Chapter 684: Stirring Things Up
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 684: Stirring Things Up
"The Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion is currently away from her post."
Tang Hye continued speaking with an exceedingly polite demeanor.
Though she was an out-married member, Tang Jin-seol was still a blood relative of the Tang Clan who carried the blood of the direct line. As a mere member of a branch family, Tang Hye could not afford to treat her with anything less than absolute respect.
"Where did she go?"
"As for that... we... don't really..."
"How pathetic."
Tang Jin-seol spoke in a frigid tone. Her voice was as cold as a bitter cold northern wind.
"Is it not a basic duty for a subordinate to know what their superior is doing and where they are? And yet, you say you don't know?"
"I... I am truly sorry."
"This is the bare minimum, isn't it? Do you really expect to receive a monthly salary when you haven't even mastered the basics?" Tang Jin-seol continued her berating.
"..........."
Hearing the rebuke, Tang Hye lowered her head deeply. She had no words to offer in her defense. In principle, Tang Jin-seol wasn't wrong. Even if one didn't track every single movement, understanding a superior’s schedule to some extent was vital for coordination and support.
"What is your name?"
".......I am Tang Hye."
"And how much is your monthly salary, Lady Tang Hye?" Tang Jin-seol asked, her eyes cold as she stared her down.
".......I receive about thirty silver taels."
"Life must be easy for you. A regular martial artist working outside in the sweltering heat only earns about fourteen taels, yet you earn so much just for sitting indoors."
Tang Jin-seol continued, comparing her to a regular martial artist. Of course, it was an unfair comparison. Comparing a member of the Jaegyeong Pavilion—highly skilled administrative talent—to a regular martial artist was nonsensical.
To apply for the Jaegyeong Pavilion, one needed a high level of education, whereas a regular martial artist only needed a certain level of martial achievement. Since their inherent capabilities differed, it was only natural that their duties and salaries differed as well.
Tang Jin-seol was well aware of this fact. She possessed a mind so sharp it could be called wicked. However, despite knowing the truth, she deliberately compared Tang Hye to a regular martial artist to belittle her. She was making it clear that, from her perspective, there was no difference between a pavilion member and a common guard.
She intended to crush the spirits of Tang Hye and the other members of the Jaegyeong Pavilion.
"..........."
Her intention hit the mark perfectly. Tang Hye, who was younger and more junior than the other members, began to tear up, unable to offer a single word of rebuttal to the scolding.
Had it been any other member, they might have explained that the Jaegyeong Pavilion operated under a slightly different system than traditional organizations. But Tang Hye was too young and fragile to provide such a logical explanation. She could do nothing but let the tears well up. As someone new to the professional world, she had never faced such a spiteful, direct confrontation.
Her tears made the atmosphere in the Jaegyeong Pavilion even heavier. The other members felt a sense of guilt as if they had done something wrong, even though they hadn't.
I should drive the stake in a bit further.
Seeing the intimidated members, Tang Jin-seol thought to herself. She felt that one more push would be enough. The momentum had already shifted entirely in her favor.
"Lady Tang Hye, why do you receive a monthly salary?" Tang Jin-seol asked with a composed expression.
"...I perform the... duties... of the Jaegyeong Pavilion... and receive... compensation for it."
Tang Hye spoke slowly, barely holding back her tears. She felt she couldn't let herself cry here. Though young and fragile, she knew that tears shouldn't be used as a means of escape. Crying wouldn't solve anything.
She endured. She bit her lip hard and clenched her fists. All to keep from crying.
"You said you perform the duties of the Jaegyeong Pavilion?"
"......That is correct."
"Then what should happen if you fail to perform those duties properly?" Tang Jin-seol asked with a look of feigned curiosity.
".......After several warnings... one's salary may be docked... or they may be dismissed."
"Is that so?"
".....Yes."
"Then this is your warning," Tang Jin-seol said in a flat tone. "If you handle matters like this again, your salary will be docked."
