Chapter 5
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 3.1
Chapter Title: Growth
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However, An Hoe seemed to think differently.
As soon as the White Crane Elder brought it up, he opened his mouth as if he'd been waiting for it.
"In that case, White Crane Elder, please return to the capital."
"...?"
The Elder's eyes filled with confusion at An Hoe's sudden suggestion to head back to the court, but An Hoe continued indifferently.
"Something major will happen in the capital soon. To stop it, we need a central figure."
"...What kind of incident are you talking about?"
"A rebellion."
"!!"
The word "rebellion" made the White Crane Elder's eyes widen in shock.
It was far too catastrophic an event to dismiss as just "something major."
Though he found it hard to believe, knowing An Hoe's true identity, he couldn't outright dismiss it.
An Hoe inwardly sighed as he watched the Elder's confusion.
'Sigh... If it's now, and with the current White Crane Elder, he could easily prevent that rebellion.'
In the original history, the Elder had broken his years of seclusion at the king's summons precisely to deal with that rebellion.
But its scale had been larger than expected, and having been away from the court for so long, he hadn't been able to gather his strength properly, making suppression a grueling task.
His disciples, who had studied under him, had banded together to manage that much.
But if the Elder—who had awakened to the truth a full year earlier—returned to the capital, the rebellion could be swiftly quelled.
"Last year, the tax revenue from Goyang City vanished."
"...How could I not know about that?"
Goyang City was a metropolis with over a million residents.
Not quite on the scale of the royal capital, but a thriving hub of commerce where goods flowed endlessly.
For that city's annual taxes to disappear was no small matter.
Chaos had ensued, and the royal family had poured vast resources and manpower into catching the culprits.
In the end, it was revealed to be the work of the Red Dragon Stronghold, bandits entrenched around Goyang City.
"The royals mobilized massive troops to capture the Red Dragon Stronghold and succeeded in wiping them out."
But the missing taxes were never recovered.
As a result, the already struggling royal family, battered by misfortunes, faced even harsher times.
The Elder wondered why An Hoe was bringing this up, then a sudden thought crossed his mind, making him stare at An Hoe with a look of realization.
An Hoe nodded and continued.
"That's right. The culprits weren't the Red Dragon Stronghold. I believe it was something that happened in Goyang City itself."
"!!!"
The Elder's eyes shook at those words.
If An Hoe was correct, the royal family had been played from start to finish by the rebels.
"Please quell the rebellion as quickly as possible. That's all I ask."
"...I shall do so. But once it's all over, I will repay this debt."
If the rebellion came to pass as An Hoe said, the Elder would owe him an even greater favor, so he spoke with firm resolve.
"If you do that, I won't refuse."
An Hoe knew the Elder's feelings, having once called him master, and accepted graciously.
"The young master is undoubtedly brilliant and harbors profound intentions. However, it seems difficult for this old man to take him as a disciple."
As the sun began to set, An Yeong's eyes wavered at the White Crane Elder's words upon their reunion, and she hesitantly spoke.
"Did that child perhaps commit some rudeness toward you, Elder?"
The Elder shook his head.
"No."
"Then what is the reason?"
Faced with the mother's heartfelt plea, the Elder pondered briefly before replying.
"It's not because the young master lacks anything. Quite the opposite."
"Wh-what do you mean...?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected response, An Yeong looked confused, and the Elder stated more firmly.
"Exactly as I said. The young master possesses talents too great for me to handle."
"......"
"Half-hearted teachings would only hinder him. He will awaken on his own, so Lady, simply trust and wait."
"Ah!"
An Yeong was swept up in indescribable emotions at the Elder's firm words.
She had known since her son's early childhood that he was no ordinary child.
Yet, having been separated from him young to protect him, she never dreamed he harbored such immense talent.
Thus, she was bewildered.
Had their past actions to safeguard him actually held him back?
As if reading her inner turmoil, the Elder hesitated before continuing.
"Don't blame yourself. In this old man's eyes, even the Jang Family seems too confining for the young master's ambitions."
"....."
The matriarch fell silent for a moment before offering a deep bow of respect.
From her position, the Elder had allowed her to truly see her son, and her gratitude ran deep.
Yet it was the Elder who felt indebted, so he returned the bow in kind.
As the White Crane Elder left the An Family Merchant Group, he soon turned back.
Gazing long at the merchant house—like a dragon coiled in wait—he revealed a subtle smile before resuming his steps.
Unlike the original history, An Hoe's failure to become the White Crane Elder's disciple made him a target of ridicule.
