Year 1614, autumn
'I tell you, this Hong Gil Dong story is getting on my nerves! Hong Gil Dong this, Hong Gil Dong that!' Woong Tae's voice echoed on the street. He was wearing tailored hanbok, the material used on it was clearly expensive. It was neat and monochromatic, circling around the blue tint. His hair was let down, showing its length to the shoulders. Some of the strands around the face were tied in the back of his head. He held his empty hands together behind him.
'You're exaggerating.' Ji Woon was behind him, wielding two bows and a quiver full of arrows. He's clothes were not so nice, as those of his friend, but they fit him well and were kempt. He wore grey and he tied his hair in tight bun, so none of the hair could get out.
'I've just seen another notice telling about the play! The troupe is here for more than a month and all they do is repeating this dull story!'
'I don't understand your anger. It's just a story. Beside you're the son of the landlord here, just order them to leave.'
Woong Tae halted beside a table, that had apples displayed on it. They were in the middle of the market place, with many people wandering around. He grabbed two apples and started to walk away, so he heard a voice calling him from behind. It was a vendor of this stand calling him to pay for the fruits, but Woong Tae just turned around to face him and smiled. Vendor immediately went quiet recognizing who took the apples. He had no courage to argue with such a powerful person, so he just sat down beside the table and leer on the landlord's son, which walked away as if nothing had happened, biting the fresh fruit. The second was thrown to Ji Woon, which caught it, but with that move he accidently hit two people with the bows on his back. The younger one apologized to those unfortunate victims and rushed after Woong Tae.
'Order them... Father will not approve. And just a story, you say...' the man in blue robes continued. 'As I don't care about the whole story by itself, what worries me, is the young ladies obsessed with it.' He bit the apple.
'Why? Because they wouldn't be interested in you anymore?'
They finally got out of the main, busy street. 'Indeed! They have us to be interested into! Why look for some weird character? Aren't we good enough?'
Ji Woon smirked. 'Are there any ladies left? Any that you didn't lie your hands on?'
'Of course! There is always someone, who just wants to give themselves to me.'
'If you'll keep that pace, soon you'll really have to move to the capital, since your manhood will be lonely.'
'Laugh as much as you want, as if you don't like to come to my parties.'
'Sorry, sorry.' He put his hands together and placed them above his head. 'Where are we going so early?'
'That girl from yesterday didn't believe I can hunt. So we'll bring her something.'
'So she'll open her, umm, skirt for you?'
'Either way she'll. But hunting is also fun. Come on, I ordered to prepare horses. They're at the main gate.'
***
When they came back, it was already getting dark. They were heading directly towards the Shim court, riding on their horses. The one belonging to Ji Woon had few rabbits tied to its harness. Woong Tae was leading.
As they got near to main gate suddenly a man jumped in front of them, frightening the animals with torch he was holding. Two men had to calm their mounts as they took few steps back. The man was waving the light as he was fighting with it.
'Who are you?! How do you dare to jump in front of us?!' Woong Tae screamed with anger at the stranger.
Beside the stranger stood a young woman, visibly scared of this situation. She was keeping her head low and gripping her skirt. The man passed the torch to her and run towards young master, throwing him from his horse.
'You had a nerve to lay your filthy hands on my sister!' The man screamed, while trying to punch Woong Tae, but the man in blue just started to laugh and decided not to fight back.
'She could just say no.' The attacker, after hearing this words, stopped pummelling him and grabbed him by collar to bring closer to his face.
'She said she couldn't!'
Woong Tae looked at mentioned sister. He recognized her, as she was looking at him with tears in her eyes. 'Brother, please...' She mumbled, trying to stop her sibling.
'Then she could've not be this pretty. Definitely her fault.' Young master said cockily. Desperate brother took a swing to hit him again, but this time he was stopped by Ji Woon, which casually grabbed him and had thrown him away. He took out his sword. The girl screamed and started to cry even more.
The man wanted to crawl away but was kicked. He had laid on ground on his stomach, heavy breathing. With another kick Ji Woon had turned him around, to kneel upon him. Ji Woon put his sword above his head and then rapidly lowered it, to thrust it into the soil beside poor man's head. He leaned down to him and dead-eyed looked at him.
'If she was so precious to you, you should've put her on a leash. Women are like this. Not supervised they jump on first man they see.' He said coolly.
Meanwhile Woong Tae stood up and shook off the dirt on his hanbok. He looked smugly at the girl, now bawling on her knees near her brother. He approached his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'They're not worth it. They probably already learnt their place.'
