Education, Education, and More Education
Jegal Mun-ho’s days had grown so tightly packed that finding even a needle’s-eye of free time was nearly impossible.
He had gone so far as to move his quarters into the manor where Jegal Mun-Hyeon lived. Forced to, of course…
And so, at the first hour of the Dragon—
“Hyung, get up. Time to train.”
“……Just a little longer.”
“Hmmph.”
At the sight of Jegal Mun-ho dragging his feet, the Eunhangon traced a clean vertical line through the air.
Whaaack!
Then came the dawn internal-energy training.
Mun-Hyeon kept a palm pressed to Mun-ho’s vital points, monitoring every flow; the instant the path went even slightly wrong, the Eunhangon flashed before his eyes.
“Circulate it with care! Let it ride the heat and flow like water! How do you expect to get this right if you keep botching it?”
“S-sorry…”
“Again! We start from Jeongsim Su-il—Quiet the Mind and Guard the One.”
Still the heart. Make the dantian one. Make the pathways of spreading energy one. In the end, make the entire body one.
Mun-ho understood the principle.
But how was anyone supposed to calm their mind while being watched this closely? How was he supposed to settle?
It was like being ordered to concentrate while drums and gongs blared, a full-blown feast raged, and people were dying right beside you.
He had no choice but to throw every scrap of effort into it.
The strange part was that, even under those miserable conditions, his progress was leaps and bounds beyond the ordinary.
Next came form practice.
Whaaack!
Of course he was no match. The Eunhangon hammered every part of his body without fail.
“Damn it! Step lightly! Put your power into the instant the foot leaves the ground! Why is there no force in your sword? Don’t you know grip is the foundation?”
“……Yeah.”
That, too, was under Jegal Mun-Hyeon’s direct supervision.
No one could match him in martial arts, after all.
“If you can’t even break free of something as basic as the Mysterious Path Ruthless Array, how can you call yourself a Jegal? The Five Elements reverse—didn’t I tell you? I cracked that when I was ten! Ten!”
Formations as well…
“What kind of digging is that? Put some real strength into it!”
Mechanisms as well…
Everything fell under Jegal Mun-Hyeon’s jurisdiction.
This damned hell!
But afternoon tactics lectures belonged to Jegal Jung-gi, so Mun-ho clung to a scrap of hope.
At least for that stretch of time…
“As the strategist Wu Zixu of the Spring and Autumn period once said…”
“Are you even listening? Who do you think you are, nodding off here?”
“…….”
Misplaced hope.
From the moment morning began, Jegal Mun-Hyeon stuck to Jegal Mun-ho’s side all day long, swinging the Eunhangon and pouring out a nonstop stream of scolding.
“Mun-Hyeon, this is tactics class.”
“I know.”
“Then why—?”
“Someone has to supervise. That soft little Jung-gi won’t say a single harsh word to his hyung just because he’s the younger brother, right? So of course I have to help.”
You’re the younger brother too.
Five full years younger, no less.
But Jegal Mun-ho could not bring himself to say it out loud.
Right. Young Family Head.
Once he had thought it was something he absolutely had to become.
Because his brilliant younger brother had stepped aside, he had sworn to work even harder and become someone worthy.
But this was too much.
If the torment continued like this, he would die before he ever got to be Young Family Head.
He really does look miserable, doesn’t he?
Exactly. How lucky are we that we’re not the eldest?
I’d rather die than go through that. Look at him after only a few days—can’t even tell if he’s alive or dead.
When Mun-ho glanced over at Gwan Hwi-pyeong and the others whispering in the distance, they quickly turned their heads and pretended to train.
Terrified that meeting Jegal Mun-Hyeon’s eyes would earn them a beating.
Those bastards…
And to think he called them brothers…
“Hey, Mun-Hyeon.”
“What now?”
“Those guys have been glancing this way nonstop.”
“What?”
“Only when you’re not looking. Ugh. Once I’m Young Family Head they’ll have to support me, but training like that? How do they expect to achieve anything…”
At those words, Jegal Mun-Hyeon’s head snapped around.
“You little—!”
The Eunhangon danced.
Papapapapak!
Producing a lively percussion of impacts.
As expected, Jegal Mun-Hyeon was also deeply versed in music.
Hyung, are you really going to do this?
I’m going to crush them.
Shit, for real…
Gwan Hwi-pyeong glared with eyes full of curses, but Jegal Mun-ho coolly ignored him.
One month later.
The Family Head publicly announced throughout the entire Jegal Clan—and reported it to the Ancestral Shrine—that he would formally adopt Jegal Mun-ho as his son.
