The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 24

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 24

Jingtianhao was a 5th-rank military officer who commanded the Cheonhoso (a unit of approximately 1,100 men).

Gaseon Daebu was a rank bestowed by the nation upon him for his distinguished service before retirement.

In other words, he was a general.

“…Therefore, I am now merely a common person, just some nobody named Jin.”

Xie Baowei bowed his head once more.

Then Investigator Guo Jinglin pondered for a moment before speaking again.

“Then let me ask again. Are you indeed Xie Baowei, the Imperial Guard Captain directly appointed by His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Once again, people’s eyes widened.

Their already wide eyes grew so large they seemed ready to tear at the corners.

“Imperial Guard Captain?!”

The Crown Prince’s right-hand man?

Huangbo Lüli shouted.

Xie Baowei let out a deep sigh.

“Though His Highness bestowed it upon me, I failed to fulfill that duty…”

“If His Majesty has not dismissed you, it remains valid.”

“…That is correct.”

Xie Baowei nodded heavily in response.

Only then did Guo Jinglin speak again in a clear, resonant voice as if satisfied.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has commanded me to deliver this message. Captain Xie Baowei, listen well.”

“Yes, sir.”

Xie Baowei knelt and prostrated himself.

When Nobleman Zhibu also knelt, the people awkwardly followed suit.

“Are you faring well? Have you met the woman you were dying to see? If you’re still doing well, come back.”

After saying this, Guo Jinglin nodded.

Nobleman Zhibu raised both hands.

“Long live, long live, long live forever.”

“L-Long live, long live, long live forever.”

The people followed in chorus.

Guo Jinglin dropped his authoritative demeanor as if it had never existed and bowed to Nobleman Zhibu.

“I shall take my leave now, Your Lordship.”

“Very well.”

As Guo Jinglin withdrew, he also bowed to the rising Xie Baowei.

Xie Baowei returned the bow.

Huangbo Lüli approached, stammering.

“Imperial Guard Captain? You? No, Captain Sir? Eh?”

“…It’s merely an honorary position.”

Originally, he should have served as the Crown Prince’s right hand in practical matters, but the Crown Prince had directly ordered his name to be kept on the roster only.

When was it that His Highness said there would be no actual need to use it?

“Captain Jin, come closer.”

If pressed, he’d obviously say, ‘No real power, but a position is still a position, right?’

Xie Baowei sighed and moved to the seat of honor.

People looked on with sour expressions.

Guo Taifeng in particular looked as if all his drunkenness had evaporated.

Or perhaps he was so drunk he couldn’t tell what was happening.

Nobleman Zhibu spoke.

“I was about to come investigate reports of martial arts gangs gathering in my front yard when the investigator arrived.”

His discomfort was evident despite his smiling face.

Xie Baowei smiled awkwardly.

“These people say you’re not involved. Is that true?”

“That is correct.”

“Good.”

At least that’s fortunate.

Nobleman Zhibu immediately raised his voice.

“As of today, the Shandong Martial Arts Association ceases to exist. Anyone still interested should come to Jinan Prefecture. If you gather again without coming to see me, I’ll have you trampled by cavalry.”

Consider yourselves fortunate I’m not trampling you right now.

With that, he strode away and disappeared.

Behind him, soldiers gathered up all the gifts they had pushed aside and followed.

“…Wh-What is this.”

The excitement died instantly.

Muk Sword Sage, Chae Musang, Guo Taifeng, Bu Jinwoo, the Yom family, the Ju family, scholars, guests—everyone without exception.

Even the usually composed Ak Munheon could only gape and turn his head to watch Nobleman Zhibu’s departing figure.

“Y-You bastard! Xie Baowei, what did you do behind the scenes!”

Guo Taifeng screamed.

Soon he was dragged away by his retainers and disciples who were trying to restrain him.

People began slipping away from their seats, reading the mood.

It happened in an instant.

“…Did you know this would happen?”

“I thought it was reckless.”

“At least the Hwangbo Household Head must have known.”

Muk Sword Sage approached and rubbed his face. He had wished for good fortune, but who knew it meant this.

“What a complete disgrace, while the Hwangbo Family just sat back and reaped the benefits.”

