The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 97

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

Chapter 97

“First, my purpose is to go to Shandong.”

“You don’t seem like someone who plays word games.”

“Given who I’m dealing with.”

“Does that mean you’d tell me if the Jegal name wasn’t involved?”

“How could something disappear just because you say it doesn’t exist? That name.”

“So you mean I could hear it if I severed ties with my family?”

What a bold woman.

No matter how much of a joke it might be, to so easily speak of abandoning her family’s name and severing ties.

If she were an ordinary person, he might have taken her lightly, but knowing what kind of person this woman would become in the future, he couldn’t regard her carelessly.

“It’s not that significant.”

“Most people say that, don’t they? That their plans aren’t significant. That they’re nothing.”

“It’s simple. I’m looking for someone.”

“Someone…”

It’s not a lie.

I’m just hiding a bit of the truth.

“Is that why you went to the Tang Clan as well?”

“This seems like only the second time we’re meeting, yet you know quite a lot.”

“I have a friend in a similar situation there, so we share special news with each other.”

Ah, Dangriseo must be there.

She didn’t seem like someone with loose lips, so there was probably something else Cheongun didn’t know about.

Like this, one person and another person.

Looking at them separately, Cheongun had considerable information about each, but he had almost no information about the relationship between the two.

“Tang Clan, Kunlun, Zhongnan, Mount Hua. Now next is Shandong…”

Should he call it a coincidence?

It was close to the Jegal Family, and it was also where the Hwangbo Family had established themselves.

“Aren’t you interested in Hubei?”

To the question of whether he had no interest in Jegal, Cheongun maintained silence for a moment before answering.

“I’m about to develop some.”

Jegalhye seemed quite pleased with that answer.

Judging by the smile she showed.

“I don’t know what intention you have in gathering people, Young Master…”

Jegalhye’s eyes clearly contained a warning.

It felt like advice, but also like a real warning.

It seemed to contain subtle worry as well.

“You must keep in mind that there are those who have noticed this.”

“Like you?”

At those words, Jegalhye smiled and answered.

“I’d like you to exclude the person who informed you of this. Would that not be possible?”

“Usually, such people are the ones you should be most wary of. I think I need to watch for a while.”

“Oh my, how unfortunate.”

Jegalhye knew quite a lot.

That the Patriarch of the Tang Clan was staying at Cheongeumjang.

And that the Former Patriarch of Gaebang also had a quite close relationship with Cheongun.

Most importantly, she knew that he was currently going around looking for masters who had stepped back.

“Will you be returning to your family now, Young Lady?”

“Yes. It seems there’s nothing more to see here.”

Someday he would have business with the Jegal Family too.

Even Cheongun found it hard to guess what kind of relationship would bring him before them.

“Travel safely.”

After showing proper courtesy one last time, Cheongun left his seat first.

At his appearance without a moment’s hesitation, Jegalhye’s eyes gleamed as she remained in place for a moment, only watching Cheongun’s departing figure.

“What an interesting person…”

He was interesting, and also mysterious.

He seemed to have achieved enlightenment about life itself.

Even though he should be around the same age as her.

She hadn’t seen many such people, but she knew their characteristics well enough.

Those who seem to have achieved enlightenment and transcendence in life mostly fall into two categories.

One is abandoning all interest and greed and severing ties with the secular world.

The other is finding a sole purpose in such a situation.

The former would become temple monks or hermits, while the latter would become like the current Cheongun.

Regardless of Jegalhye’s personal interest, Cheongun was someone who needed to be watched.

She still couldn’t forget the expression Jasoyon had shown.

That expression that seemed to regard himself as worthless.

It was mostly the look shown by those who feel powerless.

Had he felt that from the woman who was with him?

Jegalhye thought not.

Someone of Jasoyon’s caliber wouldn’t feel powerless so easily.

“We’ll definitely meet again…”

When that time comes, he’ll appear with something different, and she too will appear with something different.

At that time, hearing the detailed purpose directly from his mouth would be her goal, if she had one.

“I should head back now.”

Having achieved her purpose for coming and even gained additional harvest, her steps returning should feel light.

Cheongun, who had left his seat first, had a face deepened in thought.

Waiting for Jegalhye was also to assess how much the young lady of the Jegal Family actually knew.

The Jegal Family wasn’t a place to be particularly wary of, but that required quite significant conditions.

Having enough power not to be a threat to the Jegal Family, while simultaneously having enough power to be helpful.

While good relations would be nice, this too wasn’t safe, so entering the family would be best.

There were many other conditions besides these, but if he couldn’t satisfy all of them, it was better not to get close.

Mount Hua and the Tang Clan were exceptions.

They were places as massive as Jegal, so they couldn’t scheme anything.

Even if they could, it would require a very long time and effort.

“Jegal… it would be better not to go there for a while.”

In any case, it was a troublesome place in many ways.

Especially since Jegalhye seemed to show even a little interest in him, there was no greater misfortune.

That’s why he had avoided her at the inn.

It was also because he had read interest in those eyes he briefly encountered, which led him to wait like this.

Perceptive people are troublesome when they’re not yet perfect allies, and intelligent and wise people are difficult by nature.

Since Jegalhye belonged to both categories, Cheongun chose not to keep her close for now.

