Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Part 13: Visit to the Inner Residence
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The Triplet Maids had imagined that everyone would be trembling in fear if the Eldest Young Master personally visited the main building of the Inner Residence.
But that expectation began to go awry right from the entrance.
“Oh, we greet the Eldest Young Master of the main family.”
As soon as they announced their visit to the guards at the main gate, a steward in charge of the gate appeared.
“Please come this way.”
He offered exaggerated greetings to Yeon So-hyeon with an overly dramatic voice and gestures, then guided them toward a side door.
Jeong-a’s eyebrow twitched at the sight.
“How dare you guide the Eldest Young Master of the main family through a mere side door?”
The old steward’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean by that…?”
The Triplet Maids scolded him in exasperated tones.
“Isn’t it only proper that when a direct-line blood relative of the main family visits, the main gate should be opened and he should be received with full ceremony?”
“And it should be the ceremonial steward who comes out, not the one in charge of the main gate?”
“A mere second-rank steward attending to the Eldest Young Master of the main family—are you in your right mind?”
Two golden tassels hung from the old steward’s waist.
Unlike other departments of the Luoyang Sword Clan, the Inner Residence consisted mostly of high-ranking personnel who were all called “stewards” due to the nature of their duties.
Thus, they used the number of tassels to clearly display their hierarchy.
The more tassels one had, the higher their position in the Inner Residence.
“Aigoo, Young Master. Please overlook this just once.”
The old steward bowed his head in a fluster.
“You know how the Inner Residence’s finances have been tight lately, and with staff reductions, it’s hard to offer proper courtesies, don’t you?”
His display was so exaggerated that it hardly inspired any trust.
Jeong-a scoffed.
“The Inner Residence, which is supposed to serve direct-line blood relatives up close, claims it can’t even manage basic protocol!”
Even at Jeong-a’s low but stern rebuke, the steward merely groveled.
“Aigoo, I’m sorry. It’s all my failing…”
Yeon So-hyeon waved his hand dismissively, as if annoyed.
“Enough. Let it slide.”
At that, the groveling steward straightened up and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. If even the Young Master says so, what choice do we have?”
The maids ground their teeth.
“Come now, don’t make such faces and follow me this way.”
He let out a small chuckle.
“Wrinkles are the enemy of beauty, aren’t they?”
“Cut the nonsense and just guide us.”
As Yeon So-hyeon lightly scolded him, the steward bowed again and led the group.
“Aigoo, I overstepped…”
Yeon So-hyeon’s party had to mix in with other visitors to enter the Inner Residence’s front courtyard.
The visitors glanced at Yeon So-hyeon, who was accompanied by beautiful maids, but none recognized him.
The maids had to keep their mouths shut, knowing that revealing his identity would only bring shame upon them all.
Jeong-a’s icy gaze swept over the firmly shut main gate.
Examining the ground with her keen eyes, she could clearly see marks indicating it had been opened several times recently.
Traces that undoubtedly came from other direct-line blood relatives’ visits.
“Don’t mind it.”
As if reading her thoughts, Yeon So-hyeon smiled amiably and patted her waist.
“Yes, my lord.”
The group had to skirt around the vast front courtyard, mingling with other visitors and Inner Residence staff, before heading to the main building.
The grand path cutting through the center of the courtyard was reserved solely for direct-line blood relatives.
“You’ve probably already noticed, but this is the Inner Residence’s main building.”
Though it was already visible upon entering the courtyard, the halls comprising the Inner Residence’s main building were of an enormous scale.
Even combining all the halls in the Central Pavilion wouldn’t amount to half of it.
“Now, please enter.”
This time as well, they had to use the side door, just like everyone else.
Stepping inside the main building revealed a spacious interior of unparalleled splendor.
Sunlight poured in through the high ceiling, casting a majestic glow over the ornate room.
“Now, this way…”
“Hold on.”
Jeong-a blocked the steward who was trying to lead them to the waiting room.
“My lord wishes to meet the one responsible for rejecting the Central Pavilion’s accounts. Bring that person here.”
The steward hesitated at her words.
“The Central Pavilion’s accounts, you say?”
“Rumors are spreading throughout the main family. Do you dare claim ignorance?”
Even as Jeong-a pressed him, he remained utterly composed.
“Is that so? If something like that happened, it’s a serious matter.”
It seemed impossible to intimidate this veteran steward, who had weathered countless storms among the power players, unless she unleashed her full aura.
“But as you can see, the Inner Residence is such a massive organization, constantly swamped with big and small matters nonstop.”
Yet contrary to his words, there weren’t many people coming and going in the Inner Residence.
Nor did they appear particularly busy.
Their most important duty was to serve the Family Head up close.
But with the Family Head bedridden, how could their workload possibly be overwhelming?
“…Enough with the excuses. Will you fetch the person in charge or not?”
Even as the maids’ eyes narrowed sharper and sharper, he only wore a troubled smile.
“Hmm. I’ll do my utmost to find them right away, but it might take some time. How about waiting comfortably in the lounge…?”
