Episode 85. Swordsman
Lim Ji-ryeong, who had been standing there blankly with a surprised face, soon came to her senses and spoke to her son.
“Unbi, go out and find Heeyeon and bring her here. And… … Please come inside first.”
Poongunbi glanced back as he went out.
Poongyeoncho carefully took off her shoes on the step and entered the room.
Tak Go-myeong did not follow his brother-in-law and sat down on the porch.
Poongyeoncho, sitting in front of Im Ji-ryeong, bowed her head.
“I’m sorry. I think it’s okay to get cursed at. But if I may make an excuse… … .”
“I know. There was no other way. For a long time after that, the families of the dead people came and caused trouble. If you were here, you would have been beaten to death or arrested by the authorities.”
Poongyeoncho scratched his head.
There are many people who died after eating fake food, so if they were taken to the government office, they would have died.
“Still, you managed to find it?”
“I went to the house I used to live in and heard from a neighbor who remembered me. Five years ago, I moved into the house of Jang Moon-ho, a lumber merchant.”
Im Ji-ryeong stared blankly at the wind chime.
“That’s what happened. But you’re better than before.”
“Huh? Really? You look better than when you were living with me.”
As he spoke, Poongyeoncho thought, ‘Oh no.’
You look better than when you were living with me! What kind of idiot are you talking about?
Poongyeoncho continued speaking hurriedly.
“I, I came here to see how you were doing. I didn’t mean anything else, so don’t worry. I will never blame you for running away and abandoning me.”
“What do you resent?”
“I don’t resent you even if you became Jang’s concubine. It must have been hard to raise two children on your own. I thought I might have starved to death.”
I saw many corpses that died of starvation while wandering.
It was hard to say what would have happened if he had not climbed the mountain. It goes without saying what would have happened to his wife and two children.
“What are you talking about? I worked in the kitchen and did sewing for a living. Then, by chance, I met an older sister who grew up in the same village. At her suggestion, I started living with her and helped out at the lumber store.”
“So, then, you didn’t approve it?”
“yes.”
Lim Ji-ryeong answered firmly.
Jang Moon-ho’s wife, Shim Ji-yeon, doesn’t have any children. That’s probably why she often says, “Let’s live together for the rest of our lives.” She also knows that Jang Moon-ho has feelings for her.
However, I didn’t really want to become a concubine. To be honest, I was so busy raising two children that I didn’t have time to feel lonely.
At that moment, a sigh of relief escaped Poongyeoncho’s mouth.
Looking at him like that, Im Ji-ryeong asked.
“Did you come here to see how the family you abandoned is living?”
“No, that can’t be. If you let me, I’d like to be a husband and father again. I’m sure I can do it this time. I won’t let you down again.”
At that moment, the voice of Pungunbi was heard from outside.
“Mother, I brought Hee-yeon.”
“Both of you, come in.”
Entering the room, Poong Yunbi and Poong Heeyeon glanced at Poong Yeoncho.
The landlord, Jang Moon-ho, had never been in the room before, so he was surprised to see a strange man sitting there.
“Greet him. He is your father.”
“… … .”
Poong Yunbi and Poong Heeyeon, who were looking at Poongyeoncho with surprised faces, bowed awkwardly.
***
That evening.
The main room of a sahapwon (the room in the center of the front).
Two men sat facing each other with a writing table in between.
Jang Moon-ho, the landlord and lumber shop owner, and Pung Yeon-cho, an uninvited guest.
Jang Moon-ho, who was two years older than Poongyeoncho, led the conversation.
“I heard a brief story from your wife. You came back to live with your family again?”
Poongyeoncho nodded.
“Yes. Thank you for taking care of my wife and children all this time. I will never forget your kindness and will repay it.”
“Don’t mention it. I have a deep affection for my wife, so I can’t call her a stranger. But the victims will probably try to take revenge… … . Is it okay to take their families out?”
“You have to persuade them well. Strictly speaking, I was also deceived. I did not make the fake medicine. I only believed the rumors and sold it.”
Jang Moon-ho nodded as if he understood.
“Ha! I guess we’ve grown attached to each other after living together for so long. Now that you’re leaving, I’m already worried. I really hope you don’t make the same mistake again this time.”
“… … .”
Poongyeoncho was not at ease.
Actually, that’s going beyond the pale.
There was no reason for me to hear such things from a complete stranger, not even an adult in the family.
But I endured it anyway.
He had to do so, considering all the favors his family had received from him over the past five years.
“By the way, are you thinking of going back to your hometown? That might be a bit dangerous… … .”
“No. I want to live in Gaebong.”
“Ah! What are you going to do with the house? The price of houses in Gaebong must be quite high.”
“I have some money saved up.”
“I don’t know if you know the market price, but in Gaebong, even if it’s a single-garden house, you have to pay at least 300 nyang for silver. This house has two gardens and was bought for 1,000 nyang.”
Jang Moon-ho thought, ‘There’s no way that Poongyeon-cho, who followed a wandering pharmacist, could have that much money.’
“You can afford a house with a garden.”
Jang Moon-ho paused for a moment at Pungyeoncho’s calm answer.
“Well, that’s fortunate. There are some places in Gaebong that will give Im-mae some work. It would be good for Im-mae and the children to settle down in Gaebong.”
“From now on, my wife will never have to sew for someone else’s house again.”
“Oh, I forgot about Brother Feng. Did you get a job in Gaepoong?”
“I have to save him.”
“Can I ask what kind of job you are looking for? I am from Gaebong, so I have a lot of connections.”
Jang Moon-ho looked at the wind chime intently.
I was curious about what talent the man had when he returned after twelve years of following a wandering medicine vendor.
