Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 491

491. Dang Seol-yeon’s Choice

Yun-hyun gazed down at Dang Seol-yeon, who remained kneeling, a surprised expression on her face.

Dang Seol-yeon had just declared, ‘I will do as you wish,’ in response to Yun-hyun’s statement that ‘the Moonju [leader of the Dang Family] must kneel.’

Even Gaek-ong was taken aback by her answer, but Dang Seol-yeon’s eyes remained unwavering.

The scene perfectly illustrated why she was known as the Snow Flower of the Dang Family and why she considered herself a true member of the clan.

Poisonous intent was the very essence of the Dang Family.

“…Please rise,” Yun-hyun said softly.

Dang Seol-yeon stood up.

Shuffling.

She straightened, her posture regaining its composure.

Her confident and dignified bearing hardly suggested someone who had just pledged ‘obedience’.

But this was precisely the image of Dang Seol-yeon.

“This is not an ideal place for discussion. I believe it would be better to move inside.”

“Yes, Great One,” Dang Seol-yeon replied with a slight bow.

Yun-hyun offered a wry smile.

“That, well, that title of Great One is a bit…”

“What would you prefer?” Dang Seol-yeon asked, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“I will follow your wishes in everything.”

That smile carried a hint of provocation.

Yun-hyun’s decision was swift.

“For now, Young Master would be fine.”

“Yes, Young Master Yun,” Dang Seol-yeon responded without hesitation.

Yun-hyun felt awkward even with that title, unaccustomed to such an obedient demeanor from her.

But there was no need to dwell on it.

Step.

Yun-hyun turned and headed towards the Main Hall.

Dang Seol-yeon followed closely behind.

The man who had accompanied her bowed to Dang Seol-yeon and silently resumed his guard duty.

Dang Seol-yeon, trailing Yun-hyun, bowed her head to Gaek-ong, who stood before the Main Hall.

Sigh.

Instead of a verbal response, Gaek-ong sighed quietly.

He then turned and entered the Main Hall.

Youngho-jun also regarded Dang Seol-yeon with a complex expression, but Dang Seol-yeon didn’t even spare him a glance.

It was as if he were invisible.

Step, step.

Dang Seol-yeon passed Youngho-jun and entered the Main Hall.

Youngho-jun sighed softly.

“Even though it’s obvious she’s aware of me, she acts like that…”

He chuckled.

“Isn’t that just another cute thing about her?”

A gentle smile graced Youngho-jun’s face.

He followed towards the Main Hall, his smile unwavering.

He was the same Youngho-jun, the ever-romantic young master, as always.

Yun-hyun sat facing Dang Seol-yeon in the office.

He personally poured tea for Dang Seol-yeon, Gaek-ong, and Youngho-jun.

Trickle.

As a delicate fragrance arose from the warm teacups, a flicker of interest sparked in Dang Seol-yeon’s eyes.

“This tea is Mengding Huangya [a type of yellow tea].”

“Yes. It’s the tea that Lady [referring to his mother or a respected female figure] gave me before,” Yun-hyun said as he settled back into his seat.

“The taste and aroma were quite memorable. Ah, of course, I don’t need things like silver needles [referring to testing the tea for poison].”

In the past, during a private meeting with Dang Seol-yeon, she had tasted Yun-hyun’s tea and even tested it with a silver needle.

She had explained that some people had become so accustomed to suspicion that they couldn’t even enjoy a cup of tea without worry.

Swish.

Yun-hyun picked up his teacup and savored the tea.

Without hesitation, Dang Seol-yeon brought the teacup to her lips.

“Hoo.”

Dang Seol-yeon inhaled deeply as she tasted the tea.

“Good. It’s smooth and subtly sweet, yet the distinctive raw flavor of Mengding Huangya is well preserved,” Dang Seol-yeon commented as she touched the teacup.

“It seems that the teahouse in Hangzhou remained safe despite all the chaos.”

Yun-hyun looked surprised.

As she mentioned, these tea leaves had been sourced from a teahouse in Hangzhou.

“How did you… Ah. Of course, you must already know.”

Yun-hyun quickly understood.

The teahouse in Hangzhou was the place he had visited with Youngho-jun.

Dang Seol-yeon had already been to the teahouse where he had praised the owner’s discerning eye for tea leaves.

Yun-hyun nodded, and Dang Seol-yeon’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but she silently continued to savor the tea.

“I read the letter carefully,” Yun-hyun said, holding his teacup.

