Chapter 133: Returning Home in Glory [3]
Chapter 133: Returning Home in Glory [3]
“W-wait a moment. Let’s go inside and talk first.”
Seungmun seemed confused, perhaps because he had heard too much all at once.
Looking back, the past few years after Kanghyeok arrived had truly been turbulent years. The son whom he had thought it would be enough for merely to function as a proper person had suddenly begun healing servants, then rapidly risen to become the finest physician in Suwon.
And that was not the end of it. He had gone on to associate with various figures including the Busa, then had boldly gone out to the battlefield and rendered merit before flying off to Hanyang. In Hanyang, he had reportedly come to know one high official after another whose names anyone would recognize, men like Ryu Seong-ryong, Yi Hangbok, and Jeong Cheol, and had even formed ties with Gwanghae-gun.
I thought it had to be nonsense.
By common sense, it made no sense at all. Even his own father, who had watched Kanghyeok his whole life, had thought of him as a hopeless lout. And yet he had suddenly become a notable figure even in Hanyang. But it seemed that it had indeed all been true, judging by the fact that he had returned with an official post.
He is a strange fellow.
When one looked closely, though he was his own son, there were sides of him that Seungmun simply could not fathom. Even that house-call bag Kanghyeok carried around like an extension of his own body was like that. Had Seungmun ever once seen him carry anything like it before, or show any interest in such a thing? And yet, seeing him use it to go around treating this person and that person, it was nothing short of astonishing.
Seungmun tilted his head for a moment, then headed into the inner room. Compared to the bitter cold outside, it was so warm that it might as well have been a steam room.
“The weather is cold, and you must have had a hard time coming such a long way.”
“Not at all. I came on horseback, after all.”
The ones who had truly suffered were the members of his party who had walked. There was even less need to mention the laborers who had carried the baggage. Of course, they had been paid generously for it as well.
Kanghyeok laughed heartily and pointed toward the group, including Dolseok.
“These fellows did very good work even in Hanyang.”
Naturally, Yeoju was included among the people he pointed at. But her skill at dressing as a man had reached complete maturity by now, so Seungmun did not notice in the slightest. And since he failed to recognize Yeoni, who looked even more natural in male attire than Yeoju, that was only to be expected. So he merely laughed and continued praising them.
“I see, I see. Today, they may eat everything in the house to their hearts’ content, so let them go and eat. I will open the liquor as well. Okseok!”
“Yes.”
“Take them to the detached quarters and give them whatever they ask for.”
“Yes, master.”
“And since you are seeing your older brother again after so long... you may spend some time together as well.”
“Thank you, master.”
The Seungmun they were seeing again after so long was still a master generous toward those beneath him. Judging by character alone, he was the sort of man worthy of serving as a State Councillor. Though if the man himself refused, there was not much to be done about it.
“Well then. Have you been well?”
Only after everyone else had withdrawn did Seungmun turn back to Kanghyeok. Seeing Kanghyeok sitting there in neat official robes felt unfamiliar, but more than that, it made him proud. Perhaps because of that, a pleased smile never left his face.
“Yes, I have been fine. Father, you have been well too, have you not?”
The two of them had, in truth, exchanged letters so frequently that they already knew roughly how the other had been doing. Kanghyeok, especially, was exchanging letters with that chatterbox Kim Yungil as well, so he knew even the most trivial details. He even knew what poem Seungmun had recited last week while sharing drinks with the Busa at a gisaeng house.
It is almost like keeping a CIA informant attached to him.
As a father, there were probably parts he did not especially want to talk about. In fact, Seungmun’s letters had never once mentioned the gisaeng houses. They merely said things like he had gone with the Busa to some scenic site, or had taken a walk somewhere. But once winter came, was it not difficult to go about visiting such places? So it seemed he had been frequenting only gisaeng houses with grim determination.
Seungmun let out a hollow laugh, as if he had something on his conscience.
“As for me, I am always the same. Reading books, writing poems... visiting scenic places.”
“Haha. Indeed.”
