The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 74
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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 74
The martial arts of Pahosamun were rooted in movement.
This was the Mengmanliu, which was said to have been enlightened after fighting waves in thick sea fog, and the Cheongjo Swimming Technique, which was mastered while swimming with orcas in the deep sea, was also of the same origin.
Based on that foundation, either secretive yet meticulous consecutive attacks like Jang Sahyeon’s Wave Shadow Blade became the main style, or swift single strikes like Guo Taifeng’s undulated like riding waves.
Lin Qing’s specialty was powerful blade strikes as fierce as his unrestrained nature.
Vast Sea Wave.
The single strike that swept from all directions with one thin blade and poured down was difficult for anyone to easily reach, it was evaluated.
Crash!
“…How, how is this possible?”
It was a single strike.
That was what Lin Qing had aimed for.
To bring them to their knees with one blow and spread the name of Pahosamun.
However.
Crack.
After hearing the chilling sound that followed the thunder’s roar, he couldn’t think of anything.
“…What, what is this.”
Thud. Clatter clatter.
Lin Qing’s broken thin blade fell to the ground.
Blood dripped from his torn grip as well.
But what was more shattered than that was his own martial arts.
“…Thunder…God…Martial Arts!”
Lin Qing couldn’t tell that Hwangbo Yeonhwi’s voice was trembling.
He only came to his senses when the cold energy of the spear tip touched near his throat.
Xie Baowei’s body stretched out like a painting, then slowly moved away.
Four steps.
No, it was a distance of five or six steps apart.
But somehow.
“It is called Thunder Pierce.”
He couldn’t even see when the strike had been made.
There was just a flash, and his thin blade was broken.
The internal energy that couldn’t extend outward and was hastily blocked shook his chest violently.
Lin Qing silently suppressed the surging blood energy.
Broken sword, torn grip, trembling arm.
A move he couldn’t follow.
If he were someone who would still act arrogantly after seeing this, he wouldn’t have survived until now.
“…I have learned a lesson.”
The words barely protected by his last pride were merely ‘a’ lesson.
Lin Qing cupped his fists with a trembling voice.
His aching grip wouldn’t fold properly, but it didn’t matter.
That pain brought even more reality.
Captain or whatever, nothing mattered to him now.
His life was in Xie Baowei’s hands.
Over ten years of training had been of no help whatsoever.
“…Let’s go.”
It was when he barely composed himself and was silently turning around with the two subordinates.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Clear applause echoed in the quiet banquet hall.
“Well now, what a fine spectacle I’ve witnessed?”
A somewhat childish tone, as if he had never experienced worldly troubles, as if he had grown up doing only as he pleased regardless of the surrounding atmosphere, bright in speech.
However, his voice was hoarse and hoarse again, low and rough as if damaged.
On his purple silk robe, a dragon was embroidered as if about to ascend to heaven at any moment, and wings soared skyward on his silk cap.
He had entered the manor on horseback, and there was no one to stop him.
Even the horse’s hide was so fine like silk that it seemed more precious than a person.
On the horse’s back that required craning one’s neck to see, sat someone with a fine build but crooked posture, with a slovenly appearance lacking any dignity.
Behind him stood generals like heavenly armies and civil officials like immortals in a row.
Though their number was only about twenty, their presence filled the entire space.
“Your, Your Majesty, long live, long live, long long live.”
Led by Scholar Jang Chu who was said to have served in the Hanlin Academy, everyone in the manor knelt and bowed their heads.
“We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.
Voices and black heads bowed like waves.
A cold wind blew through the banquet hall that had become quiet as death.
“Rise.”
The Crown Prince spoke as if such greetings were natural.
People carefully rose and cautiously raised their heads.
Then when they made eye contact with the guards again, they were startled and lowered their eyes.
Still only the sound of wind swirled around.
“Do not blame the servants, for I told them not to announce me.”
Behind him, servants who were obviously sweating profusely could be seen.
Even if galloping across the manor on horseback was rude, if it was the Crown Prince, who would dare blame them for not stopping him.
