Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Namgung So-yeon and the Black Moon Sword (9)
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The sun was beginning to set, so Namgung So-yeon couldn't leave the village completely.
In truth, she had planned to cross the mountains straight to Henan, but Black Moon Sword stopped her.
[You want to cross a mountain path in the middle of the night? Don't. Even masters greater than you would struggle with that. You'd surely have to camp in the middle of the trail, which would be an incredible ordeal for you right now. From pests to an uncomfortable bed. Can you endure it? What's more, if you lose your way, it will become a real headache.]
Realizing it would be too difficult, So-yeon entered a nearby inn.
Before leaving the main estate, she had changed out of her Namgung attire into simple, ordinary indigo clothes, so she didn't particularly stand out. However, her exceptional beauty was drawing quite a bit of attention.
"Ho, look at that young lady over there. She's incredibly beautiful."
"Where... oh, I haven't seen someone so lovely in a long time... wait, isn't that... the second daughter of the Namgung Clan?"
"Don't be ridiculous. What... wait, is it really her?"
However, her stunning beauty was already famous in Anhui, so anyone who looked closely recognized her.
A fact she was unaware of was that Namgung So-yeon's looks were so outstanding that she was known in Anhui as the 'Blue Flower'.
It was a nickname that combined the Namgung Clan's symbolic blue color with a flower, signifying her remarkable beauty.
So-yeon wasn't particularly interested in her appearance, but she had always been well cared for, and her mother had been a great beauty, so So-yeon's looks were naturally exceptional.
[It seems everyone recognizes you.]
The people around her watched with cautious yet curious eyes.
They were whispering among themselves so So-yeon wouldn't hear, but thanks to her sharp senses, she heard everything.
"No matter how I look, isn't that the 'Blue Flower'?"
"Hmph, but why would the second daughter of the Namgung Clan be here? It must just be someone who looks like her."
"But... I've seen her before, so I know. That young lady looks just like her..."
So-yeon decided this wouldn't work and hastily left the inn.
She entered a deserted alley and fell into thought.
'What am I going to do? Everyone recognizes me!'
This was a major complication for someone who wanted to leave town quietly.
[It seems it will be difficult to show your face around here. How about wearing a veil or a bamboo hat?]
"Ah, I didn't bring one from home..."
For a moment, she considered going back home just to get a bamboo hat, but quickly gave up the idea.
It would look far too pathetic.
'I can't do something so embarrassing!'
She couldn't bear the thought of the awkward stares she would get if she went back home.
She shook her head, clearing the useless thoughts.
Just then, she saw a carriage loaded with various goods.
A uniquely large cart had been modified to look like a shop, allowing goods to be sold directly from it.
[A 'Cart Merchant'? How unusual. I've never seen a peddler who operates like that.]
Thinking it was perfect timing, So-yeon headed straight for the cart.
"Hello. Are all these items for sale?"
As she asked, a middle-aged merchant with a kind face greeted her.
"Oh, what a beautiful customer we have. I was about to close up for the day as the sun is setting, but you've come at the right time. Are you looking for anything in particular?"
The merchant didn't seem to recognize So-yeon, which meant he was from out of town.
She discreetly observed the merchant's attire. He wore a predominantly red robe with the words 'Red Heaven' written on the chest.
"The Red Heaven Merchant Guild? I didn't think there was one in our town."
The Red Heaven Merchant Guild was a guild that operated mainly in the southern part of the Central Plains.
In terms of size, it was one of the top three largest merchant guilds in the Central Plains.
"Oho, you seem to know our guild well. That's right. We have a few branches in Anhui, but not in this village."
"I've seen it a few times in other regions."
"Haha, so we have a regular customer right here. As a token of my gratitude, may I offer you some refreshments?"
So-yeon, quite pleased with the polite attitude of the Red Heaven Merchant Guild's peddler, gave a slight smile and a small nod.
"Ah, thank you."
She received a small pouch of refreshments from the merchant.
Seeing it, she thought of 'Jeong-a'.
She was her best friend, so she had planned to visit her today or tomorrow, share some of the snacks, and say her goodbyes.
'I can't just leave without a word to my friend, after all.'
So-yeon then looked over the goods on the cart and found a bamboo hat decorated with beads woven into a string.
"Oh, I'll take that bamboo hat over there."
"Hmm, you have a good eye. It's a durable item sold exclusively by our guild. It's great for blocking rain and sun."
The peddler handed So-yeon the bamboo hat she had chosen.
"How much is it?"
"130 mun."
It was a bit expensive for a bamboo hat.
However, the quality of the bamboo was excellent and the finish was superb, so it couldn't be called a rip-off.
She took out a pouch and handed over a silver ingot.
Seeing it, the peddler's eyes began to sparkle.
Carrying around a large number of coins strung together was not something a rich man's daughter would do.
She had only brought silver and gold ingots with her when she left.
"Aigoo, this seems to be a bit much. Shall I cut it for you?"
The peddler showed great surprise at the size of the silver ingot.
It was because he had received a large sum of money relative to the price.
"It's fine. Could you just give me one more bamboo hat, just in case?"
At her words, the merchant replied in an even more energetic voice than before.
"Of course! Since I've received this much, I must give you an even better one!"
Having bought two bamboo hats, So-yeon tried one on immediately and nodded slightly, seemingly pleased.
She slung the remaining hat onto her back.