Kanghyeok barely managed to swallow the words, And visiting gisaeng houses too, before they slipped out. After all, he could hardly come back after so long only to start by insulting his father.
Besides, it really did seem that Seungmun had been diligently visiting scenic places. One could tell because his body looked sturdier now than when Kanghyeok had left. His face had tanned bronze as well, and because of that he looked nearly ten years younger than before.
“Perhaps because of that, your complexion looks very good.”
“Is that so? Others have said the same. Anyway... so, how did you come to obtain an official post?”
From a father’s standpoint, that was naturally what he was most curious about. Kanghyeok explained that the one who had brought Kim Simin was Hwang Yungil, the Cheomji of the Jungchubu, and that Hwang Yungil had become the Chief Envoy of the diplomatic mission and would be going to Japan.
“I ended up going to Japan at that gentleman’s request, but I thought that if I was to do state business, I ought to have an official position, so I asked for one. And then, all at once...”
“So they gave you the post of Jikjang, is that it?”
“Yes, Father.”
“It seems that Hwang Yungil must have taken a great liking to you. To be appointed directly to a Junior Ninth Rank post... From the standpoint of a subject, even submitting a memorial for that would have required caution.”
“I heard that Lord Ryu Seong-ryong and Lord Jeong Cheol also helped. And Elder Kim Gyehan, the eunuch who is now Sangchaek of Junior Fourth Rank, also...”
“Kim Gyehan?”
At the mention of a familiar name, Seungmun showed keen interest. That was because he had known Kim Gyehan since the time when Kim Gyehan had held the post of Sangwon, a keeper of the royal gardens. Back then, Kim Gyehan had nearly been put to death after causing one of the king’s cherished flowers to die, and Seungmun still remembered having saved him.
At the time, Seungmun himself had been no more than a Baksa of the Hongmungwan, only a Seventh Rank official, so it had required no small amount of courage. Because of that, Kim Gyehan still remembered word for word what Seungmun had said then.
“Flowers bloom every year. If Your Majesty waits but one year, you will surely behold beautiful blossoms again. But people are not like that, so if you put him to death now, I fear Your Majesty will certainly regret it later.”
Fortunately, Myeongjong was not particularly cruel by nature, and he was also rather fond of Seungmun, so he listened. After that, Kim Gyehan had tried to repay Seungmun in everything, even the smallest matters, and in fact his help had been no small part of how Seungmun rose as far as the position of Daesaheon.
“Yes, Kim Gyehan. He asked after your well-being. He said he still had not repaid your kindness.”
“Haha. No, no. That is not so. He has repaid it more than enough. Then was it Kim Gyehan, that eunuch whose lung was injured before?”
“That is correct.”
“Human ties are truly a curious thing. To give and receive kindness across two generations. Since his character is sound, it would be well for you to keep close ties with him. Though being bound to the palace, it will not be easy.”
“Yes. I think so as well.”
If one had a subordinate on Kim Gyehan’s level, could one not say one had lived life well? A subordinate who even exercised in preparation for some unforeseen emergency. And that while lacking male hormones, so his training results would naturally be limited. Was that not moving?
Yes, exactly.
He was nodding to himself when Seungmun spoke. Unlike a moment ago, his expression had grown somewhat dark.
“So... you really have decided to go to Japan?”
“Ah, yes.”
“How long did they say you would be gone? That road cannot be easy.”
“They said it would take close to a year, roughly.”
Even as Kanghyeok said the words a year with his own mouth, it felt as though his chest had tightened. Of course, he had heard that they would not spend that entire year on the move. They would also stay for no short amount of time on Tsushima Island, Iki-no-shima, Hakata, Nagoya, Sakai, Kyoto, and other such places. And according to Yeoju, the most book-learned person among them, every diplomatic mission that had gone to Japan so far had been received with lavish hospitality, so there was nothing to worry about.
But those were all people who knew only one half of the matter and not the other.
Unlike before, now those bastards are already thinking only of invading.
He had his doubts about how friendly they would really be. He was especially worried about Hideyoshi.
