Ch 332: The Lady’s Protector
Muk-eo had a pained expression.
“From what I’ve heard from the villagers, their only goal is to await death. So they spend all day doing nothing, sitting outside and chatting. All the household gossip comes out. From what I heard, the illness in that merchant’s household wasn’t originally that serious, and it’s unclear if it was even tuberculosis. It’s also said that when they were first sent here, it didn’t seem like tuberculosis, just an ordinary cough. But somehow, people insisted it was tuberculosis and reported it to the Government Office. In my opinion, it looks like a competitor in business played a trick. Of course, there’s also the possibility it truly was tuberculosis. It’s all just speculation.”
“However, the villagers didn’t have a bad opinion of that family. The remaining siblings have been teaching the children in the village literacy. Sadly, they don’t have much time left themselves. I saw the children myself; they looked to be around fourteen or fifteen, very thin and weak. The older brother was telling his younger sister that it was good because they would soon meet their parents. When I left, the children were hugging each other and crying. It seemed like they were at a crossroads of life and death.”
Baek Hak-yeom looked at Muk-eo and asked.
“You mean, those siblings are useful?”
Muk-eo nodded.
“If Miss wishes to cultivate people within the Tuberculosis Village, I thought those siblings would be useful. And there were also other people within the scope of my observation.”
Muk-eo gained a considerable harvest from this visit to the Tuberculosis Village. Although it was done through clandestine observation and eavesdropping, this was because the people inside were facing death and had nothing to do but talk. Moreover, people tend to be honest when facing death. Therefore, what I heard was all honest and truthful.
This was a very direct first impression she received from many people. I also learned many inside stories from the conversations people had; which family did what before, how many people are left in which family, who has a good personality in which family, and who is a scoundrel in which family.
Muk-eo remembered all of this and told Baek Hak-yeom, while picking up a brush, writing on paper, and circling the people she considered important. The siblings were among them.
Muk-eo said.
“The surname of the two siblings was Gal. I heard that the Gal clan was a large family. They were in the jewel business, but unfortunately, their base wasn’t in the Capital City. But whether they had it or not, it makes no difference now. Everyone in the family is gone except for those two children. In my opinion, since they are children of a merchant family, they will certainly have business acumen. Like how the Fourth Young Lady is naturally good at accounting. So, if Miss is interested in them, I will go and investigate further.”
Baek Hak-yeom nodded. Then, she drew lines and made marks on the list, picking out a dozen or so people in one breath. However, still feeling it wasn’t enough, Baek Hak-yeom said to Muk-eo.
“You will have to work harder these few days. Go back to that village. But you must never be seen by anyone. If you are discovered, it will be very difficult to get away. Pay extra attention to those siblings. You must also pay attention to talented people in other areas. We are so short of talent. We must secure more, so that we won’t be in a rush when we need them later.”
Muk-eo thought for a moment and suggested.
“Miss, what do you think about creating an organization? Like how the Yeop Clan raised assassins before, by recruiting orphans and raising them from a young age. It would take time, but we still have a long time until the day we die, so it will be useful.”
Baek Hak-yeom thought it was a good idea. But she didn’t have the energy to do it herself. To whom should she entrust the task of raising an assassin group? She tapped her forehead, sighed, and said.
“I’ve been thinking of doing what I can myself, but in the end, I have to ask him. Fine, fine. He’s family eventually, so I don’t need to be so formal.”
She said to Muk-eo.
“Go and rest for now. When you wake up in the afternoon, go to Jonwangbu. It’s not necessary to see Tenth Prince Your Majesty. Meeting Nak-su is enough. Ask him if he can train some people. I will choose the people, and he just needs to put them in his group.”
Muk-eo blinked and said.
“Miss, if you wish to ask Your Majesty for help, you should speak to Ninth Prince Your Majesty, not Tenth Prince Your Majesty. I’ve heard before that the most outstanding assassins in Sangdo City, and even in all of Dongjin, are all from Yeomwang Palace. Those assassins are all top-notch Masters, and I heard that even the Murim Leader selected through something like a Murim Leader duel in the Martial World cannot defeat an assassin from Yeomwang Palace.”
“Really?”
Baek Hak-yeom looked incredulous. This was because she had fought against people from Yeomwang Palace before. It was a bit difficult, but it wasn’t as amazing as Muk-eo said! Moreover, she hadn’t fought seriously at the time because she thought those people were family. Therefore, she hadn’t used all her strength. If she had used her full power, several of them would have met their fate under her Golden Needle. She had defeated more than a few people back then!
