A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Like Mist Over the River (2)

Whoosh.

A sudden voice and unfamiliar energy enveloped Son Bin. The moment he detected a strange scent, a sharp sound tore through the air.

Clang!

“Kugh.”

The young man wielding the sword stumbled backward, his complexion paling rapidly. It was clear he was reeling from more than just a blocked attack.

As the young man retreated, Son Bin felt a wave of relief.

The oppressive energy that had been constricting him vanished, and he felt liberated.

“Wh-Who are you!”

The young man shouted, regaining his composure. His companions, who had been watching from behind, mirrored his change in expression.

Rustle.

A soft fragrance brushed past his nose again, and a young woman’s voice drifted from behind him.

“I don’t have a particularly impressive name…”

Swoosh.

With a graceful movement, she stepped in front of Son Bin.

“And I don’t particularly want to tell you.”

The young man’s eyebrows twitched at her dismissive words. The woman was dressed in simple martial attire.

Slightly shorter than Son Bin, she possessed a mature face, but her piercing, deep eyes made a striking impression.

“Hmph.”

The young man sneered, feigning indifference.

“To not even reveal your name is shameful! State your sect and name immediately!”

The woman, standing protectively before Son Bin, smiled faintly.

“Very well.”

Swish.

Her slender arm moved, and the silver blade of her sword appeared.

“If you are worthy to hear it.”

The sword, extended towards the sky, gleamed like her intense gaze. With the Yangtze River as her backdrop, she looked like a figure from a painting, prompting Son Bin to softly exclaim in admiration.

Grind.

The young man gritted his teeth, gripping his sword with both hands.

“To dare interfere in the affairs of the Namgung Clan. You’ll regret this.”

The woman’s smile didn’t waver.

“Please do.”

She remained unfazed by the mention of the Namgung Clan. The young man, infuriated by her blatant disregard and mockery, ground his teeth.

Grind.

He knew from their brief exchange that her swordsmanship was not to be underestimated. However, he attributed his initial setback to being caught off guard.

In a fair one-on-one duel, especially against someone his own age, he was confident he would never be at a disadvantage.

“Hoo.”

The young man took a deep breath, focusing his inner energy (qi).

Whooong.

The sword in his hand began to hum. Son Bin felt a chill run down his spine.

‘This isn’t good…’

Son Bin knew little about swords or martial arts, but he recognized that the sound emanating from the young man’s sword was unusual.

Feeling uneasy, he glanced at the woman. He worried she might be hurt, but she maintained her faint smile.

“I’ll give you three breaths.”

The young man said, regaining his confidence.

“I decline.”

The woman replied instantly.

“I don’t want to hear excuses about losing because I gave you three breaths.”

The young man’s eyebrows twitched again.

“Hmph. If you insist on hastening your humiliation, then so be it.”

Gritting his teeth, he unleashed his killing intent. His carefully maintained composure shattered, replaced by a desire to force this arrogant woman to her knees.

“Haa!”

The young man’s sword, crackling with energy, moved in accordance with the Namgung Clan’s sword style.

Gathering fierce energy into a single, dignified strike – a hallmark of the Namgung Clan. He had absolute faith in his sword, which had even been praised by the current head of the family.

Swoosh.

The sword cut through the air, seemingly capable of slicing through anything in its path. But the moment the woman shifted her foot, everything changed.

Flick.

As if dancing, she moved her toes lightly. Her simple martial attire fluttered like waves, and the tip of her sword traced a circle of light in the air, followed by a sharp metallic sound.

Clang!

“Kugh.”

The groan came from the young man’s mouth.

He had been pushed back not merely because his attack was blocked, but because he couldn’t withstand the force behind her sword. Moreover, her sword continued to move.

Swish.

‘Ugh.’

He hastily gathered his scattered inner energy and met her attack. But her sword advanced slowly but relentlessly, like the waves of the Yangtze River.

He struggled to cope with the relentless offensive.

Clang, clang, clang!

The rapid sounds echoed like a metronome. With each metallic clang, the young man retreated a step, his complexion growing paler. And finally…

Clang!

With an ear-splitting sound, his sword flew into the air.

Thud.

The sword embedded itself in an ancient pillar, trembling. The young man, clutching his torn grip, nearly collapsed.

“Kuh-ugh.”

“A sword reflects its owner’s character.”

The woman said, looking down at him with cold eyes. Her sword rested on his shoulder, emitting a cold light.

“If a person is base, their sword will inevitably be light and shallow.”

Flick.

With a twist of her wrist, she sheathed her sword. The coldly gleaming blade disappeared into its scabbard without a sound.

Rustle.

She turned and walked towards Son Bin, her steps light and graceful.

“Let’s go.”

She began to descend the Yellow Crane Tower, and Son Bin quickly followed. From behind, he heard the young man’s voice, filled with resentment.

“Don’t think this is the end of it!”

The woman, seemingly unfazed, let out a soft sneer.

“I can agree on one thing, at least.”

Despite her smiling lips, her eyes were cold.

“A rash mouth always invites disaster.”

Shuffle, shuffle.

She continued down the stairs. Son Bin, following behind, took her words as a serious threat. He unconsciously raised his hand to cover his mouth.

∴

“Ahem.”

