I Became the Eldest Daughter of a Fallen Family - Chapter 28

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 28. What’s So Special About an Aqueduct System? (2)
The daughters-in-law of the Shim Family exchanged glances for a moment, then their faces brightened without anyone speaking first.
Then, with an earnestness they’d rarely shown before, they began to plead.
“Please, Father. Do as So Yeon-hui suggests. Every time we go to the well, that wretch Wang Chun-bae makes us so anxious we can barely stand it.”
“That’s right, Father! With my husband and eldest brother away on business so often, I’m terrified something like last time might happen again. We can’t keep imposing on the So Family like this.”
The village headman and his son had accumulated so much grievance that the two women’s laments seemed to stretch on endlessly.
Even Hong and Jang, who had been listening quietly as the senior wives, couldn’t help but gasp in horror: “There are truly such wretched people?”
Standing beside these wives, the expressions of Shim Da-rang and Shim I-rang were equally grave.
It was unavoidable to leave home for a livelihood, but that their wives should suffer such vile treatment in their absence—
The weight of failing to protect their household properly cast a shadow across their faces.
With matters having reached such a pass, how could Elder Shim refuse the proposal? He nodded slowly, but with unmistakable resolve.
He even added a word, his voice carrying a note of grim determination.
“We’ll contribute labor as well. After all, for such a grand undertaking, wouldn’t more hands make it finish faster? As for working with bamboo, there’s no one in these parts who can best this old man.”
“If you’d do that, we’d be truly grateful! Even with just two spades, if we dig and tamp the earth while laying gravel simultaneously, we’ll make much faster progress.”
Moreover, they could take turns before anyone’s strength gave out completely—a perfect arrangement all around.
Since both families stood to gain with nothing to lose, the two households’ agreement proceeded as smoothly as water flowing downhill.
* * *
After the Shim Family joined in, the pace of work doubled—this needed no elaboration.
“The lighter-colored ones—don’t lay those there. Set them aside separately. We’ll need them for the water tap area.”
“Oh, yes. Like this?”
“That’s right.”
Hong glanced at Song and added briefly:
“The young bride’s hands are quite skillful.”
Song laughed shyly, and her eyes met those of So Yeon-hui, who was just then measuring the slope of the water tap area.
With her naturally cheerful temperament and inclination toward chattiness, she seemed to have countless questions about this novel water system.
“So Yeon-hui, however did you come up with such an idea? Like those Tang Hu Lu candies and fragrant sauce you made before. What’s in that head of yours? You’re always producing the most ingenious things.”
“Ha-ha. Really? I’m just copying what others have already made…….”
“No flattery now! In all my life, I’ve never seen anything you’ve made before. Just look at this ‘aqueduct system’—connecting flowing water through tubes so you can use it conveniently in the courtyard. The very conception is quite extraordinary.”
Was it true that all the Scholar-Gentry Class were so clever?
Song laughed brightly, revealing her baseless admiration for the Scholar-Gentry Class.
Then she began boasting that her own son I-ho had learned to write characters from a cousin on her side of the family.
‘How amusing. Even mothers in ancient times have such passion for their children’s education—just like modern times.’
So Yeon-hui smiled faintly, picturing the face of the Shim Family’s youngest grandson, who loved to catch frogs and play.
But she didn’t want to miss opportunities for the Shim children to play better with Yeon-u and Yeon-su, so she nodded modestly and gave out flattering remarks here and there without forgetting.
“Actually, I’m not particularly clever myself. I simply have more miscellaneous knowledge from reading many books.”
“Really? That’s hard to believe.”
“It’s true. This ‘aqueduct system’ is just something I’m adapting from what I read in books. Apparently, in Rome, a country in the Western Regions, they built aqueduct systems throughout the entire city. All so that everyone could use water conveniently.”
Moreover, the water channels apparently crossed over mountain ridges and spanned deep valleys in straight lines.
When she elaborated on such information appropriately, not only Song but also Hong, who was laying gravel in the water channel, was astonished.
“Are you saying such a country truly exists in the Western Regions?”
“Well, yes. Perhaps…… ? The name might be different, but something similar probably exists.”
“If what you say is true, we shouldn’t dismiss the lands of the foreigners out of hand. For them to manage waterworks so well—surely it must be a peaceful kingdom ruled by a sage-king.”
