Chapter 374: Unprecedented
It had been just over half a year since Tang Mujin had last seen his friends, having spent the time quietly at home since the previous autumn.
“Time to start packing,” he thought, and immediately set to work.
But as soon as he spread a thick cloth on the floor to pack his things, Dan Seol-young appeared, watching him intently.
”…”
Tang Mujin felt a pang of guilt, though he couldn’t pinpoint why. He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet his instincts told him otherwise. In the martial world, ignoring one’s intuition was never wise.
He explained to Dan Seol-young, “Namgung Myung is getting married. I should probably go to the Namgung family.”
Dan Seol-young simply nodded, saying nothing. The silence suggested more needed to be said, so Tang Mujin asked, “Want to come with me? We could treat it like a trip together.”
“What about the kids if we both go?”
The answer that lingered on his tongue was to leave them with Elder Jang Il-nam. But once again, his instincts warned him against it.
‘If I say that, I’ll be in for some trouble.’
So what should he say? Tang Mujin pondered, but his instincts only warned of danger, offering no solutions.
‘What would Hyun Gong do in this situation?’ he wondered, recalling the times he had witnessed Hyun Gong’s interactions with Seol-hwa.
Hyun Gong would likely say, “Well… I really want to go with you. I’ll figure something out.”
Even as he spoke, Tang Mujin didn’t fully understand his own words. He hadn’t offered any real solution, yet Dan Seol-young’s expression softened noticeably. It was a curious thing.
However, she declined his offer. “I think it might be too much for me to go.”
“Why? It’s not like we’re going to fight. I’d like to go together if we can.”
“If it were just a five or ten-day trip, it would be fine. But going to the Namgung family will take at least a couple of months. I can’t leave the Tang family for that long.”
What now? Tang Mujin sought advice from the imaginary Hyun Gong in his mind once more. The advice he received was something he couldn’t accept.
He hesitated, trying to come up with a suitable response, but nothing came to mind. Lingering too long would only arouse suspicion.
Finally, half resigned, he followed Hyun Gong’s advice. ”…Maybe I just won’t go to the Namgung family.”
His palms were sweaty with anxiety. If Dan Seol-young nodded, it would be over. He’d miss his dear friend’s wedding.
But she shook her head. “That wouldn’t be right. It’s Namgung Myung’s wedding, after all. You should go, even if it’s just you.”
It was astonishing. How could she tell him to go when he had just suggested not going? And yet, her expression was gentle, even smiling.
Relieved, Tang Mujin was about to nod when he felt a mental tug, as if Hyun Gong were holding him back.
Right. It wasn’t over yet.
He took Dan Seol-young’s hand, looking her straight in the eye. “I’ll come back as soon as I can, okay?”
Her expression brightened a little more. “No need to rush. Take your time, just don’t be too late.”
”…Alright. Let me know if you change your mind and want to come.”
She nodded, then wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace.
Feeling her warmth, Tang Mujin thought that Hyun Gong, though a close friend, might have been a bit of a mentor too.
After explaining the situation to Mok Wan-ah and his father, Tang Mujin left the Tang family the next day, heading for Junggyeong.
With time on his side, he decided to take a leisurely boat ride rather than rush through the heat.
He had someone to meet in Junggyeong. Since Hwa Yeon-shin and Sam An-bul weren’t at the Tang family, they were likely staying in Junggyeong together.
Upon arriving, he went straight to Hwa Yeon-shin’s residence.
“It’s Tang Mujin. May I come in?”
Heavy footsteps approached, and the door opened to reveal Sam An-bul. Beyond him, Hwa Yeon-shin was visible, seated before a thick board, likely playing a game.
Sam An-bul, with his deep, slightly hoarse voice, asked, “What brings you here?”
“I wanted to pay my respects before boarding a ship.”
“A ship?”
“Yes. I’m heading east for Namgung Myung’s wedding.”
“Ah, right. He did mention having a sweetheart. Since you’re here, come in and have some tea.”
Tang Mujin accepted the invitation, stepping inside to see who was winning the game.
He soon realized they weren’t playing Go, but Gomoku.
”…It’s Gomoku.”
Sam An-bul chuckled. “Hwa-ryeong isn’t much for Go, so I taught her something simpler.”
“It’s not that I’m lacking; it’s that this dark fellow does nothing but play Go all day.”
