Business Opens
Dusk had fallen over Hamwon.
Geumgangru was already alive with laughter and music. A man in silk robes swept through the doors of the pleasure house, and the moment the attendant recognized his face, he hurried over with a bright smile.
“Ah, Dong Ilryong! Welcome! I’ll personally see to you!”
“Good. Is Jinju well?”
“Of course, of course. Shall I send for Lady Jinju again today?”
“Mm. I’d appreciate that.”
“Right away, then. I’ll show you to your usual room!”
With both hands clasped, the attendant ushered Dong Ilryong inside. They passed down the corridor and stopped before a particularly lavish private room deeper within the building.
“This is it, young master.”
When the door opened, a faint fragrance drifted out.
The room, decorated with silk screens and mother-of-pearl inlay, was gaudy in the way only the wealthy could afford to call tasteful. Dong Ilryong sat and gave his order.
“I’m in a good mood today, so bring me a bottle of nü er hong and your best dishes to go with it.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare them at once. In the meantime, I’ll bring Lady Jinju.”
After the attendant withdrew, a short while later—
Drik.
The door opened, and a slender figure entered the room. A gentle scent wafted from the sachet hanging at her waist.
“Dong Ilryong….”
She folded her delicate hands and bowed.
“This girl has been waiting day and night for your return.”
“Hah, is that so? I was thinking of your face so often while I was away from Hamwon that I could hardly sleep.”
Jinju tilted her head with a shy smile.
“May I ask why you were away from Hamwon for so long, young master?”
“Heh, that would be a long story… do you truly want to hear it?”
“This girl’s ears are open only to you, young master.”
* * *
After giving the order to the kitchen, the attendant headed straight for the pavilion lord’s office.
Knock, knock—
“Come in.”
The door opened, and the pavilion lord looked up.
“What is it?”
“Lord Pavilion, Dong Ilryong has arrived.”
“As expected… he called for Jinju, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He asked for Lady Jinju.”
“Good. Then make sure that thing is brought out with his drinks, just as I instructed.”
“As you command.”
The attendant bowed and withdrew.
The pavilion lord reopened the documents in front of him.
Dong Ilryong — Jinju
Machun-gye Merchant House Head — Gyeonghwa, Nanseol
Go Hyo-shin Landowner — Dohwa, Jinju, Hongmae
Jang Unyeon Salt Merchant — Gyeonghwa, Miwol, Jinju, Jukyeong, Dohwa, Nanseol, Un-a, Hongmae
Do Haejin Pawnshop Owner — Cheongyeong
And so on…
The list of Geumgangru’s regulars and heavy spenders. The names of the women they favored.
The pavilion lord mulled over the merchant’s advice.
“Don’t scatter Baekhyang around to just anyone. Keep it secret, and only for the big-spending regulars. That way the price won’t drop, and word will spread among other rich patrons.”
He had already given the order to the attendants. Whenever a certain regular summoned a certain courtesan, they were to report it immediately and bring out Baekhyang and the smoking pipe with the drinks.
He had also instructed the courtesans on how to use it.
When the drinks were served before the guest, they were to offer Baekhyang as well.
The first customer had just arrived at the pleasure house.
The pavilion lord’s hand skimmed over the ledger.
“Good… now it begins. I’ll show them pleasure they’ve never known.”
* * *
Dong Ilryong was in the middle of recounting his adventures.
“…And so, following my father, I traveled all the way to Shandong Province and secured a major deal. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that I did nearly all of it myself.”
Jinju clasped her hands and let out an admiring gasp.
“To think you made such a journey, Young Master Dong… it only makes me admire you more.”
“Hah, you flatter me. At this point, Father ought to hand over the merchant house early. I don’t know why he’s dragging his feet like that.”
Dong Ilryong’s gaze settled on Jinju.
“If I become the head of the merchant house… Jinju, would I be able to take you with me?”
