Chapter 77: Daedong-gye [3] Even Kanghyeok, who had always prided himself on being fairly bold, had not been sleeping well these past few days.
It was because he kept worrying that Byeon Sungbok might go around talking about Yeoju's situation.
In truth, if he thought about it rationally, there was no reason that should happen, and yet his mind would not settle easily.
That bastard is definitely a traitor, so where would he go blabbering about it?
At most, he would probably go tell Jeong Yeo-rip.
There was no reason he would spout such things at some government office or in the marketplace.
Even so, I'm uneasy. Damn it.
Treason.
Even if Kanghyeok's knowledge of history was somewhat shallow, he still knew very well what happened to traitors in the end.
No, he even knew what happened to people who had not actually committed treason and had merely become entangled in rumors.
There were so many of those purges and prison cases.
When you studied, so many people died in them that it was hard to even memorize them all.
He had only just begun to live comfortably after coming to Joseon. He had no desire to end up at the center of something like that.
"Ugh."
He had worried so much that a sigh escaped on its own.
"Damn."
Even though it was broad daylight, he flopped down flat on the bedding.
He lazed around like that for quite a while when someone knocked on the door.
"Young Master, Yeoni and Makbong have returned."
"Really? Tell them to come in."
"Yes."
Dolseok carefully opened the door, and Yeoni, dressed in men's clothing, entered the room with Makbong.
Kanghyeok had been lying around for a long time, so his hair was a mess, but he did not care in the least.
At this point, they had all already seen far too much of one another for that to matter.
"So. Did you find anything out?"
"Yes. Well... that group called Daedong-gye is no small thing."
Clicking her tongue, Yeoni began her report.
"At first they were active mainly in Jeolla Province and places like that, but now they've expanded their influence as far as Hwanghae Province. They say that man Byeon Sungbok is also active mainly in Hwanghae Province."
"Hwanghae Province?"
"Yes."
"Mm."
Jeolla Province was quite far from here.
But Hwanghae Province? That was practically right next to Hanyang.
His thoughts began turning in an increasingly ominous direction.
"And what exactly do they do?"
"It seems to be a gathering of strong and agile men. Even in the marketplace, no one seemed to know the details, and everyone kept quiet about it, so it was not easy to find out."
From the sound of Yeoni's report, it had not been easy, but she had still managed to uncover quite a bit.
Kanghyeok's eyes lit up as he asked,
"So then. What do they do?"
"They usually gather to practice archery and martial arts, but... there is one fairly famous incident connected to them."
"An incident?"
"Yes. They say that when Japanese pirates invaded Jeonju, they were mobilized at the request of the Buyun, who was a Senior Second Rank official, and drove the Japanese pirates back."
"Huh. Then their power must be considerable."
Kanghyeok could not help but be impressed.
Was not a Buyun a post equivalent to a provincial governor?
If such an official had requested their aid, then the scale of the Japanese pirate attack could not have been small.
It must have been around the size of the group that came to Eotanmyeon...
If they had repelled them, then their military strength could not be dismissed lightly.
This bastard really is planning treason soon, isn't he?
At the same time, it was not as though he completely failed to understand it.
After asking around separately, he had learned that this man Jeong Yeo-rip was brilliant even among prodigies.
He had passed the state examination at a young age and risen rapidly in office, only to suddenly switch his allegiance from the Westerners to the Easterners.
Kanghyeok did not know the exact reason, but it seemed that because of this, he had fallen out of King Seonjo's favor.
That much was clear from the fact that he had retired to the countryside immediately afterward.
It doesn't seem likely that he found Seonjo particularly to his liking.
Of course, one had to experience someone firsthand to know what kind of person they truly were.
But judging from all the books and media Kanghyeok had encountered in his life, Seonjo did not seem to have been a particularly appealing king.
No, if anything, there was a high chance he had been rather small-minded.
Even so, rebellion is a bit much.
No matter what, for a subject to raise a revolt in Joseon?
Was that really the kind of thing that could possibly succeed?
