Chapter 268

The Impostor - 3 Turns out HoPil is a woman. Secretly infiltrating the mansion, Im Ha-yeon found herself unable to hide her astonishment upon discovering the identity of the person beyond the window. At first, she naturally thought, as Kang Yoonho had suggested, that the person was a fake author. Shortly before, she had voiced her grievances to him, albeit in a teasing manner. Regardless, isn’t HoPil supposed to be Kang Yoonho’s close friend? However, upon actually infiltrating the mansion, something seemed off. The person guarded by the martial artists as HoPil... was a woman. The moment Im Ha-yeon processed this, her thoughts became tangled and complex. HoPil was supposedly known to be a man. If it was a fake author, they would have obviously used a man. But a woman? Could this truly be the real HoPil? Unable to shake off the shock, Im Ha-yeon returned, her expression unsettled, and asked Kang Yoonho. "HoPil is a woman?" "A woman with silver hair. It's a hair color quite common in foreign lands." Another reason for Im Ha-yeon to suspect the woman in the mansion of being HoPil. Silver hair is rare in Zhongyuan, but common in foreign lands. Was the author’s pen name, HoPil (胡筆), inspired by this foreign trait? And if Kang Yoonho and HoPil, both from foreign lands, bonded and became close friends because of this commonality? If the woman she saw was indeed the real HoPil, it all made perfect sense. "Silver hair? Could it be... Did you catch the name?" Why isn't he denying it? Im Ha-yeon couldn’t help but grit her teeth as she noticed a knowing expression on Kang Yoonho’s face. "I heard her being called Miss Hyang." "Miss Hyang? Could it be... my suspicion was correct?" What do you mean “my suspicion was correct”? Is it really HoPil? A fiery feeling stirred inside her chest. Im Ha-yeon clenched her fist, suppressing her emotions, trying not to let them show before a man. Could it really be HoPil? While she often grumbled about Kang Yoonho being a ruthless shopkeeper, she was also well aware of his admirable deeds. She recalled one particular story that epitomized the Kang Yoonho she knew well. 一 At Daeseo-gak, Kang Yoonho risked his life and got dragged into the Dang-ga in place of HoPil. Risking one’s life; an act one might expect in historical relationships like Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, but not something easily done even among close friends. But what if... What if this act wasn’t done out of friendship, but because they were lovers? Revisiting what she realized in the mansion, her chest pricked with an indescribable sensation. Her head felt cold. It was like all her nerves converged on that prickly feeling. When did she feel something similar? Right, it was when that man acted cold toward her but was kind to Ha SoSo. "Not sure what misunderstanding you have, but that woman is not HoPil." Kang Yoonho dismissed Im Ha-yeon’s logic with a decisive tone. "You're saying that because you recognize her as HoPil! Besides, silver hair is a color typical of foreign lands." "Silver hair can also be found occasionally here in Zhongyuan. Don't you know? There’s a prominent family famous for their silver hair—the JeGal family." "The person I saw belongs to the JeGal family?" To Im Ha-yeon’s question, Kang Yoonho nodded. "Yes. She’s JeGal Hyang, the granddaughter of Mangum Jeonju. The day I visited Mangum Jeonju’s mansion, the whole place was in chaos because she had run away. I knew her appearance from the descriptions." "So Mangum Jeonju's granddaughter was impersonating HoPil? Why?" "That, I do not know. But at least we've got a lead. Truly, thank you." Kang Yoonho stood up and bowed respectfully to Im Ha-yeon. "Why are you doing this all of a sudden?" Embarrassed by his unexpected gesture, Im Ha-yeon waved her hands dismissively. "Sometimes I wonder how I would’ve managed without you, Ha-yeon. Each time, I’m truly grateful." I, too, wouldn’t know how to manage without you. With this thought blooming within her chest, the lingering doubt in Im Ha-yeon’s heart dissipated. Of course, it couldn’t be. She had harbored unwarranted suspicions. Why had she even felt this strange sensation all of a sudden? "It’s alright. I acted irrationally." Im Ha-yeon smiled brightly, feeling relieved as the thorn that had been troubling her was plucked out. ********* To think I’d face a sudden gender swap crisis. Though bearing a title like "The Beautiful Young Lady Shixie Novel Author" might make me famous in no time, I certainly don't want to do something like that just to gain fame. "While it's good that we figured out who the fake HoPil is, the problem is proving it before the public... You came back sooner than I expected?" I asked Im Ha-yeon, who was smiling ambiguously. "It was Ho Song’s house. It's nearby." "Ah." No wonder she returned so quickly. But to think JeGal Hyang