A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 23

23. Ascending to Yueyang Tower

Dang Hwa-ryun’s eyes, which had been fixed on Son Bin, seemed to waver slightly before she let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha, so you’re going to push me to the very end…”

Her eyes turned cold.

“Fine.”

She smiled coldly.

“I’ll take your advice to heart. Though it is rather childish.”

Son Bin clasped his hands together and bowed to her before turning away. He didn’t expect any acknowledgment.

Step. Step.

‘Damn it.’

Son Bin’s expression was twisted as he walked towards Sa Ja-hyuk.

‘I shouldn’t have said anything… I didn’t gain anything, and did I just make things worse?’

Son Bin glanced at Sa Ja-hyuk. He seemed to have a faint smile on his lips as he waited for Son Bin.

“Let’s go.”

Son Bin said curtly as he passed Sa Ja-hyuk.

∴

The death of Dang Baek-ho, the former head of the Sichuan Dang Clan, went unnoticed by the general public. However, it was a huge shock to the Sichuan martial world, as he had effectively reigned as the hidden ruler of Sichuan.

Not only the major sects and clans of the Jianghu [the martial arts world] but also the heads of numerous sects from all over Sichuan gathered to pay their respects.

And they witnessed a strange sight. The chief mourner was naturally the current head of the Dang Clan, but the person who presided over and directed the ceremony was a young lady named Dang Hwa-ryun.

Through this funeral, Seolgeom Dang Hwa-ryun began to make her name known, and soon rumors spread that she was the new power in the Dang Clan.

And, sure enough, after a hundred days, she and her faction began to monopolize key positions in the major departments of the Dang Clan.

Criticism arose that she was too young and inexperienced, but such criticism quickly disappeared as if it had never existed.

And contrary to the general assessment that Dang Baek-ho’s death would bring a crisis to the Sichuan Dang Clan, the young Dang Hwa-ryun’s bold reforms revitalized the Sichuan Dang Clan and gave it a new look.

The Jianghu martial world began to watch the Sichuan Dang Clan with new eyes, and the name Seolgeom Dang Hwa-ryun became a symbol of the beginning of a new generation and a young, rising master.

A new star, Seolgeom Dang Hwa-ryun, had risen brilliantly in the Jianghu martial world.

***

As Dang Hwa-ryun had said, the pain lasted exactly three days. Contrary to her saying it would be quite painful, it was only a throbbing sensation, and after three days, it disappeared as if it had never happened.

And on her shoulder, where her dagger had pierced, a scar about the length of a finger remained.

Son Bin left Seoa with Sa Ja-hyuk the very next day. It was a fairly large and comfortable carriage, but contrary to Son Bin’s expectation that they would head to Yunnan, they were following the main road to Dongting Lake.

“Dongting Lake?”

“We are going to Yueyang.”

Yueyang was a small city located on Dongting Lake.

“Isn’t that a different direction from Yunnan?”

Son Bin thought that Sa Ja-hyuk would be heading to Yunnan this time. The man named Okryong would surely be the next opponent. But the carriage was heading in a different direction.

“There is someone I must meet.”

That was the end of the answer.

‘Yueyang, it’s a good place, but…’

Yueyang has the Yueyang Tower. There’s no reason to refuse the chance to see one of the three great towers of Jiangnan [a region in China known for its beauty]. However, this detour is somehow suspicious. Could it be because of the people following us?

‘Well, I’ll find out when we get there.’

More than that, there was something he wanted to ask Sa Ja-hyuk. Son Bin spoke cautiously.

“What… should I do with this?”

A brush-length object wrapped in plain cloth was on Son Bin’s lap. Sa Ja-hyuk recognized what it was. It was the hilt of the Howa Sword.

“Do as you see fit.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said with a calm expression.

“He always cherished his body, so having it won’t do any harm.”

Contrary to Son Bin’s worries, Sa Ja-hyuk’s expression was peaceful. But Son Bin couldn’t hide his troubled expression.

‘Even if it’s good…’

It’s unsettling to possess something with a bad past. And even more so if it’s a terrible memory for the other person.

“Then, I’ll throw it away.”

Thud.

Son Bin opened the window and lifted the hilt of the Howa Sword, wrapped in plain cloth.

“Do as you wish.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said, looking at Son Bin with a calm expression.

“Do you think it is right to erase the mistakes of the past?”

Son Bin hesitated at the sudden question.

“Or, do you think painful and shameful pasts should be erased from history? To prevent future generations from living in disgrace?”

Son Bin answered without hesitation.

“No, I don’t think so. How can those who forget the past because it is shameful have a proper future? Repenting for mistakes and taking responsibility can all begin with not forgetting.”

“That is.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said, looking down at the hilt of the Howa Sword.

