Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 128

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 128
The Buyong Pavilion of the Hangzhou Golden Merchant.
It had once been Gang Moyeon’s residence before she married into the Namgung Clan.
Even after Gang Moyeon left to join her husband’s household, the Hangzhou Golden Merchant had kept the Buyong Pavilion intact.
And whenever Gang Moyeon visited her family home, they made certain she could stay there.
The fact that the previous Guild Master of the Hangzhou Golden Merchant had preserved the Buyong Pavilion for a daughter who visited perhaps once every few years spoke volumes about how deeply he cherished her.
This time, too, Gang Moyeon was residing in the Buyong Pavilion.
Namgung Geom had decided to stay there alongside her.
After meeting with Gang Yong-hyun, when they arrived at the Buyong Pavilion, Gang Moyeon was waiting.
“You arrived without delay. Was everything at Shaolin Temple resolved satisfactorily?”
She, too, had heard the rumors concerning Namgung Geom.
Though she trusted him, she could not help but pay attention to the gossip spreading through the Martial World.
“Yes. The Abbot of Shaolin Temple has given his assurance.”
“That’s good. Very good indeed.”
Namgung Geom could see that Gang Moyeon carried much worry, even if she did not voice it.
“I apologize. It seems I am always causing you concern, Mother.”
“Not at all. This mother trusts you, so do not burden yourself with such thoughts. Now then, have you prepared a gift for your grandfather?”
“Yes. You can look forward to it.”
Namgung Geom spoke with confidence.
Truth be told, there could be no finer gift than a Thousand-Year Ginseng.
“Is that so? What have you prepared to speak with such certainty?”
Gang Moyeon asked, her curiosity piqued.
“It’s a secret.”
Namgung Geom replied with a mischievous expression.
“Even from your mother?”
“Yes. I would like your grandfather to see it first.”
“Then there’s nothing for it.”
Since he wished to show it to his grandfather first, Gang Moyeon did not press further.
“And what gift have you prepared, Mother?”
Namgung Geom asked.
“That is also a secret.”
Gang Moyeon wrinkled her nose playfully as she spoke.
At her childish retaliation, Namgung Geom let out a soft laugh.
“Shouldn’t we go and pay our respects to your grandfather soon?”
“He’s already asked that we dine together this evening.”
“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other—I confess I’m a bit nervous.”
Gang Moyeon spoke with a smile.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Your grandfather may seem stern on the surface, but his heart runs deeper than most. Besides, he has doted on you since you were small.”
Namgung Geom nodded in agreement.
His memories of his grandfather were not abundant.
Yet he retained the memory of being cherished by him in his childhood.
Before going to dinner, Namgung Geom bathed and changed into fresh clothes.
One could hardly visit one’s grandfather for the first time in years looking disheveled.
Presentable and composed, Namgung Geom went with Gang Moyeon to Manjin Hall, his grandfather’s residence.
Moments after they entered, an elderly man with graying hair stood waiting.
Gang Tae-cheon.
A man of legendary ambition who had elevated a small merchant house in Hangzhou into one of the Four Great Merchant Houses under the Cheonsan Ryeon.
Through extraordinary commercial talent and bold decisiveness, he had come to dominate the silk markets of the Central Plains.
Though he had long since stepped back from daily operations, passing the position of Guild Master to his son, he still commanded an undeniable authority.
“Your grandson pays his respects, Grandfather.”
Namgung Geom bowed formally to Gang Tae-cheon.
Gang Tae-cheon gazed at Namgung Geom with eyes brimming with emotion.
His grandson—the one condemned to a limited lifespan by the Guyang Jeolmaek.
He had searched desperately, in every direction, for a way to save him.
But nowhere had he found a path to salvation.
That weight had remained heavy upon Gang Tae-cheon’s heart.
What good was great wealth if it could not accomplish this?
Unable to save even a single grandson.
And yet here stood that grandson—the one he had given up for lost—now robust and hale before him.
