Kang Sogun

Jin Uncho was greatly surprised by Kang Sogun's reaction.

Kang Sogun was not the person he had known in the past. He had thought his appearance had changed roughly, but it seemed his personality had also changed.

Without even considering the circumstances, and without even exchanging a few words, he had immediately flicked a chopstick and pierced Bang Ilok's cheek.

-Swish!

Bang Ilok's two guards struck with their sabers.

-Thwack! Thwack!

Kang Sogun's fists, breaking through the flashing saber light, struck the guards.

The guards could not even scream and fell straight away.

"Kuh... you dare..."

Bang Ilok pulled out the chopstick, threw it away, and then thrust his fist at Kang Sogun.

-Thud!

Kang Sogun received Bang Ilok's fist with his palm. Although the internal energy contained in the fist was not small, Kang Sogun did not budge.

Kang Sogun gripped the hand that was wrapped around Bang Ilok's fist.

-Crack!

It was the sound of Bang Ilok's hand bones breaking.

"Aargh!"

As his hand bones crumbled, Bang Ilok screamed.

Kang Sogun did not even blink. Rather, he pulled his hand and grabbed Bang Ilok by the collar.

"Gasp, gasp..."

As his throat was being choked, Bang Ilok made gasping sounds.

Kang Sogun was silent. He just held Bang Ilok by the collar and punched him in the face.

Thwack!

With just one fist, his nose bone collapsed.

"Y-Young Master... he is the eldest son of Bang Yeonso."

The flustered Jin Uncho rather tried to stop him.

Although the capital had been moved to Beijing, the six ministries system remained in Nanjing.

Bang Ilok's father, Bang Yeonso, was the head of the six ministries of Nanjing and was in fact a person who represented the emperor.

In other words, he could be said to be a powerful person in Nanjing.

The son that Bang Yeonso cherished the most was Bang Ilok. Although he had not yet received an official post, as the successor of the Bang Residence, he acted like a prince in Nanjing.

Even after hearing that story, Kang Sogun punched without a word.

-Thwack!

From the tremendous impact, Bang Ilok's mind went blank, and he knelt on the spot.

"Apologize!"

Kang Sogun grabbed Bang Ilok by the hair and made him face Jin Uncho.

"Ugh..."

"You have only one chance."

Kang Sogun's voice was low but extremely cold. It was certain that if he disobeyed, he would be mercilessly put to death.

But Bang Ilok could not come to his senses in the sudden situation.

As Kang Sogun raised his hand to strike Bang Ilok's neck, Jin Uncho hastily blocked him.

"Young Master! You can't!"

Kang Sogun looked at Jin Uncho. Jin Uncho's spine chilled at the killing intent that Kang Sogun was emitting.

Jin Uncho blocked with all his might.

"You can't kill him like this."

Kang Sogun frowned and then pushed Bang Ilok's head.

Bang Ilok had already fainted and collapsed powerlessly to the side.

"The taste of the wine is ruined. Let's move."

Kang Sogun went down the stairs without looking back.

'What on earth happened to the Young Master?'

Jin Uncho looked at the fallen Bang Ilok and the guards with a bewildered face.

***

Yeon Hwasim was decocting a medicinal soup for Sim Mabaek to take.

Jang Mugang and Wi Eunghwan had left for Yunnan to get the Earth Spirit Blood Replenishing Herb. The task of taking care of Sim Mabaek, who had stabilized, was left to Jungrang and Yeon Hwasim.

Sim Mabaek had recovered enough to barely get up and move.

Yeon Hwasim had also suffered a serious injury, but she had recovered quickly thanks to Kang Sogun's treatment and her training in the Great Natural Will Art.

Since training in the Great Natural Will Art, the martial arts of Jungrang and Yeon Hwasim had grown by a stage.

The Great Natural Will Art had the effect of making the mind and body resolute. Yeon Hwasim was able to see the situation surrounding her calmly.

She also discarded the feeling of being a burden to Jungrang and the Three Tigers of Shandong and blaming herself. Instead, she wanted to grow herself so that she could be with them.

As Yeon Hwasim was going to the residence of the Three Tigers of Shandong with the medicinal soup, someone was sitting on a chair in the garden.

The man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, had an air of nobility flowing from his entire body. It was the crown prince, Zhu Zhanji, who was staying at the Jeongha Martial Hall.