"This is nice."
"I'm glad you like it. Ah, and you seem to be a martial artist. Do you need a weapon?"
"No. I already have a good one."
At that, the peddler glanced at the Black Moon Sword So-yeon was carrying.
He could tell from a single look that it was a masterfully crafted weapon, so he deemed it a famed sword and nodded.
"Indeed, it seems you don't need another weapon. If you need anything else, I'll be near the west side of the village until noon tomorrow, so please come find me."
"Ah, I see. Are you headed somewhere?"
"I'm going to Henan. There's a martial arts tournament being held there soon."
"Oh."
A perfect opportunity had just presented itself to So-yeon.
[Hoh, you might be able to get a ride on his cart.]
So-yeon asked the peddler.
"By any chance, do you need a guard? I happen to be heading to Henan as well, so I was wondering if I could ride in your cart. Ah, for your reference, I am a martial artist of the peak realm, so you need not worry about my skills."
She then proved her skill with a confident tone, immediately conjuring sword energy.
Seeing this, the merchant replied with astonished eyes.
"The young lady herself will be my guard! How could I possibly refuse? On the contrary, I should be the one thanking you!"
The merchant bowed deeply to express his gratitude.
He wasn't acting this way simply because So-yeon was a peak-level martial artist.
Seeing that she was a peak-level martial artist at such a young age, had plenty of money, and possessed a well-groomed appearance, the merchant concluded she was the child of a powerful clan and saw this as an opportunity to build a valuable connection.
If he could build a good relationship with her now, it could lead to great opportunities later.
'She must be the precious daughter of a powerful clan. I must serve her well. Absolutely!'
Having finished their transaction, So-yeon went on her way.
Watching her leave, the peddler from the Red Heaven Merchant Guild bowed until she was out of sight.
His effort to make a good impression seemed to have reached So-yeon, as her opinion of the peddler was not bad at all.
'He's a little overwhelming, but I'm glad he seems to be a good person.'
And so, she made her way to a village inn to stay for the night.
Unbeknownst to her, a group of unidentified men were watching So-yeon from the shadows.
And the one leading them was none other than the young man in the indigo robe, Namgung Yeol.
He had been informed by his father that his younger sister had run away and was under orders to persuade her to come back.
As much as Namgung Cheon valued the clan's discipline and dignity, he had no intention of letting his only daughter—the spitting image of his late wife—go so easily.
What parent would send their preciously raised daughter into the harsh Central Plains without any preparation?
Who knows what might happen to her.
Thus, with a somewhat bewildered expression, Namgung Yeol watched the lone So-yeon and spoke quietly.
"Little sister, just how much do you intend to worry our father?"
As the eldest son with a strong sense of responsibility, Namgung Yeol had never imagined his only sister would cause such a huge problem.
Her rebelliousness until now could be dismissed as a late bout of adolescence, but running away from home was different.
Since So-yeon hadn't been taught any of the clan's important secret martial arts, there was no risk of them being leaked. However, the very fact that a daughter of 'Namgung' had run away was a major issue in itself.
If someone who knew her background harbored ill intentions and targeted her, she would surely face a terrible fate.
The power of a prestigious clan like Namgung comes from the group.
Each and every member becomes a formidable force, projecting immense authority.
But when traveling alone like this, the prestige of the Namgung Clan becomes a lure instead.
For this reason, Namgung Yeol planned to use a clever trick to make So-yeon return home.
'Little sister, forgive your brother. A moderate crisis surely won't be enough to break that stubbornness of yours.'
He mentally asked for So-yeon's forgiveness before speaking to the Namgung warrior waiting beside him.
"Are the preparations complete?"
At Namgung Yeol's sharp voice, the warrior beside him bowed his head and replied.
"Yes, we have leaked information to the group of bandits located in the western mountain range."
"Good."
He had decided to use bandits to bring his sister back.
Vicious, cruel, and barbaric trash.
They were like pests; no matter how many you caught, they would pop up again as if nothing had happened, requiring periodic exterminations.
It was about time to deal with them anyway, but before that, he planned to use them to pose a great threat to his sister.
His plan was to rescue his sister the moment she was cornered by the bandits and persuade her to come home, showing her just how dangerous the outside world was.
Namgung Yeol judged that So-yeon wouldn't change her mind unless she experienced a crisis firsthand, so he had resorted to this rather drastic measure.
Normally, no one in Anhui would dare touch a daughter of the Namgung Clan. However, bandits who don't think about the consequences might very well target her if they knew she had run away and was alone.
Of course, they might not attack So-yeon out of fear of repercussions, but based on what Namgung Yeol had seen and heard, the bandits would surely think they could just capture So-yeon and leave Anhui Castle.
Besides, if they were the type to think about the consequences, they wouldn't be bandits in the first place.
Namgung Yeol pressed his forehead, calming his throbbing head.
"Hooo... So-yeon. So-yeon... Just how big of a nail do you intend to drive into our father's heart?"
The dutiful son Namgung Yeol, who fully understood the heavy burden his father carried for the clan, found So-yeon's childish behavior truly displeasing.
He usually let things slide because she was his only, adorable little sister, but this time, he planned to teach her a proper lesson.
If things didn't go as planned, he even considered subduing his sister by force and bringing her back.
'You need to be taught a lesson by your big brother.'
And so, Namgung Yeol's sharp eyes stared at Namgung So-yeon.