Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 129

Chapter 129
A brief disturbance arose, but once Shintu started handing out the gold bars, the majority of the silk weavers chose to accept the payment and return home.
A handful, however, declined to leave—specifically, old man Baek and two other craftsmen.
The sight of Yo-hwa’s thread had entranced them; even with the gold offered, they would not go back and instead pleaded with me fervently.
“You wish to create silk from that thread?”
“Indeed! The thread you revealed to us, Young Master, is the most superb we have ever seen!”
“No, the ultimate thread belongs to the Celestial Silkworm…”
“The Celestial Silkworm’s thread is far too sturdy. Weaving it into cloth demands internal energy, which is beyond the capability of ordinary people like us.”
“Fashioning anything else from it would present its own great difficulties.”
“Furthermore, the thread from the Celestial Silkworm lacks a certain brilliance. Even if woven, the result would be more akin to cotton than fine silk. However…”
I had already contemplated the potential of fabric woven from Yo-hwa’s thread, so their proposal was a welcome one.
Nevertheless, I needed approval from the family elders, which made me reluctant to agree immediately.
Then, a firm voice spoke up.
“Young Master, the thread you displayed is both supple and strong, with a radiance greater than any other! It is precisely the kind of thread that can produce the most exquisite silk!”
“Fifty years I’ve worked as a silk craftsman! If I do not weave this into fabric, I will find no peace, not even in death itself!”
“Please! We ask for no payment! Just allow us to weave it for you, Young Master!”
‘What is this? Are they all silk fanatics? Wait a moment. Is it possible? Could it actually be like that?’
I pondered the nature of these individuals, so wholly dedicated to silk. Seeing the fiery passion in their eyes, I recognized a part of myself—that obsessive spirit which would awaken if someone presented me with a captivating venomous being.
If shown a rare toxin, wouldn’t I behave identically? Pleading for it. No, I would even offer my service just to tend to it.
I saw a reflection of my past life in them: rushing out during a live show to acquire a newly arrived lizard species, or begging a merchant to let me handle a rare, not-yet-for-sale lizard.
Ultimately, every deep obsession leads to a desire to create something personally.
My own goal had been to breed lizards of various patterns, so I understood their desperation completely.
If I was an enthusiast of poison, these men were enthusiasts of silk.
‘All true fans respect and support one another’s passions.’
I nodded, remembering this unspoken rule of the fan world.
Since it was a matter of respecting their devotion, I gave them a thumbs-up.
“What… what does that mean?”
The three of them stared at my upraised thumb, blinking in confusion.
I winked at them and answered,
“It signifies my respect for your tastes—or more accurately, your resolve.”
“Does that mean…!?”
“Very well, then! But you must create the most beautiful and finest silk the world has ever seen!”
“Without a doubt, Young Master! I will dedicate my very life to crafting a supreme masterpiece!”
“Thank you, Young Master!”
After I welcomed the three craftsmen into the family, the elders looked at me with astonishment.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
“So-ryong, you’ve brought silk craftsmen here?”
“Yes, they wish to attempt weaving cloth from Yo-hwa’s thread. Do you believe it is acceptable?”
I had ushered them in with confidence, but now found myself at a loss for words. The elders were already informed, and I worried about a frosty reception.
Unexpectedly, however, they responded with praise.
“Is that so? That boy always brings us blessings.”
“Is it not difficult to find skilled silk craftsmen such as these?”
“Precisely. Truly excellent artisans are hard to come by. Well done! I believed my son-in-law was only talented at capturing poisons, but it seems he is also skilled at recruiting people?”
Locating proficient silk weavers was difficult, as their craft was a lucrative business, much like an export trade. Although I felt some concern because Shintu had essentially abducted these men, the elders assured me they would manage the situation.
“It is challenging to find craftsmen willing to relocate. But if they have chosen to remain with our family, do not trouble yourself, son-in-law.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, we will negotiate with their place of origin and resolve everything.”
Having received the elder’s consent, I decided to introduce the craftsmen to Yo-hwa.
Since they would be collaborating, I wanted them to become familiar with one another.
“First, you must not be alarmed. The thread Yo-hwa produces does not come from silkworms.”
“Eh? Not from silkworms? Then what is its source?”
As we left the family mansion and walked toward the well, my comment about the thread’s origin made the three craftsmen blink in bewilderment.
“Yo-hwa!”
*Thud!*
I called out when we reached the well, and Yo-hwa instantly dropped down in front of me.
“Eek!”
“Y-Young Master!”
“Th-that insect… is that… a monster!?”
The three craftsmen recoiled in horror at the sight of the floral appendages on Yo-hwa’s body.
Attempting to calm them, I gently patted Yo-hwa’s head and explained,
“Do not be afraid. Yo-hwa is a human-faced insect. She can transform her body into a human shape. She comprehends human speech and will not injure anyone unless she is threatened.”
“And if you require more thread, she can produce as much as you need.”
After I finished describing Yo-hwa’s nature, the three craftsmen stood motionless, still in shock, yet their gaze was peculiarly fixed on one particular point.
Following their stare, I saw it was directed at Yo-hwa’s transformed leg, where her pedipalps were wrapped around her ankle.
More specifically, they were staring at the red thread tied around Yo-hwa’s ankle.
‘Why are they so focused on that thread?’
Soon, the craftsmen’s eyes darted between Yo-hwa’s ankle and my own, and abruptly, all three of them thrust their thumbs into the air toward me and exclaimed.
“We… We respect you, Young Master!”
“Huh?”
I had the distinct feeling they had completely misinterpreted the situation.
‘No, it’s not like that! She isn’t my lover; she is my pet!’
