Book 21 Chapter 2
Golden wings envelop the snow-covered night
—Dancing Yanfei
A city near Mount Emei in Huayin County, Sichuan Province. In the Thousand Fragrance Tower (天香樓), famous throughout Sichuan for its clear and fragrant Jiannanchun (劍南春), a sweet melody was resonating.
The clear and pure sound of the zither, like raindrops bouncing off banana leaves. The source of this dreamlike zither music that had been flowing since midday was the central stage of the grand banquet hall. Today, this banquet hall, which was usually open only to special guests on special occasions, was filled with long rows of wine tables and guests. Nevertheless, the entire banquet hall was as calm as a lake, far from being crowded. The guests' gazes were all focused on the young girl in black robes playing a zither melody on the stage.
Ding, ding. Diririing…….
Her white, slender fingers lightly plucked the taut zither strings one after another. Her delicate, jade-like hands danced like a veil across the seven strings, a universe of music. Her pure white fingers slid like a dance, creating a beautiful, heavenly melody.
Sometimes like lovers' whispers, sometimes like the flapping of a phoenix's wings, sometimes like the song of a stream, and sometimes like the roar of a waterfall. The ever-changing zither music of the girl captivated the souls of rough men who had lived their lives by blood and swords. No musical knowledge was needed to appreciate the melody the girl played. Simply listening was enough.
…Ding!
Finally, the performance stopped, and as the echo of the ethereal melody faded, people could return to the ground.
“Ooooooh!”
As the girl bowed with graceful movements, thunderous applause erupted from the guests.
“How was it?”
A middle-aged man in silk robes subtly asked the old man seated at the head of the table. The old man nodded at the middle-aged man's words and exclaimed loudly.
“Hmm, excellent music. Truly excellent music!”
Although the old man appeared to be at least a hundred years old, his spirited tone and robust physique were enviable to ten strong men in their prime. Moreover, his natural and dignified presence clearly showed why he occupied the most honored seat among the day's honored guests. The old man, seemingly pleased with the girl's melody, couldn't stop clapping and praising her.
“I doubt my ears, wondering if I've heard the sounds of heaven!”
The girl replied modestly to the old man's praise.
“I am merely able to keep pace with the melody naturally, so I do not deserve such high praise yet.”
The old man, amused by the girl's reaction, chuckled and asked,
“Ho ho. If you say not yet, does that mean you are confident you will create heavenly sounds soon? Well, what is your name?”
“Yanfei (燕飛).”
As the girl in black robes answered, the old man stroked his beard and nodded.
“Ho, swallow… that is indeed a fitting name. You look like a young swallow still in its nest, but hearing your performance, it seems the time for you to fly like your name is upon us!”
“Thank you.”
Yanfei replied in a gentle and sweet tone. The girl's voice was as beautiful as her zither music.
“Ho ho, you play melodies not only with your fingers but also with your voice.”
The old man let out a hearty laugh, clearly amused. Seizing the moment, the middle-aged man in silk robes sitting beside him added,
“Surely it cannot compare to your daughter, who is renowned for her unparalleled beauty?”
Although the middle-aged man intended to say something pleasant, the smile vanished from the old man's face as soon as the word ‘daughter’ was uttered. A chilling coldness emanated intensely from the old man's entire body. It seemed he had touched a very sensitive nerve.
The middle-aged man broke into a cold sweat in an instant, regretting his mistake, but it was too late. The entire banquet hall fell silent, and accusing glances were cast towards the middle-aged man from all sides. The middle-aged man's once proud shoulders seemed to shrink smaller and smaller. Only then did the old man, sensing the chilling atmosphere, clear his throat lightly and say,
“Ahem. Truly remarkable skill for one so young. You must have practiced relentlessly under a strict master, no? Truly commendable, commendable. Don't you agree, younger brother?”