Kanghyeok shook his head and asked,
"So there haven't been any unusual incidents recently?"
"I did not hear of anything like that. It seems they simply hold regular gatherings."
That was reassuring.
By Kanghyeok's calculations, the Gichuk Purge was still quite some time away.
As long as nothing major happened, and history did not change, there was still a fair amount of time.
"All right. Good work."
"Yes, Young Master."
Yeoni had just finished her report and was about to rise when Makbong hesitated.
"Why aren't you leaving?"
"Young Master, I also heard a few things."
"Oh."
Was this not Makbong, from whom one could usually expect nothing beyond physical labor?
It seemed he had used his head a little for once.
In a voice with little real expectation, Kanghyeok asked,
"All right. Then you tell me too."
"Yes. Well... um."
"What are you doing?"
"No, it's just... after that incident in Jeonju, it seems Daedong-gye became rather famous."
"That would make sense."
It was an armed group formed by private individuals that had crushed Japanese pirates.
It would have been stranger if it had not drawn attention.
"So people have been flocking to them, and there are quite a few famous figures among them."
"Really? Who's in it?"
"Including Byeon Sungbok, there's Park Yeonryeong, Ji Hamdu, Uiyeon, and others. They say they're all eccentrics and extraordinary men."
"Hmm..."
Every single name was unfamiliar.
At the very least, that meant they were not people who had left any major mark on history that Kanghyeok would know of.
Right. For now, it's still just a local organization.
That meant he did not need to keep agonizing over it the way he had been.
At last, Kanghyeok laughed heartily.
Looking back later, it would have been absurd, but at the time, this was how he felt.
"All right. Good work. Wow, Makbong... you've improved too."
"Lately, Miss Yeoju has been teaching us how to read."
"Really? Yeoju is a good teacher."
"Yes. She's kind, and she knows a lot."
Kanghyeok had no disagreement there.
Whenever she taught letters, she always added related historical anecdotes alongside them, and that was especially nice.
It made studying feel less like study and more like listening to interesting stories.
Thanks to that, he had built up a fairly broad range of knowledge, and it had helped him in many places.
"Oh, right. There's a gathering at Lord Ryu Seong-ryong's house today. Did I mention that already?"
"Yes. We already prepared for it."
Yeoni showed him the blade hanging at her waist.
After the recent attack, they always stayed armed.
It was a world where one never knew what might happen, where or when.
"Good. That's reassuring. Let's head out."
With a satisfied look, Kanghyeok rose from his seat.
As always, the house-call bag was gripped firmly in his hand.
Judging from experience, this bag was useful for much more than medical treatment alone.
It really feels like an enchanted object or something.
He had no idea what kind of magic it might be.
But there was no denying that it was greatly to Kanghyeok's benefit.
"Young Master, the horses are ready."
Dolseok stood waiting, holding the reins.
At his waist hung a short club.
Apparently he had judged that rather than strutting around awkwardly with a sword, it was better to carry a weapon he was at least used to handling.
"Good. Lord Ryu's house is right nearby, so surely nothing will happen."
"That may be true, but you never know, do you?"
"Right. There's no harm in being prepared."
After all, they had not known they would be attacked on the road back from Yi Hangbok's house either.
This was a world where unimaginable things sometimes happened.
There was no downside to preparing in advance.
"All right. Let's go."
"Yes, Young Master."
Kanghyeok's procession looked rather impressive.
Dolseok and Makbong took position at the front, while Yeoni and Dorikkae stood at either side.
Behind them followed Thief 1, Thief 2, and Yeoju, making it a sight that would not have looked lacking even beside the retinue of a government official.
"Oh dear. Just look at that wastrel."
"Exactly. He does nothing, yet struts around with that much swagger."
There were, naturally, some who looked on Kanghyeok with displeasure.
They were mostly yangban who drew stipends from some insignificant office or another, but none dared voice their dissatisfaction openly.
They only muttered behind his back.
Kanghyeok considered that sort beneath notice and paid them no mind at all.
It was the people under him who were more offended.
"Young Master, shouldn't you at least take office just to spite those bastards?"
