Beijing Branch’s reception room.
Poet Song Rok was sitting across from me.
He had said he discovered something earlier at the competition venue, so I had arranged this meeting.
“You must be hungry after judging all day. I apologize.”
“Not at all. This is far more important than that, isn’t it? And it’s not the kind of conversation we can have in a restaurant.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Poet Song Rok took a sheet of paper from his robes and handed it to me.
“Among the poems submitted by today’s participants, I found one with markings similar to the poem written on the wall. This is the piece.”
I read through the poem. But as far as I could tell, I didn’t see anything they had in common.
“I’m afraid I don’t see it.”
At my honest answer, he began to explain.
“The poem written on that wall was most likely made to look unfamiliar on purpose, to hide the writer’s identity. Whoever planned this had enough wit for that much, at least.”
He continued.
“But I believe a poem always carries a part of the person who wrote it. And the proof of that is habit.”
“Habit?”
“Yes. No matter how hard someone tries to write in an unfamiliar style, their habits inevitably slip through. Especially when they have to compose a poem on the spot, like in a poetry and prose competition, those habits stand out all the more.”
“I see. Would you mind explaining in more detail?”
“Of course.”
He placed the two poems side by side and explained each point to me, indicating them with his finger one by one.
Only after hearing his explanation did I finally see what the two poems shared.
“I see! What is the name of the person who wrote this poem?”
“He is called Jo Saeng, from Anhui.”
“Anhui…”
“However, the preliminary round isn’t over yet, so we should keep looking a little longer. Someone else may compose a poem with similar traits.”
Today was the third day.
The preliminary round would take another two days to conclude.
“Understood. Then I’ll leave it to you until then. Let’s go get you something to eat.”
I took him to a nearby wine pavilion.
Beijing’s streets were packed with people, and even the wine pavilions and pleasure houses had no seats left.
His Majesty would be pleased to see this.
After all, this was exactly why he had opened this poetry and prose competition.
Guests had to come for money to circulate, and only then could taxes be collected.
There was a saying.
Fear builds authority, but food is what sustains it.
I agreed with that.
No matter how overwhelming a person’s authority might be, before the starving, it would eventually be trampled into the mud.
And His Majesty knew that better than anyone.
.
.
.
On the way back after the meal.
I sent Poet Song Rok back to Beijing Branch first, then headed for Five-Way Street.
I wanted to go over this case from the beginning.
Someone using the Namgoong Clan’s martial arts to commit contract killings…
Nothing obvious came to mind. Nothing like that had happened in my previous life, either.
And even if it had, the Namgoong Clan may have handled it before it ever reached my ears.
Then how should I catch him?
Warrior Jin Yeong had demanded that the Namgoong Clan take responsibility and catch the culprit.
But I had no intention of trusting only them.
If they couldn’t catch him, they were the sort to frame some innocent person as the culprit and execute them.
They were more than capable of that.
People who would not hesitate to sacrifice others for their own honor and profit.
If only to prevent that kind of innocent sacrifice, we had to catch the real culprit.
Soon, I arrived at the place where Poet Na Jeong-su had died.
Boundary ropes were still set up around the area, and Imperial Guards were standing watch.
The case had yet to be solved, after all.
One of the Imperial Guards recognized me and saluted.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“You flatter us. We’re only doing what we must.”
Their discipline was solid.
As expected of the Imperial Guards, the empire’s elite.
I began carefully examining the surroundings once more.
A lot of the bloodstains have faded.
Come to think of it, it rained a few days ago.
Hm?
Suddenly, I sensed something strange.
When I had come here last time, the smell of blood had been so overpowering that I hadn’t noticed…
But now, I could feel a Qi I hadn’t sensed back then.
Ah! It’s coming from over there.
I stepped over the boundary rope, focused Qi into my eyes, and carefully examined the sword marks carved into the wall.
This is definitely… Unorthodox Qi.
Something’s strange here.
There are clear traces of the Namgoong Clan’s martial arts, so why is Unorthodox Qi clinging to them?
Either way, this was also a piece of evidence.
Before, the smell of blood had been too thick, and countless people had been going in and out, so I probably hadn’t been able to sense it.
But now, only a small number of Imperial Guards were keeping watch, allowing me to detect even faint traces of Qi.
The marks left on the wall had been made when the killer pinned Poet Na Jeong-su against it and tore into his body with a sword.
