The Granddaughter of Manhyang Escort Bureau Hides Her Magic - Chapter 89
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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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Chapter 89
“We prepared all the goods anew. Fortunately, we had secured several days’ worth of goods in advance, so while it was troublesome, it wasn’t difficult. Except for just one box.”
The one box that had medicine sprinkled on it – that was delivered to Soso Restaurant.
“I explained the situation to the owner of Soso Restaurant. Since an incident had to occur, I asked for his understanding.”
“B-but innocent people could have been harmed!”
“The Chang’an Branch Head resolved that problem as well.”
‘Those who eat without paying would have nothing to say even if they got stomach aches. If they came again today… we’d have to give them at least that.’
Gold Association Head continued his words while recalling Shin Ah’s statement.
“Those who have been continuously harassing the restaurant owner came by today as usual to eat without paying.”
“Dark Path members, then.”
So Hyeokho let out a deep breath.
News had been frequently coming in that small-scale demonic sect groups were rapidly increasing in Chang’an.
While it wasn’t something the Escort Agency needed to be deeply involved in, So Hyeokho, who held affectionate feelings for the residents of Seomsu, was keeping an eye on it.
“What happened next is as you know.”
The Dark Path members ate and got stomach aches. They ransacked the restaurant, and poison powder was detected in the food ingredients Shin Ah had delivered.
So Hyeokho looked at So Mando.
So Mando’s shoulders flinched when he met that piercing gaze.
So Mando made a strange hiccupping sound.
“Have you nothing to say?”
This was the last chance So Hyeokho was giving him. However, So Mando foolishly missed even that opportunity.
“I-I don’t know.”
Chief Go and Ha Ilju turned their heads away and sighed.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly unfavorable for So Mando, So Baekrim flared up.
“Why is everyone acting like this? What does our Mando have to do with this incident? Father! Are you sure you investigated properly? The Gold Association Head’s words didn’t mention Mando’s name anywhere! Treating him like a criminal when he’s done nothing wrong.”
So Baekrim stood in front of So Mando.
“Perhaps I explained it too difficultly. Ah, there was something I left out. My guard followed the person who sprinkled the medicine and escaped from the warehouse. The guard confirmed that person entered Manhyang Express.”
“Then we should immediately lock the entrance and conduct a search…”
“There’s no need for that. My guard saw his face.”
Adding the explanation that the person who had enthusiastically sprinkled the medicine and escaped the warehouse had removed his face mask in front of the Escort Agency, Yuhyeon walked across slowly.
He pointed at So Mando hiding behind So Baekrim.
“The person who tampered with the food ingredients was none other than So Mando, the eldest son of the Yuwongak Master.”
“……!”
The blood drained completely from So Baekrim’s body. His face became white as paper as his hands trembled.
“Th-that can’t be… there’s a misunderstanding… he must have seen wrong.”
Though he managed to string words together with difficulty, no one was listening to him seriously.
So Baekrim, who had been blinking slowly, fell to his knees.
With a thud, the floor vibrated.
“Father! Please listen to Mando just once. There must be a misunderstanding. Mando with poison! Where would this young child get poison?”
Everyone thought of one person.
Dang Mihee.
Among those gathered here, there was no one who didn’t know that the Yuwongak Master’s wife was from the Sacheon Dang Family.
“There’s only a witness! There’s no evidence! Gold Association Head, bring evidence. Ev-evidence!”
So Baekrim grabbed Yuhyeon’s trouser leg.
Then, Shin Ah stepped forward.
“There is evidence though.”
“Evidence! What nonsense is that wicked thing spouting!”
So Baekrim straightened his shoulders and shouted angrily.
“Yuwongak Master, aren’t you speaking too carelessly? Calling her wicked?”
When So Baekrim pointed accusingly at Shin Ah, So Cheonrim also raised his voice in response.
So Cheonrim and So Baekrim’s gazes clashed in midair. So Baekrim gritted his teeth, and So Cheonrim also flared up his energy in confrontation.
“Chang’an Branch Head, continue speaking.”
So Hyeokho immediately suppressed the explosive tension that was about to erupt.
So Cheonrim clenched his fist and stood beside Shin Ah. He looked down at Shin Ah.
‘To think he plotted against this small child because he was annoyed by her admirable deeds…’
Recalling what So Mando had done, his teeth ground together.
