Chapter 31: Nameless
***
The inside of the Imperial King Hall was surprisingly simple.
There were no special decorations, nor were there many people present. There was simply one very large room, with long corridors on both sides leading to other rooms.
At the far end opposite the entrance, there was a low platform, and on top of it stood a fairly large chair made of cedar wood. That was the only piece of furniture inside the Imperial King Hall.
Seated on the chair was a middle-aged man in his fifties with a clean and refined appearance, dressed in blue robes.
He was none other than Namgung Byeok, the family head of the Namgung Family. He had been talking with a beautiful woman beside him who was wearing pale blue silk clothes, when he noticed Tang Wu approaching.
The moment he saw Tang Wu, his face lit up, and he leapt down from the platform as if flying.
"Welcome. Uncle Tang. It has truly been a long time since I last saw you."
"Tsk tsk tsk. To think that the family head of the Namgung Family would run around so lacking in dignity. tsk."
Though his words were like that, a faint smile formed even on Tang Wu's usually cold face.
"I apologize. But how could I help it when I'm so happy to see you? haha."
"I couldn't even come to your eldest daughter's wedding, so I came today thinking I should at least wipe your tears when you send off your younger daughter, if I'm to be called your uncle at all."
Namgung Byeok called Tang Wu "uncle" not because they were related by blood, but because Tang Wu and Namgung Byeok's father, Namgung Pae, the Sword Saint, had been sworn brothers. That was also why Tang Wu had meaningfully looked at the last sword embedded on the roof of the Imperial King Hall earlier.
After Namgung Pae's death, Tang Wu had secluded himself within the Tang Family and lived in seclusion. This was his first journey into the martial world since then.
"hahaha. I'm glad you came. But how is it that you look even younger than me?"
"tsk. You've turned into a proper middle-aged man in the time I didn't see you. That's all because you've been lazy in training your martial arts."
"The family head's duties keep me busy. It's been so long since I last held a sword that I don't even know whether it's rusted by now."
At a glance, Namgung Byeok did indeed look older than Tang Wu. That alone showed how advanced Tang Wu's martial arts cultivation was.
As the two exchanged warm conversation after a long time, a peerless beauty who looked barely twenty approached them. She was the woman who had been speaking with Namgung Byeok earlier.
Her graceful eyes, black eyebrows resembling the night sky, a sharp and cold nose bridge, lips and facial contours as if crafted meticulously by a master artisan of ages past, a well-defined jawline, glossy long hair, rosy skin, a long neck and slender figure. Could Daji or Yang Guifei truly have been this beautiful? If the term "beauty that topples nations" existed, it would fit this woman better than them.
"Greetings. great-uncle Tang. This humble girl is Hye."
As she lightly held the hem of her pale blue silk dress and bowed her head and waist as if she might float away, admiration appeared on the faces of all the men gathered in the Imperial King Hall. However, Dong Bong-su merely maintained a calm exterior, his inner gaze remaining utterly tranquil.
Unless one was an oddity like Dong Bong-su, anyone would be unable to stop themselves from marveling at her beauty upon seeing her even once. She was Namgung Hye, the second daughter of Namgung Byeok, known as Anhui's First Beauty, who would soon be bound by a hundred-year oath with Do Heo-ok.
A smile blending coldness and gentleness appropriately formed on Tang Wu's face as he received her greeting.
"So you're Hye. I saw you when you were just a little child, but now you've grown into such a beautiful young lady. You're not inferior to our Hua at all. hoho."
At Tang Wu's praise, the blush on Namgung Hye's cheeks deepened further. Her shy appearance was so beautiful that it once again heated the hearts of the men present.
"Hahaha. Uncle Tang. You should only say that after showing Hua's face beyond the veil. Even so, my daughter is famous for being the most beautiful in Anhui."
"That won't do. Our Hua is so beautiful that without that veil, some ghost might snatch her away."
Who said that boasting about one's children was shameless? The atmosphere quickly grew lively, as if to prove that in cases like this, being shameless was perfectly acceptable.
After that, Tang Wu and Namgung Byeok exchanged some light greetings, and in the end, the two moved to the family head's office inside the Imperial King Hall to speak privately.
Before leaving, Tang Wu said a few words to Tang Hua and then separately took Danri Ganghae with him. He was keeping a promise.
Seeing that, Gi Dae-hyo and Gi Man-ji also let out sighs of relief that their mission had been safely completed. They too followed the Namgung Family's warriors and left for the Guest Hall.
Now, only Dong Bong-su, Tang Hua, and Do Heo-ok with Namgung Hye remained in the Imperial King Hall.
Only then did Tang Hua step closer to Namgung Hye and greet her.
"Hye unni. It's been a long time."
"Yes. It really has been a long time, younger sister Hua."
The two had been close enough since childhood, visiting each other's families, to call one another older sister and younger sister.
