A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 163

163. The Twelve Beauties of Yewon

Chunghye was a disciple that Beopheo, the Buddhist nun of the Emei Sect, had taken in her later years. Being much younger than her senior sisters, who had joined earlier, she received all of her master’s love due to her outstanding talent.

Thus, while her senior sisters were entering middle age, Chunghye, not even thirty yet, possessed the most outstanding martial skills among the disciples of the Cheongja generation of the Emei Sect.

Much jealousy was directed towards her.

Although it was a pure and virtuous place, not everyone in the Emei Sect had an excellent character.

Due to the closed-off and strict atmosphere, there were quite a few who harbored twisted jealousy and obsession.

Her master, Beopheo, was well aware of this, so she always taught Chunghye to maintain a humble attitude.

Perhaps that was why? She had both confidence in herself and a vague sense of unease.

And that unease reached its peak when her master, Beopheo, told her about external affairs.

Clack, clack.

The carriage carrying Chunghye and Beopheo traveled along the low embankment of West Lake and stopped in front of a large two-story pavilion. It was a place with a panoramic view of West Lake.

“Is this the place?”

Chunghye asked as she got out of the carriage. It was a scenic and beautiful place, so she expected many people, but strangely, she didn’t see anyone else.

“It seems so.”

Beopheo said with a soft smile. Her eyes, looking at her beloved disciple, were full of warmth.

“Let’s go in.”

Beopheo said, holding a large staff-like cane. But Chunghye couldn’t easily move her feet.

“Why? Are you nervous?”

“It’s not that……”

Chunghye answered cautiously.

“There are other senior sisters, so may I dare to enter external affairs?”

Beopheo laughed.

“It’s alright. Those children will each take on Emei’s duties according to their capabilities.”

Chunghye’s rank was high, but she was too young. So, they couldn’t put her in a position of great responsibility within the Emei Sect.

However, her master, Beopheo, didn’t want to bury her talent like this.

“I’m rather sorry. I wonder if I’m putting too much of a burden on you.”

“It’s not like that.”

Chunghye shook her head. Her shabby monastic robes and the old bamboo hat she wore couldn’t hide her youth and beauty.

“I’m afraid that my shortcomings will bring disgrace to the master and the sect.”

Knowing that her humility came from the heart, Beopheo smiled.

“Although you may be lacking compared to other external affairs experts, no one has ever achieved such accomplishments at such a young age. Rather, you will make people see the Emei Sect in a new light, so you have nothing to worry about.”

She had already passed on everything from the Emei Sect to her. If that was still not enough, she would fill in the gaps herself. Beopheo said.

“Let’s go.”

Beopheo entered the pavilion. Chunghye recited a Buddhist prayer in her heart for a moment and followed her master, Beopheo.

Was it because of the mix of tension, anxiety, and anticipation? The beautiful scenery of West Lake didn’t even register in her mind.

Step, step.

As they entered the pavilion, a maidservant bowed to them. As they went up to the second floor along the large wooden stairs, the soft breeze of West Lake greeted them.

Swoosh.

The second floor of the pavilion was completely open on all sides. Besides the large, red pillars, there was nothing blocking the view. The blue waves of West Lake came into view, making even her heart feel refreshed.

“Ah……”

Chunghye let out a sigh without realizing it. After being immersed in the scenery of West Lake for a while, she took her time to look around.

The spacious second floor was already prepared for a banquet. A long table for the Yewon heads and Sojus [leaders or important figures] was placed in the front, and small tables were lined up facing each other on the left and right.

The overall shape surrounded the empty center on three sides, and besides the maids preparing, it seemed they were the first ones there.

“Thank you for coming, Beopheo.”

A woman dressed in splendid attire bowed her head with her hands together.

Beopheo took off her bamboo hat. She put the soft cloth she had around her neck on her head, and Beopheo returned the greeting with a bow.

“It’s surprising that Hwawol is welcoming me in person.”

“As the owner of Yewon, isn’t it natural to welcome distinguished guests in person?”

