Episode 39: So, You Want to Die Right Now
As Yang Yeon-seo and So San-san only had eyes for Won Seung, Jong Won-bo felt a surge of jealousy and irritation.
Feigning seriousness, he spoke up.
"I heard from Scholar Pung that you didn't have much money last time we met. So how did you manage to gather such a fortune to open this art gallery in just a few days? I'd love to know your secret. Did you perhaps cozy up to a wealthy woman?"
Then he burst into laughter.
"Haha, just kidding. Your looks are so striking that all sorts of thoughts come to mind. Anyway, you're quite the enigma. A branch of the Ba-Shu Pung Clan, yet you seem so mysterious... I'm really curious about who you are."
Jong Won-bo's implication was clear: he was suggesting that Won Seung was a suspicious character. This drew everyone's attention to Won Seung.
Especially So Yeong-gwan's gaze, which was sharp enough to pierce through him.
Indeed, Won Seung's identity was somewhat ambiguous.
However, having heard about Won Seung's circumstances the previous day, So San-san and Yang Yeon-seo were uneasy.
'This guy? Do you want to die today?'
Suppressing his boiling anger, Won Seung spoke with a smile.
"The more you drink Cheonghyangbaekseon, the deeper its flavor becomes. People, too, grow closer as they get to know each other."
He smoothly deflected the comment and then stood up with an "Ah."
"I almost forgot; I have something for the two young ladies."
He then went into the inner room.
Jong Bi was anxiously pacing inside.
He had barely managed to hide Ohgu, but with the Governor in the store, he was on edge.
"Where's Ohgu?"
"I stashed him in the latrine."
Poor Ohgu...
From escaping the dungeon to being stuffed in a latrine.
There was no time to worry about Ohgu now. Won Seung glared at Jong Bi and handed him a silk pouch.
"Go to the medicine room and catch half a dozen hornets."
"Hornets? Why hornets?"
The medicine room had all sorts of creatures, including venomous snakes and toads.
"There's someone who needs to be dealt with... Catch the biggest and most venomous ones."
After instructing him, Won Seung selected three small medicine bottles from the shelf, placed them in a wooden box, and returned to the store.
"What is this?"
When Won Seung placed the wooden box on the table, So San-san and Yang Yeon-seo's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"You came to my opening ceremony, and I forgot to give you a gift. This is a small token of my appreciation."
Won Seung opened the box and handed a jade bottle with a bluish-green hue to So San-san.
"Try dabbing the perfume from the bottle behind your ears."
So San-san opened the bottle, tilted it slightly, and let the green liquid touch her fingertips. It felt refreshingly cool.
When she applied it behind her ears, a fresh watermelon scent filled the air.
"Oh my! Isn't this watermelon?"
As So San-san shook her head in surprise, the watermelon scent spread throughout the room.
So Yeong-gwan expressed his admiration.
"It's a very refreshing and elegant fragrance."
Then Yang Yeon-seo, her eyes sparkling, asked eagerly.
"Is there one for me too?"
"Of course."
Won Seung smiled and handed her a pink jade bottle. Yang Yeon-seo applied the liquid behind her ears.
A fresh peach scent wafted through the air.
This time, Yang Dae-hyun expressed his admiration.
"Yeon-seo, it suits you perfectly."
Yang Yeon-seo's cheeks turned as red as a peach blossom.
Won Seung smiled and said,
"I blended the scents with both of you in mind. I thought of Miss So's elegant and simple demeanor and Miss Yang's fresh yet profound appearance. I'm glad you like them."
People were surprised to hear that Won Seung had made the perfumes himself.
"When you tend to flowers, you naturally learn about scents."
Won Seung modestly downplayed his skill.
So San-san looked at the remaining red jade bottle.
"Is this for Sister Yeowol?"
"The red hue is quite striking. Without Sister Yeowol here, we can't know what it smells like."
Yang Yeon-seo couldn't take her eyes off the red bottle, regretting that she couldn't smell it right away. Won Seung chuckled and said,
"Miss Hwa is skilled in both literature and martial arts. I blended a strong yet cool scent for her. You'll find out later."
People were curious about the scent that suited Hua Yeo-wol, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask to open the bottle.
Suddenly, Jong Won-bo boldly opened the bottle and sniffed it.
He couldn't resist the temptation of a scent that suited Hua Yeo-wol, whom he had been eyeing as his top priority.
Jong Won-bo laughed heartily and applied the liquid behind his ears, saying,
"Everyone here is curious, so even if I get scolded, I should let you know what it smells like."
So San-san and Yang Yeon-seo frowned. Jong Won-bo's behavior was too perverse.
Feigning ignorance, Jong Won-bo closed his eyes and sniffed.
'As expected! I knew you'd do that.'
Won Seung inwardly mocked Jong Won-bo and asked,
"What does it smell like?"
There was no need for Won Seung to ask. Everyone could smell the strong honey scent.
Jong Won-bo replied nonchalantly,
"Isn't this the smell of honey? It would be better to just apply honey."
"Oh, is that so? Then I should reconsider the perfume for Miss Hwa."
As Won Seung feigned disappointment, So San-san and Yang Yeon-seo exclaimed in unison,
"No, Sister Yeowol loves Milsohwa so much. It's perfect for her."
"Still, with Senior Jong's comment, I'm not confident."
The Governor wasn't particularly interested in the young people's bickering. Watching absentmindedly, he stood up.
"Now that I've had tea, shall we admire the paintings? I'm curious about what made San-san invite us."
He made a remark as if giving a compliment and went behind the partition.
"Hmm!"
A sound of admiration immediately escaped.
So Yeong-gwan, who prided himself on his discernment in paintings more than anyone else present, was wide-eyed at the five paintings before him.