Their banter was friendly, and Tang Mujin sensed that their relationship was more than ordinary. The rumors at the Tang family weren’t just idle talk.
Hwa Yeon-shin asked, “So Namgung Myung’s wedding is at the Namgung family?”
“Yes. Though they’ll stop by his bride’s family on the way.”
“That’s good news,” Hwa Yeon-shin said with a smile, though Tang Mujin sensed something off about it.
She asked again, “The Namgung family is quite influential. I imagine many will come to celebrate.”
“Yes. Hyun Gong and Hong Geol-gae will be there, and guests from other martial families and sects will attend. Maybe not from far places like the Moyong family or the Kunlun sect, but certainly from closer ones like the Shaolin Temple or the Hwangbo family.”
Sam An-bul murmured, “Shaolin Temple…”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, just a bit nostalgic.”
Tang Mujin recalled that Sam An-bul was a monk who had fled the Shaolin Temple after committing a crime.
He wondered what the young Sam An-bul, who had done all the menial tasks, was like.
Then he realized something. Despite leaving the Shaolin Temple decades ago, Sam An-bul still wore monk’s robes and kept his head shaved, like other monks.
“It seems you still have ties to the Shaolin Temple.”
Sam An-bul didn’t deny it. “It’s not that I want to return and follow the monastic rules. I drink and eat meat, and I’ve broken many precepts. But I can’t help feeling uneasy whenever I hear about the Shaolin Temple.”
Hwa Yeon-shin, displeased with Sam An-bul’s somber mood, glared at Tang Mujin, but calmed when Sam An-bul placed a hand on her shoulder.
He asked again, “So, who from the Shaolin Temple is coming?”
“Monk Cheong-wook will likely attend.”
“Ah, the one who came to your wedding?”
“Yes.”
“And the Abbot has passed away.”
“Yes.”
“I see…”
Tang Mujin wondered if Sam An-bul and the Abbot had known each other, given their close ages.
“Were you acquainted with the Abbot?”
“There’s no way a runaway monk and the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple would be friends. I just remember him from my youth.”
“What was he like?”
“He was someone far beyond my reach.”
Tang Mujin understood. Sam An-bul might have known the Abbot, but the Abbot wouldn’t have known him. The gap between a menial worker and a promising disciple was vast.
“You wander all over the martial world, but you always return to the Tang family. What about me?”
“You could return to the Tang family too.”
Sam An-bul smiled faintly. “Yes, that’s why I’m staying at the Tang family. But I still don’t know if I’ve settled in a new home or if I’m still wandering.”
Tang Mujin couldn’t fully grasp Sam An-bul’s feelings. Did he want to return to the Shaolin Temple?
As the conversation grew more serious, a faint cry came from below.
“Ahhh-!”
It seemed Tuhee Wi-jin-an was causing a commotion.
Feeling awkward, Tang Mujin said to Hwa Yeon-shin, ”…It seems he’s still not well.”
“He’s improving, so there’s no need to worry. But I should go calm him down.”
Hwayeon and Sam Anbul rose from their seats, prompting Dang Mujin to do the same naturally.
Sam Anbul gave Dang Mujin a friendly pat on the back. “Take care of yourself. And pass on my congratulations to Namgung Myung.”
“Will do.”
With a respectful bow to the two, Dang Mujin set off towards the ferry at Junggyeong.
Dang Mujin drifted eastward along the Yangtze River, the boat moving at a leisurely pace. It wasn’t particularly fast, but the boat’s true value lay in its constant motion, rarely stopping except at the occasional dock.
He listened to the conversations of other passengers.
”…My joints ache. They swell up red and feel hot, and the pain shifts daily. Just the other day, my toes hurt, and today it’s my ankle. I’ve tried at least ten different remedies, but nothing helps.”
“How long does the pain last each time?”
“Two or three days, usually.”
Dang Mujin gently examined the young merchant’s ankle. The merchant winced when pressed, but didn’t react when Dang Mujin held it with his fingers.
“It seems the issue isn’t with your joints but the muscles around them. No wonder the pain persists despite treating the joints. Pills won’t help; once you disembark, find a physician and ask for Sipmi Paedok Tang and Danggui Jeomtong Tang.”
“Sipmi Paedok Tang and Danggui Jeomtong Tang… Got it.”
