A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 49

49. The Teacup Typhoon

Joongo stood with his arms crossed and his chin raised, looking at the little ones with an arrogant air.

“Hey, cat got your tongue? Where do you think you’re going!”

“T-to the Seowon…”
Hodu, easily intimidated, answered in a barely audible voice.

To adults, Joongo and the others were just kids. However, Joongo, a bit taller and sturdier than Jau, was a threatening presence to the younger children.

Aeng-aeng was already hiding behind Soso, and the other little ones were huddled behind Hodu and Gyeonja.

Still, as the de facto leader, Jau stepped forward and glared at Joongo, initiating a silent staring contest.

“Seowon? Again?”

Joongo frowned.

“They go there every day,” Gyeogu, ever Joongo’s shadow, said.

Gyeogu, who always stuck by Joongo, used to bully the little ones, relying on Joongo’s strength. In reality, he was shorter and weaker than Jau.

“They’ll probably learn profound things like ‘sky, heaven, earth, black, pot, and scorched rice,’ right?” Gyeogu teased.

“No, we don’t!”

Soso said clearly.

“We learn writing and calligraphy. And now we even practice martial arts!”

“Y-yes, we do,” Aeng-aeng, still hiding behind Soso, squeaked. Joongo and Gyeogu didn’t hear her.

“What?”

Joongo frowned at the mention of ‘martial arts training.’

“Liar!” Gyeogu shouted immediately.

“My dad said the Seowon you go to is just a place to learn writing!”

“It’s not a lie! Last time, we even learned the ‘I Hate It Twin Palms’!”

Soso retorted, her voice ringing with conviction. Gyeogu stammered, taken aback by her spirit.

The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar and complicated term also contributed to his confusion.

“I Hate… What? Th-there’s no such martial art!”

“It’s real!”

Soso insisted boldly.

It was the first time the girls, usually bystanders, had stepped up like this, leaving Gyeogu flustered.

“St-still, it’s probably weaker than Joongo’s ‘Unrivaled Fist,’ right? Right?” Gyeogu asked Joongo, seeking reassurance.

“Of course. The ‘Unrivaled Fist’ is unrivaled,” Joongo said confidently.

But Joongo’s gaze was fixed on Jau. The two had been locked in a staring contest for some time.

Step.

Joongo took a step towards Jau. The little ones flinched in unison.

Gaining confidence from their reaction, Joongo approached Jau with a swagger.

Standing close, Joongo’s height was even more imposing. To any adult, they would have just looked like ordinary kids.

“Hmph.”

Gyeogu, also emboldened, snorted and followed along, but he spotted Hodu’s grass flute and snatched it.

Tak.

“Ah!”

Before Hodu could protest, his flute was gone. Jau rounded on Gyeogu.

“Hey! Give that back!”

As Jau spoke, Soso chimed in.

“The teacher said it’s not okay to take other people’s things!”

But Gyeogu and Joongo remained unmoved.

“Then, take it back,” Joongo said, looking down at Jau.

Jau clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. But he felt powerless.

“Y-you…”

It was the same situation as before. Jau, enraged, had charged at him, but it hadn’t worked against Joongo.

Joongo had easily dodged and sent him sprawling with a single punch.

Jau glanced at Hodu.

Hodu was reaching for the grass flute with a frustrated expression, but Gyeogu was teasing him, holding the flute just out of reach.

“Why, want to get beaten up again?”

Joongo taunted Jau. Joongo’s words triggered the memory of his previous defeat.

Jau’s limbs felt weak. He couldn’t seem to beat Joongo, who was taller and stronger, no matter what he did.

‘Damn it.’

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Jau’s head lowered involuntarily.

It was then.

“No!”

Thud.

The sudden sound made Jau look up. The other little ones, and even Joongo, turned their heads.

An unexpected sight unfolded. Gyeogu, who had been teasing Hodu with the grass flute, was sitting on the ground, his rear end planted firmly.

“Uh, uh.”

Gyeogu, bewildered, gaped with a blank expression.

Hodu, after being teased, had squeezed his eyes shut and shoved Gyeogu with both hands.

It wasn’t a particularly strong push, but Gyeogu was caught off guard and toppled backward.

‘Open your eyes.’

At that moment, Sonbin’s voice echoed in Jau’s mind.

‘And take a deep breath.’

Hodu hadn’t opened his eyes, nor had he taken a deep breath. He hadn’t even executed the proper footwork.

It was a sloppy Twin Palms, to put it mildly. But it was enough to snap Jau out of his despair.

“Hoo-oo.”

Jau closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He gathered his hands in front of his chest, visualizing the movements he had practiced repeatedly. Then, he opened his eyes wide.

“I Hate…”

Joongo, who had been watching the fallen Gyeogu, turned his head at Jau’s low voice.

He met Jau’s intense gaze.

‘Huh?’

“It Twin Palms…”

Jau’s eyes shone with determination. In that instant, Jau’s figure seemed to grow larger.