The woman called Hwawol was beautiful and dignified, even when seen through the eyes of another woman. She smiled and looked at Chunghye.

“Welcome to Yewon. Please come this way.”

Chunghye also took off her bamboo hat, put the cloth on her head, and replied with a bow.

After exchanging greetings, Hwawol guided the two to their seats in person. In the meantime, Beopheo asked Hwawol.

“From Wudang? Did anyone say they were coming?”

Since Hwanghak Jin-in, no external affairs experts from Wudang had appeared. As a member of the Four Great Sects, Beopheo couldn’t help but ask.

“There was no response. Officially.”

The seat that Hwawol guided them to was located in the middle, where the entire area could be seen at a glance.

As the two sat down, Hwawol lightly bowed and left. Soon after, a maidservant brought tea.

“It’s said to be a gathering of the Twelve Beauties of Yewon, but it’s quieter than I thought.”

Chunghye looked around. The banquet hall was simple yet stylish overall.

Without flashy colorful lanterns or extravagant decorations, only small flowers were carefully arranged, harmonizing with the beautiful scenery of West Lake to create a subtle charm.

“It’s Hwawol’s taste.”

Her master, Beopheo, said. She seemed to like the tea the maidservant brought, as her expression was relaxed.

“And originally, Muje also……”

“What? Are we the first ones here?”

Chunghye raised her head at the gruff voice that was almost blunt.

An impressive old man with a white beard and white eyebrows was frowning. Although he looked like he was annoyed, Hwawol’s face was full of smiles as she greeted him.

“Surely not. Beopheo is already here.”

Hwawol’s voice was full of affection. It was quite different from when she treated her master, Beopheo, so she even felt a sense of betrayal.

‘Oh dear, what am I thinking?’

Chunghye soon recited a Buddhist prayer in her heart to calm herself.

However, that composure was shaken again when the old man with the white beard scoffed at Beopheo.

“Hmph.”

The old man glanced at Beopheo and looked around the banquet hall. He sighed as he alternately looked at the head table closest to the front and the seat farthest in the corner.

“Oh well, life is all the same anyway.”

He strode towards the head table. It was the most noticeable seat, except for the host.

“Who is that person?”

Chunghye, feeling slightly displeased, asked her master.

“That’s Namgungcheon.”

Beopheo said with a pleased expression, rather than feeling bad.

“It seems that even that human has finally developed a sense of responsibility, seeing him appear here.”

“What is his level?”

Chunghye, guessing that they were close friends from her master’s tone, asked.

“Except for the Four Heavenly Kings [the strongest martial artists in the Murim Alliance], he’s the most amazing.”

Beopheo said definitively.

“Even so, it was a meaningless statement until now… In the current situation, you never know.”

Chunghye looked at Namgungcheon with new eyes. It was the first time her master had praised someone so unreservedly.

“But right now, I’m more concerned about his group than Namgungcheon.”

Beopheo said, her eyes shining sharply. Her gaze was directed towards a young lady, a frail young woman wearing a veil, and a cute-looking pretty boy.

In particular, the beauty of the young lady was enough to captivate even Chunghye’s gaze.

Except for her slightly cold impression, she truly had a face like a flower and a figure like the moon.

“Hehe.”

While Chunghye was looking at the beautiful lady, her master, Beopheo, chuckled beside her. Chunghye looked at her master.

“To hide such a child, Wudang has quite the brains.”

Beopheo said with a look of dismay. However, that expression soon changed to a satisfied smile.

“Does the saying ‘no official response’ mean this?”

Chunghye looked for the target of her master’s gaze. And soon, the figure of a fairly handsome pretty boy came into her view.

‘Wudang?’

There was no feeling of a Wudang Taoist priest in the pretty boy’s attire. Only an out-of-place horsetail whisk was peeking out.

It was when Chunghye was examining Namgungcheon’s group.

Chunghye suddenly felt a gaze directed at her and turned her head. And she realized that there were more people around her.

‘Before I knew it……’

Before she knew it, quite a few people were sitting in the banquet hall.

Some people exuded fierce and strong energy at a glance, but there were more who looked like ordinary people.

