Plum Blossom Fragrance Filling the Air (1)
Only after Yu Han and Je-cheon ordered and devoured five more servings of roast duck did I finally part ways with Yu Han.
"So full... Urp~!"
"Feelin' good?"
Namgung Je-cheon patted his bulging belly, walking with a face full of utter satisfaction.
Should I smash his solar plexus?
"Free food really is the best. Haha!"
Today's total spending: 25 nyang of silver. Who knew two guys could polish off five whole ducks like that? Just you wait... I'll remember this.
"Je-cheon."
I called out to Je-cheon, who was strolling along in high spirits.
"Yes?"
He turned back with an innocent, beaming smile.
"Where's the place Hwasan stays?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Just..."
I'd meant to ignore it, but I couldn't. That damn guy's blissful face as he tore into a single roast duck wouldn't leave my head.
-Daeso, my master loves roast duck too...
-So what?
-Just... that he likes it...
Right now, I was holding a roast duck in my hands.
Damn it! Why am I such a softie!
Wait, come to think of it, that's six ducks? 30 nyang of silver.
"You go right at that corner over there, then straight left for a bit, take the second path at the three-way fork, left again at the next two-way, then second path at the six-way and keep going straight—you'll get there. Why?"
Huh? Hold on, can you explain that again?
Je-cheon caught my look and sighed pityingly.
"I'll explain again, so listen carefully."
Only after hearing it explained a full five more times could I finally memorize it accurately. And that's when I first realized I had zero sense of direction.
"Young master, you're not going to cause trouble, are you?"
"You think I'm you? Stir up shit three days before the preliminaries?"
"Then why head to Hwasan? You gotta tell me why. I'm the strategist of Cheonryongjeon now, you know."
His tone was serious, but his eyes screamed, if you're up to no good, take me along.
Shouldn't you be stopping me in a situation like this, Je-cheon? You're the strategist, right? Won't you be the one with the headache if your boss gets in trouble?
"No way!"
Suddenly, Je-cheon's eyes rolled back.
Every time this happened, my heart dropped.
"W-what!"
I asked in a fluster, and Je-cheon grinned slyly.
"Shaolin first, now Hwasan. Nice."
This madman.
"Hwasan, huh... Not bad. It's in my top 10 sects for food I wanna try. Especially when the plum blossoms are in full bloom—it's gorgeous."
Je-cheon nodded firmly, thumbs up.
As expected of the youngest young master, he seemed to think.
"Young master, you're going to take over Hwasan now, right?"
I said it again: this guy's insane.
"I'm just going to say hi, you idiot!"
"Oh yeah, you two are pretty close. Yu Han, was it? Well, might as well greet him while you're there. I'm really looking forward to how the youngest young master devours Hwasan this time."
Is Hwasan a side of meat? Devour it?
"I'd love to tag along and see for myself, but I'm kinda busy. If it weren't for prelim prep, I'd really go—should I just follow?"
Please, just go.
Thankfully, Je-cheon left with repeated regrets. I carefully rewrapped the roast duck to keep the heat in and set off following the directions he'd given.
But...
"Huh? Right, left... What was the very first turn again?"
I remembered everything after the start, but not the beginning. I turned left.
* * *
Yu Han had been assigned lodging in the same hall as Hwasan, but he'd deliberately requested a spot far away.
While everyone else headed to the grand, ornate buildings, Yu Han alone entered a somewhat rundown one.
This place had just a single small room—clearly a storage shed at first glance. Inside were only a single blanket and a single sword, sitting there forlornly.
Yu Han picked up the sword and stepped out into the courtyard.
He stood there.
Shing.
He drew the blade.
The smooth surface gleamed. Faint moonlight reflected off it—a testament to how meticulously he cared for it.
Yet Yu Han's hands were covered in thick, unyielding calluses, without a single gap.
As usual, he began slowly swinging the sword.
-Yu Han, care to swing your sword for me once?
-Yes, Master!
He liked being a Taoist, liked swinging the sword. And he'd thought it wasn't so bad.
-Master! I learned Plum Blossom Sword today. Look!
The seniors praised me too!
-Ho ho, well done.
-Hehe.
The more he swung, the more he wished he'd gripped the sword sooner.
-Master! I learned the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Method today—everyone around said I'm a genius!
-Of course, of course. Our Yu Han's a genius. Whose disciple are you? Haha! Show me, let your master watch.
-Yes!
If not for that day... No, if only he'd kept his wits about him...
-Slash!
-Gasp! Baekju!
-...
-Sect leader! Such thick killing intent in a friendly spar between martial brothers!
In the midst of swinging, he'd forgotten it was a spar. He just loved swinging the sword. Focused solely on that.
When he opened his eyes...
-Senior brother... why... me...
The junior brother following him was bleeding. Staring at Yu Han with eyes full of resentment.
The seniors eyed him like a monster.
His master shielded the junior and shot Yu Han a gaze turned ice-cold.
Clang.
That day, Yu Han dropped the sword from his hand. And swore never to touch such a demonic thing again.
But Yu Han picked up the sword once more.
"Am I truly a monster?"
His hands kept reaching for it. His eyes couldn't leave it. Close them, and sword paths swirled in his mind.
In the end, Yu Han had no choice but to manifest those paths with his body. Only then could he let go.
Just then, talk arose in Hwasan about selecting a new sect leader disciple. So Yu Han left.
"I'm truly beyond saving..."
