Volume 7 Chapter 1 – Part 1 The Sixteen Imperial Capital Families (6)

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Chengdu, the Emei Sect’s main mountain.

‘What on earth is going on…?’

The Sect Leader Abbess of the Emei Sect almost sank to the floor on the spot upon hearing the report that the Prince was personally stepping forward to meet the families of the Tea Fan Maidens.

‘It is fine. It is fine. Things have not gotten tangled up yet. It must be just a coincidence.’

However, it did not take very long for her to judge that the matter was not a coincidence.

“Sect Leader Abbess!”

The moment a nun entered the office with a pale face.

The Sect Leader Abbess of the Emei Sect realized that something was going terribly wrong.

The officials of Chengdu, who usually could not even meet her gaze, barged in along with fully armed government soldiers.

They raised allegations that the Emei Sect had evaded taxes to be presented to the Emperor.

And at the same time, news that all assets of the Emei Sect had been frozen flew in from all the money plazas they did business with.

“Under whose instructions do you dare to do such a thing?!”

An official slightly twisted his lips and sneered.

“It is the order of the Governor of Chengdu.”

* * *

For that Governor of Chengdu, who usually had no presence, to pull off such a thing.

It was impossible.

The Governor of Chengdu, who had no influence, could not touch them who were under the protection of their alliance with the Dali Duan Family.

If so…

‘This is the doing of the Dali Duan Family.’

Her face contorted.

‘But why on earth?!’

Recalling the face of the Governor’s wife, who was from the Dali Duan Family, the Sect Leader Abbess opened the door to the Governor of Chengdu’s office.

“Sect Leader Abbess, I have been waiting for you. Please sit over here.”

As if he had been waiting, the Governor of Chengdu offered a seat to the Sect Leader Abbess.

There was no conversation between the two.

Until the wife entered the office and sat in the seat of honor.

“A piece of highly reliable information has reached the Dali Duan Family.”

The wife of the Governor of Chengdu continued speaking with a cold, expressionless face as usual.

“According to that information, it is said that the Emei Sect is in the process of carrying out an assassination plan against the Tea Fan Maidens.”

All color drained from the Sect Leader Abbess’s face.

‘How did they know that?!’

Was the assassination plan against the Tea Fan Maidens not a top-secret plan known only to a tiny minority even within the Emei Sect?

“W-what do you mean by that…?”

Ignoring what the Sect Leader Abbess was saying, the Governor’s wife unilaterally delivered her message.

“My daughter, Sangwan Nan-hwa, is also a daughter of the Dali Duan Family. If the information about the assassination plan is true, it is the same as the Emei Sect attacking the alliance.”

Her inanimate gaze turned toward the Sect Leader Abbess.

“Therefore, this alliance is suspended until the truth is revealed.”

She then clutched her chest.

“It is also a very surprising and shocking matter to me personally.”

Looking at those colorless, glass bead-like eyes devoid of any emotion, the Sect Leader Abbess screamed inwardly.

‘What kind of nonsense is this at this point?!’

She could not believe that these were the words of a woman who had not uttered a single word until now, no matter what they did to the Tea Fan Maidens, which included Sangwan Nan-hwa.

‘No. Let’s calm down. This woman is merely a representative of the Dali Duan Family.’

Having been through all kinds of hardships, the Sect Leader Abbess quickly composed herself.

‘In the first place, there is no way the Dali Duan Family would abandon the Emei Sect, their precious ally in Sichuan, for such a trivial reason.’

This was merely a “pretext.”

‘Something unknown was going on beneath the surface…!’

That must be something massive enough for the Dali Duan Family to discard an alliance that could keep the Sichuan Tang Family in check within Sichuan.

The Emei Sect had now ended up caught in an absurd matter without knowing anything.

“To sever the alliance just because information has come in. Is that not a bit too excessive?”

“That is why I said it is suspended.”

The wife of the Governor of Chengdu replied, still maintaining her signature expressionless face.