The appearances were also diverse, with some people wearing splendid clothes while others were shabby and even shabby.

However, Chunghye could tell. Not a single one of them had a lower level than her.

The anxiety hidden in her heart resurfaced. At this moment, it felt like she was the most powerless and insignificant being in this banquet hall.

“Oh, senior!”

Someone came up to the second floor of the pavilion and said loudly. Chunghye’s gaze naturally turned towards that side.

“This is truly amazing. To think that you would be here, senior.”

He was a robust old man with a lively impression.

Despite his graying hair and white beard, he had a presence that could overwhelm any ordinary martial artist with just his eyes. He spread his hands towards Namgungcheon in an exaggerated manner.

‘Who is it?’

As if reading Chunghye’s mind, her master, Beopheo, opened her mouth.

“That’s Namgungcheon. The former Thunder Sword of the Namgung Clan and also the former head of the family.”

Chunghye had also heard of the name Thunder Sword Namgungcheon.

With outstanding martial arts, a martial artist’s open-minded personality, and the political power to unite the family, he was truly the epitome of a martial artist.

“That person is……”

Before Chunghye could finish her words, Beopheo’s voice flowed out quietly.

“He is the worst of the heads of the Five Great Families [influential martial arts families]. That man is the kind of person who would paint the world with blood for the sake of his family without batting an eye.”

The Four Great Sects and the Five Great Families belonged to the same Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance]. Nevertheless, Beopheo’s gaze towards Namgungcheon was cold.

Chunghye looked at Namgungcheon with new eyes.

Step, step.

The former Thunder Sword Namgungcheon nonchalantly brushed aside Hwawol’s greeting and approached Namgungcheon without hesitation.

“I don’t remember having a junior like you?”

Namgungcheon grumbled, and the scholarly young man stood up from his seat.

“Have you been well? Great Warrior Namgungcheon.”

The scholarly young man bowed with his hands together. Chunghye tilted her head as she watched him speak to the former Thunder Sword Namgungcheon.

‘Was there such a person?’

Except for the intense-looking old man, the young lady, the veiled young woman, and the pretty boy, only the young woman with a neat impression remained in her memory.

That scholarly young man seemed to have been sitting there since earlier, but for some reason, it felt like she was seeing him for the first time.

‘Come to think of it, there seemed to be six people in total……’

She glanced at her master, but Beopheo was turning her head away as if she didn’t want to see him at all.

“Huh? Is that you, Bin……”

Thunder Sword Namgungcheon frowned instead of returning the young man’s greeting.

In an instant, an amazing light seemed to flash in his eyes, and he took a step forward and grabbed the scholarly young man’s arm.

No, he tried to grab it.

“You! What on earth is going……”

“Ahem!”

Thud.

Namgungcheon’s arm was knocked away by Namgungcheon.

“Where are you trying to grab him recklessly? I told you to just look, just look. And I told you not to call him by his name so familiarly.”

Namgungcheon said, glaring.

Namgungcheon looked at Namgungcheon and the scholarly young man alternately. And soon, he realized the general situation.

“Tsk.”

Namgungcheon clicked his tongue.

“What on earth did you do in Bukhae [a northern sea region]?”

The moment those words were uttered, the banquet hall became quiet in an instant. And then, a moment of silence flowed.

“Something amazing happened.”

The answer was given by Namgungcheon. He continued to speak as if grumbling to himself.

“I really thought I was going to die. And why was that damn desert so wide? I suffered all sorts of hardships in my old age that I didn’t deserve. Even now, I ache all over, and it feels like I’m going to die.”

Namgungcheon’s voice echoed clearly in the banquet hall. The tension that had settled in the banquet hall slowly dissipated, and some people smiled wryly at Namgungcheon’s banter.

“So Namgungcheon was behind the story of Bukhae opening trade.”

Beopheo said in a calm voice.

“The trade of Bukhae?”

Chunghye asked back at the unfamiliar words, and Beopheo said in a quiet tone.

“Although you may not like it, in order to survive in external affairs, you must be able to encompass everything in the world. Understanding the ecology of money and power is the first of these.”

