“They haven’t come yet?” Seong Ji-an said, crossing her arms.

Yi-gang raised his head and looked at her.

“What?”

“Those people. They haven’t come yet?”

When Yi-gang tilted his head, his slightly faded hair swayed.

“Did you send someone?”

“To the place you mentioned. Fujing Restaurant.”

“It seems they haven’t arrived yet.”

“Right, there wasn’t even a flag with a purple flower drawn on it.”

The group from the Azure Forest had agreed to hang such a flag by the window of the room upon their arrival.

Seong Ji-an had sent someone, but it seemed that the disciples of the Azure Forest had not yet arrived.

“There isn’t much time left now. Even bringing three people into the Forbidden City requires procedures.”

“…”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes.”

Seong Ji-an sighed deeply, as if frustrated.

“I’ll try to find other warriors even now.”

“They will definitely come.”

“I know. But we must be prepared.”

“Yes, understood.”

Yi-gang didn’t insist needlessly.

This matter was important enough for that.

“Three days, three days is the limit we can wait.”

After Seong Ji-an left, Yi-gang finally let out a sigh.

“Tsk…”

He had deliberately set a generous deadline.

He had told King Gye-yeong that they would arrive within five days, giving them a generous margin, but those five days had already passed.

Now, time was genuinely running out.

He couldn’t understand why they still hadn’t arrived.

With three second-generation disciples, there should have been no concerns no matter where they landed in the Central Plains.

Among them, Jin Mu was a Supreme Peak master.

Jin Ri-yeon was also said to be knocking on the gate of the Supreme Peak, and most importantly, Dam Hyun was among them.

Even if they encountered an obstacle that could not be solved with martial arts, Dam Hyun would have likely handled most of it.

「Could it be because of that senior brother of yours?」

‘…’

The problem, however, might have been that their journey was delayed because of Dam Hyun.

If that were really the case…

Crack.

The armrest of the chair Yi-gang was holding broke.

‘No way, it can’t be.’

「Heheh.」

Yi-gang closed his eyes and focused his mind.

The yokai Qi within his body squirmed. This meant that Cheongho was getting closer.

It was clear they were approaching.

‘I need to go find them myself.’

Yi-gang made up his mind.

In truth, it wasn’t that something had happened to the second-generation disciples, as Yi-gang feared.

They had already entered Beijing a few days ago.

Also, it wasn’t that Dam Hyun had messed things up. He had obediently followed along without causing any trouble.

The one who made the mistake was none other than Jin Mu, the leader of the group.

However, the problem was that he didn’t even realize he had made a mistake.

Beijing Restaurant.

Contrary to what the word “restaurant” suggested, it wasn’t just a simple restaurant.

It was a tavern as well as an inn. Though there were no courtesans, the magnificent five-story pavilion was more impressive than any tavern Jin Mu had ever seen.

And the people coming and going there were equally splendid.

Even the gatekeepers standing at the main entrance were dressed more extravagantly than the second-generation disciples.

This was true even considering that the second-generation disciples were dressed in plain clothes to hide their affiliation with the Azure Forest.

“Hey, there.”

A gatekeeper looked at Jin Mu and spoke to him.

Jin Mu, feeling somewhat nervous, glanced at the attendant.

He wondered if they would be thrown out for looking shabby.

“Are you here for a meal? Please, come in.”

“Oh, y-yes.”

However, even the gatekeepers here possessed the keen eyes of professionals.

Though the guests looked shabby, they noticed the extraordinary aura emanating from their posture.

While Jin Mu wore a bewildered smile, the gatekeeper led the second-generation disciples into the restaurant.

The interior of the first floor, with its high ceilings, was bustling.

Sounds of laughter filled the air, people laughing heartily, and every table was piled high with lavish dishes. There was even a sweet aroma of wine.

Growl—

Right on cue, a thunderous noise came from Jin Mu’s stomach.

Dam Hyun chuckled, while the attendant who came to greet them maintained a business-like smile without batting an eye.

