The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 204

"A request? No, before that, I heard that your relationship with Minister Jeong is not that good, but has your relationship gotten better?"

He nodded his head and answered.

A feeling like emotion appeared on his face for a moment.

"Actually, after that incident, I had a chance to talk with my uncle again. And through our conversation, my uncle came to accept me living like this."

"That's good. But what kind of request is it?"

"It seems he has a recent worry and wants to consult a martial artist about it. It's a shameless request, but the only real martial artist I know is you, great benefactor..."

I tilted my head.

Minister Jeong of Chang'an is a court official who has risen to a considerably high position.

It is natural for such a person to know many martial artists, so why me?

I began to feel interested in that story.

"What is it?"

"It seems he is being threatened by martial artists of unknown identity recently. Our family has a family heirloom, and it seems they want him to hand it over."

Two questions came to mind at that moment.

I first asked him what I was more curious about.

"A person like Minister Jeong must know many martial artists. Why are you asking me? Although they are not directly related to the martial world, there must be people with outstanding martial arts among the government troops or the imperial army."

"That's..."

Gongsun Huan made a troubled expression.

It's not just me here, but Senior Brother Un Cheol and two Shaolin monks are also here.

It seemed he didn't want his story to be heard by anyone other than me.

"Is it an urgent matter?"

"It doesn't have to be right now, but the sooner the better."

"Then it's okay to tell me here. Even if it's the request of the master of the Shi-yue Pavilion, I can't go right now anyway."

"Ah...! I also don't want to ask you to the point of disrupting your schedule, great benefactor. I was just going to ask you to stop by once when you have time later..."

He said, looking troubled.

I, as if to reassure him, smiled and said, "Don't worry, I didn't think so. We are on our way to Zhejiang Province because we have an urgent matter. Once that matter is over, we won't have anything to do for now, so I'll stop by Chang'an then."

"Thank you, great benefactor."

"But when I go then, I'm thinking of moving with the people who are here."

"Ah... so you're saying that since it's something that will be known anyway, there's no problem in knowing it now."

"That's right."

"I understand."

He, after clearing his throat, said in a more serious voice than before, "Actually, the one who is suspected of threatening my maternal uncle right now is the government army."

"The government army?!"

"To be precise, I think it is a plot devised by a man named Jin Baek, the left general of the Luoyang army in Henan Province, rather than the entire government army."

"The left general of Luoyang? Why him?"

"Because the family heirloom of our family is the very thing that he has been looking for for a long time."

He paused for a moment and then asked me, "Do you by any chance know the Seven Military Classics?"

"I've heard of it. Aren't they the seven books of military strategy that have been passed down since ancient times? The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the most famous, isn't it?"

"You know well. In the Seven Military Classics, there is a book of military strategy that is as great as The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It is the Art of War by Wu Qi, who is said to have fought seventy-six times in the old days and never lost once. It is also called the Art of War by Sun and Wu, along with the Art of War by Sun Tzu."

"Then by any chance...?"

"Yes. The family heirloom of our family is the original copy of the Art of War by Wu Qi."

At Gongsun Huan's words, everyone could not hide their surprised expressions.

Although it is true that for a martial artist, a book of military strategy is less valuable than a martial arts secret manual, they know to some extent how great the Art of War by Wu Qi is.

At the same time, I also had the thought that a general named Jin Baek could certainly covet it.

Because for a general, military strategy is as important as martial arts.

"I don't know why the Art of War by Wu Qi became the family heirloom of the Jeong family of Chang'an, but anyway, it's a big deal that a person like a left general is coveting it."

"It's not certain yet. However, there have been continuous incidents such as ruffian martial artists picking fights with the family, and night visitors coming at night. And the only person who could have sent them is him."

"For now, I understand. As I said earlier, I'll stop by Zhejiang Province and then go to Chang'an. But why didn't you ask other martial artists for help? A person like Minister Jeong of Chang'an could have easily found people, whether by hiring them with money or by using his connections."

"As a matter of fact, my maternal uncle has requested the surrounding escort agencies to guard the manor. But after a few days, they suddenly said they could not accept the escort mission. It seemed they had received pressure from somewhere."

I frowned.

Because if a man named Left General Jin Baek really did that, it felt that what a man who had become a general was doing was not much different from what the ruffians in the back alleys were doing.

"To be free from the pressure of the left general, you would have to be at least of the level of the Nine Sects and One Gang. The Nine Sects and One Gang usually don't get involved in such personal matters."

"That's right. My maternal uncle has already asked for help several times, but they were all ignored."

"Then why didn't you inform the imperial court or the leaders of the government army?"

"If it is really the left general's doing, he would have taken measures so that no evidence would come out by using his influence in the imperial court or the government army. Then he would surely pressure my uncle to hand over the book of military strategy under the pretext that my uncle was trying to frame him."

I can roughly understand the situation.

To be honest, the fact that I was the one who came to mind in this difficult situation makes me feel good on the one hand.

Because it means that I have given this person a very good impression.

"So I was the only Nine Sects and One Gang martial artist that the master of the pavilion knew. I can roughly understand what happened."

