#28: A Just Cause (3) — The Patriarch of Sichuan

“Wait.”

Jin-hyeon cut in.

“Forgive me, but may I settle something else first?”

It was something that could have dampened the mood, but Seo Jong-dam nodded readily. They were the ones who’d come unannounced.

Jin-hyeon looked to Yeo Bang.

“It seems the guild master here is suffering more than you two. Let’s resolve matters with him first.”

He wasn’t talking about washing up or setting the table first.

Seol Hong-baek glanced at Yeo Bang and asked,

“Is that alright with you?”

“Of course.”

His voice rasped like metal. In that rough tone, you could feel a craftsman’s soul, tempered like steel.

Yeo Bang bent at the waist toward Jin-hyeon.

“Thank you.”

He needed no long, flowery thanks.

He was the sort who put sincerity into his words. It often led to misunderstandings, but those who recognized it would remain his people to the very end.

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“I’ve done nothing to be thanked for.”

There was distance in his tone.

Seol Hong-baek and Seo Jong-dam looked a touch awkward, but Yeo Bang didn’t so much as twitch a brow.

“Had you not discovered the flaw in the blades we delivered to the Seol Clan, I’d never have known there were rats in my house.”

One of those “rats” was his own younger brother. Despite it being his younger brother, he spoke so.

Jin-hyeon shook his head.

“Give your thanks to the Patriarch. He was generous despite receiving such swords.”

“How did you know?”

“If time alone made bonds, only the old would know true loyalty.”

He meant they’d forged a deep bond in a short time. Seol Hong-baek scratched his cheek in embarrassment, while Seo Jong-dam smiled and nodded.

Studying Jin-hyeon, Yeo Bang spoke, looking a little spent.

“Patriarch Seol said he understood everything.”

“I figured as much.”

“The master of Hwangpyo Ironworks bribed them. From what we’ve found, he meant to oust the Yeo Family Ironworks and seize our place as well.”

“I see.”

Jin-hyeon glanced at Seol Hong-baek.

“I’d been wondering. Patriarch Seol’s eye is second to none, so it was odd you’d keep long ties with a supplier of such wares.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“Of course.”

Seol Hong-baek and Seo Jong-dam’s eyes widened at the blunt reply.

With a grave face, Jin-hyeon said,

“In any organization, failure to keep subordinates in hand is the leader’s fault. If it were a simple mistake, that would be fine, but this was a deliberate evil. People could have died.”

“…….”

“This wasn’t a fight to the death with some hostile faction, but a bond built up over years of trust. It was because of that trust that the Patriarch was willing to let it pass—but as for the matter of shattering half the pagoda, that responsibility lies squarely with you.”

Yeo Bang closed his eyes.

“Your words cut to the bone. I’ll carry them in my heart.”

Watching him, Jin-hyeon smiled.

“I only said what I felt. You’d already settled it with the Patriarch. I overstepped in a fit of temper. Forgive me.”

Yeo Bang shook his head firmly.

“Truth is, I was relieved by the Patriarch’s easy pardon. But hearing you today, I realize an old man like me has no right to be at ease.”

“I appreciate your taking it well.”

Yeo Bang bowed again.

“Thank you. I’ll never forget this favor.”

“This can hardly be considered a favor…….”

“You wield a sword, do you not?”

Jin-hyeon’s eyes widened slightly.

“How did you know?”

“I simply felt as much. Nothing special.”

It was anything but nothing.

It was the honed eye of a smith who’d hammered iron for decades. Beyond mere skill—even Jin-hyeon, once famed as Sichuan’s greatest master-smith, couldn’t easily tell a man’s weapon at a glance.

The power of experience. He could tell that he had lived a life that was straight and true, forged from a lifetime of working with iron and fire.

“If you have time, please visit our forge. You spared us from being cleaved in two, so I’ll pour my soul into forging you a master blade.”

Humans are creatures of feeling.

It’s only natural to resent the one who exposes your house’s rot, however good his intent.

Yeo Bang wasn’t like that. Stubborn to a fault, perhaps, but he knew what came first.

Yeo Bang bowed to Seol Hong-baek.

“This old man has learned much. It’s enough for me. I’ll take my leave.”

Seol Hong-baek smiled.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Think nothing of it. I’ll have the new blades sent within ten days. My thanks again.”

With that final bow, Yeo Bang departed.

Though he knew Seo Jong-dam’s position, he didn’t bow to him. However lofty the title, it didn’t concern Yeo Bang.

Watching Yeo Bang walk past the open door, Jin-hyeon said,

“He’s a good man.”

“I think so too.”

“But, he’s not a vessel suited to be a leader.”

Seol Hong-baek wore a curious smile.

“What do you think makes a leader’s vessel?”

“How should I know?”

“Mm?”

Jin-hyeon answered breezily,

“Not knowing is why I’m stuck to you, mooching meals. If I knew, I’d have founded a sect already.”

“Haha!”

Seol Hong-baek wanted to deny it out of politeness, but it was too funny not to laugh.

Seo Jong-dam slipped in.

“You say you don’t know what a leader needs, yet you judge Master Yeo unfit—how so?”

