Chapter 345 : Tour
"Instructor. Are you going off on a tangent from the first day?"
"Then, a horse stance for one shichen..."
"I'm kidding. You're too much, Instructor."
"I'm kidding too. In fact, I was going to make you do a horse stance for two shichen. Wouldn't that be a proper training?"
"Goodness. Instructor. You're not popular with women, are you? Just because I made a joke, you're trying to win at all costs."
Namgung Hui chuckled at Ju Seoyeon's jab and stopped walking.
At that, Ju Seoyeon's eyes widened and she shook her head.
"Are you perhaps angry? I may not look it, but I'm the princess of a nation. The First Princess, at that."
"It seems you're the one who's angry, Your Highness? And that's not why I stopped. Look over there."
In the direction Namgung Hui pointed, eunuchs were in the middle of martial arts training.
There was probably no one else but the Eastern Depot forces who would be so passionate about martial arts.
"They're members of the Eastern Depot. I often watch their training."
"What do you think when you see them?"
"Uh...? They're fast because they have nothing attached?"
"...Is that so? Is there nothing else?"
"Just watching them, a gloomy energy lingers, so I don't watch for long. Why do you ask?"
The gloominess she felt was probably the unique energy of the Sunflower Manual.
A martial art that converts the yang energy of men to accumulate yin energy.
Because of that, it brought secrecy and at the same time, accumulated energy at a much faster rate compared to other martial arts.
Should one say it wrings out a man's essence to the extreme?
In a way, it was on the same track as a wicked demonic art, but since it was a martial art created by a Daoist immortal, it had almost no side effects of a demonic art.
Rather, since it achieved the pinnacle of profundity, it wouldn't be lacking to call it a divine art.
"Are you confident you can win if you fight them?"
"Of course. They don't seem to have even reached the transcendent level yet. I've at least reached the transcendent level, you know? And I have so much internal energy. I probably have more than you, Instructor."
"But I would win. And subduing those eunuchs won't be easy either. That's because there's not much difference in the fundamentals."
"I've heard from my master until my ears wore out that fundamentals are important, but anyway, when you get to the realm of a master, doesn't the one who deploys more powerful techniques win?"
"Of course, what Your Highness the Princess says is also correct, but fundamentally, aren't techniques only meaningful if they hit? And what will you do if you fight someone of the same realm? To flee, your dignity as a princess is one thing, but your lightness art won't be able to support you."
"So. I lack fundamentals and my lightness art is also insufficient?"
"Oh. As expected of the brilliant Princess. That's right. That's what I wanted to say."
"Goodness. For a man to be so petty. Why don't you just cut that thing off and become a eunuch too?"
It seemed she thought the advice Namgung Hui was giving was just to tease her.
Indeed, if she had been fully aware of the importance of fundamentals, she wouldn't have been practicing so lazily.
"Your Highness the Princess. This is not a simple joke. I am seriously giving you advice as an instructor. Well, since it's the first day anyway and we came out for other business, I'll stop here. After all, making you realize it yourself through actual combat will be the most impactful."
"Oh my. Are you threatening to put me through the wringer now?"
"That's right. I'm warning you in advance. And if you want to give up, it would be better to say so now. Instead, I am confident that there is no one in the Central Plains who can perform the Sword-Riding Art better than me."
It was a situation where it was even questionable whether Daoist Master Song Gwang, who was Ju Seoyeon's master, could even perform the Sword-Riding Art.
Naturally, since it was a distant matter to teach something one couldn't even perform, it was safe to say that there was no choice but Namgung Hui.
In any case, since she was receiving the teachings of a top ten master, she would have no choice but to learn, even if it meant crushing her pride as a princess.
That's why Ju Seoyeon just puffed up her cheeks and made a resentful face.
"Tsk! Live as a bachelor for the rest of your life."
"Unfortunately, this subordinate has a lover. I'm sorry for not being able to meet Your Highness the Princess's expectations."
Ju Seoyeon, as if she really didn't like Namgung Hui's answer, continued with a sullen expression.
