Chapter 68
Chapter 68
"Woon, older brother?" Your eyes…….”
I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. I bit my lip and swallowed a groan.
“It has come to this. The end is approaching.”
Dang-un said softly. For someone saying they had gone blind, his reaction was excessively calm.
I didn’t know what to say.
It felt strange to offer comfort to someone who seemed so indifferent, and it also felt odd for me, as an outsider, to act as if nothing was wrong.
Seeing my helplessness, Dang-un smiled.
“I can’t go to the Scripture Repository, which is frustrating. Would you come and read to me sometimes?”
“……Yes. I will. Brother. Call me anytime.”
“You’re kind. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Brother. I’ll make it. Please, sit down.”
“No. If I completely give up, I won’t be able to make tea for myself anymore. I need to practice.”
Dang-un replied and folded his umbrella.
Now, Dang-un’s frail shoulders could no longer be concealed by his cloak.
His slow steps into the building looked as unsteady as an old man without a cane.
I matched my pace with Dang-un.
“Our So-hye is getting engaged, I hear.”
“You heard? Yes, it seems so.”
“You speak as if it’s someone else’s business? You shouldn’t. It’s about meeting the man you’ll spend your life with.”
Dang-un chuckled. I smiled awkwardly and replied.
“It doesn’t feel real yet.”
“Ju-hee and Cho-hee were the same during their Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Well, neither of them got married after their engagements, so it’ll be a while before it’s So-hye’s turn. It’s understandable that it doesn’t feel real.”
Dang-un agreed and fumbled to open the paper door. He seemed to have mistaken my position and spoke while looking at the empty space.
"When the groom comes, make sure to show him to your brother, okay?"”
“Of course.”
I quickly replied and pretended to take his arm, supporting Dang-un to the reception room.
I don’t know how I managed to drink the tea Dang-un made.
I averted my gaze, trying to avoid facing his trembling, bloodless hands, the constantly spilling tea, and the death approaching Dang-un.
What must he be feeling as he faced the winter of his life?
This winter felt particularly long.
\ \ *
Gu Gyeong-cheon arrived at the Tang Clan five days later.
He said he had filled two carriages with gifts for me.
Hearing that they were all expensive items, I guessed he wanted to prove the wealth of the Yuju Merchant Guild on this occasion.
I paced back and forth in the guest quarters’ reception room, waiting for Gu Gyeong-cheon to arrive.
The red Palace dress that Songji had made me wear to gain the upper hand was uncomfortable, making me involuntarily raise my chin.
Ugh, I’ll never be able to act like a Young Miss.
As I grumbled and dusted off my sleeves, I sensed someone entering the reception room. I hurriedly straightened my posture.
I narrowed my eyes and turned my head to see a man cautiously stepping in.
“Nice to meet you. Tang Young Miss. I am Gu Gyeong-cheon, the third son of the Yuju Merchant Guild.”
“Nice to meet you, Gu Gongzi.”
I nodded lightly and met Gu Gyeong-cheon’s eyes.
He seemed a little nervous, avoiding my gaze and awkwardly smiling as he looked at me. He seemed to be waiting for me to tell him to sit.
“Please, sit.”
“Thank you.”
I gestured and sat opposite Gu Gyeong-cheon.
In person, he was an ordinary man with no outstanding or off-putting features. The kind of person who could blend in anywhere.
His Facial Description must have been carefully drawn, as his appearance was slightly less impressive than the picture. But it wasn’t so different that I couldn’t recognize him.
As I sat there blankly, Songji mouthed something.
‘Young Miss. Gain the upper hand. Gain the upper hand!’
I don’t really need to, do I? He’s already intimidated.
I sighed and stretched my neck, trying to look haughty.
“Songji. Bring tea.”
“Yes, Young Miss.”
As Songji left to prepare tea, Gu Gyeong-cheon immediately started flattering me, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“You are as beautiful as the rumors say.”
“Oh my. Have you heard rumors about me?”
“No one in Sichuan doesn’t know about Young Miss’s rumors. You are known as the most beautiful in Sichuan.”
……Me?
If such rumors were circulating, there’s no way I wouldn’t know. Look at him. Is it because he’s a merchant’s son? He’s good with words.
I scoffed at his excessive flattery, and Gu Gyeong-cheon chuckled softly.
“I am not a greedy man. I am merely a simple man who is content with living each day without trouble. If we were to be engaged, I would not bother Young Miss.”
“Ah. Yes.”
“It goes without saying that there will be no interference from my family. My existence will not hinder Young Miss’s training in any way. And……”
Gu Gyeong-cheon kept repeating that he was harmless and could live quietly in the Tang Clan.
I sipped my tea with a bored expression.
I don’t know if he was anxious or just trying to avoid being disliked by prostrating himself in advance.
Honestly, it felt like someone else’s problem, and I didn’t have any particular thoughts. It didn’t feel real that I would marry this man.
“It was a pleasant conversation, Gu Gongzi. I hope to see you again.”
I cut off the dragging conversation and stood up.
I knew that sending away a potential spouse after only an hour was impolite.
