Episode 22. Isn’t a praise song better than a hike?
The door of the shabby house opened and two young women came out. They were Han Chae-yeon and Ha So-baek, who had recently moved into the mountain. Han Chae-yeon, twenty, and Ha So-baek, eighteen, were stuck together like real sisters.
The two women ran to find Chaeju Pungyeoncho and Buchaeju Takgomyeong.
However, Han Chae-yeon opened her mouth first and said, “Sister.”
“Chaeju Orabeoni, can I go to the village with Yeon Orabeoni today?”
“In Hagachon?”
Poongyeoncho looked at Hanchaeyeon with a sullen face.
I want to go to Hagachon, but I don’t know why I’m dragging Yeonjeokha into it.
“Yes. Sobaek said that today, Ha-ga-chon is holding a village ritual. He said there will be a lot to eat and see.”
“If the two of you can go, why not Yeon-ah?”
“Oh my, you want two women to go down the mountain together? Please send Yeon-ohrabeoni instead. Yes?”
Poongyeoncho looked at the two women with meaningful eyes.
It seems like he’s trying to seduce Yeonjeokha, but I don’t know if that’ll work. It’s well known in the mountains that Yeonjeokha is indifferent to relationships between men and women.
Tak Go-myeong, who was standing next to me, said something while giggling.
“Haha, should I go to the village and try to sleep?”
“Oh no! That’s not it.”
Hasobaek, who had not been in the mountain for long, blushed and waved his hand.
In contrast, Han Chae-yeon put both hands on her hips and snapped as if she was upset.
“I’m saying this because I’m worried that there might be some troublemakers since Sobaek-i has just entered the mountain!”
Hasobaek was born in Hagachon and raised by her single mother. Then last year, her mother died of illness and she was left alone. There was no way men would leave her alone, as she was so pretty. The person who saved her from being raped by her neighbor was Han Chaeyeon.
Poongyeoncho waved his hand as if he was annoyed.
“Okay, do as you wish. Yeon-ah will like it too, since she’s only been in the mountains for so long.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“thank you.”
Han Chae-yeon and Ha So-baek bowed and greeted each other.
As the two women fluttered away, Tak Go-myeong smiled and asked.
“Brother, who do you think Yeon-ah will end up with?”
“why?”
“Why? Aren’t I a man?”
“Hey, you thief! Don’t waste your time drinking and praise me later.”
“Brother, age is just a number.”
“I can’t believe a guy like you ate monk food.”
“How about temple food? There are many good men in temples. Take a look at Shaolin Temple.”
“Are the monks of Shaolin Temple as womanizing as you are?”
“Who said it was revealed? I just thought it might be because there were young women in the mountains.”
“Oh my! Damn it. Stop talking nonsense and check on the house construction more often. Don’t let the janitors wander around the mountain without any reason. You never know when those guys might turn into guides for the government troops.”
“No way. They really like us in Hagachon these days… … .”
“So, you think those kids won’t tell you everything if you give them a little bit of money?”
“Of course, those guys are the ones who would even sell out my wife. I will watch them closely so they don’t do anything stupid.”
“Okay, let’s take good care of it. I want to stay at Mt. Obong for a long time.”
“Me too, brother.”
Tak Go-myeong also wanted to continue living in O Bong Sanchae. He was now more affluent than ever before. Praise to Sanchae! It was something he could not have dreamed of before.
***
After spending time without doing anything special, I decided to come down the mountain at the recommendation of two women. This was my first time going down to Hagachon to play since I entered the mountain.
Hasobaek, who was leaving the mountain village, glanced at Yeonjeokha as if he found it strange.
“Have you ever been to Hagachon, Brother Yeon?”
“Oh, I went there a couple of times last winter with my brothers to buy rice and food.”
Although Ha So-baek was a year older than Yeon Jeok-ha, he treated her with respect. Yeon Jeok-ha, too, was used to speaking informally to him due to her life in the mountains.
“Oh, that’s why I didn’t see you. If you came here often, you would have become familiar with me.”
“You said you lived in Hagachon?”
“yes.”
“You don’t look like you’d do anything bad, so why did you come up to the mountain?”
Honestly, I didn’t understand the part about the love affair. Ha So-baek is pretty no matter who looks at her. Her eyes, which are clear and transparent with clear black and white, show how innocent she is. Her face is far from doing bad things, so why did she come up the mountain as if she was being chased?
Although he learned morality through books, he knows right from wrong. Most bandits are people who have committed crimes in the world and run away. Of course, there are those who became bandits because they had a hard time making a living, but that was rare.
“Oh my, Brother Yeon. Do I look like I’m going to do something bad?”
Han Chae-yeon intervened with a look of resentment on her face.
“I didn’t say anything like that?”
“Phew!”
Han Chae-yeon, who had been pouting with a dissatisfied expression, briefly told Ha So-baek’s past story.
“That happened.”
Yeonjeokha nodded as if he understood.
That’s all. I didn’t ask what happened to those bad guys who were my enemies. It wasn’t surprising, since the mountains were full of guys who had done worse things.
It was awkward at first, but the three of them went down the mountain while sharing bits and pieces of their personal stories.
***
Hagachon Sahaeru.
As soon as he sat down by the window, Hasobaek spoke with an excited expression on his face.
“This restaurant has the best food. Jinmi Restaurant’s noodles are worth eating.”
“Have you ever tried it?”
At Han Chae-yeon’s question, Ha So-baek smiled bashfully and nodded.
“Hehe, I don’t have money to buy food in places like this. I do go to Jinmi Restaurant sometimes though.”
Just then, Jeomsoi approached.
“What would you like me to bring you?”
