Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 458

Chapter 458
Amidst the joyful cheers of the clan elders, the warriors stationed at the gates of Tangga Mountain—along with those who had hurried out to welcome us—began to exclaim in celebration as well.

“L-Lady Hwa-eun is expecting!”
“Heavens! What wonderful news for our clan!”
“Incredible!”

I immediately tried to correct them, to explain it was all a mistake.
The situation was escalating beyond control.

“H-Hold on, everyone, there seems to be some confusion. Hwa-eun’s chest—I mean, her heart, you see—”
“There’s no need for modesty, son-in-law. We’re quite open-minded, you know.”
“Indeed. We aren’t angry—we’re overjoyed! The Tang Clan treasures nothing more than children.”
“Hah! You scoundrel—just try not to cause a scene next time.”

But my words were falling on deaf ears. Completely.
And of course, just when I needed support—Sister Seol and the Dragon Fangs had already left to bathe, leaving me by myself after I had presented the spirit beasts to the family.

I glanced desperately toward Hwa-eun, hoping she would assist me.
Instead, she made everything worse.

“So-ryong’s… child…”

She rested her hands on her stomach, her face and neck flushing a deep, embarrassed red.
Hwa-eun, who was still easily flustered by anything even slightly indecent, appeared completely overwhelmed just by the thought of having my baby.

If this continued, the false news would sweep through the whole of the Tang Clan.
I quickly guided the elders toward the main family residence, the Sahap Garden, home to the Tang direct bloodline.

“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, Grandfather—we must address this properly. We should speak privately indoors, not out here in the open.”
“What needs addressing? It’s wonderful news.”
“Truly.”
“No, it genuinely isn’t what you believe!”

Going inside meant providing a full account—which included admitting my personal inclinations.
And so, in the main sitting room of the Sahap Garden, where the heart of the Tang family lived, I had everyone sit and laid out the entire story.

It wasn’t a pregnancy—it was a rebirth. The change in Hwa-eun’s heart was due to a partial enhancement I had performed.
It was humiliating to confess my particular tastes to my elders, but after I had explained everything…

The elders roared with laughter.
“Wahaha! We had some concern our son-in-law only had eyes for poisonous beings—but it seems we were mistaken.”
“Precisely. He is undoubtedly a healthy young man!”

Now blushing fiercely to the very edges of my ears from the embarrassment of revealing my preferences, I sulked and voiced my dismay.
I, So-ryong, a man of virtue—how could they have such thoughts about me?

“I-I am a man, of course. But truly, how could you doubt me…? I have never acted inappropriately. Besides, could you not see how transformed Hwa-eun appeared? Not only her heart, but her entire aura? You should have realized something was different…”

My father-in-law and mother-in-law looked at each other, somewhat abashed.
“Well… Had she been ordinary before, we likely would have seen the change. But Hwa-eun has always been radiant, so the difference wasn’t so apparent.”
“Yes. When you mentioned a rebirth, we simply thought she was shining with happiness.”

Evidently, because Hwa-eun was already so striking, her transformation after rebirth wasn’t visually obvious. So the only thing they had truly observed… was the change in her heart.
I suppose if a person goes from a 10 to a 110 in beauty, it’s a dramatic shift. But from 1000 to 1100? The difference is barely perceptible.
Only a person who adored her—like myself—would detect such a fine alteration.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t shake my offended mood. I was still pouting when Grandfather Tang Mu-seong spoke in his characteristic cunning tone.

“So-ryong, did this grandfather not tell you something once?”
“Tell me what?”
“That it was acceptable to bend the rules and proceed as you saw fit. Ah… tsk. I was thrilled for no reason. I believed I would finally have a great-grandchild.”
“Really, Father.”
“I thought I was going to be a grandmother! It was such a beautiful thought… vanished so quickly.”

I was the one who should have felt aggrieved, yet the elders were the ones who seemed genuinely more let down.
Beside me, Hwa-eun gently elbowed my side.
Her look seemed to suggest, *Perhaps we should have just done it…*

Was I meant to have taken the chance to actually provide them with a great-grandchild?
As I pondered this, Grandfather’s voice became sober.

“In any case, congratulations on attaining the Flower Realm. Hwa-eun, this truly shows that So-ryong is a gift to our Tang Clan.”
It started as praise for Hwa-eun, but concluded as commendation for me.
The atmosphere grew tender.

