My Dream is to Eat and Play (4)
The Suyeon Academy family currently consisted of four members. One was the academy's owner, Sima Hui—courtesy name Sukyeong. There had been a time when she used the name Sima Deokjo, but after receiving the epithet Sukyeong from her acquaintance Bang Deok-gong, she began using it as her own name in hopes of making it widely known.
"Sukyeong Teacher sounds much better than Sima Deokjo, doesn't it?"
I wholeheartedly agreed with Sukyeong Teacher's words. Women didn't necessarily hold prejudices about names, but there were times when a more feminine name or courtesy name simply looked far better than a masculine one.
Sukyeong Teacher handled the role of academy owner. She taught numerous disciples, dealt with the parents of students who came to the academy, and entertained Jingzhou's notables. Her vast knowledge had already been renowned before I arrived here, and it spread even further after I began assisting her.
The next family member was Sima Hui's relative, Sima Yi. Sima Yi was still a young girl. Though she was growing close to adulthood, she needed more learning. Thus, she had no official role at the academy. Helping me copy textbooks, making teaching aids for classes, and even farming to feed the academy family—all of it was "learning." It wasn't because these tasks were too much for me to handle alone. One peculiar thing was that helping with the farm work made her even more feminine. It was as if heaven itself refused to let Sima Yi develop muscles or become burly; she was growing into a beauty who could rival Sima Hui someday. No wonder Sima Hui had lamented, "Maybe I should have farmed when I was young too."
And then there was the last hanger-on, Xun You, who had evolved from mere guest to another instructor. Perhaps feeling guilty about lounging around after arriving with a massive donation—or maybe it was the right thing to do—she shared stories of her time in the court with the academy's disciples or lectured them on the mindset a bureaucrat should have.
Me? In the morning, I prepared water for the academy family to wash with. I gathered water fetched from the river, chopped stacked firewood, boiled it, prepared hot water for the three of them to groom themselves, made breakfast for four people, groomed myself, welcomed and taught the disciples, went out for lunch with the four of them, taught more disciples in the afternoon, cleaned the academy as the sun set in the evening, prepared dinner, and planned the next day's lessons before bed...
Wait, why am I living so damn hard?
"Honey water."
"Yes, Lord Geum Taeyang."
The life of idle luxury I had imagined... what the hell? My role at the academy was far bigger than I expected. Sure, Sukyeong Teacher handled the bare minimum like cleaning or laundry, but meals were entirely on me. Humans are civilized beings, not animals. We don't call charred eggs "food." Neither Sima Hui, nor Xun You, nor even Sima Yi—whom I'd tried my best to teach—could cook worth a damn. So cooking fell squarely on my shoulders.
Fortunately, with the disciples' eyes around at lunch, I had to hide the sight of a man cooking in the kitchen, so we ate out for midday meals. I'm human too; I couldn't prepare all three meals every day. That's why I had no intention of letting our guest list grow any longer.
Someone might say, "What's so hard about cooking for one more person?" But from the perspective of the one preparing it day in and day out, it was pure drudgery.
"Please accept me as a disciple."
"I permit it."
"Please let me stay here."
"I refuse."
At my words, Seobok glared at me sharply.
"Why? Because I'm a criminal?"
Seobok explained her background in detail. She'd been a thief in the past, living like a thug. But witnessing the Yellow Turbans rampage had changed her heart, and she'd reformed. Still, she'd killed a man to avenge an acquaintance. The era was chaotic, and her foe was a bandit, so there had been mitigating circumstances, but the fact remained that she'd committed murder with intent.
"Every academy I've gone to has refused me. I killed a bandit for the sake of justice and righteousness. Why deny me even the chance to learn?"
"It's a misunderstanding."
"What's the misunderstanding? You said you'd take me as a disciple, but I can't stay here? What kind of mockery is this?!"
Seobok flew into a rage. In her demeanor, I saw something fierce, like a hyena. Battered from place to place, living as a wanderer, now seeking a place to belong. It was pitiful. But no meant no.
"I can give you instruction. I can let you study at the academy. But lodging and meals here? No."
"...Pardon?"
"It could lead to misunderstandings." Very big ones.
"I'm the only man here. Taking in a woman with no connections as a disciple? It's a perfect setup for rumors."
It absolutely wasn't because adding another mouth to feed was a hassle. I was, after all, the locally renowned notable "Geum Taeyang," and I had to care about my reputation. Taking in a murderess out of pity? Even in these turbulent times, there were always sordid types in the world. People would assume I had some ulterior motive, and if rumors spread, others might come for the same twisted reasons.
