Chapter 32
32
The result was obvious.
Namgung Hwi lost, lost, and lost again.
Each time he lost, he became more stubborn, shouting for one more round, until his pockets were empty.
I listlessly watched Namgung Hwi become penniless.
"Oh, Young Master. This time it was 'High'."
The man who revealed the dice shook his head as if he felt sorry for him.
Namgung Hwi sighed deeply and looked into his empty pockets with a gloomy face.
It was not as if the lost money would return by doing so. He groped around in his pockets as if he couldn't believe the reality, then slowly put them away.
"Are you alright?"
At my question, Namgung Hwi lifted his chin as if he was fine.
"It is said that 'playing with things leads to loss of ambition'. A gentleman does not cling to trivial things."
Is that something to say after losing all your money? Besides, that's not even the right time to use that saying.
But he was so dejected that I felt sorry for scolding him. I nodded.
"Okay. Let's go now."
As I turned around, comforting the depressed Namgung Hwi, I saw a boisterous group of gamblers.
The man who led the gambling game was smiling contentedly as he counted the money Namgung Hwi had lost.
I glared fiercely at the back of the man's head.
It was clear that he had been signaling with one of the spectators since earlier, and that he had rigged the dice.
He had gleefully fleeced a naive Young Master who didn't even know if what he was doing was gambling or playing.
It was a despicable act, but it was ambiguous to question him. It was our Young Master who had endlessly shouted for one more round.
Oh well. Let's just say he learned a lesson in life. I should buy him a warm bowl of rice soup and cheer him up.
Just as I was about to turn around, thinking of getting Namgung Hwi some dinner, the man spoke to me.
"Would you like to try your luck, Miss? If you're lucky, you might win back the money the Young Master lost."
Look at this guy. He thinks he's got an easy target, doesn't he?
The man's attitude of coveting even my pockets twisted my mood. I raised one corner of my lips and slammed a silver coin on the gambling table.
"Alright."
The man frowned at the loud noise, but after checking the silver coin, he quickly relaxed his expression.
"Good. Then let's roll."
He threw the dice into a jar with a hole in the bottom with a smiling face.
The dice rolled around.
Instead of the jar, I carefully watched the man's gestures. If the man touched his ear, it was 'High', and if he scratched his chin, it was 'Low'.
Soon, the man scratched his chin.
"Low."
"The Miss bet on 'Low'. Good. Is there anyone else who wants to bet? No one? Let's see..."
The man, who had been stalling, lifted the jar. The dice on the bottom were showing 1 and 2 respectively.
"It's 'Low'. Miss, you're lucky."
The man shrugged and handed me a bundle of coins. I shook my head.
"Let's play one more round."
"Haha, good."
The man, who seemed to think he had hooked me, narrowed his eyes and rolled the dice again. He turned his head towards the spectator and touched his ear.
Just as the spectator was about to intervene in response to the signal, I quickly shouted.
"High!"
"I also be... No, no. I'll join in the next round."
The spectator waved his hand and stepped back. The man glanced at him, smacked his lips, and opened the jar.
The dice were 4 and 5.
"It's 'High'."
"Ahaha... You're good at guessing. Would you like to play again?"
"Yes."
"Then this time..."
"Low."
"...Haha, ha. It's 'Low'."
The man's expression twisted as he sensed something was wrong.
He glared at me as if he realized I had figured out the signals.
I had increased the stakes eightfold, so there was no reason to take any more risks. I held out my hand.
"I'll stop here. Give me the money I won."
But the man didn't answer and cracked his neck from side to side. I frowned at the obvious threat.
Looking around, I saw the spectators exchanging strange glances as well. The atmosphere was unusual.
Damn it. Were they all in cahoots?
I hurriedly stepped back and reached for the Jade bracelet. If necessary, I would have to fire the Poison Needles / Darts.
I've never used them before, would I be able to aim properly? What about Namgung Hwi?
When I turned my head, Namgung Hwi had already drawn his sword. Namgung Hwi asked fiercely.
"What are you doing?"
Even though the sharply honed blade was pointed at him, the man snorted as if he found it ridiculous.
"Young Master, you'd better put your sword away. What if you get hurt pretending to be a Martial Artist?"
"I asked you what you're doing."
"I'm trying to teach some rude kids a lesson, brat."
Even with the man's changed attitude, Namgung Hwi's eyes didn't waver.
"So-hye, come here."
The guy gently pulled me and calmly hid me behind his back. His small back blocked my view.
Namgung Hwi, who was gripping the sword with both hands, slowly lowered his knees.
I hurriedly reached out my hand. He was a Martial Artist, but he was still a child. Considering the difference in strength between him and an adult man, there was a high risk of injury.
"No, Young Patriarch, it's dangerous...!"
...He didn't.
Namgung Hwi struck the man's crown with the back of his sword, knocking him unconscious in one blow.
"Ugh!"
The man, who had been so proud, fell to the ground without even letting out a proper scream.
It was such a clean skill that I couldn't help but admire it.
"Eek, this little brat!"
"I won't let you get away with this!"
As soon as their companion fell, the gamblers who had been hiding as shills rushed towards Namgung Hwi all at once.
Wait, hold on, aren't those grown men being cowardly by ganging up on him?
Even in a one-versus-many situation, Namgung Hwi didn't panic. He floated into the air with an indifferent face.