“If the symptoms don’t improve, come to the Dang family estate. But I doubt it will come to that.”
“Thank you!”
The young merchant hobbled away, grateful for the advice.
“Three patients today,” Dang Mujin mused, leaning back against the boat’s railing, keeping an eye on the minor health issues of other passengers.
His thoughts drifted to the past. He had tended to patients like this on his first boat journey too. The absence of his old mentor was palpable.
He remembered meeting Namgung Myung on a boat just like this, floating down the Yangtze. The location was roughly the same as well.
Life is unpredictable.
Who would have thought he’d be on a boat again, heading to that thief’s wedding?
“They say a needle thief becomes a cow thief. So what does a thief who starts by stealing swords end up taking…?”
One thing was certain: it wouldn’t lead to a normal life.
Dang Mujin hoped Namgung Myung wouldn’t reveal a darker side.
Dang Mujin disembarked and arrived at the Namgung estate, which, along with the entire village, was in a festive mood. Even the local children were carrying treats they wouldn’t normally see, a testament to the abundance.
The gates of the Namgung estate were wide open, with no one barring entry. It was easy to guess why. No one, in their right mind or not, would dare cause trouble here, and the new head of the family was likely using the occasion to win the villagers’ favor.
As Dang Mujin entered, several familiar martial artists approached him.
“Isn’t this the head of the Dang family!”
“Long time no see.”
“How have you been?”
He recognized them from past encounters at martial arts tournaments and meetings, including Namgung Myung’s uncle, Namgung Jinya.
It seemed Dang Mujin knew quite a few people in the Namgung family.
After exchanging pleasantries, he inquired about Namgung Myung.
“Do you know where Namgung Myung is?”
“The head of the family should be in the main hall.”
The head of the family—Namgung Myung as the head of the Namgung estate. Though he knew it, hearing it aloud made the future of the Namgung family seem even more precarious.
A festering wound on the foot can be life-threatening. How much more dangerous would it be if the wound were on the head?
“The Namgung family is in a precarious position. I must keep my wits about me and lead the Dang family well.”
With a heavy heart, Dang Mujin headed towards the main hall. A few people moved to stop him but stepped aside upon recognizing him.
A servant announced his arrival, and the doors to the main hall opened. Dang Mujin walked in without hesitation.
In the center of the hall was an ornate chair, where Namgung Myung sat casually, with Hong Geolge lounging beside him. They looked much the same as when they last parted.
A mix of fondness and exasperation washed over him. Namgung Myung and Hong Geolge mirrored his expression.
“Hey,” Namgung Myung acknowledged with a raised hand.
“Hey,” Dang Mujin replied.
“So, what do you think?”
Dang Mujin glanced around. With the servant outside, only the three of them were in the hall, allowing him to speak freely.
“Of all people, I never thought you’d become the head of the family… The future of the Namgung estate looks bleak.”
Namgung Myung nodded. “Honestly, a few years ago, I never imagined I’d be the head. I thought it was too much for me.”
“You should have kept thinking that way…”
“Looking back, I think I became the head because of you.”
“I did try hard to make something of you.”
But Namgung Myung shook his head. “Not in that sense. Watching you lead your family made me think, ‘If he can do it, why can’t I?’”
Dang Mujin chose not to argue. Not every thought needs to be voiced. Words should be worth responding to.
Instead, he turned to Hong Geolge, who had a rope with seven knots hanging from his waist. Though there were two more knots than before, it still felt incomplete.
“Hey, Hong, how have you been?”
“Eh, you know, just the usual.”
Dang Mujin grinned. “You left to become the head of Yongdu, but why are you just the chief? Did you decide to hide your strength, or did you find the head position too bothersome?”
Hong Geolge shook his head with a strangely gloomy expression.
Namgung Myung burst into laughter. “He didn’t refuse the head position; he couldn’t get it.”
”…What?”
Dang Mujin turned to Namgung Myung, surprised.
“Was there someone more suitable than him?”
“Surprisingly, yes.”
”…Who?”
Namgung Myung just chuckled, leaving Hong Geolge to explain with a sigh.
“After a meeting of the Six Knots and Seven Elders, it was decided that Hong Gyeon should also be given a chance.”
Namgung Myung added, “Did you know? More people supported Hong Gyeon than Hong Geolge.”
Indeed, for the first time in history, Hong Geolge had been bested by someone else.