The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 115

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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 115

‘This person is from a nameless place?’

You have to tell a believable story for people to believe it.

Bringing Cheongun straight to this Cheongru was also part of Haweonje’s plan.

Of course, it was a place he frequented regularly.

However, he wouldn’t normally bring someone he’d just met straight to a Cheongru.

He would share a simple meal and conversation at a suitable tavern or inn.

In the first place, Cheongun was the only one of similar age who had taken the Wonsi exam.

Cheongru was a place where courtesans skilled in the arts sold only laughter.

A place mainly used by masters of Gangho or officials of decent standing.

From its scale to the surrounding decorations, it was a place where there wasn’t a single spot you could take your eyes off.

However, there was no emotion whatsoever in Cheongun’s eyes.

If he were someone who had never possessed such things.

And if he weren’t someone who currently possessed something even greater, it was a gaze he could never show.

“Sohyeop.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not one to speak in roundabout ways.”

“Please speak.”

“By any chance, are you from a merchant family?”

“I have no name. I told you that.”

“It seems you have no intention of revealing it. It can’t be helped.”

Cheongun had expected this would become troublesome.

“Now that the exam is over, do you have any other plans?”

He couldn’t answer that it was the Murim Alliance.

Normally he would have answered that he had no urgent schedule, but given the level of shamelessness he was seeing now, it seemed like he might drag Cheongun to yet another place.

“I do have somewhere to go.”

“Haha. My, you have quite a lot of secrets.”

“Depending on the circumstances, things can become secrets, can’t they?”

“…Is that so.”

Cheongun’s words were simple.

It meant it was only a secret in front of you.

Naturally, these weren’t words that would make one feel good, but Haweonje didn’t seem particularly displeased.

Rather, should I say he felt more interested?

He had tried to deal with him moderately with a somewhat arrogant attitude, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect.

“More than that, what do you plan to do after passing?”

“The results aren’t even out yet, so how could I assume what comes after?”

“I was just asking about your plans. Passing and failing. From what I can see, Sohyeop, you seem like someone who would have made plans considering both possibilities.”

Half right, half wrong.

No matter how much this was an exam he was taking reluctantly due to his father’s wishes, he had no intention whatsoever of failing.

“There is no ‘after.'”

“Saying there is none… it seems your intentions weren’t directed toward the Imperial Court from the beginning.”

“It doesn’t seem like a particularly pleasant place.”

“Haha! You’re trying to judge the Imperial Court by pleasantness. I seem to be learning much from you, Sohyeop.”

“You’re someone who will go to the Imperial Court, so I wonder if you’re learning something unnecessary.”

“How could that be? Learning anything is always good.”

The more they conversed, the better Haweonje’s mood became.

That was the problem.

It would have been better to have a conversation at an appropriate level and end the meeting.

If they talked too much, he would naturally resolve many curiosities.

Since he had already accepted this troublesome situation, he had tried to leave behind as much as possible before departing.

Breaking up the meeting first was also a method, but the problem was it would give the impression of running away.

Different people might judge differently, but based on the conversation Cheongun had had so far, Haweonje was someone who would make such a judgment.

“If it’s acceptable to you, Sohyeop, I would like to invite you to this humble person’s home.”

“I’m not worthy of such treatment.”

“Haha. If you, Sohyeop, aren’t worthy of an invitation, there probably wouldn’t be many in this Zhongyuan who would be worthy.”

Knowing what was hidden behind that affable smile, he let out an inward laugh.

Someone who would show a seemingly kind appearance, yet coldly cut down what needed to be cut down.

That’s the kind of person he was.

“…Very well.”

Had he thought he would refuse?

Haweonje showed a smile with a slightly fishy feeling.

“Let’s go. I’ll take care of the bill here.”

“Then.”

He didn’t say anything like thank you.

What a confident attitude this was?

Someone might call it rude, and someone else might call it arrogant.

However, Haweonje knew it wasn’t like that.

That was confidence.

Confidence in himself.

Whether the fundamental basis of that confidence was his background or the power he possessed himself remained to be judged.

Since you desired it, you should pay the price.

It was an extremely normal and accurate judgment.

One might ask how you could judge a person by such trivial things.

However, a person’s true nature is revealed through trivial things.

Someone who runs their hand through their hair when flustered.

Someone who avoids eye contact when lying.

All these things tell you about that person, and aren’t they all trivial matters?

Having suddenly received an invitation to someone’s home, Cheongun adopted an attitude of letting things be as they may.

“Young master. This person is…”

“He calls himself Sohyeop Wun. He’s someone who has given me much teaching, so treat him with proper courtesy.”

“Yes, young master. I understand.”

Thus, riding together in Haweonje’s carriage, they moved to his home.

It was enormous.

A massive residence of a scale rarely found in the surrounding area was welcoming Cheongun.

In his previous life, he would have stared at it blankly, but what kind of place was Cheongeumjang?

Wasn’t it a place that used an entire mountain as its manor?

“As expected, you’re not surprised, Sohyeop.”

“Ah, should I be surprised?”

“Haha. You even know how to joke, so I’m even more looking forward to the conversation we’ll have today.”

Now it seemed Haweonje intended to hear things the way he wanted to hear them.