Then, as if stepping on stepping stones, he lightly stepped on the backs of the gamblers.
"Argh!"
"Ugh!"
"Ugh!"
Diverse sounds came out each time Namgung Hwi's foot struck their backs.
I blankly watched Namgung Hwi beat up the group of gamblers.
I knew he was a genius because he was the protagonist, but I didn't know he was strong enough to single-handedly knock down several adult men at that age.
Namgung Hwi, who had quickly resolved the situation and sheathed his sword, sneered at the sprawled gamblers.
"You said what if I got hurt pretending to be a Martial Artist, but I don't know who's pretending to be a Martial Artist with such pathetic skills."
At his sneer, one of the men gnashed his teeth.
"How dare you! Do you know who we are! Do you think you'll be safe after this!"
"If you can't accept it, come find Namgung Hwi of the Namgung Family. I'll gladly face you again anytime."
"Na, Na, Namgung Family...!"
The face of the gambler who was still in relatively good condition turned pale.
The atmosphere seemed to indicate that the situation was resolved.
I cautiously stepped forward, watching the situation, and swept the money from the gambling table into my pockets.
Namgung Hwi, who was watching, had a dumbfounded look on his face. I replied demurely.
"So-hye, that's my money."
"Oh? You lost all your money. I won."
"Still... Haa. Okay."
The guy, who seemed to have nothing to say, opened and closed his mouth, then drooped his shoulders. I held back my laughter and held out my hand to Namgung Hwi.
"I'll put it in for you. Give it here."
Namgung Hwi, whose expression brightened at that, handed over his pouch.
As I pressed the coins into the pouch until it couldn't be closed, he smiled brightly and said.
"Let's go eat something delicious. I'll pay."
Can you really say that you're paying?
I had my doubts, but I couldn't be bothered to argue about the rights and wrongs.
We left the place leisurely, avoiding the gamblers who were still lying on the ground.
"How did you guess the dice?"
"There's a trick to it."
"What's the trick? Tell me too."
You got scammed.
But if I told him honestly, he seemed like he would go back to beat up the gamblers again. I subtly changed the subject.
"The important thing is that we got it back. You should eat. What do you want to eat? Noodles? Boiled pork? I saw lamb earlier."
"Um... What do you like, So-hye?"
It feels like just yesterday that he told me to cross the wall, but now he's asking for my opinion, he's all grown up.
Touched by his thoughtfulness, I unconsciously stroked his head, and Namgung Hwi's eyes widened.
Oops. Mistake.
"Oh, I mean... Haha, ha. That way! Let's go that way."
I pointed to a place while sweating profusely, where actors in terrifying makeup were performing on a stage.
"Do you want to see that play?"
"Oh, I think so. No. That's right."
I hurriedly pushed him on the back before Namgung Hwi could say anything else.
* * *
The performance we happened to see was better than expected.
"Today's Sichuan opera is very exciting!"
"Of course, Tae-jeong is performing himself. Haha, well done!"
As an actor wearing a red mask sang and stepped forward, the audience responded and clapped their hands.
The actor gracefully unfolded and folded a folding fan with gentle movements. At the same time, the red mask changed to a black mask.
"As expected, no one can keep up with Tae-jeong's mask changing!"
"Oh, Tae-jeong's mask changing technique has become more splendid."
As the audience exclaimed, the actor spread out his cloak with exaggerated movements. This time, the black mask changed back to a yellow mask.
How did he do that?
I was staring intently at the mask in amazement when I heard a familiar voice.
"Father! I want to do that too!"
Moyong So-ye, who was riding on Moyong-gi's shoulders, was nearby.
Moyong-gi seemed to be in a good mood as he was out with his daughter, and he was constantly smiling.
Moyong So-ye asked, pulling on Moyong-gi's hair.
"It's fun. Why don't we have this in Liaoning?"
"Haha, do you like it? I'm happy that Ye-ye likes it. Sichuan opera is a traditional Sichuan performance. It's natural that it doesn't exist in Liaoning."
"Then let's take that man home. Then we can watch it at home, Father."
"That's not possible, Ye-ye."
"Why not?"
"Ye-ye, if what you want is a chicken or a duck sold in the Market street, I can buy you a hundred, even a thousand."
"Father, a thousand ducks won't fit in my room."
"That's not what I mean, Ye-ye. People are different from animals, aren't they? It's important to ask the other person's opinion first. Of course, you can force them to come. But what will you do after that? Will you take responsibility for their life? Can you take responsibility?"
"Um... No. I can't take responsibility."
"Right? That man also has his own life. Trying to arbitrarily control someone else's life is what uneducated people do. You can't do that."
Namgung Hwi's ears turned bright red as he listened to the father and daughter's conversation.
He seemed to be reminded of the day he declared that he would take me to Anhui without any warning.
"I see. I understand, Father."
"Our Ye-ye is so bright that she understands what I say."
Moyong-gi patted Moyong So-ye's feet as if he was proud of her.
"So now give up on the Grand Elder..."
"Why? I can take responsibility for Grand Elder. He's my husband, so of course I have to take responsibility."
"...Is that what Ye-ye thinks?"
Moyong-gi's blue eyes became teary at Moyong So-ye's clear answer. He looked at the stage with a miserable expression.
He had a painful face as if he was carrying all the world's worries on his shoulders.
