Uncle’s name was Hong Ram-cheon.
He was the Merchant Lord of the Yeonjun Merchant Group.
The former Merchant Lord of Yeonjun and Grandfather were close friends, and I’d heard they’d promised to marry their children to each other.
That was how Aunt and Uncle came to be married.
Despite Aunt’s lively nature and Uncle’s serious personality, they matched surprisingly well. Their relationship was strong and affectionate.
Aunt’s name was Eun Hui.
Hui meant ‘joy,’ and her bright and cheerful demeanor suited the name perfectly.
Standing beside Uncle and Aunt were Cousin Seon-il and Cousin Seon-mi.
Seon-il was twenty-one this year, and Seon-mi was fifteen, two years younger than me.
She was growing more beautiful by the day.
“It seems you’ve all been well.”
“Thank you for coming all this way, Father-in-law.”
“Welcome, Father.”
Grandfather exchanged greetings with Aunt’s family, and I followed with my own bow.
“And these young ones?”
Aunt asked, so I quickly replied.
“They’re apprentice trainees from our merchant group. Gwak Hyeong-jin and Seok Il-song.”
The two bowed politely.
“They’re learning under Chief Administrator Yu. I thought hearing that Cousin Seon-il passed the civil exam might motivate them to focus even harder on their studies, so I brought them along.”
“Ah, so you’re the young men mentioned in Brother Gilsang’s letter.”
Cousin Seon-il smiled warmly.
“So, how old are you?”
Both Hyeong-jin and Il-song answered.
“We’re fifteen.”
“I’m fifteen as well.”
“And how far along are you in your studies?”
“We’ve both studied the Book of Documents (書經).”
“The Book of Documents? At your age?”
Cousin Seon-il’s eyes sparkled. With his interest completely drawn to them, I wouldn’t have to suffer through one of his endless lectures.
That was half the reason I brought them.
But truthfully, this trip to Beijing was a net gain for Hyeong-jin and Il-song. There was no downside.
When people share the same interests, conversation is always enjoyable.
.
.
.
The banquet was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.
Since it was to celebrate passing the Huishi, a banquet was being held, but because the Dian Shi was still ahead, it couldn’t be anything grand.
They had to stay cautious until the final exam.
So only close relatives were invited, though even then, preparation was a hectic affair.
Of course, the ones busy were Uncle and Aunt. Seon-il and Seon-mi didn’t have much to do.
Grandfather went to rest, and Uncle and Aunt stepped out to handle the banquet arrangements.
That left me, Gwak Hyeong-jin, Seok Il-song, Cousin Seon-il, and Cousin Seon-mi in the reception room.
“So, according to Confucius…”
“Wow! I always wondered about that.”
“Then what does it mean when sages say those who attain the Dao no longer possess the self?”
“Well, in my view…”
“Amazing!”
“Your insight is incredible.”
“You flatter me. There are far wiser people than me in this world. But truly, for your age to have reached this understanding is remarkable.”
“Not at all.”
“You’re too kind.”
“To think your teacher raised such prodigies… I truly envy him.”
Cousin Seon-il’s face was filled with genuine admiration.
“If I cannot be your teacher, would you allow me to be your older brother instead? How about becoming my younger brothers?”
“We couldn’t possibly…”
“Are… are you sure?”
The two looked at me, silently asking if this was alright.
I met their gaze.
They didn’t seem opposed.
Smiling, I said,
“If you’re happy with it, it’s entirely up to you.”
With my approval, both of them immediately cupped their fists.
“Then, we’ll serve you as our elder brother.”
“I shall also call you brother.”
And just like that, the three bonded over classic texts and became sworn brothers.
For a moment, it felt like I was seeing a younger version of Chief Administrator Yu and Grand Elder Zhuge.
.
.
.
The day of the banquet arrived.
“Hahaha! Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ve raised a son to be truly proud of.”
“Indeed, I am proud. Hahaha.”
Uncle’s face was filled with smiles.