“I know how to use a knife. I plan to work in the military or in the upper room.”
“ah!”
An exclamation came out of Jang Moon-ho’s mouth.
There is no profession that can make money without capital like swordsmen. With just one sword, they can earn much more than ordinary people.
Jang Moon-ho lifted his back from the chair he was leaning on.
I was a little nervous at the word swordsman.
“If you don’t mind, could you tell me which school you studied in? I’d like to introduce you to a job that would suit you, Mr. Feng. If it’s hard to say, I don’t really need to… … .”
“I was taught by a master from Waryongjang.”
Poongyeoncho did not hide his martial arts background because the Waryongjang clan was destroyed. In any case, if anyone saw the Waryongjang swordsmanship, it would be known.
“Is this the Waryongjang of Luoyang?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow! I see. That’s amazing.”
Jang Moon-ho looked at Pungyeoncho with a serious expression.
I thought he was just a wandering medicine vendor, but I guess that was a mistake. Although Luoyang’s Waryongjang was destroyed, it was still a prestigious family.
“There are several large-scale stores in Gaebong, and one of them is Sahaesangbang. Have you ever heard of it?”
“I don’t know much about the opening.”
“I see. The place where I receive my items is Sahaesangbang. Since I know the owner of Sahaesangbang, I will prepare a place for him.”
“thank you.”
“It’s okay. We have to help each other and live.”
Poongyeoncho’s heart softened at Jang Moon-ho’s more polite attitude.
After answering a few of Jang Moon-ho’s questions, he got up from his seat.
***
The next day, Poongyeoncho went around looking at houses with Takgomyeong.
Originally, I was going to go with Im Ji-ryeong, but she declined, saying she had a lot of work to do.
Poongyeoncho and Takgomyeong searched for a place as far away from Jang Moonho’s house as possible. Then, around dusk, they were lucky enough to find a suitable house.
Although it was a small Danjin Saheopwon with only one garden in the center of the house, Poongyeoncho was satisfied. Compared to the house he used to live in in his hometown, this new house was like a palace.
The day after purchasing the house, Poongyeoncho took her family and moved out of Jang Moonho’s house.
After living in someone else’s house for a while, Im Ji-ryeong and the children were quite happy to have their own nice house.
The couple, Poongyeoncho and her husband, decided to use the innermost room, and the children were given the West and East rooms on the left and right sides of the garden. Then, Takgo-myeong went into the Dojwa room next to the main gate, where Im Ji-ryeong and the children had previously lived.
Three days later, Jang Moon-ho arranged a meeting with Sahaesangbang Ark as promised.
Sang Jae-yong, the head of the Sahaesangbang, hired Pungyeoncho and Takgo-myeong on the spot and sent them to Yonghui-ru, a gisaeng house he owned. In this way, Pungyeoncho and Takgo-myeong settled in Gaebong.
***
Hogwangseong Mudeungsan Mountain.
I climbed Mt. Mudangsan alone, feeling lonely.
He left the nine thousand year old man Simtong, who had been following him like a shadow, in the village at the foot of the mountain. He did so because he was worried that there might be someone among the Taoist priests who recognized him.
Yeonjeokha’s steps, which had been diligently climbing the mountain path, slowed down.
About fifty paces ahead, a tall mountain gate was visible.
After a while, when we reached the mountain gate, two Taoist priests who looked to be in their twenties appeared.
“Young brother, why do you want to climb the mountain?”
I felt a sense of respect for the polite Taoist monk’s words and responded politely.
“I came to see the merchant of heaven and earth.”
The Taoist monk, Hyeonwol, secretly glanced at his opponent.
The merchant of heaven and earth is the death of his master, so he is Sa-baek to himself. Sa-baek does not do any outside activities, so he does not have any guests. How can a boy come to visit Sa-baek like that?
“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Sa-Baek?”
“Yes. I told you to come whenever you have time.”
Hyunwol squinted her eyes.
The merchant of heaven and earth is like a crane in the clouds, someone that only a long-time person can meet. I couldn’t readily believe that such a person told me to come whenever I wanted.
But looking at the boy’s expression, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
In the end, Hyunwol decided to check with Cheonjisangin herself.
“Please wait here for a moment. I will tell Mr. Sa-Baek that a guest has arrived. Who should I tell him?”
“You’ll know when Yeonjeokha comes. Can’t I come up with you?”
“Ah, due to the recent wave of unrest, we are not accepting general visitors. Only those with appointments or invited guests can climb the mountain.”
“Is it a famous church?”
“yes.”
Hyunwol didn’t necessarily deny it.
Because there is no one in the martial arts world who does not know the hostile relationship between Chilpaimun and Yumyeongyo.
Hyunwol nodded to Hyunsong, who was with her, and then climbed the mountain.
Yeonjeok, who had been standing there blankly, absentmindedly looked at the large stone altar.
Then, as if he had been waiting, Hyunsong opened his mouth.
“That altar is the famous Haegeomji. There is a saying that goes, ‘If you haven’t drawn your sword at Haegeomji, don’t go around calling yourself a swordsman.’”
“What is Haegeomji?”
“Wow! Didn’t you know about the Mudangpa’s Haegeomji? Everyone who climbs Mount Mudang must leave their swords on that altar. Despite this restriction, many swordsmen visit the Mudangpa for swordsmanship.”
“ah!”
Yeonjeokha looked at Haegeomji with new eyes.
You have to leave your sword and go up? What a strange and surprising rule.
Yeonjeokha’s hand touched the sword at his waist.
Since I came here to get advice from the merchant anyway, it didn’t matter if I left my sword behind.
At that moment, someone came running down the mountain like the wind.
He was a merchant of heaven and earth.
Wuxia,
