As True as a Dream

Sitting cross-legged at the bamboo feet as Yi Ho had instructed, Hongo spoke.

 “I have heard that you have information about Guishan Dao.” 

As Hongo spoke, Hae-Joo, who was sitting on the other side of the bamboo foot, turned to face him.

 

Between the tightly woven bamboo cane and the half-closed sliding door, it was impossible to see who was on the other side.

 “Yes, I have information.” “First tell me what you know about the painting.” “It’s a painting of a mountain in the shape of a turtle’s head over the sea.” 

Sitting behind Hongo, Yi Ho puckered the red lips that were exposed under his mask.

 

This woman, Hae-Joo, deceives or tricks him every time they meet.

 

She never hasn’t.

 

From stealing his pocket watch, to shamelessly treating him as if he were dead, to making false obeisances, to deceiving him with a fake address, to trying to get him to do her bidding.

 

After receiving a harsh lesson in “impertinence” just a few days ago, she rushed to Song Yue once again.

 

Her courage is virtual, or should I say stupid.

 “The sea depicted in the painting is the East Sea. And the tortoise-headed mountain is inhabited by a black snake.” 

Hongo turned to look at him.

 

Yi Ho tilted his head to indicate that he should continue.

 “Is that all you know? Are you sure you have the information about the painting?” 

Yi Ho was slightly curious what other trick this woman was trying to pull.

 

Of course, he had an idea why she was here.

 

The day that Hae-Joo grabbed his leg and begged for her life, he had sent her the

“debt statement”

.

 

He remembers the look on Hae-Joo’s face as she peeked through the cracks several times to avoid paying the debt.

 

When she woke up, she would have been horrified to see the debt statement, and her little brain would have been trying to figure out how to pay the debt.

 

And he doesn’t know where it came from, but the 5,000 won hanging over Guishan Dao’s head must have been enough to make Hae-Joo squirm.

 

The result was this.

 “The black snake is called Man-In-sa.” 

Yi Ho, who had been quietly listening to Hae-Joo’s voice, raised an eyebrow under his mask.

 “Do you know what a man-eating snake is?” “Man-in-sa is a monster snake that eats people. According to the Shilok, it first appeared in Hamgyeongdo.”

Hae-Joo replied darkly.

 

Hongo looked at Yi Ho in astonishment.

 

Hongo’s round cheeks twitched with excitement.

 

Yi Ho gestured for Hongo to concentrate on the story.

 “Can you tell me more about the painting?” “The Guishan Dao were painted in the form of a scroll, and they were painted only with ink. He’s wearing a turtle-headed Santai, and he’s holding a round stone the size of a chestnut under his crown.” “Have you ever seen this painting?” “Yes. I’ve seen it.” 

Yi Ho narrowed his eyes.

‘Does this girl really know Guishan Dao?’

.

 

Once again, he thought he was hearing a bunch of bullshit, but surprisingly, it matched what he knew about Guishan Dao.

 

***

 “You don’t look very old…when and where did you see the painting?” 

She answered Hongo’s question with all the sincerity she could muster.

 

Hae-Joo dutifully answered his questions.

 

But this time, the answer didn’t come right away.

 “Excuse me?” 

Hongo shouted again, impatient, and Hae-Joo’s voice finally rose.

 “I’m curious, does the information value include when and where you saw it?” 

Yi Ho’s mouth tightened.

 

Of course it does.

 

For a woman who could lie shamelessly and bend whichever way the wind blew, he had to give her credit for her cunning and her mouth.

 “…You didn’t put the painting in my hands, so I can’t pay you the full amount, but I will pay you handsomely for some information.”

He said. Hongo looked at him, then turned to Hae-Joo and replied

 “What if I give you the painting?” 

The red tassels on Yi Ho’s fox mask swayed slightly, as if to show his true feelings.

 

Hongo looked back at him.

 

After a moment of silence and staring beyond the bamboo foot, Yi Ho raised his index finger toward Hongo Wu.

 

He pointed in the direction of the bamboo foot, a grin appeared on his face, and he gestured at his throat with the blade of his hand.

 “I’ll give you ten thousand yuan if you can bring me an authentic… Guishan Dao, but if the painting is a fake, you’ll have to take responsibility.” “What do you mean, take responsibility?” “You’ll know when we see it. Do you have the painting?” “No, I don’t. But if you give me a few days, I can find it.” “If you really have the painting! If you bring it back, we’ll go back and tell Miss Ying Yue. He’ll show you the way out.” 

