A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 486

486. Guests of the Murong Family

Having enjoyed a leisurely time in Hangzhou, the group prepared to leave Yeyuan. However, there was a matter to settle first.

“Are you sure it’ll be alright?” Son Bin asked with a worried expression. “It’s a long journey, and it might be tough on the children…”

“But I want to go!” Aeng-aeng said, puffing out her cheeks. “You’re always the only one who goes, Teacher. So we have to go too.”

“That’s right! You always go, Teacher!” With the voices of Soso and Aeng-aeng chirping, Son Bin was speechless. Of course, the children and Son Bin were in different situations. But to the children, who identified themselves with their teacher, it felt like an unacceptable discrimination.

“It’s okay,” Hyeonryeon Sehwa said with a smile. “The children have always been curious about what Master Son does outside.”

“Well, it’s not like I do anything special…”

“And if we move at a leisurely pace, it won’t be too hard on the children.”

In fact, there was no urgent business anymore. Moving slowly was what Son Bin wanted. “It’s fine,” Hwasa chimed in. She puffed out her chest, as if telling him not to worry. “I’m here. If anything happens to the children, I’ll take care of them, so don’t worry.”

“When something happens to the children, Teacher Hwasa is the first to cry,” Soso chirped, but Hwasa pretended not to hear. Shin-ui added with a calm expression, “It’s alright. All the children are healthy, and I’ll be checking on them every day, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

With even Shin-ui saying that, Son Bin couldn’t object any longer. Besides, traveling with the children was a joy for Son Bin as well. “Then let’s all go together.”

“Yay!” The children raised their hands and cheered. Hong-ah and the other five children clung to Dang Wora and rejoiced.

“But with so many, won’t it be a lot of work to take care of the children?” No-gun said, frowning. But there was no need for such worries.

“It’s okay! We’re here!” The ever-lively Soso and red-haired Hong-ah said energetically. Soso had already created a system of sorts for taking care of the children, centered around Dang Wora’s five children. As expected of the youngest daughter of Soeun Merchant Group, her initiative was remarkable, and with Seo-rin around, there was virtually nothing for the adults to worry about.

In the end, Son Bin’s group decided to move together. No-gun and the rest of Son Bin’s group, along with Old Madam Dang Un-yeong, Hyeonryeon Sehwa, Hwasa, Eo-ong, and even the children, had greatly increased in number. It would have been difficult if Yeyuan hadn’t provided two more large carriages.

“Don’t worry about the carriages,” Wonju Hwa-wol said with a smile. “Or would you like me to provide a ship altogether?”

Knowing that the group was planning to travel up the Yangtze River, Son Bin waved his hand at Hwa-wol’s words. “No, we couldn’t do that.”

Son Bin put his hands together and bowed politely to Wonju Hwa-wol. “Thank you, Lady Hwa-wol.”

“You’re welcome.” Hwa-wol returned the bow to Son Bin with an elegant gesture. Son Bin also greeted Bi-yeon and Hyo-seol, who were standing next to her. “It was nice to see you again. I hope you both stay healthy.”

“We’ll be waiting for the day we meet again, Master Son.” Bi-yeon bowed politely, and Hyo-seol swayed her body seductively, returning Son Bin’s greeting. “Come anytime. The Pungwol House will always be wide open for Master Son.”

Bi-yeon frowned at Hyo-seol. But Hyo-seol didn’t care and even winked at Son Bin. “Ahem.” Son Bin cleared his throat. He would have normally ignored it, but the children were watching. He could already feel their curious gazes on the back of his head. “Then…” Son Bin got into the carriage with the children. “Goodbye!”

“We’ll come again!” The children waved their little hands and said goodbye boisterously. Hwa-wol, Bi-yeon, and Hyo-seol waved back at the children with smiling faces.

Ttagak, ttagak. The three carriages soon disappeared into the alleys of the residential area. Hyo-seol, who had been watching them leave for a while, suddenly sighed. “Haa, now that the noisy children are gone, it suddenly feels empty. Should I have a child and raise it?”

“You need a man to have a child,” Bi-yeon said sharply, but Hyo-seol didn’t even pretend to hear. “…Let’s go inside.” Hwa-wol also said to Bi-yeon and Hyo-seol with a forlorn expression. “A good wine just came in. Let’s have a drink together under the flower tree.”