“If there is no assassination attempt, the Dali Duan Family will withdraw all of this. Of course, along with an apology, there will also be appropriate compensation.”

It was an answer that left no room.

There was no intention to negotiate whatsoever.

‘…Is it over?’

The Emei Sect’s Sect Leader Abbess crumbled her barely maintained expression and closed her eyes tightly.

It would have been fine if she could cancel the assassination request even now, but it was impossible under the current circumstances.

‘All the efforts I made to contact the assassin group of Henan Province without leaving any clues are now holding me back instead…!’

Moreover, the assassin group that had already received the request would be hiding without leaving even a trace in order to prepare for any contingency.

Without even thinking of pulling out the handkerchief in her bosom, the Sect Leader Abbess wiped the sweat running down her face with her hand.

“…Then, what about the tax evasion allegations?”

The answer came from the Governor of Chengdu, who had not spoken a word until then.

“If that assassination plan is true… do not think you will get away with daring to touch my daughter!”

“…!”

The Sect Leader Abbess backed away unconsciously.

It was a spirit that one could never have imagined coming from the Governor of Chengdu, who usually had no weight to him.

To the point that the body of the Sect Leader Abbess, who had reached high boundaries, accepted that spirit as a danger signal and moved reflexively.

“…I am surrounded on all sides.”

She had not even grasped the situation yet, but the sword had already approached the front of her neck.

And it was not a blade stopped nearby, but a blade that was getting closer at every moment.

Furthermore, for the Emei Sect, there was an even greater problem than this furious Governor of Chengdu.

‘If the alliance with the Dali Duan Family ends, I will have to face the Sichuan Tang Family, the hegemon of Sichuan, all alone.’

The Sect Leader Abbess, who was desperately searching for a move while reciting Buddhist scriptures internally, shook her head.

‘…We have been completely outmaneuvered.’

Now it was time to find a path for survival.

Exhaling deeply, the Sect Leader Abbess opened her closed eyes.

“…The Emei Sect admits defeat.”

Her voice trembled.

“Who should we contact?”

The Governor of Chengdu and the Governor’s wife replied at the same time.

“Luoyang Sword Family, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.”

* * *

Chengdu, Sichuan Tang Family, Guest Reception Room.

‘Not yet. There is still a final opportunity remaining.’

It was the Sect Leader Abbess of the Emei Sect, waiting alone for the owner of the guest reception room to appear.

‘Because I made a show of admitting defeat in front of them, I obtained an important clue.’

Luoyang Sword Family, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.

She could not understand at all how that Eldest Young Master, who she knew had not even reached his twenties, was involved in this matter.

However, she had obtained one more clue than before, and she had not given up yet.

“Oh? What is this. For the Sect Leader of the Emei Sect to personally enter the middle of the ‘hostile camp’?”

An elder of the Sichuan Tang Family, who entered the guest reception room after a long while with a relaxed look, smirked with a blatant expression.

“My, the sun will rise in the west tomorrow.”

The elder of the Sichuan Tang Family held his belly and burst into laughter as if it were highly amusing.

However, the Sect Leader Abbess did not care in the slightest and brought up her business.

“You must have already heard about this matter.”

“Of course. I have indeed heard of it.”

The opponent’s gaze, which had not a trace of warmth, and his blatantly revealed greed turned toward the Sect Leader Abbess.

“Have you perhaps come to make a deal? Or a request for mediation? Surely it is not begging?”

“…You may call it whatever you like.”

The Sect Leader Abbess, the wrinkles filling her face— she contorted them and forced a smile.

“I will hand over fifty percent of the shares of the businesses currently owned by the Emei Sect.”

“Hmm…”

The elder of the Sichuan Tang Family showed a lukewarm attitude despite the massive amount.

“Therefore, how about handing over the operational rights of the Emei Academy?”

“…Mhm.”

The Sect Leader Abbess did not give up.

An enemy’s enemy could become an ally, after all.

