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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Agony of Birth (1)
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Daci'en Temple is one of the most famous places in Chang'an.
Even though it's flanked by Taoist sacred mountains like Mount Hua to the east and Mount Zhongnan to the south, it's also a place where the pride of Buddhism stands tall, thanks to the vast donations and the compassionate grace of Buddha.
And towering within Daci'en Temple is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
It's where the enlightenment of the Venerable Xuanzang rests, he who trained stone monkeys, disciplined pigs, and played with deaf demons, Xuanzang, who rose as the strongest martial artist since Bodhidharma.
Looking at the statue of Venerable Xuanzang erected in front of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, one could truly glimpse the demeanor of a grandmaster who had dominated an era.
Suddenly feeling a deep sense of Buddhist devotion welling up in my chest, I calmly passed the time.
Who, indeed, would come?
For some reason, I had an ominous premonition that the crazy bitch from the Blood Sect would appear again, just like last time.
I had already protected the peace of Chang'an since yesterday by tricking my old man with alcohol.
She wouldn't dare show her ferocious face without risking her life.
Therefore, I awaited the fated encounter with a peaceful heart.
How much time had passed?
"Oh, Sihyeon?"
"...Instructor Mo Yong."
I had somewhat expected it.
Still, seeing Sister Seol leisurely appear in a vibrant outfit made me feel a bit strange.
The fact that her personality had recently started to be eroded by the Ice Princess, and that her messages had become increasingly round, even developing an unbefitting cuteness for her age, must be due to that influence.
Well.
Sister Seol isn't objectively bad.
If we had children, the baby might be quite hungry, but at least not to the point of starving.
"What are you doing here alone?"
"And you, Instructor Mo Yong?"
"Ahahaha... just, just passing by...?"
Sister Seol laughed awkwardly, letting her words trail off.
I had a suspicious feeling, but it felt a bit unnecessary to pry.
Just as I decided to set aside my slight regret and simply enjoy the present moment.
"Hmmmm?"
"…?"
A very familiar voice, though one I hadn't heard in a while, echoed from behind.
I turned around, noticing Sister Seol's expression had stiffened slightly.
"Master...?"
And there was Instructor Dakbbu, dressed in elaborate palace attire, looking as if she had just come from a delightful, intimate time with my mother.
No.
Why is Instructor Dakbbu here?
"Ahem, ahem. Isn't that Sihyeon and Seol? What are you doing here?"
"Ah, we met by chance."
"By chance, you say..."
Instructor Dakbbu's expression became strange.
Stuck between two women in an instant, I started to feel extremely uncomfortable.
This wasn't flowers in both hands, but a chicken coop in both hands...?
"Oh! Young Master Geum!"
"..."
At Narang Sojeo's clear voice.
I couldn't help but shut my eyes tight.
You again.
Three times the fortuitous encounters.
Don't mess with me, seriously...!
Still, I couldn't ignore the greeting, so I turned my head towards the direction of the voice.
"Uh... hello...? How are you...?"
There was the radiant Narang Sojeo, who could score about 98 out of 100 points today.
And Luli, with a mesmerizing light emanating from one eye.
For the first time in a while, a 'buy one get one free' set appeared together.
"Instructor Mo Yong, Instructor Seo! How have you been! It feels like ages since I last saw you!"
"Ah, yes... Instructor Myao. Good to see you."
At Narang Sojeo's cheerful greeting, Instructor Dakbbu awkwardly accepted the greeting as the representative elder.
What followed was an incredibly awkward silence.
I felt like dying.
I had to somehow break through this tangled situation.
Otherwise, it felt like twin swords, an axe, a squirrel, and a death beam would soon be impaled in my body.
"It's not easy for us to gather like this in such a place, what a coincidence this is. Hahaha..."
"Hmm..."
"Mmm."
"Hehe."
"..."
What the.
I just tried to fill the silence with some random chatter, but why are their reactions like this?
No choice.
