“Young Master.”
“Y-Yes?”
“May I watch you train for a moment? Your sword is swift and spirited; it is truly a sight to behold.”
Saun nodded repeatedly at Cheongdam’s words.
“O-o-of course. F-Feel free…….”
He assumed his stance again with an extremely nervous face.
The hand holding the sword trembled.
Before long, he took a deep breath and began performing his forms, yet his movements were terribly clumsy compared to earlier.
Perhaps because he had an audience, his body did not seem to move properly due to nervousness.
Cheongdam sat nearby and watched him intently.
Saun grew more and more intimidated by his sister-in-law’s gaze, but he continued his forms without stopping.
After quite some time, Saun lowered his sword and let out a sigh.
Cheongdam smiled and clapped.
“I-I am embarrassed.”
Saun scratched his head, his face flushed red.
He wiped his sweat and then approached hesitantly, sitting down at a spot far from Cheongdam.
For a while, no conversation passed between them.
By the time the moon had sunk a little lower.
“S-Sister-in-law…….”
“Young Master.”
The two opened their mouths at the same time.
Startled that their words overlapped, Saun jumped.
“P-P-Please speak first.”
“No, what I was going to say is nothing important. Please speak first, Young Master.”
“I-I-It is the same for me. P-Please, Sister-in-law…….”
Saun declined, trembling. Since it seemed he would not open his mouth until the end unless she spoke first, Cheongdam had no choice but to speak first.
“Once the wedding ceremony is held tomorrow, you will become my husband, so from now on, it is fine to speak down to me when you address me. It is only natural for a wife to serve her husband, so please feel free to use me comfortably.”
“H-H-How could I dare do such a thing.”
“But that is the law of marriage. Or do you intend to call me ‘Sister-in-law’ even after we are married?”
“T-That, I do not, but…….”
Saun fell silent with a troubled face.
Watching him suffer from the side, Cheongdam gave a bitter smile.
“What was it that you wanted to say, Young Master?”
Saun suddenly raised his head.
After hesitating a moment, he asked.
“S-Sister-in-law……. Are you not displeased? To be married to, to someone like me…….”
Cheongdam looked at Saun with large, round eyes.
She was as beautiful and lovely as the moon; even standing still, she swayed a man’s heart. And when she occasionally stared at someone so intently that it was bewildering, Saun never knew what to do with that gaze.
“Do you want an honest answer?”
“I-I asked with my own mouth, so of course I wish to hear the truth.”
Cheongdam smiled brightly.
“Yes, I hate marrying you, Young Master.”
At these words, Saun’s heart plummeted.
He swallowed his breath deeply, as if someone were strangling him.
“A-As expected, t-that’s how it i-is.”
“However.”
Maintaining her smile, Cheongdam continued.
“That is not because I hate you, Young Master. It is simply because I still love my husband as he is now.”
“……I see.”
Saun slumped his shoulders as if even more shocked than before.
Cheongdam looked at him pitifully as he hung his head, but in the end said nothing.
Unable to endure the awkward atmosphere, Cheongdam rose from her seat first after a moment.
“I shall return to my room now. Please sleep early too, Young Master.”
“P-P-Please take care.”
Saun stood blankly watching Cheongdam leave.
And once her figure disappeared, he began hitting his own head wildly.
“Y-You idiot, you should have escorted her, damn it.”
He cupped his head and hung it low.
“Damn it, damn it…….”
Even the moon floating in the sky seemed to gaze down at him as if in contempt.
*
On the outskirts of Liangzhou, Gansu Province.
This city, also called Wuwei, was a prosperous city situated at the gateway to the Western Regions.
Meltwater flowing down from the eternal snows of the Qilian Mountains spread evenly throughout the city via waterways, and the interior was filled with verdant farmland and trees everywhere.
Like Zhangye, it was a strategic point where merchants came and went, so the atmosphere of the streets was lively as well.
The pleasure quarter was also large compared to Zhangye.
This was the important part.
As soon as they arrived in the city, Wi Pungso took O Gyo and headed straight for the pleasure quarter to gather information.
After inquiring here and there, he learned that a pleasure house called Wanhua Tower was a branch directly established by Haomen.
Wanhua Tower was the only establishment in the pleasure quarter surrounded by a long wall. Passing through the red gate painted with vermilion lacquer, one could see a well-decorated garden and splendid buildings.
“What kind of place is this?”
“A good place.”
Contrary to his words, tension was evident on Wi Pungso’s face.
