Magnificent Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Chapter 3

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The next morning, at dawn, in Myeongnim Ryeohan’s study.
Amidst the crisp scent of countless books, Ryeohan sat cross-legged, engaged in morning exercises.
He was performing the Daoyin (leading and guiding vital energy) according to the immortal techniques of the Baekdu Immortal Sect.
His master, Yeonpalchwita, was the sect’s current Patriarch, having inherited its Orthodoxy. Ryeohan was practising a form of immortal cultivation based on a life-nurturing method he had learned from him.
Going further back, Yeonpalchwita’s master had been Myeongnim Dapbu, who was Myeongnim Ryeohan’s own great-grandfather. Thus, Myeongnim Dapbu was both his great-grandfather and his founding master’s master.
“Phew—!”
Ryeohan lightly exhaled, and his eyes snapped open.
They were clear and deep—like staring into an abyss.
Ryeohan stood up abruptly, took the Short Double Halberds (a type of short-handled twin spear, one side of which was curved like a hoe) and the Bakdo (a long, broad-bladed greatsword with a short handle, excellent for close combat) that hung in a corner of the study, and strode outside.
The outlines of objects were still faint in the morning gloom.
The cold autumn air rushed in, jolting Ryeohan’s spirit awake.
“Yat!”
“Over here!”
“Yapp!”
Even in the faint dawn, the sounds of training could already be heard from the small drill hall.
“Still as tireless as ever!”
“You’ve come out, my lord!”
“Yes. Have you made any progress?”
“Lately, I feel like I’m not getting anywhere, perhaps even slipping backwards.”
The response came not from the man who had greeted him, but from a woman.
It was Buro and Dan-nyeo.
Both were orphans taken in as slaves by the Myeongnim household when they were young.
They were now eighteen, two years older than Ryeohan, and had been raised to attend to him. However, their self-taught literacy and martial skills surpassed expectations, so Ryeohan’s great-grandfather commanded them to formally study and train alongside him. Now, having excelled in physique, academics, and martial arts, they served as trusted aides and close guards.
Buro stood at 195 cm (six feet five inches), with the waist of a tiger and the build of a bear.
Yet, he was as nimble as a leopard.
Dan-nyeo was also tall for a woman, at 184 cm (six feet).
She was a woman of sleek physique and a beautiful face that radiated a unique kind of charm.
“One step back, two steps forward! Just as you must pull back to jump far, if you keep striving even when you feel stagnant, the day will come when you find yourself having vastly improved!”
Ryeohan’s voice, as he shared his own experience, was more energetic than ever.
“Shall we have a bout?”
“That sounds great!” Buro answered with a booming voice to Ryeohan’s offer.
“The usual one-on-two.”
“Understood!” Dan-nyeo confirmed, and the two-on-one sparring match began.
Their posture as they faced Ryeohan—already a renowned martial artist within the household—was serious.
The moment they lost concentration, the thick, dull edge of the Bakdo would mercilessly strike their shoulder or hip, keeping them constantly vigilant.
“Yapp!”
Dan-nyeo shouted a sharp battle cry and launched the first strike.
Her favourite weapon, the straight sword (Jikdo), sharply slashed towards Ryeohan’s waist.
Ryeohan was slightly hunched over.
Since he had not yet reached his full height, standing at about 175 cm (five feet nine inches), that posture was necessary.
As Ryeohan spun half a turn to evade, Buro’s respected spear (Jonmo) thrust fiercely towards his flank.
Instinctively knowing he couldn’t dodge, Ryeohan used the side blade of one of his twin halberds to deflect the spear.
It looked like a light tap, but it was so powerful that Buro’s bulky frame had to stagger back half a step.
Seizing the opening, Dan-nyeo’s straight sword whipped around and plunged in, while Buro’s spear shaft simultaneously swept for Ryeohan’s waist.
Pa-bak!
Peok-peok!
A fierce, taxing battle unfolded for the next few minutes (hansikgyeong).
Ryeohan moved easily, a relaxed smile on his face, while the two fighters strained, beads of sweat breaking out on their foreheads.
Pak!
Ryeohan’s twin halberds spun and struck the spear shaft and the sword with added internal force, sending both weapons flying into the air.
“Enough!”
“Ugh, when am I ever going to beat you?” Buro sighed, his voice simple and slightly clumsy.
“Seriously, shouldn’t you go easy on us once in a while?” Dan-nyeo grumbled.
“Ha ha ha………!” Ryeohan replied with hearty laughter to their pure-hearted complaints.
“Don’t get too smug just because you beat those minnows!”
“Who are you calling minnows?”
“Want to try me?”
Buro and Dan-nyeo bristled at the challenge from Jongchanmu, the Attendant Chief who was responsible for the security of Ryeohan’s private residence within the inner compound.
Jongchanmu ignored them with a slight wave of his hand, his eyes focused on Ryeohan.
His desperate gaze silently pleaded for a match.
However, Ryeohan’s eyes were looking off towards a distant mountain.
“Captain! Look, he’s being rude again today!”
