Chapter 51. Hah, So We’ve Got Some Big Shot Coming, Do We? (1)
"Alone?"
"Yes."
"So, alone?"
"I told you, yes."
"So…"
Hwang Jong-ui, utterly unable to make sense of the situation, unconsciously looked over his shoulder.
The maid quietly following behind him gave a small nod, her expression saying, I told you so.
It really did seem the boy had come alone.
Hwang Jong-ui turned back and looked at the young Taoist before him.
His mind spun in a dozen directions.
Was Mount Hua looking down on the Eunha Merchant Guild?
Or was there some reason for doing something like this?
Or perhaps…
"Hahahahaha!"
At that moment, a loud burst of laughter rang out behind him.
"They’re really stooping to every trick in the book now. Young Guild Leader, didn’t I tell you? There’s no need to meet with the people of Mount Hua!"
It was Gi Mok-seung.
He had followed Hwang Jong-ui all the way to the entrance, and now he was speaking with a face that could barely contain his laughter.
"What could a little brat like that possibly know? They sent some child because they don’t know a thing, but they’d be too embarrassed to come themselves, so they shoved the job onto a kid. Tsk, tsk. I may not like Mount Hua, but I heard their sect leader was a gentleman. To think he’d use such petty tricks."
Hwang Jong-ui’s expression hardened.
It was obvious Gi Mok-seung’s words were dripping with bad blood, but in this situation there was no choice but to consider that he might be right.
Would Taoist Hyeon Jong of Mount Hua really do something like this?
The Hyeon Jong he remembered had been a true Taoist, a man with the bearing of a gentleman. Someone like that would hardly send a single child just to make a show of things.
But the reality before him was just this, wasn’t it?
"Young Taoist. Did you really come alone?"
"Yes."
"…You mean Mount Hua sent you here by yourself?"
The young Taoist—Chung Myung—let out a long sigh.
I guess being young gets you treated like this.
There had been a time when Chung Myung and Mount Hua were one and the same.
Ugh. If it’s going to be like this, I’d rather just die.
Still, he could understand their reaction well enough. A brat not even old enough to be considered an adult had shown up claiming he could cure an illness that even the best doctors in the world couldn’t touch. If they believed him immediately, then he’d be the strange one.
So he needed to grease the wheels a little.
"You said you were the young guild leader?"
"Y-yes, I did."
"I’m Chung Myung, the third-generation disciple of Mount Hua. I received the letter you sent to Mount Hua. After reading the symptoms described there, I came because I had a notion of what might be wrong."
"But to come all this way alone…"
"It was an urgent matter, so I had no time to come with anyone else. Your esteemed father is in quite a serious condition, isn’t he?"
Well, yes, that was true…
Hwang Jong-ui was staring at Chung Myung with a face that clearly didn’t trust him at all, when one part of Chung Myung’s words suddenly caught in his mind and his expression stiffened.
"Did you just say you had some idea what was wrong with my father’s condition?"
"Yes. That’s right."
Before he knew it, Hwang Jong-ui had clenched his fist tightly.
No one has ever said something like that before.
So many famed doctors and masters had come and gone, but not one of them had spoken about the symptoms before even seeing Hwang Da-in himself.
Could this mean…?
At that moment, a snort came from behind him.
"Hah. The brat’s already trying to scam you. How could a child know something that even the best doctors in the world can’t handle? Young Guild Leader, there’s no need to hear any more! Let’s go in. There’s no need to waste time on this."
"But…"
"Are you really going to believe a little brat over me?"
Hwang Jong-ui bit his lip slightly.
At that, Chung Myung, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up.
"By the way."
"Hm?"
"Who exactly are you, that you keep calling people ‘brat’ and ‘this kid’ every chance you get?"
Gi Mok-seung blinked at him blankly.
"You’re talking to me?"
"There’s another ‘brat’ here besides you?"
"Hah. Look at this insolent pup. You say you’re a Mount Hua disciple, but you can’t even tell a Zhongnan robe from anything else? I knew Mount Hua’s decline was no joke, but I never expected even its disciples to be this stupid."
