Chapter 7 …
You Can’t Take Them Lightly
Jin-oh glanced at the self-inflicted wound in his hand, then turned his eyes to Dohwa, who was hopping excitedly toward No Tae-tae, and inwardly admired her. She was truly clever. She even knew to offer a bribe first!
After giving a sidelong glance at the tightly closed carriage, Jin-oh gave instructions to a young companion beside him.
“So-ryuk , go check on the carriage. Make sure those two men don’t cause trouble there.”
Jin So-ryuk immediately nodded, took two companions with him, and stood beside Dohwa’s carriage.
After a short while, the human traffickers approached. So-ryuk glared and stepped forward.
“What do you think you’re doing? This is our envoy’s carriage! Get lost!”
The traffickers hesitated, glancing between the carriage and So-ryuk’s group. After inspecting briefly, they finally turned and began searching elsewhere.
“So-ryuk, you’re amazing!”
Once the traffickers had gone, Dohwa looked at So-ryuk with eyes full of respect. So-ryuk was known throughout the envoy as a compassionate person. That might be why he was escorting the tribute items in the first place.
So-ryuk scratched the back of his head awkwardly and whispered, discreetly pointing at the carriage.
“Tell the person inside not to come out for the next few days. Those traffickers might follow us for a while.”
Dohwa’s eyes widened in shock.
“You… you knew there was someone in the carriage?”
So-ryuk proudly raised his head and answered.
“You only caught up to our envoy convoy recently, right? Our Fifth Brother spotted you.”
Dohwa’s expression stiffened. She thought they had been careful enough, but someone had already discovered them—it was unnerving. The people of old truly were extraordinary.
Seeing Dohwa’s expression, So-ryuk hurried to reassure her.
“Don’t worry. We won’t tell anyone.”
Dohwa responded with gratitude.
“Thank you.”
So-ryuk waved his hand as if it were nothing. After receiving a small bag of jerky from No Tae-tae, he chuckled and left.
Dohwa watched So-ryuk’s retreating figure and the people of the envoy, making a silent resolution.
‘I’ll never underestimate people from the old kingdoms again!’
“Eat slowly, Mokmella. There’s still plenty of steamed buns and jerky, so don’t rush.”
“Dohwa, quickly give the water bottles to Yeop-yang and Iguja.”
Inside the carriage, No Tae-tae watched helplessly as So Yeop-yang and Jo Igu stuffed food into their mouths, constantly sending Dohwa on errands.
“Those damned traffickers… how cruel they must be to starve the kids for days.”
“Imagine how upset their families would be if they knew.”
“When you get home, don’t wander around carelessly. You’ve already suffered so much this time.”
They say people’s hearts soften with age, and No Tae-tae was no exception. Once the envoy had driven off the traffickers and safety was restored, he couldn’t help but feel pity for the embarrassed faces of So Yeop-yang and Jo Igu.
The two boys obeyed No Tae-tae’s caring admonitions, though how seriously they took them was known only to themselves. Meanwhile, Dohwa and An Mundo kept their minds elsewhere.
“Thunk! Thunk!”
“And you two! If you cause trouble again, be ready to face this grandma’s wrath!”
No Tae-tae playfully grabbed the heads of Dohwa and An Mundo. An Mundo winced in guilt, but Dohwa let out a pained moan and snuggled into his embrace.
“Grandmother, we were wrong. Sorry for worrying you. We won’t do it again.”
No Tae-tae glared at his granddaughter. After raising Dohwa from infancy, he knew exactly how much mischief she might be plotting. Just seeing her repent for a moment wasn’t enough to let him relax. She would surely act the same way if a similar situation arose again.
“Grandma won’t have to teach you anymore. Luckily, in a couple of days, we’ll reach the Zhongzhou city precinct. Then your parents will be the ones to discipline you.”
Dohwa’s face fell instantly, and she slumped against An Mundo’s shoulder. No Tae-tae smiled with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, So Yeop-yang, nibbling on jerky, quietly observed No Tae-tae and Dohwa’s interaction. The boy seemed to be very cherished at home. Though his looks were too delicate for So Yeop-yang’s taste, he appeared bold and clever—he might make a good sado (disciple). If allowed to practice ink grinding in his study, he might do well.
However, judging by No Tae-tae’s attitude, it seemed unlikely that So Yeop-yang’s idea would work. Despite his family’s wealth, No Tae-tae would not entrust such a cherished grandchild to him. The debt of life saved would have to be repaid in another way.
