[Chapter 37]
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
"…Well, see you later."
The Jegal siblings bowed their heads and turned their backs.
Namgung Hyun's face was stiff as he watched them. He saw the cold look in Jegal Ayeon's eyes as she looked at him.
'Damn it.'
It was all because of Yeon Hojeong. If he hadn't been humiliated in front of Yeon Hojeong, Jegal Ayeon wouldn't have looked at him like that.
This meeting was a meeting that left only wounds in many ways. The wounds were so deep that they made him lose his reason.
He recalled Jegal Ayeon's eyes and clenched his teeth.
'I wanted to kill him with my own hands.'
He was disappointed, but he was also somewhat satisfied.
The poison of the Dang family was beyond imagination. There were poisons that killed before you even realized, poisons that paralyzed the body, poisons that only gave pain, and poisons that caused disabilities.
Namgung Hyun had seen Yeon Hojeong's skills.
He was angry, but he had to admit that Yeon Hojeong's martial arts were impressive. It was not easy for him to overwhelm Chuseong like that.
'That bastard! He must have had some trick.'
Chuseong's movements in the first three seconds were too clumsy. He must have been caught off guard by the unexpected skill of his opponent and made a mistake.
He would ask him when he woke up. Why he was so careless.
'Come to think of it, it was a surprise attack then too.'
Yeon Hojeong didn't win against Dangyangseon in a normal way either.
He listed them one by one and realized how despicable he was. People only saw the results, not the process. That's why they thought Yeon Hojeong was amazing.
"Trashy kid. How dare you with such mediocre skills…"
People tend to see what they want to see in extreme situations.
He was the first to be wounded in his pride in his life. He couldn't use his smart brain properly.
"Where is Myeong hyung?"
"He left first."
"Without saying goodbye?"
Namgung Hyun frowned.
'These guys.'
He didn't like it. He didn't like anything.
"Is the cleanup done?"
"Not yet. It should be done soon."
Namgung Hyun shouted.
"Isn't the sun going to set soon? Hurry up and finish it!"
"Yes, yes!"
The servants moved busily.
He finished his work in two hours and left the garden.
It took a long time to get from Habee to Huangshan, where Namgung Sega was located.
People often wondered why Namgung Sega, the power of Anhui, was based in Huangshan, not in Habee, the capital.
But that was a question based on hindsight. When Namgung's ancestors first settled, Namgung Sega's power was not as big as it is now.
Of course, it was different now. Namgung Sega's eyes were everywhere in Anhui, and Habee, the capital, was needless to say.
"We brought the carriage in advance. Please get in."
Even when Namgung's disciples moved within Anhui, they were provided with the best carriages and boats. It was because everyone who worked in Anhui looked at Namgung's face.
This was a privilege that was no different from the royal family of a small country.
He crossed the river in five days and entered Huangshan, the territory of Namgung Sega.
'What is this?'
Namgung Hyun felt a strange sense of alienation as he walked along the road.
Many people were glancing at him.
It was not surprising. The escort warriors were holding several huge flags with the word 'Namgung' on them.
He always received a lot of attention, but today was different. They were whispering something as they glanced at him, and their expressions were not friendly.
Namgung Hyun's face twisted. He was in a bad mood.
He arrived at Namgung Sega.
"Hyun?"
"Ah, uncle."
Namgung Dae-san, the head of the outer branch of Namgung Sega, approached him with an urgent look.
Namgung Hyun felt more and more uneasy.
"What's wrong?"
Namgung Dae-san asked bluntly.
"You, what the hell did you do?"
"Excuse me?"
Namgung Dae-san hit his chest as if he was frustrated.
"You told the eldest son of Sacheondangmun to kill the eldest son of Yeonga with a scheme of borrowing a knife to kill someone!"
Namgung Hyun's face turned pale.
Was he too surprised? Namgung Hyun opened his mouth without knowing.
"How, how did you…?!"
Namgung Dae-san's eyes deepened.
"You…? It was true."
Namgung Hyun closed his mouth as he realized his mistake.
But it was too late. The people who had to hear it had already heard it. No, even if Namgung Hyun denied it, the incident had already happened.
"The rumor has spread beyond Anhui to other regions. It's not a simple rumor, the source is clear and the witnesses are certain."
"That's ridiculous!"
"Come to the main hall!"
Swish. Swish.
The brush strokes across the paper were careful but relentless.
Namgung In's hand that painted the orchid had a craftsman's spirit. He calculated the perfect degree of ink and painted the orchid with a skill that was already at the peak.
Namgung Hyun felt his mouth burning.
His father had been painting orchids for an hour. He didn't like something, and more than twenty sheets of paper fell to the floor.
"Hmm, this is finally acceptable."
Namgung In's face showed a satisfied light as he gently shook the paper.
He dried the ink with the wind, and finally opened his mouth.
"Is it true?"
He asked bluntly after an hour.
Namgung Hyun swallowed his saliva. He felt the faint anger in his father's calm tone.
He had seen his father's face like this often. But he didn't know he would be the target.