***
“You truly intend to take all of them with us?”
“What choice do I have? The matter is settled. Besides, they will be useful.”
In response to Shintu’s question, I glanced around.
Seol and Bini were positioned on my shoulders, while Hyang had settled on top of my head. Yo-hwa and Cho stood on either side of me, and Yendu was coiled around my neck.
Having journeyed a considerable distance once already, they all appeared determined to accompany me now, especially since we weren’t traveling far.
Shintu and I had intended to depart swiftly, but that plan was entirely overturned.
With the inclusion of Hwa-eun, Seol, and Shintu’s disciple Yeong-ryeon, our party could no longer be called small. It seemed this would be a more relaxed excursion after all.
We would be keeping to mountain trails, and the destination wasn’t remote from here.
Moreover, I had briefly considered having them stay behind, but my instincts—my Fabre instincts—warned me that this time, I would need all my senses sharply attuned.
“You believe they will be useful?”
“Certainly. If any hazardous venomous beings appear, these companions will defend us.”
I reflected on the two defensive traits we had identified in the Celestial Silkworm.
The incredibly strong thread and the Osmeterium, an organ that releases a strange odor.
Considering this, it was plausible that some immensely powerful creature preyed upon the Celestial Silkworms. If that were true, Cho and Yo-hwa could be vital in such a confrontation.
‘Who can say? Perhaps we will uncover another lethal poison…’
If our opponent possessed such a toxin, countering it with another deadly poison would be the most effective strategy.
For a poison of that nature, we would absolutely require Cho and Yo-hwa.
We had learned that lesson well from our previous encounter with a formidable and fearsome entity.
We only just managed to cope when Cho and Yo-hwa were younger and still developing their abilities.
Thus, we departed the family estate and made for a forest situated on the border between Sichuan and Qinghai provinces.
Venturing further into the thick woodland, we came upon a distinctive geological formation.
At the rim of a enormous basin, the trees grew densely, but within the basin itself, not a single plant grew. Instead, the area was scattered with towering formations of red rock, rising in jagged spires.
These red peaks, some thirty to fifty meters high, formed a breathtaking vista.
It recalled the Stone Forest I had once visited briefly in Yunnan, the homeland of Seol.
“Remarkable, is it not? Is this the location?”
“Yes, the elder Shintu from generations past stated he found the eggs and the Celestial Silkworms here.”
“This place? It is far more extensive than I anticipated.”
“It truly is.”
Viewing the basin from above, its vast scale was evident. The Red Rock Forest extended for miles, much larger than I had imagined. There must have been dozens, if not over a hundred, of these red stone pillars.
Understanding the sheer size of the area made it clear that my initial idea of a brief outing was now significantly more complex.
Shintu knew the Celestial Silkworm had been found here, but he did not know the precise spot.
A thieves’ code prevented knowing the exact location of a stolen item’s origin, so this knowledge was transmitted orally through the generations.
Consequently, to find the Celestial Silkworm’s sustenance, we would have to conduct a thorough search of this entire place.
“It appears it will not be a simple task to locate.”
Although I had hoped my expert eye would be of assistance, all that met my view were the countless red rock pillars.
To discover anything here, we would likely need to examine each and every one of those peaks.
***
*Tap! Tap!*
“A most peculiar rock,” Hwa-eun remarked, picking up a stone and tapping it against the rock face.
The sound echoed throughout the basin.
As she noted, the red peaks were indeed strange.
They were large enough to hold dozens of people inside, and their surfaces were unusually smooth, as if fused by some immense force.
They resembled structures of concrete or red skyscrapers, much like those found in Yeouido.
“Did you see anything from the top?” I asked Shintu, who had employed his light body technique to scale one of the peaks and survey the surroundings.
“Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Looking down from the basin, the barren, desert-like ground was composed of eroded rock and red soil. It seemed utterly devoid of life, just as it had from our higher vantage point.
“I do not possess your knowledge of poisons and creatures, So-ryong, but there seems to be nothing here that could serve as food for a Celestial Silkworm.”
Even Hwa-eun, who consistently deferred to my expertise on toxins, could not imagine anything of value existing in such a desolate place.
However extraordinary the Celestial Silkworms might be, it was difficult to believe they would lay eggs in a location so lacking in sustenance.
“Still, since Shintu is certain this is the place, we must search meticulously.”
“Agreed.”
“All of you, assist your mother and father as well. Look for anything resembling round red eggs, or any venomous beings.”
*Chirp!*
*Whistle!*
*Rustle!*
At my instruction, Cho took flight, and Yo-hwa started scaling a nearby peak.
Yendu remained perched on my head, while Bini and Seol observed the area from my shoulders like sentinels.
*Rustle!*
Then, Hyang climbed down from me to investigate the surroundings on her own.
“Hyang, be cautious, do not stray too far. Yendu, accompany Hyang in case of danger.”
*Hiss!*
I assigned Yendu to guard Hyang, but the little one, in her endearing way, brought me a round red rock and then began climbing a stone pillar, continuing her search in her own fashion.
*Click?*
“No, that is not it. That is merely a rock.”
Hyang presented me with a red stone, tilting her head as if to ask if it was correct. It was already the fifth one; anything that looked even slightly unusual, she would bring to me.
*Rustle?*
Soon, Hyang seemed to pose another question, uncertain.
I smiled and knelt down to see what had caught her attention.
There, in the shadow I cast, a small insect was writhing within Hyang’s mouth.
Startled, I dropped to my knees and called out.
“Hyang, where did you discover that!?”
None of us had found a single clue, yet Hyang had suddenly returned with a bug the size of an egg.
It was thrashing about in her mouth, clearly in a state of frenzy.