Searching for Hyeonrihwa, Three Thousand Ri (3)
Baek Wontae split off from the siblings and headed toward the middle district.
The streets were so packed with people that the bustle here couldn’t even be compared to Hamwon, or to any place he’d passed through until now.
And this was still only the outer edge of Dang Clan territory.
He clicked his tongue inwardly at their reach.
He passed fabric shops and restaurants—
and walked with a single goal in mind.
The Hyeonrihwa dealer.
After scouting around and checking the apothecaries and general stores, he stepped into the first place that caught his eye.
“Welcome.”
At the shopkeeper’s greeting, he dipped his head lightly in return.
His gaze swept across the counter, then stopped.
Hyeonrihwa Emulsion Paste.
Baek Wontae picked it up with both hands and examined it.
This was on a completely different level from the stuff he’d gotten so far.
There were almost no impurities, the density was high, and the scent was rich.
A true premium product.
No wonder people said the Dang Clan was meticulous about supplying medicinal materials.
This, too, must have been because of the Dang Clan’s influence.
What was even more surprising was that there wasn’t just one or two of them.
Five layers’ worth of emulsion paste sat stacked on the counter alone.
The quality was good, and the size was generous.
With that much inventory, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
Part of him wanted to clear the whole shelf out, but—
This is Dang Clan territory.
He had to keep a low profile, stay as restrained as possible.
Unlike some nobody, there were also those two suspicious ones wrapped up so tightly they looked like living bundles.
In a town this size, if he bought only a little from each shop, the supply would naturally pile up by the time he’d circled through all the dealers.
So—
he shelved his greed for the moment.
“I’ll take these. Ring me up.”
He set several jars of Hyeonrihwa Emulsion Paste on the counter and placed a bundle of coins beside them.
After packing the emulsion paste into his bundle, Baek Wontae left the shop with his excitement hidden behind an almost casual stride.
And then immediately—
on to the next apothecary in sight.
Then the general store.
He repeated that process more than a dozen times.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
At the same time, Dang Cheon was heading toward the mansion of the local notable assigned to her mission.
As expected—
it was a manor that brought to mind a royal palace, lined with brilliantly ornate buildings.
When she reached the front gate, the guard recognized her long robe and bowed respectfully first.
“Welcome, Dang Sogi. The young lady has been waiting for you.”
She was soon led by a servant into the inner courtyard.
And the building that stood before her was—
rather strange.
The eaves stretched so far out that not even a thread of sunlight could slip onto the veranda.
The windows were set high, as if designed to keep light from reaching the person inside.
Even the window paper had been painted pitch-black.
Dang Cheon stared at the building for a moment, then climbed the veranda and knocked lightly on the door.
“Young Lady Huang. I’m Dang Cheon, from the Dang Clan.”
“…Come in.”
At the voice from within, Dang Cheon carefully opened the door.
Creak—
There was only a single lamp lighting the room.
No other light was permitted to enter this place.
And—
Young Lady Huang sat on the bed.
Her skin was pale from never seeing sunlight.
Bright red rashes stood out across it.
She was a sickly beauty, carrying a lonely air about her.
Dang Cheon bowed politely.
“Dang Cheon of Yeonmudang, Outer House 2nd Class Disciple of the Dang Clan. I greet Young Lady Huang.”
She took a package from her chest and opened it carefully.
Inside was a neatly made ointment case.
“This is a new medicine made by the Dang Clan for Young Lady Huang. It’s an ointment—if you apply it to your skin, it should ease the symptoms.”
But—
whether she heard the explanation or not, Young Lady Huang’s eyes were fixed not on the ointment, but on Dang Cheon.
Slowly, she let her gaze travel up and down.
“…Based on Sanchi and Houttuynia, mixed with various herbs and a Dang Clan elixir—”
“Come closer.”
The words were cut off midstream.
It was an abrupt request.
Dang Cheon hesitated for only an instant before nodding and stepping up beside her.
“Do you need something?”
Young Lady Huang’s gaze sank deep into Dang Cheon’s face.
“…You’re cute.”
The next second—
with no warning at all, Young Lady Huang reached out and took Dang Cheon’s hand.
“Young Lady Huang…?”
Her hand was soft.
Too soft.
Her fingers moved slowly, rubbing over Dang Cheon’s small, rough hand as if savoring every sensation one by one.
Her thin, pale fingers finally laced through Dang Cheon’s own.
With that touch—
Dang Cheon felt, instinctively, a kind of unpleasantness she couldn’t quite put into words.
“Your hands are rough. And you’re so delicate….”
“…What are you saying….”
“Your face is lovely, and your body’s so dainty, but you still do hard, dirty work… That contradiction of yours is really attractive….”
Dang Cheon said nothing.
She set the ointment case down on the bed and took a step back.
“…I’ve explained everything. I still have work to do, so I’ll be taking my leave.”
