Chapter 60
Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Shackles of the Heart
The night I met Moyong Hui.
For the first time in a long while, I didn't spend the evening with a courtesan and instead enjoyed some time alone.
There was just a lot to think about.
That oblivious Cheon Woojin had tried to tag along for some fun, but when I tossed him three nyang of silver as a consolation, he quietly vanished.
'Hmm... something feels off...'
Sitting alone in the room I'd rented from the Yi Yeon Pavilion, I stared intently at two books.
The one titled Moyong Family that Somwol had given me, and the one called Sword Phoenix Moyong Hui.
Suddenly, the conversation I'd had with Moyong Hui at the tavern earlier came back to me.
-My beliefs concern my immediate family and clan members right now, and even further, everyone in this Liaoning region...
And after we'd parted, the advice that Cheon Woojin had given me resurfaced.
-It seems like the Sword Phoenix cares a lot about her family. First off, my lord, it looks like gaining the Moyong Family's approval is key.
'Moyong Hui prioritizes her clan?'
In my view, that didn't ring true at all.
On the contrary... wasn't it more like she wanted to break free from it?
'It started from the moment she earned the nickname Sword Phoenix.'
One of the key details in the book was her 'journey through the martial world after running away from home.'
It even mentioned how the Moyong Family had personally gone all the way to the Murim Alliance to drag her back.
And that had happened less than a year ago.
That's why, up until I'd met Moyong Hui in person today, I'd naturally assumed she wanted out of her clan.
'Even her marriage to that Cheon Woojin guy.'
Did Moyong Hui's marriage to Cheon Woojin bring any real benefits to the Moyong Family?
Well, it wasn't entirely without gain, but nothing major had changed.
The Moyong Family had stayed holed up in Shenyang right up until I died.
'Not a single Moyong even joined the Lecherous Demon Subjugation Squad.'
Even after I raped her daughter, Cheon Suyeon.
So, I'd figured Moyong Hui must have cut ties with the Moyong Family in the future.
And the shield that had protected her was Cheon Woojin, son of the Martial Emperor.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I drummed my index finger on the wooden table, continuing my train of thought.
'So, did Moyong Hui lie to me today?'
I didn't get that vibe at all.
There was no reason for her to.
There was something I was missing.
I carefully reread the book titled Sword Phoenix Moyong Hui.
And then it hit me, belatedly, what the issue was.
'Ah...!'
[Fitting her nickname Sword Phoenix, she's obsessed with swords. She enjoys sparring and can't resist a skilled swordsman.]
In the past, reading that line had made me think of my second sister.
The Sword Phoenix moniker aside, there were so many similarities.
But after meeting her today, she felt more like my youngest sister, Mok Jiyeon.
If it had been my second sister, she would've challenged me to a duel right there on the spot, not some debate.
She wasn't the type to care about onlookers anyway.
Moyong Hui, on the other hand...
-What if you get hurt?
She was full of worries.
No—more accurately, she was very conscious of others' eyes.
'Alright, let's think this through.'
Moyong Hui wasn't like my second sister; her personality was closer to Yeon-i's.
So, what was Yeon-i like?
-Filthy spawn of the Lecherous Demon. It's revolting that the same blood flows in my veins. Today, I'll kill you and erase the stain on our family!
In the past, she'd seen me as the family's disgrace and tried to kill me.
But was that the whole story?
'No. Yeon-i stayed on as a Plum Blossom Sword Specialist in the Mount Hua Sect.'
When Yeon-i actually came after me, it wasn't when I'd gained fame as the Lecherous Demon, but after I'd raped a Mount Hua disciple.
And the Mok Family hadn't even tried to capture me.
In other words, Yeon-i had just said those things in the heat of the moment, regardless of her true feelings.
'Out of habit.'
What is a habit?
What are beliefs?
Tap— Tap—
My fingers slowed on the table.
Meanwhile, my mind began spinning faster.
'Environment, family, education...'
I opened the book titled Moyong Family.
And confirmed what I already knew there.
'Moyong Family head, Moyong Hwan. Prioritizes the family's reputation, domineering personality.'
Similar to my father.
That's why I could understand.
'She must have heard that kind of talk nonstop since childhood.'
Clan-first mentality.
It was something I'd heard endlessly as a child too.
As a child of the Mok Family Clan, it was only natural to sacrifice for the clan, and you must never harm it.
