Book 13 Chapter 13

Free Agave

A woman opened her window. Bright, cool sunlight streamed through the open window into the woman's room without permission. Warm, breezy morning sunlight. The woman's gaze turns to the window. The woman had just woken up.

A sprawling city seen through the window. Lots of people bustling about. Warriors carrying conspicuous military equipment. The plum pattern on the hem of their robes. But none of it moved her.

Tearing my gaze away from the people bustling up and down the streets, each with their own burdens, I looked up a bit to see the majestic, imposing shape of a folding mountain range on the horizon.

Her gaze settles on one of the peaks.

The mountain was named Huashan (華山). A famous mountain that everyone knows in Zhongyuan. It is one of the five major volcanoes of Zhongyuan. The name of the peak was called Tianmubong (天武峯).

Eunsulan was a bit pouty right now. She had a sour expression on her face. This was because she hadn't been able to accompany him to the Heavenly Mountain where the Volcano Covenant Meeting was being held. She had been left behind here in the Plum Blossom Pavilion with Han Rou. Even though the old man had accompanied her!

He understood; he couldn't take her with him. In fact, just letting her accompany him this far was an unconventional thing. Accompanying her all the way to the Heavenly Peak with no qualifications……. It was a ridiculous thing that could never be realized in reality. It was an unconventional event that was only possible because of her insistence on being a beauty queen and the help of Bi Ryuyeon.

But while she could understand it rationally, it didn't make sense emotionally. Besides, there was one problem that was bothering her right now that she couldn't seem to solve.

"I'm bored! "

The words mingled with a sigh from a beautiful woman with a furrowed brow. Her cheeks were sunken and her seductive lips, red and pomegranate, pouted out.

The autumnal breeze blew gently, ruffling the hair beneath her ears and tickling her white cheeks. Her obsidian eyes were once again fixed on the Heavenly Sword Peak.

She thought of the many faces that must now be on one of those peaks. A smile naturally formed on her lips. But, as fickle as it was, it quickly turned sour again.

"Chillingly reticent, but with an unexpectedly intelligent naivete that makes him a joy to watch and a nuisance……."

There is no Dokgo-ryung, a very interesting woman, like a sharp one-handed sword protecting a trembling daffodil. And there is no Lee Jin-sul, who was always energetic, full of energy, and never stopped smiling. She was always contagious with her smile to others……. Of course, now she was suffering because of Hyo Gong-ja, but she thought that she would be able to overcome it.

'Hyo Confucius……. No, go Confucius!'

When I thought of Hyo-Ryong, I naturally thought of a man who was tied to him by blood. His heart sank again, as it always did, and his chest felt heavy as if it were weighed down with lead. Her youthful smile ebbed and flowed like the light of spring, and the pale white light of winter cast a chilling shadow over her face.

As tears threatened to form in her eyes again, she pulled herself together and tightened the knot of resolve.

'Now you've decided not to cry, Lan, you can't cry!'

Because of her vow and determination, she couldn't help but cry.

The pain of the wound still lingered in his heart like an indelible imprint. This grief was not going to go away anytime soon.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and an old man walked in.

Hanno, Eunseulan's coachman and invisible bodyguard. He was her trusted protector and a trusted advisor who could give her loyal and sound advice, so her trust in him was great.

The old man held the face wash in his hand. The old man always did his part, even when he didn't have to. Even though she had insisted that she didn't need it, she had been told that if she didn't do it, she might arouse the suspicions of others, so she had reluctantly accepted the service.

Hanno looked at Eunseulan's upturned, sideways face. She was trying hard to look cheerful, but the shadow from a moment ago was still there. A gleam of worry appeared in the old man's eyes.

'At least he was bright and cheerful when there were other Sojaes around…….'

As I was left alone, I had more time to think naturally, and the wounds of the past, which I had buried deep in the back of my mind under a tight lock, seemed to be resurfacing and hurting my delicate heart.