And that he would appoint him Young Family Head.
Not a single retainer or elder opposed it.
Negotiations with the Namgung Clan over postwar settlements were approaching, so further delay was impossible, and the Family Head had done an excellent job of persuasion.
The brothers?
They actively voiced their support.
—If you want to become Young Family Head… you have to survive Mun-Hyeon’s hell training. Anyone who objects better be ready to bet their life.
That was the rumor Gwan Hwi-pyeong had spread.
Those bastards…
They had no idea he was educating them for their own good.
But the goal had been achieved, so he would endure.
“How do you feel?”
“I… I’m not sure.”
“Not sure? The clothes look good on you.”
Jegal Mun-ho looked down at what he was wearing, let out a short laugh, then asked with a serious face,
“Are you really okay with this?”
“With what?”
“The Young Family Head position.”
“There you go again with the nonsense. Of course the eldest son should inherit. That way the younger brothers have no room to complain.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry. Hyung will do just fine.”
At the casual pats on his shoulder, Jegal Mun-ho could only sigh.
This kid, really…
Anyone could see he was far more suited to be Young Family Head than Mun-ho himself.
“Ah, and just so you know—out of an abundance of caution—if I ever hear anyone anywhere saying the Jegal Clan’s Young Family Head is this or that…”
“Huh?”
“We start the education all over from the beginning. Much harsher than the past month.”
“Th-that’s…”
“So don’t slack off. Even after you become Young Family Head, keep studying harder.”
“I will, of course.”
Jegal Mun-ho nodded with a bitter smile.
And then—
Jing—!
From outside came the signal that every preparation for the Young Family Head appointment ceremony was complete.
“All right. Square your shoulders. Walk with confidence. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Yeah.”
Jegal Mun-ho rose slowly from his seat.
His hair was fixed without a single strand out of place beneath a jade topknot pin, and a hero’s headband embroidered with a dragon in blue silk thread crowned him. Deep-set eyes held unshakable resolve.
With each deliberate step, the dark-blue silk robes billowed.
It was the proud gait of a man who had accepted the path of Young Family Head.
Watching that retreating figure, Jegal Mun-Hyeon felt a strange swell of pride.
Is this what a teacher feels?
They said the love of raising someone could be as fierce as the love of giving birth.
Walk tall, my brother…
Damn it. He’d gotten emotional and started thinking embarrassing lines.
“Are you crying?”
“That’s a first. The guy who looks like he wouldn’t bleed if you stabbed him with a needle…”
“Damn it, why are my eyes watering?”
At Gwan Hwi-pyeong’s words, Jegal Mun-Hyeon—who had quietly gripped the Eunhangon—simply snorted a laugh.
He would let it slide today.
The Family Head had chosen the auspicious hour of noon, when the sun stood highest, for the ceremony on this good day.
He couldn’t ruin the atmosphere.
“But Mun-Hyeon, if you cry and then laugh…”
“Pfft!”
“Hehehe.”
At Jegal Pyeong’s remark, Gwan and Hwi burst into laughter.
These little—!
He’d been trying to hold back for them…
His clenched fist was about to swing when, luckily, Jegal Mun-ho swept aside the curtain and saved them.
Light poured in.
“Waaaaaah!”
At the sight of his splendid figure, the people who had been waiting outside all this time erupted in cheers that seemed ready to shake the Jegal Clan to its foundations.
I must be getting old.
Just watching that back made his chest tighten and tears well up again… He pretended to yawn and wiped them with his sleeve so Gwan Hwi-pyeong wouldn’t notice.
Natural as could be.
But how could the rest of you look at such a magnificent sight and feel no emotion at all?
Worse than the Demonic Cult, the lot of you.
“Ahem! We should go too.”
“Right.”
“Yeah!”
“By the way, I heard a lot of pretty girls came to see Hyung Mun-ho. Maybe I should get married while I’m at it?”
Pyeong-ah, don’t.
Among the brothers, you’re the least…
It’s a good day. Better not think ill of my brothers if I can help it.
Jegal Mun-Hyeon and Gwan Hwi-pyeong followed behind Jegal Mun-ho like escorts.
When they stepped outside, the Family Head spoke to the gathered people with a look of deep satisfaction.
“Hear me, all of you!”
“…….”
“As you know, our Jegal Clan has long been unable to escape the mire of decline.”
His quietly resonant voice stilled the banquet hall; every ear turned to him.