Everyone who participated would face backlash.

Since it crashed before it even began, those who had been cheering would step forward to mock them even more.

Only the Hwangbo Family would gain prestige.

“You didn’t plan this… did you.”

The Taishan Alliance had been in progress from the beginning, and Xie Baowei was merely a stone that had suddenly gotten in the way.

Considering Nobleman Zhibu’s unhesitating actions and the Hwangbo Household Head’s words, it seemed this was doomed from the start.

Still, if it hadn’t been for Xie Baowei’s situation, wouldn’t the alliance’s forces have been more united?

Wouldn’t they have responded a bit better?

…Damn it.

Muk Sword Sage sought worldly curses instead of invoking Yuanshi Tianzun.

“I’m leaving.”

Now there was no Taishan Alliance.

It ended without even its name being properly known until the very end.

All that time and money spent working toward it had vanished so futilely.

Now there was neither power nor justification to restrain Xie Baowei.

Xie Baowei and Huangbo Lüli shrugged their shoulders and withdrew.

Muk Sword Sage watched their retreating figures and thought.

Let’s see, if things turn out this way, Pahosam Gate and the Hwangbo Family will end up fighting.

It is the way of the world that power which cannot unite will scatter.

Each leader began calculating their own group’s interests.

***

“Nobleman Zhibu? Why would Nobleman Zhibu go there!”

In the Hwangbo Family’s meeting room, now the Tianhou Palace where they sat chatting, in the Sashaheon.

Hwangbo Yeontak shouted with an anxious face.

The servant who brought the news frowned with a startled expression.

Hwangbo Yeonhwi calmed his younger brother of the same age.

“Don’t take it out on innocent people and just stay quiet.”

“Hah. Aren’t you worried about Brother Jin at all? They said he was badly hurt.”

“…The treatment isn’t lacking. We’ll have to examine him when he returns.”

When Hwangbo Yeontak spoke bluntly, Hwangbo Yeonhwi replied with a stern face.

A hint of killing intent crept into his voice.

Though they looked quite different, their temperaments were similar at times like this.

After all, where could the blood of the Hwangbo Family go?

Hwangbo Yeonhwi’s second younger brother and former Taishan Alliance leader Huangbo Lüyan chuckled at the sight.

“My word. What on earth did Brother Xie do to bewitch you brothers like this? You should have treated him well while he was here.”

“Be quiet.”

Hwangbo Yeonhwi scolded his younger brother.

Even so, perhaps feeling a pang of guilt, he refrained from saying more.

Huangbo Lüyan changed the subject at this new side of his eldest brother.

“Still, Brother Xie seems to have greatly expanded his boldness. To cut off a neck. He had a more refined feeling before.”

As soon as those words ended, a clapping sound rang out.

Hwangbo Yeontak spoke up with an excited voice.

“Well done! Well done! That’s how a member of our Hwangbo Family should be. If Brother Xie hadn’t done that, I would have torn that bastard’s mouth apart myself.”

“Now, now. You’re in front of Grandfather.”

Hwangbo Yeonhwi scolded Hwangbo Yeontak again with a stern voice.

Hwangbo Yeontak frowned and grumbled. Even so, he held his tongue.

Hwangbo Seungjeong laughed heartily.

“It was well done. Yeonhwi. How about it? Didn’t I say I should prepare for my succession?”

“Indeed it has come to pass, Grandfather. How did you know?”

“My eyes for seeing haven’t died yet.”

Hwangbo Seungjeong laughed pleasantly with a hearty chuckle.

The retainers sitting beside him drinking tea laughed along.

“By the way, this will cause great backlash from Pahosam Gate.”

“Hmm. If it were just that, it wouldn’t matter, but those gathered at Taishan Alliance might join forces to resist.”

Since it wasn’t a gathering of one or two individuals, even the Hwangbo Family would find it difficult to block ten hands with one.

Worry appeared on the faces of those present.

Hwangbo Yeontak spoke up with a booming voice.

“Hmph. A rabble gathered together is still just a rabble. I’ll knock down all those who dare to challenge us.”

“Brother, please stay still. Why won’t a man with brains try to think?”

