A Dragon Lives In That Scholar's Deep Spring - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The five people standing at the front pulled the trigger, but there was no loud noise. Due to wooden wedges inserted instead of gunpowder, there was only a faint sound when the hammer hit.

“Bang!”

Instead of the firing sound, there followed the artificial shouts of the soldiers to synchronize their breathing. 

The first five, after firing, remained in place and lowered their bodies to create a support base, saving time for the next row of soldiers to aim as they leaned on their backs. 

There was no clutter among the soldiers moving as one body until the last rear rank finished firing.

“Fire!”

“Bang!”

If they had loaded gunpowder and lead bullets, there would have been a roar worthy of processing, but it was a pity. However, judging by the soldiers’ serious attitude and high morale, it seemed as though they had already fired not fifteen but thousands of bullets.

Of course, there were times when they occasionally practiced shooting with real guns. It was only once or twice a year when they had fireworks in the fortress.

When the people in and around the fortress were distracted by the fireworks noise, they could easily conceal even the loudest firing sound. No matter how many times they practiced, it couldn’t compare to a real battle, so it was essential training.

“You all did well. I look forward to the next practical training.”

As soon as Do-gyeom praised them, the soldiers holding their guns smiled proudly.

“Pass your guns to the next recruits immediately. We’ll repeat this once more.”

“Yes!”

Despite years of continuous training, the soldiers never grew tired. None of them complained about the harsh training, which was always conducted in secret, as long as it didn’t affect their appearances at home.

Those who passed their guns to the waiting soldiers in the rear stepped back, and the new soldiers, holding the guns, prepared to fire again with practice guns that didn’t need cleaning.

“Aim, fire!”

“…Bang!”

“Next, fire!”

“Bang!”

Little did they know, Do-gyeom managed only four of these secret soldier organizations. These small, clandestine organizations were carefully crafted to ensure that their identities wouldn’t be revealed if discovered.

Only the training leaders in each squad knew each other’s identities and exchanged information discreetly before such training sessions. They were responsible for managing their respective recruits.

Furthermore, each recruit approaching the training kept their secrets, which is why they had made it this far without any issues.

“Good job. However, in a real battle, if you use too much force to grind the gunpowder, the flint might break, so be careful.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Despite that, Do-gyeom devoted himself to teaching them while secretly hoping that they wouldn’t reveal their true identities.

He looked on with satisfaction, but deep inside, his heart had been as dark as black gunpowder for a long time. As if trying to illuminate his dark heart, dawn was breaking far away.

“Now, let’s do it again. Get ready to fire!”

“Ready!”

Once again, the soldiers’ faces brightened with enthusiasm. It was as if they had collectively driven away the night and welcomed the morning, making this moment unexpectedly uplifting for them all.

* * *

“After resting for two days, at least put some oil on that face of yours. Why is your complexion so pale?”

“I apologize for causing concern, Your Highness.”

“You know I don’t want to hear it.”

Eon narrowed his eyes in disbelief, but the next moment his expression changed.

“…Right! While Your Majesty is out of the palace, this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the night dew together.”

“Your Highness.”

Unfortunately, his words were sharp, but the Crown Prince just chuckled lightly.

“Of course not. I’m too scared to face the day dew alone, let alone the night dew.”

“What?”

“That… No. Let’s get you some tea before it gets cold.”

As he encouraged Do-gyeom to pour the tea, Eon seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke.

“I heard that the pond at Changdeokgung Palace froze solid?”

“Oh… yes. When I visited today…”

It had been a few days since Do-gyeom had returned to work at Changdeokgung Palace, and he was surprised to see a crowd gathered in front of the pond area.

“It’s strange. The weather has been cold, but it shouldn’t have frozen like this. And it’s not melting easily either.”

At a different time, he might have marveled at the strange phenomenon along with the people who were surprised and gathered to witness it. Perhaps looking for precedents in books might have been something he could do.

But this time, he somehow felt like he knew the cause of this event.

The fact that the pond had frozen solid was related to what happened on the night he left early.

Late that night, while the two professors were busy creating exam questions for the scholars, they went for a walk near the pond. They heard a sound like something falling into the water, but upon reflection, they weren’t sure if they had heard it.

“If you dip your hand in here, it won’t take long to freeze everything. Do you want to see?”

Above all, she had a record of freezing a spring. On the day he first encountered Farang, he stayed up all night and couldn’t overcome his fatigue, so he had a deep sleep. He thought he was alone, but he ended up going outside.

