The Silver Dragon's Silent Favor
Tang Myung's words caused Jeong Myeong's face to flush crimson.
"How should we proceed?" Jeong Myeong asked.
Tang Myung answered firmly.
"I will take you back to the family."
He then turned to the attendant.
"Return to Yuji Family. If you want to retrieve Jeong Myeong, the family head himself must visit our home."
"That is…"
"Decision rests entirely with Yuji Family Head."
The attendant stared at Tang Myung, then spoke.
"We will become enemies of the family."
Tang Myung laughed and rose from his seat.
"Yuji Family already views our home as an enemy, do they not?"
The attendant hesitated briefly before bowing.
"The eldest son must have Song beside him."
"Very well."
The attendant sent a secret message to Jeong Myeong.
[We will contact the family. Please take care of your health.]
It was a gentle warning: do not act rashly. Jeong Myeong bit his lip and nodded.
Tang Myeong also sent a message to Song: "Please handle Jeong Myeong."
The attendant turned and left.
Watching the man depart, Tang Myeung spoke to the gathered crowd.
"By chance, a minor matter has caused inconvenience to all of you. I apologize."
He bowed slightly. The people smiled and returned the bow.
"It is nothing."
"Hahaha! Indeed! Who could possibly have complaints at the Tang Family's gathering? Moreover… ignoring the Tang Family from Sichuan is an insult to every person in our province. We shall all lend our support to the Tang Family's event."
"Hahaha! Yes, we shall!"
Encouraged by their cheers, Tang Myung bowed once more to Wang Da-in.
"Then, as we discussed, prepare for three days from now."
"Understood. I shall lead the people at dawn."
After speaking with Wang Da-in, Tang Myung began walking, guiding the crowd along.
Behind them, Jeong Myeong followed with a grim expression, alongside Song.
***
Tang Myung led the way back to the Tang Family estate with Jeong Myeong, and a long line of carriages followed in their wake.
Jeong Myeong whispered in surprise at the number of vehicles.
"Why so many carriages?"
Tang Myung glanced at him.
"You know our family circumstances, do you not?"
"…I do."
"Exactly. We require many things."
As he spoke, Tang Myung walked toward the carriages.
"You shall come with me."
"What? Me too?"
Tang Myung headed for the carriage. Jeong Myeong furrowed his brow, then followed.
Inside were piles of grain, wheat, meat, and bolts of fabric.
"Incredible… how much?"
"The number of people at the family estate now exceeds two thousand."
"Two thousand? The Tang Family has that many members?"
At Jeong Myeong's remark, Song quietly sent a message.
[The Tang Family's household servants number around seven hundred, while the others are laborers employed by the family.]
Song's message made Jeong Myeong gasp.
"To manage so many people requires a great deal of money, does it not?"
"Our family is not lacking in funds."
Tang Myung looked at him.
"Guard the household servants carefully."
"What do you mean?"
"If you go to the family now and see its condition, you will understand."
Tang Myung continued walking.
"The young family head's burden is not merely carrying the power of one sect. If the worst occurs… we must protect the lives of hundreds of household servants while leading the clan."
"Why… are you telling me this?"
Tang Myung looked up at the sky.
"This is the final kindness."
"What nonsense is that?"
Jeong Myeong shouted, eyes narrowing. Tang Myung and the other warriors' expressions darkened.
"Young Family Head…"
Song tried to stop him, but Tang Myung shook his head.
"Earlier I was the family head of the Tang Family. Now… shall we call this a private conversation?"
Tang Myung faced him.
"As long as you do not cross certain lines…"
"Hmph!"
Tang Myung's words made Jeong Myeong let out a loud fart.
Observing this, Tang Myung began walking toward the Yuji Family.
***
Upon arriving at the Sichuan Tang Family, Jeong Myeong was stunned. Countless people swarmed the grounds.
And… it was a massive construction site.
"Did they completely demolish everything?"
Tang Myung replied.
"Do you know nothing of the battle that occurred at our home?"
"I know about it… but this bears no resemblance to its former appearance."
Before this incident, Jeong Myeong had been close with Tang Myung. As one of the most talented youths among the Five Great Families in his late twenties, Jeong Myeong had trailed him everywhere.
He had visited the Tang Family often. Thus he knew its old appearance.
But what he saw now bore no similarity to the past.
It was nothing like the family he remembered.
"Follow me."
Tang Myung led Jeong Myeong and Song onward. Jeong Myeong scanned the surroundings with wide eyes.
Warriors of the Tang Family, sleeves rolled up, carried heavy materials, lifting them to building heights.
"Why are the Tang Family experts working?"
"We are building our own home. We cannot rely solely on outsiders."
Tang Myung observed the scene.
"Moreover, the warriors' strength accelerates the work."
"Still… why do warriors do such labor?"
"Household servants have nowhere to shelter from rain and wind."
Jeong Myeong spotted the grand buildings ahead.
"There are buildings over there."
"Do you remember the Tang Family Town?"
"I do."
"When we returned here… the first people to arrive were the people from the Tang Family Town. Houses must still be built for them."
"Even the workers' homes?"
Jeong Myeong's mention of workers made Tang Myung frown.
"Not workers. All are Tang Family household servants. Even if their surnames differ and they receive wages… they are our servants who returned with us."
