Chapter 380

Festival of the First Full Moon!

“First Moon” means the first night, written with the character for ‘first’ and the character for ‘night,’ referring to the first full moon of the new year, on the fifteenth day of the first month.

Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the Western word for ‘one.’

It’s simply the festival called “Jeongwol Daeboreum” in Qing’s hometown.

For the people of the Central Plain, the Festival of the First Full Moon marks the end of the New Year holiday.

By the time January rolls around, there’s not much left to do anyway.

After feasting and celebrating nonstop since the New Year’s Day Spring Festival, when you see lanterns symbolizing the full moon sparkling everywhere, you think, “Ah, today is the Festival of the First Full Moon.”

That realization hits, and suddenly you know the holiday is at an end, the final celebration of the New Year.

However, for Qing, the focus isn’t really on the Festival itself but rather on the ‘won-so,’ the sweet rice cake eaten during the festival.

Typically, this won-so is cooked in a soup.

Yes, it’s soup, but the rice cake is a sweet rice cake.

Usually, the sweet rice cake is boiled in a clear broth with sugar and sesame, or, depending on the region, with red bean paste or other fillings.

Having sweet rice cakes in a clear meat soup?

Qing was left in shock at the sheer absurdity of it all.

I mean, how, in this world!

How can anyone put sweet rice cakes in meat soup?

It must never be forgiven!

Such a dish should never exist in this world!

Sweet rice cakes should not go in meat soup! It’s absolutely nonsensical!

So, they must be eliminated entirely!

Driven by a burning sense of purpose, Qing sacrificially consumed all of this dreadful food, a noble sacrifice—one that is both sweet and savory, I must say.

The Festival of the First Full Moon is a time to wish for abundance.

Having eaten his fill, Qing’s belly now rivaled a mountain, rising high with the leftover won-so.

“Truly impressive, Brother! I, Woo Na-ram, sadly managed only two bowls! Yet, how can anyone even consider matching the capacity of the next Number One in the World? It’s miraculous! It’s marvel-worthy! Just look at this magnificent belly standing tall! The great mountain that makes the Five Mountain Peaks of the Central Plain lower their heads in shame! A tower that touches the sky! Oh, I am in awe!”

After an ample meal, as Qing sprawled on his bed, Na-ram shouted excitedly beside him.

Hearing this, Qing felt a bit peculiar.

What’s going on? Why do I feel this odd sensation?

“You’re saying this with good intentions, right…?”

“Of course! Eating is battle! Battle is eating! What a person consumes ultimately becomes their body, so eating is the body! And the body is eating, right? I’ve seen your strength! It surely comes from an inhuman amount of food consumption, doesn’t it?!”

“Uh, I think it really is a bit awkward.”

“However, young lady Na-ram!! I have a request for you! May I touch that great food pouch of yours just once!? I can’t believe it just by looking at it!”

Despite feeling quite good, with a full belly and relaxed body, Qing allowed this little exploration.

“Just a gentle touch, alright? Don’t poke too hard; it might come back up.”

“Such an honor! An honor indeed!”

Na-ram carefully reached out, delicately brushing over Qing’s taut belly.

It was a touch as careful as if caressing the belly of a pregnant woman.

Suddenly, the touch traveled higher, and Qing couldn’t hold back his giggles as Na-ram’s fingers grazed across his ribs.

“Uh, lady, Na-ram? That’s not the belly… Would there really be anything in that region?”

“Ah! I didn’t mean to! There are three peaks, resembling a mountain range! I thought it was one range! But all the food is in your belly, giving you this much grandeur!”

Qing tilted his head.

What is ‘hyungdu’? Is it referring to the ‘chest’ with ‘head’? Ah, this again.

“Indeed! It seems one must stuff food until bursting to support two hefty heads on the chest!”

Qing’s eyes narrowed.

“You keep bringing up those ‘three peaks,’ don’t you?”

“Ah, forgive me! I sincerely apologize! I, Woo Na-ram, will offer my repentance with a grand gesture!! Yaap!”