Shin Ah tapped So Cheonrim’s hand.
‘Father, I’m okay.’
Even at Shin Ah’s signal, So Cheonrim couldn’t easily calm his anger and worry.
‘Our father looks like he’s about to cry.’
Even though Shin Ah had set up this situation to completely defeat them, from So Cheonrim’s perspective, who didn’t know this, Shin Ah must have looked pitiful.
Shin Ah, who had been excited that things were flowing as expected, changed her mind after seeing So Cheonrim’s worry-filled face.
‘I was going to torment Mando a bit more, but I should finish this quickly.’
Shin Ah stepped forward in front of So Hyeokho.
“The evidence is not in this place.”
“See! I told you it was all lies!”
So Baekrim shouted, thinking this was his chance.
“However.”
Shin Ah made eye contact with So Baekrim, So Mando, and So Ilbi one by one before continuing.
“The evidence definitely exists. Though it may be presumptuous of me, you’ll all need to come with me to find the evidence. I left it as it was because I was afraid you’d say I fabricated the evidence if I brought it myself.”
“What a pathetic trick!”
“Yuwongak Master! Must I truly put a gag on you before you’ll shut that mouth?”
At So Hyeokho’s angry voice, So Baekrim froze with his mouth agape. Though So Baekrim’s pride crumbled after being told about a gag in front of many people, that wasn’t important to So Hyeokho.
So Hyeokho struck the armrest of his chair. Whether it contained internal energy, the air in the room resonated with a humming sound.
“Chang’an Branch Head, can you take responsibility for your words?”
“Yes, Escort Agency Head.”
After stroking his beard and thinking, So Hyeokho gave So Baekrim a look.
It meant that even now, if he confessed and begged for forgiveness, he would show leniency, but So Baekrim failed to notice and insisted on innocence to the end.
“Please listen to my story too! If no evidence comes forth, how will the humiliation that my child and I have endured be compensated?”
“Are you confident there’s no evidence?”
“…Yes.”
His pupils trembled pathetically as he answered belatedly.
‘My son may be a bit stubborn, but he’s not vicious enough to sprinkle poison on packages without being told to.’
So Baekrim believed in So Mando.
“So you say, Chang’an Branch Head. As the head of the Escort Agency, I cannot listen to only one side’s story. What do you think?”
It wasn’t entirely wrong.
Shin Ah decided to save her grandfather’s face a little.
She should at least create one excuse that he had been fair, that he hadn’t just cast out his son without reason.
“It’s simple. Since you’re so confident, how about the Yuwongak Master and I make a wager?”
Shin Ah looked up at So Baekrim.
“If no evidence comes forth, what would you like to happen? I’ll grant whatever the Yuwongak Master desires.”
Flames flickered in So Baekrim’s eyes. For him, who believed in So Mando like a rock, this was an opportunity.
“If no evidence comes forth, considering the gravity of the matter, the Chang’an Branch Head should leave Manhyang Express.”
“Elder brother! Shin Ah is only ten years old!”
So Cheonrim flared up.
It was an unreasonable condition.
Since Shin Ah had no maternal relatives, leaving Manhyang Express would mean wandering aimlessly.
If we looked around, there would be places to entrust a young child, but how could it just be about housing?
Moreover, Shin Ah was a child whose body wasn’t even healthy.
“Only at times like this do you call her a child? Don’t you see the child standing confidently before you, speaking as the Chang’an Branch master? Just looking at what she does, what makes an adult? Even if we said she stands shoulder to shoulder with you, there’d be nothing to argue about.”
“Even so, elder brother!”
“Father.”
Shin Ah firmly grasped So Cheonrim’s finger. The warm warmth pressed down on So Cheonrim’s indignation.
So Cheonrim’s lips trembled as he stepped back.
“Lord of the Nation, I will accept the Yuwongak Master’s proposal. However, if evidence emerges, the culprit who orchestrated this incident must leave Manhyang Express.”
Shin Ah looked straight at So Mando. In that moment, cold sweat streamed down Mando’s spine.
“Will you accept this, Yuwongak Master?”
Shin Ah asked.
“Ah, Father.”
Mando barely moved his lips to call out to So Baekrim.
However, So Baekrim didn’t hear Mando’s small but desperate call and shot up from his seat.
“So be it!”
Shin Ah raised the corners of her mouth.
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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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