Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 175

Chapter 175
Bzzz. Bzzzz.

The air above hummed with the sound of Golden-Furred Wasp Kings, their movements energetic and constant.
Just the day before, they had been occupied within their new hive, building wax chambers. But today, they appeared to be setting out in full force to gather nectar.
Some took flight toward Tang Mountain, while others danced among the large lotus blossoms open on the pond.
Weeeeeng. Weeeeng.
“Keep working hard.”
A few noticed me sitting in the pondside pavilion and buzzed over to say hello.
I waved back, and they beat their wings enthusiastically before changing course toward the mountains.
Though a wasp’s buzz might usually sound monotonous, today it carried a special vibrancy—as though they were genuinely happy with their new residence.
I had entered the pavilion yesterday to inspect their progress on the hive, and the instant I stepped inside, they gathered around me gratefully.
Every one of them was keen to share nutrients with me as a thank-you, which proved… difficult to politely refuse.
The pavilion rose five stories, was roomy, and had excellent airflow—compared to their former tree, it was nothing short of a high-end home.
“Haah… handling so many probing tongues was tiring.”
Truthfully, their previous dwelling was no comparison.
However grand and old a tree might be, it could never equal the space and comfort of a structure built by humans.
Trees were naturally unclean, drew all sorts of bugs, and had bad ventilation. Rainwater would leak through the gaps.
But the five-story pavilion I offered them?
It had a roof to shield them from the sun, open windows for fresh air, and significantly more space than their old hive.
Moreover, the wasps were clever. After I demonstrated how the windows operated, they started using them with ease.
“They truly adore their new home. Even their wingbeats sound happier.”
“Naturally. It is a five-story pavilion, after all…”
A sharp voice spoke up next to me—Tang Hwa-eun.
Surprisingly, Grandfather Mandok Shingun hadn’t objected to me giving the pavilion to the wasps.
He simply coughed and mumbled:
“Ahem… Well, household affairs… are for the Clan Head to decide…”
That was all.
Hwa-eun, on the other hand, was not pleased.
As it happened, she was quite fond of this pavilion.
It was seldom used—perhaps only once or twice a year—but whenever she needed to settle her thoughts, she would come here to unwind.
To apologize, I had officially introduced her to Ranghu, guaranteeing she would always be allowed inside.
Even so, she seemed somewhat displeased.
I smiled, softly taking her hand.
“Are you still angry, Hwa-eun?”
“N-No. Not at all. Just as you said, when I come here now, many friends will be here to welcome me.”
Hwa-eun didn’t have close companions, so I thought providing her with some might be kind. But now she was sulking about it?
Fortunately, I am a man of generous spirit.
Squeezing her hand slightly tighter, I whispered quietly:
“This spot is truly lovely.”
“Yes… The sight of the lotus pond from the highest floor has always been stunning…”
“No, that isn’t what I meant. With flowers, bees, and now only a butterfly missing, this place would be paradise.”
“W-What…?”
Hwa-eun, understanding I had just referred to her as the flower, flushed deeply, using her sleeve to fan her face.
She had been intending to reprimand me for claiming her pavilion.
Too bad for her.
I thwarted that plan before it could even begin.
Just as we were savoring our tranquil moment by the pond pavilion, a piercing noise suddenly rang through the air.
—Fweeeee! Fweeeee! Fweeeee!
A signal from the Nine-Tiered Gates of Tang Mountain.
Three blasts in a row.
A call for the direct lineage.
Hwa-eun and I looked at each other and instantly sprang into motion, using qigong movement to speed toward the gates.
It appeared a visitor had come.
“Seems we have company.”
“Let’s hurry.”
As we dashed down the main path leading downhill, the great river flowing beside Tang Mountain came into sight.
And then—the gates of the Nine-Tiered Entrance emerged before us.
But upon reaching the first gate, I understood something unanticipated.
This was no ordinary visitor.
It was my father-in-law, Tang Cheolsan, coming home.
“Welcome back, Father-in-law!”
