Chapter 194
Chapter 194
Three days had passed since they had taken refuge in the safe house.
Yeon-ryang's condition hadn't noticeably worsened, but it couldn't be said that he was doing well either.
For days, one of his pupils would turn red and then return to black.
Yeon-ryang laughed it off as nothing, but to my eyes, it looked like a sign that his Qi and Blood Points were about to be disrupted again.
Sitting in the yard, watching Yeon-ryang trim wild greens, I pondered and slowly opened my mouth.
"Brother. I've been thinking."
"Yeah."
"Let's go to Sichuan."
"Huh?"
Yeon-ryang, who had been picking out the rough leaves, abruptly raised his head as if asking what I meant.
"What? No way. Your biological father is in that state; what good do you think will come of setting foot in Sichuan?"
"I'm not saying let's go to the Tang Clan. Dang-un is staying with Gwisu-sin in Jukhae. I don't know if they're still there now, but... Gwisu-sin might know a way."
He was the one who didn't seem to mind that Yeon-ryang harbored Demonic Energy.
Since he was someone who moved as he pleased, we might get lucky and receive help.
He might grant our request for Dang-un's sake.
However, Yeon-ryang didn't seem to like my suggestion and silently trimmed the greens.
After a long silence, he spoke in a subdued voice.
"So-hye."
"Yeah."
The unusually serious atmosphere made my throat dry. I hesitated and met Yeon-ryang's gaze.
"The Murim Alliance Leader's recommendation letter, do you still have it?"
"Yeah."
"When the weather warms up, let's go to Wuhan. It would be best to hold out there until the Poison King finishes his seclusion."
"What are you talking about, Brother? How can we go to the Alliance? I'm..."
"No. So-hye, you're going alone. I don't want to hinder my sister's future any further. You've done enough. You have to go now."
Yeon-ryang's firm tone made my body tremble slightly. He was trying to say goodbye to me.
"What? You've never hindered me. Don't think strange things, Brother. Why are you suddenly like this? How can I live alone without you? I can't even cook or start a fire without you..."
"Originally, Young Misses from noble families don't do chores like that. Now you have to return to the life you should have been living."
Yeon-ryang smiled bitterly and stared at me quietly. I glared at him and raised my voice.
"I told you not to decide things on your own. Are you abandoning me now?"
"Abandoning you? How could someone like me abandon such a beautiful sister? So-hye, this is just..."
Yeon-ryang, who had been carefully choosing his words, spoke gently.
"There are moments in life when things don't go as planned. This is one of those moments."
"..."
"I've thought about it carefully, and the only solution is to destroy my Dantian. Wouldn't my heart be heavy if I burdened you with that? So this time..."
"D, don't talk crazy. Do you know what it means to lose your Dantian?"
My hair stood on end at the chilling words.
How many Martial Artists could endure the emptiness of losing their Dantian?
A bird with broken wings and legs can only wait helplessly for death.
When my face turned pale, Yeon-ryang forced a smile as if telling me not to take it too seriously.
"I'm just saying. So-hye, what I mean is..."
"I don't want to! I didn't hear anything. I'm going to write a letter to Geun-myeong Uncle saying we're going to Sichuan. So you know, I'm going to Gwisu-sin."
I snapped, turned around, and slammed the door shut.
Blood dripped from my lips, which I had bitten to suppress my anger.
Realizing that Yeon-ryang hadn't been worrying about this for just a day or two, my eyes grew hot.
My thoughts were too short-sighted. I should have been more considerate of Yeon-ryang's feelings.
He must have been constantly thinking that he was a burden.
I slumped down on the floor and buried my face in my knees.
\ \ *
Songji's white breath escaped as she wiped the floor of the teahouse with the windows wide open.
She raised her head, looked around the vast teahouse, and sighed.
It had been over two years since the owner of the teahouse had even shown her face, but cleaning the empty teahouse every day made her feel like she was wasting her efforts.
But she didn't dare to complain. A Maid should just do as she's told and keep her head down.
There was no point in thinking too deeply, as she was unlikely to see anything good come of it.
She tried to clear her mind of unnecessary thoughts and scrubbed the floor with the rag in her hand.
However, as time passed, her hand holding the rag slowed down.
She remembered Dang So-hye, who used to laugh and giggle as they cleaned the floor together.
'Young Miss... I wonder how she's doing.'
Songji, thinking of her Young Miss who had only suffered hardships and was kicked out as soon as her guardian left, pursed her lips with a gloomy expression.
It had been almost a year since Kyung-ah went to Jukhae, but there was no sign of her returning, and she was left alone to guard the empty palace.
Occasionally, Dang Geunmyeong would give her a little silver, saying that her Young Miss had sent it, but she wasn't happy at all.
She just... missed the old days when the three of them would chat and sleep in the same room.
Songji finished cleaning the teahouse with great effort and went to Gwan Ga Won to return her inner palace access pass.
Then, the Chief Steward, seeing Songji, handed her a basket. The basket was filled with bundles of letters.
"Since you're here, run an errand. Just deliver this to the Seventh Elder."
"Yes, Chief Steward."
Songji, having received her access pass back, headed to the inner palace with the basket.
