The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 69
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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 69
From Chongqing to Luoyang was peaceful.
It took just under a month, so it was excessively peaceful.
Two small mountain retreats were disbanded, and two were subjugated.
One place we passed through by just paying the toll, and we stopped by one bandit stronghold to exchange greetings. Thanks to that, the toll was waived.
It was thanks to the reduced number of mountain retreats after the incident in Guizhou.
We were delayed at every checkpoint, but it became easier as we approached Luoyang.
It was because we were getting closer to the Alliance.
We encountered several hunters targeting Yingying, but only one had real guts.
There were no attacks targeting Xie Baowei.
“I thought their interest had died down.”
There were no attacks.
“Are there sparse holes in the sky?”
It was the day before entering Luoyang.
It was after discovering and emerging from a secret message used only by the military.
The man was standing suddenly under the shadow of a wall.
“What sky? It would be fortunate if it’s not dark clouds.”
His arrogance is excessive.
Even their master wouldn’t dare call himself heaven.
Even at Xie Baowei’s words filled with bone, the man remained relaxed.
“Dark clouds, you say. Good. What could be as welcome as rain falling?”
It was a statement filled with pride as a ruler.
They say even the dogs at a high official’s house are full of spirit, but this is excessive pride for someone who merely came to deliver a message.
Someone of lower rank came compared to that master’s authority.
There’s nothing about him that pleases me.
Not those words, not that person, not the one who sent him.
“…I take it back. Let’s call them locusts.”
Sweeping away carefully cultivated grain down to the last kernel is the same whether it’s locusts or those bastards.
Having seen and experienced things while crossing the Central Plains, my words don’t come out nicely.
In less than a month, we encountered three groups of bandits alone, and six that had set up mountain retreats.
Life is this harsh, yet those standing beside the Crown Prince speak of flood control?
Even so, I don’t like the tone suggesting wounded pride.
“Indeed, you’re an insolent fellow.”
“Enough. Just state your business.”
What wind blew through those who used to send assassins to check that insolent fellow that they now sent a messenger?
“…My master said, ‘Watching you, I saw you mingling with the ruffians called ‘Gangho.’ That is your place, so if you no longer covet the upper waters, you shall live in peace.'”
“You’re speaking of your master, I presume?”
The man nodded.
Xie Baowei asked indifferently.
“Please give my regards to Guard Jiang.”
Snicker.
The man’s reaction was quick.
A faint sneer – if it had been about competing for merit, the reaction would have been different.
Higher, even higher.
Damn, is it as I suspected?
“The Grand Academician must be having many hardships in his later years.”
The Grand Academician is the head of the administrative advisory body directly under the Emperor, namely the cabinet.
Though his rank is low, he’s one of the power holders who controls administration with strong real authority.
As the Emperor’s teacher and also the Crown Prince’s teacher, he still maintained balance as a court power holder.
A close associate of both the Emperor and Crown Prince, maintaining this for years makes him a thousand-year-old dragon worthy of being called a monster.
A raccoon-like old man.
“Such a busy person with public and private affairs is quite meticulous.”
This time, Xie Baowei nodded to the man who kept his mouth firmly shut.
He had faced the Grand Academician holed up in the deep palace exactly once, at a ceremony honoring the pacification army.
He personally awarded medals to each guard of the Xiao Qi Battalion, and that brief private audience was the first and last.
-Oh. So you’re Xie Baowei. I hear His Highness favors you? …Hehe. I wish you military fortune.
A benevolent smile, gentle tone.
Though it was a brief eye contact, even in that instant he felt stripped naked.
He was truly an impressive old man.
Though the words were encouragement, there was a clear rejection felt.
– Don’t set foot here.
For Xie Baowei, who was quite twisted at the time, even though he naturally intended to do so, it was a forceful pushback that made him reluctant to comply meekly.
“Tell him I understand.”
Because of that, he had only speculated whether he might be behind this assassination group seeking him.
Of course, he probably wasn’t the only one who sent them…
At least now there won’t be any more night visitors.