He asked in genuine curiosity.

Jin-hyeon shrugged.

“I don’t know what’s needed, but I know what’s not.”

“What’s not?”

“Stiffness.”

Seo Jong-dam cocked his head.

“He has firm convictions, but I wouldn’t call him stiff.”

“He’s one who admits his faults. Such people are rare, and precious. But the stiffness I mean is…”

“?”

“Hm.”

Chin in hand, Jin-hyeon thought, then chuckled.

“Seems I’m not leader material after all. Even trying, I can’t put it into words.”

Then Seol Hong-baek spoke.

“I think I know the stiffness you mean.”

“As expected of the Patriarch—smell a fart and know the meal.”

Seo Jong-dam cleared his throat at the crude metaphor. Seol Hong-baek forced a laugh so Jin-hyeon wouldn’t feel awkward.

Jin-hyeon pointed his thumb toward the annex.

“Shall we take the rest inside?”

Do-min set the teacups down carefully.

Seol Hong-baek asked with a smile,

“How is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Is the teacher treating you well?”

Do-min ducked her head.

“He treats me like a younger sister, Patriarch.”

She didn’t know why she’d said it. Even as it left her mouth, she startled herself.

Seo Jong-dam gave Jin-hyeon a curious look.

“You seem close.”

Jin-hyeon shrugged.

“I just work her to the bone, so that’s kind of her. Truth is, I think of her half like a kid sister. A competent, cute younger sister.”

Do-min flushed.

Seol Hong-baek smiled.

“When you have time, come to the main house. I’ll rework your martial arts from the ground up.”

“Gasp! T-There’s no need!”

“That face begs me to, though.”

Do-min bowed deeply.

“Thank you! I’ll leave you to talk!”

With that, she left. The sound of her thumping about outside in excitement could be heard.

Seol Hong-baek said to Jin-hyeon,

“Thank you for looking after her.”

“As I said, I just work her hard. Sometimes I wonder if it’s alright.”

“Heh.”

Words aside, it was clear their rapport ran deep. Do-min had never been so at ease with a superior.

“Now then…”

Letting his words trail, Seol Hong-baek looked to Seo Jong-dam.

After a sip of tea, Seo Jong-dam spoke evenly.

“Brother.”

“Please.”

“I have business with the teacher, but I’d like to yield to you.”

This meant Seol Hong-baek also had business.

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“I don’t mind.”

Studying Seo Jong-dam, Seol Hong-baek smiled kindly.

“Then we’ll handle my matter first.”

“Please.”

Seo Jong-dam’s eyes brightened as he looked to Jin-hyeon.

He’d planned to speak first, but seeing how Jin-hyeon dealt with Yeo Bang and Do-min changed his mind.

He wanted to see a little more of what kind of man Jin-hyeon was.

Seol Hong-baek said,

“You said you were involved in the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild affair.”

“I was.”

“Thank you.”

It was sudden gratitude.

Bitterness touched Seol Hong-baek’s smiling face.

“I’d been investigating them as well. Knowing that many of the guilds I’d looked into were in ruins—how could I ignore it? I sensed the Mighty Tiger was stirring elsewhere and was digging to confront them.”

Of course he was.

He was the sort to rebuild guilds toppled by Lee Ho-gon’s money. He wouldn’t have failed to seek out others ruined by Mighty Tiger.

“Sadly, it wasn’t easy. In a way, they were thorough. All I managed was that the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild had pulled in the Black Tiger Fist Sect.”

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“Given the time, that alone is impressive. The Seol Clan is strong, but there are many stronger forces. It’s hard to dig out what they’re intent on hiding.”

“Indeed. To get that one piece, our Hundred Ears Corps mobilized in full.”

The Hundred Ears Corps was the Seol Clan’s intel group.

Few sects or clans maintain an in-house intelligence unit. For a great sect, perhaps; for the Seol Clan’s scale, it was a stretch.

This was what made Seol Hong-baek remarkable.

Everyone knows that information is vital, yet few spend to keep an intel group under their roof.

Those who think “information can be bought anyway” forget that its life is time.

Knowing well how his forebears fell, Seol Hong-baek scraped funds together to build one.

It wasn’t exceptional, but it was indispensable.

“At the time, I saw something I couldn’t speak of as you left after our spar. Worried it might endanger you, I tried to learn what was happening through the Hundred Ears Corps.”

Seol Hong-baek bowed his head.

“I apologize for watching over you without a word.”

Jin-hyeon smiled.

“I know it was a decision for my sake. No need to apologize.”

“I must. To be frank, I used your safety as a pretext. I wanted to know what you were doing.”

Seol Hong-baek spoke with frankness.

Words that could cost trust, especially given their bond.

It could be taken as though he had set watchers out of fear that his benefactor might leave and leak their martial arts elsewhere.

Seol Hong-baek judged that only honesty would do—and that apologizing quickly would keep the relationship clean.

His judgment was sound, and Jin-hyeon accepted it.

“I won’t mistake your intent, Patriarch. No more apologies.”

“I’m only grateful.”