Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

“What?!”
The woman’s sharp cry of refusal left the gambling hall owner utterly stunned. He gaped at her as if she had just uttered something completely nonsensical.
When she repeated her refusal with even greater force, the sound seemed to startle even herself. She dropped into a crouch on her pile of straw and began to shiver, whispering frantic apologies under her breath.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“You dare refuse? Do you have any idea who you are speaking to? You will go with them, and that is final!”
The owner’s enraged shout reverberated through the chamber. The scene was deeply pitiable, prompting Lady Hwa-eun to step forward. Her voice was measured yet resolute as she addressed the woman.
“Miss, we mean you no harm. We can offer you a good life. If you have any family, we will provide for them as well. They will want for nothing under the protection of the Tang Clan.”
The woman’s response was immediate and left no room for doubt.
“No. I will not go.”
This blunt rejection made the owner’s face flush with fury.
“Outrageous! Are you trying to provoke me?! Do you need another lesson with the stick?!”
“No, I still refuse! I will not go with you!”
Seeing the discussion was at an impasse, Hwa-eun let out a soft sigh and turned to the owner for more information.
“Does this woman owe you a debt? Or is she repaying a loan for another? Is there some contract that binds her to this place?”
The owner was quick to shake his head, his hands waving in denial.
“Not at all! I swear it, she owes me nothing. There is no debt. She isn’t even a proper employee.”
“Huh?”
His answer was evasive and confusing. He continued with his explanation.
“Well… it was roughly five years ago. She appeared outside the gambling hall and offered to work for free in exchange for lodging. But, you see… she lacks the appearance suitable for entertaining patrons. Ahem. So, we assigned her to simple chores.”
According to him, the woman had arrived years earlier, proposing unpaid labor. However, since the establishment also operated as a brothel and her looks were not deemed appealing, she was put to work in the kitchen. When her cooking drew complaints, she was eventually sent down to the damp cellar to manage the crickets.
As I considered this odd tale, Commander Gu spoke, his tone both soft and steady.
“My lady, if I may? I sense a kindred spirit in her. Allow me to try and speak with her.”
‘A kindred spirit?’
It was difficult to find any similarity between this robust warrior and the gaunt, spectral woman whose face was shrouded by her hair. Nevertheless, Hwa-eun appeared to trust Commander Gu’s judgment. Her expression brightened as she gave her consent.
“Please, go ahead.”
Commander Gu then addressed the owner with a proposal.
“Owner, what if we take her with us for a single day? It would not be permanent. We would provide a more comfortable setting, offer her a proper meal, and attempt to reason with her.”
“Oh, please. If you wish, I can just beat her until she complies. Where is that broom? That should suffice! Spit, spit!”
While Commander Gu’s method was clearly more compassionate, the owner seized a nearby broom and made to charge at the cowering woman. Hwa-eun swiftly intervened before he could act.
“Stop. I would rather you did not touch her. She may soon be part of our household, and I will not have her injured.”
“Oh, of course! My apologies. Na-ok, you are going with them. Do not argue!”
“I… I won’t…”
Before her refusal could fully form, the woman suddenly went rigid, as if struck by lightning. Her trembling ceased, and her sunken eyes, dark with exhaustion, narrowed intently as she stared at Commander Gu through her tangled hair. After a moment of silence, she gave a quick, sharp nod.
It was almost certain that Commander Gu had employed zhenyin—the secret art of voice transmission.
“Then we will take her with us for now. Is that acceptable?” Commander Gu stated.
“Yes, yes! Whatever you command!” the owner replied, his tone now obsequious.
The woman’s previous defiance had completely vanished, replaced by a trance-like fixation on Commander Gu. She followed us out of the gambling den without another word of protest.
We did not take her directly to the Tang Clan estate in Sichuan, but instead to a prosperous district in Chengdu known for its fine dining and medicinal shops. At the end of a busy street stood a formidable courtyard residence, with a well-appointed clinic adjoining it.
As we approached the main gate, we were greeted by familiar faces.
“Welcome, my lady!”
“Yes, we will be staying the night. Prepare rooms for us. First, escort us to the reception hall. Have tea and light refreshments brought.”
“At once!”
I observed that the compound was secured by Tang Clan guards. Intrigued, I looked to Commander Gu for an explanation.
“This is a Tang Clan outpost in Chengdu,” he began. “The clinic is one of our operations. This residence and the entire street—two inns, eight apothecaries, and five restaurants—are all Tang Clan properties. I will show you the merchant guilds and escort agencies at another time.”
A whole street, owned by a single clan. It was a startling revelation. I had often wondered how the clan sustained itself when my grandfather and father-in-law dedicated their days solely to martial arts and inner cultivation. Now I understood.
Since all of this would one day belong to Hwa-eun, I felt a profound sense of awe, mixed with a heavy responsibility.
‘Ahem…’
We were soon seated in the reception hall. Tea and snacks were served, but the woman—Na-ok—ignored them entirely. Her gaze remained locked on Commander Gu, burning with a fervent intensity. Unable to disregard her any longer, Commander Gu addressed her with a gentle smile.
“Is there something you wish to say? If you have suffered some grievance or injustice, we may be able to assist you.”
Na-ok hesitated, her hands shaking slightly. Finally, she slid from her chair and knelt on the floor. She lifted her head, fully revealing her face for the first time.
Her features were delicate but marred by scars—angry, reddish marks from old burns.
“What happened to her face?” Hwa-eun whispered, her voice full of compassion.
Commander Gu’s tone was equally heavy with concern. “How did a young woman like you come to bear such injuries?”
