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East Wind
After Jung Yunsik left, the entire Kyung household sank into a gloomy atmosphere, as if there had never been any celebration. The servant man who was at the center of the incident simply cleared away the refreshment table silently without saying a word. Kyung Munhwan, who had been watching him intently, spoke softly to the servant who had worked in his household for so long that he was practically family.
“Do you think I was too harsh?”
“…No, Master. I’m grateful just to have his life spared.”
“…You may never see him again, you know.”
“…They say no news is good news. Better for him to travel freely and live as he wishes than to live in the palace without protection, constantly walking on eggshells.”
Kyung Munhwan’s eyes deepened as he looked at the servant speaking so calmly. Though he tried to hide it, being a father himself, he understood. The feeling of potentially living one’s entire life without hearing news of one’s child couldn’t be fully expressed in words. Although Jeonggwan had been born of low status, he had been quite loved in this household—by his parents, by Munhwan himself, and by Munhwan’s son.
So whenever he received letters from Juhwan searching for Jeonggwan at the palace, and whenever he saw Jeonggwan’s father placing water behind the storage jars every night and praying to the moon, Munhwan often wondered if his decision had been too harsh. But as a father himself who had first pushed his own child into the palace hoping she would be loved and live well there, he felt that even if faced with the same situation again, he would make the identical choice without hesitation. Thus, he couldn’t fully bring himself to regret sending Jeonggwan away.
“At least he’s not with the Park family’s second son as a punishment, so be at ease.”
“…Of course. I know. I certainly do. It’s just this one’s worry… whether the food there suits the child’s taste, or if being separated from Young Master Jihoon might bring him harm…”
Despite saying everything was fine, parents will be parents—concern quickly shadowed the servant’s face. Kyung Munhwan let out a brief sigh and recalled the night when it all happened.
‘My goodness, Your Highness the Crown Prince! What brings you here at this hour…!’
‘Has Jeonggwan come here?’
‘…Pardon? J-Jeonggwan, you say?’
‘Yes. Your son’s body servant, Jeonggwan.’
Late at night, when even the dogs of the Kyung household were asleep. Suddenly, there was a rough pounding on both the side gate and the main gate that woke everyone up. Before Kyung Munhwan could even shout to ask who was there at this hour, the Crown Prince burst in, causing everyone in the household to rush out to the front yard of the main quarters and prostrate themselves on the ground. At first, Kyung Munhwan trembled thinking, “That Juhwan must have caused a serious incident at the palace!” But when the Crown Prince asked about Jeonggwan, Juhwan’s servant boy, rather than Juhwan herself, Munhwan’s face showed complete bewilderment.
‘If the boy happens to come here, don’t lay a finger on him and keep him here.’
After searching the entire house and confirming Jeonggwan wasn’t there, the Crown Prince left these ominous words. He ordered a thorough search of the mountain and surrounding areas, saying Jeonggwan might have slipped and fallen down the mountain, then abruptly departed.
While everyone was worried that Jeonggwan might have caused some trouble, the trembling boy appeared before Kyung Munhwan, who was on his way to the family shrine behind the house to pay his respects to the ancestors as he did every morning. Seemingly aware that the Crown Prince’s men were guarding the house, Jeonggwan had secretly entered through the back door of the shrine.
‘…Master, I have something to tell you.’
‘Y-You…!’
Jeonggwan’s father, who was holding a lantern to light the way for Kyung Munhwan in the still-dark morning, immediately rushed to Jeonggwan and spanked him furiously, demanding to know what he had done to upset the Crown Prince. Jeonggwan, his lips pale blue as if he had been in water for a long time, trembled as he explained what had happened. Both men’s faces grew rigid and then increasingly ashen as they listened.
Kyung Munhwan was shocked to learn that the Crown Prince was so infatuated with Jeonggwan that he had stormed into the house of the Minister of Justice at dawn. Jeonggwan’s father was shocked that his low-born son, who was supposed to be serving Young Master Juhwan, had caught the eye of the Crown Prince.
Even more shocking was that while such incidents weren’t common but weren’t entirely unheard of either, typically low-born individuals in such situations would become arrogant, thinking their fortunes had changed. But Jeonggwan said he couldn’t betray his young master and asked for help to quietly leave. Without a moment’s hesitation, Kyung Munhwan agreed to help him. He hid Jeonggwan in the shrine and then, three days later, sent him away with the Park family’s second son who was accompanying an envoy to Qing.