"So no lodging or meals at the academy. This applies to all disciples. You can come and go, but you can't sleep here."
"......Then hire me."
Seobok changed tactics. She placed the sword at her waist before her and bowed her head.
"I'll serve as this academy's guard. I can handle street thugs with my blade."
"No need for guards. Though Suyeon Academy is north of the Yangtze, the area nearby is full of Cai family people."
Sima Hui hadn't built the academy on a scenic mountaintop just for the view. There was a sizable manor nearby, the Xinya county magistrate sent soldiers for regular patrols, and locals gathered in the vicinity. Recently, influential clans had even built small houses for their children attending the academy, so it was safe.
"Thus, offering to guard is pointless. It's not about safety concerns."
"...Then how can I stay here?"
"Don't think about staying here."
"I have nowhere to go."
Seobok hung her head low.
"No family or relatives. Only my widowed mother who raised me. She's too frail to come all the way from Jinryu."
"Hmm... Where's your hometown?"
"Yeju's Yeongcheon County."
I knew the place. It was my land under Sun Uk's management, near Cao Cao's hometown. Of all the coincidences, my financial roots and a fellow provincial.
No. Steel yourself.
One more guest meant more suffering for me. And taking in someone who looked so young as a disciple? She seemed capable, but it'd just mean more work for me.
"Heh, shouldn't you serve your mother? That's the proper way."
"Mother said that my path to fame and office is how I honor her. That's why I've wandered everywhere studying. I visit her every three months with living expenses."
"Ugh...!"
A rare filial daughter these days.
"How'd you save the money?"
"I know a bit of the sword. But I've never stolen from others. I stood guard at markets for ten days or took down rowdy thugs."
"A scholar at academies, a hired sword at inns."
"Yes."
What a rough life. So pitiful. But taking in a criminal like Seobok as a guest would tarnish my reputation...
"Hmm... Is your mother elderly, by chance?"
"No. She's still hale enough to tend fields alone."
"I see."
A picture was forming. A way to protect my reputation while turning this to good use.
"I'll give you one mission. Succeed, and I'll take you as a disciple here."
"What is it?"
"Delivery."
I pulled out a bamboo slip.
"Next to Yeju is Yeonju. Yes, there's a Cao Cao who's made herself magistrate of Puyang there. Under her is a woman named Sun Uk, handling 'Sima' duties."
"To her...?"
"Deliver this to her. And have her give you this in return. You must bring back a reply from her personally."
Seobok took the bamboo slip I handed her, her eyes burning with resolve.
"Deliver it directly. If anyone stops you, say it's from Geum Taeyang for Teacher Sun Uk."
"Directly... you mean?"
"Yes. You must meet Sun Uk face-to-face."
The reason for making her meet Sun Uk? Her insight.
Talent.
My perspective and Sun Uk's differed. But we both acknowledged each other's exceptional "eye for people."
Anywhere but lodging and meals, I'd take her as a disciple.
As long as she wasn't a full-time guest. If she handled her own breakfast, came to work at the academy, then went home for dinner—a commuter, basically—there was no reason she couldn't be part of Suyeon Academy.
If Sun Uk sees her face in person, she'll judge. If the girl's a real talent, Sun Uk will help knowing her plight. Otherwise, just another disciple.
To me, she seemed quite promising. But the talent I sought was someone who could become a "high official." If origins, background, family, and education were lacking, she needed "potential" at least.
"If you succeed, I'll prepare a gift for you."
"......Thank you."
Seobok bowed to me and rose.
"Even if it costs my life, I'll complete Teacher Geum Taeyang's mission."
"No, not to the point of dying. ...Your resolve is good. Go carefully."
"But... what is this gift, if I may ask?"
"It could be many things. But I'll tell you one in advance."
I pointed my fan at Seobok.
"Your name."
"Pardon?"
"Going around as Seobok marks you as a criminal. I won't change your surname. Rename your given name to hide your identity, and no one will know your past."
"Ah......."
Tears welled in Seobok's eyes. Like my old master, I turned away, lying on my side with my back to her.
"Now go."
"Thank you!!"
Seobok grabbed the bamboo slip and left. After seeing her off, I pulled out a map of the academy.
"Since her mother's still hale, give them a room and ask her to help with meals."
Seobok could study while caring for her mother, and her mother could work at Suyeon Academy, avoiding hard farm labor while supporting her child.
"Hm, a perfect plan."
Now I wouldn't have to wake at dawn to cook.
"...A letter delivery mishap?"
I never expected Seobok to cause an accident like that.