Na-ram immediately took a stance with both arms raised.

But grand arrivals should be a rarity. If it’s every other day, it loses its charm.

However, Na-ram suddenly shouted desperately.

“Brother! I’m sorry! Ugh. The girl has eaten too much!!! I’m struggling to keep it down; may I just do a typical bow instead?!”

“Well, that’s quite the show.”

Ultimately, with knees on the ground and hands raised, Na-ram (who’s thirty and acting like this) said in a bitter tone.

“To be honest, I cannot suppress my praise for your figure. I believe ‘Champion of the World’ suits you best. Though the Han people call large breasts vulgar, for us Zhang people, a woman’s ample figure is pure beauty, something truly unattainable. In fact, without losing its grandeur, its shape is exquisite! I, Na-ram, can’t help but feel marvel and reverence every time I see it; all this burning admiration seems uncontainable…”

This wasn’t a playful jab but a confession that simply couldn’t be suppressed.

However, having stuck together for just over a fortnight, knowing this athletic woman wasn’t one for subtlety was clear.

Perhaps one could just call her a bit too much.

Thus, the night of the Festival of the First Full Moon wore on.

Surprisingly, Qing was actively fulfilling his duties for the Martial Alliance.

Wasn’t it a mission to go play with the Gye-rim Sword Faction, even receiving permission from his master to enjoy himself?

It seemed that today, Qing was wonderfully completing yet another task.

But then, a summons disguised as a reminder arrived.

“Are you even thinking of keeping your promise?

I’ll be waiting for you at the Mo-ran room.”

Today’s activities were not over yet.

—-

At the Nan-nyeong First Tavern, Yong-gung-ru, the crowd overflowed once more.

On the last day of the holiday, perhaps trying to catch up on missed connections, the audience in the first-floor dining area was a merry, raucous bunch.

“Ha ha, brothers! I’ll raise another glass! On a splendid day like this, there’s no joy greater than being with the brothers I respect the most, is there? May I suggest we toast?”

“Of course! How could we refuse our youngest’s toast?”

“Then, ahem. To the eternal brotherhood of the Qingha Alliance!”

“To that!” “To that!” “To that!” “To that!”

Didn’t that sound familiar?

What was that? Did it seem off in terms of numbers?

Just my imagination?

Qing tilted his head, heading up the stairs.

Last time, Qing was at the Seventh Floor for the Dragon King room.

His master, Boyeol, was stationed at the Sixth Floor in the Plum Blossom room.

And now, Qing was heading for the Mo-ran room on the Fifth Floor.

What’s going on? Is the old man running low on funds?

Qing slightly worried about Boyeol’s financial issues as he approached the Mo-ran room.

As he knocked on the door, a distinct, raspy voice of an old man came from within.

-What is it? I didn’t call anyone.

“Why are you saying that? You called for me.”

The door opened, revealing a hasty-looking old man, Boyeol, who appeared.

Qing’s eyesight had improved to the point of being able to recognize people’s expressions.

What an extraordinary achievement.

“No, where do you think you are? Hurry, hurry up and come in!”

It was currently the time of the month’s first watch.

Qing had arrived an hour and a half before the scheduled time.

And he made it there boldly, strolling through the guest corridor all casually.

“Are you planning to spread rumors that the ‘sorceress’ and Cheonhwa-geom are colluding? I had hoped to see you during this night of the Festival, so why the sudden mystery?”

“A mystery? You never even asked me if the ‘sorceress’ was okay. I just wanted to head to the night market with Na-ram—I mean, do you know Na-ram? She’s a big shot in the Gye-rim Sword Faction, after all.”

“What? What in the world?!”

It was simply mind-boggling and infuriating.

That’s just how Qing’s tongue works.

The more he converses, the more he incurs losses.

“But last time you were on the Sixth Floor and now you’re on the Fifth? Isn’t this a bit too little pampering for a senior? I did some digging and found out you’re quite a famous physician and warrior. When someone speaks of going to the Yong-gung-ru, surely you should be on the top floor?”

