Chapter 46
A deep, aching longing welled up within her, much like a newborn kitten seeking its mother’s milk.
Even though she knew that mother was the very person who had abandoned her, she could not help the wavering of her heart.
“M-may I... may I go too?”
The words had slipped out of Hong-seol’s mouth before she could stop them.
“Seol-ah.”
Namgung Ho did not get angry.
He had merely called her name.
Yet, Hong-seol could feel the troubled heart contained within that single word.
“I-I know it might be difficult to take me along since I am not a child of the Namgung Clan, but...”
“No, that is not it.”
A note of regret tinged Namgung Ho’s voice.
“If it becomes known that you are here, Seol-ah, it could lead to trouble. Rumors might spread that you are a Beastkin, and besides...”
And your mother might try to harm you again.
Namgung Ho could not bring himself to finish the sentence. Hong-seol hung her head low.
‘Grandfather is right.’
She knew it. She knew it, and yet...
‘I miss my mother.’
Even now, the lullabies her mother used to sing to her before sleep echoed clearly in her ears.
Feeling tears pricking at her eyes, Hong-seol rubbed them vigorously with her fists.
“Child...”
Seeing this, Yuhwa wore a pained expression.
“T-the porridge was too spicy...”
Bing Yuhwa peered into Hong-seol’s bowl. Half of the plain egg porridge, without even a drop of chili oil, remained.
“Child, if you’ve finished your breakfast, shall we go for a walk together?”
Sensing the child’s state of mind, Yuhwa took Hong-seol and stepped out of the inner quarters.
It was then.
“Father.”
Namgung Baek suddenly spoke up, addressing Namgung On.
“I will go as well. To the Anhui River Crossing.”
* * *
Clatter.
The wheels of the carriage heading toward the Yuseong Gate estate began to turn with vigor.
Hong-seol, sitting inside, felt her heart pounding.
‘I can see Mom’s face after such a long time!’
Though she wouldn't be able to speak to her.
Thinking of that made her feel a little dejected.
“Still, it’s better than nothing.”
“Hm?”
Namgung Heuk, who had been buried in his seat, suddenly straightened his back.
“Jeok, what did you just say?”
“N-nothing at all!”
“If you have something to say, say it clearly. If you act all stuttery like that at Yuseong Gate, the other kids won't leave you alone, you know?”
“Uh...”
“You’ll just end up being teased about that time your pants fell down last year.”
“Heuk.”
“Yes, I’ll stop.”
At Bing Yuhwa’s reproving tone, Namgung Heuk buried himself back into his seat.
Beside him, Namgung Baek was gazing outside with a listless expression.
For someone who had insisted on coming, he looked remarkably uninterested.
But Hong-seol had no energy to spare for observing him.
She was too busy trying to calm her thumping heart.
‘That was close! Brother Heuk almost caught me!’
With the blue martial arts uniform that symbolized the Namgung Clan and the cloud-patterned accessories.
Even the fluffy, shaggy bangs covering her eyes.
Right now, Hong-seol was the spitting image of the youngest Young Master, Namgung Jeok.
* * *
A few days ago, Jeok had suddenly come to Hong-seol’s quarters alone.
“Sister!”
Hong-seol was quite surprised, as Heuk, who was usually attached to Jeok like a horseshoe to a hoof, was nowhere to be seen.
“Jeok? Did you come alone?”
“Shh.”
His urgent demeanor suggested he had something important to say.
“Maeran, please bring us some tea.”
Confused by the situation, Hong-seol dismissed the maid, Maeran, for the time being.
A moment later, the words that came out of Jeok’s mouth were enough to make Hong-seol faint from shock.
“Sister, let’s go to the Anhui River Crossing!”
“What?”
“You want to go to the Anhui River Crossing, don't you, Sister! I don't want to go. So, use this...”
What Jeok held out were two masks that looked like pale, human skin.
They were what one would call a “mask of human skin.”
“W-what is this, Jeok!”
Hong-seol recoiled in horror at the squishy sensation. Jeok just beamed and chuckled.
“I snuck them out of the warehouse where the Azure Sky Unit keeps their supplies!”
“You use masks made of h-human skin there?”
What kind of item would even the Black Road factions use!
Jeok shook his head vigorously.
“No! These are made of pigskin.”
Looking closely, she could see coarse pig bristles remaining in places. Only then did Hong-seol finally set her mind at ease.
“With this, Sister, you can go to the Anhui River Crossing looking like me!”
Hong-seol tilted her head, holding the squishy pigskin mask.
‘But how?’
No matter how she looked at it, she didn't think she could pass as someone else just by wearing this.
“Look at this! Hehe.”
What Jeok pulled from his robes was an old book titled Basic Art of Disguise.
