Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 310

310. Gathering of the Taepyung Alliance Leaders

Dang Seol-ryun frowned, lost in thought.

The name of the Azure Dragon Sword Master dominated conversations in the capital.

*Could* the Azure Dragon Branch be plotting something at a time like this?

Perhaps they might even try to contact the Azure Dragon Sword Master.

Herself, Dang Seol-ryun, quickly summoned her subordinate.

The subordinate, who had been waiting nearby, immediately entered Dang Seol-ryun’s office.

“Check if there are any strange rumors circulating in the capital.”

“Pardon?”

The question was understandable.

There were already more than enough strange rumors, especially those concerning the Azure Dragon Sword Master.

However, Dang Seol-ryun’s frown deepened.

“I mean, check if there are any rumors inciting internal division within the Taepyung Alliance! Especially those related to the Heroic Alliance!”

“Yes! I understand.”

“Have you maintained surveillance on the envoy of Park Gonggong [eunuch official]?”

“We have been watching their lodgings since their arrival, but no one has approached them separately.”

Dang Seol-ryun frowned, lost in thought.

It seemed that the other clans or the Azure Dragon Branch had not yet made a move.

“What about the meetings with the merchant guilds?”

“They are scheduled as planned. We have coordinated schedules with all the major merchant guilds, including the Three Great Merchant Guilds.”

“Well done.”

After a moment of thought, Dang Seol-ryun asked,

“What about Hyuk?”

Dang Hyuk was her younger brother and the winner of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.

Everything had been messed up because of his impulsive actions, but her brother was still precious to her.

“He is confined to his residence under the Lord’s orders. According to the physician, his health is good.”

Dang Seol-ryun let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“Understood. You may leave.”

“Yes.”

The subordinate bowed respectfully and left the office.

Dang Seol-ryun rose from her seat.

Click.

Slowly approaching the window, Dang Seol-ryun gritted her teeth.

“Yes, the conclusion is already set anyway.”

Rustle.

A well-decorated garden was visible beyond the curtain.

Dang Seol-ryun muttered with a sharp glint in her eyes.

“It’s just a matter of whether they make this easy, or not.”

The intention does not change.

Nothing changes.

It’s just a matter of the environment changing a little.

Dang Seol-ryun gritted her teeth.

A cold chill lingered in her eyes as she gazed at the vibrant garden.

***

While the entire capital was buzzing with the name of the Azure Dragon Sword Master, Yun-hyun was actually working in his inn room.

He was sorting through the information he had gathered with Jo Gwan and his group.

In fact, Jo Gwan, Hang Jang-ik, and Dam So-ha were in charge of the collection itself, but there were many things that were difficult to judge without Yun-hyun’s insight.

One of the most perplexing issues was the Azure Dragon Branch.

“Hmm, the Azure Dragon Branch…….”

Rustle.

Amidst the piles of documents, Dam So-ha flipped through a file about the Azure Dragon Branch and asked.

“Could this be a secret organization created by you, sir, or something like that?”

Yun-hyun shook his head.

“No, I’ve never done anything like that.”

“Really?”

Dam So-ha scratched his head as he examined the contents of the document.

“But they claim to be a group that follows the will of the Azure Dragon Sword Master? It became known through the incident of the Vice-Envoy of Guizhou Province, and since then, they have been sporadically resisting the Heroic Alliance…….”

Dam So-ha frowned as he spoke.

“There are many cases where the identity is not clear, so it is impossible to confirm whether the Azure Dragon Branch is really behind it. Still, even if I only roughly pick out the ones that *could* be, there are more than ten cases.”

That was quite a diligent level of activity.

“Hmm.”

Yun-hyun thought about it and then tilted his head.

“Well? I don’t have any idea……. I don’t know what’s going on.”

Yun-hyun looked at Jin Ye-rim.

“Does Sojeo [young lady] happen to know anything?”

“No.”

Jin Ye-rim said firmly.

“But it’s not our side. We don’t do such cowardly things.”

By ‘we,’ she meant the elite of the martial arts centers near Hangzhou, whom she had been with along with Dokgo-rang.

“Cowardly things?”

“Yes.”

Jin Ye-rim nodded when Dam So-ha asked.

