WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 45: In April, All the Flowers of the World Have Faded (16)

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Before accepting Hang Inwoo's invitation, Yi Yubaek called Yeon Sowol aside.

"Sowol. Go from house to house in my place and offer them proper comfort. Once you're done, come to the valley I mentioned earlier."

"Yes, Father."

They were talking about the inner disciples who had been injured or killed in the previous battle. The ones who had charged into the Golden Powder Gang to save Yeon Sowol.

At the time, Windflow Martial Academy's inner disciples had tied down a considerable portion of the Golden Powder Gang's stronger fighters.

That had been the decisive reason Yeon Sowol had managed to hold out for so long on his own.

Yi Yubaek stressed the point.

"People's hearts are like that. While I'm suffering here, while my child died like this, the people left behind seem to keep eating well and living well among themselves. It makes things complicated in their minds. We mustn't treat them that way. So whenever something good happens, we make sure to look after them first."

"Yes, Father."

They had already sent gold and food during the recent feast, but rumors had spread that Hang Inwoo had acquired a spiritual elixir and was preparing a grand drinking party. That was why they were sending more once again.

Yeon Sowol laid out gold, silk, cotton cloth, rice, and alcohol, then supervised the porters as they loaded everything properly.

The warm wind had already left a light sheen of sweat on their foreheads.

Guangdong lay at the southern edge of the world. Its flowers bloomed and faded early.

Even in mountainous Shinheung County, the spring blossoms had long since fallen by the end of April.

It was the season when fresh green leaves gradually deepened into thick foliage.

After breathing in the heavy scent of spring, Yeon Sowol paused his work and went to find Kang Muhyeok.

"Big Brother."

"Yeah, little brother. What is it?"

Kang Muhyeok looked back from where he had been packing bottles of alcohol for the outing.

"Well... I know this might sound crazy."

"Hm?"

Yeon Sowol took a deep breath before speaking.

"Shouldn't we be careful? The place we're meeting to drink is a secluded valley far from the city, of all places."

"......"

Kang Muhyeok fell silent for a moment, then gave a faint snort of laughter.

"What, are you worried Martial Uncle Hang Inwoo set a trap?"

"I know. It doesn't make sense. But... I can't stop feeling uneasy. They say you can know the depth of ten fathoms of water, but not one fathom of a person's heart. There is no harm in being careful, is there? Father's internal injury hasn't fully healed either..."

Kang Muhyeok smiled as though he found Yeon Sowol admirable.

"Sowol, you're right. But did you know this?"

"Know what?"

"Master has made preparations of his own. He acquired some Wound-Mending Pellet somewhere. With my help, he swallowed half of one yesterday. He kept the other half separately."

"Wound-Mending Pellet?"

"Yes. It is a precious medicine for treating internal injuries. Since he took half yesterday, the immediate danger should be gone. If something happens, he can swallow the remaining half on the spot and fight like usual at least once."

"Medicine like that..."

"Why do you think Master took it yesterday of all days? Why do you think he only took half instead of all of it at once? He is preparing for the possibility that something might happen, in his own way."

"I see..."

Yeon Sowol felt a little reassured.

Not completely, though.

"Even so, if something really happens, won't that be insufficient?"

"Fine. I will make some separate arrangements as well. Don't worry, little brother. Focus on your task. What you're doing is important too."

"Yes, Big Brother."

Yeon Sowol stepped back for now.

He was still uneasy, but there was nothing he could do.

The practical authority and voice he held were not yet enough.

'Maybe I'm overreacting.'

Was the warm, stifling spring breeze making him feel increasingly unsettled?

Yeon Sowol shook his head once and left Windflow Martial Academy with the porters.

* * *

The streets of Shinheung County were quieter than usual.

The Shinheung County Garrison had been conducting drills for several days.

From eighth-rank Commandant Yang Ikseon to sub-ninth-rank County Inspector Jang Wisan, most of Shinheung County's military officers and government soldiers had gone out to train. Many commoners had also been conscripted for corvée labor, running themselves ragged to feed and clothe the soldiers.

Looking over the quiet streets, Yi Yubaek muttered,

"The garrison is drilling. It has been a very long time, if I remember correctly. Seeing this makes it feel real that the campaign against Heavenly Road Mountain is right around the corner."

Yi Yubaek might be leading the campaign, but the Shinheung County Garrison could not simply sit idle.