was the fake HoPil. What a twist. Old man, didn’t you say she was a shy and introverted child? The woman hidden in the box on the day I visited Mangum Jeonju's mansion must have been JeGal Hyang. It made sense as I recalled that brief encounter. What kind of shy and introverted person pulls off such a grand con? And that too, in close proximity to the real HoPil. Wait, the fake HoPil lives nearby? I opened a drawer beside me and rummaged through some papers. "What are you doing?" "Resolving the issue with the fake HoPil." If my guess is correct, there’s a way to resolve it. "Are you going to write to the Sichuan Tang Clan?" "Even if I send a letter to the Sichuan Tang Clan and aid arrives, it would take a few months." Before I could even decide to ask for help, the physical distance itself was problematic. Besides, our opponent is just a bookstore in Wuhuan. It’s better I handle this on my own. "So what will you do?" "First, I need to meet the fake HoPil." Thanks to Im Ha-yeon, I know they are a fake. But I need to confront them in person. That way, I can officially declare them a fraud. "Meet them?" "The personality I’ve heard about doesn’t seem like someone who would impersonate HoPil. And with whispers of abduction... I need to find out what's happening before it's too late." Mangum Jeonju, the mansion’s general manager, and even the warriors who had been protecting JeGal Hyang—it's incredible how they were always covering for her. If even 10% of their characterization matched, it was highly unlikely she would concoct such a bold scheme. Even if she did deliberately impersonate HoPil, it didn’t matter. Once I had face-to-face contact, I could use JeGal Hyang as a wildcard. If it's indeed a case of kidnapping, considering someone dared to abduct a daughter of the JeGal family, I could leverage this to take down Mangum Seogyeo. Indeed, if it was confirmed that someone was impersonating HoPil, it’d be even better. I could directly approach Mangum Jeonju and declare this engagement null and void. While I'm at it, I could also talk to JeGil-san and push aside the successor. "And how are you going to meet her? Are you thinking of kidnapping her?" This girl sure has dangerous ideas. We're dealing with the youngest daughter of the JeGal family here. "With my current skills in lightness arts, it's impossible to infiltrate that house?" I'll have to abduct her. "Breaking through their guards is too much." I guess it's too much to think I could intrude into the professional domain just because I've started to run better. It doesn't really matter, though. "Then we must confidently walk through the front door and bring her out." "Huh? How do you plan to do that?" There's a way. After rummaging through the drawer, I finally found what I was looking for and showed it to Im Ha-yeon. "We have a ticket for entry." What I produced was the usage records of the message pigeon. A record of numerous delivery orders coming and going from Ho Song's mansion every day. ************** The mansion where Mangum Jeonju’s grandson, Ho Song, resided. Han Inyeong, in the guest room, slightly opened the window, observing the vigilant guards outside, and let out a small sigh. Inside the guest room, she closed the window and stood by the desk. A beautiful woman with silver hair and blue eyes. Some might mistake her for a foreign beauty, given her silver hair and striking appearance. But the silver hair was proof of the JeGal family’s lineage stemming from their ancestor, JeGal Gongmyeong, and the foreign woman, Hwang Buin. With looks as pure as the first snow of a winter night and features that still retained traces of girlhood, anyone could guarantee that she would be one of the top beauties in Hubei in the future. Her name was JeGal Hyang. The youngest daughter of the head of the JeGal family, a precious gem. She was cherished and raised with great care like a delicate flower in a greenhouse. In truth, this precious upbringing had caused one troubling issue for her parents. She had been raised too preciously, leading to a problem. By nature, she was an introverted girl. Timid, loving books and drawing, she avoided meeting people. Of course, it wasn't due to any illness or particular issue. She was simply introverted. During any family event, she would sneakily avoid it by leaving it to her elder siblings. If she had to meet someone, she would choose to hole up in her room, learning how to hide better and escape if someone came looking for her. In the end, she preferred to stay confined at home instead of meeting people. An adept escape artist who would rather flee than face a matchmaking meeting. "After running and running away! I’ve somehow ended up being a fake HoPil author! Ahhhhhh!" Her appearance, pure like the untrampled first snow of midnight, was marred by her anguished expression. JeGal Hyang cried out in despair.