“Look closely. They said they follow the will of the Azure Dragon, not the Azure Dragon Sword Master. It may not seem like much, but the difference is significant, right? The Azure Dragon Sword Master is Yun Dae-in, but Azure Dragon is an ambiguous title. They have prepared a loophole to deny it later.”

As she said.

There were cases where they shouted that they followed the will of the Azure Dragon Sword Master, but in every case where a master of Sword Energy Manifestation intervened, they said it was the will of the Azure Dragon.

“So, they just wanted to ride on the coattails of the Azure Dragon Sword Master’s reputation. If it was really for a noble cause, they would have revealed themselves proudly. What is there to fear for a master of Sword Energy Manifestation to wear a mask?”

“Um, but there are unavoidable cases, right? Just because they hid their identity doesn’t mean we should suspect them unconditionally……. Their intentions may be good.”

“Those who killed people under the name of another person?”

Jin Ye-rim scoffed.

“I’d rather they said it was the will of all people, or for the sake of justice. That’s funny too, though.”

Without hesitating, Jin Ye-rim continued.

“Even if they are villains, they killed people in the name of Yun Dae-in. Those who pass the buck for that responsibility, their intentions are good?”

It was blatant sarcasm, but Dam So-ha couldn’t refute it.

Because Jin Ye-rim was right.

“I can say for sure.”

Jin Ye-rim said with a faint smile.

“These people will never try to contact Yun Dae-in, right? Not until they have secured a solid force for themselves. If you don’t believe me, I’ll bet you.”

Dam So-ha pouted.

“Why would I bet on something I’m sure to lose?”

He also fully agreed with Jin Ye-rim’s words.

So, a bet could not be established.

“Yun Dae-in.”

Jin Ye-rim said to Yun-hyun.

“It’s really not you, is it?”

Yun-hyun nodded.

“It’s really not me.”

“Then you should keep your distance from them. If you don’t want to take responsibility for something you didn’t do, you should make it clear that you have nothing to do with them.”

“I understand.”

“If they contact you, first demand their disbandment, or tell them to change their name. You must never show an ambiguous attitude, because at that moment, you will be branded as being on the same side as them.”

Yun-hyun fully agreed with her words.

Similar but different, so-called pseudo (似而非) [imitation or fake] is more dangerous than an enemy.

“I will definitely do so.”

Yun-hyun said with a serious look.

Jin Ye-rim smiled faintly.

“Oh, I thought you said they wouldn’t contact you?”

Jin Ye-rim frowned at Dam So-ha’s words from behind.

“What if? What if, who knows?”

“Then if I bet one *nyang* [unit of currency] and win, I’ll get ten thousand times that? I’ll bet.”

“What? This…….”

Yun-hyun smiled as he watched the two people bickering.

Hang Jang-ik, as well as the Royal Secret Inspector Jo Gwan, smiled bitterly amidst the piles of documents.

“By the way, how did you do that?”

Suddenly, Jin Ye-rim asked Yun-hyun.

“What?”

“Breaking the sword with silver chopsticks.”

“Break a sword?”

“With silver chopsticks?”

Dam So-ha and Hang Jang-ik said with surprised expressions.

“Ah, that…….”

Yun-hyun said with a smile.

“You can think of the chopsticks as the tip of my sword. Then it just becomes a duel between swords, and after that, it’s simple.”

Not only Jin Ye-rim, but also Hang Jang-ik, Dam So-ha, and even Jo Gwan’s faces changed strangely.

“……Is that simple?”

“It would be for Yun Dae-in.”

Dam So-ha and Jin Ye-rim said as if they were fed up.

Yun-hyun shrugged his shoulders.

Jo Gwan sighed quietly and said.

“It’s getting late, shall we have dinner for a while?”

“Good idea.”

Yun-hyun agreed, and everyone got up from their seats.

The mood to work had already disappeared far away.

And that afternoon, a message arrived for Yun-hyun from the Taepyung Alliance.

It was a polite letter inviting Yun-hyun to the Leaders’ Meeting and stating that Dang Seol-ryun, the General Military Affairs Director, wanted a private meeting.

Yun-hyun gladly accepted the invitation.

***

Taepyung Alliance Headquarters.

Guided by the Dang Clan’s young lady, Dang Yi-ryung, Yun-hyun entered the main hall with Jin Ye-rim.

