0083 : Amcheonhyang
Three days later, I found myself in the presence of a powerful member of the Jeong Clan, the most influential family in Kaegyeong. I was guided to a separate chamber of the Jeong Clan and sat quietly. The architectural style of Goryeo was very different from that of the Central Plains, and I found myself fascinated by the people’s clothing and behavior as I explored the surroundings. While I sat quietly, a middle-aged man entered the room.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
I stood up and bowed.
“My name is Baek Woong. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Could he understand the language of the Central Plains?
As I regarded him cautiously, the strong-looking middle-aged man spoke.
“Please, make yourself comfortable. I am Jeong Cheol-wook.”
“Yes.”
He spoke fluent Chinese. I had expected a translator to enter, but it seemed that he was fluent in the language. Jeong Cheol-wook sat down and spoke.
“I hear that you wish to settle in Kaegyeong?”
“Yes, I want to live as a Goryeo person.”
“Hm, that’s quite unusual… People from the Central Plains tend to have strong pride and seldom consider such a thing.”
Jeong Cheol-wook appeared genuinely surprised. This was understandable, as generally, the belief that the Central Plains are the center of the world could make it hard to fathom someone wanting to live in such a remote, lesser nation. However, without further comment, Jeong Cheol-wook continued.
“I’ve heard that you are a martial artist with formidable skills. To what extent do you possess martial arts?”
“I can manage self-defense.”
I knew that boasting about my skills in such a setting would be foolish. Such an attitude would only lead to a negative impression with those who weren’t martial artists themselves. Sure enough, Jeong Cheol-wook laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
“Haha, you need not be modest. I’ve actually heard quite a bit from the Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association.”
With a hearty laugh, Jeong Cheol-wook continued,
“I also heard that you single-handedly defeated the leaders of the Blood Saber Group. If that is true, it means your skills are on par with the best martial artists in Kaegyeong. I was quite impressed by that story, which is why I insisted on meeting you.”
“I still have much to learn.”
“Hm… There will be no problem with your settlement. The Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association has agreed to bear all the costs and expenses. However, I would like to propose something to you.”
“What kind of proposal?”
Jeong Cheol-wook poured some warm tea. After savoring the aroma for a moment, he spoke.
“I want you to become a guard warrior for our Jeong Clan. Along with that, I can also grant you a position as a military officer known as Byeoljwa. If you plan to live in Goryeo, I believe this is a pretty good offer.”
“……”
I fell silent upon hearing the expected proposal.
‘Just as I thought, this is their intention.’
The Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association wouldn’t casually introduce me to a powerful noble of Kaegyeong without an ulterior motive. They wanted to place me under the Jeong Clan’s command so they could use my skills through their connections when needed. And from the Jeong Clan’s perspective, there would be no reason to decline a young martial artist who defeated the Blood Saber Group alone. The arrangement had likely already been established among them.
After a moment of thought, I responded.
“If I accept the military officer position, will I have the freedom to travel around Goryeo as I wish?”
“Haha… Of course. I’ve heard you have a strong interest in traveling around Goryeo. If that’s the case, I’ll make sure to provide many opportunities for you to explore. If you want, you’ll even have time to leisurely travel to the distant Tamra Island.”
Given such an offer, there was no reason to refuse. On the contrary, declining could make future explorations more difficult. Thus, I nodded in agreement.
“I accept.”
“Excellent! Then from today on, you are a martial artist of our clan. Don’t worry, I will arrange for your military officer credentials to be issued separately.”
“However, I do not speak much of the Goryeo language. Is there a way for me to learn the language and script here?”
“I will assign you a teacher. In about three months, you should be able to communicate without issue.”
As things unfolded so smoothly, I began to feel an unsettling anxiety.
‘This is strange. In this life, I’ve only been blessed by the Queen Mother and have not received the great fortune of the Taehocheonjong. Why is everything going so well?’
Noticing my anxious expression, Jeong Cheol-wook tilted his head.
“Is something troubling you?”
“Oh, I just think that things have been going too smoothly.”
“Too smoothly, you say? Haha! Indeed, even the Twelve Righteous warriors are desperate to join our clan, so it seems you are in luck.”
