Part 1,
Chapter 35. The Trust Built by Moving a Tree
The small piece of paper, just slightly larger than a palm, was filled with tiny handwriting.
『I don't understand why the Young Lord dislikes Shang Yang.』
It was unlikely she had sent a letter in such haste just to say this.
Namgung Jin carefully read the letter, trying to discern the hidden meaning Tang So-hwa had concealed.
『Shang Yang is wiser than anyone I know. You seem unfamiliar with his achievements, so I'm writing a few lines.』
The neat handwriting was etched deeply into his eyes.
『Shang Yang understood the human heart more deeply than anyone else. Rather than debating innate virtue or evil, he simply exploited the shallow psychology that wavers between doubt and trust.
Thanks to that, it seems he had no trouble predicting people's behavior without considering their nature.
Truly, didn't he move people by properly utilizing fear and anticipation, regardless of their social status?』
Namgung Jin involuntarily frowned at Tang So-hwa's praise of Shang Yang.
Rather than understanding others, Shang Yang ignored them. He harshly punished anyone who broke the law, whether noble or royal.
He agreed with the notion of using fear. But claiming that he inspired anticipation—wasn't that a contradiction?
As if expecting his doubt, she brought up an anecdote about Shang Yang to persuade him.
『Shang Yang, upon creating a new law, feared the people wouldn't follow it, so he devised a plan.
He planted a tree in the south market and proclaimed that whoever moved the tree to the north would be given 10 gold coins.
But the people dismissed it, saying it made no sense to be paid for such an easy task.
So Shang Yang increased the reward fivefold, announcing that he would give 50 gold coins.
Then, one man, tempted by the large sum, decided to try it and moved the tree from the south gate to the north gate.
Shang Yang, who had been waiting at the north gate, immediately gave the man 50 gold coins.
After that, Shang Yang announced the new law he had made.』
Namgung Jin suddenly let out a short laugh.
He had realized why she had sent the letter.
Trust.
That was what she was talking about.
『It may be an exaggeration to say the people accepted the law right away, but it's undeniable that the incident made them trust the state.
What do you think?
Do you still see him as a harsh man, even though he first taught the importance of promises through reward rather than punishment?』
He had wondered why she had once referred to Shang Yang as a flexible man. It seemed Tang So-hwa had been testing him.
To see whether he knew about Shang Yang.
Namgung Jin understood the anecdote she had mentioned.
The Trust Built by Moving a Tree (移木之信).
The only promise he had made to her was to show her the Samadhi True Fire later.
Namgung Jin remembered that promise and gathered his internal energy.
Whoosh.
The heat gathered at his fingertips ignited the letter.
In an instant, it turned to ash and vanished. She must have written it on such a small piece of paper because she had heard he could barely burn a leaf.
'How considerate.'
Recalling the tiny handwriting, he imagined Tang So-hwa painstakingly writing the letter and let out a small laugh.
Feeling the lingering warmth of that laugh, Namgung Jin turned his head.
"Come to think of it."
He looked at Yun-jin.
"It's not proper to send off a trusted aide of a dear friend who came a long way like this. Let's at least serve the guest some tea for courtesy. Come inside."
Namgung Jin looked at the crowd standing behind Yun-jin.
There were familiar faces and unfamiliar ones.
Though his lips were smiling, Namgung Jin's eyes had darkened.
Yun-jin was a spy from the Blood Sect whom Tang So-hwa had uncovered.
It seemed Tang So-hwa wanted to show Yun-jin to the spies within Namgung.
That Yun-jin had betrayed the Blood Sect.
Once that news reached the Blood Sect's headquarters, there would surely be movement. She must be planning to use Yun-jin as bait to lure them out.
And generously, she seemed to be including him in that hunt.
Namgung Jin treated Yun-jin with a gentle tone and gaze, as if seeing a benefactor unlike any other, so that suspicion toward this man Yun-jin would only grow stronger.
"By the way, it seems Young Lady Tang values you quite a bit."
