Chapter 3. The Inevitable Path

Baek Miju, still unsatisfied, continued to speak.

"And since you're slow to think and speak, it's best if you don't speak at all. Got it?"

"...Yes."

Suddenly, Baek Miju's fingers dug into Yeon Jeg-ha's collarbone.

"Ouch."

"Did I just tell you not to speak? Didn't I?"

"A, ha... ha... yo."

Yeon Jeg-ha twisted his upper body and answered with great difficulty.

Displeased with his response, Baek Miju's face turned vicious.

"Huh? Now you find what I say funny? You're still talking, aren't you?"

"A, a, a..."

Yeon Jeg-ha, his eyes darting nervously, tightly shut his mouth.

After a moment, Baek Miju's hand fell away.

"Now you understand. Answer adults politely when they ask you something."

"..."

The young Yeon Jeg-ha couldn't understand a word of what his aunt had been saying.

First, she told him to speak well, then she said he shouldn't speak at all.

What was he supposed to do?

The more he thought about it, the more dizzy he felt, as if he might fall over. To keep from falling, he hunched his head down, and his anxious heart finally calmed a bit.

Yeon Seol-ju, the third child, giggled at the sight of Yeon Jeg-ha.

"Hehe! This kid is just like a turtle. Turtle, turtle, grow up quickly~."

"Hehe!"

"Haha!"

Yeon Mu-baek, the eldest, and Yeon Seung-baek, the second, couldn't hold back their laughter either.

"Can't you all be quiet?"

Baek Miju scolded the children in a stern and composed voice.

The children's laughter subsided.

Just then, a smile appeared on the face of Yeon Mu-dok, the chief steward, as he passed through the inner courtyard. Unlike the adult world, the half-siblings seemed to get along well. This was a good thing for the Yeon clan and for Walong Manor.

If the children were to quarrel, who would bear the consequences?

'Yes, grow up that way.'

Nodding, Yeon Mu-dok saw a servant running towards him from a distance.

Upon closer inspection, it was the servant he had stationed at the entrance of the village.

Had the guests finally arrived?

Yeon Mu-dok's face stiffened with tension.

"Have they arrived?"

"Yes, I saw the carriage enter the village and ran here, so they should be here soon!"

"Understood. Go and do your job."

"Yes!"

The servant ran off somewhere.

Yeon Mu-dok checked his attire again and moved to the main gate.

By the time he arrived, Yeon Mu-ryong, the manor lord, was already in the front courtyard.

"Lord, why are you here?"

"It's been a long time since my brother is visiting; I can't just sit around, can I?"

Yeon Mu-dok approached Yeon Mu-ryong, the manor lord, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

"When the Sword King visits this time, the news alone will stir Luoyang. Lord, do you still have no interest in the martial world?"

"Mu-dok, six years ago, I was the one who dissuaded my sworn brother from coming. Do you think my resolve will change now?"

"But, isn't this too precious an opportunity to let slip?"

"Haha, do you think it's a waste?"

Looking up at the distant sky, Yeon Mu-ryong suddenly recited a poem.

In the empty mountain, no one is seen (空山不見人)

Only the sound of human voices echoes (但聞人語響).

The sunset light penetrates the deep forest (返景入深林)

And shines again on the green moss (復照靑苔上).

This poem was written by Wang Wei during the Tang Dynasty. Yeon Mu-dok, who had a shallow understanding of poetry, cautiously asked about the line that no one is seen.

"Lord, are you still thinking of the late lady?"

"No, I just want people to understand that everyone has their own path. Just because someone has learned martial arts doesn't mean they must live as a martial artist, right?"

"But..."

Yeon Mu-dok trailed off.

He was frustrated because he thought Yeon Mu-ryong, his cousin and the manor lord, had wasted his potential.

Yeon Mu-ryong was the most talented among the Yeon clan. Even after retiring from the martial world, the Yeon clan kept a close eye on his movements.

The only wish of the Yeon clan, including himself, was for Yeon Mu-ryong to rise from his past wounds and turn Walong Manor into a martial family.

Contrary to the Yeon clan's hopes, Yeon Mu-ryong muttered to himself, gazing at the drifting clouds.

'Besides, my path is already set.'

A short while later, the heavy sound of a carriage and twelve warriors echoed through the streets.

Yeon Mu-dok hurried to the gate.

As he walked, Yeon Mu-ryong suddenly turned back.

The small and cozy Walong Manor came into view.

Just then, Baek Miju and the children poured out of the moon gate leading to the inner quarters.

A complicated expression appeared on Yeon Mu-ryong's face.

Everyone has their own path.

People must walk the path they want or don't want.

Suddenly, his nose tingled, and his eyes welled up with moisture.

Yeon Mu-ryong pressed his finger against his nose and turned around.

The boiling lava in his heart quickly cooled.

The sound of people talking came from somewhere.

When he snapped back to reality and looked up, he saw Nangong Bie and his family.

Taking a deep breath, Yeon Mu-ryong walked up to Nangong Bie.

"Brother, I'm sorry I couldn't visit earlier."

"Haha! This man, you're just buttering me up. This is my wife and children."

Nangong Bie gestured to his wife and children.

"I've heard a lot about you. I'm Jang Hae-eun."