The old man addressed a man seated on the other side, opposite the middle-aged man in silk robes. This man, referred to as ‘younger brother,’ wore white robes like the old man and had been quietly sipping wine with a glum expression. He had been continuously emptying his cup, barely listening to the music, and his face was already flushed with drink.
“Well, for a clumsy fellow like me, it's hard to develop the musical sensibility of an elder brother. *Hic!*”
The man replied with slurred speech, clearly tinged with sarcasm.
He was the only one present who had shown no interest in the girl’s zither music. Even while the girl was playing, when everyone else’s attention was focused on her, he alone kept emptying his wine cup, as if lamenting his inability to turn his blood into wine.
“You seem to have had too much to drink.”
Unable to raise his voice in such a setting, the old man could only convey his warning with his eyes. Jiannanchun was already potent, and drinking continuously alone at such an event was a great offense to the other guests. However, the old man's warning had little effect.
“*Hic*, what else can a cripple like me do but drink? Isn't that right, elder brother?”
The man looked at the old man with glazed eyes and waved his empty right sleeve. His right sleeve was empty.
“Yiqian!”
The old man, his patience wearing thin, roared at the man.
“Heh heh heh, even if I'm a cripple, I'm not deaf. *Hic*, *hic!*”
Yiqian replied, refilling his wine cup with his remaining left hand.
“Nangong Escort! It seems Vice-Commander’s wine has gone to his head. Please escort him to his room to rest.”
The old man commanded, and someone standing behind him to his right bowed and responded.
“Yes, Alliance Leader! Come, Vice-Commander.”
*Thwack!*
As the commanded escort reached out, Yiqian roughly shook off his hand and exclaimed,
“Don't touch me!”
Yiqian's sudden outburst made the hall even more deathly silent.
“Now I am being banished? *Hic*.”
Yiqian glared at the old man with glazed eyes and said.
“……”
The old man's face hardened, and he remained silent, his lips tightly shut. He seemed to be expending considerable patience to suppress his anger.
“You no longer wish to speak with this unworthy brother?”
Seemingly having lost his interest, Yiqian turned his gaze and scanned the hall. The silence that enveloped the hall was so profound that even the sound of a falling needle could be heard distinctly. The guests desperately avoided making eye contact with him. Satisfied by their reaction, a smirk appeared on Yiqian’s lips.
“Ah, I'm just joking, joking! It's so dreary, I'm freezing myself. Hey, you. Nangong Jin, the second son of the Nangong family, is that right?”
In response to Yiqian’s question, the man who had been trying to escort him replied.
“That is correct.”
“I heard you are more capable than your elder brother?”
Nangong Jin's face stiffened at Yiqian's twisted question.
“Surely that cannot be true. How could I possibly match my elder brother's capabilities?”
A sinister smirk flickered on Yiqian’s lips.
“Hmm, is that so? Is it because your elder brother is present here that you say that?”
*CRASH!*
With a loud bang, a wine cup was roughly slammed onto the table. The person who had frowned and slammed the cup down was the same middle-aged man who had made a mistake earlier and had been sitting with a sullen expression.
“Hey, Branch Master! What do you want to hear from our brother? Or do you have something to say to me?”
Yiqian's gaze rolled towards the middle-aged man.
“Ah, Branch Master. So you were here. I didn't realize you were here?”
Considering the previous conversation and his seating position, the claim of not realizing the Branch Master was there was nonsensical.
“You must suffer greatly having such a hot-tempered elder brother. The eldest son would never know such humiliation, would he? Nangong Escort, please take good care of my elder brother in the future. He is the eldest son and the supreme being of our family, thousands of times more precious than a cripple like me banished to the frontier.”
Nangong Jin's face contorted with displeasure at Yiqian's words. The unpleasant remarks and extreme rudeness were unbearable, but as an escort, he could not draw his sword first against the person he was supposed to protect. Furthermore, Yiqian's words were laced with a hatred that was difficult to dismiss, sharp as thorns.
