The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 187: Poisoned One - 8

Though she said all that, she didn’t end up buying the most expensive luxury item.

When it comes to writing tools, if the price is too high, it’s usually because of decorative value, not practical function.

And when something’s that expensive, it turns into one of those rare consumables in an RPG—you hoard it forever and never actually use it.

So we went with moderately high-end tools—nice to look at, but still good for writing.

Not The Four Friends of the Study, but The Four Treasures of the Study.

“Huh? What’s that?!”

As I was mulling over whether today’s haul should be called the Four Treasures instead of the Four Friends, something familiar suddenly caught my eye from the corner of my vision.

“You recognized it right away! You must be from Joseon! This is a Yellow Weasel Brush!”

The shopkeeper noticed my surprised gaze and chuckled as he pointed to it.

“It really is a Joseon Yellow Weasel Brush.”

What I had picked up in surprise was a Yellow Weasel Brush—a luxury brush made from the tail hair of a Joseon weasel, prized in both Joseon and the Central Plains.

It was something more familiar to the former wastrel Kang Yun-ho than the modern one. Back in his academy days, he used to break these out of boredom, claiming he hated studying.

Of course, whenever he did that, his father would break his legs in return.

A Yellow Weasel Brush from Joseon... And not even in a coastal city? Sichuan is unbelievably far from Joseon—how did this get here?

It’s like wandering into a remote mountain village abroad and finding a little girl watching a K-pop music video on a beat-up phone. It hits you with that unexpected, bittersweet familiarity.

“Is it something good?”

Hwa-rin saw the look on my face and asked the shopkeeper.

“Your companion seems to know well, but yes—this brush is made from only the finest tail hairs of Joseon weasels. Even the royal palace receives offerings of this quality.”

“Really? Yun-ho! I want to buy it for you as a gift! How much is it?”

The price the shopkeeper named was the kind that makes you glance at a price tag in a department store and immediately pivot away like it burned your eyes.

This damn punk version of Kang Yun-ho—he used to destroy luxury fountain pens just because he didn’t want to study?

“Hwa-rin, it’s fine.”

I turned my head slightly to signal rejection.

It’s from Joseon. I get that she wants to buy it for me with her own money, but it’s too expensive. Hwa-rin, I know exactly what your financial situation is—there’s no need to go this far.

“It’s a gift. From me. Shopkeeper, please wrap it nicely.”

“But of course! I’ll prepare a lacquered Joseon-style box for it!”

Despite my refusal, Hwa-rin bought the Yellow Weasel Brush and had it placed in a beautifully lacquered case before handing it to me.

Sure, it was expensive and a little overwhelming—but it was also the first gift I’d ever received from a woman who genuinely cared about me. I couldn’t stop the corners of my lips from curling up.

----------

“Let’s go check out some more shops.”

The first round of shopping must’ve satisfied her because Hwa-rin now had the look of a parched noble lady on a shopping spree.

“If we buy too much, it’ll be a pain to haul everything back. Let’s just play here and shop more once we get to Yichang.”

“...This is the first time I’ve gone shopping without a veil. And you’re going to say that?”

“...Fine, fine. Let’s go.”

I put up a token resistance, but it melted the moment I saw her slightly disappointed expression. The veil is OP. Besides, everything’s her first right now—it’s all precious.

“Hehe. I just wanted to buy you a few more things, Yun-ho. Don’t look so grumpy. Let’s go!”

Clearly pleased that I gave in, she laughed and tugged me along by the sleeve.

We wandered through the busiest marketplace in Sichuan’s capital, stopping at any shop where something caught Hwa-rin’s eye.

“This is a Joseon gat? Yun-ho, try it on!”

“We already have a black hat at Daseogak.”

“Yours is made of bamboo. This one’s fancier—made from horsehair. Look, they even have a whole set of new Joseon clothes. Let’s try them on. Shopkeeper!”

“Right this way!”

The outfit I had on was more than enough, but I sighed softly and let the shopkeeper guide me to the changing room.

Clean clothes, a stylish horsehair hat, and even a fan in one hand... After changing, I looked like a proper black-haired Joseon gentleman.

“Hwa-rin, how do I look? Do I pull it off?”

I wore similar clothes when performing as the storyteller, but back then the garments had been battered by the road and weather, making me look like a wandering performer. Now, I looked like an actual young master out on a spring stroll.

“......”

“Hwa-rin?”

What’s with that stunned face?

“Huh? O-oh... Yun-ho, you look completely like a Joseon man.”

“I am a Joseon man.”

“Hehe. Right. Shopkeeper, we’ll take it all. Let’s check out the next store too.”

So this wasn’t the end. Judging by her energy, Hwa-rin might actually buy out the entire market. She carefully picked out my clothes and tools for our time in Yichang.

We’re definitely going to need a big carriage to haul everything back to Daseogak.

----------

“So, where to next?”

When the long pilgrimage through the shops finally ended and no other stores were in sight, I asked Hwa-rin.

