Book 14: Chapter 13: Master of the Land of Luoyang

The Luoyang Sword Family, the Third Young Master's camp.

The Strategist Department.

Grand Tactician Zhuge raised his white feather fan to hide his surprised expression and said, his gaze turned toward Namgung Hyeok-cheon, who was savoring the aroma of the tea.

“…Impressive.”

“For you to make the Mount Hua Sect and Wudang Sect declare an alliance in such a short time…” he asked Namgung Hyeok-cheon, since that was a question Grand Tactician Sima also wanted to ask, he also opened his mouth with flashing eyes.

“Just when did you make the preparations?”

“The Strategist Department did not notice it at all in the meantime.”

During that time just as Namgung Hyeok-cheon had kept the grand tacticians of the left and right in check, the grand tacticians of the left and right had also been keeping a close eye on Namgung Hyeok-cheon's movements.

“No matter how great the Strategist Department's intelligence network is, you had no choice but to be unaware.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon smiled from behind his teacup.

“Since it was not I who contacted them.”

“If so…” figures of the caliber of the grand tacticians of the left and right caught onto the situation with just that much.

“…It was the main family of the Namgung Clan contacting them, then.”

“Indeed.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon nodded calmly.

“…As the grand tacticians of the left and right also know, I have restricted drawing in external forces for the sake of this Sword Family in the meantime.”

For the sake of the Sword Family.

Although he said that, in truth, it was not for the Sword Family but because he was reluctant to see his own influence diminish, which no one in this room was unaware of.

“…Indeed.”

“…For this Sword Family will grow chaotic as external forces are added.”

However since they had decided to join hands, it was a story that did not need to be picked at.

“But, now that I have realized the danger of the Eldest Young Master,” he set down his teacup with a click.

“we no longer have the leisure to choose our means.”

The intervention of Mount Hua and Wudang would be a great shock in itself but they were only the beginning.

By no means would they be the last force to intervene in the Sword Family's succession struggle.

Namgung Hyeok-cheon bared his teeth.

“To eliminate that guy from this board, I will mobilize every possible move.”

Although the first move was lost to the Eldest Young Master victory could never be yielded.

'…Even if external forces gain power and this Sword Family is torn to pieces.'

Now, it did not matter.

If he could not obtain everything of the Luoyang Sword Family, rather he had to consume even a torn-up piece.

“…Anyway.”

Grand Tactician Zhuge fluttered his white feather fan.

“Since the Eldest Young Master displayed the Grand Patriarch's martial arts and raised the realm of Elder Peng, who was blocked by a wall, we read what he was aiming for at that point.”

Grand Tactician Sima nodded.

“We conjectured that he was trying to shake the New Martial Alliance by some means to extract the core members.”

“But, with this.”

A twisted smile appeared on Namgung Hyeok-cheon's lips.

“They, too, will properly realize once again which camp is advantageous.”

“Indeed.”

The grand tacticians of the left and right laughed.

“Those who have already betrayed will also be greatly shaken.”

At that time, a subordinate entered and politely presented a note to Namgung Hyeok-cheon.

“Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon.”

“Hmm.”

“……”

When Namgung Hyeok-cheon smiled with satisfaction, Grand Tactician Sima narrowed his eyes, and immediately deduced the contents of the note on the spot.

“Is it the Emei Sect?”

“Indeed.”

At that reply, Grand Tactician Zhuge nodded and opened his mouth.

“With this, we have blocked even the Kongtong Sect from defecting to that side.”

* * *

The Luoyang Sword Family, Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

The grand banquet hall.

“Mount Hua and Wudang…” the distinguished guests were stirring like a storm-tossed sea.

“It seems the Third Young Master's side has firmly made up their mind.”

“It means they want to avoid being defeated without even being able to mobilize their full strength, like what happened to the Second Young Master's side.”

“As expected of the grand tacticians of the left and right.”

Talk such as, “The Namgung Clan is also amazing,” was flowing from all over.

“…The Luoyang Sword Family is the Tengen when it comes to Go.”

“From the perspective of Mount Hua and Wudang, which were pushed behind by the times, they must be trying to regain the glory of those days from within this Sword Family by actively backing the Third Young Master.”

Some even shook their heads in amazement.

“Just imagining how much they have ground their blades all this time makes my flesh crawl. Haha.”

Sharing such conversations the gazes of the distinguished guests glanced repeatedly toward the figures under the 'former' Third Young Master who were present in this place.

“In the first place, my decision did not consider any political advantages or disadvantages.”

The one who reacted first was the Sect Leader of Zhongnan.

“We of Zhongnan have no regrets whatsoever in our decision to offer our sword to the Eldest Young Master.”

His expression was firm, and although his tone was calm, at this, the crowd whispered again upon seeing his appearance, and those among them who raised their voices the loudest although the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect still kept his mouth firmly shut, considering the former Sect Leader of Diancang's usual frivolous personality, the one who was most anxious right now was undoubtedly him.

“……”

Closing his eyes with those last words, he indicated that he would no longer answer questions from his surroundings.

“He claims to have a clear conscience, but he must be anxious.”

“How could he not be?”

“were those of the Third Young Master's faction whose noses had naturally grown high, making decisions alone that could cut off the lifeblood of the great Zhongnan Sect.”

“This is why we said to avoid hasty decisions…” they raised their voices even higher as if wanting him to hear.

“Tsk, tsk.”

“He should have followed the example of the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect.”

