The son of the Republic of Korea, the rebel of Joseon, and the bastard of the Sichuan Tang Family.
I’ve never heard the sound of a hero stuck in a corner room, and suddenly, I’ve become the hero with three fathers in this martial arts game. Moreover, I’m even choosing my third father myself, so you could say I’m the perfect Daddy-Chosen hero.
If anyone who knows the Joseon rebel Kang Yoon-ho were to witness this, they’d probably smirk and say, “How nice to have two mothers!”
But it doesn’t matter, since I have no one to tell the truth to anyway.
Here in the Hubei Province, thousands of miles away from Joseon, all of Kang Yoon-ho’s relatives and Hyang-a’s relatives are in the afterlife anyway.
The attic became silent as soon as I claimed to be the only son of the Sichuan Tang Family.
I casually took the Bracelet of Remembrance from the Deputy Medical Official’s hand and slipped it on. The bracelet naturally reflected a soft, subtle light, almost as if it belonged on my wrist all along.
“Hwarin, keep your expression in check.”
Hwarin’s jaw almost dropped in surprise. Hwarin, you really shouldn’t believe me no matter how credible I sound.
As I gazed at the bracelet for a moment, the Deputy Medical Official collected his thoughts and finally spoke.
“… Did you plan all of this?”
Nope. It was just improvisation.
“Haah. You’re the one who caused the situation. If you hadn’t threatened to cut off my hand, I would have never thought about revealing the truth.”
I smiled incredulously at the Deputy Medical Official.
“Then why did you use The Rise of the Tang Family?”
“I already mentioned this. My dear friend Lady Tang. I wanted to save my friend who was born as a bastard child of the family, enduring more suffering than I did.”
“For just such a reason, you planned such a grand family secret…”
All right, all right. Since I’m changing the setup, let me add some reasons too.
“Of course, I thought my father would come running if I brought him into the story. I wanted to see the face of that old man who praised my mother for being cooperative until his mouth dried up.”
“How dare you address the head of the family in such a manner!”
“Well, unfortunately, the cooperative old man my mother spoke of never showed up. Instead, the scoundrel who abandoned her on the cold street over twenty years ago did.”
“… Tsk, your mother’s belly wasn’t bloated over twenty years ago. She was just wearing loose clothing, so I couldn’t tell.”
The Deputy Medical Official frowned as he mentioned the incident of abandoning a pregnant woman, possibly feeling cornered. Seems like he has a conscience after all.
“Are you finally acknowledging that I am the son of the Tang Family Head?”
So now you’re admitting that Hwarin was pregnant over twenty years ago?
“If you had purple hair, I’d believe it. But you have black hair, don’t you?”
In the Sichuan Tang Family, purple hair is a symbol indicating how strongly one carries the blood of the family.
Hwarin, being distantly related and a bastard child, would be easily recognized as a member of the family merely for having purple hair, while I, who carries the blood of the family, remain labeled a barbarian simply because of my black hair?
Let’s not give unnecessary advantages to black-haired folks and not make social perceptions favorable—it has always been a lament.
Thanks to the NTR concept, it’s nice to be able to articulate this logic easily.
“Would you believe this situation if you were in my place?”
Nope, can’t believe it. What can I do? I have all the evidence and information showing I’m the son of the Tang Family Head.
I grinned, like a young tiger that had been waiting for prey for a long time.
“All this evidence points towards me, what does that mean? Of course, I feel deeply sorry that my half-brother is unwell. But doesn’t that mean you should take me with you now?”
In Hyang-a’s diary, it was written that the two had shared their first night together. Hyang-a’s son must have been the eldest son of the Tang Family Head.
“Looking back, what should have been cut off was not my wrist but that cunning tongue of yours. How dare you, a mere bastard, call the deputy head of the Sichuan Tang Family ‘brother’?”
Exactly. In a world where Hong Gil-dong couldn’t call his legitimate older brother ‘brother’ and couldn’t even call his father ‘father’ due to being a bastard, bastards have it worse.
But you know what?
“True, but isn’t this situation quite amusing? If I go to the Sichuan Tang Family now, will the head treat me as a bastard, or will he treat me as the legitimate heir and sole son? I’m genuinely curious. Are you not?”
I spoke confidently, like a young tiger that has finally caught its prey.
“…”
The Deputy Medical Official’s expression darkened at that moment. Yeah, you’re not sure either, are you?
“The family’s secret? The Rise of the Tang Family? Just as you said, I’ll take full responsibility for everything. Go tell them I was the one behind it all. I might as well have a look at the old man who claims to be my father. So, now please, take me there.”
