Chương 82: Book 2, Chapter 4: Meeting Old Friends

As it turned out, Song was not the first person to return after washing up. Or even the second. When he and Jinu came down, they found Wook and Yu Jii sitting at a table happily chewing on bowls of rice and Sichuan style beef. Song could tell it was Sichuan style by the enormous number of red peppers covering everything.

"Oooh! Is that Sichuan beef? I've heard a lot about it!" Jinu said excitedly, sliding into the seat next to Wook. He happily scooped a healthy ladle of simmering beef and vegetables into a bowl and covered it with a scoop of rice. He mixed it in, humming happily, then took a big bite. Song cautiously sat down on the other side of Wook, wincing at Jinu's rapidly reddening face.

"How's your room, elder brother?"

"Good. Other than the fact that I'm stuck with Tae," Wook grunted around a mouthful of rice. He followed it with a swig of tea and sighed.

"He immediately emptied his bag of cosmetics and is busy powdering his face. He'll be a while. He refuses to 'come out in public without looking his best'."

"He'll fit right in in Chengdu then," Jii replied, shaking his head.

"Someone pass Jinu some tea before he ruptures a vein." Song hastily poured Jinu some tea, and patted his friend's back to make sure he didn't choke. He then eyed the beef with a good deal of trepidation, but he couldn't see Innkeeper Nari to make an order, so made do with simply ladling some rice into his own bowl. He remembered how he'd felt the morning after Cyrus had eaten 'a whole cow' as he put it. While they waited for the rest of their party, they engaged in companionable discussion.

Jii wanted to know what they were most interested in seeing in Chengdu, and had some points of interest he thought they would enjoy.

"Mount Emei's worth visiting at least once," Jii mused, sipping on his tea.

"Isn't it ruled by the Emei sect? Won't they be hostile to a group of unorthodox cultivators like ourselves?" Wook asked. His voice then dropped to a whisper.

"And aren't only women allowed on the mountain?"

"That's just the peak, where the sect is." Jii shrugged.

"Mount Emei is a little looser than the other sects. Partly because they aren't a strict sect – their students are free to follow their own daos – and also because their Virtue is to practice Hospitality." The three young men nodded sagely. The fourth young man in Song's head asked with confusion. ["Okay. I clearly just heard a capital V there. I'm assuming Virtue means something different here?"] ["The Orthodox cultivators have no Sign,"] Song vibrated back.

["Instead, they exemplify one of the Virtues and one of the Vices of the Great Ones. This, coupled with their rituals, gives them stronger martial techniques, but at the cost of their behaviour."] ["Oh. That's neat. Body versus mind and whatnot. What Virtue and Vices are there?"] ["Lots. Three of each per Great One. I know the Verdant Mother's the best of course. The Orthodox Sects of Wood are the Kunlun Sect who exemplify the Virtue of Ambition and the Vice of Domination, and the Mount Emei Sect who practice the Virtue of Hospitality, and the Vice of Vengeance. Though it can vary, I've heard the Icey Flower of Emei practices the Virtue of Righteousness instead."] ["So they're good hosts, but don't piss them off."] ["Yes,"] Song looked thoughtfully at the pot of tea on the table before continuing, ["The Tales say that Mount Emei's Hundred Year Snow Bud Tea is one of the most heavenly experiences in Murim."] ["Oho, can we get some?"] ["Unlikely."] ["So what happens if they don't properly practice their Virtue and Vice?"] Cyrus asked, curiosity gleaming from his words. ["I don't know. I assume deviation."] ["Yeah yeah, deviation this deviation that. Guess that happens when you're dealing with eldritch horrors."]"What are you lot gossiping about?" A female voice said from the stairwell. They all looked up to see Eunji descending the stairs. She had freshened up, and put jade sticks in her hair, but was still in her usual armour. Song's eye was drawn however, to the fairy that walked down the stairs beside her.

"Ah, Daughter. Did the horses get watered," Jii said, a wide smile on his face.

"Of course, Father," the fairy scowled. Recognition dawned on Song. Was this fairy Yu Dami?! A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. His friend had put on a long guzhuang with patterns of changpo flowers and golden embroidery. Her hair had been done up so that it sat like a temple upon her brow, with lazily curling rivers flowing down her shoulders. It was all held up by a comb of gold and jade. She looked identical to one of the beauties from the Tales.

Song had never seen his friend in such a state before. And neither, apparently, had Jinu.

"Dami–" Jinu stuttered, standing and offering her his seat. He quickly wiped bits of meat and rice from his still-pathetic goatee. Dami ignored him, choosing the chair next to her father. Jii wordlessly poured a cup of tea and handed it to his daughter. Dami gracefully took the cup and sipped, the look of sedate fury on her face slowly transitioning to pleasure at the smooth warmth of the tea.