“Young master… surely you could meet a woman far more lovely than someone like me….”
“I’ve traveled the whole world, and I’ve never met anyone like you.”
Her cheeks flushed red.
“Ah, right. I have something I managed to obtain in Shandong.”
He pulled a small silk bundle from his robes. When he untied it, a hairpin adorned with pearl beads was revealed. It was a gift chosen with her name in mind.
“Here. What do you think? It’s a specialty of Shandong—pearls. I chose the biggest, finest one I could find. I thought it would suit you, so I brought it for you.”
“T-this is such a precious thing… may I really accept it?”
“Only you could be the owner of this hairpin.”
Dong Ilryong placed the hairpin firmly in her hand.
Jinju bowed her head in gratitude.
“I am deeply moved by Young Master Dong’s generosity….”
“Try it on. I want to see you wearing it.”
“Then… would you put it in my hair yourself?”
Dong Ilryong’s cheeks reddened.
He took the hairpin and carefully tucked it into the back of her hair. The pearls glimmered between the black strands.
“How does it look, young master?”
“Well now… it isn’t the hairpin that shines. You do.”
“Oh my… you really know how to talk.”
She turned away shyly, and a soft warmth lingered in the room for a long while.
Knock, knock—
“Young Master Dong, your drinks have arrived.”
The attendant’s voice came from outside.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and the attendant entered carrying a tray. On the large platter sat a bottle of fragrant nü er hong, two cups, and several dishes of well-prepared food—rich but not greasy, tender but not dry.
Beside them sat something that drew the eye for entirely different reasons: a porcelain pipe and a single glistening white pellet.
The attendant set the tray down and withdrew.
“Would you pour me a drink?”
“With pleasure.”
Jinju carefully poured the nü er hong into his cup.
“This scent… it’s been a while.”
“Tonight will be a night made for you, young master.”
Dong Ilryong laughed and drained the cup.
Her fingertips plucked at the strings of a qin.
A clear melody filled the room, blending with the wine, the incense, and the wavering candlelight.
Dong Ilryong drank with her while they talked of art, politics, and the affairs of life in all directions.
As his head began to swim, Jinju lifted the smoking pipe.
“I also have something I’d like to offer you, young master.”
“A gift from Jinju? I’m hardly worthy.”
Smiling, she placed the white pellet on a small dish. Held to the candle flame, it quickly melted, and smoke began to rise through the tiny holes.
“Young Master Dong.”
She held the pipe out to him with both hands.
“You simply breathe it in like this.”
“Smoke? Just like that?”
“Just try it once.”
At her soft smile, Dong Ilryong let his suspicion fall away. He put the pipe to his lips and slowly inhaled the smoke.
“Keh—cough, cough!”
The first unfamiliar scent and sting sent him into a fit of coughing.
She patted his back with her delicate hand.
“A little more, slowly.”
Gathering his courage, he tried again.
In that instant, every sensation in his body melted away.
The room drifted far off. The light began to sway like ripples across water.
His pupils loosened.
All sound in the world vanished, leaving only the smoke and her smile behind.
He sank headfirst into a dreamlike haze.
* * *
When Dong Ilryong awoke from that exquisite dream, he was lying with his head in Jinju’s lap.
He sat up, sweat dampening his whole body.
Before he had even caught his breath, he asked in a trembling voice, “W-what was that? What in the world…?”
Jinju smiled gently.
“Did you have a good dream, Young Master Dong?”
“A good dream? It was more than that… how should I put it? If there really is such a place as the Peach Blossom Spring, then perhaps it felt like that….”
He still seemed to stand between dream and reality. Unable to finish the thought, he stared blankly into space.
Jinju covered the back of his hand with her own.
“I’m simply glad you enjoyed it, young master.”
The pipe lay on the table. Its smoke had already vanished, leaving only a faint trace of fragrance behind.
Dong Ilryong stared at it and muttered, “What a pity… what an awful pity….”
