Episode 1439. Who doesn’t it look like?
The next day.
When her grandson became healthy like a lie the old woman climbed Mt. Wudang with her daughter-in-law in front.
He is going to offer a sacrifice of thanks to the shrine of the wise woman of Gucheon.
But today I saw some people on the way.
When I asked what was going on I was told that a highly powerful Taoist monk was teaching me at Oryong Palace.
While she was leaving the old woman went up to Oryong Palace with her daughter-in-law.
The front yard of Oryong Palace was crowded with people trying to buy pottery and paintings of gods sold by Oryong Palace.
For the poor old woman and her daughter-in-law everything was a pie in the sky.
Nie So-cheon who was looking at paintings about immortals pulled her mother-in-law towards her.
“Mom look over there.”
“What are you looking at?”
“That picture. Who doesn’t he look like?”
The old woman’s eyes turned to where her daughter-in-law was pointing.
It was a picture of a young Taoist monk pointing his sword at the sky.
But does that face resemble a writing teacher?
The old woman tilting her head approached the Wuryonggung Taoist who was selling paintings.
“Master who did you paint that picture?”
Then the Taoist replied pointing to the long text written next to the picture.
“It’s a painting depicting the Namcheon hermit unfolding his dragon sword at Oryong Palace.”
“So are you saying that the Taoist monk in that picture is a Namcheon immortal?”
“exactly. This painting is a precious treasure that can only be found in the Five Dragon Palace. Do you know that the Namcheon immortal practiced asceticism at our Oryong Palace?”
“yes.”
The old woman nodded her head.
Most people living near Mt. Wudang knew about the relationship between Oryong Palace and Namcheon Immortal.
This is because the Taoist monks at Oryong Palace talked about it every time they opened their mouths.
“The scene where the Dragon Sword is unfolded was drawn by the Taoist monk of Oryong Palace. “It can be said to be the only painting that shows the actual face of the Namcheon immortal.”
The old woman carefully looked at the painting of the Namcheon immortal.
But no matter how you look at it he is a writing teacher.
“Huh… they really look alike.”
In response to the old woman’s words the Oryonggung Taoist who was selling fresh herbs asked.
“Who do you look like?”
“The writing teacher at my house.”
“haha. That’s probably because the Namcheon immortals appear to be ordinary. “When people see this picture they say there are people around them who look like it.”
When the Five Dragon Palace Taoist said that much the old woman silenced him.
I had to accept that everyone was saying that because there was nothing I could do.
“How fresh is that?”
“Ten hermits.”
When the old woman’s mouth opened wide the Taoist master of the Five Dragon Palace spoke as if explaining.
“Originally it is a painting that should not be sold even if you pay 100 nyang of silver… I put it on sale with great intention to repair the Five Dragon Palace.”
When the Taoist monk said 100 nyang Nie Xiaotian quietly criticized him.
“Then why are you selling it for 100 nyang instead of 100 nyang?”
“Tsk! “It is a painting of the Namcheon heron the only one in the world but… there are not many people who believe in the Namcheon heron… That’s how it happened.”
A wry smile spread across the face of the Five Dragon Palace Taoist.
In the past Namcheon was called the greatest person of all time and modern times but that was only a matter of martial arts and Namcheon’s status in Taoism was so low that he thought he could be sold for ten nyang.
If the Namcheon immortal had been famous for his Taoism his paintings would have been as popular as the Chilseondao but it is a pity that he was not.
The old woman and Nie Xiaotian looked at the fresh fish a few more times and then turned around.
Even if they sold the silver coins for one nyang instead of 10 it was a story from another world far away to them.
After leaving Oryong Palace the old woman and her daughter-in-law went to the Gucheon Wise Woman Shrine and offered a memorial service.
On the way back Nie Xiaotian spoke to her mother-in-law.
“The face of my mother Namcheon Shinseon. “The more you think about it the more she resembles your writing teacher doesn’t she?”
“You say it’s because you look ordinary?”
“Even ordinary people don’t look that much alike.”
“So what? Are you saying that the writing teacher is even a Namcheon immortal?”
“no. It’s just because I find it fascinating. “The place where we first met Teacher Geul was the shrine of the Nine Heavenly Wise Women and we don’t even know Teacher Geul’s name yet.”
“Names are of no use. Do you think a wanderer like that would tell me his real name anyway?”
“But just in case should I ask you a question today?”
“what?”
“Your name. It’s a bit weird to live in the same house and not even know their names. “What should I do if I am someone who commits sins and lives in hiding?”
“If such a person does well I will teach him his real name.”
“But isn’t it better than not knowing? “Who knows what will happen later.”
The old woman sneered at her daughter-in-law’s words.
“joy! Are you also thinking nonsense like So-ok? Are you planning on giving So-ok to a wanderer like that?”
“Honestly I’m not just a wanderer. “She went all the way to Sibeonsi and rescued So-ryong… Seeing that the writing teacher thinks so much about our house… doesn’t she have feelings for So-ok?”
“Nonsense. By the way don’t say something like that in front of So-ok even as a joke. Even if they don’t they hang around the writing teacher and end up in big trouble.”
“Oh! Don’t worry mom. “I’m not that thoughtless.”
The old woman who had been walking in silence for a while suddenly asked.
“Did your father say anything special about the writing teacher?”
“That’s a little strange.”
“why?”
“He told me without hesitation to take good care of my writing teacher?”
“I guess it’s because you saved Soryong.”
“no. “It seemed like he was having a hard time being a writing teacher.”
“Is it difficult?”
“Yes these days we don’t even tell writing teachers to do this or that. Then she asks me how much to take care of. “Would you like to send So-ok to study writing again?”
“Not Sook!”
Suddenly her mother-in-law raised her voice and Nie Shaochian was startled and said
“Surprise. “Why is your mother so disgusted whenever So-ok is mentioned?”
“I know it when I see it. A teacher is a passing wind. “You shouldn’t give Sook to a man like that.”
“But she’s not such a bad person that a writing teacher would hate her.”
“If So-ok misses her writing teacher all her life and doesn’t want her to live alone then don’t say anything like that out of her mouth. To Sook anyone! “Not before I get dirt in my eyes.”
“I didn’t mean it that way either. “My mother spoke of my writing teacher as if he were a very bad person…”
“I know that the writing teacher is not a bad person. “I’m just doing it because I’m afraid So-ok might have vain hopes.”
Nie Xiaotian could not refute her mother-in-law’s words.
This is because as her mother-in-law said it is true that her daughter and the writing teacher do not get along.
That night.
Nie Xiaotian spoke to her boyfriend in passing in bed.
“Honey do you know what I saw when I went to Oryong Palace with my mother today?”
“Ohryong Palace? “Isn’t it the shrine of the wise woman of the nine heavens?”
“Originally I was going to go to the shrine. But people flocked to Oryong Palace. “There is a sermon from a powerful Taoist monk or something.”
She told her husband about her work at the Five Dragon Palace.
“…I saw a fresh fruit there and well! “You would be shocked if you saw it too.”
“Why are you taking so much time?”
“I use moxibustion because it is worth it. “There was a painting of a Namcheon immortal.”
“however?”
“Don’t be surprised when you hear my story. “The face of Namcheon Shinseon was the same as the writing teacher.”
“what?”
The woman who was lying down kicked off the blanket and raised her upper body.
Surprised by that Nie Xiaotian blinked her eyes and said.
“Hey I’m surprised. The kid is going to fall. “Why are you so surprised?”
“Tell me about the picture in detail.”
“Namcheon Sinseon?”
“okay.”
“According to the Taoist monk at Oryong Palace it was a painting drawn by another Taoist monk when the Namcheon hermit was practicing meditation at Oryong Palace. Is this the real face of Namcheon Shinseon? They sold it for ten silver coins. Money is needed to repair the Five Dragon Palace. “It seemed like a different world to see ten hermits in one painting.”
“Was the Namcheon immortal in the picture really the same as the writing teacher?”
“That’s right. “I was surprised and told her mother and she was shocked to see it too.”
“….”
The women stared into space with mesmerized faces.
Suddenly a puzzling conversation between the Maitreya disciples came to mind.
―At that time the monk Nabin-myeon used a strange magic spell. I give this order in the name of Yeon Nam-cheon a disciple of blah blah blah. Answer truthfully. And then fuck! The three guys who kept their mouths shut even after being beaten to death burst out laughing. Wow! Watching it from afar gives me goosebumps….
“honey? “Is there a problem?”
Nie Xiaotian absent-mindedly grabbed her seated husband by the elbow and shook him.
The man who came to his senses belatedly saw her wife.
Her wife and her mother were devotees of Gucheon Wise Woman and Namcheon Immortal Sipjeon Muhu.
“Have you ever heard of the name Yeonnamcheon?”
“That is one of the names that Namcheon Shinseonnim used in the secular world. why?”
“Oh no just.”
“It’s bland. “But you’re a bit suspicious these days.”
“what?”
“Do you know that your attitude toward writing teachers has changed from before?”
“That’s right because Soryong is your benefactor.”
“Hmm. “Is there any other reason?”
“Any other reasons?”
“You’re not saying you borrowed money from a writing teacher without your mother and I knowing are you?”
“What nonsense? “Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep.”
She shouted at her wife and lay down but she couldn’t fall asleep.
What is the identity of the writing teacher?
Why did Mr. Geul a Sapa expert mention the name of Namcheon Sinseon?
A man and a woman stared at the dark ceiling for a long time and muttered.
“The writing teacher.”
“Why are you a writing teacher?”
“Maybe they are descendants of Namcheon immortals.”
“What do you mean by that? “Why is Mr. Geul a descendant of Namcheon Sinseon?”
Yeo Nam revealed how her writing teacher saved her son.
“…The Sapa master named Nabin-myeonsa who saved Soryong is a writing teacher. It is said that in Mireukbang Master Nabin-myeon used a hex on three guys under the name Yeonnamcheon. “Then the three guys started talking about the secret they had been hiding.”
“Oh my my… So are you inviting the descendants of Namcheon immortals to our house?”
“I heard that the first time you saw Teacher Writing was at the Nine Heavenly Wise Woman’s shrine?”
“That’s right I was sleeping there.”
“Mr. Geul must be a descendant of Namcheon immortals. “That way everything fits together.”
“My mother will be surprised when she hears.”
“I’m not sure so don’t tell me. “I’ll take a peek as soon as the sun rises.”
“A writing teacher?”
“uh.”
“That will work. Even so today she had a long conversation with her mother asking ‘Is it okay to stay with a writing teacher and not even know his name?’”
“Speaking of which let me also ask your name.”
“is it so. “I was embarrassed when my neighbors asked me what my writing teacher’s name was.”
Seop So-cheon thought that if Master Geul was really a descendant of Namcheon immortal her mother-in-law would not be so strongly opposed to her becoming a relationship with So-ok.
As the day dawned a man and his wife snooped around in front of the writing teacher’s room.
However even though it was breakfast time the teacher did not come out.
In the end the woman and man opened the door to the writing teacher.
But the writing teacher was nowhere to be seen and all she could see was her neatly arranged bedding.
She went in to see if anything and there was a piece of paper lying on a small table.
The illiterate man called his son loudly.
After a while Yeo So-ryong read a letter from his father and said with a gloomy face.
“You’re telling me not to look for you because your relationship is over.”
At their son’s words the couple looked at each other with empty eyes.
When told that the writing teacher had left the old woman grumbled saying she had expected that to happen.
“He talks about being a scholar from Nakcheok as if he were a guru… Moreover he says he is a scholar but his handwriting is also a mess. Even if Soryong writes with his eyes closed he will write better than this.”
Even as she said that the old woman folded the letter neatly and placed it in her arms.