Joseon Idols

 

Since the madam absolutely refused to sell Byeolho, I had no choice but to step back, at least for now. No matter how much I disliked her, she was a so-called “lady” around here, and I couldn’t simply force her to let him go.

 

“I am a compassionate person. I treat that poor child like family, so don’t trouble yourself with unnecessary concern.”

 

I’ve never seen someone who openly calls themselves kind actually turn out to be kind.

 

The goateed man chimed in.

 

“He sure eats a lot, but he works like an ox, so there’s no reason to sell him off, really.”

 

While the three of them argued, Byeolho walked off toward the stable without a care in the world.

 

Watching his retreating figure, my eyes stung with tears. People eventually adjust to their surroundings, no matter how harsh. The invisible chains around his neck seemed to tighten painfully around my own heart.

 

As soon as I confirmed that the madam and the goateed man had left through the gate, I seized the moment to slip some coins into Byeolho’s hand.

 

“I really think of you as a little brother, Byeolho… or, should I say, Jjangdol. Whenever you’re hungry, just come by. Where did you say you lived?”

 

“It’s close by, near the local government office… but really? Can I come anytime? Your food is so good.”

 

He said, scratching his head bashfully.

 

I nodded vigorously. 

 

“Of course. Anytime you want.”

 

Byeolho smiled, still scratching his head. 

 

“I understood why you tried to buy me just now, and I appreciate the thought, but they’ll never let me go. I doubt they’ll ever set me free, so thank you anyway, really.”

 

A shadow passed over Byeolho’s face, a brief flicker of resignation. I could tell just by the way they treated him, as though he were little more than livestock.

 

“Jjanngdol, hurry back!”

 

As soon as the madam’s grating, flirtatious voice drifted over, Byeolho lowered his head slightly toward me, then reluctantly turned back to her and the others. 

 

This couldn’t go on. I clenched my fists tightly. I had to find a way to get him out of there, one way or another.

 

***

 

From that day on, I began to ask every customer I could about the magistrate’s household and gathering whatever rumors were circulating.

 

“Oh, the magistrate’s place? It’s over near the government offices, right there at the start of the market street. That’s the one.”

 

“But here’s the thing about that house…”

 

“Right? Everyone knows except the magistrate himself.”

 

“Poor guy’s clueless; he thinks his wife is too ugly for anyone else to bother with.”

 

I nodded along, feigning casual interest as I listened to every detail. People love to talk, and the tavern was a gathering spot for every kind of gossip. With so many people coming and going, information flowed as freely as the drinks.

 

Before long, I had a good picture of the magistrate’s household. If money wouldn’t buy Byeolho’s freedom, I’d have to try another method. I’d learned from my years in the entertainment business that sometimes the key wasn’t effort or even patience—it was timing.

 

To start, I made a habit of taking walks near the government office to familiarize myself with the magistrate’s face. Surprisingly, recognizing him turned out to be quite easy. The goateed servant was always groveling at his side, making the magistrate easy to spot. 

 

Unlike his wife, the magistrate himself was rail-thin, with a perpetually tense expression and a pronounced furrow in his brow shaped like the character “川.” 

 

The goateed man, it seemed, was the family’s steward, overseeing everything from escorting the magistrate back and forth to spending his afternoons attending to the madam’s whims.

 

“What a charming life he has…”

 

Eventually, I found a moment to approach the goateed man outside the government office.

 

“Oh! Hello! You remember me, don’t you?”

 

He scowled, giving me a hard, scrutinizing look from head to toe.

 

“Oh, you’re that tavern lady from the market street, right? Shouldn’t you stick to serving soup instead of wandering around?”

 

“Well, I’ve been told to ‘stick to making soup’ before. It’s a timeless piece of advice.”

 

He grunted in confusion. “What are you babbling on about? Anyway, don’t you dare try to talk to me again. We’re not friends.”

 

He raised his hand in an attempt to threaten me, but his posture was far from intimidating. I leaned in, grabbing the collar of his coat, and whispered quietly.

 

“I heard you’re struggling a bit with the madam lately.”

 

“Wh-what? Wh-when did I say that?”

