Free Web NovelTang Hwayeop was so tall I had to crane my neck to look up at him.
He was solidly built, too.
Unlike Tang Un’s slim frame, he had a thick-boned build and a strong, dark impression.
Like... “Tang Clan villain #1” drawn straight out of a picture. If that bastard had shown up in a novel, he would’ve been a villain, no question.
When I didn’t avert my gaze, irritation seeped across Tang Hwayeop’s face.
“I heard Ancestor Jonghyeon took you in, so I thought you might be some once-in-a-generation genius... but other than your face, there’s nothing worth looking at. Is that what you call gathering internal energy?”
He even talked like Clan Head Muheok. I’d had a lower dantian for a month, you punk.
Even with his abuse, I didn’t feel particularly bad. Maybe because his face was Clan Head Muheok’s—I just assumed, Of course he’s that kind of guy.
Disappointment requires expectations in the first place.
I brushed it off and sipped my tea. Tang Hwayeop’s brow twitched.
“Impudent.”
What did I do?
Tang Juhee, who’d been watching, snapped at him.
“If your business is done, get out of my residence. We’re not close enough to share tea together.”
“You sure know how to speak sweetly to your older brother.”
“Want me to speak sweeter? That face of yours makes me sick, so can you get out now?”
Tang Juhee growled. Tang Hwayeop’s eyes sharpened.
“You want to do this?”
Despite his flat tone, the pressure Tang Hwayeop gave off was anything but ordinary.
At some point he’d slipped his hand into the sleeve of his long robe—like he was about to launch hidden weapons at any second.
“Don’t.”
With a sigh like this was the same old thing again, Tang Chohui quickly stepped between them.
Tang Hwayeop lifted a brow, then slowly relaxed his hand. Even so, it looked like he still cared about the sister from the same mother, at least.
“Brother. Go. I’ll send Sister to Father.”
“Don’t associate with people without manners. You’ll pick up bad habits.”
Lifting his chin arrogantly like he was letting it slide just this once, Tang Hwayeop strode out of the rear garden.
“That bastard, seriously...!” freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Tang Juhee spat out a curse and kicked the spot where Tang Hwayeop had been standing.
From the look of it, the only sibling Tang Juhee treated like an elder was Tang Un.
This family was pure chaos. Hey, Father—your kids’ sibling bond is beyond saving.
Tang Chohui grabbed her sister’s arm as she fumed and said, flatly,
“Father is waiting.”
“Fine. I’m going.”
Tang Juhee swallowed her anger, straightened her clothes, then stomped her way over and sprang right over the wall.
Watching «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the deep footprint she left behind, Tang Chohui clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“That temper.”
...So she was just leaving? Then I was just leaving too, right?
There didn’t seem to be any reason to stay in a residence with no owner. As I rose carefully, Tang Chohui gestured like it was fine.
“You can go.”
“Yes, Sister.”
I turned to leave the rear garden, then froze. The distance from the pavilion to the entry gate was ridiculously far.
I turned back around.
“Sister. The wall Juhee jumped—there’s no Mechanism Array Formation on it, right?”
“There isn’t.”
Tang Chohui tilted her head like why are you asking that? I grinned slyly and copied Tang Juhee.
Meaning—I hopped the wall too.
Wow. I wouldn’t have even dared before, but now it felt easy.
I was starting to understand why Tang Jung kept vaulting walls. It was way faster and more convenient than walking all the way to the gate.
“So that’s why Juhee likes it.”
Tang Chohui muttered softly from the other side as she climbed over too.
Why did that sound like an insult.
Just then, the flustered voice of the attendant who’d run an errand came from inside.
“Young lady, I brought the seamstress—...young lady? Young lady? Where did everyone go?”
Seeing her hopping in place, panicked, I felt weirdly sorry for her. I called out over the wall.
“She went to Clan Head’s Hall!”
The attendant jerked, then turned to me and bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Youngest young lady.”
“It’s nothing.”
I waved lightly and turned away. Tang Chohui, who’d been staring at me, asked,
“Do you know the way?”
“No. I don’t. Which way is Tang Un’s quarters?” fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
“...Follow me.”
Swallowing a sigh, Tang Chohui grabbed me and pulled me along.
*****
By the time we reached Tang Un’s quarters, it was past noon.
Tang Un sat in the pavilion, wrapped in a thick blanket, letting the breeze touch him.
“Brother. I’m here.”
“Sohae, you’re here? Today you’re early—...Chohui too? What brings you all the way here?”
Tang Un’s eyes rounded as he stood. The blanket on his shoulders slipped to the ground with a soft thud.
Tang Chohui picked it up without a word and handed it back.
“Youngest doesn’t know the way.”
“I see. Would you like tea? I have a good Da Hong Pao.”
“I already drank.”
Shaking her head, Tang Chohui looked at Tang Un with complicated eyes.
Like she pitied him... or like she felt guilty.
It was open sympathy, but Tang Un seemed used to it. His eyes curved gently.
“Then at least take some snacks with you. Your brother just wants to give you something.”
“You eat it.”
Tang Chohui shook her head curtly. The tone was basically I don’t need anything from you, and for a moment Tang Un’s expression stiffened.
The air went awkward so fast I started sweating.
