Chapter 108
Chapter 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Departure for Hebei
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Namgung Jangcheon’s eyes wavered as he saw Namgung Hyeok enter the study.
“What’s all that?”
Waddling in.
His limbs were wrapped in thick otter-skin leggings, and inside his robe were layers upon layers of fluffy sheepskin garments stuffed in.
So much fur crammed in there that slender Namgung Hyeok looked like he might roll away at any moment, positively rotund.
Grunting, Namgung Hyeok plopped down into a chair.
“I’ve gotta stay alive, don’t I?”
……It’s not like I’m sending you off to die.
Namgung Jangcheon swallowed the words lingering in his mouth and asked,
“You really have to go, even dressed like that? Huangshan’s got scenery worth seeing, and the trip itself would be enjoyable.”
“I prefer Hebei, myself.”
“……Why insist on Hebei of all places?”
Because that’s where traces of Hongmok are.
‘Find the pill-refining manual, and everything’s sorted.’
He couldn’t send someone else, and even if he did, they wouldn’t find it properly. He had to go himself.
Reminding himself of his goal, Namgung Hyeok said,
“I hear there’s good food there.”
“……You’re serious?”
“What’s travel if not sightseeing and good eats? Doesn’t Hebei Province have way more to see than Anhui?”
Namgung Jangcheon smacked his lips at Namgung Hyeok’s words.
‘Country bumpkin wants to see the capital, huh?’
Absurd reason, sure, but Namgung Jangcheon could relate.
Everyone dreamed of visiting Beijing, home of the emperor, at least once in their youth.
He’d felt the same at Namgung Hyeok’s age.
For someone like Hyeok, who’d never even properly visited Huangshan, this could be a meaningful trip.
‘That’s one thing.’
Namgung Jangcheon let out a light breath and said,
“I’m worried about your health, but when you get to Hebei Province, don’t get any funny ideas and behave yourself. Something about this just makes me uneasy.”
He knew Namgung Hyeok’s thinking was quite different from others’.
Though it pricked at his conscience, Namgung Hyeok replied calmly.
“Haha! What trouble could I cause? The Young Master will handle everything.”
“……Don’t get any funny ideas.”
“As if.”
“…….”
“By the way, where’s our Young Master? Have you seen him?”
As Namgung Hyeok glanced around and changed the subject, Namgung Jangcheon sighed.
Just seeing him play innocent like that planted seeds of unease.
“Ryong’s been waiting since yesterday.”
Huh? Since yesterday?
Namgung Hyeok let out a chuckle.
“Where?”
“Probably by the carriage you’ll take.”
“Since a full day ago? There?”
“Yeah, probably fixing things up here and there since you’re going.”
How many things were there to fix that he’d camp out in the carriage the day before?
Still, not a bad feeling.
‘Nice, real nice.’
Namgung Hyeok grinned contentedly.
“So, we can head out now?”
Namgung Jangcheon stared at him for a moment before saying,
“Hyeok.”
“Yes.”
“I get that you’re excited for your first trip, but your health comes first. If anything feels off, send up a signal and come straight back. Got it?”
The concern still felt awkward no matter how many times he heard it.
Strange.
So strange.
Namgung Hyeok shrugged his shoulders and stood.
“I’ll be back safe.”
“Good. It’s not far.”
“Yes, sir!”
Namgung Hyeok grinned cheekily and headed out.
Once outside, Geum Cheomsang came scurrying over, pulled out a bamboo筒, and poured tea for Namgung Hyeok.
“Here!”
Naturally, he pulled out the straw and stuck it in Namgung Hyeok’s mouth.
Namgung Hyeok sucked on it vigorously.
Slurp slurp slurp!
“Nice and toasty, slurrrp.”
Geum Cheomsang eyed the teacup Namgung Hyeok was slurping down.
“……It’s boiling hot?”
“Thuper delithush.”
“Ah, yes.”