Jinu stood staring until Song poked him, at which point the boy turned beat red and hastily sat back down, burying himself in his own teacup.

"We were just talking about interesting locations in Chengdu, Eunji," Jii gestured at the younger men.

"Do you have any thoughts?"

"The Bangbang Dabang. Then I can offload all you lot and go report in to the army." Eunji scowled at a table next to them, where a party of travelers were leaning their ears to overhear them. The travelers quickly turned their heads away with looks of embarrassment. Jii gave a tut.

"Isn't this Song's trip? Shouldn't we put some thought into what he wants to see?" The table turned to look at Song, who blinked at the sudden attention. Song thought about it, then said quietly.

"Actually, the first place I'd like to stop is the old Sima clan holdings. It's on the way, isn't it?" His brothers looked spooked and even Eunji looked uncomfortable.

"Why? It's just a burnt out wreck these days."

"They were responsible for the rebellion that sparked our Lee family's dismissal from the capital. I want to see a part of our family's history," Song explained quietly.

"Hm," Eunji said noncommittally, but followed it up with a curt nod. There was a commotion at the door, and everyone in the inn looked over to where a group of soldiers were brushing running water from their armour. They looked more wet and bedraggled than Song's group had when they'd first arrived. The man at the front removed his helmet and barked, "Miss Nari! Hot tea, please!" The innkeeper peeked her head out from behind the curtain leading to the kitchen, her face blooming into a smile.

"Of course, Kiho!" She disappeared back inside to the sound of clattering and sizzling oil. Song briefly considered escape. Could he run for his room without being spotted? But most unfortunately, Kim Kiho, the darned old soldier, had a keen eye.

"Ah? If it isn't the young cultivator hero! Oy, look lads, it's Haksaekki!" Kiho shouted. There was a chorus of cheers and hellos from the other soldiers, who returned to brushing water from their armour with renewed gusto.

"You know those soldiers, Song?" Eunji said, her face a mask. Song felt his cheeks turning red.

"I met them when I first came to the waystation."

"They speak to you with such familiarity…" Eunji trailed off, her eyes tracking the soldiers.

"We shared some drinks…" Song mumbled.

"Ha! Haksaekki did more than just share airag with us! He told us tales of his battle against the grasswolf, and bought us all a meal! Every soldier east of Chengdu knows the story of the crane child's first flight!" Kiho, overhearing them, approached their table with a smile - that promptly vanished when he espied exactly whom he was talking to. He quickly offered a salute.

"Lee Eunji! What brings you this way, Lady Lee?"

"I'm chaperoning my little nephews," Eunji murmured, briefly mirroring the salute.

"How are things at the waystation, Lieutenant Kiho? Has Captain Cho headed back?"

"Aye, Miss. He left a few days ago. We've seen no further signs of grasswolves, and all the other demonic beasts seem to have been scared off by something. Probably young Haksaekki's fight, to hear him tell of it."

"Ach, I'm sure Song was just exaggerating," Wook said, rubbing Song's head. Song swatted his brother's hand away with annoyance. The old soldier stiffened, and his gaze turned serious.

"No… Sir," he said with an inflection bordering on insult.

"You didn't see him when he arrived, nor the site of the battle. He arrived here near dead and we found the corpses of several grasswolves. He's a proper cultivator, he is."

"Oho?" Wook said, his smile turning into daggers. But they bored straight through Kiho's straight spine without any impact, and Wook turned his grin on Song.

"It appears my little brother has made a name for himself in the Gangho before his elder brother! Audacious!"

"Is the young master your brother, sir?" Kiho made a quick bow.

"This one apologizes if he's caused any offence."

"No, no. It pleases this one as his hyung that there are honourable soldiers such as yourself willing to stand up for him," Wook practically preened.

"Hyung?" Kiho's ears perked up.

"Were you his mentor?" Wook made another flex of his massive bicep.

"I taught my younger brother everything he knows. Well, until he met his Master." Eunji snorted, then stood.

"I'm going to get some wine. Do you want any, Jii?"

"Oh, yes!" The Yu family patriarch said vigorously. Eunji walked over to the counter, then stepped behind it and began rifling through the bottles on the shelves herself. Kim Kiho watched her go and gave Song a nod.

"Lee Eunji is your aunt, Haksaekki? No wonder you show such skill and bravery. Eunji is known as one of the fiercest and most noble Nakjin warriors."

"Great Aunt, actually." Song coughed, imagining the staid and severe Eunji as a hero in the Tales.

"Is she well known?"

"Yes. She slew over a hundred warriors of Huoyan during the last war. And she's not even at Refinement." Kiho held his fist over his heart.

"And over half the men under her command survived; she's a legend! I'm sure you'll make a splash entering Chengdu with her." Song looked back over to where his imposing, severe, foulmouthed Aunt was arguing with the Innkeeper. Somehow this trip was turning out to be even more interesting than he'd first assumed!