His eyes flicked toward Yeon So-hyeon.
Yeon So-hyeon shrugged.
“Fine. No helping it, then.
Lead us to the lounge.”
“Aigoo, thank you. This way, please.”
He bowed repeatedly as he guided them to the lounge.
“This is the finest lounge befitting the Eldest Young Master’s dignity. A reception steward will be along shortly, so if you could just wait a moment…?”
“...”
It was indeed a top-class lounge.
But there was clearly a separate ceremonial lounge for direct-line blood relatives, yet he had brought Yeon So-hyeon here.
Moreover, wasn’t it only proper for the reception staff to be waiting in advance?
But before they could protest, the old steward had already vanished.
Yeon So-hyeon smiled at the fuming maids.
“Enough. Fetch us some tea.”
He sank into an extravagantly ornate chair.
“My lord. Forgive us, but…”
“Hm?”
The Triplet Maids bowed their heads to him.
“We have no tea leaves.”
“Not just tea leaves—even the tea set…”
Yeon So-hyeon burst into laughter.
* * *
In one of the offices within the Inner Residence’s main building.
A middle-aged female steward set down the documents she had been reviewing.
It was the very same woman who had visited the Central Pavilion in the past over Jeong-a’s outerwear.
“What did you just say?”
Four golden tassels hung from her waist.
She was a fourth-rank steward, high enough to have her own private office in the main building.
“The Eldest Young Master is currently in the main building’s lounge.”
“That one?”
Her attendant flinched under her piercing glare.
“Yes. It seems it’s regarding the rejected payment request from the Central Pavilion.”
A furrow creased her brow.
“…Because of that lowly book broker?”
The conflict between the Eldest Young Master and the Inner Residence was nothing new.
Whenever it arose, he would invoke the Family Head Seal, and the Inner Residence would reluctantly comply.
“Any more details?”
The attendant bowed repeatedly.
“I’m sorry, but the one who relayed the message wasn’t from our faction…”
She clicked her tongue.
“The main gate is under the Third Young Master’s faction right now.”
At that moment, the third-rank steward attending her spoke up.
“Even if he came in person, is there any cause for concern?”
The other stewards in the office chimed in agreement.
“It’s probably just because the rumors spread throughout the main family.”
“Doesn’t even he have some face left to save?”
One steward burst into laughter at that.
“Face for the Swordless One?”
“With all his servants chased away and surrounded only by flower-like beautiful maids, even he’s grown some face.”
They all guffawed, mocking Yeon So-hyeon.
The fourth-rank female steward waved her hand to cut off their ongoing jests.
“Enough joking around. Who handled that book broker?”
A young female steward leisurely raised her hand.
“Seomun Housekeeper, it was me.”
The steward called Seomun Housekeeper turned her gaze to the young woman.
Two tassels hung from her waist.
She was a second-rank steward at a young age, exceptionally capable and thus favored by Seomun Housekeeper.
“You can handle it properly, right?”
The young female steward flashed a confident smile.
“Please leave it to me.”
Seomun Housekeeper leaned forward.
“Don’t get complacent. There might be a connection between the rumors of his seclusion and his visit here to the Inner Residence.”
The young woman nodded at Seomun Housekeeper’s warning.
“Yes. I’ll make sure it’s handled cleanly, with no loose ends.”
The other stewards joined in.
“We’re not about to clash with him right now anyway—what could go wrong?”
“If there was some mix-up, we just summon the book broker again, pay up, and it’s done.”
“What else would you expect from the Swordless One? He didn’t even thrash those lunatics from the Central Pavilion—just chased them off.”
If they had known what happened to Elder Yeom’s steward, they might have felt at least a twinge of tension.
But Elder Yeom was not one to let his affairs leak out.
The young female steward smiled at Seomun Housekeeper.
“In the worst case, I can grovel at his feet and beg forgiveness, right?”
She covered her mouth with a smile.
“If that’s not enough, shedding a tear or two should suffice.”
Seomun Housekeeper nodded.
“Very well. I leave him in your hands.”
* * *
As the young female steward approached the lounge where Yeon So-hyeon was, she could hear the high-pitched voices coming from inside.
“How can you serve the Eldest Young Master of the main family with such low-grade tea leaves?!”
“You lot lack even the basics as reception maids!”
“And to attend the Eldest Young Master with mere servant girls?! Fetch your superior at once!”
As the Triplet Maids’ voices ended, the chased-out reception maids came pouring out in a group.
The ones who burst into the hallway were all suppressing smirks.
Spotting the young female steward, they bowed deeply and passed by her side.
‘Not a single soul in the Inner Residence thinks well of the Eldest Young Master.’
They might not belong to her faction, but no faction in the Inner Residence felt any differently about Yeon So-hyeon.
A smile crept across the young female steward’s face.
‘Perfect. They’ve set the stage beautifully.’
If she entered now and offered sincere apologies, things would likely resolve more smoothly than expected.
Suppressing the confidence rising on her face, she headed for the lounge door.