The old man watching couldn't help but worry about the little girl's safety. If only she didn't crumble under the weight of her grief and destroy herself. But there wasn't much he could do.

"Sojae, it's a beautiful day. Why don't you go out for a walk, and I'll do the honors?"

As she perched at the window, gazing out at the frosty blue sky beyond the open window to soothe her troubled mind, her gaze shifted from her back to the unseen shadows that had protected her ever since she left the nest. Her eyes were filled with affection and deep trust.

She nodded, a bittersweet smile that seemed to dissipate in the fog.

"I see I've caused you some worry, I apologize."

She bowed slightly and apologized politely. The intelligent woman realized that her momentary lapse into sentimentality had caused her companion to worry.

"Rice, you're welcome! "

Hanno shook his hands together vigorously. At times like this, the old man always found himself flustered.

Eunsulan quickly collected herself. A quick recovery. That's a sign of good self-control.

"It's a nice day, the breeze is cool with the smell of greenery from the volcanoes, and I'm sad that my friends aren't with me, but it can't be helped, so let's get out there, shall we?"

"Yes, Sojae. Good thinking."

The old man bowed slightly.

It was as she rounded the corner of a huge three-way intersection that she realized she hadn't had a destination in mind since she'd set out, so she'd been walking aimlessly.

Just being buried in the hustle and bustle of the passersby was a mild diversion. She moved with the flow of the crowd, half her face covered with cotton thread to avoid unnecessary commotion, but it didn't change the fact that with every step she took, countless eyes were drawn to her.

That's when a loud commotion erupted down the street.

The eyes of the natural people turned toward them. The sound of clashing metal rang out, accompanied by embarrassing curses. Apparently, there was a dispute between the Murimans. A large number of people surrounded the human barrier, centered on the epicenter of the incident, so Eunseulan couldn't see what was going on inside.

The odds were stacked against him, five to one. The five elders surrounded the young man, seemingly in unison. From the few words they spoke, which were laced with more than eighty percent profanity, Eunuch Snow quickly realized that the young man had been drawn into a futile argument. Apparently, the five elders were on an emergency procurement spree to make up for their pitiful lack of braziers for last night's fire.

Their misdeeds seemed to be quite famous. Someone in the gathered crowd told me that the leader was a friend of a friend of a friend of the first disciple of the Volcano Sect. Apparently, in this town, the front yard of the Volcano Sect, a man of his status can be bossy. The young man didn't say a word in response to the ridiculous argument. The longer he remained silent, the more ferocious the five men became. They must have realized that the young man was terrified beyond words, overwhelmed by their power. No pity. They had always enjoyed persecuting those who could not resist. Then the young man's lips, set as hard as granite, moved. The distance and the noisy crowd made it impossible for Eunsulan to hear, but the onlookers around him could see exactly what they were doing.

"Scumbags!"

The young man's lips were certainly saying that.

The five slugs' faces flushed with anger. It had been a long time since they had been ignored like this.

"Hush!"

The blade glowed menacingly in the sunlight, but the air, once tense as if it might explode, was suddenly still.

Static (靜寂).

Everyone watching fell silent. The silence was contagious and spread.

But the veiled phosphorus barrier prevented her from seeing what was going on in there.

The crowd parted and a man walked out. There was no sign of a wound anywhere. The young man walked over to the seat next to him, looking unaffected. The gawkers quickly bowed their heads to receive him. Their right-angled bows were stiff and stern.

Eunsulan's eyes widened over the cotton threads. Those steps, those backs.

For some reason, I recognized the back of it.

"What about him?! "

Her large bonnet swayed.

"Sojae, is something wrong?"

Hanno asked if she read Eunseulan's panic, her gaze still on the direction he'd disappeared.

"Sojae?"

I ask again, and he answers.

"Oh, no, I just feel like I just saw someone very familiar."

"Speaking of people you know,……. have you ever held a grudge against anyone in the past? "

I don't expect this to happen to this young lady, but there's always a chance, so I asked just in case.