 

“I can see that you two have feelings for each other—clear as day. But that servant of hers seems to be standing in your way, doesn’t he?”

 

It was hard to keep a straight face as I leaned in close to his now blushing, wide-eyed face. I had to remind myself not to judge. Attraction, after all, is subjective. Everyone has their own taste…

 

As I continued to nod and agree with his story, he grew more animated, finally spilling the details of their “tragic love.” He even told me about a jade bead they’d split in half and carried as a token of their devotion.

 

“But lately, she barely visits me anymore… Instead, she’s always hanging around that servant, that… Jangdol or whatever his name is…”

 

“That’s exactly it! Tell the master that Jjangdol has been making advances toward her! They’ll throw him out without a second thought.”

 

The servant’s eyes widened with fear, and he shook his head anxiously. His cowardice was almost painful to witness.

 

“But what if… what if something happens to the madam?”

 

“Just blame it all on the servant for chasing after the madam. That way, it’ll all fall on him.”

 

“But still…”

 

“Keep hesitating, and what’ll you do if the madam and Jjangdol end up running off together? Then you’ll be the one left out in the cold. Think it over carefully.”

 

The goateed servant clenched his fist and nodded along vigorously, absorbing my words. After setting a time for our scheme, I returned to the tavern and leaned back, gazing up at the sky. The weather seemed clear, but storm clouds were brewing in the distance.

 

Just a bit of fanning, and this harmless spark would become a hurricane in the eyes of these love-blinded fools… I only hoped that the wind would carry them far, far away.

 

Now, if this man was really Byeolho, he would act exactly as I predicted—based on a peculiar personal principle he’d always held, something only I and the other members of Eternal knew. I was betting on that tonight.

 

* * *

 

As dusk fell and I saw the light in Byeolho’s room go out, I positioned myself carefully near the lord’s house. Soon after, deep into the night, the madam opened her door and stretched.

 

“Ahem, ahem, is anyone around? Anyone?”

 

She called out, checking if the coast was clear. Hearing no response, she quietly slipped open Byeolho’s door.

 

Soon, her shrill voice started echoing through the night. The moonlight cast a faint blue glow over the front yard before the clouds gathered thickly, plunging everything into darkness.

 

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the back gate as the lord and the goateed servant approached.

 

“H-hold on, just a bit more. You need to secretly w-watch the scene unfold!” whispered the goateed servant nervously.

 

Ignoring the servant’s warnings, the lord strode briskly forward, grabbed the oil lamp from the hallway, and flung open Byeolho’s door without hesitation. I quickly stepped up to the threshold, peering in at the spectacle that awaited.

 

“Oh my goodness!”

 

Byeolho, tightly wrapped in his blanket, was sleeping in full defensive mode. Not a single part of him was exposed, leaving no room for the madam’s grasping hands. 

 

She, dressed only in her undergarments, was desperately trying to peel the blanket back, her efforts so pitiful it was almost laughable. Realizing her predicament too late, she covered herself in horror, but the damage was done.

 

Yes, this was the Byeolho I knew. 

 

Byeolho, The “Fortress”. 

 

He had always promised to remain pure until he found the love of his life, never once even dabbling in a scandal. Meanwhile, the goateed servant looked even more crestfallen than the husband, the district magistrate, who had just stumbled upon this scene.

 

“My, my lady! Quickly, please cover up! Oh, the indecency of it all!” the servant sputtered, visibly distressed.

 

The magistrate turned away, his voice barely above a whisper. 

 

“The three of you—come to the front yard at once.”

 

The madam was visibly trembling, her entire body shaking with dread. Byeolho, still half-asleep, was rubbing his eyes and nodding off as he stood there, utterly bewildered by the situation. 

 

Meanwhile, the servant was in a frenzy, glancing nervously between the magistrate, who was visibly fuming, and the madam with tearful, pleading eyes.

 

The magistrate cast a curious look my way, at which point the servant interjected, “This is just a mere tavern keeper, here to testify to the lady’s innocence.”

 

Really? I didn’t remember agreeing to that…

 

Suddenly, the madam collapsed to the ground, sobbing loudly.

 

“Your Grace, I have committed an unforgivable sin!” she wailed, referring to herself as a “maiden,” which was a bit of a stretch.

