I asked, just in case.
“After hearing your poem, the scenery looks even more beautiful. May I hear another?”
Maybe it was the alcohol, but Chief Administrator Yu didn’t refuse.
“Then allow me to recite one more.”
Perhaps caught in the mood, he didn’t stop at just one—he recited several in succession.
And every single one of them…
Was a poem I already knew.
To be exact, they were poems boldly claimed by Chu Il-gong in his published anthology as his own.
That collection held nearly fifty works.
Among them were several that had received high praise from critics.
And those highly praised poems were the very ones Chief Administrator Yu just recited.
Which meant…
That bastard Chu Il-gong was a straight-up, despicable fraud.
He stole our Chief Administrator Yu’s poems and paraded them around as if he’d written them himself?
I raised my cup and took a sip, then asked Chief Administrator Yu,
“You’ve kept such beautiful poetry to yourself? That’s just cruel.”
“Haha. You flatter me far too much for a few humble lines. I’m embarrassed.”
“Why haven’t you shared such talent until now?”
“Well…”
Chief Administrator Yu let out a sigh.
“There just hasn’t been time to write.”
Ah…
“And whenever I do write, memories come flooding back. I’m sure you already know I once entered government service before returning to the countryside.”
I nodded.
“There were things I wanted to forget. That’s why I buried myself in work.”
Only now did I understand why he clung to his duties so obsessively.
“I feel like I pushed you too far, asking to hear more poems just for my own enjoyment.”
At that, Chief Administrator Yu waved his hand.
“Not at all. It felt good to recite poetry again after so long. In fact, poetry used to be my only real hobby.”
He smiled genuinely.
Not from the drink, but from the heart.
“To be honest, I once dreamed of becoming known for my poetry. But Senior Chu told me I had no talent and should stop before I embarrassed myself…”
You son of a…
“And then, as I got swept up in one thing after another, I started to question if this was the right path for me. That’s when I crossed paths with the Merchant Lord and ended up here.”
My mind kicked into high gear.
I hadn’t realized it then, but now that I knew these were Yu So-ak’s original poems, there was no way I’d let the fake earn fame off them.
To think that bastard even discouraged him from pursuing his dream.
Truly vile.
I’d deal with that man later, but for now, I needed to make sure Chief Administrator Yu’s poems were published under his name.
If Chu Il-gong released a collection falsely claiming these as his, it might break Yu So-ak’s spirit—or even kill him from heartbreak.
That had to be stopped.
“After hearing your story, an idea came to me. What would you say to compiling a poetry collection?”
“A poetry collection?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“This outing of ours—it wouldn’t be a bad idea to leave behind something to commemorate it.”
“A collection… I see. That’s not a bad idea.”
Chief Administrator Yu hesitated for a moment.
“But my poetry isn’t worth showcasing.”
“Did you recite your poetry to boast?”
“No… that’s not it.”
“Then what’s the problem? I liked what I heard, and if you enjoyed sharing it, then that’s all that matters.”
At that, Chief Administrator Yu nodded in agreement.
“You’re right. Poetry is about expressing the heart in the moment.”
“Then let’s hear it. I’ll write it down.”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”
And so, our outing ended on a much warmer, livelier note than it began.
I’d completed the mission Father gave me.
Now I just had to publish the collection.
Of course, I hadn’t gotten Chief Administrator Yu’s permission for that. He only agreed to compile the poems, not to publish them.
But if I didn’t act, this beautiful poetry would be stolen by that bastard.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Well, if the results are good, I’m sure he’ll understand.
Several days passed since the outing.
Chief Administrator Yu was in his office within the Finance Pavilion.
“Ugh…”
While wrestling with some headache-inducing documents, he realized it was already lunchtime.
He got up from his seat.
In the past, he wouldn’t have cared whether the clerks ate lunch or not.
But thanks to the outing, he’d learned from Eun Seo-ho that such behavior wasn’t right.
He spoke to Eun Seo-ho.
“It’s lunchtime.”
“Yes.”
As he stepped out of the office, he added,
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Ah… yes.”
“You too, Chief Administrator. Enjoy your meal.”
At first, everyone had been flustered when he started saying things like that, but they’d adapted quickly.
‘Feels like the atmosphere’s gotten a bit warmer.’
When he returned from lunch, one of the clerks smiled and spoke.
“Um, Chief Administrator. Congratulations on your poetry collection.”
“…Poetry collection?”
“You had a collection published, didn’t you? I was shocked when I saw it. Every single poem was breathtaking!”
“…Poetry collection, you say?”
“Yes? You didn’t release one? But it clearly said the author was Yu So-ak, Finance Pavilion Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group…”
Yu So-ak looked baffled.
“I’ve never published a poetry collection.”
Just to be sure, he asked the clerk,
“Could I see that collection?”
“Ah, of course.”
The clerk hurriedly brought over a copy he’d bought, and Yu So-ak flipped through it.
“…”
They were all really his poems.
All ones he’d written during that wine-soaked outing.
And only one person could’ve done something like this.
“Young Master…”
Yu So-ak grabbed his head in disbelief.
Then he asked the clerk,
“How well is this collection selling?”
The clerk replied with a proud grin.
“It’s already being sold enthusiastically all over the Central Plains!”
“…”
I was eating lunch in my quarters.
Next to me, Palgap stood with a worried expression.
“Young Master, what were you thinking doing something like this?”
“Doing what?”
