Chapter 60
Reunion
The Song family residence was unusually busy from early morning.
Was an important guest coming?
Servants were sweating profusely as they cleaned every corner of the estate. Lady Lee-young, together with the maids, was completely absorbed in preparing dishes in the kitchen.
Song Cheon-ho personally prepared tea, with Song Cheon-mu assisting him by his side.
“Such liveliness is nice to see for once, elder brother.”
“Yes. All thanks to our Grand Prince.”
“Is this his first visit since Her Highness came here?”
“No. He came a very long time ago, but back then we only met briefly outside.”
Thump, thump, thump.
Cheon-ho’s hands pounded the tea leaves with utmost care. The tea he was preparing now was none other than the highest-grade Longjing, praised as the Finest Fragrance Under Heaven. Even in the Song clan, once hailed as the kingdom of tea, this was considered the pinnacle of flavor and fragrance—offered only to the Emperor or the most precious guests.
“I’ll come in.”
At Lee-young’s voice, Cheon-mu hurriedly opened the door.
The moment she stepped inside, the savory scent of her cooking filled the room.
“Already finished, madam?”
“Yes. Only the dishes to be made at the moment of arrival are left. Oh my! You can’t pound the tea leaves so roughly.”
“……”
“Here, give it to me.”
Snatching the mortar from Cheon-ho, Lee-young ground the tea leaves herself.
“Isn’t that too fine?”
“Brother likes the fragrance strong. The finer it is, the stronger the aroma.”
“Ah, I see.”
Just then—
“Madam! The Grand Prince has arrived!”
After passing through the main gate, Ihwan made his way toward the main residence.
The path through the courtyard was paved with marble from Dali, and the red pines lining it spoke of the Song family’s once-glorious past.
Though he had visited twice recently, coming now in his true status stirred new emotions.
Cheol Mu-ok and Go Mi followed behind him.
“Brother!”
From the annex came Lee-young’s voice.
Ihwan looked over. She was hurrying toward him, her eyes moist with tears.
His chest tightened.
This was the first time he had felt such a strange emotion.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes, brother.”
Tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
“Welcome, Grand Prince.”
Cheon-ho bowed deeply. Beside him, Cheon-mu only beamed with a childlike smile.
Ihwan said one more thing to Lee-young:
“I came too late.”
“Uhk!”
He gently patted her trembling shoulders. Meanwhile, Cheon-ho gestured toward the main residence with both hands.
“Please, come inside.”
After the emotions of reunion had settled, the meal began.
Once a few cups of wine had gone around, Cheon-ho spoke.
“We are forever indebted to you. I don’t know how we can ever repay such a grace.”
“From here on is the real beginning. Steel your heart firmly.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You must reclaim the lost trade rights and markets. Merchant Wang is merely a tool for that purpose.”
Cheon-ho’s eyes widened. Lee-young, seated beside him, reacted the same way.
“You sound unsure of yourself.”
“It’s not that. It’s just that the Hwangryong Trading Company has the Empress and Second Prince as their patrons…”
“Do not worry. I intend to end it before they even have a chance to intervene.”
“……”
“We’ll discuss the details later. For now, let’s eat.”
“Yes.”
That day Ihwan ate more than he ever had in his life.
Lee-young never stopped bringing out dishes, and he couldn’t bring himself to refuse by saying he was full.
Of course, the fact that the food was delicious played a part too.
After the meal, Ihwan and the couple moved to the annex.
Go Mi sat in the garden nearby, drinking tea with Cheon-mu and Cheol Mu-ok.
Cheol Mu-ok asked Cheon-mu:
“How are the friends I sent you?”
“Just having them around makes me feel secure. Madam is also very satisfied.”
“That’s good.”
The warriors of Dowang Ilmaek, the subject of their conversation, were divided between two inns and the residence, providing protection.
“But is it alright for you two to leave your posts?”
“It’s fine. There’s someone terrifying here.”
“Terrifying?”
“You’ll see later.”
Cheon-mu didn’t yet know that Ju Tae had joined them.
Then Cheol Mu-ok turned to Go Mi.
“How is the investigation into the Hwangryong Trading Company coming along?”
“Almost complete.”
“Already?”
“Compared to gathering enemy intelligence, this is nothing. By the way, how long do you plan to keep it secret?”
“You mean my relationship with the Grand Prince?”
“Yes.”
Cheol Mu-ok only smiled faintly.
“That’s not for me to say. Ask the Grand Prince yourself when the time comes.”
At that moment the annex door opened and Ihwan appeared.
“May I see you?”
“Me?”
“Do you mean me?”
Both Go Mi and Cheol Mu-ok pointed at themselves at the same time.
“Wolju.”
Go Mi set down her teacup and entered the annex.
“From now on, when you have no assignments, stay here and help my sister.”
“Understood.”
Ihwan turned to Lee-young and Cheon-ho.
“If you ever face unfair treatment from the officials, ask Wolju for help. Conflicts with the bureaucracy are best resolved quickly, so don’t delay.”
“Yes, we will.”
“Yes.”
Lee-young’s eyes brimmed with tears again.
For her, just sitting across from Ihwan and discussing family matters was already deeply moving.
Go Mi then asked:
“May I ask one thing, Your Highness?”
“Go ahead.”
“Has the prefect ever demanded bribes?”
“How did you know that?”