"It's been so long, and you're not even going to show your face?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, elder sister. I've gotten so used to wearing this that I even forgot I was wearing it. hoho."
At Namgung Hye's light reproach, Tang Hua finally removed her veil.
Her drawn-like eyebrows and sharp nose were no less striking than Namgung Hye's, while her slightly bold lips, jade-like skin, and large owl-like eyes gave Tang Hua an exotic, western-region feel compared to Namgung Hye's pure appearance. Yet her proportions were perfectly balanced, making her truly beautiful.
Overall, if Namgung Hye was a beauty with a pure and innocent aura, Tang Hua was an intellectual beauty with a cold aura. Both were so beautiful that it was difficult for anyone to judge superiority between them. If the men of the Danri Family had seen Tang Hua's face behind the veil, they would not have slept tonight. No, there would surely already be people losing sleep just from having seen Namgung Hye's face alone.
As Tang Hua removed her veil, Do Heo-ok approached as if he had been waiting for that moment and clasped his fists in greeting.
"I was in such a rush earlier that I couldn't properly greet you. I am Do Heo-ok."
"I'm Tang Hua, brother-in-law. Is it okay if I call you brother-in-law?"
"Younger sister Hua. It's still too soon for that..."
At Tang Hua's words "brother-in-law," Namgung Hye grew shy and once again a red hue bloomed on her cheeks.
"Hahaha. brother-in-law, huh. I like that."
"I really never imagined that shy Hye unni would get married before me."
"Y-you little!"
Namgung Hye blushed again and hid behind Do Heo-ok. It was hard to tell who was the older sister and who was the younger.
"Hoho. If she's that shy, I wonder how she'll manage the wedding night."
"Younger sister Hua. How can you say something like that!"
"Hahaha. Miss Tang, that's enough. If younger sister Hye runs away on the wedding night, you might have to take responsibility."
"Hohoho. I'm sorry. But surely that won't happen?"
"There's a saying that 'surely' is what gets people killed, isn't there? haha."
Namgung Hye lowered her head even more, flustered by the continued teasing from Do Heo-ok and Tang Hua.
"Younger sister Hua, stop it..."
Her face turning so red it was practically strawberry-colored, Namgung Hye finally shot a glare and spoke up.
Tang Hua stuck out her tongue cutely in response.
"Well, who told you to get married so early?"
"But then, who is this person...?"
In the end, unable to endure any longer, Namgung Hye forcibly changed the topic. She gestured toward Dong Bong-su with her eyes as she spoke.
Tang Hua looked at Dong Bong-su and lightly frowned.
"Ah, this person is..."
She hesitated for a moment. It was awkward to decide how to introduce him.
Tang Wu seemed to be placing great expectations on this person, but honestly, Tang Hua was not yet convinced. Above all, no matter how heaven-gifted his talent might be, his age was far too great.
To learn martial arts at such a late age and reach great mastery?
She had never seen such a person. There might be a few if one searched the entire history of the martial world, but at least within her own knowledge, there were none. On top of that, the elders of the family had not yet given their approval.
Just as she was trailing off, unable to continue, it happened.
"I am Sosam."
Dong Bong-su introduced himself directly.
The reason he introduced himself as Sosam was simple. That was the answer Tang Hua wanted, and also because he judged that the more Tang Hua hesitated, the more Do Heo-ok's attention would be drawn to him.
Even so, Dong Bong-su had already anticipated that he could not completely prevent Do Heo-ok's interest from turning toward him.
Whether Sosam or Tang Sam, either way, he would certainly be an "odd existence" to Do Heo-ok.
"Sosam? What is your family name?"
At Dong Bong-su's words, Do Heo-ok felt doubt and asked about his surname. Most people in the Central Plains had surnames. Even those of low birth usually possessed one.
"I don't... have one yet."
Dong Bong-su lowered his head and deliberately let his words trail off.
"Don't have one yet?"
For the first time, a strange light appeared in Do Heo-ok's eyes.
His gaze quickly swept over Dong Bong-su's entire body.
Though he wore clean black clothes that looked newly bought, they seemed oddly ill-fitting.
A body emaciated from not eating properly, hair so disheveled that it wouldn't be strange if birds came and laid eggs in it. No matter how one looked at him, he was not someone who belonged alongside Tang Wu or Tang Hua.
'No, no.'
He didn't even look like someone who would qualify as a temporary attendant.
Silver-carrying servants, laborers transporting tribute goods, or escort agency guards were, strictly speaking, not guests of the Namgung Family and thus did not need to enter as attendants. Only those with enough skill or reputation to stay in the Guest Hall as guests of the Namgung Family, or their companions, could enter.
Though Dong Bong-su looked like that, he was nonetheless someone Tang Wu had personally brought along. And seeing that he had not gone with the Danri Family members to the Guest Hall, he was clearly someone from the Tang Family.
'But he has no surname?'
What is this person?