NOVEL NEXT I Will Raise It as the Best Family in the World
Chapter 31
“Brother.”
Namgoong Hwi, who had finished breakfast in the guest hall, called for Jegal Dam. “Yeah.” Jegal Dam took a sip of tea and answered calmly. “Now, tell me.” “What are you talking about?” “The real reason you came here, to the Seol Family. Not that nonsense about coming here because of some mushrooms—no one would believe that. Do you think I don’t know you? There must be a reason, surely.” “Your words are harsh.” “Does it seem like things won’t get harsh? You’re not someone who would move without your escort, leaving just a single letter behind.” “Isn’t Yang Escort with me?” Jegal Dam answered, looking at Yang Cheolwoo who was standing next to him. “Phew. Don’t change the subject.” Namgoong Hwi, as if feeling frustrated, drank the remaining tea in one gulp. “Yeah, you should know too. It seems we’ll have to stay a few more days.” “How many more days are you staying?” Namgoong Hwi asked in surprise, but Jegal Dam simply continued speaking. “Long ago, in the state of Qi, which was the dominant power at the time, there was a man named Sun Mu.” Jegal Dam’s story, which never seemed to explain things easily, began. “Sun Mu? Are you referring to the Sun Tzu of the Art of War?” “Yeah, that’s right, the Sage Sun Tzu. Although he was born in Qi, he felt that he couldn’t achieve his great ambitions there.” “I see.” “So, he looked for a place where he could fulfill his ambitions and took notice of the small state of Wu.” “A small country over a great country?” Namgoong Hwi was gradually getting engrossed in the story. “Sun Mu personally presented a military strategy manual to the King of Wu.” “He would have immediately become a general of Wu. Sun Tzu became famous as a great general of Wu.” Jegal Dam slightly raised the corners of his mouth at Namgoong Hwi’s words. It was cute to hear his younger brother say something so proud. “No, the King of Wu didn’t do that.” “Why?” “He wanted to see if Sun Mu was truly a talent. He summoned him to the palace and had 180 palace maids and 2 concubines on standby.” “Palace maids and concubines? Why?” “It was a test. King Wu instructed Sun Mu to conduct military training with the women according to the strategy manual.” “Ah, what a clever method.” “Sun Mu appointed the 2 concubines as commanders and began the training.” “I don’t think it went well.” “Yeah, you’re right. The women who had spent their entire lives in the palace viewed military training as a game. As a result, they didn’t follow General Sun Mu’s instructions properly.” “So what happened?” “An impatient guy. Sun Mu said it was his own fault for not establishing proper military discipline.” “As expected, he is a great general.” “So he explained the training procedures again and warned them. He said that if they didn’t follow it properly from now on, he would punish them according to military law.” Namgoong Hwi’s eyes sparkled as he listened to Jegal Dam’s story. It seemed he was intrigued by the topic of military discipline. “But this time, it didn’t work out properly.” “Ah. Even though he established military law, that’s how it was.” “So, Sun Mu decided to execute the 2 concubines he had appointed as commanders. According to military law, the responsibility for troops who don’t follow the general’s orders falls on the commanders themselves.” “The concubines… are being executed?” “Sun Mu drew his sword and held it to the necks of the concubine commanders. The terrified King Wu stopped him.” “Well, it could be because it was training.” However, Jegal Dam shook his head and said firmly. “That’s not what’s important.” “Then what’s important?” “At first, King Wu intended to test Sun Mu. However, the situation changed completely… Sun Mu, citing the military discipline that the general’s orders are more important than the king’s during wartime, ultimately executed the concubines.” Jegal Dam’s grip tightened on the teacup. “This is because Sun Mu wanted to see what kind of choice the King of Wu would make.” Jegal Dam clenched his teeth as he continued to speak. “Yeah. The one testing and the one being tested had swapped places… I thought such things only happened in old tales.” Recalling the conversation with Woonyeong, Jegal Dam clenched his teeth. “…To dare challenge someone like Jegal Dam.” Jegal Dam’s visit to the Seol Family wasn’t for a trivial reason. The first reason was the mystery surrounding the Seol Family, and the second was the hidden martial arts secrets mentioned in Woonyeong’s letter. He wanted to verify the reason for Woonyeong’s letter, but instead, he was reprimanded for his seemingly trivial actions. He was embarrassed, but since he had found his way, he thought that was enough. Even so, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been tested by the child. It was also true that he was frustrated by both the doubts about Seol Woonyeong and the suspicions directed at himself. “Brother, what is that…” Namgoong Hwi was taken aback by the fierce aura emanating from Jegal