A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 161

161. Guest of Yewon

Sunbin and his group were settled in one of the detached houses in Yewon. Though called a detached house, it comprised three buildings and a small garden, making it a veritable mansion.

“This is a really nice place.”

Jeok Se-hwa said, clearly impressed. She seemed fascinated by the house, looking around, touching the decorations and furniture.

Sa Su-yeon also explored the detached house with Jeok Se-hwa, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“Oh my, there’s even a kitchen here.”

“Really? Ah, this is a Hangzhou-style kitchen.”

Listening to Jeok Se-hwa and Sa Su-yeon’s voices from inside, Sunbin asked No-gun,

“Is it really okay for us to stay in a place like this?”

“It doesn’t matter. They’re offering it, no need to refuse,” No-gun said indifferently, his expression gloomy.

“Thanks to that Seo-rin, I thought I could subtly distract Hwa-wol, but now they’re all gathering for some Yewon Soju [Korean distilled spirit] gathering? Ugh, I don’t know anymore. I’ve already given up.”

At No-gun’s words, Sunbin looked at Seo-rin.

Seo-rin was also following Jeok Se-hwa, but seemed more interested in examining the surroundings than the decorations or furniture. She sniffed here and there and tapped things with her fingers.

“Then, how about we go somewhere else?”

He didn’t understand No-gun’s words about ‘diverting Hwa-wol’s attention,’ but one thing was clear: No-gun was uncomfortable with crowds. If people were going to gather here, they could just leave.

“Why would we?”

No-gun retorted, as if throwing the words out. “Did we do something wrong? It’s just annoying, there’s no reason to avoid it. Who do they think they are that we have to be mindful of them?”

No-gun looked straight at Sunbin. “Don’t worry about it. You can do whatever you want. And don’t worry about this place either. We deserve to be treated this well.”

No-gun glanced at the mansion. “And I was planning to rent a small house anyway. We’ll be here for a month; staying at an inn isn’t really an option.”

No-gun watched Jeok Se-hwa, Sa Su-yeon, Seo-rin, and Dang Wol-ah following each other around.

Even Dang Wol-ah, usually quiet, was following along silently, as if she was also interested.

“Considering those girls, there might be some annoying trouble.”

No-gun was right. Although Dang Wol-ah was veiled, Seo-rin and Sa Su-yeon’s appearances were definitely likely to attract attention.

And in fact, Jeok Se-hwa, though less conspicuous, had an elegant presence that was enough to draw the eyes of many men.

“Besides, if we’re here, they’ll give us three meals a day, and we don’t have to do the dishes. It doesn’t cost any money, so it might be much more convenient. It’s just depressing that annoying guys might come.”

Sunbin had no choice but to agree.

Even if cooking was okay, not having to do the dishes was definitely a major plus. And considering No-gun’s financial situation, it was actually a good thing.

“Life is all about……”

No-gun muttered.

‘Eochapi (於此彼)’ means that this or that is the same [a philosophical acceptance of fate or inevitability].

Sunbin suddenly thought of a strange person who lived with ‘Eochapi’ as their motto. It seemed irresponsible, but perhaps that was the way to live in the world, like flowing water.

Sunbin looked at No-gun, who was muttering. No-gun’s appearance was somehow pitiful and apologetic.

“Shall we take a walk?”

“Why, are you bored?”

“It’s not that, but I thought it would be nice to walk around.”

No-gun thought for a moment and then got up.

“Okay, let’s go. Since they say we’re the only guests, it’s a good opportunity to look around.”

“What about the others……”

Sunbin looked at the rest of the group. The four of them were completely absorbed in exploring the detached house.

“It’s best not to disturb them now.”

No-gun shrugged, indicating he didn’t care.

With his hands behind his back, No-gun strode away. Sunbin quietly followed him one step behind.

∴

Rustle, rustle.

The leaves under Sunbin’s feet made a sound. Judging by how well the garden was maintained, these leaves seemed to have been left intentionally for the atmosphere.

“It’s quite big.”

Sunbin said quietly.

Unlike what it looked like from the entrance, Yewon became wider as you went inside. Including the detached houses that looked like independent mansions, the scale seemed considerable.

“That’s right. This whole area belongs to Yewon.”

No-gun replied indifferently.

“The whole area?”

“This is nothing. There’s also an organization that manages the entertainers who enter and exit the imperial court, and they have several so-called high-class courtesan houses. Of course, they also have ties with the court and large merchant groups.”

