Free Web NovelTang Hae-han ran toward the main gate.
Creak.
Perhaps sensing his approach, the middle gate opened first and the Vice Unit Leader came inside.
Panting, Tang Hae-han answered.
“The drain hole of the moat was blocked.”
The Vice Unit Leader, looking Tang Hae-han up and down, covered in mud, asked,
“...Don’t tell me you personally went out to check the moat?”
“No. There was no one on the outer wall, so I climbed up and spotted something strange in the water. So I removed the pipe and checked the hole.”
Tang Hae-han suddenly lowered his voice.
“It seems there’s a spy inside.”
“A spy?”
“Yes. A demonic warrior plugged the poison-dosing hole with his clothes. The outer wall is that wide—there’s no way they found a hole barely the size of a finger in just two days. On top of that, the poison-dosing hole is submerged under water, isn’t it? Someone who knew its position must have told them.”
Glancing around, Tang Hae-han continued.
“It looks like he couldn’t find anything else to block the hole and hastily stuffed in his own clothes. If he only received the information after arriving at the Tang manor, doesn’t that mean there’s a way to communicate even with the outer wall between them?” ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Instead of answering, the Vice Unit Leader immediately ran toward the area Tang Hae-han had mentioned. Tang Hae-han followed right behind him.
The two of them stopped at the same time when they reached the area with the pipe.
Someone had cast torchlight on them.
Tang Hae-han squinted against the light coming down from the outer wall. At that moment, the Vice Unit Leader spoke first.
“I heard you’d left your post. Where did you go?”
The three martial artists standing on the outer wall exchanged looks. The tallest of them answered first.
“Forgive us. A group of demonic warriors gathered nearby, so we briefly left our post to report urgently to the Unit Leader.”
“And where are those demonic warriors who supposedly gathered?”
This time, the martial artist beside him replied.
“We are ashamed to say we failed to catch them. They must have only come to scout; as soon as we were spotted, they fled.”
“Yes, so we pursued them in the direction they fled, but we could not leave our post for long and soon returned. It seems you arrived while we were briefly chasing them toward the main gate.”
Though their words were suspicious, the Vice Unit Leader did not question them further. He only added a single stern remark.
“From now on, you are never to leave your post.”
“Yes. We will keep that in mind.”
Tang Hae-han was bewildered.
'Shouldn’t we be questioning them more?'
However, assuming the Vice Unit Leader had his own thoughts, Tang Hae-han silently turned and followed him.
Creak.
As soon as they passed through the middle gate, the Vice Unit Leader spoke.
“Go to the inner compound at once and tell the Grand Madam to prepare to leave the Tang manor.”
“What?”
“When the Oral Transmission Pavilion Master changed the poison to be poured into the moat, he warned us not to carry torches on the outer wall. He said the sulfur mixed in could catch fire.”
Tang Hae-han’s eyes widened.
Come to think of it, those men had been holding torches just now.
“They seem to have come to block the poison-dosing, so do not think of filling the pipe yourself—just gather the poison. I’ll send someone to the Oral Transmission Pavilion shortly.”
The Vice Unit Leader put his hand on the middle gate.
“It won’t take long.”
He seemed intent on taking down the three martial artists who looked like infiltrators all by himself.
Though an uneasy thought arose, Tang Hae-han could not stop him. The Black Tiger Unit was one of the Clan Head’s direct combat units, among the most powerful in the Tang Clan.
For a member of the Oral Transmission Pavilion to fret over the Black Tiger Unit’s second-in-command would have been an insult to him. Tang Hae-han brought his hands together in salute and replied,
“I will relay your words to the Grand Madam at once and then return to the Oral Transmission Pavilion.”
The Vice Unit Leader gave a small nod. Tang Hae-han swallowed the words please be careful and ran toward the inner compound.
***
“Brother Hae-han!”
Tang Hae-han flinched as he entered the Grand Madam’s quarters. The garden was crowded with children huddled together, and Yuhwa, who was among them, saw him and ran over.
Yuhwa’s eyes were rimmed red. She seemed extremely uneasy about the current situation.
However, Tang Hae-han was in too much of a hurry to comfort her.
“Where is the Grand Madam?”
“Mother is inside...”
As Tang Hae-han moved to enter the hall, Yuhwa grabbed him.
“She’s talking with guests right now.”
“It’s fine.”
He gently removed Yuhwa’s hand and went inside.
But something was strange.
He had entered the Grand Madam’s hall, yet there were no guards to stop him.
As he neared the receiving room, everyday conversation reached his ears. There was no fear in those voices; if anything, occasional laughter slipped in.
This place felt like an entirely different world.
Candles set in ornate lanterns lit the interior, making it warmly bright as if it were midday.
Flowers arranged everywhere filled his field of view, and a faint fragrance tickled his nose.
Rattle.
Only when the receiving room door came into sight did a guard come out from inside.
“What is it?”
“I have something to tell the Grand Madam.”
“Ah, Hae-han. Come in.”
Recognizing his voice, the Grand Madam spoke with a smile.
The guard, without suspicion, immediately opened the receiving room door. Six ladies seated before the Grand Madam all turned their heads at once.
In a gentle voice, the Grand Madam introduced Tang Hae-han.
