Kang Sogun

'Those bastards called young masters are all ill-mannered.'

Ho Geukgeom grumbled to himself. The children of powerful families were all arrogant.

But he was also a person with a solid backing. There was no reason for him to be intimidated.

Although the Kang Residence had been great in the past, it had now fallen and had no real power. But for a young pup to suddenly speak informally to him, his feelings were hurt.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard may have just left, but I, Ho Geukgeom, as the one in charge of the security of the Nanjing government office, must hear what on earth happened."

Ho Geukgeom continued, putting on airs. Since his feelings were hurt, his words were not kind.

"Besides, it was right after the assassin's ambush. Why on earth was Young Master Kang, who had deserted his military camp without permission, at that place? It seems there are many things I need to hear an explanation for."

Kang Sogun smiled calmly, poured tea from the teapot, drank it, and muttered as if to himself.

"The authority of the Ho Residence is said to be great, and it is indeed so. To dare to come to the Kang Residence and raise one's voice. It seems there is a saying that if there is no tiger, a fox will prevail."

He did not even pour tea into Ho Geukgeom's cup. He had openly ignored him.

Ho Geukgeom's face turned red. It was the first time in his life that he had been ignored like this.

Even if it were the residence of a prince, not the Kang Residence, they would not have been able to treat him like this.

Ho Geukgeom stood up abruptly and shouted.

"Kang Hwi! You are a criminal who has deserted his military camp as a general. I have not arrested you out of respect for the Kang Residence's face, but for you to be so arrogant! I will personally drag you and ask for your crime at the Dali Temple!"

Kang Sogun put down his teacup and said.

"You said your name was Ho Geukgeom? Can you win against Bang Ilok?"

"You crazy bastard?"

Ho Geukgeom had now completely lost his reason. In terms of age or current official position, he was superior.

Before he had gone missing, Kang Sogun had been just a centurion of the Northeast Frontier Army.

Ho Geukgeom drew his sword.

In an instant, a cold energy filled the guest hall. As Kang Sogun slowly stood up, a bloody energy soared from behind him.

Ho Geukgeom was a man who used his body rather than his head. He instinctively felt that the energy that Kang Sogun was emitting was killing intent and raised his great saber.

"Will you oppose the court?"

"Hahaha."

Kang Sogun laughed loudly with his hands behind his back.

"A bastard like you is the court? A bastard who sits in that position on the pretext of his mediocre talent thanks to his family background dares to call himself the court."

-Slap!

As soon as the words ended, Kang Sogun's palm exploded on Ho Geukgeom's face.

"Kuh!"

Ho Geukgeom was thrown back by the tremendous impact.

Mo Sang, who had been listening and observing the situation from outside, felt as if his liver had dropped.

'The Kang Residence is finished!'

Ho Geukgeom was the captain in charge of the security of the Nanjing government office. Although he was the nephew of the Minister of Justice, he was also a member of the Ho family, a powerful family in Nanjing.

Since he had beaten the captain of the guards who had come to investigate, Kang Sogun had openly challenged the law of the land.

The bigger problem was that he had broken the face that the powerful families kept for each other.

The powerful families strengthened their own power by protecting each other's face unless it was an extraordinary matter. Kang Sogun had completely ignored this.

-Clang!

The guards who had followed Ho Geukgeom all drew their swords.

"How dare you draw your swords in the Kang Residence!"

The guards flinched at Kang Sogun's fierce momentum.

"Kneel!"

At tremendous energy, the guards knelt without realizing it.

"Young-Young Master Kang, are you not afraid of the consequences?"

As one of the guards said, Kang Sogun laughed loudly again.

"Consequences? Did you say consequences? Hahaha."

Kang Sogun stopped laughing and said, "Not just the Nanjing government office, but if there is any bastard in the court of the capital who dares to ignore the Kang Residence, tell them to come!"

Mo Sang, who was listening from outside, looked mournful. Wasn't it saying that he would turn all the powerful families into enemies?