Those words, drilled in before your mind even solidifies, eventually sink into the unconscious, shaping a person's values.
Practically brainwashing.
'But I broke free from those chains by indulging in wine, women, and song.'
My youngest sister, Mok Jiyeon, on the other hand, never escaped them her whole life.
Not even after joining the Mount Hua Sect.
My eldest brother, Mok Jicheon, was the same.
He too had naturally accepted it as his duty to become clan head and spend his life reviving the family.
'Well, he eventually snapped after clashing with the Murim Alliance leader over protecting me.'
Even that had been possible because his devotion to family was so overwhelming.
And my second sister, Mok Jieun...
'Hmm... who knows.'
She wasn't someone I could judge anyway.
Cheering me on as the Lecherous Demon when she freed me? That was already abnormal.
Anyway, my family wasn't the point.
What mattered now was Moyong Hui, whom I'd meet tomorrow.
'So, what about Moyong Hui?'
From today's Q&A, she hadn't broken free yet.
That realization made me leap to my feet.
"Cheon Woojin!"
The guy suddenly had a job to do.
The next day at noon.
As promised, I met Moyong Hui at the tavern and exchanged light greetings.
"Young Hero Mok, did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes. I hope you had no troubles overnight, Miss Moyong."
I'd noticed it yesterday too, but her beauty was truly striking.
'Her smile is pretty too.'
Unlike Cheon Suyeon with her icy expression, Moyong Hui had such a varied range of facial expressions.
"Oh? Sir Cheon Musanim isn't with you today?"
"I didn't see the need for an escort just to meet you, so I let him rest. I'm not exactly someone who requires protection anyway."
She gave me a suspicious look at my words.
"Hmm, is that all?"
I'd assigned him a separate task.
But revealing it now would spoil the fun, so I grinned awkwardly and made an excuse.
"Truth be told, I also wanted some uninterrupted time alone with you, Miss Moyong."
"Pfft, what kind of talk is that?"
The mood wasn't bad.
I tried to keep the momentum going by ordering drinks, but Moyong Hui stopped me.
"We're about to go sightseeing—why drink now? More importantly, Young Hero Mok, is there anywhere you'd like to visit today?"
"Well, as you know, this is my first time in Shenyang, so I'm not familiar with the sights. If it's not too much trouble, could you recommend some?"
"Of course! First off, the most famous spot in Shenyang is..."
We chatted amiably.
Though 'chat' might be generous—it was mostly me listening, but even that brightened the atmosphere considerably.
When her explanations wrapped up, I smoothly introduced the topic I'd prepared.
"You seem to have a deep affection for Shenyang, Miss Moyong."
"Yeah, it's where I was born and raised, after all."
"Hmm, I was born in Taiyuan too... Oh, that's a city in Shanxi Province. Anyway, I don't feel that attached to it. It's underdeveloped, sparsely populated... And just recently, I toured Beijing—it felt like a whole new world."
"Ah, Beijing. I visited briefly once, and it was amazing. The capital really lives up to its name."
"Wouldn't it be better to live in a place like that? Or maybe Anhui, where the Murim Alliance is."
I tossed a small pebble into the calm waters of her heart.
It worked—she hesitated for a moment.
But she quickly smiled and brushed it off casually.
"Still, I think Shenyang is the best for me."
The reaction was weaker than expected, but it was good in its own way.
At least I'd created a tiny ripple in her heart.
I shifted to another topic and lobbed another question.
"I see. By the way, Miss Moyong, do you have any dreams?"
This was another prepared one.
"Dreams...?"
"Yes. For reference, my dream is to travel the martial world and build my fame. Ideally, something like your Five Dragons and Five Phoenixes title."
I shamelessly spouted words that weren't even close to my true thoughts.
'My real dream's just to bed all the beauties.'
But to achieve that dream, a little white lie now was necessary.
Moyong Hui took my words seriously, tilting her head.
"Hmm, if you want fame in the Central Plains, wouldn't staying here hold you back?"
"Oh, really? This being my debut in the martial world, I didn't know. Could you tell me how you earned the Sword Phoenix title, Miss Moyong?"
I already knew the details intimately from the Shadow Gate Sect's book, but I asked her anyway.
This was all part of the plan.
'Make her realize it while speaking for herself.'
Her true, honest desires.
Not the instilled values like self-cultivation and family harmony, but the dreams buried deep in her heart.
Today, I planned to free her from those chains by day's end.