It would have been enough simply to see him healthy; but now he was also making a name for himself throughout the Martial World.
“Come here. Let me embrace you.”
At Gang Tae-cheon’s words, Namgung Geom looked toward Gang Moyeon.
Gang Moyeon gave him a gentle push, as if urging him forward.
When Namgung Geom approached Gang Tae-cheon, the older man suddenly wrapped him in a tight embrace.
“Thank you. I’m so grateful.”
In those words alone, Namgung Geom could feel the depth of Gang Tae-cheon’s heart.
“I apologize for all the worry I’ve caused you over these years. But now I’m in perfect health with no ailments, so please don’t trouble yourself with concern.”
Namgung Geom answered with a faint smile.
“Let me get a good look at our grandson’s face.”
Gang Tae-cheon stepped back and gazed at Namgung Geom’s features.
The warmth in Gang Tae-cheon’s eyes as he looked at Namgung Geom was beyond measure.
Namgung Geom felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
“Father, are you so enchanted with your grandson that you’ve forgotten to look at your daughter?”
Gang Moyeon, who had been watching from behind, spoke with playful displeasure.
“Ha! Now you’re jealous of your own son?”
“Of course. Father’s love should be mine alone.”
At Gang Moyeon’s words, Gang Tae-cheon shook his head in mock surrender.
Gurgle.
Just then, a sound came from Namgung Geom’s stomach.
“Ha! It seems this young man is demanding to be fed.”
Namgung Geom patted his belly playfully and smiled.
“Ah, we can’t have our grandson going hungry. Let’s head inside, shall we?”
Gang Tae-cheon took Namgung Geom by the hand and led him indoors.
Watching Gang Tae-cheon lead Namgung Geom away without so much as a glance at her, Gang Moyeon laughed in disbelief.
“He’s really making me jealous.”
A son could not steal a father’s love.
Gang Moyeon kindled her competitive spirit and followed the two men inside.
Throughout that evening’s meal, Gang Moyeon lavished coy affection on her father.
Yet Gang Tae-cheon’s entire attention remained fixed on Namgung Geom.
Gang Moyeon eventually accepted defeat and let her head droop.
Namgung Geom basked in Gang Tae-cheon’s undivided attention throughout the meal.
Gang Tae-cheon was curious about Namgung Geom’s exploits, which he had only heard rumored.
Namgung Geom recounted his adventures in the Martial World, embellishing certain details as prudent.
There were matters concerning the sect, and the fact that the Namgung Clan harbored informants, that still needed to remain confidential.
In any case, there were plenty of other stories to tell.
Gang Tae-cheon lost all sense of time listening to Namgung Geom’s accounts.
Gang Moyeon was no different.
She too had heard only of Namgung Geom’s exploits in the Martial World, but knew few details.
Even after the evening meal ended, Namgung Geom found himself detained for quite some time longer.
Yet he felt neither irritation nor impatience.
He understood perfectly that it all stemmed from their affection and interest in him.
His grandfather’s love and attention were things to be grateful for, not to resent.
* * *
The next day, Namgung Geom and Gang Moyeon went to pay their respects to his uncles.
Gang Tae-cheon had four sons, and since the eldest uncle, Gang Yong-hyun, had been met the previous day, there was no need for a separate greeting.
The three remaining uncles greeted Namgung Geom with great warmth the moment they saw him.
In their eyes, Namgung Geom could perceive a deep affection directed toward him.
His grandfather Gang Tae-cheon was that way, and all his uncles alike possessed excellent character.
The subsequent meetings with his cousins too felt natural and unforced.
Thanks to their open and friendly approach, Namgung Geom was able to relax in their company.
Namgung Geom developed a deep fondness for his maternal relatives.
“You’re all truly wonderful people.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Gang Moyeon smiled.
“That’s thanks to your grandfather, who emphasized virtue and brotherly affection from our childhood.”
Namgung Geom nodded at Gang Moyeon’s explanation.