"Ah, so you’re from Zhongnan."
Chung Myung shrugged.
"No, seriously. You were talking like you knew something, so I thought you were a doctor. So you’ve got a way to cure Hwang Da-in’s condition, do you?"
"Hwang Da-in fell ill because he went against the Dao. If a rite is performed to appease Heaven’s wrath, he can be cured completely."
Chung Myung’s lips curled into a slow smile.
"Oh. That could work, I guess."
Hwang Jong-ui’s face twisted.
But the words Chung Myung followed with were nothing like what Hwang Jong-ui had expected.
"Then you should hurry and call for the Wudang or Kunlun people."
"…What?"
"That’s their specialty, isn’t it?"
Gi Mok-seung said, looking mildly flustered.
"No, th-there’s no need for that. Zhongnan is right here."
"Come on. Everyone knows Zhongnan and Mount Hua are both only half real Taoist sects at this point. If you’re going to hold a rite, you’d be better off getting actual Taoists to do it. If it were me, I’d recommend Wudang. At least Wudang still has some real standing in Daoist circles."
"…"
Hwang Jong-ui looked utterly stunned.
What the hell is this bastard?
Then Chung Myung even leaned in close and whispered in his ear.
"Wudang places a lot of importance on appearances, so if you give them enough incense money, they’ll come right away. If you’re going to get a rite done, you should get it done somewhere good. Somewhere good. Better value for the money, you know."
"…"
Gi Mok-seung’s face turned red as he shouted.
"How dare you mock your elders! Is that how your sect teaches you to behave?"
"Ah, yes, yes. My apologies."
Chung Myung picked at his ear and blew out a breath.
It was blatant disrespect, but Gi Mok-seung only trembled with a face burning red, unable to actually strike him.
For someone of Zhongnan’s elder rank to lose his temper and hit a third-generation disciple of Mount Hua, that would be a disgrace beyond forgiveness. It would be the kind of thing the entire world would point at and sneer about.
Whether Chung Myung understood that or not, he was certainly irritating enough to make a person’s nerves ache.
"Young Guild Leader. Throw this brat out, immediately!"
At Gi Mok-seung’s words, Hwang Jong-ui let out a sigh.
"Elder, this is not Zhongnan. This is the Eunha Merchant Guild. How we treat guests who visit the guild is for me to decide."
"And you can still say that while watching him make a fool of me?"
Ignoring Gi Mok-seung, Hwang Jong-ui looked at Chung Myung.
He seems to have something to rely on.
If he had come here to scam them with nothing at all, he wouldn’t be this composed. Still, the whole thing was suspicious.
"Young Taoist."
"Yes."
"I’m not saying this because I don’t trust you, but…"
"It’s fine. You might not be able to trust me."
"…Thank you for understanding. May I ask you a few questions first?"
Hwang Jong-ui’s speech had already become noticeably shorter. Chung Myung noticed it too, but since the suspicion was understandable, he just shrugged it off.
"Sure. Ask away."
Hwang Jong-ui swallowed dryly and went on.
"You said just now that you had some idea what might be wrong with my father’s condition. Could you perhaps tell me a little more about that?"
"That’s a bit hard to explain."
"Heh!"
As soon as Chung Myung finished, Gi Mok-seung gave an exaggerated snort. Hwang Jong-ui also struggled to hide his stunned expression.
"But I can tell you something else."
"What is it?"
Chung Myung spoke with a confident expression.
"I heard Hwang Da-in used to travel a lot for business, right?"
"Yes, he did."
"Then before he took to bed, he must have stopped by the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains at some point during one of those trips. Am I wrong?"
Chung Myung said it like a declaration.
Hwang Jong-ui’s eyes widened as he answered.
"You are wrong."
"…"
Chung Myung’s head tilted slightly to one side.
"What?"
"He never went there. My father has never traveled there on business."
"…Oh, really?"
Chung Myung’s face flickered with embarrassment. Before Hwang Jong-ui’s expression could grow even more sour, Chung Myung hurriedly went on.
"Then he must have been attacked on one of those business trips before that! Right? He must’ve gone through some crisis or something!"
