Chapter 19
by Wintermoon“Yong-rae!”
Relieved to find that Yong-rae was still breathing, Yoo-ha turned his fury toward the man in silk.
“Seong Dong-yeong! What is the meaning of this!”
“Ah, it’s nothing much,” Dong-yeong replied smoothly. “Your servants committed theft, so I was merely providing some necessary discipline.”
“Theft?”
“Can you believe it? They stole charcoal from the warehouse. Mere servants, daring to help themselves to such a thing.”
“…Charcoal?”
“The main house never issued any charcoal, yet they claim they didn’t steal it. Who would believe such nonsense? Regardless, I need to finish teaching them their lesson, so step aside, Brother.”
As Seong Dong-yeong shoved Yoo-ha out of the way and reached for Nanny’s hair again, hand raised to strike, Yoo-ha blocked his path.
“Stop it. I will go to Father myself and explain the situation.”
“Explain? Explain what? Don’t tell me you stole it? Is that it, Brother Yoo-ha?”
By his appearance and tone, Seong Dong-yeong was clearly younger than Yoo-ha, yet he treated his elder with casual disrespect and open disdain. This, then, was the reality for a non-Maru born into a Maru family.
In truth, it was no different among the Mir. If a commoner—a non-Mir—was born to Mir parents, that child was essentially abandoned. But the Seong family, where Hwi was now staying, was a house of significant lineage. To treat a descendant in such a manner… did they truly have no regard for their reputation?
“Stop this nonsense and leave,” Yoo-ha commanded. “I will handle this matter.”
“You will? And how? By going to beg before Father? You should be more selective about who you try to buy favor from when you spread your legs. Do you really think those methods will work on your own family?”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Oops. My apologies if I offended you. People say it so often I simply assumed it was true.”
“…”
“Begging Father for the sake of a servant… truly, the thought of it is pathetic.”
“It is none of your concern.”
Anger flared in Yoo-ha’s eyes, but Seong Dong-yeong ignored him entirely, turning back to his own servant.
“What are you waiting for? Drag these wretches away and throw them in the warehouse!”
“Stop it this instant!”
The servant, caught between conflicting orders, hesitated in confusion. Ultimately, he chose to follow his master, Dong-yeong. As he attempted to drag the unconscious Yong-rae out of the annex, Yoo-ha blocked his path. No matter how much of an outcast he was, he was still a descendant of the Seong bloodline. The servant stood awkwardly, unable to bring himself to push Yoo-ha aside. Seong Dong-yeong let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, walked over, and kicked Yoo-ha squarely in the stomach.
“Ugh!”
“They say you should check the ground before you stretch your legs. Just because Father didn’t cast you out and took you in instead, do you truly think you’ve become a real Young Master?”
“…”
“He only lets you live here because the world has many watching eyes. Stay low and know your place—if you want to keep hearing me call you ‘Brother,’ that is.”
Ultimately, the servant dragged Yong-rae away, and other workers appeared from the shadows to haul Nanny out of the annex as well. Seong Yoo-ha tried to intervene, but he was physically restrained by Seong Dong-yeong.
It was a defeat for Seong Yoo-ha.
After the intruders had left, Yoo-ha stood alone in the annex courtyard, his gaze fixed piercingly on the dirt. Ye-hwi noticed Yoo-ha’s fists trembling. Frustration, rage—it had to be emotions such as those. Hwi watched him in silence, then clicked his tongue softly.
This feels strangely unpleasant. Since when? No—more importantly, why is my mood so foul?
“Do you want me to bring Yong-rae and Nanny back?”
It didn’t feel right to watch Yoo-ha bowing his head, struggling to suppress his fury.
“Just say the word. I’ll rip the door off that warehouse or whatever else is in the way and bring them to you.”
Is it because that bastard Seong Dong-yeong kicked him in the stomach?
Yoo-ha, who had remained silent for a long time, simply brushed past Ye-hwi and began walking toward the main house.
“The Pung-u Merchant Guild has been in operation for roughly thirty years. However, it is said they only rose to true prominence within the last five.”
“And the Guild Master?” Hwi asked.
“Unidentified. It is said the Master almost never steps forward to handle trade personally; the Vice Guild Master manages the vast majority of their affairs. However, there are rumors that the Master is a survivor of a plague.”
