Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 378

Chapter 378
“What? You’re telling me we have to go and get Lee Tae?”
“Yes, we’ll bring him back immediately! The journey there and back can be done in two days! Since we are now under Lord So-ryong, it is only right that the chieftain comes to pay his respects in person.”
“Exactly.”
“Wait, is that truly needed?”
“What are you saying, Lord So-ryong? How could men of our standing be sufficient? The chieftain must be present. We are introducing you to his sworn brother.”
“Yes, Lord So-ryong.”
‘Would a simple introduction not be enough? Or… perhaps it wouldn’t?’
I had assumed they would just lead me to this sworn brother of Lee Tae’s, but now they insist we must retrieve Lee Tae himself.
Now that I consider it, that does seem more fitting.
Not because I outrank Lee Tae and he needs to come kneel before me.
But how would it appear if I arrived with these two and asked his sworn brother for a favor?
Would I announce myself as the one who thoroughly defeated Lee Tae and became his master?
That I made him my servant?
That I now command him?
That I accepted him under my wing?
Every possible way of phrasing it felt uncomfortable and ill-defined.
‘Yes, this is extremely awkward.’
If Lee Tae couldn’t come personally, a written letter of introduction would have been useful.
“In that case, let’s take my vessel. That will be the quickest way.”
“Oh, would that be acceptable?”
“Yes, I believe it will speed things along.”
“Understood, Lord So-ryong. Our boat is moored close by. Shall we bring it here?”
“Do that.”
We hurriedly finished our meal and went aboard the Geumdo.
I then promptly issued orders to the steersman.
“I know you must all be weary, but we need to depart tonight. We must make haste toward the Three Gorges of the Yangtze. I will ask Geumdo to move swiftly, so please make ready.”
“Understood, Lord So-ryong. Rouse everyone from below decks! Raise the anchor and furl the sails!”
“Yes, sir!”
Drrrrrrrk.
Without a single complaint, the steersman called the crew at my instruction and began shouting commands.
The sailors, awakened from their rest, rushed to haul the anchor and swiftly secured the sails.
Truthfully, our sail does work, but it becomes a hindrance when Geumdo swims.
It’s only practical when Geumdo is drifting to save energy.
And since we were traveling upstream against the Yangtze’s current now, it was unnecessary regardless.
Once all was prepared, I climbed onto Geumdo’s head and gave the command.
“Let’s go, Geumdo. We need to travel upstream. Be quick about it.”
Bububururur.
Bubbles surfaced as everyone seized hold of the ship’s railings.
The crew shouted warnings throughout the ship.
“We’re moving! Everyone, hold on tight!”
“Find something to grip, everyone!”
The two pirates blinked in confusion, not grasping why everyone was clutching the rails, so I yelled to them as well.
“Grab onto something!”
“Huh? Y-Yes, Lord So-ryong!”
Bewildered, they both seized the railing just as—
Screeeeech.
The ship shot forward against the current with a powerful surge.
This was because Geumdo had pushed off from the riverbank with immense strength.
A jarring sensation rocked through us.
“Wh-Whoa!”
“Aaaarghhh!”
As Geumdo charged upstream, the two pirates, who hadn’t secured themselves properly, stumbled about in alarm.
They were almost flung overboard but desperately clung to the railing near the cabin entrance.
“W-What is happening?!”
Then, seeing the ship—with its sails furled—racing swiftly upstream, their eyes widened in astonishment.
Well, this was likely their first experience on a vessel powered by a spirit-beast turtle.
‘How expensive would it be to fuel this with pure magic energy?’
“You’ve never traveled on a ship driven by a spirit beast before, have you?”
“Huh?”
“What does that mean?”
As I asked with a smile, the two pirates looked shocked—and at that moment, Bini and Cheongyu Sojeo emerged onto the deck.
They must have come up to investigate the sudden movement, but the instant the pirates saw them, they shrieked and fainted, clutching each other tightly.
Sssrrrk. 『Father, are we traveling somewhere again?』
Shia? 『So-ryong, what is our destination?』
“Eeeek! Cough!”
“Aaah!”
As fate would have it, they were positioned right by the cabin stairs, and when Bini and Cheongyu Sojeo passed by with their strange sounds, the men collapsed like stones.