Zhu Zhanji, seeing a rare beauty carrying a medicinal soup, was curious.

When Shangguan Qingyou had come in the afternoon, Zhu Zhanji had stealthily asked about the beauty's identity.

"She is a young lady named Yeon Hwasim, who has lost her father in a dispute between martial world factions and is temporarily taking refuge in our hall."

At Shangguan Qingyou's words, Zhu Zhanji nodded.

"You mean such a beauty is an orphan? That's truly unfortunate."

Shangguan Qingyou was inwardly reluctant.

There was a saying that heroes love beauties. Even if he was not a hero, he was Zhu Zhanji, who stood at the pinnacle of power as the son of the current emperor. If he wanted, there would be no woman he could not have.

'The crown prince is interested in Miss Yeon? This could be a troublesome matter.'

Shangguan Qingyou knew a little about the goings-on of the imperial family. He had heard that there were already several concubines, and that the crown princess's jealousy was great.

He was worried about what kind of trouble he would get into if he took in a woman and returned after taking refuge in the Great Righteous Martial Hall.

Shangguan Qingyou changed the subject.

"I have been in contact with General Li. He is gathering the guards and is on his way."

Zhu Zhanji's captain of the guards, Li Jeongmu, had been luring the enemy and had lost contact.

"Also, the Great Hall Master is leading the elites of our hall and is on his way. But it will be difficult to block the enemy with just the guards and the military power of our hall. You will have to be careful until reinforcements come from the capital."

"Hmph! Even if the Prince of Han comes in person, I am not afraid."

Zhu Zhanji snorted.

Although the Prince of Han was known as a great warrior comparable to Xiang Yu, Zhu Zhanji was also a man who had lived on the battlefield.

"He is just a setting sun. Time is on my side!"

As Zhu Zhanji had said, he was young, and the Prince of Han was getting old.

'A sword does not distinguish between young and old.'

Shangguan Qingyou lamented inwardly and took out a letter from his bosom.

"The governor of Hefei has sent an invitation, asking to hold a banquet for you, Your Highness, in three days."

"A banquet? What kind of banquet in this situation? The Hefei branch seems to be at leisure."

The governor of Hefei, Yuk Ilcheong, had visited the Jeongha Martial Hall to see Zhu Zhanji once. But since his inner thoughts could not be known, he had been careful.

Zhu Zhanji dismissed the invitation of the Hefei branch.

"I will convey that."

"Wait."

As Shangguan Qingyou was about to stand up, Zhu Zhanji stopped him.

"We cannot ignore the goodwill of the branch."

Zhu Zhanji immediately continued.

"A banquet is better with more people, right? Miss Yeon's situation is pitiful, so how about inviting her to the banquet?"

As expected, there was another meaning.

"Miss Yeon has not been long since she suffered a major injury, so it will be difficult for her to attend."

Although Shangguan Qingyou subtly tried to dissuade him, Zhu Zhanji sent a guard and conveyed his will to Yeon Hwasim.

Yeon Hwasim was puzzled and asked the guard.

"For what reason does the honored guest of the Great Righteous Martial Hall invite me to a banquet?"

"His Excellency heard of Miss Yeon's situation and said he wanted to comfort you."

Jungrang, who was listening from the side, frowned inwardly.

He already knew that there was an honored guest in the Great Righteous Martial Hall. For that person, all the disciples of the Jeongha Martial Hall had been mobilized and had fought a bloody battle with an unknown enemy.

"What kind of person is your master that he invites us, who have no acquaintance, to a banquet?"

"It is difficult for me to tell you his identity. But since he has invited you out of goodwill, I hope you will join us."

The guard politely requested her acceptance.

Yeon Hwasim thought for a moment and then nodded.

"I would like to have a day's grace."

Yeon Hwasim was originally smart. As she regained her composure, she became cautious. She thought it would not look good to refuse the invitation of the honored guest of the Great Righteous Martial Hall without a good reason.

As the guard returned, Yeon Hwasim asked Jungrang.

"Older brother. Do you know the identity of the honored guest of the Great Righteous Martial Hall?"

"I am also curious. I will have to look into it."

Jungrang had pretended not to know about the honored guest, thinking that he might cause trouble by showing unnecessary interest in the affairs of the Great Righteous Martial Hall, but now it had become a matter for the two of them.

***

"Young Master. I have come to escort you."

The chief steward of the Kang Residence, Mo Sang, had stubbornly waited in front of the inn all day.