As Songji entered the palace, she saw Dang Geunmyeong tending to the pond's embankment.
He seemed to be taking precautions to prevent the fish from dying in the winter frost.
'I have to deliver the letters...'
Hesitating, Songji curled her toes and clutched the basket of letters tightly.
None of the Tang Clan's elders were kind, but the Seventh Elder was especially difficult to deal with.
If he were to lose his temper like others, she could at least curse him out and move on, but the Seventh Elder was stern and clearly distinguished between right and wrong, making her feel like a criminal waiting for judgment.
Every time she faced him, she couldn't help but feel nervous and hiccup.
She could only marvel at how her Young Miss could smile and deal with such a man.
Songji tried not to show her fear and approached Dang Geunmyeong.
"Um, Elder..."
Songji, who had cautiously called out to Dang Geunmyeong, timidly held out the basket.
Dang Geunmyeong silently took the basket and held it.
He had finished sorting them three days ago, but seeing the letters piled up again made him sigh involuntarily.
Looking through the letters, he frowned at the sight of Songji trembling like a frightened mouse and gestured.
"That's enough for today. Go and rest."
Only then did a look of joy return to Songji's freckled cheeks. She bowed deeply and left the palace without looking back.
After sending Songji away, he sat at his desk and began to sort the letters that Dang Jung needed to review and the letters that he could handle on his own.
Just as he was finishing, a Letter Carrier Bird flew in through the window and landed on the desk.
A faint hint of pleasure appeared in Dang Geunmyeong's eyes as he checked the tube attached to the Letter Carrier Bird's ankle.
He hurriedly unfolded the rolled-up paper. As expected, it was a letter from Dang So-hye.
The child's letter, which began with the news that she had left Wudang Mountain, stated that she was staying at a safe house in Hunan and wanted Dang Geunmyeong to come and guide her to Gwisu-sin.
She also said that she wanted to explain the details in person.
Dang Geunmyeong frowned.
'What's going on? Is someone hurt?'
If the child, who had said she would never return even if she died, was sending a letter asking him to come in person, something must have happened.
Dang Geunmyeong stroked his chin and pondered.
Im Seol-yak would dislike it if he took her to Jukhae, but Dang-un would welcome Dang So-hye's visit. Im Seol-yak seemed to defer to Dang-un, so he wouldn't turn her away.
At this opportunity, if he could keep her in Sichuan and subtly bring her to the Tang Clan, he could avoid Dang Jung's wrath.
To do that, he would have to make arrangements in advance so that the child's brother could stay in the Guest quarters.
Dang Geunmyeong reached for the inkstone, wondering how he could coax the child to come to the Tang Clan.
The moment he picked up the brush and carefully rubbed the ink, the air suddenly became heavy.
His spine tingled, and his body trembled like prey in front of a predator.
Dang Geunmyeong, who had dropped the brush he was holding, struggled not to collapse under the oppressive energy and laboriously turned his stiff neck.
His face turned ashen.
"E, Elder..."
Dang Jung, looking slightly disheveled, stood there with a nonchalant expression.
Dang Geunmyeong, who slowly rose to his feet, unconsciously chattered his teeth. It was certainly a welcome thing that he had finished his seclusion much faster than the five years he had expected, but the timing was not good.
What was he going to do? At least if he had taken her to Jukhae, it would have been in Sichuan, which would have been better, but Dang Jung's beloved disciple was in Hunan, which would take more than fifteen days to reach.
When Dang Geunmyeong couldn't speak, Dang Jung, thinking that he was choosing his words carefully, waved his hand as if to say it was okay.
"I don't need any flattering words like congratulations. Just bring me a bottle of good wine."
"Y, yes. E, Elder."
"Why are you so frightened? Tsk. I need to pay more attention than before."
Dang Jung, grumbling at the sight of the shrinking Dang Geunmyeong making gasping sounds, gathered his Qi.
Dang Geunmyeong swallowed hard at the presence that was fading away like a snake hiding in the fallen leaves.
The Qi that he felt on his skin was clearly different. His master had clearly achieved an accomplishment that he could not even fathom.
Dang Jung chuckled at Dang Geunmyeong's fearful demeanor.
"Huh. Why is the child who used to glare and scold this old man with such vigor acting so timid? Why? Are you tired of taking care of this old man for so many years?"
"How could that be? It is my joy to serve you, Elder."
"Your words are glib. Enough. I want to wash."
Dang Jung, who nodded at Dang Geunmyeong's polite bow, looked around the new palace and asked.
"You've built it cleanly and well. Geun-myeong, you've worked hard. Where is our puppy?"
Trouble appeared on Dang Geunmyeong's face at Dang Jung's question, which he least wanted to hear.
He couldn't lie, but he didn't have the confidence to bear Dang Jung's anger if he told the truth without embellishment.
Hesitating, Dang Geunmyeong avoided Dang Jung's gaze and moved his lips.
"Well, Elder. That is..."
But his tongue was frozen like a stone and wouldn't move.
If he told the truth, an irreversible disaster would surely occur, but what should he say?
Dang Jung's eyes narrowed at his helpless reaction.
He asked in an icy voice.
"Where is our child now?"
