The Village's Song Yu
Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong stepped out of their room with bleary, hollow eyes. Their destination was the back yard. When they arrived, the stallion and the mare were lying side by side on the ground, fast asleep. Jiang Zhou glared at the stallion with smoldering eyes. "You spent all night carrying on like a lunatic, and now you're finally sleeping it off?" Yang Jeong was furious as well. "You're right, Boss. I think we need to take drastic measures. Should I catch the brute and sell him off as horse meat?" Whether he sensed their rage or not, the stallion gingerly lifted his head. Then immediately flopped back onto the ground. Uuugh.........
Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong let out furious sighs. "Once breakfast is over, go into the village and buy a saddle." "Why a saddle?" "Because if I wear that animal out, he'll stop thinking such foolish thoughts." "Ah....... What a brilliant idea, Boss. I suppose I'll spend the day riding him around the forest."
Jiang Zhou passed through the back yard and headed toward the wide courtyard in front of the old, dilapidated mansion. Yang Jeong fell into step beside him and asked. "What did you do with the spirit herbs and Hollow Jade Liquid you brought back yesterday?" "I steeped them in liquor." "Aw...... and we were going to steep them together, too. How much liquor is left, Boss?" Jiang Zhou shot him a glare. "Why? Planning to sneak some more?" "No, nothing like that. It's just that the weather's getting warmer, so I thought we might share a drink to beat the heat....." "Even scraping the barrel bottom only gets us five or six cups, so don't even dream about it." Tsk....... Yang Jeong smacked his lips in disappointment. When Jiang Zhou sat down, Yang Jeong settled into a cross-legged position beside him. Whooo......... The moment the two of them began their breathing meditation, the vital energy around them swirled up in a vortex and surged toward their bodies.
"Making an old man suffer this much — what a truly remarkable young scoundrel." Sin Pung-gae, leaning on his wooden crutch, trudged wearily toward the Murim Alliance. He had chased that handsome young whelp into the mountains and lost his way, and only managed to escape at the break of dawn. Because of it, his stomach was twisted with hunger and his legs were trembling beneath him. They say you're one of the late-blooming masters of the Murim Alliance — where exactly do you think you can run, boy? Thanks to finding the successor of the Beggars' Sect, he was hungry and his legs were wobbly, but his spirits soared as if he could fly. Walking slowly along the road, he paused to gaze at Jiang Zhou, who sat by the stream washing dishes. Then he examined the forest behind the inn. Hmm....
"Has someone actually moved into that haunted house? That place is fit only for ghosts to live in — no human being could dwell there." Hearing this, Jiang Zhou stopped washing dishes mid-motion and lifted his head to stare at him squarely. An old beggar fanning the flames of someone else's misfortune. His mood soured, but the remark had come from concern, so there was nothing to say in retort.
Sin Pung-gae caught sight of the white banner hanging from the roof and gave a hollow laugh. Heh heh heh.........
"What guests could ever come to a place like that? What a fool of a man." Years of experience had told him that the young man washing dishes by the stream was the owner of the inn. A fool, am I? At that, Jiang Zhou, who had been quietly washing dishes, felt his temper flare. "Look here — a man your age, going around insulting other people's homes? Save your useless chatter and be on your way." When Jiang Zhou snapped back with such a brusque voice, Sin Pung-gae brightened. He had been bored out of his mind, and now the boy was even picking a quarrel with him — what luck! He moved toward the stream and called out. "If you linger too long on cursed ground, illness will take root in your body. And that's not all — misfortune after misfortune will come knocking, one after another. It would be best for you to leave this place, even now." Jiang Zhou finished washing the dishes and sprang to his feet. "Illness, you say? I'm hale and hearty as can be — what illness? I have no intention of leaving this place, so you'd best hurry on your way, old man."
HAHAHAHA................... Sin Pung-gae let out a booming laugh. Never once in all his years in the martial world had anyone dared to be this insolent with him. He deliberately bared the knot at his waist. One glimpse of those nine knots, and this young whelp's attitude would change in an instant. But contrary to his expectations, Jiang Zhou merely scoffed. Hmph.
