Chapter 656
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 656
Chapter Title: You Are Wrong
The temporary acting family head who had hosted the meeting, Yeon Baek-pung, left the room.
And the family head issued an order via messenger pigeon: no punishments were to be handed out.
With no reason left to continue the meeting, the gathered members departed in small groups.
Whispering among those who got along well.
The last one to remain in the meeting hall was Yeon Baek-woo.
As the lowest in rank among those present, he had stayed until the end.
The now-empty meeting hall.
Left alone, Yeon Baek-woo chewed his lip.
“To think Father would make such a choice. Damn it.”
He spat out thick anger at something that had deviated from his expectations.
Slowly rising to his feet, he began walking.
He seemed leisurely at first, but his pace gradually quickened.
The place he headed to was the tallest building at the heart of the Yeon Clan.
The family head's residence.
The top floor was still unoccupied, but the floor below had a temporary master.
Yeon Baek-woo had come to find that temporary master.
His older brother, Yeon Baek-pung.
The place he would head after storming out of the meeting hall in rage was obvious.
A place where he could vent his anger freely alone.
The acting family head's office.
“Kuaaaaargh!!!!”
Bang! Crash! Bang! Bang!
As he reached the stairs to the lower floor, the commotion drifted down as expected.
The guards posted at the entrance to the stairs leading up to the acting family head's office.
Even upon seeing Yeon Baek-woo, they stood firm with hardened expressions, not stepping aside.
“I have urgent business with my brother. I know he's probably not in the mood to see anyone right now, but please at least pass the message.”
And he stood facing the guards.
Showing his intent to stand there without budging.
Seeing that Yeon Baek-woo had no intention of backing down, one of the guards went up the stairs to relay the message to Yeon Baek-pung.
“He says to come in.”
The guard soon returned and stepped aside.
He climbed the stairs and opened the door to the acting family head's office.
“Brother. It's Baek-woo.”
“What is it?”
The office was a mess, just as expected.
Still, only useless items had been smashed, while important documents and records remained intact, suggesting he hadn't completely lost his reason.
“Brother. Are you really just going to let this slide?”
At Yeon Baek-woo's question, flames reignited in Yeon Baek-pung's eyes.
“And if I don't? It's Father's order—the family head's command!”
His voice brimmed with resentment.
“How long has Father been away from the clan? Do you even grasp the clan's situation?”
At Yeon Baek-woo's question.
“Just because he's been away from the clan for so long doesn't mean he doesn't know its situation.”
“Even so. Yeon Ha-min—that wench—was arranged for a political marriage from the start. Just like you, Brother. But she ran away because she didn't want it!”
Yeon Baek-woo's shout struck at the deep-seated reverse scale in Yeon Baek-pung's heart.
Yeon Ha-min had fled to escape Yeon Baek-ryang's clutches, not the political marriage.
But he cleverly omitted that part, linking only the marriage and her flight.
“Now that you mention it, you're right. That rotten bitch...”
His voice was low, but the rage within burned even hotter.
What sacrifices had he endured for his own political marriage?
Yet that wench had betrayed the family and run off to live as she pleased.
Even though they had bestowed the Yeon surname upon lowly blood not originally of the Yeon Clan out of mercy.
“She must pay the appropriate price.”
Yeon Baek-woo persuaded Yeon Baek-pung once more.
“You're right. She must pay the appropriate price. That rotten bitch... But Father said no punishments whatsoever.”
Even with his eyes turned upside down in fury, his fear of Yeon Ja-kyeong remained.
A fear deeply etched into his mind.
This wasn't just Yeon Baek-pung's alone.
The family head Yeon Ja-kyeong was the one most feared by the majority of the Yeon Clan.
“It doesn't have to be direct punishment from us. The point is to make her suffer and writhe in pain, isn't it?”
Yeon Baek-woo's words sounded plausible.
No matter the method, inflicting pain on her would be punishment and retribution.
“Indeed. You're right. So, what method would be best?”
At Yeon Baek-pung's question, Yeon Baek-woo smirked inwardly.
He could feel it was almost done.
“Jin Na-yeon. Take her.”
