Episode 211: Wuchang
The evening after Jeong Taeryeong shot Han Gyun with the Rainstorm Blossom Needle.
Hong Geolge, who had gone out with Wang Jincheong and returned, grumbled.
“They say rumors travel faster than a galloping horse, right? Until yesterday, I thought it was just a joke.”
Namgung Myeong, who was lounging lazily, chuckled.
“See? I told you so.”
Jeong Taeryeong, unintentionally confined to the inn, asked Hong Geolge, “Is it really that bad?”
“Don’t even get me started. I didn’t expect it to be this intense. It’s worse than during the day.”
Hong Geolge recounted everything he had seen and heard outside to the group.
In short, the entire city of Wuchang was buzzing with talk about the ‘mysterious weapon.’
If the Rainstorm Blossom Needle had been something people could easily understand and accept, there might have been less chatter. But for those who hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, the idea of such a device was unbelievable. The notion that a small contraption could subdue a top martial artist with just a flick of the fingers was beyond comprehension.
This led to heated debates between those who had seen the Rainstorm Blossom Needle and those who hadn’t, causing the rumors to spread even faster.
Jeong Taeryeong was holed up in the inn for this very reason.
Even in places where Jeong Taeryeong wasn’t present, the talk was all about the Rainstorm Blossom Needle. If he showed his face, he’d undoubtedly be swarmed by curious onlookers.
Of course, staying hidden didn’t solve the problem entirely.
Officials from the martial arts tournament, martial artists, and even merchants smelling profit flocked to the inn. The number of people was overwhelming.
Simply locking the door wasn’t enough to keep them out.
In the end, Dang Mujin, Namgung Myeong, and Hyeon Gong took turns going outside to disperse the crowd. Even now, Hyeon Gong stood guard at the door.
Namgung Myeong grumbled to Dang Mujin, “You should’ve been more careful when making the Rainstorm Blossom Needle.”
“Anyone would think I invented it,” Dang Mujin replied, sounding aggrieved.
“But you did make it.”
Dang Mujin protested, “The design was Dan Seolyeong’s. I just followed her instructions. I couldn’t adjust its power even if I wanted to.”
Unlike the Rainstorm Blossom Needle he had made with Dan Seolyeong, this one was crafted with rare materials, enhancing its power. But Dang Mujin chose not to mention that.
Namgung Myeong’s voice was full of dissatisfaction, his complaints now directed at Dang Jeseon in Sichuan.
“The elder should give Dan Seolyeong more responsibilities. She’s too coddled as a daughter-in-law, so she ends up making strange things in her spare time.”
Namgung Myeong wasn’t entirely wrong. Unlike other women juggling work and childcare, Dan Seolyeong had a relatively leisurely life.
The medical duties at the Dang family clinic were handled by Chu Sam, skilled in medicine, and Mok Wana, knowledgeable in herbs and poisons.
Dan Seolyeong wasn’t burdened with menial tasks either. Dang Jeseon hired people for chores like fetching water and preparing meals.
Thanks to this doting treatment, Dan Seolyeong’s days were spent caring for her daughter and indulging in her hobbies.
Her hobby was creating all sorts of curious gadgets. And the things she made fell into two categories: toys for her daughter or weapons for Dang Mujin.
The Rainstorm Blossom Needle was one such creation.
Following Dan Seolyeong’s design, Dang Mujin diligently carved wood, hammered metal, and cut leather to bring it to life.
Hoping to keep Dan Seolyeong out of the spotlight, Dang Mujin turned to Jeong Taeryeong instead of responding to Namgung Myeong’s complaints.
“Jeong Daehyeop, what did the tournament officials ask earlier?”
“As expected, they wanted to know where I got the Rainstorm Blossom Needle.”
“And what did you tell them?”
“I said a celestial being gave it to me in a dream. That I woke up to find it by my bedside.”
To prevent the story of Dan Seolyeong and Dang Mujin creating the Rainstorm Blossom Needle from spreading, Jeong Taeryeong had spun an obviously fantastical tale.
Dang Mujin chuckled.