After descending the Yellow Crane Tower, Son Bin straightened his clothes and composed himself. He then bowed deeply to the woman.

“I am deeply grateful for your help.”

She looked surprised for a moment, then covered her mouth with her hand and smiled slightly.

“There’s no need for such excessive courtesy.”

“No, it isn’t.”

Son Bin shook his head.

“If it weren’t for you, young lady, I would not have avoided disaster today. It is only natural to offer my thanks, so how can you say it is excessive?”

The woman gave a wry smile.

“That’s not true. I…”

She raised her head and glanced back at the Yellow Crane Tower.

“I just mistook you for someone else.”

She said with a slight sigh.

“Still, the fact that you have shown me grace remains unchanged.”

Son Bin said with a serious expression. She gave a slightly awkward smile.

“No, it’s not. If you try to show me any more courtesy, I might feel insulted.”

Only then did Son Bin take a closer look at her face.

She appeared younger than him, but her deep eyes and sharp gaze conveyed intelligence and maturity. While he was observing her, she was also studying him.

“Are you perhaps…”

She stopped speaking and lightly shook her head.

“No, never mind.”

She smiled wryly at her own absurd thought.

‘What a useless thought… The person who is the most distant from him in the world would be a scholar like this.’

She looked at Son Bin, who was staring back with a slightly bewildered expression.

“Be careful.”

She said.

“The martial world is governed by swords and schemes, not law and morality. It’s best to avoid involvement with martial artists altogether, whether it’s a favor or a grudge.”

Her voice was serious, her eyes intense.

“Because I can’t guarantee you’ll be so lucky next time.”

It was a clear warning, and Son Bin deeply agreed.

‘Yes, I was reckless.’

He hadn’t fully understood the nature of martial artists. He never imagined they would draw their swords in such a public place.

‘If it weren’t for this young lady…’

Son Bin felt a chill down his spine. The young man would have certainly carried out his threat.

“I will engrave your words deeply in my heart.”

Son Bin said, bowing politely. Pleased with his serious attitude, a smile appeared on her face.

“Then, I’ll be going now…”

The woman lightly bowed her head and turned to leave.

“Ah, excuse me!”

“Yes?”

She turned back.

“My name is Son Bin. May I, perhaps, ask for your esteemed name?”

Asking for someone’s “esteemed name” was a polite way of inquiring about a lady’s name, and as a pedantic scholar, it was the first time he had used such a term.

Moreover, since she was a beautiful woman, he couldn’t help but blush with embarrassment.

“I didn’t do anything significant enough to warrant mentioning my name, so please don’t mind it.”

The woman said with a faint smile.

“No, still…”

When Son Bin pressed again, she looked troubled for a moment, then glanced up at the Yellow Crane Tower and said.

“Alright, then… Let’s just say I’m Kang Ha-soo-yeon.”

Kang Ha-soo-yeon (江下水煙). It means ‘like the mist over the river.’

The name evoked the ‘mist’ in the last line of the poem he had recited, and also implied that she was fleeting, like mist.

“I understand.”

Son Bin fully understood her meaning. He put his hands together and bowed politely.

“Thank you again for your help.”

“You’re welcome.”

The woman lightly nodded and departed. Her figure soon disappeared into the crowd, and Son Bin stood blankly, staring in the direction she had gone.

“There are people like that in the world.”

Before he knew it, the sun was setting, and darkness began to spread.

After she disappeared, Son Bin felt his own insignificance all the more acutely, and he quietly returned to the inn, seeking refuge in the darkness.

***

Stumbling along, Son Bin returned to the inn, hungry and exhausted from his ordeal.

He felt like he could fall asleep instantly, regardless of the noise, dirt, and cramped conditions. He simply washed his face and went down to the inn’s restaurant.

The inn was crowded with diners. He ordered a simple bowl of noodles, but the server was busy, and the food arrived only after a long wait.

The noodles were bloated and tasted terrible. Nevertheless, Son Bin, driven by hunger, finished them completely. As he was about to rise from his seat…

Bang!

The dilapidated inn door crashed inward. The noisy inn fell silent, and everyone turned to the entrance.

Six or seven sturdy young men and a middle-aged man entered. The young men wore fancy martial attire and carried swords, while the middle-aged man was dressed in shabby plain clothes.

“Is he here?”

One of the young men asked the middle-aged man.

“Yes, yes. He’s definitely here…”

The middle-aged man bowed obsequiously and scanned the inn. He made eye contact with Son Bin and grinned.

“Th-That’s him.”

He pointed directly at Son Bin, who was flustered.

“M-Me?”

Stomp, stomp.

The young men walked straight towards Son Bin, pushing aside anyone in their path. They roughly shoved chairs and tables aside as they approached.

Crash!

Food and dishes scattered on the floor, but no one protested.

Everyone knew who these young men were, or rather, who they served. Their attire and swords were easily recognizable in Wuhan.

“Is it you?”

A young man who looked younger than Son Bin spoke with an imposing tone.

“Wh-What are you talking about?”

Son Bin, now fully aware of the nature of martial artists, stammered.

“Are you the one who dared to harm the young master at the Yellow Crane Tower?”

Son Bin’s face turned white.

‘N-No way.’

The young man’s earlier words, ‘This won’t end like this,’ echoed in his ears.