I hinted at my story casually.
“In fact, a fortune-teller once told me that over the last decade, my luck has been neither particularly good nor bad. I haven’t heard of any strong auspicious signs, yet everything is flowing so smoothly that it makes me anxious.”
“Hm…”
Jeong Cheol-wook seemed to find it amusing as he pondered while sipping his tea. After a moment, he spoke.
“Then that is not luck, but fate.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have studied a bit of destiny reading, so I have some understanding.”
As Jeong Cheol-wook adjusted his seat, he continued,
“Luck is a supernatural element that influences fortune and misfortune in aspects unrelated to human will. That’s why, in destiny reading, we often distinguish between luck and fate. Luck is something that cannot be resisted, but fate is the ‘process’ reached through human choice.”
“Process?”
“It can also be referred to as karma. It starts from a cause leading to action, from action to result, and that result becomes the cause for subsequent actions. Our choices are interconnected, and with human karma, there is always an inescapable responsibility associated with actions.”
“……”
“Haha, did I make it too complicated? To summarize, if luck is when good or bad outcomes appear randomly regardless of your choices, then fate means that you have made the ‘right choice,’ resulting in an ‘appropriate outcome.’ It’s the grand inevitability that transcends trivial coincidences through human intent.”
“……!!”
“I don’t know what you’ve experienced so far, but as long as you haven’t made any major misjudgments, nothing particularly bad should have happened to you. This feels like great fortune to you.”
“I see.”
Although I had never thought of it that way, it started to make sense.
A right choice leads to a right outcome!
‘Ah, I see. The great fortune from Taehocheonjong brought me intense luck regardless of my choices, but in this life, I’ve simply reaped the correct results because I didn’t make any wrong choices!’
When I received the great fortune from Taehocheonjong, I made foolish decisions repeatedly, even to the point of dying ten times. Yet, I survived and gained benefits; that was what was called “great fortune.” However, in this life, I simply achieved what I deserved for making the right judgments. This felt less like luck and more akin to cause and effect.
At the same time, I realized that I had yet to enter a stable life. If what he said was true, I understood that the moment I made a wrong judgment, I could face an unexpected sudden death.
I received training from Jeong Cheol-wook regarding my duties as a guard warrior, working hours, and the etiquette and obligations I would need to follow before returning to my quarters. It seemed that starting from tomorrow morning, I would be residing in a separate chamber within the Jeong Clan.
I then bid farewell to the Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association.
“Thank you for the favorable arrangement.”
“Haha, compared to the help you have given me, it’s nothing. Without you, I would have likely been killed by pirates or sold into slavery by now.”
The Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association smiled and said,
“Don’t worry about our return journey. The Goryeo side will provide us with a fleet, with two military vessels accompanying us, and the experts of the Twelve Righteous will also board. Even if we were to be attacked like last time, we won’t fall easily.”
“That’s a relief.”
Suddenly remembering something, I asked him,
“Have you heard of something called the Haein?”
“Haein…?”
“Actually, I came all the way to Goryeo to search for it.”
I felt comfortable sharing this since I would part ways tomorrow and I sensed a significant level of trust had developed between us. As someone managing one of the largest trading associations in Shandong, he was likely to have valuable information.
The Lord of Daeryong Merchant Association seemed to remember something and snapped his fingers as he said,
“I know that a temple by that name exists in Goryeo.”
“A temple?”
“If I recall correctly, it’s located in a place called Hapcheon, and it’s a very large temple. I believe it’s called Haeinsa.”
“……!! Thank you!”
I realized I had obtained a very good clue. Had I tried to find this information on my own within Goryeo, it would have taken much longer and more effort. I resolved to visit Haeinsa while working as a guard warrior for the Jeong Clan and traveling around Goryeo.
Next, I exchanged farewells with the Lord of Seogung Escort Agency, who also expressed his gratitude to me before saying.
“When you return to the Central Plains someday, I will surely repay you.”
“Thank you.”
“Um, and I hesitate to call this information, but I heard an interesting tale recently.”
“What kind of tale?”