"Why don't you try bathing once in a while? If I look at that black grime around your waist, even a crow would call you its elder brother." Sin Pung-gae's face twisted into an ugly scowl. But only for a moment. "Have you any guests?" At his question, Jiang Zhou turned away with an air so cold it generated its own chill wind. "Not a one. And even if I did, I have no intention of serving a beggar as a guest, so hurry along your way." "Don't you know the information network of beggars is the finest under heaven? I'll spread word of your establishment far and wide — how about offering an old man a meal in charity?" Jiang Zhou paused mid-stride and turned his head to look Sin Pung-gae dead in the eye. "Don't play games with me. A beggar spreading word would only draw more beggars here." HAHAHA.... Sin Pung-gae let out another booming laugh. Calling the Chief of the Beggars' Sect himself a swindler? It was so absurd that laughter was the only possible response. "I'd like to know your name, at least." "Jiang Zhou." Sin Pung-gae nodded and turned toward the Murim Alliance. Kicking away a fortune the moment it rolls into your lap. This old man won't be begging a meal from that inn anytime soon. Jiang Zhou, wrapping up the dishes, raised his voice after him. "And I have no intention of serving beggars as guests either!"
When Jiang Zhou, finished with the dishes, stepped into the inn, Yang Jeong emerged from the inner room. He must have groomed himself inside, for his hair was tied back without a single stray strand. "Why don't you come along to the village with me, Boss?" "Why would I?" "Your clothes are worn through. You should pick up a few fine new sets while we're there." Come to think of it, the boy had a point, so Jiang Zhou hurried to make himself ready. Now where did I leave my sword? Jiang Zhou hunted down the sword that had been lying about the floor and strapped it to his waist. He would have preferred to go empty-handed, but since it was the blade his master had passed down to him, he had no choice but to bring it along. "We don't know when a guest might show up, so let's make it quick." "What about the liquor, Boss?" Yang Jeong's concern began and ended with alcohol. "You're more worried about the liquor than the horse thief? It's well hidden. Don't fret." Whoosh....... Jiang Zhou leapt ahead with his lightness skill and crossed the Stone Bridge. Whoosh....... Yang Jeong followed, unfurling his own lightness skill. The two ran side by side toward the village. As the village drew near, warriors of the martial world heading for the Murim Alliance came into view. Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong quickly cut off their lightness skill and slowed to an easy walk. "What if those people come looking for our inn?" HAHAHA....... At Jiang Zhou's worry, Yang Jeong burst out laughing. "You worry about everything, don't you, Boss?" "Why, you little....... "
As the distance closed, looks of astonishment flickered across the faces of the oncoming warriors. Their eyes could not tear themselves away from Yang Jeong's face. Even after Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong had passed them by, the warriors stood frozen in place, staring after Yang Jeong's retreating figure. "He's truly handsome. I don't know which family produced him, but I'd take him for a son-in-law any day." "I was thinking the exact same thing."
The moment Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong entered the village, every eye turned to Yang Jeong. "Must be nice being born handsome." "Boss, if you were in my position, you'd understand just how much of a nuisance it is." Despite his words, a faint smile played at the corner of Yang Jeong's mouth as he made his way toward the cloth merchant's shop. "I'm here for martial robes. Show me your finest ones." Arriving at the cloth merchant's, Yang Jeong spoke first. "Welcome! Our finest martial robes are in the back — please come in and browse." The shopkeeper greeted Jiang Zhou and Yang Jeong with great enthusiasm. The two went inside and each selected the robes that caught their fancy. Jiang Zhou chose robes of deep black, while Yang Jeong picked ones of azure blue. "Boss, wearing bright colors makes a man look brighter too, you know." "Enough of that, you rascal." When the two emerged after selecting several sets of robes, a crowd of women had gathered outside the cloth merchant's shop. "How much is this one?" "Do you have anything finer?" The women pretended to browse the clothing while sneaking repeated glances at Yang Jeong's face. Haa... Jiang Zhou heaved a sigh and asked. "Is it like this every time you come to the village?" "Yes. It's a wonder I haven't died of annoyance. Honestly, if I could just tear my face off, I'd trade it with yours." Yang Jeong claimed he was dying of annoyance, yet a subtle smile lingered at the corners of his mouth. "Shall I tear it off for you right now?" "Oh, come on, Boss. You can't say things like that now of all times."
