WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Alyo

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◈ Memoir of a Regressor ◈

Chapter 12: Opportunity

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A huge uproar broke out.

“Where the hell has that bastard Yi Do gone?!”

Yi Se-geuk’s shout echoed throughout the Yi Clan.

Everyone thought the same thing.

Ah, the Third Young Master had changed far too much.

There had to be limits to change. How could someone burn down Cheonhwa Pavilion, such an enormous source of income, simply because they did not like it?

It was no different from deciding to go completely off the rails.

The word madman suited him perfectly.

The General Stewards, who could hardly have felt warmly toward Yi Do after he had brutally killed the Grand Steward and one General Steward not long ago, had even started a betting pool over whether the Third Young Master would be exiled or summarily executed today.

Morning came.

As the sun rose, Yi Do returned.

He was immediately summoned to the Clan Head's Hall.

The General Stewards eagerly waited for the news.

* * *

Bang!

Clan Head Yi Se-geuk slammed his hand on the table.

“If you have a mouth, then speak.”

I tilted my head.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“What? Hah... Did you truly think no one would know what you did last night?!”

Of course not.

I had never intended to hide it.

That was why I had openly ordered Cheonhwa Pavilion burned down in a place filled with so many onlookers.

I answered quietly.

“Are you referring to the matter of burning Cheonhwa Pavilion?”

“Yes. I do not know why you did it, but what you did last night was no different from throwing away an enormous Yi Clan asset. You caused direct losses!”

“Well, I honestly do not understand why you see it that way.”

“...What?”

“According to the contract, Cheonhwa Pavilion belongs not to the Yi Clan, but to me, Yi Do. Why is it the Yi Clan’s property if I wish to do as I please with what is mine?”

“...How dare that mouth of yours...”

“Clan Head.”

“...Speak.”

“Clan rules are principles that collectively determine the direction the clan should take. Decisively suppressing subordinates when they overstep, along with everything else, serves as the foundation that paves the Yi Clan’s path forward. So how can you forcibly take something from one member of the same bloodline and give it to another?”

“...Why do you consider him another? Your eldest brother, Yi Jeong, is your blood brother. Think of it as giving him a gift. Why must you speak so coldly?”

It was ridiculous.

I turned to look at Yi Jeong, whose face was twisted with rage. That bastard usually controlled his expression in formal settings like this, but apparently he could not manage it now. Lady Sang beside him was no different.

“Clan Head, since everyone in the Yi Clan household has gathered here, let me say this. Handing Cheonhwa Pavilion of all places to Eldest Brother over there is like handing fish to a cat. It would all be ruined in the end.”

“...”

“It’s embarrassing to say, but it’s well-known that Eldest Brother impregnated five courtesans. And what kind of courtesans work at Cheonhwa Pavilion? It is a place where only the most beautiful women in Jangnyeong County are gathered, including Jangnyeong’s greatest beauty. You would give such a place to Eldest Brother? How many members of the Yi Clan household were you planning to add?”

“...Shut up!”

Yi Se-geuk had not said that.

Yi Jeong had.

I turned to him.

“Since we’re on the subject, let me ask you plainly. Eldest Brother, have you ever given me anything resembling a gift, even once?”

Yi Jeong’s words caught in his throat. He swallowed.

“Not once. So how can you receive the enormous gift that is Cheonhwa Pavilion and not offer me even a single word of thanks?”

“...Is that why you burned it down?”

“Yes.”

“...You’re insane...”

“If I can’t have it, shouldn’t I destroy it? I won it through my own efforts. It’s my hard-won prize. How could you try to swallow it without paying anything? Did you really think I would just sit back and watch?”

“...”

“Clan Head. No, Father. I sincerely hope this never happens again.”

“...You hope this never happens again?”

“Yes. What a general who returns after earning merit needs is proper reward and recognition. If you give all the credit to someone who made no contribution, disaster is bound to follow.”

“...Are you teaching me now?”

“I’m offering advice.”

Yi Se-geuk was about to shout in fury when the doors to the Clan Head's Hall burst open.

A man stood there, panting as though he had rushed here in great urgency. I did not know who he was, but I could tell he was one of the General Stewards.

Yi Se-geuk barked, “How dare you barge in while a meeting is in progress?!”

The General Steward broke out in a cold sweat.

“I... I have urgent news to report...”

Yi Se-geuk pressed a hand to his forehead as though a headache were coming on.

“Speak. What could possibly be so urgent?”

“...The Sang-un Trading Company was attacked last night.”

Lady Sang and Yi Jeong shot to their feet.

“The large shipment bound for the Yan Kingdom was completely burned, five Hired Escorts were killed, and Meteor Sword Hyeong Jeong-mun has died.”

Everyone was stunned. Lady Sang asked in a trembling voice, “Is... is that true...?”

“Yes. The news arrived just now.”

“...Meteor Sword Hyeong Jeong-mun was a martial artist of our Sang Clan and a master already at the very end of the Twin Sun Manifestation. How could he have died...?”

I had a rough idea.

So that man had been Hyeong Jeong-mun.

Lady Sang’s gaze briefly turned toward me. I looked back at her.

