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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Family Dinner Test
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"I'm Yuk Jin-yang."
"Jin-yang. Rising up and shaking off. A fine meaning."
Yuk Mu-hyeok brushed it off nonchalantly, his attitude one of utter indifference, neither good nor bad. The topic quickly shifted to the others.
"How are my grandchildren's martial arts studies coming along these days?"
The people around the table immediately launched into boasts about their children, as if scrambling to catch the family head's eye.
The second son, Yuk Hang, spoke first.
"Goeon is diligently learning the Moon Stream Subtle Steps right now."
Next was the third son, Yuk Gyun.
"I was just about to mention it. Hong-seo managed to read the manual for the Swirling Stream Chaotic Flowers Art and grasp its essentials all on his own, without my help."
Finally, the eldest son, Yuk Seo, slipped in slyly.
"Ju-jin is..."
He smiled faintly as he mentioned his heir's name.
"Not only has he mastered the Swirling Stream Chaotic Flowers Art, but he's on the verge of great attainment in the Moon Maiden Divine Art."
Yuk Mu-hyeok's chopsticks paused. Without lifting his gaze, he responded.
"Is that so? Quite fast."
"As the eldest grandson, that's only to be expected. He's the heir who will inherit the family, after all."
Yuk Mu-hyeok raised his head and stared straight at his eldest son.
"Heir? I haven't decided on anything like that. Not for you either. I told you that last time too."
Yuk Seo's face twisted. His eyes shook violently. The rest of the family, however, remained composed, as if they had seen it coming.
Yuk Mu-hyeok continued without a care.
"Whether eldest son or eldest grandson, I can't stand seeing anyone waste their days dreaming of inheriting the family just because they were born first."
"Why say that? Both Ju-jin and I are working hard so as not to tarnish the family name. Especially Ju-jin—his talent is unmatched among his peers."
"Is that right? Eldest grandson. You answer. What is the essence of the Moon Maiden Divine Art?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Yuk Ju-jin panicked. His sly face froze in a comical expression.
He fidgeted with his fingers while glancing sideways at his father, his unease plain to see.
Yuk Seo couldn't rescue his son. A hint would be easy, but the fallout was the problem.
Even sound transmission was useless before the family head. It would be seen through instantly. So he just stamped his feet in frustration.
Yuk Jin-yang watched them with keen interest.
The sight of these two squirming was utterly unfamiliar.
To Yuk Jin-yang, they had always been solemn, noble figures. But now, they looked like cornered rats.
"Why can't you answer? Weren't you on the verge of great attainment?"
"Drawing qi into the Baihui acupoint and then to the Yutang..."
"I asked for the essence. Not the formula."
"I'm sorry, Grandfather. My understanding is still lacking."
"Or is it that you're too busy boozing to study? I hear the taverns in Hangzhou are booming thanks to you."
At the scoffing laugh, both the eldest son and grandson flushed beet red. Their boasting had backfired spectacularly.
Yuk Jin-yang inwardly chuckled at their humiliation, savoring it. As he reached for more food,
he suddenly felt eyes on him.
He looked up to find Yuk Mu-hyeok at the head table staring right at him.
"Have you learned any martial arts?"
The question came out of nowhere. The omitted form of address revealed he didn't yet see him as a grandson.
Yuk Jin-yang managed a timely reply.
"I've been taught the Moon Maiden Divine Art."
Yuk Mu-hyeok shifted his gaze to Yuk Eon.
"Eon."
"Yes, Family Head."
"Did you teach him? The Moon Maiden Divine Art."
"He is direct lineage, after all. He showed decent progress."
"I didn't ask that far."
Cutting him off sharply, Yuk Mu-hyeok turned back to Yuk Jin-yang.
"You answer. What do you think is the essence of the Moon Maiden Divine Art?"
The question treated profound martial principles like simple arithmetic. Not a trace of malice.
Yuk Jin-yang hadn't even claimed great attainment. Yet the family head asked him the exact same question he'd posed to the pampered eldest grandson.
Just to humiliate him? No.
Yuk Jin-yang felt a chill, like a blade hovering at his throat.
'The Feast at Swan Goose Gate?'
Overlord Xiang Yu of Chu had invited his rival Liu Bang to a banquet, ready to strike at any misstep. That was the Feast at Swan Goose Gate.
Yuk Jin-yang sensed this gathering was no different. His grandfather's cold demeanor confirmed his instincts.
But Yuk Jin-yang had no intention of dying meekly. If anything, he was brimming with confidence.
His achievements over the past month, bolstered by the genius that spanned his past and present lives, fueled that assurance.
"Motion within stillness."
A quiet answer. Yuk Mu-hyeok's eyebrow twitched. He'd wanted specifics.
"Explain in detail."
"The entire body serves as the vessel, with true qi ceaselessly circulating through it. Like gentle currents flowing deep within a calm sea. That, I believe, is the essence of the Moon Maiden Divine Art."
A subtle ripple spread through the room. It was the undeniable correct answer.
"Did you tell him beforehand?"
The snide remark came abruptly.
The third son, Yuk Gyun, sneered at Yuk Eon. He couldn't believe the cast-out youngest branch's child possessed such knowledge. Surely Yuk Eon had pulled some trick.
At that moment, Yuk Jin-yang widened his eyes and countered his third uncle.
"Does an answer like that really need coaching?"
"What?"
Yuk Gyun bristled, about to shout, but the family head spoke first, stopping him.
"You're right. No coaching needed for that. Any direct descendant of the Yuk Clan should know as much."
