Return of the Mount Hua

Then there is only one way. (4)

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Crackle. Crackle.

“Khrrrrrrr. Khrrrrrr.”

The sound of the campfire burning down and the sound of Chung Myung’s snoring rang out through the quiet forest. In the forest where darkness had already settled, those seated around the fire were looking at Baek Cheon and the old man.

“And that is how we came to be on our way to Shaolin.”

“Hmm. I see.”

The old man nodded, showing his understanding of the situation.

Seeing that reaction, Baek Cheon unconsciously narrowed his brow slightly.

‘Did I speak too freely?’

Now that he had said it, it felt a little strange. He did not even know who this old man was. And yet, belatedly, the thought occurred to him that he might have told their story far too frankly.

What was even stranger was that, throughout the long story he had told, not one of his Sajils had tried to stop him. Not even that ever-vigilant Tang Soso.

It was probably because of the air that old man gave off.

A good person? No, that was a little different. It was not that the old man did not seem like a good person. Rather, it was something more…

‘Should I say he seems like one who walks the righteous path?’

Perhaps, rather than righteous path, the words Great Way* might suit him a little better. Whichever it was, he gave the impression that he would not, even for a moment, share the same space with anything wicked.

If one had to pin down the reason, that was likely it. The reason Baek Cheon had spoken so freely.

“Hmm.”

While Baek Cheon was lost in thought for a moment, the old man, who had been silent, glanced at him.

“You there, Dojang.”

“Yes. Elder.”

“If it would not be discourteous, might this old man offer a piece of impertinent advice?”

“Discourteous? Not at all. I would not think so.”

“Hmm. Thank you.”

Even after asking permission, perhaps finding it difficult to speak, the old man hesitated once more before finally letting out a sigh and speaking.

“What you are thinking is entirely reasonable, but… as far as I know, this trip to Mount Song will likely yield little.”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

The old man answered with a low groan.

“From what I have heard of the circumstances, this matter requires the influence of someone quite highly placed, does it not?”

“Yes. That is why we were on our way to seek out the Abbot of Shaolin, who possesses the greatest authority among those we know.”

“Yes. As I said, that thought is not wrong. The problem, however, is… that it will be difficult with his power alone.”

“Pardon? Why is that? The Abbot is certainly…”

“Yes. He is the Imperial Tutor. That is an undeniable fact. However, the position of Imperial Tutor has its subtleties. Depending on the times, one’s authority may rise or fall.”

Tang Soso nodded as if she understood.

“It’s not a position with actual governing power, after all.”

“Precisely.”

“So in the end, one can only rely on the authority attached to the title. But this is not a time when the Imperial Tutor can exercise that authority?”

“That is so.”

The old man nodded quietly and continued.

“To my knowledge, it has been more than twenty years since the current Abbot of Shaolin last entered the palace.”

“Ah…….”

“Even if he were to step forward again now, how far would that power reach?”

They say that in ten years, even rivers and mountains change.

When the Abbot first entered the palace, there must have been no small number of people who tried to form ties with him, if only because of his status as Imperial Tutor. But now? Now that twenty years had passed, would any of the power from the connections the Abbot had built then still remain?

“…I do not think this is going to work.”

“Ugh. If it has been twenty years, that makes sense. There probably aren’t many people left who even remember his face.”

“Still, would the Emperor not remember him? He did appoint him as his teacher, after all.”

“He would remember that he was bald.”

“Ah…….”

Tang Soso narrowed her eyes and said.

“But… it is not as though one must enter the palace for one’s authority to be maintained, is it? If he is the Abbot of Shaolin, then among those who believe in the Buddha, he is an unparalleled sage. Would there not be some among those in power who follow the Abbot?”

“That is not wrong either, but…”

Baek Cheon stopped speaking and pressed his lips shut.

‘The problem is that this does not seem like something that can be resolved with only that much.’

If they at least knew who their opponent was, perhaps it could be resolved as Tang Soso said. But even if there were some powerful person who revered the Abbot’s words like a sacred scripture, would they be willing to help when they did not even know who the enemy was? They might end up offending someone even higher above them.

No, likely not.

That was why Baek Cheon thought the old man’s words made sense.

Thanks to him, they now knew that the matter would not be as easy as they had thought, but the problem was that there was no other way.

