Two For the Price of One, Ch. 1
Previously:
Prologue
Disclaimer: The SKKS-verse belongs to the creators of Sungkyunkwan Scandal, and the name "Gu Jun-pyo" to the writers of Boys Over Flowers (I couldn't resist using it :-p).
Author's Notes: Here is the update for December! Sorry it's a little late, but I was busy with work for most of this month. Hope you like it anyway :) Thank you to min7girl for reviewing the prologue!
Chapter One
Joseon, 1800
It was shaping up to be a typical day at Gu Yong-ha's shop. Such a day might have been considered extraordinary by the average person, but then the most popular merchant of luxury fabrics and clothing in all of Joseon was hardly average.
He began by turning away a prospective client. The woman was a young gisaeng seeking to transform herself into the new Cho-sun; unfortunately, a few moments' perusal of her charms was enough to tell Yong-ha that not only was she too traditional-looking to do his creations justice, but also that her chances of eclipsing the greatest gisaeng in a generation were slim at best.
After that, he took a leisurely mid-morning break and, his belly pleasantly full of tea and honey-sesame cakes, accepted an order for a dozen new hanboks from a long-standing yangban customer. The lady was a favorite because she completely trusted him completely in his choice of colors and fabrics, recommended him highly to all of her fashion-forward friends, and had all the latest, juiciest gossip about Joseon's upper crust.
He was preparing to close up his shop for another short break when an old woman appeared at the door. "Excuse me," she inquired, "but is this the shop of Gu Yong-ha?"
Something about her low, quelruous voice was familiar, and after peering at her for a brief moment, Yong-ha broke into a broad grin. "Halmeonim!" he greeted her warmly. "Please, do come in!"
The new arrival was Park Kyung-cha, who used to sew and do embroidery for his mother. In his opinion, Madam Park was an unknown legend; although her husband, the embroidery artist Kim Ok-boon, was talented in his own right, she had been responsible for some of the pieces sold under his name. Yong-ha believed that she could have made a name for herself, too, if she hadn't gone blind not long after Master Kim's death.
He took Madam Park's arm and led her carefully into his shop. There was a look of wonder on her face as she stepped inside. "It feels very spacious in here," she observed. "You must be doing well for yourself."
"I get by," Yong-ha replied modestly.
"Come here and let me have a look at you." The old woman reached up and he leaned over obligingly to allow her to skim her fingers gently over his face. "My, what a handsome man you've become!"
Ordinarily, he would have responded to such by saying something like When have I not been handsome? but he knew that the praise was genuine and thus merited a proper answer. "Thank you, Halmeonim," he said sincerely. "And it's wonderful to see you, too. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Oh, yes!" The question seemed to remind her of something, and she looked unseeingly over her shoulder in the direction of the door, beside which stood a young woman and a burly, middle-aged man. "Iseul, could you come here, please?"
"Yes, Halmeonim," the woman replied, coming forward obediently.
She touched Madam Park's arm as she approached, and the old woman laid a hand over hers. "Do you remember my granddaughter, Kim Iseul?" Madam Park asked Yong-ha.
"Ah, yes!" His gaze flickered briefly over her as they exchanged bows of greeting. He vaguely remembered a quiet, colorless little girl tagging along with her grandmother during her later visits to Gu residence; it seemed that things had changed little in the intervening years. "How are you, Miss Kim? It's nice to see you again.”
“It's Teacher Kim now,” her grandmother said with obvious pride. “Iseul teaches painting to a number of children from good families.”
“Is that right?” He smiled sociably when Iseul gave an awkward bob of her head, which he interpreted as a nod. “Well, congratulations, Teacher Kim. How nice for you.”
“Thank you,” she replied in a quiet voice.
Yong-ha waited for a moment, in case she wanted to say more, and took over again when he realized that that was all they were going to get out of her. “Why don't we all sit down?” he suggested briskly. “I'll send for some tea and snacks, and we can have a nice chat."
Yong-ha's staff, accustomed to helping entertain clients at the shop, quickly brought refreshments. With the help of Madam Park's male companion, who appeared to be a servant judging from his clothing, they set up the low tea table and dispensed food and drink. The manservant nodded in acknowledgment of Yong-ha's thanks, then settled himself in one corner as the ladies conversed with their host.
