Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 288

288. Congratulations, Brother

Yun Hee-yeon frowned at Yun-hyeon’s brazen answer.

But Yun-hyeon’s words were not over yet.

“Now I don’t have to worry my sister anymore.”

“I-I wasn’t worried!”

Yun Hee-yeon bit her lip.

That’s not what she wanted to say, but things were just getting twisted.

“I, I…”

She tried to speak with difficulty, but her face only turned red.

If not now, there would be no chance, and the hem of her clothes clenched in both hands was just crumpled vaguely.

“…Like you.”

“Huh?”

Yun Hee-yeon’s face turned even redder at Yun-hyeon’s question.

“Eek!”

Thud.

Yun Hee-yeon’s beautiful silk shoes kicked the tip of Yun-hyeon’s foot.

“I’m sorry!”

With those words, Yun Hee-yeon ran inside.

Tap tap tap.

Yun-hyeon smiled bitterly as he watched her leave.

‘Well, that’s a violent apology.’

It was an incomprehensible action for Yun-hyeon, but he could clearly understand the sincerity contained in it.

Perhaps if he had approached Yun Hee-yeon more maturely, as he had done with Ha Young-ryung, he might have been able to share more stories.

‘I didn’t have time for that back then.’

Somehow, that time felt like a long time ago.

Step.

At that moment, Royal Inspector Jo Gwan approached.

“The preparations are complete, sir.”

Behind Jo Gwan stood Hang Jang-ik and Dam So-ha, and Jin Ye-rim, wearing light martial attire.

Yun-hyeon nodded lightly, and she also bowed her head slightly.

“There is something I need to tell you before we depart.”

Yun-hyeon said to Jo Gwan.

“We need to stop by Hangzhou on the way to Beijing. Is that possible?”

Hangzhou was on the way to Beijing.

Since it was not much different from the original itinerary, Jo Gwan nodded.

“It’s okay for a short while.”

“Thank you.”

Yun-hyeon turned around and bowed to his uncle Yun Il-pyung and Chief Manager Kang again.

“Send word.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Yun-hyeon bowed politely and got into the carriage.

The others also got on their horses, and Jo Gwan shouted loudly.

“Let’s go!”

The procession slowly began to move.

The sight of the soldiers returning to the Provincial Military Command and the group heading to Beijing moving together was truly spectacular.

Neigh.

Clatter, clatter.

Raising dust, they left the Yun Family Merchant Guild.

Yun Il-pyung, who was watching, took a deep breath and went inside.

However, Chief Manager Kang remained.

Chief Manager Kang, who was looking at the departing carriage, suddenly said.

“Are you sad? Miss.”

“Yeah.”

Yun Hee-yeon said quietly.

She, who had run inside, was already standing next to Chief Manager Kang.

“I thought we were going to get closer, but I didn’t know you would leave so soon.”

She said with a sigh.

“I wanted to call you brother…”

“It’s not too late.”

Chief Manager Kang said.

“It’s easier in writing, too.”

Yun Hee-yeon chuckled.

“Are you still talking about that old story?”

When Yun Hee-yeon was young, she wanted to meet her cousin, a scholar in Beijing, and tried to write a letter.

The person who helped her at that time was Chief Manager Kang.

In the end, she couldn’t send the letter, though.

“Try writing it again.”

Chief Manager Kang said with a smile.

“You won’t need my help anymore.”

Yun Hee-yeon did not answer.

But Chief Manager Kang was sure.

That before long, he would be delivering the letter she gave him to the courier company.

Since Yun-hyeon said he would send news, it could be sent with the reply.

“I should close the door now.”

It was still a sunny afternoon, but Chief Manager Kang decided to close the door.

Because he deserved to enjoy a leisurely afternoon today.

Creak, thud.

Hoping that better news would come in when he opened this door tomorrow morning, Chief Manager Kang closed the door of the Yun Family Merchant Guild.

It was a little later that a messenger from the Hacheong Merchant Guild knocked on the door.

***

The next day, Gwangju was buzzing with rumors about the Yun Family Merchant Guild.