“Publishing Chief Administrator Yu’s poetry collection behind his back!”
“Oh, that? It’s fine. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine!”
My nonchalant response made Palgap practically leap.
“As you know, Young Master, Chief Administrator Yu’s the type to hold grudges and… honestly, he’s not the most personable…”
Just then, I felt someone approaching through my Qi.
“Shh!”
“Huh?”
“Speak of the tiger and it appears…”
At my words, Palgap flailed in panic.
“Quick, hide! I’ll hold him off.”
I shook my head at his suggestion.
“Too late. Besides, I have to work with him in the Finance Pavilion anyway.”
“Ah…”
Chief Administrator Yu’s voice came from outside.
“Young Master Eun Seo-ho, I was told you’re here. Might I have a word?”
Exactly as expected.
I calmly took a sip of tea, then rose casually.
“Yes. You called for me?”
“What is the meaning of this?”
In Chief Administrator Yu’s hand was a book. The very poetry collection published under his name.
“Ah! Congratulations.”
“I asked what this is about!”
His voice rose, but I stayed composed, smiling as I replied.
“You still haven’t given up your dream of becoming known for your poetry, have you?”
Chief Administrator Yu faltered, unable to find his words.
“That’s…”
“I’m sorry, but I thought if I didn’t do it this way, that dream would stay a dream forever.”
“You still should’ve told me.”
“If I had, would you have let me publish it?”
“…”
I smiled.
“And besides, it’s already done. Might as well accept it. It’s not like it’s a disgrace or anything.”
“I’m worried that it might be.”
Chief Administrator Yu sighed.
“It’s nothing worth showing to others.”
That bastard Chu Il-gong really did a number on him.
I’m absolutely going to crush him later.
How much must he have belittled Yu So-ak for him to lack this much confidence?
“That’s not true at all. I’ve never seen such beautiful poetry as yours. And I’m certain others will love it too. That much I guarantee.”
Time passed quickly.
Chief Administrator Yu leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window with a sigh.
‘It’s already nearly the fifth month.’
The outing with Eun Seo-ho had been in early April, so it had been over fifteen days.
His gaze fell to the book on his desk.
[Poetry Collection, by So-ak (小岳詩文集)]
‘If he was going to title it, he could’ve made it sound more refined… So-ak’s Poetry Collection? How boring.’
He still felt embarrassed and ashamed that his poetry had been published.
Those words from his senior in the court kept ringing in his ears.
— You’ve got no talent for poetry. Just bury yourself in studying the classics. That’s your best shot. And don’t you dare recite your poetry in front of others. It’s the kind that’ll get you laughed out of the room. I say this as your senior—take it to heart.
Since then, he’d never dared to recite another poem.
But just as Eun Seo-ho said, that longing hadn’t fully died.
That yearning, buried deep in his heart, still burned hotter than a bellows’ fire.
And thanks to Eun Seo-ho, he realized it.
He truly loved poetry.
Still, he had tried to recall all the copies of the collection.
Yearning was one thing, but shame was another.
But it was impossible.
Eun Seo-ho hadn’t just distributed the collection in Hubei—he had it sold all across the Central Plains.
Where did he even learn to be so thorough?
He looked at Eun Seo-ho, who was working nearby.
As if sensing his gaze, the boy looked up.
“Yes? Is there something you’d like me to do?”
“It’s nothing.”
The poetry collection had spread by word of mouth and, just as that clerk had said, it was selling like hotcakes.
Everyone he met lately had been praising his poems.
He began to feel something was off.
Unless the entire Central Plains was lying to him, it meant he really did have talent.
So why had his senior said that?
Why had Chu Il-gong crushed his dream?
He was confused.
‘Surely he didn’t do it on purpose…’
Just then, a voice called from outside the office.
“Chief Administrator, Deputy Jo Yeong-yeong is here.”
“Ah, send her in.”
The door opened and Jo Yeong-yeong entered.
“You have a guest. They’ve asked to meet with both you and the Young Master.”
“Understood, but the Young Master too?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“After all, he’s listed as the co-author of the So-ak’s Poetry Collection. Also, congratulations on the publication.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The fact that they asked for me as well, citing the So-ak’s Poetry Collection, gave me a good idea of what this was about.
It meant the guest had been deeply moved by the poetry and came all the way here.
And how could they not be?
Even someone as unsentimental as me had been touched by it—and in the future, this collection would become incredibly famous.
But the guest who came surprised even me.
“They’re from the Zhuge Clan.”
“…”
At Father’s introduction, I was stunned.
A quick glance showed Chief Administrator Yu was equally shocked.
We quickly composed ourselves and bowed. Only then did Yu So-ak offer his greeting too.
The man from the Zhuge Clan opened his mouth with a calm, expressionless face.
“I was given direct orders to deliver this in person. That’s why I’ve come.”
“No problem at all.”
“Then to confirm—are you Yu So-ak, the author of the So-ak’s Poetry Collection?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
He turned to me.
“And are you Eun Seo-ho, the co-author of the collection?”
“Yes. That’s me.”
I’d been listed as co-author because the book couldn’t be published otherwise.
The man drew a scroll from his robes and handed it over. Chief Administrator Yu received it, slowly unrolling it.
I read it with him and, shocked, shouted before I could stop myself.
“What? They’re inviting us to the Zhuge Clan?”
“I don’t know the details either. I was simply told to deliver the invitation and await your response.”
–TL Notes–
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