A Silver Tael's Worth
Clop, clop, clop...
A group of martial artists rode their horses along a winding, rugged mountain path.
"Even though spring has only just begun to bloom, the weather is already quite warm," remarked Dan Buyong, the West Hall Master of the Mutual Righteousness Academy, who also held the grand title of the White Cloud Divine Physician.
Hearing her words, Oh Waja, the Northern Hall Master and an elder of the Beggar Sect, smacked his lips and muttered, "Times like this call for a cup of chilled yellow wine."
"Infinite Auspicious Buddha. Since we are in Shandong, I believe cold-brewed green tea cultivated in Mount Lao would be the absolute best choice," interrupted Cheongjo, an elder of the Wudang Sect and an instructor at the West Hall.
Seeing Cheongjo shake his head, Oh Waja raised an eyebrow. "Oho, Daoist Cheongjo. They say you have no interest in martial arts and were kicked out of Mount Wudang because you went mad for tea. I see the rumors are true. I tell you, chilled yellow wine is the absolute best in this weather!"
Offended by Oh Waja's sudden, direct jab, Cheongjo replied testily, "It is only natural that someone who was kicked out for coveting the Beggar Sect Chief's alcohol would fail to understand. Is green tea not far more refreshing than liquor? Chilled green tea is the only proper choice in this heat."
When Cheongjo exposed his open secret, Oh Waja began to tremble with rage. "Y-You... you damn ox-nose! Have you lost your mind?"
"Was it not you who picked a fight first?"
"Aigoo, please, stop it, you two. You are both old enough to have grandchildren, so why must you bicker like this?"
Unable to watch any longer, an academy attendant stepped in to mediate, prompting both elders to huff and turn their heads away from each other.
Watching this display, Dan Buyong pressed her temples with a weary expression. "Northern Hall Master, Instructor Cheongjo, please restrain yourselves. The academy staff are watching. You shouldn't behave like children."
"...Since the Primordial Heaven Lord is watching, I shall leave it at that."
"Ahem. I, too, shall show magnanimity and let it slide. But are we really going to push on without a break?"
"Are we not pressed for time?" Dan Buyong replied. "We must reach the Huangbo Clan within four days. We cannot afford to waste time on the road."
"How rigid. Even at a leisurely pace, we would reach the Huangbo Clan in three days. Surely we can afford to take it easy for just one day?"
Dan Buyong glanced at her attendants and asked, "The Northern Hall Master suggests as much. What do you all think?"
The attendants offered awkward smiles and stammered, "How could we dare to argue?"
"Whatever the Hall Master decides..."
Oh Waja let out a hollow laugh at the hesitant, shrinking West Hall attendants. "With the West Hall Master threatening them with her eyes like that, how could the attendants possibly give an honest answer?"
"When did I ever threaten them with my eyes?"
Dan Buyong possessed a strict, cold countenance that naturally exuded an icy aura. Knowing this herself, she gently massaged the space between her eyebrows and lowered her voice.
"If you ask my boys, you'll get an immediate answer," Oh Waja said. "What does our youngest think?"
At Oh Waja's prompting, a young attendant bowed deeply and replied, "When I inquired at the inn we stayed at this morning, they said there is a small inn just before we cross that large mountain."
"Are you suggesting we rest there?"
"Yes, Elder. They say that despite its humble appearance, the food is absolutely delicious. I thought it might be wise to rest there and recharge our strength..."
"A highly praised inn in a mountain valley like this? Well, that is quite intriguing."
It was an unexpected piece of information. When Oh Waja looked at the senior attendant for confirmation, the older man nodded in agreement.
"The youngest is right, sir. The place is called Gaeun Inn. They say that while the menu is limited, the taste is second to none under heaven."
"Gaeun Inn," Cheongjo murmured. "What a simple, rustic name. Inns situated right at the foot of a mountain do tend to serve good food."
As Cheongjo also showed a positive reaction, Oh Waja glanced at Dan Buyong. "What do you say? If Gaeun Inn is so highly praised, and the locals rave about it, it is only right that we pay it a visit."
"Northern Hall Master, is it not a bit unfair to ask when you have already made up your mind?" Dan Buyong glared at him, causing Oh Waja to look away and clear his throat repeatedly.
"Ahem! Well, I merely thought it would be nice."
"Assuming we stay a day at Gaeun Inn, would our schedule to the Huangbo Clan be too tight? What do you think?"
At Dan Buyong's question, the faces of the West Hall attendants brightened. They had desperately wanted to rest for a day, but Dan Buyong's strict nature had kept them silent.
"A single day should be perfectly fine, Hall Master. We set a generous schedule to pace ourselves."
"...Is that so?"
