Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“How dare a youth interrupt when his elders are speaking?!”
“Precisely! Do you even understand the contents of that letter from the Governor of Sichuan before you speak?”
“Chieftain! You see what happens when you bring in someone of unknown origins? This is why we insisted on finding a match from a proper family…”

The outraged cries of the elders reverberated around the hall, and I felt a familiar throb of irritation at my temples.
“These old men are truly trying my patience.”
In my previous life, I never lost a single online argument, even when trolls flooded my streams. These so-called elders had no idea what they were challenging.
I took another deliberate step forward, clasped my hands in a show of respect, and spoke with a polite smile. My tone was courteous, but my words were cutting.
“Step one of winning a debate: remain calm, speak respectfully, and make your points sharp enough to slice through their empty posturing.”
“I hear that you refuse to acknowledge me as a son-in-law of the Tang Clan. Very well, I am merely a guest here.
“But as a guest, I saved the life of your cherished daughter, the clan’s golden jewel. Moreover, I was the one who captured Tak Wonyang, the Blood-Handed Rakshasa, saving the chieftain himself.
“So I ask you—does the Tang Clan make a habit of insulting its guests and those who have done it such service?”

A stunned silence fell over the room. All eyes were fixed on me. Grandfather, the chieftain, and my sister were all staring in astonishment, as if they could not believe the audacity of my speech.
“If I’m not family, then you owe me even greater respect.”

The elders were momentarily rendered speechless. Finally, one found his voice and sputtered, “The Blood-Handed Rakshasa, Tak Wonyang?”
“Tak Wonyang? That’s impossible! He perished years ago!”
“Is this some outrageous tale fabricated by the chieftain to make this boy seem more acceptable?”

*Thud.*

Before their accusations could gain momentum, the chieftain slammed a book down onto the desk.
“Enough! So-ryong speaks the truth. This is the manual for the Blood-Water Venom Claw. See for yourselves.”
“Th-The Blood-Water Venom Claw!?”
“You retrieved that accursed text?”

The elders, who had been so dismissive moments before, hurried to the desk at the mention of the infamous artifact. They inspected the book’s cover and flinched back in shock.
“The script on the cover… Blood Sect and Blood-Water Venom Claw… and the text is written in blood! This is undoubtedly genuine!”
“So, it truly did originate from the Blood Sect…”
“Wait, this book is that notorious? And I thought the Tang Clan was extreme.”

Just as I was processing this, one of the elders cautiously asked, “Then… did this young man truly defeat Tak Wonyang?”
“Impossible! He can’t even be twenty years old!”

At that moment, with a soft rustling sound, the O-gong centipedes I carried emerged from my collar and glided up my arms.
The room froze. The chieftain’s sharp gaze shifted to me, his eyes filled with silent inquiry.
“Why must he always glare before he speaks?!”
“This… this is…”
“Yellow O-gong?!”
“Those are the offspring of the Blue-Spotted Centipede! The very breed So-ryong has been cultivating, is it not?”
“It seems we must address him as ‘young master’ now, since the chieftain has given him his recognition.”

I gently patted the centipedes on their heads. “Now, now, O-gong, no biting. We wouldn’t want anyone to turn black and die like that Blood-Handed Rakshasa fellow.”

Hearing this, one of the elders, who had been cautiously backing away, stammered, “W-We never said we didn’t acknowledge you!”
“Yes, we were merely insisting that all matters follow the proper procedures! That is all!”
“Exactly. Nothing more than that!”

Their sudden shift in attitude was transparent and pathetic. Watching them scramble to save face, my sister’s expression turned frosty.
“She must be thinking these cowards would trade their dignity for safety in the face of a few centipedes.”

Finally, Grandfather spoke to steer the conversation back. “Very well, we will set the matter of the son-in-law aside for now. But why can we not entrust him with Mandok Hall?”

After exchanging uneasy looks, one elder ventured a reply. “It is only… should he not first be fully incorporated into the clan through the proper marriage rites?
“And even if we bypass that, he is not yet twenty. How can we assign such a critical responsibility to someone so young? The chieftain claims he is knowledgeable, but he has yet to demonstrate any ability that would earn the clan’s trust.”
“Yes, Elder. We cannot simply hand over Mandok Hall!”

Grandfather nodded, as if weighing their logic, and then smiled.
“So, your position is that we cannot entrust Mandok Hall to So-ryong because he has not proven his capabilities to the clan’s satisfaction?”
“Yes, that is correct, Elder.”
“Then the matter is settled.”

