Thanks to our hurried steps since morning, we managed to reach our destination, the capital city, before sundown.
The capital, also known as Pachok in the past, is the center of the Yikju region and was the capital of the Shu Han established by Liu Bei during the Three Kingdoms period.
That’s why it’s considered one of the largest cities in Sichuan and effectively serves as a local government.
And it is here in the capital that the famous Chengdu Tang Family, known as the best of the best, is located.
“Wow, it’s magnificent.”
As I crossed over the high hill, I couldn’t help but exclaim at the grandeur spread out before me.
It looked like a vast basin, almost as if I was looking at the land of Han Zhong.
Surrounded by stone walls and natural barriers multiple times over, the view of the capital resembled a massive fortress.
“I haven’t been here in ages.”
As Dokgorin murmured beside me, her eyes glazed over with admiration, I asked her.
“When was the last time you came here?”
“About 4 to 5 years ago. That was during my grandfather’s birthday.”
“That does seem like quite a long time.”
I nodded and looked toward the distant city gates.
“Is the line really long?”
“Then we need to hurry. If the sun sets while they’re inspecting, they won’t let us in and will tell us to come back tomorrow.”
“Really?!”
Hearing this made my heart race.
Just a moment ago, I was leisurely soaking in the scenery, but now I was eager to rush down the hill as Dokgorin chuckled.
“Don’t worry too much; it won’t take long for the inspection. Besides, if worse comes to worst, we can just use the Tang family’s name.”
As she said this, Dokgorin pulled something out from her pocket.
It was a luxurious insignia, something you wouldn’t see often, with the character for Tang (唐) written prominently in the center.
“Everyone knows of the Tang family’s influence in the capital.”
“Ohh….”
So this is why they say people rely on connections and relationships.
Having a powerful backing certainly makes things easier.
“Anyway, if we’re too late, we might have to visit the Tang family tomorrow, so let’s hurry.”
“Okay!”
I nodded at Dokgorin’s words and started to descend the slope with her.
*
We arrived at the city gates just as the sun was setting beyond the mountain ridges.
As Dokgorin said, the inspection at the city gates was quicker than I expected, and unless there was a significant disqualifying issue, they let us in almost as if it were a free pass.
“Next!”
Finally, it was our turn.
The guard, with his authoritative demeanor, scanned us up and down for anything suspicious, but we didn’t have anything problematic.
One of the soldiers, who was staring intently at Dokgorin, whose face was covered with a black cloth, asked,
“What is your business in the capital?”
Dokgorin answered calmly, “I’ve come to visit my maternal grandfather.”
As she spoke, she held out the insignia she had shown me earlier.
Upon verifying the character Tang (唐) on the insignia, the guard jumped back in surprise and immediately opened the way for us.
“Please enter.”
Seeing how he shifted from a high-handed attitude to being extremely polite, it felt strangely awkward.
Is this the power of authority?
On the other hand, Dokgorin seemed unfazed as she walked past the guard, looking like it was completely normal.
Regardless, thanks to this, we got to comfortably enter the city and decided to head directly to the Tang family.
As we passed through the large main road and began to enter narrower alleyways, a section marked with green flags appeared. According to Dokgorin, this was the Tang family’s clan village, Tanggata (唐家陀).
Since everyone living here shares the Tang surname, I could genuinely feel how significant the Tang family was.
After a while of leading the way, Dokgorin finally stopped in front of a huge estate surrounded by tall walls.
“This is the Tang family….”
I swallowed hard with tension as I looked up at the large nameplate hanging at the estate’s gate, while Dokgorin, who was standing beside me, casually knocked on the doorknob without any warning.
Thud! Thud!
Before long, I sensed movement from beyond the door.
“Who is it at this late hour?”
It appeared to be a man who clearly looked like a servant, but Dokgorin spoke to him with confidence.
“I am Dokgorin, the daughter of Tang Miryeong, who married into the Dokgo family. I’ve come to see my grandfather.”
“Excuse me??”
The servant wore a look that suggested his brain had just short-circuited.
To be honest, I would probably react the same way.
At this late hour, a noblewoman from a prestigious family had arrived alone, without any attendants.
But perhaps realizing it was beyond his capacity, the servant hurried inside, claiming he would fetch someone who could confirm Dokgorin’s status.
