Chapter 21: To the Confucian Forest (2)
'Ah, he's placing the stones disgustingly slow.'
From Wi Yeonho’s perspective, Mun Yuhwan placed the stones even slower than a turtle. It was a pace slow enough to compete with a snail.
Just thinking about the times he played Go with his master in the past made him want to yawn.
Baek Muhan, his master, had tormented Wi Yeonho in countless ways.
Among them, the method that tormented Wi Yeonho the most was this very game of Go.
Wi Yeonho was still human, and as such, he couldn’t dedicate all twenty hours of the day entirely to training.
He had to sleep when it was time to sleep, and he needed to rest during his breaks.
Training blindly didn't automatically make it more effective.
When both the body and mind were exhausted, only proper rest could raise efficiency.
However, Baek Muhan was the kind of foul-tempered master who absolutely loathed seeing Wi Yeonho take a break.
One day, Baek Muhan, catching Wi Yeonho in the act of resting, sat him down and forced him to start playing Go.
Wi Yeonho had put up a rough fight, but there was no winning against violence. In the end, under Baek Muhan's coercion, he had no choice but to play.
Naturally, beginner Wi Yeonho was no match for Baek Muhan, who had once enjoyed Go as a hobby during his lifetime.
Though the gap in skill was somewhat balanced with handicap stones, Wi Yeonho had no motivation, so the game never made progress.
Eventually, Baek Muhan proposed a bet to Wi Yeonho.
If Wi Yeonho played Go and won, he’d be allowed to rest for three days.
Drunk on the sweet nectar of a three-day rest, Wi Yeonho dove into Go like a madman. By the time his training ended, he had become a master of Go, with skills comparable to Baek Muhan.
Of course, Wi Yeonho’s playing style was born from such a strange situation.
The longer a game of Go dragged on, the less time he had to rest.
Because of that, Wi Yeonho never hesitated to place a stone as soon as the opponent did. And to finish the game even a little faster, he’d pounce on any opening like a madman, turning the board into a battlefield.
Thus was born a uniquely aggressive style of play, without precedent in the past or present.
Naturally, there was no way Mun Yuhwan could’ve known any of this.
'He was seriously a foul-tempered bastard.'
Wi Yeonho reminisced about his master.
A narrow-minded teacher who couldn’t even stand a student taking a short break, and went so far as to teach Go to fill the gap.
Of course, contrary to what Wi Yeonho thought, Baek Muhan didn’t teach Go out of petty spite over seeing him slack off. Baek Muhan had a reason for teaching Wi Yeonho the game.
Go resembled the sword.
From a single technique, dozens of variations could emerge, and depending on the situation, the correct variation had to be chosen. Likewise, with a single stone placement in Go, countless variables would unfold, and one had to select the most advantageous development. In that sense, the structure of the sword and the structure of Go shared many similarities.
Baek Muhan had hoped that Wi Yeonho would develop the ability to predict and judge countless situations within a short span of time through Go.
Baek Muhan had no choice but to teach a great deal in a short period, and such unorthodox methods were born from that necessity. Of course, within it was also a bit of Baek Muhan’s personal desire to play Go.
The game continued a little longer and finally ended.
The result was a two-point win for Mun Yuhwan.
It was a regrettable loss for Wi Yeonho.
Given their respective skill levels, a wider gap would have been natural, but Mun Yuhwan had been thrown off by Wi Yeonho’s bizarre, aggressive style, resulting in a razor-thin match.
Mun Yuhwan let out a cheerful laugh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“It was a good match.”
Wi Yeonho nodded.
“Yes, it was fun.”
What Wi Yeonho didn’t say was: ‘It would have been three times more fun if you hadn’t played as slow as a slug.’
Wi Yeonho was a proper young man who knew his manners.
Mun Yuhwan called for Mun Eunji.
“Go bring us tea and cold water.”
“Yes, Father.”
As he watched Mun Eunji leave, Mun Yuhwan smiled and looked at Wi Yeonho.
At first, the strange attire had thrown him off, but he turned out to be a skilled player with a unique style. If possible, he wouldn’t have minded playing a few more games. It had been an enjoyable match.
“You have quite a distinctive style.”
“Thanks to a wicked master who tormented me.”
“You had a master?”
“Yes. His face was all smooth and polished, but his heart was smaller than a shrimp’s gut.”
“Ahem.”
Mun Yuhwan let out an awkward cough.
Who spoke of their master in such a way?
From Mun Yuhwan’s perspective, it was incomprehensible.
“Haha, I’d love to meet him someday.”
“You won’t be able to.”
“Is he someone difficult to meet?”
“He’s dead.”
Mun Yuhwan let out a faint sound of sympathy.
“I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me.”
“No, it’s not really something to apologize for. He died quite a while ago.”
Wi Yeonho wondered whether he should say it had been about three hundred years.
“I see. So then, was this all you came for?”
He was asking whether playing Go was all he had wanted to do.
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to stay a little longer. My master told me to.”
“What exactly did he tell you to do?”
“He said I should spend some time in the Confucian Forest. That I’d gain something from it.”
“Hmm, then you’re fulfilling your master’s dying wish.”
“You could say that.”
Mun Yuhwan smiled.
“If that’s the case, of course I’ll help. I’ll prepare a room for you, so stay as long as you like.”
Wi Yeonho spoke with an awkward expression.
“But… I don’t have any money.”
