Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#064

 

“La la la la… Hum hum hum…”

 

The backyard of Taecheonwon in Mount Cheonju of the Namgung Family.

 

There, Deputy Master Namgung Seong-tae was enjoying the warm early spring sunlight while humming a tune, holding a wet cloth and bucket.

 

“Hum hum hum hum… With that disgusting Namgung Hwi bastard gone, and all the other power-hungry young masters away on business, only my beloved carriage faces me, so I’m in a good mood. Hum hum…”

 

In front of him was a gleaming golden carriage.

 

He continuously splashed water on it and polished it with the cloth until it shone.

 

“Oh my, feels refreshing, doesn’t it? Yes, my baby. This daddy only needs you. Yes yes, that’s right. It feels cool? Should I wipe here a bit more?”

 

All the servants were horrified and said they would do it, but this wasn’t just any ordinary carriage – Namgung Seong-tae insisted on doing this one himself.

 

A golden carriage specially ordered from Luoyang, crafted by fifty artisans over a hundred days…!

 

He only rode the carriage on sunny days, and even then, if it stepped in mud even once, Namgung Seong-tae would personally clean even the wheel frames within an hour of arrival.

 

“When I think of how our delicate, precious baby was dragged all the way to Sichuan by that heinous bastard and suffered…”

 

Fire blazed in Namgung Seong-tae’s eyes as he scrubbed with force.

 

“This damn son of a bitch. Making fun of this Namgung’s head, the world’s strategist acknowledged even by the Master himself, this Namgung Seong-tae? I definitely tried to endure it. Of course. That’s why I tried to stop the Sword Master when he acted roughly. But touching my beloved carriage crossed the line…”

 

With each wipe of the cloth, the golden carriage gradually displayed its majesty.

 

The parts damaged during the trip to the Sichuan Tang Family had just been completely repaired yesterday by craftsmen he immediately summoned in a rage.

 

Now there were no visible traces on the surface.

 

But when he looked closely with his nose pressed against it, Namgung Seong-tae couldn’t help but feel his heart breaking at the hairline cracks visible to the naked eye.

 

“Oh my, you really went through a lot. Going to such a rough place, carrying such a person – it must have been hard, right? Oh dear, yes. Daddy thinks so too. Oh my. You suffered so much. Now that winter is over and spring is beginning, we should go around together happily, shouldn’t we?”

 

Namgung Seong-tae painted happy fantasies in his mind.

 

Simple happiness.

 

No need for maids, no need for servants.

 

Just for a brief moment, he would load his rabbit-like wife and only daughter into this pretty, beautifully polished golden beloved carriage, sit in the coachman’s seat himself, and despite his clumsy skills, drive the carriage to pretty fields and mountains for outings.

 

That way he would feel the joy of being the head of a household.

 

If they got sleepy while playing like that, then they would climb onto the roof of the carriage.

 

Just for that moment,

 

He had the carriage roof made comfortable with cypress wood for lying down, saying that unless one was a considerable enthusiast, it wouldn’t catch anyone’s eye so he didn’t need to worry about it.

 

“We’d lie on the roof and look at the stars. Those dry warriors don’t know this romance. Always fighting, swords, rough crude language… Do you crude people know this scholar’s noble character and joy of lying in the fields looking at stars?”

 

For that day, he even invited an astrologer to ask about this and that, memorizing many constellations.

 

‘At the very least, when my daughter asks, if I can recite about seven constellations fluently, she’ll look at me with sparkling eyes of respect. And she’ll say daddy who drives this golden carriage is the best, the Namgung Family really can’t do without daddy! That’s what will happen.’

 

Before long, sweat beaded on Namgung Seong-tae’s forehead, and veins stood out on his thin arms and legs, but he didn’t feel tired.

 

“By the way, why isn’t that bastard coming back from the Sichuan Tang Family? I thought he’d be kicked out and return immediately.”

 

A demon appeared in Namgung Seong-tae’s mind.

 

Namgung Hwi.

 

A guy who acted arrogantly toward him, the Deputy Master of the great Namgung Family, despite being not even the Young Master but just the fourth young master among the candidate princes.

 

A guy who should originally be stuck in the annex. Really ugly and strange.

 

Despite his scrawny body with nothing to show for it, he sometimes showed the feeling of gritting his teeth and enduring anger that seemed about to explode.

 

And though he always held back his inner thoughts without showing them, enduring patiently,

 

Sometimes when that anger seemed to exceed its critical point, those eyes…

 

“Ah, it must be my imagination.”

