Kwan stared at Mun-He and smiled at her "You led an interesting and I imagine a very hard life. I admire the person you have become" he said with tenderness
"Did you know, that during the first years I was in charge of the cherry blossom, it almost went bankrupt? If it wasn't for the amount of gold coins Prince Young-Sik gave us, I would have closed this place down a long time ago" Mun-He wiped a tear from her face. She glanced at Kwan with a smile "How about you? You just learned my life story; I want to learn about who you are" She asked with a shoulder shrug
Kwan chuckled and lowered his head "Okay, what do you want to know?" He asked
Mun-He asked her first question "You're a Gi, are you related to..."
"Minister Gi?" He let out a deep sigh, before answering "Yes we're related, he's my father's father"
The revelation was somewhat of a slight shock to Mun-He, not because they are related but because of his low status "I knew, that everyone with the family name Gi is related"
"Well, I'm glad someone is happy with that fact" Kwan replied sarcastically
"You're not happy that you are a Gi?" Mun-He inquired, puzzled by the captain's declaration
Kwan scoffed "Why should I? I belong to a family whose lasting legacy is fathers killing their sons"
"Fathers killing their sons? What do you mean by that?" She asked with the utmost curiosity and dread
Kwan took a deep breath and like Mun-He told his story "In my family, there were several recorded instances that to prevent the father by being usurped by the son...the son was killed by his father or at least has a direct hand"
"Why? How did it come to that?" Mun-He asked, disturbed by the fact that she heard
"My mother spoke of an ancient tale, one that echoes through the shadows of time—the tale of Scholar Baek. Renowned for his brilliance, he was the brightest mind of his era. In the twilight of his life, he fathered twins, a daughter and a son. The daughter embraced a conventional existence, marrying and settling into the mundane. Yet, the son, a prodigy, eclipsed his father's intellect. Consumed by envy, Scholar Baek committed an unspeakable act, silencing his son's brilliance with a blade in the dead of night." Kwan narrated with an ominous voice
"Sounds like an old wives tale to me, what does it have to do with your family?" She asked the captain
"For most of the last hundred years, Scholar Baek was the gold standard on how my family treats sons who can outshine their fathers. My grandfather was a merchant before he was a minister." Kwan narrates, "He was the best during his youth, trades with the Aranese, with the Guiong. He was even able to trade with nations beyond the Aranese and Guiong borders."
"Then along came my father, he was someone that eclipsed my grandfather's briliance with just a few words. His eloquence was something Chiongsun has never seen before" Kwan paused for a while "He can convince people like they were mere children, He can predict what trades would be profitable and which ones would fail."
My father did failed at onething, he failed to see the jeoulosy in his father. I was six but I still remember that day like it just happened" Kwan goes back to a time when he was but a child
"Father! Father! You're back" Kwan ran toward his father who just arrived
"Hey, how is my favorite son?" Kwan's father lifted the little boy, feigning a strain "Oh my goodness, why are you so heavy? It looks like you're bigger than the last time I carried you"
"Don't be silly Father I'm only a child, and you just carried me two days ago" Kwan giggled while being carried by his father to their house
The two were met by Kwan's mother, who was waiting by the door. She takes the child and kisses her husband warmly "Kwan, we talked about this, you know your father is tired after his trip"
"But mother...it was father who carried me" Kwan's mother's eyes widened with surprise when her son answered back while his father chuckled "And since when did you answer back to your parents?"
"Grandfather taught me, to always voice my concern no matter who I am talking to" The two parents shared a concerned look
Kwan's mother gently laid down the boy when they arrived at the dining table. The servants pulled out the chairs for each of the family members and served their meals.
"Kwan, I know how much you love your grandfather. That being said, when he teaches you something, ask me or your mother first if what you learned is correct" His father instructed him gently
"But why father? Isn't what grandfather taught me only good things" Kwan asked curiously while blowing on his hot meal
Kwan's mother helped him portion his meal "It's not that my little boy, it's about what is appropriate to learn based on your age"
"Based on age? What does that mean mother?" The little boy asked as he watched his mother
His mother simply replied, "It means my little one, if your father and mother said no, you can't do them okay?" She said with all the tenderness and love she could muster
Just as the family was about to finish their meal, a servant came in "Master, your father is here" the servant announced, she then bowed and left.
Kwan's little face lighted up when he heard that his grandfather was there "Grandfather is here?" He jumped off his seat and ran towards the receiving area all the while shouting "Grandfather! Grandfather!"
