Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 18: Unrecorded Legacy (3)

‘How should I explain this?’

What Haejin saw by using the magic was a general writing something while drinking tea between the desperate battles.

He was writing using Chinese letters, but Haejin could read that. However, he was writing something important.

I still have twelve ships. If I fight to the death, I can stop them…

All the Koreans knew this story.

(In the late 16 th century, Japan was invading Korea to then conquer China next. The line above was part of a letter that General Lee Sunsin wrote to the king. Lee Sunsin was a great navy general who won 23 times out of 23 battles against Japan. After six years of war, the Korean (the then Joseon) navy had only 13 ships remaining. The Japanese army, instead, was coming with 133 battleships. Lee Sunsin thought that he could still win the fight and wrote a letter to the king to persuade him. He actually ended up winning while destroying most of the 133 Japanese ships. He is thought to be one of the greatest heroes in Korea.)

Surprisingly, the teacup used to belong to General Lee Sunsin.

The magic ended after a fierce battle and the general’s death.

(Lee Sunsin attacked the Japanese when they were retreating because he couldn’t let them go peacefully after 7 years of invasion. He was shot during the battle and died. He last words were ‘Don’t announce my death’ lest it discourages his soldiers.)

Haejin’s mana wasn’t enough to see what happened next, but what he saw was enough to be sure that the teacup was Lee Sunsin’s.

The problem was that he had no way to prove it. If there was a record about the teacup, he would tell some lies and use the record as proof but, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t think of a good thing say. Of course, he couldn’t let this precious legacy go back to Japan either.

“Hmm… I’m just advising you as an appraiser. The owner of the teacup should decide. However, personally, I think you shouldn’t sell it.”

“But why?”

“I… it is hard to explain.”

Haejin smiled. He could neither do this nor that… Hyoyeon got angry and started yelling.

“So, tell us the reason! I am getting impatient!”

Haejin suddenly wondered. How did the Japanese know about the value of the teacup? Unless they could use magic like himself, they must have some records about it.

“Do you have to make the decision now?”

Eunhae seemed to realize that there was something complicated.

“No, I don’t have to decide now. When it comes to artifacts so expensive, making the decision right after an appraisal would be a rather rare case.”

“Then, please give me some time.”

“How much?”

“Three days would be enough and the talkative lady over there, tell your father I will give him the results in three days. Tell him not to worry, as I won’t ask for the fee if I fail.”

“You keep calling me talkative, but I am usually quiet. We also don’t care about that fee…”

Haejin couldn’t stand her thrilling voice. He just stood up.

“Oh, and I need to ask you a favor. Please find out who is that Japanese who wants the teacup and who Sojin’s young attendant is. You can do that, right?”

Eunhae hesitated and looked at Hyoyeon, who shrugged and glared back.

“What? Are you asking me?”

“She isn’t asking you. I am. Tell me that and I will see you after three days. Don’t tell me that you can’t find this out?”

“Huh… you are ignoring…”

Haejin cut her short again.

“I am asking because I know what Hwajin can do. Text me as soon as you find that out. Then I will see you in three days. Byeongguk, let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. Let’s go.”

They came out. Haejin then lightly bowed to Sojin who was waiting there. Next, they left the gallery and went back to Haejin’s home. Surprisingly, Haejin received the text about that Japanese before he even arrived at his home.

“Mizno Toru. 56 years old. President of the Maisaru Electronics.”

“The owner of the celadon?”

Byeongguk came with him without checking out from the hotel. Sujeong was coming in a few days and as the airport was nearby, he had no reason to go away.

“Yes. I think I must go to Japan.”

“What? You are actually going? What will you do there?”

“I should go and encounter them.”

Although Haejin has asked for three days’ time, he didn’t have any plan. If he couldn’t figure out what to do, he was going to meet that Japanese and use magic to make them tell the truth.

If he could find out how the Japanese knew about the true identity of the teacup, things would be easier. However, he couldn’t figure out everything from the teacup’s memory. It was a difficult situation. But…

“That man is hard to meet.”

Byongguk gave an unexpected help.

“What? You know him?”

“Yes, he is quite famous. His grandfather was the right-hand man of Terauchi Masatake, the first Japanese governor to rule Korea during the Japanese colonial era. You’ve heard of him?”

“Oh… I know him. He made business by digging Korean tombs and took an enormous number of artifacts.”

Japan was more interested in collecting artifacts than Korea. Of course, they tended to rob graves for that purpose, so during the Japanese colonial era when Japan illegally colonized Korea, they didn’t leave the countless tombs alone.

Among the many who stole Korean artifacts, the most popular was Terauchi Masatake.

He took about ten thousand Korean artifacts and kept them. He donated them to his old school before he died, so he is considered a good man in Japan. However, to Koreans, he deserves to be trashed till death.

“I guess you heard about him from your father. Well, he did hate the Japanese. Anyway, Mizno Toru also inherited lots of artifacts from his grandfather and now owns a large art museum.”

“How do you know him so well?”

Byeoungguk smiled bitterly.

