YCHW Ch 29

Oh, if Yeongchunhwa’s escape became known, it would bring great disgrace to both the imperial court and Yeongchunhwa, so they might be pursuing him discreetly. However, tracking Yeongchunhwa would involve Yongrin, and even so, it was hard to believe it could be this quiet.

In the end, Yoonso arrived at the assumption that either his father was still successfully hiding him, or perhaps they wouldn’t waste manpower on capturing a single Yeongchunhwa.

Yoonso mulled over the latter possibility in his mind, and as he did, the heated exchange with Hwi at the tavern suddenly came to mind. That memory triggered a flood of premonition.

The Dragon’s Scion who awoke at an unprecedentedly young age. Yeongchunhwa who sprouted at an unprecedentedly young age. Just as Yoonso pitied him, could he also be pitying Yoonso? Despite not having seen each other since he was eight, there seemed to be a sense of kinship tying their fingertips together.

Could it be that you showed me mercy? Are you giving me a chance to escape?

If so, I might still have plenty of time.

Embracing hope, a soft breath escaped him, and his eyelids grew heavy. Before closing his eyes for the last time, it seemed Hwi’s gaze turned toward him. Yoonso smiled and fell into sleep.

As Yoonso ate breakfast alone, the events from yesterday’s marketplace suddenly came to mind. Because of that incident, he hadn’t bought the pouch he intended to and returned empty-handed. Letting out a quiet sigh, Yoonso fell into thought.

Would it be okay to go back and buy it? Surely he wouldn’t run into that scoundrel again?

Having been thoroughly frightened and even wetting himself in a crowded place, the man likely wouldn’t roam the streets for a while. Yoonso needed to be cautious, but he didn’t want to shrink away because of such a person. Finishing his meal, he stepped outside.

The marketplace was peaceful today, as if nothing had happened. Watching people go about their daily lives, his heart felt as calm as a serene lake. Yoonso stood still for a moment, observing the passersby, then headed toward the stall selling pouches.

Considering Hwi’s usual attire, he likely wouldn’t use anything too colorful. But a color too dark didn’t feel right either. Browsing the various pouches, Yoonso picked up one that caught his eye.

“How much is this?”

The base was woven from light blue fabric, and the cord tying the pouch was a deep blue, perfectly to his liking. The merchant guarding the stall glanced at Yoonso and tossed out a reply.

“Five jeon.”

“What? Five jeon?”

The price was higher than expected, and Yoonso fidgeted with the pouch in surprise. Though it was made of silk, it didn’t seem like a high-quality item, making him wonder if the prices here were inflated.

Since it was a gift for Hwi, he shouldn’t begrudge even twice the price, but with limited money in his purse, he couldn’t help but hesitate. As he mentally counted his coins and deliberated, the merchant waved his hand dismissively.

“Hey, if you’re not buying, put it down. Don’t get it dirty.”

The curt, sharp response made Yoonso’s face flush. As he dejectedly set the pouch down, a woman interjected, pointing accusingly.

“Ha, five jeon? What a crook! Even if you size up your customers, how can you charge such an outrageous price?”

Recognizing her vaguely, Yoonso searched his memory, and the image of a plum blossom grove flashed before his eyes. Realizing she was the woman who had told him stories about swings there, he let out a gasp of surprise.

“What? It’s my business how I sell. If you don’t like it, leave.”

“Oh, is that so? Then I suppose it’s fine if I spread the word around town. Plenty of fools would buy at that price, right?”

The woman smugly issued her threat, and the merchant’s face twisted instantly. As if she’d shout the price to everyone right then, the merchant lowered his voice and handed the pouch to Yoonso.

“Two jeon.”

“Tch.”

“Ugh, why are you like this? Every time I try to make a sale…”

The merchant gritted his teeth and lowered the price further, and only then did the woman signal Yoonso with her eyes. Yoonso quickly took the pouch and paid.

Without her, he would’ve been overcharged. Yoonso looked at the woman with admiration and thanked her. She gave a small wave and started walking, and Yoonso followed.

