As Prophet - Chapter 118



Only Krnovel

Episode 118. Pork Soup Made Together

Dalcheon took out a horse and went out with Baek Ijeong to scout to the west.

“It’s clear that I’m on the Grand Army’s side. What will they do with me?”

Ask and wait for an answer.

“Isn’t there no solution?”

“They will try to hit you where you are weak.”

“Please speak.”

“Please move the people of Baekgajang’s family to another place today.”

“ah!”

I didn’t think about it. On the one hand, I felt grateful when I learned what Baekgajang people thought of Dalcheon.

“It’s going to get dark soon. Where are you going? I can’t take you to the school building that will turn into a battlefield.”

“You can leave the luggage behind and just take the people. Even if it’s difficult, how about going to Yanggeun? Ask the Grand Prince.”

“Oh, you mean gold.”

“Please hurry.”

Baek I-jeong, who was walking alongside him, bowed her head and spurred on her spur as she ran toward her parents’ house.

* * *

“Father, I think there will be chaos soon.”

“What the fuss?”

Baek Yi-jeong ran into the house. Baek Sa-ban, who was cutting orchids, turned his head blankly.

“It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince will attack the Grand Prince.”

“What! Isn’t that a civil war?”

“It is open to interpretation since it is not an attack on His Majesty.”

“It is a civil war. It is entirely up to Your Majesty to choose between the national foundation and the great army. Anything that interferes with that is no different.”

“It’s urgent. We need to move all of our family members.”

“Why? What kind of relationship do we have?”

It is understandable that you don’t know the context, but it is unforgivable that you are not tactful.

“Dalcheon Prince has arrived. The Grand Prince is with him. Everyone wanted to get Dalcheon Prince on their side, but now they know that he is on the Grand Prince’s side. Their attack is imminent.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

“To Prince Dalcheon, our Baekgajang is a sore thumb. If they detain our Baekgajang, the inaction and strategy of Prince Dalcheon will be of no use.”

“I lived a clean life to avoid getting involved in this kind of thing, but you’re saying that I ended up becoming a member of the Daegun faction against my will?”

“If I fail to conquer the Grand Prince, I will plan to take over Baekgajang.”

“Confucius?”

“We came all the way there together. We’re looking around to see if there are any other enemies.”

Baek Sa-ban lowered his head with a gloomy expression. The ink fell from the brush he was holding and spread out in a circle.

“I have to save my family.”

“where?”

“He told me to go to Yanggeun’s gold mine.”

“If it’s gold, it’s a hunting ground… … . We’re completely becoming the people of the great army!”

“Dalcheon Confucius loves our Baek family very much.”

“Is this what it means to be frugal? I have been fired, and my house has been chased away by scoundrels. Is this what it means to be frugal?”

Although he was a quiet man, it seemed like he had something to say.

“I remember that when Prince Dalcheon first came, he was delighted and said that Bokdeungi had come.”

“Yes, he was. He was a smart and polite little boy.”

“You have to move. There are elderly grandparents here. Now is not the time to complain.”

Baek Yi-jeong had difficulty persuading Baek Sa-ban. The time Dal-cheon had mentioned was half an hour. He said that he did not need any household goods, clothes, or daily necessities, and that he should just leave in person. He said that he should leave only the servants who guarded the house.

Baek Yi-jeong went around every corner of the house, dragging people out and pulling out the cart and donkey. Baek Yi-jeong bowed deeply with tears as she watched her grandparents struggle to get onto the cart. Baek Sa-ban glared fiercely in all directions as if he was dissatisfied with something, as if he was looking for someone to vent his anger on. It seemed like his personality had changed after he quit working and played.

Baek Yi-jeong came out onto the main road and looked for Dal-cheon, but he couldn’t see him. His face turned red at the thought that he might have heard the conversation between the father and daughter. It would be strange if he, who has such a keen sense of humor, couldn’t hear. If he didn’t know that I was listening, he would say anything, but if he knew, he wouldn’t do that.

It is shameful, but it is also reality. I cannot blame my father. He is a person who has lived a good life doing his best. It is natural that he does not understand why he has become involved in the political turmoil. He is dissatisfied with the situation. Why did the Grand Prince come here? Who can I blame?

Baek I-jeong rode his horse and galloped west. He came out into the open space but couldn’t see anything, so he went all the way to Pyeonggu Station* but couldn’t see anything.

* Pyeonggu Station: Now Pyeonggu Village, Sampae-dong, Namyangju-si.

There is a reason why my companion left the room. I felt sorry because I thought it was my fault, so I hurried, but I was in a hurry and there was no way to find him.

Thinking that the road was wrong, I turned my horse’s head, but a group of strong men were blocking the road. As I rode along, it seemed like they were just blocking it for a moment. And behind them, twenty or thirty strong men were all carrying swords. It was something that I could tell without asking, because it seemed natural in the situation.

‘It’s them!’

He was about to pretend to be a passerby and quietly pass by, but the swordsman behind him came to mind. Baek I-jeong pulled the reins, turned the horse’s head, and ran back the way he had come. Fortunately, the men did not say anything.

Suddenly, I remembered Dalcheon’s comment on the cavalry’s fighting power during the Mu-gyeong lecture. In this situation, I thought I could just sweep them away with the cavalry. I went to the river. I set off on my way back.

When I returned to the school building, construction on the entrance was in full swing. Even those who had gone to do other things had joined me. Dalcheon was there. When their distant eyes met, Baek I-jeong bowed her head in greeting to express her apology.

