Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 171

171. Two Jade Pendants

Early in the morning, Yunhyun, having changed into comfortable clothes, headed towards the main gate of the Zhuge Family with Dokgo-rang.

“Oh, Secretary Yun. This way.”

Zhuge Giho, with his large frame, called out to Yunhyun in a cheerful voice.

Yunhyun smiled, pleased to see him after some time.

“It feels like it’s been a while.”

“Haha, I’ve been a bit busy.”

Zhuge Giho scratched his head and then asked, “Was your stay comfortable?”

Yunhyun smiled gently. “Very much so. I actually feel bad for receiving such generous hospitality.”

“Haha, thank you for saying so. Well, let’s get going. We have a long way to travel.”

Yunhyun agreed. The North Sea was still a long journey away.

Zhuge Giho got into the carriage first, and Yunhyun was about to follow when,

“Scholar Yun!”

A clear, melodious voice stopped Yunhyun. He turned his head.

“Ah, Miss Nangong.”

*Tap, tap, tap.*

She came running with light, almost flying steps. It was Nangong Biyeon.

Reaching Yunhyun, she paused to catch her breath, clearly having rushed.

“Are you leaving now?”

Yunhyun nodded at Nangong Biyeon’s slightly flushed face. “Yes. I have Alliance matters to attend to.”

“I see.”

Nangong Biyeon couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“I’m truly grateful. If it weren’t for you, Scholar, things wouldn’t have gone so well.”

Yunhyun’s eyes lit up. “So, things went well?”

“Yes!”

Nangong Biyeon smiled brightly. “I can’t share the details, but it exceeded all expectations.”

“That’s a relief.”

Yunhyun was as happy as if it were his own accomplishment.

Nangong Biyeon, still smiling, suddenly seemed to remember something and reached into her sleeve.

“Ah, and…”

*Rustle.*

She produced a white jade pendant with a black tassel. The antique jade pendant, engraved with the Nangong Family’s emblem, was quite precious, though not comparable to the Zhuge Family’s green jade pendant.

As expected, Nangong Biyeon handed the jade pendant to Yunhyun.

“No, why this…?”

“Today, we received the Zhuge Family’s help because of you, Scholar. I can’t repay your kindness now, so please visit the Nangong Family later.”

Nangong Biyeon spoke with sparkling eyes.

Yunhyun smiled awkwardly. “The good outcome is due to your hard work, Miss. You don’t need to do this for me.”

“No.”

Nangong Biyeon shook her head firmly. She understood the ways of noble families.

Nangong Biyeon knew who was responsible for the change in her treatment. Besides, Yunhyun’s skill in breaking through the Zhuge Family’s swordplay in just three moves was remarkable.

“The Nangong Family never forgets a debt of gratitude. Show this jade pendant, and you’ll be treated with respect even if I’m not there. Please, come visit.”

Nangong Biyeon’s expression was serious and earnest. Yunhyun felt that if he refused, she wouldn’t let him leave, so he nodded.

“I understand. When I have time—no, I’ll *make* time to visit.”

Nangong Biyeon’s face brightened. She placed the jade pendant directly into Yunhyun’s hand, startling him.

“Ahem.”

Yunhyun cleared his throat. Nangong Biyeon’s hand, which had brushed against his, was softer than he expected.

“Um, Secretary Yun, we need to leave now…”

Zhuge Giho, inside the carriage, sounded somewhat sulky.

Yunhyun quickly regained his composure. “Then, I’ll see you later, Miss Nangong.”

“Yes. Scholar Yun.”

Nangong Biyeon continued to call Yunhyun ‘Scholar.’ He wanted to correct her, but it seemed pointless now.

*Clack.*

Yunhyun got into the carriage, and the door closed. Dokgo-rang, already in the driver’s seat, nodded to the coachman.

The coachman shouted, “We’re departing!”

*Clatter.*

The carriage moved, and Yunhyun waved goodbye to Nangong Biyeon, who quietly waved back.

*Clatter, clatter.*

Nangong Biyeon’s figure disappeared among the people, leaving only the towering main gate of the Zhuge Family.

“Hoo.”

Yunhyun turned from the window and fiddled with the white jade pendant in his hand.

“This is…”

He felt strange. Someone from the Nangong Family had threatened him with death, yet Nangong Biyeon had given him this jade pendant and invited him to visit.

*Swish.*

Yunhyun placed his bundle on his lap and searched for something, finding the green jade pendant. He held the two pendants, one from the Zhuge Family head and one from Nangong Biyeon.

‘Is it safe to keep such valuable items in my bundle?’ Yunhyun hesitated. He had never carried such expensive things before. He had the Great Revival Pill from Shaolin, but these jade pendants felt different.

Frankly, Yunhyun felt burdened and wished they would take them back. But given the sincerity of Zhuge Myung [Gunja-geom, Sword Master] and Nangong Biyeon, he couldn’t refuse.

‘They’re like invitation cards… wait.’ Yunhyun, looking at the jade pendants, had a strange thought. ‘Does this mean I’d be kicked out if I visited without them?’

The thought made him uncomfortable. Yunhyun looked down at the shining jade pendants with a displeased expression.

Zhuge Giho watched, his expression complex. ‘Damn it. I knew this would happen, but I didn’t expect her to give him that jade pendant.’

