Episode 91. Because our faces are the same.
The streets of Luoyang in late autumn were bustling with people.
Yeonjeokha and Gucheonnodo Simtong moved without stopping, bumping shoulders with people.
“Where on earth is the Sangjo Sangbang? Why can’t I see it? Is this the right way?”
Simtong smiled and said as Yeonjeokha continued to grumble.
“Hehehe, I see the Deungun Inn over there, so it looks like we’re almost there. Didn’t the merchant selling sweets earlier say that you can see it right after you pass the Deungun Inn?”
“Ugh, I want to eat one more piece of candy.”
Simtong looked around, letting Yeonjeokha’s questions and answers go out one ear and out the other.
Then, at one moment, he screamed like a child.
“Master, I found it! It’s over there!”
Yeonjeokha’s eyes followed Simtong’s wrinkled fingertips.
Sure enough! About fifty paces away, a sign for Sangjo Sangbang appeared.
It’s a new feeling to think about meeting Namgung Yeon again after twelve years.
I forgot her face, but I still felt excited for some reason.
As he approached the Sangjo Sangbang, Yeonjeokha’s steps became slower, perhaps because he was nervous.
He asked, as if he remembered the pain of walking at a slow pace.
“But, Your Majesty, why did you reject Jeong Guanju’s proposal earlier?”
“Are you crazy? You take money and kill people?”
“ah…….”
Simtong glanced at Yeonjeokha with renewed eyes.
I thought he would naturally accept it because of his antipathy towards the famous religion, but it was a bit unexpected. Who would have thought that he, who is in the Green Forest, would hate contract killing?
Looking back, I don’t think he’s ever killed anyone.
He killed the Great Power Demon, but at that time he was not human but an immortal monster, so it is an exception.
The door to the Sangjo Sangbang was wide open, perhaps because there were so many people coming and going.
As he was going out, Haengsu Sonhak stopped when he saw the unfamiliar visitors.
It was the workers’ job to greet guests, but seeing the swords hanging from the waists of the old man and the boy made it impossible for me to just pass them by.
“What brings you here?”
Son Hak took a step forward toward the old man.
Simtong, who had received his gaze, stepped forward in Yeonjeokha’s place.
“I heard there are people from the Namgung family here. Are they inside?”
“Yes, but… …. Who are you?”
Son Hak was a member of the Sangjo Sangbang, but he lowered his stance because his opponent was a martial artist.
“Go and tell them that Prince Yeon has come to see you.”
Sonhak felt uncomfortable with Simtong’s one-sided words, but he didn’t show it. It wasn’t the first time he had seen the rudeness of the martial artists.
“I also have some business to attend to for them. Let’s go together.”
Son Hak walked ahead without even listening to the other person’s answer.
It was an attempt at a small counterattack.
After going inside for a while, a fairly large hall appeared.
The words written on the signboard are Suryeo-gak.
In front of him, Son Hak turned his head slightly, checked the visitors, and then shouted loudly.
“Namgung Sohyeop, are you inside?”
After a while, Namgungcheon, the Wind Cloud Sword, poked his head through the door.
Namgungcheon’s eyes lit up as he looked around at the visitors and spotted Yeonjeokha.
“Huh! Yeon-ah?”
He hurried out, put on his shoes, and approached Yeonjeokha.
“Hey! How long has it been? Did you just stop by on your way?”
“Yes, yes.”
Yeonjeokha scratched her head as if embarrassed.
That’s because Namgung Se-ga and I don’t have enough of a close relationship to make an effort to find out.
“Come on, come on, let’s go inside. Yeon-i will be happy to see you.”
Namgungcheon put his arm around Yeonjeokha’s shoulder and led her to the main hall.
“I was talking to my brother about you yesterday. I guess you were planning to meet me today. There’s a reason for everything in this world… … .”
Namgungcheon’s mouth did not rest for even a moment because he was so happy.
Because of his fuss, Simtong and Sonhak were pushed to the back and could only watch blankly.
When Namgungcheon took Yeonjeokha inside, only Simtong and Sonhak were left in the yard.