“Wasn’t that for someone else?” Hyo-seol said with a meaningful look, but Hwa-wol gave a bitter smile. “What does it matter? It’s enough if anyone enjoys drinking it.”

“Drinking from midday…” Bi-yeon said with a displeased expression. But soon she muttered quietly, “Well, if we don’t drink on a day like today, when will we?”

“Bi-yeon, your drinking habits have gotten worse. You shouldn’t do that.” This time, Bi-yeon pretended not to hear Hyo-seol’s words. The three women, who had been looking at the path the carriage had taken, turned back with elegant, neat, and seductive gestures. Sabak, sabak. The three women disappeared into Yeyuan, shoulder to shoulder. The loyal old servant closed the gates of Yeyuan, and the old residential area once again fell into a quiet atmosphere.

***

The group, divided into three carriages, headed from Hangzhou to the Yangtze River. Upon arriving at the Yangtze River, the group bid farewell to Eo-ong. “Come visit often,” Eo-ong said, slinging his fishing rod and basket over his shoulder. Son Bin bowed to Eo-ong. “Yes, I will, Elder.”

Eo-ong smiled contentedly with his wrinkled face. And without looking back, he strode away. “Goodbye!”

“Grandpa Eo-ong, come visit again!” Eo-ong, who was walking away, simply raised his hand in response. With Eo-ong gone, Son Bin’s group boarded a large ship heading up the Yangtze River.

“Wow! The ship is big!”

“Isn’t it? It’s really big.” Hwasa laughed and rejoiced with the children. The ship going up the Yangtze River was bigger than expected, and the cabins were comfortable, which the children loved. Eating meals on the swaying ship was also a fun experience for the children. Hong-ah and the other five children, as well as the seemingly fragile Aeng-aeng, surprisingly didn’t get seasick. That was all thanks to Shin-ui.

“It’s not difficult,” Shin-ui said with a blunt expression. “If you know when you’re going to be on a ship, prevention is easy. It would be difficult if the ship was too small or if there wasn’t enough time.”

Come to think of it, Shin-ui had once turned pale on Janggang Eo-ong’s boat. Son Bin expressed his gratitude and quietly stepped back. There was no need to provoke Shin-ui’s painful memories. Chwaaaa. The large ship powerfully went up the Yangtze River. The children were curious about how the ship could go against the river, but upon seeing the large sails, they all nodded in surprise. And the group soon arrived in the historic metropolis, Wuhan.

“Is this Wuhan?” Soso said, her eyes shining. The children’s eyes sparkled at the sight of Wuhan’s bustling appearance, which they were seeing for the first time. “Wuhan… It feels strangely nostalgic,” Sa Su-yeon said quietly. Gently sweeping back her hair fluttering in the wind, Sa Su-yeon smiled at Son Bin. “Yes, it does,” Son Bin also said, smiling as he looked at Sa Su-yeon. She was as beautiful as a painting, no matter when he saw her. From the first time he saw her, until now, standing next to her. “Thank you for saving me back then, Gangha Su-yeon,” Son Bin said with a hint of playfulness. At those words, Sa Su-yeon’s cheeks instantly turned red. Sa Su-yeon, who had saved Son Bin at Hwanghak Tower [Yellow Crane Tower, a famous landmark in Wuhan], had called herself ‘Gangha Su-yeon’ [Su-yeon of the River]. Perhaps it was a young lady’s desire not to reveal herself to strangers, or perhaps it was her own way of being stylish. “Th, that’s…” Sa Su-yeon lowered her face shyly and couldn’t continue speaking. Her appearance was so lovely that Son Bin couldn’t take his eyes off her. “Stop playing around and let’s go.” Ttagak. No-gun had already driven up in the carriage. The carriage that had been on the ship had already been unloaded at the dock. The group and the children got back into the carriage. The children were noisy, arguing about whose carriage it was and whether they should switch this time. And so, Son Bin’s group headed to the Murong Family in Wuhan.

