This is the story that follows.
Rumors about the power struggle between the imperial court and the martial artists quickly spread throughout the Central Plains.
It all originated from those who had come to watch the Seongcheonmun showcase and, pretending to recount their own experiences, bragged about what they had seen and heard. As the saying goes, “A word without wings travels a thousand miles,” and within just a month, it became common knowledge that the imperial court had suffered loss of face while attempting to suppress the martial artists of the righteous faction.
However, the imperial court refused to acknowledge such rumors.
No, they couldn’t accept it.
After all, acknowledging that they had unilaterally breached the principle of non-interference and that the Golden Guard, which prided itself on being the best army of the Ming Dynasty, had been thoroughly trampled would mean a tremendous loss of face for the imperial family.
In the meantime, the Forbidden City had been partially destroyed by an unidentified explosion, and rumors circulated that the headless corpse of a giant goat had been discovered.
It was said that Mangwibi, who had but a short time to live, had become so immersed in longevity practices that she turned into a monstrous figure and wreaked havoc within the castle.
Evidence supporting this claim included the disappearance of Mangwibi, a key figure in the Ming Dynasty’s imperial court, along with her maidens and the mention of Wangjik, the master of the Western City, being dead.
As for Yangbang, it was barely mentioned, with claims that such a person never even existed.
Thanks to this, the charges against us for breaking into the Forbidden City naturally evaporated.
There was no longer any risk of being branded as rebels by the imperial court.
Of course, there were many who had witnessed us within the castle, but it was unlikely they would come forward.
Most of the people who encountered us were either dead or on the brink of death.
Having completed the Yeongok Simgyeol, Dokgorin was indeed like a walking divine manuscript.
The places Dokgorin had thoroughly destroyed would likely remain lands of death for decades to come.
*
“Rin, have you heard the news? A new emperor has ascended in the Ming Dynasty. I think his name is… what was it? Zhu Wuteng?”
“How can a person have a name like Zhu Wuteng?”
I chuckled at Dokgorin’s words.
“I had the same thought when I first heard it.”
“What happened to the previous emperor?”
“Apparently, after being shocked by the news of Mangwibi’s disappearance, he collapsed and gradually fell ill before dying.”
At this, Dokgorin muttered with a complicated expression.
“I wonder if it’s fair to say it’s his own doing. He was guilty of nothing but love.”
“Well? Falling in love while neglecting state affairs and indulging in superstitions while squandering the national treasury—doesn’t that make him culpable enough as a ruler?”
As I said this, I gazed at the blue river, realizing that our ferry had reached the lower part of the river, and I asked the ferryman who was rowing.
“Excuse me, sir, do you happen to know a bold young woman named Kyungah living in Hyeonryeong?”
“Um? How do you know Kyungah?”
“I owe a lot to her since I was young.”
“If the Kyungah you are talking about is the one I know, you can find her by going to the biggest house in Hyeonryeong. She lives right next door.”
“Thank you, sir.”
When I bowed my head after saying this, the ferryman waved his hand, saying it was nothing.
“If you’re a guest of Kyungah, then you’re my guest too. No one from our village has not benefited from Kyungah’s help.”
“Haha…”
It seems Kyungah’s nosiness hasn’t changed even after I returned to my hometown.
When the boat finally reached the dock, I handed the elder the fare and got off the ferry with Dokgorin.
“There should be my niece here?”
“Right. As long as she hasn’t moved anywhere.”
Currently, we had arrived in Hyeonryeong, the hometown of Kyungah, where the family of the deceased Dokgoseok was living.
The reason we had come here suddenly was that after achieving revenge, when I asked Dokgorin what she wanted to do next, she expressed her desire to meet her niece as her second wish.
Following this, we entered the village and looked for the biggest house, just as the ferryman had said.
“It wasn’t that hard to find.”
“Should we say it was easy to find, or that it looked the most impressive from the outset?”
As the saying goes, even a wealthy family can last three years without food, and even before restoring her relationship with her father, Dokgoseok was still a young master of the Dokgo family, which meant he likely had a fair amount of money.
For this reason, Dokgoseok’s house appeared to have been built with more money than the surrounding homes.
“Is Kyungah at home at this hour?”
“I wonder if she has gone out to work.”
Since she had a point, we decided to first check Kyungah’s house, and if she wasn’t there, we would go to Dokgoseok’s house.
“Is anyone home!”
As I shouted that in the yard of Kyungah’s house, I sensed movement from inside.
“Who is it?”
A boy who looked to be around my age appeared from inside the house.
He seemed to be about 14 to 15 years old.
Perhaps due to reading a lot, he was wearing glasses.
“Um… I’m a friend of Kyungah from Sangam. Is Kyungah home?”
The boy stared hard at my face for a moment before asking.
