Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: Gift (1)
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I tossed the red hat to Yin Ha-seong, and Je-gal Seol-ji spoke up.
"Hold on a moment. So, you're saying it's Jang Ho, Yun, Ha-yeon, So-rung, Jeong-hyeon, and Yong-un going?"
"That's right."
"Yun Hall is missing from the Plum Orchid Country Bamboo lineup, though? Not that Yun has to go no matter what, but you just said it was to make up the numbers. Is that okay?"
"The Alliance Leader will be bringing Sister So-jin. She's on leave, but her registration is still with Yun Hall, so it'll balance out."
"Hm? But So-jin is from Ha-buk Pang Family... Oh, unlike So-cheon, the Mo Yong Clan will welcome So-jin. She set aside the Pang Family's path and became the Alliance Leader's disciple, after all?"
It was the kind of talk that someone from Ha-buk Pang Family might take seriously.
The gazes of my other Eon brothers naturally turned to Pang So-cheon.
"Why are you all staring like that? Is there something on my face, Yong-myeong?"
"It's not that. It's just that with Sister So-jin going to the Mo Yong Clan, everyone seems worried."
Yet the person in question was utterly carefree.
"Sis is smart, so she'll handle whatever comes her way just fine. If you're worried about our father, that's the most pointless worry in the world."
Now that he mentioned it, he wasn't wrong.
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Cheon Jang-ho suddenly turned to Pang So-cheon.
"True. As long as So-cheon hyung does well, it'll be fine."
"I do well. You should focus on yourself, Cheon Jang-ho. The grade you got on that assignment we turned in? It's lower than mine."
"Ah, no! That was because So-cheon hyung and Yong-un hyung had overlapping classes, so I got carried in your group and ate for free!"
"Yeah. Can't hear you. Cheon Jang-ho is inferior to me."
"Did your ears get stuffed with muscle or something? Why can't you hear?!"
With that, Pang So-cheon clamped his pot-lid-sized hand over his own ear.
"Ow! Strong arms don't mean you have to actually use 'em!"
Cheon Jang-ho lunged to pry the hand away, but it was no use.
"Pfft."
"Hahaha."
"Kkh."
The room burst into laughter at that moment.
Yin Xia Lian called out to me.
"Young Master Eon."
"Speak."
"For an eightieth birthday, there'll be a public gift-giving ceremony, right? Shouldn't we prepare a gift for that?"
"Probably."
"Hmm. All sorts of renowned elders and information brokers from every region will gather, so the gift we choose will affect not just your reputation, Young Master Eon, but the Righteous Martial Academy's honor too... Do you have something in mind?"
"I do. But it needs to be made, so... I should head to the Tak Clan Ironworks first and talk to the Grand Forge Master. With that in mind, I'll be off to the Ironworks for a bit. Ha-seong and Ok-gi, you're with me."
"Also, take some weapons to commission while you're there."
"Got it. Everyone else, finish up your assigned tasks. Ha-seong and Ok-gi are coming along."
"Yes, sir!"
My other Eon brothers responded with a resounding chorus, but Dang Ok-gi alone held back, shooting me a glare.
"Why me? I'm busy with research!"
"I heard Geon-un and his wife arrived."
"...Geon-un? Oh, the new Grand Forge Master's baby?!"
"Yeah. Word is he's healthy. Didn't you act as midwife when he was born? It'd be good if you checked on him and his mother. If not, we can call another physician."
"Who said no?!"
At the news of Geon-un's arrival, she hurriedly grabbed her medical kit.
After leaving the Student Council room, we gathered the design for the gift to bring to the Mo Yong Clan and the weapons Yin Xia Lian wanted commissioned, then headed to the Tak Clan Ironworks.
"Grand Forge Master! Young Master Eon is here!"
One of the workers spotted us and bellowed.
The Grand Forge Master and his wife, cradling the baby, rushed out to greet us. Tak Jang-myeong spoke to the infant instead of a formal bow.
"Geon-un, these are the people who saved you and your mother. The 'un' in your name comes from Young Master Eon Yong-un here."
"Agoo. Agoo-boo."
His wife chimed in next.
