Chapter 1: The Drunk Young Lord

 “Bleghh! Bleghh!”

“Young master! Do you feel all right?”

A young man dressed in finely woven silk robes with ornate patterns on it, hunched over beside a bustling road. He was undeniably handsome but in his current state, even a roadside begger would take pity of him.

“Bleghh!...”

“ Yeah…I’m all right.”

After wiping the corner of his mouth with the his sleeve, the young man leaned heavily against the middle-aged servant who hovered anxiously beside him.

“Did I…stay overnight at the pleasure house t-this time as well?”

“…Yes, young master.”

The servant hesitated before answering in a low voice.

“Ah…”

“Let’s go to the manor, young master. The patriarch specifically sent me to bring you back.”

The young master suddenly gripped the servant’s shoulder and forced his bloodshot eyes open.

“D-don’t let my m-mother see me like this.”

The servant nodded and helped the young man toward the manor.

Seo Family.

There were numerous merchant families and guilds which ensured the steady flow of resources and essential goods throughout the Jianghu. Among them, one of the largest hegemons of trade was the Seo Clan, which had control over many trading routes and money houses spread all the way into the central plains. Even the Righteous Martial Alliance was annually sponsored with a huge sum of wealth by them.

In front of the massive ancient gates bearing a large wooden plaque with the characters ‘Seo’ engraved on it, were two men stood out among endless crowd passing by.

“Young master!”

“Huhhh?”

“YOUNG MASTER!”

“Agh…yeah?”

The young master let go of the shoulder of his servant who had basically “carried’ him all the way here, and while still shaking, tried to straighten himself. He wiped his mouth and rand a hand through his disheveled hair. He coughed lightly and forced himself to walk steadily through the gates. The servant remained behind him, perhaps, in case his young master decided to kiss the ground once again.

It was already a miracle that the young man could walk through the estate without getting injured. The streets within the Seo Family grounds were constantly filled with carts carrying heavy goods, servants rushing about, and workers transporting supplies. Yet, the people passing by paid little attention to their “Young Master”. By now, they had grown accustomed to seeing him swaying through the streets in the early mornings.

The drowsiness clouding the young man's mind vanished the moment he stepped onto the stairs leading to the vast mansion. His breath grew heavier as he looked up at the figure standing above him with a fiery glare.

In front of the numerous flags fluttering in the wind, each displaying the Seo Family crest, stood a woman whose entire presence radiated elegance and authority. Her eyes, however, were strikingly similar to those of the young man climbing the long staircase while relying on support.

Even when the drunk young man reached the landing before the mansion entrance, that piercing gaze did not change even slightly.

“Mother…”

The young man’s voice wavered. This time, it was not because he was drunk.

“Did you go to that place again?”

The woman asked in a stern voice. Though her demeanor didn’t change, one could see her eyes trembling while looking at the young man in front of her who held his head down.

“…Yes, mother. I’m…I’m…”

“Keep that ‘sorry’ for yourself.”

She snapped. Her voice carried a mixture of sadness and warmth.

“Jin-ah, how many times have I told you not to be a waste? Don’t you even have a drop of respect for my words?”

Her voice was trembling.

“I cannot bear seeing you return like this every morning, Jin-ah. Can’t you understand that? Where did my little boy who was as bright as day go?”

The woman's voice gradually diminished, like rain fading into a gentle drizzle. She couldn’t help but touch her son’s gloomy face gently.

“That’s not it, mother.”

“What’s not it?”

“It’s not that I disrespect your words. I’m…really sorry. I won’t let this happen again, I promise.”

There was a hint of firmness in the young man’s voice. However, his mother didn’t smile.

“…That’s what you’ve been saying for these past few months.”

She took her hand off of his face and wiped the tears that was about to trickle down her cheeks.

“This time, I’ll really try.”

“…’Try’, hmm?”

“…”

Mother’s voice somehow found its usual composure.

“Remember! You are the future Patriarch of our Seo Family. Do not bring disgrace to our family name just because of some petty temptations of yours.”

The young man could only watch the floor as his mother went on. He couldn’t muster the strength to look at her.

“Go now. Wash up and change these filthy clothes. Your father wants to meet you.”

“Yes, mother.”

Seo Jin-Woon, the young patriarch of the Seo Merchant Family, headed towards [where he lived inside the mansion] while still swaying slightly.

An hour or so later.

The majestic doors of the Jade Prosperity Hall, where the patriarch of the Great Seo Family resided, opened, and in came a handsome young man wearing pristine linen robes.

The hall was vast with several towering pillars with carved delicate patters stretched toward the high ceiling. Elegant furnishings and exquisite decorations filled the spacious interior, creating an atmosphere of grandeur and refinement. As soon as one stepped inside it felt as though they had stepped into a realm of its own.

“Jin-Woon greets the Patriarch…!”

He bowed before the middle-aged man, who sat clad in an imposing black dapao, its fabric adorned with intricately embroidered qilin.

”…and the Matriarch!”

His voice was now elegant and carried an air of a scholar unlike before. Jin-Woon could, however, sense some heaviness lingering in the atmosphere.

‘What could the two have been discussing for the tension to be this intense?’

Then, the Patriarch's deep voice resounded throughout the hall.

“Jin-ah, drop the formalities and listen carefully…”

“It was the Yun Family.”

Jin-Woon’s mother cut the Patriarch off mid-sentence, shooting him a sharp look.

“They’ve decided to cancel the engagement between you and that Yun Ruo-Xi. They have sent us a letter saying that they would visit us today evening to end this matter officially.”

For a moment, Jin-Woon’s mind went blank.

“??”

“H-how could they do such a thing? We were betrothed when we were still kids. So why would they decide to null that pact all of a sudden?”

“You really don’t know the reason?”

Jin-Woon gulped at his mother’s words which pinched him like thorns.

“It was you! What else?”

“Dear, don’t be too harsh on Jin-ah.”

“Harsh? What harsh? You are the one being too soft on him!”

Even the Patriarch was speechless and could only shake his head helplessly.

“But mother, though I went to the pleasure house sometimes, I have never even touched another woman because of Xi’er. All did was merely drink and gamble with my friends. What’s wrong with that? Any man from a rich family would do such things.”

“Do not compare yourself to fools simply because they share your wealth.”

“And did you say ‘merely’? You should have seen yourself every day, staggering home in such a miserable state. And who are these ‘friends’ of yours? If you keep this up, one day, you’ll end up dead at the hands of one of them.”

“That’s enough!”

The hall fell silent at the Patriarch’s words.

Jin-Woon saw tears welling up in his mother’s eyes.

“That wretched woman…”

He gritted his teeth remembering his past with Yun Ruo-Xi.

How he had played with her.

How she had teased him every time they met.

How they had spent countless afternoons fishing together along the shores of Taihu.

But all that came to a halt once Jin-Woon began to visit gambling houses. In his view, this was akin to slapping across the face of his family.

‘Was she pretending to like me all this long?’

“Father, mother…”

Jin-Woon cupped his hands and bowed all while his teeth clattering.

“As this happened because of me, I will naturally take the responsibility for this.”

Without waiting for a reply, Seo Jin-Woon bowed once more and left the patriarch's residence.