A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 195

195. Proof of Qualification (2)

For three days, Son Bin and his group were treated with the utmost hospitality at the Tang Clan.

The detached house where they stayed was small but full of antique charm, and the food, unique to Sichuan [a province in southwestern China known for its spicy cuisine] but not overly spicy, was carefully prepared for the group.

Among the group, Tang Hwa-ryun and the old woman, Tang Un-yeong, naturally went to their own residences. However, Tang Wol-ah stayed with the group.

“It’s your house, but you don’t have your own room?” Seo-rin asked, and Tang Wol-ah replied briefly, “I do, but I don’t like it.”

It seemed like there was a story behind it, so no one asked further.

After entering the Tang Clan, Tang Hwa-ryun was rarely seen. She would occasionally visit Tang Wol-ah, but even that was only for a very short time.

On the other hand, Tang Un-yeong visited the group regularly. She also told them about the current situation of the Tang Clan surrounding Tang Wol-ah.

“Right now, everyone is half in doubt,” Tang Un-yeong said, selecting tea leaves. Her wrinkled, long fingers carefully caressed the tea leaves.

“But Wol-ah’s Poisonous Ki Skill will eventually be demonstrated, so there’s nothing to worry about. Rather, the current debate is where to place Wol-ah within the family.”

Having high martial arts skills is different from being respected in the Tang Clan.

Even if she had mastered the Poisonous Ki Skill, would Tang Wol-ah have been treated so respectfully without her older sister, Tang Hwa-ryun, the Chief Military Strategist?

“But that’s only a matter of time. With the Chief Military Strategist and me, they won’t be able to use Wol-ah as they please like before.”

It’s not just about not being able to use her. Behind Tang Wol-ah are the Chief Military Strategist, Tang Hwa-ryun, and Tang Un-yeong, the head of the Tang Clan’s largest faction.

It was as good as decided that Tang Wol-ah would occupy a high position within the Tang Clan.

The old woman, Tang Un-yeong, turned her head to look at Tang Wol-ah. However, Tang Wol-ah herself didn’t show much interest.

Tang Un-yeong continued, “At the latest, a conclusion will be reached by tomorrow. It will probably end with confirming that Wol-ah has mastered the Poisonous Ki Skill. After that, Wol-ah will establish herself as the top master of the Tang Clan in name and reality. It would have been better if a suitable stage had been prepared, but there won’t be any demands to single-handedly wipe out a certain sect or anything like that.”

“A suitable stage?” Son Bin asked. Tang Un-yeong smiled.

“Did I say something strange? I meant a situation where Wol-ah could show off her martial arts, like a conflict with another family. It would be even better if the Tang Clan was in a crisis. People don’t easily forget such dramatic events.”

Tang Un-yeong’s expression was bitter as she spoke. That kind of performance was something Tang Baek-ho used to do often.

Tang Baek-ho used this method to elicit loyalty from people. The problem was that he sometimes condoned sacrifices for the sake of dramatic effect.

“If Wol-ah becomes an important person in the family, wouldn’t that mean more responsibility as well?” Son Bin asked. Tang Un-yeong nodded.

“That’s right. People’s expectations will increase, and Wol-ah’s influence will become impossible to ignore.”

Tang Un-yeong’s words were actually very restrained. It was nothing less than being recognized as the top master of the Tang Clan, especially one who had mastered the Poisonous Ki Skill.

Considering that her older sister is the Chief Military Strategist of the Tang Clan, it would be easy for Tang Wol-ah to become a powerful figure in Sichuan’s martial arts world.

“Depending on the circumstances, she may not be able to be with you all like now,” the old woman, Tang Un-yeong, said, looking at Tang Wol-ah. Seo-rin looked at Tang Wol-ah with surprised eyes, but Tang Wol-ah was just sipping her tea without saying anything.

“Anyway, Wol-ah’s matter will be over soon. After that, we can depart for the Blood Phoenix Alliance meeting,” Tang Un-yeong said with a gentle smile. She gathered the selected tea leaves and showed them to Old Gun.