'Is this a replica?'
Three of the five paintings were ones he had seen with his own eyes during his life. He had even made countless replicas to keep the impression alive.
Among them, he had secretly kept the ones he thought were well-done replicas to admire from time to time...
But the paintings before him... were almost as good as the originals, and in some ways, even better.
So Yeong-gwan was instantly captivated by the paintings.
'Oh, this brushwork, isn't it more detailed than the original?'
'Yes, when I looked at the original, I felt it lacked a bit of melancholy... but the replica captures a more subtle charm.'
The other two paintings were ones he had only read about in writings, seeing them for the first time in his life.
So Yeong-gwan involuntarily dropped to his knees, sitting down with a thud.
'So this is the Painting of the Xiang River Flowing Clouds and a Single Sail! It's far superior to the descriptions in the writings! This Immortal Aura is beyond words.'
Tears welled up in So Yeong-gwan's eyes, and eventually, they rolled down his cheeks.
The guards, led by Captain Son, who were protecting the Governor from a close distance, were taken aback.
The Governor was shedding tears.
It was the first time they had seen the Governor like this.
The So Yeong-gwan they knew was a very solemn person.
So Yeong-gwan realized his mistake.
"Something must have gotten into my eyes."
He wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.
Then he realized there were five more paintings he hadn't seen on the opposite wall.
Hurriedly, he crossed the space with the tea table in the middle and went to the other side.
"Oh!"
There were three paintings he hadn't seen before. The other two he had only glimpsed in his youth.
'This one is in the Imperial Palace. That one is in the Seongwangbu....'
As he was lost in admiration of the paintings, So Yeong-gwan suddenly came to his senses and glanced at Won Seung.
'What is that guy's intention?'
Currently, the Sangyang Murim is in a state of tension, and Governor So Yeong-gwan of Sangyang is keeping a close watch on the happenings within his jurisdiction.
He already knew about Won Seung's background.
So he suddenly felt suspicious.
Animals die from getting caught in bait, and people die from being enchanted by what they love. That's why he never told anyone except his close acquaintances about his love for paintings.
But then....
'The son of State Preceptor Won using an alias and presenting me with such paintings? What does this mean?'
So Yeong-gwan was an ambitious man. Though he was pushed to a local official position amid factional struggles, he was always looking for an opportunity to return to a central government position in the Imperial Capital.
To this end, he had been steadily building achievements in Sangyang while keeping an eye on the movements of central officials.
'If I'm not careful, I could get caught in the power struggle between State Preceptor Won and Seongwang and end up crushed!'
With that thought, So Yeong-gwan felt a chill down his spine. His desire to admire the paintings vanished.
"Ahem, ahem!"
After briefly scanning the paintings, So Yeong-gwan emerged from behind the partition.
Yang Dae-hyun smiled and asked,
"How is it? Even though they're replicas, aren't they remarkable works?"
"Indeed. They are certainly worth collecting."
Listening to this, Won Seung went to the wall, took down the Painting of the Xiang River Flowing Clouds and a Single Sail, rolled it up, and placed it in a bamboo tube.
Then he approached So Yeong-gwan and offered it with both hands.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Since you graced us with your presence on our opening day, I must repay you. Please accept it."
"Oh, you!"
So Yeong-gwan feigned anger.
"I'm not a paragon of integrity, but I don't accept bribes. This is quite displeasing."
"This is merely a replica. They say a warrior dies for the one who recognizes them. Likewise, a painting must meet a master who truly appreciates it to be valued."
What Won Seung said without much thought sounded profound to So Yeong-gwan.
'To meet a master who truly appreciates it? Is he telling me to side with State Preceptor Won?'
Then a sudden thought made his face harden.
'The moment I accept the painting, I become State Preceptor Won's man. If I refuse, I become his enemy!'
So Yeong-gwan, being overly cautious, misunderstood.
He was watching the standoff between the Heavenly Observation Pavilion and the Clear Water Sect from the sidelines because he knew the underlying circumstances.
According to his knowledge, Seongwang was behind the Heavenly Observation Pavilion.
If that fact became known, State Preceptor Won would surely intervene.
State Preceptor Won and Seongwang were engaged in a tense power struggle.
It was currently impossible to determine which side would prevail. If he joined prematurely and ended up on the losing side, he might have to give up not just his central government position but also his life.
So he planned to join the winning side once the balance tipped....
But now, such a sudden overture.
'State Preceptor Won knows. He knows that Seongwang is instigating the Heavenly Observation Pavilion....'
As So Yeong-gwan's expression grew serious, Won Seung was quite surprised.
'A government official who refuses bribes!'
Then he realized his mistake. Even if it's a replica, openly offering it could lead to rumors.
Won Seung quickly improvised.
"This painting is actually a gift from Miss So to her father. She came yesterday and already paid for it. I just brought it today because I wasn't sure which painting you would like."
Won Seung showed the opening celebration money that So San-san had given him.
Then Yang Dae-hyun intervened to mediate.
"Ah, so that's the story. Isn't San-san's filial piety truly deep? Governor, you must accept your daughter's gift."
"Ahem, is that so? San-san, if you had mentioned it earlier, there wouldn't have been any misunderstanding, and the atmosphere wouldn't have been ruined."
Reluctantly, So Yeong-gwan accepted the bamboo tube. Inwardly, he was pleased to have acquired a masterpiece, even if it was a replica.
Yet, he still felt the need to make a polite remark.
"Now that the painting is removed, the empty spot feels lonely. Such a masterpiece shouldn't be enjoyed by me alone, so let's keep it displayed for now."
After having scolded him, it felt awkward to take it away immediately, especially after the excuse of it being a daughter's gift.