Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 332

332. It’s All My Fault

“Welcome.”

The Hoam Merchant Guild’s elderly Deputy Chief greeted the group.

He already knew why Yunhyun and his party were visiting.

“The Executive Director is available. Please, come this way.”

Following the Deputy Chief’s guidance, the group entered the main residence of the Hoam Merchant Guild.

“Hmm.”

Younghojun muttered.

“It’s quite calm, considering what happened.”

“Indeed.”

Dam Soha nodded.

The main residence of the Hoam Merchant Guild was a rather old and large mansion.

It felt more like the residence of a prestigious noble family than a merchant’s home.

Most puzzling was the complete absence of panic or anxiety on the faces of the people.

“It’s all thanks to the Executive Director.”

The Deputy Chief, who was leading the way, said.

“When the guild was struck by a great misfortune and didn’t know what to do, the Executive Director took the lead in directing the response and managing the damage. Thanks to her, the guild quickly regained stability.”

The Deputy Chief spoke with a look of deep respect.

“Without the Executive Director, we would still be in chaos.”

“Oh, really?”

Younghojun nodded, intrigued.

“Ah, there she is.”

The Executive Director said.

Lee Seoyeon and a few others were visible in front of a large building.

She was listening to reports from people and giving instructions.

The respectful attitude of those around her clearly showed their trust in Lee Seoyeon.

“Is that Lee Seoyeon?”

Younghojun said, admiringly.

“Wow, she’s beautiful! Her sharp demeanor makes her a very impressive beauty.”

At that moment, Lee Seoyeon noticed Yunhyun’s group.

For a moment, her eyes widened.

However, Lee Seoyeon quickly regained her composure.

“Welcome.”

Lee Seoyeon bowed politely.

Yunhyun also bowed.

“It’s been a while, Seoyeon. But…”

“We have prepared a place inside.”

Lee Seoyeon interrupted Yunhyun, speaking in a calm tone.

“If you wait a moment, I will finish my work and come to see you soon.”

It was a polite but somewhat formal tone.

“I understand.”

When Yunhyun nodded, Lee Seoyeon said to the Deputy Chief.

“Deputy Chief, please guide them.”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

The Deputy Chief bowed and followed her command.

“Please, follow me.”

The Deputy Chief walked ahead, and the group followed him.

Yunhyun glanced back at Lee Seoyeon.

Lee Seoyeon was talking to the people around her with a serious expression.

Until the group disappeared between the buildings, Lee Seoyeon did not look back even once.

***

Yunhyun’s group was sitting in a gazebo with a view of the garden.

The small but elegantly decorated gazebo revealed the homeowner’s taste.

Simple fruits and tea were prepared for the group.

“Are you really close?”

Dam Soha asked Yunhyun, fiddling with her teacup.

“Her reaction seemed rather cold. Anyone would think you were forcing a friendship. Considering it was an emergency, she seems too calm.”

Yunhyun smiled wryly, toying with his teacup.

“That’s…”

“No, she was quite shaken.”

Younghojun answered.

“She seemed to be hiding it in front of the people, but she was definitely shaken. The question is her intention…”

“Intention? What do you mean…”

Dam Soha was about to ask.

Rustle.

The group turned their heads at the sound from the garden.

Rustle, rustle.

Lee Seoyeon was walking across the garden.

Her elegant figure was like a painting.

“Seoyeon!”

Yunhyun called her.

Lee Seoyeon raised her head.

And her eyes met Yunhyun’s.

Lee Seoyeon stopped walking.

In an instant, her eyes welled up with tears.

“…Brother.”

Lee Seoyeon’s voice was trembling.

Unlike before, Lee Seoyeon’s expression was overwhelmed with emotion.

At her unusual appearance, Yunhyun stood up, but tears were already streaming down Lee Seoyeon’s cheeks.

“Seoyeon!”

Yunhyun was startled.

Lee Seoyeon stood there as if rooted to the spot, crying and saying.

“…I’m sorry.”

Yunhyun quickly approached Lee Seoyeon.

Younghojun also followed Yunhyun, and Inspector Jo Gwan also stood up.

“What’s going on…”

Yunhyun said as he approached, but Lee Seoyeon bowed her head and covered her face with both hands.

“I’m sorry, Brother. It’s all my fault.”

Tears were flowing from her eyes like a spring.

And at that moment, Lee Seoyeon’s body swayed.

“Seoyeon!”

Yunhyun reached out his hand, but Younghojun was faster.

Younghojun immediately caught Lee Seoyeon’s collapsing body.

Thud.

Lee Seoyeon lost consciousness.

Younghojun immediately checked her pulse and breathing.

“…What happened?”

At Yunhyun’s question, Younghojun examined Lee Seoyeon’s complexion and replied.

“Her energy is very weak. She seems to be overworked and hasn’t rested properly.”

At those words, Yunhyun’s expression darkened.

The kidnapped guild leader was Lee Seoyeon’s father.

If his heart was like this at the news of Ila Young, how must Lee Seoyeon feel?

“First, a doctor…”

“Just a moment.”

Tap, tap.

Younghojun lightly tapped a few pressure points on Lee Seoyeon.

“She wasn’t originally weak. She trained at the Namgung Clan…”

Whether it was effective or not, Lee Seoyeon soon regained consciousness.

“Umm.”

Lee Seoyeon opened her eyes, found Yunhyun’s face, and teared up again.

“…Brother.”

“It’s me, Seoyeon.”

Yunhyun took her hand.

Lee Seoyeon staggered for a moment but soon straightened her body.

“I…”

“Please, sit down first.”

Younghojun suggested to Lee Seoyeon, who was about to say something.

