Chapter 12
12
Namgung Hwi lightly leaped over the 10-meter-high wall, escaping the inner and outer fortresses. As for me?
I showed my pass to the guard Martial Artists and walked out the main gate like normal.
As a Maid with not an ounce of Inner Energy and no training in Light Footwork, this was the best I could do.
Actually, this was the right thing to do. Walls weren't made to be climbed over in the first place, were they?
Namgung Hwi kept grumbling, seemingly dissatisfied that I didn't follow his lead.
"You're no fun."
"I can't climb over walls. Unless Young Patriarch carries me over, it's impossible."
"It's not impossible. I can carry you over. Want me to carry you right now?"
Namgung Hwi postured, bending down. I quickly shook my head.
"Men and women should not sit together after the age of seven. Young Patriarch, how could I possibly be carried by you?"
Then, Namgung Hwi straightened up and tilted his head.
"You, have you read Confucian scriptures?"
He looked surprised and intrigued. It wasn't a word a Maid would usually use. I brushed it off with a smile.
"I just overheard it. There it is. Let's go."
When I pointed to the main road connected to the outer fortress gate, Namgung Hwi started walking ahead with an excited expression. I followed him a step behind.
In the distance, the Market street stretched out along the bustling downtown area.
"Hurry up."
Namgung Hwi grabbed my sleeve and urged me on as soon as he spotted the Market street.
The Market street, crowded with people, was a place where all sorts of people gathered and sold all sorts of things.
Inns with servers calling out to customers, silk shops with subtly colored silks hanging, old bookstores drying the ink of freshly copied books...
Unlike the always quiet Tang Clan, the lively street smelled of people living their lives.
I was intrigued by the sight of the Market street, which I was seeing for the first time, but I was also worried about whether it was okay to be wandering around like this.
In stories, thugs always appeared in the market to cause trouble.
I looked at Namgung Hwi. His fancy robe shimmered beautifully every time he moved.
He looked like a Young Master from a wealthy family, no matter who looked at him. I was sweating with the sense of duty to send him back without any trouble.
"Which family's Young Master is that? He's so handsome."
"Is he from the White Wind Merchant Guild? Not just anyone can wear silk like that."
"Hey, you there. Do you have no eye for these things? Look at the sword he's wearing at his waist. He must be from a Martial Arts family. He must be a guest of the Tang Clan. Didn't several carriages enter yesterday?"
Namgung Hwi didn't even bat an eye at the whispering. He must be used to being the center of attention.
Did the Namgung Family people notice that Namgung Hwi had come out of the Tang Clan?
It's not my fault, but I hope I don't get stabbed with Poison Needles for luring out the family's precious guest.
I wiped the sweat from my hands and slowly looked around. Fortunately, there was no one who looked like a thug nearby.
Well, there probably wouldn't be anyone stupid enough to cause a ruckus in a place where you could reach the Tang Clan's doorstep if you fell. If there were, they'd probably be dead already.
I relaxed and started looking around the Market street with Namgung Hwi.
Cheap sword ornaments, hair ties, fans, bamboo hats...
After passing the stalls selling miscellaneous goods, a stall appeared with countless unknown medicinal herbs.
Namgung Hwi, who was staring intently at a medicinal herb that looked like dried mushrooms, asked me.
"What's this?"
"I don't know."
"This one?"
"I don't know that either."
"You don't know anything."
What, you jerk. Why are you picking on me when you don't know either?
Namgung Hwi, grumbling at my half-hearted answers, changed his target.
"Hey, mister, what's this?"
"It's Angelica root, Young Master. It's used as a medicine."
"Really? What's it good for?"
"It's good for everything. It's used to make Gongjin pills, and it's also put in alcohol."
The apothecary stroked his goat beard and answered politely. He was eager to sell something to the young customer who looked like a precious Young Master.
However, Namgung Hwi shook his head as if he wasn't interested.
"I don't need it. Let's go."
"Yes."
I answered obediently and followed Namgung Hwi. After passing the grain store next to the apothecary, I saw a rice cake shop.
A woman who was taking out rice cakes from a pot with a delicious smell greeted us cheerfully.
"Are you from out of town? Try some Ziba. It's freshly fried and very delicious."
When Namgung Hwi stopped, the woman smiled brightly and held out a wooden bowl.
The bowl contained fried glutinous rice cakes. The neat shape made my mouth water.
Frying glutinous rice cakes, which are delicious even when eaten plain, she knows how to eat.
Namgung Hwi also couldn't take his eyes off the steaming rice cakes.
"One, no. Give me two."
Namgung Hwi corrected the number of orders, conscious of me. He seemed to be trying to get one for me too.
Thank you, kid.
"It's five pennies, Young Master."
"Okay."
Namgung Hwi nodded and opened his silk pouch. He casually took out a silver ingot and handed it over.
The woman and I stared wide-eyed at the horseshoe-shaped silver ingot. I hurriedly stopped Namgung Hwi.
"Young Patriarch, that's too much."
"Why? I only have ingots."
"Ingots won't do. I have pennies. Pay with this."
When I held out my plain pouch, Namgung Hwi pouted.
But he didn't seem to want to insist and obediently took out five pennies.
My small and cute monthly allowance. Goodbye.
