Chapter 118
Great Namgung Family Patriarch Namgung Jo couldn’t help but feel troubled despite having grounded Namgung Hyun-Ah in her residence. Hyun-Ah had gone on a hunger strike, saying that she would rather die than not be with Baek Mu-Gun. Amid this entire ordeal, the Baek Sword Sect sent them an official marriage proposal, which Namgung Jo could not help but welcome.
Despite telling Hyun-Ah that he would never marry someone from the Seven Great Families, Mu-Gun went against his words and sent a marriage proposal to the Great Namgung Family, proving his feelings for Hyun-Ah. Namgung Jo detested Mu-Gun for encouraging Hyun-Ah to cut ties with the Great Namgung Family, but his heart softened upon learning how deep Mu-Gun’s feelings for Hyun-Ah truly were.
Now that the Baek Sword Sect had officially sent a marriage proposal, the Great Namgung Family could save face. The Great Namgung Family was flat-out rejected when they sent a marriage proposal to the Baek Sword Sect before. That alone was already detrimental to their pride. If Hyun-Ah cut ties with the Great Namgung Family and went to Mu-Gun’s side in that situation, the prestige of the Great Namgung Family would have literally dropped to rock bottom. To prevent that from happening, he had to lock Hyun-Ah up.
The Baek Sword Sect reaching out first was what Namgung Jo wanted but dared not ask for. Having accepted the Baek Sword Sect’s marriage proposal, Namgung Jo lifted the restraints on Hyun-Ah and informed her about the marriage proposal and his decision, leaving her with no reason to keep her hunger strike going.
Mu-Gun trying to formally enter a marriage with the Great Namgung Family for Hyun-Ah deeply moved her. With the Great Namgung Family’s blessing, their marriage proceeded with lightning speed. They decided to hold it on a most auspicious day, which would be in three months.
After finalizing his marriage to Hyun-Ah, Mu-Gun visited Dan Seol-Young to inform her about it and ask for her understanding. Mu-Gun wanted Seol-Young to be his first wife, but he had to consider the Great Namgung Family’s position. Although Seol-Young was, in truth, the vice leader of the Heavenly Secret Hall, she was only publicly known as a Flower Honor Manor gisaeng.
The Great Namgung Family wouldn’t mind it if So Yeon-Hwa, the Putuo Sword Sect’s Young Patriarch, became his first wife, but they would see it as a disgrace if Mu-Gun married Seol-Young, a gisaeng, before Hyun-Ah. They could even see it as enough reason to give up on the marriage and refuse to let Hyun-Ah be with him. Since Mu-Gun did not want to give up on Hyun-Ah, he had no choice but to make him his first wife.
“I’m fine with it, so worry not,” Seol-Young replied afterward.
“Are you sure?”
“I heard that Lady Namgung Hyun-Ah was willing to cut ties with her family for you and that even after she was grounded because of it, she went on a hunger strike instead of going back on her decision. Honestly, I’m not confident I can do the same if I was in her position, so I’m fine. She likes you enough for me to acknowledge her, Young Master Baek.”
“That puts me at ease. Thank you.”
“If you’re truly grateful, then please love me just as much.” Seol-Young smiled.
“Don’t worry. My feelings for you will never change.”
“That’s all that matters to me.”
Mu-Gun, who had been worried about his decision hurting Seol-Young, returned to the Baek Sword Sect with his heart at ease. With all matters regarding his marriage settled, he finally focused on the Shennong Clinic. After just a month of preparation, it opened for business.
Sick people from all over Wenzhou visited the Shennong Clinic, which was known to have been established by the Baek Sword Sect, and its medical staff and physicians treated them using top-tier medical techniques and medicinal knowledge. They did not only cure them of their illnesses either. Their services were also extremely cheap compared to other clinics.
The Shennong Clinic followed the Medicine King Family’s ideology of prioritizing patient treatment over huge profits. Hence, their treatment costs and medicine prices were set to a minimum. Those the Shennong Clinic had treated began spreading good rumors about it without anyone telling them to, quickly increasing the clinic’s popularity and bringing even more sick people to its doors.
