Chapter 208 — Meeting at the Lake
He did not count how far they had gone.
The forest path, swaying gently as they rode, felt comfortable.
They crossed a couple of low rises and turned around a bend in the mountain.
The moment their steps stopped, the view opened.
A small lake lay spread out in stillness.
Deep within the mountains, blue water held the sky upon itself.
Low ridges surrounded it, and the wind brushed softly across the surface, raising faint ripples.
Straight, tall woods encircled the lake.
Strength rose through every trunk as they stretched toward the sky, and the young leaves reflected the sunlight, holding a golden tint.
Beneath them, short grass lay thick across the ground.
It was good land for camping.
By the water sat one man.
He sat on a small wooden chair, his back turned, looking out over the water.
A fishing rod was cast long across the surface.
The line lay still, without the slightest tremor.
It was a place where the sounds of the world became endlessly distant.
A ripple spread once and settled again.
Upon that surface, a single person had been placed.
It was a scene that might continue for a long time exactly as it was.
The young lady jumped down in one movement.
Dorogan handed her the lunch box that had been placed on the spare horse.
"Thank you."
She thanked Dorogan, then gave a greeting with her eyes to Yeongu, who stood at a distance.
"Father."
"Mm, you have come?"
"I brought lunch. And guests have come. This is Lee Yeongu, Jungnangjang of the Goryeo bowmen attached to the Seonchunryeong Fortress expedition."
Only then did Han Sun-uk turn his body, glance over the two men, and rise.
"Watch the fishing rod for me, will you?"
"Yes."
"This body is busy idling. Ahahaha. I am Han Sun-uk."
Yeongu approached him respectfully.
Dorogan took up the long banner pole and stood behind him.
"I am Lee Yeongu."
"What brings a Jungnangjang stationed so far away all the way here?"
"I was introduced to you by my senior brother from Oryang Mountain."
"Senior brother from Oryang Mountain? That fellow must be much younger."
"This humble officer entered the mountain late."
"Ahahaha, I see. In that neighborhood, seniority is very clear."
"In any case, what brings you here to this worthless idler?"
"Hm. I heard that you teach children."
"Ahaha. It is only something to pass the time."
"Surely not."
"Ahaha. In truth, I feel an immense responsibility in raising those who come after us. Rather than trying to solve the many problems of the world directly, I have wondered whether educating the people who will face them might be faster. Of course, that does not apply to the current generation, who are already facing difficulty. I believe it becomes possible only with the next generation, or perhaps the generation after that."
Yeongu had been about to state his business, but curiosity suddenly arose.
People were not so different from one another, yet this man's view of the world was somewhat unusual.
Education, he said.
He spoke of achieving peace in the next world through education.
"I came to ask whether I might entrust my younger sister to you as one of those who come after us."
"Hm. Your younger sister. Since she is female, you have not found a suitable way to educate her, have you?"
"It is similar. And as anyone would think, a young sister or daughter seems terribly clever to her family. Even if she does some small thing others cannot do, we make a fuss as if she were a genius. This humble officer is much the same. So I thought that if I asked someone truly special to educate her, some future we hope for might draw nearer."
"Oh ho ho. You speak very well."
"No. Senior Brother Oryang told me to speak that way."
"Heh, that fellow. And where is your home?"
"Not far from Gaegyeong."
"Ah, then she could not come and go every day…"
"I was thinking that you might come to the house and teach her."
"These days, I am teaching children in the Suan region. I go almost every day, and there are quite a few children."
"A school?"
"Yes. A local benefactor built a school."
Han Sun-uk made a suggestion.
"How about moving here?"
"Ah. Ah… dear."
Yeongu had not thought of moving the household.
He looked at the water and let out a sigh.
"Because I am trying to settle this while I am here, my heart is in a hurry."
"Must you go back?"
Yeongu answered quickly.
"I am going far away. The war is urgent."
This was not something that could be solved by simply asking.
It had to be settled now, but if he came back later, that later might be years away.
Study has its proper time.
Yeongu, who had failed to study at the proper time, felt that in his bones.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not escape being an ignorant general.
If he kept silent, people might not know it, but once he spoke, that ignorance sprang out.
The teacher asked, "It must be the war between the newly risen Jin and Liao?"
