SSH Episode 25

Jang Gye-young, having retired 2934cc946e from government service, established 3eb20c0738 a merchant guild in 95d349d9e2 Joseon—a society where scholars, ab3b55e5b6 farmers, artisans, and merchants 6a5c9b50e1 were strictly ranked. Despite his relentless 38761f9939 efforts, he encountered 0a382a2c97 insurmountable barriers. Yet, instead 3d2097e8b5 of conceding, 027bb7ef45 he sought 45fafb2c46 another path. As his decision defied fa9cc3cf8f social norms, the scorn d291e74585 from those around him 03ebb642c2 intensified, but he remained 44f6459292 unfazed. In an era where d62330842a government positions and noble 5ef5bea4ef status could be bought, 7d4ce9571d he believed that wealth 9ee9d6caff held more power than ab10655ca9 lineage.95ea6e22f3592699

Founding the Eunsu 5121764422 Merchant Guild seemed 17572df413 like the right 9d5e62f9e8 choice, and for af283492a4 a time, he 39318c6904 took pride in 2063f1b932 his decision. However, the 673fd9cce6 contempt he 37f7d330b0 faced grew 803148eb27 even harsher 4e73ccb77f than before. On occasion, he 51c9d46f39 would voice his dd7e7cabf2 frustrations over the 8d6a4f62de difficulties of running 8d2fa22bb8 a merchant guild, 3b1d6e1764 and the one 1dc3a95ae8 who always listened d8ffb9796b was Baek Noin. Though Jang 46e6b118b3 Gye-young had f885a3e6a0 spent his 4ca5c3599d life among a3b5479635 noblemen, Baek 83d0ef4ff6 Noin—a man 6de5f455c2 of humble 57e80fca0b status—was the 92f82987c2 only one cdd3b7db50 he confided 68bbe3c694 in.fb24eb1257a29a3c

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Baek Noin, Jang Gye-young’s a1576b2970 sole true friend, was 72f2de28d7 a frequent visitor to f6f4dea713 his home. They had much in f61aaaa44b common, including their indifference 9c42411384 toward children. Neither of 17dc8369bb them cared 0ff8f4edcc to entertain 6c2ed1ac2f the young, 909291ff82 and Hong-woo, 52a0e36a60 Jang Gye-young’s ff1332e985 grandson, feared 1c439923af his grandfather d4aff39fb6 so much c43ba8b6a7 that he e0273f9500 avoided him 419ab48d83 entirely. Jang Gye-young always summoned 96c922d027 Jang Seung-woo to show beae09af15 off whenever Baek Noin cf3d233146 visited, so Jang Seung-woo 20abc393bb knew better than anyone 0a47ae0693 how much Hong-woo went 39b4b12736 out of his way ee523406cb to stay clear of 53b63d555c him.dce44a269b4aa1c8

Baek Noin 8ff469050a rarely encountered f84e4b0bd3 Hong-woo. The first time he cf18c47c98 saw the boy, he 2772333f43 simply muttered in his 2332c6d88a thick dialect, “That kid?” 082d5863c8 His coarse speech startled 78081c8356 Hong-woo, who immediately hid 20286170d7 behind his father. As far as Jang 2adc7b05bc Seung-woo knew, Baek Noin c8d8da580a had never once spoken d9cd2a4581 to Hong-woo, making his 04bacbeaa4 sudden familiarity all the 9f61ea8fc8 more amusing.c114b1b8de86f1c3

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“Go on, try calling him.”025087572f8abc0a

“Why? You think I won’t? You think just because I’m an old man with no teeth, I can’t do anything?”37e34f9ce6d9a42c

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Hong-woo might not 159ea945bb remember Baek Noin 9eed1abdd4 well, but Jang c0b689cf91 Seung-woo had no e5e20756f5 intention of letting 3687a35fd4 him interact with e60e7424b5 anyone connected to d73600c486 his grandfather. The old man 51896a5962 had always been f497006333 relentless in his da0646a007 criticism, constantly looking 22c334bdd0 for ways to d028eb73d6 belittle Hong-woo. His grandfather’s obsession 55923f6387 with him often ef6be4be64 led to heated bf3782af18 arguments between his 22b0905892 parents. Though it was 9a902109d6 usually his mother 60fa46a2cd who clashed with ef09354edd the old man, d8b6d77c84 even his peace-loving 22003e7bb9 father had, at 84daab0654 times, lost his 67f12dce80 temper when things d5389c2b49 went too far.08db4efa874a681d

