"May I help you?" An old lady said as soon as they entered the shop, in her hands were folded rolls of the silk cloth. The room had a sweet floral scent, most likely from the dye used to make the pink hue for the cloth. Around her eyes were the milestones of decades of experience and life, her voice was soft but with a glint of alert.
Dohyun was careful not to expose their real intentions since the woman could choose to tell on them; it was a situation to be handled carefully. "Yes, we came from far away just to find the so-called lotus silk, I was intrigued when I first heard of it, I had to see it with my own eyes", Dohyun said enthusiastically.
The woman gave them a head to toe look, but with Dohyun's eager face, she couldn't tell anything wrong. "Well, you sure have come to the right place. Most of the other lotus shops closed down long ago, how did you come to know of this?"
"A friend of mine who used to live here mentioned it once, since I'm partaking on a journey of my own I made my way over here to buy some."
"Hmm a peculiar young man, you don't strike me to be a person interested in such things", she said, taking a seat, pointing her arm to the other seats. Dohyun and Jaeyong both sat down as well.
"Ah, I get that alot", Dohyun shyly said, he wasn't exactly interested in such things at all but for his other hobbies, he's often told that it was uncommon for men of royalty to have such eccentric, or rather, unconventional interests. Lying wasn't something he smiled upon, but there was some truth in it. "I have an interest for flowers and herbs, I also never knew that lotus plants could be made into silk, ajumma, please tell how it is done."
If he wasn't interested in the cloth itself, he couldn't help but be intrigued to see how the lotus plant was utilized. Seeing that he expressed honest curiosity, the woman smiled and handed him one of the finished products. It was smooth in his hands, the pattern was impeccably done, the soft pink color just like that of the lotus flower. "Exquisite…"Dohyun said, "I've never held a cloth so soft and delicate as this before."
The woman chuckled, "Indeed there is nothing like it in this world. The fibers of the lotus stem are extracted by hand, the technique can take months to learn and one could be extracting the fiber for an entire day and still not be enough.
When there is finally enough, we turn it into a yarn to which we later weave into complex patterns like the one you're holding right now. Lastly we dye them a light pink to highlight our gratitude to the lotus flower."
She pointed to a small overcoat that hung from the wall, "That right there took seven months to finish."
It was a time consuming process and it took a lot of hard work by hand. The value of such products had to be especially high. Dohyun suddenly asked, "With such value to your pieces, what happened to all the other shops? Why would such a business go out?"
The woman shook her head, "We've always been settled here at the top of this hill, there are many reasons why the shops could have closed down but I'm not entirely sure what the main reason would be. All I know is that one day after going to the market down there, all the other lotus silk weavers moved out and left their buildings to nothing." She sighed, "It takes a lot of hard work and determination to make a single small roll of the cloth but it was an art that people like myself enjoy."
"I see…" Dohyun said. "Ajumma, how much would a roll like this cost?"
"Roughly four pouches, but you young man won't be able to purchase any until nine months from now."
"Nine months?" It was a lot longer than he expected. "It's not that a small roll like that takes nine months to finish but we here have to keep up with the orders from our buyers, they usually buy ten rolls at a time leaving no room for us to entertain other customers."
"Ten rolls…" Dohyun repeated, "That would definitely be costly, who could afford such a price?"
"I've often questioned that myself, every year a certain amount of rolls is ordered from us which people from the Golden Capital buy. Although, the person who orders them never comes here himself; his men just pick up the cloth then leave."
With that, Dohyun confirmed it had to be the person they were looking for, but now the problem was that she seemed to not know the person at all. "You're saying you don't even know the name of your primary buyer?" Dohyun asked, keeping his tone curious. "I guess his name was mentioned once, Hak Kun? Although, I'm not sure. Since it never posed a problem, I never really minded."
Dohyun racked his brain thinking if he knew anyone by the name of Hak Kun, it seemed familiar but he couldn't be sure.
The woman suddenly chuckled, "Now that I think of it, it does seem rather odd. Why would anyone need so much of this cloth?" Smiling, she said, "Although, there is someone that always comes to mind when I think of this…"
"Do tell", Dohyun urged.
"It's a long story", she said. "Don't worry, hyung and I here don't mind, we don't actually have anything else here to do, plus, I'm already very interested in this person who's making me have to wait another nine months before I can get my own", he said with a chuckle.
"Well, to start off… When I had just started my business here on this hill around twenty years ago there was a young master who visited this village. The village back then was the same as it is today, the only difference was that there were many more lotus silk shops around.
This place had always had a sense of tradition or slowness to it. The young master had a keen interest in things here. Like you, he was also fascinated by the process of making lotus silk, at the time he could only buy enough to make a scarf.
