Chapter 54: Chapter 54
* * *
In Hunan of the Central Plains, there was a family with the surname Jang.
They were not an ancient noble clan whose lineage traced back to the Warring States period; rather, starting from an ancestor a few generations ago who possessed a talent for commerce, they had expanded their family fortune through trade. Naturally, as their prosperity passed down through generations, they became the wealthiest family in that region, wielding considerable influence in Hunan based on their immense wealth.
However, even as the family grew, they failed to produce any exceptionally distinguished officials or members of the Imperial Army, so behind their backs, they were often mocked as merely a merchant family or greedy money-lenders.
Thus, when Jang Geon first demonstrated an extraordinary talent for martial arts, it was only natural that the family’s attention became focused on him.
“…Have you been well?”
Hesitating for a long moment before his teacup, Jang Un spoke those words. And he immediately regretted them. To think that after meeting his younger brother again after more than ten years, the only thing he could ask was whether he had been well.
“I get by.”
However, Jang Geon, who had his arms crossed and was gazing down at his teacup with lowered eyes, replied curtly. Hearing that response, Jang Un unconsciously licked his dry lips, hesitated, and then picked up his teacup to drink. His posture made it clear he did not know what else to say.
Keeping his gaze fixed on his teacup, Jang Geon spoke.
“How is Lady Yang doing?”
Hearing that question, Jang Un frowned and put down his teacup.
“Lady Yang? She is your mother. How can you call her that?”
“Don’t you remember that she was the one who asked me to call her that?”
Unable to find a response to Jang Geon’s words, Jang Un hesitated before finally letting out a sigh.
“…Still, she is the mother who gave birth to you in pain, so how can you…”
At his sigh-filled murmur, Jang Geon closed his eyes. Behind his closed eyelids, a scene he had seen and heard more than twenty years ago flashed into view. A woman adorned in luxurious silk robes and jewelry was looking at him with eyes filled with fear, disgust, sorrow, and confusion.
She spoke:
‘Though your body came from my womb, your soul inside is that of a ghost, so you are not my son. From now on, do not call me mother, call me Lady Yang… That is, if you feel even a shred of gratitude for me giving birth to that physical body of yours.’
“…Mother is in good health. These days, she’s busy looking for a groom for the youngest.”
At those words, Jang Geon opened his eyes and looked at Jang Un.
“Is she already…”
“Already? Yeon is twenty-three now. If anything, it’s a bit late.”
“…What about entering the army?”
As the topic turned to their youngest sister, the awkwardness seemed to ease slightly, and Jang Un let out a soft chuckle.
“Entering the army, my foot. She took the exam three times and failed all three. Father spoiled her far too much because she was the youngest. We should have taught her commerce instead… It’s been nine years since she took her first exam at sixteen until her last attempt. She spent all that time practicing martial arts without making it into the Imperial Army, so where else is she going to use that skill?”
“With Yeon’s skill, she should have easily passed…”
Jang Geon recalled the third child of the Jang family, Jang Yeon. Born much later than Jang Un and Jang Geon, and carrying the title of youngest daughter, she was the child doted on by the entire family. In Jang Geon’s mind flashed the image of a girl grinning broadly while practicing martial arts, as well as the memory of the night he left the family, when she somehow found out, followed him outside, and snuffled as she said goodbye.
“Even after failing three times like that, she won’t just sit quietly. Do you know what she grumbles every single day? She claims the rigid Imperial Army fails to recognize her true worth, and that they’re clinging to old stubbornness and traditions to undermine her martial arts.”
Jang Geon gave a faint smile listening to Jang Yeon’s grumbling.
“With Yeon’s personality, she won’t just quietly get married.”
“That’s why Mother is paying extra attention, saying she’ll look for a guy who is handsome and kind rather than focusing on his family background. Knowing her personality, she might throw a fit at first, but once she actually takes a liking to a man, she’ll probably be thrilled and try to move up the wedding date.”
“I see…”
Stroking his chin as he spoke, Jang Un stole a glance at Jang Geon. Then he spoke cautiously.
“Well, seeing as Heaven blessed us to meet like this… when Yeon holds her wedding, you’ll come too, right? No, since we’re at it, why don’t you come with me when I return to the Central Plains this time? If you return with me, Father and the family elders will be delighted.”
