Chapter 13: Secret of the Misty Village
Yi is immersed in the meticulous task of creating seals back in the Guest House, finding solace in the rhythmic, meditative nature of his work. His room, bathed in the soft glow of a candle as dusk falls over the village, serves as a quiet refuge for his focused endeavor. Beside him, Hongmi is curled in a ball gently swaying, engrossed in the journal, her fascination with it evident. Although Yi agreed to let her peruse it, he questioned if she had the ability to read, with which she replied that she only had interest in the illustrations. Yet, Yi can't shake the suspicion that her interest extends beyond the mere visuals. She appears to read with an understanding she claims not to possess, her eyes lingering on the text with a familiarity that contradicts her assertion of barely comprehending the characters.
As Yi works, they discuss their plan to first have him question a few of the villagers about how to navigate to the mysterious mountain pass. The journal, filled with cryptic hints and ancient lore, offers clues to the path shrouded in mist and legend as well.
After an evening of delivering the seals and asking what the villagers know, they plan to travel there tomrrow, if the weather allows. Yi will do this before retrieving the lotus roots from the fields. As long as they are back before nightfall, he will still possess enough food to traverse to his village, and then back to the temple the next day. If the monks question why he took so long, he will insist on the rain and the swelling of the river, which was still greatly engourged with all the extra water. He still remains uncertain as to what Hongmi will do after she learns what she seeks from the mountain. Will she return to the Misty Village, when so many deject her? She can't come to the temple, women were not permitted...
In the midst of Yi's contemplation, Han lightly calls out at the door as he arrives, bringing with him Yi's evening meal. As Yi opens the door, he finds Han holding his bowl with both hands, extending it outward to him. It contains a simple yet nourishing fare – freshly cooked rice, a small portion of salted fish seasoned with a drizzle of oil and slivers of ginger, accompanied by tender slices of steamed lotus root. It looks enticing, and Yi is transfixed.
Han's gaze wanders inside the room and lingers on the floor, a hint of disapproval in his eyes, but he remains silent. Yi, sensing the unspoken tension, feels a surge of embarrassment. Hongmi gazes at Han, and then to Yi, and offers "I should let you finish your work and eat in peace, you can find me in the morning."
She offers a polite smile, and slips past Han, who remains unmoving at the doorway. As she exits the room, Yi feels a pang of sadness, her absence casting a shadow over the meal. Han looks back at Yi offering a polite smile and encourages him to enjoy his meal as he goes to close the door. Before he leave, Yi suddenly remembers,"excuse me, Master Han, but do you happen to know anything about the abandoned shrine in the mountain near?"
The question clearly takes Han aback, but he responds politely, "what do you want to know about it?"
Yi replies, "I am just wondering why none of the villagers travel there anymore. Has is become dangerous?"
Han exhales, "word has even reached you monks all the way atop your mountain." He shakes his head slightly, casting his gaze downwards as if in shame. "We don't want to trouble your temple any more than we already do. You have provided so much for us, especially since the Days of Red."
Yi tries to contain his surprise at the old man's confession, thoughts racing at the confirmation of the potential danger of the mountain pass and the mention of the "Days of Red" -- a time so few openly admit happened.
Han continues, "we don't know what is causing the way there to be dangerous, but every offering we have sent, the messangers are always attacked, or too frightened and flee to other villages. They leave behind their children and wives. Most of the women have had to traverse to other regions to find work after their husbands have died or disappeared."
Yi recalls the very clear age gap between all the village inhabitants. At least one mystery was now solved.
"We are so grateful for all your Brothers do for us at the Temple, Master Yi," Han bows his head once, twice, three times and remains bowed, " I ask you, please, do not advise them to stop traversing to our village. We have been able to live in relative peace the last few years since you began making us the seals. We are truly very grateful."
Yi try to keep his jaw from becoming slack, and quickly insists Han raise his head. He assures Han we will not dissuade the monks from helping and simply wishes to learn about the shrine for exploration and education. After a little more coaxing than Yi would of liked, Han agrees to raise his head and thanks him profusely.
"Thank you, Master Yi, we truly appreciate all you do for us." Yi feels rigid and awkward as he insists again that it is really not a dilemma. Han finally begins to relax, a little visually perturbed by the onset of emotion. He smooths down some of the few remaining hairs he has on the top of his head, which is now shiny with sweat.
"The mountain pass is safe until you can reach the view of the Three Mountains, which is where the shrine is. The mountain's path is due north of here, and the journey takes a little under a half day to reach there. When we could make offering, the messangers would always leave before morning's light, but be back just after dark and could have their evening meal." The memories are far of in Han's eyes as he squints.