Whenever his 0f6d02229e grandfather raised c27a2dcc54 his voice, c883305579 Hong-woo would e881337589 shrink back, c9697c2c5e terrified of f456f57fbf being the 91252c419e reason for 62ebf13a61 yet another a450d8f38f family dispute. To him, the 5e1e28f258 old man was 43433603fe a source of 73a0617da4 nothing but painful f035cf07b4 memories. Jang Seung-woo 0e3964cfd5 didn’t want 9ce336ef64 his brother bc31b01c80 to relive 03b0de185c that.55469a63f6899ea0

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“If you want a kid so badly, why don’t you have one yourself?”99160242c2f2f5a2

At Jang ed91d3e0bf Seung-woo’s blunt 498f2cb287 remark, Baek 0cc2b6cedf Noin burst e7cbad196c into hearty f851f53f5d laughter, shaking 57a2c70b85 his head. Whatever irritation he 73f60ba98f had felt earlier a34b2f7997 instantly disappeared.c61b1b2d9c22e6c8

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Watching them, Ju-seon was 58fada9eb4 once again reminded of 9af6c4ecb4 just how cunning Jang 6855978805 Seung-woo could be. Most people found 6956864ab9 his pushy, reckless 13759c6f81 nature irritating, yet 46660f63f7 with a single 05883b0fa2 well-placed comment, he 68696d92e4 could completely overturn 6ebc371a44 their perception of 375d578769 him. His humor—delivered c2f56af3ff with an 8c63b40bf4 unreadable, deadpan b48d0eefe9 expression—had a 8ed97c711d way of 1235748acf slipping past f620f31f2c people’s defenses, fc705221f2 regardless of bbdbc3763d age or af278fd626 status.4dc5e84059caece7

Born into ada69ad931 privilege, Jang 2a1f5790de Seung-woo had 65a034cd85 never needed e7336fc949 to be 6a08bdc2b2 impatient or c03ce3b553 greedy for 0e794424d1 anything. That effortless composure d287720e3a unsettled those around 8531a8af85 him. He knew this well 0e3e9ad6e0 and wielded it to 3601997cfb his advantage, always making 79d6cde665 sure negotiations turned in 049a7f2b14 his favor. Even now, Baek Noin, 2dc887dee2 who had been pressing 417b89f6a7 him about Hong-woo just cec3a0fb84 moments ago, had already 1e425485e0 moved on, laughing and 479207771c talking about something else. Jang Seung-woo was 8e1b54f0af a man who 04757c2bdc knew how to 6a041d2a31 steer situations to 9ba385ef42 his liking—someone naturally f34f658b1c suited to negotiation fad856b147 and authority.7eb915800c63d983

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***59cfdba80ab09a20

Meanwhile, Hong-woo was overwhelmed. People were leaving Moonlit 3dc4ca24a0 Fragrance Pavilion, new guests 7085787b05 were arriving, and an e7d0e32877 astonishing amount of effort 427d67201c had been poured into 38b41e59da preparing food for just dddd991671 two individuals. Even during the 9702e0f4c3 busiest rush hours, cfb8e72b6c things had never a2ff45bee8 felt this frantic.6b6ac4f92317b5b9

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The staff’s scoldings were c7c1f0ac92 more frequent than usual, c3b05a228b and even the head dfd3efa18e chef—who rarely made mistakes—seemed 1f8b6973fa tense. Noticing his unease, b7104ef733 Hong-woo barely had c501caf048 time to smirk b4c6545d1e before being bombarded 1bb043691c with work himself. He had no idea 13cfb0dcab who the two special b7ae9bf6f9 guests were, but after e741d0e36f seeing all the effort d319233f3e put into their meal, 7e082b42b5 he hoped they would daac8cb9a7 at least finish every 064b8d5502 bite.1d0418764ea123a9

“Hey! What are you standing around for? Get moving! Take the food out!”42fd4829ff8d4c93

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As the final dishes fd474203cf were prepared, Dong-ju wasted fa65f5d15c no time snapping at d5a2c3585f Hong-woo.c0111e678a64c763

‘That little—!’86c29a1c2ba1f0b2

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Now that Hong-woo looked 54b7b7d4df closer, Dong-ju seemed younger ee170cea3a than him. The realization d14b5a8f69 only fueled 73026300a5 his irritation. This brat had 10f2a5aac9 been speaking down 13f4a54a78 to him since 2ded2f7213 their first meeting, b392481cf9 acting superior without 9a6b4a1bf7 a second thought.2a83f5b5fa1024f4