Reaching an arched stone bridge over the river, the woman stopped and turned to Yoonso. Her demeanor was quite different from when they first met in the plum blossom grove, likely because her attire was different.

Back then, she wore a vibrant, finely adorned skirt, but now she had on a knee-length robe with trousers underneath—a practical outfit worn by young girls or working women.

“We meet again, huh?”

“Yes. Do you live here?”

“Well, it’s one of the places I stay. What brings you here?”

Her tone was starkly different from before, perhaps because Hwi wasn’t around, so she felt no need for formalities. But it didn’t offend Yoonso. She seemed older than him, and she had helped him bargain.

“I’m just passing through on my way.”

“What do you do while passing through?”

“Uh… my master is handling business, and I’m just…”

“Business? What kind?”

Yoonso started to respond but paused, sensing her probing attitude. Instead of answering, he cautiously asked.

“Why do you ask?”

The woman crossed her arms tightly, looking Yoonso up and down. Her sharp gaze made him offer an awkward smile, and she clicked her tongue.

“You don’t seem like you’ve been serving your master for long.”

“…”

“You weren’t originally a servant, were you?”

Her accurate guess made Yoonso’s toes curl, but he tried not to show it, calmly meeting her gaze. She tapped her arm with her fingers, narrowing her brow.

“Your family must have fallen, and you ended up collared. All problems come down to money in the end.”

Her bitter tone prompted Yoonso to let out a quiet sigh. He didn’t know how she discerned his background, but it didn’t seem like she was prying with ill intent.

“Does your master deal in loans?”

“What? No! He’s a good person. He’s just part of a merchant group.”

“Are you sure?”

Nodding firmly with conviction, Yoonso saw her give a small laugh.

“Almost got fleeced, and you’re so sure. If he’s so good, why does he keep you as a servant?”

“He… he saved me from a dangerous situation. Serving him is an honor for me.”

To be precise, Hwi had deftly handled the bandits Yoonso nearly encountered, but… if not for Hwi, he wouldn’t have made it this far, so “saved” wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

As if gauging his sincerity, the woman narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Yoonso’s face. Then she looked away and pulled a piece of paper from her robe.

“Then, have you seen this child on your way?”

Caught off guard by the sudden change in topic, Yoonso examined the portrait she held out. The drawing of a child’s face stirred a sense of déjà vu.

“Uh… no. But I’ve met someone else looking for a child on my way. Not the same child, though.”

“Really? Where?”

When Yoonso told her where he’d seen the other woman, she listened intently, sighed, and tucked the paper away. Noticing a trace of sorrow on her face, Yoonso cautiously asked.

“Is it your child?”

“She’s my family’s younger sister.”

If she’s a sister, she’s already family, so what did “family’s younger sister” mean? Regardless, meeting two people who had lost children left Yoonso uneasy. He offered quiet condolences and thought of Hwi.

“Were you suspecting my master?”

“Yes. He seems like someone who could easily kidnap a child for use. I followed him, but he didn’t seem like much.”

“What? You followed my master?”

When had she trailed Hwi? Had she been watching him since the plum blossom grove?

“His movements were so quick, it was hard to keep up.”

“…My master isn’t that kind of person, so you can stop worrying.”

“Well, nothing in this world is certain, is it? Especially if your master is off doing ‘business’ alone, leaving you behind.”

Yoonso was certain Hwi wasn’t the kind of villain who’d kidnap children. But that certainty came from staying by Hwi’s side, and since he couldn’t prove it to her, he held his tongue. Proclaiming someone’s innocence to a grieving person wouldn’t help anyway.

“Fine. If you learn anything new or see someone suspicious, send word to the teahouse with the red knotted cord.”

“Yes, I will.”

Despite suspecting Hwi, she spoke so openly to Yoonso, perhaps because she trusted him, at least a little. Or maybe she was desperate enough to approach the servant of a man she suspected.

Yoonso wanted to ask her name, but that would mean giving a false name himself, so he hesitated. Meanwhile, she left a brief farewell and departed.

A strange aftertaste lingered, and Yoonso stood for a while, gazing at the river below the bridge, before starting to walk.