The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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106
The Hegemony of the Woo Sword
“Whew!”
Leaving the Financial Hall, So-ha let out a deep breath and looked down at her hands.
Beads of sweat had formed on her small palms.
It was always like this whenever she faced her uncle, Woo Gyeong-mun.
That was how much tension he made her feel.
She could not remember exactly when it started, but conversations with Woo Gyeong-mun always left her completely exhausted like this.
Still, it was not that she had achieved nothing at all.
She had managed to shorten the three-month bank note to a one-month one.
Compared to the fierce psychological battle she had fought, the result was meager, but she decided to be satisfied with this for now.
“My uncle’s tyranny is growing worse. If left unchecked, the trust we built over so long will completely crumble.”
So-ha bit her red lips so hard that a drop of blood almost formed.
She stared at the Financial Hall for a moment, then quickly walked toward the Inner Courtyard. When she opened the Inner Courtyard gate, five large pavilions came into view. So-ha strode toward the largest among them.
The Myeongcheon Pavilion.
Located at the center of the Woo Family Manor, the Myeongcheon Pavilion was the residence where the Lord of the Manor stayed.
In front of the Myeongcheon Pavilion, two martial artists stood on guard.
As So-ha approached, the guards relaxed their stance.
“Young Lady!”
“I’ve come to see my brother.”
“Physician Gu is inside as well, so please go on in.”
“Thank you.”
So-ha entered through the door the guards opened for her.
After passing through a long hallway and opening another door, a large room revealed itself.
Someone was lying on a couch by the window, and an elderly man who appeared to be a doctor was checking his pulse.
So-ha carefully approached the couch so as not to disturb the doctor.
As she looked down at the man lying on the couch, a deep shadow fell over So-ha’s face.
The man lying there, reduced to a pitifully gaunt figure, was her brother and the current Lord of the Woo Family Manor, Woo Mun-san.
Woo Mun-san had suddenly lost consciousness a few months ago and had not regained it since.
Following the previous Lord, Woo Jang-myeong, even the current Lord, Woo Mun-san, had collapsed from a mysterious illness.
They had summoned every famous physician rumored to be skilled, but they could not even find the name of the illness, let alone cure it.
At the very least, Physician Gu, who was currently performing a pulse diagnosis, was quite capable and barely keeping Woo Mun-san breathing.
“Sigh!”
Physician Gu let out a deep sigh and took his hand away from Woo Mun-san’s wrist.
“How is my brother’s condition?”
“Young Lady!”
“Is there any sign of improvement?”
“I am sorry.”
“I see there is no progress.”
“I have done my best, but it is beyond my abilities.”
The old doctor bowed his head as if filled with shame. However, So-ha did not blame him.
If it were an illness that could be easily cured, the many doctors who had passed through before would have treated it long ago.
“Is there truly no way to treat him?”
“It is certain that he has been poisoned, but because we do not know what kind of toxin it is, we cannot rashly attempt a treatment.”
“Sigh!”
So-ha let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
Physician Gu spoke cautiously.
“It seems we have no choice but to invite a doctor from Saengsagok after all. There is no one under heaven more well-versed in poisons than they are.”
“We’ve already sent people several times. But they were all rejected.”
“How could that be…”
“They say they cannot send a doctor due to internal circumstances.”
After Woo Mun-san collapsed from the mysterious poison, the very first thing So-ha did was try to invite a doctor from Saengsagok. However, despite sending people multiple times, Saengsagok continued to refuse under the pretext of internal issues.
It was a response she could not understand through common sense.
Because the Woo Family Manor was a place that could offer an enormous reward if only they would cure Woo Mun-san.
Yet Saengsagok refused to dispatch a doctor, leaving the Woo Family Manor to treat Woo Mun-san with its own capabilities.
So-ha asked carefully.
“If you don’t mind me asking, is there no other outstanding physician that you know of, Physician Gu?”
“I am sorry. Excluding Saengsagok, it will not be easy to find a doctor superior to this old man.”
“Whew! I’m sorry. I committed a discourtesy to you because I’m so cornered right now.”
“Not at all. I would have felt the same way.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Today’s treatment is finished, so I shall take my leave now.”
“Yes.”
Physician Gu walked out, leaving So-ha completely alone in the large room.
