Chapter 65 (1/2)

The prospects, including Yeonharin, were moving on a large ship.

They left Homuryeon early this morning, and got a bunch of boats from the dock in Uichang, and set off.

Homuryeon took care of finding the boats, so all personnel were able to find boats without any issues.

Twelve large ships departed simultaneously.

Flags of Homuryeon and flags of each family were fluttering on top of all the ships.

The scale alone was enormous, but considering the power the flags possessed, they wouldn’t have to worry about pirates while returning.

So the atmosphere was relaxing.

There were a lot of people on the deck. Everyone enjoyed the scenery and talked about it.

Among the twelve ships, only the ship with Yeonharin was subtly different from that of the other ships.

Yeonharin came out on the deck for fresh air and looked at the flowing river.

There were three guards standing around Yeonharin in a slightly nervous state.

Yeonharin’s bodyguard warriors had to receive Yoo Seoyeon’s education back in Homuryeon.

In particular, the bodyguards having their services bought by the Seomun Household, Gu Yang Household, and the Chu Household, were treated in a very poor manner.

Yeonharin’s bodyguards didn’t relax for a moment with their eyes mixed with determination and fear.

They couldn’t imagine what would happen if they made any mistake and it got into Yoo Seoyeon’s ears.

Yeonharin admired Yoo Seoyeon’s ability while looking at the guards behaving that way.

Usually, if you bother someone to that degree, they will develop bad feelings, but these guards didn’t have any bad feelings at all.

That was a great ability. At least that was what Yeonharin thought.

Yeonharin was thinking of the people she had left back in Homuryeon while watching the flowing river.

Half of her thoughts were on Byeoktaesan, and the other half was on Yoo Seoyeon.

In fact, Yoo Seoyeon said she would follow Yeonharin. However, Yeonharin firmly refused.

As Yeonharin judged, Yoo Seo-yeon was in the midst of a moment.

If she had come back with her from there, that would be her kicking her luck.

When she thought about that, Byeoktaesan came to her mind.

A smile lingered around Yeonharin’s mouth and then disappeared in an instant.

She didn’t want to laugh carelessly here.

Yeonharin looked around.

There were many people who constantly glanced at her from a distance.

Fortunately, they didn’t seem to have seen her smiling.

‘It’s okay if it’s this much I guess.’

These people didn’t dare come near Yeonharin. Even if they did and spoke to her, they were very careful with what they said.

It was completely different from Seomunjaehak, Gu Yang su, or Chu Younghak.

It was really painful back then, but now she felt more relaxed.

Two hours have passed since she had left Uichang. Because the speed of the ship was not slow by any means, they had come already quite far away.

A little further ahead, she saw several branches of the river show up.

It was a place where small rivers joining the wide river appeared one after another.

But a boat was coming out of that small river.

Three or four ships came out from each river, but there were so many small rivers that it equaled to about a few dozen ships.

And there were several other ships approaching from the distance.

She instantly felt tense.

Yeonharin focused her eyes on the approaching ships.

She saw a bunch of men with swords.

Yeonharin turned around with a stiff face and checked on the other people.

Unlike before, there was a heavy feeling of tension in the air.

The men who were watching Yeonharin approached her.

“It seems like pirates appeared. It is dangerous, so I think it would be better for Lady Yeon to go inside…”

At the words of one of the men, the rest of the men nodded.

However, Yeonharin replied with a cold expression.

“I did not learn and practice martial arts to hide behind in cases like this. I will fight too.”

After saying that, Yeonharin turned around and stared at the pirates.

Everyone stared at her blankly.

Feelings of worry, admiration, and gratification were entangled in their eyes.

In the meantime, the ships of the enemies came closer.

* * *

Byeoktaesan slowly ate lunch and headed to Geumokru.

Cheon Gyeong-wan and Yoo Seoyeon followed after him.

They were nervous thinking that Byeoktaesan might say he was going alone.

They prepared at least five things to say in their heads should that happen.

Of course, there was no need to use any of them because Byeoktaesan asked them to go together.

Today, they practiced like hell as well.

Yoo Seoyeon regretted not insisting to Yeonharin to follow her when she asked her to remain.

Of course, now that the pain was gone, she did not regret it.

If she just returned like that, when Cheon Gyeong-wan came back later, it was obvious her martial arts would be much inferior to him.

Muryangbo was a devilish martial art, but it was very effective.

Even only after a few days of practicing, she was able to feel the effect.

Her muscles got really firm and flexible. In addition, her gimaek became stronger.

The inner strength training was smoother than before, and the flow of understanding the basics was very smooth even with other training.

It was like this, so if she had gone back, how much would the difference be?

Honestly, if Byeoktaesan did not force them to practice Muryangbo as it was now, she wasn’t sure she would practice it properly past 30 minutes a day.

It was that painful.

Anyway, it was only a short time, but to her, it was a precious time since she was suffering from pain.

Yoo Seo-yeon and Cheon Gyeong-wan did not say a word and walked while enjoying the normal walk.

They were thrilled over the fact they did not feel pain from walking.

After a short time, they arrived at Geumokru.

Unlike the last time they came, the door opened wide before arriving in front of Geumokru, and courtesans rushed out and greeted Byeoktaesan.

The Baekhwaruju was mixed among the courtesans.

The Baekhwaruju bowed more politely than ever.

“I was waiting for you, my lord. Let us head inside first.”

Byeoktaesan went into the Geumokru under the guidance of the Baekhwaruju.

The Baekhwaruju took Byeoktaesan to a small pavilion in the deepest part of Geumokru.

It was a place that was not open to customers.

The pavilion consisted of numerous small rooms. And the top floor was used as a single room.

There were people in each room, but it seemed that this was where Hao guild’s information was stored and organized.

The room on the top floor was the office and bedroom of the Uichang branch’s Hao Guild manager.

Byeoktaesan sat at the seat reserved for seniors as if it were natural.

The only people who entered this room were the Baekhwaruju and the Geumokruju, the head of the Uichang branch.

Cheon Gyeong-wan and Yoo Seo-yeon waited by the door outside the room.

The Geumokruju looked at the Baekhwaruju with peculiar eyes while watching Byeoktaesan go to the senior seat and sitting down.

In fact, the colorful chair on which Byeoktaesan sat on was not originally found there.

The Baekhwaruju had brought it. She had said it will have its use someday.

The Geumokruju kept a close eye on Byeoktaesan, who sat on the senior seat as if it was perfectly natural for him to sit there.

‘He is a person who is used to sitting in the senior seat.’

Byeoktaesan sat in the senior seat and stared at the two people sitting in the chairs in a slightly lower position.