"................"
Tang Hye bit her lip. She wanted to protest, to ask by what right Tang Jin-seol was deciding the treatment of a Jaegyeong Pavilion member. But she had no choice but to remain silent.
Even though Tang Jin-seol was an out-married member, she was still a figure who wielded immense influence within the Tang Clan. If Tang Hye protested and the leadership sided with Jin-seol, she really could be dismissed.
"Why is there no answer?"
Tang Jin-seol glared at Tang Hye with a piercing gaze, demanding a response. She intended to break her spirit completely.
"......I... I underst—"
Facing that gaze, Tang Hye’s lips trembled as she barely began to speak. She had resolved to surrender to that terrifying pressure.
"What is the meaning of this, Madam Tang?"
Suddenly, a familiar male voice reached her ears.
"And who might you be?"
Tang Jin-seol cut her words short and glared at the man who had appeared. She felt a surge of irritation at having her momentum interrupted.
"I am Tang Gam, the Vice Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion."
Tang Gam spoke, meeting Tang Jin-seol's gaze with a calm expression.
"I do not know what wrong she has committed, but from now on, please address your concerns to me."
"..Se... Senior."
Tang Hye looked at Tang Gam with tearful eyes. The sudden appearance of her senior felt like the arrival of a ten-thousand-strong army.
"You are the Vice Head?"
"I am."
"You're young."
Tang Jin-seol spoke sharply. Generally, reaching the position of Head or Vice Head required significant age and experience. Since those roles were primarily administrative, they were often filled based on seniority rather than pure talent. Thus, she couldn't help but be skeptical. Tang Gam was far too young to be a Vice Head.
"I am lacking, but I was fortunate enough to be entrusted with this position."
"It is not a position one can hold through luck alone."
"I am merely grateful that you see it that way." Tang Gam replied with a faint smile. "By the way, what could have happened to make you so angry?" he asked, looking puzzled.
"This child lacks the basics," Tang Jin-seol said, pointing a finger toward Tang Hye.
"Could you explain in detail which part is the problem?" Tang Gam asked politely.
"Her superior, the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion, has vanished, yet as a subordinate, she doesn't even know where she is. How can you say she has mastered the basics?" Tang Jin-seol glared at Tang Gam with a reproachful look.
"It seems you are mistaken, Madam Tang," Tang Gam said calmly.
"Mistaken? What exactly am I mistaken about?"
"No one knows the whereabouts of the Pavilion Head," Tang Gam replied flatly. "It is her daily routine to slip away in secret."
"Are you playing games with me right now?"
Tang Jin-seol’s brow furrowed deeply at Tang Gam's words. She felt as though he was mocking her.
"I am not playing games, Madam Tang," Tang Gam continued with a serious expression. "The Pavilion Head processes work several times faster than the average member. It is thanks to her extraordinary and brilliant comprehension. Therefore, as soon as she finishes her work, she habitually goes on outings. It is impossible for us to know her every move in detail, is it not?"
Tang Gam spoke the truth. Once Yorang finished her work, she would habitually leave—secretly, so that no one would notice. There was no way the pavilion members, whose martial arts had barely surpassed the third-rate, could track her.
"......Even so, you should at least be able to tell when she leaves, shouldn't you?" Tang Jin-seol snapped, refusing to back down.
"It is impossible. The Pavilion Head is a master of high-level martial arts... It is nearly impossible for people like us, who have barely moved past the third-rate, to catch her."
"......This is absurd."
Tang Jin-seol furrowed her elegant brows. The sheer ridiculousness of his words left her stunned. What kind of dysfunctional organization was this? A Pavilion Head who constantly sneaks out and subordinates who just let her go?
Even if there's a lack of talent, to run things like this...
Tang Jin-seol felt a headache coming on. She felt the quality of the Jaegyeong Pavilion was far below her expectations.