I knew that the young master had to be someone wealthy just from the quality of his clothes. One time he asked if I could make him a hanbok made of lotus silk. At first I declined, who knew if he could actually afford it or not. After some time, he returned to this village with enough money to buy three hanboks. Having proven his point, I accepted his offer and since then he became a regular customer here.
Funny enough, you sort of remind me of him. A curious soul, one who can appreciate the arts. Going back, one night he rushed over here with a wounded boy on his back, it seemed ;ike he had been badly beaten up by thieves. I couldn't just leave him there to bleed out so I called over the doctor and he regained his consciousness and strength in no time. By the time he woke up, the young master had already gone back to his place due to personal matters.
Weeks later he returned to check up on things. During that time, the boy he brought back ran some errands for me in gratitude for us helping him. He finally met the young master who had helped him that night and they soon became close friends. Or so what it looked like to me. That boy- Myung-ah? I'm not sure what his name was but the young master offered him a job back from where he lived.
After the hanboks were finished, he said he'd come and visit once in a while. The younger boy who was rather goofy at the time promised that they would buy all the lotus silk our shop made in the future, his conviction was something else. Strangely enough, the young master never returned after that. A few years later, that boy came back alone and asked to stay the night. I don't know what happened but he got himself overly drunk. The whole night he mumbled things like 'we'll buy all the lotus silk', 'I'll get it all for you'. I kept my questions to myself. After that, I also never saw him again, sometimes I wonder if he's the one buying all the lotus silk…"
If all of this occurred twenty years ago then it could be possible that that boy and the young master could have become wealthy people by now. But even so, why would anyone bother to spend that much, or what would they use it for.
As Dohyun thought about it, the name the woman mentioned popped up in his mind, 'Myung-ah?' It was unlikely, but there was someone they knew by the name of 'Myung' who also was wealthy and lived in the Golden Capital. "Ajumma, by any chance does the name Nam Myung ring a bell?"
Jaeyong turned his head to look at him, his eyes glinting with different expressions. But Dohyun kept his gaze on the woman, for a moment her eyes widened as she thought about it, but seconds later she still shook her head, "I'm really not sure, it has been too long."
If it were around twenty years ago then there was the slightest chance he was correct. But then, why would Nam Myung have anything to do with the lotus silk and the person behind his attacks? Nothing lined up.
The woman made her way to a small desk and pulled out a few drawers as if searching for something. "Found it", she said, eventually pulling out an old norigae, "That time that Myung-ah boy came back here alone he accidentally left this here.
Although the piece was old and battered with time, there was no mistaking Dohyun's eyes. It was the same tassel the generation of royal princes wore before, there was no mistake because his father used to wear the same kind.
'How could this end up here?' Dohyun thought to himself as he studied the piece. Jaeyong seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"Is it a design you recognize?" The woman asked.
Dohyun blinked his eyes, "Not really, I think I might have seen it before though…"
He had seen it before, and now he was certain something was terribly wrong. But whatever it was, he had no clue at all, the only hint they had was that that person was related to the royal palace and was wealthy enough.
Schooling his thoughts, Dohyun said, "That was quite an interesting story ajumma, I guess I'll return in nine months, we'll actually be around in the village for the next few days… I was hoping if you remembered that person, if you could tell me, he seems like he has an interesting story, I would like to meet him."
The woman chuckled, "I doubt that with this memory of mine but if I happen to do, I'll go visit you down in the village proper."
With that, Dohyun and Jaeyong left, it was already reaching eight-thirty and the area was darker as they walked. Ever since the two left, the same thought had been circling their minds. The right hand man of the General Inspector, Nam Myung, was he related to this at all?
It was a far guess and they had nothing on it except for the fact that the person's name was 'Myung'.
"Your highness", Jaeyong said stopping behind him, his face was serious with glints of worry. "What do you plan to do?" He asked.
"I-"
Cutting him off before Dohyun could answer, "Let us take care of it, we'll investigate more deeply when we get back. Your highness should avoid putting yourself in danger, it would be far too complicated if it is what we think."
"What is it we think, hyung?" Dohyun calmly replied, he could tell Jaeyong was disturbed so he tried himself to keep his calm.
"... Nam Myung." He replied.
Dohyun sighed, "I don't plan on confronting him right away. Right now it is only a mere suspicion that we have, despite there being a chance, I really don't think he is that kind of person. It could be that he's just working with them or that it could be a completely different person."
Jaeyong looked like he wanted to say more but he couldn't find the right words.
They made their way back to the inn where Minhye and Mee Yon were waiting in the living area, Byung Ho was still watching over Seonghwa and the rest of the wonhwa were on guard outside. "Dohyun-ssi", Mee Yon said as they walked in, "You both were out for some time, I started wondering if any problems occurred."
Dohyun shook his head, "Nothing of the sort Mee Yon-ssi, I just happened to ask the shop owner to explain how the fabric is made, the process is actually quite arduous."
