Chapter 14: Can’t Resist Curiosity (1)

“A pleasure house? This is your idea of a fun place?”

Namgung Yun-ho, trailing behind Cho Un-hwi with a mix of apprehension and disbelief, was speechless.

*Dress nicely,* Cho Un-hwi had said.

So Namgung Yun-ho had diligently dusted off his finest silk robes, assuming they were headed somewhere important, somewhere demanding a certain level of decorum.

But a pleasure house?

Did Cho Un-hwi seriously ask him to dress up just to drink and carouse with women?

And here he was, having meticulously washed and ironed his clan’s silk robes, which he had treasured for years.

He felt a wave of self-pity wash over him.

“You look like a nouveau riche eagerly awaiting his first visit to a pleasure house,” Cho Un-hwi remarked, observing Namgung Yun-ho’s attire.

“Instructor… *sigh*.”

Namgung Yun-ho rubbed his temples, trying to quell the burgeoning headache.

“Why did you make it sound so serious and ominous if this was all you had planned?”

“I didn’t want you showing up in your sweaty training clothes.”

“Ugh, never mind.”

This man was truly something else.

Then, a curious question caught his attention.

“Do you know anything about pleasure houses?”

“Well, I’ve heard stories. My friend is quite knowledgeable in this area.”

“Your one and only friend from Euncheon Hall, the lone companion of the Ghost of Dongcheon Hall?”

“Ugh, yes. I’ve heard that places with red lanterns or flags hanging from the eaves are brothels, while places with blue ones offer music, dance, and other forms of entertainment.”

“You know the basics, then. What about that place over there?”

“That’s a blue house.”

“Is that all you see?”

“What else is there to see?”

“Sometimes, it’s better to observe things firsthand than to rely on secondhand information.”

What was that supposed to mean?

Cho Un-hwi nudged him in the ribs and gestured towards the blue house.

“Let’s go. The night is short, and we have much to do.”

“But why now…?”

Why a pleasure house, of all places?

Namgung Yun-ho recalled the events of earlier that day.

***

They had been practicing in the now-deserted training ground when Yeo Mae-hong came rushing towards them, her face pale with worry.

“Instructor Cho! Is Student Baek back yet?”

“No, she hasn’t returned since she went home a while ago. What’s wrong?”

Yeo Mae-hong delivered the news like a bolt from the blue.

“There’s a rumor going around that she’s planning to withdraw from the academy.”

Withdraw?

Namgung Yun-ho was stunned, but Cho Un-hwi seemed unsurprised.

“That’s a strange rumor.”

“Do you know anything about this?” Yeo Mae-hong asked, her voice laced with concern.

“Not at all.”

“That’s a relief…”

Yeo Mae-hong paced back and forth, muttering to herself.

“There must be a reason why she would suddenly want to withdraw. I’m worried something happened.”

She was genuinely concerned about her student.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“You didn’t do anything to upset her, did you?”

“What could I possibly have done? I haven’t exactly been the most attentive instructor.”

“Ugh, I hope that’s true. If the rumor is true, the Head Instructor is going to have a fit.”

“Why would Head Instructor Chung-hyeon care?”

“Because she’s the daughter of the Baek Ri Clan! He might blame you for driving her away after only ten days.”

“Yikes.”

“He’s not going to let this slide easily, so I hope it’s just a rumor. For your sake.”

“Double yikes.”

“You know something, don’t you?! You do!”

Yeo Mae-hong had interrogated him relentlessly, her questions like a barrage of needles.

And now, after all that fuss, he had brought him to a pleasure house?

Was he planning to drown his sorrows in wine and women?

“I don’t understand him at all.”

Namgung Yun-ho quickened his pace, trying to keep up with Cho Un-hwi.

***

“Right this way, sir.”

They weaved through a maze of grand buildings until they reached a spacious private room.

The room was lavishly decorated with gold ornaments and featured a large table in the center.