So-ha sat in the chair Physician Gu had occupied and took hold of Woo Mun-san’s hand.
The large hand that used to warmly wrap around her small one was now as cold as ice.
Caressing Woo Mun-san’s cold hand, So-ha spoke.
“Brother! How long are you going to sleep? I’m having such a hard time.”
She rested her forehead against Woo Mun-san’s chest.
***
Woo Geom-san leaned against the railing and looked at the paper he held in his hand.
It was information about the Woo Family Manor delivered to him by Im So-ryeong.
The words written upon it were few, but the content was by no means light.
“The previous Lord became a vegetable five years ago, and even the current Lord fell into a coma a few months ago?”
Since Im So-ryeong had no reason to give him false information, the contents written inside must be true.
The previous Lord was Woo Geom-san’s father, and the current Lord was his biological older brother.
It could not be a coincidence that the two closest people to him under heaven had collapsed within a few years of each other and failed to regain consciousness.
Something was happening at the Woo Family Manor while he was away.
It was then.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
Ha Baek-jin’s voice coming from behind broke his train of thought.
Woo Geom-san naturally turned around as he slipped the paper into his shirt.
“It’s nothing. Why did you come out, brother?”
“I wanted to get some fresh air too.”
“What about Yeong-ryeong?”
“She fell asleep after taking the Yeongbo Vitality Pill you gave her.”
“Let her sleep soundly. It will greatly restore her Vital Qi.”
“Thank you!”
“Are you saying that again?”
“I’m saying it because I’m truly grateful.”
“If you’re going to keep talking about that, please go back into the cabin.”
“Alright, alright! I’ll stop talking about it.”
Ha Baek-jin laughed and leaned his back against the railing just like Woo Geom-san.
The river breeze blew in, sweeping up Ha Baek-jin’s hair.
“The world is truly beautiful.”
“Have you been drinking since broad daylight?”
“It means my heart is just that peaceful. When Yeong-ryeong was sick, the world felt like hell.”
“I understand.”
Woo Geom-san nodded.
Though he did not show it on the outside, his own heart felt as if it had one foot in hell right now.
If just receiving the news through a piece of paper made his heart ache like this, he could well imagine what Ha Baek-jin’s heart must have been like, having to watch his daughter grow weaker day by day.
Woo Geom-san wanted to return to the Woo Family Manor even a day sooner to treat Woo Mun-san. However, there was still a long way to go.
At least it was a relief that he could save a lot of time thanks to riding express vessels back-to-back.
Ha Baek-jin did not miss the shadow cast over Woo Geom-san’s face.
“Little Brother seems to have a face full of worries as well.”
“Does it show?”
“It was like that for me too. I did my best to hide my emotions in my own way, but everyone who saw me noticed. Is it a problem regarding an acquaintance?”
“Yes. It seems the condition of my brother and father is not good.”
“Oh dear. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Not right now. I just have to hope we arrive before it’s too late.”
“Fortunately, Hongjo Bang provided an express vessel, so we definitely won’t be late.”
“Yes.”
Woo Geom-san forced a smile.
Ha Baek-jin asked as if suddenly remembering something.
“By the way, I haven’t even asked where your home is. Since we’re in the same boat now, won’t you tell me?”
“It’s the Woo Family Manor.”
“Could it be the one in Jinjiang?”
“Yes.”
“Ha! I thought you weren’t of ordinary status, but you come from a much grander family than I expected.”
“Do you know of the Woo Family Manor?”
“I am also a man who makes his living in the Jianghu, so how could I not know of the Woo Family Manor?”
Ha Baek-jin had operated as a vagabond for a long time after his wife died.
There was nothing he hadn’t done to earn money for Ha Yeong-ryeong’s medical treatment.
There was no place under heaven he hadn’t traveled to, and in the process, he had met countless people. He had also established relationships with many sects.
Naturally, his knowledge was extensive.
Being that kind of Ha Baek-jin, it would be stranger if he didn’t know about the Woo Family Manor.
Countless goods gathered in Jinjiang before scattering to every corner under heaven.
Naturally, there were bound to be many requests related to it.
Representative examples were escort requests to guard important goods and escort guard requests to protect people.
Although he had never been to Jinjiang himself, he had performed numerous requests related to the Woo Family Manor, so of course he knew it well.
