The inspector gladly pledged to be a shield.
“The problem is a mountain, but there’s only one person to solve it.”
The best card was prepared to collect money from the forbidden ledger.
Who will I get the money back from? How will I get it? It was time to think carefully.
“My brother-in-law is having a hard time.”
Jeon Gil-san spoke to me while sipping tea in the living room, carefully eyeing the forbidden ledger.
“So you’re coming to work at the mansion now?”
The time of arrival is getting earlier and earlier. Soon, I might even have to ask for breakfast.
“People should rest when they can. I feel like I’ve been working too much lately. After the Three-Eyed Sword and now being an inspector, isn’t this basically a first-class merit? I’m worried I might end up being Zhang Zhibang instead of Jeon Gil-san.”
Jeon Gil-san’s shoulders seemed to soar to the heavens. He was enjoying his tea with such a triumphant smile that I felt a strange urge to deny it, even if it wasn’t unhelpful.
“In the end, you came here to have fun.”
“Where else can I see something more entertaining than drinking or gambling every day?”
Jeon Gil-san nodded vigorously in acknowledgement, seemingly at a loss for words at my retort.
“…That’s a problem. It’s a problem.”
“Forget about my problem for now and see to that problem first.”
Holding his teacup, Jeon Gil-san cautiously spoke to me, looking troubled. Ah. That problem?
It couldn’t be helped.
In a corner of the living room where Jeon Gil-san cautiously glanced over…
“Ugh… No. No way! It’s my fault. No matter how you look at it!”
Miss Zhuge was muttering to herself, exuding a gloomy atmosphere that made it hard for her to speak.
“Why is she acting like that all of a sudden?”
Jeon Gil-san asked me as he couldn’t comprehend the behavior of his cousin.
“Well… After the inspector went, she explained the incidents.”
The inspector incident concluded well.
Starting from a direct confrontation, Jeon Gil-san’s stellar performance, the emergence of Ho Pil, thwarting the thrilling demon attempt, and even negotiations and threats.
I was expecting a good response from Miss Zhuge to my dazzling performance explanation. Well done! But she’s been mysteriously gloomy since yesterday.
“Did you really tell her every little detail?”
Jeon Gil-san asked me incredulously.
“Why?”
“Tsk tsk. You really don’t understand women’s hearts. Didn’t you think about how Hyun-yeon felt listening to you flirting around with the beautiful lady?”
“Are you trying to talk nonsense?”
What do you mean about rubbing thighs? She’s like a grandmother. This kid is definitely saying something outrageous.
“Why? Does it sound like a lie?”
Jeon Gil-san asked me, looking serious.
“Really…?”
That’s right. This kid. Didn’t he say he was pretending to faint? Did he make some mistake while I was out?
“Well?”
When I asked with a surprised expression, Jeon Gil-san broke into a mysterious rotten smile.
It can’t be true. Even if it is, it’s not. If I keep asking, it feels like I’ll get caught in Jeon Gil-san’s pace, so I decided to focus on the present.
“Anyway, it was for work, right?”
As I protested, Jeon Gil-san sighed and roughly pulled my ear so Miss Zhuge couldn’t hear.
“In relationships, being honest isn’t always the answer. Which fiancée would be fine knowing that you were gallivanting about when you left her at home for work? It could have been brushed off, but you went and elaborated?”
Did I unintentionally talk about a soldier’s soccer stories in front of women?
As a man, Kang Yoon-ho, I might not know how to succeed in women’s hearts, but I thought I knew how to fail. I always got cut off at the entrance during confessions and was unfamiliar with the world that came after.
“Miss Zhuge.”
While the shock was great, I quickly comprehended Jeon Gil-san’s words and approached Miss Zhuge to rectify my mistake.
“Ugh… Oh?!”
Miss Zhuge was making an unintelligible sound, and as I approached, she stood up with a flustered face.
“I wasn’t being thoughtful.”
She apologized immediately.
“Yes…?”
“Even if it was for work, it’s a crime not to consider Miss Zhuge’s feelings. I deserve to be scolded.”
