I Became the Owner of the Heavenly Flower Palace-Chapter 46: It’ll Work Out Somehow

Nanzhou was right in front of them.

And yet, Jincheon immediately realized his worst suspicion had come true.

“Who are those people?”

He asked, glancing at the group gathered along the official road, all eyes on the carriage.

“They are the Prefectural Commissioner, the Inspector-General, and the Provincial Commander of Gamsuk.”

Gi Seoran’s answer dashed any lingering hopes he might’ve had.

“The Prefectural Commissioner Jeong Deokun and the Provincial Commander Im Hochung on the left are in their tenth year. The Inspector-General Wang Cheongmin on the right is in his third.”

As expected—top-tier provincial officials.

And not the kind like that petty officer at Gahyeok Pass. These were true heavyweights.

“...They came to greet us?”

“Yes.”

At this point, Jincheon half gave up.

This wasn’t the first time, after all.

Well... whatever. It’ll work out somehow.

He had nothing to say, and nothing he could offer them anyway.

If he just sat quietly and nodded along, things would probably resolve on their own.

Just like with the officer Wi Ji-Wiisa back at the pass.

Still, he couldn’t suppress the sigh that escaped his lips.

“Phew.”

Ilyo reacted instantly.

“If you don’t wish to meet them, we can simply pass by.”

Jincheon nearly choked.

Pass by them?

She was talking about ignoring the top provincial officials who had come out to receive him.

“N-no. There’s no need for that...”

No need for that? No—he absolutely mustn’t do that.

Ignoring provincial officials—especially high-ranking ones—would be tantamount to insulting the Emperor’s authority.

“Stop in front of them. Don’t ride past. Understood?”

“Understood.”

Ilyo replied calmly.

But her expression as she looked at the officials was anything but pleased.

Jincheon gave a wry smile.

Apparently, even sighing was dangerous now.

Tak, tak.

By that time, the carriage had come to a halt in front of the officials.

“I’ll get out.”

At Jincheon’s words, Ilyo dismounted immediately and respectfully opened the carriage door.

Clack.

“Hahaha! Welcome!”

A booming voice greeted Jincheon as he stepped out of the carriage.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.

A round-faced middle-aged official in ornate robes was waddling toward him with an exaggerated smile.

Gi Seoran leaned in and whispered from behind.

“That’s Prefectural Commissioner Jeong Deokun.”

Prefectural Commissioner.

That meant he was in charge of all administrative affairs in the entire Gamsuk province.

Jincheon tensed slightly.

As Jeong Deokun approached, he pressed his palms together and bowed deeply with theatrical flair.

What?!

Jincheon was stunned.

He hadn’t expected the Prefectural Commissioner to bow first.

“I am Jeong Deokun.”

The way he bent at the waist was so deep it almost seemed groveling.

Jincheon quickly placed his hands together and returned the greeting.

“Jin... Jincheon. I am Jincheon.”

He awkwardly corrected his tone halfway through, conscious of those standing behind him.

Right now, he wasn’t an individual.

He was the de facto master of the Heavenly Flame Palace—regardless of how legitimate that status was.

Too much humility could disgrace the entire palace.

At the same time, failing to show proper respect to imperial officials would also be unacceptable.

Jincheon had to strike a perfect balance—a task far easier said than done.

Hence the half-awkward, half-formal tone.

Just like the conflicted state of his heart.

“Ah-ha, so you are Master Jin.”

Fortunately, the Prefectural Commissioner didn’t seem to mind the tone.

Chubby and cheerful, Jeong Deokun continued with a wide, toothy smile.

“I am but a humble servant of Gamsuk Province. To meet you in person is the honor of a lifetime. Hahahaha.”

His eyes practically disappeared in his laughter, leaving Jincheon unsure how to respond.

“Ah... I... {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Is that so?”

Just then, another figure entered his peripheral vision.

Step.

Dressed similarly to the officer at Gahyeok Pass, this was clearly the Provincial Commander of Gamsuk.

“That is Provincial Commander Im Hochung,” Gi Seoran whispered.

She wasn’t even standing that close—how was her whisper reaching his ear?

Still, there was no time to dwell on it.

Im Hochung pressed his hands together and offered a polite bow.

“I am Im Hochung. I command the provincial military.”

His greeting was short but sincere.

Jincheon responded in kind.

“I am Jincheon.”

Im Hochung smiled warmly.

“I’ve heard much of your reputation. It’s an honor to meet you.”

...Reputation?

That couldn’t be right.

Jincheon almost let out a bitter smile, but something about the old man’s eyes made him stop.

Despite his tough, martial appearance, Im Hochung’s gaze held genuine warmth.

It put Jincheon at ease.

“I thank you for the warm welcome.”

Jincheon responded earnestly.

Im Hochung’s smile deepened.

But watching from the sidelines, Inspector-General Wang Cheongmin looked thoroughly displeased.

Pathetic...

He was an official of the Emperor. One of the highest-ranking in the province.

Even if not quite a central power player, his rank rivaled anyone’s. Around here, he might as well be a king.

Yet to see his fellow top officials bowing and scraping like this—he could hardly believe his eyes.

No matter how eager you are to curry favor... tsk.

He assumed this "Master Jin" was someone from a gwonmun sajok—a noble family of traditional aristocrats.

The sajok were clans with long histories, connections through blood, region, and schools. Even if their power had waned, they couldn’t be ignored.

They were also so fragmented and entangled in internal politics that it was entirely plausible for a young man to hold a surprisingly high position within a particular faction.

In short, the Prefectural Commissioner and Provincial Commander were likely trying to establish ties with a gwonmun sajok faction.