“He is the son of the Medical Division Lord. He also entered the Oral Transmission Pavilion at a young age; he is one of the Tang Clan’s talents.”
“Ah, I’ve heard the Medical Division Lord boast of him before.”
One of the ladies responded with a small laugh to the Grand Madam’s words.
Tang Hae-han recognized the middle-aged woman. She was the wife of the Inner Steward. It seemed the Grand Madam’s receiving room had gathered the ladies who oversaw the Tang Clan.
Given the situation, it appeared the Grand Madam had brought them into the inner compound to ease their anxiety.
After offering the Grand Madam a proper bow, Tang Hae-han spoke at once.
“Forgive me, Grand Madam, but I would ask that you dismiss those around you.”
“It’s all right, speak. The ladies here are to be trusted. If a day comes when we can no longer trust them, it will be no different from the pillars of the Tang Clan collapsing.”
At the Grand Madam’s words, Tang Hae-han could not refute her. More precisely, he had no mental leisure to persuade her to send them away.
“There is a demonic warriors’ spy inside the Tang Clan.”
And so he threw out the shocking words at once.
“They have already been colluding with the demonic warriors and seem to be in communication even now, so you must leave the Tang manor quickly. If they raid the inner compound, it is highly likely the Grand Madam and the direct line will be their first targets.”
“That makes no sense. Leave the Tang manor at this hour? Aren’t the demonic warriors outside right now?”
One of the ladies asked that.
Not wanting to explain the current situation in detail, Tang Hae-han looked at the Grand Madam. However, she still did not seem inclined to dismiss the ladies around her.
“Support is coming through the rear gate, so it would be best for you to quickly leave with the Red Tiger Unit and join them.”
“Hm, with the Tang Clan’s forces currently here at the Tang manor, is it my imagination that this seems the safest place?”
Another lady interjected. Turning her body slightly toward the Grand Madam, she furrowed her brows.
“Grand Madam, you should decide cautiously. If you go out rashly in the current situation, that might be even more dangerous. How would you break through the demonic warriors outside? You might instead end up luring those beast-like fiends. If it is true that support is coming, it would be better to accompany them after they have fully arrived at the rear gate.”
No sooner had the lady finished than Tang Hae-han cut in.
“I do not belong to the combat units, so I don’t know how they would open an escape route or help the Grand Madam flee. Therefore, I honestly cannot say that going outside would be safer.”
The Grand Madam fell silent, as if she meant to hear Tang Hae-han out as well.
“However, what I personally confirmed is that someone has blocked the poison-dosing hole of the moat, and that there is a member of the Tang Clan who is passing on the Tang manor’s situation to the demonic warriors. It is highly likely they are in communication even now.”
There was no expression on Tang Hae-han’s face, but his voice was terribly dark.
“If the Tang manor’s defensive system has been broken and the spy is aiding the demonic warriors, the fall of the outer wall will be a matter of moments. Once the formations on the outer wall become meaningless, we will have to face the demonic warriors with only the Tang Clan’s forces, and the Tang Clan’s current strength inside the manor is extremely weak.”
“...”
“The Black Tiger Unit’s Vice Unit Leader, who has far more combat experience than I do, advised that the Grand Madam leave the Tang manor and join with your maiden family’s support. I am here to convey those words.”
Sweeping his gaze around the room, Tang Hae-han spoke.
“Of course, it is for the Grand Madam to decide. I only relay the situation outside, so please determine whether remaining inside or going out will be safer.”
Bringing his hands together, Tang Hae-han showed his respect and turned to go. As he was about to leave, the Grand Madam quickly asked,
“Where are you going?”
“As I said, it has been about two hours since the poison-dosing hole of the moat was blocked. The poison smoke over the moat will have entirely blown away, so we must hurry and release poison into the moat again.”
Tang Hae-han had no intention of stirring up anxiety, but he felt he had to add this.
“The demonic warriors now know the poison smoke over the moat has disappeared, so it would not be strange if they came over the outer wall at any time. There is no time, so I will leave first without asking the Grand Madam’s permission—please understand.”
As he left the room, a heavy silence settled over the receiving room. The easy voices and laughter did not follow.
No sooner had he stepped out of the hall than Yehwa rushed at him.
“Brother Hae-han! Where are you going? You stay here too! They say this is the safest place!”
Tang Hae-han took something from his sleeve and pressed it into Yehwa’s hand.
“If things become dangerous, share this pill with Yuhwa, sprinkle the sand, and run.”
“Hm? Is it poison sand?”
Yehwa looked with interest at the small wooden box and pouch he had handed her.
“It’s dangerous stuff, so you must take the pill before you touch the sand.”
“You think I don’t know something that basic?”
While Yehwa answered casually, Yuhwa’s complexion turned pale. It seemed she had realized the situation was taking a bad turn.
However, Tang Hae-han left the twins behind and went out of the hall. His mind was in far too much haste.
It was the time for each person to stake their life on their own duty. The combat units had to fight the demonic warriors, the inner compound had to protect the Tang Clan’s future, and he too had to focus on his own task.
To restore the Tang manor’s broken defensive system, Tang Hae-han returned to the Oral Transmission Pavilion.
