Volume 6 Chapter 24 – Sixteen Imperial Capital Families (4)

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Translated by Rain

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“Of course, it is the opportunity for you former patriarchs here to regain the seat of patriarch and stand by the side of His Majesty the Emperor once again.”

At those words, all of the former patriarchs fell into silence.

Yeon So-hyeon saw the remnants left by the tremors of emotion spreading gently from them who had been expressionless.

‘As expected, is this alone a bit insufficient?’

Their desire for power was stimulated, and their expectation for the opportunity Yeon So-hyeon would present definitely existed.

Yet they still had not let go of all their vigilance, like snakes hissing and remaining on guard even with prey right before their eyes.

“…If so.”

The former patriarch of the Chunyu family spoke in a heavy, low voice.

“I wish to hear more detailed stories.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled brightly.

“Of course. But before that…”

He raised his hand and pointed behind them.

“It seems welcoming the guests I invited is first.”

At Yeon So-hyeon’s words, everyone looked back.

“Houhou, has everyone been well?”

“It seems there are also those whose faces I see after a long time.”

Seeing the faces of those approaching from the opposite side of the garden, surprise and shock arose on their faces.

“…To think this many people went in and out, yet no one informed me?!”

As the master of the residence, Gongsun Na-gang, burst into anger, one of those who reached the table waved his hand.

“No, wasn’t it you who told everyone not to enter or leave this garden in the first place? If they dared not block us, that must be their fault.”

Who indeed would dare block them?

The former patriarchs of the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families, who were the masters of this Mount Beimang.

“Everyone went through trouble waiting. Well, this way…”

Following Yeon So-hyeon’s guidance, they sat in a long row facing him.

It was everyone except for the former patriarch of the Kong family, who was unable to attend due to difficulties in movement.

“What brings all of you here?”

At Gongsun Na-gang’s displeased tone, the newly joined former patriarchs smiled.

“We also came to hear the detailed story about the ‘opportunity.'”

He raised his hand covered in age spots and pointed at Yeon So-hyeon.

“Since the Eldest Young Master here said the conversation could proceed only when we all gather, we were waiting purposely.”

“But I did not expect you would actually gather everyone.”

One of them shook his head while looking at Yeon So-hyeon.

“Although I did wait because you said you had the confidence to convince the rest of the patriarchs…”

“To actually gather all of us.”

The former patriarchs of the families Yeon So-hyeon had visited before visiting the Gongsun family clicked their tongues.

At those words, one of the former patriarchs giggled.

“For all of us to gather was a rare thing even when we were in the Imperial Capital.”

“It was to the extent of being counted on one’s fingers.”

The last time they had gathered in one place was when the resolution regarding the Northern War was carried out in the Imperial Palace.

To gather all of them in one place by mere personal power, rather than for such a major state crisis.

Indeed, that alone was something worthy of being called a feat, but Yeon So-hyeon wore a calm expression as if it were nothing.

No, he felt it was still rather insufficient instead.

Yeon So-hyeon examined one by one the former patriarchs who were exchanging casual banter and sharing their feelings in their own ways.

The decorated emotional expressions had vanished, but they still had not expressed their desire for power outwardly.

It was the ‘state of expressionlessness.’

‘They are not showing their expressions.’

Fifteen snakes gathered in one place.

Those snakes, while ‘pretending’ to converse among themselves, were stealthily glancing at Yeon So-hyeon with cunning eyes.

In those gazes, there were different ‘differences in temperature.’

For someone, vigilance took precedence; for someone, it was merely at the level of curiosity; for someone else, it was an emotion of yet another level.

Thus, amidst different thoughts, calculations, and judgments, they were only waiting for Yeon So-hyeon to open his mouth first.

‘At this current point in time, I must not bring up the proposal first.’

For now, it was insufficient.

He had to bind their emotional lines, which were playing separately, into one.

He had to bind the heads of the fifteen snakes together.

