The following afternoon, a packhorse sent by the Northern Command arrived at the Tang Clinic. Expecting just one horse, they were surprised to see three.
“At this rate, a cart would have been more practical.”
The men who brought the horses unloaded a mountain of goods in the clinic’s yard. Tang Jeseon and Tang Mujin helped them, but the sheer volume of gifts far exceeded what one would consider a typical present.
“So this is what it means to be a high-ranking official with a salary of thousands of seok.”
Tang Mujin and Tang Jeseon sorted through the items sent by the Northern Command and moved them inside the clinic.
Surprisingly, there was no gold or silver—only tangible goods.
Bags of high-quality rice, rare ingredients that only top officials could afford, and an overwhelming amount of medicinal herbs, as if they had emptied a local apothecary.
Upon seeing the herbs, Tang Jeseon looked more overwhelmed than pleased.
“With this much, we could open a new clinic.”
“Are they trying to set Mujin up on his own?”
Dan Seolyeong spoke with a hint of hopeful anticipation, but Tang Jeseon waved it off.
“Don’t be silly. Who would take over the Tang Clinic then? Getting a separate house is fine, but starting a new clinic is out of the question.”
While Dan Seolyeong imagined setting up a separate household with Tang Mujin, he was lost in thought about what the Northern Command had told him the day before.
“The quack? When I visited, he was in Guangdong. He confidently prescribed me medicine, but it didn’t help. I neither got better nor worse, so I half gave up.”
“He had a pockmarked face, a fierce expression, and a poor complexion. He even limped a bit… I can see why they call him a quack.”
Clearly, it was an impostor. The real Gwai Yi, Lee Chung, was older but still quite handsome, with no scars.
Tang Mujin sat on the porch, tapping his foot restlessly.
He had just returned from Nogunsan not long ago and had no plans to leave Seongdo unless something significant happened.
But this was significant. Pretending to be Gwai Yi without fear of the consequences was not just foolish—it was a death wish.
“They must know the old man’s reputation.”
In any case, Tang Mujin had no intention of letting this situation continue.
Though Gwai Yi had never explicitly called him a disciple, Tang Mujin considered him a mentor. He had inherited Gwai Yi’s medical skills and had been the one to lay him to rest.
“I have to go and deal with this. Whether it’s a clean cut or a bitter lesson—or both.”
Of course, the “bitter lesson” Tang Mujin had in mind was no small matter. It would likely involve pain beyond what Baek Chuseo or Banyong Gweol could endure.
The problem was the distance and time. Even with the fastest travel techniques, a round trip to Guangdong would take a month.
To make matters worse, there was no guarantee he could find the impostor quickly, and he didn’t even know the way to Guangdong, so it could easily take a couple more months.
“So, at the very least, it would take two months…”
Tang Mujin glanced at Dan Seolyeong. It hadn’t been long since her anger had subsided. Disappearing now could provoke an unpredictable reaction.
“But I have no choice this time.”
The old man’s honor was at stake. Tang Mujin steeled himself.
“I hope she’ll let it slide just this once… Well, we’ll see.”
Tang Mujin scratched his head, unable to think of a better solution.
Four days later, Tang Mujin quietly prepared to leave for Guangdong while helping out at the clinic.
Before even the earliest rooster crowed, in the pitch-black pre-dawn, Tang Mujin quietly opened the door. The cool morning air seeped into the room.
He used his travel techniques to silently leap off the porch, avoiding any creaking sounds.
But before he could take more than two steps, a voice called out from behind.
“Where are you going?”
Tang Mujin turned around. Dan Seolyeong was sitting against the wall, deep in the shadows of the porch.
She looked at him with wide, clear eyes, reminiscent of their first meeting in Hanam, her gaze dizzyingly intense.
“Uh… I have some business to take care of.”
“Will it take long?”
Her question was calm, as if she already knew. Tang Mujin felt sheepish.
“It might. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
Without responding, Dan Seolyeong stood up and approached him, taking his hand. Tang Mujin spoke awkwardly.
“How did you know I was sneaking out?”
“Of course I knew. I watch you all day.”
Her words pierced him deeply.
He might have been able to move without her seeing, but he couldn’t fool her intuition.
“How did you know I was leaving today?”
“I didn’t. I just figured you’d leave soon, so I stayed awake.”
No wonder she’d been nodding off with a tired expression lately. She must have been waiting without sleeping.
Tang Mujin sighed deeply and hugged her.
”…I’m sorry. It’s important.”
“I know it’s important. If you’re leaving without telling me, it must be.”
Her words could have sounded sarcastic, but they were filled with confident assurance.
She was saying, “I’m important to you, and if you’re hiding it from me, it must be crucial.” Dan Seolyeong showed no doubt in her conviction.
“And I’m not saying you shouldn’t go. I’m saying let’s go together.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been diligently practicing the travel techniques you and Master Lee taught me. How’s this?”
Dan Seolyeong lifted the hem of her skirt and demonstrated the techniques in front of Tang Mujin.
Though not perfect, it was clear she’d practiced diligently. Her skills were better than most amateurs, even if her internal energy wasn’t vast.
Tang Mujin realized something anew.
Dan Seolyeong wasn’t someone who sat idly by, waiting for the world to turn her way.
Even if the odds were against her, she wouldn’t hesitate. If she wanted something, she’d run for it and reach out with all her might. Tang Mujin admired that about her.
He chuckled.
“Alright. Let’s go together.”
His unexpected agreement surprised Dan Seolyeong.
“Really?”
“Of course. And today, you don’t need to use the travel techniques.”
“Why? Isn’t it urgent?”
“It’s not that urgent, and today, I plan to carry you. Get some sleep. You look tired.”
