SSH Episode 2

After getting e6f014f717 married, Hongwoo’s 6292178e43 mother quickly 16b950eba1 became pregnant d65fe05b6f and gave 482e5e5614 birth to cc1e1e7352 his strong, d6fed6324f healthy older 759acef95c brother. To their grandfather, 32e19cfe50 she must have e8b30d7d47 seemed like a a0cef00733 wish-granting spirit from 964ed75d82 a Western folktale. How much must he 4c46526ffe have adored her to b943bf4bcb name their trading company—Eunsu Merchant Guild—after her?e9c7a3ba0c707990

But as time passed, 1cc21f3582 the relationship between their a4ee45a74f grandfather and mother soured. According to bc5dbd2808 their father, 8300c869f4 the tension 7dbbba34f4 began with 8ac6bf1bfc disagreements over 21b1bafb2b Seungwoo’s education. From a young age, 5a54619c86 Seungwoo mastered both classical 19c901be7a Chinese and Qing studies. While his d83d36f395 intelligence played f023da6913 a role—he 1f51c5a5a9 was a 08e5725bca prodigy who 7cb2b679eb understood ten 095ac763f2 things from 76ef5b46ba being taught fa6040207f just one—it 7582afb89c was also 57f3e0455e because their 877e7d6f34 grandfather had 90fab8a05e personally taught adaf1226de him languages 225fe7660e as soon 7ef7b926cf as he c2d9b98cfa could walk.62941fce5b5d5ce1

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At first, e2f88be71e their mother 44ae71e81f tolerated this 3b8c87c931 intense education, 7e13adbced knowing how cb69041bc7 relentless their 906bcf951a grandfather could 63c5cb2a14 be. But when Seungwoo became e8f365daf0 fluent in classical Chinese ac5c1a3b93 at an age when 0e1055153e most children were still a74728a6fd playing, the conflict escalated. Their grandfather, 950914f6d7 recognizing his 0e5f54e5c4 grandson’s extraordinary e1272ddb59 mind, immediately 83c92f2e0f pushed him 7f0cd214c7 further, insisting cbbc4320c6 he study 8a12ebb7a3 Qing scholarship a4ff35e338 as well. Their mother be3b487951 argued that c3b5bdde60 it was 1cc73544bf too much 5a74d94101 for a 1238eb8d41 child, while 77e94c2a62 their grandfather e860dd6b6f insisted that 10d0a61521 early preparation 876ae33f76 was essential. The tension only grew.5d9fca60f66cbe5a

Seungwoo’s rapid progress 6e6db30b37 made things worse. He absorbed a2fc2acdc8 knowledge so c144b49a0d quickly that f81960c093 their grandfather d5f3032f49 eventually had 0c4f92f5c7 nothing left 4f03b71073 to teach 813f764f05 him. To keep up, f919a84bfc he even hired c0945e60e0 naturalized scholars as c1569d7520 tutors. Seungwoo became both his 101b8e5bb8 grandfather’s greatest pride and 47d2787144 his mother’s deepest worry. Despite her 14f14f3d39 telling him 63e433949e he could eae52671bd stop anytime, 0fa985eecb he continued 3673069fd7 his studies 66108233e9 with unwavering cd13c25829 determination. In the end, she 81db0ef3c9 could do nothing but 8529e51c46 watch.77a6c963328208f6

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Unlike his older d3bde4d01e brother, Hongwoo grew 60a2b490e5 up simply—playing well, f20c227e84 eating well, and d19ebc818c staying healthy. Their mother 6717a3fcdb believed that 652135e3a8 a child 0a2b1e06ce should enjoy 6e5cd020fb life and 5ba987909c discover their e601504751 passions naturally. But while 834a6b39fa Seungwoo had 050a03b3e7 found his e85f923434 calling early, 00019bc1c4 Hongwoo never 54eb3fe3e5 did.e0ec57d4c32491f3

‘That’s right. There’s nothing I’m good 4409927a7a at.’7c37f46e52375cf6

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Perched on f8a3a58fae the wooden 5883934cc1 floor of fd3f228cba the grandJang familyestate—one of the wealthiest 0ae5b38b84 in Gaegyeong, boasting nearly f46619ca44 ninety-nine rooms, fourteen chambers, d4209a4002 three wells, and twelve 066d133b64 gates—Hongwoo let out a f8e00d330a deep sigh. Above him, a 421bf0d843 magpie called out 1896986f15 sharply against the a515fc7fdb blue sky.6209960895ef9197