Among them, Dolseok was the worst.
It was because he knew that the Busa and Ryu Seong-ryong had recommended Kanghyeok for office.
"Take office?"
"Yes."
"Do you think I'd suit an official post?"
"Uh, well..."
Was Dolseok not the sort who could never quite bring himself to lie smoothly?
His lips worked soundlessly for a long while before he finally spoke.
"Well... Elder Yi Hangbok seems to do just fine, doesn't he?"
"Ah... mm. That's true."
Who would have imagined such a free spirit existed in Joseon?
And yet the man wore official robes and even went to work at the palace where the king lived.
If someone like him could do it, then there seemed no particular reason Kanghyeok could not.
As for flattering superiors... I'm actually pretty good at matching their moods.
He just usually chose not to.
If he set his mind to it, he was fully prepared to bow and scrape whenever necessary.
After all, he had lived in a brutal world where one could not become a professor through skill alone.
There was that last attack, and Yeoju's situation too...
If he became an official, then surely he would have more power than he did now.
Then no one would dare ambush him openly in Hanyang.
And hiding Yeoju away without a trace would be easier too.
Because of all these thoughts, he could no longer dismiss the idea of office in one stroke the way he once had.
"Don't think of it as mere words from a servant. At least give it some thought."
These days, there were moments when Dolseok seemed more learned than Kanghyeok himself.
"Wow. Our Dolseok really has become talkative. Did Yeoju teach you that too?"
"Yes, well. Haha."
As Dolseok scratched his head, Yeoju also offered him praise.
"He's very quick-witted. Once he learns something, he remembers it well."
"Well, I knew that already. He's become quite skilled in medicine now too, you know?"
"Haha. Young Master, don't gild my face too much. It'll start shining."
"See that? Even your metaphors have become more refined than before."
"Haha."
Laughing and chatting like that, they soon arrived at Ryu Seong-ryong's residence.
That was only natural, since it was practically right next door.
"Ah, Scholar, you've come."
The servants at Ryu Seong-ryong's house were now used to seeing Kanghyeok's face, and they took his horse for him.
As he dusted off the clothes that had wrinkled from riding, another procession no less impressive than his own approached.
The man on horseback was, of course, Yi Hangbok.
For some reason, his expression was not as cheerfully relaxed as usual.
To be precise, it changed after he saw Kanghyeok's face.
"Hey, Kanghyeok."
"Yes, Elder."
"As it happens, I had a private matter I wanted to discuss with you."
"Did you?"
For a moment, Kanghyeok wondered if perhaps Lady Kwon's treatment had gone wrong.
But that worry was pointless.
The procedure had been perfect.
Otherwise, he would have had to feel terribly sorry for those Daedong-gye fellows who were still limping around.
"That's right. It's not the sort of thing to discuss in a place like this..."
With that, Hangbok leaped down from his horse and pulled Kanghyeok off toward a corner of the yard.
The servants at Seongryong's residence did not especially stop the two of them.
These two were always coming around to fool about. Unless they did something truly strange, Ryu Seong-ryong was not likely to interfere either.
"What is it?"
"Mm."
Instead of answering, Yi Hangbok led him farther into one corner.
"What is the matter?"
"A few days ago, I heard there was some disturbance near your house. I got curious and went to see, and a few constables had picked up something you had used. Fortunately, the fool who had lost it also lost it again the next day, so it was never adopted as evidence."
"Ah. That day."
"Yes. What happened?"
It was an open-ended question, but his tone was nothing of the sort.
It felt very much like the kind of question a senior professor sometimes threw out in an operating room.
The sort asked by someone who already knew the answer and was only confirming it.
A kind of trap.
At times like this, one had to think carefully.
"What happened?"
Playing dumb was one option.
But Yi Hangbok was not an easy man to fool.
Staring directly into Kanghyeok's eyes, he asked again.
This time, the question was much more closed.
"There's talk going around that one of Jeong Yeo-rip's trusted subordinates was seen in Hanyang that day. Does that have anything to do with this?"
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