Chapter 86

The Duanwu Festival in South Korea and the Dragon Boat Festival in China are fundamentally two different festivals. Although South Korea is part of the "Sinosphere" and the Duanwu Festival itself is a subcultural variant of the Dragon Boat Festival, it has evolved into something distinct. There is no basis for the claim that South Korea has appropriated China's Dragon Boat Festival. Even if the traditions left by our ancestors have been diluted or neglected for various reasons, they remain our own. Others would have to be able to take them away if they wanted to. If we insist on saying that the Dragon Boat Festival in China commemorates Qu Yuan, then if we were to ask the South Koreans to name someone, it would certainly be General Kim Yusin of the Silla Kingdom. However, this is the result of a folk legend that has deified him. The spiritual connotations, such as the legend of the mountain god, naturally do not match the humanistic spirit of China's commemoration of Qu Yuan, a loyal minister and literary giant. Although the Duanwu Festival in South Korea is mainly a planting celebration to pray for a good harvest, it also has a strong romantic flavor. The ancestors of the Koreans believed that on this day, they were at the center of the universe (indeed, they consider themselves the center of the universe), and the energy of all things converges. Young men and women are particularly susceptible to being moved, so young girls dress in beautiful hanboks and sit on swings, swinging high to attract the attention of boys, while the boys engage in wrestling to display their bravery.

The Lee family holds a very formal sacrificial ceremony every Duanwu Festival to pray for a good year. However, the ceremony must be held at a fixed time in the afternoon and cannot be changed for anyone, so Lee Jeong-myeong has already missed the ceremony. When Lee Jeong-myeong arrived at the Lee family mansion, it was already 8:30 PM, and the Duanwu banquet was almost over. He rested in the car for a moment, tidied up his appearance, and then walked out, ready to maintain the dignity of the eldest grandson of the Lee clan.

"Grandfather, Grandmother, I wish you all the best." Lee Jeong-myeong solemnly greeted his elders as he entered the hall. Although he missed the ceremony, he did not miss the Duanwu Festival. Lee Jeong-myeong's status in the family is very special, but this also means he must be at home for every major festival and ancestral ceremony. It's not that Lee Jeong-myeong doesn't want to stay at home, but everyone has their own affairs. This time, he went to the United States for important business, but he had to fly back for the festival, which took over ten hours. He also had to deal with the matters related to "The Cove," so he would have to return to the United States in a few days. This not only exhausts him but also wastes a lot of time on travel.

"Hmm, Jeong-myeong, come and sit here." Lee Ho immediately smiled and pointed to a seat next to him, a kind expression that he only shows to Lee Jeong-myeong, not even to Lee Geum. However, the main members of the Lee clan sitting at the back of the hall were already used to this.

Lee Jeong-myeong's grandmother, Min, usually doesn't speak much, but today she unusually took the initiative to ask about the younger generation, and of course, the target was Lee Jeong-myeong. "Jeong-myeong, tell Grandmother, what's the deal with the second daughter of the Ulsan Kim family?"

Lee Jeong-myeong's choice of a lifelong partner is a matter of great importance to the entire Lee clan, and it will have a significant impact on the situation in South Korea. As a woman, Min can ask such questions, but if Lee Ho were to bring it up, it would be too formal.

"Grandmother, I've only met her a few times before. Now that we're both in the entertainment industry, I wanted to build a relationship. We happened to meet on the plane and went to the United States together, so we took the opportunity to go out and play during our free time." Lee Jeong-myeong smiled and explained the situation clearly.

"How did it become such a big deal that even I, who rarely leave the house, heard about it?" Min continued to ask.

What don't you know? Lee Jeong-myeong secretly smirked. He estimated that even if he glanced at a girl on the street, his grandmother would know. Although Min rarely leaves the house, she is always by Lee Ho's side, and people bring her all kinds of information every day. South Korea is a small country, and there is little that they don't know.

"Grandmother, it's all part of the publicity to boost my popularity among the people. It's a deliberate hype." Lee Jeong-myeong still used a grand and formal reason, which is the most effective way to deal with the elderly.

"Hmm, I understand. But you're already in your twenties. Why haven't you found a proper girl yet? You don't have to rush into marriage, but you can at least find someone to get to know." As Min said this, Lee Jeong-myeong secretly glanced at his mother, Kim Yoon-shoo, who looked very excited.

Lee Jeong-myeong was helpless. Since he turned twenty, he has always been asked this question by the elders of the family. No matter whose child it is, once they reach a certain age, they face the same烦恼.

