Chapter 61
Part 11. Rumors Heard and Schemes Afoot
From a certain day onward, a rumor began to circulate through the Luoyang Sword Clan.
“I heard a rumor that the First Young Master is ending his seclusion. Have you heard anything about it?”
At one servant’s words, another servant dug at his ear.
“What kind of nonsense is that? That Swordless—”
“Hey, watch your mouth. This is the main road.”
They were servants waiting on the main road for the elders’ meeting to end.
“Ahem. Anyway, if he doesn’t remain in seclusion, what is he planning to do? Go wandering through the murim or something?”
Another servant, who had been listening with interest, joined in.
“I heard he had no talent for martial arts from the start, and no will to take up a sword either, so the Grand Patriarch ordered him into seclusion.”
The servants whispered among themselves.
“Isn’t that why he stayed cooped up in his room even when his father collapsed?”
“Well, he may have had resentment, but as the first young master of a clan, he should have stepped forward all the more at a time like that.”
“The Grand Patriarch must have seen through him long ago.”
“True. That must be why he was placed in seclusion at such a young age.”
One grizzled servant clicked his tongue.
“In the old days, there were endless rumors that he was sharp and brilliant. I wonder what happened to him…”
A younger servant snorted.
“Maybe all of that was just nonsense.”
Another servant chimed in as well.
“If he had truly been that exceptional, would the Grand Patriarch have put him in seclusion in the first place? There must have been a reason.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“More importantly, does that mean the Grand Patriarch gave his permission?”
“True. If he did not permit it, the First Young Master would not be able to end his seclusion as he pleased.”
Just then, the main gate opened, and people dressed in silk poured out.
The conversation ended as if it had never happened.
The waiting servants each hurriedly found the elders they served and followed after them.
The elderly scholars moved along with busy steps, conversing as they went.
“Have you heard the rumor?”
“I heard it secretly from someone, and it seems almost certain rather than a mere rumor.”
“I hear his first move will be the business he is promoting with the Fourth Young Master this time.”
“Hm.”
They looked around cautiously and continued speaking in low voices.
“Does that mean ‘he’ gave permission?”
By “he,” they meant the Grand Patriarch.
“If that rumor is true, then it must mean he and the highest operations council of the main clan made the decision.”
“Indeed. Otherwise, there is no way he could end his seclusion on his own.”
“Then is that why the First Young Master could not break his seclusion even when he collapsed?”
“Ha, things will be noisy for a while.”
“Even if he steps forward now, isn’t he already too late to become the young patriarch? I simply cannot understand it.”
The men conversing came to a stop.
They and the servants following behind them all bowed their heads deeply at once.
It was because a procession of high-ranking figures was passing in front of them.
“You heard it, did you not?”
“Of course, I heard.”
They stroked their beards and exchanged words in grave voices.
“This is certain to bring a fierce storm.”
“The First Young Master is breaking his seclusion at a time like this? I cannot even guess what will happen from now on.”
Their complexions were dark.
“What is the mood like in that faction?”
“What is there to say? Even the rumor alone has already left everyone utterly panicked, as if their souls have flown from their bodies.”
“It is the same in our faction. Those who remember what the First Young Master was like in the past have no idea what to do.”
They repeatedly cleared their throats and shook their heads.
“If the rumor is true, I cannot understand what judgment led the Grand Patriarch to release the First Young Master from seclusion at this point…”
“Surely the highest operations council is not trying to handle matters as they please?”
“Hm. How could they? Though the Grand Patriarch has shut himself away, his eyes are still very much open.”
“True. The highest operations council has served him excellently since the Grand Patriarch collapsed.”
“In the past ten years, the main clan has undergone unprecedented growth. No one can say they have no merit in that.”
Everyone nodded.
“…Besides, nothing has been firmly decided yet, has it?”
“Indeed. You are right. At times like this, we must not be swayed by a mere rumor.”
He clicked his tongue.
“Does that not show just how deeply the shadow left behind by the First Young Master in the past still remains in the main clan?”
“Even though it has been almost ten years since he entered seclusion, he still has this much presence…”
“…No matter how people call him Swordless and whatnot now, those who know, know.”
They all agreed in heavy silence.
At that moment, the steps of the attendants leading them from the front came to a halt.
“The elders of the main clan are passing through! Everyone, clear the way!”
“The elders are passing through!”
The attendants repeated the announcement and all bowed their heads deeply.
The high-ranking officials also stopped walking and bowed their heads respectfully in greeting.
A group of elders walked among armed guards and subordinates.
If this had been any other clan, they would have been people who could ride in sedan chairs or carriages as they pleased.
But this was the Luoyang Sword Clan, where the spirit of martial valor still lived.
According to the strict family laws, unless there was a special reason, everyone had to walk on their own two feet.
‘This damned mess. Why is the First Young Master suddenly causing trouble now, of all times?’
‘Ha. If I knew what thoughts were turning inside that devil’s head and how, would I be serving as an elder of the Sword Clan? I would be serving as a chancellor in the imperial palace.’
They exchanged words through the method of transmitting sound directly into the ear.
The elders without internal energy each received help from the warriors closest to them.
‘He said that we had only just succeeded in making the derogatory title Swordless familiar to the public, and that this has become troublesome.’
‘Rather than that, should we not at least try to hold him back?’
