The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 105
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 105
The main hall, which had briefly fallen silent, instantly became noisy and bustling.
“You harmed your father?”
“Surely not Master Seon…?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Rin’s expression didn’t change.
Only her eyes became even colder.
“Harming your father and usurping his position, what are you talking about!”
Jin Wonbaek was the first to react.
“This is an imperial command, so step aside.”
The official answered without batting an eye.
“Saemho, the former head of Saryeom House, had collapsed from illness and lost consciousness. Driving out such a father and stealing the position of family head is clearly an act of unfilial conduct.”
“Nonsense!”
Joon shot up from his seat.
“Father didn’t collapse from illness! He spread curses himself…!”
“Joon.”
Rin coldly called her younger brother’s name.
Joon closed his mouth, but flames still blazed in his eyes.
“Do you have evidence?”
Jin Saheon rose from his seat and stepped forward.
“What is the basis for His Majesty’s command?”
“There is testimony that Family Head Saemho was driven out by his daughter.”
“Whose testimony?”
“…That cannot be revealed.”
“You cannot even reveal the witness yet you definitively label it as unfilial conduct?”
The Dan Empire was a country that greatly valued filial piety according to the will of the Heavenly Deity.
Even the Emperor would be greatly anxious to escape such a stigma.
“When branding someone with unfilial conduct, one must be extremely cautious, shouldn’t that be sufficiently considered? To target a gathering with many distinguished guests, ruining the feast while calling someone an unfilial child.”
Jin Saheon’s voice turned coldly subdued.
Not a single word was wrong. Certainly, if the Emperor wanted to make an issue of it, he could have summoned Rin to the Imperial Palace beforehand.
“Moreover, matters regarding the position of head among the Twelve Families are customarily resolved by the Twelve Families themselves. It’s not something for the Imperial Court to interfere with arbitrarily.”
The official’s eyes narrowed.
“Is the head of Jinryong Clan defending an unfilial child?”
“Present that evidence first.”
Jin Saheon took a step closer.
“It’s alright, Jin Family Head. It seems we need to change the order of the ceremony a bit.”
With an ominous aura like frost, Rin descended from the platform and faced the official.
“Though it was meant to be the final part of the ceremony, today is also a day for Saryeom House to acknowledge and repent for its crimes.”
“Crimes?”
The official waited for Rin’s words with interested eyes, as if he had caught something.
“I will reveal to the distinguished guests the crimes committed by the former head of Saryeom House, Saemho. Since there are so many charges, the list has already been shared with the heads of the Twelve Families.”
The other family heads nodded at Rin’s words.
They had been informed in advance.
Without revealing the fact that the Emperor was involved, they were told there was an ‘accomplice’ who hadn’t been found yet.
Of course, since it was such a deadly crime, everyone was convinced that the former family head should not only step down from his position but also be removed from Saryeom House’s registry based on his crimes alone.
“Such…!”
The official’s face contorted.
This was an unexpected development. To bring the Twelve Families into this here!
“Indeed, attempting to harm the Guardian Spirit we serve was truly an unforgivable crime. Our Jaseosega was greatly shocked by that crime.”
“The matters of privately abusing power to harm others are also problematic, but how could he do such a thing to the Guardian Spirit…!”
People from other families shook their heads and clearly displayed their disgust toward Saemho.
‘He harmed a Guardian Spirit?’
The official, who hadn’t heard the detailed circumstances from the Emperor, was inwardly shocked by the unexpected words.
If those words were true, then he had indeed committed the worst possible crime.
If it were just harming commoners, they might still argue for a different form of punishment since he was the head of one of the Twelve Families, but to have tried to harm a Guardian Spirit.
This was a situation that could not be excused by anything.
“…This is very different from what I heard.”
“Saemho was dealt with according to family law, so I don’t understand how His Majesty heard news of an illness.”
Rin specifically pointed out the Emperor’s sinister nature, making the official even more uncomfortable.
“Fortunately, all the heads of the Twelve Families are gathered here.”
Jin Saheon looked around.
“This works out well. We will convene the Twelve Families Council to discuss this matter.”
“The Twelve Families Council!”
