Wudang Sacred Scriptures

Chapter 192

Seeing the man’s brightened eyes, Kwak Yeon nodded.

For a warrior to wonder about the sword method that had defeated him was only natural.

“But first, you should stanch the bleeding.”

Only then did the man press the acupoint at his shoulder, bind the wound with his severed sleeve and arm, and dress it.

Noting how the man did not so much as glance at his severed left arm, Kwak Yeon felt a quiet admiration.

He could not but acknowledge the man’s will and tenacity.

When the man finished stemming the blood and assumed a proper stance, Kwak Yeon spoke without hesitation.

“The sword form I used was Falling Star Ten Thousand Changes.”

“One form with ten thousand variations... Indeed, it was.”

Nodding in admiration, the man asked,

“Then why did you not take my right arm?”

Ordinarily, when exacting a price short of a life, one cut the hand that wielded martial arts.

“To finish your errand, you must return safely. I took the left instead. And... from a few words with you, the work of a Black Hand does not seem to suit you.”

“...!”

As the man stared wide-eyed, Kwak Yeon continued,

“My experience is limited, so I may be wrong—but I doubt anyone would use a one-armed man, so conspicuous, as a Black Hand. If your lord is as deep-minded as he seems, he will not treat a Black Hand who has won merit and taken a wound with carelessness.”

For an instant, the man’s chest swelled.

“Taoist, I am sorry for what has passed. I will surely deliver your intent to my lord.”

Placing one hand to his chest, he bowed and spoke on,

“And... my name is Jeong Seok-bo.”

Shadows such as Black Hands have no names.

To speak his former name himself meant he would no longer live as a Black Hand.

“I will remember it.”

Kwak Yeon was sure he would hear that name again soon—openly, as that of an upright warrior.

He watched Jeong Seok-bo depart.

Seeing him, without hesitation, take Ma Geollyang the White-Eyed Fiend’s head, he had thought the man possessed a heart of pity as well. So he had decided to exchange a few words.

It had not been a poor judgment.

Entrusting him with the message-errand was, he thought, not a bad choice either.

Of course, he did not imagine the Jegal Family’s Clan Master would forget his grievance.

He simply did not wish to deepen the enmity with the Jegal Family.

If they sought to hold him to account for killing the Hidden Dragon Command Lord, as he had said, he would answer whenever called.

When Jeong Seok-bo’s figure vanished entirely along the Jinryeong pass, Kwak Yeon turned and looked to the tent-inn. Or rather, the place where it had been.

White ash gleamed within the black cinders.

Again, pain as if his chest collapsed.

He knew no effort could release the resentment of the restless dead.

With self-reproach that his rashness had wrought the tragedy came a fury without limit toward the villains.

If erasing one villain from the world could save ten lives, what did it matter to earn the vile name of butcher?

He resolved not to cling to the empty names of gentleman or chivalrous hero.

I will never again repent too late as I did today.

—Fwisssh!

A gust lifted the ash into the sky.

As he turned to leave the front of the tent-inn, Kwak Yeon looked upon the Four Evils of Heaven, dead and bound to the stakes.

—Caw! Caw!

The hungry crows urged him to step aside.

For starving creatures to be fed—this, at least, was the merit these villains could leave the world.

He left the Four to do, for the first and last time, a good deed.

As he went, the crows dove at once, vying to descend.

—Caw! Caw! Caw!

****

In Youhyeon County, Beggar Clan Branch Master Gong Sugae looked again and again from the identity plaques before him to the gold-hued draft note beside them.

Naturally, his eyes lingered two or three times longer on the golden note than on the plaques.

He could hardly help it—he had never seen a golden draft note before.

He had heard of a gold draft note, a certificate of custody for gold. But to see one for himself—

Moreover, the golden draft note before his eyes had been issued by the realm’s foremost trading house, the Great Prosperity House.

The Great Prosperity House, first among the realm’s trading houses for generations, was called the Commerce House—spoken of alongside the Confucius House and the Martial Sage House. Such was its place in the world of trade.

A golden draft note issued by so lofty a house—this gold-tinted paper meant, in fact, one thousand gold taels.

A full thousand gold taels!

Steadying his startled heart, Gong Sugae looked to the young man who had appeared holding the Sub-Branch Master Chwi Dugae’s Hero’s Coin, and asked,

“Young hero, what is all this?”

Because the youth had said he could not reveal his identity for personal reasons, Gong Sugae had no choice but to address him as “young hero.”

He had received word from the Sub-Branch Master to treat anyone who presented his Hero’s Coin “with special hospitality.” But for beggars, “special” meant at most an extra spoon of rice; the form of address had not seemed worth fretting over.

Kwak Yeon, relieved that this Branch Master was not as noisy as the one in Hengshan County, spoke.

“They are the identity plaques of traveling merchants who crossed Jinryeong.”

Having come down from the pass, he had had no choice but to come to Youhyeon County and seek out the Beggar Clan branch.

He had hoped to keep his distance from the Clan’s excessive hospitality, but with little experience of the martial world, he could find no proper way to see this matter through.

“Why are the merchants’ identity plaques in your hands, young hero?”

