The Time-Limited Elixir of the Ruined Clan - Chapter 135

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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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The Terminal Heir of a Fallen House — Episode 135

Dan Mok Hyeon U’s eyes widened, then gradually narrowed in gravity. Once Jeong Yeong had assessed the situation, he came hurrying back with his report.
“It appears this was all prepared by the Man Song Merchant Guild.”
“By the Man Song Merchant Guild? Why on earth? Did we run short on Clear Lotus Water? You’re not saying you’re embarrassed to ask Ryeon the moment we’re back, so they did all this instead?”
Dan Mok Hyeon U relaxed and laughed carelessly, but Jeong Yeong could not bring himself to smile.
“That’s…… because this spring’s Regional Exam results…… from Beijing have come in…….”
Jeong Yeong’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke. Dan Mok Hyeon U suddenly felt the people’s cheers growing distant and faint in his ears.
“Surely not…….”
The extraordinary success of Ryeon’s Clear Lotus Water owed something to her skill in crafting, yes—but the other half came from Gyeon Wi Hak, the Man Song Merchant Guild’s third son, placing as a top-ranked provincial exam graduate in the Provincial Examination, did it not?
“You don’t mean Gyeon Wi Hak actually passed the Regional Exam as well?”
A note of wariness crept into Dan Mok Hyeon U’s voice. Jeong Yeong gazed at him with somewhat vacant eyes and shook his head slowly.
“He failed, they say? Though passing the Provincial Examination and becoming a giant in his field is already sufficient…….”
“……Top Graduate, they say…….”
Jeong Yeong’s voice wavered. Dan Mok Hyeon U’s cheeks trembled as well.
“No, surely not?”
“Y-yes, Top Graduate, they say! Young Master Gyeon passed the Regional Exam as well—as the Regional Exam Top Graduate—
(會元, the first rank of the Regional Exam)
and then when taking the Imperial Exam before His Majesty the Emperor…… he became…… Top Graduate…… there too…….”
As Jeong Yeong’s voice scattered in disbelief, Dan Mok Hyeon U no longer heard his words and sank into thought.
‘Can I possibly surpass this?’
He had been so full of himself, saying Ryeon’s uncle was only himself—but now Gyeon Wi Hak had swept all three examinations: Provincial, Regional, and Imperial. He had become a Samwon—
(三元)
one of the rarest figures in history.
Then shouldn’t he himself achieve something comparable to save face?
‘For a Martial Artist at this age, what degree of achievement would be equivalent?’
A sudden emptiness gripped him, and the road home felt joyless.
Yet there was Ryeon, clapping her hands with delight, oblivious to his thoughts.
“How wonderful! Then we should go home and first pay our respects to Mother, and after that send congratulations to the Man Song Merchant Guild, shouldn’t we? What sort of gift should we send? What do you think of asking Uncle to paint us a splendid painting and send it, Uncle?”
“That…… seems like a good idea…….”
“Wow! Mister Gyeon passed his exam?”
“That’s what I heard. Why don’t you write him a congratulatory letter too, Bi? You’ve learned all the characters now.”
“Yes!”
Dan Mok Bi nodded eagerly. Dan Mok Hyeon U gazed at the falling petals with troubled eyes, brooding on the question: ‘How can I ever surpass a Samwon?’

* * *

Yet when the party arrived at the estate, they faced another problem that demanded immediate attention.
“M-Mother! Mother! I’m really fine! Nothing happened at all!”
Ryeon spread her arms wide and spun before Wi Ji Cheong, while Dan Mok Bi was scolded until tears flowed freely.
She had followed the party in silence and without permission, and when such events had occurred at the Namgung Clan, she deserved exactly this rebuke.
Dan Mok Hyeon Yo and Dan Mok Hyeon U became as criminals, hanging their heads in shame. They had gone as guardians of the children and yet had failed to prevent such an accident. Even if the children said all was well, the adults knew better.
“No, I don’t blame the three of you. I am simply……anxious.”
At the words “three of you,” Dan Mok Hyeon Yo and Dan Mok Hyeon U turned in surprise.
Standing silently in the same ashamed posture as the other two was Dan Mok Cheon Gi.
“My daughter, I am without face…….”
“How can you speak so of an accident that occurred?”
“And yet…….”
“If something were to have befallen Ryeon and Bi, no human strength could have prevented it. That they have returned safely is enough. Still, as I am their mother, my heart cannot help but worry…….”
Tears rolled down Wi Ji Cheong’s cheeks.
Her youngest son had run away almost like an escape, causing her heart to skip—and when she learned only through letter that such a calamity had befallen them in Yangzhou, what must her state of mind have been?
Seok Ban An, standing beside Wi Ji Cheong, wore an expression equally grave. He had heard that a great fire had broken out, and that Dan Mok Hyeon Yo had even steeled herself to die trying to save the children.
“My lord, I…… have failed you. My inadequacy left the children poorly cared for and caused such worry.”
Dan Mok Hyeon Yo could not even meet Seok Ban An’s eyes and offered a small apology only to Wi Ji Cheong.
“That is not what I mean. Are you saying I should not worry at all?”
“Even if nothing had happened, I know you would have worried. How could I not apologize? I’m not a woman without shame.”
Dan Mok Hyeon Yo spoke thus, her hands trembling slightly, when Seok Ban An stepped forward and grasped her hand firmly. His eyes were rimmed with red.
Dan Mok Hyeon U bowed his head deeply and said nothing.
“Still, I’m grateful everyone is safe. Such a crisis in a strange place must have frightened you all. Thank you for bringing the children back unharmed.”
Wi Ji Cheong, her eyes wet, spoke quietly.
When Dan Mok Ryeon whimpered “Mother…” and nestled against her, Wi Ji Cheong smiled faintly, running her fingers through the girl’s hair along her forehead.
Dan Mok Bi, who had hesitated a moment, then rushed forward calling “Mother, Mother” and embraced her as well.
And all the people from the Man Song Merchant Guild who had hurried over upon hearing news of Dan Mok Ryeon’s return stood quietly in the corner, somewhat awkwardly out of place.