Yeon Baek-pung's eyes widened at Yeon Baek-woo's words.
“Take her?”
Yeon Baek-pung's eyes gleamed.
It was unclear whether from anger at his brother's absurd suggestion or lust for Jin Na-yeon.
“Yes.”
Yeon Baek-woo's curt reply.
“Do you not know the contents of the letter Father sent?”
At Yeon Baek-pung's interrogative question.
“I do. The grand elder announced it to everyone, and we all checked it in turn.”
Yeon Baek-woo answered calmly.
“And?”
A fierce question flew at him.
“The family head only said to lift the restrictions on Jin Na-yeon.”
Yeon Baek-woo deliberately used her name instead of 'sister-in-law'.
To remove any psychological barriers.
Well, it seemed there were none left anyway.
“He didn't say not to take her.”
With Yeon Baek-woo's final addition, the gleam in Yeon Baek-pung's eyes turned to madness.
He knew it was wordplay.
Yeon Baek-pung's reason recognized his brother was toying with him.
But the emotions and desires deep in his chest shattered his reason.
“You're right.”
Yeon Baek-pung's voice was chillingly sinister.
Father couldn't possibly be unaware of his desire for Jin Na-yeon.
He had known about his older brother Yeon Baek-ryang's case yet turned a blind eye.
His own situation must be the same.
If Father had wanted to stop him, he wouldn't have lifted the restrictions—he would have ordered not to lay a finger on her.
“I'll take her when the time is right. That will be punishment for Yeon Ha-min, that wench.”
He spoke in a voice laced with madness.
Though it was for his own desires, he wrapped it as something unavoidable for punishing Yeon Ha-min.
“A wise decision.”
Yeon Baek-woo bowed toward Yeon Baek-pung and left the office.
A thick smile played on his lips as he departed the family head's residence.
“Hoo.”
Yeon Ja-kyeong let out a deep sigh.
Ever since sending the letter to the clan, he hadn't been able to focus on his training at all.
He was a father, after all.
Shaking his head, Yeon Ja-kyeong undid his cross-legged position and rose from his seat.
“Forcing meditation at a time like this will only lead to demonic possession.”
He muttered softly.
He exited the underground training hall and ascended to the top floor of his own residence.
Looking around, he took in the various parts of the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
At the same time, he saw buildings towering higher than his own position.
The alliance leader's residence alone was more grand and taller, and the Heavenly Eye Pavilion stood even higher.
Even though it belonged to the grand elder.
Yeon Ja-kyeong was third in rank among the alliance elders.
Among the elders' residences, two loomed higher than his own.
Yeon Ja-kyeong's gaze lingered on the alliance leader's residence.
“Someday...”
His soft mutter brimmed with ambition for the position of Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader.
“Tch. To achieve that, I should have raised my children better, but I failed.”
He shook his head.
Because of that, the time to reach his ambition had been delayed further.
“With the second one gone like that...”
Frowning, Yeon Ja-kyeong turned his gaze.
Toward the south.
Far south of Luoyang, toward Wuchang.
“Only the youngest remains.”
With five sons, only one was worth expecting.
If not for that damned war, the second would still be hale.
Flames sparked in Yeon Ja-kyeong's eyes.
“Those Demonic Cult mongrel bastards...”
The battle in which Yeon Baek-un lost his life had been against the Demonic Cult.
And it was the Demonic Cult's Black Demonic Sleep Blood Poison that had reduced Yeon Baek-ryang to that state.
Yeon Ja-kyeong could ally with the Blood Cult, but he could never share the same sky with the Demonic Cult.
“In the end, the youngest, huh.”
Muttering as if resolving himself while thinking of Yeon Baek-jin.
He would need to visit the Dragon Training Pavilion soon.
He had sent a letter urging him to focus on martial arts training.
After checking the results, he would decide whether to proceed as planned.
Nodding once, Yeon Ja-kyeong now looked west.
Toward Yichang.
“Fourth, Baek-woo. I never imagined it would be you...”
His mutter swirled with deep regret, pity, betrayal, and heart-wrenching sorrow—every emotion imaginable.
Dong Ju-san certainly had ability.
He had figured it out in the end.