People were already calling him not one of the Jang Family's Five Tigers, but the Four Tigers.
An Hoe's reputation plummeted, but surprisingly, the An Family Merchant Group made no notable response.
It almost seemed like resignation.
Yet within the merchant group, they dismissed the rumors entirely.
They would have been shaken otherwise.
Everyone knew the Jang Family's support had fueled the An Family's growth.
With their central figure An Hoe's reputation tarnished, unrest would be the natural reaction.
But the matriarch— who should have been most disheartened—remained utterly composed, steadying everyone's hearts in turn.
An Yeong truly viewed such gossip as irrelevant, leading others to assume some hidden circumstance.
Some even couldn't hide their anger.
"No matter how much they crave power, to treat even their young blood kin this harshly—what narrow-mindedness!"
"Tigers? They're no better than wildcats!"
Knowing why the matriarch had left the Jang Family to establish the An merchant group, they blamed An Hoe's brothers for the rumors.
The truth was slightly different, but that's how they saw it.
Song Hwa was one of them.
Young as she was, her insight wasn't shallow, and she grasped the situation roughly.
For this reason, she showed unusual softness toward her young master An Hoe.
Though she knew she should serve him properly for the matriarch's sake, she couldn't bring herself to scold him when needed.
It was pity.
Not a fitting emotion for a mere handmaiden toward her charge, but seeing the conspiracies surrounding the young An Hoe stirred it inevitably.
Perhaps her own painful past amplified it.
"...Winter must be over now. The flowers in the market are blooming vibrantly."
"Oh? That must have been a nice sight."
"Yes. They were truly beautiful."
Song Hwa glanced subtly at An Hoe's expression before speaking up.
"So, Young Master, wouldn't you like to go flower viewing? The weather's perfect today—warm sun, ideal for an outing."
"An outing? Sounds good."
"Pardon? Yes! Then I'll..."
She hurried to continue as he seemed tempted, but trailed off.
An Hoe was pulling the blanket up and shaking his head.
"But I prefer staying in this room, munching on the snacks you bring, and relaxing over an outing."
"...Young Master."
"By the way, could you bring more of that dried meat? It's tastier than I thought."
"You've already eaten two catties of jerky...? Anything else besides jerky?"
"Dried fruit if you have it. Oh, and a warm bowl of honey water."
"Y-yes... Understood."
Overwhelmed by the young master casually demanding portions fit for a grown man as mere snacks, she felt a bit drained.
But what truly exhausted her was failing once again to lure him out of his room.
-Creak-
'Oh no...'
An Hoe had shamelessly brushed off her plea again today, but seeing her slumped back as she left through the open door made him flinch.
She looked like a puppy caught in the rain.
"Song Sister... really. I told her not to worry, but she still looks like that."
Even now, her concern for him was immense, but before his regression, she had cherished him like a real brother.
Thanks to her, An Hoe had been able to sort out his heartbroken feelings after arriving at the merchant group.
Naturally, his attitude toward Song Hwa was special.
He had seven sisters, but he treated Song Hwa more like one than them.
After all, they were the mothers' sons in the succession struggle; closeness was impossible despite efforts.
Meeting Song Hwa, who cared for him more than herself, had naturally opened his heart.
This hadn't changed after his regression.
So, he couldn't be unaware of her pity.
From anyone else, such an attitude might have irritated him greatly.
But because it was Song Hwa, he felt only gratitude—and guilt—for his sister's compassion.
Not because he couldn't reveal the truth and dispel her misunderstanding.
Rather, because he was taking advantage of her sibling-like affection.
"But for now, there's no helping it."
He didn't want to show this pathetic side to Song Sister.
No, not just her.
He truly didn't want to appear this way before his mother, reunited with such difficulty.
'At least Mother seems reassured by what White Crane Master told her; she doesn't look worried otherwise.'
Still, as a son, it was natural to want to be his mother's pride.
Yet he lazed about so thoroughly—nay, indolently—for a reason.
"My progress was faster than expected."
No matter that he'd walked the path once before, the speed was absurd.
In just two months of practicing the Two Forms Divine Art, he had reached small accomplishment—at the 7th stage.
Even if the original Two Forms Divine Art was merely a low-grade divine art, it was still a divine art.
One of the 2nd Hierarchy, no less!
Achieving small accomplishment in two months was something even the Heavenly Demon—a monstrous 4th Hierarchy genius from his past—couldn't have done.
Yet contrary to his intentions, despite trying to suppress it, his attainment rose daily, ultimately reaching small accomplishment.
With things turning out this way, An Hoe had to scrap his original plans.