Magnificent Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Chapter 5

(5/257)
The next day.
The sun brought another dawn.
For the young, it was merely another day; but for the old man facing death, time was precious. Even a drop of dew on the grass or a falling flower petal held profound meaning.
Myeongnim Dapbu, leaning on his staff and supported by his chief steward, made his way toward the outer court with his great-grandson.
Behind them followed Udokmu (禹得武), the leader of the Jo-ui Seonin warriors, and Yeon Mussang (淵無雙), the Captain of the Guard.
“Hup!”
“Yapp!”
“Ta-at!”
The Great Training Ground was already alive with the shouts and cries of over three hundred Jo-ui Seonin as they performed their drills and spars.
Myeongnim Dapbu glanced at the activity and sat down by the wall.
There, an Impatiens plant, withered and dangling only its seed pods, hung its head under the heavy frost.
Dapbu silently collected the seed pods, splitting them open one by one, and murmured to himself:
“Even if you wilt, you’ll return next year. But a life once gone doesn’t come back so easily…!”
It was a lonely thought.
“General! What’s with all this gloomy talk? You’re still vigorous!”
Yeon Mussang, who, despite being in his mid-thirties, had been appointed Captain of the Guard due to his exceptional martial skill, blurted out the words with his typical straightforwardness. He was a passionate man who often spoke without reserve, having long since dropped the formality with his elder.
“Hahahaha, Mussang! When you reach my age, everything seems new and wondrous!”
“Oh, come on! There’s only eighty years between us, don’t play the old man!”
“Hahahaha…! You rascal…!”
Mussang laughed heartily and sprinted away as Dapbu pretended to box his ears.
“Mussang!”
“Yes, sir!”
Mussang answered briskly at Myeongnim Dapbu’s gentle call.
“Have a mock fight with Ryeohan!”
“Now you’re asking for all sorts of things…!”
“Just do it!”
Even Udokmu joined in, urging the surprised Mussang to spar.
“Well, what do you say?” Dapbu asked, looking at Ryeohan.
“That’ll be fine,” Ryeohan replied dismissively.
“Young Master! I won’t be responsible if you get hurt!” Mussang warned.
“Don’t worry!” Ryeohan answered with a confident smile.
“Horses!”
At Mussang’s command, a subordinate quickly led two horses into the training arena.
The two men exchanged a knowing look, turned their backs on each other, and spurred their horses out of the gates.
“Captain! Win!” came the cheer from Ryeohan’s Captain of the Guard, Jong Chanmu.
“Our Captain, win!” Not to be outdone, Mussang’s guards cheered just as loudly.
Both men waved back at their supporters, then slowly rode their horses.
After a few full circles to warm up both horse and rider, they faced each other at a distance of three jang (about 9-10 metres) and drew their respective weapons.
Myeongnim Ryeohan wielded a Sword in his left hand and a Halberd in his right, while Yeon Mussang was armed with two Eight-Edged Maces.
One of Mussang’s maces was attached to a long, spear-like wooden staff, about a jang in length, while the other was attached to an iron chain, designed for throwing.
“Begin!”
At Udokmu’s command, both men simultaneously kicked their horses’ flanks and charged.
Yeon Mussang struck first.
Before the horses could collide, his chain-mace spun fiercely and dropped as if to crush Ryeohan’s head. Ryeohan quickly struck the mace powerfully with his left sword, using the recoil to wrap the chain around his weapon. Only Ryeohan, with nearly twenty years of cultivated inner energy, could have pulled off such a powerful deflection. Surprised, Yeon Mussang quickly retrieved his chain-mace and struck at Ryeohan’s body with the staff-mace as they crossed paths.
Clang!
With a loud metallic clash, Ryeohan’s left sword and the mace collided.
Ryeohan had blocked it again.
This time, Ryeohan didn’t hold back.
His right halberd flashed sharply, aimed straight for Yeon Mussang’s neck.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Yeon Mussang urgently struck the halberd away with the middle of his mace handle and spurred his horse away.
The close proximity had negated the advantage of his long-handled weapon, giving Ryeohan the clear upper hand.
They circled completely, switching sides, and faced each other once more.
“Yapp!”
Ryeohan charged first, closing the distance.
“Roar!”
Yeon Mussang let out a tiger’s roar and this time aimed his mace at Ryeohan’s horse.
Clang! Ryeohan blocked the mace with his left sword, then suddenly, he used the momentum to spring straight up off his horse. Like a flying tiger, Ryeohan’s body dodged the staff-mace and landed squarely on the back of Mussang’s horse. He then struck the side of Mussang’s helmet with an open palm. The blow was so powerful that Yeon Mussang’s body was flung off his horse and rolled onto the ground.
“Wow! Young Master! Hooray!”
“The Young Master won!”
The fight had been so fierce that the warriors, who had stopped their own drills to watch, erupted in cheers. The clamour continued for a long time over the display of martial artistry that had defeated one of Goguryeo’s greatest champions.
“Are you alright?” Udokmu quickly ran over and helped Mussang up.
“No, I’m not!” Yeon Mussang shook his bare head, having removed his helmet, still dizzy from the blow.
“See, young man! This is what happens when you neglect your practice to argue with this old man!”
