Chapter 152: Chapter 152
* * *
The sight of the two people staring at each other continued for a brief while.
Although Jang Geon was genuinely glad, Jin Seo-ha was staring at him with such intense passion in her blue eyes that it felt somewhat overwhelming.
As Jang Geon stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say, Jin Seo-ha was the first to move.
She didn’t run, but stepped forward with quick, quiet steps and naturally hugged Jang Geon’s thighs. Then she buried her face into his leg.
Jang Geon laughed softly and picked up Jin Seo-ha. The young girl wrapped her arms around Jang Geon’s neck without hesitation, sticking close like a cicada. Her soft, small body clung tightly to his chest.
“Hmm. Have you grown a bit?”
Compared to his past memories, she had definitely grown. As he supported Seo-ha clinging like a cicada with his arm, the thought that children grow up fast crossed his mind once again.
“Hehe, still, she has a long way to grow. Among secular disciples her age, she is on the smaller side.”
Jin Gyeon, watching the two, laughed and bantered lightly. Jang Geon gently patted Seo-ha’s back and spoke.
“I am truly glad to see you. But what brings you here?”
“In truth, I wished to ask the same question… but as the story promises to be long, shall we sit down and talk?”
Saying so, Jin Gyeon reopened the door he and Seo-ha had stepped out of and gestured to Jang Geon. Carrying the clinging Seo-ha, Jang Geon stepped inside. It was a spacious and clean room equipped with a bed, table, chairs, and other amenities.
Since Seo-ha wrapped her arms around Jang Geon’s neck and buried her face into him without letting go, he simply sat down while holding the child. Seeing Seo-ha like that, Jin Gyeon merely chuckled heartily.
“She seems truly overjoyed to meet Warrior Jang after so long. She is a child who never once threw a tantrum while staying in the Central Plains… Though, with a place full of bald monks, it is quite understandable…”
Jang Geon lightly comforted Seo-ha, who was rubbing her face against his chest, and asked.
“So, you wouldn’t have crossed that vast ocean just for sightseeing. What business brings you to stay at the Je Clan?”
“Namo Amitabha, right to the main point, I see. To put it briefly, it is because of Clan Master Je Gung-wol’s funeral and Young Master Je Sang-cheon’s inauguration ceremony.”
“Funeral and inauguration?”
Looking closely now, Jin Gyeon’s attire was not the comfortable martial robes he had worn before, but the full vestments of a monk, complete with a flowing long robe and a crimson kasaya. Jin Gyeon pressed his palms together with one hand and nodded.
“Though it is not widely known, Clan Master Je Gung-wol was someone who donated large sums to our Shaolin Temple every year. Even though a vast ocean separated the Je Clan from our temple, he was one who put in considerable effort for the peace of his clan. Thus, we could not turn a blind eye when Young Master Je Sang-cheon asked for help with this funeral.”
“You mean you came to oversee the funeral.”
Jin Gyeon nodded.
“In truth, the Young Master seems to have contacted us more for the congratulatory address to be used in the upcoming inauguration than the funeral… Still, when a person who donated to our temple for a long time passes away, what difficulty is there in writing and reciting a few words? However, monks in active cultivation could not descend from the mountain temple, so once again, I ended up coming.”
“Then what about this little one?”
Even with her face buried in Jang Geon’s clothes, Jin Seo-ha knew full well that the term ‘this little one’ referred to her, fidgeting her hands and rubbing her face. But when he gently patted her back, those movements settled down.
Jin Gyeon could only chuckle heartily once more.
“Originally, I naturally intended to come alone. Crossing the ocean by ship is a journey far too taxing for a child to endure. Furthermore, just as she seemed to be getting friendly with the other secular children, I worried whether spending several months away would make it hard for her to adapt to temple life in the future. But… well…”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“The child looked up at me with those clear eyes and said that Warrior Jang wouldn’t possibly cross the ocean to visit Shaolin Temple, would he? She said since an opportunity arose, we should go and meet him. Thinking about it, that was also true, so as I stood speechless without an excuse, the Abbot simply told me to go and at least see your face, saying that human affection does not fade so easily…”
Saying so, Jin Gyeon cast a gentle smile toward Seo-ha’s back. However, his deeply settled eyes seemed to be looking at a somewhat different memory.
However, he soon pulled himself together and spoke to Jang Geon.