“......”

She didn’t answer. Just stared at me. Did nothing come to mind?

For a guy with no dating experience like me, the only date plans I could even imagine were: movie → café → meal.

We’d already hit the "movie" with the circus, and we’d eaten enough street food to count as a meal. So maybe now we should look for a place to get some tea?

“Let’s see... maybe a tea shop...”

“Yun-ho. There’s somewhere I want to go with you.”

As I was scanning the street for a place to sit, Hwa-rin suddenly clutched my sleeve, her face tinged with excitement.

“Where?”

“...Just... let’s go to that inn over there first.”

She hesitated for a moment, then pointed to a nearby guesthouse.

Why an inn? We already ate. We’d snacked on everything in sight as we walked around.

...Wait. No way.

Don’t tell me?

Is this that moment?!

“Oppa, let’s rest here for a bit~” kind of moment?!

Inns here double as restaurants and lodgings. And right now, it seemed like Hwa-rin was more focused on the lodging part than the food.

Yeah. The Vice Pavilion Head told us not to come back late at night, right? So maybe she’s thinking we should make history in the daylight instead.

She dragged me toward the inn and began glancing around the area, scanning everything.

No way... Is she checking out the facilities? The bed quality?

Yeah. It’s definite.

“Maybe this isn’t the right one...”

She mumbled uncertainly.

It’s okay. It doesn’t matter where, Hwa-rin.

Maybe she’s just feeling shy. We might end up just ordering food and walking away. But when this happens, you need to speak clearly.

So I put on the face of a pure-hearted church-going oppa and gently spoke.

“Hwa-rin. Then... shall we rest here for a bit?”

Perfect delivery. Smooth. Natural. But what she said next completely blindsided me.

“Let’s rest in the carriage instead.”

This girl is really something else. Just because she skipped levels from bookstore owner to Poisoned One, doesn’t mean she can skip this kind of experience too!

Hwa-rin, you’re supposed to take these things step by «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» step. And if you really want to rush it, you’re gonna need stimula—

“Found him! Over here!”

“Ah! You’ve arrived! I’ve been waiting. Shall we head to your next destination?”

Contrary to all my hopeful delusions, what Hwa-rin had been looking for was the carriage driver waiting for us at the inn.

----------

Lord Wu Shrine.

Setting aside my disappointment, we finally arrived at our destination—a shrine that honored Zhuge Liang, boasting over a thousand years of history.

To be exact, it was Hanzhaolie Temple Lord Wu Shrine—a rare site that honored both Liu Bei, the emperor of Shu Han, and Zhuge Liang, the prime minister.

Zhuge Liang was more popular than Liu Bei anyway, so most people just referred to it as the Lord Wu Shrine.

“Why’d we come to the Lord Wu Shrine?”

“Because you like stories from the Three Kingdoms, don’t you, Yun-ho?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Yeah... I do."

So we came here because of me. I’d liked Romance of the Three Kingdoms since I was a kid—through books, games, even alternate-history adaptations later on. But I didn’t think we’d actually end up at the Lord Wu Shrine.

“Let’s look around together.”

The shrine we entered with Hwa-rin was enormous. Yeah, you really have to admire the people of Sichuan for their love of Shu Han.

“It must be awkward for the House of Zhuge. This shrine with all its history is in Sichuan, while their actual clan estate is in Hubei.”

The Zhuge Clan resides in Hubei, where Yichang is located. But this thousand-year-old shrine sits right here in Chengdu, the stronghold of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

People who know Romance of the Three Kingdoms but not martial arts lore often wonder—if Zhuge Liang was the prime minister of Shu Han, why is the Zhuge Clan in Hubei?

That’s because Liu Bei first met Zhuge Liang in the region of Jingzhou—what we now call Hubei Province.

It’s like how the Andong Kim clan became influential in Hanyang, but their ancestral village is still in Andong. In the same way, the Zhuge family’s ancestral seat is in Hubei, which is why the House of Zhuge is based there.

“And that’s also why the House of Zhuge doesn’t like the Sichuan Tang Clan. The Tang Clan isn’t exactly thrilled about Zhuge worship being so common here in Sichuan either.”

The political tension between martial arts clans is just as complicated.

While chatting, we passed a display of Chu Shi Biao, the famous memorial Zhuge Liang wrote before setting out on campaign—this one penned by the Southern Song general Yue Fei himself. Eventually, we reached Jingyuan Hall, where Zhuge Liang’s ancestral tablet was enshrined.

“Lots of people here.”

There were people praying quietly in front of Zhuge Liang’s tablet.

“Let’s do it too.”

Hwa-rin... you’re from the rival Sichuan Tang Clan. Think he’ll listen to you?

But she didn’t seem conflicted. She pulled me right up to the tablet and, closing her eyes, began whispering.

“Please bless Yun-ho’s writing so it keeps doing well. He may seem hopeless sometimes, but he’s someone very precious to me. So please...”

