Chapter 12
Inadvertently (3)
Forcibly separated by exile for a long seventeen years, Yu Yeop-gyeong and Madam Jang finally met again.
The moment they saw each other, they tightly embraced.
“My wife.”
“My husband.”
Tears endlessly flowed from both their eyes.
The retainers watching nearby were deeply moved.
Even Vice-Commissioner O Ji-gang’s eyes turned red.
‘She really loves him that much.’
Yu Jin-hyeok had no choice but to admit it now.
His father, Yu Yeop-gyeong, was an enormous presence to his mother.
Seeing her smiling so happily, he thought maybe his father truly was someone important.
But then—
‘…Mumu?’
The moment he saw Mumu standing there, a strange irritation rose inside him.
He had hated his father for abandoning the family because of exile.
Yet during those seventeen years, his father had raised this adopted child with affection.
That fact bothered him for some reason.
Mumu waved cheerfully at him.
‘Hello.’
Though he only mouthed the words silently, Yu Jin-hyeok coldly turned his head away.
Mumu awkwardly scratched his head.
After the emotional reunion ended, everyone gathered for a meal.
Vice-Commissioner O Ji-gang politely refused to join them and left, saying he should not disturb a family reunion.
The dining table was overflowing with food.
“Wah!”
Mumu’s eyes sparkled.
To him, who thought grilled meat alone was a feast, this looked like a royal banquet.
Yu Jin-hyeok inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘What a country bumpkin.’
Mumu excitedly pointed at every dish.
“Is this Five-Spice Pork?”
“This meat is so soft.”
“Oh! So you boil it after marinating it?”
“This is dried carp? It’s my first time seeing fish!”
He acted amazed by everything.
Yu Jin-hyeok almost laughed.
But then he noticed his mother’s expression.
Madam Jang was looking at Mumu warmly.
At first she had been awkward around him, but seeing him enjoy the food so honestly, she gradually began smiling affectionately at him.
She even seemed pitiful toward him, as if imagining the rough life he must have lived.
Clench.
Yu Jin-hyeok unconsciously tightened his chopsticks.
His mother was supposed to care about him first.
But seeing her look at Mumu like that made an unfamiliar jealousy rise inside him.
The meal ended noisily thanks to Mumu’s reactions.
After the dishes were cleared away, tea was served.
“To think a day like this would come,” Yu Yeop-gyeong said emotionally while holding his wife’s hand.
“It truly feels like a dream.”
Madam Jang nodded with tearful eyes.
The couple spent the entire time talking about the seventeen years they had missed.
Stories from exile.
Stories about the children growing up.
Stories about hardships and memories.
Before they realized it, the sun had already set.
“It would’ve been perfect if Jin-seong were here too,” Madam Jang said sadly.
“He serves the country now. That alone makes me proud,” Yu Yeop-gyeong replied.
Unfortunately, their eldest son Yu Jin-seong was away in Shanxi Province on official duty.
Meanwhile, Yu Jin-hyeok quietly drank tea beside them.
‘This is boring.’
To his parents, these stories were emotional.
But to him, they were dull.
Stories about carrying firewood.
Stories about life in the mountains.
Stories about Mumu’s strength.
What was so impressive about carrying a lot of wood?
Even he could do that.
‘Though I guess ordinary people would find it amazing.’
Eventually the conversation shifted.
“By the way,” Yu Yeop-gyeong asked, “I heard Jin-hyeok is also entering the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy?”
Madam Jang smiled proudly.
“The Jiangsu Three Heroes said Jin-hyeok possesses talent equal to Jin-seong’s. They personally recommended him.”
“Hoh!”
Yu Yeop-gyeong looked deeply moved.
“Our family only knew literature and scholarship, yet now we’ve produced two martial talents.”
Then he looked at Yu Jin-hyeok warmly.
“My son. I could not fulfill my duties as a father because of exile. Yet you grew up so well. I am truly grateful.”
For a moment, Yu Jin-hyeok’s eyes shook.