"D-Do you really have a lover?"
"Probably? We haven't expressed it to each other in words for sure. A definite answer is difficult."
Come to think of it, they had never expressed their affection for each other.
It was a first for both of them, and since Namgung Hui was also clumsy in this aspect, he didn't even have a clue what to do.
'I need to ask the Murong sisters for advice, but I heard they were called by Imperial Heaven just in time?'
They were attached under the pretext of monitoring the Golden Merchant Guild.
But it was discovered by the Hoicheon Association that they had changed their minds and were colluding with the Golden Merchant Guild.
As a result, the two were dragged to the Imperial Heaven, and new members of the association were to be dispatched to the Golden Merchant Guild.
They would still think that the young master of the Golden Merchant Guild was poisoned with the Human-Faced Spider's venom, but that too would soon be discovered, and it was clear that they would pull another trick to put a leash on the Golden Merchant Guild again.
'I need to make the Golden Merchant Guild independent before that, but I really can't find the time for this either.'
Namgung Hui decided to deal with the matter at hand first and put the matter of the Golden Merchant Guild on the back burner.
"Then, Your Highness. Let's stop the chatter here and resume our work."
"Yes... I guess so."
Ju Seoyeon, who had become somewhat dispirited.
Namgung Hui vowed not to joke with her for the time being and toured the inside of the Imperial Palace.
As Namgung Hui walked around the Imperial Palace with Ju Seoyeon, the court ladies and officials who saw them began to whisper among themselves.
"Oh my. Has the princess found a lover? I don't think I've ever seen her with a man before."
"I know, right. I've been in the palace for over 10 years, and this is the first time I've seen it."
"But the timing is quite coincidental. Gwak Jinmu has just arrived at the Imperial Palace. If they run into each other, won't he ask for a duel? Then his body won't be intact... This is a big problem."
Some were even sending pitiful glances, worrying about Namgung Hui.
But others, who did not see Namgung Hui favorably, were even badmouthing him.
"The princess is ten million times too good for him. Where is Gwak Jinmu that he's just watching her hang around with a bum like that. He should hurry up and break one of his limbs. Tsk. This is why I don't know if Gwak Jinmu is even qualified."
'That guy seems to have feelings for the princess. His jealousy is about to pierce through his skin.'
Besides them, the majority were people who were badmouthing Namgung Hui.
From the outside, Namgung Hui's face looked plain, and his martial power didn't seem strong either, so he would just look like a man with nothing special.
At best, they were just inferring that he had a high rank or a strong backer, just from the fact that he could hang around with the princess.
'It's not much different from the map given by the Hao Mun. I can just fill in the personnel who reside here.'
Namgung Hui drew a map in his head and filled in the details.
Of course, the most important information to be added there was their level of martial power.
Namgung Hui intended to quantify the power of the Hoicheon Association and record it as objectively as possible.
"Instructor. Aren't your ears itching?"
"As my realm is what it is, I have no earwax."
"That's not it. Everyone is cursing you, Instructor. That's why I asked if your ears were itching. If you're really burdened, let's just look around this much for today."
"No. I'm fine. And they're badmouthing me because they don't know my true self, aren't they? I may not look it, but my reputation in the martial world is quite good. I don't know if you know, Your Highness."
One of the Seven Dragons, the Hidden Dragon.
It was a name that contained the expectation that he would become a pillar of the martial world in the future, along with his outstanding martial power.
And wasn't the title of Jade Qilin also a name that perfectly expressed the handsome Namgung Hui?
Besides that, some were even honoring him by giving him nicknames like Jade Dragon or Thunder Dragon.
Even with just this much, Namgung Hui thought he was receiving an overwhelming amount of attention.
So if it was the Imperial Palace, where he had no interest or connection, it was fine even if he didn't have it.
This kind of attention was truly too much of a good thing, so even if they gave him affectionate gazes, Namgung Hui would decline.
