The Return of the Namgoong Clan’s Granddaughter - Chapter 128



Only Noblemtl

Episode 128

* * *

I think I was around 30 years old.

The man was in agony, with a boiling fever and gasping for breath.

Before Cho-ryeon became the poisoner who murdered the second prince, he was a member of the National Assembly.

I had the courage to die, but I didn’t have the courage to just pass by and watch someone die.

“Hey! Hey!”

“Ugh… .”

Cho-ryeon, who had barely managed to lay down the man who had fallen to the side to see the wound, took a deep breath without realizing it.

The sword wound that led to the man’s death was more serious than expected.

It was so deep and long that the bones were barely visible.

It was such a serious injury that it felt like a miracle just to be alive.

‘There is medicine… something that can be used as medicine… .’

Cho-ryeon took out everything in her pockets.

All she had was a gold ointment and a clean bandage.

These were the only things I had taken with me in a hurry, just in case, when I escaped from the palace.

‘It’s fortunate that we have a golden elixir now… .’

Cho-ryeon immediately poured the golden medicine on the man’s sword wound. The white powder covered the wound and gradually stopped the bleeding.

Choryun went around and picked up every medicinal herb she could see.

The place where I met the man was deep in the mountains where no one went, so it was easy to find herbs that had not been touched by hands.

I found some herbs, crushed them, and applied them to the man’s wounds where the bleeding had stopped.

“Ugh… .”

The man, in pain, surrendered his body to Choryun without being able to move a finger.

It wasn’t easy to bandage the man because his body was heavy.

I barely managed to wrap a bandage with a clean cloth, but sweat poured down like rain.

“Ja… Kang… Ja-gang-ah…”

At that moment, the man muttered something.

Another pain was added to his face, which was already suffering from the pain of the wound.

It was a voice that conveyed sadness and sorrow.

Tears flowed from between the man’s closed eyelids and rolled down his cheeks.

Cho-ryeon unconsciously watched him for a long time, watching his tears that did not fall even in the pain of the sword.

“I guess I’m the one who hurt you.”

After finishing all the treatments she could, Cho-ryeon went around the mountains to gather edible fruits and bring water.

As I gave the man water and moistened his lips with a little strawberry juice, the sun was already setting behind the mountain.

Cho-ryeon flopped down next to the man.

Because I was being chased, I couldn’t light a fire.

Because it was in the mountains, the nights were cold and there was a risk that wild animals would smell blood and attack, but even so, they could not light a fire.

The only good thing was that it wasn’t a cold winter.

“… Speaking as a member of parliament, there are many ways to die, whether from a wound, freezing to death, or being bitten by a wild animal. The chances of survival are slim.”

The bleeding had stopped, but I didn’t receive proper treatment. In fact, I didn’t think I would survive at all.

“Your fate is truly strange.”

As the night deepened, the howls of wild animals could be heard nearby. In the midst of all this, Cho-ryeon suddenly found herself laughing at what she had done all day.

If I was going to die like this anyway, why did I try so hard to survive?

He who was trying to dig up poisonous plants found medicinal herbs, and he who was about to die sweated to save himself.

And it was so funny that I was waiting for death with this man.

Cho-ryeon buried her face in her knees, comforted by the sound of dangerous breathing coming from the darkness.

The next day, surprisingly, the man was alive.

The next day, and the day after that.

The man was alive, and so was Choryun.

This year has passed.

The man opened his eyes for the first time.

Cho-ryeon, who was returning home after picking wild strawberries as usual, was startled by the sight of the man waking up and dropped the strawberries.

“You really lived, right…?”

The man who was blankly staring at her furrowed his eyebrows.

Are you glad to be alive? Are you dissatisfied?

What is that reaction after coming back from the dead?

No, who is that woman?

Three days passed again.

When the man sat up, Cho-ryeon dropped the herbs she had picked.

It was a monstrous resilience.

The man did not say anything about not lighting a fire, nor did he ask the reason for the anxious look that Cho-ryeon often showed.

Three days passed again.

Now, it was not easy to find herbs or pick berries around.

Because they stayed in one place for too long, the pursuit of the Golden Guards would have become closer.

It had not yet been discovered, due to the surrounding bushes and the terrain below the hills that obscured visibility, but it was too dangerous to stay any longer.

“Can you move?”

“… .”

The man stood up at the question asked despite knowing that he was unable to move.

The two walked slowly, slowly, with Cho-ryeon’s support.

When I came across a stream, I took a short break, and when the pain became severe, I stopped again until the pain subsided.