The fact that the Governor and the Chief Inspector, and the Military Commissioner had personally visited the ‘noble’ who was staying at the Yun Family Merchant Guild spread with surprise.

Quick-witted merchants began to line up to get on the good side of the Yun Family Merchant Guild, while rival merchants tried to downplay the rumors, calling them nonsense.

In fact, the rumors subsided within a few days.

However, when the Yun Family Merchant Guild established a close cooperative relationship with the Hacheong Merchant Guild and was even entrusted with the procurement of supplies for the Provincial Administration Office, no one could deny the rumors.

The Yun Family Merchant Guild’s status rose rapidly and received the attention and envy of all the Gwangju merchants.

Among them, the Hoam Merchant Guild, which had also entered Gwangju, was no exception.

Rustle.

A letter rustled in the slender, white fingertips of a woman.

“Haa, really…”

The woman said with a sigh between her red lips.

“You always surprise me.”

The woman, speaking languidly, was none other than Lee Seo-yeon, the heiress of the Hoam Merchant Guild.

In the inner room, lit by only a small lamp, Lee Seo-yeon leaned halfway over the table, lifting the letter with her fingers.

Swish.

“The Governor, the Chief Inspector, and the Military Commissioner…”

Lee Seo-yeon’s attire was quite disheveled.

Her long hair flowed down her shoulders and neck, but she didn’t care.

“What on earth did you do? Brother Yun.”

The letter she was looking at was from the Gwangju branch.

It contained information about the changes in the Yun Family Merchant Guild and that the ‘noble’ in the rumors might be Yun-hyeon, a former scholar who had retired to his hometown.

It was surprising that Yun-hyeon was in Gwangju, but what happened after that was nothing short of astonishing to Lee Seo-yeon.

Clink.

Lee Seo-yeon picked up a small jade cup.

The intricately carved patterns shone between her fingers, and a fragrant scent flowed from the amber liquid sloshing inside.

Without even savoring the scent, Lee Seo-yeon poured the contents of the jade cup into her mouth.

Thud.

Lee Seo-yeon put down the cup and let out a soft laugh.

“Hehehe.”

Under the dim light, her lips sparkled red.

“I heard you were a scholar in the Imperial Palace, but it seems you weren’t just reading books?”

She said with a seductive, dreamy look in her eyes.

But there was no one in front of her. Just a bottle of fine wine and a small jade cup.

“Well, I can’t believe you were a scholar either.”

Muttering, Lee Seo-yeon suddenly let out a voluptuous sigh.

“Haa, what really happened? Did you really lose all your martial arts? Was it true that your dantian [energy center] was destroyed and you became a cripple? That amazing sword, has it disappeared forever?”

Lee Seo-yeon recalled the scene she had witnessed that night.

Just that alone made her heart race and chills run down her spine.

That shock, that amazing sight, was still vividly unfolding before her eyes.

“…That kind of person.”

Lee Seo-yeon smiled bitterly.

“Suddenly a noble of the court…”

Really, had Yun-hyeon, the Azure Dragon Sword Master, lost all his martial arts?

Was that why he had no choice but to make a comeback like this?

She couldn’t know anything. Not one thing could she be sure of.

“Come to think of it, everything about you is full of untrustworthy things? Only that you existed as a person… No, not even that.”

Lee Seo-yeon muttered with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Maybe you’re an illusion. A figment of my foolish heart. Someone who doesn’t actually exist… Hehehe.”

Lee Seo-yeon, who was laughing, rested her arm and closed her eyes.

She seemed to be asleep, but she suddenly pointed her finger at the air.

“Congratulations, Brother. But don’t get too big.”

Lee Seo-yeon said in a slurred voice.

“Because then the time will come when I have to take you back.”

Lee Seo-yeon closed her eyes.

And leaned her body as if collapsing on the table.

How long had she been like that?

“…Hoo.”

Swish.

At some point, Lee Seo-yeon took a deep breath and raised her body.

And reached out and picked up a small bell.

Clang.

When the bell rang, the door opened and a maid came in.

Lee Seo-yeon said in a firm voice.

“Start.”

There was no trace of intoxication in her eyes.