The Lord of Seogung Escort Agency glanced around, ensuring no one else was listening before leaning in to whisper.
“Not long ago, there was a rumor that a phoenix appeared in a place called Seogyeong in Goryeo. A martial artist from the Twelve Righteous, whom I’m close with, told me about it.”
“A phoenix?”
“Just a rumor. But if your goal is to travel through Goryeo, it’s worth looking into.”
I bid farewell to the Lord of Seogung Escort Agency and fell into deep thought.
‘A phoenix in Seogyeong?’
This was a story I had never considered.
A phoenix!
This legendary creature, akin to a dragon, was a beautiful bird adorned with feathers of rank and a long tail. It was not merely a bird but a mythical beast symbolizing the empress and was known to possess spiritual powers surpassing many deities in Taoist temples.
While an ordinary person might dismiss it as mere fiction, having seen and felt the powers of gods and demons firsthand, I couldn’t take it lightly. If the phoenix were to truly exist, it would be remarkable.
I decided to visit Haeinsa first, then head to Seogyeong, before drifting off to sleep.
Starting the following day, my life as a guard warrior in the Jeong Clan began. Although it was a guard warrior’s life, I had no knowledge of the late Goryeo period, so a girl in white clothes soon came to the separate chamber and began teaching me.
The girl appeared to be in her late teens and looked older than my appearance suggested. She was tall and had a dignified beauty that would certainly earn her the title of a beauty among those around her. While she couldn’t be called a peerless beauty, she had the charm to distract many young men. Upon our first encounter, she chuckled with a bright smile.
“Hello! I’m Lee Joo-hee. I’ll teach you Korean language and literature from now on!”
Her Mandarin was fluent. Despite her young age, she seemed to possess remarkable talent as a translator. I found it somewhat amusing that she spoke so casually, but given that I appeared much younger than her and felt no bad feelings, I chose to remain silent. She seemed to take a liking to me and patted my head affectionately.
“Hey, I hear you’re good at martial arts! Is that true?”
“Indeed.”
“Then sometimes, you should teach me martial arts too, okay?”
“Ah, understood.”
“Alright then, let’s work hard on learning language and literature together! Kya haha!”
With a lively laugh, Lee Joo-hee began to earnestly teach me, switching from her playful demeanor to a serious and enthusiastic approach when it came to instruction. I started learning the pronunciation and vocabulary of Goryeo language, and surprisingly, it wasn’t too difficult. Among my talents, my language aptitude didn’t seem to be lacking.
“Alright, focus!”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and while we’re at it, don’t forget to teach me martial arts!”
“……”
Was she being serious?
Lee Joo-hee visited daily and occasionally expressed her desire to learn martial arts during her spare time. Since it wasn’t difficult, I decided to teach her the essence of Hyeoncheon Divine Art and some basic sword techniques. Since Hyeoncheon Divine Art was an internal energy skill that blended seamlessly with others, I felt no burden, and I wanted to repay Lee Joo-hee for her kindness.
It seemed that the others in the Jeong Clan, including Jeong Cheol-wook and the guard warriors, didn’t require me to come out for guard duties until I had mastered the language first. Thanks to that, I spent nearly five months fully focused on learning the language of Goryeo from Lee Joo-hee, and by the time half a year had passed, I could communicate with the Goryeo people at a basic level, albeit awkwardly.
Surprisingly, Lee Joo-hee showed exceptional martial arts talent, progressing rapidly in swordsmanship during this time. Initially, I had only taught her a few basic forms of the Light of Brain Sword Technique, but she quickly learned them all. If she were to have a proper sword instructor, she would be showcasing considerable martial skills within ten years.
When the time came, a middle-aged martial artist came to see me.
“I hear you can speak a bit now? Then come to Pingzi Hall tomorrow morning.”
I could roughly understand.
This was the result of intense language training over the past six months. I nodded, then asked,
“What work is this about?”
“You’ll find out when you come. Lady Joo-hee will accompany you, so just listen quietly.”
“Understood.”
Lady Joo-hee?
