Scholar Demon Venerable

A person who was sitting awkwardly with one arm tied up was seen. He was a man whose appearance he had not been able to recognize because his back was turned.

As if Cheongun had recognized him, he opened his eyes wide like a puppy that had to poop.

He was Ou Yongping, the fourth son of Ou Huliang. The one whose one arm had been broken after being beaten by Cheongun at the inn.

He had thought he had been caught at the Zirong Palace, but his appearance was not seen, so he had been looking for him.

But to think that he was here. He could clearly see what that guy was thinking.

'It seems he was thinking of bribing the inspectors.'

As Cheongun had guessed, Ou Yongping was playing a trick to save the Zirong Palace.

He had rented the entire Tianxiang Lou, which was difficult to even cross the threshold of with an official's salary, and was winning their favor by giving them the best courtesans.

Moreover, he had heard from the roof that he would give them a thousand taels of gold each, and they were shaking their hips.

The inspectors had already decided how to conduct the audit after hearing the words "a thousand taels of gold."

But an uninvited guest had appeared.

The officials looked at each other and exchanged glances.

'Did that guy hear our conversation?'

It was the most problematic part.

Although they had not spoken openly because there were courtesans, it could be a big problem depending on how it was heard.

As they were quietly observing Cheongun's reaction, the worst situation unfolded.

"A thousand taels of gold..."

The officials were startled because Cheongun had hinted at it.

"Wh-what are you talking about!"

"You bastard! Shut up!"

A couple of people shouted and glared at Cheongun as if they would eat him.

Cheongun looked at the scared puppy barking and said in a tone that said it was nothing.

"Are you scared? Do such small-hearted things dare to insult His Majesty? What do you think will happen if this fact is known?"

If it happened as Cheongun had said, it would not be just a big problem. The Eastern Depot and the Five Military Governor's Offices would be turned upside down, and it would not end with them just taking off their official robes.

The officials protested greatly as expected.

"Shut up! Where are you talking nonsense?"

"You bastard, where are you trying to frame us?"

"What is your identity? You're an assassin."

The officials jumped up and down. But no one stepped forward to subdue Cheongun.

They looked at each other and aimed for Cheongun's opening.

Cheongun provoked such officials.

"Don't bark like a scared puppy and shut your mouth."

"What did you say?"

"You're an arrogant bastard! How dare you threaten officials, do you really want to die?"

Thwack.

The face of the official who was arguing with Cheongun was bent back, and he fell down. Cheongun had kicked a dish on the table and had hit the official's face.

The officials who were arguing with Cheongun closed their mouths as if it were a lie.

There was no need to show a grand martial art. The surroundings became quiet with just one kick.

Cheongun looked around and then said to Ou Yongping.

"You are currently wanted for the crime of rebellion. Do you know that?"

"Th-that can't be. A rebellion?"

Although Ou Yongping jumped up and down, saying it was unfair, Cheongun did not care and looked at the officials with a cold gaze.

"Are you officials plotting with a guy who has plotted a rebellion?"

At Cheongun's continued words, the officials finally realized that something was greatly wrong.

An Eastern Depot eunuch quickly knelt down and clung to Cheongun.

"Your Excellency! I have nothing to do with this. I just followed my superior."

As the cunning-looking eunuch stepped forward, the other eunuchs also quickly clung to Cheongun, begging him to save them.

Cheongun nodded his head and looked at the officials of the Five Military Governor's Offices.

It was a look that asked what they would do.

There were three people from the Five Military Governor's Offices who were in their right minds. They also knew that things had gone greatly wrong, but they could not agree like this.

"Do you know that you are threatening us with an absurd speculation?"

"Arrogant bastard, how dare you threaten us with force, you really want to die."

Cheongun looked at the officials who were getting angry.

"Are you hoping that the soldiers outside will rush in?"

At Cheongun's words, the official's eyes became fierce.

If he had heard the noisy sound a little while ago, the soldiers should have come running already. But since there was no news yet, he was puzzled.

In the end, an official gathered his internal energy and shouted loudly.

"It's an assassin! Soldiers, capture that guy quickly!"

The loud sound shook the pavilion.

But that official did not know that Cheongun had blocked the sound using his internal energy.

Cheongun pretended to be doing something else and let time pass. The official felt that something was strange as Cheongun did not do anything and had his hands behind his back.

He soon sent a look to an official, and that official ran out of the pavilion.

Kung.

"Aiko."

The official who was trying to run out of the pavilion by unfolding his lightness skill was blocked by something transparent and fell back.

At that, the official who had sent the look gritted his teeth and glared at Cheongun.

'He's a master.'

He had known he was a master from the beginning, but he had not known he was a master of this level. He had thought that his subordinates who were with him could face that guy, but even the last attempt was blocked.

In the end, the official who had decided to negotiate asked Cheongun.

"Is there something you want from us?"

"To handle the matter according to the principles."

At Cheongun's words, the official's eyes twitched.

He was curious about the identity of Cheongun, who was wearing a mask.

He inferred one fact.

"By any chance, were you sent by the Pacification Envoy?"

"That's right. I was ordered to protect you from any possible traitors. But I didn't know you guys would be plotting together."

He had thought so, but it was as expected.

Cheongun decided not to reveal his identity until the end. He could not make the mistake of revealing his identity just because he had caught a weakness.

The only physical evidence was that they had had a drinking party here and that Ou Yongping was with them.

If they denied that they knew Ou Yongping was a traitor, it would be over, and if they gave another reason for the drinking party, it would be over.