It wasn’t just because Seon-il had a passion for the civil service exams; it was also Uncle’s long-held wish.
Although the current emperor promoted commerce and industry, merchants and artisans were still considered lowly.
To the eyes of the scholarly elite, merchants were nothing but money-grubbing commoners.
I always found that viewpoint laughable.
In a city like Beijing, where government officials clustered, that prejudice was even stronger.
Uncle and his ancestors had suffered much indignity because of it.
So, when it became clear that Seon-il was talented in academics, Uncle pushed him hard to succeed, hoping to redeem that shame.
And at the young age of twenty-one, Seon-il achieved what Uncle had long dreamed of.
As I observed the banquet, my ears caught a conversation among some of the guests.
Even though it was meant to be a family gathering, they couldn’t avoid inviting a few acquaintances from nearby.
A few merchants active in Beijing were also present.
“What a fortunate family.”
“Indeed.”
“I heard Seon-il’s so talented he’s even being considered for the top scorer in the palace exam.”
“Is that so?”
“One of my friends in the Ministry of Rites told me so.”
“Ooh!”
Hearing that, I tilted my head.
Top scorer? Zhuangyuan? (TL Note: It means Valedictorian)
In my memory, Seon-il didn’t even place in the upper ranks in the Dian Shi.
He scored fairly low in the final ranking, though even that was enough to make Uncle immensely proud.
Come to think of it…
Wasn’t it after the Dian Shi that Seon-il suddenly lost all motivation?
The banquet eventually ended, but I couldn’t return yet.
I was still waiting for a reply to the report I submitted to the emperor.
I glanced at Hyeong-jin and Il-song.
They were starting to look visibly bored.
Understandably so—they’d been stuck inside Aunt’s house the entire time.
“Hey, kids.”
“Yes?”
“Did you call for us?”
“How about we eat dinner outside tonight?”
“Outside?”
“Yeah. Since we’re in Beijing, let’s go explore the marketplace.”
Their faces immediately brightened.
“Really?”
“We’re really going to see the Beijing marketplace?”
“Yup.”
I took the two, along with Palgap and Deputy Yeo Chang-ui, and headed into the streets.
The boys were wide-eyed, marveling at the dazzling sights of Beijing.
They looked exactly like a couple of country boys.
Still, no petty thieves dared approach, probably because they could see the escort guards quietly shadowing us.
After happily sightseeing, we entered a restaurant as the evening settled in.
That three-story teahouse specialized in roast duck, and I remembered it being incredibly delicious.
In fact, even in my past life, this was one of my regular spots.
The fact that the flavor had remained unchanged through generations meant the son must have learned the craft well from his father.
“Welcome, sir.”
“I’ll have the Three-Style Roast Duck and the Five-Color Dumplings.”
“Understood. What tea shall I bring?”
“Bring your recommended tea.”
“Right away.”
Soon, the server returned with the tea.
Just from the fragrance, I could tell it was Jasmine Tea.
As expected, nothing pairs better with greasy food than Jasmine Tea.
As we chatted, the dumplings arrived first. After eating a few, the roast duck was brought out.
The glossy, rich brown skin alone was mouthwatering.
“Let me carve the duck for you.”
The server skillfully carved the duck right in front of us and placed the pieces onto plates.
Watching him slice the meat with such elegant movements was a show in itself.
In no time, all the edible parts of the duck were neatly arranged on the plate in thin slices.
The leftover parts were made into a rich soup.
And with noodles in that broth…
Just thinking about it made my mouth water.
“Please enjoy.”
The server set the plate down politely in the center. I looked around and said,
“Well then, let’s dig in.”
“Thank you for the meal.”
As I ate the duck, I glanced over at Gwak Hyeong-jin and Seok Il-song. Watching them eat like little beasts was honestly delightful.
So this was the joy of treating others to a meal.
After finishing our meal and heading back to Aunt’s house, I caught sight of a familiar face.
Huh? That’s Seon-il.