"To stay at an inn, leaving your house. Why on earth are you doing this?"

Mo Sang's stubbornness was great, and in the end, even Kang Sogun could not help but follow.

The Kang Residence was quiet.

After Kang Sogun had disappeared, Mo Sang had sent away many servants and had kept only the necessary personnel.

Although many of the buildings had been closed, only Kang Sogun's residence had been constantly swept and cleaned, so there was no change from when he had stayed there.

The morning after his return, Kang Sogun began to take care of the garden. Since there were not enough servants, the garden was overgrown with weeds.

"?"

Kang Sogun, who was pulling weeds in the rear courtyard, felt a human presence from a deep building in the back. It was a very faint energy that he would not have noticed if it were not for him.

Kang Sogun found that the lock that had closed the building had been broken and opened the door.

-Creak.

The morning sun entered the dark room.

Kang Sogun's gaze turned to one side of the room. In a corner, a woman in black was crouching, with one leg stretched out.

Although the woman was pale, she raised her sword with all her might and aimed it at Kang Sogun.

But since the focus of her eyes was blurred, it was clear that she was in a state where she could not even distinguish things properly.

The woman opened her mouth with difficulty.

"Don't come any closer!"

The tip of the sword that the woman had raised trembled. It seemed it was difficult for her to even hold it. Kang Sogun examined the woman from that spot.

It was clearly the masked assassin who had fought with Bang Ilok a few days ago.

'Cho Haran!'

Kang Sogun remembered the identity of the somehow familiar woman.

As Kang Sogun approached, the woman tried to stand up with her sword but then collapsed and fainted.

Kang Sogun examined Cho Haran's injuries. Cho Haran had been hit by Bang Ilok's prayer beads while fleeing, and it seemed her thigh bone was broken.

Her thigh was swollen. It was certain that the wound had become infected because it had not been taken care of.

Kang Sogun picked up Cho Haran and went to his residence.

The maid was startled when she saw it.

Kang Sogun laid Cho Haran on his bed and said to the maid.

"Call Chief Steward Mo. And bring hot water, wipe her body and wound, and change her clothes."

A little after the maid went out, Mo Sang rushed in.

"What is the matter?"

"Quietly call a doctor. He must be a man of few words so that it does not become a rumor."

Mo Sang roughly guessed the situation and went out.

As the maids came with hot water and clothes, Kang Sogun waited outside.

A moment later, the maids came out, and just then, the doctor arrived.

Kang Sogun went in with the doctor and examined Cho Haran's injuries.

"Her thigh bone is broken. Since the emergency treatment was not done properly, the surrounding flesh is rotting. If it had been a little later, it would have been a big problem."

As Kang Sogun nodded, the doctor drew out the dead blood with a needle and set the bone.

"If she takes the medicinal soup and rests for a couple of months, she will be fine."

The doctor wrote a prescription and returned.

Kang Sogun called Mo Sang again, had him clean the separate courtyard, and moved Cho Haran.

"Who is this young lady?"

Mo Sang asked the reason why Kang Sogun was taking care of Cho Haran.

"She is a subordinate of General Jang."

Cho Haran was the daughter of General Cho Gangrip, who was under General Jang Hong, and she herself was also a general of the military.

"Yes?"

Mo Sang answered in surprise, but his brow furrowed.

If it was General Jang, it meant Jang Hong. Since he had been killed for the crime of treason, he was a traitor.

'A subordinate of a traitor. This is not good.'

Mo Sang was worried and thoroughly silenced the maids.

Cho Haran woke up after three days.

As she was wondering where she was, Kang Sogun came in.

"Do you know me?"

When Cho Haran came to her senses, it was Kang Sogun.

"Aren't you Young Master Kang?"

Only then did Cho Haran remember that she had been hit by Bang Ilok's prayer beads and had taken refuge in the Kang Residence.

Since the Kang Residence had become a closed manor, it was suitable for hiding.

Cho Haran suddenly remembered her father's death. She was about to get up but then sat down because of the splint on her thigh.

"I have laid General Cho to rest."

Kang Sogun said, as if he had read Cho Haran's thoughts.

Cho Haran sobbed. Kang Sogun silently gave her time.

When Cho Haran finally collected herself, Kang Sogun asked.

"What was the reason for trying to assassinate Bang Ilok?"

(End of Chapter)