Ka Min Kyu was a man consumed by discontent. His desires were thwarted at every turn, leaving him in constant simmering frustration. The 'Master' had imposed a ban on his interactions with Kim Minjae since Lee Seung's arrival, a restriction that rankled him deeply.
"Did I not warn you about being greedy? Leave her alone. She is too useful to trifle with. Understand?" the Master had warned. Though Ka Min Kyu had not readily agreed, he had little choice but to accept it. Even though he was a meticulous long-range planner and Minjae was one of his life goals, he judiciously laid low, keeping a tight lid on his ambitions. The Master ran the spy operation with an iron hand. A slight mistake and a body could be found separated from its head, floating in the salty water of the bay. Their numbers in Ganghwa were small, and it was essential to keep suspicion away from them. If everything went according to plan, they all stood to gain, much like Ming General Keng had after rebelling from the Ming and joining hands with the Manchu barbarians, who now called themselves Qing.
However, Min Kyu wasn't someone who would sit idle. He might be out-manoeuvred by his superiors, but he still had a few cards up his sleeve to secure his interests.
One such move had taken him to Hanyang and into Lord Choi Si-Wan's home. It took him three weary trips to the capital and multiple visits to the eminent minister's house before he was allowed past the gate. When Ka Min Kyu informed Lord Choi Si-Wan of his son-in-law's uncommon interest in an unfittingly low-born commoner, which could hamper the prestige of the most powerful man in Joseon, Lord Choi Si-Wan's reaction was unreadable. He returned disheartened.
The fact that Lee Seung's family, including his wife, had moved to Ganghwa uplifted his spirits. Perhaps his message had not gone to waste.
Things were looking up after all.
His eyes and ears on the ground sharpened, and he reserved the best for last.
When he shared the news, his Master's ordinarily stoic face betrayed a slight ripple of excitement.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"Can you verify it?"
"I have it on proven sources that she was brought back from the temple. I have dispatched my men there to find out more."
The Master's gaze pierced the night, his stoic posture revealing nothing.
"Isn't it intriguing, Master?" Ka Min Kyu's bony hands moved nervously, rubbing together under his long sleeves. "What could have led someone as astute as Kim Minjae or Kim Seo Jun to commit such a rookie mistake of harbouring a runaway slave?"
A few distant lights flickered in the dark valley below. "The details are not important. What's significant is that it could be our windfall. This could potentially make the removal of Lee Seung and Captain Park from the equation a breeze. Even Grand Prince Bongrim would be powerless against this." The Master's eyes met Ka's, filled with contemplation. "You've done well, Inspector Ka."
Ka Min Kyu felt an arousing shaft of pleasure run through him. A compliment from the Master himself! Perhaps it was time to reward his informant after all. And maybe allow himself to derive some carnal pleasure out of it as well.
"But I have heard there are items on this island that, if discovered, will directly lead to us," the Master said in a deathly quiet voice. "We are not the only ones making gains. They know there is a leak in Ganghwa. Our conduits in Hanyang are in grave danger of being exposed."
A chilling fear sliced through him as the Master stared at him, eyes betraying nothing but intensifying his terror. "You still do not understand, do you, Ka Min Kyu? The Joseons preach about their love for their country, but their patriotism is deadly because it does not care for the actual outcome in pursuit of the righteous path," the Master bit out each word slowly as if speaking to a child. "But they do not know how insane the barbarians are, who will stop at nothing to eke out a win, no matter how the odds are stacked against them. They sniff and smoke out their enemies and tear them apart piece by piece. Is that where you want to be, you moron?"
Ka Min Kyu swallowed his pride to keep his head intact on his shoulders and fell to his knees to ask for forgiveness and ensure the Master no such thing would ever be found on the island.
He knew how to secure his interests well. Ka Min Kyu looked at the woman cowering before him. "There should be no mistake. Understand?"
The woman nodded, gingerly holding the white porcelain jar adorned with a plum and bamboo design.
Ka Min Kyu wasn't leaving anything to chance. He needed to eliminate competition, and Lee Seung had outlived his welcome on the island.