The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 121

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 121
* * *
I learned of the incident between Baek Li-myeong and my aunt ten days after arriving at the Baek Family Estate. During those ten days, except for the first day, I woke before dawn every morning and trained in the Mubaek Divine Art with my father in the Back Garden of the Residence Quarter.
Naturally, I had barred everyone else from entering the Back Garden. Yet even with restricted access, as I came and went with a wooden sword, drenched in sweat alongside my father, the servants of the Residence Quarter could not help but notice that I was practicing swordplay.
As I began learning swordplay anew from my father, the servants would regard me with pitying expressions whenever they saw me, whispering among themselves.
“Oh dear, what a waste of effort.”
“Without a dantian, she’ll never escape being third-rate her entire life.”
“But why won’t anyone be allowed near?”
“A crippled cultivator must be ashamed to train.”
“She’ll quit after a few days.”
But as one day passed, then two, then three, then four, and finally ten days elapsed, some of them began to harbor doubts.
“Say, Miss Baek. Don’t you think she’s become much healthier than before she went to the Namgung Clan?”
“You’re right. Back then, she couldn’t even walk for long…”
“Could it be…?”
“Well, but…”
Yes! Suspect away!
That was exactly the reaction I wanted.
But the problem was… I had no mental energy to pay attention to that. My father’s training was extraordinarily grueling. I had intended to beg my father for mercy regarding my grandfather’s absurd future plans, but my father was a man of similar temperament to my grandfather.
My father began rolling me about relentlessly, as if he had been waiting for nothing but my arrival at the Baek Family Estate.
‘Wait, when did he say we shouldn’t return to the Baek Family Estate?’
I felt utterly deceived. In that moment, my father’s stern voice rang out.
“Yeon, focus. Your arms are losing strength.”
“…”
I was too exhausted to entertain any other thoughts.
‘Could it be that Father had this in mind all along…’
“Baek Li-yeon!”
Truly, I had no room for distraction.
“Is it too hard?”
“…Just a little.”
“It’s fine. From what I can see, you can still manage.”
“…”
The training that had continued since dawn ended before noon. Moreover, it ended about half a session earlier than usual. This was because my father had business to attend to and would be absent for the afternoon.
The moment my father left, an uninvited guest arrived, as if they had been waiting. Seeing their confident demeanor, I narrowed my eyes.
‘I distinctly ordered that no one be allowed to enter the Back Garden.’
The moment my father stepped away, and this happens.
I glanced toward the servant stationed at the entrance to the Back Garden, then looked forward again. The one approaching was Ha Ui-won, a physician belonging to the Medical Department of the Baek Family Estate.
“What brings you here?”
“What brings me here, you ask?”
Ha Ui-won’s face was already brimming with irritation as he walked over.
“Since Miss Yeon refuses to come for an examination, I have come all this way myself.”
His grumbling tone was laden with discontent. An insolent demeanor. Since this was his nature from the start, it hardly surprised me.
I widened my eyes.
“You’ve come to examine me?”
“Yes, let’s go at once.”
I tilted my head and spoke.
“I’m fine. Seok Tae-ui has already examined me and prescribed everything I need.”
Ha Ui-won clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“Don’t talk nonsense. You are now a member of the Baek Family, are you not? If you continue to depend on Seok Tae-ui, what becomes of the family’s honor?”
In the past, I had always been submissive to this physician. Every time we met, he would grumble and give me all manner of pointed looks. Moreover, the thought that he was a doctor who had come to help and examine me made me naturally shrink back.
I deliberately made a fuss.
“Wow, how surprising! Weren’t you busy, Ha Ui-won? You always said you couldn’t come because you were so occupied!”
Ha Ui-won flinched and coughed several times.
“Ahem, I’m still busy. I’ve made time for this, so let’s go inside.”
Until now, Ha Ui-won had shown little interest in my treatment. When I was alone, he wouldn’t even set foot in the Residence Quarter, merely issuing prescriptions carelessly. Only when my father visited would he reluctantly come and go.
There was something he always said.
‘What a waste of effort by the Fourth Young Master.’
As if he found it tiresome, insisting there was no hope for recovery, yet I clung to false hope. And now he suddenly came to examine me? Even a passing dog would laugh.
There was only one reason Ha Ui-won sought me out: to verify whether my dantian had healed. Until now, my father had refused the Medical Department’s attempts to examine me, at my request.
So he was panicking. Especially since I was clearly a crippled cultivator, yet I was training in swordsmanship again? Suspicion would naturally bloom. That’s why he rushed over the moment my father stepped away.
A laugh escaped me.
‘This is… exactly as I predicted, isn’t it?’
I had deliberately planted such suspicions to see how he would react…
And he couldn’t even wait ten days.
Ha Ui-won looked slightly anxious. I leisurely strolled through the Back Garden and tapped the wooden sword I was holding against the ground.
Ha Ui-won couldn’t contain himself and urged me on.
“Miss, let’s go already. What are you doing?”
I blinked and smiled.