Hwa-rin. I can hear everything. This is kinda embarrassing...

What should I wish for? As I stood there, a ridiculous but brilliant thought popped into my head.

‘Wait... Zhuge Liang is basically a dating senpai, isn’t he?’

His wife, Lady Huang, was famous for being a tanned blonde delinquent, after all. A pioneer in her own right. By all accounts, that makes Zhuge Liang a senior in the art of dating.

“Please let things go well between me and Hwa-rin...”

“Yun-ho! Let’s go!”

Just as I started to whisper my wish, Hwa-rin grabbed my sleeve and tugged me away.

“What? I haven’t even started yet.”

“I already prayed on your behalf! You don’t need to do it!”

----------

That evening, we headed to a high-end restaurant in Chengdu.

“Isn’t this place... ridiculously expensive?”

Through the window, you could see the entire city skyline. A private room on the top floor? This place screamed ‘elite pricing.’

Seeing my stunned face, Hwa-rin puffed up her chest proudly.

“Think of who I am. It’s the Tang Clan’s money, so don’t worry.”

Guess becoming a Poisoned One upgrades your status instantly.

“Sweet and Sour Shredded Pork, Palace-style Chicken, Garlic White Pork... wait—is this...?”

Spread out on the table were dishes that were almost too familiar—harder to find in this world than in ours.

“I put a lot of thought into it. Yun-ho, you like those old-fashioned Central Plains dishes, right? Eat as much as you want—and if there’s anything else you want, just order it.”

She seemed very pleased with how surprised I looked and gave a triumphant little shrug.

“Hwa-rin...”

I was touched. With a moved expression, I reached out to make some subtle physical contact.

“E-Eat your food first!”

Tch.

----------

“That was a classic wuxia meal.”

I was satisfied.

“What are you even talking about?”

“It’s a thing.”

“Yun-ho.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you... tell me what happened while I was unconscious?”

No reason to say no. And walking around might help with digestion anyway.

“Storyteller Kang Yun-ho, for the sake of Miss Tang Hwa-rin, the Most Beautiful Woman in Sichuan, shall now recount all that has transpired!”

I pulled out a folding fan from the luggage and struck a dramatic pose like the old storyteller I was.

“Hehe. What are you doing?”

You’ve gotta play along at times like this, Hwa-rin.

“I shall refrain from using my Donation Performance Technique today. Please respond with radiant smiles and applause instead.”

“Wooooo!”

With Hwa-rin’s enthusiastic claps as my cue, I began recounting all the events that had happened so far.

“I am Cheong-un, third-generation disciple of Wudang Sect.”

“Reveal Storm of the Tang Clan!”

“You actually ate pineapple pizza?! Kiieeeek! Can he truly be of the main Tang bloodline?! This is... unthinkable!”

From the moment Hwa-rin lost consciousness, to meeting Cheong-un, arriving at the Tang Clan, and facing the Elders’ Council—

She gasped at key moments, looked thrilled at others, and then gradually... her expression darkened.

Was she thinking I’d gone through too much? Maybe she was starting to feel guilty.

Well then—time to reenact that scene.

I’m the Tiger King—the head of the Tang Clan.

“Then why have you come here?!”

I pointed at Hwa-rin, now completely absorbed in the scene.

“I came to protect my woman.”

I delivered the line with the full emotion of that moment.

“Eeeeeeek! You’re insane! Absolutely insane!!”

Hwa-rin let out a shriek, her face bright red. She was clearly mortified, but she didn’t stop laughing. Guess she didn’t mind it all that much.

“Pwahahahaha!”

----------

After the story ended, we sat by the window, watching the night view. fгeewebnovёl.com

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah. No wonder they call it a city that never sleeps.”

Gently, I placed my hand on her shoulder and drew her head to rest on mine.

“Yun-ho. Today was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah... and now there’s nothing left to worry about. Once we get to Yichang, let’s go out often, okay?”

Night had fallen. The city lights of Chengdu—the most vibrant in all Sichuan—were seared into my memory.

We weren’t told exactly what time or second we had to return, but it was about time to start heading back.

“......”

When I turned my head, I saw Hwa-rin silently looking up at me. Her lips looked redder than usual.

‘Is this... my chance?’

I’d already kissed her once. Surely, doing it again would be okay?

Carefully, I leaned in. I could see her eyes trembling. We had a great time today. A kiss would be the perfect ending. No one was around.

But unlike what I expected, Hwa-rin gently pushed my face away, an apologetic look in her eyes.

Was it the location? Even if we’re lovers, maybe it’s not something you do just anytime, anywhere in this world... Though honestly, now did feel like a valid time.

A little embarrassed, I looked at her again—and noticed a shimmer in her eyes.

“Hwa-rin?”

She looked at me with a face full of unspoken guilt... and then she said something that left me stunned.

“...I’m sorry, Yun-ho. I... can’t go with you.”