Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors

On the day Seonu Jung and Seonu Jin met again, Seonu Jung had asked him with a puzzled expression,

“How can you drive them out?”

Seonu Jin grinned and answered.

“You know the story of Yanzi’s Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors from the State of Qi, do you not?”

Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors referred to the tale of Yan Ying, the renowned statesman of the State of Qi whom even Confucius respected, causing three untouchable generals of exceptional martial prowess to destroy one another using only two peaches.

At the time, Yan Ying ordered that one peach be given only to each of the two generals with the greatest achievements, and the generals, who boasted that their own accomplishments were superior, ultimately all died.

Seonu Jung asked with a puzzled gaze,

“I know Yanzi’s story well. But why bring it up now?”

Seonu Jin smiled at Seonu Jung’s question and answered.

“I wanted to say that you should give them peaches as well, Father. We even happen to have an observer from the Zhuge Clan. If you toss them one peach, rather than begging for more, will they not fight with all their might to eat the one they were given?”

Seonu Jung initially frowned at Seonu Jin’s riddle-like words, but his expression gradually brightened as Seonu Jin explained the plan in detail.

Zhuge Jiyong’s mind worked rapidly as he responded to Seonu Jung’s greeting with a smile.

Until now, Seonu Jung had always treated them courteously, yet there had been a sense that he was putting up a wall. This was somehow different.

‘What happened? It seems he has undergone some change of heart….’

While Zhuge Jiyong was thinking that, Seonu Jung sternly rebuked his children.

“Can none of you see Jin, who returned safely from the front? Why are you all saying nothing?!”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the handsome young man sitting at one side of the table.

Seonu Jung’s four wives were already seated at the table, which was covered with food, and a young man with an unfamiliar face sat at one end.

It appeared he had already exchanged greetings with the wives, as all of them wore awkward expressions.

The Seonu brothers’ eyes widened in astonishment when they noticed him.

“Y-Y-You are really Jin?”

“You lost so much weight that I did not recognize you. You have changed greatly.”

“E-Elder Brother, congratulations on returning safely.”

Seonu Jin, who seemed simply delighted to see his family again, ran toward them with a good-natured smile, seized their hands, and shouted,

“Brothers! Have you been well?! It is truly wonderful to see you again! Gi! Have you been well?!”

Unable to criticize Seonu Jin’s excessively enthusiastic behavior, the brothers merely smiled awkwardly.

Seonu Jin then turned toward Seonu Yeonha and shouted,

“Yeonha! Have you been well?! Do you know how much your brother missed you?!”

“Ah, yes. Yes, Orabeoni.”

In truth, Seonu Yeonha had noticed Seonu Jin the moment she entered the main hall, but she had been unable to meet his eyes, her face pale.

Seeing her complexion, Seonu Jin asked with concern,

“Yeonha, you do not look well! Are you feeling unwell?!”

“N-No. I am merely a little dizzy….”

At that moment, Clan Head Seonu Jung, who had silently watched them, spoke sternly.

“Now, how long do you intend to leave our guests standing? Everyone, take your seats.”

At his words, everyone sat around the table laden with abundant food.

As she sat down, Zhuge Seoyul closely observed Seonu Jin.

No matter how she looked at him, the transformation was astonishing.

The pig whose eyes had once been buried beneath fat had become such a handsome young master.

The children of the Seonu family were all generally handsome, but his appearance was so striking that he might even surpass the fourth son, Seonu Gi, whom she had considered the best-looking.

Of course, his frivolous, thoughtless behavior remained disappointing even after losing weight.

Nevertheless, Zhuge Seoyul somehow could not take her eyes off him.

‘Why? Why does he bother me so much?’

Then Zhuge Seoyul suddenly realized something.

Seonu Jin had not looked at her even once.

No, he had looked at her, but only offered an indifferent nod as though she were a passing stranger.

For someone who always monopolized the gazes of men, it was an extremely unfamiliar feeling.

At that moment, Seonu Jung spoke with a bright smile.

“Now, today is an auspicious day on which we confirmed that my third son, Jin, has been safe at the front. Once Jin returns to the front, we do not know when the entire family will gather again. That is why I prepared this occasion, so let us all enjoy our meal.”

Once he finished speaking, everyone began eating.

However, the atmosphere was far from pleasant.

Everyone merely ate in silence with uncomfortable or awkward expressions.

Everyone except one person.

“Wow! This is truly delicious! Food like this was unimaginable on the front! Ohhh! This too?! Waaah! It tastes heavenly!”

As though completely unaware of the surrounding atmosphere, Seonu Jin alone excitedly shoveled food into his stomach.

At the sight of his voracious eating, even the family members who had been astonished by his weight loss looked at him with contemptuous eyes that seemed to say, ‘Of course. You are still you.’

It was then.

Seonu Jung, who had been watching Seonu Jin with an unreadable gaze, suddenly addressed Zhuge Jiyong.

“Does the Zhuge Clan still hold our Seonu Thirteen Swords in high regard?”

Though phrased indirectly, he was asking whether they still coveted the sword art.

