"Ahem! I have clearly stated not to disturb me during my training observation! Why are you making such a fuss!"

Lee Hakpyeong expressed his displeasure towards Jang Hoyeon, who had run up and was panting.

But Jang Hoyeon, paying no mind to the scolding, abruptly held out what he had in his hand.

"Family Head, please look at this."

It was a letter.

And on the front of the contents.

"Tang... Family... estate?"

"That's right. It is a letter sent from a place called the Tang Family's estate in Ganyang."

"Hmph."

Lee Hakpyeong frowned and accepted the letter.

Right, it was called the Tang Family's estate.

The one that had driven out the Yin Hand Chamber in Ganyang...

But why did they send a letter from there?

They didn't have any particular connection with the Lee family, did they?

"Ho ho, I see. The family head of that place seems to be quite polite. To send a greeting to a neighboring family by letter like this."

"Pardon? That's not it."

"Then what, are they asking for help?"

"Family Head, that's..."

Jang Hoyeon was at a loss.

"Ho ho, this person... just because I was a little displeased and chided you, why are you so sparing with your words?"

"..."

"I understand. I'll just read it myself, won't I?"

Lee Hakpyeong, who had shaken his head, took out the letter and unfolded it.

"Let's see, what kind of letter from the Tang Family's estate..."

At that moment, his words stopped.

The satisfaction he had felt because of his eldest son, the fondness he had felt in anticipation of a greeting from the head of a new force.

All of that disappeared, and only a coldness remained.

"Th-this is..."

His hands, holding the letter, trembled, and his breath became ragged.

Jang Hoyeon, who had already anticipated everything, frowned and quietly stepped back.

To the Lee Family Head, personally.

My name is Tang Cheonyeong, the Family Head of the Tang Family's estate.

The beginning was a simple greeting.

Then, the main point of the letter immediately followed.

Unfortunately, your son has caused a major accident at the inn managed by our Tang Family's estate.

As a result, one of our family members is hovering between life and death, the hand of the inn's manager has been pierced, and the leg of a kind and pitiful waiter has been broken.

If it were up to me, I would have immediately broken the legs of the second son of the Lee family, cut off one of his hands, and left him hovering between life and death... but because it is the Lee family, who are no different from neighbors, I could not bring myself to do so.

Fortunately, the medical skills of our family are heavenly, so we will be able to treat the injuries of those who were hurt, so you need not worry about that.

However, the property damage suffered by the Tang Family's estate due to the rampage of your second son is immense.

I hope that you, as the head of the Lee family, a vassal of the Cheongseong Sect and a branch of the Orthodox Faction, will provide appropriate compensation.

Thus, I inform you.

Twelve broken tables are one hundred nyang of silver, and fifty chairs are another one hundred nyang of silver...

Ah, the price of the chairs and tables may seem absurd, but please understand that they are luxurious items that a craftsman has carved with great care, one by one.

Continuing...

Bbu-deu-deu-deu-deu-deuk.

Lee Hakpyeong's teeth, as he read the letter with his eyes wide open and bloodshot, ground from end to end.

The content was, in short, that his son had caused an accident and to compensate for the damages.

And he had itemized the compensation details so meticulously.

Bbu-deu-deu-deu-deu-deuk!

Lee Hakpyeong's teeth grinding grew stronger.

Usually, when a problem arises between forces, unless it is an all-out war, the leaders of both sides hold a meeting and go through a compensation process through appropriate discussion.

That is only when the power of both forces is equal.

The Tang Family's estate?

Punks like them, who were just newly established, couldn't even dare to send such a letter to the Lee family.

No matter how much of a victim they were, it was customary to consider the etiquette between seniors and juniors and accept what was given.

Of course, they would think it was absurd.

But the stronger and larger the force, the larger the scale of the compensation.

It would be a much larger amount than the actual damages.

Because they had face and dignity, it was to avoid being pointed at by people for no reason.

But...

"A notification?"

The letter from the Tang Family's estate was no different from a notification that had not even gone through a discussion.

And then.

In addition, we will detain your second son until the compensation desired by the Tang Family's estate is made. If you wish for him to return in one piece, please provide a prompt response.

Jjwak! Jjwak-jjwak-jjwak!

The letter was torn to shreds.

But his anger was not appeased.

If his son had caused an accident, it was only right that he should take responsibility.

That was the principle.

If there was damage, he would compensate generously.

Because that was the way to protect the face and dignity of the Lee family.

But the reason he was so angry at the letter, which had written the obvious, was because of the attitude of the Tang Family's estate, which had sent the letter.

Wasn't the postscript, on top of the notification, even threatening?

If you wish for him to return alive and well?

This crazy punk!

If he did wrong, he should be disciplined.

But even if he was disciplined, it was only right that he should do it, but they were going to detain him?

They should have shown respect, considering the position of the Lee family.

That is the attitude of a subordinate.

Also, they should have sent a person, not a letter.

"Who was the one who delivered the letter!"

"Well... it came by a private messenger..."

"What did you say? An unknown nobody... What do they take the Lee family for..."

It was an act that completely ignored the Lee family.

To the Lee family, the hegemon of Misan, which boasted a long history.

"Hoyeon!"

"Pardon? Yes! Family Head!"

Normally, he wouldn't have done so, but Jang Hoyeon prostrated himself in front of Lee Hakpyeong.

Because Lee Hakpyeong's voice, full of anger, was as cold as the winter wind.

"Call Jinrip, call Jinrip."

"...Pardon? You mean the Shadow Severing Brigade Master?"

"Do I have to say it again?"

"N-no. I will summon the Shadow Severing Brigade Master immediately."

"The entire Shadow Severing Brigade."

"...!"

"Have them prepare for battle immediately and assemble at the main pavilion's training ground."

