Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 141

142. The Reception

It was truly a rare occurrence for the head of the Qin family, a figure known throughout the Yue Kingdom, to be doubted by a country bumpkin.

Despite Qin Eon’s words, Han Li, still somewhat skeptical, reluctantly handed over the letter. However, even after receiving it, Qin Eon didn’t immediately open it.

‘Clap! Clap!’

Qin Eon clapped his hands twice, a meaningful gesture. At that, a white-haired old man entered from outside the guest room and received the letter. The old man, after taking it, examined the envelope with a sharp gaze and then quietly placed it on the table.

“There are no issues.”

After speaking, the old man left the guest room silently. Reassured by the old man’s words, Qin Eon smiled at Han Li again. Then, he opened the envelope and began to examine the contents of the letter.

Watching from the side, the third wife smiled at Han Li and was about to lift her teacup to enjoy the high-quality tea. However, before she could even lift the teacup, Qin Eon, who was reading the letter, suddenly stood up with a surprised expression.

“Elder, what’s wrong! Could it be that the letter is fake?”

“No. This letter was sent by an elder who once bestowed a great favor upon me.”

As she showed interest, Qin Eon’s expression quickly returned to normal as he explained. After giving his beloved concubine a look that said it was nothing, he once again scanned Han Li.

“Are you Han Li?”

Qin Eon’s tone was no different from before, but the third wife, who had known him for a long time, noticed that something was off.

“Yes, I am Han Li. As my grandfather said, may I stay here?”

“Haha! Of course, you can. I only met Uncle Hwawon once with my father when I was young, but that memory is still vivid. Today, his descendant has come, so I must take care of you like my own nephew.”

Qin Eon suddenly laughed loudly and raised his voice, causing the servants outside to look at each other, wondering why their master was so happy.

“Come here. Let’s go inside and talk about Uncle Hwawon’s recent situation. I will be talking with my nephew, so no one is to enter.”

Qin Eon grabbed Han Li’s arm and led him intimately, disappearing through a door in the corner in an instant.

Han Li followed Qin Eon into a quiet room, and when Qin Eon moved a porcelain piece in the room, a wall opened, revealing a secret chamber.

Qin Eon stepped forward without hesitation, and Han Li followed behind him. The secret chamber wasn’t very large, but it had everything necessary.

There were not only a table and chairs but also a bookshelf made of wood, and all the furniture was very delicately crafted.

“Since you are the person sent by Master Lee, you must be a cultivator, right? I was very rude in the guest room just now. Please forgive my discourtesy.”

After locking the door to the secret chamber, Qin Eon apologized to Han Li with the utmost sincerity.

“What discourtesy? It was something done unknowingly, so it’s fine. And you have to continue acting like that in the future, so it can’t be helped.”

Han Li, sitting on a chair, said as if he didn’t care. The bewildered expression had already disappeared, and he had returned to his original, bold demeanor.

“Thank you!”

However, Qin Eon, standing next to Han Li, maintained a consistently respectful attitude, not letting his guard down. He knew better than anyone what cultivators were like.

They possessed powers close to gods, and moreover, if it weren’t for Master Lee’s help, the Qin family would not have been able to enjoy such wealth and prosperity, so he could not be negligent towards his guest in the slightest.

“There’s no need to be so polite. Head of the Qin family, please sit down. The Master Lee you speak of is my master, so I’m not entirely an outsider.”

“How could a mortal be so rude to a cultivator? I will stand here and listen to the master’s orders.”

When Qin Eon shook his head and refused, Han Li didn’t press further.

“By the way, what brings you to the Qin family this time? Master Lee’s letter did not contain any specific details.”

Qin Eon cautiously asked the question. According to what his father had told him before his death, Master Lee, the great benefactor of the Qin family, would only reveal himself or send someone in a dire emergency. Could it be that the Qin family had fallen into such danger without even knowing it?

Han Li, noticing the anxious look on the Qin family head’s face, took a moment to organize his thoughts.

“Actually, the Yue Kingdom’s cultivation world is being targeted by the Demonic Path Six Sects from other countries…”

In a very calm tone, he conveyed the news that the Demonic Path Six Sects were targeting those related to the Seven Great Immortal Sects, causing the Qin family head’s expression to change.

“Th-then… are you saying that cultivators from other countries are trying to kill our mortals? Oh, how can we deal with this!”

“Head of the Qin family, don’t worry. The cultivation of the investigators who have invaded the Yue Kingdom is not very high, so as long as I am here, you won’t be easily harmed.”

As Qin Eon was at a loss, Han Li spoke with a composed face.

* * *

An hour later, Han Li and Qin Eon left the secret chamber. Returning to the guest room, the head of the Qin family ordered his third wife to prepare a clean residence for Han Li to stay in.

On the surface, he used the excuse that it was to repay the kindness of the descendant of a benefactor. The third wife kept her mouth shut and did not object.

The wife already knew that Qin Eon had made a decision, so it was useless to object. She also sensed that something was hidden between Han Li and Qin Eon. However, since Qin Eon didn’t give any hints, there must be a reason, so she couldn’t carelessly speak out.

She thought that Qin Eon’s high regard for Han Li might mean he was an illegitimate child.

