Chapter 418

“Brother Jo! How have you been?”

At that, Jo Hak-che widened his eyes in a terrifying manner.

You see, the men believe looking tough and frowning will make them appear cooler, based on some mysterious reasoning.

It’s just a wild guess from male instincts, but honestly, it’s not cool at all.

“It’s been a while since I saw you. Ah, by the way, how about joining me for dinner this evening? I’m planning on heading to Jinhaeru with some close younger siblings, and I’d love it if the beautiful Cheonhwa-geom could grace us with her presence.”

That voice, dripping with bravado, was something these guys think makes them look impressive.

But really, let’s be honest, a deeper voice is way better than a high and squeaky one, which makes you sound like a eunuch or a court official.

“Seriously? You’re treating us, Brother Jo?”

“Haha, of course! This is Jo Hak-che! Today, you’ll be taken care of like never before!”

Hmm. What does he mean by ‘taken care of’ anyway?

Is he working in hospitality, or is it just a fancy way of saying he’ll spoil us like those guys from his hometown of Busan?

The members of Hwa Ryong Jo murmured among themselves.

“Hey, Jo, man! It’s a profound bond between men.”

“What the hell? Does that mean we should just sweat all over each other and stink?”

“Well, um.”

They all looked a bit disappointed, and it was clear on their faces.

Qing suddenly realized.

Thinking back, maybe my presence would indeed make things a bit awkward.

The vibe of a heartfelt gathering among men is completely different from having Cheonhwa-geom there to eat and drink.

To the guys from the small factions, Cheonhwa-geom is like a flower blooming on a high cliff.

No matter how they compare, they simply can’t compete, and anyone who’s above a certain level of beauty completely kills any motivation to even think of becoming friends.

“Oh! I see now. So that’s what you had in mind. Everyone, sorry, I guess I was a bit oblivious. Well, it’s rare for us to get together, so let loose, right? Like, ‘manly as heck’?”

I thought I could just happily enjoy some time with the courtesan.

Sometimes, being considerate can be more painful.

That’s gotta sting when you hear it from a woman.

Instead, Qing redirected the focus.

“Ah! Chu Chang-bin wants to go too?”

“Ah, no, um, it’s not like I want to hang out like that, I mean, it’s just everyone being together, and not at all like that, I swear.”

“Is that so? Well then, will you have a meal with me? They say drinks taste better with a lady around, and I’m a pro at serving drinks. You should know, there’ll be no shortage of cups to raise tonight.”

“Uh, just the two of us? That seems a bit…”

“Ugh, Chang-bin you little brat, I’ll curse you…”

There was a background noise that clinked annoyingly, but Qing pretended not to hear it.

However, Chang-bin looked like he didn’t really want to go along with this.

“What’s up, why?”

“It’s just that, between us, well, that’s a bit, you know, the man and woman kind of situation.”

“Come on, what kind of distinction is there between friends?”

But Qing wasn’t bending here.

Chang-bin felt like the world was closing in on him!

Just the two of us? No way! This will definitely be awkward, right? What am I supposed to say? What can I even talk about? I had some funny stories, but why can’t I remember any of them…..

“And by the way, it’s not just two of us! I just went to wipe up a little spill from my tofu and now I’ll go over there. Oh, here they come! Uncle!”

As Qing shouted and waved, the heads of Hwa Ryong Jo all turned, and then—

They gasped in unison, like it was a choir.

Wasn’t there a legendary courtesan that shook the ancient dynasties like that?

She was pretty much the embodiment of seduction, a beauty so captivating she’d make any man mad, the reincarnation of that infamous beauty that every man dreaded to encounter.

Just her entrance took everyone’s breath away, and she suddenly opened her red lips, flashing her white teeth and grinning like a beast spotting its prey, ready to pounce with an alluring smile.

That’s how it appeared to others, but for Qing, it was simply pure joy.

“This is my uncle, Gyeon Pohee.”

For reference, the term for ‘older sister’ (姐) isn’t commonly used in Central Plain, as it only refers to one’s own biological older sister.

In a society where there are concubines, using that term becomes awkward unless you’re talking about the mother.

That’s the ‘jie’ used in sister and junior sister.

“Thinking about it, have you two met before?”

“No? This is our first meeting, right?”

“Oh, was it Hyun back then?”

“Hyun? Who’s that?”

“You know! The tall one, super muscled. Like this big and tough.”

“Oh, that chatterbox younger sibling.”

“Oh, that was Hyun! Anyway, this is my friend Chang-bin, a renowned swordsman from Hwasan.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Gyeon Pohee.”