As Cheongun was talking with the official, Ou Yongping, who had been holding his breath on one side, moved.

Shwaek.

With a sharp sound of something cutting through the air, Ou Yongping's figure covered Cheongun's back quickly like light. It was a thrust that aimed for the Mingmen acupoint on Cheongun's waist.

Tukang!

Cheongun kicked up a dish on the table and turned the direction of the sword.

Although the decisive blow had missed, Ou Yongping did not give up.

As befitting a first-rate master, he retrieved his sword and again cut Cheongun's leg.

Cheongun slightly raised one foot and dodged the sword. Then he extended the foot he had raised forward.

Thwack.

Ou Yongping's face contorted at the kick.

U-dang-tang.

He flew into the air and rolled on the floor with the eunuchs.

The eunuchs pretended to be dying.

Cheongun kicked the dishes on the table in succession and sent them flying at Ou Yongping, who was wriggling and trying to get up.

Hwik.

Thwack!

The dishes that had hit Ou Yongping's head in succession broke.

Blood flowed down from his forehead.

Then he finally collapsed.

Cheongun looked at the official of the Five Military Governor's Offices and said coldly.

"What will you do? Shall I kill you all on the spot? Or will you quietly listen to my words?"

The middle-aged official who had been pointed out by Cheongun gritted his teeth and nodded his head.

"Alright. I will follow your will."

It was already an irreversible situation.

They could not subdue Cheongun with force with their own strength. The blade that was hanging on their necks was scarier than setting up their pride.

If they could just live, it was better to survive even if they became the opponent's puppet.

Cheongun looked over the officials once and said.

"Spend three days here."

"That's not possible. There has to be a reason to delay, doesn't there?"

It was a path they were rushing on by the Emperor's order. If they spent three days without any reason, the schedule would be all messed up, and they would have to give a reason.

If there was no excuse, their necks could be on the line for the strict imperial order.

But at Cheongun's continued words, he nodded his head.

"It seems it would be enough to make an excuse that you are questioning that fallen guy over there."

"Ah! Then three days will be enough."

The fainted Ou Yongping came into his eyes. Although it was a pitiful thing, it was possible if they framed that guy with charges of bribery and rebellion.

A cunning-looking rat-faced eunuch chattered as if it were an opportunity.

"Three days is not enough to get a confession from that guy. We also have to find his accomplices and ask about his other crimes, so it's not something to be handled easily."

"Th-that's right. We have to send a person to the imperial capital right away and inform them of that guy's crimes. That will take a lot of time."

The eunuchs chattered excitedly. Since a way to live had appeared, they were confident in biting and tearing.

He had just given a hint, but things were falling into place.

Ou Yongping's future was decided.

Without any trial, without any interrogation.

Looking at them making a fuss, Cheongun left his last words and turned back.

"You're doing well here, but I'll be counting on you when you come to Tangshan too."

"Y-your wish is my command."

"Please give my regards to the Pacification Envoy."

"If there is anything you need, just say the word at any time."

The eunuchs repeatedly bowed their heads to Cheongun, who had already disappeared.

Since he could be watching from somewhere, no one moved carelessly or spoke.

Only after a long time did the officials move.

They called the soldiers, tied up Ou Yongping, and called the owner of the Tianxiang Lou and firmly silenced him.

Although the courtesans could talk carelessly, the courtesans of this Tianxiang Lou were thoroughly educated. That was why there was no trouble even after playing so sloppily.

"Hey! Bring more wine!"

"Yes, since we have a lot of time, let's have another drink!"

The night of the Tianxiang Lou heated up like that.

* * *

Cheongun, who had finished his work in Danxian, returned straight to the Zirong Palace.

The Jinyiwei who had decided to share Cheongun's will were already moving.

Among the Jinyiwei who had been with him from the beginning, those with a bad reputation had been excluded, so no one had noticed.

The Jinyiwei began to move the money from the secret safe, as well as the useful manuals and weapons discovered in the armory, to the Fengyun Manor in Kaifeng.

Cheongun looked around the library and the armory where quite a few manuals were sleeping.

Since they were manuals and weapons that had been collected over a long period of two hundred years, their quantity was quite large.

In the case of the manuals, since they were neatly organized, it was much easier to look at them.

"It would have been nice if the Imperial Palace Armory had been like this."

[If it had been like that, they would have picked out all the good manuals and taken them.]

"That's true."

Cheongun nodded his head.

But at that moment, he heard a Jinyiwei member say.

"If we move everything and fill it with other books and then burn it, there will be no trace."

"That's right."

At the Jinyiwei's words, Cheongun looked at the Blood Emperor.

The Blood Emperor knew what Cheongun was trying to say and nodded his head.

[It's not a bad idea. In any case, since someone who knows that the manuals have disappeared might appear.]

It wasn't that he had taken out one or two. Since he had taken out dozens, it would definitely be noticeable.

Cheongun thought for a moment and then called the Jinyiwei who was moving the goods.

"Hey."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Go and call Ha Man."

"Yes, I understand."

The next night. A fire soared from the buildings in the Yi Palace and the Sun Palace of the Zirong Palace. The ground building where the underground library was was engulfed in a large fire.

Because of that, even the underground library was completely burned, and only the traces of the fire remained in the library.

Song In-ho, who had gone to investigate, pointed out one person as the culprit.

"It is clear that the ghost-like guy who had previously intruded the Zirong Palace has committed arson, Pacification Envoy! There is a witness who saw him come out of that building in the same clothes as that guy and run away when the fire broke out!"

(End of Chapter)