Yunhyun nodded, and Lee Seoyeon moved to the gazebo.

Rustle, rustle.

Lee Seoyeon and Yunhyun’s group sat down.

After waiting for her to calm down, Yunhyun carefully asked.

“What’s going on? Seoyeon.”

Lee Seoyeon gripped the teacup tightly.

Looking down, she said in a mournful voice.

“It’s all… my fault.”

“Your fault? What do you mean…”

Lee Seoyeon bit her lip and raised her head.

Looking at Yunhyun with tearful eyes, Lee Seoyeon said.

“Please save my father and Ah Young. Brother.”

“I will save them.”

Yunhyun replied.

“I will save your father and Ah Young. So, please tell me what happened.”

Lee Seoyeon bit her lip.

After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her mouth.

“The person who kidnapped my father and Ah Young is Blood Prince, Moon Wang.”

“Moon Wang!”

The group couldn’t hide their surprise.

Yunhyun’s expression also hardened.

To think it was Moon Wang, whom they had suspected, was shocking.

“How did you know that? Why did Moon Wang kidnap them?”

Younghojun asked immediately.

“That’s…”

After hesitating for a moment, Lee Seoyeon sighed softly.

“Yes. I should tell you everything from the beginning.”

Lee Seoyeon raised her head.

“In fact, Moon Wang was known as a hidden influential figure in the Upper Realms even before the Martial Alliance collapsed. His influence was enough to determine the fate of the five most prominent merchant guilds in the world.”

Younghojun’s expression changed.

Lee Seoyeon continued.

“At that time, Moon Wang bought large quantities of expensive goods such as rare medicinal herbs. The transaction volume was not large, but the payment amount was enormous. The amount of a single transaction was equivalent to several years’ worth of transactions for an average merchant guild.”

Yunhyun’s expression also hardened.

Yunhyun, who had studied the merchant guild’s ledgers in Gwangju, knew that the transaction amounts of the merchant guilds were much larger than he had thought.

“Only after the Hangzhou Bloodshed did we realize that he was Blood Prince, Moon Wang. The Moonjung Merchant Guild, once considered one of the Three Great Merchant Guilds, was destroyed by him.”

The Moonjung Merchant Guild was destroyed overnight, and the main residence of the Gongsun Clan, which protected them, was burned down by the Black Cavalry.

Lee Seoyeon’s words matched the facts exactly.

“Of course, the merchant guilds reconsidered trading with Moon Wang. But there was no choice. The Hero Alliance, which claimed that the Yangtze River logistics belonged to Blood Prince, Moon Wang, controlled it. Moreover, considering what had happened to the Moonjung Merchant Guild, cutting off trade with Moon Wang was extremely dangerous.”

“Just a moment.”

Younghojun asked.

“So, the merchant guilds already knew about Moon Wang’s existence? Before the Martial Alliance collapsed?”

“Yes.”

Younghojun groaned.

Only the Martial Alliance didn’t know what even the merchant guilds knew.

They even ignored Yunhyun’s clear warning.

Perhaps the Martial Alliance at that time was a blind man with his eyes open.

Intoxicated with vested interests, they couldn’t even see what was right in front of them.

“Then the rumor that the owner of the Hero Alliance is Blood Prince, Moon Wang, must have come from the merchant guilds.”

“Probably.”

“Can you tell me what kind of medicinal herbs Moon Wang requested?”

“It’s various. Herbs, all kinds of medicinal ingredients, and even rare elixirs were subject to trade. I’ll give you the list later.”

“Thank you.”

After bowing lightly, Younghojun said.

“What do you mean by saying it’s all your fault?”

Lee Seoyeon’s expression hardened.

“…Because it’s all my fault.”

She said softly, biting her lip without a word.

“I was the one who started trading with Moon Wang, and I was the one who decided to cut off trade with him.”

Lee Seoyeon raised her head.

Looking at Yunhyun with tearful eyes, Lee Seoyeon said.

Yunhyun simply met her gaze quietly.

Younghojun asked.

“Didn’t you say that cutting off trade with him was very dangerous?”

“That’s right. The immediate losses alone would shake the merchant guild.”

“But why did you cut it off?”

Swish.

Lee Seoyeon turned her head and looked at Younghojun.

“He is a murderer.”

Her answer was without hesitation.

“Although we didn’t sell swords and spears, continuing to trade with him is ultimately helping him. He will kill people and shed blood again.”

Lee Seoyeon said in a firm voice.

“As the daughter of a merchant guild, I can never allow that.”

Lee Seoyeon’s eyes were shining with determination.

Younghojun nodded and said.

“So, that’s why you said it’s your fault. Because you think this attack is Blood Prince Moon Wang’s revenge.”

“It’s not a thought, it’s a fact.”

Rustle.

Lee Seoyeon took out a thin letter from her bosom.

Lee Seoyeon’s hand, handing the letter to Yunhyun, was trembling slightly.

Rustle.

Yunhyun’s expression immediately hardened as he unfolded the letter.

Younghojun, who had glanced at it, also frowned.

“What is it?”

Dam Soha asked.

Younghojun examined the letter he received from Yunhyun and said with a bitter expression.

“It says to head to Poyang Lake before sunset today if we want to save the owner of the rings. He knew we were coming.”

“Rings?”

At Dam Soha’s question, Lee Seoyeon said.

“This is it.”

Swish.

Two rings shone in Lee Seoyeon’s hand.

“This jade ring belongs to my father. And this is…”

“It belongs to Ah Young.”

Yunhyun said quietly.

Yunhyun, who was gritting his teeth as if trying to suppress his emotions, barely opened his mouth.

“It is my sworn brother’s keepsake, and I gave it to Ah Young myself.”