SERIES: Unrivaled Spear Demon
CHAPTER: 20
20 A Blood Debt (2)
Hojeong Gate Master Ho Yeon-am.
He was speaking with his wife, Sa Ji-won.
“The Namgung family has sent an invitation. It seems they're holding the grand banquet a little earlier this year.”
“The grand banquet? The one that gathers all the Orthodox Faction sects and families in Anhui? Why would they send the invitation to us?”
Sa Ji-won wore a puzzled expression.
And for good reason.
The Namgung family's invitations were only sent to the single most powerful sect or family in each county.
Until now, the representative for Goryeon County had always been the Jo family, so the Hojeong Gate had never once received an invitation from the Namgung family.
Ho Yeon-am said in a low voice.
“The Jo family is gone now. I suppose we are their replacement.”
“…They won't be looking at us kindly, I imagine.”
Sa Ji-won said, her voice laced with worry.
The Jo family was a distant collateral branch of the Namgung family.
The rumor that an elder of the Namgung family was backing the Jo family was also as good as fact.
With the Jo family having suffered annihilation overnight, the Hojeong Gate, which had taken its place by a stroke of luck, found itself in a rather awkward position.
Ho Yeon-am sighed.
“It's more than just unkind looks. They’ll be searching with fire in their eyes, wondering if we had anything to do with the Jo family's destruction.”
“But we're innocent.”
“Who knows. They might fabricate evidence to frame us. You know as well as I do, wife. In the martial world, only the logic of power prevails. The weak have no choice but to suffer, no matter how unjust things are.”
Ho Yeon-am was filled with self-reproach.
He knew all too well that this had all happened because he was weak.
Sa Ji-won took his hand.
“Don't worry too much. We're all part of the Orthodox Faction. Surely they wouldn't go that far.”
“The strong aren’t cruel to the weak by intention. To the strong, it is but a small, careless gesture, but to the weak, it is a typhoon. They say a frog can be killed by a stone thrown in jest, do they not? To me, the Namgung family seems just that large.”
“I think… the Namgung family is holding the banquet to calm the unsettled atmosphere in Anhui after the recent bloodshed. Besides the Hojeong Gate, all the other sects and families in the other counties received invitations too, didn't they? So nothing bad will happen. In fact, we might even be able to gain something by getting on their good side.”
Sa Ji-won's words had a point.
To say nothing of the Jo family, the Black Way Guild, though a sect belonging to the Unorthodox Faction, was also quite large in scale.
With these two organizations annihilated one after the other overnight, the Namgung family, as the hegemon of Anhui, would feel the need to firmly take control of the chaotic situation.
Sa Ji-won continued to soothe Ho Yeon-am.
“And have you heard the rumor?”
“What is it?”
“You know, the treasured daughter of the Namgung family who went to study at Deungcheon Academy. The one they call Geomhwa, the Flower of the Sword.”
“Ah, Lady Namgung Yul. That's right. A year has already passed since Lady Namgung entered Deungcheon Academy.”
“Yes, yes. They say Lady Namgung has returned to the Namgung family for the school break.”
Sa Ji-won continued with a faint smile.
“So, among the ladies of the inner quarters… the rumor is spreading that the purpose of this grand banquet is for the family head to show off his daughter. His daughter, a student at the prestigious Deungcheon Academy, has returned home for the break, so he's taking this opportunity to let everyone see her, to boast a little, something like that….”
“Hahaha—I would much prefer such a charming purpose. I can listen to a father boast about his daughter all day long.”
Ho Yeon-am finally showed a smile.
But inside, his heart was still a tangled mess.
The Nine Sects, One Guild, and the Five Great Families.
The Fifteen Pillars of the Orthodox Way.
The fifteen pillars that support the Orthodox Faction.
The Namgung family was one of them.
The annihilated Jo family was a distant collateral bloodline of the Namgung family, and the Hojeong Gate was the one enjoying the reflective benefits of their overnight disappearance.
It was certain that some form of pressure would be applied.
Ho Yeon-am said, “I must go and clearly state our innocence. And I should also report what happened with the Sadoryeon. The matter of the Staff Fiend.”
“Yes. That would be best.”
Sa Ji-won nodded as well.
Before long, their conversation shifted back to Geomhwa, Namgung Yul, who had returned to the Namgung family.