He had never imagined hearing such words from his father.
Though it was only a few sentences, they strangely warmed his heart.
The corners of his lips almost rose.
But then—
“What a coincidence,” Yu Yeop-gyeong continued.
“It seems both my sons will attend the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.”
“…What?”
Yu Jin-hyeok’s expression froze.
Madam Jang blinked in surprise.
“What do you mean?”
Yu Yeop-gyeong then explained everything that had happened earlier at the Minister of Punishments’ residence.
How an accident occurred.
How Mumu became involved.
And how the Minister requested both boys to watch over his daughter at the academy.
Surprisingly, Madam Jang looked delighted.
“This is a wonderful opportunity.”
“A good opportunity?” Yu Yeop-gyeong asked blankly.
“Of course. Forming ties with the Minister of Punishments’ family is extremely valuable.”
Yu Yeop-gyeong became flustered.
He thought she would oppose it.
Instead, she welcomed it.
However, unlike his mother, Yu Jin-hyeok’s face darkened.
“Did you just say… Mumu is entering the academy too?”
“That’s right,” Yu Yeop-gyeong answered.
“But he’s never learned martial arts.”
Yu Yeop-gyeong sighed.
“That is why this father is worried too—”
“It’s not just worry,” Yu Jin-hyeok interrupted sharply.
“He could get hurt. And our family could become a laughingstock.”
Yu Yeop-gyeong frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Our family produced the second-ranked graduate of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy. I’ve trained every day to uphold that reputation.”
Yu Jin-hyeok showed his palms.
They were filled with hard calluses.
Seeing this, Yu Yeop-gyeong felt both emotional and guilty.
But Yu Jin-hyeok continued.
“If someone who knows no martial arts takes the entrance exam, he’ll embarrass the family before even passing.”
Then Mumu tilted his head innocently.
“Is the exam really that hard?”
Yu Jin-hyeok stared at him in disbelief.
“You still don’t understand? The Changcheon Martial Arts Academy only accepts elite martial talents.”
“So you can’t enter without learning martial arts?”
The innocent question made Yu Jin-hyeok’s face flush red.
Finally, he stood up.
“I’ll show you.”
“Jin-hyeok,” Madam Jang warned nervously.
But he ignored her and walked to the empty space beside the dining table.
“Mumu. Stand here.”
“I’m full though…”
Even while grumbling, Mumu walked over.
Then Yu Jin-hyeok gathered internal energy into his foot and drew a circle around himself.
Scrraaaape!
The wooden floor carved apart.
“I’ll teach you what martial arts are,” he declared proudly.
“Try making me step outside this circle.”
Mumu blinked.
“That’s all?”
“Yes. If you can’t even do that, you’re not qualified for the academy.”
Yu Jin-hyeok crossed his arms confidently.
This technique was one of the subtle arts taught by the Jiangsu Three Heroes.
Using the principle of Four Taels Deflecting a Thousand Jin, he could disperse force through his stance.
Among people his age, almost nobody could move him.
Mumu stepped forward.
Then he lightly pushed Yu Jin-hyeok’s chest.
Press.
Yu Jin-hyeok didn’t move at all.
“You see?” he said smugly.
“This is the profound principle of martial arts—”
“Oh.”
Mumu’s eyes widened.
“This is interesting.”
Then he rolled up his sleeve.
The muscles underneath bulged monstrously.
Yu Jin-hyeok’s eyes widened.
‘What kind of muscles are those?’
Then Mumu placed his hand on his chest again.
And pushed.
SCRRRRRAAAAAK!
Before Yu Jin-hyeok could even react, the wooden floor exploded apart.
His feet tore through the floorboards as his body shot backward.
Crash!
He slammed straight into the wall at the far end of the room.
Even after using all his internal energy midway, it changed nothing.
The shattered floor remained deeply gouged where his feet had dragged across it.
Yu Jin-hyeok stared blankly.
Then he looked at Mumu with disbelief filling his eyes.
“You… what exactly are you?”