“They say this is the Art of Disguise that the warriors of the Azure Sky Unit learn!”
“Art of Disguise... does that mean a technique to change one’s face?”
“Yes! A regular pigskin mask can only hide your own face, but... if you add this to it!”
Ah!
Suddenly, Hong-seol clapped her hands together.
“I could become Jeok! Oh, but...”
A flicker of worry crossed Hong-seol’s face. Noticing her hesitation, Jeok asked.
“What’s wrong, Sister?”
“Well, it’s just...”
Hong-seol felt uneasy about deceiving the adults.
‘Unlike Jeok, I’m not a child of the Namgung Clan... I shouldn't cause unnecessary trouble.’
But it was also true that she wanted to see her mother, even from afar.
‘What should I do?’
Jeok was anxious, sensing Hong-seol’s hesitation. Resolving himself, he grabbed Hong-seol’s sleeve with his small fingers and tugged.
“Don't worry, Sister! You won't get caught, I promise!”
“But...”
“They say the Azure Sky Unit’s Art of Disguise is very advanced. Didn't they say the Grand Lord of Azure Sky once disguised himself as a waiter at an inn and stayed undercover for days without anyone knowing?”
Of course, his use of the Bone-Shrinking Technique to reduce his size had played a part.
At those words, Hong-seol’s eyes widened.
Namgung Uigyeol, whose appearance was as fierce as could be, had disguised himself as a waiter?
If that was possible, there was no way Jeok and Hong-seol would be found out.
“Really...?”
“Of course! You and I are similar in height and build, so it will be even more convincing!”
“Alright! What do I need to do?”
Excited by Hong-seol’s agreement, Namgung Jeok flipped open the Basic Art of Disguise.
“Hmm, it feels just like casting an illusion formation on your face. If you do it like this...”
The two spent a long time with their heads together, studying the Art of Disguise.
Two days later, they had achieved a fairly usable result.
“Sister, how do I look?”
Jeok, wearing the pigskin mask and the disguise, tied his hair up in two bunches and stretched his arms forward with all his might.
“Heavenly Thunder Palm!”
He was imitating Hong-seol from her duel with Namgung Jong-woo a while ago.
Even his high-pitched, melodic voice sounded exactly like Hong-seol’s.
“It’s perfect!”
Thrilled, Hong-seol clapped her hands.
“Jeok, you’re amazing! It was worth practicing your voice so hard!”
“Hehe, thank you.”
Jeok, who had always appeared naive, puffed out his chest as if to show he was a proper heir of the Namgung Clan.
Now it was Hong-seol’s turn.
Jeok scrutinized Hong-seol’s face, which was now disguised as his own, and suddenly frowned.
“If you tie your bangs like this with the silk ribbon Sister gave me...”
“Let’s not use the blue silk ribbon. I think it’ll be better for hiding my face without it.”
After much effort, the disguise was complete.
Hong-seol peered into the mirror placed beside her. There was Jeok, with his hair disheveled and covering his forehead just as she had first seen him.
“Success!”
“It worked!”
The two children, now transformed, looked at each other and beamed.
* * *
The banquet hall prepared by Yuseong Gate was a pavilion situated by a small pond.
True to the sect’s name, which meant “forming a willow tree,” it was a place where swaying willow leaves offered a sense of rest.
The tables set up in the pavilion were laden with all sorts of delicacies and fragrant wine.
“The Namgung Clan has arrived!”
No sooner had the guard shouted than the Master of Yuseong Gate came running out to greet Bing Yuhwa and the children.
“Master Bing! It has been a long time.”
“Have you been well, Master?”
“Of course.”
The people of Yuseong Gate genuinely welcomed Bing Yuhwa. It was because she had once cured the illness of the Yuseong Gate’s young master.
“More importantly, why is it so hard to see your face these days!”
“It is entirely my fault.”
Bing Yuhwa just smiled gently.
“Ha, my goodness, I’ve lost my mind. Everyone, pay your respects. This is the Female Hero Bing Yuhwa, Head of the Medicine Hall of the Namgung Clan.”
“Welcome, Master Bing!”
“It is a great joy to see the renowned Master Bing of the martial world in person.”
“Since we haven't met in so long, let us share some stories, ha ha!”
Most of them were familiar faces.
Moreover, everyone was desperate to exchange at least a few words with Yuhwa.
After all, there wasn't a single martial family in Anhui Province that wouldn't want to establish ties with the Namgung Clan.
Except for one place, that is.
‘The Myo Clan.’
A family that had abandoned an innocent child simply because she was born without the ability to practice martial arts.
‘Her mother came here?’
Bing Yuhwa scanned the pavilion with cold, sunken eyes.
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