“How is it, Soon-rang? Is this good enough?”

“Indeed,” Old Gun said, looking at the tea leaves with a satisfied expression. “No one can match Young Madam’s eye for tea.”

The smile on Old Gun’s wrinkled face was so pleasant that Son Bin smiled without realizing it. But Shin-ui, who was holding a teacup, frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Ah, and,” Old Gun suddenly turned to look at Tang Wol-ah. “You seem to have a lot on your mind these days, don’t you?”

Tang Wol-ah quietly shook her head. But Son Bin and his group all knew that her mind was complicated.

Tang Wol-ah had always been quiet, but after entering the Tang Clan, she became extremely silent. She hardly even nodded or made any other expressions of agreement.

“Of course, everyone has their own circumstances, so it’s not my place to interfere. As for you, it’s inevitable that you’ll have a lot on your mind coming here,” Old Gun could understand Tang Wol-ah’s feelings to some extent. It wasn’t easy for him to enter the Tang Clan either.

“But remember this one thing,” Old Gun said, looking straight at Tang Wol-ah. “Do what you want, follow your heart. That is the Outer Envoy.”

Old Gun’s voice was clear and distinct. As if giving an order, Old Gun continued, “If a martial artist becomes accustomed to not doing what they want, they will eventually become nothing more than a beast tied to a rope. Do you understand me?”

Old Gun’s gaze towards Tang Wol-ah was like a flame. And Son Bin suddenly recalled Sa Ja-hyuk’s words.

“If you become accustomed to not living according to your heart, your sword will never find its way.”

That was what Son Bin had said at Sa Ja-hyuk’s first martial arts contest.

Words he had said to a young man named Wi Ga-jin, whose intense eyes were impressive, and to a group of beauties whose names he still didn’t know.

The memory of that time came back to him as vividly as if it were yesterday.

Slurp.

Before he knew it, Old Gun was nonchalantly sipping his teacup with a sly expression. The look he had shown just a moment ago seemed like a lie.

However, beneath the veil, Tang Wol-ah’s lips were faintly curved.

Rustle.

Very slightly, Tang Wol-ah lowered her head. It was barely noticeable to anyone other than Son Bin and his group, who were familiar with her, but it was clearly a sign of respect towards Old Gun.

∴

That day, after a long debate in the Council Hall, Tang Wol-ah’s matter was decided.

“Then a conclusion has been reached,” Tang Hwa-ryun, the Chief Military Strategist, said in a clear voice. Everyone was exhausted from the long debate, but she still had a sharp glint in her eyes.

“Tomorrow, in front of the Tang Clan’s elders, we will confirm Tang Wol-ah’s achievement in the Poisonous Ki Skill. The specific procedures for the confirmation will be entrusted to the Outer Clan Lord.”

The Outer Clan Lord, who received Tang Hwa-ryun’s gaze, nodded.

“Also, once Tang Wol-ah’s Poisonous Ki Skill is confirmed, Tang Wol-ah will be immediately appointed as the head of the newly established independent unit. The newly formed independent unit will be under the direct control of the Chief Military Strategist and will only move under the orders of the Clan Lord and the Chief Military Strategist.”

The expressions of some people in the Council Hall distorted.

In words, it was ‘the Clan Lord and the Chief Military Strategist,’ but in reality, it was the same as giving independent military power to the Chief Military Strategist.

This content was passed purely thanks to Tang Un-yeong, the head of the largest faction.

The old woman, Tang Un-yeong, who had returned with Tang Hwa-ryun a few days ago, yielded much to Tang Hwa-ryun. At first glance, it seemed as if she had completely given up on checking Tang Hwa-ryun.

It was rumored that Tang Un-yeong’s actions were due to confirming that Tang Wol-ah was indeed a master of the Poisonous Ki Skill.

It meant that the confrontation between the faction led by Tang Un-yeong and the Chief Military Strategist, Tang Hwa-ryun, had come to an end due to the existence of Tang Wol-ah.

