Chapter 8
“Outer Residence Overseer Tang Wunsam! Why did you hand over my daughter, who carried the jade token, to the guest hall manager like a piece of baggage?”
Father glared at Tang Wunsam with a gaze as cold as frost.
“With the clan leader and the young master absent, I could not make such a decision on my own. I could not bring her into the inner residence, but I did instruct that she be taken to the guest quarters and treated warmly…”
“You dare call that an excuse? It seems you have no desire to live.”
Father’s low and solemn voice made everyone tremble.
The moment he decided on punishment, it felt as though everyone’s breath was being squeezed by the fear of death.
“I deserve death!”
Tang Wunsam slammed his forehead against the stone floor.
Thud.
Blood flowed from his forehead. Seeing that made my own forehead hurt in sympathy.
“Father, wait!”
So all these people had been brought here because they looked down on me?
As I blinked in confusion, Father spoke coldly.
“This has nothing to do with you.”
He drew a firm line, clearly indicating that I should not interfere.
Then he looked at the officials and servants with stern eyes.
“The overseer of the outer residence and the head of the medicine hall will be punished. The heads of the work departments and all servants of Yakgawon will be flogged and dismissed. This is to restore the collapsed order and hierarchy.”
What?
Really?
To me, it looks like it’s because of me.
Even if my guess was wrong, such large-scale punishment would not help me at all.
People would say that because of the newcomer, many innocent people were beaten and driven out.
“You shouldn’t punish people who did nothing wrong.”
“What did you say?”
Father’s eyebrow twitched.
Everyone was watching.
Yet I had dared to argue with him.
And I had not even been officially recognized by the family yet.
Fear hit me belatedly.
But what could I do?
I had already started.
I had to finish.
Holding tightly onto Father’s robe, I continued speaking.
My hands trembled so badly that to others I probably looked terrified rather than brave.
“Please praise the people who did well, and only punish those who did wrong. Couldn’t you do that?”
“If the guilty do not step forward, then everyone must be punished.”
“I know who treated me kindly. There were people who were nice to me.”
My voice became smaller as I spoke.
Then I looked toward Hyang-a.
“When I came home after all that hardship, they made me feel like it was truly good that I returned. They gave me delicious food and held me warmly. If those people are driven away too… I… sniff… I’ll feel very sad…”
In the end, I began to cry.
I was afraid Father might hate me.
And I was terrified that Hyang-a and the guest hall cooks might be beaten and expelled because of me.
In the large garden of Father’s residence, Buyongwon, no sound could be heard except my quiet sobbing.
Everyone was holding their breath while watching Father and me.
How much time passed?
Father, who had been staring at me silently, slowly turned his head and sighed.
“You say they were kind. That was treatment you should have naturally received as a direct descendant of the Tang family. Should I reward them simply for doing what was expected?”
“Well… not exactly a reward…”
I was about to add that I just didn’t want them punished.
But Father spoke first.
“Very well. It’s not impossible to give a reward. Who are the people you want to reward?”
“…What?”
I couldn’t believe how easily Father changed his mind.
Not only that—he would even reward them.
I couldn’t miss this chance.
“Then I’ll tell you who deserves a reward.”
Father obviously didn’t know the cooks’ names.
So I needed to point them out myself.
With my short legs, I hurried down the stairs.
“Ah!”
Both my feet slipped into the air.
In such a serious moment, I had misstepped.
I fell forward headfirst.
Just as my nose was about to hit the ground—
My body suddenly lifted into the air.
“You are terribly careless.”
Father grabbed my waist and pulled me up with irritation.
If I had rolled down the stairs and smashed my nose in front of everyone, it would have been a huge disgrace.
“You nearly died just a few hours ago, and yet… tch.”
Wait.
Was he not annoyed because I might embarrass him?
It sounded more like he was worried about me getting hurt.
No, that couldn’t be right.
Father wasn’t the type to show affection openly.
Expecting that would only lead to disappointment.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Forget it.”
Father kept holding my waist as he walked down the stairs.
My arms and legs dangled in the air as if I were caught on a tree branch.
Father… who carries a child like this?
Come to think of it, the last time Father had held a child was probably when he held my sister long ago.
The war with the unorthodox factions lasted five years.
And another year had passed since it ended.
For six years, Father hadn’t even known whether his daughters were alive or dead.
Still… I wasn’t a sack of barley.
“My head is getting all the blood.”
“It won’t if you raise your head.”
“Ah… that won’t work.”
My waist was bent. How was I supposed to lift my head?
I wasn’t a gymnast.
After I flopped around a few times and then went limp, Father glanced down at me.
His expression seemed to say:
What is this troublesome creature?
“That doesn’t work?”
“No. Please hold me upright. With my head toward the sky.”
“You are truly troublesome.”
Father adjusted his hold, lifting my upper body and supporting my legs.
Now properly held, I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck.
Father frowned slightly.
Did he dislike me clinging to him?
“Hic!”
The tension made me hiccup.
“Honestly…”
Father furrowed his brows again.
“Hic!”
I quickly covered my nose and mouth with both hands and held my breath.
Father looked at me with disbelief.
“If you cover your nose like that, won’t you suffocate?”
“Hic! I’m not that stupid!”
“I should hope not.”
Father’s expression looked troubled.
He must have been thinking:
How will this child survive in a martial family?
A weak body and a soft personality.
He probably felt worried.
But I felt like I was floating in the sky.
Being held safely in Father’s broad arms made me feel like I had the whole world.
“Hic! Please go over there.”
I hurriedly pointed toward Hyang-a before Father could put me down.
Father walked where I pointed.
He stopped in front of Hyang-a.
“This cook named Hyang-a, who works in the guest hall kitchen, made delicious noodles for me. She combed my hair and patted me to sleep.”
“Hyang-a, stand up. You will receive silver and silk as a reward.”
At Father’s words, Hyang-a hesitated before slowly rising.
“Young miss, thank you… and I’m sorry.”
Her face clearly showed regret for falling asleep.
After all, I had slipped out alone and nearly died in the fire.
“It was my fault for sneaking out of the room. Hic! I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“Oh my, how sweetly you speak. Um… Young Master, please give the young miss to me. I can stop her hiccups. If I bounce her a little, they’ll stop quickly.”
Hyang-a cautiously reached out her arms.
“No need. What nonsense about bouncing!”
Father quickly turned away.
Wait… didn’t he dislike holding me?
I blinked at him.
“Who is next?”
Father avoided my gaze.
“Hic! Please go over there.”
I pointed toward the group of guest hall cooks.
But my hand moved up and down.
“Huh?”
My body was moving up and down too.
Was Father…?
Father’s arms were gently moving.
He was secretly bouncing on me.
When I stared at him in surprise, he quickly looked away, embarrassed.
“Why are you staring at me? You should point out the people who deserve rewards.”
“Hic! Yes. Over there—please stop here.”
Father stopped in front of the guest hall cooks.
“Hic! The young cook gave me rice crackers. The cook next to her gave me tanghulu. And the one behind her gave me jeonbyeong.”
“The people Gahye named may stand. They will all receive the same reward—silver and silk.”
One by one, the cooks who had been lying prostrate stood up.
“The other cooks from the guest hall kitchen over there are also kind. And…”