"All of them?"

"All of them. I need to know the full details of the incident. Also, if this incident contains the intention of the Tang Family's estate to insult the Lee family, I will wipe them out without hesitation."

"I-I will obey."

Jang Hoyeon answered loudly and rushed out of the training ground.

He couldn't hesitate.

The Shadow Severing Brigade was the Lee family's best force, which Lee Hakpyeong had personally selected, taught, and raised, one by one.

Their brigade master, Jinrip, was a giant over six feet tall and an outstanding master who could crush a diamond with his bare hands.

The representative warrior brigade of the Lee family.

Their fame was so great throughout Sichuan that there was no one who didn't know them.

Forces of a similar scale would try to avoid a fight with the Shadow Severing Brigade at all costs.

But to send the Shadow Severing Brigade, which he had poured his heart and soul into raising, to the newly established Tang Family's estate.

That alone was enough to show how great Lee Hakpyeong's anger was.

"Father."

"..."

"Why are you doing this?"

Did he sense the atmosphere?

Lee Cheongik, who had stopped his training, approached Lee Hakpyeong and asked politely.

Although his anger had not subsided, Lee Hakpyeong forced a smile and said.

"You don't need to worry, just focus on your training."

But Lee Cheongik, who had felt the anger in his father's smile, asked again.

"You said the Tang Family's estate."

"...Hmm, you heard?"

"Yes."

"It seems there was a small friction."

"By any chance, is it because of my younger brother?"

"Yes."

Lee Cheongik organized his thoughts for a moment at Lee Hakpyeong's answer.

It was a few days ago.

His younger brother had come to him and said he was going to Ganyang to get a hundred-year-old knotweed for his brother.

"By any chance, is it my younger brother's fault?"

"That's what was written in the letter sent by the Tang family punk."

Lee Cheongik glanced at the torn pieces of paper scattered at his feet at Lee Hakpyeong's chewed-out words.

He couldn't know what had been written, but it was certain that the content had provoked his father's anger.

His father was originally like that.

Although he was a great man who received the respect of Misan, he never forgave the rudeness of his subordinates or the forces under the Lee family.

Sometimes he was excessive.

Because he was a father he respected so much, he had never once rebelled, but now he was twenty-four.

Although he was engrossed in training in preparation for the Assembly of Elders in a year, wasn't he in the position of a young family head?

No matter how much of a family head he was, if he made a wrong judgment, he had to point it out.

So that the decision would not become tyrannical.

"Father, but why the Shadow Severing Brigade?"

"..."

"I heard that the Tang Family's estate is a place that drove out the Yin Hand Chamber in Ganyang and is receiving the full support of the common people."

"It's a rumor spread by people who like to talk."

"Father. Even if it was exaggerated, would people have spread a rumor that didn't exist?"

"..."

"No matter how much of a new martial family the Tang Family's estate is, it is a family that represents Ganyang."

"..."

"If there is a friction, it is only right to send the Outer Hall Master to confirm the facts and resolve the incident through discussion. If we send the Shadow Severing Brigade armed, those who see it will say that the Lee family is threatening the weak Tang Family's estate with its power."

"...That may be so."

"Father, I know that you are the most outstanding and upright among all the past family heads. I also know that you worry about the family more than anyone and strive to make its name known. I ask you to please make a fair judgment."

It was all correct.

He could also feel the son's sincere heart worrying about his father. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

His thinking was also superior to his own, so there would be no shortage even if he handed over the position of family head right away.

"Cheongik."

"Yes, Father."

"I know what you mean, and I know that your words are more in line with the law."

"..."

"As you said, the Tang Family's estate is just a new martial family. Compared to the Lee family... it is a place with power that cannot even reach our toes. Sending the Shadow Severing Brigade will be seen as the strong oppressing the weak."

Lee Cheongik listened without retorting at the calm voice.

"Yes, perhaps Wonik really did wrong first. It is only right that the side that caused the damage should apologize."

"..."

"But, in this martial world, there are times when the right thing must be handled in an unrighteous way."

"Hmm..."

Lee Cheongik was not one to not understand his father's words.

Wasn't the martial world a place where power was justice?

Sometimes, that power took precedence over principle.

"If I bow my head to the Tang Family's estate first, this will become a precedent. Someone among those who see it will follow this and challenge the authority of the Lee family again."

"But..."

"That's enough. This is not something you need to worry about."

"Father."

"You just worry about the Assembly of Elders. It's less than a year away. You must realize the thirteenth change that no one in the family, no, not even the Cheongseong Sect, has achieved. Do you understand?"

"...I understand."

Lee Cheongik had no choice but to answer.

What could he do?

It was the family head who decided the path the family would take.

He just hoped that his father would keep his words in mind when dealing with the matter with the Tang Family's estate.

"I will take my leave now."

"Do so."

Lee Hakpyeong nodded his head nonchalantly at Lee Cheongik's greeting.

But he knew.

What his son had meant by his words.

Lee Cheongik was a son who could be called a filial son by anyone.

He had never once gone against his father's will, and had always strived to achieve much more than what his father wanted.

"Hoo..."

Had he been too harsh on him for his words of concern for the family?

But he couldn't just leave the Tang Family's estate alone.

Although it was a new family, a sect that couldn't even follow in the footsteps of the Lee family...

He would have to hold them responsible for challenging the authority of the Lee family.

That was the gap between the Tang Family's estate and the Lee family.

Even if someone pointed a finger at the Lee family's actions as excessive.

A short while after Lee Hakpyeong headed to the family head's pavilion, Jinrip and the fifty members of the Shadow Severing Brigade left for the Tang Family's estate with the sound of horse hooves, raising a cloud of dust.

(End of Chapter)