The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 106

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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 106

The sword that descended from the ceiling headed straight for Namgung Bin.

How that sword, clearly thrown from an invisible location, could aim so precisely at Namgung Bin was beyond comprehension.

However, the power contained in that sword, which tore through the thick ceiling tiles and wooden beams like paper, could not be underestimated.

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Crack!

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Xie Baowei hurriedly kicked and broke the pole supporting the lantern below.

Breaking it all the way to the end where the lantern hung, a perfect staff was completed.

It truly happened in an instant – in a split second, a staff appeared in his previously empty hands.

However, in that brief moment, the sword had already reached right before him.

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“Haat!”

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Xie Baowei’s Heavenly Sovereign Art concentrated on a single point.

The power of the Heavenly Sovereign Art, a martial technique that used internal energy in a secret method to influence not just the inside of the body but the outside as well, was still burdensome for Xie Baowei’s weak internal energy.

That he could even use it to this extent was only possible thanks to bathing in medicinal herbs and decoctions throughout the past winter and spring.

Still, it was a supreme divine art.

It managed to suppress some of the tremendous force contained in the blade.

However, even the remaining force after suppression was sufficient to pierce through a person.

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Clatter-clatter-clatter!

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He struck, stabbed, beat, pressed, spun, and pulled with the staff, but the sword flying through the air remained steady as if someone was gripping it.

Rather, the solid rosewood pole cracked with a snap.

Xie Baowei bit his already torn and ragged lips once more.

If his martial arts had softness, he could deflect and redirect, but all he had learned was hardness.

The martial arts of the Hwangbo Family, which required mastering fast, changing, and heavy techniques across all eighteen weapon arts, formed Xie Baowei’s foundation, but its flower had bloomed on the battlefield.

Originally, his martial arts consisted entirely of strength, strength, strength – variations improvised through quick thinking.

Therefore, if he couldn’t clash and destroy, he could only break.

Abandoning even the pole, Xie Baowei grasped the sword blade that had come within an inch with both hands.

Clang!

Thud.

In an instant, the middle of the sword snapped, and the hilt with part of the remaining blade embedded in a pillar, trembling violently.

The remaining force was so strong that it shook for quite a while before stopping.

And what remained was

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Thunk.

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“Mmm.”

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It finally pierced through Xie Baowei’s shoulder.

Xie Baowei grasped the blade and staggered.

However.

In the end, he had blocked it.

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Though the sword had pierced completely through his shoulder, it couldn’t quite reach Namgung Bin.

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Drip. Drop.

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Red blood dripped from the sword tip that had pierced through Xie Baowei, wetting Namgung Bin’s brow and flowing down.

At the end, it met the dried blood that had flowed from Namgung Bin’s lips.

Namgung Bin opened his eyes, looked ahead, and smiled sadly.

He opened his parched mouth and let out his voice like a final breath.

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“Father…”

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Then he collapsed to the side with a thud.

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.

.

.

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The banquet hall was quiet.

The eunuchs were speechless at this outrageous situation, and the guests were stunned by the constantly changing circumstances just when they thought it was over.

The servants were already prostrating with their heads down and ears covered, so it didn’t matter what happened next.

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Drip. Drip-drop. Drip.

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Blood from Xie Baowei’s pierced shoulder and the hand gripping the blade dripped to the floor.

Xie Baowei closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, then took a breath and pulled the blade from his shoulder.

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Clang.

The sound of the blade falling broke the silence that filled the space like cracking ice.

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Huff. Huff.

Even as he pressed several pressure points to stop the bleeding and tore silk cloth from the table to wrap around his hand and shoulder, no one moved.

What to do with that Xie Baowei.

Namgung Bin, who had shown killing intent before royalty, should have died, but what to do with Xie Baowei who had blocked that Namgung Bin alone.

What was that sword that flew from outside, and why had Xie Baowei, who blocked Namgung Bin, also protected Namgung Bin.

In this incomprehensible situation, even the Imperial Guards stood with stern faces, gripping their spears and aiming them at Xie Baowei and Namgung Bin.

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“Those men…”

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Those men.

Even the eunuch, who had experienced countless situations in the Imperial Palace, momentarily lost his words.

What to do. He glanced back at the young prince behind him.

This young and intelligent king seemed somewhat tense, but rather held only sadness in his eyes.

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“…Did the Household Head target me?”

“…Your Highness.”

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The eunuch briefly turned and bowed his head. He could not dare look down while the king was speaking.

As he turned, the devastated inner chamber finally came into Prince Zhou’s view.

Where gold and red silk had once created luxury, now only fragments, blood, and the smell of blood filled the space.

The retainer to whom he had wanted to give his heart had collapsed, coughing blood, while the retainer of someone who could be called an enemy had protected him instead.

Yet what drew his gaze was the way those two cared for each other.

Why was the heart of this young king, revered by many as the Son of Heaven and receiving his mother’s love, so empty?

Prince Zhou spoke,

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“This matter cannot be overlooked…”

“Your Highness.”

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What to do with this tender-hearted king?

The eunuch firmly shook his head.

Such a thing could not be dared. With the imperial laws being so strict, who could be spared?

Rather, even that Xie Baowei might have to be held accountable for the crime of oppressing imperial guards.

At this, Prince Zhou let out a soft “Hmm” groan.

As his contemplation lengthened, the eunuch lowered himself and whispered in his ear.

First, dismiss this gathering and seek the Noble Consort’s opinion.

However, Prince Zhou remained unmoved.