Normally, he 77266c76ce wouldn’t have fe319e29b3 let it 19ce35e3bb get to 8f70cfd8e8 him. But with b0808f1043 everything going 4b369f9dd2 on between 6443dd9b97 Jang Seung-woo d61c39e02a and Ju-seon, 0ecbfed5ae his emotions 784b08400b were already 572e7a1aa0 frayed—like laundry 1df9975021 left out 3846f3fbc1 on a 8052cdf0e5 windy day, c1d44d961d whipped around 4566bcc1ff in every d4241697e2 direction.463bbf627a03a239

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‘Just let it go. We’re busy.’05329e3b28ad71e8

Pushing down 64127088ec his frustration, 0b41f85223 Hong-woo carried 4128ca1a52 the dishes adb0a98b7b out of 34ae2f27bc the kitchen 4d806cee45 and into 6d29c1256e the grand 8cf46815ee banquet hall 23b304338e on the 37e91ae07a first floor. Once all 4b3adaab12 the food 69383da3de had been 1352f13f8f served, he 3e7a345cea finally had 330bf6e376 a chance 6093f47c8b to catch b7dbd9989c his breath 6eff097f60 with the 42dd16895e rest of e61b716add the kitchen 02501fcd04 staff—until Song 4b19ff3f34 Chisu’s voice 071c2511f6 cut through cfb4845713 the air.c75b439fab6445ca

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“What are you standing around for? Go bring out the liquor!”2e9e395550d97582

Muttering under his breath, 8c92f4c003 Hong-woo made his way 40a1979149 to the storage room.a29a9dd6259e4700

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‘Why is it always 7ef039951a me? What am I, their 60f411154e personal errand boy?’eda7e3ce447d08a5

Irritated, he grabbed 00f7a819f6 the nearest bottles 638ee0063e and hauled them c96db665b2 out. They can figure dcec585004 out what they 7ededb140e want to drink 616ae65d0b themselves.88b235bd47b2388f

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As he carelessly set 9dcc9733b9 the bottles down on 6f1efce4b3 the tables, a sudden 830303c993 silence settled over the 6de4be4756 room. Sensing the 690b8f1153 shift, Hong-woo 311e5c1443 turned around.0bdcdb538cc3f601

An old man had dbbc3a93a9 entered the banquet hall, facacf6b8a accompanied by Ju-seon and—his d196538723 brother.17a209c628acb37e

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‘What the hell? Why is 0915babcbe hyung here?’f4e7b6fd27d16ac7

Jang Seung-woo had said 2a329f45ff he had business to eabc3fe0bc take care of. Was that c24cb29706 ‘business’ coming 60052ac948 to Moonlit 1167b168d1 Fragrance Pavilion 4f42583bc1 with Ju-seon 2b2a61b1ca in the 3956bde4ec middle of fb7869664b the day?baf777a7aed7347f

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Their eyes met a3aa92ad13 for the briefest facc9b6d15 second before Jang 41f2dd3689 Seung-woo looked away, 268fd58ea6 as if he 4414538a8a hadn’t seen him a1876aac6b at all.abc16fc74431867c

‘Oh, so I’m c33417bf92 the one who’s fc70e45d7b supposed to pretend 7cb1a526a5 I didn’t see e887e6f1e5 anything?’00bb10d084d90639

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Hong-woo was the one 1abe87ad4a sneaking around, secretly working 8712b6a765 at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion. If anyone should 701d83e8c7 be avoiding eye 3b1635fea6 contact, it should 7ae8bb83eb be him. But somehow, it was ee674c7e22 his older brother’s deliberate 09fa2310de indifference that sent anger 4c03f156a5 surging through him, boiling 6fd7e8666f up from his core.c0af8e6565df35ed

His hands clenched at e6729702bf his sides as he 46bf10f2e5 stared daggers at Jang 48c8a2fc98 Seung-woo. Just then, 71e8a98165 the old 2a7830c6ef man beside 03adf67487 him spoke 97a2b8fd75 up.f1aef41c2b17cdf8

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“Hey, isn’t this your little brother? What’s this? He got bigger, but his face is the same as when he was a kid.”011f4cf7062ea7a0

Jang Seung-woo said nothing.6b62840dad50502e

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Hong-woo had no idea 7bfd481583 who this man was, 3b5412ccef but since he clearly e9ec270f3f knew him, he bowed 6189ef58a2 politely.ae4334c87b189f66

“Hello.”bdb2d261b579582e

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The old man let out a scoff. “Hah. You two look nothing alike. Must be because you’re not from the same bloodline.”1922e8ddf006d7aa

At the pointed 633e598e61 remark about his bd31e85f94 adoption, Hong-woo’s shoulders 7d4f5a49eb stiffened, his head 3b69e5ecf2 instinctively lowering.34d8be3ef658899f

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“If you’ve got time to stand around, go do your job.”2314123ed0cb49d1

