The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 153

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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 153
Baek Li Pae-hyuk waited for Baek Li-ui-gang, who seemed lost in thought, when a sudden realization made him furrow his brow.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about that boy, Yalyu?”
Baek Li-ui-gang’s expression turned flustered.
“…Father, they’re all just children, are they not? I’ve never thought of it in such a manner.”
He had already expressed multiple times that this situation felt somewhat burdensome and sudden.
Baek Li Pae-hyuk spoke firmly.
“If you were to consider that boy Yalyu, then he is absolutely not an option.”
“Why is that? Ah, of course, I wasn’t thinking of Yalyu.”
“Among those who pursue the martial path, there are few who live without blood on their hands, but that child…”
His eyes gleamed with killing intent—the visage of one who felt nothing when dealing with human life.
‘How did such a young child come to possess such eyes?’
Yeon may wear a human face before others, but one could never predict when she might change.
Baek Li Pae-hyuk waved his hand and leaned back against the chair.
“There are problems with the family circumstances, are there not? Hah, when I looked into the Byeok Family, it was quite a spectacle. Those Byeok bastards were always rotten to the core. When they registered as disciples, they were so eager to elevate their reputation, tsk…”
Just then, the Old Servant entered the study room with a presence.
“Young Master, the female servant of the Young Mistress has come. It seems the Young Mistress has requested a physician.”
Baek Li-ui-muk looked up in surprise.
Baek Li Pae-hyuk spoke with a frown.
“Has something happened to my eldest daughter?”
“Nothing severe, but she appears to have some stomach pain. Young Master, since the Young Mistress’s female servant has come, why not hear it directly from her?”
“Very well. Eldest, go and check on her.”
Baek Li-ui-muk hurried from the room with the Old Servant.
Once their footsteps had faded beyond earshot, Baek Li Pae-hyuk spoke.
“Ui-gang, do you truly not understand why I’m doing this?”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk stroked his beard several times and sighed before speaking.
“It’s because of you.”
“Because of me, you say…?”
“Your body.”
“…”
“I’ve searched for a solution for so long, yet I still haven’t found a single thread of hope…”
When speaking of Baek Li-yeon, Baek Li-ui-gang’s expression had been mixed with joy and sorrow, but when the topic turned to himself, it became oddly serene instead.
“For now, with the help of the Jegal Family Head, we’re preventing the condition from worsening, but…there’s no guarantee it won’t cause problems in the future, is there?”
“I am deeply sorry for the worry I’ve caused you, Father.”
“Worry? Hmph, if you truly felt you were causing worry, you wouldn’t act so recklessly. You don’t value your own life. Since Yeon arrived, you’ve already fought three major battles! If an episode had occurred even once, you would be dead. Then what becomes of Yeon left behind? Eh?”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk wiped his face with a weary expression.
“Father…”
“Don’t say that I’m still here.”
When Baek Li Pae-hyuk cut him off sharply, Baek Li-ui-gang closed his mouth again.
“I’m eighty years old—how much longer can I possibly live? Even if I watch over you while I’m alive…ah, never mind.”
As Baek Li Pae-hyuk spoke, his throat grew parched, and he gulped down more tea.
“You should go now as well. Think carefully about what truly serves Yeon’s interests.”
Baek Li-ui-gang rose slowly and bowed his head slightly toward Baek Li Pae-hyuk.
“Ui-gang.”
At the voice calling him just as he was about to leave the study room, Baek Li-ui-gang turned back.
“Do you still have no intention of speaking about Yeon’s biological mother?”
“….”
Baek Li Pae-hyuk exhaled deeply and waved his hand.
After leaving the study room, Baek Li-ui-gang slowly crossed the Subaek Hall Garden when he encountered Baek Li-ui-muk.
Just as he was about to pass with a simple bow, Baek Li-ui-muk called him to a halt.
“Ui-gang, what troubles you so?”
“…Nothing troubles me.”
“Then why do you react that way?”
Baek Li-ui-muk continued with a displeased expression.
“It’s obvious Father is deliberately taking an interest and stepping in. He never involved himself so much in Myeong’s marriage arrangements.”
“I understand.”
Baek Li-ui-gang’s face was complicated.
At that sight, jealousy naturally arose in Baek Li-ui-muk.
“He is the sole direct heir of the Namgung Clan. Is there a better match than this? If it displeases you so, why not yield her to me instead?”
“Why do you suddenly speak such words?”
“Do you refuse? Hmph, when it comes to rejecting, you’re quick enough, but when it’s time to give to another, it becomes precious?”
Baek Li-yeon’s marriage prospects were far superior to those of Baek Li-myeong, whom his biological mother had painstakingly arranged through every connection.
Moreover, it wasn’t even he who first sought the match—the Namgung Clan had broached the subject first.
That such fortune had fallen to him merely through maintaining a good friendship felt almost unjust.
‘Yet he reacts like that.’
Either he didn’t understand his position, or he was simply foolish.
Though his half-brother shared the same blood, his mind remained perpetually mysterious to him.
“Brother, can you truly decide Li-ri’s marriage in such a manner?”
