Habuk Pengga Swordsman Genius - Chapter 542



Only Noblemtl

542. Betting at the Cheonsujang (2)

The result that Hanbin was waiting for was none other than the dot that showed the knot.

Although not yet complete, the dots representing the essence of wisdom are beginning to appear faintly.

It was clearly evidence of academic achievement.

Hanbin, with a faint smile on his lips, recalled the words of an old sage.

It was true that there was no better way to achieve results than to risk one’s life.

At that time, Jang Yu-jung approached.

This is because Jang Yu-jung was also curious about Han Bin’s travels.

“Haha, that’s an unimaginable method. But isn’t it not a case of internal strength and external strength? If that’s the case, then it seems like the education is focused on external strength… … . Isn’t that right?”

“What you said is correct. It is only natural that one must be strong on the inside, but one’s body must also follow suit.”

“Then doesn’t the saying ‘soft on the outside, strong on the inside’ become meaningless?”

“There is a saying in martial arts. Only the strong can pretend to be gentle. In martial arts, even the weak must pretend to be strong, and even the strong must pretend to be strong in order to survive. Also, only when you surpass that strength can you show the leeway to pretend to be gentle.”

“Heh heh.”

When Jang Yu-jung smiled, the students around him nodded.

It meant that everyone agreed.

Confucian scholars thought that the political world and the martial arts world were all the same.

If you were promoted to an administrative position, you would inevitably have to step foot on the political battlefield.

In that place, only the strong could be considerate or relaxed towards others.

Except for the strong ones, it was necessary to avoid becoming prey even if it meant puffing up one’s body like a puffer fish.

For a moment, they shook their heads.

That’s true, but the connection between building a strong body to afford such freedom and academic achievement was unclear.

That was when.

One of the students who had been tilting his head covered his mouth.

The student covered his mouth and ran to the corner, retching.

The rest of the students were the same.

“Ugh.”

“I have some business to do… … . Sigh.”

They took refuge in a corner.

Only a few students remained in their seats, tilting their heads as to why their colleagues were behaving like that.

At that sight, Sim Mi-ho looked at Han Bin.

“Why are they doing that?”

“It seems like something disgusting came to mind.”

“You say it’s gross?”

“I mean the snake down there.”

“Why snake? It’s so delicious. Honestly, the rabbit and snake roasted by Gwanggae Daehyeop are a delicacy.”

“That’s right, us… … .”

Hanbin looked to the side and smiled.

Next to me, there were people covering their mouths who had only just realized why their colleagues had been gagging.

I was so absorbed in listening to Jang Yu-joong and Han Bin’s conversation that I forgot the thousands of snakes writhing below.

Among the foods they ate there were quite a few kinds of noodles.

The black noodles with black rice resembled the snakes below.

Yang Seok-bong shouted as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I’ll also take a seat for a moment… …!”

The same was true for Choi Yu-ji, who remained until the end.

As they all left, Hanbin laughed.

“Haha, are you okay, Dean?”

“Well, I caught and ate a lot of them when I was little.”

Jang Yu-joong burst into laughter, unusually for his age.

The banquet for the students ended with their laughter.

No larva could continue enjoying their meal while looking at the snake below.

Sim Mi-ho looked down as if she couldn’t understand no matter how much she thought about it.

“How delicious that is… … .”

“Deputy Chief Sim.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Even Deputy Leader Shim was shaking before.”

“There were quite a few poisonous snakes mixed in back then.”

“That’s right.”

“Thanks to that, I have developed a tolerance to poison… … .”

Sim Mi-ho trailed off.

Because one of the larvae hanging from the rope fell.

“Eww!”

The falling clerk screamed.

Sim Mi-ho opened his eyes wide.

“I was suppressed by the blood pressure but I’m screaming.”

“I overcame the limitations of my body.”

“Ah, as expected… … . It works.”

During their conversation, Jang Yu-jung quietly looked up at the sky.

No matter how much I thought about it, I had the feeling that the effects they were talking about had nothing to do with academic achievement.

* * *

After the meal, there was a commotion in the reception hall for the guests.

This is because a serious conflict of opinions arose among the students who came down after finishing the banquet held at the Sasindae.

At the center of the conflict was Hanbin’s teaching methods.

Does this actually work?

Or is it just simple torture? Opinions were divided.

Instead of fighting, they started arguing.

At first, it was just a few students, but the dispute gradually spread and became an issue for all students.

Now the whole group was divided into half and had a serious discussion.

At the center of it all were the eternal rivals Yang Seok-bong and Choi Yu-ji.

Yang Seok-bong, sitting across from each other at the table, said.

“I believe in Peng Yu-saeng.”

“I believe it too, but how can one achieve academic success with that kind of educational method?”

“Haven’t we seen the miracles that Peng Yu-saeng has shown so far?”

“There is not enough justification.”

“Haha, what excuse do you have for not having enough? Aren’t the achievements you’ve made so far that have allowed you to achieve the impossible enough?”

“No matter how much effort you’ve put in so far, you can’t make good liquor from water, right? And you’re missing the most important thing.”

“What am I missing?”

“If it were you, would you be able to endure such education, or rather training? Just today, three of our secretaries were bitten by snakes and taken to the hospital. Even after they were detoxified, they were hung on ropes again. And… … .”