"Thank you for your understanding."

"Yes. For now, let's try to buy as much time as possible. I'll finish the work in Zhejiang Province quickly and then go."

"Yes. But by any chance, am I causing a great inconvenience to you, great benefactor, because of my request? Do you have to contact the Wudang Sect and get permission like last time..."

I said with a meaningful smile, "Fortunately, there's no need for that now. I have been officially permitted to make my debut in the martial world by the sect leader. I just have to send a letter and inform them."

"Oh... is that really true? Congratulations. I heard that the debut in the martial world has a very big meaning for martial artists."

"That's about right. It means I have been recognized as a martial artist. But to be honest, it doesn't have a big meaning for me."

To be honest, in my previous life, I had the experience of making my debut in the martial world and then being beaten to a pulp by Chae Eung-seok on a rainy day and retracting it, and since I was able to come and go from the Wudang Sect with an entry pass even after coming to the Wudang Sect, I don't have that much of a feeling.

"Still, congratulations. When are you planning to leave here?"

"I'm planning to leave early tomorrow morning. Because I have to go to Zhejiang Province urgently."

"Then for today, please eat as much as you want and rest as much as you want. I will bring out whatever you want, great benefactor. I have also brought some travel money. Please accept it."

I, after glancing at my senior brother and the Shaolin monks, cleared my throat and put the money pouch in my bosom.

"Ahem. What is all this. Since you are giving it to me, I will gratefully accept it, but please don't bring such things from next time. If you do this in the future, I will feel burdened and will not be able to come again."

"Ah... I understand. But please accept it just this once."

"Since you are saying that, I have no choice."

Senior Brother Un Cheol, as if he found me, who was saying this after already putting it in my bosom, funny, chuckled, and I felt a little worried.

'What if he really doesn't give it to me from next time?'

But from the smiling expression of Gongsun Huan, it seems he will give it to me when I come next time.

That's a relief.

"Then I will not disturb your rest any more. Please have a comfortable time."

"Yes. Thank you. Ah! Wait a moment. Where is Miss Mi-hyang now?"

"Mi-hyang is at the Shi-yue Pavilion. Since then, she has worked even harder on her instruments and calligraphy and has become a famous artist in this area. Would you like to listen to Mi-hyang's song once today?"

"Ah! No. Although I wasn't interested in it originally, for some reason, I feel like I would be committing a sin if I were with Miss Mi-hyang."

Gongsun Huan, as if he had thought of Senior Brother Un Jeong, clapped his hands together.

He said as if he were making an excuse, "That... as you already know, even though she is a courtesan, our brothel never makes the courtesans do such things, so you don't have to worry at all."

"Yes. I'm not worried about that. Can you deliver this letter to Miss Mi-hyang?"

He, after receiving the letter I handed him, put it in his bosom.

It seemed he already guessed who had sent it and what was written in it.

"Mi-hyang will be very happy. I will be sure to deliver this letter to Mi-hyang myself."

"Yes. Thank you. Since I'm here, I want to say hello to the guys at the Shi-yue Pavilion, but I think I'll just be wasting time without being able to rest properly, so I think I'll just skip it this time."

"You've thought well. If those guys meet you, great benefactor, they probably won't leave you alone all night."

When I thought of the rather rough Shi-yue Pavilion martial artists, a small laugh escaped me.

The master of the Shi-yue Pavilion, after having a small chat with me, went back to the Shi-yue Pavilion.

Now that I was really going to lie down on the bed and rest a little, Monk Il-jik and Monk Il-won came up to me with sparkling eyes.

"Donor Unhwi. What on earth happened here?"

"The master of the Shi-yue Pavilion just now? The look in his eyes when he looked at the donor was full of trust, so what is your relationship?"

"Can you tell us what happened here? I feel like I'm going to enter nirvana because I'm so curious."

"It's the same for me. To think that the good deeds I had dreamed of when I was in the secular world, donor Unhwi was already doing them."

They came up to me with excited faces, and I was in an awkward situation where I had to tell them what had happened here with my own mouth.

When I quickly turned my head and looked at my senior brother, my senior brother, who doesn't like to talk, stealthily stood up from his seat and went out the door.

"Who is Miss Mi-hyang?"

"What was that you handed over earlier? Please tell us. In Shaolin, it's always boring and repetitive work, so every single story that seems interesting like this is very precious. Donor Unhwi. Please!"

"Sigh."

I let out a deep sigh, got up, sat on the edge of the bed, and said, looking at the two of them, "Okay. I'll be brief and concise, so listen carefully."

"I understand!"

I began to tell the two monks, who were sparkling their eyes along with their heads, the heroic tale that had happened here.

Although it was a little embarrassing because it was like I was praising myself with my own mouth, since it's not a lie but a fact, what can I do?

After telling them the story of the Shi-yue Pavilion, and since it was late, we also had dinner, and before I knew it, a day had passed.

Since we have to run towards Zhejiang Province again from tomorrow, it was not bad to rest like this today.

(End of Chapter)