"Now," Yong-ha said, arranging the folds of his saffron-colored overcoat to display its embroidery to the best effect, "to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"We are here on Iseul's account, actually," Madam Park began, reaching out to touch her granddaughter's hand again as if to reassure herself that she was still there. "She has just come into an inheritance from her late father's family. It's not a large amount, but now that she has a dowry, she has a better chance of attracting a husband."
A second glance at the woman only served to reinforce his conclusion that there was nothing distinctive about Kim Iseul. She was neither petite and doll-like, nor tall and striking; she had nondescript black hair scraped back into a braid, and a rather prim little mouth; and, worst of all, she seemed to have a terrible habit of stealing her grandmother's clothes, for she was plainly dressed in dark blue and gray. (Also, were those-horror of horrors-dog hairs on her skirt?!) He was willing to admit that the woman did have one beauty in her clear, pale complexion-it was just as good as his own, which was saying a lot-but he doubted whether that would be enough to help her catch a man.
“I see,” he said noncommittally.
"I thought that it would be wise to invest in some fine new clothes," the old woman continued. "To catch the young men's eyes, you understand. I heard that you make the best clothing in Joseon, so here we are! Of course," she added diffidently, "I'm sure you have many other clients, so we'll understand if you're too busy to take us on; won't we, Iseul?"
Iseul nodded, but Yong-ha would hear none of it. "Perish the thought, Halmeonim! It would be a privilege to have Teacher Kim as a client. You're one of the people who inspired me to get into this business, you know, and it would be poor thanks to turn you away." Especially, he couldn't help thinking, when the woman needs my services so badly.
Both women bowed their heads gratefully. "Thank you, Yong-ha," Madam Park said as her granddaughter murmured her own thanks. An impish smile broke over her lined face. "I must admit that it's nice to know that answering a young boy's thousands of questions paid off in the end."
He chuckled. "You were always very patient with me."
"Now, I know that we should give you a deposit to seal our agreement, but Iseul won't start to actually receive her inheritance until-did they say later this week, my dear?" she asked her granddaughter.
"Yes, Halmeonim.”
"Until later this week," Madam Park repeated to Yong-ha. She pulled out her purse, which was old and tellingly thin, and absently ran her fingers over the peony design embroidered upon it. "We can give you a small payment if you require it, but I hope you won't mind that it won't be much."
"There's no need for that, Halmeonim," Yong-ha assured her. "We can wait until the funds arrive." He paused delicately. "But, ah... do we know how much we have to spend on our new wardrobe?"
Surprisingly, this time, it was Iseul who spoke. "We're still thinking about it," she said. Her voice remained quiet, but her tone was certain rather than evasive. “It would be pleasant to spend all of my inheritance on new clothes, but I would like to save some of the money.”
"I understand. That is very practical of you, Teacher, Kim," he commended her with an approving nod. "Well, we can talk about the budget when you have decided.
"Perhaps we can discuss colors and fabrics then, too?" he suggested. "I'm afraid I have another business appointment elsewhere shortly, and we'll cover more ground when we have a better idea of the budget, anyway."
"Yes, of course," Madam Park readily agreed. "We wouldn't want to keep you from your appointments. We will send word to you through Chin-hae here-Chin-hae, where are you?"
"Right here, madam," the manservant rumbled from his corner.
"Chin-hae will bring you a message when Iseul has decided on a budget," the old woman told Yong-ha. "We will agree then on when our next meeting will be."
After bidding the ladies farewell, Yong-ha closed up his shop for the day to go to his "business appointment." Occasionally, that meant a visit to the finest gisaeng house in town, but that day he did have some actual business to conduct-he was going to Master Hwang's bookshop to pick up his latest acquisition, and he was very excited about it.
On his way to Hwang's, he made a point of walking past his competitors' establishments, exchanging pleasantries with some of the older merchants and greeting the more disagreeable ones with smug little smiles. The better merchants sold wares of the same quality as his, but they lacked his flair for design and way with customers. Yong-ha didn't try to tell them what they should buy, but rather guided them in every step of the way towards finding the perfect outfit; furthermore, he always took the time to gossip, flatter them outrageously, or listen sympathetically to their troubles. A visit to Gu Yong-ha's shop wasn't just a business transaction, his most loyal clients declared; it was an experience.