Hwa-eun, her eyes glistening with tears, gazed at me and nodded.
“Thank you, Grandfather. You are correct. So-ryong is a blessing to the Tang Clan and to me. Thank you, So-ryong. I will treasure you always.”
“You… you really don’t have to say that…”

Further praise, and my ears burned red once more.
My father-in-law and mother-in-law soon added their own gratitude.

“Indeed. Father, it is all due to our son-in-law. He rescued our child who was confined to her bed, nearly lost to qi deviation, and guided her to the Flower Realm… As the teachings of our Tang Clan say—Grudges are etched in blood, gratitude carved in stone. But for you, I will carve this gratitude in blood. I will repay this debt even after death.”
“Yes. Son-in-law, we will never forget this kindness, not even in the next life.”

They were thanking me for saving their dying daughter and elevating her to a new state of being through rebirth.
Their words made my eyes prickle.

After all, they had welcomed me from the deserted temple where I lived with nothing but my strange passion—supported me in every way, and even granted me their daughter’s hand…
Even though I had saved her, I possessed nothing. And still they accepted me as their son-in-law.
Certainly, I was remarkably talented, but even so.

Struggling to stay composed, I gestured dismissively.
“That isn’t necessary. We are family. Among family, gratitude is not required.”

Grandfather Tang Mu-seong approached and placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling.
Then he said—

“Speaking of which. We might have been mistaken before, but that is no reason to postpone the wedding, correct?”
He was talking about the earlier excitement—believing Hwa-eun was pregnant, they had intended to hasten the vows. But even though that was untrue, there was no cause for delay.
He had already instructed the steward to accelerate the arrangements.

Without a second’s pause, Hwa-eun and I responded together.
“Naturally, Grandfather.”
“Yes, Grandfather!”

And once more—laughter filled the room.
“Hahaha! Look at these two, so impatient! If you were in such a hurry, you should have presented us with a great-grandchild first!”
“Ahahaha, indeed.”
“Hehe. Honestly…”
“F-Father, enough…”
“Ahem…”

But then, when the merriment subsided, Grandfather said something… perplexing.
“Well, regardless, we will have to conduct the wedding ceremony twice, so it is good to complete the first one promptly.”
“Twice?”
“Twice!?”

Hwa-eun and I exchanged bewildered glances.
Two wedding ceremonies?
As we repeated the question, Grandfather observed us with an understanding expression.

“The two of you haven’t thought about it, have you?”
“Thought about what, Grandfather?”
“Your birth family, So-ryong.”
“My… birth family?”

I halted, considering whether I even had one worth noting—
—THUMP.
Not painful—just surprising.
Grandfather had struck me firmly on the back.
“Ack!”
“You blockhead! I meant the Beast Palace!”
“Oh… right.”

Now that he mentioned it, my formal household was the Beast Palace.
I had been adopted, after all—so they were officially my family now.
Even if my time there had been brief.

Rubbing my smarting back, Hwa-eun suddenly inquired:
“Wait… are you suggesting the Beast Palace will be unable to attend?”
“That is correct, Hwa-eun. Because the Beast Palace is the faction nearest to the Five Venoms Sect, the Palace Lord—your father-in-law—cannot abandon his post. It is essentially the frontline at present, is it not?”
“Ah, so you mean… we will have a second ceremony there?”
“Exactly.”

If I were to be married, the Beast Palace would be expected to send representatives and bridal gifts.
Although I had been pledged as a son-in-law long before my adoption, the instant they claimed me as their own, tradition demanded they host a wedding ceremony and dispatch formal gifts.

But currently, the Beast Palace is securing the border against the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect.
My adoptive father, the Palace Lord, cannot possibly depart—not while the Martial Alliance’s forces are stretched across the entire frontier with Daewolguk.
They have been rotating soldiers from the jungle to the central camp to prevent overexposure to the wilderness, and the Beast Palace serves as their main base of operations.
There is no chance he could leave for the multiple months required to attend a wedding.
The journey from here to there alone takes over two months.

So the arrangement is to hold the wedding here at the Tang Clan and then for Hwa-eun and me to journey to the Beast Palace to conduct a second ceremony.
Well, in my previous life, destination weddings often involved two events… I suppose this is logical.
Technically, this is a cross-border marriage.
By the standards of the Central Plains, the Beast Palace is regarded as “outside the borders,” so hosting two ceremonies is not unusual. In fact, it offers certain advantages.