“A plague?”
“Yes. Likely because no one has ever seen the Master or traded with him directly, rumors abound. Some say he wears a mask, some say he bears a massive scar, and others claim he is hideously disfigured. As these rumors spread and distorted, the word ‘plague’ naturally came up.”
“Who is backing the Pung-u Guild?”
“Nothing has been confirmed. The Jinso Merchant Guild currently controls the sea routes of the Ansi Kingdom, and they hold significant ill will toward Pung-u. Because of that rivalry, there are no groups openly assisting the Pung-u Guild.”
“The reason for this animosity?”
“According to the sailors, Pung-u ships appear out of nowhere at the very end of the Jinso Guild’s established sea routes. Since they then head straight into Mir Kingdom territory, the Jinso Guild finds it nearly impossible to intercept them.”
Hearing Geon-seo’s report, Hwi fell into a deep silence. For Pung-u ships to enter Mir borders without resistance, leaving even a monopoly like the Jinso Guild helpless…
“The Mir Kingdom is aiding the Pung-u Merchant Guild.”
“Pardon? The Mir Kingdom?”
Even if one could overlook the Pung-u ships appearing seemingly at will within Ansi’s borders, the fact that they entered Mir territory without the slightest resistance meant someone within the Mir Kingdom was providing them cover. In other words, a powerful entity was clearing the sea routes for them. But who? It had to be one of the great families of Mir…
“And Your Highness, look at this.”
“What is it?”
“This is the item the Jinso Guild seized under the pretext of unpaid storage fees.”
Ye-hwi held the object Geon-seo handed him up to the moonlight streaming through the window. It was an ornament densely studded with green, red, blue, and yellow stones. Though the individual pieces were small, the craftsmanship was exquisitely precise.
“This belonged to that merchant? It looks remarkably valuable.”
“They say they aren’t real gems, sir.”
“Then what are they?”
“They say they are glass beads. It’s why they are so much cheaper than true jewels.”
“Glass?”
To Hwi’s eyes, they did not look like glass; they possessed the luster of incredibly expensive gemstones. An item that wasn’t a jewel but could pass for one—something beautiful to behold, yet small enough to be smuggled with ease.
Are they trying to pass off glass as gems to reap a massive profit?
Realizing the Jinso Guild’s likely intent, Ye-hwi handed the ornament back to Geon-seo.
“Find out where the Jinso Guild’s funds are flowing.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And regarding the Seong family… how are the children ranked?”
“Under the patriarch Seong Seok-hyeon, there are three sons and one daughter. In order: Seong Yoo-ha, Seong Dong-yeong, Seong Ho-seok, and Seong So-yun. Of the four, only Seong Yoo-ha was born to a different mother.”
“Are the other three all Maru?”
“They are.”
“And Yoo-ha’s mother? Was she a Maru as well?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ye-hwi felt his nerves prickle as he recalled the scene in the annex courtyard from a few days prior. That day, Yoo-ha had returned from the main house with a swollen face and had remained shut in his room for the duration of the day. An abandoned child struck by his father—it was a common enough tragedy. It was fortunate, perhaps, that no bones were broken. Yet, since that moment, Ye-hwi had been plagued by a growing sharp anger.
“It isn’t even funny,” Hwi muttered.
“Sir?”
“Find out more about the Pung-u Merchant Guild, and get me detailed information on Yoo-ha’s maternal lineage. Also, investigate if any previous imperial consorts hailed from the Seong family and had the character ‘Eun’ in their name.”
Having issued his commands, Ye-hwi paused in thought. He stepped out of the small side room and into the annex yard, standing on the exact spot where Yoo-ha had stood after his defeat. He tapped the ground lightly with the toe of his shoe.
“Geon-seo.”
“Yes.”
“Find Seong Dong-yeong’s current location.”
“Pardon? …Yes, sir.”
Since Ye-hwi had never given such a personal, petty order before, Geon-seo was momentarily taken aback. However, he quickly recovered, leaping over the wall and vanishing into the night. Before departing the annex himself, Ye-hwi stared for a long moment at Yoo-ha’s tightly closed door.
Thank you for the chapter