Volume 4 Chapter 25 – The Main Road
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Translated by Rain
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The street in front of the main gate of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, around noon.
A maid belonging to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s maid division was practically monopolizing the attention of those around her.
“Haha. I have constantly heard that the maids of the Luoyang Sword Family are beautiful, but to think even a mere maidservant would be this beautiful.”
“Indeed, she must have been specially selected because she is a maid serving the Eldest Young Master, right?”
Into the conversation of the two men dressed in colorful silk, another person intervened.
“Perhaps it is because she is a maid for receiving guests?”
Like those from merchant groups or associations, they naturally mingled and conversed.
“Haha. Probably so, wouldn’t it?”
“Such maids would not empty latrines, do laundry, or perform chore work outdoors.”
“Of course. Besides, there should also be servants, so would such maids even get water on their hands?”
“Hahaha,” laughed the middle-aged men in silk.
Just then, another middle-aged man with a long beard joined the conversation, clicking his tongue.
“It seems you all have not visited this Luoyang Sword Family very much.”
Although it was a rather blunt scolding, a person who would reveal displeasure at just this much could not survive in the fierce business world.
“You who speak like that must be someone who visits the Luoyang Sword Family frequently.”
“Could you teach us a lesson on what we are missing?”
At that, the long-bearded middle-aged man stroked his beard and gestured with his chin toward the maid.
“Do you see that maid carrying a sword on her back?”
At that, they all nodded.
“We have eyes too, so surely we see the sword?”
At that, the long-bearded middle-aged man lowered his voice and spoke.
“The people of the Luoyang Sword Family never carry swords for fashion or decoration.”
“Is that so?”
“Why is that?”
As everyone showed interest, the long-bearded middle-aged man puffed up.
“The meaning of wearing a sword in the Luoyang Sword Family is that one is willing to cross swords at any time. In other words, revealing that one is a martial artist.”
The onlookers marvelled.
“Then that maid is also a swordsman?!”
“Surely she isn’t a martial artist who even possesses internal energy?”
At that, everyone waved their hands.
“Haha. Speak sense. How could they use a swordsman who even possesses internal energy as a mere maid?”
“Even if they are martial artists, it is only natural that not all of them are active in the martial world, is it not, no matter how great the Luoyang Sword Family is?”
Just then, a woman’s voice was heard.
“In the Main Family, we do not call martial artists with internal energy members of the martial world; we call them warriors.”
When they looked back in surprise, the maid of the Eldest Young Master, who had been the subject of their conversation, was standing there.
The reason they were surprised was partly because the maid’s martial arts were great enough to hear the conversation they were sharing in secret.
But there was a more surprising point.
“Oh, excuse us.”
“We were not gossiping behind your back, so please understand.”
“By the way, it is an astonishing martial art.”
The place they were conversing was the waiting area located on the street in front of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.
And it was the second floor.
Surprisingly, the maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment stood on the second-floor railing before anyone knew it, speaking to them.
Drawing a smile at the corner of her mouth, she spoke to them.
“And since you seem to be curious, I am a maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment and a warrior at the same time.”
Her hand flashed.
No one present could follow the movement made by her hand.
It felt as though a breeze had merely brushed past, but the colorful money pouches they carried at their waists were all in her hand.
“Oh! Splendid!”
“Superb skill!”
Everyone clapped their hands with excited faces and spared no praise.
Those watching nearby also sent applause to her.
As they retrieved their money pouches one by one, she bowed lightly, responding to their praise.
“If she is not a normal maid of the Luoyang Sword Family but the maid of the master who is the Eldest Young Master, she must do at least this much.”
Everyone snorted and nodded their heads.
“Indeed, the Eldest Young Master.”
“A maid suitable for the Eldest Young Master of the great Luoyang Sword Family!”
They also knew that Yeon So-hyeon was called the Swordless One in some quarters, but like merchants, none of them cared about such things.
“Fufu. Thank you.”
She asked them in a polite manner.
“You are aware that the master is currently not receiving guests who do not have a prior appointment, right?”
Everyone nodded.
“I have already heard from others.”
She asked them.
“If so, for what reason are you waiting here?”
Their answers did not differ much from the ones she had heard from others today.
“Haha. In a merchant group like ours, if it is an important person, we dispatch someone just to observe their movements.”
“Indeed. Moreover, it is none other than the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family ending his confinement, so how could any merchant group or association trading in Henan Province fail to check?”
“Besides, if we meet someone working inside like this and get acquainted, wouldn’t that be icing on the cake?”
They laughed heartily.
She covered her mouth, she laughed along.
“Since this is also an affinity, I shall specially resolve one of your curiosities.”
The bright gazes of the onlookers gathered upon the maid.
“Oh! I look forward to seeing what curiosity you will resolve.”
She drew an elegant smile with her eyes, she spoke.
“There are no servants in Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.”
“All the chores are handled by the maid division I belong to.”
She added.
“Emptying the latrines, doing the laundry, and even the rough work outdoors—we do it all.”
She, busy traveling back and forth along the main road, had heard all of their conversation.
“We even till the fields and tend the cattle, fufu.”
Just as they were about to feel embarrassed, she bowed to them.
“Then, as I have an assigned duty, I shall take my leave.”
As she flipped gracefully through the air and landed on the main road, they burst into admiration from behind.
