Episode 75. The only good green forest is a dead green forest.
Luoyang, Hanam Province.
Tea house building.
Two women are sitting by the window, drinking tea while watching the people passing by. They are Yeon Seon-ju from Waryongjang, who has been allowed to go out for the first time in nearly a year, and Lee So-min from Uicheonmun.
Even though it was his first time going out in a long time, the speaker’s complexion was not good.
Lee So-min, who was tilting her head, asked.
“Yeon-mae, is there something bothering you?”
“Ha! I’m going crazy. I think I’m going to be forced into marriage soon.”
“Oh my! Marriage? Who?”
“They say he’s the second son of Jinpyeong Sangbang… … It almost feels like he’s selling me out to them.”
“You’re selling it?”
“My mother is desperate to expand her network of connections.”
“no matter how…….”
“They are forcing me to do it even though I strongly refuse.”
“If you hate it that much, then… … .”
Isomin slowly trailed off.
I remember running away from home like that last time and causing a big accident.
The speaker, who had been absentmindedly thinking about something for a moment, said:
“But what is the Justice League going to do now? Haven’t you heard anything?”
“Nothing special. I think we’ll just observe for the time being.”
“These days, a famous religious monk is visiting the imperial palace… … Even if Kangho doesn’t pay attention to the government, it would be a bit much to fight openly, right?”
“That’s right. Do you know the saying, ‘Three people make a tiger’?”
“If a lot of people say the same thing, people will believe it to be true?”
“Yeah, I think people are getting confused now because they keep talking so positively about famous churches.”
The speaker spoke in a very low voice.
“But they use people as sacrifices.”
“The problem is that even that is just a rumor to the average person. Other than that, the doctrine of the famous religion is really clean. If the royal family invited them, that says it all.”
“Then there won’t be any big fights for the time being?”
“The Justice Alliance will not turn its back on the famous religion, but… … the knights will not stay still. There are quite a few who hold deep grudges.”
“Oh, are you guys like Namgung Se-ga?”
“Our sect is also sharpening its sword. We lost our disciples and even our father was seriously injured. There are more than one or two sects like that.”
“So you’re saying that there is no fight between the Justice Alliance and the Yuming Church?”
“Do you think that’s all? There will be fights for vested interests everywhere. There are more than one or two sects that have lined up with famous religions. What about Waryongjang? Isn’t there a sect that is interfering with Baekse Sangbang?”
“Why not? It seems like you guys can’t even sleep properly these days.”
“Is it that bad?”
“I guess the Sapas will continue to gather forces because they were marked by the Moonlight Sage, so they will soon perish.”
Isomin nodded as if she understood.
After the fall of the Namgung family, people predicted that the same would happen to Waryongjang.
The speaker let out a sigh that made the ground sag.
“Haa! From the Green Forest to the Wolhaseonja, I don’t know why the Waryongjang is so hard to get rid of.”
“If you endure, good days will come. As the saying goes, ‘the path to success is yours.’”
“The problem is that I’m being sold before the good days come.”
“Try to resist the temptation to get married.”
“What doesn’t your sister say at home? Your sister must have a lot of matchmaking going on.”
“Pfft! I was liberated by one word from my grandfather.”
“Are you the Sword Master of Heaven?”
“Yeah, just leave me alone for the time being. I’m free. Do whatever I want.”
Of course, Yi Cheon-geom-jon Lee Ui-jeong had the thief of O Bong-san-chae in mind. Lee So-min had something to say, but she didn’t tell anyone. If her family found out, there would definitely be chaos.
“Wow! I’m really jealous of you, Unnie.”
“I’m jealous. Freedom comes with responsibility. I can’t even sleep well these days because my shoulders are so heavy.”
“What responsibility?”
Isomin, who was looking around, whispered.
“I guess Grandpa likes the young thief from Mt. Obong.”
“Huh? No way?”
Isomin nodded.
“Really? Huh!”
As the volume of sound grew louder without him realizing it, the speaker quickly covered his mouth with his hand.
