The Martial Clan’s Unwanted Granddaughter

Chapter 7

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Jang Seokryang and Baengri Paehyuk may have left the room, but they hadn’t gone far. As silently as possible, the two men entered the room next door—and heard everything.

“Nothing will change unless Grandfather accepts me,” said Baengri Yeon.

Jang Seokryang couldn’t help but let out a sigh of admiration.

“If Grandfather had said, ‘What’s wrong with having a child out of wedlock? A new granddaughter? That’s fantastic,’ wouldn’t that have been stranger?”

When he heard those words, he nearly blew their cover bursting into laughter, but managed to choke it back under Baengri Paehyuk’s fierce glare.

The conversation continued. “Because Grandfather is Father’s father.”

“What?”

“I’m happy to have you as my father, but I’d be sad if you lost yours because of me.”

At these words, Jang Seokryang could no longer laugh. In the sudden silence, he glanced over at Lord Baengri’s face and found it unreadable.

“They seem to be finished. Let’s leave,” his lord said flatly.

“Yes,” his aide agreed. Baengri Paehyuk’s robes flared behind him as he strode out of the room, Jang Seokryang scrambling to follow after him.

It had been Jang Seokryang’s idea to eavesdrop, as he was afraid that Baengri Euigang would storm out immediately to seek out the mistress. It was for this reason that he’d convinced the reluctant Lord Baengri to stay behind, but instead they had ended up overhearing a most unexpected conversation.

After walking silently for quite some time, the clan leader abruptly asked, “Do you believe the child is right?”

“Would you like my honest opinion?” Reading the answer in his lord’s eyes, Jang Seokryang answered, “Yes. That is my honest answer.”

“Those were the words of a six-year-old child,” Baengri Paehyuk said.

“And all the more impressive for it. The child is extremely perceptive. Deep of thought, and even more so in piety toward her father. Even I felt as though I had been struck with lightning when she addressed the crowd in the main hall with those bright eyes of hers!” Jang Seokryang’s voice began to rise with excitement.

His lord’s mouth twisted. “Seems you’ve grown quite fond of little Yeon.”

Jang Seokryang laughed. “I have a granddaughter about the same age. That child bursts into tears at the tiniest fall, and won’t stop until her nanny, mother, and father have all rushed to her side.”

Baengri Paehyuk also recalled another one of his granddaughters, the same age as Yeon. He didn’t want to compare them, but he couldn’t help but shake his head. The determination to hold his challenging gaze despite her involuntary trembling, the daring to claim she had no need of the Divine Decree Suppression Pill the whole world coveted... He hated to admit it, but she took after Euigang—his most cherished son.

He felt something begin to shift inside his heart.

“Like father, like daughter. It really is a shame,” Jang Seokryang mused. “If only Euigang were ten years older—”

“Enough!”

Jang Seokryang immediately pulled back at his lord’s rebuke. “Forgive my indiscretion.”

Somewhat appeased by the apology, Baengri Paehyuk continued, “The Baengri clan is still a castle built upon sand. We cannot cause any unnecessary conflict within these walls.”

Though the Baengri family was counted among the ten great clans, its renown would not outlive Baengri Paehyuk’s term as its head. They were nothing compared to the likes of the Namgoong and Jaegal families, who had been around even before the “ten great clans” were called so. In fact, those houses were sometimes referred to as the “five great clans,” distinct from the likes of the Baengri family.

The Baengri clan did not yet have the same reputation. To retain their current position, they were in need of a foundation solid enough to hold through the next generation at the very least. Should a conflict arise within the family now, their title as one of the ten great clans would be left the empty boast of a single generation. That was an unacceptable fate.

Jang Seokryang chose his words carefully. “Perhaps you could be more lenient with them. Has not Lord Euigang honored your wishes for him to respect his elder brother and care for the Esteemed Lady all this time?” They arrived at their destination, and Jang Seokryang continued speaking as they stood before the door. “Furthermore, what sin could a child bear?”

Baengri Paehyuk didn’t answer. “Let’s go in.” He brushed the door blinds aside and entered.

The room was peaceful yet cozy, one wall giving way to a wide window. A man about fifty years of age was seated inside, being served tea.

“Imperial Physician Seok,” Lord Baengri greeted.

