Snowlight Chapter 3

Tae Baek Hoon.

 

Now thirty years old, he is a blood relative of Lady Sukyong of the Tae clan. In his youth, he was a mere soldier guarding the Crown Prince’s palace, but after accumulating merits and catching the king’s eye, he rose to the rank of general. His martial prowess was said to be exceptional.

 

On the battlefield, he slaughtered barbarians as casually as one would pull weeds from the ground. Some likened him to a yaksha, a demon of carnage. Others called him a ghost wearing a human face. 

 

Even after being personally appointed a general by the king, he continued to wield his influence under the king’s favor and the support of scheming Lady Sukyong, the king’s favored concubine. In the capital, Okyang, no one could stand in his way.

 

Yet, for reasons unknown, he suddenly left all of that behind. His immense authority, his influential sister, everything remained in the capital while he abruptly turned his steps toward the northern frontier.

 

That had been two years ago.

 

As for the things people said about the groom, they were all the same. Ghost. Demon. Monster. Every word used to describe him referred to something dreadful and sinister. 

 

Was he truly that ruthless? If so, would he cast out a bride who did not please him simply because ‘she’ was a man? The answer was as clear as day.

 

No matter how much the marriage was arranged by royal decree, who would expect a male bride when one would generally seek a graceful and virtuous woman? Even among the yangban who openly enjoyed homosexual relationships and kept male lovers, no one had ever heard of anyone taking a man as their primary spouse.

 

So perhaps the porters’ gossip was not entirely unreasonable. However firmly the betrothal had been settled, surely Tae Baek Hoon had never expected to receive a male bride. 

 

Then again, neither had he.

 

He himself had never dreamed that fate would make him someone’s groom-to-be.

 

In that regard, they were both victims of the same surprise.

 

Two crows perched side by side at the entrance to the inn, pecking at a shriveled persimmon. Yu Won let out a long sigh and watched the crows in silence. 

 

‘There sure are a lot of crows up here in the north.’

 

It felt as though he heard their cries day and night without end. 

 

As he stared blankly upward, a crow sitting on a branch flapped its wings and flew away. On the opposite side of where it had flown, two hawks were circling in a spiral. They looked fierce, as if they were about to devour the crow. First crows, and now hawks. 

 

Just as he wondered if this was because he was deep in the mountains, he suddenly felt a strange, eerie chill. It felt as though someone were watching him. He turned his head in the direction of that gaze and looked under the persimmon tree.

 

On a wooden bench set out beneath the tree sat a young man wearing a straw hat, all alone.

 

He was clad entirely in black. His black robe was one thing, but even the leather arm guards on his arms and his boots were black. And that wasn’t all. He had wrapped a navy blue scarf around his face like a mask, so his face was hard to make out. It was a suspicious appearance, if one chose to see it that way. Or perfectly ordinary, if one did not.   

 

And yet, once Yu Won’s gaze settled on him, it was strangely difficult to look away. 

 

The man tilted the bottle and filled his glass. He seemed completely uninterested in Yu Won, his demeanor calm and unhurried. Yet, Yu Won could have sworn the man had been watching him.  Although the palanquin bearers made the surroundings chaotic with their drunken noise, it wasn’t so chaotic that he couldn’t detect that piercing gaze. Having been the subject of disapproving glances so often, Yu Won was both unfazed and sensitive to the stares of others.

 

The man, who had been quietly sipping his drink, slowly turned his head. Soon, their eyes met. The indifferent pupils peeking out from beneath the mask were as dark as ink, piercingly sharp.

 

“……!”

 

Startled, Yu Won pulled his jang-ot tightly over his head like a turtle retreating into its shell. Though their eyes had met only briefly, his heart was pounding, and his stomach was churning.

 

“Ah, y, young master, why, why are you… like that? Are you… crying?”

 

The young servant boy, having checked on the tethered donkey and returned, asked anxiously. Yu Won simply shook his head and lowered the jang-ot he pulled over himself.

 

The man who had been sitting on the wooden bench was now nowhere to be seen.

 

Startled, Yu Won jumped to his feet and looked around. Where did he go? He was sitting right there just a moment ago. There was no sign of the man in the outhouse to the left or the stable to the right.

 

Had he been bewitched by a ghost? Or was it a goblin?

 

“Young master?”

 

“Did you happen to see the man who was sitting over there?”

 

“Huh? A man?”

 

“He was definitely, definitely under that tree. He was drinking and looking at me.”

 

As Yu Won kept muttering as if something were amiss, the young servant scratched the back of his head.

 

“W-well, when I came, there was, uh, no one…”

 

The young boy hadn’t even finished his sentence when murmurs arose from the direction of the entrance. As a result, the gazes of everyone sitting in the tavern converged on a single spot. Soon after, a group of men strode in through the main gate with imposing confidence.

 

“Hm, hm, is anyone there!”

 

At the booming call, the middle-aged serving woman who had been drawing liquor hurried over to greet the guests.

 

Judging by their appearance, they did not look like ordinary travelers merely passing through. Their leather-laced breastplates fastened with metal rings suggested otherwise.

 

When asked whether they would have a light meal or stay the night, the man standing at the front glanced around the inn and exchanged a few words with the innkeeper. The innkeeper cast a sidelong glance in their direction and whispered something back to the man. Soon, the group of men approached Yu Won.