Master Hwang was standing by the door of his shop when Yong-ha arrived. "Ah, Master Gu!" he greeted the younger man. "I've been expecting you! Come in, come in!"
Yong-ha smiled stiffly at the effusive greeting. "Good day, Master Hwang," he replied, his tone much more subdued. "I'm already here; there's no need to shout. In fact, it might be better if you didn't."
The bookseller caught himself. "Oh, that's right," he said, lowering his voice as well and closing one eye in an exagerrated wink. "I forgot. I'm sorry. Come in, it's in the back."
Even though Hwang's looks, reputation, and establishment were all a little seedy, Yong-ha couldn't help admiring the other merchant's strong entrepreneurial bent. Master Hwang sold practically every book known in Joseon (even when he wasn't supposed to, as in the case of the naughty books that Yong-ha still bought from him); continued to do a brisk business providing the names, genealogies and room assignments of eligible Sungkyunkwan University scholars to smitten young people during Open House days; and even hosted special events inside his shop to entice potential customers inside.
All of that probably already earned him a pretty penny, but recently, the bookseller had also branched out into art brokerage, which made it possible for Yong-ha to acquire his latest treasure-a painting by one of his favorite artists, who went by the name of "Hwa-jae." Yong-ha had first noticed Hwa-jae's work in an erotic novel and was struck by the artist's use of sinuous lines, especially in his renderings of the female form, and attention to detail. He had a standing order at Hwang's for any books featuring Hwa-jae's illustrations, and jumped at the chance when he found out that the artist had begun accepting commissions.
"It's right here, sir," Master Hwang told him, proffering a bamboo tube, one long and wide enough to comfortably hold a good-sized, rolled-up piece of paper.
Yong-ha pulled off the top of the tube and gently drew out the paper inside. He unfurled it reverently and was admiring the vivid coloring when he became aware of heavy, not-quite fragrant breath wafting over the back of his neck. He turned to the other merchant with a frown, rubbing fastidiously at the back of his collar.
"So sorry," the bookseller said, stepping away hastily. "I was... curious."
Yong-ha was sure that Hwang had already stolen a look at the painting the moment it arrived, but decided not to pursue the matter. "Well, everything seems to be in order," he said instead as he rolled up the painting and replaced it in the tube.
"You are pleased with it, then?" the other merchant asked him.
"Of course. It's beautiful, and it's a Hwa-jae original." He wished that he could look at the painting some more, but he could hardly enjoy doing so in a place like this. It was best to get out of here quickly.
From his sleeve, Yong-ha withdrew a purse that was plainer, but also much fatter and heavier than Madam Park's had been."Seventy-five yang, wasn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
He handed a string of coins to Master Hwang, and tossed another one after them. "For your trouble."
The bookseller's face lit up as he caught the coin. "Thank you, sir," he said with a humble bow. He already stood to receive a commission for the sale, but any additional income from the transaction was a welcome surprise. "And would you be interested in placing another order?"
There was no doubt about that, but Yong-ha knew better than to show right away that he was interested and risk raising the price. "I might," he replied coolly. "I'll let you know."
After making his purchase, Yong-ha took it straight home and had just managed to smuggle it into his room when a maid informed him that it was time for dinner. He groaned inwardly, wanting nothing more than to enjoy his new treasure in private, but replied that he would join the rest of the family shortly. If he asked to eat in his room, his mother would no doubt descend upon him, demanding to know if he was sick.
The rest of the family was already there when he entered the dining room. Seated at the head of the table was his father, Gu Jun-pyo, who surveyed his domain in the manner befitting one of the richest men in Joseon. On his left sat Yong-ha's mother, Hong Jin-ae; on the right were Yong-ha's much older brother, An-jeong, and An-jeong's mousy little wife, whose name Yong-ha could never seem to remember.
Master Gu spotted his younger son and gave him a frown. "So good of you to join us," he remarked dryly. He and the rest of the family were already eating-"time is money," one of their ancestors was said to be fond of saying. One did not become wealthy by just sitting around and waiting for everything to come to him.
"I had business in town, Abeonim," he replied, taking his customary seat beside Madam Hong, who gave him a fond smile before returning to her conversation about housework with An-jeong's wife.
"What sort of business would that be? I passed by your shop this early afternoon and it was closed."