The Twelve Families Council of Guardian Spirits was the only system that could prevent the Emperor from acting unilaterally.
It was only convened under strict conditions for special matters—
‘When all twelve Guardian Spirits unanimously agree, they can even replace the Emperor.’
Of course, Jin Saheon judged that possibility to be slim.
There was no reason for the Guardian Spirits, each with different personalities, to unite in an opinion to depose the Emperor.
If anything, just having the Guardian Spirits gather in one place could give great power to the Twelve Families.
“The Twelve Families will jointly judge the legitimacy of the change in Saryeom House leadership and the crimes of the former family head.”
The main hall stirred again at Jin Saheon’s declaration.
“Are you defying His Majesty’s command?!”
If he returned to the Imperial Palace like this, he was a dead man.
The official, sensing this instinctively, struggled, but Jin Saheon drew a firm line.
“We will follow proper procedures.”
Since they had taken the initiative to bring up the former family head’s faults at what was supposed to be a joyous occasion—the inauguration ceremony of the new Saryeom House head—they even had sufficient justification.
“The affairs of the Twelve Families are judged by the Twelve Families. That is the law established by the Heavenly Deity.”
This was the power that the Twelve Families held in the Dan Empire.
Besides their mansions in the Imperial Capital, their distant territories were essentially autonomous regions. In those places, they were no different from kings.
“But it’s unfilial conduct…”
“Unfilial conduct.”
Jin Saheon smiled coldly. It was a secretive smile that seemed to remind one of something.
“If we’re going to discuss that, we should start from the top…”
Someone could be heard whispering from one side.
It meant they should question the Emperor’s qualifications first.
‘We’ve won.’
Jin Saheon sneered inwardly.
The Twelve Families certainly don’t all get along closely with each other.
There was no reason to, but it wasn’t because they disliked each other.
‘But if our authority is infringed upon, that’s a different story.’
Only five families would stand up for Danhwi—
But if the Emperor ignored the Heavenly Deity’s laws and tried to steal our rights, all twelve families would unite as one.
‘If we push further here, we’ll face a backlash.’
The official gritted his teeth.
He wanted to push further, but all the heads of the Twelve Families were glaring at him.
“…Fine. However, His Majesty will be watching the results.”
The official turned around.
“If the Twelve Families Council protects a traitor, then the Imperial Court will not stand idle.”
Soon, heavy silence descended.
“Thank you, Jin Family Head.”
Rin bowed her head.
Her ascension to Head of the Manor had been delayed, but no one could deny that the Jinryong Clan had helped her.
“…We’ll need to convene the Twelve Families Council urgently.”
Jin Wonbaek spoke with a heavy voice.
“I agree.”
Haemuson, the Head of the Haejeo Family, nodded.
“Since His Majesty has come out so blatantly like this, we can’t delay any longer.”
A person from the Shinhu Clan, which serves the monkey guardian spirit, also agreed.
They were clearly displeased that the Emperor had interfered in the affairs of the Twelve Families.
“I apologize for involving you in such an unpleasant matter. The situation has become awkward, but since you’re already here, please enjoy the feast.”
Rin returned to the platform and bowed her head.
“No. This actually worked out well. His Majesty’s true intentions have been revealed to the world.”
Jin Saheon shook his head. He looked around at the assembled heads of families.
“We need time to prepare, so let’s hold the Twelve Families Council in two weeks.”
The family heads nodded.
Moa clenched her fists and trembled with anger thinking about the Emperor, then whispered to Joon who was sitting beside her.
“Still, sister is amazing. This happened because she honestly admitted what she did wrong.”
If Rin hadn’t revealed the clan’s shame herself, they wouldn’t have had justification to demand convening the Twelve Families Council.
It was such a serious mistake that she would have wanted to hide it.
Moreover, it was admirable since Rin, not the former Master Seon who made the mistake, would have to handle the aftermath despite how unfair that must feel.
When Moa praised Rin, Joon’s eyes sparkled, though he had been continuously teasing her and acting indifferent.
“…What.”
Joon slightly turned his head away.
His ears seemed to have turned slightly red.
‘Huh? Why is he acting like that?’
While Moa tilted her head in confusion, the feast resumed.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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