No-gun said in a reluctant tone.

Sunbin couldn’t help but be surprised. At that level, it was no longer a simple courtesan house, though he hadn’t thought it would be simple in the first place.

“Well, they don’t do anything presumptuous.”

No-gun said.

“Yewon only cares about the entertainers. They have the power to take over all the famous courtesan houses in the world if they wanted to, but they don’t. All they want is for the entertainers to be respected and show off their talents. So far.”

Except for some high-ranking celebrities, there aren’t many places for professional musicians or entertainers to stand.

Hwa-wol’s story about accepting Rin and Min was actually a very realistic point.

“Then, does Yewon take care of the courtesans in the courtesan houses?”

Sunbin suddenly asked. He was reminded of a story he had heard somewhere about a secret organization in the Murim [martial arts world].

“Does Yewon look like the Hoomoon [fictional organization]?”

No-gun chuckled.

“They don’t have the idea of saving all the courtesans or entertainers in the world. But they can’t stand to see a talented entertainer next to them fall from grace.”

Rustle.

A leaf made a sound under No-gun’s feet.

“That’s Yewon’s idea.”

“That sounds like a very good idea?”

Sunbin tilted his head and asked. He couldn’t understand why No-gun didn’t like Yewon.

No-gun snorted.

“When people gather, they have many thoughts, and when they have many thoughts, foolish things are revealed. And I inherently hate being in groups and acting superior.”

No-gun, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned to look at Sunbin.

“Do you like it?”

Sunbin shook his head.

“I don’t like it very much either.”

“Really? A guy like you was thinking of taking the civil service exam and becoming a government official. The officials I know like to be in groups and act superior more than anyone else.”

“I didn’t know.”

Sunbin said, shrugging his shoulders.

“At that time, I just thought it was a job where I could work for the country and be respected by the people.”

“Idealism.”

No-gun turned his head.

“An ideal that is very different from reality. Just like Oesa or Yewon.”

His words implied that there were realistic aspects to Yewon and Oesa as well.

Sunbin felt like he understood a little bit why No-gun was living alone in Namak.

“You’re not training, are you?”

No-gun suddenly asked. His gaze was directed at the Sun Sword, Baekro, hanging on Sunbin’s waist.

“No.”

Sunbin nodded and looked down at Baekro.

‘Baekro has been quiet these days too.’

Baekro used to cry if he skipped training for even a day. But after the incident in Bukhae, it became strangely quiet.

He polishes Baekro every morning without fail, but he doesn’t hear anything.

‘Maybe I’m just not hearing it.’

It’s not that Baekro is quiet, but that Sunbin can’t hear it. His physical condition is so bad. But strangely, he’s not anxious.

“Are you frustrated?”

No-gun, who felt sorry for Sunbin looking at Baekro, said with a heavy expression.

“Don’t worry. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll do something about it.”

“It’s okay.”

Sunbin said with a smile.

“I’m fine. I’m just sorry for worrying you, Elder.”

“Tsk.”

No-gun clicked his tongue and turned his head. He looked like he was angry at Sunbin, but Sunbin knew that was No-gun’s way of expressing his regret.

Rustle, rustle.

For a while, No-gun just walked in silence. Then suddenly, No-gun, who was striding ahead, raised his head.

“Huh? What’s that sound?”

Sunbin also listened carefully. The faint sound carried by the wind was definitely the timbre of a chilhyun-geum [Korean zither, also known as a geomungo].

“It’s a chilhyun-geum. Could it be Miss Rin?”

No-gun shrugged.

“I don’t know. Let’s go.”

“Ah, I……”

Before he could say that it might be a disturbance, No-gun was already moving.

Sunbin was also curious about whether Rin and Min were doing well, so he quickly followed No-gun.

*

*

*

“Oh, come on, that’s not it. It’s nothing.”

Three young ladies were sitting in front of the geomungo and seul [another type of Korean zither], talking. Their laughter was as fresh and charming as spring flowers.

“I heard you met him at a nearby temple a while ago?”

“Really?”

Another young lady, who had been quiet, opened her eyes wide. All three of them seemed to be of similar age, and their young and lively appearance was evident.

“What if the head monk finds out? Are you perhaps in love with him enough to risk your life?”

“I told you, it’s not! And what love! I don’t even know his name!”

