Chapter 74
When the Baek family thought that they had risked such a danger for the personal problem of Baek Yuhwa, their decision seemed foolish, but now that thought was also beginning to change.
If it was Ya Socheong.
If it was a decision to get Ya Socheong, it seemed that it was meaningful enough.
"We were on our way to Cheonbong Mountain, but because of the story you told Faction Leader Ya about Cheonbong Mountain, we came here first."
The story flowed and flowed, and before they knew it, that story was also coming out.
The person who said that was Dan Mok-hwawun, and he had said that without even imagining that Ya Socheong had lied.
Then Ya Socheong flinched, but the only person who noticed that was the fifth prince.
The junior lords had not even imagined that Ya Socheong would have sold them out and lied to them.
"I see. Then I'll have to hear the reason from Faction Leader Ya now. Why he lied."
The fifth prince said as if he were teasing Ya Socheong with an innocent face.
The junior lords stared at Ya Socheong, wondering what they had just heard.
At that, Ya Socheong's face turned red for a moment, and then, as if he thought there was no other way now that things had come to this, he laughed awkwardly and said.
"I couldn't help it then. It was obvious that the lives of the junior lords were in danger, and I didn't think you would listen if I spoke normally. Since you are the highest person I know, I had no choice but to mention you. I thought you had said that if I needed your help, I should remember you at any time, so I carried out that order."
At Ya Socheong's words, the fifth prince burst out laughing.
At that, the junior lords could not dare to argue with Ya Socheong and just shook their heads at his audacity.
"It would be better to hear that story after we move. I didn't know the story would become this interesting. I have to discuss an important matter soon, so please wait a moment. I will finish it as simply as possible and come. Ah... if I send Faction Leader Ya with you, he will be conscious of you."
"I don't think Faction Leader Ya is that kind of person, Your Highness."
At Dan Mok-hwawun's words, the fifth prince burst out laughing again.
The people next to the fifth prince had not seen him laugh like that often, and they were surprised every time.
And they looked at Ya Socheong, the person who had made him laugh, as if he were strange.
The more important thing than planning a great undertaking would be to take responsibility for the health and safety of the person at the center of it, and since Ya Socheong's party had come, the fifth prince's complexion had definitely improved.
So it was natural that the people around him were interested in Ya Socheong.
"Good. This is my order. No one should scold Faction Leader Ya. It is because Faction Leader Ya was just carrying out my order."
Then he disappeared quickly with a face that still had a smile on it.
He had even received an order not to be treated carelessly.
Ya Socheong was not scared.
And he was not sorry because he was convinced that if he had not said that then, they would have all gone up to Cheonbong Mountain and would have had no choice but to die at the hands of the monsters of Cheonbong Mountain.
Although the junior lords understood to some extent that Ya Socheong's decision was right, seeing his shameless face, they were also annoyed and dumbfounded.
"Faction Leader Ya, at least try to make a sorry face."
"I will try, junior lord."
At Ya Socheong's words, even Dan Mok-hwawun burst out laughing, and the other junior lords also laughed.
They did not realize that for a while.
How long it had been since they had laughed together.
Whether there had ever been such a thing before.
It seemed that Ya Socheong certainly had a knack for creating all sorts of strange situations.
Although the junior lords did not realize it right away, the guards of the junior lords clearly realized that.
Their expressions had also loosened up before they knew it.
As they had left the Heavenly Demon Sect, they had been very tense, not knowing what would happen in the future.
Continuing to be tense every moment without being able to let down their guard for a moment made people tired beyond words.
Moreover, as they had come to the fifth prince's Yanwang Manor, which was not in their plan, their tension had reached its peak, but because of Ya Socheong, they had let down their guard and were laughing together before they knew it.
"From now on, how about we talk about what we should do when we go to Cheonbong Mountain, Faction Leader Ya?"
When Dan Mok-hwawun asked, Dan Mok-seol shook her head.
"No, brother. If His Highness knows that we have heard it first, he will be angry. It seems that Faction Leader Ya certainly has a knack for telling stories in an interesting way. But come to think of it, isn't it a strange thing? That we can listen with such a relaxed mind when our fate and lives are at stake in this matter."
At that, the other junior lords also nodded.
They really thought that that was right.
It wasn't that a solution had come out, and nothing had changed in the situation, but they felt that if they were with Ya Socheong, they would be able to find an answer.
While they were doing that, a person sent by the fifth prince came to them.
"His Highness has ordered a banquet to be prepared. Before that, I will guide you to a place where you can rest, so please follow me."
His expression looked very bright, and Ya Socheong followed him with the junior lords.