“Didn’t you say that Namgung Se-ga had something to say to the people?”
At Simtong’s blunt question, Sonhak belatedly hit his head with an exclamation of ‘Ah!’
“But… … . Aren’t you going in together?”
Son Hak couldn’t understand Namgungcheon’s behavior of only picking on the boy and taking him away.
“The guest of the Namgung family is the prince, not me.”
“Oh, yes.”
Son Hak responded dryly and then fixed his gaze on the tightly closed pavilion.
It is true that I came here because I had something to tell Namgung Se-ga.
But I felt bad about calling Namgungcheon again when it wasn’t urgent.
Son Hak thought for a moment, nodded to the old man, and went back the way he came.
***
Namgung Yeon, the woman known as Hwayong Doksim, opened the door and entered the room.
The moment he saw her face, Yeonjeokha’s face hardened.
Ah! How could I forget that sight!
This is the fairy I saw in the Nine Heavenly Women’s Sutra.
Although I have forgotten the face of Namgung Yeon, whom I met when I was six years old, the fairy of Gucheonhyeonnyeo-gyeong is vivid as if I saw her yesterday.
Somehow, the Namgung Yeon in front of me looked exactly like the fairy who had disappeared on a cloud at that time.
“Uh, uh… … .”
When Yeonjeokha stuttered while pointing at Namgungyeon, Namgungcheon laughed loudly.
“Poo-ha-ha! Yeon-ah, what are you talking about? If you haven’t seen each other in thirteen years, you should have said a proper hello.”
Namgung Yeon, sitting elegantly, looked at Yeon Jeok Ha across from him.
When I looked closely, I found a face from when I was six years old.
It was great to see a child who couldn’t even tell the difference between his mother and older sister grow up.
You survived such brutal abuse without dying.
He escaped from the cramped and smelly warehouse and became a green forest, but his eyes were still clear.
Just like that day in my childhood when I called myself mom.
It’s a good thing his eyes didn’t change.
If he had been worldly and had a difficult past, he would have blamed heaven.
Namgung Yeon smiled because he was grateful and honored by that.
Yeon-jeok-ha, encouraged by her smile, cautiously opened his eyes.
“Hey, big sister, how have you been?”
Nod nod.
She was the type of person who didn’t even talk to her family unless it was absolutely necessary.
“I, um, after my father passed away, I lived in a warehouse. Then I ran away and… … I met an old beggar, and oh! That’s right. He gave me a broken bowl too. I guess he thought I was a beggar. Haha.”
Namgung Yeon listened to his story with shining eyes.
It was a rambling story, but it was vivid as if the days he lived were depicted in it.
“… … I got lost in the mountains and almost died, but my brothers saved me.”
Yeonjeok-ha, who had been chatting away, drank tea as if he was thirsty.
At that time, Namgungcheon, who had been listening quietly, asked curiously.
“You were quite surprised when you saw Yeon-i earlier. Why were you like that? It’s true that Yeon-i is beautiful, but you’re the first person who was that surprised.”
“Oh, brother. That’s true.”
Yeonjeokha looked at Namgungyeon and Namgungcheon alternately with a perplexed expression.
How can you say, ‘I saw a fairy flying on a cloud in the mirror, and it was Sister Yeon!’
“What is the truth?”
Yeonjeokha sighed and said at Namgungcheon’s urging.
“Ha! You shouldn’t laugh at my story. Actually, here’s why.”
He mustered up his courage and confessed the fact that ‘the face of Gucheonhyeonnyeo that he saw in the mirror was exactly like Namgungyeon’s.’
“… … .”
Namgungcheon turned his head here and there to avoid Yeonjeokha’s serious gaze.
I must have hallucinated something because I was lonely and tired.
I guess that could happen if you’re stuck in a small space for a long time.
Moreover, wasn’t that when I was a child, full of dreams?
It must be a memory from a time when I couldn’t tell the difference between dreams and reality.
“Hmm, hmm, how did you know that fairy was the Nine Heavenly Women?”
“Because it was written on the mirror.”
“Ah! What is the fairy’s name?”
