Chapter 44: The Flaw in Discipline (4)

Jang Yun's face turned red.

"Do you mean to remove me from my position as the leader?"

"Shouldn't you consider it a stroke of luck?"

Yeon Ho-jung raised his fist.

Rrrrr.

A powerful aura surged from his fist.

Jang Yun, who was about to speak again, was suddenly taken aback.

'How can this be?'

The energy emanating from Yeon Ho-jung's fist was truly formidable. It was so formidable that it far surpassed his own inner strength as a leader of the special forces.

"I would like to tear your limbs apart and chase you away, but a fight is only for those who are worth it."

"…!"

"To someone like you, even a fight is a waste."

Yeon Ho-jung turned to look at Yoo Ji-ha.

Yoo Ji-ha was startled.

"Doesn't my statement make sense?"

"I, I'm sorry!"

Yeon Ho-jung's eyes were incredibly fierce. Yoo Ji-ha's feet moved involuntarily.

Jang Yun's lips trembled.

"You're making a big deal out of this."

"Don't overestimate yourself. This isn't something that should grow because of a guy like you. I don't understand the higher-ups who put you in that position and felt at ease."

Yeon Ho-jung smiled coldly.

"You're trying to handle this according to the rules, as if you're going to die if you don't. Just shut up and wait."

"…No matter how much you are the First Prince, you can't make me step down from my position."

"That's why I didn't kill you outright and called the Legal Hall Master. And I told you to wait. I think I've said everything I needed to say, so there's no need to ramble on."

Jang Yun bit his lip.

"I only did it for the good of the Yeon family!"

"I'm doing this for the good of the main family."

"Small organizations come together to form a larger one! If an organization isn't governed by laws and discipline, it will inevitably fall apart! To achieve a well-organized structure, some sacrifices must be made!"

"Trash."

"What, what did you say?"

"Why don't you, who should set an example for the team, live by the same standards?"

"…!!"

"You are flexible with yourself but harsh on others, a typical small-minded person. Because of someone like you, the special forces' performance is so poor."

Yeon Ho-jung turned his head.

"Isn't that right?"

There was no one where he was looking.

But Yeon Ho-jung continued speaking without hesitation.

"Since I've called the Legal Hall Master, the matter will also be reported to Father. Please show yourself now."

At that moment.

Swoosh.

Jang Yun and the third team of the special forces were startled.

A man appeared from the shadow beside the weapon storage of the large training ground.

He was tall and well-built. However, his face was mostly covered by a mask, making it hard to discern his features. From his eyes, he seemed to be around forty.

The man spoke.

"Did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. But a moment ago, your aura (氣) wavered slightly."

"Remarkable."

"It's nothing."

Yeon Ho-jung smiled.

"Are you Wang Jeon?"

"Yes."

Jang Yun's eyes widened.

Wang Jeon referred to the closest bodyguard of the family head, Yeon Wei. The person responsible for the family head's protection was known as the Hu Jun (護君).

Wang Jeon was the current Hu Jun. His skills were the best in the family, second only to the family head, Yeon Wei.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Wang Jeon shook his head.

Even in response to the First Prince's words, he only shook his head. It might seem to violate etiquette, but the Hu Jun was a special person who only followed the family head's orders.

"Go and tell Father that I will be dealing with this matter today."

Wang Jeon, who had been silently watching Yeon Ho-jung, spoke.

"I have a question."

"Please ask."

"What would you do if the Legal Hall Master does not hold the special forces leader accountable?"

Though he didn't understand why he was asking this, Yeon Ho-jung answered honestly.

"Kidnap the leader and make sure he can never function as a person again."

Wang Jeon's eyes gleamed.

Jang Yun also looked at Yeon Ho-jung with disbelief.

"I would like to overturn everything, including the Legal Hall Master, but I am not the family head. It wouldn't be right to let the family down because of such incompetent people."

"…"

"Is that an adequate answer?"