The two stood from the table and followed their son to the receiving area. Upon arriving in the room Kwan is playing with his grandfather "How is my future minister?"
"I'm all right grandfather, why did not visit me sooner?" Kwan asked the old man with a pout on his lips
Minister Gi, upon seeing his son and daughter-in-law, gently placed his grandson on the floor "Go to your mother" he instructed his grandson, while gently pushing the little boy
"My mother and I left the room, and my father and the minister were left in the receiving area and had a conversation. It was only recently that I learned what they discussed that night, but the following morning when Father left...it would be the last time we saw him alive." Kwan narrated with great sadness
"But father, you just got home last night, why are you leaving again?" Kwan said to his father, his eyes starting to tear up
Kneeling in front of the little boy, he ruffled his son's hair "Grandfather had some little problems and needs my help. So, you be a good boy and stay with your mother, and don't give her too much trouble" His father said to him. He stood up, kissed his wife, and started on his journey
"We waited and waited but he never returned. Several months later, my grandfather informed us that my father and his convoy had been ambushed by thieves, resulting in their deaths," Kwan sadly explained.
"My mother and I left our village and relocated to a village just outside the capital. Despite losing my father, my mother was able to manage the business that he left us and we lived in relative comfort" He paused with a smile on his face
Mun-He takes Kwan's hand "I am sorry, I made you bring up a very painful memory," she says with a sympathetic voice
"Painful?" Kwan scoffed "What my grandfather told us was a lie! I remember vividly the night I overheard my grandfather; I was sixteen by then."
"My grandfather trained me in commerce and trading, one night I was on my way to his house to give him our earnings. I noticed several men outside his house but I never paid them heed" Kwan recalled, Mun-he however sensed anxiety in his voice.
As Kwan wandered through the empty hallway, he paused, drawn in by the sound of an argument. Straining to listen, he quickly identified his grandfather's voice, "This is completely unacceptable!" his grandfather bellowed.
Kwan stayed put, intrigued by the confrontation. "For ten years, you've used this against me! I will not be blackmailed any longer!"
Kwan felt a surge of pride for his grandfather's defiance, but he was also left wondering what had been so powerful that it forced his grandfather into submission for a decade. "I didn't ask you to go to such extremes! My intention was for him to handle my payment, but after you got what you wanted, you murdered him!"
"You're right! You never ordered his death, but you were well aware of the deep-seated hatred between us. Yet, you still chose to send your son, fully knowing I would take him out at the first chance!" The realization struck Kwan hard, a wave of anger washed over him, his heart raced, his muscles coiled, and everything turned crimson in his sight.
"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" his grandfather's voice thundered, followed by a struggle. Just as he was about to step inside, the door swung open, revealing a man, who staggered out with a dagger embedded in his chest. The man collapsed lifelessly to the ground, and Kwan instinctively recoiled, his previous anger evaporating, replaced by a chilling fear. It was the first time he had witnessed death firsthand.
Minister Gi emerged from the room; his hands stained with blood. The two stared at each other in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" the old man questioned, his voice trembling.
"Wait, just a moment, are you saying Minister Gi killed a man? But he's, um, kind of a coward, isn't he? No offense meant" Mun-He interjected.
"None taken," Kwan replied, "He is a person who is usually brave when surrounded by his bodyguards" which left Mun-He looking quite puzzled.
Kwan gathered his courage to voice the question he already dreaded, "Is it true that he murdered my father?" His voice rose, and the simmering anger began to bubble to the surface.
Minister Gi's face shifted from shock to a hardened expression. Rather than respond directly, he countered with a question of his own, "What have you heard?"
Kwan sensed a shift in his grandfather's tone and chose his words carefully, "I heard everything—that he was the one who killed my father and..."
"And what else, boy?!" Minister Gi snapped, his impatience evident.
"And that you sent my father, your own son, to his death!" Kwan shot back, his glare piercing. "Why?"
"I messed up," Minister Gi confessed to his grandson. "I didn't realize what would unfold. He stepped up to handle the payment, so I let him take charge."
Kwan fired back, "But you were aware he had a vendetta against my father! You knew he could kill him, yet you still sent him into danger!"
"What was I supposed to do?" Minister Gi shouted, frustration evident.
Kwan charged at his grandfather, ready to strike, but halted just in time. "If he were my son... if he were my son, I would have given my life for him!"
Minister Gi pushed him away. "That's just emotional nonsense! Don't act like when your life is on the line, you wouldn't fight to survive!"
"Not at the cost of my family's lives!" Kwan yelled, his anger surging.