Chapter 143
143
The guy I picked up in the snow was a Martial Artist around my age.
Judging by the high-quality Cape he wore and the treasured sword at his waist, he seemed to be from a fairly well-off family.
However, his behavior was far from that of a well-off family's child.
After getting into the carriage with me, he made a racket and devoured our food supplies.
Crunch, crunch. Snap, snap.
"You'll choke. Have some water."
Glug, glug, glug.
"Are you even chewing? You'll get indigestion eating like that?"
"Gengchangang."
"What? Did you say you're okay? No. I'm not okay watching you. Eat slowly."
"Gueae."
Snap.
I wondered how many days he had gone without food; the way he ceaselessly shoved food into his mouth reminded me of a beggar from the Beggars' Sect.
Ju-ryeong, also surprised by the guy's eating, bristled all over and clung to me.
Yeon-ryang, who had been watching with a dubious expression and arms crossed, whispered.
"So-hye. I think we picked up something strange. Let's go back and abandon him."
"He's a person, Brother. What do you mean, abandon him?"
I replied, scanning the guy slowly.
The beggar, whose clothes and sword were not ordinary, looked like a naive boy at first glance.
But his frame was different. He was tall and looked good in men's clothing, but he was definitely a woman.
I didn't know if she was disguising herself as a man to avoid getting caught up in troublesome affairs, or if she had a story, but I couldn't just leave her alone.
Her wandering alone reminded me of the time when I had been kicked out of the Tang Clan.
I asked, trying to soothe my troubled heart.
"Where are you going?"
Then an unintelligible answer came back.
"Ongungeo Oeo A."
"Could you please swallow before you speak?"
"Angyang Aeoeya."
"...What are you saying? Never mind. Fill your stomach first."
I waved my hand in disgust, and the guy grinned and nodded. I stroked Ju-ryeong, who was nestling against me, and muttered.
"I've never seen anyone eat better than my brother. Is it because you're growing?"
"Do I eat that much too?"
"Similar. Sometimes you eat even more when you're hungry."
"......I see."
Yeon-ryang, who answered a beat late, stroked his chin. He looked a little shocked.
Uncle Geun-myeong must have loaded the dried rations by the sack because of my brother. I guess he didn't know.
The guy, who was eating like a glutton, finally lay sprawled on the floor with a refreshed face after finishing half a sack of dried rations.
"Ugh, I feel alive after eating!"
The way he thumped his belly while shouting loudly was not much different from Ju-ryeong.
How could a Martial Artist be so unguarded?
I swallowed a hollow laugh and asked the guy.
"You're finally speaking like a human. Is your stomach full now?"
"Completely full. Thanks, friend. I thought I was going to starve to death."
"Why were you lying on the street? You didn't seem hurt."
"Well, you see, I was hungry, but no matter how much I walked, I couldn't find an inn. I sat under a tree to wait for a passing carriage to hitch a ride. But then it started snowing, right?"
"Yeah."
"Carriages don't run well on snowy days. So I thought, 'Oh well,' and just lay down."
"......Huh?"
If carriages don't run, you should keep walking, why lie down?
Despite my strange look, the guy was just cheerful.
"Then you appeared, ta-da! The world is still worth living in."
What are you talking about? This one isn't normal either.
Judging by her appearance and fearless attitude, she seemed like someone who had never suffered. Did she run away from home?
"Did you, run away from home?"
"I didn't run away, I was kicked out. My mother slapped me on the back and told me to go broaden my horizons. Does it show?"
"You look disheveled, it shows. And it's 'broaden my knowledge,' not 'horizons.'"
"This or that. As long as you understand, what does it matter."
It wasn't running away, it was being kicked out.
Her cheerful answer reassured me that she hadn't gone through anything as rough as I had. I softened my expression.
"Where is your home?"
"Luoyang."
"You walked all the way here from Luoyang alone?"
"Yeah. I wanted to see Dongting Lake. I heard it would take about ten days, so I came, but I guess I have to walk more. This is the way to Yueyang, right?"
"That's right. You wouldn't have left home empty-handed, so why are you in such a beggar's state?"
"I ran into a pickpocket at the last Market street I visited."
I was puzzled by his reply. The guy didn't look like a Martial Artist who would be pickpocketed.
"Did the Divine Thief rob you?"
"Not really. A little kid about this big stole it, but I didn't want to take it back. I thought, 'How hungry must he be to pick my pocket?' I thought I'd do a good deed."
"......"
I was speechless at her cheerfulness, which only made the listener feel bewildered. I didn't even know where to start pointing things out.
Yeon-ryang chuckled as I just gaped, unable to say anything.
"You're at a loss and feel helpless, right? You're wondering what to do with her, right? That's exactly how I felt when I first saw you."
"Hey, it wasn't that serious."
"Well. It looks similar to me."
To think that I didn't know the ways of the world as much as that guy, that was a painful story in itself.
I pretended not to hear and squished Ju-ryeong. Yeon-ryang, amused by my reaction, laughed and asked.
"What's your name, young friend?"
"I'm not a young friend. Brother."
"Huh?"
"Look at her frame. She's a woman."
"Oh? A woman?"
