“Kang Yoon-ho?!”
“How could someone who’s supposed to be in prison be here?”
As the black-haired shepherd poked his face in, the greedy Yang Clan members turned pale with shock.
“I walked out of prison on my own two legs, thank you very much.”
Kang Yoon-ho replied nonchalantly, taking pleasure in the dismay of those he’d cornered.
“Is that even possible?”
“Why do you think it’s impossible? It’s perfectly reasonable for an innocent person to be released from prison. Ahem…! Unless you’ve heard someone say that I should never see the sunlight again or that I’ll definitely be sentenced to death?”
“What do you mean by that?! The scoundrel trying to poison my father is so shameless!”
In response to Kang Yoon-ho’s taunts, someone in the room shouted out in disbelief.
“What on earth is that guy doing here?!”
“He’s definitely escaped from prison! What are the warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield doing?!”
“Quickly, suppress that scoundrel!”
“……”
The flustered Yang Clan members shouted for the protectors to help them, but for some reason, the protectors looked indifferent and didn’t budge an inch.
“Why… now I see! The lowly ones have devised a scheme!”
Why weren’t the warriors moving? Why had they allowed an uninvited guest into this meeting place? The grandchildren of Man Geum-ju quickly reached a conclusion.
“Impertinent fools! Do you think I’ll let this abominable act slide?!”
“What is impertinent? What is this abominable act?”
As the tension in the room boiled over, a voice that seemed to douse everyone with cold water spoke up.
“Older Sister?”
“Aunt Nan-ok?!”
Jang Nan-ok swallowed her simmering fury, managing to keep her voice calm.
“I called you all here in accordance with what that child said.”
“Why on earth would you do that, Older Sister?!”
“The land deed that Father intended to give to the successor has been uncovered. He personally entrusted it to this child. So, who is now the successor to Man Geum-ju?”
“Aunt! What on earth are you saying!!!”
The daughters and grandchildren of Man Geum-ju were stumped by her completely legitimate assertion and could only protest loudly.
“How long will you keep denying the truth?!”
“Uh, Older Sister.”
Who killed my son? Jang Nan-ok burned with the desire for vengeance, yet she didn’t show a hint of it on her face.
“I’ll now support my nephew, Kang Yoon-ho.”
I must endure. My role ends here. Next, it would be up to Father’s chosen successor. I just needed to believe in Kang Yoon-ho.
“……!”
The declaration was so shocking that the room instantly froze in disbelief.
“Aunt! Are you really saying you support that barbarian?!”
“Sister! Are you crazy?! Everyone opposes this; are you really going to support that barbarian alone?!”
“I’m not alone!”
A playful yet hard-to-ignore male voice chimed in.
“Jeon Gil-san?!”
Jeon Gil-san shrugged playfully at his relatives, then turned serious as he reverently addressed Kang Yoon-ho.
“I, Jeon Gil-san, as the representative of the Jeon family, operate the Man Geum Bookstore and support Kang Yoon-ho, whom our grandfather has recognized as the successor.”
Jeon Gil-san’s declaration was similar to what he’d said during the second exam, but the difference this time was that he had garnered support from the entire Jeon family.
As soon as Jeon Gil-san locked eyes with Kang Yoon-ho, they both smirked and chuckled. It was somewhat of a cumbersome ritual. But the added surprise was another hilarious twist.
“Damn you!”
“Damn what?! Do you know how hard I’ve worked carrying around a water kettle? I get what I deserve for the work I do!”
Who knew how many times he had been yanked by the hair or slapped on the back for trying to persuade his parents? But he had no regrets.
The Kang Yoon-ho he had seen all this time was the optimal choice that didn’t even leave room for hesitation.
——
“Urgh!”
“Aunt! No matter how much you manage the inheritance, you can’t just hand it over to that barbarian!”
Things were going awry.
His aunt was supporting Kang Yoon-ho.
Should their grandfather pass away, her support in the distribution and management of inheritance would carry weight far beyond that of the other daughters.
“Exactly! It’s not something that the Older Sister can just claim! Father was poisoned by that scoundrel!”
“That’s right! No matter how much you support him, the underlings wouldn’t follow such a vile criminal!”
“What kind of family do we come from?! How could a barbarian dare to claim to be the successor?! What are the warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield doing?! Why aren’t they restraining him?!”
“……”
The grandchildren of Man Geum-ju pointed fingers in a frenzy, ordering the warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield, yet the warriors remained unmoved.
“Are all of you blind?! The one who attempted to poison my grandfather—that scoundrel is right in front of you!”
“We don’t see anyone like that.”
A burly martial artist, representing the warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield, spoke up.
“Has everyone lost their minds?! Ugh! What are our family’s guards doing?! You all should go and restrain that scoundrel!”
“Eh? Ah, yes sir!”