Yong-ha was spared from having to scramble for a story when his brother unwittingly threw him a lifeline. "It might have something to do with that Chamber of Commerce that the merchants and guilds are planning to form," An-jeong volunteered.
"Ah, yes!" Yong-ha confirmed, nodding. "Exactly!"
His father looked skeptical, as he always did when the topic of the Joseon Chamber of Commerce was brought up. "I still can't understand why you're spending so much time on that thing."
"I think it's going to become very important, Abeonim," An-jeong said. "Everyone in the marketplace is very excited about the idea, and it's a good thing that Yong-ha can be involved on behalf of our family."
Yong-ha gave his hyung a grateful look. "Working on this together will help everyone learn to trust each other," he explained to their father, "and that should be better for doing business, won't it? Besides, if the businessmen and workers are all united, it just might give us a greater voice with the new king." King Sun-jo had recently succeeded his father, Jeong-jo, as ruler of Joseon, and all recognized that this was a prime opportunity to help shape the future of the kingdom.
Master Gu didn't look convinced, but he growled, "As long as your business doesn't suffer, and you don't do anything stupid to shame the family, I suppose it will be all right."
Resisting the temptation to bolt down his dinner and risk inviting more observations (and questions) about his behavior, Yong-ha forced himself to eat apace with the rest. He even let his father finish ahead of him, and once Master Gu was done, Yong-ha excused himself and hastened back to his bedroom, where he lost no time in locking the door and producing the painting from its hiding place.
If he was riveted by the illustrations in his books, which were pale reproductions of Hwa-jae's work, then the genuine article fairly took his breath away. Yong-ha had ordered a painting of a female nude, and the clarity of the lines defining her form and the richness of the colors in her skin made him almost sure that he could see her breathing. In addition, Hwa-jae had chosen to paint the woman sleeping, apparently after a most satisfying romp with a lover-an intimate pose that spoke to a viewer on an emotional level in the same way that his artistry appealed to the intellect, and took the piece from plain pornography to a work of erotic art.
A smile touched Yong-ha's lips as he drank in the sight of the Hwa-jae original for a second time. "And best of all," he murmured, lightly brushing his thumb over the tiny stylized flame painted discreetly into the corner, "it's one of a kind, and it's all mine."
Prologue
Disclaimer: The SKKS-verse belongs to the creators of Sungkyunkwan Scandal, and the name "Gu Jun-pyo" to the writers of Boys Over Flowers (I couldn't resist using it :-p).
Author's Notes: Here is the update for December! Sorry it's a little late, but I was busy with work for most of this month. Hope you like it anyway :) Thank you to min7girl for reviewing the prologue!
Chapter One
Joseon, 1800
It was shaping up to be a typical day at Gu Yong-ha's shop. Such a day might have been considered extraordinary by the average person, but then the most popular merchant of luxury fabrics and clothing in all of Joseon was hardly average.
He began by turning away a prospective client. The woman was a young gisaeng seeking to transform herself into the new Cho-sun; unfortunately, a few moments' perusal of her charms was enough to tell Yong-ha that not only was she too traditional-looking to do his creations justice, but also that her chances of eclipsing the greatest gisaeng in a generation were slim at best.
After that, he took a leisurely mid-morning break and, his belly pleasantly full of tea and honey-sesame cakes, accepted an order for a dozen new hanboks from a long-standing yangban customer. The lady was a favorite because she completely trusted him completely in his choice of colors and fabrics, recommended him highly to all of her fashion-forward friends, and had all the latest, juiciest gossip about Joseon's upper crust.
He was preparing to close up his shop for another short break when an old woman appeared at the door. "Excuse me," she inquired, "but is this the shop of Gu Yong-ha?"
Something about her low, quelruous voice was familiar, and after peering at her for a brief moment, Yong-ha broke into a broad grin. "Halmeonim!" he greeted her warmly. "Please, do come in!"
The new arrival was Park Kyung-cha, who used to sew and do embroidery for his mother. In his opinion, Madam Park was an unknown legend; although her husband, the embroidery artist Kim Ok-boon, was talented in his own right, she had been responsible for some of the pieces sold under his name. Yong-ha believed that she could have made a name for herself, too, if she hadn't gone blind not long after Master Kim's death.
He took Madam Park's arm and led her carefully into his shop. There was a look of wonder on her face as she stepped inside. "It feels very spacious in here," she observed. "You must be doing well for yourself."
