Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Translator: Penny
Chapter 6
For days, the routine had remained unchanged.
After breakfast, Zhuge Munhyeon would head straight to the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion, always at the same time.
"I'll be back."
Perhaps his son's diligence had pleased him?
"Hmm, let's go together today."
Out of the blue, his father, an uninvited guest, offered to escort him.
"Huh?"
"Why are you so surprised? I'm just dropping by on my way to work."
I'd rather not...
Whether he noticed his son's reluctance or not, Zhuge Doyun, escorted by his mother, left the pavilion and walked side-by-side with his son, matching his pace.
Words could hardly express his father's contentment.
On his son's first day at the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion, he had casually asked, "What did you read today?"
His son nonchalantly recited the Myeongsim Bogam, Chapter on Speech, as if it were nothing special.
And it really wasn't.
Among the descendants of the Zhuge Clan, no child could fail to master this by the age of seven. After Zhuge Munhyeon revealed his academic prowess, children his age had already finished the Myeongsim Bogam and moved on to the Four Books.
But!
At that moment, Zhuge Doyun envied nothing.
He was simply overjoyed that his son, who had seemed stagnant, had finally taken a step forward in his studies.
He had secretly given up hope, but his son's innate talent had returned.
Overwhelmed by emotion, he nearly forgot his dignity and burst into tears.
How proud he was!
He felt deeply ashamed for having despaired and worried so much.
Everything has its time...
Seeing his son's tiny hand clutched so adorably, Zhuge Doyun felt an inexplicable urge to hold it.
As he gently reached out, Zhuge Munhyeon startled and looked up.
"What's wrong?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you suddenly holding my hand?"
Zhuge Doyun chuckled awkwardly at his son's squinting gaze.
"Heh heh, what's so strange about a father holding his son's hand?"
"It's weird."
"Huh?"
"How old do you think I am? Why would I hold my father's hand?"
"But you're only seven..."
"Only? I'm practically grown up already."
Zhuge Doyun couldn't hide his embarrassment as his son completely withdrew his hand.
He holds his mother's hand just fine... Even this morning, he was rubbing his cheek against mine, so happy...
"Ahem! Son, we've had such a rare chance to hold hands intimately..."
"No."
"..."
"Our paths diverge from Byeongju Hall. You've already gone out of your way to escort me this far. That's enough. Sohye is here, and I know how to find my way alone. Father, you should hurry to work."
Standing at the crossroads, Zhuge Munhyeon's firm refusal left Zhuge Doyun with a feeling deeper than mere disappointment.
Though his son was still young enough to be held in his arms, Zhuge Doyun felt a surge of pride watching him read and learn on his own. He longed to hold his hand, to guide him.
Yet the sight of his son already acting like an adult stirred a stubborn streak in him.
"You little rascal! Stop being so stubborn!"
"Ah, really!"
"Ahem!"
Zhuge Doyun swiftly pursued his fleeing son, reaching out to snatch his hand.
But would he be caught?
The boy nimbly dodged his father's grasp...
"Ha ha! Got you, you little rascal!"
Damn it.
Did he really have to use the Qin Na Technique just to grab my hand?
Of course, his movements were crystal clear to me.
As the self-proclaimed Heavenly Demon, how could I fail to discern the movements of my father's hand, which possessed only a speck of martial skill?
But I was only seven years old now.
Even that speck of skill felt overwhelming.
Though countless martial arts techniques slumbered in my mind, and I had recently witnessed the Minor Heavenly Star Art, knowing something and executing it were worlds apart.
My mind was that of a Heavenly Demon, but my body remained untrained, unable to move as I willed.
"See? Isn't this great?"
"...It's not great."
His lips immediately jutted out a foot, and his face twisted into a grimace.
What a childish father! As if it's something to be proud of, an adult beating a seven-year-old.
"Father's just happy to win. Come on, let's go! Ha ha ha!"
Zhuge Doyun burst into hearty laughter, gripping his son's hand tightly as they walked.
"Munhyeon-ah."
"Yes?"
"Do you know the saying 'Great things take time'?"
"I do."
"I think our Munhyeon might be that kind of person."
"Huh?"
"So what if you're only up to the Myeongsim Bogam now? Just keep at it steadily. Even if it's slow, you'll eventually achieve great things."