 

Namgung Seong-tae shook his head.

 

“Namgung Seong-tae. Hey. No matter how difficult work is, get a grip. Does that make sense? Human eyes becoming like that?”

 

And that Namgung Hwi bastard seems to be gaining weight and his physique seems to be changing lately.

 

‘No, that’s impossible. Changing one’s natural physique is different from building up through training. This Namgung Seong-tae, who has observed this martial arts world with a cold eye for many years, knows this better.’

 

He probably babbles about trying to overcome his natural physique through training, but such people are everywhere.

 

Namgung Hwi’s physique changing?

 

It must be my imagination.

 

That would require effort based on spitting blood.

 

‘…Though his desperate struggling was pitiful to watch.’

 

He pretended not to see it several times.

 

And though he investigated several times, the reports were always the same.

 

Whatever he did,

 

No matter what he did.

 

Even right after the Heir Apparent Selection Competition, whenever he had time, Namgung Hwi continued training upon training.

 

Especially eating boiled meat with plum juice even while vomiting,

 

Even made Namgung Seong-tae, who wasn’t a warrior, feel complex emotions.

 

‘…Well. He must have… built up resentment.’

 

So just a little bit, but recently with that ugly appearance and physique gradually gaining weight and his physiognomy seeming to change, Namgung Seong-tae himself reluctantly admired that indomitable effort-.

 

“Namgung Seong-tae, are you crazy?”

 

Namgung Seong-tae shouted.

 

“Who are you trying to look favorably upon right now? Even the enemy of my beloved carriage?!”

 

A passing maid was startled by Namgung Seong-tae’s sudden outburst.

 

“What are you looking at! Go your way! First time seeing the Deputy Master wash his carriage?!”

 

“Of course it’s the first time… No, I’m sorry! I’ve committed a mortal sin! I’ll leave immediately!”

 

The maid fled in terror.

 

Once again, Namgung Seong-tae focused on his cloth work while biting his lips.

 

“Damn it, and those so-called Five Great Patriarchs are all the same, not listening when I always tell them to take disciples and contribute to the Namgung Family’s development! What kind of bastard are they trying to take as a disciple that they’re taking so long?”

 

Hyuryong, Yeomjak, Baekrang, and Sword Master Amyeong passed through his mind in order.

 

That Sword Master bastard picked a strange guy as his so-called disciple and now it’s worse than not picking anyone.

 

“In the end, only I, Namgung Seong-tae, can handle Namgung’s future. That’s why the Master ultimately looks only to me. Sigh. Having to lead these blockhead ignorant warriors and carve out the Namgung Family’s future, how lamentable for Namgung’s future.”

 

He patted the golden carriage.

 

“You think so too, right? Yes. I’m sorry for speaking roughly even for a moment in front of you. I’m not an ignorant warrior and should have spoken with dignity. All useless things. Let’s go together, daddy. When the weather gets a bit warmer, to those pretty distant fields and mountains… Before taking wife and daughter on outings, we need to do advance scouting-.”

 

A messenger bird flew from far away.

 

“That’s… a Golden Red Bird?”

 

A hawk with feathers alternating golden and red colors.

 

Unlike ordinary messenger pigeons, it was a high-grade messenger bird that could travel a thousand li in a day and even distinguish human faces.

 

It seemed to have something to say to him as it circled above Namgung Seong-tae’s head.

 

“A Golden Red Bird in this area… and with a green string around it, that can only be the Sichuan Tang Family.”

 

At that moment, lightning flashed through Namgung Seong-tae’s mind.

 

“Ah, that’s it! Kuhehe, that’s it!!! Right! What kind of trouble has that bastard Namgung Hwi caused!”

 

Golden Red Birds are used in two main cases, aside from their fast speed.

 

First, when discussing truly precious guests important enough for the family head to step forward.

 

Second, when making formal requests or expressing positions with weight from the standpoint of great families, clans, and sects.

 

“Right, right, right! He’s caused such a big problem that a Golden Red Bird had to fly here?! And now he’s crying and hoping for help from this very Deputy Master Namgung Seong-tae!”

 

Namgung Seong-tae didn’t care that it was the cloth he’d been using to wipe the carriage and slung it over his shoulder. He wiggled his shoulders in a dance and extended his hand.

 

“Let’s see!”

 

As if it had been waiting, the Golden Red Bird began to glide down.

 

Watching this, Namgung Seong-tae hummed even more confidently.

 

“That’s right, coming to me like nestling in mother’s arms. You were waiting for me after all, right? Good. This means he’s caused an accident big enough to report to the Master! Oh my, the note is quite thick too. Even two letters? My goodness.”

