Ingredients for a Happy Ending
A week had already passed since the funeral.
Thanks to the diligent Uncle Kang Jik, the blood-stained courtyard was washed clean overnight, but remnants of that day’s horrors still lingered in every corner of the house.
Even the newly built main gate, unlike the old walls, evoked memories of that day.
How could I forget?
How could I?
Even now, when I close my eyes, the memories of that day vividly resurface!
The people of our clan seemed to live their daily lives as if they had forgotten that day, not speaking a word about it.
My father, struggling as always to protect the clan; my mother, who even in her pregnant state, managed the weavers as they went to the loom; and Kang Jik-ajeossi, who assisted my father in managing the family’s major and minor affairs!
They lived as if they had forgotten that day.
But why did the terror and sorrow of that day still seep through their expressions?
And was my expression the same as theirs?
Ah, but not everyone in the clan was steeped in sorrow.
Little Soyul, after searching for Grandpa for a while, was now cheerfully running around the courtyard.
Perhaps she had erased that day from her memory.
After the funeral, I spent a few days holed up in my room writing a new scenario.
The scenario I had been planning to write was before I knew the horrors of war.
I had thought I learned enough about how terrible war was through books and videos, but seeing was believing.
The war I saw with my own eyes taught me the meaning of the word “atrocity.”
I learned the meaning of “miserable” and “horrific” in the most bone-chilling way.
“Sigh, can I really write the scenario I want?”
Writing a scenario wasn’t hard.
But bringing it to life was another story.
If an unexpected situation like this one popped up, I might end up helplessly losing my beloved family again.
Squeeeeeeeeeak.
Since that day, I heard this screeching noise, as if I was losing some strength.
It felt like it was trying to comfort me.
“I might be going crazy soon.”
The fact that I was talking to myself didn’t seem sane.
Today was the day I had to convince my family of the scenario I’d written.
And the first person I needed to persuade was my father.
My heart raced as if I was getting feedback from an editor about my manuscript.
“Father, it’s your son, Sangseung.”
“…Come in.”
The door opened, and there stood my father.
He was not wearing the cherished relic from our ancestor he usually adored.
Instead, he had laid Grandpa to rest in the silk garment bestowed by our ancestor.
And compared to before, my father had become considerably more haggard.
“Father, I have something to tell you today.”
“So, the boy who was buzzing around busily but then suddenly holing themselves up for days, causing worry, and now you have something to say to me? Well, let’s hear it.”
“First of all, I think I need to get married.”
“…”
The introduction of a female protagonist was honestly something writers tended to avoid.
Particularly demanding readers despised the appearance of a female protagonist.
This was because the readers of male-oriented novels were obsessed with the protagonist’s success, and they didn’t want an unnecessary subplot arising from the female protagonist’s involvement.
Also, the stories involving the female protagonist tended to diminish the interest, which is why I had never seen a protagonist in a male-oriented novel who directly decides to get married.
But as I was about to write a piece of alternate history with my own body, I realized the most important thing was power.
Around Ulsan, our clan’s influence was indeed formidable.
But on a national scale, our clan was nothing more than a regional gentry.
Then it was natural that we must increase our power through marital alliances.
“Alright, I’ll look into it.”
However, we couldn’t just make marital alliances haphazardly.
The most important thing was to ensure there’s no harm in making those alliances.
“The most crucial point is to marry into a reputable family that doesn’t have strong partisan colors.”
Before long, the Gichuk Oksa would occur.
Thousands would die in Gichuk Oksa, and there was no law saying our family wouldn’t be among them.
“We must avoid those with strong partisan colors.”
“If not, at the very least, please avoid the Dongin.”
This was the easy part.
In modern South Korea, the moment you revealed whether you supported the red party or the blue party, you were attacked like a dog by the opposition.
I had seen many writers get severely criticized for inadvertently expressing their thoughts in their writing.
But 500 years ago, in the Joseon Dynasty, rejecting one of the political factions didn’t pose a great risk.
Even more so because I knew that in seven years, the Dongin would lose their power.
“Is there a reason we must avoid the Dongin? You know, Hyeongyu is also a member of Dongin.”
Ah, really? I almost got my head chopped off by my ancestor before even facing the Japanese pirates.
“…Is that so?”
“Of course. It’s the era of Dongin. If you’re an official of the Office of Inspector-General, you’re naturally expected to be part of Dongin. What’s the problem with Dongin anyway?”
I could have faced an ending of being purged by my ancestor before even dealing with the Imjin War.
Of course, even if our ancestors were serious about purging the corrupt, it would have been impossible to push out all the noble families in this era.
That’s why the Samhyeon branch of the Gimhae Kim clan continued to this day.
However, excluding figures like Ryu Seongryong, who could be considered the leader of the Easterners, the Easterners were bound to be purged.
In other words, our family might be safe, but my second uncle’s downfall was all but certain.
Ah, had I found another reason to go up to Hanyang?
And once again, I realized just how foolishly I had been living my life.