“What if I can’t go back to my place…”

To make matters worse, she had already visited and left something at the pond.

“Not only that but did you see that the other ponds in the gardens were the same? The Aeryeonji Pond and Bandoji Pond were frozen too… But some were not also. Why is that?”

Perhaps it wasn’t because she exerted too much strength at the pond, but rather because she didn’t have the energy to freeze the other ponds while heading towards the back exit of the gardens. Do-gyeom’s gaze on the tea water turned heavy.

“Just the other night, some of the scholars reported seeing ghosts wearing white clothes. People are talking so much today about signs of a calamity during the Suwon procession.”

Fortunately, the king went ahead with the procession, and Farang didn’t harm the king when she infiltrated the palace alone. It was a relief amid great anxiety, but perhaps due to the broken promise, her mouth tasted bitter.

“Especially during times like these, you shouldn’t waver and should focus on your Confucian studies.”

“Tsk, I knew you would say that.”

Eon grumbled lightly. He popped a pastry into his mouth and swallowed it before lowering his voice.

“By the way, you mentioned that you would go to Haeju yesterday. What happened with that matter?”

“Oh, well, about that…”

Whenever he tried to slightly alleviate his anxiety about one thing, another issue inevitably arose. It seemed that every situation slipped through his fingers like sand.

“It’s okay, just tell me.”

Eon calmly waited, having easily noticed the depth of concern on Do-gyeom’s face. Knowing that he couldn’t steal the Crown Prince’s time, Do-gyeom explained his situation.

“Well, it’s just that my sister, who was going to be married, has disappeared.”

“What?”

Eon’s face paled even more than expected, perhaps because the content was more embarrassing than he had prepared for. He must have thought that his uncle would at least refuse.

“She disappeared? Is there any clue to her whereabouts?”

“I apologize, Your Highness. As I mentioned last time, I immediately put in a request to investigate Haeju, and it appears that my cousin had feelings for someone other than her betrothed. They had a secret rendezvous… and it seems she ran away together with him.”

Do-gyeom prostrated himself without dignity. His trembling hands barely touched the ground.

“I’m sorry. I rashly came to you without properly considering the situation and was confused.”

“Well, it couldn’t be helped. Even if she had genuine feelings, if they were planning to elope, I wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“I will find a solution. Whether it’s to bring my sister back or to find a new bride from our side…”

As Do-gyeom was about to finish speaking, something flashed through his mind.

“Whenever I try to style her hair nicely or do anything, she acts as if she’s going to tear the clothes to pieces, so what can I do?”

It was when he left Farang, who was drunk and still asleep, to prepare for the procession. Do-gyeom had asked Sun-yi to tidy up Farang’s hair, which was always unruly and disheveled. The child had scolded Farang harshly.

“Why do I have to tie it up so neatly? Her hair is so silky that no matter how tightly you tie it, it comes undone easily. When you tie it tightly, she says it’s uncomfortable and undoes it… I don’t know how many times we’ve fought about it.”

“You’ve been through a lot. But there’s a chance you might part ways soon, so please treat her well to avoid any lingering resentment later.”

At that time, Do-gyeom had been worried about Sun-yi’s attachment to Farang, thinking that Farang would return soon and Sun-yi would be heartbroken.

“Still, if you order one, it’ll make your life easier. You won’t have to work hard after the first time, right? It’s just washing dishes, but if you don’t order it, it’s okay.”

Above all, what Sun-yi said next was crucial.

“But, didn’t you say she didn’t know anything about writing or whatever? You said that, but I saw her briefly look at the book that was left and then write something on the floor. I didn’t even know what it was but when she saw it, she said, “Why is it written here?” ….”

And Do-gyeom had no choice.

“Your Highness.”

“No.”

“What?”

He was puzzled by the Crown Prince’s nod before he could finish speaking.

“If I force your sister to return and become someone who separates the fates of the people, won’t I become an unhappy prince who causes suffering? It’s done. Let it go.”

“Your Highness, it’s not like that…”

“It is. Do you, too, see me as a heartless prince?”

“I apologize.”

He realized it too late. Do-gyeom blamed himself for flaring up like a blazing fire without even asking for the other person’s opinion. Even if it was rooted in loyalty, it might have been too hasty.

“One thing is certain; I will find a way to protect Your Highness.”