Episode 226. Nammokcha (楠木茶)
A dark, moonless night.
Gyeongwonjeon (敬原殿).
It is the largest and most ornate building in the imperial palace, excluding the places where the royal family resides.
The use of this place fluctuated over the course of the palace’s history… but it
is currently being used as a lodging for Baek Young-chun, an instructor for the imperial army’s executives.
It could be said to be too large for one person to use… but
through this support, it could also be seen that the imperial family indirectly revealed its tendency to reverence war and martial arts.
Gyeongwonjeon had a total of twenty rooms, as well as a private practice hall built in a renovated garden.
As many as a dozen people, including servants and maids, live in the palace.
Truly unparalleled hospitality.
It may all be thanks to his friendship with the previous emperor.
The roof of the gorgeous Gyeongwonjeon Hall.
A black shadow was seen landing silently.
A figure wearing a black suit and a mask.
He lay down for a moment and observed the situation.
The low sound of crickets chirping from afar.
Only that sad tone filled the deep night.
The masked person confirmed that there was no one pretending to be popular.
He landed from the roof to the ground with movements as light as a feather.
Then he went in front of the large window frame and swung his fist wrapped in cloth.
Poseok.
There was a low noise and the sound of a window latch being broken.
A move that seems impossible unless you possess tremendous inner strength and spiritual power.
As if water naturally flows down to the floor…
A man enters Gyeongwonjeon in an instant.
Yes.
His identity was none other than Han Ibi, who was watching the movements of Gyeongwonjeon at the instigation of Emperor Gyeongdeok.
Currently, Baek Young-chun, the martial arts instructor of the Imperial Army officers, is out.
This is all information provided by Emperor Jingde in advance.
He pressed me several times, saying that now was a good opportunity to spy on Gyeongwonjeon, as he was meeting a couple of times a year with the disciples of the Jeonjin faction outside the imperial palace.
Han Ibi had all kinds of thoughts.
‘I guess I developed something like myelopathy after reaching the highest position in the human world… If not… maybe…’ It was
a pitch-black night when everyone was asleep.
As Gyeongwonjeon is located inside the imperial palace, there were no separate guards installed.
The soldiers of the imperial army who stood guard only stood on duty following a designated route within the palace.
Even so…
for the most part, nothing happened.
After all, what kind of person would dare to cause trouble in the imperial palace?
Anyway, it was too dark, so Han Yi-bi used eye-candy to strengthen her eyesight.
Then, although it was faint, it was enough to identify the object.
Han E-bi walks inside along the hallway.
The internal structure of Gyeongwonjeon seemed much more complicated than expected.
Han E-bi glides past in the darkness.
He unfolded the Immortal Treasure and was moving silently down the hallway like a ghost.
If anyone had seen it, they would have been shocked and thought it was a real ghost.
However, since the servants’ and maids’ living quarters were separate, it was very fortunate that no one was here to see Han Ibi.
‘Is it over there?’
Han Ibi passed through many rooms that were intertwined like a maze…
and finally stood in front of a large door that anyone could recognize as the main room.
He put his ear to the door for a moment to check for presence.
As expected, there is no sound.
Han Ibi put some strength into her hand and pulled the doorknob.
Sigh.
The sound of the hinge turning was very annoying.
It was then.
A lamp that suddenly turns on brightly.
A situation like this might be surprising, but
Han Ibi just stood there calmly as if nothing had happened.
Ebi Han said.
“You were inside as expected.”
Then, a man slowly appeared from a small room on one side of the room and approached.
A man covered with white eyebrows and a beard.
He was like a immortal from a traditional fairy tale.
said the man.
“I don’t remember inviting guests at such a late hour.”
Ebi Han said.
“You said you left the palace, but you’re just staying home?”
Baek Young-chun, a man who looks like a good-hearted Taoist monk, said.
“I came back early because I was busy with the imperial family’s work.”
“Oh my. If I had known that was the case, I would have just knocked on the door and come in. “I had a hard time getting in for no reason.”
“That’s right. It was already quiet. “I’m sure they would have welcomed you.”
At that moment, Han Ibi suddenly took off her mask and said.
“You know me, right?”
Although he might have been surprised, Baek Young-chun nodded and said without even raising an eyebrow.
As if he had been waiting…
“I know. How could you not know about the martial arts instructor of the newly entered imperial palace?”
“As expected… I tried to visit and say hello several times out of courtesy among people in the same industry, but he wasn’t there. Or… he didn’t want to meet me.”
“Hehehe. That could be possible. “I recently realized a new martial art, so I just locked the door and devoted myself to training.”
Han Ibi said with a smile.
“Kya! Even though he is in the position of martial arts instructor for the imperial palace troops, he does not rest on his laurels and devotes himself to training. “I really can’t help but admire it.”
“haha. You came to me in the middle of the night and praised me so much that I can’t handle it. But… why did you come to see me at night?”
Han Yi-bi said while looking intently at Baek Young-chun.
“I’d like to ask that question back to you. “Why did you wait for me at night?”
The gazes of the two men became sharply intertwined.
“I have never waited. You could say it’s an old habit. “It is most effective to practice early in the morning when no one is around.”
Han Ibi nodded her head exaggeratedly and said.
“okay. “It’s an old habit…”
He slowly opened his mouth, looking around the room.
“It’s truly… luxurious. It seems as if his status in the imperial family is clearly felt. This is the imperial palace that trusts and follows the instructor like this….”
Han Yi-bi took a step closer and opened her mouth while looking intently at Baek Young-chun.
“…Why on earth have you not appeared in public for over half a year?”
Baek Young-chun seemed offended and said while wiggling his eyebrows.
