Surviving as the Sacheon Dang Clan’s Servant - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 32
The outcome was never in doubt.
Namgung Hui lost, and lost, and lost again.
Each time he lost, he’d insist stubbornly on one more round, shouting for another chance until his pockets lay empty.
I watched helplessly as Namgung Hui was stripped bare.
“Ah, young master. Luck wasn’t on your side this time.”
The man holding the dice shook his head as if genuinely sympathetic.
Namgung Hui exhaled deeply, his face sour as he peered into his empty pockets.
Of course the lost money wouldn’t come back. He fumbled through his pockets as if unable to accept reality, then slowly stuffed his hand back inside.
“Are you all right?”
At my question, Namgung Hui lifted his chin as if unbothered.
“They say playing with objects harms ambition. A gentleman shouldn’t cling to trivial things.”
Was that really what he should say after losing everything? Besides, that wasn’t even the proper use of the phrase.
But he looked so dejected I hadn’t the heart to offer sharp words. I nodded instead.
“Yes. Let’s go now.”
As I turned away to console the gloomy Namgung Hui, I caught sight of a loud cluster of gamblers.
The man running the game was grinning smugly, counting the stakes Namgung Hui had lost.
I shot him a sharp glare from behind.
From the start, he’d been exchanging signals with one of the onlookers—the dice had clearly been rigged.
They’d fleeced this naive young master, the one who didn’t even realize whether he was gambling or playing.
It was infuriating, but I couldn’t exactly protest. After all, it was the young master here who kept shouting for one more round.
There’s nothing for it. I’ll call it a lesson learned. I should buy him a warm bowl of soup and cheer him up.
The moment I turned my back on Namgung Hui with thoughts of feeding him supper, the man spoke to me.
“Would the lady care to try her luck? If fortune smiles, you might just win back what the young master lost.”
This bastard. He’d spotted an easy mark, hadn’t he?
His shameless reach for my purse grated on my nerves. I curved my mouth into a smirk and slapped a silver coin onto the mat with a sharp crack.
“Why not?”
The man frowned at the noise, but as soon as he noticed the coin, his expression cleared.
“Excellent. Let’s roll.”
He tossed the dice into an earthen jar with holes in its bottom, his face all smiles.
The dice tumbled and clattered inside.
Instead of watching the jar, I studied the man’s hand signals carefully. When he touched his ear, it meant big; when he scratched his chin, it meant small.
Soon enough, he scratched his chin.
“Small.”
“You wagered small, lady. Good. Anyone else? No one else, I see. Let me just…”
He paused theatrically before lifting the jar. The dice at the bottom showed one and two.
“Small it is. Lucky you, lady.”
The man shrugged and pushed a stack of copper coins toward me. I shook my head.
“One more round.”
“Ha ha, good.”
Thinking he’d hooked me, the man narrowed his eyes and rolled the dice again. He turned toward the onlooker and touched his ear.
Just as the onlooker was about to join in response to the signal, I called out quickly.
“Big!”
“I’ll also bet—wait, no. I’ll sit this one out.”
The onlooker waved his hand and stepped back. The man glanced at him sideways, licked his lips, and opened the jar.
The dice showed four and five.
“Big indeed.”
“Ha ha… you’ve got good instincts. Another round?”
“Yes.”
“This time…”
“Small.”
“…Ha ha, ha. It is small.”
The man’s face twisted as he realized something was wrong.
The murderous look he gave me made it clear he’d figured out I’d read his signals.
I’d already raised my stakes eightfold—there was no point risking more. I extended my hand.
“That’s enough for me. Pay up.”
But the man didn’t answer. Instead, he cracked his neck side to side with deliberate, menacing cracks.
I looked around. The onlookers were exchanging meaningful glances. The atmosphere had turned ugly.
Damn. Were they all in on it together?
I stepped back hurriedly, my hand moving to my Jade Bracelet. If things went south, I’d have to throw a poison needle.
I’ve never used one before. Will I be able to aim properly? What about Namgung Hui?
When I turned my head, Namgung Hui had already drawn his sword. He asked sharply.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Despite the keenly honed blade pointed at me, the man let out a scornful snort.
“Young master. You’d best put that sword away. If you hurt yourself playing martial artist, what will you do then?”
“I asked what you’re doing.”
“Teaching some rude little brats a lesson. That’s all, boy.”
Even as the man’s demeanor shifted, Namgung Hui’s gaze remained unmoved.
“So Hye. Come here.”
The boy pulled me gently toward him and smoothly positioned me behind his back. His small frame blocked my view entirely.
Gripping his sword with both hands, Namgung Hui slowly lowered his stance.
I reached out urgently. He was young—still a child, for all his martial training. The difference in strength against a grown man was terrifying.
“No, don’t! Young master, it’s too dangerous—!”
But he did not listen.
Namgung Hui brought the flat of his blade down on the man’s crown in one clean stroke, knocking him senseless.
“Nngh!”
The man, moments ago so full of swagger, collapsed without even managing a proper cry.
It was a display of skill so flawless it drew an involuntary gasp of admiration.
“You little rat!”
“We won’t forgive this!”
As their comrade fell, the accomplices hidden among the gamblers rushed at Namgung Hui as one.
Wait—these are grown men ganging up on a child? How cowardly can you get?
Even facing a swarm, Namgung Hui showed no alarm. With an expression of utter indifference, he launched himself into the air.
Then, light as a stepping stone, he bounded across the gamblers’ backs.