Jang Hae-eun, the lady of the Shinjeom family, bowed politely, lowering herself after hearing about Yeon Mu-ryong in the carriage.

"I'm Nangong Cheon, Uncle. And this is my sister, Nangong Yeon."

Nangong Cheon, the eldest, introduced his overly quiet sister as well.

"Haha, Sister-in-law, it's really nice to meet you. And you two, it's good to see you. You've grown so much."

As Yeon Mu-ryong was smiling, Baek Miju led the children forward.

"Hey! Honey, were you planning not to introduce me and the children?"

Realizing his mistake, Yeon Mu-ryong blushed.

"Ah! I got carried away. Brother, and Sister-in-law, this is my wife and children."

With Yeon Mu-ryong's introduction, Baek Miju stepped forward.

"I'm sorry for the late greeting. Uncle, and Brother, I'm Baek Miju."

Nangong Bie and Jang Hae-eun also bowed politely to Baek Miju.

After the formal greetings, Baek Miju gently pushed Yeon Mu-baek forward.

"Why aren't you greeting them?"

After the children from both families finished their greetings, Yeon Mu-ryong, looking somewhat tired, said,

"Brother, and Sister-in-law, let the children mingle and come inside."

"Sure."

Nangong Bie called his son, Nangong Cheon, and gave him a light warning.

"You're the eldest, so take good care of your siblings."

"Yes, don't worry, just talk."

Nangong Cheon patted his chest as if asking to be entrusted with the task.

"I'm most worried about you. Make sure no one gets hurt."

Suddenly, Nangong Bie's eyes turned to a child standing quietly to one side.

Yeon Jeg-ha, only six years old, was huddled up with an anxious look. Nangong Bie thought that Yeon Jeg-ha and Nangong Yeon had similar expressions.

Are children's personalities really unrelated to their parents' love?

A sigh escaped him.

***

Yeon Mu-baek, the eldest son of Yeon Mu-ryong, was filled with a desire to learn martial arts from the Nangong family. So, the eight-year-old Nangong Yeon followed her around, trying to please her.

However, Yeon Mu-baek's plan hit a snag from the start. Nangong Yeon simply wouldn't speak.

Moreover, her small, cute face showed no emotion at all.

Yeon Mu-baek couldn't last even half an hour and gave up.

Seeing his brother fail, Yeon Seung-baek, the second son, stepped in. Yeon Seung-baek liked Nangong Yeon's snow-white skin and delicate features.

Unlike his brother, who had a specific goal, Yeon Seung-baek tried to befriend her purely. However, no matter how funny his stories were, Nangong Yeon never laughed.

Worse, Nangong Yeon moved around like a young thoroughbred, never stopping.

For a child from Walong Manor to follow the iron-legged Nangong Yeon, trained in the Nangong family's martial arts, was no easy feat.

Yeon Seung-baek also grew tired of Nangong Yeon's lack of response. It felt like talking to a wall. His affection for her beauty crumbled in the face of exhaustion.

Nangong Cheon was secretly grateful to see the two boys trying to befriend his sister. He even hoped their efforts would open Nangong Yeon's heart a little.

But that didn't last long.

One child gave up from exhaustion, and the other couldn't keep up with Nangong Yeon's stamina.

Left alone, Nangong Yeon finally relaxed and ran around Walong Manor.

Nangong Cheon felt sorry for his sister and wanted to stay with her, but he couldn't. Yeon Seol-ju, now nine, clung to him like a shadow.

"Brother, isn't your nickname 'Blue Cloud Sword'? Do you fight and kill your enemies when you meet them?"

"Who, who said that?"

"It's in the martial hero novels, they say."

"In the novels?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess. I don't know much about it."

Nangong Cheon answered half-heartedly, looking around for his sister. But Nangong Yeon, who had been crouching in a corner of the training ground, was nowhere to be seen.

Of course, with the guards around, she couldn't leave the manor alone, but he was still worried.

But with Yeon Seol-ju, the young girl, clinging to him, he couldn't go looking for her.

"Stop that and tell me some martial world stories, okay?"

'Ugh... I give up.'

In the end, Nangong Cheon had to tell Yeon Seol-ju all about his experiences in the martial world.

By the time he finished, the sun was setting.

***

Young Yeon Jeg-ha was afraid of Walong Manor.

His father was caring, but they didn't spend much time together. Instead, he spent most of his time with his aunt.

Yeon Jeg-ha didn't understand the difference between his mother and his aunt, but he knew his aunt was scary. She always scolded him, and each time, it hurt.

Sometime ago, Yeon Jeg-ha started thinking about how to escape Walong Manor.

He found a hole in the wall of a separate building.

A guest who stayed in the separate building of Walong Manor long ago had a large dog. The hole in the wall, which led outside, was made by the dog.

Only the guest, the dog, and Yeon Jeg-ha knew about it. The guest left with the dog last year, and since then, the hole belonged to Yeon Jeg-ha.

Yeon Jeg-ha stood in front of the hole again.

The main gate and the back gate, which led outside, were guarded by adults, so he couldn't leave freely.

But the hole was different.

No one guarded it, and no one blocked it. This small hole was entirely his.

Yeon Jeg-ha let out a long, relieved breath.

Whenever he wanted to escape from his aunt's watchful eyes, he came here.

His eyes, legs, and heart no longer trembled.