Chapter 57
“Father, Chief Wei, over here, over here. Quickly, quickly.”
As Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei entered Yeonhongwon, Yo-ung ran up to them, grabbed their hands firmly, and led them inside.
“Yeong-ah.”
“What is all of this?”
Without waiting for an answer, Yo-ung began laying out the items in front of them. Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei couldn’t help but feel bewildered by Yo-ung’s sudden actions.
“Ah… soon, both of you will be going to the Martial Alliance, right? So I prepared some other things as well. Please take a look and give me your opinion.”
Yo-ung smiled sheepishly, as if embarrassed by her rush.
When Seol Won-pyeong declared that he would raise Seol Ga-jang, Yo-ung was taken aback.
She hadn’t properly started anything yet. Although she had decided in her heart to raise Seol Ga-jang to be the greatest clan in the world, that had only been her own thought.
Seol Won-pyeong, who seemed unchanging, had declared a change. She was curious why, but had no time to investigate.
For Yo-ung, Seol Ga-jang’s change was a good opportunity.
“Yeong-ah, you should do everything you want to try. Chief Wei will help you. I will trust in your talent.”
It probably wasn’t a huge expectation—likely just thinking of it as the whims of a child.
Yet, the words from the clan head carried weight. A command to do what she wanted—nothing could be better.
Thus, in the past few days, Yo-ung had been moving about busily. She had many things she wanted to sell.
Thanks to that, the servants of Yeonhongwon, including Hyang-ah and So-gyo, were also busy.
Seol Ja-dan’s expression became slightly uneasy when he saw the sullen faces of the servants around Yo-ung.
“Now, this is…”
Seol Ja-dan stopped Yo-ung before she could start explaining.
“Yeong-ah, take it slowly. First, let’s sit down.”
“Yes, we’ll sit. Father, please sit here. Chief Wei as well.”
Seol Ja-dan calmed Yo-ung, who was in a hurry, and Chief Wei, thinking that her impatient temperament was just like Seol Won-pyeong’s, took a seat.
“You two may leave now.”
Seol Ja-dan looked pityingly at Hyang-ah, who seemed especially tired.
“Is that alright, Miss?”
Hyang-ah asked Yo-ung again.
Only then did Yo-ung notice Hyang-ah’s exhausted face.
“Ah… yes. Thank you for your hard work, Hyang-ah. Go out and rest. I won’t call you today, so take a break. I’m sorry.”
“No, Miss.”
Seeing Hyang-ah, who was usually so spirited, with such a face, pricked Yo-ung’s conscience.
“When we go to Hyogam-hyeon in a few days, you can come along. Is that alright, Father?”
“Yes, let it be so. I will inform your father.”
Hyang-ah had never been outside Hongan-hyeon since birth. A short trip together seemed like a good idea.
“Really, Miss?”
Hyang-ah’s face immediately lit up. Yo-ung felt pleased. Riding the carriage for a short trip wasn’t difficult at all.
“Then, yes. You and So-gyo will come along in the carriage as well.”
“Thank you, Miss. Thank you, Master. Then we’ll leave now.”
Hyang-ah bowed deeply and said her goodbyes loudly.
“Thank you, Miss.”
So-gyo quietly expressed his thanks and followed Hyang-ah outside.
“Yeong-ah.”
Seol Ja-dan called Yo-ung sternly.
“Yes, Father.”
“It’s good that you are working. Since it seems to bring you joy, I won’t stop you.”
Seol Ja-dan let out a small sigh and continued.
“But you are still young. Do not overexert yourself. And you must not give too much work to those below you.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”
Seol Ja-dan looked at Yo-ung with a tender gaze.
Only a few months had passed since Yo-ung had risen from illness.
It was good that she had recovered and was learning martial arts, and that she wanted to try trading.
Yet, how could a father not notice the sudden changes in his daughter? Yo-ung always seemed as if she was being chased by something.
Though he had heard that people change drastically after a serious illness, Yo-ung’s transformation had been unusually rapid.
Seol Ja-dan felt deep concern. He sighed heavily.
“Shall we see what Miss has prepared?”