“I’ll bring you some lovely companions shortly, sir.”

“Hold on, I need a drink first. You’ve worked hard, escorting us here.”

The attendant, who was about to close the door, smiled and knelt beside Cho Un-hwi.

“Hehe, I’d be honored to accept a drink from you, sir.”

“Why just one? Stay and have a few more.”

“I’m afraid I can’t. I have work to do.”

“That’s a shame. But I understand. We all have to make a living.”

Cho Un-hwi lined up seven empty cups on the table and filled them with wine.

He casually remarked, “Let’s see… spring is coming to an end, so I’ll have the third cup.”

“…Just give me any cup.”

“That won’t do. Should I pour them out and give you the seventh cup instead?”

What was he talking about?

Namgung Yun-ho was completely bewildered.

“So you’re not here for the usual entertainment,” the attendant said, his smile fading.

“I don’t have much money. But I have plenty of knowledge.”

“Are you selling?”

“I’m here to buy something first. But I’m willing to sell my knowledge if the price is right.”

“Please wait here.”

The attendant’s expression shifted, and he quickly left the room.

“What was that all about?” Namgung Yun-ho asked.

“It’s the Hao Clan’s secret code.”

“The Hao Clan?! This is one of their branches?!”

Namgung Yun-ho was shocked.

The Hao Clan.

The Clan of the Lowly and the Unclean.

A vast organization composed of society’s outcasts and marginalized individuals.

But they were more than just a collection of the weak and downtrodden.

They were a powerful intelligence network, rivaling the Beggars’ Sect, one of the Nine Sects.

While the Beggars’ Sect relied on its vast network of beggars for information, the Hao Clan recruited its informants from the lowest rungs of society.

Many underestimated them, but those who knew the Hao Clan’s true power feared them.

The servant who cleaned your house.

The coachman who drove you home from a drunken night out.

The courtesan who entertained you with her beauty and wit.

Those who dwelled in the shadows were everywhere, their eyes and ears always open.

A careless remark from a master, a drunken confession from a patron, all of it was carefully filtered and channeled to the Hao Clan.

That was how the Clan of the Lowly and the Unclean had risen to power.

‘The Hao Clan…’

Namgung Yun-ho was horrified to learn that a branch of the Hao Clan, a quasi-demonic sect, was operating within Muhan City.

“What’s so surprising about that? It’s only natural that they would want to gather information in the heart of the Murim Alliance’s territory.”

“Shouldn’t we report this to the Murim Alliance?”

“They probably already know. And the Iron Thread Alliance, a demonic sect, has a branch in Zhejiang Province, where the Beggars’ Sect is based. They turn a blind eye to each other’s presence as long as they don’t cross any lines.”

“Sigh, this is unbelievable.”

Was there anything this man didn’t know?

Namgung Yun-ho was curious about the expression hidden behind Cho Un-hwi’s long fringe.

“Think about what just happened. How did I know this was a Hao Clan branch?”

“Aren’t there other Hao Clan branches?”

“A dangerous organization like the Hao Clan wouldn’t stay in one place for too long. They move around, posing as merchants and travelers.”

Cho Un-hwi clapped his hands.

“That’s all for today’s lesson. I can’t afford to stay here any longer. This place is expensive.”

He pulled out a small box from his robe.

Namgung Yun-ho recognized the box immediately.

It contained the thirty silver ingots he had received from the Baek Ri Clan.

***

Namgung Yun-ho left the room and retraced his steps, his mind racing.

*Hahaha! Bring me more wine!*

*Yes! Bring me gold!*

*No one leaves until they’re drunk!*

The sounds of drunken revelry echoed through the pleasure house, but Namgung Yun-ho barely noticed.

‘The Hao Clan… what are they doing here?’

Cho Un-hwi had used the money he had received from the Baek Ri Clan to gain access to the Hao Clan’s branch, so it must have something to do with Baek Ri-seol.