I have no choice but to disperse the aggro here...!
"Well, you all came to see the fireworks, didn't you? While watching them here has its charm, I've prepared a small banquet at my humble home. If you're all agreeable, how about we go there together and enjoy them at leisure?"
Fortunately, no one refused my suggestion.
My intimate date plan had gone up in smoke.
I had no choice but to somehow turn this into a 'group gathering.'
Aware of the four people following me, I invited more sacrificial lambs to share this 'happy' time.
[Me: If you don't want to repay the money you borrowed immediately tomorrow]
[Me: Come to the main residence within two hours.]
[Cowardly Taek: What the hell?]
[Me: Bring the beggar along when you come.]
And I also contacted my mother in advance to tell her that a crowd of people would be coming.
Sorry for being such an unfilial child.
* * *
"Oh my, this is so lovely."
Yeon Hwaran, the undisputed mistress of the Man-geum Merchant Guild and Geum Sihyeon's mother, smiled contentedly.
Her third child, whom she had almost lost to illness. Her precious third child, whom she wouldn't mind putting in her eye, had not only overcome his illness and grown up, but was now even hosting a banquet, inviting so many friends.
What a joyous occasion.
Moreover, the people themselves were truly a sight to behold.
Yeon Hwaran had a good eye for people.
It was Yeon Hwaran's ability that had allowed her to notice Geum Sihyeon's father, who was merely a wandering peddler in his youth, and to capture his heart first.
In an era where three wives and four concubines were common, even though he had become wealthy enough to build a fortress of gold, he had not taken a single concubine and had maintained a pure, devoted love, all thanks to her.
Of course, the fact that she was a beauty of her era, who had managed to maintain the appearance of someone in her early thirties well into her fifties without a speck of internal energy, also played a part.
When viewed through her eyes, whether her beloved son had gathered them, or if they had been drawn to her beloved son, she wasn't sure.
The future of everyone present shone brilliantly.
There was a woman who seemed to have a good-bad relationship with her younger brother, grumbling at him, yet warmly scolding him despite her cold appearance.
Her name was Mo Yongseol, so she must be a daughter of the Mo Yong Clan in Liaoning.
As a renowned clan that had settled in the harsh northern regions and defended against foreign invasions for generations, there was nothing to fault about her family.
And since she was introduced as an instructor at the Hundred Flowers Academy, her martial arts skills must also be outstanding.
"Luli, is the food to your liking? I prepared a lot of sweet things because I thought you might come, so try this too."
"Nom."
And this tiny baby cat.
When she heard she was twenty, she was quite surprised, but despite her sullen expression, she had more than a few cute quirks.
Her fate seemed precarious, like two sides of a coin, but she had a premonition that with good connections around her, she could certainly embrace a better future.
...Of course, her appearance was quite different from the tastes of the Geum family men.
"Hehe, Mother! Your cooking is so good!"
"Hoho. I'm so glad it suits Narang's taste too."
And there was Myao Narang, a girl whose appearance, no matter how you looked at it, perfectly hit the sweet spot of the Geum family men's preferences.
At first glance, she seemed ordinary.
But being ordinary is one of the greatest strengths.
"Kyuit, Kyuit!"
"Yes, yes. Darami, would you like to try this nut?"
"Kyuit!"
And even the cute Darami!
A broad smile played on Yeon Hwaran's lips.
And then.
"Well, I should be going..."
"Dohui. Are you upset with me? I prepared so diligently."
"Ugh."
Seo Dohui.
The greatest contributor to the Man-geum Merchant Guild and Man-geum Escort Agency's rise to the top of the Central Plains' escort business, and Yeon Hwaran's most cherished younger sister.
Originally, Yeon Hwaran had considered pairing her with her eldest son.
However, she abandoned that idea due to her eldest son's polite refusal to take a woman who practiced martial arts as his wife.
But perhaps fated connections simply find their way.