“But I didn’t expect to meet you so soon.”

“I was waiting in Hangzhou.”

Clink.

Dang Seol-yeon placed her teacup down and answered.

“This matter is of great importance to me. Thank you for allowing me this meeting.”

She bowed again.

Then, she looked at Yun-hyun and asked, “But could we perhaps have a private meeting alone?”

Gaek-ong and Youngho-jun were seated beside Yun-hyun.

Gaek-ong was calmly enjoying his tea, while Youngho-jun was gazing at Dang Seol-yeon with a constant grin.

Even though Dang Seol-yeon never returned his gaze.

“It’s alright,” Yun-hyun said gently.

“These people are like myself.”

“I see,” Dang Seol-yeon accepted Yun-hyun’s explanation.

But she didn’t fail to add, “But wouldn’t that give the impression that the Alliance Leader is incapable of handling matters independently?”

“That’s true,” Yun-hyun acknowledged Dang Seol-yeon’s point.

“In fact, the Chief Strategist [referring to Gaek-ong] is more crucial than I am. If the Chief Strategist were to leave, the Azure Dragon Alliance would immediately descend into chaos. No, it might even cease to function as an alliance altogether. I could leave the alliance for months, and nothing would happen.”

Yun-hyun continued as he brought the teacup to his lips.

“In fact, I’m starting to wonder if I should just quit…”

“That’s not true, Alliance Leader,” Youngho-jun said with a serious expression.

“The Alliance Leader is the foundation, the basis, and the core of the Azure Dragon Alliance. If the Alliance Leader were to quit, where would we find the enormous financial resources to replace them?”

Yun-hyun, as well as Dang Seol-yeon, were taken aback by his words.

But Youngho-jun remained earnest.

“You absolutely must not quit until at least ten years from now, when the Azure Dragon Alliance’s own revenue stream becomes stable.”

Yun-hyun gave an awkward smile.

“Then, is it okay to quit after ten years?”

“Well?”

Youngho-jun shrugged.

“Well, we’ll have to see after ten years.”

“Hehehe.”

Yun-hyun chuckled.

But Dang Seol-yeon’s expression remained unchanged.

“How is Grandfather?” Dang Seol-yeon asked.

Yun-hyun looked back at Gaek-ong.

“As I said before,” Gaek-ong, who was savoring his tea, answered quietly.

“I am Gaek-ong.”

Those words clearly conveyed Gaek-ong’s stance.

He was still Gaek-ong, not a selfish or medicinal member of the Dang Family.

“I understand,” Dang Seol-yeon bowed politely.

Then, she quietly held her teacup.

After a moment of silence, she spoke softly.

“Right now, the Dang Family is attempting to join forces with the Il Dae Sanghoe [One Great Merchant Guild].”

Yun-hyun’s expression instantly hardened.

Gaek-ong, as well as Youngho-jun, also grew serious.

“The Moonju’s will is unwavering. Now that the Azure Dragon Alliance and Dokseon [likely a person or group] have turned their backs on the Dang Family, the only entity the Dang Family can rely on is the Il Dae Sanghoe.”

Yun-hyun was silent for a moment.

Then, he asked quietly, “Is the Dang Family’s situation so dire that they must resort to that?”

Regardless of how different it was from the past, the Dang Family was still the leader of the Taepyung Alliance.

Dang Seol-yeon’s statement that they were suddenly trying to rely on the Il Dae Sanghoe was difficult to comprehend.

Dang Seol-yeon gave a bitter smile.

The fact that Yun-hyun was unaware meant that he didn’t care.

The Dang Family was no longer even considered an opponent by Yun-hyun.

“Didn’t you know? The Taepyung Alliance’s attack on Gangnam is already being led by the Hyeokryun Family. Moreover, in Sichuan, the Emei Sect [a Buddhist sect] is growing in power day by day. The Dang Family’s influence in Sichuan is like a sun that has already set.”

The Emei Sect, which had been driven to the brink of closure by the Taepyung Alliance, not only overcame the crisis dramatically but was also rising as the new ruler of Sichuan.

The Buddhist Emei still maintained its distance from the secular world, but all the influential figures and wealthy people of Sichuan went to the Emei Sect and bowed their heads.

Everyone knew that Yun-hyun, the leader of the Azure Dragon Alliance and the Azure Dragon Sword Master, had personally saved Emei.

“Even the government officials don’t listen to the Dang Family at all. How much money have we poured in so far…”

Dang Seol-yeon bit her lip.

