Chapter 188
I gaped in disbelief and pointed at them, but Yeon Ryang raised a finger to his lips, signaling that we should keep listening.
I obediently shut my mouth and focused on the passengers’ conversation.
The more I heard about all the chivalrous deeds supposedly performed in my name without my knowledge, the more absurd it became.
Apparently I had distributed a thousand seok of relief rice to starving orphans, captured an entire band of brigands alive and handed them over to the authorities, helped commoners suffering under loan sharks...
The list of heroic exploits was so extensive that even ten of me could not have accomplished it all. Yeon Ryang laughed so hard he nearly toppled backward.
“Are you paying your fare or not?”
“Ah, here. We’d like a private cabin.”
The sailor’s impatient voice snapped me back to my senses. I elbowed Yeon Ryang in the ribs and paid our fare.
“Stop laughing.”
Even after my rebuke, he was still chuckling when we entered the cabin.
“Ahahaha! Looks like your butterfly blades have been traveling all across the Central Plains in your place, little sister. You’ve become the greatest chivalrous hero of the age.”
“This is driving me insane. Why are rumors like that going around? What in the world is happening?”
Yeon Ryang wiped tears from his eyes, his cheeks still twitching.
“Isn’t it obvious? Someone’s going around pretending to be you.”
“What do they gain by impersonating me? Pretending to be from the Tang Clan isn’t exactly going to end well for them.”
Yeon Ryang shrugged at my incredulous expression and snickered.
“They must have a purpose. Either they want to lure you out, or they want to use your name. My guess is the former. Didn’t the merchant guild send you any letters?”
“No. I never even told Miss Jang I was on Mount Wudang. She probably has no idea where I’ve been.”
He nodded as if everything had fallen into place.
“Since she didn’t know where you were, she spread the word that you were staying at the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild so the impostor wouldn’t dare move recklessly. Clever as ever.”
At that, the whole situation clicked into place, and I clapped my hands.
Wow. Jang Miryeo really is dependable.
The more I saw of her, the more impressed I became by her ability to control the board.
To think I had gained someone so seasoned as an ally.
Maybe I was the lucky one after all.
Yeon Ryang rubbed his chin and tilted his head.
“Miss Jang’s part makes sense, but who has business with my little sister? I can’t think of anyone. Sohae, you didn’t get yourself into trouble while I was gone, did you?”
“Of course not. Brother, I never even left Mount Wudang. All I did was train from morning to night.”
“I can’t make sense of it...”
Yeon Ryang and I put our heads together and thought for quite a while, but no likely culprit came to mind.
It obviously isn’t Her Highness. She doesn’t even know I’m from the Tang Clan.
If anyone from the Tang Clan needed me, they would have gone through Uncle Geunmyeong.
And Wiji Gok gave me both a letter of recommendation and a pass to enter the Martial Alliance, so there’s no reason he’d go through all this trouble just to summon me.
Then who is it?
I scratched my head and frowned irritably.
“As soon as we reach Yueyang, I’m going straight to the merchant guild. Hopefully Miss Jang knows something...”
“At the very least, she should know when the rumors started. But what was it you wanted her help with?”
At Yeon Ryang’s question, I fidgeted with my fingers and met his gaze.
Looking into those pitch-black eyes, the words lodged in my chest as though a stone were pressing down on it.
Can I take the fact that he left his sword behind as a sign that he’s willing to leave the martial world?
If I ask him to hide away somewhere with me, will he actually agree?
I swallowed and cautiously spoke.
“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Why don’t we go somewhere quiet and rest for a while?”
“Somewhere quiet?”
“Yeah. I thought it might be nice to clear our heads someplace with beautiful mountains and water. Maybe it was because Mount Wudang was so peaceful, but staying tucked away there made training easier too.”
I carefully tested the waters.
Yeon Ryang’s expression darkened.
“...The old man told you to say this, didn’t he?”
“What? No. It’s nothing like that. I’m just a little tired too.”
I shook my head hard and waved both hands, but Yeon Ryang had already taken my meaning another way.
He murmured bitterly,
“Damn. I can’t be the kind of brother who holds his little sister back.”
“I told you, that’s not it. You once said you might like to open an inn someday, remember? When I was coming down Mount Wudang, I ended up walking among ordinary people, and it made me think about that.”
“...An inn?”
“Yeah. So I was going to ask Miss Jang if she knew any good places. Even if we can’t open one right away, there’s no harm in scouting out a location in advance. Besides, I want to eat your cooking every day.”
I put on a playful tone, quickly grabbed Yeon Ryang’s hand, and shook it.
“If we settle somewhere, we’ll probably stay there for good. I just wanted to spend some time there first and see whether it was actually a nice place to live. That’s why I asked.”
“Yeah, yeah. I understand.”
Only then did Yeon Ryang smile and pat the back of my hand.
His expression was still subdued, but at least he no longer looked as though he were blaming himself.
I hurriedly changed the subject, stumbling over my words.
“A-Anyway, about that impostor from earlier...”
But Yeon Ryang merely nodded, without the lively response he had given before.
Seeing him so deflated made my chest tighten painfully.
...I should pretend not to notice and give him some time.
I swallowed a sigh and clenched my fist inside my sleeve.
Yeon Ryang probably needed time to come to terms with things too.
*****
It was broad daylight by the time we followed the waterways to the port at Yueyang.
