Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 51

Perhaps the families viewed Unhyun with the same skepticism as Mo Yongjin himself. They likely saw him as just another opportunist, angling for personal gain.

Mo Yongjin’s expression hardened.

He seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking softly, “Would you consider delaying your departure?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Unhyun’s eyes.

Mo Yongjin’s next words confirmed Unhyun’s suspicions.

“I’ll put in a good word for you, though my influence is limited.”

However, Unhyun’s response took Mo Yongjin by surprise.

“There’s no need to do that.”

Unhyun shook his head gently.

“It’s not as if I have pressing matters to attend to…”

“Nonsense. How can the family maintain its reputation if it treats a talented individual like yourself with such disregard? Please, just wait a little longer.”

With a slight bow, Mo Yongjin turned and strode away.

Watching him leave, Unhyun couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“So, he’s still loyal to the family… I suppose this is why connections are so highly valued.”

What he couldn’t accomplish in fifteen days seemed on the verge of happening with a single word from a family disciple, leaving Unhyun with a bitter feeling.

But now that Mo Yongjin was offering assistance, Unhyun realized how naive and pointless his previous efforts had been.

What could he even say to the family head that would make a difference?

“Anyway, he’s a really decent young man when he’s sober,” Unhyun muttered to himself, recalling Mo Yongjin’s impeccable attire and dignified bearing.

Later that afternoon, Unhyun found himself standing before the family head’s residence.

‘Well, here we go.’

When the vice-chief informed him that he would be meeting with the family head, Unhyun knew it was thanks to Mo Yongjin’s intervention.

But a sense of unease lingered.

“Family Head, I have brought the guest,” the chief announced respectfully, and a voice responded from within the room.

“Bring him in.”

The chief bowed slightly, then turned to Unhyun and said, “This way, please.”

*Rustle.*

The door opened silently, and Unhyun stepped inside.

The door closed behind him.

*Clack.*

Confirming that Unhyun had entered, the chief stepped away from the door.

This was a private conversation between the guest and the family head, and he had no right to interfere.

However, the chief glanced back at the door Unhyun had disappeared behind, a puzzled expression on his face.

‘Could the Great Disciple have changed somehow?’

It was the Great Disciple’s request that this guest meet the family head.

The chief had fully expected the family head to reject the request.

Mo Yongjin, who had abandoned his sword for so long and was now a fixture in the brothels, dared to recommend someone?

Yet, unexpectedly, the family head had readily agreed to the meeting.

It was reminiscent of the trust Mo Yongjin had once enjoyed with the family head.

The chief sensed a shift in the relationship between the family head and the Great Disciple, something he couldn’t quite grasp.

‘A former scholar…’

Still, the guest’s background baffled him.

The family wasn’t lacking in scholars, so he couldn’t understand why they would consider a *former* scholar.

The same question weighed on the mind of the family head, Gwan Il-geom Mo Yong Dancheon.

“Thank you for coming. I am the family head, Mo Yong Dancheon.”

“Pleased to meet you. I am Unhyun.”

After the exchange of formal greetings, the conversation stalled.

For Unhyun, the situation was awkward; for Mo Yong Dancheon, it was a meeting with an unclear purpose.

However, remembering his encounter with the Great Disciple at dawn, Mo Yong Dancheon sought a way to steer the conversation.

“I understand you were once a scholar?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Unhyun’s answer was brief and to the point.

“Preparing for the civil service examination must have been quite demanding.”

“It’s a common experience for all students, so there’s nothing particularly special about it.”

“Haha, is that so?”

Mo Yong Dancheon’s awkward smile marked another conversational dead end.

‘Why did Jin-i recommend this person?’

It was up to the guest to reveal his purpose.

But this guest showed no enthusiasm for conversation.

Usually, the problem was that visitors were overly verbose, but this one was unusually taciturn.

Mo Yong Dancheon began to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Unhyun felt the same way.

‘This is…’

The Mo Yong Dancheon before him was exactly as he had imagined.

A dignified presence, a long beard, a strong face, and piercing eyes—the epitome of a martial artist.

The difference between them was stark, even in terms of physical build.

Moreover, the other man was the head of a powerful family, while he was merely a scholar with nothing to offer.

Even if he tried to ignore it, his experiences over the past few days had made him acutely aware of how others perceived him.

“So, what brings you here?” Mo Yong Dancheon finally broached the subject.

“I heard of the Mo Yong Family’s great reputation and decided to pay my respects,” Unhyun replied casually.

In truth, he had nothing specific to say, but he deliberately held back.

He knew how his intentions would be misinterpreted, regardless of what he said.

‘They’ll think I’m seeking a position.’

That had been his intention, but only until yesterday.

Unhyun had already abandoned the idea of working for the family. He had nothing to say to the head of the Mo Yong Family.

For Unhyun, who wanted to avoid further humiliation, silence was the best course of action.

“Haha, is that so? I was concerned that our reputation might be undeserved.”

“That’s not true.”

Unhyun smiled.

“Now that the Family Head has so greatly awakened the sword of the Mo Yong Family, isn’t the only thing left to do to explore the meaning of that sword path more deeply?”

‘Huh?’

That was an odd thing to say.

To tell the Family Head that he had greatly awakened the family’s sword could be interpreted as insulting, depending on how it was received.