In front of the front wall, stakes as thick as an adult’s forearm were sharpened to a sharp angle and set up. Dozens of stakes were set up at intervals that made it difficult for a person to pass. A group of people were crouching and driving similarly shaped but sharp wooden spears that were too sharp to step on under the stakes.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. Everyone is busy. We need to eat something. It would be more helpful for the whole group to find my role and do it rather than just watch what happens. Baek Yi-jeong rolled up his sleeves and washed the rice. He was wondering if there was anything that could be a side dish when two of the guards came dragging a wild boar.

“oh!”

He runs out with a happy heart and smiles brightly.

“You can’t just leave. You have to hold on to me.”

“Ugh! We’re not doing well.”

“We have to eat to fight. Please call someone to slaughter the pig.”

Baek Yi-jeong put rice in a pot, added water, and put fire in the stove. Without realizing it, the sound of “fire is coming in” came out of his mouth. He hoped that someone who heard that sound would help him in today’s battle.

I looked outside, but I couldn’t see where they had gone after throwing a pig. I looked around to see if there was anything I could do. If you look, there’s bound to be someone easy. I called out to Yoo Seok-do, who was standing on the front gate and shouting.

“General! General! Please help me with this.”

Yuseokdo turned his head, jumped down, and ran towards me.

“What’s going on?”

“I brought a pig, but I don’t know how to slaughter it. I need to eat well to fight well.”

“No, how did a lady from a wealthy family become a kitchen maid?”

“Who cares? The sun is setting and no one is thinking of cooking rice, so I thought I should do it. I didn’t cook rice.”

“Did you get the water? There must be a lot.”

“Yes. Please do something with the meat.”

Yuseokdo looked around, then went into the kitchen and took out a knife. He searched the front of the kitchen, took out a whetstone, sharpened it quickly, and began to butcher the pig. He took out the intestines first and cut them up quickly, and it looked like he could open a butcher shop. No, he looked like a butcher shop owner. He cut off the four legs first and then tapped them, which was no different from a swordsman. When he picked up one side of the large pig and cut it, it fell down with a thud and each part was separated.

“What is that?”

“I’d like some soup. There has to be some broth.”

A large pot was hung outside and water was poured in. He asked me to cut the ribs into long pieces and put them in the large pot. Yoo Seok-do cut each part into appropriate sizes and put them in the pot. When he arrived, Cheol Mu-woong lit a fire under the pot.

“Is this pork soup?”

“Yes. I’ve tried buying it at a store before, but this is my first time making it myself.”

“Add all kinds of vegetables.”

“Okay, please turn on the light.”

I was scared of having to cook for dozens of people all by myself, but I didn’t have to worry. The protest soldiers who were camping out like it was food came and started helping me. Someone sent me.

He put in a lot of green onions and garlic, and dried shiitake mushrooms. The guy with his arms rolled up stirred the inside of the pot with a long wooden stick. Baek I-jeong spread out both arms and prohibited anyone from putting anything in, as he was worried that everyone would stick around and put things in. When he shouted at them to wash their hands first, the soldiers burst into laughter.

“It’s just right if you do it.”

Baek Yi-jeong was startled by the word liver. No matter how good the food is, it is useless if the seasoning is not right. He reduced the fire and seasoned it. Even in the meantime, the soldiers were throwing in the cut meat.

“Stop, stop putting it in. If you do that, even the pigs won’t eat it. You’d better put it on a stick and roast it by the fire. Keep it far away so that it cooks slowly.”

“Hey, hey.”

The soldiers who suddenly turned into pigs blushed. They seasoned the liver with soy sauce. The pot soon boiled over a strong fire that made flames shoot up above the pot. A savory smell wafted like a cloud. The smell was also the reason why the people working below were glancing.

It seemed like it was done, so I ran to the crock pot. I cut the kimchi and divided it into a wide wooden plate. Rice, soup, and kimchi were all I had for dinner tonight. While I was dividing the kimchi, I noticed that the rice pot was boiling and adjusted the fire in the stove.

The sun was setting low while I was busy cooking. I rang the bell I used to call the children.

Tinkle tinkle!

The light and clear sound of a small piece of paper floated along in the wind. The workers came running, shouting, “Wow!”

A large army man, with his arms folded and his appearance as a worker, was standing in front of a cauldron.

“Wash your hands, hands.”

“Ah, hand.”

While I was roughly shaking and wiping my hands, I put rice in bowls. I gave them to each person, and they scooped up soup and cut the meat and shared it. They did a good job. It was hard because I tried to do everything, but if we think about it together, it won’t be hard.

I counted the number of soldiers as if I was collecting water for children. I couldn’t fail to distribute food. Everyone clung to each other and shared rice, soup, and side dishes, as well as meat cuts roasted over a fire. It was hard to set the table, but once it was set, they took it and ate it. The distribution was over in no time. Some people sat on the porch, while others plopped down in the yard and ate.

Baek Yi-jeong’s eyes searched for Dal-cheon. He was among those sitting side by side like sparrows on the floor, holding a bowl. He sat next to the prince and chatted, but no sound could be heard. The way he chattered was cute.

Baek Yi-jeong looked at the western sky. Was reinforcement not coming?

“You too, young lady.”

Yuseokdo, who had slaughtered the pig, handed over a bowl of rice with a generous amount of shredded meat on top.

“thank you.”

My stomach was already bloated from preparing the food. It was because I was filled with the smell.

“Phew.”

As Baek Yi-jeong sat down on the empty porch, a large stone statue sat next to him.

“You used to be my commander?”

“I ran away without being able to protect Queen Hee-bin.”

“Did you meet the real person there?”

“Jin-in was young. I first saw him when he was five years old. He was really smart.”

“You said you were out of your mind at that time.”

“I lost my memory, but when I think about it, it seems like it was my body’s cry to turn away from an unbearable reality.”

“Now?”

“I came to my senses after taking the medicine that the real person gave me. I guess he’s telling me to finish my assigned duty.”