A heat that seemed ready to explode surged up from Namgung Gangchang’s chest. As the Grand Elder’s son, there was only one late-stage expert he could not surpass.The Little Clan Head, Namgung Jin.Yet for a moment, he felt that same insurmountable wall from that bastard.To feel such a thing toward that illegitimate whelp—Namgung Gangchang could not accept it. He forced a relaxed smile.“Hey, Namgung Hyun!”Namgung Hyun’s gaze slid over lazily. The clear eyes, cool as if they held the wind off a lake, twisted Gangchang’s face. In an instant he lost his composure and shouted.“Y-you, don’t you dare get any arrogant ideas! They only babbled nonsense because they lack taste.”At those words, the bastard smiled.“You little punk? Why are you laughing?”When Gangchang barked, Namgung Hyun answered in a soft voice.“The fact that you’re repulsive is your fault, not mine.”“What? You—…”“I’m not here because I want to be, so stop making more noise.”Just as Namgung Gangchang was about to pour out curses, Namgung Hyun cut him off.“Once the Clan Head finishes his meal, I’ll be going back at once.”“Oh, back to your room?”Satisfied with the answer, Gangchang let go of his anger. His lips were just beginning to curl up when the Namgung young men, faces drained, sprang to their feet.“Hey, no way!”“Is he insane? Go where! You’re staying here till the end today!”“Someone get a rope! Tie him to the chair!”At their fuss, Namgung Gangchang was about to warn them to behave.A gentle voice bored into his eardrum.“Oh? I see a face new to Namgung.”He looked toward the sound. Warriors of the Hwangbo Clan were standing there. The Hwangbo table was set somewhat apart; it seemed they had not heard the commotion.“Hwangbo lady, you’ve come to the Five-Family Alliance again this year. It’s been a while. Please, sit over here.”A Namgung warrior at the end of the table hurried to show the Hwangbo party to seats.“Shall we? I was just curious to ask who from Namgung is entering the martial contest this year.”The Hwangbo young ladies passed the offered seats and, as if by nature, took the empty places beside Namgung Hyun.Thinking a table not left empty was better, the Namgung warriors smiled and carried on the conversation.“Don’t tell me you’ll enter as well, Hwangbo lady?”“Yes. I’m entering this year.”“Oh, you’re braver than you look.”“Why? Is there some problem?”“I put it off to next year because I heard the Taeguk Sword Sovereign’s direct disciple is participating this year. I don’t fight battles I’ll lose.”At the frank answer, a Hwangbo lady’s lips quirked.“I heard the rumor too, but I decided to enter. I might beat the Taeguk Sword Sovereign’s direct disciple, mightn’t I? You only know which is longer after you measure.”“Haha, of course. A Hwangbo lady like you will surely place very well.”“What’s this, you’re not saying I’ll win?”“Let’s start with a cup first.”The Namgung warrior neatly dodged the answer and filled the Hwangbo lady’s cup.Color began to return to the table again.Namgung Gangchang also quietly put away his sulking look and joined in. The awkward mood vanished quickly, and pleasant talk followed. Then one young lady made a tactless remark.“Mm, why won’t you introduce that person? The others look familiar, but I’m seeing him for the first time.”A Hwangbo lady seated at the far end pressed them to introduce Namgung Hyun.Meeting the gazes gathered on him, Namgung Hyun smiled. The noisy gathering where he could gain nothing irked him, but he could not boorishly show his feelings.“I’m Namgung Hyun. It’s my first time at the Five-Family Alliance, so I’m still awkward and my greeting is late.”“Hyun? I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere.”“If you’re Namgung Hyun, then you’re the Clan Head’s….”The lady who was speaking suddenly covered her mouth.“Heavens! Now that I look, you really do resemble the Little Clan Head, Namgung Jin.”“Ah, so you’re the Little Clan Head’s younger brother.”“Young Hero Namgung Hyun must be quite skilled as well. If you’re direct lineage, you must have learned many interesting arts, yes?”The usually taciturn Hwangbo ladies poured out questions as if they had been waiting. Watching that, Namgung Gangchang’s blood boiled.What on earth do they see in that bastard! What’s so great about that pale face! Do none of you have any damned eyes!Biting his lip, Namgung Gangchang cut into the soft, easy conversation.“Not every direct descendant is taught secret manuals and ascending arts. And when his mother is a lowly courtesan, how can you treat him as the same direct line as the Little Clan Head? Really, how discourteous of you, Hwangbo lady.”A chilly silence fell at once.Anyone with even a little interest in the Namgung Clan knew the Little Clan Head’s younger brother was illegitimate. Yet no one spoke of his birth mother. The Five-Family Alliance was not a place to share cups with intimate friends, but a place for scions to mingle and broaden their connections.Basic courtesy and affectation for the sake of reputation were a given.The faces of the Hwangbo warriors darkened, but Namgung Gangchang was already in a rampage. He was more intent on smearing filth on Namgung Hyun’s face than on saving his own.