The next moment Byung Ho walked out of the room, "Mee Yon-ssi, he's awake."
Nodding her head, Mee Yon took a deep breath and went inside to explain to Seonghwa. They talked in the room for a long time. No one knew what they specifically conversed about but they all had a slight idea of some of it. This time Seonghwa didn't run out, instead when they were finished, both of them stepped out with resolved faces.
With everyone they wanted to thank already in the room, they both sincerely bowed their heads. "Master Bu Dohyun, we genuinely thank you for your kindness", Mee Yon said. Dohyun stood up waving his hand, "Please don't suddenly bow like this, I'm only returning my end… there really is no need."
Mee Yons usual expression resurfaced, with a laugh she said, "What person in the world would actually return their end to a deal like ours? Dohyun-ssi, you are a pure person, don't let that change." "Oh, and by the way, why don't you call us comfortably by now, I'm most likely your noona anyway."
By this point Dohyun was already used to Mee Yon's quick changes in attitude and expression, with a smile he said, "Alright Mee Yon noona and Seonghwa dongsaeng, you must also call me comfortably."
Minhye interrupted their small chatter reminding them it was late out, "Continue the chat tomorrow, for now let's all get some rest." With that, they all retired to their rooms, as usual Dohyun and Jaeyong shared the same room.
The rooms here were smaller compared to the previous inns they had stayed at, it was also quite old with little to no decor. The bedding was also simpler as they only provided thin straw mats to lay on and some blankets. Under the mat, the coolness of the floor made its way through, causing them both to shiver. There was no way they would be able to sleep like this.
Dohyun sat up and looked towards Jaeyong, "Hyung, it's too cold, we should just stack the matts up instead." Jaeyong nodded his head and moved his mat on top of Dohyun's mat. He carried his blanket in his hands as he began to walk over to the side. Seeing how he was going to go sleep without a mat instead, Dohyun reached out his hand and caught Jaeyong's wrist.
With a swift tug, he pulled him over back to the other side, "I didn't mean that I wanted to use yours all for myself. Stop being funny hyung and sleep next to me."
Telling how Dohyun wasn't joking from the tone of his voice, Jaeyong hesitantly nodded his head and lightly positioned himself on the right side. Dohyun slept on his side, his back facing Jaeyong while Jaeyong laid there stiffly on his back. He would probably get better sleep on the cold ground than thinking he's committing a grave sin sleeping next to a royal all night.
"Dohyun?" Jaeyong said softly, looking the other way, he was bothered by what Dohyun had said earlier.
"Yes hyung?"
"Why won't you let us take care of all of it?" Why do you have to put yourself in such an inconvenient position?
For the most part, Dohyun knew it was something that could be solved by them. That he could choose to continue like nothing has happened knowing there will always be someone to protect him. He knew that it also wasn't the wisest idea to take this upon himself but nevertheless, if he didn't, he would always be incapable of solving his own problems. He would always rely on his power and influence as a prince to get whatever he wanted in life, just like the queen wished. Just like she had said many times before.
But that was something he vowed never to let happen, to never become corrupted by wealth and power.
Sighing, "The queen… How am I to become my own person if someone has already laid out a path for me to follow?"
"But you already are your own person, your highness, your principles are what makes you different. They're what makes you you."
After a while, Dohyun replied, "You're right and wrong. I may have my own principles but have you heard of the saying 'to have principles first have courage'?
What use are they if I can't lead and use them openly? I'm still a coward who dares not to defy the rules of the palace."
"Then it is the palace that does not deserve a leader like you", Jaeyong replied.
Dohyun laughed, "Hyung, are you trying to flatter me right now? What I said is true, that's why I must gather up my courage."
"If his highness says so", Jaeyong replied. After that, Dohyun closed his eyes to sleep, after another long day of travel and finding things out, fatigue took over his whole body. Even though he was halfway sleeping, he thought he heard something along the lines of, '...but his highness finds it hard to pull out...courage inside… always seek for me, I will…'
The following day, they all spread out in the village checking all corners to make sure there wasn't any other lotus silk shop, if there was then that added to the possibility of them having the wrong lead.
Dohyun and Jaeyong took the eastern side of the village, by the looks of it not many people wandered around outside. From one of the larger buildings a child was being dragged in by the collar, "Stop resisting you brat! Who'd find a scrammy thing like you valuable like this?!"
'Trafficking?!' A sudden feeling overcame Dohyun, he had to find out just what they were doing to that kid.
"Hyung!" He said, Jaeyong had the same thoughts but would rather Dohyun didn't act too rashly, "Be calm first, we don't know how many people are in there-"
"I know, I know, let's just see the situation first."
It was bad, they could tell it was bad but perhaps there was just a misunderstanding.