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
“Argh!”
Each time Namgung Hui’s foot came down, a different cry of pain rang out.
I watched in a daze as he methodically brought down the entire mob of gamblers.
I’d believed him clever and talented, but I hadn’t realized he was strong enough to single-handedly beat down several grown men at his age.
Once the dust had settled and his sword was sheathed, Namgung Hui sneered at the sprawled gamblers.
“You warned me not to hurt myself playing martial artist, but who’s the one playing martial artist with such pathetic skill? I’d like to know.”
At his mockery, one of the men bared his teeth.
“Do you know who we are? How do you expect to walk away from this?”
“If you’re not satisfied, come find Namgung Hui of the Namgung Family. I’ll be happy to oblige you again.”
“The, the Namgung Family…!”
The gambler who was still in the best condition went white as chalk.
The situation seemed to be resolved.
Watching for my moment, I casually swept the pile of stakes from the gaming mat into my pocket.
Namgung Hui, observing this, wore an expression of utter bewilderment.
“So Hye. That’s my money.”
I answered brightly.
“Oh? But you lost the entire stake. I won it, fair and square.”
“Even so… Hah. Fine.”
He opened his mouth soundlessly, then his shoulders sagged in defeat. I bit back a smile and held out my hand to him.
“Let me hold it for you. Give me your purse.”
His expression brightened, and he handed over his pocket.
Once I’d packed it so full of copper coins that it could barely close, he broke into a wide grin.
“Let’s go get something delicious. My treat.”
Can you really call it your treat when it’s my money?
The question occurred to me, but I couldn’t be bothered to argue the point.
We slipped away nonchalantly, leaving the gamblers still sprawled on the ground.
“How did you predict the dice like that?”
“It’s all about technique.”
“What technique? Teach me too.”
You were swindled.
But if I told him the truth, he’d probably march straight back to beat those gamblers again. So I smoothly changed the subject.
“What matters is you came back for me. You should eat now. What would you like? Thin noodles? Boiled pork? I saw lamb too, earlier.”
“Hmm… What do you like, So Hye?”
It feels like only yesterday he was ordering me over the wall so casually, and now he’s asking what I want. He’s grown up.
At his peculiar remark, I found myself absently stroking his head, and Namgung Hui’s eyes widened like saucers.
Ah. A slip.
“Oh, well, this is…… Ha ha, h-ha. Over there! Let’s go over there, shall we?”
Gesturing frantically toward the direction where sweat beaded on my brow, actors in grotesque makeup were performing on a raised stage.
“You want to watch that performance?”
“Oh, well, I suppose so. No, wait. Yes, I do.”
Before Namgung Hui could say anything else, I hastily pushed him toward the stage.
* * *
The performance we stumbled upon proved far more captivating than I’d anticipated.
“Today’s Sichuan Opera is absolutely delightful!”
“Of course it is—Tae Jeong himself is performing. Ha ha, he’s magnificent!”
An actor wearing a crimson mask stepped forward, singing as the audience erupted in applause.
With a supple gesture, the actor snapped open his Folding Fan with a flourish, then closed it. In that same instant, the crimson mask transformed into a black one.
“There’s no one in the realm who can match Tae Jeong’s Mask-Changing Technique!”
“Ah, Tae Jeong’s technique has grown even more dazzling!”
As the crowd gasped in wonder, the actor spread his cloak in an exaggerated gesture. This time, the black mask shifted to a yellow one.
How was that even possible?
Staring so intently at the mask that my eyes strained, a familiar voice reached my ears.
“Father! I want to do that too!”
Moyong So Ye, perched on Moyong Ki’s shoulders, was nearby.
Moyong Ki wore a delighted smile, clearly enjoying this outing with his daughter.
Moyong So Ye tugged at her father’s hair as she spoke.
“It’s so entertaining. Why doesn’t Yao Ning have things like this?”
“Ha ha, do you enjoy it? Your happiness gladdens my heart. The Sichuan Opera is a traditional performance of Sichuan province. It’s only natural that Yao Ning has no such thing.”
“Then let’s take that man home with us. Then we could watch him at home too. Father.”
“That won’t do, So Ye.”
“Why not?”
“So Ye. If what you wanted were ducks or chickens sold at the Market, your father could buy you a hundred, a thousand of them.”
“Father. A thousand ducks won’t fit in my room.”
“That’s not what I mean, So Ye. Humans are no different from beasts, are they not? The first thing is to ask for their consent. Of course, one could take them by force. But then what? Will you take responsibility for that person’s entire life? Can you truly bear such responsibility?”
“Hmm…… No. I can’t.”
“You see? That man has his own life. To seize control of another’s fate on a whim—that is the way of the uncultured and unworthy. That is unacceptable.”
Namgung Hui, listening to the exchange between father and daughter, felt his ears burn crimson.
The memory of that day came rushing back—when he had declared he would take me away to Anhui without ceremony.
“I understand now, Father.”
“My So Ye is wise indeed. Your father is pleased by your understanding.”
Moyong Ki tapped Moyong So Ye’s feet affectionately.
“So then, perhaps the Grand Elder can give up the—”
“Why? The Grand Elder can take responsibility, can’t he? He’s to be my husband, so of course he must bear that responsibility.”
“…… So you believe this, So Ye?”
At his daughter’s crisp reply, Moyong Ki’s blue eyes grew moist. He turned his gaze to the stage, his expression sorrowful.
His face bore the weight of all the world’s troubles and anguish.

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