"Ah, Father!"
"Shut your mouth. Or do you think I'm favoring him out of personal bias?"
Yuk Gyun couldn't bring himself to say yes. The family head turned his gaze back to Yuk Ju-jin.
"Jin-yang, was it?"
His tone had softened noticeably. The other direct kin exchanged uneasy glances between Yuk Jin-yang and the family head.
"Yes, Family Head."
"Call me Grandfather. This is a private gathering."
Yuk Jin-yang bowed deeply and politely, as if to show everyone.
His heart pounded fiercely.
The title of Grandfather held no simple meaning.
Spoken before the entire clan, it went beyond private acknowledgment—it publicly recognized him as blood kin.
Yuk Jin-yang glanced around, a surge of elation rising within him.
Shocked stares flew his way from all sides. Only Yuk Eon, who had watched his son's progress up close, remained calm.
Those present knew the family head's temperament well. They had revered him their whole lives.
The Yuk Mu-hyeok they knew was far from benevolent. He was closer to a ruthless schemer who never forgot favors or grudges.
For such a man to welcome back blood he'd once cast out—it mattered little if you were the one or not.
Even as a mere grandson, the title itself carried weight.
Yuk Mu-hyeok set down his chopsticks with a clack.
The tense atmosphere around Yuk Jin-yang dissipated instantly. All eyes turned to him.
"How fares the current state of affairs?"
A stark topic for a holiday feast. Clearly an attempt to change the subject.
Those seated played dumb despite knowing better. In the Yuk Clan, the family head's word was law.
They hurriedly spouted their own views.
"It seems the Emperor will push through the reduction of fiefs policy after all."
"Signs of irregular forces being mobilized from Prince Yan's estate have been observed."
"The palace eunuchs are rushing about so much that the roads between the capital and Zhili Province glow even at night."
Yuk Mu-hyeok said nothing, merely working his chopsticks. Despite his silence, the others kept chattering.
"Prince Yan has inherited the founder's temperament fully. He might even demand our participation in a coup."
"Participation."
"Yes. No matter Prince Yan's talents for great deeds, his forces can't compare to the center's. He'll need to borrow the power of the clans."
"Father, why not consult the other family heads of the Five Harmony Alliance outright?"
The last came from the third son, Yuk Gyun.
Yuk Mu-hyeok scowled outright. His tone turned sharp.
"Hey, third son."
"Yes? Yes, Father."
"What's the current situation?"
"It's a powder keg, ready to blow."
"Right, thin ice all around. The young Emperor trembles in fear of his vulture-like uncles, and those uncles fret over getting hurt by the scared kid's tantrums."
It had happened last year.
Founding Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had died, and the imperial grandson ascended the throne. The crown prince, the original heir, had passed away young.
The grandson was only twenty-one. Of age, but lacking the experience to rule the realm.
Fortunately, the ascension went smoothly without incident. The new era name, Jianwen, replacing Hongwu, had been announced.
The succession seemed complete. Yet a strange tension lingered over the land.
Due to the new Emperor's aggressive push to reduce fiefs—stripping his uncles of their domains.
"If our ancient clans all meet at once, how do you think the Zhu clan will see it? Won't they stop fighting among themselves and suspect us first?"
"My thinking was shortsighted."
"If you're going to suggest clan-ruining plans and make lame excuses, I wouldn't have seated you here. Right?"
"S-Sorry!"
"Think before you speak. Be grateful it's a holiday and I'm holding back."
At the rebuke, Yuk Gyun's neck shrank like a turtle's.
Yuk Jin-yang inwardly clicked his tongue.
'The family customs differ from my past life. Suffocating.'
Knowing the future, Yuk Jin-yang found the scene almost alien.
The family head in his past life had demanded strict hierarchy from retainers. But he lacked this iron grip even over kin.
"Everyone out. From now on, scrutinize every scrap of intel from our sources and bring countermeasures. Don't just stare at my mouth."
"Father, but it's the holiday..."
"Grand Steward!"
The eldest son's words were sliced off.
The Grand Steward, standing at attention behind, stepped forward.
"Yes, Family Head."
"Clear out one of the halls. For Eon's family to stay in. Tear down their old place and turn it into fields."
"Understood."
Everyone at the table was stunned.
The family head's sons each had their own residences within the Yuk Clan Great Compound, titled hall masters or pavilion leaders accordingly. Calling fathers of children 'young masters' would be awkward.
The titles weren't mere flattery. They came with the right to retain guests. A privilege exclusive to direct kin vying for succession.
Offering a hall meant forgiving Yuk Eon—manifesting the family head's will.
Even freed from exile, Yuk Eon and his wife's faces remained dark. Yuk Eon stared silently at his food, Dang So-so bit her lip.
For them, meddling in clan affairs was unwelcome. The Zhejiang Yuk Clan was a dragon's den or tiger's lair. Let your guard down, and you're devoured.
The other families' thoughts were equally tangled. No one had expected the outcast youngest branch to return to the main house.
Yuk Mu-hyeok rose from his seat. The others awkwardly followed suit. But his gaze fixed solely on his youngest grandson, Yuk Jin-yang.
"Has your father been the one teaching you martial arts all this time?"
"Yes, Grandfather."
"From now on, I'll assign you a separate master. An elder of the clan should oversee a young grandson's studies."
It was surveillance, plain and simple. A sign that poor talent could reverse the decision anytime.
Guessing as much, Yuk Jin-yang still smiled brightly.
"I won't disappoint you, Grandfather."
For the first time, he felt like he was truly at the starting line.