I maintained my confident demeanor while smiling, but he merely gazed back intently, with a dark expression.
———-
“Hand over the Bracelet of Remembrance.”
After a brief silence, that was the Deputy Medical Official’s first demand.
“Why on earth would I hand this over?”
“If you give me the bracelet, I’ll try to smooth over this incident somehow.”
Really? That sounds great. I’d prefer not to clean up after you.
“If you screw it up, someone is definitely coming after my wrist.”
But that won’t do.
“… I will do my best.”
Did the Deputy Medical Official hesitate and then respond as I expected?
“There’s nothing as meaningless as doing your best without results.”
“Even if that happens, I’ll stake my name on it and repay you. You won’t have to worry about food for the rest of your life.”
“Ha! Really? I’m in quite a bit of debt running this tea bookstore.”
I chuckled like a connoisseur enjoying some ridiculous banter.
“I can arrange enough to buy one or two of these buildings.”
Wow! Is the position of Deputy Medical Official so plentiful that he can afford to flex like that?
“Ha! With that, I could live without worrying about money for a lifetime!”
“Are you giving it up?”
“However, the calculations don’t add up.”
“Does that mean it’s not enough for a wrist?”
A wrist is not something for sale! Everything else is too expensive!
I lifted my wrist showing it to the Deputy Medical Official and spoke.
“Hahaha! Of course not. This Bracelet of Remembrance represents the Sichuan Tang Family itself. How can I give up the Sichuan Tang Family?”
In theory, it’s a blank check that could allow me to take over the Sichuan Tang Family—there’s no way I’d exchange that for one or two buildings.
“You scoundrel!”
“Hey, what’s this? Accusing someone of wanting others’ possessions? What blatant hypocrisy.”
“Deputy! Get that bastard’s bracelet! If he resists, feel free to cut off his wrist!”
If you want the bracelet so badly, why don’t you draw your sword yourself? Acting like the head of an organization when you’re overly cautious is just a waste of time.
“What?”
The confused voice of the Deputy Medical Official’s ‘what?’ made the Deputy Medical Official glare at him. Now that I think about it, earlier, the Deputy Medical Official called me ‘Master.’
Unlike the Deputy Medical Official, he must think of me as a bastard.
If I handle this right, maybe an FA negotiation is possible.
‘Should I return to being the Joseon rebel Kang Yoon-ho for old time’s sake?’
After all, making a transfer deal requires guts.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
I quickly approached the baffled Deputy Medical Official and asked, with a cocky attitude.
“What did you just say?”
“Is this brat deaf, or is he just pretending he didn’t hear? Hey! Can’t you discern between right and wrong? I’m the legitimate heir of the great Sichuan Tang Family! What is your name!”
I pointed to the Deputy Medical Official while saying “I” when I spoke in anger, and “you” when I addressed the Deputy Medical Official.
“Taepae, sir.”
The Deputy Medical Official’s voice trembled in surprise.
“Okay, Taepae. How old are you?”
“I’m 30 years old.”
Looks like he’s been through a lot of the winds of society. He seems to be older than expected. By thirty, one should be able to stand firm against any turbulence, but I think I’m going to shake him up quite a bit.
“Okay, thirty-year-old Taepae. Listen closely. If I’m abandoned as a bastard child when I head to the Tang Family, that’s one thing, but looking at the current situation, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen, right? If I become the future master of the Sichuan Tang Family, whose words do you think you should listen to to survive? Mine, the future master’s, or that brat’s?”
“Deputy! Don’t be fooled by his cunning tongue! Draw your sword!”
The Deputy Medical Official looked from me to the Deputy Medical Official, uncertain.
“Taepae! I can see those eyeballs rolling. Listen well.”
I deliberately brought my face closer to Taepae’s to establish dominance.
“What? Four!”
“If my wrist gets chopped off here, I’m going to walk into the Sichuan Tang Family holding it. So what do you think would happen to you? You’d become the one who chopped off the bastard of the family head. No! You’d be the one who chopped off the only son’s wrist!”
Can you picture that? gulp Taepae seems to be picturing that scenario because he swallowed hard.
I smiled at Taepae, who was visibly nervous, and casually clapped my hands.
“Everyone will clap for you! Where? In front of your tombstone! And I’ll make sure to carve a special epitaph: The safe bastard who cut off the son of the Sichuan Tang Family head’s wrist. How’s that as an epitaph? Quite splendid, isn’t it?”