“I, of course, intend to fulfill my duty even if it costs me my life.”
At Nangong Jin's barely uttered words, Yiqian chuckled and waved his hand.
“Then, do your best.”
Yiqian picked up the wine bottle and stood up from his seat. As he stumbled down the stairs, the tense guests finally let out long sighs of relief.
Awkward silence.
Though cotton becomes heavy as a log when wet, the air, when soaked in silence, becomes heavier than a lump of iron.
Although Yiqian had disappeared from the banquet hall, the silence he left behind weighed heavily on the assembly for a long time. Not a single person dared to speak. Everyone hoped someone else would draw the first sword. In such situations, if a superior doesn't take the initiative, even if it's under duress, they lose the trust of their subordinates. And the one who should wield that sword seemed to be the middle-aged man called the Branch Master.
“A, ahem! The atmosphere seems to have considerably died down. Cough, cough, yes, was your name Yanfei?”
As if he had phlegm in his throat, the Branch Master asked, coughing repeatedly.
“Yes.”
Despite having been in the chilling scene moments before, the girl's complexion was serene. Though veiled, she appeared remarkably resolute for someone who looked no older than thirteen or fourteen.
‘To be so composed even in this situation, her mental discipline must be considerable at such a young age!’
He inwardly marveled at Yanfei's calm demeanor.
“I heard that Mook Yeon-bi (墨燕飛) of the Thousand Fragrance Tower possesses another exquisite art besides music. Is that true?”
His words seemed to pique the curiosity of the old man and the other guests.
“Oh, what might that be?”
The old man asked with an intrigued expression.
“It is merely a rumor, exaggerated, I believe.”
Yanfei, showing modesty unbecoming of her age, initially demurred. The old man, his mood seemingly recovered, replied with amusement.
“Whatever the art, let us see it.”
“Well, I fear I might only disturb this fine occasion……”
Yanfei hesitated, still reluctant. Fearing another awkward situation if the old man faced further refusal, the Branch Master interrupted with a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! They say it is more difficult to see the Thousand Fragrance Tower's swallow fly than a celestial maiden dance, and now I understand what that means!”
The old man nodded, seemingly satisfied by the Branch Master's explanation.
“Hmm, is it a dance? Is that dance so impressive, Nangong Commander?”
The old man addressed the Branch Master as Nangong Commander. It seemed that Branch Master and Commander were titles of the same rank. If so, then Yiqian, called Vice-Commander, was a direct subordinate of Nangong Commander. However, Nangong Commander, who had been called 'hot-tempered' by his direct subordinate, quickly concealed his previous displeasure and responded heartily to the old man.
“Of course! That dance is said to be like a celestial maiden's heavenly dance. It is already a famous tale in Sichuan.”
“Ho, I would certainly like to see such a dance.”
In this situation, Nangong Commander, the Branch Master of Sichuan, had to somehow present the dance that was famous in Sichuan. A reception that leaves room for regret is worse than no reception at all. Moreover, they say for a superior's reception, one should offer their liver if food is scarce. Nangong Commander, feeling a sense of urgency, decided to put on a brave face.
“Alright! If your dance is as magnificent as the rumors say, and if you can rekindle the spirit of this gathering, I shall reward you greatly!”
“Is that truly what you say?”
Yanfei asked the Branch Master's proposal with a firm voice.
“Of course!”
He inwardly rejoiced, thinking he had succeeded. However, perhaps it was premature celebration, as the girl did not yield as easily as expected.
“However, when someone of your stature promises a 'great' reward, I fear I, a mere child, may not be able to handle it.”
While speaking indirectly, she was clearly asking for a specific amount for the 'great reward.' The Branch Master inwardly sighed. This was a girl with a delicate exterior but a shrewd merchant who had navigated the martial arts world for decades. However, he could not haggle shamelessly in his position, so it would be better to be generous to avoid future trouble.
