YCHW Ch 28

Yoonso traced the path of his own question in his mind, searching for its origin, but found himself lost in confusion. Unable to discern where it came from or where it was headed, he hesitated. At that moment, Hwi’s lips curved into a slanted line.

“You speak as if your fate is so fortunate. In my merchant group, I am… like an emperor, so to speak.”

“What? That’s an awfully grand comparison!”

Yoonso’s eyes widened, and he nearly jumped from his seat, prompting Hwi to laugh as if amused.

“An emperor running away from his country to live his own life? Do you think that’s possible?”

“Why not? If His Majesty didn’t choose to be in that position, he too has the right to cast off his shackles.”

“Blasphemous words. The Son of Heaven is born, not chosen, nor does he choose.”

Yoonso opened his mouth to respond but instead took a deep breath and glanced toward the door, checking for any signs of movement. Confirming no footsteps were approaching, he lowered his voice and continued.

“His Majesty *awoke as the Dragon’s Scion, and because the previous emperor passed early, he ascended the throne. At only twelve years old. How can it be said that every heavy duty is his obligation just because he was born to it?”

“And so he gained this country. All wealth and will lie in the emperor’s hands. If there are rights, there are also duties. Even if duty comes first, it changes nothing.”

Hwi responded calmly, as if explaining simple words. Yoonso had much he wanted to say, but the tangled sentences in his mind wouldn’t organize, so he only moved his lips before letting out a sigh.

Why did an arrow aimed at the emperor strike his own sorrow? He soon found the reason.

“Didn’t you once say that it’s natural for Yeongchunhwa to want to escape? That defying fate is a courageous act?”

Hwi didn’t reply, only looked at Yoonso. His gaze lingered oddly, and Yoonso, taking it as disagreement, quickly spoke again.

“A twelve-year-old child had to face the underworld. The future of this country rested on that child. If he wanted to flee, or even if he still harbors such thoughts, who could blame him? We all owe our lives to His Majesty. How could we demand a bundle from the one who pulled us from the water?”

Somehow, the conversation had circled back to the emperor, but the message Yoonso wanted to convey was singular. I, and you, can walk the path we desire. Perhaps he was also seeking an excuse for his own footsteps, for the direction he would take.

Realizing he was caught up in excessive passion, he didn’t know how to temper his emotions. As he fidgeted with his fingers, Hwi took a slow sip of tea and spoke.

“You seem to pity the emperor.”

A hollow breath almost escaped. Pity. Pity, he says. Me, pitying him. Yoonso gave a bitter smile, reflecting on the emotion Hwi had pointed out.

“How could someone like me pity the Son of Heaven? But many others must feel the same. That path was far too harsh for a twelve-year-old child.”

“No. That’s not it. If a twelve-year-old child ascends to that position, one should suspect and worry. Especially if the nation’s survival depends on that child alone.”

“That’s harsh.”

Yoonso’s curt retort made Hwi chuckle and glance at him as if observing something amusing. Perhaps he was about to mock Yoonso for speaking naively, ignorant of the ways of the world. Upset that their views didn’t align, Yoonso pressed his lips shut, only to hear a softer voice.

“You’re wrong.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

“Yeongchunhwa fulfills a noble duty, but Yongrin has no such thing.”

The unexpected topic made Yoonso’s eyes widen with confusion. How could there be no noble duty for Yongrin, who faces the underworld to protect this country?

“Yeongchunhwa can live without Yongrin, but you know Yongrin cannot do the same, don’t you? What they pursue is self-interest. Without Yeongchunhwa, they die, so they devote themselves to this country.”

“What does that mean…”

“Is there great meaning in a dog’s loyalty to its master? A master can abandon a dog, but a dog cannot abandon its master. Yongrin is no different. It’s no better than groveling at the feet of the only one who feeds them, kissing their feet and begging.”

