Youngest Hanryang of the Eight Provinces
That guy over there is supposedly the youngest Hanryang in all eight provinces of Joseon.
The Gapsa title I'd received as a reward was basically a sort of reserve officer position. It only came with actual command authority during wartime emergencies like the recent Burat Rebellion, and in peacetime, it was just an honorary rank with the name but no duties.
But there was one problem.
"Whoa, the Hanryang lord is passing by."
"That's him, the youngest Hanryang in all eight provinces of Joseon."
"I'm jealous. I wanna be a Hanryang too."
The name of this Gapsa title was Hanryang.
In this early Joseon era, people looked at it with respectful eyes, but to me, with my modern knowledge, it felt just like some jobless bum living off others—a total NEET.
And damn if it wasn't hitting a little too close to home. Here I was, preparing for the Mugwa exam, with zero economic activity to my name. A straight-up freeloader.
"Aigoo, Hanryang lord, you've graced us with your presence?"
"Ah, come on. Don't call me that."
"How else should we address a Hanryang if not as Hanryang?"
"Just... y'know, call me by name like old times."
"We never called you by name back then either."
Ah, right. Yeah, that's true.
I arrived at the yamen and exchanged a few words with the guards before heading inside. Hyeong-bang spotted me and hurried over with a welcoming grin.
"Aigoo! Our Hanryang has arrived?"
"Hyeong-bang lord. Please, just...!"
"No need for the 'lord' anymore. You're a Hanryang now too."
Doesn't being a Hanryang mean you deserve even more honorifics...?
Hanryang ranked about the same as the clerks, so no need for the overly deferential treatment like last time. Basic respect for elders was still a must, of course.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Ah, well, there's that archery contest at the vernal equinox, right? Folks from Chaekho Village wanna enter, so I came about that."
"Hmm."
Hyeong-bang tilted his head at the news of the Hwacheok natives entering the archery contest. He wasn't frowning because of their status, though.
"You're not thinking of entering yourself, are you?"
"Figured I'd give it a shot."
"Chaekho Village is really gunning to sweep all the prizes, huh?"
"What can I do? They wanna go."
"Heh heh. At this rate, participation from everyone else will tank."
Hwacheok Village—no, Chaekho Village now—folks weren't scorned by the other villagers anymore. They weren't seen as wandering troublemakers but as sturdy shields who'd quelled the rebellion and minimized harm to the people.
Prejudice hadn't vanished entirely, but they could now proudly join county events like this.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk about."
I hadn't come just to declare our intent to participate. I pulled a pouch from my belt and showed it to Hyeong-bang.
"How about this as the prize?"
"Hm? What's that?"
"A pendant made from a tiger claw."
I suggested the tiger-claw pendant as a prize, and Hyeong-bang's eyes went wide as saucers.
"What?! You'd offer something that precious as a prize?!"
"Yeah. Any issue with that?"
"It, it, it'll work! No—wait, just one question! This... this is from the tiger you killed, right?"
"Obviously."
"Th-then it's perfect! With this, every commoner in the county—no, other counties! No—Hanyang! Hell, participants will flock from all eight provinces of Joseon!"
Is it that big a deal? Good thing I only brought one; another might've made him faint.
I was flustered by how his hands were shaking with excitement, but at least we'd secured entry for our village.
"Ah, no. This isn't the time."
Hyeong-bang, who'd been eyeing the pendant in the pouch like buried treasure, snapped his head up. Noticing my empty hands, he asked,
"Si-jin, do you have any document proving this pendant's from the tiger you slew?"
"Need that?"
"Of course! Come on, this way! Hurry!"
He came to my side, pushed my back, and practically dragged me into the yamen building—the same one where I'd registered my matchlock before. There, he had me draft a document certifying the pendant came from my tiger kill.
"And sign here!"
"Sign? Never done that before."
"Ho ho, is that so? Then let me teach you. Write the hanja for One Heart like this."
He even gave me practice paper to rehearse my seal and signature. While I was practicing, he casually asked,
"So, have you really made up your mind?"
"Huh? About what?"
"What else? That girl. Eori, was it?"
"Kim Eori from Chaekho Village? Yeah. I'm marrying her."
I tensed, bracing for any negativity about Eori. But he surprised me.
"Hey now! Don't speak so crudely of your fiancée! Call her 'lady'!"
"Oh, right. Lady Eori."
"Heh heh. You, getting married. Remember when her father was falsely accused? You jumped up yelling 'I object!' And now that thunderbolt-headed kid's tying the knot. Heh heh. Times change."