‘Who will? You? That is Yeon Sang-hyeon! Our opponent is that devil, Yeon Sang-hyeon!’
‘Everyone, please calm yourselves. Is this not still nothing more than a rumor without any substance?’
‘He said that no evidence has yet been found anywhere that the rumor is true, and that the only confirmed fact, at most, is that he is participating as a mere advisor in the Fourth Young Master’s business.’
‘The unconscious clan head could not possibly have withdrawn the order.’
‘Nor does the highest operations council, currently acting in place of the clan head, have any reason to make such a decision.’
The elders belonging to the highest ranks knew well that the highest operations council was running the Luoyang Sword Clan in place of the unconscious Grand Patriarch.
‘You know nothing!’
An old elder flew into a rage.
‘If a mere rumor spreads this quickly before it even has time to become distorted, then it is undoubtedly that devil’s scheme! Why does no one understand that?! Or are you all pretending not to know?!’
‘There are certainly signs of that, but he said it is too early to conclude that this is the First Young Master’s scheme.’
‘What ability would a man shut away in his room have to carry out such a large-scale operation?’
‘I personally suspect the Fourth Young Master’s side.’
‘He said that side is more convincing than the First Young Master, who is still in seclusion.’
‘In that case…’
The old elder cut into someone’s sound transmission.
‘Seclusion?! Well said. Do you know why the clan head placed that devil of a man in seclusion in the first place?’
As his emotions grew rougher, even his sound transmission became uneven.
“It was because that monstrous genius was behind that horrific bloody incident!”
‘Is that not merely a rumor?’
The old elder beat his chest in frustration.
‘Too many people died back then! Far too many died!’
A distinct fear could be felt in his sound transmission.
‘Other than that, was there any other reason the clan head would have ordered that man into seclusion at the time?! Was there?!’
Someone clicked his tongue.
‘Nothing has been officially revealed yet regarding the reason for the seclusion order. Do not jump to conclusions.’
‘Were there not also rumors at the time of discord between the clan head and the First Young Master? I understand there are other fairly credible theories as well.’
‘What?! Are you saying I am the sort of person who believes in mere rumors?!’
‘Then do you have any evidence?’
‘Evidence?! I am the evidence!’
‘He said you should all calm down.’
‘You can tell me to calm down because you were either outside the main clan at the time, or because you were not among the highest ranks then.’
The old elder’s face trembled.
‘You people know absolutely nothing about that man!’
When even vulgar language came out, everyone frowned.
‘I will withdraw from this gathering for now! From this point on, do not contact me about anything related to this gathering ever again!’
Together with the old elder, a group of people assisting him broke away from the procession and went their own way.
The remaining elders glanced at them.
‘That cowardly old man. No matter how exceptional he was, he was only a seventeen-year-old child. And yet he is so frightened.’
‘Is he not an old man who barely survived that bloody incident? He still has not escaped the shock.’
‘In any case, he said this is a time when countermeasures are needed.’
‘The first thing we must do is find out who spread this rumor.’
***
“It does not matter who spread it.”
Elder Yeom spoke to the staff members who had been leaning over their chairs, engaged in a heated debate.
“After all, everything is likely proceeding according to the First Young Master’s intentions.”
At his words, the room, which had been thrown into chaos by debate, fell silent.
Not all of them seemed convinced, but since it was their elder speaking, they accepted it for the moment.
One staff member carefully opened his mouth.
“Then how should we respond?”
It was a roundabout way of asking what he would do about treating his daughter.
Because of the rumor that the First Young Master was breaking his seclusion, it had become even more difficult for Elder Yeom, who belonged to the neutral faction, to have his daughter treated.
“For now, all of you withdraw. I will make my judgment soon.”
The people filling Elder Yeom’s office flowed out like a wave.
Once they had all left, Elder Yeom rubbed his own neck.
“…Damn it, First Young Master. The back of my neck still feels cold, and now you are starting to strangle me?”
It felt as though Yeon Sang-hyeon, whom he had seen in the slums that day, was smiling at him.
“…This is driving me mad.”
Starting as a mere warrior and rising to the position of elder, his stage had almost always been outside the clan.
Because of that, he did not know much about Yeon Sang-hyeon of the past, or Yeon Sang-hyeon during his seclusion.
But perhaps precisely because of that, he was accepting the Yeon Sang-hyeon he had personally met without any prejudice.
“What in the world are you aiming for?”
***
“You are saying such a rumor is circulating inside the Luoyang Sword Clan?!”
Sea, the Pavilion Master of Hyeonwol Pavilion, removed the long pipe from her lips and exhaled smoke.
“That is correct. I personally confirmed it several times through my sources within the Sword Clan.”
The client who had come to buy information wiped the cold sweat running down his face.
“I came to confirm information about the business being pursued by the Fourth Young Master of the Sword Clan, but I unexpectedly obtained major information.”
He clicked his tongue in admiration.
“As expected of Hyeonwol Pavilion. It is always satisfying enough that the money never feels wasted.”
“Hehe, you flatter us. However…”
Sema crossed one leg over the other.
“I also happen to have extremely important information related to the business the Fourth Young Master is currently promoting…”
“Is that so?!”
The client, his eyes growing as round as saucers, half rose from his chair.
“However, this is not rumor. It is all verified fact.”
A deep smile formed on her lips.
“It is a little expensive, but would you like to make the purchase?”