The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 324

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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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Side Story Episode 18
* * *
The new year had arrived, and the Namgung Clan held a Lunar New Year celebration.
Last year, they had invited Ga-hee and Ak-gong and spent it quite boisterously, but this year they decided to keep outsiders away and spend it quietly as a family.
At the quiet celebration, Namgung Wan suddenly grew restless and brought out a seven-stringed zither.
The fundamental education for the renowned figures of this era consisted of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music. Moreover, the Six Arts—which noble families hoped their descendants would master—included music. This applied equally to martial artists who wielded swords.
Of course, since one had to devote their energy to martial prowess, other pursuits inevitably fell short.
For this reason, both Baek Li-yeon and Namgung Ryu-cheong possessed basic competence. Generally, Namgung Ryu-cheong excelled at tasks requiring manual dexterity, but when it came to the seven-stringed zither, Baek Li-yeon’s skill far surpassed his—the fruit of her blood and sweat in her previous life.
Baek Li-yeon felt satisfied, but then a question arose in her mind.
‘But why is he better at embroidery than me?’
The truth was that when she had asked Namgung Ryu-cheong to teach her embroidery, he had practiced it secretly through the night out of guilt for injuring her hand.
Only Namgung Ryu-cheong’s nursemaid, who had taught him embroidery at the time, knew of this.
And since the nursemaid had grown old and returned to her children in her hometown, Baek Li-yeon would never know this truth.
Meanwhile, Namgung Wan had taken his seat with the seven-stringed zither.
Baek Li-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Father, are you going to play?”
“Why? Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
The Great Lady regarded Baek Li-yeon with a subtle expression and spoke.
“Listen for yourself.”
Soon enough, Baek Li-yeon understood why the Great Lady had made that expression.
Thick, calloused hands—hardened from wielding weapons for so long—descended upon the zither, and immediately a graceful melody resonated through the celebration hall.
Baek Li-yeon’s face went blank. While she herself had earned a modest reputation for her zither playing, her skill paled in comparison to Namgung Wan’s.
As the melody reached its climax, Baek Li-yeon let out a small gasp and furrowed her brow, placing a hand on her belly.
The melody stopped abruptly, and Namgung Wan asked urgently.
“What’s wrong?”
“The child seems to have loved the zither performance.”
“What?”
“The baby is moving so much!”
The child, who had barely stirred before, was now moving with remarkable vigor.
“So the little one has ears to listen!”
As Namgung Wan rejoiced, a figure he had buried long ago suddenly surfaced in his memory.
His sister.
The reason he possessed an unexpected aptitude for the zither was solely because of his sister.
Though born as the eldest daughter of a martial family, his sister was utterly unsuited to the sword. Gentle by nature, she had loved beautiful flowers and plants, calligraphy and painting, and musical instruments.
Yet because of her mild temperament, she could not disappoint the family’s expectations. She buried her passions and took up the sword.
So he, the family’s wild thunder, had stepped forward.
He had delved into the zither in her stead, and often surprised her with his playing to bring her joy.
Just then, a startled voice shattered his reverie.
“Father? Father! Why… no, I… are… are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I was just happy.”
At that moment, a teardrop fell from her eyes.
Her bright gaze, brimming with worry and confusion, fixed upon him.
A heavy stone had always weighed upon one corner of his chest, destined to crush him eternally in that place. But now, it was alright.
* * *
Late January.
The fifth assassination attempt was intercepted.
“I truly know nothing! I swear it!”
A female servant’s desperate screams echoed far and wide. It was a relentless attempt indeed.
From that point onward, Namgung Ryu-cheong remained troubled.
Though I tried not to show it to her, it was impossible to hide.
With each passing day, the situation in the Jianghu grew increasingly complex.
I could tell his troubled expression was connected to this complicated state of affairs.
However, since he seemed reluctant to speak for her sake, I did not ask.
I thought it unwise for the child, so I harbored no curiosity. Yet it seemed I could not simply let it pass.
Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke with a sharp expression.
“The former Alliance Leader Wi is consolidating his forces.”
“What?”
Baek Li-yeon, who had been pondering for a moment, spoke.
“…Could it be that the fifth assassination attempt is related to Wi Ji-baek?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong, gritting his teeth, nodded.
Wi Ji-baek, who had reappeared, claimed he had merely been framed. While engaging in a decisive confrontation with the Heavenly Demon, he sought to establish a new alliance by consolidating forces from certain Orthodox sects dissatisfied with the Murim Alliance and neutral factions.
With the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect and the Demonic Cult—the very antithesis of the Murim Alliance—now fallen, the neutral martial sects feared there was no one to check the Murim Alliance’s expansion. Wi Ji-baek’s proposal for an alliance scratched that itch perfectly.