For Xie Baowei, it was a place he had no intention of setting foot in anyway.
When he sighed as if tired, the man nodded.
And then, whoosh. He disappeared.
It was ghostly lightness skill.
“…They live such complicated lives.”
They are truly complicated people.
Xie Baowei shook his head.
***
“Ahh. Finally…!”
Peng Sohui raised both arms high.
In the distance, the watchtowers of Luoyang came into view.
How many months had it been already?
Most of Jayuneong’s missions tend to be long-term, but ones this lengthy are never easy.
Peng Sohui, who usually received glares for choosing places as close as possible, felt this even more acutely.
“I’m not doing anything else this year!”
The journey that began before summer was only ending at the start of winter.
For a mission that took nearly half a year, the higher-ups wouldn’t say anything for a while.
Should I visit home?
Peng Sohui glanced at Xie Baowei and Hahee, who were sticking close together, and made up her mind.
“Everyone worked hard. I’ll submit the report, so go in and rest.”
Hahee said with a smile.
Being accustomed to long-term missions and having seniority, he naturally moved like the leader of the group.
Originally Dang Cheongi would have done this, but he was busy dealing with the aftermath in Sichuan.
“Ahh. Thank you. Let’s have a wrap-up party soon!”
Their bonds had deepened as much as the journey was long. One might ask what kind of wrap-up party they needed after eating together every day, but the feeling during a mission and after completing it are different matters.
Peng Sohui and Huashen left with smiles.
“I’m going to the main family branch. …You have nowhere to go either, right? Come with me.”
“Hmph. I do have somewhere to go, you know?”
Hwangbo Yeonghil also glanced at Hahee for a moment before speaking.
Having been away for so long, he would be curious about various news.
He looked after Dangyeonhwa, who was standing there blankly, but Dangyeonhwa snorted.
“See you soon.”
She hadn’t just been following behind Xie Baowei the whole time either.
Since she had left because the stuffiness of the Dang Family was suffocating, the people dispatched to the Wulin Alliance would serve as a suitable resting place.
“Do you know the way?”
“Ah. I said I do.”
“That’s not the right direction.”
The two had become quite close, being relatively similar in age.
Seeming somewhat anxious, Hwangbo Yeonghil followed along.
After that, only Hahee, Xie Baowei, and Yingying remained.
“Should I go ahead and rest a bit?”
“No. Let’s go together.”
“…Yingying will be tired. Go ahead and rest.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Xie Baowei nod. Though Yingying shook her head as if she was fine, Hahee spoke firmly.
“Right now when you’re relaxing is the most dangerous time. Rest when you can.”
As he said this, he winked.
“I’ll be back soon, so let’s go eat something delicious together. We should buy new clothes too.”
“…Yes.”
Yingying answered with a voice that still held some awkwardness.
But she couldn’t help feeling excited.
That excitement was something Xie Baowei felt as well.
Small and modest, but happiness felt throughout his entire body.
Wasn’t this what he had truly wished for and dreamed of?
“My neck will break from waiting.”
“I’ll hold on as much as possible.”
Hahee smiled broadly.
Xie Baowei smiled back at him.
“Fool.”
“Heh.”
Xie Baowei and Yingying watched until Lüli disappeared into the large, crowded main gate of the Wulin Alliance.
Before entering the gate, when Lüli turned back to look, they waved their hands with all their might.
Yingying also waved her hand slightly.
Did she see it?
They didn’t know. That was unknowable.
But she must have seen it.
Just from seeing the back of Lüli’s head, they could somehow tell.
“Hmm. Shall we go? But first…”
Even after she disappeared, Xie Baowei had been lost in the lingering feeling for a while before letting out a long breath.
Suddenly he noticed their stretched and worn clothes, luggage, and damaged belongings.
Most of all, his body felt suddenly heavy.
Xie Baowei asked Yingying with a serious expression.
“Want to eat some sweets?”
Her small smile was dazzling.
.
.
.
