Chapter 8: Priorities Before Martial Law (2)

Nangong Daesan's face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

"Calling her an unworthy woman? Be careful with your words!"

"You should be the one to watch your words."

Yan Wei was neither as agitated nor as aggressive as Nangong Daesan.

He was calm and composed, his usual stern expression unchanged.

"Have you thoroughly investigated the cause and effect of the incident?"

"Cause and effect? Is this the time to quibble over such trivial matters?! What exactly did you hear! No matter how much she provoked, to break the limbs of a girl not yet of age? How did you raise your son, Head of the Yan Family!"

Though extremely rude, Nangong Daesan's anger was not entirely unfathomable.

Even if it wasn't his own child, his cherished niece had become half-crippled. Anyone would be furious.

Yan Wei understood Nangong Daesan's feelings.

However, he could not tolerate his words and Nangong Shanghua's actions.

"I am disappointed that my son showed such restraint to end it at that level."

"What!"

"If it were me, I would never forgive someone who not only disrespected the family but also tried to kill me."

Yan Wei's voice became slightly colder.

"My son's mercy saved the girl of the Gui Family. You should be grateful."

"Such... such insolence!"

The extremely angry Nangong Daesan trembled.

But he could not vent his anger any further.

The words he had initially dismissed were being repeated by the Head of the Yan Family. The repetition slightly cooled Nangong Daesan's head.

'How could she have disrespected the family and tried to kill my son? What does this mean?'

As if reading his thoughts, Yan Wei said:

"The child named Shanghua of the Gui Family, while drunk, said that the Nangong Family has never considered the Yan Family as one of the Seven Great Clans."

Nangong Daesan gritted his teeth.

"Does that mean you think she disrespected the family? Just for that reason...!"

"I do not consider the words of an immature child, especially when drunk, as the will of the Nangong Family. It can be dismissed as the ramblings of a drunkard."

Despite thinking it was a valid point, Nangong Daesan felt even more angry. The Head of the Yan Family was calling his cherished niece immature and a drunkard.

How could he not be angry?

"However, if she revealed her intent to kill and forced the Yan Family's children to kneel, the situation would be different."

"What, what are you saying?"

"Threatening to kill and humiliate them, I do not know how the Head of the Nangong Family raised his children."

Nangong Daesan's eyes wavered.

Even though the Bishan Yan Family has a short history, it is one of the Seven Great Clans.

Being listed among the Seven Great Clans after only fifty years of being known in the Central Plains means that the Yan Family's power is no less than that of the other clans.

Or, one could say, its potential is even greater. A family without power would not be mentioned alongside the highest noble families in the martial world.

Nangong Shanghua not only tried to kill the children of such a family but also humiliated them.

"I cannot believe it!"

Nangong Daesan's face turned red again.

"Do you have any evidence? If you are going to insult the Nangong Family based on the words of the Head of the Yan Family...!"

"This is a matter between the children of the Seven Great Clans. Do you think I would investigate it carelessly?"

"Ugh! Then call the parties involved! I will hear the Head of the Yan Family's son speak...!"

"Listen, Head of the Nangong Family."

Yan Wei's eyes deepened.

"Am I joking now?"

"..."

"My children were humiliated and even threatened. I want to cut off your niece's head."

"I mean!"

"If the Head of the Nangong Family came to apologize, I would still be unsatisfied. Now, you, a mere head of the outer court, come to create this mess?"

Yan Wei did not speak further.

"Do you want to die?"

Flash!

The calm and composed Yan Wei's eyes emitted a faint killing intent.

Feeling this killing intent, Nangong Daesan had the illusion of entering a cold cave. It was so cold and fierce that he involuntarily felt his inner strength stir.

"If this is the will of the Nangong Family, then fine. I will personally confirm how sharp the Nangong Family's sword is. I will cut off your head and go to the Nangong Family myself."

The chilling voice made Nangong Daesan involuntarily exclaim.

"Wait, just a moment!"

"Do you have anything to say?"

Nangong Daesan swallowed.

He only revealed a needle-like, dense killing intent, but no further pressure. Yan Wei remained stern and composed.

However, Nangong Daesan knew from the killing intent alone that Yan Wei's martial arts had reached a level he could not match.

"Wait a moment. I seem to have made a mistake."

"Mistake? Are you in a position to spout such nonsense in front of me?"

Nangong Daesan bit his lip.

Even he thought it was a truly hurtful and petty response.

But he had no choice. Not only did he lack the confidence to handle the Yan Wei in front of him, but if Yan Wei's words were true, this could turn into a huge mess.

'Damn!'

He regretted it. While his brothers held important positions in the Nangong Family, he was still the head of the outer court.

Although he was treated as a senior in the family, he was still a head. His elder brother, the Head of the Family, did not give him much power.

It was because of his hot temper. He was afraid that he might ruin external affairs, so he remained a head even at his age.

He had often felt hurt by this, but now he wondered if his brother's judgment was correct.

"For now..."

His lips were dry.

The strong-willed Nangong Daesan gritted his teeth and said:

"I apologize for coming in without considering the circumstances."

"..."

"I was blinded by the fact that my niece was in such a state. I am ashamed to face the Head of the Family."

Yan Wei silently watched Nangong Daesan.

His eyes were as transparent as glass. Nangong Daesan's mouth opened involuntarily.