Being intoxicated with my success, I didn’t grasp the complex, nuanced feelings of a woman.
‘Now that I think of it, there was a reason Hyun-yeon always invited me to go with her whenever she went out.’
Even when I said she could go alone, Hyun-yeon always followed. I thought it was because of the nature of the task. It seemed like there had been some discussion between the two women.
If that’s the case, it makes sense.
Miss Zhuge understood it was a work-related task, but she must have felt somewhat uneasy. Given Miss Zhuge’s character, I knew she would suffer silently, not pointing it out.
“W-What? No, no! It’s not like that!”
Miss Zhuge shook her head rapidly, clutching her hands tightly at my words.
“…Is it because of me that you feel upset?”
Weren’t you uncomfortable going out?
“Ah… That’s not it!”
Miss Zhuge couldn’t meet my gaze as she replied to my question.
“…?”
What’s going on? As I waited with a curious face, Miss Zhuge lowered her head shyly and began to speak.
“I-I wasn’t able to help this time.”
“Aha.”
“Hyun-yeon went too, and I’m… not enough! I should have helped more, but it seems like Mister Kang is the one suffering.”
Miss Zhuge seemed to slump her shoulders apologetically.
So that was the reason. I ignored the thought that I was also struggling behind the scenes and gave her a kind expression.
“I was intentionally trying to let you take a break; it’s not that you’re not able to help, Miss Zhuge.”
“Even so.”
I struggled to hold back my laughter at Miss Zhuge’s puppy-like downcast expression, even though I had only committed a minor mistake.
If Jeon Gil-san weren’t here, I probably would have hugged her tightly.
Even if I kept saying there was nothing wrong, given Miss Zhuge’s nature, I feared she would keep feeling defeated due to her guilt.
What should I do?
Alright. I have a method.
“Honestly, I felt a bit upset for a few days.”
I turned my head, speaking with a slightly sulking tone.
“Is that so?”
Oh no. I feel like Miss Zhuge’s head might hit the floor in shock.
I quickly bent my knees. Looking up at her from below, I continued speaking.
“It used to be a joy to see your welcoming face after work. You took that joy away from me for a few days.”
I looked at Miss Zhuge with a playful smile as our eyes met.
“W-What?! That, that’s…!”
Why are you so flustered and trying to run away? I immediately grabbed her hand.
“Your smiling face is much more helpful to me than that guy’s.”
I kept exchanging glances with the frozen Miss Zhuge, pointing my thumb towards Jeon Gil-san at the back.
“Is that so?”
To her half-doubtful expression, I immediately replied affirmatively.
“Yes. It’s true.”
After coming home exhausted from work, walking into a dark house alone with no one waiting for me, and just turning on the computer with my big toe, to suddenly having someone waiting for me at a lit front door with a smile is something valuable that you wouldn’t understand.
“Well… If you both admit it too easily, I might get hurt as well.”
Shut up, you.
A weird flush appeared on Miss Zhuge’s face. The positivity seems to be working. Then it’s the next step.
“What?!”
I grabbed Miss Zhuge’s hand as she strangely teetered, spinning her around in a joyful manner.
“Miss Zhuge’s smiling face is the best!”
With a pepped-up spirit, I affirmed her.
“Yes? W-That’s not true!”
That’s right. Her mouth is saying that, but her smile is on the rise.
“First-Class Merit of the Three-Eyed Sword! Our household’s First-Class Merit!!!”
“No, what can a person like me have done?”
A small giggle escaped from Miss Zhuge’s lips.
“Miss Zhuge is the best! You draw well! You’re smart! You have a pretty smiling face! The best! The best!”
“Ah! Let go of me! Hehe!”
Contrary to her mouth, her hands are being honest. Miss Zhuge held on tightly as if she didn’t want to be let go.
Infinite positivity.
To someone who gets hurt from small things and gives great meaning to others’ little actions, boundless positivity is the best.
Acknowledging small behaviors and giving infinite praises for big actions. Always expressing gratitude can energize you to live well simply.
“Ugh! I’m completely revived.”
In the end, a bright smile bloomed on Miss Zhuge’s face.