“Thank you very much for your advice.”

Sensing something strange in Baek Cheon’s words, the old man asked.

“Do you perhaps still intend to go to Mount Song?”

“Yes. As things stand, we have no other way. First, we intend to try what we can.”

“Even though it may turn out to be a wasted journey?”

Baek Cheon smiled with a clear expression.

“I am used to wasted journeys.”

“…”

“If it were merely something we ‘could do,’ then I would have hesitated over it, but this is something we ‘must do.’ So even if it does prove to be a wasted journey, there is no reason to hesitate. Is it not better than doing nothing at all?”

The old man stared intently at Baek Cheon. After gazing at him for a long while with a strange expression, the old man suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Hohohohohohoho.”

“Elder?”

“Hoho. Well, now. Hohohohoho.”

After laughing for some time, the old man turned his head and looked at Yu Hanbin.

“If what you say is true, then did you not all meet this child for the very first time only ten days ago?”

Baek Cheon nodded readily.

“That is so.”

“And yet you are willing to go through such trouble for him?”

Scratching the back of his head, Baek Cheon said.

“Isn’t it more important whether we believe it is the right thing to do, rather than when we happened to meet him?”

The old man stared at Baek Cheon as if he had been left speechless. Then, before long, he turned his gaze to the others.

They neither particularly affirmed nor denied it. But the old man could tell. Their reaction stemmed from the belief that Baek Cheon had said something far too obvious.

“…So there is benevolence [인(仁)] among Taoists as well. Of course there would be. If one is human, then that is how it ought to be. I was the fool [우자(愚者)**] for thinking the duty of a person belonged to the way of the Confucians alone.”

The old man rose from his seat, then suddenly bowed to Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon was startled out of his wits and caught hold of the old man, pulling him back up.

“No, Elder! Why are you suddenly doing this?”

“I learned a great deal today. I never thought I would receive teachings from a Taoist. If I have ever looked down on you in the slightest, I apologize.”

“Why would you say such a thing?”

Baek Cheon firmly guided the old man back down into his seat.

“It is not that we are remarkable. If anything, it is because we are lacking, and that is the only sort of thing we know how to do.”

“That is what makes it remarkable.”

Without another word, the old man poured liquor into his empty cup, drained it in one go, then quietly set the cup down and looked at Yu Hanbin.

“So… this child is a descendant of the Shandong Yu family?”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened in shock as he looked at the old man. Fearing it might cause trouble, he had deliberately refrained from revealing Yu Hanbin’s surname while explaining their situation, yet the old man had guessed his identity from the rough outline of the story alone.

“How……?”

The old man wore an unreadable expression as he chuckled softly.

“One could hardly fail to know, looking at his face.”

“…”

It was while Baek Cheon was staring at the old man with an uneasy expression.

“As I have received a great teaching today, I would like to repay it.”

“Repay it, you say?”

“What do you think?”

For an instant, the old man’s expression became exceedingly solemn. Momentarily overwhelmed by the intangible air that radiated from him, Baek Cheon unconsciously straightened his posture.

“If, rather than the uncertain method you know of, there existed a way to resolve this child’s situation for certain. Would you come with me?”

“Pardon?”

Baek Cheon stared at the old man in bewilderment.

He had thought the old man was no ordinary person, but he had never imagined he would make such a proposal.

“Did you just say a certain method?”

“I did.”

The old man quietly nodded.

“It is somewhat embarrassing after what you have shown me, and I also share a bit of a connection with the Yu Family of Shandong, so allow me to lend a hand.”

“But……”

Baek Cheon hesitated slightly.

Could this old man resolve a problem that even the Abbot of Shaolin could not easily solve? Could they trust those words? If not, they would only end up wasting time for nothing.

Just then, as if to ease Baek Cheon’s worries, Tang Soso asked.

“If it would not be rude, may I ask your name?”

“What difficulty is there in that? I am called So Jung-gyeong [소중경(昭中徑)].”

“Ah…”

Tang Soso smiled brightly and nodded.

‘She has never heard of him.’

Understanding the meaning behind Tang Soso’s expression immediately, Baek Cheon was just about to politely turn down the old man’s offer when…

“So Jung-gyeong, So Jung-gyeong… wait? C-Could it be? So Dangbaek? Master Dangbaek [당백(戆柏)]?”

