Return of the Mount Hua

I wish it would last. (7)

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“Phew, one really wouldn’t recognize it now.”

A merchant who had entered Hwaeum’s main road with a large wagon shook his head.

Even the saying ‘mulberry fields turned to a blue sea’ felt pale in comparison to this sight. Who could have imagined that Hwaeum, once nothing more than a small town, would end up looking like this?

‘It’s small in scale, but in terms of scenery alone, Suzhou has nothing on it.’

No, it felt different from that as well. Like Suzhou it was dazzlingly splendid, but as a city created under the lead of the merchant guilds, it was practical.

Right. It seemed more accurate to compare it to Hefei instead. The main road might not be long, but it was so wide that it did not fall short of great cities like Suzhou or Hefei.

‘No wonder the streets are so full of life.’

The faces of the people coming and going were all brimming with vitality. Merchants who had flocked to this newly formed commercial district, like himself, would naturally harbor joy and hope, and the original residents of Hwaeum would gladly welcome this change, so it was only natural.

“Just looking at it puts me in a good mood…”

“This is Hwaeum?! It’s a mess!”

Dragged out of his pleasant thoughts by the suddenly intruding voice, the merchant slowly turned his head.

Between the large pavilions rising in brilliant splendor, there was a small inn that had yet to be rebuilt and still kept the shabbiness of the old Hwaeum. The stubborn, grating voice from a moment ago was coming from that shabby inn.

“In the old days, Hwaeum had warmth, and with it a quiet charm! What kind of Hwaeum is this? Aaaagh!”

The merchant shook his head from side to side again.

‘There are always people like that wherever you go.’

Those who fall behind the times, unable to accept change, stubbornly insisting the past was better. Usually it were the elderly, with no energy left to enjoy a new world, who ended up like that.

Crash!

“Oh my! No, you can’t do that.”

“Let go. I said, let go! Who went and built a pavilion over there and blocked the whole view! The scenery from here used to be so nice. I ought to just set the whole thing on fire or something!”

At that, the merchant’s brow furrowed deeply.

He could understand the sense of loss at seeing something he used to enjoy disappear, but wasn’t that going way too far?

As the merchant stood there blankly, staring towards the old pavilion, passersby pricked up their ears with interest, then soon glanced at him and let out small, amused laughs.

“It must look strange to you, huh?”

The merchant smiled faintly.

“More than anything, he looks like an old gentleman who’s had a bit too much to drink. Wouldn’t it be better to see him home before he causes any more trouble? There must be plenty of people visiting Hwaeum for the first time today. I’m worried it might leave a bad impression.”

For a merchant who had come here with the intention of doing big business in Hwaeum from now on, such thoughts were only natural, perhaps. But the reactions of the people who heard him were somewhat odd.

“Old gentleman? What are you talking about?”

“The one shouting his lungs out over there.”

“I’m asking you, what ‘old gentleman’ are you talking about?”

“…Pardon?”

And then, at that moment.

Bang!

The closed window of the inn burst open as if it were about to shatter, and the upper body of a young man in black clothing suddenly stuck out.

“Huh?”

The youngster, his body hanging limply over the window frame, had a face that, at a glance, was of a one drunk to an unpleasant degree. He even pointed rudely at the people passing by on the street.

“You like this? Huh? And where did the well that used to be over there go! That bowl of cold water you scooped up from it before climbing the mountain after a drink – do you know how perfect that was? And you just had to get rid of it?”

“D-Dojang, you mustn’t do this. Please calm down and come inside first.”

“Let go! Hwaeum has ended up in this state, and you expect me to calm down right now?”

“I-I know. Of course I know. How could I not? That’s why, please just…”

The youngster, flopping like a fish hauled up onto the deck, was soon yanked back inside by the innkeeper’s hand.

The merchant, who had been staring in a daze, raised his voice in sheer disbelief.

“I mean, for someone that young, he’s being awfully rude…”

“Hm? You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“That man just now – he is Hwasan Geomhyeop.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Hwasan Geomhyeop. The one who was shouting just now is none other than Hwasan Geomhyeop. You can’t possibly not know who that is. He’s the most famous person in Gangho right now.”

The merchant’s eyes went round.

“Th-That drunkard from before?”

“That’s right.”

Finding the words impossible to believe, the merchant blinked and looked back towards the inn. At that moment, the drunkard suddenly stuck his head back out through the window that hadn’t yet fully closed, then started jabbing his finger wildly in every direction as he shouted again.

“Look at this! Even a ghost that died in Hwaeum wouldn’t be able to find its way back now. If it wants to get even a bite of food on its memorial day, it has to at least be able to find where its own house is, doesn’t it? Is this Hwaeum? This is supposed to be Hwaeum?!”

“Good grief, Dojang! Hwasan is standing right there in front of you – what kind of foolish ghost wouldn’t recognize Hwaeum with that mountain looming over it?”