While using the sword, he must have unconsciously let that Qi seep strongly into the marks without even realizing it.
Good thing I came here today.
The next day.
Warrior Jin Yeong visited Beijing Branch and handed me a book.
“What is this book?”
“Didn’t you ask me before? You wanted a list of the people Poet Na Jeong-su insulted with his critical poems.”
“Ah, I did. That’s right.”
“This is the list.”
“This is the list?”
“As you can see, there were so many names that we had to make it into a book, so it took some time.”
“Thank you.”
I accepted the list and opened it.
Since Poet Na Jeong-su was from Anhui, most of the poets written on the list were also from Anhui.
Then Warrior Jin Yeong spoke.
“Ah, Young Lord Namgoong Yang is also on that list.”
Was this man truly out of his mind?
He lived in Anhui, and he still criticized the son of the Namgoong Clan Lord?
“But in Young Lord Namgoong Yang’s case, it seems the clan stepped in and warned him.”
“So they did. And did the deceased victim accept that warning?”
“He was quite spirited at first, but in Anhui, life becomes difficult if you fall out of favor with the Namgoong Clan.”
“That’s true.”
He must have thought lightly of Young Lord Namgoong Yang because he was an illegitimate son and the child of the seventeenth wife, but there was something he hadn’t known.
Young Lord Namgoong Yang was a son favored by the Clan Lord.
I looked through the list for the name Poet Song Rok had mentioned.
Jo Saeng of Anhui.
He’s here, just as expected.
Below his name, it even recorded what kind of poem had humiliated him and how.
I first committed his name to memory, then cupped my fist toward Warrior Jin Yeong.
“Thank you for the materials.”
“Think nothing of it. If anything, I’m glad I can be of help. After all, the harder you work, the more I’ll benefit from it as well, won’t I?”
He wasn’t wrong, but that was a burden.
Because that also meant that if I slipped up, Warrior Jin Yeong would suffer the consequences too.
“Hahaha. I’ll do my best.”
After briefly discussing the situation, Warrior Jin Yeong left.
I entered my office and began reading through the book in detail.
The more I read, the more sighs and incredulous laughs escaped me.
Wow… Na Jeong-su really was human garbage.
I knew this kind of person well.
When you lived as a merchant, you inevitably ran into people like him.
Someone who pursued only his own reputation and self-satisfaction.
But he had no concern whatsoever for the people around him weeping tears of blood because of it.
To him, everyone around him was merely a tool for his reputation and satisfaction.
Since someone who only harmed those around him had died, should I say he deserved it?
But I wasn’t sure his family would feel the same. Even someone like this could still have been a precious son, husband, and father to them.
Though that was rarely the case.
“Deputy Gwak.”
“Yes.”
“Even if it’s frustrating, please endure it just a little longer.”
“Pardon?”
She tilted her head for a moment, then realized what I meant and answered with a smile.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I just feel sorry.”
The party from Guizhou’s Provincial Administration Commissioner had yet to return to Guizhou.
Their stated reason was that, since they had come to Beijing anyway, they wanted to take care of some accumulated work and watch the poetry and prose competition.
In other words, they intended to stay for about another fifteen days.
But I knew the true reason.
He wanted to meet Young Lady Seohyang one more time before returning.
However, because Warrior Dong Hyeok-su was hovering around her constantly, they had not been able to find an opportunity.
If there’s no other way, I’ll have to create an opportunity myself.
At that moment, Palgap entered the office.
“Young Master.”
“What is it?”
“Elder Namgoong Geon-ji sent someone, sir. He says that if you are free tomorrow evening, he would like to have dinner with you, sir.”
“Dinner together?”
“Yes. He says he wants to thank you for taking good care of Young Lord Namgoong Yang, sir.”
That was probably just the excuse…
Elder Namgoong Geon-ji’s thoughts and actions were obvious.
He must be uneasy about having disregarded me.
The Murim Alliance Leader, the former Clan Lord of the Namgoong Clan, had bestowed upon me the epithet Handsome Young Hero. Since he had disregarded someone like me, he was probably afraid it might be taken as disrespect toward the Alliance Leader himself.
So he wanted to soothe me in advance and smooth things over.
People from the Namgoong Clan strutted around arrogantly as if nothing in the world could frighten them, but they were terribly mindful of the Alliance Leader’s opinion.
“What will you do, sir?”
“Tell him I’ll meet him.”
