The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 335

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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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The Youngest Son of the Jin Family of Luoyang – Chapter 335

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Immediately after Jin Cheon-u’s departure.
Ha Omun was mobilized entirely to uncover what he desired. Dozens of carrier pigeons soared into the sky, and the sight of an equal number descending repeated itself endlessly.
Once someone confirmed the contents of the letter in their hand and passed it to another, analysis began.
What was analyzed was then attached to carrier pigeons and sent flying once more.
In Ha Omun’s history, never before had so many resources been devoted to investigating a single person.
Among those busy workers was Baek Jin-hwa.
In the Luoyang branch of Ha Omun.
Situated somewhere deep within that hidden place, she was meticulously verifying the contents of countless letters.
This was what Jin Cheon-u had wanted.
Moreover, since they were investigating after events had unfolded in Luoyang, she couldn’t help but suspect this person might be connected to the incident.
Knowing that whenever Jin Cheon-u sought information about someone, there was always significance behind it, she could maintain a degree of certainty.
But the problem was.
“Nothing is coming up.”
Because all of Ha Omun’s personnel had been mobilized, the volume of incoming information exceeded imagination.
With all investigative resources focused on a single bandit, it was only natural that results were sparse.
“Who could this possibly be? Why would the Young Master be interested in this person….”
“According to our findings, he is currently receiving treatment within the Jin Family compound.”
“Is that so?”
Baek Jin-hwa let out a sigh, feeling an odd unease.
The wandering bandits Yeon-un and Geomdo Haryeon.
As she began writing down summaries of the detailed information arriving, Baek Jin-hwa found herself seized by a strange sensation.
Then suddenly, as if reading something, her eyes wavered.
“His breathing stopped for four days?”
“He was cut down while fighting bandits, it seems. His companions at the time thought he was dead, so they collected his body and tried to send it home with a Taoist priest.”
“If someone doesn’t breathe for four days, they’re dead.”
“Yes, but… after four days, he suddenly began breathing again, and his complexion returned.”
At this absurd account, Baek Jin-hwa let out a hollow laugh.
Long ago, there was a legendary physician said to revive even the dead, yet even they could not truly bring the deceased back to life.
It was merely a phrase later generations created to praise overwhelmingly superior medical skill.
Something even that legendary physician couldn’t accomplish, and a bandit could?
Struck down by a blade and revived after four days?
This ridiculous tale that seemed pulled from nowhere was undoubtedly fabricated by others to create a story they could sell.
It was a method bandits often employed when peddling tales to gossip-mongers.
Baek Jin-hwa stared at the letter she had been writing for a moment, then shook her head.
“I’d love to report this amusing content, but if I write it down now, I’ll surely be scolded.”
Under normal circumstances, I would have written less.
Perhaps even added a smile for good measure.
But with Jin Cheon-u’s sharp, piercing gaze still lingering vividly in my mind, if I were to write such things….
I erased the contents from my mind and began writing the next entry.
The brush in my hand moved with hurried strokes.