Zhuge Giho was inwardly distressed. The jade pendant Yunhyun held was valuable, but not a Zhuge Family treasure or a symbol of the family head’s authority.

However, no one in the Zhuge Family could ignore the green jade pendant. It symbolized friendship with Zhuge Myung [Gunja-geom, Sword Master]. The holder should be treated with the same respect and courtesy as the head of the Zhuge Family.

‘Treat him like the head of the family for the entire journey to the North Sea!’ Zhuge Giho would have to treat Yunhyun like the head of the family until they reached their destination, or rather, until they returned.

It was natural that he felt distressed.

“Ugh.”

Zhuge Giho sighed, and Yunhyun looked at him questioningly, holding the two jade pendants.

“Ah, haha. It’s nothing.”

Zhuge Giho shook his head and smiled awkwardly, turning away. He felt that looking at the jade pendant would give him heartburn.

‘Damn it. What a fate.’ He had been excited about the Murim Alliance envoy mission, but that was short-lived. It was already difficult to deal with the ‘successor of the Sword Saint’ who insisted on being a secretary, but now he had to treat him like the head of the family.

‘Hoo-oo.’

Zhuge Giho looked at the scenery of Jinan [a city in China] outside the window and sighed again. He wanted to get out of the carriage, but it hurried on, surrounded by Dokgo-rang’s sharp eyes. The carriage slowly left Jinan, carrying Zhuge Giho’s sighs and Yunhyun’s worries. The long journey to the North Sea had begun again.

***

In a splendid grand hall, the Moon King leaned back on an antique long chair and slowly raised his head. “Are the Green Forest [a term for bandits] bandit camps moving according to plan?”

His voice was as thin as a woman’s, and those around him tensed. “Y-yes, they are.”

A middle-aged man standing next to him stammered.

*Clack.*

The Moon King unfolded a small silk fan. The golden dragon and phoenix patterns on the red silk covered his face, and his picturesque eyebrows were slightly distorted. “Hmm. The Green Forest and the Yangtze River [another area known for bandits] aren’t very reliable.”

The Moon King suddenly looked at the man. “What do you think?”

*Thud.*

The man immediately knelt. “H-how could I dare to offer my humble opinion before Your Highness?”

The man’s shoulders trembled. He had seen someone have his arm cut off for being ‘presumptuous’.

“Hmm, is that so?”

The Moon King seemed to lose interest and turned away. *Rustle.* He picked up a grape from a silver tray.

“Which bandit camps were mobilized for this operation?”

“S-Suseong Camp, Bukho Camp, and Daedo Camp.”

“Personnel?”

The middle-aged man hesitated, unable to remember the exact number. “A-approximately three hundred men.”

“Three hundred and twenty-seven men.”

The Moon King’s red lips moved, stating the exact number. “That’s what you reported three days ago. How much did it cost to mobilize them?”

The man turned pale and trembled, desperately trying to recall. “Approximately, no, s-seven hundred, no, five hundred…”

“Five hundred and seventy-two *nyang* [a unit of currency] of silver.”

A cold voice cut him off. “That’s what you told me directly, also three days ago.”

The Moon King popped the grape into his mouth. “Isn’t it?”

“Y-yes, that’s right. It was definitely, it was. Haha, hahaha.”

The man wiped away sweat and forced a laugh, but it didn’t last long.

“Really? You couldn’t remember any of the exact numbers.”

The Moon King slowly turned his head and looked at the man. “Now you readily agree that I’m right. Isn’t that inconsistent?”

The Moon King smiled thinly. “Or are you just trying to please me? Do I look…”

*Grind.*

The Moon King gritted his teeth. “So foolish to you?”

*Thump.*

The middle-aged man immediately kowtowed [knelt and touched his forehead to the ground as a sign of respect]. “No! Not at all! How could I ever think of Your Highness the Moon King…”

*Clack.*

The man shut his mouth at the sound of the fan closing. The Moon King, with a displeased expression, said quietly, “…Leave.”

“Yes, yes!”

The man quickly got up, bowed deeply, and backed away. As he left, the Moon King clicked his tongue. “Tsk, to think I was giving money and entrusting work to such a fool.”

The Moon King muttered and reached for the grapes. “Take care of him.”

A shadow appeared behind the Moon King and bowed lightly, disappearing as if he had never been there.

The expressions of the subordinates were filled with terror, and the maid holding the silver tray desperately tried to calm her trembling hands.

But the Moon King didn’t care. “Whether it’s the Green Forest or the Yangtze River, all it takes is seizing control of the government, so why does Father go to such troublesome lengths?”

The Moon King muttered and spoke to a subordinate. “Is there still no news from the North Sea?”

“That is correct.”

The subordinate answered. “What about the Young Palace Lord’s party?”

“They have not yet crossed the border.”

“What is the extent of the Green Forest’s damage?”

“As of yesterday, seventy-four people have died or been seriously injured.”

“Hmm. She still hasn’t crossed the border…”

The Moon King tapped the armrest. “It’s not that she *couldn’t* cross, but that she *hasn’t* crossed.”

The Moon King thought for a moment and smiled. “It means she can cross whenever she wants, but I wonder what will happen this time?”

A smile bloomed on the Moon King’s thin lips, sparkling with a deep red color, like a woman’s lips.