“Understood, sir.”
Palgap left the office. Then Young Lady Seohyang cautiously asked,
“Will you be all right?”
“What wouldn’t be all right? I just have to go, listen to what he has to say, get a free meal, and come back, don’t I?”
I had never intended to tell the Alliance Leader about this from the beginning, anyway.
It wasn’t as if I would have a chance to meet the Alliance Leader.
Back then, I had only done it because putting Elder Namgoong Geon-ji in his place would make everything easier.
“It’s just…”
Young Lady Seohyang hesitated before speaking to me.
“Deputy Merchant Lord, you seem to find the Namgoong Clan deeply unpleasant.”
“…Does it look that way?”
“Yes. It feels almost as if you were looking at an enemy from a previous life.”
“…!”
Young Lady Seohyang’s words made me flinch.
Because they were far too accurate.
No, how in the world did she know that? Do Ice Crystal Eyes have the ability to read previous lives or something?
I calmed my startled heart and asked her in return.
“What makes you think that?”
“Well… whenever you look at documents related to the Namgoong Clan, or whenever you hear anything about them, the hand you place on your chair’s armrest always tightens.”
“…”
What a relief. So Ice Crystal Eyes don’t see as far as previous lives.
“I don’t know what circumstances you have, but please don’t rush yourself too much.”
Why did her words make my heart loosen without my permission?
“Understood.”
The next day.
It was the fourth day of the poetry and prose competition.
The first poetry and prose competition would end tomorrow.
Today was the day Young Lord Namgoong Yang would participate.
So, even for the sake of tonight’s meeting, it would be better to show my face.
“Palgap.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“We’re going to the competition venue today.”
A little while later, I arrived at the venue and watched the preliminary round of the poetry and prose competition.
Some time after noon, it happened.
Hm?
The poem I’m hearing right now…
Thanks to Poet Song Rok’s explanation, I could tell.
This poem had habits similar to the poem written on the wall.
Aside from this man named Jo Saeng, there’s someone else who can compose a poem with markings resembling that one?
I looked at Poet Song Rok.
He seemed to have noticed as well, his expression grave.
Then does this mean there are two suspects?
No. Three.
After lunch.
Another poem composed by someone in the resumed preliminary round.
That poem, too, had habits similar to the poem written on the wall.
.
.
.
Today’s competition ended.
I approached Young Lord Namgoong Yang, who was trudging along dejectedly.
“You worked hard today.”
“Ah! Handsome Young Hero!”
As Chun-il had said, Young Lord Namgoong Yang’s poem had been awful. Naturally, he failed the preliminary round.
“As expected, compared to everyone else, my poem was…”
“Does whether you wrote well or poorly really matter? Isn’t what matters how sincerely you wrote it?”
I comforted Young Lord Namgoong Yang while sending him a Voice Transmission.
– You’re a better actor than I expected.
– Do I look truly disappointed?
– Yes.
– I had no idea I had a talent for acting either.
That’s right. Young Lord Namgoong Yang was acting right now.
Since the other Namgoong Clan members were nearby, he had to appear disappointed for the explanation that he had come to Beijing for the poetry and prose competition to make sense.
That way, they wouldn’t suspect anything.
“I heard my uncle invited you to dinner tonight, Great Hero. Shall we go together?”
“No.”
I gently refused.
“As one of the organizers of this competition, I have a few matters to wrap up.”
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“Yes.”
I glanced at his retreating back, then turned and approached Young Lord In Gye-seong of the Sebin Merchant Group.
I needed to wrap up today’s matters.
Then I returned to Beijing Branch, met with Poet Song Rok, and discussed the poems we had heard earlier.
“I was truly surprised. To think there was another poet with such similar habits. And not just one, but two more.”
“Then are there three suspects now?”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“Please keep a close eye out until tomorrow, just in case.”
“Understood.”
I let out a sigh.
I really can’t make sense of this.
It was about time to head to the appointed place, so I decided to think about this later for now.
.
.
.
A short while later.
I arrived in front of a pleasure house.
Of course.
I hadn’t expected to meet at a wine pavilion to begin with. Since he was a man who liked women, it was naturally going to be a pleasure house.
But is he not worried about information leaking through the courtesans?
“This way, please.”
Guided by a waiter, I climbed to the top floor and abruptly stopped.
Hm?
This Qi I’m sensing right now…
–TL Notes–
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