“Let’s release the first volume of The Rise of the Tang Family in the Sichuan Tang Family!”
I said while looking at the heaps of The Rise of the Tang Family piled up in a corner.
Wow, that’s a lot. The party from the Tang faction brought an insane amount to show the Tang family. I can’t believe they packed it all up.
Even the traders going back and forth between Korea and China wouldn’t haul this much.
“This contains secrets related to Tang family matters. Only someone from the Guard Unit might catch on to it, but is it really okay to spread it haphazardly?”
The party from the Tang faction asked me with a worried tone.
“With the Tang Geoh incident, it’s just a matter of time before the secret itself is out among the entire Tang family.”
The incident caused by Tang Geoh is on a massive scale. Especially the part where dozens of the Color Demon’s illegitimate children died as part of the experiment is something that can’t be hidden during the inquiries concerning the involved parties.
Regardless of whether outsiders find out about the Color Demon incident, inside the Tang family, news about the incident from over 20 years ago will inevitably circulate.
“Yes. Then, as Master Kang suggested, I’ll try to distribute The Rise of the Tang Family through the members receiving treatment outside. But I have a question.”
The member sounded curious as he looked at me.
“What are you curious about?”
“Why are you only releasing volume one of The Rise of the Tang Family?”
There’s always a reason.
*
“How interesting must it be if the Guard Unit members can only be seen reading that book even while bedridden?”
“The book is called The Rise of the Tang Family? Another gloomy character from the Tang family as the main character, I suppose?”
“They’re saying it’s so popular that it can’t be found in Yichang? It’s just a dirty novel, isn’t it?”
“Have you hit your head? Don’t you know that novels about the Martial Arts World are boring?”
“Well, since I can’t go outside anyway… I might as well read it to kill time.”
The reactions from those who were advised to read The Rise of the Tang Family were mostly similar. Originally, stories about the Martial Arts World weren’t popular and were just seen as nothing more than a sensational novel. There was no way they could have high expectations.
Did people really read The Rise of the Tang Family? Kang Yoon-ho questioned the puzzled members.
Ba-dum. Even in a chaotic battlefield, one seeks entertainment. In the sealed Sichuan Tang Family, turning down The Rise of the Tang Family would be hard.
Under normal circumstances, most would’ve refused if offered The Rise of the Tang Family. But right now, the doors of the Sichuan Tang Family were firmly locked. And the internal situation was like a bloody storm.
Even innocent folks had to hold their breath and look over their shoulders inside, but there’s nothing better than a novel to pass the time.
“A heroic figure risking his life to protect women!”
“If it’s Tang Jung, then the Sichuan’s number one beauty would be impressed!”
“In that moment when nothing was left, a single word made the Color Demon flee! Isn’t that more impressive than Zhuge Liang making Sima Yi retreat with just a guqin?”
Ahem, I need some tissues.
Kang Yoon-ho’s predictions were spot on.
————————
“Where’s volume two? Where’s volume two?”
“Bring us the number one beauty of Hubei!”
“Guard Unit! Did you see the next volume? The next volume features the Sichuan number one beauty too, right? Please tell me it does!”
Countless people from the Tang family flocked to where the Guard Unit members were receiving treatment. So many people converged that the infirmary was bustling like a battlefield.
The Guard Unit members watched this spectacle with dazed faces, but deep inside, they couldn’t help but smile and think it was natural to have such a reaction for The Rise of the Tang Family.
Just as Master Kang planned.
The Tang faction recalled Kang Yoon-ho’s words as they faced the crowd from the Tang family.
“Volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family is with writer Ho Pil.”
“Are you joking? Of course, the writer would have the next volume, but what I’m asking is if the next volume is right here in the Sichuan Tang Family?”
“Of course it is.”
“Quickly, hand it over!”
“Writer Ho Pil has it.”
“Are you hoping that I’d rather have poison instead of medicine in my pills?”
The Tang faction, met with a half-hearted threat by the family members, smiled bitterly as they continued speaking.
“I think you’re misunderstanding because you’re too eager. Writer Ho Pil is here in the Sichuan Tang Family. He’s over at the guest house.”
“The guest house? Isn’t that the place sealed off by the outer guards? How can writer Ho Pil and volume two be there?”
“Yes, writer Ho Pil is detained at the guest house.”
“Why is such a prominent author detained?”
“I don’t know the reason well either. But please return all the first volumes, everyone. Others need to borrow them too.”
The Tang family members, looking bewildered, had to return what little copies of the first volume they had to the Guard Unit.
The Tang faction shrugged to show us they had no other options and began distributing the first volume to those who hadn’t seen it yet.
“No way! Writer Ho Pil is detained! He has volume two!”
