The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 2

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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 Youngest Son of the Nakhyang Jin Family – Chapter 63

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The Nakhyang Jin Family was bustling from early morning.
The moment the tightly sealed main gate swung open, an endless stream of people began flowing inside.
Their numbers were so great that it was difficult to count at a glance.
The spacious courtyard filled with well-wishers coming to celebrate the family patriarch’s birthday in what seemed like an instant.
Servants and maids moved busily, carrying wine and food, while the Jin Family’s high-ranking members circulated throughout, exchanging greetings.
However, my father was nowhere to be found.
Since no important figures arrived at this early hour, he was attending to other matters.
Instead, I was greeting the early arrivals and exchanging pleasantries with them.
“Haha, Cheon-u! It’s been so long!”
“It’s been a while, Uncle. Good to see you.”
My uncle approached with a bright smile.
My father’s younger brother, he currently oversaw the Unryong Inn in Beijing.
He also played an important role in relations with the imperial court.
I smiled warmly and guided him to his seat.
With my older brother and sister still away, I had taken on all these duties alone—an annoying situation indeed.
But I couldn’t let it show on my face, so I simply smiled.
“Come now, pay your respects. This is Eunuch Ga.”
Though I introduced him simply as Eunuch Ga, among the current Twelve Eunuchs, there was only one who bore the surname Ga.
The Grand Eunuch who oversaw all eunuchs.
I concealed my discomfort and took a subtle breath.
“I didn’t expect the Grand Administrator to grace us with his presence. I am Jin Cheon-u, the young master of the Jin Family. It is an honor to meet you.”
“Hohoho— How delightful to finally meet you. So you are the dragon I’ve heard so much about.”
Grand Administrator Ga Inhoo.
He wielded such influence that he was called the second most powerful figure in the imperial court. Judging by how he had received the emperor’s favor for decades, one could gauge just how formidable his abilities were.
As a result, he had a tendency to undertake any task for the emperor without hesitation. It was this very Ga Inhoo who now commanded those pursuing Chaeseoha from the imperial court.
I had memories of seeing his face before.
I distinctly recalled seeing him leave with my father and uncle around noon after exchanging a few words with my father.
I bowed lightly to both men.
“Father will arrive shortly. Please, enjoy your seats for now.”
“Hohoho— Thank you.”
“Haha, see you in a moment.”
I bowed lightly to my uncle and passed by. Looking at that repulsive face, I suppressed the urge to draw my blade.
Not now.
Wait.
Don’t ruin a good day with a foul mood.
After composing myself, I made a circuit of the courtyard, exchanging greetings. Since I was dealing with more than just one or two people, exhaustion had already set in after merely a couple of hours.
Is that why?
My mother, who had been observing the situation from a distance, quietly approached and tapped my shoulder with a gesture.
“Go rest for a while. I’ll take over from here.”
“Thank you.”
“Hehe—hang in there. After all, this won’t end in just one day.”
“I’m… doing my best.”
Though this happened every year and should have been familiar by now, entertaining a persistently bothersome guest was never easy.
I steadied my breathing and headed toward my quarters.
Mother would greet visitors for about another hour, and then Father would make his appearance, so there seemed to be no need for further concern.
Phew…
As I let out a long sigh and settled into my seat, Chu Hyeongi came running from somewhere.
“Young Master, I’ve brought everything you asked for. But why is there so much? Old Man Geum’s face looks like a corpse, a corpse.”
“Everything has its use. More importantly, how is Master Ak?”
“He’s already having a drink with Baek the Overseer. Both of them love alcohol, so they’re getting along splendidly.”
Chu Hyeongi grinned widely.
He seemed to be in good spirits, having escaped Ak Gu-cheon’s grasp for once. Moreover, Father’s birthday celebration was not ending in just one day.
Today was for enjoyment, and starting tomorrow, important guests would visit one by one to pay their respects, so he would be free from my grip for at least two days.
I turned my gaze away with such thoughts.
“By the way, have you learned the martial arts reasonably well?”
“Your master’s techniques, you mean? Well, I’m not perfect yet, but I’m getting more comfortable with them. I’m learning quickly so I can be of help to you soon.”
Thump thump—
Chu Hyeongi struck his chest, displaying his confidence.
Whether he had grown accustomed to Ak Gu-cheon’s torment or was delighted because his skills were improving day by day, I couldn’t say.
But he certainly seemed much more at ease than before.
I nodded.
“Don’t work. Just stay there.”
“Huh? Stay there, you mean that place from earlier?”
“Yes.”
The atmosphere was incredibly tense there… You want me to stay there?”