“Hahaha, how could I expect such a thing from a guest? Even if you hadn’t brought it up, I was actually about to ask you to stay. In return, I’d like you to occasionally share a game or two with me or with guests who visit the estate.”
Wi Yeonho nodded.
“I think I can manage that much.”
As long as it wasn’t too often.
Just then, Mun Eunji entered, carrying tea and cold water.
Mun Yuhwan and Wi Yeonho exchanged a brief conversation. It was mostly Mun Yuhwan asking questions and Wi Yeonho responding.
Once the small talk had wrapped up, Mun Yuhwan slightly bowed his head to signal the end of the conversation.
“Then please rest comfortably.”
He then called out to Mun Eunji.
“Prepare a room and clothes for our guest. Also, take him to the bath first.”
Mun Eunji glanced at Wi Yeonho briefly, then turned back to look at Mun Yuhwan. Sensing the slight disapproval in her gaze, Mun Yuhwan spoke sternly with a firm expression.
“Go on.”
Mun Eunji nodded and took the lead.
“Follow me.”
“Alright.”
Wi Yeonho gave a light bow to Mun Yuhwan and followed Mun Eunji. She guided him to the bath without saying a word.
But Wi Yeonho didn’t seem to want to stay silent.
“How old are you?”
He opened his mouth. Mun Eunji glanced at him before replying.
“Sixteen this year.”
“Then I’m your *oppa*. I’ll drop the honorifics.”
Mun Eunji’s expression crumpled slightly.
What kind of rude person was this?
Having grown up as the daughter of the Grand Historian and spent her days around countless scholars, Mun Eunji had never seen someone this ill-mannered.
Finding no reason to respond, she quickened her pace and led him to the bath.
“We’re here.”
The bath was already filled with warm water.
“Oh?”
Wi Yeonho glanced at Mun Eunji.
He had only just said he’d be staying here a moment ago.
Which meant they couldn’t have started preparing the bath after hearing that. In other words, the bath had been drawn even before he mentioned staying.
She was more perceptive than she looked.
“Thanks, then.”
Wi Yeonho stepped into the bath.
“I’ll leave the clothes outside.”
As Mun Eunji closed the door, Wi Yeonho threw off the ragged thing he called clothing and soaked himself in the warm water.
“Haah.”
As the warmth of the water spread through his body, a deep sigh escaped him. How many years had it been since he had taken a bath in water this hot?
Wi Yeonho was moved by such a trivial, simple thing.
Even before his training had begun, he had never been particularly fond of bathing. He preferred a warm bed to hot water. But now, the warm water in this tub felt like divine nectar from the heavens.
“This is all that old man’s fault.”
Wi Yeonho felt like crying as he recalled the torment he endured during his training. How terrifying and grueling those days had been.
Now that he wouldn’t be seeing that old man ever again, a smile crept across his face.
“I’m so happy I could cry.”
He wiped his face.
“That’s how happy I am…”
But somehow, his voice sounded a little bitter.
“Kyaa!”
Just then, Mun Eunji, who had been waiting for him, let out a scream.
“What?”
When Wi Yeonho stepped out, covering only his lower half with a towel, Mun Eunji became so flustered she couldn’t even look directly at him.
“Could you please cover up properly!”
“I *am* covered.”
“Honestly…”
Did this man think it was okay to just cover his lower half and come out like that?
He could at least have covered his upper body. What kind of man walks out bare-chested in front of a woman?
And if he had the body to pull it off, maybe she’d let it slide, but—
His bony frame was so skinny he looked like a walking skeleton.
Blushing furiously, Mun Eunji held out the clothes.
“Here!”
Wi Yeonho chuckled softly as he took the clothes from her.
With Mun Eunji turned around, Wi Yeonho slowly dressed himself and finally tied his hair up roughly.
“How long has it been since I last wore clothes like these?”
Mun Eunji sneaked a glance at him.
And then her brow furrowed again.
Usually, people who looked rough would clean up decently after a bath.
But Wi Yeonho looked even stranger after washing.
Wearing clean clothes with his hair tied back only made his gaunt, skeletal face stand out more.
“…Why not let your hair down?”
“It feels cool and nice this way.”
“Sigh.”
Mun Eunji shook her head and walked ahead.
Wi Yeonho followed her to the room she had prepared. It wasn’t luxurious, but it had a cozy charm. Without hesitation, Wi Yeonho threw himself onto the bed.
Thud!
The soft feel of the bedding brought tears to his eyes.
“It’s soft! It’s soft! A soft bed!”
Of course, Mun Eunji frowned.
‘He really has no manners.’
If she had to score her first impression of him, Wi Yeonho wouldn’t even get a zero.
“Your meal will be brought to your room.”
Wi Yeonho smiled brightly.
“You don’t have to go that far.”
“We don’t have a dining hall here at the manor. So you’ll have to make do.”
Leaving those words behind, Mun Eunji closed the door and left.
Her attitude was colder than a winter wind.
But Wi Yeonho, smiling faintly, rolled over on the bed.
Maybe it was because it had been so long since he last saw the world, but even Mun Eunji’s cold attitude looked lovely to him.
“This is what it means to be alive. No master scolding me for lying down, no master nagging me for lazing around—no master!”
Wi Yeonho buried himself deep into the bedding.
“Ah, this is comfort…”
And soon, he fell into a peaceful sleep.