But he wasn’t alone—he was with several young men about his age.
Wait…
My face immediately stiffened. Among those with him was someone I knew.
His name was Du Jin.
He was the son of the Merchant Lord of the Zayang Merchant Group, and in the future, he would rise to lead that group.
Despite being the fifth son, far down the line of succession, he became Merchant Lord.
It was later revealed that he’d been backed by the Murim Alliance from a young age. In other words, it was the Murim Alliance’s power that made him the Merchant Lord.
The Zayang Merchant Group became the puppet merchant group of the Murim Alliance, used and eventually discarded by them.
But that was something that happened more than twenty years later.
Even so, it was certain that Du Jin had sided with the Murim Alliance.
Why is that man here?
A sense of unease crept over me.
I should probably check this out.
I turned to Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am.
“Take everyone else back.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Palgap, of course, protested immediately.
“I feel better leaving the kids with you. They’ll be safer that way.”
“Ah… is that it? Understood, then.”
Once I sent them back to Aunt’s house, I spoke to Escort Guard Lee Pil.
“You’re coming with me.”
I bought a bamboo hat from a nearby stall and had Lee Pil wear it.
I took out my folding fan.
This fan was designed to help conceal one’s face—it was about time I used it.
It had a proper name, though… what was it again?
After thinking for a moment, I decided to give it a name myself.
Face-Covering Fan (面幕扇).
Straightforward names were always the best.
I quietly followed Seon-il and his group into the place they entered.
It was a fairly luxurious teahouse.
Luckily, the room right next to where Seon-il’s group was sitting was available, so I took that spot and focused my Qi on my hearing.
Then I listened to their conversation.
“Congratulations on passing the Huishi.”
“Thanks.”
“Looks like one of us from the Seven Jades of Beijing (北京七玉) is going to become a government official.”
“Indeed. Hahaha.”
Seven Jades of Beijing…
The seven most talented young men in Beijing.
And counting Seon-il, there were exactly seven of them.
Goosebumps crawled up my arms, and I unconsciously rubbed them.
“Are you cold, sir?”
Asked Lee Pil.
I shook my head.
“No, I’m fine.”
Just then, the server brought over drinks and appetizers and quietly stepped away.
The conversation went on.
After a while, Seon-il left the room, probably to relieve himself. Du Jin followed him out.
My instincts flared.
I needed to hear this.
I told Lee Pil to stay put and quietly slipped after them, suppressing my presence.
Lee Pil knew my skills well enough not to object.
Soon, the two stopped beneath a tree near the teahouse.
“Seon-il, let’s talk.”
Du Jin said.
“What is it? If it’s something that can only be said in private, I doubt I want to hear it.”
Seon-il was a merchant’s son, after all. He could tell this wasn’t going to be an upright conversation.
“No, it’s something you must hear—for your own sake.”
“…What is it?”
“For the upcoming palace exam… I want you to write a different name on your paper.”
“What are you talking about? Write someone else’s name?”
Seon-il’s brow furrowed deeply.
I didn’t blame him.
Even I was stunned by what I just heard. Imagine how Seon-il must have felt.
“There’s someone I serve. That person needs to place someone inside the imperial court—with excellent exam results.”
“…”
“And that’s where you come in.”
Du Jin smiled.
“If you help, it’ll bring great benefits to the Yeonjun Merchant Group. If you refuse, that person can destroy your merchant group overnight.”
“…”
“You’re my friend. I couldn’t just stand by and watch your family fall, so I volunteered to try convincing you.”
“…”
“Seon-il, be honest. What you and your family really want is the honor of having a civil service scholar in a merchant family. The palace exam is just for ranking. Even with a lower score, you’ll still become an official and bring prestige to your family.”
“…But this is cheating.”
“It is.”
“You’re asking me to help with that? I never expected to be top scorer anyway… but how can you ask me to betray my own conscience?”
“Is your conscience really worth that much? Worth more than your family losing everything?”
–TL Notes–
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