I smiled.

“Do you see? Those with no merit brought this enormous disaster upon themselves by getting greedy for no reason.”

“...”

“Whoever it was, wouldn’t it be best to consider it a warning, considering they merely burned the valuables and killed a few martial artists?”

“Y-You...”

“If it were me, I might let it end with a warning once. But not a second time.”

So many people were in shock. They were not suspecting me so much as they were reeling from the losses suffered by the Sang-un Trading Company.

Perhaps my words did not reach them.

That was fine.

At the very least, Lady Sang and Yi Jeong had heard them loud and clear.

“Father. When will you give me the hundred-year ginseng?”

Yi Se-geuk, still holding his forehead, let out a sigh.

“...I’m looking into it now. I’ll give you a definite answer by tomorrow or the day after.”

That was at least fortunate.

Had even that not been the case, I might have torn the Yi Clan in half today.

I quietly offered a cupped-fist salute.

“Understood. I’m tired after going somewhere last night, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

I turned away.

There was no mirror, but I was probably smiling right then.

To be honest, I did not want to run around dealing with one annoyance after another. If necessity demanded it, I would act, but we were family, after all.

As long as they did not overstep, I could let things go within reason.

Even though I had many bad memories of the past, I could overlook them with a truly generous heart.

That was why I had let it end with a warning.

But there would be no second time.

Then I would have no choice.

I would have to kill them all.

* * *

It was a fundamental question.

Who had carried out the attack?

Some people took Yi Do’s words seriously, but not a single person believed he was responsible.

Then why had they fallen silent with such shocked expressions?

Why were they all in a daze?

The answer was simple.

The large shipment that the Sang-un Trading Company planned to send to the Yan Kingdom had included goods belonging to the Yi Clan.

It had been a rare opportunity.

Its destination was Nanjing in the Jeok Nation.

They planned to first travel to the Yan Kingdom, join forces with the Geumhon Trading Company there, combine their existing goods with the goods acquired by the Geumhon Trading Company, and send them to the [War King] in Nanjing, Jeok Nation.

It was a kind of tribute.

It was also a chance to build a friendly relationship with the War King and expand the trading company even further.

That was why they had prepared so generously.

And now, all those goods had burned away.

There was no need for further explanation.

They had suffered enormous losses, and their future plans were on the verge of collapse.

It was more than enough reason to be overwhelmed by shock.

Yi Se-geuk ordered preparations made, saying he would go to the Sang-un Trading Company at once, then left the Clan Head's Hall.

The elders all departed as well, leaving only two wives and two sons in the hall.

Lady Sang’s mind raced.

“...We will put the plan to hire assassins on hold for now.”

She absolutely did not want to, but she had no choice.

They could not leave any evidence behind.

But killing or sparing Yi Do was not the matter that needed immediate attention. They had to scrape together every bit of money they had and organize another trade caravan to the Yan Kingdom.

If they hired assassins to kill Yi Do at a time like this, it would only make the situation more chaotic, and the aftermath could spread to the Sang-un Trading Company.

The Three Great Clans of Jangnyeong, who already viewed them unfavorably, would not sit quietly either.

Lady Yun said, “Yes, Elder Sister. You’re right. It’s premature to hire assassins. There will be plenty of opportunities anyway.”

Lady Sang gave a strange smile at those words.

That was enough.

“Is what the General Steward said earlier all we know about the intruder?”

Yi Do, who had left early, probably had not heard it, but everyone who had been there had.

The intruder’s face was unknown, but many people had witnessed the intruder leaving the Sang-un Trading Company.

That was the problem.

“Everyone, restrain yourselves for now. And I’ll say it again, we will discuss Yi Do later, so do not act rashly.”

Lady Sang and Yi Jeong then left the Clan Head's Hall.

Silence settled over the hall, where only Lady Yun and Yi Won remained. Neither looked pleased.

This was not because of the attacker.

“...That bitch.”

The words came from Lady Yun.

Yi Won flinched. Still, he could understand Lady Yun’s anger.

Lady Sang had been giving orders as though the Yi Clan already belonged to her.

It was unpleasant enough to stir anger. Yi Jeong, who had been grinning beside her, was no different.

Neither of them sat well with Yi Won.

“Is First Mother going to the Sang-un Trading Company with Eldest Brother?”

Lady Yun nodded.

It was the Sang-un Trading Company’s affair. It was only right for them to go.

Yi Won finally voiced a question that had been weighing on him.

“Mother, what was that about hiring assassins?”

Lady Yun raised a hand to her lips.

“Shh. Someone might hear. Watch your words and actions.”

“...Yes. But please explain. What exactly had you been planning?”

Lady Yun then told Yi Won about what she and Lady Sang had been planning.

“Kill... Yi Do?”

“Yes. Lady Sang planned to hire assassins from the Assassin Fortress to kill him.”

Yet Yi Won’s expression was remarkably strange after hearing that.

It was the expression of someone who had seized an opportunity.

He thought it over again.

Yi Do’s talent was extraordinary.

Kill him? Beyond whether it was possible, was that truly the right thing to do?

They could join hands instead.

For some reason, it felt possible.

Footnotes:

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