But for Mo Yong Dancheon, who had genuinely experienced such an awakening, Unhyun’s words resonated differently.

Mo Yong Dancheon looked at Unhyun with renewed interest.

But the young man before him appeared to be nothing more than a well-mannered scholar.

‘…Is this a peculiar way of speaking for scholars?’

Mo Yong Dancheon concluded that it was probably a compliment expressed in the scholars’ unique style, unfamiliar to martial arts families.

But he couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Do you have any other plans for the near future?”

A flicker of understanding appeared in Unhyun’s eyes. He couldn’t possibly misunderstand the Family Head’s question.

But the light quickly faded.

“I intend to travel the world for a while to broaden my horizons. And I have personal matters to attend to.”

Unhyun unconsciously touched the ring hanging beneath his clothes.

“Is that so?” Mo Yong Dancheon nodded.

‘He’s a decent young man, but…’

It was a little disappointing, but not enough to dwell on. There were plenty of scholars like Unhyun.

“Please visit the Mo Yong Family again if you have the opportunity. You are always welcome.”

His words were sincere, but only to a point.

“Thank you,” Unhyun replied sincerely as well.

Mo Yong Dancheon, maintaining a smile, turned his gaze towards the door.

“Chief.”

At Mo Yong Dancheon’s quiet command, the meeting between Unhyun and the Family Head came to an end.

***

A warm afternoon.

Unhyun stood at the main gate of the Mo Yong Family.

The Great Disciple Mo Yongjin, dressed in formal martial attire, stood before him.

“I apologize, Great Man Unhyun,” Mo Yongjin said with a somber expression. But Unhyun shook his head, smiling brightly.

“No need. Thanks to you, I met the Family Head, didn’t I? I was planning to leave anyway, so don’t worry about it.”

However, Mo Yongjin’s expression remained troubled.

If the Family Head had been pleased with the meeting, he wouldn’t have allowed Unhyun to leave so easily.

The fact that Unhyun was departing as planned spoke volumes about the reception he had received.

“That’s not true. Something must have gone wrong…”

“It’s alright,” Unhyun reassured him.

“I only came to pay my respects. Besides, the Family Head treated me with sufficient courtesy, so don’t be concerned.”

After the meeting with the Family Head, Unhyun had received an envelope from the chief.

It contained a bill, described as ‘a small token of gratitude for visiting,’ but…

Unhyun smiled and returned the envelope, reaffirming his belief that he had done well to remain silent.

That’s simply how the world works. If the Forbidden City [Imperial palace in Beijing] is like that, how could the Mo Yong Family be any different?

“Please come again,” Mo Yongjin said regretfully. Unhyun nodded.

“I will visit again whenever I have the opportunity.”

“No. Not just when you have the opportunity—you *must* visit.”

“Haha.”

Unhyun chuckled.

Saying he would visit whenever he had the opportunity was the same as saying he wouldn’t come at all.

Mo Yongjin understood this, and that’s why he was urging Unhyun so earnestly.

“Thank you,” Unhyun said, looking at Mo Yongjin.

“I will definitely visit, even if it’s just to see you.”

Only then did Mo Yongjin’s face brighten.

He turned and gestured to the coachman standing nearby.

The coachman bowed politely to Mo Yongjin and went to open the carriage door.

Mo Yongjin turned back to Unhyun.

“I will take you to the city of Gaebong [Kaifeng]. Please take care of yourself until we meet again.”

Unhyun nodded.

He had initially intended to decline the carriage as well, but he decided to accept it out of respect for the other man’s sincerity, and because the walk to Gaebong was considerable.

*Click.*

Unhyun bid farewell to Mo Yongjin and stepped into the carriage.

As the coachman took the reins, the carriage began to move.

*Clatter, clatter.*

“Hoo.”

Inside the carriage, Unhyun leaned back and sighed.

He had learned a great deal during his stay with the Mo Yong Family.

‘Coming here so recklessly, I truly didn’t understand the ways of the world.’

It was a period that had clearly shown him how little he knew, having spent so much time within the confines of the Forbidden City.

Unhyun glanced back at the Mo Yong Family through the window.

Mo Yongjin’s figure, still standing there, came into view.

Unhyun smiled.

“He’s a really decent young man. Of course, everyone makes mistakes at some point…”

After speaking with him for a while, Unhyun had come to like Mo Yongjin.

He was almost the only person in the Mo Yong Family who had treated Unhyun as a genuine guest.

Their first meeting had been a bit rough, though.

“Anyway, where do I go now?”

In the swaying carriage, Unhyun muttered to himself.

*Clack, clack.*

The Mo Yong Family, which he had approached with such high hopes, was gradually receding into the distance.

Watching the carriage carrying Unhyun depart, Mo Yongjin couldn’t suppress his disappointment.

He had believed that the Family Head would recognize Unhyun’s potential and keep him, but he had simply let him go. He felt a sense of regret and responsibility.

‘If I had done things differently…’

If he had spoken directly to his grandfather, this might not have happened.

But he didn’t feel ready to face him yet, so he had approached the vice-chief first, and this was the result.

‘Well, the Great Man hides his talents so well…’

Even he had initially dismissed Unhyun as a useless scholar, so he couldn’t blame others.

He could only lament his own shortcomings.