A Bowl of Jjajang, The Son-in-Law of Jegalse - Chapter 553



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Episode 553: Seven Stars Rise Immediately

Shaolin disciple Seongjin, while practicing light exercises at Yongcheonsa Temple on Baekunbong Peak in Gosan, reached into his bosom to touch the letter from Monk Hyeonwon that he had been holding in his bosom once more.

Now, Baekunbong Peak was visible in the distance, so I decided to check to see if it wasn’t dropped while performing a final maneuver.

Since I have the honor of delivering the letter from Monk Hyeonwon, I absolutely cannot make a mistake.

It wasn’t the result that Seongjin had wanted, but it was still to deliver the letter from Monk Hyeonwon.

When I put my hand into the bosom, I felt the stiffness of the paper at my fingertips.

I thought back to the day I received the letter, knowing that it was safe.

“Seongjin, hurry up and go up to Dalma-dong!”

The voice of my teacher, Master Hyeun Daesa, was heard two weeks ago when I was about to start my training after eating breakfast.

It was clear that he had run in a hurry, as he was out of breath.

That’s understandable, since it’s Dalma-dong.

Because he is in Dalma-dong.

“Are you talking about Dalma-dong?”

“That, that’s right. Monk Hyeonwon came looking for you himself.”

And of course, his Dharma name is heard.

Seongjin was startled by his Dharma name and asked.

Because when he heard that Monk Hyeonwon had come looking for him, his hair stood on end.

I don’t know exactly what it feels like to have hair stand on end, since I entered Shaolin when I was young and lived with my hair shaved all the time.

“Huh!? Me, you mean me!? Me, why me!?”

The reason why Sungjin couldn’t help but be so surprised when Monk Hyunwon came looking for him was because he, who had just turned twenty, was just one of many disciples of Shaolin.

It’s not like I was one of the 108 Arhats because I was so good at martial arts, but I didn’t have any outstanding talents either.

Seongjin’s only talent is that he cooks other monks’ meals a little better than others?

That is why there was no reason for Master Hyeonwon, who was considered the pinnacle of Shaolin monks and a divine monk, to visit Seongjin.

Although he occasionally calls his outstanding disciples to teach them martial arts, Seongjin does not have the martial arts talents or skills to receive teachings.

His master, Master Hyeun, was also the type of person who took on the lowest-skilled disciples among the monks.

“Well, well. I don’t know. But since you called me, go up quickly! Even though your martial arts skills are lacking, he may have discovered potential in you that we don’t know about.”

“Go, possibility!”

I wondered why on earth I had found myself, but the word possibility made my hair stand on end again.

That’s what Seongjin was saying too.

Honestly, if things continued like this, Sungjin would have a higher chance of continuing to work in Shaolin’s kitchen rather than as a monk.

He had to demonstrate his martial arts skills once every three years, but since his skills were not much different from three years ago, he was likely to be excluded from martial arts training.

But if Monk Hyeonwon could discover his own potential, it seemed like a different path would unfold in the future.

“Oh, I understand. I will go and come back quickly, disciple!”

“Yes, please come back after receiving good teachings!”

As he ran out of the training ground and arrived at the stairs leading up to Dalmabong, the Shaolin Temple was already very noisy with the news that he was going to climb Dalmabong.

“Seongjin? Was there such a disciple?”

“You are Hyeun’s disciple.”

“What did you say, Hye-un!? No, then that means he’s a third-rate person, so how could you punish a child like that…?”

“Oh, there he comes. It’s that kid.”

It seemed strange that he, who had no skills or talents, could climb Mt. Dalmabong.

Well, it’s the same situation for Sungjin himself.

Seongjin finally steps onto the stairs after observing the expressions of the high-ranking officials of Shaolin.

Even when I took the first step, the feeling of being watched from behind made my hairless back feel hot.

But as he continued to climb the stairs, distracting thoughts disappeared, and only anticipation remained in Seongjin’s heart.

I was climbing the stairs while receiving worried looks, but I didn’t know that when I came down, I would become a different person.

That is why when he arrived at the end of Dalmabong in front of Dalmadong, Seongjin’s heart was filled with anticipation.