“Since the Clan Head doesn’t particularly care, you can assume he’ll never learn ascending arts his whole life. Ah, but he does have a knack for calligraphy, so later, working in the martial library, he might get to read a few lines of martial arts.”One Hwangbo lady, gauging the mood, gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject.“Come to think of it, I believe I heard this from my father. His hand was so neat that the Alliance Leader asked the Namgung Clan Head to send the one who ghostwrote his letters to Hahyeon Hall, didn’t he? Could that be you, Young Hero Namgung Hyun?”To save Namgung Hyun’s face, the Hwangbo lady brought up an old rumor that had spread through Wulin.In his youth, Namgung Hyun had often ghostwritten the Clan Head’s letters. The Alliance Leader, taken with his script, had once personally asked the Clan Head to bring him to the Secretariat.In short, every word the Hwangbo lady said was true.And that, once more, got under Namgung Gangchang’s skin. With an exaggerated sigh, he cut in.“Yes, yes, that was a tremendous event. The Clan Head, feeling sorry for this wretch, tried to send him to the main office, but he caused a great disgrace to the clan and it all came to nothing. When you see that the Clan Head didn’t cast him out for being blood, it makes you wonder what blood ties mean.”At the continued spite, the Hwangbo warriors finally twisted their expressions.“What do you mean, what do blood ties mean? For a great clan, blood ties are everything.”“Exactly. Young Hero Namgung Hyun, don’t worry. Opportunities come again.”“Still, I’m curious. Seeing even the one who belittles you admit your script, you must truly have a beautiful hand.”Because things weren’t going the way he wanted, Namgung Gangchang’s poison rose to the brim.Worse, even with so many ladies praising him, that bastard merely smiled instead of showing any delight.That—look at that! A bastard so stuffed he might burst!Fuming, Namgung Gangchang grabbed a bottle and filled his cup. But the bottle was empty.“He’s unbelievable…. You there! Isn’t this bottle empty!”He snapped, looking for a servant to pick on. But the servant managing the table was nowhere in sight. Just then, the servant in charge of the Pang table hurried over with spare wine and tea.“Here it is.”He shot the Tang Clan’s servant a cold look and spoke.“Do you not know it’s basic at such a gathering to keep the dishes from running empty?”“I’m sorry.”“There’s nothing to be sorry for.”Namgung Hyun, who had been quiet all along, opened his mouth.“Since he drains a cup and immediately leaves his seat, there’s a lot of wine wasted. How are the servants to predict even that?”When Namgung Hyun took the servant’s side, Gangchang, glancing between the servant and Hyun, snorted.“Is this your taste?”The servant’s face was the pleasing sort. But she was no outstanding beauty.Born cheap, I suppose that sort of thing might be his taste.This is what you call a difference in discernment.Mocking him inwardly, Namgung Gangchang emptied his cup in one go. His gaze moved as his head tipped back. Seeing the bridge by the pond, he knit his brows.A woman and a man he had never seen before were crossing over this way. Gangchang nudged the follower beside him and asked,“Who are they?”“Well… I’m seeing them for the first time as well. Who could they be?”“Seeing she’s in light green, isn’t she likely Tang Clan? The Tang wear green garments at the Five-Family Alliance, do they not?”It seemed everyone else had been looking that way too; answers came at once.Keeping his eyes fixed on the bridge, Namgung Gangchang filled his cup.“How strange. If Tang had someone like that, there’s no way I wouldn’t know.”Straight shoulders and a long neck, a small face set above—everything in harmony. From birth, she was different from the servants who constantly bowed and hunched their backs.Yes, that was my taste. Befitting the refined taste of this body, unlike Namgung Hyun’s cheap taste—someone beyond compare.Interest lit in Gangchang’s eyes as he took in the woman’s attire and the ornaments in her hair.In contrast to her simple clothes, her ornaments looked precious at a glance. Between the mother-of-pearl inlay, threads of fine silver could be seen. Regardless {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} of the cost of the materials, the craftsmanship was superb. Even the hairpin fixing her side locks was solid gold, densely set with tiny jewels.Having grown up as the Grand Elder’s late-born son, seeing every precious thing, Namgung Gangchang let his lips tilt as he scanned the woman from head to toe.“She must be the daughter of someone who holds quite a high position within the Tang.”Finishing his appraisal, he added her to the list of women it would be fine to be fated with him—when a displeasing line tickled his ear.“Young Hero Namgung Hyun, why are you staring over there so fixedly?”Whip.Namgung Gangchang jerked his head instinctively.Namgung Hyun was staring at the bridge. Worse, he did not deny the Hwangbo lady’s question.

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