Chapter 74
Chapter 74
"Your expression is quite fierce." Put down the Flying Dagger.”
“Uncle Geun-myeong?”
The familiar voice drained my strength. It was Dang Geunmyeong who had followed me.
“Drawing Flying Daggers without knowing who the enemy is, is reckless. If I were you, I would have prepared Poison Needles.”
Dang Geunmyeong, pointing this out, stared at me intently. As I hesitantly put away the Flying Dagger, he chuckled.
“I will guide you until you leave Seongdo. Where were you planning to go?”
“I was going to Nangjung.”
“Revealing your destination so readily is also unacceptable. Never tell anyone again.”
Dang Geunmyeong warned in a chilling voice.
Seriously, what do you want me to do?
“Going to Nangjung is a good choice. From there, go through Junggyeong to the Central Plains. That place will allow you to hide until the Patriarch's seclusion ends.”
“Will Grandfather’s seclusion take long?”
“I expect five years. Let’s go to the docks. I’ll find you a boat to Nangjung. Hya!”
I followed Dang Geunmyeong, asking.
“How did you come?”
“If I only watched you being chased out, wouldn’t the Patriarch kick me out too? I don’t want to be kicked out either.”
Dang Geunmyeong’s blunt joke made me laugh for no reason. He was even making jokes he usually wouldn’t, trying to reassure me.
We arrived at the docks as the dawn twilight began to settle.
The docks, not yet awakened from sleep, were filled only with the sound of the flowing river and the chirping of insects.
Every time the wind blew, the lanterns hanging in front of the inn flickered dimly, and cargo that the porters seemed to have left unfinished was piled up on the docks.
Dang Geunmyeong, dismounting from his horse, approached the closest shack on the docks and knocked loudly on the door. A man who opened the door with a start, complained in a voice still heavy with sleep.
“Seriously, what time is it…!”
“Is there a boat going to Nangjung?”
“…It’s early.”
The man, intimidated by Dang Geunmyeong’s size, quickly lowered his voice. Dang Geunmyeong, unconcerned, asked.
“I have an urgent message and need to leave for Nangjung immediately, is there any way?”
“R-Right now? Still, the sun needs to rise before we can prepare…”
“I need to go right now. If my nephew arrives safely and sends word, I’ll give you another one.”
As Dang Geunmyeong handed over a silver coin, the man’s face lit up.
“Of course, there’s no problem. Please wait a moment.”
The man, instantly changing his attitude, began preparing to launch the boat.
As the boatman walked away, Dang Geunmyeong whispered lowly.
“If you encounter a Wanderer, don’t confront them, run away. The tactics of Wanderers who have crawled from the bottom are difficult for you to handle. It’s different from the sparring you did with the family.”
“Yes. I’ll be careful.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s difficult for me to help you any further. The Patriarch has stated that since you have been expelled, you have no connection to the Tang Clan. As long as I wear this Green Robe, I cannot protect you.”
“The guidance is enough. Thank you. Uncle.”
Dang Geunmyeong’s position was also unstable with Dang Jung gone. Helping me this far was already a reckless choice for him.
If Dang Geunmyeong were to disobey the Patriarch’s orders by trying to help me further, he might lose the Tang surname he had earned with his life.
Dang Geunmyeong, letting out a silent groan, quietly reached out his hand to me. I dismounted from the horse with Dang Geunmyeong’s help.
Ju-ryeong, awakened from sleep, wriggled out and burrowed into my sleeve.
“Ju-ryeong. Don’t come out, stay still.”
“Kiee….”
Ju-ryeong, answering as if sleep-talking, settled inside my side.
While I was packing my things, the boatman, having finished preparing for departure, launched the boat at the pier.
“Young lady. Please come aboard this way.”
“Uncle. I’m leaving.”
“Yes. Go.”
Dang Geunmyeong, nodding, grabbed the reins of the horse and stepped back.
I boarded the boat with the boatman’s help.
“We will depart.”
As the boatman released the rope and rowed, the swaying rowboat began to move forward. Dang Geunmyeong’s figure grew smaller and smaller.
He didn’t move from his spot until I became a small dot.
This was truly, a farewell.
\ \ \
The day was dawning dimly.
I hugged my knees and curled up. I couldn’t tell if my body was trembling because of the cold or because I was scared of the situation.
Ju-ryeong, reacting to my trembling, rubbed against the back of my hand as if to comfort me. The feeling of the soft fur made me feel a little better.
As I stared blankly into the air, the boatman cautiously suggested.
“Close your eyes for a while. Young lady. You won’t encounter bandits at this time. You will be safe.”
“Yes.”
I answered, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I couldn’t completely trust the boatman, and my mind was as tangled as a skein of yarn.
If Dang Geunmyeong was right, the Patriarch had allowed revenge on me, so pursuers from the Yuju Merchant Guild would be after me.
How should I avoid being tracked? Is there a place to hide?
Only then did I realize. I knew nothing about the world outside the Tang Clan.
I was, a frog in a well.
Laughing in vain, I lifted my head and felt something wet touch my cheek.
Half-frozen raindrops were drumming on the river.