“I only know about the sale. I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“No, why? Why a thief like that out of all the men!”
The angry speaker trembled.
It’s only natural that he’s the thief who completely ruined the successful Waryongjang.
Waryongjang is still unable to recover from the aftermath and is living in debt.
“I guess that’s because you’re so good at martial arts. After all, men only know martial arts.”
“How do you know that? Did the Master Yicheon Sword go to Mt. Obong?”
“Yeah, I took her there once.”
“But how can O Bong San Chae be in good condition? Surely not, right? How could it be that outstanding? Right?”
“That’s right. I had a fight with my grandfather.”
“Is it a fight?”
The speaker could not understand what Isomin was saying.
The world’s greatest swordsman fought a young bandit named Naburangi?
Isomin covered her mouth with her hand and whispered.
“I’ve never seen a fight like that before. He’s not human. I told you, it was the first time I saw my grandfather with a serious expression. Well, I ran away from my grandfather’s swordsmanship later on.”
“You ran away from the swordsman? Without getting hurt?”
“Yeah. Grandpa was so shocked that he just laughed later.”
Only then did the speaker seem to understand why the Sword Master of Heaven was interested in him.
Swordsmanship is a sword technique that can only be performed by those who have reached the ultimate level of swordsmanship. Therefore, it is not easy to run away from a swordsmanship master.
Didn’t the master of the Uicheonmun, the swordsman Lee Yeon-ik, lose one of his arms to the swordsmanship of Eogumsul?
“No matter what, he’s not a thief… … .”
“I found out that he’s not a bad thief. He must be known as a hero around here.”
The speaker I was listening to frowned.
From what she said, it seemed like Isomin had some interest in the thief.
“Sister, don’t you know the saying, ‘The only good green forest is a dead green forest’? In the Justice League, green forest is an enemy that should just be killed.”
“I don’t know. They coexist with the public enemy, the famous religion. The green forest isn’t even a public enemy. I even heard that the Pacheonma Army meets with the leader?”
“Sister, the Pacheonma-gun and that thief are on different levels. How can the Nokrim’s general be the same as a bandit? Are you already taking his side? It hasn’t even been a year since he paid the ransom and was released?”
“Who’s taking sides? That’s just how it is. I told you. My shoulders are heavy. My marriage was put on hold for a while because of my grandfather’s whims.”
As the topic of marriage returned, a sigh escaped the speaker’s lips.
“Ha! Sister, maybe I can become independent.”
“Independent?”
“If you go to a big city, you can easily find a job. You just have to work as a bodyguard for a superior. Then, you can become a female warrior in the martial arts world… … .”
“Why don’t you tell your mother? Ask her to let you help with the work at Waryongjang like your brothers.”
“No, it won’t work. My brothers are enough to handle the Waryongjang work. All they ask of me is marriage.”
“Wow! Times like this really make me jealous of men, don’t you think?”
“That’s right. If I disappear later, you’ll think I went to another city.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m thinking about opening it. I heard there are a lot of places looking for people there.”
“Once you’re settled in, give me a quick call. Okay? You have to keep the loyalty of the Luoyang Five Alliances.”
“I will. Think carefully about it, too, sister. Don’t do as the adults want you to do.”
Isomin nodded with a bitter smile.
Honestly, I don’t even know what my heart is like right now. Is it because I follow my grandfather because he wants me to, or because I really like him?
***
Bobonghyun.
Mt. Obong.
A young man sits on a rock at the highest peak of Mt. Obong, resting his chin on his hand.
Be in love.
But his expression wasn’t very good.
Although I can freely use Heogongseop, I can’t make any progress with Igi Geogeom.
I thought that if I succeeded in the empty water, I would quickly become a winner, but that wasn’t the case at all.
“This is not it. There is no answer like this.”
Yeonjeokha shook her head.
No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem possible to win with just Heo Gong-seop’s sword.
It was clear that the person who was the master of Simyanggak did not know much about the Igi Geogeom.
As you practice, you will naturally get a feel for it.
Even though I was able to use the empty space technique skillfully, it was still not swordsmanship at all.