The young lady with a sulky expression was angry.

“What am I supposed to do when he follows me because he likes me after seeing me once in Daru? I’m in trouble too! And meeting at the temple was just a coincidence……”

The young lady’s voice trailed off. Her gaze was directed at a stranger who appeared at the small gate leading to the garden.

“Ah!”

The other two young ladies also noticed him. The young ladies, who were startled and tried to get up from their seats, realized that the stranger was dressed in simple scholar’s clothes.

“Oh, I thought……”

The lively young lady put her hand on her chest and sighed in relief. The young ladies, who had been awkward, sat back down with light expressions.

“But, who are you?”

The young lady with a gentle demeanor asked the young man in scholar’s clothes with a stern expression.

“This is not a place where just anyone can come in.”

“I’m sorry.”

The young man in simple scholar’s clothes said, bowing politely.

“My name is Sunbin. I heard that an acquaintance of mine entered Yewon yesterday, so I came to see if I could meet them, and I made a mistake. I’m sorry for startling you.”

At his words, the young ladies looked at each other.

“Did someone new come in yesterday?”

“I don’t know? I didn’t hear about it?”

“Hmph, when do they ever tell us?”

The young ladies, who were chattering among themselves, suddenly noticed an old man with a white beard walking behind the young scholar.

“Wow, his beard is cool.”

“His eyebrows are white too?”

“But who is he? Is it okay for outsiders to come here like this?”

“Could it be a guest?”

“I didn’t hear that a guest was coming?”

“I’m telling you, when do they ever tell us things like that?”

No-gun frowned.

“What are those things saying?”

“Those things!”

The young lady with a sulky expression said in a sharp voice.

“We have names! I’m So-hong, she’s Chae-ok, and she’s Hwa-rin.”

“I’m No-gun.”

“No-gun?”

The young lady who identified herself as So-hong tilted her head and asked Hwa-rin, the young lady with a gentle demeanor.

“What’s No-gun? Does it mean old grandfather?”

“No.”

Hwa-rin frowned slightly.

“That’s what they call high-ranking Taoist immortals. Like Taesang No-gun [a deified Lao Tzu], or something like that……”

Hwa-rin’s voice gradually became smaller. As she spoke, she felt that the name was unusual.

“Um, perhaps……”

The lively young lady, Chae-ok, mustered up the courage to ask.

“Are you…… a guest of Yewon?”

Her voice was quite cautious.

“I don’t know if I’m a guest, but I’ll be staying in that detached house for a while.”

The three young ladies’ faces turned white. If he was staying in the detached house, he was definitely a guest. A very important guest.

“I, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry!”

“I’m sorry!”

The three young ladies quickly got up from their seats. But in their haste, So-hong’s knee hit the chilhyun-geum hard.

Thud.

“Eek!”

With So-hong’s scream, the chilhyun-geum bounced up. Chae-ok and Hwa-rin closed their eyes tightly, anticipating the sound of the chilhyun-geum breaking. But the loud crashing sound did not come.

“Tsk.”

No-gun clicked his tongue. He, who had been leisurely standing behind Sunbin, had already come close to the young ladies and was holding the chilhyun-geum with one hand.

“It’s expensive, you have to be careful. Isn’t this the chilhyun-geum with gold trim?”

“Th, thank you.”

So-hong, who was surprised, stammered. No-gun put So-hong’s chilhyun-geum back in its place. Come to think of it, Chae-ok also had a similar instrument to the chilhyun-geum in front of her.

“Is this also a chilhyun-geum? This one is quite big? And it has a lot of strings.”

“Th, this is a seul.”

“I’m a chilhyun-geum.”

Hwa-rin said, even though he didn’t ask. A luxurious-looking chilhyun-geum was also placed in front of her.

“Hmm.”

No-gun, who was looking at the instruments, glanced at Sunbin as if he had an idea.

“This guy is pretty good at the chilhyun-geum too.”

At those words, the three young ladies’ eyes lit up slightly. Hwa-rin asked Sunbin.

“Are you perhaps an entertainer?”

“No.”

Sunbin said with a smile.

“I’m a scholar running a small Seowon [private Confucian academy] in my hometown. If someone like me is called an entertainer, I’d be sorry to the real entertainers.”

“Ah, yes. I see.”

“Lowering yourself is not always right.”

No-gun said indifferently at the end of Hwa-rin’s words.

