Chapter 156: Chapter 156

“Are you referring to this alcohol?”

Hong Won-chang, who had come to the manor after a long time, swallowed his saliva and asked. He recalled hearing some news recently.

It was about a famous alcohol of the Hoyeon Family that was spreading in Hunan Province.

It was said to taste so great that people even said the Hoyeon Family, which had once fallen, would rise again.

He had wanted to try drinking it once, but not only was the price expensive, even obtaining it was not easy.

But to think that the one who made it was Dan Woo-hyun’s manor?

If he had known this would be the case, he would have come immediately to at least taste it.

“Yes.”

A bottle of alcohol was placed on the table.

The bottle, about the size of an adult male’s palm, looked small in quantity as if it would disappear in the blink of an eye.

‘That is indeed…….’

The famous alcohol that was stirring up Hunan Province!

Hong Won-chang swallowed his saliva.

He wanted to try drinking it.

Rolling his eyes, he looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

In a gaze that meant ‘Can I drink it instead of the Prince?’, he saw Dan Woo-hyun chuckling with a smirk.

A long sigh leaked from the mouth of the disappointed Hong Won-chang.

“Do not worry. I have set aside your share separately.”

With a thud, Dan Woo-hyun took out a large alcohol bottle that had been placed on the floor. It was a bottle different in size from the one on the table.

The sloshing sound of the large bottle being filled with alcohol could be heard, and the faintly drifting scent was also different.

Even the sealing paper was the same.

If so, it was definitely the alcohol of the Hoyeon Family.

“This…… isn’t this one more? It would be better to send this to the Prince instead……”

“No, this is a failure.”

‘Ah, what a stingy…….’

Hong Won-chang turned his head, thinking it was just as he expected.

“Even if it is a failure, this side is the real alcohol of the Hoyeon Family.”

“Yes? Then this is not?”

“This was made by So-mi.”

‘That child learned something new again.’

Hong Won-chang’s mood was already starting to lift at the thought that if she entered as his daughter-in-law in the future, he could drink delicious alcohol every day.

“Then is it fine if I just take this?”

“Yes, the merchant group leader of the Golden Ring Merchant Group will accompany you. The merchant group will handle the business themselves, so you just need to introduce the merchant group leader to that fellow called the Prince.”

“It is not a difficult task, but……”

Why on earth was it the Golden Ring Merchant Group?

In terms of scale alone, the Hunan Merchant Group was the largest in this area. If it were the leader of such a place, there would be no embarrassment in introducing them to the Prince, but the Golden Ring Merchant Group felt a bit lacking.

Hong Won-chang, who was thinking this way, suddenly snapped out of it. This was a task ordered by none other than Dan Woo-hyun.

It was right to perform it without talking back or complaining.

None of the things he did had ever caused him harm.

Did he not know that better than anyone else?

“Understood! Do not worry.”

“Yes, one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“With the current capability of the Golden Ring Merchant Group, they cannot obtain proper guards. Therefore, I will send you and Gwon Mu-jin with the merchant group. That should be enough, right?”

Although it was a short time, Hong Won-chang thought quickly.

Dan Woo-hyun had ordered a task.

At most, it was sending alcohol to none other than the Prince, and it was a simple task of just introducing the Golden Ring Merchant Group leader.

Yet, the fact that he was sending Gwon Mu-jin along meant there was something to it.

Hong Won-chang looked up at Dan Woo-hyun with a pale face.

“I trust you have not neglected your training in the meantime.”

“O-Of course, but……”

“But?”

“Of course I have not!”

“If you are anxious, I will send two more highly skilled old men. But you must take responsibility for the aftermath.”

“Ugh……”

If it were highly skilled old men, it would be the two people who were just wasting food at this manor.

If they went together, there would be no more reassuring allies than them, but if he had to accommodate each of their difficult personalities, he would not be able to endure it.

“I will go too.”

At that moment, a small sound was heard outside the door, and a woman entered the room. The moment Hong Won-chang saw her face, he felt an illusion as if the room became bright.

A beauty that could ruin a state, a woman of peerless beauty.

She was Namgung So-hye, a woman beautiful enough to suit such words.

“Eavesdropping is not a good habit, you know?”

“You knew I was outside anyway.”

Dan Woo-hyun shrugged his shoulders at Namgung So-hye’s retort. He knew she was eavesdropping, but he did not expect her to say she would go along.

“Please let me accompany that merchant group as well.”

“Why?”

“Because I do not want to hear that I am just wasting food.”

Perhaps she had gained quite a bit of confidence from the last fight, as Namgung So-hye answered while looking straight into Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes. The depth contained in her eyes definitely seemed to have changed compared to before.

Dan Woo-hyun smiled and nodded.

“Do so.”

“Thank you.”

Namgung So-hye smiled brightly.

After recovering her body, she received teachings from her grandfather, Namgung Cheon, for several months. Although she did not inherit all of the Sword Emperor’s insights, she needed steady experience to confirm how much her skills had improved.

She was going for that.