I hurried forward to offer a warm greeting.
He smiled when he saw me.
“Ah, my son-in-law! You’ve arrived before me.”
“Father!”
“Hwa-eun, you have returned safely too?”
At present, the entire Central Plains was engaged in a widespread purge of the Blood Cult under the emperor’s command.
Martial artists and imperial soldiers were posted throughout the cities, conducting random blood circulation tests—since Blood Cult practices caused an unusually rapid pulse, it was a useful tactic for identifying their followers.
Tang Cheolsan had been directing Tang Clan warriors to help with these efforts in Chengdu.
Now, he was finally back.
“…Hold on. Wouldn’t that also lead to wrongly arresting people with high blood pressure?”
I was skeptical about this method’s reliability…
But then, the Central Plains I knew from stories was often like this.
“Oh well. I’m certain my father-in-law managed it correctly.”
Thinking that, I moved forward, prepared to usher him inside.
“Come in, Father-in-law. I am eager to hear about your mission. Oh, and incidentally, Hwayang has—”
Before I could finish, he lifted a hand to interrupt me.
“Wait, son-in-law. I have guests accompanying me. You both ought to greet them first.”
“Guests?”
“You brought guests?”
As he moved aside, the warriors surrounding him parted, unveiling three men approaching us.
A portly man in magistrate’s robes.
An older man in imperial military armor.
And someone I knew—an elder from the Qingcheng Sect.
The third man was the Qingcheng Sect Leader, who had previously come to support the Tang Clan.
The other two were unmistakably prominent individuals.
I promptly bowed and introduced myself.
“It is a privilege to meet you. I am So-ryong of the Beast Palace and son-in-law of the Tang Clan.”
“My greetings as well. I am Tang Hwa-eun.”
Tang Cheolsan presented them.
“This is Lord Ho Gwan-yu, the Governor of Sichuan. This is General Maeng Gyu-seong of the Imperial Iron Cavalry. And of course, you already know Bai Hezi, the Sect Leader of Qingcheng.”
Exactly as I guessed—these were among the most influential figures in Sichuan.
“Oh! So these are Tang Cheolsan’s daughter and son-in-law? I have been wanting to meet you! It is a privilege to see my benefactor face to face!”
“Hoho, so this is the Tang Clan’s son-in-law?”
“We have met before, correct? Good to see you again, young man.”
So Tang Cheolsan had come back from his mission with these distinguished guests.
Seeing the surprise on Hwa-eun’s and my faces, my father-in-law laughed.
“We captured five Blood Cult members and broke up one of their recruiting stations. I thought we ought to celebrate properly—so I invited them for a drink at our home!”
…Did he really bring home unannounced guests without warning my mother-in-law?
True to form, he turned to Hwa-eun and said:
“Hwa-eun, please go tell your mother to arrange a banquet in the Poisonous Flower Pavilion. The lotus flowers should be blooming beautifully—it will be an ideal venue for our guests.”
Hwa-eun looked at me, her expression clearly shouting:
“WHAT DO WE DO!?”
…Yes, I truly had not anticipated this.
“Really, how could I have predicted this? The timing…”
They say timing is everything in life.
And mine?
Mine was a work of art in disastrous timing.
***
Weeeeeng. Bzzzzzz.
As the guests enjoyed their drinks, the Golden-Furred Wasp Kings buzzed around curiously, pausing briefly to watch the event before moving on.
The sight of the large wasps flying close by made the guests noticeably uneasy.
“I-I have never had a drink in quite this kind of setting.”
“I must admit, this is… a very distinctive experience.”
“I saw them earlier, but even so… these insects are remarkable.”
When my father-in-law abruptly chose to host the banquet at the Poisonous Flower Pavilion, I was unprepared.
But what choice did I have?
We required a practical location, and this pond pavilion was the nearest appropriate place.
Even though the Golden-Furred Wasp Kings were attuned to vibrations, the banquet took place on the top level of a wooden pavilion on the far side of the pond, sufficiently distant that their activity wasn’t overly disrupted by people walking.