Well, I’m not so sure about that.
In a nation where twenty-four of thirty-seven emperors were assassinated?
But certain things are beautiful only when they remain a dream.
So Yeon-hui laughed it off and quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway. I think it’s good to read widely and diversely. Even knowledge that seems useless at first always finds some use eventually.”
For instance, what use would a modern person living in a city with hot-water heaters in every home have for knowledge about the structure of ancient water taps?
But now, awakening in this ancient age, no knowledge could be more revolutionary and useful.
So Yeon-hui secretly applauded her past self for her useless curiosity, the one who had sampled all manner of documentaries.
As the sun began to set, So Yeon-hui, having carefully buried the bamboo tubes from the water tap area all the way out to beyond the courtyard, straightened her back and slowly surveyed the entire system.
‘The drainage system is complete. Now I only need to connect the final pipe of the fresh-water system to the water source.’
Could the bamboo tubes, hardened by fire to improve waterproofing, perform as well as Rome’s aqueducts?
So Yeon-hui checked whether the joints sealed with three-layer clay had set properly and tested each support stand with her hand to ensure nothing wobbled.
Moving forward through this step-by-step verification, she reached the water tap area.
To confirm the final result, So Yeon-hui sent a signal with a flag to her father standing on the mountain.
Then, from atop the mountain, her father’s red cloth began waving visibly.
It was the signal that the final joint had been connected.
Everyone from the So Family and all the Shim Family members stood in a line before the water tap area, holding their breath.
‘Please. Please let this work.’
As a hushed silence made the mountain’s solitude all the more palpable,
A thin stream of water began flowing from the valve-type water tap that had been prepared beforehand.
And a beat later, as if to burst open the anxious hearts, clear spring water came pouring out forcefully with a splashing sound.
“Wahhh!”
“Success! We really did it!”
Without anyone going first, people began cupping water in their palms and shouting in celebration.
As memories of their hard work, covered in dust and grime, swiftly crossed their minds, emotion surged up from deep within their chests.
“Do you see this water? This clear, cold spring water is far superior to that well water Wang hoarded so jealously!”
Hong extended her hand under the stream of water and spoke.
Elder Shim and the two daughters-in-law of the Shim Family might have thought it mere bravado against Wang’s tyranny, but So Yeon-hui understood.
Hong was speaking from genuine amazement.
‘Of course. In this era, a water tap with a filter is unprecedented.’
When she first developed the simple water purification apparatus, she hadn’t imagined using it like this. The adults had even told her to keep that technique hidden.
But just because the technology existed—would she let it sit unused?
After all, as long as no one knew what was inside the bamboo tube, that was that.
So Yeon-hui simply modified one of the water pipes with a water purification filter.
‘If the water is well-filtered and boiled once before drinking, there’s no risk of stomach troubles.’
True, mineral deposits could build up, and unlike modern filter faucets where you simply replace the cartridge, she’d need to periodically clean the sand, charcoal, and cotton inside the purification tube.
But if it meant drinking clean water, such effort was nothing.
So Yeon-hui felt deeply satisfied by this quiet water quality revolution taking place in her courtyard.
Just then, an unexpected sound of footsteps came from the direction of the courtyard.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
It was the voice of a young man, somehow familiar.
‘His name was… A-yun, wasn’t it?’
She couldn’t know his exact identity, but he had stayed in her memory as someone who appeared to have quite deep relations with the Cheongpyeong Wei Family’s son.
Though, with such a handsome man, one couldn’t forget him anyway.
‘But why has he suddenly come to the So Family? Unlike Wi Jeong, we have no family connections. What business could he possibly have?’
And why did he have to visit precisely when Father was away?
So Yeon-hui turned her head with half anxiety, half wariness.
There stood two men dressed in fine silk, displaying visages as fair as jade as though posing for a portrait.
‘Wow, they really are handsome…… No, wait. Why is that man here too?’
Having parents of extraordinary beauty, So Yeon-hui had developed immunity to handsome faces, yet seeing A-yun and Wi Jeong standing beside him, she went rigid.
But it wasn’t solely because of their overwhelmingly handsome appearances.
‘Could they possibly be here to reclaim those seven hundred coins they forced us to sell?’
So this was why people couldn’t live comfortably after committing a wrong.
Cold sweat rolled down along her temple in a single line.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————