Walking down the hallway of the Peony Pavilion I felt refreshed.
I had two papers in my hands, detailing what the two women had done to me, written by their own hands.
This wasn’t enough so I even made sure they used their seals.
-I feel like you are becoming crazier and crazier like that old man?
Muttered Short Sword.
This was the right level of evil.
Could I ever believe that vicious woman just because she knelt down? She could always go out and say that I had threatened her to write it down.
Well, if they were prepared to die, they could still do that even now.
-I don’t think so.
‘You don’t you think so?’
Unexpectedly the Madame and her escort were supposed friends and their attachment to each other was surely strong enough that they would hide information for the sake of the other.
If this wasn’t true, the escort would be sacrificed so Madame could flip the stone saying that the escort was innocent, and that wouldn’t work well for me.
So, I told them that if either of them cheated they wouldn’t be given an antidote for the poison they had taken, and if one of them cheated the escort would die for sure.
-When I see things like this I feel like people are rather… surprising? Should I say more emotional than I thought? I don’t think they are acting very rationally.
-This is why humans are imperfect beings…
-Right, my former master had said that once
-Hm, right.
Iron Sword and Short Sword were right.
If humans acted completely rationally then there would be no conflicts. But humans were more emotional than rational, and so they would always be considered imperfect.
Of course, that applies to me too. There was a peaceful way, where they both were forgiven, yet I had not taken that path.
Because seeing them suffer made me feel good.
Is this called true revenge?
‘Biting people like that is toxic.’
Coming down I laughed at how foolish those women were.
Because of their pride, she kept all the low-level people away from the pavilion except for her escort.
Now no one would know what had happened inside that room. And I walked out with calmness when I felt the servants notice me.
-Hehe. They are all still here. Are you going to wait until the banquet?
I was going to do that, but I changed my mind. After all, they touched me first so why do I need to wait?
-Then what will you do?
Everyone in the family was probably using their heads to the max trying to figure out a solution to who could represent them. Had it not been for the guests who had come, the head of the family would have already summoned an emergency meeting.
No, everyone would have already come up with a solution too.
‘This is good.’
-Uh?
At this point, I need to make my move. So I headed to the hall.
Sima Young and Cho Seong-won were following me as we headed to the inner hall of the manor.
In the inner hall, there was a place for the heads to gather for meetings.
[They are right behind.]
Sima Young told me.
When we suddenly moved out, the warriors, escorts, and servants quickly followed us. They asked us for a reason but we didn’t bother responding.
[Leave them alone.]
No matter where we went in the manor we were already being watched.
Whisper!
In the garden of the inner hall, there were aides waiting for the head to arrive.
There were just eight people but all eight of them belonged to the Ikyang So family. This meant that they were also waiting for the meeting inside to adjourn.
Those who recognized me continued to stare.
As I approached ignoring them, the eight aides stopped me.
“Please stop, Young Master.”
“Why are you blocking my path?”
I actually know the reason.
I could not be let in because the discussion inside was about who could represent the family in the tournament, other than me of course.
But they looked a bit shocked as I questioned. In the past, they would have told me to get out but now they could not.
And one of them told me,
“Right now, there is a meeting over a family-related issue, so no one can…”
“Who do you mean?”
Hearing my question, the man went silent. The head of the family should be there. One of the two step-siblings I had was the only one who could say such things.
“If the head of the family said it, then fine.”
“Ah… Young Master.”
“I will keep it down.”
At the sound of me stepping forward, they eventually moved to the side. Their attitude showed that they were helpless.
If it was before like in the past, I would have been kicked out right then but now they were backing down.
Well, I climbed onto the inner hall’s floor and headed to the meeting room.
Thud!
When the door opened, I could see eight people sitting at the long table and they all looked at me as I bowed.
“Long time no see, Elders.”
At my greetings, they all had the same expression on the outside–a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
No one thought I would come here.
“Despite being family, no one will greet me.”
At my words, the five who were sitting at the lowest seats hurriedly bowed to me, and I to them.
“Head of the shrine, Mak San-yong greets the third young master.”
Even in the midst of this, the three sitting at the top didn’t even bother greeting me.
They were the head of the troops, Ha Jang-gyun; the head of the first hall, Jin Ki-hyung; and the head of the second hall, Yang Mun-seok.
Ha Jang-gyun didn’t bow to anyone other than the lord. It was understandable since he was second in command, only following the head’s orders.
On the other hand, Jin Ki-hyung and Yag Mun-seok who came from the same Jo family as the madame, were people who lived chaste lives and believed deeply in it.
Ha Jang-gyun who was sitting at the top said,
“You should have been blocked, told that we were having a meeting here, how did you manage to get in?”
“You are talking as if I came into a place I shouldn’t have.”
“Only the lord and the heads of halls can come here apart from the successor. You couldn’t have not known that.”
As expected of the head of troops.
He spoke everything not caring whose disciple I was. As the oldest vassal of this family, he was someone who had amazing confidence in his every move.
“You are right. No matter how much you get called young master this is a rude move. If you have something to say, take it up at a separate time.”
Yang Mun-seok added in. They were desperate to get me out.