“What does it matter? To be honest, I’m so envious I could burst. If you truly intend to refuse, give her to me.”
“…That is not a decision I can make alone. The Namgung Clan’s wishes are what matter.”
Baek Li-ui-muk let out a scoff.
“What is Li-ri lacking compared to Yeon? The Namgung Clan would not object.”
“….”
“If we form a marriage alliance with the Namgung Clan, we would gain a strong alliance that would greatly benefit our family. Well….”
Baek Li-ui-muk continued with a mocking tone.
“You only think of Yeon, so family matters must be secondary to you.”
“Brother.”
“What, am I wrong….”
Then Baek Li-ui-gang suddenly raised his hand, cutting off Baek Li-ui-muk’s words.
The moment his hand rose, Baek Li-ui-muk flinched in surprise, his face darkening slightly as irritation flashed across his features.
“What are you doing right now?”
Baek Li-ui-gang’s gaze remained fixed on a single point.
The garden path leading to the Tea Room of Subaekdang.
Upon seeing the figure that appeared there, Baek Li-ui-muk muttered in confusion.
“Young Master Namgung?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong, walking with measured steps, offered a respectful bow with clasped hands toward Baek Li-ui-muk and Baek Li-ui-gang.
The flustered Baek Li-ui-muk glanced about nervously before speaking.
“Well… what brings you here?”
“The Baek Li Family Head summoned me.”
It was a foolish question. If the Baek Li Family Head hadn’t summoned him, how could an outsider possibly enter Subaekdang?
Baek Li-ui-muk spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“Ah, yes. You may go now.”
Just as Namgung Ryu-cheong, his head bowed, was about to resume walking.
“Ryu-cheong.”
Baek Li-ui-gang called out to stop him. Baek Li-ui-gang, regarding the halted Namgung Ryu-cheong, continued speaking.
“…Have you perhaps heard anything?”
“Heard what, sir?”
“…”
Baek Li-ui-gang, who had been staring at Namgung Ryu-cheong with his calm expression and steady gaze, shook his head.
“No. Brother, let us depart.”
“Yes, let us go.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong gazed intently at the receding figures of Baek Li-ui-gang and Baek Li-ui-muk. The servant observed this with curiosity.
“Young Master?”
At the servant’s urging tone, Namgung Ryu-cheong resumed walking, his ears faintly flushed.
* * *
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The sound of something soft being struck with dull force echoed out.
Hearing the noise from outside the chamber, Eon-du’s eyes grew worried.
“Do you know why the young lady has been acting like this lately?”
“Sigh, I have no idea. Even when I ask, she says nothing.”
“So Nok, do you know?”
So Nok, who had been caught on her way to run an errand, blinked before slowly shaking her head.
Geum-swe let out a sigh.
“The Fourth Young Master really needs to return soon.”
“It’s already been several days since he left. It will be quite some time before he returns.”
Eon-du continued with concern.
“Last time, when I went to close the window as the sun was setting, she was thrashing about on the sleeping quarters bed. Like a live fish.”
Geum-swe hurled the fan she had been holding and sprang to her feet.
“A live fish? How could you compare the young lady to a fish?”
Ignoring the commotion outside, I collapsed onto the bedding I had just been striking, burying my face within it.
‘Where on earth did things go wrong?’
There had been marriage talks with Namgung Ryu-cheong before. But….
‘That was after Father passed away!’
Uncle Namgung Wan, who had taken pity on me, had forced the marriage talks through out of consideration.
So I had assumed there would be no marriage talks this time. Yet suddenly, here they were!
Naturally, I couldn’t simply sit idle.
I went straight to Grandfather and told him plainly.
“Grandfather, I have no intention of marrying yet!”
Grandfather smiled with an uncharacteristic gentleness,
“Where did you hear such strange talk? Do I look like the sort to make you do something you dislike?”
That’s what he said.
No matter how many times I tried to speak, he dismissed it as childish whining.
Moreover, Grandfather was busy preparing for the Maeng Meeting and had no time to attend to me.
And so four days slipped away uselessly, and before I could properly resolve the matter, Grandfather and Father departed for the Murim Alliance!
“Sigh….”
A deep sigh escaped me of its own accord.
‘Grandfather kept calling Ryu-cheong for some reason….’
I had thoughtlessly assumed it was merely to observe his martial skills, but there was clearly a deeper intention behind it.
‘I shouldn’t have been smiling while watching Baek Li-myeong’s betrothal meeting…!’
Sansu-yeon was my own betrothal meeting venue! And Father was….
“Don’t worry. Nothing has been definitively decided yet.”
That remark only gave me the impression that Father truly knew nothing.
‘Father, once it’s decided for certain, it will be too late!’
If I insisted until the end that I was unwilling, would Father force the marriage upon me? He was absolutely not that sort of man.
But if both sides had already aligned their intentions, and I opposed it by refusing, breaking off the engagement….
‘How could I ever face Uncle Namgung Wan and So Bu-in after that!’
If I had known beforehand, I would have found some way to prevent it. But time had run out.
Just then, a voice came from beyond the door.
“Young Miss, you have a visitor.”
“Who is it?”
“The Jegal Family Head.”

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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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