Chapter 87

“So what is it you plan to do?” Seo Nak-yeon asked sharply.

She still disliked Yeon Mujin.

“I will go around the gardens of Suzhou.”

“Why the gardens of Suzhou?”

“Don’t all the rumors point to the gardens? It’s basic: start investigating where the rumor began.”

Seo Nak-yeon sounded incredulous.

“I’ve already gone to every garden long ago. I visited each one in Father’s stead. I honestly have been to every garden in Suzhou, but I couldn’t find a single clue to those rumors anywhere.”

Yeon Mujin snorted.

“You call that an answer? You’re not a fool.”

“What did you say?”

“When you visited before, didn’t you go as someone from the Brahmacharya Clan?”

“Of course…”

“There’s your mistake. If you go to a thief and ask, ‘Where’s my thing?’, do you think he’ll answer willingly?”

Seo Nak-yeon fell silent, as if her mouth had been glued shut.

No one had ever called her stupid to her face.

“Are you saying I should have hidden my identity while going around?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Uh…! This…! Ugh…”

That day Seo Nak-yeon realized one thing:

You cannot have a normal conversation with someone who treats nonsense as common sense.

She forced her thoughts together and shouted, “I, the daughter of the Shaolin Seo family, cannot do such rude acts! It’s an affront to the dignity of the garden owners.”

Yeon Mujin only snorted at the outcry.

“Which is more important, young miss — the Brahmacharya Clan, which looks ready to fall apart, or the reputation of garden owners who are strangers to us?”

“Well…”

Seo Nak-yeon was left speechless.

Yeon Mujin muttered loud enough for her to hear, “You’ve been stuck on this small patch of Suzhou and your thinking is completely blocked. You’re a frog in a well.”

She was furious but had no retort.

And to make matters worse, her brother Seo Nak-il just stood there laughing like an ingrate while listening to such words.

Her insides churned with anger.

‘What kind of man is this!’

At that moment Yeon Mujin spoke to Seo Nak-il.

“Nak-il. Go fetch one human-skin mask. It doesn’t matter if it’s shabby. In fact, the shabbier and more conspicuous the better.”

“An inpi mask? What do you plan to use that for?”

“This ‘frog’ young miss here will wear it.”

To wander about in broad daylight wearing a conspicuous human-skin mask would be to advertise to everyone, ‘I’m a suspicious person.’ It of course was not something a disciple of the martial hall would do.

“What on earth do you mean by that?”

“Didn’t you say the young miss’s face has been advertised all over the gardens of Suzhou? If you go back there and say, ‘We are not from the Brahmacharya Clan,’ do you think those people will listen?”

“Are you telling me to disguise myself? I’d rather die than do that!”

Tsk, Yeon Mujin clicked his tongue.

“Then don’t. Nak-il, the ‘frog’ young miss…”

“Don’t call me the ‘frog’ young miss!”

“Send that loud-voiced toad young miss away. It looks like the two of us will have to handle this matter.”

Seo Nak-il awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Having been away from Suzhou for a long time, he felt it better to have a sibling familiar with local affairs.

“Um, captain, surely it would be better to have Nak-yeon with us…”

“I, considering Lord Seo’s face, was willing to endure a blemish or two. But what can I do if she refuses? One cannot work with someone who values personal pride more than seeing her house ruined.”

Seo Nak-il glanced at his sister for cues.

Indeed, Seo Nak-yeon’s face flushed as if it might burst.

He thought she must have understood by now, but Yeon Mujin would not stop.

“Father’s all about face, his daughter too. The whole family is steeped in empty ceremony. No wonder the Brahmacharya Clan turned out like that. Should we just give it up and return to Shanxi? To be honest, seeing your house makes me not want to help much either.”

The old Seo Nak-il would not have remained silent hearing such words, but now he understood: Yeon Mujin deliberately spoke harshly for his siblings to hear. The master he had seen always pierced people’s core with a single phrase — using the cruellest words to trample and crush pride.

Seo Nak-il no longer took such words to heart; he knew Yeon Mujin was deeper than he appeared and meant to help.

However…

His sister, Seo Nak-yeon, was not the same.

Thud!

Unable to contain her anger, Seo Nak-yeon thrust a palm into the wall. A deep, fist-shaped dent appeared in the solid stone.

Seo Nak-il thought, ‘Oh dear. That fiery temper hasn’t gone anywhere either.’

It was a deliberate show of force meant to impress the master: I’m this strong. So don’t talk recklessly or you’ll regret it.

“I’ll do as you say, so stop insulting the Brahmacharya Clan.”

Seo Nak-yeon’s voice dropped so low it sounded like it crawled out from the gates of hell.

But was this master the sort to back down?

“Nak-il, did you hear? Go buy an inpi mask for the ‘frog’ young miss.”

“Again, again, again!”

“‘Frog’ young miss wasn’t an insult toward the Brahmacharya Clan. It was aimed at you. Are you of the Brahmacharya Clan?”