Although it was at Jeonggwan’s request, the servant father was initially so shocked by Munhwan’s decision to send him to Qing that he could barely eat for the first few days. Eventually, thinking it was better than nothing that at least his son’s life had been spared, he tried to carry on as usual recently. Still, he couldn’t help but show concern on his face when thoughts of his son occasionally surfaced.
“He’s a clever child… He’ll live well.”
Having no other comforting words for the servant, Kyung Munhwan could only offer small reassurances and hope that Jeonggwan would live well.
The Crown Prince ascended to the throne the year after his royal wedding. This was because the previous king’s health had deteriorated to the point where he could no longer govern, resulting in an earlier-than-expected succession. The Crown Prince—no, the young King—who exchanged his blue dragon robe for a red one, began implementing various policies over the year for the people who had been neglected due to the former king’s health issues. As a result, the country that had been suffering from continuous famine and epidemics gradually recovered, and public sentiment became more stable than ever before.
As public sentiment stabilized, the country began to regain its vitality, and this vitality led to an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity. As many citizens acquired wealth, trade with Qing naturally became more active. It was during this time that news about Joseon reached the ears of Park Jihoon, the second son of the Park family who had been studying in Qing for about two years while following the diplomatic envoy.
“The country is flourishing, I’d like to visit once.”
“Let me know if you’re interested. Isn’t it time for you to return to Joseon, Young Master Park? We’re departing by ship in two days.”
The diplomatic envoy was staying in Qing for another year. However, the merchants from Joseon were leaving by ship in two days. Jihoon contemplated this seriously. He had originally come to Qing to study for a long time, but with his preference for bland food, Qing cuisine didn’t suit him well. He had managed to endure thanks to the boy who came with him who was good at cooking Joseon food, but now that the merchants were leaving immediately, he very much wanted to go with them.
However, he had a boy under his responsibility, and if that boy didn’t want to go to Joseon, then he couldn’t go either.
“I’ll give you my answer tomorrow. How does that sound?”
“That works. Just let me know tomorrow, and I’ll prepare accommodations.”
“Thank you. Then let me buy this round of drinks.”
Entering his lodgings in Qing with remarkably steady steps that belied how much alcohol he had consumed, Jihoon saw his servant sitting on the floor folding clothes and gave a dry laugh, telling him he should at least acknowledge his master’s return.
“Boy. Gwan. Despite appearances, I am a nobleman, you know?”
“Oh my. Noble sir. What kind of alcohol have you been drinking again?”
“Ha! I could drink another barrel at this rate.”
Such boasting… The servant called Gwan muttered softly. He was about to get up to retire to his quarters after telling Jihoon to go to bed, but—
“Ah, Gwan! Let’s go to Joseon!”
His body froze at Jihoon’s urgent grasp and words. Though he had heard much news about that place lately, he had never considered going there.
“…Joseon?”
“Yes. The Joseon merchants are leaving in two days. Let’s go with them. It’s been two years now, so no one will be looking for you.”
“Will they… not?”
“How would I know? But you know what they say about people’s hearts? Even if you promise to love only one person for a lifetime, as the years pass, people tend to forget such promises. They say when bodies grow distant, hearts grow distant too.”
Staring blankly into space upon hearing those words, Gwan—no, Jeonggwan—slowly closed and opened his eyes. When bodies grow distant, hearts grow distant. Perhaps Jihoon’s words were true.
Two years ago, when he left with Jihoon, he had wept profusely on the ship. He cried so much that a panicked Jihoon had to cover his mouth with his bare hands. Despite being the one who had left so coldly, he felt he would never forget the man. But now, two years later, he could barely remember what the man looked like. His scent, his embrace, his voice—none of it came to mind anymore.
“I think you’re right, Young Master.”
Just like himself, would the man be the same? Probably so. He had heard the man had become king. And word had reached Qing that he was a more virtuous ruler than any other, so Jeonggwan could tell without seeing how busy he must be. He probably didn’t even have time to think of someone like Jeonggwan.
Jeonggwan took a deep breath. Joseon. It was a place overflowing with people he missed. His parents, his friends, Juhwan.
“…Let’s go.”
And the person who he should no longer even think about.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
