Chapter 41 :

Chapter 41. Zhuge Family (3)

I couldn’t very well say I had seen it in the future I had experienced, so I glossed it over.

“I’m kind of a genius myself, you see.”

“Truly, you will not tell anyone?”

“Of course not, I have no desire to be entangled in troublesome affairs.”

“That is a relief, it saves me the effort of taking harsher measures.”

I gave a bitter smile.

The naive young lady from just moments ago was gone without a trace.

The Zhuge Yua young lady before me now was much closer to the Jade Maiden Without a Smile I had once known.

Sharp, yet courteous……

So this young lady had been acting the part of that brainless, pure madwoman?

The realization made goosebumps rise across my skin.

“By the way, for what reason do you go to such lengths? Is it for the sake of your family? Or for your own survival?”

“If it were merely for my own survival, I would not bother with such troublesome matters, I could simply feign my death.”

“So it is for the family.”

Suddenly, the harsh words I had spoken to her earlier resurfaced.

Ah……

A wave of guilt washed over me, the one who should apologize was not her, but me.

I quickly clasped my fists in salute and apologized to her.

“Please forgive the discourtesy I showed earlier, when I spoke of you bringing ruin to your family.”

“There is no need, at that time I was indeed deserving of such words, rather, it is I who should apologize.”

“Pardon?”

“For picking a quarrel without cause, in a situation where all eyes were upon us, making a scene was the most effective method.”

She smiled brightly.

“Rather, hearing your words only strengthened my resolve to save my family, truth be told, I had been growing a little weary.”

For a moment, I was dazed by her smile.

So she could smile like that……

I asked Zhuge Yua.

“Then, why did you insist on dueling me here of all places?”

“In truth, there arose a matter for which I must officially seclude myself, and since my grandfather gave permission to even break one of my arms, I thought it would not bring trouble upon you.”

Her answer made the reason clear at once.

If one arm were broken, she would be required to remain indoors officially, yet in the training grounds, someone might stop it before such a thing occurred.

That was why she had come to such a deserted place.

“Forgive me, for using you.”

“It is fine.”

“Should you see me again, please either pretend not to see, or simply ignore me.”

“Understood.”

“And, thank you for coming alone.”

So, she revealed her true heart to me only because she thought I was alone.

But no,

Palgap is over there……

Though I could see him hiding, not a trace of his presence could be felt, no matter how I tried, truly strange.

Had he been like that in my previous life too?

There was no need to mention Palgap’s presence, so I held my tongue.

At that moment, she extended her left arm.

“Then, may I trouble you with one more request?”

I sighed and asked.

“You truly wish me to break it?”

***

Dawn came.

After breakfast and a short rest, I accompanied Chief manager Yoo to the summons of the elder lord, heading to his quarters.

This time, we fortunately reached the elder lord’s quarters without any disturbances.

The elder lord resided in a detached residence, yet it was unlike any detached quarters I had ever imagined.

Do detached residences usually have such a vast pavilion, a pond, and a garden?

“Hahaha! I have been waiting.”

“Thank you for inviting us to such an esteemed place.”

Chief manager Yoo seemed accustomed now to the Zhuge Family’s scale, and offered a composed bow.

I too followed suit and gave a respectful bow.

“I prepared a fine spot, come this way.”

Chief manager Yoo and I followed the elder lord, and we sat at a table arranged in a pavilion overlooking the pond and gardens.

“First, I must apologize to you.”

The elder lord looked at me as he spoke, and I could guess the reason.

“I heard that last evening Yua sought you out and requested a duel, I doubted it, yet she truly went.”

“It is rather I who must apologize.”

“Ah…… you mean Yua’s arm being broken?”

“My apologies.”

“It was I who told her to have it broken, so you have no reason to apologize.”

“I truly feel sorry.”

Though I apologized to the elder lord, in truth, I had no reason to.

No matter what, how could I really break a young lady’s arm?

“Truly, it is fine, if anything, it is I who should apologize, let us set that aside…… how do you find the scenery here?”

“It is indeed a most charming place.”

At Chief manager Yoo’s words, the elder lord laughed and replied.

“This is one of my favorite spots, well then, would you recite a poem upon beholding this view?”

“My skills are humble, but I shall try.”

Chief manager Yoo thought for a moment, then opened his mouth and recited a verse.

The elder lord and I closed our eyes and savored the lines.

“Thank you for listening to my poor verse.”

“What poor verse? I must say, I have long invited countless scholars to recite here, and among them, yours is without doubt the finest.”

The elder lord lavished him with praise.

His eyes utterly captivated.

One would think they were soulmates.

Thus, the elder lord and Chief manager Yoo exchanged verses, until before long they had become kindred spirits.

“You! Where have you been all this time, only to appear now?”

“I too have been enlightened, meeting you today, elder lord, is like timely rain upon my parched life.”

But the problem was me.

I did not care much for poetry or prose.

I had only agreed to be listed as co-author in order to publish Chief manager Yoo’s writings.

Because of that, to now sit here smiling and conversing about poetry made my facial muscles feel as though they would cramp.

Ah, this is maddening.

In the meantime, a pot of tea was emptied, and a maid brought more tea.

Along with dried jujubes for refreshments.

The elder lord personally poured the tea, and raised his cup to drink.

“The tea has changed.”

At my words, the elder lord laughed and replied.

“I dislike drinking only one kind of tea, so I often change it.”