Dang Yi-ryung bowed politely to Yun-hyun in front of the door.

It meant that she could not enter with him.

Yun-hyun said to her.

“Thank you.”

Dang Yi-ryung smiled and answered.

Click.

The door closed, and Yun-hyun looked around the main hall.

The main hall was quite splendid and antique.

The heads of the Dang Clan, the Zhuge Clan, and the Murong Clan were seated at the front center, and the key figures of the other four clans were seated on the left wall.

On the right wall were the General Military Affairs Director Dang Seol-ryun and the Internal Affairs Director Zhuge Gi-ho.

The absence of a scribe to record showed that this meeting was informal.

The simple fruits and fragrant tea placed in front of each person were also indicative of the setting.

Thud, thud.

Yun-hyun and Jin Ye-rim walked towards them.

Rustle.

The General Military Affairs Director Dang Seol-ryun rose from her seat.

“Welcome, Dae-in [esteemed guest].”

She said with a soft expression.

“I don’t need to introduce you again, but this is the Lord of the Dang Clan, the Azure Flame Lord Dang Chun-byuk Daehyup [great hero], and the head of the Zhuge Clan, the Gentleman Sword Zhuge Myung Daehyup, and the head of the Murong Clan, the Gwanil Sword Murong Dan-chun Daehyup.”

“Welcome.”

“Thank you.”

Each time they were introduced, the heads of the families bowed or showed courtesy with a friendly smile.

Yun-hyun also returned the greeting politely.

“And these are Gongsun Chu-hyun Daehyup, who is attending in place of the head of the Gongsun Clan, Hyukryun Pil Daehyup of the Hyukryun Clan, Danmok Gi Daehyup of the Danmok Clan, and Hwangbo Sun-hye Sojeo of the Namhae Sword Sect.”

Hwangbo Sun-hye smiled, Hyukryun Pil had a calm look.

Danmok Gi couldn’t hide his interest, and Gongsun Chu-hyun’s eyes showed a strange hostility.

“Zhuge Gi-ho Daehyup is the General Internal Affairs Director of the Taepyung Alliance, and I am Dang Seol-ryun, who is in charge of the External Military Affairs.”

Yun-hyun also paid his respects to Zhuge Gi-ho, who smiled brightly, and Dang Seol-ryun, who gave a light eye-smile.

“And as everyone already knows.”

Rustle.

Dang Seol-ryun turned to the heads of the families.

“This is Yun-hyun Gong [term of respect], the envoy of Park Gonggong. He once served as a scribe in the Murim Alliance…….”

With a faint smile, Dang Seol-ryun said.

“He is better known as the disciple of the Divine Monk and the Azure Dragon Sword Master.”

Yun-hyun once again paid his respects politely.

“Nice to meet you. I am Yun-hyun.”

Was it a coincidence?

Most of the people here were people who had a connection with the Murim Alliance or had been personally involved in the past.

“Please sit down.”

The General Military Affairs Director Dang Seol-ryun said with a soft expression.

Yun-hyun’s seat was next to the three heads of the families.

It was unknown whether it was out of respect for Park Gonggong’s envoy or out of consideration for being the disciple of the Divine Monk.

Yun-hyun sat down, and Jin Ye-rim stood guard behind him with a stern expression.

Dang Seol-ryun walked over and poured fragrant tea for Yun-hyun herself.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Dang Seol-ryun smiled.

Amidst the pouring gazes, Yun-hyun leisurely picked up the cup and savored the tea.

Click.

“It’s a good tea.”

As Yun-hyun put down his teacup, the Lord of the Dang Clan, Azure Flame Lord Dang Chun-byuk, opened his mouth.

“It’s a specialty of Sichuan.”

“Indeed, it’s a masterpiece worthy of being called the home of tea.”

“Haha, of course, we have to give something to our precious guest, right? Thank you for accepting the invitation, Yun Gong.”

The title Dang Chun-byuk used to call Yun-hyun clearly showed his intention to treat him as the envoy of the Imperial Court.

“You’re welcome. I am grateful that you have invited me to such a precious place.”

Of course, the original target of the invitation was not Yun-hyun but Park Gonggong.

“It reminds me of the old Murim Alliance. It wasn’t such a good atmosphere back then, though.”

At the word Murim Alliance, several people’s expressions hardened.