Since Lüli was using accommodations provided to Jawunyeong members within the Alliance, they needed to secure separate lodging.
Searching his memory, he rented an entire annex of an inn that was said to have a good reputation.
He didn’t know how many days they would stay, but he didn’t want to skimp on anything for Lüli and Yingying.
Even so, it felt somewhat lacking to be called the finest accommodation, making him wonder if being from humble origins was something unavoidable, bringing a fleeting sense of self-reproach.
“She’s quite late.”
They had eaten sweets and clear noodles. He hadn’t bought clothes, planning to choose them together with Lüli. He had only quietly purchased one pretty jade ornament.
After soaking thoroughly in warm water, Yingying had fallen asleep.
Xie Baowei forced his drowsy eyes open to read books, exercise his body, and brush Chun-gil’s coat.
Even after all that, Lüli still hadn’t returned.
Yingying had been awake for a long time, and her stomach was practically touching her back.
Growl.
“…It’s okay.”
“This won’t do.”
She must have had a lot of work.
Come to think of it, he remembered Jegal Seolhye chattering away endlessly.
Since Sichuan’s affairs involved many complicated matters, there would be much to discuss.
Even in the military, what gave officers the biggest headaches was writing reports.
In his early days after being promoted to commander of a thousand, Xie Baowei had suffered through this before passing the task to a literate adjutant, but even reviewing those reports was difficult enough that he kept postponing it.
“Should we go meet her?”
“Shall we?”
Thinking he should give her something, he was about to call a waitress when Yingying grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
At her determined gaze, Xie Baowei smiled warmly and nodded.
He then layered several garments on Yingying before casually throwing on a long robe himself.
With the weather turning quite chilly and the sun already setting, it would be terrible if she caught a cold.
“Nice weather.”
Though the air was cold and crisp, perhaps because the sky was clear, his first breath outside felt refreshing.
There wasn’t much time left until curfew.
Alright. Lifting Yingying into his arms, he looked around and set off on the path toward the Alliance.
Since he had sent someone ahead, they should know where she was staying.
No matter how much work there is, really. Keeping someone this late.
“Doesn’t seem like a good workplace.”
Don’t you think so?
Xie Baowei grumbled.
As if he wasn’t like that himself, Yingying looked at him with somewhat strange eyes.
But, well… I’ve already achieved my purpose, haven’t I?
Just as Xie Baowei shrugged his shoulders and met her gaze.
“Aunt!”
“The discussion is over. Go back.”
Suppressed voices could be heard from inside the alley.
They were very familiar voices.
“Aunt. Haven’t you even seen Uncle…”
“That’s one thing, this is another. Tell my brothers clearly. He may have forgotten, but I haven’t.”
“But…”
“Enough. Yeonghil. I understand your role, but this isn’t something you can persuade me about.”
The content was obvious.
Xie Baowei smiled with a troubled expression.
Wounds of the heart heal less readily than physical wounds, and usually such wounds are received from those close to us.
Thus sometimes, we receive the deepest wounds from our closest family.
“The Household Head is ill, you know? Aunt! Really…”
“Enough! I no longer care about…”
Oh no.
Xie Baowei hurriedly rushed in.
At the sound of footsteps, both people’s faces turned simultaneously.
“Wei-rang…”
“Uncle! You’ve come at just the right time. Aunt is…”
“Enough, go on now.”
“But…”
Xie Baowei shook his head.
Saying more here would only hurt feelings.
Look, that face already hurt.
These two people who would normally grumble proudly and exchange playful hits and jokes weren’t even looking at each other.
Xie Baowei pushed Hwangbo Yeonghil’s back to send him away.
“Wei-rang.”
“Let’s go.”
Xie Baowei silently took Lüli’s hand and led her away.
It was the season when the sun set quickly. Few people passed on the street, and darkness had fallen.
Though no one would find fault with lovers holding hands once, their hands only flailed in the air until Lüli grasped Xie Baowei’s sleeve and they stopped.
“Let’s go.”
Xie Baowei said.
The night air trembled slightly.
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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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