“Oh! You’re right. I see your point. Must be the seller of salt getting a bit stingy. If this mission takes too long, then they might skimp on the supplies as well!”

“Doesn’t the Yeonbang have enough funds?”

“That’s what I’m saying! This is why you shouldn’t associate with lowly salt merchants; how would they know the worth of a physician? What treasury?! Hah, I’m just perplexed.”

“I know, right? Those who dare to sell seawater don’t even understand that a physician is a treasure, especially one who knows martial arts, way beyond valuable.”

“Exactly! Those foolish swordsmen have no clue how precious their physicians are. Those mercenaries do the same; I can’t believe…”

Boyeol started airing his frustrations.

Qing chimed in with “That’s right,” “It’s outrageous,” “That’s incredible,” “Is that true?” “How could this happen?” matching every one of Boyeol’s complaints.

Thanks to that, Qing gathered various snippets of information on Yeonbang and the Gangster Group’s dispatch scale, numbers, and characteristics.

“I, too, have achieved mastery with my medical skills. Just because I’ve learned some Poison Arts, they treat me like I’m dirt. Just like that Chohyun guy…”

Plus additional details about the petty brawlers from the Gangster Group.

“Ha, this isn’t the time for that!”

Boyeol, who’d been spilling precious information, suddenly snapped back to reality.

A terrifying old assassin would strip them both bare without a care who they were, be it a great hero or petty thief.

“No! If you’ve made a promise, you must keep it. It hasn’t even been a fortnight yet. When are you planning to do this ‘Hado’ thing?”

“Ah, that sort of thing? You see, I misplaced it and can’t find it.”

Qing pulled out his go-to excuse.

“I dropped it somewhere (maybe in my bag), and now it’s missing (because it’s in the bag and my eyes don’t see it).”

Qing rarely tells a lie.

“What! That precious thing! You should have looked harder!”

“I’m sorry. Uhm, so do you happen to have another bottle? I mean to do ‘Hado,’ you need poison…”

“Ha. You wouldn’t have lost it in the Gye-rim Sword Faction territory, would you? If it gets discovered…”

“Oh, no, that definitely isn’t the case! I can assure you! If you’re not convinced, would you like me to let my master vouch for me?”

Not that it had ever been lost.

Boyeol clicked his tongue unhappily and frowned.

“Tsk. Do you know how precious that poison is? It’s worth ten gold pieces a bottle. Tsk.”

“Ah, so it’s that precious? Truly, you call it the ‘World’s Top Ten Most Deadly Poison,’ so that makes sense. I feel terrible…”

“A single bottle contains the essence of a thousand snake venoms. That’s logical, right? A fine poison is still a fine poison; extracting it… ah, forget it. Just promise me this time, once you go back, you’ll do ‘Hado.’”

“Well, that’s the thing. I have a prior engagement with Na-ram…”

Qing was all set to smoothly sail through but hit a snag.

“No! Just! When an adult tells you to do something, you must listen!”

“But today is the Festival of the First Full Moon, and…”

“Fine! I grant you four days, four days! If there’s no incident in the Gye-rim Sword Faction within five days, your identity will be known to the entire world.”

“Well, can’t you just extend it by a day? I mean, there are five fingers, and you can point at whatever you want with five…”

“Ha. If only you could speak less, it wouldn’t be so annoying. Fine, five days. I’ll give you five days.”

“Hey, thanks!”

Of course, it was something to be thankful for.

Ultimately, Qing had said he would do ‘Hado,’ but without another word, he also interpreted it as getting five days instead.

Sounds good? So let’s make it five days.

Sure, Qing occasionally spins a yarn or two, but he always keeps his promises.

Of course, those promises tend to be interpreted in his favor, showing just how cunning he can be.

With his skill of deceiving others improving day by day, if he put just that much intelligence into living normally, he might avoid most of the dangers he encounters.

After all, how could this naive old man outsmart an old con artist?

And so, Boyeol was duped again.

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