“A trace of the most painful time for me. So keep it. When you write books…”

Sa Ja-hyuk said.

“It will be of some help.”

“I understand.”

Son Bin nodded. If something good for him reminds the other person of painful memories, he cannot have it. But if it is material for a better record, the story is different.

‘The most painful time.’

Every time he looks at the hilt of the Howa Sword, he will probably remember Sa Ja-hyuk’s words.

Rustle.

Son Bin put the hilt of the Howa Sword deep into his luggage and took out a small brush and booklet from his chest. Records are better than memories.

***

After leaving Seoa for several days, Son Bin and Sa Ja-hyuk arrived at Dongting Lake. Dongting Lake, a vast lake so large that it was said the sky and the earth floated on it, revealed itself before Son Bin’s eyes.

“Oh.”

Son Bin exclaimed. Although the weather was cloudy and raindrops occasionally fell, there were only two people at Yueyang Tower, but that created a different kind of atmosphere.

Dongting Lake, with its boundaries hidden in the clouds, seemed to stretch endlessly like a fantasy, and the faintly visible islands of Dongting Lake gave the feeling of looking at the sea.

“It’s a desolate place.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said with a calm expression.

“There is not much to see besides Dongting Lake.”

“What are you talking about! This Yueyang Tower is one of the three great towers of Jiangnan.”

“It is a magnificent tower, but not enough to be impressed. If you want to see the scenery of Dongting Lake, there are many better places. This place is famous only because Du Fu [a famous Chinese poet] recited poetry here, isn’t it?”

Sa Ja-hyuk said with a calm expression.

“I don’t particularly like Du Fu, so Yueyang Tower has no meaning to me.”

“Then why did you come to Yueyang Tower?”

“There is a friend I must meet.”

‘Friend!’

Son Bin was startled.

“Don’t tell me it’s a life-and-death match?”

“No.”

Sa Ja-hyuk chuckled.

“Do you think all my friends are life-and-death matches?”

“No, everyone I’ve met so far has been a friend, so…”

He calls them all friends even though they are life-and-death matches. And then they fight to the death. It’s almost suspicious whether he’s confusing it with the word enemy.

“I made a promise.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said with a calm expression.

“So, I must keep it.”

Son Bin looked at Sa Ja-hyuk with suspicious eyes.

‘A promise, that’s what you say every time you have a life-and-death match, isn’t it?’

Step, step.

Suddenly, the sound of someone coming up interrupted the conversation. After a while, a middle-aged man with a dignified presence appeared. His attire, which was not flashy but elegant, was even more striking.

Step.

Another person appeared behind him. It was a young man of similar age to Son Bin, with a handsome appearance.

He was the epitome of a young martial artist, with lively eyes. The moment his eyes met Son Bin’s, the young man’s eyes sparkled.

“Great One!”

The middle-aged man noticed Sa Ja-hyuk and looked surprised.

“It really is the Great One.”

He smiled and clasped his hands together, bowing to Sa Ja-hyuk.

“I am glad to see you in good health.”

Sa Ja-hyuk smiled and returned the greeting.

“It’s been a while.”

Only after seeing Sa Ja-hyuk return the greeting did Son Bin feel relieved. The middle-aged man’s words were exactly the same as those of the life-and-death match opponents so far.

He was ready to jump into a life-and-death match if Sa Ja-hyuk showed hostility.

‘He must be a real friend.’

“Who is this?”

The middle-aged man looked at Son Bin and asked.

“He is my companion.”

“I am Son Bin.”

Son Bin bowed to him. The middle-aged man politely returned the greeting to Son Bin.

“I am called Gunja Sword [Gentleman Sword]. May I ask if you are a…”

‘Sohyeop’ is a term for a young martial artist. It was a formal title, but it did not apply to Son Bin.

“He is not a person of the Murim [martial arts world].”

“Oh, is that so?”

The middle-aged man looked a little surprised.

“This must be fate. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine. More than that, please speak comfortably. I am too young to handle honorifics.”

The middle-aged man smiled. He turned to the young man standing next to him.

“Say hello.”

The young man bowed politely to Sa Ja-hyuk.

“I am called Iron Sword. I have heard a lot about you from my father, and it is an honor to meet you like this.”

“Sa Ja-hyuk.”

The young man also bowed lightly to Son Bin. Son Bin also returned the greeting.

“Haha, I am very happy to see the Great One like this today.”

The middle-aged man said with a smile.

“Let’s go. How can we miss alcohol on this good day? I have prepared the best liquor in the world that I promised you before.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t keep that promise.”

Sa Ja-hyuk said. A gust of wind was in his voice.

“Because there is still work to be done.”

Silence fell. The middle-aged man, Gunja Sword, asked cautiously.