"Ah, well... that is... unless something unexpected happens..." Under Dan Buyong's intense gaze, the attendants quickly shrank back again.
Unable to bear it, Oh Waja waved his hand. "Now, now, Hall Master Dan. Stop terrorizing the kids. If they say the schedule is fine, then it's settled."
"......Very well. We shall rest for a day at Gaeun Inn."
Once Dan Buyong gave her permission, Oh Waja grinned. Seeing the other attendants smile, Dan Buyong pouted slightly.
Am I the only bad guy here again?
She wanted to be a warm, caring leader who looked after her subordinates like Oh Waja did, but her rigid personality always got in the way. This wouldn't do. Dan Buyong decided she needed to treat the West Hall attendants with kindness to change her image.
She shivered slightly.
"S-Shall we head out quickly, then?"
Having never smiled properly in her life, Dan Buyong's forced attempt at a warm smile resulted in a terrifying, murderous grimace. The attendants froze in sheer terror.
"We are sorry!"
"We failed to understand your grand intentions, Hall Master...!"
"Pwahahaha!"
As the panicked attendants bowed their heads, thinking she was furious, Dan Buyong's face contorted in frustration. In contrast, Oh Waja burst into boisterous laughter.
"Bwahahaha! Don't force it, Hall Master Dan! I told you, you're much better off just acting like your usual self!"
"...Be quiet! Hyah!"
Thoroughly embarrassed and sulking, Dan Buyong galloped ahead. The bewildered West Hall attendants were left utterly confused. Seeing them, Oh Waja gripped his reins and shouted, "It seems the White Cloud Divine Physician is hungry! Keep up, everyone!"
If she's embarrassed, she should just say so. Instead, she takes it out on the poor attendants.
Oh Waja followed her, making excuses on her behalf to ease the tension.
"Yes, sir!"
"Hyah! Let's get to that inn!"
The academy members quickly rode down the mountain path, completely forgetting Dan Buyong's terrifying expression. They all shared a single thought:
Just how delicious is the food at this Gaeun Inn for the people of Shandong to praise it so highly?
At this pace, they would arrive before lunchtime.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Asura balbalta, asura balbalta. Grind, grind.
Asura balbalta, asura balbalta. Grind, grind.
Why on earth was I muttering Pyung Gyeong-jang's spell from Tazza while making weird noises? It was because I was grinding medicinal powder for my cooking.
The grinding sound was, of course, the pestle scraping against the mortar.
What I was making now was a booster to maximize the efficacy of the medicinal herbs and Hasuo, based on my master's Medicine Formulation Method and the Elixir Refining Method for making spiritual medicines.
The dish I was preparing this time was the ultimate fatigue-reliever. Just one bite, and all your accumulated exhaustion would melt away!
Everyone has experienced that feeling on a bitterly cold winter day, when a single spoonful of hot soup instantly melts away all the tension in your body.
To capture that exact sensation in a single bowl, I had poured agonizing effort into this over the past week. I had roamed the forest with Mr. Baek the herb digger to harvest wild herbs, and I had even climbed to the very peak of the mountain where medicinal spring water flowed, carrying heavy water jars back to the inn on my back...
If I had studied for the college entrance exams with this much dedication, I would have entered Seoul National University at the top of my class.
"......"
Right, I didn't have an academic brain. Even with this effort, I probably wouldn't have topped the class at SNU.
"Young man, are you in there?"
"Yes, Mrs. Jang. You can come in."
Mrs. Jang found me just as I finished grinding the last of the herbs and transferred them to a bowl.
"What are the customers saying? I brought in some skilled cooks today, so it should be fine."
We couldn't close the inn just because the people from the Mutual Righteousness Academy were coming. I had hired two local ladies for the day, and they were currently making the Pork Noodle Soup in my stead. Of course, I had boiled the most important part—the pork bone broth—myself.
"No, no, something much more important than that!" Mrs. Jang gasped.
"Something more important?"
"Those high and mighty people have already arrived at the entrance of the village!"
"Oh, already? Old Man Yeon said they probably wouldn't arrive until late afternoon, so I was taking my time with the preparations."
I was a bit flustered. They were arriving much faster than expected. As expected of impatient martial artists.
"Should I start prepping the ingredients first?" Mrs. Jang asked.
"No. First, we need to see if they are definitely coming to our inn. They'll probably send an advance representative to ask us."
Back in Korea, I was a college senior before I ended up here, so I didn't know firsthand, but I'd heard that in typical companies, when booking a dining spot, the youngest rookie is usually sent ahead to handle it. Especially since the VIPs of the academy were martial artists far grander than me. They wouldn't want to dine mixed in with ordinary commoners, so they would undoubtedly want to rent out the entire inn.
