The Ruler of Darkness

A brief rest time.

Yeon So-hyeon picked up the glass of water in front of him and drank the last remaining sip.

Then he looked at the water pitchers placed on the table in advance.

Those luxurious glass pitchers had long since been emptied.

“Ahem.”

The former clan heads had already finished all the water.

“Hem hem.”

Having engaged in sharp conversation with each other, their throats must have been dry, as they kept coughing hoarsely.

Despite this tightly controlled garden not even having a steward to serve them.

‘This is their true nature.’

If someone went to get water, they would look down on that person as their subordinate.

But if they only brought their own share, they would be seen as selfish, self-centered, and lacking.

So no one went to fetch water.

Yeon So-hyeon inwardly sent a contemptuous sneer toward them as he watched.

***

Yeon So-hyeon brightly smiled on the outside.

“With these selection rights, elders…”

The old devils focused their gazes on Yeon So-hyeon with shining eyes.

“You just have to select the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan as the business operators.”

At those words, everyone made a face as if they had been hit on the head.

Carefully observing their expressions, Yeon So-hyeon continued his explanation.

“Instead of clumsily dominating a powerful clan in Sichuan and Yunnam with this, you will become the benefactors of the two clans that hold more dominion than the Sixteen Clans in each region.”

“That’s right!”

The old devils had already caught the scent with their unique senses.

In that way, they sensibly and experientially realized the picture Yeon So-hyeon had painted.

“That’s a choice no one else could possibly make!”

“Because the monetary gain that can be reaped with that single selection right is truly an enormous sum for most people!”

“But the practical benefit we currently need is not ‘that sort of thing’, but political gain!”

Like a beggar devouring the appetizing food placed in front of him in an instant.

They pounced on the bait Yeon So-hyeon presented and voraciously gobbled it up.

“Good! Excellent! Then this Gongsun Nagang will select the Sichuan Clan with that selection right!”

“No! We’re all thinking the same thing anyway, right? The Eldest Young Master can appropriately distribute those selection rights to the two clans on our behalf!”

Yeon So-hyeon shook his head.

“There’s no need for that.”

“Don’t tell me…?”

At this point, it was natural for anyone, not just the old devils, to realize the way Yeon So-hyeon was maneuvering.

“Yes, the selection rights have already been returned to the two clans that ‘originally entrusted me with those selection rights’.”

Those two clans naturally referred to the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan.

The former clan heads’ gazes turned to the bundle of envelopes Yeon So-hyeon was holding.

“Then those are…?”

Yeon So-hyeon shrugged.

“What’s inside these are indeed real selection rights. It’s just that they have all been used already, so they have expired.”

Yeon So-hyeon distributed the envelopes containing the selection rights to them one by one.

“But they are also necessary as immediate evidence when elders return to your respective main families.”

“….”

The former clan heads shared a peculiar expression as they received the envelopes.

Seeing their state, Yeon So-hyeon inwardly snickered.

And soon, the question Yeon So-hyeon had been waiting for sprang out from one of the former clan heads.

“Alright. It’s been excellent so far. But there are still hidden rocks in these projects, the Central Capital urban development project and the Yangtze waterway expansion maintenance project, which are commonly grouped together as one, aren’t there?”

“Right. The reason this project is currently being delayed is because it hasn’t been resolved in the first place…”

They all nodded.

Even though what Yeon So-hyeon had done for them so far was already enough to flaunt their presence upon returning to their main families.

Now they were in the mood to have him hand over the bundles too.

“That’s right.”

But Yeon So-hyeon, who had been waiting for that question, readily agreed instead.

“The two clans that are at the core of that project are none other than the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan.”

Gongsun Nagang continued Yeon So-hyeon’s words.

“But the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan have been in opposition for hundreds of years.”

“And recently, their opposition has turned hostile, which is precisely this project.”

The Sichuan Clan couldn’t stand the Dali Clan jointly carrying out the project in Central Capital, which belonged to Sichuan’s territory.

And the Dali Clan had already secured a sufficiently large share in Central Capital.

The conflict between the two clans was inevitable.

“That’s right. However…”

Yeon So-hyeon, who had given them a moment to chatter and form a consensus, opened his mouth.

“There is one fact that elders are unaware of.”

Yeon So-hyeon revealed the answer without waiting for a reaction.

“The fact that the Emei Sect has been secretly purchasing a tremendous amount of land along Central Capital and the Yangtze River basin.”

