The Eldest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Protects Her Family

Han-won hurriedly hung the lantern back up and asked politely.
“Right now there’s no one in the Medical Division. If you don’t mind, may I deliver the letter for you?”
“Yes. It’s more a list of medicinal ingredients than a letter.”
“Ahh, it seems the Divine Physician left something behind in his haste that day. I’ll pass it on as soon as the Medical Division physician returns.”
Han-won approached the Administrator of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the Four Seasons Hall and received the paper.
With a quick glance down at it, Han-won understood what the Administrator meant about it not being a letter. Only the names of ingredients and their quantities were written on the paper.
What surprised him was simply that the Administrator of the Four Seasons Hall had come in person to deliver it.
It seemed he went in and out of the Alliance Leader’s quarters, managing his health directly.
“So it’s true they’re very close.”
But even after handing over the paper, the Administrator did not withdraw.
He gazed at the pavilion for a moment, then asked,
“It seems you’ve brought the courier hawk.”
“Ah, yes.”
Since it was nothing to make an issue of, Han-won answered without attaching much meaning to it.
Turning his body, Zhuge Inhwi smiled.
“It looks lost and uneasy. You’d do well to at least give it some water.”
“Pardon?”
When Han-won failed to understand and asked back, the Administrator showed an unreadable expression and quietly turned away.
When the Administrator disappeared, Han-won shook his head.
“As expected, the Zhuge…”
The Zhuge family’s manner of speaking.
A way of talking that leaves people feeling unsettled.
“If you talked like that in the Tang Clan, you’d get beaten and told to speak so people can understand.”
Clicking his tongue, Han-won felt fortunate he was Tang Han-won and not Zhuge Han-won.
***
“Wow, Wuhan has so many curious things. This street is a first for me too.”
“…”
“Ooh, what’s that pavilion? Why is it all by itself and white like that?”
“…”
“Little Clan Head, no—Hak, let’s go eat that! I’ll pay, so come over here.”
Worked up, Tang Hae-han dragged Tang Hak here and there. Tang Hak followed wherever Tang Hae-han pulled him like a paper doll, but his expression did not brighten.
“Man, amazing. How did they chop the fish this fine? If it were just a bit spicier it would be delicious.”
Before he knew it, Tang Hae-han had gone into a tavern and was happily eating a fish dish.
People were drinking all around, but Tang Hak drank tea.
Regardless of mood, if his father caught him looking sloppy, he felt like he would truly die.
He could see the Clan Head before his eyes, speaking coldly about bringing shame to the clan.
Startled as if he’d seen a ghost, Tang Hak shoved meat into his mouth for no reason.
“Hey, hey, you’ll choke. Eat it with tea.”
Frowning between the brows, Tang Hae-han filled Tang Hak’s teacup.

Just then, laughter sounded from behind them.
“Haha, what’s there for you to regret, brother! The match-up fate just wasn’t good from the start.”
“That’s right. He’s the Clan Head’s second son of the Namgung Clan—of course he’s taken elixirs like Namgung Jin and learned Namgung secret manuals.”
They seemed to be Martial Alliance martial artists.
With a sidelong glance, Tang Hae-han sized them up. They were Pang family martial artists.
But the Pang clansman who had been receiving consolation twisted his face and set down his cup.
“When you think about it, isn’t it unfair? The direct lines start at a different starting line—this isn’t a fair competition.”
“Well, that aspect does exist.”
Everyone nodded, when someone laughed and said,
“Well, it’s not like every direct-line child is outstanding, is it?”
At that, the Pang martial artists snapped their heads around.
A group tipping cups at the next table had intruded into the Pang family’s conversation.
“The Tang Clan direct-line didn’t even make the semifinals, did they? The young hero rose to a place even the direct line couldn’t, so be proud.”
Whether he had stepped in to console or not, the young man at the next table smiled and raised his cup.
Tang Hae-han’s eyes narrowed sharply. Because it was obvious who they meant, he felt a surge of anger.
“Who are these punks?”
Determined to tattle later to the Heukcheon Amgui, Tang Hae-han glared and studied the man’s face—then flinched.
Because a clear, elegant beauty sat beside him. It was Zhuge Cheonyu, whom the Zhuge family head doted on.
“No way, then those punks are Zhuge family?”
At a loss for words, Tang Hae-han let out a hollow laugh.
“Come on—of all people, you lot dare disparage martial prowess?”
Tang Hae-han’s eyes turned triangular.
In terms of strength, the ones proudly last among the Five Great Families were belittling the Tang Clan? If not for formations and stratagems, they were nothing!
The Zhuge family, when looking at the Tang Clan, thought they were nothing without poison and hidden weapons; and the Tang Clan, looking at the Zhuge family, thought they were the sort to get beaten if not for formations and stratagems.
Setting aside whether their martial power was superior or inferior, because both families had specialties outside martial arts, they kept each other in check.
In any case.
They too were members of a great family, and yet taking a swing at another family’s Little Clan Head was crossing a serious line.
When Tang Hae-han stood up, Tang Hak grabbed his hand.
“Sit down, brother.”
“No, their words are foul. Aren’t they foul? Let go of me. I’ll make sure they spend all day tomorrow spewing fire out of their anuses.”