"Yes?"

Hanno was relieved to hear the confused response.

'He can't be here…….'

Before she knew it, her steps were moving closer to where the shadow had disappeared. Drawn like a magnet by curiosity…….

"Sounds like a place where you'd have a very bad relationship with the plum blossom."

"I see."

Eunseulan looked up, and there stood a lavish, architecturally ornate table that bordered the plum blossom lodge where she was staying.

Obviously, the plum lodge was a fierce competitor in the city, with a fierce rivalry for size and profit. The chances of the two guests getting along were one in a million.

"Feng-hawk-customer-cup?"

Eunseulan knew nothing about this place, but Hanno did not. He looked around and saw several warriors standing guard over a fairly large number of carts.

"Sojae, this is the guest room of the markers of the Zhongyuan Marking Bureau."

Hanno whispered in her ear.

'Zhongwen Pekguk?

She knew where it was, of course, well enough.

The Zhongyuan First Bureau, a place that could explain everything. But as far as she knew, there was no contact between him and the Zhongyuan Bureau.

'Is it just a simple stay? Or am I looking at the wrong person…….'

She couldn't let it go, the shadow of doubt growing larger and larger in her mind.

Eunseulan had forgotten for a moment that human curiosity can sometimes lead to danger.

"Is that really the majesty of a mark of a nation?

A piercing gaze, stern weather, unbridled energy, and unity by command.

After taking the time to examine it carefully, I realized that there were many things that were suspicious about it, and the sheer magnitude of its momentum could have led me to conclude that it was indeed the Zhongyuan Empire. However, I had a strange feeling in the back of my mind. The most suspicious thing was the number of high-level players. Even if I didn't get close, I could tell by the way they stood.

"What on earth does it take so many masters to protect?

I didn't think I'd find the answer until I checked the baggage I was guarding. To do that, I would need to do some illegal things, and that was when I was quietly wrestling with the problem.

If someone keeps circling around the table and watching them, they're bound to get suspicious. Besides, the silversides were too conspicuous, like an egret in a crowd, or a lotus in the mud.

One of the Fyodu approached, his gaunt face exuding an air of intimidation. Eunseulan quickly turned her head, but it was too late. Hanno was no longer by her side, having taken care of business.

"Sojae?"

A shiver ran down her spine at the blunt question.

"Is there something you need to see here? I've been watching you for a while and you haven't left."

She reflected on her careless behavior and replied in a quieter voice, "I'm sorry.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I was just hanging around waiting for someone. Did I do anything wrong?"

"Huh!"

The gaunt face of Feydeu suddenly melted in the spring sunlight, transforming into a springtime breeze as if he had worn a mask. His pupils opened up like a fish that had been out of the water for three days, and so did Eunseulan's, as she untied the cotton thread and smiled brightly in response to his question. There weren't many men who could keep a straight face when faced with the smile of the Four Horsewomen.

But her laughter was a bit too much, to the point where he wanted to pounce on her.

But to all appearances, the grace that radiated from her whole body belonged to a noble family of high birth. It was not the sort of thing that a mere unattended servant would have forgotten his manners for.

"All personal behavior is forbidden in this performance. Even the smallest transgression will be punished severely. Money, women, alcohol, gambling. Abstain from everything! Of course, I look forward to meeting the brave ones who are not worthy of life. But I'll save that for a later pleasure.'

It was a threatening warning that if you messed up, you'd be spending a lot of soul-searching time later.

'Chet! But for a beauty like this, I'd give my life for once…….'

The magistrate's representativeThe two frenzies were, of course, as frightening as ghosts, but the fairy before him was driving them away. Suddenly, the man's heart burned with futile courage. His serpentine gaze made her shudder with instinctive revulsion.

It was the moment when reason and desire waged an endless battle in a man's mind, a battle that was about to be decided.

"Sooooooooooooo!"

