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Step. Step
The man leaning against the window slowly tipped a bottle of liquor. As the subtle scent of alcohol spread through his mouth, a low voice whispered by his ear.
“A middle-aged person, a nobleman” he said. “Although we are not people who pursue the junzi, the importance of the Doctrine of the Mean remains the same. sahyung.”
“But it is also said, The Great Way has no gate, yet countless paths lead to it, and that do nothing is not about not flowing but about always flowing. If there is intent and the heart turns to action, is speaking of the Doctrine of the Mean not an excessive human contrivance?”
“You speak rightly. We are practitioners, so we must not ignore the voice of the heart. But sahyung, Laozi also said, Contentment brings no disgrace, knowing when to stop brings no danger . We must not forget contentment and restraint.”
“How could I not know that? But didn’t the ancient text also say, Opportunity Knocks but Once? Is your contentment and your restraint meant to be applied to the present, or to the future? A missed opportunity may never return.”
“Of course, Sect leader sahyung’s words are also correct.”
Chung Jin sighed and looked back at Chung Myung.
“Sahyung, what do you think?”
“…What?”
“About what Sect leader sahyung just said — No not miss the chance, time won’t come again.”
“T-time?”
“…”
“Why? What? Why are you looking at someone like that? Goddamn it!”
“…”
Chung Myung’s face twisted without mercy. Put those people together and they’d be like that all day.
What kind of people are they who can’t speak without tacking on some bit they picked up somewhere? This one says it this way, that one says it that way.
‘Over dealing with a single Wudang, they act like this.’
If only someone would go and stick the Purple Cloud Divine Sword into his head, everything would be solved. It’s infuriating.
“Hmm. Yes, as you said, perhaps the timing is still a little early.”
“Thank you for understanding, Sect leader sahyung.”
“But it cannot be postponed forever. This is not merely a flare of reputation. Things not properly dealt with in their time will eventually return as thorns.”
Chung Jin quietly nodded his head.
“I keep it in mind.”
As long as he, Chung Mun, and Chung Myung live, there is no problem. Wudang would not dare to oppose them.
No. Even if he and Chung Mun were gone, as long as Chung Myung exists, Wudang would never pick a fight with Mount Hua. The Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s name may not be widely known, but that Wudang certainly knows it.
‘But it won’t be like that later.’
Right now, Mount Hua’s only counter to Wudang is Chung Myung’s existence. Mount Hua without Chung Myung couldn’t bear Wudang’s power; their present hunkering down is merely seclusion for that time.
‘Like Sect leader sahyung said, it needs to be tidied up properly before the next generation comes.’
Chung Jin silently nodded and rose from his seat.
“Then I’ll be off.”
“Do so.”
“Take care on the way.”
Chung Jin bowed deeply to Chung Mun, then, turning to leave, looked intently at Chung Myung.
“What?”
“…Do you have to drink that liquor right here?”
“If I drink it somewhere else, won’t I get nagged at?”
“Probably.”
“Then what’s the harm in doing it here?”
“Isn’t it human nature to avoid being noticed even if it doesn’t matter, sahyung?”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“…”
Chung Jin squeezed his eyes shut.
Don’t forget. The person before him is the reason that great Wudang dared not recklessly check Mount Hua, which had risen to their very throats.
And that was Wudang’s misfortune and Mount Hua’s misfortune at the same time.
“…Wouldn’t it be better to drink in moderation? There are youngsters watching now.”
“Oh, the nagging.”
Chung Myung cleared his throat and straightened up. He pushed his belly slightly forward and spoke solemnly.
“That Laozi said… what was it? Ah, right. Doing as the heart goes is the true Way.”
“…Is that really what it means?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Ugh. I’m going.”
When Chung Jin left abruptly, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
“I don’t know why he’s such a nag.”
Chung Mun chuckled at that.
“Try to understand him. He grew up in a prestigious family, didn’t he? Your free-spiritedness still hasn’t become familiar to him.”
If you could call that free-spiritedness.
Though he thought he heard something like that, Chung Myung neatly pushed the rest of the comment from his mind.
“No, I’ve only lived in the Taoist sect for decades.”
“One’s background is like that. Marks impressed in childhood don’t easily fade with age.”
“Hmm.”
“Chung Jin is still searching for something. Beyond what he’s learned, something of his own. So try to understand him a bit.”
“Sigh. What can I do. I, magnanimous as I am, have to understand this lacking sajae.”
“Yes, yes. But don’t tell that to Chung Jin.”
“Are you worried I’ll be beaten?”
“No. I’m worried Chung Jin might be right.”
“Ah.”
Chung Myung nodded. Now that he thought about it, the slight bluishness under his eye seemed like the bruise from the last beating hadn’t fully faded.
Chung Myung was also a man of propriety. If someone was a sahyung, at the very least you shouldn’t beat them until their bruises have healed.
Anyway.
“Family……”
A somewhat unfamiliar word escaped Chung Myung’s lips.
Chung Mun, pretending not to look, stole a glance at Chung Myung’s face.
“Sahyung, don’t you ever visit your family?”
“…Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“I was just suddenly curious. Chung Jin, at least sometimes, says he’ll stop by his family home when he leaves the sect.”
“That’s right.”
“But I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do that. Have you completely severed ties with your family?”
At that, Chung Mun laughed as if incredulous.
“Severed ties. That’s an interesting way to put it.”
Chung Mun laughed for a while, then continued.
“To leave home means to cut off all worldly affairs. I chose to become a Taoist practitioner; how could I hold onto lingering attachments?”
“But other people don’t do that. Many still stay in touch with family homes from the secular world and drop by occasionally.”
“That, too, is their Way. But I think differently. The quest for the Way is an exceedingly arduous and difficult journey.”
“Are those who don’t know that presumptuous to cling to attachment?”
“No. It’s more that I’m lacking and simply don’t have the capacity to care for both.”
Chung Myung snorted a laugh.
“In any case, so you never set foot at your family home.”
“You could say that.”
“You’re cold-hearted. I didn’t know attachments could be severed so cleanly. Well, of course… I’m not one to talk, since I’ve never tried to sever them.”
It wasn’t particularly sarcastic, yet Chung Myung felt he might have misspoken. That was probably why he deliberately looked up to check Chung Mun’s expression.
And at that moment Chung Myung saw it: Chung Mun staring out the window into the distance with a strange expression Chung Myung had never seen before.
“Affection and reason…”
Chung Mun, staring out the window, murmured.
“I only made the obvious obvious. If a deficient person indulges in greed, it harms everyone. Me, them, and those who follow me.”
“…”
“But, Chung Myung. I’m human too.”
“…What?”
Chung Mun gave a faint smile.
“No matter how much I turn my head and avert my gaze, how could there be no affection?”
“…”
“Knowing one must sever ties yet failing to do so is human; knowing one must forget yet failing to forget is human as well.”
“…Is that also a Way?”
“Yes. It is. That too is a Way. The Way pervades all things, yet it is also human. If what humans naturally desire is a Way, then failing to sever worldly attachments and wavering is also a Way.”
Chung Mun, who had been speaking gravely, let out a short laugh.
“But actually….”
“Yes?”
“It might be truer to say there’s no need to worry. In truth, my family lives very comfortably.”
“…”
“They probably live better than I do; cats don’t look out for mice, so do I really need to worry about them?”
“Indeed. It’s not like they’re ruined.”
“Exactly. Hahaha.”
“Hahaha.”
“Hahahahaha.”
“I told you they’re ruined! You damned man!”
- Did I see that coming…….
Standing atop the pavilion roof, Chung Myung jabbed his finger at the distant sky.
“Ascending or whatever! If you went up, at least look after your family properly!”
Below, Mount Hua disciples watching the scene sighed and spoke amongst themselves.
“…Why is he like that again?”
“Ignore it, ignore it. It’s not a one- or two-day thing.”
“Exactly because it’s not just one or two days……”
“I don’t know. Lately he’s been a bit off his rocker again; if he gets noticed, trouble spills over. Go. Hurry up and go.”
After venting at the empty air for a while, Chung Myung suddenly turned his head.
“Instead of this… I should first find out what’s going on.”
Chung Myung’s eyes shone as he shot down the mountain.
“The Shandong Yu family? They’re completely ruined… Aaah! Why are you hitting me!”
Hong Dae-Kwang, unexpectedly struck by a fist, clutched his face and shouted in outrage.
This madman running rampant wasn’t new, but today’s madness had a different flavor from before.
“Did you verify that properly? You’re not speaking from some rumor? Go and check properly!”
“Gasp! Let go and listen. What do you mean check? This is something that doesn’t even require Beggars’ Union intelligence. The whole world knows it.”
“Huh…”
“Have you been wall-gazing in a cave all this time? How can you ask about this now?”
“When?”
“Huh? What?”
“I mean, when did they fall? When?”
“When? Well……”
Hong Dae-Kwang frowned as if he couldn’t quite recall.
“It happened when I was a brat, so it’s been at least twenty years, I think.”
“Twenty……”
(thud)
Chung Myung slumped into a chair that did not look like Beggars’ Union Branch leader’s chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Their family… ruined? Oh, you unlucky soul. The sect ruined, the family ruined, I died by a blade… Did you sell out a country in a past life…?”
- Heh heh heh heh heh heh.
“Is this something to laugh about? Huh? Is this something to laugh about?!”
“Who said someone was laughing? Suddenly.”
“Ugh. It’s not something to say to a beggar.”
Chung Myung tore at his hair.
If they were in the process of ruin, I’d have done something. If they were in danger, I’d have rushed immediately. But what can be done if they’re already ruined. And ruined long ago.
“But why suddenly ask about the Shandong Yu family?”
“…That’s not something you need to know, mister. That’s not important now — why did they collapse?”
“Huh?”
“You said they were a prestigious family, even producing several ministers.”
“Right. Until their fall, you could hardly find a family as illustrious as the Shandong Yu.”
“How does such a family fall apart overnight?”
“There’s talk they were entangled in factional strife; I don’t know the details. Besides, it’s not actually under our jurisdiction, is it?”
“…”
“Shall we look into it? If we tried, it wouldn’t be hard. The timing was at most twenty years ago.”
After seeming to ponder for a moment, Chung Myung shook his head.
“Never mind. Is there always a reason for ruin? They ruined because they deserved to.”
“That’s true.”
“More than that. Find out something else for me.”
“What?”
“Where the descendants of the Shandong Yu family are now.”
“…No. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? They’re completely ruined; there aren’t any descendants left.”
“It’s not like people disappeared, is it?”
“Huh?”
“A ruined family might abandon their name or change their surname, but the bloodline wouldn’t be cut off.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
“Find out where those who carry that bloodline are now. What they’re doing.”
“Why would I… Ugh. Fine, fine. When have you ever done something for a reason?”
Hong Dae-Kwang scratched his head and asked again.
“So by when do you want me to find out?”
“Take your time. It’s not urgent.”
“Right?”
“Let’s see. Then….”
Chung Myung stretched out his ten fingers forward.
“Ten days? That’d be tight but maybe possible….”
At that moment, Chung Myung’s fingers folded one by one.
“Uh……”
“Eight. Seven. Six.”
Hong Dae-Kwang’s face turned pale white.
“Aaaah! You madman! What are you doing, you beggar brats! Main hall, bird! Start with the birds quickly!”
“We’re coming now!”
“Run! I said run! If you don’t want the huts you’ve built smashed to bits!”
It was Branch at Hwa-Um village struck by a thunderbolt out of the blue.
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