"Looks like he recognizes his life's benefactors. He's fussy with strangers, but not crying today. Would you like to hold him?"
She held Geon-un out to me.
I took him carefully, and Yin Ha-seong and Dang Ok-gi crowded close.
"Whoa, he was just a bloody lump when we saw him at Mt. Mak-gan, but look at him now—plump and thriving! He's grown so much. No way he'd remember, but hyung boiled tons of water to help when you were born."
"Babies grow like weeds if you blink. Peekaboo, Geon-un. It's sis."
"...Sis? What sis? Do you know how old we'll be when he's our age? Call us uncle and auntie."
Dang Ok-gi shot me a feral glare at my words.
"Die..."
"Whoa, Ok-gi sis, baby present. Mind your language."
Yin Ha-seong intervened, and she gnashed her teeth, forcing a smile before addressing Geon-un.
"...Whew. Geon-un, when you grow up, call us big sis and big bro, and definitely call that fierce-eyed uncle over there 'uncle'."
"Anyway, Dang Ok-gi, check on Geon-un and his mother while you're at the Grand Forge Master's home. Ha-seong, help with whatever she asks."
"Got it!"
"I was gonna do it anyway? Sis has it handled, so Uncle Yong-un is worrying over nothing, right Geon-un?"
Leaving Dang Ok-gi behind, I headed to the forge office with Tak Jang-myeong.
"...Grand Forge Master, a word."
In the forge office, as Tak Jang-myeong poured me hot tea, I unrolled the design I'd brought.
"A headpiece shaped like a bird on a staff, and a chair with raised armrests. This is a ki-jang, isn't it? For an elderly murim elder's birthday?"
"Exactly. How long to make it?"
"The Plum Orchid Country Bamboo pattern drawn here—is that to be done in inlay technique?"
"Just carve the grooves. Show it to me after, then lacquer it."
"Minus lacquering and drying, it'll take one sichen—no, less than half. Stay here. I'll have it done shortly."
As Tak Jang-myeong left the office, my master asked through transmission.
-When you were drawing that design alone, I thought you were just giving the Mo Yong Clan's old fogey a chair and staff engraved with the Four Great Dormitories' emblem... But Tak Jang-myeong called it for an elderly luminary at a glance. There's more to it, isn't there?
'Yes. A ki-jang is typically bestowed by an emperor or king on veteran retainers, symbolizing a plea for them not to retire and to continue serving the realm.'
-Eh? From that audience with the Former King to your talk with the Eon brothers, that old coot seems like he's only brought harm to the world. Why give him such a fine gift?
'I'll explain once the Grand Forge Master brings the ki-jang.'
How long did we wait?
Tak Jang-myeong returned with the chair and staff exactly as designed.
"How's this?"
"Matches the design perfectly."
"Shall I lacquer it now?"
I shook my head and spoke.
"No. First, I have something to do."
I nicked my finger.
Dripping blood into the ritual woven to resemble the Plum Orchid Country Bamboo pattern, I gave Master the answer I'd withheld.
'This ki-jang will guide me to the Mo Yong Clan's treasure vault.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Three days after commissioning the ki-jang at the Tak Clan Ironworks,
A forge apprentice delivered it, wrapped in fine silk, to the Student Council room.
"Grand Forge Master said the lacquer is done. He asked me to deliver it to you, Young Master."
"Thanks for your trouble."
That same afternoon,
A graduate student senior came by, saying the Executive Committee was summoning me.
'Must be the Alliance Leader's message arrived.'
Heading to the main hall, as expected, Elder Kyung-hye presented a letter from the Alliance Leader.
"A letter from the Murim Alliance Leader. He plans to attend the Mo Yong Clan Patriarch's eightieth birthday soon and offers to guide the journey if the Academy sends its student representative."
I'd tipped off Elder Kyung-hye about this, but Academy decisions required procedure.
Before the committee, I laid out a plausible rationale for going to the Mo Yong Clan.
"The Righteous Martial Academy has newly established the Student Council. With renowned figures from all sectors gathering at the Mo Yong Clan's eightieth celebration, it would be meaningful for me, the inaugural Student Council President, and a few Four Great Dormitory students to attend as representatives."