“……”

In his appearance, that he was feeling some sense of relief those watching could perceive.

“If only he had taken a little time…” the gazes of the Third Young Master's loyalists shifted to the former Sect Leader of Diancang.

“Now our Third Young Master's side has moved one step closer to the true New Martial Alliance.”

“This event will be recorded as an example showing how dangerous it is when the leader of an organization makes a decision biased by emotions.”

“How is it, Sect Leader?”

“Do you feel a sense of crisis now?”

However for some reason,

“……”

The former Sect Leader of Diancang just stood quietly, not even showing any notable reaction.

* * *

“Mount Hua and Wudang have joined the New Martial Alliance!”

When he first heard that news, the former Sect Leader of Diancang felt even his undergarments grow damp with cold sweat.

“……!”

Even if the names of Mount Hua and Wudang were not what they used to be unlike the other sects that had become subordinate sects of the Luoyang Sword Family or closed their gates, they were those who had steadily increased their influence independently in the new era.

'…Did I reveal that I stood on the Eldest Young Master's side at too early a point?!'

If he had not revealed his betrayal in this place today, his gaze reflexively chased the figure of the Eldest Young Master.

'I could have calculated while observing the atmosphere and situation a bit more…!'

“……!”

And in the midst of the shocked crowd the Eldest Young Master, clearly, was smiling silently at that moment.

“……”

And the moment he saw that expression the former Sect Leader of Diancang as if under some evil spell felt all agitation in his heart vanish,

“……”

And felt his mind sink into a calm tranquility down to the bottom.

* * *

“Heh, heh.”

The old man's laughter was heard immediately after the Third Young Master's loyalists felt something strange in the former Sect Leader of Diancang's expression.

“Apologies for being late, Eldest Young Master.”

At this point, how many people in Luoyang could speak so informally to the Eldest Young Master?

“Who is that…?”

“It is a voice I seem to have heard somewhere…?”

The gazes of the crowd naturally turned toward the entrance of the grand banquet hall where the voice came from.

“Not at all, Elder.”

Yeon So-hyeon, who answered thus, personally welcomed the old man.

At the sight of the scrawny old man sitting in a wheeled chair the crowd was startled.

“That person…?!”

“Elder Gong Ryang, the patriarch of the Gong Family among the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families…?!”

Although no one in that place dared speak it aloud, a single phrase referring to that person commonly rose in everyone's mind.

'Old Demon…!'

A few months ago they clearly remembered the bloody wind that ruthlessly raged in Luoyang due to Gong Ryang.

“Let me introduce him to everyone.”

The Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, introduced Gong Ryang to the crowd.

“This is Elder Gong Ryang, who has been newly appointed to the position of Governor of Luoyang.”

At that introduction the people in the crowd were startled as if struck by lightning.

“Governor of Luoyang?!”

“Elder Gong Ryang has been appointed as the new Governor of Luoyang?!”

However their astonishment did not end there.

“Heh, heh. For this old man whose days are numbered to be able to take on such a heavy responsibility…” Gong Ryang clasped his hands together and bowed to Yeon So-hyeon standing beside him.

“is entirely because the Eldest Young Master personally recommended me to His Majesty the Emperor.”

A heavy shock shook the crowd.

“The story that His Majesty the Emperor chose Elder Gong Ryang, who is famous for his close relationship with the Eldest Young Master, for the position of Governor of Luoyang is…!”

“…Does that mean the relationship between the Eldest Young Master and His Majesty the Emperor, which was rife with speculation, was true?”

“If so…” one of the distinguished guests in the crowd suddenly muttered.

“Doesn't that mean this land of Luoyang is already the Eldest Young Master's?”

While the Third Young Master played a strong hand by boldly drawing in external forces the Eldest Young Master had already firmly planted his flag in the land of Luoyang.

“Taking this opportunity, I have good news to share with the distinguished guests.”

When Gong Ryang opened his mouth everyone shut their mouths and listened to the old man's calm voice.

“The Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family here has succeeded in dramatically transforming the Valley of Sin, one of the Five Evils that had long been a symbol of poverty, in a short period.”

Gong Ryang placed his hand on his chest.

“I, Gong Ryang, was greatly moved by the Eldest Young Master's heart that cares for the starving people and his endless ability that finally revived the Valley of Sin that everyone had given up on. Thus…” Gong Ryang took the Eldest Young Master's hand and raised it together.

“I, having taken office as the Governor of Luoyang, will cooperate closely with the Eldest Young Master here,” and he smiled brightly as he spoke.

“to push forward a grand project to completely regenerate the four remaining slums of the Five Evils in Luoyang.”

“……!”

“……!”

Including the Third Young Master's loyalists everyone gathered in this place could not fail to know what those words meant, for it was an opportunity.

“This is a state project,” the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, added, as if driving a wedge into their speculations.

“and although an enormous budget will naturally be invested, that alone is also insufficient. Therefore…” Gong Ryang picked up the words.

“the path for investment is wide open. However,” the Old Demon's gaze swept across the crowd and stopped in one place.

“it is not open to everyone.”

Looking at the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect, Gong Ryang wore a meaningful smile.

“This project will not only bring monetary profit, but will also be a giant opportunity for those who have not been able to build a decent foundation in Luoyang in the meantime.”

The Eldest Young Master smiled at the Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect, who had already sworn loyalty to him.

“Sect Leader.”

“Yes…!”

“This is the first reward I can give for the reconstruction of Zhongnan.”