While no one could answer and everyone breathed carefully, one person took heavy, deliberate steps.
“That Your Highness has graced our humble village home is the glory of three lifetimes. Hwangbo Seungjeong, master of the family, humbly pays respects to Your Honored Presence.”
The master of the family, Hwangbo Seungjeong.
At his small step, the Crown Prince’s guards glared with bulging eyes and stepped forward one by one.
Though over ten warriors moved, only the sound of a single step could be heard.
Though it was just one step, it felt massive as if an entire wei (a basic military unit with five thousand-man units) had moved.
The Hwangbo family members lined up behind Hwangbo Seungjeong in unison and bowed their heads.
Yet there was no trace of servility, remaining tense.
The guards’ momentum grew increasingly thick.
Hwangbo Seungjeong stood at the front, meeting that momentum head-on.
The Crown Prince watched this for a moment, then raised his hand.
As if nothing had happened, the momentum that had filled the banquet hall disappeared.
The Crown Prince took another step forward. He took in the splendor of the banquet hall with his eyes.
“Yes… it’s more shabby than I thought. Not even as good as the residence of Pojeongsa… no, the Jinan branch. I’ve long heard of my Jinzhou Guard commander’s loyalty, but I had expectations since I heard his family’s prestige was also remarkable. I wondered just how formidable it would be. For the arrogant title of Eastern Hegemon, this is truly a modest house. Isn’t that so?”
At the end, the Crown Prince’s eyes turned toward Hwangbo Seungjeong.
His tone seemed indifferent as if uninterested, but the content was not something that could be ignored.
Again, the guards’ momentum soared to the heavens.
This time, Hwangbo Seungjeong’s knees instantly touched the ground.
The Hwangbo family members’ knees did the same.
“It is merely a false reputation raised by ignorant people in a moment of emotion, without any arrogant intentions, so please understand.”
Hwangbo Seungjeong continued speaking calmly.
His manner and posture were extremely respectful, but there was not a trace of fear in his voice.
The Crown Prince stared intently at the back of his head, impressed by that spirit.
Beside him, the guards’ hands had already moved to their sword hilts.
The Hwangbo family people simply bowed their heads calmly, as if they would not resist at all.
Soon, the Crown Prince made a deflated sound.
“Well, fine. It’s not like I don’t know my commander… and if you keep Chungundang at your house, your loyalty is understandable.”
Since the family’s roots were such, how could he doubt their hearts?
At the Crown Prince’s words, the heavy atmosphere lightened.
But rather, the hearts of the Hwangbo family members stirred.
Just as an ominous atmosphere was about to flow, Hwangbo Seungjeong bowed his head again.
“How can fruit ripen without roots? With that one grace alone, our loyalty will extend for ten thousand generations.”
“Ho.”
Just that one thing?
The Crown Prince’s lips twisted a bit more.
He had often heard stories of how the ruffians of Gangho, who called themselves the martial arts world, lived in their own world without loyalty or law.
It was utterly presumptuous, but he had left them alone since he was already busy controlling the heads of various provinces and warlords, and it was too early to waste effort on them.
It wasn’t like they were completely useless either…
Tsk.
“Yes. It won’t need to last ten thousand generations, just be faithful for now.”
“…Long live, long live, long long live.”
Hmph.
His gaze turned to the side.
Among the Hwangbo family members, one person who had not knelt.
“Did you get what you wanted?”
It was Xie Baowei.
“Yes.”
“Your words are still short.”
“…I obtained it.”
The Crown Prince jumped down from his horse.
He looked small compared to the large horse, but once he dismounted and stood, he was quite tall.
He looked even taller compared to his thin body.
He walked without hesitation to stand before Xie Baowei.
The guards followed behind him like one body.
The civil officials quietly lined up behind them.
Only one person stepped aside between the guards to stand behind the Crown Prince.
He must be the chamberlain, the head of the Crown Prince’s Office.
“Hmm.”
Standing before Xie Baowei, even the Crown Prince who had seemed tall was slightly shorter.
The Crown Prince’s eyebrows twitched as if this displeased him.