“Ho ho ho, so shrewd. I yield to you. I fear I might collapse from waiting any longer.”
Only after the Branch Master jokingly raised both hands did Yanfei finally smile. What was held in both hands were ten fingers, meaning the number ten (十). Since it was a promise made by a high-ranking official in an important setting, the unit was naturally gold (金)! In other words, the Branch Master metaphorically promised ten taels of gold. Ten taels of gold for a single dance was a windfall that would make ordinary people foam at the mouth and faint.
“Pfft, alright. In that case……”
Clap, clap!
As Yanfei clapped her hands lightly, the waiting musicians rushed onto the stage.
“It's unusual for you to call us. I thought my finger joints would rust.”
The old man holding the daegeum remarked.
“That's because your bones have stiffened with age. Are you perhaps going to show off your skills after a long time?”
The old man holding the drumsticks chimed in as if he had been waiting.
“They say good wine comes from good water, and the same must be true for dance. I don't like mediocre tunes, so please do your best.”
Yanfei’s response was gentle yet precise.
“Ho ho, even a young lady has good ears. I've been bored lately with nowhere to show my skills, so this is perfect.”
The oldest-looking of the musicians, playing the zither, said cheerfully.
“What piece shall we play?”
To the old man's question, Yanfei extended her hand forward. She felt a piece of neatly folded, silvery silk brocade. It was an item given by a servant who had silently cleared the area around Yanfei and handed it to her.
“Hyangjeong’s <Golden Wings Cover the Snow-Covered Night (金翅庇雪夜)>.”
Yanfei's words caused the blind old man to twitch his eyebrows in surprise.
“Golden Wings Cover the Snow-Covered Night… it's been a very long time. I'll have to really show my skills this time.”
It was a phantom dance they rarely performed, despite having danced many times. Today, given the esteemed guests, they seemed determined to showcase their utmost skill. Nevertheless, these were people who had spent their lives honing their skills in musical performance. As the exclusive musicians of Sichuan's finest, Thousand Fragrance Tower, it was natural for them to possess near-masterful skills.
*Swish.*
Yanfei lifted her white veil and murmured in a voice too soft to be heard by anyone.
“Only then will my master’s effort in sending me here be worthwhile.”
*Ting, ting……. *
With the gentle sound of bells, a low daegeum melody resonated like the wind. The dance had already begun.
* * *
A luxurious guest room located in the rear garden, not far from the central banquet hall. Originally a room boasting charming beds and opulent decorations, it was now so dim that only outlines could be discerned. Despite the bright daylight outside, all the windows were closed and covered with black cloth. Not even a single candle was lit in the room.
In a corner of that dark room, a delicate girl sat hugging her knees.
Chirp! Chirp! Peep!
The only small bird in the dim room, seemingly anxious, pecked at its perch and chirped. This was likely due to the sound of something repeatedly banging on the door.
*Thump! Thump!*
“Yerim! Your uncle is here, why aren't you coming out?”
“You shouldn't do this, Vice-Commander!”
“Please leave.”
“Silence. Does an uncle need the permission of escorts to see his niece?”
*Chirp, chirp! Chirp!*
The bird chirped restlessly, flapping its wings as if its anxiety were growing. The girl squeezed her fingers, which were wrapped around her knees, and closed her eyes tightly.
“The Alliance Leader ordered that no one be allowed in. You know this well, Vice-Commander.”
“Do you not know who I am, you impertinent curs?”
“Of course, we do.”
“And yet you dare to block my way?”
“We cannot act against the orders of the Alliance Leader or the young lady.”
*CRASH!*
“Enough of this noise! Yerim, I know you can hear this. Say something to these people!”
The girl, Yerim, flinched and covered her ears. She buried her face between her knees and held her breath, as if she would be caught if she exhaled too deeply.
*CRASH, CRASH!*
*Chirp! Chirp, chirp, chirp!*
…….
How much time passed?
Finally, the silence she had longed for arrived.