Jang Geon did not answer right away. It was uncertain whether they would truly be happy. If anything, he would be fortunate if they didn’t just curse him as a fellow who abandoned the family’s expectations and ran away. What was even more uncomfortable was confronting Lady Yang. Thus, Jang Geon shifted the subject.
“Did you expand your merchant group all the way to New Sichuan?”
At that sight, Jang Un let out a soft sigh. Though he had managed to bring him to the merchant company after meeting him at the docks, Jang Geon immediately drawing a line made it clear that getting him to return home together was out of the question.
“…We were quite late. Other merchants had already been importing and selling goods from this New Continent long ago. We’re now planning to pay more attention to maritime trade as well. This New Sichuan branch is just the beginning. We only recently finished constructing this merchant guild building.”
Jang Geon nodded. Whatever else they lacked, his family was uncanny when it came to making money, so it wasn’t particularly strange that they were belatedly jumping into the trade of the New Continent.
“Originally, we intended to set up a branch in Heavenly Empress City, but the Imperial Army holds so much sway there that it’s hard to make much profit. So, rather than having half of it ripped away in bribes over there, we decided it would be better to use the northern sea route here and pay protection money to the Martial Alliance…”
Afterward, perhaps to wash away the awkwardness, Jang Un unloaded all sorts of complaints. Things like the New Sichuan Merchant Association being overly territorial, or the members of the Martial Alliance being too rigid and stiff. Jang Geon listened to his stories while finishing the teacup before him. Only when Jang Un ran out of things to say a moment later did he finally open his mouth.
“I heard Yeon’s news clearly. Please pass along my congratulations on her marriage.”
As he spoke, he slowly stood up from his seat. Jang Un opened his mouth, wanting to stop him from leaving, but in the end, he tightly closed his lips.
“Well then.”
Jang Geon bowed his head slightly and turned to leave the room, while Jang Un, unable to stop him, let out another sigh and shut his eyes tight. Right then, before Jang Geon could even reach out, the door burst open. Beyond the door stood a woman around the same age as Jang Un.
Opening the room door, she saw Jang Geon standing in front of it and beamed brightly.
“Oh my. Where are you off to, Young Master?”
She was Jang Un’s wife. Jang Geon answered before he knew it.
“Ah, well. I was about to head out…”
“Head out? I’ve prepared a full meal!”
“A meal?”
She continued with a smiling face.
“Yes, Young Master. How long has it been since we last met, and you’re leaving already? Though it’s sudden, I showed off a bit of my culinary skills, so please at least stay for a meal before you go.”
Jang Geon hesitated for a moment. If Jang Un had said that, he would have firmly drawn a line, but he could hardly bring himself to be so cold toward his sister-in-law. Madam Yeom, Jang Un’s wife, had treated Jang Geon like her own younger brother ever since she married into the Jang family.
Hesitating briefly, Jang Geon looked at her smile and eventually smiled back.
“Then, shall I accept just one meal?”
“Will just one meal do? I cooked plenty of rice, so eat to your heart’s content.”
In the end, Jang Geon ate a slightly late lunch, and afterward, he had to drink tea together while chatting with Madam Yeom. Passing time like that, the sun naturally set, bringing around dinnertime.
“Ah! You must have dinner, right?”
“Well, I really should…”
Madam Yeom did not try to hold him back with words. She simply wiped the smile from her lips and stared at him with a face that seemed to ask if he truly intended to leave. Meeting those eyes, Jang Geon failed to utter the words that he was leaving and ended up being fed dinner as well.
Once he finished the sumptuously prepared meal, Madam Yeom naturally cleaned up a room in the merchant guild building and arranged a bed for Jang Geon as well. In the end, Jang Geon could only sigh after lying on the bed and covering himself with the blanket.
“…Good grief, with demonic practitioners or wanted criminals, I could at least beat them half to death…”
Waking up the next morning and practicing a brief cultivation technique, he walked outside to find Madam Yeom’s servant had prepared washing water and a full change of clothes. After washing up, he immediately had to sit down for breakfast surrounded by Madam Yeom, Jang Un, and Jang Un’s two young children.
Eating silently, Jang Geon stole a glance at Madam Yeom and spoke up.
“Well…”
“Oh my! Now that I think of it, Young Master, could I ask you for a favor?”
Feeding her four-year-old daughter directly with a spoon, Madam Yeom spoke as if something had just occurred to her. Jang Geon swallowed back his intention to say he was leaving and answered.