To think I was so obsessed with the idea of boosting Joseon’s economic power that I failed to even consider our family’s situation.
Still, it was a relief.
At least I had come to realize that fact.
My main profession was as a writer.
Before submitting a manuscript, a writer had the authority to revise it anytime.
I just needed to come up with a plausible reason for my father to be cautious of the Easterners.
Crafting a believable story was hardly a task.
“They currently hold a powerful grip on power, as far as I know. Power is a double-edged sword, which could indeed harm us. What I need is not a sharp blade that could damage our house, but a strong in-law family.”
“Your reasoning isn’t flawed. Alright, I’ll see if I can find a suitable family for you.”
Phew, I had at least overcome one major hurdle.
But to reach a happy ending, I must cross another mountain.
“And there’s one more request I have.”
“Ahaha, now I’m afraid of what will come out of your mouth.”
It’s certainly odd for an eleven-year-old to insist on marriage.
But the second condition I was about to request might be even more challenging than the first mountain.
“It’s nothing major, but I think I need to make a trip to Hanyang.”
For an eleven-year-old to leave home at this time was extremely dangerous.
In fantasy novels, the protagonist might easily embark on a journey, but in the medieval period, traveling was an adventure that could cost you your life.
Father won’t grant permission easily.
“Hanyang?”
As expected, Father wore a displeased expression.
“Do you even know how old you are right now? No, do you even know where Hanyang is situated?”
Even if all I ever did at home was write, did you think I wouldn’t know where the capital of South Korea was?
Wouldn’t I know more about geography than anyone else in Joseon?
Of course, the place names are different in this era, and there’s no such thing as the Gyeongbu Expressway.
“However, this is a matter of necessity.”
The fact that my second uncle was an Easterner was an indirect reason to go to Hanyang, but there’s a direct reason as well.
This incident had made me certain of one thing: the Imjin War was not a disaster that could be prevented by a single thriving family.
It’s an unprecedented catastrophe that even if all of Joseon united against the invaders with one heart and will, it’s uncertain if they could be repelled.
We lost Grandpa to a mere few hundred pirates.
I was not the only one who lost someone precious.
Su Dal lost his father, and Uncle Samsik lost a dear friend.
I’ve heard that the incident claimed the lives of over 200 people.
They may act as if nothing’s wrong, but deep inside, they carried wounds no less deep than mine.
What’s absurd was that all this damage was caused by just a few hundred pirates.
The Imjin War wouldn’t be an attack by hundreds of invaders, but an invasion of 180,000 regular troops.
I could hardly fathom the extent of the damage that might occur.
“I must go, it’s something I have to do…”
I can’t even begin to guess what that young kid is thinking, for heaven’s sake!
Hyeonmyeong recalled the dying wish Baekgyeong had left him while he was on the roof.
– “Look here, family head.”
– “Yes, Father.”
– “What happened to the foreign invaders?”
– “Thanks to the arrival of the royal army, the invaders are retreating.”
– “The ancestors must have lent their aid!”
– “Family head, I have something to tell you and you alone.”
– “Excuse me, could everyone please make some room?”
The relatives on the roof gave space for the father and son.
– “Hyeonmyeong, listen carefully.”
– “Yes, Father.”
– “From what I’ve observed of our family heir, that child harbors a great ambition within his heart. Though I lack the insight to know what he’s thinking, you must not stand in the way of his future. Do you understand?”
– “Yes, I’ve understood.”
– “Good, I’m counting on you.”
At that moment, a voice came from below the rooftop.
– “Grandpa. Grandpa! GRANDPAAAA!”
The cries that resembled screams pained Hyeonmyeong’s heart, but he had to grit his teeth and endure.
Father, I too do not know what this child has in his heart, but I am well aware of his love for the family. And I can say he’s not one to do anything that would harm them.
“Father, if you’re so worried, Uncle Jongil can accompany me as a guide. If it’s Uncle Jongil who travels throughout the nation, he can surely take me to Hanyang by the safest routes.”
“…If you must go, then you must go.”
Eventually, I managed to get my father’s permission.
Honestly, I didn’t know what I could do once I get to Hanyang.
How many adults would actually listen to someone like me, who is not even a full-fledged adult yet?
But I knew that if I gave up now and did nothing, I would only have regrets, so I decided to take action.
I could learn about the court from my second uncle, and if possible, I might have even met the prime minister who led the war efforts during the Imjin War.
Despite seeming like a stubborn noble through and through, if I can persuade him, then I might be able to make comprehensive changes to the scenario.
I just hope we don’t have to resort to the worst-case scenario, Plan Z.
“However, I can’t send you alone, so I will have Hyeongyu accompany you.”
“If my youngest uncle is with me, I could ask for no better.”
Among those I know, if I had to name the strongest person, it would be my youngest uncle.
I still wonder why such an uncle never made a name for himself in history.
At the very least, he seems to be a figure who could achieve a reputation not unlike that of the renowned Hong’s Army General Gwak Jaewoo…