"That is so. There have been several victories, but the empire is still standing."
"This humble man would suit such a place better. Rather, you should have called me to such a place…"
"It is a battlefield."
"That is so. I studied Qimen Dunjia."
"Ah."
Yeongu sighed.
He was not simply a teacher.
A teacher from a countryside school spoke of war.
Qimen Dunjia was a study that could overturn a country.
"I thought that if I fished like Taigong Wang, the state would request my service and bring me in."
"Ahaha. Would those with vested interests step aside? They absolutely would not."
"Still, I thought that if one had ability, those who needed it would call."
Suddenly, Yeongu felt that the man was not very pleased by his visit or by the request to educate his younger sister.
Teaching children was something he did because there was nothing else to do, not his true calling.
Should he step back?
He truly knew how to do nothing but war.
He had believed that if he fought and served loyally for the country, everything would work out.
But nothing else worked at all.
For a moment, he saw himself: a man with no ability to persuade others even in small social matters, yet a family lived believing him to be the head of the household.
He felt pity for them.
Then Han Sun-uk spoke very cheerfully.
"Then how about this? Send your daughter—no, your younger sister—to our house. I will feed her well and put her to sleep well. And I will set aside time each day and teach her."
"She is still young."
"How old is she?"
"She is only ten. No, eleven."
"You said she was your younger sister."
"Yes. She was born after my father passed away. A posthumous child. The youngest, born late. If I send her alone…"
Yeongu's forehead twitched, and the air around them sank coldly.
A change in his expression changed the surroundings.
"You would be worried."
"That is so."
Yeongu, who had little flexibility, sighed.
Han Sun-uk smiled broadly.
"I have troubled a man who works for the country. If you entrust her to me, I will take care of everything."
"How can I entrust such a young child to another household?"
"Oh dear. We have met like this, so now we are no longer strangers. And our youngest is here as well. Our late-born daughter teaches better than I do."
"Ah."
Only then did Yeongu look at the young lady.
Because she was a woman, he had kept his distance and had not set his gaze on her.
Because she wore a mongsu, her face could not be seen.
"The young lady teaches children?"
"Mm. When the child is a girl and finds this humble man uncomfortable, my late-born daughter teaches her."
"Ah."
"Just entrust her to us and go. I will look after her and teach her."
"Ah."
"But what should she be taught?"
"She is so clever that I do not know what she does well."
Han Sun-uk was a very bright person.
Yeongu's judgment that he must be a heavy, reclusive scholar had missed the mark.
"And if there is an opportunity, please call me. I may be of great help to Jin."
"Ah. Understood."
"For today, simply go. It seems you must hurry."
"I have plenty of time."
Han Sun-uk folded his fingers one by one.
Yeongu's gaze rested on those fingertips.
"No. Go quickly. Something seems likely to happen. Mm, it is a good thing. Go quickly."
"My younger sister?"
"I will handle it."
"You do not even know my house."
Han Sun-uk smiled gently.
"I will take care of everything. Go quickly."
Yeongu offered a military salute.
"Thank you."
"Ahaha. Your military salute is truly splendid. Ahaha."
He was a truly pleasant person.
He had the ability to make others feel good.
Yeongu did not know how much trust he would show in the future, but for now, he wanted to believe in his goodwill.
In the army, most goodwill returned as unnecessary cause and consequence.
Aside from his comrades, he did not trust human goodwill.
By contrast, his comrades repaid the goodwill he showed several times over.
That was why he had survived.
He had not survived because he was great.
"I go trusting you."
Han Sun-uk said the same thing.
"I will wait trusting you. Please call me."
"Ah…"
Yeongu pulled the reins.
If it was urgent, he had to go quickly.
Yeongu spoke to Dorogan.
"See the young lady back home, then return. Discuss the necessary arrangements for Sohee's education."
"Yes, understood."
Yeongu looked back.
It was a peaceful scene, one where a person might spend his entire life.
The fishing rod cast over the water's edge was peaceful.
Regrettably, it was not his life.
"Hyah!"
Yeongu rode off quickly.
The packhorse tied behind him chased after in confusion.
His wind cloak, unsuited to the season, streamed behind him.
Because of the long banner pole in his hand, he looked as though he were charging toward an enemy camp.