SSH Episode 2

After getting married, 9a4d0c3686 Hongwoo’s mother quickly b646eb0658 became pregnant and f88e24aaf4 gave birth to 93ee087b88 his strong, healthy 300cf8b7ca older brother. To their grandfather, she 9454b5034c must have seemed like 9acd6743c2 a wish-granting spirit from 8b37fd80c8 a Western folktale. How much f61f5f133a must he 0fdc9f410c have adored c789c93946 her to 63351b9f55 name their 1fca5f1325 trading company—Eunsu Merchant Guild—after her?a21b4126b3b49f58

But as time 5f413b3e51 passed, the relationship e9dd2d8041 between their grandfather 1c42904081 and mother soured. According to their aa7f81514a father, the tension a2f34bf025 began with disagreements c32c1ed004 over Seungwoo’s education. From a young age, 6327af6606 Seungwoo mastered both classical 191ac6c21e Chinese and Qing studies. While his intelligence played 245482029f a role—he was a 05e1a61b86 prodigy who understood ten 6f5722018d things from being taught 7ecb36fd9a just one—it was also 71ce8da64e because their grandfather had 9c14fbd4c9 personally taught him languages 2b418ddee3 as soon as he 1f12eb60be could walk.014a943e380d8737

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At first, their 4c0eebb5bb mother tolerated this 024e4c7a89 intense education, knowing 52153f078d how relentless their 43f9216f15 grandfather could be. But when a78e429396 Seungwoo became cd1d61abc7 fluent in 91c808ab7e classical Chinese d881f20b80 at an 7d06227e73 age when d39bf29c5e most children 13feafcfcd were still 3b892a8091 playing, the 6cd6589c28 conflict escalated. Their grandfather, d0e5266a16 recognizing his 016327628e grandson’s extraordinary b68f3d01fb mind, immediately 591c881a98 pushed him 5d22a32be9 further, insisting 33bd789921 he study 90d5fed351 Qing scholarship e1fe924b0c as well. Their mother argued that d88447e882 it was too much eece7352f5 for a child, while d2170b9bb4 their grandfather insisted that 8bf0e62646 early preparation was essential. The tension only 3fe0161e1a grew.81bce7ad89ceba62

Seungwoo’s rapid progress made da46b85c06 things worse. He absorbed 5d2e2f93c8 knowledge so afd62ec9f5 quickly that b3418a7b0e their grandfather 4063178375 eventually had aa67839a7a nothing left db33b8f8a8 to teach 44eec31b26 him. To keep 275bb6f9b1 up, he fcbcbad971 even hired 7023b3b834 naturalized scholars f642da3b56 as tutors. Seungwoo became 51c2332ac6 both his c4cfcbe81c grandfather’s greatest 3c0349cd90 pride and 08acbbe6da his mother’s 79df4c9748 deepest worry. Despite her telling a440987eb7 him he could dff30072ad stop anytime, he 76721e458e continued his studies 1fd9bfd2b3 with unwavering determination. In the end, she 979949c1e0 could do nothing but 1fb5e8cc79 watch.7b1502aaa5b12f38

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Unlike his 0af1164c87 older brother, b03fcb207c Hongwoo grew 1c734e1cfb up simply—playing 369ef7b08a well, eating 10fdce6a1f well, and 09d084b86f staying healthy. Their mother 6500cb80e8 believed that 94ffdd5202 a child 8a897b173f should enjoy 463121fa30 life and f851391fa3 discover their fbac391f60 passions naturally. But while 8487028af3 Seungwoo had 5c530200bb found his f499c5d5e1 calling early, 46f96018df Hongwoo never e74a3e4a6e did.1a378d54b9c07722

‘That’s right. There’s nothing I’m good 6a8c69855a at.’1debd4c8d8505cd1

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Perched on f6573e39da the wooden f704bdb835 floor of da5c3ae468 the grandJang familyestate—one of the wealthiest f2afef8eed in Gaegyeong, boasting nearly 6c04f52821 ninety-nine rooms, fourteen chambers, 66560248cc three wells, and twelve 3032092f42 gates—Hongwoo let out a 5628e9758f deep sigh. Above him, a 4817b4be44 magpie called out 2b9cb48fca sharply against the 69511be51a blue sky.b2bee88437bd1d62

