The Best of Shandong (3)
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
The voice snapped Song Hwarin back to reality. It was Suran, her bodyguard, who had spoken.
“Nothing important.”
Song Hwarin set down the cup of tea she had been about to drink. It had long since gone cold.
She had been thinking about Byeok Lidan.
“There’s nothing as fickle as people.”
He seemed like a completely different person when he was drunk and causing a scene compared to when he said those words.
Song Hwarin shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.
“He’s just a spoiled brat living off his parents.”
Suran had a good idea of who her mistress was trying to forget.
“I heard Young Master Byeok has been training in martial arts lately.”
“Martial arts training?”
“Yes. It’s so unprecedented that even the Byeok family is surprised.”
“At this point? Isn’t it a bit late for that?”
“I think he’s trying to impress you, miss.”
Song Hwarin thought of Byeok Lidan again. If she recalled his cold demeanor at their last meeting…
“He didn’t seem interested in impressing me at all.”
“That’s impossible. No man would act that way.”
Song Hwarin blushed, and Suran quickly apologized.
“Sorry, my mouth got ahead of me.”
Knowing Suran’s straightforward, almost masculine nature, Song Hwarin didn’t scold her.
“Everyone has different tastes.”
“But not you, miss.”
Continuing the conversation would only lead to more flattery about her looks, so Song Hwarin just laughed it off.
“By the way, there’s a gathering of the young masters today.”
“Do I have to go?”
“Yes, you must. Young Master Yang from Yangso Bang has sent several messages requesting your presence. As you know, Yangso Bang is…”
“Enough. I’ll go.”
“Sorry, I’ll prepare for your outing.”
As Suran was about to leave the room, Song Hwarin suddenly asked, “Do you think people can change easily?”
“Not easily, but… I think they can change.”
“Why do you think that?”
Suran smiled. “Because you’ve changed a lot, miss.”
Yes, she had. She was a completely different person from before her training.
At least in that regard, Byeok Lidan was right.
Song Hwarin smiled. “Let’s get ready. Let’s go.”
In the past, she would never have gone to an event she didn’t want to attend. But now, she could smile through unpleasant tasks. She had changed and would not fear change in the future.
“I will never become stagnant.”
It had been a while since I visited the inn in the marketplace.
I was there to hear any news about myself, but there was still nothing.
Why was the announcement taking so long?
I wanted to rush to the main headquarters of the Martial Alliance and ask Galsaryang why things were moving so slowly. Was something wrong?
Lost in thought, a group of young people entered the inn.
Among them was Song Hwarin. She was impossible to miss.
“Oh?”
She recognized me and stopped. Her companions naturally halted as well. Their expressions were not friendly. They clearly disapproved of me, which spoke volumes about my relationship with them.
I glanced at her briefly before turning my gaze to the window.
It was only a fleeting moment, but it was enough to irritate someone.
A man standing next to her swaggered over to me.
His expensive clothes, gaudy gold accessories, overly ornate sword sheath, condescending eyes, and smirk all revealed plenty about him.
“So, you survived after all? You look fine.”
He acted like he knew me well, but I had no idea who he was. When I didn’t respond, his smirk widened, probably thinking I was putting on a brave front for Song Hwarin.
“Training in martial arts, are you? To beat me?”
I figured he might try to provoke me further, so I coldly replied, “Martial arts aren’t for beating people. They’re for dealing with those you want to kill.”
My eyes must have conveyed a different intensity than usual, as he flinched. Annoyed at his own reaction, he spat out a retort.
“I heard you cried like a baby when Miss Song slapped you.”
Song Hwarin, standing a little distance away, frowned slightly.
“I never said that.”
“Do you need to say it? Why, does he bother you?”
“Not at all!”
Her expression was clear: both I and this man were irritating her.
Whether he realized it or not, he continued his taunts.
“Debt-ridden fool, your eyes are really annoying today.”
Debt-ridden? Had I borrowed money from him? I’d have to ask Gwangdu later.
In any case, I had no intention of clashing with him, so I stood up.
“Stop glaring at people!”
I ignored his obvious provocation aimed at impressing Song Hwarin. I had no intention of wasting my energy on immature brats. I didn’t know why I had been reincarnated as Byeok Lidan, but it certainly wasn’t to engage in such pointless antics.
Judging by the demeanor and attire of the young people with Song Hwarin, they were all from local influential families or martial sects.
Be careful, you fools. The most dangerous person in this world stands beside you. Do you even realize she’s more terrifying than the demons of the dark sects?
I once told young martial artists at a drinking party during my time as a leader, “Even if she’s not a femme fatale, her beauty will lead you to your doom.”
It was a joke, but not really. Most murders in this world involved money, women, or both. And the more beautiful the woman, the more deadly the danger.
With her level of beauty, the danger was catastrophic.
As I passed by, neither she nor I spared each other a glance.
The next afternoon, I had a new encounter.
As I crossed the training grounds, a middle-aged martial artist approached me.
“Young Master Byeok, I’ve heard you’re training in martial arts these days. Is it true?”
I knew who he was.
Seo Joong.
He was the head of the sword division in our family. I had only heard about him from Gwangdu and hadn’t spoken to him before.
“Yes, it’s true.”
Even without my answer, he could probably sense the change in my eyes and body.
But the mess I had made of my life before was too great for a few days of change to earn praise or encouragement.
“Do you know that because of your past actions, not only the head of the family but the entire family is struggling?”
His sharp eyes held not just criticism but genuine concern.
“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
I responded to sincerity with sincerity, bowing my head respectfully.
Seo Joong seemed taken aback, likely due to my uncharacteristic response.
It would take time. Not just for Seo Joong, but for everyone who knew Byeok Lidan.
“I’ll be watching you.”
As he turned to leave, I asked, “But what did you mean when you said the entire family is struggling because of me?”
Seo Joong’s expression hardened.
“Do you really not know?”
“No, I don’t.”
I didn’t press further. There was no need to provoke him for an answer. There was someone who could teach me what I didn’t know.
The person who knew more than anyone about what I didn’t know was busy cleaning the garden.
“Why the fuss so late?”
Cleaning was usually done early in the morning. But Gwangdu was making a fuss about cleaning late in the afternoon.
“I got word that Leader Yang is coming.”
“Leader Yang?”
“Do you really not remember anything?”
“No.”
He always looked at me with suspicion, but he believed I had lost my memory. Otherwise, he wouldn’t bother explaining things every time.
“Leader Yang Gicheol of Yangso Bang. Yangso Bang is the largest faction in Shandong. We used to be the best.”
According to Gwangdu, there were over twenty martial sects in Shandong, and our Byeok family was once the top.
The problem was that it was a past glory. Now, Yangso Bang was number one, Song family was number two, and our family had fallen out of the top ten.
“Why did we fall so far?”
Gwangdu echoed what Seo Joong had said.
“You’re not asking because you don’t know, are you?”
I had a hunch.
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?”
“A lot of money was spent cleaning up the messes you made, Young Master. As finances became tight, we had to reduce the number of martial artists.”
“Did we incur debt because of that?”
“Of course. We owe money to several places, but I know we borrowed a large sum from Yangso Bang.”
I described the man I had seen at the inn yesterday, just in case. It turned out he was Yang Gicheol’s son, Yang Gikang.
Now I understood. Why that man had called me a debtor at the inn yesterday. Why he had been so arrogant.
“How much debt do we have?”