Still, their mere size was enough to be daunting.
A few of the wasps, curious about the unusual assembly, flew near the table, making the guests pause before picking up their cups.
“Please, rest assured. My wasps do not sting people without cause.”
I offered a reassuring smile, but the guests only responded with uneasy laughter.
“Ahaha… I-I understand.”
“R-Right, certainly.”
“Ahaha…”
Then, I caught my father-in-law’s anxious voice via sound transmission.
[You idiot! If things were like this, you should have informed me sooner! Why did you set up the banquet here?]
[We are working to build stronger relations with the Governor of Sichuan and the Imperial Iron Cavalry to grow our business. Do you grasp how significant this is?!]
So that was why he invited these dignitaries.
The Tang Clan ran many enterprises throughout Sichuan, trading medicinal herbs and other products.
Entertaining the Governor of Sichuan and the Imperial Iron Cavalry Commander was probably a tactical decision—to gain official support and new commercial pathways.
“Ah, that’s the strategy.”
If that was so…
As the devoted son-in-law, I couldn’t simply do nothing.
I leaned in and whispered.
[Then allow me to handle it.]
[Hmm? You?]
Father-in-law looked surprised, but I just took a wine bottle and faced the guests.
“Might I have the pleasure of serving you all a drink?”
The guests looked at one another, then nodded cautiously.
“Y-Yes, please.”
“This is undoubtedly unusual, but I am a veteran of war—a simple drink will not unsettle me. Proceed.”
With their consent, I stood up—but rather than pouring the wine, I lifted my head and called out.
“Ranghu!”
My voice carried over the pond, cutting through the gentle night humming.
The buzzing from the five-story pavilion stilled—and soon, a streamlined, golden-furred head appeared from a high window.
Ranghu.
“Come here for a moment!”
Typically, a queen wasp does not leave her hive.
But since this colony was still new—and considering how familiar we had grown—I thought she might come if I called.
Indeed, after cocking her head inquisitively, she soared out of the window, slicing through the night sky.
She landed gracefully right in front of me.
Bzzz?
She tilted her head, wordlessly questioning why I had called her.
I moved closer and whispered with great care.
[Can you let a small amount of that substance you shared with me before fall into this? Just a bit. Something gentle. I will not consume it myself.]
Would she agree?
I wasn’t certain.
But lately, we had grown closer, and I had even given her a name—surely, she would assist.
I raised the wine bottle, and after a short pause, Ranghu tilted her head… then hovered above it.
With exact accuracy, she released one golden droplet into the liquid.
Excellent.
If she had said no, I would have used honey instead.
But this?
This was much superior.
Plop.
The instant the golden drop touched the wine, it expanded like rings in water, emitting a rich, penetrating fragrance.
The guests gaped, their faces transforming with silent wonder.
I gently stroked Ranghu’s head before dismissing her.
“Thank you, and I apologize for disturbing you. You should return to rest—you will have much to do soon, getting ready to lay eggs.”
She buzzed quietly, apparently content, before flying back to her elevated hive.
With that done, I twirled the wine bottle skillfully and grinned.
“The substance I just introduced… is a rare extract that only a Golden-Furred Wasp Queen can create—a single drop once every ten years. It is a treasure possessing the qualities of a mid-grade elixir.”
…Naturally, I invented the ‘ten-year’ detail entirely.
I needed to set a boundary—otherwise, these officials might begin asking for more.
But for skilled martial artists, even a drop of wine enhanced with elixir-like properties was an offer they couldn’t refuse.
As anticipated—
The moment I stopped talking, the four respected guests quickly extended their cups with both hands, each vying to be first.
“T-Thank you so much!”
“The Tang Clan certainly understands how to honor its guests!”
“This degree of generosity is truly exceptional, is it not?”
The Golden Wasp Royal Nectar Wine—a beverage created from royal jelly, imbued with the essence of a Golden-Furred Wasp Queen.
This night, for the first time, it was offered.