Chunghye felt like she understood a little bit of what her master meant by saying that she was putting a burden on her.

This was not a pure and virtuous place where she could just focus on martial arts and Buddhist teachings.

“It’s not a big deal.”

The scholarly young man quietly smiled at Namgungcheon and replied.

Chunghye, who was watching, thought for a very brief moment that the sight was quite atmospheric.

“And thank you for giving a good answer to the letter I suddenly sent.”

The scholarly young man quietly expressed his gratitude.

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Namgungcheon said with a hearty laugh. His eyes were full of warmth.

“The sight of everyone being surprised when I handed over the letter was quite a sight to see. Thanks to you, I had a good time. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to flex my muscles in front of my son. Hahahaha.”

Namgungcheon’s smiling face looked gentle and soft. It was enough to make Beopheo’s evaluation of him as the worst seem doubtful for a moment.

“Come to think of it, there are people I haven’t seen in a while.”

Namgungcheon said, looking back at Namgungcheon’s group. The young woman with a neat impression stood up from her seat and bowed.

“It’s been a while, Great Warrior Namgungcheon.”

“Have you been well? Is your father doing well?”

“Yes. Thanks to your concern.”

Namgungcheon, who was nodding, looked at the young woman wearing a veil.

His eyes were not very friendly, but they were not hostile either.

“Have you been well too, nameless one?”

“Yes.”

The frail young woman wearing a veil bowed her head as if to be seen or not.

Chunghye frowned slightly as she watched her. She felt that her attitude, who was also young, was rude.

“Keep a close eye on that child.”

Beopheo suddenly said. Beopheo’s eyes, looking at the young woman wearing a veil, were sharp.

“I didn’t think that the Fierce Tiger of Sichuan would disappear so vainly……”

Beopheo clicked her tongue.

“As expected of the Tang Clan [a clan known for their expertise in poisons and assassination]. To think they would have prepared such a monster.”

“The Tang Clan?”

“Yes.”

Beopheo asserted. There was only one place in the world that could create such a monster with such tremendous poison.

“But it’s strange. Originally, Namgungcheon hated the Tang Clan?”

While her master, Beopheo, was tilting her head, Namgungcheon was talking to the pretty boy.

“I’m seeing you for the first time. Are you from Wudang?”

“Yes!”

The cute-looking pretty boy bowed his head and answered in a cheerful voice. A smile naturally spread across Chunghye’s lips as she watched.

“But I came out. I live with Brother Bin now!”

“Is that so?”

Namgungcheon looked at the pretty boy, stroking his beard. Then, he suddenly turned his head towards Namgungcheon.

“Senior really doesn’t listen to others.”

“Hmph.”

Namgungcheon snorted. Namgungcheon spoke to the pretty boy again.

“Come and play with Bin sometime. Oh, what’s your name?”

“I’m Seorin.”

The pretty boy said with a proud expression. A smile also appeared on Namgungcheon’s lips at the sight.

Rustle.

Among Namgungcheon’s group, the last remaining beautiful lady stood up from her seat.

Even though it was a simple movement, it contained an unknown force, so when she stood up, everyone’s attention was focused at once.

“Nice to meet you.”

She politely bowed to Namgungcheon.

“My name is Sasuyeon.”

It was a flawless etiquette, but Namgungcheon couldn’t say anything.

The moment he made eye contact with her, Namgungcheon’s face was hardening.

“That child is……”

It wasn’t just Namgungcheon. Her master, Beopheo’s voice was also trembling faintly.

Chunghye looked at her master, Beopheo, without realizing it.

“She is the most amazing being among them.”

Beopheo’s face, speaking, was hardening just like Namgungcheon’s.

“Yes?”

Chunghye looked at the beautiful lady who identified herself as Sasuyeon. But she couldn’t understand at all why her master was saying this.

The beautiful lady also seemed to be surprised by this reaction and just had a puzzled expression.

But even in the midst of that, Chunghye was inwardly admiring her two eyes, which were as beautiful as starlight.