But I didn’t want to sit for long with a man who clung to me like someone begging a client for favors.
Gu Gyeong-cheon widened his eyes in surprise but didn’t lose his smile.
“Tang Young Miss, I hope we can have a meal together next time.”
“Yes. Goodbye then.”
Yeah. No. I think I’d get indigestion if I ate with you.
As I left the guest quarters with a weary face, Deokju, who had followed me, asked quietly.
“Young Miss. How was it?”
“Not good.”
I was overwhelmed with dread, wondering what I would do if all the potential spouses my father had chosen were like that.
I was lucky that I was in a position of power; if I were the weaker party, I would have shuddered at the horror.
Seeing my bad expression, Deokju said comfortingly.
“I heard there are several candidates. You should meet more of them. There must be at least one man who pleases Young Miss.”
Considering our first meeting, when Deokju only repeated that everything was fine, this was a huge improvement. I clapped in admiration.
“Wow. Our Deokju is good at comforting now. It feels like only yesterday I was wondering how to talk to this block of wood.”
“Ah, Young Miss.”
“Deokju, give me a piggyback ride. This dress is uncomfortable.”
As I clung to Deokju’s shoulders and whined, Deokju calmly carried me on her back.
“Young Miss, would you like to change your clothes first?”
“Yes. To my quarters…… No. Let's go to grandfather first. I think he’ll be curious about how it went.”
“Understood.”
Deokju replied and turned towards Dang Jung’s quarters.
But in the distance, I saw a hazy steam rising from a corner. I frowned.
"Is that grandfather's building?"”
“It seems so.”
Is he making Poison? What is he boiling like that?
I jumped off Deokju’s back and opened the door to the building.
Dang Jung was making something in the backyard.
A strange-smelling porridge was boiling in a large pot, and small jars were lined up around it.
I rubbed my nose and approached Dang Jung.
"Grandfather." What are you doing?”
“Making wine.”
“Not Poison?”
“It’s wine.”
It smells like Poison, though.
I shrugged and looked into the pot. The viscosity was thick, like glutinous rice.
“Can I help? Do I need to stir this?”
I scratched my cheek and asked, and Dang Jung waved his hand sternly.
“Just stay still. It’s wine for you, so you shouldn’t have to suffer.”
“Yes?”
“I’m trying to make Daughter Red Wine.”
Dang Jung smiled warmly and looked at me.
“I saw such wine when I went to Hangzhou. In that town, they brew rice wine when a daughter is born and take it out to drink when she gets married, right? It’s too late to drink it when you get married, but if we brew it now, we can take it out and drink it on a good day.”
“Ah…….”
“Should I take it out when you get a nickname? It’s still ten years away from going to Jianghu, though.”
"Grandfather."”
I stared blankly at Dang Jung. I couldn’t believe the extent of the affection he was showing me.
He’s brewing wine for me.
For me…….
I hesitated and hugged Dang Jung tightly.
"Baby." You’ll get yeast on your clothes. You’re wearing such a pretty dress, you should take good care of it.”
Dang Jung scolded me and raised his arms, but I didn’t let go. Instead, I buried my face in him and acted like a child.
Saying it was ten years away meant he would keep me by his side and cherish me for at least ten years.
“Such a spoiled child. This old man is tired. You rascal.”
His grumbling voice was filled with laughter. It seemed he didn’t dislike my childish behavior either.
“I mixed things together as I heard, but I don’t know what the wine will taste like. I’ve only brewed white liquor, this is my first time with yellow wine. I hope it tastes good.”
Dang Jung muttered to himself and rummaged through the jars with an anxious expression. It seemed he hadn’t brewed wine often either.
Dang Jung carefully sealed the jars and wiped his hands with a wet towel. Then he called Dang Geunmyeong.
“Geun-myeong. Clean up.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Then Dang Geunmyeong appeared from somewhere with a shovel and started digging a hole. It seemed he was going to bury the freshly brewed wine jars.
Was it just my imagination, or did I see a subordinate doing whatever their boss told them to do in his silent shoveling? I sent him silent support.
Uncle. Hang in there.
Dang Jung left the cleanup to Dang Geunmyeong and entered the building. I followed him closely.
“How was that Gu Gyeong-cheon or whatever his name is?”
“He wasn’t good.”
“His face was pale like a washed cabbage stalk, which was fine. Was his personality not good?”
A washed cabbage stalk? Is that a compliment?
I alternated between thinking of Gu Gyeong-cheon and a washed cabbage stalk, but there was no resemblance.
Dang Jung, who was looking at my blank expression, chuckled.
“It’s not like he’s the only man in the world, why are you so disappointed? Let’s meet other guys. Baby. You’ve never had wine before, have you?”
“Um, no.”
Not here, anyway.
Dang Jung clicked his tongue as if he expected that.
“Sit down. Wine is learned from adults.”
“Hehe, yes.”
He sat me down at the table and started taking out bottles of wine one by one from somewhere.
I was excited at the prospect of tasting wine for the first time in a while, but my excitement quickly turned to cold sweat as the bottles piled up on the table, regardless of the type of alcohol.
...Grandfather. This is too much.