“Yet under the watchful eyes of our ancestors! And with the aid of many heroes—including the Jade Family and the Yi Family—we have risen once more.”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
“Therefore I declare: I appoint Jegal Mun-ho—once my nephew, now my adopted son—as Young Family Head, and entrust him with the coming age of prosperity.”
“Waaaaah!”
The entire world was informed that Jegal Mun-ho had formally become Young Family Head.
“Mun-ho, perform the rites with me!”
“Yes.”
Jegal Mun-ho steadied his trembling heart and approached the Family Head.
He offered formal greetings, filled a jade cup with wine, and presented it.
He waited for it to empty, then received wine in return.
The same procedure continued with the clan elders seated beside the Family Head…
“Hmm, shall we head to our seats now?”
“Probably best.”
“A Young Family Head appointment ceremony is more complicated than I thought.”
Gwan Hwi shook his head in mild exasperation.
But then—
“Where’s Pyeong?”
“Over there. The merchant lords brought their daughters.”
“Ah…”
Looking where Jegal Gwan pointed, Jegal Mun-Hyeon watched Jegal Pyeong stride purposefully toward the women with a pitying gaze.
He’s going to get hurt…
But it was the thorny path he had chosen himself.
He’d figure it out.
Jegal Mun-Hyeon promptly lost interest and took a seat at one of the banquet tables.
Just then—
“Hahaha, have you been well?”
At the sudden familiar greeting, Jegal Mun-Hyeon turned, shot to his feet, and bowed.
“You’ve come, Uncle.”
“Hahaha! You’ve grown even more splendid since I last saw you.”
A brightly smiling Taoist of the Taiji Temple.
It was Yeonghwa of the Wudang Sect.
And beside him stood Mujin, who had once fallen into demonic nature and miraculously survived.
Of course they could not be left out.
Guests from every region had been invited to the Young Family Head appointment banquet—newly subordinated martial houses, escort agencies and merchant guilds seeking ties with the Jegal Clan.
How great was the name of Wudang?
The moment they took seats as friendly allies, the prestige of the Jegal Clan changed.
But had Mujin’s face always looked like that?
For some reason the area under his eyes was dark and he seemed somehow hollow…
“It has been a long time, Young Master Mun-Hyeon.”
“It has, Daoist Mujin. You’re not unwell, are you?”
“Ah, well…”
He wore an awkward expression as if he had something to say, so Mun-Hyeon tilted his head.
Something had clearly happened.
“Hahaha, let’s leave the detailed talk for later.”
“Ah, yes.”
“By the way, why is it Young Master Mun-ho and not you? I was quite surprised when I received the letter.”
“Why?”
“Well, of course…”
“Hyung Mun-ho is the eldest son. It is only natural that the eldest inherits the family.”
“Hmm, primogeniture. Infinite Amitabha… it is the orthodox way, yet still a little unexpected. In the current age, the strong often take the master’s seat.”
“Just because others do it doesn’t mean the Jegal Clan has to, does it?”
“True enough. No need to meddle in another household’s affairs and tell them where to put the persimmons and pears.”
“But I myself never expected Lord of Ujin Palace to come in person.”
“It is a major affair of an allied power—of course I must come. Thanks to you we recovered the Cheongyang Sword of Patriarch Hyeoncheon and even enshrined his remains in the Ancestral Shrine. Besides, are we not family?”
He put a peculiar emphasis on the word “family.”
“I’m grateful you think of us that way. But why aren’t you seated in the place of honor… ahem.”
“…….”
“It seems you have a request. And the fact that you deliberately sought me out suggests the request is for me personally, not the clan.”
When Jegal Mun-Hyeon narrowed his eyes and glanced sideways, Yeonghwa flinched and laughed it off.
“Hahaha! As expected, those eyes of yours are impossible to deceive.”
“…….”
So that was why he’d felt something off.
But the man had made the precious journey for the sake of the Jegal Clan, so Mun-Hyeon would pretend not to notice.
“Speak freely. We’re not strangers.”
“Ah, well…”
After a quick glance at Mujin, Yeonghwa put on a resolute face and said,
“Could you perhaps take this fellow under your wing for a while?”
“……Pardon?”
“Infinite Amitabha… the truth is, some problems arose during the treatment. We inquired with the Jegal Clan as well, but they said only you would understand. Hahaha!”
Ah!
So he had come to dump the burden on him.
A walking liability…
Hmm, what to do?
Having recently developed a taste for raising disciples, Jegal Mun-Hyeon seriously considered it.
While I’m at it, maybe I should try raising a Wudang demonic cultivator?