"You…"
Unable to speak, Jeong Myeong watched Tang Myung pull a jade vial from his pocket and offer it.
"It is an antidote."
"An antidote? No way! Did I get poisoned?"
Jeong Myeong stared in shock. Tang Myung shook his head.
"I am not weak enough to poison you."
Tang Myung began walking again. Jeong Myeong looked at him strangely before opening the vial.
"Hmm… hmm!"
The smell made his face twist in surprise.
"Hundred Cleansings Pill?"
"If it is the Hundred Cleansings Pill, it should neutralize most of the Tang Family's poisons."
Song shook his head.
"It does not neutralize; it prevents."
"Eh?"
"After poisoning occurs, it is useless. Before poisoning, it ensures none occurs. I once received one from Tang Myung… but this is the only antidote allowed to leave the Tang Family."
Naturally. There was no reason for the Tang Family to allow its poison antidote to leak. Why would they?
"Why such a poison for the young family head?"
Song wondered aloud. Jeong Myeong watched Tang Myung walking ahead, then hurried after him.
As they passed the construction site for the rebuilt Tang Family Town, Jeong Myeong's face hardened.
Burnt ruins of the old Sichuan Tang Family appeared.
"The Tang Family…"
"You did not know?"
"I knew… but not to this extent…"
"This extent… Yuji Family provoked our home. We thought the family had fallen."
"…"
Jeong Myeong hesitated. Tang Myung glanced at him.
"Have you eaten the Hundred Cleansings Pill?"
"Not yet…"
"Eat it. We will enter inside."
"Inside the family?"
Tang Myung passed the burnt gates and entered. Jeong Myeong hesitated briefly before swallowing the pill.
"Gulp!"
"Are you sure? Rumor says the interior is filled with extreme poison."
"If they intended to kill us, they would not have let us enter."
Song offered his hand to Jeong Myeong.
"Even the elder wishes to go? It may be dangerous."
"I have served the eldest son my entire life."
Song's words made Jeong Myeong pull out the pill. Both men, after ingesting the antidote, followed Tang Myung.
As they walked, Jeong Myeong stared at the ruined Tang Family buildings and felt… fear creep in.
The Tang Family he knew was strong and dangerous. Seeing it destroyed by the Demonic Cult filled him with dread.
"…What happened that day?"
"Have you heard rumors?"
"I have… but hearing it from you is different."
"That day…"
Tang Myung recounted what had occurred.
"Ah…"
Jeong Myeong's expression showed surprise. Tang Myung continued walking.
As Tang Myung moved, Jeong Myeong hurried to follow.
Tang Myung stopped at the site of the now-ruined Flying Heaven Pavilion.
"Here is where my father and the elders passed away."
He looked at Jeong Myeong.
"The reason I brought you here is…"
Tang Myung sighed and gazed at the large hole at the center of the pavilion.
"Father… held you in high regard."
Jeong Myeong froze. He looked at the hole.
After staring for a moment, he let out a small sigh.
Jeong Myeong had visited the Sichuan Tang Family many times. Though Shanxi and Sichuan provinces were distant, he often came.
Each time, Tang Cheon-deuk greeted him warmly. Sometimes he even watched his martial skills.
Thinking back, what he had done to the Tang Family's misfortune… was something no ordinary person would do.
Yet Jeong Myeong quickly shook his head.
'It was for the clan. I acted for the sake of the clan.'
The ambition of the Five Great Families was that of the Yuji Family. And he too had burned with that ambition.
Looking at the hole, Tang Myung spoke.
Jeong Myeong met his gaze. Tang Myung continued.
"In truth, I did not like you."
"Me?"
"You seemed small. At the inn you ignored the servant girl, boasted of your wealth… you were not a person I liked."
Tang Myeung's face hardened.
"Then why did you keep walking with me?"
After leaving the family, Tang Myung met Jeong Myeong between Sichuan and Shanxi provinces while traveling the martial world.
They were the same age and had experienced the same trials in their youth as martial heroes. They had even taken the same hero's journey.
"Father once spoke of you."
"About me?"
"Jeong Myeong is a greedy and arrogant youth."
Tang Myeung's face darkened. The words were not kind.
"But his nature is kind. If Jeong Myeong faces hardship, be someone he can lean on. When you face difficulty…"
Tang Myung paused and looked at him.
"I will protect you."
Startled!
Tang Myung's words made Jeong Myeong's expression freeze.
"Pay respects. Father held you in high regard."
"Pay respects… because you brought me here?"
"It was not for good, but now that you are here, Father will surely approve."
Jeong Myeong hesitated briefly, then sighed and turned.
"It does not seem right now."
Jeong Myeong felt ashamed. He had betrayed a friend for the sake of his family name and humiliated him. Himself…
Watching this, Tang Myung looked at the damaged Flying Heaven Pavilion.
[I do not wish to deal with you… but I have thoughts. Please watch over him.]
In truth… Tang Cheon-deuk had disliked Jeong Myeong. If he stayed with the young family head, harm would come to him…
Tang Myung had changed the words. Father held you in high regard…
Those words had romanticized the past events in Jeong Myeong's mind. The beating Tang Cheon-deuk once gave him became teaching… the cold gaze became warm eyes…
Jeong Myeong had glorified the past he had endured. The dead man had said he liked him…