Yi is charged with the newly discovered information he has gleened from Han, and has nearly forgot about his own evening meal when his stomach gives off a prolonged rumble. Han is broken from his trance and laughs a bit at the sound, "forgive me Master Yi, I have forgotten you need time to eat. Please come and find me tomorrow if you have further questions about the Three Mountain Pass, enjoy your meal."
With this, Han nods and closes the door behind him, and silence envelops the room. The only sound is the soft flickering of the candle in the room, and the persistent, but evidently lighter, patter of rain against the thatched roof.
Alone with his thoughts, Yi contemplates the delicate balance he must maintain between his duties, his assistnace to Hongmi, and his commitment to the temple. The meal is now lukewarm, but Yi hardly notices as each bite is mechanically executed as he remains steeped in thought about the next move he should make.
Yi's mind wanders to his mother, a constant presence in his thoughts. He ponders how to fulfill his promise to her while navigating the unfolding mystery of the mountain pass and Hongmi's request. The responsibility weighs heavily on him, a mix of duty, desire, and uncertainty.
With his meal finished, Yi returns to his seals, the repetitive motion of his brush a grounding force amidst the turmoil of his emotions. Once he finishes the last of them, he blows on a few gently to hasten the drying, being careful not to push the ink with this breath. He procures the Daoist Fan that Brother XXX had bestowed on him to help bless the seals.
Unfurling the large yellow fan always felt surreal, the methodically transcribed characters written elegantly across the fan's pleated silk surface. He carefully prompts the fan against the wall, and spreads the seals out in front of. He begins to recite the blessings he learned at the Temple in a hushed tone, closing his eyes and clasping his hands. Finally, he takes his thumb, and bite into it with his front tooth, cracked in half at a jagged angle. A small bead of blood wells to the surface. Yi squeezes his thumb, the desire to wince long since present in his mind, and smears the blood across the seals, dragging his finger horizontally across them. He inspects the seals, making sure each one bears a little bit of the blood, and when he is satisfied, wraps his finger with a small bit of cloth and puts the fan back in his bag.
The night passes in quiet contemplation, each person he delivers a seal to either evasive or unaware of the mountain pass. Even so, Yi had enough to go on with what Han had said with the journal combined. Yi comes back with a small handful of dried herbs, fish, and even a persimmon from one of the resident's own tree. He thought of Brother XXX and whether the garden was still lush or if death had started to creep into every corner until Spring arrived again.
Tired from the emotional tumult and trudging around in the wet mist and rain, Yi strips his wet clothes and throws them lazily on the floor: he'll deal with them tomorrow. The soft patter of rain outside the window with several tears in the paper, a companion to his thoughts that become hazier as sleep overtakes him.
As Yi works, they discuss their plan to first have him question a few of the villagers about how to navigate to the mysterious mountain pass. The journal, filled with cryptic hints and ancient lore, offers clues to the path shrouded in mist and legend as well.
After an evening of delivering the seals and asking what the villagers know, they plan to travel there tomrrow, if the weather allows. Yi will do this before retrieving the lotus roots from the fields. As long as they are back before nightfall, he will still possess enough food to traverse to his village, and then back to the temple the next day. If the monks question why he took so long, he will insist on the rain and the swelling of the river, which was still greatly engourged with all the extra water. He still remains uncertain as to what Hongmi will do after she learns what she seeks from the mountain. Will she return to the Misty Village, when so many deject her? She can't come to the temple, women were not permitted...
In the midst of Yi's contemplation, Han lightly calls out at the door as he arrives, bringing with him Yi's evening meal. As Yi opens the door, he finds Han holding his bowl with both hands, extending it outward to him. It contains a simple yet nourishing fare – freshly cooked rice, a small portion of salted fish seasoned with a drizzle of oil and slivers of ginger, accompanied by tender slices of steamed lotus root. It looks enticing, and Yi is transfixed.
Han's gaze wanders inside the room and lingers on the floor, a hint of disapproval in his eyes, but he remains silent. Yi, sensing the unspoken tension, feels a surge of embarrassment. Hongmi gazes at Han, and then to Yi, and offers "I should let you finish your work and eat in peace, you can find me in the morning."
She offers a polite smile, and slips past Han, who remains unmoving at the doorway. As she exits the room, Yi feels a pang of sadness, her absence casting a shadow over the meal. Han looks back at Yi offering a polite smile and encourages him to enjoy his meal as he goes to close the door. Before he leave, Yi suddenly remembers,"excuse me, Master Han, but do you happen to know anything about the abandoned shrine in the mountain near?"
The question clearly takes Han aback, but he responds politely, "what do you want to know about it?"