Dam. “Oh my. This foolish older brother has shown a pitiful side.” Jegal Dam, who had calmed down, apologized with a calm face. “It’s difficult to understand what Brother’s saying.” “Yeah. My explanation was insufficient.” Jegal Dam’s eyes sank coldly. “I received a letter. It seemed like a joke, but the content was interesting.” “What was it?” “It was related to a secret of the martial world. Although it seemed like a prank, there was something logical about it, so I wanted to investigate it myself.” “Is the Seol Family involved with the martial world?” “No, that’s not it.” Jegal Dam took a deep breath and continued. “The person who sent me the letter was a daughter of the Seol Family.” “Yes? Young Miss Seol?” “Yeah. Take a look at this.” Jegal Dam took out the letter and handed it to Namgoong Hwi. He also shared the content of the letter and the conversation with Woonyeong. After hearing the explanation, Namgoong Hwi’s expression turned cold as he began to speak. “Brother, you see people too kindly.” “…What… are you talking about?” Jegal Dam was momentarily at a loss for words at Namgoong Hwi’s unexpected comment. Jegal Dam only sees people kindly? Does that mean he sees his younger brother that way? “Isn’t it just a fabrication? The Young Miss must have exaggerated things to impress you. The Young Miss is quite bold.” “No…” “Isn’t it just wordplay? It’s merely a song sung by children. I don’t think this is right, Brother.” Namgoong Hwi continued speaking with a hint of anger, while Jegal Dam just looked at Namgoong Hwi. He explained the contents of the letter, but it seemed like he had concluded that it was a joke. Whether it was due to the Namgoong family’s bloodline or not, once Namgoong Hwi made a judgment, he was someone who rarely changed his mind. He wasn’t wrong either. Moreover, wasn’t it because he had not yet had a proper conversation with Woonyeong, and she was only just ten years old? From the perspective of someone hearing about it, Namgoong Hwi’s judgment might seem reasonable. Indeed, if Jegal Dam had not spoken directly with Woonyeong, he probably wouldn’t have believed it either. It seemed that only Jegal Dam sensed something that connected the content of the song with the current state of the martial world. “I thought well of the daughter of the merchant family for practicing martial arts. But she’s just a spoiled girl, isn’t she?” “That’s…” “Brother, that’s the problem.” “What do you mean?” “Not everyone thinks as deeply as you do, brother. You don’t realize that.” No, how could Jegal Dam not know that? Jegal Dam experienced an unusual moment of being at a loss for words. “Thinking that the girl was testing Brother might be a result of overthinking on your part. Just think about it simply.” Namgoong Hwi continued speaking as if his thoughts were right. “Does she have the capacity to test the great Young Master of the Jegal family? Just trust this little brother. I will give her a harsh lesson so that she will never think of doing something like this again.” “Yeah…” Jegal Dam nodded and answered. He was surprised by Namgoong Hwi’s momentum. The original plan was to investigate the Seol Family and Woonyeong, with the intention of seeking Namgoong Hwi’s help. The reason for looking from a different perspective was that it helps in understanding the essence of the matter. However, seeing Namgoong Hwi’s reaction, it seemed likely that there would be a conflict with Woonyeong in some way. That wasn’t bad either. It would provide an opportunity to observe Woonyeong’s reaction when clashing with others. “Young Master, so what happened to Sun Mu?” After Namgoong Hwi left to train, the escort, Yang Cheolwoo, asked. “Are you curious?” “You stopped talking there, but is there anyone who isn’t curious?” Jegal Dam’s gaze turned toward the door through where Namgoong Hwi had left. “Ahem. I am curious.” “The training conducted after executing the concubines was highly successful.” “It must have been like that because people were dying right before their eyes.” “That’s right. Sun Mu told the king, ‘Now, they are excellent soldiers capable of executing any command from the king.’” “The military discipline was properly instilled.” “Sun Mu proved the correctness of his military manual through the training.” “Didn’t he execute the concubines as punishment?” “That was the result of Sun Mu’s test. He assessed the potential of a future ruler. The King of Wu and Sun Mu tested each other, and ultimately, the Wu Kingdom became a great power under the leadership of the King who appointed Sun Wu.” “That’s a good ending.” “Is that so?” Even when Jegal Dam read it in books, he believed it was the right path. However, “Wouldn’t it have been okay to cut off Sun Mu’s head…?” Jegal Dam muttered quietly. “Yes? What did you say?” “Nothing.” “You mentioned that the Young Master and Young Miss Seol tested and recognized each other. What happens next?” At Yang Cheolwoo’s words, Jegal Dam’s beautiful brows furrowed.
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