“He’s probably better than you guys.”

“Yes?”

It was So-hong who reacted.

“Um, excuse me.”

She said, trying to suppress her sharp voice.

“We haven’t been officially recognized by Yewon yet. But we still practice so much that our hands bleed several times a day, you know?”

“Hey, hey!”

Chae-ok desperately tried to stop her from the side. But So-hong didn’t stop.

“From what I can see, this person is a scholar who reads books, but don’t you think it’s too much to compare us to someone who does it as a hobby?”

“Well, it is too much.”

“Yes?”

No-gun readily admitted, and the young ladies were stunned.

“But what can you do? Originally, the heavens are not fair, so the Great Peng [mythical bird] passes ten thousand miles in one flap of its wings, but the swallow can’t even leave its neighborhood even if it flies its whole life. No, do swallows even go to Gangnam [area south of the Yangtze River, often associated with wealth and prosperity] every season?”

“This is Gangnam.”

So-hong said sharply. Hangzhou is south of the Yangtze River, so it was definitely Gangnam.

“Then you can’t even get out of here.”

No-gun said with a smirk. So-hong was biting her lip tightly, as if she was really holding back a lot. It must be because he was a precious guest.

“Are you upset?”

No-gun said, teasing So-hong.

“Yes.”

So-hong replied. Chae-ok tried to stop her with a surprised expression, but No-gun was faster.

“Then do it.”

No-gun smiled at So-hong, who was asking back.

“Play together, and if you judge that that guy’s skills are substandard, I’ll apologize.”

With his hands behind his back, No-gun continued.

“Not only that, but I’ll tell Hwa-wol. I’ll tell her that the performance I happened to hear was very good. Of course, this is only if you do well enough to beat that guy.”

The three young ladies exchanged glances. There is nothing better than praise from a precious guest. Moreover, he said he would tell Hwa-wol directly; this is a great opportunity.

“Wh, who will judge?”

Hwa-rin asked. No-gun smiled.

“You guys do it.”

“Us?”

“Yes. You guys know better than I do. Surely, you wouldn’t lie with the pride of an artist, right?”

“O, of course not!”

So-hong said.

“When it comes to the zither [a Chinese stringed instrument], I would never lie. I’ll put my pride on the line and give an accurate assessment.”

“Good, that’s all that matters.”

No-gun nodded. The three young ladies exchanged glances again.

“Wh, what if we lose? What do we have to do?”

Hwa-rin asked again.

“Just to be clear, we are not courtesans. We won’t pour drinks or anything like that…”

“I don’t want you to, and I wouldn’t even if you offered. Do I look like I don’t have hands? Why would I have someone else pour my drinks?”

No-gun said in a blunt tone.

“This friend of mine visited the Ye-won [likely refers to a place of entertainment or a courtesan house] yesterday. And usually, places like this have unnecessarily strict rules. There’s also a lot of hazing and bullying from seniors.”

No-gun’s point was accurate.

“If you lose, help that kid out. I’m not asking you to favor him. Just make sure he doesn’t suffer any unfair treatment.”

“Okay.”

So-hong said with a determined look.

“We’ll do as you say.”

With a satisfied expression, No-gun nodded. Then, he said to Son-bin in a small voice.

“Did you hear that? Your teacher’s safety is on the line, so do well.”

Son-bin gave a bitter smile. But it seemed like there was no turning back now.

If the story has come this far, the three young ladies will quickly know about Rin.

“I understand.”

Son-bin nodded. Then, he asked the seemingly docile young lady, Hwa-rin.

“Excuse me, but may I use the zither for a moment?”

Hwa-rin hesitated. She was reluctant to let a stranger, especially a man, touch her zither.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and give it to him.”

So-hong urged, not knowing her feelings.

“But it’s my zither…”

“It’s not like it’ll wear out just because someone touches it.”

“It will wear out! My heart will wear out.”

“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up!”

“Hmph.”

At So-hong’s urging, Hwa-rin teared up and gave up her seat.

Son-bin politely thanked Hwa-rin and quietly sat down. His movements were so graceful that the three young ladies were mesmerized without realizing it.

“Aren’t you going to start?”

“I, I am!”

So-hong answered at No-gun’s prompting. She covered her mouth with her hand, coughed a few times, and then said to Son-bin.

