The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 233

I wanted to rush out right away, threaten them, and ask them what they were doing, but I decided to hold back for now.

Because in a situation where I can't understand what's going on, if those two are just low-level subordinates who don't know much, it would be like telling the culprits that I've figured things out this far.

'For now, be calm... and let's get closer.'

I, lying on my stomach, crawled towards them like a lizard.

Since their martial arts level was not that high, it seemed they didn't notice me approaching at all.

Finally, I arrived at a distance where I could reach them with a single leap.

Although I could hear their conversation well even before, now I can hear their words clearly without even focusing my internal energy on my hearing.

"Did that Wudang Taoist also visit you?"

"He came to me too."

"So what did he say?"

"I told him the truth. That I don't know anything. What about you?"

"Me too. What do we know? I just said I don't know."

As I was eavesdropping on the two's conversation, my story naturally came up.

But I don't understand what the two are talking about.

'You don't know anything? What does that mean?'

Because anyone can see that they are acting suspiciously right now, it didn't make sense that they didn't know anything.

"Well. It's all done now. It's not easy to do this every time."

"I know, right. Let's go back."

After that, they, after chatting without any special conversation, said they had finished their work and went back to the manor.

I, holding my breath for a long time, checked if anyone was coming again, and then I slowly moved my body to the place where they had been a little while ago.

"Trees, rocks, stakes... If I hadn't known, I wouldn't have even thought they were objects."

When I looked around, it just looked like he had cut down trees to get firewood.

If I had seen it without knowing that what was tormenting Minister Jeong was a formation, I would have just passed by.

'There were a few other places like this.'

Since there was one such place in each of the east, west, south, and north directions centered on Minister Jeong's quarters, I visited all of them.

While I was moving, I couldn't meet anyone else.

It could be that everyone was manipulating it at the same time when I was in the north, or if not, it could be that only the north is manipulated every day.

I'll have to check the details over time.

'Perhaps I can solve this mystery tomorrow.'

By chance, my party is exactly four people.

I'll be able to find out if I ask my senior brother and the Shaolin monks to go to the four places at the same time as today.

I slowly moved my body and headed for the inn.

Since it was already late and time for dinner, it was to buy food for Minister Jeong.

When the small forest ended, a road where people walked came out, and I, while walking on the road, was lost in thought for a moment.

'He definitely said it was a turn. That means that not just one or two people are involved in this matter.'

My head starts to get confused.

How many people, and for what reason, are doing this?

'If it's this much, shouldn't I really report it to the authorities, not me?'

To be honest, the scale of this matter is larger than I thought.

Although it's been a while since Minister Jeong retired, he is still a high-ranking official who has served as the chancellor of the imperial court.

If I tell the authorities the situation I have found out and ask for protection, the matter will be solved to some extent.

Because I have found out that what was tormenting Minister Jeong was a formation, and after replacing all the servants and martial artists in the house now, the authorities can step in and help him.

'No. Even if it seems okay for now, what if someone targets Minister Jeong again when everyone has forgotten and my interest has faded?'

If that happens, I have no way to help him again, so I have to root it out now if possible.

'From where to where can I trust.'

Now that it has come to this, I can't judge at all who I can trust and who I can't.

Is the head steward a trustworthy person? Or what about the Hundred Hands Swordsman, Do Won-hee?

'For now, I'll have to talk more with Minister Jeong.'

And so, on the way back to Minister Jeong's quarters after buying food without any trouble.

He greeted me like a child.

It wasn't just because I had bought food that he could eat, but it seemed to be because it was the only time he could face and talk with a trustworthy person, even for this short time.

While we were eating together with a story that was not very related to this matter, Minister Jeong suddenly said to me, "Taoist Master Unhwi."

"Yes, minister."

"You don't have to spend too much time on me. What you have done so far is enough. You can go back now."

"Yes? Why are you suddenly saying that?"

"Come to think of it, it all seems futile. To be honest, although it is our family's heirloom, isn't that heirloom not our family's, but the Wu family's?"

His voice trembled as if he had made a difficult decision.

When I didn't answer, he, after glancing at me, continued, "Just... if that's really the purpose, I'm willing to give it up. Since I don't have that thing anyway... I wonder if I have to live so miserably because of it."

"Don't think like that. Although I can't know for sure yet, I'm trying to find out who the culprit is by taking it step by step."

"Oh...! Has there been any progress?"

"Yes. Actually, there has been a little."

