Afterword: The Story of the Tang Clan
Tang Seojin lived with his widowed mother, eking out a living as slash-and-burn farmers deep in the mountains.
For slash-and-burn farmers, moving to a new area when the soil became depleted was routine. It was about time for them to move again, but just then, Seojin’s mother fell ill.
At first, it seemed like a minor ailment, but her condition worsened rapidly over a few days. One evening, as Seojin sat by her side, wondering if she would pass that night or the next, his mother spoke to him.
“Seojin.” “Yes, Mother?” “You don’t like this life as a slash-and-burn farmer, do you?”
She hadn’t been able to speak clearly for a while, so her sudden clarity was surprising. Was this what they called a moment of lucidity before the end? Seojin hoped she would recover, but he knew it was unlikely.
“It’s fine, really.” “Be honest with me.” ”…Just a little.”
At twenty-seven, Seojin wasn’t exactly young, but he was still at an age where he could start anew.
And truth be told, he was growing weary of the life they led. They weren’t even regular farmers, just wanderers without a permanent home.
He was tired of the endless toil and the isolation of mountain life. He longed for the bustling life of a big city or at least a normal village.
His mother continued, “Seojin, you should go to Chengdu tomorrow.” “Chengdu?” “Yes. Your uncle lives there. He’s connected with the Qingcheng Sect.” “The Qingcheng Sect!”
Even living in the remote mountains, Seojin had heard of the Qingcheng Sect. It was a renowned martial arts school, admired by many.
“Is Uncle a member of the Qingcheng Sect?” “No, he’s more likely practicing medicine nearby.”
A physician. Not as glamorous as a martial artist, but still admirable. Unlike the sweat-drenched, ragged life of a slash-and-burn farmer, physicians wore clean clothes and earned a decent living.
Moreover, the respect people showed physicians was enviable. Even ordinary folks would bow their heads when seeking treatment, and for impoverished mountain dwellers like them, it was even more pronounced.
“But I’ve never heard of this uncle before.” “I only met him once myself. But he’s a good man. If you mention your father’s name, he’ll teach you medicine. After five or ten years of hard work, you’ll become a proper physician.” “What is Uncle’s name?” “Tang Jeseol. Go find Tang Jeseol of the Tang Family Clinic in Chengdu.”
With that, Seojin’s mother took her last breath, as if she had said everything she needed to.
Seojin held her hand and murmured, “Tang Jeseol of the Tang Family Clinic in Chengdu. Tang Jeseol of the Tang Family Clinic in Chengdu.”
Seojin walked for a month to reach Chengdu. For someone who had lived his whole life as a slash-and-burn farmer, the bustling city was like another world. The city stretched endlessly, and the number of people was overwhelming.
To make a good impression on the uncle he had never met, Seojin washed himself in a stream and bought a clean, albeit cheap, set of clothes with his meager savings. He then began asking around for directions.
He approached an older man heading in the same direction. “Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me where the Tang Family Clinic is?”
“The Tang Family Clinic? Are you talking about the Tang family?”
“No, I’m looking for the Tang Family Clinic.”
The old man looked puzzled. “The Tang Family Clinic disappeared over ten years ago. Is there another one?”
“Then, where is the Qingcheng Sect located?”
“The Qingcheng Sect disbanded not long ago, so their main hall isn’t operating yet.”
Seojin’s heart sank. He had come all the way to Chengdu on his mother’s word, only to find that both the Qingcheng Sect and the Tang Family Clinic were gone.
The old man pointed east. “Hmm, the Tang Family Clinic has been gone for over a decade.”
“Is there no other Tang Family Clinic?”
“There was only one in Chengdu.”
Seojin felt defeated. Had he made this journey for nothing? Should he return home and resume his life as a slash-and-burn farmer, or stay in Chengdu and find work? Both options seemed daunting.
The man asked, “Why are you looking for the clinic? You don’t seem ill.”
“I’m not sick. My mother told me to find my uncle.”
“Your uncle? What’s his name?”
“Tang Jeseol.”
“And your name?”
“I’m Tang Seojin.”
The man smiled. “Well, the Tang Family Clinic may be gone, but your uncle is still around.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Follow me.”
Seojin turned and followed the man, who led him through the city. As they walked, Seojin noticed more and more martial artists gathering, far more than he had seen before. There must have been at least several hundred.
Seojin instinctively lowered his head.
Why were so many important people gathered here without going inside?
As he pondered this, Seojin felt a strange sensation, as if countless eyes were on him. He looked around and realized it wasn’t his imagination. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people were quietly watching him. It was the first time he had ever been the focus of so many eyes, and he froze like a deer in headlights.
“Uh, um…”
Just then, the man who had been guiding him placed a hand on Seojin’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry…”
As Seojin tried to step aside, he realized who the man was. It was the same person he had been walking with.
The man stood confidently, unfazed by the crowd’s attention. It was then that Seojin realized two important things.
First, the crowd wasn’t looking at him but at the man beside him. Second, he had no idea who this man was.
“Who… who are you?”
The man smiled.
The leader of the Sichuan Tang Clan answered his awkward question.
“Wait inside for a moment.”
”…What?”
In response to Seojin’s confusion, the man replied confidently, “I’ll tell you the long story of how the Tang Family Clinic became the Sichuan Tang Clan.”