In fact, though Baek Li-yeon did not know it, there had already been several clashes between Wi Ji-baek and the Alliance. Though the forces seemed incomparable, Wi Ji-baek would not challenge without reasonable odds.
There are no eternal masters in this world. The three called the Top Eleven Masters—Taego Jinperson, Baek Li Pae-hyuk, and Namgung Mu-cheol—were all far too advanced in years now.
They remained formidable. Yet it was undeniable that their vitality waned. Though their inner strength had deepened, victory and defeat were not determined by inner strength alone. And if those three were to commit themselves fully now, their remaining days—already numbered—would become impossible to measure.
This was why Namgung Mu-cheol had passed the Family Head position to Namgung Wan, and why Baek Li Pae-hyuk had hastily installed Baek Li-ui-gang as the Young Family Head.
Of the three, Taego Jinperson was the youngest, yet the Kunlun Sect lay far from the Central Plains. Having already been absent for a long time, it was difficult to leave again.
In comparison, Wi Ji-baek was still in his prime. An age that could be called his peak.
If, of course it was unthinkable, but if one of those three were to face Wi Ji-baek and lose?
Then truly, it would become irreversible.
Baek Li-yeon could grasp all these circumstances without explanation. And now, telling her this fact meant….
Baek Li-yeon spoke.
“You’re going to strike at Wi Ji-baek?”
“…Yes.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong gazed at Baek Li-yeon with an anguished expression. Before his forces grew larger, before he could establish himself, they had decided to nip it in the bud.
“I spoke with Father. I will be the one to go.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong recalled that conversation with a grim expression.
“Surely it should be Father who goes out?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke respectfully to his father.
“Go and strike down Wi Ji-baek, and make a name for yourself as the new master of the realm. I will remain at Yeon’s side.”
“That’s right. You’re correct. Yeon should be the one by my side.”
Namgung Wan, who had been nodding his head thoughtfully, suddenly said something unexpected.
“What’s more important—Yeon’s safety, or dealing with Wi Ji-baek?”
“Don’t make such absurd comparisons.”
The response was rather irritated.
Namgung Wan paid no mind and nodded his head again as he spoke.
“Exactly. There’s no comparison to be made. Of course Yeon is more important.”
Only then did Namgung Ryu-cheong realize what his father was driving at, and his eyes widened.
Namgung Wan continued.
“Then the stronger one should protect what’s more important. Isn’t that obvious?”
“….”
“So tell me—am I stronger, or are you?”
“That is….”
The words “What a petty question!” nearly burst from his throat, but he held them back and said something else instead.
“Grandfather is still here, is he not!”
“Your grandfather has retired. How do you expect to survive in this harsh Jianghu if you can’t even handle one Wi Ji-baek?”
Through this conversation, Namgung Ryu-cheong’s decision to depart was settled.
He had complained bitterly that his father’s attitude was as if he would have waved a handkerchief to bid him farewell.
At the image that naturally formed in her mind, Baek Li-yeon nearly burst into laughter, forgetting the situation entirely.
“Father really is….”
“Father said that if you opposed my departure, he wouldn’t hesitate—he would depart himself.”
“I see.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong gazed at Baek Li-yeon with dark, intense eyes.
How could she not understand? His eyes pleaded for her to tell him not to go.
Yet thinking rationally, it was undeniably safer to have Uncle Namgung Wan by my side.
“There’s no helping it.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong clenched his teeth. Then, with a slightly sullen tone, he spoke.
“I knew you’d say that.”
Baek Li-yeon reached out and placed her hand against Namgung Ryu-cheong’s cheek.
Namgung Ryu-cheong tilted his head as if leaning into her touch and continued.
“Your father will be going as well.”
“Father too?”
I tilted my head as I asked.
“Wasn’t the original plan for the Baek Li Clan to depart in early February? To come here?”
“We’ve altered the plan slightly. We’ll feign heading toward the Namgung Clan, then change course to strike down Alliance Leader Wi.”
“Ah….”
So Father won’t be able to come either? I had wanted to see his face before the birth.
And now Namgung Ryu-cheong wouldn’t be by my side either—my chest felt hollow, as if a hole had been torn through it. I forced myself to speak with an air of composure.
“How long will it take?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong lowered his head and murmured.
“It should take about a month.”
“A month?”
Since it was early February, a month would bring us to early March. The delivery was expected sometime between mid-March and the end of the month, so there was plenty of time. I had thought it would take much longer given how solemnly he’d spoken, but….
After calculating the dates, Baek Li-yeon’s expression brightened with relief.
“What? I thought you wouldn’t be back by the delivery date! Go and come back, go and come back. Hurry and leave, then hurry back.”
“…How can you say such a thing?”
“Hmm?”

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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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