The Youngest Son of the Nanyang Jin Family - Chapter 51
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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 112
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Hyang Un-sin was in excellent spirits.
Though he had received assistance from Sa Do-cheon, capturing Jin Ji-yak had granted him the upper hand in negotiations. The Nakhyang Jin Family, recognizing the gravity of the situation, had responded differently than before—they were now willing to negotiate.
The Nakhyang Jin Family, renowned as the wealthiest clan under heaven.
Surrendering imperial business rights would be nothing to them.
Yet the Nakhyang Jin Family was famous for never engaging in unprofitable ventures.
Moreover, since he had stirred up a hornet’s nest—and a particularly vicious one at that—he needed to devise a way to appease them.
For now, Sa Do-cheon’s presence would prevent them from drawing their blades hastily, but the Nakhyang Jin Family would demand something substantial in exchange for tolerating this situation.
The reason they had accepted negotiations surely lay in this very consideration.
Depending on what he offered, the great sword of the Nakhyang Jin Family might descend upon him—or it might not.
He had already given this considerable thought.
Specifically, the business enterprises in this neutral territory.
There were inns, taverns, and various other establishments.
These were places the Nakhyang Jin Family had not yet extended their reach toward, and since the businesses thrived with substantial profits, they seemed sufficient as a gesture of goodwill.
“Father… what if the negotiations fail? The Nakhyang Jin Family won’t simply accept this.”
“There’s no need for such worry. They’ll have no choice but to accept.”
He had captured Jin Ji-yak without inflicting a single wound.
Furthermore, though some of his bodyguards had sustained injuries, he had killed none of them. They would certainly understand that Jin Ji-yak was merely a bargaining chip for negotiations.
This itself demonstrated how desperate the Hyang-un Sega had become.
They would naturally yield.
But what if they refused?
Then there was only one card left to play.
Hyang Un-sin hoped it would not come to that.
Though Nakhyang lay at the heart of Hannam, making Sa Do-cheon’s power unusable there, it was not as though he had no options whatsoever.
From Sa Do-cheon’s perspective, unable to abandon the Hyang-un Sega, he could easily provide anonymous martial masters, and even if that were not possible, there were other methods—assassins and more.
He could even ally with other Segas that harbored ill will toward the Nakhyang Jin Family, obstructing their efforts.
Hyang Un-sin understood that the fate of his Sega rested upon this negotiation, and he was prepared to mobilize every resource at his disposal, whether success or failure awaited.
The Nakhyang Jin Family was not ignorant of this.
Therefore, they would yield. Certainly.
“I’m worried. What if war breaks out with the Nakhyang Jin Family…?”
“Fool! Sa Do-cheon’s power is with us here. If negotiations collapse, we should seize whoever came to negotiate!”
“F-Father?!”
“If even that doesn’t work? We’ll send back Jin Ji-yak’s severed fingers. We’ve already stirred the hornet’s nest beyond recovery—is this the time to consider other matters?”
At those words, his son fell silent, his anxiety evident.
The situation had already progressed beyond the point of no return.
Either both sides would achieve satisfactory results, or one would be completely destroyed.
Hyang Un-sin steadied his breathing and composed himself, then gently opened his mouth as he stroked the head of his trembling son.
“Do not worry. I will surely pass down an intact Hyang-un Sega to you.”
“Yes, I believe you.”
In the end, even his son could only nod in agreement.
His eyes gleamed with trust, as if he believed his father would overcome this crisis no matter what.
“Do you know why the Nakhyang Jin Family has not crumbled for hundreds of years?”
At that moment.
The door creaked open and Jin Ji-yak entered.
The fact that she was allowed to move freely without being bound or confined suggested that they had no intention of harming her.
Rather, this was a deliberate decision to make it appear that way.
Thus she casually opened the Family Head’s door and entered, then furrowed her brow as she regarded Hyang Un-sin.
Hyang Un-sin’s expression darkened at her piercing gaze.
“How disagreeable. I said you were free to move about as you wished, but I am the Family Head of the Hyang-un Sega and this is my residence. Do you think you can simply barge in?”
“Yet you freely seize and confine people, and still manage to say such things.”
“….”
“Shall we return to the subject? Why the Nakhyang Jin Family has remained intact for hundreds of years. Are you not curious?”