“Damn…”

Unfortunately for Seo Nak-yeon, in the art of verbal sparring she stood no chance against Yeon Mujin.

She thought, ‘If given the chance, I’ll beat this man thoroughly.’ It was a close, yet unacted, desire.

“This place is called Master of Net’s Garden. The owner of Master of Net’s Garden is a retired wealthy merchant from Chongqing who settled here in Suzhou.”

Wearing a human-skin mask, Seo Nak-yeon explained. She wondered where such a shabby mask had come from; every time she spoke her lips flapped noisily and it felt unpleasant.

“What’s the name?”

“The owner of Master of Net’s Garden is a man named Yuk Seung-wan; he’s known around Suzhou as a frank and generous benefactor. He has virtue.”

“Virtue?”

Yeon Mujin sneered.

“I’ve never seen virtuous men among the super-rich.”

“…”

Hearing such words from someone who claimed to be from the Bukgung Family made her trust him even less.

“He wouldn’t be that way. He has long maintained a close relationship with our clan.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Yeon Mujin told the siblings, “Frog and toad siblings, shut your mouths and stay put. I’ll handle the rest.”

Now he didn’t even call her ‘Miss Seo’ — just ‘frog.’ Seo Nak-yeon missed the moment to be angry because Yeon Mujin strode off alone toward the gatekeeper of Master of Net’s Garden.

‘What is he trying to do?’

For now she could only watch.

The lazy gatekeeper scowled and asked Yeon Mujin huffily, “Who are you?”

Seo Nak-yeon watched tensely.

Yeon Mujin slowly raised both hands, rubbed them as if a fly were trapped, and said to the gatekeeper, “Hehehe! We’re people from Fukien. We have something to ask the Master of Net’s Garden — could you deliver a message inside for us?”

Seo Nak-yeon was dumbfounded.

That cheeky behavior, that insolent smile… What on earth was that man?

She even saw it: a silver coin gleamed from Yeon Mujin’s sleeve and slipped into the gatekeeper’s pocket. The gatekeeper, who had been wearing annoyance, brightened as if the coin had lit him up.

“Ahem, hmm. Did you arrange an appointment?”

“We only just arrived in Suzhou, so please just pass a message inside for us.”

“Oh ho, it’s troubling when I don’t even know your status.”

“Oh no, please don’t say that. We’re not dangerous people. We’re porcelain merchants from Fukien. This is our young miss, this fellow is her guard, and I’m Eung-chil.”

Prompted by Yeon Mujin, Seo Nak-yeon awkwardly bowed.

The gatekeeper, still suspicious, asked, “What’s the name of your trading group?”

“The Bokchil Trading Group.”

“Bokchil Trading from Fukien… Well normally I wouldn’t, but seeing the effort you’ve made from afar, I’ll pass the message.”

“Oh thank you, yes yes.”

Yeon Mujin kept bowing to the gatekeeper like an impudent man.

The sight behind him was ridiculous. An exasperated Seo Nak-yeon let out a hollow laugh.

‘Did Father really entrust work to someone like this?’

Compared to Yeon Mujin, the ascetic from Shaolin who condemned closing the gates felt like a heavenly maiden. In her world it was unheard of to grovel to others, hide one’s status, and hand over money while practicing deception.

“Brother.”

Seo Nak-yeon called Seo Nak-il, who had been silent.

“Brother, are you working under someone like him?”

“Do not doubt the master. He is someone beyond our common sense.”

“His actions do seem to go beyond common sense.”

Seo Nak-il quietly lifted the corner of his mouth and smiled. “Trust the master, Nak-yeon. He does it all for a reason.”

Seo Nak-yeon found her brother pitiable for trusting such a man.

Then the gatekeeper who had delivered the message returned and called them.

“Master of Garden requests your presence. I put in a bit of effort.”

“Oh my, thank you, Your Honor!”

The more she looked, the less she liked the man.

“So, where did you say you’re from?”

Even before Master of Net’s Garden, Yeon Mujin rubbed his hands and chuckled like a fool. “We’re the Bokchil Trading Group from Fukien Province. This young miss here, this lanky fellow is her guard, and I’m Eung-chil.”

“Bokchil Trading? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“It’s understandable you don’t know. We sell fine white porcelain and lacquerware to the wealthy of Fukien. A single piece can be worth twenty to thirty coin in gold.”

At the sum beyond imagination, Master of Net’s Garden’s eyes widened.

“Why would such a piece be so expensive?”

“It’s not costly for no reason! This item crosses water twice. You know Fukien white porcelain is famous, right? They fire it, ship it by boat to Haedong where the inlay work is superb. A once-fired piece crosses the sea to have patterns incised, then returns by ship to Fukien for finishing. It can take as long as a hundred days to craft a single piece. Some break during the voyage, some are ruined during engraving, some don’t fire in the desired shape — they smash the rest and only sell the surviving pieces, so of course they’re expensive!”