“Hmm, not recognizing my face… Is this a new servant who hasn’t been here long?”
“You said the last time you came here was 4 to 5 years ago. It’s only natural that he wouldn’t recognize you.”
As I sighed at that, Dokgorin let out an “Ah” as she realized.
Anyway, after waiting a moment, the servant returned with someone in tow, and it was a girl about Dokgorin’s age.
“What? It’s really Dokgorin!”
The girl with her hair styled in two dumpling shapes exclaimed with surprise.
Then it seemed they knew each other, as Dokgorin extended her right hand and said,
“It’s been a while, Tang Sosu.”
The girl, looking at Dokgorin’s outstretched hand, accepted the handshake with a reluctant expression.
“Yeah, it’s been a while.”
As I watched the two exchange greetings, I couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.
“What’s your relationship, miss?”
Dokgorin casually replied, “We’re cousins.”
Cousins?
After hearing that, I turned to look at the girl named Tang Sosu.
They definitely had similar features.
While Dokgorin had a sharp, cold beauty to her, Tang Sosu had a softer look, possibly due to her drooping eyes, giving her the appearance of a gentle lady.
Of course, her breast size was overwhelmingly inferior to Dokgorin’s.
As I was internally evaluating this, Tang Sosu spoke up with a smirk.
“What’s with that rude stare, white-haired boy?”
She must have caught me glancing at her chest.
As I pondered how to make an excuse, Dokgorin interjected.
“This is Chilbongi, my fiancé.”
“What?”
Tang Sosu eyed me up and down as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
She shot me a similar look to the one I had just given her and said incredulously,
“Even Dokgorin has lost her touch! This is your fiancé? He might look okay, but his appearance is just pathetic!”
Ah, even while looking down on me, she’s still giving me compliments on my looks.
Feeling secretly pleased by the compliment, I turned my ear towards Dokgorin’s ensuing words.
“What did you just say? Pathetic?”
Tang Sosu, who had just casually made a belittling remark, now trembled and stammered.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it seriously!”
Her apologies came fast!
I don’t know why she’d acted so boldly if she was going to back down like that, but somehow, Tang Sosu gave off a profoundly small and trivial vibe while glancing at Dokgorin.
“Please tell me you’re not actually angry?”
Then, seeing that Dokgorin seemed to have regained her composure, she shook her head and replied.
“I’m not angry.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Tang Sosu sighed in genuine relief, brushing her small chest down.
Even though they’re cousins, it was evident who held a higher status between them.
“Anyway, I’d like to see my grandfather. Is he home right now?”
“Uh, yeah. If it’s grandfather, he should be at the training ground.”
“Please lead the way.”
“What? Me?”
“Are you saying you don’t want to?”
“Of course not! I’ll guide you myself.”
As our eyes met, Tang Sosu’s face turned bright red as she immediately looked down, saying, “Oh my!”
Her initial impression wasn’t like this, but she just kept feeling more and more trivial.
Anyway, thanks to getting the certified approval from Tang Sosu, we safely entered the Tang family estate and headed towards the training ground to meet Dokgorin’s grandfather, the sixth head of the Tang family, Tang Hochang.
*
When one usually envisions an elderly person well-versed in martial arts, it’s often a lean figure with a long white beard, reminiscent of a hermit.
That was the case with Dokgojin, the head of the Dokgo family, and also with Jeongalgyun, whom we met in Zhang’an.
However, Tang Hochang, whom we encountered at the training ground, had completely different traits from those two older gentlemen.
Overwhelming muscles.
Tang Hochang, who was at least in his sixties, looked more like a warrior than a sage with his taut muscles and bear-like frame.
I wondered if he would have a good match against Jeongalgeondam, whom I met last time.
As he relentlessly hit what seemed to be a training log with his fists, Tang Hochang, sensing a presence behind him, asked without turning.
“Who goes there?”
In response, it was Tang Sosu who flinched and opened her mouth.
“Uh, grandfather? We have guests….”
“Didn’t I tell you to not let anyone in while I’m at the training ground?”
But it wasn’t Tang Sosu who replied to that.
“It was me who asked to let Sosu in, Grandfather.”
At that moment, Tang Hochang, who had worn a serious expression just moments ago, instantly melted into a doting demeanor.
“Rin, my dear♡”