He had gone to deliver the masks, so he must have witnessed and felt the atmosphere of the An Family Mansion with his own eyes.
The word “tense” couldn’t even fully capture it, so from Chu Hyeongi’s perspective, he wouldn’t want to go there.
“But there’s so much delicious food here… and the atmosphere is nice. Why would you…”
“Just stay there. By the way, what is Chaeseoha doing there?”
“She was playing while pulling weeds from the courtyard.”
If Chaeseoha was pulling them, they wouldn’t be ordinary weeds.
She must be gathering medicinal herbs.
Come to think of it, I recall Grandfather saying that a place like the An Family Mansion should have such things, and he had planted quite a few medicinal herbs here and there.
It would naturally be a treasure trove of medicine for her.
I smiled and rose from my seat.
“Young Master, a guest has arrived… A young master from the Paeng and Eon families. What should we do?”
At that moment, a voice called out from outside.
The gatekeeper, who would normally turn away someone from a martial arts sect, had apparently rushed over to inform me that a visitor had mentioned my name.
It had to be Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo.
“I’m going out.”
“Yes, understood.”
I rose from my seat and glanced at Chu Hyeongi.
He was staring at me blankly.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Ah, you’re really going?! The atmosphere there is….”
“Go on… wait there. I’ve already given orders to Yang Jachun, so just move with them.”
“Ah… yes, yes, I understand. You really are too much sometimes, I’m telling you. Oh, and this!”
Chu Hyeongi turned away with a sigh and pulled something from his robes.
It was an intricately crafted mask fashioned after a demon—a Yaksha, to be precise.
I accepted it.
“It’s called the Demon King’s Mask, or so they say. Old Man Geum asked me to give it to you if you were going to wear one. Something about the Demon King and all that?”
“Ha, how splendid.”
I nodded and tucked the mask into my robes before leaving the room.
Though the annex was quieter than other places, there were so many people that a cacophony of noise drifted from afar.
As time passed, the crowd would only grow, and by nightfall, the Nakhyang Jin Family compound would be completely packed.
Such an atmosphere was only possible because we were a martial arts family, different from ordinary merchant houses.
I walked toward the main gate, listening to the ambient noise.
My gaze never stopped moving.
I naturally observed the appearance of those around me, searching for anyone who might stand out.
Fortunately, I recognized no familiar faces.
When I reached the front gate, I saw familiar figures standing with anxious expressions.
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo.
Their hands were full of what appeared to be gifts.
Since they couldn’t bring porters, I surmised they had brought only the most precious items they could carry.
“My apologies. Have you been waiting long?”
“Oh- Young Master Jin! Waiting? We just arrived ourselves.”
“Hehe, that’s right. Ah! And how have you been?”
“It’s good to see you, Miss Eon. And you’ve been well, Paeng? It hasn’t been long, but….”
“Of course. What’s there to tell about us? Drawing swords and swinging them around is our daily routine. Haha.”
“Then I’m relieved. Ah- come inside without further delay. I’ve prepared a place for you.”
I guided the two of them inside.
It was one of the finest spots in the courtyard, so around their seats would sit not only merchants but also imperial officials and high-ranking nobles.
Moreover, it was close to where my father would soon be seated.
Had they noticed this?
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo’s eyes widened like lanterns.
Though their eyes gleamed with barely contained delight, they seemed unable to show it openly, instead awkwardly clearing their throats as they scrambled to compose themselves.
As a result, all eyes turned toward us.
The gazes made it clear they were wondering who we were to sit in such a place.
Such attention would only serve to elevate the standing of these two men further.
However, there was another reason I had seated them here.
They were closest to my parents’ position, so if any unexpected trouble arose, they could serve as a shield, however briefly.
These were men who already desired to be viewed favorably by the Nakhyang Jin Family.
If I could place them in a position where they might owe the Jin Family a debt, they seemed the type who would spare no effort to repay it.
I let out a quiet chuckle.
“Then please, enjoy yourselves for a while. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take care of them and return.”
“Haha, this is something I experience every year, so take your time. We’ll be fine without you.”
Paeng Dohan and Eon Garyeo smiled with genuine pleasure.
Looking around the hall, there were many people who would interest them.
Since there was hardly anyone present who couldn’t benefit these three families in some way, they seemed intent on building connections now and meeting with me and my father later.
I nodded and rose from my seat.
“Well then…”
Everything was prepared.
Now it was time to cast the fishing line.