And so, he was able to look around two-fifths of the Imperial Palace with Ju Seoyeon.
The palace was so vast that even after walking around for a full three shichen, they had only covered this much.
Perhaps because she had walked around for a long time, the exhausted Ju Seoyeon leaned on Namgung Hui's shoulder and said.
"I can't walk anymore."
"A person who is at the transcendent level can't even walk for a mere three shichen?"
"No! I haven't eaten anything! Does a transcendent master get food from the ground?"
Because Namgung Hui had been so fired up, she hadn't even had a single meal.
Namgung Hui, who had already reached the state of perfection, did not get hungry easily, so he had overlooked this.
This was a situation where Namgung Hui's consideration was lacking.
"Ahem. I failed to consider Your Highness. I apologize."
"You shouldn't do things you'll be sorry for. Do you really have a lover? You don't seem like you'd be popular..."
"Well, when she gets hungry, she drags me along herself, so this kind of thing doesn't happen. You should have said something earlier, Your Highness the Princess."
"Oh my. Are you saying it's my fault now? Even if the imperial authority has fallen to the ground, how can you be like this?"
Ju Seoyeon, who rebuked Namgung Hui whenever she had the chance.
But since it wasn't wrong either, this time Namgung Hui decided to prostrate himself.
Because there was nothing to lose by gaining her favor.
"This humble one was wrong a hundred times. Then, I will treat you to a wonderful meal, so shall we go outside the palace?"
"I'd like that, but can you handle it?"
"I may not look it, but I have a lot of money."
"That's not it. If I go out, there will be a lot of eyes and officials who will want to follow. Right now, since it's inside the palace, there was no fuss. But outside the palace is different, isn't it? When I went to meet you last time, they were so annoying."
As she was the direct descendant of the emperor, the First Princess, she received a lot of public attention.
Moreover, going out with a man from outside was truly an impossible thing.
If a scandalous rumor were to spread, it would tarnish the name of the imperial family.
But Namgung Hui, as if it were no big deal, even smiled faintly and said to her.
"Your Highness the Princess. Have you ever tried a disguise?"
***
"Ahem! Come here!"
Namgung Hui looked at Ju Seoyeon, whose behavior had suddenly changed, and shook his head.
'No. How can she act like such a ruffian just because she's dressed as a man.'
Namgung Hui had disguised her as a man with the Hao Mun's face-changing technique.
A man's appearance would naturally attract less public attention than a woman's.
But if she went around acting like such a ruffian, she would inevitably draw attention.
So Namgung Hui had tried to stop her several times, but.
'Really, just for today. I really wanted to try this.'
Why would she want to act like a ruffian?
Well, she said she had seen it in a book.
What on earth was she reading that such behavior was described in a book?
But that ruffian's behavior didn't last long.
Because the strict officials of Beijing immediately came to restrain her.
"Hey there. You look like a child from a noble family, but this is still Beijing where the Imperial Palace is. You could get a severe beating, so be especially careful."
The men who looked like police officers even gave her sincere advice, and at this point, Ju Seoyeon couldn't continue to act like a ruffian.
And perhaps because the reaction wasn't what she had expected, she seemed to have become a little indifferent.
"Ah. This isn't what I wanted..."
A look that seemed to be hoping for something to happen.
If that happened, the meaning of the disguise would be lost, so Namgung Hui shook his head and grabbed her wrist.
"Let's stop this and go eat. Didn't you say you were hungry?"
"Alright. I can choose the inn, right? There was a place I've always wanted to eat at."
"Yes. Please do. You don't have to worry about the price."
"Really? You might regret it later."
Ju Seoyeon even made a mischievous face and stuck her tongue out at Namgung Hui.
But contrary to Ju Seoyeon's threat, the place she led Namgung Hui to was a shabby inn.
So much so that it didn't seem to fit in Beijing.
But Namgung Hui, as soon as he arrived at that shabby inn, had no choice but to quickly block Ju Seoyeon's front.
Because there was an unexpected master inside the inn.
(End of Chapter)