‘Are you crying out 383d8c4fec in joy or sorrow? Or are 09e5f0e18c you trying 6529920bb6 to tell 752ad699c1 me that 28ada5aeef a welcome a8c0d093c9 guest is d8c29ad61b on their a2b39c9bc7 way?’6c2db5397e656b71

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‘At least ba07c74b31 you have d1ff7b2842 a talent—your 10445bd5ca voice is db94aa276e clear and e94b34dcab beautiful. But me? There’s not 5ce0f47601 a single a75832d440 thing I e19deae4ad excel at. How am I supposed e13a6ef419 to survive when I fed3aa9244 have no skills at 314eaf10b2 all?’15a7cf0a21240afd

Hongwoo let out another 7dff369674 deep sigh as he 392ba983c6 watched the magpie. With no 1ebaa6ec52 plan for afbf8c4470 survival, he 9d8bca4fec was on 737ecf1c90 the verge 1931f21571 of sleeping cdaf39eaf8 on the af589aef24 streets, and d4f927aafc the weight c6ae4361ce of his c75e6b0b04 worries pressed 36360bfad2 down on fc57ec0026 him.900501366842b309

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Of course, nothing soothed a728a3a6af a troubled heart quite 08dd0dfeb1 like something sweet. He picked 1c14599c56 up a ab5bb61f14 honey rice 9fdb175fc7 cake, took 8e46101c9d a bite, 261960c46b and sighed. Then another rice 3ae7bd958f cake, another sigh. Despite having eaten d3ce5a9cbc a heaping bowl efc04ace27 of rice for 17c88d5f03 breakfast, the rice 5ff0c71c13 cakes slid down 585b223278 effortlessly. When the 06cb0e6307 plate was 1fce0d4076 empty, he 084098fac1 licked the 9712fd150a honey from 085b0b55a0 his fingers f8ccad674c and stood 57770f34f0 up. Sitting around sighing wouldn’t 679af8283b solve anything.fb587247155c872e

‘I should at least step outside.’c16e1d220058dfd1

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As he 337d321431 made his 9882a8291f way toward e4781f33b3 the main c3c1745963 gate, he 8215cfff1c spotted Madam 64194187cd Kim in 7842ca25bc a heated 35d5fe59f6 exchange with 3282255b8e an unusually 1a276d4131 tall beggar.e936ee11fc35f478

“Madam Kim, what’s going on?”d913c93b33fb63ab

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The sight of the aa147fe988 beggar holding out a 30a79de4c2 bowl told him all 91a4bf3206 he needed to know. Seeing someone 641e2769a5 begging for ab7243f301 food left 1b1a8b4ea5 a bitter 57121e5293 taste in dd01647d7c his mouth. It wasn’t 74deaee96c hard to 4e8240f8b0 imagine himself 655ffa2abf doing the ec3d9a398b same in 3612cbbacf the near 14a51e0996 future, knocking 57606debaf on doors 91d63f30dd and holding 364e00829b out a 52531259c8 bowl.122c2238f57ca0bc

“Give them a warm meal and some soup.”178be4872a054929

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“If we start feeding every stray dog and cow that comes knocking, what are we supposed to eat?” Madam Kim a52e300b1f huffed, snatching a1eedf6d1a the beggar’s 53b3e9381b bowl. But despite her sharp ea9864c48d tongue, she had a 603230f146 soft heart. She stomped e63f47a9cb toward the 12e994415d kitchen, grumbling 1893f130ba all the cfdafd8bab while. Once she cared about f5557eb027 someone, she took care a2489d4c5d of them fiercely. After Hongwoo’s mother passed 7dc00581b3 away, she had been 88e3b7bde0 like a second mother 11f84ab366 to him.1527ffc39969b2de

“I take 86effacba3 refuge in dbd96b5920 Amitabha Buddha. The Bodhisattva of 8b8f3bfad6 compassion.“e4d914e8fc992abf

