’ Seol Ryeoseon muttered.

“Sister, let’s hurry.”

“Who is this person?”

“I’ll tell you when I get a chance later. And make sure Aunt Jang absolutely cannot come outside today.”

“Huh? Jang Shimi? Why Jang Shimi?”

“Hwanggeum-i too. I’ll explain the reason later.”

The possibility that Hwanggeum-i could be the Third Prince’s child couldn’t be ignored.

If that were the case, even Seol Mujin couldn’t predict what might happen.

A child born long ago with a courtesan.

To the Third Prince’s enemies, it would be nothing but good prey.

If things went wrong, the lives of Hwanggeum-i and his mother could be in danger.

Of course, if all of this turned out to be meaningless farce, it would be futile.

As soon as Seol Mujin arrived at Yeonji-ru, Hwa Yeonshim came over.

“There are some rare masters serving as guards, but who are they?”

“I think it’s the Third Prince.”

“What? The Third Prince? Why did he come to see Seol Podoo?”

“Maybe he didn’t come for me, but to drink Seol baekju.”

“No way.”

“Anyway, let’s talk about this later.”

Seol Mujin hurried up to the third floor Lotus Room.

At the dining table where food hadn’t been served yet sat Third Prince Ju Cheonmyeong and Minister of Justice Yeon Daebang.

Behind them stood the two middle-aged men that Hwa Yeonshim had called rare masters.

And there were also Hwa Seonhwa and ten courtesans.

All ten possessed beauty that would be hard to find in any pleasure house in Jinan.

“Mujin!”

Seol Mujin first greeted Hwa Seonhwa.

In other places, the courtesans would have gathered around Seol Mujin, but no courtesan would do such a thoughtless thing in front of customers.

“Oh! Seol Podoo has arrived!”

Ju Cheonmyeong was the first to acknowledge him.

Seol Mujin greeted him and said.

“What brings you to this distant place?”

“I came because I wanted to see Seol Podoo.”

“Not because of Seol baekju?”

“Kill two birds with one stone. But is this the standard for courtesans here?”

Hwa Seonhwa said.

“These are the prettiest courtesans in our pleasure house, but they seem inadequate in your noble eyes. I apologize.”

Ju Cheonmyeong waved his hand.

“No, instead of those slender girls, I prefer ones that are more round and plump.”

Round and plump.

He thought of Jang Jangsim.

“I understand. I’ll send up girls like that. What about you, sir…?”

Receiving Hwa Seonhwa’s gesture, Yeon Daebang waved his hand.

“I’m fine now.”

As the courtesans left the room, Ju Cheonmyeong muttered, “But I feel like I’ve been here once before.”

Seol Mujin took a seat across from Ju Cheonmyeong with an uneasy heart.

“Let’s have a drink first.”

Ju Cheonmyeong poured alcohol into Seol Mujin’s cup.

Seol Mujin also poured alcohol for Ju Cheonmyeong and asked.

“What brings you all the way here?”

“There’s the Shandong meeting.”

“That’s still quite far off, isn’t it?”

“Since I was going to come anyway, I thought I’d come early to drink this fine alcohol. And to see your face.”

The last words he said casually seemed to be the most important business.

Yeon Daebang said.

“Commander Dong asked me to convey his gratitude to you. Along with the message that he will surely repay this debt someday.”

“I only did my duty as a Geumeuiwi officer.”

Ju Cheonmyeong’s eyes sparkled.

“Does that mean you can handle any task assigned to you perfectly?”

“It depends on what the task is, and it also depends on who assigns it.”

“What if I assign it?”

“I’d have to see what the task is.”

“Then who would you rush to help without considering the consequences?”

Seol Mujin pointed to Hwa Seonhwa standing beside him.

“The only such person is Master Ruju here.”

Hwa Seonhwa was startled and placed her hand on Seol Mujin’s shoulder.

“I’m just saying that. I don’t want anything from Mujin-i.”

Ju Cheonmyeong asked jokingly.

“Is that because he does everything before you even ask?”

“What I want from Mujin-i is for him to stay healthy, grow up well, and become a good person. As you can see, Mujin-i has become more than I could have hoped for. What more could I want?”

“You’re like mother and son.”

Seol Mujin and Hwa Seonhwa said simultaneously.

“That’s how we think of it.”

Ju Cheonmyeong burst into laughter.

“Haha! Well then, no matter what happens, I mustn’t touch Yeonji-ru.”

If Ju Cheonmyeong knew what had happened to those who touched Yeonji-ru, he wouldn’t have been able to say it even as a joke.

Yeon Daebang said to Ju Cheonmyeong.