Choi Yu-ji continued to express her opinions without pause.

Just looking at his empathetic expression made me feel like blood was going to spurt out of my mouth.

Yang Seok-bong said in his explanation.

“Hmm, I believe in the effectiveness of education, but even in my opinion, it seems like it would be difficult for the secretaries to endure. But… … .”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I have a strange feeling that the secretaries won’t be able to get out of here… … .”

“Then let’s make a bet.”

“What kind of bet are you talking about?”

“If you bet that the secretaries will stay until the end, and I bet that half of them will run away, wouldn’t the bet stand?”

“Hmm, what do you want to bet? By the way, I don’t need small change.”

“How about acknowledging the winner as Prince Peng’s best friend?”

“Oh. Then how about taking that and putting one more on the table?”

Yang Seok-bong’s eyes lit up.

The question of who was closest to Hanbin was a hot topic among the students of Yulim Seowon.

“Good.”

Choi Yu-ji nodded.

They continued to argue all night long about which heirloom to keep.

* * *

Aside from the lively quarters of the students, a gloomy atmosphere pervaded the quarters where the secretaries were staying.

The only people moving around here were the doctors who were treating them.

The congressman sighed at their condition.

“Phew, I didn’t know it would happen like this again. It’s just a waste of time to order people around. This is driving me crazy.”

As the congressman sighed, Jang Moon-soo blinked and carefully turned his head.

Because when the congressman started complaining as if he was dissatisfied, it felt like I had found an ally.

Jang Moon-soo actually regretted coming here.

The belief in Hanbin was only valid until he ascended the throne.

No matter how much I thought about it, this didn’t make sense.

A strong body and a strong mind… … .

What does that have to do with academics?

While hanging from the rope, I couldn’t even think of the poems and scriptures that I usually easily recalled.

I was in a rush to hang on the rope with a completely blank slate.

Jang Moon-soo fell once at least.

Other scribes fell as many as three times.

Some of them were bitten by poisonous snakes.

I knew that, no matter what the fate, it was time to struggle to survive.

What the hell is going on?

Jang Moon-soo’s first impression was simple.

This place was hell.

The biggest awakening was realizing that hell isn’t something you can only see after you’re dead.

In fact, Jang Moon-soo felt sorry for his fellow secretaries.

The first contract I wrote was also a long one.

It was also Jang Moon-soo who incited them.

If only I had listened to the story of my close friend, Jo Il-soon… … .

That was when.

The congressman who had been watching closely finally approached Jang Moon-soo.

The congressman who came to Jang Moon-soo’s bedside asked.

“Is your body moveable?”

“Mom, I don’t think I can move.”

“Oh, you’ve had a hard time. But now that I see you talking, it seems like you don’t need my help.”

As the congressman was about to leave after finishing his speech, Jang Moon-soo continued speaking urgently.

“What on earth is this place?”

“You don’t know this place?”

“Yes, I know it’s a place where we can study. I heard it’s called Cheonsujang.”

“Cheonsujang… … . And it’s a place to study?”

“Isn’t it?”

“Well, it is similar. Do you know what the old name of this place was?”

“I don’t know. I only heard that there was a haunted house called Guigokjang nearby… … This is the first time I’ve heard of Cheonsujang.”

“The old name for this place was Guigokjang. Sometimes, the sound of Guigokseong still rings in my ears.”

“Did you say ear, ear groove?”

“That’s right. According to our Confucius, it is a phenomenon that occurs when yin and yang clash. Even though you say you have fully recovered your intelligence, if you occasionally hear a ghostly sound, it seems that the spirit of the deceased who was unable to resolve his grudge still remains.”

“What, what does that mean?”

“What do you mean? Do you think this is your first time here?”

“What if we’re not the first?”

Jang Moon-soo’s voice was louder than expected.

That’s how confused I was.

You’re not the first!

What does this mean?

Thanks to that, the scribes who had been lying like dead turned their heads at the same time.

The sight was just like that of a zombie.

The congressman smiled at their appearance.

“Oh, my name is Jang Ja-myeong. I’m not that different from you.”

The identity of the member of parliament was none other than Jang Ja-myeong.

Jang Moon-soo’s eyes widened at Jang Ja-myeong’s words.

“What do you mean? You’re in the same situation as us?”

That would be the case, as the situation of the person who came to learn and the doctor in charge of treatment here could not be the same.

Jang Ja-myeong continued speaking after seeing Jang Moon-soo’s eyes that had become like a lantern.

“Aren’t you and I both bound by a contract?”

“You also signed a contract, sir?”

“That’s right. Everyone here is bound by a contract. Have you read the contract carefully?”

“What, what do you mean?”

“Don’t you think it’s vicious just by looking at it?”

“… … .”

“But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There must be other provisions you haven’t read.”

“I read it all.”

“But you probably didn’t read the tiny print. It probably says something about a deposit. You can’t run away now.”

Jang Ja-myeong looked at Jang Moon-soo as if teasing him.

Then he continued speaking.

“Fortunately, I don’t have much time left. I’ll be free soon.”

Jang Ja-myeong smiled brightly and straightened his shoulders.

His proud expression was like that of a soldier just days before his discharge.