In the early dawn, before the darkness had lifted.

"...Was the strike too much?"

"Hmm."

"Still, the Family Head is training us for our own good."

"That's true."

The leaders nodded with serious expressions at Yongcheon's words.

"Actually, Chunil was a bit harsh."

"What?"

Chunil's eyes shot up and he glared at Baekgang's words.

"That's right, Chunil was a bit harsh."

"To say it's hard first for no reason..."

Chunil wore a bewildered expression at Hwangsama and Baekgang's words.

"Hey! You punks! You all thought the same thing!"

"The same thing? I didn't. We were just swept up in the atmosphere because of you. If you hadn't said anything, we would have held it in."

"What did you say, punk?"

"Even Sanghui, who was having the hardest time, was holding it in, so why are you making a fuss?"

"What the..."

Chunil clenched his fist at Baekgang's words, then looked at Sanghui and sighed.

Sanghui, who had started wearing a topknot despite being a woman to hide her hair loss.

He couldn't bring himself to get angry when he saw her face, which glowed yellow even in the darkness.

"Aigoo, if it weren't for Sanghui."

Chunil just tapped the innocent floor with his clenched fist.

The reason they were gathered.

It was because of the dawn training.

Although they had talked about a strike during the training the day before, they couldn't just skip the training.

Because they could feel themselves getting stronger.

Twice as strong as before the training started? No, it might have been even more.

Moreover, the Samyang Divine Art they had recently started learning was showing tremendous effects.

Although the amount of internal energy was similar to when they had accumulated it with the Gentle Flowing Meridian, they could also feel that the purity was exceptional.

So, as for the training...

And to be honest, who in the Tang Family's estate was having the hardest time?

It was Cheonyeong.

He was suffering from the most heavy workload.

It was a separate issue from his outstanding martial arts.

Because Cheonyeong was also a person with physical limits.

Nevertheless, the light in Cheonyeong's residence never went out.

After the morning run of the Tang Family's estate, which had become a daily routine, he trained the leaders, then discussed architecture with the Divine Work Pavilion Master, went around Ganyang to check the shops, and was involved in the selection of people who came to the martial arts academy and the Tang Family's estate.

According to Yongcheon, he only did his own training after everyone was exhausted and asleep.

As the Divine Work Pavilion Master had said once, he still only slept for about one shichen a day, if at all.

Everyone knew that, so even if they had complaints, even if they were suffering from a heavy workload, they endured it without saying anything.

But yesterday, they had burst out their complaints and even declared a strike, so would Cheonyeong's heart be okay?

Seeing that he hadn't even come out for the dawn training, which he always led and supervised, it was more than enough to guess his disappointment.

"Because of Chunil..."

"Shut up! You son of a bitch!"

Chunil flared up at Baekgang's words.

"Chunil, you take the blame."

"You're worse, you punk Tang Hwangsama! You're the most idle among us."

"What can I do? That's why you have to stand in the right line."

"Aigoo! This punk."

"I'll buy you a good drink later."

"Don't talk about alcohol!"

Although he flared up, Chunil instinctively swallowed his saliva at the word 'alcohol', as if his heart had been moved.

"Hey, One Cup Child. Aren't you used to being punched since you've been hit so much? So, you go as a representative, apologize, and get hit a few times. To appease the Family Head's anger."

"I'm not used to it at all."

"I'll pay for the treatment."

"I said shut up!"

Chunil glared at Hwangsama, who was patting his shoulder in encouragement, and brushed off his hand.

"Hmm, everyone be quiet."

"...?"

At that moment, Sanghui, who had been quiet, silenced them.

"Vice Family Head."

"Huh?"

"You go."

"M-me?"

"Yes. You're the Vice Family Head. The Family Head trusts you more than us."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"It's a woman's intuition. He trusts you the most. He considers you the closest."

"But..."

"Go. Hurry."