As the commotion subsided and the bird grew quiet, Yerim slowly raised her head. She was a very beautiful girl. Even in the dim room, her skin shone with a soft, faint light like white jade. Her black eyes, piercing the darkness, held a mystical charm.
Anyone who saw this girl would find her beautiful. And therein lay the beginning of her misfortune. Yerim thought,
‘Why do people crave to possess me?’
Since childhood, she had an unusual predisposition to kidnapping attempts. However, countless kidnapping attempts had all failed, thanks to her father, Na Baekcheon. If her father had not protected her with all his power and influence, she surely would not be safe today.
She had also had numerous escorts. However, after incidents where escorts occasionally turned into kidnappers, even Na Baekcheon became reluctant to employ male escorts. She had tried using female escorts as a last resort, but female escorts were hard to find, and occasionally, they too would turn. Such was the overwhelming charm of Na Yerim.
After a ridiculous attempted kidnapping incident involving female escorts two months ago, Na Baekcheon had lost faith in any security system. He resolved to keep his daughter always by his side for protection. Especially since coming to Sichuan to handle business, his preparations for danger had reached their extreme, and Yerim’s life was virtually one of confinement.
However, she had no complaints. She didn't know why, but such events were a reality. All humans, except for parents and young children, were objects of fear to her. Moreover, an ability she unintentionally acquired had worsened her social phobia.
Dragon Eyes!
The ability to read fragments of the heart. It wasn't mind-reading. Rather, it was a feeling that flowed into her whenever someone’s emotions overflowed. It was never a pleasant experience.
‘Why have I become like this?’
She had blamed herself more than once.
Problems did not cease with the threat of kidnapping, but the hearts she glimpsed each time, especially those of men, were more hideous than shark fins. It felt like peering into the deepest bottom of a swamp filled with overflowing black malice. Each time she was exposed to the thick poison, she would fall ill for several days, or even more than a week. She had no immunity to the malice and poison of humans. It was too intense to endure with a pure heart.
It was so hideous and dirty.
Just standing among adults made her feel like vomiting from the pervasive toxicity. To survive, she had no choice but to cram her small body into any dark corner.
There was no place without people anywhere. She wanted to escape with her parents to a place without people. But that was impossible. She was still too young.
“I want to escape somewhere……”
Hugging her knees tightly in the dark room, Yerim murmured sadly.
* * *
Among dozens of people, a splendid feast is laid out. Judging by their extraordinary aura and the weapons they carried, they were clearly a group of martial artists.
They were the faction of Namgung Hyeon (南宮玄), the Electrifying Dragon Sword (電龍劍) and Branch Master of the Sichuan branch, who governed Sichuan Province. Today, they had prepared a banquet to welcome a very important guest.
But why? Usually people who reveled in blood and wine would not be clinking glasses today, their gazes fixed on one place. Moreover, they were all tapping their knees with their fingers or lightly swaying their shoulders. It was as if their final sensibilities, suppressed somewhere in their muscles, had been instantly ignited into artistic souls by an unknown trigger. The unknown trigger was the sight of the girl, Yanfei, dancing on the stage.
‘Although it is a dance, to reach such a level at such a young age, she must have received instruction from a renowned master.’
The old man, seated at the central honored seat, the best vantage point for watching dance, nodded in admiration.
Golden Wings Cover the Snow-Covered Night (金翅庇雪夜)…Golden wings covering a snow-falling night. It sounds plausible, but it is not a suitable choice for dancing on a bright, clear day. However, as the faint sound of bells echoed like a spell and the cool daegeum melody swept through the hall like the wind, people suddenly realized that ‘night’ had arrived.
Ebony-dark robes enveloped Yanfei's body, filling people's vision. A dark wave that seemed graspable yet not, as if it would fly away yet entrap the soul. However, even the intoxicating darkness was gently submerged by the silver snowstorm scattered with the melodious zither.
