Chapter 156
156th Episode
“Should I lay down some poison bombs or iron caltrops?”
“That’s a bit much. The servants might step on them. Still, we should have signal flares.”
“I have signal flares!”
Yang Gyo-jin, who was eating rice cakes as a palate cleanser, swallowed them and raised his hand, taking out a signal flare.
“You lost your money, but you still have signal flares?”
“The Chief Steward told me to carry them and packed them separately.”
The cheerful guy handed out signal flares to Yeon-ryang and me, one each.
…So, he caused so much trouble that they packed signal flares for him at home.
Yeon-ryang seemed to have similar thoughts, as he clicked his tongue and put the signal flare in his pocket.
“Where do Young Miss Jang’s Bodyguards usually stay?”
“There’s a residence for the Bodyguards in the inner garden. Around here.”
In response to Yeon-ryang’s question, Jang Mi-ryeo drew a small circle in the corner of the inner garden. Yeon-ryang, having confirmed the location, pointed to Jang Mi-ryeo’s Bodyguard.
“Then I’ll stay at the Bodyguard’s residence. I think I can impose on this friend here.”
“You might be uncomfortable. It would be better to stay at the guest reception hall…”
“A Martial Artist only needs a roof to avoid the dew. The guest reception hall is likely to be noisy because of the Martial Artists participating in the Martial Arts Tournament for Marriage. It seems easier to move around if I stay here.”
Jang Mi-ryeo’s Bodyguard looked embarrassed but readily agreed. I continued.
“Some people have seen my Green Robe, and news that Young Miss Jang has hired a Martial Artist will have spread, so your uncle won’t make any reckless moves today. And I’d like an inner garden access pass.”
“I’ll tell them to prepare it right away. Jinjin.”
At Jang Mi-ryeo’s call, a Maid bowed and left the room. I swept back my hair and asked.
“What kind of person is Jang Ho-jung?”
“My uncle… is a sinister person. He pretended to be a loyal vassal in front of my father while secretly building his own power. As soon as my father fell ill, he cut off my hands and feet and claimed to be the acting head of the trading company.”
“There was no reason to refuse since an experienced merchant offered to take over the management.”
“That’s right. I’m ashamed to say this, but everyone except the Chief Steward, who has been by my father’s side for decades, has turned their backs on me.”
Jang Mi-ryeo’s situation was clear in my mind at her calm confession, and my mouth felt bitter.
She wasn’t recognized as the successor of the trading company.
I could tell after talking to her for a short while. Jang Mi-ryeo is not an easygoing merchant.
Nevertheless, the fact that she was being excluded from the trading company seemed to be due to her young age and gender.
After hearing her story, I could understand why Jang Mi-ryeo’s father was trying to marry her off quickly. He seemed to have judged that his daughter could only inherit the trading company if he brought in a son-in-law before he died and made him his successor.
So, he brought in Yang Gyo-jin.
It wasn’t intentional, but… except for being a woman, Yang Gyo-jin perfectly matched the conditions Jang Mi-ryeo wanted.
He wouldn’t be interested in the trading company’s affairs, wouldn’t interfere with Jang Mi-ryeo by being greedy, wouldn’t be defeated by her uncle’s schemes because of his outstanding martial arts, and would leave when the time came.
He’s the best kind of useless husband to be a shield while she gets settled. Is that good or bad…?
As I looked at Yang Gyo-jin with strange eyes, he tilted his head and asked.
“Do you want to eat this rice cake? Should I give some to you too, So-hye?”
“It’s okay. You eat a lot.”
Husband material, my foot. Bringing him into the family is like adoption. Adoption.
I shook my head and turned my gaze to Jang Mi-ryeo.
“Is your father unconscious?”
“He comes and goes. He regained some energy the day before yesterday, but he hasn’t woken up at all today.”
“If it’s not impolite, would it be okay if I checked your father’s pulse?”
“Of course. I would be more than grateful if Dang Sojeo would see him. Shall we go right now?”
Jang Mi-ryeo, who was overjoyed, jumped up from her seat.
But we couldn’t even check the trading company head’s pulse, let alone enter his residence.
The guards blocked us from the entrance.
“Why are you stopping a daughter from seeing her father!”
“I apologize, Young Miss. The head of the family has ordered that no one be allowed in.”
“This is a guest from the Tang Clan’s. How can you stop someone we invited!”
Despite Jang Mi-ryeo’s shouts, the guards were firm.
“If you get permission from the head of the family first, we will step aside.”
“You, how dare you…!”
Yang Gyo-jin tilted his head crookedly at the guards’ arrogant attitude, which was unbelievable considering they were dealing with the only daughter of the trading company head.
“Mi-ryeo. Should I clear them out?”
As Yang Gyo-jin raised his Qi, the guards, feeling a chill, gripped their swords.
In the tense atmosphere, I quickly grabbed the back of his neck.
“Gyo-jin. Don’t make a scene.”
“It’s rude for them to bare their teeth at their master. They’ll come to their senses if they get beaten up.”