"I will investigate the situation again. So, about today's incident..."

"Don't worry. I won't forget it."

"Head of the Family!"

"I will make sure everyone in the martial world knows about this. If your family does not offer a proper apology."

Nangong Daesan's face turned pale.

This was it. This was the crux of the matter.

If all of Yan Wei's words were true, the Nangong Family's reputation would be tarnished. And the responsibility would fall not only on Nangong Shanghua but also on himself.

This was a big deal. He had stormed in out of anger, and his hot temper would now tarnish the family's reputation.

"Head of the Family..."

"Go away. I don't even want to see you."

"..."

"I will closely watch how your family responds."

Yan Wei turned his body.

Nangong Daesan, biting his lip, left the southern gate. The entrance he had broken through now looked like the mouth of hell.

Thus, Nangong Daesan left the Yan Family.

Yan Wei shook his head as he looked at the broken southern gate.

"What a pity."

It was a pity, but perhaps it was for the best.

"Where is the Chief Steward?"

"Did you call, Head of the Family?"

A slender man ran from a distance. He seemed to have practiced martial arts but not deeply.

The man, who was probably in his mid-thirties, was Tai Jing, the Chief Steward of the Yan Family.

"Commission the old man in the Chief Steward's residence to rebuild the gate. Ask for better quality wood than before."

"Ah, yes!"

Tai Jing said with a somewhat uneasy face.

"Head of the Family, are you alright?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you go too far...?"

He seemed to have watched from a distance.

Yan Wei shook his head.

"Clean up from here and investigate immediately tomorrow."

"Ah, yes! Understood."

Yan Wei, entrusting the surroundings to Tai Jing, walked alone towards the inner courtyard.

At that moment, a shadow appeared.

It was Yan Hezheng.

"Father."

Yan Wei was not surprised. He had already sensed his eldest son's presence.

"It's late. Go to bed now."

"I can't sleep."

Yan Wei stopped and looked at Yan Hezheng.

It was a particularly bright moonlit night. The moonlight illuminated his eldest son's eyes, making them look very deep.

Yan Wei, who was about to tell him to go back to bed, suddenly wanted to ask his son a question.

"What do you think?"

"About what, Father?"

"What do you think the Nangong Family will do?"

Yan Wei did not know why he suddenly asked this question.

However, he was inwardly surprised by Yan Hezheng's answer.

"The important thing is not the Nangong Family but our own family, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Even if the Nangong Family does not apologize, you will bury this matter, won't you?"

"Why do you think so?"

"There's no need to set a fire just to brush off some dust from your clothes, is there?"

Can he think this deeply?

Leaving aside the awkward metaphor, Yan Wei thought his son's insight was not bad. No, considering the progress he had shown, it was hard to describe it as mere improvement.

Perhaps, his belief that he knew his son well was a form of arrogance.

Yan Wei, who had been watching Yan Hezheng, turned his body again.

"Do you think this is a trivial matter that can be easily overlooked?"

"Excuse me?"

"You are my son."

Yan Hezheng blinked.

By the time he finished speaking, Yan Wei was already walking away. His gait was no different from usual.

Yan Hezheng, who had been watching his father's back, scratched his head.

"Who doesn't know that?"

* * *

The next day.

"Ugh."

The cool autumn breeze did not cool his body.

Sweat was already pooling. But Yan Hezheng's posture remained unchanged.

Creak.

The door opened, and Yan Jiping appeared.

"Brother, I came... Huh?!"

Yan Jiping's eyes widened.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"Can't you see? I'm practicing horse stance."

"Horse... horse stance?"

Yan Jiping was understandably surprised.

Horse stance, which trains the lower body, is the core of all martial arts. However, there was no need for his brother, who had already mastered the advanced cultivation method, to practice such a basic stance. If he wanted to train his body, there were many other methods.

Yan Hezheng frowned.

"It's a punishment from Father."

"Punishment? Wait, how long have you been doing this?"

"Third hour of the morning."

"Whoa! It's been almost two hours?!"

"Not much longer."

Yan Hezheng's body was not yet fully matured. Without using his inner strength, practicing horse stance for half a day would kill anyone.

Yan Hezheng grumbled to himself.

'This won't change anything.'

He received a message from Chief Steward Tai Jing early in the morning.

'Given the situation, it doesn't seem like you did anything wrong. However, you have one sin. The sin of a martial artist. Cruel actions inevitably lead to bloodshed, which is not the way of the righteous path. Practice horse stance for two hours to regain your初心 (initial heart).'

If practicing horse stance could change one's nature, he wouldn't have survived in the black path.

At first, he thought it was a strange thing to do, but he still practiced diligently. He reviewed the cultivation method and checked what he needed to do in the future.

Yan Jiping whispered.

"Brother, that's enough. It's almost two hours."

"It's fine."

He didn't think it was a sin, but given the family's atmosphere, he had to deal with it. There would be many things to complain about, but he should try to get used to it.

A little later, just past two hours.

Yan Hezheng finally released the horse stance.

"Ouch, I'm shaking."

"Must be tiring. Wait a moment, I'll bring you some food."

At that moment.

Knock. Knock.

Someone was knocking on the gate.

"Is the heir here?"

"Ugh, who is it?"

"The Head of the Family is calling for the heir."

Yan Hezheng grumbled in disgust.

"He must be checking my homework. Ugh, really."