Zhuge Munhyeon couldn't help but feel bewildered by his father's gentle words.
G-Great things take time? Slow? I'll never understand the Zhuge Clan. Learning the Myeongsim Bogam at seven years old? That's incredibly fast, isn't it? Anywhere outside the Zhuge Clan, he'd be hailed as a genius. And in martial arts... he's already showing signs of rapid achievement.
As the father and son strolled leisurely toward the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion, a deep voice called out from behind.
"Isn't that Doyun?"
Zhuge Doyun turned swiftly and bowed his head.
"Greetings, Patriarch."
"Hah hah! So formal! Patriarch? Just call me Elder Brother in private."
"Even with no one watching, I couldn't presume to use such familiar terms." Zhuge Doyun smiled politely.
The current Patriarch of the Zhuge Clan, Zhuge Dowon, stood before them. He was accompanied by several retainers, likely on his way to the Main Hall.
"Munhyeon, why aren't you greeting the Patriarch and the Retainers?"
Zhuge Munhyeon, his cheek still swollen from the earlier incident, grudgingly bowed his head.
"Greetings to my Paternal Uncle and the esteemed elders."
"Ahem! This boy! You should address him as Patriarch."
Zhuge Doyun immediately rebuked his son for his improper address, but Zhuge Dowon waved him off with a chuckle.
"Heh heh! The son is wiser than his father, it seems. Very well, Munhyeon, it's been too long. This Paternal Uncle has been so busy I haven't had time to visit. I heard you've been immersed in music lately. I was planning to ask you to play for me sometime. How have you been?"
"Yes, well..."
Zhuge Dowon smiled kindly at Munhyeon's reply and patted his nephew's head.
"Yes, it's all about mastering whatever you do."
Though it was meant as a compliment, it left him feeling deeply unsettled.
That damned paternal uncle... Touching the crown of my head? Even if I were to concede a hundred times, that's a place reserved solely for my parents. Though born into the Zhuge Clan, I was originally of the same generation as the Patriarch's great-great-grandfather. Yet this man dared to... This is an act deserving immediate punishment, but I restrained myself, considering my lack of power and his father's precarious position. Moreover, my paternal uncle has no children of his own. How precious must a child seem to him?
"Hmm, but what brings you to the Main Hall? Today isn't a reporting day for Byeongju Hall, is it?"
"Ah, I'm not heading to the Main Hall. I'm on my way to the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion."
"The Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion?"
"Munhyeon has been visiting the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion for the past few days. I'm on my way to escort him there now."
In that instant, Zhuge Munhyeon noticed a strange light flicker in his paternal uncle's eyes.
Why?
It wasn't just the Patriarch.
The retainers behind him also wore expressions of surprise at the mention of his studying at the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion.
"Ahem, I see. But isn't the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion a bit too advanced for a seven-year-old? There probably aren't any books suitable for his age."
"I sent him there with some skepticism myself, but you wouldn't believe it! As soon as he returned from the pavilion, he began reciting the Myeongsim Bogam, which he had previously struggled with, without a single mistake!"
"The Myeongsim Bogam?"
"Yes."
That was an exaggeration.
He hadn't recited it flawlessly. He had simply memorized a small portion of it.
The moment his father spoke, the retainers began to murmur among themselves, their faces alight with joy.
Whether the Myeongsim Bogam mattered or not, their reaction was clearly due to the news that his talent had blossomed anew.
Having a talented member in the household was always a cause for celebration.
Moreover, it was perfectly understandable that a father would want to boast about his son.
Yet, a part of him felt uneasy.
He had heard from Sohye how his own talent was affecting his cousins.
"It seems I've been teaching the boy the wrong way all along," his father said.
"So that's it. Truly remarkable! I was so worried Munhyeon's talent might be blocked. It's a relief to hear he's resumed his studies."
"Exactly."
At his father's smile, his Paternal Uncle knelt down to meet his gaze.
"Munhyeon."
"Yes, Paternal Uncle."
"You must work hard. Remember that your talent can greatly benefit the clan."
"I will."
"That rascal..."
His Paternal Uncle stroked his head with another kind smile.
I told you not to do that.
He was his father's elder brother, so Munhyeon endured it for the second time.
"Ahem, then I'll be going now."
"Yes, Patriarch."