Yi replies, "I am just wondering why none of the villagers travel there anymore. Has is become dangerous?"
Han exhales, "word has even reached you monks all the way atop your mountain." He shakes his head slightly, casting his gaze downwards as if in shame. "We don't want to trouble your temple any more than we already do. You have provided so much for us, especially since the Days of Red."
Yi tries to contain his surprise at the old man's confession, thoughts racing at the confirmation of the potential danger of the mountain pass and the mention of the "Days of Red" -- a time so few openly admit happened.
Han continues, "we don't know what is causing the way there to be dangerous, but every offering we have sent, the messangers are always attacked, or too frightened and flee to other villages. They leave behind their children and wives. Most of the women have had to traverse to other regions to find work after their husbands have died or disappeared."
Yi recalls the very clear age gap between all the village inhabitants. At least one mystery was now solved.
"We are so grateful for all your Brothers do for us at the Temple, Master Yi," Han bows his head once, twice, three times and remains bowed, " I ask you, please, do not advise them to stop traversing to our village. We have been able to live in relative peace the last few years since you began making us the seals. We are truly very grateful."
Yi try to keep his jaw from becoming slack, and quickly insists Han raise his head. He assures Han we will not dissuade the monks from helping and simply wishes to learn about the shrine for exploration and education. After a little more coaxing than Yi would of liked, Han agrees to raise his head and thanks him profusely.
"Thank you, Master Yi, we truly appreciate all you do for us." Yi feels rigid and awkward as he insists again that it is really not a dilemma. Han finally begins to relax, a little visually perturbed by the onset of emotion. He smooths down some of the few remaining hairs he has on the top of his head, which is now shiny with sweat.
"The mountain pass is safe until you can reach the view of the Three Mountains, which is where the shrine is. The mountain's path is due north of here, and the journey takes a little under a half day to reach there. When we could make offering, the messangers would always leave before morning's light, but be back just after dark and could have their evening meal." The memories are far of in Han's eyes as he squints.
Yi is charged with the newly discovered information he has gleened from Han, and has nearly forgot about his own evening meal when his stomach gives off a prolonged rumble. Han is broken from his trance and laughs a bit at the sound, "forgive me Master Yi, I have forgotten you need time to eat. Please come and find me tomorrow if you have further questions about the Three Mountain Pass, enjoy your meal."
With this, Han nods and closes the door behind him, and silence envelops the room. The only sound is the soft flickering of the candle in the room, and the persistent, but evidently lighter, patter of rain against the thatched roof.
Alone with his thoughts, Yi contemplates the delicate balance he must maintain between his duties, his assistnace to Hongmi, and his commitment to the temple. The meal is now lukewarm, but Yi hardly notices as each bite is mechanically executed as he remains steeped in thought about the next move he should make.
Yi's mind wanders to his mother, a constant presence in his thoughts. He ponders how to fulfill his promise to her while navigating the unfolding mystery of the mountain pass and Hongmi's request. The responsibility weighs heavily on him, a mix of duty, desire, and uncertainty.
With his meal finished, Yi returns to his seals, the repetitive motion of his brush a grounding force amidst the turmoil of his emotions. Once he finishes the last of them, he blows on a few gently to hasten the drying, being careful not to push the ink with this breath. He procures the Daoist Fan that Brother XXX had bestowed on him to help bless the seals.
Unfurling the large yellow fan always felt surreal, the methodically transcribed characters written elegantly across the fan's pleated silk surface. He carefully prompts the fan against the wall, and spreads the seals out in front of. He begins to recite the blessings he learned at the Temple in a hushed tone, closing his eyes and clasping his hands. Finally, he takes his thumb, and bite into it with his front tooth, cracked in half at a jagged angle. A small bead of blood wells to the surface. Yi squeezes his thumb, the desire to wince long since present in his mind, and smears the blood across the seals, dragging his finger horizontally across them. He inspects the seals, making sure each one bears a little bit of the blood, and when he is satisfied, wraps his finger with a small bit of cloth and puts the fan back in his bag.
The night passes in quiet contemplation, each person he delivers a seal to either evasive or unaware of the mountain pass. Even so, Yi had enough to go on with what Han had said with the journal combined. Yi comes back with a small handful of dried herbs, fish, and even a persimmon from one of the resident's own tree. He thought of Brother XXX and whether the garden was still lush or if death had started to creep into every corner until Spring arrived again.
Tired from the emotional tumult and trudging around in the wet mist and rain, Yi strips his wet clothes and throws them lazily on the floor: he'll deal with them tomorrow. The soft patter of rain outside the window with several tears in the paper, a companion to his thoughts that become hazier as sleep overtakes him.
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