Only by binding the heads into one like that would he deal with only a head with a single emotional line, rather than heads with different emotions.

‘To make it turn out that way, I must shatter their expressionlessness.’

To do so.

‘I must make them pour out their boiling desires.’

He had to make it to the point where anyone, without exception, would swoop in at Yeon So-hyeon.

‘What can shake them even more is power, only power!’

Yeon So-hyeon took off the black silk coat he was wearing with a large motion that intentionally drew attention.

“Now, then let us talk in earnest.”

Yeon So-hyeon spoke thus, but the gazes of the former patriarchs did not turn toward Yeon So-hyeon.

“….”

“….”

Their gazes were all directed toward the black silk coat Yeon So-hyeon had taken off and hung on the chair.

Those gazes were so intense that it seemed they would burn the black silk coat away by those smoldering eyes alone.

“…Hmm?”

Yeon So-hyeon ‘made a show’ of following their gazes.

“Ah! You mean this?”

Yeon So-hyeon picked up a flashy scroll protruding through his coat.

As he held up the scroll, the gazes of all the former patriarchs moved along with it.

Yeon So-hyeon showing the scroll, Yeon So-hyeon smiled.

“Come to think of it, this must be an object all too familiar to you here.”

That was on the day Yeon So-hyeon ended his confinement and began to welcome guests.

The Imperial Edict he had received on that day from the Emperor of the State of Zhongyuan.

“….”

Despite Yeon So-hyeon’s words, there was no reaction from the former patriarchs.

Someone with his mouth slightly open, someone with his mouth firmly shut, only their gazes squirmed alive in silence, looking at the Imperial Edict.

“Eldest Young Master, by some chance…”

One of them extended a trembling hand toward Yeon So-hyeon.

“Could you show that Imperial Edict to us?”

At those words, Yeon So-hyeon tilted his head.

“Are you curious about the content? Even if you look at the content, there is nothing much.”

Yeon So-hyeon spread open the Imperial Edict.

Written there was only content wishing that, since the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family had now come out into the world, he would do many good deeds for the State of Zhongyuan and the Imperial Court in the future.

Although the mere fact that the Emperor directly sent an Imperial Edict to someone who had only just ended his confinement was grand.

Since he was the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, which was called the number one family under heaven, it was not very surprising.

“No, that is not it…!”

“Hurry…!”

The hands they stretched out without exception trembled across the table.

As if people who were dying of thirst in a desert had discovered someone holding a water pouch.

However, to describe it that way, the distorted faces of the clamoring old men and the sight of dozens of hands flailing and approaching was incredibly chilling.

“It cannot be helped. Please handle it carefully.”

Smiling, Yeon So-hyeon handed the Imperial Edict to one of them.

He wondered if someone else might swoop in to snatch the Imperial Edict.

But they only treated the Imperial Edict as if they were dealing with the most precious and fragile thing in the world.

“Oh…!”

Their eyes moved as if licking the Imperial Edict.

The content and whatnot did not even enter their eyes.

“The golden silk made only in the Imperial Palace of the State of Zhongyuan…”

Someone carefully fiddled with the outer silk of the Imperial Edict with a trembling touch.

“The yellow dragon and jade dragon embroidered in the Sewing Bureau of the Imperial Palace!”

Someone stroked the paper inside.

“Ah, the touch of this paper made in the Orchid Bamboo Pavilion of the Imperial Palace…”

Someone flared his nostrils toward the Imperial Edict.

“The profound fragrance of the True Dragon Kang Ink that His Majesty enjoys using still remains!”

Vitality began to return to their eyes, which had been blurring due to old age.

On their faces, which looked like the skin of a dead pig because they were full of age spots and wrinkles, flush returned to the point where it looked as if new flesh were rising.

Their bent backs straightened like a lie, and strength returned to their skeletal legs that trembled from just moving briefly.