Meanwhile, the man’s condition gradually improved. One day, seeing him doing a good job, Cho-ryeon realized that he was a martial artist.

“Who is Jagang?”

As Cho-ryeon was watching a man washing his face in the stream, she asked him a question without thinking. The man stopped moving and looked back at her.

Only after seeing his cold, frozen expression did Cho-ryeon realize her mistake.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You called my name a lot when you were sick. You didn’t have to answer me…”

“Little brother.”

“…yes?”

“He’s my younger brother. I’m not that guy, I’m Submu-gwang.”

He gave an indifferent answer and turned his head back to the stream.

When he gave off a cold aura as if he was going to kill someone, Cho-ryeon looked at him as if nothing had happened and asked in a bewildered manner.

“… How old are you?”

“Weak crown (弱冠_20) and six.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

I thought it would have at least surpassed Irip.

Seopmu-gwang looked back at Cho-ryeon with his eyebrows raised.

“…what?”

“How on earth did you live to look so old?”

“… .”

Seopmu-kwang’s mouth slightly opened.

He never managed to answer.

* * *

“It’s already been over twenty years since we first met. Time flies, doesn’t it?”

Choryun smiled brightly.

Seol-hwa said, looking at that smile that looked somehow sad.

“I am alive thanks to the great lord.”

“That’s right. The person who was struggling to save a dying person is still alive today.”

The determination to die naturally diluted and disappeared in the midst of my confusion, and the life I lived each day became enjoyable.

The one who helped Choryun rediscover the joy of living was none other than Seop Mu-gwang.

“I want him to live. I want him to live a long life and let me live.”

Choryun looked at Seolhwa.

“Miss. Can you come back again? That person.”

“Do you trust me?”

Choryun nodded without hesitation.

“You are a special person, Miss. I know you are different from other people.”

“… .”

“I trust you, young lady.”

Perhaps it was because she had a past where she lived only for revenge. Cho-ryeon’s eyes were filled with confidence toward Seol-hwa.

Seolhwa smiled faintly as she faced that boundless trust.

“It’ll be okay. The Lord…”

Master.

“Because he is a strong person. He will definitely choose the path of life. So let’s do our best in our work.”

Choryun nodded softly.

In the meantime, the group had already arrived at Lingbo, the western end of Hanam.

* * *

Before entering Shaanxi, the group stopped at Lingbo.

It was to meet Jang Moon-in before setting foot on the volcano faction’s territory.

Late at night, at 2-3 o’clock in the morning.

After confirming that Yoo Biao was asleep, Yoo Kang carefully came out.

The Black Dragon Lord, who was standing guard outside, noticed him and nodded.

After greeting the Black Dragon Lord politely, Yu Kang passed through the tents and entered the forest.

For a moment, only the sound of rustling footsteps flowed through the darkness, and Yu Kang’s face quickly brightened as he discovered someone.

“Lady Namgung…!”

First, Seolhwa, who had been waiting for me, looked back at him.

Yoo Kang ran towards her.

“It’s not too late, is it?”

“Yeah. Looks like you didn’t get lost this time.”

“Hey, I won’t get lost at such a close distance!”

It was when Seol-hwa let out a light laugh at the sight of her screaming in confusion.

“This time?”

A huge shadow appeared from the forest behind Seolhwa with a rustling sound.

It was Namgung Mucheon who had come back after looking around for a while.

“Have you ever met in person?”

Namgung Mucheon looked down at Yugang with his eyebrows arched.

At that overwhelming presence, Yoo Kang swallowed his saliva without realizing it.

“Uh, that’s….”

“We met and talked separately when I came to my parents’ house before. It was because of the thing I told my grandfather.”

I have already told Namgung Mucheon about my conversation with Yoo Kang and why Yoo Kang was in the water well.

Namgung Mucheon’s furrowed eyebrows calmed down at Seolhwa’s explanation.

“I see.”

Yoo Kang felt relieved without realizing it.

“So, you know where the Ok Maegum hides?”

Yoo Kang quickly nodded.

“Yes…! But….”

“What is it?”

“You can only get there through the main text. The place where the long-suffering man is is near the top of the cliff… . The stairs leading there are connected to the main text.”

“What should I say again?”

Namgung Mucheon snorted softly.

“If there is no path, just make one.”

“Whoa!”

Namgung Mucheon, who was holding Yugang in his arms, asked Seolhwa.

“Can you follow me?”

“sure.”

“If you do that, let’s go.”

The next moment, Yoo Kang shouted “Waaaaah!” without realizing it.

His screams were instantly dissipated into the wind.