 

Namgung Seong-tae grinned as he unfolded the note tied to the Golden Red Bird’s foot.

 

“What to do, Namgung Hwi. This Deputy Master wants to protect you too, but if they formally protest with a Golden Red Bird, I have no choice but to report it.”

 

He read quickly.

 

And blinked his eyes.

 

“Huh?”

 

He briefly looked up at the sky.

 

“Did I skip lunch? Gratitude for the resolution…? There seems to be some strange words.”

 

He blinked his eyes.

 

stroked his goat beard.

 

Then he took a deep breath and unfolded the first page.

 

[…(omitted)… Thanks to the efforts of Young Master Namgung Hwi who came in place of the Vice Family Head, everything was resolved well. There was a small problem at the Sichuan Tang Family’s silver mine, but thanks to Young Master Namgung Hwi lending his wisdom and running around with his feet, it was normalized in a short time and …(omitted)… I take this opportunity to express my gratitude.]

 

“…That bastard solved it?”

 

Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae’s pupils shake as he reads down below.

 

[…Having thrown his whole body into the silver mine problem, Young Master Namgung Hwi who will now return appears so tired that he struggles to move, so we discussed ways for him to return even a little more comfortably …(omitted)… In the midst of this, the golden carriage that Young Master Hwi rode on his way here was mentioned, which the Vice Family Head gladly lent out of his great affection for Young Master Hwi.]

 

“…Golden carriage?”

 

Namgung Seong-tae’s eyes grow wide.

 

[…(omitted)… Therefore, I earnestly request that, as the official position of the Sichuan Tang Family, I will personally escort our benefactor Young Master Namgung Hwi partway so he can return even a little more comfortably, and I respectfully ask if it would be possible to dispatch the golden carriage even partway through the subsequent journey.]

 

“…Which insolent bastard is this?”

 

Namgung Seong-tae’s face turned red and blue.

 

“How dare someone make such a request disguised as an order to the Vice Family Head of the great Namgung Family…. And a conversation with the Master? My golden carriage? What kind of, at best a mere elder? Some steward bastard has gone crazy and his guts have spilled out of his belly, not knowing his place-.”

 

[Sichuan Tang Family Head, Dangmujin.]

 

“…?”

 

He read the very end again.

 

He rubbed his eyes.

 

He looked at the official seal stamped beside it.

 

“…Why is this name here?”

 

Then he looked at the additional second page that stuck out to the side.

 

[Anyway, as the head of the Sichuan Tang Family, I respectfully ask Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae. Regarding the kindness shown this time, I will soon visit the Namgung Family directly and when I have a private conversation with Family Head Namgung Cheonhyeok, I will not forget to mention it.]

 

“My… my golden carriage….”

 

Namgung Seong-tae’s eyes tremble violently.

 

“The gol…den carriage is going to Sichuan again….”

 

He looks at the gleaming golden carriage.

 

He looks back and forth between the letter and the golden carriage.

 

He pants and catches his dizzy breath.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

-Flutter.

 

“Huh…? Another… one is flying over?”

 

Another golden red bird was flying over belatedly at full speed.

 

When he extended his hand, this time too it immediately perched on Namgung Seong-tae’s wrist.

 

Under his labored breathing,

 

Namgung Seong-tae finally reads the text that seems to have just been added in very small letters.

 

[Ah, Young Master Namgung Hwi just urgently mentioned this so I’m adding it, but the amount of gratitude gifts the Sichuan Tang Family is sending to Young Master Namgung Hwi is so large that, just like when coming, there might unavoidably be some nailing to the golden carriage. Since it was done that way when going too, it should be fine.]

 

“…Na… nailing?”

 

Namgung Seong-tae hurriedly turned around and saw the gleaming golden carriage that had just finished all repairs.

 

[Also, we need to load silk, but this is so bulky that sawing the roof might be necessary….]

 

[Since Young Master Namgung Hwi praised it so highly for being comfortable, I, Dangmujin, am also curious about that golden carriage and would like to ride it once.]

 

[I, Dangmujin, head of the Sichuan Tang Family, sincerely express gratitude for Vice Family Head Namgung Seong-tae’s consideration and trust that you will surely send it. I will definitely convey the Vice Family Head’s great affection for Young Master Hwi to Family Head Namgung Cheonhyeok as well….]

 

Rip, the letter tore in Namgung Seong-tae’s hands.

 

“That fucking bastard Namgung Hwi again…!!!!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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