Faced with such a sensitive subject during a family meal, Zhuge Jiyong forced a smile and answered.

“Is it not an unchanging truth that the Seonu Thirteen Swords is the finest phantom sword art under Heaven?”

Seonu Jung nodded briefly and continued.

“I have thought about it for a long time, but passing a clan’s secret art to an outsider is absolutely impossible.”

That was what Seonu Jung had always said.

However, the fact that he brought up such an obvious matter here clearly meant there was more to it.

Zhuge Jiyong’s gaze sharpened.

As expected, Seonu Jung began saying something different from before.

“But if we became one family, there would be no difficulty. So how about this?”

“…What do you mean?”

“The heir who will become the next Clan Head of the Seonu Clan will duel Lady Zhuge. Whoever wins will marry into the winner’s clan. If our heir wins, Lady Zhuge will enter our family as our daughter-in-law. If Lady Zhuge wins, our heir will enter the Zhuge Clan as a live-in son-in-law.”

Zhuge Seoyul’s expression immediately hardened.

No matter how it ended, did that not mean she would marry one of the Seonu sons?

It was absurd.

Just as Zhuge Seoyul was about to speak with a stiff expression, Zhuge Jiyong subtly stopped her.

Zhuge Jiyong’s mind was currently spinning furiously.

First, the Seonu Clan did not yet have an heir.

However, whoever became the heir clearly could not be Zhuge Seoyul’s opponent.

Therefore, winning would be easy. Yet marrying Zhuge Seoyul to the Seonu heir was still absurd. Seonu Jung did not seem like someone who would make such an unreasonable demand in a place like this.

Zhuge Jiyong laughed amiably and asked,

“If Seoyul becomes the Seonu Clan’s daughter-in-law whether she wins or loses, there would be little excitement in the contest. A contest becomes enjoyable only when the prize for winning is great.”

Seonu Jung nodded as well.

“Of course. That is why I believe that if the Seonu heir loses, we may have no choice but to accept another young lady rather than Lady Zhuge as the marriage partner.”

Zhuge Jiyong’s eyes flashed.

“Are you saying it would not matter if it were another child rather than Seoyul?”

“Is the important point not that we become one family with the Zhuge Clan? After losing the duel, how could we presumptuously covet Lady Zhuge as our daughter-in-law?”

Zhuge Seoyul’s expression quickly brightened as well.

Her victory was practically guaranteed.

That meant that if she won the duel and they married the Seonu heir to some collateral-branch daughter, the Zhuge Clan could obtain the Seonu Thirteen Swords.

The conditions were excessively favorable.

Because the conditions were so favorable, Zhuge Jiyong did not answer immediately and first took a sip of tea.

He needed to understand why Seonu Jung had suddenly made such a decision.

After pausing for a moment, he spoke again.

“From our perspective, these are naturally conditions we would wish to accept. However, I suddenly find myself wondering why you are making such a proposal.”

Seonu Jung smiled faintly.

“Is it not all for the sake of the clan?”

Zhuge Jiyong accurately detected the bitterness mixed into that smile.

And at that moment, he understood.

‘The Seonu Clan has been infiltrated far too deeply by outside forces. Moreover, the sons who might become the heir possess unimpressive talent. At this rate, the decline of the Seonu Clan after Clan Head Seonu Jung retires is obvious. Perhaps he has decided it would be far better to become part of the Zhuge Clan and receive our support.’

After finishing his calculations, Zhuge Jiyong answered with a bright smile.

“This is not a matter I can answer on my own, so I will first seek the Clan Head’s permission. However, for the sake of both families, I will do my utmost to ensure it comes to pass.”

“Hahaha! Thank you.”

Zhuge Jiyong smiled with satisfaction, then suddenly asked Seonu Jung as though something had occurred to him.

“By the way, the Seonu Clan does not yet have an heir. Since you have made us this proposal, could it be that you have decided…?”

At once, the gazes of everyone present sharpened.

In truth, all the wives and children had been concentrating on their conversation from the beginning.

A marriage between the Seonu heir and the Zhuge Clan was far too sudden and important a matter.

The sons were paying even closer attention.

If things went well, one of them might marry Zhuge Seoyul, the woman they idolized.

It was an opportunity they could never yield to another brother.

Seonu Jung smiled and nodded.

At his affirmation, the eyes of everyone who had been fiercely fighting beneath the surface over the succession widened as far as they could.

“Yes. I have thought about it for a long time, and should not the heir of a martial family possess strong martial arts? I intend to appoint the child with the strongest martial arts as my heir.”

The moment he finished speaking, the eldest son Seonu Seong’s expression became radiantly bright.

No matter what anyone said, Seonu Seong himself possessed the strongest martial arts.

The truth was that he had felt uneasy because the power of his maternal family, the Gaeyang Sect, was far weaker than the Ha Clan supporting the second son Seonu Hyeok or the Un Clan backing the fourth son Seonu Gi through the fifth child Seonu Yeonha.

Yet Father had finally decided to choose the heir based solely on ability.

