The Jegal Clan (1)
At those words, his father interjected gently.
"Understood. These are key figures in our merchant group, so it's hard to give an immediate answer. We'll respond as quickly as possible, so please rest in the meantime. We've prepared a comfortable room for you."
"We appreciate your consideration."
The man from the Jegal Clan followed the deputy his father had summoned out of the room.
A brief silence fell over his father's office.
"Chief Steward Yu, so that letter... it was an invitation?"
"Yes."
He replied with a dazed expression.
"It was from someone named Jegal Hyeon-ri of the Jegal Clan, inviting both me and the young master. He wishes to discuss poetry with us in person. He hopes we'll accept, and if we do, he'll send a carriage and escorts."
"Oh!"
His father beamed as if it were his own good fortune.
"Then we must accept!"
"But my poetry is so poor..."
"What nonsense! You're too modest about yourself. If your poetry were truly poor, would the Jegal Clan send a carriage and escorts to invite you?"
"..."
"And honestly, I was a bit hurt when I read your poems."
"Pardon?"
"Hiding such beautiful talent all this time."
"That's..."
"Anyway, accept it! You have to! Absolutely!"
In truth, this was an invitation they couldn't refuse.
The Jegal Clan—what kind of place was that?
A great martial clan nestled in the Yungzhong Mountains to the west of Hubei Province, also known as Fulong Mountain.
It was a force as unignorable as the Wudang Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Clans that formed the pillars of the martial world, located on one of Taoism's three sacred mountains.
Falling out of their good graces would make operations as difficult as being blacklisted by the government.
Put another way, it meant they had to forge some connection, no matter what.
And now, an unexpected opportunity had arisen.
That afternoon.
Returning to his quarters after work, he stood by the window and let out a sigh.
The Jegal Clan...
The clan's current prestige was formidable, but to him, it felt ambiguous. In his previous life, the Jegal Clan had nearly been wiped out.
And if his memory served, Jegal Hyeon-ri was the former clan head—the Jegal Supreme Patriarch.
There was a reason his father and the others hadn't realized this upon seeing the name.
Jegal Hyeon-ri was an alias he used when concealing his identity.
Knowing that future made the invitation all the more unsettling.
But he couldn't refuse it either.
For now, the Jegal Clan still stood strong.
A few days passed.
Eager to speak with Chief Steward Yu as soon as possible, Jegal Hyeon-ri—the former Jegal Clan head—immediately sent a carriage and escorts.
Before departure, his father cautioned him.
"I'm relieved you're going with him. As you know, Chief Steward Yu isn't the most eloquent; it could even backfire."
"Hahaha."
"Take good care of him."
"Yes. I'll do my utmost to assist."
And so, he and Chief Steward Yu set off for the Jegal Clan.
In one of the Jegal Clan's quarters.
A middle-aged man there was receiving a report.
"...That's all."
"Any other notable events?"
"Ah, Lord Hyeon-ri has invited guests."
"Guests?"
"The author of that Collection of Minor Elegant Poems that's all the rage. They'll arrive tomorrow."
"I see. That old man's quirks never cease. A poetry-loving elder in a martial clan..."
"Shall we proceed with our plan as is? What if the guests notice...?"
"No matter. If even our clan members haven't noticed, how could outsiders? And even if they do, what could they possibly do?"
"Understood."
"Anything else?"
"Ah! Lady Yu-a..."
"What? Did she beat up the trainees again?"
"...Yes."
The carriage came to a stop.
"We've arrived."
The door opened, and he and Chief Steward Yu stepped out.
Majestic buildings stretched out before them in rows.
His merchant group was quite prosperous, but this was incomparable.
Chief Steward Yu's eyes wavered slightly at the sight.
He felt little stir.
In the future, the Eunhae Merchant Group would boast halls just as grand.
And yet that place...
Damn Martial Alliance! That bastard Baekcheon Merchant Group!
The thought made his neck throb suddenly.
"The journey must have been tiring, young master."
Palgap asked worriedly, noticing his expression.
"Ah, yeah, something like that."
"Then you should rest right aw—"
"We should pay our respects to our host first."
He glanced at Chief Steward Yu, who still seemed dazed.
Even with his poor social graces, this was unlike him.
Was the impact of the Jegal Clan's buildings that overwhelming?
Stepping forward himself,
"We'd like to greet the one who invited us. Could you guide us?"
The welcomers replied to his question.
"Yes, we'll inform them. Please head to your quarters first."
"Thank you."
They followed to the lodgings provided.
Thinking of how these overwhelming structures would one day reduce to ashes left a bitter taste.
The quarters were splendid.
Better than his own rooms at the merchant group.
The Jegal Clan eschewed ostentation, so it wasn't flashy, but the refined luxury was unmistakable.
"As expected of the Jegal Clan!"
Palgap said excitedly.