“Be that as it may, Lady Namgung will be the star of this banquet.”
“Of course. Not just anyone can get into Deungcheon Academy. It's a place where even the most brilliant prodigies from the Fifteen Pillars compete to enter. Add to that her Namgung family background, and she is without a doubt the most eligible bride in all of Anhui. They say the line of marriage proposals for her could already wrap around Anhui several times.”
“Deungcheon Academy… The registration and tuition fees there are astronomical, aren't they? I heard that from a single student's admission to graduation, it costs as much as a small-to-mid-sized sect's operating budget for four years.”
“Imagine seeing such a daughter after so long. How much he must want to show her off.”
Hearing Sa Ji-won's words, Ho Yeon-am's expression suddenly darkened.
“Our Yeyang is in no way inferior to Lady Namgung, in truth….”
“Dear. Why would you say such a thing?”
“It's just the truth, isn't it? Is Yeyang's appearance inferior to Lady Namgung's? Her talent? Her character? If there's one thing she lacks in comparison, it's that she was born to worthless parents. We need to support her before it's too late….”
But to do so was impossible when the funds to even operate the Hojeong Gate were running dry.
At the thought of this, both Ho Yeon-am and Sa Ji-won fell silent.
Such is always the heart of parents who cannot provide enoughsupport for their child.
…At that very moment.
Bang!
The door to the inner chamber burst open.
Ho Yeyang ran in, her face flushed with excitement.
“Mom! Dad!”
Even her usually formal address had reverted to that of her childish, tomboyish days.
As if he had never sighed at all, Ho Yeon-am greeted his daughter with a hearty laugh.
“Yes, my daughter. It sounds much better when you call me 'Dad' instead of 'Father.' You should call me that from now on.”
“Dad! No, Father! This is no time for that!”
Ho Yeyang thrust something out in front of her parents.
<Murim Alliance - Deungcheon Academy / Acceptance Letter>
Seeing it, the eyes of Ho Yeon-am and Sa Ji-won went wide.
“W-what! What is this? When did you take the entrance exam for Deungcheon Academy?”
“My heavens! Look at this! P-perfect scores on all the exams—knowledge, virtue, and physique! O-our daughter is the—the—the top student!”
The couple cried out in unison, stunned.
They grabbed hold of their daughter, who was the apple of their eye, and began to shower her with questions.
“You rascal! Why is this letter so crumpled! This is something we should pass down for generations as a family heirloom!”
“This is a joyous occasion, a joyous occasion! We must hold a grand banquet of our own!”
Just then, Ho Yeyang opened her mouth.
“Oh. Mother, Father. The tuition fee is….”
The moment tuition was mentioned, Ho Yeon-am immediately cut her off.
“You are not to worry about such things! I'll pull out every last pillar of this damn sect and sell them, and I'll even sell the moles that come out with them to the apothecary to get the money!”
“Goodness, what moles are you talking about! Honestly, this man is a master of exaggeration. Sweetheart~ Mommy has some emergency funds stashed away. That will be enough so the Hojeong Gate won't be affected at all. You just focus on your studies without a worry in the world.”
Ho Yeon-am and Sa Ji-won were trying their best to reassure Ho Yeyang.
But then, something happened that blew away even the slightest trace of burden in their hearts.
…Clang!
Ho Yeyang set down a sack of money.
A sum of gold ingots, far greater than the payment from the Hojil Escort Bureau that the Staff Fiend had stolen, spilled out onto the table.
Looking at Ho Yeon-am and Sa Ji-won, who were stunned to the point of fainting, Ho Yeyang cried out in a voice thick with emotion.
“You don't have to worry anymore! I've brought all the money back!”
* * *
The next morning.
Ho Yeyang went for a ride on her horse near the lakeside.
Beside her, Chui had lit a mugwort fire to ward off the insects.
Ho Yeyang looked at Chui and said.
“My lucky charm.”
“……”
She had playfully started calling Chui her lucky charm.
Because, strangely, things had been going well ever since Chui arrived.
Ho Yeyang leaned down toward Chui and asked.
“I haven't seen you around much lately. Where have you been wandering off to? Hmm?”
“……”
Chui did not answer this time either.
He simply kept his mouth firmly shut, lost in thought.
“Hey!”