* * *

The sun had set and the moon had risen.
Thanks to the clear weather, the moonlight shone with a crystalline brilliance.
The number of passersby had dwindled, and soon I could barely hear any signs of human presence.
In such a place, a group of figures dressed in black had gathered.

The Yeongsal Corps.

Excluding the ten squads believed to be at the Nakhyang Jin Family and the seven squads under the Interim Commander, everyone had gathered in one place.
With numbers exceeding a hundred, the aura emanating from them was extraordinarily sharp and piercing.
It was incomparable to the ten squads.
Sa Gong-chun, taking in such warriors with his eyes, narrowed his gaze.
“Today is the day.”
I had confirmed that Jin Cheon-u possessed the Jade Orb, and the day appointed by the Commander for the operation was drawing near.
Though my heart yearned to move sooner, the Commander’s orders held meaning in specifying this particular date.
So I waited with patience.
Sa Gong-chun turned his gaze toward the first squad.
“The Jade Orb?”
“Jin Cheon-u still possesses it. The man who was conducting business outside is currently returning to the Sega.”
“Escort and location?”
“There is no escort. As for location, if one were to head from here toward the Jin Family, the path is one they cannot help but traverse.”
At those words, Sa Gong-chun’s expression grew peculiar.
He left Luoyang City without escort on such a day and met with someone?
The situation was difficult to comprehend, and suspicion only deepened.
“Do you know who he met?”
“According to our investigation, it was the man who served as chief steward under Hong Gu-hyeon. They were quite close since childhood.”
“I see.”
Sa Gong-chun nodded.
His father’s birthday celebration was underway—perhaps he went to share his thoughts? The boy’s movements were somewhat irksome, unpredictable as they were, yet this did not alter our objective.
First, recover the Jade Orb and strike the Nakhyang Jin Family.
That is the Yeongsal Corps’ goal.
‘But…’
“Commander? Is something troubling you?”
Then, the voice of the Deputy Commander reached my ears.
Sa Gong-chun, who had been sinking into deeper thought, regained his composure and looked toward him.
In that instant, I perceived the blazing eyes of the assembled warriors.
Their gazes shone like sharp blades, brimming with confidence and the resolve to see this through without fail.
Beyond that, there lay an urgency—a desire to begin at once.
Seeing such subordinates, the sprouting anxiety gradually dissipated.
Thanks to them, Sa Gong-chun ceased his deliberation and steeled his resolve.
“Let us go.”
Whatever awaited, with the entire Yeongsal Corps mobilized, failure was impossible.
The shadow of death began to move.
Unaware that deep darkness was closing in upon them.

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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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