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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 11:37:15 GMT -5
Running as fast as they could, Soon Shin and Chun Soo pursued the pickpocket who had tried to rob them earlier. Tripping, Chun Soo fell to the ground. "Soon Shin-ah! Get him!" he shouted.
Gaining on the fleeing man, Soon Shin finally grabbed him, but froze on the spot when he saw Song Byung Taek. Oblivious, Chun Soo ran up to the pickpocket and grabbed him by the shirt. "You rotten little..." he muttered, until he too saw Byung Taek.
Curling up his lip in his trademark sneer, Byung Taek said, "Who is this? Aren't you Yi Soon Shin?" Soon Shin looked away.
Emerging from inside, his new employer saw the two noblemen standing on his doorstep and asked, "Sirs! Why do you not enter?"
"What is that thing doing here?" Byung Taek asked in an accusatory tone.
"Ah, he had nowhere to go, so I took him in as a worker...do you know him, sir?"
"Whether i know him or not, how could you take in a dangerous person like that?" Byung Taek entered the house.
(Chun Soo worries that they will be thrown out before they can prove themselves as hard workers)
"What will we do?" Chun Soo asked Soon Shin anxiously. "We'll be thrown out before we are even allowed to work. Oh, it's enough to drive a person insane! Why is the magistrate's son here of all places?"
The door opened and Moojik, the pickpocket, strode in wiping off his upper body. "What do you mean, why is he here?" he said, as if the answer were obvious. "The master and ..." he explained.
"Is that true?" Chun Soo asked skeptically.
"I don't believe this..." Moojik muttered. " !"
Hugging his pack tightly at the memory of why they had gotten acquainted, Chun Soo replied warily, "Why would we trust a thief like you who tried to rob us?"
Moojik continued to wipe himself off, unconcerned. "Do as you like. Trust me or don't trust me - it's your choice." Pausing for a moment, he looked at Chun Soo indignantly and said, "Really! Here I am trying to be nice to you and look how you act...I can't believe you.." he trailed off muttering.
"But, are the two of them really close?" CHun Soo asked again.
"Close? The master calls his father grandpa!" He began chuckling at the thought.
"What are we going to do?" Chun Soo said mournfully. "We were all set to work for him and feed ourselves that way..." Soon Shin's thoughts raced as he tried to think of a way out of their predicament.
"Are you saying that you won't get rid of him?" Byung Taek shouted at the merchant.
"Why are you so worked up about it?"
"That person is a son of a traitor!"
" " the merchant said blithely.
"What the hell did you say?"
The eunuch broke in, " "
" "
"You know why I am here, correct?"
"yes, "
" "
" ". He gave a small chuckle. "Of what concern is it that you have taken in a traitor's son?" HIs voice took on a hard edge as he said, " "
Throwing their bags into the dirt, the laborers then followed by throwing Soon Shin and Chun Soo after them.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 12:00:23 GMT -5
Sharing some wine after Soon Shin's removal, Byung taek looks happy.
Chun Soo looked worriedly at Soon Shin's long face. "Forget about it," he said in a low voice. "Just forget all about it and let's eat our rice." When Soon Shin gave no reply, he continued, "Eat!" Placing a pair of chopsticks in his friend's hands, Chun Soo encouraged, "You have to keep up your strength in any case if you are going to take those rotten guys on!" Soon Shin only set down his chopsticks dejectedly. "Hey, ." At this, Soon Shin raised his eyes. "Please eat!" he begged. "Eat, and be strong. Just be strong and live well." Grabbing his pack with a happy smile he reminded him, "And remember we have money still!" Chuckling, Chun Soo urged again, "eat!" and with a twinnkle in his eye, he dug into his own bowl of rice with gusto, gesturing for Soon Shin to do the same. Watching his friend's unfailing optimism, Soon Shin could not help but give a rueful smile as Chun Soo inhaled his dinner noisily. Picking up the chopsticks that he had set down, Soon Shin joined his friend.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 12:07:02 GMT -5
The next morning found Soon Shin and Chun Soo set up in a busy spot in the market thoroughfare. Soon Shin was busily polishing some earthenware jars and smiled as he watched Chun Soo carefully count out his money to a man waiting with his ox cart. "This is the correct amount, right?" Chun Soo asked him.
"Good luck with them!" the man told him cheerfully as Chun soo bowed his thanks.
"When we need more, we'll come looking for you again!" he told the merchant. As the man walked away, Chun Soo shot a happy look at Soon Shin and gave another of his happy giggles. Unfortunately, he was so caught up in his excitement that he failed to notice one of Byung taek's henchmen watching them from a distance...