“Because of superior skill and cunning, I would imagine.”
“No. That is not it.”
Jin Ji-yak shook her head.
It was certainly true that they possessed superior skill and cunning, as the Family Head said.
But mere skill alone could not sustain them for hundreds of years while controlling the wealth of the Central Plains.
The Central Plains and the martial world were simply not so forgiving.
“It is because we always exceed expectations.”
“Ha, that is quite an amusing tale indeed. Then it seems I too have exceeded the Nakhyang Jin Family’s expectations. Who would attempt to negotiate in such a manner?”
Jin Ji-yak smiled and nodded at Hyang Un-sin’s words.
Just as he said, the Hyang-un Sega was far more audacious than anticipated.
Soon she twirled her fingers through the air as she spoke.
“However, exceeding expectations with expectations—that is precisely what the Nakhyang Jin Family does.”
The moment Hyang Un-sin’s frown deepened at her words.
A commotion arose from outside.
“What is the matter?”
“F-Family Head, someone from the Nakhyang Jin Family has arrived.”
“…Already?!”
Surprise flashed across Hyang Un-sin’s face.
It had been only a few days since he sent the letter proposing another negotiation.
Yet in less than two days since then, they had already arrived here—he had not anticipated this.
Was this not far too swift?
This meant they had been preparing in advance.
He had anticipated at least four days from when the letter was sent, so his astonishment could only deepen.
As Hyang Un-sin glanced at Jin Ji-yak, she let out a soft laugh and shrugged her shoulders.
Then, he subtly pointed toward the door and spoke.
“You’ve already exceeded expectations, haven’t you? Shouldn’t you be heading out?”
At his words, delivered with a grin, Hyang Un-sin closed his eyes tightly.
* * *
The Hyang-un Inn, which had been bustling with guests moments before, now lay silent as a tomb.
All the patrons had been ushered out without exception.
The first floor had become a powder keg waiting to ignite.
Members of the Jinpung Sword Sect stood arrayed around Hyang Un-sin, while behind them, warriors of the Hyang-un Sega pressed forward with threatening momentum.
Directly opposite Hyang Un-sin sat Baek Ja-hyeon.
To either side stood Jang Chuchyeong and Namgung Yeon.
Behind them stood Jin Ji-yak’s bodyguards, now in reasonably good condition.
At a glance, the numbers made any decisive action impossible.
Should a battle erupt here, they could put up a decent fight, but ultimately, it seemed certain that the Nakhyang Jin Family would fall.
Having confirmed his superior position, Hyang Un-sin smiled.
He recognized the man before him.
Baek Ja-hyeon, Chief of the Imperial Guards.
Considering the hierarchy of the Nakhyang Jin Family, the Chief of the Imperial Guards held a rather elevated position.
But could he be the one to conduct negotiations?
He could attend as someone’s bodyguard, but as the principal responsible for leading the negotiations themselves, he was lacking.
He was a warrior, not a merchant, after all.
This was why Hyang Un-sin’s expression grew somewhat peculiar.
“How unexpected. The Chief of the Imperial Guards has come in person.”
“Isn’t this matter grave enough? Setting that aside, your Family Head is being rather excessive. To resort to such barbaric tactics over a mere imperial venture…”
“Mere, you say? It may be trivial to the Nakhyang Jin Family, but not to us. If it’s so worthless that you’d describe it that way, why not hand it over to us instead?”
At words that held no humor, Baek Ja-hyeon snorted.
This was no venture that had fallen into their laps by chance.
It was something the Young Master So had risked his life to obtain in Beijing. No matter how unnecessary it might seem, it was spoils of war brought back by none other than the Young Master himself at the cost of his life—how could they simply surrender it?
Moreover.
“His Majesty himself designated the Nakhyang Jin Family to undertake this task. What are you asking us to do?”
“Haha, is the Chief of the Imperial Guards truly here to negotiate? How truly unexpected. You don’t strike me as the sort to sit at such a table.”
As Hyang Un-sin spoke, his gaze swept rapidly across his surroundings.
First, the two figures standing on either side of Baek Ja-hyeon.
These two appeared to have been brought along to prepare for any contingency.
Possessing considerable skill, they kept their eyes fixed on the members of the Jinpung Sword Sect beside Hyang Un-sin.