* * *

“I’m… relieved you’ve returned safely.”
Gyeon Wi Un had a rough understanding of what had occurred in Yangzhou, but truthfully, she had never imagined that such incomprehensible misfortune would befall this young girl.
The Dan Mok Ryeon she knew seemed wholly incapable of being broken by such things.
Whenever Dan Mok Ryeon smiled brightly and waved her hand, it was as if malevolent spirits would scatter in alarm and wicked things would flee in tears.
Just then, Dan Mok Ryeon poked her head out from behind a screen, wrapped in a garment Gyeon Wi Un had newly had made for her, and spoke.
“Oh, it was nothing much. But Aunt Wi Un! I heard good news on the way back.”
The bright, deep orange silk—as if melted from golden sandalwood—was embroidered with threads of blue-green, and her hair was bound with a matching blue-green cord that had been prepared alongside it.
“Good news… But Dan Mok Ryeon, that garment suits you beautifully. If an ancient sandalwood tree of ten thousand years transformed into a person, would it look like this?”
“Do you need a lot of Clear Lotus Water?”
“No… that was my sincere feeling…”
Gyeon Wi Un murmured forlornly.
“A great deal… truly a great deal is needed.”
“That’s right! They say Uncle Gyeon Wi Hak achieved the rank of Top Graduate even in the Imperial Exam!”
“Father nearly fainted at that.”
“My goodness.”
“Thanks to that, I’ve been busy handling much of Father’s work.”
Gyeon Wi Un spoke as if weary, tapping her shoulders. Dan Mok Ryeon laughed widely.
The fact that she was handling her father’s work meant Gyeon Wi Un had been practically appointed as his successor.
“You came to visit the family despite being so busy?”
“I am your aunt, so welcoming you back after you’ve completed such a long journey is surely my duty, is it not?”
Gyeon Wi Un spoke composedly, yet a note of excitement could be detected in her voice.
Who could have imagined that her younger brother would succeed so thoroughly, so magnificently?
“But, Dan Mok Ryeon, about that Clear Lotus Water of yours. Didn’t you say that medicine doesn’t make people clever?”
Yet could that truly be the case?
At Gyeon Wi Un’s question, Dan Mok Ryeon shook her head with a smile.
“That’s not what it does. It simply clears the mind and reduces fatigue. It allows clever people to fully display their abilities—it doesn’t make someone who’s never opened a book into a Top Graduate.”
“I see… that must be it. But I simply cannot bring myself to believe it.”
“Uncle Gyeon Wi Hak would have achieved Top Graduate status even without Clear Lotus Water. I was simply fortunate enough to benefit from being nearby.”
At Dan Mok Ryeon’s composed words, Gyeon Wi Un finally collected herself, took a deep breath, and slowly drew out her abacus.
“Yes, I must calculate that ‘benefit.'”
Before departing for Yangzhou, Dan Mok Ryeon had advised Gyeon Wi Un to adjust sales volume until the results of the Regional Exam and Imperial Exam were announced.
Had Gyeon Wi Hak failed the Regional Exam, the Clear Lotus Water sales would surely have suffered; Gyeon Wi Un would have wanted to sell as much as possible beforehand, but she honored the producer’s wishes and held back only the minimum quantity in reserve.
‘Blast it… I should have just held back everything like Dan Mok Ryeon said.’
Top Graduate status… and not just any exam, but Samwon—achieving Top Graduate in the Provincial Examination, Regional Exam, and Imperial Exam all three!

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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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