In fact, the government officials had changed their attitude a long time ago.

After Yun-hyun became a special inspector, the local government officials of Sichuan began to distance themselves from the Dang Family.

Even now that Park Gong-gong [likely a government official] was temporarily away, the situation had not changed.

The current local government officials had all received help from Park Gong-gong, whether big or small, and they believed that Park Gong-gong would soon regain his power.

“I see,” Yun-hyun realized that the Dang Family’s situation was more desperate than he had thought.

Within the Dang Family, a sense of crisis was actually widespread.

The general consensus was that if they didn’t act now, the Dang Family might collapse under the pressure of the Emei Sect.

So, the Moonju of the Dang Family, Cheongyeomgun Dang Chun-byuk, had made a decision.

To join forces with the Il Dae Sanghoe in earnest.

“Did the Il Dae Sanghoe accept?”

“I don’t know.”

Dang Seol-yeon gave a hollow laugh.

“He entrusted me with the negotiations with the merchant, but I came here.”

‘Ah.’

Yun-hyun understood why Dang Seol-yeon had endured the wasted time and waited for him, and why she had knelt down without hesitation.

Even before sending the secret letter, she had already made her choice.

“Why didn’t you go to the Il Dae Sanghoe? You must already know that he wields such great power that he can command the Blood Cult and the Demonic Cult.”

“Yes. I know.”

Dang Seol-yeon’s eyes were fixed on Yun-hyun.

“But I don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. I’m not someone who stubbornly refuses to admit my failures because my pride is hurt. But in this situation, you’re going to join the Il Dae Sanghoe in earnest?”

Dang Seol-yeon said in a firm voice.

“Even if the Demonic Cult’s forces are threatening Nanzhou, it’s just a temporary surge of power. Even if the Demonic Cult wins, it’s the same. Who in the world can accept the Demonic Cult? This is a situation where you’re losing from the start in the battle for justification, even before you consider the practical benefits. Why can’t you see this?”

Perhaps because she had accumulated a lot of pent-up feelings, Dang Seol-yeon poured out her words in one breath.

Who in the world could recognize the Demonic Cult?

The only way for the Demonic Cult to be recognized was to create a world ruled by the Demonic Cult.

But no one has ever gained the world by sacrificing justification.

Dang Seol-yeon’s point was perfectly valid.

Then, Youngho-jun suddenly interjected.

“Do you happen to have a way to contact the Il Dae Sanghoe? No, do you have one?”

Dang Seol-yeon frowned.

Yun-hyun asked her, who was not answering, “Do you know where the Il Dae Sanghoe is?”

“I don’t know either,” Dang Seol-yeon answered Yun-hyun.

She didn’t even glance back at Youngho-jun.

“However, there is a way to communicate with Moonwang [likely a leader or figure associated with the Il Dae Sanghoe]. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to contact him properly, though.”

From the beginning, the Dang Family had a loose cooperative relationship with the Il Dae Sanghoe.

Contact and letters were very rare, and even that had completely disappeared after Moonwang’s death.

The reason why Moonju Dang Chun-byuk entrusted Dang Seol-yeon with the negotiations was that she was the only one who had a way to contact the Il Dae Sanghoe.

After a moment of silence, Yun-hyun asked Dang Seol-yeon, “What do you want from me?”

“Please allow the Dang Family to join the Azure Dragon Alliance,” Dang Seol-yeon said without hesitation.

Yun-hyun’s answer was equally immediate.

“Okay. However…”

“You mean the condition that the Moonju must kneel?” Dang Seol-yeon said, her eyes shining.

“That’s right. Other than that, I promise you the same treatment as the other sects. Ah, of course, you have to resolve the relationships with the various sects on your own.”

“Of course. You are truly generous, Young Master.”

Yun-hyun shook his head.

“I am not a generous person. I am just trying to be fair. And…”

Yun-hyun turned his gaze and looked at Gaek-ong and Youngho-jun.

“Lady, you have truly precious relationships.”

At those words, Dang Seol-yeon’s eyelashes fluttered.

She said in a tearful voice, “…Yes. Grandfather is truly too good for me.”

Gaek-ong, who had been sitting silently, closed his eyes.

Even he could not suppress the emotions that surged before the affection of blood.

Dang Seol-yeon looked at Gaek-ong with moist eyes.

Then, suddenly, she frowned without realizing it.

Youngho-jun, who was next to her, was looking at Dang Seol-yeon with an emotional expression.