Chapter 14
Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Murong Sang-ah's Scoundrel Fiancé - 3
Watching martial arts ultimately ended in failure.
"Originally, we do not show our training to those who are not members of the Murong Family, but since you are soon to be joined to the Murong Family by marriage, we will let you witness the martial arts of the great Murong Family."
I sat in one of the Murong Family's training grounds and decided to witness their martial arts.
The Changryong Guard, Murong Bi's elite escort unit, was either on duty or on leave, so other Murong Family warriors appeared instead.
"The origin of the Murong Family's martial arts begins with the royal family of the Yan Kingdom, spanning over a thousand years..."
This letter, which first started in England, makes one revolution per year...
One of the Murong Family warriors stepped forward and began explaining in front of me how deep the history of their martial arts was and how great they were.
He's like a home shopping show host.
It's like explaining how amazing an item is and why you should buy it before selling it. Can't they just show it?
Well, it must be a martial art that requires such enthusiastic explanation. Look at the Namgung Family. Wow! Bowless Sword Technique! Wow! Imperial Sword Form!
What about the Sichuan Dang Family? This is the Sichuan Dang Family's Formless Extreme Poison! That is the Sichuan Dang Family's Ten Thousand Sky Flower Rain! The famous martial arts families' techniques don't need explanation. They just speak for themselves.
The Namgung Family uses swords, the Sichuan Dang Family uses poison, the Hebei Peng Family uses blades, the Zhuge Family uses formations, etc. The martial arts families that usually appear in martial arts novels tend to have one attribute each, but the Murong Family is always ambiguous.
Due to their ambiguous character, many of the Murong Family's martial arts lacked foundational power. That's why whenever people talk about the Five Great Families or the Eight Great Families, the Murong Family is mostly in the second-tier league.
This is why character and naming are important, whether in fantasy or martial arts stories. The Murong Family lacks that.
No, the Murong Family does have character. Being a family of foreign ethnic origin, they are subtly good at betrayal. They also play the role of a hidden villain well.
"First, I will show you the opening stance."
Here it is. The opening stance.
It's a flashy but non-aggressive initial move, like a 30-second advertisement for the martial art. I called the Murong Family second-tier, but their opening stance was certainly flashy.
If they filmed a video like that for an ad, people would flock to apply to become Murong Family warriors.
"Oooh."
"Then, I will now show you a simple sparring demonstration."
Seeing my admiring expression, the warrior who showed the opening stance immediately called another warrior and took a stance for sparring.
"Hiyah!"
The two exchanged blows. They weren't using wooden swords but what seemed like real swords, yet they exchanged attacks and defenses without a single wound.
Hmm.
Hmmm.
Hmmmm!
I feel like a commentator at the World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament. Something is whizzing by as they fight, and my eyes can't properly follow it.
Even in a martial arts world, the problem is that Kang Yun-ho is an ordinary person. I wondered if focusing my eyes might reveal hidden internal energy and enhance my vision, but it was useless. It just felt like I'd get more wrinkles on my face.
"That is all."
The two who finished the demonstration looked at me, expecting praise.
Clap clap
"I saw it well. Truly the profound martial arts of the Murong Family! My knowledge has broadened!"
It's hard for ordinary people to witness the martial arts of masters. My common sense has increased. Clapping, I pretended to admire the Murong Family's martial arts and kept showering them with praise.
With the martial arts demonstration over, I briefly greeted the guests attending the Murong Family wedding and returned to my room.
"Should I learn martial arts somewhere?"
Whether it's a martial arts dating sim or whatever, I've come to a martial arts world, so shouldn't I learn at least one martial art? I pondered over methods and went to sleep.
****
When was the last time I cried like today?
Murong Sang-ah thought it felt like a distant past she couldn't even remember.
Until now, she had felt like she was drifting alone on a deserted island in a remote sea. In that place with no one, feeling lonely and suffering alone, her body and mind felt increasingly exhausted.
Since she had to do everything alone, even pretending to be composed while walking on two feet was reaching its limit. Then one day, from a large ship, her older brother came down to help her and offered his hand.
She couldn't control the tears that flowed at his last words.
She had misunderstood her older brother so greatly. How could she have misunderstood such a chivalrous person like that? Murong Sang-ah felt ashamed of herself.
When Murong Sang-ah shed tears, Kang Yun-ho was surprised and approached, wiping her tears with his sleeve. For a moment, he hesitated whether to spread his arms and hug her, but awkwardly lowered his hand, which made her heart feel a little warmer.
As Murong Sang-ah's tears subsided, Kang Yun-ho took out an ointment from his pocket and boldly began applying it to her face.
[What is this?]