“Volume two! Give us volume two!”
“Hey! Have you read volume two? Tell us the contents!”
“Just see for yourselves.”
“Augh!”
In the end, the screams in the infirmary were not from the sick but from people craving the next volume.
“Master Kang. The Rise of the Tang Family is gaining immense popularity within the Tang Family.”
The Tang faction reported to me, unable to hide their smiles.
“It seems so.”
I said while looking at the Tang family members frequently visible outside the window over the past few days. Word about volume two being in the guest house spread quickly.
“Stand back. Entry to the guest house is prohibited.”
“I just need to stop by for a moment. Can’t I just pop in?”
“Only authorized persons may enter.”
“The outer guards need to release the number one beauty of Hubei!”
“The only antidote permitted by the Sichuan Tang Family to forget one’s troubles in this sealed-off situation, no! The only drug allowed by the Sichuan Tang Family is The Rise of the Tang Family! Please allow us in!”
“We want to see volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family!”
This is the Sichuan Tang Family, but it feels like the Da-seo-gak.
The outer guards were busy all day driving away those who came to the guest house.
“There are many people curious about why writer Ho Pil is detained here. It’s a clever trick to direct attention to the fact that we’re detained here by only releasing the first volume within the Tang family.”
“Because other parties besides the Elders’ Council need to know we’re here.”
Only the Tang Family head or the Elders’ Council knew we were detained at the guest house.
I need to turn the tables. And to turn the tables, I must let people know why I’m doing it. If I suddenly show up and turn over the board, people would think I’m crazy.
The Elders’ Council detained the head of the Tang family’s illegitimate child and the poisoned one. The writer Ho Pil is here. Why are they detained? We want to see volume two, but why are they detained?
The curiosity has to keep growing.
“What should we do now?”
“This is just preliminary work. Release the next volume and proceed as planned.”
“I wanted to see volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family! Cough cough!”
“Is it going to be about a night with the number one beauty of Hubei?”
Following Kang Yoon-ho’s orders, volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family began to be released in the Tang Family.
“Come on in! To my deadly space!”
“You’ve seen volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family! It’s supposed to be killer awesome!”
“Triple poison! Who is this writer? What was he thinking?”
“It’s not so simple as drawing a sword; our Tang family has shown that defeating your opponent starts from choosing the battlefield!”
“Why is this Tang Jung leaving behind beauties like these and going on his way?”
“That’s the way of a hero!”
“Isn’t the role of the Sichuan number one beauty too small? The number one beauty of Hubei appeared throughout the entire volume, this is unfair!”
“The number one beauty of Hubei is the mistress.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight right now?”
“Don’t fight! More beauties! More heroic deeds! They say that volume three will feature two sisterly rivaling female heroes… I can’t wait!”
“Mom! When I grow up, I’ll be a hero like Tang Jung!”
“Whoa! What is this person showing my son!”
“Oh! Isn’t that the point? My son should become a person like Tang Jung! The Rise of the Tang Family is the textbook a man from the Tang Family should read, so don’t criticize it!”
“Is that so? Then dear, let’s see if you can be like Tang Jung at night.”
“Dear, I’m sorry! I was wrong!”
It was no surprise that The Rise of the Tang Family, already successful in Yichang, was thriving in the Sichuan Tang Family as well.
What was different from Yichang was that as volume two of The Rise of the Tang Family gained popularity, questionable rumors began to spread.
“Have you heard that rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“They say The Rise of the Tang Family is based on real events.”
“Wait, The Rise of the Tang Family is real?”
“Those kids sacrificed by that Tang Geoh villain. They say they were the Color Demon’s illegitimate children. And the Color Demon is said to appear in here.”
“Was the Color Demon a figure from over 20 years ago? Indeed. So that incident from 20 years ago was that.”
“I thought it was a novel, but now it seems it’s based on truth.”
“Wait a minute, then what about Tang Jung?”
“Who do you think he is?”
“Are you saying Tang Jung is the Tang Family head?”
“It seems The Rise of the Tang Family includes the dark history from 20 years ago.”
“Who on earth is writer Ho Pil? How does he know about this hidden history from 20 years ago that has only recently come to light?”
Amid the rising popularity of The Rise of the Tang Family, curiosity regarding writer Ho Pil within the Sichuan Tang Family grew ever stronger.
*
“The Rise of the Tang Family is so popular that there are hardly any people in the Tang family who haven’t read it.”
“It’s real, and it’s a book containing the reasons why the Tang Family is currently sealed off, so it can’t help but attract attention.”
They aimed for the perfect storm. That’s why faction fiction, fake documentaries, and real-life marketing are so popular.
The biggest topic in the Tang family right now is the Tang Geoh incident.
