NOVEL NEXT I Will Raise It as the Best Family in the World
Chapter 24
“Sogyo. Why on earth…?”
Woonyeong was startled and rushed over to Sogyo, who was kneeling on the floor. “No, why are you doing this? Get up, get up.” Woonyeong pulled on Sogyo’s arm, trying to help her stand up. However, Sogyo only bowed her head even lower. “No, Young Miss, I failed to contact you in advance. Please forgive me…” “No, it’s not your fault. Phew, I’m tired.” As Woonyeong applied pressure with her small arm and spoke, Sogyo reluctantly straightened her knees and stood up. “Sogyo, please take a seat for now. Nanny, could you go to the guest house and take care of the guests? And take Hyangah with you.” “Yes.” In order to have a quiet conversation with Sogyo, it was necessary to send the nanny and Hyangah out. The fact that the guest had arrived and that they had to look after them was a good excuse. “Uhm. Also, please ask if I can meet with the Young Master of Jegal later. Prepare a seat in the guest hall’s main room. And, do we have Huangshan Maofeng tea?” “Huangshan Maofeng is a precious tea, but… we should have it.” “Then prepare the tea with that.” “Yes, Young Miss.” Despite tilting her head at Woonyeong’s detailed instructions, the Nanny responded readily. “And, um, ask Head Cook Wang if there are any good fresh fish available, and tell him to send the fresh ones to the guest hall.” “Yes?” “That person likes fish dishes. He has a disgustingly picky taste, but he does eat fish…” Woonyeong, who had been speaking quickly, suddenly stopped as the atmosphere around her changed abruptly. Nanny and Sogyo were looking at Woonyeong with surprised expressions. Perhaps it was because she was facing Jegal Dam, but she suddenly remembered that he used to eat fish well. “No, I think I heard it somewhere. Who did I hear it from? Was it Hyangah? Well, fish is quite tasty. Haha.” Woonyeong laughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, Nanny, please take care of it. The Head of the Household Wi will handle it well, but still, since it’s a… precious guest.” Woonyeong mentioned the precious guest with a slight pout. “Yes, Young Miss. Then I will go now.” “Yeah. Please take care of it, Nanny.” “Phew, it’s nothing, Young Miss, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of it.” As she watched Nanny leave the room, Woonyeong let out a small sigh. ‘Phew, I really need to be careful from now on. But wait, did he actually like fish?’ Once again, Woonyeong felt the weight of the years she had spent as the Flower-Faced Sword Demon. She knew very well that Jegal Dam liked Huangshan Maofeng tea. – It’s Huangshan Maofeng. IMy aunt sent it to me. Isn’t the aroma really exquisite? Yes, it was impossible not to know. The tea that Jegal Dam always praised for its aroma and served was Huangshan Maofeng. She even scolded him for drinking such precious tea during the war with the Heavenly Palace brat. But Woonyeong also knew. General Jegal Dam was working harder than anyone else and he was fighting a bloody war. – Tea that has such a transparent and clear golden color is very rare. It’s a really good tea that doesn’t leave a trace in the tea bowl even after steeping it overnight. The time he spent drinking a cup of tea was also his only moment of rest. As the number of times they shared tea increased, Woonyeong also came to enjoy Huangshan Maofeng. ‘Fish… well, it seems like he always ate fish.’ Without realizing it, Woonyeong knew even the small details. That was new to her. “Young Miss, this…” Once the presence of the nanny had completely disappeared, Sogyo took an envelope out of her pocket and handed it to Woonyeong. “Oh, right. Did you receive this at the Ten Thousand Gold Coins Bank?” “Yes. That’s right.” Woonyeong opened the envelope and checked it inside. It was filled with numerous weapon purchase notes. It was enough to buy a couple of large manors in Wuhan, where housing prices were expensive. Woonyeong wasn’t particularly surprised by the enormous sum. She calmly slipped the notes back into the envelope and asked Sogyo a question. “Nothing dangerous happened?” “Yes. Nothing special happened.” “Is that so? Well, that’s a relief, but… hmm.” As Woonyeong momentarily paused, lost in thought, Sogyo blew air through her mouth. She stayed in Wuhan for two more days as per Woonyeong’s orders, but nothing happened. “By any chance, did you meet the Young Master of Jegal before going to the Ten Thousand Gold Coins Bank?” “Yes. That was the case. I thought sending a letter first was more important…” If they had known that Sogyo met Jegal Dam, that might have been possible. Wuhan, where the Murim Alliance is located, was a place overflowing with people buying and selling all sorts of information. Buying information would have been prioritized over