“You’ve brought a guest.”

“Yes, Mother. I’ve finished the exam successfully.”

Haweonje’s mother.

Just from looking at her outward appearance, you could instantly understand what it meant to be of high status.

“I am called Wun.”

Just once.

This was a place where you could tell someone’s level just by seeing how they conducted their manners.

Perhaps Cheongun’s etiquette was quite to her liking, as her kind voice came through with a slightly warmer tone.

“Nice to meet you. This is the first time he’s brought a guest like this. I hope you have a pleasant stay.”

Appropriate dignity and appropriate refinement.

The fact that it wasn’t excessively ornate actually created an atmosphere of higher nobility.

Just as Haweonje had, Haweonje’s mother also read much from Cheongun’s gaze.

By now, she wouldn’t be unaware of what kind of place this was.

Those endlessly calm and quiet eyes, those composed eyes that didn’t seem to care much about anything.

Those eyes that couldn’t be easily seen were certainly distinctive.

“…My name is Hayeon.”

“Pleased to meet you, young lady.”

Haweonje’s younger sister.

She wasn’t particularly famous.

She wasn’t ‘that’ famous.

She was a young lady who had walked a quite different path from Haweonje.

She was a woman from one of the few powerful families who truly deserved the title of female warrior.

I had thought they might share the same surname, but since there was no known background at the time, I couldn’t be certain.

“Oh, Mother. This Sohyeop Wun here also took the civil service examination.”

“Oh my. Is that so? There was one more talented person here.”

“You flatter me. I merely took the examination. The results haven’t come out yet.”

“Hoho. The fact that you took the exam itself is what’s important.”

“Mother. I intend to engage in scholarly discussion with Sohyeop Wun, would that be alright?”

“Of course. Do as you feel comfortable. Oh, if it’s alright, you could take Yeon along too.”

At those words, Haweonje sent a glance toward Cheongun.

“I’m fine with it.”

“What? Mother, I…”

Cheongun was fine with it, but it seemed the person in question, Hayeon, was not.

“Your brother and Sohyeop Wun are both people who took the civil service examination, so there will surely be something to learn. Above all, isn’t this what you wanted?”

Her voice was still kind, but the pressure could be felt.

“…Yes, Mother. I was being thoughtless.”

“This is what you wished for, and it will be helpful to you.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I showed an unseemly side of myself.”

“Not at all. Please don’t worry about it.”

After finishing the brief greeting, Haweonje soon led Cheongun inside.

“I’ll…come shortly, brother.”

“Yes. Do that.”

Once Hayeon disappeared, Haweonje opened his mouth.

“She’s a sister who has set her heart on learning. Despite being only a year apart, she treats me quite respectfully.”

“Is that so.”

“She’s been like that since childhood. Now, please come this way.”

Passing through the garden with its beautiful scenery and heading inside, a space filled with books appeared.

“This is the place I treasure most.”

“…That seems fitting. You must have spent your childhood here.”

“Haha. That’s right. Father always said one must combine literary and martial arts, but this thing called martial arts seems… not quite suited to me.”

An aide to the emperor who hadn’t learned martial arts.

I didn’t know what the future might hold, but if he hadn’t learned martial arts even now, his level probably wasn’t very high.

“Ah, you haven’t had a proper meal, so how about having dinner first?”

“If you’re offering, I’ll gratefully partake.”

“It would be good if you went together when Yeon comes. Until then…”

Haweonje took out one of the books he usually enjoyed reading and handed it to Cheongun.

“Shall we share our opinions?”

“…Very well.”

Hayeon, who had returned to her room, changed into neat clothing and appeared again.

There was no need to ask where she had gone.

Her brother was always in the library.

As she slowly approached, she could already hear the sound of conversation from inside.

“Though it says ‘people do not know yet one is not resentful’… I don’t think so.”

It was her brother’s voice.

‘Brother is having a scholarly conversation…?’

It was unexpected.

While this was the first time he had brought a guest directly, it wasn’t as if guests had never come to this place.

Often, guests of Father or Mother would visit along with their children.

Even then, he would bring them to the library and have conversations, but most of the conversation content was too shameful to mention.

It was all about women.

But today was different.

From the moment she first saw Cheongun, she had felt he was somehow an extraordinary person – could this indeed be his influence?

“Then, what do you think?”

“Isn’t a gentleman ultimately judged by society’s evaluation? If one is called a gentleman simply for not getting angry, it doesn’t make sense.”

Even to Hayeon’s ears, it was a puzzling statement.

Then, what kind of answer would Cheongun give?

Since he was a guest her brother had brought directly, she had wondered how vulgar he might be, but now she was somewhat looking forward to it.

“The Master said: ‘Do not worry that people do not know you, but worry that you do not know people.'”

“…”

What followed didn’t continue.

Hayeon waited for the next words right in front of the library door.

Clatter.

Just then, the window right where Hayeon had her ear pressed opened.

Eyes that met at the moment of startled surprise.

Surprised eyes and utterly emotionless eyes briefly met.

“Rather than worrying that others don’t recognize me, I should worry about not recognizing others.”

“…”

Those eyes.

As if he were speaking directly to her, Hayeon couldn’t react at all.

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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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