The elders blinked in confusion as Grandfather declared the issue resolved.
He turned to me and gave a slight wink. “So-ryong, would you be able to demonstrate your capabilities to convince the elders of the clan?”

He gestured toward the letter I held, making it clear he was asking if I could solve the problem it described.
I bowed respectfully. “Of course. If you entrust this to me, I will resolve it in a manner that proves my worth to the Tang Clan.”

My hobbies were at stake; failure was not an option. I was resolved to handle this in the manner most befitting our clan.
Grandfather raised an eyebrow. “The Tang Clan way? And what, precisely, do you mean by that?”
I grinned in response. “Naturally, by using poison.”
“Poison?”
“Poison!?”

The hall went quiet once more as everyone stared at me in utter shock.
Then, chaos broke out among the elders.
“Have you lost your mind? Poisoning the Governor of Sichuan?!”
“Elder, you cannot permit this!”
“This is insanity! We are supposed to send medicine, not commit murder!”
“Why is everyone so surprised? I thought poison was our specialty?”

The uproar grew, filling the great hall with a din of panicked voices.
***
“So-ryong, are you truly certain you wish to take on this task?”

The commotion in the chieftain’s hall had finally died down, and we were walking back to the Sahap Garden. The elders had remained behind to talk, leaving just my sister and me.
At her unexpected question, I turned to see her face etched with concern.
She was undoubtedly worried about my decision to prepare the medicine for the Governor of Sichuan. She likely doubted my capabilities or was anxious about the potential consequences.
“Do not worry, my lady. I can manage it without any trouble,” I said with assurance, hoping to ease her mind.

But her concern was not so easily placated. A faint blush colored her cheeks, and she hesitated before asking another question, her voice nearly a whisper.
“So-ryong… you are aware of what kind of medicine this is, aren’t you? It is just… given your youth, I feared you might not fully comprehend… I was concerned…”
“An embarrassed sister is a lovely sight.”

I couldn’t help but appreciate her shy demeanor, smiling to myself.
Naturally, her embarrassment was warranted. The medicine requested by the Governor of Sichuan was no ordinary remedy.
While his title suggested a dignified official, his request was far from dignified. The medicine he needed was, to put it plainly… an aid for a man’s vigor.
Yes, it was essentially a cure for impotence.

Reportedly, the Governor of Sichuan had developed this condition for unknown reasons and, being well-aware of the Tang Clan’s mastery of poisons and medicines, had commissioned them to create a treatment.
However, the potion prepared by the clan’s apothecary had failed. Disappointed and enraged, the governor had sent a harsh letter of complaint, despite having paid a significant sum.
The elders had originally convened to debate how to manage this crisis, but their meeting had disintegrated into a squabble over my status. That was when I stepped forward and volunteered to resolve the matter.

My sister’s blush deepened as she struggled with the delicate subject.
“Of course, my lady. It is a remedy essential for men who… require assistance in standing tall.”
“Th-That is quite enough! I-I understand!”

She covered her ears, her face now completely flushed, and nodded quickly to indicate I should stop. Pressing a hand to her chest, she took a deep breath to compose herself.
“You… You are rather knowledgeable for your age.”
“Ah, well… It is somewhat embarrassing to admit.”
“Why do my explanations always make me sound so unscrupulous?”

Though I worried about damaging her perception of me, I reminded myself of our pact. A single rare Dokmul was all it would take to secure our future.
“I expected to need all ten, but just one? She is an absolute angel.”

The awkward nature of the governor’s request left us both too embarrassed to speak further. We continued in silence through the garden until we reached the inner courtyard of the Sahap Garden.
As we stopped outside her quarters, my sister finally broke the quiet.
“I heard you say you would use poison for the medicine. If you require anything from Mandok Hall, please tell me. I can go with you.”

She seemed to be offering her assistance in case I needed ingredients from the hall’s extensive collection, especially since I lacked full access.
But I shook my head.
“No, my lady. I will not need anything from Mandok Hall.”

She tilted her head, puzzled.
“But you said you would use poison. Mandok Hall may not possess every poison under heaven, but it holds countless rare ones. Why would you not need it?”
I smiled. “Because I will be catching what I need tomorrow. Would you care to join me?”
“Catching something? What do you mean?”
“Have you ever seen a woongbong hive around here?”
“Woongbong? You mean those large, round bees?”
“Yes, my lady. Exactly those.”

In the Central Plains, they were called woongbong (熊蜂). In English, they were known as bumblebees. In Korea, they were called hobakbeol.
Yes, tomorrow we would be hunting a bumblebee hive.
“A first date at a bumblebee hive—it’s the perfect excursion for a modern-day Fabre.”