Chapter 19

"Na and I, Hyung left it for you to give to you…."

Lian's face showed deep emotion, then he gave a dragon fruit to Danmubi, who was chattering.

"Ah! No, it was for you. I didn't mean to eat it…."

Despite the sweetness, Danmubi couldn't help but smile, even as she tried to look upset. Lian, seeing this, chuckled and gestured to Huailun, who shook his head.

"No, Nu, I'm fine."

"Come on! Come here quickly."

Lian's tone was like that of an adult coaxing a child, and Huailun seemed to want to show his displeasure. However, he eventually shuffled over. Lian fairly gave Huailun a dragon fruit as well.

"There. Is it good?"

"……"

Huailun, who seemed to have a lot to say, nodded with a look as if he had swallowed the dragon fruit and his words together.

Meanwhile, Danmubi, who had finished the dragon fruit, kissed Lian's cheek, and the sweet scent of a child's breath spread.

Lian burst out laughing at the sight of Huailun, who almost showed his disgust at such a scene.

"Does Lian not like sweets?"

Lian seemed to understand why there were three dragon fruits. Danmubi Xianwu must have given two to each person, and if Danmubi had only eaten one and brought the rest, Huailun must have given up his second one.

Danmubi looked at Huailun with disbelief. Huailun, after finishing the dragon fruit, rolled his eyes.

"No, um. I like it. But the remaining one should be for you."

"Right! It should be for you."

The boys chattered. Lian quietly observed the two boys, who seemed to get along well.

Danmubi, compared to his peers, was exceptionally mature, but when with Huailun, he looked like a spoiled youngest child.

That didn't mean Huailun acted incredibly mature, though…

"So, you didn't really come to give me just this dragon fruit?"

"Hehehe…."

Danmubi puffed out his cheeks with a spoiled look and smiled. Lian headed towards a small basket near the stove.

"Wow…."

A small, white cat with a round belly was sleeping soundly in the cozy basket, unaware of the three children staring at it.

The cat looked like a fluffy stuffed toy with its soft, downy fur.

"What are you going to name it?"

"I thought about calling it 'Hyangi,' but Mother suggested 'Baekryeon'…."

Calling it 'Baekryeon' because Lian brought a white thing, such a loving daughter, but she couldn't say no.

Even the nanny, Ms. Zhang, clapped and said it was good, and the little cat perked up its ears only when called 'Baekryeon' rather than 'Hyangi.'

"I like it too!"

The excited Danmubi shouted, making the cat's ears twitch. Danmubi quickly covered his mouth with both hands.

"What about you, Lian? Do you like the name too?"

Surprised to be asked, Huailun looked at Lian and then nodded with a nonchalant expression.

"Isn't anything better than 'Hyangi'?"

"One word can create a thousand debts. You, Lian."

Huailun was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing.

While Lian was amazed, the kitten woke up and started meowing.

Lian pushed aside the still laughing Huailun, picked up the kitten, and soothed it. Danmubi tried to soothe the kitten by moving his hands around.

"Come and try to do something."

"What can I do?"

Huailun hesitated and took a step back. Lian, with a mischievous look, grabbed his hand and pulled him over.

"Stroke it gently. Understand? Softly, like touching a flower petal."

Huailun, with a look of why he should touch a flower petal, couldn't shake off Lian's hand and placed his fingers on Baekryeon's head. His hand trembled, and Lian chuckled.

"Why are you so scared?"

"I'm not scared!"

Huailun pouted, looking aggrieved.

"If I touch it and something happens to this little one, Nu will…."

"It won't happen. And even if you cause some trouble, I won't hit you."

"No, who's worried about that now."

Huailun looked at Lian with a bewildered expression, sighed like an adult, and gently stroked the kitten.

A strange light, as if he was unfamiliar or bitter, flickered on Huailun's face.

'The vessel of the leader of the Mahachiao Sect is so different. It's so hard to even like a cat…'

The kitten purred and entrusted itself to Huailun's hand, then fell back into a deep sleep as if nothing had happened.

"It's sleeping…."

"Nu, when do you feed this kitten?"

"You just fed it a little while ago, so later. Do you want to feed it together?"

"Yes!"

