Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 168

168. Deep Waters Run Quiet

The person Namgung Bi-yeon apologized for was none other than Namgung Sang-hyuk.

How could Unhyun forget Sang-hyuk’s threat to him: ‘The day you set foot on the Namgung Clan’s land will be your last?’

“It’s alright.”

It really was alright.

After that, Namgung Sang-hyuk had already been slapped by Namgung Hyun for trying to humiliate Unhyun.

Namgung Bi-yeon seemed unaware of that incident.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Namgung Bi-yeon expressed her gratitude and turned her gaze away.

Looking at the splendid banquet hall, she quietly fiddled with her teacup.

“Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

Unhyun also turned his eyes to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall, with its colorful lanterns illuminating the magnificent building and the sounds of laughter mingling with all sorts of dishes and fragrant wines, indeed looked enjoyable.

“I used to be right in the middle of that. It wasn’t even that long ago…”

Namgung Bi-yeon turned to Unhyun and said,

“Now, I’ve become someone who no one even talks to, except for the Secretary.”

She gave a smile.

To Unhyun, that smile looked rather forlorn.

Even though it was clearly someone else’s problem, a part of his heart ached, probably because he himself had felt the same way before.

“I had a time like that too.”

Unhyun said, fiddling with his teacup.

“There was a time when I thought I had reached the highest point, only to find myself falling miserably the next moment. No, in fact, I realized I had never even risen at all.”

Unhyun felt Namgung Bi-yeon’s gaze.

However, Unhyun did not turn to her and quietly continued,

“But thanks to that, I was able to discover myself. I also met people who are truly precious to me. And now, I finally think I am walking my true path.”

Unhyun raised his head.

Looking at Namgung Bi-yeon’s eyes sparkling in the light, Unhyun smiled.

“Good things will surely come to you too, Miss. So don’t just think sadly.”

“I’m not sad. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

Namgung Bi-yeon was a more confident young lady than Unhyun had thought.

She said with a confident smile,

“But thank you for comforting me. And for telling me about the Academician.”

Unhyun felt a little embarrassed yet pleased.

As expected, Namgung Bi-yeon was as great a young lady as Unhyun had thought.

If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have been able to come to the Zhuge Clan like this.

“Ah, now that I think about it, where are the others?”

“They weren’t invited.”

Namgung Bi-yeon said with a regretful expression.

“Actually, it’s surprising that I’m even here. The family banquets rarely allow outsiders.”

Although the reason was unknown, this place was an opportunity for her.

Namgung Bi-yeon clenched her lips, determined.

That sight somehow looked pleasing to Unhyun.

Originally, Namgung Bi-yeon was an attractive young lady, after all.

“The Clan Head is entering.”

The heavy voice silenced the banquet hall in an instant.

Several people entered across the banquet hall, and people’s gazes naturally turned to them.

Step, step.

‘That person must be the Clan Head.’

Unhyun could easily recognize the Zhuge Clan’s Head.

A man with a long white beard, responding to people’s greetings with a smile as he entered.

He looked like an old scholar, but the intense glint in his eyes clearly showed that he was the Zhuge Clan’s Head, the Gentleman’s Sword Zhuge Myung.

“Thank you for being here together.”

Zhuge Myung said, standing at the head table.

“And I thank the Namgung Clan’s representative and the Martial Alliance Secretary for joining us. I express my gratitude.”

People’s gazes turned to Unhyun and Namgung Bi-yeon all at once.

Unhyun and Namgung Bi-yeon politely bowed their heads in response to the Clan Head’s greeting.

It was strange that Dokgo-rang wasn’t mentioned, but Unhyun guessed it was probably a mistake or that the message hadn’t been delivered.

The Zhuge Clan people also looked at Dokgo-rang with puzzled expressions, but soon the Clan Head’s voice continued.

“Now, let’s begin.”

Clan Head Zhuge Myung sat down, and as if waiting for this moment, maids brought in food.

‘There’s more?’

Unhyun clicked his tongue.

The food that had already been laid out was nothing compared to the delicacies that were now coming in droves.

Even the imperial palace couldn’t have imagined this—well, he didn’t really know much about imperial banquets—but Unhyun couldn’t hide his surprise at the extravagance.

However, Namgung Bi-yeon seemed to have expected it, watching the banquet with a calm expression.

“Hahaha.”

“Hoho.”

The atmosphere of the banquet was further heightened.

And the topic of conversation inevitably shifted to the state of the Jianghu [martial world] martial world.

“It’s truly a shameful thing.”

Someone frowned and said,

“To be defeated by mere bandits and close their doors, what kind of embarrassing thing is this for a family once called one of the Four Great Clans?”

That was undoubtedly a story about the Namgung Clan.

“That’s right.”

Another person raised their voice.

“They say the Thunder Sword’s martial arts pierce the heavens, but it was all just rumors.”

“Perhaps the Namgung family’s sky was quite low.”

Someone responded with a laughter-filled tone.

“Low enough for any dog or cow to pierce it.”

“Hahahahaha.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Perhaps it was a natural reaction to the downfall of a competitor.

However, the expression of one person, Namgung Bi-yeon, could not help but harden.

“Ah, now that I think about it, there’s a member of the Namgung family here too.”

At someone’s voice, Unhyun felt a chill run down his spine.

As expected, the words he had feared followed.

“Why don’t we hear from the person involved?”

The banquet hall fell silent.

Glares of mockery and ridicule were pouring down on Namgung Bi-yeon.

Clink.

Namgung Bi-yeon rose from her seat.

And she politely bowed.