“Oh dear, young lady. At least put this on. It’s suddenly raining.”
The boatman took out a raincoat from a pile of luggage and handed it to me. It smelled of damp grass, but I couldn’t afford to be picky.
“The weather is terrible. Ah, I didn’t mean to say that to you, young lady.”
As the boatman said, the weather was terrible. I put on the raincoat, which was twice my size.
The sleet intensified, and the surface of the water seemed to be agitated, then thunder began to rumble.
Boom!
The boatman cursed at the sound of thunder that vibrated through the boat. The small rowboat shook violently as if it would be swallowed by the downpour.
“How much further do we have to go?”
“We have to go five more hours!”
The boatman answered loudly.
Five more hours in this situation, I was worried that the boat would break.
Fortunately, the boatman was worth the price of one silver coin. Like a professional, he broke through the downpour and joined the main river.
Around the time when boats going back and forth on the wide river were seen sparsely, the boatman said.
“Nangjung is visible.”
I stretched my neck out from between the raincoat.
Nangjung, visible beyond the gloomy fog, was a splendid city.
As a city where logistics gathered along the Ganeung River, magnificent inns were built on every street in the docks.
The White Wind Merchant Guild, which was Madam Im’s family, was also noticeable. It was a splendid building.
But none of it excited me. With my life hanging by a thread, I didn’t have the leisure to sightsee.
Soon, the boatman, mooring the boat at the pier, helped me get off the boat.
“You can get off here. Young lady.”
“Thank you.”
Nodding, I stepped onto the land and immediately searched for another boat. I had to leave for Junggyeong right away.
“I’m trying to go to Junggyeong.”
“No boats are leaving today. Spend the night at the inn.”
“I, to Junggyeong…”
“I can’t depart until the rain and wind stop. If the rain stops, the river will freeze, and boats are likely to be damaged in this weather.”
I wandered around the docks looking for a boat to Junggyeong, but everyone shook their heads.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier. The downpour was so heavy that I couldn’t see an inch ahead, and the river was raging violently.
As I walked around in the rain, soaked without a hat or umbrella, I felt strange gazes from people.
I rubbed my shivering body and turned around. As the boatman said, it seemed like I would have to spend tonight at the inn.
Wandering around the main street, I chose a shabby inn that wouldn’t stand out and went inside.
“Oh my, welcome. Customer. You’re completely soaked. Shall I prepare water for you to wash?”
“Please do.”
“Hot water is two coins.”
The Jeomsoi who ran out, rubbed his hands together and said. It felt a little expensive, but I didn’t have the energy to haggle.
“Bring the meal to my room. Something appropriate.”
I roughly calculated the cost of the water and meal, handed it over, and went up to the second floor.
I washed, filled my stomach with the meal that the Jeomsoi brought, and lay down on the bed.
Perhaps because I had been tense all day, I fell asleep as soon as I lay down.
“Ju-ryeong. You slept a lot earlier. Let me know if anyone comes close.”
“Kyoo.”
Ju-ryeong stomped her feet with a sulky face, but I didn’t have the energy to respond.
I fell into a deep sleep as if I had fainted.
\ \ \
The rain didn’t stop the next day either.
Rather, the wind had become stronger, and the windows were rattling.
Seeing the boats tightly tied to the docks, it seemed like there would be no boats going to Junggyeong today either.
I couldn’t stay in Nangjung for long. If I couldn’t get on a boat to Junggyeong, I had to find another way.
As I was worrying while eating breakfast, I got a bamboo hat from the Jeomsoi and came out. I was going to find out if I could get a horse around the docks.
“Damn it, why are they posting notices on a rainy day?”
“I heard his son died. I guess he wants to catch her right away.”
Lifting my head at the voices, I saw government soldiers wearing raincoats posting notices on every wall.
It will all be erased when it gets wet, so is there any point?
Wondering, I approached and almost bit my tongue.
[A wicked woman who murdered her fiancé and ran away. The Yuju Merchant Guild will reward anyone who provides information.]
Although the Facial Description was completely different, the wanted person on the notice was me.
Pulling the hat down deeply, I hurriedly turned around.
The fact that the notice was posted meant that the Yuju Merchant Guild had started chasing me.
It seemed that the Tang Clan had deliberately given a wrong Facial Description, but it was only a matter of time before they found out my real face.
There was no time to delay in Nangjung. I had to run away right now.
But where to?
At that moment, Ju-ryeong scratched my arm with her claws.
“Ju-ryeong. What’s wrong?”
“Kiee.”
Ju-ryeong warned with a short cry and burrowed into my arms.
Only then did I feel a presence. Someone was following me.
The moment I realized it, the smell of fish mixed with the smell of blood entered my nose. It must be a Wanderer who was used to killing people.
‘If you encounter a Wanderer, don’t confront them, run away.’
Dang Geunmyeong’s advice flashed through my mind.
Holding my breath, I stopped walking. Then the other person stopped walking as well.
Splash.
Thanks to the rainwater pooled on the ground, the other person’s footsteps couldn’t be hidden, which was fortunate for me.
“Ju-ryeong. Hold on tight.”
“Kyook?”
I kicked off the ground and started running.