When Huangbo Lüyan reproached him, Hwangbo Yeontak glared.

Huangbo Lüyan moved his eyebrows this way and that as if asking what he’d said wrong.

Though one might frown at the antics of grown adults, Hwangbo Seungjeong just smiled as if his grandsons’ playfulness was endearing.

“Enough. Don’t worry.”

“However, Household Head. If Nobleman Zhibu guarantees that authority…”

“That won’t happen.”

Cheonsuryeon, the deputy head of Banggeundang who managed the family’s food and Hwangbo Yeontak’s wife, spoke up worriedly.

Then Hwangbo Seungjeong looked at his grandson’s wife and smiled gently.

With the same expression, Hwangbo Yeonhwi and the older members like the former head of Taehakdang and the head of Bogeumdang looked at each other and nodded.

Seeing this, Huangbo Lüyan asked.

“Why is that so?”

Gong Taehaksa, the former head of Taehakdang, answered.

“In Shandong, which is close to Huangdu, the government’s power is generally strong.”

For the same reason, so were Hebei and Shanxi.

The reason why the martial families of Shandong, Hebei, and Shanxi were not large in scale and were family-centered was also due to this.

The reason why Jiangnan Yilian centered on Nangong, Shu-Chuan Xiapeng centered on the Tang family, and Guanzhong Yilin centered on Zhuge could flourish greatly.

The reason why the Wulin Alliance could establish itself in Luoyang, Henan Province.

It was thanks to the various regions of the Central Plains being overrun with bandits and rebels, far from the imperial capital.

“Since the rebel groups have been greatly broken recently, it won’t be easy even if they gather their strength.”

It was difficult even when rebels were rampant.

Hwangbo Seungjeong knew this best.

Hwangbo Seungjeong nodded with a slightly pained expression.

“Those leaders all know this well. They just turned a blind eye because the hot-blooded subordinates stepped forward.”

If it goes well, that’s also good.

Hwangbo Seungjeong smiled bitterly.

So, we just need to stay still.

Then the door burst open and someone entered.

“From Pahosam Gate’s branch, branch office, someone came.”

The retainers’ eyes gathered on the voice that had rushed in breathlessly with urgent news.

Even Hwangbo Seungjeong, who had said not to worry but was still concerned, looked anxiously.

What could be so urgent to come rushing like this?

“No-Nobleman Zhibu has ordered the meeting disbanded.”

Ah.

Instantly, cheers arose among the retainers.

They hadn’t liked seeing those people plotting among themselves while excluding the Hwangbo Family.

Moreover, wasn’t what they always said something like “the Hwangbo Family is finished now”?

“As expected of the Household Head!”

The same praise was directed toward Hwangbo Seungjeong.

Hwangbo Seungjeong just nodded with an expression that said it was nothing special.

“What could those fools do without us?”

“That’s right. Following Brother Xie’s matter, even Nobleman Zhibu! Those fools have been greatly humiliated.”

Similar words were exchanged continuously.

People waited for the next words in good spirits.

Probably the next news would be about Yeon-gung and Xie Baowei.

Surely those deflated fools couldn’t detain the two of them…

“Th-that is.”

“Speak slowly. Hehe.”

Hwangbo Yeonhwi spoke gently.

If it had been the old him, he would still have been stiff.

Hwangbo Seungjeong looked proudly at his first grandson.

“L-Lord, Lord Xie.”

“What about Brother Xie? Why are you hesitating!”

Hwangbo Yeontak grumbled.

Then the servant closed his eyes tight and spoke.

“Lord Xie resigned from Jingtianhao. But His Highness the Crown Prince personally appointed him as a direct Imperial Guard Captain…”

Eh?

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.

Their eyes turned to Hwangbo Seungjeong.

Did you know about this too?

“Huh?”

Hwangbo Seungjeong made an unusually bewildered sound.

His eyes, half-covered by wrinkled eyelids, found their full size for the first time in a while.

“Mo-moreover. He said to return if the family still stands…”

What?

Huh?

Hwangbo Seungjeong stood up.

“Bring Brother Xie here immediately!”

Everyone stood up without exception.

Clattering sounds filled Sashaheon.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————