The Long-Awaited Return to Hometown
Bing Ok-yeon stood on the hill overlooking the Baek family estate, letting the wind brush against her face. The words that left her lips were quiet, almost mechanical.
That was all. The place that had once been home held no deeper meaning for her now. Her long black hair danced in the breeze, catching the faint sunlight and glowing with an ethereal sheen.
“Yi Cheon-woo. So you really are alive.”
She had suspected as much after hearing Hong Mae’s conjecture that some of her former subordinates might have survived. That was why she hadn’t been overly shocked when their paths crossed. In truth, she hadn’t even recognized him at first. Seven years ago he had been only sixteen. The boy had become an entirely different person.
Part of it was because her own height had shrunk after the transformation, but the youth who once looked up at her now towered over her. The baby fat was gone from his cheeks, and the fragile air he once carried had hardened into something solid. Had she not gathered information from interrogating the bandits, she might have walked right past him.
Those who were supposed to be dead were still breathing. Bing Ok-yeon had nearly exploded with rage. In fact, she had made sure a few of the bandits paid for their grudges with their lives. She had wondered what she would do if she ever faced Yi Cheon-woo—whether she should subdue him immediately and wring out the truth, or watch him from the shadows.
She had chosen neither. The eyes of the warriors here, including Yi Cheon-woo, were far too upright. And with no foundation of her own yet, any reckless action would only lead to the same disastrous outcome as seven years ago.
Besides, even back then Yi Cheon-woo had been an outcast within the youth division. As a lay disciple of Wudang, he had been looked down on by Jin Hyeon, his fellow disciple. The children of the great sects paid him no mind, and the smaller factions avoided him simply because he was associated with a major sect. The chance that he was at the center of the betrayal was extremely low.
The truth can be uncovered slowly.
If he truly wasn’t a traitor and had erected the memorial stele with his own hands… then he might be someone she would have to repay. How many people in the world would offer condolences to the family of a man branded as a demonic fiend no different from a public enemy of the murim?
Of course, the story had been twisted to say that Baek Un-hyeon had betrayed even his own family, so there had been no backlash.
Bing Ok-yeon descended the hill and re-entered the county. She needed to prepare to leave Un-gye. She didn’t require much—just enough clothes to adorn herself.
“I’ll take this black one and the blood-white. And a face veil as well, please.”
“This one? A peerless beauty like you, young miss, would look stunning in anything, but wouldn’t something else suit you better?”
“Just give me that one.”
“…Hmm, what a shame. In that case, how about purchasing this white hemp silk robe as well? It’s made of the finest silk, yet I’ll let you have it at the same price as the others.”
“I would be grateful if you did. But there’s no reason for you to go that far, is there?”
“Hehe… In a backwater like this, there’s hardly anyone who can afford silk garments. Rather than letting this fine piece sit around as mere decoration, it would be far happier wrapped around someone like you, young miss. Besides… seeing you reminds me of someone I once knew.”
“…Who?”
“Someone I can no longer see. He was very kind to a humble cloth merchant like me.”
Bing Ok-yeon realized who the shopkeeper was speaking of. A faint smile touched her lips as she accepted his kindness. She counted out half the silver coins she had taken from the bandits and handed them over. The owner, startled by the amount that far exceeded what she had offered, hurriedly tried to return the excess. But by the time he finished counting, Bing Ok-yeon had already vanished into the darkness.
Jegal Clan estate, Xiangyang County, Hubei Province.
Along with Wudang, one of the two pillars of the orthodox factions that divided Hubei. Within this prestigious family lived a single girl who was treated with contempt.
About ten years ago, the clan head had suddenly brought her in. Yet because of his neglect, she had become an object of scorn within the household.
Her name was Jegal So-yeon.
“…”
A girl whose long bangs nearly covered her eyes was sweeping the grounds with listless movements. Every time a member of the clan passed by, she bowed her head in greeting. Most ignored her completely, while a few offered half-hearted acknowledgments.
But some…
“Oh my! Sorry~ I didn’t see you there!”
“…!”
They deliberately bumped into her, scattering the pile of leaves she had painstakingly gathered.
Even so, it wasn’t as if Jegal So-yeon had been reduced to a servant. She still carried the clan head’s blood, after all. She simply had no talent whatsoever, so she swept and cleaned to ease her own mind.
Without letting out a single sigh, she began gathering the leaves again. She was used to this by now. If the day ended like this, it would be considered a lucky one.
“Mute bitch. Pretending she doesn’t hear us again.”
“Pfft, she’ll hear you.”
“Leave her. Remember how she used to strut around like she was something special just because the clan head took pity and picked her up?”
That had never happened. From the moment she was taken in, she had spent every day crying.
‘It’s all right. If you go to your father, you’ll definitely be able to live happily.’
‘Mom! Don’t go! Mom!’
“Lady So-yeon~?”
The same people who had been openly mocking her moments ago—the other maids who were merely locals from this town—suddenly called out to her in sweet voices. People who would never normally speak to her that way.
“…?”
“I just remembered something. The chief steward has a task that needs doing. You look terribly bored, my lady~”
“That’s right, that’s right. How kind of you, the clan head’s own daughter, to be out here sweeping leaves instead of us lowly things.”
“From what we can see, it seems like you’d be perfect for the job.”
“Ugh…”
“So? Will you do it for us?”
This was clearly a threat. How could people asking for a favor sound so menacing? But Jegal So-yeon knew all too well what would happen if she refused. In the end, she nodded reluctantly. She had already guessed what they would ask of her from their tone.