He didn’t know when or how things might change, but those eyes full of interest seemed like quite an ominous sign.

After completely leaving Mount Hua and returning to the inn, Cheongun first tried to organize his thoughts.

“Gongja.”

Just as he was about to do so, the innkeeper approached Cheongun.

“What is it?”

“The Branch Manager asked me to bring you to him.”

“The Branch Manager? I’ll go now.”

It didn’t seem like much time had passed since he assigned the task.

Following the innkeeper’s words and arriving at the branch, this time the Branch Manager had come out directly to greet Cheongun.

Along with the eyes of Bugwan, who had become very respectful unlike before.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Go in.”

“Yes.”

Cheongun didn’t take his eyes off the aide as he passed by him.

He should be bowing his head and showing gratitude just for not losing his job.

Even if Cheongun hadn’t come out as a manager, if he was a guest, he should have shown even more courtesy.

Cheongun stopped in front of the aide without saying a word.

“….”

He said nothing.

The Branch Manager who was about to guide him also stopped for a moment to watch the situation.

To the aide, that time probably felt like an eternity.

Sometimes silence is heavier than a few words.

Cheongun, who had been clearly looking down at the aide from above, leisurely turned around.

Even after Cheongun and the Branch Manager disappeared from the spot, the aide couldn’t bring himself to lift his head.

Was he ashamed of himself?

Or did he have no face to lift his head?

That might be part of it, but the exact reason was different.

It wasn’t that he wouldn’t lift his head.

He couldn’t lift it.

Drip.

Cold sweat ran down his nose bridge and repeatedly dropped several drops to the floor.

‘Wh-what is this…’

He was also a martial artist in his own right.

Well, he wasn’t at the level of supreme master or peak master, but he was still a martial artist somewhere between second-rate and first-rate.

Considering the work he did, he was someone who had trained himself to at least not die suddenly.

But what was that gaze from just now?

Even though he had bowed his waist and head and wasn’t facing him directly, the overwhelming pressure he felt was something he had never experienced in his entire life.

It felt as if everything was being stripped bare and revealed one by one.

It was as if he was confessing in detail what kind of person he was, what kind of life he had lived, and even how he would live in the future.

“…Aide. Are you alright?”

When someone finally touched the aide’s body.

Only then could the aide move.

“Ah…yes. I’m…fine.”

Nevertheless, the aide was happy.

It seemed like there hadn’t been many times he was this happy.

Someone might find it strange, but anyway, the aide was a person belonging to Cheongeumjang.

The Patriarch of Cheongeumjang was such a person?

No matter what future he thought of, he didn’t feel at all that Cheongeumjang would become smaller than it was now.

“…Bright indeed.”

It was just what an aide felt, but that’s why it had greater meaning.

He could tell how it would look to those with better insight than himself.

At the place he had already arrived at with the Branch Manager’s guidance, Cheongun was briefly looking at the aide outside the window.

“…How was it.”

To the Branch Manager’s question filled with tension, Cheongun answered without even giving him a glance.

“He’s useful.”

“Is that so?”

Seeing the emotion clearly evident in his voice, he must be quite fond of that aide.

“So, why did you call me?”

“The merchant group you mentioned is ready.”

The preparations were finished much faster than expected.

He looks quite young, but he seems to handle work well.

“To Shandong?”

“Yes, that’s correct. You can set the departure time whenever you wish, Patriarch, and we’ve prepared all the basic arrangements.”

“Tomorrow would be good.”

“Yes. I’ll convey that. The aide has decided to accompany us. He volunteered directly.”

Unexpected.

He thought he might be uncomfortable.

Cheongun let out a chuckle and gestured for him to continue the story.

“We’ve arranged for you, Patriarch, to be a young master from a prestigious family heading to Shandong.”

Quite satisfactory work.

Well, he had no intention of participating in the merchant group as a Jyangjaasu or guard.

If needed, he would become a Jyangjaasu, and if needed, he would become a guard.

He had no intention of deciding on just one thing and going.

“And the goods are…”

After that, he listened to explanations about the basic aspects of the merchant group.

What kind of goods, why they were going.

Also, why Cheongun, who became a young master from a prestigious family, came to accompany them.

“Clean work. You must have been busy.”

“Oh, no. You’re too kind.”

He was sincere.

Even if he had just prepared a merchant group going to Shandong, Cheongun wouldn’t have said anything different.

Since he was preparing a merchant group to go to Shandong, the Branch Manager immediately grasped with his own judgment that Cheongun’s purpose wasn’t simply to go, but that he needed the merchant group participating in this trade itself.

Indeed, having quick-witted people below makes things very comfortable.

Even more so if they have loyalty.

“How did you come to join Cheongeumjang?”

It was the first personal question Cheongun asked.

At that question, the Branch Manager’s expression brightened infinitely.

That he had caught his eye.

No, it meant he had at least provided minimum satisfaction.

“I am…”

It’s the usual story everyone has.

Someone might find it pitiful and regrettable, but not Cheongun.

“I see.”

A calm answer.

As if he had no interest at all.

“Let me ask the question again.”

“…Yes.”

“Is what you desire within Cheongeumjang?”

The Branch Manager, who finally realized the true intent of the question, nodded and answered.

“Yes. Patriarch.”

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