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Snapped out b82caa0782 of his ee1d3b2d4c thoughts, Hongwoo b2c4303145 quickly pressed 73fb4c45e4 his hands b6b173361a together and d9538caa04 bowed.So, he’s a f3153845ba monk?He must have e74f5457a0 endured great hardship. With his towering 9dc97e82ed height, it was 5b278d73df hard to tell c1f2aab344 if he was e489cf9741 a beggar, a 2141725347 monk, or something cc11cb057a else entirely. Looking at him, 790d5c45b2 Hongwoo felt both 3c83101582 sympathy and an ec285cd57f odd sense of c5e335a7cf camaraderie.783db8993a4eb121

 ‘Soon enough, that’s going to be me.’7cfed884ba5047ff

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“Brother, please give me some food. I haven’t eaten in three days, and I’m starving.”9777b8a5d7549d00

Dressed in rags, a406556ced Hongwoo knocked on 95e6cdb104 the main gate, 521ce5d392 playing the part d53df66348 of a beggar. Seungwoo, giving him 58276a4415 a once-over, promptly e7c3b9eca4 snatched the bowl 9ee69006db from his hands.0fc5b36343c1d873

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“Ah, that’s cold!”94d68fec3dc8de57

Just as Hongwoo cb581704d9 was imagining Seungwoo 9b9c7d3259 returning with the 64dd69f732 bowl—only to splash 6d0990fda9 cold water in d99aa53bdd his face—the monk’s 8cc5f5e484 voice pulled him 76a660cf77 back to reality. His tone was surprisingly e6457136f5 light for a monk.cefb9c8f2b9c2c31

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“Sir, you seem to have many worries.”97a8e827be5a6542

“H-How did you know?”77ad58fe7ec3e495

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Without a single 6845bb362e explanation, the monk 82267f6c6e simply nodded, as c4352bd81d if he already cf36516d69 understood everything.36a7bbe802c49579

“Do you have paper and a brush?”872e427578f43945

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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.2a30624ba2254572

Panting, he handed them 3389769681 to the monk. The monk spread the fabc25a79e paper on the ground 9cb01604db and wrote:“Bokdeokchon.”Then, he f875f3cdf1 handed it 19a32e7baf to Hongwoo.155fbfa1737b7738

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“What is this?” Hongwoo asked.a029b73283b5862b

“If you go there, build a home, and live there,” the monk said, “your wishes will come true.”d5b26aaf2cc25d67

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Madam Kim, 5ad6b93538 who had 7cf0f404ac been watching, f958230397 handed the 3939280539 monk a 6bb7e7a5d5 steaming bowl 02152f7868 of food. The monk accepted 597aa74680 it, left behind f3d89600e6 a few words 29673ccc83 of encouragement, and 33b64dddfe departed.c300513b65d2dfa1

Hongwoo, however, kept staring 15d452d995 at the paper in 077168a4f4 his hands.4a0431c7c73bde70

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“Young Master Hongwoo, what are you doing?”f2bd105b9d6eca2c

“Madam Kim, do you know where Bokdeokchon is?”a8a9ea4de650c0d3

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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.”65640a1585f1afce

“People… who have nothing?”1a0afd767455470d

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Hongwoo fell silent. It wouldn’t be long 52716ccaaf before he, too, became a97d9c462e one of them. Living within ace9f87717 the walls 63e2123d5f of a b28f105753 wealthy merchant’s 9a683260c1 estate and dac18ac3fb suddenly having 8531015bb1 nothing were 74bf53e7d9 two completely 2f9c9ce868 different realities.97beec4cba40355f

Still, having a roof a3182568fb over his head was 95659791ff better than sleeping on da04505a60 the streets. He asked Madam 5e12adf9a2 Kim for directions e4700ca33e and set out.0c99498af97c31ea

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Hongwoo was terrible with fdab14661f directions. He had a 16b444467c habit of charging 7377054bdb forward without thinking, 21d66fad57 often ending up eaabf13b22 lost. He had 44f62eef28 left at 0dcb0aaeb5 midday, but 4d43470fd0 after stopping 92a8799606 repeatedly to f3ae64285a ask for b935745a10 directions, he 079e557334 only arrived ef6ef34962 at Bokdeokchon 722b5989e2 as the 2a2e12725b sun began bcbf8f7d3f to set.2007fa0ec7cb3d14