"Since it was the first time for Bang Ilok, he was fortunate to have kept his life. If there is any bastard who defies the Kang Residence again, he will have to give up his life!"

Kang Sogun was arrogant.

"Get lost!"

The guards picked up the unconscious Ho Geukgeom and hurriedly left the Kang Residence.

***

The rumor that Ho Geukgeom had visited the Kang Residence, had been beaten, and had been carried away spread quickly among the powerful families of Nanjing.

"To ignore the law of the land!"

"They said he came back mad, and it certainly seems so."

"For a young pup to run wild, not knowing how high the sky is, he is hastening his own death."

"It seems we must issue a formal order and ask for his crime."

The powerful people who were crouching everywhere in the Nanjing government office snorted, lamented, or were indignant.

The Ho family, which had been openly ignored, was turned upside down. The young masters of the Ho family were on the verge of rushing to the Kang Residence at any moment. If the elderly master of the Ho family had not stopped them, they would have already sent their private soldiers and would have trampled the Kang Residence.

Mo Sang was also at his wit's end.

"What on earth is he thinking?"

It was on a different level from beating Bang Ilok or the Shaolin monks. He had slapped the cheek of the captain who commanded the guards of the Nanjing government office and had beaten him.

There was no such precedent. Moreover, he was a member of the Ho family, which shared power with the Bang family.

The powerful families, who had let it go, thinking that they were showing respect for the late Duke and Duchess of Kang when the Embroidered Uniform Guard had first retreated, were now showing signs of rising up all at once.

It was as if Kang Sogun was trying to turn all the powerful families into enemies.

'Is he really mad?'

Mo Sang even had such a thought. Unable to think further, he went to find Kang Sogun.

"Young Master!"

"What is it?"

Kang Sogun asked calmly, even seeing that Mo Sang was excited.

"Why are you doing this now?"

"What?"

"Are you trying to turn all the powerful families of Nanjing into enemies?"

"Is that not allowed?"

Kang Sogun asked calmly.

"There is no such thing as a lone general. In the past, the Duke of the state also formed friendships with loyal and prestigious families such as General Jang Hong and corrected the affairs of the state with that power. Since we are already at odds with the Bang family, it will be difficult if we make an enemy of the Ho family again. You must apologize."

"I have no intention of doing so."

"Young Master!"

Mo Sang tried to persuade Kang Sogun whenever he had a chance. But Kang Sogun was adamant.

"What are you two doing? Can't you say a word to help?"

The urgent Mo Sang even pestered the Cho siblings.

"What can we, who are just staying here, do about what the Young Master is doing?"

Since the Cho siblings also knew the world of power, they were worried about Kang Sogun's actions.

If the powerful families united, it would be nothing to kill Kang Sogun and to close the Kang Residence.

Hadn't even General Jang Hong, who had been favored by the previous emperor, been driven out by the slander of a few groups?

But they were not in a position to advise Kang Sogun. They just had to watch.

***

"Hehe. That bastard has dug his own grave."

Bang Yeonso was inwardly pleased.

Kang Sogun's crimes were written down in detail and were sent to the imperial palace. When the emperor's edict came down, Kang Sogun was a dead man.

'I sent Ho Geukgeom just in case, but to think he would run wild beyond my expectations.'

Bang Yeonso was at ease. He had endured for decades to rise to the center of power, so waiting a few months was nothing.

But Bang Ilok was different.

"Now, even if I kill that fellow, no one will find fault."

In the meantime, Bang Ilok had spent money and had secretly gathered masters. He had chosen and selected only those who were famous in the martial world, not simple ronin.

Bang Ilok was just waiting for an opportunity. And that opportunity came sooner than he had thought.

***

The Grain Rain.

A spring rain fell.

It was a rain that fell like a mist.

The willow trees, which were turning a deep green, drooped in the spring rain.

Kang Sogun was sitting at an open-air tavern by the lake. Although a rain shelter had been put up, there were no passersby.

"It's the Grain Rain today. It's a very happy rain."

The elderly owner of the open-air tavern, as if it were not his fault, was anxious and made excuses for the sky.