Dohwa, for her part, had no idea what So Yeop-yang was thinking. If she did, she would have certainly splashed water on his face! Risking their lives to save them and then being asked to serve as a sado? Shameless! They deserved to be scolded!
As dusk fell, Dohwa’s carriage and the envoy convoy stopped along the roadside.
“There are too many disaster victims; all the local towns have locked their gates. We’ll have to spend the night outdoors.”
No Tae-tae peered outside the carriage and sighed.
“Sir No Tae-tae, the firewood is stacked. Step out and get some fresh air.”
The voice of the Sun family driver was heard. No Tae-tae then told So Yeop-yang and Jo Igu,
“You’ve been cooped up in the carriage long enough. Step out and get some air.”
So Yeop-yang nodded silently, while Jo Igu asked nervously,
“Are we really allowed to go out?”
Dohwa reassured them.
“It should be fine now. We haven’t seen those traffickers for a few days. They’ve probably left.”
The five of them got off the carriage and sat around a campfire with the Sun family. Nearby, the envoy people observed Dohwa’s group.
“Look at that, they really were hiding two people.”
“Those two kids are brave. They even rescued kids from the traffickers.”
“I heard the traffickers suffered huge losses. The woman among them got hurt, and only three of the five or six kidnapped kids were returned.”
Jin So-ryuk reacted immediately.
“Even so, they did well! I wanted to punish those rascals anyway! The two kids were amazing.”
“Pah!”
Jin-oh smacked So-ryuk on the head.
“What do you mean ‘well’? If they had been caught, who knows what would’ve happened? Not just those two kids, but No Tae-tae and his family too.”
“We only handle the tribute transport. Interfering in unrelated matters is strictly forbidden. Listen well: don’t meddle, don’t say unnecessary things. Surviving to return home is the most important thing.”
So-ryuk muttered quietly, glaring at Jin-oh.
“Then why did Fifth Brother help them?”
Jin-oh met So-ryuk’s gaze.
“It’s because a few of our companions were injured, isn’t it?”
Jin-oh had agreed to protect Dohwa’s group after testing the hemostatic powder she provided and finding it effective. Without such a benefit, he wouldn’t have risked angering dangerous criminals. There’s an old saying: it’s not the thieves you fear, but their grudges. The envoy had many people, but they had to protect the tribute and move quickly. If traffickers interfered, even the convoy could be hampered.
So-ryuk disagreed.
“Fifth Brother, shouldn’t people help each other outside?”
Jin-oh gave him a cold stare.
“Your help might not actually help them. Those kids may look like they rescued others from traffickers, but did they really? Can they ensure the rescued kids return safely to their parents? Or prevent them from being sold again? The rescued might end up in an even worse situation. Enough. Let’s drop it and rest. We must hurry tomorrow.”
Jin-oh got back into the carriage, secretly sighing as he watched Dohwa’s group prepare to eat. He wasn’t cruel—he had many responsible companions. Leading them out, he had to ensure their safe return; otherwise, the families waiting at home would lose faith.
Jin-oh had helped them considerably on this journey. In two days, they would reach Zhongzhou city and deliver the tribute. He could only hope the rest of their journey would be safe.
So Yeop-yang and Jo Igu stretched in front of the campfire, relieved to finally move after being stuck in the carriage.
“Wash your faces. You’re filthy.”
The Sun family offered wet towels. The boys took them immediately. Everyone wants to stay clean if possible.
Dohwa noted that So Yeop-yang was no ordinary child. Once he had washed, his noble elegance shone even through shabby clothes.
Jo Igu looked ordinary, but his determined eyes and strong will made him appear reliable.
No Tae-tae silently watched So Yeop-yang, then suddenly spoke.
“From now on, don’t get out of the carriage unless necessary.”
Then turning to Dohwa:
“And you, stop causing trouble.”
The two looked at each other but said nothing. In these times, beauty often invited trouble.
“Start with this food. Eat and then sleep.”
Dohwa grabbed the food immediately. Raised free-spirited, she ignored appearances and enjoyed her meal.
So Yeop-yang first wiped his hands with the towel before eating. His slow, deliberate chewing looked elegant and drew attention from No Tae-tae and others.
Meanwhile, Dohwa ate rapidly, smacking loudly. So Yeop-yang frowned, then gently nudged her with his elbow, signaling her to eat quietly.
Dohwa, however, misunderstood and thought he was annoyed, so she shifted aside. So Yeop-yang muttered under his breath with an exasperated expression:
“Country bumpkin!”
