Chapter 77 : One Throw to Shake Heaven and Earth (3)

Chapter 77: One Throw to Shake Heaven and Earth (3)

"It’s my fault for not teaching my younger brother properly. I apologize on his behalf for the rudeness he committed."

Mun Yuhwan couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

"It seems I may have spoken carelessly. It’s we who were helped by your brother."

"Failing to act against injustice is unbecoming of the descendants of a martial household. And to expect a reward after doing what is only right is the behavior of a scoundrel. While our Grand House of Wi in Guangdong may fall short of being called a prestigious family before others, I believe we have lived without losing the spirit of righteousness. My younger brother left home at an early age and thus lacked guidance. I ask for your generous understanding."

"Hmm..."

Mun Yuhwan nodded before he realized it.

Not a word he said was wrong, and though his head was bowed, there was no lack of dignity in him.

‘How strange.’

He found it curious how someone like Wi Yeonho, a free-spirited soul, could come from such a family background.

"So, you said you’re going to find your younger brother?"

"Yes."

"Then... may I offer you one piece of advice?"

"Pardon?"

Seeing Wi Sanho’s slightly flustered expression, Mun Yuhwan smiled gently.

"I haven’t known your brother for long, but I’ve been through a number of incidents with him and I daresay I know him to some extent. He’s quite a witty young man."

"You flatter him too much."

"However..."

When Mun Yuhwan looked at him with a more serious expression, Wi Sanho felt a pressure weigh down on him.

‘A great man indeed.’

He now understood why Jang Il had bowed so deeply. A man like this certainly deserved to be treated with great respect.

He had heard the name ‘Grand Historian of the Three Arts’, and it seemed that title was no exaggeration.

"In my opinion, there is one problem."

"Would there be only one?"

Mun Yuhwan slowly shook his head.

"The problem I speak of is not with your brother."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Are you familiar with the term ‘great vessel’?"

"...Did you say ‘great vessel’ (大器)?"

"A ‘great vessel’ cannot be contained within human standards—hence the term. Judging by your family tradition and your temperament, I imagine you might try to fit your brother into a mold. But doing so would only ruin him. Forcing a horse into a dog’s kennel will only hurt the horse and injure those pushing it in as well. Let him be. Set him free. If you do, the day will come when you’ll smile, watching a horse gallop across the plains."

Wi Sanho couldn’t respond right away.

The words were far too unexpected, and not something he could easily agree with. Mun Yuhwan, understanding this, smiled gently before continuing.

"I fear I’ve detained busy people for too long. If I don’t end this meeting, I’ll just be holding you here."

Wi Sanho rose from his seat and bowed.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will reflect deeply on the advice you’ve given."

"It’s something you may well forget."

Once the conversation ended, Wi Sanho and Jang Il left the Great Scholarly Institute with Mun Yuhwan and Mun Eunji seeing them off.

"Why the long face?"

"It’s nothing."

Wi Sanho waved his hand casually, pretending it was no big deal.

As he glanced back at Mun Eunji and Mun Yuhwan seeing them off, a strange expression crossed his face. Then he quickened his steps.

"Jang Il."

"Hm? What?"

"What kind of man is this Mun Yuhwan, the Grand Historian of the Three Arts?"

"Want me to recite his background for you?"

"Just an assessment."

Jang Il paused for a moment as if organizing his thoughts, then began to speak.

"His scholarship is so profound it could found an entirely new school of thought. His personality is so down-to-earth that despite countless invitations, he belongs to no sect or group. Even the Imperial Palace has tried to recruit him, but each time he refuses, citing his lack of learning. He is a man who lives in this world, yet resembles an immortal."

"…That’s quite the assessment."

Jang Il nodded solemnly as if it were only natural.

"When you study information long enough, you begin to infer a man’s character from his history. That man is worthy of respect for his character alone."

"I see. That makes sense."

Wi Sanho asked one more question.

"What did you think of my younger brother?"

"Your brother?"

"Yeah."

Without needing a moment to think, Jang Il launched into a stream of abuse.

"Honestly, I only treat him like a human being because he’s your brother. If he weren’t related to you, I wouldn’t even consider him a person. His laziness knows no bounds, his nastiness rivals a demonic cultist, he’s more cunning than a court eunuch, and above all else… he’s unbearably annoying."

"..."

Jang Il, who had stepped back anticipating a punch, cautiously approached again when Wi Sanho didn’t respond, then poked him in the side.

"What’s wrong?"

"...Yeah, that’s the usual reaction."

"Huh?"

"He’s my brother, but if anyone else saw Yeonho, that’s exactly how they’d react. I’ve got to admit what needs admitting."

"Oh, so this is about what that guy said earlier?"

"Hmm…"

Wi Sanho recalled the conversation from earlier.

"I just don’t get it."

"Man, I almost died of disbelief, too. I mean, really? A ‘great vessel’? You think that kind of title fits your brother?"

"...Yeah, that’s the reaction of an ordinary man."

"Huh?"

Wi Sanho didn’t answer. He simply sank deep into thought.

‘Yeonho’s extraordinariness isn’t something ordinary people can recognize.’