Yongcheon's mouth sticks out at Sanghui's repeated urging.

"Vice Family Head! Please go. Hurry! Among us, the one with the most endurance, no, the one who has been hit the most... ahem ahem. I also agree that you are the most trusted."

It was natural that Chunil, who had been given the task of passing on his duties, welcomed it with both hands.

"The Inner Hall Master is right. I agree too. The Vice Family Head should appease the Family Head's anger."

"Of course! Come to think of it, you're the second in command of our Tang Family's estate."

Hwangsama and Baekgang even pushed his back.

Damn punks.

Even he couldn't withstand Cheonyeong's fist...

Yongcheon had no choice but to droop his shoulders and head towards Cheonyeong's lit residence.

Kkiiik.

Yongcheon carefully opened the door, watching his expression, and peeked his head into the room.

"Um... Family Head... huh?"

Yongcheon was startled by the sight inside.

The Family Head, the Family Head...

"What are you doing? You're as big as a bear, it doesn't suit you."

"N-no! What are you doing now?"

"What am I doing? Can't you see?"

He was packing.

A name tag to simply prove his identity, a few clothes to wear, a scabbard filled with hidden weapons in preparation for a possible battle, and a sword to use in a moment of crisis.

And even a money pouch filled with silver and gold.

"Cheonyeong! No!"

"...What?"

Yongcheon, who was so surprised, slammed the door shut, came in, and even called his name as he blocked Cheonyeong's hand.

What's wrong with him?

"Cheonyeong, we were wrong. We're really sorry. We didn't mean it like that."

"..."

"No matter how upset you were, running away from home! Isn't this a bit much?"

Cheonyeong's eyes narrowed at Yongcheon's words.

Has he gone mad?

Running away from home?

What kind of nonsense is this at the crack of dawn?

"Cheonyeong. Just hit me! I'll take it. No, all the kids are waiting outside, so just go out and beat them! Huh? Running away from home is not an option. Who do we have to trust here? Huh? Please..."

Cheonyeong looked at Yongcheon's face, which was even on the verge of tears, with a pathetic expression.

"Ah!"

Then he realized his mistake.

The dawn training...

Dammit, he had been so preoccupied with thinking about one punk all night that he hadn't paid attention.

He should have told Yongcheon to supervise the training today.

"Yongcheon."

"Huh?"

"Stop talking nonsense and let go of this hand. My wrist is going to break."

"Ugh-huh. No, no. I said running away from home is not an option."

"..."

Cheonyeong, who had narrowed his eyes even more at the vigorous shaking of his head, smacked Yongcheon on the head.

Bba-a-ak!

"Keu-ak!"

Yongcheon held his head with both hands and grimaced.

It was a bit hard.

Because he thought he wouldn't let go otherwise.

The leaders of the Tang family, who had heard that magnificent sound of impact from outside, flinched.

...It has begun. The beating to vent his anger.

The leaders of the Tang family, including Sanghui, prayed for Yongcheon's soul in their hearts.

He wouldn't kill him, but at least one arm or leg might be broken...

Of course, the situation inside was not as they thought.

"Did this punk eat something wrong for a late-night snack? What do you mean, running away from home?"

"...Huh? No?"

"Does it make sense for a family head to run away from home?"

"Well... but why are you packing?"

"I'm going out, going out!"

"Going out?"

"Yes."

"Where are you going?"

"You guys said it, right? That you're about to die from being overworked."

"That's..."

"As the Family Head, can I just watch my retainers die from overwork?"

"..."

"I'm going to go and bring back some talented people myself."

"Bring back talented people?"

"Yes." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Ah..."

Only then did Yongcheon scratch his head.

"So that's what it was. I was worried for nothing. Then shall I pack my things too?"

"No, you just stay here."

"Huh? I don't have to follow you?"

"If the Vice Family Head follows, who will take care of the Tang Family's estate?"

"...Then at least a guard."