"Whoa! Isn't that an inkstone made of Dangseok stone? A Dangseok inkstone even in guest rooms! This place is incredible!"
"Huh? Really? How'd you know it's Dangseok?"
"You explained it to me before, young master. I still remember."
Come to think of it, they had bought a Dangseok inkstone from that old man's sundries shop.
He hadn't tried it out yet...
The room's elegance confirmed they were being treated as VIP guests.
It wasn't wrong to say all guests deserved care, but in reality, levels of hospitality varied.
Minimal lodging to avoid scandal was low-tier.
Decent treatment for useful or important affiliates was mid-tier.
And utmost respect for truly vital figures was top-tier.
Guests knew this, so there were no complaints.
This level meant top-tier for them.
As the Supreme Patriarch's guests, no doubt.
As they unpacked, sipped the provided tea, and rested, a maid arrived.
"The Supreme Patriarch has granted an audience."
He and Chief Steward Yu followed the maid to the Supreme Patriarch.
Chief Steward Yu whispered,
"Jegal Hyeon-ri being the Supreme Patriarch... astonishing."
"Tell me about it."
He wasn't surprised.
He already knew.
"So I really do have talent in poetry?"
"Yes. Why won't you believe me?"
"It's just... hard to believe."
The path to the Supreme Patriarch was quite long.
Likely by clan rules, guest quarters were kept distant from the core.
Outsiders couldn't stay in the heart of the clan.
Along the way, they passed the trainees' dorms.
Then,
Thwack! Thwack!
"Waaah!"
"Next one, come on!"
A girl's shrill voice made him turn instinctively.
A girl in white training robes, hair tied tightly up, brandished a wooden sword.
Ah...
The girl he knew.
The maid smiled awkwardly.
"The trainees are so full of zeal."
Her expression suggested this wasn't rare.
Was she always like this?
She seemed so different from the one he remembered that he doubted his eyes.
But it was definitely her.
Unlike other sects, the clan was blood-bound. These trainees were children of the Jegal surname—or allied families.
Smiling, he said,
"A branch family young lady, I presume."
The maid's face stiffened slightly. The clan strictly distinguished direct and branch lines.
Her reaction meant...
"She's Lady Jegal Yu-a, the clan lord's daughter."
"Ah! My apologies. I spoke out of turn."
"It's fine."
Indeed, the girl he knew.
They resumed walking.
In the future, among the Ten Great Merchant Groups, the Yu-gang Merchant Group had two famous figures.
One was the leader.
The other, his bodyguard Yu-a.
Especially the bodyguard—a woman who ranked among the world's top hundred masters.
Beautiful yet emotionless, mirthless, she was called the Laughless Jade Maiden.
And she was the Jegal Clan lord's daughter!
Information unknown in his previous life.
With such a prominent father, why had her identity stayed hidden?
Then,
"Hey, you!"
Thud thud thud!
Footsteps rushed from behind.
"Stop right there!"
She blocked their path.
They were taken aback, but she ignored it and stared at him.
"Who are you?"
The maid quickly intervened.
"Miss, these are the Supreme Patriarch's guests. Please show proper etiquette."
"Grandpa's guests?"
"Yes."
Common sense dictated an apology and retreat.
But not for her.
"It's fine! Grandpa likes me!"
"..."
She said to him,
"You! You're strong, right? Spar with me!"
She must have sensed his martial arts.
Only someone trained could tell.
That a mere girl noticed gave him an odd feeling.
But he couldn't cross swords here.
She was the daughter of the Jegal Clan lord—one of the Eight Great Clans—while he was just a Hubei merchant's son.
Injure her, and how could he handle the fallout?
He was realistic.
"My apologies, but I'm merely a merchant. My martial arts are just basic self-defense. To duel the clan lord's precious daughter? Heaven forbid!"
"It's fine!"
"It's not fine for me. I must decline."
"I said it's really fine!"
Not just Chief Steward Yu—the onlookers were flustered.
But the willful girl pressed on.
By his knowledge, Jegal clansmen were all composed...
Was she truly one?
By now, his patience was fraying.
He was tired, eager for the audience and rest, yet obstructed.
"You seem oblivious to the consequences of your actions, miss."
"Do I need to know?"
"First, are you of the Jegal Clan?"
"Yeah! Obviously! I'm Jegal Yu-a! With the Jegal name, I'm clan folk."
"For one bearing the Jegal name to disregard what the clan must endure from her actions—that's absurd."
He continued,
"The Jegal name brings rights, but also duties. You must weigh its gravity."
"I hate that stuff."
"Then discard the name."
Something flickered across Lady Jegal Yu-a's face.
Did I missee?
No—it was sorrow.
What?
His puzzlement didn't last.
"Then if I discard the Jegal name, you'll spar?"
Her follow-up was the same brainless exuberance.
Maybe he'd imagined it.