Chapter 333: Arrival in Chengdu

Not long after leaving Jueul Village, the group arrived in Chengdu. Tang Mujin was visibly tense, his anxiety apparent to anyone who glanced his way.

Namgung Myung chuckled at the sight. “Relax, will you? Anyone would think you’re a criminal about to be exiled to the underworld.”

“Who’s tense?” Tang Mujin retorted, taking a deep breath as he strolled through the city streets.

Even though they were on the outskirts of Chengdu, quite a distance from the Tang family estate, many people recognized Tang Mujin and waved at him.

“I heard you went out of town. Glad to see you back in one piece.”

“Yeah, what could possibly happen to me?”

“Well, hurry on then. Or would you like to grab a quick bite first?”

“No, I’m fine for now. I’ll come back after I’ve settled in.”

The people who approached Tang Mujin were a diverse bunch: an innkeeper, a loafer lounging on the street, someone leading an ox and a donkey, and even local kids just starting to grow their first whiskers.

Even those who didn’t speak to him acknowledged him with a nod or a smile.

Seolhwa, walking alongside Hyun Gong, asked, “Is Tang Mujin famous around here?”

“In this town, there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t know him.”

“Is he rich?”

“He wasn’t born into wealth, but he’s built quite a fortune. Being on good terms with him can be very beneficial.”

“Ah, I see.”

Unlike the cheerful atmosphere among the rest of the group, Doctor Yeom felt a pang of sadness. A few years ago, he had come to the Tang estate with Doctor Yang to learn medicine. They had left Chengdu together, but now he was alone. His friend was buried in a distant land.

“What’s this?”

As they neared the Tang estate, Tang Mujin was taken aback. A new wall, unfamiliar to him, blocked their path.

Judging by its location, it seemed to be the estate’s boundary wall, but it now enclosed a much larger area than before. It seemed the estate had expanded once again while he was away, a peculiar trait of the Tang estate that seemed to grow every time he turned his back.

And there was a minor issue. Namgung Myung pointed at the wall.

“Wasn’t the main gate around here?”

“It was.”

But the gate was nowhere to be seen. It must have been relocated during the expansion.

“Hold on a second.”

Instead of wandering aimlessly around the wall to find the gate, Namgung Myung, who was more familiar with scaling walls than anyone, leapt up to get a better view.

However, as soon as he landed on the wall, something shot up from inside at an incredible speed, aiming for his thigh.

”···!”

Thanks to his quick reflexes, Namgung Myung twisted his body just in time to narrowly avoid the projectile. He glanced back to see what it was and caught a glimpse of what looked like an arrow.

His friends below were just as startled.

Tang Mujin asked, “What the heck? Did someone just shoot an arrow?”

“Why are you asking me? It’s your house.”

“You’re the one on the wall. Who shot it?”

The most peculiar thing about the arrow was that it had shot up from below, rather than flying horizontally or in an arc from above, as if the archer had been lying on the ground aiming upwards.

Namgung Myung peered down to see who had shot the arrow, but there was no one there, just a small hole in the ground.

“···There’s no one here.”

“What do you mean, no one? Did a ghost shoot it and run away?”

But it was true. As Namgung Myung stood bewildered on the wall, a familiar voice called out from a distance. It was Dan Seol-young.

“Namgung Myung, what are you doing up there?”

“Uh… The gate’s been moved. I was trying to see where it went.”

“Over there! To the south!”

Sure enough, in the direction Dan Seol-young pointed, a grand gate came into view. She added another warning.

“If you don’t want to get hit by another arrow, get down from there!”

“Alright, alright…”

Namgung Myung carefully climbed down from the wall.

When the group reached the gate, it swung open to reveal Dan Seol-young. Despite the winter chill, she had her sleeves rolled up.

Tang Mujin grinned widely at the sight of her, recalling their first meeting. Dan Seol-young smiled back, seemingly not upset.

Just as Tang Mujin was about to embrace her, ignoring the onlookers, Dan Seol-young’s expression shifted subtly.

“Don’t tell me, you brought another…?”

Her gaze landed on Seolhwa, who was curiously looking around the estate. The look she gave was anything but friendly.

Sensing the tension, Seolhwa instinctively stepped aside, moving closer to Hyun Gong rather than Tang Mujin. Hyun Gong naturally extended an arm towards her.

That was all Dan Seol-young needed to understand the situation. As promised before he left, Tang Mujin hadn’t brought back another woman.

While it was common for capable men to take concubines, that was a story for other people’s husbands. Dan Seol-young’s patience extended only to Mok Wana.

Seeing that there was no special relationship between Seolhwa and Tang Mujin, Dan Seol-young’s smile returned.

“Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”

“I’m Seolhwa. You can call me Seolhwa…”

“That’s a lovely name. Nice to meet you.”

“Hello…”

Seolhwa’s response was a bit awkward, likely due to nerves, but she managed to convey her message.

She also realized one more thing: her status was below Dan Seol-young’s.

Dan Seol-young turned to Tang Mujin, grumbling playfully.

“Why are you acting so cautious? It’s confusing.”

“Well, I was a bit late, wasn’t I?”

