Chapter 102

Ashortwhilelater,wassittingatatablecoveredinironfilings,beingservedtea.

“Comenow,drink.t’soldtea,butcan’tverywellfailtotreataguest.”

“hankyou,MasterJin.”

“Master,myfoot.Callmeablacksmith.”

“Yes,BlacksmithJin.”

Whenansweredpolitelyandtookholdoftheteacup,theoldmanlaughedheartilyandstrokedhisbeard.

“ahaha!othinkwouldmeetsomeonefromtheangSectagainbeforediedofoldage.hisisadayworthcommemorating.”

“’mnotabloodrelative.’mamaidservantservingadirect-lineyoungmaster......”

“itherway,you’repartoftheangSecthousehold,aren’tyou?learnedalittlefromlderangmyself,soyouandarepracticallyfamily.”

reallydon’tthinkso.

Surprisingly,theoldmanwassomeonewhohadreceivedtheangClan’sgrace.

esaidthatwhenhewasyoung,hehadworkedatanironworkshopundertheAlliance,carryingcharcoalforthefurnace.

heonewhohadtaughtthatclumsyyoungmanproperblacksmithinghadbeenanelderoftheangClan.heoldman’svoicewassoakedwithjoyashetoldmethestory.

So,accordingtohim,thatmadehimpracticallypartoftheanghouseholdtoo.

“owlonghasitbeensincelasttoldthisstory......?fanoldcountrymanlivinginamountainvillagelikethisstartedtalkingabouttheMartialAllianceandtheangSect,whowouldbelievehim?hey’dsay,‘asthatoldmangonesenile?’”

“Ahaha,see.”

obehonest,don’treallybelieveiteither.

heangClan’smetallurgyshouldbecontrolledwithairtightstrictness,shouldn’tit?

Whateccentriclunatictaughtblacksmithingtoanoutsider?

ftheblacksmithsoftheangClan’sironworkshop,whowouldturntheplaceupsidedownoverevenonemissingitem,heardaboutthis,theywouldbeinanuproar.

Asawkwardlyplayedalong,loweredmyvoiceandwhispered.

“Um,sir.twouldbebetterifyoudidn’tmentiontheangClanelsewhere.echnologyleaksareasensitiveissue.”

“oodness,lookatmymind.lderangsaidthesamething.esaidmyheadwouldflyifdid.forgot.”

herearethingsyoucanforgetandthingsyoucan’t.owcanyouforgetsomethinginvolvingyourownneck,oldman?

heoldmanchuckled,sippedhistea,andasked,

“Youngady,doyouknowlderang?iseyesweresharplikethis,andhiswayofspeakingwasbrusque.”

eseemedtobehopingknewhisbenefactor.

couldnotbringmyselftoanswerthatallangClanpeoplewerelikethat,soslowlyshookmyhead.

“heelderblacksmithsrarelycomeoutoftheironworkshop.’mnotsure.”

“Sohestillneverleavestheworkshopalldaylong.aha.hatisjustlikehim.supposehe’sdoingwell.”

hisoldmanonlyhearswhathewantstohear.saiddon’tknowwhoitis.

Despitemyflimsyexcusethatwasamaidservantservingadirect-lineyoungmaster,theoldmandidnotdoubtmeatall.

ewassimplybusysavoringhismemories.

“Whenlderangworked,heallowednooneintotheironworkshop.Butifitwasn’tasecretartoftheangSect,hetriedtoteachmeanythinghecould.ealwaysstressedthatapersonneededaskillinordertomakealiving.”

“esoundslikeagoodperson.”

“ealsohadafinesetoflungs.canstillhearhimshoutingthatifheldthehammerlikethat,’dbreakmywrist.”

heoldmanlaughedloudly,andnostalgiaroseacrosshisface.

“wantedtobecomeablacksmithlikehim......”

tseemedhehadadmiredthatnamelessangClanblacksmith.

Whensmiledsilently,theoldmangatheredhisexpressionandasked,

“ButwhatbringsaangSectyoungmasterallthewaytoAnhui?Andlookingforasword,noless.DopeopleintheangSecthandleswordsthesedays?”