Wang Jeon nodded.

Yeon Ho-jung pointed at the third team of the special forces.

"Also, ask Father to find a nearby medical facility. The condition of the team members is terrible."

"Did you know?"

"I only found out today. I was also overly indifferent, so I bear a great responsibility."

Wang Jeon's eyes became peculiar.

After silently watching Yeon Ho-jung, Wang Jeon left with one last statement.

"The special forces leader will receive a severe punishment."

Jang Yun's face turned pale.

This was a direct statement from the Hu Jun, one of the top experts of the Yeon family. The vague sense of danger he had felt finally hit him.

"Exactly… exactly why?!"

"Still don't get it?"

Yeon Ho-jung looked at the third team members.

"Your uniform training has severely injured the team members."

"What, what do you mean?!"

"How can you talk about organizations and teams when you didn't even know this?"

Jang Yun looked at the third team in confusion.

They bit their lips and avoided his gaze.

"This is what it means to be incompetent. I don't know how you conducted the team training, but the team members' bloodlines are not normal. They entered training without proper treatment after being injured."

"…!"

"How can you be a leader when you can't even assess the physical condition of each team member?"

Jang Yun's face turned pale.

In the ancient Three Kingdoms era, injured soldiers were not allowed to participate in training to maintain the team's strength. He had been overly indifferent to the individual characteristics and health of the team members.

Moreover, he had imposed punishments close to torture for not following orders, even when it was time for rest and training.

He was unfit to be a leader.

A short while later, the Legal Hall Master arrived at the large training ground.

"First Prince?!"

"Please wait a moment. There are still many people to arrive."

"What, what do you mean?"

Yeon Ho-jung glared at Jang Yun.

Jang Yun's face was not just pale but had turned blue.

"Do you like being the leader of the Yeon family?"

That day, almost all the teams and organizations of the Yeon family gathered at the training ground.

Yeon Ho-jung announced Jang Yun's incompetence in front of everyone.

Jang Yun was human. Initially, he might have known that his team management was not normal. He had simply chosen the easier path for himself.

When the facts were revealed to everyone, even the most shameless person couldn't bear it. Jang Yun, under the cold gaze of the Legal Hall Master, knelt down.

However, Yeon Ho-jung didn't just blame Jang Yun.

He called all those who had taught Jang Yun and those who had learned with him. Then, he meticulously investigated each organization to see if anything similar to the special forces had happened.

The results were shocking.

Three organizations were found to be even worse than the special forces. One of them had even buried a team member who died from a minor incident.

It was a bolt from the blue. The entire team had kept quiet to cover up the incident, which could have been smoothed over as a disappearance.

The Legal Hall Master and Yeon Wei, who learned about the situation later, had no idea such things were happening within the family.

For over five days, the atmosphere in the Yeon family was as tense as a bomb about to explode.

Those who had committed evil deeds, engaged in corruption, or secretly aided such actions were all identified. They were punished according to the family's laws.

Jang Yun was no exception.

Jang Yun's crimes were not actually major offenses. He was mainly incompetent and had failed to properly care for his team members.

However, his words were a bigger issue.

No one knew whether Wang Jeon or the third team members had reported it, but the Legal Hall Master considered Jang Yun's words to the First Prince a much bigger problem.

It was understandable. Jang Yun's words were practically insubordination.

The family's laws were strict. Giving a leader such authority meant they had to bear great responsibility.

For a special forces leader to commit insubordination against the family's First Prince was not something to be overlooked. The Legal Hall Master stripped Jang Yun of his inner strength and sentenced him to ten years in the dungeon.

It was a harsh sentence. It also indicated that the Legal Hall Master took the situation very seriously.

Thus, the Yeon family's cold and decisive punishment was meted out to those who had committed crimes.

* * *

"Do you think it's too harsh?"

"Yes."

"I heard that if the Legal Hall Master did not hold the former special forces leader accountable, you said you would punish him yourself?"