Taepae’s pupils suddenly constricted, and he shook his head left and right rather quickly. Looks like he’s scared.
“You scoundrel!”
“Hey, your Deputy finally pulled his sword in the end.”
“Yoon-ho!”
Hwarin was shocked and stood in between the Deputy Medical Official and me. Hwarin, you’re no match for this! I need to wrap up this transfer deal.
I continued to gaze at Taepae and opened my mouth.
“What’s the motto of the Sichuan Tang Family, Taepae?”
“The Sichuan Tang Family never forgets.”
“Correct! I’m the one who carries the blood of the Sichuan Tang Family the most strongly in this world. I will never forget grievances or favors. But tell me, right now, at this very moment, with that sword at your hip, what will you make sure I never forget?”
I shook my wrist holding the bracelet a few times and then pointed at the Deputy Medical Official.
My wrist and the Deputy Medical Official.
Taepae, what will you choose with that sword?
Taepae’s decision came quickly.
—————–
“Deputy! The Deputy is already finished!”
“You scoundrel! Are you disobeying orders now?”
“Disobeying orders? No, I’m simply stopping you from performing a treasonous act, Deputy! Deputy! The treatment for the Deputy has been delayed for too long. The poison is spreading throughout his body, and he shall soon lose his life. Even if he survives, he’ll become a cripple!”
“That’s not for you to judge!”
“This is precisely NOT for the Deputy to judge!”
Wow, this transfer market is looking good.
The standoff among the Deputy Medical Official, Taepae, and Hwarin has developed into a curious stalemate, resembling a three-way equilibrium that could challenge a tactical division of the heavens.
While the Deputy Medical Official may possess superior skills, in this situation, he’s unsure whether to slay Taepae or draw his own sword.
“The family is already in disarray. If we take this bastard who claims to be the son of the family, the family might split in two!”
“That’s also NOT something for you to judge, Deputy! It’s ONLY the head of the Sichuan Tang Family who has the right to make that call!”
The two men kept arguing as if they were heading towards disaster. If this continues without intervention, someone is bound to spill blood.
And that’s not good.
In this attic stalemate, the key to breaking the deadlock should not be a power struggle among Central Plains folks, but rather an invasion by a barbarian!
Clap clap.
“The current power dynamics and future power dynamics in opposition. Quite a sight to witness.”
I clapped my hands mockingly at the Deputy Medical Official.
“You scoundrel!”
“Wrap it up and come down.”
I walked past the Deputy Medical Official with an indifferent expression, confidently striding towards the attic door. Please don’t swing your sword, that’s terrifying!
Thankfully, the Deputy Medical Official stared blankly at the scene.
“What are you scheming now?”
I’m scheming to stay alive.
“Unless you’re planning to kill us all, the outcome has already been decided. If I leave now, everything you’ve done in this room will be forgotten cleanly. Ah! But I will not forget the Sichuan Tang Family.”
Taepae stepped to my side.
Even if a sword was drawn, the Deputy Medical Official wouldn’t leave this place alive. My story would be told then, and he wouldn’t be able to escape from his anger.
From the moment Taepae sided with me, the situation was already concluded.
“Ugh…”
It’s nice that a middle-aged detective understands quickly. I turned around as I opened the attic door.
“Taepae!”
“Uh? Four!”
“I will remember you. You’ve earned an additional 10 points.”
I pointed my finger towards Taepae’s eyelid.
“Ha! Thank you!”
Taepae smiled at this, then approached me alongside Hwarin, ignoring the Deputy Medical Official entirely.
The Deputy Medical Official glared at them, annoyed.
“Now that things are winding down, let’s head down!”
I took the lead as their representative, stepping first onto the staircase of the attic.
‘Though I can breathe a sigh of relief, there’s no turning back now.’
Kang Yoon-ho, the bastard child of the Sichuan Tang Family. No matter what happens now, I must continue to play the role of a bastard.
“Yoon-ho?”
When I stopped halfway down the stairs and turned around, Hwarin called out to me in a flustered voice. I ignored her question and looked back.
There stood the Deputy Medical Official, looking at me with a disapproving expression as he descended too.
‘The Deputy Medical Official won’t be the only one to doubt me.’
The guards surrounding the tea bookstore. Every member of the guard will continue to suspect me.
Even if my confident demeanor and evidence persuade half of them, the other half will keep doubting.
So, what should I do?
‘I need to use the methods only I can utilize.’
A way to clear all of the guards’ suspicions.
Let’s use that method.
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