Lee Tae had undoubtedly informed them of everything, but a first-hand encounter was evidently terrifying.
I mean, a centipede larger than a man, and a maiden with a human torso and a snake’s tail—Cheongyu Sojeo.
‘Why is the resolve of these pirates so feeble?’
I was about to haul them into the cabin to let them recover, when Bini said something that stopped me cold.
Sssrk. 『What are these men doing? Making a baby?』
What in the world did she mean by that?
Shocked by her words, I asked hastily,
“W-What are you saying, Bini?”
Clearly, someone had given her a very misguided lesson about procreation.
Bini then replied serenely,
Sssrk. 『Well, I was curious because of Auntie, so I asked Mother how babies are made, and she said if you embrace each other and sleep together, a baby arrives. But those men were holding each other tightly and sleeping…』
I had been thankful the children hadn’t asked me these questions after Seol’s constant talk of babies, but it seems they went to Hwa-eun instead.
And in her embarrassment, she must have said, “Just hold each other and sleep and a baby will come.”
I was seriously considering whether to correct this misunderstanding… when another question made me wish to dive into the river.
Sssssrk? 『Father, Mother said that if two people who love each other sleep while holding one another, a baby is born. I don’t understand. You and I have done that many times, so why don’t we have a baby? We love each other too, don’t we?』
“Uh, w-well… you see… it’s…”
I needed a response that encompassed species, familial relations, morality, and human biology.
My mind raced frantically, and only two options emerged.
‘Should I claim a stork delivers them? Or that they are found under a bridge?’
I earnestly weighed the merits of the bridge versus the stork.
***
Drenched in sweat, the solution I ultimately settled on was: “Go ask your mother once more.”
The ingenuity to provide a third option in a binary situation—
That is my genuine gift.
‘M-My apologies, Hwa-eun.’
But then again, she was the one who set this entire thing in motion.
As someone who cares for her, I wished to handle this predicament for her, but… this was beyond my capabilities.
“Uh, Bini, perhaps you could ask your mother again?”
Sssrrrk. 『Then I will rest and ask her in the morning. Good night, Daddy.』
“Y-Yes, sleep well, my dear.”
With that shocking comet of a conversation retreating into the cabin, we reached Lee Tae’s hideout as the morning mist began to rise over the water.
Navigating through the reeds that concealed the entrance, the view of the mountain, previously burned black, became visible through the haze.
Scorched clean to eradicate the bedbugs, the mountain now showed green sprouts and young trees growing back.
Although here and there, the blackened skeletons of old trees still stood among the new growth.
“Welcome, Lord So-ryong. It has been too long.”
As we neared the dock, Lee Tae came hurrying out, having been alerted to our arrival.
He appeared much healthier now—he must have been eating properly.
“I hope you have been well, Lee Tae?”
“Thanks to you, I am always well, sir. But more importantly… you two fools! Why are you on that ship? Did you cause trouble?”
In the middle of welcoming me, he noticed his two men on my deck.
Seeing the men he had sent on a mission returning aboard my vessel, Lee Tae narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and I swiftly provided a brief account of the events in Akyang.
That we had met by chance and returned together.
“It’s nothing like that. Merely a coincidence.”
“Ah, you encountered them in Akyang?”
“Yes. I heard you dispatched them personally to ensure matters were handled correctly.”
“Ahem… I felt so much shame after last time…”
At my remark, Lee Tae looked genuinely embarrassed.
He was clearly being very cautious after the previous incident.
And he should be—he likely performs better with that sense of guilt weighing on him.
Which reminded me—
‘Didn’t something happen about the literate man dying, so he couldn’t send a message?’
“So, did you manage to find someone who can read and write?”
When I inquired if he had resolved that problem, Lee Tae answered with a look that said ‘naturally.’
“Of course, Lord So-ryong. Ah, by the way, did you acquire a new ship? That is quite a remarkable vessel.”
His next question, inevitably, was about the ship.
Being a pirate, it was natural his attention went there first.
Smiling mischievously, I responded,
“Gained a new addition to the household.”
“Pardon? A new addition?”
Referring to the ship as part of the “household” left Lee Tae utterly perplexed.
I patted Geumdo’s shell and added:
“Hmm… returning to Akyang is time-sensitive, but since we are already at your base, perhaps I should allow Geumdo to bask in the sun for a day?”