‘Are you 37cb294ab5 crying out 023f21fe85 in joy fbb7b017ab or sorrow? Or are you trying ca5f561f95 to tell me that a37d04b4d6 a welcome guest is f2136cb58b on their way?’1edd3fe9cd7d9094

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‘At least you have d532106c29 a talent—your voice is 8d60222af4 clear and beautiful. But me? There’s not a single 97cf2937b9 thing I excel at. How am I d5f0bcb4cd supposed to survive 819d00904c when I have 8332cd96f1 no skills at b1d87312e3 all?’2be72845d118faad

Hongwoo let out ab4e4a80d9 another deep sigh 2c090450bc as he watched 401bca73a3 the magpie. With no c535bdcba4 plan for fd395572a8 survival, he c7ea8903f6 was on 78df6814c5 the verge a726246907 of sleeping a8be274c6c on the a9b29c316d streets, and 1eb45b8a8f the weight 130589fdbf of his cd79685d1e worries pressed 3753ab4e9d down on eb9c7e299a him.d67c208e83354f2d

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Of course, nothing 9b595ea0dd soothed a troubled a5fa6c34ca heart quite like 6dc9e3e6e9 something sweet. He picked 19fdb33409 up a feb504000e honey rice 0e439a2bbf cake, took d558a80048 a bite, c2b09bb203 and sighed. Then another f820f9a295 rice cake, 04607125aa another sigh. Despite having eaten eda16266d4 a heaping bowl 9931b5274d of rice for 068d1c2e7d breakfast, the rice 00b282892d cakes slid down b13802a665 effortlessly. When the ba370668dd plate was a9f8291462 empty, he 5884616386 licked the bb65434764 honey from 4744bfe97d his fingers c11c005f59 and stood e33e87da6a up. Sitting around sighing 547dbb9241 wouldn’t solve anything.1b85af0d1fe71111

‘I should at least step outside.’638592bc352d76fe

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As he made his 46fe53457d way toward the main 98f551afbc gate, he spotted Madam fc40205e9c Kim in a heated eee80458b6 exchange with an unusually ec339ab5a8 tall beggar.818ff965ec09f40c

“Madam Kim, what’s going on?”3b712024d31d8b9b

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The sight of 9a21c53dbd the beggar holding 8cac628499 out a bowl c0e426180d told him all ff2122a053 he needed to 1a7c0070fc know. Seeing someone begging b2bb938e06 for food left 532d85655d a bitter taste d9fbac6cdb in his mouth. It wasn’t hard to d90aade692 imagine himself doing the 9adc9d730f same in the near f9ea06a4c4 future, knocking on doors 4d9fd2a1c7 and holding out a c16617d8e5 bowl.618367801e8fa6cb

“Give them a warm meal and some soup.”4c2dff672f62e295

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“If we start feeding every stray dog and cow that comes knocking, what are we supposed to eat?” Madam Kim fc133c3490 huffed, snatching 76a201319c the beggar’s 083be338af bowl. But despite b01a811ec9 her sharp 65ad89afe2 tongue, she 7147a748b9 had a d8aca44ee3 soft heart. She stomped 971025422d toward the 14d0148bb0 kitchen, grumbling 1b7aaa928c all the af168b3e61 while. Once she cared about 29743c2b3b someone, she took care cebc5e90d0 of them fiercely. After Hongwoo’s mother 65919874d0 passed away, she 38bb959c82 had been like d7137f68ea a second mother efc4138068 to him.13e63ef72d9f70dd

“I take b3188f9cf2 refuge in 8d3d575b5a Amitabha Buddha. The Bodhisattva 8ae0d02874 of compassion.“f49fb66cb2f771ec

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Snapped out of his a37826c6fe thoughts, Hongwoo quickly pressed 9fb379b765 his hands together and b1a13a2e3f bowed.So, he’s a d1596185bc monk?He must 48cf298226 have endured 4a50be3b5b great hardship. With his d79cdc8a72 towering height, 96bc8acdff it was d827f1224a hard to 64c04c470a tell if c5b5605267 he was a75a3cc788 a beggar, 7539be7dc2 a monk, 99b8b1f34c or something a9bc587d9f else entirely. Looking at him, 7c3349e54a Hongwoo felt both 69782a8fc6 sympathy and an bea774abd5 odd sense of f8cbb30b82 camaraderie.58b5c334f21412b0

