At my words, Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am grinned.
“They say that for those who won’t listen to words, a club is the medicine.”
Escort Guard Lee Pil nodded.
“I agree as well.”
“Then, may this senior in life go teach them a lesson?”
“Let’s do that.”
At that moment, a good idea came to mind.
“Teaching them is good, but teaching them every time is a waste of time. So, since we’re going to teach them anyway, let’s finish it in one go.”
“…?”
Instead of explaining, I said to Palgap.
“Can you get me some ghost masks? Preferably really scary ones.”
A bonfire burned, and chunks of meat cooked above it.
People drinking straight from bottles while watching.
They were famous ruffians of Beijing.
Among them were sons of disgraced ministers’ families who’d fallen from power when the new Emperor ascended, sons of large merchant groups who only wasted their wealth, and drifters who’d wandered in and joined them.
Their common trait was that they were all scum. Harassing passersby while drunk was standard for them, and they’d visit small shops or inns to cause trouble.
And when they saw pretty women, they’d drag them off to do terrible things.
Why?
Because it was fun.
Those who couldn’t bear their harassment occasionally reported them to the authorities, but nothing much changed.
Their families used money and power to silence people. Especially since one of their parents held a fairly high official position, low-ranking officials had no way to deal with them.
The playground these people found was the long-neglected site designated for palace construction.
Others didn’t even come near, wary of potentially being dragged to the palace if they carelessly stepped foot there.
So for them, it was the perfect place.
At first they were a bit cautious too, but after a while they realized it was a poorly managed area and made it their nest.
“Hey, why won’t the meat cook? Drinking without side dishes ruins the taste.”
“Just wait a bit. Always so impatient.”
“Ah, did you see that new pottery shop girl?”
“Hehehe, I saw her.”
“She was pretty.”
“Should we drag her here today?”
“Should we? The meat still has a ways to go… hieek!”
Just then, one of the ruffians fell backward.
“Wh-what is that?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Gh… ghost…”
“Huh? Ghost? Where’s the ghost… gueeek!”
Those who’d turned around at the ruffian’s words also fell backward in terror.
“Such vile acts on your lord’s land! This is divine punishment!”
And clubs flew toward the ruffians.
Thwack—!
Thud—!
“Aaack!”
As the bonfire went out, the surroundings were instantly engulfed in pitch-black darkness.
The movements of those wearing ghost masks were too mystical.
No matter how they tried to flee, the masks stuck to them tenaciously.
“Please spare us! We won’t do it again!”
“We’ll never come here again!”
They begged and begged those ghosts swinging clubs at them.
Thwack—!
“Kheuk!”
But their club beatings were persistent. They focused on the painful spots, making them think they’d die at this rate.
Eventually they all passed out from the beating.
The next day, they came to their senses one by one.
“Urgh!”
Their entire bodies ached, and only then did they recall what happened last night.
“Last night those ghosts… was it a dream?”
“It wasn’t a dream. I remember too.”
“We got beat up terribly. But why are we fine?”
“…Huh?”
Indeed.
They’d been beaten until they passed out, yet there wasn’t a single mark on their bodies.
“Hiieek!”
They jumped to their feet.
“They really were ghosts!”
The ruffians fled in terror. But people’s reactions when looking at them were somehow strange.
“Oh my goodness!”
“Tsk tsk, they finally lost their minds. Lost their minds.”
“Father, why are those people naked? Can’t they afford to buy clothes?”
“Shh! Don’t make eye contact.”
From people’s reactions, they finally realized they were completely naked.
“…”
I struggled to hold back my laughter.
“Pfft! Puhuhehe.”
“Even so, stripping them completely naked was too much.”
At Palgap’s words, I shook my head.
“You say that because you weren’t there. Listening to what those bastards said made my blood boil.”
At my words, the escort guards nodded as well.
“They seem quite humiliated.”
At Escort Guard Lee Pil’s words, Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am spoke as if still displeased.
“Humiliated? If those bastards knew shame, they wouldn’t have done such things in the first place.”
“I think so too.”
“But do you think they learned their lesson from this?”
“No.”
At Escort Guard Lee Pil’s words, I shook my head.
“Maybe not now, but someday they’ll do it again. That’s why they say a leopard can’t change its spots.”
While investigating those ruffians, I’d learned that one of their fathers was using money and people to silence others.
But, that can’t silence me.
Looks like I’ll need to use the Censorate Inspector position His Majesty gave me again.
“Palgap, send a letter to Jin Yeong.”
“Yes, sir.”
I briefly wondered if the Eastern Depot and Embroidered Guard had been unaware of these matters, but soon shook my head.
Their reason for existence was to serve as the Emperor’s eyes and ears, hands and feet, to prevent treason.
To them, these matters could be considered outside their domain.
Is that why Censorate Inspectors exist?
Several days passed.
Construction on Eunhae Merchant Group’s Beijing branch finally began.
First, I hired a large number of workers to clear the weeds from the site. But I decided to leave the trees as much as possible.
They served as landscaping in themselves.
“Young Master, did you hear?”
Palgap approached me as I looked over the blueprints for the Beijing branch building.
“Hear what? About what?”
“Apparently the Left Vice Chief Censor of the Censorate slipped.”
The Left Vice Chief Censor of the Censorate was the father of one of the ruffians I’d dealt with.
“Hm? Slipped?”
“He became Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Communications.”
“Huh? That’s possible?”
The Left Vice Chief Censor of the Censorate is a fourth-rank first-class high official. And the Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Communications is an eighth-rank second-class low-level position.
In other words, he’d plummeted from fourth-rank first-class to eighth-rank second-class.
