Chapter 23
Slurp. Slurp.
The sound of tea drinking continued. Since this was originally time meant for enjoying tranquility, Myoyeon was relaxed.
However, Yuseol couldn’t enjoy it comfortably and swallowed it all at once as soon as the tea cooled. It was because her insides were burning unbearably.
She cautiously began.
“But there’s something I’d like to ask.”
Myoyeon’s gaze focused on her. After hesitating for a moment, she looked at the teacup with only elongated tea leaves remaining and spoke carefully.
“Lord Mu-yeong who’s staying in the sarangchae… I’m curious about many things regarding why he took my dog.”
Myoyeon listened attentively.
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“What kind of work does he do?”
Since he was the one who took Geon, she’d be relieved as long as he wasn’t a dog butcher, but she still wanted to know. She closed her mouth as if there were no other reasons.
After waiting a moment, Myoyeon slowly answered.
“Lord Mu-yeong does many things. He’s a landowner and farm owner, and also a landscape painter, a traveler… I’ve heard he’s busy with other work as well.”
As expected… these are all things that require a lot of money.
She nodded and spoke again.
“Is he still single?”
The man had looked to be in his early twenties at most. He was already past the age for marriage, so even after asking, she was expecting a negative answer.
Then Myoyeon answered.
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Yuseol’s eyes that had been floating in space fixed on Myoyeon. Since she hadn’t expected an affirmative answer, surprise was evident.
“…Is there a reason?”
Myoyeon seemed to find it difficult to answer further and hesitated, then set down his teacup as if remembering urgent business.
“Come to think of it, today is the day supplies arrive from the capital. I should check if the warehouse has been organized.”
He left Yuseol’s room without answering the question.
Left alone, Yuseol pondered. What could be the reason why a capable and outstanding-looking man hadn’t married until now?
But thinking about it wouldn’t give her the answer. Yuseol came out to the courtyard feeling frustrated. Today, fog had settled in various places, filling the courtyard scenery with profound atmosphere.
As she was appreciating the atmosphere for a while, an unknown bird flew in and landed at the edge of the wooden floor. It was a very special bird with a green body and red feathers.
By the way, where might the crow Yeon that she had sent flying to the palace long ago be? It seemed about time for it to return….
It was a moment of growing anxiety. In the palace, there was no one who didn’t know that Yeon was Han Yuseol’s bird. She hoped Yeon hadn’t been spotted by schemers while wandering around the palace and killed.
Melancholy surged again and she let out a long sigh. Startled by the sudden sound, the bird flew far away.
Yuseol’s gaze turned toward the stone wall path. A familiar man was walking toward her. It seemed to be Jiwoon, another guest of the sarangbang.
Whether his personality was leisurely or not, his steps were noticeably slow. She wished he would pass by quickly or at least turn a corner, but their eyes kept meeting.
Feeling uncomfortable, she got up from her seat, thinking she’d rather go into her room. But somehow Jiwoon had come up right behind her and suddenly spoke to her.
“Has your body recovered much?”
Yuseol gripped the wooden pillar, suppressing the scream that was about to burst out.
He showed no interest in Yuseol’s answer and admired the courtyard scenery instead.
What a truly peculiar person. She barely calmed her racing heart and let out a long sigh.
Jiwoon, who smiled as if apologetic, stared directly into her eyes.
“I heard someone’s looking for a woman to warm their bed.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
At first it was so sudden that she didn’t understand what he meant. Only when she saw Jiwoon’s eyes color with interest did she realize he was talking about what happened at dawn yesterday.
How did he know? Did he overhear the conversation while passing by? Did he tell him directly? What was his intention in prying into something he could have pretended not to know?
Yuseol feigned ignorance as if hearing this for the first time.
“Is that so? If you know which gentleman is looking for such a thing, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know too.”
The area under Yuseol’s eyes twitched unpleasantly. Jiwoon, who was enjoying that sight, answered.
“I think you would know that better.”
He casually set out on the road again. Fog gradually settled in.
Should she define him as someone who enjoys making strange remarks?
Yuseol sat back down on the wooden floor. Jiwoon’s words kept ringing in her ears, making her feel disturbed.
“I heard someone’s looking for a woman to warm their bed.”
Thud thud. Blood showed on her lower lip that she had been biting since morning. She hadn’t known the word “bed” could be so sharp.
Losing her father and her family wavering, she was ultimately facing this kind of situation….
She closed her eyes painfully. The moment she had promised marriage to Kim Seon suddenly seemed to appear. It was a day when pure white snow was falling. She had smiled looking at the ring he gave her and said she was happy….
She hadn’t known that would become nothing.
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