[Chapter 42]
The lieutenant entered the lord's office and started his work right away.
But he couldn't focus on the documents. He couldn't forget what his son had said a while ago.
'My heart is always here, even if my intentions are different.'
The lieutenant's eyes deepened.
His intentions were different, meaning that his son truly had his eyes on the world.
'How hard it is, my wife.'
He thought of his wife, who had died shortly after giving birth to Jipyung.
'I wanted to raise our two sons well, so that you wouldn't be ashamed of me. But I was too harsh on them, using the excuse of being the head of a clan.'
The lieutenant vividly remembered. His younger self, scolding Hojeong harshly in his childhood.
He realized then, when he saw his eldest son becoming more and more pale, that there was something wrong with his way.
So he never scolded his second son. He was quiet and feared him, but Jipyung still grew up well and kind.
But Hojeong was different.
Hojeong, who was jealous of his brother's talent, went astray. He abandoned his martial arts training and started to wander around the brothels.
The lieutenant couldn't bring himself to rebuke his son. He was the one who raised him like that. He should have taught him that martial arts wasn't everything, but he made his son's eyes narrow.
As time passed, the lieutenant realized something else.
He should have caught him when he started to go astray. In other words, he scolded him when he should have comforted him, and he stood by when he should have held him.
I am a failure.
The lieutenant sincerely thought that. That's why he always avoided seeing his eldest son.
'But my wife. That Hojeong is now growing up like a man. He grew up to this point by himself, without anyone's help.'
When his son changed, the lieutenant couldn't help but feel happy. He had done nothing for him, but his son seemed to have realized something suddenly.
He was a bit radical, but the lieutenant lived every day with a pounding heart, seeing his son's splendid growth.
But that son, who grew up so splendidly, didn't want to be the lord of the clan.
'I guess it makes sense, when I think about it.'
The lieutenant felt bitter.
'Who can I blame? It's all my fault. If I had shown him a responsible attitude, Hojeong wouldn't have turned his back on the clan.'
It was already over. The lieutenant knew he couldn't change his son's mind.
The lieutenant looked out the window.
He saw his son's back, heading to his residence. He looked very dignified.
'…Well, I'm glad that his heart is still here.'
That was enough. Even though he grew up under a poor father, he kept his heart in the clan. The lieutenant thought he should be grateful for that.
He stared out the window for a long time.
"Lord. It's the steward."
"Come in."
The door opened and Taegyeong came in.
"Oh, it's still cold today."
"It is."
"How did it go, with the crown prince and the martial arts?"
The lieutenant didn't say anything.
Taegyeong felt awkward and took out a letter from his bosom.
"Here, I brought what you asked for before."
"Give it to me."
The lieutenant opened the letter and his eyes deepened.
"They are really persistent."
"Are you saying that the Moyong clan hasn't given up yet?"
The lieutenant looked at Taegyeong.
Taegyeong was quick-witted. He was a bit frivolous, but he occasionally showed wisdom and fast work as the steward of the clan.
The lieutenant had a sudden thought and asked him.
"What do you think?"
"About the Moyong clan?"
"That's right."
It was rare for the lord to ask for his opinion on such a big matter.
Taegyeong answered immediately.
"I think it would be good to join hands with them."
"Why?"
"Moyong clan is one of the seven great clans, along with our clan. If we cooperate with them and expand our business, we can accumulate more wealth."
"…"
"Ah, of course, I know that you don't have much interest in money, lord. You spend a fortune every year for the people who suffer from disasters, don't you?"
"If we have more wealth, we can save more lives?"
"That's right. Money is essential in this world."
Taegyeong's words had some merit.
The lieutenant pondered. His son's matter was his son's matter, and business was business. If he could contribute more to the people's safety, it wouldn't be bad to join hands with the Moyong clan.
But
"Are you worried that the Moyong clan might have ulterior motives?"
"The seven great clans are different from the nine factions. They walk the righteous path, but they also want to solidify their position as the power-seekers. Most of them are bloodthirsty for power."
"Hmm."
Taegyeong clapped his hands after a moment of thought.
"Ah! How about this idea?"
"?"
"Have you heard of the daughter of the current lord of the Moyong clan? She is excellent in both martial arts and wisdom, and she has a very gentle personality."
"Moyong Yeonhwa?"
"Did you know her?"
He knew the names of the children of the same seven great clans.
"But why her?"
"How about marrying her to the crown prince?"
The lieutenant's eyes sparkled.
"A marriage?"
"Yes. To be honest, it might seem too much to push for a marriage for one business, but no one knows the future. If this business is an opportunity for the two clans to work together, it might be more helpful for the people in the future, don't you think?"
The lieutenant shook his head.
"That's too much. I don't want to force a marriage for something like this."
It was common to arrange a marriage for the sake of cooperation between clans. But the lieutenant didn't want to do that.