“Then perhaps the matter in Hobeok Province…”

Sa Ja-hyuk nodded.

“There will be news from Sichuan soon.”

“Ah.”

Gunja Sword said with a sigh.

“Did it end up being that way after all?”

“It’s not over yet.”

Gunja Sword’s eyebrows twitched.

“Then perhaps, even Yunnan…”

Sa Ja-hyuk was silent. But that was enough of an answer for Gunja Sword.

“He is an unpredictable person.”

Gunja Sword said with a stiff face.

“It is dangerous to go alone. I will accompany you.”

Sa Ja-hyuk shook his head and smiled faintly.

“I came to keep a promise.”

“Great One!”

Sa Ja-hyuk’s gaze was gentle, but firm. Gunja Sword knew that he could not change his mind.

“I understand.”

Gunja Sword said with a complicated expression.

“I will prepare for the duel.”

∴

The sky was heavily clouded. There was also quite a bit of wind, and it even felt chilly.

The occasional raindrops foreshadowed the rain that would soon pour down, but that meant nothing to the two men facing each other with swords and sabers.

And it was the same for those who were watching the two men’s duel.

‘Somehow, he seems a little relaxed?’

Perhaps because he heard that it was not a life-and-death match, he did not feel as much tension as in other duels. Son Bin waited for the duel to begin with a comfortable mind, holding his booklet and brush.

“You said you were Son Sohyeop?”

Suddenly, he heard the voice of the young man standing next to him. It was the young man who introduced himself as Iron Sword.

“Ah, yes. But I am not a martial artist.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

The young man said. His voice was quite easygoing, and he was quite a likable young man.

“It’s a little disappointing. I was hoping that someone who accompanies the Great One and looks to be of similar age to me might be a friend.”

He said with a very disappointed expression.

“I was wondering if I could make a friend to share swords with.”

“It seems to me that you have many people around you.”

Son Bin said with a smile. The young man called Iron Sword was likable even to him, who was meeting him for the first time. Even in the academy, people like that always brought friends with them.

“My relationships are not that bad.”

He sighed softly.

“There are not many people who purely pursue the sword. No, in fact, there are almost none. Not only the traditional aristocratic families, but even the sects with long histories these days are said to be pursuing worldly fame and profit instead of the path of the sword.”

Son Bin nodded. The word aristocratic family reminded him of what he had experienced at Hwanghak Tower.

‘Come to think of it, I wonder if that young lady is doing well…’

His thoughts soon turned to the young lady who had saved him.

‘We met so coincidentally, but I couldn’t even talk to her. Next time, I will definitely…’

He made up his mind, but there was no guarantee that he would meet her next time. The world is wide, so they may never meet again in their lives.

‘Haa.’

Son Bin sighed inwardly when Iron Sword suddenly said.

“It’s starting.”

Son Bin quickly came to his senses at the tense voice.

Whoooo.

An extraordinary aura was emanating from the middle-aged man, Gunja Sword. The relaxation he had shown earlier had disappeared without a trace, and a tense atmosphere filled the surroundings.

∴

Clang!

The clash of the saber and sword, imbued with aura, echoed around with a shock. The sword and saber, imbued with a perfect blue aura, became entangled, leaving chaotic trajectories in the air.

Clang, clang!

‘Gunja Sword, they say…’

Son Bin smiled bitterly as he watched the duel.

‘They should have called him Paedo Sword [Overbearing Sword] instead.’

Gunja Sword’s swordsmanship was not as gentle as its name. Rather, it was a sword that overwhelmed the opponent with a strong and overbearing aura.

If the opponent had not been Sa Ja-hyuk, he would have been crushed in an instant.

Clang!

Gunja Sword’s sword collided with Pawol [Sa Ja-hyuk’s saber]. Even in front of Pawol, which was exuding aura, his sword did not back down an inch.

Woo Woong.

The two men’s gazes were intensely intertwined. Gunja Sword’s determination was clear. He was determined to win this duel.

Bang!

With a heavy sound, the two men were thrown back as if they had been repelled.

“Amazing.”

Sa Ja-hyuk opened his mouth. His black great saber, Pawol, was overflowing with blue energy.

“You have definitely changed.”

“I stopped and asked myself.”

Gunja Sword said. His sword was also overflowing with blue sword energy.

“Thanks to you, I was able to find out what I was lacking.”

“Is that so?”

Sa Ja-hyuk nodded.

“Then the promise is no longer meaningful.”

Thud.

Sa Ja-hyuk gripped the great saber Pawol again.

“I will accept your duel, gladly.”

Swish.

Holding the sword with both hands, Gunja Sword said.

“I will request a duel with the Great One.”

The order was slightly changed, but it didn’t matter. The two men’s duel was just beginning.