 

“My heart… it was too easily swayed by the servant’s gaze, and I… I lost control.”

 

“…”

 

“I beg you, punish me as you see fit. I will accept any sentence—even being cast out as an outcast—I will endure it all.”

 

Byeolho’s eyelids were fighting against overwhelming sleep, but his gaze was empty, as if he couldn’t care less about what was happening around him. It seemed like he had no concern for the outcome of the situation at all. 

 

Meanwhile, the love-stricken servant, Goatsbeard, took it a step further.

 

“Please, forgive me! I should have stopped that servant, but I failed! Please, punish me in the madam’s place!” 

 

He pleaded, his voice full of guilt and desperation.

 

I shook my head at the sight of this strange couple asking for punishment. Byeolho finally glanced in my direction and gave me a silent greeting. So now he noticed me…

 

“Yeah, Byeolho. You’ve always struggled with sleep, fighting it during every schedule…” 

 

Sometimes, his frustrating habits seemed endearing in hindsight.

 

The magistrate, still with his chin resting on his hand, looked at me, his face twisted in suspicion as if waiting for me to say something. 

 

“…As a tavern keeper, I’ve heard many rumors. But rumors aren’t always reliable, so I kept quiet. However, today, I have proof to share. The servant with the goat’s beard and the madam are in a real romantic relationship.”

 

“No! No, that’s not true!” 

 

Goatsbeard shouted, rushing to cover my mouth. But Byeolho stepped forward and gently blocked him. 

 

“They’ve split a jade bead as a token of their love, and they always carry it with them. You should check for yourselves.”

 

The magistrate twisted his mouth into a snarl.

 

“A jade bead? I’ve seen one before. My wife used to drop it from her clothing whenever she took off her jacket. Is that what you’re talking about? She told me it was a keepsake from her late grandmother.” 

 

The magistrate then turned to Goatsbeard.

 

“Are you going to end up stripped here? Choose. I don’t want to dirty my hands any more.”

 

The magistrate asked, his tone sharp as he eyed Goatsbeard, who was gripping his collar tightly, unable to laugh or cry.

 

“You already have have six sons and daughters. Are you even in your right mind?” 

 

The magistrate clicked his tongue, looking at Goatsbeard, who remained silent.

 

I couldn’t believe it—Goatsbeard, a married man with six kids. The revelation was almost too much.

 

Meanwhile, Byeolho seemed to be slowly drifting away from the center of the commotion. Thank goodness. Everything was going as I had planned so far.

 

I carefully opened my mouth to speak. 

 

“I apologize, but I’ve already testified. I don’t want to see you continuing to be deceived, Master. So, I’ve risked everything to speak out today. I also want to make it clear that the cause of this disturbance lies with these two, and that your servant is innocent.”

 

The magistrate sighed and muttered.

 

“I thought she would at least keep her chastity, but I’ve known for a while now that every man who enters this house makes her lose her senses.”

 

It felt too calm. The only ones trembling in fear now were Goatsbeard and his lover, the madam.

 

“However, since you are the daughter of a wealthy family, I will forgive you anytime.”

The magistrate declared, and immediately, the madam began to wail loudly, slapping the ground in despair.

 

What? He’s forgiving her just like that?

 

No, why is she reacting like this when her husband is saying he’s forgiving her?

 

“Just leave me! I can’t stand this loveless marriage any longer! I only wanted love!”

 

The magistrate, with a benevolent smile, took her hand and lifted it gently. “What are you saying? I don’t expect anything from you. Just continue to live as my wife on the outside. It doesn’t matter if you sleep with someone else.”

 

The madam collapsed to the floor in devastation, unable to cry any longer. 

 

Next to her, Goatsbeard was pacing, not knowing what to do.

 

The magistrate approached me and casually tossed a bundle of copper coins in front of me with a loud clink.

 

“This is for your silence.”

 

Copper coins? Wait, money? Is he trying to buy me off for 100 nyang right now?

Hi everyone! It's Flo here!

I usually translate BLs but I wanted to try something new and it's very interesting and fun for me to read so I hope you guys enjoy it too! The chapters will be updated every Thursday!

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