A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 306

306. Truth, The Tragic News of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens

Kyunghee’s composure faltered.

Just now, Sohn Bin had asserted that ‘the Imperial Court has no choice but to postpone the Heaven-Shifting Scheme.’

But as far as Kyunghee knew, that was not the case.

How could Sohn Bin be so sure?

Normally, she would have scoffed. But this was Sohn Bin, who had brilliantly refuted her gambit and, without anyone’s help, grasped the outline of the Heaven-Shifting Scheme.

Kyunghee couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

“Could it be that you already have influence in the court…?”

Perhaps Sohn Bin had already established his own faction within the court? Was that how he knew the outline of the Heaven-Shifting Scheme, which no one else knew, and that the petition to burn the Cheongwon [a prestigious academy] in the name of Jedokdongchang [a secret society] had not been written?

“That’s not the case.”

Sohn Bin denied Kyunghee’s suspicions in a quiet but firm voice.

“Then why?”

Now, even Noh Goon was asking. Not only him, but Seo Rin, Dang Wol-ah, Hwa-sa, and Chung-hye were all watching Sohn Bin. Only Geomhee remained indifferent.

“No emperor wants internal and external troubles.”

Sohn Bin replied.

“What?”

That was a question from everyone, not just Noh Goon. Sohn Bin explained in a calm voice.

“The Heaven-Shifting Scheme involves considerable risk. In the worst-case scenario, we must be prepared for a local civil war. No emperor would push forward with such a risky undertaking when the borders are unstable.”

“The borders are unstable?”

Kyunghee asked. As far as she knew, there were no such signs.

Sohn Bin nodded at her incredulous expression.

“Yes. To be precise, the situation on the northern border is concerning. Currently, several northern tribes are gathering near the border.”

Sohn Bin smiled and continued.

“Of course, they will say it’s for hunting and festivals. But no emperor would be comfortable watching a large-scale military force gather near the border. Until they finish their festival and retreat, the Imperial Court will not be able to take their eyes off the north. Naturally, the Heaven-Shifting Scheme will have to be postponed.”

Kyunghee was shocked by Sohn Bin’s words. No, she was shocked by one possibility that had just occurred to her.

“Could it be that you…?”

Sohn Bin did not deny Kyunghee’s trembling words.

“Yes. It was a somewhat rude request, but they were happy to grant it. I have a bit more influence than I look.”

Sohn Bin said with an intentionally exaggerated expression. It was meant as a joke, but no one laughed. Even Kyunghee remained in shock.

Feeling awkward, Sohn Bin composed himself.

“Actually, I didn’t do it alone. It wouldn’t have been easy without Lady Soo-yeon.”

Sohn Bin turned to look at Sa Soo-yeon and nodded lightly. Sa Soo-yeon responded to Sohn Bin with a smile. Come to think of it, Sa Soo-yeon was the only one who wasn’t surprised by Sohn Bin’s words.

In fact, even if it hadn’t been Sa Soo-yeon, Bingje [a powerful figure] would have granted Sohn Bin’s request.

The legendary Blue Wolf of the Northern Sea, whom even Bingje couldn’t help but respect. That was Sohn Bin.

“So, that was the answer Orhan brought back?”

Noh Goon said with a surprised expression.

He had heard that Orhan had told Sohn Bin, ‘Everything will be done as the Blue Wolf commands.’

But he never imagined it would be something like this.

“Yes. I apologize for not telling you in advance.”

Noh Goon shook his head at Sohn Bin’s apology.

“No, it’s alright.”

Only then did Noh Goon realize why Sohn Bin had been so clear that he would ‘definitely end the Heaven-Shifting Scheme.’

Of course, even without knowing this fact, he had never doubted Sohn Bin’s words.

Kyunghee, who had been watching, let out a hollow laugh. It seemed that Sohn Bin’s words were true. In this situation, there was no reason for him to lie to her.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Sohn Bin said suddenly. The eyes of everyone, including Kyunghee, turned to Sohn Bin once again.

Sohn Bin smiled at their gazes and said.

“The children are not at the Seowon [a private academy] right now.”

A moment of silence flowed. But that silence was broken by Noh Goon’s scream.

“What!”

Sohn Bin flinched without realizing it, and the voices of Sa Soo-yeon, Seo Rin, and Hwa-sa followed.

“What did you say?”

“Hyung [older brother]!”

