"A-assassins?"

Sanghui's eyes went wide.

"Are you saying they are assassins?"

"I don't think it would be good to raise your voice."

Although they were still far from them, the people of the Gyoak Merchant Group, who were waiting in line as a commotion arose, glanced over.

"What on earth does that mean? Why would assassins disguise themselves as a merchant group?"

When Sanghui asked in a small voice, Maeng Segwang frowned.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Pardon?"

"You should ask the ones who are disguised."

"Ah, that's…"

"Shall I ask for you?"

"Pardon?"

"It can't be for a good reason, so should I let you, who has just given birth, go alone? Moreover, you even gave birth to my son-in-law's nephew."

"…Pardon?"

"Ahem!"

When Sanghui tilted her head and looked at him, Maeng Segwang cleared his throat and continued.

"It was a joke. Don't think too deeply about it."

"Ah… a joke, you say?"

Sanghui laughed awkwardly, conscious of Namgung Seonyeong next to her.

"By the way, it seems they are the ones."

"What do you mean, 'they'?"

"The reason Lord Tang called me here."

"…?"

"Didn't you hear him too? That the Tang Family might be targeted by unjust fellows, so could I protect it while he is away for a while."

"Ah!"

At those words, Sanghui's eyes widened.

That was right.

The Lord had definitely asked them for that favor.

"Inner Hall Mistress."

"Yes, Elder."

"May I meet them?"

"You, Elder?"

"Yes, there's no need for you to take the risk."

At Maeng Segwang's words, Sanghui pondered for a moment.

There was no way he had seen wrong.

They were undoubtedly assassins.

And those men were clearly the ones the Lord had long considered enemies.

Such men wanted to meet the Lord.

They were aiming for him.

The Lord's life…

"I will quickly bring the other people."

"Other… that won't do."

"Pardon?"

At Sanghui's words, Maeng Segwang shook his head firmly.

Bring them? What kind of nonsense was that?

Merit was something to be eaten alone. That way, the merit would be entirely his own.

He already didn't like that Changlim or that Namgung fellow were watching for an opportunity.

But when Sanghui stared at him, the embarrassed Maeng Segwang cleared his throat and said.

"Ahem, I meant, why call them when they're busy."

"…"

"Well, if you really want to help, have the Tang Family's warriors secretly surround the Sangmun Hall. It won't happen, but just so no one escapes. Hahahat!"

"I'll leave it to you."

"Leave it to me."

A sinister smile appeared on the lips of Maeng Segwang as he approached the Gyoak Merchant Group.

He was planning to turn them all into a bloody mess before the others were called.

And Sanghui, who was watching his back, called two warriors of the Hoyeon Brigade who were patrolling nearby.

Wasn't she the one who had served Tang Cheonyeong from the closest place?

She had heard about the incident in Qingcheng and the incident at Dongting Lake.

That's why she knew what she had to do now.

Although Maeng Segwang said he would do it alone, how could she just let him?

Also, even if she didn't fight the assassins directly, as the Lord's deputy, she had to urgently take measures to help him.

"You, go to the outer hall immediately, secretly issue a first-class emergency order to the Tang Family, and tell them to gather the warriors around the Sangmun Hall."

"First-class?"

"From this time on, seal the Tang Family and block all routes to the outside. Hurry!"

"Yes!"

As the warrior rushed off, Sanghui spoke to another warrior.

"You, inform Sword Immortal Changlim and Sword Emperor Namgung, who are staying in the rear garden of the Samyang Hall, that the feared incident has occurred at the Sangmun Hall."

"The feared incident?"

"They will know if you just tell them that. Go quickly!"

"Yes, Inner Hall Mistress!"

The warrior, who nodded with a grim face, ran off quickly.

And Sanghui clutched her skirt and immediately turned around and ran.

"M-Miss!"

"You shouldn't run like that!"

At her sudden action, Namgung Seonyeong and Maeng Seoryeong were startled and chased after her, but she didn't stop. What problem would a short run cause?

Doctor Jang had said that moderate exercise was fine.

She had to deliver the news quickly.

Could it be that all the assassins had entered the Tang Family?

There must be someone watching.

And if something happened at the Tang Family, they would surely send news to their organization immediately.

She had to stop it.

The reason the Lord had headed to the Qilian Mountains was to fight them.

If something happened to the assassins who had infiltrated the Tang Family, the news would be transmitted to the Qilian Mountains.

If she didn't hurry, the Lord could be in danger.

It must not be known.

Before Maeng Segwang and the Gyoak Merchant Group, no, the assassins, started a fight, she had to block the internal affairs of the Tang Family from being transmitted to the outside.

So she was going.

"Messenger! Messenger!"

"Huh? Inner Hall Mistress? Why are you running like that?"

As Tang Sanghui ran over in a hurry, a beggar from the Beggars' Sect's Ganyang branch, who was loitering around the Tang Family, tilted his head.

He was a messenger staying at the Tang Family for the Beggars' Sect to maintain close contact with the Tang Family.

"Tell the branch head."

"Pardon?"

"From now on, we must block the sky of Ganyang."

"What does that mean?"

"We must mobilize all the vagrants, the Gwihwa, and the Beggars' Sect's blades."

"Inner Hall Mistress, what is this all of a sudden? Block the sky of Ganyang… what kind of nonsense."

"We must make it make sense. There is no time to hesitate!"

"…"

"Look for carrier pigeons in the sky. And somehow, no, you must shoot them down. Not a single bird should fly in the sky of Ganyang."

"Carrier pigeons?"

"Also, send a message to the government office and ask them to control all the gates from this time on. Also, inform the private houses and tell them to report any suspicious person they find."

