But to be honest, contact with Hae-gang was causing strange symptoms in Mok-young. Like the moment of dizziness when he’d looked up at the sun at the wedding grounds. What had brushed past him then was “heat.” A fragment of yang energy seeping somewhere inside Mok-young’s body had, in an instant, drunk in the sunlight and bloomed wide — evaporating, drenching Mok-young’s body in a flash, and flying away.
“……That’s absurd.”
As he crossed the great gate of the Dan residence , Mok-young let the mutter slip. Yes, it was something that made no sense —
That was it. His body, which had reached the realm of absolute yin — what manner of man, no matter how extreme his yang, could dare shake a body branded with the mark of hyeoneum?
“My lord, you’ve come.”
Someone hurrying across the front courtyard caught sight of Mok-young, paused briefly, and bowed his head in greeting. There was a hurried air about him, and Mok-young naturally felt a question rise.
“Where were you rushing off to in such a hurry? Has some problem arisen?”
“No, it’s… it’s not a problem, but…”
At Mok-young’s question, the junior trainee hemmed and hawed, unable to readily answer. Mok-young’s presence felt like something difficult to approach — it left him queasy and uncomfortable.
“It’s fine, speak freely.”
“The husband… my lord has come.”
Before Mok-young, the trainee grew all the more tongue-tied, not knowing what to call Hae-gang. And Mok-young fell into deep puzzlement. The only person who would announce himself as “Lord Husband” could be Go Hae-gang — but why would he need the training grounds, now that he’d come? Unless the fellow had caused some accident. No — caused an accident? No, Mok-young told himself, surely not.
“Then why are you rushing so? Has something happened to His Highness?”
Still, worry crept in. If Hae-gang hadn’t caused an accident, then perhaps some trouble had befallen him — the thought came naturally, and now it was making Mok-young somewhat on edge. As Mok-young spat his words quickly in a pressing tone and took a long stride closer, the trainee flinched for no reason and hurriedly shook his head. At last, unable to bear the frustration, Mok-young pressed the trainee once more.
“Where is His Highness? Speak quickly.”
“Over… over at the training grounds.”
The trainee answered, pointing somewhere, and Mok-young immediately set off in that direction, hurrying toward the martial training hall.
And just as he arrived at the training hall, he stopped dead — and felt as though the whole world had stopped dead with him.
Sure enough, Hae-gang was there. Captivating every gaze, wielding his sword as fluidly as if it were a dance, he was crossing blades with a senior trainee who had apparently been training here for some time. At a glance, it was plain that Hae-gang was overwhelming his opponent.
Hae-gang’s movements held the most precise and graceful lines of anything Mok-young had ever seen. His body looked light as a feather, and he seemed not to feel his own weight at all, his movements exceedingly nimble. He looked like a deity descended, commanding every eye . The splendid figure he cut was beautiful enough to live up to “peerless beauty” — even Mok-young had to admit it — but what truly made him feel the divinity of Hae-gang’s skill was this very moment.
Just as the North’s traditional martial art was the Hyeoneum Divine Art, in the South the Juyang Divine Art was widely spread as the traditional art. Naturally the imperial family trained in it too. But he had never imagined that a mere princeling would have mastered it . And to such a high level of skill.
Mok-young could see it. Everyone present could see what an outstanding master Hae-gang was — but Mok-young saw beyond mere admiration to something else. To eyes that had completed a divine art, another divine art could be seen standing at nearly the ultimate realm.
He could not help but know. Mok-young had been the same, after all — just before seeking the essence of hyeonmu, it was precisely the realm where he himself had lingered.
“……That’s absurd.”
What he had weighed as believable or not now struck him as something he might believe after all. Perhaps, as a man of extreme yang mastering the divine art, his yang energy had grown excessive. But now another question followed. Then what in the world was the man who made the absurd plausible? He’d said he might die tomorrow, yet his martial skill stood at its pinnacle — was he about to complete the divine art? Was he telling him to go seek the essence himself? That he… to the extent of prolonging his life?
Of course, seeking the essence of the divine art was never an easy thing. No wonder Mok-young had been the first in seven hundred years to seek the essence of hyeonmu. Besides, Hae-gang had left Namwi and come up to Northern Wei, so the timing was all the worse. Could his body wage a battle against time?
Or was there some other scheme……
“No. No.”
Mok-young shook his head firmly and stopped the thought. So unexpected had it been that too many thoughts had come pouring into his head in a short span. It was fine to rate Hae-gang’s martial skill highly, but letting the branches of thought spread too far on that alone — he decided to restrain himself.