Akyang was urgent, but I decided to let Geumdo have some sunlight first.
I had intended to give him about a week of sunbathing anyway, and since I promised him some if we came here, I thought he deserved a sample.
Strike while the iron is hot—so I immediately issued the order.
“Steersman, can you detach the bindings connecting Geumdo to the ship?”
“Understood, Lord So-ryong. Everyone, release the hooks!”
“Yes, sir!”
Clank.
Clatter.
The fastenings secured to Geumdo’s shell were removed one after another by the sailors.
Then I called out to Geumdo.
“Geumdo, dive down and come up beside us. You are free from the ship. Let’s get you cleaned up and enjoy some sun today.”
Bububururu.
Geumdo responded with a happy rumble.
He began to submerge, but because the water was shallow, he moved toward a deeper spot.
Poooh.
A moment later, Geumdo broke the surface—and the pirates and their families, who had gathered to welcome us, stared in utter disbelief.
That enormous head rose from the water.
“A turtle!”
“A… a colossal turtle!”
It was covered in moss, certainly, but its form was unmistakable.
Everyone stood frozen in awe.
When would they ever have seen a turtle the size of a ship?
I patted the astounded Lee Tae on the shoulder and said:
“Lee Tae, do you think you could have your men scrub my turtle clean?”
“Pardon?”
I decided to enlist his pirates to give Geumdo a proper cleaning.
It was a secure location, and this was the plan from the beginning.
***
“A… a golden turtle?!”
Scores of pirates climbed aboard with bamboo brushes and scrubbed vigorously, and soon, Geumdo’s moss-covered shell began to shine.
We brought him onto the sandbar at Lee Tae’s base, scrubbed him down thoroughly, and even had him inflate slightly so we could clean his underside.
The pirates were terrified at the prospect of being crushed while cleaning his belly, but when I took the initiative and crawled under myself, they followed reluctantly with grim expressions.
Shwaaa.
After a final rinse with fresh water, Geumdo gleamed under the sunlight.
He seemed delighted, his eyes softly shut, basking in the warmth.
His hind legs stretched out gracefully—clearly very content.
Just then, I heard Lee Tae’s voice, filled with wonder.
“A-Astonishing, Lord So-ryong.”
I used to mock stories of wealthy Arabs coating their luxury cars in gold, wondering what kind of pointless extravagance that was.
But now, finding myself in a similar position, I understood.
When people gaze at you with such reverence, it’s difficult not to feel a little proud.
“It’s really nothing.”
In Asian tradition, golden turtles represent prosperity and long life, but a turtle of this magnitude? Unheard of in this life or any other.
As I admired Geumdo with a sense of pride, Lee Tae asked,
“Ah, when do we leave?”
I’d mentioned earlier that we would head to Dongting Lake after his sunbathing, and he had remembered.
“After sunset. We should arrive by midnight.”
“Understood. I will prepare.”
With Geumdo freshly cleaned and this being the Yangtze River, I thought it wiser to travel by night.
His legs might gleam underwater in the daytime—
Though I could always claim we simply painted the ship gold.
‘No need to explain what requires no explanation.’
“Do I need to send a message ahead or provide a token?”
“That won’t be necessary, as he is my sworn brother. Simply say that I request an audience with the chief, and he will guide you to Dongting Lake.”
I asked just in case I needed to send advance word, but Lee Tae said it wasn’t needed.
With that settled, I thought I might catch a nap while Geumdo sunbathed—
But just then, an aggrieved voice echoed in my mind.
‘So-ryong! Why did you tell Bini to ask me again!? It was so difficult to explain! Where are you, So-ryong!?’
Ah. Damn.
It seems Hwa-eun had just faced the consequences of my evasive answer.
I turned quietly to Lee Tae and asked,
“Lee Tae, is there a secluded spot to rest around here?”
“Sorry? Secluded?”
“Somewhere I can nap undisturbed.”
‘Perhaps if I sleep for a while, her anger will subside?’
I resolved to keep a low profile until Hwa-eun’s irritation faded.
‘The So-ryong of yesterday passed this problem to the So-ryong of today, and the So-ryong of today will leave it for the So-ryong of tomorrow… Something like that.’
Geumdo looked particularly radiant today.