Luoyang.
A bustling street near the North Mang Mountain checkpoint.
Elder Kang of the 2nd Young Master’s faction didn’t even have the presence of mind to wipe the sweat trickling down his broad forehead.
“…So, what did you say just now?”
A civil official belonging to a branch bloodline of the Sixteen Clans shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s exactly as I said.”
“So you’re saying the Eldest Young Master is coming and going from the Sixteen Clans as if it’s his own house, without any invitation?”
Pretending not to notice Elder Kang’s eyelids twitching for the sake of maintaining face, the civil official nodded.
“That’s correct. I just returned from confirming that the Sword House’s Eldest Young Master left our clan.”
“…”“Then I’ll be going.”
The civil official politely bid farewell and left the teahouse, scanning his surroundings.
“…”
Having already ceased thinking and deducing on his own, Elder Kang handed the warrior standing by a piece of paper to record the situation.
***
Luoyang Sword House.
2nd Young Master’s Faction, Grand Assembly Hall.
The information delivered by the warriors accumulated steadily, albeit relatively slowly.
And the more information piled up, the quieter the Grand Assembly Hall grew.
“…The eighth clan visit, is it?”
“…Yes.”
“I heard he even dined with the retired clan head at the previous clan?”
“Yes.”
“He went in without any prior appointment and got a free meal?”
“…Yes.”
“Does that make any sense to you?!”
As an elder suddenly lashed out at a scholar, Elder Hahu patted his shoulder.
“For now, let’s set that part aside. We’re continuously investigating the Eldest Young Master’s connections to the Sixteen Clans, so it’s best we focus on what we need to focus on.”
Elder Hahu clapped his hands to draw the attention of those around him.
“Now! Here’s what we need to analyze at this point.”
The gazes of the entire assembly gathered on him.
Pointing to the names of the clans laid out in order on the large table, he spoke.
“We need to analyze the order in which the Eldest Young Master is visiting these clans. If we can analyze this, we’ll be able to grasp what priorities the Eldest Young Master is moving according to.”
Another elder also nodded.
“Indeed. If we analyze the order, we may even be able to speculate how the Eldest Young Master is able to come and go from the clans after the Kong Clan without any invitation.”
Time passed in this manner.
“Information that the Eldest Young Master has entered the tenth clan.”
Leaving behind only those words, the warrior hurriedly vanished from the Grand Assembly Hall.
Because the atmosphere in the Grand Assembly Hall was far too heavy.
“…”
No one, not a single person was speaking.
The Grand Assembly Hall was filled only with the smoke from the scholars’ and elders’ cigarettes.
“Um…”
A scholar cautiously raised his hand.
He was a young scholar who had joined the 2nd Young Master’s Jiangnan faction not long ago.
As everyone’s attention focused on him, he momentarily shrank back.
“Ah, n-never mind.”
Elder Hahu shouted.
“It’s fine! Say whatever it is!”
At those words, the young scholar carefully opened his mouth again.
“We’ve all put our heads together and pondered, but forget guessing the Eldest Young Master’s intentions, all that’s left are analyses that don’t even make sense, no?”
Elder Hahu nodded.
“True. To begin with, before we even guess the Eldest Young Master’s intentions, visiting clans of the Sixteen Clans’ caliber in this absurd order itself doesn’t make sense.”
There existed intricate power dynamics among the clans.
That was why the matter of which clan one visited first was an extremely important issue.
Because these power-oriented aristocratic clans were the sort to sometimes stake everything on their prestige.
Yet currently, the Eldest Young Master was disregarding those power dynamics and barging ahead with his visits.
The young scholar scratched his head.
“Then perhaps… From the beginning, there was no meaning at all to the order?”
“What did you…?”
“I mean, what if the very attempt to find intent in the order is utterly meaningless…?”
What kind of nonsensical remark was that?
“Someone of the Eldest Young Master’s stature moving while ignoring power dynamics without any intent…?”
As everyone’s gazes conveyed their disdain toward him, the young scholar deeply bowed his head.
“…My apologies.”
Just then, a chief scholar who had been lost in thought in the back row abruptly stood up.
“Could it be…?!”
Disregarding whatever looks he received, he dashed to his office and returned with a worn-out piece of paper.
“Everyone, take a look at this!”
The paper he unfolded on the large table was none other than an old map.
“This is…?”
The chief scholar explained.
“This is the work of an unnamed painter depicting North Mang Mountain 150 years ago.”
“Why is that painting relevant now…?”
“The reason this painting was in my office is precisely because of this.”
He pointed with his finger at the ultra-luxurious residential district of North Mang Mountain.
“The painting left by the painter, who was ignorant of the laws at the time, roughly indicates the locations of each clan’s mansion.”
At those words, everyone rushed to the large table to check the order of the Eldest Young Master’s visits on the painting.
“Even if it’s from 150 years ago, the Sixteen Clans have remained unchanged since then, so there shouldn’t be much difference from the current structure.”
Those who couldn’t get close to the painting due to the gathered crowd climbed on others’ shoulders or even stood on tiptoe, struggling to see the painting.
“…This is?!”
The folding fan held in Elder Hahu’s mouth fell to the floor.
The chief scholar who had brought the painting gave a hollow laugh.
“…The rookie’s words were right.”
Another elder grabbed his forehead with his trembling hands.
“To think the order truly had no meaning at all…”
Staggering, Elder Hahu pushed through the gathered throng and plopped down on the chair prepared on the podium.