“Would you like both lodging and meals?”

“Yes, that’s right. Ah, we’d like rooms by the window, please.”

“Ah… rooms by the window.”

The attendant’s eyes widened slightly.

Jin Mu had no way of knowing how expensive the window rooms at Beijing Restaurant were, so the attendant’s silence seemed to ask, “Do you have the money?”

Jin Mu, realizing this, rummaged through his belongings.

“Make it two rooms. Enough for two men and one woman.”

“Understood.”

“We’ll be staying for five days… Here.”

Jin Mu pulled out a single silver nyang. He thought it would be enough to cover the expenses for three people.

But the attendant just stood there, smiling quietly.

Jin Mu, flustered, took out another silver nyang. Again, there was silence.

Finally, after taking out as many as seven silver nyang, the attendant broke into a wide smile.

“Thank you. Would you please follow me? I’ll guide you to a good spot.”

“Thank… you.”

Jin Mu forced a smile, but his hands were trembling.

Among the three, he had the most experience in Jianghu, but the Azure Forest was clearly a Taoist sect.

He hadn’t had much experience staying in such luxurious places. Even when traveling to other regions, most sects wanting to establish ties with the Azure Forest provided accommodations themselves.

“Seven silver nyang just for five days… Why is it so expensive?”

“That’s why the rich never understand the value of money.”

Even Dam Hyun sympathized with Jin Mu.

Jin Mu calculated the remaining money he had.

While it was natural for the Azure Forest to provide travel expenses, there had been some unexpected expenditures on the way.

A horse had collapsed and died, which forced them to spend more silver.

Less than thirty silver nyang remained.

It wasn’t a small amount, so he wasn’t worried, but he did feel some pressure.

He couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Why did the youngest ask us to wait in such an expensive place?”

“He’s not from an ordinary rich family, you know. They say he used to toss silver around since he was a child. He was already frequenting taverns at the age of 13.”

“What? Hmph, lucky guy.”

“Hehehe.”

When Dam Hyun laughed, Jin Mu quickly closed his mouth.

“Right. Rich brats should all be pierced with bamboo spears…”

“Senior Brother Dam Hyun!” Jin Ri-yeon cautioned him.

Even as it was, the gazes from the surrounding customers were not kind.

The talk about bamboo spears seemed to have rubbed them the wrong way.

“Come on, let’s order some food first.”

Jin Mu called the attendant and asked for recommendations.

However, he soon felt awkward because he couldn’t understand the names of the dishes.

“Our Beijing Restaurant’s specialty is braised shark fin with dried abalone and sea cucumber, along with other dried delicacies like dried flower.”

“Oh, I see…”

“Or we have meat dishes as well. There’s an old saying, ‘In the sky, dragon meat; on the ground, donkey meat’. How about chilled Tang meat? It’s a specialty of Xi’an cuisine!”

In the end, Jin Mu had to swallow his pride and speak up, “Well… Just bring us something suitable. Nothing too expensive.”

“Haha, understood.”

Jin Mu felt a bit uneasy.

However, as soon as the food arrived, he regained his bright smile.

The table was filled with a variety of exquisite dishes he had never tasted before.

When he scooped up the well-braised pork with his chopsticks, it melted in his mouth, leaving a savory, oily flavor.

And the shark fin? Taking a large spoonful with some broth, the rich flavor combined with its chewy texture was an artistic blend.

“Our meal cost is included, right?”

“Yes, it was, certainly. Eldest Senior Brother, let’s order some alcohol too.”

“A-alcohol?”

“Why not? Is there a problem?”

Jin Mu accepted Dam Hyun’s suggestion with a hearty laugh.

“Hahaha! Sounds good!”

“Hehe, one bottle of that liquor over there!”

Upon hearing that the bottle of liquor Dam Hyun ordered cost a whole silver nyang, Jin Mu’s face soured.

“Huh? You don’t look so happy?”

“…What do you mean, not happy?”

Jin Mu tried his best to hide his displeased expression.

