Chapter 3

Yesterday, Yeon-oh learned of a new presence.

A destructive force capable of ruining everything with a mere touch. The possessor of a monstrous strength that could snap the thick branch of a twenty-year-old jujube tree with just a slight exertion of force.

The man before him possessed the hands of destruction.

“You simply need to place the end of the stick against the fruit-laden branch and gently shake it.”

“That’s simple enough.”

Seonjae was serious as he listened to Yeon-oh’s explanation. Perhaps Yeon-oh should have realized it right then.

Yeon-oh had explained how to hold the stick to Seonjae out of consideration for someone visiting a private home for the first time. He never thought there would be a man over the age of twenty who had never picked a jujube.

Seonjae hooked the end of the stick onto a thick branch of the jujube tree, just as Yeon-oh had demonstrated, and shook it. The moment the man moved the stick he held back and forth,

Rumble!

A terrifying noise echoed from the sky, and a rain of jujubes descended.

Jujubes fell at a furious speed not only from the branch where the stick was applied but from all the branches of the massive jujube tree.

When Yeon-oh, standing under the tree, leaped back in surprise,

Crack!

A chilling sound rang out. The largest, most splendid branch of the twenty-year-old jujube tree snapped like a reed and crashed to the ground.

“…!”

Uncle Oh’s jujube trees were the same age as Yeon-oh. Seeing the thickest branch of the tree he had grown up with break was as startling as having his own arm severed.

He should have snatched the stick away from the man right then.

‘The branch…’

Though his expression was calm, Seonjae was also flustered. Weakening at the sight of that face, Yeon-oh spoke involuntarily.

“That can happen when you’re working. You just need to reduce your strength a little. It’s fine.”

It was not fine at all. The thick jujube tree branches Seonjae had broken yesterday numbered nine. The branches he had snapped beyond recovery were eight.

The sticks he had damaged were four. And he had even pulled the handles off two of the wooden tubs used to collect and move the jujubes.

Uncle Oh had said it was fine since the trees needed pruning after the harvest anyway. But Yeon-oh was certain he had only said that nicely because Yeon-oh had brought the man along.

Yeon-oh had seen it. Uncle Oh’s cheeks were twitching.

Before leaving Uncle Oh’s house, Yeon-oh had handed the man some silver pieces. He begged in a small voice for him to accept them and pretend nothing had happened. He also sent servants with tonics good for the trees, and new tubs of various materials and sizes.

‘Perhaps he is a military officer.’

Seonjae’s eyebrows slightly tilted as he looked at Yeon-oh’s smiling, nearly vanished eyes, suggesting he was recalling something.

“It is fine.”

The memory must have been a very amusing and pleasant one. The smile did not leave Yeon-oh’s face. Seonjae watched that smiling face with an ambiguous expression.

“Is it a matter that is settled just because Young Master Gyo says so?”

The man presented a pouch he had kept in his inner garment to Yeon-oh.

“It truly is fine. I have resolved everything. It is not proper for a guest to act this way. Whether it is gold or silver, I possess it too.”

At Yeon-oh’s words, Seonjae momentarily failed to conceal a look of complete disdain. It was the expression of someone watching a mere child boasting about his paltry wealth.

“I know that as the Young Master of the Gyo General’s Household, you possess both gold and silver. Please deliver this to the household that was put in a difficult position yesterday because of me.”

“As I was saying, I…”

At Yeon-oh’s protest, the man shook his head resolutely.

“Whether it is gold or silver, I possess it too.”

The man’s face was handsome, and his demeanor left no room for opposition. His attire was not poor, and the accessories attached to his waist sash were rare and valuable items difficult to acquire.

Yet, there was something strange about him.

Some of the things he possessed were extraordinarily special. But most of the others were quite ordinary. It seemed the excellence of the outer robe Seonjae was wearing was due entirely to the man’s fine features. The more closely Yeon-oh looked, the more this seemed true.

“If Young Master Seon insists, I understand. I will deliver it. Where are you currently staying? I will escort you.”

It was the natural duty of a host to see a guest off. However, Seonjae looked at Yeon-oh with an expression suggesting he had just heard something utterly bizarre. The man often looked at Yeon-oh in this manner.

‘Why does he do that?’

Every time, Yeon-oh pondered what he had done wrong. He didn’t feel he had done anything wrong in particular.

“I can go by myself.”

“It’s boring to go alone. I can keep you company and introduce you to the area, as it must be unfamiliar to you. The Gyo General’s Household grounds are vast, and there are many interesting places even within them.”

“Then, I accept your offer.”