“The officials aren’t fools. They wouldn’t believe that.”
But Jeong Taeryeong’s response was unexpected.
“Not entirely, but they seemed to accept it to some extent.”
“What?”
“How should I put it…”
After pondering for a while, Jeong Taeryeong found the right words.
“Imagine you went to a horse market, and a merchant showed you a horse that could travel two hundred li in a day.”
“Okay.”
“If the merchant claimed it was a gift from a celestial being, what would you think?”
“I’d think the merchant was exaggerating.”
“Now, imagine he showed you a winged horse that could fly a thousand li in a day and said it was a celestial gift. How would you react?”
A normal horse can cover a hundred li in a day, and even a well-trained one can only manage two hundred. Where in the world is there a winged horse that can travel a thousand li?
“There’s no such horse.”
“But if you saw one?”
Dang Mujin thought it over. If there were a horse that could run two hundred fifty or three hundred li, it might be believable. But if a horse like the one Jeong Taeryeong described existed, it wouldn’t be strange to think it was a celestial gift. If it weren’t, the situation would be even more bizarre.
“Of course, such a horse doesn’t exist… But if I saw one, I might believe it.”
“It’s similar. The Rainstorm Blossom Needle isn’t just a fast horse; it’s a winged one. The gap between ordinary weapons like iron caltrops or flying daggers and the Rainstorm Blossom Needle is too vast. If I hadn’t seen you make it myself, I’d believe it was a celestial gift.”
In short, the Rainstorm Blossom Needle had crossed from ‘that can’t possibly be true’ to ‘it must have some extraordinary origin.’
Though it was an embarrassing notion, Jeong Taeryeong’s calm delivery made it less awkward.
“Did the officials mention anything about changing the tournament rules?”
“They said that at least for this tournament, the rules wouldn’t change.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Though he wasn’t entirely convinced, since the officials had decided, there was no reason to argue. It wasn’t a loss, after all.
Just then, Hyeon Gong, who had been outside, entered the inn and spoke to Namgung Myeong.
“Your turn now.”
“Got it.”
As Namgung Myeong swapped places with Hyeon Gong and went outside, the noise from the crowd briefly grew louder before the door closed, restoring the quiet.
Normally, this would be a bustling time, but the inn was unusually silent.
The only people inside were the innkeeper, a single server, and Dang Mujin’s group.
Of course, the inn hadn’t been empty from the start.
Namgung Myeong had paid the innkeeper extra to rent the entire place, evicting everyone else.
The server, benefiting the most from this arrangement, was dozing off at a corner table, chin in hand.
Hyeon Gong plopped down on a chair and spoke to Dang Mujin and Jeong Taeryeong.
“The merchants have thinned out a bit, but there are even more martial artists now. They’re desperate to get their hands on the Rainstorm Blossom Needle.”
“Really?”
“And there’ll be more. Right now, it’s just the martial artists in Wuchang, but soon they’ll come from other cities too.”
“Not that it’ll do them any good.”
“You never know.”
Hyeon Gong lowered his voice, speaking seriously.
“Dang Mujin, have you thought about destroying the Rainstorm Blossom Needle?”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“It’s too dangerous. Imagine if it fell into the wrong hands and everyone started carrying one.”
Hyeon Gong looked uneasy.
The danger wasn’t just from those seeking the Rainstorm Blossom Needle, but from the potential chaos if it spread unchecked.
In Hyeon Gong’s view, the mass production of the Rainstorm Blossom Needle was more dangerous than the Sima family producing martial artists with blocked meridians.
Creating and curing blocked meridians required time, cost, and risk. Moreover, mastering martial arts took considerable time.
The Sima family’s plan was to amplify the rewards of training, not to create something from nothing.
But the Rainstorm Blossom Needle could create something from nothing. Ordinary people, without any martial arts training, could kill martial artists.
Hyeon Gong’s goal was to become the head of a martial arts sect and live happily. For that, he hoped the status of martial artists wouldn’t diminish.
He hadn’t trained in martial arts to cower before those wielding the Rainstorm Blossom Needle.