“By the way, it occurred to me only after landing at New Sichuan port, but Warrior Jang was a martial artist wandering here and there without a fixed abode, wasn’t he? I almost ended up wandering this land for a long time looking for Warrior Jang even after finishing the Je Clan’s affairs, hahahaha. But to meet like this again, it truly cannot be anything other than the Buddha’s arrangement.”
“I see. One could say so.”
Jang Geon nodded. Naturally, Jin Gyeon did not know that Jang Geon’s brother had established a merchant guild in New Sichuan. Thus, Jin Gyeon and Jin Seo-ha might really have combed through the wilderness and mountain ranges of the New Continent to find Jang Geon.
That the late Clan Master Je Gung-wol happened to donate to Shaolin Temple, that Je Sang-cheon requested funeral rites and a congratulatory address from Shaolin, that Seom Ji-young gave Jang Geon the request, and that Jang Geon accepted it—had even one of these failed to occur, this reunion would not have happened.
“Now then, let us also hear how Warrior Jang comes to be here. Could it be you were a warrior of the Je Clan?”
At Jin Gyeon’s question, Jang Geon shook his head.
“I also came as a guest for now. It just so happens that I’ve made a bit of a name for myself in New Sichuan recently.”
At the casual, joking tone, Jin Gyeon laughed again. Saying with his own mouth that he was famous enough to be invited by the Je Clan was a statement that might make some frown, but Jin Gyeon considered Jang Geon a martial artist worthy of it. He had rather felt it strange that Jang Geon was not well known until now.
However, Jin Gyeon soon caught an unusual point in Jang Geon’s words.
“For now… ‘For now’, you say. Is there another story behind this?”
After contemplating briefly, Jang Geon did not stop patting Seo-ha’s back and spoke via sound transmission.
[Do you know how Clan Master Je Gung-wol died?]
Startled for an instant, Jin Gyeon soon quietly recited a chant and nodded.
[There is someone who harbors doubts about the claim of qi deviation. Wondering if there might be another conspiracy behind it. I received a request to verify that.]
Jin Gyeon erased his smile and closed both eyes tightly.
“Namo Amitabha… The suffering of worldly affairs is truly diverse, taking different forms for each person. If that is true, then for the people of the Je Clan, it will be another suffering following the loss of their master…”
“Still, they will be able to weather it well. Having continued for a thousand years, could there not have been similar incidents?”
At Jang Geon’s words, Jin Gyeon nodded.
“That is also true. With long experience, they will overcome sorrow and pain with their own wisdom.”
After sharing stories of how they each ended up here, both were silent for a short moment. It was one of those moments when quiet naturally settles between conversations.
Just then, Jin Seo-ha, who was rubbing her face against Jang Geon’s left shoulder and chest, whispered softly.
“I’m hungry.”
It was a small voice, but hearing it, Jin Gyeon brightened up.
“It seems it is time for a meal. Would you like to dine together?”
Jang Geon chuckled softly as he met Seo-ha’s gaze as she looked up at him with only her blue eyes raised.
“Let’s do that. Since I came all this way, I should get a meal from a prestigious clan.”
* * *
Fortunately, when it came time to eat, Seo-ha separated on her own accord. Over the meal served by those quiet servants, Seo-ha sat at the table and chewed her food well. As Jang Geon set down his own bowl and quietly watched her, Jin Gyeon spoke up.
“Ah, by any chance, are you curious about news of Benefactor Seol Myo-geum and Benefactor Jin-ha?”
Jang Geon pondered for a moment who Seol Myo-geum was. But soon remembering that it was Princess Yu Seol’s alias, he nodded with a subtle expression. Unaware of this, Jin Gyeon continued speaking.
“Before receiving the Je Clan’s invitation, those two actually visited our temple. The reason Seo-ha insisted on joining this journey was partly because of them.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, those two mentioned they were returning to the New Continent. Saying they would pass along regards if they met Warrior Jang, though they didn’t mean to, they thoroughly stirred up Seo-ha’s heart. Did you happen to meet them?”
Jang Geon thought about how to answer, but facing Seo-ha sitting beside him watching while munching her food, he simply opened his mouth.
“I met them.”
Seo-ha’s eyes grew about twice as bright. However, her chewing mouth underneath did not stop, so watching her brought faint chuckles from Jang Geon. Jin Gyeon, who was about to ask about their well-being after hearing his answer, quietly shut his mouth at the sight of Jang Geon and Jin Seo-ha looking at each other like that.
Swallowing everything in her mouth with a gulp, Jin Seo-ha spoke.