“The Emei Sect?! Those guys who at best only boast about their academy business?”

“It’s not their funds.”

“Then?”

“In fact, the Emei Sect had been ‘representing the Dali Clan’, receiving their funds, and purchasing those lands.”

One former clan head clapped his hands.

“I see! The Sichuan Clan wouldn’t have just watched the Dali Clan meekly buying land!”

It was only after the Emei Sect had sufficiently bought land on behalf of the Dali Clan that their alliance surfaced.

By the time the Sichuan Clan sensed something strange and checked, it was already too late.

“But I heard the Emei Sect, whose power has recently grown, has been showing signs of resisting the Dali Clan’s oppressive control.”

“Legally, the ownership of those lands belonged to the Emei Sect, so the Dali Clan couldn’t put enough strong pressure on them.”

Using that as a pretext, the Emei Sect had been gradually asserting their will while adjusting so as not to completely enrage the Dali Clan.

“So that’s why!”

Their gazes converged on Yeon So-hyeon.

“That’s why the Young Master obtained the Emei Sect’s surrender document in a complicated and cumbersome way!”

“Exactly.”

Yeon So-hyeon unfolded the surrender document.

“The Emei Sect will give up all the land included in each project area and transfer the ownership to the Dali Clan and the Sichuan Clan.”

The demands of Yeon So-hyeon, which had been conveyed to the Emei Sect through the Dali Clan and the Sichuan Clan, were precisely enforced in that letter.

“…The thing the Emei Sect didn’t want to hand over until the very end.”

Among them, who had been momentarily at a loss for words, the one who first realized spoke up.

“So that’s why the Young Master had said that to us. That ‘protecting Daseollang’ was the reason for obtaining the business selection rights.”

A ripple of shock spread through the minds of the old devils who heard those words.

“The provision of a justification…!”

For the Dali Clan, Daseollang served as a very important justification to cut off the Emei Sect, who had begun to get on their nerves, and recover at least half of the shares in the project sites.

Moreover, once the project got rolling, they wouldn’t even regret the shares the Sichuan Clan took.

“Young Master, a moment!”

One former clan head called out to Yeon So-hyeon.

“The Sichuan Clan only received shares in the project sites. But they allowed the Dali Clan to jointly conduct business in their territory? That calculation doesn’t add up.”

“Exactly.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled.

“The Sichuan Clan has been striving to advance into Luoyang, which had been an impregnable fortress until now.”

But it was impossible because the Yakseon Sect, whose business areas overlapped, was a partner of the Luoyang Sword House.

And that was also the reason why the Young Master had to be grateful for the ‘insufficient and little support’ compared to other successors.

“So I decided to secretly provide them with a foundation for that advancement, without the Clan’s knowledge, for their sake.”

All the old devils exclaimed,

“The Valley of Sin!”

That was none other than the joint venture site the Young Master had obtained through his scheme.

The original planned site, Hodu Village, which was only the size of a single village, and the Valley of Sin differed in scale and location conditions.

Enough for the Sichuan Clan to use as an excellent foothold for advancing into Luoyang.

However, this involved deceiving the eyes of the Luoyang Sword House in Luoyang, so it contained too many risks.

It was something the young Young Master, who had not yet greatly proven his abilities, could not do.

Therefore, the Sichuan Clan’s trust in that deal was directed toward the Young Master, who had demonstrated his capabilities and level.

Moreover, the Young Master was also operating a joint venture with the Young Master who carried the Clan’s blood, so wasn’t it the icing on the cake?

Yeon So-hyeon smiled.

“Exactly.”

At that moment, another old devil shouted,

“Still! Still!”

He asked Yeon So-hyeon, spitting,

“But the premise of all that starts with this project being operated ‘normally’!”

“Right. It’s hard to think those two hostile clans will smoothly carry out the project just by starting together.”

Other clans or merchant groups with business rights would be fortunate to just flee from the strife between those two clans.

“Is that also the result of elders’ calculations?”

Yeon So-hyeon gave a meaningful smile.

“That’s why I’ve gathered all of you elders together in one place like this.”

An even brighter smile hung on Yeon So-hyeon’s face than ever before.

“Elders have been appointed as the supervisors of these two projects.”

“…!”

“And therefore.”

Now everyone was blankly staring at Yeon So-hyeon.

“Elders are no longer the ‘benefactors’ of the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan….”