***

“Wow, the house is big!” The children, seeing the Murong Family for the first time, exclaimed with their mouths open. In fact, the Hyeonryeon Family in Guangzhou was bigger, but the children, who had never seen the Hyeonryeon Family, couldn’t help but be amazed by the Murong Family’s grandeur. “There are so many people too!” The front of the Murong Family was crowded with people and carriages. Aeng-aeng grabbed Son Bin’s sleeve and said with a worried expression, “Um, is it okay for us to go in there?” She seemed worried about being kicked out. Smiling at Aeng-aeng, who was looking up at him, Son Bin nodded. “It’s okay. Teacher knows the owner of this house well.”

The children looked at Son Bin with respectful eyes and exclaimed in admiration. No-gun chuckled at the sight. “You were playing around just fine at Yeyuan, but you’re surprised to see the Murong Family?” No-gun couldn’t help but find it absurd. The fact that they had received direct teachings from the Wonju [Head] and Buwonju [Deputy Head] of Yeyuan was more significant than the Murong Family. Meanwhile, the carriage approached the Murong Family. The Murong Family’s warrior, who was in charge of the gate’s entrance, remembered Son Bin. “Master Son!” He recognized Son Bin and bowed politely. He was one of the warriors who had directly witnessed the martial arts contest between Son Bin and Guigyeonsura in the past. Son Bin bowed politely to the warrior and asked, “Nice to see you. Is the Gentleman’s Sword here?”

“Yes. Please wait a moment.” The warrior hurriedly went inside the family, and soon after, Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong appeared. “Master Son! Elder No-gun!” He fluttered his sleeves and walked towards Son Bin. Even his appearance was so dignified that it made one think that the title of Gentleman’s Sword suited him perfectly. “Welcome, Master Son.” Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong grabbed Son Bin’s hand and rejoiced. And he bowed to No-gun. “Welcome, Elder.”

“I came because I missed you,” No-gun said abruptly. “I have quite a few people with me, so let us stay for a few days.”

“A few days?” Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong wore a gentle smile. “You can live here forever if you want.”

No-gun chuckled. “I don’t know if your wife would say the same, but let’s go in anyway.” Murong Myeong rejoiced and led the group inside. Amidst the curious gazes of others, the young guests entered the Murong Family like a flock of chicks.

***

Contrary to No-gun’s worries, Madam Murong happily welcomed Son Bin’s group. Madam Murong was especially delighted to see the children. “Hello,” the children bowed quite maturely. Madam Murong’s eyes sparkled at the sight. “Oh my, how cute.” Madam Murong hugged the children tightly. “Our Jin and Rin were this small and cute too… That’s right, would you like something delicious to eat?” The maids immediately brought snacks and fruits. The children’s eyes sparkled as they saw the delicious things piled up in front of them. “Thank you!” The children quickly became friendly with Madam Murong. Soso and Aeng-aeng were already chattering next to Madam Murong, and the rest of the group was comfortably enjoying tea amidst Madam Murong’s hospitality. Taktaktak, rumble. “Master Son is here?” The handsome young master who came in with a force that seemed like he would break the door was none other than Iron Sword Murong Jin. Son Bin stood up from his seat and greeted him happily. “Young Master Murong.”

“Master Son!” Murong Jin smiled brightly and grabbed Son Bin’s hand. “It really is Master Son. Welcome, very welcome.” Murong Jin, unable to hide his joy, then discovered No-gun and the rest of the group. “Ah, this!” Murong Jin quickly straightened his posture and bowed politely to No-gun. “It’s been a while, Elder.”

“Yeah.” No-gun received Murong Jin’s greeting indifferently. Murong Jin also bowed politely to the rest of the group. The children stared with wide eyes at Murong Jin, who was originally a handsome young master and also had a generous aura. “…Cool,” Aeng-aeng muttered. To the children of Seowon [private Confucian academy], a young master like Murong Jin was someone who only appeared in stories. Murong Jin, having greeted the group, smiled and looked at the children. “It’s the first time we’ve had young guests? Welcome to the Murong Family. Was it hard coming here?” The handsome Murong Jin smiled gently, and the children stared blankly at Murong Jin, forgetting to answer. It was at that moment. Dalkak. The door opened and a beautiful young lady with sharp features entered. “Brother! I told you we had to leave right now. Why suddenly…” Her sharp voice couldn’t continue. Murong Rin, the precious daughter of the Murong Family, couldn’t hide her surprised expression upon discovering Son Bin standing before her. “…So, Master Son?” Son Bin smiled. And he bowed to Murong Rin. “Nice to see you, Miss Murong.”