Yoonso’s heart sank. The contempt in Hwi’s unfiltered critique was palpable. It wasn’t clear whom the arrow targeted—Yongrin, Yeongchunhwa, or perhaps both.

Hwi looked directly into Yoonso’s trembling eyes, like a hunter aiming at long-pursued prey.

“So, Yoonso, don’t pity them.”

“…”

“If you pity others in your situation, it will only hold you back.”

Was he saying who was Yoonso to worry about others? At times, Hwi’s words were hard to fully grasp. Whether it was because Yoonso was young, lacked worldly experience, or because Hwi didn’t fully reveal himself, he couldn’t tell, but either way, it left him deflated.

“My emotions are my own. So I’ll pity or resent as I please.”

“Resent, you say.”

Hwi caught the heartfelt words Yoonso had blurted out without yielding, not letting them pass lightly. Yoonso faltered for a moment but didn’t show it.

“You pity, and you resent too?”

“Is there anyone who’s never resented the emperor even once in their life?”

“True. What did you resent?”

Though he hadn’t seen the emperor’s face, only meeting him once, Yoonso recalled the emperor. The Dragon’s Scion who awoke at the unprecedented age of seven. A child who, at twelve, had to face the underworld. The man who left Yoonso with the lifelong shackle of being the empress’s material.

“His existence.”

“His existence.”

Yoonso glanced at Hwi, who nodded impassively. It was so like him, and yet surprising, that such irreverent and blasphemous words elicited only this reaction.

“Sometimes, don’t people curse the sun just for shining too brightly? It’s like that.”

Shrugging lightly to dispel the heavy atmosphere, Yoonso saw Hwi’s lips curve into a smooth arc.

Caught by that unadorned smile for a moment, Yoonso was distracted until the door opened, and servants brought in food, causing the smile on Hwi’s lips to vanish without a trace. Feeling a pang of regret, Yoonso let out a quiet sigh.

“Are you sleeping here tonight?”

“Yes.”

At the reply from the bed opposite, Yoonso gave a subtle smile. He’d heard that twins or siblings close in age sometimes shared a room—perhaps this was what it felt like.

Turning to face Hwi, Yoonso gazed at him. Though it was dark without a light, he could see Hwi’s eyes blinking. It seemed tonight, too, Hwi wouldn’t sleep easily. Perhaps because of the day’s events, Yoonso’s mind was also restless, his eyes wide open.

Today, we made it through safely.

As he stared blankly at Hwi, a sudden thought flared up, consuming his mind like a wildfire.

He had assumed his father might have managed some quick maneuvering, but was that truly possible? Was the imperial court so lenient? Delaying like this would make missing him a serious crime, so would his father choose to keep hiding him?

It was strange that the imperial court didn’t know, and equally strange if they knew but weren’t pursuing him. Feeling like a beast was lurking behind him, anxiety surged.

“Sir.”

“…”

“About that woman we met before. The one looking for her child, taken by someone.”

“Hm.”

“If someone kidnapped her child… will the authorities really find them?”

No answer came. It wasn’t a question expecting an answer, nor was it what he truly wanted to know.

“If they’re looking, why is there no news?”

More than half a month had passed since he left the home where he grew up. Yet, no one had chased or searched for him. Of course, since his destination was unknown, finding him wouldn’t be easy, but if the Son of Heaven wanted to find someone, who couldn’t they find?

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Hwi’s face became clearer. Staring blankly at his sharp, high nose, Yoonso’s eyelids grew heavy. Perhaps airing a piece of the anxiety lurking in his heart had eased him.

Yawning and blinking drowsily, he heard Hwi’s low voice cut through the silence.

“They’ve given up.”

Yoonso closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. Is that so? Just a mere Yeongchunhwa, so they might give up. Perhaps being the empress’s material was meaningless after all. That’s why, despite being confined for years, no one paid him any attention. There are already three consorts, aren’t there? So…

“Or they’re secretly pursuing.”