20demayo Chapter 157:
Chapter 157:
Chapter 157:
Wise Strategist
That evening, the group led by Mu-jin rented an inn in Hajuhyeon after leaving So-cheongmun.
They spent their days visiting So-cheongmun once a day.
Since the incident at the Gyerim Black Market, Cheongsu Dojang, which had seemed somewhat complicated, began to regain its original atmosphere while spending time here.
Mu-yul and Ling-ling started interacting innocently with the children.
Mu-jin and Mu-gung also played with the children, but they spent most of their time helping treat Baek Ga-ryeong or being with Baek Ga-hwan.
Today, as usual, Mu-jin and Mu-gung entered the room where the Baek siblings were. Baek Ga-hwan, who was holding Baek Ga-ryeong, stood up and greeted them.
“Thank you, as always.”
Perhaps because his sister’s condition seemed to be improving, Baek Ga-hwan’s attitude, which had been merely polite, had become noticeably more respectful over the past few days.
Baek Ga-ryeong, who could previously only move as Baek Ga-hwan cared for her, slightly bowed her head despite her pain.
(Tying grass to repay kindness).”
Though her voice was as tiny as an ant’s whisper, Mu-jin and Mu-gung, who were both trained in martial arts, could understand her well.
Since it was a well-known idiom, deciphering its meaning wasn’t difficult either.
It just felt strange that she would suddenly recite an idiom out of the blue.
“Please forgive my sister’s rudeness. Due to her poor health, she has a habit of speaking briefly.”
“How could expressing the desire to repay kindness be considered rude?”
Mu-jin replied appropriately, yet he felt a peculiar sensation.
If she found it hard to speak at length, wouldn’t simply saying “thank you” suffice?
‘Does she have a bit of a pretentious streak, despite her illness?’
Mu-jin suspected that Baek Ga-ryeong might have a bit of a pretentious nature, but fortunately, it was a misunderstanding.
Baek Ga-hwan, who had apologized for his sister’s rudeness, suddenly looked upset and turned to Baek Ga-ryeong.
“Ga-ryeong, why do you speak of death so easily?”
At Baek Ga-hwan’s sudden remark, Baek Ga-ryeong averted her gaze sideways.
“What do you mean by speaking of death?”
Mu-jin asked, puzzled by the siblings’ strange conversation, and Baek Ga-hwan sighed before explaining.
“Because Ga-ryeong finds it difficult to speak at length, she avoids meaningless words. If she only wanted to express gratitude, she would have said ‘thank you.’ However, the idiom means repaying kindness even after becoming a spirit after death. She implied that she would repay the kindness later as a spirit since she is now confined to a sick body.”
“......”
Did that single idiom hold such a complex meaning? Wasn’t this just over-interpretation?
Mu-jin kept silent, unable to critique a sick person. At that moment, Baek Ga-ryeong spoke in a very small voice.
(Changban Slope), (Liu Bei).”
Mu-jin, who had read the comic version of the Three Kingdoms in his past life as Choi Kang-hyuk, understood the rough meaning.
‘......Like Liu Bei who abandoned his family and fled with his generals at Changban Slope for the future, she is telling him to abandon her and think of his own future?’
Mu-jin’s guess seemed correct as Baek Ga-hwan looked at his sister with a face suppressing anger.
“Ga-ryeong! Why do you say such things?”
He understood the feelings of a younger sister who had continuously burdened her brother due to her illness and the sadness of a brother hearing such words.
Nonetheless, the atmosphere became awkward, so Mu-jin intervened between them.
“Why don’t we calm down and start the treatment?”
Saying so, Mu-jin glanced sideways, and Mu-gung tactfully placed his palm on Baek Ga-ryeong’s abdomen, infusing extreme yang energy.
But the room still felt cold. Despite the fire lit in the corner of the room for Baek Ga-ryeong’s sake, the silence created an icy atmosphere.
To lighten the mood, Mu-jin spoke up.