Jau had taken a step forward, but Joongo didn’t register it. A tremendous shout filled Joongo’s ears.

“Twin Palms!”

Thwack!

Joongo felt himself floating, flying through the air. Then, with a tremendous impact, he crashed to the ground.

Thump.

The pain was so intense he couldn’t even scream.

He had simply fallen, but his whole body was shaking, and he was completely dazed.

Jau, who had sent Joongo flying, was also in a daze.

‘Uh-oh.’

He had put all his strength into it, but he hadn’t expected Joongo, bigger than him, to tumble like that. Besides, it hadn’t felt that hard.

‘The ground pushed me.’

The moment he stepped forward, Jau had clearly felt it. He felt the earth beneath his feet supporting him.

He couldn’t explain it, but it was as if the earth was helping him. That power had been transmitted through his arm and propelled Joongo away.

“Th-this bastard…”

While Jau was still surprised, Joongo regained his senses. Shame and anger surged within him.

That anger made him forget the pain. Joongo 벌떡 [벌떡 is an adverb describing the action of suddenly standing up] stood up and charged towards Jau. But Jau wasn’t just going to stand there.

Dodo-do [onomatopoeia for quick footsteps].

Looking straight at Joongo, who was rushing towards him, Jau took another step forward.

Thwack!

He stretched out his arms towards Joongo with all his might. The movement felt even more familiar and natural than before.

It was also a precise movement, lowering his stance and striking at the perfect moment.

“I Hate It Twin Palms!”

Thwack!

Joongo, running recklessly, was struck by Jau’s Twin Palms and sent flying again.

Thump.

Joongo tumbled to the ground. The little ones held their breath, watching the scene unfold.

Gyeogu, still sitting on the ground, stared wide-eyed, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Keuk.”

Joongo didn’t get up. A choked sound escaped his lips, quickly turning into a sob.

“Waaaaah.”

Joongo started crying on the ground. He had fallen twice, it hurt, and he was humiliated.

Overwhelmed by emotion, he couldn’t help but cry. It was a clear sign that the fight was over. Jau had won.

“Wow!”

The children shouted without thinking. Even the usually quiet Aeng-aeng was jumping up and down, and Soso, who usually acted indifferent, raised both hands and cheered.

To an adult, it would have looked like ordinary kids bickering, but to the little ones, it was a thrilling victory.

“Waah.”

Joongo sat on the ground, sobbing. Gyeogu quickly got up and tried to comfort him, but Joongo’s crying didn’t stop.

“Wow! Amazing!”

“You did well! You did well!”

The little ones left Joongo and Gyeogu alone, chattering excitedly.

Hodu, whose flute had been stolen, was smiling. The grass flute Gyeogu had discarded lay on the ground, but no one cared.

The little ones triumphantly began their victorious return to the Seowon, while Joongo and Gyeogu trudged home, shoulders drooping, sniffling.

*

*

*

The Hoyeon Martial Arts Center was a small to medium-sized martial arts school based in Cheongwon.

It had a long history and tradition, and a good relationship with the Hyeokryeon Family, one of the Five Great Martial Arts Families, giving it a certain presence in the Gangnam [Gangnam refers to the area south of the Han River in Seoul, South Korea] martial arts world.

However, its geographical proximity to Gwangju, where the Hyeokryeon Family was located, limited its expansion. The Hoyeon Martial Arts Center was ultimately treated as a cooperative or subordinate school of the Hyeokryeon Family.

Still, the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center was a force to be reckoned with, at least in the vicinity of Cheongwon.

“Have you returned safely?”

The chief manager of the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center bowed respectfully to the head of the center, Jeokcheolgwan.

“Hmm.”

The head of the center, Jeokcheolgwan, a man with a sturdy physique, sat in his office with a tired expression.

The warm, fragrant tea soothed his mood, but Jeokcheolgwan’s complexion didn’t brighten.

“Did your business go well?”

“Not good,” Jeokcheolgwan said heavily, lifting the teacup.

He had just returned from the Hyeokryeon Family. It was nominally a meeting to exchange pleasantries, but in reality, it was a summons.

“It seems Soeun Logistics has decided to take on the Tang Family’s work.”

Soeun Logistics was a logistics company based in Cheongwon. It had a good relationship with the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center, but had been struggling after several failed deliveries.

“Wasn’t it supposed to take on the work of Saryang Logistics, not the Tang Family?”

“It’s the same thing anyway. The owner of Saryang Logistics is virtually the Tang Family.”

Jeokcheolgwan tapped the table with his finger, a habit he had when organizing his thoughts.

“The Hyeokryeon Family openly expressed their dissatisfaction. They suspect the Tang Family is trying to slowly advance into the Gangnam martial arts world.”

Jeokcheolgwan sighed.

“Well, I suppose so. The Tang Family’s expansion has been quite active lately. The new chief military officer, Seolgeom Dang Hwaryeon, is young and ambitious, they say.”