When Tang Mujin reached out and took Dan Seol-young’s hand, a faint smile played on her lips.

Tang Mujin enjoyed the rough yet soft feel of her hand and gently squeezed it. Dan Seol-young, pretending to be reluctant, let him hold her hand as she spoke.

“You’ve been late more than once, so I was expecting it. Actually, I was hoping you’d come back a bit later.”

“Why?”

“Did you see the arrow earlier? I wanted to show you after it was all finished.”

It seemed the arrow was indeed related to Dan Seol-young.

Tang Mujin glanced around the estate. About ten feet from the wall, the ground had been dug up. It looked like something was being buried or constructed underground.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a mechanism that automatically fires arrows when someone climbs the wall. It’s a hassle to reload, but it’s quite powerful.”

Namgung Myung looked disheartened.

Did this mean he would have to use the gate even for his nightly escapades?

Tang Mujin asked, “What are you planning to use it for?”

“The Taoists from Cheongseong said there’s been a lot of damage from recent conflicts. They mentioned the Gongdong sect was devastated. I thought I should prepare in advance. It might be a bit late, but you never know when something similar might happen.”

That was typical of Dan Seol-young.

Once she set a goal, she moved swiftly and decisively, never hesitating or stopping. Her remarkable ability to get things done was impressive.

Tang Mujin knew exactly what to say in this situation.

“I’ll help out too.”

“I figured you’d say that. Anyway, you all must be tired. Go in, wash up, and rest!”

Tang Mujin wasn’t included in the “all.”

The five others—Hyun Gong, Namgung Myung, Hong Geolgae, Seolhwa, and Doctor Yeom—scattered in different directions. Except for Seolhwa, the others seemed at ease, as if they were returning home.

Walking alongside Dan Seol-young, Tang Mujin remarked, “The estate’s gotten a lot bigger.”

“Since I decided to install mechanisms around the wall, I expanded the land enough so we wouldn’t need to do it again. I gave generous compensation to the people living nearby and asked them to find homes elsewhere.”

“That must have been quite a task.”

“That’s not all. I’m planning to install a few more mechanisms and, if I can find a skilled tactician, completely redesign the layout of the estate. They say you need to change the building arrangement to set up a proper formation.”

“···Where’s the money coming from? The clinic’s income can’t cover all that.”

Even though they had received a substantial sum from the owner of Manggeumjang, there were limits. Tang Mujin had already spent a considerable amount before leaving.

Expanding the estate, installing mechanisms, and even altering the building layout seemed impossible with the remaining funds.

But Dan Seol-young waved it off as if it were nothing.

“Well, the clinic’s income skyrocketed while you were away. Even after giving discounts to the Cheongseong and Amipa people, we had a lot of patients coming from afar.”

Combining Dan Seol-young’s account with the stories Tang Mujin had heard from the martial artists in Jueul Village, he could piece together the situation.

It seemed that the warriors from the Sapa sect had attempted to push into Sichuan Province, just as they had previously invaded areas near Gongdong and Kaifeng. The Qingcheng and Emei sects had managed to fend them off, and the Tang family had likely taken on the responsibility of treating the wounded. In return, the Tang family probably offered discounted medical fees.

Dan Seol-young continued her story.

“It’s not just the income from the clinic. We also make a decent amount of money from external businesses.”

“Businesses?”

This was news to him. The Tang family had never earned money through anything other than their medical practice.

“The Taoists from the Qingcheng sect were grateful to the Tang family and handed over a few profitable ventures. They probably did it because they lacked people to manage them…”

“Why did they lose their managers?”

“Originally, Elder Hwang Ryeong-ja managed the businesses alongside the Qingcheng sect’s Chengdu branch. But after many of their masters died, Elder Hwang returned to the main sect. Jin Song, the instructor, went back with him, so the Chengdu branch is likely empty for now.”

Tang Mujin thought of Yeong Heo-ja.

Before his death, Yeong Heo-ja had asked Tang Mujin to be a good neighbor to the Qingcheng sect. Tang Mujin had every intention of doing so.

However, with Yeong Heo-ja and many Taoists gone, the Qingcheng sect’s influence was bound to wane for a while.

Trying to maintain their original scale in such a weakened state would only lead to failure.

The Taoists of the Qingcheng sect understood this, which is why they handed over some of the businesses they couldn’t manage to the Tang family, as a gesture of goodwill.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

“So, who’s managing these businesses we took over?”

“Naturally, I am.”

Tang Mujin looked at her with a weary expression.

The only people who could help Dan Seol-young with her mechanical installations were a few skilled blacksmiths or carpenters. Even they couldn’t assist with designing the mechanisms. Most of the work fell solely on Dan Seol-young’s shoulders.

Managing external businesses on top of that would mean working all day long. Yet, knowing Dan Seol-young, she wouldn’t neglect their children either.

Sensing Tang Mujin’s concern, Dan Seol-young chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry. No one’s forcing me to do this. I create the work for myself. Besides, it’s quite fun. It’s work, but it’s also my hobby.”

“Well, that’s a relief…”

“And now, you’ll be helping me too, right?”