For her, who had trained in the Namgung Family, this amount of alcohol was only enough to lift her spirits.

Swish.

The maid immediately bowed and lit the lights.

The inner room became as bright as day, and other maids came in and began to do Lee Seo-yeon’s makeup.

The makeup didn’t take long.

When the maids dressed Lee Seo-yeon in new clothes and the preparations were finished, a middle-aged man’s voice was heard from outside.

“Chief Manager, the preparations are complete.”

Swoosh.

Lee Seo-yeon rose from her seat.

“Let’s go.”

Lee Seo-yeon said with clearly shining eyes.

It was her usual voice, filled with both dignity and composure.

Step, step.

Lee Seo-yeon, the Chief Manager of the Hoam Merchant Guild, one of the three great merchant guilds in the world, moved forward without hesitation.

***

The Jo Family Manor was a sect located in Sangju, Shanxi Province.

They claimed the Jo Family Spear Technique, the spear technique of Jo Ja-ryong from the Three Kingdoms period [a period of Chinese history from 220 to 280 AD], as their family martial art, but as always, there was no way to verify its authenticity.

After the Righteous-Demonic War, the Jo Family Manor had maintained a close relationship with the Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance], especially the Mount Hua Sect, which controlled the northern metropolis of Xi’an.

Thanks to this, the Jo Family Manor was able to establish itself as the local power in Sangju, a relatively bustling provincial city that was a gateway to major roads and had three large brothels.

However, as the Murim Alliance collapsed due to the Hangzhou Bloodshed, the situation of the Sangju Jo Family Manor also began to change.

“So, how are the injured disciples?”

Jo Woong, the head of the Jo Family Manor, asked.

The chief lowered his head and replied.

“Their lives are not in danger. However, their injuries are severe and they will need to recuperate for several months, and the aftereffects will not be insignificant…”

“Father, this incident is by no means an ordinary quarrel.”

His son, Jo Hong, who was sitting in front of him, opened his mouth with a stern expression.

“The Martial Arts Center seems to have involved the Small Sword Society.”

The Martial Arts Center was a martial arts center that had always competed with the Jo Family Manor.

There were constant small and large disputes, and this time a major sword fight broke out in the tavern.

The problem was that the infamous heretical group, the Small Sword Society, had also joined the fight.

The Jo Family Manor disciples, who were simply drinking, were seriously injured and had to flee.

“And if they have involved the Small Sword Society, it is likely that they have already joined hands with other sects or martial arts centers.”

The Martial Arts Center and the Small Sword Society were both inferior to the Jo Family Manor, but if they joined hands, the problem would be different.

Moreover, if other sects had also allied, the situation could be serious.

“Father.”

His son, Jo Hong, said quietly.

“Shouldn’t we send someone to Mount Hua again?”

The Jo Family Manor had put a lot of effort into Mount Hua in particular.

However, the chief replied with a pitiful expression.

“Young Master, I have already visited them three times, but the answer was the same. The Mount Hua Sect has no intention of moving at all, at least for the time being.”

The reason why this problem was occurring was simple.

The Mount Hua Sect had quietly suspended all external activities.

The Jo Family Manor had not expected the traditional giant sect, the Mount Hua Sect, to do this, so they were literally cornered.

“Why did the Small Sword Society suddenly get involved?”

Jo Woong, the head of the Jo Family Manor, asked the chief.

The chief replied with a troubled expression.

“Since the establishment of the Heroes Alliance, the power of the heretical sects has greatly increased in various places. The Small Sword Society has also recently increased in numbers, and it seems that they are trying to expand their power at this opportunity.”

The influence of the Murim Alliance collapsing and the Heroes Alliance taking its place was significant.

As bandits and green forest bandits were rampant in the Yangtze River region, heretical sects began to gain power everywhere.

“Hmph.”

Jo Woong, the head of the Jo Family Manor, sighed like a groan.

With the Murim Alliance collapsing and the Mount Hua Sect secluding themselves, there was no solution.

His son, Jo Hong, knew this fact well, so only silence flowed.

“Um…”

The chief hesitated and spoke.

“What if we put in a word with the Taepyeong Alliance?”