“That’s all,” Tang Hwa-ryun sat down in a straight posture. Tang Ok-dam, the Clan Lord of the Tang Clan, who had confirmed the conclusion, spoke with a gentle expression as always.

“Then let’s all meet tomorrow.” With his words, which were like a gentleman’s but were criticized as weak within the Tang Clan, the discussion in the Council Hall came to an end.

*

*

*

With the sound of clothes rustling, Tang Wol-ah entered the indoor training hall.

The Tang Clan’s indoor training hall was high and wide. Large black pillars lined the perimeter of the training hall, firmly supporting the massive roof, and the open central area was wider than most outdoor training halls.

As Tang Wol-ah entered, everyone’s eyes turned to her. They were all dressed in splendid clothes, and they were the so-called elders or key figures of the Tang Clan.

More than a dozen old men sitting in antique chairs and about twenty middle-aged men behind them were flashing sharp eyes at Tang Wol-ah.

“Tsk,” someone clicked their tongue. It was because Tang Wol-ah looked too frail to be a master of the Poisonous Ki Skill, and also because she was wearing a black veil over her face.

Considering that this was indoors and, moreover, a gathering of the family’s elders, it was clearly rude.

Rustle.

A woman with bright eyes stood up. It was Tang Hwa-ryun, the Chief Military Strategist of the Tang Clan. She smiled at her younger sister, Tang Wol-ah.

There was another person who showed goodwill towards Tang Wol-ah. The old woman, Tang Un-yeong, also smiled at Tang Wol-ah.

But they were the only ones.

Most people were sending Tang Wol-ah gazes that were clearly full of contempt and hostility, not just doubt.

“Everyone, this is Tang Wol-ah,” Tang Hwa-ryun said in a dignified voice. Her voice was slightly trembling.

Step.

Tang Wol-ah stopped. But that was it. She didn’t pay her respects, or even bow her head.

Silence flowed, but it didn’t last long. Someone impatient spoke to Tang Wol-ah.

“What are you doing? Don’t you know how to pay respects to the family’s elders?”

The middle-aged man’s voice clearly revealed his unpleasant feelings.

It was clearly a rebuke, but it was also directed at Tang Hwa-ryun, the Chief Military Strategist.

Tang Hwa-ryun was also a little embarrassed. Tang Wol-ah’s attitude towards her had been a little passive, but it was certainly within the bounds of common sense. But Tang Wol-ah’s current appearance was unfamiliar even to Tang Hwa-ryun.

For a moment, Tang Hwa-ryun wondered if she should tell her to pay her respects.

But that concern was unnecessary.

“If you want to receive respect,” a low voice flowed from under Tang Wol-ah’s veil, “show me that you deserve it.”

The middle-aged man’s face distorted. Tang Wol-ah had openly refused to pay respects to the Tang Clan’s elders.

“You wench! How dare you…!” He 벌떡 [Baldeok – abruptly/suddenly] stood up from his seat. He deliberately spoke loudly with the intention of seizing on this incident to drive the atmosphere.

But Tang Wol-ah didn’t allow his words to continue.

Flick.

Tang Wol-ah lightly flicked her finger, and a stream of energy cut through the air and shot towards the middle-aged man.

“Gasp!” The middle-aged man clearly saw Tang Wol-ah’s finger strike cutting through the air and flying towards him. He hurriedly gathered his inner strength and drew a sharp greatsword.

Whooong.

His inner strength gathered on the greatsword in an instant. An aura with a reddish glow surrounding the sword.

But the moment Tang Wol-ah’s finger strike collided with his greatsword, an unbelievable thing happened.

Clang!

“Kugh.” His grip tore and blood splattered. The sword with the red aura was already flying through the air, and Tang Wol-ah’s finger strike struck his shoulder as it was.

Thud.

The middle-aged man couldn’t even let out a groan. He trembled in place, unable to even cover his bleeding right hand.

Clang, clang.

His sword, which had fallen to the floor, made a sound. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man’s face turned blue in an instant.

“What!” “You wench!” Several people hurriedly approached the middle-aged man, and the anger of others was about to pour out on Tang Wol-ah. But even before that anger could erupt.