“While investigating various matters, I found evidence that when you acquired the inn, the prefect made such demands. Is it true?”
“Yes. He cited ridiculous laws and said he wouldn’t allow business unless we complied.”
“Did you comply? If so, how much?”
Lee-young glanced at Cheon-ho, who answered for her.
“Two thousand taels of silver, plus half a day of feasting and wine.”
“I see.”
Listening silently, Ihwan asked:
“What level of punishment can he face?”
“Dismissal, if carried out properly. But with the Empress and Second Prince backing him, I doubt it will be easy.”
“Do it according to the law. We’ll think about the aftermath later.”
“I don’t have the authority to dismiss him. I’ll report to the Crown Prince’s palace.”
Cheon-ho looked shocked.
“Even His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn’t easily dismiss a prefect…”
“Leave such matters to Wolju. Brother-in-law, focus entirely on preparing your goods. If funds run short, let me know right away.”
“There’s no need. Thanks to Merchant Wang’s investment of one million taels, we have sufficient funds. Of course, regaining all the lost trade routes will require more, but with the inn producing income, we’ll manage.”
The four of them continued discussing business matters.
As the conversation went on, Ihwan realized again just how crucial Go Mi’s role was.
“Is your salary satisfactory?”
“It’s more than enough for one person to live on.”
“Save as much as you can while you can. Once the business takes off, brother-in-law will reward you further.”
“Understood.”
“Thank you.”
Ihwan looked at Lee-young.
Though brief, she already felt like a true sister to him.
That man…
He thought of the body’s original owner and spoke:
“Even while dying from the enemy’s ambush, he thought of you. He always wished for your happiness, and regretted that he couldn’t do anything for you. But seeing you so strong now, he could die without regret.”
Tears streamed down Lee-young’s cheeks again.
Ihwan’s chest ached.
I’ll protect this girl. So if your soul lingers anywhere, you may now rest in peace.
Go Mi stepped outside, her eyes faintly red.
The siblings’ heartfelt reunion had stirred memories of her own family lost to violence.
I thought he was only arrogant and rude…
Cheon-mu, still sipping tea with Cheol Mu-ok, noticed her reddened eyes and widened his own.
“Why are you crying? Did the Grand Prince scold you?”
“Ah, just some dust in my eye. I’ll be going now.”
Instead of leaving through the gate, Go Mi vaulted over the wall and vanished.
Cheol Mu-ok and Cheon-mu exchanged bewildered glances.
Just then Ihwan stepped outside, and both men quickly stood up.
“Where is Wolju?”
“Well…”
“She left first.”
Ihwan frowned slightly, but soon turned to the couple with a faint smile.
“I’ll return when the time is right.”
Ju Tae was relaxing in a chair in the courtyard of his quarters.
To meet both the successor of Seongju and the warriors of Dowang Ilmaek all at once…
The whole situation still felt like a dream. Memories of his suffering and wandering across the world flashed by like a lantern slide. There were times he had nearly given up, believing destiny was meaningless. Times he had watched Ilmaek suffer in the shadows, bound by fate, while dreaming of fame and success.
Though he hadn’t told Ihwan, he had once even gone to the Sangchun Inn—originally to become a guard for some powerful noble and make money.
Had I been just a little later, I might have given up altogether.
Step, step.
Footsteps brought him out of his thoughts.
Some guards approached, one asking:
“He hasn’t returned yet?”
Ju Tae only nodded.
Normally, the guards would’ve been offended by such arrogance, but having witnessed his power, they weren’t. In fact, their eyes now held respect.
That was how strong his arrival had been.
“Dinner will be served soon. Will you join us?”
“No interest.”
The guards glanced at each other, then turned to leave. Ju Tae frowned slightly watching them.
Stay friendly until the task is done. Until then, they are comrades.
“What’s for dinner today?”
His words made the guards stop and look back.
“We don’t know. But the Master seemed in good spirits and ordered the cooks to prepare a feast.”
“A feast, huh…”
Ju Tae suddenly stood and approached them.
“Shall we eat together?”
“Let’s.”
The guards grinned. One of them even gestured for him to go ahead.
“Don’t treat me that way—we’re comrades.”
“You acknowledge us as comrades?”
“Don’t you like it?”
“Of course we do!”
From his chamber window, Wang Ji-gyeong watched the guards walk off smiling. A faint smile touched his lips as well.
And in his mind, a certain fortune-teller’s words resurfaced.
This year, a noble one will appear to aid you. You need not worry.
He had gone to that fortune-teller out of frustration with the Hwangryong Trading Company.
And that noble one… could only be Ihwan.
“Steward!”
“Yes!”
The steward entered.
“You called?”
“See to it that the guards lack nothing. If they need something, solve it immediately. Understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Especially him. Pay extra attention.”
“Of course. I’ve already instructed the maids to look after him carefully.”
Ji-gyeong suddenly frowned.
“But why is he taking so long?”
“You granted him leave until tonight, did you not? The sun hasn’t set yet, Master.”
“It makes me uneasy when he’s not here.”
At that moment Ji-gyeong’s eyes widened like a calf’s.
For Ihwan had just stepped through the main gate.
“You’re back!”
Beaming, Ji-gyeong rushed forward.
Watching him, the steward let out a quiet sigh.
He’s fallen for him far too deeply… never seen him like this before.
