Reincarnation - Chapter 3

Translator: Darling | Editor: Darling

“He just stood up to me, right?”

“It looked like that.”

said the man, about fifty years old, who stood silent a little further away.

He was Kwak Seok-san. Grumpy looking face and a big figure.

“Huh, even earthworms wriggle if you stepped on them.”

“It’s a big change when I think about the old Jeongryong.”

“What a big change did he make with one stubborn defiance. Are you saying that because you didn’t see his legs shaking?”

To be honest, Kwak Seok-san was also nervous because he thought Lee Jung-ryong would piss all over the floor. But he never thought he’d get out like that at the last minute.

“Only the unfortunate luck sword was taken away.”

“You didn’t lose much because It went to your son.”

“It wouldn’t be a loss when the sword was in good hands. I’ll be glad if the sword didn’t get taken away by gambling houses instead of money by people who recognized the real value of it.”

“Do you want to ……do you want to retrieve it?”

“Are you trying to steal it?”

“The worth of the sword he took was…”

‘Leave them alone. It proves all he’s got if it gets taken away.”

Not a chance. The value of the sword Jung-ryong took had too much of a value for King Pyo to give up easily. Even if someone takes it away, king Pyo would go to the end of the world to retrieve It. Using information about Cheollong Pyo Kingdom, it was a piece of cake.

“But is it true that I haven’t given him anything in the last 20 years?”

“It’s true.”

“Never?”

“Yes.

“You’re firm.”

“Because it’s true.”

“To the other children?”

“You often offered good horses and swords.”

“That’s because he spent his fortune in gambling houses on a fictitious day. In the meantime, his brothers sweated and earned money. One must have a clear reward and punishment for the family to stand upright. He should be glad I’m not punishing him .”

The voice of King Pyo was slightly aroused. The more he did,  Kwak Seok-san said in a calm voice.

“How can all ten fingers be the same length? Maybe the difference between them is that they have their uses.”

“Why does it sound like you’re lecturing me?”

“Jeongryong, unlike his brothers, has no family to support him. Don’t be too harsh on him. I’m only saying this  because I taught him how to fight when he was young and the time we spent together.”

“You’re lecturing me.”

“Give Jeong-ryong a chance, for example, leave less important shipment for him to lead.”

“Was there anything such as a less important job to Cheollong Pyo Kingdom?”

Suddenly, a fierce fire grew in the eyes of King Pyo. It was a very different response he had when Kwak tried to lecture him.

Kwak quickly held hands together and bowed his head.

“Your servant made a slip of the tongue.”

Only then did the flame disappear from the eyes of King Pyo.

“I see what you want to say. But an opportunity that others give you is not a proper one. It’s only when desperate greed rises and you grasp it with your own hands.”

“Understood.”

“I won’t give him an opportunity, but let’s give him a lesson. Tell the hall not to give a penny to the fellow who’s been around for a year. So that he can finally realize who’s been keeping him fed and alive.”

Even though Lee Jung-ryong has done countless stupid things, he has never cut his financial support. Rather, it was like a flower bed that never dried out.

It looks like a slap on the wrist, but this is a test. Tying his hands and feet, and then watching his reaction. It was an opportunity.

King Pyo must have read the sense of change from his fourth son (Jeongryong) who used to only act foolishly.

“I’ll follow the instructions. And …… they sent the hawks back from Su-Hyang-Mun. They were mentioning engagement. Byeongryong (King Pyo’s third son) and Mrs. Chunghwa seem to have made up their minds before, so shouldn’t we give them a formal answer now?”

Su Hyang-mun was the leader of the clan who sent hawks to marry Lee Byung-ryong and his daughter. After that, Lee Jung-ryong threw himself into the lake and the progress had been delayed for a while.

“Leader of Su Hyang-mun is desperate, isn’t he?”

“It wouldn’t be a bad marriage. The leader of the clan is well known for its elegant character, and many people admire it. And the daughter is also well known for her beauty.”

“Elegant character doesn’t make any money, and a lot of admirers mean a lot of money. And your wife’s beauty is very harmful.”

It was the theory of King Pyo that a great branch of the family is created only with great wealth

Thus, Chen Ryong’s motto has always grown with an emphasis on wealth, either wealth or nothing.

However, the current answer seemed to be somewhat awkward. The value of the Cheollong Pyo Kingdom’s wealth was more than enough. 

“Is it because of people talking about negative things about this marriage?”

“Do you think I care what people say? It’s not urgent, so let’s wait and see. It’s not like marriage works if you force them to be together”

“The Su-hyang-mun clan would think it was a rejection.”

“Are you telling me that I should be bothered by that old man?”