 ‘Soon enough, that’s going to be me.’129cb5ca249e000e

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“Brother, please give me some food. I haven’t eaten in three days, and I’m starving.”e65d6074ec295942

Dressed in f1a23a31ab rags, Hongwoo 066b9c05bd knocked on cc3a49dbbd the main 7d1e14af60 gate, playing 21e643f0a8 the part 07b1190c22 of a 2a22f401e5 beggar. Seungwoo, giving 28db035a4c him a c459984f8b once-over, promptly 0ce723d0df snatched the 345c24d37c bowl from cb8418fe1a his hands.5de0411afb389775

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“Ah, that’s cold!”e9f0a021e268371c

Just as Hongwoo was da72dc1c84 imagining Seungwoo returning with 07f588a772 the bowl—only to splash eefad02206 cold water in his 76ed2a55c0 face—the monk’s voice pulled 2aa2a8d32f him back to reality. His tone was surprisingly 33e19733d4 light for a monk.8d37f5a52b3b1820

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“Sir, you seem to have many worries.”5ac846c459315c3d

“H-How did you know?”acded994ca2d82b7

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Without a single bbf7d45071 explanation, the monk cc92eb45b2 simply nodded, as 458e9304c2 if he already 7a8a0f4a7c understood everything.11693473ebefa275

“Do you have paper and a brush?”e3be8314cd3c8af5

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Once again, the monk’s words were brief and straightforward. There was something uncanny about him. Hongwoo, intrigued, quickly excused himself and rushed off to fetch the paper and brush. The house was so large that just running back and forth left him breathless.1e2f28855aa5a165

Panting, he handed them fecf80dd51 to the monk. The monk spread the d1236838fc paper on the ground ac71cf7ddf and wrote:“Bokdeokchon.”Then, he 359733f9ad handed it 172ead33be to Hongwoo.2910404bcb5f651a

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“What is this?” Hongwoo asked.ab6c2f6be918f911

“If you go there, build a home, and live there,” the monk said, “your wishes will come true.”cf0715a88d14d68d

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Madam Kim, who a202733274 had been watching, c0bba021da handed the monk 4f258641c5 a steaming bowl 9845424125 of food. The monk 9a1cf626b8 accepted it, ef67b36c89 left behind f35ef46d14 a few 9fb4e4dbbc words of 9cc48b971e encouragement, and 8e070c452a departed.0adde6dabea1b850

Hongwoo, however, a9d25170be kept staring e8f7c4b980 at the b07b82b61c paper in f58a5084a6 his hands.3016d5fb24558a4c

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“Young Master Hongwoo, what are you doing?”0b53501333715875

“Madam Kim, do you know where Bokdeokchon is?”00f96225ffb5c24d

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“Of course! How could I not? Despite its village name, meaning ‘Fortune and Virtue’, it’s actually a place where those who have nothing gather.”3d22595ee0c6ea82

“People… who have nothing?”986df0f024243dd9

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Hongwoo fell silent. It wouldn’t 00f777da79 be long 9bb19e5e16 before he, f7898d170b too, became 7ffcf6606a one of f2f679e276 them. Living within the 41528c0066 walls of a 41bef7217f wealthy merchant’s estate ab7e214c1d and suddenly having 21e7363253 nothing were two 2424b2cc58 completely different realities.83e63b05def1f62d

Still, having 6a5a03b4d0 a roof c80a48caf2 over his a5dc740a0d head was b7ade9c016 better than 910201789c sleeping on 94e906a4ad the streets. He asked Madam Kim 62a8652b20 for directions and set 39075ebf6c out.9535aeda5e68c595

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Hongwoo was terrible with 8b5cfc83ec directions. He had a habit 3c2f57130f of charging forward without 3350a7dac8 thinking, often ending up 53cbbfb949 lost. He had left 436b593171 at midday, but 193b3c7484 after stopping repeatedly c713931489 to ask for 1b895667e5 directions, he only 27836f0d21 arrived at Bokdeokchon abbd063ff3 as the sun 2844127d91 began to set.4535d1d7005a52c5