"Grandmother, I'm only twenty-one. Do you really want me to divide my love for you even more?" Lee Jeong-myeong said with a hint of coquettishness.

"Twenty-one? We don't count age that way in Korea." Min couldn't do much about her beloved eldest grandson. When Lee Jeong-myeong pouted, he could achieve anything. Didn't Liu Bei win his empire by pouting? However, Min still made her point: "I don't care. I want to see someone within a year or so."

What does "I want to see someone" mean? It's like demanding a live or dead body. Lee Jeong-myeong didn't agree with the old lady's idea. Shouldn't he enjoy his youth a bit more? No, shouldn't he work hard a bit more while he's young? He immediately sought help from his grandfather: "There are many important things to do in the next few years. It's not the time to talk about personal matters. Grandfather knows that these are matters of great importance to the rise and fall of our Lee clan, and they must take precedence over my personal affairs."

Seeing Lee Jeong-myeong's righteous appearance, Kim Yoon-shoo couldn't help but want to slam the table: "Hey, you brat, what do you mean by 'in the next few years'? How long do you expect us to wait?"

After losing her temper, Kim Yoon-shoo realized the atmosphere was wrong. This was a family banquet, not a private conversation with Lee Jeong-myeong. Recalling that she had just used coarse language, she wilted under Min's gaze and bowed deeply to the elders: "Father, Mother, I'm sorry. I lost my composure."

Kim Yoon-shoo was once a little princess in the Kim clan, pampered as the youngest. Her character is somewhat willful. Even after marrying into the Lee clan, Lee Geum still indulged her, and even now, in her forties, she still has a bit of a spoiled and capricious nature.

"Alright, Jeong-myeong's affairs are his own business. You women always think about things that tie men down. Don't bring up these matters here anymore." Once Lee Ho spoke, no one dared to say anything else. However, his words implied that they should still remind Lee Jeong-myeong about marriage and children in other settings, as the old man was eager to have a great-grandchild.

After the family's Duanwu banquet finally ended, Lee Jeong-myeong did not go to rest. He quickly walked up to Lee Ho's side. "Grandfather, I have something to say."

"Go ahead." Lee Ho and Lee Jeong-myeong walked slowly along a path in the mansion, and no one dared to approach.

"I've decided not to serve in the military." Lee Jeong-myeong said what he had decided on the plane.

"Why? Weren't you already decided?" Lee Ho didn't react much because he knew that every word and action of Lee Jeong-myeong was well thought out.

"Originally, serving in the military would have been very beneficial. My plan was to use the two-year preparation period to gain some experience in the military, and with some family manipulation, I could earn some military merit as capital. But now I don't have the time, as there won't be a preparation period." Lee Jeong-myeong had to completely revise his previous plans due to an unexpected encounter. Plans often can't keep up with changes, especially when the change is a pleasant surprise. His original plan was to use five years to push the purely commercial forces, who only care about money and power, into a corner. But now, two years plus five years is seven years. At twenty-nine, he would be too old for military service and no longer need to gain recognition through it. Lee Jeong-myeong's character dictates that he would not entrust such an important matter to others but would personally steer the course. This would keep him busy for seven years.

"Tell me more." Lee Ho nodded. Sending children to the military for training and then using political capital through manipulation is a common practice among the elders of the family. Since Lee Jeong-myeong said he didn't need to do this, he must have a better way.

"It's nothing much, just a documentary. But the filming is urgent, and I believe that making this film will earn me more capital than serving in the military." Lee Jeong-myeong tried to explain simply. "It will be a documentary about Japan's dolphin slaughter and whale meat trade, with a clear stance to expose the side of Japan that they try to hide from the world."

"Japan." Lee Ho sighed. In all of South Korea, no one hates Japan more than he does. His father and grandfather suffered under the Japanese government, and he witnessed and experienced it firsthand. The Lee dynasty was destroyed by the Japanese invasion, a deep-seated family and national grudge.

South Koreans generally have an unfriendly attitude toward Japan. Lee Ho understood the significance of a documentary like this being made by a South Korean. "Go ahead and do it."

"I've heard that they've already started making moves. Let's keep the news of my military service on hold for now." Lee Jeong-myeong smiled in the dark night. There would be a big surprise waiting for those who harbored ill will toward him.

With the military service plan canceled, Lee Jeong-myeong now had to choose a university to complete his doctoral studies, so he could officially say goodbye to military service.