“You didn’t look like it, but you’re unexpectedly a young master from a wealthy house. I look forward to working with you.”
“The wealthy ones are my father and brother. As you can see, I am dirt poor.”
When Woo Geom-san playfully shook his empty pouch, Ha Baek-jin wrinkled his nose.
“They say even if a rich house ruins itself, it lasts for three years, so how are you completely penniless?”
“Anyone who leaves home for fifteen years would end up just like me.”
“True, I first met you fifteen years ago. If it’s been fifteen years, you must have spent all the money you brought out. Tsk! I grabbed the wrong lifeline.”
“It’s not too late even now. Why don’t you look for another sturdy lifeline?”
“Forget it. A man has his dignity, how can I go back on my word? To raise our Yeong-ryeong healthy and well, I need to hold onto you tightly.”
“You’ll suffer a lot.”
“Didn’t I already say? I will show loyalty like an ox or a horse.”
At Ha Baek-jin’s joke, Woo Geom-san could not hold back and let out a chuckle.
Thanks to that, he could temporarily forget his anxieties and worries.
Watching Woo Geom-san smile, Ha Baek-jin suddenly looked back at the ship and spoke.
“By the way, if a ship is around this size, would it be about Huo Grade?”
“Do you still remember that?”
“Of course! Ever since you told me, whenever I see a ship, I classify it in my own mind to see what grade it would be.”
Woo Geom-san was slightly surprised by Ha Baek-jin’s words.
Fifteen years ago, he had informed Ha Baek-jin that the Seven Great Water Sects divided ships into five grades: Tian, Di, Ren, Feng, and Huo.
The Tian Grade was a colossal ship measuring over forty zhang in length, seven zhang in height, and ten zhang in width, which mainly traveled between the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the sea.
Because it was built sturdily to withstand high waves, its price was correspondingly expensive.
The Di Grade reached thirty zhang in length, five zhang in height, and seven zhang in width.
It could load an immense amount of cargo, but it was difficult to navigate in areas where the currents were rapid or narrow. Because of this, it mainly traveled the lower reaches of the Yangtze River or the Yellow River.
The most commonly used was precisely the Ren Grade Cloud River-Crossing Vessel.
With a length of twenty zhang, a height of three zhang, and a width of five zhang, it could travel most parts of the Yangtze River without difficulty.
The Feng Grade was much smaller than that, and it was mainly used in places where the water depth was shallow and the width was narrow, like canals.
The final Huo Grade was the express vessel that Woo Geom-san’s group was currently riding.
Because it prioritized speed, the number of people it could carry was small, but in return, it could reach its destination at a speed incomparable to other ships.
Since Huo Grade express vessels were mostly operated for special purposes, even the Seven Great Water Sects did not lend them out easily.
The very fact that Hongjo Bang had provided a Huo Grade express vessel meant that they regarded Woo Geom-san as someone truly special.
“It has three sails attached and separate rowers, so it’s clear that Hongjo Bang custom-built this ship.”
“So that’s why the speed was so fast. Thanks to you, I get to ride a precious ship. The Woo Family Manor must have ships like this too, right?”
“Yes. We have three express vessels that we operate ourselves.”
“That’s not as many as I thought.”
“As you know, the Yangtze River passing through Jinjiang is wide and deep, so there’s almost no reason for an express vessel to operate.”
“Hmm! That makes sense.”
Ha Baek-jin nodded.
It was then.
Screeech!
Suddenly, a sharp bird cry echoed from the high sky.
Startled, Ha Baek-jin looked up into the air and saw a large hawk shooting down toward them like an arrow.
“Ah! It’s dangerous.”
“Don’t worry. It’s my friend.”
“Friend?”
Flap, flap!
At that moment, the large hawk spread its wings wide and landed lightly on the railing right next to Woo Geom-san.
It was a hawk that looked easily five or six times larger than a normal hawk.
“No, this thing is your friend?”
“Say hello. His name is Hongbaek.”
Woo Geom-san introduced him while stroking Hongbaek’s beak.
As if it actually understood his words, Hongbaek held its head high and stiffly stared at Ha Baek-jin.
Ha Baek-jin looked at Hongbaek with an absurd expression.
“What kind of bird is this huge? No, more than that, why is he so arrogant?”

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