Yeon So-hyeon’s gaze swept over each and every one of them.

“You have become the ‘noble personages’ of all the clans and merchant groups, large and small, that hold the business rights and are just hoping for it to proceed.”

And he added,

“With this, if you return to your main families, you will also become irreplaceable noble personages in the clan.”

The entire group was engulfed in a huge shock.

***

Time passed without a word.

One former clan head, who had been in a daze for a long time, moved his lips.

“…From the beginning, that was the decisive condition that made the Sichuan Clan and the Dali Clan agree to the deal.”

“…It takes at least all the ‘former clan heads’ of the Sixteen Clans to smoothly manage that project.”

And then they realized.

“Then?!”

“The reason the Young Master has been frequenting this Mount North Mang like his own home is…!”

Yeon So-hyeon just gave a deep smile without a word.

“That’s it! That’s why he’s been frequenting the clans on this Mount North Mang like his own home!”

“Only then would we voluntarily gather all together…!”

The result of Yeon So-hyeon’s actions.

The last time they had gathered together was when they resolved the Northern War.

These people, who would never gather unless it was by the Emperor’s order, had gathered ‘voluntarily’ in one place.

If he had tried to gather them in any other way, they would have each calculated, doubted, and been busy preparing, and time would have just passed.

“….”

Time passed as the entire group sank into heavy silence due to the shock.

“Are you here?!”

How much time had passed? A commotion arose from the other side of the garden.

“Ah, you can’t!”

“There was an order not to let anyone enter or exit the garden!”

The voices of the stewards shouting with determination.

“You impertinent ones! Let go of this at once!”

“Do you even know who we are to be doing this?!”

Crash! The sound of something breaking and screams were heard, and then a group of figures barged into the garden.

“Over there!”

After looking around for a moment, they confirmed people gathered in a corner of the garden and ran over in one breath.

They were none other than some blood relatives of the clans who had come to stop the former clan heads.

Searching for the whereabouts of their unknown elders from their respective residences, they had met on the main road.

And seeing the strange sight of the Young Master’s procession surrounded in front of the Gongsun Clan’s residence, they had forcibly intruded.

“Uncle! What are you doing at the Gongsun Clan’s…?!”

The face of the middle-aged man who had run up first completely drained of color.

“What are you doing? Did you find the elders?”

Those who followed, panting belatedly, also froze like stones.

It would have been the same for anyone.

The Sixteen Great Clans of the Imperial Capital.

No less than fifteen of the former clan heads of the Sixteen Great Clans of the Imperial Capital were here in this one place.

“E-elders. What are you… no, why are you here…?”

At the confused voice coming from the side, a member of another clan also screamed as if in disbelief.

“Wh-what the hell is this…?!”

At that moment, Gongsun Nagang stepped forward and said,

“What are you all doing? Seize them all and lock them up in the underground prison.”

As soon as his order fell, the guard warriors, who could not forcibly stop the blood relatives of other Sixteen Clans, restrained them without hesitation.

“What kind of absurd outrage is this?! There will be a huge uproar if the clan head of the main family finds out about this!”

“The Gongsun Clan imprisoning the blood relatives of another clan?! This matter will never be let go easily!”

“It’s no use silencing us! When the story of the former clan heads gathering in one place reaches the Imperial Capital, surely…!”

Their shouts gradually faded away.

“Hmph.”

Gongsun Nagang, who gave a small fake cough, turned to the group.

“Although we unavoidably imprisoned the blood relatives of a few clans, I believe there will be no regrets.”

He grinned.

“Because we are a community of fate riding on the same boat. Isn’t that right?”

Deep smiles hung on the lips of the old devils, just like Gongsun Nagang’s.

“That’s right. Thanks to the Young Master, our interests have come to precisely align.”

“No one among us will deceive or betray in this rough journey.”

“But whoever does so must be prepared for the revenge of the remaining fifteen people.”

“And above all…”

Everyone’s gazes converged and turned to Yeon So-hyeon.

“Decisively, the Eldest Young Master here will mediate between us to prevent friction from arising, won’t he?”

Yeon So-hyeon laughed heartily.

His appearance could be called the embodiment of a good person.

***

But at the same time, Yeon So-hyeon was ridiculing the old devils in his heart.

Mocking them.

In the deepest depths of his eyes, contempt and hatred for them were hidden.

Those emotions were so intense and so explosive that it was simply astonishing how he could even conceal them.

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