But Dang Mujin replied calmly.
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not something just anyone can make. You know how long it took me to make the Rainstorm Blossom Needle, right? Two whole days.”
The fact that it took Dang Mujin two days to make the Rainstorm Blossom Needle didn’t mean others could replicate it with more time.
Even a particularly skilled craftsman would struggle to make one after weeks of effort.
The Rainstorm Blossom Needle required such small and intricate parts that even Dang Mujin’s skilled hands risked mistakes.
But Hyeon Gong wasn’t reassured.
“Even if they make just one, over time, there’ll be more. It could turn into chaos.”
“No. Even if we manage to make a few by some miracle, it won’t cause any major issues.”
“On what grounds?”
“You can’t forge something this intricate from metal. Even if they try to replicate it, they’d have to carve it from wood. But no matter how well you maintain wood, it warps over time. There’s no guarantee that the Rainflower Needle working now will still function next year.”
Tang Mujin adopted a slightly smug posture.
“Well, if I made them myself, I could churn out a bunch before they deteriorate. But no one else could pull that off. Plus, gathering the materials for the Rainflower Needle or crafting the needles themselves isn’t something just anyone can do.”
“I see.”
Hyeon Gong realized there were more obstacles than he had anticipated, and Tang Mujin’s confidence was undeniable. Hyeon Gong decided not to worry further about the Rainflower Needle.
Night had fallen deeply.
Namgung Myeong, who had been guarding the inn’s entrance, came inside, and Tang Mujin, who had gone out, returned. It was Hyeon Gong’s turn again.
When Hyeon Gong stepped outside, there were still quite a few people lingering around the inn.
But they were all individuals who had tried and failed to get past Tang Mujin’s group into the inn, so they merely watched for an opportunity, unable to approach easily.
Amidst this, an elderly man appeared from afar.
He didn’t approach recklessly but carefully surveyed the surroundings before cautiously approaching Hyeon Gong.
Hyeon Gong spoke indifferently.
“Go back. You can’t come in.”
The old man replied.
“I’m not here to enter.”
“I won’t pass on any messages to Master Jeong, either.”
“I’m not here to speak to Taeryeong or Okryeong. I actually have something to say to you.”
Hyeon Gong hesitated.
The old man’s familiarity with Jeong Taeryeong and Jeong Okryeong was unsettling.
With a slightly softened demeanor, Hyeon Gong said, “You’re probably here to ask for the Rainflower Needle, but I can’t help you. You’re not the first to ask.”
“No. I don’t want the Rainflower Needle.”
This was a first. Curiosity flickered in Hyeon Gong’s eyes.
“Then what brings you here?”
“Could you hide the Rainflower Needle before Taeryeong enters the next martial arts competition?”
The request to hide the Rainflower Needle suggested he was from the Jeongdo Merchant Guild. Hyeon Gong pondered.
‘Honestly, whether Jeong Taeryeong wins or loses the bet doesn’t concern me. Whether Jeong Okryeong marries Namgung Myeong or the heir of the Jeongdo Merchant Guild isn’t a big deal. Namgung Myeong seems indifferent, too.’
‘If he’s from the Jeongdo Merchant Guild, he must have money. Shouldn’t he show some sincerity before asking for a favor? How can he just make such a request without offering anything?’
‘Should I demand compensation first? No, that might lead to troublesome rumors. The best I can do is reluctantly accept if they offer something first.’
Hyeon Gong quickly concluded his thoughts and fixed his gaze on the old man.
He thought the old man might eventually propose a reward.
But the old man remained silent. It seemed no mention of compensation was forthcoming.
‘He has no sense of business ethics.’
This realization genuinely angered Hyeon Gong.
“Are you asking me to interfere in the competition? How shameless…!”
The old man interrupted Hyeon Gong.
“I am the father of those two children, Jeong Gunwi, the master of Bowon Gate.”
“What?”
Jeong Gunwi spoke with a heartfelt plea.
“My daughter is infatuated with a man who was expelled from the Namgung family and can’t see reason. Please, young master. Think of it as saving a family. Could you help us just this once?”