If Wi Sanho hadn’t spent years living with Wi Yeonho—or hadn’t been bound by blood—he too would’ve dismissed Yeonho as nothing more than an irredeemable slacker.

However, the fact that an outsider who had only spent a short time with Wi Yeonho could recognize his extraordinariness meant that his eye for judging people had reached the level of a sage.

‘Unless... it means Yeonho has truly changed compared to the past.’

While Mun Yuhwan’s words had hinted at laziness, for Wi Yeonho, laziness was a lifelong challenge he had to bear. The important question was how he had changed in other ways.

“I want to see him as soon as possible.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s hurry!”

“What the—! You brat! Even if we leave now, the sun will be down soon! Since it’s come to this, let’s just take our time—”

“One night on the road won’t kill us. We can sleep tomorrow. Let’s go.”

“…You damned fiend.”

Jang Il let out a long sigh—several, in fact—then chased after the quickly striding Wi Sanho.

‘But this does seem like it’s going to be fun.’

He had the feeling that if he kept following these two brothers, his life would never be short of entertainment.

*         *         *

“Did you say Go?”

“Yes.”

“Go, huh… Go…”

Dokbi raised his only arm and scratched at his rough, overgrown beard.

“Would you consider Go to be gambling?”

“Isn’t gambling anything where you bet money on the outcome?”

“That’s true.”

“Then Go is gambling.”

If Mun Yuhwan had heard that, he would’ve foamed at the mouth and shouted, “I’ve completely misjudged this person!” But since Mun Yuhwan wasn’t present, there was nothing stopping such words from being said.

“Go, huh…”

Dokbi let out a quiet snort.

“Don’t think I’m saying this because I’m afraid to play Go against you. I never back down from a match of any kind. But Go just takes too long.”

“We can play quickly.”

“Even at its fastest, it’ll take an hour. Are you saying you want to bet everything on one round?”

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t?”

“There is.”

Dokbi replied with certainty.

“If we take it slow, you’ll have a better sense of how painful it feels to lose twenty taels of gold. If everything is decided in one match, you can’t savor the true taste of it.”

“The true taste?”

“When money drains away slowly like sand slipping through your fingers, that’s when you feel your blood run dry. Only then will you never dare set foot in this world again.”

Wi Yeonho looked at Dokbi with a somewhat moved expression.

“Are you worried about me?”

“…Huh?”

“You said you’d make sure I never come near gambling again.”

“Y-yes, I did.”

“Then you are worried about me. It’s a good thing not to hang around gambling dens, right?”

Dokbi was rendered speechless.

Of course, the best course was not to gamble at all, and staying away from gambling houses was the proper path for a man of integrity.

That was the textbook answer, but…

“You’re a good man, mister. Seems like Hubei is full of good people.”

In an instant, Dokbi, who had spent thirty years as a professional gambler ruining lives and taking livelihoods, was turned into a kind uncle worried about a child’s future.

“All the kindhearted uncles around here sure look scary. My master said it’s wise to judge people based on appearances, but maybe he was wrong.”

“Wait a minute.”

Jin Soa caught something strange in Wi Yeonho’s words.

“Did you say your master said it’s right to judge people by their looks?”

“Yeah.”

“Why? Isn’t it usually the opposite?”

“No, my master said that’s the right way.”

“…Huh?”

“Let’s see… What he said was…”

After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Wi Yeonho began to speak like a flowing river.

“If someone who looks scary has a kind heart, they’ll smile so they don’t intimidate others. And people who smile don’t look threatening. So kind people end up with kind faces. Whether their face was good or bad to begin with, they’re smiling, so it looks good.”

“Uh…”

“And women—being pretty means being kind.”

“…What the…”

Jin Soa pointed a finger at him.

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

But the men around them had very different reactions.

“Your master was wise.”

“That’s right. Being pretty means being kind.”

“I’m not just saying it—pretty girls really are kinder. My wife’s got a mean face, and she’s always trying to eat me alive.”

Even Dokbi was nodding along in agreement.

“Exactly.”

Jin Soa looked like he was about to cry.

‘This place is insane.’

Then again, it wasn’t like anyone with a normal life would be hanging around a gambling den. Being strange was to be expected.

“In any case, since you’re worried about me, let’s try a different game. Do you have a gambling game in mind—something quick?”

Of course, Wi Yeonho’s decision not to play Go wasn’t because he accepted Dokbi’s opinion.

Wi Yeonho wasn’t generous enough to pass up a game he was sure to win, no matter how considerate Dokbi sounded. No matter how seasoned Dokbi was as a gambler, how could he possibly beat Wi Yeonho—renowned as the Faceless Go Player—in Go?

There was only one reason he was giving up Go.

‘It takes too long.’

His eyes kept drooping shut. Having used up all his energy for talking and moving throughout the day, Wi Yeonho had no desire to do anything more.

A clean, quick round.

That was the kind of gambling Wi Yeonho wanted right now.

“Something quick… I tried to do you a favor, and yet you’ve learned nothing. Very well.”

Dokbi raised his one remaining arm and pointed somewhere.

“The game I recommend is that one.”

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