There was meaning in sparing him despite the urge to tear him apart.
That was why he had sent such a letter.
This might be the last chance.
For the fourth son, and for the third as well.
“Ah!”
“Wow!”
Exclamations of wonder poured out one after another.
The two children were touring the Yeon Clan's grounds with Yeon Gong-hu, places even outsiders could visit.
Among them were spots Yeon Ha-min herself had never seen.
How long had they been sightseeing?
A stunningly beautiful rear garden caught their eye.
“Wow! So pretty!”
Gong Hae-jun, spotting it from a distance, ran over with sparkling eyes.
“Ah, that place...”
Yeon Gong-hu glanced in the direction Gong Hae-jun had dashed, slightly flustered, but soon resigned himself with a helpless expression.
It was the most beautiful among the Yeon Clan's many rear gardens, and not a forbidden area.
Moreover, he knew well the temperament of the one who had so beautifully tended it.
She wouldn't rage or punish children—even strangers—for entering.
With Yeon Gong-hu showing no sign of stopping them, Gong Hae-bin hurried toward the garden as well.
She too seemed entranced by its beauty.
Yeon Gong-hu followed with a resigned look.
Truth be told, from Yeon Gong-hu's perspective, he was reluctant to come here.
Because of the subtle relationship between this garden's caretaker and his own mother.
Though the two seemed not to care much and pitied each other.
Even so, it remained awkward for Yeon Gong-hu.
As they slowly approached the garden.
“What is this! How dare you set foot in this garden, reeking of lowly filth!!”
A sharp cry rang out.
Recognizing the familiar voice, Yeon Gong-hu quickly leaped forward.
‘To think Da-hye would be here.’
He had mistakenly assumed her personality wouldn't bring her here.
Rushing over.
Yeon Da-hye was glaring ferociously at Gong Hae-jun.
Gong Hae-jun's face had paled under her intimidating aura.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Gong Hae-bin, arriving late and flustered by the scene.
Yeon Da-hye shot fierce eyes at her too.
“They are guests of the clan. Don't be rude.”
Yeon Gong-hu, just arriving, hardened his expression and spoke to Yeon Da-hye.
“Brother...”
Unlike with Yeon Ha-min, Yeon Gong-hu was unmistakably Yeon Clan blood and her cousin brother, so she flinched back.
But her gaze remained fierce.
“Uninvited guests calling themselves visitors?”
“You, do you even know who these children are...”
“Hmph. Im Ha-min's lowly servants, even lowlier scum.”
Yeon Gong-hu frowned at Yeon Da-hye's dismissive words.
Come to think of it, Yeon Da-hye had no idea who these children were.
If she knew they were disciples of Ha Mu-baek, she wouldn't have acted so rudely.
No, it was questionable if she even knew of a martial artist named Ha Mu-baek.
‘In the end, the same result...’
Judging by her temperament, she would call even Ha Mu-baek lowly if he appeared before her.
At the repeated cries of 'lowly,' Gong Hae-jun finally shed tears streaming down.
Gong Hae-bin was the same.
The words about lowly status.
They stabbed deep into the children's hearts.
Though of commoner birth, they were children of innkeepers.
Inns gathered all sorts of people.
Among them were the rude and arrogant like Yeon Da-hye now.
They had heard such people hurl 'lowly' while making scenes.
Whenever such customers came, their parents always ushered the children into the back kitchen room.
Yet the harsh shouts of 'lowly' still reached them.
Insults calling their own parents lowly—they had heard those too.
Memories of that resurfaced, making the children cry.
“How can you! Do you even know who these children are! No, before that—where in this world are there truly lowly people!”
A roar filled with anger burst from Yeon Gong-hu's mouth.
“Status has its noble and base, of course. This is the great Yeon Clan. Naturally, we can speak of lowliness.”
Yeon Da-hye didn't back down.
She insisted she was right.
From her perspective, she disliked Yeon Gong-hu too.
His doting on that lowly wench who ruined her mother, calling her 'mother' despite no blood ties—it twisted her gut.
“You are wrong.”
At the familiar voice from behind, Yeon Da-hye flinched and turned.
“M...om...?”