Chapter 41
“Ah, blue dye has stained the edge of your white clothes. What are we going to do about this!”
“How did this even happen? How careless.”
“It’s from going to the indigo field earlier today. The water from the indigo bugs must have splashed.”
Remembering this, Hong Seol ordered the mice to fetch the indigo bugs. The mice carried out their task diligently.
‘Thanks to that, the mice family must be enjoying their fill of dried meat, rice, and fruit.’
Glancing at the mice having their feast, Hong Seol turned her gaze back to Namgung Mu-yeong.
“Hmm… it seems like there’s business potential here.”
Namgung Mu-yeong examined the indigo bugs from every angle, crossing his arms. He seemed to surrender completely to Hong Seol.
“You’re not going to tell me what your intelligence network is, are you?”
“Nope. If I did, it wouldn’t be a network anymore.”
In truth, she couldn’t reveal that she was a ‘cat humanoid’ who understood the mice, but Hong Seol brushed off her slight pang of conscience and answered.
“Other merchant guilds would probably want this too, so why entrust it to me specifically?”
“Your elder’s guild must have at least one large indigo farm. If you bring this pair of bugs there and raise them, their numbers will increase quickly.”
Namgung Mu-yeong’s eyebrows twitched.
“How did you know I had an indigo farm? Was that from your informants too?”
Hong Seol looked at him curiously, as if he were being odd.
“No. People from the Namgung family like wearing indigo clothing. Where else would all that fabric come from if not your elder’s guild?”
Namgung Mu-yeong was momentarily speechless.
‘This child is extraordinary…!’
Hong Seol’s observation was correct. The Namgung family’s symbolic color was blue in all its shades, and indigo, which resists stains, was especially favored by those who worked for the Namgung family.
In Habi, the only ones capable of supplying that quantity were the Mu-yeong Guild with its indigo farm.
‘I can’t believe I have to watch this child slip from Grandpa Namgung Ho’s hands!’
He felt a surge of injustice.
‘No choice. If I can’t make Hong Seol my granddaughter-in-law, at least I’ll profit from business.’
He cleared his throat and spoke.
“Alright. So you’re saying our guild can monopolize the dye obtained from these indigo bugs?”
“Yes, but there’s a condition.”
“What condition?”
“The dye must be supplied to the weaving guild at half price.”
“Interesting. And the Mu-yeong Guild’s gain from this?”
“The guild will be seen as one that helps those in need… and um…”
Hong Seol mumbled unusually.
“What did you say?”
Leaning in, Namgung Mu-yeong heard her quietly say,
“My… respect.”
His expression changed subtly. A smile, a blush, a twitching mouth—he couldn’t hide his genuine feelings.
After regaining composure, he covered his mouth and said formally,
“Well, I suppose it’s a bit disappointing, but I’ll accept the terms. Just remember, I’m not losing out!”
“Yes, sir! Oh, and I have one more request.”
Hearing Hong Seol whisper, Namgung Mu-yeong sighed.
“So I’ve raised a little tiger, huh!”
Hong Seol scratched her cheek, smiling sheepishly.
“Hehe….”
Of course, she couldn’t say, ‘Actually, I’m a cat, not a tiger.’
At Hong Seol’s residence, voices of joy erupted.
“Thank you, Miss!”
“You saved the women of the weaving guild! On their behalf, we offer our gratitude.”
While Mrs. Hong bowed deeply, Hong Seol looked elsewhere, feeling shy.
“Thanks to you, we might actually compete with the half-priced fabrics from the Myosu Council.”
That snapped Hong Seol to full attention.
“No, we can’t just compete! We have to completely win! Elder, show them what we’ve prepared.”
Namgung Mu-yeong let out a soft laugh. This little girl now treated him like a subordinate, yet she was too adorable to scold.
“Alright.”
He gestured as if surrendering. The man behind him brought another bowl. Inside was red dye. Mrs. Hong seemed to recognize it.
“Isn’t this dye made from lac insects?”
Hong Seol’s eyes sparkled.
“Yes! But this is a special kind of lac insect dye.”
She picked up an empty teacup, added a little of the red and blue powders, then stirred in water.
Moments later, the cup contained a delicate violet color.
“Unlike regular lac dye, this mixes well with other dyes.”
This idea had come from observing past arguments among the Myosu guild elders. She had witnessed birds pecking both lac and indigo bugs, creating an impossibly fine violet hue. Of course, the Mu-yeong Guild specially treated the lac dye to mix well.
Mrs. Hong took the cup, mesmerized by the sparkling violet under the afternoon sunlight.
“We needed a new product to make up for losses from unsold iris silk,” Hong Seol explained carefully.
“This will only be sold to the weaving guild, not elsewhere. But that’s thanks to this young lady’s request,” Namgung Mu-yeong added.
Even though it seemed everything was resolved, Mrs. Hong remained silent, worrying Hong Seol.
“Is… something wrong?”
“Miss!”
Suddenly, Mrs. Hong prostrated herself on the floor. The maid followed suit. Tears streamed from their eyes onto the floor.
“We will never forget your grace in saving our fabric shop and weaving guild. If you ever need us, we will be the first to help.”
Hong Seol was moved to tears as well.
“I’m the one who should thank you… for stepping up and helping the guild girls.”
Meanwhile, the man behind Namgung Mu-yeong prepared the ink and completed the contract. It stipulated that for the next ten years, indigo dye would be supplied at half price, and the special lac dye would be supplied exclusively. Mrs. Hong signed it with trembling hands.
After multiple bows, Mrs. Hong and the maid finally left. Namgung Mu-yeong stayed behind.
“I suppose I can enjoy a leisurely cup of tea with you before you leave. That’s the least I can do, right?”
“Of course!”
Hearing this, Si-bi Maeran headed to the Chanteun Pavilion kitchen to prepare tea.
“Now, the weaving guild matters are finally over.”
Just as Hong Seol was finally relieved,
“Miss! Miss!”
Maeran, who had gone to the kitchen, suddenly returned, her face flushed with urgency.
“Miss, the head of the Medicine Hall has returned!”
The head of the Medicine Hall—Black, White, Red’s mother?
Hearing that Bing Yuhwa had returned, Hong Seol tensed immediately.
“The headmaster said you must go to the Medicine Hall, Miss. She wants you to pay respects.”
“The Medicine Hall? Right now?”
“Yes, you must go immediately.”
“What about Grandpa Namgung Ho? Will he go too?”
“The Grand Elder is not present.”
“I see… what should I do?”
Seeing Hong Seol flustered, Namgung Mu-yeong chuckled.
“Hong Seol, even you might find it difficult to win the favor of the head of the Medicine Hall.”
At those words, Hong Seol stiffened further, fear gripping her small frame.
