The Long-Awaited Return to Sakbang
The tail end of July had arrived. Under a midday sun that blazed mercilessly overhead, three riders appeared at the eastern gate of Sakbang. At the head of the group, Seo Jun gazed at the weathered wooden gates of the old fortress with a quiet surge of emotion.
“It took longer than I thought,” he murmured.
“My lord, are you glad to be back?”
“Hmm? It’s hard to explain… but it feels strangely moving. Let’s go home!”
When they finally reached the house he hadn’t seen in so long, Seo Jun dismounted and handed the reins to A-chan before stepping inside.
“Mother, I’m home!”
A brief silence fell. Then—
Crash!
“J-Jun! Jun-ah!!”
“Jun-ah!!!”
With a sound like something shattering, the inner door flew open and Seol Ryeon burst out. Right behind her came Yi Hyeon, her tall frame unmistakable. Without a moment’s hesitation, both women flew toward him and threw themselves into his arms.
“Whoa there! Did you both stay well?”
“Hic… why did you take so long? I was so worried I could hardly sleep.”
“You promised two months! Two months, and you were gone far longer than that!!”
They clung to each of his arms, sobbing as they poured out every worry they had bottled up inside. Seo Jun gently patted their backs, offering warm comfort.
“Haha, I’m sorry. A lot of things happened that I didn’t expect.”
With one arm around each of them, he felt his heart settle. The fatigue accumulated during the long journey melted away, replaced by a deep sense of peace. This was where he belonged. This warmth, this comfort—it was the feeling of finally letting his guard down.
A-chan and A-on stood awkwardly at the entrance, unsure whether to approach the emotional reunion unfolding before them.
“A-chan! A-on! Come here,” Seo Jun called, spotting them hesitating and waving them inside.
“This is A-chan, the boy, and A-on, the girl. They’re children from the Buyeo people in the Yuju region. We formed a bond during the journey, so they’ll be living with us from now on. A-chan is eighteen this year, and A-on is sixteen. I hope you’ll all get along.”
He explained how he had met them, adding a few more details. Seol Ryeon accepted the new arrangement without hesitation. After all, Seo Jun was essentially the head of the household now. Besides, A-on was close in age to her own daughter Ju Wan; it would be good for them to grow up together.
“This is no time to stand around talking. Jun-ah, have you eaten lunch? You haven’t, have you? I’ll prepare something right away, so wait in your room, alright?”
Seol Ryeon and Yi Hyeon hurried off to the kitchen. By the time lunch was nearly ready, Ju Wan and Ju Hwi returned from playing outside.
“Big brother!!!!”
“Elder brother!!!”
The moment they spotted Seo Jun through the main gate, they came running at full speed and leaped into his embrace. After another round of joyful chaos, the entire family was finally able to sit down for lunch together.
“I’m going to take a short walk to help digestion and greet Uncle Po and Uncle Dan,” Seo Jun said after the hearty meal, patting his full stomach as he left the house.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The familiar ring of iron being forged greeted him at Po Han’s smithy, which stood exactly as he remembered it. The sound felt strangely welcoming.
“Uncle Po! I’m back!”
At the sound of Seo Jun’s voice, Po Han’s head snapped toward the entrance. The hammer dropped from his hand with a thud.
“Jun-ah! You’re really here!”
Po Han rushed over and pulled him into a fierce hug. He had grown truly fond of the young man he now saw as a real nephew. When Seo Jun failed to return after the promised two months, the older man had spent many worried days.
“Uncle, have you been well?”
“I’ve been fine. But what about you? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“No, I returned safely without any trouble.”
“Where are Cheol and Won?” Seo Jun asked, surprised that Po Cheol and Po Won hadn’t appeared the instant he arrived as they usually did.
“Cheol’s been training harder with his martial arts. He’s been going out hunting just like you. As for Won, he stayed up late last night thinking about something, so he probably just woke up and is washing right now.”
“Speak of the tiger and it appears,” Seo Jun chuckled.
“Haha! Where did you learn that saying? It fits the situation perfectly, though.”