Since Shinheung County stood at the foot of Heavenly Road Mountain, they needed to prepare for any eventuality.

The warm spring wind seemed to make people more and more intoxicated.

Then Mo Cheong, the youngest disciple, suddenly said,

"Master, I heard Martial Uncle Hang found several Human-Shaped Ginseng roots that are over a hundred years old."

"Several roots, not just one? And Human-Shaped Ginseng at that?"

"Yes. Yes."

"Huh. Even for the White Dragon Gang, that is impressive."

The White Dragon Gang primarily guided salt merchants across Heavenly Road Mountain and protected herb gatherers.

No matter how powerful Cheonro Mountain Stronghold was, it could not control all of vast Heavenly Road Mountain. The White Dragon Gang was also strong enough to be called one of Shinheung County's three great sects, which made such work possible.

The White Dragon Gang slipped across Heavenly Road Mountain while cleverly avoiding Cheonro Mountain Stronghold's watch.

They were caught now and then, but even then, they only had to pay enormous tribute. No one was harmed. From the stronghold's perspective, that much payment was enough. There was no need to risk a fight to the death with the White Dragon Gang. Besides, the gang moved so unpredictably that it was not easy to catch them in the first place.

In other words, the White Dragon Gang knew Heavenly Road Mountain as well as its bandits and herb gatherers did. Since they had deliberately searched for spiritual elixirs, finding some was perhaps only natural.

But several Human-Shaped Ginseng roots were another matter.

They were wild ginseng with limbs like a person's and pale skin like a child's.

They were precious spiritual elixirs several grades above the Dragon Scale Mushroom Yeon Sowol had eaten before.

Even the White Dragon Gang would need heaven's favor to find such things.

Mo Cheong spoke excitedly.

"At least one of them should naturally go to Master. The question is how many roots he will give. He isn't going to give them all away, right? Heh heh. Then perhaps we could get one root too..."

Smack!

Yi Yubaek flicked Mo Cheong's forehead.

"Ow!"

"You brat, didn't I tell you? Inwoo might have a body as big as a mountain, but his heart is as small as a millet grain. Do not say anything like that. If he hears you, he might change his mind even if he meant to give one away. That is the kind of man he is."

Shaking his head, Yi Yubaek left through Shinheung County's gate.

There were four people in the group in all.

Yi Yubaek and the Windflow Three Young Lords.

Then,

Murmur, murmur.

"..."

Yi Yubaek turned around.

"What are all of you doing?"

People of every kind were following Yi Yubaek's group.

There were idle rich men who looked as though they had too much money and nothing to do, ordinary martial artists from Shinheung County, a scholar with a dented hat and patched clothes, gossip-lovers who enjoyed talking more than eating, storytellers, musicians...

There were around forty of them altogether.

Yi Yubaek frowned.

"Why are you following us?"

Everyone avoided his gaze until someone shouted,

"Following you? We have places of our own to go!"

"Is that so? Then go ahead."

Yi Yubaek stepped aside.

But the person who had shouted earlier did not move forward.

Yi Yubaek sighed.

"I know there are rumors that Hang Inwoo prepared a spiritual elixir for me. But they are only rumors. How could a spiritual elixir Inwoo found belong to me? It belongs to Inwoo. Stop hoping to see a spectacle that does not exist, and go home."

Even after he said that much, not a single person left.

People of this era were that mad for a spectacle.

A spiritual elixir.

Perhaps this was the moment when Hang Inwoo and Yi Yubaek's story would reach its peak.

The fact that only forty people had come to see it was surprisingly few, if anything.

Only because so many people had been sent out for corvée labor.

Guessing at the circumstances, Yi Yubaek let out a deep sigh.

"I told you. Do not follow us."

He turned his back and began walking away.

The Windflow Three Young Lords followed behind him.

And the crowd came trailing after them.

Perhaps feeling a little self-conscious, the people followed in a long line at a slightly greater distance than before.

Yi Yubaek quietly sighed.

* * *

The destination was farther than expected.

They followed one of the streams feeding into the Jipseong River, going up here, turning there, and winding around several bends. At last, a valley stretching properly into the mountains began before them.

The warm air grew a little cooler.

"There was a valley like this here?"

"They really are White Dragon Gang people. They know every mountain path, so perhaps they kept a place like this to themselves."

