Chapter : 68
Yeonhwa’s visit was news enough to shake the entire Namgung Family estate.
Even setting aside the fact that it was the return of the legitimate daughter—whose homecoming after so many years was difficult to even measure—the greater issue was that not long ago, the Grand Elder had arrived at the estate under the escort of the Dark Heaven Unit, bringing the eldest young master with him.
It was already widely known throughout the martial world, even beyond the Alliance, just how severely the relationship between the Grand Elder and the young lady had soured.
If the two of them were now to confront each other here at the estate, each carrying their own circumstances, the outcome would be impossible to predict.
Amid the palpable tension, Yeonhwa spoke calmly to those staring at her.
“Where shall I unpack my luggage?”
“Pardon?”
“Surely you’re not expecting me to stay in that storage-like room where, even as a child, I could barely stretch out my arms and legs?”
It had been the Chief Steward who assigned her to that room. There was no way he could not remember.
Receiving her gaze, Chief Steward Hong Gyemun shook his head frantically.
“O-of course not!”
As he waved his hands, he hurriedly calculated in his mind.
Is there any vacant pavilion right now?
He had expected her to immediately ask about the Grand Elder’s whereabouts, yet she was asking about her quarters first—completely unexpected.
Of course, any question would have put him in a difficult position, but the disruption in the flow made him even more flustered.
Yeonhwa asked again, watching the floundering steward.
“Was my question difficult?”
“No, not at all. It’s just that there isn’t an empty pavilion suitable for use at the moment. If it would please you, may we escort you to the top-grade guest quarters?”
“You’re asking because you know it wouldn’t please me, aren’t you?”
From behind, Seong Yeontaek raised his voice.
“In this wide world, who returns to their own home only to be lodged in a guest room? Not only does this tarnish the young lady’s dignity, but this is how the family treats its legitimate daughter after so long away? What would others say!”
“I understand. However, as the young lady has traveled a long distance, we wished to first provide her with a place to rest. The pavilions befitting her status would require time to prepare.”
“Hmph. If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped—ah! Why are you pinching me!”
As Seong Yeontaek clutched his side and turned, Seong Haran glared at him sharply.
She soon stepped forward.
“Chief Steward, there is a flaw in your words. You speak as if this were for the young lady’s sake, but in truth, doesn’t it mean there isn’t a single pavilion in the estate assigned to her?”
Originally, once the legitimate bloodline children of the family passed childhood and reached the age of seven, each was assigned their own pavilion.
Even if the young lady had left before then, as the legitimate daughter, it was only proper that at least one pavilion be kept for her return.
“Th-that is…”
No matter how right the words were, after the young lady left, no one had thought to prepare a pavilion for her.
How could that be corrected now?
Young Master Seonyu did mention it once. Everyone nodded at the time, but later forgot about it.
To say something should have been done back then—it was already far too late.
With gazes and accusations pouring in from all sides, the Chief Steward unconsciously lowered his head.
All he could hope for was that this moment would pass quickly.
Then Yeonhwa asked in an indifferent tone, as if it were nothing.
“What about the Patriarch’s Hall? Isn’t it vacant?”
“It is not. As soon as the Grand Elder arrived, he assumed the role of Acting Patriarch and began using the Patriarch’s Hall—huh!”
Hong Gyemun abruptly raised his head and clapped both hands over his mouth.
Before him stood the young lady, her expression icy, and the Seong father and daughter, unable to suppress their anger.
“I-I mean…”
“It’s fine,” Yeonhwa cut him off.
“If the Grand Elder demanded it, how could a mere chief steward refuse? And since it isn’t something that can be hidden anyway, let’s leave that aside.”
Raising a finger, she pointed toward the direction of the Patriarch’s Hall.
“Why is the Grand Elder—who ought to be confined within the Martial Alliance—here at the Anhui main house under the title of Acting Patriarch?”
The steward blinked blankly.
Don’t tell me… she came without knowing?
A chill ran down his spine as the thought belatedly occurred to him.