“What are you talking about, Oppa [older brother]!”

Noh Goon glared at Sohn Bin as if he would devour him and thrust his face in front of Sohn Bin.

“What, does, that, mean? Huh?”

Sohn Bin was flustered by Noh Goon’s serious expression. This was not the reaction he had expected.

“Ah, well, I mean, I’ve been away from the Seowon too often, and if only Seo Rin and the five children met me, the other children would feel left out…”

Sohn Bin stuttered, overwhelmed by Noh Goon’s fierce demeanor.

“So, I thought it would be better if all the children went on a trip, and Lady Se-hwa also thought it was a great idea… So, Seo Rin and the five children left first, and the other children will meet them later…”

“Ah!”

Seo Rin blinked as if she had just remembered something.

“So, Soso said, ‘See you later, Oppa.'”

Noh Goon glared at Seo Rin. But now was the time to listen to Sohn Bin’s words.

“So? Where are the children now?”

“They’re probably on their way to Hangzhou. Lady Se-hwa and Madam Dang are with them. Hangzhou is in a similar direction to Hwangsan, and it’s also good for education…”

“You… you little rascal!”

Noh Goon shouted. Sohn Bin flinched at the voice that echoed all around.

“How could you keep something so important to yourself!”

“Ah, well, I mean, Lady Wol-ah also knew about it…”

Noh Goon and the others turned their gaze to Dang Wol-ah.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

Dang Wol-ah said quietly from behind her veil in response to Noh Goon’s question.

“It’s a secret between Sohn Gong-ja [a respectful title] and me.”

“Well, it’s not like that.”

Sohn Bin quickly tried to defuse the situation.

“It wasn’t a big deal, so I was just going to tell you later.”

“Hmph.”

Noh Goon said with a sigh of relief. Come to think of it, Dang Wol-ah and Sohn Bin’s reactions were unusually calm.

Sohn Bin was thoughtful, so it was understandable, but he should have noticed something strange when Dang Wol-ah was quiet. Because Dang Wol-ah would never stand still if the children were involved.

“Then you should have said something earlier! Then I wouldn’t have worried about that threat…”

“How could I not worry?”

Noh Goon turned his head at Sohn Bin’s voice. Sohn Bin said with a serious expression.

“If Cheongwon burns, the children will lose their parents. How could I make all the children of the Seowon orphans?”

So, even though he knew the children were safe, Kyunghee’s threat was still working.

Because the tragedy of Cheongwon burning still remained.

“Well, that’s true, but.”

Still, it was very different from the children being in danger. Noh Goon muttered to himself.

‘If necessary, I can take them all in.’

Dang Woon-young wouldn’t object if it was for the children. Wouldn’t she be even happier?

That’s what he thought, but Noh Goon didn’t say it out loud. He knew Sohn Bin would say something. And Noh Goon’s choice was right.

“If something happens to Cheongwon because of me.”

Sohn Bin said in a low voice.

“I don’t have the confidence to endure the children’s tears.”

Noh Goon’s heart ached at those words. The thought of those cute children crying made him feel like the sky was falling.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Noh Goon erased his short-sighted thoughts. The burning of Cheongwon was still a tragedy that could not be compared to anything else. It was natural that Sohn Bin was so serious.

“So, is it really over now?”

“Yes. Hwangsan, I mean.”

Sohn Bin, sensing that the crisis had passed due to Noh Goon’s diminished energy, answered with a sigh of relief.

“Now, we must stop the Heaven-Shifting Scheme.”

“Hmm. It’s true that we bought some time, but.”

Noh Goon crossed his arms and frowned.

“Will the Imperial Court listen easily? Considering they even planned the Heaven-Shifting Scheme…”

What Kyunghee had said earlier was right. Even if it was postponed, the Imperial Court would not give up on the Heaven-Shifting Scheme.

“In fact, the Heaven-Shifting Scheme is an extremely political act.”

“Political?”

“Yes. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate the threat to the Imperial Family. Not the peace of the world. So, the Heaven-Shifting Scheme can also be called a highly political act.”

That was a fundamental denial of the Imperial Family’s justification. Because for them, the peace of the Imperial Family was the peace of the world.

However, Kyunghee did not object. She only bit her lip and watched Sohn Bin.

“So, we must resolve it politically.”

Noh Goon’s brow furrowed as he listened. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it, but that he didn’t understand what it meant.