“Indeed, family education is paramount.”
Namgung Geom found himself newly appreciating how important his parents’ teachings had been.
“Actually, there’s a reason your grandfather placed such emphasis on virtue and familial bonds.”
Gang Moyeon hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“What reason is that?”
“Your maternal grandfather endured great hardship in his youth because of slander from his older brother. That’s why he wished his own children would never suffer such trials.”
Namgung Geom began to grasp the situation.
It seemed his maternal grandfather’s position as Guild Master of the Hangzhou Golden Merchant was in danger of being taken from him—which meant his maternal grandfather’s older brother, his grand-uncle, must have been the one who slandered him.
“What became of your grand-uncle after that?”
Namgung Geom grew curious about his grand-uncle’s whereabouts.
“After being driven out of the Hangzhou Golden Merchant, he started his own tea business. They call Hangzhou Dabang the finest tea house in Zhejiang Province.”
“He seems to have managed his affairs quite well, even so.”
Even if he’d received some compensation when cast out from the Hangzhou Golden Merchant, building up Hangzhou Dabang to its present standing was no ordinary feat.
“It wasn’t comparable to your maternal grandfather’s accomplishment, but it was respectable enough. The problem was that his ambitions outpaced his abilities.”
“Then he and your father have had no contact since?”
“Not until now, but he may attend this Gohui Celebration after all.”
“Did your father extend the invitation?”
Gang Moyeon shook her head.
“Your grand-uncle reached out first, or so I’m told. He said his time is running short and he wishes to restore affection between himself and his brother.”
Namgung Geom couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.
His grand-uncle, who hadn’t shown his face in all these years, was suddenly extending an olive branch?
It was possible he’d grown to miss his brother as death drew near, just as he claimed.
But Namgung Geom’s instincts screamed a warning.
He felt he ought to examine this carefully.
Of course, his instincts could be wrong.
Still, there was no harm in being cautious.
And several days later.
Gang Tae-cheon’s Gohui Celebration arrived.
To celebrate his milestone, many came to the Hangzhou Golden Merchant.
Officials and merchants of Hangzhou, as well as martial artists—people from all walks of life gathered.
Their number exceeded a hundred.
And that was only because Gang Tae-cheon disliked crowds and kept the guest list to a minimum.
Otherwise, there would easily have been a thousand or more.
The most unexpected guest at this Gohui Celebration was none other than Gang Tae-cheon’s older brother, Gang Baek-cheon.
Gang Baek-cheon and Gang Tae-cheon had severed their relations and had no contact since.
Yet Gang Baek-cheon had come to Gang Tae-cheon’s Gohui Celebration.
The guests whispered endlessly about Gang Baek-cheon’s attendance.
“Welcome, brother. Please come in.”
Gang Tae-cheon greeted Gang Baek-cheon personally.
“It’s been a long while. Our estrangement has weighed on me all these years, and now to meet again like this—my heart is full of sentiment.”
“And I am glad to see you after so long, brother. Let us put the past behind us and live out our remaining years as brothers should, in harmony. Please, come inside.”
Gang Tae-cheon laughed heartily and led Gang Baek-cheon’s hand toward the hall.
“Yes. That is what I’ve always wished for. Let us get along well from now on.”
Gang Baek-cheon responded warmly and walked with him into the banquet hall.
Among the guests who had witnessed the brothers’ dramatic reconciliation, quiet murmurs began to spread.
“Two men who haven’t laid eyes on each other in decades suddenly reconcile like this?”
“There must be some hidden agenda, mustn’t there?”
“As they say, we should reflect on our past conduct. Perhaps as death approaches, he’s come to miss his brother.”
“But would enemies truly long for each other when their time grows short?”
The guests remained skeptical of the brothers’ reconciliation.
Namgung Geom shared their doubt.
His gaze upon Gang Baek-cheon was heavy and grave.
“Something about this feels wrong.”
Namgung Bing-ryong
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Baek Wol-geom
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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