Cheonyeong burst out laughing at Yongcheon's words.

Who is guarding whom?

They can't even take care of their own bodies.

"I'll be back after a short trip, so you take care of the Tang Family's estate. Since it's the duty of the Vice Family Head when the Family Head is absent."

"I'll take care of it?"

"You have the training plan I made, right?"

"Well..."

"If you skip it because I'm not here, you're dead. I'll check it in detail when I get back. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"Tell Chunil to ask Secretary Guhwang to take care of the shop management for a while."

"To Secretary Guhwang?"

"Yes. No one knows Ganyang as well as he does, so he'll do a good job. So tell the Outer Hall Master to pay attention to the ferry. Since the Lee family has pulled out, and we, with our small numbers, have taken over, they'll be poking at us from here and there. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Don't hold the recruitment selection until I get back. Then Baekgang will have some free time. Tell him to help with the martial arts academy work that Hwangsama is in charge of during that time."

"Yeah."

Cheonyeong continued, looking at the obediently nodding Yongcheon.

"And, ask the Divine Work Pavilion Master to help with the Inner Hall's work, as it's fine to build the buildings slowly."

"The Divine Work Pavilion Master?"

"Yes. Since he has experience running a business, he'll be better than Sanghui."

"I suppose so."

"And, tell Sanghui... to rest and get treatment for a while. The kid looked very yellow."

"Alright. I'll do that."

"Then I'll be back, so do a good job."

"Huh? Without saying goodbye?"

"What's there to say goodbye? I'm sorry about yesterday..."

Cheonyeong scratched his cheek and slung the well-packed bundle over his shoulder.

In fact, from Cheonyeong's perspective, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the leaders.

Although it was their will to follow, weren't they suffering a harsh ordeal as retainers of a family, having received the Tang surname in a place that was no different from a foreign land?

He should have resolved their grievances sooner.

He felt that if he saw their faces, his sorry feelings would only grow.

Especially since Sanghui had not only hair loss but also jaundice...

"How long will it take?"

"Hmm, since it's a two-thousand-li journey to Dongting Lake in Honam Province, it'll take about two months, give or take."

"Eek? You're going all the way to Dongting Lake?"

"Yes."

"Then, shall I prepare a horse?"

"It's fine. I'm much faster than a horse. I'm planning to take the shortest route, so I'll have to cross mountains and water."

"I suppose so."

"I'll be back, so take good care of the Tang Family's estate, Vice Family Head."

"Yeah!"

Cheonyeong, who had smiled after hearing Yongcheon's energetic answer, slips out the back door of his residence.

"Be back, Family Head."

Yongcheon waves at the unlooking Cheonyeong until he disappears.

In his childhood, which he couldn't even remember, Yongcheon had been abandoned by his family and had wandered as a vagrant.

And he had found a family again.

With the Tang surname...

Regardless of age, Cheonyeong was a father, an older brother, and a friend to him.

One experience of being abandoned by family was enough.

He had been so scared, thinking he was really running away from home and would be abandoned again.

Yongcheon, who had stroked his chest in relief, suddenly comes to his senses.

Ah, I have to deliver the Family Head's orders.

So I don't forget.

Yongcheon came out of the residence, repeating the words Cheonyeong had told him.

"Huh?"

"Where's the Family Head?"

"Why are you alone?"

"You walked out fine after being hit by the Family Head?"

Yongcheon approached the leaders who were asking different questions.

And as the Vice Family Head representing the Family Head, he opened his mouth solemnly and seriously.

"Hey, kids."

"..."

"From today, you are free."

"...!"

"For the next two months! The Family Head is not here!"

That day, laughter bloomed in the Tang Family's estate.

Just because the Family Head was not there...

What if the Family Head came back and beat them? What if he stomped on them?

For now, the freedom of the moment was too precious to them.

Would he really kill them when he came back?

It's not like the world would change in two months.

The Tang Family's Departure from the World