“So, what you’re saying is…”

“Then we’re not fighting?”

Hwa-sa said suddenly in a dissatisfied voice.

“They attacked us first, are you saying we’re just going to end it like this?”

Sohn Bin smiled.

“No. We will fight.”

“Really?”

Hwa-sa’s expression brightened. But Sohn Bin’s words were not over yet.

“With politics.”

Hwa-sa’s brightening expression twisted.

“What’s that…”

Sohn Bin said to the grumbling Hwa-sa.

“But it will be more painful than any war. All-out armed conflict is not the only kind of war. In fact, if you think about it, wars between countries are also a kind of political act…”

Sohn Bin coughed. Because Hwa-sa was making a troubled expression.

“That’s strange. I know all the words, but why can’t I understand what you’re saying?”

Hwa-sa tilted her head as if she was confused. Sohn Bin fully understood her struggles. Sohn Bin had felt the same way when he was preparing for the civil service exam.

“I’ll explain it again later.”

“Oh, okay. I have a good understanding. If you explain it well, I’ll understand everything. Hehehe. Oh, and…”

Hwa-sa, who was laughing, asked Sohn Bin casually. As if she was just passing by.

“Now that it’s over, can I kill this b*tch?”

The target Hwa-sa was referring to was Kyunghee. Chung-hye’s complexion turned blue, and Noh Goon’s brow furrowed immediately.

“Have you been listening to anything? Killing her will only benefit the Imperial Family, you know?”

“But she threatened us with the children’s lives. I feel like I should just…”

Gritting.

As if she was overwhelmed with anger, Hwa-sa gritted her teeth.

It couldn’t be helped. The feelings of the others were not much different from hers.

“That was a lie.”

Sa Soo-yeon said quietly. But Hwa-sa’s anger did not subside.

“Even if it was a lie, it’s the same. Can you forgive that?”

“No.”

Sa Soo-yeon said, looking at Kyunghee with a cold gaze.

“Of course not. But the disposition of this person.”

After letting out a small sigh, Sa Soo-yeon looked at Sohn Bin.

“I think it’s right to leave it to Sohn Gong-ja [a respectful title].”

Hwa-sa’s expression was full of dissatisfaction. But she also sighed and said to Sohn Bin.

“Okay. But I’m telling you clearly, I really hate this b*tch. Got it?”

“You hate Geomhee too.”

Hwa-sa flared up at Dang Wol-ah’s quiet words.

“That’s completely different!”

But Hwa-sa soon turned her head and had to add ‘…Unni [older sister]’ in a small voice.

Leaving the grumbling Hwa-sa behind, Sohn Bin looked at Kyunghee.

Her hair, which had been adorned with sparkling ornaments, was disheveled, and her elegant and splendid clothes were wrinkled and dirty.

However, Kyunghee was still sitting up straight and holding her head high.

“So, what are you going to do with me now?”

Kyunghee asked in a calm voice.

“I’m telling you, don’t even think about negotiating with the Imperial Family with my life. I will only have meaning to the Imperial Family in death.”

“Well. What should we do?”

Sohn Bin asked in a soft voice.

“Do as you please.”

Kyunghee said.

“Now, nothing matters anymore.”

Her words were sincere.

Even if she returned to the Imperial Family as it was, all that remained was a life heavier than death.

Would something get better if she died? If Sohn Bin stopped the Heaven-Shifting Scheme, even her death would be worthless.

“Is that true?”

Sohn Bin asked. It was a reaction that was considerate of Kyunghee, but Kyunghee was annoyed by it.

“Yes.”

Kyunghee said sharply.

“Do as you please, do what you want. I was in your hands from the beginning anyway.”

She had spent countless nights devising and discarding countless plans. She had tried to anticipate all possible kinds of situations and find the best path.

But this man had effortlessly destroyed all her efforts and hardships.

He had disarmed Hocheonsamsinwi [elite warriors] and Bi-geom Gongson-geuk with a single sword, and he had easily foiled her last plan, which she had desperately devised even at the cost of her pride.

She had never felt so pathetic as she did now. She had never realized that she was so inferior as she did at this moment.

“I see. Then I will do as I please.”

Sohn Bin said in a soft voice. There was no momentum or pressure, but it was the word of someone who held Kyunghee’s life in his hands.

Kyunghee raised her head. And she looked straight at Sohn Bin and waited for the verdict to be handed down to her.

“First, would you like to come with us?”