“Who said that? It must be a lie! I’ve fought them before, and they weren’t that amazing.”
She honestly told Muk-eo about what happened that night. Of course, she didn’t mention Baek Jin-jin digging through the wall in the middle of the night.
After hearing this, Muk-eo immediately dispelled her doubts.
“As Miss said, you didn’t give your full effort because they were family. But did the opponent really not know that it was Tenth Prince Your Majesty? Could they have used their full strength? Moreover, I have heard Mu-eon say that those who guard Yeomwang Palace are all ordinary people, and the real Masters are hidden behind the scenes and do not come out. If the opponent really defeats all the guards, the hidden Masters will appear and kill the opponent on the spot or chase them to death for the rest of their life, regardless of who they are.”
Finally, Baek Hak-yeom understood.
“So they were all just underlings. Ah, what did you just say? From whom did you hear about this?”
Muk-eo answered.
“Mu-eon. He is a close attendant of Ninth Prince Your Majesty. I heard that Mu-eon is also one of the assassins. Moreover, he is said to possess tremendous martial arts skill. Also, Yeomwang Palace has people and places that specialize in training assassins. Those places are located in every direction of this continent, so those who are trained can adapt to any environment and even speak various languages. It takes a large amount of silver ingots to train a single assassin, so Yeomwang Palace values them greatly.”
Baek Hak-yeom was captivated by this story. She understood. Perhaps this was something similar to a modern special forces unit created by Yeomwang Palace. Covert training, adaptability to all kinds of environments, learning various languages – the purpose was to carry out all kinds of missions in the future, and to spread the vast web of Yeomwang Palace in all directions. When needed, by simply retracting the hand holding the net, the huge net would tighten, and the people and objects caught in it would soon surface.
This kind of organization couldn’t be created casually. Nor could it be created just because one wanted to create it. She guessed that the organization of Yeomwang Palace would not be something controlled solely by Ninth Prince. Gun Moneum’s share would definitely be in it. But since it wasn’t something Gun Moneum alone possessed, to put a few people in there to raise, Ninth Prince would have to nod his head in agreement. What should she do? Should she rely solely on Gun Moneum’s face? She didn’t want to do that.
She didn’t want to ask anyone for a favor. Even more so if the price for asking for help was Gun Moneum’s status and face. She didn’t want to be a woman who hid behind a man. That wasn’t her, Baek Hak-yeom’s way.
So she thought. To get Ninth Prince to willingly train her assassins, what would she have to give in return? Or to put it another way, wouldn’t there be something Ninth Prince wants in her hands?
“Let’s go to Geumyeongwon. I haven’t paid my respects to Grandmother for a while.”
She got up. Then, she again told Muk-eo to properly prepare the medicine to take to the tuberculosis hospital in the evening. And then she took her people and headed towards Geumyeongwon. But about halfway there, something came to mind. She asked Muk-eo.
“When did you become so close to that Mu-eon? Have you talked that much?”
Muk-eo’s face turned crimson in an instant. She stammered.
“Miss, n-no, that’s not it. I’m not close to him.”
Baek Hak-yeom started laughing.
“I’m not blaming you, so why are you so flustered? You’re not young anymore, so it’s time to consider personal matters. I think that Mu-eon is a good person. It’s not really about anything else, your names just go well together. If you’re willing, I’ll ask Tenth Prince Your Majesty to look into it.”
Muk-eo was flustered.
“Miss, what do you mean? Do you not need me? I haven’t been with you for more than a few months, how can you think that way? I won’t go anywhere and I will follow you. When you get married, I will follow you. I won’t leave you.”
Yeongchun, who was walking beside her, was stunned after hearing this.
“Muk-eo, what are you saying? I’ve already thought about it. The people who will follow Miss when she gets married are the old women. I’ve already thought about who will go, so don’t make a fuss. Neither of us can go. We both cannot go.”
Muk-eo was shocked by Yeongchun’s words and, recalling something, quickly changed her words.
“That’s right, I won’t go. I misspoke earlier. Miss, that wasn’t what I meant. I was just worried that there would be no one to protect you.”
Yeongchun continued to rebuke her.
“Tenth Prince Your Majesty will protect her, and there are so many Masters in Jonwangbu, who would be worse than you?”
Yeongchun didn’t show Muk-eo any face. Although they had gotten along very well after spending some time together, there was still a line. That line was the Second Young Lady. She couldn’t allow even the slightest inconvenience to the Second Young Lady.
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