Yu Han thought of Namgung Daeso, whom he'd met today. As a child, Namgung Daeso had been hopeless at everything.
-Tsk tsk, I've never seen a kid so utterly talentless.
-Shh, the youngest young master might hear. What if he gets upset and runs away? Haha!
-Haha! Can't have that.
People called that Namgung Daeso trash. Yet he acted like it didn't matter, always brimming with confidence.
-You didn't hear that?
-I did.
-Then why just sit there? Learn martial arts and show 'em.
-Tried. Didn't work.
-So you're giving up?
-Giving up's for counting cabbages.
-Cab... bages?
-Yeah. Tasteless stuff. Every winter, the head maid granny...
-So what're you gonna do?
-Hehe. Yu Han, I'm gonna get rich!
Yu Han envied that Namgung Daeso. If he'd been in that situation, he'd have crumbled for sure.
After that, every year at the nursery, Namgung Daeso proved his words—clutching bizarre books, artworks, sculptures, grinning like a maniac.
-Hehe. Hehihi. Hihihihi!
-Like it?
-Love it!
Yu Han's reminiscence ended. Before he knew it, he was dancing the sword dance.
Sword ghost.
The word his senior had screamed at him with sharp eyes that day.
Yu Han didn't know why his master had entered him in the Sawangjeon, but he was glad his first prelim opponent was Namgung Daeso.
"I'll forfeit."
Then his master would finally give up on him and pick a new disciple.
With that, Yu Han forgot all worries and danced the sword through the night.
At that moment, Namgung Daeso was...
* * *
"Argh, seriously!!!"
I'd wandered forever but still couldn't find Hwasan's lodging. Using my inner energy, I dashed all over the Namgung estate, and only in some random spot did I finally spot Yu Han's master, the Taoist grandpa.
Why's he over there?
He was gazing at a pond. I touched the roast duck I'd brought—completely cold.
Next time, I gotta bring a guide when navigating.
I knew the estate was big, but not this big—first time realizing it today.
"Taoist grandpa~!"
I called out energetically. Jaming Jin-in, who'd been staring endlessly at the pond, turned around.
"You!"
Unlike the other grandpas, this Taoist grandpa always warmed my heart.
Taoists are the best over martial artists! Once I have money, I'll open a Taoist temple. Obviously with grandpa as the head.
"Who're you?"
"...Huh? Namgung Daeso. You saw me once a year since I was little."
Every New Year, he'd hold Yu Han's hand tight and visit the nursery to chant blessings. Said it was a promise to my late mother.
"Ho ho, who knew that scrawny kid would grow so tall. My prayers worked, eh?"
This Taoist grandpa's great in every way except his massive ego.
"But what brings you here? The Namgung youngest young master can't be that free."
I shook the now-cold roast duck.
Taoist grandpa suddenly sighed.
"This is why weak Taoists won't do."
He pulled a gourd from his robes.
Slosh slosh.
"If you're bringing meat, bring booze too. Right, Daeso?"
"Uh... Taoist grandpa?"
"What."
"Even if Hwasan reeks of secular vibes, a sect leader should at least... with the booze..."
"Tsk tsk, what is the Tao?"
Here he goes again... spouting nonsense seriously.
"Purification."
"Right. Like I taught last time. Then after shitting, what do people do?"
"...Wipe."
"Exactly. The Tao begins with the filthiest things. To be a true Taoist, you gotta drink booze, hold women, touch money. Got it?"
No one would guess this revered top Taoist of the Central Plains is a total quack.
"Perfect, I had no side dish. Unwrap it quick."
"Yes..."
Weird. Why are all the people around me like this? Suddenly missing head maid granny.
I sat beside Taoist grandpa and unwrapped the roast duck bundle. He tore right in with his bare hands, no hesitation.
"Way better than sneaking it in the temple!"
Greasy hands tore more duck; he downed a full bowl of booze.
"Krrgh~! Good stuff."
Scrub scrub.
After devouring duck for a while, he wiped the grease on his robes anyhow and suddenly stared at me.
No way!
Not asking for another one, right? This bandit monk!
Well... anyway. Taoist grandpa definitely had that unfathomable gaze, unlike Namgung elder grandpas or the Daegalbak uncles. Like an immortal before your eyes. Not the holy kind—the one booted from heaven to earth.
"Now spill it."
After staring long, Taoist grandpa turned back to the pond and spoke.
"Why you came all this way with roast duck."
As expected, grandpa's always been sharp. He shows his true feelings to everyone, but you can't tell if it's real or not. That's how he leads a giant like Hwasan without martial arts.
I gazed at the pond like him.
"Just wanted old stories."
Pure fact.
"You used to tell 'em every nursery visit."
Not 'cause I lack real friends. Sure, minus Yu Han that punk, but... sigh. Gotta make friends young.
"Haven't come the last few years."
First time seeing grandpa since leaving the nursery.
"Ho ho, time flies. No problem. Where to start?"
I lit up.
"From when you became Hwasan leader!"
For a moment, grandpa's eyes flickered, then settled.
First, gotta figure out exactly what happened between grandpa and Yu Han.
"From then, eh... Haven't spoken of it in ages. Long story—okay?"
"Got nothing but time."
True, but sleepy now. Eyelids heavy as mountains. Stuffed and bedtime.
But I forced my eyes wide.
I'll make those two master-disciples pay dearly for this effort later. A Jaso Pill each oughta do it...