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 12:28:48 GMT -5
Reclining lazily, Byung taek snapped his fan shut and sat up. "So, Yi Soon Shin has set up a little shop?"
"yes, sir" his servant replied.
"I can't understand..."
"What shall we do?"
"Though we keep stepping on him, he keeps getting up." Looking at his servant, Byung taek ordered, "Kick him down again."
"Yes, sir!" His henchman seemed only too happy to comply with his master's wishes.
In the market place, Chun Soo enthusiastically showed off their new wares. "Jars! Jars! Buy some jars! Throw 'em and they won't break!" he shouted tapping a lid against his head by way of demonstration.
"hehe " one bemused woman said aloud as she watched his antics.
"No no, it's true!" Chun Soo said amicably. Soon Shin couldn't help but laugh at his friend's salesmanship. "If you put salt in them, it won't go bad and ...."
The woman gave a hearty laugh. "If that is true, this isn't just a jar but a demon trap!"
"Please take one," Soon Shin suggested bowing. "We'll give you a good deal!"
"From a couple of handsome guys, like you, I guess i have to buy one," she said with a smile, handing Chun Soo some coins.
Looking from his hand to the lady's face, Chun Soo gave a goofy smile and cajoled, "Oh, please give a little more..."
"Aigo, you're a real piece of work!" the lady replied.
Chun Soo chuckled affably again, "Yes, yes, here you go!" He handed her a jar, adding, "Take it and use it well!"
"Sell a lot of them," she encouraged him with a smile.
"Goodbye!" CHun Soo said with broad smile. Showing Soon Shin their first earnings, Chun Soo dropped it into a small bowl. "This is just the start!" he said, beaming. "you just watch, we'll be making lots of money soon!" As soon shin set down the bowl, CHun Soo returned to advertising their wares. "Jars! Jars! Buy some jars!" HIs happy shouts were interrupted by a group of men who began throwing and kicking their newly purchased merchandise. Running to stop them he cried, "What are you doing?"
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 12:37:29 GMT -5
At Yu Song Ryong's home, Won Kyun glared at his host from across his game board. "Aren't you even the slightest bit worried about Soon Shin?" he asked in an irritated tone. When Song Ryong remained silent, he pushed again, "Aren't you?" Song Ryong made no reply and simply rummaged around his bowl of game pieces. "Why you little..." Kyun muttered.
" " Song Ryong said quietly.
"Hey!" he shouted back indignantly. THis succeeded in getting Song Ryong to look up. " ?"
Ignoring his question, Song Ryong asked, "So, are you going to make your move?"
" "
Song Ryong looked back down at the board. " ? Go on, make a move."
Kyun was not about to let the subject drop. "If you are going to be like that, then i am going to go look for soon shin. That suits me much better."
" " Song Ryong replied. " "
Kyun gave a scornful laugh in Song Ryong's direction. " " he spat, and looking away, he cleared his throat disgustedly.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 12:52:48 GMT -5
Song Ryong's doorman, approached the gate and opened it a crack to find Byung Taek's face waiting behind it. "Can I help you?" he asked.
His usualy surly expression on his face, Byung taek asked, "Am i correct in assuming that this is Yu Song Ryong's home?"
Unwrapping a few layers of bright silk, Byung take opened two hexagonal bowls containing white and black porcelain gamepieces. Pushing them towards Song Ryong, he said, "I heard that you enjoy ba dok (kind of chess/checkers) very much. These are the finest from China. I hope that you will teach me. Please take them."
Song Ryong cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked away from Byung taek's gift. Won Kyun gave another of his pointedly loud grunts at which song ryong apologized, "This is SOng Byung taek from asan."
"I am Won Kyun," Kyun replied gruffly. Byung taek bowed, but his faced showed that he was wary of this blunt friend of SOng Ryong's. "so you're from Asan, eh?" Kyun asked without ceremony. "Then you must be well acquainted with soon shin. is that right?"
"I know a little of him," Byung taek said noncomittally, "but how could i spend time next to a traitor's son?" Unwaware of Won Kyun's rising anger, he loooked at Song Ryong and continued, "In my experience, it is better for you to stay as far away from him as possible as well. What do we gain from being close to a traitor?"
Won Kyun's patience had run out. "Look here!" he shouted. "You'd better watch what you say," he said in warning.
