Chapter 4: Yang Su-rin

Yang Su-rin, the second daughter of the Yang Clan of Anhui Province.

My fiancée in my previous life, and the woman who had given me bitter memories.

She who had coldly abandoned me and left was now standing before me again, with a very sullen expression.

“You refused to get engaged to me?”

Even when she frowned, her beauty did not diminish, so I would say her appearance was by no means lacking for her reputation as one of the Five Flowers of Anhui.

Compared to her, what about my appearance?

I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't particularly handsome either.

Even with soot on my face and just messy hair, I had blended in with a group of beggars without any sense of incongruity, so I knew that it was difficult to say that my, Dancheon Myeong's, appearance was objectively outstanding.

“Hey. Can’t you hear me?”

“That is so. I refused the engagement.”

I answered, nodding my head.

My voice came out more calmly than I thought.

Back then, I was too busy being flustered by her beauty, but now it was different.

Having lived as a beggar, I had come to realize that the outer shell of a face was not that important, and since I knew what she was thinking in her heart, there was no longer any reason for me to be swayed by her.

After all, isn't the heart more important than a fancy outer shell for a person?

Thinking about it now, she and I were not a good match from the beginning.

-Did you dare to dream of being with a dirty illegitimate child like me?

Even if she hadn't said those words to me in my past life.

Her cold gaze was vivid in my memory.

Wielding those sharp words as a weapon, she had struck me down once again when I was dazed right after losing the heir competition.

She had used the excuse that she didn't know I was an illegitimate child to nullify the engagement.

Of course, it was right to see her words as a lie.

I had never hidden my circumstances from her.

She was a truly cruel person to me at that time.

-Did you not love me, Rin-mae? We were engaged.

I remembered her reply to my question to hold on to her.

-Actually, you’re not my type.

The smile she had while saying that was the brightest smile I had ever seen.

“Why?”

Back to the present reality, she asked me.

“What am I lacking that you refused the engagement?”

I collected my breath and answered.

As calmly as possible.

“You are not my type.”

A ten-year-old burden was lifted.

***

I could see Yang Su-rin's dazed expression.

As if she had never imagined she would hear such words in her life, her expression, which had been at a loss for words for a moment, was tinged with shame and anger.

Considering her background, it was natural.

Wasn’t she the second daughter of the Yang Clan that dominated Anhui Province?

On top of that, she was a stunning beauty.

Although it was said to be somewhat lacking compared to the Namgung Clan, the representative of Anhui Province, and the Dancheon Clan that closely followed it, it was not difficult to understand the pride of the Yang Clan, which had started as a trading company and risen to become the third most prominent family in Anhui Province.

In terms of wealth alone, it was a family that was not unworthy of being called the best in Anhui Province.

“Do you know who I am when you say that?”

“Are you not the second daughter of the Yang Clan?”

“And you treat me so poorly? A blessing that has rolled in on a vine?”

Perhaps if my mother Baek Yeo-hae had not been next to us, the words ‘How dare the mere second son of the Dancheon Clan?’ would have been added at the end.

I knew her temper well.

I met the gaze of the enraged Yang Su-rin.

“Do you want to be engaged to me?”

“I must have had that intention since I came here, right?”

“Why do you want to?”

“……”

Her lips, which had been about to argue, paused for a moment, unable to find an answer.

The reason she was considering an engagement with me was simple.

It was because I was the second son of the Dancheon Clan.

Among the options available to the ‘second daughter’, whose succession rights were ambiguous despite being a direct descendant of the Yang Clan, the position of the wife of the ‘second son’ of the Dancheon Clan was not a bad one.

But for her, with her lofty pride, it would not have been easy to say so.

Therefore, she chose a slightly different way of answering.

“Actually, I didn’t come here because I wanted to be engaged to you.”

“Then why did you come?”

“I came to complain because I was angry that you refused the engagement without even seeing my face.”

She had always been full of confidence in her appearance, then and now.

“Is it normal to accept an engagement without even seeing the face?”

“Isn’t that usually the case with engagements of prestigious families?”

