The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 181

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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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Chapter 181
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First Floor of the Inn.
I didn’t turn around even though I was aware of Namgung Ryu-cheong approaching with deliberately heavy footsteps.
“Sit carefully.”
“I’m just here for a moment.”
“All right.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“Show me your hands.”
“My hands? Why?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong didn’t answer, merely tilting his head in a prompting gesture. When I showed him my left hand resting on the table, he tilted his head again, as if asking to see the other one.
Once I showed him my right hand, Namgung Ryu-cheong tilted his head slightly.
“What? They look fine.”
“Huh?”
“Yalyu asked me to check if your hands were all right.”
“What? Oh, is this because of what happened in the kitchen?”
I’d hidden it immediately, yet somehow he’d still noticed.
It had stung a little then, but I’d quickly soothed it using my natural healing technique.
“So Yalyu asked you to check on me?”
Yalyu was currently watching over the captured spy.
‘Ha, Yalyu—this man is adorable.’
Since I seemed worried about my relationship with Namgung Ryu-cheong, he was deliberately asking him to check on me as a way to prove we hadn’t actually fought.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Just then, an angry sound came from below.
“Meow!”
I quickly lowered my hand again and stroked the White Cat sitting on my lap.
“What, she was here too? That explains it.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong, seeing Gyeol-i, wrinkled his nose and moved further away from me.
Namgung Ryu-cheong still showed an aversion whenever he saw Gyeol-i. Though not as severe as when we were younger—back then he’d sneeze continuously just from looking at her.
“Why are you avoiding her? Without her, I wouldn’t have found anything.”
“Ah, so the spy was hiding something? Is that it?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong noticed the powder I’d been staring at.
“Yes. It was hidden between the seams of his sleeve cuff. He’d concealed it remarkably well.”
Having found the medicine the spy had been hiding, Gyeol-i settled herself as if to say she deserved a reward, and she’d throw a tantrum whenever I stopped petting her.
“But you couldn’t identify what the medicine is?”
“He wouldn’t talk. But it doesn’t matter. I already know what it is.”
“What is it?”
“Mountain Poison.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s expression darkened sharply.
“…Are you certain?”
“Yes. I studied medicine because my health was poor.”
“Then… you don’t mean to say they intended to use this on us?”
“Probably. Yo-yo—no, the spy kept her mouth shut, so I can’t be entirely sure.”
With that, I bit my lip hard.
“…Using the same method again.”
Why hadn’t the novel mentioned that Cheon Gwi-jo had attacked Namgung Ryu-cheong before?
When Cheon Gwi-jo attacked Namgung Ryu-cheong to take revenge on my father’s disciple, he had first poisoned the group with Mountain Poison to render them helpless, then struck at Namgung Ryu-cheong.
‘Does this even make sense?’
The timing and circumstances had certainly changed.
Yet the direction in which Cheon Gwi-jo was moving was eerily similar to the novel’s progression.
‘If the conspirator is the same person, perhaps things simply align similarly despite the altered circumstances?’
Or perhaps… was someone manipulating events to prevent escape?
I felt ensnared by an invisible net.
It was then that Namgung Ryu-cheong’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Father once told me that before fighting Cheon Gwi-jo, he and the seniors from the Kirin Society fell victim to Mountain Poison.”
“That’s right.”
I hadn’t recalled that incident when I spoke, but it was something I couldn’t explain to Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“He said if it hadn’t been for you, he might have fallen to it.”
“It wasn’t me—it was Father’s doing.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong dismissed my words cleanly and continued.
“I’m indebted to you again.”
The way Namgung Ryu-cheong looked at me was… strange somehow.
His eyes held an intensity of longing? It felt entirely different from a simple grateful gaze.
My cheeks flushed inexplicably.
Just as I was about to ask why he looked at me that way, a sudden commotion erupted at the Inn’s front gate.
“What’s happening?”
Soon the doors opened, and two supply carriages rolled into the Inn’s inner courtyard.
Several figures in beggar’s garb clung to the sides of the carriages. The one who appeared to be their leader looked around, spotted us emerging into the courtyard, and approached.
“You’re Young Master Namgung, yes? And the young lady from the Baek Li Family? I am Mak-gae, of the Beggar Sect’s Ak-yang division.”
“What is the meaning of this?”
Since those guarding the Inn had opened the gates without issue, they must have received permission to enter.
I examined the supply carriages that had come with them.
Beneath the shabby carriage canopies, I could see several large, elongated wooden coffins.
‘Coffins!’
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s face drained of color as he recognized them.
I stepped forward and asked.
“What are all of these?”
“Ah, I understand your concern. Fear not. These corpses are not the Namgung Minor Family Head.”
Both Namgung Ryu-cheong and I exhaled in relief. My palms had grown slick with sweat in those brief moments.
I wiped my palms clean on my skirts as Mak-gae continued.