Casting a snide look at Kyun, Byung Taek replied, "I was talking to master Yu. IN any case, "
"You little prick!" Kyun thundered, grabbing him by the collar. Byung Taek was caught completely off guard as Kyun effortlessly picked him up off the floor.
"Hey, who do you think you-"
" " Kyun shouted at him. Letting go of his collar he ordered, "Now get the hell out of here!"
" " he shouted back.
" " Kyun said, preparing to thrash him.
"that's enough," song ryong's voice broke in. "Go back to where you came from," he told Byung taek. "That would be best." Byung taek shot another look at kyun before departing. Kyun only grunted and looked away.
As he prepared to leave Song ryong's home, Kyun emerged from the house carrying his gift to Song Ryong. "Hey!" When Byung taek and his entourage turned, Kyun threw the game pieces on the ground in front of them. "You said it's valuable stuff, didn't you? Then you'd better take good care of it!" Byung taek simply stared at kyun in rage, unable to speak. Kyun threw him a smug look and with a grunt turned back into the house.
"that's the one," Kyun said solemnly to Song Ryong. "He's the one who is making Soon Shin's life difficult. Don't you think he's the one who brought up the whole traitor issue? Dammit, say something! What happened to the boy who stood up to our teacher to defend Soon Shin? Are you alright with throwing him away?" With a frustrated grunt, he rose and left.
" " Song Ryong thought.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 18:04:47 GMT -5
Walking to their former employer's house, Chun Soo said nervously to Soon Shin, "Hey...What are you doing? They're just gonna throw us out again. You thin the magistrate's son is just gonna sit by and do nothing?"
Staring straight ahead, Soon Shin promised in a resolute voice, "IF they throw me out I will get thrown out, but until then, I have to try." Looking at his friend, he began walking.
"Why can't you just close your eyes and ..." Chun Soo said under his breath, following him.
Their former pickpocket coworker was sweeping the courtyard when he saw the two of them approach. Making a face, he asked, "Oh no...who's this?"
"Is the master of the house at home?" Soon Shin asked him.
"What do you plan to do once you find him?" he asked back.
"I came to see the master of the house," Soon Shin repeated.
"Oh brother," the man said carelessly. " ! What is a person who got kicked out like you going to do when he meets the master?"
"Hey you jerk!" CHun Soo said, coming right up to his nose. "This man is yangban! How dare you speak to him like that?"
The man made a show of wiping CHun Soo's spit off his face. "what? Yangban? Hey you dummy! You're gonna lecture me about treating him like yangban when you're always going, 'soon shin ah soon shin!'. Does that make sense?"
"Why you little..."
"What are you gonna do?"
They both stopped their quarelling at the commotion behind them. several servants were running inside the house.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 18:07:06 GMT -5
"Sir! We have a major crisis on our hands!"
The businessman smacked his hand on his desk at these words. " ?" he screeched.
"That is correct sir," the man replied.
"How is it that no one took notice of this?"
" "
"So, ?"
"I am sorry, sir."
"Fine, How much ?"
" "
" ?"
" "
The man gave a frustrated laugh. " ?"
" "
" ? Huh? Why the hell are you all not saying anything?"
" "
"I can't do that." With that, he stood up and left the room.
Outside, seeing soon shin, the merchant's aide cried, "What?"
The pickpocket told soon shin, "What did i tell you? Get out of here now!"
Soon Shin shoved him aside and approached the merchant. "Sir, though i am sorry, may i ask that you give me the responsibility of taking care of this matter for you?"
The merchant's aide was furious. "What did you say!" He was about to go to Soon Shin when the merchant stopped him, a thoughtful look on his face. Soon SHin knew that his offer had piqued the man's interest.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 18:21:20 GMT -5
Chun Soo and Moojik the pickpocket looked nervously inside the house where Soon Shin had entered. Dressed now in formal yangban attire, Soon Shin sat before the Ginseng merchant negotiating a sale.
"I've come to buy ginseng," Soon Shin began.
"You want 200 cases?" the ginseng merchant asked.
"yes."
" ?"
"that's correct."
The merchant chuckled. "I'm not sure if..., but that sounds fine. ?"
"Lend us some. If , then we will return it," Soon Shin asked.
"Don't be ridiculous!" the man replied. " ?" he asked indignantly. He cleared his throat and looked away. As Soon Shin unwrapped a silken bag, he turned his eyes to him again. His mouth fairly fell open at the sight of the large silver ingots that fell out of the pouch. Trying his best not to drool, he listened as soon shin explained.