It was a time when she had to bet on even the slimmest probability.

Even if it meant paying a heavy price, if she held hands with the Sichuan Tang Family, would she not be able to aim for a comeback at any time?

“My, oh my…”

The elder of the Sichuan Tang Family, who had only been shaking his head for a long while, sighed.

“Since it is getting tedious now, I shall tell you.”

“What do you mean…?”

Did he mean he had been playing around until now?

The Sect Leader Abbess’s gaze grew fierce, but the opponent did not care in the slightest.

“If you want to resolve this matter, there is someone else the Sect Leader Abbess must contact.”

Upon hearing those words, a name flashed through the Sect Leader Abbess’s mind.

“Could it be…?”

“Luoyang Sword Family, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.”

“…!”

The elder of the Sichuan Tang Family burst into a wild laughter that could not be compared to anything before, looking at the Sect Leader Abbess’s expression.

“….”

“…Ah, and Sect Leader Abbess.”

Having laughed for a long while by bending his waist backward all by himself, he met the eyes of the Sect Leader Abbess.

“I recommend that you do not even dream of doing anything foolish.”

The corners of his mouth curved upward as if ripping wide.

“Since the shadows of the Tang Family are monitoring every single move of the Emei Sect.”

* * *

Luoyang, Mount Beimang, the Gongson Family Mansion.

“With the Eldest Young Master’s explanation, I roughly understand the situation the Emei Sect is in.”

They were the former patriarchs who had received the explanation about “Yeon So-hyeon’s net” that had swept over the Emei Sect.

However, they felt that they had far more questions than before they heard the explanation.

“Eldest Young Master, before continuing the story, please answer our questions first!”

“There is no way the Dali Duan Family would abandon their most important ally in Sichuan over such a thing! The assassination plan against the Tea Fan Maidens is merely a pretext! What on earth was the transaction?!”

“And how on earth did the Eldest Young Master know that there was an assassination plan by the Emei Sect?!”

“And for what reason did the Emei Sect try to assassinate the Tea Fan Maidens, whom they were trying to take over?!”

At the questions pouring down like a summer rain shower, Yeon So-hyeon smiled and waved his hands.

“Now, now, everyone calm down. You will understand when you hear the whole story, but still, I will explain them one at a time for now.”

They were the former patriarchs who barely shut their mouths and sat down at Yeon So-hyeon’s words.

‘Good. It is going very well.’

Seeing them so excited that it would not be strange for them to howl toward the sky at any moment, Yeon So-hyeon gave them a bright smile.

“First, I will explain later why the Dali Duan Family cast out their ally, the Emei Sect. It is related to what comes after this.”

“Very well. Any answer is fine, so please answer!”

Yeon So-hyeon stroked his smooth chin.

“And as for how I came to know about the Tea Fan Maiden assassination plan, it is difficult for me to disclose that channel.”

“Revealing the source of information is naturally a difficult thing. I understand. So, on to the next question, quickly!”

In fact, no matter how extraordinary Yeon So-hyeon was, he did not have a source who could inform him of a plan treated as top secret within the Emei Sect.

He had merely “remembered it.”

The incident in the history before he returned through the power of the Scripture of Controlling Darkness and Shaking the Heavens, where a portion of the Tea Fan Maidens had been murdered.

Yeon So-hyeon, who had been living in seclusion as usual, knew the approximate timing through the rumors among the servants of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment back then.

And for the rest, he had simply put himself in the shoes of the assassin and found the optimal assassination point.

That assassination point was so perfect that even Elder Yeom of the war advisory council and the Old Strategist had acknowledged it.

There was no way there could have been any aberration in that prediction.

“Then tell us why on earth the Emei Sect tried to assassinate the Tea Fan Maidens!”

They were the former patriarchs who grew even more anxious at Yeon So-hyeon stalling for time.

“Then, I shall begin by explaining why the Emei Sect tried to assassinate the Tea Fan Maidens.”