Chapter 333

## C333

When Yeon Jeokha accepted the proposal, Zhang Yuan, the eldest brother of the Three Heroes of Qingzhou, called the waiter.

—Bring us some liquor.

—We have Geonamchun, Yeoahong, Jukyeopcheong, and Baekgeonah. Which would you prefer?

The waiter listed the drinks according to their price, casting curious glances at Yeon Jeokha.

The choice of liquor depended on the guest’s social standing, and that aroused his curiosity.

If the guest was someone distinguished, they would order Geonamchun. If they were nothing special, they would opt for Baekgeonah.

—Bring us Jukyeopcheong.

—Understood.

The waiter looked again at Yeon Jeokha before leaving.

The Jukyeopcheong was in a middle ground: more expensive than the Baekgeonah, but far from being a luxury drink.

This implied that the guest was not insignificant, but not someone particularly important either.

Concluding his assessment, the waiter hastily retreated.

When the Jukyeopcheong arrived, Yeon Jeokha had completely finished his plate of cold noodles with raw meat.

The lack of money had taught him not to leave anything on the plate, a different attitude from when he could afford to leave food.

—Let’s toast.

Ilsuhan filled Yeon Jeokha’s glass.

When the liquor had gone around everyone, Yeon Jeokha asked:

—I’m not familiar with this, where is the Gunwon Pyo-guk (Gunwon Escort Company) located?

Ilsuhan responded immediately:

—The main office is in Namjik. They also have a branch in Jeongju.

—And what are they doing here?

—They plan to open a new branch in Heochang, but it seems they are facing some opposition.

—Opposition?

—What do you think? The local escort agencies and chambers of commerce don’t like the idea of sharing the profits.

—Ah, I understand.

The woman of the group, Baek Okjo, added more information:

—The Heochang branch will open in three days. Until then, our job is to protect the auxiliary leader, So Jiwoong.

—So you three come from the main office?

—Exactly. The auxiliary leader requested protection, so we came as reinforcement.

—And once the branch opens, everything will be solved?

—As soon as they officially open, the local authorities will be aware, and that will prevent major problems.

—And before opening?

—If something happens to the branch manager, the whole business could collapse, and the money invested would be lost.

—Wow, it’s an important matter!

—That’s right.

—But I imagine you three aren’t the only ones in charge, right?

—Of course not! The auxiliary leader has also hired other people in Heochang. They need staff to operate the branch, don’t you think?

Ilsuhan added with a smile:

—Little brother, we are here to protect the auxiliary leader in case of emergency. The lost money can be recovered, but the life of a leader is irreplaceable.

Finally, Yeon Jeokha understood the purpose behind “protecting leader So Jiwoong.”

—Ah, you are his bodyguards.

The fact that they valued the leader’s life more than money made Yeon Jeokha like Gunwon Pyo-guk (Gunwon Escort Company).

—It’s not that serious. So far, everything has gone smoothly, without any signs of danger. Little brother, you just need to follow us for three days.

—How much do they pay per day?

Ilsuhan observed Yeon Jeokha’s somewhat disheveled appearance and replied:

—That depends on the auxiliary leader. It’s his decision to hire someone.

—What? Does that mean he might not hire me?

—Don’t worry. If we, the Three Heroes of Qingzhou, recommend you, they will definitely hire you. What we can’t decide is how much they will pay you.

—Ah, I understand.

While they were talking about the fees, Baek Okjo intervened to reassure him:

—Don’t worry, we’ll talk to him so he pays you well. Although he’s a bit strict, the leader usually listens to us.

Her words made Yeon Jeokha feel a little insecure.

If he trusted them and then the leader turned out to be really strict, there would be no solution possible.

A few hours later

—I’ll pay you fifty mun a day. With food and lodging included, it seems reasonable. What do you think?

Fifty mun a day meant five hundred mun in ten days and fifteen hundred mun a month, which was equivalent to “one and a half ounces of silver.” It was a pretty low salary.

Yeon Jeokha looked at the Three Heroes of Qingzhou in surprise.

After the meeting at the tavern, they had taken him to the branch in Tianzhi Manor, where he met leader So Jiwoong.

He offered him fifty mun a day, a rate far below the average for wanderers (nangin), who usually earned at least one hundred mun a day.

With that pay, a wanderer could earn three ounces of silver a month, but after deducting food and lodging expenses, they ended up with one and a half ounces in their pocket.

Therefore, fifty mun barely covered basic expenses.

—So this guy is really strict, huh?

Yeon Jeokha observed So Jiwoong, a man with narrow eyes and a hard expression who seemed to lack empathy.

—One hundred and fifty mun for three days?

It was the lowest pay he had received in his jobs as a wanderer.

When Yeon Jeokha hesitated, Zhang Yuan intervened:

—Leader So, couldn’t you offer him a little more? Wanderers usually earn three ounces of silver a month. Fifty mun is only half that amount.

—That’s because those wanderers know how to use a sword well. This young man barely seems capable of taking care of himself. It’s like carrying a decorative screen. Fifty mun is enough.

—Leader So, even a wanderer who just holds a sword receives at least one hundred mun.

When Ilsuhan tried to argue that even wanderers earned at least one hundred mun simply for holding a sword, So Jiwoong remained inflexible.