When Murong Sang-ah looked at him in surprise, Kang Yun-ho hesitated for a moment about writing, then opened his mouth.
"Congratulations on passing the test. Now only the wedding remains. This is tiger balm ointment, good for bruises. It wouldn't do for someone about to marry to have a blemish."
Kang Yun-ho meticulously applied the ointment to Murong Sang-ah's cheek, which was slightly swollen from being hit by Murong Bi.
Murong Sang-ah felt warmth and tenderness in her older brother's touch on her cheek. The ground of her heart, dampened by flowing tears, became somewhat defenseless. So, Murong Sang-ah placed her own hand on the back of Kang Yun-ho's hand as he applied the ointment.
A man's hand is this rough. But for some reason, it feels reliable and reassuring.
"Um... It's hard to apply if you put your hand there like that."
His flustered, thoughtless words made Murong Sang-ah's hand unable to move.
"Young Lady."
While she was recalling the embarrassing yet heart-tickling event, the Leader of the Changbong Guard visited.
"Leader of the Changbong Guard, what is the matter?"
"Despite using all possible means in Joseon, we cannot make contact."
The matter she had been trying hard to ignore in her heart suddenly came up.
"Then what about the treason evidence against the Kang Family?"
"It is a sorrowful matter... I think the evidence may have been suppressed."
"Is that so?"
What a relief. I almost committed an irreversible crime. Yesterday, she would have been furious at the Leader of the Changbong Guard's words, but now Murong Sang-ah felt relieved.
"It is still too early to give up. I hear that when Joseon arrests traitor factions, they secretly round them up all at once to catch them in one sweep. Rather, the lack of news might be due to that reason."
Thinking Murong Sang-ah's expressionless face indicated disappointment, the Leader of the Changbong Guard comforted her.
"There is no need to comfort me with impossible words, Leader of the Changbong Guard."
"Young Lady... I apologize. I have been disloyal, failing to bring the matter to success."
"No. If I get married and am driven out of the Murong Family, come to the Kang Family. I will use my power to accept you all."
The Changbong Guard would be a great force in counterattacking the Murong Family.
"If such a thing happens, I will go to the Kang Family."
"Good."
Murong Sang-ah turned her head and looked outside.
"... I shall take my leave now."
The Leader of the Changbong Guard, unable to lift his head due to guilt, left just like that.
I almost ruined everything. Murong Sang-ah let out a small sigh of relief.
To think I would exterminate the family of the older brother who risked his life to save me. Such a thing should never have happened.
The evidence of the Kang Family's treason was weak, which I had worried about, but it actually helped like this. Fortunately, it seems Joseon suppressed the treason evidence, so now I can proceed with the plan as my older brother intended. What a great relief. Murong Sang-ah felt reassured.
"I must prepare for the wedding."
Even though the wedding was two days away, she hadn't felt it was real because she thought it was a wedding that would never actually take place. Unlike the groom from outside, the bride doesn't have much to do until the wedding day, which also contributed to her lack of a sense of reality.
What should I do?
I need to first familiarize myself with the wedding procedures. If I make a mistake during the wedding, I might cause trouble for my older brother. Should I practice makeup, which I had no interest in until now? No. The maids will do all the makeup for the wedding.
What should I do? Murong Sang-ah's heart began to flutter. Right in the center of that fluttering heart was a man.
My older brother is such a good person.
He is handsome and has an upright heart. His family has much wealth, so he enjoyed a somewhat decadent life, but drinking, singing, and dancing are, after all, the virtues of a man, are they not?
He has had a few problems with others, but that also means he does not easily yield his own claims. Such a man would not easily break his determination to save the Murong Family.
It seems I may not have had the fortune of older siblings, but I did have the fortune of a husband.
As Murong Sang-ah was spinning her self-rationalization, a sudden, uneasy worry brushed past her.
My older brother has much experience with women.
Even if he said he would save the Murong Family, what if I don't meet his expectations? Could that determination waver? Even as she thought Kang Yun-ho wasn't that kind of man, a flicker of anxiety passed through her.
While worrying like that, the Joseon Women's Conduct Guide she had thrown last night caught her eye.
"Right, this..."
If I am to marry into Joseon, shouldn't I behave like a Joseon woman?
[Subtle Chest Press. The act of intentionally pressing one's chest against the husband's arm while walking arm-in-arm. It improves the husband's mood while walking together and can also be seductive. However, since not many women have sufficient volume for this act, it is best done only by those who can.]
The night is still long. Studying the demeanor of a Joseon woman will surely help my older brother.
And so, Murong Sang-ah began to avidly read the Joseon Women's Conduct Guide she had thrown away last night.