Chapter 2 …
No One Can Surpass You
“Let’s go. Follow me inside.”
No Tae-tae glared at Dohwa but took her hand and headed toward the main house. Dohwa obediently followed, leaning gently against him as she spoke sweetly.
“Grandmother, I promise I won’t do that again.”
No Tae-tae snorted and replied.
“You certainly won’t. And there won’t be another chance either. Your parents sent a letter saying they’ll personally teach you from now on. So do you think you can continue behaving so freely?”
At those words, the smile on Dohwa’s face vanished completely.
“Grandmother, can’t we stay here? Let’s stay in Anga Village. I really like it here.”
No Tae-tae poked her forehead gently with a finger, seeming somewhat regretful that his granddaughter didn’t want to go somewhere better.
“This child… Others long to go to Hyeonseong but have no opportunity, yet this peculiar girl dislikes it even if she gets the chance.”
Dohwa pouted and replied,
“Hyeonseong isn’t as free as Anga Village.”
Knowing her personality well, No Tae-tae stopped trying to persuade her further. He led Dohwa to a basin and gently wiped her face with a towel while speaking.
“You truly were born with such beautiful looks. Your skin won’t even darken. If you weren’t this lovely, I would have worried every day about how you’d eventually marry, wandering around so freely.”
The moment Dohwa heard the word “marry,” she flinched and gave her grandmother a resentful look.
“Grandmother, why are you talking about marriage? I’m still a child!”
Life in the past was really hard. She hadn’t even reached double digits yet, and now she had to worry about marriage.
No Tae-tae laughed at her exaggerated expression and replied,
“What do you mean ‘still a child’? You’re nine this year. It’s time you start learning proper etiquette. Your mother once sent a letter saying she’d take you away, but you delayed it, using me as an excuse. Now your parents want to take both of us—what excuse will you make this time?”
“Huh?”
Dohwa shook No Tae-tae’s arm and answered stubbornly,
“I never used you as an excuse! I just didn’t want to leave your side.”
“Stop shaking. You’re making my head spin.”
No Tae-tae set her down and said.
Dohwa looked up at him, seeking confirmation.
“Grandmother, do we really have to leave? Can’t we stay?”
No Tae-tae nodded and replied,
“No, you can’t stay. I really don’t know what’s in your head. If you grow up in the countryside, you’ll just be a country bumpkin later. But if you go to Hyeonseong, you can become a proper young lady of a noble household. Think carefully for yourself.”
Knowing she couldn’t avoid going to Hyeonseong this time, Dohwa stopped resisting and asked instead,
“What about my third uncle and his family?”
No Tae-tae answered,
“Your third uncle’s family will go too. According to your father’s letter, he’ll likely be reappointed this time. Your mother also bought some farmland there, so if your third uncle’s family goes, they can take care of it.”
Dohwa, cupping her cheeks, asked with suspicion,
“Why hasn’t Father been promoted yet? He’s being reappointed as governor for a third term?”
She doubted whether her father was lacking in ability.
No Tae-tae glared at his granddaughter, then his expression darkened as he seemed worried about his eldest son. He sighed and said,
“Your father comes from a humble family with little support. How many people would help him on his official path? Promotions aren’t easy.”
Dohwa didn’t know how to respond. She had lived a long life herself but had no experience with government positions.
Seeing No Tae-tae in a bad mood, she quickly changed the topic.
“What will happen to our house here then?”
No Tae-tae focused and replied,
“I’ve already thought it through. The family’s farmland will be given to relatives who have difficulty making a living. As for this mansion, it will be left for the family of Chisin, a collateral descendant. Last year, Chisin injured a leg trying to help someone, so they couldn’t contribute much to the household. So they’ll live here and manage the house.”
Seeing that No Tae-tae had already made all the plans, Dohwa completely gave up on staying in Anga Village and asked,
“When will we leave then?”
“After the harvest!”
Seeing her still look disappointed, No Tae-tae patted her head.
“This child… they say if you enjoy blessings, you don’t even know it. You’re going to Hyeonseong to see your father, and yet you dislike it so?”
“It’s not that I dislike it.”
Dohwa replied softly. In truth, she simply didn’t know how to interact with her parents. When she had arrived here as a child, her parents were even younger than her current age!
Anga Village, An Family Yard
Dohwa sat neatly in the main hall, diligently recording the year’s harvest.
No Tae-tae sat beside her, watching her with gentle pride. Seeing her accurately record the harvest brought an involuntary sense of pride and joy.
In truth, No Tae-tae knew the villagers and the An family whispered that she favored only Dohwa and ignored the boys. But they didn’t realize that Dohwa’s favor wasn’t just for appearances—she was truly a blessing to the family!