He clicked his tongue, his eyes narrowing.
“I’ve never even felt this sorry after missing the finest seafood by a single coin.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he finally asked, “Could I… do that one more time?”
“I’d love to, truly, but it’s hard for someone like me to get hold of such a thing. Even the one pellet I gave you took considerable effort to obtain.”
“Can it be bought here in Geumgangru?”
She nodded cautiously.
“Then how much is it?”
“One pellet is… twenty mun. That’s an expensive price for courtesans like us, too. Still… I bought it because I wanted to give it to you, young master.”
“Twenty mun. Twenty mun, you say.”
He searched through his robes and pulled out a bundle of coins.
Jingle—
It was one hundred mun.
“Call the attendant. I’ll take five.”
She accepted the order with a smile.
A short while later, the attendant returned carrying a small dish with five pellets on it.
Jinju picked one up, set it on the pipe, and brought the candle close.
Ssiiisssh—
As the smoke rose, Dong Ilryong placed the pipe to his lips.
Sluuurp—
This time he tried hard not to lose himself.
Determined to make up for the regret of having blacked out before, he focused every nerve on drawing the smoke deep into his lungs.
The strange harmony of pleasure, pressure, and hallucination began to melt his mind.
His heart pounded. His blood ran hot. The world blurred.
“Hah… this….”
He grinned and leaned his head back.
“What in the world is this supposed to be?”
“It’s called Baekhyang.”
“Baekhyang… Baekhyang.”
He murmured the name and stared into space.
“I’ve never heard of it before. I wonder where the pavilion lord gets something like this… do you know?”
“I’m sorry. This girl is lowly and doesn’t know the pavilion’s private affairs.”
“No, no.”
Still gazing into the air, he burst out laughing.
“But I’m jealous. If you can make money selling something like this… you could make a fortune. No wine in the world could compete with this kind of fragrance.”
He handed the pipe to Jinju.
“Would you try it too?”
“May I really? Such a precious thing?”
“That’s why I bought five.”
“Then… I’ll accept your kindness gratefully.”
Jinju looked down at the pipe. She had never smoked Baekhyang herself. She had only learned how to prepare it and how to serve it to others.
Twenty mun per pellet. The pavilion lord would never waste something that expensive on practice.
She carefully put the pipe to her lips.
Sluuurp—
It was only a short inhale, but in that instant, her mind went blank.
“Ungh—”
Her heart pounded wildly, and the world in front of her twisted. Her body grew light, and the whole world seemed to sway.
The hardship of life in the pleasure house, the tiresome act of flattering difficult guests—every bit of fatigue scattered like smoke.
As she staggered, Dong Ilryong reached out and steadied her.
“Are you all right? It seems a bit strong for you.”
Jinju gave a faint laugh.
“No… thank you for worrying about me.”
Their eyes met.
Hands clasped, they took the pipe between them once more.
For that moment, there was no anguish or pain in the world.
Dong Ilryong hesitated, then spoke.
“I only intended to drink tonight… but it seems my body is….”
“Is something wrong with your body?”
His face reddened.
“…No. Embarrassingly enough… it’s the opposite.”
Jinju’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
A faint smile spread across her lips.
“Young master….”
She lowered her voice to a whisper.
“This girl… has been waiting only for you.”
Her fingertips moved to the knot at her waist.
Swish—
Her robe slipped from her shoulders.
The upper garment settled softly to the floor.
The Jinju of ordinary days would never have given herself so easily. It would have taken desperate pleading from the customer, and every ounce of effort he could muster, before she would even consider it.
But now, her judgment was blurred and her senses were swallowed by smoke.
That was Baekhyang’s power.
His hand slid around her waist.
Her fingers brushed softly against his cheek.
On the floor, where there was no blanket and no pillow, the man and woman intoxicated by Baekhyang fell over each other.
The lantern trembled, and their shadows intertwined before vanishing into one another.
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