"But lord, it might be a good thing for the crown prince too."
"For Hojeong?"
"Yes. The crown prince has changed a lot lately. But when you pass on the clan to him, he will need someone to help him by his side, won't he?"
"…"
"The daughter of the Moyong clan might be able to help him."
Taegyeong didn't know. Hojeong had no interest in being the lord.
The lieutenant, who was about to shake his head, thought of Hojeong.
'…He has his intentions on the world?'
Hojeong's change was drastic.
Of course, he didn't think that Hojeong would go back to the way he was before. But Hojeong was still nineteen. It was a hard age to know the world.
He didn't know what his son's dream was, but it wouldn't be bad to have someone who could support him by his side.
The lieutenant, who was deep in thought, nodded.
"I'll think about it."
"Since we're talking about it, the sooner the better."
"I know what you mean."
Taegyeong bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. I was out of line."
"I asked you. It's fine."
"Ah, yes."
"Go now."
"Yes, then."
Taegyeong left and the lieutenant fell into thought.
"A marriage?"
* * *
Hojeong lay down on the bed as soon as he entered his residence.
"Vice lord?"
He didn't expect his father to appoint him as the vice lord.
Hojeong let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.
'Human affairs are so hard to understand.'
Actually, he didn't want to be the vice lord in his previous life either. He only felt inferior when he heard that his brother would be the vice lord instead of him.
But now it was different.
He knew his limits. He could gather and train the rough black swordsmen, but leading the white clan was too much for him.
He thought his father would entrust the vice lordship to his brother. Especially since his changed appearance was so rough.
'You wanted to test your abilities as the lord, but you were frustrated as a father that your intentions were not tied to the clan.'
Hojeong closed his eyes.
'I'm sorry.'
His father probably thought that. Even though he was radical, he would someday walk the same path as him. Blood is thicker than water, as they say.
But he was wrong.
He was his father's blood, but his blood was tainted by the hellish life he had lived.
It was a misfortune for everyone that he became the lord of the clan.
'And, I have something to do.'
The monster who destroyed his clan.
The task ahead was too big and overwhelming. He was at his wit's end just trying to figure out and prepare for it.
And that's not all.
'I have to stop the three religions.'
He learned a lot from participating in the late Jisu reunion.
The world now does not flow like the history of the past. The reason was, he was moving differently from the past.
The three religions were the same. They could appear later than expected, or faster.
No, maybe they were already infiltrating the central plains.
'The three religions, especially the Evil Lust Sect, don't compromise. Their blind hatred was almost comparable to faith. To stop them, both black and white must unite.'
Hojeong scratched his head, lost in thought.
He felt like he had a rat in his head when he tried to think about the future. Of course, he had his own plan.
'After fifteen days, when the envoy arrives, it will start. Until then, I'll focus on myself as much as possible.'
Hojeong sighed.
He really needed to rest today.
The next morning.
Hojeong came out as the grand marshal and saw a strange sight.
"Is training a joke?"
"No, sir!"
"Then why don't you listen?"
"We're sorry!"
"I told you clearly. From meals to rest, everything is calculated thoroughly."
"…"
"Do you want to rebel?"
"No, sir!"
"Then what? Don't you trust me?"
"No, no, sir!"
A man was standing with his back bent, holding a whole platoon of the flying hawk squad.
Hojeong's eyes sparkled.
'The flying hawk squad leader?'
On the first day he came back to the past, he took back the rice balls from Jipyung, who had sneaked into Josadong, the flying hawk squad leader Kang Yoon.
Kang Yoon spoke in a cold voice.
"I'm stronger than you. I broke through the realm you're stepping on more than ten years ago. I know exactly how you should train."
"…"
"I made this schedule myself, so why don't you follow it? Don't you want to get stronger?"
"We're sorry!"
"Or did you want to run away? Or did you have too much sleep? Is your power surging?"
"No, sir!"
He crushed them completely.
Kang Yoon scolded his subordinates with vulgar words. But he didn't look very happy.
"Leaving the schedule that was calculated thoroughly. That itself is a serious breach of discipline. Are you ready?"
"…"
"Why aren't you answering? Are you deaf?"
"No, sir! We're sorry!"
Kang Yoon snorted.
"It's the platoon's responsibility. You will train the flying hawk sword technique until midnight today. No meals or rest. You have the stamina to train without sleeping, so this should be enough for you."
"…"
"Why aren't you answering? Don't you want to do it?"
"No, no, sir!"
"Start now. Bring the iron-hearted wooden swords."
The flying hawk squad members turned pale.
The iron-hearted wooden sword was a training sword that weighed more than ten geun. How could they swing it all day without rest?
"What are you doing! Move now!"
That's when it happened.
"Stop."
Kang Yoon turned around.
Hojeong was frowning.
"What is this, some third-rate thugs? You're doing too much."