I found it odd that he was speaking so honorifically. The aura exuding from this middle-aged martial artist was on par with that of considerable masters, and he was acting like the leader of the guard warriors of the Jeong Clan. He was likely a martial artist from the Twelve Righteous, and it was baffling to see someone of his prowess being so respectful toward a young girl like Lee Joo-hee.
However, the next day, I was taken aback as I walked alongside Lee Joo-hee. Instead of her usual plain white clothes, she was dressed in elegant silk garments. This indicated that she held a considerable status as a noble in Goryeo.
“Hehehe, surprised?”
Lee Joo-hee smiled cutely, prompting me to ask,
“You’re a noble?”
“Yep. The Lee Clan has a partnership with the Jeong Clan. The heads of our two clans are sworn brothers, and I live with Uncle Cheol-wook.”
“The Lee Clan…”
“Just go with it~ Kya haha!”
Together, Lee Joo-hee and I soon entered Pingzi Hall. Upon our arrival, I saw Jeong Cheol-wook sitting in the main hall, flanked by the guard warriors of the Jeong Clan.
“@&&#&@@….”
In that atmosphere, Jeong Cheol-wook spoke to me in Goryeo language. Naturally, I could hardly comprehend his words.
‘Huh? He should speak Mandarin well, so why is he using Goryeo language?’
While I was puzzled, Lee Joo-hee standing next to me provided a translation.
“There will be a royal ceremony tomorrow honoring King Gongmin, and you’ll be attending as part of the guard.”
I glanced at Jeong Cheol-wook, and he spoke again, which Lee Joo-hee translated.
“During the ceremony, you’ll be competing in martial arts against the martial artists of Goryeo, so please conduct yourself with grace.”
“……?!”
What does this mean?
I was taken aback, yet I couldn’t voice my confusion in that setting.
Then, as the assembly came to a close and the guard warriors exited Pingzi Hall, Jeong Cheol-wook finally relaxed and spoke to me in Mandarin.
“I apologize, Baek Woong. It doesn’t convey authority to speak Mandarin in front of my subordinates.”
“Not at all, please feel free to speak.”
“As I mentioned earlier, there’s a royal ceremony honoring King Gongmin tomorrow, and you will be part of the guard. After the ceremony concludes, the royalty and nobles will gather for a celebratory feast, and you are to showcase your martial skills there.”
“……”
So, does this mean I have to perform martial arts for the entertainment of the Goryeo nobles?
I stood there, dumbfounded, as Jeong Cheol-wook spoke with a hint of bitterness.
“I’m sorry, but it’s unavoidable. This request was made strongly by the masters of the Twelve Righteous.”
“The Twelve Righteous?”
“They don’t view you favorably, as a peak master from the Central Plains. Some even suspect you of being a spy. Therefore, they want to verify your skills under the pretense of the festivity after the ceremony.”
“Mr. Jeong Cheol-wook, isn’t your status among the mightiest in Goryeo? How can the martial world hold such power?”
Jeong Cheol-wook chuckled.
“Haha! Of course not. I agreed to their request because I trust in your abilities. If a master of the Twelve Righteous can’t handle my guard warriors, it would indeed be amusing, wouldn’t it? I believe you can handle it.”
“……”
I realized what was happening.
‘He says he trusts me, but in reality, Jeong Cheol-wook also wants to test my abilities.’
While he appeared to have faith in me, he genuinely didn’t trust me as he accepted the duel request from the Twelve Righteous. This way, he stood to gain nothing. If I won, great; if I lost, it would indicate that my skills were lacking, casting me in an unfavorable light within the Jeong Clan from that point on. After pondering, I reluctantly nodded.
“I will do my best tomorrow.”
“That’s the spirit.”
According to Jeong Cheol-wook, this was not mere luck but fate. If I had the strength to produce the right results, eventually good outcomes would follow.
‘This is perfect.’
Since it was a mock duel, there was unlikely to be any danger to my life.
I now had the opportunity to witness the martial prowess of the Twelve Righteous for myself.
—————————= Author’s Note —————————=
I corrected “Gongyangwang” to “Gongminwang.”
I also made changes to other tonal aspects… I apologize for my limited knowledge.
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