"My father hasn’t been attacked in recent years. It was at least five years ago."
"Huh? Then that won’t do. Damn, what is it?"
"…"
Hwang Jong-ui narrowed his eyes.
"Really? That can’t be right."
He could almost hear Gi Mok-seung’s quiet laughter from behind him.
"Weird. Then where did he get beaten up?"
What do you mean, beaten up, you lunatic?
Has this bastard lost his mind?
Whatever faint expectations Hwang Jong-ui had held for Chung Myung vanished cleanly in that instant. His gaze turned cold.
Chung Myung hurriedly said, "W-wait. I’m serious. I can really fix it."
"…Young Taoist."
Hwang Jong-ui let out a deep sigh.
And not missing the opening, Gi Mok-seung charged in.
"See? I told you there was no need to look at him in the first place. Mount Hua is a sect of scoundrels who bewitch people. You can tell from the way they hold their blade-like stance alone."
"Please refrain from exaggeration, Elder."
After restraining Gi Mok-seung, Hwang Jong-ui turned back to Chung Myung and spoke.
"I understand the young Taoist’s enthusiasm, but my father’s condition is deep and severe. If someone unskilled were to examine him, it would only make things worse. I hope you can understand my position. Please relay my thanks to Mount Hua’s sect leader for his concern…"
"His body turns red hot, while the rest of him goes icy cold. If you press on him, the red qi turns faintly white for a moment, then quickly goes red again. Until he loses consciousness, he feels a chill as though he’s trapped inside an ice cave, and the black qi gathers not only between his brows but also at the nape of his neck and the crown of his head!"
"…"
"Want me to keep going?"
Chung Myung grinned.
"H-how did you…?"
Hwang Jong-ui’s eyes widened as far as they possibly could. In contrast, Chung Myung looked so smug he couldn’t possibly appear more confident.
"Ah… I’m a little thirsty after coming such a long way."
"What are you waiting for! Ice water—no, bring ice water! Now! Immediately!"
The maid shot forward at full speed, not even managing to answer before racing inside. Hwang Jong-ui’s attitude toward Chung Myung changed at once.
"In that case, please come inside."
"Hah. So we’ve got some big shot coming, do we?"
"Come now! Hurry!"
Chung Myung puffed out his chest and followed Hwang Jong-ui inside. Gi Mok-seung, who had been staring at the scene in a daze, cried out in alarm.
"Young Guild Leader! That’s only the typical symptoms of those afflicted by yin energy! Knowing that doesn’t change anything!"
Hwang Jong-ui narrowed his eyes.
"Are you saying that those struck by yin energy gather black qi at the crown of the head and the back of the neck? If you know that much, why have you not cured my father until now?"
"Th-that’s…"
"This is the Eunha Merchant Guild’s business. I will no longer permit any interference beyond what is necessary. If you continue to interfere, we will formally lodge a complaint with Zhongnan as well."
"Ugh."
With a pained groan, Gi Mok-seung took a step back.
Chung Myung’s face, cheeks puffed as he fought to hold back laughter, caught his eye.
"T-that little… that damned brat!"
Heat surged through Gi Mok-seung’s entire body. He was furious enough to explode, but what could he do? As Hwang Jong-ui had said, this was not Zhongnan but the Eunha Merchant Guild. No matter how much of a Zhongnan elder he was, he could not do as he pleased here.
"You little shit! If you fail to treat Hwang Da-in properly, I’ll make you pay dearly!"
That was all he could do—hurl threats at the backs of Hwang Jong-ui and Chung Myung, who didn’t even stop walking.
Once they had put some distance between them, Hwang Jong-ui said with a bitter smile, "I’m sorry, Young Taoist. The people of Zhongnan seem strangely unable to control themselves whenever Mount Hua comes up."
"It’s fine."
"Ah, so you understand…"
"Who would I blame? It’s all my fault anyway."
"…Pardon?"
Chung Myung shrugged.
I guess I should’ve hit him a little harder.
It was the moment when the perpetrator from a hundred years ago felt guilty before the victim a hundred years later.