Zhuge Munhyeon glanced at the departing figures of his Paternal Uncle and the retainers as they filed out of the Main Hall. He frowned.
Their encouragement had been sincere. It was the gaze of clan elders looking upon a promising junior with exceptional talent. The problem arises when someone's affection for their own child manifests in a distorted way. What if, upon returning home, they start comparing their child to me, saying, "Munhyeon studies alone in the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion! What are you even doing?" Competition might arise, of course. But that's only if things take a positive turn. More often than not, things go in an undesirable direction. Sigh, I wonder if I'll end up being hated by my cousins again. At seven years old, I wouldn't have understood these things. But having lived through a lifetime already, I could practically see the future unfolding before my eyes.
"You insolent wench!"
"...?"
"How dare a lowly servant girl sleep sprawled across the scholars' study table!"
"I-I apologize, Young Master. This wench deserves to die for her transgression."
"Where is your master? How can he fail to properly supervise even his own servant in the scholars' Library?"
"Oh, Young Master, please forgive him! Our young master is blamless. It's all this wench's fault for being so careless."
"Silence, wench!"
Zhuge Munhyeon had been on the verge of completely transforming the Minor Heavenly Star Art into a new form, one he had painstakingly memorized.
Suddenly, a thunderous shout shattered the tranquility of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion.
A young boy, clad in a deep azure scholar's robe and wearing a Scholar's Cap as if he were born to it, stood with his face flushed crimson, bellowing furiously.
Haa, I knew something was bound to go wrong.
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been so focused on his recitation that he had lost all awareness of his surroundings, frowned deeply.
A few days after meeting the Patriarch, the first floor of the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion suddenly became overrun with children.
The rumor had clearly spread: Zhuge Munhyeon was studying at the pavilion and, according to hearsay, could recite the entire Myeongsim Bogam by heart.
Some would scoff, dismissing it as "just the Myeongsim Bogam." But parents with academically slow children would inevitably start hovering around the pavilion.
Humans are truly...
Munhyeon understood the parents' impulse to copy whatever their neighbor's child had started doing when they heard the child's academic performance had suddenly improved.
But this was going too far, wasn't it?
Education should be tailored to a child's abilities and interests. Blindly forcing them to follow what others are doing would yield no real progress.
He didn't want to care.
Whether those children glared at him with resentment or not...
Yet, the one kneeling before the boy, begging for death with her head bowed, was Sohye.
That damn brat should focus on managing his servants and guards properly instead of harassing Sohye. Even I've never raised my voice at her.
She must have dozed off.
Afraid of falling while standing, she had sat down for a moment and unconsciously slumped over the desk.
But was that really something to be scolded for?
This was just the boy venting his frustration.
How satisfying it must have been for him to see a servant dozing off when he was already forced to study at the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion against his will?
That brat had truly lucked out in life. Growing up comfortably under good parents had even fostered his understanding. Back in the day, I would have grabbed her by the hair and beaten her until she begged for mercy.
Thud.
Zhuge Munhyeon closed his book with a sigh and rose to address the boy.
"Hey, cut it out. It's just a quick nap. Why are you getting so worked up about it?"
"...?"
The boy turned his head at Zhuge Munhyeon's words, his face twisting into a frown.
He clearly hadn't noticed the Martial Arts Cabinet.
Well, he probably wouldn't have bothered to look at the neglected cabinet in the corner anyway.
And with someone smaller than the cabinet itself crouching in front of it, he wouldn't have seen me. I'd been completely silent, focused on my task.
But then the boy's face flushed crimson.
"Hey! You little brat! What kind of insolent language is that to your Elder Brother?!"
The boy pointed a finger and roared at the top of his lungs.
Ah, so he's the Elder Brother? Why didn't you say so earlier?
"Just quiet down already. You're making too much noise."
"What did you say? You insolent pig!"
"What?"
"Fine, since your lowly blood prevents you from understanding basic etiquette, I'll correct your manners today—along with your servant girl!"
"..."
At the boy's words, Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes turned icy, a deep furrow forming between his brows.
"Hmph."
He (the boy) was probably just going to give Sohye a few slaps for her carelessness. As someone now living as a member of the Zhuge Clan, perhaps I should have just let it go... but this "lowly blood" insult has crossed the line.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny