Side Story 67. Reunion

Hangzhou, by the shore of West Lake.
A beautiful estate the Baek Clan had rented with the help of Seok Family Manor.
Yi-gang was there.

“Father.”

When he called softly, Iron Blood Merciless Baek Ryu-san turned his head.
Unlike his epithet, there was a warm smile on Baek Ryu-san’s lips.
Yi-gang complimented his father’s attire.

“You look especially impressive today.”
“Do I? The maidservants made such a fuss, saying I had to wear this outfit or that outfit.”
“It suits you perfectly. You look ten years younger.”
“You rascal, you have gotten better at flattery too. I must pay special attention as well. So-ryu is my daughter now too.”

Baek Ryu-san was the head of the bride’s family for the wedding ceremony being held in Hangzhou.
So-ryu, who had originally been an orphan, had been formally adopted into the Baek Clan.
And Baek Ryu-san, the Head of the Baek Clan, accepted So-ryu as his daughter.

“How does it feel to have your older sister get married?”
“It feels strange.”
“You too must hold a wedding someday. Since ancient times, a man only becomes a man in the full sense after he marries.”
“Yes, you are absolutely right.”

Feeling that his father’s nagging might continue without end, Yi-gang quickly answered.

“Is there no suitable young lady?”
“I have been traveling around so much that there was no opportunity.”
“Even in the midst of war, people can have children and fall in love. Making excuses…”

He had not originally been the type to nag this much. Had Father grown old too?
Yi-gang hid that thought.

Baek Ryu-san muttered bitterly.

“Your hair has turned so white…”

Yi-gang’s hair was whiter than his aged father’s.
Completely white hair.
They said there was nothing wrong with his body, but how could a person’s hair turn that white without reason?
As his father, he couldn’t help but worry.

“You mean my hair color? You don’t know what you’re talking about. This hair is very popular. I don’t know about the Central Plains, but outside the borders, people make a fuss about how mysterious it is.”

Yi-gang was joking in his own way.
But Baek Ryu-san answered seriously.

“Are you thinking of bringing home a foreign bride? I’m fine with that too.”
“…Ah.”
“You rascal, look at you getting flustered.”

Baek Ryu-san grinned.
Yi-gang also realized it was his father’s own joke and laughed.

“Then I will go now to prepare for the ceremony.”
“Yes, I will see you later.”

Yi-gang politely bowed and left.
As he turned and walked out, there was a pleasant smile on his lips.

Sure enough, outside the pavilion, there were two people waiting for Yi-gang.

“How do I look? I tried dressing up nicely.”
“Me too.”

They were Tsering and Cheongho.
They had also been invited to the wedding.
Instead of the Azure Forest martial uniforms they usually liked wearing, the two had bought and put on new clothes.
One had lived all her life with the lamas of Tibet, and the other had lived his entire life as a fox.
One could not exactly say their sense of fashion was excellent, but Yi-gang complimented them.

“Both of you look very good.”

Then Yi-gang saw Tsering’s hair tie.
An old hair tie that did not match her new clothes.
Yi-gang immediately recognized it.

“You are still wearing the hair tie I gave you.”
“It’s my favorite hair tie.”
“Is that so? Then maybe you don’t need this.”

Yi-gang smiled faintly and took something from inside his robes.
With a charareuk sound, a hair tie decorated with pearls appeared.

“It is a hair tie made of pearls and seashells. I bought it in Egypt…”
“Is it mine?”
“If you want it.”
“Thank you!”

Tsering quickly accepted the hair tie.
Then she immediately changed her hair tie.

“Does it suit me?”
“Very much.”
“Hehe…”

Yi-gang felt Cheongho staring fixedly at him.
And he smiled bitterly and added.

“I prepared your gift separately, so I will give it to you later.”
“……”

Cheongho’s expression brightened ever so slightly.
Yi-gang suddenly looked around and asked.

“Where did Sang-ye go?”

The fact that Baek Sang-ye was an imperial princess was already known, but everyone here pretended not to know it.
At least until the wedding ended, she would be able to live as Baek Sang-ye, as So-ryu’s younger sister.

“She’s with the bride right now.”
“She is?”

It seemed Baek Sang-ye was with So-ryu.

She was lying down.
Her head rested on the seated So-ryu’s lap.
So-ryu slowly stroked Baek Sang-ye’s hair.
Baek Sang-ye spoke, moving her lips faintly.

“We won’t be able to meet often now.”
“Why not? I can visit often.”
“Can you?”

So-ryu answered in a bright tone.
Baek Sang-ye also smiled, but her expression wasn’t bright.
It was a clear that they would no longer be able to meet each other easily.

“It’s a good day. I’m so happy.”
“Yes, it truly is fortunate.”

More than a month had already passed since the day they dealt with the Crimson Fighting Fiends.
Fortunately, both So-ryu and Namgung Shin were safe.
They began preparing for the wedding, and at last, the day arrived.
Originally, they had planned to take more time, but as the day Baek Sang-ye had to return drew near, So-ryu moved the date of the ceremony forward.

“Sis, you’re so beautiful.”

Baek Sang-ye looked up at So-ryu and said.

“How can I look beautiful when you are looking from below?”
“Even your nostrils are pretty.”
“What about the scar on my face? Should I have covered it with thicker makeup?”
“You said the groom likes it. Even your scar.”
“He did say that.”
“You are beautiful even now.”

At that, So-ryu pulled in her chin and made a ridiculous face.

“Even like this?”
“Hahaha.”

Baek Sang-ye burst into bright laughter.
The two of them talking looked as intimate as real sisters.

At that moment, a maidservant relayed a message from outside the door.

“It seems you should begin preparing soon.”

Baek Sang-ye stood up as if reluctant.
She hugged So-ryu one last time.

“I’ll see you soon.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be too nervous.”
“…Yes.”

So-ryu smiled at Baek Sang-ye.
And when Baek Sang-ye left.

“Huu.”

She let out a sigh.
Looking outside the window, the weather was nice.
The sunlight was warm and the weather was mild, making it the best day to hold a wedding.
Thinking of Baek Sang-ye made her smile again.
The childish imperial princess truly felt like her own younger sister.
Whenever she felt that, there was someone who came to mind.

“Sis used to dote on me like that too.”

She thought of the older sister who had long since left.
Though they were not related by blood, So-hwa had always treated So-ryu warmly.
She had felt so mature then, but before So-ryu knew it, the current So-ryu had become far older than her sister had been back then.

“…I’m getting married, Sis.”

She muttered words that could not be delivered.
How wonderful it would be if So-hwa were watching over her from heaven.
She had been So-ryu’s only family…

Knock, knock-

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

“Keoheum, may I come in for a moment?”

It was Baek Ryu-san’s voice.
At that moment, So-ryu remembered that she now had more family as well.

“Yes, please come in, Father.”

So-ryu smiled again.

The musicians began to play.
It was a group of musicians Seok Family Manor had invited from Beijing.
The Family Head, Seok Sung, had died, but Yi-gang and his companions had resolved Seok Sung’s greatest grudge.

It might be strange to call it repayment, but Seok Family Manor supported the marriage between the Baek Clan and the Namgung Clan in both material and moral ways.
They had rented a beautiful estate overlooking West Lake below and prepared the grandest wedding ceremony ever.

When a performer played the qin, a beautiful melody rang out.
It was not a wedding held strictly according to tradition.
Ordinarily, the ceremony should have been held at the Baek Clan or Namgung Clan, but today, the ceremony was being held outdoors in the warm weather.

“Waa…”

Tsering and Baek Sang-ye exclaimed in admiration.
Namgung Shin and So-ryu looked every bit the handsome groom and beautiful bride.
Namgung Shin was imposing, and So-ryu was beautiful.
Baek Sang-ye saying So-ryu was beautiful had not been empty words at all.
The two, dressed in red wedding clothes, were like a pair of mandarin ducks.

They were in the middle of the rite of pouring wine and declaring their marital vows to heaven.
Namgung Shin’s hand trembled.
Then, in the end, he dropped the cup.

“Hahaha!”
“Euhahaha! The groom is shy, so shy.”

Laughter burst out among the people.
Namgung Shin’s face turned bright red.
He looked back at So-ryu with an embarrassed expression, but So-ryu was only smiling softly.
At that, the groom smiled back.
It was a heartwarming sight.

While everyone was watching happily, there was someone whose heart was not at ease.
It was Jin Li-yeon.
She was bothered by the fact that two people who should have been here were nowhere to be seen.

‘Where did the two of them go…?’

Yi-gang and Dam Hyun.
It was understandable enough for Dam Hyun not to show up at a place like this, but Yi-gang was not someone who would slip away secretly.

‘It does seem like they’re plotting something.’

Not long ago, she had seen Dam Hyun, Yi-gang, and Baek Ryu-san gathered and whispering among themselves.
She had merely approached them, but the three suddenly looked up at the sky and pretended to be distracted.
When she asked what was going on, all three gave different answers.
Their behavior could not have been more suspicious.

‘Well, it shouldn’t be anything problematic.’

Surely Yi-gang and Dam Hyun wouldn’t do something that would ruin the wedding.
If so, it didn’t matter.

Jin Li-yeon’s belief began to waver at what happened shortly afterward.
The bride and groom were in the middle of the rite where they bowed to both families’ parents and sought permission for the marriage.

Daldaldaldal.

Yi-gang and Dam Hyun pulled in a giant cart.
The cart was the problem.
No one knew how it had been modified, but an entire altar had been loaded onto it.
In other words, it had gaudy gold-thread decorations, dozens of candles, and even an incense burner with incense sticks inserted into it.
It looked like the business tools of a quack Taoist, or as if the furnishings from a mad shaman’s room had been brought out exactly as they were.
The people looked back at Yi-gang and Dam Hyun in confusion.

“What is that…”
“Did they prepare some surprise?”

It was too much to call a joke.
On top of that, even the lump of Guihon Jade Yi-gang had brought from the west had been placed on the altar.

“It’s finally here.”

However, the wedding hosts, including Baek Ryu-san, acted as if they had been waiting for it.
Baek Ryu-san explained to So-ryu and Namgung Shin.

“Is a wedding not the best day to meet old family?”
“…Pardon?”
“Watch.”

Dam Hyun suddenly raised the incense high and shouted.

“I proclaim to the spirits of heaven and earth!”

Dam Hyun’s ringing voice overwhelmed the now-silent assembly.
Dam Hyun, seemingly without the slightest shame, recited the incantation.

“…The two young people here are entering a lifelong bond.”

Then the Guihon Jade on the altar slowly began to scatter into particles of light.
It was the process of the offering being presented.

“Come, and bless them.”

It was the moment Dam Hyun’s words ended.
Five-colored clouds appeared in the sky, and a brilliant radiance shone over the estate.

Even those who had been wondering what nonsense this was opened their mouths wide.
This was not some frivolous prank.
The five-colored clouds parted, and a path of light began to connect to the ground.
Jin Li-yeon muttered with her face gone pale.

“No, this is descent…”

It was descent.
Someone was descending from the sky.
An old man riding a white horse came down, pulling a beautiful carriage.

Jin Li-yeon stood beside Dam Hyun and asked.

“You prepared this?”
“Yes.”
“Was descent… originally this flashy?”
“No, this is just staging.”
“Staging…”
“It’s a good day, isn’t it?”

Dam Hyun also chuckled.
Jin Li-yeon could not help but laugh as well.

The old man riding the white horse looked like an Immortal.
However, he had a sword at his waist, so one could tell that he was one of the Sword Immortals.

When the old man got down from the white horse.
He immediately embraced Yi-gang.

“It’s been a long time, you rascal!”
“Grandfather.”

Yi-gang also embraced him.
How much he had missed him.
Baek Ryu-san quickly ran over and offered his greeting.

“This unworthy descendant, Baek Ryu-san, greets our ancestor.”
“So you are Ryu-san. What a cute fellow.”

There was only one ancestor who could call Baek Ryu-san a cute fellow.
The Immortal Divine Sword had descended here.
All members of the Baek Clan knelt on one knee and paid their respects.
The Immortal Divine Sword laughed heartily and received everyone’s greetings.
Then he whispered to Yi-gang.

“I brought that child.”
“…So she’s inside the carriage.”

And there was one person who, despite being of the Baek Clan, could not pay respects to Baek Ryu-san.
It was the bride, So-ryu.
But no one could blame her rudeness.
Right now, she was so desperate to know who was inside the carriage that she could think of nothing else.

Kkiik.

Then the carriage door opened.
A small, still young foot carefully stepped onto the ground.
In the end, tears burst from So-ryu’s eyes as well.

She sprang to her feet and tightly embraced the girl who came out of the carriage.

“Sis!”
“…So-ryu.”

The girl was too young for So-ryu to call her Sis.
But So-ryu clung to her as if collapsing into her arms.

“I missed you. I missed you so much.”
“Me too… hehe.”

The girl carefully patted her younger sister’s back.
The sisters met.
They had thought they were fated never to meet again, but they met like this, like a miracle.
The moving reunion continued.
When So-ryu barely wiped away her tears and stood up.

Yi-gang, who had been quietly waiting until then, opened his mouth softly.
His throat choked up, and he couldn’t call that name right away.

Yi-gang managed to call that long-missed name.

“…So-hwa.”

So-hwa was here.
Her last memory had been a dark underground storehouse, but this miraculous reunion took place beneath bright sunlight.
It was a reunion that could not last long, but Yi-gang could smile brightly.

So-hwa turned to Yi-gang.
Just like before, exactly like back then, she gave a bright smile.

“Young Master!”

It was a smile that shone like sunlight.

Side Story of the Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan.
The End.