"Pardon?"

"It is the Lord's order!"

Sanghui, who gave the order without any other explanation, shouted with an urgent face.

The Lord's order?

Was there such a thing?

But the moment he heard those words, the bewilderment on the Beggars' Sect messenger's face disappeared.

Although he was not of the Tang Family but a Beggars' Sect blade, how could he not know the immense influence the Tang Family had in Ganyang?

The government, the merchant world, the martial world, and even the private houses.

Everywhere was under the influence of the Tang Family.

It was no exaggeration to say that Ganyang itself was the Tang Family.

The Lord's order.

It was a phrase that had not existed in the Tang Family until now.

But in its usual sense, it meant a strict command from the lord to the subordinate forces.

It was something that those who belonged to it had to carry out before anything else.

Especially, wasn't the Beggars' Sect's Ganyang branch, unlike other places, closely related to the Tang Family?

The successor, and the former Ganyang branch head and current Merchant Guild head, No Sanggae.

Everyone saw the beginning of their success as the Tang Family.

"I will deliver the Lord's order."

The Beggars' Sect blade, who bowed, left the Tang Family, displaying the highest level of lightness skill he possessed.

"Hoo… I've finally delivered all the urgent matters."

Sanghui, who had finished her work, finally let out a deep sigh.

"You're like a storm."

"Pardon?"

"Miss Tang, I mean. How many things did you handle in such a short time?"

"I know, right? I thought she was a completely different person."

As Maeng Seoryeong and Namgung Seonyeong clicked their tongues, Sanghui smiled faintly.

"It's just daily life."

"…Pardon?"

"The Tang Family often moves suddenly."

"Suddenly?"

"Yes, we can't make plans in advance. All sides are enemies aiming for the Tang Family."

"My goodness, so you've been actively moving whenever something like this happened?"

"That's right. While the combat team is fighting, the support team has to urgently deal with the situations that may arise from it."

"Hmm, quite organic."

"The Lord made it so." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Lord Tang?"

Namgung Seonyeong and Maeng Seoryeong's eyes widened as if surprised.

"Yes."

"He's really amazing. To think he would consider such things in advance and teach you. I finally understand how the Tang Family was able to grow so quickly."

"That's why it's hard."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it would be better if he just gave orders… but he makes us judge and deal with it ourselves. Always."

As Sanghui smiled with a bitter expression, Maeng Seoryeong made a particularly envious face.

She was a woman of a martial family, just like her.

But she was living a different life.

Born as the daughter of the great clan, the Black Heaven Gate, she had learned martial arts and held a sword in her hand, but she had lived with the thought that she would one day be used as a tool for a political marriage.

She had heard that when she came of age, she would become the woman of a man chosen by her family, and when she became a mother, she would naturally live guarding the inner chambers.

But Miss Tang was already the woman of one man and the mother of one child, yet she stood not in the inner chambers but on the battlefield.

She was continuing her responsibilities not as a wife and mother, but as a warrior and the Inner Hall Mistress.

With a flying needle that would aim for the opponent's vital points, not a needle for embroidery.

She was very envious.

"Miss Tang."

"Yes?"

"If I become a woman of the Tang Family… can I live a life like yours?"

"…"

At Maeng Seoryeong's question, Seonyeong made a startled face, and Sanghui, who had been thinking for a moment, smiled brightly.

"That's just your own choice. Let's talk about that later. We've put out the urgent fire, but from now on, we have to control the inside so that the assassin bastards can't escape."

As Sanghui busily headed to another place, Namgung Seonyeong and Maeng Seoryeong quietly watched her.

Her own choice?

No.

Even that choice was something she could make because it was the Tang Family.

"Shall we go too?"

"Yes, if nothing else, we have to help Miss Tang, who is still recovering."

"Alright."

Seeing how well their thoughts matched, Maeng Seoryeong thought that she would probably get along well with Namgung Seonyeong.

And it was the same for Namgung Seonyeong.

A friend, or perhaps a relationship beyond that.

* * *

While Tang Sanghui was moving busily, Maeng Segwang, who had approached the place where the Gyoak Merchant Group was staying, smiled brightly and asked.

"Are you the Gyoak Merchant Group?"

At those words, one of the people of the merchant group glared at the startled merchants and asked calmly.

"That is correct. But who might you be?"

It was absurd.

'Flinch.'

It was clear that he had already recognized him.

What reason could there be to pretend not to know when he already knew?

Because they had to be merchants now, not assassins.

But on the contrary, it was an action that revealed that they were not merchants.

Maeng Segwang, without showing any sign, revealed his identity with a gentle expression.

"I am Maeng Segwang."

"Maeng… hut! Are you Seoak?"

"Oh! For merchants, you're quite something. To know me."

"How could we not know the esteemed name of one of the Three Western Sovereigns? The government and the merchant world are so close."

"Haha, is that so?"

"Of course."

The merchant did not lose his manners. But Maeng Segwang had no intention of being polite.

"Since you know me, the conversation will be quick. Will you call the merchant group leader? I have something to say."

"The merchant group leader?"

When he asked out of the blue, the merchant looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Why? Is it not possible?"

"That's not it, but the merchant group leader is currently waiting for the Lord of the Tang Family. So, if you wait a moment."

"I can't do that."

"Pardon?"

"Because I have to take you guys before the others come."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do you mean? It's like this."

Maeng Segwang just smiled faintly, and the faces of the bewildered merchants contorted.

Because in an instant, the weight of the air pressed down on them like a ten-thousand-year-old stone.

(End of Chapter)