"This can't be...! No one has ever told me this until now. It's always been difficult. I can't find out anything. I've gone senile. They've only ever said things like this..."

I flinched without my realizing it.

It seems he already knew that he was being suspected of being senile.

"I know best that you are not suffering from dementia, minister. After meeting and talking with you like this for the past few days, I know even better."

"Hoho... it's funny to say thank you for seeing me as normal... but thank you."

"Anyway, please hold on a little longer. I'll find out the culprit soon."

"I understand."

"Oh, by the way. But please keep it a secret from others that I have found out a few things."

"Other people?"

"To anyone other than me. You must not even tell the head steward, Yi Jeong, or the Hundred Hands Swordsman."

"I will do so. You must have your reasons for asking me to do so."

He, without even asking for the reason, readily nodded his head.

It hurts my heart that I am the only one he can trust now.

Some might ask this.

That I'm busy training every day, so am I not investing too much time and effort here?

But, I have no intention of turning a blind eye to people who are asking for help in front of me in the future.

Because I think that even if I can't directly save and help all the people in the Central Plains, if I don't help the suffering people I see under the pretext of a great cause, I shouldn't even say the presumptuous words of saving the Central Plains.

"For now, I will find out more, and if there is anything that becomes certain, I will tell you right away."

"I understand. Thank you for the meal today."

Although it was nothing more than eating together, he was very grateful.

And so, after finishing the meal with Minister Jeong, I, who had returned to my room, gathered my senior brother and the Shaolin monks and told them what I had seen and heard earlier.

Because for now, the only people I can completely trust among the people I know here are these people.

***

The next day.

I, taking my senior brother and the Shaolin monks, arrived at the place where the formation had been manipulated yesterday and told each of them to lie in wait and tell me what they had seen and heard.

A little while later, when we met again at the lodging, we shared what we had each seen and heard.

"A person came and went in the direction I saw."

"Me too, Venerable Un Cheol."

This time, Monk Il-won and I had a blank, and it is said that people had come to the places where my senior brother and Monk Il-jik had gone.

But there was one thing that their stories differed on.

"Servants? You mean they were servants? Bodyguards came to my side. Unhwi-ya. Didn't you also say they were martial artists?"

"The ones who came to me were also martial artists. It's not just the martial artists who are plotting... it seems the servants are also involved?"

"I have a feeling that this matter is getting bigger than I thought..."

Our faces became a little serious.

A sense of anxiety begins to creep in.

I'm starting to feel like this house itself is a trap.

At that time, since the outside seemed to have become noisy, when I stealthily went outside, people were really moving around busily.

"Excuse me. Is something wrong?"

I, grabbing any servant who was passing by, asked.

The servant, after being slightly surprised to see me, answered me.

"It seems the second young master has arrived."

"The second young master?"

I was momentarily reminded that the master of the Shi-yue Pavilion was the third son of Minister Jeong.

He said that in a family with only three sons, the first son and the second son had both passed the civil service examination and were serving as officials in the court.

The first passed the literary examination, and the second passed the military examination, and they both passed at once.

When I moved my steps to the main gate, several servants and some martial artists were already gathered there.

"Young master!"

"Young master, you've arrived!"

"I've missed you, young master!"

The moment a large man in armor entered through the main gate, everyone began to welcome him.

The reaction is hotter than I thought.

It seemed that the second young master's popularity within the family was greater than I thought.

'He's more of a master than I thought...?'

To be honest, I have a bad prejudice against military officials.

Although their martial arts are not that strong, since they work in the imperial court, their pride is ridiculously high.

And how authoritarian they are, there are many cases where just talking with them for a short time makes you feel frustrated to the point of your chin.

But Minister Jeong's second son, at a glance, has a pretty strong martial art.

To the extent that even if he were a martial artist, not from the imperial court, he would be at least first-rate.

"It's good to see you all. For now, I'll see my father first and then we can catch up. Everyone, please move aside."

"Yes, young master!"

At his one word, the people instantly split to the left and right, and he began to walk between them with dignity.

At first, I only saw the cool appearance of a military official who was very concerned about his father, but after seeing the direction he was moving his steps, I was not a little surprised inside.

And I had no choice but to slowly follow him.

'He's not heading for Minister Jeong's quarters?'

He has just arrived.

But how does he know that Minister Jeong is not in his quarters, but is hiding somewhere else?

Although it might be rude, I had the thought that I should be with him when he meets Minister Jeong.

(End of Chapter)