“My sister went out to work and isn’t home. If you tell me what you need, I can let her know when she returns.”
“Oh, that’s okay then. I just came to see her while I was here. I’ll come back later when she’s home.”
As I spoke and bowed my head, the boy said, “Take care,” before quickly disappearing back inside.
“Those siblings don’t have much in common in terms of personality.”
Dokgorin muttered.
“True.”
I agreed wholeheartedly.
*
With the meeting with Kyungah falling through, we promptly headed to the next house, which belonged to Dokgoseok.
Knock! Knock!
“Is anyone home!”
Unlike Kyungah’s house, which had only a fence and no gate, Dokgoseok’s house had walls and a wooden gate separating the outside and inside.
After a short wait, I heard hurried footsteps approaching from inside.
“Yes~ I’m coming now~”
It was a familiar voice.
Creeeak!
Immediately after, the gate of Dokgoseok’s house opened, and out came Kyungah.
“Chilbongi?! And miss?!”
Kyungah looked at us with a surprised expression.
We were equally surprised.
“Why are you here, Kyungah?”
“What are you talking about? I’m here because I work with the lady and young master.”
“I just came from your house, and your younger sibling said you were out, pretending not to know?”
Kyungah seemed to have some idea of what was happening, sighed softly, and said.
“This little one again…”
“?”
“The truth is, ever since I’ve returned to my hometown, my brother has been extremely protective whenever there’s a possibility of me getting involved with a man. I guess he doesn’t want me to get married and live apart from him.”
“It seems he doesn’t want to lose you to someone else.”
“Yes, I understand my brother’s feelings since I’m the only family he has, but honestly, it’s a bit troublesome. At this rate, I might end up growing old as a spinster.”
“Haha…”
Hearing her complaints put a smile on my face, and just then, Kyungah clapped her hands as if she just remembered something.
“Oh my, look at me. What am I saying in front of my guests? Come on in.”
She opened the gate wide for us.
“Please excuse us.”
After waiting at the door for her story to finish, we finally got to enter the house.
*
“Looks tidy.”
That was my first impression of Dokgoseok’s home.
In contrast to the grand mansion of the Dokgo family in Sangam, the interior had a more modest atmosphere.
There was a yard where children could play, the main building where Dokgoseok’s wife lived, and a small guesthouse.
“Ma’am! We have guests!”
Upon hearing Kyungah’s voice, a door from the main building opened.
“Guests have come from outside?”
The woman who came out looked to be around Kyungah’s age.
She appeared to be in her mid to late twenties.
Wearing simple clothing, she looked at me and Dokgorin in the yard and asked.
“I’ve never seen you around the village. What brings you to our home?”
Then, Dokgorin took a step forward and said.
“Nice to meet you. Sister-in-law. I’m Dokgorin, the younger sister of Seok-i oppa.”
At this, the woman’s eyes widened.
It seemed she didn’t expect the younger sister of her deceased husband to suddenly visit her.
“Oh, um…”
She seemed at a loss for words, stuttering, before eventually nodding, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Welcome, lady.”
*
Dokgoseok’s wife warmly welcomed us, having suddenly appeared without notice.
“You both can use this guesthouse. It’s usually kept clean, so you won’t have any inconveniences during your stay.”
Kyungah, who personally guided us to our room, opened the window and looked at us.
“So, the reason the two of you came is to let me know that the young master’s revenge is complete?”
“…Yes.”
I nodded and briefly let Kyungah know what had occurred since our separation.
I shared about going to Sachendang after parting with her, enrolling in the Cheonmu Academy, making new friends, the truth behind the family raid incident, and finally, the Seongcheonmun showcase that took place in front of the Forbidden City.
Although all of it occurred within less than a year, it was a lot to process, yet Kyungah listened without skepticism.
“…So many things have happened.”
Kyungah murmured that with a complex expression, then looked at me and Dokgorin alternately.
“Thank you for taking the trouble to come all this way to convey that fact. I feel I can now send the young master off without worry.”
“…That’s a relief.”
I said that with a wry smile.
Just then, I heard a voice.
“Sister, who are these people?”
A little boy peeked his head through the open door of the guesthouse where dust was being blown out.
He looked to be around 4 to 5 years old.
The boy’s features were very familiar, still retaining the baby fat.
When Dokgorin’s eyes met the boy’s, she hesitated for a moment, then crouched down to meet his eye level and said.
“Hello, is your name Dokgo-cheol by any chance?”
“Yes. That’s right. Who is this pretty lady?”
Surprised, Dokgorin wore an expression of astonishment, then gently ruffled the boy’s hair as she spoke.
“Nice to meet you. I’m your uncle’s younger sister.”
A remarkably gentle smile was on Dokgorin’s face.