The owner of the open-air tavern seemed to be uncomfortable. He limped slightly and brought wine along with dried fruits and meat and placed them.

"I don't know if it will suit your noble taste."

"It's fine as long as the wine hasn't gone bad."

Kang Sogun picked up the wine bottle, poured a cup for himself, and then poured another cup opposite him.

Looking at the wine cup that had a deep light, Kang Sogun closed his eyes. A distant memory came to mind with the scent of the rain and the spreading scent of the wine.

As he poured the wine and did not drink, the owner of the open-air tavern found it strange.

"Is someone else coming?"

"I hope not."

Kang Sogun said something incomprehensible.

The owner suddenly felt a cold energy, was startled, and looked back. In an instant, his blood points were pressed, and he collapsed.

Three people in the rain were wearing their bamboo hats pulled down low.

"Will you give me the leisure to drink a cup of wine?"

Kang Sogun said, picking up his cup.

The three were silent. It seemed they did not want to reveal their identities.

Kang Sogun looked at the lake and slowly savored the wine.

'It seems there was a day like this.'

A rainy lake. And three enemies. Although the place was different, it was a situation he had experienced at some point.

Although Kang Sogun drank the wine and put down his cup, he did not look back.

It was a day he did not want to see blood. No, it was a place he did not want to see blood. Although he did not know who the three were, he did not want to kill them.

As Kang Sogun silently looked at the lake, one of the men in the bamboo hats said.

"I will take it that you are accepting your fate. I am sorry."

As the hand of the man in the bamboo hat was about to touch the sword at his left, a light flashed.

-Swish!

The sword cut through the air.

'Hah!'

The man in the bamboo hat took a breath.

Although Kang Sogun was in that spot, there was nothing for the sword to catch.

As his sword missed, the man in the bamboo hat instinctively retreated. If he was a person who could avoid his one strike, he would immediately counterattack.

From the flowing movements, it could be seen that he was a great swordsman.

As the man in the bamboo hat who had attacked first retreated, the men in the bamboo hats on both sides rushed forward like lightning and brought down their swords.

-Swish!

The sharp sound of the sword qi cutting through the air first covered Kang Sogun.

Kang Sogun's hand dug in between the sword qi.

"Kuh!"

"Kuh!"

With short groans, the two were thrown back a full ten feet.

The man in the bamboo hat who had retreated first threw himself forward and held his sword in front.

A sword qi extended from the tip of the sword. The sword qi split into four directions, up, down, left, and right, and wrapped around Kang Sogun.

-Thwack!

The scattering sword qi disappeared at some point.

"Kuh!"

The last remaining man in the bamboo hat was also thrown back.

The three were not dead.

They staggered up and cupped their fists towards Kang Sogun.

"We did not recognize a master and have committed a discourtesy."

They were still wearing their bamboo hats. As they spoke, blood flowed from their mouths.

The man in the bamboo hat gritted his teeth and continued.

"Thank you for being lenient with your hand. Knowing that our skills are lacking, we will retreat for now."

The man in the bamboo hat gathered his companions and retreated. Before leaving, he added another word.

"The ones who come next are a cut above us. Be careful."

The three disappeared into the rain.

Kang Sogun sat down silently. He poured wine into his empty cup again and picked up the cup.

The moment his gaze turned to the lake again, he met a pair of eyes standing behind a willow tree.

Kang Sogun froze.

'Yeongyeong!'

The two eyes disappeared in an instant.

Kang Sogun could not move his body as if he had been struck by lightning.

It was as if time and space had been distorted and he had returned to a day long ago.

The Grain Rain, when it had rained like today.

He had come out to the lake with Jang Yeongyeong. He had drunk wine at this open-air tavern.

Kang Sogun stood up abruptly.

'She has come!'

But why did she not appear?

Kang Sogun, thinking that he might have seen a hallucination, looked at the willow tree again.

Although the two eyes that had been looking at him had disappeared, there was someone behind the willow tree.

"Yeongyeong?"

Kang Sogun's dry voice spread gently through the rain.

(End of Chapter)