Murong Rin couldn’t say anything and stared at Son Bin with round eyes. And the next moment, tears welled up in her eyes. “Mi, Miss.” Son Bin was also taken aback. But Murong Rin quickly turned her face away. “…Sorry, something got in my eye…” Murong Rin quickly dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. And she turned her head towards Son Bin. “Nice to see you, Master Son,” Murong Rin said, smiling at Son Bin. But anyone could tell that tears were still welling up in her eyes. “I didn’t expect you to come. I’m really… happy,” her slightly trembling voice was telling her feelings as they were. “Yes, I’m also happy to see Miss Murong,” Son Bin said with a smile. At that warm smile, a bright smile spread across Murong Rin’s face as well. Murong Rin also bowed to No-gun and the rest of the group. She didn’t leave out a polite welcome to Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wora, and Hwasa, whom she already knew, as well as Princess Gyeonghui and Sarasvati, whom she didn’t know well. Meanwhile, Soso and Aeng-aeng ran up and poked Son Bin’s collar. “Teacher.”

“Why?” Son Bin asked, lowering his body. He wondered if they needed something, but Soso’s words exceeded Son Bin’s expectations. “You said you were meeting precious friends, but did you come to meet that pretty lady?” Her voice rang out clearly in the now quiet room. Son Bin was momentarily flustered. Everyone, from Murong Rin and Murong Jin to No-gun, Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wora, and the other adults and children, was looking at Son Bin. If he said no here, Murong Rin would be very heartbroken. But if he said yes, he didn’t have the confidence to handle Sa Su-yeon’s or Dang Wora’s gaze. In the end, Son Bin had no choice but to say this. “…I, I have a lot of men too.” Those were words that contained Son Bin’s frustrated feelings as they were. But it was not enough to dispel Soso’s or Aeng-aeng’s suspicious eyes. And neither were the gazes of the people pouring towards Son Bin. “Tsk tsk,” No-gun clicked his tongue. Son Bin was really very wronged, but he had nothing to say. The thought that bringing the children might have been a big mistake crossed Son Bin’s mind for the first time.

***

The blue moonlight filled the Murong Family’s training ground. The family, which had been busy with people, was now quietly asleep under the night sky, and silence fell all around as if there were only two people in the world. In the middle of it, Son Bin and Iron Sword Murong Jin were standing. “It’s an honor, Master Son,” Iron Sword Murong Jin bowed politely. Murong Jin, neatly dressed in martial arts attire, had his Iron Sword hanging at his waist. Son Bin returned the bow and wore a smile. “The honor is all mine, Young Master Murong.” On Son Bin’s waist, Baekro [Son Bin’s sword] was also revealing its appearance under the moonlight. The two were now facing each other for a martial arts contest. No-gun, who was watching the scene, held a small glass and said quietly, “I wondered why Bin was holding back for so long.”

As always, No-gun and the rest of the group had taken their seats far away. Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wora, Hwasa, Hyeonryeon Sehwa, as well as Old Madam Dang Un-yeong, Sarasvati, Princess Gyeonghui, and Seo-rin and Shin-ui were also present. From the Murong Family, only Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong and Murong Rin were present. “Don’t you have to do it?” The target of that question was none other than Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong. Murong Myeong raised a bottle of fruit wine that his wife had made and said calmly, “The new era belongs to the young people. I’m fine.” As Murong Myeong poured wine into No-gun’s glass, the fragrant scent of aged fruit wine spread all around. No-gun raised his glass and chuckled. “Fine, my ass. That’s why you’re passing all the family affairs to your children and living only with your sword?” Only then did Gentleman’s Sword Murong Myeong wear a soft smile. He poured fruit wine into his own glass and said, “That way, I’ll have something to say even if I meet Muje later, won’t I?” It was a meaningful remark, but No-gun frowned. “Anyone who hears that would think Muje is dead. No, come to think of it, is it similar?” No-gun shrugged, wondering how to express someone who had left through the gates of hell. “Anyway, it’s been a long time.” No-gun muttered, looking at the training ground bathed in moonlight. The eyes of Son Bin and Murong Jin, standing under the starlit night sky, were shining more strongly than ever before.