“Yes, well. If there’s something I can help with…”
Madam Yeom continued with a genuinely apologetic expression.
“You see, the merchant guild building hasn’t been completely organized yet. My husband, along with the people of the guild, will be quite busy today. I need to lend a hand as well. But the problem is, today the wet nurse for our Sang-i and Yeong-i wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t come out. So, could you watch the children for just during the daytime today?”
“…Watch the children?”
Madam Yeom nodded. As Jang Geon looked at her, he glanced at Jang Un’s face, only to find him eating silently as though he knew nothing about it. Turning his eyes to the children this time, ten-year-old son Jang Sang stared with bright, twinkling eyes, while four-year-old Jang Yeong chewed her food while gazing up at him.
Looking between them and hesitating for a moment, Jang Geon eventually nodded.
“If it’s only during the daytime, I’ll do so.”
Madam Yeom smiled brightly.
“I heard the children’s wet nurse should be able to come in the afternoon. I’ll be in your care until then, Young Master.”
“Ahem. I leave them in your care.”
Jang Un, who had only been listening from the side, also spoke. Thus, Jang Geon temporarily took charge of Jang Un’s children.
* * *
Jang Un’s residence was a detached annex built behind the merchant guild. Originally, Jang Un had planned to stay there alone. However, Madam Yeom insisted that if he were separated from the children for several years, they would forget their father’s face, so she brought the children along on the journey.
As a result, Jang Un was also glad. No matter how much it was for expanding a new business, being separated from his family for a long time and meeting only briefly once every few years was something he too declined. Naturally, Madam Yeom’s actions also stemmed from the idea of protecting the children from the heavy-handed grasp of Jang Un’s father, who was still robustly leading the household, and his mother, Lady Yang. When Jang Sang showed a clever side from a young age, the patriarch and Lady Yang attempted to educate the child strictly.
Sitting in a chair, Jang Geon looked at Jang Sang and Jang Yeong staring at him. Jang Sang had a face that seemed full of questions, while Jang Yeong clutched a small doll and watched him with blank eyes.
Letting out a light sigh, Jang Geon spoke.
“Well, is there anything you want to do?”
The one who answered quickly was Jang Sang. However, instead of saying what he wanted to do, the boy threw out a question.
“Mister, are you really our uncle?”
“Yes.”
Jang Sang’s eyes brightened even more.
“Auntie said that Uncle is a huge expert.”
“…Yeon said that?”
Jang Sang nodded and continued speaking.
“Then can’t you show us your martial arts just once?”
Looking at those eyes full of expectation, Jang Geon was somehow reminded of Jin Seo-ha, whom he had parted from yesterday, and chuckled.
“Sure.”
Unconfident that he could hold these children’s interest playing house, Jang Geon figured it would be better to become a clown for a moment, leading the children out to the courtyard of the annex. Afterwards, seating the children on chairs, Jang Geon brought over a laundry pole resting in a corner of the yard and set it upright right in the middle of the courtyard.
And smiling faintly, he spoke.
“Watch closely.”
Leaping straight up from that spot without any run-up, Jang Geon turned a swift mid-air somersault and landed atop the pole he had just set up with his own hands.
“Wow!”
“Ooh-wow!”
Standing on one foot atop the pole that was over fifteen feet high, Jang Geon spread both arms wide above it like a real acrobat. Had a martial artist witnessed this scene, they would have doubted their own eyes. While the leaping power that carried him to that height in a single jump from a standstill was certainly astonishing, what was even more remarkable was that the pole was not driven into the ground.
Jang Geon’s current appearance, looking as if he were standing on level ground, was a trick achieved through the solid yet flexible power of his entire body and extraordinary balance.
Next, he suddenly lurched and fell over. Just as the two children gasped in surprise, he did not fall, but stood upside down atop the pole. In that inverted state, he hung suspended with the top of his foot hooked onto the tip of the pole. Finding it hilarious, Jang Yeong burst into giggles.
After that, Jang Geon continued to perform various acrobatic tricks using the single pole. Most were playful stunts that looked like something from a troupe of feats of strength performers.
Concluding his short performance in that manner, Jang Geon descended from the pole and bowed lightly toward the two children. Jang Sang clapped first, and Jang Yeong clumsily clapped her hands following her older brother.
Right then, applause that belonged to neither of the two children clapped loudly behind Jang Geon’s back.