The interruption came from Hongpalbok, one of the four guards on the twelve-man, three-shift security detail.
“You, shut your mouth!”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t fancy being laid up for a few days and getting scolded by the great-grandfather alongside you again.”
Ryeohan’s gaze still rested on a single, brightly red-coloured persimmon leaf.
“Aish, I really think I could win now…!”
Realising his pleas were useless, Jongchanmu kicked a nearby stone in frustration and stalked off.
Despite the chilly autumn air, Ryeohan bathed in cold water. After breakfast, he immediately headed to his study.
It was time for his academic lesson, and his tutor, Euljijeumun—the strategist for Ryeohan’s great-grandfather, Myeongnim Dapbu—was already waiting, having perhaps skipped his own meal.
A refined scholar in his forties, Euljijeumun immediately commanded Ryeohan as soon as he sat down:
“Discuss the concept of ‘Illuminating Illustrious Virtue’ (Myeongmyeongdeok) that we learned yesterday.”
“The Kang Gao states: ‘One must be capable of illuminating virtue’ (Kang Gao yue ke mingde – 康誥曰 ‘克明德’).”
“The Tai Jia states: ‘Ever regard and survey the bright command of Heaven’ (Tai Jia yue gushi tian zhi ming ming – 太甲曰 顧是(言 addition)天之明命).”
“The Di Dian states: ‘Was able to illuminate his lofty virtue’ (Di Dian yue ke ming jun de – 帝典曰 克明峻德).”
“All the passages cited above speak of illuminating (one’s own virtue) (Gae yue ming ye – 皆曰明也).”
“Tell me the meaning of this!”
“The meaning is that by illuminating bright virtue, all kin will draw close to one another, and as this expands, the customs of the people will be harmonized. This can be said to be the quintessential example of the process that leads from self-cultivation (Susin) to bringing peace to the world (Pyeongcheonha).”
“Whose annotation is that interpretation?”
“It is my own limited view, Master.”
“Well said!” Euljijeumun clapped his hands to his knee in delight.
“Excellent! It seems I, your teacher, must learn a thing or two from you in the future!”
“However, don’t become too arrogant… a rice plant bows its head lower as it ripens…”
“Yes!” Ryeohan quickly bowed his head to avert any further nagging.
“Ahem, ahem. Today, we will study ‘Renewing the People’ (Sinmin).”
“Yes, but… could we perhaps take a rest today?”
“Tsk, tsk! You can skip a meal, but you must never put down your books!”
“Yes, I understand, Master!” Ryeohan replied, swiftly turning his attention back to his books.
The afternoon was leisurely for once.
Normally, this time would be dedicated to learning martial arts from his master Yeonpalchwita, but as he was absent, Ryeohan was simply reading in his study.
Ryeohan’s study boasted the largest collection of books outside the Royal Palace.
His library held no fewer than three thousand volumes, including those on parchment, bamboo slips, and the latest editions made with paper from Luoyang.
It was a staggering quantity, and many volumes remained untouched.
Ryeohan took out a yellowed parchment scroll and began to read, soon becoming utterly immersed and losing track of time.
It was then that a shadow, its footsteps carefully silenced, crept closer.
“Guess who?”
The question was posed by a pair of delicate, beautiful hands (seomseomoksu) covering Ryeohan’s eyes.
“Who else but the most cunning little vixen in all the land?”
“And who might that be~?”
“My beloved future wife, I say, So!” Ryeohan murmured, as if reciting a poem.
“Oh, my! How did you know so well?”
“If I didn’t know my beloved by the feel of her hands, I’d be a complete fool!”
“Ho ho ho…! You know me so well, you silly, foolish man!” said the girl, taking her hands away. It was Uran, U-so’s twin sister.
“Oh, hey, sister-in-law! My apologies! My apologies! Hehehe…!” A flustered Ryeohan quickly apologised, letting out an awkward laugh.
“Pfft! A foolish man who only knows my sister! Can’t you spare a thought for your sister-in-law once in a while?”
The sight of her pouting her lips was utterly adorable.
The problem was, they were too identical.
If only one of them had a beauty mark, it would be easy to tell them apart.
They were so alike that even their own parents often confused the twin sisters.
“Well, well, that is…!” Ryeohan was struggling to find the right words.
“What are you two doing?! And what are you doing here?”
Her sister, U-so, had appeared.
“Hmph. Why can’t I meet my brother-in-law?” Uran protested, putting both hands on her hips.
“You cannot!” U-so refused instantly, her eyes flashing.
“Sister~! Don’t be like that…!” Uran pleaded, clinging to her hand.
“There are things you can concede, and things you can’t!”
“Hmph, don’t be so possessive! Mwah!”
Uran suddenly lunged forward, planted a kiss on Ryeohan’s cheek, and darted away.
“You! Don’t you stop there!”
“Ho ho ho…! Are you out of your mind?”
“You—…!” U-so chased after her.
“Ha ha ha………!”
Myeongnim Ryeohan’s hearty laughter tickled the ears of the two women.
It was an afternoon in autumn, when the persimmon leaves were painted red and the ginkgo leaves a bright yellow.