"If my empoloyer is pleased with the ginseng, he won't only buy twohundred, but perhaps even twice that amount."
"Oh don't worry," the man assured him. "Once he sees the ginseng, he won't have any doubt."
Soon Shin smiled at him. "I think so too. But..." Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out a document and laid it in front of the merchant. "please sign this. if it does not suit us, this says that we will return it to you..." (not sure if i got this part right)
The man looked at him suspiciously. "Still, ?" he asked. Soon shin nodded. Taking the paper casually, he replied, "That sounds fine," and taking a brush in hand, he signed the document. SOon Shin did his utmost to keep his face neutral.
As they carted the ginseng home, they were met by workers from the merchant's house.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 18:59:22 GMT -5
Soon Shin's boss and the ginseng merchant have a talk over the sale. The ginseng merchant discovers that he has been outwitted and that Soon Shin's boss gets to keep all the ginseng.
Later that night, Soon Shin's employer fairly cackled with glee. " !" he said between his bouts of laughter.
" " his servant replied.
" ?. What do you think? "
" " Soon Shin requested.
" ?"
" " Soon SHin explained.
" the merchant's aide criticized.
" "
"Of course. Of course of course of course!" the merchant said again breaking into laughter. "Of course!" he repeated as he slapped his table in glee.
Moojik and Chun Soo were talking amongst themselves waiting for soon shin to return. When they heard him open the door, Chun Soo asked excitedly, "Soon Shin ah! You've done it right? The master likes you now and we don't have to worry anymore about being thrown out right? Sit sit sit!"
Turning to moojik, soon shin told him, "You've done good work."
Moojik turned shyly away and said, "Oh, sir, i haven't done anything..."
"Yeah, he's right!" chun soo chimed in. "What the heck has this goodfornothing done?"
At this, Moojik shot him a dirty look. "And what have YOU done? Did you do any more than me?"
"What?" CHun Soo gave him a cool look. " ?"
"The one who was me!" he said, thumping his chest.
"You're right," Soon shin broke in diplomatically. "If you weren't there this job would have been much more difficult."
Moojik chuckled with satisfaction and when he saw chun soo's puzzled face he shouted, "You heard him!"
reaching into his shirt, soon shin pulled out a small string of coins and placed it in front of mookij. "here, the master gave me this. You hard workers enjoy it." Moojik fairly gaped in surprise.
Chun Soo snatched the money off the floor. "How can y0ou give this guy the money? What if he runs off with it?" Chun Soo started to put the money in his own shirt.
Moojik wrestled the money out of his hands and picked it up off the floor. "What kind of talk is that?" he asked outraged. "we all work for that master, we wouldn't steakl his money!" With a last offended look at chun soo, he walked out the door
"Aigo," Chun soo muttered, "You do like your money don't you..." Soon Shin just smiled. Scrambling over to Soon Shin, Chun Soo asked with a happy smile, "Soon SHin ah, don't we also ?"
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 19:00:53 GMT -5
After taking a long sip of wine, the merchant wiped off his beard and said with great self-satisfaction, "Boy, i really know how to pick them...he's smart, and "
his servant mentions his concern over byunmg taek's dislike of soon shin, but the merchant is unconcerned
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 19:06:29 GMT -5
Sharing a drink outside, Chun Soo looked at a rather melancholy Soon Shin and said in a slurred voice, "Soon Shin-ah, now, you can ....hm? You're set up now. Live in a nice house and wear nice clothes. Is that so much worse than being a magistrate? INstead of worrying and studying, this life is so much better. You think so too, right? right? Soon Shin ah?" CHun Soo chuckled again. Soon SHin smiled slightly. "Oh boy oh boy," Chun Soo muttered, "I gotta run to the can again..." As Chun soo walked off, Soon Shin's mind filled with memories from his past - the night his parents watched him leave asan, seeing song ryong as a scholar, watching won kyun fight, meeting byung taek again. He set down his wine bowl and stared at the sky
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 19:08:24 GMT -5
won kyun is at the martial arts training grounds and his master asks to meet yu song ryong because he has a request.
kyun stops by his house but then passes it by
soon shin revisits the waterfall and thinks back on his childhood
kyun and song ryong are watching him.
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Post by velvet inkbrush of YiSoonShin on Oct 10, 2004 19:09:37 GMT -5
On a clear sunny day, the people of the area were enjoying a day of celebration. Drummers and dancers in colorful clothes beat their drums and danced gaily with long ribbons on their hats. The locals danced and drank happily as they watched.
Two young girls ran to watch the festivities
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