"Whew... Fine. It seems I was indeed mistaken. We will act as if the warning never happened."
Tang Jin-seol admitted her misunderstanding. If the Head herself was a mess, what was the point of scolding the subordinates? She decided to show mercy.
"Madam Tang."
Tang Gam called out to her, his expression turning quite serious.
"What is it?"
"I believe you are laboring under one more misconception."
"And what would that be?"
"You do not have the authority to warn or punish the members of the Jaegyeong Pavilion," Tang Gam said in a soft but forceful tone. "Disciplinary action for the members is a matter decided solely at the discretion of the Pavilion Head. I hope you will keep that in mind."
Tang Gam spoke with a calm face. Tang Jin-seol had no right to warn or punish them. Personnel management for the Jaegyeong Pavilion was determined only by Yorang, the Pavilion Head. Tang Gam was pointing out that as an out-married member, she had no such authority.
"......How arrogant."
Tang Jin-seol glared at Tang Gam with sharp eyes.
"Do you not know who I am?"
"I know very well."
There was no way he wouldn't. Tang Jin-seol’s beautiful yet venomous impression was so distinct that one could never forget it after seeing it once.
"No, it seems you don't know me at all," Tang Jin-seol said in a cold voice. "With a single word from me, you could be dismissed, Tang Gam. Are you not afraid?"
"That may be so. However, the one who decides on dismissal is the Pavilion Head, not you, Madam Tang."
"How arrogant," Tang Jin-seol repeated, her eyes narrowing.
She didn't like this. She despised Tang Gam’s behavior—staring straight into her eyes and talking back. Fundamentally, the Tang Clan was a place where discrimination based on bloodline was absolute. Treatment varied depending on the purity of one's blood. Tang Gam was a mere member of a branch family. Yet here he was, standing tall and asserting his opinion to someone who was practically pure-blooded.
It was unthinkable. It was enough to make the word 'dare' spring to her lips.
In principle, she knew Tang Gam wasn't wrong. For her, as an out-married member, to interfere in the Tang Clan's affairs was overstepping her bounds. It was clearly wrong.
But the Tang Clan was a place far removed from such principles. The difference in treatment between bloodlines was stark. Even if a direct descendant did something wrong, a branch member could not easily point it out. Doing so was considered an act of insubordination. Direct descendants did not view branch members as equals; they viewed them as a lower class existing a level below them—a lower class so far removed they shouldn't even dare to speak to them.
That was why she couldn't help but scowl. A member of the lower class, who shouldn't even be speaking to her properly, had pointed out her fault.
It's a total mess, Tang Jin-seol thought.
While she had been away, the Tang Clan had gone to ruin. To think a branch member would rebel against a direct descendant.
"Tang Gam, are you of the direct bloodline?" Tang Jin-seol glared at him with a venomous expression.
".....I am not."
"Then do you have some kind of backing? Is your family exceptionally wealthy or something?"
"......No."
Tang Gam shook his head slightly. He had nothing to his name but his own two hands. There was no way he had any backing.
"Then I truly wonder where you get the nerve to be so arrogant," Tang Jin-seol said, looking at him with genuine curiosity. "Especially for a mere branch member."
".........Bloodline does not matter."
"No, it does matter. Especially in a clan centered on bloodlines like the Tang Clan," Tang Jin-seol said, contradicting him. "For example, if I..."
Slap!
Tang Jin-seol raised her hand and struck Tang Gam across the cheek.
Whack!
Tang Gam’s head snapped to the side. A physical force beyond imagination had slammed into his face.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Soon, blood began to drip from Tang Gam’s mouth. It seemed the inside of his cheek had been cut.
"Even if I strike you like this, I will not be punished. Do you know why?" Tang Jin-seol asked with an alluring smile. "It is because I am a direct descendant, while you are nothing more than a branch member."
A long, cruel arc began to draw across Tang Jin-seol’s lips.