Seonjae accepted Yeon-oh’s suggestion. A slight reluctance could be sensed in his acquiescence, but Yeon-oh paid it no mind. He unfastened the archery belt and quiver from his waist, placed them down, and also lined up the purse of money the man had entrusted to him on the pavilion railing.

“There’s quite a lot of silver here.”

Seonjae warned, as Yeon-oh was about to turn away.

“It’s fine. No one comes here. Ah, since you are my second brother’s friend, please speak to me comfortably. There is a considerable age gap between my elder brothers and me. Didn’t I ask you yesterday to speak comfortably?”

Yeon-oh gestured, pointing the way to the outer door of Doyeongak. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] It was a small, brief gesture, but it was the refined movement of a well-taught young master from a great noble house.

“I will do so in time.”

“Yes, it’s best to do as you are comfortable. Where did you say you were staying? Did you tell me?”

“I am lodging at a place called Cheongyeongan⁽¹⁾. I haven’t told Young Master Gyo yet, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know.”

As Seonjae spoke, he glanced back at the items Yeon-oh had haphazardly left behind. The archery belt, the bow within it, the quiver, the arrows, and even the gold purse he had handed over; all were visibly objects of wealth and luxury.

Yeon-oh, his face completely unworried, led the way.

“If it is Cheongyeongan, you must be staying at Gwanhaedae⁽²⁾.”

“How do you know that…?”

“There is nothing in this countryside of Goksan that I do not know. On the way, there is a picturesque bridge. Near it, there is also a brilliant shaman who reads fortunes for matters of the heart very accurately.”

Yeon-oh chattered about everything he knew as it came to mind. Since the man was lodging at Gwanhaedae within Cheongyeongan, it seemed his statement that he was not in need of gold or silver was true.

Yeon-oh had asked if he was staying at Gwanhaedae in case he was staying elsewhere, so Yeon-oh could arrange to switch his lodging to the Terrace. He felt it would be appropriate to do that much for a guest of the family.

All the way until Cheongyeongan came into sight, Yeon-oh introduced every possible place. Most of the people passing by recognized him and exchanged an eye greeting. Some, Yeon-oh even called over to introduce to Seonjae.

Seonjae clearly saw Cheongyeongan’s steward halt his work and rush over with a joyful expression the moment he saw the youngest young master of the Gyo General’s Household, paying less mind to Seonjae, who was the actual guest. The man had never once felt slighted by such a thing until now.

“Young Master Gyo, what brings you all the way here!”

“Uncle Jang. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Are you putting up the lanterns? Ah, a guest of the Gyo General’s Household is staying at Cheongyeongan, so I came along. Young Master Seon is staying at Gwanhaedae. Please look after him well, as he is our family’s guest.”

“Of course, you can rely on this humble servant.”

The steward, who had treated Seonjae as just one of many guests until this morning, now looked at him with eyes brimming with affection.

“I must be going now. Rest well, Young Master Seon. Uncle Jang, I’ll be back again. Is your cough better these days? Next time I visit, I’ll bring you some medicinal herbs that are good for coughs. How was the ginseng I gave you last time?”

“This humble servant is fine. I gratefully consumed what you provided.”

“I can go by myself. Please go inside. You need to look after your guest.”

The steward, who was about to follow Yeon-oh and leave Seonjae behind, bowed to Yeon-oh with a regretful expression. As Yeon-oh returned the greeting, he looked outside the open gate and shouted,

“Oh, the Gyo General’s Household’s carriage. I’m leaving now! Brother Gwang! Brother Gwang, wait for me!”

As Yeon-oh shouted and bolted out of Cheongyeongan, the people around the carriage heard the shout, gestured toward the carriage, and let them know Yeon-oh was coming.

Yeon-oh, running toward the slowing carriage, waved his hand enthusiastically toward Cheongyeongan again.

“…”

Seonjae unconsciously raised his hand to wave back but stopped himself.

“Young Master Gyo is truly an affectionate young master.”

The steward, who had been seeing Yeon-oh off with a hearty laugh, turned to Seonjae with the same expression and commented.

“Indeed.”

Seonjae watched Yeon-oh run toward the halted carriage for a moment.

The carriage, having been told the fourth young master of the Gyo General’s Household was coming, would never have left without him. There was no need to rush to a carriage waiting for him after only a few steps, yet Yeon-oh ran with all his might toward it.

Seonjae could not take his eyes off the sight.

He watched Yeon-oh board the carriage.

Yeon-oh, discovering him watching again, waved his arm widely in farewell and closed the carriage door.

The Cheongyeongan steward finally guided Seonjae to Gwanhaedae.