Seemed he'd fully accepted Eori and me now. Last time he'd been raging about introducing his fifth cousin's daughter.
"Mm. Speaking of, did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"About Kim Jin-sa sending your fortune-telling chart."
"Ah, yeah. Heard it's going to the daughter of that merchant Ban's family."
"Right. To Lady Ban Su-ji."
Ban Su-ji—name screamed "Republic of Korea's poster girl next door," but nope. With a surname starting with B, she looked like Beom-chang-bok's gender-swapped twin.
"Sigh, I don't get why he's meddling in my marriage."
"Heh heh. If you were just some commoner, maybe. But you're a proper Hanryang now. With great position comes great responsibility."
Hanryang's just code for "leave the kid alone." What responsibility...?
I grumbled inwardly but kept practicing my signature. Finally satisfied, I sealed the document proving the pendant's origin.
"This good?"
"Hm. Excellent. Splendid."
"It's a pretty sloppy seal."
"I meant the pendant."
"Oh. Right."
"Hmm. Hm..."
Hyeong-bang pulled the pendant from the pouch and examined it from every angle. He clearly wanted it bad, but I didn't mention the extras at home.
"By the way, Si-jin."
He'd brought it up first.
"Got any more tiger-claw pendants?"
"I do. But they're for my wedding trousseau, so I can't just give 'em away. Sorry."
"No, no. Just asking. Ah, right—anything made from the fangs?"
"Gave the whole head to Kim Jin-sa."
"Heh heh. How could you part with such a treasure—er, I see."
For the record, the tiger's head was pickled in a massive jar of strong liquor, serving as a drinking snack ages ago. Not literally chewed as anju, but Kim Jin-sa pulled it out to brag to guests during drinks.
Ugh! That lunatic. I knew he wasn't right in the head after groping a girl young enough to be his daughter, but who the hell thinks to dunk a whole animal head in booze?
"Ahem! Hm!"
A fake cough from outside signaled someone's arrival. Hyeong-bang and I turned to see Hyeon-gam standing there.
"Oh, Magistrate lord. What brings you here?"
"What else? Heard the Hanryang was here."
"...Yeah. Hanryang reporting."
I was inwardly cursing the title, so my greeting lagged a bit. Hyeon-gam didn't mind, stepping in to inspect the table.
"Ho! Isn't this a tiger-claw pendant?"
"Yes, sir. Made from the great tiger slain by the Hanryang."
"Oho! Worth more than a whole tiger pelt, I'd wager!"
He handled my prize pendant with more care than a jeweler with gems, nearly pricking his finger on the sharp claw as he examined it.
"Si-jin. Got any spares at home?"
"Sorry, Magistrate sir. They're earmarked for my wedding; can't part with them."
"Ah, I see."
Couldn't exactly strong-arm wedding gifts. Hyeon-gam smacked his lips regretfully, carefully setting the pendant down before asking,
"But how'd something this precious end up here?"
"Well, you see, Magistrate lord."
Hyeong-bang answered for me.
"Hanryang Kim Si-jin brought it as a prize for the vernal equinox archery contest."
"What?!"
Hyeon-gam gawked like Hyeong-bang had at first. Hyeong-bang chuckled at the mirrored reaction and continued.
"To boost participation."
"True, it'd draw a crowd. Si-jin, this really your idea?"
"Huh? Yeah, sure."
"Then that Lady Eori from your village is entering too?"
Why bring up Eori out of nowhere? It was odd, but not wrong, so I nodded.
"Yeah, her and a bunch from Chaekho Village."
"Heh heh! And she approved?"
"Handed me the participant list and begged me to submit it for them."
"Heh heh! So very Chaekho! Heh heh!"
What was with him? No clue why Hyeon-gam kept chuckling. I glanced at Hyeong-bang, who just shrugged cluelessly.
"Hm. Very well, so be it."
The magistrate calmed after a bit, nodding with a lingering smile.
"Plenty will enter for a shot at this."
Seemed like a misunderstanding, but hearing Hyeong-bang echo it eased my mind. Mission accomplished—delivered the prize to the contest organizers—I headed home.
I learned the truth about the thoroughly twisted misunderstanding the next day, when Kim Jin-sa stormed in fuming.
"Kim Si-jin! You bastard! Think marriage is yours to decide?!"
"Sorry! Jin-sa lord! But—"
"Quiet! How dare you raffle off a marriage to you as the archery contest prize?!"
"What?!"
"Shut it! The whole county's buzzing! Winner of the contest marries you!"