“Hm?”

Jo Geol’s jaw dropped in utter shock as he hurriedly questioned So Jung-gyeong.

“Are you Master Dangbaek?”

“Hoho. There was a time when I was called that.”

Baek Cheon asked with a dazed expression.

“Geol-ah. Is he someone you know?”

“Someone I know, you ask?”

The look in Jo Geol’s eyes – a look that seemed to say, ‘You ignorant bastard’ – had by now become almost familiar.

“You mean you do not know Master So Dangbaek, who was a Grand Secretary [대학사(大學士)]?”

“…He must have been very learned.”

“Grand Secretary is the name of an official post! Aaaargh! I swear, these ignorant people are driving me insane!”

Jo Geol beat his chest in frustration.

After Jo Geol explained with the anguish of someone coughing up blood, Baek Cheon finally learned that Grand Secretary was one of the three highest-ranking posts in the imperial court, and that So Dangbaek had once served as a Grand Secretary before retiring around twenty years ago. He nodded vigorously.

“I see! I understand completely now.”

“….It still seems as though you do not.”

“But how did you know such a thing?”

Jo Geol said somewhat awkwardly.

“When I was studying letters in the past, my teacher told me over and over. That the retired Grand Secretary, Master Dangbaek, was the very model for all Confucian scholars. I heard it so often it practically wore a callus into my ears.”

Baek Cheon nodded as though he understood.

Jo Geol, too, looked at So Jung-gyeong with a somewhat unsettled expression. It seemed he felt strange to encounter, now as a Taoist, someone he had once heard so much about from his former teacher.

“If it truly is Master Dangbaek, then I do think there may be a way. He once held an incredibly high position, after all.”

“Hoho. No, no. That, too, was more than twenty years ago. The me of today is merely an ordinary scholar whose ties with the imperial court have been severed.”

“Hmm.”

“Moreover, the matter you spoke of happened after I left the court, so there will be no way to resolve it through my own power.”

“Then how do you mean to help us?”

So Jung-gyeong smiled lightly and said.

“I may no longer possess power myself, but I do know someone who does. So is it not worth trying?”

“Ah…..”

“I cannot say for certain whether they will listen to your plea. That will be up to you. But at the very least, the people I am about to introduce to you will be able to offer more practical help than the Abbot of Shaolin. That much I can guarantee.”

Baek Cheon turned his head and looked at the Five Swords.

After exchanging glances, they all nodded at once.

“Then we should at least go.”

“It does not seem like a bad idea.”

“I don’t know about anything else, but it’s probably better than bowing our heads to the Abbot.”

“Amitabha. I also think this way seems better.”

Baek Cheon nodded. His thoughts were not much different. Whatever else might be said, this man had once been a Grand Secretary. The position of Grand Secretary was by no means lower than that of Imperial Tutor, and unlike the Imperial Tutor, it came with actual governing authority.

If both of them had been absent from the imperial court for over twenty years anyway, then perhaps this side truly would be more helpful than the Abbot of Shaolin.

Having made up his mind, Baek Cheon finally turned his head to the one last place.

As though it were only natural, Chung Myung had already risen and taken his seat. He was staring at So Jung-gyeong with an oddly curious gaze.

“Interesting.”

“Hmm?”

Chung Myung grinned.

“So what you’re saying is, the place we’re heading to now is no ordinary place, right?”

“Depending on how one looks at it, I suppose that is true.”

“Good.”

Chung Myung’s eyes flashed strangely.

“Let us go and see, then. Whether a ghost comes out, or a monster.”

For some reason, a chilling smile appeared on Chung Myung’s face. Watching him, the disciples of Hwasan whispered.

“I think he’s excited because he doesn’t have to go see the Abbot.”

“Yeah. Anyone could tell.”

As though they had all agreed on it, everyone shook their heads in unison.

Next chapter >>>

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*대도(大道) – it’s interesting cause it has a double meaning for both taoist and confucian schools. The Ultimate Tao, for Taoism; Major Arts [six major arts] for confucianism. Baek Cheon is talking about the taoist aspect, he probably doesn’t even know about the confucian meaning. 

**우자(愚者) – I think this word has been used and highlighted because it sounds more refined than just saying smth casual. The antonym for this word would be 현자(賢者), it means a wise person, a sage.

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