covert surveillance or ambushes. Sogyo thought she was moving quietly, but eyes were everywhere. Including beggars, servants, carriage drivers, pickpockets, porters, and courtesans, as well as unknown eyes. “Hmm. It seems I’ve unintentionally received some help?” “Ah… That’s right…” Although she was a skilled martial artist, it seemed that Sogyo, who had only lived at the Seol Family, was finally beginning to understand Woonyeong’s words. “Since you even traveled with Young Master Jegal, they wouldn’t have been able to follow. They probably didn’t want to cause any trouble.” “I see.” Woonyeong felt once again that the reputation of the Five Great Clans was truly impressive. Such a potentially dangerous situation was resolved so easily. As expected, it was necessary to quickly make the Seol family the best family in the world. “Then, I will start by explaining the matter of the Great Young Master visit.” Sogyo began to explain the circumstances of Jegal Dam’s sudden visit and how she ended up accompanying them to the Seol Family. “There’s no need to explain; I understand.” “Yes?” “If they came so quickly, hmm… he must have sent his escort when you went to the Deng Tian Escort Agency, right?” “Yes? Yes. How did you know… He received the token.” Yang Cheolwoo was someone who Woonyeong also knew well. He was someone she had clashed with more than once in the past. He was the type to constantly lecture Woonyeong about etiquette. Despite being so particular about manners, he was the one who showed the least respect to Woonyeong. ‘I was told to show respect to the General. What an annoying guy. It was the same whether it was the master or the escort.’ However, he was also someone who would carry out any order given by Jegal Dam. “Yeah, and then suddenly, Young Master Jegal showed up at the place where you were staying.” “No, how…” “Well, it’s obvious.” Sogyo was surprised, and Woonyeong shrugged and continued speaking. “It’s my fault for not predicting that Young Master Jegal was in Wuhan. Since you wouldn’t have known anything about it, you wouldn’t have been able to answer his questions.” “Ah…” “Well, I know you wouldn’t answer even if you knew something.” “Young Miss…” Woonyeong looked at Sogyo with a warm gaze. “Young Master Jegal’s request for you to accompany him was probably right before you left Wuhan, it’s impossible for you to refuse.” “Yes, he was waiting in front of the guest house.” “Mhm. Since that was the case, he acted so rudely even after arriving. So, there’s no need to thank him.” “Still, is that okay?” “Well, it doesn’t matter. If he’s Young Master Jegal, so be it. I’m the lady of the Seol family, after all. This is our home, so what can he do? So, it’s fine. Smile, Sogyo.” Woonyeong raised the corners of her mouth, giving a playful smile as she spoke cheerfully. Sogyo seemed to feel all her lingering worries disappear with Woonyeong’s confident attitude. Sogyo also raised the corners of her lips following Woonyeong. Yeah, there was nothing to worry about. This place is the Seol Family. *** Unlike when they met outside, Woonyeong, dressed in court attire, skillfully brewed tea with her small hands. “This is Huangshan Maofeng. It’s a good tea with a refined aroma.” Jegal Dam knew the name of the tea before Woonyeong even started explaining it. It was his favorite tea, so he couldn’t help but know it. A refined aroma… It was a comment that he couldn’t help but nod his head at. Woonyeong, who had pushed a teacup towards Jegal Dam, opened her mouth again. “They say that the color of the tea water is clear, so even if you brew it overnight, there won’t be any traces left in the tea bowl.” “Is this your favorite tea?” “Well…” Woonyeong’s gaze deepened as she trailed off. After a moment, she continued speaking. “It was a tea that my friend… used to like.” At that moment, Jegal Dam read the longing that appeared in Woonyeong’s eyes. Although Woonyeong was looking at him, it seemed as though she was looking very far away. “A friend… I see.” Jegal Dam didn’t speak further and took a sip of the tea. The deep aroma pleased his nose, and the subtle sweetness delighted his tongue. As expected, it was excellent tea. The noisy insides calmed down. “How about we continue this conversation today in the same way as this Huangshan Maofeng tea?” Jegal Dam snorted inwardly. Although Woonyeong had the face of a ten-year-old, there was nothing childlike about her. Not in her words, actions, or even her expression. Moreover, she brought out his favorite tea. This couldn’t have been a coincidence. But he smiled and answered readily. “That doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Clear and transparent, but…” “Leaving no traces.” Woonyeong also curved her eyes and smiled.
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