episode_0059

Do you understand the feeling of a father who, on a cold winter day, buys a whole chicken with trembling hands and breathes out steam from his mouth as he heads back home?

Of course, Cheong doesn’t know. She doesn’t have a child.

But I couldn’t help but think that this might be the sentiment.

Carrying a large bundle like a wandering merchant, Cheong’s steps up the mountain were light and cheerful.

If the contents of the bundle were known, she might truly be considered a girl’s reward.

With the remaining money, she had bought sweets and jewelry, emptying out everything.

Thanks to her wealthy friends, Cheong’s purse was already quite full.

Of course, it wasn’t just because Cheong was greedy.

It wasn’t entirely for that reason.

If Cheong were to reveal her purse in this era, the reputations of Pangdaesan and Namgung Shinjae would be completely ruined.

How could a young man who was barely making ends meet deceive a woman?

So, even though Cheong shouted, “I’ll pay!” they were both shocked and quickly put the money away.

For this reason, Cheong’s gift bag was comparable to someone from another world –

Wearing only red clothes and with a full beard, giving out luxury goods for free while advocating for equality among all young friends in the world.

The female disciples guarding the gate of the Munpa saw Cheong and waved excitedly.

“Oh, Master Taesasukjo! Master Taesasukjo has arrived!”

“Master Taesasukjo! Welcome back!”

It was a joyous welcome from the innocent girls.

Cheong’s heart felt warm.

But the female disciples were still a bit difficult.

“Yeah. You’ve worked hard. Here, take this.”

Reaching into the bundle, Cheong carefully picked out a piece of candy wrapped in yellow paper.

She handed out the sugar cubes, each one stuck on a bamboo stick, to the disciples.

“Wow, candy! Thank you, Master Taesasukjo!”

“We’ll enjoy it! Master Taesasukjo is the best!”

For women, sweets were a big deal.

Before, Cheong, a common laborer who didn’t particularly like sweets, now fully understood the joy they could bring.

The overwhelming sweetness that filled the mouth was like an approved drug in the middle of the world.

In fact, other drugs weren’t necessarily illegal.

In the ancient, uncivilized China, there were no proper laws or regulations regarding the management of drugs.

“Thank you! Master Taesasukjo!”

She saw the cheerful young disciples, like chirping baby chicks.

“Thank you, Master Taesasukjo.”

She nodded to the elder lady priests.

“Master, hehe… it’s candy…”

Even the university students who were rolling around.

Cheong handed out candy to each gatekeeper she met, crossing the Munpa.

With no woman to stop her, her steps were strong and steady as she moved forward.

Her sweet home was right in front of her eyes.

Real estate in the middle wasn’t that prosperous.

But the feeling of having your own home was so blissful.

That’s when it happened.

The girl who was lying on the handmade mat suddenly jumped up and tried to tackle Cheong.

“Sister!”

But Cheong was skilled.

She had long passed the point where she could be caught off guard by a surprise attack.

“What if I dodge…”

“Who are you? This is the residence of the esteemed Munwa Jangro Seomuncheong. How dare a mere disciple step in so recklessly? As punishment for not recognizing the master of the clan, I shall bestow upon you my personally made candy.”

“…?”

Cheong handed the candy to the girl.

The girl’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you saying?”

“Oh. That line? Were you expecting a grand speech?”

“That’s mean.”

Cheong had every right to feel wronged.

The Jinjangmyeong she remembered was not pretty, but a handsome little boy.

Such a little troublemaker, transformed into an adorable and lovely girl in just half a year, who would have thought she would be so recognizable at first glance.

But, her height remains the same?

Don’t they feed her at the temple?

“You deceive me so easily, is deceit your virtue?”

“I haven’t deceived you…”

Whether she said it or not, Cheong blabbered on.

“Oh, you’ve become so pretty that I didn’t recognize you! Our Jangmyeong, you’re beautiful! Cute! Lovely! Beautiful! Like a flower! Like a fairy! Hiyah, now you’re a complete girl, a girl! A total girl!”

“…? So, I wasn’t a girl before…?”

Jangmyeong tilted her head.

Is this a joke? She thought.

But then, a sudden sense of disappointment washed over her, causing Jangmyeong’s cheeks to swell unevenly.

The tender reunion scene Jangmyeong had always imagined had turned into a strange and distant picture.

“Alright. I’m leaving.”

“Oh. Wait. I brought a gift. It’s something quite expensive for you, so don’t go around telling the others without discretion, okay?”

Jangmyeong’s ears perked up.

“…Expensive?”

“Let’s see. I kept it here…”

Cheong rummaged through her belongings.

After a moment, a sparkling golden hairpin emerged.

It was a type of hair accessory worn by noblewomen.

It was a form of hairpin with two branches extending from the decoration to be fixed on the head.