“To explain the situation: several days ago, not far from Ak-yang, a group of corpses was discovered. Upon examining the bodies, we identified them as members of the White Tiger Unit and the Namgung Family Guard Unit. Rain had been falling continuously since the battle began, making pursuit impossible. We sent a carrier pigeon and set about collecting the bodies when we heard that the Baek Li Master and the Namgung Young Master had arrived in Ak-yang, so we came here.”
If they had hometowns, we came to return their bodies there; if not, to return them to their sects and families.
“The Master left his post?”
“Yes. I sent a message asking him to return, but I don’t know when he’ll arrive.”
“Then I’ll wait here for a while.”
“Of course. Though I’m afraid I can’t offer you tea.”
“Hmm?”
“We have no staff at the moment.”
The moment Mak-gae mentioned waiting here, the beggars who had been eagerly dashing toward the first-floor dining hall froze and turned to stare at me.
“That can’t be right! We heard the Baek Li Family rented this entire place!”
What, did they come here just to mooch off free meals?
I found it slightly absurd, but their true nature remained that of beggars.
Mak-gae blinked and spoke.
“Ha, that young lady from the Baek Li Family. What happened at the Baek Li Estate was our mistake.”
Then he lowered his voice considerably.
“It may sound like an excuse, but we truly didn’t know that person was a spy for the Demonic Cult.”
“….”
I scratched my face.
The kitchen was in complete disarray, and with the Inn Owner and the Original Employee both detained, there was no one to serve tea.
Like a thief with itchy feet, Mak-gae seemed to assume we were displeased with the Beggar Sect and that this poor treatment reflected our displeasure.
“There’s genuinely no one available right now.”
“…I see.”
“This is unacceptable! I thought we’d at least get a full meal. What is this!”
While several other beggars grumbled in the background, Mak-gae spoke.
“You must be short-handed. If there’s anything we can help with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“All right.”
“You don’t seem to believe me. I’m serious. Personally, I’d like to help the Master as well.”
Personally?
I tilted my head and asked.
“Do you know my father?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then why?”
“Because the Master is a very generous benefactor among us beggars.”
“A generous benefactor?”
“Whenever he passes by us beggars, he always gives alms.”
“….”
“Whenever the Baek Li Master passes through the area, the local beggars can feast on meat and wine until we burst.”
Mak-gae burst into hearty laughter.
Meanwhile, I was left speechless.
‘What on earth has Father been doing wandering around like that?’
And I began to understand why he was behaving this way.
It was because of my past—before I came to the Baek Li Estate, when I had wandered as a beggar.
‘No, I had almost forgotten about it myself….’
I wiped my flushed face and spoke to Mak-gae.
“Please, speak freely.”
“Is that so?”
Mak-gae, pleased by my words, continued in a comfortable tone as if this were familiar to him.
“So naturally, I thought you’d come seeking cooperation with the Beggar Sect as soon as you arrived in Ak-yang. But to think you’d go poking around the back alleys immediately upon arrival. Who could have predicted you’d act so brazenly right in front of the Donghobang courtyard? I’d wager even those Demonic Cult bastards are shocked by now.”
“What is Donghobang’s reaction?”
“Still assessing the situation. They’re busy rolling out their feelers, trying to figure out what the Baek Li Grand Master is thinking by stirring things up like that, or whether there’s some backing behind it.”
“So they’re watching nervously in case my grandfather arrives.”
He looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.
“Donghobang is a place with many people and money, not a place known for famous masters. They must be busily gathering experts right now.”
“You’re right, Miss. They say the Baek Li Grand Master’s daughter is the smartest in the Baek Family, and it seems to be true.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
But this much could be grasped quickly by anyone with keen interest in current affairs.
After offering a few more compliments, Mak-gae asked as if this were the main topic.
“So, Miss, do you perhaps have a special way of identifying spies?”
“….”
Though it hadn’t been revealed yet, if they learned that I had caught another spy at the Inn, there would be no hiding it anymore.
‘I won’t be able to keep hiding it forever.’
There was a high probability I would discover spies again in the future.
‘And something is strange.’
According to Jeggal Hwa-mu, my eyes’ ability was connected to the Sect Leader. If that were true, the Sect Leader would also know that I could identify spies.
The spy who infiltrated the Baek Li Family meeting was discovered by chance. But this time with Yo-yo, it was not. Someone deliberately pushed a spy into this Inn with a clear objective.
Setting aside my questions, I looked at Mak-gae again.
“I simply have good eyes.”
“Eyes? Does the Baek Li Family have such an eye technique? I’ve never heard of it….”
As I stared at him intently, Mak-gae closed his mouth.
“Mm, very well.”
It was then that Namgung Ryu-cheong, who had remained silent throughout our conversation, spoke.
“I need to examine the corpse.”
Mak-gae tried to dissuade him in surprise.
“We’ve had a Taoist perform rites to prevent the body from decomposing, but it won’t be a pleasant sight. Several of our men have already lost their appetites and can’t even swallow their meals….”
“….”
Namgung Ryu-cheong ignored Mak-gae’s words and headed toward where the coffin was.
Mak-gae, helpless, followed along with him.

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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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