“Where are they?”
“Those two?”
Seo-ha nodded. Jang Geon deliberated for a moment on what to say. But soon felt it wouldn’t matter if he just told her. On the contrary, if Seo-ha visited them, those two would be thrilled.
“At the Martial Alliance.”
“Martial Alliance?”
“Not far from here, there’s a place where needlessly large buildings are gathered. Those two are probably acting like bosses there.”
Seo-ha thought for a moment, then asked carefully.
“…If I go find them, will they dislike it?”
Jang Geon shook his head.
“No. Both of them will be thrilled to death.”
The corners of Seo-ha’s mouth, dotted with grains of rice, slowly curved upward. Hearing that Yu Seol and Jin-ha were close by, she seemed to want to meet them.
However, seeing that, Jin Gyeon let out a small sigh and interjected.
“It will be difficult right now. During Young Master Je Sang-cheon’s inauguration ceremony, it is best not to leave the Je Clan if possible. They will not like trouble arising.”
“…Yes.”
Seo-ha answered briefly without much change in expression and resumed eating. But if one looked closely, the upward-turning corners of her lips had pouted slightly.
“…Once the inauguration ceremony ends, you can visit anytime then. We can go meet them together with Warrior Jang later.”
“Yes. I’ll do that.”
Only after hearing Jin Gyeon’s following words did that pout disappear. Jin Gyeon wore a somewhat tired expression as if it were quite difficult. And maintaining that expression as he met Jang Geon’s eyes, he let out a small, bitter smile. It seemed Seo-ha could not act as affectionately toward Jin Gyeon as she did toward Jang Geon.
A short while later, after finishing the meal, when Jang Geon went to take a vacant room, Jin Gyeon spoke.
“Warrior Jang. If you ever need any help from me while doing that work, please tell me anytime. Even if it is something minor, if it is work I can help with, I will assist.”
Jang Geon offered a light nod of eye contact as a gesture of thanks. And to Jin Seo-ha standing beside him looking at him, he casually winked one eye. Amusingly, without a hint of fluster, the kid stuck out her tongue—bleh.
However, when Jin Gyeon turned around, she quickly tucked her tongue back in. Of course, even so, she could not escape the eyes of Jin Gyeon, a Shaolin warrior monk, but Jin Gyeon turned his gaze toward Jang Geon without any rebuke, pressing his palms together and reciting a chant.
“Namo Amitabha…”
Jang Geon bowed his head in farewell and went to find an empty room. It was a room as wide and clean as Seo-ha’s room. After hanging up his bamboo hat and outer coat, as he stood looking out the window for a moment, someone knocked on the room door.
“I brought fresh bedding and tea to drink. May I enter for a moment?”
“Come in.”
It seemed to be a servant here. Indeed, there was a bed, but no bedding. It appeared they arranged it only after a guest settled on a room.
Soon the door opened, and two women in maid attire entered while looking at the floor, laying out the bedding and placing a teapot on the table. And standing leaning against the window with arms crossed, Jang Geon let out a small, dry chuckle and asked.
“What are you doing?”
At his words, the movements of the two maids stopped. And the woman who had prepared the tea covertly raised her head, met Jang Geon’s eyes, and spoke.
“…Was it that obvious?”
She was Seom Ji-young. The white martial attire and upright posture she had worn yesterday had transformed into a neat yet ornament-less gray skirt and the posture of a servant with eyes lowered to avoid eye contact with anyone.
Jang Geon slowly shook his head and said.
“Didn’t you say we could only meet tomorrow?”
Seom Ji-young smiled brightly and gestured lightly to the other maid. With that, that maid smoothly closed the door in her initial posture and left the room.
Only after being left alone together did Seom Ji-young open her mouth.
“Tomorrow would be too late. If possible, it’s better to get the job done quickly. Why did you look for me?”
Jang Geon’s hand scratched his chin. It seemed hard for Seom Ji-young to come visit Jang Geon openly. Come to think of it, as the fiancée soon to wed the clan’s successor, it was natural not to meet randomly with an unrelated man to avoid scandal. Of course, even so, if she were caught sneaking around like this, that would be dangerous, but she likely moved like that because she was confident she wouldn’t get caught.
Thus, Jang Geon decided to simply lay out his business.
“Why else would I look for you? Because I need to meet Clan Master Je Gung-wol.”
At the statement that he needed to meet a dead man, Seom Ji-young blinked her eyes. But soon catching his meaning, her expression sank heavily.