Still, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

Wang Cheongmin clicked his tongue—never once questioning the fact that he himself had shown up to meet someone without invitation.

Whether the man was an aristocrat or a secret relative of the royal family, what did they have to bow for?

Wang Cheongmin’s eyes drifted to the beautiful woman he had seen earlier.

Now dismounted, she stood beside the young man called "Master Jin."

Her beauty and grace were so striking, Wang Cheongmin felt a strange mix of envy and shame.

What would she think of the way the Prefectural Commissioner and Provincial Commander were acting?

Would she think he was the same as them?

“Ahem.”

That discomfort leaked out of Wang Cheongmin’s chest as an awkward cough.

Jincheon looked over at him.

So did the Prefectural Commissioner, the Provincial Commander, and all those in Jincheon’s party. All eyes shifted to the Inspector-General.

Wang Cheongmin hesitated for a brief moment.

Should he really be the one to greet a youth barely in his twenties? But the decision came quickly.

...If he’s a scion of a noble clan, he could technically outrank me.

You couldn’t always judge rank by appearances alone.

And after all, weren’t they here precisely to receive this young man?

Rationalizing it that way, Wang Cheongmin finally spoke.

“I am Wang Cheongmin, Inspector-General.”

His greeting was curt.

So starkly different from the two officials who had gone before him that Jincheon’s expression hardened slightly.

But it wasn’t because he was offended by the rudeness.

Jincheon didn’t even offer a return greeting right away—he glanced toward the East Wind Commander, Ak Mujin.

Just as he feared.

Ak Mujin’s face had twisted into a scowl.

Their eyes met, and Jincheon immediately furrowed his brow, silently warning him not to do anything reckless.

“Mmngh...”

Ak Mujin let out a low, barely contained grunt.

Only after confirming that did Jincheon turn his head back toward Wang Cheongmin.

The Inspector-General now looked uncomfortable as he waited for Jincheon’s reply.

“I am Jincheon.”

Jincheon answered with a soft smile.

But the atmosphere remained tense.

“Hahahaha, Master Jin!”

The Prefectural Commissioner Jeong Deokun’s lively voice quickly cut in.

Wearing a broad grin, he stepped in and said,

“We’ve prepared a humble little reception in your honor. If it pleases you, we would be most delighted if you would join us.”

“I will.”

Jincheon nodded without resistance.

He had already half-resigned himself to this, and declining an invitation from the province’s highest officials wasn’t really an option anyway.

Once Jincheon accepted, Jeong Deokun turned to the Provincial Commander.

“You’ll join us as well, I hope?”

“Of course.”

Im Hochung accepted the suggestion without hesitation.

Then Jeong Deokun turned his head to Wang Cheongmin.

“...Will you be joining us?”

It was barely veiled—an invitation in name only. He was clearly being nudged out.

The proud Wang Cheongmin would usually have scoffed and refused immediately.

But not this time.

“Ahem... I’ll come.”

He averted his gaze as he answered.

Jeong Deokun gave a slight, bitter smile but quickly turned back to Jincheon with a wide, cheerful grin.

“Well then, shall we go? I’ll show you the way. Hahahahaha.”

And with the Prefectural Commissioner’s hearty laughter ringing out, Jincheon stepped back into the carriage.

Tak, tak.

The carriage Jincheon rode in slowly made its way down Nanzhou’s grand boulevard.

The four large carriages were eye-catching, but only for a moment.

In a major city like this, such carriages weren’t exactly uncommon.

Watching the city pass by through the window, Jincheon felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

Was Nanzhou always this lively?

He had passed through here about a month and a half ago.

The city’s appearance couldn’t have changed that drastically since then.

And yet, it all seemed far more bustling now—perhaps because every other city they’d passed through had been your typical rural border town.

Here in Nanzhou, three-story pavilions were commonplace, and even five-story ones weren’t rare.

Come to think of it... wasn’t that something I saw on the way here too?

He recalled the female martial guards who had conducted the inspection back then.

He hadn’t noticed at the time, but looking back now, their uniforms were similar—it was likely they had also been members of the Heavenly Flame Palace.

As the memory surfaced, Jincheon kept his gaze fixed on the streets of Nanzhou rolling past outside.

Tak, tak.

With the steady rhythm of hooves, the carriage soon entered the heart of the city’s busiest district.

Eventually, it came to a stop in front of a grand five-story pavilion.

It was simply named Nanzhou Daeru, but the calligraphy on the plaque was elegant and lively, almost as if the letters could fly off the wood.

Whoever wrote that is a true master.

It was Jincheon’s first time at the building, and as he looked up at the structure, a cheerful voice rang out beside him.

“Haha, the atmosphere here is quite nice. Please, after you.”

Prefectural Commissioner Jeong Deokun, wearing a smile as wide as his build, led the way inside.

The seven maidens, the two Wind Commanders, and Gi Seoran and Po Eunryeong followed Jincheon without hesitation.

Step.

“Welcome.”

Even before they stepped through the doors, a soft, melodic woman’s voice greeted them.

A woman dressed in fine clothes and adorned with glittering jewelry greeted them with a gentle smile.

“We’ve been waiting for you.”

“Oh, Lady Jang.”

The Prefectural Commissioner spoke warmly, and the woman replied with a mock pout.

“Calling me ‘lady’—how cruel, when I haven’t even had a proper wedding yet.”

“Well, I can’t very well call you a maiden anymore, can I? Hahaha.”

They exchanged lighthearted banter, then Jeong Deokun gestured toward Jincheon.

“This is Master Jin. Please treat him with the utmost care.”

The woman turned to Jincheon.

Then, she bowed politely.

Swish.

Her ornate jewelry swayed under the light, glinting with a dazzling sparkle.