“Right? I believed you wouldn’t be stingy after coming all this way.”

“Stingy? Do I look like such a petty man to you, your eldest senior brother?”

“Well…”

Dam Hyun, instead of answering, simply stared blankly at Jin Mu.

Before Jin Mu’s pride could be truly wounded, Dam Hyun poured liquor into his glass and offered it.

“It has a nice aroma, doesn’t it?”

“…Yes, it does.”

Jin Mu clinked his glass against Dam Hyun’s.

Since it was their first day in Beijing, sharing this one bottle would be just fine.

The heat spreading down his throat seemed to melt away his fatigue.

“Alright, just trust me, both of you.” Jin Mu said confidently.

Dam Hyun chuckled, and Jin Ri-yeon smiled slightly, but Jin Mu was serious.

After all, Jin Mu was the Azure Forest’s eldest disciple and their eldest senior brother. He swallowed the heavy sense of responsibility along with the liquor.

After the meal, Jin Mu returned to the well-organized room and hung a flag by the window.

He believed Yi-gang would certainly find them in a day or two. That night, he was able to sleep soundly for the first time in a while.

The next day, he woke up to the refreshing morning sunlight on his face.

“Yawn…”

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and he opened it.

“Who is it?”

Standing there was the attendant from the previous night, who had taken their money, rubbing his hands together.

And then, he spoke words like a bolt from the blue.

Jin Mu scratched his head roughly, his mouth agape.

“…W-What? Really?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“The silver I gave yesterday… was only for one day’s room and board?”

He had naturally thought he’d paid for all five days.

The attendant had come to collect more money.

“Of course.”

“No, no, how can it be so expensive! I gave you seven silver nyang!”

“This room costs four silver nyang. The young lady’s room is three nyang. The meal costs are also included.”

“How can it be that expensive!”

“Well, our Beijing Restaurant is one of the top inns in the imperial capital… The rooms by the window are especially rare.”

The attendant wasn’t trying to rip him off.

The cost of living in Beijing was simply that high.

“Wait. Isn’t there a cheaper room? We can move right now.”

“Unfortunately, there are no other available rooms at the moment.”

“At this rate, we won’t be able to stay for five days…”

“By any chance… are you out of money?”

Yes, we are! Just as he was about to shout those words, Dam Hyun, with his usual nonchalant expression, appeared in the hallway, as if he had just stepped out.

“What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

“There you are! The room and board fees!”

Without thinking, Jin Mu handed over another seven silver nyang to the attendant.

The attendant left with a beaming smile.

Dam Hyun asked with a puzzled look.

“What’s the rush? Like someone who needs to go to the bathroom.”

“It’s nothing. Just go back inside.”

Jin Mu forced himself to stand tall.

The budget was tight, but he couldn’t leave the designated location either.

‘Still, Yi-gang should come soon.’

Since he had hung the flag, with any luck, Yi-gang might return by today.

If that happened, they could get back even the money given to the attendant and leave.

Jin Mu tried hard to calm his anxiety.

Until Yi-gang arrived, he just needed to check his condition and stretch a bit.

“Just go back to the room. Yi-gang might show up soon.”

“Yes, alright.”

However, Yi-gang did not come by that night.

“Haha, he’ll probably come tomorrow.”

At dinner that night, Jin Mu stopped Jin Ri-yeon from ordering more food.

The next morning, Jin Mu negotiated with the attendant, asking for a one-silver discount since they would only have a simple meal.

However, Yi-gang did not come the next day either.

“This brat Yi-gang is late… Well, isn’t it nice to take a break once in a while?”

“I suppose so. Hehe.”

Unlike Dam Hyun, who chuckled, Jin Mu felt as if his insides were burning black.

But Yi-gang didn’t come that day, or the day after that.

Finally, Jin Mu was left with only three silver nyang.

‘Are you out of your mind?’

That’s what Dam Hyun shouted last night.

Jin Mu had finally confessed to the second-generation disciples.

He told them they were running out of money.