Just as she finished the formal bow and turned to go—
“Wait.”
The voice at her back was cold enough to pierce her spine.
Dang Cheon clenched her teeth and turned around.
Young Lady Huang was holding the ointment case with her fingers and holding it out toward Dang Cheon.
Her gaze was shamelessly direct.
“I don’t know how to use it. Show me yourself.”
She didn’t even bother hiding what she meant.
That sticky voice clung to Dang Cheon’s ears.
Dang Cheon drew in a short breath and said, “It’s no different from ordinary ointment. Just apply it to the needed area—”
“You can’t just smear the Dang Clan’s divine medicine around carelessly.”
Her words trailed off in a lascivious purr.
“So.”
Swish—
With a flick of her fingertips, she caught the tie of Dang Cheon’s robe, and the light outer garment slipped down as if collapsing under its own weight.
Under the lamp, pale skin like white porcelain and red scratch marks were revealed.
The vermilion light slid over her beautiful curves.
“Apply it for me yourself.”
“…Young Lady Huang. I am of the Dang Clan. I can’t accept such a request.”
At that low refusal, she smiled with graceful ease.
“You do know the relationship between my father and the Dang Clan, don’t you?”
“….”
“You said your name was Dang Cheon, right? I could say some very nice things to my father.”
It sounded like seduction, but it was also a threat.
Saying she could speak well of her meant—
she could also speak ill of her, however she pleased.
Dang Cheon knew that very well.
If she refused here, there was no guarantee Young Lady Huang wouldn’t retaliate somehow.
No matter how the Dang Clan repaid kindness tenfold and revenge a hundredfold, Dang Cheon was still from the Outer House.
Unless she suffered direct harm, it would be difficult for the clan to intervene over something like this.
Besides, Young Lady Huang was the daughter of a merchant lord closely tied to the Dang Clan.
It was obvious at a glance who the situation favored.
Everything she had built up until now could come crashing down in a single stroke.
No.
That was one thing she absolutely could not allow.
Dang Cheon’s gaze dropped to the floor once, then returned to Young Lady Huang.
It was less a decision than resignation.
She forced a smile, hoping at least that this might work in her favor.
“It seems I have no choice.”
Young Lady Huang took a step closer.
Dang Cheon quietly took the ointment case dangling from her fingers—
and lowered herself slowly onto the bedside seat.
A thick fragrance tightened around Dang Cheon’s breathing.
She opened the ointment case and dipped her finger into the paste.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Dang Cheon walked through the streets.
After finishing with Young Lady Huang, she had immediately set out to manage the business site.
Something like that—
couldn’t even leave a scratch.
At most, it was a minor blemish on her pride.
And Dang Cheon’s pride had already been worn down so much that it barely showed anymore.
Rather than wasting time feeling gloomy over that sort of thing, it was better to finish one more task as quickly as possible.
As she made her way toward the business site, she noticed a crowd gathered ahead.
Thinking some trouble had broken out, Dang Cheon headed in that direction.
“Oh my, oh my! What are we going to do?”
“Those miserable bastards….”
In front of one shop, people were craning their necks and murmuring restlessly as they looked inside.
And then—
CRASH!
At the sound of something breaking, a rough shout burst out into the street.
The shopkeeper was surrounded by vicious-looking men.
“Aigoo, why are you doing this!”
At the owner’s wail, the thugs snickered.
“Hey, ma’am.”
One of them crouched down and glared at the shopkeeper.
“Our guys came by yesterday and told you to pay protection money. Why didn’t you pay, huh?”
The shopkeeper clenched her trembling hands and shouted, “W-we’re a shop under the Dang Clan’s protection! We don’t have a single coin to give to thieves like you!”
At that, the thugs all burst into laughter.
“Puhaha! The Dang Clan, she says!”
One of them pulled a vicious-looking dagger from his chest.
The sharp blade wavered toward the shopkeeper’s throat.
“Which’ll happen faster? The Dang Clan coming, or a knife going into this old lady’s neck?”
At his savage joke, the thugs kept grinning.
In that situation, they were the only ones laughing.
“Y-you evil bastards…!”
All of it—
Dang Cheon heard every word from behind the crowd.
She tapped the backs of the people blocking her path.
“Make some room.”
Those who turned their heads couldn’t see anything at first.
Only after lowering their gazes did they notice the small-statured woman.
And at that moment—
the green robe.
The crowd’s murmur died away all at once, like a candle snuffed out before a gust of wind.
As if they had rehearsed it in advance,
the onlookers naturally parted to both sides.
The Dang Clan character on her back fluttered in the breeze.
Dang Cheon walked through the gap.
“Like hell the Dang Clan brats are going to protect some little shop in a dump like this—”
“What did you say about the Dang Clan?”
At her words—
every eye inside the shop turned toward the door.