After settling the bill, the two left the cloth merchant's and set off for the blacksmith's. At that, the women clustered outside the shop began trailing after them one by one. And it wasn't only the young women following Yang Jeong. The older women too were peeking at him, their faces flushed. "Handsome every time I see him." "The rebirth of Song Yu, I tell you — the rebirth of Song Yu." Listening to the women whisper, Jiang Zhou shook his head. "Show me some horse saddles." Arriving at the blacksmith's, Yang Jeong placed his order with the owner. "I'll show you myself, young master." At that moment, one of the women trailing behind darted forward and cut in. She went inside and returned carrying a remarkably fine-looking saddle. "How about this one, young master?" Apparently, she was the blacksmith's daughter. HAHAHA.......... "You have a truly excellent eye, my girl. How much for it?" Yang Jeong asked the price with a hearty, ringing laugh. "Just one silver tael will do." The moment she named her price, the blacksmith, who had been watching in silence, exploded in anger and stormed forward. "This girl will run my forge into the ground one of these days! How is that worth only one silver tael? You must take at least two!" "Father, it's a discount for the young master." The woman turned red and fired back at her father. These two really know how to put on a show. Watching them bicker, Jiang Zhou couldn't help but give a hollow laugh. HAHAHA.......
"You'd best heed your father's words, my girl. Here — two silver taels." Yang Jeong let out another hearty laugh and handed over two silver taels. "Thank you, young master." The woman cupped both hands together and hurriedly accepted the silver. The instant Yang Jeong paid, Jiang Zhou spoke up. "Let's go, Samryong." Ha... ha.... "B-Boss. My name isn't Samryong, it's Yang Jeong." Flustered, Yang Jeong laughed awkwardly and hurried to correct him. "What's wrong with Samryong? Hurry up and move, unless you want to die."
When Sin Pung-gae came face to face with the Alliance Leader of the Murim Alliance, he was taken aback. The man's face looked gaunt, yet somehow younger than before. HAHAHA....... "It seems you've been keeping all the good things to yourself, I see." When he probed for the reason in his roundabout way, Baek Mun-do gave a faint smile. "I've merely been eating my meals on time." The moment Baek Mun-do smiled, Sin Pung-gae let a trace of indignation show through, half-hidden. "Really now, Alliance Leader. What on earth have you been eating to make your face look this good?" Baek Mun-do's smile faded, and he spoke. He knew that Sin Pung-gae, if no one else, would doggedly hound him until he gave a straight answer. "An inn has sprung up about halfway between the village and the Murim Alliance. Do you happen to know anything of it?" Sin Pung-gae recalled the sight of that insolent young man washing dishes by the stream. "This old man saw it on his way here myself. But why do you ask after that inn?" "The cooking at that inn is the finest under heaven. It was so delicious that the food of the Murim Alliance tasted like chewing sand by comparison." Stunned by the Alliance Leader's words, Sin Pung-gae asked back. "You regained your youth by taking a meal there?" "Yes. A pair of young brothers run the inn, and their cooking is in a league entirely apart from anywhere else." Baek Mun-do concealed the truth — that it was the medicinal liquor that had restored his youth. If word of that got out, the inn would be flipped upside down on the spot, and warriors of advancing age would come swarming in droves. Such a secret was best kept by as few people as possible. You cannot be serious................ Sin Pung-gae's face fell into utter dismay. To think that the cooking of that foul-mannered young whelp was so extraordinarily skilled.