When Tang Mujin offered his back, Dan Seolyeong didn’t hesitate to climb on.
He felt her gentle breath against his neck.
Her breathing soon became steady and calm.
Tang Mujin carefully supported her as he headed out of Seongdo, ensuring she wouldn’t wake. The feeling of running through the deserted early morning streets was strangely unfamiliar.
A moment later, a dark figure leapt from a nearby rooftop to join them. It was Namgung Myung, dressed in night clothes.
Removing his mask, Namgung Myung spoke with a hint of exasperation.
“Are you planning to put her to sleep and leave her behind? That’s heartless.”
“If I did that, I’d be facing an unimaginable future.”
Tang Mujin chuckled, handing over the luggage he was carrying. Unlike Tang Mujin, who had Dan Seolyeong on his back and was carrying supplies, Namgung Myung only had a few clothes and a small pouch.
Before the sun rose, the three of them left Seongdo.
The trio traveled through Guizhou and Hunan, heading towards Guangdong.
Though nothing significant happened, the changing weather and scenery kept them from getting bored.
At first, they passed through cool grasslands, but within days, the air became dry. As they entered Guangdong, the hot, humid air clung to them. It felt like experiencing a short cycle of four seasons in just a few days.
Dan Seolyeong fanned herself with her sleeve, trying to cool down.
“Is the air in Guangdong always like this? It feels sticky.”
“Guangdong is by the sea, so the wind carries salt. The further south we go, the hotter and more humid it will get.”
“Wait, Myung, have you been to Guangdong before?”
“No, I just heard from merchants. They say the humidity in places like Shenzhen or Dongguan is much worse.”
“Ugh.”
Tang Mujin interrupted their chatter.
“That must be Qingyuan. Let’s take a break there.”
The three of them entered the city of Qingyuan in Guangdong.
Though not particularly large, it was a key city connecting Hunan and Guangdong. As such cities often do, it had everything one might need, regardless of its size.
However, the atmosphere and scenery were unusual.
The city was packed with people, almost bursting at the seams.
Every shaded spot, from under the eaves of buildings to beneath trees, was filled with people.
It wasn’t just the crowd. Everyone seemed anxious, glancing around nervously and murmuring constantly.
But it was hard to guess what they were worried about.
‘What’s going on?’
While some villages are wary of outsiders, this didn’t seem to be the case in Qingyuan. The locals paid little attention to Tang Mujin and his companions.
Tang Mujin and Namgung Myung, who had roamed the central plains for quite some time, found the scene before them strange. Even Dan Seol-young, who had less travel experience, could tell something was off.
“Why does it feel so weird here?”
“Not sure. Let’s grab a bite and ask around.”
They headed towards the nearest inn but quickly turned away. It was packed to the brim, making it impossible to even step inside. The stifling heat was just an added inconvenience.
Eventually, the trio made their way to a street vendor set up in a narrow alley. These stalls didn’t offer comfortable seating, but the food was much cheaper, a trade-off they were willing to make.
Tang Mujin pulled out his coin pouch and spoke up. “One order of dumplings and three bowls of noodles, please.”
“That’ll be sixty-five coins.”
Tang Mujin’s eyebrow twitched. That was an outrageous price.
In a regular inn, dumplings would cost about four coins, and noodles varied between three to five coins depending on the ingredients. Street food was supposed to be even cheaper.
At a modest stall, ten coins would suffice, and even at a pricier one, fifteen coins would be more than enough.
It wasn’t that they were short on money. Tang Mujin’s finances were quite healthy, and sixty-five coins were a mere drop in the bucket for him.
But regardless of his financial comfort, being blatantly overcharged was something he couldn’t tolerate.
Taking a step back, Tang Mujin spoke in a cold voice. “Hey, Myung. I’m a bit short on cash. Why don’t you handle this one?”
“Heh… Got it.”
Namgung Myung chuckled slyly, stepping forward with a small pouch in hand.
The vendor was about to pay dearly for trying to rip them off.
Just as Namgung Myung’s left hand was about to make a discreet move, the vendor gave a sheepish smile.
“You must be from out of town. Yeah, it’s a bit pricey, isn’t it? Sorry, but there’s no helping it. Things aren’t great around here lately.”
“What’s going on?”
“Well, the place is swarming with people, and there’s not enough food to go around. Normally, it would be twelve coins, but with the cost of ingredients skyrocketing, the price had to go up. Still cheaper than the inns, though. They’d charge you a silver coin for this much.”
No wonder the small town was so crowded. There was a reason behind it.
Namgung Myung glanced at Tang Mujin, who gave a slight nod. With a resigned expression, Namgung Myung handed over the coins from his pouch to the vendor.
The vendor would never realize how close he came to a different kind of trouble.
Tang Mujin asked the vendor, “Do you know why so many people have gathered here?”
“There’s a plague.”
“A plague?”
“Yes. I once heard from a sage that in Guangdong and Guangxi, the heat builds up too much, and the energy becomes unbalanced, leading to outbreaks every now and then.”
“Hmm.”
The vendor poured broth into three bowls of noodles and handed them over. Tang Mujin accepted a bowl and asked, “Have you ever heard of someone named Gwai Yi?”
“Can’t say I have. Should I know them?”
“Not really. Just thought I’d ask. Thanks anyway.”
The group found a spot to sit and busied themselves with their chopsticks.
While Namgung Myung and Dan Seol-young savored the simple flavors of the noodles and dumplings, Tang Mujin was caught in a strange sense of déjà vu.
A doctor, a plague. Memories of Jueul Village.
‘It couldn’t be…’
Tang Mujin’s grip on his chopsticks tightened.