Even though ten thousand kinds of medicinal ingredients said to be good for the body, and the diagnosis of that famous doctor, were all useless in the face of old age.

A single scroll representing the pinnacle of power in the State of Zhongyuan.

That single scroll was breathing will and vitality into the old, worn-out bodies of the old devils.

They thought.

‘Ah! This is it!’

It was the touch of power, the fragrance of power, the taste of power, the color of power, the pleasure of power, the distant memory of power, the happiness of power…!

As vitality returned to their bodies like that, the will for life returned.

But at the same time, they realized.

That the brilliant wit of their youth, and the flashing ideas, no longer remained in them.

Though they still had incomparable experience and senses that grew venomous as they aged.

It was insufficient with just that.

That lack, that loss, came across too painfully.

“If you have appreciated it enough, now…”

A white and beautiful hand reached out and retrieved the Imperial Edict from them.

Their gazes went through the Imperial Edict, passed that arm, and turned toward Yeon So-hyeon’s face.

Yeon So-hyeon’s eyes, which drew a gentle arc, turned toward the faces of the old devils.

The absurd degree of desire clearly revealed on their faces.

That expression was revealing all of their raw, unadorned emotions so vividly that it could never be fabricated.

An expression as if they would tie Yeon So-hyeon to the table right away, open his skull, take out that fresh brain, and devour it raw.

The emotion they had tried to suppress until the last moment to calculate the gains and losses through thorough calculation.

Down to the last fragment of that emotion.

They were revealing all of it without exception.

‘Yes, that is exactly the expression.’

There was no longer any expressionlessness.

Yeon So-hyeon smiled with satisfaction.

The heads of the snakes were bound into one.

Now the initiative had completely shifted to Yeon So-hyeon.

“Eldest Young Master. Shouldn’t we gradually start talking in earnest?”

“Indeed. Much time has already passed.”

They began to urge Yeon So-hyeon.

Those voices were subtle and quiet, but as Yeon So-hyeon judged, it was different.

“As you know, though we are back-room old men, we are not completely idle people.”

“Ahem.”

Those voices were interpreted completely differently to Yeon So-hyeon, sounding like massive shouts.

Tell us right now what that opportunity is!

Yeon So-hyeon, who had sufficiently stalled thus, opened his mouth.

“Of course I will tell you.”

Everyone shut their mouths and stared only at Yeon So-hyeon’s mouth.

“The Chongqing city development project and the Yangtze River waterway expansion and maintenance project.”

Yeon So-hyeon’s lips fluttered.

“I will give you one operator selection right for each of those two major projects.”

“…!”

The assembly stirred.

“The operator selection rights for those two projects?”

“Securing influence over those two projects is also a part where the current patriarchs of our Sixteen Families are experiencing difficulties…”

“Certainly. If we just take those operator selection rights, we will easily be able to overturn the power dynamics within the family…”

The Chongqing city development project and the Yangtze River waterway expansion and maintenance project were extremely far from the Imperial Capital.

For the Sixteen Families who held the Imperial Capital as the center of their power, it was difficult to easily exert influence as they did in the Imperial Capital.

For that reason, the current patriarchs were also putting in that much effort, but they were not achieving results proportional to the resources invested.

But what if they, the former patriarchs, brought back the operator selection rights where they could project the most powerful influence back to the family?

Their work to regain their seats would also instantly come into sight.

“However…”

The gazes of everyone turned to Yeon So-hyeon containing doubt.

“To say you will give us the operator selection rights…”

“Does it not mean that the Eldest Young Master holds the operator selection rights which even the Sixteen Families have not yet laid hands on?”

“And not just one, but enough to give to all of us?”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled faintly.

“It was not very difficult.”

He added briefly.

“Because currently, this Yeon So-hyeon is protecting the Tea Fan Maidens.”

At those words, strong doubt arose on the faces of all the former patriarchs.

“What on earth do those kids, who run a business at a playing-house level, have to do with the operator selection rights?”