The guards’ hands moved toward their sword hilts.
Xie Baowei let out a small sigh, then bent his knees slightly and lowered his head, bringing himself below the Crown Prince’s upturned gaze.
“A bit better.”
Only then did the Crown Prince smile pleasantly.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Yes.”
“Short.”
“It is the glory of three lifetimes to see Your Highness again.”
Xie Baowei answered grumpily.
The Crown Prince giggled as if this amused him.
Suddenly, he looked around as if searching for something.
“Is that you?”
Found her.
His gaze met with Huangbo Lüli, who had been quietly raising only her eyes from behind Xie Baowei.
The Crown Prince nodded, and she carefully raised her body.
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
Huangbo Lüli looked straight at the Crown Prince and answered.
The Crown Prince smiled broadly.
“Do you know? I heard that you are a fairy who descended from heaven. Indeed, you have such grace.”
“Oh my.”
Huangbo Lüli’s cheeks turned red.
She was pleased.
Her elbow nudged Xie Baowei.
Xie Baowei pretended not to notice and looked up at the sky.
Please.
The Crown Prince’s smile deepened.
“Surely you must have committed some sin to be sent down. They say your temper is quite something? You certainly seem bold enough.”
“…Oh my.”
This time Huangbo Lüli’s elbow made a thud as it dug into Xie Baowei’s ribs.
Her heel also stepped down hard on Xie Baowei’s big toe.
The Crown Prince chuckled even more amusedly.
“Moreover…”
“…I know Your Highness is very busy with official duties.”
“I couldn’t be busy. I’m someone who only knows success.”
Ahaha.
The Crown Prince laughed cheerfully. A beat later, the guards also laughed out loud.
Then everyone in the banquet hall laughed.
The only person not laughing was Xie Baowei.
The guards’ hands moved toward their sword hilts,
Stop.
When the Crown Prince raised his hand, the manor fell silent as if no one had been laughing.
“…So what brings you here.”
“Oh my. Must there be some business between us for me to come?”
“Yes.”
“Your words are short.”
“We’re not the type to meet while passing by…”
“Oh my.”
The Crown Prince deliberately frowned sternly.
The guards placed their hands on their sword hilts again.
Wouldn’t it be better to just keep them there if they’re going to do that?
Whether Xie Baowei had such idle thoughts or not, the Crown Prince opened his mouth.
“What’s this between people who saved each other’s lives.”
“…I did?”
“Hmm.”
“…I was just lucky. Also, it wasn’t to save Your Highness but just to carry out my mission…”
“It’s the same thing. In the end, you saved me.”
“Yes.”
“Oh my.”
“I too was able to extend my life thanks to Your Highness’s great grace, so let’s call it even like men…”
“Isn’t my side much more valuable? In this case, we can’t call it even.”
How dare you compare your soy sauce dish-sized bowl with my bowl.
Still an arrogant fellow.
The Crown Prince grumbled.
“…Yes.”
Xie Baowei sighed again and nodded as if agreeing that he was right, answering halfheartedly.
At that disloyal response, the guards’ hands rose to their sword hilts then lowered at the Crown Prince’s clear laughter.
“Haha. As amusing as ever. I haven’t had much to laugh about since I let you go.”
Finding something so funny, the Crown Prince laughed for a long while.
But this time the guards didn’t laugh. Rather, only the aura they emanated became more stern.
That aura was directed entirely at Xie Baowei.
“Anyway. I did come specifically to see you.”
“…I am.”
Xie Baowei’s previously indifferent face hardened.
Huangbo Lüli’s face also hardened.
The Crown Prince smiled and shook his head.
“No. To be precise, it’s not you.”
At that, both their faces relaxed a little.
He didn’t come to take him away?
…Then what for?
The eyes of the two people who had been looking at each other turned back to the Crown Prince.
“I hear you’re keeping a mixed-blood child?”
The Crown Prince’s aura changed completely.
From his smiling face emanated an unapproachable majesty.
At his words, Xie Baowei’s eyes squeezed shut.
“The seed of the rebel king, I hear.”
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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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