At the Branch Master’s question, Kwak Yeon’s face darkened. Days had passed, but the pain was the same.

He said only that the merchants had met certain villains and suffered misfortune.

“I came to the Beggar Clan branch so you might find their families and bear them the news. I considered going to the yamen, but the matter involves martial folk.”

Gong Sugae understood that the youth was saying, indirectly, that he had not gone to the county office because of the thousand gold taels. These days people read “county hall” as “thieves’ hall.”

“If it is not beyond this branch’s means, I would ask you to do me this favor.”

“We Beggar Clan folk are expert at finding people. With the plaques, it will be as easy as eating rice cakes. However—”

He flicked a glance at the golden draft note and continued,

“That yellow paper is... another matter.”

“I have a little skill and punished all those villains. But that does not release the dead from regret. At least, I found that in their garments. Please deliver it to the bereaved as condolence. You may use a portion as your fee.”

“Fee?”

Startled, Gong Sugae cried out,

“Even we beggars have iron rules. One of them is, ‘Do not beg at a house of mourning.’ To take a fee while delivering condolence money—never. The only problem is that the sum is too large.”

“...?”

Seeing the youth’s blank look, Gong Sugae sighed inwardly.

He had sensed the young man’s youth and ignorance of the world.

“Young hero, wealth beyond one’s capacity invites calamity. The merchants’ families have suffered enough. We cannot risk bringing them harm again.”

Kwak Yeon recalled how his blessing had, in fact, brought misfortune upon those merchants, and nodded.

“You are right. I was shortsighted.”

“Twenty gold taels would be a fortune—enough for the families to buy farmland and live in plenty. And it is safer than putting coin in their hands at once.”

Kwak Yeon thought it exceedingly fortunate he had come to the Beggar Clan branch.

“Though it will trouble you, if you would see it done that way, I would be truly grateful.”

“Think nothing of it. We beggars live by relying on the world’s human feeling—this is our duty. Even so, that would still leave near nine hundred taels.”

With a troubled look, Kwak Yeon said,

“I have no wish to take a single coin.”

Gong Sugae stared, astonished anew. He had never seen one so detached from wealth.

Beggars of the Clan were bound by rules that forbade seeking or hoarding wealth—so be it.

But at the sight of the golden draft note, even he, a Branch Master, had wavered for a heartbeat over quitting the Clan.

Shame had struck him at once, and he had come to his senses.

“Young hero, then what about this?”

“Whatever you propose, I will follow.”

“Most folk in this southern region are devotees of Mazu. Traveling merchants especially all go to the Mazu temple to pray for safety.”

Kwak Yeon too knew that Mazu temples were thriving in the southern reaches of the Rivers South. In scripture lectures he had learned that each temple enshrined different patron deities.

“So—build a Mazu temple in that mountain valley where the misfortune befell them, with the remaining sum. Invite Taoists to serve there so they can pray for the dead, and merchants can lodge when they pass. Would that not be a worthy thing?”

For an instant, the elderly couple of the tent-inn came to mind.

He had felt sorry he could do nothing for them.

If a temple stood where the inn had been, it would suit the couple’s intent in opening that place.

Composing his dress, Kwak Yeon bowed formally to Gong Sugae.

“I have been blind to the ways of the world, seeing only what is before me. Thanks to you, Branch Master, I can see a step farther. I am truly grateful.”

“Oh, that is too much. I only played the schoolmaster to act my age. It is my honor to aid a chivalrous man such as you.”

“I think your insight will do the world more good than the few tricks I can manage.”

He meant it.

His own act of chivalry had been like prescribing medicine after death. What the Branch Master proposed was to guard against danger in advance.

He had resolved to root out evil ahead of time, but had no sense of the how.

Through this talk with Gong Sugae, he had glimpsed that path.

“If chivalrous spirit fills the world, where can the heart for evil deeds find a place?”

He realized that Patriarch Jang Sambong’s teaching—the Way of Chivalry—accorded with the notion of removing evil in advance.

“I know you are busy, Branch Master, but please see it handled. I am pressed and cannot stay.”

“Dare I err with a task asked by the Sub-Branch Master’s Hero’s Coin? Only—when one builds a Mazu temple and invites Taoists, one must name the donor. The Lady Mazu refuses donations tainted by foulness.”

Lady Mazu was a goddess born to a humble household, much beloved by common folk.

If the money was suspected ill-gotten, the donation was refused—for Lady Mazu did not accept offerings wrung ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) from the people.

At this, Kwak Yeon felt a quandary.

He did not wish to make his name known—besides, he was a tonsured Taoist of Wudang Mountain.

Though all are of the Way, it felt wrong for a Taoist who served the True Martial God to be named as the founder of a Mazu temple.

“If it must be so, please give the donation in the Sub-Branch Master’s name.”

“Eh? What...?”

“It is the Sub-Branch Master’s Hero’s Coin that moves this matter. Is it not fitting that the Sub-Branch Master do it?”

“W-well, that is so, and yet...”

“Then, I will take my leave.”

When Kwak Yeon offered a clasped-fist salute, Gong Sugae, flustered, bent at the waist.

By the time he straightened, Kwak Yeon was already gone.

“Heh... well, then...”