A look of surprise flashed across Yeon-ryang's face as he asked back. He looked like he hadn't even imagined she was a woman.
The guy also looked at me with wide eyes, as if he was amazed.
"How did you know? It's rare for someone to recognize it at first glance."
"I can tell by looking. I'm a doctor, you know."
"Wow. You're smart. You're right. I'm Yang Gyo-jin."
The guy burst into laughter, introduced himself, and clasped his hands vigorously. Yeon-ryang tilted his head when he heard the guy's name.
"Yang Gyo-jin? Are you from the Yang Clan?"
"That's right. That's where my house is."
"If you're a Yang from Luoyang, there's no way I wouldn't know. The Pear Blossom Spear is the Yang Clan's specialty. But you seem to use a sword."
Yeon-ryang pointed to the sword sheath engraved with a pear blossom pattern and shrugged. He seemed to know the symbol of the Yang Clan.
"That's right too. Anyway, thanks for the food. I'll repay this favor in the name of the Yang Clan."
I hesitated for a moment as I looked at Yang Gyo-jin, who was smiling brightly, and decided to let her go. Yeon-ryang's health wasn't good, and I didn't want to add to the things I had to worry about.
She was a descendant of a Martial Arts family that Yeon-ryang knew, and she seemed capable of protecting herself, so she would do well on her own.
"I see. I heard your self-introduction well. Yang Gyo-jin. If you're grateful, would you mind getting off the carriage now?"
I opened the carriage door wide and smiled brightly, and Yang Gyo-jin jumped up and shouted, grabbing the carriage seat.
"Oh? Are you going to be so heartless? Just feed me one more meal! I'm just starting to feel alive!"
What is this? This shameless guy.
I frowned at the absurd request.
"What are you? I saved you from drowning, and now you're asking for my bundle too."
"You don't have to give me the bundle. Just a warm meal and a place to sleep."
"Did you leave your meals to me? Get out."
I scoffed and pointed out of the carriage, but Yang Gyo-jin stuck to me affectionately and linked arms with me.
"Hey. Don't be like that, let's go together. It looks like we're going in the same direction. Should I drive the carriage?"
"Oh, really. Do you know what's in my sleeve that you're coming so close? Do you want a Poison Needle in your forehead?"
"What's the name of the beautiful Tang Clan young lady? How old are you? We seem to be the same age. Won't you be my friend? I'm seventeen."
Her actions, which I couldn't tell if they were perceptive or not, made me furrow my brow.
Yeon-ryang, who had been watching me in disbelief, clasped his hands behind his head and smiled kindly.
"So-hye. Let's just take her with us."
"Yeah. Take me with you!"
I pushed away Yang Gyo-jin's head as she chimed in and clung to me, and asked back.
"You said to abandon her earlier, didn't you?"
"Think about what the Elder said before he left."
"What Uncle Geun-myeong said? What....... Ah."
He told me to associate with the Rising Star of the Orthodox Faction.
If Yeon-ryang was giving me a hint like that, the Yang Clan must be a fairly well-known family.
I felt uncomfortable as if I had become a snob who judged people by their family name, but it was even more uncomfortable to throw away an opportunity that had rolled in.
I smacked the guy and grumbled.
"Okay, so get away from me."
"Then you'll give me a ride in the carriage? What's your name, young lady?"
Yang Gyo-jin, who was delighted, stepped back and sat down, her eyes sparkling.
"I'll give you a ride. But you're getting off when we get to Yueyang, okay? I'm Dang So-hye. I'm seventeen too."
"Really? I thought so. We're the same age! Who's the big guy?"
"This is my brother. Yeon-ryang."
Yeon-ryang waved his hand lightly at my introduction. Ju-ryeong, who had been quiet, also stood up tall as if telling me to introduce him.
"Kyoo!"
"What's this? A sable? Cute."
Curiosity filled Yang Gyo-jin's face as she looked at Ju-ryeong.
"That's right, a sable. His name is Ju-ryeong."
"Kit."
"Yeah. Nice to meet you too."
When he held out his index finger, Ju-ryeong sniffed it and scurried up Yang Gyo-jin's arm.
"Hahaha, cute. It tickles. Hey, it tickles. Achoo!"
Yang Gyo-jin kept sneezing, as if her nose was tickled by Ju-ryeong's soft fur.
"Achoo! You'd make a great scarf. Warm......! Achoo!"
"Kick!"
But seeing her playing with Ju-ryeong as if she liked it, she seemed to have a somewhat goofy side.
Did I make the wrong decision to go together? It seems like I picked up the wrong baggage.
Unlike me, who was feeling awkward about this situation, Yeon-ryang seemed a little happy.
Yeon-ryang, who had been watching me and Yang Gyo-jin while laughing silently, got up.
"You two play. I'll drive the carriage."
"Huh? Brother. I have no intention of playing with......"
"Yeah, yeah. It's about time you made friends. Don't worry about me and play comfortably. Comfortably."
He waved his hand and closed the carriage door, his face as pleased as if he were watching his youngest child bring home a friend for the first time.
......I think that old man is misunderstanding something again.
I sighed, left alone in the carriage with Yang Gyo-jin.