Roof of his mouth must be shredded, but if he likes it……
“All packed up?”
“Of course!”
“Good.”
“Shall we head out now? Everyone’s waiting over there. Let’s go!”
Watching excitable Geum Cheomsang bounce around, Namgung Hyeok let out a hollow laugh.
“Why are you so hyped?”
“It’s my first long trip like this—I’m thrilled. Aren’t you, Young Master?”
“Not really my age for thrills.”
“You’ve never properly seen Huangshan either.”
“I don’t go.”
It was the Huangshan where Sword King wouldn’t shut up.
“Hehe! But it’s Hebei Province, Hebei! The Central Plains’ greatest city! Bustling streets suit me better than mountains. Just thinking about it is great!”
“So excited.”
“I am!”
Namgung Hyeok clicked his tongue.
“Some of us are going there to work.”
“Come on, you’re traveling with us. The Young Master will handle all the tough stuff anyway.”
“What do you know.”
“You’re gonna laze around sucking honey?”
“Ever had this straw shoved up your nose?”
Namgung Hyeok scowled, and Geum Cheomsang slyly backed away, snatching the straw and tucking it into his robe.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled dryly and waddled off.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir! Hehe!”
* * *
A long procession stretched out from in front of Soaring Palace Hall.
At the center was a massive eight-horse carriage clad in leather and cloth, surrounded by dozens of wagons.
Thunder Dragon Squad members stuck to each wagon and carriage.
A bizarre procession without a single porter.
At the Namgung family’s main gate, Grand Elder Namgung Wigeong and the leadership, along with retainers, saw off the group.
For just attending the birthday of the Hebei Peng Clan’s young lady, having even the elders turn out was unprecedented.
It almost looked like a military send-off.
Basking in the retainers’ farewells, the procession soon shrank to a dot and vanished.
From the top of Soaring Palace Hall, watching it all, Namgung Jangcheon looked dazed.
“They’ve got that much luggage but no porters?”
“Second Young Master said none were needed before departure, so we dismissed them.”
“What? Why?”
“Said the Thunder Dragon Squad would handle it.”
Namgung Jangcheon let out a groan.
A few months ago, unthinkable.
Turning that ferocious Thunder Dragon Squad into porters.
‘……He really made them his limbs.’
Namgung Jangcheon stared outside and chuckled dryly.
Even after the procession became a dot, people still stood at the main gate.
“Looks like a send-off ceremony.”
“Doesn’t it mean the young masters’ standing has risen that much? It’s also invigorating the family.”
Namgung Jangcheon shook his head at Geum Gwangmo’s words as he poured tea.
“Feels like putting them out to sea—不安心.”
“It’s the Peng Clan young lady’s birthday, so juniors will gather to build bonds. Good connections, family exchanges—look on the bright side.”
“Exchanges. Exchanges.”
Namgung Jangcheon’s brow furrowed as he pondered deeply.
“……Would Ryong even exchange words?”
“He’s not much for talk.”
“Not just that. For networking……”
“No need to worry. At the last junior gathering, he definitely mingled with the young ladies. He’ll probably come back popular with them again.”
“Ahem! The eldest is quite the looker.”
More than quite—he was so handsome that anyone passing by would glance twice.
If ranking the world’s best faces, he’d crack the top ten experts for sure.
Some young ladies who’d seen Namgung Ryong before were still lovesick.
“And there’s the Second Young Master. No one in the main house beats him at making friends.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He tamed the Thunder Dragon Squad and even won over the heads of the Ten Great Sects.”
“……That’s a different context.”
“Still, it wasn’t a bad direction.”
“……True enough.”
“That’s why you can relax. The Young Masters are better than the Family Head thinks.”
Not reassuring at all.
Namgung Jangcheon laughed hollowly.
“Yeah, what trouble could they stir up? Nothing’s gonna happen.”
* * *
Inside the jostling carriage, Namgung Hyeok had a languid look.
