Snowlight Chapter 8

“Huh?”

 

“Well, we just happened to come across this situation by chance while passing through, and besides, we haven’t finished our business yet.”

 

It was a response that didn’t quite add up. Hadn’t he just ordered the men to get ready to head back? Or was their destination another town? But if that were the case, they could have simply gone on their way without asking for permission. Somehow, the way he was beating around the bush made it seem as though he didn’t want to bring Yu Won into this.

 

Yu Won swallowed a sigh. Should he just insist on going with them, even if it meant being unreasonable? But he couldn’t do that. They weren’t hired help; they were just hunters passing through, weren’t they? Besides, no matter how much help he’d received, these were strangers to Yu Won. Having already weathered one storm, he didn’t want to join them rashly. If that was the case, there was no other option but to go alone, and that prospect was just as daunting.

 

They said it would take half a day. Half a day. Yu Won stared blankly at the road stretching out before him. He had to get to Wonhye. Even if he died, he had to die in Wonhye. If he didn’t, his father would abandon his sick mother in a distant place while he was away. He couldn’t let him treat her blind mother that way.

 

The braying of a donkey sounded nearby. A saddled donkey was pacing alone under a tree. It was the donkey Madam Choi had been riding.

 

“Good girl. It’s okay.”

 

Yu Won approached the donkey, cupped its head in both hands, and soothed it gently. The donkey, which had been snorting nervously, calmed down immediately.

 

“If you just tell me the direction, I’ll find my way on my own.”

 

It was a request, yet his tone was firm. Given how far he had gone, he couldn’t very well pretend not to know the way. Kwak Hyeon Wook sighed and pointed over the hill. He had said that if he just followed the road straight up toward the northwest, he would reach Wonhye, and it was indeed true that it wasn’t far from here.

 

Yu Won took off the coat he was wearing and tried to return it to Kwak Hyeon Wook. Kwak Hyeon Wook waved his hand dismissively.

 

“Just keep that, young master.”

 

“How can I accept such a valuable item with empty hands?”

 

“It’s just a common leather coat around here. Besides, it’s so cold out today; it would be difficult for you to walk the mountain path without a coat. Please consider this a small token of my gratitude for your visit.”

 

Since he insisted on not taking it back, Yu Won had no choice but to bow his head in gratitude. Kwak Hyeon Wook mounted his horse, paced anxiously for a while before finally turning his horse around with some difficulty.

 

The sound of hooves faded away. Yu Won was left alone once more. He felt a sense of emptiness, but he wasn’t sad. It was his daily routine to avoid the herbalists’ gaze while foraging for medicinal herbs in the forests near the capital.

 

He readjusted the saddle and loaded his pack onto the donkey’s back. Having hidden it under the palanquin to keep it from being stolen, the silk cloth had become soaked and was in a sorry state. Fortunately, the letter he’d tucked inside the letter envelope was still intact.

 

Gazing up at the bright, full moon, Yu Won exhaled deeply. How truly beautiful it is. The moon was as bright as ever, as if completely unaware of the series of misfortunes that had just occurred. Still, thanks to the moonlight, the mountain path wasn’t too dark, even without a lantern.

 

He was walking along when he heard a rustling sound coming from deep within the forest. Yu Won stopped dead in his tracks and stared intently at the source of the sound. Was it a demonic beast drawn by the scent of blood? The sound wasn’t loud, so it could have been a small rabbit, or perhaps a fox or a weasel.

 

A figure slipped into view through the rustling foliage. It was slightly larger than he had expected. Grabbing a branch, Yu Won cautiously made his way toward the thicket, which was thickly covered with snow and fallen leaves. If he left it be and ran away, he might be ambushed from behind. Whether it was a ghost or a beast, it seemed better to lure it out into the open.

 

What crawled out of the thicket was neither a ghost nor a wild animal.

 

“Youngest?”

 

It was the young boy, the servant who had been accompanying Madam Choi. Thank goodness, it’s a person. Yu Won lowered the hand holding the branch and sighed in relief, patting his chest. The young servant swallowed his sobs and said,

 

“Ah, young master. I’m so relieved you’re safe.”

 

“What about the madam? Where is she?”

 

“T-t-the madam, the madam… s-s-she was struck by a sword while trying to flee. So, so….”

 

Unable to finish his sentence, the young servant let his tears fall. Sadly, it seemed he, too, had met with a tragic situation while fleeing from the bandits. Yu Won approached the sobbing boy and wiped his wet cheeks and nose with his sleeve.

 

“I’m, I’m sorry. I’m, I’m truly sorry. Ah, young master.”

 

The youngest sniffled and repeated only the words “I’m sorry.” Even though he had abandoned Yu Won and fled, Yu Won couldn’t blame him. He was just a child, barely fourteen years old. Even armed adult men had fled in terror.

 

How on earth could a child have handled that situation so cleverly? Yu Won felt sorry for Madam Choi, but it was a miracle that at least one person had survived.

 

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt badly?”

 

“I-I’m fine. Ugh…”

 

The youngest suddenly winced and groaned, squinting one eye. Upon closer inspection, he was a mess. His pants were torn lengthwise, blood pooled on both knees, and his left foot, squeezed into a straw sandal, was swollen as if stung by a bee. It seemed he’d been injured while running up the mountain to escape and had tripped and fallen.