It was 521184a7d7 farther than 9d08bb87ae he had 50c851e295 expected. A twinge of cfc5c7dd14 loneliness hit him 71bc1886ab at the thought a5490d3b6d of not seeing 727ffbc184 his older brother 61a9ee41ed or Madam Kim cca6563345 every day. But at least c5345da759 the village was 50a7374391 cleaner than he 91334fdfcd had imagined, which 6fc0918e23 was a small 5518c1be4e relief.73229c42cb329c83

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He picked out a 3aba2842ce spot in an open 477f10042d area and, as he a0bc0a8124 walked back home, began 0f7ba4c3d9 planning. A main room, af9397809c a bedroom, and b639c9a649 maybe a small 0df3c5329f annex should be 590e0507bf enough, right? Compared to the grand 7604a2fd09 house he lived in 6f594c3db6 now, it would be f994f81b01 no more than a f310f8932c child’s playhouse. But given his circumstances, 2eb87f613e he had to be 6916b238bc realistic.ed8b928c37c065ee

‘Once I finish 7183f99653 building it, I’ll 37cc26d88e prepare a delicious 44ea74e8a0 meal and invite b78065cdeb my brother over 44ce9d1870 first.’ab4541fbcc078a9f

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The thought b8699d2637 of having 9c6284250b his own d432ecb0a1 place sent 9b2109b3b8 a thrill d17863204b through him. Though leaving home wasn’t ed63ebe2c6 his choice, the idea 7f5c699a62 of starting fresh wasn’t b8441cd28c entirely bad.2d0d3ef20e41be3e

‘Maybe my brother really 78f71125a7 did see this coming 9c68c26709 all along.’a0fb14895e1acc4b

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Hongwoo walked 6b0ea9a8b5 home with e0d877ad26 a spring 6c607dca52 in his 3dc054acb2 step.36f2e4a0b964d47f

After finding a spot 959500dfee in Bokdeokchon, he set 7e7e1f1899 off right away. By the 5305fb32a1 time he 29dee3283f returned home, a1696f514f it was 930b6e506b late at d46346dd4b night, and e709ff38ef he had 1cbbcf84d8 collapsed into 2931ba8671 bed, fast f51c12e121 asleep. But as 8aec66a639 soon as dfbfac3678 dawn broke, 42f1e45f33 he was 4fbe07f071 up again. Barely awake, he grabbed 379833e072 a quick breakfast and 62867c3094 went out in search 2b8a5597ec of a laborer who 4cc77afe30 worked on house repairs.f72dde0a1fa792fe

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“Are you busy e7ab1b0d08 today? Do you have 4f72065c42 time to help 919022ff4a me?”979384d68d8824b3

The worker, 7869d257f7 startled to 403bc1ce3b see Hongwoo d643e182be so early, 2048b577d6 widened his 7007b4183a eyes. But after hearing 132701568c the request, his 1f44b9cd64 face darkened.1af7042530299350

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“Young Master… e50c891e37 The eldest a3dbe1f31b master warned 5f23710743 us that f980cfd0c1 if we 88d31aaada help you 0fadab015c leave, he d417690a9f won’t let 84e9fc8e68 us off.”a13a6aed203163c6

In other words, they 58c1da4cd2 couldn’t help him. No one 46b35d1499 would dare e1d2ad2d95 risk his fbfc19e7af brother’s wrath. Even if someone wanted 5a6f5e33d4 to assist, Hongwoo knew 5b60cd8e83 better than anyone how a0b286dfd1 terrifying his brother could 2502b99c19 be. He couldn’t 62fd3c1e89 bring himself 8e18cfdceb to ask, fd397899cb knowing it 37d9b6fd45 would only 50a864ca6b bring trouble. Even if 1f8f640cae they offered, fbce9deab3 he would 3faa71cadf have to 1bab9b9394 refuse—he wouldn’t aadf238551 be able ac5e795cb5 to sleep 37c138773c at night 8421865a41 worrying about 47045849e0 what might 1849878cac happen to e892ec1670 them.1fbe4ad841e38021

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“I see… Don’t db49437fb4 worry about me. Go on 02c56d0be7 with your 1b3f8583a3 work.”aef1d31a682272f2

Hongwoo forced c35160b834 a smile—his afead511ac lips curved 8c314d3760 upward, but 08a90ed9a9 his eyes 318e099fbe brimmed with 88111a3ac6 sadness. He let the 5e9d6fdad2 worker go, though daa3714ef5 he felt lost. What was he supposed bea966f46b to do now?ef035c805d26c109

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