Seo Jun had unconsciously used a proverb from his Korean days. To Po Han it sounded fresh and interesting, and the blacksmith burst into loud laughter in agreement.
“White Dragon Brother!!!”
“Won-ah! Have you been well?”
Though he had only just passed ten years of age and was still small compared to Seo Jun and Po Han, Po Won already possessed a sturdy build for his age. The boy spotted Seo Jun and came running, throwing himself into his arms.
“Why did you take so long? Brother Cheol and I waited forever!”
After greeting Po Won and catching up on everything they had missed, Seo Jun explained the armor and prosthetic leg he wanted them to make.
“So the main torso will be plate armor, but you want a layer of hardened leather over it to increase defense. The shoulders and area below the waist should be made with lamellar for better mobility—is that right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“It’s a new design. Plate armor isn’t easy to make, and it doesn’t stop arrows as well as you might think.”
“That’s why the hardened leather layer is necessary. Also, if you have good quality alloy instead of regular iron plates, please use that.”
“Heh heh~ You’re giving me quite the difficult task, aren’t you?”
“Haha! But Father, doesn’t it sound interesting? I can’t wait to start making it.”
While Po Han looked slightly overwhelmed by the unfamiliar design, Po Won’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the prospect of creating something new. It was a clear display of the contrast between father and son—the older man’s mind growing more set in its ways with age, and the younger one constantly seeking new challenges.
“And this is meant to replace a leg?”
“That’s right. I call it a prosthetic leg.”
“We’ll have to consider the weight. Wood as the base, with metal reinforcement on the joints and soles since those areas will bear heavy wear.”
As expected, the prosthetic leg drew even more interest from Po Won. Po Han waved his hands, saying his mind was too old to tackle something so complicated, while Po Won asked detailed questions, fascinated that Seo Jun had come up with such an idea.
Seo Jun handed Po Won a pouch containing one hundred gold taels for materials. He knew Po Han would refuse the money if offered directly, so he gave it to the son instead.
“Brother, I’ll make it well.”
“I’m counting on you.”
After leaving final instructions with Po Won, Seo Jun headed for the governor’s office to meet Dan Hoe. After being cleared by the soldiers at the entrance, he arrived at the building where Dan Hoe worked.
“Is the military administrator inside?”
“Yes, he is. Shall I announce you?”
“Please do.”
He stopped a government slave passing by the building and asked him to relay the message. Soon the reply came.
“He says to come in.”
Following the slave’s guidance, Seo Jun entered the room where Dan Hoe worked.
“Come in, come in. This is probably your first time here, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’ve only ever met you at home, so this is new to me. Have you been well?”
One wall of Dan Hoe’s office was lined with books, while his desk was buried under a chaotic pile of bamboo slips and letters.
“Still swamped with work, I see?”
“Haha, no matter how much I do, the workload never decreases. Lately I keep wondering if I’ll end up dying at my desk from overwork.”
“You should take care of your health.”
“Indeed. So, did everything go well on your trip? I heard you went to make money, but I doubt you traveled all that way just for profit.”
“Well, something like that.”
Seo Jun gave a brief account of the rebellion in Ji Province and his own role in it, leaving out the more sensitive details.
“My goodness… wasn’t that incredibly dangerous? Don’t throw yourself into such things alone next time.”
“Haha! What can I do? It’s just how I am.”
“Wait a little longer. I’ve already asked the governor to recommend you for the Xiaolian selection. He didn’t give a definite answer, but he seems to have heard the rumors about you and is viewing the matter favorably. Just be patient a bit longer.”
“You went through a lot of trouble for me. Thank you.”
The Xiaolian recommendation was the most common path into Han officialdom, yet it tended to favor only those with connections. If a recommended person caused trouble, the one who recommended them would also face punishment. For that reason, governors rarely recommended anyone unless they came from a stable family or had solid personal ties. For Dan Hoe to make such a request of his superior was quite a bold favor.
“I only did it because it would weigh on my mind otherwise. Don’t think too much of it.”
After finishing his meeting with Dan Hoe, Seo Jun headed home with a light heart. The basic preparations for the future were now complete. It was time to take the next step.