Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Guangdong Province
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The next afternoon, the packhorses sent by the Northern Capital Guard arrived in front of the Dang Family Clinic. Naturally, he'd assumed only one would come, but there were a whopping three.
'At this point, it'd be more convenient to use oxen instead of horses.'
The men leading the horses dumped a massive load of goods in the clinic courtyard. Dang Jesun and Dang Mujin pitched in to help, but the sheer volume far exceeded what anyone would consider a mere gift.
'As expected of a high-ranking military officer drawing thousands of piculs in salary.'
Dang Mujin and Dang Jesun sorted the items from the Northern Capital Guard and carried them inside the clinic.
Surprisingly, there was no gold or silver. Only practical goods.
Sacks filled with top-quality rice, rare ingredients that only high officials could easily savor, and an enormous quantity of herbs that looked like they'd cleaned out a nearby apothecary.
Dang Jesun checked the amount of herbs and made a face more exhausted than pleased.
"With this many herbs, we could open a whole new clinic and still have some left over."
"Is he trying to set Mujin up independently?"
Dan Seol-yeong spoke with subtle anticipation, but Dang Jesun waved her off.
"Don't even think about it. Who'd he pass the Dang Family Clinic to then? A separate annex is fine, but opening his own clinic? No way."
While Dan Seol-yeong imagined getting a separate annex and living independently with Dang Mujin, he was lost in other thoughts. The story he'd heard from the Northern Capital Guard yesterday.
'Strange Physician? When I went looking, he was in Guangdong. He examined my symptoms, confidently whipped up some medicine, but it didn't help much. No improvement, no worsening either. I was about half ready to give up.'
'He'd suffered smallpox or something—his face was badly pockmarked, grim-looking, poor complexion. Seemed to limp a bit too... I could see why they called him the Strange Physician.'
As expected, a fake. Yi Chung, the real Strange Physician, was old but handsome by any measure, with no pockmarks or scars.
Dang Mujin sat on the porch, tapping his toe restlessly.
It hadn't been long since his trip to Mount Nogun. He had no intention of leaving Chengdu unless something major came up.
But this qualified as major. Posing as the Strange Physician without a clue how dangerous that was? This wasn't just shortsighted—it was suicidal.
'He must know the old man's reputation.'
In any case, Dang Mujin had no intention of letting this slide.
Yi Chung had never publicly called him a disciple, but Dang Mujin had always regarded him as his master deep down. He'd inherited the man's medical arts and even handled his corpse.
'I'll have to go deal with it myself. Chop off his head clean, give him a bitter lesson—or both.'
Of course, the "bitter lesson" Dang Mujin had in mind wasn't gentle. At minimum, it'd be agony on the level of White Willow Herb or Half-Forgotten Palace.
The problem was distance and time. Even hustling with lightness skill, a round trip to Guangdong would take a month.
Worse, no guarantee he'd find the fake quickly, and he didn't even know the roads there. It could drag on another month or two without surprise.
'So, conservatively, at least two months...'
Dang Mujin glanced at Dan Seol-yeong. It hadn't even been days since her anger subsided. Vanishing now? Who knew her reaction.
'But this can't be helped.'
It was a matter of his master's honor. Dang Mujin steeled himself.
'I wish she'd let it slide just once more... Who knows. It'll work out somehow.'
Dang Mujin scratched his head vigorously. No better ideas came.
*
Four days later, Dang Mujin helped at the clinic while quietly preparing to depart for Guangdong.
In the pitch-black predawn, before even the most diligent rooster stirred, Dang Mujin quietly opened his door. Cool morning air flowed inside.
He deployed lightness skill to leap softly from the floorboards to the ground below the porch without a creak.
But before he could take two steps, a voice came from behind.
"Where you going?"
Dang Mujin turned. Deep on the porch, leaning against the wall, sat Dan Seol-yeong.
She stared straight at him. Round, clear eyes. A dizzying gaze, like when they'd met in Henan.
"Uh... Got some business. Be right back."
"Take long?"
Calm question, as if she knew everything. Dang Mujin looked sheepish.
"Yeah, a bit. Sorry I didn't mention it sooner."
Dan Seol-yeong didn't reply. She rose lightly, approached, and took his hand. Dang Mujin spoke awkwardly.
"How'd you know I was sneaking out?"
"Of course I knew. I watch you all day."
A single sentence that pierced his heart.
He might fool her eyes by sneaking, but not her instincts.
"How'd you know it was tonight?"
"Didn't. Just figured it'd be soon, so I stayed up."
No wonder she'd looked tired and dozy lately. She'd waited without sleeping.
Dang Mujin let out a deep sigh and pulled Dan Seol-yeong into an embrace.
"...Sorry. It's important."
"I know it's important. If you're sneaking off without telling me, it has to be."
It sounded sarcastic at first, but it wasn't—it brimmed with unwavering conviction.
It meant: I'm important to you, so anything you'd hide from me must be crucial. She spoke without a shred of doubt.
"And I'm not telling you not to go. I'm coming with."
"Huh?"
"You and Yi Chung taught me lightness skill before. I've been practicing hard. How's this?"
Dan Seol-yeong hiked her skirt hem and demonstrated basic lightness skill in front of him.