The year Dohwa was born, the eldest son, who had failed the state examination twice, finally passed. The following year, he was appointed a seventh-rank governor.
Since then, the An family, which had been of moderate standing in the village, prospered year by year.
Moreover, Dohwa was unusually warm-hearted, seeming to melt the hearts of everyone around her.
No Tae-tae had lost her husband early and became a widow at a young age. She worked tirelessly to raise her four children, which eventually wore down her health.
When her eldest son was appointed governor, No Tae-tae felt she had fulfilled her duties to her deceased husband and could finally lay down the constant worry she carried. But once she relaxed, her health deteriorated further. She could no longer endure heavy labor, struggled to breathe, and had to constantly take medicinal tonics.
When her eldest son left for his post, Dohwa stayed behind. She was too young to travel far, and No Tae-tae, fond of her pale, cute granddaughter, wanted to keep her as a companion.
At age five, Dohwa once secretly followed villagers to a mountain temple to obtain medicine for No Tae-tae, traveling many miles in the scorching heat. Witnessing this, No Tae-tae felt a deep, unparalleled warmth.
Remarkably, No Tae-tae’s health improved steadily afterward, allowing her to walk outside again. She regained enough strength to perhaps outrun young women of her own age. To No Tae-tae, Dohwa was a blessing in every sense.
“Grandmother, will all 200 mu from our household’s harvest be sent to Imi County?”
Dohwa asked after calculating the year’s yield. Imi County was where her father served as governor.
No Tae-tae nodded and replied,
“Many northern regions suffered a drought last year. Imi County, being in the north, didn’t have a bumper harvest either. So we’ll send this grain there: some for our family to eat, some to sell for silver.”
Dohwa sighed, feigning adult-like concern.
“Father must be working hard then.”
Even in modern times, such natural disasters were hard to prevent.
No Tae-tae said,
“Now that you understand your father’s hardships, be kind and attentive to him when you reach Imi County.”
Dohwa had never lived with her parents and barely mentioned them. No Tae-tae worried she might grow distant. Since he was old, he wanted Dohwa to eventually rely on her parents and thought he should help foster a close bond between her and her eldest brother.
But Dohwa pouted and replied,
“Father already has a precious daughter. He might not care for me.”
No Tae-tae looked at her sharply and said,
“Do you think you’re worse than that daughter?”
Whether the other child or Dohwa, both were granddaughters, but No Tae-tae found Dohwa far more lovely. No matter what the letters said about the concubine’s twins, Dohwa remained the most cherished.
Dohwa stood tall, prideful, and said,
“Do you think I’m worse than her? I just hate being compared!”
Although young in body, her spirit was nearly that of a 30-year-old adult.
No Tae-tae looked at his granddaughter’s haughty stance, amused, and comforted her,
“Don’t worry. You’re the eldest daughter of the An family. No one can surpass you.”
Dohwa immediately snuggled into his arms, smiling, and asked,
“Then even my eldest brother can’t surpass me?”
“Oh, you little rascal!”
No Tae-tae ruffled her hair and continued,
“That boy is your legitimate eldest brother. Do you want to be jealous even of him?”
“Anyway, grandmother, you must favor only me.”
Dohwa buried her face in his chest, mischievous as ever. She had known since waking in the ancient era how to handle No Tae-tae with charm and humor.
“Yes, this grandmother loves our mischievous Dohwa the most.”
No Tae-tae shook his head, full of affection but helpless at her antics.
“Mother!”
At that moment, An Chi-gang and his wife entered. Dohwa quickly left No Tae-tae’s arms, greeted them politely, and sat beside them. The An family, having produced a governor, followed stricter household rules than ordinary rural families. Even if one didn’t need to leave when elders spoke, one couldn’t speak out of turn.
An Chi-gang spoke first,
“Mother, we’ve loaded all the grain.”
No Tae-tae nodded, trusting his meticulous third son.
“Good. You’ll depart tomorrow.”
An Chi-gang hesitated and asked,
“Mother, how about I stay behind and leave with you?”
No Tae-tae glared at him.
“If you stay, who will watch over all this grain?”
“Then I’ll stay.”
An Chi-gang’s wife quickly added. The grain had to be transported by boat. If she and her husband left first, only No Tae-tae, Dohwa, and Munda would travel later. If anything happened en route, it would be embarrassing before Daeno-ya.
But No Tae-tae waved her off.
“Mun-hwi is still young; you should take care of him. Dohwa, Munda, and I will travel together. The Son couple will accompany us, and we’ll stick to official roads, so there’s no danger.”
Seeing that No Tae-tae had made up his mind, An Chi-gang said nothing further. Having raised four children alone, one of whom became a governor, No Tae-tae always followed through on what she decided, and it was nearly impossible to change her mind once made.