He cannot be an ordinary man.
Even reckless Kanghyeok intended to be careful in front of him. If a madman decided to have his head cut off, there would be no way to stop it.
I will just try persuading Kim Seongil.
Hwang Yungil would obviously say on his own that war was coming. But if Kim Seongil came out in opposition, would things not proceed just as they had in actual history? If that happened, Suwon would burn, Hanyang would burn, and the whole land would be reduced to ashes.
Naturally, he thought of Eotan-myeon, which had been left in ruins. And he thought of Jeong Changgwon as well, who had died gloriously in battle.
“A year is a very long time.”
It was only after Seungmun spoke that Kanghyeok came back to himself. He quickly nodded.
“Yes. I think it will be a long time.”
“It cannot have been an easy decision... and yet you have made a noble one.”
“Thank you.”
“I have worried so much over you. Thank you for growing into such an upright man. Let us hold a feast before long. The Busa too has been waiting only for the day you arrived.”
“Haha. I should pay a separate visit to Elder Kim Yungil as well.”
“Yes, yes.”
After that, the father and son went on talking deep into the night, sharing all the feelings they had built up from not seeing one another for so long. For the most part, Seungmun asked and Kanghyeok answered, which was only natural between father and son, since it was the father, Seungmun, who had more things he wanted to know about the other.
“So. I heard you spoke late into the night yesterday. Is your health all right?”
Kim Yungil, the Busa whom he was seeing again after so long, also looked far healthier than the last time. It seemed that he had been managing a kind of forced-abstinence life brought about by the absence of Viagra.
“Yes, I am always healthy.”
“You look well. Haha.”
Kanghyeok chuckled and handed a silk pouch beneath Yungil’s legs. Naturally, it was Viagra, but unexpectedly, Yungil was not overjoyed. He accepted it and put it away, but his reaction was not as desperate as before.
“Thank you.”
“Hm? Could it be that these days, even without the medicine...?”
“It is about half and half, but yes. That is how it has been. Once I cut back on drink and walked a lot, it started turning out that way. Your letter was a great help.”
“That is good to hear.”
The two of them were sitting together having a quiet conversation when a loud roar came from the direction of the government office.
“What is that?”
“Ah, that is the sound of training.”
“Training?”
“Yes. Ever since the Eotan-myeon incident, they have not neglected military drills. And Suwon happens to be a wealthy town as well. Even if chaos breaks out now, there will be no need for reinforcements.”
“Ah. That is truly excellent news.”
“Yes. When you go to Japan this time, watch the atmosphere carefully and come back. I do not think those bastards invited us with good intentions. Even now, when I think of Changgwon, my heart tears apart.”
With faint moisture in his eyes, Yungil looked out beyond the door. True to form, he was a man who knew how to keep a promise, and he had even erected a memorial stele for Changgwon by the main road. Because of that, the stele was plainly visible from the government office as well.
When the Gichuk Purge broke out, everyone had told him to tear that stele down, but he had stubbornly refused and shouted this:
“How can you tell me to remove a memorial honoring a scholar who died fighting the Japanese raiders? Are you not ashamed, as scholars yourselves?”
Because of that, his path to the post of Minister of Personnel had vanished, but public opinion of Kim Yungil rose quite high. From a corrupt official interested only in women to a true scholar who knew righteousness and integrity.
Though looking at him even now, stroking a gilt Buddha statue, it was hard to imagine anyone saying such a thing.
Still, it was a good thing. At times, idle rumor could carry far more influence than obvious fact.
“Is that girl bowing over there Jeong Yeoju?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“So she is still traveling with you.”
“Yes, somehow.”
“Well, I am sure you will handle things wisely enough. But be careful, be careful.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Kanghyeok bowed his head. Yungil looked at him and smiled faintly.
“Yes... soon you will be setting out on a long road.”
“Yes. I hear there will be a farewell banquet at Gyeonghoeru.”
“You are very busy indeed. Well then, go carefully.”
“Yes, Elder.”