'What is happening?' Suddenly a voice came from the gate. It was steady, loud and commanding. The general was approaching them. The time also changed him, but he still had his posture and distinction. The hair turned grey and the glimmer in his eye faded a little bit, but it just made him more scary and domineering.
Woong Tae faced his father standing to attention. He was scared of him, as his breathing quickened. Ji Woon stood up and bowed to the general, while the man get on his knees and crawled to the master, to halt in front of him, with his head lowered.
'My lord! I came here for justice! My sister was harassed by your son!' He screamed towards the ground. 'I beg for your help!'
'My help? In what? What a low born like you wish me to do? To punish my own son just because you can't account for your sister? Do you even have a proof?' General's Shim word reverberated between the walls protecting his household. 'Aren't you children of the blacksmith? It's going to be such a disgrace for your father that you came here and caused ruckus, disturbing the landlord's night.'
'But Sir! She's so young! It happened against her will...' The smith's son started to cry.
Landlord squatted in front of him and raised his head. 'If you want a justice you're going to get it. Do you want to make your father lose his only son, because he was shouting in front of my court? For that we have a proof! There people which are going to testify against you!' The scared young man shook his head. 'Then go away quickly. Take your pitiful sister and don't show again.'
The attacker rapidly stood up and grabbed his sister, to run away with her. General was following them with his eyes, while his son was keeping tabs on him.
'Low born people are always like this, thinking they matter...' Ji Woon broke the silence first.
The General looked at him. 'Such a words coming from not others, but your mouth...' He smirked. 'I bet you have to go to home.' He wasn't guessing, he was sending him away.
Ji Woon bowed to him, then looked at his friend. ''Till later.' He added shortly and went away.
Woong Tae didn't say anything, just accompanied him with the corner of his eye for a second, later to come back to facing his father face. He could never read the face of the general Shim. It never was saying pleasant words of comfort, but even if he tried to find out how harsh his words are going to be, he was never in ability.
Landlord ordered servants to take the horses to the stable and finally looked at his son. Woong Tae swallowed hard his saliva. 'We have to talk. Come to the study.'
General walked into the court and young master followed him. They were going to one part of the building, where the mentioned room was situated. As they walked in, it had a strong smell of steel, since many of weaponry was situated there. Besides that, at the end there was a folding screen. In front of it there was a table with two cushions, one from the side of master, second for the guest. The light was coming from the lantern placed on the table, beside many papers and books.
Shim Dae Song sit on his place and ordered his son to sit in front of him. He was sitting in relaxed manner, while his son was all tensed.
'About the thing in front gate... Father, if I would know, I wouldn't let it happen...' He lowered his head.
'If you wouldn't be such disappointment and actually become what I wanted you to be, it would never happen.' General took the sword that was lying beside the table and took it out of its sheath. It was shining, as it was polished every day, but the old man started to sheen it again.
'I'm sorry. I can't wield a sword like you.' Woong Tae's words were unvarying, as he probably said those words hundreds of time.
'You know that I hate failures and my son became one. I have to take the matter into my own hands. Know my kindness. I'll give you two choices: either you'll travel to capital to study more and become a scholar or you'll marry.'
Woong Tae raised his head and hit the table, relaying his body weight on the table. 'Father, you know I can't travel to the capital!'
'Why is that so?' He hit the hand that was on his precious books. Woong Tae backed, but still faced the father.
'It will just distain your name, to have such an incompetent son there!' Young master didn't want to lose his lavish life here, in the town, where he's the son of the landlord, but during training that his father gave him, he also started to believe that he's not worth anything in this life. He's just a disgrace. Going to capital will be too hard for him.
'You're too lazy to do so. But as you wish. Then the marriage.'
Woong Tae started to look with the fear at his father. 'I'm too young...'
'But I'm old enough. You think only about yourself. It may seem to you that I don't know about your hideous entertainment. I know, it's my town. But I don't and will not care only if you'll mean anything in this life. Since you didn't turn out as I would want to, I can just hope that the children of yours will be better. Bring me a grandchild, that can become a military officer and all your sins will imperceptibly disappear from my mind. They'll not bother me.'
Woon Tae went silent for a while. He knew that even if his father says so, he'll never be free from his control. But in the other hand Ji Woon's will never come with him to the capital, because of his status. He'll be there without his only power, which was given to him by his dear friend.
'Then this marriage... With whom?' He said quietly.
General had an ironic smile. 'What a coward. But I'm not surprised. I would be if you would choose to travel. As for your question's answer for now I can only say, that I have to talk with friend, if he still remembers our deal. Now go, you're dismissed.'
Woong Tae lumberingly stood up and lowered his head to say goodbye to his father. Then he walked out and finally let out a heavy sigh.
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