We took a carriage to the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild, and the moment we arrived, both of us stared in amazement at how much it had changed.
The guild grounds had already been fairly large before, but now they had expanded enough to astonish anyone at first sight.
There were so many carts constantly entering and leaving that merely standing there and watching the traffic made my eyes spin.
“Ugh, there are way too many people. And look at all those lines. Which one is for visitors?”
“Looks like that one.”
Yeon Ryang shaded his eyes with one hand as he scanned the area, then pointed toward a line to the right of the main gate.
“Come on, little sister.”
He beckoned and strode forward.
People passing nearby automatically moved out of his way, opening a path before him.
Even without a sword, the fighting spirit that naturally clung to him was enough to make them wary.
𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
That big lug won’t have to worry about anyone looking down on him just because he doesn’t have a sword.
The thought reassured me, but I also grew tense at the possibility that Yeon Ryang had drawn too much attention.
At this point, standing in line and lingering under everyone’s gaze would only make things worse. We might as well enter the guild quickly.
I approached one of the guards and got straight to the point.
“I’d like to see Miss Jang.”
“Do you have an appointment with the Guild Head?”
Oh. She became the guild head already. Good for her.
“No. But this should be enough.”
I lifted the brim of my bamboo hat just enough to meet the guard’s eyes, then handed him the Golden Dragon Merchant Guild token Jang Miryeo had once given me.
The guard’s eyes went wide when he saw the golden token engraved with a dragon.
“P-Please wait just a moment!”
He practically shouted the words, then dashed inside.
Before long he came running back and personally escorted Yeon Ryang and me to the reception hall.
“The reception hall got bigger too.”
“Looks like they built this whole building from scratch.”
We were looking around in fascination when I sensed someone running toward us from a distance.
“Miss Tang!”
Jang Miryeo came rushing over with a brush still in her hand, apparently right in the middle of work, and clasped both of my hands.
Seeing how openly delighted she was to see me brought a smile to my face.
“Have you been well? I hope I’m not causing trouble by showing up without sending word first.”
“Trouble? Having Miss Tang visit us personally is nothing but a pleasure. Please, sit. You as well, sir.”
She pulled out a chair for Yeon Ryang.
Unlike before, she showed no sign of fear toward him.
Yeon Ryang seemed to notice the difference too. He gave a faint grin.
“You’ve grown tougher.”
“It is thanks to the two of you. I was actually beginning to worry because we hadn’t heard from you for so long. Especially with someone recently appearing and impersonating Miss Tang.”
Jang Miryeo smiled as she answered, set down the brush in her hand, and bowed politely.
“I had no idea what that person might do, so I spread a rumor that Miss Tang was staying here as our guest. I hope you will forgive me for acting without permission.”
Yeon Ryang’s guess had been exactly right.
I smiled and shook my head to show I did not mind.
“There’s nothing to forgive. Thank you for looking out for me, Miss Jang. Or should I call you Guild Head now? Where’s Gyojin?”
“Ah, my husband has gone to Luoyang for a short while. Manor Lord Yang summoned him.”
“...Y-Your husband?”
I faltered at the unexpected term and darted my eyes aside.
Jang Miryeo merely smiled as if nothing were unusual.
“Oh dear. I’ve been calling him that in front of the household so often that it’s become a habit. Miss Tang, how long are you planning to stay? Couldn’t you remain until Gyojin returns? He should be back within fifteen days.”
“I don’t think I can stay that long.”
“I see. Gyojin will be disappointed. He has missed you terribly.”
Well, I haven’t missed him.
I forcibly swallowed the words that had risen to my throat and tried not to picture the two of them pretending to be husband and wife.
Instead, I changed the subject.
“That problem you were worried about...”
“It has all been dealt with. Thanks to Gyojin. Every last person who came here with designs on the merchant guild fled while wetting themselves.”
“W-Wetting themselves... Right. I see. That’s... good.”
I tried to smile as I nodded, but the corners of my mouth refused to cooperate.
Yang Gyojin... what did you do...?
You didn’t just beat everyone senseless again, did you? Martial artists are one thing, but you can’t lay hands on ordinary people.
The thought made me dizzy, though I supposed Jang Miryeo must have handled things properly.
I gave her a strange look as she prepared the tea, then struggled to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Your guards have changed too.”
“Manor Lord Yang was worried there might be assassination attempts, so he personally sent people to protect me.”
“Assassination?”
Were there still remnants connected to the Demonic Sect?
I stared at Jang Miryeo in alarm, but she shook her head as if it were nothing serious.
“With Yang Manor’s help, we conducted a thorough housecleaning. There was an assassination attempt by the Ghost Blade Hall, but Manor Lord Yang personally dealt with them.”
“A-a housecleaning? What exactly did you clean up...?”
“We exterminated the vermin who had been extorting silver from the merchant guild every year.”
A chill crawled up my spine at the violent wording coming from such a demure voice.
Vermin? She means the unorthodox factions that were collecting {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} protection money, right? She wasn’t like this before. Is this Yang Gyojin’s influence?
...I think I’d rather not ask what they’ve been doing for the past year.
Noticing my awkward expression, Jang Miryeo quickly composed herself and set a teacup before each of us.
“I seem to have gotten carried away. Please drink while it’s warm.”
“Ahaha. Yes, thank you.”
Pretending not to notice the bright sparkle in Jang Miryeo’s eyes, I lifted the cup and hid my mouth behind it.