Book 1 Chapter 23: When Spring Arrives at the Crossroad (2)
Translator: Hwarang
Editor: Kidyeon
My parents were waiting for me in their room.
“Did you call for me, father?”
“Yes, I have something to discuss with you.”
Father proceeded to tell me about the conversation he had with Song Wu Kyung. About how the San Dong Merchants had proposed to Song Wu Kyung that they would support him in the creation of the San Dong Alliance, and how Song Wu Kyung wanted my father’s advice and support.
“Since it pertains to the Song Clan, you should be informed of it.”
I could sense their att.i.tude towards me change. How they were now properly treating me as the heir of the Byuk Clan.
“There’s been a change in the Murim-In of San Dong.”
Although father only mentioned the Murim-In of San Dong, there were changes throughout all of the Central Plains. I hadn’t expected changes to happen this quickly after my death. This just went to show how much of an influence I held in Kang Ho. Either way, I didn’t have any say in this matter, considering I was no longer the Mengju who had banned the formation of Alliances. Thus, there was no need for me to get mad about the creation of the San Dong Alliance.
I was just worried that Song Wu Kyung would be the leader of the Alliance. After the Alliance gets formed everything would become political. Being the leader of a Clan is completely different than being the leader of an Alliance.
At the same time, I was rather curious as to why the San Dong Merchants had proposed this sort of arrangement, considering the fact that merchants only move when it’s beneficial to them. Especially when it comes to working with the Murim-In.
This is something that I’ll have to investigate carefully.
“Thank you for letting me know father”
As I was about to leave, my mother called out to me, “Did Lord Song visit you?”
“Yes. He told me not to cancel our engagement.”
Father replied with a helpless expression, “That man...”
At the same time, my mother replied with a smile on her face, “I’m with Lord Song on this.”
As I left, I didnt reply back since I understood how she felt.
The relationship between my parents and I was getting both better and deeper. At first I thought I had to act like their son on ceremony. However, that feeling had disappeared; I feel like I can act naturally around them. I get the feeling now that they’re my real parents, so I want to treat them as such
To be honest... I’m happy; happy to have parents like this.
I am sure my previous mother will understand. Since I am showing filial piety to my parents in her stead.
***
In the afternoon, someone unexpected came by to visit.
It was Song Hwa Rin. My face showed signs of surprise, since this was truly unexpected.
“It seems that you were surprised.”
“I wasn’t expecting your visit.”
“I came here because I have a favor to ask.”
For her to ask me a favor was quite unexpected.
“Can you convince your father to tell my father to decline the offer?”
“Do you really think that my father’s word will be able to change your father’s mind?”
“I don’t know. However, I’m sure that it will have a big influence.”
This wasn’t a bad idea considering the fact that they had a relatively close relationship. It’s said that, if you enter the house of a poor person, your relationship with that person will go out the window. However, it seemed like they both still shared a close relationship.
“Can I ask you why you don’t want your father to take this offer?”
“Because I don’t think that my father’s character is suited for this sort of work.”
“Aren’t you looking down on your father?”
“I think that it’s better to look down on my father than for something terrible to happen.”
I agreed with her. I also didn’t think that Song Wu Kyung was suited to lead an Alliance.
Even though I didn’t want to say what I was about to say, I said it anyway, “Didn’t the previous Mengju bring peace and stability to the Central Plains? It isn’t that bad for him to become the leader of an Alliance at times like this. And won’t this make the Song Clan stronger?”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“What?”
“The previous Mengju ruled the Murim with an iron fist. Yes, he created peace and stability. However, that wasn’t the only thing he created. He also created something that was hidden.”
“What do you mean?”
“He also created hidden resentment.”
I didn’t have anything to say to her.
“Kang Ho-In have the natural instinct of beating others and rising to the top—we’re natural fighters with wild ambition. We’re like tigers and wolves, not rabbits and deer.”
“So?”
“So, since the previous Mengju ruled and suppressed everyone with his sheer power, everyone had to hide their true nature. If they showed their true nature they were bound to get crushed. So they suppressed and hid their resentment, all the while wishing for the Mengju to die.”
Listening to her speak, I felt like I’d been punched in the face. I had never thought about it like that before. This was the first time that I’d ever been this shocked.