"If they want to book the entire place, we can ask our regular customers for their understanding and sell the Pork Noodle Soup outside. We still have some time, so it should be fine."
"Alright, young man. But are you really not going to tell me what dish you're making?"
"You saw me buying the ingredients, didn't you?"
"It's just that I've never seen a dish with so many medicinal herbs in it. Does such a recipe actually exist?"
"Ah, this dish is truly out of this world. I'll make it for you again sometime."
"Ohohoho! I'll hold you to that!"
If even Mrs. Jang, who had lived her entire life in the Central Plains, had never seen this dish, the reaction was bound to be spectacular. Preparing the herbs and medicinal ingredients was a bit tedious, but the cooking itself wasn't difficult. Anything could be solved with enough time and inner energy.
With the prep work finished, customers looking to grab a bowl of Pork Noodle Soup before crossing the mountain began to trickle in.
"Auntie Hwang, place the noodles in the bowl first, and then pour the broth over them. Like this. If you pour the broth first, it's hard to get the portions right."
While helping the kitchen ladies who weren't fully coordinated yet, the errand boy ran in frantically.
"Hyung! Someone is looking for you!"
"Speak properly. Who is it?"
"I don't know? They look like martial artists."
Sigh, it was a miracle this kid was working as an errand boy with zero situational awareness. I tightened the bandana wrapped around my forehead and headed out into the dining hall.
Entering the hall, I saw a martial artist who looked about my age, and Mrs. Jang standing a short distance away.
"Are you... the chef of this inn?" the martial artist asked, scanning me from head to toe. He seemed skeptical that the chef of a rural inn was so young.
"Yes, I am Yoon, the chef here at Gaeun Inn. How can I help you?"
"An esteemed guest is scheduled to visit this inn today. We would like to rent out the entire establishment. Is that possible?"
"Of course it's possible. However, our lunch rush is quite lucrative, so renting it during these hours will cost you a fair bit of... this."
I rubbed my thumb against my index and middle fingers. The martial artist frowned.
What are you glaring at, punk? A popular restaurant has every right to demand a premium. Do you even know how hard it is for commoners to make a living?
"How much do you want?"
"One silver tael should do it."
"What? One silver tael?"
The martial artist's eyes widened. One silver tael could buy two seok of rice, and it was equivalent to a servant's monthly wage. It was a shocking amount for a small rural inn.
"How can a tiny inn like this demand a whole silver tael?"
"It's a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but you must know there isn't another inn in this area with culinary skills that match ours."
"Well, that is true, but..."
"We will be turning away other customers and dedicating our entire service to preparing a special, exclusive meal for your esteemed guests. Surely, that level of service warrants one silver tael."
"I understand your point, but it still seems far too expensive."
While we were bickering over the price, someone else entered the inn.
Zing!
"......!"
A sudden prickling sensation ran down my spine. I started and looked toward the entrance.
A scruffy, middle-aged beggar stepped inside.
Though he looked like a common beggar on the outside, to me, he was completely different. Ordinary people wouldn't notice, but a martial artist who had reached a certain level of cultivation could immediately sense it. The middle-aged beggar radiated a heavy, imposing aura that could only be described as majestic.
Holy crap... He's not just a beggar. He's from the Beggar Sect. And at least an elder-level master.
"What is taking you so long?" the Beggar Sect elder asked the young martial artist, who stammered in response.
"Elder, this man claims we must pay a whole silver tael to rent the inn..."
"A silver tael?" The middle-aged beggar raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Is that true?"
"...Though it is a humble inn, I can assure you we will deliver value worth every bit of that silver tael."
You had to show some backbone no matter where you were. I answered firmly, refusing to back down under the Beggar Sect elder's pressure. The elder looked surprised, then glanced behind him.
"Hall Master Dan, he says it costs one silver tael to rent the inn. What do you wish to do?"
A woman stepped in behind the Beggar Sect elder. Hearing her addressed as 'Hall Master Dan', she must be the head of the hall. Appearing to be somewhere in her late thirties or early forties, Hall Master Dan locked eyes with me the moment she entered.
"......"
Cold.
Her gaze was so sharp it felt like a freezing laser slowly scanning me. After observing me in silence, Hall Master Dan spoke decisively.
"If you can truly prove it is worth a silver tael, we will pay it."
Which meant...
If it wasn't worth a silver tael, she wouldn't let me off easily.
If I were just an ordinary, powerless chef of a rural inn, I would have bowed my head in fear immediately. But unfortunately for her, I was no ordinary chef.
"You won't regret a single copper of that silver tael."
The ultimate Taz'dingo—no, the ultimate culinary show—presented by the twenty-seven-year-old chef, Yoon Gomyung.
Allow me to show you what I've got.