“Myyoungmasterhasbeenthinkingaboutwaystofaceswordsmenwiththemartialartsofoursect.esaidhewoulduseaswordhimselfandtoldmetobuyasuitableone.”

“emustbedeeplydevotedtomartiallearning.heangSect’sfutureisbright.”

heoldmanbelievedtheexcusehadroughlycobbledtogetherandnodded.Afterwatchinghisreaction,cautiouslybroughtupthesubject.

“nthatcase,couldyousellthisswordtomyyoungmaster?”

“Doso.”

“Pleasereconsiderinsteadofsaying—what?”

“akeittoyouryoungmaster.t’llbeputtobetterusetherethanrottingawayinaremotevillagelikethis.”

heoldmanagreedreadily.eseemedtohavecompletelyforgottenthathehadsaidhewouldnotsellitevenforathousandgoldpieces.Unabletobelievehisanswer,smiledbrightlyandaskedagain.

“Really?You’llsellittome?”

“obeginwith,itwassomethinglderangentrustedtome.fadirect-linememberoftheangSectseeksit,isn’titonlypropertohanditover?etoldmetogiveitawayifasuitableownerappeared.Atlast,theownerhasarrived.”

“hankyou,sir!Myyoungmasterwillbedelightedtoo.”

grabbedtheoldman’swrinkledhandsandshookthemupanddown.

Yes!Unknownelderofthefamily,willuseitgratefully.hisdamnedhouseholdisfinallyusefulforonce.

Atmyfuss,theoldmanchuckledandrose.

“hereisn’tapropersheath.Willthatbeallright?canwrapitinclothforyou.”

“fcourseit’sallright!”

heoldmansoonbroughtcleancottonclothandwrappedtheswordtightly.isworkwasmeticulous,but......

“Um,sir.Wouldyouhappentohavesomethinglikeasackcancarryitin?tseemstooconspicuous.”

tlookedfartoosuspicious.

Anyonecouldtellitwasasword.fwalkedaroundcarryingthis,everyonewouldstare.

Whenlookedtroubled,theoldmanpulledoutalongsackfromsomewhereandslidtheswordinside.

“Willthisdo?”

“Yes.hankyou.”

“Stickafewdrybranchesinittoo.twouldbebetterifitlookedasthoughyouwerecarryingfirewood.”

Afterofferingadvice,theoldmanbroughtoverahandfulofsmallbranches.tuckedtheminsotheypokedoutofthesack,thentiedthemouthshut.

hebulgingshapeofthesheathstillbotheredme,butitwasfarbetterthanaclothbundlethatobviouslycontainedasword.

“Sir,thepayment......”

“Whatpayment?toldyou,itwasanobjectlderangentrustedtome.WhenyoureturntotheangSect,simplypassalongmyregardstohim.ellhimtheJinfellowopenedanironworkshopinAnhui.”

heoldmancutmeoffandwavedhishandasifweresayingsomethingabsurd.

’msorry,sir.can’tdeliverthatmessage......

Myconscienceprickedtoomuchformetoanswerthatwould.smoothlychangedthesubject.

“t’sbesttomakeeverythingclear.fthisisanobjectentrustedtoyoubyanelderoftheangClan,don’tthinkit’ssomethingcanpayforatmylevel.PleasechargeittotheangClan’sSecondYoungMaster,angUn.’llgiveyouarubbingofhisidentitytoken.”

fitwasangUn,hewouldrealizeitwasamessagefromme.ewasnotsomeonewhowouldrevealmylocation,socouldtrusthim.

“rue.fit’ssomethingforyoursuperiorstodecide,thenyoucan’tjusttakeitonyourown.fthatwillputyourmindatease,doso.”

“hankyouforunderstanding,sir.”

boweddeeply,thentookoutangUn’sidentitytokenandhandedittotheoldman.

“Mygoodness,tomakeatokenoutofsuchpreciousplum-blossomjade.tseemstheangSect’swealthtrulyisenormous.”

AsiftheidentitytokenofaangClandirect-linememberwastoomuchforhimtohandle,heaccepteditwithtremblinghands.

Whilewatchedtheoldmanmaketherubbingwithgreatcare,slippedinaquestion.