“Now if we go out together, it’ll be even better!”
“That, I don’t think that’s possible.”
She immediately got serious.
“Ah….”
Is that off the table?
Jeon Gil-san laughed so hard he clutched his belly at the sight.
“Cough cough. You could just go as you are. Your aunt in the Zhuge family will welcome you with open arms.”
——
“Kang Club Leader, what should we do about the paper mill issue?”
Having solved the morning problem, it was now time to return to work. The chief officer visited the mansion’s office and inquired about the previously unresolved issue.
“How about buying it through another company from Yichang?”
“It’ll be much more expensive than buying directly from Wuhan.”
“For now, press them to deliver until the contracted quantity is met. We can’t let them act like thugs; the contracts must be followed.”
“If we coax them, we might manage to get some quantity sent on this voyage to Yichang, but the next time will be problematic. I suggest you meet someone before the next contract is drawn.”
“Okay. Let’s make sure to proceed without delay. You may leave.”
“Yes, I will head back.”
“That’s a problem. A big problem.”
I muttered, holding my forehead.
“Just bring a rope! Let’s stir things up one more time.”
Jeon Gil-san, seemingly unable to forget the taste of trouble from the inn, suggested to me as if it was an opportunity.
“Stop that. The infamous Ho Pil only works once in a while; if it becomes corrupt management, we won’t recover our costs.”
Right now, I’m holding the inspector’s shield. It’s a full 100% usage rate.
“What’s the issue? Just cause chaos once more and then treat ourselves later. I want to see Mei-hyang too, and you’d love to rub some beautiful lady’s thighs again, right?”
No! That’s precisely why I’m not doing it. Why are you trying to push this narrative?
“Huh? The beauty?”
Miss Zhuge, while processing some documents at the desk, widened her eyes in disbelief at my words.
I shot a murderous glance at Jeon Gil-san.
– One more word and I’m throwing you out forever.
– My brother-in-law. That was a mistake; let’s keep it low-key next time.
Even going secretly would be problematic.
“Oh. Well… that was just talk. Hahaha.”
Jeon Gil-san stammered with a desperate smile, but a hint of worry never left Miss Zhuge’s eyes.
“Miss Zhuge, could I have the list I asked for regarding the forbidden ledger?”
After standing up and lightly slapping Jeon Gil-san, I smiled at Miss Zhuge, and only then did she seem to relax and nodded.
“Here you go.”
That was close.
“Are you aiming to find a target next? If you’re riding the inspector’s coattails, wouldn’t it just be enough to demand money from the officials?”
“There’s no way I can just barge into someone’s home and say, ‘Hand over the money! My backup is the inspector!’”
Make some sense here.
“Why can’t you?”
“If I just said I came to ask for repayment, they won’t even meet with me. I’m a black-haired barbarian while they’re high-ranking officials.”
What kind of barbarian talks about the inspector and then gets kicked out before reaching the mansion door?
“Then what should we do?”
“I actually prepped some plans just in case.”
I smiled confidently while waving the documents Miss Zhuge handed me.
“Is it the task you had assigned to the Joseon residents’ association in advance?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Before even starting the affairs of Jeon Cheol from the Three-Eyed Sword, I had written down some contingency plans in case all our plans fell apart.
“What is it?”
“I’m going to solve the paper mill issue and the forbidden ledger issue at once.”
There was a method I could use right now.
“What? How?”
“It’s a list of paper mill owners in Wuhan. Take a look.”
I handed one of the documents Miss Zhuge had given over to Jeon Gil-san.
“Why did you mark it in red? Huh?! Gu Jook? I’ve heard that name somewhere…”
The one marked in red was our ultimate goal on this forbidden ledger.
He was the counterpart with whom I could maximize my status as Ho Pil and enjoy the inspector’s backing, and he could conclude this test.
“Gu, Gu Jook is the head of guards’ name.”
“What? You’re kidding me!”
The name that instilled fear in everyone, found in the forbidden ledger.
“That’s it. This time we’re going after the Head of Guards.”
Our next target was the Head of Guards.