When Yun-jin flinched, the Young Lord lightly tapped his shoulder.
"She should. Thanks to you, not only the Tang Clan but also Namgung will be greatly indebted. No, in the long run, isn't it a great favor to the entire Murim Alliance?"
Namgung Jin covered his mouth with his hand as if he had misspoken.
"Oh, I meant the matter of stopping the Blood Sect at Mount Emei. Let's talk in detail inside. The Banquet Hall has formations installed to ensure security. We can speak freely there, so let's go in."
"No. I..."
"Shh. Let's talk inside."
Yun-jin's expression stiffened, but Namgung Jin quickened his steps, pretending not to notice.
As they stepped inside the formation barrier of Banquet Hall, the two voices vanished.
Many of Namgung's retainers followed their backs with their eyes.
But the depth of curiosity in their eyes varied.
Among the light curiosity, a few sets of eyes were thick with concentrated interest.
***
"...... Did Young Lady So-hwa call for me?"
"Yeah, she called for you."
"Are you sure it was me? You didn't mix up the characters again?"
"Did this bastard take the wrong medicine? Just hurry up and go!"
When Ran-hee lifted the wooden training dummy next to her, Han-won darted out of the training ground.
Unable to hide his uneasy expression, Han-won headed to the place Ran-hee had mentioned.
'That's strange. There's no reason for her to call me.'
After passing through the bamboo grove behind the martial training grounds, he saw a small pavilion.
And there, truly, was the direct descendant of the Clan Head.
'I wasn't this nervous even when meeting the Grand Elder alone.'
Han-won clenched and unclenched his tingling hands several times as he approached the pavilion.
Since descending from Mount Emei, he hadn't had any contact with the direct descendant.
Tang So-hwa, who spent most of her time at the Poison Pavilion, could easily have gone her whole life without ever seeing him if she wanted to.
Yet now, Tang So-hwa had personally chosen him and requested a meeting—no wonder he was tense.
Perhaps noticing the presence, Tang So-hwa lifted her gaze from the wooden table.
Their eyes met for a moment.
Han-won clasped his fist in greeting and bowed his head as if he had meant to do so from the start.
"I heard you called for me, Young Lady."
"I'm glad to see you're in good health."
Before she even finished her brief inquiry about his well-being, Tang So-hwa averted her gaze.
"Sit."
Han-won shook his head vigorously without realizing it.
"No, I'm more comfortable standing!"
"Is your body still unwell?"
"Ah, yes. Apologies."
Though he had fully recovered some time ago, he accepted So-hwa's misunderstanding.
Fortunately, the direct descendant did not press him to sit again.
When she turned her head to look at her maidservant, the maidservant descended from the pavilion. And so only the two of them remained.
Suppressing his tension, Han-won tried to find reassurance.
She's the one who gave us each the precious Yeonju Pills. She must be a good person. Why am I so nervous?
As Han-won desperately tried to shake off his unease, Tang So-hwa silently filled her cup.
Only after what felt like an eternity passed did she finally speak again.
"Do you know what poison you were afflicted with?"
"Yes."
"A retainer of the Tang Clan was struck by a poison of the Tang Clan. Do you know what that means?"
"...... Does that have a meaning, Young Lady?"
At the honest counterquestion, Tang So-hwa's lips curved slightly.
"It means there's a spy from the Blood Sect in the Tang Clan."
"Ah, yes, that makes sense."
Han-won's shoulders tensed.
The one who had attacked him at Mount Emei hadn't been that strong.
That made it all the more humiliating.
It was deeply shameful to have nearly died to someone like that.
Fortunately, thanks to a stroke of luck, he had taken a Yeonju Pill and received expert treatment, saving his life.
It was a chance given by the heavens.
Han-won intended to spend the rest of his life finding that bastard and tearing him limb from limb.
A calm voice, in stark contrast to his surging rage, pierced his ears.
"I was angry at first, too, but thinking it over, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing."