“Huff, huff. Did you find the car? Ambassador?”

I jumped up to Dalma Peak and was out of breath, but I lay face down in front of Dalma Dong without even having time to catch my breath.

The giant stone that had been lying in front of Dalma-dong was removed, and Monk Hyeonwon came out from inside.

“Yeah. You’re Seongjin?”

“Yes, I, I am Seongjin. It is an honor to have you call me!”

I was kneeling down, waiting in anticipation to see what the Venerable Hyeonwon would say.

A letter suddenly thrown in front of me.

When Seongjin blinked, not knowing English, Monk Hyeonwon smiled and said.

“I guess you should go to Bokju for a bit.”

“Huh? See, Bokju?”

The anticipation subsided at the words, “Go to Bokju.”

Well then, that’s right.

What kind of martial arts training can a talentless guy like you have?

Perhaps, Monk Hyeonwon was trying to send him on an errand to the temple.

“Yes, go to Yongcheonsa Temple in Baekunbong, Gosan, Bokju. I will spend the winter there for a year or two. Tell them to ask for a place to stay.”

Although I was extremely upset, I couldn’t show it.

Seongjin hid his disappointment and quickly answered.

“Oh, I understand. I will definitely deliver this letter to Yongcheonsa Temple on Baekunbong in Gosan, my disciple.”

As I was gathering the letter I had received, folding my hands and preparing to leave,

A voice comes from behind.

“One thing you must keep in mind on your way is that if you receive a favor from someone, you must repay that favor with the same sincerity as you would pay for your parents’ funeral. Keep that in mind. Do you understand?”

“yes?”

When Seongjin’s eyes widened at the words he didn’t understand, the congratulatory message followed.

“So, you heard all that, so why aren’t you going quickly?”

As Sungjin was wondering again what those words meant, he felt a presence in front of him.

Seongjin quickly stopped his lightness and walked, fearing that the criminals might be surprised.

Because there are many people who fear those who have learned martial arts, I learned that I must be careful with light attacks in places where there are many criminals.

When you try to pass people on the side of a mountain with such fast steps.

-Crunch.

A brisk sound of something following was heard, followed by a man’s voice.

“Monk, you must be thirsty. Have a drink before you go. I will give you a drink as alms.”

When I received the letter, I was so distracted by the thought that I didn’t check it, but when I turned my head to check, all I saw was a street stall.

Seongjin looked around again, wondering if he had seen something wrong.

There was no way there would be a street stall halfway up a mountain.

But that’s definitely a street stall.

Just when I was thinking that something strange was happening, the man’s voice was heard again.

“Monk?”

Seongjin came to his senses at the sound of the man’s voice and greeted him with his hands clasped together.

Seongjin hated reading Buddhist scriptures more than martial arts, but at times like this, these words are appropriate.

“Ah! Amitabha! Let me recall the Buddhist scriptures for a moment.”

Then the man said with a moved expression.

“Oh, is that so? It must be hard to climb the mountain. Why don’t you have a drink before you go?”

“that?”

“It’s grain tea.”

The word ‘gokcha’ refers to alcohol.

Alcohol is not forbidden, but it is something that can be approached or avoided depending on one’s personal training.

The alms was very much appreciated, but Seongjin had never drunk alcohol before, so he politely declined.

“Thank you for your kind words, but···.”

That moment.

The women who had rushed out from behind the man looked at Seongjin and spoke.

“Monk, we are giving you this as an offering with the intention of making a Buddhist offering, so you cannot refuse.”

“you’re right.”

“Will you accept my alms, monk?”

‘Hey, fairy!?’

The moment he saw the women, the two words that came to Seongjin’s mind were ‘fairy’.

I’ve met a lot of people on my way here, but I’ve never seen women as beautiful as those.

That is why I received such great hospitality without even knowing it.

When Sungjin came to his senses, the Hwangju he had supported was being swallowed down Sungjin’s throat.

-Gulp. Gulp.

The refreshing and sweet taste of Hwangju, which I tried for the first time.

Since eating something sweet in a temple is as difficult as picking stars from the sky, Seongjin’s eyes seemed to light up at the taste of sweet Hwangju.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had anything sweet, other than the jujubes I got a few years ago.