Chief Wei, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke to change the mood.
“Yes. I’ll show you. This is the Bieok-gok Dan made by Master Wang.”
Yo-ung presented one Bieok-gok Dan each to Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei.
Bieok-gok Dan was originally made by Taoist monks for nourishing the body during celibacy training. Mixed with pine pollen and various ingredients in honey, it cleansed the body.
Martial artists would also eat it during seclusion training or on long journeys.
“Bieok-gok Dan? Is there anything special about it?”
Chief Wei showed interest first, but his reaction was skeptical. The expression seemed to say, How different could Bieok-gok Dan really be?
Seol Ja-dan’s expression was much the same. As a martial artist, he remembered eating only Bieok-gok Dan during training.
Despite their lukewarm response, Yo-ung smiled.
“Oh, this is special Bieok-gok Dan. Please, try it. Quickly, quickly. And have a glass of water too.”
At her insistence, Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei put the Bieok-gok Dan in their mouths, chewed, and drank water. Yo-ung watched their reactions with bright, eager eyes.
Yo-ung herself hadn’t liked Bieok-gok Dan. She had eaten it only during overnight stays or on the battlefield to stave off hunger. It gave energy but didn’t taste good and felt like nothing.
“Try this. It will ease your hunger. Drink it with water too.”
When she had received Bieok-gok Dan from Baek Seon-ha of Sangchun-gok, she hadn’t expected much. But after drinking water, she couldn’t help but open her eyes wide.
“How is it? Not full? Haha. This is my secret, but I will share it with you, Sword Ghost. What could I not reveal to the savior of life?”
He spoke in a low voice, only for Yo-ung to hear.
“There’s a plant called So-jeon-cho. Its seeds swell greatly when exposed to water. I mixed them into the Bieok-gok Dan.”
Baek Seon-ha was an outstanding doctor. Many martial artists of the Alliance owed him their lives.
“Don’t worry. It’s harmless and beneficial for the body. Eating it with water gives a feeling of fullness—two benefits at once.”
He generously shared the secret of Sangchun-gok and his own technique.
Although it was a secret to Yo-ung, all Bieok-gok Dan distributed days later contained So-jeon-cho seeds.
“I’ll use the Bieok-gok Dan technique first. If martial artists don’t go hungry, that’s good. Understand, Master.”
Yo-ung sighed softly, glancing at Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei. Their expressions were gradually changing.
“Huh… oh?”
“Miss… what is this?”
Seol Ja-dan was astonished, unable to close his mouth, and Chief Wei’s eyes sparkled as he asked.
“Does it taste good?”
Satisfied with their reaction, Yo-ung asked about the taste. Master Wang had altered the honey and ingredient mix to make it more palatable.
“It tastes good. And above all…”
“My stomach feels full. How is this possible?”
Seol Ja-dan echoed Chief Wei’s words.
“That is the secret. How is it? Would this be suitable for the Martial Alliance?”
Yo-ung asked with a playful smile.
“Of course. But what exactly is this secret?”
Yo-ung explained about the So-jeon-cho seeds.
“Huh… So-jeon-cho seeds. I must procure this plant.”
As expected, Chief Wei was quick to calculate.
Yo-ung smiled and asked the next question.
“How did the water taste?”
“Water? It tasted like water.”
Seol Ja-dan could only respond to her unexpected question.
“Ta-da! This water was filtered from muddy water.”
Yo-ung picked up a thick bamboo container and showed it to them.
“Inside, I put clean sand and the pulp of Hong-ra.”
“Hong-ra? That useless fruit pulp?”
“Yes, Hong-ra is a strange fruit. It has a net-like inside that can’t be eaten and is too dense to use.”
While explaining, Yo-ung poured muddy water into the bamboo container. She had learned this technique on the battlefield.
“But like this, you can get clean water.”
Clean water began to drip from a small hole at the bottom of the bamboo container.
Seol Ja-dan and Chief Wei opened their eyes wide, mouths agape.
“…This will be really useful on long journeys.”
“Miss, you are a genius. You will truly become a great merchant.”
Yo-ung simply smiled at the two men’s exaggerated praise.