Interestingly enough, the Baek Sword Sect’s reputation also grew together with the Shennong Clinic’s fame. Many people in Wenzhou thought that the Baek Sword Sect had opened the Shennong Clinic for the sake of Wenzhou’s citizens, so they inevitably praised the Baek Sword Sect when the clinic started treating its patients at such low prices.
This could have made the Medicine King Family unhappy, considering they were the ones putting in all the effort, but they had no interest whatsoever in their reputation. They were contented with just being able to treat and cure people suffering from diseases. Hence, they did not bother to correct people’s thoughts. The Baek Sword Sect’s help contributed greatly to their success even though they were the ones who opened and operated the Shennong Clinic, so it was not as if the citizens were completely wrong. Even within the Baek Sword Sect, praises for the Shennong Clinic continued on.
Some, including White Dragon Squad Leader Baek Cheon-Gi and White Leopard Squad Leader Baek Cheon-Ung, were initially opposed to the Baek Sword Sect’s sudden yet large investment in setting up a medical clinic. However, they weren’t opposed to it out of ill intentions but rather simply thought there were better things to spend the sect’s funds on. In their own way, they were just looking out for the Baek Sword Sect’s best interests.
Nevertheless, Mu-Gun pushed for it to the very end. When the Shennong Clinic’s success improved the Baek Sword Sect’s reputation, Cheon-Gi and Cheon-Ung acknowledged that Mu-Gun made the right choice. After the Shennong Clinic's successful establishment in Wenzhou, Mu-Gun discussed where to open its second branch with the Medicine King Family and eventually decided to erect it in Hangzhou. Not long after, they began preparations for its construction.
* * *
Rather than spearheading the construction of the Shennong Clinic’s Hangzhou branch himself, Mu-Gun entrusted it to the Hangzhou Merchant Company instead. He simply provided them with the necessary funds, which was the most important. Since he didn’t have to devote much time to planning and opening the new Shennong Clinic branch, Mu-Gun found himself with a lot of free time in his hands.
In between his training sessions, Mu-Gun once again examined the Baek Sword Corps’ skills by individually sparring with those who had completed the physical strength inspection. In response, the Baek Sword Corps did not hold back in showing him the skills that they had been honing. At the end of it all, Mu-Gun concluded that every single one of them had improved. However, those who had consumed a Hundred Herb Pill had evidently grown significantly stronger. Seeing how much effort the Baek Sword Cops had exerted into their training, Mu-Gun was very satisfied with the results of their hard work.
However, he kept his true feelings to himself. Their skills had undoubtedly improved, but they were still lacking compared to the Seven Great Families’ elite warriors. It would be troubling if they were to become satisfied with their current skills, so Mu-Gun instead urged them to put in more effort. Also well aware that their skills were still inadequate, the Baek Sword Corps’ members vowed to work even harder.
Mu-Gun spent ten days inspecting the Baek Sword Corps’ skills, ending it just in time to welcome the new year. However, he did not do anything special on New Year’s Day except greet, have a meal, and receive the blessings of his father and uncles.
After greeting everyone, Mu-Gun visited the Flower Honor Manor and greeted Cheon Yu-Hwa as well. He felt ridiculous sending a New Year’s greeting to Yu-Hwa, who was like a friend in his previous life, but he was Baek Mu-Gun now, not Guyang Hwi. He had to do his duty as her junior in life. Mu-Gun greeted Yu-Hwa, accepted her blessing, then took Dan Seol-Young outside.
In celebration of New Year’s Day, events of various sizes and a wide selection of booths were set up in the streets of Wenzhou. They had more food options available than usual as well. While walking around the streets of Wenzhou, Mu-Gun and Seol-Young checked out some of the booths and bought a couple of snacks. Time flew by so fast that they didn’t even notice the sun had already gone down. Mu-Gun took Seol-Young to Shanhai tavern for dinner, ordering only their best dishes.