Had everyone wished for me to die?
She stated everything so clearly.
“I’m scared. What if that hidden resentment explodes towards my father?”
I finally understood why she was against her father leading the alliance. She didn’t want her father to get involved in this affair.
“So that’s the reason you hate the previous Mengju?”
“There’s a bigger reason for why I hate him… but this is part of it.”
A bigger reason?
However, she was begging me.
“Please. Can you fulfill this favor of mine?”
I had a dream for the first time in quite a while.
It was a dream about the past, when I was in a Murim Alliance meeting.
Kal Sa Ryang was there, as well as all the other Sect Leaders,seated around a table.
All of their faces were frozen. These were the people that wouldn’t allow a single mistake in either their actions or their words.
So, this is all but a fake face that they’d created to hide their true intention. Yes, behind these faces, they’re all hiding their resentment towards me. They’re all hoping that I die.
Did they really want me to die?
Suddenly my thoughts spread throughout the room, causing most of the people who were sitting at the table to stand up and stare at me while nodding their head. Their stares was chillingly cold.
The feeling of apprehension that I haven’t had in a long time started to creep up on me.
Was I a.s.sa.s.sinated?
I suddenly woke up from my dream. “Huuuuu….”
This all happened because of what she said.
People are naturally greedy for power, but since I was already in a position of power, I never truly knew what it was like. However, I could imagine what would happen once those feelings were let loose.
Thus, I suppressed everyone with my sheer power. I ruled with an iron fist in order to make it so that they wouldn’t be greedy for power. But I hadn’t thought about the future. Those emotions that were suppressed. What would happen if those emotions were to explode? No, maybe they’ve already exploded.
That evening, I visited Elder Jong.
“Can you tell me about the San Dong Merchants?”
“Why do you want to know about them?”
“Because it’s related to the Song Clan.”
I told him the rough story about the deal between the San Dong Merchants and the Song Clan.
Afterwards, Elder Jong stared at me with a questionable look. He was worried that I might do something rash again.
“Do you hate me?”
“I think you are mistaken, sir. I don’t hate you.”
“Hmph! Don’t lie to me.”
Even though he’d said these things, it seem that he wasn’t all that disappointed that I’d come to seek his counsel.
Elder Jong told me everything he knew about the San Dong Merchants. His age wasn’t just for show. He simply had that much knowledge and experience about everything related to the San Dong.
I asked him various questions, but none of them seemed out of the ordinary.
“So there wasn’t anything special that happened?”
“No, nothing out of the ordinary happened.”
“Thank you for telling me these things.”
“Oh! I don’t know if this will help you, but I just remembered something.”
“What is it?”
“A couple of months ago I had a chance to share a drink with one of their financial officers. He said that they were planning to make a deal with one of the Murim clans, but he didn’t tell me which clan it was.”
“Was there anything after that?”
“Nope, no news after that.”
“Thank you very much.”
To make it seem like he wasn’t ashamed for not being able to help too much he added, “Don’t think that doing things like this will make me like you.”
“I know. I know that you still don’t trust me. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You rascal.”
“Do you have a young disciple or successor in mind?”
“Why are you asking?”
“So that I could make him my personal financial officer.”
“I do. But are you joking?”
Even if it was true, he wouldn’t have believed me. Thus, I just left with a smile. I could feel that his gaze had become softer than before.
***
After meeting Elder Jong, I went to visit my father.
“Why are you here?”
“Simply because I wanted to share a drink with you, father.”
“You rascal.”
After the maid had brought some hot water he sent her away.
This was the first time that I was drinking tea made by my father.
“How’s your training going?”
“It’s going well, father.”
If we were to compare martial arts, I was sure that my Brightmoon Sword art would be more profound than my father’s. But if there came a time when I had to show it to him I’d only show him half of it
“Your mother has high hopes for you. Don’t disappoint her.”
Even though he said that my mother had high hopes for me, I knew that he felt the same way.
“I’ll do my best.”
I had decided to visit my father because of Song Hwa Rin’s favor.
Must I fulfill her favor? She was right. My father could make a big impact on Song Wu Kyung’s thought process…. but was this the right approach?
However, my instincts had already told me the answer; thus I decided not to bring it up.
“The tea tastes very good, father.”
I thought of a different solution for her.