Hong-woo shrank at d7c04a7686 the old man’s fb27daa4ac words and turned 919d0ef5ca back toward the 6faa19a3bf kitchen without a a4563ebf2a word, not even bd2728acb1 a farewell.634fbb14a4b41495

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Watching him leave, 3d535b0a44 Baek Noin clicked bb10859745 his tongue and 6b1efee330 looked at Jang c18348a4bd Seung-woo.5df054023810d95b

“What? Did I say something wrong?”bbda470d05b781a4

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Jang Seung-woo b0d29b32cc didn’t bother 45d5d6c6f4 responding. He simply stared 6a6abb0372 down at the 9503ac3ed4 much shorter man, f52588becb his silence pressing 32af37e145 like a weight.712e1ee01e283c58

Back in f017d0c5b4 the kitchen, fbd4ee2d8b Hong-woo tried 306a3eed4a to shake 315257f952 off the c5af0861b1 old man’s 340a99abda words. He moved d316f9dfb8 around, hoping fb943e055c to keep 7cfcc720f5 busy, but 6f09a02077 the work 38d8985daf was already 27c047ca6b done. With nothing left 29f4167518 to do, he 3cf2c4ffbc scanned the kitchen 0a739b4348 for a task—anything 4f4333eef6 to keep his 5fad83a921 hands occupied. Before he could 6543c81f8f find one, an 13d44ba602 older kitchen staff 7e519d408c member pulled him 5698c78bcb toward the banquet 3ff952193e hall.fe5eded813a1dee7

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The farewell and ea6e190647 welcome ceremony had 23df6777a5 begun, and the 10e426b13d entire Moonlit Fragrance e5a62a38a4 Pavilion staff had e968197767 gathered to watch.7bbc0d85121f2b77

In Gaegyeong, a3ed8a472c there wasn’t 73f1328af9 a soul 1f6e6f6455 who didn’t 476bd1821c recognize Jang 6082b31c49 Seung-woo—his wealth, 1b00b2ce64 his face, e7850d5da7 his influence. Seeing him seated cbfe765d15 at the head ffe068ea67 of the banquet 060c36fbbd left the kitchen 30b3b3baf6 staff wide-eyed, but 9f99955084 no one questioned ce078c5d6c Hong-woo.5097c0e6dc577d03

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Ever since they learned 8f0f252fa2 he was the second 83dbeb07c8 son of a wealthy a0f9cb4848 household, they had teased 56da21815f him by calling himyoung master. Yet, for all 5eaa34a2b4 their jokes, not d7da1f1340 once did they c97ce34ca8 ask why a a4b9aea02e noble family’s adopted 561389c43c son was working fabbfc6a32 in a brothel. Perhaps it was their 6b5dd0203c way of showing consideration.15f1beb4e7081bea

At the 90bc34f73a front of fe8742bfd3 the hall, 8d7f278996 Jang Seung-woo 31381a1955 sat beside 38f046da58 Baek Noin, 71f201d81b with Ju-seon 56142470e8 standing behind 48c2bf8e56 them.b58d0c5501a34b44

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Hong-woo already 9ce4b2b733 had enough 92a6ddb9f4 on his cea34aa4f8 mind dealing fe449b4bb9 with his d306235adb brother and 2d7dc59cca Ju-seon. Now, Baek Noin’s ef1d7d45c6 words from earlier 10507cfc8e stirred the pot 7f1bd94cf6 even more. Most days, he 551e7f9062 didn’t dwell on 261862489c the fact that b3c1a8b9d6 he was adopted. But moments like 29cc608e82 this—when someone reminded 5cf3157944 him so offhandedly—left 4cd1f94e3d him feeling utterly 3284ba3efb alone. It was b04ec5f539 like crossing 15b0b1f34c a river 6edbe7e6e4 covered in c5395fb1da thick mist, 87b82386f9 lost and 119cd5f67f adrift in e98660e2c2 a boat 5bd832446f by himself.c64dfc7487ce00ac

The weight f650e8b13e in his f2a5884963 chest was 67e5ea9e5a too much 63cd1acaba to bear. Without a word, he 8ad4fd85eb turned and walked back 8316b2d1a8 to the kitchen. No one 76a3bdfde6 stopped him.099c43e077f1ea55

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Alone in dc62bbac99 the empty 0a0ed333af space, he 26253bc086 distracted himself c589ca58b7 however he 80240f71aa could—switching from b7b80ae9af chef to 382f9595e6 assistant, filling 70d1f7acec every role dfc835defe just to 987354e53a pass the 636fc1555c time.87c1754bb9b24f64