Seeing him brought back bad memories, real bad ones.
“Head Yang Mun-seok.”
“Uh?”
“It has been a while so I am not used to these actions. Can you not yell and scream and tell me to leave as you did before?”
“… what do you mean? I don’t remember doing that.”
Right. No perpetrator remembers it.
“Ahh. Then I will have to remind you. At that time didn’t you personally kick me out of my home?”
I still remember it clearly.
He personally brought the warriors of the family and forcibly pushed me out.
Even at the time, I was thrown out of the family so does this mean I am not a member of this family?
“What did you say to me at that time? Ah, right. Don’t ever think about coming around the home you scumbag…?”
Yang Mun-seok’s face went stiff. How could I remember that? That was what he seemed to be thinking.
I smiled and said,
“It isn’t easy getting used to being called a young master. Call me the same as you did back then.”
Some of the heads frowned at this.
They were the ones who didn’t cross a fine line with me. And Yang Mun-seok’s eyes turned bitter.
He wouldn’t have expected that I would bring up such old things at such a place.
“Phew.”
At that time, Yang Mun-seok said,
“Ahh. Did I do that? After overcoming a lot I often forget about things that happened a year back, it is probably because I am getting old. If it is because of that, if the young master feels uncomfortable, I will make sure to apologize for it.”
-This man, I am so annoyed!
Right.
He was always like this.
He is someone who came from the Jo family and he was never fond of me, so he used everything he could to cause pain to my mother and my siblings.
But now he seemed to think I was the same as in the past.
I smiled and said,
“Ahh. I see. But is this fine?”
“Uh? What is?”
“If you cannot remember what happened a year back then it seems like it would be difficult for you to do your duties in the family. Shouldn’t you step down?”
Yang Mun-seok’s eyes twitched at this.
He didn’t think he would get pushed by me. And how dare he try to sneak away instead of taking responsibility for what he did?
“A joke. A joke.”
I smiled waving my hand and his displeased expression turned a bit relaxed.
At that time, he spoke as if his true colors were going to show.
“However, one of the heads of halls and a vassal to the family is trying to get away for the rude words he said to the third son of the lord with an apology?”
“What do you…”
“Apologize by being polite first.”
With those words, I began to release my qi.
When one reaches a certain point they could give a sense of intimidation by the pressure they exuded naturally when they released their qi.
Yang Mun-seok’s face turned pale.
“Kuak.”
Will he keep his pride?
At that time, Jin Ki-hyun got up.
“What do you want to do now? Does the disciple of the famous Southern Heavenly Swordsman want to take revenge for the past things?”
He was using the name of my teacher to make me stop. And Yang Mun-seok mouthed his thanks.
Sima Young who was behind me said,
“Since when is it an act of personal revenge to point out the rudeness and mistakes of a vassal of a family? The hierarchy of this family is seriously messed up.”
At first glance, it seemed like she said it for me, but it was a voice she wanted everyone to know.
And what she said was right, and this made Jin Ki-hyung angry,
“How dare someone not of this family enter into the family affairs? How could Young Master bring in such a person into an important place where the matters of family are…”
Flinch!
He suddenly stopped what he was saying at the energy which rose from Sima Young. Her eyes screamed, ‘I will kill you.’
‘Ah.’
Just as expected.
She was already asking for my permission to kill them and I shook my head.
Even now, she looked annoyed at my decision.
-Oh, they kicked a beehive.
Short Sword seemed to be very excited.
To some extent, I could understand her being angry for my sake, but she could not act how she wanted here.
So I pretended to stop her,
“Sajae. Calm down.”
“Sajae?”
Jin Ki-hyung looked shocked.
If she was a sajae, then she had to be a disciple of that great man too. it felt all too flustering for him.
“It seems like the head of a hall was displeased with me bringing in my sajae.”
Jin Ki-hyung’s expression changed at my words. Should we call it an attitude change?
“What are you saying, Young Master? You can bring them. Not knowing how valuable guests they were, I acted rudely. Please forgive me with a generous heart.”
-Oh. He is fast.
Short Sword continued to hate everyone in my family and it seemed like Iron Sword joined in the lampooning.
-It is just because they are scared.
At that time, Ha Jang-gyun said,
“I think the meeting should be held when the Lord arrives. We can leave now and come back later..”
They tried to leave in hurry but would I let them?
I gave the order without even looking back,
“Close the door.”
“Yes!”
Cho Seong-won was the first to go and close it. Then they stayed near the door like a gatekeeper.
At this, the face of the hall heads looked shocked.
‘…?!’
Head of troops, Ha Jang-gyun said,
“What do you think you are doing?”
The room was filled with tension, this was nice. Since the door was blocked they were feeling scared.
“If we don’t do this, it will seem like we were unable to have a proper conversation.”
“There seem to be other intentions from Young Master.”
Shh!
The man put his hand around the waist where his sword was. Maybe they noticed it, the others too were ready.
The air turned heavy and it was then,
“I have a good suggestion.”
“Suggestion?”
They all frowned at my sudden words and I spoke to their puzzled faces with a smile.
“I will give you a chance to change sides.”