"That's correct."

"Then why do you think the current sentence is too harsh?"

"If the Legal Hall Master had not held Jang Yun accountable, it would mean the main family itself was corrupt. We would need to start by eliminating the Legal Hall Master."

"…"

"But the Legal Hall Master did hold Jang Yun accountable. The charges were incompetence and insubordination."

"That's right."

"While incompetence is one thing, insubordination is a major offense. In a wartime situation, it could be considered a capital offense."

"That's true. That's why I stripped him of his inner strength and sentenced him to ten years in the dungeon. The reason is that a person in a high position must bear great responsibility."

"That's a fair statement, but it's still too harsh."

"Please explain your reasoning."

"While it's not exactly the responsibility of the main family, ultimately, it was the Yeon family that put Jang Yun in that position."

"…"

"Ultimately, he was one of us. I don't know if Father still considers him a family member."

"So, should the sentence be reduced a bit?"

"Jang Yun received a harsher sentence than what is stipulated by the family laws. It's not about reducing the sentence but about making the process transparent and clear if we are to follow the laws."

Yeon Ho-jung smiled bitterly.

"Ultimately, didn't Jang Yun interpret the family laws arbitrarily and cause this mess?"

"…"

"If you don't want to be flexible with the laws, you shouldn't be overly harsh either. It will certainly cause confusion among many people."

"Do you really think so?"

"That's my opinion. While I don't know about other organizations, the main family must be like this."

Yeon Wei looked at Yeon Ji-pyeong.

"What do you think?"

Yeon Ji-pyeong, who didn't expect to be asked, was startled.

But he spoke as if he had been waiting for it.

"Even if it's not about the main family's responsibility… I think it's a matter of a person's life."

"Hmm."

"If the rules were violated, I believe the appropriate punishment should be given."

Yeon Ji-pyeong hesitated slightly before continuing.

"The main family is called the Byaksan (碧山) family because of its clear and honest way of handling matters."

Yeon Wei nodded.

"That's true. Actually, I also think the sentence for Jang Yun is too harsh."

Yeon Ji-pyeong looked at Yeon Wei with surprise. If he thought it was too harsh, he could have adjusted the sentence himself. He was curious why he had called them.

Yeon Wei asked Yeon Ho-jung.

"Is it okay?"

"Excuse me? What is?"

"Insubordination is a crime with a wide range of severity depending on the situation. You, as the target of the insubordination, can choose to have Jang Yun killed if you wish."

"That's true."

"But you're asking for a reduced sentence. Is that okay?"

Yeon Ho-jung smiled.

"It's fine. I've already rubbed him the wrong way. Not drawing my sword is already a mercy."

"Drawing your sword would mean immediate execution."

"That's what I mean."

Yeon Wei's lips curled slightly.

But soon, his face turned stern.

"Alright. I'll handle this matter as you suggest."

Yeon Ji-pyeong was inwardly surprised. In contrast, Yeon Ho-jung listened to Yeon Wei's words with a calm face.

"Ho-jung."

"Yes, Father."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Yeon Ho-jung smiled and stood up.

"Please don't make me work hard on such matters. It's exhausting."

Yeon Ji-pyeong, flustered, shook Yeon Ho-jung's arm.

Yeon Wei took a sip of tea and said.

"Pay more attention in the future."

Yeon Ji-pyeong's mouth dropped open.

"Then, I'll go first."

"What will you do tomorrow?"

"I'll continue as usual."

"Are you going to start that intense training again?"

"I'm thinking of changing my training method a bit."

Yeon Wei nodded.

"Come by before Hukae arrives. I'll check your martial arts. Ji-pyeong, you too."

The Yeon brothers left the family head's room.

Yeon Wei looked out the window. The brothers were laughing and heading to their quarters, seemingly finding something amusing.

A hint of regret appeared in Yeon Wei's eyes.

The object of his regret was, of course, Yeon Ho-jung.