Surviving as a Maid of the Sichuan Tang Clan

“Pardon?”

I turned my head as I asked again, then leaped back with a start when I found Taoist Jinseong’s face right in front of me.

Unlike me, who had been startled out of my skin, Jinseong’s eyes did not waver.

“Please answer honestly. This is a personal question, unrelated to the Alliance.”

“Well... that is true, but...”

Why is he asking me this?

I could not tell what his real intention was. When I hesitated and watched him uncertainly, Jinseong asked again.

“Is it true that the Soul-Chasing Butterfly Dart belongs to you, Young Lady?”

“What? The Soul-Chasing Butterfly Dart? That’s...”

“No. If it is difficult to answer, I will not ask.”

He spoke gently.

“Then the person who... killed someone was not you either, Young Lady. You would not have possessed Hwagol Powder either. I understand.”

It is mine, though. Yeon Ryang killed them, and I used the Hwagol Powder.

He seemed to be misunderstanding something, but if I said anything more for no reason, I felt like I would only be inviting trouble. I closed my mouth awkwardly and quietly changed the subject.

“Um, by the way... what happened to Captain Peng?”

“She returned after seven days and nights of disciplinary action. She was pleased, saying it was a vacation, so you need not worry.”

“Ah, if nothing major happened, then I’m glad.”

“Captain Peng asked me to give you her regards. She said that if you come to the Alliance, you should have a cup of tea together.”

“Captain Peng did?”

“Yes.”

Jinseong nodded. At the welcome news, I smiled and answered.

“That sounds good. As long as I’m not locked in the prison cells.”

At that, Jinseong flinched slightly and opened his mouth as if making an excuse.

“We are merely bringing you in for a light investigation. You will not be imprisoned in the prison cells.”

“Really? Since you chased me with your teeth clenched, I thought you wanted to throw me into the prison cells.”

“...That is not the case. As I said, the Alliance is not a place that pins false charges on people. It only seeks to distinguish the truth with complete clarity, so I hope you will not misunderstand.”

Then he added awkwardly.

“Once the investigation is over, I will help you return to Sichuan at once. If necessary, I can accompany you.”

“What? Ah, no. Taoist. You don’t have to do that. I have no intention of returning to my clan.”

When I declined and waved my hands, Jinseong’s voice sank low.

“Then do you need another place to stay?”

“...Pardon?”

“If you are all right with it, Young Lady, I could arrange for you to stay as a guest retainer of Wudang...”

“Wait. Wait a moment, Taoist. What are you suddenly talking about?”

I hurriedly cut Jinseong off.

What is this? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

Whatever change of heart he had undergone, his excessive kindness made me uncomfortable.

We had grown somewhat attached after fighting together, but that did not mean we had become close enough overnight for me to entrust myself to him.

Even in the face of my bewildered expression, Jinseong calmly said what he had to say.

“If you wish, we can provide you with guest quarters.”

“Thank you for thinking of me, but I really am fine, Taoist. I’m going with Yeon Ryang.”

“He may come with you as well.”

A faint tension stirred in Jinseong’s eyes as he answered, as though he had expected that.

I furrowed my brows.

I get it. This bastard finds Yeon Ryang suspicious, but since it looks like he’ll be released, he’s laying the groundwork to drag him along too.

“I understand your kindness, Taoist, but I’ll accept only the sentiment. I’ll handle the question of where I stay myself.”

When I refused firmly, Jinseong’s eyes darkened.

“That... yes. I understand. However, my offer will always remain—”

“Hey, kids. Stop bickering and hurry up. If you keep falling behind, I’m leaving you.”

Just then, Master Beopgong called us. I turned around and scurried toward the two of them.

“Let’s go together!”

When I shouted and stuck close to Yeon Ryang’s side, Beopgong looked down at me and whispered with a sly expression.

“Kid. Looks like that bastard’s taken a liking to you.”

“What? What are you... Don’t say weird things.”

Even at my sullen reply, Beopgong only kept snickering.

“Weird things, my ass. Do you think a first-generation disciple of a sect like Wudang invites just anyone back to his sect? He’s acknowledging you as a worthy opponent. He wants to take you back and treat you as a guest.”

“How do you reach that conclusion?”

“You fought together, didn’t you? Martial artists usually get close by sticking blades into each other a bit and beating each other up. Your brother and I got close through a life-or-death duel too.”

“...”

He said they had a fight, but they fought with their lives on the line?

When I narrowed my eyes and looked at Yeon Ryang, Yeon Ryang laughed dryly and avoided my gaze. With an awkward face, he kicked Beopgong lightly.

“Ahem, fake monk. Stop spouting nonsense and tell us the plan from here. Are we moving with that young Taoist all the way to Wuhan?”

“Yeah. He’s the person in charge, so we have to go together. I called him because coordinating the procedures midway would be annoying. If he’s with us, we can settle things through words.”

At that, irritation rose on Yeon Ryang’s face. He cleaned up his expression as soon as his eyes met mine, but it was obvious he was in a bad mood.

It was only natural.

Yeon Ryang was not the Buddha. Of course yesterday’s events would feel uncomfortable to him. Their internal energies were opposites too, so it had to feel awkward. Honestly, I would feel that way too.

Beopgong glanced at Yeon Ryang but said nothing and pointed toward the inn.

“Enough. For now, let’s wash up and rest. I rampaged all night, so I’m craving liquor. You all look like complete beggars... What? Why is that bastard the only one so clean?”

“Maybe because he’s some noble Taoist.”