Ho Yeyang raised a fist and playfully gave Chui a light knock on the head.
Only then did Chui raise his head.
Ho Yeyang smiled.
“What are you thinking about so intently?”
“……Just. This and that.”
Chui answered evasively.
How could he possibly tell her what was truly on his mind?
That he was planning to storm the Namgung family's estate and raise a bloody ruckus.
Chui recalled the past.
The name that had come from Ho Yeyang's lips back then.
…An elder of the Namgung family covered up the incident—the collusion between the Jo family and the Black Way Guild, and the unjust downfall of the Hojeong Gate that resulted from it.
The Namgung family was a colossal power whose autonomy within Anhui was tacitly recognized.
Naturally, they had a duty to intervene in the disputes of smaller sects and families to maintain order.
However, like any organization, the Namgung family had its own corrupt elements.
Chui knew of the existence of high-ranking officials who turned a blind eye to the dirty and vile conspiracies that arose from the power struggles of lesser factions, taking bribes in return.
A heavyweight elder whose name was on Ho Yeyang's kill list.
And also one of the many pursuers who had driven a blade into him in his past life.
It was that bastard's face Chui envisioned as he planned his cold, sharp revenge.
Just then, Ho Yeyang once again broke Chui from his reverie.
“Are the others still bothering you a lot?”
It seemed she had misunderstood his silence.
When Chui remained silent, Ho Yeyang's eyes widened as if she had made up her mind.
“Just giving them a warning is pointless. This won't do.”
“……”
“Chui. Do you want to leave with me?”
“……?”
At Ho Yeyang’s words, Chui twitched an eyebrow.
Ho Yeyang continued, her expression serious.
“You see, I’ve been accepted into the Deungcheon Academy.”
“……”
Hearing this, Chui nodded.
The Ho Yeyang of his past life had said something similar.
That she had taken the entrance exam for the Deungcheon Academy and placed first, that she could have attended the place where the greatest young talents of the world gathered, but she couldn't because she had no money.
That if she had enrolled, her life would have been very different…
That same Ho Yeyang was now saying those words with a bright smile.
In this life, her dream would not be broken, Chui thought.
“Chui, I’ve been watching you for a while. You’re quiet, diligent, and you seem to have a real talent for things. That’s why I’m asking. If it’s all right with you, let’s go to the Martial Alliance together. Students of the Deungcheon Academy are allowed to bring a few assistants to help with their personal lives. I heard the academy even covers half of their wages and living expenses.”
For a servant who lived hand-to-mouth, it was an offer with no reason to refuse—an offer so gracious it was almost overwhelming.
Simply becoming a full-time employee of a public institution like the Martial Alliance’s Deungcheon Academy was enough to say one had made a name for themself.
On top of that, his quality of life would improve dramatically, and he would even receive a separate salary.
Ho Yeyang continued.
“I’m definitely going to enroll in the Deungcheon Academy. I’ll go and compete proudly with the other formidable young talents from the Fifteen Lords of the Righteous Faction. I’ll broaden my horizons, build connections, and then return to the Hojeong Gate. They say I could stay and continue working for the Martial Alliance, but… I still want to come back home to my father and mother. I want to make our family strong.”
Her ambition burned bright.
Like the sun just beginning to rise over the vast ocean’s horizon, though still dim, it would soon shine brightly and illuminate the world.
And Chui, like a shadow, intended to watch it silently from behind the sunset.
…Once this business is finished, she’ll be able to manage just fine on her own.
Thinking of the events that would soon unfold at the Namgung family, Chui nodded.
Just then, Ho Yeyang asked.
“You’ll come with me, won’t you?”
“If the situation allows.”
“What’s this~ Playing hard to get!”
Ho Yeyang shot him a look, feigning disappointment.
She seemed determined to take the competent Chui with her as she continued.
“Then I’ll assume you’re coming for now. It’s a long way to the Martial Alliance, so if you have anything to sort out, do it in advance. You haven’t lent money to anyone or anything like that, have you?”
“I have a debt to collect.”
“What? You have a debt? Then you have to settle it all. Collect everything you’re owed!”
At Ho Yeyang’s playful words, Chui quietly nodded to himself.
“……Indeed.”
A debt must be collected.
Every last coin, every last drop of blood.
All of it.
0 Comments