Although there was a bit of an age difference, if Sihyeon had captured Dohui's heart, she had no intention of opposing it.
Perhaps the situation was too burdensome.
Looking at Geum Sihyeon's face as he poured wine, unable to stay long at this table teeming with women, and instead sitting next to the fierce man he had taken in as a guest recently.
"He'll have quite a tough time... Hoho."
Yeon Hwaran smiled.
Stroking Luli's head.
And firmly holding Seo Dohui's hand, who was about to get up, keeping her seated.
Within that harmonious scene.
In a corner, a man was silently swallowing tears and drinking alcohol by himself.
It was Un-hak.
About an hour earlier.
"That Geum fellow says you should come to his house with me?"
"Ohh. Perhaps Brother Geum has prepared some rare delicacies. Let's go at once!"
Picking up scraps at a banquet was a beggar's professional calling.
Un-hak sealed away his beggar's training rags and, for the first time in a long while, donned a splendid robe before setting off.
And in front of the Man-geum Merchant Guild.
"Oh, welcome. You must be Sihyeon's friends, aren't you? You've worked hard to get here."
"Gasp..."
He ended up seeing the face of a woman who exuded an oddly similar aura to Geum Sihyeon, appearing to be in her early thirties.
Un-hak, a twenty-year-old youth.
Fell in love.
Feeling his heart pound more intensely than ever before, he couldn't utter a sound and entered, with Mo Yongtaek leading the way.
In the garden, where the soft sound of a pipa lingered.
Un-hak, unaware if the food was going into his mouth or his nose, continuously followed her figure with his eyes while exchanging idle chatter with Mo Yongtaek.
Sihyeon had never mentioned having an older sister.
She was probably Geum Sihyeon's older sister.
With only one person in his sight, he didn't even pay much attention to Un-hak's older sister, whom he usually found difficult, or the other female instructors, or even Instructor Seo.
By the time Un-hak's love had borne fruit in his mind, producing one lucky-charm daughter and one annoyingly handsome son resembling Geum Sihyeon.
"Sister, I'm a little tired..."
"Dohui. Isn't it best to relax and enjoy yourself together like this when you're tired?"
"Pwooop──"
The wine Un-hak had just held in his mouth splattered onto Mo Yongtaek's chest.
"Ah, damn it, you beggar. What the hell are you doing, you filthy mess?"
Ignoring Mo Yongtaek's disgusted wiping.
Because a word that shouldn't have come from Instructor Seo had been uttered.
Un-hak faced a colossal terror.
Now that he thought about it, she might have introduced herself earlier, but he must have been too nervous to properly hear it.
"Th-th-that person is..."
Un-hak's voice trembled greatly.
"Who? Oh, Geum family... no, Geum Sihyeon's mother?"
"Gasp."
If dead people became stars, then the Mengde star would have been smiling down at Un-hak.
Regrettably, Un-hak was not a man twisted enough to share the refined tastes of Chancellor Cao.
Un-hak, a twenty-year-old youth.
Suffered the pain of a broken heart.
* * *
As the people gathered at the Man-geum Merchant Guild were enjoying the fireworks adorning the night sky, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Alright, eat your fill."
"Yes, Uncle!"
"Thank you!"
"It's an honor!"
One of Chang'an's renowned taverns, the top floor of the Wine-White Tower.
Having received word from Namgung Baek, all the collateral descendants of the Namgung Clan attending the Hundred Flowers Academy had gathered.
Gazing at the brilliant lights of Chang'an, like an eternal city, visible from the window.
In a relaxed atmosphere, a little different from the strictness Namgung Baek usually displayed.
The food rapidly diminished.
And the wine had gone around a few times.
"All of you, enter the martial arts tournament."
At Namgung Baek's words, the instructors, who were already eager to participate, all had their eyes gleam with competitive spirit.
Until they heard what came next.
"If you encounter Geum Sihyeon as your opponent, cut off one of his arms, no matter what it takes. I will take responsibility."
The air froze solid.