673 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

"It's Hopil (胡筆). What an interesting pen name." Hopil (胡筆) is written as "barbarian scribe." This man, who could neither live in Joseon nor at his wife's family home, decided to write as a barbarian from the Central Plains, and finally succeeded with his first novel. Mo Yong Sang A's husband. The book written by Kang Yoon Ho has traveled a long distance and is now in his wife's hands. "Lady, my lady." "I’m unfamiliar with both the author's pen name and the title of the novel. What kind of book is this?" Before Mo Yong Sang A became the owner of Changbong, she was a woman obsessed with martial arts and loved to read. The book was printed on stiff paper with high-quality ink, giving it an appearance far superior to ordinary publications. As a bibliophile, she inquired about Tangga Fengyun. "Yes? That’s..." Indeed, she had heard the lady permitted the purchase of a printing machine. Yet he claimed to know nothing about the book. The warriors of Changbong subtly glanced at Chang Bong Dae Joo. "Ahem." He'll have to explain it on his own. Chang Bong Dae Joo cleared his throat awkwardly and signaled to his men to be discreet. "It’s a novel about the martial world." "A story of the martial world?" "It's about a protagonist from the Tang household in Sichuan chasing a demon, and it's very popular in places like Sichuan and Hubei." "A novel about the martial world. How curious. I wouldn't think stories from the martial world would be popular." In a world where tales of heroic deeds and historical figures are more favored, the idea seemed unusual. Would stories of martial warriors clashing over simple disputes be more popular than the saga of Guan Yu's legendary journey with a single horse to return to his lord? Intriguing. Mo Yong Sang A grew more interested in Tangga Fengyun. "We couldn't hide our amazement the more we read it." "I understand it’s an engaging novel. But why did you fight?" If a novel is entertaining, that should be enough. So why resolve disputes with swords? "Well, it’s...” "...?" The men exchanged awkward glances until one of them finally closed his eyes and confessed. "There are two women the protagonist is romantically involved with, and an argument over who is the rightful spouse led to...” "Rightful spouse, you say?" Surprised by the unexpected reason, Mo Yong Sang A tilted her head. "This fellow here claims that the woman who treated the protagonist with kindness deserves to be the true spouse, even overlooking the protagonist's first love, with whom he promised marriage." It was water under the bridge. Given how things unfolded, they hoped the lady would affirm their reasoning. One of the warriors spoke up. "The most beautiful woman in Sichuan may have been a one-night stand, but the protagonist formed a deep bond with the most prestigious courtesan in Hubei." Of course, another warrior wouldn't stand for this. "The protagonist risked his life for the beauty of Sichuan! He became stronger because of her. How can someone who merely treated him kindly be considered a legitimate wife!" “What do you mean?! What did you just say? A concubine?!” “Hey! How dare you raise your voice here?” “S-Sorry!” The sharp rebuke from Chang Bong Dae Joo made the warriors bow their heads in surprise. “...” Mo Yong Sang A found her gaze drawn again to Tangga Fengyun in her hands. "I will call the squad leaders and instruct them to be reprimanded severely." Chang Bong Dae Joo repeatedly bowed to his lady while glaring intensely at his men. Their faces were gradually turning pale. They had messed up big time. The warriors understood all too well what it meant when he said he'd gather and punish everyone from top to bottom. "That won't be necessary." Mo Yong Sang A shook her head with a gentle smile. "My lady?!" "There’s nothing wrong with reading and debating." Life in the frontier makes it difficult to form reading habits. The land is barren, invasions by barbarians frequent, and survival is the top priority. One might think it's better to swing a weapon one more time than to turn the pages of a book. No matter how well they're treated, it's hard to change this perception. Yet, here is an unexpected academic atmosphere. While building a strong military unit out of the rough men of the north is beneficial, as their lady, how could she oppose her subordinates gaining cultural sophistication? “That may be so, but...” Watching the commander unable to take his eyes off the subordinate, Mo Yong Sang A sighed inwardly. This won't do. The commander, by nature a martial man, is strict about hierarchy. Even if she speaks, he will likely impose harsh discipline over this. Is there any way around it? While observing Tangga Fengyun, a thought came to her, reminding her of the conversation earlier. "In my opinion." "Yes?" "It seems the beauty of Sichuan is the true spouse." "My lady...?" "If you’re willing to risk your only life, hasn't it already been decided who you love the most? If they truly share their hearts, wouldn’t time spent together be irrelevant?" While it's unwise to make hasty judgments, somehow her heart leaned that way. She didn't delve deeply into why, so as not to unearth painful memories. She only had one clear conviction. The beauty of Sichuan is the rightful spouse in Tangga Fengyun. "Yes, indeed!" "Just as expected of our lady!" "My lady..." "I participated in the discussion too." Mo Yong Sang A smiled faintly, looking at Chang Bong Dae Joo. ‘Will you reprimand me now as well?’ Understanding her intent, Chang Bong Dae Joo sighed softly, acknowledging it couldn’t be helped. "I will simply instruct the squad leaders to give a warning." "Isn’t it nice to have such a pleasure amidst a hard day’s work?" "Heh, heh..." "Reading is admirable, but personal disputes due to it must be avoided." Though persuading the commander, Mo Yong Sang A didn't forget to remind the soldiers. "Yes, we’ll bear it in mind!" The warriors sighed in relief as if they had escaped from the jaws of a tiger. "My lady, the sergeants of other units are waiting." "..." "My lady?" Even as the commander spoke, Mo Yong Sang A’s gaze remained fixed on Tangga Fengyun in her hands. Hopil's Tangga Fengyun. A novel she unmistakably encountered for the first time today. "A novel famous in Hubei and Sichuan, weaving a rare story of the martial world with a captivating romance—it’s intriguing." "Could I borrow this novel called Tangga Fengyun for a while?" She was unusually interested. When was the last time she had taken the time to read an entire novel? Her duties left her little room for leisurely pursuits, but there was something about this book that made her want to dive into it. "What...? You..." Chang Bong Dae Joo’s face flickered with unease. “A story about the martial world piques my interest. I promise to return it soon.” “You mean Tangga Fengyun?” “Is this an annoying request?” “No, it’s not that...” The warriors exchanged troubled glances between their lady and Chang Bong Dae Joo. It’s absolutely forbidden. Refuse it. Although the commanding gaze from the commander told them to reject the request, how could they possibly do so? "It seems you're uncomfortable. In that case, just let me know where I can purchase it, and I'll buy it myself." “That’s not the problem…” “Is there another issue?” Lending it wasn’t an issue, but there was indeed another problem. Both Chang Bong Dae Joo and the warriors knew it. The reason Chang Bong Dae Joo kept the book's nature a secret from Mo Yong Sang A. “Tangga Fengyun is an erotica.” "Oh..." Startled, Mo Yong Sang A dropped the book she was holding. Her eyes momentarily lost their way, as if she had unknowingly played with a lewd object in public and had just realized its nature. “Since the commander recommended it, he should be able to obtain it if you ask him,” the warriors quickly distanced themselves from the responsibility. "Commander. Could I have a word?" "Th-Th, my lady!" Mo Yong Sang A quickly turned and briskly walked out of the training ground. Watching the commander follow her, the warriors quietly celebrated the rare sight of their flustered lady's blushing face, even though they feared for the future. ------- “Commander, what was that about?” Asking to borrow erotica in front of subordinates! Before being the owner of Chang Bong, she was the wife of the late merchant and a dignified woman. Back in her office, Mo Yong Sang A had to fan her flustered face repeatedly. "L-Lady! There’s a misunderstanding! Tangga Fengyun is mandatory reading for the Tang family of Sichuan and is the most popular novel in Hubei. It raises awareness among righteous martial artists to be cautious of demons. The scene where the Tang hero defeats the lust demon is..." “A lust demon?” "Uh… no, it is a lust demon, but a devil!” One could easily imagine what scenes involving a lust demon would entail. The commander felt like he was sinking into a pit. "Did you request the printing machine just to reproduce Tangga Fengyun?" “While it might have some racy content for women, there is no better novel for men to read.” “I heard it’s being sold in places like Sichuan and Hubei.” Mo Yong Sang A finally understood why the novel was popular. Even if pure martial adventures weren’t appealing, adding a tantalizing element could change that. Ultimately, what sells best even at local bookstores is erotica. “Yes, hence we created our own 'Selection Edition' to cultivate proper readers of Tangga Fengyun.” "A Selection Edition?" “Despite its salacious parts, it is a novel unlike any I’ve ever seen or heard of. Thus, it was selected by the Mo Yong family for free distribution.” “Is it permissible to reproduce these books so recklessly without the bookstore's permission?” “Huh? Isn’t it natural to share such things so everyone can read?” Surely, good stories should be shared freely, not bought and sold for money like a petty merchant. Chang Bong Dae Joo couldn't understand and questioned her back. “Reproducing a bookstore’s product interferes with business…” “...?” Seeing the utterly perplexed expression on Chang Bong Dae Joo’s face, Mo Yong Sang A immediately realized the situation. It's a difference in understanding. Mo Yong Sang A, experienced in trade and business in the Central Plains, understood the ethics among bookstores. But for Chang Bong Dae Joo, a lifelong warrior who maintained discipline among his subordinates, this was unfamiliar territory. He even distributed the books for free. To those with means, sharing knowledge and stories freely is a virtue, not something to be hawked like dubious merchants. “That’s enough. If Commander praises it so highly, it’s surely a worthy novel to reproduce. But we must avoid harming others’ businesses. If a bookstore with a formal contract with the author comes to Liaodong City, please ensure they are duly compensated." Mo Yong Sang A offered a compromise that even the eternally martial Chang Bong Dae Joo could understand. “Of course.” “Good.” “Lady!” Just as they were about to discuss more about work, a servant rushed in with an urgent expression. “What is it?” “The head of the family! Master is gravely ill!” “What?!”