The meeting venue didn’t consist solely of the martial artists of the Man Geum Battlefield.
Since this was a gathering to share inheritance and regain businesses, it was essential to have strengths for when needed.
Martial artists from each family nodded in confusion at the sudden command.
But—
“Un Yeop.”
Amidst the chaotic atmosphere and the increasingly heated situation, a chilling remark resonated.
“Yes, Master Kang.”
“It seems some bandits have decided to take advantage of the Lord being away.”
“They’ll soon disappear from sight.”
“What? Cough!”
That was all it took for the command to be given.
“What’s going on?!”
“Dare to show up with swords in someone else’s house? Unarm them, and show no mercy to those who resist!”
“Charge!”
While each family brought their elite members, the Man Geum Battlefield was a different story.
As the elite warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield who had been lying in wait sprang into action, the martial artists from other families had no choice but to lower their weapons and be quickly taken down.
“Are you mad? Following the orders of a barbarian who poisoned the master?!”
The warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield were obeying a barbarian? What on earth was happening here?
“The truth has come to light, so the servants have no choice but to follow the master’s order.”
The answer came from someone the daughters of Man Geum-ju all recognized.
“Former Head of Guards?!”
“I came out when I heard the commotion while taking care of the master. I’m pleased to see some familiar faces.”
The most trusted retainer of Man Geum-ju, the former head of guards, had shown up from somewhere, looking pleased as he gazed at Kang Yoon-ho.
“Former Head! It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other!”
“It can look like a sea of change in just a few days of struggle. It’s good to have you back.”
Former Head of Guards grasped Kang Yoon-ho’s hands, expressing his joy.
“Sir! That scoundrel… wait! Could it be?!”
The fact that the most trusted head of guards showed a friendly demeanor towards Kang Yoon-ho sent the Yang Clan members into a flurry of conspiracy theories.
“Former Head! You orchestrated this plan, didn’t you? You brought that scoundrel here?!”
If Kang Yoon-ho was freed, there must have been someone to testify that he was innocent. The role of the former head of guards who was present at that time was evidently significant. Everyone thought so.
“Of course not. I’m just an old man now, sitting in the back.”
The former head laughed heartily, denying it.
“Then?!”
He didn’t provide a clear answer but took a step back.
When a new era comes, it’s only natural for new figures to make way, just as the currents of a river push the previous ones aside, a father had made way for his son.
“Deputy Head. Jeon Woon-yeop. I present to you, Master Kang Yoon-ho, the rightful successor of the Man Geum Battlefield.”
The deputy head of the Man Geum Battlefield, Jeon Woon-yeop knelt before him in front of everyone.
“Master Kang Yoon-ho, the recognized successor by the esteemed Man Geum-ju, I present to you, the head of the Inspection Unit, Song Jeong-hak.”
Song Jeong-hak, the head of the inspection agency that scrutinizes the internal corruption of the Man Geum Battlefield also kneeled as if prepared.
“Thank you for your hard work in reclaiming the enterprises these past few days.”
Kang Yoon-ho, as if it were natural, accepted the loyalty from the two greatest pillars of the battlefield, praising their efforts.
“It was merely our duty.”
“Wha-what is going on?!”
“Didn’t the former head just say that loyalty follows the master’s command?”
The one leading the new wave of the Man Geum Battlefield. Kang Yoon-ho told those still blundering about the old ways.
“What?”
“The rightful heir recognized by the lord has returned safely; how could he not be welcomed?”
To be acknowledged as the successor of the Man Geum Battlefield. They were his coworkers who would not allow an unwelcoming attitude toward someone who had returned.
Beyond the open door.
In the room where the inner courtyard was visible.
“Greetings to Master Kang Yoon-ho!”
All the servants and warriors of the Man Geum Battlefield bowed before the new successor.
“Thank you all; I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Wha-what is this…?”
The illegitimate heirs, mere Yang Clan members could do nothing.
——
“After my aunt, the entire Man Geum Battlefield… acknowledges Kang Yoon-ho as the successor?!”
“Why am I being left out? The Jeon family is also here!”
Kang Yoon-ho chuckled at the whiny voice he heard from somewhere and asked the descendants of Man Geum-ju outside the door.
“Can I come in now?”
“Where do you think you’re going?! No! Get out of the way! We will be leaving!”
As Kang Yoon-ho tried to intrude on the family gathering, several of them hastily stood to leave.
“Where are you rushing off to?”
“I’ll inform the government! I will file a complaint regarding this abominable act to the authorities!”
“Let’s go together!”
The daughters and grandchildren of Man Geum-ju stood up confidently, posing questions to Kang Yoon-ho.
Yes. What has happened now is out of our control. But that doesn’t mean we will acknowledge you.
While we may not be able to prevent you from entering, you can’t stop us from leaving either.