The woman looked a little disappointed, but she didn't show it and took the pennies.
"Enjoy."
"Sell a lot."
We took the rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves and started walking through the Market street.
Namgung Hwi, who took a bite of the glutinous rice cake, said in a grumpy voice.
"Explain."
"Yes?"
"Why did you tell me not to pay with ingots?"
Oops. Was I a little rude just now?
I smiled awkwardly and looked at Namgung Hwi. He had a sharp look on his face, as if he couldn't understand my actions.
...Damn it. I'm a Maid. I keep forgetting my status.
I met Namgung Hwi's eyes and slowly chose my words.
"Because it's too much money for that person to handle. Young Patriarch, you shouldn't show that much money in front of others."
"Why? It's a good thing for that woman. It's money she'll never be able to touch in her entire life."
"That's why I'm telling you it's not okay. People nearby saw Young Patriarch hand over the ingot."
"I don't understand."
Namgung Hwi frowned.
"You don't know what will happen after Young Patriarch leaves. A thief might break in at night. Someone might kill the woman and take it."
"They'd take that?"
"Because it's money she'll never be able to touch in her entire life, as Young Patriarch said. Excessive fortune sometimes becomes a disaster."
Namgung Hwi's eyes widened at my words. He seemed to have never thought about what would happen after giving the ingot.
Namgung Hwi swallowed the glutinous rice cake and mumbled.
"...I didn't think of that. I almost killed the woman."
"That's right. Good intentions don't always lead to good results. That's how life is."
There's also a life where you read martial arts novels to please your boss and end up possessing an extra and suffering like a dog.
Hahaha.
Then Namgung Hwi stared at me. He blinked his eyes as if he was surprised, and then mumbled.
"You're smart."
You said I didn't know anything earlier.
I shrugged my shoulders and shoved the glutinous rice cake into my mouth.
The outside is crispy and the inside is moist, it's a taste that makes you want to buy another one. I should come and eat it with Songji next time.
Namgung Hwi quietly looked down at his hands as if he was lost in thought.
"Let's go back."
"You're not going to see more?"
"Yeah. I want to go back."
Namgung Hwi turned around, answering quietly.
Did I make another mistake? Why is he like that?
I followed him, watching his mood.
* * *
What greeted us when we returned to the Tang Clan was Dang Bu-kyung, along with the Tang Clan's Martial Artists and the Namgung Family's people.
They all looked unwell, as if they had been searching for the lost Young Patriarch for a long time.
"Hwi, where have you been!"
A well-built middle-aged man approached, scolding, but Namgung Hwi answered calmly without being intimidated.
"I went to the Market street."
"You should have said something before you left, you rascal. You can't wander around so arbitrarily in a foreign land, not even Anhwi. You must set an example as the Young Patriarch."
"I was short-sighted. I will ask for permission first next time."
You just left because you thought they wouldn't give you permission. From what I hear, you used to climb over the walls in Anhwi too.
From the conversation between the two, I realized that he was Namgung Hwi's father and the Patriarch of the Namgung Family.
Namgung Hwi, who was answering maturely, seemed like a completely different person than when he was with me.
I thought he was just a naive kid, but he seemed to be careful about what he said in front of his father.
Either he's afraid of his father, or he doesn't want to be seen as a child in front of his father. It could be both.
The Namgung Family Patriarch, who laughed heartily at his son's answer, asked.
"So, why did you want to go to the Market street?"
"Seeing is believing. I wanted to see the world with my own eyes."
"Our Hwi has already grown up so much."
The Namgung Family Patriarch smiled contentedly and stroked Namgung Hwi's head.
"That's right. Seeing with your own eyes is better than reading about it. And seeing is not as good as doing it yourself. Experience a lot of things. That experience will accumulate and become the foundation for you."
Um. I want to go back soon.
I politely folded my hands and waited for the moment when the father-son reunion would end. I was planning to quietly return to Dang Jung's residence when the two of them disappeared.
But my wish was not easily fulfilled. The Namgung Family Patriarch, who was having a friendly conversation with his son, recognized me.
A sharp gaze reached me. I quickly lowered my head, and he asked.
"But who is this child?"
Then Namgung Hwi answered as if he had been waiting for it.
"Father, I want to take this child to Anhwi."
"Huh?"
"Please allow me to take her."
Namgung Hwi shouted confidently.
...Is this Young Master crazy?
I stared at Namgung Hwi with my mouth open. Namgung Hwi, who met my eyes, proudly stuck out his chest with a face that said, "I did a good job, right?"
I can't punch him. What nonsense is he suddenly spouting? Take her? Am I a puppy?
"Hwi, what are you suddenly..."
The Namgung Family Patriarch also frowned as if he was embarrassed. He looked back and forth between me and Namgung Hwi and then distorted his face.
I know, right? What is he suddenly saying? I'm curious about that too.
I forced a smile. Then the Namgung Family Patriarch's face became even more ferocious.
"Hwi, follow me. You come too. I need to hear the whole story."
He said in a cold voice like a knife wind. My body trembled, crushed by his undisguised anger.
I think I'm on a bad path.
I missed Dang Jung, who must be somewhere in the Tang Clan.
Elder, please save me.