“You should give Seol Podoo the gift you prepared.”

“Ah! Look at my absent mind.”

“A gift?”

Yeon Daebang said.

“You solved the case so brilliantly in Beijing, we can’t take back what was given.”

“I don’t think I received anything?”

“Was the third-rank officer position so trivial to you?”

“That was just a temporary position I received to conduct the investigation, and I’m not particularly interested in it.”

Ju Cheonmyeong and Yeon Daebang looked bewildered.

What appeared on the faces of the two guards standing behind them was disbelief.

“You’re not interested in high government positions?”

“I’m from Jinan anyway, and being Jinan’s head constable is enough for me.”

Yeon Daebang said.

“As an officer, you could arrest the magistrate immediately if he displeases you?”

“I really like our current magistrate.”

Seol Mujin took Hwa Seonhwa’s hand and said.

“He’s also going to marry Master Ruju soon.”

Hwa Seonhwa felt embarrassed, saying, “You’re telling our guests all sorts of things.”

It took considerable time for Ju Cheonmyeong and Yeon Daebang to accept reality.

Hwa Seonhwa was certainly a beautiful woman.

She was also certainly a courtesan.

When a woman owns a pleasure house, she’s generally perceived as a courtesan.

But a regional magistrate marrying a courtesan?

Reading Ju Cheonmyeong and Yeon Daebang’s thoughts, Seol Mujin said.

“It’s the first marriage for both of them.”

He was letting them know it wasn’t some secondary wife arrangement.

“Oh, hehehe! This is something to celebrate.”

“Hahaha! When is the wedding?”

“In ten days.”

Ju Cheonmyeong said.

“I happen to be staying until then, so I’ll attend.”

It had suddenly become a wedding with the Third Prince as a guest.

Ju Cheonmyeong threw something to Seol Mujin.

The golden plaque he caught reflexively was an officer’s badge representing a Geumeuiwi position.

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

“I told you. It’s yours, so it should remain yours.”

“As I said, being Jinan’s head constable is enough for me.”

“Of course it would be. But it’s better than having nothing, right?”

“Well, that’s true.”

A Geumeuiwi officer, especially a third-rank one, could lord over local officials like the grim reaper.

“Do I get a monthly salary too?”

“Figure it out yourself.”

“You’re encouraging official corruption.”

“Say that after you become honest.”

Ju Cheonmyeong had also roughly investigated Seol Mujin before coming to Jinan.

Yeon Seobi entered with the courtesans.

They were all round-faced and plump, in other words, courtesans who weren’t particularly popular.

After scanning the ten courtesans, Ju Cheonmyeong pointed to the second one from the left.

“I’ll take you.”

Seol Mujin thought “as expected” to himself.

Her name was Oh Jiyeong.

Her other name was Little Jang Jangsim.

Her appearance and build resembled Jang Jangsim so much that people mistook them for sisters.

Once the courtesan had taken her place, Seol Mujin stood up.

“Then please enjoy yourselves.”

“Why? You should have a drink with us too.”

“Hardworking officials are busy even at night.”

Seol Mujin bowed and left the room.

Then Hwa Seonhwa and Yeon Seobi came running after him.

Even the usually calm Hwa Seonhwa seemed quite curious about Ju Cheonmyeong’s identity.

“You absolutely must keep this secret.”

Yeon Seobi said.

“You know we can keep our mouths shut.”

“You could die because of this secret, but you still want to know?”

“If it’s a life-threatening secret, that makes it more thrilling.”

Seol Mujin whispered.

“The Third Prince.”

Yeon Seobi, who had been pondering the meaning of those words for a moment, let out a scream.

“Aaah! Th-th-th-Third… Mmph!”

Seol Mujin hastily covered Yeon Seobi’s mouth.

“I told you it’s a secret.”

When Seol Mujin removed his hand, Yeon Seobi hiccupped and whispered.

“Really the Third Prince? The Emperor’s third son, that Third Prince?”

When Seol Mujin nodded, Hwa Seonhwa asked.

“Why did the Third Prince come to see you?”

“I’m not really sure either.”

“You must have some idea at least.”

Yeon Seobi added, “There’s no way smart Mujin-i doesn’t know.”

“I have my suspicions, but nothing certain, and it would take too long to explain. I’ll tell you once I’m sure.”

Yeon Seobi let out a disappointed voice.

“It would be nice if you told us now…”

Hwa Seonhwa took Seol Mujin’s hand and said.

“You’ll handle things well on your own. Just promise me one thing. That you’ll think of yourself first above all else.”

At those words telling him to be selfish, Seol Mujin nodded.

“Yes. I will.”

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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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