 

“Excuse me, are you from the residence of Hong Se Hwan, a minister of Okyang?”

 

The man at the front of the group asked. He had a shifty gaze and gave off an unsettling vibe. After sizing up Yu Won, the man smirked. Disturbed by the unpleasant grin, Yu Won lowered his head to avoid it. At this, the young boy nodded and answered in his place.

 

“Yes, but what brings you here?”

 

“We’ve come from Wonhye. We’re here to greet the bride.”

 

“Huh? T-the bride… you mean?”

 

The young boy tilted his head in confusion. A welcoming party in these mountains? It was customary for the groom to send a decorated palanquin with a matron to carry the bride, but that was supposed to happen only after reaching the groom’s hometown. Above all, the very idea that the groom’s side had come to greet them was completely unheard of. If they had come to escort the bride before he entered the city, word should have reached them long ago.

 

The man cleared his throat loudly at the young servant, who was flustered and at a loss. With no other choice, the young boy stood up and knocked on the brass-knobbed door. A moment later, Madam Choi flung the door wide open and spoke in a weary voice.

 

“You lot, did you say you’re from Wonhye?”

 

“That is correct.”

 

“And under what authority? You claim to have come for the bride, yet you have not even properly identified yourselves.” 

 

“Ah, I am Captain Kim Deok Rae from the Wonhye Bureau.”

 

The man who identified himself as a government soldier from the Wonhye Bureau stood with an air of confidence, as if there were not a shred of falsehood in his words. Indeed, judging by his shoulder straps, the sword at his waist, and the matchlock guns carried by his companions, he was clearly a military officer, though his bearing seemed somewhat awkward.

 

After all, it is said that in these remote mountains, many disguise their identities to rob travelers of their valuables. Unable to shake her suspicion, Madam Choi narrowed her eyes.

 

“I don’t recall hearing anything like that. Besides, as far as I know, it’s still a good hundred li from here to Wonhye. Are you truly from Wonhye?”

 

“Good heavens, it’s only a day’s journey. Do you have any idea how long we’ve been waiting? We’ve been waiting here in this area for a full two hours.”

 

“Just because you waited doesn’t mean that’s grounds for an explanation.”

 

“What? What did you say? Are you suggesting you doubt us now?”

 

A burly man standing behind him suddenly flew into a rage. Madam Choi sighed and continued.

 

“This bridal procession comes from Okyang. We are traveling a long distance and must exercise caution. At the very least, you should present a letter from the provincial governor himself if you expect us to belie-” 

 

“Haha, there’s no need for that.”

 

Another voice cut into the conversation. A man who had shuffled out from the crowd stood out strikingly, wearing a blue chollik and a hat with ornate cords.

 

The man who had been angrily ranting hurriedly threw himself flat on his face before him.

 

“Lo-lord Governor.”

 

At those words, Madam Choi’s eyes widened in shock. In these parts, there was only one person who could be addressed as “Governor”, an honorary title bestowed directly by the King.

 

Tae Baek Hoon, Governor of Wonhye.

 

The governor looked at Madam Choi’s pale face and let out a hearty laugh.

 

“I sent a messenger fifteen days ago. The road to Wonhye is difficult, so I informed them that I would personally come to receive the bride. It seems our messages happened to miss each other. Under the circumstances, it’s only natural that you would be suspicious.”

 

His eyes drifted toward the bridal palanquin.

 

Then, in an almost boyishly excited voice, he said,

 

“The truth is, I couldn’t wait to see my bride. So I came to wait along the road myself.”

 

“Are… are you truly Governor Tae Baek Hoon?”

 

Swallowing hard, Madam Choi asked cautiously.

 

Without a word, the governor reached into his official pouch and produced his identification plaque.

 

The silver-inlaid wooden badge was pristine, as if untouched by human hands. Engraved upon it were a tiger, a camellia, and his three-character name.

 

“Well, will you believe me now?”

 

He held the plaque right before her eyes.

 

The symbols were unmistakable.

 

The animal engraved on the badge symbolized his civil and military rank, while the flowering tree represented the five ranks bestowed by the king. The tiger signified him as a military general, and the camellia, a “Baek” (Count), a rank second only to the Three Highest Officials. Moreover, to be of such noble standing, accompanied not by a single armed soldier, but by a whole contingent in these remote mountains.

 

There was no need to look any further. This man was undoubtedly the provincial governor, the one rumored to be the “little king” in Wonyeong. Madam Choi hurriedly dashed out of the room and hastily bowed in respect.

 

“M-My lord, please forgive my rudeness. I failed to recognize you.”

 

“Think nothing of it. You’re escorting someone precious. It is only right to be cautious. That said.”

 

The Governor fixed his gaze on Yu Won, who sat quietly in the corner of the veranda. Peering out from beneath his jang-ot to observe the situation, Yu Won happened to meet the Governor’s eyes and immediately shrank back like a startled turtle. The Governor let out a low whistle. Then he smiled, looking thoroughly pleased.

 

“My bride is quite lovely.”

 

At those words, Madam Choi stepped in front of him and gently admonished him.

 

“My lord, I beg your pardon, but it is not proper to gaze upon the bride’s face before the wedding ceremony.”

 

“He’s going to be mine, isn’t he? What harm is there in seeing my bride’s face before I take him to the bridal chamber? It’s not as though it’ll wear away from being looked at.”