Yeon Mujin spun that lie smoothly, like a merchant selling ceramics.

Even Seo Nak-yeon began to be confused. Huh? Was I really the young miss of Bokchil Trading?

“Huh… I didn’t know such things existed.”

“That’s right. Our wares are so in demand we can scarcely sell them. Most are bought up in Fukien as they’re made. Ahem, hem hem. Speaking so much has made me thirsty…”

“Alright, alright, you there! Bring some tea! My name is Yuk Seung-wan.”

“We know. As soon as we arrived in Suzhou and asked who was the most learned and most respected person around here, people all named Master Yuk Imju. That’s exactly why we came to Master of Net’s Garden.”

It was transparent flattery, but pleasant to hear. Yuk Seung-wan’s ears twitched with satisfaction.

“I see. What brings Fukien porcelain dealers all the way to Suzhou? Are you expanding your trade routes?”

“Oh no, not that. We have another reason for coming to Suzhou. What is Suzhou known for? It’s the place where the most money, wine, and beauties gather in the world, isn’t it? Our young miss wants to acquire a detached garden here. Not to boast, but when it comes to money, our young miss is like death incarnate.”

“Oh?”

Yuk Seung-wan’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Seo Nak-yeon. Truly, no one refused to befriend the wealthy. The richer the magnate, the more true that was.

But why a human-skin mask?

Yeon Mujin grinned slyly and shrugged, as if it were obvious. “Our young miss is very sensitive and hates being recognized outside. She prefers to enjoy herself quietly, very quietly.”

“Ah. I see.”

In pleasure-filled Suzhou many high officials hid their identities to indulge in filthy amusements. Yuk Seung-wan knew that well.

“So I ask you, Master Yuk: might there be a suitable plot our young miss could buy? Preferably secluded, somewhere she can play quietly… heh heh.”

“I’ve been looking for such a place. Well now.”

“If the location is right, our young miss will surely take several fine porcelains as compensation.”

These were high-end pieces worth tens of coins in gold apiece. A pleased smile creased Yuk Seung-wan’s eyes.

“Then you’ve come to the right place. With money, what can’t be bought in Suzhou? I know a few decent spots.”

“I knew it. As expected, Master Imju!”

Yeon Mujin clapped loudly and boosted Yuk Seung-wan’s mood. He brought out a map of Suzhou and pointed to plots they could buy.

Yeon Mujin tapped one place and asked, “How about here? The grounds are wide and the location secluded; it seems your young miss would like it.”

When Seo Nak-yeon saw the place he pointed to, she almost cried out — it happened to be where the Brahmacharya Clan was situated.

“Huh? Here? Do you need such a large place?”

“If you secure the plot, it would be good not only for the young miss but also for our guild master to come and play from time to time.”

Seo Nak-yeon expected Master Yuk to erupt in anger. He had long-standing ties with the Brahmacharya Clan; she couldn’t believe he’d abandon that relationship for a few porcelains.

But Yuk Seung-wan’s reaction wasn’t what she expected.

“This place can’t be bought right away no matter how much money you have. But if it’s not urgent, you could wait. An old martial sect has occupied it for a long time, and there are rumors they’ll soon seal their gates.”

“Pah, if they seal their gates isn’t that useless? It’s not like they’ll be driven out.”

At Yeon Mujin’s subtle probing, Yuk Seung-wan only flashed an inscrutable smile.

“Heh heh. Who knows. It seems the sect master can no longer set foot in Suzhou.”

“Is something wrong?”

Seo Nak-yeon glared at Yuk Seung-wan through the human-skin mask with wide eyes. She couldn’t believe he’d speak lightly about the Brahmacharya Clan like that. Could he be behind the rumors?

“I can’t say about that. In any case, a manor doesn’t sell for a mere few coins, so wait patiently.”

But Yuk Seung-wan held back further words.

Yeon Mujin studied the map, pretending to memorize each plot Yuk had pointed out.

“Ah, Master, thank you. It’ll be tight to tour these places in one day.”

“If you like, why not stay at our garden? We’ll spare a few rooms.”

“No, no. We’ve already taken other rooms, so don’t worry. Hehehe.”

Having finished their business, Yeon Mujin took something from his bosom: a bottle of liquor he had bought at inns since arriving in Suzhou — liquor so expensive it surprised even the teahouse owner who brought out the tea.

“Isn’t Copper Thread wine famous in Suzhou? Accept this as a token of gratitude.”

“Oh my, what is this—why give such a thing?”

“Our young miss believes that what goes around should come around. Oh, it’s heavy. Please take it quickly.”

“Well now, not like a young miss of old these days! Is she the daughter of a merchant? Ha ha ha!”

“Uhahahaha!”

Yeon Mujin and Yuk Seung-wan laughed in unison like brothers reunited after ten years.

Unaware that watching them blackened Seo Nak-yeon’s heart with jealousy….