“I’ll play twice. Listen carefully to how I express myself, and join in from the second time. Do you understand?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Son-bin smiled and replied to her. It was her own consideration and fairness.

“Oh ho? You’re talking differently than when you talk to me?”

No-gun said. So-hong’s voice when speaking to Son-bin was definitely gentle.

“No, I’m not!”

So-hong said in a sharp voice. But only for a moment, So-hong quietly took a breath. Then, she exchanged glances with Chae-ok, who was sitting in front of the Seul [another type of stringed instrument].

Ttang.

The performance of the two began, and Son-bin closed his eyes. The beautiful melody of the zither and Seul enveloped Son-bin. Along with the larger and more immense flow that enveloped everyone here.

Son-bin entrusted himself to the flow of sound like a gentle breeze. And at some point, Son-bin quietly reached out his hand.

∴

Sabeok.

With a small sound, four people appeared. No-gun, who had been sitting leisurely, said without turning around.

“You’re finally here?”

“Yes.”

The person who answered was Sa Su-yeon. Behind her stood Seo-rin, Dang Wol-ah, and Jeok Se-hwa.

“Is he good?”

No-gun said, watching Son-bin playing with his eyes closed. Sa Su-yeon nodded.

“Yes.”

Sa Su-yeon also looked at Son-bin. The two young ladies playing together were completely immersed in the performance, and the other young lady watching the performance even had tears in her eyes.

Sa Su-yeon could fully understand her feelings. She had felt the same way when she first heard Son-bin and Rin’s performance.

“But why did you suddenly start playing?”

“There’s a reason. It’s like a light bet.”

“You must have won.”

Even without knowing the details, if they had made a bet, the conclusion was already obvious. The young lady who had been listening to the performance wiped her eyes with her sleeve and eventually started sniffling without even being ashamed.

“As you can see.”

Sa Su-yeon gave a bitter smile. In fact, there would be no end to finding fault with Son-bin’s zither.

But no one can ignore the sound. Son-bin’s zither had even shaken the heart of No-gun, who didn’t particularly like music.

“But I feel a little complicated.”

Sa Su-yeon said, looking at Son-bin and the young ladies.

“It feels like something precious that only I knew has been discovered by others.”

To be honest, she wanted to be the only one who knew that side of him. She always wanted to be by his side when he played the zither.

“I like it.”

Dang Wol-ah said quietly.

“No, I want to brag about it. I want the whole world to know that he is such a great person.”

There was no hesitation in her voice. Sa Su-yeon didn’t say anything, but she could understand Dang Wol-ah’s words. She sometimes felt the same way.

“Hmm.”

Jeok Se-hwa, who had been watching from behind, couldn’t hide her interest as she looked back and forth between Dang Wol-ah and Sa Su-yeon’s faces. But only for a moment, the four of them soon began to fall into the melody created by Son-bin and the two young ladies.

* * *

The group, who had returned to the detached building, soon had nothing to do. The tour of the new residence was over, and everyone was lazing around when Son-bin suddenly said.

“We have time until dinner, so shall we all go to Daru [tea house] of Seohou [West Lake in Hangzhou]?”

“Ahem, shall we?”

No-gun’s face was already beaming as he spoke. Everyone’s eyes lit up as they were bored anyway.

“Wow! Food!”

Seo-rin jumped out and cheered, wondering how she had heard it.

“It’s not food, it’s tea!”

No-gun scolded. But soon he shrugged and said.

“Well, you did well last time, so I’ll order you a dish. Anyway, snacks or food.”

Seo-rin smiled happily.

“C, can I go too?”

Jeok Se-hwa, who followed, asked carefully. Son-bin smiled.

“Of course. Are you feeling okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine now.”

In fact, the person who didn’t properly see Hangzhou this time was Jeok Se-hwa. She had to stay in the inn for almost three days without being able to move.

‘Come to think of it.’

Son-bin recalled Shin-eui, who had come with Jeok Se-hwa. He left again on the old man’s boat without a break.

“I wonder if Shin-eui is okay?”

No-gun, who had been telling the servant to bring the carriage, looked puzzled at Son-bin’s words.

“Why wouldn’t that guy be okay?”

“But he seemed to be pushing himself a bit.”

“That guy is a doctor.”

No-gun said as if throwing it away.

“Don’t worry, he’s not the kind of guy who can’t take care of himself. Now, let’s go!”

No-gun, who had regained his energy, walked ahead vigorously.