"I get by," Yong-ha replied modestly.
"Come here and let me have a look at you." The old woman reached up and he leaned over obligingly to allow her to skim her fingers gently over his face. "My, what a handsome man you've become!"
Ordinarily, he would have responded to such by saying something like When have I not been handsome? but he knew that the praise was genuine and thus merited a proper answer. "Thank you, Halmeonim," he said sincerely. "And it's wonderful to see you, too. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Oh, yes!" The question seemed to remind her of something, and she looked unseeingly over her shoulder in the direction of the door, beside which stood a young woman and a burly, middle-aged man. "Iseul, could you come here, please?"
"Yes, Halmeonim," the woman replied, coming forward obediently.
She touched Madam Park's arm as she approached, and the old woman laid a hand over hers. "Do you remember my granddaughter, Kim Iseul?" Madam Park asked Yong-ha.
"Ah, yes!" His gaze flickered briefly over her as they exchanged bows of greeting. He vaguely remembered a quiet, colorless little girl tagging along with her grandmother during her later visits to Gu residence; it seemed that things had changed little in the intervening years. "How are you, Miss Kim? It's nice to see you again.”
“It's Teacher Kim now,” her grandmother said with obvious pride. “Iseul teaches painting to a number of children from good families.”
“Is that right?” He smiled sociably when Iseul gave an awkward bob of her head, which he interpreted as a nod. “Well, congratulations, Teacher Kim. How nice for you.”
“Thank you,” she replied in a quiet voice.
Yong-ha waited for a moment, in case she wanted to say more, and took over again when he realized that that was all they were going to get out of her. “Why don't we all sit down?” he suggested briskly. “I'll send for some tea and snacks, and we can have a nice chat."
Yong-ha's staff, accustomed to helping entertain clients at the shop, quickly brought refreshments. With the help of Madam Park's male companion, who appeared to be a servant judging from his clothing, they set up the low tea table and dispensed food and drink. The manservant nodded in acknowledgment of Yong-ha's thanks, then settled himself in one corner as the ladies conversed with their host.
"Now," Yong-ha said, arranging the folds of his saffron-colored overcoat to display its embroidery to the best effect, "to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"We are here on Iseul's account, actually," Madam Park began, reaching out to touch her granddaughter's hand again as if to reassure herself that she was still there. "She has just come into an inheritance from her late father's family. It's not a large amount, but now that she has a dowry, she has a better chance of attracting a husband."
A second glance at the woman only served to reinforce his conclusion that there was nothing distinctive about Kim Iseul. She was neither petite and doll-like, nor tall and striking; she had nondescript black hair scraped back into a braid, and a rather prim little mouth; and, worst of all, she seemed to have a terrible habit of stealing her grandmother's clothes, for she was plainly dressed in dark blue and gray. (Also, were those-horror of horrors-dog hairs on her skirt?!) He was willing to admit that the woman did have one beauty in her clear, pale complexion-it was just as good as his own, which was saying a lot-but he doubted whether that would be enough to help her catch a man.
“I see,” he said noncommittally.
"I thought that it would be wise to invest in some fine new clothes," the old woman continued. "To catch the young men's eyes, you understand. I heard that you make the best clothing in Joseon, so here we are! Of course," she added diffidently, "I'm sure you have many other clients, so we'll understand if you're too busy to take us on; won't we, Iseul?"
Iseul nodded, but Yong-ha would hear none of it. "Perish the thought, Halmeonim! It would be a privilege to have Teacher Kim as a client. You're one of the people who inspired me to get into this business, you know, and it would be poor thanks to turn you away." Especially, he couldn't help thinking, when the woman needs my services so badly.
Both women bowed their heads gratefully. "Thank you, Yong-ha," Madam Park said as her granddaughter murmured her own thanks. An impish smile broke over her lined face. "I must admit that it's nice to know that answering a young boy's thousands of questions paid off in the end."
He chuckled. "You were always very patient with me."
"Now, I know that we should give you a deposit to seal our agreement, but Iseul won't start to actually receive her inheritance until-did they say later this week, my dear?" she asked her granddaughter.
"Yes, Halmeonim.”
"Until later this week," Madam Park repeated to Yong-ha. She pulled out her purse, which was old and tellingly thin, and absently ran her fingers over the peony design embroidered upon it. "We can give you a small payment if you require it, but I hope you won't mind that it won't be much."
