SMHER 06

6. A Familiar Man

Late at night, while Wan was as usual buried in books, he lifted his head and smiled faintly without meaning to. Since meeting Jae-in, such smiles would suddenly appear without warning, leaving him slightly flustered.

“Your Highness, something pleasant?”

The old attendant who had served Wan since childhood, Hong, twitched his white eyebrows and asked.

“No. Nothing pleasant.”

Wan denied it curtly. Hong dared not pry further and fell silent. Yet it was clear—this was a side of Wan no one had seen before.

The crown prince laughing? The old attendant muttered inwardly that he had lived long enough to witness strange things. Still, Wan himself remained unaware of what was happening to him.

At that moment, Judo-wook, the left guard, approached quickly and knelt in formal greeting.

“Your Highness, I have returned with the investigation you ordered.”

At his words, Wan’s expression hardened.

“Hong. Dismiss the surroundings.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I obey.”

After Hong and the other attendants retreated, Wan gave a slight nod, signaling for him to speak.

“As you commanded, I have investigated the crimson plum blossom. The general contents are already in the report from the Office of Justice, so I will mention only the noteworthy points. It appears that the Crimson Plum, which had always operated alone, has recently been seen moving in pairs by multiple witnesses.”

“Not one, but two?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“And I hear there have been recent incidents of things disappearing—objects they never used to touch before.”

“For example?”

“Golden Buddhist statues.”

“Golden statues? Golden Buddhist statues, you say…”

Wan narrowed his eyes and pondered for a long time before speaking.

“Investigate whether any of the nobility within the capital possess golden Buddhist statues.”

“Yes, Your Highness. However, due to the suppression of Buddhism, people cannot openly worship the Buddha—so many who own such statues likely hide them.”

“I see. That may be so. Still, do your best to uncover what you can.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I, your humble servant, will spare no effort.”

Judo-wook withdrew after receiving the order, and Wan sank into thought.

The Crimson Plum—what purpose could he have in targeting golden statues? I will surely find the clue and capture him. His eyes turned cold, gleaming with sharp determination.

Wandering through the tangled alleys of the bustling marketplace, Jae-in suddenly stopped.

‘What? Another assignment already?’

There was a mark at the location where she secretly communicated with Joo-hyeon. She had intended to send a message telling them not to schedule anything for a while. Feeling a sense of foreboding, she stiffened.

‘What’s going on? Why are they rushing like this…?’

No matter how she thought about it, something must have happened. Otherwise, they would never plan to rob two places in the same month. The interval was too short—surely they would know it risked exposure.

With a small sigh, Jae-in lifted one of the roof tiles hidden in the wall. Beneath it lay a note. She quickly tucked it into her sleeve and flipped the tile back into place—its front and back slightly different in color, the method by which they communicated.

‘For now, I should leave and think.’

Jae-in glanced around to ensure no one was watching and hurried away.

Then a loud commotion stopped her in her tracks.

“More wine! Bring more wine!”

A man, thoroughly drunk in broad daylight and nearly senseless, shouted. Passersby frowned, but he paid no attention, his vulgar display growing worse.

“Sir, please stop. You have drunk too much.”

The innkeeper, bowing in distress, tried to calm him, but the man hurled insults and began throwing objects at random.

Watching the scene, Jae-in bit her lip.

Crash!

A wine table toppled to the ground. Unable to bear it any longer, Jae-in stepped forward.

“Jung-eon, stop this.”

Recognizing her voice, the drunken man—Min Jung-eon—lifted his head and pointed at her.

“Look who it is. Haha! Has my dear sister come to spy on me?”

His mocking tone grated on her nerves, but Jae-in forced herself to remain calm.

“You will regret this once you sober up. Come home.”

But Jung-eon ignored her, twisting his lips into a sneer.

“So you want to lecture me? Do you think Father truly favors you? In this house, the only person who listens to you is Father—and you know why? Because he pities you. That’s all.”

Jung-eon’s sneering words made Jae-in clench her fists.

She knew her position in the Min household. She knew how her father treated her. And she knew the family’s disapproval.

After her mother died, her father remarried, and two years later his second wife bore Jung-eon. It was only natural that Jae-in, the child of the first marriage, was unwelcome.

But that was one thing—making a disgrace of the household in public was another. Suppressing her rising anger, she tightened her fists, repeating the words of patience in her mind. Yet the turmoil inside her refused to quiet.