She dropped the formalities right from the start since they were just friends of her little sister.

But Chang-bin’s brain went blank!

“Wait, Lady Seomun, you can’t mean we’re all having a meal together like this….”

“Yep! Lucky you, Chang-bin! You get two beauties at once.”

Crack!

Chang-bin cursed to himself—he’d definitely kill someone!

Once again, that background noise erupted, but Qing chose to ignore it.

“Wow, today is really your lucky day, Chang-bin.”

The effect was incredible!

Chang-bin felt his consciousness fading away!

With only Qing, he already felt it was going to be awkward just to drink, and now there was an unknown beauty joining!

Chang-bin wracked his brain for a solution.

“Uh, uh! Uh!”

“Yeah? What?”

“Right! Jin Seol! Shouldn’t we invite her too?”

“Ah! I didn’t think of that! You’re right. It would be rude just to go without her. Wow, Chang-bin, with everything going on, we’re now three. Wow, Brother Jo, the man of legend.”

Chang-bin, sweating profusely, took a deep breath.

At least now it turned into a situation of three women and one man. He could just quietly drink in the corner.

“You little brat, even by inviting Jin Seol, is that the only way you feel satisfied? You’ve gotten on my nerves so much, I can’t forgive you.”

Somehow, it seemed like a dark cloud of hatred was forming around Jo Hak-che.

Qing realized he couldn’t ignore this anymore.

“Ah, Brother Jo! You’re still here. This is my uncle, Gyeon Pohee. Auntie, this is Gentleman Jo Hak-che, ah, just someone I know?”

Saying he’s just ‘someone I know’ jabbed Jo Hak-che right in the gut.

“Guh.”

“Oh, just some acquaintance, huh? So, uncle? What do you say to a greeting? Just say it’s nice to meet you!”

“Guh.”

Jo Hak-che clutched his heart.

Gyeon Pohee tilted her head, perplexed.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, it’s because my heart is racing after seeing the beautiful Gyeon Pohee. This raging heartbeat, do you understand?”

With such a cliché line, everyone let out a collective groan.

Gyeon Pohee tilted her head again.

“Oh, your heart doesn’t seem well. That’s too bad. What happens when a warrior has a weak heart?”

“Uh? No, I mean it’s because I see the lovely Gyeon Pohee…”

“Seems like your heart is really troubled! Hang in there! Uh, what was it you said, someone who knows my uncle?”

“Guh, I can’t forgive you, Chang-bin…”

“Why are you blaming me?”

Chang-bin protested, feeling wronged.

Regardless, ultimately, Hwa Ryong Jo decided to head off to Jinhaeru together.

Now, it would be quite embarrassing to book separate rooms to hang out.

There’s no way they could act like they were going to hang out on their own when they actually just wanted to be with a courtesan.

Having kept it hidden would have been one thing, but now they can’t just act like they’re not there.

Jinhaeru was a square-shaped pavilion with five floors.

However, with each floor being as tall as one and a half ordinary stories, it was actually comparable to or even taller than a skyscraper.

Plus, it was built on the hills of Wolsoosan, so when you’re up there, there’s no obstruction for miles and you could see for a thousand li.

Of course, you can’t really see a thousand li straight up, but that’s just how the Central Plains folks describe things.

Originally, it was built as a watchtower and barracks.

But once military and administrative roles were thoroughly separated, it became a public space, and it’s now famed as the best tavern around.

And at the top, the view extends all the way to the South Sea.

In a special room at Jinhaeru, surrounded by screens, a lavish banquet for Hwa Ryong Jo was taking place.

For reference, Hwa Ryong Jo takes its name from the first letter of Black Dragon Clan and Hwasan, which is why it’s not called “Black Dragon Clan.”

It turns out that the towering Jo Hak-che generously relinquished the name for the sake of the boys.

Of course, right now, Jo Hak-che was regretting this decision more than anyone.

He wished he had just stuck with Black Dragon Clan.

“All right, raise your glass everyone! I’m sorry! You all should be having fun rather than being interrupted by me barging in.”

“No, it’s not a problem at all! It’s an honor!”

So Ho, a disciple from So Un Mountain, raised his cup politely.

Cheonhwa-geom was already beautiful on her own, and on top of that, she had the high standing of sect leader of the Daoist sect.

As he held out the cup, those long slender fingers wrapping around the wine bottle seemed almost fairy-like, making a loud statement about their beauty.

So Ho, without realizing it, looked up to meet the charming yet dangerous face of Qing.