 

Judging by the fact that he could still walk, it probably wasn’t a fracture, but with his ankle swollen that much, it was obvious that even standing would be painful. Even though it was clear he was flinching in pain despite Yu Won’s gentle touch, the youngest shook his head, insisting it was nothing. He was probably enduring it, afraid that if he showed any sign of pain, Yu Won might leave him behind in the mountains.

 

Swallowing a sigh, Yu Won calmed himself, tore a piece of his clothes, and skillfully fashioned a bandage. He placed a suitable branch against the boy’s foot to serve as a splint and wrapped the bandage tightly around it.

 

“Is it any better than before?”

 

“Yes. Whoa, it’s much better!”

 

The youngest wiggled his foot as if in wonder. Even though he had merely placed a stick against the ankle and tied it up, miraculously, the pain seemed to have subsided considerably. Yu Won, having lightly rubbed his hands together, tried to help the youngest onto the donkey. The youngest waved his hands.

 

“N-no, n-no, you should be the one to ride it, young master!”

 

“How do you expect to walk with a leg like that?”

 

“Ah, no. It’s much less, ah, ah, it doesn’t hurt as much as before.”

 

“It’s just a temporary fix; that’s why it feels that way. If you push yourself too hard, you might never be able to use your leg again. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

 

Frightened by the thought of becoming crippled, the boy could no longer refuse and clumsily climbed onto the donkey’s back. His hesitant, cautious expression was quite awkward and embarrassed. This was because, until now, he had only ever pulled the donkey or the cart his master rode in, never having been served himself.

 

Fearing he might be shaken loose and fall, Yu Won secured the saddle firmly around the youngest’s waist and said kindly,

 

“If you walk carefully for a day, it’ll be fine. If you go see the doctor, he’ll fix you right up.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The youngest nodded weakly. Instead of offering words of comfort, Yu Won brushed aside the young servant’s messy bangs and smoothed them down.

 

The wind had felt damp, and now snowflakes began to flutter down. It was cold. As the wind hit his cheeks and the nape of his neck, Yu Won hunched his shoulders deeply.

 

The head monk had passed away during the last heavy snowfall. The monk who had taken over the abandoned mountain temple sold off the land at a bargain price instead of repairing it. The place where the mother and child had lived crumbled in an instant. So, as she packed their belongings, the mother said resolutely,

‘My child, let’s go to the capital.’

‘Why the capital?’

‘There is someone there whom your mother knows.’

It was a journey that took nearly a month just to travel from the south to the northern provinces. The mother could not see well, so her steps were slow. With the meager travel funds they had, it was difficult even to hire a single carriage.

The capital, which they barely managed to reach, was a magnificent city. Carriages and carts passed ceaselessly along the streets paved with smooth stones, and the marketplace was bustling. It was a world apart from the mountain temple, where, aside from the dense trees and the echoing songs of birds, one rarely saw a soul.

When asked about the residence of the nobleman Hong Se Hwan, the innkeeper narrowed his eyes. The Hong family was a clan of great influence, even within the Four Great Gates, where many high-ranking nobles resided; they were a family of such power that they owned a house on a site with a clear view of the palace.

Grand Minister Hong In Gyo, whose reputation was so high that he was often mentioned as a candidate for one of the Three Highest Ministers, had retired from office the previous year. However, as the saying goes, “like father, like son”; his eldest son, Hong Se Hwan, had distinguished himself a few years prior by uncovering the ringleader of a rebellion during a secret mission to the southern provinces. Riding on the family’s prestige, he was said to be expanding his influence in the court as if he had grown wings.

When they said they were there to visit such a distinguished family and asked for the address, curiosity was bound to arise. The innkeeper narrowed his eyes and scanned the two guests. The young woman, wrapped in a worn-out overcoat, was as beautiful as a fairy despite her shabby appearance. They say a pretty wife brings good fortune, but the problem was the small child clinging tightly to her side.

A woman from out of town with a child in tow. It seemed as though a story was already taking shape in their mind. Sure enough, even the men slurping down their soup from behind cast curious glances their way. She suspected that before long, unsavory rumors of an illicit affair would be circulating in the marketplace.

After all, everyone knew that the eldest son, Hong Se Hwan, had gotten married just last year. But who were they to comment on another’s affairs? Swallowing a sympathetic sigh, the innkeeper silently gestured toward the inner city.

So, taking the mother’s hand, they arrived at a tiled-roof house that stood out even among the splendid residences of the capital.

The mother, wearing a long robe, knocked on the gate several times. After a long while, an old woman with her hair tied up in a bun appeared.

“Who are you, and why have you come to the magistrate’s residence?”

Her voice was sharp. The mother stepped forward hesitantly toward the source of the voice and cautiously explained the purpose of her visit.

“Excuse me. I wish to see Mr. Hong Se Hwan, who lives here.”

“The young master?”

“Yes. If you say I’m from Myeongnaesa Temple, he will know. This is a letter written by a monk who used to reside at that mountain temple, speaking on my behalf.”

The mother took out the letter she had been carefully keeping in her bosom and handed it over. She explained that it was a letter the head monk had written for her some time ago. The old woman raised her wrinkled eyes and stared intently at the mother. Then, she turned her gaze to Yu Won, who was hiding in the folds of her skirt.

It was a cold, unfeeling stare, as if she were appraising some kind of object.