From the other side of the street, a haggard Hanno was running. There was no way a master of that caliber would be running in such an ungainly manner……. The way he looked now, it was as if he was running with all his might to keep a sixty-year-old man from waiting for him in the distance.

At this point, he was on the verge of giving in to his sweet, dark desires.

"Miss. Oh, long time, you've been waiting."

Then, without giving me a chance to catch my breath, he turned around and began spouting off in a breathless voice.

"Well, then… do you have any business with my lady, and surely nothing outrageous has happened to her, that she has run into some ruffians while this old man has been away, or that some bastard, blinded by her beauty, has tried to set his sights on her, warrior?"

It didn't happen for a moment, but Gokseong, who had been harboring the thought in the back of his mind, frowned.

'This old man has a surprisingly sharp sense of humor…….'

The unhappy old man was still lamenting in front of him.

"Only, if something happened to you, you ugly old man, I have nothing to say to you, blackblackblack, I'll take my own life in your presence for neglect of duty, blackblackblack."

The old man's voice was uncharacteristically loud for his age, echoing in all directions.

No wonder all eyes are on you.

Fyodor Dostoevsky was embarrassed by all the attention. He was accused of being a colorful - though not inaccurate - man who was trying to get his hands on a young, pretty, noble wife.

"What's going on?"

Sensing the commotion, one of the tableaux rushed over from the other side.

"This is bad!

Gokseong's face frowned.

He knew that if he knew that he had caused this uproar, the chief would reprimand him. A month or two on the payroll was the least he could expect, and given the tone of his behavior, he might be punished even more. The ghostly face of the leader flashed through his mind. He felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

He still remembered clearly what had happened to the five marksmen who had mismanaged one of the carts, and he would never do it again.

"Shit, I stepped on a turd!

Apparently, bad luck has struck.

"Miss, blackblackblack, I hope everything is okay with you? "

Eunsulan, whose face was now covered with cotton thread again, causing Gokseong to wistfully regret the taste in his mouth, said to the old man.

"Come on! I'm not this casual, Hanno! Come on, stand up. People are watching."

He spoke in a soothing, gentle voice, and the old man, who had been lying almost motionless on the floor, reluctantly brushed off his clothes and rose to his feet, his tear-stained eyes fixed on the dignified man.

"I'm sure you don't mind if this old man takes you away, do you?"

I'd like to say no, but the circumstances around it were not favorable.

"Yeah, sure."

"Go, thank you. Go, miss."

Bowing at almost a right angle, the old man quickly took Eunsulan with him and left the center of attention. Gongsheng remained behind, doing his best to excuse and gloss over the situation to his colleague Feng Du, who had rushed over.

And I walked around for a while…….

Her waist, which had been bent under the weight of years, suddenly stretched out like bamboo, and her eyes, which had innocently shed tears, suddenly had a sharp edge to them.

It was hard to believe that this person had been crying and blowing and acting like a child just moments before.

"You almost got caught!"

At Hanno's sigh, Eunseulan hung her head low. She had no face. Hanno stopped walking. As the old man's body came to a standstill, so did the woman.

"There's a lot of surveillance going on, so be careful!"

It was a polite but sharp statement. The old man didn't turn around, but I could sense enough to know that his eyes were now shining like a spear blade honed on a whetstone.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry to hear that."

Eunseulan gently bowed her head and thanked him profusely for saving her from her predicament.

"You're welcome, young lady! "

The old man's face was suddenly that of a helpless, innocent coachman again. The old man and the woman started walking down the road again.

"I have a favor to ask you."

The old man pretended not to hear and continued walking as if nothing had happened. Eunseulan didn't care. Her suspicions weren't completely resolved yet.

"It looks like the stars will be bright tonight."

"……."

The old man was silent, unresponsive. Eunseulan didn't care and spoke in a casual voice.

"I need you to do something for me."

The old man nodded, almost invisibly. That was enough.