“joy. Even though I am being welcomed as a guest today despite this disrespect… you are talking as if you are interrogating me. “Please do not forget that before I was a martial arts instructor for the imperial family, I was a senior in martial arts.”
Then Han Ibi answered with a smile.
“of course. “Even though I come from an unrivaled background, it doesn’t mean I’ve thrown away the etiquette of a strongman.”
“At that time, I reported to the imperial family that the chronic illness I was suffering from had resolved and I could not work.”
Hanyibi nodded and said.
“That’s right. “I also confirmed that fact.”
“joy. In that case, now you have to answer my question…”
At that time, a noise was heard outside.
“Instructor Baek. Is something going on? “I thought I could hear people… Can I come in for a moment?”
Youngchun Baek said.
“Please come in.”
At that moment, the door opened with a squeak, and a middle-aged man dressed as a servant walked in politely.
The man said.
“Sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night. “I came in because I remembered something urgent I had to do tomorrow morning, but I stopped when I heard a noise…”
Baek Young-chun said with a smile.
“It’s okay. “I was chatting with a customer for a moment.”
The man glanced at Han Ibi, then bowed his head and said.
“If there is anything you need, please let me know.”
“It’s necessary, hmm…”
Baek Young-chun stroked his beard for a moment and then said.
“If it’s okay, could I bring you a cup of tea? “There are guests, but I need to be able to serve them on my own.”
The middle-aged man said.
“of course. Adult. “Please wait a moment.”
As he rushed out, Baek Young-chun pointed to the table and said.
“Let’s not do this here, let’s sit down and talk.”
Ebi Han said.
“thank you. Instructor Baek. Then, don’t be shy…”
The two sat on the chairs with that vague tension maintained.
While they were having a few pleasantries about going back to the imperial palace.
Before I knew it, the attendant who had prepared the tea came back and prepared the tea cups…
and murmured.
Tea with hot steam rising.
Baek Young-chun pointed to the teacup and said.
“Now, let’s eat and talk.”
Han Ebi said while looking at the steam rising.
“It seems like it’s a tea you enjoy drinking on a daily basis.”
“So that’s it.”
“By the way, where is Baek Dahyeop’s hometown?”
“I…”
Baek Young-chun’s eyes seemed to waver ever so slightly, and then his mouth opened.
“…I’m from Sacheon.”
Han Ibi said with a happy expression.
“Ohh. It was like that. This is where our Cheongseong Mountain is located. “Well, the place where the Jeonjin faction is located is Sichuan Province… Well, from what I found out, I thought you were from Gansu Province, but it seems the information was wrong.”
“ah. “That’s right…”
At that time, Han Ibi put her nose over the teacup, took a deep breath, and said.
“Nammokcha (楠木茶).”
“what?”
“It is a luxury product introduced from Hubei Province.”
Of course, thanks to the herbal encyclopedia that resonated in my head.
“If we narrow the scope to Moorim… Hmm, let’s just stay still. It seems to be a favorite drink at Mudangpa and nearby Jegalsega. In particular, I was treated directly by the independent faction.”
Baek Young-chun’s eyes seemed to harden somewhat.
Han Ibi, who glanced at the sight, continued speaking.
“I never dreamed that I would be able to taste such precious tea here in the opening department.”
Baek Young-chun said with a somewhat cold expression.
“In the imperial family… there is nothing that is missing.”
Han Ibi answered with a wide smile.
“Oh. Yes. Because this is the imperial palace. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were all kinds of local specialties. But…”
Han Ibi put her nose on the teacup again and sniffed the scent before continuing.
“…It seems like there is a tea brewing method unique to the imperial family. It even contains unidentified herbs. For example, Woonyeongcho (禑寧草), which creates hallucinations.”
At that moment, Baek Young-chun and the middle-aged man looked at each other in confusion.
Han Ibi said with a smile.
“I’m speaking from a well-educated perspective. “It means that there is also a benefit to the art of reverse application.”
Youngchun Baek said.
“Zhongli Little Colony. “What are you talking about?”
However, Han Ibi continued speaking without even pretending to listen.
“That’s the hardest part. It is a method of transmitting facial expressions directly to the human skin face. If you can solve this problem, you will have succeeded in finding the solution. That’s the key. Isn’t that so…”
Han Ibi continued with a grin.
“…Long text for entrustment.”
A deep silence surrounds the surroundings.
“No, is it now a full-time long essay?”
At that time, the middle-aged servant suddenly lifted the table and flipped it over.
Then, a hot cup of tea poured straight at Han Ibi.
However, Han Yi Fei stepped on the glass and evaded it in a strange direction, then stood on her head and hit the glass with her toe to send it back.
Baek Young-chun and his attendant immediately jumped away to avoid it.
Chi profit.
White smoke rose from each spot where the tea splashed.
Han Ibi said after seeing that.
“Oh my. It contained not only hallucinogenic drugs but also powerful acids. It’s a foul. “That doesn’t appear in the encyclopedia.”
Youngchun Baek.
No, now Tak Buyong, whose identity has been revealed, could not control his rising anger and shouted.
“What bullshit!”
Tak Buyong must have been struggling, so he removed the bast mask from his face and swung his sword out.
At the same time, a middle-aged attendant turns his body and holds out his palm.
His hands had already turned dark green.
A foul smell that suddenly hits you.
Han Yi-bi used the Bagua Step Sixty-Four Trigrams to avoid it, then leapt up and laughed.
“It’s our old face. Isn’t that right? It reminds me of you carrying a long door and running to your death.”
chuck.
Han E-bi touches the floor.
The middle-aged man waved his palm again, exuding a solemn aura.
“But…”
he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“I guess you haven’t heard that poison doesn’t work on me?”
(Continued in the next part)