The gold leaf veins were shaped like bones with green enamel surgery, not large, not flashy, but cute and charming.

Jangmyeong’s eyes widened.

“Wow…”

“Isn’t it pretty? Hmm, hmm. I brought it for you. Don’t you have something like this at your place? Not for spring potatoes…”

“What are you talking about?”

She said that, but her face was beaming.

“Put it on.”

“Hey. Don’t you have hands? Feet?”

“Hurry up.”

Even though she was not at an age to fool around.

Indeed, Jangmyeong was in no condition to fool around with anyone.

Not even in the temple.

Cheong, whose heart had softened, eventually gave in.

“Fine. Because you’re cute, I’ll do it.”

Having learned the proper placement of accessories, Cheong gently combed Jangmyeong’s hair to the right and inserted the golden hairpin.

“Hehe…”

“Huh? Just now…”

“What?”

Cheong tilted her head.

Did she mishear something?

It sounded like a very mischievous laughter…

Strange. It seemed like she heard it clearly.

“Nothing. I have to go see the master now. Want to come with me?”

“No.”

Jangmyeong shook her head.

That’s that, and this is this.

“Is our Jangmyeong being stubborn? How about pretending to be worried for a change?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Alright then. You’re very decisive.”

Unpacking her belongings and picking up the gift bag again, Cheong left.

Behind Cheong, Jangmyeong touched the golden hairpin on her head with a flushed face.

Of course, Cheong’s eyes were fixed ahead.

Therefore, she couldn’t know what was happening.

“Master, a disciple has arrived.”

“Ha. Where does a grown girl without a hairpin get the nerve to talk back? That’s how disciples are. Tsk tsk.”

Seomun Sulin clicked her tongue.

Translated as a sign of approval for Cheong’s balancing act.

“Hehe…”

“Don’t laugh like that. All the teachings seem to have gone in one ear and out the other.”

A smile couldn’t be hidden on Seomun Sulin’s face as she spoke.

Looking at the clear eyes of her returned disciple, Seomun Sulin nodded.

“It seems your gaze has truly cleared up, you haven’t been fooling around elsewhere. I was worried you might have gone astray. It seems my concerns were unfounded.”

It was an absurd misunderstanding.

Seomun Sulin had no idea that her senior, the Mucheondaeseja, had wiped away all the accumulated heavenly tribulations in one blow.

The fine wrinkles that were barely visible when he left were no longer there, so Seomun Surin felt truly at ease, thinking that his disciple’s journey must have been comfortable.

“Oh, Master. I brought a gift for you.”

“A gift? Your safe return is already more than enough.”

“It’s a flute. I thought you might enjoy playing it occasionally.”

Cheong pulled out the flute hidden behind him.

Seomun Surin’s expression subtly changed.

The flute didn’t look like a typical gift; it was more like a piece of scrap metal.

“This is…”

“It’s called a ‘Boksinjeok.’”

Seomun Surin burst into laughter.

“Haha, my disciple knows how to add a touch of humor sometimes. You named it after the Maeyang Wolgwang Sword, didn’t you? Where did you come up with the name ‘Boksinjeok’?”

Cheong smiled mischievously again.

It was the same expression he made when he didn’t know anything.

Seomun Surin’s expression hardened.

“What…? Is this for real…?”

Cheong continued to smile mischievously.

Seomun Surin examined the ugly flute once again.

Despite its size, it was quite sturdy.

The faint chill, the matte body in the color of the night sea caught his eye.

Sure enough, it was made of Manyeonhancheol.

If it was a flute made of Manyeonhancheol, there was only one in the world.

“No, where did you get this rare item? I heard it was buried in Cheonhu’s mausoleum.”

The Boksinjeok was famous as the symbol of Cheonhu Seolneungcho, the best female warrior during the Cha Jeongmadaejeon.

It was also a token of the marriage vow between the legendary blacksmith Banchi and Cheonhu.

When Cheonhu publicly declared that she would be buried with this flute when she died, it was assumed that she would be buried with it when she was buried in a secret place after finishing her retirement ceremony.

That was how the rare item became known.

By the way, in the Central Plains language, “retirement” was a grand expression for retirement.

However, retirement was indeed a grand event.

The world of the martial arts was complicated.

Especially grudges were even more so.

So, if one day someone suddenly said, “I’m retiring, so let’s forget about our grudges,” would their enemies just say, “Congratulations on your retirement!” and wave their thumbs up as they left?

Of course not. They would rush in with swords drawn to kill.

Retirement was a formal event that even enemies couldn’t easily do.

Those who could elegantly express retirement had the right to do so.

Of course, Cheong, who didn’t know the situation, cheerfully said, “Oh! So that place was Cheonhu’s mausoleum.”

Seomun Surin’s expression became serious.

What exactly did his disciple do when he went out on a rampage?