“From what I heard, His Majesty the Emperor rebuked him, saying how could someone in the important position of Left Vice Chief of a place that evaluates officials’ task performance hold that position when he can’t even properly manage his own son.”
“Is that so?”
Wow, our Emperor is quite decisive.
Honestly, for someone who’d risen to fourth-rank first-class to go work at that low-level position is difficult for one’s pride.
And while people would normally treat someone with difficulty even if they became an eighth-rank second-class low-level official, the place he was assigned happened to be the Court of Imperial Communications.
The Court of Imperial Communications manages memorials submitted to the Emperor and the Emperor’s edicts.
In other words, it’s a place close to the Emperor.
It means the Emperor will continuously monitor him, so it’ll be torture.
He should have educated his son properly, or given him a harsh scolding when he first committed such acts.
“What about that son and the ruffians?”
“They’re in prison now. There are quite a few charges. First, trespassing on imperial palace property, then assaulting women…”
“File a complaint from our side too. For trespassing on private property.”
“Yes, sir.”
Then I suddenly felt impressed by Palgap for knowing all these things.
“But Palgap, where did you hear all this?”
“I became friendly with servants from merchant groups that do business with the palace, and I heard the stories.”
“…”
Really, Palgap’s social skills are amazing.
“But you know, there’s a strange rumor going around Beijing these days.”
“A strange rumor?”
“It’s a rumor about you, Young Master.”
“Me?”
A rumor about me out of nowhere? What?
I tilted my head, and Palgap continued with a giggle.
“It’s a rumor that the Handsome Young Hero commands ghosts.”
“Huh? What does that mean? I command ghosts… ah…”
I had an idea where that rumor came from.
Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am had definitely modulated his voice and said “Such vile acts on your lord’s land! This is divine punishment!”
The rumor must have spread based on testimony from someone who heard those words.
Who knew Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am had such talent.
Anyway, those ruffians won’t be able to avoid severe punishment. And the officials who turned a blind eye and stayed silent despite reports from those victimized by the ruffians won’t be able to avoid punishment either.
Still, the officials won’t be severely punished.
They couldn’t have punished his son when the person in charge of their performance evaluations was glaring at them.
His Majesty the Emperor is understanding enough about that.
The Beijing branch construction progressed steadily, and my work also progressed steadily…
Ah… I can’t see the end.
I clenched my fist and psyched myself up.
The harder I work, the fewer sacrifices others have to make, so I can’t be lazy.
While I was living diligently day by day, Jin Yeong visited.
I’ve been seeing him often lately.
At this rate, we’ll grow close.
“What brings you to this humble place?”
At my greeting, Jin Yeong smiled and spoke.
“Humble? You’re good at empty words.”
“Hahaha.”
I laughed awkwardly.
“Would you like some tea?”
“I’ll gratefully partake.”
So we drank tea and conversed.
“His Majesty the Emperor is satisfied. He says you’re doing better work than expected.”
“It’s because I have no fear.”
“Hm? Didn’t you say before? That you’re timid…”
“Yes. I’m timid.”
“But having no fear and being timid are somewhat opposite…”
I quickly changed the subject.
“So, did you come to convey His Majesty’s words?”
“Ah. That, and… I was wondering if you might have a solution.”
“Is there some problem?”
At my question, Jin Yeong nodded.
“The person who was Left Vice Chief Censor was demoted.”
“Is that so?”
I feigned ignorance.
Revealing that I knew such things could be troublesome.
No matter how much favor Jin Yeong shows me, I need to be careful about palace matters.
“That’s right.”
Jin Yeong explained the matter, which wasn’t much different from what Palgap had told me.
Just a few things added.
Well, how could Palgap know that much anyway.
According to Jin Yeong, His Majesty the Emperor also warned other ministers to educate their children properly.
He sentenced the ruffians imprisoned this time to mining labor.
Mining labor is the hardest of all labor punishments… they’ll suffer tremendously after all that idle living.
And those victimized by the ruffians received appropriate amounts in compensation, which those scoundrels’ families had to liquidate their assets to provide.
“So now other ministers are disciplining their children to avoid becoming like the former Left Vice Chief Censor, but who knows how long that will last.”
“True enough.”
“My superior too.”
“…”
I realized child-rearing is a problem for everyone.
“Honestly, the fact that kid became scum is a complicated problem. He lost his mother young, and his father was too busy with work so he just threw money at him and raised him indulgently…”
I thought for a moment, then spoke to Jin Yeong.
“Actually, honestly speaking…”
At my words, he nodded.
“I’m sorry. You probably don’t have a solution either. I made an unreasonable request to someone like you who isn’t even married yet.”
“No. There is a method.”
“What? There is?”
“Yes, though the approach is a bit rough and difficult, the effect is certain.”
At my explanation, Jin Yeong’s eyes sparkled.
“Is that really true?”
“Yes. There’s an academy I personally support.”
“If it’s a place you support, it’s all the more trustworthy. So where is this academy?”
“It’s in Shaanxi. It’s called the Rehabilitation Academy.”
There was also a scumbag in Hubei.
Wi Seung-jeo, son of the Martial Family Lord.
Following my suggestion, the Lord sent his son to the Rehabilitation Academy I proposed.
That was already three or four years ago.
After that, the Lord’s health rapidly improved, and now he’s completely recovered and full of energy.
And I heard Wi Seung-jeo has become a complete model citizen and is now working as an assistant instructor at that academy.
What a fortunate outcome.
And hearing the place was short on funds, I’ve been personally supporting it.
Since Wi Seung-jeo became a new person, it should work well for others too.
Jin Yeong asked.
“To enroll there, what needs to be done?”
–TL Notes–
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