She did not mind being belittled. But she could not tolerate insulting her father.

“You were drinking too much. Come, we’re going—ah!”

When Jae-in reached out to pull Jung-eon, he slapped her hand away as if brushing off an unpleasant insect.

With a heavy sigh, she struggled to control herself. If this continued, she would truly cause a scene today. Should she throw caution to the wind? Should she beat him until nothing remained? Gritting her teeth, she steadied her breathing—when a voice cut through the tension.

“Who has claimed this road? Why is it so noisy?”

A man in an expensive silk robe stepped between Jae-in and Jung-eon, fanning himself with a folding screen.

He was strikingly handsome, the sort of appearance that made one look twice. Anyone could tell he was no ordinary person—the refinement in his bearing was undeniable. Yet the intoxicated Jung-eon, his reason abandoned, shouted at him in a slurred voice.

“A claim? Haha! Not just a claim—this whole place is mine. That’s right. All of it. This entire city is mine, don’t you know? Hahaha!”

Jung-eon staggered, clutching his stomach as he laughed. The stranger’s brow furrowed at the senseless remark.

“If you wish to drink, do so properly. You sound like a stray dog calling someone ‘brother.’”

Hearing the man’s muttered words, Jung-eon charged forward in anger.

“You scoundrel! How dare you— I’ll make you regret meddling!”

As he lunged to grab the man’s collar, the stranger clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Dear me. Don’t blame me.”

With a sharp sound, he folded the fan and struck several pressure points on Jung-eon’s body. The drunken man, charging like a bull, collapsed unconscious.

“Take him home.”

“Yes, Master.”

The stranger’s attendants lifted the fallen Jung-eon.

“I am deeply sorry for this disgrace. I don’t know how I can repay your kindness…”

Jae-in bowed respectfully.

“There is no need for repayment.”

Having lowered her head, Jae-in thought the man’s voice sounded strangely familiar. She raised her head to look at him more closely—at the same moment, he snapped the fan open, hiding his face.

“T-thank you for your help. I am truly grateful.”

She tilted her head, thanking him again. Perhaps she was mistaken. It felt like she had seen him before… yet she could not recall where or who he might be.

“Think nothing of it. Now then.”

He turned away. It was not appropriate for her to follow—men and women had to observe propriety.

Jae-in shook her head as if to dispel the thought. Her greater concern was how to deal with Jung-eon.

Hurrying away with small steps, she disappeared down the alley.

The man watched her departing back and lowered his fan.

“So she didn’t recognize me. …Hongmaehwa, Min Jae-in.”

Holding the fan, Joo-hyeon gazed after her for a long moment before speaking to himself.

“I thought you might recognize me. I expected too much.”

He smiled bitterly, then lifted the corners of his mouth in a small laugh.

“But this is more like you.”

When the drunken Jung-eon was brought home, events unfolded as Jae-in had expected.

Though she tried to remain composed, the hostility of her stepmother, Yoon, was almost palpable.

“Why are you coming in with him?”

“I happened to meet him in the marketplace.”

“By chance?”

Yoon’s displeasure was clear in her sharp tone, but Jae-in met it with calm detachment.

“It truly was a coincidence.”

“And who are these people?”

Yoon frowned at the attendants who had helped bring Jung-eon home.

“I encountered them by chance. They took pity and helped him. I do not know who they are.”

“You know nothing—!”

She barely suppressed her raised voice, glancing around to ensure no one heard. Then, with a suddenly gentle expression that fooled no one, she approached the attendants.

“I am grateful for your help. To which household do you belong? I would like to repay this kindness.”

“Please lower your voice. We are merely servants carrying out an order. Our mistress wished to remain unnamed and requested no attention. Now that our task is complete, we must take our leave.”

“Oh, but still—”

Their manner was refined and distant, and Yoon could not force them to stay.

Her frustration turned once more toward Jae-in. With a cold gaze, she glared at her but eventually relented.

“Go and rest.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Bowing, Jae-in noticed Yoon pause as if remembering something.

“You are a grown woman. You should not roam about as you please. Pay more attention to your conduct.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

With a thin, mocking smile, Yoon turned away and strode toward the inner quarters.

Jae-in exhaled a long sigh. It was exhausting to be reminded yet again that there was no place for her in the woman’s heart.

Even knowing it, the sinking feeling was unavoidable.