∴

“Are there six of you? Please wait a moment.”

A middle-aged man dressed elegantly said politely. Son-bin nodded.

“There are a lot of people waiting.”

Sa Su-yeon frowned slightly.

“It’s a place where you can see the night view of Seohou at a glance.”

Jeok Se-hwa said with sparkling eyes. As befits a famous Daru in Hangzhou, there were already many people waiting. Even though it was still afternoon, the high-rise buildings were crowded with people.

“How beautiful is it that there is a saying that ‘the moon in the night sky is not needed’? And do you know? Hangzhou is also the most popular place for lovers to elope.”

‘Elope?’

Son-bin tilted his head. He roughly knew the historical records about Hangzhou, but he had never heard such a story.

But unlike Son-bin, who thought it was unreliable, the young ladies’ reactions were hot.

“Really?”

Sa Su-yeon asked, her eyes wide open. Dang Wol-ah also stared at Jeok Se-hwa with interest.

“Of course. So, the lovers who pass by without thinking may have a desperate love story. In my opinion, the people over there are also…”

Jeok Se-hwa whispered to Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wol-ah as if telling a secret story.

“I think it’s an elopement.”

Sa Su-yeon looked at the lovers with shining eyes, and Dang Wol-ah also turned her gaze following Jeok Se-hwa.

Son-bin gave a bitter smile at the sight. After all, women seemed to like such stories.

“Where are you from, young master?”

“Cheongwon!”

Son-bin turned his head at Seo-rin’s voice. The flower of conversation was not only blooming here. Before he knew it, women he had never seen before were surrounding Seo-rin and laughing.

“You came from far away. Did you come alone?”

“No. I came with my brother!”

“You have a brother too? Does he look like you, young master? Oh, would you like to eat this?”

“Yes!”

Seo-rin readily accepted the snacks offered by the middle-aged woman she had never seen before. Son-bin was worried about whether to stop her, but a middle-aged man working at Daru approached Son-bin.

“Thank you for waiting. Your seat is ready, so please come this way.”

Thinking that his turn had come sooner than expected, Son-bin called the group. No-gun, who had been carefully examining the types of tea on display, walked over, and Seo-rin, Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Jeok Se-hwa followed in small steps.

And the group, who followed the middle-aged man up the high-rise building, widened their eyes in surprise.

“Wow!”

The view from the tower was so open that Seo-rin exclaimed. The interior decoration was also luxurious.

Son-bin looked at the middle-aged man, wondering if this was the right place, but he only bowed politely.

“I’ll bring you tea soon.”

The middle-aged man left, and the group sat down. The beautiful scenery of Seohou was in sight, and even their hearts seemed to be cool.

The group enjoyed the afternoon of Seohou leisurely, savoring their favorite tea.

∴

Suddenly, Son-bin turned around and saw that only himself, No-gun, and Dang Wol-ah were sitting in their seats.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Seo-rin went to buy more food. She devoured a dish in an instant.”

No-gun said in a relaxed voice. He seemed quite satisfied with the scenery of Seohou and the scent of Yongjeong [a type of green tea].

“Lady Su-yeon and Lady Se-hwa went to see the autographs of famous people on the lower floor.”

Dang Wol-ah said. Since the scenery was so good, anyone would want to recite a poem. It was understandable that the writings of famous people were hung.

“I see.”

Son-bin was also interested in the autographs of famous people. Then suddenly, Son-bin remembered that he had something to say to Dang Wol-ah.

“Excuse me, Lady Wol-ah.”

Dang Wol-ah turned her head and looked at Son-bin. Son-bin leaned towards her and said quietly.

“The story about silk and beacons that you mentioned at that time is about Bao Si [a concubine who caused the downfall of a dynasty], not Xi Shi [a famous beauty in Chinese history].”

“Yes?”

Dang Wol-ah asked, tilting her head. Son-bin smiled.

“There is no record of Xi Shi laughing at the sound of tearing silk. You seem to have mistaken it for the anecdote of Bao Si. Actually, I wasn’t sure at the time, so I didn’t say anything.”

Son-bin said with a smile, but Dang Wol-ah didn’t answer. She was just facing Son-bin without moving, as if she had stopped.

“Lady?”

Son-bin said, wondering if she was angry. At that time, the wind blew from Seohou and shook Dang Wol-ah’s veil.

Palak.