Not perfect, but clearly well-practiced. Her internal energy was modest, but far better than any amateur's.
Dang Mujin realized anew.
Dan Seol-yeong wasn't one to sit idly, waiting for the world to bend to her will.
Even with nine chances in ten of failure, she wouldn't hesitate. If she wanted something, she'd run till she dropped, reach with all her might—that satisfied her. Dang Mujin loved that about her.
He chuckled.
"Yeah. Let's go together."
The ready agreement surprised her instead.
"Really?"
"Of course. And no need for lightness skill today."
"Why? Isn't it urgent?"
"Not that urgent, and I plan to carry you today. Get some sleep on my back. You look beat."
Dang Mujin offered his back. Dan Seol-yeong climbed on without hesitation.
Her ticklish breath brushed his nape.
Soon, her breathing settled into steady rhythm.
Dang Mujin carefully supported her and headed out of Chengdu, mindful not to wake her. Running empty dawn streets felt oddly unfamiliar.
Moments later, a black shadow dropped from a nearby rooftop to match their pace. Namgung Myeong, in night travel clothes.
He pulled off his mask, speaking with exasperation.
"Gonna tuck her in and ditch her? Cold-blooded plan."
"That'd bring a future I couldn't handle."
Dang Mujin tsked with a grin and handed his luggage to Namgung Myeong. Unlike Dang Mujin, burdened with gear and carrying Dan Seol-yeong, Namgung Myeong had just clothes and a small pouch.
Before sunrise, the three slipped out of Chengdu.
*
They headed to Guangdong via Guizhou and Hunan.
No major incidents, but changing weather and scenery daily kept boredom at bay.
At first, cool plains stretched endlessly, but days later the air dried out. Entering Guangdong brought hot, humid air enveloping them. Just over ten days, yet it felt like passing through brief seasons.
Dan Seol-yeong flapped her clothes to cool sweat.
"Guangdong air always like this? Feels sticky."
"Guangdong's coastal, so salt-laden winds. Gets hotter and wetter south."
"What? Myeong, you've been to Guangdong?"
"Nah. Heard from merchants on the road. Anyway, they say Shenzhen or Dongguan humidity's way worse."
"Ugh."
Dang Mujin cut into their chatter.
"That's Qingyuan ahead, I bet. Let's rest there."
The trio entered Qingyuan city in Guangdong.
Not a huge place, but a key hub linking major Hunan and Guangdong cities. Like such spots, it had everything regardless of size.
But the atmosphere and sights were off.
The city brimmed with people, packed to bursting.
Eaves, tree shade—everywhere crammed with bodies.
Not just crowded. Everyone looked anxious, scanning surroundings, murmuring nonstop.
Hard to guess what worried them.
'Something going on?'
Some villages feared outsiders, but not here. Locals ignored the trio.
Even Dan Seol-yeong, with less travel experience, saw it as blatantly weird—let alone Dang Mujin and Namgung Myeong, seasoned wanderers.
"Why's the vibe so off here?"
"Dunno. Let's eat and ask around."
Dang Mujin and Dan Seol-yeong headed to the nearest inn but turned away. It was jammed, impossible to enter. Stifling air aside.
They settled for a street stall instead. No comfy seats, but cheaper food—trade-offs.
Dang Mujin pulled out his pouch.
"One bun, three bowls of noodles, please."
"Sixty-five coppers."
Dang Mujin's brow twitched. Absurd price.
Regular inn buns cost four coppers, noodles three to five depending on toppings. Street stalls cheaper still.
Cheap stall: around ten coppers. Even pricey ones topped at fifteen.
Money wasn't the issue—Dang Mujin's funds were ample. Sixty-five coppers were a drop.
But rip-offs this blatant were hard to swallow.
Dang Mujin stepped back, voice icy.
"Hey, Myeong. I'm short—pay up."
"Heh... Got it."
Namgung Myeong grinned slyly, stepping forward pouch in hand.
The vendor was about to pay dearly for his greed.
But just before Namgung Myeong's left hand moved slyly, the stall owner gave an awkward smile.
"Out-of-towners, huh? Pricey, right? Sorry, no choice. Things are rough around here lately."
"Rough?"
"Yeah. Crowds mean food shortages. Normally twelve coppers, but ingredients skyrocketed. Still cheaper than inns— they'd charge a silver for this."
Explained the overcrowding in a midsize town.
Namgung Myeong glanced at Dang Mujin. A small nod, and he reluctantly paid from his pouch.
The vendor would never realize the peril he'd escaped.
Dang Mujin asked.
"Any idea why all these people flocked here?"
"Plague."
"Plague?"
"Yeah. Some Daoist once said Guangdong and Guangxi build too much heat, energies imbalanced—plagues sweep every so often."
"Hmm."
The vendor poured broth over three noodle bowls and handed them over. Dang Mujin took his, asking.
"Ever heard of someone called the Strange Physician?"
"Nope. Should I?"
"No, just checking. Thanks anyway."
They found spots and dug in, chopsticks flying.
Namgung Myeong and Dan Seol-yeong savored the plain noodles and bun, but Dang Mujin felt an eerie familiarity.
Clinic. Plague. Memories of Zhuul Village.
'No way it's that.'
Dang Mujin's chopsticks gripped tighter.