They were observing the movements they would make should matters go awry.
He suspected they were either Baek Ja-hyeon’s disciples or perhaps unknown masters of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
The woman in the back, however, was different.
Though her name remained unknown and she wore a veil, her gaze fixed steadily upon him, and her eyes possessed a depth far from ordinary.
Though she showed no signs of having trained in martial arts, she listened intently and concentrated as if refusing to let this moment slip away.
Hyang Un-sin was certain of it.
It was that woman.
The seated Baek Ja-hyeon was a facade, and that woman was the true driving force behind this negotiation.
He reasoned that her youth and her deliberate choice to stand in the background rather than sit—to observe the situation from a broader perspective—were no coincidence.
It was unexpected, certainly.
Yet his eyes could not be deceived.
Hyang Un-sin smiled with a knowing smirk as he regarded the woman, then opened his mouth with a gaze full of certainty.
“Why not take a seat? Negotiations hardly proceed with someone standing in such a position.”
“Pardon? Me?”
Caught off guard by his words, the woman glanced around her surroundings in confusion.
Her startled expression and tone of voice.
Though she acted as though she had no connection to this affair, to Hyang Un-sin’s eyes, it was nothing but deception.
Just as he was about to speak again.
Bang—!
Baek Ja-hyeon struck the table, raising his voice.
“Enough of this nonsense. First, I wish to confirm the safety of the captured servants and the young lady.”
As he unleashed a sharp aura with his words, Hyang Un-sin nodded reluctantly and gestured to those beside him.
The door opened, and Jin Ji-yak, who had been waiting, entered.
She confirmed Baek Ja-hyeon, who had arrived with only a small contingent, then glanced at her own bodyguards standing behind her before relaxing. Soon after, she caught sight of Namgung Yeon and Chaeseoha, and tilted her head in confusion.
“Young Lady! Are you unharmed?”
“Ah—yes, I’m fine. I’ve been eating and drinking without paying for meals or lodging. I can’t even remember the last time in my life I was able to rest so peacefully without thinking about work.”
At her utterly composed voice, Baek Ja-hyeon let out a bitter smile. He had known of her carefree nature, but he never expected it to remain unchanged even in such circumstances.
“However….”
Jin Ji-yak looked around once more, as if searching for someone. But when she could not find them no matter how hard she looked, she furrowed her brow and fixed her gaze on one person.
The one receiving her gaze flinched.
“Jang Chuchyeong.”
“Y-yes?!”
“If you’re here, that means the youngest must be here too, doesn’t it?”
“Ah… well, yes, that’s right.”
Pierced by her sharp words, Jang Chuchyeong could not bring himself to lie and simply nodded.
In that instant, not only Hyang Un-sin but even the warriors of the Hyang-un Sega widened their eyes in shock.
The youngest of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
There was no one in this place who did not know who he was.
None other than the Young Master So of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
Did that mean they had sent the Young Master?
Hyang Un-sin felt the same question arise.
But he swiftly realized that this was no falsehood.
Yes, Baek Ja-hyeon was the finest protective warrior of the Nakhyang Jin Family.
If he served as a bodyguard, his charge had to be either the Family Head or the Young Master.
As Hyang Un-sin’s eyes widened in surprise, Baek Ja-hyeon’s lips curved upward in a subtle smile.
“Come to think of it, I didn’t come here to negotiate with the Family Head. I merely checked on the young lady and her household’s wellbeing… The negotiation will be conducted by Young Master So.”
“…Where is Young Master So? Why is he not present at this meeting?”
“Ah, he said he had somewhere to visit briefly, so he went there.”
“Somewhere to visit? What could possibly be more important than this negotiation?”
Observing Hyang Un-sin’s bewildered expression, Baek Ja-hyeon nodded as if to say he shared the same confusion.
This sentiment was not his alone—Jang Chuchyeong, Chaeseoha, and Namgung Yeon felt the same way.
Moreover, he had gone alone.
Baek Ja-hyeon pressed his fingers to his furrowed brow and took a measured breath.
“Sa Do-cheon.”
“…!”
“He stopped by there briefly, it seems.”
At those words, not only Hyang Un-sin but even the Jinpung Sword Sect members were left speechless in shock.
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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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