At the incomprehensible remark, Han-won furrowed his brow.
But Tang So-hwa smiled, as if she meant it.
"No matter how long a thread is, it has an end, right? If you follow it up, eventually you'll find the body it's attached to."
It sounded simple, but there was no way it actually was.
Han-won looked at her with a dubious expression, and Tang So-hwa asked an unexpected question.
"Did you hear about Yun-jin leaving for Anhui?"
The Black Tiger Unit lived together in one wing. There was no way Han-won, who used the bed opposite Yun-jin's, wouldn't know.
"Yes. I heard."
"When Yun-jin returns, watch closely. Who he meets, what changes happen around him."
Han-won asked again, his face stiff.
"Do you think Yun-jin is with the Blood Sect, Young Lady?"
The emotion etched on Han-won's face wasn't surprise.
It was displeasure.
At the suspicion directed toward her comrade, Han-won unwittingly bristled.
Unfortunately, Tang So-hwa in her previous life wasn't someone kind to those around her, and the only ones she trusted were direct family members or those in high positions in the Tang Clan, like Tang Min or Tang Hae-han.
There was no way they could act without being suspected of ties to the Blood Sect.
But in this life, Tang So-hwa needed someone who could move quietly for her.
Han-won was the first to fall victim to the Tang Clan's poison.
Regardless of loyalty, he was the one with the lowest possibility of being involved with the Blood Sect.
However, as could be seen, he wasn't someone who would move for Tang So-hwa's sake.
It wasn't possible to suddenly demand loyalty and ask him to suspect his comrade—there had to be another way.
Tang So-hwa stared at Han-won, then shook her head.
"No. But the Blood Sect will target Yun-jin."
"Why do you think that?"
Because they'll consider Yun-jin a traitor.
Instead of saying that, Tang So-hwa let out a quiet sigh.
"I took Yun-jin as my guard. So to kill me, they'll either try to win Yun-jin over or start keeping him under watch."
"What?"
What? The Blood Sect is trying to kill the Young Lady?
When Han-won widened his eyes in shock, Tang So-hwa calmly explained the reason.
"I'm the one who informed the Murim Alliance about the Blood Sect's resurgence. And Yun-jin is helping me with matters related to that."
It was true he'd heard that Yun-jin had helped receive the Anhui branch on Tang So-hwa's behalf. But since he had stayed in the inner courtyard afterward, no one knew exactly what he had done.
Come to think of it, Yun-jin had gone to Anhui alone.
'Just what was he doing.......'
Seeing the worry flicker in Han-won's eyes, Tang So-hwa spoke in a gentle voice.
"It's not that Yun-jin is in danger now. I just want to take precautions to ensure his safety."
Han-won's eyes sparkled.
"Yes. If I see anyone suspicious nearby, I'll report immediately."
Tang So-hwa shook her head.
"Suspicion isn't enough. Suspect everything that's even slightly different from usual. Even if the maidservant who brings water changes, or if the meal arrives a quarter-hour late, it could be something. And Yun-jin mustn't find out. If he becomes alert to his surroundings, they'll notice, and his movements will change entirely. That'll make your job much harder."
"Young Lady, I'm Black Tiger Unit. I can move more stealthily than anyone."
Han-won nodded, his face no longer the same as before.
Tang So-hwa looked at Han-won with satisfaction—the Tang Clan's martial artist, the one most famously slow-witted in the Black Tiger Unit, and the first to fall victim to the Tang Clan's poison.
"Good."
Once he confirms Yun-jin's true identity himself, his mind will change.
She couldn't trust something that didn't look like loyalty.
So she couldn't force him, nor did she intend to.
***
Part 2,
If someone with strong hostility towards the Blood Sect found out that they had been manipulated by a member of the Blood Sect right next to me, they would act sincerely.
Not for her sake, but for their own.
Having finished the conversation, So- hwa rose from her seat.
As she was descending from the pavilion, Han-won called out to her.
"Um, Young Lady."