“Hmm. From the conversation earlier, it seems that Miss Baek is very knowledgeable for her age.”
Mu-jin believed that compliments were the best way to lighten the mood.
Fortunately, Baek Ga-hwan took Mu-jin’s compliment positively.
“Haha. Ga-ryeong has always been quite smart.”
Mu-gung’s face was getting redder and redder, as if he was about to experience Qi Deviation.
– That’s something a Shaolin disciple would say? What, are you going to leave the order and get married?
– Ahem. No, that’s not it.
– Just think of it as a treatment and don’t see her as a woman, see her as a patient.
– Easier said than done.
To help the confused Mu-gung regain his composure, Mu-jin thought of a plan.
– Close your eyes and think of Master Hye-dam.
Mu-jin suggested thinking of Mu-gung’s stern and extremely serious master, who embodied the essence of immovable heart.
“Is there a problem?”
As Mu-gung and Mu-jin stopped the treatment and exchanged silent glances, Baek Ga-hwan asked anxiously.
“Oh. He just had a moment of concern. Since this is a delicate treatment, it’s better to take a break when one’s mind is unsettled.”
“I see. I apologize for pushing you in my concern for my sister.”
While Mu-jin soothed Baek Ga-hwan with a plausible excuse, Mu-gung closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind by imagining his master’s stern face.
“Whew.”
After a moment, having escaped his mental turmoil, Mu-gung placed his palm back on Baek Ga-ryeong’s abdomen.
However, unable to open his eyes to look at her, Mu-gung treated her with his eyes closed, thinking only of Hye-dam.
Meanwhile, Mu-jin was thinking,
‘If anything goes wrong, I’ll just hit him on the back of the head.’
He was prepared to give Mu-gung some physical mental training if the situation called for it.
* * *
After the strangely tense treatment session, Mu-jin spoke to Baek Ga-hwan.
“This treatment is only a temporary measure. As you might know, a proper treatment requires special medicine or learning a particular form of energy cultivation.”
Though there were proper treatment methods in mind, they couldn’t be carried out here.
So, this temporary treatment was a preparatory step for the upcoming long journey.
Of course, Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong were unaware of this impending journey.
“We are already thankful for this. My sister used to have to sleep with a fire even in midsummer, shivering from cold. Recently, she has been able to sleep comfortably. So, please, feel free to speak your mind.”
While Mu-gung and Mu-jin appeased the grateful Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong, they were about to leave So-cheong-moon.
Suddenly, a carriage stopped at the entrance of So-cheong-moon, much like Mu-jin’s group had a few days ago.
As Mu-jin’s group looked curiously at the carriage, a middle-aged man alighted from it and was greeted by a disciple of So-cheong-moon.
“Welcome. Please, come inside.”
The disciple, along with the middle-aged man who had arrived, cheerfully announced,
“Mun-hyuk! Do you remember? This is Master Geum who visited last time. He has come today to become your father.”
“Ha ha ha. Come here.”
The middle-aged man called Master Geum opened his arms with a kind smile, and the young boy called Mun-hyuk ran into his embrace with a bright smile.
“Oh. So, this place not only raises orphans but also finds new families for them.”
Mu-jin’s group, touched by the beautiful scene, exclaimed in admiration.
After holding the boy in his arms for a while, the middle-aged man patted his head a few times, then put him down and went to have a conversation with the head of the sect.
“Today might be the last day.”
Cheong-su Dojang, who seemed saddened by the news of Mun-hyuk leaving, spoke softly to the boy.
“You’re such a fool, big brother! I can come to you, or you can come to where I live!”
“Ha ha ha. That’s true.”
Cheong-su Dojang laughed heartily and stepped aside to let the boy spend his last moments with the other children.
After watching the children for a while, Cheong-su Dojang and Mu-jin’s group left So-cheong-moon and returned to their inn.
As soon as they returned, Mu-jin started to put on the black martial arts uniform he had prepared in advance from Ha-juhyeon.