31
Chapter 31: Surnameless
The interior of the Emperor King Hall was surprisingly modest.
There were no special decorations, nor were there many people present. It was simply one very large room with long corridors on both sides connecting to other rooms.
At the far end opposite the entrance, there was a low platform, and on that platform sat a rather large chair made of cedar wood. That was the only piece of furniture inside this Emperor King Hall.
Seated in the chair was a clean-looking middle-aged man in his fifties wearing blue robes.
It was none other than Namgung Byeok, the family head of the Namgung Family. He had been talking with a beautiful woman in white-blue silk robes standing beside him when he noticed Tang O approaching.
As soon as he saw Tang O, his face lit up and he leaped down from the platform as if flying.
"Welcome. Uncle Tang. It has truly been a long time."
"Tsk tsk tsk. The head of the Namgung Family, jumping around without any dignity like that. Tsk."
Despite saying this, a faint smile formed on Tang O's cold face.
"I apologize. But what can I do about being happy to see you? Haha."
"I couldn't even make it to your eldest daughter's wedding, so I came to at least wipe away your tears on the day you send off your younger daughter, so you'd still call me uncle."
The reason Namgung Byeok called Tang O "Uncle Tang" wasn't because they were blood-related, but because Tang O and Namgung Byeok's father, the Sword Saint Namgung Paek, had been sworn brothers. That was also why Tang O had looked meaningfully at the very last sword embedded in the roof of the Emperor King Hall earlier.
After Namgung Paek's death, Tang O had shut himself away in the Tang Family estate and never ventured out. This was his first journey into the Martial World since then.
"Hahaha. You are most welcome. But somehow you look even younger than me?"
"Tsk. You've properly become a middle-aged man since I last saw you. That's all because you've been neglecting your martial arts training."
"The work of a family head keeps one rather busy. It's been so long since I've held a sword, I wonder if rust hasn't formed on it."
Indeed, at first glance, Namgung Byeok looked older than Tang O. That must be how profound Tang O's martial arts mastery was.
As the two exchanged pleasantries after such a long time, a peerless beauty who looked barely twenty approached them. She was the woman who had been conversing with Namgung Byeok just moments ago.
Beautiful eyes and eyebrows black as the night sky, a nose bridge sharp enough to be cold, lips and a distinctly outlined chin as if carefully crafted by an ancient artisan, long hair flowing with luster and skin with a rosy glow, a long neck and a slender figure. Could Daji or Yang Guifei truly have been this beautiful? If there existed a beauty capable of toppling nations, surely the term would refer to this woman rather than those historical figures.
"Good day to you, Great-Uncle Tang. This young lady is called Hye."
As she held the hem of her white-blue silk robe and bowed her head and waist as if about to take flight, admiration appeared on the faces of all the men gathered in the Emperor King Hall. Only Dong Bong-su, while appearing so on the outside, remained as calm as still water within.
Unless one was an oddity like Dong Bong-su, her beauty was such that anyone who saw her once couldn't help but admire her. She was none other than Namgung Hye, Namgung Byeok's second daughter and Anhui's First Beauty, who was to make a hundred-year marriage vow with Do Heo-ok.
Upon receiving her greeting, Tang O's face formed a smile that was an appropriate mix of coldness and warmth.
"So you're little Hye. I saw you when you were just a tiny thing, and now you've become a beautiful young lady. You're no less than our Hwa. Hehe."
At Tang O's praise, the rosy glow on Namgung Hye's face deepened further. Her bashful appearance was so beautiful it heated the hearts of the men in the great hall once again.
"Hahaha. Uncle Tang. You should only say such things after you show us Hwa's face beyond her veil. She may look like this, but my daughter is famous for being the most beautiful in Anhui."
"That won't do. Our Hwa is so pretty that without that veil, some ghost might snatch her away."
Who said bragging about one's children was disgraceful? As if to show that being disgraceful to this degree was perfectly acceptable, the atmosphere quickly became warm and friendly.
Afterward, various light greetings were exchanged between Tang O and Namgung Byeok, and finally Tang O and Namgung Byeok moved to the family head's office inside the Emperor King Hall to talk privately.
Before leaving, Tang O said a few words to Tang Hwa and took Danri Jiang-hae along separately. He was keeping his promise.
Seeing this, Gi Dae-hyo and Gi Man-ji also breathed sighs of relief at having safely completed their mission. The two also departed for the Guest Hall following the Namgung Family's warriors.
Now only Dong Bong-su and Tang Hwa, along with Do Heo-ok and Namgung Hye, remained in the Emperor King Hall.
Only then did Tang Hwa approach Namgung Hye and offer a greeting.
"Sister Hye. It's been a while."
"Yes. It's been a while. Little Sister Hwa."
The two had been close enough since childhood, with their families visiting each other, to call each other older and younger sister.
"It's been so long, won't you even show me your face?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Sister. I've gotten so used to wearing this that I forgot I even had it on. Hoho."