"That doesn't mean you can only play with the cat. I'm going to learn martial arts now. You should memorize all the characters quickly and learn martial arts with me."

"Okay! I'll go memorize the characters now!"

Danmubi eagerly pleaded, wanting to learn with Nu.

Meanwhile, Huailun, with a disinterested look, was only peeling off the white fur stuck to his fingertips and savoring the sweetness of the dragon fruit left in his mouth.

* * *

A few days after the news that the first snow had fallen in the north.

"Little Master, Little Master!"

"Nanny? What's the matter?"

"Right now, the head of the Mansong Trading Company… that is, the head of the trading company, has come. So, the Great Ancestor has asked to bring you over, right now."

"Head of the Mansong Trading Company?"

At the mention of the Mansong Trading Company, Lian's eyes sparkled. Last week, Danmubi Xianwu had sent Qinglianshu to the head of the Mansong Trading Company, and they had packed it together.

While Nanny Zhang was looking for Lian's cloak, Danmubi asked the supervisor what a 'head' was. The supervisor explained that a 'head' was the highest leader in a trading company, and during this explanation, Huailun, who had quietly approached Lian, whispered:

"Little Master, are you really going to learn martial arts now?"

Huailun always called Lian 'Little Master' when others were around.

"Yes. It's been a month since I memorized the Thousand Character Classic, and I've been training my strength. I was planning to start today, but since a guest has come, probably tomorrow…."

"Will it be okay?"

Lian's eyes widened.

"Me?"

Huailun nodded.

"Even when we went up the mountain to find the Black Moon a while ago, you were out of breath and in a mess, weren't you?"

"It's better than before! And I…."

Lian fumbled for words and finally said:

"I'm still young. I'm still a child."

"Eight years old?"

"Exactly… exactly, I need to learn and become an adult and stronger…."

"Since the Mansong Trading Company has come, why don't you learn business from them?"

Lian narrowed her eyes. Huailun's words ultimately pointed to one thing.

He wasn't really interested in business but seemed to dislike martial arts. To the point that he would rather learn something else.

"Why do you dislike martial arts so much, Lian?"

"What else is there to learn besides swordplay?"

"But our family is a martial arts clan, so we can't not learn it."

"Is there any difference between a martial arts clan and a powerful trading company or something else?"

"……"

Honestly, it wasn't a wrong statement.

Why is a clan called a clan? Isn't it because they practice martial arts to achieve enlightenment, not for personal gain, the glory of the family, and wealth?

But…

"If you say that to someone else, you'll get into trouble."

Lian, being Lian, only shook her head at such a statement. If someone from another clan said this, they might be punished.

"Where would I go and say that to anyone?"

Huailun, despite Lian's concern, replied with a pout and was dragged away by Danmubi, who had memorized the Thousand Character Classic and was determined to learn martial arts.

* * *

The Mansong Trading Company was the leading trading company in Zhejiang Province, and its influence was so great that it was said you couldn't tour West Lake without stepping on the shadow of the Mansong Trading Company.

At the same time, it was one of the pillars that allowed the Danmubi Clan to become the dominant force in Zhejiang Province.

The current head of the Mansong Trading Company, when he was a young boy, was saved by the young Danmubi Tianji from bandits on his way to Hangzhou, which started their bond.

While the Danmubi Clan was declining due to a series of tragedies, the Mansong Trading Company was expanding its influence.

This was also the limitation of a martial arts clan. Since it was a family that rose through martial arts, if it couldn't prove its physical strength, it couldn't establish its authority in any other way.

When the strong of the clan fell, the clan fell with them. Although a martial arts clan in the secular world was similar to a trading company, it wasn't exactly the same.

As they entered the Yueying Hall, two old men were sipping tea.

"Greet him. He is the head of the Mansong Trading Company and an old friend of this old man."

Lian approached with quick steps, bent her knees slightly, and bowed.

"I am Danmubi Lian."

Jian Yanjiao

Luo Cheng Shier Jian: 5 stars

Dilemma: Unable to decide between the first son Jian Weizheng and the second son Jian Weiwen as the successor. Feeling heartache over the shortcomings of the first son. Worried about the third son's imperial examination. Waiting for the right time to repay the Danmubi Clan.

Lian glanced at the head of the Mansong Trading Company and almost stumbled in surprise.