Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Chapter 450

#450

Taejonbirok Volume 18, Episode 25

Chapter 102: The Lazy Runs In (5)

"Hey, you little beggar! Are you going to a beggar's hole because you have nowhere else to go? In all my years of begging, I've never seen a beggar as sleazy as you."

“That doesn’t sound like something a beggar should say.”

“That’s what a beggar says when he acts like one, you piece of shit!”

“What is the above?”

“A guy with a ton of money is acting like a beggar, so he’s acting like a beggar!”

“It’s not like you’ll wear out your mind just by going to see a beggar’s den once.”

Jang Il tried to calm his seething stomach.

'That rotten bastard.'

Of course, taking Wei Yanho to the Open Saints branch wasn't going to cause any major problems. The Open Saints branch is an open place, and no one is specifically prohibited from visiting.

Unless they are people who have committed a great sin and are running away.

So, it was a place that was wide open to Wi Yeon-ho as well, but the problem was that Jang Il had no intention of taking Wi Yeon-ho with him.

Who would want to hang out with someone who causes accidents wherever he goes and who brings about unintended trouble?

“Ugh.”

If only his lightness were lower, I could at least shake him off, but once Wei Yanhu had made up his mind, there was no way to shake him off. In the end, I'd have to drag this lump of a bastard along.

It was a very heartbreaking day to realize that fact.

“Your father is running around like crazy trying to solve this problem, and you’re allowed to go out and play?”

"Why are you doing this when you know? It's what I can't see that helps me."

“……I can’t refute that.”

It was clear that Wei Yanho had grasped the topic.

“But what is that lump?”

“……Don’t be ridiculous.”

Wi Yeon-ho shook his head. Jang Il tilted his head at the sight of Soryeo-gun clinging tightly to Wi Yeon-ho's side.

“That’s strange.”

"what?"

"Normally, children and animals are instinctively wary of bad guys. So, of course, they shouldn't try to stick around you, but this one seems a bit odd."

“How could a beggar know the pure heart of a child? It is the child’s privilege to recognize good people.”

“This is crazy.”

Jang-il shook his head and walked forward.

Although he said this, Jang Il's heart was not at ease.

Given the circumstances, I couldn't possibly feel at ease. I tried to explain to Wi Yeon-ho that it wasn't a big deal, but since I couldn't find any clues inside, I decided to search the outside, so I went to the open house.

“But where is the beggar’s cave here?”

"excuse me."

"excuse me?"

“You see it over there, over there.”

Wi Yeon-ho glared at the building Jang Il was pointing to.

“Over there?”

"huh."

“That looks like a decent estate?”

"that's right."

“Why is that right?”

Wi Yeon-ho glared and shouted at Jang Il.

"No! What are we supposed to do with beggars living in a place like that? Shouldn't beggars live in shacks or huddle under bridges or something? How can a beggar with a house be considered a beggar?"

“It’s not a house, it’s a publicly owned building.”

“Why does Open have a building!”

“That’s right.”

Jang-il lost his temper.

“Why! Can’t a beggar have a building?”

“How can you be a beggar when you have a building!”

"Don't you know the saying, "Many a little makes a mountain?" If a hundred thousand beggars in the Central Plains each beg for just a penny, how much money would they make? If we push through with force, there's nothing we can't do!"

“……These guys are like that!”

"No, it's not that. The truth is, the governor of Seongdo prohibited the construction of shacks within the castle walls. It's such an important place that beggars couldn't help but be active. And since building shacks outside the castle walls wouldn't work, they purchased buildings inside."

“You forbade us from building a hut? How could that be?”

"Cheon Iryeon's influence must have been there. Many people don't like it when beggars roam the castle grounds. It's a good excuse."

“It’s a tough world.”

“That’s right.”

Jang-il sighed.

Because the influence of the Cheon Il-ryeon is so strong in Seongdo, even the beggars are cautious in their activities. Even causing discord with Cheon Il-ryeon members would not benefit the political alliance.

Of course, Cheon Il-ryeon was also in a position where they had to tolerate the fact that Jeongmu Alliance informants were roaming around their front yard, so they would often try to humiliate the beggars by picking a fight with them.

They're beggars who endure that pain and work hard, so they deserve this kind of treatment. Of course, beggars being beggars, they weren't treated particularly well.

“I guess this is a beggar’s hole?”

From a distance, it looked like a perfectly fine building, but up close, its true nature became apparent. It still deserved the name "building," but if it were just a little more worn, it would be more aptly called a ruin or a deserted house.

“What did you expect? It was just openness.”

“You spoke so confidently!”

“Hey, Mr. Lee! Do you think it would be easy for us to just have a building this big?”

“You said that beggars only need to beg for a penny each?”

"How many mouths do those bastards have?! Do you think we're selling information to make money and live a life of luxury? There are so many beggars out there, begging just won't cut it! If beggars could just beg for food, who would work? We'd all be beggars!"

“That’s right.”

It was Wei Yanho who became solemn.

"Shut up! Follow me, Inma. You're wasting time."

Jang-il entered roughly. Perhaps because it was a beggar's den, the gate was wide open, and there was no one to be seen guarding it.

Well, to protect something, you have to have something to steal. What could there be to steal from a beggar's den?

“It’s not educationally good to show children things like this.”

“Then don’t come!”

“As long as it’s fun, that’s fine.”

Jang-il went inside, annoyed.