“…”
His hand habitually rose to his mouth to find the folding fan he had been biting, but that folding fan had fallen to the floor and been trampled and crushed by the surging crowd.
‘It was simply the order of proximity to the entrance?’
The Eldest Young Master was disregarding power dynamics and visiting in the order of proximity to the checkpoint.
The Kong Clan he had visited first was the clan whose entrance was closest to the checkpoint.
Another elder muttered, unable to conceal his trembling voice.
“How…? How is the Eldest Young Master able to do this?”
***
In the past, Yeon So-hyeon’s childhood.
Young Yeon So-hyeon asked.
“I want to help more people not only in Luoyang but throughout the entire Central Plains.”
With an expression of not knowing what to do with the adorableness, his father stroked young Yeon So-hyeon’s head.
“Sure. Sure. Once you grow up a bit more, you’ll be able to do it as much as you want.”
“Sigh…”
Young Yeon So-hyeon shook his head vigorously.
“No. The future is a matter for the future, Father. What I’m asking about is the method at this point in time. Because a more effective and efficient methodology for projecting influence is necessary.”
Young Yeon So-hyeon lowered his head as if asking how he couldn’t know even that.
“Oh, I-I see…”
“The current bureaucratic system of the Central Plains is excessively rigid, and under the vertical chain of command starting from the physically distant Imperial Court, the officials are mired in self-preservation and nepotism, repeatedly engaging in corruption. Nevertheless, if I were to point out the advantage of that vertical and hierarchical chain of command, it would be that when a decision is made at the highest level, it can be implemented uniformly without exception through a system encompassing the entire Central Plains. That is why I seek to borrow the wisdom derived from the monarchical knowledge and generational knowledge of you, Father, who stands at the apex of this vast vertical chain of command called the Sword House…”
“Wait, wait a moment! Alright. I understand. I get what you’re saying.”
The father, who had momentarily treated his eldest son like any other ordinary child, stroked his short beard.
“Uh, umm.”
His eyes wavered incessantly, and cold sweat flowed down his forehead.
What kind of answer should he give to avoid disappointing this genius son and give a splendid answer as a father?
“Umm. Then wouldn’t befriending the most powerful figures in the bureaucracy be the easiest way to convey your intentions?”
Young Yeon So-hyeon’s eyes sparkled.
“The most powerful officials, you say?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
The father hurriedly nodded.
“So for example, the clan heads of the Capital’s Sixteen Clans who defend the Imperial Court…?”
***
Luoyang, North Mang Mountain.
The Capital’s Sixteen Clans, Gongsun Clan.
The main gate opened, and Yeon So-hyeon’s armored horse carriage emerged, boasting of its massive weight.
The steel wheels rolled, emitting fierce noise and sparks, and the two spirit beasts exhaled rough breaths.
The eyes of the butlers watching the ultra-expensive cobblestones being shattered in real-time quivered fiercely.
“Ho-ho. So that’s the rumored Iron Fortress of the Medicine Fairy!”
Nevertheless, the skinny and irritable-looking owner of the mansion didn’t seem to pay any mind to such things.
Finally, the carriage came to a complete halt, and the door opened.
An elegant beauty stepped out first and waited for her master with a graceful demeanor.
“I didn’t expect you to personally come out to the courtyard to welcome me.”
Along with a melodious voice, Yeon So-hyeon, the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House, descended from the carriage.
The sight of his black satin overcoat elegantly fluttering in the spring breeze was impressive.
“Young Master Yeon!”
The old man’s desolate face brightened as if seeing his beloved grandson.
“Isn’t this the first time we’re meeting face to face like this?”
“That’s right. As you said, this is our first in-person meeting.”
The old man, unlike someone from the Capital who valued etiquette as if it were his life, approached Yeon So-hyeon first with a laid-back demeanor.
“…Even seeing you with my own two eyes, I still can’t believe it.”
“Is that so?”
Yeon So-hyeon burst into loud laughter.
“…It’s truly unbelievable.”
The old man’s eyes held half amazement and half bewilderment.
“To think that the person I, Gongsun Nakang, who served closest to two Emperors, had been exchanging letters with since then was such a young child…!”
***
In the past, Yeon So-hyeon’s childhood.
“Father!”
Young Yeon So-hyeon came running.
“Oh my, has our So-hyeon come?”
The father lifted his eldest son with both hands and embraced him.
“Haha, you rascal. What news have you brought today?”
Young Yeon So-hyeon asked his father with a beaming smile.
“I’ve established friendships with the clan heads of the Capital’s Sixteen Clans! What’s the next step now?”
The father’s brightly smiling face froze in place.
“…What did you just say?”
Yeon So-hyeon shouted again.
“I said the stage of forming friendships with the clan heads is complete! So the next stage is…”
“No, wait, wait a moment.”
The father shook his head.
“So-hyeon, you’re saying you’ve formed personal friendships with the clan heads of the Capital’s Sixteen Clans?”
“Yes. Not with all of them yet, but…”
Young Yeon So-hyeon nodded with a puzzled expression.
“…?”
Seeing his father blinking like a cow, Yeon So-hyeon opened the silk pouch he had brought.
“Here are the invitations sent by the clan heads.”
Indeed, inside the silk pouch were invitations stamped with seals that were extraordinary at a glance.
“Father…?”
“Those old monsters sent invitations…?”
With the expression of someone seeing something incomprehensible, the father asked young Yeon So-hyeon.
“How in the world did you do this?”
Young Yeon So-hyeon grinned brightly.
“It wasn’t all that difficult!”
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