"There's no need for that, Halmeonim," Yong-ha assured her. "We can wait until the funds arrive." He paused delicately. "But, ah... do we know how much we have to spend on our new wardrobe?"
Surprisingly, this time, it was Iseul who spoke. "We're still thinking about it," she said. Her voice remained quiet, but her tone was certain rather than evasive. “It would be pleasant to spend all of my inheritance on new clothes, but I would like to save some of the money.”
"I understand. That is very practical of you, Teacher, Kim," he commended her with an approving nod. "Well, we can talk about the budget when you have decided.
"Perhaps we can discuss colors and fabrics then, too?" he suggested. "I'm afraid I have another business appointment elsewhere shortly, and we'll cover more ground when we have a better idea of the budget, anyway."
"Yes, of course," Madam Park readily agreed. "We wouldn't want to keep you from your appointments. We will send word to you through Chin-hae here-Chin-hae, where are you?"
"Right here, madam," the manservant rumbled from his corner.
"Chin-hae will bring you a message when Iseul has decided on a budget," the old woman told Yong-ha. "We will agree then on when our next meeting will be."
After bidding the ladies farewell, Yong-ha closed up his shop for the day to go to his "business appointment." Occasionally, that meant a visit to the finest gisaeng house in town, but that day he did have some actual business to conduct-he was going to Master Hwang's bookshop to pick up his latest acquisition, and he was very excited about it.
On his way to Hwang's, he made a point of walking past his competitors' establishments, exchanging pleasantries with some of the older merchants and greeting the more disagreeable ones with smug little smiles. The better merchants sold wares of the same quality as his, but they lacked his flair for design and way with customers. Yong-ha didn't try to tell them what they should buy, but rather guided them in every step of the way towards finding the perfect outfit; furthermore, he always took the time to gossip, flatter them outrageously, or listen sympathetically to their troubles. A visit to Gu Yong-ha's shop wasn't just a business transaction, his most loyal clients declared; it was an experience.
Master Hwang was standing by the door of his shop when Yong-ha arrived. "Ah, Master Gu!" he greeted the younger man. "I've been expecting you! Come in, come in!"
Yong-ha smiled stiffly at the effusive greeting. "Good day, Master Hwang," he replied, his tone much more subdued. "I'm already here; there's no need to shout. In fact, it might be better if you didn't."
The bookseller caught himself. "Oh, that's right," he said, lowering his voice as well and closing one eye in an exagerrated wink. "I forgot. I'm sorry. Come in, it's in the back."
Even though Hwang's looks, reputation, and establishment were all a little seedy, Yong-ha couldn't help admiring the other merchant's strong entrepreneurial bent. Master Hwang sold practically every book known in Joseon (even when he wasn't supposed to, as in the case of the naughty books that Yong-ha still bought from him); continued to do a brisk business providing the names, genealogies and room assignments of eligible Sungkyunkwan University scholars to smitten young people during Open House days; and even hosted special events inside his shop to entice potential customers inside.
All of that probably already earned him a pretty penny, but recently, the bookseller had also branched out into art brokerage, which made it possible for Yong-ha to acquire his latest treasure-a painting by one of his favorite artists, who went by the name of "Hwa-jae." Yong-ha had first noticed Hwa-jae's work in an erotic novel and was struck by the artist's use of sinuous lines, especially in his renderings of the female form, and attention to detail. He had a standing order at Hwang's for any books featuring Hwa-jae's illustrations, and jumped at the chance when he found out that the artist had begun accepting commissions.
"It's right here, sir," Master Hwang told him, proffering a bamboo tube, one long and wide enough to comfortably hold a good-sized, rolled-up piece of paper.
Yong-ha pulled off the top of the tube and gently drew out the paper inside. He unfurled it reverently and was admiring the vivid coloring when he became aware of heavy, not-quite fragrant breath wafting over the back of his neck. He turned to the other merchant with a frown, rubbing fastidiously at the back of his collar.
"So sorry," the bookseller said, stepping away hastily. "I was... curious."
Yong-ha was sure that Hwang had already stolen a look at the painting the moment it arrived, but decided not to pursue the matter. "Well, everything seems to be in order," he said instead as he rolled up the painting and replaced it in the tube.