“You’ve arrived,” he acknowledged.

“I’ve kept you waiting.” Baengri Paehyuk sat down across from the physician.

“That’s quite all right,” said Imperial Physician Seok, setting down his teacup. “I was enjoying this tea so much that I didn’t even notice the time passing.”

“I’d heard you like white tea, so I requested that the servants prepare some. You could take some home if you’d like.”

“That would be most appreciated,” the physician replied, and said no more.

Jang Seokryang watched on carefully as Physician Seok took another sip of his tea, then tactfully posed his question. “How is her condition?”

The physician’s face revealed his surprise. He’d seen much in his many years and even served in the imperial court. The details of the situation surrounding her collapse alone had given him enough information to glean Baengri Yeon’s position within her family: She was the unwanted granddaughter of the Baengri clan. But for the patriarch to pay him a personal visit and to ask after her condition through his aide...

Imperial Physician Seok had originally believed that Lord Baengri had called him merely to keep up the appearance of doing his due diligence to care for his family, but now… He gazed thoughtfully into the spacious garden. “You said that it was roughly a month ago that she began to recover from her qi deviation, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And she walked from her quarters all the way to the main hall without assistance?”

“Ahem, yes, that is correct.” Jang Seokryang coughed in embarrassment.

“Hmm... The child’s perseverance is commendable,” Imperial Physician Seok said.

“Is her condition truly so terrible?”

“I’m surprised that she even managed to kneel. It must’ve been hard enough simply enduring the pain.” You forced a sick child to kneel on the floor, and you still expect her to be fine? was what he meant. They all knew it.

Jang Seokryang cleared his throat, shamed by the doctor’s admonishment. “To be sure, she was a little pale, but she seemed so unaffected that we thought she must be well enough.”

Even to his own ears, it seemed a feeble excuse. He quickly changed the subject. “So, is her condition treatable?”

The physician sighed. “It was by heaven’s favor that she even managed to survive the qi deviation. She is still young, so with time, she’ll be able to at least lead a normal life. There’s nothing I can do about her weak constitution, however.”

In other words: don’t expect too much. Jang Seokryang had already expected this, but he still felt a slight ache of pity at the news.

Just then, Baengri Paehyuk opened his mouth. “I have a Divine Decree Suppression Pill.”

“A Divine Decree Suppression Pill?” The ever-composed Imperial Physician Seok was shocked.

“Could it recover a qi center?” Baengri Paehyuk asked.

“I have no idea,” Imperial Physician Seok answered immediately. “I’ve never heard of such a case. The Divine Decree Suppression Pill is certainly a powerful medicine. If she were to take it, at the very least, her internal injuries would heal. In fact, she might become healthier than the average person.”

Imperial Physician Seok paused for a moment, then continued firmly, “But reviving a completely shattered qi center is a different issue entirely.”

“What would you say are the chances of her recovering her qi center?” Baengri Paehyuk asked.

“Less than ten percent.”

“Is that it?”

“There is no precedent of successful treatment through medicine. I only know of one case where a qi-ruined patient was able to recover their inner qi at all.”

“Divine Physician Mahn!” Jang Seokryang interjected.

“Indeed.”

Divine Physician Mahn was a medical practitioner whose skills had supposedly reached the realm of godhood. He was said to be able to diagnose disease from a patient’s complexion alone and to accurately predict the number of days the dying had left to live. He was especially adept in curing internal injuries and damage done to one’s veins and qi meridians. His healing of one patient’s ruined inner qi was a legendary tale.

“But Divine Physician Mahn...” Jang Seokryang trailed off, turning to look at Baengri Paehyuk.

Divine Physician Mahn had gone into hiding over ten years ago. What’s more, he had sworn an oath to the heavens itself before his disappearance that he would never again affiliate himself with any martial artist. So, it was impossible.

Upon hearing the unyielding prognosis, Baengri Paehyuk experienced an intense and utterly unexpected sense of regret. After making brief small talk and excusing themselves from the room, Lord Baengri turned to his aide. “Call Administrator Ko. And... Tell him to bring me a list of items suitable for gifting to a child.”

Jang Seokryang smiled and raised his clasped hands respectfully. “A wonderful idea, my lord.”