Jeom So-i looked at Han Chae-yeon and Ha So-baek.
It seems that people naturally look at her because she is a rare beauty in Ha-ga-chon.
However, Han Chae-yeon, who had tried various dishes at Giru, ordered on behalf of the group.
“How about hulatang (spicy soup), poja (dumplings), yojajeongye (whole chicken), sochoyuk (stir-fried pork belly), and palbosalbap (fried rice)?”
Han Chae-yeon stared at Jeom So-yi.
The look on his face was that he believed that since these were foods sold in Bobonghyeon, they would be available here too.
“Yes, yes, please wait a moment.”
The squeaky dot retreated.
“Oh my, sis. You’re so cool.”
When Ha So-baek looked at her with envy, Han Chae-yeon shrugged her shoulders and said.
“What’s cool? I learned it all from watching it on Giru.”
“Ah! So that’s what happened.”
At the word Kiru, a look of regret crossed Hasobaek’s face.
The food arrived just as I was sipping a cup of warm tea from the table.
The three people were so absorbed in the rare feast that they just ate in silence.
“Who is this? Isn’t it Sobaek?”
A man dressed in silk approached the table with a loud voice.
An awkward smile appeared on Ha So-baek’s face as he turned his head, wondering who it was.
A man in his thirties with a large mole under his eye tapped Hasobaek on the shoulder as if he was happy to see her.
“I haven’t seen you at all lately. What’s going on? Oh, something bad happened, right? You told me to come see you if you had any trouble. Why didn’t you come?”
Han Chae-yeon, who had been quietly watching what he was doing, asked Ha So-baek.
“Do you know him?”
Surprisingly, Hasobaek shook his head from side to side.
Of course, I know his face. But that’s all. He’s just one of the guys who used to tease me in Hagachon. You can’t say I know him.
“What? You don’t know me? No way!”
As the man continued to tease her, Han Chae-yeon spoke coldly.
“Hey, mister. My brother said he didn’t know. Do you know who we are?”
Ha Il-ji, who runs a large timber store in Ha-ga-chon, asked back as if it was ridiculous.
“who?”
“We are the people of O Bong San Chae. If you understand, then go.”
Ha Il-ji, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, immediately backed down.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were the companions of Mt. Obong… .”
He couldn’t even lift his waist properly and stepped back to avoid the place. This is a sight that shows how great the power of O Bong San Chae is in Ha Ga Village.
Han Chae-yeon, who was clicking her tongue as if she was pathetic, asked Yeon Jeok-ha.
“Don’t you get angry when you see people like that?”
“I feel bad.”
“But why did you stay still?”
“You said something. Then it’s okay.”
In fact, the reason I only watched was because I didn’t know about the relationship between So Baek and that man. However, I didn’t want to make such a lame excuse to Han Chae Yeon.
Han Chae-yeon pouted her lips as if she didn’t like it, but quickly changed the subject.
“Excuse me, brother.”
“why?”
“Can you teach Sobaek and me martial arts?”
“Martial arts?”
Han Chae-yeon gently touched Ha So-baek’s elbow.
Then, as if they had agreed in advance, Ha So-baek also said a word.
“Yes, brother. Please teach me and Chaeyeon some martial arts.”
I hesitated for a moment at the sudden request.
Teaching martial arts isn’t difficult. He himself learned anti-demon techniques from the debt collector. But will he be able to do well if he has no experience teaching anyone?
As Yeonjeok-ha hesitated, Han Chae-yeon asked with a sorrowful expression.
“Why? It doesn’t work?”
Yeon-jeok-ha, cornered, scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
“It’s not that I can’t, but rather that I’m not confident. The old men kept begging me to teach them the magic of anti-demonization, so I showed them a few times. To be honest, I don’t even know what to teach or how to teach it.”
In that moment, Han Chae-yeon’s face brightened.
“Really? If that’s the case, then it’s okay. If you have the will to teach us, that’s fine. If you have any questions, we’ll tell you when we can.”
“I can do that much. But why are you suddenly trying to learn martial arts?”
“These days, there’s a big fuss about finding someone to cook and do laundry in the mountains. If we didn’t know how to fight, would we be looking for a sitter? They’d definitely leave it up to us.”
“My sister is right. If you can find Chanmo, it’s fortunate, but if you can’t find her, or if Chanmo suddenly quits… … . Ugh.”
Hasobaek shivered as if he thought it was terrifying.
It was only then that I realized exactly what the two girls were thinking.
In the end, he decided to learn martial arts in order to avoid being punished by the mountain herb.
“But isn’t Chanmo better than going on a hike (banditry)?”
At Yeonjeokha’s words, the two people shouted in unison.
“I absolutely hate it!”
“why not?”
Why do the two ladies prefer dangerous mountain hikes to the safety of the kitchen?
Han Chae-yeon said, caressing the teacup with both hands.
“Do you remember what the man said a little while ago? He said he was sorry. He said he didn’t know you were the men of Obongsan. Kitchen maids can’t hear that kind of thing in their entire lives.”
“That’s right. We too would like to learn martial arts and become heroes of the world.”
“It’s not really praise.”
The lover nodded as if he understood.
After all, when I was locked in the warehouse, I also wanted to roam the world freely. When I see that, I think people’s minds are similar.
***
Hanamseong.
Anjujin.
As the sun was setting, two men opened the door to the Yangwha Inn and went inside. They were the leader of the Mansu Sangbang, the Gwangpung Swordsman Sangmucheon, and his teacher, the elder of the Mudangpa, Cheonji Sangin.
It was dinner time, so the inn was bustling with customers.
Sangmucheon quickly booked a room at the inn and invited Cheonjisangin to an empty seat in a corner.
Wuxia,