Jin Ri-yeon remained calm, but Dam Hyun sneered at Jin Mu as if he couldn’t believe it.

‘One person could have stayed here while the other two stayed at some cheap place.’

‘…Ah!’

‘Hehe, this is driving me crazy.’

Jin Mu felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

Why hadn’t he confided everything to Dam Hyun sooner?

But he had already been drained of silver by Beijing Restaurant. Yesterday, they managed to get through the day by skipping meals.

Today was the last day they could afford to stay at Beijing Restaurant.

Jin Mu wandered aimlessly around the rear garden of the inn with a blank expression.

Beijing Restaurant’s rear garden was also beautifully and luxuriously decorated, with couples strolling hand in hand everywhere.

“Sigh.”

This only deepened his sense of loneliness.

At the same time, resentment towards Yi-gang welled up, causing him to close his eyes tightly.

‘Youngest, you’re putting me through such trials.’

Why did Yi-gang choose such a luxurious inn as the meeting place?

However, it wasn’t right for the eldest to resent the youngest.

Jin Mu let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes.

“Huh…”

And then, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“What…!”

A shiny gold coin had fallen right in front of him.

It was worth twenty silver nyang—a huge sum.

Was it instinct? Before he knew it, he was stepping firmly on the gold coin with his foot.

Thump thump thump—

His heart was pounding hard.

He looked around, but no one was watching him.

It must have been dropped by someone who had been strolling in the rear garden.

Who could have so much money that they would drop a gold coin like this?

In that case, wasn’t this a stroke of luck sent by the heavens?

A gift given out of pity for poor Jin Mu.

However, Jin Mu stood there trembling.

‘Is this the right thing to do?’

A gold coin wasn’t a small amount of money.

The person who lost this might be desperately looking for it.

Perhaps it was just a staff member here who had dropped a customer’s payment, or it could have been lost by someone with a desperate need.

‘Maybe it’s for medicine for a sick mother… No, that can’t be it.’

Jin Mu struggled with inner conflict.

‘It could just be the money of some wealthy idler… No, what does that matter? Jin Mu, get a grip. You are a Taoist.’

However, he was both a Taoist and the eldest senior brother responsible for his junior brothers.

At this rate, they would be thrown out with only three silver nyang left.

To successfully complete the mission and to stop his junior brothers from starving, he needed money.

If Jin Ri-yeon, the admirable junior sister, knew about this, what would she say?

His thoughts were so conflicted that he could hear his juniors’ voices in his head.

‘This isn’t right. You should return it to its owner.’

That’s what Jin Ri-yeon would definitely say.

Then what about Dam Hyun?

‘Senior Brother, are you kidding right now?’

That guy might say something like that.

His words came to mind even more clearly than what Jin Ri-yeon would have said.

‘Why aren’t you picking it up right away? Especially when you’re broke.’

He might speak harshly in that way.

It felt as if Dam Hyun was really speaking beside him, and Jin Mu was distressed.

‘Ah, this is so frustrating I could die. Is Senior Brother really an idiot?’

‘Dam Hyun… no matter what, calling your senior brother an idiot is going too far…’

-Just pick it up already!

Jin Mu suddenly opened his eyes.

It wasn’t a voice in his head.

Dam Hyun had appeared out of nowhere and whispered to him telepathically.

Dam Hyun moved Jin Mu’s foot aside and quickly snatched up the gold coin.

“What are you doing, seriously?”

“Uh, how long have you been watching?”

“Since just a moment ago. Your expression was very amusing.”

At that moment, Dam Hyun felt incredibly reliable.

However, could it be that the heavens are always watching over the earth?

Someone spoke to them, “Hey, you.”

Turning around, they saw a young man and woman, well-dressed, frowning as they looked at Jin Mu.

“That gold coin looks like it’s mine.”

Jin Mu was so startled that his heart nearly stopped.

He was about to snatch the gold coin from Dam Hyun’s hand and return it, but Dam Hyun swiftly pulled his hand away.

Then, with remarkable confidence, he said, “Do you have any proof?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep