The Eunhae Merchant Group’s Intelligence Unit had been steadily growing for years, and by now, it was actively operating all across the empire.
With my influence behind it, it had developed far faster than it had in my previous life.
And right now, I was reaping the benefits.
“Escort Guard Jin Yu.”
“Did you call for me?”
“Please deliver this letter to the Clear Night Pavilion discreetly.”
“Understood.”
The Clear Night Pavilion in Beijing.
That was our merchant group’s Intelligence Unit base in Beijing.
However, I had avoided using it as much as possible.
Since I drew far too much attention wherever I went, I was worried that using it too often might expose what it really was.
When it was absolutely necessary, I would ask Escort Guard Jin Yu to contact them discreetly and request information.
For this matter, I truly needed their help.
The next day, Warrior Jin Yeong came to see me again.
“His Majesty has summoned you.”
“Yes.”
I had thought he might call for me sometime today, and sure enough, my guess had been right.
After straightening my clothes and making myself presentable, I followed Warrior Jin Yeong to the Imperial Palace.
When I offered the Emperor the highest courtesy, he spoke to me.
“Raise your head.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”
“Yes. I hear you have been helping Jin Yeong investigate the truth behind the critic murder case.”
So this incident had been named the critic murder case.
“If this humble merchant can be of help, then I believe it is only right that I do what I can.”
“You’re good with words.”
The Emperor gave a faint snort of laughter.
“I can already tell you’ve got plenty of things to do right now, and yet here you are, secretly whining to yourself because another problem landed in your lap.”
Gah…
How did he know?
Does he have another occupation besides being Emperor?
Something like, say, a profession that only needs one straw mat to get started? (TL Note: A beggar. In Wuxia, they are usually a part of a sect that gathers information)
“Very well, let me ask you one thing. In your opinion, does the man we currently have in custody seem like the culprit?”
There was a trace of expectation in the Emperor’s eyes.
He was probably hoping the words “Yes, Your Majesty. He is the culprit.” would come out of my mouth.
But I could not say that.
It might satisfy the Emperor right now, but cleaning up the consequences later would become difficult.
“No, Your Majesty.”
“No… you say?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“In this humble merchant’s judgment, he is not the culprit.”
The Emperor looked disappointed.
He had likely planned to use this as a pretext to pressure and weaken the Murim Alliance and the Namgoong Clan. Now that it had fallen through, of course he would be disappointed.
“Why?”
“Because that man’s skill is superior to the culprit’s.”
I had promised to keep that secret, but this was the Emperor.
Besides, the Emperor had a Transcendent master by his side. How could I possibly hide it?
“However, even though he could be released as innocent if he revealed his true skill, he asked me to keep it hidden.”
“…That is a strange request.”
“That is why I am currently looking for other evidence.”
“That bastard is making my people work for no reason.”
At that mutter, I actually doubted my own ears for a moment.
Did he just say my people?
Because of that, I stood there blankly for a moment before the Emperor asked me,
“So, do you think you can find that evidence?”
“Yes. I am trying to uncover his whereabouts from that night.”
“His whereabouts that night?”
“Yes. He refuses to speak about where he was that night as well. If we can uncover that, I believe we may be able to prove his innocence and find the real culprit.”
“Tsk!”
The Emperor clicked his tongue.
“That bastard is an unbelievable amount of trouble.”
I quietly glanced at the Grand Eunuch beside him.
He had the expression of someone who had already transcended all worldly concern regarding His Majesty’s rough language.
“But if that man has not revealed it himself, isn’t there a high chance he will ask you not to speak about that as well?”
“That can be handled somehow once I learn what he was doing at the time.”
“Fine. You’ll manage that well enough on your own. Still, this is a bit of a pity.”
“Your Majesty. This humble merchant would like to offer a word.”
“Go on.”
I carefully spoke.
“Is it truly necessary for that man to be guilty in order for Your Majesty to gain something from this?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even if he is innocent, there are still things to be gained from the fact that he is innocent.”
I continued.
“You should take credit for it.”
At my words, the Emperor fell into thought for a moment. Then he slowly grinned and looked at me.
“You little bastard, you…”
Was it my imagination, or did the look in the Emperor’s eyes somehow resemble the way Geumryeong looked at Gold Taels?
“Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Do your utmost to prove that man’s innocence. If we are to do as you said, then we must first prove he is innocent.”
“I obey Your Majesty’s command.”
.
.
.
I returned to the Beijing Branch.
“Deputy Merchant Lord, Poet Song Rok has arrived.”
Deputy Gal Hyeon informed me that Poet Song Rok had come.
“Where is he now?”
“He should be resting in his quarters.”
“Then please tell him I would like to meet him in the Reception Room for a moment.”
“Understood.”
Poet Song Rok had won the Poetry and Prose Competition held the year before last.
And as agreed, he had joined the Eunhae Merchant Group and traveled around the country while making a name for himself.
He was also serving as a judge for this year’s Poetry and Prose Competition.
He had originally been supposed to come together with Brother Jin-ho, but something had come up, so he had arrived late.
I waited first in the Reception Room, and before long, Poet Song Rok entered.
“Welcome.”
“My apologies for making you wait.”
“Not at all. I have not been waiting long. Please, sit.”
Soon, Palgap brought in refreshments.
“Please have some.”
“Thank you.”
“By the way, you have become quite sturdy since I last saw you.”
When I had first seen him, he had been scrawny and hollow-eyed, but now he had some flesh on him and looked far healthier.
He gave an awkward laugh and replied,
“It is all thanks to you, Deputy Merchant Lord.”
“Even now, my heart drops whenever I think of that day. Some strange man standing in the middle of the Beijing Branch construction site…”
“Uwaaaah!”
As soon as I brought up his dark history, Poet Song Rok frantically waved both arms in the air.
“T-that was…”
“What is wrong?”
“P-please, I beg you, forget that ever happened.”
“How could I forget it? The poem you composed at that construction site was so beautiful.”
“…”
At my words, he sighed and grumbled.
“Is teasing this lowly one really that entertaining?”
“I apologize. There has been very little to laugh about lately.”
The mood had been loosened enough, so it was time to get to the point.
The reason I had deliberately teased Poet Song Rok and lightened the atmosphere was that the matter I needed to bring up was not particularly pleasant.
“The Poetry and Prose Competition begins tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“You will be judging the competition tomorrow. I will be counting on you.”
“Of course.”
He cupped his fist and gave me a slight bow.
“This year, unlike last year and the year before, the competition is open to the entire empire, so there will be a great many participants.”
“That is fine. Appreciating poetry and prose is one of this lowly one’s joys. Besides, being invited as a judge for the Poetry and Prose Competition is an honor, is it not?”
I smiled and nodded at that.
He was right.
Then I turned serious.
“In truth, something troubling happened in Beijing not long ago.”
“Troubling?”
“A scholar who came to Beijing to participate in the Poetry and Prose Competition was brutally murdered.”
“How terrible!”
I gave him a rough explanation of the incident. Of course, I did not mention anything classified.
After listening to my explanation, he nodded slowly.
“I know Poet Na Jeong-su. It feels inappropriate to say this about someone who has been murdered, but he had quite a nasty disposition, so I did not like him. I cannot say I am especially surprised that he met such a brutal end.”
If even Poet Song Rok said that much, then the man must have been rather infamous among poets.
“Just how vicious were his harsh critics?”
“To be honest, what he wrote could hardly be called criticism. It was condemnation.”
He explained Poet Na Jeong-su’s method of criticism.
“He would take someone’s poem, compose a poem condemning it, and then post it on a street where many people passed by.”
Huh…
So he humiliated them publicly?
Just as Poet Song Rok said, the man really did have a nasty disposition.
In that case, the poem written on the wall had not merely been a warning to him.
It had also meant that he was being repaid in the same way he had always treated others.
“When you read those critical poems, they were so merciless that you found yourself wondering whether any person truly needed to go that far… In the end, there were even several people who could not endure the shame and chose death.”
“And yet he did not stop criticizing?”
“Yes. He said that if they died, it only proved they were spineless people whose poetic talent amounted to nothing, and that even if he had not done what he did, they would have made that extreme choice someday anyway…”
“…”
Wow. He had been trash.
I could understand why Poet Song Rok felt so unfavorable toward Poet Na Jeong-su.
“Were you ever targeted by him, Poet Song?”
“Fortunately, I was not.”
“That is a relief.”
Then again… Poet Song Rok’s poetry was praised as close to perfection.
“In truth, there is something I would like to ask of you, Poet Song.”
“What is it?”
“First, would you take a look at this?”
I handed him a copy of the poem that had been written where Poet Na Jeong-su died.
“Ah… Is this perhaps?”
The moment he saw it, he seemed to realize what it was and looked back at me.
“That is correct. It is the poem I mentioned earlier, the one written at the scene.”
I continued.
“I understand that every person’s unique mark is reflected in their poetry and prose.”
“That is true. The writer often does not know it themselves, but others can see it.”
“While judging, if you encounter anyone who writes poems with the same or a similar mark to this one, please inform me.”
“Are you saying that person is the murderer?”
“Yes.”
At Poet Song Rok’s question, I nodded.
“To be honest, the late Poet Na Jeong-su was not much of a human being, but the culprit still must be caught, mustn’t they?”
“Understood.”
The reason I was asking him this was because I could not stay at the competition venue for long due to this matter.
On the other hand, Poet Song Rok was a judge, so he would be able to hear every participant’s poem and make a much more accurate judgment.
“Thank you for agreeing to my request.”
“Please do not mention it. If I can be of help, then of course I should help you. Are you not the one who saved my life?”
The next day, the Poetry and Prose Competition began.
I watched the competition for a short while, then headed to the Magistrate’s Office. I needed to check on Young Lord Namgoong Yang.
“You have arrived.”
The people at the Magistrate’s Office, who now recognized my face, treated me rather kindly, perhaps because they remembered Warrior Jin Yeong’s instruction to cooperate with me.
“Where is Young Lord Namgoong Yang?”
“He is in the Underground Prison.”
At that, I headed down to the Underground Prison and approached Young Lord Namgoong Yang, who was locked inside.
“Would you like some?”
He noticed my presence and asked in a gloomy voice,
“What is it?”
“Sweet rice puffs.”
I showed him the sweet rice puffs I had brought with me, and when Young Lord Namgoong Yang saw them, his eyes lit up.
“I… I would not refuse.”
He must have been hungry.
I held the sweet rice puffs out to him. He accepted them, unfolded the wrapping, and began to eat.
Crunch, crunch.
I watched him while listening to the pleasant sound of him eating the sweet rice puffs.
If he had not been a member of the Namgoong Clan, if he had simply been an ordinary commoner, he probably would not have looked nearly so clean right now.
With that much evidence, they would have tortured him and demanded that he confess the truth at once.
Just as External Chief Administrator Yu So-ak had once suffered.
It was only right to treat everyone equally, but honestly, that was not easy.
Putting that aside, something suddenly made me curious.
“Young Lord Namgoong Yang.”
“Yes?”
“With your ability, you could escape from this Underground Prison whenever you pleased. Even so, why are you staying here so quietly?”
“Because I cannot… disgrace my family’s name.”
So it was because of his family’s honor?
“And…”
He continued in a small voice.
“If I disgrace my family’s honor, Father will scold me terribly. Then Mother will be very sad.”
“I see.”
I squatted down in front of him and said,
“The Poetry and Prose Competition began today.”
“I see.”
He was calmer than I expected.
“The first preliminary round of the Poetry and Prose Competition has not ended yet. If the false charge against you is cleared even now, you will still be able to participate.”
“…”
“So, about that night. Do you still have no intention of telling me where you were or what you were doing?”
“…”
He was stubborn too.
Just what in the world had happened to make him act like this?
I rose to my feet.
“I will stop by again tomorrow.”
He did not answer.
.
.
.
“My lord, a reply has arrived from Clear Night Pavilion.”
When I returned to the Beijing Branch, Escort Guard Jin Yu approached me and handed me a letter.
[I will see you tonight at Yeoji Pavilion]
Yeoji Pavilion was one of Beijing’s wine pavilions.
Its lamb dumplings were especially famous.
Good. This works out nicely. It has been a while since we had a company dinner.
Night came.
I headed to Yeoji Pavilion and went up to the top floor.
“Lamb dumplings, and…”
I ordered the food, and soon, the dishes were brought out. At that moment, a courtesan approached us.
“Allow me to serve you a cup of tea.”
I sensed the courtesan’s Qi and smiled faintly as I said,
“It has been a while, Chun-il.”
At my words, he gave a faint smile and said,
“You still have frighteningly sharp instincts.”
At my words, the people around us were startled and clicked their tongues in amazement. It was indeed impressive.
Enough to deceive even a Peak warrior.
“Have you been in Beijing?”
“Yes. For about fifteen days now. So, you wished to know about Young Lord Namgoong Yang?”
“Yes.”
“Then I suppose I should begin with this. Young Lord Namgoong Yang’s life is in danger.”
“…Pardon?”
No, what is that supposed to mean?
–TL Notes–
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