Step aside.
We have our means to shatter everything you’ve prepared.
“There’s no need to trouble yourselves by going to the government office.”
Kang Yoon-ho replied with ease to their inquiries.
“What?”
“Open the gates to the inner courtyard and bring him inside.”
“Charge!”
As several martial artists opened the gates to the inner courtyard, figures dressed in blue uniforms rushed in.
“Lord Ho Pil! Should we set him down here?”
“Wha-what are the constables doing here? Who is that…?”
Why on earth were the constables here? Who was being dragged in while bound? The grandchildren of Man Geum-ju simply could not comprehend.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“C-Could it be Judge Jeong?!”
A voice filled with horror erupted as someone recognized the identity of the bound man.
The identity of the person bound was the judge, the one who decided the penalties for criminals. Though a familiar face, it was someone who should never have been here.
“As requested, we have brought Judge Jeong tied up.”
“Your Honor, how are you doing?”
Kang Yoon-ho, with his hands behind his back, approached the judge with a smile.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
Ho Pil and the judge.
By all rights, the judge should have been able to handle him with a flick of a finger. Yet, the bizarre sight before their eyes resembled a mouse teasing a cat, and everyone present merely watched in disbelief.
“What? Did you really say you would never let him see the sun again? That he was to be executed? But someone is supposed to tell me who made that request?”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
The judge nodded fervently.
“It’s fine. Our great judge had promised a significant bribe to perform such acts; it’d be costly to back out now at the first sign of pressure.”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“Why do you want to cry already? After kicking up dust, it seems it’s just the starting point. Don’t make weak sounds at this point; you need to hang on! Weren’t countless people shedding tears because of your full pantry? The judgment will not be administered by me but by someone else. Now! Take him to the Government Office.”
“Understood! Yes, sir!”
Judge Jeong, the one who had put Kang Yoon-ho in prison through backdoor connections, was dragged away like a pig heading to the slaughterhouse, leaving the descendants of Man Geum-ju speechless.
“Y-You must be insane! You’re dragging a judge away like this! Or are you just eager to die?!”
One of the recovering grandsons of Man Geum-ju shouted with a red face.
No matter how famous Kang Yoon-ho was as Ho Pil, he was still just a mere Ho Pil with no official rank. How could he drag an official of the Government Office like a pig?
“Head of the Police! Read this.”
Kang Yoon-ho didn’t bother explaining as he pulled out a document from his robe and handed it to the officer.
“Understood, Lord Ho Pil. By this time, you are hereby appointed as the chief perpetrator of the poisoning incident involving Man Geum-ju, Jang Se-gwang, and Kang Yoon-ho.”
“What?!”
“As the rightful heir of the Man Geum Battlefield and as the involved party, I will expose the truth and ensure that those involved are brought to justice for the heinous crimes committed in daylight.”
Whose justice was to be served? At first glance, it seemed to express permission to take revenge as one pleased.
Who exactly issued such orders?
The daughters and son-in-laws of Man Geum-ju, as well as the grandchildren, could hardly conceal their shock at the following statements.
“Everything will be carried out in my name, so it must be done flawlessly. Inspector, Jung Mun-won!”
“Wh-what?!”
“Why is the Inspector here?!”
“This situation is turning out quite amusing, is it not? Wouldn’t you agree?”
The loyalty of Man Geum Battlefield. The declaration from the aunt. The support from Jeon Gil-san. The full delegation of authority to the inspector.
All groundwork had been laid. Kang Yoon-ho announced to the terrified Yang Clan.
“……”
“I was amazed. When Man Geum-ju presented me with the land deed, I pleasantly consumed it, but little did I expect it to contain a shocking congratulatory gift!”
Who had poisoned him? Who had poisoned Man Geum-ju?
It was only natural that the culprit must be among them. Though Kang Yoon-ho didn’t voice it, no one among them was in doubt.
“Ugh.”
“Allow me to reintroduce myself to all the family gathered here.”
“……”
“I am the rightful heir of the Man Geum Battlefield and, as the appointed chief inspector of the Man Geum Battlefield 사건.”
With that, Kang Yoon-ho stepped inside the gathering space, and those present finally realized.
They understood why their father had trusted this black-haired barbarian.
How Kang Yoon-ho had become the successor of the Man Geum Battlefield.
What results he had achieved for the tasks assigned to him up to now.
And what would happen when the heir recognized by their father pointed the blade back at them.
“U-uh?!”
As everyone froze, Kang Yoon-ho calmly walked into the room.
His gaze was directed toward the innermost part of the gathering space.
The highest seat. The seat only allowed for one person: Man Geum-ju.
As everyone hoped against hope, Kang Yoon-ho casually sat down in that seat and declared,
“I’m here to find the one who gave me this congratulatory gift and return the favor.”