Moreover, he had received an opportunity to potentially marry Zhuge Seoyul, whom he adored. Nothing could have been better.

At that moment, Clan Head Seonu Jung asked his sons indifferently,

“Who currently possesses the highest martial arts?”

Seonu Seong sprang to his feet and answered.

“It is me, Father! I am the only one who has entered the first-class realm! Moreover, I recently advanced to the middle stage of the first-class realm!”

Seonu Jung smiled proudly and praised him.

“Is that so? It seems Seong has worked hard. Even so, the decision will be made fairly through duels between the brothers in the near future, so do not grow careless and continue working diligently.”

“Yes! Understood!”

While Seonu Seong’s expression was now brighter than ever, the other brothers’ expressions were extremely poor.

Father’s sudden bombshell declaration was devastating to them.

Seonu Seong had reached the middle stage of the first-class realm. To the other brothers, who had not even surpassed the stage of manifesting sword qi, the difference was insurmountable.

The wives felt the same.

While the plump First Lady smiled brightly, the sharp-featured Second Lady carefully spoke.

Normally, she would have immediately shouted, but even she could not behave rudely in front of the Zhuge Clan’s people.

“Husband, even so, deciding the heir based solely on martial arts is….”

Seonu Jung rebuked her sternly.

“While we are preparing for a duel to become one family with the Zhuge Clan, if we do not select the heir based on personal ability, are you suggesting we choose based on the power of his maternal family?!”

In her heart, Second Lady Ha naturally wanted to answer that they should.

However, she was not shameless enough to say such a thing in front of the Zhuge Clan’s representatives.

In the end, Lady Ha had no choice but to close her mouth.

The same was true of the Fourth and Fifth Ladies, who had subtly placed their hopes on Lady Ha.

Seonu Jung now declared with a stern expression,

“Two weeks from now, the heir of the Seonu Clan will be decided through duels among the brothers! The heir chosen in that manner will then duel Lady Zhuge! This is the decision of me, Seonu Jung, Clan Head of the Seonu Clan, and I hereby declare that I will accept no objections afterward!”

Zhuge Seoyul watched the scene with great interest and suddenly examined the expressions of those around her.

One person smiled as brightly as though he possessed the entire world, while another’s face was crumpled and ashen.

It was extremely entertaining merely to watch.

However, Zhuge Seoyul was unusual for a member of the Zhuge Clan in that she disliked using her head, so she could not clearly understand precisely how the situation was unfolding.

It certainly seemed as though things were becoming interesting.

She suddenly asked her uncle Zhuge Jiyong through voice transmission.

-Uncle, is this favorable for us as well?

An answer immediately returned.

His transmitted voice sounded extremely cheerful.

-It appears Clan Head Seonu has decided to form ties with the Zhuge Clan in order to bring his household under control. What could possibly be unfavorable for us? You need only remain cautious and win the duel.

It appeared that was the case.

If so, there was no problem whatsoever.

Was winning duels not what Zhuge Seoyul enjoyed most?

If her opponent was Seonu Seong, who proudly boasted of merely reaching the middle stage of the first-class realm, there was not even a possibility of defeat.

She too could now smile brightly.

Then her gaze suddenly shifted to one side.

It was where Seonu Jin sat.

As though completely uninterested in what was happening around him, he continued diligently stuffing food into his mouth.

It was such a pathetic sight, yet she could not understand why her eyes kept drifting toward him.

It was then.

Clan Head Seonu Jung suddenly spoke to the eldest son, Seonu Seong.

“And Seong, let us visit Dan Manor together in a few days.”

Seonu Seong, who had been smiling broadly, asked with a puzzled expression,

“Yes? Dan Manor? Why would we go there…?”

Dan Manor was the family of Dan Hasang, whom the third brother, Seonu Jin, had supposedly killed while drunk.

At the time, they had sent Seonu Jin to the front and delivered a great deal of wealth to Dan Manor in apology, yet Father Seonu Jung was suddenly saying they should go there.

Seonu Jung glanced at Seonu Jin before continuing.

“Dan Manor weighs most heavily on my heart. Now that Jin has returned safely, I believe it is my duty as Clan Head to pay my respects there once again. Jin cannot personally visit that place, so naturally….”

Seonu Seong immediately grinned and answered.

“Yes! Understood! I will accompany you, Father!”

Normally, he would naturally have shown reluctance and tried to escape using various excuses, but once the phrase ‘duty of the Clan Head’ was mentioned, he could never avoid it.

More importantly, what did it mean that Father intended to take only him among all the sons?

He had clearly already been recognized as the next Clan Head.

Seonu Seong began burning with enthusiasm at the thought of visiting Dan Manor in place of his incompetent younger brother.

However, he did not notice at all.

The eyes of the other family members flashed sharply when they heard that he alone would accompany Clan Head Seonu Jung to Dan Manor.

And they too did not know.

When Dan Manor was mentioned, Seonu Jin briefly became dejected before resuming shoveling food into his mouth, all while smiling inwardly at the atmosphere around them.

Seonu Jin thought to himself,

‘Now then, start killing one another.’