The chief manager had heard of Seolgeom Dang Hwaryeon.

Everyone knew of Seolgeom Dang Hwaryeon, the rising star of the Tang Family and a representative of the young, up-and-coming masters in the martial arts world.

“Soeun Logistics had no choice.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

At the chief manager’s words, Jeokcheolgwan rested his chin on his hand and tapped the table.

“Just when the Blood Dragon Gate’s affairs seemed to be calming down, now it’s the Tang Family. They must be an uncomfortable opponent for the Hyeokryeon Family.”

The Tang Family, one of the Five Great Martial Arts Families, was not to be trifled with. The Hyeokryeon Family had every reason to be nervous.

“What does the Namgung Family say they’re going to do?”

The Namgung Family, located just south of the Yangtze River, claimed to be one of the two major leaders of the Gangnam martial arts world, along with the Hyeokryeon Family.

The Namgung Family had been the Hyeokryeon Family’s biggest rival until now.

“The Namgung Family? They’re busy trying to establish a foothold in the Gangbuk [Gangbuk refers to the area north of the Han River in Seoul, South Korea] martial arts world after advancing into Wuhan.”

“Then, regarding Soeun Logistics…”

“Considering our relationship, I’d like to help them, but what can I do when the Hyeokryeon Family is acting like this? We have no choice but to wait and see…”

Saying he would wait and see was the same as standing by. Soeun Logistics could collapse in that short time.

But he couldn’t go against the Hyeokryeon Family. Jeokcheolgwan felt bitter, having maintained a close relationship with Soeun Logistics.

“I understand. I will handle it accordingly.”

The chief manager bowed his head, accepting the head of the center’s decision. He was about to leave.

“Was there anything special while I was away?”

Jeokcheolgwan asked absentmindedly, lifting the teacup.

The chief manager tensed. The question meant the head of the center had something on his mind.

After a moment of silence, the chief manager carefully spoke.

“It seems the youngest master had a fight with his friends.”

“I heard he came in crying?”

Jeokcheolgwan said calmly.

“Yes.”

The chief manager replied. Jeokcheolgwan tapped the table.

“Kids fight and cry while playing. But, you know.”

Jeokcheolgwan’s sharp eyes met the chief manager’s.

“If someone tries to take advantage of that and plot something, I can’t let it pass.”

“What…”

“I heard it from the second one.”

The second one was Lady Sehwa, the youngest master’s older sister, whom he adored, despite their age difference.

“Some disciples are encouraging the youngest to take revenge. They’re even saying they’ll punish the children themselves. Is that something our Hoyeon Martial Arts Center’s disciples should be doing?”

The chief manager’s face hardened. Although he didn’t show it, Jeokcheolgwan cherished his youngest son, born late in life.

The disciples might have known that and acted accordingly, but they didn’t understand Jeokcheolgwan at all.

Jeokcheolgwan valued pride and self-esteem as a martial artist above all else.

“Besides, approaching the youngest means they dare to interfere in the future of this Hoyeon Martial Arts Center, doesn’t it?”

The chief manager didn’t dare answer.

It might be an overreaction, but could it be said the disciples who approached the youngest master had no such thoughts?

“I won’t expel them because they looked after the affairs of the same school.”

Jeokcheolgwan’s command was as cold as autumn frost.

“However, severely punish all those involved so this never happens again. If you have time to worry about things like this, shouldn’t you train even once more?”

The chief manager bowed deeply.

“You are absolutely right.”

Jeokcheolgwan’s anger didn’t subside. Then, he suddenly asked.

“By the way, who did the youngest fight with?”

“They are children from a small Seowon that recently opened.”

“Seowon?”

Jeokcheolgwan looked surprised.

“Yes. I heard they are training the children.”

“Training?”

Jeokcheolgwan showed interest.

“That’s interesting. I thought Seowons these days only made people read books and create stuffy scholars.”

“It’s a Seowon started by a young man named Sonbin, who recently retired to his hometown.”

“Hoo-oh.”

Jeokcheolgwan smiled.

“As expected, he’s young, so he has an open mind. That’s right, that’s how it should be. Originally, the generals of martial arts families were also outstanding scholars. These days, martial artists who are good at politics succeed more than martial artists with spirit.”

Jeokcheolgwan nodded.

He imagined a young and spirited teacher named Sonbin, with a hearty impression.

“That’s good. It’s about time for the youngest to learn to write, so send him to that Seowon.”

The chief manager paused, then bowed and replied.

“I understand.”

The chief manager was impressed by the head of the center’s decision.

All the disciples would now know where the head of the center’s will lay, and what kind of person he was.

“If I have time, I should go and say hello to that Seowon.”

He said that, but he wouldn’t have time, especially with the fluctuating political situation in the Gangnam martial arts world.

The chief manager bowed and paid his respects, then quietly left the office.