“Tang Kwan-byun.”

Tang Wol-ah’s voice flowed through the training hall. It was a small voice that even felt weak, but it contained a force that instantly suppressed everyone’s anger.

“Nine years, three months, and five days ago, you came to the poisonous cage where I was and said this.”

Tang Wol-ah continued in a voice that didn’t feel any emotion.

“That kind of monster is just a disgrace to the family. We should just send that kind of thing to those who like young girls. Then they’ll both die from exhaustion, so it’s a very good thing, isn’t it?”

Tang Wol-ah’s low words spread clearly through the training hall.

“If that’s the kind of thing you can say to your nephew seven times removed, then my striking of his pressure point is a very polite reply.”

Everyone’s faces hardened at once. Even those who were trying to protest her sudden actions, and those who were trying to express their anger while denouncing her rudeness, were all speechless.

“Tang Ho-byun.”

At her voice, another middle-aged man flinched. “You were with Tang Kwan-byun at that time. You laughed four times and clapped three times, saying, ‘That’s a great idea. We’re not eating it after looking at its pig face anyway. But the smell is too strong, so it’ll be difficult.’ And then you laughed twice more.”

The complexion of the middle-aged man called Tang Ho-byun was pale. Tang Wol-ah remembered things that even he himself barely remembered, without missing a single word.

“Do you want respect too?” The middle-aged man couldn’t answer. It wasn’t just Tang Ho-byun. Every time Tang Wol-ah’s gaze passed over each person, they flinched and avoided her gaze.

“Heo,” A long sigh flowed through the training hall. It was none other than Tang Ok-dam, the current Clan Lord of the Tang Clan, Hwa-gun [Flower Lord – a title given to someone with gentle and refined conduct].

“It is truly a shameful thing,” He, who was called ‘Hwa-gun (Flower Lord)’ because his conduct was like that of a gentleman, couldn’t hide his dismayed expression.

“It is right to cherish and care for those of the same blood, but the collapse of affection is all my fault as the Clan Lord.”

Step.

He stood up from his seat, and surprisingly, he bowed his head to Tang Wol-ah.

It was something that could never happen, whether in terms of seniority or position. It wasn’t just words, but the Clan Lord Hwa-gun Tang Ok-dam bowed his head to Tang Wol-ah.

At the Clan Lord’s sudden actions, the others frowned. But no one was surprised.

Even when the previous Clan Lord Tang Baek-ho was alive, it was all Tang Ok-dam’s job to lose face.

Still, the Clan Lord’s actions this time were rash. Those who thought so resolved to firmly question the Clan Lord about this matter later.

Rustle.

Tang Wol-ah turned to look at the Clan Lord Tang Ok-dam, who had bowed his head. Tang Wol-ah, who had been silent, quietly bowed her head in response to his respect.

“Thank you,” Tang Ok-dam’s voice was sincere. But no one recognized that sincerity. At least, not until now.

Tang Wol-ah turned her head again. Everyone flinched at each of her movements.

“I don’t care who it is. If you want my respect, speak.”

The small, frail voice of Tang Wol-ah was being conveyed clearly throughout the training hall, and to the ears of everyone in that place.

“But you will have to bear the consequences,” Everyone there could feel that even a small voice could sound like such a terrifying threat.

At the same time, they could clearly know that Tang Wol-ah, who was standing in front of them now, was clearly a woman of the Tang Clan.

The Poisonous Heart of Tang Wol-ah, befitting the name of the Sichuan Tang Clan, also known as the Poison King Family, was the clearest evidence of all.

“W-what are you trying to do now? You are to the family’s elders…!” Someone mustered the courage to speak, but his words didn’t come to an end.

“You said you wanted to confirm me, right?” Tang Wol-ah said. “Then I will also confirm whether the Tang Clan is truly a family worthy of me.”

Thud.

Something heavy fell into people’s hearts.

A declaration that no one had ever thought of. People’s complexions changed from moment to moment, like their confused hearts.

But Tang Wol-ah was still looking down at the people with a calm gaze.