Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 41

041. Drifting Clouds and Flowing Water

The morning at the Forbidden City is quiet.

The dawn before sunrise is the busiest with various preparations, so by the time morning arrives, a good deal of time has already passed since the day began.

Changryong Hall was no exception. By the time Unhyun began his report to Sa-ilcheon, the administrator of Changryong Hall, the atmosphere inside the hall was already filled with a midday-like tranquility.

“This is a summary of the storyteller’s accounts from the last summons.”

Unhyun said, placing a small booklet in front of Sa-ilcheon.

As always, besides Unhyun’s report, an unidentifiable book lay open in front of Sa-ilcheon.

However, Sa-ilcheon looked at neither the book nor the report.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Sa-ilcheon said to Unhyun.

‘Huh?’

At the unexpected reaction, Unhyun reflexively looked at him.

Sa-ilcheon is always taciturn. Although over a decade has passed, his cold personality remains unchanged.

Unhyun had adapted to it, assuming it was his innate nature.

But today, he even said he had worked hard, so it was only natural that Unhyun found it strange.

At Unhyun’s gaze, Sa-ilcheon avoided eye contact and turned his head towards the book open on the table.

‘Something’s wrong?’

Unhyun had an uneasy feeling.

Sa-ilcheon had never avoided Unhyun’s gaze before, unless he ignored him altogether.

Unhyun carefully observed Sa-ilcheon’s expression and asked.

“When is the next summons scheduled for?”

“There will be no next summons.”

“Pardon?”

Unhyun involuntarily retorted.

However, Changryong Hall administrator Sa-ilcheon’s words remained unchanged.

“It’s as I said. There will be no further summons.”

Unhyun stood blankly, staring at Sa-ilcheon.

But Sa-ilcheon kept his gaze down, not even making eye contact.

Suddenly, Unhyun’s mind became confused.

“What do you mean…….”

Rustle.

Sa-ilcheon quietly closed the book and looked up at Unhyun.

Even though it was a look he had become somewhat accustomed to, Unhyun was startled anew.

“The budget execution for summoning storytellers has been rejected. We can no longer receive information about professional storytellers from each province. So, there will be no more storyteller summons.”

Unhyun’s face hardened without him realizing it.

The meaning of Sa-ilcheon’s words finally became clear.

Unhyun asked Sa-ilcheon with a slightly trembling voice.

“My task was given by His Highness the Crown Prince. But why…….”

But Unhyun’s voice had to stop again.

“His Majesty’s decree has been issued.”

Sa-ilcheon’s voice was dry. It felt as if he were reciting someone else’s words.

It was the same voice Unhyun had heard when he first came to Changryong Hall.

“Your task ends today.”

Unhyun was speechless.

He was so dumbfounded that he didn’t even feel angry.

Even though his field of study was something others looked down upon, it was something he had endured all sorts of difficulties for and had affection for.

He had found his own meaning and even developed a sense of pride.

But now, he was being told to quit.

‘Huh…….’

Taking a scholar’s brush is an insult.

But instead of anger, Unhyun only felt emptiness.

‘All the efforts of the past decade…….’

It would have been better if it had turned out this way because of his lack of ability.

It would have been fortunate if he had been openly lazy.

Who could he blame for his shortcomings?

But that was not the case.

Despite doing his best, Unhyun was being deprived of his work.

‘Is this how it ends…….’

“I’m sorry.”

A small voice, barely audible, escaped from Sa-ilcheon’s lips. It was the first apology Unhyun had heard from Sa-ilcheon since coming to the Forbidden City. But it wasn’t his fault.

He knew that he had fallen out of favor with his superiors since the death of the Ilchunghyeon magistrate last year.

Still, he never thought they would exert pressure so directly.

He was just an insignificant scholar belonging to Changryong Hall, but they couldn’t overlook even Unhyun.

“Then am I being dismissed?”

Perhaps it was the natural course of events. But Sa-ilcheon shook his head.

“No. You are still a scholar belonging to Changryong Hall. However…….”

Sa-ilcheon’s voice trailed off.

“It’s just that you haven’t been given any work yet.”

It was a meaningless consolation.

What use is a scholar who hasn’t been given any work, a scholar who has been deprived of his brush and books?

Sa-ilcheon said that Unhyun’s task was only ‘not yet’ determined, but perhaps the day that task is determined would never come.

“Huh…….”

It wasn’t unexpected. But when it actually happened, his shoulders slumped and his head naturally lowered.

Even though he didn’t think he had done anything wrong, guilt pressed down on Unhyun’s head as if it were his fault.

“I’m sorry.”

Sa-ilcheon’s apology, barely audible, escaped once more, but Unhyun’s sigh did not stop easily.

***

Small noises leaked from the miscellaneous books section of Munyeon Hall.

And a small sigh followed.

“Hoo.”

Unhyun, who was organizing books, sighed again.

The books he was organizing now were the materials about the Murim [martial arts world] that he had found in Munyeon Hall.

They were always on his desk for reference, but now he had to return them to their place.

‘I might not be allowed to enter Munyeon Hall in the future.’

Just because his work was gone didn’t mean his access to Munyeon Hall would be immediately revoked.

But Unhyun had a feeling that it would. That’s why he came here to organize it.

Even though they were miscellaneous books and looked down upon even in Munyeon Hall, he couldn’t just leave them like this.

Tap, tap.

While organizing the books on his desk, Unhyun stopped his hand.

The title of the book he had picked up without thinking caught his eye.

A rather long and complicated title, as if it had completely given up on being easily read.