"You are pleased with it, then?" the other merchant asked him.
"Of course. It's beautiful, and it's a Hwa-jae original." He wished that he could look at the painting some more, but he could hardly enjoy doing so in a place like this. It was best to get out of here quickly.
From his sleeve, Yong-ha withdrew a purse that was plainer, but also much fatter and heavier than Madam Park's had been."Seventy-five yang, wasn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
He handed a string of coins to Master Hwang, and tossed another one after them. "For your trouble."
The bookseller's face lit up as he caught the coin. "Thank you, sir," he said with a humble bow. He already stood to receive a commission for the sale, but any additional income from the transaction was a welcome surprise. "And would you be interested in placing another order?"
There was no doubt about that, but Yong-ha knew better than to show right away that he was interested and risk raising the price. "I might," he replied coolly. "I'll let you know."
After making his purchase, Yong-ha took it straight home and had just managed to smuggle it into his room when a maid informed him that it was time for dinner. He groaned inwardly, wanting nothing more than to enjoy his new treasure in private, but replied that he would join the rest of the family shortly. If he asked to eat in his room, his mother would no doubt descend upon him, demanding to know if he was sick.
The rest of the family was already there when he entered the dining room. Seated at the head of the table was his father, Gu Jun-pyo, who surveyed his domain in the manner befitting one of the richest men in Joseon. On his left sat Yong-ha's mother, Hong Jin-ae; on the right were Yong-ha's much older brother, An-jeong, and An-jeong's mousy little wife, whose name Yong-ha could never seem to remember.
Master Gu spotted his younger son and gave him a frown. "So good of you to join us," he remarked dryly. He and the rest of the family were already eating-"time is money," one of their ancestors was said to be fond of saying. One did not become wealthy by just sitting around and waiting for everything to come to him.
"I had business in town, Abeonim," he replied, taking his customary seat beside Madam Hong, who gave him a fond smile before returning to her conversation about housework with An-jeong's wife.
"What sort of business would that be? I passed by your shop this early afternoon and it was closed."
Yong-ha was spared from having to scramble for a story when his brother unwittingly threw him a lifeline. "It might have something to do with that Chamber of Commerce that the merchants and guilds are planning to form," An-jeong volunteered.
"Ah, yes!" Yong-ha confirmed, nodding. "Exactly!"
His father looked skeptical, as he always did when the topic of the Joseon Chamber of Commerce was brought up. "I still can't understand why you're spending so much time on that thing."
"I think it's going to become very important, Abeonim," An-jeong said. "Everyone in the marketplace is very excited about the idea, and it's a good thing that Yong-ha can be involved on behalf of our family."
Yong-ha gave his hyung a grateful look. "Working on this together will help everyone learn to trust each other," he explained to their father, "and that should be better for doing business, won't it? Besides, if the businessmen and workers are all united, it just might give us a greater voice with the new king." King Sun-jo had recently succeeded his father, Jeong-jo, as ruler of Joseon, and all recognized that this was a prime opportunity to help shape the future of the kingdom.
Master Gu didn't look convinced, but he growled, "As long as your business doesn't suffer, and you don't do anything stupid to shame the family, I suppose it will be all right."
Resisting the temptation to bolt down his dinner and risk inviting more observations (and questions) about his behavior, Yong-ha forced himself to eat apace with the rest. He even let his father finish ahead of him, and once Master Gu was done, Yong-ha excused himself and hastened back to his bedroom, where he lost no time in locking the door and producing the painting from its hiding place.
If he was riveted by the illustrations in his books, which were pale reproductions of Hwa-jae's work, then the genuine article fairly took his breath away. Yong-ha had ordered a painting of a female nude, and the clarity of the lines defining her form and the richness of the colors in her skin made him almost sure that he could see her breathing. In addition, Hwa-jae had chosen to paint the woman sleeping, apparently after a most satisfying romp with a lover-an intimate pose that spoke to a viewer on an emotional level in the same way that his artistry appealed to the intellect, and took the piece from plain pornography to a work of erotic art.
A smile touched Yong-ha's lips as he drank in the sight of the Hwa-jae original for a second time. "And best of all," he murmured, lightly brushing his thumb over the tiny stylized flame painted discreetly into the corner, "it's one of a kind, and it's all mine."