“No. Don’t cause a disturbance and stay still. You have to go up to the Martial Arts Tournament stage tomorrow.”
So, he grew up in a prestigious family. I thought he was clueless, but he’s sensitive to insubordination.
Jang Mi-ryeo, who glared fiercely, asked the guard.
“Where is my uncle now?”
“I don’t know.”
“…I see. You’ve already boarded my uncle’s ship. But you don’t know if that ship will sail smoothly or sink. Let’s see what happens.”
Jang Mi-ryeo, who glared straight at the guard and sneered, turned her back.
“I’ve shown you an unsightly sight to our honored guests. Let’s go back now.”
Jang Mi-ryeo’s eyes, which were suppressing her emotions, were blazing with anger as she apologized to us.
We, who were watching her, silently followed Jang Mi-ryeo.
\ \ *
The birdsong from outside the window tickled my ears pleasantly.
Dang-un, who got out of bed, slowly opened the window. The refreshing morning air rushed deep into his lungs.
He should have coughed from facing the cold air head-on, but unlike usual, his throat was comfortable.
Dang-un, who was enjoying the breeze caressing his cheeks, smiled softly at the presence he felt behind him.
“Seol-yak. Did you have a peaceful night?”
“So-so. How’s the pain?”
“It’s good. Even the headache is gone today.”
Im Seol-yak, who was looking at Dang-un with a sullen face, came over and put a Cape on his shoulders.
“I hope you don’t forget that it’s I who will be annoyed if you fall ill. It’s too early to be exposed to the cold air.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Seol-yak.”
Im Seol-yak, who snorted, closed the window and handed something over.
“It’s a letter from your sister.”
“Ah… I guess she didn’t come back with the Seventh Elder.”
“Of course not. Unless she’s a complete idiot, she wouldn’t crawl into the Tang Clan without the Poison King.”
“I guess so. Thank you for delivering it. Seol-yak.”
Dang-un, who didn’t lose his smile at the blunt reply, received the letter and unfolded it.
The corners of his lips went up on their own at the sight of the handwriting, which had become quite fluent, unlike in the past when he had difficulty even holding a brush and scribbled crookedly.
The contents of the letter were simple. It said that she was doing well, thanked him for taking care of the family, and asked if Dang-un’s health was improving.
But he was relieved by that ordinariness. Judging from the fact that even the short letter was full of his youngest sister’s unique kindness, it seemed that she had not experienced anything so harsh as to greatly harm her body and mind.
Im Seol-yak, who had waited until Dang-un put down the letter, said.
“When winter is over, I think I’ll go to the Sea of Bamboo.”
Dang-un’s heart sank at the beginning, which sounded like a farewell.
As a master who wasn’t bound by anything and wandered the Jianghu like the wind, he had expected her to leave someday. But it was too sudden.
Dang-un, who was moving his lips, slowly asked back.
“Are you talking about Ibin?”
“Yes. The Tang Clan is permeated with poison everywhere, so the Qi itself is turbid, and there are so many annoying things. If I stay any longer, I think I’ll kill them all.”
Im Seol-yak, who was answering, muttered softly and shook her head.
“That won’t do. What would that old hag say if I laid a hand on the Tang Clan’s bloodline?”
Dang-un took a slow, deep breath to avoid showing his disappointment.
What was there to be sad about even after receiving so much grace? As a doctor, he had done his best, having taken care of him, who even his family had given up on, for four months.
Rather, it was something to be grateful for. No doctor had ever recovered his body this much.
Dang-un, who was hiding his true feelings and feigning a smile, clasped his hands towards Im Seol-yak.
“I understand what you mean. This Dang-un will never forget the grace you have shown me.”
Then Im Seol-yak frowned.
“What are you talking about? I’m going to the Sea of Bamboo because of you.”
“Yes?”
“Your body needs to recuperate in a place with clear spiritual energy to fully recover. Not in this raccoon den. Tell your family to prepare without telling them. We’ll leave as soon as the ice melts.”
Dang-un’s fingertips trembled at the unexpected answer.
‘Go to the Sea of Bamboo? …Together?’
He doubted his ears, wondering if he had misheard, and pondered Im Seol-yak’s words.
But no matter how many times he pondered them, it was true that she was saying they would go together.
Im Seol-yak, not caring about Dang-un’s surprised reaction, continued.
“Ah, it would be good to take one Maid with us. Was it Kyung-ah? That child is good at her job. We should also stop by the Secret cave. We’ll need to replenish your Yang Qi. And…”
Im Seol-yak’s eyes, which were pouring out plans to leave for the Sea of Bamboo, sparkled with sunlight.
Above her dark, shining eyes, Dang-un’s dazed face was reflected, like that of a fool.
Go together.
Together.
The Ghost Hand Divine Doctor, Im Seol-yak, had not given up on him.
The doctor in front of him was holding on tightly to the hand of him, whom even his parents and siblings had given up on and turned away from, whom everyone had let go of.
As if possessed, Dang-un’s face was dotted with smiles as he stared at those eyes. He nodded with a bright smile.
“Yes. Seol-yak.”