This petty fellow had put on a show of bluster in front of O Gyo, but in truth, he had never once been to such a splendid and luxurious pleasure house.
Moreover, while he wanted to be popular with women, in front of them he was completely tongue-tied—a pathetic dunce when it came to the opposite sex.
When he gave the name Heoryu, a courtesan respectfully guided the two to a spacious inner room.
The one who received the two guests there was a woman who looked relatively young to be a madam.
“Young Hero Wi, this humble woman is called Mukran. It is an honor to meet a swordsman of such renowned fame in the jianghu.”
“A-Ah, no, you flatter me.”
“Please sit here. And you too, young lady who came with him.”
Mukran offered them seats with an extremely polite attitude.
Liquor and food were immediately served, and courtesans filed into the room to take their places.
Soft music played and the scent of incense spread; soon the tension in their shoulders seemed to dissipate.
“How adorable.”
“How old are you?”
It was rare for a young girl to visit a pleasure house.
Moreover, O Gyo had a pretty face but did not know how to groom herself, resulting in a shaggy appearance; yet that very aspect gave her a stray cat-like impression, captivating the courtesans’ hearts.
The young courtesans surrounded O Gyo, exclaiming as they petted and touched her.
Wi Pungso watched O Gyo with no small amount of envy, but when a courtesan actually approached to pour him wine, he recoiled in shock and hunched his shoulders.
Since their job was to entertain guests, the courtesans were quick to read the room.
Moreover, as this place was a branch of Haomen, Madam Mukran was well-versed in the affairs of the jianghu.
Mukran quickly realized that this young swordsman had clearly not come to enjoy sensual pleasures.
“Young Hero Wi, what business brings you here?”
Wi Pungso, who had been unable to find a place to rest his eyes and had been staring only at his own wine cup, finally raised his head.
“I wish to buy information.”
“What kind of information?”
Wi Pungso glanced over to check on O Gyo.
O Gyo was surrounded by courtesans and paying no attention whatsoever to the conversation here.
“Information regarding poison.”
“Poison?”
Mukran tilted her head.
It was a natural reaction.
“It does not matter what kind. It only needs to have strong and vicious effects. I wish to know the whereabouts of the lethal and virulent poisons circulating in this jianghu. All of them, if possible.”
“……I understand. You are seeking rare and dangerous poisons, not the ordinary kinds known to the world.”
It was a sudden and incomprehensible request, but Mukran did not inquire deeply. Yet she understood their request accurately at once, so matters progressed quickly.
“Would it suffice to prepare and hand you a list?”
“I would be grateful if you could.”
Mukran nodded once and called for a guard waiting outside. When she relayed instructions in a whisper, the guard bowed deeply and left at once.
“I will send word to my colleagues in other regions to gather information. It will likely take a few days.”
“Yes, then I shall visit again at that time.”
“Even if you leave the city before then, if you mention my name at another branch later, you will be able to receive the completed list.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Wi Pungso performed a fist-and-palm salute and then discreetly gauged Mukran’s reaction.
“So, how much would the payment for this matter be?”
“Let me see…….”
Mukran elegantly stroked her chin with a long finger.
It looked more like she was merely pausing for dramatic effect rather than deeply contemplating.
“The food and drink were offered to you as hospitality, so I cannot take payment for those. As for the information…… this much should suffice.”
Mukran held out two fingers.
Two silver taels.
Wi Pungso was bewildered by the price, which was far cheaper than he had anticipated.
“Is that enough?”
“Yes, it is sufficient.”
“……If you are lowering the price because of my fame, there is no need. I have already received fine hospitality; if I do not properly pay for the information as well, it would disgrace not only my own face but my master’s as well.”
Mukran covered her mouth with a folding fan and laughed aloud.
“This is a fair price, so please do not worry, Young Hero Wi.”
“Is that so?”
When Wi Pungso still could not dispel his doubts, Mukran explained with a smile.
“Valuable information must be as fresh as a newly caught carp, as secret as a hidden message within a folding fan, and as coveted as a flower-like beauty. The information you requested does not belong to any of these categories.”
There was no mistaking those words.
Who besides that wild dog of a girl would be curious about the whereabouts of lethal and virulent poisons?
“If it were merely relaying baseless rumors of the jianghu, even an innkeeper could do it. Originally, it would not even be worth charging money for. It is only that compiling the information into a list requires some effort, so I have slightly raised the price for that. This is merely saving face for Haomen’s reputation, so rather, this humble woman should feel apologetic toward you, Young Hero Wi.”