Otherwise, his actions and friendliness wouldn’t make sense. However, the astute third wife treated Han Li kindly as if she knew nothing.

After leaving the guest room, Han Li followed the servant Qin Pyeong back to his residence.

Now, Qin Pyeong had a smile on his face and called him ‘Young Master’ at the end of every sentence, showing a completely different attitude from before.

Han Li outwardly pretended to be overwhelmed by Qin Pyeong’s treatment, but inwardly, he thought that the Qin family’s servants were very shrewd. They changed their expressions in an instant, as if they were very skilled in such matters.

Following Qin Pyeong’s guidance along the path within the mansion, they arrived at a seemingly secluded building. Han Li was satisfied with the quiet surroundings.

“Young Master, this is it. This place has a beautiful garden and is only used to accommodate the head of the family’s honored guests.”

As Han Li looked around, Qin Pyeong explained concisely. Han Li shook his head for a moment, letting out a foolish laugh, and seemed unsure how to respond. Qin Pyeong thought he was flustered and quickly changed the subject.

“Young Master, you must not have had dinner yet? I will quickly prepare a meal. Please wait a moment!”

Watching him leave, Han Li opened the door. As expected, the interior structure and furniture were exquisite and elegant, just like the exterior. A short while later, Qin Pyeong quickly set a table. The delicious smell filled his nostrils, making his mouth water. He immediately took a seat and emptied the dishes.

Although his appearance was amusing, Qin Pyeong remained polite. After Han Li finished his meal, he informed him that the head of the family wanted to introduce him to the family members, so he had to return to the guest room. When Han Li and Qin Pyeong returned to the guest room, there were already about twenty or thirty people gathered there.

Qin Eon, with a very affectionate demeanor, called Han Li to his side, causing everyone else to look at Han Li in surprise. The older ones didn’t show it, but the energetic young people couldn’t hide their displeasure. Among them, one young master who was usually favored by the head of the family stepped forward.

“Grandfather, who is that person? I’ve never seen him before. Are we all gathered here for him?”

Reading his grandson’s displeasure, Qin Eon glared and sternly rebuked him.

“Hey, can’t you be quiet? That person? Nephew Han is a descendant of someone who has greatly benefited the Qin family! If you act disrespectfully again, I will not forgive you.”

Everyone was shocked by Qin Eon’s words. And curious gazes all turned towards Han Li.

Han Li wore an uneasy expression, looking around at everyone as if he had horns on his rear, appearing uncomfortable.

Naturally, the young master of the Qin family, who had stepped forward confidently, turned red in the face and quietly sat down. He had never imagined that Qin Eon, who usually cherished him so much, would scold him like this.

When the young master was reprimanded, the others looked at Han Li with more friendly eyes. As the atmosphere settled, Qin Eon nodded and began to introduce the Qin family members one by one.

“This is my eldest son, Qin Ji, who is currently helping me manage the business in Yue Kingdom. This is my second son…”

Although it might seem like he was just nodding casually, Han Li listened to Qin Eon’s introductions and memorized each of them.

They were the direct descendants of the Qin family that he would have to protect in the future. The head of the Qin family was blessed with five sons and three daughters, and even more grandchildren.

Among them, the eldest and second sons were over thirty years old and already married, and the young master who had spoken up and been scolded was the second son of the eldest son.

Surprisingly, Qin Eon’s youngest son was only about six years old, younger than the other grandchildren.

Thinking about the nephews who would call that young child their fifth uncle, he laughed inwardly.

Besides the third wife he had seen earlier, Qin Eon’s wives included a second wife who looked to be about forty years old and seven or more young and beautiful concubines.

The first wife was currently staying at a temple, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and did not often appear before outsiders. In addition, the two men beside Qin Eon were his younger brothers.

The brothers each held important positions in the family. Their children were also gathered in the guest room, but Han Li only vaguely remembered their names and didn’t pay much attention to them.

In any case, his abilities were limited, so protecting Qin Eon’s direct line was his priority.

“Hmm, I don’t see Pyeong-ah.”

As Qin Eon introduced everyone in turn, he noticed that one person was missing and asked the third wife standing next to him.

“It seems Pyeong-ah is still reluctant to meet outsiders. Shall I send someone to call her?”

“Please do. Nephew Han is not an outsider, so we should introduce her.”

“Yes, Elder. So-ryeon, go quickly and call Miss Pyo.”

The third wife instructed a young maid standing next to her.

“Yes, Madam!”

The maid who had guided Han Li the other day moved swiftly and left the room. Then, Qin Eon turned his head and explained the situation in a small voice.

“About seven years ago, while I and my first wife were on our way to visit relatives, we rescued a young woman who had collapsed by the river. Unfortunately, she had suffered some kind of accident, her whole body was covered in wounds, and she had even lost her memory.

My wife’s nature was kind, and when she recovered her health but had nowhere to go, we entrusted her to a family member as an adopted daughter. Unfortunately, before she could marry the man her adoptive father had chosen for her, her fiancé died after falling while drunk.

After that, even at a young age, she refused to remarry, which became a famous tale in this area at the time, saving my wife’s face. After her adoptive father died of illness, we brought the child back as she had no one to rely on.”

Qin Eon sighed as he explained the circumstances of the woman named Miss Pyo.

# 143