“Hey, this is Hwangju? Hey, it’s so sweet!”

“Are you getting a buzz in your mouth?”

“They’re sticking together? Oh! That’s right! They’re sticking together!”

I don’t know what it means exactly, but it feels like alcohol is sticking to your mouth, like the man said.

-Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter.

Even though I only took a few sips, the alcohol disappeared quickly.

It was so sweet and delicious that Seongjin ate it without even realizing it.

I was going to drink just this and go up, but somehow I felt disappointed.

Seongjin, who couldn’t forget the sweet taste, asked the man.

“But how much is this Hwangju?”

“For each bowl, one iron coin is worth one.”

‘Then, should I add one more treat?’

Usually, Shaolin disciples are sent away empty-handed in such matters.

Because you can receive alms and beg on the road.

However, before leaving for Bokju, a young monk who came down from Dalma-dong told him that Monk Hyeonwon had told him to take extra care of Noja for this occasion, so he had plenty of money.

Seongjin, who had been drinking Hwangju while standing, sat down at an empty table and ordered a glass of Hwangju.

“Then, please give me one more glass. I didn’t know Hwangju was this sweet. Jujubes are incomparable.”

That’s how the drinking started.

After drinking two more glasses, I felt like drinking only alcohol was not enough, so the man suggested a dish called Cheonbukryangbun.

I ordered that too, even though it wasn’t meat. As soon as I took a bite, a spicy yet refreshing taste hit me.

The amount I put in my mouth disappeared inside my mouth like snow melting.

And then Seongjin’s spirit also disappeared.

***

I gave alms to the monk as a start and his business became very successful.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much, but the alcohol was so delicious that people who had been climbing the mountain to pay their respects sat down and ordered alcohol and Cheonbukryangbun.

Monk, if you had a past life like mine, you would have been a huge success even if you had been a mukbang chef.

I wanted to have a competition with Yeong-yeong to see how delicious it was.

“What kind of dish is this, sir?”

“It’s called Cheonbukryangbun.”

“Hehe, it doesn’t taste that great, but I keep putting it in my mouth.”

People who went up to offer prayers to welcome spring but stopped at our street stall instead of going to the temple.

“Khuh. Good. Drinking in the forest with nature here, strangely, I don’t feel drunk and the alcohol goes down smoothly.”

“Cheonbukryangbun and Hwangju-ra. Good. Good.”

He looked back at General Bang and Biyeon and smiled.

‘How about this much?’

Then, Biyeon and Grand General Bang smiled with a surprised expression.

I guess he was impressed by my skills and business sense.

Then, I was about to suggest that we decide to buy the closed duct behind it.

“Then, the conductor is···”

-thud!

When I looked toward the table at the sound of something falling, I saw the monk who had been eating Hwangju and Cheonbukryangbun, curled up on the floor and stretched out.

Dongdongju, a liquor made with Hwangjuin, is called a “sitting-down drink” because once you start drinking it, you can’t get up.

“Oh my. Monk. Are you okay?”

“···.”

I ran and shook the monk, but the monk didn’t move an inch even when I shook him.

This seemed completely out of his mind, but Cheong-i stared blankly at the monk and said.

“Perhaps he is the monk of Baekunbong Yongcheonsa Temple above. I should leave him in front of the mountain gate of Yongcheonsa Temple. I can’t leave him here like this.”

It was definitely spring, but it was still a bit chilly and the ground was cold.

I nodded because it seemed like he was just throwing it in with his inner strength.

“Then, Cheong-i, please take care of it.”

“Okay, old man.”

As Cheong-i disappeared with the monk in her hand, a number of people left and Bi-yeon, who was cleaning the table of the stall that had become a little empty, approached her with a letter in her hand and asked.

“It seems that one of the guests dropped the letter, Your Majesty.”

The letter doesn’t even have a name or address written on it.

It seemed that I would have to look into the contents to find the owner, so I carefully checked the contents of the letter and found that it contained six characters.

Seven stars rise at once.

‘Seven stars will rise soon.’

“What is this?”

I wondered who the owner of the letter was.