“A report on the comprehensive approach to the origins of martial arts transmitted in Murim factions…….”

A self-deprecating smile spread across Unhyun’s lips.

It was that ‘report’ that contained the Twelve Forms of the White Tiger Training Sword.

The first time he found this book felt like yesterday, but the old and worn cover tells of the passage of time.

“Still, my senior is better than me.”

Unhyun muttered, looking down at the thick book.

It was then.

“Scholar Unhyun.”

Unhyun was startled.

Because the sound of someone calling him suddenly followed the end of his thoughtless muttering.

Unhyun raised his head.

“Ah, it’s Eunuch Park.”

A smile reflexively appeared on Unhyun’s face as he looked at Eunuch Park.

But that smile soon turned into a bitter one.

Because he noticed that Eunuch Park’s expression was dark as he looked at him.

“So you knew too.”

Eunuch Park bowed deeply with both hands gathered without any answer.

It was a polite greeting as always, but it was a little different today.

Eunuch Park stood there bowing his head for a long time without saying a word.

“This person…….”

Eunuch Park’s greeting was not just a formality.

Unhyun’s nose tingled as if his silent heart was being conveyed.

“Stop it. It’s nothing…….”

Even though he said that, Unhyun’s voice was slightly trembling.

Today was the first time Unhyun truly realized that his work was over.

His heart ached.

***

“I see……. So that’s how it turned out.”

As Unhyun said with a sigh, Eunuch Park bowed his head again.

“I am sorry, sir.”

Unhyun shook his head.

“No. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

As always, sitting in the miscellaneous books section of Munyeon Hall, Unhyun heard the whole story from Eunuch Park.

And he was able to confirm that his predictions were not far off.

“But I really can’t understand. Why did the higher-ups have to do this to someone like me, and even go this far?”

Everyone in the Forbidden City looks down on those belonging to Changryong Hall.

Besides, he was not the head of Changryong Hall, but just a mere scholar.

“Perhaps it’s because they’re anxious.”

“Anxious?”

Unhyun tilted his head.

“Surely, I don’t have any power…….”

Eunuch Park shook his head.

“The more someone has, the greater their anxiety about losing it. Besides, isn’t this the Forbidden City?”

“I see…….”

That might be the case.

“That’s right. Besides, if I may be so bold, the higher-ups are surprisingly timid. If there’s something that catches their eye, they can’t just let it go, no matter what it is. They only feel satisfied and relieved when they fill it with their own people, their own side.”

“Huh.”

Following Unhyun’s small sigh, Eunuch Park continued.

“Besides, Scholar Unhyun belongs to Changryong Hall, so it’s even more impossible to take it lightly. No matter what, you belong to His Highness the Crown Prince…….”

At Eunuch Park’s words, Unhyun chuckled.

“I’ve been in the Forbidden City for over a decade and haven’t even seen His Highness the Crown Prince’s face, so what…….”

“It seems the higher-ups don’t see it that way.”

“Heh heh.”

Unhyun let out a dumbfounded laugh.

It was as Eunuch Park said.

Those who seized power by force cannot tolerate anything that catches their eye.

Even if they don’t feel it, there is a kind of anxiety lurking at the root of it, as Eunuch Park said.

How could they not be anxious when the innocent blood they shed while rising to power is constantly shouting?

Not only the insignificant scholars of Changryong Hall, but even their errand runners cannot be taken lightly.

“So, what will happen from now on?”

Unhyun, who had been unable to stop his dumbfounded laughter for a while, asked Eunuch Park.

“What would I know…….”

As always, Eunuch Park trailed off.

But Unhyun knew very well that there was no one who knew the affairs of the Forbidden City as well as he did.

“They won’t be able to do anything more. No matter what, Scholar Unhyun is a scholar belonging to Changryong Hall, that is, belonging to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The words that they wouldn’t be able to do anything more meant the same thing as Sa-ilcheon’s earlier statement that it wasn’t a dismissal.

“However…….”

“However?”

Eunuch Park hesitated for a moment without continuing.

Only after receiving Unhyun’s urging gaze did he open his mouth with difficulty.

“The chances of Scholar Unhyun being given work in the future are probably…….”

Eunuch Park trailed off as if he couldn’t bear to finish the sentence.

A moment of silence passed.

Unhyun muttered softly to himself.

“I see…….”

Unhyun’s expression was surprisingly calm. He nodded at Eunuch Park’s words and muttered again.

“That’s right.”

With those words, Unhyun fell into thought.

Eunuch Park examined Unhyun’s complexion, but he was deep in thought and said nothing.

“Well, not long after…….”

It was when Eunuch Park was about to say that.

“As you know.”

Unhyun raised his head and looked at Eunuch Park.

His eyes were calm and peaceful.

“Since I was young, I have memorized tens of thousands of characters and read countless books recording the teachings of noble sages.”

Unhyun’s words were sudden.

But Eunuch Park silently listened to his words.

“But all of that was for the past. I learned the writing but did not engrave its meaning in my heart, and I read the books but did not walk the path [道, Dao – the Way], so how can I be called a scholar? I was just imitating the appearance.”

Unhyun continued.

“But even I know that the most righteous path is to adapt and flow naturally like water [上善若水, a Taoist concept emphasizing adaptability and yielding].”

“Niyet? [What do you mean?]”

Eunuch Park tilted his head and asked back.

Eunuch Park couldn’t understand the sudden words at all.

A smile spread across Unhyun’s lips. It was a different smile than before.

“It seems like it’s time to quit my official post.”