“Hhhh… he is one of my clients. He buys all precious artifacts; Korean, Japanese, Chinese and even Thai. He pays well, so the few grave robbers like me cannot survive without knowing him.”

“I hope you didn’t sell Korean artifact?”

Haejin playfully teased him. Byeongguk leaped up.

“I don’t do such things! If I did, your father wouldn’t have worked with me!”

“Haha, I was just joking. Anyway, you said meeting him is not easy?”

“Yes. I have sold him items more than once, but I never got to meet him. A different man dealt with me and bought the things instead.”

“Hmm… that’s a problem.”

“But please, tell me what this is all about. I am so curious. That Blue Flower White Porcelain didn’t seem that valuable. Why did you disagree to the trade?”

Haejin didn’t know what to say. Then, he got another message.

“It’s from Hwajin. That female attendant is Kitagawa Momoko. Her age is unknown, but she certainly does not work at Yang Sojin’s gallery. I think she works for Mizno Toru.”

“Finding out who she is took longer than finding out Mizno Toru. I guess she is not well-known.”

“Byeongguk, will you go back to Hanbit Gallery with me tomorrow? I cannot tell you today why I stopped the trade. I will tell you this tomorrow after checking something.”

Byeongguk picked up his jacket and stood up.

“Okay. I should go back to the hotel and get some rest. Tomorrow morning, right?”

“Yes. I will meet you in front of the Hanbit Gallery at around 10 o’clock.”

Although the aftereffects were getting smaller, Haejin was not okay. After Byeongguk left, he ate something and went to sleep.

The next day, he met Byeongguk in front of the gallery. He was smiling when he greeted Haejin.

There was a reason for that.

“Sujeong is on the plane now, hhh…”

“Already? I thought she was coming a few days later.”

“I told her I am working with you, so she said she will come sooner. She is coming early for you, so finish this task as soon as possible.”

“It depends on the situation. Then, will she go to Busan with you?”

“I don’t know. She has nothing to do in Busan, I don’t know what will happen. Anyway, let’s go in.”

Byeongguk kept smiling as he was about to see his daughter after a long time. They went in and asked an employee to tell the director.

A while later, Sojin came into the exhibition room. Just like yesterday, Momoko was with her.

“I thought you finished appraising yesterday.”

“No. I came back because I need to examine the celadon again. As it is the Vice Chairman’s business, there cannot be any mistake.”

It made sense. Sojin nodded and took them to the celadon. On the way, Haejin saying that he was thirsty, he took a cup of water. When they arrived, they could see the celadon that caught the people’s attention, just like yesterday.

“How long will it take?”

Haejin was thinking of a way to get rid of Sojin, but she showed it first that she was in a hurry. She was probably busy because of the upcoming exhibition.

“It will take long. Why don’t you take care of your business and then come back? This lady here can keep watch on me.”

Haejin pointed at Momoko. Sojin nodded and told her something in Japanese. She looked like she was asking Momoko to stay there and keep an eye on Haejin.

Sojin glanced at the security camera on her way out as if telling Haejin to not try anything stupid.

“But why are you taking another look at it?”

Byeongguk whispered after Sojin left.

“You speak Japanese, right? Translate for me.”

“Translate? Okay.”

Then, Haejin pretended to examine the celadon and used the magic. The mana left his chest and the aftereffect arrived. It was bearable for now.

“Ask her how she found out the true identity of the teacup.”

Byeongguk’s face said, ‘why?’. It wasn’t like she would tell them the answer and he also couldn’t understand what the ‘true identity of the teacup’ meant. However, as Haejin insisted, he looked at Mimiko and kindly asked in Japanese.

“How did you know the true identity of the teacup in Saeyeon Gallery?”

Mimiko was startled. She then waved her hands and said something. She was probably trying to say she didn’t know what he was talking about but, this time, it was Byeongguk who was startled.

“What? She said it is written on the treasure of the Terauchi family! Isn’t that a secret? Why did she tell us that?”

Mimiko had confessed the truth. She turned red and didn’t know what to do. Byeongguk was as surprised as her. He pointed at Mimiko and looked at Haejin. He was asking what was going on.

“Then, please ask her what was written about the teacup.”

“Huh? Uh, okay. Khmm… fine.”

Momoko was desperately trying to think of a way to solve the situation. She seemed to think of a way to explain this when Byeongguk asked another question, she stammered and told the truth again. She then panicked and sat down.

“Huh? What’s wrong with her? Why is she confessing everything?”

“What did she say?”

“She said a Japanese stole it from Lee Sunsin’s descendant about a century ago, but it went missing in 1985… after that, the Terauchi family wrote about it in details in order to find it! What? That teacup is General Lee Sunsin’s?” Byeongguk yelled.

It made Momoko come to her senses. She got up and ran away. There was nothing more to find out there.

“Let’s leave. I will explain later.”

“O-okay. But why did she talk and was shocked? Shouldn’t I be more shocked?”

“Oh, let’s go out and then talk. Hurry.”

Haejin took the dumbfounded Byeongguk and quickly left the gallery. His heart pounded as if he had stolen an artifact from the exhibition.