“I see……. I understand well. Thank you, Madam.”
“Huhu, it is a trifling matter.”
Wi Pungso paid two taels of silver on the spot.
She had said she felt apologetic for receiving merely two taels of silver for such information, but in truth, simply receiving such lavish hospitality at this luxurious pleasure house was no different from having several times that amount returned to him.
Heoryu Wi Pungso.
He was a man who often undermined his own dignity with petty words and actions, but nonetheless, his fame was by no means undeserved.
Indeed, being famous had its advantages.
“W-Well then, I shall take my leave…….”
“We have just served the food; why are you trying to leave so early, Young Hero? Please relieve your travel fatigue fully before you go.”
“A-Ah, shall I?”
“Is not the young lady who accompanied you enjoying herself comfortably as well?”
At those words, Wi Pungso looked at O Gyo. The girl sat in the seat of honor, too preoccupied with devouring the sweets the courtesans had brought to pay attention to anything else. The courtesans watched O Gyo with doting eyes, each clamoring to pull her into their embrace.
“Unbelievable…….”
“Young Hero Wi, may this humble woman pour you a drink?”
“I-I would be grateful.”
Using pouring wine as an excuse, Mukran stealthily drew closer to Wi Pungso. Beneath her thin clothing, voluptuous curves stood out, and a thick scent of perfume wafted from the woman.
Wi Pungso hunched his shoulders as much as possible, afraid his body might touch Mukran, but his very appearance only fueled the Madam’s mischief.
“I have heard that you have been wandering the jianghu for quite a long time now, Young Hero Wi.”
“Y-Yes. It is by my master’s order, to compete with many experts.”
“Truly courageous. I heard that you have never once been defeated until now. Is that true?”
Wi Pungso’s shoulders flinched.
Until recently, those words had been true, but a few days ago, he had lost to O Gyo.
Wu Jiao had said she would not spread the rumor, but… when it came time to truly cover up the truth and act shamelessly, his conscience felt oddly uneasy.
In the end, Wei Fengxiao confessed.
“That is not true. The world is so vast, and there are countless experts beyond imagination in every corner of it. How could a greenhorn like me keep winning? I’ve simply been fortunate to survive this long.”
“Young Hero Wei, you are truly modest.”
Young jianghu men were, by nature, eager to show a dashing side before women.
Even scholars who knew nothing of martial arts would pretend to be strong in front of courtesans, so compared to them, this man’s honesty was truly pleasing to see.
“Then did you come all the way to distant Hexi in search of an opponent?”
“Yes, well… you could say that.”
“Do you perhaps have someone in mind?”
At that question, Wei Fengxiao fell silent for a moment.
In truth, Mo Lan was right.
There were strong people everywhere in the Central Plains, yet the reason he had come all the way to this frontier was because there was someone he wished to meet.
Long ago, at a friendly martial arts tournament, he had once crossed blades with a man.
Wei Fengxiao had lost to that man that day.
At the time, he had been praised within his sect as a genius and was brimming with arrogance, so Wei Fengxiao could not easily forget that bitter defeat.
“Lin Taiyun, the chief disciple of the Chixia Sect. I came all this way because I want to have a match with him.”
“You mean Lin Taiyun, the Giant Mountain Sword. But he…”
Wei Fengxiao gave a bitter smile.
“Yes, I heard after coming here. It seems he is dead.”
Strictly speaking, Lin Taiyun’s life or death was unknown.
He had been the chief disciple who would one day inherit the position of sect master of the Chixia Sect, but when war broke out with the Tatars beyond Jiayuguan far to the west, he threw everything aside and joined the army to defend the border.
With his outstanding martial arts, he seemed to have rendered distinguished service in the early days of the war, but before long, all news of him had ceased.
For someone who had gone to the battlefield, the loss of contact meant only one result.
That had already been three years ago—exactly when Wei Fengxiao had entered the jianghu under his master’s orders.
—It was a good match.
—Easy for you to say. You won. For me, it was a lousy match.
—Haha, you’re an honest one. If your anger hasn’t cooled, come at me again next time. I’ll take you on as many times as you like.
A sturdy build, a fine bearing, and even a bright, upright personality.
He had been a perfect young man, as though painted with a brush. He was even popular with women.
That was why Wei Fengxiao disliked him.
He had wanted to get his revenge no matter what.
‘To think he won and ran away, that damned bastard.’
With a lonely expression, Wei Fengxiao toyed with his wine cup.