“Did you have fun today?” Mu-Gun asked Seol-Young.
“I did. It was amazing.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I love walking and looking around the streets with you. It was especially fun today because there were so many things to see.”
“I should take you out more often.”
“No, going out once in a while is already more than enough for me.”
“Have you ever traveled or done something similar before?”
“No.”
“Is there any place you want to go?”
“If it’s with you, anywhere would be great,” Seol-Young said shyly.
“Even if it’s a battlefield?”
“You will protect me anyway, won’t you?” Seol-Young cheerfully answered.
“Look at you saying stuff without thinking about it first. Let’s go on a trip together when time permits.”
“I’d love to, but do you have the time?”
“Even if I don’t, I’ll make time.”
“Don’t overdo it. Being with you is more than enough for me.”
“But wouldn’t it be better to go on a trip together? That’s why I want to go,” Mu-Gun replied.
“You’re right. I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”
Feeling Mu-Gun’s genuine feelings for her, Seol-Young smiled brightly.
“Alright.”
The dishes they ordered were soon served, filling their table with fresh seafood from the seas of Zhejiang Province.
“These look really good!” Seol-Young exclaimed.
“Don’t just stare at them. Go ahead and have some.”
“Let’s eat together,” Seol-Young insisted, making them eat at the same time.
“This is really good.”
“Keep eating.”
Mu-Gun chuckled upon seeing Seol-Young’s eyes widen because of how great the food tasted. All the dishes and alcohol they ordered were truly delicious.
Crackle!
In the middle of their meal, firecrackers suddenly went off outside, creating a beautiful fireworks display in the sky.
“Wow! This is beautiful!” Seol-Young sounded like a child.
“I prepared that for you, Seol-Young.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Hearing from Yu-Hwa that Seol-Young loved fireworks, Mu-Gun had a fireworks display prepared in advance. Firecrackers sored up from the windows of the Shanhai Pavilion and formed various shapes up in the air. Seol-Young’s jaw dropped open. She couldn’t take her eyes off the mesmerizing sight. Her reaction made Mu-Gun think that he did well.
Ending their amazing day with a fireworks display and a nice dinner, the two returned to the Flower Honor Manor and made love with each other. Seemingly wanting to repay Mu-Gun for the wonderful day that he had prepared, Seol-Young was more aggressive than ever.
The next day, after eating breakfast that Seol-Young herself had prepared, Mu-Gun attempted to return to the Baek Sword Sect. However, before he could even leave the Flower Honor Manor, Yu-Hwa asked to meet him. Sensing that it was something urgent, he immediately headed to Yu-Hwa’s room.
“You asked to see me?”
“Yes. Last night, I received information about the hidden masters that you asked us to find.”
“Really? Who did you find?”
“I obtained information about two people: Qiankun Hands Seok Gang and Daybreak Swordsmaster Geom Woo-Saeng.”
Just like the Four Peerless Wanderers, Qiankun Hands Seok Gang and Daybreak Swordsmaster Geom Woo-Saeng made great contributions to the war against the Hell-Blood Demon Sect. Considering they used to be part of their era’s Hundred Central Plains Masters, they had both likely reached the Absolute Realm by now.
“It must have been hard to find them, yet you managed to find two at the same time.”
“Not exactly. When we found Seok Gang, Geom Woo-Saeng happened to be there too.”
“They live in seclusion together?”
“Yes. Upon confirmation, we discovered the two have been close enough to form a sworn brotherhood. They also seem to be working together to raise their disciple.”
“A joint disciple of the Qiankun Hands and the Daybreak Swordsmaster, huh? He must be no ordinary fellow. Where are they staying?”
“They live in Dieyun Valley in Mount Namkun, Guangdong Province.”
“That’s quite far. Anyway, thank you for the information. I will send you the payment as soon as I get back.” “Okay. Have a safe trip.”
Mu-Gun bid Yu-Hwa farewell and immediately returned to the Baek Sword Sect.
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