“I am Namgung Bi-yeon of the Namgung Clan.”

At the word ‘Clan,’ several people laughed openly.

Namgung Bi-yeon quietly continued,

“As you all say, the Namgung Clan suffered today’s disgrace because of a lack of strength. However, the Namgung Clan has not yet closed its doors.”

The eyes of the speaking Namgung Bi-yeon were shining.

The ridicule and mockery of the people could not break her resolve.

No, she was prepared to endure even more than this for the sake of the Namgung Clan.

“Also, the might of the Dark Heaven Demon Emperor should not be taken lightly. If the Four Great Clans do not unite and deal with him, he will surely become a great threat in the future…”

“Hmph!”

However, Namgung Bi-yeon’s resolute voice was cut off by someone’s snort.

“In the end, isn’t he just the leader of a band of bandits? It’s useless to try to cover up your incompetence in such a way.”

Namgung Bi-yeon bit her lip.

It was unfair to dismiss the Namgung Clan as incompetent based solely on the result.

However, no matter what she said here, it could only be heard as an excuse.

“But…”

“And I heard you argued with the gatekeeper at the main gate. How can you fight with subordinates? Even if you’ve fallen, you should at least maintain your pride, tsk tsk.”

“Hahahahaha.”

“Hehehe.”

Ridicule and mockery spread.

Namgung Bi-yeon, enduring the humiliation alone, could only grit her teeth and say nothing.

Even that alone meant she was already exerting the utmost patience.

But the humiliation did not end there.

“Just looking at her shamelessly entering this place in the first place…”

“Please stop.”

A new voice interjected.

People’s gazes turned to the owner of the voice all at once.

Unhyun quietly continued,

“Everyone has their own circumstances. And it is not the manner of a great person to ridicule someone in difficulty.”

Unhyun’s eyes, holding his head up straight, were shining.

“It would be best to stop here.”

Those words were not spoken because he believed in his position as the Martial Alliance Secretary or the Deputy Envoy of the delegation.

Nor were they spoken because he was qualified to intervene in this matter.

No status or qualification is needed to be angry at what is wrong.

However, it was not so for some people.

“Who are you?”

Someone, noticing that Unhyun’s seat was not at the head table, frowned and asked.

It seemed they didn’t even remember that the Clan Head had already introduced him.

“I am Unhyun, the Secretary of the Martial Alliance.”

A brief silence flowed.

But soon, snorts of derision followed.

“Secretary? How dare a mere secretary!”

That was perhaps a natural reaction.

No matter how much the Martial Alliance mattered, he was just a secretary.

How dare he interfere in the Zhuge Clan’s event?

The ridicule quickly turned to anger.

But Unhyun didn’t care.

“Originally, deep waters run quiet [meaning those with true depth don’t boast]. If you ignore someone because of their low status and ridicule them because of their poor circumstances, what else could it be but revealing your own shallowness?”

It was a scathing rebuke.

At those words, someone finally exploded in anger.

Thud.

“How dare this bastard!”

A young man from the Zhuge Clan rose from his seat with an angry expression.

As if it were not just a threat, his hand was already reaching for the sword at his waist.

But Unhyun was not afraid.

It was not because of Dokgo-rang, who was guarding his side.

It was not even because of his confidence in his own sword, that he could now handle anyone who came at him.

As he had done at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, the fastidious stubbornness of a scholar who had learned right and wrong was stiffly raising its head within Unhyun at this moment.

It was then.

“Sit down.”

The movement of the young man, who was about to draw his sword, stopped.

This was because the owner of that voice was none other than the Clan Head, the Gentleman’s Sword Zhuge Myung.

The Gentleman’s Sword, with his long white beard, said in a calm voice,

“The guest’s words are correct. Everyone, stop it.”

No one raised an objection.

The Clan Head’s one word was like the final verdict on everything.

“Ugh.”

The young man who was about to draw his sword groaned, but soon withdrew his hand and sat down.

The young man did not realize that Dokgo-rang was sending him a sharp glare.

If it weren’t for Unhyun’s words asking Dokgo-rang to restrain himself, he would have been sweating bullets from Dokgo-rang’s murderous aura by now.

Clink.

The Clan Head raised his glass.

Even though he could have said another word to Unhyun or the young man, the Clan Head savored his wine as if nothing had happened.

The Zhuge Clan people, watching for cues, resumed the banquet.

Music flowed out as if to change the atmosphere, and people chatted in low voices.

Perhaps most of it was about Unhyun and the Namgung Clan.

Rustle.

Namgung Bi-yeon, who had been standing, sat down.

“…Thank you.”

She said, as if whispering.

“It’s nothing to be thanked for.”

Unhyun also said quietly.

But Namgung Bi-yeon shook her head.

“No. Someone’s help in times of difficulty is truly precious.”

Turning to Unhyun, Namgung Bi-yeon smiled.

“I sincerely thank you.”

Her smiling face was attractive.

At least, Unhyun thought it was much better to look at than her hardened expression.

How much time had passed like that?

As the meal was coming to an end, someone suddenly opened their mouth.

“Hehe, there’s too little entertainment at this banquet.”

A middle-aged man sitting close to the Clan Head stroked his beard and continued,

“If it’s alright, I was wondering if my son could show you a sword dance. What do you think, Clan Head?”

Clan Head Zhuge Myung gave a pleased smile.

“Is that so? Then let’s have a look.”

At the Clan Head’s permission, the middle-aged man winked at a young man.

It was the very same young man who had been angry at Unhyun a little while ago.

Unhyun had an ominous premonition.