Also, she wanted to be of some help.

Since she only trained and wasted food every day, she felt self-conscious.

“Please wait a moment.”

At that moment, another woman’s voice was heard.

She, who entered inside hurriedly, breathed heavily as if she had run.

‘Is that woman a member of the Hoyeon Family?’

She seemed to be the child he saw in the past when the Hoyeon Family was destroyed.

He had wondered how this child would grow up, but looking at her now, she had become a proper lady.

‘Although I could not resolve anything for her…….’

Hong Won-chang, who had not been appointed long at that time, painfully realized his own incompetence.

Those who attacked were definitely martial artists. However, he had no idea who they were or for what purpose they did such a thing.

The most heavily suspected thing was a connection with the Chyuwen Family, but even that left no trace, and because all the related people disappeared, it eventually remained unsolved.

Meeting like this might also be fate.

“We have many guests today. What is the matter?”

“Is it true that you are sending that alcohol to the Prince?”

“Yes.”

“Then please check this alcohol as well.”

She offered the alcohol she had been holding tightly in her arms.

Her hands were slightly trembling, perhaps because she felt anxious about what kind of evaluation she would receive from Dan Woo-hyun.

“So you stayed indoors all this time to make this.”

“Yes! Although it will be inferior to what So-mi made…… still……”

She bit her lip tightly as she spoke.

It seemed her pride was still hurt by losing to a young child. Also, it was the same for the alcohol of Dan So-mi, who was not even a member of the Hoyeon Family, being sold under the name of the Hoyeon Family.

Even Dan Woo-hyun had called her alcohol a failure, had he not?

She intended to overturn that evaluation with this alcohol.

“It has a good scent.”

“……Not that kind of comment.”

“Haha, yes. Bring a cup.”

As if she had prepared in advance, Hoyeon Ji offered a cup in front of Dan Woo-hyun. From the alcohol bottle whose sealing paper had already been torn off, a sweet smell that made one’s mouth water spread out.

Not to mention Namgung So-hye who was watching from the side, even Hong Won-chang swallowed his saliva.

When had they ever smelled such a sweet scent?

Hoyeon Ji filled Dan Woo-hyun’s cup.

From the clear ring and color to the spreading fragrance. It stimulated a person’s five senses.

The gazes of everyone in this place gathered at Dan Woo-hyun’s mouth.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was about to drink the alcohol quietly, stopped his movement.

“It is burdensome.”

“Ah! I am sorry. I did not mean to stare on purpose.”

“Ahem!”

Namgung So-hye laughed quietly, wondering what was so amusing.

Soon, the gaze watching Dan Woo-hyun silently from a slight distance was very intense.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun finally tilted the cup.

He did not swallow it at once but kept it in his mouth.

Soon, a gulping sound was heard, and the alcohol went down his throat.

Hoyeon Ji watched it quietly and swallowed her breath.

‘Now, say it! Say it quickly!’

She looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a gaze full of urging, but for a while, he just stared at the alcohol bottle without a word. Then, he reached out again, grabbed the alcohol bottle, and drank it in gulps.

The ones most surprised by that sight were none other than Namgung So-hye and Hong Won-chang.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was more particular than anyone else until now, had never chugged from an alcohol bottle in front of people.

The man who was always elegant, and who attracted people even more because of it, was now chugging the alcohol straight from the bottle in front of their eyes.

‘Is it that delicious?’

After swallowing a large gulp down his throat, Dan Woo-hyun finally set the alcohol bottle down.

Thud!

“It is a decent alcohol. Is it mead? It is quite sweet and delicious. It is a different taste from So-mi’s.”

“Is…… Is it true?”

“Yes. With this, it can proudly be called the new alcohol of the Hoyeon Family.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

It was mead that he was drinking after a long time.

It was delicious enough to bring back memories of the past. That was why he unconsciously lost his dignity and chugged straight from the bottle.

“C-Can I also receive a cup?”

“Me too!”

“Try drinking it.”

As soon as Dan Woo-hyun’s words ended, the two rushed outside and came back with cups.

Soon after, exclamations of admiration were heard here and there.

Indeed, compared to So-mi’s, it was lacking.

However, that was only because So-mi was special, and this alcohol had no shortcomings.

Rather, it also contained something that could not be felt in the alcohol made by Dan So-mi.

‘Is it maturity?’

Dan Woo-hyun laughed.

To think that maturity was harbored in mere alcohol?

It was a story that would make anyone laugh if they heard it, but it was by no means a lie.

Dan Woo-hyun was in a very good mood.

The fact that he could drink the mead he liked so much in the past again, and that unlike the time when he was alone, now.

“Ah, wait a moment! I am first……!”

“Lady! The one who grabs it first is the owner.”

Because there were people to share it with.

Smiling gently, Dan Woo-hyun looked at Hoyeon Ji.

She was sitting down as if the strength had drained from her body due to the favorable reviews from the others.

Looking at that sight, Dan Woo-hyun opened his mouth.

“You passed.”

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