At that moment, So Ho surrendered all his feelings.

How could one compare the beauty of the world like Cheonhwa-geom?

He felt so lucky for coming to Hwa Ryong Jo.

No, he felt lucky to have been born…..

“So Ho, you little brat…”

If it weren’t for Jo Hak-che grinding his teeth in annoyance, he might’ve turned to stone from awe.

Qing took a round to fill everyone’s glasses, taking on the role of the endearing host.

“Let’s raise our glasses! We need a toast! How about a speech from our esteemed leader, Brother Jo? Let’s hear it! Cheers, everyone!”

“Cough. Thanks for coming all this way, and for lighting up the place today, Young Lady Seomun. You’re truly stunning, with a gaze as beautiful as a lake, and I, Jo Hak-che, am ashamedly captivated. Thank you for gracing us with your presence! And because Jin Seol is also here with us, it’s an honor for these two beauties of the martial world to brighten this gathering! Oh, and, Gyeon Pohee, of course, is just as stunning…so, um, it’s not about comparing but—uh, Cheonhwa-geom, you’re elegant and beautiful while Jin Seol is refined, and…”

“Seriously, I’m going to drop my arms off here! Anyway, cheers to the everlasting growth of the Orthodox Martial World!”

“Cheers!”

At the banquet, people’s personalities and moods vary wildly.

For instance, Chang-bin typically sits still as a rock, but when women are around, his courage and voice are as loud as a great dragon’s—unless those women are present, in which case he shrinks back like a broomstick.

This isn’t just in his head; the taste of drinks skyrockets when women are present, so he ends up focusing entirely on keeping up.

Jin Seol usually prefers listening over talking.

Being a trendsetter in the attire of the Dragon and Phoenix Association, she inadvertently draws in gossip from the other women asking her opinions, but she’s naturally serious and carries herself with weight.

Gyeon Pohee really doesn’t have much interest in folks from outside her circle.

Back at Hwanhui Palace, the place was a barrier, and now family and Seolga Merchant Association has become her new boundary.

So she just followed Qing without thinking much; the young men from the Orthodox Martial World are no different from random passerby to her.

And when she traveled with Tang Nan-ah and Je-gal Lee-hyun, she hadn’t gotten close to either, which was another reason.

So she just keeps her eyes on Qing, following his every move while nervously filling her mouth with food whenever he finishes his drink.

And Qing? When the drinks start flowing, he turns into a human locust.

He shifts from table to table, slipping in and out of conversations, downing drinks left and right, and just like that, he becomes an absolute whirlwind, leaving only shadows behind as he flits away to another table.

This left Chang-bin feeling uneasy.

After all, with three women—the ladies’ trio—wouldn’t there be things they’d want to talk about? So shouldn’t he keep quiet and just drink?

But Qing suddenly leaves, and Gyeon Pohee gets up to follow him, leaving Chang-bin and Jin Seol alone in the silence.

Since Jin Seol prefers listening and doesn’t speak, Chang-bin was left fidgeting, wondering if Jin Seol was uncomfortable and if she found it boring, needing to say something—anything to break the silence.

What could he possibly say… How do I even start…?

“So, uh, Jin Seol? Is the food to your taste?”

“Yeah?”

Jin Seol asked reflexively, surprised.

What did he just say? Asking a Cantonese person if Cantonese food suits their palate?

But Chang-bin felt a sense of accomplishment.

Great! The ice is broken!

“Anyway, Southern cuisine uses rare ingredients, right? Just look at this Eight Treasures dish—it’s got sea cucumber, cuttlefish, shrimp, abalone, and this is, um, this is…”

“That’s a type of fish.”

“Oh, wow, you sure know your stuff.”

“Well, it’s not like a Cantonese person wouldn’t know Cantonese dishes!”

“Oh right! Uh, sorry about that.”

And then he promptly shut his mouth.

He was anxiously looking around, waiting for the return of Qing.

Meanwhile, Qing was thoroughly enjoying himself.

“All right, let’s make some room. Happy to see you! Don’t I know you? Cheonhwa-geom? Let’s pour drinks, what’s this? Why is there still water clinging to the cups? Who pours like this? Ah, you drink boldly! Here let’s all raise a glass. Happy to see you! Oh, Daoist Yu-hyun, what about this? Brother Sang? Everyone, cheers!”

—-

In another special room in Jinhaeru.

A grand banquet was ongoing here too, featuring a large gathering of the officials and leaders of the Salwulmun sect for their ceremony.

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