“yes.”
Namgungcheon nodded his head dryly.
Considering that I saw it at a young age and with a weak mind, I think it fits the story pretty well.
“What is that? In the Buddhist scriptures, there is a saying that says, ‘Everything depends on the mind.’ Hmm, hmm, since you saw it, you must have seen it. Still, what a strange coincidence. The fairy and Yeon-ah are the same. Isn’t that right? Yeon-ah?”
Namgung Yeon just laughed at Namgung Cheon’s sudden question.
Namgung Cheon led the conversation in place of the taciturn Namgung Yeon.
Even the already talkative Yeon-jeok-ha didn’t give up.
In this way, the conversation between Namgung Yeon and Namgung Cheon continued without stopping.
Namgung Yeon sometimes participated in their conversation with a smile or a simple nod.
The conversation that began in the middle of the day ended only when the sun was slowly setting.
Yeonjeokha got up from her seat with a look of regret on her face.
Namgungcheon asked belatedly.
“Okay! Have you decided on a place to stay?”
“Not yet. We just got there.”
“We plan to move to Jeongju within a few days. Luoyang is too close to the Wolha Church. Please come to Daeyeonsangbang later.”
“yes…….”
I felt complicated at the unexpected words.
After a while, siblings Yeonjeokha, Namgungcheon, and Namgungyeon came out onto the veranda.
Simtong, who had been dozing off while squatting on the edge of the veranda, suddenly sat up.
“Wow! Old Man Shim, were you waiting for me?”
“yes.”
“I should have gone to a nearby bar and had a drink.”
“Hehehe, I’m okay. I slept soundly for the first time in a while.”
“Foot! Why are you sitting uncomfortably and dozing off? If you’re tired, just lie down anywhere. Have you grown up well? You’re quite picky about where to sleep?”
“No. I kept saying it would come out soon, it would come out soon, and that’s how it ended up like this.”
I felt a little bit wronged.
There is no one among the thieves of the green forest who sleeps in comfort.
It was a mistake to think that it would end abruptly because there was no alcohol. Thinking about the conversation that seemed like it would end, but then end, gives me goosebumps.
***
release.
Yonghui-ru.
Although it was late at night, Yonghui-ru was bustling with the loud laughter of drunken guests and gisaengs.
But, was it around 9pm?
A drunken man punched So-hyang, a gisaeng who was being guided to her bedroom, in the head.
“evil!”
So-hyang rolled around on the hallway floor.
A drunken man in his forties rushed at me like a wild beast and kicked me mercilessly.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
“You fucking bitch! I clearly told you to bring another bitch! Why are you ignoring me! Do you think I look easy when I go to places like this? Huh? A bitch who sells her body!”
So-hyang, who had been struggling, did not move at all as if she had lost consciousness.
Still, the man continued to stomp on her, screaming like a madman.
There was already blood on the floor, but his kicks became stronger and stronger.
The surprised courtesans ran to call their escorts.
The first person to arrive was Wang Bo-gang, who happened to be passing by.
“Stop!”
Wang Bogang reached out his hand to the drunkard’s shoulder.
The man twisted his waist slightly to avoid the attack, then raised his voice.
“What the heck! You guys! You’re conspiring with prostitutes to beat up customers? What the hell are you guys doing! Tell the owner to come out!”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
The incredible Wang Bo-gang has captured his opponent again.
At that moment, the man’s hand touched Wang Bogang’s chest like a bolt of lightning and then fell.
“Ugh!”
Wang Bogang flew backwards, spitting blood from his mouth.
It was at that time that Pungyeoncho, the person in charge of security at Yonghuiru, arrived.
Poongyeoncho, who was looking around the room, frowned.
The courtesan was passed out in blood, and Wang Bogang had collapsed with his eyes rolled back.
Even when I was living as a bandit, I never saw such a shocking sight.
Poongyeoncho looked at the drunkard with bewildered eyes.
“What the hell are you doing?”
The man who had his foot on the gisaeng’s head, Chil-sal Ma Cheon-woo, turned his head with a smirk.
Wuxia,