The workload was subtly being passed on to him. But Tang Mujin had no intention of avoiding it.

As a husband and the head of the Tang family, it was his duty.

Tang Mujin walked through the Tang family estate with Dan Seol-young, chatting quietly.

Dan Seol-young pointed here and there, chattering like a little bird. She talked about the mechanisms she planned to build here and there.

It wasn’t just Dan Seol-young who had things to say. Just as she had much to share with Tang Mujin, he too had plenty of stories to tell her. So much had happened over the past year.

As they walked, people who recognized Tang Mujin, regardless of age, greeted him with respectful bows. Those who didn’t know him asked others about his identity.

Soon, people were surprised. They had heard that the head of the Tang family, the “Dragon of Medicine,” was young, but Tang Mujin was even younger than they had imagined.

Tang Mujin slowly took in his surroundings.

In his absence, many things had changed at the Tang family estate.

For instance, the patients.

Perhaps due to the aftermath of the Great War, there were many Taoists from the Qingcheng sect and nuns from the Emei sect among those who appeared to be patients. There were even numerous martial artists who seemed to have come from outside Sichuan, unlike before.

After making a round of the estate, Dan Seol-young spoke to Tang Mujin.

“It’s a bit late, but you should greet Father, right?”

“Yes, I should. Is he in the clinic?”

“Yes.”

Finally, Tang Mujin headed towards the central clinic of the Tang family estate.

Though he was called the head of the Tang family, having returned after wandering far, he needed to show his face to his father.

Tang Mujin’s father, Tang Je-seon, was still in his prime as a physician. Naturally, he spent most of his time in the clinic, attending to patients.

As Tang Mujin entered the clinic, he opened the door. Fortunately, there were no patients in the spacious central clinic.

In the center sat Tang Je-seon, with Mok Wan-ah on his left and Chu Sam, who oversaw the Tang family’s physicians, on his right. Tang Yeong was sprawled across his grandfather’s lap, playing.

It seemed they were having a snack during a break, as there were three plates covered in bean powder among them.

Tang Mujin bowed his head to his father.

“I’m back.”

Tang Je-seon nodded with satisfaction.

“Tang Mujin!”

Mok Wan-ah greeted him with a bright smile, standing up to welcome him. Despite her dust-covered attire, she showed no hesitation.

However, Tang Yeong, who had been playing on Tang Je-seon’s lap, didn’t seem to recognize Tang Mujin and hid behind Tang Je-seon.

”···.”

Tang Mujin felt the weight of his actions. Leaving home when the child was three and returning a year later, it was no wonder she had forgotten his face.

Before he could start speaking again, a loud noise erupted from the side.

“Waaah—”

Tang Mujin turned to his left and noticed three more people.

Two toddlers, about a year old, were holding onto a small table and crying, while Jang Il-nam reached out to prevent them from falling.

Jang Il-nam nodded at Tang Mujin in greeting, then turned back to the children, explaining.

“The kids can stand up holding onto things, but they don’t know how to sit yet. If you sit them down, they stand up and cry, and if you sit them again, they stand up and cry again. It’ll be like this until they learn how to sit.”

“You must be having a hard time.”

“Hardly. I’ve never been happier than these days…”

It wasn’t just empty words. Jang Il-nam’s expression was bright, and he looked remarkably well.

Finally, the two children wobbled on their knees, trying to sit down, but lost their grip on the table and fell backward.

Jang Il-nam quickly reached out to catch them. It must not have been the first time, as the children, despite falling, burst into giggles.

Tang Mujin asked Jang Il-nam.

“Where is Elder Sam-an-bul?”

“My brother has been staying elsewhere for important matters for a few months now. But he visits the Tang family estate about once a month, so you’ll see him soon.”

“I see.”

A brief silence.

Tang Mujin sensed a subtle exchange of glances among everyone except himself.

Jang Il-nam nodded, then sat in the middle of the clinic with the two children in his arms. The children wriggled on his lap.

The central clinic fell silent. The only sound was the babbling of the two toddlers.

Tang Mujin’s father, Tang Je-seon, spoke in a solemn voice.

“Mujin.”

“Yes.”

“You remember the names of your daughters, don’t you?”

Tang Mujin felt a bit slighted. What father would forget his daughters’ names?

“How could I forget? They’re Tang Yeong, Tang I-ryeong, and Tang Hae-won.”

The eldest, Tang Yeong, was four this year.

Mok Wan-ah’s daughter, Tang I-ryeong, and Dan Seol-young’s daughter, Tang Hae-won, were both one year old.

Tang I-ryeong was born slightly earlier than Tang Hae-won, but there was hardly any gap between their births.

“Mujin.”

As Tang Je-seon spoke, the air around them grew tense.

Of course, Tang Mujin didn’t understand why the atmosphere had become so charged.

“Yes.”

“Try to guess. Which of the two is I-ryeong, and which is Hae-won?”

Tang Mujin’s gaze fell on the two children squirming on Jang Il-nam’s lap.

Both were the same gender, and their builds were similar.

There were no additional clues.

A pure fifty-fifty chance.

In other words, a fifty percent chance of failure.

Tang Mujin’s palms grew damp with sweat.