She was probably trying to say she couldn’t steal a patient’s snacks, but... the delivery was a disaster.
Everyone in this family had a communication problem. Every single one.
Trying to change the mood, I hurriedly dug through my sleeve.
“B-Brother! Look at this. Chohui gave me a Butterfly Dart.”
“A Butterfly Dart?”
“It’s pretty, right? I’ve never seen one before. She said she’d teach me how to throw it too.”
I put on an excited, bragging act. Tang Un relaxed and asked softly,
“Really? I think this is the first time Chohui has given one of her hidden weapons to anyone.”
“Really?”
She just handed it to me out of nowhere. And told me to plant it in Tang Juyeop’s face.
Startled, I asked, and Tang Chohui averted her eyes, embarrassed.
Smiling, I looped my arm through hers.
“Sister. Was I really the first person you gave one to? I’m touched.”
“It must have been a big decision for our Chohui. It’s a lovely sight.”
Tang Un smiled and joined in. Tang Chohui squirmed, then shoved me away.
“...I’m leaving.”
Rubbing at her bright red ears, Tang Chohui stomped out through the hall doors before I could even stop her.
“Sister, wait—...she’s gone.”
“Please understand. I think Chohui was very embarrassed.”
We looked at each other, shrugged, and let out a small laugh.
*****
“So how did Chohui end up bringing you here?”
That question wasn’t easy to answer.
Because if I tried to summarize everything that happened—from Tang Juhee barging in out of nowhere to her dragging me and Tang Chohui into tea—I didn’t even know where to start.
When I hesitated, Tang Un asked again.
“Was it Juhee?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so.”
Tang Un gave a small smile like he didn’t need me to explain.
I smiled too, then started telling him what happened today. Maybe I’d gotten comfortable around him, because the words I’d been keeping inside came pouring out.
“So you met Hwayeop too? He looks exactly like Father, doesn’t he?”
“I swear it was like someone poured him into a mold. His voice is the same as Clan Head’s too. And—‘Is that what you call internal energy?’”
When I mimicked Tang Hwayeop in a nasal voice, Tang Un burst into laughter and fanned himself with his hand.
“Ahahaha! Hwayeop can be arrogant. But it isn’t baseless confidence. His martial skill is the best among us siblings. He trained under the Black Cloud Guard Captain for years.”
“Really?”
“He may only be the eldest by birth, but Young Clan Head is Yeongho. Still, all external dealings are handled by Hwayeop. People call him the Poison Ranger.”
Poison Ranger? That sounded awful.
They called that shallow bastard a “ranger”? The world had to be broken.
When I made a face, Tang Un soothed me gently.
“Hate him or not, he’s still your brother. Try to get along.”
He sure didn’t look like he wanted to get along with me. He was the only one who called me an illegitimate child to my face, the moment he met me, Brother.
“I’ll try.”
“Good girl.”
Nodding, Tang Un slid a plate of snacks toward me.
“By the way, Brother. There’s something I’m curious about.”
“Go on.”
“About Brother Juyeop...”
As I tried to ask about Tang Juyeop, I clamped my mouth shut again.
I couldn’t just blurt out, Is he Demonic Sect? And asking about hex-worm arts out of nowhere would be suspicious too.
When I hesitated, Tang Un looked puzzled.
“Did something happen with Juyeop?”
“Well... um... I think I heard that Brother Juyeop is going to Moon-Fragrance Pavilion.”
“Ah, you’re curious about the place your little aunt stayed?”
Strictly speaking, I wasn’t curious about Moon-Fragrance Pavilion. I was curious what Tang Juyeop went there to do.
I forced a smile and nodded.
He was kind—calling a courtesan who hadn’t even been acknowledged as a concubine “little aunt.”
Tang Un rubbed his chin, thinking.
“Hm. Father would dislike it... what should we do....”
“No, Brother. I’m sure I’ll get a chance someday.”
“Yes. Then you should follow Juyeop when he goes. If something happens, you can just say Juyeop dragged you along—then you’ll have an excuse.”
Tang Un said it brightly, still rubbing his chin.
Could you not casually suggest framing him.
“Haha... I’ll think about it.”
“You don’t have to feel burdened. If you say you want to go together, he’ll be happy. That child goes to brothels because he needs someone to listen to his playing.”
That told me a lot about how Tang Un saw Tang Juyeop.
Had I just gotten scared and misunderstood him?
To his siblings, Tang Juyeop was just a childish young master who dumped money into brothels and enjoyed playing instruments.
He didn’t look smart enough to be some mastermind, either—considering he drank his own poison and started foaming at the mouth.
He did feel a bit too stupid to be a hidden puppeteer, though...
‘The main house doesn’t have any secret method for controlling people like that.’
The more I turned it over in my head, the worse it sat.
It sounded less like “it doesn’t exist” and more like “it doesn’t exist here, so bring it in from outside.”
When I looked troubled, Tang Un asked kindly.
“Is it hard to bring it up with Juyeop first? Should your brother ask him for you?”
“No. Brother. I’ll go and ask myself.”
I shook my head.
At this point, it was better to ask Tang Juyeop directly.
He seemed to want something from me too, so he wouldn’t refuse.
I needed to see with my own eyes what Tang Juyeop did in the brothel.