I recognized it would actually benefit the children.
Sichuan does not experience harsh, freezing winters, but temperatures do fall to around 5°C at the coldest.
That alone is sufficient to greatly reduce the activity of most spirit creatures.
They are hardy, certainly—but at 5 degrees, even spirit beasts become lethargic.
We have winter garments crafted from Yo-hwa’s silk, but those are only suitable for short trips outside.
So it would be ideal to hold the wedding here and then take the children south to the Beast Palace for the remainder of the winter.
We could return in the spring.

“The children require a warmer climate for the winter in any case. We will travel south and come back with the spring.”
“That sounds ideal!” Hwa-eun agreed, her face bright with approval.

My father-in-law turned toward the open courtyard and called out,
“Since we must accommodate traveling guests, fix the wedding date for one month from today, on a fortunate day. Inform Outer Chief Eun to dispatch invitations to every faction in Sichuan!”
“Understood, Clan Head!”

So… the man called So-ryong was truly going to be married.
At that instant, a thought I had neglected struck me suddenly.

“Father-in-law, earlier, at the gate, you and the elders spoke as though Hwa-eun were pregnant. I believe the clan warriors must have misunderstood. Should we not correct them?”
At the gates, they had practically announced that Hwa-eun was bearing my child. Every guard and warrior who greeted us likely heard it and spread the word.

My worry was met with quiet. Then the three elders looked at one another…
…and smiled.
It was a silent consensus that stirred a feeling of dread.

“Yes, the clan’s warriors are likely misinformed,” my father-in-law stated, smiling.
“Exactly, so—”
“But if we wish to correct them, we would need to assemble all the guards—some of whom are already away on assignments. Those on duty would have to be recalled after their watch…”
“Besides, those who have departed have probably already carried the news far and wide. We would likely have to gather everyone simply to explain it was a misunderstanding.”

He was correct—by now, rumors had undoubtedly spread throughout the entire clan.
Calling everyone together to clarify seemed reasonable.
I nodded, believing we had reached an understanding.

Then my father-in-law said:
“Instead of troubling the guards in that manner… let us simply embrace it.”
“…Embrace what?”
“Let us simply make it reality—then no explanation will be necessary.”
“…I beg your pardon?”

Hwa-eun and I went still.
We gradually turned to stare at one another in pure astonishment.

***

Step. Step.

The sect leader of the Cheongseong Sect, Baek Heo-ja, was on the path to the Tang Clan, accompanied by two elders and a number of disciples.
It was inconceivable for the Cheongseong Sect—Sichuan’s regional martial authority—to overlook the wedding of the Tang Clan’s sole daughter, Tang Hwa-eun.

As they moved through the capital and entered the wooded trail leading to Tangga Mountain…
Baek Heo-ja’s third disciple, the youngest of the Three Swords of Cheongseong, Gwak Seoryeon, spoke.

“Master… are those spirit beasts truly so impressive?”
Many disciples had come across the Tang Clan’s beasts during operations against the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms in Sichuan.
Baek Heo-ja himself had observed them once, when he was offered the renowned Royal Jelly Mead that boosts internal energy.
But Seoryeon had always remained in the mountains, so now, as they drew near the Tang lands, her curiosity overflowed.

“You recall the event where they eliminated hundreds of Blood Cultists in a single strike, do you not?”
“Oh, yes! That was them, wasn’t it? They must appear fearsome then?”
“Fearsome? Hm. I assumed so initially as well… but when they are beside Young Lord So, they seem more endearing than frightening.”
“Really!?”

Just then, cries arose from the front of the group.
“What is happening ahead?” Baek Heo-ja inquired.
A disciple from the front replied,
“Leader! There is a man lying collapsed beside the road!”
“A man?”
“Yes!”

Seoryeon bowed with a fist in her palm. “Master, I will investigate.”
“Proceed, then.”

Was it a merchant attacked by thieves?
With wariness in the air, they observed Seoryeon dash toward the shape on the path.
She knelt, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder—
“He’s breathing! Sir, can you hear me?”
CRACK!
“Khrrggh!”
A blackened hand erupted through Seoryeon’s back, blood spraying out violently.
“Seoryeon!”

Baek Heo-ja sprang forward, his sword drawn.
But what he witnessed next froze the blood in his veins—
From the man’s form erupted a plume of jet-black magi energy.