*Chara-rang, chara-rang……. *
As the brocade, studded with fragments of light, whether glass or pearls, fluttered in Yanfei's hands, an indescribable beautiful sound shattered with the light. The silver brocade wrapped around her dark robes, adding fragrance to the dance like plum blossoms blooming on a winter night.
However, what continuously captivated everyone's attention was not the dreamlike darkness or the silver brocade scattering like plum blossoms. It was what appeared from beneath the gently lowered veil, Yanfei's eyes, as if a golden soul had been carved into a deep abyss.
Beneath her gently lowered dark eyelashes, her pupils, inscribed with light whenever they caught the sunlight, seemed to emit a transparent golden hue. While gold is often described as fire, this was the color of a cool, transparent tiger's eye, understandable even as water. As her pupils trembled with the beautiful melody, everything around seemed to lose its light.
“Ho ho… truly like golden wings covering a snow-falling night.”
The old man's exclamation, uttered unintentionally. He had lost count of how many times he had exclaimed. It wasn't just the beauty of her eyes, her attire, or the melody. While not an expert in dance or music, even to the old man, Yanfei's dance was not the amateurish skill of someone who had learned it casually. To elevate latent beauty to its extreme and create a fantasy before one's eyes is the will to bring out the highest potential of the body. It is skill acquired through thousands, tens of thousands of repetitions.
‘A beautiful dance must surely take this form.’
Every movement was precise and elegant, yet it conveyed a strength unfitting for a young girl, a mystical dance. Anything that reaches a certain level inspires a sense of awe even in laymen. Although martial arts and dance are different domains, the old man offered his unreserved applause.
‘I thought it would be an unpleasant schedule, but I am unexpectedly enjoying a good spectacle.’
The old man's name was Na Baekcheon, the Martial Alliance Leader, revered as the supreme being of the martial arts world. As soon as he set foot in Sichuan with his precious daughter to simultaneously handle some business and conduct an inspection, the Sichuan Branch Master, Namgung Hyeon, immediately prepared a welcoming banquet.
Na Baekcheon, who was subtly annoyed by Namgung Hyeon's management style, which prioritized entertainment over business reports, finally showed a genuine smile. He hadn't expected to see such a thing at a gathering like this. Witnessing something extraordinary, something outstanding, was always a pleasant experience. His nerves, frayed by the recent events, softened like melting snow.
‘Still, let's see.’
Na Baekcheon was a man who secured what he needed. Confusing public and private matters was against his principles.
*Chara-ra-rak, ting.*
Finally, as the music stopped, the bells tinkled. Like a spell breaking, Yanfei’s dance movements came to an abrupt halt. The night's waves vanished, and the scattering snowflakes sank into the ground. As Yanfei bowed her head, the golden wings trembled and folded.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
Thunderous applause erupted, long after everyone had awakened from the illusion of the snow-covered night created by the dance.
* * *
“Damn it! You damned perverted old men!”
In the cramped room, Yanfei, who had just returned from the central banquet hall, was roughly throwing miscellaneous items onto the floor.
“Where are you staring with those beady eyes! You can’t even keep your mouths shut with your age! Ugh, men, all of them!”
*Thump, thump, thump!*
Still unappeased, she kicked wildly. What was slightly strange was that items that might have some monetary value were spared from her violent kicks.
“Sigh!”
The girl sighed and slumped onto a chair placed in front of a dressing table. Glancing to the side, she saw a bronze mirror. It was an expensive item with ornate carvings on both sides, practically Yanfei's exclusive possession.
The mirror, which had been as smooth as ice, was now smudged with her breath and fingerprints. Fortunately, it was still usable for touching up her makeup. Looking into the mirror, an unfamiliar face greeted Yanfei.
“Tch!”
Still an unfamiliar face.
“Why do I have to endure this?”
The answer was obvious. What other reason could there be? The cause was truly immutable.
“This is all that damned master's fault!”