Kyunghee frowned.

He was asking her to come with them, but in the end, he meant to detain her. The problem was that it was a meaningless act.

“I already told you that it’s meaningless to negotiate with the Imperial Family with my life, right?”

“We need a justification.”

“Justification?”

Kyunghee couldn’t understand Sohn Bin’s words even more.

“What justification am I to you?”

“It’s not for me.”

Sohn Bin smiled.

“It’s the justification that the Emperor needs.”

Calling him ‘Emperor’ was clearly a subtle mockery. But Kyunghee didn’t care.

“What?”

Kyunghee asked back, but Sohn Bin did not answer. Sohn Bin turned around and said to his party.

“Shall we go now? The children, Madam Dang, and Lady Se-hwa will be waiting for us in Hangzhou.”

Everyone’s faces brightened at Sohn Bin’s words. Then Hwa-sa hesitated and said.

“Ah, well, that… the treasure?”

“Yes?”

Sohn Bin asked back as if he didn’t know what she was talking about. But Kyunghee understood Hwa-sa’s words and smiled.

The enormous wealth, the divine weapons, and the martial arts of the world.

Hwa-sa still believed in the tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Hwa-sa seemed a little embarrassed by the gazes of the others. She said as if she was protesting.

“Who in the world doesn’t like treasure? And Oppa [older brother] said it earlier! That there was treasure.”

“Hmm? Come to think of it…”

Noh Goon also remembered. He said to Sohn Bin.

“I think you said that earlier? That there really was a tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Sohn Bin. But Kyunghee scoffed.

“Still believing in that…”

“Yes.”

Sohn Bin’s voice cut off Kyunghee’s words. Kyunghee turned around with a surprised expression, and Sohn Bin slowly nodded.

“There really was a tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens.”

“Where?”

Hwa-sa asked with sparkling eyes.

“Where is it? Huh?”

Kyunghee couldn’t believe it. There was no such thing as the tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens. She knew that better than anyone else.

But Sohn Bin said quietly.

“It’s right here.”

“Here?”

Among the people who were tilting their heads, Sohn Bin slowly raised his head. And he looked at the huge Cheonindan-ae [a massive rock formation], which stood like a wall soaring towards the sky.

The wall of great nature that had stood firmly, enduring the long years.

The Cheonindan-ae had left countless traces in various places, as many as the years that had passed.

And Noh Goon could realize that among them, there were traces that could never have occurred naturally, like sword marks.

“Could it be…”

“Yes.”

Sohn Bin answered quietly to Noh Goon’s trembling voice.

“This is where the tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens is.”

The Cheonindan-ae was full of sword marks. Not only the Cheonindan-ae. The top of the rocky peak they were standing on, the stone floor like a training ground, also had countless sword marks, knife marks, and traces of impact.

Although they had been worn down by the long years and some had faded in the wind and rain, the traces that still remained vividly conveyed the martial arts of that day to everyone.

“This is…”

Sa Soo-yeon said in a trembling voice. The traces left by her father, Sa Ja-hyeok’s Hyeoncheon-gyeol [a martial art technique], were everywhere.

The same was true for Seo Rin. Seo Rin was shedding tears and tracing the sword marks of her teacher, Hwanghak-jin-in [a martial arts master], engraved on the Cheonindan-ae with her eyes.

“And that is.”

Sohn Bin raised his head and looked at the Cheonindan-ae.

The huge vertical trace that had split the huge Cheonindan-ae left and right.

At first, it just seemed like it had split naturally, but now he could clearly see it.

That it was the unbelievable result of a single sword.

“The incomplete Pawol-samsik [a sword technique], Moomyung (Unnamed).”

The name given because the Tao hid and had no name, Doeun-moomyung (道隱無名) [a philosophical concept].

The traces it left were engraved in the middle of the Cheonindan-ae. So vividly that even the long years could not erase it.

Whoo-oong.

The wind blew. But no one spoke. Everyone could only remain silent in front of the tragic news of the Four Stars Beyond the Heavens that had appeared before them.

Sohn Bin raised his head and looked at the traces of Sa Ja-hyeok that filled the Cheonindan-ae. It was as if he was looking down at him.

Without realizing it, Sohn Bin smiled.

A smile of boundless affection that came from the Jeong (情) [a deep emotional bond] engraved in his heart, deeper and clearer than the sword marks engraved on the rock.