He recalled hearing that the Head of External Affairs had visited the Namgung branch of the Alliance regarding the Danri Escort Agency matter.
If so, hadn’t he just confessed first?
His face, which had been steadily turning pale, darkened instantly.
At that moment, Seong Yeontaek stepped forward.
“Wh-what did you say? The Grand Elder, who committed a crime at the Alliance, has fled back to the family and is even acting as Patriarch…!”
“It seems Father is so angry his words are getting tangled.”
Seong Haran tried to smooth things over awkwardly, but all eyes were already on Seong Yeontaek.
She definitely knew before coming.
Is he doing that on purpose?
Is this a signal to hand over the Grand Elder?
The family members exchanged brief glances—then all turned forward at the resounding boom.
The ground before the young lady had sunk deeply.
It was bare earth, not stone slabs.
In front of the main gate, hardened by countless footsteps over as many years as the family’s history, one trained in martial arts might leave marks—but not footprints like that.
And though the vibration had made everyone stagger, not a speck of dust rose.
“Gasp!”
People sucked in their breath.
Rumors had circulated from outside, and there had been many words about the young lady’s martial prowess.
But this was the Anhui main house, where she had once spent her smallest and weakest years.
They had first been shocked by how much she had changed. Now they were witnessing her presence alone crushing the space itself.
“The Head of External Affairs is asking,” Yeonhwa’s voice was low but clear.
“Why is the Grand Elder here, and why did you accept him? Shouldn’t you answer?”
“We heard it was by the Patriarch’s order!”
“Ha.”
Yeonhwa laughed briefly.
“And you believed that?”
“But there was proof!”
For the first time, the steward offered a rebuttal.
Yet Yeonhwa did not waver.
“Proof? What—did you receive a handwritten secret letter? Anyone could imitate handwriting and forge a seal.”
“No! It was absolutely the Patriarch’s own handwritten letter!”
A man of the steward’s position should at least be trained to discern such things.
Moreover, with the Patriarch still alive at the Yichang Martial Alliance, fabricating such a lie would only make matters worse.
“And the Dark Heaven Unit accompanied him, so it’s certain!”
“I see.”
Yeonhwa nodded.
“A handwritten letter from the Patriarch, and even the Dark Heaven Unit. So although you knew he was a criminal, you brought him into the family and assisted his conduct—is that it?”
She lifted her gaze and swept it around.
“Do you know what people call that?”
“…What do they call it?”
“An accomplice.”
“No! I am absolutely not!”
Yeonhwa tilted her head slightly.
His face, blackened moments ago, was now flushed red.
The man shouted his innocence at the top of his lungs, while those behind him cautiously distanced themselves to avoid any stray sparks.
Yeonhwa observed the scene indifferently.
She had no intention of laying hands on them just yet.
She would stir up the commotion—and wait.
As expected—
Thud. Thud. Thud!
Deliberate footsteps echoed from within the estate toward the main gate.
Soon, the Grand Elder appeared and shouted at Yeonhwa.
“You dare come all this way, strutting about and causing a ruckus! Just because you’ve gained some success, do you think there’s nothing you should fear!”
“Indeed.”
Yeonhwa lifted her head.
“I don’t know about having nothing to fear, but I am certainly seeing something I ought not to be.”
Namely, someone who should not be here.
At her reply, killing intent flickered in the Grand Elder’s eyes.
“How dare you—!”
He could not finish.
He had not expected to face Yeonhwa again so soon after escaping.
During his confinement, he had not heard the news that she would come to the Namgung family over the Danri Escort Agency matter.
At first, he had considered hiding, thinking she had not come to capture him.
But seeing her deliberately escalate a confrontation at the main gate, he changed his mind.
She clearly knew of his presence and was provoking him to break his momentum.
If I run now, the unity of those who support me and Hyechan will crumble!
No coward can accomplish great things.
Yet—
“Who do you think you are, to dare say ‘how dare’ in front of me—how dare you!”
It was not easy to avoid becoming a coward when faced with someone whose words, casually thrown, returned like blades.