“What? Are you calling my Sahyeongs stupid right now?”

“Huh? N-No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Ah, damn, how’d you figure that out? That was supposed to be a secret…”

“D-Dojang! Your drink! Let’s go have that drink we poured for you.”

“…..Should I?”

Chung Myung was dragged back inside by the innkeeper again.

The merchant, his face stiff, muttered in shock.

“What in the world…”

“You really must be new to Hwaeum. Haha. You’ll be seeing that often from now on.”

“Often? Are you telling me this ‘Hwasan Geomhyeop’ is always like that?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say always, but whenever he has the time, he makes sure to come drink in Hwaeum.”

The merchant’s face twisted as he retorted.

“Does that sound remotely reasonable to you? You’re telling me a disciple of a prestigious sect, and not just once either, but every time gets drunk like this and runs wild?”

“…Huh?”

As he spoke, the merchant grew more and more worked up, until he was flat-out pointing at the inn and raising his voice.

“I’m saying, how can a young martial artist act that high-and-mighty just because he’s made a bit of a name for himself? There isn’t a single person passing by here younger than him, yet he’s over there pointing fingers and shouting at the top of his lungs…!”

“…”

“Hah! If he’s like this already, just imagine how much more arrogant that young Taoist will be once he’s older.”

“Um…”

“Just because he’s a martial artist doesn’t mean we have to be scared of him forever! If you back down because you’re afraid of a sword, you’ll live like that for the rest of your life. We should lodge a formal complaint with Hwasan and fix that brat’s manners!”

“…”

“Right, this is no time to just stand around. If no one else will step up, I’ll climb Hwasan myself. Only then will the residents of Hwaeum be able to live in peace, with that brat who is as vicious and lawless as any of the Sapa…”

“But this bastard, I keep listening and…!”

Wham!

“Aaagh!”

A kick flew straight into the merchant’s side. He let out a sharp scream and rolled across the ground.

The burly man who had kicked him rolled up his sleeves and growled.

“Has this bastard lost his mind? What? ‘A Sapa’?”

“Wh-What? What are you doing!”

“Hey now, old man. You can’t just start beating someone up in the middle of the street. Calm down and let’s talk this out first. What’s going on?”

“This bastard was badmouthing Chung Myung Dojang. Said he was no different from a Sapa bastard.”

“What?”

The eyes of those who heard this belatedly turned vicious. Their gazes narrowed into slits, and even killing intent began to swirl in them.

The merchant was more than a little flustered.

“N-No. What did I say that was so wrong? It’s true he was causing a disturbance!”

“A disturbance? Do you even know what ‘causing a disturbance’ means?”

“Fine then. Today you can experience for yourself what a real trouble is.”

“Stomp him!”

The residents of Hwaeum swarmed in and began kicking the merchant.

“Agh! Aagh! What are you doing! Agh!”

“You’re not going to shut that mouth?! Just take the beating, you bastard! You deserve every hit!”

Just then, Chung Myung stuck his head back out the window.

“What is it? Is something going on?”

At that moment, everyone in the middle of the group beating the merchant froze all at once. Then they turned to Chung Myung and gave him awkward smiles.

“Ah, Dojang. It’s nothing much…”

“No, why are you doing that to a person?”

“Haha. It’s nothing, really, nothing at all.”

The residents of Hwaeum laughed heartily as they helped the fallen merchant back to his feet. They even brushed the dust off his clothes, smiling brightly.

“When your blood runs hot, you end up talking with your fists and all that.”

“Y-Yes, exactly. As if we’d actually be engaging in a real fight.”

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung narrowed his eyes at them, watching closely, then nodded.

“Fine. Anyway, just leave it at that.”

“Of course.”

As soon as Chung Myung’s head popped back inside, the people surrounding the merchant turned rigid again and growled at him.

“If you run your mouth carelessly, you’ve got no right to complain even if your neck gets snapped.”

“If you want to keep living, don’t badmouth Hwasan’s folks. Where do you think you are, running your mouth like that?”

“You should count yourself lucky. If Sang Gwan Hyeong were here, he’d have already broken a few of your bones. Ever since Chung Myung Dojang saved my younger brother’s life back then, he still starts every morning by bowing towards Hwasan.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Around here, even if Chung Myung Dojang kills someone, he walks free. Got that?”

“Of course. It’d just mean the bastard did something worth dying for.”

“Mm-hm.”

Having let a few reckless words slip out of misplaced bravado and been beaten until he was on the verge of tears, the merchant thought that his new life in Hwaeum might be harder than he had imagined. 

 ⠀

Meanwhile, Chung Myung, his eyes unfocused, was staring at the hoegwayuk [회과육 – chinese stir-fried pork dish*] set before him.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“Sichuan pepper…”

“Pardon?”

“There’s no Sichuan pepper powder! Hic!”

“Oh dear, Dojang. We already put Sichuan pepper in when we first boiled the broth.”