Clear water shattered like beads, the wind was cool, and the winding terrain of the valley delighted the eye.

After they went in a little farther, the view suddenly opened up.

A large pond appeared where the valley water gathered before flowing onward. Around it, White Dragon Gang members were busy setting up tents and preparing food and alcohol.

Red flowers bloomed thickly overhead.

"This is... surely peach blossoms? It is almost the end of April, yet peach blossoms are in full bloom like this."

"Exactly, Senior Brother. Doesn't this look like the place where Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei swore their oath? On a day like today too. It has meaning. Real meaning."

Kang Muhyeok and Seon Jehun looked around in wonder.

This particular valley, where the view opened so widely, rested snugly between the ridges on either side like a basin. Inside, it was filled with flowering trees.

The blossoms on every tree had fully opened, and petal after petal drifted through the wind until the air was thick with a rain of flowers.

Could the legendary Peach Blossom Spring have looked like this?

Yi Yubaek shook his head.

"They are not peach blossoms. Look at the leaves. They look just like bamboo leaves."

"Ah. They do."

"It is called oleander. Its flowers resemble peach blossoms, but it blooms in warm weather. And it is poisonous."

"Poisonous?"

"Not a strong poison, but poison is poison. I wondered why I had never known about such a beautiful valley. It seems people avoided it because it was full of oleander."

"Ah."

"But we are martial artists, so it is no concern. Inwoo found a fine spot."

Yi Yubaek turned back and shouted,

"The oleander here is poisonous! Do not enter carelessly! I will not take responsibility if you are poisoned!"

The people who had been panting as they followed from far behind visibly hesitated and stopped.

Clicking his tongue, Yi Yubaek walked forward.

"Big Brother, you are here?"

Hang Inwoo rose from beneath a tent to greet Yi Yubaek.

Then he flicked a glance toward the people behind them and asked,

"Who are those people?"

"Just ignore them. I told them not to follow us, but they kept coming. They must have nothing better to do."

Hang Inwoo frowned, then suddenly shouted,

"Hey! What are all of you doing? I am trying to spend some private time with my sworn brother. What is this rude nonsense? Hey, throw them all out!"

As the White Dragon Gang members cracked their necks and approached, the spectators who had stopped in the distance all flinched.

One of the storytellers raised their voice.

"L-Lord Hang Inwoo! I heard today is a most memorable occasion. How can a beautiful story like this, where a sworn younger brother found a spiritual elixir for his sworn elder brother, have no witnesses? We will not be a bother. Please, if you would only allow us a place in some corner..."

"Ha!"

Hang Inwoo looked dumbfounded, while Yi Yubaek was embarrassed.

"No, those people just had to say it like that... Inwoo, I am sorry. They are saying things without knowing anything, so do not pay them any mind."

Hang Inwoo shook his head and headed back to his seat.

"Fine. Do as you please. Boys, leave them alone! Big Brother, let us sit first."

"All right. Let us."

"But where is Yeon Sowol? I wanted to see that brat today too."

"I gave him a task. He will be a little late."

"Is that so?"

Hang Inwoo and Yi Yubaek sat facing each other. Beside them, the White Dragon Gang's division leaders and the Windflow Three Young Lords sat in a row.

Laughing Dog, one of the Shinheung Three Dogs, was among the division leaders. Grinning, he offered alcohol to the Windflow Three Young Lords.

The alcohol was all precious fine liquor, and the food was all delicacies.

Cool valley water flowed nearby, while oleander petals drifted through the air, making them forget even the season.

It was clear how much care Hang Inwoo had put into preparing this gathering.

After several pleasant cups had been passed around, Hang Inwoo suddenly asked,

"Big Brother, how is your internal injury?"

"I am dying."

"Good grief. That is why you should not have been so stubborn. So? Would you like a spiritual elixir?"

Yi Yubaek grinned broadly.

"Of course. If you have one, bring it out."

Hang Inwoo snorted.

"Why do you sound like you are asking for something you left with me?"

"I simply know my good little brother's kind heart."

"Is that why you even brought spectators along? Since any spiritual elixir I found would naturally be yours, did you bring them here on purpose to watch the presentation ceremony?"

"Hm?"

Yi Yubaek flinched and looked at Hang Inwoo.

Hang Inwoo was smiling.

Footnotes:

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