“I see, might this tea be the Cup of Bright Moon?”

“Oh! You know it well, so you have some learning in tea as well?”

“Running the merchant group, I came to know a little, having encountered many varieties.”

“To discern not only the taste but also the very name of the tea, remarkable.”

“Thank you.”

“Well then, about that poetry……”

And once again, the subject returned to poetry, the two of them sinking into their own world.

Hey there?

Already, more than one sijin has slipped by?

But still, this is the first time I’ve seen Chief manager Yoo so delighted.

What is this……

A person who could smile like that, why did he live such a life, only to end it that way.

Suddenly, the taste in my mouth turned bitter.

Listening to the two converse, I slowly savored the tea, until before I knew it, the teapot had run dry.

When the maid brought more tea, the elder lord gave me a look of curiosity.

“This time as well, young lord, will you guess the tea’s name?”

“I shall give it a try.”

I politely received the cup the elder lord poured, and tasted it.

This too, was a tea I knew.

“This is,  Green Beauty.”

At my words, the elder lord smiled contentedly.

“Correct, in truth, they are all teas I favor.”

“To serve such teas to us as well, we are grateful.”

“My precious poetic companions, of course I must.”

The elder lord’s gaze upon Chief manager Yoo dripped with sweetness.

Could he be this fond?

Perhaps because the Zhuge Family valued zhi (wisdom, knowledge), or simply due to his own tastes, the elder lord greatly enjoyed poetry and prose.

Despite being head of a martial family, his knowledge of poetry was deep.

Thus, not only martial connections, but also ties with scholars and literati were extensive.

If he valued Chief manager Yoo so highly, then his reputation among literati would rise even further.

And the Zhuge Family would surely become his strong backing.

But that too depended on the elder lord continuing to live.

My mouth felt bitter, so I ate a dried jujube.

Sweetness lingered on my tongue.

Indeed, eating something sweet lifted my mood.

I reached again for a jujube, but at that moment, my hand froze.

Wait, a jujube?

Something nagged at me.

In the future I had experienced, was there not an incident related to jujubes……?

At that instant, the names of the teas I had drunk came to mind.

Cup of Bright Moon.

Green Beauty.

And the first one, Flowers and Birds Clear Harmony.

I bit my lip lightly.

Elder lord, you were poisoned?

In the future I had lived, about fifteen years from now.

An incident shook the entire world.

The Empress’s passing.

It nearly passed as simple illness, but the Emperor, who loved her dearly, would not let it go.

He commanded that no shadow of doubt remain about her death.

Perhaps it was his lingering attachment, unwilling to let her go.

But that attachment revealed an unforeseen truth.

The Empress’s cause of death was poison.

Flowers and Birds Clear Harmony, Cup of Bright Moon, Green Beauty.

Three teas into which poison was mixed, blending perfectly with each tea, so that no trace of poison appeared.

Because they achieved perfect balance.

Yet when balance is broken, trouble arises.

And what breaks that balance, is the poison within the jujube.

Each one taken separately was nothing more than delicious tea, and delicious jujube.

But consumed in sequence throughout a day, that became the problem.

Moreover, drinking them for only a day or two had no effect.

At least a year of steady consumption was needed, before the body began to fail.

Thus, even Physicians could not diagnose it as poison.

The victim simply wasted away, and died.

The official cause, illness.

This poison’s name was Marsh of Unconsciousness.

Like its name, “unaware, sinking into the swamp,” it was a terrifying fourfold poison, slowly dragging a person into death over time, without them realizing it.

Whoever created it, none knew, but it could only be called genius.

That talent, could it not have been used for something better?

So this poison began to be used from this time.

But now, what to do?

I looked at the elder lord’s face.

Judging by his complexion, he was not yet deeply poisoned, and from the time of his death, it seemed he had not yet reached the point of no cure.

After this poison was revealed to the world, Physicians discovered its antidote.

I too knew the method.

Though most merchants walked the righteous path, many others employed sinister tricks.

Thus, to avoid falling to others’ schemes, one always had to be cautious, and learn antidotes as well.

If the elder lord dies, Chief manager Yoo will be devastated.

He had finally found a soulmate.

Heartbroken, he might die young himself, and then Father too would grieve.

I let out a sigh.

Whatever the case, I could not just ignore someone dying before my eyes.

In truth, I had hesitated somewhat before coming here.

The Zhuge Family, having long led the Murim Alliance’s armies, would not be easy to befriend.

But something did not sit right.

When the Zhuge Family fell, and even after, the Murim Alliance offered only formal condolences.

They did not actively aid or restore them.

So I had come to see and judge with my own eyes.

But who could it be?

Who would do such a thing……

Could it be that Zhuge Yua young lady had already sensed such schemes, and so played the fool?

It seemed quite possible.

At that moment, the maid announced the lunch hour.

This was my chance.

“Excuse me, where is this tea brewed from?”

“And why do you ask?”

At his question, I hid my true intent, and answered.

“The fragrance is so deep, that I wish to see firsthand how it is brewed, and learn if I may.”

“Hahaha! Truly, youth shows in your eagerness!”

“My apologies.”

“No, no, if one sees excellence, to wish to learn it is commendable.”

He laughed, and continued.

“Well, it is no secret, I shall allow you to observe.”

“Thank you.”

“Let us leave that for later, and first, let us dine.”

After the meal, we were to resume our time of poetry.

But events did not proceed that way.

“Well now, uninvited guests have come.”