A sneer formed on Yang Su-rin’s face as she replied.

With her expression, she was calling me a naive young master who didn't even know the ways of the world.

“Surely, you don’t have the naive idea of marrying someone you love?”

It would have been to her advantage not to add the last part…….

She was still young.

I understood.

She was only sixteen, after all.

She was not yet fully mature.

However, by adding those words, she had given me a reason to counterattack, which was a satisfactory situation for me.

“Then there should be no problem now. Didn’t I tell you today after seeing you? You are not my type.”

Once again, Yang Su-rin's expression crumpled.

Not a chance, you punk.

The naive eighteen-year-old Dancheon Myeong might have been, but how could you possibly defeat the thirty-year-old Myeong-gae?

Quickly composing her expression, Yang Su-rin raised the corners of her mouth.

It was commendable that she was trying to smile even in this situation.

“The second son of the Dancheon Clan seems to have his standards in the sky.”

“I’m a bit unaware of my own place.”

She would probably think of my attitude now as the arrogance of a noble family's second son who didn't know the ways of the world.

“Could you give me some time?”

“What kind of time?”

“Young Master Myeong hasn’t gotten to know me, so time for us to get to know each other.”

When the other party yields like this, it would be the attitude of a magnanimous person to accept.

“Let’s do that.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Only then did a genuine smile appear on Yang Su-rin’s face, as if she had achieved her goal.

Looking at that expression, I also smiled.

Her goal would never be achieved.

***

No matter how much I was the second son of the Dancheon Clan, there was no reason for the proud Yang Su-rin to yield like this.

Wasn't she also the second daughter of the Yang Clan?

But there was a reason for everything in the world.

It meant I knew the reason for her actions.

It was thanks to a truth that would only be known five years from now.

Five years later, Yang Su-rin would become the official successor of the Yang Clan.

Since it was an incident where the second daughter with ambiguous succession rights had leaped to become the successor of a prestigious family like the Yang Clan, the Beggar’s Gang also investigated related information.

At that time, the Three-Knot Beggar Myeong-gae, who was still harboring foolish thoughts like ‘If I had won the heir competition, wouldn’t she still be by my side……’, naturally became interested in the information about the Yang Clan.

Thus, whether by chance or fate, I came to know a new fact that was involved in our engagement.

The fact that Baek Yeo-hae and Yang Su-rin had a business relationship.

The terms of the deal were simple.

Yang Su-rin would be engaged to Dancheon Myeong, but she would not provide him with any support.

If, by any chance, Dancheon Myeong became the head of the Dancheon Clan on his own, she would become the mistress of the Dancheon Clan, and if he did not become the head of the Dancheon Clan, the engagement would be canceled and a large penalty would be paid.

No wonder I thought she had agreed to break off the engagement too easily; it had all been my mother Baek Yeo-hae's plan.

Baek Yeo-hae.

It seemed she wanted me to be completely isolated.

She was afraid that Dancheon Myeong might grow into a person who could threaten the position of the eldest son, Dancheon Hak, with someone's help.

Anyway, the interests of Baek Yeo-hae and Yang Su-rin perfectly coincided.

As an enterprising woman, Yang Su-rin was a merchant who could even put herself up as a commodity for sale, so I thought there would have been no better deal for her.

If she could endure the slight dishonor of a broken engagement, it was a deal where she could get results without any effort.

This was the whole story behind why Yang Su-rin yielded despite my rude attitude.

She absolutely did not want to miss out on the deal with Baek Yeo-hae.

For her, the engagement with me was a stepping stone for her own success.

‘That evil bitch.’

In my Myeong-gae days, when I found out that fact, I had a brief feeling of revenge.

I thought I could get revenge when I regressed.

But do you know?

The fact that a strong emotion like revenge is very vulnerable to the weathering of time.

Thinking about it now, it was like that.

I don’t think she had any great malice towards me.

She was just pursuing her own interests.

In fact, she never harmed me.

Therefore, I had also thought it would be better to forget about revenge and just live without forming a connection with her after regressing.

