What Is All This Commotion
The inn was noisy.
It wasn't because there were many people.
"Ahahaha. Yes, bring more. No, bring it all. Let's properly enjoy ourselves today."
Under the bright lamplight, a middle-aged man wearing a splendid outer coat raised his voice.
Jincheon frowned.
'It's not even a brothel (Giru), what is this in such a place...'
This place is a very common inn by the roadside.
Although quite large, it is a worn-out and old place where transient peddlers occasionally stay, a cheap and insignificant inn.
So the man's words 'let's properly enjoy ourselves' were enough to provoke Jincheon's smirk.
"Oh, is this that famous Shaoxing Wine? The one countless heroes drank in the past?"
The middle-aged man with a splendid beard examined the wine bottle with shining eyes.
The innkeeper held a bright smile and chattered away.
"Oh my, of course. This came from the place of origin. It's a wine I don't just serve to anyone."
For the owner, a smile was bound to come out. When would he meet another guest who spends silver like water in such an inn again?
The man opened the wine bottle without hesitation and smelled the fragrance.
"Kue, this is it. This is exactly what wine is."
He expressed satisfaction with a loud voice.
It was practically a nuisance to other guests, but no one expressed dissatisfaction.
"Since beautiful wine (Miju) has come out, there ought to be fine food (Gahyo). Owner, bring some more dishes here. Ah, and give one good thing to other guests too."
'Miju' is beautiful wine and 'Gahyo' is fine food.
The common point is that they are expensive.
The innkeeper, delighted, ran hastily to the kitchen cook, and the few guests including Jincheon also made satisfied expressions.
Talking loudly is clearly a nuisance, but if he buys expensive dishes or alcohol, there's no reason not to bear it.
Especially if one is a novice peddler with light pockets like Jincheon.
Swish.
Suddenly making eye contact with the middle-aged man, Jincheon bowed his head lightly to express gratitude.
The man smiled broadly and made a gesture as if offering, showing his hand. It means please eat comfortably.
'He's a decent person.'
At the same time as thinking so, the sharp gazes of the escort warriors standing next to the middle-aged man flew in.
Wearing martial attire and carrying swords and bows, they were uniquely young women, and all of them were tall women with outstanding beauty.
But there was no one who stole glances at their beauty. Because those eyes and spirits were literally murderous.
"Ahem."
Jincheon cleared his throat and avoided their gaze stealthily.
At the same time, he felt a sense of shame.
Because the magnanimous appearance of the middle-aged man enjoying beautiful wine and fine food accompanied by beautiful escorts, and his own shabby plight were too contrasting.
'After spending so much money on the civil service examination studies, I couldn't even pass the provincial examination (Hyangsi), let alone the metropolitan examination (Hoesi)...'
Like others, Jincheon also clung to the civil service examination studies.
To obtain a high government post, one has to take the metropolitan examination corresponding to the national exam, but Jincheon couldn't even pass the provincial examination, the stage before that.
Having slipped twice in the exam held once every three years, it means he wasted six years.
'Six years is on the decent side. ...If I passed, that is.'
If one passes the provincial examination, one gains the title of 'Recommended Man (Geoin)' and depending on the case, support comes from the country.
But what if one fails the provincial examination? One can maintain the qualification of 'Licentiate (Saengwon)', but that's it, no money comes from the country.
In short, it means an unemployed person who knows how to read a bit. Naturally, the gazes of the surroundings cannot be kind.
'I hated being noticed so I ran out saying I would at least be a peddler, but...'
Since he has no strength, he cannot dig the ground, and since he has no skills, there is no place calling him.
Eventually, what Jincheon could do was to be a peddler with the knowledge he accumulated at least.
'Peddling,' a very simple act requiring knowledge and understanding of each region but just moving goods from here to there.
"Phew."
Jincheon let out a sigh without realizing it.
Even now, inside the bundle he was holding next to him, there were precious goods into which he poured his entire fortune and even money borrowed from friends.
The primary goal was to take this to big cities like Hangzhou or Nanjing and somehow sell it for a good price.
'It's okay.'
Jincheon tried to shake off the thoughts.
'Effort does not betray. If I work hard, good days, good days... will come, right?'
Having repeated failures, he cannot be sure himself.
Jincheon was soothing his depressed feelings and the fatigue of walking all day with a cup of wine.
It was then.
"Hey, if you're treating, let's share the women too."
A rough voice flowed out.
The inn became quiet in an instant and Jincheon also raised his head.
The protagonist of the voice was a man with a menacing look.
He continued as if being sarcastic.
"Does it make sense that someone is accompanied by beauties, while we are just sipping wine?"
It was a blatant quarrel.
The murderous gazes of the escort warriors poured down, but the man with a menacing impression did not withdraw his gaze.
The middle-aged man in splendid attire smiled broadly.
"Wine can be shared as much as you want, but isn't it the rule that beauties are won by one's own power?"
Tak.
Putting down the wine cup lightly, he said.
"If you are confident, try it."
The man with a menacing impression let out a sneer.
"You might regret that?"
"Well? I've never regretted anything so I wouldn't know."
The middle-aged man was full of composure.
However, a touch-and-go tension hung in the inn.