With full preparations, it was a bit better.
As the chill eased, his mind started racing.
‘Hongmok’s such a stickler, he must’ve set something up in Hebei for sure.’
Namgung Hyeok recalled memories with Hongmok.
- Must be remembered even in death. Knowledge is like that. Record it in ever greater detail, meticulously, perfectly for posterity.
- A manual, huh.
- Not like martial arts manuals. Martial arts have leeway, points of compromise. But pill-refining has none. The success or failure of a spirit pill hinges on every scruple of ingredient.
- That’s why you dig caves everywhere? To leave a legacy?
- Who knows what’ll become of me under the Blood Tribulation? I’m no martial prodigy like you. So I must leave a legacy for posterity. Leave it, and leave more, so Shaolin can one day reclaim it.
- If you don’t wanna die, no need for those warehouses. Stick by me if you wanna live. Instead of digging caves, make me Great Returning Pills. Yours taste the best.
- Shut it! This is for posterity……
- Man, so uptight.
Hongmok had dug caves everywhere to pass on pill-refining secrets to Shaolin.
Regardless of his will, Shaolin now couldn’t find them and debated letting Great Returning Pills go extinct.
‘I’ll find them and put them to good use, then return them.’
That’s conscientious enough.
Returning a pill-refining manual lost for over seventy years.
Rescuing it from oblivion, right?
Having fully rationalized it to himself, Namgung Hyeok nodded.
“Deserve a medal for this.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you even hear me?”
Namgung Hyeok blinked at Geum Cheomsang.
“What’d you say?”
As expected, Geum Cheomsang said,
“You need to mind your manners when we arrive at the Hebei Peng Clan. They see the main house as mortal enemies. Who knows what pretext they’ll grab.”
“So what.”
“……Can’t cause a scene at a funeral house. No flipping tables if you don’t like something, no hitting, no dunking in water.”
Geum Cheomsang spoke to Namgung Hyeok with genuine worry and sincerity.
“Young Master, we just behave. Party ends, we leisurely tour and head back. Bear with it a little.”
It was advice that would shock others, but still uneasy, Geum Cheomsang added a plea.
Namgung Hyeok snorted.
“Whatever.”
He’d never cared about them from the start.
In Hebei, he’d be busy just hunting Hongmok’s traces.
No time to mind snot-nosed brats.
‘Their problem. I just need Hongmok’s manual.’
As he pondered where to start searching, his eyes met Namgung Ryong’s.
Namgung Ryong’s gaze burned hot.
Namgung Hyeok glanced at Geum Cheomsang.
“……What’s he saying?”
“He hasn’t said a word.”
“Oh, right.”
Namgung Hyeok nodded, then said,
“Let’s take a boat.”
“A boat?”
“Faster than carriage to get there.”
“Huh? But travel’s traditionally by carriage, right? Slowly taking in the sights, savoring the mood. Right, Squad Leader Geon?”
Geum Cheomsang latched onto Geon Cheonhwi, who was earnestly driving.
Geon Cheonhwi, with a faintly excited face, said,
“We’ve got time to Hebei, so slowly……”
Time?
Slowly my ass.
“Is travel the priority now? Get there quick and handle business first.”
……Travel was the point……
Geum Cheomsang looked dumbfounded.
Namgung Hyeok turned to Namgung Ryong.
“You cool with that?”
Nod nod.
Seeing Namgung Ryong nod vigorously, Namgung Hyeok told Geon Cheonhwi,
“Turn around! Nearest dock!”
“You mean a dock?”
“Yeah!”
“Send men to scout a boat.”
“Yes, sir!”
Geon Cheonhwi turned without question.
Amid the sudden route change, people milled about before following the lead to the dock.
Namgung Hyeok grinned.
‘Perfect.’
Finding Hongmok’s secret stash could take who-knows-how-long.
Every saved moment counted.
Soon, the procession reached the dock.