Yeonjeokha, who had been practicing swordsmanship until the sun set, slowly descended the mountain.
Yeonjeokha, who had entered Sanghwagak without thinking, hesitated.
All of the Five Bongsipgeol were gathered together, unlike usual, as if they were having some kind of meeting.
As the five Bongsipgeol’s gaze turned to Yeonjeokha, he scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
“What’s going on?”
Han Chae-yeon quickly stepped forward and explained.
“My older brother and second older brother are thinking about getting off the mountain. That’s why we’ve gathered here to discuss what to do.”
“Huh? Are you guys getting off?”
If Ha So-baek and Han Chae-yeon had done that, it would have been understandable. They always had the words on their lips about wanting to get off.
However, Chaeju Pungyeoncho and Buchaeju Takgomyeong were unexpected. The two of them were like the pillars of O Bong Sanchae, so I thought they would be the last to descend.
Tak Go-myeong stepped in to replace Poongyeon-cho.
“My older brother has been having trouble sleeping lately. He keeps saying that he’s worried about his family, so I suggested that we just get off.”
“Ah! Then you should go and see it.”
“Right? Did I speak well? See, hyung. I told you to go see Yeon-ah too.”
Poongyeoncho said with an awkward face.
“Who said anything? That guy named Chae-ju is embarrassed to go down the mountain before his brothers.”
“I’m not going to see you at all, I’m just going to my hometown for a bit. What’s the big deal?”
“Inma, when did you know that you left home because you wanted to become a bandit? You never know what will happen to people.”
“Oh my! If Sister-in-law catches this, she’ll never come back. Are you sure that’s not going to happen?”
“… … .”
Poongyeoncho did not answer.
The sudden change caused a brief silence in the room.
After a long time, Poongyeoncho opened his mouth.
“It would be better to be honest. If it were me in the past, I would have come back because I had no way to support my family. But if my wife and children still think of me as a husband and father… … . I want to live for them.”
“… … .”
The five Bongsipgeol have sad expressions on their faces, as if it doesn’t feel like someone else’s business.
Poongyeoncho continued speaking with an embarrassed expression.
“But that probably won’t happen. I ran away alone in the middle of the night more than ten years ago. My wife might have remarried, and the kids would hate me. I’m sure of it.”
Then Tak Go-myeong spoke comfortingly.
“Anyway, no matter what anyone says, I will stay by your side, hyung.”
“Who is protecting whom? You just take care of yourself, Inma.”
Ha So-baek, who was watching the two with a smile, asked curiously.
“But with the skills of my eldest brother and second brother, I think they could do at least the Pyo-du?”
The third, Ma Hyeong-do, answered with a sly smile.
“There’s still more to it. You’ll be able to see all the way to the top. But I’d like to recommend the upper side rather than the top.”
“Why? What if I step forward as the top escort and end up embarrassing myself with Nokrim?”
“Don’t you think that the only things that are going on in the upper ranks are the upper ranks? When you think about your family, it’s more convenient to go to places like the kiru, gambling house, inn, and tavern managed by the upper ranks. Even if you only go to the flagpole, there’s a lot of work to do.”
“Ah! I see.”
Poongyeoncho shouted with exaggerated gestures.
“Oh my! He’s beating the drum and janggu all by himself. Anyway, since things have come to this, don’t criticize him too much when he says he’s going down.”
“All right.”
“Have a nice day, no, have a good time.”
“Brothers, I will wait for good news.”
The five Bong Sip Geols took turns giving words of wisdom to Poong Yeon Cho and Tak Go Myeong.
The next day, Poongyeoncho and Takgomyeong dressed neatly and left Sanchae.
The two men’s descent must have stirred the hearts of the Five Bongsipgeol.
Before even a few days had passed, Han Chae-yeon, Lee Cheol-san, and Ha So-baek had gone down the mountain.
By the end of summer, only Ma Hyeong-do, Heo Im-dal, and Yeon Jeok-ha remained among the five great heroes of Sanchae.
Wuxia,