Tang Hae-han, out of habit, slipped into informal speech, then quickly raised it to formal. He was mindful of the great family martial artists over there.
“If you make a scene, the Clan Head will be put in a difficult spot.”
“I’ll do it without leaving a trace, so don’t worry.”
When Tang Hae-han began to pull something from his sleeve, Tang Hak forced him down with strength.
And, uncharacteristically, spoke in a weighty voice.
“Don’t.”
At Tang Hak’s chilly face and voice—something he had never seen—Tang Hae-han froze as he was.
Because all he’d ever seen was the way he sweated trying to stop fights when Tang Hae-han and Tang Sohwa clashed, this resolute attitude felt hard to adjust to.
Tang Hae-han could not rise again and only mouthed silently.
As silence fell, the conversation at the next table sounded all the clearer.
“The mood in the Tang Clan must be the worst. I heard their expectations for the Little Clan Head were high. Didn’t they trumpet that he was the greatest prodigy since the Heukcheon Amgui? And yet, after becoming Little Clan Head he couldn’t even reach the semifinals… there’s no greater disgrace for the Tang Clan.”
“Right. If Pang Yiran, the Little Clan Head, wins next year, won’t he become the only Little Clan Head among the Five Great Families who didn’t win?”
“Ah, that’s nothing special. It might even be a Tang Clan tradition. They say a Tang Little Clan Head has never once won the duel tournament.”
“Not even the Heukcheon Amgui?”
“I heard that as soon as the Heukcheon Amgui learned the clan’s secret manual, she stepped down from the Little Clan Head seat. They say she went wandering the jianghu because she wanted to try out what she’d learned. She spilled so much blood then that she gained the name Heukcheon Amgui, so… would the duel tournament have seemed worth her while.”
A moment of silence descended.
A Pang clansman, cowed, said,
“The Tang Clan martial artists make excuses that during duels they can’t exert their strength for fear of killing the opponent—maybe it’s true.”
“Haha, that’s another story.”
Before long, the Pang and Zhuge martial artists, as if they had shoved their tables together, carried on talking.
“Are other sects any different? Sabers and swords are just as dangerous as hidden weapons. Honestly, when they say if the Heukcheon Amgui had entered the duel tournament the Tang Clan could have produced a winner, doesn’t that mean they themselves acknowledge that the truly outstanding can achieve results in a duel even using hidden weapons?”
“That’s right. The Zhuge young hero speaks truly. The Tang brats always chanted that if the Heukcheon Amgui had entered they’d have had a winner, so they’re acknowledging themselves they lost because they weren’t outstanding.”
Snickering, members of two great families insulted another great family.
When two or more sects gathered, they usually took some other sect as a drinking snack to mock, but being the one gossiped about never felt good.
But Tang Hae-han could not vent his anger.
Because, facing him, Tang Hak’s expression grew darker and darker, leaving him no room to lash out at those punks.
Never having seen the bright Little Clan Head go this stiff, Tang Hae-han didn’t know what to do. Lacking a knack for consolation, he only mouthed silently—and at the moment he was about to suggest they leave—
“If you’re that confident in your skill, then why not face Little Clan Head Tang Hak in real combat.”
At the clear voice, the laughter was crushed.
The very person who had doused the conversation with cold water lifted her cup with a relaxed smile.
Lips reddened by wine soon opened again.
“If it’s as Young Hero Pang says, then because you reached the semifinals that means your skill surpasses the Little Clan Head’s, doesn’t it? If you don’t think the duel’s rules put the Tang Clan at a disadvantage, then ask to set aside all rules and fight.”
“…”
“Why are you silent? You called it the Tang Clan’s excuse—then isn’t it something you can prove yourself?”
“Ah, young lady.”
A Zhuge family martial artist laughed awkwardly and tried to stop Zhuge Cheonyu. But Zhuge Cheonyu, as if to say what’s the problem, pinched one eye.
“Why?”
“I think it would be best if you stopped drinking.”
“Really?”
Zhuge Cheonyu obediently pushed the wine cup aside. Then she turned her head back to the Pang martial artist.
“So when will you hold the duel? I know a good place—if you give the word, I’ll prepare the venue. I’ll also send a letter to the Tang Clan’s Little Clan Head.”
“…Ahem.”
A Pang martial artist cleared his throat.
He radiated discomfort with his whole body, but Zhuge Cheonyu did not back down.
“Are you lacking confidence?”
“Lacking confidence?”
“Because it seems you fear facing the Tang Clan with death on the line.”
“B—because it’s dangerous!”
“Dangerous? If victory is certain, it would be a fight with no need to fear at all, wouldn’t it? What martial artist is afraid to fight without rules against a street child? You can just take the hidden weapons and the sword out of the child’s hands, can’t you?”
“…”
“Of course, if you think those hidden weapons might bury themselves in my eyes or heart, then yes, that would be frightening.”
Zhuge Cheonyu, without thinking, reached for the wine cup and, awkwardly, took hold of the teacup.
“If you don’t have the confidence to fight, don’t so easily slander others.”
With the teacup at her lips, she added,
“Isn’t that light attitude the disgrace of the Pang family?”