“Oraboni!”
And just then a ringing shout rang out. The glad, clear voice belonged to Cheong-i, and from
The “oraboni” from his mouth was of course calling Mok-young.
The whole training hall fell silent. Not only at the general’s entrance, but because the moment Cheong-i called to Mok-young, Hae-gang stopped dead. He halted as if struck, standing straight — and his sparring partner, who had been mid-exchange with him, was rather flustered. Unable to check his advancing hand, he’d nearly run Hae-gang through — barely stopping just in time — yet Hae-gang didn’t so much as flinch.
“You’ve come, my lady!”
Hae-gang’s attention was fixed solely on Dan Mok-young. Beneath the clear sky, as if drinking in all the pouring sunlight alone, Hae-gang smiled brightly and offered his “wife” a fond greeting.
So inscrutable, so unknowable — what a strange air he had. Thinking the absurd thought — surely no divine beast could have possessed him — Mok-young likewise couldn’t take his eyes off his own wife.
Hae-gang turned his head first. His eyes met one of the onlookers watching his spar with the trainee a few steps away, and the man hurried over. As the distance closed, Hae-gang held out the sword he was holding; the man took it at once and bowed his head. His royal bearing lightened, Hae-gang looked at Mok-young again, and this time he moved toward Mok-young. Every one of the sequence of movements was as natural as flowing water, and to all eyes the two looked every inch the newlywed couple.
“What is it about this that surprises you so — what brings you here? ”
A faint smile still played at Hae-gang’s lips. His questioning voice —
Sharp, yet magnificent. To those listening around them it might sound like nothing more than unexpected delight at a chance meeting, but Mok-young knew well that there were thorns hidden in Hae-gang’s words. For two people who, unbecoming a newlywed couple, could hardly meet at home — “I never thought I’d see you here” was not a remark to let pass lightly.
Feeling as though he were being needlessly interrogated, Mok-young glanced subtly away. But Cheong-i, gazing up at his oraboni with bright, clear eyes from over there, started for no reason when their eyes met, and Mok-young had no choice but to look back at Hae-gang. It seemed Hae-gang had already thoroughly bewitched everyone, Cheong-i included. The outrageous rumors of Hae-gang’s insolence, so loud even before the wedding — having confirmed them with their own two eyes, they seemed resolved to take oraboni’s side entirely.
How awkward. Feeling so, yet not exactly disliking it, Mok-young gave Cheong-i no particular hint. His cheerful, seemingly carefree younger brother was adorable, of course, but greater still was the relief — no, the gratitude — that there was at least one person who could treat Hae-gang without reserve.
“I’ve come to pay my respects.”
Mok-young belatedly answered Hae-gang’s question. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but his gaze dipped slightly downward in the roundabout telling of it. For the general called the pride of Northern Wei, so celebrated, a surprisingly clumsy, naive side showed through in such matters. What great crime was a small white lie to save face, that he should be so awkward? Though a very large problem did lurk in the essence of him — trying to avoid his bride when it hadn’t even been seven days since the wedding. Anyway, even the general couldn’t help feeling pricked by conscience.
“I’d already seen that you were a man overflowing with loyalty… and your filial devotion is quite extreme too.”
Hae-gang’s words pricked Mok-young’s chest once more. He’d never imagined that the words he’d spoken to him at their first meeting at the reservoir would come back to him like this. He’d already nailed it down from the start — this was a marriage done solely by the Emperor’s command. Had he known then that he was the other party, he would never have said such a thing. He wouldn’t have dared tease a man walking a dizzying tightrope .
Had Go Hae-gang actually been the one deceiving him that day? The thought rose, and resentment welled up in him at the unfairness — but with so many watching eyes around, it was awkward to protest. Over Hae-gang’s shoulder he could see the trainees who had been watching them all along, and in the end Mok-young couldn’t help letting out a small “haa” of a sigh .
“I came to call her ‘Mother’ too — isn’t it the Duke’s birthday? To talk about the banquet that day as well, I too came to pay my respects.”
Even without Mok-young putting his fluster into words, Hae-gang could feel it. Blunt and fierce on the outside, yet unexpectedly artless within — as he gradually came to know this, he naturally learned to read such cues. They hadn’t met all that often yet, but it was enough to get a sense of what kind of person he was. Having seen so many people while surviving in the imperial palace, Hae-gang was quick-witted and quick to judge people.
So he decided to stop teasing his bride here, and kindly explained why he too had come to the Dan residence today. And what he’d been up to until just now as well.
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