“I’m telling you there’s no Sichuan pepper powder! Hoegwayuk they sold at Dohoe Inn always had coarse Sichuan pepper sprinkled on top.”

Thunk.

Chung Myung dropped his forehead onto the table.

“It’s gone…”

The innkeeper clicked his tongue. The Dohoe Inn he was talking about was the oldest inn in Hwaeum, the one that had been in business there for generations. But it had recently sold the building and closed its doors.

“It’s not just Dohoe Inn’s hoegwayuk that’s gone… Cheongnim Restaurant is gone too. The house-brewed fire liquor** there was really to die for.”

“Come now. Our liquor isn’t any worse than theirs.”

“Just because chicken tastes good doesn’t mean it’s fine for beef to disappear.”

“Eh? Ah, well, that’s true, but…”

Chung Myung began to sniffle.

“My Hwaeum…”

From the way he talked, one would think he’d lived in Hwaeum for a hundred years. The innkeeper shook his head.

“Here, Dojang. Then please try this instead. It’s my secret Yuxiang shredded pork [어향육사(魚香肉絲)]. You like this too, don’t you?”

As Chung Myung wiped his runny nose on his sleeve and started to lift his head, the door to the inn suddenly burst open.

Bang!

“Oh my, Dojang!”

An elderly man with graying hair burst in, swept his gaze quickly around, and then brightened when he spotted Chung Myung.

“I heard the news. Really now, if you’ve come to Hwaeum, you should have told me first.”

“Huh? You’re the owner of Dohoe Inn, aren’t you?”

“Over here, I stir-fried some hoegwayuk at home and brought it for you!”

“Oh!”

As Chung Myung was about to spring to his feet at the sight of the plate in the old man’s hands, the door, which had closed, suddenly banged open again.

“I heard Chung Myung Dojang is here! Then you’ve got to drink our house liquor!”

“Gwak Hyeong, you’re here?”

“Oh my, Dojang, so this is where you were. This is the fire liquor you were so fond of. I quit the business, but these bottles were left over – drink as much as you like.”

Another middle-aged man set down the armful of bottles he had been carrying.

“Ooh!”

Chung Myung’s face lit up as he looked at the liquor and dishes. And that still wasn’t the end of it.

“Dojang is here, you say?”

“Why have you been so out of touch!”

“What are you talking about, when he went all the way to the Yangtze to fight those bastards from the Evil Sects. You think he’s some loafer like you?”

Watching the people crowding one after another into the inn, Chung Myung was left dumbfounded.

In a Hwaeum that had become so unfamiliar, seeing so many faces that were so familiar gave him a strange feeling. The townsfolk gathered in small groups, and before long, the once quiet inn was packed full.

“Dojang, you’ve worked so hard again this time. We heard you went all the way out there to fight so the war wouldn’t reach Hwaeum.”

“Well? It’s not exactly like that…”

“How could we not know Dojang’s concern for Hwaeum?”

“…It just ended up that way.”

“Here, have a drink first. What are you all doing, you brats! Dojang’s cup is empty!”

“Yes! I’ll pour it right away!”

“What’s with these meager side dishes! Is this any way to serve Dojang? The owner is too damned lazy!”

“I-I only brought out what Dojang ordered…”

“You only brought what he ordered? Are you in your right mind?”

“Oh my. I’ll make more now. Right this instant.”

“Hey, no, forget that. Go straight to my house and tell my wife. I’ll bring out the dried sea cucumber I’ve been hiding. Dojang has been through a lot, he needs something nourishing.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Dried sea cucumber? I got my hands on an incredible carp. When it comes to nourishment, carp soup is the best there is.”

“Tch! Step aside, all of you. Our Dojang restores his strength with liquor. One bowl of bear-gall wine and his strength will…!”

“Out of my way! My ginseng comes first!”

Chung Myung barely managed to poke his head out from between the people closing in on him so tightly it was suffocating.

“Um, could I just eat my meal…”

“Dojang, please just wait a moment. We’ll decide this right away.”

“No. Whatever the side dish is, I just want some liquor…”

“That’s why I’m telling you, this should come first!”

Surrounded by people piling in, arms full of one thing or another, Chung Myung let out a scream.

“No! I just want to drink!”

“That’s why we have to decide which liquor you’re going to drink.”

“Why is everyone making such a fuss! Just go away! All of you, go!”

Chung Myung’s scream pierced through the shabby inn and spread out over the streets of Hwaeum. A broad smile bloomed on the lips of those walking up and down the main road as they heard the familiar sound.

Next chapter >>>

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*回鍋肉 – 回鍋 (to cook again; to heat up; to go back to previous job) – 肉 (meat/flesh/pork). Twice-cooked pork. A dish from Chung Myung’s birthday side story btw. 

**화주(火酒) – in martial-arts novels, it refers to cheap liquor or very strong spirits.

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