“Bytheway......whydidlderangentrusttheswordtoyou?”

“ehiditbecauseifpeoplelearnedhehadgonetothetroubleofobtainingmeteoricirononlytomakeaswordwithit,theclanwouldcursehimforthenexthundredyears.esaidhiddenweaponsweretoosmall,soforgingthemwasnofun.”

“......Ah.”

Yes.see.hatelderreallywasaneccentric.

begantowonderabouttheidentityoftheangClanblacksmithwhohadmadethismeteoric-ironsword.

heoldmanwipedangUn’sidentitytokencleanandreturnedittome,thensmiledbrightly.

“othinkgottotouchtheidentitytokenofadirect-lineangSectmember!hisoldmanhasgainedanotherstorytodrinkover.”

iswordssoundedliketheywouldcauseserioustroubleifdidnotkeephismouthshut,sohurriedlyspoke.

“Um,sir.Couldyoukeeptoday’seventsasecret?”

“Whyisthat?”

“Well,theangClanresearchingswordsmanshipisamatterofpride.Wedon’twantwordofitleakingoutside.hat’salsowhymyyoungmastersentmeontheerrand.”

“Ah,ofcourse!hisoldmanwasthoughtless.Don’tworry.’llkeepthesecretuntilentermycoffin.”

heoldmannoddedwithasolemnface.nmanyways,hewasquicktoacceptthings.

“hankyouforunderstanding,sir.”

“hereisnothingtounderstand.t’sonlynatural.Youryoungmastermustbewaiting.urryalong.”

“Yes.h,sir.hebladesofalltheironswordsinthatboxwerecorroded.sitallrighttoleavethemlikethat?”

Asslungthesackovermyshoulderandasked,theoldmanansweredasifitwerenothing.

“hatway,flieswon’tgather.”

“What?”

“Farmingtoolsareonething,butifacountrymanlikememakesweaponstoowell,itwillonlybringharm.fwordspreadsthattheswordsmakeareworthless,canlivequietly.hat’swhyleftthemthatway.”

“Ah.”

foundmyselfnoddingatthewisedecision.eseemedtocherishhisconnectiontotheangClan,buthehadnointentionofgettingdeeplyentangledwiththemartialworld.

“hen’llbegoingnow.”

“akecareonyourway.”

Afterleavingtheironworkshop,beganwalkingtowardthemarketplace.Ahumslippedoutofmeonitsownfromthejoyofhavingobtainedsomethinggood.

Aswordmadeofmeteoriciron.Whatkindofwindfallisthis?

YeonRyangwillbepleased,won’the?

*****

boughtasackofmedicinalingredientsformakingdewormingpills,thenboughtYeonRyang’sclothesandcloth.

venthoughchosethewidestandlargestclothesamongtheready-madegarmentsatthefabricshop,itseemedhewouldhavetosewonquitealotofextracloth.

hepantswillprobablyendupmorethanahandspantooshort......Well,YeonRyangcanhandlethesewinghimself.

Asmutteredandleftthemarketplace,sawmyreflectioninabronzemirrorinfrontofastreetstallsellingaccessories.

Withasackoveroneshoulder,abagofmedicinalingredientsandalargeclothbundleonmyback,looked,toanyonewatching,likeamountaingirlwhohadcometothemarkettobuydailynecessities.

......hedisguiseissoperfectnoonewillsuspectathing.

Assmackedmylipsandturned,alargecarriageslowlypassedbesideme.

AflagembroideredwiththecloudpatternthatsymbolizedtheamgungClanhungfromthecarriage.

Asifenchanted,followedthebackofthecarriagewithmyeyes.

Aftermovingaboutthirtyfeet,thecarriagestoppedinfrontofatwo-storybuilding.Amanrushedoutofthebuildingandopenedthecarriagedoor.

Atthesamemoment,ayoungchildhoppeddownfromthecarriage.

hechild’sclothes,palesky-blue{•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t}silkembroideredwithcloudsinbluethread,lookedfamiliar.

hehalf-glimpsedprofileoverlappedwiththefaceofaboyinmymemory.

Blinkingblankly,murmuredwithoutrealizingit.

“heeirApparent?”