It was 3967c1ee72 farther than bd7954e8f0 he had 500c70d0cc expected. A twinge c1e6704852 of loneliness 7d161c6e4a hit him 66d13a4af0 at the 4e552a3510 thought of 537613ad87 not seeing d4c7a48344 his older 81cffbe0ea brother or ccc2d95b4f Madam Kim acc4109ea8 every day. But at a3929ef0aa least the ee4072632a village was 01c8bea28b cleaner than df4a396852 he had 1122d5ae84 imagined, which 6aa7854e3e was a 5cf40d42b9 small relief.33b3341e8ca39ac5

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He picked out 785529cdc5 a spot in c160eaaf71 an open area a798706be0 and, as he 48a45478a2 walked back home, aa78af1a30 began planning. A main room, 8261d3f1e7 a bedroom, and 9db547da2b maybe a small 07fae37fb1 annex should be df4cc572da enough, right? Compared to 2604553660 the grand 27eec090eb house he b18266c9a4 lived in c74cdab36f now, it faaee498e9 would be c583609b26 no more 71dce1027f than a 9e4f6998b0 child’s playhouse. But given his circumstances, 26277e0dc6 he had to be 505d01a3cb realistic.6c901a8207d137b0

‘Once I b1314bcea7 finish building 6bb8382cb4 it, I’ll df0f3e43be prepare a 60ba91ee67 delicious meal 5f589b6e6b and invite f2212236c0 my brother f162bb58bf over first.’608dcb74f3ce929b

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The thought of having b3a7597496 his own place sent 5bd749e8e9 a thrill through him. Though leaving home wasn’t 038a14d6fa his choice, the idea 15dda95be2 of starting fresh wasn’t ea7c4d0d4b entirely bad.2e9f7a0768710dfd

‘Maybe my 2f6ac99e01 brother really c6046b4b6f did see b6a1729ac9 this coming fb93f0023c all along.’58f6d02ce7a1d91f

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Hongwoo walked 3aa50dcf1a home with 2d4038a997 a spring 609fc13067 in his c934f1957a step.d499eee133c97688

After finding a c18817e348 spot in Bokdeokchon, 758b809d31 he set off b4970b1c61 right away. By the 10af26a667 time he 6825259aa7 returned home, 805c1ba167 it was 972c6f69bb late at a33204a261 night, and 00fe49ec58 he had 60672eea32 collapsed into 472ae8f6f9 bed, fast 8642bfb0bb asleep. But as 34278781f3 soon as 3f1718aa8e dawn broke, 3de05da9ec he was 068d613339 up again. Barely awake, he grabbed d9b9072732 a quick breakfast and 0d5a56276b went out in search 6ca34fe306 of a laborer who 96a8d280b2 worked on house repairs.0b833b79311f1140

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“Are you b43f4ec352 busy today? Do you have time 7bca61ed8c to help me?”8a85c4b5b16a08da

The worker, 07a3480c16 startled to 96156e772c see Hongwoo c06a21d147 so early, d3711e7208 widened his 72f10787a6 eyes. But after hearing the 821b2200c0 request, his face darkened.e8342919272d488a

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“Young Master… The 8dfd675a79 eldest master warned 159846e541 us that if 26712d4b1f we help you a4ebff9e8e leave, he won’t 3948a3602a let us off.”0ff1f6ad896f6268

In other words, they 2d44c1e2a0 couldn’t help him. No one 6ca5af4ed9 would dare 8e7fae3f5b risk his 64f0600f5a brother’s wrath. Even if bc88df7590 someone wanted 9cebeaf1cc to assist, b8fd679c02 Hongwoo knew e720404fc0 better than 97acdac385 anyone how d4c0e6343a terrifying his df2e3dfe27 brother could 934e584558 be. He couldn’t bring himself ecffe2bf7b to ask, knowing it 10efc97b5e would only bring trouble. Even if they offered, 0c8c76de86 he would have to 0d918be57e refuse—he wouldn’t be able 61847a23a1 to sleep at night 1f0419c7dd worrying about what might 310d5eccb4 happen to them.22137cdcba50b110

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“I see… Don’t worry 18660733dd about me. Go on with 1f2d3bff45 your work.”ed922deefc2ba352

Hongwoo forced a b1a5edd4f3 smile—his lips curved 2def3b7371 upward, but his 1b9861f62f eyes brimmed with 0361e3175b sadness. He let the c9de1c824d worker go, though 80eedfde17 he felt lost. What was 676304c7d4 he supposed 57f5be1fd9 to do 07f2257277 now?d7820c6a53729c35

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