At Namgung Hye's gentle reproach, Tang Hwa finally removed her veil.
With eyebrows like paintings and a sharp nose bridge no less than Namgung Hye's, somewhat bold lips and jade-white skin, and eyes large like an owl's, Tang Hwa had a somewhat Western Region feeling compared to the pure-looking Namgung Hye. But the proportion wasn't excessive—it was just right, making her truly beautiful.
Overall, if Namgung Hye was a beauty with a pure feeling, Tang Hwa was a beauty with a cold, intellectual feeling. Both were so beautiful that anyone would find it difficult to determine which was superior. Perhaps if the men of the Danri Family had seen Tang Hwa's face beneath the veil, they wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight. No, surely some people would already lose sleep just from seeing Namgung Hye's face.
As Tang Hwa removed her veil, Do Heo-ok approached as if he'd been waiting and cupped his fists.
"I was so flustered earlier that I failed to properly greet you. I am Do Heo-ok."
"I'm Tang Hwa, brother-in-law. I can call you brother-in-law, right?"
"Hwa, Little Sister Hwa. Not yet..."
At Tang Hwa's words "brother-in-law," Namgung Hye became embarrassed and once again her cheeks flushed red.
"Hahaha. Brother-in-law. I like that."
"I really never thought that Sister Hye, such a shy person, would get married before me."
"You, you!"
Namgung Hye became embarrassed again and hid behind Do Heo-ok. It was difficult to tell who was the older sister and who was the younger.
"Hoho. Being so shy like that, I wonder how she'll manage the wedding night."
"Hwa, Little Sister Hwa. How can you say such things!"
"Hahaha. Lady Tang, please stop. If Sister Hye runs away on the wedding night, you might have to take responsibility."
"Hohoho. I'm sorry. But surely she wouldn't do that?"
"Isn't there a saying that 'surely' is what kills people? Haha."
Namgung Hye became even more embarrassed at Do Heo-ok and Tang Hwa's continued teasing and lowered her head.
"Little Sister Hwa, stop..."
Her face turned so red it went beyond crimson to becoming red like a strawberry, and Namgung Hye finally glared and said something.
Tang Hwa cutely stuck out her tongue at her.
"Well, who told you to get married so early?"
"But who is... this person?"
In the end, Namgung Hye forcibly changed the subject, as if she couldn't take it anymore. She gestured toward Dong Bong-su with her eyes.
Tang Hwa looked at Dong Bong-su and lightly furrowed her brow.
"Ah, this person is..."
She hesitated for a moment. It was because she was unsure how to introduce him.
Tang O seemed to have high expectations for this person, but honestly Tang Hwa still wasn't certain about him. Most of all, no matter how heaven-sent his innate talent might be, he was far too old.
Mastering martial arts at such an advanced age and achieving great success?
She had never seen such a person. Perhaps there might be a few if one searched through the entire history of the Martial World, but at least within her knowledge, there were none. On top of that, the approval of the family elders hadn't even been given yet.
Just as she was unable to continue and was dragging out her words.
"I am called Sosam."
Dong Bong-su introduced himself directly.
The reason he introduced himself as Sosam was simple. That was the answer Tang Hwa wanted, and the other reason was that he judged that the longer Tang Hwa hesitated like this, the more Do Heo-ok's attention would be drawn to him.
However, even so, Dong Bong-su had already anticipated that he couldn't prevent Do Heo-ok's attention from pouring onto him.
Whether Sosam or Tang Sam, either way, to Do Heo-ok he would clearly be 'a strange existence.'
"Sosam? What is your family name?"
At Dong Bong-su's words, Do Heo-ok felt puzzled and asked for his surname. Most people in the Central Plains had surnames. Even those of lowly birth generally all had surnames.
"I don't have one... yet."
Dong Bong-su lowered his head and deliberately trailed off his words.
"Don't have one yet?"
For the first time, a strange light appeared in Do Heo-ok's eyes.
His eyes quickly scanned Dong Bong-su's entire body.
He wore clean black robes that seemed newly bought, but somehow looked very awkward.
A body emaciated from not eating properly, hair so disheveled that it wouldn't be strange if a bird came and laid eggs in it. From any angle, he didn't seem like someone of a level to be traveling together with Tang O or Tang Hwa.
'No, no.'
Not just that—he didn't even look like someone who should be entering as a temporary reception hall member?
The servants, workers, or escort agency members who brought congratulatory gifts weren't strictly guests of the Namgung Family, so they didn't need to enter the reception hall. Those who could enter the reception hall had to be martial artists with enough skill or reputation to stay at the Guest Hall as guests of the Namgung Family, or their companions.
Dong Bong-su looked like that, but in any case, he was someone Tang O had personally brought. And from the fact that he didn't leave for the Guest Hall when the Danri Family members departed, it was clear he was someone from the Tang Family.
'But he has no surname?'
'What's going on? This person?'