Hongo turned to leave.

 

Just then, from behind his bamboo feet, Hae-Joo confirmed.

 “Are you sure you’ll pay me ten thousand yuan for the painting?” “I’ll say it with a bite.” “Has this old man ever seen Guishan Dao?” “Yes.” 

Hongo stood up and left the tatami room, and Yi Ho also left without a sound.

 “Why did she say that she had seen the painting before?” 

After leaving the tatami room and walking straight down the corridor and across the garden, Yi Ho asked Hongo, who followed close behind.

 

They knew that the painting of the ten thousand people was Guishan Dao, but they had never seen it.

 “If you’ve seen the painting, you won’t be able to fool them, and you can tell if it’s real or not just by looking at it, right?” 

Yi Ho, standing in the blind spot near the pavilion by the nails, didn’t answer, but looked back toward the annex.

 

Hae-Joo emerged from the annex, led by a servant, with a fresh smile on her face.

 

It was as if she had found a nugget of gold along the way.

 “I’ll trust you this time, won’t I? I’ve never met anyone who knows so much about paintings.” 

Yi Ho laughed at Hongo’s words.

 “Mr. Hongo has lived longer than me, yet you’re so easy to fool.” “What?” “If I throw you in front of Jingsheng Station, they will cut off your nose in less than an hour. How about you go and stand there?” 

Hongo pinched his own nose with a wrinkled, chubby hand and looked at him.

 

Yi Ho hummed a tune and stared at the back of Hae-Joo’s head as he disappeared through the main gate of the annex.

 

Of course, he was just as eager as Hongo to find Guishan Dao quickly.

 

He was somewhat annoyed by the series of missteps.

 

However, judging from her behavior so far, he was also suspicious.

 

What if she cheated again, what should he do then?

 

Yi Ho thought of the precious items on the shelves in the chamber.

 

This time, it wouldn’t be a lesson, it would be his life.

 

Beneath his mask, he smiled, his eyes suddenly showing a hint of fierceness.

 

***

 

After leaving the Song Yue Pavilion, Hae-Joo went straight to the Iori Automobile Trading Company to report that she was taking a few days off for family reasons.

 

She returned home, opened the bag she had thrown in the corner of her room, and packed again.

 

Of course, she wasn’t going to run away.

 

She was going to travel a long way for the

“10,000 yuan”

offered by an adult looking for Guishan Dao.

 

Her destination was Gongju, Chungcheong Province, where she had lived with her adoptive father for 12 years.

 

After packing a simple bag for two nights, Hae-Joo set off again and bought a train ticket on the Gyeongbu Line at Gyeongseong Station.

 

She then wandered the streets of Honmachi, an authentic village, buying homecoming gifts with both hands.

 

She lived for 12 years in a remote mountain village with only 18 houses.

 

All the adults in the village watched her grow up, and the children followed her as their street captain.

 

When she left the village a year ago, she thought she would never return.

 

But here she is again.

 

She packed all the western sweets, chocolates and chewing gum she had bought, as well as medicines such as Indan, a general health medicine, and Yonggaksan, a cough medicine, velvet soap and folk dolls, into one bag.

 

The next day.

 

She put on a yellow dress and a watch she hadn’t used in years.

 

Hae-Joo braided her long hair, which she usually hid under a hat, into a ponytail and put a yellow flower pin in it.

 

She also wore light makeup.

 

She grabbed her bag and headed for Gyeongseong Station.

 

No, she wanted to go there.

 

As she was leaving Iksunjeong Alley, she suddenly turned around and headed for Song Yue Pavilion.

 

Hae-Joo was afraid that if she left Gyeongseong like this, she would have a bad experience like the

“foot fever”

she had a while ago.

 

This time, she didn’t wander around for long and went straight to Yi Ho’s lawn.

 

Before I could even see the mysterious path, I ran into a red-faced middle-aged man.

 

He was politely called

“Mr. Hongo”

by the staff.

 

It was this man who had brought the Japanese police to the hospital on the day of the

“accident”

.

 “Your father is not here. If you have something to say to him, please say it to me.” Visit my Ko-fi for discounted advance chapters!!