Early in the morning, the moment dawn broke, I sensed a presence.
As I gazed quietly at the door, it opened carefully.
Soon, Chu Hyeongi entered and began moving about busily.
He replaced the washing water with fresh, laid out clean cloth beside it, and hurried about the room tidying things one by one.
Despite his rough, burly frame, his touch was surprisingly delicate—so much so that I couldn’t help but smile.
“You’re awake?”
“Yes, I’m awake.”
“A guest has arrived. That innkeeper’s daughter.”
“Early, isn’t she.”
Rising from my seat and gazing out the window, I could see Baek Jin-hwa standing before the gate leading to the separate quarters.
Despite the early hour, she had rushed over, which suggested her mind was quite urgent about something.
I watched her for a moment before rising fully.
“Show her in and bring tea.”
“Yes!”
Chu Hyeongi hurried outside and led Baek Jin-hwa in.
After a short time, the closed door opened again, and Baek Jin-hwa entered with a stern expression.
She bowed lightly and took the seat I indicated with a gesture, and only then could we face each other with some ease.
“You seemed urgent, coming at this hour.”
“That is… not the case. Rather, the information gathered more readily than expected, so I was able to save time.”
“Impressive.”
I smiled slightly and nodded with satisfaction.
Baek Jin-hwa then produced several letters from her bosom and placed them before me.
Just as I took them in hand to read, the door opened again and Chu Hyeongi entered, set tea before both of us, and left the room.
“My throat was parched anyway—good timing. Drink.”
“Thank you, Young Master. But… may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Why do you concern yourself with someone named Yeon-un?”
“Well… I wanted to verify something.”
“…?”
Unable to comprehend the situation, Baek Jin-hwa tilted her head in confusion, but I casually reviewed the letters while taking a sip of tea.
The information about him, written across several pages, was considerable.
As if a record from the moment of his birth to the present had been inscribed.
From the first paragraph to the last, the letters were so densely packed that reading them was laborious.
However, when compressed, the contents were simple.
Yeon-un was born in a small martial household in Jilin.
At fifteen, he took up the sword and began wandering the Central Plains, a journey that continues to this day.
Most of the records documented the deeds he committed during his wanderings, and among them were accounts concerning a young girl called Haryeon.
“Do we not know the parents of this child Haryeon?”
“We investigated, but it appears they were already killed by bandits. There are no other siblings.”
“When did the two meet?”
“Not long ago. Yeon-un went out to suppress bandits, and it seems they met there.”
It was said he picked up a child abandoned on the mountain, so it was likely around that time. Yet for such a brief acquaintance, wasn’t Haryeon’s loyalty seeming excessive?
Just as I struggled to smooth the furrow from my brow, her voice reached me again.
“There’s nothing particularly unusual, but if there’s something interesting, it’s that his family has been a lineage of Taoist priests who have hunted and dealt with ghosts for generations.”
“You mean malevolent spirits?”
“Yes, they’re quite famous in that region. Whenever ghosts appear, people seek out Yeon-un’s household first, or so they say.”
I nodded at Baek Jin-hwa’s words.
Only then could I understand the truth behind what my grandmother had said about whether a ghost had clung to her or not.
Given the family’s nature, it was certainly possible.
The unsettling sensation I had felt likely originated from there.
With such thoughts, I nodded and set down the letter.
“First-rate skill… two younger brothers below him. The household hasn’t fallen, yet the one who should lead it wanders the Central Plains… is that right?”
“He dislikes the work of exorcising spirits. So he became a martial artist and seeks to make a name for himself.”
“Yes, that’s sufficiently convincing information.”
It was the sort of thing that happened everywhere.
A man’s ambition—growing disillusioned with the family trade passed down through generations, dreaming of something new.
There was nothing unusual about it, as Baek Jin-hwa said.
As I exhaled and offered a bitter smile, sensing the eased atmosphere, Baek Jin-hwa’s voice came as a soft whisper.
“And that….”
“Is there more?”
“No, it’s nothing. I just remembered something amusing….”
“Don’t speak nonsense.”
At my sharp words, Baek Jin-hwa lowered her head.
Then she exhaled a long breath, and it felt as though she was relieved not to have spoken it aloud.
Just as I unconsciously furrowed my brow and was about to ask.
Baek Jin-hwa’s voice came again.
“Is this… satisfactory?”
“Yes, it’s sufficient. Just seeing how much information you gathered in such a short time tells me how hard you worked.”
“As I mentioned earlier, it was possible because the information came together surprisingly easily.”
“Yes… that must be it.”
No matter how easily the information was obtained, the fact that she gathered this much in less than a day meant she had exerted considerable effort.
I could tell just from the shadows beneath Baek Jin-hwa’s eyes.
She exhaled a sigh of relief and looked directly at me again, then opened her mouth with even more careful words.
“And… a message from the Master. He apologizes… and says that whenever you need help, please come find him.”
I nodded without a word in response to his statement.
Words about needing help held no meaning.
What mattered from his message was that the Master had apologized to me.
The fact that Ha Omun’s Master had incurred another debt to me was sufficient.
“Then… I shall take my leave, Young Master.”
“Very well.”
Baek Jin-hwa rose from her seat, her business concluded.
Even from the way she bowed once more before carefully turning to leave, it was clear she had not yet forgotten what had transpired yesterday.
As Baek Jin-hwa departed the room, I gazed at the several letters resting upon the table.
I examined the densely written contents once more before rising from my seat.
The moment I opened the door and stepped outside, another door opened elsewhere, and from it emerged Chaeseoha, exhaling a weary sigh with exhaustion etched across her face.
“Are you tired?”
“Ah— I’m dying here. I think I need to drink medicinal broth myself. If I keep seeing patients like this every day, I’ll be the first to go. Far away. Sigh—.”
After days of tending to patients without proper rest, exhaustion filled her face and vitality had drained from her entirely.
I watched for a moment as she, with hollow eyes and drooping shoulders, trudged toward the medical chamber before posing a question.
“How are those two faring?”
“Ah… You mean Yeon-un or whoever, and Haryeon?”
“Yes.”
You’re quite attentive to those two, aren’t you? Do you owe them something?”
Chaeseoha regarded me with a peculiar expression.
It was only natural that she found it odd—I rarely showed such concern for people I didn’t know, yet I continued to pay attention to these two.
I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head.
“They’ve gotten caught up in my affairs, and even the child is suffering because of it. It weighs on my mind.”
“Hmm— I don’t think you need to worry about that. The child was in the most critical condition, but there are signs of improvement.”
“Good. Then… let me ask just one more thing.”
“What is it now?”
She sighed, as if weary of the endless questions, and sent me a look urging me to speak quickly.
Was she reluctant to delay with so much work to be done?
I smiled bitterly and voiced my question.
“That child Haryeon… is she definitely mute?”
….
Chaeseoha pressed her lips firmly shut.
Then, as if to confirm my gaze, she let out a long sigh and waved her hand dismissively.
“On the surface, she seems perfectly fine. Internally as well. If she truly were mute, it would be a psychological matter… confirming that wouldn’t be easy.”
“I see.”
“I’ll keep a close watch. If anything seems suspicious, I’ll tell you right away.”
“That’s not quite what I meant…”
“Do I not know you? Regardless, that’s how it is.”
She turned her back as if unwilling to hear more, waving her hand. The determination not to look back no matter what I said was so evident that I found myself smiling awkwardly as I watched her disappearing figure.
In that moment, her form vanished completely from my sight.
I frowned as I thought of Baek Jin-hwa’s letter left on the table.
“There’s too much.”
This was precisely what troubled me.
The sheer volume of information—something that could never have emerged if Ha Omun hadn’t been concerned with the bandit Yeon-un from the very beginning.
For something gathered in a single day, it was excessively thorough and immaculate, a flawlessness that left nothing to criticize.
As if it had been deliberately crafted with the premise that someone would investigate her background.
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
Recalling Yeon-un’s ominous smile in the medical pavilion.
“He was far more troublesome than I anticipated.”

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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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