The experienced Myeongnim Dapbu attended to his defeated Captain of the Guard first, prioritizing him over his victorious great-grandson. Though others might have laughed heartily at the boy’s victory, Dapbu simply offered a warm smile of encouragement.
“I am ashamed!” was Yeon Mussang’s response to the warm rebuke.
“Let’s spar again tomorrow!”
“Anytime!” Ryeohan answered confidently, while Yeon Mussang, grinding his teeth inwardly, looked forward to the day of his revenge.
Meanwhile, the red morning sun had fully risen,
sweeping away the heavy frost of Liaodong.
Ryeohan’s Bathroom
Hot steam rose from two large wooden tubs. Ryeohan had them prepared to wash off the dirt from the mock fight. Ryeohan, already naked, entered the steamy room. His muscular, well-toned body was superb. Behind him, the maid Okryeong also stepped in, nude. She kept her head down in shame, standing awkwardly bent over and trying to cover herself with her hands. Ryeohan teased Okryeong.
“Haven’t you seen me a few times before? Why are you still so shy about me?”
“Even so… sir!” Her voice was barely a whisper, a timid answer.
“Yet you were eavesdropping on me and Geumnyeong last night. I could practically hear your heavy breathing, it was that loud.”
“Really?” The innocent Okryeong asked.
“Hehehe…! Yes.”
“No, I wasn’t, was I?”
“Of course you were. Don’t you know how sharp my ears are?”
“Well, I suppose…!” She nodded in agreement, her head drooping with embarrassment.
“Scrub my back.”
“Yes!” The answer was barely audible, like a mosquito’s buzz.
However, her actions were practiced. She scrubbed him with rice bran soap and a loofah kept nearby. She then mixed the hot and cold tub water and poured it over his body.
Splash!
With practiced movements, she applied lanolin to his front and coated it with soybean oil.
“Your turn to face away!”
“Yes!” Her voice was now barely distinguishable.
Ryeohan also applied soap to her with practiced movements and poured water over her. He then applied a mixture of lanolin and soybean oil to her.
The oils were slippery and viscous.
The friction soon sparked countless small sensations across both their bodies.
“Ah…!” A small gasp escaped her, a suppressed moan.
Ryeohan leaned forward mischievously from behind her, looking at her beautiful face. Her face was flushed red like a ripe persimmon, and she bowed her head in embarrassment. Ryeohan chuckled, and his hand rested on her hips, her body twitching and constantly moving forward. Ryeohan’s hand, his body pressed against hers from behind, now moved toward her chest. It was small. Compared to her standard physique, her chest was meager. Ryeohan’s fingers circled boldly around her already firm n1pples.
“Ah…!”
It was a longer and louder moan than before. Her upper body leaned increasingly toward Ryeohan. Her head drew closer to his, as if silently asking for a kiss. Ryeohan was not one to refuse. His mouth boldly dove into her already parted lips.
“Eup!”
She tried to close her mouth quickly, but it was useless.
His tongue was already exploring hers.
“Mmm…! Mmm…!”
Behind her, his firm structure pressed against her.
“Ah, ah…!”
Her moans grew deeper. His hardened form rubbed against her core.
“Ah! I… I feel like I’m going to go crazy!”
The now-bold Okryeong panted, grabbing and guiding Ryeohan’s shape.
However, Ryeohan resisted this direct guidance. His structure instead stroked back and forth between her moist inner thighs.
“Ahhh…! Ah… uh…!”
The area was already slick with moisture. In this posture, Ryeohan led her to a chair placed nearby. She automatically gripped the chair with both hands.
He gently exposed her.
“T-there…!”
She raised a hand to block him.
Ryeohan removed her hand.
“Hehehe…!”
Ryeohan’s hand stroked her delicate area instead. He moved shallowly, shallowly over the area that was slick with moisture.
“Ah…! Huk!”
Her body trembled violently every time he brushed against the most sensitive point.
The finger moving toward her sensitive spot suddenly and aggressively entered her.
“Huk!”
He slowly pulled his finger out.
“Ah… uh…!”
Her round, sensuous bottom followed his finger, eagerly chasing it backward.
Just as he seemed about to pull it out completely, he suddenly thrust it in.
“Ah, huk!”
She gripped the chair with both hands to keep from falling as her body lunged forward.
“Ahhh…! Ahhh…!”
Suddenly, the movement of his finger sped up.
“Ahhh… Ahhh..!”
“I.. I’m going crazy!”
“Go crazy, go crazy!”
Her hair scattered in all directions as her head violently shook from side to side.
“I’m going crazy, going crazy!”
“Crazy! Crazy!”
“Crazy! A-no!”
Her body trembled violently as she reached a release and flooded with moisture.
“No…! No!”
Her upper body lifted. Her eyes were completely unfocused, as if in a trance.
One hand clutched at the air, trying to grasp something.
“Ah… uh…!”
After struggling, she seemed to give up, and her muscles contracted rapidly.
“Ah…!”
He steadied her posture, which was semi-conscious and limp.
He guided her hands to grab her own hips.
Ryeohan took his form and aimed it at her ready core.
He introduced it with a slow, deliberate movement.
“Ah…!”
He slowly achieved full penetration.
“Uh…!”