Under normal circumstances, it might have become popular just moderately, but in the special situation of the Tang Geoh incident and the sealed Sichuan Tang Family, it turned into a novel you’d regret not reading.
“People are curious about who wrote such a story. Can we finally execute our plan?”
The Tang faction said to me with eager faces.
It’s finally time. I nodded and opened my mouth.
“Reveal my true identity.”
Writer Ho Pil, detained in the guest house. The author who wrote the dark history from over 20 years ago.
It’s time for people to know that identity.
*
“Did you hear? Writer Ho Pil is the son of Du Eung-hyang!”
“What? Writer Ho Pil is Du Eung-hyang’s son?”
“Before Tang Jung left, he was in a relationship with Du Eung-hyang. That’s when the child was conceived.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t Tang Jung the Tang Family head? So, are you saying writer Ho Pil is the head’s illegitimate son?”
“Shh! Quiet!”
“Your voice is louder than mine. Wow. So, Tang Jung didn’t take Eung-hyang before the conclusion?”
“I can’t understand it. A man as prominent as the Tang Family head could have ten wives and no one would care. Why did he abandon Eung-hyang?”
“You mean to say that men can have multiple wives, and that’s viewed as a strength, but why’d it happen?”
“Could it be that The Rise of the Tang Family was written to fulfill the grievances of a wronged mother?”
“Perhaps.”
“What will happen to the line of succession then? The deputy head is currently struggling due to his poisoned state, and now an illegitimate child is arriving?”
*
The popularity of The Rise of the Tang Family caused rumors to grow into huge secrets, and these secrets further fueled its popularity.
Within the sealed Sichuan Tang Family. The popularity and rumors surrounding The Rise of the Tang Family spread uncontrollably.
“One of the guards guarding the guest house is my friend, so I found out the reason. Writer Ho Pil’s detention is related to the Color Demon’s illegitimate child issue.”
“Referring to the kids sacrificed by the Color Demon and those killed by Tang Geoh?”
“Exactly. One of those kids is said to be the only one alive. But the Elders’ Council is refusing to treat that child.”
“They’re refusing treatment? Dozens of the Tang Family’s illegitimate children have died! Shouldn’t they save the one child that came into the Tang Family’s arms?”
“I don’t know the details! The more shocking revelation is that they say volume three of The Rise of the Tang Family won’t be released.”
“What?! Why?”
“I’m not sure why, but they say The Rise of the Tang Family was written not to fulfill his mother’s grievances, but to save his poisoned friend. Since his friend is about to die, he has no reason to keep writing.”
“Volume three of The Rise of the Tang Family! Argh!”
“What the Elders’ Council is doing is a mystery!”
“Are the Elders’ Council and that scoundrel Tang Geoh on the same side?”
“I’m not certain they’re on the same side, but they’re definitely in cahoots!”
The major incident caused by the direct line of the Tang family. Discontent against the Elders’ Council, who sealed off the Sichuan Tang Family.
Typically, people would’ve held their breath and waited for the storm to pass, but as they saw the Elders’ Council also held some responsibility, the Tang Family could no longer stand still.
“Give the poisoned child the antidote!”
“Give us volume three of The Rise of the Tang Family!”
“Let writer Ho Pil go!”
“Don’t neglect the child who has come into the Tang Family’s arms!”
*
“When you want to hide something, you should let everyone know instead.”
I chuckled softly as I watched the chaos unfold outside the window.
The Elders’ Council likely thought it was just two illegitimate children. Though there are issues with the line of succession, they saw those two as lacking any backing.
As long as nothing was hidden from the family, they couldn’t directly kill them due to knowing the Tang Family head’s awareness, but by simply leaving them be, they could ensure their demise.
Of course, not all the opinions of the Elders’ Council leaned toward that direction, and they did have a tense tug-of-war over the poisonous substance of the illegitimate children. But that was a fight only among the Elders’ Council members.
To Hua-rin and me, they would have appeared as mere pieces on their board, unable to maneuver freely.
So, how do I become more than a pawn?
“By making their game no longer theirs.”
Everyone discovers that the Tang Family head has an illegitimate child.
The Sichuan Tang Family is the righteous faction. Hua-rin, abandoned 20 years ago along with the number one beauty of Hubei, and Ho Pil, the abandoned child, are all collateral damage inflicted by the Tang Family.
If the illegitimate children gain no attention, they can place them on the board and eliminate them.
But what happens when righteousness and morality, something that must not be ignored in the family, gains popular attention?
Suddenly, the interest of all parties means the board can’t move at their will.
So, Elders’ Council. What will you do now?
“Master Kang! Someone from the Elders’ Council has arrived.”
Yes. Of course, you have to show your face.
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