—That will be when they only hire wanderers. But now they have the Pyo-guk (escort company) guards and you, the Three Heroes of Qingzhou.

He didn’t seem willing to give in.

Yeon Jeokha, who didn’t want to prolong the disagreement between So Jiwoong and the Three Heroes, nodded his head.

—I accept. After all, it would be disrespectful for a simple walking screen to expect anything more.

Although his comment was sarcastic, So Jiwoong didn’t seem to care. He opened his money bag and added:

—Gunwon Pyo-guk always works with clarity, so you will receive an advance. Don’t separate from the Three Heroes for the next three days.

The tone of So Jiwoong hinted at some discontent towards the Three Heroes.

In reality, he was not at all satisfied with them having brought a wanderer recruited from the street.

—We already had enough protection with the Pyo-guk (escort company) guards and the Three Heroes, why bring someone else at this crucial moment?

Although it irritated him, he decided to overlook it because of his relationship with them. Otherwise, he would have said something.

—

When they left So Jiwoong’s office, Zhang Yuan commented with a bitter expression:

—I’m sorry this was so uncomfortable. It’s not typical of him to be so cold, there must be something bothering him.

—Don’t worry. At least the food and lodging are free, right?

Although So Jiwoong had been stingy, Yeon Jeokha couldn’t complain too much, considering they were offering him lodging and food.

The Three Heroes took Yeon Jeokha to the guards’ lodging. As soon as he entered, the gazes of the resting guards focused on him.

One of them asked:

—And who are you? I haven’t seen you before.

—I’m Yeon Jeokha. The Three Heroes of Qingzhou introduced me, and I’ll be working here for three days.

As expected, upon hearing the name “Yeon Jeokha,” several guards chuckled quietly.

The name had become so common that anyone used it.

—I’m Sa Gangjeong, from Jugu. Where does this Yeon Jeokha come from? Don’t tell me from Five Peaks Mountain.

Sa Gangjeong’s comment sparked laughter among the guards.

—Jeje, I’m from Jeongju.

—Oh, from Jeongju? So, have you ever seen anyone from the Heaven and Earth Alliance or the Yoomyung Cult?

—No, never.

—Wow! Next time someone asks, say yes, even if it’s not true. They’ll treat you better.

—Really?

—Of course. Just seeing someone from the Seven Great Sects or the Four Great Families from afar is a cause for lifelong pride. I was going to go to Jeongju, but I preferred to avoid it so as not to get caught in the conflict of the greats. Maybe not having seen them was a good decision after all.

Although his words were contradictory, Sa Gangjeong broke the ice, and soon Yeon Jeokha felt more comfortable with the guards.

—

After a while of talking, Yeon Jeokha retired to an empty corner. He lay down, using his travel bag as a pillow, and began to reflect:

—How will sister Yeon be?

—The Namgung Family will surely be as busy as Gunwon Pyo-guk.

—And Old Shim?

—What will become of Wol-ah and Geum-ah?

With those thoughts, he fell asleep.

—

The next morning

The Three Heroes of Qingzhou woke him up. From that moment on, they were together all day, like a shadow.

For someone like Yeon Jeokha, accustomed to the freedom of the Nokrim, that routine was torture.

But the fifty mun a day was a great motivation.

Gritting his teeth, he endured in silence without complaining.

Surprisingly, no one seemed to pity him.

In fact, some who crossed paths with them envied him, as he was earning money without doing anything.

All day, Yeon Jeokha and the Three Heroes followed So Jiwoong everywhere, even when he went to the bathroom. For someone with refined internal and external abilities like Yeon Jeokha, enduring the smells and sounds so close was almost unbearable.

—

At three in the afternoon.

So Jiwoong, who was reviewing documents in his office, got up.

The Three Heroes and Yeon Jeokha, who were waiting nearby, went out to the courtyard.

From the porch, So Jiwoong inspected the guards and said:

—There will be a meeting of merchants across the river, at the Pavilion of Mugeok Mountain. We shouldn’t bring too many guards, so as not to appear scared. Sa Gangjeong, choose six men, including yourself.

As he spoke, he briefly looked at Yeon Jeokha with disdain. It was evident that he was not happy with having to rely on him.

Sa Gangjeong quickly selected five guards.

With the Three Heroes and Yeon Jeokha, the group of ten was ready to leave.

As they walked, Zhang Yuan asked So Jiwoong:

—Leader, is this number enough for such an important meeting?

The meeting included representatives of local chambers of commerce and escort agencies in Heochang, a place that could be considered enemy territory. Bringing only ten people seemed like a reckless act.

—Conspiracies are usually the work of a few. In a crowd, it’s safer. We will use that to demonstrate our confidence.

Although Zhang Yuan didn’t seem convinced, he didn’t insist.

—

Yeongha River.

The group reached the dock, where a large ship awaited them.

The ship owner, Juk Woo-gong, smiled broadly at seeing them.

—Leader So, welcome. We were waiting for you.

—Thank you for your hospitality, Captain Juk.

After exchanging greetings, they all boarded the ship.

When they reached the center of the river, the atmosphere remained relaxed.

But, suddenly, the captain and the rowers jumped into the water without warning.