The female escort warriors looked like they would draw their swords at any moment, and the menacing man also showed no sign of retreating.
Jincheon grasped his bundle stealthily.
It was just then when Jincheon decided to run without hesitation if things went south.
Bang.
A loud explosion burst out from all directions.
And dozens of warriors smashed the inn windows and rushed inside, precisely towards the man wearing splendid clothes.
"Enemies!"
Whoosh.
Along with the female escort warrior's sharp shout, light bloomed.
Without even time for the guests to realize the meaning of that light, the inn fell into chaos in an instant.
'Oh my, what is all this commotion!'
Jincheon quickly lowered his body and crawled under the table.
The inn, which didn't even have many people, was filled with sword fights and noise occurring everywhere.
Crash, bang.
"Strike!"
"Protect the Palace Master!"
Amidst screams and shouts, all sorts of things broke and flew in all directions.
The lamps lighting the inn also went out, darkening here and there.
It wasn't just that.
Slash.
"Argh!"
Blood spurted along with someone's scream.
'Gasp!'
Jincheon's face turned pale white.
The horrific sight of a back splitting and blood spurting like a fountain was unfolding before his eyes.
Moreover, what was surprising were the swords imbued with light.
The escort warriors' swords were all imbued with deep blue or reddish light.
The attackers also, not to be outdone, were making light bloom from their respective swords and sabers, so for Jincheon, it was confusing whether it was a dream or reality.
However, one thing was clear.
If he stays like this, he will die too. Because just grazing those blades imbued with light would slice his body away.
Jincheon looked around hurriedly.
But the place Jincheon was in happened to be inside the inn.
'The door won't do.'
It's far and dangerous. Moreover, didn't the person just cut down get hit by a sword while trying to go out the door?
'...Right! The back door, what about the back door?'
Looking around urgently, he saw a small passage heading to the kitchen.
There must be a back door in the kitchen.
Jincheon hugged the bundle with two arms and headed to the kitchen as if rolling while keeping his body low.
Sounds of something breaking and screams continued endlessly in his ears.
Crash, clang.
"Aaaargh!"
Fortunately, there was no one paying attention to Jincheon.
Jincheon, who reached the kitchen somehow, tried to raise his body urgently.
It was then.
"Shh."
Jincheon was startled by the sound heard suddenly.
There was already a prior guest in the kitchen.
It was exactly that middle-aged man who was enjoying wine and food wearing splendid clothes.
'When?'
He seemed to be among the escort warriors just a moment ago, but he wondered when he took refuge here.
But Jincheon had no time to care about such things.
Jincheon's expression, looking around the kitchen urgently, distorted.
'There's no door?'
There was no back door, no door going outside.
What existed was only one window set high up, where even moonlight didn't enter properly. The kitchen was larger than thought and strangely dark.
For whatever reason, the owner of this inn didn't make a door going outside from the kitchen. There isn't even a proper window.
In other words, trapped.
Tap.
Jincheon was startled by the feeling of hitting his shoulder.
Looking back, it was that man wearing splendid clothes.
He looked back at Jincheon and pointed somewhere.
Jincheon's gaze headed to where he pointed.
'That is... a drain?'
A drain is surprisingly rare to see. Especially in a worn-out and old cheap inn kitchen like this.
But there were holes that clearly looked like drains to anyone looking.
'With what thought did they build this inn?'
Jincheon clicked his tongue inwardly.
Since there is no door heading outside in this bizarre kitchen, there should be at least something like this to throw away dirty water.
Of course, usually, they would pass it to the waiter rather than making a drain.
At that time, the man tapped Jincheon's shoulder again.
Looking back, Jincheon frowned.
'Eh?'
The man gestured at the drain and made a motion of crawling.
'Let's go there? No, can a person pass through?'
A drain is a place where water drains.
Fist-sized holes are pierced, but naturally, it's not enough for a person to pass.
But the middle-aged man wearing splendid clothes only gestures with his eyes as if telling him to check.
It was the moment Jincheon frowned.
"Aagh!"
Crash!
A scream burst out and a sound of something breaking occurred.
The situation was becoming more urgent.
The man tapped Jincheon again as if urging once more.
'Damn it!'
Jincheon approached the drain hurriedly.
'Ugh!'
A characteristic foul smell pierced his nose. And Jincheon discovered a faint gap connecting around the drain.
It looked like something that would open.
Jincheon, hesitating slightly, reached out to the drain.
Trying to ignore the squishy and unpleasant touch, Jincheon gave strength to his two hands and lifted the stone.
'U, uuuuuuh!'
The stone was heavy and slippery. But the screaming sound heard from outside boosted Jincheon's strength.
Creaaaak.
With a heavy sound, the stone lid covering the drain was lifted.
And just as he felt, a space where one person could squat and a drainage channel pierced towards the wall revealed themselves.
It was a size barely crawlable.
'No, how are we supposed to go through a place like this!'
Jincheon looked back containing strong protest, but the middle-aged man shrugged his shoulders.
As if there was no other way.
'Damn.'
Jincheon gritted his teeth.
But the man's words, although he didn't actually make a sound, were correct. There is no other way.
Jincheon went down to the drainage channel without hiding his displeased expression.
Squelch.
A terrible smell greeted Jincheon as if welcoming him.
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