Normally, he would have simply nodded and said he understood.

As Prince Zhou remained silent, so did the others.

The only sound flowing through the vast banquet hall was the dripping of blood.

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Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

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What broke the silence was the sound of regular footsteps.

Dozens of footsteps moved as one, echoing through the corridor of the inner chamber.

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The first to appear were the Jingyiwei. They wore the flying fish robes that symbolized the imperial court, with sharp embroidered spring knives at their waists, splitting left and right from the entrance of the inner chamber.

Their eyes were filled with murderous intent, and swords of the same type that had just pierced Xie Baowei’s shoulder were drawn in unison, pointing toward the floor.

Between the path of those gleaming blades, a woman emerged from beneath an ornate portable canopy.

It was Noble Consort Jia Youlan, wearing ceremonial robes.

The pheasant patterns embroidered with gold thread on red fabric seemed to blaze in the lamplight, and the jewels on the phoenix crown she wore clinked ominously with each step.

Beside her, dozens of palace maids and eunuchs followed with bowed heads like clouds.

And one step behind that noble consort, a middle-aged man with a pale complexion was taking heavy steps. It was Nangong Jinxuan, head of the Namgung Family.

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“Your Highness!”

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The noble consort was a beauty with a youthful and delicate appearance.

Similar to Lüli perhaps? Maybe even younger than her.

Small face with white skin and large eyes, a soft nose bridge and small lips. Her voice was also gentle, yet she didn’t bat an eyelash at the gruesome scene reeking of blood.

She only ran to Prince Zhou, her son, and embraced him.

Tears formed in her eyes.

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“Are you alright?!”

“…I’m fine, Mother.”

“What, what kind of outrageous incident is this? Who is it? Who dares to spill blood in any safe place!”

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Even so, there was something called dignity that emanated from her.

No matter how ordinary a person might be, when they command dozens or hundreds with a single word or gesture, dignity naturally develops.

An aura that comes from being served as naturally as breathing.

Moreover, these were the words of a noble consort favored by the emperor.

At her sharp rebuke, the imperial guards all knelt in unison.

Xie Baowei also knelt on one knee, still clutching his blood-stained shoulder.

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Bang!

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But there was something that rang out before that.

The sound of one person’s head striking down echoed through the inner chamber louder than the knees of many people touching the ground.

It was Nangong Jinxuan.

He never once looked at his fallen son, Namgung Bin.

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Bang!

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His head struck the floor again.

Blood flowed from his previously neat forehead.

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“I, Nangong Jinxuan, have committed a crime deserving death.”

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It was a voice as cold and resolute as a blade.

Though it may have contained tragic and sorrowful feelings, not a trace of concern for anyone was mixed in.

People’s eyes turned toward him.

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Bang!

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“My son, trusting in his talent, became arrogant, so I had him inherit the family business to discipline his character. However, he still could not abandon his bad habits and envied and was jealous of those around Your Highness, openly singing about showing his skills to win the king’s heart. I severely scolded and restrained him, keeping him from daring to show himself before the king, but when Your Highness graciously valued this lacking child and summoned him here, I sent him with repeated warnings, yet he ultimately could not overcome his madness and committed such a disloyal act.”

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Bang!

His forehead split and blood flowed down his face, dripping from his chin.

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“Therefore, I tried to kill him with my own hands to answer for his crime, but now I see that too was a failure… This is entirely the fault of a father who failed to teach properly. The crime of defiling imperial dignity deserves death a thousand, ten thousand times over. Noble Consort, please behead that arrogant child and display his head, announcing his crime to show imperial dignity.”

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Bang.

Nangong Jinxuan’s forehead struck the floor again.

His head remained buried against the ground, no longer rising.

It seemed he would not get up unless his son’s head fell.

It was truly a heartless declaration.

Xie Baowei simultaneously heard Namgung Bin’s faint breathing behind him and the voice of a father pleading for his son to be killed by his own hand.

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“…Namgung Clan Head. I understand your loyalty well.”

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Noble Consort Jia Youlan, holding Prince Zhou in her arms, looked back and forth between the fallen Namgung Bin and the prostrate Nangong Jinxuan with wavering eyes.

A soft and gentle voice flowed from her, as if she had never been angry.

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“…To think the young master had such feelings. I had read that deep loyalty can become poison, but I never thought I would witness it like this. It’s truly heartbreaking… what shall we do about this matter?”

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It was truly a tone of regret.

But Xie Baowei clearly saw the faint smile lingering at the corners of her mouth.

Only the sound of the Noble Consort tapping her fingers on the table echoed through the banquet hall.

That frail noble consort alone was controlling this vast space and all these people.

It was the power of authority, more fearsome than force.

The Noble Consort suddenly looked at her son’s face.

Under that gaze, Prince Zhou slightly shook his head and opened his mouth.

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“…I do not wish to spill more blood on Mother’s birthday celebration.”

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Ah, the Noble Consort smiled gently.

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“This is truly a gracious and merciful decision. Look. The King is unharmed, and since he wishes for forgiveness, it would be right to consider his usual regard for the Young Household Head.”

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As her words ended, people bowed their heads and said the royal grace was overwhelming.

They performed a grand bow.

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With that, the banquet of that day came to an end.

Xie Baowei sat there in a daze.

…Let’s go.

It was when Xie Baowei was about to stand up.

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“You, I hear you’re one of the Crown Prince’s people?”

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The Noble Consort’s cold eyes turned toward Xie Baowei.

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Still… isn’t it over yet?

Xie Baowei wailed inwardly.​

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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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