Elder Kyung-hye turned to the surrounding professors.
"Any issues with the remaining semester schedule?"
Je-gal Min, Yun Hall's professor, spoke first.
"The students accompanying Cadet Eon Yong-un visited their course instructors recently to request substitute assignments. They've been submitted and graded, and we've approved Yun Hall's next Autonomous Council President."
The other three dormitory supervisors followed suit.
"Hyang-ran Hall has approved its next Autonomous Council President as well."
"Un-mae Hall too."
"And even though Kyung-ryong is taking it... we've approved ours."
As the professors finished,
I spoke again.
"We've also handled distributing Horseback Escort Association materials to the Wudang Mountain library and selected personnel to assist Vice President Je-gal Seol-ji with Student Council duties. The gift for the Patriarch is prepared too."
"What gift did you prepare?"
"A ki-jang."
"...A ki-jang? Hm. No flaws there. Permission for the excursion granted."
Elder Kyung-hye sighed faintly and approved, then turned back to the professors.
"Then, who will escort them...?"
Before she finished, Professor Chang-ryang stepped forward.
"I'll go. It's the Mo Yong Clan Patriarch's eightieth. Better suited than Professor Pang or Professor No, wouldn't you say? Professor Je-gal has much research anyway. I'll ensure the student representatives follow etiquette and complete the journey safely."
She must have heard more from the letter than stated, as Elder Kyung-hye glanced at me.
I gave a faint smile of approval.
'Different from the Northern Sea trip.'
First, I'd confirmed Professor Chang-ryang wasn't just stubborn.
And if needed, I had a command tablet that could render even him immobile.
'He moves on rationale, and the Former King's tablet is the ultimate authority.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Righteous Martial Academy's student delegation set off for Yodong, leaving amid the cadets' farewells.
"What are you staring at?"
"It's just... unexpected."
Truth be told, before departure, I'd worried if Professor Chang-ryang would heed my instructions during a night camp.
But he followed my requests without complaint,
And was even proficient.
"What? Making a fire and cooking? Which Daoist hasn't escorted convoys in their youth? I've eaten far more camp meals than you. What made you think otherwise?"
"Just... Your usual upright gait, impeccable attire, and that memory with Gong-yun led me there."
"Gong-yun? You mean Cadet Namgung Yun?"
"Yes. Last semester, I picked her as Hyang-ran Hall's rep for the Murim Alliance tour, but she threw a fit about not wanting to spread tiger dung, and because of that, the Alliance..."
Namgung Yun, not far off spreading tiger dung, flushed red and yelled.
"...Why drag that up again?!"
Thus, confirming Professor Chang-ryang's new side, we headed north.
"Professor Chang-ryang, you're escorting us."
"Yes, Alliance Leader. You have much to oversee, yet thank you for looking after the Academy."
"Not at all. The younger generation is the future of our Orthodox Murim; they deserve the utmost care."
We rendezvoused with the Alliance Leader and Pang So-jin in Ha-nam territory.
"Hey, kids. No pig this time?"
"We're heading to Mo Yong Clan. He refused, so he stayed at the Academy."
"Fair enough. I'm worried too. Father's coming, so they'll gossip about me at the clan."
"That's exactly why you should go, sis. The topic's inevitable, but with you there, Uncle will face it head-on proudly."
"You think?"
From there, we took the Yellow River boats to Ha-buk,
And since Jinju was out of the way en route to Yodong, we planned to stop at Pearl Eon Family on the return.
We commissioned the Beggars' Sect on Ha-buk Three Heroes' movements; they'd already crossed to Shenyang.
"Let's hurry too."
"Yes!"
Passing Beijing, over Shanhai Pass,
We finally reached Shenyang in Yodong lands.
The massive estate, with guests queued outside the gates, was unmistakably the Mo Yong Clan.
"Jeong-hyeon, doesn't this rival the Yi Manor in scale?"
"Yes. Truly like a whale's back."
As we took in the Mo Yong Clan's grandeur,
Figures approaching from afar cupped their fists in greeting.
"Are you the Murim Alliance Leader and guests from the Righteous Martial Academy?"
Yet their attire screamed servants.
'Ha. They're pulling this right from the start.'