Yeon Ryang snapped back sharply.

Mm. Yeon Ryang really is in a bad mood.

At his sharp response, Jinseong’s brows seemed to crease slightly. However, he did not show it and silently followed behind us.

Watching the two men’s moods, I gulped.

Somehow, I had a feeling that our journey to Wuhan would not be easy.

*****

By the time I washed off the old grime and came down to the inn’s private room, it was late afternoon.

When I opened the door to the private room, I saw Beopgong writing something intently. Beside him, Yeon Ryang was hunching his large body over as he wiped down his sword. Jinseong seemed to have stepped out.

When Yeon Ryang saw me, he winked and stood up.

“Sister, you’re here? You must be hungry. What do you want to eat? Should I order meat?”

“Yeah. Let’s eat meat. What about Taoist Jinseong?”

“He went to find a Beggars’ Union beggar. We need to use a carrier pigeon, but he doesn’t know where this branch is located.”

“Ah.”

I nodded and sat down in a chair. Maybe they had not ordered food yet, because there was only a single liquor bottle sitting alone on the table.

“If it’s an important letter, should I step outside?”

“Your brother is seeing it too, so what does it matter? It’s nothing much. Just the surrounding river-stockade locations the Wang family kid told us about.”

He’s already become the Wang family kid, huh.

Beopgong answered casually and dipped the tip of his brush in ink.

“Since the places that guy Chiyong spilled and the places the other guy spilled all match, it looks like accurate information. Rumors that the Water Dragon King is dead should be spreading by now, so we need to tell them to send subjugation forces before they run away.”

“...Master. You work surprisingly hard.”

“Of course. I’m a diligent person.”

“That’s not persuasive at all when you’re saying it while holding a liquor bottle, fake monk.”

Yeon Ryang clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Just then, someone knocked on the door to the private room. Beopgong asked without even lifting his head.

“You back? Did you find him? Where is he?”

“May I come in?”

“You can just come in. Why are you being so polite? Hurry up and get in here.”

Beopgong answered with a chuckle, and the door slid open.

With his hair tied up, Jinseong was dressed neatly, without a single thing out of place, just as he had been the day I saw him in Gyun County.

After greeting me with his eyes, he sat across from Beopgong.

“I brought Beggar Hong. He is eating downstairs. He said he would wait leisurely, so Master, you may move after eating as well.”

“All right. Thanks.”

Beopgong nodded and set down his brush. As he waited for the ink to dry, he fanned the paper with his hand. Then he scratched his chin and spoke.

“Hey, Jinseong. About Water Dragon Stockade. Isn’t it a little strange?”

“What about it?”

“Something bothers me. Even if it was only for a short period, it seems strange that the kid managed to seize the stockade.”

“Why do you think so?”

“The guy named Chiyong that she put up as a stand-in was only big. He wasn’t first-rate. If the leader is noticeably weak, normally the organization should fall apart in an internal rebellion, but it was maintained just fine, wasn’t it?”

Jinseong’s eyes narrowed as well.

“I had not thought that far, but you have a point. It certainly is strange.”

“When I questioned them, the river-bandit bastards didn’t even seem to know that the Stockade Lord had changed. That means the ones we faced were low-ranking enough not to know the Water Dragon King’s face.”

“...That is rather surprising. There must have been quite a few river bandits aboard the flagship.”

“I don’t know whether the kid hid it skillfully or killed everyone who knew his face. Anyway, those ignorant bastards. Their leader’s face changed, but there they were, happily calling him their king, their king... Their heads are decorations, so of course they live like that.”

After muttering his curses, Beopgong continued.

“At any rate... what I’m saying is that there wasn’t a single person who looked like an officer. They only brought a few boats too. For the Water Dragon King’s reputation, that’s far too few. If there were no officers and no ships, doesn’t that mean they sent their forces somewhere?”

“By that, you mean...?”

Jinseong’s expression darkened. Beopgong also pressed his temples as if his head hurt.

“I think Chae Honggyo is involved.”

“The Killing Fiend?”

“Yeah. I’m wondering if the key officers left to make contact with the Apostate Alliance, leaving the stockade empty. Otherwise, there’s no way a powerless kid could have gotten the stockade in her grasp.”

“If your guess is correct, we will need to stay alert to the Apostate Alliance’s movements.”

“Yeah. If those river-bandit bastards have joined hands with the Apostate Alliance, things get complicated. If they so much as block the waterways, we’ll have to fight an ugly mess of a battle. The flow of goods will be cut off.”

Beopgong’s face was serious in a way unlike him. At the grave atmosphere, my own heart grew heavy too.

Is it all right for me to hear this? It sounds important, so it’s kind of bothering me.

“This won’t do. Where’s the beggar? Tell him there’s no time to eat and to get up. We need to send carrier pigeons to every Martial Alliance branch at once... No, wait. I’ll go myself. Let’s go.”

After blurting it all out in a rush, Beopgong sprang up from his seat. He tugged Jinseong along and gestured to Yeon Ryang.

“Yeon Ryang, you stay here and fill your sister’s stomach. I’m going to take care of some work.”

“Go ahead. Call the inn runner while you’re at it.”

Yeon Ryang waved listlessly, then changed expressions quickly as soon as the door closed. Somehow, his face looked relieved.

He pulled over a chair and sat down with a smile.

“Don’t worry about Martial Alliance matters. Those guys will handle it themselves. Let’s eat.”

“...Mm-hm.”

I nodded awkwardly.