But.

Even if she had received financial support from Baek Yeo-hae, wasn't her ability to seize the position of successor of the Yang Clan with her own strength a waste?

It seemed like it would be alright to have her owe me one debt, is what I’m saying.

‘She’s useful.’

She was still young, but she would grow into an influential figure in Anhui.

She had that kind of ability.

Thinking this way, wasn't she also a valid target for a low-point buying strategy?

In this life, I intend to use her a little.

***

“I will come to visit next time.”

I know she's a bad girl, but her smiling face is truly beautiful.

I must not be tempted.

“Do so. I will not see you off.”

After sending Yang Su-rin off, I headed to the Clan Head's Hall.

I had just dismissed my mother Baek Yeo-hae, who wanted to see me for a moment, with the excuse that I had to go to the Clan Head's Hall.

As I headed to the Clan Head's Hall, I organized my thoughts.

Since I had completed the first stage of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, I had to carry out the things I had planned, right?

To carry out those plans, the Clan Head’s permission was essential.

I had many things to do now.

Become the Murim Alliance Leader and stop the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

If possible, I should also become the World’s Best.

It was an ultimate goal, but it was a goal that was too far away.

There were also many immediate goals.

First, I had to obtain spiritual medicines.

This was because I had to raise the level of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

It was only the first stage, after all.

I also had to win the heir competition.

I had to be at least the head of a prestigious family to even throw my hat in the ring for the Murim Alliance Leader position.

Even if I became the World’s Best, it would not be easy to become the Murim Alliance Leader without the background of being the head of a prestigious family.

Most of all, I knew that the Dancheon Clan was one of the first victims of the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

The fastest way to prevent the clan's annihilation was for me to become the Clan Head.

It all came down to ‘martial arts’.

I needed to hone my martial arts now.

Healing Sage had said that if one reached mastery of the mind cultivation art, they could reach the pinnacle of the world even with the Three Talents Sword Art, but would the completion of the mind cultivation art just fall from the sky?

Only by diligently honing my martial arts from now on would I be able to lay the foundation to move proactively.

Since I had laid the foundation by completing the first stage, now was the perfect time.

I needed to have a showdown with my father.

“I would like to see the Clan Head.”

“He is waiting for you.”

All information in the Dancheon Clan went to the Clan Head’s ears, so as expected, my father knew of my return.

“Please follow me.”

“Thank you.”

Following the servant’s guidance, I entered the Clan Head’s Hall.

“Well. Did you have a good time running away from home?”

“Yes. I was able to achieve my purpose.”

He nodded at my answer.

For some reason, he didn't ask what I had been doing, so I didn't mention it either.

Since I would have answered that I had been traveling the jianghu to broaden my horizons anyway, there was no reason to bring it up.

My father’s gaze swept over me.

I wondered if his eyes, which had earned him a place among the top hundred masters in the jianghu, could see my achievement of completing the first stage, but I didn't ask this either.

However, one thing I could be sure of was that the Dancheon Clan Head would not harm me.

“Well. What favor are you here to ask for this time?”

My father asked, as if he could see right through me.

In the past, I found that side of him difficult and uncomfortable, but now I was rather grateful.

There was no need for me to ramble on, was there?

“I intend to train my martial arts a bit.”

I was already training the first half of the Dancheon Sword Art.

My father, who knew this fact, looked at me as if asking what I meant.

“Please lend me Uncle Yeo Baek for a while.”

What I had to do now was to make my father’s Captain of the Guard, Yeo Baek, my master.

“That fellow doesn’t teach just anyone.”

“Wouldn’t it be fine if I’m not just anyone?”

My father looked down at me with an interested gaze.

To receive martial arts instruction from the Clan Head, one had to be confirmed as the young clan head.

I was confident that if I were to learn from someone before that, Uncle Yeo Baek would be the best choice.

He was truly the swordsman who could handle the Dancheon Sword Art the best.

“Are you confident?”

“Yes.”

With the power of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, I will also make the Dancheon Sword Art the best martial art in the world.

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