The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 91

“Uncle Gaeddong!”

 

The person who came inside was Uncle Gaeddong. Without hesitation, I ran and hugged my uncle tightly.

 

“Goodness, you’re safe!”

 

“Mhm! I’m fine. Uncle, I was so worried!”

 

The moment I had fled leaving Uncle Gaeddong behind, I couldn’t describe how much my heart ached and how anxious I felt. 

 

I bit my lip hard as tears seemed ready to pour out.

 

After that reunion was over.

 

Only after slipping out of Uncle Gaeddong’s embrace did I turn my gaze to the other man who had followed him in.

 

He was a man wearing a black mask. He was tall and carrying a large sword.

 

I turned to look at Uncle Gaeddong with eyes asking for an explanation of what happened.

 

“He’s my man.”

 

Park Dohyul spoke first to explain the situation.

 

‘Ah, so this person is the private soldier Park Dohyul mentioned.’

 

It seemed it wasn’t a lie that Park Dohyul had been secretly building his forces to oppose his father. 

 

“Hello. My name is Seolyeong.”

 

I bowed my head politely and gave a deep bow.

 

“It is an honor to meet you. My name is Seo Taeho. I have heard you are someone the Young Master cherishes dearly.”

 

He also greeted me with a bow, showing respect as if he considered me a friend of his superior.

 

“Uncle, but how did you get here? What happened?”

 

I quickly looked back and forth between my uncle and Seo Taeho and asked, and Uncle Gaeddong quickly explained the situation.

 

“When you left and I was fightin’, it was really dangerous. But this guy showed up with some warriors and saved me. Thanks to them, I barely managed to escape. And since he said he knew where you were… I just followed him for now.”

 

In other words, it meant Seo Taeho suddenly appeared and saved Uncle Gaeddong.

 

“I merely followed the Young Master’s instructions.”

 

Seo Taeho quickly added in a neat voice.

 

I bowed my head towards Park Dohyul to thank him.

 

“Thank you for saving my uncle and bringing him to me… and for saving me too, Brother.”

 

“I only did what had to be done. We’re friends, aren’t we?” 

 

Park Dohyul lightly placed a hand on my head, stroked it gently, and smiled.

 

Then, with a serious expression again, he turned his gaze to Seo Taeho.

 

“What’s the situation?”

 

“The Lord’s soldiers are already spread everywhere. It’s dangerous wherever we go. We probably won’t be able to stay here for long either.”

 

“Oh man, what about the First Commander…”

 

Uncle Gaeddong muttered like a sigh. Park Dohyul nodded and answered.

 

“Did you say the First Commander is Gaon? Have you found out his whereabouts? Since I instructed you to always keep an eye near Lord Kim Junmo’s residence, you should have been able to tail him immediately.”

 

As if he had prepared for Gaon as well, Park Dohyul asked with his intelligent eyes flashing.

 

“Yes. We already received a message from a messenger bird before coming here. He is currently heading to the tavern and should have almost arrived by now.”

 

I inhaled sharply. I could vividly picture how anxious and nervous Gaon would be when he realized I was gone.

 

“Then we have to go meet Uncle Gaon right now!”

 

As I stepped forward urgently, Park Dohyul firmly shook his head.

 

“No. It’s dangerous for you to go back there, Yeong. It would be safer for my man to go, let him know our location, and meet at a safe place.”

 

It certainly made sense.

 

If it was simply to deliver a message, it was much wiser for Park Dohyul or his subordinate, Seo Taeho, to move rather than me.

 

“Then, can you tell the First Commander to come to the mountain entrance? We always met there even if we had separate business to attend to.”

 

Uncle Gaeddong stepped forward and quickly suggested, but Seo Taeho shook his head again.

 

“That won’t do. The Lord has already deployed private soldiers there. He has missed you at the mountain entrance several times in the past, so he’s trying not to repeat the same mistake.”

 

My heart felt like it sank. I swallowed nervously.

 

If we had gone to the mountain entrance without knowing this fact, we would have been caught helplessly by the Prime Minister.

 

‘If it weren’t for Park Dohyul… we would have been in real trouble.’

 

I felt grateful to him all over again. It had been quite a long time since I met him, and even then, I had received his help.

 

It was the same this time.

 

‘And to think he built a private army all by himself… amazing.’

 

Park Dohyul was only twelve years old.

 

But he had already secretly built up his power and gathered highly loyal private soldiers while avoiding the Prime Minister’s eyes. It was truly astonishing.

 

“Th-then what should we do? If we want to get back to the mountain, that’s the only way, isn’t it…?”

 

“There is one more.”

 

At Park Dohyul’s words, Uncle Gaeddong stopped. He seemed to have thought of something too.

 

“Don’t tell me… you mean the waterways?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“Th-that won’t do…!”

 

Uncle Gaeddong shouted with a pale face. Not understanding what they were talking about, I tilted my head and asked.

 

“What waterways?”

 

“There’s a waterway that flows from the river to the sea. Since the mountain has its back to the sea, we can go around that way and head out to the sea. Then we can enter the mountain from the opposite side.”

 

“The current flowing from the river to the sea is so strong it’s unpredictable. Besides, it rained heavily a few days ago, so the water level must be high.”

 

“There is no other way. And… do not worry. As soon as I heard that the path to the mountain was blocked, I followed the Young Master’s instructions and hired a boatman at the ferry crossing who has experience going out to sea. He should be waiting with his boat by now.”

 

I couldn’t help but admire his words.

 

I finally understood why Park Dohyul was called a ‘genius of military strategy’ and why he succeeded in his rebellion in the original story.

 

It must have been because of his flawless preparedness and his ability to make judgments according to the situation.

 

“Then the three of us will head to the ferry crossing… and Taeho, you go and tell Kim Gaon where we are headed.”

 

Park Dohyul urgently ordered as if there was no more time to dawdle.

 

Seo Taeho bowed his head and stood up as if he understood, but I urgently grabbed him.

 

“Wait a moment!”

 

I knew Gaon well.

 

He was suspicious and didn’t trust people easily.

 

Even if Seo Taeho told him that he had met me and to come to the ferry crossing, there was no way he would suddenly believe him. In other words, a token was needed.

 

“Take this with you.”

 

I untied the ‘Inyeon’ cloth braided into my hair and placed it in Seo Taeho’s hand.

 

“This is…”

 

“My dad and I share the exact same one. We split it and kept it when I was very, very young, when I couldn’t even speak properly.”

 

I recalled that time.

 

‘This cloth… it helped me back then, and it’s helping me now.’

 

It felt as if the Chief was always giving me strength, no matter where I was.

 

Just like he said he would always catch me if I fell.

 

“It’s called an Inyeon cloth because it is said that wherever you go, if you have this, you will be connected. And there aren’t many people in the world who know this fact. If you take this and deliver my message, my uncle will believe you.”

 

Seo Taeho nodded and carefully received the destiny cloth.

 

“Thank you, Young Miss. I will make sure to deliver the message well.”

 

“Yes. Please take care of my uncle.”

 

I nodded, and Seo Taeho bowed in return.

 

After that, he gave a warning to Park Dohyul.

 

“Young Master, please be careful. Above all, take care not to let your face be seen. If it becomes known that it is you… the Lord will not sit idly by.”

 

“I understand, so go and come back safely.”

 

Park Dohyul nodded and spoke to Seo Taeho.

 

Seo Taeho looked at Uncle Gaeddong and me one last time, bowed, and then kicked the gate open and left.