What was he planning to buy?

What information was he seeking?

How long had he been planning this?

His thoughts spiraled out of control.

Just then…

“Well, well, well. Look who it is.”

He glanced into an open room and saw a familiar face.

“Jegal Tan.”

His friend, his face lit up with surprise, greeted him with a curious smile.

“What brings the bookworm of Dongcheon Hall to a place like this?”

“I…”

“Come in, have a drink with me.”

The door closed behind him.

***

Cho Un-hwi followed a winding path through several buildings until he reached a set of golden doors.

“Please enter.”

The doors slid open, revealing a lavishly decorated room.

An elderly man, dressed in fine silk robes, sat at a table in the center of the room.

“I am Jong-yeo, the leader of the Muhan Branch.”

“Cho Un-hwi.”

Jong-yeo’s brow twitched at Cho Un-hwi’s curt response.

He quickly composed himself and forced a smile.

“What information are you interested in, Master Cho?”

Cho Un-hwi stared at him for a moment, then grinned.

‘He’s smiling?’

Jong-yeo’s eye twitched again.

“I have some money,” Cho Un-hwi said. “Do you have change?”

“Ho ho ho, don’t underestimate the Hao Clan, Master Cho. We might be the Clan of the Lowly and the Unclean, but…”

“Get to the point. Do you have change or not?”

“You’re a rude guest. Do you have any idea where you are? How dare a mere instructor from Dongcheon Hall speak of money in such a casual manner?”

“So you do have change.”

Cho Un-hwi tossed a piece of paper onto the table.

It was a bank draft.

Continental Bank.

One million gold taels.

Jong-yeo’s jaw dropped as he recognized the authenticity of the draft.

It was a fortune, enough to buy an entire city.

Even Jong-yeo, a veteran of the Hao Clan, had never seen so much money in his life.

“This is getting tiresome. Send someone who can actually handle this.”

The doors opened again, and a woman, dressed in a flowing courtesan’s robe, entered the room.

“I’ll take it from here.”

“Yes, Madam Leader.”

She bowed gracefully.

“I am Yo-ran, the leader of the Muhan Branch.”

“Cho Un-hwi.”

“How did you know?”

“Someone who can’t even control their facial expressions wouldn’t be the leader.”

Cho Un-hwi retrieved the bank draft and placed a small box on the table.

It contained thirty silver ingots.

It was a considerable sum, but it paled in comparison to the one million gold tael draft.

Yo-ran felt a pang of disappointment.

But she was an experienced negotiator, and she recognized Cho Un-hwi’s tactic.

‘He’s taken complete control of the situation.’

He had pointed out her mistake, asserted his dominance, and intimidated her with his wealth.

Could she regain control of the negotiation?

She was skeptical.

‘Who is this man?’

This wasn’t the kind of strategy a mere instructor from Dongcheon Hall would be capable of.

He was far more than he appeared.

‘No, focus.’

She needed to deal with him first.

She decided to take the initiative.

“That’s not enough to buy any valuable information.”

“I’m willing to pay a fair price for accurate information.”

“Ho ho, I’m sure your generous heart will open up again soon.”

She gave him a seductive look, but she couldn’t read the expression hidden behind his long fringe.

She noticed the corner of his lips twitching, and she assumed her charm was working.

“Very well. Since you’re so eager, I’ll share everything I know.”

“The Baek Ri Clan. The Muhan Branch. And Baek Ri Jeong-sun, the White Dragon Swordsman.”

Yo-ran was surprised by his businesslike demeanor. He hadn’t even reacted to her seductive display.

‘Damn it, who is this guy?’

She wouldn’t give up so easily.

She lowered her voice, her tone soft and alluring.

“Baek Ri Jeong-sun, the leader of the Muhan Branch and the White Dragon Swordsman, is…”

Her voice filled the room, weaving a tale of intrigue and mystery.