It was the first time he felt his father's anger. Namgung Hyun felt himself shrinking.
"Yes."
There was no point in lying. No, it was not a situation to lie about.
Namgung In's eyes deepened.
He looked disappointed.
"I didn't send you to the late Jisu meeting because there was no one in the main house. Even if you weren't the first, there were many more talented kids than you."
It was a heartbreaking word. Namgung Hyun's face turned pale.
"But I sent you. Because you wanted it. Of course, because I recognized you too."
"…"
"It's hard to be recognized by people. But disappointment is momentary. You know that too."
Namgung In finally turned his eyes to his son.
"I was impressed by your intention to resolve the issue with Yeonga. I knew you wouldn't be reckless. But I didn't know you would draw a sword."
"…"
"People praise you for using people well, but if you use them badly, it becomes collusion. Even if you're not a master, I thought you had the ability to erase at least three letters of my name, but was I wrong?"
Drip.
Blood dripped from Namgung Hyun's lips. He bit his lips without knowing.
Namgung In's eyes shone sharply.
"I trust my eyes. I don't think you, my bloodline, would make such a ridiculous mistake. Then why did this happen?"
"…"
"There are three possible reasons. Either something happened that disturbed your composure, or the boy Yeon Hojeong's scheme overwhelmed you."
"…!"
"Or, both."
Namgung Hyun's eyes were bloodshot.
He didn't want to admit that Yeon Hojeong was better than him, even if it was a scheme.
Namgung In saw his son's trembling. He felt a faint pity in his eyes, which were full of anger and disappointment.
"Is it because of the eldest daughter of Jegalga?"
Namgung Hyun was startled and looked at his father.
Namgung In said.
"I wondered what happened, so I heard the details of what happened there."
"…"
"Do you like the eldest daughter of Jegalga that much?"
"I, I…"
"…I see."
Namgung In's eyes showed a stern look.
"A man should be most careful of women. I told you to be wary and wary all your life, but you made this mess by not controlling your heart."
"…I'm sorry."
Namgung In bit his tongue.
"I sent a marriage proposal to Jegalga."
"What?!"
"Although you are not the eldest son, you are not a child who hears that you are lacking anywhere. Jegalga is also going to have his eldest son inherit the family, so he should be able to accept his daughter."
"Ah, father."
Namgung Hyun felt a surge of emotion.
He scolded him harshly, but he sent a marriage proposal for his son. That meant his father was looking out for him.
"I am a lord before your father. I will close my eyes to this mistake, considering what you have contributed to the family."
"Thank you."
"Don't expect too much. The eldest daughter of Jegalga is nothing but a whetstone to sharpen you. She is not my daughter-in-law, but your wife."
It was a cold word. He said very calmly that he would not accept his son's wife as his daughter-in-law.
But Namgung Hyun was satisfied with that.
He looked at his son's face, which was flushed. Namgung In bit his tongue again.
"Go back now."
Namgung Hyun lifted his head.
He saw a part of his father's heart. He had regained his composure. Unlike his flushed expression, his eyes had regained their previous coldness.
Namgung In nodded inwardly. He wanted to see that look.
"Then, how are you going to deal with this matter?"
"Why? Do you want to take care of it yourself?"
"…"
"Stay out of this matter. There is nothing more disgraceful than clinging to a failed matter."
"But father."
"Also."
Namgung In's face became indifferent.
"I heard that the boy Yeon Hojeong is excellent in both literary and martial arts. Just listening to my daily affairs, he is not someone you can handle."
Namgung Hyun's cheeks trembled. His wounded pride flinched again.
But he quickly corrected his expression. It was in front of his father, not anyone else. He couldn't show a more pathetic appearance.
Namgung In's face finally showed a satisfied light.
"Seeing the opponent correctly is the beginning of development. You have just taken a step."
"I lost once. But I have confidence that I won't lose twice."
"I know. But stay out of this matter. For a while, polish your body and mind."
He was grateful that he said so much.
Namgung Hyun bowed.
"I understand. Then, I will go in."
"You've worked hard on a long journey. Rest well today."
He sent his son away and leaned back in his chair.
"It can't be helped that he's young and hot-blooded."
He seemed to have no brother like his eldest son. The eldest son didn't act like that at that age.
Not only that. The eldest son was talented in both his temperament and martial arts. He realized the realm that he had realized in his thirties when he was not even twenty. There was no need to talk about his talent.
Maybe when the eldest son came out of his seclusion, the world would be surprised.
Namgung In opened his mouth.
"Cheon General."
Soon after, a middle-aged man with a sturdy physique entered the lord's room.
"Did you call me, my lord?"
Namgung In looked out the window.
The deep sunset was unusually beautiful.
"The pot is hot enough."
"…"
"Let everyone know what Sanghwa did."
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"We have to stitch it up even if it looks fierce. I saw it a while ago, and my son is better than a young girl who is reckless."
"…I understand."
Namgung In's eyes were dyed red by the sunset.
"Byeoksan Yeonga… I thought they were just a family with outstanding martial arts, but the lord and his son are not ordinary."