Na-ok drew a deep breath and began to speak, her voice clearer and stronger than it had been all day.
“My name is Song Na-ok. I am from Songga Village, not far from here…”
Her story was only beginning, and we listened intently, waiting for her to reveal the tragedy that had brought her to this state.
***
Song Na-ok and her younger sister, Song Na-eun, were known throughout Songga Village, a small community near Sichuan’s capital where most inhabitants shared the Song surname.
The two were celebrated not just for their beauty, but also because Na-ok had single-handedly raised her younger sister after their parents’ passing. Their skin, pale and flawless like polished jade, earned them the admiration and envy of their neighbors, who called them the “Jade Sisters.”
“Sister, you will be home early today, won’t you?”
“Yes, it is only the next village over. I will help with the banquet and return straight after. Wait just a little longer for me, all right? I will bring back some tasty treats.”
“But I do not want to be alone today. May I not come and help you?”
It was a day Na-ok had agreed to work for pay at a celebration in the neighboring village. As she prepared to leave, her younger sister clung to her arm, pleading. Though Na-eun was now a grown woman, she insisted on accompanying her sister, but Na-ok only patted her head fondly.
This was their usual exchange, yet Na-ok understood why her sister was especially persistent on this particular day.
“I am sorry, especially today. But I cannot have you working on a day like this. I made a promise to our parents.”
“But I am all grown up now!”
While this was technically true, to Na-ok, her younger sister would always be her little girl. More importantly, she had vowed to their parents, who had succumbed to an epidemic, that she would care for her sister and ensure her happiness. Glancing at a small bowl in the corner of the room, she spoke kindly.
“It might be dull, but why not play with the crickets until I return?”
The crickets chirped as if in response.
Chirp chirp.
Na-ok had begun raising the insects to keep her sister company during her absences. There were many now, but despite her sister’s fondness for them, Na-eun pouted.
“Cricket fights are only fun with two people! Hmph.”
It was difficult to leave her sister alone on this day—her birthday. Understanding her sister’s feelings, Na-ok sighed and went into the kitchen. She retrieved a fragrant sachet she had hidden away, intending it as a birthday gift. Tying it to her sister’s waist, she spoke softly.
“You wanted this perfume pouch, did you not? I was saving it for your gift, but you may have it now. Be good and wait for me, all right?”
“A sachet?! But, are these not expensive…”
Na-eun’s eyes widened as she looked down at the pouch on her waist.
“Uncle Ho-jung from the escort agency gave it to me after I aided his family. He said he purchased it cheaply in Guangzhou.”
“Thank you so much, Sister!”
Her younger sister, now radiant with joy, embraced Na-ok tightly. The subtle aroma of agarwood drifted from the pouch, mingling with her sister’s natural scent.
Finally, Na-eun smiled and waved her off. “All right, but please come back as soon as you can.”
“I will. Do not worry.”
The banquet next door proved far busier than expected. More guests arrived than planned, and though Na-ok had intended to leave quickly, she was delayed for hours. While she earned extra coins and food for her extended labor, she hurried away the moment she could, anxious to return to her sister.
It was Na-eun’s birthday. Na-ok wanted to make it special with the delicacies she brought home.
“Na-ok, it is dark. You will injure yourself if you rush. Travel carefully,” someone cautioned.
“No, I cannot. She has likely been waiting for me all this time, hungry. I must hurry back.”
Ignoring the warnings, Na-ok pressed on, using the moonlight to guide her rapid steps. She reached the entrance to Songga Village much sooner than anyone else would have.
The familiar village welcomed her, but as she turned a corner, the bright moonlight suddenly dimmed, obscured by a passing cloud.
Then, it happened.
She collided with someone.
“Ugh!”
“Ah!”
The impact sent her stumbling. She quickly apologized, but the man she had run into shot her an irritated glare, muttering in annoyance before rushing out of the village.
“I-I beg your pardon.”
“Watch where you are going!”
Gathering the bundle of food she had dropped, Na-ok stood and frowned in confusion. Songga Village was populated exclusively by those with the Song name, so strangers were a rarity. Stranger still, when she had bumped into the man, she had caught a faint scent identical to the fragrance of her sister’s sachet.
Still, her suspicion quickly passed. It was not impossible for a man to carry a scented pouch. Dismissing the thought, she collected herself and hurried home.
Upon reaching her house, she noticed something amiss—the gate, usually closed, stood slightly open. Inside, the house was pitch black and unnervingly silent.
‘Did she extinguish the lamp to save oil? Or has she fallen asleep waiting?’
Knowing her sister had probably waited without eating, Na-ok first went to the kitchen to set down the food. She called out as she rekindled the fire in the stove.
“Na-eun! Na-eun! Wake up, I am home!”
There was no reply.
After lighting a lamp, Na-ok made her way to her sister’s room. She pushed the door open, expecting to find her sister asleep.
“!”
Thud.
The lamp fell from her trembling hands and shattered on the floor. The room was bathed in a deep red—not from the light of the fallen lamp, but from something far more horrific.
The room was in disarray, as if a violent struggle had occurred. Her sister, whose skin had once been the envy of all for its jade-like purity, now lay still, her beautiful skin cold and cruelly stained with blood.
“Na-eun! No! Aaaaahhhh!”
Na-ok’s scream tore through the silence as she clutched her sister’s lifeless body. Behind her, the flames from the fallen lamp began to climb, casting a flickering, dreadful light across the scene.
The sound of crickets filled the room, a mournful, chirping dirge.
Chirp chirp.
Chirp chirp.