The errand they gave her was difficult and exhausting. She had to travel all the way to Yicheng County, far from Xiangyang. Even though she was the clan head’s daughter, after nearly ten years of abuse, there was almost nothing she could do.
But if she didn’t go, there was no telling what the maids would do. Although she was scorned, she was still the clan head’s daughter. In theory, mere servants shouldn’t dare disregard her. Yet Jegal So-yeon was terrified of her story reaching the ears of the clan members—especially in a bad light.
Without thinking, she stepped out onto the streets of Xiangyang. Normally she would never have left the estate, but the sense of crisis pushed her forward.
Xiangyang, the city of scholars. Thanks to the protection of the Jegal Clan, it enjoyed excellent public order. Not many people would dare approach a girl wearing the unmistakable attire of the ruling clan—whether with good or ill intentions.
That was why today was truly unusual.
“Excuse me, young lady? Are you looking for something?”
The man looked friendly. His eyes were narrow, so she couldn’t read his gaze, but he wore a gentle smile and the robes of a scholar, just like the others. With almost no experience venturing outside and never having been treated poorly thanks to her Jegal Clan clothing, So-yeon quickly let down her guard and nodded.
“Um… I… Yicheng…”
“Hm? What did you say?”
Her stuttering and slow speech made it hard to understand. Only after she repeated herself did the man slap his forehead.
“Ah! Yicheng! Haha, perfect timing. My companions have business in Yicheng. Please, follow me, young lady.”
A scholar who just happened to have business in Yicheng. So-yeon thought the heavens were helping her and followed behind him.
“The carriage is waiting on the outskirts.”
The carriage was on the outskirts. So-yeon didn’t understand what that implied. She simply lacked experience.
“Hey! I brought her!”
The carriage really was on the outskirts, in an area with almost no people or buildings.
“You were telling the truth? Wow…”
“My little brother wasn’t lying. This is fine, right?”
“Of course it’s fine. My brother guaranteed it. No problems at all.”
What were they talking about? So-yeon tilted her head in confusion.
“Please get in, young lady. We’ll escort you all the way to Yicheng.”
Unlike his earlier polite demeanor, the man grinned and rather forcefully grabbed her arm. Even though she was the daughter of a murim clan, So-yeon had never been touched by an unrelated man before. Yet this person was grabbing her arm without hesitation.
Startled, So-yeon yanked her arm away and waved her hands frantically.
“Damn it, why are you getting excited already?”
“Haha… My friends were just talking. You must have been startled. It’s fine. When doing this kind of work, you have to act a bit tough, you see.”
“Ugh…”
“Anyway, if you don’t get in this carriage, who knows if you’ll even make it to Yicheng today? Hurry and get in, won’t you?”
Those words were decisive. In the end, So-yeon had no choice but to climb into the carriage. If she failed to complete the task and word reached the chief steward—and eventually her family—then…
‘Useless thing. You should never have been born.’
‘What a lowly creature. How could my husband have taken in such cheap blood…’
Just imagining her “father” and “mother’s” reactions made her body tremble. So-yeon climbed into the carriage, tense with anxiety. When she looked inside, she let out a small sigh of relief. There was another woman already seated there. She wore a face veil, but her figure was unmistakably female.
“Hello. I’m truly glad to meet you like this.”
The woman bowed gracefully. Her voice was so beautiful it was startling.
“Ugh…”
Jegal So-yeon opened her eyes. At some point she had fallen asleep.
“Hehe, did you sleep well?”
“Ah…?”
Startled by the voice beside her, she flinched. But when she realized she had been leaning on the woman’s shoulder, she quickly bowed her head in apology.
“Can’t you speak?”
“N-no…”
Her voice was so tiny it was barely audible even if one strained to listen. Yet the woman showed no irritation. If it had been someone from the clan, they would have clicked their tongues in annoyance by now. The woman’s aura felt strangely cold, yet at the same time So-yeon sensed something incredibly fragrant about her.
At that moment, the carriage jolted to a stop.
Had they arrived in Yicheng? The journey from Xiangyang to Yicheng shouldn’t have taken even an hour. So-yeon lifted the cloth covering the small window and peered outside. Her eyes filled with confusion. She knew Yicheng was smaller than Xiangyang, but all she could see were trees.
“Get out!”
It was the scholar’s voice from earlier. Why was he raising his voice like that? So-yeon carefully stepped down from the carriage. The scholar and his three friends were standing there.
“…”
“Hehe, looks like she still hasn’t figured it out.”
“She must think she’s rolling around in a flower garden.”
“I hate clueless bitches like her the most. Some of us have to struggle every single day just to survive. If it weren’t for the Jegal Clan, I’d—”
This was definitely not heading in a good direction. So-yeon backed away in panic. But behind her was only the men’s carriage.
“Heh heh…”
“You still don’t get it? Do we really look like good people to you? Or did you disguise yourself too well?”
“Ugh…”
“They said she was practically mute. Maybe she really can’t talk? Is that why they abandoned her?”
“We just need to get paid. Stop worrying about that and tie the bitch up already.”
So-yeon tried to run. Even though she was already surrounded, she knew something terrible would happen if she didn’t escape. As she stumbled toward the side, sobbing, a hand reached out from behind and wrapped around her shoulder.
“Hic…!”
“Oh dear, I startled you. I’m sorry.”
“Huh? Who the hell is that? When did you pick up another girl?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?! We didn’t have time to worry about another bitch!”
“Shh… Calm down. Nothing will happen to you, So-yeon.”
The cold yet warm voice instantly soothed her trembling heart. So-yeon felt her pounding heart slowly settle. Then she realized something strange.
She had never told the woman behind her her name.