“Those maids till the fields and drive cattle?!”
“She said it was a maid division, right? Does that not mean every single one of them is a martial artist?!”
“To command such maids, indeed worthy of the Eldest Young Master of the great Luoyang Sword Family!”
Just then, someone shouted from another waiting area.
“It’s the Medicine King! The Medicine King has appeared!”
At that, everyone rushed to the railings.
Not only at that waiting area, but at every waiting area lined along the main road, everyone craned their necks to look outside.
“Ahem. You fellows. Having a chance to see a renowned elder like me in person, you all seem to have completely lost your heads.”
Revealing himself arrogantly was the Medicine King, who was returning home early today.
The people’s reaction was somewhat different from his expectations.
“…That old man is the famous Medicine King?”
“His appearance is shabby, though? He doesn’t look like much either.”
“Seeing how arrogantly he acts, that old man cannot be the Medicine King. I heard he has a demeanor like a noble Daoist immortal.”
At the words flying relentlessly from the buildings on both sides, the Medicine King’s face turned red and blue in turn.
“These, these, fellows who carry around eyes as mere decorations…?!”
At that moment, a woman wearing Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s maid uniform appeared before the Medicine King with elegant light movement method and greeted him politely.
It was the very maid who had been going around asking about the business of the people in the waiting area.
“Medicine King. You have returned home early today.”
She took the Medicine King’s small bundle of belongings.
At that, his mood instantly brightened, and a pleased smile hung on his mouth.
“Mmhmm. I have to go out again around evening today.”
“Indeed, as someone of the Medicine King’s stature, you must be extremely busy.”
“Haha. Well, yes. A person of my level cannot help but be busy with public and private affairs.”
Walking beside the maid, his eyes grew half-closed.
“Looking at you, do you perhaps have chest pains occasionally? If I massage you a few times—no, perform a palpation, it would be confirmed immediately.”
Covering her mouth, she laughed.
“Our health is directly looked after by the master, so it is fine. Still, thank you for worrying about us, Elder.”
“What?! That insolent fellow did it again?!”
Watching them walk leisurely through the gate, the people whispered.
“…It seems he really is the Medicine King.”
“Seeing him in person, he did seem like a slightly perverted old man, but well. Aren’t all rumors like that?”
Some nodded their heads in a different sense.
“Indeed, only someone of the renowned Medicine King’s stature can enter Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment while receiving such a warm welcome.”
“Hey, fellow. Shouldn’t you first be surprised that the Medicine King is staying at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment of the Luoyang Sword Family?!”
“Ah! Come to think of it, indeed!”
As they clamored and exchanged opinions, someone shouted loudly from the other side of the main road.
“The Elder of the Luoyang Sword Family arrives! Everyone, show your respect!”
At that shout, everyone straightened their posture and assumed a polite attitude.
Even so, they did not stop looking outside.
Those in places with poor views even poured out to occupy the left and right sides of the street.
The procession of sword-bearing warriors arrived next to them first.
The crowd stirred at the sight of warriors, who would be well-received anywhere in the Central Plains kingdom, marching in perfect step.
“They are heavily armed warriors…!”
“Look at the flag they carry. Seeing it written as Sword Mountain Splitting Peak…”
“Sword Mountain Splitting Peak, Yeom Gwak-chu…!”
“Do you mean that Sword Mountain Splitting Peak who reportedly defeated the Sword Monarch of Mount Hua after a thousand forms in the past?!”
“The hero of the Northern War!”
Following the warriors, Elder Yeom’s maids walked in a modest manner.
“Those maids are beautiful as well!”
“Haha. I would like to remarry any one of them.”
However, there was also this reaction in some quarters.
“…Still, doesn’t that maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment from earlier feel a bit more special?”
“Probably because those are ordinary beauties while that maid was a warrior.”
The pupils of the whispering onlookers soon grew as large as flower lanterns.
“It’s White Tiger!”
“No, have you ever seen a tiger that large?!”
“Look at it walking in step with the others! It must be a spiritual beast!”
And they could see the woman riding sideways on that White Tiger.
She wore a court dress of unmatched elegance, her face veiled.
“…Have you ever heard that there is such a lady in the Sword Family? Her figure is so beautiful.”
“She is probably a lady related to the Sword Mountain Splitting Peak. She could be his beloved daughter, or an acquaintance accompanying him.”
From far behind, people began to close their mouths one by one.
Before long, the crowd fell into silence.
They did not even dare lift their heads and only looked down at the ground.
Revealing himself behind the massive White Tiger along with the escorts was the possessor of a build that looked like three grown men tied together.
However, what drew attention even more than his bulk or his fierce impression was the ink-colored great sword hanging on his back.
The great sword, which an ordinary person would surely not even dare attempt to lift, was the very great sword reputed to have defeated the Sword Monarch of Mount Hua after a thousand forms.
Before long, as the procession reached Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s gate, he stepped forward in person.
The woman riding White Tiger followed behind him.
The Special Duty members guarding the gate, upon spotting him, cupped their fists in unison and shouted.
“We greet the Elder of the Main Family!”
He accepted their cupped-fist salute with a polite attitude.
“Please announce inside. Elder Yeom of the Main Family, together with his daughter, humbly requests to meet the Eldest Young Master.”