“I will send a reply as politely as possible. “

Gwak Seok-san has been supporting King Pyo for more than 30 years, forming a brother-in-law. He could confidently say he knew what King Pyo was thinking just by looking into his eyes.

King Pyo had four sons. They all had different mothers, but all of them were wives, except for the mother of Lee Jung-ryong.

Different mothers, powerful family, the wealth of great eminence… …the brothers were born with the destiny of having to go to war for the throne from the start.

As fate would have it, all three brothers were working hard to establish themselves for the war they had to face one day.

“My first and second have already led forces that considered them the leader.

Third, put a lot of effort into making friends with people beneficial to him. One day when he tries to fly, the friends will be a great support to him.

However, the fourth tried to kill himself because of a woman, as it was not enough he was always in gambling houses.

And It was because of a woman who talked to his brother. How can I not be angry as a father? But can I call myself a father if I’m not angry? That’s what parents do. How can I bite my injured finger again? “

“Why do you keep going back and forth? Why are you looking at shoes like that? Did you step on shit?”

“Jangsam blew at me, not sweeping the yard. He was so gentle and affectionate that I did not know why he came all the way here to serve me as a servant.”

“I’m looking at my legs, not the shoes.”

“What about the leg?”

“Isn’t it strange when I walk?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m leaning to one side.”

“It’s the same as usual.”

“Usual?”

‘You look as arrogant as you normally are.’

‘I see. It’s the same as usual. Hahaha,”

I can’t help but laugh. I walked limping for 52 years.

The discomfort, the stinging gaze, and the sorrow are never known to the average person. On Jang Sam’s forehead, looking at me with a broom in his hand, there seemed to be writing that came to mind,

 ‘Is that man crazy?’

It was good somehow. I thought I was dead, but I survived, and now that I had two legs, a flower-like youth, and a fine leg, I had nothing more to worry about.

“What day is it today?”

“It’s the twelfth day of the month.

“It’s clear as autumn weather.”

The weather and the scenery are the best times of the year.

‘Shall we go for a stroll?’

‘Go to the gambling house again?’ 

Jang-sam opened his eyes. It was an answer that reminded what life Lee Jung-ryong lived. There was a long way to change these perceptions one by one. 

“Don’t go out for the time being. You know what happened a few days ago, and now you don’t have any money.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just got a call from the hall. From now on, King Pyo had ordered you to eliminate any support except three meals a day at Pyo’s domestic restaurant.”

The people of Cheollyong’s kingdom referred to the direct lineage of King Pyo as Yong-Hyul (Dragon’s Blood)

 There were four sons, Lee Gap-ryong, Lee ul-ryong, Lee Byung-ryong, and Lee Jung-ryong, who were named after the order of the heavenly bodies of Gab and Eul Byeong-jeong.

The hall was a place where the blood was clothed, eaten, used, and managed all the financial support needed to live.

But King Pyo blocked it.

“There’s something about the old man that is pettier than I thought.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“Why, you think you’ll starve to death just because my hall’s support has been cut off?” 

“I’m talking about your future. I don’t know if it sounds presumptuous, but how long can you stay like this?”

“Don’t worry, I’m about to start shipment work.”

“Are you serious?”

“I can’t live like this forever as you said.”

Jang-sam was delighted and threw himself to the broom and ran quickly.

“So what are you going to do?”

“Armed escort.”

“Wh.. What”

“Why, is there something wrong?”

“To follow the motto of Cheollong Pyo Kingdom, no matter how low-ranking armed escort, you must be at least second-class in combat, but don’t you know anything about combat”

“Am I that bad?”

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Try it.”

“I am confident that I will fight and win against you.”

“Phew. Who is to blame? I’m the idiot who neglected to train. Anyway, you don’t have to learn all the martial arts just because you’re a symbol of Cheollong Pyo Kingdom. There are exceptions.”

“Are you thinking of using your status to become an armed escort? The King will never allow it.”

“He will allow it. It’s a rule. Have you ever heard of the Gu- In armed escort?”

Gu- In armed escort refers to Confucian scholars who have passed the exam. Since a long time ago, the Bureau of Cheollong Pyo Kingdom has hired Gu- in armed escorts and given them the rank of the marksmen in the name of sponsoring poor Confucian scholars.

They rarely took part in the shipments because they never achieved combat skills.

Instead, they devoted themselves to writing, accounting, and teaching porters how to read and write.

Fortunately, if I pass the exam, which is a higher-level test, and get an appointment as a local leader, I will have strong backing from the perspective of the government.

“You’re not going to… …take the exam, are you?

“Of course.

“When?

“The 12th day of this month”

“That’s today”

“Hurry up and pack. We need to find a good spot on the exam. And we also have places to visit beforehand.

-Chapter 3 End –