“You bastards! I’m here!”

“……In some ways, you might be the one who ignores beggars the most in the world.”

Jang-il walked inside, staggering, and opened the door to the pavilion.

“What, what is it?”

At that moment, Jang-il opened the door and looked around inside in confusion.

'What did I do wrong?'

There were no beggars to be seen inside the hall. It's not that there weren't people, but there were some people scurrying around on the mats spread on the floor, but they weren't beggars.

“Oh? A little beggar?”

“Are you here?”

But those humans were reacting like beggars.

“You, what’s wrong with your clothes?”

“Ugh, don’t be ridiculous.”

One of those sitting on the floor stood up and waved his hand.

“The governor has gone mad and now he tells me not to go around wearing rags.”

"what?"

“I told you not to go around like a beggar.”

“So, so?”

Jang-il looked around at everyone with blank eyes.

There's no such thing as a beggar's attire. Yet, people recognize a beggar at first sight. This is because their clothes are naturally worn, tattered, and filthy, often lacking a matching pair.

It was an unavoidable situation for beggars who had no clothes to change into, had to wear the same clothes all year round, and had to stop begging for the day after going to the stream once.

But the beggars inside were all dressed neatly. If it weren't for the mats spread on the floor, you'd think a feast was being held.

“No, but that’s true. If you guys keep acting like this, who would know you’re beggars?”

“Then what can I do? If I go around like a beggar, I’ll be kicked out of the castle.”

"……oh my god."

"Even the wooden tablets have to be changed once a day. If you show even the slightest hint of begging, you'll be kicked out."

Wi Yeon-ho, who had been observing the situation, groaned and spoke.

“So this is what they mean when they say it’s hard to make a living.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"But that governor is really strange. The truth is, beggars are the result of their own failure to properly administer justice. Even if they tried to do better, it wouldn't be enough, and now they're even persecuting them."

"It wasn't this bad at first. But it's gotten really bad lately. I think they're determined to drive out all the beggars from the city."

Gulp.

As soon as he finished speaking, a loud roar erupted from the beggar's stomach. It was so loud that I almost mistook it for thunder.

"ah……."

The beggar who had been talking collapsed on the floor, clutching his stomach.

“Oh, come to think of it… why are you so skinny? You seemed chubby when I saw you three years ago.”

“Can I beg like this?”

No way.

He was dressed so neatly that he looked perfectly normal, but he was lucky he didn't get beaten up while begging like this.

"Everyone's starving like it's nothing. In the past, people here were relatively kind, so begging for food wasn't so bad. But lately, people seem to have become increasingly harsh. Since I can't wear rags anymore, even begging for a grain of rice has become incredibly difficult."

"Then we should go out begging even harder! Why are we all gathered here?"

“It’s because I have no strength, because I have no strength.”

The beggar spoke in a whisper, as if he had no strength to get angry.

"There have been more than a few times where I've had to carry people who've gone out begging and never returned properly, only to find them lying on the road. Now, that's even harder, so I've told them not to go out unless absolutely necessary."

"omg."

Jang Il's face turned pale.

If a beggar doesn't go out begging, what can he eat?

“Is it not okay to ask the main office for support?”

Jang Il became angry at Wi Yeon-ho's words.

"Human! If we live off of stockpiling food to support ourselves, are we beggars? We are beggars!"

“But it’s still open.”

"I already made a request to the headquarters. But… the food we received last time has run out, so we're waiting for additional support. But Gaebong is so far away, so they can't come quickly. If we keep this up, we'll all starve to death."

Jang Il became a dumb person who had eaten honey.

“No, if something like this happens, we have to report it to headquarters immediately.”

“What did you hear! I told you! But you crazy bastards, it’s only natural for a beggar to starve, so what’s the fuss about! Oh my… I’m hungrier now that I’ve yelled. Little beggar, don’t you have a lump of stale rice hidden away somewhere?”

“…….”

Jang-il looked around at everyone with blank eyes.

Looking back, the only thing they were wearing was their clothes, but they were all emaciated. It's natural for a beggar to be skinny, but this wasn't the case. They were so dehydrated that it wouldn't be surprising if they collapsed and died at any moment. They didn't even seem to have the strength to sit up.

'Oh, no.'

If things continue like this, we'll all starve to death. For now…

Jang-il turned his head with bloodshot eyes.

"……why?"

Wi Yeon-ho, sensing the anxiety in Jang Il's gaze, slowly stepped back.

“Wei Yan Ho!”

"huh?"

At that moment, Jang Il flew like lightning and grabbed Wei Yanho's trouser leg and hung on.

“What does it mean to be a good friend? A friend!”

“Who is my friend!”

"Give me some money! You're rich! If this continues, these kids will all starve to death! If a beggar starves to death, he won't even be able to go to hell! The devils of hell will chase him away because he has nothing to eat! He'll become a vengeful spirit wandering the nine heavens!"

“Let go! Don’t let go!”

“Money! Give me money! Give me money! Wei Yan Hooooooooo!”

The ripple effect of the word money was enormous.

“What? Money?”

“Who has money?”

“Ha, give me a penny!”

The beggars, realizing that a beggar had rolled in on his own, rushed towards Wi Yeon-ho.

Wi Yeon-ho looked up at the sky with tearful eyes, seeing the demon-like figure.

“Ha, sir…….”

Why is it like this everywhere I go, why!

No luck.

No luck.