Normally, her veil would not flutter. It was because Dang Wol-ah was subtly sending her inner strength to the veil woven with Cheonjamsa [likely a special type of silk].

Even when riding a horse in Bukhae, the veil would only ripple and would not turn over.

But at this moment, the wind blowing from Seohou was fluttering Dang Wol-ah’s veil so easily. And for a moment, Son-bin could see Dang Wol-ah’s face through it.

‘Gasp.’

Son-bin felt like he couldn’t breathe. Dang Wol-ah’s white face was literally red. Her big eyes were round as if surprised, and tears were already welling up.

“L, Lady.”

Son-bin stuttered without realizing it. And then Dang Wol-ah quickly lowered her head.

“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t know well, but…”

Dang Wol-ah’s voice was trembling. Son-bin was also flustered and stuttered. It felt like he had done something wrong.

“Ah, no. You can be confused. They are all beautiful, and they all ruined the country, and their names are two letters, and…”

Son-bin desperately tried to appease her.

“Maybe, who knows? Xi Shi is also from here, so she might have liked the sound of tearing silk. Haha, hahaha.”

Son-bin’s attempt to appease Dang Wol-ah was not very successful.

“I have to say it.”

“Yes?”

Dang Wol-ah said, raising her head. Her voice was unusually determined.

“If this continues, other people will have the wrong misunderstanding. I have to tell them that the anecdote of Xi Shi and Bao Si is different.”

“W, we don’t have to go that far…”

Dang Wol-ah shook her head.

“No.”

Her voice was firm.

“Anyone can make a mistake, but you shouldn’t avoid the responsibility.”

“Still…”

“Do you think Young Master Seo-rin and Lady Su-yeon won’t remember?”

Dang Wol-ah said.

Son-bin was speechless. The two had as good a memory as Dang Wol-ah. Although Seo-rin tended to be biased towards what she liked, Sa Su-yeon was genius in Son-bin’s eyes.

“Maybe… not?”

“So, I have to say it.”

Dang Wol-ah got up from her seat and left before Son-bin could stop her.

“W, will she be okay?”

“What? Just leave her alone. Let her do what she wants.”

“Still…”

Son-bin couldn’t take his eyes off the side where Dang Wol-ah had disappeared. Her red face and tearful eyes still seemed to linger in front of him.

That day, Sa Su-yeon and Seo-rin had to hear the story that ‘silk and beacons are Bao Si, not Xi Shi’ several times.

Jeok Se-hwa next to her didn’t know what was going on, and it turned out that Seo-rin had half forgotten it.

In any case, they clearly knew that the story of silk and beacons was the anecdote of Bao Si. Although they didn’t know which era Bao Si was from.

*

*

*

Basrak.

Kang-min took out a thin letter. His sister Kang-rin, who was sitting in front of him, asked.

“What does it say?”

Min looked around the outside of the letter.

“There’s nothing on the outside. The sister named Hwa-rin, who secretly handed this over, said that it was sent by the veiled sister, not Brother Bin? That smart sister.”

“Really?”

A light of disappointment passed for a moment, but Rin calmed down again.

“So, what’s the content?”

“Oh, this… I don’t know the letters?”

The content of the letter was short. But there were many words he didn’t know.

“I’ll go ask.”

Min quickly went outside and grabbed people working at Yewon and asked.

He also showed caution by folding the letter and showing only one letter in case, so he had to ask many people, but Min’s excellent sociability was no longer a problem.

“Sister! I know!”

“Really? What is it?”

Lin, who had been waiting patiently and quietly, quickly asked.

“Oh, so this and this are names, so…”

Min read the contents of the letter, recalling his memory.

“We are all well. And silk and beacons are Bao Si, not Xi Shi.”

“What?”

Lin frowned slightly and asked back. Min also began to doubt whether the content he read was correct.

“I’ll go ask again.”

Min took the letter and ran out quickly. And after a while, Min, who returned with the tattered letter, was able to confirm that the content he had interpreted was correct. And he still couldn’t understand.

– We are all well. And silk and beacons are Bao Si, not Xi Shi.

That was all the content of the letter.

“What is this?”

Min grumbled.

“Who knows?”

Lin, who answered with a smile, received the letter and folded it neatly. It was only a word that they were doing well, but it was the first time in their lives that they had received a letter conveying their regards.

Basrak.

Lin held the letter in her arms. Her heart seemed to be warming.