A spacious place was given for each of the junior lords and their guards to stay, and Ya Socheong also received a separate small garden.
When he went inside, unpacked his luggage, and lay down, he finally felt like he was alive.
It was a relief that things had gone better than he had thought.
He had intended to rest for a moment, but he had even fallen asleep.
When he woke up at the sound of someone calling him and went outside, he was told that a banquet had been prepared.
When he hurried out, the junior lords were already out in the banquet hall.
The only person who had come without changing his clothes was Ya Socheong.
But even if he had thought that he had to match the formality, Ya Socheong had no prepared clothes anyway.
He had not come with an attendant, and the clothes he had brought were all dark-colored martial arts uniforms and night clothes.
Seeing Ya Socheong, Dan Mok-cheongyeong, as if he had thought, 'oops,' quietly approached him.
"Faction Leader Ya, it seems that our builds are similar. I have a few more clothes that I brought, so change into them and come."
And he sent one of his guards with him.
It didn't seem necessary to go that far, but seeing his sincerity, he moved with him.
A little later, when he returned to the banquet hall wearing a dark purple robe, everyone looked at him with a satisfied gaze.
Come to think of it, the way Dan Mok-cheongyeong spoke to him had also changed.
Seeing how the fifth prince treated him, it seemed that he had thought that he was not an opponent to be treated carelessly.
When everyone was seated, the table was served.
On the table, all sorts of delicious-looking food were placed, stimulating their appetite.
While eating, the fifth prince began to talk.
The story continued to be about Cheonbong Mountain.
Ya Socheong told the fifth prince the things he was curious about.
That the treasure of the Heavenly Demon Sect that they had to find was in Cheonbong Mountain, and that since the martial arts of the people in Cheonbong Mountain were considerable, a fierce battle was inevitable to find it.
"Did you say that a fierce battle is inevitable, Faction Leader Ya? Then if you fight a fierce battle, can you win?"
"I cannot guarantee that."
The fifth prince, hearing those words, smiled faintly.
"What do you all think?"
When he asked the junior lords, they hesitated, not knowing how to answer.
They, listening to what Ya Socheong was saying, were vaguely guessing that the martial artists of Cheonbong Mountain were not their opponents.
But they did not want to admit that.
The fifth prince nodded as if he knew that it was difficult for them to answer.
"What do you want me to do, Faction Leader Ya?"
"I was thinking, how about you go with us and mediate? Since it was originally the property of our sect, it is right that it should return to our sect. If you mediate and it returns to our sect, the sect members will not forget your grace. Please do not forget that the sect members are also the good people of this country."
The fifth prince, listening to Ya Socheong's words, looked at him.
"Why should I do that?"
The voice was gentle, but the words that came from him were enough to embarrass the people in that place.
They had thought that the story was proceeding well, but had that been their misunderstanding? The junior lords looked at the fifth prince.
But Ya Socheong looked at the fifth prince with an unwavering gaze and continued.
"That is something for you to choose, Your Highness. It is an undeniable fact that you are related to the sect. But that word is only used when you are attacked by others, and you are not able to use it when it is helpful to you. I am proposing this, hoping that our relationship will be helpful and a weapon to you."
The fifth prince put his hand on his forehead and burst out laughing.
"Faction Leader Ya, what on earth..."
Then, as if there was nothing more to say, he shook his head and raised his hand to stop him.
"Yes, I understand. I will go to Cheonbong Mountain with you. I am also becoming interested in Cheonbong Mountain."
Then the fifth prince looked at the junior lords as if he were curious.
"Then who will deliver it to the Sect Leader? Does your competition begin from then on?"
Originally, that was how it should have been.
But since Ya Socheong's contribution to the resolution of this matter was overwhelmingly large, it seemed that doing so would not have any meaning.
Dan Mok-hwawun was the first to speak.
"I have already realized that the competition is meaningless, but I want to protect what I can."
"What you can protect must be the trust with Faction Leader Ya. I think you have thought very well. Do not abandon Faction Leader Ya. It seems that I will remember Faction Leader Ya for a very long time."
At that time, the fifth prince was no longer just smiling nicely.
Seeing that, the people were feeling that they should not think that they knew the fifth prince rashly.
After the banquet was over, the fifth prince called Ya Socheong separately.
Ya Socheong had already felt from before that the fifth prince had something to say to him separately.
"Faction Leader Ya, I have something I want to talk about in secret."
"Please speak."
"Actually, I could not tell this to others. The biggest reason was that I could not know who I could trust, and the next was that I could not let others know that even the people closest to me did not fully support me."
"I know."
At those words, the fifth prince looked at Ya Socheong as if he were surprised.
(End of Chapter)