“I don’t want to.”
“What?”
“I said I don’t want to.”
Ha Ui-won seemed flustered, then his face twisted and he pressed me.
“For heaven’s sake! Miss! I’m swamped with work, and here you are throwing a tantrum!”
The moment his loud voice rang out, I flinched. It was a reflexive response that arose whenever I saw a man raising his voice and acting threateningly toward me.
In that instant, I saw Ha Ui-won reaching out his hand toward me. Or rather, I saw him about to reach out. And then he did reach toward me.
Until now, it had felt like knowing the trajectory and weak points. But just now, it was close to precognition. My body moved reflexively. I deflected the physician’s wrist as he tried to seize mine and pointed the wooden sword at his neck.
“Gasp.”
It was the movement of the Mubaek Divine Art that I had spent from dawn through the morning perfecting. Recognizing this, the physician’s eyes widened.
I also sighed.
‘Ah, my father should have seen this.’
The flow was as smooth as water, absolutely perfect.
Father would have been satisfied had he been present at this moment. Wouldn’t he have felt vindicated for all those times he’d rolled his wayward daughter around?
Pushing aside all thoughts, I tightened my grip on the wooden sword and pressed it firmly against the physician’s throat.
“I said I didn’t want this.”
* * *
“Young Miss, please tilt your head back for a moment.”
Swish, swish.
Geum-swe combed through my hair and suddenly exhaled another sigh. It was already her fourth one.
“It’s fine, Geum-swe.”
“I’m frustrated, that’s all. Goodness, how could such a thing happen the moment Young Master stepped away!”
“Ha ha.”
It was familiar and expected, so honestly, I felt nothing about it. In fact, I thought it was fortunate, though Geum-swe clearly didn’t share that sentiment.
“What about the servants’ attitudes? Did they all swallow some sort of medicine together…?”
I turned around in surprise. Geum-swe looked at me as if asking what was wrong. She seemed unaware that she’d spoken harshly.
“What’s the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“In any case, if only that Dang-geum girl hadn’t been there, I would have been guarding the Back Garden.”
Geum-swe began elegantly pinning up my hair.
“But why was she rummaging through your quarters on her own? I didn’t even assign her to clean there.”
Geum-swe grumbled for a moment before speaking.
“Is this enough?”
“Yes. It’s just a courtesy visit, so there’s no need to overdo it.”
I was planning to visit Baek Li-myeong after hearing the news. Apparently, my aunt had accidentally spilled hot water on him… but was it truly an accident?
And given how carefully they’d kept their silence, I only learned of the incident ten days later.
Geum-swe patted my shoulder lightly as if to say she was done. She was treating me like a child.
“Yes. Oh, and keep that servant who manages the Back Garden entrance on the same duty.”
“Why? He’s the one who let Ha Ui-won in today.”
Geum-swe exclaimed in surprise.
“That’s exactly why I’m keeping him there.”
Geum-swe looked confused. I laughed lightly.
“I’ll handle this according to family law.”
“Family law?”
“Yes. According to family law, his salary will be reduced for three months, and if he makes the same mistake again… he’ll receive the cane.”
The larger the family, the stricter its laws. Of course, I didn’t govern servants solely by family law. This was a household where people lived together and saw each other’s faces daily—enforcing everything by statute would exhaust everyone. Usually, masters simply reprimanded servants moderately and left it at that. Actual enforcement of family law was rare.
But… did I owe mercy to those who disrespected me?
Geum-swe looked at me as if seeing me anew.
“Young Miss… you had a plan all along?”
“Of course I did.”
“Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in that tiny head of yours.”
I smiled and spoke.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
“Ah, well, Miss….”
Geum-swe grabbed my arm as if she had something to say, then trailed off. I tilted my head at her hesitation. Geum-swe swallowed hard and continued.
“That girl So Nok—she seems kind and diligent, but wouldn’t it be good to let go of your anger?”
“….”
“I know she broke the inkstone you treasured, but today when Master wasn’t here, I noticed So Nok was the only one working diligently….”
On the day I first spoke with So Nok separately, the inkstone shattered and I wept while venting my fury. Both Eon-du and Father were startled and tried to console me, and So Nok was barred from entering the Residence Quarter.
That’s why she ended up doing mostly outdoor work. Eon-du seemed somewhat disappointed. It appeared he had secretly been considering So Nok as my personal attendant instead of Dang-geum.
Geum-swe spoke carefully.
“Miss, you and Yalyu got along well, didn’t you?”
Yalyu and So Nok.
Yalyu was the foundation of my trust in So Nok.
‘What should I do?’
I pondered while gazing at Geum-swe.
“No one is without fault. So Nok is still young….”
And I decided. I gestured for Geum-swe to lean closer. Her eyes widened as she heard my whispered words.
“Miss… what sort of plan do you have?”
I smiled brightly and spoke.
“A plan to see how far I can fan the flames?”
“….”
“Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot. Bring me some onions.”
“…Onions?”
“Yes!”

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